The handcuff is quicker than the eye

Slippery Eddie, the infamous pickpocket, was back at work, and every detective had to be

especially vigilant.* Eddie’s technique was to jostle a victim toward a confederate who would

then slip the man’s wallet out of his back pocket while Eddie was stammering an apology to

the confused dupe. Within a week the incipient crimewave came to an end when Slippery

Eddie inadvertently chose the chief of police for his victim. Although Eddie loathes* Sing

Sing, it’s his permanent address now.

Sample Sentences Can you put the new words in the right sentences?

1. By telling the truth, we stopped the ________________ rumor from spreading.

2. The bombing of Pearl Harbor was referred to as an ________________ deed.

3. The wealthy ________________ consented to buy the often-sold Brooklyn Bridge.

4. When he attempted to ________________ the old lady, she struck him with her

umbrella.

5. Through an ________________ error, the guided missile sped out of control.

Definitions Match the new words with their meanings.

6. infamous a. having a bad reputation

7. jostle b. just beginning to exist

8. dupe (n.) c. to shove hard

9. incipient d. a person easily tricked

10. inadvertent e. heedless, not attentive

T ODAY ’ S I DIOM

to carry the day —to win the approval of the majority

The secretary’s motion that we adjourn for lunch carried the day, and we headed for the

restaurant

N EW W ORDS

Ominous

om´ ə nəs

Tremulous

trem´ yə ləs

Repudiate

ri pyü´ dē āt

Cessation

se sā´ shən

Bristle

bris´ əl

W EEK 3 D AY 3

COURTROOM DRAMA

There was an ominous silence when the jittery defendant rose in court. He explained in a

tremulous voice what had led him to repudiate his confession made at the police station on the

night of the crime. The audience began to buzz excitedly until the judge demanded a cessation

of the noise. Although the district attorney bristled with anger, the defendant kept insisting that

his rights had been violated because he had not been told that he could see a lawyer before

confessing.

Sample Sentences In which blanks do the new word belong?

1. After the weatherman had seen the ________________ clouds, he prognosticated* rain.

2. The general attempted to ________________ the testimony of the lieutenant, claiming

that the young officer was not an authority on low level bombing.

3. Upon seeing the snake, the cat began to ________________ with fear.

4. The widow’s ________________ hands revealed her nervousness.

5. The ________________ of the bombing in Iraq was urged by the United Nations.

Definitions Match the new words with their meanings.

6. ominous a. a stopping

7. tremulous b. to reject, decline

8. repudiate c. stiffen with fear or anger

9. cessation d. threatening

10. bristle (v.) e. quivering

T ODAY ’ S I DIOM

Skid Row —disreputable part of town, inhabited by derelicts and people “on the

skid”

The presence of so many bars has turned our neighborhood into another Skid Row.

N EW W ORDS

Euphemism

yü´ fə miz əm

Mundane

mun´ dān

Incongruous

in kong´ grü əs

Condolence

kən dō´ ləns

Stipulate

stip´ ū lāt

W EEK 3 D AY 4

CALL ME BY MY RIGHT NAME

My cousin refers to himself as a “sanitary engineer”—a euphemism for garbage collector.

There are any number of people who try to find more respectable or glamorous titles for the

mundane jobs they hold. It may seem incongruous to call an undertaker a “ condolence

counselor,” or to refer to a taxi driver as a “transportation expediter,” but some prefer those

titles. As a matter of fact, our butcher has stipulated that from now on he wants to be known as

a “meat coordinator.” He became irate* when I inadvertently* called him “Butch.”

Sample Sentences In which blanks do the new words belong?

1. We repudiated* the contract because it did not ________________ a cost of living

bonus.

2. The word “expired” is a ________________ for “died.”

3. When my neighbor ’s dog was run over, we sent a ________________ card.

4. The philosopher dealt with spiritual things, ignorning the ________________ ones.

5. The play was so ________________ that it seemed to be the work of several authors.

Definitions Match the new words with their meanings.

6. euphemism a. worldly

7. mundane b. a less offensive term

8. incongruous c. to specify a condition

9. condolence d. inappropriate

10. stipulate e. pity

T ODAY ’ S I DIOM

to go up in smoke —to come to no practical result

(kindling smokes but it will not light a fire)

The mayor ’s plans to get the gubernatorial nomination went up in smoke when he

couldn’t end the costly strike.

W EEK 3 D AY 5

REVIEW

The word “review” means “to view again” and that is the purpose of our weekly review. You

will have noticed, of course, that many of the words that appear as new words are repeated in

subsequent lessons. Sometimes they are in the paragraph, sometimes in the sample sentences,

and occasionally in the idioms or directions. This continued emphasis on “viewing again”

will help you to become familiar with the vocabulary.

In the following quiz, match the best possible definition with the word you have studied.

*Reminder: Record answers on a sheet of paper.

REVIEW WORDS DEFINITIONS

1. bristle a. despise

2. caustic b. menacing

3. cessation c. evil

4. condolence d. a pause

5. dupe e. just starting

6. euphemism f. trembling

7. inadvertent g. to have one’s hair stand up

8. incipient h. stinging

9. incongruous i. earthly

10. infamous j. due to an oversight, negligent

11. jostle k. make a specific demand

12. lackluster l. to push, to elbow

13. loathe m. an easily fooled person

14. mundane n. expression of sympathy

15. ominous o. to scold severely

16. reprimand p. seize

17. repudiate q. having inconsistent elements

18. stipulate r. disown, refuse to accept

19. tremulous s. lacking brightness

20. wrest t. saying something in a less direct way

IDIOMS

21. crocodile tears u. run down district

22. to carry the day v. hypocritical sympathy

23. Skid Row w. to win the honors

24. to go up in smoke x. end fruitlessly

Make a record of those words you missed. You can learn them successfully by studying them

and using them regularly in speech and in your writing.

*For reference only

WORDS FOR

FURTHER STUDY MEANINGS

1. _________________________ _________________________

2. _________________________ _________________________

3. _________________________ _________________________

WORDSEARCH 3

Using the clues listed below, record separately using one of the new words you learned this

week for each blank in the following story.

Clues

3rd Day

1st Day

2nd Day

3rd Day

1st Day

Desert Storm Decision

In the 1991 Persian Gulf War, where the United Nations forces, led by Americans, ousted the

invading Iraqi army from Kuwait’s soil, the of combat took place in short order

after the Allies were able to control of the skies from the Saddam

Hussein’s air force.

General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, the U.S. field commander, tended to when asked

by the media why he hadn’t pursued the enemy all the way to Baghdad, saying:

“It would have been foolhardy for us to try to occupy that capital city and pile up American

casualties from sniper attacks by Iraq’s guerillas. That may be hard for you Monday morning

quarterbacks to understand but I thoroughly agreed with the president who was convinced that

such an action would have sent a bad message to the Arab world and would have splintered

the Allied partnership.”

Schwarzkopf reiterated that it was his mission to hurl back the invaders with a minimum of

bloodshed but not, he added in a tone, “to splatter Saddam over the desert sands.

That dictator ’s days are numbered,” the general concluded, “but I expect his end is likely to

come at the hands of his own people.”

N EW W ORDS

Alacrity

ə lak´ rə tē

Disdain

disdān´

Belligerent

bə lij´ ər ənt

Intimidate

in tim´ ə dāt

Feint

fānt

W EEK 4 D AY 1

MULLINS A K.O. VICTIM

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.

6. alacrity a. contempt

7. disdain (n.) b. a false attack

8. belligerent c. warlike

9. intimidate d. to overawe

10. feint e. briskness, lively action

T ODAY ’ S I DIOM

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.

N EW W ORDS

Pugnacious

pug nā´ shəs

Promulgate

prom´ əl gāt

Brash

brash

Scoff

skof

Belittle

bi lit´ l

W EEK 4 D AY 2

MULLINS THROWS DOWN THE GAUNTLET*

The pugnacious K.O. Mullins demanded a rematch. He took a full-page newspaper

advertisement to promulgate his challenge. When the champ’s manager saw the brash

announcement, he accosted* Mullins, who was surrounded by a throng* of newsmen. The

manager openly scoffed at Mullins and belittled his fighting ability. Mullins then lost his

temper and fearlessly punched the manager, knocking him off of his crutches.

Sample Sentences Use the new words in the following sentences.

1. We implored* the faculty advisor to ________________ the requirements for the

presidency of the club.

2. My mother liked the salesman’s ________________ personality, but he irritated most

people.

3. I don’t understand modern art, but I neither loathe* nor ________________ at it.

4. Since everyone can outpunch my cousin, he cannot afford to be ________________.

5. Although Ralph can’t play, he doesn’t hesitate to ________________ the efforts of our

football team.

Definitions Match the new words with their meanings.

6. pugnacious a. quarrelsome

7. promulgate b. to make seem less important

8. brash c. to sneer at

9. scoff d. impudent

10. belittle e. to make known officially

T ODAY ’ S I DIOM

feeling no pain —drunk

Although the party had just begun,

after his first drink he was feeling no pain.

N EW W ORDS

Tangible

tan´ jə bəl

Laceration

las ə rā´ shən

Castigate

kas´ tə gāt

Sordid

sôr´ did

Octogenarian

ok´ tə jə nār´ i ən

W EEK 4 D AY 3

MULLINS FORCED TO EAT HUMBLE PIE*

The irate* 80-year-old manager pressed charges against K.O. Mullins, suing him for assault.

As tangible evidence of the attack, he pointed to a deep laceration over his eyebrow that had

required ten stitches. When the case was brought before the court, the judge castigated

Mullins for the sordid incident. In addition to a costly financial settlement, Mullins was

required to make a public apology to the octogenarian.

Sample Sentences Use the new words in the following sentences.

1. The medic reached into his kit to find a bandage for the ugly ________________.

2. Mr. Dixon belittled* our request for ________________ proof of his loyalty.

3. The kindly foreman was too reticent* to openly ________________ the clumsy new

worker.

4. When the teenager announced her engagement to the ________________, the public

suspected it to be a publicity stunt.

5. Stories of their ________________ youth poured forth from the unhappy felons.*

Definitions Match the new words with their meanings.

6. tangible a. having actual form

7. laceration b. to correct by punishing

8. castigate c. jagged wound

9. sordid d. dirty, base

10. octogenarian e. person in his or her eighties

T ODAY ’ S I DIOM

Hobson’s choice —to have no choice at all (Mr. Hobson owned a livery stable but he