Cathar

Question 1

Abstinence

Answer 1

the fact or practice of restraining oneself from indulging in something, typically alcohol.

Question 2

Grumble

Answer 2

complain about something in a bad-tempered way.
“his father was grumbling that he hadn’t heard from

Question 3

Crusader

Answer 3

noun
1.
a fighter in the medieval Crusades.
Similar:
campaigner
fighter
battler
champion
advocate
promoter
enthusiast
reformer
2.
a person who campaigns vigorously for political, social, or religious change; a campaigner.
“crusaders for early detection and treatment of mental illness”

Question 4

Trebuchet

Answer 4

a machine used in medieval siege warfare for hurling large stones or other missiles.

Question 5

Fetter

Answer 5

noun
noun: fetter; plural noun: fetters
a chain or manacle used to restrain a prisoner, typically placed around the ankles.
“he lay bound with fetters of iron”
Similar:
shackles
manacles
handcuffs
irons
leg irons
chains
bonds
tethers
ropes
restraints
cuffs
bracelets
trammels
gyves
darbies
bilboes
a restraint or check on someone’s freedom to do something, typically one considered unfair or overly restrictive.
“the fetters of discipline and caution”

Question 6

Daze

Answer 6

verb
make (someone) unable to think or react properly; stupefy; bewilder.
“she was dazed by his revelations”
Similar:
stun
stupefy
knock senseless
knock unconscious
knock out
lay out
knock for six
knock the stuffing out of
astound
amaze
astonish
startle
take someone’s breath away
dumbfound
overwhelm
overcome
overpower
devastate
dismay
disconcert
stagger
shock
confound
bewilder
take aback
nonplus
shake up
flabbergast
knock sideways
hit like a ton of bricks
bowl over
floor
blow away
noun
a state of stunned confusion or bewilderment.
“he was walking around in a daze”

Question 7

Trance

Answer 7

noun
a half-conscious state characterized by an absence of response to external stimuli, typically as induced by hypnosis or entered by a medium.
“she put him into a light trance”
Similar:
daze
stupor
haze
hypnotic state
half-conscious state
dream
daydream
reverie
brown study
suspended animation
dwam
verbLITERARY
put into a trance.
“she’s been tranced and may need waking”

Question 8

Tithe

Answer 8

a tenth part of someone’s produce or income that they give or pay as a tax to the Church

Question 9

Recant

Answer 9

say that one no longer holds an opinion or belief, especially one considered heretical.
“heretics were burned if they would not recant”

Question 10

Circumscribed

Answer 10

verb
past tense: circumscribed; past participle: circumscribed
1.
restrict (something) within limits.
“their movements were strictly monitored and circumscribed”
Similar:
restrict
limit
set/impose limits on
keep within bounds
delimit
curb
confine
bound
restrain
regulate
control
2.
GEOMETRY
draw (a figure) around another, touching it at points but not cutting it.
“if a hexagon is circumscribed about a circle the lines

Question 11

Siege

Answer 11

noun
a military operation in which enemy forces surround a town or building, cutting off essential supplies, with the aim of compelling the surrender of those inside.
“Verdun had withstood a siege of ten weeks”
Similar:
blockade
beleaguerment
encirclement
investment
besiegement
Opposite:
relief
raising
an operation in which a police or other force surround a building and cut off supplies, with the aim of forcing an armed person to surrender.
a prolonged period of misfortune.
“I’ve been having a siege of headaches”

Question 12

Striking

Answer 12

adjective
1.
attracting attention by reason of being unusual, extreme, or prominent.
“the murder bore a striking similarity to an earlier shooting”
Similar:
noticeable
obvious
conspicuous
evident
salient
visible
distinct
prominent
marked
clear-cut
notable
manifest
unmistakable
distinctive
strong
rare
uncommon
out of the ordinary
significant
remarkable
extraordinary
incredible
amazing
astounding
astonishing
surprising
staggering
phenomenal
Opposite:
inconspicuous
unremarkable
2.
(of an employee) on strike.
“striking mine workers”
noun
the action of striking.
“substantial damage was caused by the striking of a submerged object”

Question 13

Prominent

Answer 13

adjective
1.
important; famous.
“she was a prominent member of the city council”
Similar:
important
well known
leading
eminent
preeminent
distinguished
notable
noteworthy
noted
public
outstanding
foremost
of mark
illustrious
celebrated
famous
renowned
acclaimed
famed
honored
esteemed
respected
well thought of
influential
prestigious
big
top
great
chief
main
major-league
Opposite:
unimportant
obscure
unknown
2.
projecting from something; protuberant.
“a man with big, prominent eyes like a lobster’s”

Question 14

Ascetic

Answer 14

adjective
characterized by or suggesting the practice of severe self-discipline and abstention from all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons.
“an ascetic life of prayer, fasting, and manual labor”
Similar:
austere
self-denying
abstinent
abstemious
nonindulgent
self-disciplined
frugal
simple
rigorous
strict
severe
hair-shirt
spartan
monastic
monkish
monklike
nunlike
reclusive
solitary
cloistered
eremitic
anchoritic
hermitic
celibate
continent
chaste
puritanical
self-abnegating
otherworldly
mortified
Opposite:
sybaritic
noun
a person who practices severe self-discipline and abstention.

Question 15

Shudder

Answer 15

verb
(of a person) tremble convulsively, typically as a result of fear or revulsion.
“I shuddered with horror”
Similar:
shake
shiver
tremble
quiver
quaver
vibrate
palpitate
flutter
quake
heave
convulse
noun
an act of shuddering.
“the elevator rose with a shudder”

Question 16

Inquisitor

Answer 16

noun
a person making an inquiry, especially one seen to be excessively harsh or searching.
“the professional inquisitors of the press”
HISTORICAL
an officer of the Inquisition.

Question 17

Retract

Answer 17

verb
1.
draw back.
“she retracted her hand as if she’d been burnt”
2.
withdraw (a statement or accusation) as untrue or unjustified.
“he retracted his allegations”

Question 18

Respite

Answer 18

noun

a short period of rest or relief from something difficult orunpleasant.

“the refugee encampments will provide somerespite fromthe suffering”

Similar:

rest

break

breathing space

interval

intermission

interlude

recess

lull

pause

time out

hiatus

halt

stop

stoppage

cessation

discontinuation

standstill

relief

relaxation

repose

breather

letup

verb

RARE

postpone(a sentence, obligation, etc.).

“the execution was only respited a few months”

Question 19

Dissuade

Answer 19

persuade(someone) not to take a particular course of action.

“his friends tried todissuadehimfromflying

Question 20

Cobbler

Answer 20

noun
1.
a person who mends shoes as a job.
2.
an iced drink made with wine or sherry, sugar, and lemon.
“sherry cobbler”

Question 21

Hilt

Answer 21

noun
the handle of a weapon or tool, especially a sword, dagger, or knife.

Question 22

Coil

Answer 22

verb
past tense: coiled; past participle: coiled
arrange or wind (something long and flexible) in a joined sequence of concentric circles or rings.
“he began to coil up the heavy ropes”
Similar:
wind
loop
twist
curl
curve
bend
twine
entwine
snake
spiral
corkscrew
wreathe
meander
convolute
move or twist into a coil.
“smoke coiled lazily toward the ceiling”

Question 23

Maim

Answer 23

verb
wound or injure (someone) so that part of the body is permanently damaged.
“100,000 soldiers were killed or maimed”

Question 24

Shear
Shorn

Answer 24

past participle: shorn
1.
cut the wool off (a sheep or other animal).
“Paul has never sheared a sheep before”
2.
break off or cause to break off, owing to a structural strain.
“the derailleur sheared and jammed in the rear wheel”

Question 25

Recant

Answer 25

verb

say that one no longer holds an opinion or belief, especially one consideredheretical.

“heretics were burned if they would not recant”

Question 26

Cathar

Answer 26

noun

noun:Cathar;plural noun:Cathars

a member of ahereticalmedieval Christiansectwhichprofesseda form of Manichaeandualismand sought to achieve great spiritualpurity.

Origin



mid 17th century: from medieval LatinCathari(plural), from Greekkatharoi‘the pure’.

Question 27

Heretical

Answer 27

adjective:heretical

believing in or practicing religiousheresy.

“heretical beliefs”

Similar:

dissident

dissenting

nonconformist

unorthodox

heterodox

apostate

freethinking

iconoclastic

schismatic

renegade

skeptical

agnostic

atheistical

nontheistic

nonbelieving

unbelieving

idolatrous

pagan

heathen

impious

separatist

sectarian

revisionist

recreant

recusant

nullifidian

paynim

Opposite:

orthodox

holding an opinion at odds with what is generally accepted.

“I feel a bit heretical saying this, but I think the film has too much action”

Question 28

Profess

Answer 28

adjective

adjective:professed

1.

(of a quality, feeling, or belief) claimed orassertedopenlybut oftenfalsely.

“for all her professed populism, she was seen as remote from ordinary people”

Similar:

supposed

ostensible

alleged

claimed

so-called

soi-disant

self-styled

apparent

pretended

purported

would-be

2.

(of a person) self-acknowledged oropenlydeclared to be.

“a professed and conforming Anglican”

Similar:

declared

self-acknowledged

self-confessed

confessed

sworn

avowed

confirmed

certified

(of amonkornun) having taken thevowsof a religious order.

“a professed nun”

ARCHAIC

claiming to be qualified as a particular specialist; professional.

pro·fess

/prəˈfes/



verb

past tense:professed;past participle:professed

1.

claim that one has (a quality or feeling), especially when this is not the case.

“he had professed his love for her”

Similar:

declare

announce

proclaim

assert

state

affirm

avow

maintain

protest

aver

vow

asseverate

claim

pretend

purport

allege

make a pretense of

lay claim

make out that

let on that

ARCHAIC

have or claim knowledge or skill in (a subject oraccomplishment).

“though knowing little of the arts I professed, he proved a natural adept”

2.

affirmone’s faith in orallegianceto (a religion or set of beliefs).

“a people professing Christianity”

Similar:

state/affirm one’s faith in

affirm one’s allegiance to

make a public declaration of

declare publicly

avow

confess

acknowledge publicly

be received into a religious order undervows.

“she entered St. Margaret’s Convent, and was professed in 1943”

3.

ARCHAIC•HUMOROUS

teach (a subject) as a professor.

“a professor—what does he profess?”

Origin



Middle English (asbe professed‘be received into a religious order’): from Latinprofess-‘declared publicly’, from the verbprofiteri, frompro-‘before’ +fateri‘confess’.

Question 29

Dualism

Answer 29

noun

noun:dualism;plural noun:dualisms

1.

the division of somethingconceptuallyinto two opposed orcontrastedaspects, or the state of being so divided.

“a dualism between man and nature”

PHILOSOPHY

a theory or system of thought that regards a domain of reality in terms of two independent principles, especially mind and matter (Cartesian dualism).

noun:Cartesian dualism

the religiousdoctrinethat the universe contains opposed powers of good and evil, especially seen as balancedequals.

in Christiantheology, theheresythat in theincarnateChrist there were twocoexistingpersons, human and divine.

2.

the quality or condition of being dual;duality.

Origin



late 18th century: fromdual, on the pattern of Frenchdualisme.

Question 30

The Perfect (Cathar)

Answer 30

The Cathar Perfect was believed to have reached the point in his or her cycle of incarnations at which the state of spiritual purity had been achieved through which the Holy Spirit could dwell within them, thus releasing them from the burden of reincarnation and the suffering of this world.

Question 31

Upbraid

Answer 31

verb
find fault with (someone); scold.
“he was upbraided for his slovenly appearance”

Question 32

Poignant

Answer 32

adjective
evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret.
“a poignant reminder of the passing of time”
Similar:
touching
moving
sad
saddening
affecting
pitiful
piteous
pitiable
pathetic
sorrowful
mournful
tearful
wretched
miserable
bitter
painful
distressing
disturbing
heart-rending
heartbreaking
tear-jerking
plaintive
upsetting
tragic
ARCHAIC
sharp or pungent in taste or smell.
“the poignant scent of her powder”

Question 33

Zealot

Answer 33

noun
1.
a person who is fanatical and uncompromising in pursuit of their religious, political, or other ideals.
Similar:
fanatic
enthusiast
extremist
radical
diehard
activist
militant
bigot
dogmatist
sectarian
partisan
fiend
maniac
ultra
nut
Opposite:
moderate
2.
HISTORICAL
a member of an ancient Jewish sect that aimed at a world Jewish theocracy and resisted the Romans until AD 70.

Question 34

Brawl

Answer 34

noun
a rough or noisy fight or quarrel.
“he’d got into a drunken brawl in a bar”
Similar:
fight
fist fight
skirmish
scuffle
tussle
fracas
scrimmage
fray
melee
rumpus
altercation
wrangle
clash
free-for-all
scrum
brouhaha
commotion
uproar
fisticuffs
rough and tumble
donnybrook
affray
scrap
dust-up
set-to
shindy
punch-up
bust-up
ruck
bit of argy-bargy
afters
rammy
swedge
square go
roughhouse
brannigan
stoush
broil
bagarre
verb
fight or quarrel in a rough or noisy way.
“he ended up brawling with a lout outside his house

Question 35

Taciturn

Answer 35

adjective
(of a person) reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little.
“after such gatherings she would be taciturn and morose

Question 36

Allegiance

Answer 36

noun
loyalty or commitment of a subordinate to a superior or of an individual to a group or cause.
“those wishing to receive citizenship must swear allegiance to the republic”

Question 37

Ineffectual

Answer 37

adjective
not producing any or the desired effect.
“an ineffectual campaign”
Similar:
inefficient
ineffective
inefficacious
unsuccessful
powerless
impotent
inadequate
inept
incompetent
incapable
unfit
feeble
weak
poor
useless
hopeless
rotten
lousy
no good
unproductive
nonsuccessful
profitless
fruitless
futile
failed
abortive
vain
unavailing
worthless
bungled
bungling
bootless
unfructuous
inutile
(of a person) lacking the ability or qualities to cope with a role or situation.
“she was neglectful and ineffectual as a parent”

Question 38

Chatelain

Answer 38

noun
DATED
a woman in charge of a large house.
HISTORICAL
a set of short chains attached to a woman’s belt, used for carrying keys or other items.

Question 39

Magistrate

Answer 39

noun
a civil officer or lay judge who administers the law, especially one who conducts a court that deals with minor offenses and holds preliminary hearings for more serious ones.

Question 40

Arrears

Answer 40

noun
money that is owed and should have been paid earlier.
“he was suing the lessee for the arrears of rent”

Question 41

Trite

Answer 41

adjective

(of aremark, opinion, or idea)overusedand consequently of little import; lackingoriginalityorfreshness.

“this point may now seem obvious and trite”