Barron's 1100 Words You Need to Know » Week 14 - Day 2

Word List
  • supine [sü pīn´]
    lying on the back
    → “The clergy as a whole were therefore obedient and supine.” G. M. Trevelyan, Carlyle
  • mammoth [mam´ əth]
    huge
    → “She began to repair the ravages made by generosity added to love—a tremendous task, dear friends—a mammoth task.” O. Henry, “The Gift of the Magi”
  • repulse [ri puls´]
    drive back
    → “The cannons were set up to repulse a possible invasion but none was ever attempted.” Col. F. X. Prescott, “History as Our Teacher”
  • havoc [hav´ ək]
    ruin
    → “Excessive sensitiveness plays havoc with children’s nerves.” Guy De Maupassant, “Looking Back”
  • raze [rāz]
    destroy
    → “In the gorge, continually razed by the clawing wind, he would probably find his other dog.” Francisco Coloane, “Cururo . . . Sheep Dog”

The coffee cups suddenly went spinning as an explosion knocked Dorie Miller flat on his back. Jumping up from his supine position, the powerfully built messman from Waco, Texas, headed for the deck. Everywhere that Dorie looked he saw smoke and mammoth warships lying on their sides. Overhead, dozens of Japanese dive bombers controlled the skies without a U.S. plane to repulse their attack. The havoc was enormous. Without hesitating, Dorie joined a team that was feeding ammunition to a machine gunner who was making an ineffectual* attempt to protect their battleship from being razed by the torpedo planes.

Sample Sentences Use the new words in the proper blanks.

  1. From a __________ position, the hunter emitted* the animal’s mating call.
  2. Following the revolution, the people __________ the subterranean* dungeonsof the dictator.
  3. Management is sure to __________ any request for increased remuneration.*
  4. __________ placards* announced the opening of the new movie.
  5. The virulent* plague caused __________ among the populace.

Definitions Match the new words with their meaning.

  1. a. ruin
  2. b. drive back
  3. c. huge
  4. d. lying on the back
  5. e. destroy
  1. supine __________
  2. mammoth __________
  3. repulse __________
  4. havoc __________
  5. raze __________

Answer Key
Philadelphia lawyer—a lawyer of outstanding ability
His case is so hopeless that it would take a Philadelphia lawyer to set him free.

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