[adj] markedly different from an accepted

aberrant norm
[n] a deviation from what is normal or
aberration expected
[v] formally reject or give up (as a belief)
abjure
[adj] open and honest
aboveboard

[v] revoke formally

abrogate

[v] choose not to consume or take part in

abstain (particularly something enjoyable)
[adj] difficult to understand;
abstruse incomprehensible
[adj] extremely bad
abysmal
[n] the ability to go into (when somebody
or something must allow you to enter)
[v] to go into something when allowed to
access enter

[n] an award or praise granted as a special

accolade honor
[adj] harsh in tone
acerbic
[n] the highest point of achievement
acme
[n] bitterness and ill will
acrimony
[adj] refusing to change one's mind
adamant

adequate [adj] good enough for what you need

[v] to serve as a judge in a competition; to
adjudicate arrive at a judgment or conclusion
[v] to warn strongly, even to the point of
admonish reprimanding
[adj] serving to warn; expressing reproof
admonitory or reproach especially as a corrective

[v] speak, plead, or argue in favor of

[n] a person who pleads for a cause or
advocate propounds an idea
[n] one who professes great sensitivity to
aesthete the beauty of art and nature
[adj] concerned with the appreciation of
beauty
[n] a set of principles underlying and
aesthetic guiding the work of a particular artist or
artistic movement.

[adj] likeable; easy to talk to

affable
[adj] wealthy
affluent
[v] provide with an opportunity
afford
[n] an eager willingness to do something
alacrity
[n] the quality of unselfish concern for the
altruism welfare of others
[n] a mixture of multiple things
amalgam
[adj] open to more than one
ambiguous interpretation

[adj] mixed or conflicting emotions about

ambivalent something
[v] make something bad better
ameliorate
[adj] easily persuaded
amenable
[adj] friendly
amiable
[adv] in a frenzied or uncontrolled state
amok
[adj] shapeless
amorphous
[adv] more than is adequate
amply
[n] something that is inappropriate for the
anachronism given time period (usually something old).

[adj] similar in some respects but

analogous otherwise different
[n] a detested person; the source of
anathema somebody's hate
[adj] lacking energy and vigor
anemic
[n] intense hostility
animosity
[n] something that soothes or relieves
pain
anodyne [adj] inoffensive

[adj] not normal

anomalous

[n] something that is not normal,

anomaly standard, or expected
[v] precede in time
antedate
[adj] ludicrously odd
antic
[n] an intense feeling of dislike or aversion
antipathy
[adj] old-fashioned; belonging to an earlier
antiquated period in time
[adj] sharply contrasted in character or
antithetical purpose
[adj] marked by a lack of interest
apathetic
[n] an absence of emotion or enthusiasm
apathy
apex [n] the highest point
[n] a short instructive saying about a
aphorism general truth
[adj] something that is concise and
aphoristic instructive of a general truth or principle

[n] great coolness and composure under

aplomb strain
apocryphal [adj] being of questionable authenticity
[n] the highest point
apogee
[n] a person who has abandoned a
apostate religious faith or cause
[n] a short, pithy instructive saying
apothegm

[n] exaltation to divine status; the highest

apotheosis point of development
[v] pacify by acceding to the demands of
appease
[adj] large enough to be noticed (usu.
appreciable refers to an amount)
[n] fearful expectation
apprehension
[adj] expressing praise or approval
approbatory
[v] to give or take something by force
appropriate [v] to allocate

[adj] supply added support

appurtenant
[adj] based on a random, groundless
arbitrary decision
[adj] requiring secret or mysterious
arcane knowledge
[adj] to be deliberately teasing
arch
[adj] so old as to appear to belong to a
archaic different period
[adj] demanding considerable mental
arduous effort and skill; testing powers of
endurance
[adj] complete and wholly (usually
arrant modifying a noun with negative
connotation)
[n] a person who has recently reached a
arriviste position of power; a social climber
[v] seize and control without authority
arrogate
[adj] exhibiting artistic skill;
artful [adj] clever in a cunning way

[n] cunning tricks used to deceive others

artifice
[adj] without cunning or deceit
artless
artlessness [n] the quality of innocence
[n] the state that exists when one person
ascendancy or group has power over another

[adj] practicing self-denial

[n] one who practices great self-denial
ascetic

[v] attribute or credit to

ascribe
[adv] with a look of suspicion or
askance disapproval
[n] harshness of manner
asperity
[v] attack in speech or writing
assail
[adv] with care and persistence
assiduously
[v] make something intense less severe
assuage
[n] a reappearance of an earlier
atavism characteristic; throwback
[v] to weaken (in terms of intensity); to
attenuate taper off/become thinner.
[adj] willing to be bold in social situations
audacious or to take risks
[n] aggressive boldness in social situations
audacity
[v] enlarge or increase; improve
augment
[adj] favorable, the opposite of sinister
auspicious

[adj] practicing self-denial

[adj] unadorned in style or appearance
[adj] harsh in manner of temperament
austere

[adj] characteristic of an absolute ruler or

absolute rule; having absolute sovereignty
[adj] offensively self-assured or given to
autocratic exercising usually unwarranted power

[adv] In an autonomous or self-governing

autonomously manner.
[n] greed (one of the seven deadly sins)
avarice
[adj] excessively greedy
avaricious
[v] turn away
avert [v] ward off or prevent

[adj] marked by active interest and

avid enthusiasm
[v] to pester
badger
[adj] threatening or foreshadowing evil or
baleful tragic developments
[v] refuse to comply
balk
[adj] repeated too often; overfamiliar
banal through overuse

[n] a trite or obvious remark

banality
[v] expel from a community, residence, or
banish location; drive away
[adj] the lowest, class were without any
base moral principles
[n] an act that debases or corrupts
bastardization
[adj] blissfully happy
beatific
becoming [adj] appropriate, and matches nicely
[v] to evade or dodge (a question)
beg

[v] to envy someone for possessing or

begrudge enjoying something
[v] to give reluctantly
[v] to be one's duty or obligation
behooves

[v] to give a false representation to;

belie misrepresent
[v] lessen the importance, dignity, or
belittle reputation of
[adj] warlike; inclined to quarrel
bellicose
[adj] characteristic of one eager to fight
belligerent
[v] express discontent or a strong regret
bemoan

[adj] fallen into a state of ignorance

benighted
[adj] kind
benign [adj] (medicine) not dangerous to health;
not recurrent or progressive
[adj] unhappy in love; suffering from
unrequited love
beref [adj] sorrowful through loss or deprivation

[v] harass, as with questions or requests;

besiege cause to feel distressed or worried
[v] damage the good name and reputation
besmirch of someone
[adj] strongly affectionate towards
[adj] very drunk
besotted

[v] to reveal or make known something,

betray usually unintentionally
[adj] irritable; always angry
bilious
[adj] without any attempt at concealment;
blatant completely obvious
[adj] having a depressing or gloomy
bleak outlook

[adj] to have a limited outlook or

blinkered understanding

[v] support and strengthen

bolster
[n] a desirable state
boon [adj] very close and convivial
[adj] ill-mannered and coarse or
boorish contemptible in behavior or appearance

[v] edit by omitting or modifying parts

bowdlerize considered indelicate
[adj] unrestrained by convention or
brazen propriety
[v] the act of restraining power or action
bridle or limiting excess
[v] anger or take offense
[v] react in an offended or angry manner
bristle
[n] a strong verbal attack
broadside
[n] a trite or obvious remark
bromide
[v] put up with something or somebody
brook unpleasant
[v] be bossy towards; discourage or
browbeat frighten with threats or a domineering
manner
[adv] in a blunt, direct manner
brusquely
[v] resist
buck
[adj] relating to the pleasant aspects of
bucolic the country
[adj] lacking physical movement skills,
bumbling especially with the hands
[v] grow and flourish
burgeon
[v] make stronger or defensible
buttress
[adj] intricate and complex
byzantine

[adj] emaciated; gaunt

cadaverous
[adj] young and inexperienced
callow
[n] making of a false statement meant to
calumny injure a person’s reputation
canard [n] a deliberately misleading fabrication
[adj] a straightforward and honest look at
candid something
[n] the quality of being honest and
candidness straightforward in attitude and speech
[n] the amount or volume something can
capacity hold ability (especially mental)

[n] to surrender (usually under agreed

capitulate conditions)
[adj] determined by chance or impulse or
capricious whim rather than by necessity or reason

[adj] of primary importance; fundamental

cardinal
[adj] persistently petty and unjustified
carping criticism
[v] to reprimand harshly
castigate
[n] an event resulting in great loss and
cataclysm misfortune
[n] something that speeds up an event
catalyst
[adj] of broad scope; universal
catholic

[adj] given to haughty disregard of others

cavalier
[v] relinquish possession or control over
cede
[n] speed, rapidity
celerity
[v] to examine and remove objectionable
material
[n] an official who censors material
censor

[v] to express strong disapproval

censure
[adj] involving intelligence rather than
cerebral emotions or instinct
[n] strong feelings of embarrassment
[v] cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of
chagrin

champion [v] to fight for a cause

[n] a flamboyant deceiver; one who
charlatan attracts customers with tricks or jokes
[adj] cautious, suspiciously reluctant to do
chary something

[v] to reprimand harshly

chastise

[n] fanatical patriotism; belief that one's

chauvinism group/cause is superior to all other
groups/causes
[n] a person who believes in the
chauvinist superiority of their group
[v] to limit (usually modifying the growth
of something)
check [n] the condition of being held back or
limited

[adj] one that is marked by disreputable

checkered happenings

[n] something desired or wished for but is

chimera only an illusion and impossible to achieve

[adj] being attentive to women like an

chivalrous ideal knight
[adj] prone to outbursts of temper; easily
choleric angered
[v] to chuckle, laugh merrily
chortle
[adj] lacking manners or refinement
churlish

[v] restrict or confine

circumscribe
[v] cleverly find a way out of one's duties
circumvent or obligations
[n] leniency and compassion shown
clemency toward offenders by a person or agency
charged with administering justice
[v] fuse or cause to grow together
coalesce
cogent [adj] clear and persuasive
[adj] well integrated, forming a united
cohesive whole
[n] agreement on a secret plot
collusion
[adj] so great in size or force or extent as
colossal to elicit awe
[adj] worthy of high praise
commendable
[adj] to be in proportion or corresponding
commensurate in degree or amount
[adj] contented to a fault with oneself or
complacent one's actions
[adj] showing a cheerful willingness to do
complaisant favors for others
[adj] enhancing each other's qualities (for
complementary two things or more).
[adj] Associated with or participating in an
complicit activity, especially one of a questionable
nature.
[v] make more intense, stronger, or more
compound marked
[v] acknowledge defeat
[v] admit (to a wrongdoing)
[v] give over; surrender or relinquish to
concede the physical control of another

[v] to make peace with

conciliate
[adj] describing an event or situation that
concomitant happens at the same time as or in
connection with another
[adj] making a situation or outcome more
conducive likely to happen
[n] a very intense and uncontrolled fire
conflagration
[v] mix together different elements or
conflate concepts
[v] be confusing or perplexing to
confound [v] mistake one thing for another

[v] taking part in immoral and unethical

conniving plots
[v] to make holy or set apart for a high
consecrate purpose
[adj] without any attempt at concealment;
conspicuous completely obvious
[n] a citizen who is represented in a
government by officials for whom he or
constituent she votes
[n] an abstract part of something

[n] something that limits or restricts

constraint
[v] interpreted in a particular way
construe
[adj] having or revealing supreme mastery
or skill
consummate [v] to make perfect and complete in every
respect

[adj] scornful, looking down at others with

contemptuous a sneering attitude
[adj] likely to argue
contentious

[n] a gathering of persons representative

of some larger group
contingent [adj] possible but not certain to occur

[adj] to be remorseful
contrite
[n] the feeling of remorse or guilt that
contrition comes from doing something bad
[v] to pull off a plan or scheme, usually
contrive through skill or trickery
[n] a difficult problem
conundrum
[adj] describing a lively atmosphere
convivial
[adj] highly complex or intricate
convoluted
[adj] in abundant supply
copious
[n] an abundant supply of something good
cornucopia
[n] a practical consequence that follows
corollary naturally
[v] to confirm or lend support to (usually
corroborate an idea or claim)

[adj] comprising many cultures; global in

cosmopolitan reach and outlook
[v] treat with excessive indulgence
cosset
[adj] being of equal extent or scope or
coterminous duration

[v] a contrary command cancelling or

countermand reversing a previous command
[v] to intimidate
cow
[adj] pathetically cowardly
craven
[n] belief in something
credence
[adj] deserving of praise but not that
creditable amazing
[n] tendency to believe readily
credulity
[adj] brought low in spirit
crestfallen
[adj] mysterious or vague, usually
cryptic intentionally

[v] cause to take on a definite and clear

crystallize shape
[v] reach the highest or most decisive
culminate point
[n] a state of guilt
culpability
[adj] difficult to handle or use especially
cumbersome because of size or weight
[n] greed for money
cupidity
[n] a grouchy, surly person
curmudgeon
[n] a lack or shortage
dearth
[v] reduce the quality or value of
debase something
[adj] having a sophisticated charm
debonair
[v] expose as false ideas and claims,
debunk especially while ridiculing
[n] destroying or killing a large part of the
decimation population
[adj] characterized by good taste in
decorous manners and conduct
[n] propriety in manners and conduct
decorum
[v] express strong disapproval of
decry
[adj] showing respect
deferential
[v] to help pay the cost of, either in part of
defray full
[v] reduce in worth or character, usually
degrade verbally
[v] do something that one considers to be
deign below one's dignity
[v] give an assignment to (a person)
delegate
[adj] harmful to living things
deleterious
[v] think about carefully; weigh the pros
deliberate and cons of an issue
[v] describe in detail
delineate
[v] to insult; to cause someone to lose
demean dignity or respect

[adj] given to or marked by the open

demonstrative expression of emotion

[v] to object or show reluctance

demur
demure [adj] to be modest and shy
[v] charge falsely or with malicious intent;
denigrate attack the good name and reputation of
someone
[v] be a sign or indication of; have as a
denote meaning
[n] the final resolution of the many strands
of a literary or dramatic work; the
denouement outcome of a complex sequence of events

[adj] (of a person) not doing one's duties

[n] (of a building) abandoned
derelict

[v] treat or speak of with contempt

deride
[adj] abusing vocally; expressing contempt
derisive or ridicule
[adj] (or a creative product, e.g. music,
derivative writing, etc.) not original but drawing on
the work of another person
[v] come from; be connected by a
relationship of blood, for example
derive [v] reason by deduction; establish by
deduction

[adj] expressed as worthless or in negative

derogative terms
[v] to willfully violate or destroy a sacred
desecrate place
[adj] uninteresting, lacking vitality
desiccated
[n] something desired as a necessity
desideratum
preposition: even with (when an event is
despite surprising because of some difficulty)
[n] a cruel and oppressive dictator
despot
[adj] poor enough to need help from
others
destitute [adj] completely wanting or lacking
(usually "destitute of")

[v] turn away from by persuasion

[v] try to prevent; show opposition to
deter

[adj] (sometimes followed by "to") causing

detrimental harm or injury
[v] pass on or delegate to another
[v] grow worse (usually "devolve into")
devolve

[adj] to be extremely wicked like the devil

diabolical
[n] a strong verbal attack against a person
diatribe or institution

[adj] expecting unquestioning obedience;

dictatorial characteristic of an absolute ruler

[adj] instructive (especially excessively)

didactic
[v] be a distinctive feature, attribute, or
trait (sometimes in positive sense)
[v] evolve so as to lead to a new species or
differentiate develop in a way most suited to the
environment

[adj] showing modest reserve; lacking self-

diffident confidence
[adj] in terrible condition
dilapidated
[adj] wasting time
dilatory
[n] an amateur who engages in an activity
dilettante without serious intentions and who
pretends to have knowledge
[adj] characterized by care and
diligent perseverance in carrying out tasks
[n] to indicate smallness
diminutive [adj] very small

[v] to persuade somebody that his/her

disabuse belief is not valid

[adj] discontented as toward authority

disaffected
[n] lack of agreement or harmony
discord
[adj] careful to protect one's speech or
discreet actions in order to avoid offense or gain an
advantage
[adj] constituting a separate entity or part
discrete
[v] recognize or perceive the difference
discriminate
[adj] (of e.g. speech and writing) tending
discursive to depart from the main point
[v] deprive of voting rights
disenfranchise
[adj] made less hopeful or enthusiastic
disheartened
[adj] not straightforward; giving a false
disingenuous appearance of frankness
[adj] unbiased; neutral
disinterested
[adj] two things are fundamentally
different
disparate

[adj] unaffected by strong emotion or

dispassionate prejudice
[n] the property of being prompt and
efficient
dispatch [v] dispose of rapidly and without delay
and efficiently

[n] an exemption from a rule or obligation

dispensation
[v] conceal one's true motives, usually
dissemble through deceit
[v] cause to become widely known
disseminate
[v] squander or spend money frivolously
[v] to disperse or scatter
dissipate

[n] a living full of debauchery and

dissolution indulgence in sensual pleasure
[adj] easily handled or managed; willing to
docile be taught or led or supervised or directed

[v] to pursue relentlessly; to hound

dog
[adj] highly opinionated, not accepting
dogmatic that your belief may not be correct
[adj] filled with or evoking sadness
doleful
[adj] showing sorrow
dolorous
doughty [adj] brave; bold; courageous
[v] fit together tightly, as if by means of a
dovetail interlocking joint
[v] to trick or swindle
[n] a person who is easily tricked or
dupe swindled

[n] deceitfulness, pretending to want one

duplicity thing but interested in something else
[n] compulsory force or threat
duress
[adj] joyously unrestrained
ebullient
[adj] highly unconventional or unusual
eccentric (usually describes a person)
[adj] comprised of a variety of styles
eclectic
[adj] avoiding waste, efficient
economical
[adj] enlightening or uplifting so as to
edifying encourage intellectual or moral
improvement
[adj] marked by high spirits or excitement
effervescent
[adj] producing the intended result
efficacious
[n] audacious (even arrogant) behavior
effrontery that you have no right to
[n] a conceited and self-centered person
egotist
[adj] standing out in negative way;
egregious shockingly bad
[v] To live off meager resources, to scrape
eke by
[adj] marked by complexity and richness
of detail
elaborate [v] explain in more detail

[adj] expressing sorrow

elegiac
[v] call forth (emotions, feelings, and
elicit responses)
[v] make clearer and easier to understand
elucidate
elude [v] escape understanding
[adj] difficult to capture or difficult to
elusive remember
[v] make more attractive by adding
embellish ornament, colour, etc.; make more
beautiful
[adj] involved in argument or contention
embroiled

[adj] standing above others in quality or

eminent position
[adj] showing understanding and ready
empathetic comprehension of other peoples' states
and emotions
[n] any method that derives knowledge
from experience, used in experimental
empiricism science as a way to gain insight and
knowledge

[v] strive to equal or match, especially by

emulate imitating; compete with successfully
[v] attraction or feeling of love
enamor
encumber [v] hold back
[adj] native; originating where it is found
endemic
[v] to sap energy from
enervate
[v] give rise to
engender
[v] give instructions to or direct somebody
enjoin to do something with authority

[n] a state of deep-seated ill-will

enmity
[n] an act of extreme wickedness
enormity
[v] hold spellbound
enthrall
[v] get someone to do something through
entice (often false or exaggerated) promises

[adj] fixed firmly or securely

entrenched
[v] determine the number or amount of
[v] specify individually, one by one
enumerate

[adj] lasting a very short time

ephemeral
[n] a witty saying
epigram
[n] a sudden revelation or moment of
epiphany insight
[n] the name derived from a person (real
eponym or imaginary); the person for whom
something is named
[adj] fair to all parties as dictated by
equitable reason and conscience
[adj] confusing or ambiguous
equivocal
[v] to speak vaguely, usually with the
equivocate intention to mislead or deceive
[v] to completely destroy
eradicate
err [v] to make an error
[adj] to be wandering; not sticking to a
errant circumscribed path
[adj] unpredictable; strange and
erratic unconventional

[adj] not real or genuine; phony

ersatz
[adj] having or showing profound
erudite knowledge
[v] avoid and stay away from deliberately;
eschew stay clear of
[adj] confined to and understandable by
esoteric only an enlightened inner circle
[v] to adopt or support an idea or cause
espouse
[adj] deserving of esteem and respect
estimable
[adj] characterized by lightness and
ethereal insubstantiality
[n] a feeling of great (usually exaggerated)
euphoria elation
[adj] tending to vanish like vapor
evanescent
[adj] avoiding or escaping from difficulty
or danger or commitment
evasive [adj] deliberately vague or ambiguous

evenhanded [adj] without partiality

[v] make worse
exacerbate
[adj] requiring and demanding accuracy
exacting
[v] praise or glorify
exalt
exasperate [v] to irritate intensely
[v] to criticize very harshly
excoriate

[adj] extremely painful

excruciating
[v] to curse and hiss at
execrate

[n] critical explanation or analysis,

exegesis especially of a text
[n] something to be imitated
exemplar
[v] be characteristic of
[v] clarify by giving an example of
exemplify

[v] to strongly urge on; encourage

exhort
[n] the quality of being meager
exiguity
[v] pronounce not guilty of criminal
exonerate charges
[adj] greatly exceeding bounds of reason
exorbitant or moderation
[adj] communicative, and prone to talking
expansive in a sociable manner
[v] add details or explanation; clarify the
expound meaning; state in depth
[v] to eliminate completely
expunge
expurgate [v] to remove objectionable material
[adj] still in existence (usually refers to
extant documents).
[adj] making less guilty or more forgivable
extenuating
[v] draw from specific cases for more
extrapolate general cases
[adj] cleverly amusing in tone
facetious
[adj] arrived at without due care or effort;
facile lacking depth
[adj] produced by, or characterized by
factious internal dissension
[adj] artificial; not natural
factitious
[adj] of a belief that is based on faulty
fallacious reasoning
[adj] overly concerned with details; fussy
fastidious
[v] try to gain favor by extreme flattery
fawn
[adj] lazy and irresponsible
feckless
[adj] intellectually productive
fecund
[adj] terribly evil
fell

[v] to search for something persistently

ferret
fete [v] to celebrate a person
[adj] liable to sudden unpredictable
fickle change, esp. in affections or attachments

[v] achieve something by means of

finagle trickery or devious methods
[n] someone who deliberately creates
firebrand trouble
[v] droop, sink, or settle from or as if from
flag pressure or loss of tautness; become less
intense
[adj] young and inexperienced; describing
fledgling any new participant in some activity

[v] to deceive
fleece
[adj] showing inappropriate levity
flippant
[v] behave awkwardly; have difficulties
flounder
[v] be a mystery or bewildering to
flummox
[adj] to be in abundance
flush
[n] a state of uncertainty about what
flux should be done (usually following some
important event)
[n] a behavioral attribute that is distinctive
foible and peculiar to an individual

[v] try to stir up public opinion

foment
[adj] marked by defiant disregard for
foolhardy danger or consequences
[adj] marked by or showing hopelessness
forlorn
[adj] available when required or as
promised
forthcoming [adj] at ease in talking to others

[adj] characterized by directness in

forthright manner or speech; without subtlety or
evasion
[adj] occurring by happy chance; having
fortuitous no cause or apparent cause
[adj] irritable and is likely to cause
fractious disruption
[adj] not serious in content or attitude or
frivolous behavior
[adj] not spending much money (but
frugal spending wisely)
[v] hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or
frustrate desires) of
[adj] marked by quiet and caution and
furtive secrecy; taking pains to avoid being
observed
[adj] producing no result or effect;
futile unproductive of success
[n] a socially awkward or tactless act
gaffe
[v] deny or contradict; speak against or
gainsay oppose
[n] the trait of being rude and impertinent
[n] feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-
gall will

[v] to excite or inspire (someone) to action

galvanize

[n] a maneuver or risk in a game or

gambit conversation, designed to secure an
advantage
[adj] full of trivial conversation
garrulous
[adj] lacking social polish
gauche
[adj] agreeable, conducive to comfort
genial
[adj] marked by refinement in taste and
genteel manners
[adj] relevant and appropriate
germane
[v] to manipulate voting districts in order
gerrymander to favor a particular political party

[v] collect information bit by bit

glean
[adj] (of a person) speaking with ease but
glib without sincerity
[n] an excessive supply
[v] supply with an excess of
glut

[v] urge on with unpleasant comments

goad
[adj] characterized by unusual lightness
gossamer and delicacy
[n] corruption, usually through bribery
graf
[adj] puffed up with vanity
grandiloquent
[adj] to be likely to socialize with others
gregarious

grovel [v] show submission or fear

[v] laugh boisterously
guffaw
[adj] free of deceit
guileless
[n] resourcefulness and determination
gumption
[adj] lacking significance through having
hackneyed been overused
[adj] excessively flattering toward
hagiographic someone's life or work
[v] enthusiastically acclaim or celebrate
hail something
[adj] idyllically calm and peaceful;
halcyon suggesting happy tranquillity; marked by
peace and prosperity
[v] prevent the progress or free movement
hamper of
[v] made ineffective or powerless
hamstrung
[adj] marked by great carelessness;
haphazard dependent upon or characterized by
chance
[n] a long pompous speech; a tirade;
[v] to deliver a long pompous speech or
tirade
harangue

[adj] troubled persistently especially with

harried petty annoyances
[adj] having or showing arrogant
haughty superiority to and disdain of those one
views as unworthy
[n] overbearing pride evidenced by a
hauteur superior manner toward inferiors
[v] to bully or intimidate
hector
[v] to limit or qualify a statement; to avoid
hedge making a direct statement

[adj] dominance over a certain area

hegemony
[n] a person who holds unorthodox
heretic opinions in any field (not merely religion)

[n] the pinnacle or top of a time period or

heyday career

[adj] to be overly theatrical

histrionic
[adj] ancient
hoary
[v] to hold back the progress of something
hobble
[n] a confusing mixture or jumble
hodgepodge
[v] to deceive or trick someone
hoodwink

[v] to pursue relentlessly

hound
[n] overbearing pride or presumption
hubris
[adj] dull and lacking excitement
humdrum
[n] somebody who attacks cherished
iconoclast beliefs or institutions
[adj] defying tradition or convention
iconoclastic
[n] a behavioral attribute that is distinctive
idiosyncrasy and peculiar to an individual
[adj] dishonorable
ignoble
[adj] (used of conduct or character)
ignominious deserving or bringing disgrace or shame
[adj] contrary to or forbidden by law
illicit
[adj] widely known and esteemed; having
illustrious or conferring glory
[v] to drink or absorb as if drinking
imbibe

[n] a confusing and potentially

imbroglio embarrassing situation

[adj] not relevant

immaterial
[v] to enclose, usually in walls
immure
[adj] not able to be changed
immutable
[adj] free from undue bias or
impartial preconceived opinions
impeccable [adj] without fault or error
[adj] lacking money; poor
impecunious
[v] be a hindrance or obstacle to
impede
[adj] close in time; about to occur
impending
[adj] having or showing arrogant
imperious superiority to and disdain of those one
views as unworthy
[adj] does not allow fluids to pass through
impermeable
[adj] being disrespectful; improperly
impertinent forward or bold

[adj] not admitting of passage or capable

impervious of being affected
[adj] characterized by undue haste and
impetuous lack of thought or deliberation
[adj] incapable of making less angry or
implacable hostile
[adj] describing a statement that is not
implausible believable
[v] convey a meaning; imply
[v] to indicate in wrongdoing, usually a
implicate crime

[adj] impossible to estimate or figure out

imponderable
[v] beg persistently and urgently
importuned
[adj] immune to attack; incapable of being
impregnable tampered with
[adj] not given careful consideration
improvident
[adj] not wise
imprudent
[adj] improperly forward or bold
impudent
[v] attack as false or wrong
impugn
[v] attribute (responsibility or fault) to
impute something
[adj] happening by chance or
inadvertent unexpectedly or unintentionally
[n] total lack of meaning or ideas
inanity
[adj] without or deprived of the use of
inarticulate speech or words
[v] make furious
incense
[adj] uninterrupted in time and
incessant indefinitely long continuing
[adj] only partly in existence; imperfectly
inchoate formed

[adj] having or demonstrating ability to

incisive recognize or draw fine distinctions
[adj] (of weather) unpleasant, stormy
[adj] used of persons or behavior; showing
inclement no mercy

[adj] lacking in harmony or compatibility

incongruous or appropriateness
[adj] necessarily or demonstrably true;
incontrovertible impossible to deny or disprove
[adj] impervious to correction by
incorrigible punishment
[adj] necessary (for someone) as a duty or
incumbent responsibility
[adj] not in keeping with accepted
indecorous standards of what is right or proper in
polite society
[v] to formally charge or accuse of wrong-
indict doing
[n] the trait of seeming not to care
indifference
[adj] originating in a certain area
indigenous

[adj] poor; having very little

[n] a poor or needy person
indigent

[adj] feeling anger over a perceived

indignant injustice
[adj] characterized by hard work and
industrious perseverance
[adj] too sacred to be uttered; defying
ineffable expression or description
[adj] impossible to avoid or evade:
ineluctable
[n] injustice by virtue of not conforming
inequity with rules or standards
inexorable [adj] impossible to stop or prevent
[adj] inappropriate
infelicitous
[adj] extremely controversial, incendiary
inflammatory
[n] the power of creative imagination
ingenuity
[adj] to be naïve and innocent
ingenuous

[v] gain favor with somebody by deliberate

ingratiate efforts
[adj] hostile (usually describes conditions
inimical or environments)
[adj] defying imitation; matchless
inimitable
[n] a slight suggestion or vague
inkling understanding
[adj] harmless and doesn’t produce any ill
innocuous effects
[adj] not easily understood; unfathomable
inscrutable
[adj] working in a subtle but destructive
insidious way
[adj] dull and uninteresting
insipid
[adj] rude and arrogant
insolent
[adj] unable to pay one's bills; bankrupt
insolvent
[n] lack of concern
insouciance

[adj] intolerable, difficult to endure

insufferable

[adj] stopping and starting at irregular

intermittent intervals
[adj] (of conflict) within a group or
internecine organization
[v] to suggest something subtly

intimate

[n] an indirect suggestion

intimation
[adj] unwilling to change one's beliefs or
intransigent course of action
[adj] fearless
intrepid
[v] to flood or overwhelm
inundate
[v] to make accustomed to something
inure unpleasant
[n] abusive or denunciatory language
invective

[adj] habitual
inveterate
[adj] likely to cause resentment
invidious
[adj] never to be broken, infringed, or
inviolable dishonored
[adj] must be kept sacred
inviolate
[adj] complicated, and difficult to
involved comprehend
[adj] quickly aroused to anger
irascible
irk [v] irritate or vex
[adj] impossible to deny or disprove
irrefutable
[adj] uncertain how to act or proceed
irresolute
[adj] incapable of being retracted or
irrevocable revoked
[adj] traveling from place to place to work
itinerant
[n] a characteristic language of a particular
jargon group
[adj] to be biased against due to envy or
jaundice prejudice

[adj] dull; lacking flavor

[adj] immature; childish
jejune

[n] fanatical patriotism

jingoism
[n] a person who thinks that their country
should be at war
jingoist

[adj] characterized by jokes and good

jocular humor
[adj] full of or showing high-spirited
jovial merriment
[adj] full of high-spirited delight because
jubilant of triumph or success
[n] a force that cannot be stopped
juggernaut

[n] an aggressive takeover by a group

junta (usually military)

[v] place side by side

juxtapose
[v] to bow or act in a subservient manner
kowtow
[n] a name or phrase given to a group of
things to identify them (often negative)
label [v] to give a label to something

[adj] characterized by effort to the point of

laborious exhaustion; especially physical effort
lacerate [v] deeply hurt the feelings of; distress
[adj] showing sorrow
lachrymose
[adj] one who says very few words
laconic
[v] criticize severely or angrily
lambast
[v] ridicule with satire
lampoon
[adj] not inclined towards physical
languid exertion or effort; slow and relaxed
[v] become feeble
languish
[n] extreme generosity and giving
largess
[adj] lecherous; sexually perverted
lascivious

[adj] worthy of high praise

laudable
[adj] openly distrustful and unwilling to
leery confide
lethargic [adj] lacking energy
limpid [adj] clarity in terms of expression
[v] assign great social importance to
lionize
[n] any long and tedious account of
litany something

[adj] unwillingness to do something

loath contrary to your custom (usually followed
by 'to')
[adj] (of language) transparently clear;
lucid easily understandable
lugubrious [adj] excessively mournful
[adj] suggesting the horror of death and
macabre decay; gruesome

[v] engage in plotting or enter into a

machinate conspiracy, swear together
[adj] offensively self-assured or given to
magisterial exercising unwarranted power
[adj] noble and generous in spirit,
magnanimous especially towards a rival or someone less
powerful
[v] to assert
maintain
[adj] clumsy
maladroit
[n] a disease or sickness
malady
[n] the confusion of a word with another
malapropism word that sounds similar

[adj] wishing or appearing to wish evil to

malevolent others; arising from intense ill will or
hatred
[adj] misconduct or wrongdoing
malfeasance (especially by a public official)

[n] someone shirking their duty by

malingerer pretending to be sick or incapacitated
[adj] capable of being shaped or bent or
malleable drawn out
[adj] easily influenced
[adj] having an unpleasant smell
malodorous
[adj] suggesting war or military life
martial

[n] a strict disciplinarian

martinet

[adj] overly emotional and sad

maudlin

[v] wander aimlessly

[v] speak (about unimportant matters)
maunder rapidly and incessantly

[n] someone who exhibits great

maverick independence in thought and action
[adj] overly sentimental to the point that it
mawkish is disgusting
[n] a short saying expressing a general
maxim truth

[v] to wander aimlessly

meander

[n] a deep, long-lasting sadness

melancholy
[n] a wild, confusing fight or struggle
melee
[adj] smooth and sweet-sounding
mellifluous

[n] the tendency to be untruthful

mendacity
[n] a pauper who lives by begging
mendicant
[adj] (of a person) prone to unexpected
mercurial and unpredictable changes in mood
[v] to spellbind or enthrall
mesmerize
[adj] like a meteor in speed or brilliance or
meteoric transience
[adj] marked by extreme care in treatment
meticulous of details
[adj] filled with courage or valor
mettlesome
[n] a hater of mankind
misanthrope
[v] To erroneously attribute; to falsely
misattribute ascribe; used especially of authorship.
[v] interpret in the wrong way
misconstrue
miscreant [n] a person who breaks the law
[n] a person who doesn't like to spend
miser money (because they are greedy)
[n] a person who dislikes women in
misogynist particular
[v] make less severe or harsh
[v] lessen the severity of an offense
mitigate

[n] a small or moderate or token amount

modicum
[v] to make someone angry less angry;
mollify placate
[n] significant and important value
moment

[adj] open to argument or debate;

moot undecidable in a meaningless or irrelevant
way
[adj] biting and caustic in thought,
mordant manner, or style
[adj] being on the point of death; declining
moribund rapidly losing all momentum in progress

[adj] ill-tempered and not inclined to talk;

morose gloomy
[v] To undergo dramatic change in a
morph seamless and barely noticeable fashion.

[v] to defraud or swindle

mulct
[adj] repetitive and boring; not spiritual
[adj] relating to the ordinary world
mundane

[adj] very generous

munificent
[adj] softened, subdued
muted
[adj] lacking foresight or imagination
myopic
[n] a large indefinite number
myriad
[n] the lowest point
nadir
[adj] so small as to be meaningless;
negligible insignificant
[adj] causing irritation or annoyance
nettlesome
[adj] having an extremely bad smell
noisome
[adj] coming across as uninterested or
nonchalant unconcerned; overly casual

[v] unsure how to act or respond

nonplussed
[n] a subtle difference in meaning or
nuance opinion or attitude
[adj] stubbornly persistent in changing an
obdurate opinion or action
[v] express strong disapproval of
objurgate
[adj] showing a cheerful willingness to do
obliging favors for others
[adj] not straightforward; indirect
oblique
[v] make unclear
[adj] known by only a few
obscure

[adj] attentive in an ingratiating or servile

obsequious manner; attempting to win favor from
influential people by flattery
[adj] resistant to guidance or discipline;
obstinate stubbornly persistent

[adj] noisily and stubbornly defiant;

obstreperous willfully difficult to control
[adj] be valid, applicable, or true
obtain
[adj] slow to learn or understand; lacking
obtuse intellectual acuity; lacking in insight or
discernment
[adj] intrusive in a meddling or offensive
officious manner

[adj] not clearly understood or expressed

opaque
[n] wealth as evidenced by sumptuous
opulence living
[adj] marked by elaborate rhetoric and
ornate elaborated with decorative details
[v] make rigid and set into a conventional
ossify pattern
[adj] intended to attract notice and
ostentatious impress others; tawdry or vulgar

[v] exclude from a community or group

ostracize
[adj] arrogant; presumptuous
overweening

[adj] acceptable to the taste or mind

palatable
[v] speak (about unimportant matters)
palaver rapidly and incessantly
[n] something that has been changed
numerous times but on which traces of
palimpsest former iterations can still be seen

[n] hypothetical remedy for all ills or

panacea diseases; a universal solution
[n] distinctive and stylish elegance
panache
[n] a formal expression of praise
panegyric

[adj] seemingly contradictory but

paradoxical nonetheless possibly true
[n] model of excellence or perfection of a
kind; one having no equal
paragon [n] an ideal instance; a perfect
embodiment of a concept

[n] an outcast
pariah
[adj] narrowly restricted in scope or
parochial outlook

[adj] extremely frugal; miserly

parsimonious
[n] a person who has suddenly become
parvenu wealthy, but not socially accepted as part
of a higher class
[adj] relating to the countryside in a
pastoral pleasant sense

[adj] glaringly obvious

patent

[v] treat condescendingly

patronize
[n] a lack of something
paucity
[adj] relating to or involving money
pecuniary
[adj] marked by a narrow focus on or
pedantic display of learning especially its trivial
aspects
[adj] lacking imagination
pedestrian

[adj] easily irritated or annoyed

peevish
[adj] expressing disapproval (usu. refers to
pejorative a term)
[adj] transparently clear; easily
pellucid understandable
[adj] lacking money; poor
penurious [adj] miserly

perceive [v] to be aware of, to sense or feel

[adj] highly perceptive
percipient
[adj] bossy and domineering
peremptory
[adj] lasting an indefinitely long time;
perennial eternal; everlasting
[n] an act of deliberate betrayal; a breach
perfidy of a trust

[adj] done routinely and with little interest

perfunctory or care
[adj] traveling by foot
peripatetic
[adj] exceedingly harmful; working or
pernicious spreading in a hidden and injurious way
[v] cause to continue
perpetuate
[n] a right reserved exclusively by a
perquisite particular person or group (especially a
hereditary or official right)
[adj] acutely insightful and wise
perspicacious
[adj] having precise or logical relevance to
pertinent the matter at hand

[v] disturb in mind or cause to be worried

perturb or alarmed
[v] to read very carefully
peruse
[adj] easily irritated or annoyed
petulant

[adj] illusive; unreal

phantasmagorica
l

[adj] smug and ignorant towards artistic

philistine and cultural values
[adj] showing little emotion
phlegmatic

[adj] trifling or petty (a person)

picayune
[v] ridicule or expose to public scorn
pillory

pine [v] to yearn for

[n] the highest point
pinnacle

[adj] having an agreeably pungent taste

piquant
[n] the most essential part of something
pith

[adj] concise and full of meaning

pithy
[n] a small amount (of money)
pittance
[v] cause to be more favorably inclined;
placate gain the good will of
[adj] not easily irritated
placid
[n] a trite or obvious remark
platitude
[adj] (of movement) slow and laborious
plodding

[n] a clever plan to turn a situation to

ploy one's advantage

[adj] marked by courage and

plucky determination

[adj] emotionally touching

poignant

[n] a strong verbal or written attack on

polemic someone or something.
[adj] extremely optimistic
Pollyannaish

[adj] weighed-down; moving slowly

ponderous
[v] talk in a dogmatic and pompous
pontificate manner
[adj] ominously prophetic
portentous
[v] assume as fact
posit
[n] an informal meeting or discussion
powwow
[adj] guided by practical experience and
pragmatic observation rather than theory

[adj] fraught with danger

precarious
[n] an example that is used to justify
precedent similar occurrences at a later time

[adj] hasty or rash

[v] to cause to happen
precipitate

[adj] done with very great haste and

precipitous without due deliberation
[v] keep from happening or arising; make
preclude impossible
[adj] characterized by or characteristic of
precocious exceptionally early development or
maturity (especially in mental aptitude)
[n] a strong liking
predilection
[v] take the place of or have precedence
preempt over
[adj] done before someone else can do it
preemptive
[n] the power to foresee the future
prescience
[n] a feeling of evil to come
presentiment

[n] an assumption that is taken for granted

[n] audacious (even arrogant) behavior
that you have no right to
presumption

[adj] excessively forward

presumptuous
[v] be widespread in a particular area at a
prevail particular time; be current:
[v] prove superior
[v] to speak in an evasive way
prevaricate
[n] the state of being first in importance
primacy
[adj] Unspoiled, untouched (usu. of
nature)
pristine [adj] Immaculately clean and unused

[n] integrity, strong moral principles

probity
[adj] rashly or wastefully extravagant
prodigal
[adj] so great in size or force or extent as
prodigious to elicit awe
[adj] spending resources recklessly or
wastefully;
profligate [n] someone who spends resources
recklessly or wastefully

[adj] plentiful; pouring out in abundance

profuse

[n] the property of being extremely

profusion abundant
[n] a statement made about the future
prognostication
[adj] intellectually productive
prolific
[n] boring verbosity
prolixity
[v] state or announce
promulgate
[v] to placate or appease
propitiate

[adj] presenting favorable circumstances;

propitious likely to result in or show signs of success

[n] a person who pleads for a cause or

proponent propounds an idea
[adj] dull and lacking imagination
prosaic

[v] command against

proscribe
[v] convert to another religion, philosophy,
proselytize or perspective
[adj] readily taking on different roles;
protean versatile

[adj] careful in regard to your own

provident interests; providing carefully for the future

[adj] characteristic of the a limited

provincial perspective; not fashionable or
sophisticated
[adj] under terms not final or fully worked
provisional out or agreed upon
[adj] of or characteristic of a child;
puerile displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity

[adj] eager to fight or argue; verbally

pugnacious combative

[adj] powerful
puissant
[adj] marked by precise accordance with
punctilious details
[n] someone who has been admitted to
pundit membership in a scholarly field

[adj] describing a victory that comes at

pyrrhic such a great cost that the victory is not
worthwhile
[v] draw back, as with fear or pain
quail
[v] to be eligible for a role, status, or
benefit by meeting specific requirements;
[v] to make less severe; to limit (a
qualify statement)

[n] uneasiness about the fitness of an

qualm action
[n] state of uncertainty or perplexity
quandary especially as requiring a choice between
equally unfavorable options
[adj] habitually complaining
querulous
[n] a witty saying or remark
[v] to make a witty remark, to say in jest
quip
[n] a traitor
quisling

[adj] wildly idealistic; impractical

quixotic
[adj] found in the ordinary course of
quotidian events
[n] a person skilled in telling anecdotes
raconteur
[adj] marked by a carefree
raffish unconventionality or disreputableness
[n] a large number of something
raf
[n] light teasing
raillery
[adj] marked by a carefree
rakish unconventionality or disreputableness
[v] gnaw into; make resentful or angry
rankle
[n] the reestablishing of cordial relations
rapprochement

[v] make more subtle or refined

rarefied
[adj] marked by defiant disregard for
rash danger or consequences; imprudently
incurring risk
[adj] extremely hungry; devouring or
ravenous craving food in great quantities
[v] criticize severely or angrily; censure
rebuke
[n] a summary (think of recap)
recapitulation
[v] make (one thing) compatible with
reconcile (another)
[adj] difficult to penetrate;
recondite incomprehensible to one of ordinary
understanding or knowledge
[n] mutual accusations
recrimination
[v] to break out or happen again
recrudesce

[adj] inspiring fear or awe

redoubtable
[n] an act of making something right
redress
[adj] stubbornly resistant to authority or
refractory control

[v] prove to be false or incorrect

refute
[v] to put your name or other information
in a list for something
register [v] to identify and show on a tool for
measuring

[v] assign to a lower position

relegate
[adj] closely connected to the topic and
relevant therefore important
[adj] to be negligent in one’s duty
remiss
[v] to make objections while pleading
remonstrate
[v] fail to fulfill a promise or obligation
renege
[adj] completely stocked or furnished with
replete something
[n] a retaliatory action against an enemy in
reprisal wartime

[v] to express criticism towards

reproach
[n] a person who is disapproved of
reprobate
[v] reject as untrue or unfounded
repudiate
[v] cancel officially
rescind
[n] an unstated doubt that prevents you
reservation from accepting something wholeheartedly

[n] the acceptance of something

resignation unpleasant that can't be avoided
[v] reach a conclusion after a discussion or
resolve deliberation
[n] some saved material that can be used
for a purpose (especially money, anything
used to make energy such as oil, or
resource information sources such as books)

[n] a pause from doing something (as

respite work)
restive [adj] restless
[adj] rising again as to new life and vigor
resurgent
[adj] reluctant to draw attention to
reticent yourself; temperamentally disinclined to
talk
[adj] to be shy, and to be inclined to
retiring retract from company
[v] pull inward or towards a center;
retract formally reject or disavow a formerly held
belief, usually under pressure
[adj] feeling or showing profound respect
reverent or veneration

[adj] humorously vulgar

ribald
[v] cause annoyance in; disturb, especially
rile by minor irritations
[adj] sturdy and strong in form,
robust constitution, or construction
[n] an angry dispute
row
[adj] being in the earliest stages of
rudimentary development; being or involving basic
facts or principles
[adj] characteristic of rural life; awkwardly
rustic simple and provincial
[adj] having good judgement and acute
sagacious insight
[adj] making a show of being pious; holier-
sanctimonious than-thou

[v] give authority or permission to

[n] a legal penalty for a forbidden action
sanction

[n] calmness or poise in difficult situations

sangfroid
[adj] cheerful; optimistic
sanguine
[adj] disdainfully or ironically humorous;
sardonic scornful and mocking
[adj] related to fashion or clothes
sartorial

[adj] morose or gloomy

saturnine
[n] a perceptive understanding
[v] get the meaning of something
savvy [adj] well-informed or perceptive

[n] joy from watching the suffering of

schadenfreude others
[adj] describes someone who is brilliant
scintillating and lively
[n] an abusive rant (often tedious)
screed

[adj] characterized by extreme care and

great effort
scrupulous [adj] having a sense of right and wrong;
principled

[adj] done diligently and carefully

sedulous
[adj] reluctant to draw attention to
self-effacing yourself
[n] an outward or token appearance or
semblance form that is deliberately misleading
[adj] to be moralizing, usually in a
sententious pompous sense
[adj] effusively or insincerely emotional,
sentimental especially in art, music, and literature
[n] the instance in which an accidental,
serendipity fortunate discovery is made
[adj] calm and peaceful
serene
[n] a representation of a person (especially
in the form of sculpture)
simulacrum [n] a bad imitation

[n] an office that involves minimal duties

sinecure
[adj] carelessly and hastily put together
slapdash

[n] a slight or superficial understanding of

smattering a subject; a small amount of something

[adj] marked by excessive complacency or

smug self-satisfaction
[adj] expressive of contempt; derogatory
snide or mocking in an indirect way
[v] refuse to acknowledge; reject outright
snub and bluntly
[n] a socially awkward or tactless act
solecism
[adj] showing hovering attentiveness
solicitous
[n] a feeling of excessive concern
solicitude
[adj] inducing mental lethargy; sleep
soporific inducing
[adj] involving ignoble actions and
motives; arousing moral distaste and
sordid contempt; foul and run-down and
repulsive

[adj] unsparing and uncompromising in

spartan discipline or judgment; practicing great
self-denial
[adj] based on pretense; deceptively
pleasing
specious [adj] plausible but false

[n] one who spends money extravagantly

spendthrif
[adj] very irritable
splenetic
[adj] recurring in scattered and irregular or
sporadic unpredictable instances
[adj] plausible but false
spurious
[v] reject with contempt
spurn
[v] spend thoughtlessly; waste time,
squander money, or an opportunity
[v] suppress or crush completely
squelch

[adj] characterized by dignity and

staid propriety
[adj] dependable; inured to fatigue or
stalwart hardships
[v] to suddenly move in a particular
start direction
[adj] firm and dependable especially in
staunch loyalty
[adj] marked by firm determination or
steadfast resolution; not shakable
[v] to hold back or limit the flow or growth
stem of something
[n] a regular allowance (of money)
stipend

[adj] having or revealing little emotion or

stolid sensibility; not easily aroused or excited

[adj] demanding strict attention to rules

stringent and procedures

[v] cause one, through routine, to lose

stultify energy and enthusiasm

[v] hinder or prevent the progress or

stymie accomplishment of
[v] contain or include
[v] consider (an instance of something) as
part of a general rule or principle
subsume

[n] something intended to misrepresent

subterfuge the true nature of an activity
[adj] in opposition to a civil authority or
subversive government
sullen [adj] showing a brooding ill humor
[n] the peak or highest point
[n] a meeting of high-level leaders
summit

[adj] haughty and disdainful; looking down

on others
supercilious

[adj] serving no useful purpose

superfluous [adj] more than is needed, desired, or
required
[v] take the place or move into the
supplant position of
[n] an excessive amount of something
surfeit
[adj] inclined to anger or bad feelings with
surly overtones of menace
[adj] stealthy, taking pains not to be
surreptitious caught or detected
[n] a person who indulges in luxury
sybarite

[n] a person who tries to please someone

sycophant in order to gain a personal advantage

[adj] habitually reserved and

taciturn uncommunicative
[n] consideration in dealing with others
tact and avoiding giving offense

[adj] being essentially equal to something

tantamount
[v] make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to
tarnish air; also used metaphorically

[adj] tastelessly showy; cheap and shoddy

tawdry

[adj] use to the limit; exhaust

taxing
[adj] significant and revealing of another
telling factor
[adj] revealing
telltale
[n] fearless daring
temerity
[n] the trait of avoiding excesses
temperance
[adj] moderated in effect
tempered
[adj] as if driven by turbulent or conflicting
tempestuous emotions; highly energetic and wildly
changing or fluctuating
[adj] stubbornly unyielding
tenacious
[adj] likely to lean towards a controversial
tendentious view

[v] offer up something formally

tender
[adj] very thorough; complete
thoroughgoing
[adj] spending money wisely
thrify
[v] hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or
thwart desires) of
[adj] timid by nature or revealing fear and
timorous nervousness
[n] an angry speech
tirade
[n] inactivity resulting from lethargy and
torpor lack of vigor or energy
[adj] marked by repeated turns and bends;
tortuous not straightforward

[v] advertize in strongly positive terms;

tout show off
[adj] readily reacting to suggestions and
tractable influences; easily managed (controlled or
taught or molded)
[adj] lasting a very short time
transient
[adj] lasting a very short time
transitory
[v] change or alter in form, appearance, or
transmute nature
[n] use of physical or mental energy; hard
travail work; agony or anguish
[n] an absurd presentation of something; a
travesty mockery
[adj] tending to betray
[adj] dangerously unstable and
treacherous unpredictable

[adj] characterized by or full of force and

vigor; having keenness and forcefulness
trenchant and penetration in thought, expression, or
intellect

[n] something, especially an event, that

tribulation causes difficulty and suffering
[adj] repeated too often; overfamiliar
trite through overuse

[n] defiant aggressiveness

truculence

[adj] having a fierce, savage nature

truculent
truncate [v] reduce the length of something
[n] a state of chaos, noise and confusion
tumult
[adj] (of language) pompous and tedious
turgid

[n] depravity; a depraved act

turpitude
[n] someone new to a field or activity
tyro
[n] a feeling of anger caused by being
umbrage offended
[adj] immune to attack; without flaws
unassailable
[adj] suggesting the operation of
uncanny supernatural influences; surpassing the
ordinary or normal
[adj] not making concessions
uncompromising
[adj] unreasonable; unscrupulous;
unconscionable excessive

[adj] to weaken (usually paired with an

undermine abstract term)
[v] give extra weight to (a communication)
underscore

[v] to support financially

underwrite
[adj] admitting of no doubt or
misunderstanding; having only one
unequivocal meaning or interpretation and leading to
only one conclusion

[adj] not easily perturbed or excited or

unflappable upset; marked by extreme calm and
composure
[adj] uncooperative, not willing to give up
unforthcoming information
[adj] free of guilt; not subject to blame;
unimpeachable beyond doubt or reproach
[v] to make nervous or upset
unnerve
[adj] having never been done or known
unprecedented before; novel
[adj] creating an unfavorable or neutral
unprepossessing first impression

[adj] (of a circumstance) with little chance

unpropitious of success
[adj] (of persons) noisy and lacking in
unruly restraint or discipline; unwilling to submit
to authority
[adj] without scruples or principles
unscrupulous
[adj] not in keeping with accepted
unseemly standards of what is right or proper in
polite society
[adj] very generous
unstinting
[adj] (of theories etc) incapable of being
untenable defended or justified

[adj] unfavorable; inconvenient

untoward
[adj] not confined or limited
untrammeled
[adj] not able to work, survive, or succeed
unviable (also spelled inviable).
[v] to reproach; to scold
upbraid
[adj] showing a high degree of refinement
urbane and the assurance that comes from wide
social experience
[v] be undecided about something; waver
vacillate between conflicting positions or courses
of action
[adj] devoid of intelligence, matter, or
vacuous significance

[v] come out better in a competition, race,

vanquish or conflict

[n] the quality of being different

variance
[adj] highly or widely praised or boasted
vaunted about
[adj] marked by extreme intensity of
vehement emotions or convictions

[n] the condition of being susceptible to

venality bribes or corruption
[n] covering consisting of a thin superficial
veneer layer that hides the underlying substance

[v] to respect deeply

venerate
[adj] easily excused or forgiven;
venial pardonable

[adj] truthful
veracious
[n] the appearance of truth
verisimilitude

[adj] truthfully, without a doubt

veritable
[adj] felt or undergone as if one were
vicarious taking part in the experience or feelings of
another
[n] change in one’s circumstances, usually
vicissitude for the worse
[v] compete for something
vie
[v] spread negative information about
vilify
[v] to clear of accusation, blame,
vindicate suspicion, or doubt with supporting
arguments or proof
[adj] to have a very strong desire for
vindictive revenge

[n] an ill-tempered or violent woman

virago

[n] abusive or venomous language used to

vitriol express blame or bitter deep-seated ill will

[adj] harsh or corrosive in tone

vitriolic

[adj] to criticize harshly; to berate

vituperate

[adj] conspicuously and offensively loud;

vociferous given to vehement outcry
[n] the quality of talking or writing easily
volubility and continuously
[adj] very hungry; approaching an activity
voracious with gusto
[adj] lacking
wanting
[adj] without check or limitation; showing
wanton no moral restraints to one's anger, desire,
or appetites
[v] to gradually increase in size or intensity
wax
[adj] determined by impulse or whim
whimsical rather than by necessity or reason
[adj] charming in a childlike or naive way
winsome
[n] spirit of the times
zeitgeist
[n] the highest point; culmination
zenith
When the financial director started screaming and throwing food at his co-workers,
the police had to come in to deal with his aberrant behavior.
Aberrations in climate have become the norm: rarely a week goes by without some
meteorological phenomenon making headlines.
While the church believed that Galileo abjured the heliocentric theory under threat
of torture, he later wrote a book clearly supporting the theory.
The mayor, despite his avuncular face plastered about the city, was hardly
aboveboard – some concluded that it was his ingratiating smile that allowed him to
engage in corrupt behavior and get away with it.
As part of the agreement between the labor union and the company, the workers
abrogated their right to strike for four years in exchange for better health insurance.

Considered a health nut, Jessica abstained from anything containing sugar--even

chocolate.
Physics textbooks can seem so abstruse to the uninitiated that readers feel as though
they are looking at hieroglyphics.
Coach Ramsey took his newest player off the field after watching a few painful
minutes of her abysmal performance.
Only students have access to the university library.
There is a large amount of oil under the ice, but we have not be able to access it.

Jean Paul-Sartre was not a fan of accolades, and as such, he refused to accept the
Nobel Prize for Literature in 1964.
Most movie critics are acerbic towards summer blockbusters, often referring to them
as garbage.
The new Cessna airplanes will be the acme of comfort, offering reclining seats and
ample legroom.
The acrimonious dispute between the president and vice-president sent a clear signal
to voters: the health of the current administration was imperiled.
Civil rights icon Rosa Parks will forever be remembered for adamantly refusing to give
up her seat on a public bus--even after the bus driver insisted, she remained rooted in
place.
A very light jacket will be adequate for Los Angeles's warm winter.
Only those with the most refined palates were able to adjudicate during the
barbeque competition.
Before the concert began, security personel admonished the crowd not to come up
on stage during the performance.
At the assembly, the high school vice-principal gave the students an admonitory
speech, warning them of the many risks and dangers of prom night.

While the senator privately approved of gay marriage, he was unwilling to advocate
for the cause in a public venue.
Martin Luther King Jr. was a tireless advocate for the rights of African-Americans in
the United States.
A true aesthete, Marty would spend hours at the Guggenheim Museum, staring at
the same Picasso.
The director, not known for his aesthetic sensibilities, decided not to use costumes at
all, and put on the play in everyday clothing.
The artist operated according to a peculiar aesthetic, not considering any photograph
to be worth publishing unless it contained a marine mammal.

For all his surface affability, Marco was remarkably glum when he wasn’t around
other people.
The center of the city had sadly become a pit of penury, while, only five miles away,
multi-million dollar homes spoke of affluence.
The summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro affords a panoramic view that encompasses both
Tanzania and Kenya.
The first three weeks at his new job, Mark worked with such alacrity that upper
management knew it would be giving him a promotion.
Albert Schweitzer spent most of his life doing missionary work as a doctor in Africa,
seeking no reward, apparently motivated only by altruism.
The band’s music was an amalgam of hip-hop, flamenco and jazz, blending the three
styles with surprising results.
The coach told his team, “Move towards that side of the field”; because he did not
point, his directions were ambiguous, and the team had no idea to which side he was
referring.
Sam was ambivalent about studying for the exam because doing so ate up a lot of his
time, yet he was able to improve his analytical skills.
"Three Cups of Tea" tells the story of western man who hopes to ameliorate poverty
and the lack of education in Afghanistan.
Even though she did not like the outdoors, Shirley was generally amenable and so her
brother was able to persuade her to go camping.
Amy’s name was very apt: she was so amiable that she was twice voted class
president.
Wherever the bowl haircut teen-idol went, his legions of screaming fans ran through
the streets amok, hoping for a glance at his boyish face.
His study plan for the GRE was at best amorphous; he would do questions from
random pages in any one of seven test prep books.
The boat was amply supplied for its year at sea—no man would go hungry or thirst.

Dressed in 15th century clothing each day, Edward was a walking anachronism.

In many ways, the Internet's transformative effect on society has been analogous to
that of the printing press.
Hundreds of years ago, Galileo was anathema to the church; today the church is
anathema to some on the left side of the political spectrum.
After three straight shows, the lead actress gave an anemic performance the fourth
night, barely speaking loudly enough for those in the back rows to hear.
The governor’s animosity toward his rival was only inflamed when the latter spread
false lies regarding the governor’s first term.
Muzak, which is played in department stores, is intended to be an anodyne, but is
often so cheesy and over-the-top that customers become irritated.
Wilbur enjoyed a spicy Mexican breakfast, but Jill preferred a far more anodyne meal
in the mornings.

According to those who do not believe in climate change, the extreme weather over
the last five years is simply anomalous—daily temperatures should return to their old
averages, they believe.
After finding an anomaly in the data, she knew that she would have to conduct her
experiment again.
Harry was so unknowledgable that he was unaware the Egyptian pharaohs antedated
the American Revolution.
The clown's antic act was too extreme for the youngest children, who left the room in
tears.
Maria had an antipathy for tour groups, often bolting to the other side of the
museum as soon as she saw a chaperone leading a group of wide-eyed tourists.
Aunt Betty had antiquated notions about marriage, believing that a man should court
a woman for at least a year before receiving a kiss.
His deep emotional involvement with these ideas is, in fact, antithetical to the
disattachment Buddhism preaches.
Mr. Thompson was so talented at teaching math that even normally apathetic
students took interest.
Widespread apathy among voters led to a very small turnout on election day.

The Ivy League is considered the apex of the secondary education system.
Nietzsche was known for using aphorisms, sometimes encapsulating a complex
philosophical thought in a mere sentence.
Sometimes I can't stand Nathan because he tries to impress everyone by being
aphoristic, but he just states the obvious.

Nancy acted with aplomb during dangerous situations--she once calmly climbed up
an oak tree to save a cat.
The web is notorious for sandwiching apocryphal stories between actual news.
The apogee of the Viennese style of music, Mozart’s music continues to mesmerize
audiences well into the 21st century.
An apostate of the Republican Party, Sheldon has yet to become affiliated with any
party and dubs himself an independent.
Winston Churchill is famous for many apothegms, but this might be his most famous:
"It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the
others that have been tried."
As difficult as it is to imagine, the apotheosis of Mark Zuckerberg’s career, many
believe, is yet to come.
Neville Chamberlain, the British prime minister during WWII, tried to appease Hitler
and in doing so sent a clear message: you can walk all over us.
There is an appreciable difference between those who say they can get the job done
and those who actually get the job done.
Test day can be one of pure apprehension, as many students worry about their test
scores.
Although it might not be her best work, Hunter's new novel has received generally
approbatory reviews.
The government appropriated land that was occupied by squatters, sending them
scurrying for another place to live.
The committe appropriated the funds to its various members.
In hiking Mt. Everest, sherpas are appurtenant, helping climbers both carry gear and
navigate treacherous paths.
One of the arbitrary decrees in place during the emperor's rule is that all citizens pay
him weekly homage at his palace.
Most college fraternities are known for arcane rituals that those hoping to the join
the fraterntiy must learn.
The baroness was arch, making playful asides to the townspeople; yet because they
couldn't pick up on her dry humor, they thought her supercilious.
Hoping to sound intelligent, Mary spoke in archaic English that was right out of Jane
Austen's Pride and Prejudice--needless to say, she didn't have many friends.
In order to deal with the arduous cross-country journey, truck drivers often survive on
a string of caffeinated drinks, staying awake for up to 30 hours at a time.

An arrant fool, Lawrence surprised nobody when he lost all his money in a pyramid
scheme that was every bit as transparent as it was corrupt.

The city center was aflutter with arrivistes who each tried to outdo one another with
their ostentatious sports cars and chic evening dress.
Arriving at the small town, the outlaw arrogated the privileges of a lord, asking the
frightened citizens to provide food, drink, and entertainment.
Picasso is generally considered the most artful member of the Cubist movement.;
Bernie Madoff's artful Ponzi scheme stole billions of dollars from investors and is
considered the largest financial fraud in U.S. history.
The mayoral candidates both spent much of the campaign accusing each other of
artifices designed to mislead the voting public.
Despite the president's seemingly artless speeches, he was a skilled and ruthless
negotiator.
I, personally, found the artlessness of her speech charming.
The ascendancy of the Carlsbad water polo team is clear—they have a decade of
championships behind them.

His ascetic life is the main reason he inspired so many followers, especially since he
gave up wealth and power to live in poverty.
Historically, ascetics like Ghandi are often considered wise men partially because of
their restraint.

History ascribes The Odyssey and The Iliad to Homer, but scholars now debate
whether he was a historical figure or a fictitious name.
The old couple looked askance on the teenagers seated next to them, whispering to
each other, "They've got rings through their noses and purple hair!"
The editor was known for his asperity, often sending severe letters of rejection to
amateur writers.
In the weekly paper, the editor assailed the governor for wasting hundreds of
thousands of dollars in public projects that quickly failed.
The top college football program recruits new talent assiduously, only choosing those
who were the top in their county.
Her fear that the new college would be filled with unknown faces was assuaged when
she recognized her childhood friend standing in line.
Much of the modern art movement was an atavism to a style of art found only in
small villages through Africa and South America.
Her animosity towards Bob attenuated over the years, and she even went so far as to
invite him to her party.
As all of the other campers cowered in their tents, Bill, armed only with a flashlight,
audaciously tracked down the bear that had raided their food.
She surprised her colleagues by having the audacity to publically criticize the findings
of an distinguished scientist.
Ideally, the restaurant's augmented menu will expand its clientele and increase its
profits.
Despite an auspicious beginning, Mike’s road trip became a series of mishaps, and he
was soon stranded and penniless, leaning against his wrecked automobile.

His lifestyle of revelry and luxurious excess could hardly be called austere.
Late Soviet architecture, although remaining largely austere, moved into experimental
territory that employed previously unused shapes and structures.
The principal of my elementary school was a cold, austere woman; I could never
understand why she chose to work with children.

The last true autocratic country is certainly North Korea; nowhere does a leader
exercise the absolute control over all aspects of a people the way that Kim Jong-un
does.
The manager was finally fired for his autocratic leadership, which often bordered on
rude and offensive.

Many of the factory workers are worried about being replaced by machines and
computers that will work completely autonomously.
The Spanish conquistadors were known for their avarice, plundering Incan land and
stealing Incan gold.
Since avaricious desire is similar to gluttony or lust--sins of excess--it was listed as one
of the seven deadly sins by the Catholic church.
Afraid to see the aftermath of the car crash, I averted my eyes as we drove by.
The struggling videogame company put all of its finances into one final, desperate
project to avert bankruptcy.
Martin is an avid birdwatcher, often taking long hikes into remote mountains to see
some rare eagle.
Badgered by his parents to find a job, the 30-year-old loafer instead joined a gang of
itinerant musicians.
Movies often use storms or rain clouds as a baleful omen of evil events that will soon
befall the main character.
The students were willing to clean up the broken glass, but when the teacher asked
them to mop the entire floor, they balked, citing reasons why they needed to leave.
The professor used such banal expression that many students in the class either fell
asleep from bordeom or stayed awake to complete his sentences and humor friends.

Herbert regarded the minister's remark as a mere banality until Sharon pointed out
profound implications to the seemingly obvious words.
The most difficult part of the fast was banishing thoughts of food.

She was not so base as to begrudge the beggar the unwanted crumbs from her dinner
plate.
The movie World War Z is a complete bastardization of the book with little more in
common than zombies and a title.
Often we imagine all monks to wear the beatific smile of the Buddha, but, like any of
us, a monk can have a bad day and not look very happy.
Her dress was becoming and made her look even more beautiful.
By assuming that Charlie was headed to college—which he was not—Maggie begged
the question when she asked him to which school he was headed in the Fall.

Sitting all alone in his room, Harvey begrudged the happiness of the other children
playing outside his window.
We never begrudge money spent on ourselves.
The teacher looked down at the student and said, "It would behoove you to be in
class on time and complete your homework, so that you don't repeat freshman
English for a third straight year."
The smile on her face belies the pain she must feel after the death of her husband.

A good teacher will never belittle his students, but will instead empower them.

Known for their bellicose ways, the Spartans were once the most feared people from
Peloponnesus to Persia.
Tom said that he was arguing the matter purely for philosophical reasons, but his
belligerent tone indicated an underlying anger about the issue.
While the CFO carefully explained all the reasons for the cuts in benefits, after the
meeting employees bemoaned the cuts as further evidence that management was
against them.
Far from being a period of utter benightedness, The Medieval Ages produced some
great works of theological speculation.
I remember my grandfather's face was wrinkled, benign, and calm.
The tumor located in your ear lobe seems to be benign and should not cause you any
trouble.
After 64 years of marriage, William was bereft after the death of his wife.
"You are not bereft if you haven't played on your Xbox in the past week," his mother
said.

After discovering a priceless artifact in her backyard, Jane was besieged by phone
calls, emails, and reporters all trying to buy, hold or see the rare piece of history.
The prince's distasteful choice of words besmirched not only his own name, but the
reputation of the entire royal family.
Even though her father did not approve, Juliet became besotted with the young
Romeo.
Never before have I seen my mom so besotted, and honestly, I hope it's the last time
she drinks so much.

With the gold medal at stake, the gymnast awaited his turn, his quivering
lip betraying his intense emotions.
Rex was bilious all morning, and his face would only take on a look of contentedness
when he’d had his morning cup of coffee.
Allen was often punished in school for blatantly disrespecting teachers.

Unremitting overcast skies tend to lead people to create bleak literature and
lugubrious music — compare England’s band Radiohead to any band from Southern
California.
In gambling, the addict is easily blinkered by past successes and/or past failures,
forgetting that the outcome of any one game is independent of the games that
preceded it.
The case for the suspect's innocence was bolstered considerably by the fact that
neither fingerprints nor DNA were found at the scene.
Modern technology has been a boon to the travel industry.
He was a boon companion to many, and will be sadly missed.
Bukowski was known for being a boorish drunk and alienating close friends and
family.

To receive an R rating, the entire movie was bowdlerized because it contained so

much violence and grotesque subject matter.
Their large "donations" to the local police department gave the drug cartel the brazen
confidence to do their business out in the open.
New curfew laws have bridled people's tendency to go out at night.
The hostess bridled at the tactless dinner guests who insisted on eating before
everybody had gotten their food.
As we discussed the painting, I noticed the artist's wife bristling at our criticisms,
ready to defend her husband's work.
Political broadsides are usually strongest in the weeks leading up to a national
election.
Instead of sharing his umbrella, the cheeky stranger offered Martha the following
bromide: "Looks like it's raining."
While she was at the chalkboard, the teacher did not brook any form of talking--even
a tiny peep resulted in afternoon detention.
During the interrogation, the suspect was browbeaten into signing a false confession.

Not one for social pleasantries, the Chief of Staff would brusquely ask his
subordinates anything he wanted, even coffee.
The profits at our firm bucked the general downturn that affected the real estate
industry.
The noble families of England once owned vast expanses of beautiful, bucolic land.

Within a week of starting, the bumbling new waiter was unceremoniously fired.

China's housing market is burgeoning, but some predict that the growth is merely a
bubble and will burst much like the U.S. real estate bubble of 2008.
China's economy has been buttressed by a global demand for the electronic parts the
country manufactures.
Getting a driver’s license is not simply a matter of taking a test; the regulations and
procedures are so byzantine that many have found themselves at the mercy of the
Department of Motor Vehicles.
Some actors take challenging roles in which they have to lose so much weight that
they appear cadaverous.
Both Los Angeles and New York are known for callow out-of-towners hoping to make
it big.
With the presidential primaries well under way, the air is thick withcalumny, and the
mud already waist-high.
The public will always be fooled by the media's canards.
Even with a perfect stranger, Charles was always candid and would rarely hold
anything back.
Although I was unhappy that the relationship ended, I appreciated her candidness
about why she was ready to move on from the relationship.
The hotel is full to maximum capacity; there are no empty rooms.
Few birds have the capacity to recognize themselves when looking in a mirror; most
act as though there is a second bird behind the glass.
Paul, losing 19-0 in a ping-pong match against his nimble friend, basically capitulated
when he played the last two points with his eyes closed.
Nearly every month our capricious CEO had a new plan to turn the company around,
and none of them worked because we never gave them the time they needed to
succeed.
Most cultures consider gambling a cardinal sin and thus have outlawed its practice.

What seemed like incessant nagging and carping about my behavior from my mother
turned out to be wise and useful advice that has served me well.
Drill sergeants are known to castigate new recruits so mercilessly that the latter often
break down during their first week in training.
The introduction of smallpox was a cataclysm for Native Americans, killing off more
than half of their population.
Rosa Park’s refusal to give up her bus seat acted as a catalyst for the Civil Rights
Movement, setting into motion historic changes for African-Americans.
Jonah’s friends said that Jonah’s taste in music was eclectic; Jonah was quick to point
out that not only was his taste eclectic but it was also catholic: he enjoyed music from
countries as far-flung as Mali and Mongolia.
Percy dismissed the issue with a cavalier wave of his hand.

Eventually, all parents must cede control of their growing childrens' educations and
allow their offspring some autonomy.
We aim to respond to customers' questions with celerity and accuracy, with no longer
than a 24 hour wait time.
Every fall, high school English teachers are inundated by requests to censor their
curriculum by removing The Catcher in the Rye and Scarlet Letter from their reading
lists.
The censor insisted that every reference to drugs should be removed from the
manuscript.

After being caught in bed with a mistress, the mayor was quickly censured by the city
council.
A cerebral analysis of most pop music finds it to be simple and childish, but that
ignores the point--the music's effect on the listener.
Much to the timid writer's chagrin, the audience chanted his name until he came
back on the stage.
She never cared what others said about her appearance but was chagrined by the
smallest comment from her mother.

Martin Luther King Jr. championed civil rights fiercely throughout his short life.
You may call him a "motivational speaker," but I call him a charlatan--he doesn't have
any idea what he's really talking about.
Having received three speeding tickets in the last two months, Jack was chary of
driving at all above the speed limit, even on a straight stretch of highway that looked
empty for miles ahead.
Though chastised for eating the snacks for the party, Lawrence shrugged off his
mother’s harsh words, and continued to plow through jars of cookies and boxes of
donuts.
Vegetarians argue that man is chauvinistic in his belief that animals do not
consciously feel the pain we humans do.

The chauvinist lives on both sides of the political spectrum, outright shunning
anybody whose ideas are not consistent with his own.
Deserted for six months, the property began to look more like a jungle and less like a
residence—weeds grew unchecked in the front yard
When government abuses are not kept in check, that government is likely to become
autocratic.

One by one, the presidential candidates dropped out of the race, their respective
checkered pasts— from embezzlement to infidelity—sabotaging their campaigns.

Many believe that a world free of war is a chimera—a dream that ignores humanity's
violent tendencies.

Marco's chivalrous ways, like opening doors and pulling out chairs, was much
appreciated by his date.
While a brilliant lecturer, Mr. Dawson came across as choleric and unapproachable—
very rarely did students come to his office hours.
Walking past the bar, I could hear happy, chortling people and the blast of horns from
a jazz band.
The manager was unnecessarily churlish to his subordinates, rarely deigning to say
hello, but always quick with a sartorial jab if someone happened to be wearing
anything even slightly mismatching.
Their tour of South America was circumscribed so that they saw only popular
destinations and avoided the dangerous parts of cities.
One way of circumventing the GRE is to apply to a grad school that does not require
GRE scores.
In the final moments of the trial, during his closing speech, Phillips was nearly
begging the judge for clemency.

Over time, the various tribes coalesced into a single common culture with one
universal language.
A cogent argument will change the minds of even the most skeptical audience.
A well-written, cohesive essay will keep on topic at all times, never losing sight of the
main argument.
Many have argued that Lee Harvey Oswald, JFK's assassin, was in collusion with other
criminals; others maintain that Oswald was a lone gunman.
Few appreciate the colossal scale of the sun: if hollow, it could contain a million
Earths.
The efforts of the firefighters running into the burning building were commendable.

The convicted felon’s life sentence was commensurate to the heinousness of his
crime.
After the water polo team won their sixth championship, they became complacent
and didn't even make it to the playoffs the next year.
On her first day at the job, Annie was complaisant, fulfilling every request of her new
employee and anticipating future requests.
The head waiter was careful to tell the amateur diners that red wine was
complementary with beef, each bringing out subtle taste notes in the other.
While the grand jury cleared the senator of all criminal charges, in the public mind he
was still complicit in the corruption.

Her headache was compounded by the construction crew outside, which had six
jackhammers going at the same time.
I concede. You win!
After a long, stern lecture from her father, Olivia conceded to having broken the
window.
The Spanish were forced to concede much of the territory they had previously
conquered.

His opponents believed his gesture to be conciliatory, yet as soon as they put down
their weapons, he unsheathed a hidden sword.
Concomitant with his desire for nature was a desire for the culture and energy of a
big city.

Studying in a quiet room is conducive to learning; studying in a noisy environment

makes learning more difficult.
In the summer months, conflagrations are not uncommon in the southwest, do to the
heat and lack of rain.
In her recent book, the author conflates several genres--the detective story, the teen
thriller, and the vampire romance--to create a memorable read.
Though Harry loved numbers, he found calculus confounding.
Americans often confound sweet potatoes with yams, and refer to both vegetables by
the same name.
The queen was so conniving that, with the help of the prince, she tried to overthrow
the king.
At the church of Notre Dame in France, the new High Altar was consecrated in 1182.

American basketball players are always conspicuous when they go abroad--not only
are they American, but some are over seven feet tall.
The mayor's constituents are no longer happy with her performance and plan to vote
for another candidate in the upcoming election.
The constituents of the metal alloy are nickel, copper, and tin.

We don't have many resources, so we'll have to work with some very tight
constraints.
The author's inability to take a side on the issue was construed by both his opponents
and supporters as a sign of weakness.
Tyler was the consummate musician: he was able to play the guitar, harmonica, and
the drum at the same time.
The restoration of the ancient church was only consummated after a twenty years of
labor.

Always on the forefront of fashion, Vanessa looked contemptuously at anyone

wearing dated clothing.
Since old grandpa Harry became very contentious during the summer when only
reruns were on T.V., the grandkids learned to hide from him at every opportunity.

A small contingent of those loyal to the king have gathered around the castle to
defend it.
Whether the former world champions can win again this year is contingent upon
none of its star players getting injured.

Though he stole his little sister’s licorice stick with malevolent glee, Chucky soon
became contrite when his sister wouldn't stop crying.
Those who show contrition during their prison terms--especially when under review
by a parole board--often get shortened sentences.
Despite a low GPA, he contrived to get into college, going so far as to write his own
glowing letters of recommendation.
Computers have helped solve some of the mathematical conundrums which have
puzzled man for many centuries.
The wedding reception was convivial; friends who hadn't seen each other for ages
drank and ate together before heading to the dance floor.
Instead of solving the math problem in three simple steps, Kumar used a convoluted
solution requiring fifteen steps.
In midsummer, there are copious popiscle stands at the beach; in the winter, there
are none.
The International Food Expo was a cornucopia of culinary delights: gourmet foods
from every continent were under one roof.
A corollary of Hurricane Sandy, which ravaged the east coast of the U.S., is a push to
build higher sea walls to protect against future hurricanes.
Her claim that frog populations were falling precipitously in Central America was
corroborated by locals, who reported that many species of frogs had seemingly
vanished overnight.
There are few cities in the world as diverse and cosmopolitan as New York.

The king and queen cosseted the young prince, giving him a prized miniature pony for
his fifth birthday.
The border of the state is coterminous with geographic limits on travel; the east and
north are surrounded by a nearly uncrossable river and the south by a desert.

By the time the colonel countermanded his soldiers not to land in enemy territory, a
few helicopters had already touched down amid heavy gunfire.
Do not be cowed by a 3,000-word vocabulary list: turn that list into a deck of
flashcards!
Though the man could have at least alerted the police, he crouched cravenly in the
corner as the old woman was mugged.
He placed no credence in psychics, claiming that they offered no special powers
beyond the ability to make people part with their money.
Critics agreed the movie was creditable, but few gave it more than three out of five
stars.
Virginia's wide-eyed credulity as a five-year old was replaced by suspicion after she
learned that Santa Claus didn't really exist.
I asked Maria on a date and she refused without a moment's thought; I was
crestfallen.
Since Sarah did not want her husband to guess the Christmas present she had bought
him, she only answered cryptically when he would ask her questions about it.

Only after fifteen minutes of brainstorming did Samantha's ideas for the essay
crystallize.
Beethoven's musical genius culminated in the 9th Symphony, which many consider
his greatest work.
Since John had left his banana peel at the top of the stairwell, he accepted culpability
for Martha's broken leg.
Only ten years ago, being an avid reader and a traveler meant carrying a cumbersome
backpack stuffed with books--these days we need only an e-reader.
Some believe people that amassing as much wealth as possible is the meaning to life
—yet they often realize that cupidity brings anything but happiness.
Since Uncle Mike was the family curmudgeon, each Thanksgiving he was plied with
copious amounts of wine, in the hope that he would become less grouchy.
I am surprised by the dearth of fast food chains; this is America and I assumed they
were on every street.
The third-rate script so debased the film that not even the flawless acting could save
it from being a flop.
James Bond is known for his good looks, high tech gadgets, and debonair manner.

Richard Dawkins tries to debunk religious belief, but his ridicule tends to push people
away from his points rather than convince them.
The decimation after atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki is
incomprehensible.
Sally's parties are decorous affairs, and instead of the usual beer and music, there is
tea and intellectual conversation.
"You will obey the rules of decorum for this courtroom or spend the night in a jail
cell," said the judge to the prosecutor.
The entire audience erupted in shouts and curses, decrying the penalty card issued by
the referee.
If you ever have the chance to meet the president, stand up straight and be
deferential.
In order for Sean to attend the prestigious college, his generous uncle helped defray
the excessive tuition with a monthly donation.
Jesse had mockingly pointed out all of Nancy's faults in front of their friends, publicly
degrading the poor girl.
The master of the house never deigned to answer questions from the servants.

Since the senior manager had to go on many international business trips, she was
forced to delegate many of her responsibilities to two lower-level managers.
The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was deleterious to the fishing industry in the
southern states.
Emergency situations such as this call for immediate action and leave no room to
deliberate over options.
After a brief summary of proper swimming technique, the coach delineated the
specifics of each stroke, spending 30 minutes alone on the backstroke.
At first the soccer players bantered back and forth, but as soon as one of the players
became demeaning, calling the other's mother a water buffalo, the ref whipped out a
red card.
When Sally told James that she wanted to break up with him, she expected he would
react demonstratively, but he quietly nodded his head and left without saying a word.

Wallace disliked the cold, so he demurred when his friends suggested they going
skiing in the Alps.
The portrait of her in a simple white blouse was sweet and demure.
Count Rumford denigrated the new theory of heat, demonstrating that it was wholly
inadequate to explain the observations.

Even if the text is not visible, the red octagon denotes "stop" to all motorists in
America.
At the denouement of the movie, all questions were answered, and the true identity
of the robber was revealed.

The teacher was derelict in her duties because she hadn't graded a single student
paper in three weeks.
At one time the waterfront factories were busy and productive, but now they stand
derelict and will be torn down.

The nun derided the students for trying to sneak insects and worms into the
classroom.
I was surprised by her derisive tone; usually, she is sweet, soft spoken, and congenial.

Because the movies were utterly derivative of other popular movies, they did well at
the box office.

Many words in the English language are derived from Latin, including the word
"derive."
From the multiple set of footprints in the living room, the investigator derived an
important clue: Sheila was not alone in the room at the time of the murder.

Never before have we seen a debate between two political candidates that was so
derogative and filthy.
After desecrating the pharaoh's tomb, the archaeologist soon fell victim to a horrible
illness.
Few novelists over 80 are able to produce anything more than desiccated works--
boring shadows of former books.
The desideratum of the environmental group is that motorists should rely on
carpooling.
We enjoyed our vacation despite the rain.

The Emperor Claudius was regarded as a fair-minded leader; his successor, Nero, was
an absolute despot.
Jean Valjean, is at first destitute, but through the grace of a priest, he makes
something of his life.
Now that the mine is closed, the town is destitute of any economic activity.

His mother tried to deter him from joining the army, but he was too intoxicated with
the idea of war to listen.
The government's primary job should involve deterring paths to war, not finding ways
to start them.

Many know that smoking is detrimental to your health, but processed sugar in large
quantities is equally bad.
The company was full of managers known for devolving tasks to lower management,
but never doing much work themselves.
The dialogue between the two academics devolved into a downright bitter argument.

The conspirators, willing to dispatch anyone who stood in their way, hatched a
diabolical plan to take over the city.
Steve’s mom launched into a diatribe during the PTA meeting, contending that the
school was little more than a daycare in which students stare at the wall and teachers
stare at the chalkboard.
The coach was dictatorial in his approach: no players could ever argue or question his
approach.

Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Illyich is a didactic novel, instructing the reader on how to
live a good life.
Mozart's long melodic lines differentiate his compositions from other works of late
18th century music.
Animals on Madagascar differentiated from other similar animal species due to many
years of isolation on the island.

As a young girl she was diffident and reserved, but now as an adult, she is confident
and assertive.
The main house has been restored but the gazebo is still dilapidated and unuseable.

Lawyers use dilatory tactics so that it takes years before the case is actually decided.

Fred has no formal medical training; while he likes to claim authority on medical
issues, he is little more than a dilettante

Michael was a diligent gardener, never leaving a leaf on the ground and regularly
watering each plant.
He prefers to be called a diminutive of his name: "Bill" instead of "John William."
When he put on his father's suit and shoes, his appearance was that of a diminutive
youth.
As a child, I was quickly disabused of the notion that Santa Claus was a rotund
benefactor of infinite largess—one night I saw my mother diligently wrapping
presents and storing them under our Christmas tree.
After watching his superior take rations from the soliders, he quickly became
disaffected and rebeled.
Despite all their talented players, the team was filled with discord--some players
refused to talk to others--and lost most of their games.
The professor thought that he was discreet, subtly wiping the stain off of his shirt, but
as soon as he stepped off the podium a member of the audience pointed out the
large ketchup stain.
What was once known as Czechoslovakia has since split into two discrete,
independent nations.
Sarah couldn't discriminate between a good wine and a bad wine, so she avoided
wine tastings.
Many readers find it tough to read Moby Dick since the author is discursive, often
cutting the action short to spend 20 pages on the history of a whale.
The U.S. Constitution disenfranchised women until 1920 when they were given the
right to vote.
After the visiting team scored nine times, the home team's fans were disheartened,
some leaving the game early.
Many adults think that they can lie to children, but kids are smart and know when
people are disingenuous.
The potential juror knew the defendant, and therefore could not serve on the jury,
which must consist only of disinterested members.
With the advent of machines capable of looking inside the brain, fields as disparate as
religion and biology have been brought together by scientists trying to understand
what happens in the brain when people have a religious experience.

A good scientist should be dispassionate, focusing purely on what the evidence says,
without personal attachment.
She finished her thesis with dispatch, amazing her advisors who couldn't believe she
hadn't written 60 scholarly pages so quickly.
As soon as the angry peasants stormed the castle, they caught the king and swiftly
dispatched him.

Since her father is a billionaire, she is given dispensation from many of the school's
policies.
To get close to the senator, the assassin dissembled his intentions, convincing many
people that he was a reporter for a well-known newspaper.
Before the effects of anaesthesia were disseminated, patients had to experience the
full pain of a surgery.
The recent graduates dissipated their earnings on trips to Las Vegas and cruises in
Mexico.
Kathleen's perfume was overwhelming in the cramped apartment, but once we
stepped outside the smell dissipated and we could breathe once again.

Many Roman emperors were known for their dissolution, indulging in unspeakable
desires of the flesh.
Barnyard animals are considerably more docile than the wild animals.

Throughout his life, he was dogged by insecurities that inhibited personal growth.

Bryan is dogmatic in his belief that the earth is flat, claiming that all pictures of a
spherical earth are computer generated.
No event is more doleful than the passing of my mother; she was a shining star in my
life, and it brings me great sadness to think that she is now gone.
Chopin's ballades are filled with sharp changes in moods--a dolorous melody can give
way to a lighthearted tempo.
I enjoy films in which a doughty group comes together to battle a force of evil.
Although Darwin's evolution and Mendel's genetics were developed in isolation from
one another, they dovetail very well.
Once again a get-rich-fast Internet scheme had duped Harold into submitting a $5,000
check to a sham operation.
The charlatan mistook the crowd for a bunch of dupes, but the crowd was quickly on
to him and decried his bald-faced attempt to bilk them.

A life of espionage is one of duplicity: an agent must pretend to be a totally different

person than who she or he actually is.
The witness said he signed the contract under duress and argued that the court
should cancel the agreement.
Can you blame him for his ebullient mood? He just graduated from medical school.

Mozart was well-known for his eccentricities, often speaking words backward to
confuse those around him.
Joey was known for his eclectic tastes in music, one moment dancing to disco the
next "air conducting" along to Beethoven's 9th symphony.
Journalists favor an economical style of writing, in which no unnecessary words are
used and every sentence is as short as possible.
I recently read an article in the Times about whether good literature is edifying or
not; specifically, does reading more make a person more moral.

After the sales result, the manager was in an effervescent mood, letting several
employees leave work early that day.
Since Maggie's cough syrup, which had expired five years back, was no longer
efficacious, she coughed through the night.
The skateboarders acted with effrontery, skating through the church grounds and
spray-painting signs warning trespassers.
An egotist, Natasha had few friends because of her inability to talk about anything
except her dream of becoming the next American Idol.
The dictator’s abuse of human rights was so egregious that many world leaders
demanded that he be tried in an international court for genocide.
Stranded in a cabin over the winter, Terry was able to eke out an existence on canned
food.
Thomas, on returning from Morocco, replaced his dirty gray carpet with an elaborate
one he'd brought back with him.
Most high school physics teachers find themselves elaborating the same point over
and over again, since many concepts confuse students.

Few can listen to the elegiac opening bars of the Moonlight sonata without feeling
the urge to cry.
Just smiling--even if you are depressed--can elicit feelings of pleasure and happiness.

Youtube is great place to learn just about anything--an expert elucidates finer points
so that even a complete novice can learn.
Even a basic understanding of physics can elude most high schools students.
Many first time skydivers say that describing the act of falling from the sky is elusive.

McCartney would write relatively straightforward lyrics, and Lennon would embellish
them with puns and poetic images.

These days we are never short of a D.C. politician embroiled in scandal—a welcome
phenomenon for those who, having barely finished feasting on the sordid details of
one imbroglio, can sink their teeth into a fresh one.
Shakespeare is an eminent author in the English language, but I find his writing
uninteresting and melodramatic.
Most discrimination and hatred is based on a lack of empathetic awareness of people
that have the same aspirations and fears.

Empiricism does not always lead to knowledge; an experience or experiment may

raise more questions than it answers.

To really become fluent in a new language, emulate the speech patterns and
intonation of people who speak the language.
She is completely enamored with Justin Bieber, and goes to all his concerts on the
East coast.
The costume encumbered all my movements and caused me to sweat profusely.
Irish cuisine makes great use of potatoes, but ironically, the potato is not endemic to
Ireland.
John preferred to avoid equatorial countries; the intense sun would always leave
him enervated after he’d spent the day sightseeing.
The restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles were so severe that they engendered deep
hatred and resentment in the German people.
The government agency enjoined the chemical company to clean up the hazardous
dump it had created over the years.

Charles rude remark toward Sarah yesterday was due to his illness, not due to any
real enmity toward Sarah.
The enormity of Pol Pot's regime is hard to capture in words--within months
hundreds of thousands of Cambodians lost their lives.
She was so enthralled by the movie that she never heard people screaming, "Fire!
Fire!" in the neighboring theater.
Harold enticed his wife, Maude, to go on a vacation to Hawaii, with promises of luaus
on the beach and all-you-can-eat seafood buffets.

By the time we reach 60-years old, most of our habits are so entrenched that it is
difficult for us to change.
The survey enumerates the number of happy workers and the number of unhappy
workers.
I sat and listened as she enumerated all of the things she did not like about the past
three months.

The lifespan of a mayfly is ephemeral, lasting from a few hours to a couple of days.

My favorite epigram from Mark Twain is "A man who carries a cat by the tail learns
something he can learn no other way."
Gary one day had an epiphany that he was a people person; he prompty quit his
factory job and began working as a salesman.
Alexandria, Egypt is an eponym because it is named after Alexander the Great.

The equitable distribution of ice cream to a group of 5 year olds will ensure little to
no fighting—at least until the ice cream is gone.
The findings of the study were equivocal—the two researchers had different opinions
on what the results signified.
After Sharon brought the car home an hour after her curfew, she equivocated when
her parents pointedly asked her where she had been.
I tried eradicating the mosquitos in my apartment with a rolled up newspaper, but
there were too many of them.
He erred in thinking that "indigent" and "indignant" were synonyms.
Unlike his peers, who spent their hours studying in the library, Matthew preferred
errant walks through the university campus.
It came as no surprise to pundits that the President’s attempt at re-election
floundered; even during his term, support for his policies was erratic, with an
approval rating jumping anywhere from 30 to 60 percent.
The car dealer's ersatz laughter was immediately followed by a price quote, one that
Shelley found highly inflated.
Before the Internet, the library was typically were you would find erudite readers.

Politicians are the masters of eschewing morals; academics are the masters of
eschewing clarity.
Map collecting is an esoteric hobby to most, but to geography geeks it is a highly
enjoyable pasttime.
As a college student, Charlie espoused Marxism, growing his beard out and railing
against the evils of the free-market.
After serving thirty years, in which he selflessly served the community, Judge Harper
was one of the more estimable people in town.
Because she dances with an ethereal style, ballet critics have called her Madame
Butterfly.
The euphoria of winning her first gold medal in the 100 meter dash overwhelmed
Shelly-Ann Fraser and she wept tears of immense joy.
The storm flashed into existence above us and lasted only a short time—an
evanescent turbulence of wind and cloud.
His responses were clearly evasive; he obviously did not want to take on any
responsibility or any new work.
Every time I call the bank, I receive the same evasive answers about our mortgage
and never get a clear response.

Teachers often have trouble being evenhanded to all of their varied students.
Her sleeplessness exacerbated her cold--when she woke up the next day, her sinuses
were completely blocked.
Though his childhood piano teacher was so exacting, Max is thankful now, as a
professional pianist.
The teenagers exalted the rock star, covering their bedrooms with posters of him.

As a child, I exasperated my mother with strings of never-ending questions.

Entrusted with the prototype to his company’s latest smartphone, Larry, during a late
night karaoke bout, let the prototype slip into the hands of a rival company—the next
day Larry was excoriated, and then fired.
After the boulder rolled a couple of feet, pinning my friend's arm, he experienced
excruciating pain.
Though the new sitcom did decently in the ratings, Nelson railed against the show,
saying that it was nothing more than an execrable pastiche of tired cliché’s and
canned laughter.
The Bible is fertile ground for exegesis—over the past five centuries there have been
as many interpretations as there are pages in the Old Testament.
Lena's homework is on the wall because it is an exemplar of clean, neat, and
thoughtful work.
Lincoln exemplified the best of not only America, but also the potential greatness that
exists within each person.
Please present some case studies that exemplify the results that you claim in your
paper.

Nelson’s parents exhorted him to study medicine, urging him to choose a respectable
profession; intransigent, Nelson left home to become a graffiti artist.
After two months at sea, the exiguity of the ship's supplies forced them to search for
fresh water and food.
The document clearly indicated that Nick was out of the state at the time of the
crime, and so served to exonerate him of any charges.
Shelley made one exorbitant purchase after another, buying new clothes and taking
vacations even though she earned a limited salary.
After a few sips of cognac, the octogenarian shed his irascible demeanor and became
expansive, speaking fondly of the “good old days”.
The CEO refused to expound on the decision to merge our department with another
one, and so I quit.
When I turned 18, all of the shoplifting and jaywalking charges were expunged from
my criminal record.

Despite many bookstores closing, experts predict that some form of book dealing will
still be extant generations from now.
The jury was hardly moved by the man’s plea that his loneliness was an extenuating
factor in his crime of dognapping a prized pooch.
By extrapolating from the data on the past three months, we can predict a 5%
increase in traffic to our website.
Facetious behavior will not be tolerated during sex eduation class; it's time for all of
you to treat these matters like mature adults.
Many news shows provide facile explanations to complex politics, so I prefer to read
the in-depth reporting of The New York Times.
The controversial bill proved factious, as dissension even within parties resulted.

The defendant’s story was largely factitious and did not accord with eyewitness
testimonies.
The widespread belief that Eskimos have forty different words for snow is fallacious,
based on one false report.
Whitney is fastidious about her shoes, arranging them on a shelf in a specific order,
each pair evenly spaced.
The media fawned over the handsome new CEO, praising his impeccable sense of
style instead of asking more pointed questions.
Two years after graduation, Charlie still lived with his parents and had no job,
becoming more feckless with each passing day.
The artist had entered a fecund period, producing three masterpieces in the span of
two months.
For fans of the Harry Potter series, the fell Lord Voldemort, who terrorized poor Harry
for seven lengthy installments, has finally been vanquished by the forces of good—
unless, that is, JK Rowling decides to come out of retirement.
Ever the resourceful lexicographer, Fenton was able to ferret out the word origin of
highly obscure words.
After World War II, war heroes were feted at first but quickly forgotten.
She was so fickle in her politics, it was hard to pinpoint her beliefs; one week she
would embrace a side, and the next week she would denounce it.

Steven was able to finagle one of the last seats on the train by convincing the
conductor that his torn stub was actually a valid ticket.
Freddie is a firebrand: every time he walks into the office, he winds up at the center
of heated argument.
After the three crushing defeats in the last three games, the team's enthusiasm began
to flag.

Murray has years of experience in family practice, but he is just a fledgling in surgery.

Many people have been fleeced by Internet scams and never received their money
back.
Although Sam was trying to honor Mark's sense of humor, many found it quite
flippant that he wore a comic nose and glasses mask to Mark's funeral.
Sylvia has excelled at advanced calculus, but ironically, when she has deal with taxes,
she flounders.
Mary's behavior completely flummoxes me: I never have any idea what her
motivations might be.
The exam's passage is flush with difficult words, words that you may have learned
only yesterday.
Ever since Elvira resigned as the head of marketing, everything about our sales
strategy has been in a state of flux.

When their new roommate sat staring at an oak tree for an hour, Marcia thought it
indicated a mental problem, but Jeff assured her it was a harmless foible.

After having his pay cut, Phil spread vicious rumors about his boss, hoping to foment
a general feeling of discontent.
The police regularly face dangerous situations, so for a police officer not to wear his
bullet-proof vest is foolhardy.
After her third pet dog died, Marcia was simply forlorn: this time even the possibility
of buying a new dog no longer held any joy.
The President announced that the senators were about to reach a compromise, and
that he was eager to read the forthcoming details of the bill.
As a husband, Larry was not forthcoming: if Jill didn't demand to know details, Larry
would never share them with her.

I did not expect the insurance agent to give us any straight answers, but I was
pleasantly surprised by how forthright he was.

While the real objects are vastly different sizes in space, the sun and the moon seem
to have the same fortuitous size in the sky.
We rarely invite my fractious Uncle over for dinner; he always complains about the
food, and usually launches into a tirade on some touchy subject.
Compared to Juliet's passionate concern for human rights, Jake's non-stop concern
about football seems somewhat frivolous.
Monte was no miser, but was simply frugal, wisely spending the little that he earned.

I thought I would finish writing the paper by lunchtime, but a number of urgent
interruptions served to frustrate my plan.
While at work, George and his boss Regina felt the need to be as furtive as possible
about their romantic relationship.

I thought I could repair the car myself, but after two days of work with no success, I
have to admit that my efforts were futile.
In a famous gaffe, Vice President Quayle attempted to correct the spelling of a grade
school student, only to find that the child was correct.
I can't gainsay a single piece of evidence James has presented, but I still don't trust his
conclusion.
Even though Carly was only recently hired, she had the gall to question her boss's
judgment in front of the office.
In an act of gall, Leah sent compromising photos of her ex-boyfriend to all his co-
workers and professional contacts.

At mile 23 of his first marathon, Kyle had all but given up, until he noticed his friends
and family holding a banner that read, “Go Kyle”; galvanized, he broke into a gallop,
finishing the last three miles in less than 20 minutes.
Randy played a gambit, telling his boss that he would leave at the end of the week if
he didn't get a raise.

Lynne was garrulous: once, she had a fifteen minute conversation with a stranger
before she realized the woman didn't speak English.
Sylvester says the most gauche things, such as telling a girl he liked that she was much
prettier when she wore makeup.
Betty is a genial young woman: everyone she meets is put at ease by her elegance
and grace.
A live string quartet would provide a more genteel air to the wedding than would a
folk singer.
The professor wanted to tell the jury in detail about his new book, but the lawyer said
it wasn't germane to the charges in the cases.
Years ago, savvy politicians had gerrymandered the city center to ensure their re-
election.

Herb has given us no formal statement about his background, but from various hints,
I have gleaned that he grew up in difficult circumstances.
I have found that the more glib the salesman, the worse the product.

The Internet offers such a glut of news related stories that many find it difficult to
know which story to read first.
In the middle of economic crises, hiring managers find their inboxes glutted with
resumes.

Doug did not want to enter the race, but Jim, through a steady stream of taunts,
goaded him into signing up for it.
The gossamer wings of a butterfly, which allow it to fly, are also a curse, so delicate
that they are often damaged.
In countries with rampant graft, getting a driver's license can require no more than
paying an official.
The dictator was known for his grandiloquent speeches, puffing his chest out and
using big, important-sounding words.
Often we think that great leaders are those who are gregarious, always in the middle
of a large group of people; yet, as Mahatma Gandhi and many others have shown us,
leaders can also be introverted.
Every time Susan comes to the office, Frank grovels as if she were about to fire.
Whenever the jester fell to the ground in mock pain, the king guffawed, exposing his
yellow, fang-like teeth.
At first I thought my niece was guileless, but I then found myself buying her ice cream
every time we passed a shop.
Wallace Stegner lamented the lack of gumption in the U.S. during the sixties, claiming
that no young person knew the value of work.
Cheryl rolled her eyes when she heard the lecturer's hackneyed advice to "be true to
yourself."
Most accounts of Tiger Woods life were hagiographic, until, that is, his affairs made
headlines.
Many college superstar athletes are hailed as the next big thing, but then flop at the
professional level.
The first decade after WWI was a halcyon period in America with new-found wealth
and rapidly improving technology.

As the rain water began to collect in pools on the highway, it began to hamper the
flow of traffic.
The FBI has made so many restrictions on the local police that they are absolutely
hamstrung, unable to accomplish anything.
Many golf courses are designed with great care, but the greens on the county golf
course seem entirely haphazard.
Dinner at Billy's was more a punishment than a reward, since anyone who sat at the
dinner table would have to listen to Billy's father's interminable harangues against the
government.;
Tired of his parents haranguing him about his laziness and lack of initiative, Tyler
finally moved out of home at the age of thirty-five.

With a team of new hires to train, Martha was constantly harried with little questions
and could not focus on her projects.
The haughty manager didn't believe that any of his subordinates could ever have an
insight as brilliant his own.

As soon as she won the lottery, Alice begin displaying a hauteur to her friends, calling
them dirty-clothed peasants behind their backs.
The boss’s hectoring manner put off many employees, some of whom quit as soon as
they found new jobs.
When asked why he had decided to buy millions of shares at the very moment the
tech companies stock soared, the CEO hedged, mentioning something vague about
gut instinct.
Until the Spanish Armada was defeated in 1587, Spain had hegemony over the seas,
controlling waters stretching as far as the Americas.
Though everybody at the gym told Mikey to do cardio before weights, Mikey was a
heretic and always did the reverse.

During the heyday of Prohibition, bootlegging had become such a lucrative business
that many who had been opposed to the 18th Amendment began to fear it would be
repealed.
Though she received a B- on the test, she had such a histrionic outburst that one
would have thought that she’d been handed a death sentence.
Most workout gurus are young, fit people, whereas most yoga gurus are hoary men
with long white beards.
Bad weather has hobbled rescue efforts, making it difficult for crews to find bodies in
the wreckage.
Those in attendance represented a hodgepodge of the city's denizens: chimney
sweepers could be seen sitting elbow to elbow with stockbrokers.
Someone tried to hoodwink Marty with an email telling him that his uncle had just
passed away, and to collect the inheritance he should send his credit card
information.
An implacable foe of corruption, Eliot Ness hounded out graft in all forms—he even
helped nab Al Capone.
Bill Clinton was criticized for his hubris, since he believed he could get away with
anything once in the White House.
Having grown up in a humdrum suburb, Jacob relished life in New York City after
moving.
Lady Gaga, in challenging what it means to be clothed, is an iconoclast for wearing a
"meat dress" to a prominent awards show.
Jackson Pollack was an iconoclastic artist, totally breaking with tradition by splashing
paint on a blank canvas.
Peggy's numerous idiosyncrasies include wearing mismatched shoes, laughing loudly
to herself, and owning a pet aardvark.
In the 1920s, the World Series was rigged--an ignoble act which baseball took
decades to recover from.
Since the politician preached ethics and morality, his texting of revealing photographs
was ignominious, bringing shame on both himself and his party.
Though Al Capone was engaged in many illicit activities, he was finally arrested for
income tax evasion, a relatively minor offense.
Einstein was possibly the most illustrious scientist in recent history.

Plato imbibed Socrates’ teachings to such an extent that he was able to write volumes
of work that he directly attributed, sometimes word for word, to Socrates.

The chef cook-off featured one gourmand who had the unfortunate distinction of
mixing the wrong broths, creating an imbroglio that diners would not soon forget.

The judge found the defendant’s comments immaterial to the trial, and summarily
dismissed him from the witness stand.
The modern supermarket experience makes many feel claustrophobic, as they are
immured in walls upon walls of products.
Taxes are one of the immutable laws of the land, so there is no use arguing about
paying them.
The judge was not impartial since he had been bribed by the witness's family.

He was impeccably dressed in the latest fashion without a single crease or stain.
In extremely trying times, even the moderately wealthy, after a few turns of ill-
fortune, can become impecunious.
Since the police sergeant had to train the pair of new hires, progress in his own case
was impeded.
The impending doom of our world has been a discussed and debated for 2000 years
—maybe even longer.
Children are imperious with each other before they learn that earning someone's
respect is better than demanding.

The sand bags placed on the river formed an impermeable barrier, protecting the
town from flooding.
Dexter, distraught over losing his pet dachshund, Madeline, found the police officer’s
questions impertinent—after all, he thought, did she have to pry into such details as
to what Madeline’s favorite snack was?
I am not impervious to your insults; they cause me great pain.

Herbert is rarely impetuous, but on the spur of the moment, he spent thousands of
dollars on a motorcycle today.
Win or lose, the coach was always implacable, never giving the athletes an easy
practice or a break.
The teacher found it implausible that the student was late to school because he had
been kidnapped by outlaws on horseback.
By saying that some of the guests were uncomfortable, the manager implicated to the
hotel staff that it needed to be more dilligent.
The crime boss was implicated for a long list of crimes, ranging from murder to
disturbing the peace.

According to many lawmakers, the huge variety of factors affecting society make
devising an efficient healthcare system an imponderable task.
After weeks of importuning the star to meet for a five-minute interview, the journalist
finally got what she wanted.
As a child, Amy would build pillow castles and pretend they were impregnable
fotresses.
Marty was improvident, never putting money aside for the future but spending it on
decorating the interior of his home.
Hitler, like Napoleon, made the imprudent move of invading Russia in winter,
suffering even more casualties than Napoleon had.
In an impudent move, the defendant spoke out of order to say terribly insulting things
to the judge.
Though many initially tried to impugn Darwin's theory, in scientific circles today, the is
idea taken as truth.
He imputed his subpar performance on the test to a combination of stress and poor
sleep.
Although Prohibition was rooted in noble ideals, the inadvertent and costly
consequences of making alcohol illegal in the U.S. led its the repeal.
Bill's poem was nothing more than a list of impressive sounding words, so there was
no point in trying to take meaning from the inanity.
Although a brilliant economist, Professor Black was completely inarticulate, a terrible
lecturer.
When Herb bought football tickets for a game on the day of their wedding
anniversary, Jill was incensed.
I don't mind small children in brief doses, but I think the incessant exposure that their
parents have to them would quickly wear me down.
Inchoate ideas about the relation of humans to other animals had been discussed
since the Middle Ages but the modern theory really began with Darwin.

The lawyer had an incisive mind, able in a flash to dissect a hopelessly tangled issue
and isolate the essential laws at play.
After a week of inclement weather, we finally are able to go outside and enjoy the
sun.
Marcus Aurelius, though a fair man, was inclement to Christians during his reign,
persecuting them violently.

The vast economic inequality of modern society is incongruous with America's ideals.

Unless you can provide incontrovertible evidence, I will remain skeptical.

Tom Sawyer seems like an incorrigible youth until Huck Finn enters the novel; even
Sawyer can't match his fierce individual spirit.
Middle managers at times make important decisions, but real responsibility for the
financial well-being of the corporation is ultimately incumbent on the CEO.
Eating with elbows on the table is considered indecorous in refined circles.

The bankrobber was indicted on several major charges, including possession of a

firearm.
In an effort to fight indifference, the president of the college introduced a new,
stricter grading system.
The plants and animals indigenous to Australia are notably different from those
indigenous to the U.S—one look at a duckbill platypus and you know you’re not
dealing with an opossum.
In the so-called Third World, many are indigent and only a privileged few have the
resources to enjoy material luxuries.
The indigents, huddled under the overpass, tried to start a small bonfire in the hope
of staying warm.

When the cyclist swerved into traffic, it forced the driver to brake and elicited an
indignant shout of "Hey, punk, watch where you're going!"
Pete was an industrious student, completing every assignment thoroughly and on
time.
While art critics can occasionally pinpoint a work's greatness, much of why a piece
captures our imaginations is completely ineffable.
For those who smoke cigarettes for years, a major health crisis brought on by smoking
is ineluctable.
After decades of racial inequity, the "separate but equal" doctrine was successfully
overturned.
The rise of the computer was an inexorable shift in technology and culture.
During the executive meeting, the marketing director continued to make infelicitous
comments about the CEO's gambling habit.
It only takes one person to leave an inflammatory comment on an Internet thread for
that thread to blow up into pages upon pages of reader indignation.
Daedalus was famous for his ingenuity; he was able to fashion his son Icarus with a
pair of wings, using wax to hold them together.
Two-years in Manhattan had changed Jenna from an ingenuous girl from the suburbs
to a jaded urbanite, unlikely to fall for any ruse, regardless of how elaborate.

Even though Tom didn't like his new boss, he decided to ingratiate himself to her in
order to advance his career.
Venus, with a surface temperature that would turn rubber to liquid, is inimical to any
form of life.
Mozart's music follows a clear pattern that, anyone could imitate, but his music gives
an overall sense of effortlessness that is inimitable.
Lynne speaks four Romance languages, but she doesn't have an inkling about how
East Asian languages are structured.
Everyone found Nancy’s banter innocuous—except for Mike, who felt like she was
intentionally picking on him.
His speech was so dense and confusing that many in the audience found it
inscrutable.
Plaque is insidious: we cannot see it, but each day it eats away at our enamel, causing
cavities and other dental problems.
The movie director was known for hiring beautiful actors in order to deflect attention
away from the insipid scripts he would typically use.
Lilian could not help herself from being insolent, commenting that the Queen's shoes
were showing too much toe.
With credit card bills skyrocketing, a shockingly large number of Americans are truly
insolvent.
Surprisingly, Hank had become a high-powered CEO; his high school friends
remembered him as "Hanky Panky", who shrugged off each failed class with
insouciance.
Chester always tried to find some area in which he excelled above others;
unsurprisingly, his co-workers found him insufferable and chose to exclude him from
daily luncheons out.
The intermittent thunder continued and the night was punctuated by cracks of
lightning—a surreal sleepless night.
The guerilla group, which had become so powerful as to own the state police, was
finally destroyed by an internecine conflict.
At first Manfred’s teachers intimated to his parents that he was not suited to skip a
grade; when his parents protested, teachers explicitly told them that,
notwithstanding the boy’s precocity, he was simply too immature to jump to the 6th
grade.

At first the hostess tried intimation, praising the benefits of cutlery; when Cecil
continued eating with his hands, the hostess told him to use a fork at dinner.
Despite many calls for mercy, the judge remained intransigent, citing strict legal
precedence.
Captain Ahab was an intrepid captain whose reckless and fearless style ultimate leads
to his downfall.
The newsroom was inundated with false reports that only made it more difficult for
the newscasters to provide an objective account of the bank robbery.
Three years of Manhattan living has inured her to the sound of wailing sirens; she
could probably sleep through the apocalypse.
The Internet has unleashed the invectives in many of us; many people post stinging
criticism on the comments section underneath newspaper articles or YouTube videos.

He is an inveterate smoker and has told his family and friends that there is no way he
will ever quit.
At a time when many others in the office were about to be laid off, many considered
Cheryl's fine clothes that day an invidious display.
To many the grass at Wimbledon is inviolable and only greater tennis players are able
to enjoy a game there.
While the literary critic subjected most of the classics to the harshest reviews, he
regarded Cervantes as inviolate, and had nothing but praise for him.
The physics lecture became so involved that the undergraduate’s eyes glazed over.

If Arthur's dog is not fed adequately, he becames highly irascible, even growling at his
own shadow.
My little sister has a way of irking and annoying me like no other person.
The existence of life on earth is irrefutable; the existence of intelligent life on earth is
still hotly debated.
He stood irresolute at the split in the trail, not sure which route would lead back to
the camp.
Once you enter your plea to the court, it is irrevocable so think carefully about what
you will say.
Doctors used to be itinerant, traveling between patients' homes.

To those with little training in medicine, the jargon of doctors can be very difficult to
understand.
Shelly was jaundiced towards Olivia; though the two had once been best friends,
Olivia had become class president, prom queen, and, to make matters worse, the
girlfriend of the one boy Shelly liked.
Although many top chefs have secured culinary foam's popularity in haute cuisine,
Waters criticizes it for being jejune and unfilling.
Her boss further cemented his reuptation for being jejune after throwing a fit when
the water cooler wasn't refilled.

North Korea maintains intense control over its population through a combination of
jingoism and cult of personality.
In the days leading up to war, a nation typically breaks up into the two opposing
camps: doves, who do their best to avoid war, and jingoists, who are only too eager to
wave national flags from their vehicles and vehemently denounce those who do not
do the same.

My uncle was always in a jocular mood at family gatherings, messing up people's hair
and telling knock-knock jokes to anyone who would listen.
The political candidate and his supporters were jovial once it was clear that she had
won.
My hardwork paid off, and I was jubilant to receive a perfect score on the GRE.

Napoleon was considered a juggernaut until he decided to invade Russia in winter;

after which, his once indomitable army was decimated by cold and famine.

As dangerous of a threat as North Korea is, some analysts believe that were a junta
suddenly to gain power, it could be even more unpredictable and bellicose than the
current leadership
The appeal of her paintings comes from a classical style which is juxtaposed with
modern themes.
Paul kowtowed to his boss so often the boss herself became nauseated by his
sycophancy.
The meaning of the label ""punk"" has changed greatly in the last 30 years.
Children are often unkind and label others who look different as outsiders.

The most laborious job I've had was working 20 hours a day as a fisherman in King
Salmon, Alaska.
The teacher was fired for lacerating a student who wrote a poor essay.
Lachrymose and depressed, Alexei Alexandrovich walked two miles home in the rain
after learning that his wife was having an affair.
While Martha always swooned over the hunky, laconic types in romantic comedies,
her boyfriends inevitably were very talkative—and not very hunky.
Showing no patience, the manager utterly lambasted the sales team that lost the big
account.
Mark Twain understood that lampooning a bad idea with humor was the most
effective criticism.
As the sun beat down and the temperature climbed higher, we spent a languid week
lying around the house.
Stranded in the wilderness for four days, the hiker languished, eating protein bars and
nuts.
Uncle Frank was known for his largess, so his nephew was sad when he did not
receive a present for his birthday.
Lolita is a challenging novel for many, not necessarily because of the elevated prose
style but because of the depravity of the main character, Humbert Humbert, who, as
an old, lascivious man, falls in love with a girl.
To say that Gandhi's actions were laudable is the greatest understatement; he
overthrew an empire without violence.
Without checking his references and talking to previous employers, I am leery of
hiring the candidate.
Nothing can make a person more lethargic than a big turkey dinner.
Her limpid prose made even the most recondite subjects accessible to all.
Students in the U.S. learn to lionize Jefferson, Franklin, and Washington because they
are the founding fathers of the nation.
Mr. Rogers spoke to a Senate committee and did not give a litany of reasons to keep
funding the program, but instead, appealed to the basic human decency of all
present.
I was loath to leave the concert before my favorite band finished playing.

Though Walters writes about physics and time travel, his writing is always lucid, so
readers with little scientific training can understand difficult concepts.
At the funeral, lugubrious songs filled the small church.
Edgar Allen Poe was considered the master of the macabre; his stories vividly
describe the moment leading up to—and often those moments after—a grisly death.

The rebels met at night in an abandoned barn to machinate.

Though she was only a third grade teacher, Ms. Martinet was magisterial in dealing
with her class, lording over them like a queen.
He was a great sportsman: in defeat he was complementary and in victory he was
magnanimous.

The scientist maintained that the extinction of dinosaurs was most likely brought
about by a drastic change in climate.
As a child she was quite maladroit, but as an adult, she has become an adept dancer.

The town was struck by a malady throughout the winter that left most people sick in
bed for two weeks.
Whenever I looked glum, my mother would offer to share "an amusing antidote" with
me—an endearing malapropism of "anecdote" that never failed to cheer me up.

Villians are known for their malevolent nature, oftentimes inflicting cruetly on others
just for enjoyment.

Not even the mayor’s trademark pearly-toothed grin could save him from charges of
malfeasance: while in power, he’d been running an illegal gambling rink in the room
behind his office.
At one time, our country was full of hardworking respectful people, but now it seems
that everyone is a malingerer with little inclination to work.
The clay became malleable and easy to work with after a little water was added.
My little brother is so malleable that I can convince him to sneak cookies from the
cupboard for me.
Some thermally active fountains spew sulfur fumes--the air around them is
sometimes so malodorous that many have to plug their noses.
Americans tend to remember Abraham Lincoln as kindly and wise, not at all martial,
despite the fact that he was involved in the fiercest war America has even fought.

The job seemed perfect to Rebecca, until she found out that her boss was a total
martinet; after each project the boss would come by to scrutinize—and inevitably
criticize—every little detail of the work Rebecca had done.
Just as those who were alive during the 70’s are mortified that they once cavorted
about in bellbottoms, many who lived during the 80’s are now aghast at the maudlin
pop songs they used to enjoy—really, just what exactly is a total eclipse of the heart?

Max liked to maunder down by the seaside and pick up whatever sea shells he would
stumble upon.
After drinking two espressos each, the animated couple would maunder loudly,
annoying the other patrons in the coffee shop.

Officer Kelly was a maverick, rarely following police protocols or adopting the
conventions for speech common among his fellow officers.
The film was incredibly mawkish, introducing highly likeable characters only to have
them succumb to a devastating illnesses by the end of the movie.
Johnson initially suggests that the secret to business can be summarized in a single
maxim but then requires a 300-page book to explain exactly what he means.

A casual observer might have thought that Peter was meandering through the city,
but that day he was actually seeking out those places where he and his long lost love
had once visited.
Hamlet is a figure of tremendous melancholy: he doesn't have a truly cheerful scene
throughout the entire play.
After enduring daily taunts about my name, I became enraged and pummeled the
schoolyard bully and his sycophantic friends in a brutal melee.
Chelsea’s grandmother thought Franz Schubert’s music to be the most mellifluous
ever written; Chelsea demurred, and to her grandmother’s chagrin, would blast
Rihanna on the home stereo speakers.
I can forgive her for her mendacity but only because she is a child and is seeing what
she can get away with.
Tolstoy was an aristocrat, but he strove to understand the Christianity of the Russian
peasants by wandering among them as a mendicant.
The fact that Ella’s moods were as mercurial as the weather was problematic for her
relationships—it didn’t help that she lived in Chicago.
The plot and the characters were so well developed that many viewers were
mesmerized, unable to move their eyes from the screen for even a single second.
The early spectacular successes propelled the pitcher to meteoric stardom, but a
terribly injury tragically cut short his career.
The Japanese noodle maker was meticulous in making his noodles and would never
let another person take over the task.
For its raid on the Bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Seal Team Six has become,
for many Americans, the embodiment of mettle.
Kevin is such a misanthrope that he refused to attend the Christmas party, claiming
that everyone's happiness was "fake" and "annoying."
I made a mistake; I misattributed "Crime and Punishment" to Leo Tolstoy when it was
actually written by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
The politician never trusted journalists because he though that they misconstrue his
words and misrepresent his positions.
"Come back you miscreant!" yelled the woman who just had her purse stolen.
Monte was no miser, but was simply frugal, wisely spending the little that he earned.

Many have accused Hemingway of being a quiet misogynist, but recently unearthed
letters argue against this belief.
I can only spend so much time mitigating your disagreements with your wife, and at
certain point, you need to do it on your own.
If it weren't for the mitigating circumstances, he would have certainly lost his job.

If my sister had even a modicum of sense, she wouldn't be engaged to that barbarian.

In the morning, Harriat was unable to mollify Harry, if he happened to become angry,
unless he had his cup of coffee.
Despite the initial hullabaloo, the play was of no great moment in Hampton’s writing
career, and within a few years the public quickly forgot his foray into theater arts.

Since the Board just terminated Steve as the CEO, what the finance committe might
have thought of his proposed marketing plan for next year is now a moot point.

While Phil frequently made mordant remarks about company policy overall, he
always was considerably gentler in discussing any person in particular.
Whether you like it or not, jazz as a genre is moribund at best, possibly already dead.

After Stanley found out he was no longer able to go on vacation with his friends, he
sat in his room morosely.
The earnestness of the daytime talk shows of the 1970's has morphed into something
far more sensational and vulgar: today guests actually standup and threaten to take
swings at one another.
The so-called magical diet cure simply ended up mulcting Maria out of hundreds of
dollars, but did nothing for her weight.
Nancy found doing dishes a thorougly mundane task, although Peter found a kind of
Zen pleasure in the chore.
Though we think of the pope as someone always dealing in holy matters, he is also
concerned with mundane events, such as deciding when to set his alarm each
morning.

Uncle Charley was known for his munificence, giving all seven of his nephews lavish
Christmas presents each year.
Helen preferred muted earth colors, such as green and brown, to the bright pinks and
red her sister liked.
The company ultimately went out of business because the myopic managers couldn't
predict the changes in their industry.
There are a myriad of internet sites hawking pills that claim to boost energy for hours
on end.
For many pop music fans, the rap and alternative-rock dominated 90s were the nadir
of musical expression.
The GRE tests cumulative knowledge, so if you cram the night before it is, at best,
likely to only have a negligible impact on your score.
Maria found her coworker's cell phone nettlesome, because every few minutes it
would buzz to life with another text message.
Each August, when the winds moved in a south easterly direction, the garbage dump
would spread noisome vapors through the small town.
The twenty-somethings at the coffee shop always irked Sheldon, especially the way in
which they acted nonchalantly towards everything, not even caring when Sheldon
once spilled his mocha on them.
Shirley was totally nonplussed when the angry motorist cut her off and then stuck his
finger out the window.
Because of the nuances involved in this case, I hired an outside consultant to advice
us and help.
No number of pleas and bribes would get him to change his obdurate attitude.

The manager spent an hour objurgating the employee in the hopes that he would not
make these mistakes again.
Even after all his success, I found him to be accommodating and obliging, sharing with
me his "secret tips" on how to gain wealth and make friends.
Herbert never explicitly revealed anything negative about Tom's past, but at times he
would obliquely suggest that Tom was not as innocent as he seemed.
On the Smith's drive through the Grand Canyon, Mr. Smith's big head obscured much
of Mrs. Robinson's view, so that she only saw momentary patches of red rock.
Many of the biggest movie stars were once obscure actors who got only bit roles in
long forgotten films.

The obsequious waiter did not give the couple a moment's peace all through the
meal, constantly returning to their table to refill their water glasses and to tell them
what a handsome pair they made.
The coach suggested improvements Sarah might make on the balance beam, but she
remained obstinate, unwilling to modify any of the habits that made her successful in
the past.
When the teacher asked the obstreperous student simply to bus his tray, the student
threw the entire tray on the floor, shouted an epithet, and walked out.
The custom of waiting your turn in line does not obtain in some countries, in which
many people try to rush to front of the line at the same time.
Jackson was the most obtuse member of the team: the manager's subtle ironies were
always lost on him.

The professor had trouble concentrating on her new theorem, because her officious
secretary would barge in frequently reminding her of some trivial detail involving
departmental paperwork.
The meaning of the professor's new research was opaque to most people, so no one
asked any questions.
Russian oligarchs are famous for their opulence, living in fancy homes and dining on
expensive caviar.
The ornate Victorian and Edwardian homes spread throughout San Francisco are my
favorite part of the city.
Even as a young man, Bob had some bias against poor people, but during his years in
social services, his bad opinions ossified into unshiftable views.
Matt wanted to buy stone lions for front of the house, but Cynthia convinced him that
such a display would be too ostentatious for a modest house in an unassuming
neighborhood.
Later in his life, Leo Tolstoy was ostracized from the Russian Orthodox Church for his
writings that contradicted church doctrine.
Mark was so convinced of his basketball skills that in his overweening pride he could
not fathom that his name was not on the varsity list; he walked up to the basketball
coach and told her she had forgotten to add his name.
MIkey didn't partake much in his friends' conversations, but found their presence
palatable.
During the rain delay, many who had come to see the game palavered, probably
hoping that idle chatter would make the time go by faster.
The downtown was a palimpsest of the city’s checkered past: a new Starbucks had
opened up next to an abandoned, shuttered building, and a freshly asphalted road
was inches away from a pothole large enough to swallow a small dog.

While the company credit card has made most large purchases easier, it is no
panacea: some smaller basic transactions still must be conducted in cash.
Jim, with his typical panache, came to the wedding reception with a top hat, a cane,
and a long cape covered in sequins.
Dave asked Andrew to do just a simple toast, but Andrew launched into a full
panegyric, enumerating a complete list of Dave's achievements and admirable
qualities.
That light could be both a particle and a wave seems paradoxical, but nonetheless, it
is true.
Even with the rise of Kobe Bryant, many still believe that Michael Jordon is the
paragon for basketball players.
Some say that Athens was the paragon of democracy, but these people often forget
that slaves and women were still not allowed to vote.

The once eminent scientist, upon being found guilty of faking his data, has become a
pariah in the research community.
Jasmine was sad to admit it, but her fledgling relationship with Jacob did not work
out because his culinary tastes were simply too parochial; "After all," she quipped on
her blog, "he considered Chef Boyardee ethnic food."
Katie is so parsimonious that she only buys a pair of socks if all of her other socks
have holes in them.
The theater was full of parvenus who each thought that they were surrounded by
true aristocrats.

Those who imagine America's countryside as a pastoral region are often disappointed
to learn that much of rural U.S. is filled with cornfields extending as far as the eye can
see.
Since the book had been through no fewer than six proof runs, the staff was shocked
to see such a patent spelling mistake remaining, right in the middle of the front cover!

She says she genuinely wanted to help me, but instead she patronized me, constantly
pointing out how I was inferior to her.
There is a paucity of jobs hiring today that require menial skills, since most jobs have
either been automated or outsourced.
The defendent was found guilty and had to serve a period of community service as
well as pay pecuniary damages to the client.
Professor Thompson was regarded as an expert in his field, but his lectures were
utterly pedantic, focused on rigorous details of the most trivial conventions in the
field.
While Nan was always engaged in philosophical speculation, her brother was
occupied with far more pedestrian concerns: how to earn a salary and run a
household.
Our office manager is peevish, so the rest of us tip-toe around him, hoping not to set
off another one of his fits.
Most psychologists object to the pejorative term "shrink", believing that they expand
the human mind, not limit it.
The professor had a remarkable ability make even the most difficult concepts seem
pellucid.
Truly penurious, Mary had nothing more than a jar full of pennies.
Warren Buffett, famous multi-billionaire, still drives a cheap sedan, not because he is
penurious, but because luxury cars are gaudy and impractical.
If hunters are skilled, the animals will not perceive their presence.
Even the most percipient editor will make an occasional error when proofreading.

My sister used to peremptorily tell me to do the dishes, a chore I would either do

perfunctorily or avoid doing altogether.
Even at the old-timers games, Stan Musial would get the loudest cheer: he was a
perennial favorite of the fans there.
The lowest circles in Dante's Inferno were for those who had practiced perfidy, and
among these, the very lowest was for those, such as Judas, who had been
treacherous to one of their benefactors.
The short film examines modern perfunctory cleaning rituals such as washing dishes,
doing laundry and tooth-brushing.
Jim always preferred a peripatetic approach to discovering a city: he felt that he could
see so many more details while walking.
The most successful viruses are pernicious: an infected person may feel perfectly
healthy for several months while incubating and spreading the virus.
If you do not let him do things for himself, you are merely perpetuating bad habits
that will be even harder to break in the future.
Even as the dishwasher at the French restaurant, Josh quickly learned that he had the
perquisite of being able to eat terrific food for half the price diners would pay.

Many modern observers regard Eisenhower as perspicacious, particularly in his

accurate prediction of the growth of the military.
While the salaries of the players might draw attention in the media, such monetary
figures are not pertinent to the question of who plays the best on the field.

Now that Henry is recovering from a major illnesses, he no longer lets the little
trivialities, such as late mail, perturb him.
Instead of perusing important documents, people all too often rush to the bottom of
the page and plaster their signatures at the bottom.
When Ed first met Ruth, he didn't realize she was so petulant, but now that they are
three months into their relationship, Ed feels a day doesn't go by in which she isn't
whining about some minor issue.
Those suffering from malaria fall into a feverish sleep, their world a whirligig of
phantasmagoria; if they recover, they are unsure of what actually took place and what
was simply a product of their febrile imaginations.
Jane considered Al completely philistine, because he talked almost exclusive about
video games; she was entirely unaware of how well read he really was.
Arnold is truly noble, remaining reserved until an issue of significance arises, but
Walter is simply phlegmatic: he doesn't have the energy or inclination to care about
anything.
English teachers are notorious for being picayune; however, the English language is so
nuanced and sophisticated that often such teachers are not being contrary but are
only adhering to the rules.
After the candidate confessed, the press of the opposing party took the opportunity
to pillory him, printing editorials with the most blatantly exaggerated accusations.

Standing forlornly by the window, she pined for her lost love.
At its pinnacle, the Roman Empire extended across most of the landmass of Eurasia, a
feat not paralleled to the rise of the British Empire in the 18th and 19th century.

The chef, with a mere flick of the salt shaker, turned the bland tomato soup into a
piquant meal.
When Cynthia hears a speaker presenting a complex argument, she is always able to
discard the irrelevant details and extract the pith of what the speaker is trying to
convey.
I enjoy reading the Daodejing for its pithy and insightful prose; it always gives me
something to think about.
Vinny’s uncle beamed smugly about how he’d offered his nephew fifty dollars for his
Harvard tuition; even twice the amount would have been a mere pittance.
I was able to placate the angry mob of students by promising to bring cookies on
Monday.
Doug is normally placid, so we were all shocked to see him yelling at the television
when the Mets lost the game.
The professor argued that many statements regarded as wise in previous times, such
as the Golden Rule, are now regarded as mere platitudes.
Charlie may seem to run at a plodding pace, but he is an ultramarathoner, meaning
he runs distances of up to 100 miles, and can run for ten hours at a stretch.

Dennis arranged an elaborate ploy, involving 14 different people lying for him in
different situations, so that it could appear that he was meeting Mary completely by
chance at the wedding reception.
Some scouts initially doubted Pedroia because of his short stature, but he is a plucky
player, surprising everyone with his boundless energy and fierce determination.

After the Montagues and Capulets discover the dead bodies of Romeo and Juliet, in
the play's most poignant moment, the two griefstricken familes agree to end their
feud once and for all.
The professor launched into a polemic, claiming that Freudian theory was a pack of
lies that absolutely destroyed European literary theory.
Even in the midst of a lousy sales quarter, Debbie remained Pollyannaish, never losing
her shrill voice and wide smile, even when prospective customers hung up on her.

Laden with 20 kilograms of college text books, the freshman moved ponderously
across the campus.
The vice-president would often pontificate about economic theory, as if no one else
in the room were qualified to speak on the topic.
When the captain and more than half the officers were sick on the very first night of
the voyage, many of the passengers felt this was portentous, but the rest of the
voyage continued without any problems.
Initially, Einstein posited a repulsive force to balance Gravity, but then rejected that
idea as a blunder.
Before the team takes the field, the coach always calls for a powwow so that he can
make sure all the players are mentally in the right place.
Rather than make a philosophical appeal to the Congressmen, the Speaker decided to
take a far more pragmatic approach, making small side-deals that would add votes to
his bill.
People smoke to relax and forget their cares, but ironically, in terms of health risks,
smoking is far more precarious than either mountain-climbing or skydiving.
The principal explained that even though one student had done modelling work
outside of school, the outfits that student wore in those photographs in no way
established a precedent for what could be worn at school dances.
Instead of conducting a thorough investigation after the city hall break-in, the
governor acted precipitately, accusing his staff of aiding and abetting the criminals.
The government's mishandling the hurricane's aftermath precipitated a widespread
outbreak of looting and other criminal activity.

He was expecting a precipitous rise in the value of a "hot" tech stock, so he was
disappointed when it only inched up a dollar or two each day.
The manager specified that all other gates be locked, to preclude the possibility of
persons without tickets entering the arena undetected.
Though only seven years old, she was a precocious chess prodigy, able to beat players
twice her age.

Monte had a predilection for the fine things in life: Cuban cigars, 200 dollar bottles of
wine, and trips to the French Riviera.
A governmental warning about an imminent terrorist attack would preempt ordinary
network programming on television.
Just as Martha was about to take the only cookie left on the table, Noah preemptively
swiped it.
Baxter's warnings about investing in technology stocks seemed like an act of
prescience after the whole market declined significantly.
On the night that Lincoln would be fatally shot, his wife had a presentiment about
going to Ford's Theater, but Lincoln persuaded her that everything would be fine.

When Mr. Baker found out the family car was gone, he acted under the presumption
that his rebellious son had taken the car, calling his son's phone and yelling at him;
only later did Mr. Baker realize that Mrs. Baker had simply gone out to get her nails
done.
The new neighbor quickly gained a reputation for her presumption; she had invited
herself to several neighbors' homes, often stopping over at inopportune times and
asking for a drink.

Many felt that Barney was presumptuous in moving into the large office before the
management even made any official announcement of his promotion.
During the labor negotiations, an air of hostility prevailed in the office.
Before the cricket match, Australia was heavily favored, but India prevailed.
The cynic quipped, “There is not much variance in politicians; they all seem
to prevaricate”.
The primacy of Apple Computers is not guaranteed, as seen in the recent lawsuits and
weak growth.
The glacial lake was pristine and we filled our canteens to drink deeply.
Drill sergeants are known for demanding pristine cabinets, uniforms, and beds, and
often make new recruits clean and clean and clean until they meet the expected high
standards.

The ideal politician would have the probity to lead, but reality gravely falls short of
the ideal of morally upright leaders.
Successful professional athletes who do not fall prey to prodigality seem to be the
exception—most live decadent lives.
After the relatively small homerun totals in the "dead ball" era, Babe Ruth's homerun
totals were truly prodigious: every year, he set a new all-time record.
The composer Wagner, while living on a limited salary, was so profligate as to line all
the walls of his apartment with pure silk.
Most lottery winners go from being conservative, frugal types to outright profligates
who blow millions on fast cars, lavish homes, and giant yachts.

During mile 20 of the Hawaii Marathon, Dwayne was sweating so profusely that he
stopped to take off his shirt, and ran the remaining six miles wearing nothing more
than skimpy shorts.
When Maria reported that she had been visited by Jesus Christ and had proof, a
profusion of reporters and journalists descended on the town.
When the Senator was asked about where the negotiations would lead, he said that
any guess he could make would be an unreliable prognostication.
Schubert was the most prolific composer, producing hundreds of hours of music
before he died at the age of 31.
I loved my grandfather dearly, but his prolixity would put me to sleep, regardless of
the topic.
The President wanted to promulgate the success of the treaty negotiations, but he
had to wait until Congress formally approved the agreement.
The two sons, plying their angry father with cheesy neckties for Christmas, were
hardly able to propitiate him – the father already had a drawer full of ones he had
never worn before or ever planned to.
The child's heartbeat is still weak, but I am seeing many propitious signs and I think
that she may be healing.

Ironically, the leading proponent of Flat-Earth Theory flies all over the world in an
effort to win more adherents.
Unlike the talented artists in his workshop, Paul had no such bent for the visual
medium, so when it was time for him to make a stained glass painting, he ended up
with a prosaic mosaic.
My doctor proscribes that I not eat donuts with chocolate sauce and hamburger
patties for breakfast.
Lisa loves her Mac but says little about it; by contrast, Jake will proselytize,
interrogating anyone with an Android about why she didn't purchase an iPhone.
Peter Sellers was truly a protean actor—in Doctor Strangelove he played three very
different roles: a jingoist general, a sedate President and a deranged scientist.

In a move that hardly could be described as provident, Bert spend his entire savings
on a luxurious cruise, knowing that other bills would come due a couple months later.

Maggie's enthusiasm about her high school teams seemed provincial to her college
classmates, all of whom were following a nationally ranked college team.

Until the corporate office hands down a definitive decision on use of the extra offices,
we will share their use in a provisional arrangement.
Helen enjoyed blowing soap bubbles, but Jim regarded this as puerile, totally
unworthy of a woman with a Ph.D.

The comedian told one flat joke after another, and when the audience started booing,
he pugnaciously spat back at them, “Hey, you think this is easy – why don’t you
buffoons give it a shot?”
Over the years of service, and quite to his surprise, he became a puissant advisor to
the community.
The colonel was so punctilious about enforcing regulations that men feel compelled
to polish even the soles of their shoes.
Steven Pinker's credentials are unquestioned as a pundit; he has taught at MIT and
Stanford, teaches at Harvard, and has published a number of influential books on
cognition, language, and psychology.
George W. Bush’s win in the 2000 election was in many ways a pyrrhic victory: the
circumstances of his win alienated half of the U.S. population.

Craig always claimed to be a fearless outdoorsman, but when the thunderstorm

engulfed the valley, he quailed at the thought of leaving the safety of his cabin.
If James had made more than $50,000 last year, then he wouldn't have qualified for
the low-income scholarship.;
Chris qualified his love for San Francisco, adding that he didn't like the weather as
much as the weather in Los Angeles.

While he could articulate no clear reason why Harkner's plan would fail, he neverless
felt qualms about committing any resources to it.
Steve certainly is in a quandary: if he doesn't call Elaine, she will blame him for
everything, but if he does call her, the evidence of where he currently is could cost
him his job.
The querulous old woman was begining to wear down even the happier members of
the staff with her ceaseless complaining.
In one of the most famous quips about classical music, Mark Twain said: "Wagner's
music is better than it sounds."
When a old English teacher criticized Churchill for ending a sentence with a
preposition, he quipped, "This is the kind of criticism up with which we will not put!"
History looks unfavorably upon quislings; indeed they are accorded about the same
fondness as Nero—he who watched his city burn down while playing the violin.

For every thousand startups with quixotic plans to be the next big name in e-
commerce, only a handful ever become profitable.
Phil gets so involved thinking about Aristotle's arguments that he totally forgets
quotidian concerns, such as exercising and eating regularly.
Jude is entertaining, but he is no raconteur: beyond the handful of amusing stories he
has memorized, he has absolutely no spontaneous story-telling ability.
The men found him raffish, but the women adored his smart clothes and casual
attitude.
Despite a raft of city ordinances passed by an overzealous council, noise pollution
continued unabated in the megalopolis.
The new recruit was not bothered by the raillery, finding most of it light-hearted and
good-natured.
As soon as he arrived in the city, the rakish young man bought some drugs and
headed straight for the seedy parts of town.
His constant whistling would rankle her, sometimes causing her to leave in a huff.

Although Ann hoped that her mother and her aunt would have a rapprochement,
each one's bitter accusations against the other made any reconciliation unlikely.

Jack's vulgar jokes were not so successful in the rarefied environment of college
professors.
Although Bruce was able to make the delivery in time with a nightime motorcycle ride
in the rain, Susan criticized his actions as rash.

John didn't eat much at all during the week he had the flu, so now that he is regaining
his health, it's not surprising that he has a ravenous appetite.
The police chief rebuked the two officers whose irresponsible decisions almost led to
the deaths of seven innocent by-standers.
Every point of the professors lesson was so clear that the students felt his concluding
recapitulation was not necessary.
Peggy was unable to reconcile her kind friend Jane with the cruel and merciless
character Jane played on television.
I found Ulysses recondite and never finished the book, waiting instead to read it with
someone else so we could penetrate its meaning together.

The two brothers sat and cried, pointing fingers and making elaborate recriminations
of the other's guilt
After years of gamblers anonymous, Tony thought he'd broken his compulsive slot
machine playing, but it took only one trip to the Atlantic City for a full
recrudescence--he lost $5k on the one armed bandit.
On television basketball players don't look that tall, but when you stand in front of a
seven-foot tall NBA player, he is truly redoubtable.
Barry forgot his wife's birthday two years in a row, and was only able to redress his
oversight by surprising his wife with a trip to Tahiti.
Used to studious high school students, Martha was unprepared for the refractory
Kindgergarteners who neither sat still nor listened to a single word she said.

No one could refute his theories or propositions, and that is why he was esteemed by
all his colleagues in the philosophy department.
If you'd like to buy a meal plan, you can register at the student affairs office.
The bomb was so strong that far away weather balloons registered the heat.

When Dexter was unable to fulfill his basic duties, instead of firing him, the boss
relegated him to kitchen cleanup.
I think Professor McGarry can give you some relevant books to help you write that
essay.
Remiss in his duty to keep the school functioning efficiently, the principal was relieved
of his position after only three months.
The mothers of the kidnapped victims remonstrated to the rogue government to
release their children, claiming that the detention violated human rights.
We will no longer work with that vendor since it has reneged on nearly every
agreement.
Only weeks after the hurricane made landfall, the local supermarket shelves were
replete with goods, so quick was the disaster relief response.
The Old Testament doctrine of an eye for an eye is not the kind of retaliation
practiced in war; rather, an arm, a leg, and both ears are the reprisal for the smallest
scratch.
At first, Sarah was going to yell at the boy, but she didn't want to reproach him for
telling the truth about the situation.
Those old reprobates drinking all day down by the river–they are not going to amount
to much.
Many in the public believed the rumors of a UFO crash outside town, so the chief of
police did everything he could to repudiate the rumors.
The man's driver's license was rescinded after his tenth car accident, which meant he
would never be allowed to legally drive again.
I was initially excited by the idea of a trip to Washington, D.C. but now that I have
read about the high crime statistics there, I have some reservations.

Since Jack could not think of a convincing reason why he had to miss the seminar, he
attended it with a sense of resignation.
After much thought, Ted resolved not to travel abroad this summer because he didn't
have much money in his bank account.
Many of the richest countries have surprisingly few natural resources and must buy
oil or gas from other countries.
Never forget to make use of the library during your studies; it's full of great resources.

Every afternoon, the small company has a respite in which workers play foosball or
board games.
The crowd grew restive as the comedian’s opening jokes fell flat.
The team sank to fourth place in June, but is now resurgent and about to win the
division.
When asked about her father, Helen lost her outward enthusiasm and became rather
reticent.

Nelson was always the first to leave soirees—rather than mill about with
“fashionable” folk, he was retiring, and preferred the solitude of his garret.
Email is wonderfully efficient, but once something awkward or damaging has been
sent, there is no way to retract it.

The professor could speak objectively about the other composers, but he always
lectured about Brahms with a particularly reverent air, unable to offer a single
criticism of his compositions.
The speaker was famous for his ribald humor, but the high school principal asked him
to keep the talk G-rated when he spoke to the student body.
Dan is usually calm and balanced, but it takes only one intense glare from Sabrina to
rile him.
Chris preferred bland and mild beers, but Bhavin preferred a beer with more robust
flavor.
The Prime Minister looked very foolish after his row with the foreign dignitary was
caught on video and posted on youtube.
I would love to be able to present a fully polished proposal to the board, but right
now, our plans for the product are still in the most rudimentary stages.

The vacation cabin had no electricity and no indoor plumbing, but despite these
inconveniences, Nigel adored its rustic charm.
Steve Jobs is surely one of the most sagacious CEOs, making Apple the most
recognizable and valuable companies in the world.
Even during the quiet sanctity of evening prayer, she held her chin high, a
sanctimonious sneer forming on her face as she eyed those who were attending
church for the first time.
The authorities have sanctioned the use of the wilderness reserve for public use;
many expect to see hikers an campers enjoying the park in the coming months.
International sanctions have been placed on certain shipping lanes that were thought
to be involved in human trafficking.

The hostage negotiator exhibited a sangfroid that oftentimes was more menacing
than the sword at his throat, or the gun at his head.
With the prospect of having to learn 3,000 words during the course of the summer,
Paul was anything but sanguine.
A stand-up comedian walks a fine line when making jokes about members of the
audience; such fun and joking can quickly become sardonic and cutting.
Monte was astute at navigating the world of finance; sartorially, however, he was
found wanting—he typically would attempt to complement his beige tie with a gray
suit and white pants.
Deprived of sunlight, humans become saturnine; that’s why in very northerly
territories people are encouraged to sit under an extremely powerful lamp, lest they
become morose.
Although a great CEO, he did not have the political savvy to win the election.
The student savvies the meaning of astrophysics with little effort.
With his savvy business partner, the company was able to turn a profit within a year.

From his warm apartment window, Stanley reveled in schadenfreude as he laughed at

the figures below, huddled together in the arctic chill.
Richard Feynman was renowned for his scintillating lectures—the arcana of quantum
physics was made lucid as he wrote animatedly on the chalkboard.
Joey had difficulty hanging out with his former best friend Perry, who, during his
entire cup of coffee, enumerated all of the government’s deficiencies--only to break
ranks and launch into some screed against big business.
Because of his scrupulous nature, Mary put him in charge of numbering and
cataloging the entire collection of rare stamps.
Everyone trusted what he said and followed his example because he was scrupulous
and honest.

An avid numismatist, Harold sedulously amassed a collection of coins from over 100
countries—an endeavor that took over fifteen years, and to five continents.
The most admirable teachers and respected leaders are those who are self-effacing,
directing attention and praise to their students and workers.
While the banker maintained a semblance of respectability in public, those who knew
him well were familiar with his many crimes.
The old man, casting his nose up in the air at the group of adolescents, intoned
sententiously, “Youth is wasted on the young.”
I don't like romanticism for the same reason I don't like melodramatic acting and soap
operas—overly sentimental.
By pure serendipity, Sarah discovered, at a flea market in Peoria, a matching earring
to replace the one that fell down the storm drain back home.
I'd never seen him so serene; usually, he was a knot of stress and anxiety from hours
of trading on the stock exchange.
The Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center showcases a simulacrum of all the
present and approved buildings in the city of Shanghai.
The early days of computer graphics made real people into a simulacrum that now
seems comical.

The position of Research Director is a sinecure: the job entails almost no

responsibilities, nor does the person in that position have to answer to anyone.
The office building had been constructed in a slapdash manner, so it did not surprise
officials when, during a small earthquake, a large crack emerged on the façade of the
building.
I know only a smattering of German, but Helen is able to read German newspapers
and converse with natives.

When Phil was dating the model, he had a smug attitude that annoyed his buddies.

The chairman interpreted Taylor's question about promotions as a snide remark, but
in all innocence Taylor was trying to figure out the company's process.
Wheeler was completely qualified for the committee, but the board snubbed him,
choosing an obviously lesser qualified candidate instead.
Mother Anna was always on guard against any solecism from her children and
scolded them immediately if any of them talked out of place in public.
Our neighbors are constantly knocking on our door to make sure we are ok, and I
don't know how to ask them to stop being so solicitous about our health.
I walked to his house in the rain to make sure he had enough to eat while he was sick,
but he seemed not to appreciate my solicitude.
Although the professor is brilliant, his bland monotone gives his lectures a soporific
effect.
The nightly news simply announced that the senator had had an affair, but the tabloid
published all the sordid details of the interaction.

After losing everything in a fire, Tim decided to live in spartan conditions, sleeping on
the floor and owning as little furniture as a possible.

Almost every image on TV is specious and not to be trusted.

He made a career out of specious arguments and fictional lab results, but lost his job
and reputation when his lies were exposed by an article in The New York Times.

Taking weekly trips to Vegas, Megan was a spendthrift whose excesses eventually
caught up to her.
Ever since the car accident, Frank has been unable to walk without a cane, and so he
has become splenetic and unpleasant to be around.
The signals were at first sporadic, but now we detect a clear, consistent pattern of
electromagnetic radiation eminating from deep space.
When listening to a politician speak, it is hard to distinguish the spurious claims from
the authentic ones.
She spurned all his flattery and proposals, and so he walked off embarrassed and sad.

Fearing his money would be squandered by his family, he gave all of it to charity when
he died.
After the dictator consolidated his power, he took steps to squelch all criticism, often
arresting any journalist who said anything that could be interpreted as negative about
his regime.
Frank came from a staid environment, so he was shocked that his college roommate
sold narcotics.
Despite all the criticism directed at the President during this scandal, Lisa has
remained his stalwart supporter.
All alone in the mansion, Henrietta started when she heard a sound.

No longer a staunch supporter of the movement, Todd now will openly question
whether its goals are worthwhile.
A good captain needs to be steadfast, continuing to hold the wheel and stay the
course even during the most violent storm.
To stem the tide of applications, the prestigious Ivy requires that each applicant score
at least 330 on the Revised GRE.
He was hoping for a monthly allowance loan from the government, but after no such
stipend was forthcoming he realized he would have to seek other means of paying for
his college tuition.
Elephants may appear stolid to casual observers, but they actually have passionate
emotional lives.

Most of the students disliked the teacher because of his stringent homework policy,
but many students would later thank him for demanding so much from them.

As an undergraduate Mark felt stultified by classes outside his area of study; only in
grad school, in which he could focus solely on literary analysis, did he regain his
scholarly edge.
The engineers found their plans stymied at every turn and were ultimately able to
make almost no progress on the project.
The rogue wave quickly subsumed the pier and boardwalk, destroying everything in
its path.
Don Quixote of La Mancha subsumes all other modern novels, demonstrating modern
literary devices and predating even the idea of a postmodern, metanarrative.

Finally deciding to abandon all subterfuge, Arthur revealed to Cindy everything about
his secret affair over the past two years.
The ruling political party has begun a campaign to shut down subversive websites
that it deems as a threat to "national safety."
Herbert took board games too seriously, often appearing sullen after losing.
After hiking for two days, the climbers finally reached the summit of Mount
Kilimanjaro.
Since climate change policy has been mired in congressional fighting, this summit
should help set the goals for president's next term.

Nelly felt the Quiz Bowl director acted superciliously towards the underclassmen;
really, she fumed, must he act so preternaturally omniscient each time he intones
some obscure fact—as though everybody knows that Mt. Aconcagua is the highest
peak in South America.

How can we hope to stay open if we don't eliminate all superfluous spending, like
catered meetings and free acupucture Tuesday?
The third paragraph in your essay is superfluous and can be deleted.
For many, a cell phone has supplanted a traditional phone; in fact, most 20-
somethings don't even have a traditional phone anymore.
There was no such thing as a surfeit of shopping for Nancy--she could stay at the
outlet stores from opening to closing time.
Every morning, Bhavin was a surly unhappy person, but once he ate breakfast, he
became loving, laughing, and a joy to be around.
Since his mom was a light sleeper, Timmy had to tiptoe surreptitiously through the
entire house, careful to not make the floors creak, until he at last was able to enjoy
his plunder: a box of chocolate chip cookies.
Despite the fact that he’d maxed out fifteen credit cards, Max was still a sybarite at
heart: when the police found him, he was at a $1,000 an hour spa in Manhattan,
getting a facial treatment.
The CEO was unaware of the damaging consequences of his choices, largely because
he surrounded himself with sycophants who would never dare criticize him.

While the CEO enthusiastically shares his plans and agenda with all who will listen,
the CFO is far more taciturn, rarely revealing his perspective.
In a tremendous display of tact, Shelly was able to maintain a strong friendship with
Marcia, even though Marcia's husband, Frank, confessed to finding Shelley more
attractive than Marcia.
In many situations, remaining silent is tantamount to admitting guilt, so speak to
prove your innocence.
Pete Rose was one of the best baseball players of his generation, but his involvement
with gambling on baseball games has tarnished his image in the eyes of many.

Carol expected to find New York City magical, the way so many movies had portrayed
it, but she was surprised how often tawdry displays took the place of genuine
elegance.
The hike to the summit of Mt. Whitney was so taxing that I could barely speak or
stand up.
Her unbecoming dress was very telling when it came to her sense of fashion.

The many telltale signs of chronic smoking include yellow teeth, and a persistent,
hacking cough.
No child has the temerity to go in the rundown house at the end of the street and see
if it is haunted.
Welles wasn't known for his temperance--he usually ate enough for two and drank
enough for three.
The wide-eyed optimism of her youth was now tempered after she had worked many
years in the criminal justice system.
Chuck and Kathy had always been stable and agreeable people on their own, but
when they got involved, it was a tempestuous relationship.

Even the most tenacious advocates for gun ownership must admit some of the
dangers that firearms present.
Because political mudslinging has become a staple of the 24-hour media cycle, most
of us, despite protestations to the contrary, are tendentious on many of today’s
pressing issues.
The government was loath to tender more money in the fear that it might set off
inflation.
As a thoroughgoing bibliophile, one who had turned his house into a veritable library,
he shocked his friends when he bought a Kindle.
He was economical, spending his money thriftily and on items considered essential.

I wanted to spend a week in New York this autumn, but the high costs of travel and
lodging thwarted my plans.
Since this was her first time debating on stage and before an audience, Di's voice was
timorous and quiet for the first 10 minutes.
In terms of political change, a tirade oftentimes does little more than make the
person speaking red in the face.
After work, I was expecting my colleagues to be enthusiastic about the outing, but I
found them in a state of complete torpor.
Because the logic behind McMahon's side of the debate was so tortuous, his
audience came out either completely confused or, worse, feeling they'd been tricked.

At the conference, the CEO touted the extraordinary success of his company's
Research & Development division.
Compared to middle school students, who have an untamed wildness about them,
high school students are somewhat more tractable.

The unpredictable and transient nature of deja vu makes it a very difficult

phenomenon to study properly.
If we lived forever and life was not transitory, do you think we would appreciate life
less or more?
One of the goals of alchemy was to find the substance or process that would
transmute lead into gold.
While they experienced nothing but travails in refinishing the kitchen, they
completed the master bedroom in less than a weekend.
What I expected to be an intelligent, nuanced historical documentary turned out to
be a poorly-produced travesty of the form.
Even though Jesse James was an outlaw, his killer, Robert Ford, is remembered more
for his treacherous actions than for eliminating a criminal and murder.
The bridge built from twine and vine is treacherous to walk across, and so I think I will
stay put right here.

Jill presented a rather superficial treatment of sales in Asia, but her trenchant analysis
of sales in Europe inspired a number of insights into how to proceed in that market.

As of 2013, nearly 1.5 million Syrians have fled their country hoping to escape the
tribulations of a civil war tearing their country to pieces.
Many style guides recommend not using idioms in writing because these trite
expressions are uninteresting and show a lack of imagination on the part of the
writer.
When the boss confronted Aaron about his earlier remarks, Aaron responded with
utter truculence, simply throwing a glass of water in the boss' face and walking away.

Standing in line for six hours, she became progressively truculent, yelling at DMV
employees and elbowing other people waiting in line.
The soccer game was truncated when the monsoon rain began to fall.
Riots broke out just in front of our apartment building, and the tumult continued late
into the night.
The amount of GRE vocabulary he used increased with his years--by the time he was
60, his novels were so turgid that even his diehard fans refused to read them.

During his reign, Caligula indulged in unspeakable sexual practices, so it not surprising
that he will forever be remembered for his turpitude.
All great writers, athletes, and artists were tyros at one time—unknown, clumsy, and
unskilled with much to learn.
Since he was so in love with her, he took umbrage at her comments, even though she
had only meant to gently tease him.
Professor Williams is so self-assured as to seem arrogant, presenting each and every
opinion as an unassailable fact.
Reggie has an uncanny ability to connect with animals: feral cats will readily approach
him, and sometimes even wild birds will land on his finger.

The relationship between Bart and Hilda ultimately failed because they were both so
uncompromising, never wanting to change their opinions.
The lawyer’s demands were so unconscionable that rather than pay an exorbitant
sum or submit himself to any other inconveniences, the defendant decided to find a
new lawyer.
The student undermined the teacher’s authority by questioning the teacher’s
judgment on numerous occasions.
While the hiking instructor agreed that carrying a first aid kit could be a good idea
under certain circumstances, he underscored the importance of carrying enough
water.
The latest symphony broadcast was made possible with underwriting from the
Carnegie Endowment.
The President's first statement on the subject was vague and open to competing
interpretations, so when he spoke to Congress about the same subject later, he was
cafeful to make his position completely unequivocal.

The house shook and the ground quaked, but my dad was unflappable and comforted
the family.

The teacher demanded to know who broke the window while he was out of the
room, but the students understandably were unforthcoming.
After his long and unimpeachable service to the company, Sharat felt that a gold
watch was a slap in the face rather than an honor.
At one time unnerved by math problems, she began avidly “Magoosh-ing”, and soon
became adept at even combinations and permutations questions.
When America first created its national parks, the idea of setting aside the most
beautiful land in a country was unprecedented in the history of mankind.
World leaders coming to meet Gandhi would expect a towering sage, and often would
be surprised by the unprepossessing little man dressed only in a loincloth and shawl.

With only a bottle of water and a sandwich, the hikers faced an unpropitious task:
ascending a huge mountain that took most two days to climb.
Walk in to any preschool and I am sure that you will find an unruly and chaotic scene
—unless it's nap time.

In the courtroom, the lawyer was unscrupulous, using every manner of deceit and
manipulation to secure a victory for himself.
He acted in an unseemly manner, insulting the hostess and then speaking ill of her
deceased husband.

Helen is unstinting with her time, often spending hours at the house of a sick friend.

With the combination of Kepler's brilliant theories and Galileo's telescopic

observations, the old geocentric theory became untenable to most of the educated
people in Europe.
Some professors find teaching untoward as having to prepare for lectures and
conduct office hours prevents them from focusing on their research.
The whole notion of living untrammeled inspired the American Revolution and was
enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
The plan was obviously unviable considering that it lead to complete environmental
destruction in the river valley.
Bob took a risk walking into the "Students Barbershop"—in the end he had
to upbraidthe apparently drunk barber for giving him an uneven bowl cut.
Because of his service as an intelligence officer and his refined tastes, W. Somerset
Maugham became the inspiration for the urbane and sophistcate spy James Bond.

Some students vacillate between schools when deciding which to attend, while
others focus only on one school.

To the journalist's pointed question, the senator gave a vacuous response, mixing a
few of his overall campaign slogans with platitudes and completely avoiding the
controversial subject of the question.
For years, Argentina would dominate in World Cup qualifying matches, only to be
vanquished by one of the European countries during the late stages of the
tournament.
The cynic quipped, “There is not much variance in politicians; they all seem to lie”.

For years, they had heard of New York City's vaunted skyline, and when they finally
saw it, the spectacular cityscape did not disappoint them in the least.
While the other employees responded to the bad news in a measured way, Andrew
responded in a vehement manner, tipping over his desk and shouting at the top of his
lungs.
Even some of the most sacred sporting events are not immune to venality, as many of
the officials have received substantial bribes to make biased calls.
Mark Twain referred to the Victorian Period in America as the "Gilded Age", implying
the ample moral corruption that lay beneath a mere veneer of respectability.

The professor, despite his sleep-inducing lectures, was venerated amongst his
colleagues, publishing more papers yearly than all of his peers combined.
His traffic violations ran the gamut from the venial to the egregious—on one occasion
he simply did not come to a complete stop; another time he tried to escape across
state lines at speeds in excess of 140 mph.
While we elect our leaders in the hope that every word they speak will be veracious,
history has shown that such a hope is naive.
All bad novels are bad for numerous reasons; all good novels are good for their
verisimilitude of reality, placing the readers in a world that resembles the one they
know.
Frank is a veritable life-saver -- last year, on two different occasions, he revived people
using CPR.
The advent of twitter is a celebrity stalker's dream, as he or she can—through
hundreds of intimate "tweets"—vicariously live the life of a famous person.

Even great rulers have their vicissitudes—massive kingdoms have diminished

overnight, and once beloved kings have faced the scorn of angry masses.
While the other teams in the division actively vie for the championship, this team
seems content simply to go through the motions of playing.
Todd was noble after the divorce, choosing to say only complimentary things about
Barbara, but Barbara did not hesitate to vilify Todd.
Even seven Tour de France wins cannot vindicate Lance Armstrong in the eyes of the
public--that the athlete used performance enhancing drugs invalidates all those wins.

Though the other girl had only lightly poked fun of Vanessa's choice in attire, Vanessa
was so vindictive that she waited for an entire semester to get the perfect revenge.

Poor Billy was the victim of the virago’s invective—she railed at him for a good 30-
minutes about how he is the scum of the earth for speaking loudly on his cellphone in
public.
His vitriol spewed forth from a deep-seated racism that consumed his whole life.

While the teacher was more moderate in her criticism of the other student's papers,
she was vitriolic toward Peter's paper, casting every flaw in the harshest light.

Jason had dealt with disciplinarians before, but nothing prepared him for the first
week of boot camp, as drill sergeants vituperated him for petty oversights such as
forgetting to double knot the laces on his boots.
In giving Marcia a particular vociferous response, Paul caused people at every other
table in the restaurant to turn around an look at them angrily.
The professor's volubility knows no bounds; he could talk through a hurricane and
elaborate a point from one St. Patrick's Day to the next.
Steven was a voracious reader, sometimes finishing two novels in the same day.

She did not think her vocabulary was wanting, yet there were so many words that
inevitably she found a few she didn't know.
Due to wanton behavior and crude language, the drunk man was thrown out of the
bar and asked to never return.

Her enthusiasm for the diva’s new album only waxed with each song; by the end of
the album, it was her favorite CD yet.
Adults look to kids and envy their whimsical nature at times, wishing that they could
act without reason and play without limitation.
She was winsome by nature, and many people were drawn to this free and playful
spirit.
Each decade has its own zeitgeist—the 1990’s was a prosperous time in which the
promise of the American Dream never seemed more palpable.
At the zenith of his artistic career, Elvis was outselling any other artist on the charts.