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Designed to help non-native english speakers improve their vocabulary for the toefl exam. It provides definitions and examples of various words, along with questions and correct answers to test understanding. The content is structured to enhance language proficiency and exam readiness, making it a valuable resource for students preparing for the toefl. It covers a range of vocabulary words with clear definitions and contextual examples, aiding in comprehension and retention. The inclusion of verified questions and answers further reinforces learning and assesses understanding.
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blasé (adj) - ANSWER-1. uninterested or showing a lack of excitement or interest in something especially because it is very familiar ( Quincy has traveled so much that he speaks of exotic places such as Borneo in a totally blasé manner.)
paucity (n) - ANSWER-scarcity, smallness of supply or quantity. shortage; scarceness a. There was no paucity of courage in the Marine group. b. The critics referred to the paucity of dancing talent in the show. parvenu (n - adj) - ANSWER-a person who has suddenly risen to a higher social or economic status but has not been socially accepted by others in that class; an upstart. (the kind of trophy house that a parvenu buys to prove to people, and to himself, that he has indeed arrived) blasphemy (n) - ANSWER-great disrespect shown to God or to something holy. (If you committed blasphemy during the Inquisition, you would be tortured and killed.) blatant (adj) , blatantly (adv) - ANSWER-rude, shameless, sassy , very obvious and offensive
(Though common in the early days of the women's movement, male chauvinists are pretty rare today.) churlish (adj) , churlishly (adv) , churlishness (n) - ANSWER-clownish, classless , ill-mannered, boorish, rude , rough, crude (It would be churlish not to congratulate him.) circumspect (adj) , circumspectly (adv) , circumspection (n) - ANSWER-conscious, aware, sentient, mindful, wise. (The prison guard was circumspect when he learned that some of the prisoners were planning an escape.) clandestine (Adj) , clandestinely (adv) , clandestinity (n) - ANSWER-conducted in secrecy; kept or done in private, cautious, chary, careful , secret; undercover , surreptitious. a. Romeo and Juliet had a clandestine meeting under her balcony because their parents did not approve of their romance.
cogent (adj) , cogently (adv) , cogency (n) - ANSWER- convincing, persuasive, compelling belief. forceful and convincing a.Ella's cogent arguments helped the debate team win the state championship. b. The committee members were won over to the project by the cogent arguments of the chairman. collusion (n) , collusive (adj) , collusively (adv) - ANSWER- complicity, connivance or conspiracy for an illegal or immoral (there was collusion between the two companies to fix prices) complacent (adj) , complacently (adv), competency (n) - ANSWER-self-satisfied, unconcerned.nonchalant .unconcerned , smug. a. Renee was complacent even when she learned that her coworkers were trying to get her fired. b. How can you be complacent about such a menace?*
concede (v) , concededly (adv) - ANSWER-1. to acknowledge or admit as true, proper, etc. (often with reluctance); to yield, surrender. 2. to grant as a right or privilege. (The leader conceded the right to vote to all her country's inhabitants.) conciliatory (adj), conciliate (verb), conciliation (noun). - ANSWER-making or willing to make concessions to reconcile, soothe, or comfort; mollifying, appeasing , seeking agreement, compromise, or reconciliation. a. As a conciliatory gesture, the union leaders agreed to postpone a strike and to continue negotiations with management. b. Abraham Lincoln made conciliatory gestures toward the South at the end of the Civil War. conclave (n) - ANSWER-a private or secret meeting. (The double agent had a conclave with the spy he was supposed to be observing.)
conundrum (n) , enigma (n) - ANSWER-a hard riddle, a puzzling question or problem. a. Alex's logic professor gave the class a conundrum to work on over the weekend. b. The question of why an all-powerful, all-loving God allows evil to exist is a conundrum many philosophers have pondered. copious (adj) , copiously (adv) , copiousness (n) - ANSWER-large in number or quantity; abundant, plentiful. profuse, lavish (She sat in the front row and took copious notes during the lecture.) cornucopia (n) , cornucopian (adj) - ANSWER-abundance; a horn of plenty. (The book includes a cornucopia of wonderful stories.) countenance (n-v) - ANSWER-the appearance of a person's face : a person's expression.
(n.As she walked down the aisle, Julia's countenance was absolutely radiant.) craven (adj) , cravenly (adv) ,cravenness (n) - ANSWER- chicken,having or showing a complete lack of courage: very cowardly (a craven refusal to deliver the unwelcome news personally) credulous (adj) , credulously (adv) ,* credulity(n) - ANSWER-naive, simple, unsophisticated, artless, silly , * willingness to believe, even with little evidence. a. Con artists fool people by taking advantage of their credulity. b. Few people are credulous enough to believe such nonsense. crux (n) - ANSWER-basis, foundation, base , the central or critical point or feature
culpable (adj) , culpably (adv) , culpability (n) - ANSWER- deserving blame or censure for being or doing something wrong or harmful; blameworthy, guilty.able to be blamed a. Since the company treasurer was out of the country at the time the money was stolen, he was not culpable. b. He's more culpable than the others because he's old enough to know better. cursory (adj) , cursorily (adv) ,cursoriness (n) - ANSWER- hasty and superficial , shallow , done or made quickly a. During the cursory inspection of the restaurant kitchen, the inspector did not find any violations of the rules for cleanliness. b. Although I should have proofread the essay carefully, I only had time to give it a cursory review.. daunt (v) , daunter (n) , dauntingly (adv) - ANSWER-to intimidate, to make afraid or discouraged , dispirit, frustrate, unman, unnerve. (His austere manner daunted the small children.)
debacle (n) - ANSWER-a great disaster or complete failure , a sudden disaster or collapse (a sudden disaster or collapse) debut (n-v) - ANSWER-n. a first appearance in or presentation to the public. v. to make a first appearance in public. (n. Irina's Carnegie Hall debut received rave reviews.) decimate (v) , decimation (n) - ANSWER-to destroy a large number of (plants, animals, people, etc.) (Budget cuts have decimated public services in small towns.) decorum (n) - ANSWER-appropriateness of behavior, propriety; decency in manners and conduct. (When questions concerning decorum arise, I always refer to Emily Post.)
demagogue (n-v) , demagoguery (n) - ANSWER-a leader who plays to peoples' emotions and uses prejudices to gain power. a. The dictator was widely regarded as an infamous demagogue. b. Senator Joseph McCarthy was labeled a demagogue who used the paranoia of the anti-Communist 1950s as a way of seizing fame and power in Washington. demur - remonstrate (v) ,demurrable - remonstrative(adj) , remonstratively (adv) , remonstrator (n) - ANSWER-v. protest, remonstrate , to raise objections. adj. modest and shy, or pretending to be so. (Polly hated to demur, but she didn't think adding ten cloves of garlic to the recipe would taste good.) denigrate (v) , denigration (n) , denigratory (adj) - ANSWER-to blacken the reputation of, disparage, defame.bad-mouth, belittle
a. No one is trying to denigrate the importance of a good education. We all know that it is crucial for success. b. The firm's new president tried to explain his plans for improving the company without seeming to denigrate the work of his predecessor. denouement (n) - ANSWER-the resolution or clearing up of the plot at the end of a narrative; the outcome or solution of an often complex series of events. (The students sat at the edge of their seats as they listened to the denouement of the story.) deprecate (v) , deprecation (n) , deprecatingly (adv) - ANSWER-To deprecate is defined as to show disapproval about something or someone or to belittle someone. (Grandpa's tendency to deprecate the children's friends was a frequent source of family strife) derisive (adj) , derisively (adv) , derisiveness (n) - ANSWER-scornful, expressing ridicule; mocking, jeering.
detract (v) , detractor (n) - ANSWER-to draw or reduce from; to remove part of something, diminish.someone who belittles or disparages. a.The singer has many detractors who consider his music boring, inane, and sentimental. b. Unfortunately, Helen's slovenly appearance detracted from the impact of her otherwise brilliant presentation. dichotomy (n) , dichotomous (adj) , dichotomously (adv) - ANSWER-contradiction, incongruity, paradox , division into two usually contradictory parts or kinds. (When the teacher broached the subject of politics, there was a predictable dichotomy among the students. diffident (adj) , diffidently (adv), diffidence (n) - ANSWER- shy, timid, coy, embarrassed, sheepish , lacking self- confidence. hesitant, reserved. a. Someone with a diffident personality should pursue a career that involves little public contact. b.She was diffident about stating her opinion.
diffuse (v- adj) , diffusely (adv) , diffuseness (n) - ANSWER-v. 1. to spread throughout, disperse, extend. 2. to soften, make less brilliant. adj. 1. spread out, scattered, not concentrated. 2. wordy, verbose. a. The perfume she sprayed diffused throughout her bedroom. b. The red dye quickly became diffused through the water, turning it a very pale pink. digress (V) , digression (noun), digressive (adjective). - ANSWER-to turn aside, deviate; to stray from the main subject in writing or speaking. to wander from the main path or the main topic. a. The members of the debating team were warned that they would lose the debate if they continued to digress from the proposed subject. b. Her argument digressed from the main problem she had about her friend's spending habits.
