English Vocabulary (1/28 Quiz)

Question 1

adept - two definitions (adj. and n.)

Answer 1

(adj. ) thoroughly skilled

(n. ) an expert

Question 2

aspire (v.)

Answer 2

to have ambitious hopes or plans, strive toward a higher goal, desire earnestly; to ascend

Question 3

bleak (adj.)

Answer 3

bare, dreary, dismal

Question 4

chide (v.)

Answer 4

to blame; scold

Question 5

despicable (adj.)

Answer 5

worthy of scorn, contemptible

Question 6

diminutive (adj.)

Answer 6

small, smaller than most others of the same type

Question 7

emancipate (v.)

Answer 7

to free from slavery; to release or liberate (e.g., ◾He felt the only way to emancipate himself from his parents was to move away.)

Question 8

erroneous (adj.)

Answer 8

incorrect, containing mistakes (e.g., ◾an erroneous diagnosis/theory)

Question 9

exploit (v.) - two definitions

Answer 9

1) to make use of; develop (e.g., ◾He has never fully exploited his talents.) 2) to make improper use of for personal profit (e.g., exploit children at sweatshops)

Question 10

extemporaneous (adj.)

Answer 10

made or delivered on the spur of the moment (e.g., extemporaneous )

Question 11

impair (v.)

Answer 11

to make imperfect, damage, harm (e.g., ◾Smoking can impair your health.)

Question 12

invincible (adj.)

Answer 12

not able to be defeated, unbeatable (e.g., Napolean I was invincible).

Question 13

languid (adj.)

Answer 13

without energy; drooping (e.g., A big lunch makes me feel languid for the rest of the day.)

Question 14

mire (n. and v.) - three definitions

Answer 14

1) mud; wet, swampy ground
2) a tough situation
3) to get stuck

Question 15

obtrusive (adj.)

Answer 15

forward; undesirably prominent; thrust out (e.g., I don’t blame you for being put off by his obtrusive attempt to dominate the conversation)

Question 16

preamble (n.)

Answer 16

an introduction to a speech or piece of writing (e.g., The preamble to the Constitution describes the purpose of our national government.)

Question 17

render (v.) - three definitions

Answer 17

1) to cause someone to become (e.g., ◾Depression can render a person helpless.)
2) to perform (e.g., ◾The novel renders a portrait of life in ancient Rome.)
3) to deliver officially; to process, extract (e.g.,render an apology)

Question 18

rugged (adj.)

Answer 18

rough, irregular; severe, stern; strong; stormy (e.g., Settlers had a rough time crossing the rugged Appalachian Mountains)

Question 19

skeptical (adj.)

Answer 19

inclined to doubt; slow to accept something as true (e.g., I am skeptical of promises made by politicians when they are running for office.)

Question 20

slipshod (adj.)

Answer 20

untidy in dress, personal habits, etc.; careless, sloppy (e.g., slipshod construction, ◾He did a slipshod job.)

Question 21

brevity (n.)

Answer 21

shortness (e.g., The speech was notable more for its brevity than for its clarity).

Question 22

comport (v.)

Answer 22

1) to behave in a certain way (e.g., ◾He comported himself with dignity.◾She comported herself well during the crisis.)
2) to be in agreement (e.g., ◾Her actions comport with [=match] her ideals.)

Question 23

concise (adj.)

Answer 23

expressing much in a few words (e.g., ◾a concise summary)

Question 24

demure (adj.)

Answer 24

sober or serious in manner (e.g., ◾She was wearing a demure gray suit.)

Question 25

depreciation (n.) - two definitions

Answer 25

1) a lessening in value (e.g., The value of the car depreciated)
2) belittling (e.g., ◾the depreciation of the role of art in our schools)

Question 26

deteriorate (v.)

Answer 26

to become worse as time passes (e.g., ◾The weather gradually deteriorated [=worsened] as the day went on.)

Question 27

divulge (v.)

Answer 27

to tell, reveal; to make public (e.g., ◾She refused to divulge [=reveal, tell] the name of her informant.)

Question 28

enlightened (adj.)

Answer 28

free from ignorance and false ideas (e.g., ◾an enlightened people/attitude/society)

Question 29

forestall (v.)

Answer 29

to prevent by acting first (e.g., ◾Negotiations failed to forestall the conflict.)

Question 30

garble (v.)

Answer 30

to distort in such a way as to make not understandable (e.g., ◾He was so nervous he garbled her name [=he said her name incorrectly] when he introduced her.)

Question 31

proponent (n.) - two definitions

Answer 31

1) one who puts forward a proposal

2) one who supports a cause or belief(e.g., ◾a civil rights proponent)

Question 32

quaver (v.)

Answer 32

to shake, tremble (e.g., ◾Her voice quavered during the speech.)

Question 33

recoil (v. and n.)

Answer 33

to spring back, shrink (e.g., ◾Her voice quavered during the speech.)

Question 34

recoup (v.)

Answer 34

to make up for, regain (e.g., ◾It will be hard for us to recoup the loss.)

Question 35

reek (n and v..) - two definitions

Answer 35

1) (n.) an unpleasant smell (v.) to give off unpleasant smells
2) to give a strong impression (e.g., ◾a neighborhood that reeks of poverty)

Question 36

relentless (adj.)

Answer 36

unyielding, hard, without pity (e.g., ◾Her relentless optimism held the team together.)

Question 37

rivulet (n.)

Answer 37

a small stream (e.g., rivulets of water/sweat)

Question 38

squander (v.)

Answer 38

to spend foolishly, waste (e.g., ◾She squandered her inheritance/allowance.)

Question 39

staccato (adj.)

Answer 39

disconnected in sound or style (e.g., staccato notes/chords)

Question 40

statute (n.)

Answer 40

a law (e.g., ◾The state legislature passed the statute by an overwhelming margin.)

Question 41

appreciable (adj.)

Answer 41

sufficient to be noticed or measured (e.g., ◾Researchers found that the chemical made no appreciable [=noticeable, perceptible] difference in the results.)

Question 42

autocratic (adj.)

Answer 42

absolute in power or authority (e.g., ◾The country is run by an autocratic government/ruler.)

Question 43

blanch (v.) - two definitions

Answer 43

1) to remove the color from; to make or turn pale
(e. g., ◾She blanched and remained silent when the store owner accused her of taking the money.)

2) too cook halfway (e.g., Blanch the potatoes before slicing them)

Question 44

blasphemy (n.)

Answer 44

an act, utterance, or writing showing contempt for something sacred (e.g., ◾She was condemned by the church for uttering blasphemies.)

Question 45

brawny (adj.)

Answer 45

strong, muscular (e.g., ◾When it comes to men, she prefers brains over brawn. [=she likes smart men better than muscular ones])

Question 46

concerted (adj.)

Answer 46

planned or performed in cooperation with others (e.g., ◾They made a concerted effort to make her feel welcome.

Question 47

contend (v.)

Answer 47

to fight, struggle; to compete; to argue (e.g., ◾These people contend that they have earned the right to the land.)

Question 48

humane (adj.)

Answer 48

kind, merciful (e.g., ◾a humane prison guard)

Question 49

illustrious (adj.)

Answer 49

very famous, distinguished (e.g., ◾He has had an illustrious military career.)

Question 50

intolerable (adj.)

Answer 50

unbearable (e.g., ◾The situation was totally intolerable [=unacceptable] to us.)

Question 51

irreverent (adj.)

Answer 51

disrespectful (e.g., irreverent portrayals of nuns)

Question 52

laborious (adj.)

Answer 52

not easy, requiring hard work (e.g., ◾Removing mildew stains is a laborious [=difficult, painstaking] task.)

Question 53

lithe (adj.)

Answer 53

bending easily, timber (e.g., ◾a lithe, muscular athlete)

Question 54

maltreat (v.)

Answer 54

to abuse, use roughly or crudely (e.g., ◾He claims that he was maltreated [=(more commonly) mistreated, abused] by the prison guards.)

Question 55

ponder (v.)

Answer 55

to consider carefully, reflect on (e.g., ◾He pondered the question before he answered.)

Question 56

subversive (adj. and n.)

Answer 56

(adj.) intended to undermine or overthrow; (n.) one who advocates or attempts to undermine a political system (e.g., ◾The government blamed a subversive organization for the riots.)

Question 57

synthetic (adj.)

Answer 57

made or put together by people, something artificial (e.g., synthetic drugs/chemicals/rubber)

Question 58

temperate (adj.)

Answer 58

mild, moderate (e.g, temperate climates/forests/regions/zones)

Question 59

venomous (adj.) - two definitions

Answer 59

1) poisonous (e.g., ◾The cobra is a venomous snake.)

2) spiteful, mean (e.g., ◾a venomous attack on his character)

Question 60

wily (adj.)

Answer 60

sly, shred, cunning (e.g., ◾She turned out to be a wily negotiator.)