Barron's 1100 Words You Need to Know » Week 4 - Day 1

Word List
  • alacrity [ə lak´ rə tē]
    briskness, lively action
    → “When the price of A.T.&T. dropped significantly, fund managers moved with alacrity to accumulate more shares.” Ted David, CNBC Financial News
  • disdain [disdān´]
    contempt
    → n “Hillary shows disdain for the idea that matters other than policy are anyone’s business.” Margaret Carlson, “Uh-Oh, the Real First Lady Shows Up,” TIME, 6/7/99
  • belligerent [bə lij´ ər ənt]
    warlike
    → “North Korea’s belligerence in planning to test a long-range missile has led to a dramatic change of course for Japan and South Korea.” Howard French, “Two Wary Neighbors Unite,” New York Times, 8/4/99
  • intimidate [in tim´ ə dāt]
    to overawe
    → “New language could target loiterers with no apparent purpose other than to intimidate others from entering those areas.” Margaret Hornblower, “Ending the Roundups,” TIME, 6/21/99
  • feint [fānt]
    a false attack
    → “Young as Oliver was, he had sense enough to make a feint of feeling great regret at going away.” Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist

When the bell sounded, K.O. Mullins responded with alacrity. He sprang from his stool and charged across the ring, showing disdain for the champion’s strength. Although this belligerent attitude impressed the referee, it failed to intimidate the champ. That intrepid* battler laid the hapless* Mullins low with an adroit* feint and an uppercut.

Sample Sentences Use the new words in the following sentences.

  1. Y2K concerns of the problems with computers failed to __________ our company.
  2. The Germans were duped* by the Allies’ __________ toward the south, leaving the way open for the Normandy invasion.
  3. The waiter moved with __________ because he perceived* they were big tippers.
  4. His __________ manner caused him to lose one friend after another.
  5. When the curtain came down, the critic’s face registered the __________ she felt for the lackluster* play.

Definitions Match the new words with their meanings.

  1. a. contempt
  2. b. a false attack
  3. c. warlike
  4. d. to overawe
  5. e. briskness, lively action
  1. alacrity __________
  2. disdain (n.) __________
  3. belligerent __________
  4. intimidate __________
  5. feint __________

Answer Key
to throw down the gauntlet—to challenge someone (when the gauntlet, or medieval glove, was thrown down, the challenged one was required to pick it up)
The principal of our rival school threw down the gauntlet, and we had no choice but to accept the challenge.

Favorite Books
Table of Contents