Barron's 1100 Words You Need to Know » Week 19 - Day 1

Word List
  • megalomania [meg´ ə lō mā´ nēə]
    abnormal desire for wealth and power
    → “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]
    wasteful
    → “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]
    discord, disagreement
    → “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]
    a large number
    → “Though not Hollywood handsome, Tommy’s success with the fair sex was legion.” Janet Murphy, “Babylon on the Hudson”
  • coup [kü]
    revolution
    → “Newt Gingrich was nearly toppled in a coup attempt in the House.” Michael Duffy, “Who Chose George?,” TIME, 6/21/99

King Andre of Ruritania was afflicted* with megalomania, and the people of his country suffered, as a result. After ten years of his profligate rule, the treasury was bankrupt, unemployment was rampant*, domestic strife was mounting, and the number of the king’s opponents who were incarcerated* were legion. Following a bloodless coup, his nephew, Prince Schubert, took command of the poor nation.

Sample Sentences Based upon your understanding of the new words, as discovered from the context, use the correct words in the following sentences.

  1. With a singular* disregard for his family, the __________ husband spent his salary on alcohol.
  2. Each spouse said that the other was culpable* for their conjugal* __________.
  3. “The number of my followers is __________,” said the flamboyant* politician.
  4. The necessity for executing the leaders of the abortive* __________ was obviated* when they committed suicide.
  5. Hitler’s __________ was a veneer* for his insecurity and feelings of inferiority.

Definitions Match the new words with their meanings.

  1. a. discord, disagreement
  2. b. revolution
  3. c. wasteful
  4. d. a large number
  5. e. abnormal desire for wealth and power
  1. megalomania __________
  2. profligate __________
  3. strife __________
  4. legion __________
  5. coup __________

Answer Key
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.

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