Group 5

Question 1

ERUDITE

Answer 1

(adj.) Learned, knowledgeable, or scholarly

Question 2

DIFFIDENT

Answer 2

(adj.) Lacking self-confidence; shy or timid

Question 3

ESCHEW

Answer 3

(v) To shun, avoid, or abstain from

Question 4

ENCOMIUM

Answer 4

(n) Warm, glowing praise, especially formal praise

Question 5

SAVANT

Answer 5

(n) A learned person, scholar, or sage; an idiot savant

Question 6

SEDULOUS

Answer 6

(adj.) Diligent or persevering in effort or application (adj.) Done or achieved through perseverance

Question 7

HALLMARK

Answer 7

(n) An outstanding or distinguishing feature; A mark indicating quality or excellence

Question 8

HAPLESS

Answer 8

(adj.) Unfortunate or unlucky

Question 9

SINECURE

Answer 9

(n) A paid position or office requiring little or no work

Question 10

HARROW

Answer 10

(v) To disturb or torment
(v) To prepare ground for planting with a harrow (a tool designed to break up and even out plowed land)

Question 11

EXHAUSTIVE

Answer 11

(adj.) Thorough; not leaving anything out
(adj.) Tending to exhaust; exhausting

Question 12

HAVEN

Answer 12

(n) A place of comfort or rest; a sanctuary
(n) A port or harbor

Question 13

CLINCH

Answer 13

(v) grab or hold; secure a goal (to “clinch the win”)

Question 14

STYMIE

Answer 14

(v) To block, thwart, or stand in the way of

Question 15

ENIGMA

Answer 15

(n) A confused jumble or mass
(v) To become deeply involved or embroiled in something
(v) To roll, writhe, or heave

Question 16

SUPPLICATE

Answer 16

(v) To ask humbly of (someone); to beseech
(v) To ask for something humbly; to pray for

Question 17

ZEALOUS

Answer 17

(adj.) Fervent, filled with, or motivated by passionate or excessive enthusiasm

Question 18

HYPERBOLE

Answer 18

(n) Extreme exaggeration, often used for effect as a figure of speech

Question 19

TORRID

Answer 19

(adj.) Parched; burning or intensely hot
(adj.) Passionate or ardent
(adj.) Fast or hurried

Question 20

IDYLL

Answer 20

(n) A poem, either a short description of an idealized rural scene or a narrative dealing with romantic or heroic themes
(n) A carefree, lighthearted experience or period; a romantic interlude

Question 21

TRAVESTY

Answer 21

(n) A distorted, debased, grotesque, or inferior imitation or likeness
(n) An exaggerated burlesque or imitation of a serious literary work, which is usually grotesquely incongruous

Question 22

TURPITUDE

Answer 22

(n) Depravity, baseness, or vileness
(n) A corrupt act

Question 23

FERVOR

Answer 23

(n) Intensity or warmth of emotion
(n) Intense heat

Question 24

CACOPHONY

Answer 24

(adj.) Dissonance; jarring, harsh, or discordant sound

Question 25

FLEDGE

Answer 25

(v) To care for (as a young bird) until it is ready to fly (v) To cover with or as with feathers (v) To grow plumage needed for flight

Question 26

IMPASSIVE

Answer 26

(adj.) Not revealing, expressing, or betraying emotion

Question 27

IMPECUNIOUS

Answer 27

(adj.) Penniless; without money

Question 28

WARMONGER

Answer 28

(n) One who advocates or attempts to incite war

Question 29

IMPEDE

Answer 29

(v) To hinder or obstruct movement or progress

Question 30

ABHOR

Answer 30

(v) To hate or despis; to regard with horror or repugnance

Question 31

PREVARICATE

Answer 31

(v) To equivocate, lie, or stray from the truth

Question 32

DIVULGE

Answer 32

(v) To reveal or make known (a secret or confidence)

Question 33

PRECURSOR

Answer 33

(n) One that precedes and announces or suggests another’s approach (n) A forerunner or predecessor; one that precedes another

Question 34

FALLOW

Answer 34

(adj.) Left unplanted (soil or land); not in use

Question 35

OSTENTATIOUS

Answer 35

(adj.) Given to excessive, pretentious, conspicuous display

Question 36

IMPROBITY

Answer 36

(n) Dishonesty; lack of probity (probity = honesty)

Question 37

CONVERSANCE

Answer 37

(n) Familiarity; the state of being able to speak about something (“converse”) knowledgeably

Question 38

QUANDARY

Answer 38

(n) State of perplexity, especially regarding how to proceed

Question 39

PROPRIETY

Answer 39

(n) The quality of being proper or appropriate (n) Plural: The customs and rules of polite society

Question 40

IMPUDENT

Answer 40

(adj.) Insolent; boldly disrespectful

Question 41

DWINDLE

Answer 41

(v) To shrink or diminish until little remains

Question 42

IMPUGN

Answer 42

(v) To challenge or attack as false or questionable

Question 43

CAPRICIOUS

Answer 43

(adj.) Whimsical; governed by or subject to caprice or impulse

Question 44

INADVERTENT

Answer 44

(adj.) Accidental or unintentional (adj.) Inattentive; not fully focused or taking heed

Question 45

RECUMBENT

Answer 45

(adj.) Lying down or reclining, especially in repose (adj.) Resting or idle

Question 46

IMPROMPTU

Answer 46

(adj.) Done, said, or composed on the spur of the moment; improvised

Question 47

ABJURE

Answer 47

(v) To renounce, recant, or repudiate, often solemnly or under oath

Question 48

PALLID

Answer 48

(adj.) Abnormally pale; lacking color or vitality

Question 49

REFULGENT

Answer 49

(adj.) Radiant or resplendent; shining brilliantly