Vocab 10

Question 1

Arredrar

Answer 1

(to scare off, to intimidate)
💬 No se arredró ante el peligro y siguió adelante con su plan.
⚠️ Literary/formal. Often used in negative form: no se arredra = doesn’t flinch/cower.

Question 2

Variopinto

Answer 2

(diverse, mixed, colourful in variety)
💬 Una multitud variopinta se reunió frente al parlamento.
⚠️ Can refer to people, clothes, opinions — anything that’s diverse or eclectic.

Question 3

Periplo

Answer 3

(voyage, journey); also used metaphorically
💬 Su periplo por Asia duró más de un año.
⚠️ Often has a slightly epic or adventurous tone — not just a casual trip.

Question 4

Zarandear

Answer 4

(to shake violently or jostle)
💬 El niño lo zarandeó para que se despertara.
⚠️ Also used figuratively: zarandear a alguien con críticas = shake them up emotionally.

Question 5

Penuria

Answer 5

(hardship, poverty, shortage)
💬 Vivieron años de penuria tras la guerra.
⚠️ Used mostly in contexts of poverty, famine, or extreme lack.

Question 6

Penacho

Answer 6

(plume, tuft)
💬 El casco llevaba un penacho rojo en la parte superior.
⚠️ Also found in volcano/lava descriptions (a penacho de humo = plume of smoke).

Question 7

Argolla

Answer 7

(metal ring)
💬 Ataron el barco a una argolla de hierro en el muelle.
⚠️ Can also be used metaphorically: estar atado a una argolla = trapped or tied down.

Question 8

Arandela

Answer 8

(washer)
💬 No te olvides de poner la arandela antes de apretar el tornillo.
⚠️ More mechanical or technical than “argolla.” Often confused with “grillete.”

Question 9

Grillet

Answer 9

(shackle)
💬 Los esclavos llevaban grilletes en los tobillos.
⚠️ Very strong image — implies captivity, slavery, imprisonment.

Question 10

cáñamo

Answer 10

(hemp)
💬 Las velas estaban sujetas con cuerdas de cáñamo.
⚠️ Sometimes confused with cannabis (same plant family); used here for rope-making.

Question 11

Estopa

Answer 11

(tow, coarse fiber)
💬 Usaron estopa para tapar la grieta de la pared.
⚠️ Also colloquial in Spain: dar estopa = give a beating / criticism / attack hard

Question 12

cañamón

Answer 12

(hemp seed)
💬 Compró cañamón para sus canarios.
⚠️ Rare word unless talking about bird feed or agriculture.

Question 13

Palear

Answer 13

(to shovel)
💬 Pasó horas paleando nieve del camino.
⚠️ Can also mean “to hit” or “to fight” in Rioplatense Spanish (e.g. Argentina/Uruguay): se palearon = they fought.

Question 14

Tapizar

Answer 14

(to upholster, to cover).
💬 Tapizó el sofá con terciopelo rojo.
💬 La pared estaba tapizada de carteles.
⚠️ Used in design and in literary contexts (walls “tapizadas de recuerdos”).

Question 15

Artesonado

Answer 15

(coffered ceiling).
💬 El palacio conserva un artesonado mudéjar impresionante.
⚠️ Architectural term, found in historical buildings, especially Spanish heritage.