Sat Hit Parade List Ten

Front 1

abjure

Back 1

to give up

Hint 1

Abjuring their oath to their king left the rebels open to charges of treason.

Front 2

accrue

Back 2

v. 1. to come to a person or thing by way of gain or increment; 2. to increase through natural growth

Hint 2

1. Over the course of her college career, she managed to accrue a great deal of knowledge.
2. Regular deposits enabled her to accrue a sizable savings account.

Front 3

affluent

Back 3

wealthy

Hint 3

She lived in an affluent neighborhood where everyone drove Mercedes or BMWs.

Front 4

aloof

Back 4

distant in interest; reserved; cool

Hint 4

Even though the new coworker stayed aloof, we attempted to be friendly.

Front 5

anachronism

Back 5

something out of place in time (e.g., a computer in medieval times)

Hint 5

The editor recognized an anachronism in the manuscript where a character living in 1902 boards an airplane.

Front 6

arcane

Back 6

obscure; secret; mysterious

Hint 6

She commands broad knowledge of fire ants' mating habits and other arcane matters.

Front 7

astringent

Back 7

1. (n) a substance that contracts bodily tissue
2. (v) Her astringent remarks at the podium would not soon be forgotten.

Hint 7

1. Astringent is used to help tighten pores of the skin.
2. Her astringent remarks at the podium would not soon be forgotten.

Front 8

autocrat

Back 8

an absolute ruler

Hint 8

The autocrat in charge of the government was a man of power and prestige.

Front 9

broach

Back 9

to introduce into conversation

Hint 9

The supervisor found it difficult to broach the topic of the employee's poor work habits.

Front 10

catharsis

Back 10

a purging or relieving of the body or soul

Hint 10

Admitting his guilt served as a catharsis for the man.

Front 11

comeliness

Back 11

beauty; attractiveness in appearance or behavior

Hint 11

The comeliness of the woman attracted everyone's attention.

Front 12

consecrate

Back 12

1. (v) to declare sacred
2. (v) to dedicate

Hint 12

1. We will consecrate the pact during the ceremony.
2. The park was consecrated to the memory of the missing soldier.

Front 13

craven

Back 13

cowardly

Hint 13

Craven men will not stand up for what they believe in.

Front 14

denigrate

Back 14

to defame; to blacken or sully; to belittle

Hint 14

Her attempt to denigrate the man's name was not successful.

Front 15

disparage

Back 15

to discredit

Hint 15

The lawyer will attempt to disparage the testimony of the witness.

Front 16

duress

Back 16

noun
1. imprisonment
2. the use of threats

Hint 16

1. His duress was supposed to last 10 - 15 years.
2. The policewoman put the man under duress in order to get a confession.

Front 17

emulate

Back 17

to try to equal or surpass

Hint 17

The new teacher was hoping to emulate her mentor.

Front 18

epitome

Back 18

a part that is typical of the whole

Hint 18

The ballet dancer was the epitome of beauty and grace.

Front 19

exculpate

Back 19

to free from guilt

Hint 19

The therapy session will exculpate the man from his guilty feelings.

Front 20

circumscribe

Back 20

to enclose within bounds; limit or confine, esp. narrowly

Hint 20

Her social activities are circumscribed by school regulations.

Front 21

feign

Back 21

to pretend

Hint 21

It is not uncommon for a child to feign illness in order to stay home from school.

Front 22

fledgling

Back 22

inexperienced person; beginner

Hint 22

The fledgling mountain climber needed assistance from the more experienced mountaineers.

Front 23

glib

Back 23

smooth or slippery; speaking or spoken in a smooth manner

Hint 23

The salesman was so glib that the customers failed to notice the defects in the stereo.

Front 24

immutable

Back 24

never varying

Hint 24

The man's immutable schedule soon became boring.

Front 25

impudent

Back 25

disrespectful; shameless; rude

Hint 25

Impudent actions caused him to be unpopular.

Front 26

indigenous

Back 26

native to a region; inborn or innate

Hint 26

These plants are indigenous to all of the western states.

Front 27

iniquity

Back 27

wicked; unjust

Hint 27

The verbal abuse towards the man was truly iniquitous.

Front 28

inure

Back 28

accustomed to pain or from overexposure

Hint 28

Beekeepers eventually become inured to bee stings.

Front 29

facile

Back 29

easily done or performed

Hint 29

Our facile victory over our opponent was expected by everyone.

Front 30

livid

Back 30

1. discolored as if bruised
2. extremely angry; furious

Hint 30

1. After the fall, her arm was livid.
2. She became livid when she heard the news.

Front 31

mitigate

Back 31

to make less severe

Hint 31

The lawyer will attempt to mitigate the sentence.

Front 32

obviate

Back 32

to make unnecessary

Hint 32

The invention of cars has obviated the use of the horse and carriage.

Front 33

pallid

Back 33

pale in color

Hint 33

The visitor left the hospital room with a pallid face.

Front 34

parley

Back 34

to speak with another; to discourse

Hint 34

I will parley the information to the appropriate person.

Front 35

perjure

Back 35

to lie under oath

Hint 35

If you lie while on the witness stand, you perjure yourself.

Front 36

potable

Back 36

drinkable

Hint 36

The liquid was not potable, but poisonous.

Front 37

proliferate

Back 37

to reproduce quickly

Hint 37

Gerbils are know to proliferate.

Front 38

purport

Back 38

to present, esp. deliberately, the appearance of being

Hint 38

Although the document purported to be authentic, the official knew it was a fake.

Front 39

reclusive

Back 39

solitary

Hint 39

The prisoner lived a reclusive life in his tiny cell.

Front 40

repudiate

Back 40

1. to disown
2. to deny support for

Hint 40

1. The man will repudiate all claims that he was involved in the deal.
2. Although his party supported the bill, this senator repudiated it.

Front 41

ruminate

Back 41

to consider carefully

Hint 41

The doctor will ruminate on his diagnosis.

Front 42

slovenly

Back 42

sloppy

Hint 42

His mother-in-law did not approve of his slovenly manner.

Front 43

suave

Back 43

polished

Hint 43

Everyone noticed the suave woman when she entered the room.

Front 44

sycophant

Back 44

a landing on the edge of a river or field

Hint 44

The swimmer came ashore on the levee.

Front 45

terrestrial

Back 45

pertaining to the earth

Hint 45

Deer are terrestrial animals; fish are aquatic.

Front 46

trite

Back 46

becoming unoriginal through too much use

Hint 46

Eating tomato salads became trite after their excessive popularity.

Front 47

urbane

Back 47

a polished way of acting

Hint 47

The English businessman was described by his peers as witty and urbane.

Front 48

virile

Back 48

masculine, manly

Hint 48

Priding himself on being virile, he never missed a day at the gym, lifting weights.

Front 49

wan

Back 49

lacking color; sickly pan

Hint 49

Her face became wan at the sight of blood.

Front 50

zenith

Back 50

noun
1. the point directly above in the sky
2. the highest point

Hint 50

1. The sun will reach its zenith at noon.
2. The zenith of her career occurred during her time as chairperson.