The Remains of the Day

Question 1

sloven

Answer 1

noun

a person who is habitually untidy or careless.

Question 2

eclectic

Answer 2

adjective
deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources.
“universities offering an eclectic mix of courses”

Question 3

a whim of the moment

Answer 3

a sudden decision

Question 4

broach

Answer 4

verb
raise (a difficult subject) for discussion.
“he broached the subject he had been avoiding all evening”
pierce (a cask) to draw out liquid.
“he watched a pot boy broach a new cask”

Question 5

fracas

Answer 5

noun
a noisy disturbance or quarrel.
“the fracas was broken up by stewards”

Question 6

perched

Answer 6

verb
(of a bird) alight or rest on something.
“a herring gull perched on the rails”
(of a person) sit on something high or narrow.
“Eve perched on the side of the armchair”
(of a building) be situated above or on the edge of something.
“the fortress is perched on a crag in the mountains”

Question 7

vagrant

Answer 7

noun or adjective
a person without a settled home or regular work who wanders from place to place and lives by begging.
relating to or living the life of a vagrant.
“vagrant beggars”
moving from place to place; wandering.
“vagrant whales”

Question 8

trepidation

Answer 8

noun
a feeling of fear or anxiety about something that may happen.
“the men set off in fear and trepidation”

Question 9

august

Answer 9

adjective
respected and impressive.
“she was in august company”

Question 10

spire

Answer 10

noun

a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, typically a church tower.

Question 11

engendered

Answer 11

verb
cause or give rise to (a feeling, situation, or condition).
“the issue engendered continuing controversy”

Question 12

inebriated

Answer 12

adjective
drunk; intoxicated.
“I got mildly inebriated”

Question 13

equanimity

Answer 13

noun
calmness and composure, especially in a difficult situation.
“she accepted both the good and the bad with equanimity”

Question 14

indelible

Answer 14

adjective
(of ink or a pen) making marks that cannot be removed.
“an indelible marker pen”
not able to be forgotten.
“the story made an indelible impression on me”

Question 15

rebuking

Answer 15

adjective or noun
expressing sharp disapproval or criticism.
“he has been praised for raising important issues in a soft manner rather than a rebuking tone”
the expression of sharp disapproval or criticism.

Question 16

interminable

Answer 16

adjective
endless or apparently endless (often used hyperbolically).
“we got bogged down in interminable discussions”

Question 17

posit

Answer 17

verb
put forward as fact or as a basis for argument.
“the Confucian view posits a perfectible human nature”
base something on the truth of (a particular assumption).
“these plots are posited on a false premise about women’s nature as inferior”
put in position; place.
“the Professor posits Cohen in his second category of poets”

Question 18

retort

Answer 18

verb
say something in answer to a remark, typically in a sharp, angry, or witty manner.
“‘No need to be rude,’ retorted Isabel”

Question 19

imbued

Answer 19

verb
inspire or permeate with (a feeling or quality).
“his works are invariably imbued with a sense of calm and serenity”

Question 20

churlish

Answer 20

adjective
rude in a mean-spirited and surly way.
“it seems churlish to complain”

Question 21

apportion

Answer 21

verb
divide up and share out.
“voting power will be apportioned according to contribution”
assign.
“they did not apportion blame or liability to any one individual”

Question 22

bereft

Answer 22

adjective
deprived of or lacking (something).
“her room was stark and bereft of colour”
(of a person) sad and lonely, especially through someone’s death or departure.
“his death in 1990 left her bereft”

Question 23

galling

Answer 23

adjective
causing annoyance or resentment; annoying.
“it would be galling to lose your job because of a dispute with a customer”

Question 24

ostentatious

Answer 24

adjective
characterized by pretentious or showy display; designed to impress.
“a simple design that is glamorous without being ostentatious”

Question 25

intransigent

Answer 25

adjective unwilling or refusing to change one's views or to agree about something. "her father had tried persuasion, but she was intransigent"

Question 26

gratuitous

Answer 26

``` adjective done without good reason; uncalled for. "gratuitous violence" given or done free of charge. "solicitors provide a form of gratuitous legal advice" ```

Question 27

sullen

Answer 27

``` adjective bad-tempered and sulky. "a sullen pout" (of the sky) full of dark clouds. "a sullen sunless sky" ```

Question 28

subterfuge

Answer 28

noun deceit used in order to achieve one's goal. "he had to use subterfuge and bluff on many occasions"

Question 29

genial

Answer 29

adjective friendly and cheerful. "our genial host"

Question 30

furtively

Answer 30

adverb in a way that attempts to avoid notice or attention; secretively. "I furtively glanced over at my father to see his reaction"

Question 31

pandemonium

Answer 31

noun wild and noisy disorder or confusion; uproar. "there was complete pandemonium—everyone just panicked"

Question 32

hogwash

Answer 32

noun | nonsense.

Question 33

heretical

Answer 33

adjective believing in or practising religious heresy. "heretical beliefs" holding an opinion at odds with what is generally accepted. "I feel a bit heretical saying this, but I think the film has too much action"

Question 34

minstrel

Answer 34

noun a medieval singer or musician, especially one who sang or recited lyric or heroic poetry to a musical accompaniment for the nobility. "they listened to the minstrels singing songs of knightly prowess"

Question 35

hitherto

Answer 35

adverb until now or until the point in time under discussion. "hitherto part of French West Africa, Benin achieved independence in 1960"

Question 36

gentry

Answer 36

``` noun people of good social position, specifically the class of people next below the nobility in position and birth. "a member of the landed gentry" ```

Question 37

emanate

Answer 37

verb (of a feeling, quality, or sensation) issue or spread out from (a source). "warmth emanated from the fireplace" originate from; be produced by. "the proposals emanated from a committee" give out or emit (a feeling, quality, or sensation). "he emanated a powerful brooding air"

Question 38

promontory

Answer 38

noun a point of high land that juts out into the sea or a large lake; a headland. "a rocky promontory"

Question 39

bulrush

Answer 39

noun | a tall reedlike water plant with a dark brown velvety cylindrical head of numerous tiny flowers.

Question 40

mirthful

Answer 40

adjective full of mirth; merry or amusing. "mirthful laughter"

Question 41

ensconce

Answer 41

verb establish or settle (someone) in a comfortable, safe place. "Agnes ensconced herself in their bedroom"

Question 42

stupefaction

Answer 42

noun the state of being stupefied. "salesmen stood in bored stupefaction"

Question 43

corollary

Answer 43

noun/adjective a proposition that follows from (and is often appended to) one already proved. a direct or natural consequence or result. forming a proposition that follows from one already proved. associated or supplementary. "the court did not answer a corollary question"

Question 44

avail

Answer 44

``` verb help or benefit. "no amount of struggle availed Charles" use or take advantage of (an opportunity or available resource). "you can avail discounts on food" ```

Question 45

salacious

Answer 45

adjective having or conveying undue or inappropriate interest in sexual matters. "salacious stories"

Question 46

abhor

Answer 46

verb regard with disgust and hatred. "he abhorred sexism in every form"

Question 47

fulcrum

Answer 47

noun a thing that plays a central or essential role in an activity, event, or situation. "research is the fulcrum of the academic community"

Question 48

surreptitious

Answer 48

adjective kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of. "low wages were supplemented by surreptitious payments from tradesmen"

Question 49

foibles

Answer 49

noun a minor weakness or eccentricity in someone's character. "they have to tolerate each other's little foibles"

Question 50

recompense

Answer 50

verb/noun make amends to (someone) for loss or harm suffered; compensate. "offenders should recompense their victims" pay or reward (someone) for effort or work "he was handsomely recompensed" compensation or reward given for loss or harm suffered or effort made. "adequate recompense for workers who lose their jobs"

Question 51

encroach

Answer 51

verb intrude on (a person's territory, rights, personal life, etc.). "rather than encroach on his privacy she might have kept to her room" advance gradually beyond usual or acceptable limits. "the sea has encroached all round the coast"

Question 52

slovenly

Answer 52

adjective (especially of a person or their appearance) untidy and dirty. "a fat, slovenly ex-rock star" (especially of a person or action) careless; excessively casual. "slovenly speech"

Question 53

modicum

Answer 53

noun a small quantity of a particular thing, especially something desirable or valuable. "his statement had a modicum of truth"

Question 54

bereft

Answer 54

adjective deprived of or lacking (something). "her room was stark and bereft of colour" (of a person) sad and lonely, especially through someone's death or departure. "his death in 1990 left her bereft"

Question 55

remuneration

Answer 55

noun money paid for work or a service. "they work in excess of their contracted hours for no additional remuneration"

Question 56

racy

Answer 56

adjective lively, entertaining, and typically sexually titillating. "the novel was considered rather racy at the time" showing vigour or spirit. (of a wine, flavour, etc.) having a characteristic quality in a high degree. (of a vehicle or animal) designed or bred to be suitable for racing. "the yacht is fast and racy"

Question 57

prise

Answer 57

verb use force in order to move, move apart, or open (something). "I tried to prise Joe's fingers away from the stick" obtain something from (someone) with effort or difficulty. "I got the loan, though I had to prise it out of him"

Question 58

nigh

Answer 58

``` adverb/adjective/preposition almost. "a car weighing nigh on two tons" at or to a short distance away. "they drew nigh unto the city" located a short distance away. "the end is nigh" at or to a short distance away from (a place). "she wanders but seems to remain nigh the sea" ```

Question 59

nebulous

Answer 59

``` adjective in the form of a cloud or haze; hazy. "a giant nebulous glow" (of a concept) vague or ill-defined. "nebulous concepts like quality of life" ```

Question 60

sullen

Answer 60

adjective bad-tempered and sulky. "a sullen pout"

Question 61

remiss

Answer 61

adjective lacking care or attention to duty; negligent. "it would be very remiss of me not to pass on that information"

Question 62

vagary

Answer 62

noun an unexpected and inexplicable change in a situation or in someone's behaviour. "the vagaries of the weather"

Question 63

unvarnished

Answer 63

not covered with varnish. "unvarnished woodwork" (of a statement or manner) plain and straightforward. "please tell me the unvarnished truth"

Question 64

niggle

Answer 64

verb/noun cause slight but persistent annoyance, discomfort, or anxiety. "Doreen wanted to discuss matters that niggled at her mind" criticize or annoy (someone) in a petty way. "people niggling me for doing too much work" a trivial criticism, discomfort, or annoyance. "it is an excellent book except for my few niggles"

Question 65

languid

Answer 65

adjective (of a person, manner, or gesture) having or showing a disinclination for physical exertion or effort. "his languid demeanour irritated her" (of a period of time) relaxed and peaceful. "the terrace was perfect for languid days in the Italian sun" weak or faint from illness or fatigue. "she was pale, languid, and weak, as if she had delivered a child"

Question 66

red herring

Answer 66

a clue or piece of information which is or is intended to be misleading or distracting. "the book is fast-paced, exciting, and full of red herrings"

Question 67

convivial

Answer 67

adjective (of an atmosphere or event) friendly, lively, and enjoyable. "a convivial cocktail party" (of a person) cheerful and friendly; jovial. "she was relaxed and convivial"

Question 68

parlous

Answer 68

``` adjective/adverb full of danger or uncertainty; precarious. "the parlous state of the economy" greatly or excessively. "she is parlous handsome" ```

Question 69

ruse

Answer 69

noun an action intended to deceive someone; a trick. "Emma tried to think of a ruse to get Paul out of the house"

Question 70

happy as a lark

Answer 70

Look at me – eighty-two years old and happy as a lark!