Book vocab - Takagi-Small 2

Question 1

Mottle

Answer 1

Verb. Mark with spots or smears of colour.

“Green leaves that are heavily mottled with chocolate and maroon”

Question 2

Somnambulant

Answer 2

1. Walking or having the habit of walking while asleep.

2. Resembling or having the characteristics of a sleepwalker, sluggish

Question 3

Embouchure

Answer 3

The way in which a player applies their mouth to the mouthpiece of a brass or wind instrument, especially as it affects the production of the sound.
“When the …air moves out of the pipe at the embouchure, the …”

Question 4

Souse

Answer 4

Soak or drench with liquid

“The chips were well soused with vinegar”

Question 5

Expansive

Answer 5

(of a person or their manner) relaxed and genially frank and communicative
“he was in an expansive mood”

Question 6

Desultory

Answer 6

1. lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm
   “a few people were left, dancing in a desultory fashion”
2. (of a conversation or speech) going from one subject to another in a half-hearted way. “the desultory conversation faded”

Question 7

Terse

Answer 7

Sparing in the use of words, abrupt

Question 8

De rigeur

Answer 8

adj. Required by etiquette or current fashion

Question 9

Circumspect

Answer 9

Wary and unwilling to take risks

“The officials were very circumspect in their statements”

Question 10

Fecundity

Answer 10

The ability to produce many new ideas

Fertility

Question 11

Inchoate

Answer 11

Just begun and so not fully formed or developed; rudimentary

Question 12

Belie

Answer 12

1. verb. (of an appearance) fail to give a true impression of something.
   “His lively, alert manner belied his years”
2. Fail to fulfil or justify (a claim or expectation)
   “the quality of the music seems to belie the criticism”

Question 13

Wan

Answer 13

1. (Of a person’s complexion or appearance) pale and giving the impression of illness or exhaustion
2. (of light) pale; weak “the wan dawn light”
3. (of a smile) lacking enthusiasm or energy “she gave a wan smile”

Question 14

Insular

Answer 14

adj.
1. Ignorant of or uninterested in cultures, ideas, or peoples outside one’s own experience
“a stubbornly insular farming people”
2. relating to or from an island. “goods of insular origin”

Question 15

Insensate

Answer 15

adj. Without the power to have feelings

Question 16

Riparian

Answer 16

Riparian zone or area is the interface between land and a river or stream
Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks are called riparian vegetation, characterised by hydrophilic plants.

Question 17

Iridescent

Answer 17

Showing luminous colours that seem to change when seen from different angles.
“The drake’s head has an iridescent purple sheen.”

Question 18

Lurid

Answer 18

1. Unpleasantly bright in colour, especially so as to create a harsh or unnatural effect. “Lurid food colourings.”
2. Presented in vividly shocking or sensational terms.
   “The more lurid details of the massacre were too frightening for the children.”

Question 19

Mercurial

Answer 19

(adj.) Characterised by rapid and unpredictable changeableness of mood

Question 20

Salient

Answer 20

adj. Most noticeable or important.

“It succinctly covered all the salient points of the case.”

Question 21

Avuncular

Answer 21

adj. Kind and friendly towards a younger or less experienced person.
“The doctor realised his previous statement sounded terse, and tried to appear avuncular.”

Question 22

Intimation

Answer 22

1. An indication or hint
   “The first intimations of trouble”
2. The action of making something known, especially in n indirect way.

Question 23

Pugnacious

Answer 23

Eager or quick to argue, quarrel, or fight.

“The increasingly pugnacious demeanour of left-wing politicians and university students.”

Question 24

Prurient

Answer 24

adj. Having or encouraging an excessive interest in sexual matters, especially the sexual activity of others.
“She’d been the subject of much prurient curiousity.”

Question 25

Intransigent

Answer 25

1. Adj. Unwilling or refusing to change one’s views or to agree about something.
   “Her father had tried persuasion, but she was intransigent.”
2. noun. An intransigent person.

Question 26

Culpable

Answer 26

Deserving blame

Question 27

Anachronism

Answer 27

noun. A thing belonging or appropriate to a period other than that in which it exists, especially a thing that is conspicuously old-fashioned

Question 28

Gamine

Answer 28

1. noun. A girl with a mischievous, boyish charm.

2. Adj. (of a girl) attractively boyish.

Question 29

Insouciance

Answer 29

Noun. Casual lack of concern, indifference.

Question 30

Aplomb

Answer 30

Self-confidence or assurance, especially when in a demanding situation.
“He passed the test with aplomb”