MARCH THREAD - Updated regularly
Make sure to do all words from previous threads also...
1. Whimsical - Determined by, arising from, or marked by whim or caprice; erratic in behavior or degree of unpredictability; playful, fanciful; determined by chance or impulse rather than by necessity or reason2. Noxious - Harmful to the mind or morals; corrupting; injurious to health
3. Pulverize - To pound, crush, or grind to a powder or dust; to demolish; destroy
4. Preponderance - Superiority in weight, force, importance, or influence; great numbers; supremacy
5. Superciliousness - The quality of being arrogant; the trait of displaying arrogance by patronizing those considered inferior6. Lachrymose - Weeping or inclined to weep; tearful; causing or tending to cause tears
7. Reconciliation - A reestablishment of friendship or harmony; harmonizing; restoration of friendly relations; reuniting; suspension of hostilities. An armed truce for the purpose of digging up the dead8. Dust jacket - A removable paper cover used to protect the binding of a book; cardboard sleeve in which a phonograph record is packaged; a paper jacket for a book; a jacket on which promotional information is printed9. Apron - A garment of cloth worn to protect your clothing; a defined area on an airfield intended to accommodate aircraft for purposes of loading or unloading passengers or cargo, refueling, parking, or maintenance; flat piece of wood mounted under the base of a cabinet; part of a stage in a theater extending in front of the curtain; platform, as of planking, at the entrance to a dock
10. Whereabouts - The general location where something is; about where or near what place11. Facetious - Playfully jocular; humorous; tongue-in-cheek, kidding; intended to excite laughter or amusement12. Synergy - The interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects; cooperative interaction among groups, especially among the acquired subsidiaries or merged parts of a corporation, that creates an enhanced combined effect; process in which two organs, substances, or agents work simultaneously to enhance the functions and effects of one another; joint work toward a common end13. Rebuff - A blunt or abrupt repulse or refusal, as to an offer; check or an abrupt setback to progress or action; unkind refusal or rejection; snub; turning away; ignoring
14. Zealot - Excessive enthusiasm or u can say excessive zeal; or fanatic
15. Vile - Very evil; unpleasant; so objectionable as to elicit despisal or deserve condemnation; heavily soiled; very dirty or unclean; extremely unpleasant to the senses or feelings; having or proceeding from low moral standards; offensive, horrible; loathsome; disgusting
16. Obstinate - Stubbornly adhering to an attitude, opinion, or course of action; obdurate; difficult to manage, control, or subdue; refractory; difficult to alleviate or cure; stubborn, determined
17. Bemoan - To express grief over; lament; express disapproval of or regret for; deplore; express sorrow; regret strongly
18. Dauntless - Incapable of being intimidated or discouraged; fearless; having or showing courage; bold, courageous
19. Succor - Assistance in time of distress; relief; one that affords assistance or relief; to give assistance to in time of want, difficulty, or distress; give support or assistance
20. Indelible - Impossible to remove, erase, or wash away; permanent; unable to be forgotten; memorable; indestructible; cannot be removed, washed away or erased
21. Endeavor - To try hard; attempt to achieve something; work with a set or specified goal or purpose; conscientious or concerted effort toward an end; an earnest attempt; enterprise
22. Fraught - Filled with a specified element or elements; charged; marked by or causing distress; emotional; freight; cargo; marked by distress; filled with or attended with
23. Placidity - The quality or state of being placid; calmness; serenity; a feeling of calmness; a quiet and undisturbed feeling; a disposition free from stress or emotion
24. Inane - One that lacks sense or substance; stupid
25. Bellicose - Warlike or hostile in manner or temperament; likely to quarrel or fight; having or showing an eagerness to fight26. Furrow - A long shallow trench in the ground; make wrinkled or creased;
a deep wrinkle in the skin, as on the forehead
27. Complaisance - Agreeableness; disposition or tendency to yield to the will of others
28. Daft - Mad; crazy; foolish; stupid; scots; frolicsome
29. Abattoir - A slaughterhouse; something likened to a slaughterhouse
30. Unflappable - Persistently calm, whether when facing difficulties or experiencing success; not easily upset or excited; cool and calm
31. Puckish - Mischievous; impish; naughtily or annoyingly playful
32. Porous - Penetrated by pores and open spaces; having holes; absorbent; admitting the passage of gas or liquid through pores or interstices; easily crossed or penetrated
33. Ostracize - To exclude from a group; to exclude from normal social or professional activities; to force to leave a country or place by official decree; exile, banish; to put into public disfavor
34. Droll - Amusingly odd or whimsically comical; amusing, farcical; buffoon; arousing laughter
35. Maverick - An unbranded range animal, especially a calf that has become separated from its mother, traditionally considered the property of the first person who brands it; one that refuses to abide by the dictates of or resists adherence to a group; a dissenter; being independent in thought and action or exhibiting such independence; radical
36. Insipid - Lacking flavor or zest; not tasty; lacking qualities that excite, stimulate, or interest; dull
37. Inclement - Stormy; showing no clemency; unmerciful; bitter, nasty (weather); cruel, merciless; (of weather of climate) physically severe; used of persons or behavior; showing no clemency or mercy
38. Irk - To be irritating, wearisome, or vexing to
39. Perplexed - Filled with confusion or bewilderment; puzzled; full of complications or difficulty; involved; mentally uncertain; full or difficulty or confusion or bewilderment40. Recant - To make a formal retraction or disavowal of (a statement or belief to which one has previously committed oneself); make a formal retraction or disavowal of a previously held statement or belief; to disavow (something previously written or said) irrevocably and usually formally; take back something said; to take back formally an opinion or belief41. Heinous - Grossly wicked or reprehensible; abominable: a heinous crime; horrifying, monstrous; very evil or wicked42. Dilapidate - To bring or fall into a state of partial ruin, decay, or disrepair; bring into a condition of decay or partial ruin by neglect or misuse
43. Dank - Disagreeably damp or humid; clammy; slightly wet; unpleasantly damp or cold
44. Evanescence - The act or state of vanishing away; disappearance; act or an example of passing out of sight; the event of fading and gradually vanishing from sight
45. Egregious - Conspicuously bad or offensive; outstandingly bad; outrageous
46. Aplomb - Self-confident assurance; poise; assurance of manner or of action; a firm belief in one's own powers; stable, calm state of the emotions
47. Ceaseless - Without stop or pause; constant
48. Insouciant - Marked by blithe unconcern; nonchalant; easygoing, casual
49. Altercation - A vehement quarrel; discussion, often heated, in which a difference of opinion is expressed; fight, often verbal; angry fight or dispute
50. Avaricious - Immoderately desirous of wealth or gain; greedy
51. Covet - To feel blameworthy desire for (that which is another's); wish for longingly; feel immoderate desire for that which is another's; desire strongly; feel envy towards or for; Wish, long, or crave for (something, especially the property of another person)
52. Vitiate - To reduce the value or impair the quality of; to corrupt morally; debase; to make ineffective; invalidate
53. Senility - Old age; mental and physical deterioration associated with aging; loss of faculties
54. Brat - A child, especially a spoiled or ill-mannered on; child of a career military person55. Equanimity - The quality of being calm and even-tempered; composure; level-headedness; evenness of mind or temper56. Bolster - To support or prop up with or as if with a long narrow pillow or cushion; to buoy up or hearten; keep from yielding or failing during stress or difficulty; help; short horizontal timber or steel member placed on top of a column to support and decrease the span of beams or girders; to support; reinforce. To give a boost to someone
57. Lofty - Of imposing height; elevated in character; exalted; arrogant; haughty; affecting grandness; pompous; exceedingly dignified in form, tone, or style; of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style
58. Unctuous - Characterized by affected, exaggerated, or insincere earnestness; slippery; greasy; affectedly and self-servingly earnest; too polite in speech or manner
59. Whet - To sharpen (a knife, for example); hone; make more keen; stimulate; sharpen; arouse; excite
60. Imprudent - Unwise or indiscreet; not prudent; without much thought; foolish; not careful; rash or heedless
61. Agape - In a state of wonder or amazement, as with the mouth wide open; wide open; love as revealed in Jesus, seen as spiritual and selfless and a model for humanity
62. Debilitate - To sap the strength or energy of; enervate; lessen or deplete the nerve, energy, or strength of; incapacitate; reduce in strength; to weaken63. Callous - Emotionally hardened; unfeeling; having calluses; toughened; completely lacking in compassion; cruel, insensitive; without regard for the feelings or sufferings of others64. Mundane - Of, relating to, or typical of this world; secular; relating to, characteristic of, or concerned with commonplaces; ordinary; commonplace; person who is not in science fiction fandom; person who is not in the computer industry65. Coy - Tending to avoid people and social situations; reserved; affectedly and usually flirtatiously shy or modest; annoyingly unwilling to make a commitment; very modest; not forward but reticent or reserved in manner; given to flirting; shy
66. Oscillate - To swing back and forth with a steady, uninterrupted rhythm; to waver, as between conflicting opinions or courses of action; vacillate; vary between alternate extremes, usually within a definable period of time; change back and forth; move rhythmically back and forth suspended or as if suspended from above
67. Shun - To avoid deliberately; keep away from; avoid; ignore
68. Disgruntled - To put in a bad mood; unhappy; critical; in a state of sulky dissatisfaction69. Thaw - Change from a frozen solid to a liquid by gradual warming; unfreeze, warm
70. Thwart - To prevent from accomplishing a purpose; stop, hinder; oppose and defeat the efforts, plans, or ambitions of; seat across a boat on which a rower may sit
71. Pellucid - Admitting the passage of light; transparent or translucent; transparently clear in style or meaning; admitting maximum passage of light; reflecting light evenly; transparent, translucent. Also: Easy to understand72. Sordid - Filthy or dirty; foul; depressingly squalid; wretched; morally degraded; exceedingly mercenary; grasping; dirty, bad, low73. Penitent - Feeling or expressing remorse for one's misdeeds or sins; person performing penance under the direction of a confessor; shamed, sorrowful; undergoing or awaiting punishment
74. Intransigent - Refusing to moderate a position, especially an extreme position; uncompromising; firmly, often unreasonably immovable in purpose or will; not capable of being swayed or diverted from a course; unsusceptible to persuasion
75. Upbraid - To criticize for a fault or an offense; to scold; utter a reproach to
76. Implacable - Impossible to placate or appease; firmly, often unreasonably immovable in purpose or will; merciless, cruel; incapable of being pleased
77. Obstreperous - Noisily and stubbornly defiant; aggressively boisterous; unruly; not submitting to discipline or control; offensively loud and insistent
78. Reminiscence - The act or process of recollecting past experiences or events; event that brings to mind a similar, former event; calling to mind of incidents within the range of personal knowledge or experience; narrative of experiences undergone by the writer. commentary (often used in plural)
79. Rant - To speak or write in an angry or violent manner; rave; utter or express with violence or extravagance; speak in a loud, pompous, or prolonged manner; pretentious, pompous speech or writing; yelling, raving; speech or piece of writing that incites anger or violence80. Unencumbered - Not burdened or hampered81. Relegate - To assign to an obscure place, position, or condition; assign to a particular class or category; classify; refer or assign (a matter or task, for example) for decision or action; send to a place of exile; banish; downgrade; put in the charge of another for care, use, or performance; send off or consign, as to an obscure position or remote destination
82. Beleaguer - To harass; beset; surround with troops; besiege; to trouble persistently from or as if from all sides; to disturb by repeated attacks; to surround with hostile troops83. Wax - Any of various natural, oily or greasy heat-sensitive substances, consisting of hydrocarbons or esters of fatty acids that are insoluble in water but soluble in nonpolar organic solvents; resinous mixture used by shoemakers to rub on thread; phonograph record; to increase gradually in size, number, strength, or intensity; to show a progressively larger illuminated area, as the moon does in passing from new to full; to grow or become as specified84. Abstain - To refrain from something by one's own choice; to refrain from voting; hold back from doing85. Knotty - Tied or snarled in knots; covered with knots or knobs; gnarled; difficult to understand or solve; troublesome86. Stark - Bare or blunt; complete or utter; extreme; harsh; grim; bare, unadorned; utter, absolute; barren and desolate87. Dab - To spread with a greasy, sticky, or dirty substance; a tiny amount; a person with a high degree of knowledge or skill in a particular field
88. Nonchalance - Casual lack of concern; stable, calm state of the emotions; trait of remaining calm and seeming not to care; calmness89. Plethora - A superabundance; an excess; excess of blood in the circulatory system or in one organ or area; condition of going or being beyond what is needed, desired, or appropriate
90. Panorama - An unbroken view of an entire surrounding area; comprehensive presentation; a survey; picture or series of pictures representing a continuous scene, often exhibited a part at a time by being unrolled and passed before the spectator; mental vision of a series of events; building containing an exhibit of an extended pictorial representation of landscape or some event of note; usually depicted of a large, wide area; clear and open view in all directions91. Exude - To ooze forth; to discharge or emit (a liquid or gas, for example) gradually; to exhibit in abundance; to flow or leak out or emit something slowly; display, emit
92. Titanic - Having great stature or enormous strength; huge or colossal; of enormous scope, power, or influence
93. Lugubrious - Mournful, dismal, or gloomy, especially to an exaggerated or ludicrous degree
94. Obsequiousness - Full of or exhibiting servile compliance; fawning; groveling, submissive; too ready to serve; excessively eager to serve or obey95. Hastening - To move or act swiftly; cause to hurry; speed up; accelerate96. Corpulent - Excessively fat; chubby; having too much flesh97. Taunt - To reproach in a mocking, insulting, or contemptuous manner; drive or incite (a person) by taunting; scornful remark or tirade; a jeer
98. Proxy - A person authorized to act for another; an agent or substitute; written authorization to act in place of another; authority to act for another; a person who is given the power to act for another in voting
99. Fathom - A unit of length equal to 6 feet (1.83 meters), used principally in the measurement and specification of marine depths; to perceive and recognize the meaning of; discern, understand
100. Ameliorate - To make or become better; improve; relieve or reduce pain
101. Telling - Having force and producing a striking effect; revealing previously unknown information; effective, significant; disclosing information or giving evidence about another
102. Refute - To prove to be false or erroneous; overthrow by argument or proof; to deny the accuracy or truth of; prove false; discredit
103. Derogate - To take away; detract; to deviate from a standard or expectation; go astray; to disparage; belittle; to think, represent, or speak of as small or unimportant
104. Nepotism - Favoritism shown or patronage granted to relatives, as in business; favor a relative, especially in regard to political office; favoritism
105. Tortuous - Full of plot twists
106. Laze - To be lazy; loaf; to pass time without working or in avoiding work; relax; be idle; exist in a changeless situation
107. Mollify - To calm in temper or feeling; soothe; lessen in intensity; temper; reduce the rigidity of; soften; ease the anger or agitation of; ause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of; make more temperate, acceptable, or suitable by adding something else; moderate
108. Presbyterian - One who holds the conviction that the government authorities of the Church should be called presbyters; that form of church government which invests presbyters with all spiritual power, and admits no prelates over them; also, the faith and polity of the Presbyterian churches, taken collectively
109. Skimpy - Inadequate, as in size or fullness, especially through economizing or stinting; unduly thrifty; niggardly; sparse, inadequate; containing little excess110. Askew - To one side; awry; crooked(ly); crooked; out of alignment
111. Untenable - Incapable of being defended or justified
112. Decrepit - Weakened, worn out, impaired, or broken down by old age, illness, or hard use; deteriorated, debilitated; showing signs of wear and tear or neglect
113. Mettle - Courage and fortitude; spirit; inherent quality of character and temperament; boldness, strength of character; quality of mind enabling one to face danger or hardship resolutely
114. Byzantine - The style of architecture developed in the Byzantine Empire; massive domes with square bases and rounded arches and spires and minarets and much use of mosaics; of or relating to the Eastern Orthodox Church; highly involved or intricate; characterized by elaborate scheming and intrigue; devious; difficult to understand because of intricacy115. Hapless - Luckless; unfortunate; involving or undergoing chance misfortune
116. Gainsay - To declare false; deny; to oppose, especially by contradiction; refuse to admit the truth, reality, value, or worth of
117. Bouquet - A small cluster or arrangement of flowers; fragrance typical of a wine or liqueur; cut flowers that have been arranged in a usually small bunch; sweet or pleasant odor; bunch of flowers118. Abound - To be great in number or amount; be fully supplied or filled; teem; be abundantly filled or richly supplied; overflowing; existing in abundance119. Castigate - To inflict severe punishment on; to criticize severely
120. Impudent - Characterized by offensive boldness; insolent or impertinent; rude and disrespectful; shameless121. Lenience - Kind, forgiving, or compassionate treatment of or disposition toward others; mercifulness as a consequence of being lenient or tolerant; a disposition to yield to the wishes of someone; lightening a penalty or excusing from a chore by judges or parents or teachers122. Barrel - A large cylindrical container, usually made of staves bound together with hoops, with a flat top and bottom of equal diameter; trunk of a quadruped animal, such as a horse or cow; large quantity; act or instance of moving rapidly, often recklessly, in a motor vehicle; move at a high speed or rate of progress; large, round wooden container with curved sides and a flat top and bottom; move swiftly123. Brazenness - The quality or state of being brazen; state or quality of being impudent or arrogantly self-confident; behavior marked by a bold defiance of the proprieties and lack of shame124. Archipelago - A large group of islands; sea, such as the Aegean, containing a large number of scattered islands; group of islands near one another125. Caricature - Type of art in which the characteristic features of the human figure are exaggerated for amusement or criticism126. Robust - Full of health and strength; vigorous; powerfully built; sturdy; requiring or suited to physical strength or endurance; boisterous; marked by richness and fullness; full-bodied; healthy, strong127. Dwindle - To become gradually less until little remains; waste away; taper off; become smaller or less; to slowly diminish
128. Vivid - Perceived as bright and distinct; brilliant; having intensely bright colors; having a very high degree of saturation; presented in clear and striking manner; felt with the freshness of immediate experience; active in forming lifelike images129. Pundit - 130. Opine - To state as an opinion; speak one's opinion without fear or hesitation; expect, believe, or suppose 131. Ca'canny - To go cautiously, quietly, gently, carefully, warily; moderation, caution, spec. the practice of 'going slow' at work132. Scrap - A small piece or bit; a fragment; discarded waste material, especially metal suitable for reprocessing; break down into parts for disposal or salvage; discard as worthless or sell to be reused as parts; junk; to fight, often with the fists; fight or a scuffle; tiny amount; residual matter; tiny bit of something; abandon; argument133. Retard - To cause to move or proceed slowly; delay or impede; hinder, obstruct134. Regression - Reversion; retrogression; relapse to a less perfect or developed state; reversion to an earlier or less mature pattern of feeling or behavior; subsidence of the symptoms or process of a disease; return of a population to an earlier or less complex physical type in successive generations; relationship between the mean value of a random variable and the corresponding values of one or more independent variables; retrograde motion of a celestial body; relative fall in sea level resulting in deposition of terrestrial strata over marine strata135. Reify - To regard or treat (an abstraction) as if it had concrete or material existence; interpretation of an abstract idea or concept, such as the state, as real or concrete; consider an abstract concept to be real136. Ladle - a long-handled spoon with a deep bowl for serving soup, stew etc137. Phlegmatic - Without emotion or interest; having or suggesting a calm, sluggish temperament; unemotional 138. Convivial - Fond of feasting, drinking, and good company; sociable; fun-loving; merry; festive139. Duly - In a proper manner; at the expected time; accordingly, properly140. Truss - A supportive device, usually a pad with a belt, worn to prevent enlargement of a hernia or the return of a reduced hernia; rigid framework, as of wooden beams or metal bars, designed to support a structure, such as a roof; something gathered into a bundle; a pack; iron fitting by which a lower yard is secured to a mast; compact cluster of flowers at the end of a stalk; tie up or bind tightly; bind or skewer the wings or legs of (a fowl) before cooking; support or brace with a truss; tie up (someone) with their arms at their sides141. Rivet - A metal bolt or pin having a head on one end, inserted through aligned holes in the pieces to be joined and then hammered on the plain end so as to form a second head; fasten or secure with or as if with a rivet; hammer the headless end of so as to form a head and fasten something; fasten or secure firmly; fix; engross or hold (the attention, for example); compel, as the attention, interest, or imagination142. Pundit - A source of opinion; a critic; learned person; usually elderly person noted for wisdom, knowledge, and judgment; person who is authority143. Canny - Careful and shrewd, especially where one's own interests are concerned; cautious in spending money; frugal; steady, restrained, and gentle; snug and quiet; clever, artful; having or showing a clever awareness and resourcefulness in practical matters
144. Halcyon - Calm and peaceful; tranquil; prosperous; golden; serene; a fabled bird, identified with the kingfisher, that was supposed to have had the power to calm the wind and the waves while it nested on the sea during the winter solstice
145. Equivocal - Open to two or more interpretations and often intended to mislead; ambiguous; uncertain significance; of a doubtful or uncertain nature
146. Exculpate - To clear of guilt or blame; free from a charge or imputation of guilt; forgive147. Incorrigible - Incapable of being corrected or reformed
148. Mulish - Stubborn and intractable; recalcitrant; unreasonably rigid in the face of argument or entreaty or attack
149. Torpor - A state of mental or physical inactivity or insensibility; apathy; dormant, inactive state of a hibernating or estivating animal; deficiency in mental and physical alertness and activity; lethargy; dullness
150. Daft - Mad; crazy; foolish; stupid; scots; frolicsome
151. Mawkish - Excessively and objectionably sentimental; sickening or insipid in taste; sentimental, emotional152. Aberrant - Deviating from the proper or expected course; deviating from what is normal; untrue to type; not being normal
153. Capricious - Characterized by or subject to whim; impulsive and unpredictable; given to sudden behavior change154. Fickle - Characterized by erratic changeableness or instability, especially with regard to affections or attachments; capricious; vacillating, blowing hot and cold155. Apocryphal - Of questionable authorship or authenticity; erroneous; fictitious; questionable; fake; of questionable authenticity
156. Isthmus - A narrow strip of land connecting two larger masses of land; a narrow strip of tissue joining two larger organs or parts of an organ; narrow passage connecting two larger cavities; narrow strip of land that connects two larger bodies of land and has water on both sides
157. Nibble - To bite at gently and repeatedly; eat with small, quick bites or in small morsels; wear away or diminish bit by bit; very small quantity, especially of food; a morsel; take small or hesitant bites158. Perfidious - Not true to duty or obligation; treacherous159. Skirt - The periphery of a city or town; border, edge; avoid; get around; be on the edge; avoid fulfilling or answering completely; garment hanging from the waist and worn by women and girls; lower outer section of a rocket vehicle; flexible strip hanging from the base of an air-cushion vehicle; piece of fabric that extends over or beyond something to afford protection160. Ebullient - Zestfully enthusiastic; boiling or seeming to boil; bubbling; full of joyful, unrestrained high spirits; enthusiastic161. Torpor - A state of mental or physical inactivity or insensibility; apathy; dormant, inactive state of a hibernating or estivating animal; deficiency in mental and physical alertness and activity; lethargy; dullness
162. Lassitude - Lack of energy
163. Invigorate - To impart vigor, strength, or vitality to; animate; stimulate; heighten or intensify; give life or energy to; make lively; impart vigor, strength, or vitality to
164. Yield - Produce; grant, allow; give in, surrender; conform to the will or judgment of another, especially out of respect or courtesy; moderate or change a position or course of action as a result of pressure: ease off; give in from or as if from a gradual loss of strength; give up a possession, claim, or right; make as income or profit: bring in; to give up a possession, claim, or right; produce harvested from the land165. Avowal - A frank admission or acknowledgment; act of admitting to something; a statement asserting the existence or the truth of something166. Lionize - To look on or treat (a person) as a celebrity; treat as a celebrity; treat as a famous person167. Exonerate - To free from blame; free from a responsibility, obligation, or task; excuse, clear of responsibility or blame
168. Dissimulation - To disguise (one's intentions, for example) under a feigned appearance; conceal one's true feelings or intentions; conceal, disguise; change or modify so as to prevent recognition of the true identity or character of
169. Magniloquent - Lofty and extravagant in speech; grandiloquent; characterized by language that is elevated and sometimes pompous in style; boastful
170. Spartan - Resolute in the face of pain or danger or adversity; unsparing and uncompromising in discipline or judgment; practicing great self-denial; austere; laconic; simple
171. Garrulous - Given to excessive and often trivial or rambling talk; tiresomely talkative; wordy and rambling; talkative
172. Splurge - To indulge in an extravagant expense or luxury; be showy or ostentatious; extravagant display; expensive indulgence; a spree; spend lavishly173. Facile - Done in a quick smooth way; easy; easily mastered; working, acting, or speaking with effortless ease and fluency; arrived at without due care, effort, or examination; superficial; readily manifested, together with an aura of insincerity and lack of depth; pleasingly mild, as in disposition or manner174. Repudiate - To refuse to recognize or acknowledge; reject; turn one's back on; disown
175. Malaise - A vague feeling of bodily discomfort, as at the beginning of an illness; general sense of depression or unease; general feeling of discomfort or uneasiness, often the first indication of an infection or other disease
176. Encipher - To put (a message, for example) into cipher; convert plain text into unintelligible form by means of a cipher system
177. Circuitous - Being or taking a roundabout, lengthy course; going around, indirect; not taking a direct or straight line or course; marked by obliqueness or indirection in speech or conduct; deviating from a straight course178. Purism - Strict observance of or insistence on traditional correctness, especially of language179. Truculent - Disposed to fight; pugnacious; expressing bitter opposition; scathing; disposed to or exhibiting violence or destructiveness; fierce; belligerent, hateful; defiantly aggressive
180. Nugatory - Of little or no importance; trifling. having no force; invalid
181. Sycophant - A servile self-seeker who attempts to win favor by flattering influential people; one who flatters another excessively
182. Fawn - To seek favor or attention by flattery and obsequious behavior; to support slavishly every opinion or suggestion of a superior; a young deer, less than one year old; a grayish yellow-brown to moderate reddish brown
183. Veracious - Honest; truthful; accurate; precise; consistently telling the truth; conforming to fact
184. Thrifty - Practicing or marked by the practice of thrift; wisely economical; industrious and thriving; prosperous; growing vigorously; thriving, as a plant; not wasteful
185. Grueling - Physically or mentally demanding to the point of exhaustion; difficult, taxing
186. Transitoriness - The quality or state of being transitory; speedy passage or departure
187. Accolade - An expression of approval; praise; special acknowledgment; an award; ceremonial embrace, as of greeting or salutation; ceremonial bestowal of knighthood; recognition; ornamental treatment, used over an arch, a door, or a window, composed of two curves meeting in the middle; often a richly decorated molding; approval
188. Hull - Dry outer covering of a fruit or seed or nut; the frame or body of ship
189. Fix - Difficult or ticklish situation; cook a meal; determine, decide; establish, make firm; focus on; manipulate, influence an event; mend, repair; prepare, plan ahead; wreak vengeance on
190. Sop - To dip, soak, or drench in a liquid; saturate; take up by absorption; piece of food soaked or dipped in a liquid; a bribe; something yielded to placate or soothe; give a conciliatory gift or bribe to
191. Lacerate - To rip, cut, or tear; to cause deep emotional pain to; distress; torn, mangled; wounded; having jagged, deeply cut edges; irregularly slashed and jagged as if torn
192. Covert - Existing or operating in a way so as to ensure complete concealment and confidentiality; lying beyond what is obvious or avowed; something that physically protects, especially from danger; a hiding place; clandestine, underhanded; something that serves to conceal or shelter
ANALOGIES
1. brat:urbanity
2. avaricious:covet3. vitiate:quality4. senility:consciousness5. recant:spend6. confident:doubt7. abattoir:butcher8. impervious:penetrate9. fraught:placidity10. inane:significance11. dust jacket:books12. apron:clothing13. lost:whereabouts14. mediate:reconciliation
15. proxy:vote
16. parliament:legislative
17. he:she
18. blockage:circulation
19. banana:peel
20. peanut:shell
21. experiment:discovery
22. bouquet:flowers
23. jog:exercise
24. exaggeration:caricature
25. preparation:ready
26. islands:archipelago
27. pundit:opine
28. mediate:reconciliation
29. vivid:inspiration
30. isthmus:land
31. adamant:moved
32. nibble:bite
33. capricious:fickle34. hole:perforation35. apocryphal:authenticity36. mishap:accident
37. sycophant:fawn38. nugatory:worth39. truculent:light
40. truss:support
ISSUE TOPICS
1. The surest indicator of a great nation is not the achievements of its rulers, artists, or scientists, but the general welfare of all its people2. Many people know how to attain success, but few know how to make the best use of it3. The function of science is to reassure; the purpose of art is to upset. Therein lies the value of each4. Money spent on research is almost always od investment, even when the results of the research are controversial5. When research priorities are being set for science, education, or any other area, the most important question to consider is: How many people's lives will be improved if the results are successful?6. In order to improve the quality of instruction at the college and university level, all faculty should be required to spend time working outside the academic world in professions relevant to the courses they teach7. It is often necessary, even desirable, for political leaders to withhold information from the public
8. In most professions and academic fields, imagination is more important than knowledge
9. People who are the most deeply committed to an idea or policy are the most critical of it
10. To be an effective leader, a public official must maintain the highest ethical and moral standards
11. It is primarily through formal education that a culture tries to perpetuate the ideas it favors and discredit the ideas it fears
12. Universities should require every student to take a variety of courses outside the student's field of study because acquiring knowledge of various academic disciplines is the best way to become truly educated13. In any realm of life—whether academic, social, business, or political—the only way to succeed is to take a practical, rather than an idealistic, point of view. Pragmatic behavior guarantees survival, whereas idealistic views tend to be superceded by simpler, more immediate options14. All nations should help support the development of a global university designed to engage students in the process of solving the world's most persistent social problems15. In any realm of life—whether academic, social, business, or political—the only way to succeed is to take a practical, rather than an idealistic, point of view. Pragmatic behavior guarantees survival, whereas idealistic views tend to be super ceded by simpler, more immediate options
16. The most effective way to communicate an idea or value to large groups of people is through the use of images, not language
17. Rituals and ceremonies help define a culture. Without them, societies or groups of people have a diminished sense of who they are
ARGUMENT TOPICS
1. The following appeared in an editorial in a business magazine. "Although the sales of Whirlwind video games have declined over the past two years, a recent survey of video-game players suggests that this sales trend is about to be reversed. The survey asked video-game players what features they thought were most important in a video game. According to the survey, players prefer games that provide lifelike graphics, which require the most up-to-date computers. Whirlwind has just introduced several such games with an extensive advertising campaign directed at people 10 to 25 years old, the age-group most likely to play video games. It follows, then, that the sales of Whirlwind video games are likely to increase dramatically in the next few months."
2. The following appeared in a memo from the mayor of the town of Hopewell.
"Two years ago, the town of Ocean View built a new municipal golf course and resort hotel. During the past two years, tourism in Ocean View has increased, new businesses have opened there, and Ocean View's tax revenues have risen by 30 percent. The best way to improve Hopewell's economy, and generate additional tax revenues, is to build a golf course and resort hotel similar to those in Ocean View."
3. The following appeared as part of a letter to the editor of a local newspaper.
"During her three years in office, Governor Riedeburg has shown herself to be a worthy leader. Since she took office, crime has decreased, the number of jobs created per year has doubled, and the number of people choosing to live in our state has increased. These trends are likely to continue if she is reelected. In addition, Ms. Riedeburg has promised to take steps to keep big companies here, thereby providing jobs for any new residents. Anyone who looks at Ms. Riedeburg's record can tell that she is the best-qualified candidate for governor."
4. The following appeared in a local newspaper.
A folk remedy* for insomnia, the scent in lavender flowers, has now been proved effective. In a recent study, 30 volunteers with chronic insomnia slept each night for three weeks on lavender-scented pillows in a controlled room where their sleep was monitored. During the first week, volunteers continued to take their usual sleeping medication. They slept soundly but wakened feeling tired. During the second week, the volunteers discontinued their medication. As a result, they slept less soundly than the previous week and felt even more tired. During the third week, the volunteers slept longer and more soundly than in the previous two weeks. This shows that over a short period of time lavender cures insomnia.
*A folk remedy is usually a plant-based form of treatment common to traditional forms of medicine, ones that developed before the advent of modern medical services and technology.
5. The following appeared in a memo from the manager of television station KICK.
"A nationwide survey reveals that a sizeable majority of men would like to see additional sports programs on television. After television station WACK increased its sports broadcasts, its share of the television audience in its viewing area almost doubled. To gain a larger audience share in our area, and thus increase company profits, KICK should also revise its broadcast schedule to include more sports coverage."
6. The following appeared in a memo from the vice president of a food-distribution company with food-storage warehouses in several cities.
"Recently we signed a contract with The Fly-Away Pest-Control Company to provide pest-control services at our fast-food warehouse in Palm City, but last month we discovered that over $20,000 worth of food there had been destroyed by pest damage. Meanwhile, the Buzzoff Pest-Control Company, which we have used for many years, continued to service our warehouse in Wintervale, and last month only $10,000 worth of the food stored there had been destroyed by pest damage. Even though the price charged by Fly-Away is considerably lower, our best means of saving money is to return to Buzzoff Company for all our pest-control services."
7. The following is a letter to the editor of the Waymarsh Times.
"Traffic problems here in Waymarsh are obviously reaching record levels. While just three months ago it would take me 15 minutes to get to work, it now takes closer to 25. Waymarsh should follow the example of our neighboring city Gearsville. Last year, Gearsville implemented a policy that rewards people who share rides to work with coupons for free gas. Pollution levels in Gearsville have dropped since the policy was implemented, and several friends who live in Gearsville tell me that their trip to work is quicker than it used to be. With the terrible traffic and high pollution in Waymarsh, we must implement a policy similar to Gearsville's."
8. The following is a recommendation from the director of personnel to the president of Professional Printing Company.
"In a recent telephone survey of automobile factory workers, older employees were less likely to report that having a supervisor present increases their productivity. Among workers aged 18 to 29, 27 percent said that they are more productive in the presence of their immediate supervisor, compared to 12 percent for those aged 30 or over, and only 8 percent for those aged 50 or over. Clearly, if our printing company hires mainly older employees, we will increase productivity and save money because of the reduced need for supervisors. "
9. The following appeared as a letter to the editor of a farming publication.
"With continuing publicity about the need for healthful diets, and with new research about the harmful effects of eating too much sugar, nationwide demand for sugar will no doubt decline. Therefore, farmers in our state should use the land on which they currently grow sugar cane to grow peanuts, a food that is rich in protein and low in sugar. Farmers in the neighboring country of Palin greatly increased their production of peanuts last year, and their total revenues from that crop were quite high."
10. The following appeared in a letter to the school board in the town of Centerville.
"All students should be required to take the driver's education course at Centerville High School. In the past two years several accidents in and around Centerville have involved teenage drivers. Since a number of parents in Centerville have complained that they are too busy to teach their teenagers to drive, some other instruction is necessary to ensure that these teenagers are safe drivers. Although there are two driving schools in Centerville, parents on a tight budget cannot afford to pay for driving instruction. Therefore an effective and mandatory program sponsored by the high school is the only solution to this serious problem."
