Barron's 1100 Words You Need to Know » Week 11 - Day 1

Word List
  • poignant [poi´ nyənt]
    to flood
    → “Keen, poignant agonies seemed to shoot from his neck downward through every fiber of his body and limbs.” Ambrose Bierce, “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”
  • inundate [in´ un dāt]
    useless
    → “We do know that the moon’s surface has not been eroded by wind or rain or ice or snow and has not been inundated by oceans, lakes or rivers.” Lee A. DuBridge, “Sense and Nonsense About Space”
  • fruitless [früt´ lis]
    moving, painful to the feelings
    → “Since launching a diplomatic shuttle, the Russian envoy had spent dozens of fruitless hours with the Yugoslav dictator.” Johanna McGeary, “Why He Blinked,” TIME, 6/14/99
  • garbled [gär´ bəld]
    confused, mixed up
    → “A garbled account of the matter that had reached his colleagues led to some gentle ribbing.” H. G. Wells, “The Man Who Could Work Miracles”
  • sanguine [sang´ gwən]
    optimistic
    → “I’m not sanguine about the Knicks’ chances to upset the San Antonio Spurs.” Telephone caller to WFAN Sports Radio Program, 6/8/99

Meanwhile, the Harts had notified the local radio stations to broadcast a poignant appeal for the dog’s owner to come forward. The station was inundated with phone calls but all leads were fruitless. From what Bobby had told them, a huge dog had leaped out from a red station wagon in the supermarket’s parking lot. After biting Bobby it vanished. The six-year-old was too concerned with the bites he had received to see where the dog disappeared to. The boy’s story was garbled, but he did remember that the animal was gray and had a collar. There was little tangible* evidence to go on, but the police remained sanguine.

Sample Sentences Use the new words in the following sentences.

  1. The sermon was __________ enough to bring tears to the brash* delinquent’s eyes.
  2. Although the message was __________ , its salient* points were clear enough.
  3. After a __________ attempt to wrest* control of the government, the traitors were incarcerated.
  4. Even though his boat was almost __________ , the skipper was loath* to radio for help.
  5. Because the malignancy* had gone unchecked, the surgeons were not __________ about the patient’s chances.

Definitions Match the new words with their meanings.

  1. a. useless
  2. b. confused, mixed up
  3. c. optimistic
  4. d. to flood
  5. e. moving, painful to the feelings
  1. inundate __________
  2. fruitless __________
  3. poignant __________
  4. garbled __________
  5. sanguine __________

Answer Key
to feather one’s nest—grow rich by taking advantage of circumstances
While working as the tax collector, he adroitly* feathered his own nest.

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