Definitions
founded upon or involving a visionary view of an ideal world.
There is nothing wrong with ___________ the great singers of the past as long as you eventually develop a style that is all your own.
emulating
My brother is such a(n) _______ collector of toy soldiers that sometimes think our house has been invaded by a pint-sized army.
avid
Though diesel fuels are not as thick as motor oil, they are a good deal more __________ than regular gasoline.
viscous
For as far as the eye could see, _______ fields of unripe corn swayed gently in the morning breeze.
verdant
having a salty taste and unpleasant to drink
brackish
The purpose of military __________ remains the same whether cavalry or helicopters are used: to learn as much as possible about the enemy.
reconnaissance
His pale face, hunched shoulders, and _______ stare showed that he had spent his life poring over old books and documents.
myopic
When new evidence turned up in the case, the court ordered the coroner to ________ the victim's body and reexamine it.
exhume
propinquity
a whirlpool of great size and violence
maelstrom
By whose authority did you ___________ to yourself the right to decide how the club's money would be spent?
arrogate
I stand before you an abject __________, hoping against hope for a sign of your forgiveness.
suppliant
When news of the fire ran through town, __________ residents rushed to the scene of the blaze.
distraught
To be really convincing on stage, an opera singer must possess both vocal and ________ abilities.
histrionic
a generosity in giving; lavish or bountiful contributions
largesse
In my opinion, there is absolutely no justification for making such __________ distinctions between the two types of product.
invidious
In the eyes of most Americans, people who burn or spit on our flag are guilty of a kind of _________.
sacrilege
The new chairman ____________ what she called the "deplorable" tendency of so many Americans to try to get something for nothing."
decried
To the delight of the impatient graduates, the university president offered her comments at the commencement ceremony _________.
summarily
a comment indicating strong criticism or disapproval
animadversion
Your essay would be a great deal tighter and more _______ if you removed all the extraneous information it now contains.
coherent
The suffix -ling often has a(n) ___________ connotation, as in the word princeling, derived from prince.
perjorative
He clothes his puny ideas in such highfalutin __________ that they resemble gnats in top hats and tails.
verbiage
Despite the reports of "miraculous" cures, you would be well advised to withhold _________ until the drug has been fully tested.
credence