no. 1

Question 1

mired

Answer 1

entangled
stuck in - involved
a conversation
Europe and Japan are both still mired in deep economic trouble.

Question 2

obsequious

Answer 2

attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery
cozy up - ingratiate
kissing up to someone
Obsequious devotion to something that does not yet exist.

Question 3

exacerbate

Answer 3

make worse
aggravate - exasperate
pouring gas on a fire
“Those,” he observes, “are called lunatics whose attacks are exacerbated every month when the moon is full.”

Question 4

behest

Answer 4

an authoritative command or request
command - bidding
a teacher telling you to do your work
I imagine he’s calling at her behest, in any case.

Question 5

proprietary

Answer 5

protected by trademark or patent or copyright
patented - copyrighted
harry potter
“This is a pretty good tree,” he observed admiringly with proprietary gratitude.

Question 6

portentous

Answer 6

of momentous or ominous significance
important - significant
crows circling your house
Before me stretched the portentous menacing road of a new decade.

Question 7

misanthrope

Answer 7

someone who dislikes people in general
grump - grouch
recluse
It is nonsense to suppose that a man turns misanthrope in consequence of great misfortunes.

Question 8

misogyny

Answer 8

hatred of women
hate - loathing
a sexist person
When he and I dwelt there together, the pavilion had been a temple of misogyny.

Question 9

substantiate

Answer 9

establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts
confirm - support
adding evidence to a case
The allegation was never substantiated, but the office needed a token Hispanic fast, and Tony was it.

Question 10

subterranean

Answer 10

being or operating under the surface of the earth
underground - underneath
worms
After maybe thirty seconds, I know I can’t stand being confined in the subterranean cell, and leave Buttercup to his own devices.