word (l1 - 63)

Question 1

preamble

Answer 1

An introduction to a text.
-The most recognized preamble—the beginning of the United States Constitution—was written by Thomas Jefferson.

Question 2

presage

Answer 2

To indicate something (usually bad) is about to happen.
- The sudden loss of jobs presaged an economic downturn.

Question 3

prescient

Answer 3

Having knowledge of something before it happens.
-Kevin was so prescient—predicting the winners of the last five World Series —that his friends joked he was psychic

Question 4

predilection

Answer 4

If someone has a predilection for something, they like it a lot:
-Ever since she was a child, she has had a predilection for spicy food.

Question 4

precipitate

Answer 4

Rash, acting without thinking.
-An invasion would certainly precipitate a political crisis.
-Fear of losing her job precipitated (= suddenly forced) her into action.

Question 5

predicate

Answer 5

to say that something is true:
[ + that ] It would be unwise to predicate that the disease is caused by a virus before further tests have been carried out.

Question 6

presentiment

Answer 6

a feeling that something, especially something unpleasant, is going to happen:
She had had a presentiment of what might lie ahead.

Question 7

pretentious

Answer 7

trying to appear or sound more important or clever than you are, especially in matters of art and literature:
- a pretentious art critic
- After returning from Europe, Dwight behaved in a pretentious way, speaking with a foreign accent and telling all his friends they had no idea what they were missing.

Question 7

precedent

Answer 7

an action, situation, or decision that has already happened and can be used as a reason why a similar action or decision should be performed or made:
- There are several precedents for promoting people who don’t have formal qualifications.
-Some politicians fear that agreeing to the concession would set a dangerous precedent.

Question 8

pretense

Answer 8

A claim or assertion not based on fact.
-He finally dropped the pretense that everything was fine and began listing his complaints.

Question 9

predecessor

Answer 9

One that comes before, often a person who previously held a position
before passing it on to someone else.

Question 10

precursor

Answer 10

Something that comes before another; used only for things, not for
people.
-Sulphur dioxide is the main precursor of acid rain.
-Biological research has often been a precursor to medical breakthroughs.

Question 11

pretext

Answer 11

a pretended reason for doing something that is used to hide the real reason:
-The border dispute was used as a pretext for military intervention.
- I called her on the pretext of needing more information.

Question 12

precocious

Answer 12

(especially of children) showing mental development or achievement much earlier than usual:
-A precocious child, she went to university at the age of 15.
-She recorded her first CD at the precocious age of twelve.

Question 13

preclude

Answer 13

to prevent something or make it impossible, or prevent someone from doing something:
-His contract precludes him from discussing his work with anyone outside the company.
-The fact that your application was not successful this time does not preclude the possibility of you applying again next time.

Question 14

tantalize

Answer 14

To torment someone with something they want without ever giving it to
them.
-The photos of white sand beaches he hung in his office merely tantalized Robert; he never could find time for a vacation.

Question 14

pyrrhic

Answer 14

Describing a victory that comes with a heavy cost.
-Becoming the citywide spelling bee champ was a pyrrhic victory for Shannon; she spent so much time studying that she had few friends.

Question 14

laconic

Answer 14

Using as few words as possible when speaking
-Hollywood often portrays cowboys as laconic types, who mutter no more than a few syllables as replies.

Question 15

draconian

Answer 15

Draconian laws, government actions, etc. are extremely severe, or go further than what is right or necessary:
-draconian laws/methods
-He criticized the draconian measures taken by the police in controlling the demonstrators.

Question 16

jeremiad

Answer 16

A long speech full of complaints
-The critic delivers regular jeremiads against the contemporary art world.

Question 17

cicerone

Answer 17

A guide who gives speeches to sightseers.

Question 18

nemesis

Answer 18

One who constantly works to ensure another’s downfall,(a cause of) punishment or defeat that is deserved and cannot be avoided:

• No matter how well Greg played soccer, his nemesis, the fleet-footed Betty, always outplayed him.
• The tax increases proved to be the president’s political nemesis.

Question 19

platonic

Answer 19

Describes a close relationship that has no romantic or sexual basis.
-The two had a platonic relationship, sharing gourmet recipes, works of literature, and classical music CDs.

Question 20

thespian

Answer 20

An actor.
-Rita was quite the thespian, acting in all of her school’s plays.
-

actor

Question 21

spartan

Answer 21

simple and severe with no comfort: -a spartan diet/meal -spartan living conditions -They lead a spartan life, with very few comforts and no luxuries.

Question 22

juggernaut

Answer 22

An unstoppable, destructive force or thing. -Health care has turned into something of a juggernaut in the economy recently. -Concerns have been expressed that the FTSE 100 juggernaut could be slowed by the impact of a rising dollar. -commercial/economic/financial juggernaut

Question 23

maudlin

Answer 23

feeling sad and sorry for yourself, especially after you have drunk a lot of alcohol -During the non-serving period the scene inside was more maudlin magnified.

Question 24

hector

Answer 24

To bully (usually through words). -Furthermore, the style is all too desperate, too hectoring.

Question 25

nonchalant

Answer 25

Giving off a sense of calmness and coolness. - Katy lulled opponents by nonchalantly walking onto the court; only when the whistle blew did she explode with ferocity. ## Footnote carefree , casual

Question 26

adroit

Answer 26

very skilful and quick in the way you think or move: -an adroit reaction/answer/movement of the hand -She became adroit at dealing with difficult questions.

Question 27

chicanery

Answer 27

clever, dishonest talk or behaviour that is used to deceive people: The investigation revealed political chicanery and corruption at the highest levels. ## Footnote guile

Question 28

demur

Answer 28

to express disagreement or refuse to do something: -The lawyer requested a break in the court case, but the judge demurred.

Question 29

insouciant

Answer 29

relaxed and happy, with no feelings of worry or guilt: -He sometimes seems insouciant to the point of carelessness. -It is easy to see where her reputation for insouciant charm has come from.

Question 30

arriviste

Answer 30

a person who is trying to move into a higher class in society ## Footnote parvenu

Question 31

parvenu

Answer 31

A person who has recently gained status or celebrity. ## Footnote arriviste

Question 32

rapport

Answer 32

a good understanding of someone and an ability to communicate well with them: -We'd worked together for years and developed a close/good rapport. -She has an excellent rapport with her staff.

Question 33

passé

Answer 33

No longer in fashion. -Over the years her style has become passé—after all, who wears pastels these days?

Question 34

cache

Answer 34

A collection of items hidden or stored away for future use. -The bears had discovered the campers’ food cache, making away with everything from sugar-coated cereal to beef jerky.

Question 35

raconteur

Answer 35

someone who tells funny or interesting stories: - He was a brilliant raconteur. ## Footnote storyteller

Question 36

sortie

Answer 36

a short journey to somewhere you have not been before, often with a particular purpose:, a short, quick attack by a military force, such as a small group of soldiers or an aircraft, made against an enemy position:,an attempt to do something: - A series of sorties was carried out at night by specially equipped aircraft. - -It was our first sortie into the shopping centre. -This is the acclaimed historian John Taylor's first sortie into fiction.

Question 37

gauche

Answer 37

awkward and uncomfortable with other people, especially because young and without experience: -She had grown from a gauche teenager to a self-assured young woman.

Question 38

sangfroid

Answer 38

the ability to stay calm in a difficult or dangerous situation -I congratulate her on the elegance and sangfroid with which she stood on her head. -It brings back the humour and sangfroid that makes the genre work.

Question 39

liaison

Answer 39

communication between people or groups who work with each other: -He blamed the lack of liaison between the various government departments. -The police have appointed a liaison officer to work with the local community.

Question 40

envoy

Answer 40

A messenger, usually on a diplomatic mission. -During medieval times, being an envoy was a perilous job, given the constant threats from bandits.

Question 41

sans

Answer 41

Typically a facetious way of saying “without.” -A roundabout way of saying naked is “sans clothing.” -It's great to have a grown-up meal in a restaurant, sans kids!

Question 42

filial

Answer 42

of a son or daughter: -filial duty/respect/affection - At least Jamie recognised some filial bond.

Question 43

droll

Answer 43

humorous, especially in an unusual way: - a droll remark/expression/person

Question 44

faux pas

Answer 44

words or behaviour that are a social mistake or not polite: - make a faux pas I made some remark about his wife's family, and then realized I'd made a serious faux pas. ## Footnote gaffe

Question 45

in lieu of

Answer 45

In place of, substitute. A good online dictionary can be used in lieu of a traditional desktop dictionary.

Question 46

enfant terrible

Answer 46

A person whose commentary or behavior is aimed to shock. - Lady Gaga, the pop music artist, was seen by many as an enfant terrible for wearing a dress made out of meat during the MTV music awards

Question 47

tête-à-tête

Answer 47

A private conversation between two people.

Question 48

savoir vivre

Answer 48

A familiarity and ease with polite society.

Question 49

savoir faire

Answer 49

the ability to do and say the right thing in any social situation: - She possesses great savoir-faire.

Question 50

esprit de corps

Answer 50

the feelings, such as being proud and loyal, shared by members of a group of people: -His leadership kept the team's esprit de corps intact during difficult periods.

Question 51

poltergeist

Answer 51

A ghost that supposedly causes noisy disturbances in the environment. -Though home alone, Mark and Lisa heard the sound of crashing dishes from downstairs; Mark shrugged and said, “Poltergeist.”

Question 52

kitsh

Answer 52

Cheap art whose owners are usually aware of its lack of value. Greta’s house was full of kitsch: amateur sketches of sunsets, plastic trinkets, and unidentifiable items she’d picked up at a bazaar.

Question 53

doppelganger

Answer 53

A person who looks remarkably like another person. -Many believe that each one of us has a doppelganger walking around, a virtual twin.

Question 54

kaput

Answer 54

not working correctly: The radio's kaput. ## Footnote broken

Question 55

verboten

Answer 55

not allowed. This was originally a German word meaning "forbidden": - Talking politics at work used to be verboten - just like discussing sex and religion. - He claimed that the unjust treatment of Native Americans is a verboten subject in many American schools.

Question 56

zeitgeist

Answer 56

the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time. - "the story captured the zeitgeist of the late 1960s"

Question 57

schadenfreude

Answer 57

pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune. "a business that thrives on schadenfreude"

Question 58

bildungsroman

Answer 58

a story, especially in the form of a novel (= a long, printed story about imaginary events), that is about events and experiences in the life of the main character as they grow up and become an adult: -Harry Potter can be seen as a seven-volume bildungsroman. -His autobiography begins as a kind of Bildungsroman, wherein he relates his progress through Hungary's Catholic schools.

Question 59

citadel

Answer 59

A fortress standing above and protecting a city. -Once the citadel had fallen to the marauders, the residents lost hope of defending their city.

Question 60

burlesque

Answer 60

a type of writing or acting that tries to make something serious seem stupid and funny: -The dance scene is in part a burlesque of Bollywood films. -The political burlesques are not very hard-hitting and rather bland.

Question 61

pastiche

Answer 61

A mixture of elements that typically don’t go together. The television show was a pastiche of 1970s sitcoms and 1980s science- fictional dramas.

Question 61

archipelago

Answer 61

A cluster of islands -the Hawaiian archipelago

Question 62

salvo

Answer 62

the action of firing several guns at the same time, either in a war or in a ceremony:, a sudden loud sound made by many people at the same time: -a salvo of guns/rockets -Every joke the comedian made was greeted by a salvo of laughter from the audience.

Question 63

imbroglio

Answer 63

an unwanted, difficult, and confusing situation, full of trouble and problems: -The Soviet Union became anxious to withdraw its soldiers from the Afghan imbroglio.

Question 64

littoral

Answer 64

the part of a river, lake, or sea close to the land: - The littoral zone covers the region between high and low tide.

Question 65

bravado

Answer 65

courage that you show, especially by doing something unnecessary and dangerous, to make people admire you: -act of bravado It was an act of bravado to tell his boss to resign. -These are young men full of bravado.

Question 66

manifesto

Answer 66

a written statement of the beliefs, aims, and policies of an organization, especially a political party: -In their election manifesto, the Liberal Democrats proposed increasing taxes to pay for improvements in education.

Question 67

ruffian

Answer 67

A person inclined to violence and criminal behavior. -The town had become much safer, compared to the early days when ruffians would prowl the street looking for victims. ## Footnote hooligan

Question 68

dilettante

Answer 68

a person who is or seems to be interested in a subject, but whose understanding of it is not very deep or serious: - He's a bit of a dilettante as far as wine is concerned.

Question 69

cognoscenti

Answer 69

a group of people who have a great knowledge and understanding of a particular subject, especially one of the arts: - Not being one of the cognoscenti, I failed to understand the ballet's subtler points.

Question 70

intelligentsia

Answer 70

very educated people in a society, especially those interested in the arts and in politics

Question 71

guru

Answer 71

a person skilled in something who gives advice: a management guru a lifestyle guru

Question 72

bungalow

Answer 72

A low, one-story house, usually with a large porch or veranda. The family would retreat to their country bungalow, where they’d enjoy long Sunday afternoons sipping tea on the veranda.

Question 73

pundit

Answer 73

a person who knows a lot about a particular subject and is therefore often asked to give an opinion about it: a political/foreign-policy/sports pundit

Question 74

karma

Answer 74

In Hinduism and Buddhism, the determination of one’s fate by one’s actions.

Question 75

mantra

Answer 75

An oft-repeated phrase or slogan.

Question 76

avatar

Answer 76

an image that represents you in online games, chat rooms, etc. and that you can move around the screen: You can talk to other avatars with your words displayed in a cartoon bubble.

Question 77

pariah

Answer 77

a person who is not accepted by a social group, especially because they are not liked, respected, or trusted: - The scandal transformed him into a pariah. - He worried that his stammer would make him a social pariah

Question 78

wanderlust

Answer 78

the wish to travel far away and to many different places: - In July wanderlust takes over the whole nation.

Question 79

cosmopolitan

Answer 79

containing or having experience of people and things from many different parts of the world: -New York is a highly cosmopolitan city.

Question 80

insular

Answer 80

Closed off from the rest of the world, unfamiliar with other cultures. Since the dictator had closed off the country from foreign influence, the populace was becoming more insular with each passing year.

Question 81

provincial

Answer 81

Narrow-minded, unexposed to different cultures or ideas.

Question 82

jaunt

Answer 82

a short journey for pleasure, sometimes including a stay: a Sunday jaunt into the hills

Question 83

parochial

Answer 83

Having a narrow or limited perspective. - a parochial view/opinion - Although it's just a local paper, it somehow manages not to be too parochial in its outlook.

Question 84

junket

Answer 84

a journey or visit made for pleasure by an official that is paid for by someone else or with public money

Question 85

sedulous

Answer 85

careful and using a lot of effort: - It was agreed that the few students sedulous enough to read the book deserved top marks for diligence.

Question 86

restive

Answer 86

unwilling to be controlled or be patient: - The audience was becoming restive as they waited for the performance to begin.

Question 87

peruse

Answer 87

to read through something, especially in order to find the part you are interested in: -He opened a newspaper and began to peruse the personal ads.

Question 88

punctilious

Answer 88

very careful to behave correctly or to give attention to details: He was always punctilious in his manners.

Question 89

equivocate

Answer 89

to speak in a way that is intentionally not clear and confusing to other people, especially to hide the truth: - She accused the minister of equivocating, claiming that he had deliberately avoided telling the public how bad the problem really was.

Question 90

predicament

Answer 90

an unpleasant situation that is difficult to get out of: She is hoping to get a loan from her bank to help her out of her financial predicament. ## Footnote mess , plight

Question 91

prepossessing

Answer 91

interesting, attractive, or impressive: -He wasn't a very prepossessing sort of person. -The box didn't look very prepossessing, but the necklace inside was beautiful.

Question 92

gratuitous

Answer 92

(of something such as bad behaviour) not necessary, or with no cause: - gratuitous sex/violence A lot of viewers complained that there was too much gratuitous sex and violence in the film.

Question 93

intemperate

Answer 93

showing anger or violence that is too extreme and not well controlled: -an intemperate outburst -intemperate language -The governor said he would not be provoked into intemperate action.

Question 94

burnish

Answer 94

If you burnish something such as your public image, you take action to improve it and make it more attractive: The company is currently trying to burnish its socially responsible image.

Question 95

quiescent

Answer 95

temporarily quiet and not active: The political situation was now relatively quiescent.

Question 96

redress

Answer 96

to put right a wrong or give payment for a wrong that has been done: Most managers, politicians and bosses are men - how can women redress the balance (= make the situation fairer and more equal)?

Question 97

remiss

Answer 97

careless and not doing a duty well enough: -You have been remiss in your duties. -[ + to infinitive ] It was remiss of me to forget to give you the message.

Question 98

preeminent

Answer 98

more important or powerful than all others: - He was the preeminent scientist of his day.

Question 99

mannerism

Answer 99

something that a person does repeatedly with their face, hands, or voice, and that they may not realize they are doing: -He's got some very strange mannerisms. -We've spent so much time together that we've picked up each other's mannerisms.

Question 100

placid

Answer 100

having a calm appearance or characteristics: -a slow-moving and placid river -the placid pace of village life -She was a very placid (= calm and not easily excited) child who slept all night and hardly ever cried.

Question 101

rambunctious

Answer 101

full of energy and difficult to control: -rambunctious children -a lively and rambunctious puppy

Question 102

susurrus

Answer 102

a soft, low noise like someone whispering (= speaking using their breath but not their voice): -The harsh cry of a seagull startled him; the soft rolling susurrus of the surf stole into his consciousness. -The bored children kept up a low susurrus of impatience and discontent.

Question 103

murmur

Answer 103

to speak or say something very quietly: [ + speech ] "I love you," she murmured. He was murmuring to himself.

Question 104

raucous

Answer 104

loud and unpleasant: -I heard the raucous call of the crows. -Raucous laughter came from the next room. -The party was becoming rather raucous.

Question 105

hubbub

Answer 105

a loud noise, especially caused by a lot of people all talking at the same time: -I could hardly hear myself speak above all the hubbub in the bar.

Question 106

obstreperous

Answer 106

difficult to deal with and noisy: - obstreperous customers

Question 107

prudent

Answer 107

careful and avoiding risks: [ + to infinitive ] It's always prudent to read a contract carefully before signing it.

Question 108

wary

Answer 108

not completely trusting or certain about something or someone: I'm a little wary of/about giving people my address when I don't know them very well.

Question 109

impetuous

Answer 109

said or done suddenly, without considering the likely results,likely to do something suddenly, without considering the results of your actions: : The governor may now be regretting her impetuous promise to reduce unemployment by half.

Question 110

heedless

Answer 110

not giving attention to a risk or possible difficulty: Heedless destruction of the rainforests is contributing to global warming. heedless of Journalists had insisted on getting to the front line of the battle, heedless of the risks.

Question 111

chary

Answer 111

uncertain and frightened to take risks, or unwilling to take action: I'm a bit chary of using a travel agency that doesn't have official registration.

Question 112

rash

Answer 112

careless or unwise, without thought for what might happen or result: That was a rash decision - you didn't think about the costs involved.

Question 113

reticent

Answer 113

unwilling to speak about your thoughts or feelings: He is very reticent about his past. Most of the students were reticent about answering questions. ## Footnote shy

Question 114

garrulous

Answer 114

Speaking more than necessary, chatty. While many faulted Nate for being garrulous, it was just his way of building rapport.

Question 115

verbose

Answer 115

using or containing more words than are necessary: a verbose explanation/report/speech/style He was a notoriously verbose after-dinner speaker.

Question 116

taciturn

Answer 116

tending not to speak much: He's a reserved, taciturn person.

Question 117

mince

Answer 117

To not speak directly for fear of offending.

Question 118

hedge

Answer 118

to protect oneself financially —usually used with against -in order to hedge against inflation

Question 119

loquacious

Answer 119

Talkative, long-winded.

Question 120

palaver

Answer 120

Idle chatter.

Question 121

cornucopia

Answer 121

a large amount or supply of something, or something that provides this: cornucopia of The table held a veritable cornucopia of every kind of food or drink you could want. This book is a cornucopia of facts and folklore about tigers. Our supermarkets are veritable cornucopias.

Question 122

legion

Answer 122

very large in number: -The difficulties surrounding the court case are legion.

Question 123

surfeit

Answer 123

an amount that is too large, or is more than is needed: The country has a surfeit of cheap labour.

Question 124

glut

Answer 124

a supply of something that is much greater than can be sold or is needed or wanted: -glut on/in the market The fall in demand for coffee could cause a glut on/in the market. -glut of The current glut of graduates means that many of them will not be able to find jobs.

Question 125

multitude

Answer 125

a large number of things: [ U ] Two large circles are surrounded by a multitude of small, colorful squares. [ pl ] As manager of the restaurant, his job is to feed the multitudes (= large numbers of people).

Question 126

myriad

Answer 126

a very large number of something: - a myriad of choices - And now myriads of bars and hotels are opening up along the coast.

Question 127

plethora

Answer 127

a very large amount of something, especially a larger amount than you need, want, or can deal with: -There's a plethora of books about the royal family. -The plethora of regulations is both contradictory and confusing.

Question 128

copious

Answer 128

in large amounts, or more than enough: They drank copious amounts of wine. He took copious notes during the lecture.

Question 129

paucity

Answer 129

the fact that there is too little of something: There is a paucity of information on the ingredients of many cosmetics.

Question 130

superfluous

Answer 130

more than is needed or wanted: The report was marred by a mass of superfluous detail.

Question 131

wanting

Answer 131

not having something; lacking: I think she's perhaps a little wanting in charm.

Question 132

dearth

Answer 132

an amount or supply that is not large enough: a dearth of new homes in the region

Question 133

modicum

Answer 133

a small amount of something good such as truth or honesty: There's not even a modicum of truth in her statement. Anyone with a modicum of common sense could have seen that the plan wouldn't work.

Question 134

iota

Answer 134

an extremely small amount: I haven't seen one iota of evidence to support his claim.

Question 135

extraneous

Answer 135

not directly connected with or related to something: extraneous information All extraneous information has been removed from the report. extraneous to These questions are extraneous to the issue being discussed.

Question 136

dogmatic

Answer 136

If you are dogmatic, you are certain that you are right and that everyone else is wrong. - William became dogmatic in his insistence on the superiority of his wine, stating its many excellent attributes, even though we all found it undrinkable

Question 137

didactic

Answer 137

intended to teach people a moral lesson: -didactic literature

Question 138

retract

Answer 138

to take back an offer or statement, etc. or admit that a statement was false: -retract an invitation/confession/promise -When questioned on TV, he retracted his allegations.

Question 139

assertive

Answer 139

Someone who is assertive behaves confidently and is not frightened to say what they want or believe: -If you really want the promotion, you'll have to be more assertive.

Question 140

repudiate

Answer 140

to refuse to accept something or someone as true, good, or reasonable: -He repudiated the allegation/charge/claim that he had tried to deceive them. -I utterly repudiate those remarks.

Question 141

adamant

Answer 141

impossible to persuade, or unwilling to change an opinion or decision: [ + that ] I've told her she should stay at home and rest but she's adamant that she's coming.

Question 142

doctrinaire

Answer 142

based on and following fixed beliefs rather than considering practical problems: -He has a somewhat doctrinaire approach to running the company.

Question 143

voracious

Answer 143

very eager for something, especially a lot of food: -He has a voracious appetite (= he eats a lot). -He's a voracious reader of historical novels (= he reads a lot of them eagerly and quickly).

Question 144

ascetic

Answer 144

avoiding physical pleasures and living a simple life, often for religious reasons: They live a very ascetic life.

Question 145

abstemious

Answer 145

Refraining from drinking or eating too much. -In an effort to be kind to his liver, Harold became abstemious, drastically cutting his vodka intake.

Question 146

insatiable

Answer 146

(especially of a desire or need) too great to be satisfied: -insatiable appetite/desire/hunger Like so many politicians, he had an insatiable appetite/desire/hunger for power. -insatiable curiosity Nothing, it seemed, would satisfy his insatiable curiosity.

Question 147

sate

Answer 147

to satisfy someone by giving them something that is wanted or needed: -He searched for a book that would sate his desire for all the details of Olympic history.

Question 148

gourmand

Answer 148

Person who enjoys fine food, typically to excess.

Question 149

ravenous

Answer 149

extremely hungry: I'm ravenous - where's supper? Growing boys have ravenous appetites.

Question 150

hoodwink

Answer 150

to deceive or trick someone: hoodwink someone into doing something He hoodwinked us into agreeing.

Question 151

charlatan

Answer 151

Someone who pretends to have knowledge they don’t to hoodwink you. “Fake it till you make it” is the credo of the charlatan, who will try to pass off phony knowledge

Question 152

steadfast

Answer 152

staying the same for a long time and not changing quickly or unexpectedly: -a steadfast friend/ally -steadfast loyalty -The group remained steadfast in its support for the new system, even when it was criticized in the newspapers.

Question 153

bilk

Answer 153

to get money from someone unfairly or dishonestly: He bilked clients out of tens of millions of dollars.

Question 154

ruse

Answer 154

a trick intended to deceive someone, a clever trick : It was just a ruse to distract her while his partner took the money.

Question 155

bamboozle

Answer 155

to trick or deceive someone, often by confusing them : -Don't get bamboozled by all the jargon. -She was bamboozled into telling them her credit card number.

Question 156

stalwart

Answer 156

loyal, especially for a long time; able to be trusted: She has been a stalwart supporter of the party for many years.

Question 157

fidelity

Answer 157

honest or lasting support, or loyalty, especially to a sexual partner: -marital fidelity Somerset Maugham's comedy of marital fidelity, "The Constant Wife" -sexual fidelity How important do you think sexual fidelity is in a marriage?

Question 158

laud

Answer 158

to praise: The German leadership lauded the Russian initiative.

Question 159

lionize

Answer 159

To treat as a celebrity. In certain parts of the country, some hometowns lionize their high school teams and players the way they would professional athletes.

Question 160

deprecate

Answer 160

to not approve of something or say that you do not approve of something: -We deprecate this use of company funds for political purposes. | To express disapproval.

Question 161

derisory

Answer 161

Derisive, putting down someone or something.

Question 162

hail

Answer 162

To praise or acclaim, usually loudly.

Question 163

approbative

Answer 163

expressing or manifesting praise or approval. “approbative criticism”

Question 164

slight

Answer 164

small in amount or degree , To insult by ignoring. -Jeremy intended to slight Mark by not inviting him to his bachelor party.

Question 165

pejorative

Answer 165

expressing disapproval, or suggesting that something is not good or is of no importance: Make sure students realize that "fat" is a pejorative word. It comes as quite a shock to still hear a judge describing a child as "illegitimate", with all the pejorative overtones of that word.

Question 166

kudos

Answer 166

Praise given for a job well done. Every Friday, the company encouraged a round of kudos, in which each employee praised a fellow coworker for something they had done well during the week.

Question 167

venerate

Answer 167

to honour or very much respect a person or thing: Robert Burns is Scotland's most venerated poet.

Question 168

belittle

Answer 168

to make a person or an action seem as if he, she or it is not important: Though she had spent hours fixing the computer, he belittled her efforts. Stop belittling yourself - your work is highly valued.

Question 169

commend

Answer 169

to formally praise someone or something: -The judge commended her for/on her bravery. -For a low-budget film, it has much to commend it (= it deserves praise). -It says on the back cover of the book "highly commended".

Question 170

revere

Answer 170

to very much respect and admire someone or something: = Nelson Mandela is revered for his brave fight against apartheid.

Question 171

phlegmatic

Answer 171

A phlegmatic person does not usually get emotional or excited about things: = As a football player, his great asset was his calm, phlegmatic manner.

Question 172

indolence

Answer 172

the state of showing no real interest or effort: - After a sudden burst of activity, the team lapsed back into indolence. - The people feel trapped between the indolence and apathy of the authorities and fear of the criminals. ## Footnote Lazy

Question 173

vivacious

Answer 173

Lively and animated. She was vivacious one moment, lethargic the next, so quickly had the sedative taken effect. He brought along his wife, a vivacious blonde, some 20 years his junior. ## Footnote vibrant

Question 174

alacrity

Answer 174

speed and eagerness: She accepted the money with alacrity.

Question 175

torpid

Answer 175

not active; moving or thinking slowly, especially as a result of being lazy or feeling that you want to sleep: - If you have a sudden loss of cabin pressure at 20,000 feet, passengers will become torpid and then lose consciousness.

Question 176

ebullient

Answer 176

very energetic, positive, and happy: He wasn't his usual ebullient self. ## Footnote exuberant

Question 177

exuberant

Answer 177

(especially of people and their behaviour) very energetic: Young and exuberant, he symbolizes Italy's new vitality. ## Footnote ebullient

Question 178

industrious

Answer 178

An industrious person works hard: an industrious worker She's extremely competent and industrious.

Question 179

# ``` ``` lackadaisical

Answer 179

showing little enthusiasm and effort: The food was nice enough but the service was somewhat lackadaisical.

Question 180

feckless

Answer 180

Unmotivated, incompetent, irresponsible., weak in character and lacking determination: He was portrayed as a feckless drunk.

Question 181

bustle

Answer 181

to do things in a hurried and busy way: Thora bustled around the house, getting everything ready.

Question 182

dispatch

Answer 182

to send something, especially goods or a message, somewhere for a particular purpose: Two loads of cloth were dispatched to the factory on 12 December.

Question 183

celerity

Answer 183

speed

Question 184

assiduous

Answer 184

showing hard work, care, and attention to detail: - assiduous research/efforts - an assiduous student - The government has been assiduous in the fight against inflation.

Question 185

palindrome

Answer 185

A word or phrase that reads the same forward as it does backward, such as radar and kayak. The sentence “Go hang a salami, I’m a lasagna hog” is a palindrome.

Question 186

portmanteau

Answer 186

A word formed by parts of two other distinct words, such as smog, which consists of the sm from smoke + the og from fog. The word “electrocution” is a little-known portmanteau—a mash-up of the words “electricity” and “execution.”

Question 187

brunch

Answer 187

A late-morning meal that has elements of both breakfast and lunch. A delicious brunch is served at the new restaurant.

Question 188

neologism

Answer 188

A new word or expression. In the 1990s the word Internet was a neologism, though these days the term seems as though it has been around forever.

Question 189

archaic

Answer 189

of or belonging to an ancient period in history,Describing a very old word, typically no longer in use.: an archaic system of government an archaic law/rule/language ## Footnote ancient

Question 190

barbarism

Answer 190

extremely cruel and unpleasant behaviour: He witnessed some appalling acts of barbarism during the war. ## Footnote brutality,savagery

Question 191

tautology

Answer 191

the use of two words or phrases that express the same meaning, in a way that is unnecessary and usually unintentional: No one talks about "creative music", because it would be a tautology. Try to avoid repetition or tautology.

Question 192

eponymous

Answer 192

An eponymous adjective, place name, etc. is one that comes from the name of a person: Victorian, Wagnerian, and dickensian are all examples of eponymous adjectives.

Question 193

bombastic

Answer 193

forceful and confident in a way that is intended to be very powerful and impressive, but may not have much real meaning or effect: -His bombastic manner is a front for deep insecurity. -a bombastic preacher -a bombastic statement

Question 194

cryptic

Answer 194

mysterious and difficult to understand: I got a cryptic text message from Sam.

Question 195

turgid

Answer 195

(of speech, writing, style, etc.) boring and too serious about its subject matter: a couple of pages of turgid prose

Question 196

lucid

Answer 196

clearly expressed and easy to understand, or (of a person) thinking or speaking clearly: She gave a clear and lucid account of her plans for the company's future. The drugs she's taking make her drowsy and confused, but there are times when she's quite lucid.

Question 197

oblique

Answer 197

Indirect (describing communication).

Question 198

limpid

Answer 198

clear and transparent: a limpid pool

Question 199

sesquipedalian

Answer 199

A person inclined to using very long words.

Question 200

candid

Answer 200

honest and telling the truth, especially about something difficult or painful: The two presidents have had candid talks about the current crisis. To be candid with you, I think you're making a dreadful mistake. ## Footnote frankly , forthright

Question 201

pedantic

Answer 201

giving too much attention to formal rules or small details: They were being unnecessarily pedantic by insisting that Berry himself, and not his wife, should have made the announcement.

Question 202

erudite

Answer 202

having or containing a lot of knowledge that is known by very few people: He's the author of an erudite book on Scottish history.

Question 203

pedagogue

Answer 203

a teacher who gives too much attention to formal rules and is not interesting

Question 204

unlettered

Answer 204

Illiterate

Question 205

benighted

Answer 205

without knowledge or morals: Some of the early explorers thought of the local people as benighted savages who could be exploited.

Question 206

collegial

Answer 206

relating to a friendly relationship between colleagues (= people who work together): The organization has a welcoming collegial atmosphere.

Question 207

eminent

Answer 207

famous, respected, or important: an eminent historian

Question 208

churlish

Answer 208

rude, unfriendly, and unpleasant: They invited me to dinner and I thought it would be churlish to refuse.

Question 209

indiscreet

Answer 209

saying or doing things that tell people things that should be secret or that embarrass people: In an indiscreet moment, the president let his genuine opinions be known. indiscreet about They have been rather indiscreet about their affair.

Question 210

idiosyncrasy

Answer 210

a strange or unusual habit, way of behaving, or feature that someone or something has: little idiosyncrasy She often cracks her knuckles when she's speaking - it's one of her little idiosyncrasies. One of the idiosyncrasies of this printer is that you can't stop it once it has started.

Question 211

etiquette

Answer 211

the set of rules or customs that control accepted behaviour in particular social groups or social situations: -Social etiquette dictates that men cannot sit while women are standing. -Diplomatic etiquette forbids calling for the death of a national leader.

Question 212

impolitic

Answer 212

If words or actions are impolitic, they are unwise and likely to cause offence or problems, especially in social situations: I thought it impolitic to ask any questions about her ex-husband. ## Footnote inappropriate

Question 213

inscrutable

Answer 213

not showing emotions or thoughts and therefore very difficult to understand or get to know: an inscrutable face/expression/smile

Question 214

esoteric

Answer 214

very unusual and understood or liked by only a small number of people, especially those with special knowledge: -He has an esoteric collection of old toys and games. -disapproving or humorous She has a somewhat esoteric taste in clothes.

Question 215

currency

Answer 215

General use, acceptance, or prevalence. The notion that Pluto is no longer a planet still does not have currency in some circles.

Question 216

abstruse

Answer 216

not known or understood by many people: an abstruse philosophical essay

Question 217

pellucid

Answer 217

very clear and shining: the pellucid light of a spring morning the pellucid water

Question 218

recondite

Answer 218

not known about by many people and difficult to understand: We had to work from material that was both complex and recondite.

Question 219

arcane

Answer 219

mysterious and known only by a few people: - He was the only person who understood all the arcane details of the agreement. - This argument may seem arcane to those not closely involved in the world of finance.

Question 220

philistine

Answer 220

a person who refuses to see the beauty or the value of art or culture: - I wouldn't have expected them to enjoy a film of that quality anyway - they're just a bunch of philistines!

Question 221

ignoble

Answer 221

morally bad and making you feel ashamed: an ignoble action/idea

Question 222

base

Answer 222

Contemptible, low-minded. - When the defendant revealed that he had committed the crime solely for the money, the jury viewed his motive as base and ultimately found him guilty.

Question 223

contemptible

Answer 223

deserving contempt: Her behaviour was contemptible.

Question 224

contempt

Answer 224

a strong feeling of disliking and having no respect for someone or something: -contempt for At school she had complete contempt for all her teachers. -treat someone/somethingwith contempt You should treat those remarks with the contempt that they deserve. - beneath contempt She's beneath contempt (= I have no respect for her)!

Question 225

vulgar

Answer 225

not suitable, simple, dignified or beautiful; not in the style preferred by the upper classes of society: -a vulgar patterned shirt -Isn't it rather vulgar to talk about how much money you earn? -humorous I've no idea how much the clothes cost because there was nothing so vulgar as a price tag in evidence.

Question 226

wayward

Answer 226

Difficult to control.

Question 227

uncultivated

Answer 227

Lacking education or refinement.

Question 228

crescendo

Answer 228

a gradual increase in loudness, or the moment when a noise or piece of music is at its loudest,an increase in excitement, danger, or action: - The music reached a crescendo. - There has been a rising crescendo of violence in the region.

Question 229

coda

Answer 229

The concluding part of something. - The coda to the esteemed director’s career was a 15-minute compilation of highlights from his many beloved films. - In a coda to the main exhibition are various works that were once attributed to Rembrandt.

Question 230

mellifluous

Answer 230

having a pleasant and flowing sound: -a deep mellifluous voice -the mellifluous sound of the cello

Question 231

forte

Answer 231

a strong ability, something that a person can do well: Cooking was not exactly her forte.

Question 232

amplify

Answer 232

to increase the size or effect of something , to make something louder: - A funeral can amplify the feelings of regret and loss for the relatives. - to make something louder

Question 233

virtuoso

Answer 233

a person who is extremely skilled at something, especially at playing an instrument or performing: -Famous mainly for his wonderful voice, Cole Porter was also a virtuoso on the piano.

Question 234

dogged

Answer 234

very determined to continue doing something, or trying to do something, even when this is difficult or takes a long time: =She was a dogged advocate of the struggle against injustice. =He is dogged in his pursuit of his dreams.

Question 235

mulish

Answer 235

Stubborn, obstinate. Jimmy becomes mulish as soon as his mother asks him to do any chores.

Question 236

badger

Answer 236

To harass and pester. Though Phyllis told her little brother he couldn’t have the chocolate bar until the weekend, he continued to badger her about it.

Question 237

ape

Answer 237

to copy something or someone badly and unsuccessfully: He called the new building unoriginal and said that it merely aped the classical traditions.

Question 238

crow

Answer 238

to talk in a proud and annoying way about something you have done: He's always crowing about his latest triumph.

Question 239

slothful

Answer 239

lazy: slothful adolescents

Question 240

waspish

Answer 240

likely to make sharp, slightly cruel remarks; having a slightly angry and unpleasant manner: She had a waspish tongue which could hurt.

Question 241

bovine

Answer 241

Describing a person who is slow and unintelligent. Each morning Hal would shuffle around his kitchen with a bovine expression on his face—until he had his morning coffee and snapped to life.

Question 242

vulpine

Answer 242

clever and dishonest: Under pressure he revealed his vulpine nature.

Question 243

elephantine

Answer 243

very large: She's so tiny she makes me feel elephantine.

Question 244

simian

Answer 244

Relating to apes.

Question 245

ursine

Answer 245

Relating to bears.

Question 246

apian

Answer 246

Relating to bees.

Question 247

avian

Answer 247

Relating to birds.

Question 248

asinine

Answer 248

Describing a donkey; slow-witted.

Question 249

apostate

Answer 249

A person who rejects or abandons a strongly held belief. In increasing numbers, on both the political left and right, apostates have come to label themselves as “centrists” or “independents.”

Question 250

sanctimonious

Answer 250

acting as if morally better than others: sanctimonious religious leaders preaching about morality

Question 251

iconoclast

Answer 251

a person who strongly opposes generally accepted beliefs and traditions: Rogers, an iconoclast in architecture, is sometimes described as putting the insides of buildings on the outside.

Question 252

agnostic

Answer 252

someone who does not know, or believes that it is impossible to know, if a god exists: Although he was raised a Catholic, he was an agnostic for most of his adult life. The group includes atheists and agnostics as well as religious believers.

Question 253

sacrilege

Answer 253

(an act of) treating something holy or important without respect: [ + to infinitive ] Muslims consider it sacrilege to wear shoes inside a mosque. It would be a sacrilege to put a neon sign on that beautiful old building.

Question 254

inviolate

Answer 254

(that must be) not harmed or damaged: For centuries the tomb lay inviolate until, by chance, it was discovered by two miners.

Question 255

catholic

Answer 255

Universal.

Question 256

novitiate

Answer 256

A person new to a religious order, or any beginner in general. The ski novitiates gingerly made their way down the bunny slope, falling every few minutes.

Question 257

hagiography

Answer 257

Traditionally a biography of a saint, but today any writing that praises highly to the point of worship. -Some accounts of star athletes’ performances in the sports section read like hagiographies.

Question 258

syncretic

Answer 258

combining different religions, cultures, or ideas: syncretic religions

Question 259

desecrate

Answer 259

to damage or show no respect towards something holy or very much respected: -The mosque/shrine was desecrated by vandals. -It's a crime to desecrate the country's flag.

Question 260

ecclesiastical

Answer 260

Relating to a church or the clergy.

Question 261

priggish

Answer 261

Pretending to be religious and holy, but doing so as a pretext to look down on others. The inquisitor pointed at the condemned and gave them a sanctimonious lecture about the importance of faith. ## Footnote sanctimonious

Question 262

anathema

Answer 262

something that is strongly disliked or disapproved of: -Credit controls are anathema to the government. -For older employees, the new system is an anathema.

Question 263

ecumenical

Answer 263

Aimed at uniting many different churches.

Question 264

extenuate

Answer 264

to cause a wrong act to be judged less seriously by giving reasons for it: -He was unable to say anything that might have extenuated his behaviour.

Question 265

exonerate

Answer 265

to show or state that someone or something is not guilty of something: -exonerate someone from something The report exonerated the crew from all responsibility for the collision.

Question 266

execrate

Answer 266

to have or show feelings of hate towards someone or something: I execrate any policy that interferes with the rights and freedoms of others.

Question 267

expurgate

Answer 267

to remove parts of a piece of writing that are considered likely to cause offence: The book was expurgated to make it suitable for children.

Question 268

exude

Answer 268

If you exude love, confidence, pain, etc., you show that you have a lot of that feeling: exude confidence She just exudes confidence.

Question 269

expunge

Answer 269

to rub off or remove information from a piece of writing,to cause something to be forgotten: -be expunged from His name has been expunged from the list of members. -expunge something from your memory She has been unable to expunge the details of the accident from her memory.

Question 270

flout vs. flaunt

Answer 270

Flout means “to disregard in a scornful manner.” Flaunt means “to show off something in a very obvious manner.” “Everybody rolls through stop signs,” said Dmitri, once again flouting the rule—just as a police car pulled up behind him. Terry liked to flaunt his biceps, always finding an excuse to wear a short- sleeved T-shirt.

Question 271

discrete vs. discreet

Answer 271

Discrete means “separated into distinct groups.” Discreet means “not drawing attention to an activity that is generally kept private.” Though both deal with stars, astronomy and astrology are considered discrete realms of knowledge. The new student raised his hand discreetly and, in a barely audible whisper, asked the teacher whether he could go to the bathroom.

Question 272

affect (verb) vs. effect

Answer 272

Affect means “to cause something to happen.” Effect means “result, outcome.” The amount of sleep one receives each night affects one’s productivity the following day. One effect of not getting enough sleep is a drop in productivity.

Question 272

venal vs. venial

Answer 272

Venal means “open to corruption or bribery.” Venial means “forgivable or pardonable.” The judge was revealed to be venal, accepting bribes from the defense for a lighter sentence. Driving 10 miles over the speed limit, while clearly illegal, is venial compared to driving 30 miles over the speed limit.

Question 273

complacent vs. complaisant

Answer 273

Complacent means “satisfied in the moment, not thinking of the future.” Complaisant means “eager to please.” After receiving straight A’s, Carter became complacent and started turning his homework in late—by the next semester he had three C’s. The normally complaisant Jenny flat out refused to do any more housework.

Question 274

emigrate vs. immigrate

Answer 274

Emigrate means “to leave a country.” Immigrate means “to enter another country.” Her parents had initially emigrated from Russia to Germany, though eventually they ended up immigrating to the United States.

Question 275

allude vs. elude

Answer 275

Allude means “to reference something by not mentioning it specifically.” Elude means “to evade capture.” -Fred alluded to the movie he was planning to watch this weekend, quoting: “In a galaxy far, far away.” -For three long weeks, the bank thieves eluded the authorities, until a helicopter spotted their hideout.

Question 276

censor vs. censure

Answer 276

Censor means “to remove the objectionable parts from something.” Censure means “to criticize someone harshly.” During the 1980s, profanity was censored on TV using a loud beep, so lip- readers were often left mortified. An independent committee censured the CEO for embezzling funds.

Question 277

elicit (verb) vs. illicit

Answer 277

Elicit means “to draw out, usually a reaction.” Illicit means “illegal.” His puns, as terrible as they are, never fail to elicit a laugh from his friends. The illicit drug trade has intensified in recent years.

Question 278

flounder vs. founder

Answer 278

Flounder means “to experience great difficulties or be completely unable to decide what to do or say next" Founder means “to sink, either literally or figuratively.” The three young ducklings floundered in the mud as they tried to keep pace with their mother. The space team miscalculated the amount of energy needed to reach Mars, so the project foundered.

Question 279

prescribe vs. proscribe

Answer 279

Prescribe means “to recommend, as a course of treatment.” Proscribe means “to ban.” The doctor prescribed rest and lots of ice for the patient with the broken arm. The books of James Joyce are proscribed in certain countries for their many references to bodily excretions.

Question 280

torturous vs. tortuous

Answer 280

Torturous means “extremely painful.” Tortuous means “full of twists, winding.” Everyone finds at least one genre of music so torturous that they’d rather plug their ears than listen to a single second of it. Though the distance from the base to the summit was only a mile, the ascent was so tortuous that the hikers took nearly nine hours to reach the top.

Question 281

irksome

Answer 281

annoying: The vibration can become irksome after a while. ## Footnote tiresome

Question 282

ingratiate

Answer 282

to make someone like you by praising or trying to please them: ingratiate yourself with someone He's always trying to ingratiate himself with his boss.

Question 283

cloying

Answer 283

tasting or smelling too sweet and therefore unpleasant,expressing feelings of love or kindness in a way that is annoying because it does not seem real: -This is a wonderful wine - honeyed and rich without being remotely cloying. -The room was filled with the cloying scent of lilies. -She criticized the cloying sentimentality of the film. -The story is heartwarming but never cloying.

Question 284

aggravate

Answer 284

to make a bad situation worse: Attempts to restrict parking in the city centre have further aggravated the problem of traffic congestion.

Question 285

vex

Answer 285

to cause difficulty to someone, or to cause someone to feel angry, annoyed, or upset: This issue looks likely to continue to vex the government. ## Footnote annoy

Question 286

gall

Answer 286

to make someone feel annoyed: I think it galls him to take orders from a younger and less experienced colleague.

Question 287

mawkish

Answer 287

showing emotion or love in an awkward or silly way: The film lapses into mawkish sentimentality near the end. ## Footnote cloying

Question 288

libel

Answer 288

a piece of writing that contains bad and false things about a person: She threatened to sue the magazine for libel.

Question 289

besmirch

Answer 289

to say bad things about someone to influence other people's opinion of them: His accusations were false, but they served to besmirch her reputation. ## Footnote defame

Question 290

raillery

Answer 290

joking or laughing at someone in a friendly way ## Footnote teasing

Question 291

scurrilous

Answer 291

expressing unfair or false criticism that is likely to damage someone's reputation: a scurrilous remark/attack/article

Question 292

calumny

Answer 292

(the act of making) a statement about someone that is not true and is intended to damage the reputation of that person: He was subjected to the most vicious calumny, but he never complained and never sued. ## Footnote hatchet job

Question 293

hatchet job

Answer 293

a cruel written or spoken attack on someone or something: do a hatchet job on Fleck was certainly not the only critic to do a hatchet job on his latest novel.

Question 294

vilify

Answer 294

to say or write unpleasant things about someone or something, in order to cause other people to have a bad opinion of them: He was vilified by the press as a monster. ## Footnote revile

Question 295

impugn

Answer 295

to cause people to doubt someone's character, qualities, or reputation by criticizing them: Are you impugning my competence as a professional designer?

Question 296

traduce

Answer 296

to strongly criticize someone, especially in a way that harms their reputation

Question 297

verdict

Answer 297

an opinion or decision made after judging the facts that are given, especially one made at the end of a trial: -The jury reached/returned a unanimous verdict of (not) guilty. -Voters gave their verdict on the government's economic record last night by voting overwhelmingly for the opposition.

Question 298

tort

Answer 298

an action that is wrong but can be dealt with in a civil court rather than a criminal court - The law professor focused on tort law, discussing with her students the many cases in which an individual had suffered injuries due to another’s negligence.

Question 299

litigious

Answer 299

too often taking arguments to a court of law for a decision, especially to win money in a lawsuit: -The US is the most litigious society in the world. -Many blame the current litigious climate for making doctors quicker to perform C-sections. -Teachers were warned to avoid conflict with the parents, who were known to be litigious.

Question 300

acquit

Answer 300

to decide officially in a law court that someone is not guilty of a particular crime: acquit someone of something She was acquitted of all the charges against her. acquit someone on something Five months ago he was acquitted on a shoplifting charge.

Question 301

subpoena

Answer 301

to order someone to go to a law court to answer questions: A friend of the victim was subpoenaed as a witness by lawyers representing the accused. [ + to infinitive ] They were subpoenaed to testify before the judge.

Question 302

affidavit

Answer 302

a written statement that someone makes after promising officially to tell the truth. An affidavit can be used as proof in a law court.

Question 303

exculpate

Answer 303

to remove blame from someone: The pilot of the aircraft will surely be exculpated when all the facts are known. ## Footnote clear , exonerate

Question 304

appease

Answer 304

to prevent further disagreement or fighting by letting the opposing side have something that they want: -He was a crucial ally who the country needed to appease. -They were given a small pay rise but this was not enough to appease them. -She claimed that the government had only changed the law in order to appease their critics. ## Footnote pacify

Question 305

implacable

Answer 305

used to describe (someone who has) strong opinions or feelings that are impossible to change: an implacable enemy implacable hostility

Question 306

contentious

Answer 306

causing , involving, or likely to cause disagreement and argument: a contentious decision/policy/issue/subject contentious views She has some very contentious views on education. The director had a contentious relationship with the eccentric actor.

Question 307

pugnacious

Answer 307

wanting to start an argument or fight, or expressing an argument or opinion very forcefully: I found him pugnacious and arrogant.

Question 308

conciliatory

Answer 308

showing willingness to end a disagreement, or trying to make someone less angry, inclined too making peace: a conciliatory gesture/remark The UK government was not in a conciliatory mood.

Question 309

truculent

Answer 309

unpleasant and likely to argue a lot , ready to pick fight : a truculent teenager He was truculent and difficult to deal with.

Question 310

jingoist

Answer 310

someone who believes that their own country is always best: He was a confirmed jingoist and would frequently speak about the dangers of Britain forming closer ties with the rest of Europe.

Question 311

propitiate

Answer 311

to please and make calm a god or person who is annoyed with you: In those days people might sacrifice a goat or sheep to propitiate an angry god. The radicals in the party were clearly sacked to propitiate the conservative core.

Question 312

apprehension

Answer 312

worry about the future, or a fear that something unpleasant is going to happen: It's normal to feel a little apprehension before starting a new job. One or two people have expressed apprehension about the changes. Despite her apprehensions, she accepted the offer.

Question 313

petrified

Answer 313

extremely frightened: I stood petrified as the most enormous dog I've ever seen came bounding up to me. She's petrified of being on her own in the house at night.

Question 314

macabre

Answer 314

used to describe something that is very strange and unpleasant because it is connected with death or violence: Even the police were horrified at the macabre nature of the killings. She has a pretty macabre sense of humour. ## Footnote grisly

Question 315

grisly

Answer 315

extremely unpleasant, especially because death or blood is involved: The 55-year-old Canadian had suffered a grisly death. a grisly murder ## Footnote macabre

Question 316

morbid

Answer 316

relating to or caused by disease: She had to have gastric bypass surgery to avoid dying from morbid obesity. Pathological anatomy (or morbid anatomy) is the study of diseased organs. ## Footnote grisly , macabre

Question 317

phantasmagorical

Answer 317

full of different images, like something in a confused dream: phantasmagorical images Most striking is the phantasmagorical orchestral music that Adams has composed.

Question 318

horripilation

Answer 318

the erection of hairs on the skin due to cold, fear, or excitement. "a horripilation of dread tingled down my spine" ## Footnote Goose bumps

Question 319

ostracize

Answer 319

to avoid someone intentionally, or to prevent someone from taking part in the activities of a group: His colleagues ostracized him after he criticized the company in public.

Question 320

hierarchy

Answer 320

a system in which people or things are arranged according to their importance: social hierarchy Some monkeys have a very complex social hierarchy. political hierarchy He rose quickly through the political hierarchy to become party leader.

Question 321

schism

Answer 321

A major rift within a large group. After losing three consecutive elections, the political party underwent a major schism, with some members no longer speaking to others.

Question 322

banish

Answer 322

to send someone away, especially from their country, and not allow them to come back,to get rid of something completely:: He was banished to an uninhabited island for a year. They were banished (= sent out) from the library for making a noise.

Question 323

clique

Answer 323

a small group of people who spend their time together and do not welcome other people into that group: clique of Our golf club is run by a very unfriendly clique of people. There's a clique at work that never talks/who never talk to anyone else.

Question 324

coterie

Answer 324

a small group of people with shared interests, often one that does not want other people to join them: coterie of a coterie of writers I was never part of their cosy coterie.

Question 325

interdependence

Answer 325

the fact of depending on each other: our interdependence as a global society The conference discussed the possibility of regional economic interdependence.

Question 326

synergy

Answer 326

the combined power of a group of things when they are working together that is greater than the total power achieved by each working separately: Team work at its best results in a synergy that can be very productive. There are always some synergies in merging similar businesses together. You must choose healthy foods and a healthy lifestyle to maintain the synergy of a healthy body. Parent companies and parent managers in nearly all large companies are desperately seeking synergy. No allowance is made for the effect of pesticides working in synergy with one another.

Question 327

beneficent

Answer 327

helping people and doing good acts: a beneficent aunt The queen was beneficent, always redistributing wealth to ensure a higher quality of living among her people.

Question 328

oppressive

Answer 328

cruel and unfair: an oppressive government/military regime

Question 329

despot

Answer 329

a person, especially a ruler, who has unlimited power over other people, and often uses it unfairly and cruelly: an evil despot The king was regarded as having been an enlightened despot. ## Footnote autocrat,tyrant

Question 330

autocratic

Answer 330

demanding that people obey completely, without asking or caring about anyone else's opinions: an autocratic ruler/regime an autocratic style of government/leadership/management The president resigned after 30 years of autocratic rule. ## Footnote despot

Question 331

subjugate

Answer 331

to defeat people or a country and rule them in a way that allows them no freedom She subjugated herself to her mother's needs. Reporters must subjugate personal political convictions to their professional commitment to balance.

Question 332

tyrant

Answer 332

a ruler who has unlimited power over other people, and uses it unfairly and cruelly: Tamir, one of several sons of the exiled ruler, vowed he would liberate his country from the tyrant.

Question 333

behemoth

Answer 333

something that is extremely large and often extremely powerful: a grocery chain behemoth

Question 334

diminutive

Answer 334

very small: He's a diminutive figure, less than five feet tall.

Question 335

prodigious

Answer 335

extremely great in ability, amount, or strength: She wrote a truly prodigious number of novels. She was a prodigious musician. He had a prodigious appetite for both women and drink.

Question 336

immense

Answer 336

extremely large in size or degree: immense wealth/value immense amount They spent an immense amount of time getting the engine into perfect condition.

Question 337

gargantuan

Answer 337

very large: a problem of gargantuan proportions a gargantuan appetite

Question 338

colossal

Answer 338

extremely large: In the centre of the hall stood a colossal wooden statue, decorated in ivory and gold. They were asking a colossal amount of money for the house.

Question 339

Lilliputian

Answer 339

Extremely small.

Question 340

travail

Answer 340

an unpleasant experience or situation, especially one that involves a lot of hard work or effort: the recent travails of the airline industry

Question 341

arduous

Answer 341

difficult, needing a lot of effort and energy: an arduous climb/task/journey

Question 342

halcyon

Answer 342

a very happy or successful period in the past: She recalled the halcyon days of her youth.

Question 343

tumultuous

Answer 343

very loud, or full of confusion, change, or uncertainty: The former president appeared to tumultuous applause and a standing ovation. After the tumultuous events of 1990, Europe was completely transformed.

Question 344

turbulent

Answer 344

involving a lot of sudden changes, arguments, or violence: a turbulent marriage This has been a turbulent week for the administration.

Question 345

tribulation

Answer 345

a problem or difficulty

Question 346

vicissitude

Answer 346

a favorable or unfavorable event or situation that occurs by chance : a fluctuation of state or condition the vicissitudes of daily life

Question 347

quibble

Answer 347

to argue about, or say you disapprove of, something that is not important: There's no point quibbling about/over a couple of dollars.

Question 348

cursory

Answer 348

quick and probably not detailed: a cursory glance/look a cursory examination

Question 349

fastidious

Answer 349

giving too much attention to small details and wanting everything to be correct and perfect: fastidious about He is very fastidious about how a suitcase should be packed.

Question 350

scrutinize

Answer 350

to examine something very carefully in order to discover information: He scrutinized the men's faces carefully/closely, trying to work out who was lying.

Question 351

slipshod

Answer 351

(especially of a piece of work) showing little care, effort, or attention: She complained that the carpenter's work had been slipshod.

Question 352

meticulous

Answer 352

very careful and with great attention to every detail: Many hours of meticulous preparation have gone into writing the book. ## Footnote punctilious

Question 353

persnickety

Answer 353

giving too much attention to small details that are not important in a way that annoys other people A hobby once dominated by persnickety elites was fully democratized. The more persnickety you are, the more deviations you tend to recognize.

Question 354

perfunctory

Answer 354

done quickly, without taking care or interest: His smile was perfunctory.

Question 355

juvenile

Answer 355

relating to a young person who is not yet old enough to be considered an adult: juvenile crime/offenders He was later taken to juvenile detention for violating the terms of his parole.

Question 356

senile

Answer 356

showing poor mental ability because of old age, especially being unable to think clearly and make decisions: He spent many years caring for his senile mother. I'm always losing my keys these days. I think I must be going senile. ## Footnote doddery

Question 357

embryonic

Answer 357

In the earliest stages, not yet fully formed. His travel plans are at best embryonic: All he knows is that he’s taking three weeks to travel somewhere in Asia.

Question 358

geriatric

Answer 358

for or relating to old people: a geriatric hospital/ward/nurse

Question 359

fledgling

Answer 359

new and without experience: The current economic climate is particularly difficult for fledgling businesses.

Question 360

callow

Answer 360

Someone, especially a young person, who is callow behaves in a way that shows they have little experience, confidence, or judgment: Mark was just a callow youth of 16 when he arrived in Paris.

Question 361

moribund

Answer 361

(especially of an organization or business) not active or successful: How can the department be revived from its present moribund state?

Question 362

chrysalis

Answer 362

A protective stage of development. But those voluntary detachments are in the chrysalis state. But there is also the chrysalis stage at the prep.

Question 363

concede

Answer 363

to admit, often unwillingly, that something is true: [ + (that) ] The government has conceded (that) the new tax policy has been a disaster. [ + speech ] "Well okay, perhaps I was a little hard on her," he conceded.

Question 364

maintain

Answer 364

to continue to have; to keep in existence, or not allow to become less: The army has been brought in to maintain order in the region. We have standards to maintain. Despite living in different countries, the two families have maintained close links.

Question 365

parry

Answer 365

to manage cleverly to avoid dealing with a difficult question or some criticism: Predictably the president parried enquiries about the arms scandal.

Question 366

forensics

Answer 366

scientific methods of solving crimes, that involve examining objects or substances related to a crime: Using cutting-edge forensics, they can analyze material samples for traces of suspicious chemicals. a forensics expert

Question 367

riposte

Answer 367

a quick and clever remark, often made in answer to a criticism: She made a sharp/witty/neat riposte.

Question 368

unassailable

Answer 368

in such a strong position that you cannot be defeated: This win has given the team an unassailable lead. The president looked unassailable with over 60 percent of the vote.

Question 369

affable

Answer 369

friendly and easy to talk to: He struck me as an affable sort of a man. She was quite affable at the meeting.

Question 370

inebriated

Answer 370

having drunk too much alcohol: The Designated Driver programme offers not just a free ride home for inebriated drivers and their passengers, but the opportunity to get their car home safely as well.

Question 371

retiring

Answer 371

unwilling to be noticed or to be with other people: to be shy and retiring

Question 372

extrovert

Answer 372

an energetic person who enjoys being with other people: Most sales people are extroverts.

Question 373

introvert

Answer 373

someone who is shy, quiet, and prefers to spend time alone rather than often being with other people

Question 374

debauchery

Answer 374

bad sexual behaviour, drinking too much alcohol, taking drugs, etc.: a life of debauchery

Question 375

expansive

Answer 375

very happy to talk to people in a friendly way: expansive mood He was in an expansive mood on the night of the party. He was uncharacteristically expansive about his role in the crisis.

Question 376

verdant

Answer 376

covered with healthy green plants or grass: Much of the region's verdant countryside has been destroyed in the hurricane.

Question 377

rustic

Answer 377

simple and often rough in appearance; typical of the countryside: a rustic bench/cabin The property has a certain rustic charm.

Question 378

bucolic

Answer 378

relating to the countryside: The painting shows a typically bucolic scene with peasants.

Question 379

inhospitable

Answer 379

not welcoming or generous to people who visit you: I'll have to cook them a meal or they'll think I'm inhospitable.

Question 380

lush

Answer 380

A lush area has a lot of green, healthy plants, grass, and trees , Luxuriant, abundant.: lush green valleys

Question 381

barren

Answer 381

unable to produce plants or fruit: We drove through a barren, rocky landscape.

Question 382

pastoral

Answer 382

A pastoral piece of art, writing, or music represents the pleasant and traditional features of the countryside: The painting depicts an idyllic pastoral scene of shepherds watching over their grazing sheep.

Question 383

# idyllic idyllic

Answer 383

An idyllic place or experience is extremely pleasant, beautiful, or peaceful: an idyllic childhood/summer an idyllic village in the Yorkshire Dales

Question 384

chronic

Answer 384

(especially of a disease or something bad) continuing for a long time: chronic condition The study looks at adults with chronic conditions such as asthma and diabetes. chronic disease His research showed that eating more plant-based foods helps you avoid chronic diseases. chronic pain Exercise can be important in treating chronic pain. chronic arthritis a chronic invalid chronic shortage There is a chronic shortage of teachers.

Question 385

perennial

Answer 385

lasting a very long time, or happening repeatedly or all the time: The film "White Christmas" is a perennial favourite. We face the perennial problem of not having enough money.

Question 386

ephemeral

Answer 386

lasting for only a short time: Fame in the world of rock and pop is largely ephemeral.

Question 387

transient

Answer 387

lasting for only a short time; temporary: A glass of whisky has only a transient warming effect. The city has a large transient population (= many people who are living in it only temporarily).

Question 388

perpetual

Answer 388

continuing for ever in the same way: They lived in perpetual fear of being discovered. He has hard, cold eyes and his mouth is set in a perpetual sneer. a perpetual student

Question 389

interminable

Answer 389

continuing for too long and therefore boring or annoying: an interminable delay his interminable stories

Question 390

immemorial

Answer 390

existing or traditional for an extremely long time: She said it was the immemorial custom of the villagers to have a feast after the harvesting.

Question 391

evanescent

Answer 391

lasting for only a short time, then disappearing quickly and being forgotten

Question 392

intermittent

Answer 392

not happening regularly or continuously; stopping and starting repeatedly or with periods in between: intermittent rain an intermittent noise Although she made intermittent movie appearances, she was essentially a stage actress.

Question 393

incessant

Answer 393

never stopping, especially in an annoying or unpleasant way: incessant rain/noise/complaints

Question 394

sporadic

Answer 394

happening sometimes; not regular or continuous: sporadic gunfire a sporadic electricity supply More than 100 people have been killed this year in sporadic outbursts of ethnic violence. ## Footnote occasional

Question 395

erratic

Answer 395

moving or behaving in a way that is not regular, certain, or expected: He drove in an erratic course down the road. She can be very erratic; one day she is friendly and the next she'll hardly speak to you.

Question 396

fitful

Answer 396

often stopping and starting and not happening in a regular or continuous way: fitful breathing a fitful sleep

Question 397

desultory

Answer 397

without a clear plan or purpose and showing little effort or interest: She made a desultory attempt at conversation. He wandered around, cleaning up in a desultory way.

Question 398

horology

Answer 398

The study of time and clock making. He was also interested in geodesy, horology, mineralogy, geography. Furthermore, it featured the first known endless power-transmitting chain drive in horology.

Question 399

turmoil

Answer 399

a state of confusion, uncertainty, or disorder: The whole region is in turmoil. The country is in a state of political turmoil. The Stock Exchange is in turmoil following a huge wave of selling.

Question 400

upheaval

Answer 400

a great change, especially causing or involving much difficulty, activity, or trouble: Yesterday's coup brought further upheaval to a country already struggling with famine. I'm not sure it's worth the upheaval of moving to gain just a little more space

Question 401

junta

Answer 401

a government, especially a military one, that has taken power in a country by force and not by election: The military junta has/have today broadcast an appeal for calm.

Question 402

concord

Answer 402

agreement and peace between countries and people: nations living in concord

Question 403

cataclysmic

Answer 403

causing a lot of destruction, or a sudden, violent change: These countries are on the brink of cataclysmic famine. a cataclysmic eruption/tsunami/earthquake

Question 404

usurp

Answer 404

to take control of a position of power, especially without having the right to: Local control is being usurped by central government.

Question 405

stasis

Answer 405

a state that does not change: She was bored - her life was in stasis.

Question 406

flag

Answer 406

To lose energy, tire. Around the two-hour mark, the audience’s attention began to flag, and by the third hour, half of them had walked out of the film.

Question 407

beam

Answer 407

to smile with obvious pleasure: She beamed with delight/pleasure at his remarks. The child beamed at his teacher as he received the award. [ + speech ] "I'm so pleased to see you," he beamed (= said as he smiled).

Question 408

hamper

Answer 408

to prevent someone doing something easily: Fierce storms have been hampering rescue efforts and there is now little chance of finding more survivors.

Question 409

minute

Answer 409

Tiny, small.

Question 410

graze

Answer 410

to break the surface of the skin by rubbing against something rough: graze your knee He fell down and grazed his knee. He was lucky, the bullet just grazed his leg.

Question 411

refuse

Answer 411

unwanted waste material, especially material that is regularly thrown away from a house, factory, etc.: garden/kitchen refuse

Question 412

appropriate

Answer 412

to take something for your own use, usually without permission , To take by force.: He lost his job when he was found to have appropriated some of the company's money.

Question 413

graft

Answer 413

Corruption The whole government was riddled with graft, bribery, and corruption.

Question 414

harbor

Answer 414

To contain, conceal, give shelter. Jeffry had long harbored resentment toward his older brother, hiding it behind false smiles.

Question 415

tender

Answer 415

gentle, loving, or kind: a tender look/smile What you need is some tender loving care.

Question 416

score

Answer 416

A large number. When the author revealed that she would release the final book in her trilogy, scores of people lined up outside the nation’s bookstores.

Question 417

weather

Answer 417

To withstand something difficult,to deal successfully with a difficult situation or a problem: As a small new company they did well to weather the recession.

Question 418

wax

Answer 418

(of the moon) to gradually appear larger and increasingly round,To increase in size.: fig. Such controversies have waxed and waned (= become stronger and weaker) but continue to this day.

Question 419

temper

Answer 419

To soften the effect of something.,to make something less strong, extreme, etc.: My enthusiasm for the venture was tempered by my knowledge of the hard work that would be involved. I learned to temper my criticism.

Question 420

table

Answer 420

To put aside for future consideration. A dividend payment this year is definitely off the table. Management said that there were important new benefits on the table. The deal appears to be still on the table.

Question 421

patent

Answer 421

very obvious: a patent lie a patent disregard of the law "No," he replied, with patent distaste.

Question 422

refrain

Answer 422

to avoid doing or stop yourself from doing something: We refrained from talking until we knew that it was safe. The sign on the wall said "Please refrain from smoking."

Question 423

fleece

Answer 423

to take someone's money dishonestly, by charging too much money or by cheating them,To cheat or swindle.: That restaurant really fleeced us! It was only when Harry arrived at the theater did he realized he’d been fleeced: The tickets were fake and he was denied entry.

Question 424

grouse

Answer 424

to complain angrily: grouse about She's always grousing about how she's been treated by the management.

Question 425

telling

Answer 425

Revealing

Question 426

list

Answer 426

(of a ship) to lean to one side, especially as a result of damage: The tanker is listing badly and liable to sink at any moment.

Question 427

becoming

Answer 427

attractive or suitable for someone: a becoming dress That's a very becoming dress, my dear.

Question 428

intimate

Answer 428

to make clear what you think or want without saying it directly: [ + (that) ] She has intimated that she will resign if she loses the vote.

Question 429

entrance

Answer 429

To hold spellbound.

Question 430

start

Answer 430

A sudden movement. The sound of dishes crashing upstairs gave everyone a start. He started at the sound of the phone.

Question 431

check

Answer 431

To restrain, hold back. Unless the growth of weeds is checked, they are going to engulf the entire property.

Question 432

flush

Answer 432

To force something out into the open. flush with She flushed with pleasure as she accepted the prize. The champagne had caused his face to flush.

Question 433

involved

Answer 433

not simple and therefore difficult to understand: an involved reason/excuse/argument The plot of the film was too involved - I couldn't understand it. ## Footnote complicated

Question 434

qualify

Answer 434

To limit or restrict a statement. I'd like to qualify my criticisms of the school's failings, by adding that it's a very happy place. The press secretary later qualified the president’s remarks by saying he hadn’t been aware of all of the facts.

Question 435

fell

Answer 435

evil or cruel war crimes committed by a fell and barbarous enemy Last year, regulatory scrutiny felled the sale of the design platform to Adobe.

Question 436

arch

Answer 436

Playfully teasing. an arch tone of voice