Barron's 1100 Words You Need to Know (MCQ Test + PDF) Week 19 - Day 1
NEW WORDS
- megalomania [meg´ ə lō mā´ nēə]
“Charlie desperately wanted Armaxco to lease space in what so far was the worst mistake of his career, the soaring monster that his megalomania led him to call Croker Concourse.” Tom Wolfe, A Man in Full
- profligate [prof´ lə git]
“Her innocent appearance had a peculiar attraction for a vicious profligate, who had hitherto admired only the coarser types of feminine beauty.” Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Käramazov
- strife [strīf]
“Either there is a civil strife, Or else the world, too saucy with the gods, Incenses them to send destruction.” William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar
- legion [lē´ jən]
“Though not Hollywood handsome, Tommy’s success with the fair sex was legion.” Janet Murphy, “Babylon on the Hudson”
- coup [kü]
“Newt Gingrich was nearly toppled in a coup attempt in the House.” Michael Duffy, “Who Chose George?,” TIME, 6/21/99
TODAY’S IDIOM
to play possum—to try to fool someone; to make believe one is asleep or dead
Sensing that his life was in jeopardy*, the hunter played possum until the voracious* lion disappeared.
