SAT, ACT, GRE Vocabulary - Worksheet #10

 

Idioms are words, phrases or expressions which are commonly used in everyday conversation.
Idiom	Meaning
pat answer	A simplified response that is memorized or prepared in advance is called a pat answer. "Many journalists at the press conference found his pat answers totally frustrating"
method in madness	This expression means that someone's behavior is not as irrational as it seems. "He's efficient despite his strange way of working; there's method in his madness!"
grit your teeth	When you are determined to do something in spite of the difficulties involved, you grit your teeth. "To reach safety I had to grit my teeth and wade through the mud"
in full swing	When an event gets into full swing, it is at its busiest or liveliest time. "When we got back to the office, the Christmas party was in full swing"
industrial strength	This is a humorous way of referring to something which is very strong, powerful or concentrated. "I've got an industrial-strength headache this morning!"
cut it/cut things fine	If you cut it/cut things fine, you leave barely enough time to do something. "You're counting just an hour between the airport and the train station - isn't that cutting things a bit fine"
read between lines	To read between the lines means to understand the real meaning of what is written or said, without need for any further detail. "Reading between the lines, I'd say that the situation is worse than expected"
proper 'do'	This expression refers to a social event with formal clothes and top-class catering, organized to celebrate something. "Bob says he'd be happy with a civil wedding and a drink afterwards, but Maggie wants a proper do"
seeing is believing	This expression means that when you see something you can be sure it exists, or that what you have been told is really true. "Mark says bananas grow in his garden, but seeing is believing!"

 

Some funny, some weird..
Word	Meaning
Mumpsimus	An outdated and unreasonable position on an issue
Mollycoddle	To treat someone leniently
Pratfall	A fall on the buttocks or an embarrassing action
Gongoozle	To stare at, kibitz
Bowyang	A strap that holds the pants legs in place
Discombobulate	To confuse
Gazump	To buy something already promised to someone else

 

Today's Vocabulary Challenges *** Write answers in the comment box ***

 

Match Synonyms						Match Antonyms
1	cryptic	A	unlawful	1:		1	subordinate	A	licit	1:
2	bemused	B	embarrass	2:		2	incisive	B	dull	2:
3	incisive	C	lenify	3:		3	eccentric	C	thoughtful	3:
4	beget	D	befuddled	4:		4	copious	D	scarce	4:
5	oblivion	E	cabalistic	5:		5	inane	E	concentric	5:
6	placate	F	knifelike	6:		6	increment	F	decrement	6:
7	surrogate	G	recoil	7:		7	bemused	G	composed	7:
8	exacting	H	useful	8:		8	illicit	H	nice	8:
9	illicit	I	engender	9:		9	benign	I	malign	9:
10	repercussion	J	deceive	10:		10	acrid	J	dominant	10:
11	delude	K	exigent	11:		11		K		11:
12	utilitarian	L	foster	12:		12		L		12:
13	frenetic	M	frantic	13:		13		M		13:
14	malefactor	N	limbo	14:		14		N		14:
15	abash	O	criminal	15:		15		O		15:

 

Match Definitions
1	of an obscure nature	A	increment	1:
2	having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions	B	monarchy	2:
3	a sign of something about to happen	C	bemused	3:
4	requiring precise accuracy	D	incisive	4:
5	the amount by which something increases	E	oblivion	5:
6	deeply absorbed in thought	F	beget	6:
7	someone who has committed (or been legally convicted of) a crime	G	frenetic	7:
8	brief and to the point; effectively cut short	H	accolade	8:
9	devoid of intelligence	I	exacting	9:
10	excessively agitated; transported with rage or other violent emotion	J	terse	10:
11	make children	K	inane	11:
12	an autocracy governed by a monarch who usually inherits the authority	L	cryptic	12:
13	a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction	M	illicit	13:
14	contrary to or forbidden by law	N	malefactor	14:
15	total forgetfulness	O	portent	15:

 

Recent Words Learned: delude, cryptic, terse, frenetic, exacting, malefactor, portent, copious, increment, oblivion, bemused, repercussion, monarchy, eccentric, illicit, purported, chasm, accolade, abash, qualitative Answer to Crossword in worksheet 9: Across: 3: portent, 6: incisive, 7: chasm, 8: exacting Down: 1: frenetic, 2: terse, 3: placate, 4: bemused, 5: oblivion