Barron's 1100 Words You Need to Know » Week 36 - Day 4

Word List
  • perfidious [pər fid´ ē əs]
    treacherous, false
    → “Alfred E. Ricks was the perfidious toad’s designation who sold worthless shares in the Blue Gopher Mine.” O. Henry, “The Man Higher Up”
  • covet [kuv´ it]
    want, envy, wish
    → “The moment has arrived for our annual coveted ‘Bloopie’ Awards.” William Safire, New York Times, 7/18/99
  • ingratiate [in grā´ shē āt]
    win confidence, charm
    → “This tax was abolished by Richard III to ingratiate himself with the people.” Sir Francis Bacon, Henry VII
  • penury [pen´ yer ē]
    poverty
    → “Afflicted by penury, it appeared that Putois had joined a gang of thieves who were prowling the countryside.” Anatole France, “Putois”
  • ignominious [ig´ nə min´ ē əs]
    humiliating, disgraceful
    → “Henry Clay had ambition to become president, but he faced an ignominious series of setbacks.” H. Foner, Failed Candidates

William Makepeace Thackeray was known for his moralistic study of upper and middle class English life. His best known work, Vanity Fair, has as its central character Becky Sharp. She is a perfidious woman who has an insatiable* desire to get ahead in the world. She covets the wealth of one man, but when marriage is not feasible* she succeeds in a plan to ingratiate herself into the heart of her employer’s son. Their marriage is not a salubrious* one and Becky, who lives ostentatiously,* forms a surreptitious* liaison with another man. The affair culminates* in a debacle.* She is exposed, her husband leaves her, and she must live in penury in Europe. This is the ignominious end for a clever, but misguided woman.

Sample Sentences Use the new words in these sentences.

  1. Under the aegis* of a zealous* campaign manager, the candidate was able to __________ herself into the hearts of the public.
  2. A favorite parable* has to do with teaching the lesson that one should not __________ that which belongs to someone else
  3. His fortune fluctuated* between __________ and wealth.
  4. They made an effigy* of their __________ enemy.
  5. There was bedlam* as the favored team went down to __________ defeat at the hands of the underdog.

Definitions Match the new words with their definitions.

  1. a. treacherous, false
  2. b. want, envy, wish
  3. c. humiliating, disgraceful
  4. d. poverty
  5. e. win confidence, charm
  1. perfidious __________
  2. covet __________
  3. ingratiate __________
  4. penury __________
  5. ignominious __________

Answer Key
in seventh heaven—the highest happiness or delight
The oldest child was in seventh heaven when her mother let her rule the roost* for a day.

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