TOOT Multiple Choice

conglomerate

made up of parts from/or various sources or kinds || gather into a mass || widely diversified corporation || a composite mass or mixture (e.g., rock)

bromide

commonplace or tiresome person; bore || commonplace or hackneyed statement or notion || compound of bromine with another element used as a sedative

thrall

a state of servitude or submission or absorption || enslaved person; serf || person in mental servitude

kleptocracy

government by those who seek chiefly status and personal gain at the expense of the governed

Diaspora

people settled far from their ancestral homelands || places where people settled || the migration of a people || being a member of such people

lachrymose

given to tears or weeping; tearful || tending to cause tears; mournful

sine qua non

something absolutely indispensable or essential

crackpot

one given to eccentric or wildly foolish notions

monograph

a learned treatise on a small area of learning; a written account of a single thing

Occidental

western || a member of one of the western peoples; a person of European ancestry

circumscribe

to constrict || to mark the limits of (an area) || draw a line around || to surround by or as if by a boundary

liquidate

determine the precise amount of (indebtedness) || to settle (a debt) || to do away with especially by killing || to convert (assets) into cash

politic

sagacious in promoting a policy || characterized by shrewdness in managing, contriving, or dealing || political

body politic

a group of persons politically organized under a single governmental authority || a people considered as a collective unit

mercantile

of or relating to merchants or trading || a nationalist economic policy that is designed to maximize the exports and minimize the imports of an economy

schema

a diagrammatic presentation; a structured framework or plan; outline || mental codification of experience

comity

friendly social atmosphere || association of nations for their mutual benefit and mutual recognition of the laws and customs || avoidance of proselytizing

atomize

to treat as made up of many discrete units || divide, fragment; to deprive of meaningful ties to others || reduce to tiny particles (e.g., spray) || attack by nuclear weapons

convoke (convocation)

to call together to a meeting || assembly of persons called together to a meeting || ceremonial assembly of members of a college (as for receiving degrees)

victual

food usable by people || supplies of food; provisions || to supply with food || eat || to lay in (save) provisions

pitfall

trap, snare; a pit flimsily covered or camouflaged || a hidden or not easily recognized danger or difficulty

subvention

the provision of assistance or financial support: such as
endowment || a subsidy from a government or foundation

newfangled

attracted to novelty || of the newest style or kind

amalgam (amalgamate)

a mixture of different elements || an alloy of mercury with another metal (dental fillings) || to unite; to merge into a single body

subside

sink or fall to the bottom; settle || (of water) go down to a lower or the normal level || to let oneself settle down; sink (as to a chair) || to become quiet or less

usury (usurer)

lending of money with an interest charge for its use especially at exorbitant rates || an exorbitant rate of interest || one that lends money at an exorbitant rate

charlatan

an ignorant, misinformed, or dishonest practitioner of medicine || one making usually showy pretenses to knowledge or ability; fraud, faker

mainstay

a crucial or key part of something || someone or something that is a principal or reliable support or resource || a ship's large strong rope for the mast

chamberlain

an often honorary papal attendant || an attendant on a sovereign or lord in his bedchamber || treasurer || a chief officer in the household of a king or nobleman

provident (providence)

frugal, saving || making provision for the future; prudent || divine guidance or care || God conceived as the power guiding human destiny || being prudent and frugal

saturated

thoroughly wet || (of a solution) unable to absorb or dissolve || (of a color) having high chromatic purity

saturate

to satisfy fully; satiate || furnish to the point where no more can be absorbed, dissolved, or retained || fill completely; to load to capacity

nebulous

relating to any of numerous clouds of gas or dust in interstellar space || indistinct, vague

parvenu

one that has suddenly risen to an unaccustomed position of wealth or power and has not yet gained the prestige, dignity, or manner associated with it; upstart

exhort

to incite by argument or advice; urge strongly; to give warnings or advice

soiree (also soirée)

a party or reception held in the evening

garret

a room or unfinished part of a house just under the roof; attic

vested

fully and unconditionally guaranteed as a legal right, benefit, or privilege

vested interest

a thing (such as a title to an estate) carrying a legal right || a group enjoying benefits from an existing economic or political privilege || concern in maintaining a condition

propound

to offer for discussion or consideration

chimera

a fire-breathing she-monster in Greek mythology having a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail || an illusion or fabrication of the mind; an unrealizable dream || having diverse genetic constitution

chimerical

existing only as the product of unchecked imagination; fantastically utopian or improbable || given to fantastic schemes

avant-garde

an intelligentsia that develops new or experimental concepts especially in the arts || favoring or introducing experimental or unusual ideas

pedagogy (pedagogue)

the art, science, or profession of teaching; the field of study that deals with teaching or learning in schools || teacher, schoolmaster; a dull, formal, or pedantic teacher

abscess

a localized collection of pus surrounded by inflamed tissue

ennui

a feeling of weariness and dissatisfaction; boredom

courtesan

a female sex worker with a courtly, wealthy, or upper-class clientele

necromancy

invocation or incantation of the spirits of the dead for purposes of magically revealing the future or influencing the course of events || magic, sorcery

calumny

a misrepresentation intended to harm another's reputation || the act of uttering false charges or misrepresentations maliciously

embezzle

to appropriate (something, such as property entrusted to one's care) fraudulently to one's own use

amnesty

the act of an authority (such as a government) by which pardon is granted to a large group of individuals || to pardon officially often before a trial or conviction

shibboleth

a saying used by adherents of a party, sect, or belief || a widely held belief || truism, platitude || a custom or usage regarded as distinguishing one group from others

fisticuffs

a fight with the hands clenched

nondescript

belonging or appearing to belong to no particular class or kind; not easily described || dull, drab

suborn

to induce secretly to do an unlawful thing || to induce to commit perjury; to obtain (perjured testimony) from a witness

knave (knavery)

a tricky deceitful fellow || jack (playing card) || rascality (a mean, unprincipled, or dishonest person) || a roguish or mischievous act

coreligionist

a person of the same faith

besotted

blindly or utterly infatuated || intoxicated or stupefied especially with drink

paltry

inferior, trashy || mean, despicable || trivial || meager, contemptibly small

pathos

an element in experience or in artistic representation evoking pity or compassion || an emotion of sympathetic pity

synod

an ecclesiastical governing or advisory council || the ecclesiastical district governed by such council

standby

something relied on || reserve; substitute || held near at hand || to be present; to remain apart or aloof || to be or to get ready to act || to remain loyal or faithful to; defend

baksheesh

payment (such as a tip or bribe) to expedite service

disgorge

vomit || to discharge or let go of rapidly or forcefully || to give up or reveal on request or under pressure || to remove (sediment) from (a bottle of sparkling wine)

consummate

extremely skilled and accomplished || complete in every detail; perfect || of the highest degree || finish, complete || complete marriage by sex || to make perfect || achieve

installment

one part of a serial story || one of several parts (as of a publication) presented at intervals || one of the parts into which a debt is divided when paid at intervals

naturalize

to admit to citizenship; to confer the rights of a national on || to introduce into common use or into the vernacular || cause (plant, animal) to become established as if native

confederate

united in a league; allied || ally, accomplice || an adherent of the Allied U.S Southern States || to unite in an alliance

whitewash

to gloss over or cover up || to exonerate by means of a perfunctory investigation or biased presentation of data || to alter in a way that favors or caters to white people

salient

moving by leaps or springs || gushing upward || standing out conspicuously; of notable significance || projecting beyond a line || projecting part of a line of defense

fickle

marked by lack of steadfastness, constancy, or stability; given to erratic changeableness

burlesque

parody || mockery usually by caricature || theatrical entertainment of a broadly humorous often crude character || to imitate in a humorous or derisive manner

cerebral

of or relating to the brain or the intellect || appealing to intellectual appreciation || primarily intellectual in nature

sycophant

a servile self-seeking flatterer

cession

a yielding to another; the formal giving up of rights, property, or territory by a state

quirk

an abrupt twist or curve || a peculiar trait; idiosyncrasy || accident, vagary || a groove separating a bead or other molding from adjoining members

glut

to flood (the market) with goods so that supply exceeds demand || to fill especially with food to satiety; to eat gluttonously || an excessive quantity; oversupply

encomium

glowing and warmly enthusiastic praise; an expression of this

stint

a period of time spent at a particular activity || a definite quantity of work assigned || restraint, limitation || to be sparing or frugal; to restrict with respect to an allowance

countenance

look, expression || mental composure || calm expression || face, visage; face as an indication of mood/character || bearing/expression that offers approval; moral support

plebiscite

a vote by which the people of an entire country or district express an opinion for or against a proposal especially on a choice of government or ruler

desist

to cease to proceed or act

prefect

a chief officer or chief magistrate || a student monitor in a usually private school || any of various high officials or magistrates of differing functions & ranks in ancient Rome

acme

the highest point or stage; something or someone that represents perfection of the thing expressed

cast iron

capable of withstanding great strain || not admitting change, adaptation, or exception; rigid || not likely to fail or be broken || commercial alloy of iron, carbon & silicon

cabal

the contrived schemes of a group of persons secretly united in a plot; a group engaged in such schemes || to unite in or form such a group || a club, group

bogey

a source of fear, perplexity, or harassment || specter, phantom || a numerical standard of performance set up as a mark to be aimed at || an unidentified aircraft

claque

a group hired to applaud at a performance || a group of sycophants

antic

an attention-drawing, often wildly playful or funny act or action; caper || characterized by clownish extravagance or absurdity || whimsically lighthearted; frolicsome

commonwealth

a nation, state, or other political unit; republic || an association of autonomous states loosely associated in a common allegiance (as to the British crown)

jingoism

extreme chauvinism or nationalism marked especially by a belligerent foreign policy

recourse

a turning to someone or something for help or protection || a source of help or strength; resort || the right to demand payment from the endorser (of a check)

huckster

hawker, peddler; one who sells in an aggressive, dishonest, or annoying way || one who produces promotional material || to deal in or bargain over

upshot

the final result; outcome

hoodlum

a usually violent criminal || a young person who behaves in a rowdy or intimidating way; ruffian

megalomania

a delusional mental illness that is marked by feelings of personal omnipotence and grandeur || a mania for great or grandiose performance

morass

marsh, swamp || a situation that traps, confuses, or impedes || an overwhelming or confusing mass or mixture

correlative

naturally related; corresponding || reciprocally related || regularly used together but typically not adjacent (as in grammar - either & or)

retention

the act of retaining; the state of being retained || power of retaining || an ability to retain things in mind || something retained

misnomer

the misnaming of a person in a legal instrument || a use of a wrong or inappropriate name || a wrong name or inappropriate designation