Barron's 1100 Words You Need to Know » Week 12 - Day 1

Word List
  • diatribe [dī´ ə trīb]
    bitter criticism
    → “Rebecca Gilman’s new play could easily have been an easy diatribe against racism.” TIME, 6/7/99
  • inhibition [in´ ə bish´ ən] or [in´ hi bish´ ən]
    restraint
    → “With all this ‘inhibition’ stuff and Freudian approach and ‘group play,’ you get the distinct impression that people are actually afraid of their kids.” William Michelfelder, The Fun of Doing Nothing
  • fortuitous [fô tü´ ə təs]
    accidental
    → “Representative Foley resumed a corridor interview, making a point about the fortuitous beauty of bipartisanship.” Francis X. Clines, “Gun Control Debate,” New York Times, 6/18/99
  • incoherent [in´ kō hir´ ənt]
    disjointed
    → “The general plan is inchoate and incoherent and the particular treatments disconnected.” Hillary Corke, Global Economy
  • ilk [ilk]
    kind, sort
    → “‘That’s the standard line,’ Ron said, ‘as promoted by some Japanese businessmen and American spokesmen of their ilk.’” Michael Crichton, Rising Sun

When Monte Ziltch told his boss, Mr. Foy, that he was quitting as an accountant to become an actor, the man was convulsed with laughter. After Mr. Foy realized that Monte was obsessed* with the idea, he became quite serious, launching into a diatribe on the importance of responsibility in the younger generation. Monte confessed that he had been developing ulcers as an accountant, and when his psychiatrist suggested that the sickness was a result of inhibitions, Monte agreed. Now a fortuitous opportunity to get into show business required Monte to make an immediate decision. Mr. Foy stormed out of the office, muttering incoherently about hippies, beatniks, and others of that ilk.

Sample Sentences Use the new words in the following sentences.

  1. When a large expenditure is imminent,* my father goes into a long __________ on the need for economy.
  2. It is often fruitless* to argue with racists, bigots*, and others of that __________.
  3. Since the patient’s speech was garbled* and __________, we could only conjecture* as to his message.
  4. The meeting was a __________ one, but the jealous husband construed* it as pre-arranged and clandestine.*
  5. After two drinks the usually phlegmatic* dentist lost all his __________.

Definitions Match the new words with their meanings.

  1. a. kind, sort
  2. b. disjointed
  3. c. accidental
  4. d. bitter criticism
  5. e. restraint
  1. diatribe __________
  2. inhibition __________
  3. fortuitous __________
  4. incoherent __________
  5. ilk __________

Answer Key
to wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve—to make one’s feelings evident
People who wear their hearts on their sleeves frequently suffer emotional upsets.

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