TOEFL Vocabulary #7

(n.)—complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness, honesty

Her probity and integrity are beyond question.
The Secretary-General will spare no effort to continue to ensure that the highest standards of probity are maint

(adj.)—pretending to be important, intelligent or cultured

The novel deals with grand themes, but is never heavy or pretentious.

pretentious:  /prɪˈten.ʃəs/ (adj)

pretentiously (adv) - pretentiousness (n)

(adj.)—dishonest, not telling the truth

Some of these statements are misleading and some are downright mendacious.

mendacious: /menˈdeɪ.ʃəs/ (adj)

mendacity (n)

(n.)—assumption, theory requiring proof (plural hypotheses) 

Several hypotheses for global warming have been suggested.

(adj.)—purposefully exaggerated language

The film was a hyperbolic and exuberant drama-documentary of gangster rituals, amorality, and violence.
hyperbolic rhetoric
He wrote in very hyperbolic terms.

hyperbolic: /ˌhaɪ.pɚˈbɑː.lɪk/ (adj)

(v.)—to pretend, give a false impression; to invent falsely

You know how everyone feigns surprise when you tell them how old you are.
The prosecution claimed that the defendant had feigned the injury.

(adj.)—extravagant, greater than reasonable

The bill for dinner was exorbitant.
The hotel charges were exorbitant.
The interest charged on most credit cards is exorbitant.
an exorbitant price/fee/rate

exorbitant: /ɪɡˈzːɔr.bə.t̬ənt/ (adj)

(v.)—to deceive, trick

The girls were duped by drug smugglers into carrying heroin for them.
They duped me into giving them money by saying it would go to charity.

(adj.)—secret, stealthy
I saw him cast a furtive glance at the woman at the table to his right.
He made one or two furtive phone calls.
There was something furtive about his behavior and I immediately felt suspicious.

(v.)—to flatter excessively, seek the favor of

Big movie stars are fawned over by the waiters at the restaurant.