11/9/2013
1. The team’s abysmal performance in
conference play destroyed any hope of
competing for the national championship.
• Abysmal – adj.
• Parts: a (without); bussos (bottom); al (related to)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition:
• Synonyms:
• Antonyms:
•• Variant forms: abyss (noun)
• Context Phrase:
2. He surprised his girlfriend with his gift
of an anthology of Shakespeare’s poetry.
• Anthology - noun
• Parts: anthos (flowers); logy (study, collection)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition:
• Synonyms:
• Antonyms:na
• Variant forms: anthologize (verb); anthologist (noun)
• Context Phrase:
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11/9/2013
3. The bellicose nations boycotted the
peace negotiations conducted by the
United Nations
• Bellicose – adj.
• Parts: bell (war); ose ( having the quality of)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition:
• Synonyms:
• Antonyms:
• Variant forms: bellicosity (n); bellicosely (adv.)
• Context Phrase:
4. The entrepreneur offered his house and
stocks as collateral for the new business.
• Collateral - noun
• Parts: col (together); later (side); al (related to)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition:
• Synonyms:
• Antonyms:
• Variant forms: na
• Context Phrase:
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11/9/2013
5. The doctor recommended she move to
Arizona to convalesce in a warmer
climate.
• Convalesce - verb
• Parts: con (together, with); val (strong); esce (beginning to)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition:
• Synonyms:
• Antonyms:
• Variant forms: convalescence (noun) convalescent (adj)
• Context Phrase:
6. The weight loss commercials delude some
people to think that they can lose fifty pounds
safely and effortlessly in only one month.
• Delude - verb
• Parts: de (down, from); lud (play, mock)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition:
• Synonyms:
• Antonyms:
• Variant forms: delusion (noun) delusional (adj)
• Context Phrase:
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11/9/2013
7. The arms and legs of a malnourished
child are emaciated, but the stomach is
often distended.
• Distended - verb
• Parts:dis (apart, away) tend (stretch)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition:
• Synonyms:
• Antonyms:
• Variant forms: distension (noun)
• Context Phrase:
8. The teacher’s equanimity during the
tornado calmed the frightened children.
• Equanimity - noun
• Parts: equ (same); anim (spirit); ity (state of)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition:
• Synonyms:
• Antonyms:
• Variant forms: na
• Context Phrase:
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11/9/2013
9. The parents grounded the fractious child
to teach her to use better judgment.
• Fractious - adjective
• Parts: fract (break); ious (full of)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition:
• Synonyms:
• Antonyms:
• Variant forms: na
• Context Phrase:
10. Some philosophers propose that evil is
inherent in the nature of man
• Inherent – adj.
• Parts: in (in, into); her (stick); ent (full of)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition:
• Synonyms:
• Antonyms:
• Variant forms: inherence (noun); inherently (adv)
• Context Phrase:
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11/9/2013
11. Offended by the defendant’s insolent
tone of voice, the judge imposed the
maximum sentence.
• Insolent – adj.
• Parts: in (not); solere (to be accustomed); ent (full of)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition:
• Synonyms:
• Antonyms:
• Variant forms: insolence (n); insolently (adv)
• Context Phrase:
12. Candidates for this scholarship must
demonstrate excellent academic
achievement and irreproachable character.
• Irreproachable – adj.
• Parts:ir(not); re(again, back); prop(near) able(capable of)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition:
• Synonyms:
• Antonyms:
• Variant forms: irreproachability(n); irreproachably (adv)
• Context Phrase:
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11/9/2013
13. The seats in the mezzanine are not the
most expensive, but they provide a good
view.
• Mezzanine - noun
• Parts: medi (middle); ine (belonging to)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition:
• Synonyms: na
• Antonyms: na
• Variant forms: na
• Context Phrase:
14. Buying this expensive new car will
obliterate my savings account.
• Obliterate - verb
• Parts: ob (against); liter (letter, word) ate (cause, make)
• Educated Guess: to erase
• Definition:
• Synonyms:
• Antonyms: na
• Variant forms: obliteration (noun)
• Context Phrase:
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11/9/2013
15. The obsequious waiter annoyed us by
constantly interrupting out dinner to ask
whether we needed anything.
• Obsequious – Adj.
• Parts: ob (against); sequ (follow); ious (full of)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition:
• Synonyms:
• Antonyms:
• Variant forms: obsequiously (adv) obsequiousness (n)
• Context Phrase:
16. We soon became accustomed to the
fragrance of the candles that pervaded the
store.
• Pervade - verb
• Parts: per (through); vad (go)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition:
• Synonyms:
• Antonyms: na
• Variant forms: pervasive (adj) pervasively (adv)
• Context Phrase:
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11/9/2013
17. Not long ago people, including some
scientists, insisted that genetic engineering
and cloning were preposterous ideas.
• Preposterous - adj.
• Parts: pre (before); post (after); ous(full of)
• Educated Guess: putting the last first
• Definition:
• Synonyms:
• Antonyms:
• Variant forms: preposterously (adv)
• Context Phrase:
18. Some critics called the captain
pusillanimous because he saved himself
while others went down with the ship.
• Pusillanimous - adj.
• Parts: pusillus(very small) anim (spirit, soul) ous (full of)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition:
• Synonyms:
• Antonyms:
• Variant forms: pusillanimity (n) pusillanimously (adv)
• Context Phrase:
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11/9/2013
19. Many students found his lecture,
replete with sesquipedalian vocabulary,
intellectually challenging.
• Sesquipedalian – adj.
• Parts: sesqui(one and one half) ped (foot) ian (related to)
• Educated Guess: a foot and a half long
• Definition:
• Synonyms:
• Antonyms:
• Variant forms: na
• Context Phrase:
20. Many plants, like orchids, grow better
in terra cotta than in plastic pots.
• Terra cotta - noun
• Parts: terra (earth); cotta (baked)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition:
• Synonyms: na
• Antonyms: na
• Variant forms: na
• Context Phrase:
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