23/11/19

Question 1

ponderous

Answer 1

i. slow and clumsy because of great weight

ii. (of speech or writing) dull or laborious

Question 2

adumbrate

Answer 2

i. to represent something in outline e.g. adumbrating the idea of a welfare state
ii. to foreshadow a future event e.g. adumbrate the fate of the convicted sinner

Question 3

obdurate

Answer 3

unwilling to change one’s actions or opinions i.e. stubborn

Question 4

acerbic

Answer 4

(of speech) sharp and forthright

Question 5

presentiment

Answer 5

premonition i.e. a strong feeling that something (especially if unpleasant) is about to happen

Question 6

perfidious

Answer 6

deceitful or untrustworthy e.g. a perfidious lover

Question 7

conduit

Answer 7

a channel for conveying water

Question 8

dialectic

Answer 8

investigating or discussing the truth of opinions

Question 9

presumptuous

Answer 9

not knowing the limits of what is acceptable or permitted; overconfident, arrogant, egotistical etc.

Question 10

hermetic

Answer 10

complete and airtight e.g. a hermetic seal

Question 11

conjure

Answer 11

to effect or produce e.g to conjure a miracle; to recall e.g. to conjure up the past

Question 12

lacerate

Answer 12

i. to tear roughly e.g. the barbed wire lacerated his hands
ii. to distress or torture mentally or emotionally; to wound deeply e.g. bitter criticism that lacerated my heart OR their quarrels became more frequent, more lacerating (Malay Sketches, Alfian Sa’at)

Question 13

controvert

Answer 13

to argue about; discuss; debate e.g. many scholars controverted Book I of The Republic

Question 14

assail

Answer 14

i. to attack vigorously or violently; assault
ii. to attack with criticism, argument, or ridicule e.g. to assail one’s opponent with slander
iii. to undertake with the purpose of mastering e.g. he assailed his studies with new determination
iv. to impinge upon; make an impact upon e.g. his mind was assailed by conflicting arguments OR the light assailed their eyes

Question 15

impinge

Answer 15

to make an impression

Question 16

genuflect

Answer 16

i. to bend the knee or touch one knee to the floor in reverence or worship
ii. to express a servile attitude

Question 17

exigency

Answer 17

a case or situation that demands prompt action or remedy; emergency e.g. promising to help in any exigency OR “…she has emptied newly-opened tissue boxes and agonised over legitimate paintbrushes for his Art and Crafts exigencies…”

Question 18

mendicant

Answer 18

pertaining to the characteristics of a beggar; a person who lives by begging

Question 19

cognomen

Answer 19

surname OR nickname e.g. “Its author’s bizarre cognomen is his own invention…” (Lolita, Nabokov)

Question 20

assuage

Answer 20

i. to make milder or less severe; mitigate e.g. to assuage one’s grief
ii. to appease; satisfy; relieve; allay e.g. to assuage one’s hunger
iii. to soothe, calm, or mollify e.g. to assuage his fears

Question 21

mollify

Answer 21

i. to soften in feeling or temper, as a person; to pacify; appease
ii. to mitigate or reduce; soften e.g. to mollify one’s demands

Question 22

conjure

Answer 22

to effect or produce e.g to conjure a miracle; to recall e.g. to conjure up the past

Question 23

lacerate

Answer 23

i. to tear roughly e.g. the barbed wire lacerated his hands
ii. to distress or torture mentally or emotionally; to wound deeply e.g. bitter criticism that lacerated my heart OR their quarrels became more frequent, more lacerating (Malay Sketches, Alfian Sa’at)

Question 24

controvert

Answer 24

to argue about; discuss; debate e.g. many scholars controverted Book I of The Republic

Question 25

assail

Answer 25

i. to attack vigorously or violently; assault
ii. to attack with criticism, argument, or ridicule e.g. to assail one’s opponent with slander
iii. to undertake with the purpose of mastering e.g. he assailed his studies with new determination
iv. to impinge upon; make an impact upon e.g. his mind was assailed by conflicting arguments OR the light assailed their eyes

Question 26

impinge

Answer 26

to make an impression

Question 27

genuflect

Answer 27

i. to bend the knee or touch one knee to the floor in reverence or worship
ii. to express a servile attitude

Question 28

exigency

Answer 28

a case or situation that demands prompt action or remedy; emergency e.g. promising to help in any exigency OR “…she has emptied newly-opened tissue boxes and agonised over legitimate paintbrushes for his Art and Crafts exigencies…”

Question 29

mendicant

Answer 29

pertaining to the characteristics of a beggar; a person who lives by begging

Question 30

conjure

Answer 30

to effect or produce e.g to conjure a miracle; to recall e.g. to conjure up the past

Question 31

lacerate

Answer 31

i. to tear roughly e.g. the barbed wire lacerated his hands
ii. to distress or torture mentally or emotionally; to wound deeply e.g. bitter criticism that lacerated my heart OR their quarrels became more frequent, more lacerating (Malay Sketches, Alfian Sa’at)

Question 32

controvert

Answer 32

to argue about; discuss; debate e.g. many scholars controverted Book I of The Republic

Question 33

assail

Answer 33

i. to attack vigorously or violently; assault
ii. to attack with criticism, argument, or ridicule e.g. to assail one’s opponent with slander
iii. to undertake with the purpose of mastering e.g. he assailed his studies with new determination
iv. to impinge upon; make an impact upon e.g. his mind was assailed by conflicting arguments OR the light assailed their eyes

Question 34

impinge

Answer 34

to make an impression

Question 35

genuflect

Answer 35

i. to bend the knee or touch one knee to the floor in reverence or worship
ii. to express a servile attitude

Question 36

exigency

Answer 36

a case or situation that demands prompt action or remedy; emergency e.g. promising to help in any exigency OR “…she has emptied newly-opened tissue boxes and agonised over legitimate paintbrushes for his Art and Crafts exigencies…”