03/09

Question 1

patsy

Answer 1

a weak person who is easily cheated or tricked, or who is forced to take the blame for something that somebody else has done wrong
I thought you respected me—now I find out that I’m just another one of your patsies.

Question 2

rascals

Answer 2

a person, especially a child or man, who shows a lack of respect for other people and enjoys playing tricks on them
Come here, you little rascal!
I hear the old rascal’s been causing trouble again.
What have the little rascals been up to now?

Question 3

midget

Answer 3

an offensive word for a person who is very short because of the medical condition dwarfism
People who have this condition usually prefer the term little person or person of short stature.

Question 4

ripple

Answer 4

1) small wave on the surface of a liquid, especially water in a lake, etc.
The air was so still that there was hardly a ripple on the pond’s surface.
2)a thing that looks or moves like a small wave
ripples of sand
3)ripple of something a sound that gradually becomes louder and then quieter again
a ripple of applause/laughter
His remarks sent a ripple of laughter through the audience.

Question 5

gritty

Answer 5

1)​containing or like grit
a layer of gritty dust
2)howing the courage and strength of mind to continue doing something difficult or unpleasant
gritty determination
a gritty performance from the British player
Tottenham’s gritty fightback was rewarded by a goal in the closing minutes.
3)​showing something unpleasant as it really is; having a lot of unpleasant features
a gritty description of urban violence
gritty realism
(especially North American English) a gritty neighborhood of flophouses and bars

Question 6

faith

Answer 6

1) trust in somebody’s ability or knowledge; trust that somebody/something will do what has been promised
If the company can retain its customers’ faith, it could become the market leader.
faith in somebody/something I have faith in you—I know you’ll do well.
2)trong religious belief
to have faith
to lose your faith
3)a particular religion
the Christian/Catholic/Islamic/Muslim/Jewish faith
The children are learning to understand people of different faiths.
4) good/bad faith the intention to do something right/wrong
They handed over the weapons as a gesture of good faith.
The judge did not find any bad faith on the part of the defendants.

Question 7

gratitude

Answer 7

​the feeling of being grateful and wanting to express your thanks
with gratitude He smiled at them with gratitude.
gratitude (to somebody) (for something) I would like to express my gratitude to everyone for their hard work.
I feel a deep sense of gratitude to her.

Question 8

disgruntled

Answer 8

annoyed or disappointed because something has happened to upset you
disgruntled employees
disgruntled at/with somebody/something I left feeling disgruntled at the way I’d been treated.

Question 9

liability

Answer 9

1) the state of being legally responsible for something
liability (for something) The company cannot accept liability for any damage caused by natural disasters.
liability to somebody The company has liabilities to its employees.
liability to do something The defendant admitted liability to compensate the claimant.
2) a person or thing that causes you a lot of problems
Since his injury, Jones has become more of a liability than an asset to the team.
3)the amount of money that a person or company owes
The company is reported to have liabilities of nearly $90 000.
Our financial advisers will concentrate on minimizing your tax liabilities and maximizing

Question 10

mend

Answer 10

mend something (British English) to repair something that has been damaged or broken so that it can be used again
Could you mend my bike for me?

Question 11

susceptible

Answer 11

1) susceptible (to something) very likely to be influenced, harmed or affected by something
He’s highly susceptible to flattery.
Some of these plants are more susceptible to frost damage than others.
Salt intake may lead to raised blood pressure in susceptible adults.
2) ​easily influenced by feelings and emotions
3) (formal) allowing something; capable of something
Is this situation not susceptible of improvement by legislation?

Question 12

substantial

Answer 12

1)large in amount, value or importance
SYNONYM considerable
substantial sums of money
a substantial change
Substantial numbers of people support the reforms.
2)arge and solid; strongly built
a substantial house
a street of substantial Victorian villas

Question 13

hobos

Answer 13

1)a person who travels from place to place looking for work, especially on farms
2) a person with no home or job who travels from place to place, usually asking people in the street for food or money

Question 14

utterly

Answer 14

(used for emphasis)
completely
We’re so utterly different from each other.
She utterly failed to convince them.

Question 15

prodding

Answer 15

the act of encouraging somebody to do something
He needed no prodding.

Question 16

shambles

Answer 16

​a situation in which there is a great lack of order or understanding
SYNONYM mess
The press conference was a complete shambles.
What a shambles!
He’s made an absolute shambles of his career.

Question 17

asset

Answer 17

a person or thing that is valuable or useful to somebody/something
In his job, patience is an invaluable asset.
Being able to speak a foreign language is a major asset.
I’m not sure if his forcefulness is an asset or a liability.

Question 18

delusion

Answer 18

a false belief or opinion about yourself or your situation
Don’t go getting delusions of grandeur (= a belief that you are more important than you actually are).
He was suffering from paranoid delusions and hallucinations.
the act of believing or making yourself believe something that is not true
He seems to have retreated into a world of fear and delusion.

Question 19

emerge

Answer 19

1) to move out of or away from something and become possible to see
The crabs emerge at low tide to look for food.
2) (of facts, ideas, etc.) to become known
SYNONYM transpire
No new evidence emerged during the investigation.
3) to start to exist; to appear or become known
After the elections opposition groups began to emerge.
4) emerge (from something) to survive a difficult situation or experience
She emerged from the scandal with her reputation intact.

Question 20

superfluos

Answer 20

​unnecessary or more than you need or want
She gave him a look that made words superfluous.

Question 21

futile

Answer 21

having no purpose because there is no chance of success
SYNONYM pointless
a futile attempt/exercise/gesture
Their efforts to revive him were futile.

Question 22

potent

Answer 22

having a strong effect on your body or mind
a potent drug
a very potent alcoholic brew
a potent argument
That chilli sauce is pretty potent stuff.

Question 23

suppress

Answer 23

1)(of a government, ruler, etc.) to put an end, often by force, to a group or an activity that is believed to threaten authority
2)to prevent something from being published or made known
The police were accused of suppressing vital evidence.
3)suppress something to prevent yourself from having or expressing a feeling or an emotion
to suppress a smile
4)suppress something to prevent something from growing, developing or continuing
drugs that suppress the appetite

Question 24

nail

Answer 24

1)to fasten something to something with a nail or nails
I nailed the sign to a tree.
2)to catch somebody and prove they are guilty of a crime or of doing something bad
The police haven’t been able to nail the killer.
3)nail a lie, myth, etc. (informal) to prove that something is not true
We must nail this lie.
4)nail something (informal) to achieve something or do something right, especially in sport
He nailed a victory in the semi-finals.

Question 25

pivot

Answer 25

1)the central point, pin or column on which something turns or balances
2)​the central or most important person or thing
West Africa was the pivot of the cocoa trade.

Question 26

flimsy

Answer 26

1)badly made and not strong enough for the purpose for which it is used
2) thin and easily torn
3) difficult to believe

Question 27

defy

Answer 27

1)defy somebody/something to refuse to obey or show respect for somebody in authority, a law, a rule, etc.
I wouldn’t have dared to defy my teachers.
2)defy belief, explanation, description, etc. to be impossible or almost impossible to believe, explain, describe, etc.
a political move that defies explanation
3)efy something to successfully resist something to a very unusual degree
The baby boy defied all the odds and survived (= stayed alive when it seemed certain that he would die).

Question 28

bollocks

Answer 28

1)an offensive word for ideas, statements or beliefs that you think are silly or not true
SYNONYM nonsense
You’re talking a load of bollocks!
2)a man’s testicles
​Bollocks!
3) exclamation used as a swear word when somebody is disagreeing with something, or when they are angry about something
Bollocks! He never said that!

Question 29

exclamation

Answer 29

a short sound, word or phrase spoken suddenly to express an emotion. Oh!, Look out! and Ow! are exclamations.
He gave an exclamation of surprise.

Question 30

sting

Answer 30

1) sting (somebody/something) (of an insect or plant) to touch your skin or make a very small hole in it so that you feel a sharp pain
I was stung on the arm by a wasp.
2) to feel, or to make somebody feel, a sharp pain in a part of their body
I put some antiseptic on the cut and it stung for a moment.
3) o make somebody feel angry or upset
sting somebody He was stung by their criticism.
4) sting somebody (for something) (informal) to charge somebody more money than they expected; to charge somebody who did not expect to pay
I got stung for a £100 meal.
5) ​sting somebody for something (British English, informal) to borrow money from somebody
Can I sting you for a couple of pounds?

Question 31

spunk

Answer 31

1) (informal) courage; determination
2) semen (= the white liquid containing sperm that is produced by the sex organs of men and male animals)
3) a sexually attractive person

Question 32

juxtaposition

Answer 32

​the fact of putting people or things together, especially in order to show a contrast or a new relationship between them
the juxtaposition of realistic and surreal situations in the novel

Question 33

expedient

Answer 33

an action that is useful or necessary for a particular purpose, but not always fair or right
The disease was controlled by the simple expedient of not allowing anyone to leave the city.

Question 34

curriculum vitae

Answer 34

1)a written record of your education and the jobs you have done that you send when you are applying for a job
2) a record of a college teacher’s education and where they have worked, also including a list of books and articles that they have published and courses that they have taught, used when they are applying for a job

Question 35

contend

Answer 35

1)contend that… (formal) to say that something is true, especially in an argument
SYNONYM maintain
I would contend that the minister’s thinking is flawed on this point.
2) contend (for something) to compete against somebody in order to gain something
Three armed groups were contending for power.

Question 36

vengeance

Answer 36

​the act of punishing or harming somebody in return for what they have done to you, your family or friends
SYNONYM revenge
a desire for vengeance

Question 37

humility

Answer 37

the quality of not thinking that you are better than other people; the quality of being humble
Her first defeat was an early lesson in humility.

Question 38

transcend

Answer 38

​transcend something to be or go beyond the usual limits of something
SYNONYM exceed
His works by far transcend anything that has gone before.

Question 39

malevolence

Answer 39

​a desire to harm other people
SYNONYM malice
an act of pure malevolence

Question 40

embittered

Answer 40

​feeling angry or disappointed about something over a long period of time; showing this feeling
a sick and embittered man

Question 41

excess

Answer 41

[singular, uncountable] more than is necessary, reasonable or acceptable
You can throw away any excess.
excess of something Are you suffering from an excess of stress in your life?

Question 42

insufficient

Answer 42

​not large, strong or important enough for a particular purpose
SYNONYM inadequate
insufficient time
The management paid insufficient attention to working conditions.

Question 43

stride

Answer 43

+ adv./prep. to walk with long steps in a particular direction
We strode across the snowy fields.
She came striding along to meet me.