Barron's 1100 Words You Need to Know » Week 33 - Day 2

Word List
  • discreet [dis krēt´]
    careful, cautious, prudent*
    → “When questioned about her husband’s illegal activities, she kept a discreet silence.” Newsday, 5/16/99
  • foment [fō ment]
    stir up, instigate
    → “The petitioners were not attempting to foment violence by their peaceful actions.” Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black, decision, 1960
  • glean [glēn]
    gather, collect
    → “I gleaned what I could from college, but independent reading soon broadened my horizons.” I. F. Stone, Weekly Reader
  • quarry [kwôr´ ē]
    something hunted or pursued
    → “The state troopers had tracked their quarry to the thickly wooded area near the crime scene.” Newsday, 4/10/98
  • slovenly [sluv´ ən lē]
    disorderly, carelessly
    → “The twenty-six year old’s slovenly appearance belied the fact that he was one of the Silicon Valley’s brightest stars.” Reuben Cowan, “Today Dot-Com”

Robert had arrived in New York a week earlier. He had begun by asking discreet questions of Evelyn’s former landlord. There was no need to foment opposition at the very beginning. The landlord was recondite,* and all Robert had been able to glean from the cryptic* replies was that Evelyn had moved to a residence that catered to single women. Robert was in a hapless* situation; in this immense city his quarry could be hiding in one of dozens of such places. This would obviate* the possibility of his dashing from one place to another in an impetuous* manner. His search, while it had to be concluded with celerity,* could not be carried out in such slovenly fashion. He required a succinct* and meticulous* plan.

Sample Sentences Use the new words in these sentences.

  1. In order to __________ trouble, they fabricated* a deplorable* and blatant* untruth.
  2. She loathed* doing menial* tasks, and she did them in a __________ manner.
  3. Although it seemed inane,* they sought their __________ in the midst of rustic* surroundings that were not its natural habitat*.
  4. Despite the plethora* of offers to write her life story, the recently divorced movie queen kept a __________ silence.
  5. The reporters could not __________ anything from her servants.

Definitions Match the new words with their definitions.

  1. a. careful, cautious, prudent*
  2. b. gather, collect
  3. c. something hunted or pursued
  4. d. disorderly, carelessly
  5. e. stir up, instigate
  1. discreet __________
  2. foment __________
  3. glean __________
  4. quarry __________
  5. slovenly __________

Answer Key
on the dot—exactly on time
Despite his having taken forty winks,* he got to his appointment on the dot.

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