Lesson 02 (with audio)

Question 1

antipathy

(ăn tipʹ ǝ thē)

Answer 1

(noun) an intense dislike

So great was her feeling of antipathy that she was afraid it showed in her face.

• syn: aversion*
• ant: affinity*

Question 2

antithesis

(ăn tĭthʹ ĭ sĭs)

Answer 2

(noun) an exact opposite; an opposite extreme

Love is the antithesis of hate.

Question 3

badinage

(băd n äzhʹ)

Answer 3

• (noun*) playful, teasing talk
• (verb)* to banter; to tease with playful talk

Although it started out as badinage, it quickly escalated to cutting insults.

Question 4

banal

(bāʹ nǝl)

Answer 4

(adj.) common, ordinary

His banal remarks quickly bored the entire class.

• syn: trivial, insipid*
• ant: original, fresh*

Question 5

baroque

(bǝ rōkʹ)

Answer 5

(adj.) overly decorated

The new dance club had a great light show; the baroque furnishings seemed right in place.

• syn: ornate*
• ant: simple*

Question 6

bauble

(bôʹ bǝl)

Answer 6

(noun) a showy but useless thing

John had to find some kind of bauble to give Mary for Christmas.

syn: trinket

Question 7

bedlam

(bĕdʹ lǝm)

Answer 7

(noun) a noisy uproar; a scene of wild confusion

The concert hall was sheer bedlam until the rock star appeared.

Question 8

beguile

(bĭ gīlʹ)

Answer 8

(verb) to deceive; to charm; to enchant

Scarlett O’Hara tried to beguile all the eligible men she met.

Question 9

besiege

(bĭ sējʹ)

Answer 9

(verb) to overwhelm; to surround and attack

Congressmen were besieged with phone calls during the controversial hearings.

Question 10

besmirch

(bĭ smûrchʹ)

Answer 10

(verb) to make dirty; to stain

My ex-best friend tried to besmirch my reputation with her vicious gossip.

• syn: soil, sully, smear*
• ant: cleanse*

Question 11

bestial

(bĕsʹ chǝl)

Answer 11

(adj.) savage, brutal

He took a bestial delight in tormenting the captive slaves.

• syn: brutish, vile, cruel*
• ant: humane, kind*

Question 12

bilious

(bĭlʹ yǝs)

Answer 12

(adj.) bad tempered; cross

No one could stand being in the same room with Sam when he was in a bilious mood.

• syn: grouchy, cantankerous*
• ant: pleasant*

Question 13

blanch

(blănch)

Answer 13

(verb) to whiten, to make pale

Sue’s face blanched visibly when she saw the charred remains of what had been her home.

Question 14

bland

(blănd)

Answer 14

(adj.) mild, tasteless, dull

His bland manner had a calming effect on the children.

• syn: smooth, agreeable*
• ant: exciting, thrilling*

Question 15

blandishment

(blănʹ dish mǝnt)

Answer 15

(noun) flattery

Silky-smooth blandishments poured from his lips as he tried to butter up the old lady.