SAT 2

Question 1

Acrid

Answer 1

sharp or biting to the taste or smell; bitterly pungent; irritating to the eyes, nose, etc.: acrid smoke from burning rubber. | extremely or sharply stinging or bitter; exceedingly caustic: acrid remarks. | unpleasantly pungent or sharp to the smell or taste | sharp or caustic, esp in speech or nature

Question 2

Epistle

Answer 2

a letter, especially a formal or didactic one; written communication. | (usually initial capital letter) one of the apostolic letters in the New Testament. | (often initial capital letter) an extract, usually from one of the Epistles of the New Testament, forming part of the Eucharistic service in certain churches. | a letter, esp one that is long, formal, or didactic | a literary work in letter form, esp a dedicatory verse letter of a type originated by Horace | (New Testament) any of the apostolic letters of Saints Paul, Peter, James, Jude, or John | a reading from one of the Epistles, forming part of the Eucharistic service in many Christian Churches

Question 3

Heresy

Answer 3

opinion or doctrine at variance with the orthodox or accepted doctrine, especially of a church or religious system. | the maintaining of such an opinion or doctrine. | Roman Catholic Church. the willful and persistent rejection of any article of faith by a baptized member of the church. | any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs, customs, etc. | an opinion or doctrine contrary to the orthodox tenets of a religious body or church the act of maintaining such an opinion or doctrine | any opinion or belief that is or is thought to be contrary to official or established theory | belief in or adherence to unorthodox opinion

Question 4

Poignant

Answer 4

keenly distressing to the feelings: poignant regret. | keen or strong in mental appeal: a subject of poignant interest. | affecting or moving the emotions: a poignant scene. | pungent to the smell: poignant cooking odors. | sharply distressing or painful to the feelings | to the point; cutting or piercing: poignant wit | keen or pertinent in mental appeal: a poignant subject | pungent in smell

Question 5

Respite

Answer 5

a delay or cessation for a time, especially of anything distressing or trying; an interval of relief: to toil without respite. | temporary suspension of the execution of a person condemned to death; reprieve. | to relieve temporarily, especially from anything distressing or trying; give an interval of relief from. | to grant delay in the carrying out of (a punishment, obligation, etc.). | a pause from exertion; interval of rest | a temporary delay | a temporary stay of execution; reprieve | (transitive) to grant a respite to; reprieve

Question 6

Acrophobia

Answer 6

a pathological fear of heights. | abnormal fear or dread of being at a great height

Question 7

Debility

Answer 7

a weakened or enfeebled state; weakness: Debility prevented him from getting out of bed. | a particular mental or physical handicap; disability. | weakness or infirmity

Question 8

Epistolary

Answer 8

contained in or carried on by letters: an epistolary friendship. | of, pertaining to, or consisting of letters. | relating to, denoting, conducted by, or contained in letters | (of a novel or other work) constructed in the form of a series of letters

Question 9

Languid

Answer 9

lacking in vigor or vitality; slack or slow: a languid manner. | lacking in spirit or interest; listless; indifferent. | drooping or flagging from weakness or fatigue; faint. | without energy or spirit | without interest or enthusiasm | sluggish; inactive

Question 10

Poised

Answer 10

(of a person) composed, dignified, and self-assured. | being in balance or equilibrium: a balloon poised on the nose of a seal. | teetering or wavering: to be poised on the brink of disaster. | hovering or suspended in or as in midair: a bird poised in flight; a helicopter poised overhead. | a state of balance or equilibrium, as from equality or equal distribution of weight; equipoise. | a dignified, self-confident manner or bearing; composure; self-possession: to show poise in company. | steadiness; stability: intellectual poise. | suspense or wavering, as between rest and motion or two phases of motion: the poise of the tides. | the way of being poised, held, or carried. | the state or position of hovering: the poise of a bird in the air.

Question 11

Resplendent

Answer 11

shining brilliantly; gleaming; splendid: troops resplendent in white uniforms; resplendent virtues. | having a brilliant or splendid appearance

Question 12

Epitomized

Answer 12

to contain or represent in small compass; serve as a typical example of; typify: This meadow epitomizes the beauty of the whole area. | to make an epitome of: to epitomize an argument. | to be a personification of; typify | to make an epitome of

Question 13

Hidebound

Answer 13

narrow and rigid in opinion; inflexible: a hidebound pedant. | oriented toward or confined to the past; extremely conservative: a hidebound philosopher. | (of a horse, cow, etc.) having the back and ribs bound tightly by the hide. | restricted by petty rules, a conservative attitude, etc | (of cattle, etc) having the skin closely attached to the flesh as a result of poor feeding | (of trees) having a very tight bark that impairs growth

Question 14

Languish

Answer 14

to be or become weak or feeble; droop; fade. | to lose vigor and vitality. | to undergo neglect or experience prolonged inactivity; suffer hardship and distress: to languish in prison for ten years. | to be subjected to delay or disregard; be ignored: a petition that languished on the warden’s desk for a year. | to pine with desire or longing. | to assume an expression of tender, sentimental melancholy. | the act or state of languishing. | a tender, melancholy look or expression. | to lose or diminish in strength or energy | (often foll by for) to be listless with desire; pine

Question 15

Obsequious

Answer 15

characterized by or showing servile complaisance or deference; fawning: an obsequious bow. | servilely compliant or deferential: obsequious servants. | obedient; dutiful. | obedient or attentive in an ingratiating or servile manner | (rare) submissive or compliant

Question 16

Polemical

Answer 16

a controversial argument, as one against some opinion, doctrine, etc. | a person who argues in opposition to another; controversialist. | Also, polemical. of or pertaining to a polemic; controversial. | of or involving dispute or controversy | an argument or controversy, esp over a doctrine, belief, etc | a person engaged in such an argument or controversy

Question 17

Equivocate

Answer 17

to use ambiguous or unclear expressions, usually to avoid commitment or in order to mislead; prevaricate or hedge: When asked directly for his position on disarmament, the candidate only equivocated. | (intransitive) to use vague or ambiguous language, esp in order to avoid speaking directly or honestly; hedge

Question 18

Ponderous

Answer 18

of great weight; heavy; massive. | awkward or unwieldy: He carried a ponderous burden on his back. | dull and labored: a ponderous dissertation. | of great weight; heavy; huge | (esp of movement) lacking ease or lightness; awkward, lumbering, or graceless | dull or laborious: a ponderous oration

Question 19

Timorous

Answer 19

full of fear; fearful: The noise made them timorous. | subject to fear; timid. | characterized by or indicating fear: a timorous whisper. | fearful or timid | indicating fear or timidity

Question 20

Adroit

Answer 20

expert or nimble in the use of the hands or body. | cleverly skillful, resourceful, or ingenious: an adroit debater. | skilful or dexterous | quick in thought or reaction

Question 21

Largess

Answer 21

generous bestowal of gifts. | the gift or gifts, as of money, so bestowed. | Obsolete. generosity; liberality. | the generous bestowal of gifts, favours, or money | the things so bestowed | generosity of spirit or attitude

Question 22

Pontificate

Answer 22

the office or term of office of a pontiff. | to perform the office or duties of a pontiff. | to speak in a pompous or dogmatic manner: Did he pontificate about the responsibilities of a good citizen? | to serve as a bishop, especially in a Pontifical Mass. | to speak or behave in a pompous or dogmatic manner Also (less commonly) pontify (?p?nt??fa?) | to serve or officiate as a pontiff, esp in celebrating a Pontifical Mass | the office or term of office of a pontiff, now usually the pope

Question 23

Reticent

Answer 23

disposed to be silent or not to speak freely; reserved. | reluctant or restrained. | not open or communicative; not saying all that one knows; taciturn; reserved

Question 24

Adulation

Answer 24

excessive devotion to someone; servile flattery. | obsequious flattery or praise; extreme admiration

Question 25

Histrionic

Answer 25

of or pertaining to actors or acting. | deliberately affected or self-consciously emotional; overly dramatic, in behavior or speech. | an actor. | excessively dramatic, insincere, or artificial: histrionic gestures | (rare) dramatic | (pl) melodramatic displays of temperament | (rare) (pl, functioning as singular) dramatics

Question 26

Obstreperous

Answer 26

resisting control or restraint in a difficult manner; unruly. | noisy, clamorous, or boisterous: obstreperous children. | noisy or rough, esp in resisting restraint or control

Question 27

Portend

Answer 27

to indicate in advance; to foreshadow or presage, as an omen does: The street incident may portend a general uprising. | to signify; mean. | to give warning of; predict or foreshadow | (obsolete) to indicate or signify; mean

Question 28

Retraction

Answer 28

the act of retracting or the state of being retracted. | withdrawal of a promise, statement, opinion, etc.: His retraction of the libel came too late. | retractile power. | the act of retracting or state of being retracted | the withdrawal of a statement, charge, etc

Question 29

Hoary

Answer 29

gray or white with age: an old dog with a hoary muzzle. | ancient or venerable: hoary myths. | tedious from familiarity; stale: Please don't tell that hoary joke at dinner again tonight. | having grey or white hair | white or whitish-grey in colour | ancient or venerable

Question 30

Obtuse

Answer 30

not quick or alert in perception, feeling, or intellect; not sensitive or observant; dull. | not sharp, acute, or pointed; blunt in form. | (of a leaf, petal, etc.) rounded at the extremity. | indistinctly felt or perceived, as pain or sound. | mentally slow or emotionally insensitive | (maths) (of an angle) lying between 90° and 180° (of a triangle) having one interior angle greater than 90° | not sharp or pointed | indistinctly felt, heard, etc; dull: obtuse pain | (of a leaf or similar flat part) having a rounded or blunt tip |

Question 31

Portent

Answer 31

an indication or omen of something about to happen, especially something momentous. | threatening or disquieting significance: an occurrence of dire portent. | a prodigy or marvel. | a sign or indication of a future event, esp a momentous or calamitous one; omen | momentous or ominous significance: a cry of dire portent | a miraculous occurrence; marvel

Question 32

Defoliate

Answer 32

to strip (a tree, bush, etc.) of leaves. | to destroy or cause widespread loss of leaves in (an area of jungle, forest, etc.), as by using chemical sprays or incendiary bombs, in order to deprive enemy troops or guerrilla forces of concealment. | to lose leaves. | (of a tree) having lost its leaves, especially by a natural process. | to deprive (a plant) of its leaves, as by the use of a herbicide, or (of a plant) to shed its leaves | (of a plant) having shed its leaves

Question 33

Espouse

Answer 33

to make one's own; adopt or embrace, as a cause. | to marry. | to give (a woman) in marriage. | to adopt or give support to (a cause, ideal, etc): to espouse socialism | (archaic) (esp of a man) to take as spouse; marry

Question 34

Obviate

Answer 34

to anticipate and prevent or eliminate (difficulties, disadvantages, etc.) by effective measures; render unnecessary: to obviate the risk of serious injury. | (transitive) to avoid or prevent (a need or difficulty)

Question 35

Poseur

Answer 35

a person who attempts to impress others by assuming or affecting a manner, degree of elegance, sentiment, etc., other than his or her true one. | a person who strikes an attitude or assumes a pose in order to impress others

Question 36

Torpid

Answer 36

inactive or sluggish. | slow; dull; apathetic; lethargic. | dormant, as a hibernating or estivating animal. | an eight-oared, clinker-built boat used for races at Oxford University during the Lenten term. | apathetic, sluggish, or lethargic | (of a hibernating animal) dormant; having greatly reduced metabolic activity | unable to move or feel

Question 37

Bulwark

Answer 37

a wall of earth or other material built for defense; rampart. | any protection against external danger, injury, or annoyance: The new dam was a bulwark against future floods. | any person or thing giving strong support or encouragement in time of need, danger, or doubt: Religion was his bulwark. | Usually, bulwarks. Nautical. a solid wall enclosing the perimeter of a weather or main deck for the protection of persons or objects on deck. | to fortify or protect with a bulwark; secure by or as if by a fortification. | a wall or similar structure used as a fortification; rampart | a person or thing acting as a defence against injury, annoyance, etc | (often pl) (nautical) a solid vertical fencelike structure along the outward sides of a deck | a breakwater or mole | (transitive) to defend or fortify with or as if with a bulwark

Question 38

Torpor

Answer 38

sluggish inactivity or inertia. | lethargic indifference; apathy. | a state of suspended physical powers and activities. | dormancy, as of a hibernating animal. | a state of torpidity

Question 39

Officious

Answer 39

objectionably aggressive in offering one's unrequested and unwanted services, help, or advice; meddlesome: an officious person. | marked by or proceeding from such forwardness: officious interference. | Obsolete. ready to serve; obliging. | unnecessarily or obtrusively ready to offer advice or services | marked by such readiness | (diplomacy) informal or unofficial | (obsolete) attentive or obliging