D_21/02/21(Manhattan 8 --> TC --> Drill Medium )

Question 1

consternation

noun [ U ]

Answer 1

a feeling of worry, shock, or confusion:
The prospect of so much work filled him with consternation.
To his consternation, when he got to the airport he found he’d forgotten his passport.

Question 2

equanimity

noun [ U ] formal

Answer 2

a calm mental state, especially after a shock or disappointment or in a difficult situation:
He received the news of his mother’s death with remarkable equanimity.
Three years after the tragedy she has only just begun to regain her equanimity.

Question 3

patois

noun [ C or U ]

Answer 3

the form of a language spoken by people in a particular area that is different from the standard language of the country:
the local patois

Question 4

fortitude

noun [ U ] formal

Answer 4

courage over a long period:
I thought she showed remarkable fortitude during that period.
UNCOUNTABLE NOUN
If you say that someone has shown fortitude, you admire them for being brave, calm, and uncomplaining when they have experienced something unpleasant or painful.
[formal, approval]
He suffered a long series of illnesses with tremendous dignity and fortitude.
Synonyms: courage, strength, resolution, determination

Question 5

disportment

Noun

Answer 5

an amusement

Question 6

vocation

noun [ C or U ]

Answer 6

a type of work that you feel you are suited to doing and to which you should give all your time and energy, or the feeling that a type of work suits you in this way:
I feel I’ve found/missed my true vocation.
Most teachers regard their profession as a vocation, not just a job.
To work in medicine, you should have a vocation for it.

Question 7

egalitarian

adjective formal

Answer 7

believing that all people are equally important and should have the same rights and opportunities in life:
an egalitarian society
The party’s principles are basically egalitarian.

Question 8

periphery

noun [ C usually singular ]

Answer 8

the outer edge of an area:
Houses have been built on the periphery of the factory site.
The ring road runs around the periphery of the city centre.

the less important part of a group or activity:
Many women feel they are being kept on the periphery of the armed forces.

Question 9

probing

adjective

Answer 9

NOUN
1. the act or an instance of making a thorough inquiry, such as one by a newspaper into corrupt practices
If he remains here, he’ll be away from the press and their probings.
It’s necessary for me to do a little probing.
It wasn’t as if his probings were particularly vicious or rough.
ADJECTIVE
2. searching or questioning closely
He’d questioned him in a manner which was both probing and hesitant.
He anticipated some probing questions.
He had a lively and probing intelligence.

Question 10

veer

verb [ I + adv/prep ]

Answer 10

to change direction:
All of a sudden, the car veered off the road.
Moments before crashing, the jet was seen veering sharply to the right.
Three men were feared dead last night after a helicopter veered off course into an oil platform.
Our talk soon veered onto the subject of money.

Question 11

wheedling

adjective

Answer 11

trying to persuade someone to do something by saying nice things about them:
I knew by your wheedling tone that you wanted something from me.
His wheedling phone call irritated her.

Question 12

freewheeling

Answer 12

ADJECTIVE [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
If you refer to someone’s freewheeling lifestyle or attitudes, you mean that they behave in a casual, relaxed way without feeling restricted by rules or accepted ways of doing things.
He has given up his freewheeling lifestyle to settle down with his baby daughter.
…an update on corporate affairs delivered in Johnson’s unique, freewheeling style.

Question 13

unremitting

adjective formal

Answer 13

never stopping, becoming weaker, or failing:

Our thanks are due to Bob Lawrence whose unremitting labours have ensured the success of the whole project.

Question 14

remit

verb [ T ]

Answer 14

to reduce a period of time that someone must spend in prison:
She has had part of her sentence remitted.
His prison sentence was remitted to two years.

to send money to someone:
He worked as a builder in Chicago and remitted half his monthly wage to his family in the Philippines.

to refer a matter to someone in authority to deal with:
She remitted the case to a new tribunal for reconsideration.

Question 15

frisson

noun [ C usually singular ]

Answer 15

a sudden feeling of excitement or fear, especially when you think that something is about to happen:
As the music stopped, a frisson of excitement ran through the crowd.

Question 16

murmur

verb

Answer 16

to speak or say something very quietly:
[ + speech ] “I love you,” she murmured.
He was murmuring to himself.
humorous He murmured sweet nothings (= romantic talk) in her ear.

Question 17

sweet nothings

noun [ plural ] humorous

Answer 17

romantic and loving talk:

They’re the couple in the corner, whispering/murmuring sweet nothings to each other.

Question 18

mar

verb [ T ] formal

Answer 18

to spoil something, making it less good or less enjoyable:
Sadly, the text is marred by careless errors.
It was a really nice day, marred only by a little argument in the car on the way home.
I hope the fact that Louise isn’t coming won’t mar your enjoyment of the evening.

Question 19

prostrate

Answer 19

1. VERB
   If you prostrate yourself, you lie down flat on the ground, on your front, usually to show respect for God or a person in authority.
   They prostrated themselves before their king. [VERB pronoun-reflexive]
2. ADJECTIVE
   If someone is prostrate, they are so distressed or affected by a very bad experience that they are unable to do anything at all.
   [formal]
   Immediately after my father’s death my stepmother was prostrate.
   I was prostrate with grief.
   …his country’s prostrate economy.
   Synonyms: exhausted, overcome, depressed, drained

Question 20

fortnight

noun [ C usually singular ] UK

Answer 20

a period of two weeks:
a fortnight’s holiday
once a fortnight
a fortnight ago

Question 21

disconcert

verb [ I or T ]

Answer 21

to make someone feel suddenly uncertain and worried:
The whole experience had disconcerted him.

VERB
If something disconcerts you, it makes you feel anxious, confused, or embarrassed.
Antony’s wry smile disconcerted Sutcliffe. [VERB noun]
The ambassador was clearly disconcerted by the British reaction. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: disturb, worry, trouble, upset

Question 22

give in

— phrasal verb with give verb

Answer 22

to finally agree to what someone wants, after refusing for a period of time:
He nagged me so much for a new bike that eventually I gave in.
The government cannot be seen as giving in to terrorists’ demands.

to accept that you have been defeated and agree to stop competing or fighting:
You’ll never guess the answer - do you give in?
She wouldn’t give in until she received a full apology.

Question 23

militant

adjective

Answer 23

active, determined, and often willing to use force:
militant extremists
The group has taken a militant position on the abortion issue and is refusing to compromise.

ADJECTIVE
You use militant to describe people who believe in something very strongly and are active in trying to bring about political or social change, often in extreme ways that other people find unacceptable.
Militant mineworkers in the Ukraine have voted for a one-day stoppage next month.
…one of the most active militant groups.
Synonyms: aggressive, warring, fighting, active

Question 24

artillery

noun [ U ]

Answer 24

very large guns that are moved on wheels or metal tracks, or the part of the army that uses these:
Naval gunfire and ground-based artillery are generally less accurate than many aircraft-borne weapons.

Question 25

covetous

Answer 25

ADJECTIVE
A covetous person has a strong desire to possess something, especially something that belongs to another person.
[formal, disapproval]
He has attracted covetous glances from England’s biggest clubs.
Synonyms: envious, jealous, yearning, greedy

Question 26

downtrodden

Answer 26

ADJECTIVE
People who are downtrodden are treated very badly by people with power, and do not have the ability or the energy to do anything about it.
The owner is making huge profits at the expense of downtrodden peasants.
His mother was old, badly dressed and obviously downtrodden.
The downtrodden are people who are downtrodden.
…support for the downtrodden and underprivileged.

Question 27

practitioner

noun [ C ] formal

Answer 27

someone involved in a skilled job or activity:
Elizabeth Quan is a London-based practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine.
She was a medical practitioner (= a doctor) before she entered politics.

Question 28

maven

Answer 28

a person with good knowledge or understanding of a subject

Question 29

virtuoso

noun [ C ]

Answer 29

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 30

quibble

verb [ I ] disapproving

Answer 30

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

1. VERB
   When people quibble over a small matter, they argue about it even though it is not important.
   Council members spent the day quibbling over the final wording of the resolution. [V + over/about]
   Let’s not quibble. [VERB]
   [Also V + with]
   Synonyms: split hairs, carp, cavil, prevaricate More Synonyms of quibble
2. COUNTABLE NOUN
   A quibble is a small and unimportant complaint about something.
   These are minor quibbles.
   Synonyms: objection, complaint, niggle, protest

Question 31

Fabulist

Answer 31

a creator or writer of fables

Question 32

credibility

noun [ U ]

Answer 32

the fact that someone can be believed or trusted:
His arrest for lewd behaviour seriously damaged his credibility as a religious leader.
He complained that we had tried to undermine his credibility within the company.

Question 33

sentient
adjective formal

penitent

Answer 33

able to experience feelings:
It is hard for a sentient person to understand how any parents could treat their child so badly.

ADJECTIVE [usually verb-link ADJECTIVE]
Someone who is penitent is very sorry for something wrong that they have done, and regrets their actions.
[literary]
Robert Gates sat before them, almost penitent about the past. [+ about]
She is deeply penitent.
…penitent criminals.
Synonyms: repentant, sorry, apologetic, abject

Question 34

on a par (with sb/sth)

Answer 34

the same as or equal to someone or something:

The regeneration of the city’s downtown dock front will put it on a par with Nice or Cannes.

Question 35

cull

verb [ T ]

Answer 35

When people cull animals, they kill them, especially the weaker members of a particular group of them, in order to reduce or limit their number:
The plan to cull large numbers of baby seals has angered environmental groups.

Question 36

utterance

Answer 36

1. COUNTABLE NOUN [oft poss NOUN]
   Someone’s utterances are the things that they say.
   [formal]
   …the Queen’s public utterances.
   …a host of admirers who hung on her every utterance.
   Synonyms: speech, words, statement, comment More Synonyms of utterance
2. UNCOUNTABLE NOUN
   Utterance is the expression in words of ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
   [formal]
   I will give free utterance to my complaint. [+ to]

Question 37

deride

verb [ T ] formal

Answer 37

to laugh at someone or something in a way that shows you think they are stupid or of no value:
He derided my singing as pathetic.
This building, once derided by critics, is now a major tourist attraction.

Question 38

evince

verb [ T ] formal

Answer 38

VERB
If someone or something evinces a particular feeling or quality, they show that feeling or quality, often indirectly.
[formal]
The entire production evinces authenticity and a real respect for the subject matter. [VERB noun]
The new president has so far evinced no such sense of direction. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: show, evidence, reveal, establish

Question 39

doggerel

Answer 39

UNCOUNTABLE NOUN
If you refer to a poem as doggerel, you are emphasizing that you think it is very bad poetry.
[disapproval]
…fragments of meaningless doggerel.

Question 40

repartee

noun [ U ]

Answer 40

quick and usually funny answers and remarks in conversation:

Oscar Wilde’s plays are full of witty repartee.

Question 41

impetuous

adjective

Answer 41

likely to do something suddenly, without considering the results of your actions:
He’s so impetuous - why can’t he think things over before he rushes into them?

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

Question 42

impetus

noun [ S or U ]

Answer 42

something that encourages a particular activity or makes that activity more energetic or effective:
The recent publicity surrounding homelessness has given (a) fresh impetus to the cause.

Question 43

heady

Answer 43

ADJECTIVE [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
A heady drink, atmosphere, or experience strongly affects your senses, for example by making you feel drunk or excited.
…in the heady days just after their marriage.
I felt heady and euphoric.
Synonyms: exciting, thrilling, stimulating, exhilarating

Question 44

kinship

Answer 44

1. UNCOUNTABLE NOUN
   Kinship is the relationship between members of the same family.
   The ties of kinship may have helped the young man find his way in life.
   …her kinship to the English King.
2. UNCOUNTABLE NOUN
   If you feel kinship with someone, you feel close to them, because you have a similar background or similar feelings or ideas.
   She evidently felt a sense of kinship with the woman. [+ with]
   …the warmth and kinship one farmer feels for another.
   Synonyms: similarity, relationship, association, bearing

Question 45

scintilla

Noun

Answer 45

a very small amount of something:

There’s not a scintilla of truth in what he says.

Question 46

monolithic

monologue

Answer 46

1. ADJECTIVE
   If you refer to an organization or system as monolithic, you are critical of it because it is very large and very slow to change, and does not seem to have different parts with different characters.
   [disapproval]
   …an authoritarian and monolithic system.
   Synonyms: inflexible, rigid, impenetrable, intractable More Synonyms of monolithic
2. ADJECTIVE [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
   If you describe something such as a building as monolithic, you do not like it because it is very large and plain with no character.
   [disapproval]
   …a huge monolithic concrete building.
   Synonyms: huge, giant, massive, imposing
3. COUNTABLE NOUN
   If you refer to a long speech by one person during a conversation as a monologue, you mean it prevents other people from talking or expressing their opinions.
   Morris ignored the question and continued his monologue.
   Synonyms: speech, lecture, sermon, harangue More Synonyms of monologue
4. VARIABLE NOUN
   A monologue is a long speech which is spoken by one person as an entertainment, or as part of an entertainment such as a play.
   …a monologue based on the writing of Quentin Crisp.

Question 47

abstemious

Answer 47

ADJECTIVE
Someone who is abstemious avoids doing too much of something enjoyable such as eating or drinking.
[formal]
Synonyms: temperate, sparing, moderate, sober

Question 48

recalcitrant

Answer 48

ADJECTIVE [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
If you describe someone or something as recalcitrant, you mean that they are unwilling to obey orders or are difficult to deal with.
[formal]
The danger is that recalcitrant local authorities will reject their responsibilities.
He had a knack for coaxing even the most recalcitrant engine to life.
Synonyms: disobedient, contrary, unwilling, defiant

Question 49

potent

adjective

Answer 49

very powerful, forceful, or effective:
Surprise remains the terrorists’ most potent weapon.
The Berlin Wall was a potent symbol of the Cold War.
This is a very potent drug and can have unpleasant side-effects.

Question 50

pleonasm

noun [ C or U ] LANGUAGE specialized

Answer 50

the use of more words than are needed to express a meaning, done either unintentionally or for emphasis; an example of this:
An example of pleonasm might be “kick it with your feet”.
There is a looseness in his writing, as in the pleonasm “I myself”.

Question 51

desiccate

Answer 51

1. (transitive)
   to remove most of the water from (a substance or material); dehydrate
2. (transitive)
   to preserve (food) by removing moisture; dry
3. (intransitive)
   to become dried up

Question 52

surge out

Answer 52

1. Of a liquid or gas, to exit from something or some place in a great gush or burst.
   Blood surged out of the wound in his chest.
   Cold air surged out as the scientists opened the door to the cryogenic chamber.
2. Of person or animal, to exit from something or some place very quickly and suddenly, with a great burst of speed.
   Sarah’s mother surged out of the car and snatched the cigarette from her lips.
   I was trying to peer into the mysterious cave when suddenly a bear surged out and bore down on me with incredible speed.

Question 53

insular

Answer 53

ADJECTIVE
If you say that someone is insular, you are being critical of them because they are unwilling to meet new people or to consider new ideas.
[disapproval]
…the old image of the insular, xenophobic Brit.
Synonyms: narrow-minded, prejudiced, provincial, closed

interested only in your own country or group and not willing to accept different or foreign ideas

Question 54

latency

Answer 54

psychology
the time from the onset of a stimulus to that of the response
Also called: latency, reaction time

Question 55

minatory

adjective formal

Answer 55

expressing a warning or a threat:

This minatory approach hasn’t scared children off hard drugs.

Question 56

incentive

noun [ C or U ]

Answer 56

something that encourages a person to do something:
Tax incentives have been very effective in encouraging people to save and invest more of their income.
[ + to infinitive ] There is little incentive for people to leave their cars at home when public transport remains so expensive.
Bonus payments provide an incentive to work harder.

Question 57

iniquitous

adjective formal

Answer 57

very wrong and unfair:

It is an iniquitous system that allows a person to die because they have no money to pay for medicine.

Question 58

stratify

verb [ T ]

Answer 58

1. to form or be formed in layers or strata
2. (transitive)
   to preserve or render fertile (seeds) by storing between layers of sand or earth
3. sociology
   to divide (a society) into horizontal status groups or (of a society) to develop such groups

to arrange the different parts of something in separate layers or groups:
The sample of people questioned was drawn from the university’s student register and stratified by age and gender.
a stratified society

Question 59

hashish

noun [ U ]

Answer 59

a drug, illegal in many countries, made from the cannabis plant and usually smoked

Question 60

dissertation

noun [ C ]

Answer 60

a long piece of writing on a particular subject, especially one that is done in order to receive a degree at college or university:
Ann did her dissertation on Baudelaire.

Question 61

suspicion

noun

Answer 61

a belief or idea that something may be true:
[ + that ] I have a suspicion that he only asked me out because my brother persuaded him to.
She had a nagging/sneaking suspicion that she might have sent the letter to the wrong address.

Question 62

suspicious

adjective

Answer 62

making you feel that something illegal is happening or that something is wrong:
Her behaviour was very suspicious.
The fire at the bank is being treated as suspicious.
It’s a little suspicious that no one knows where he was at the time of the murder.
There were some suspicious characters hanging around outside.
There’s a suspicious-looking van parked at the end of the street.
His new book bears a suspicious resemblance to a book written by someone else. (= His book is so similar to the other book that it seems as if he has copied it.)

Question 63

herald

Answer 63

1. VERB
   Something that heralds a future event or situation is a sign that it is going to happen or appear.
   [formal]
   …the sultry evening that heralded the end of the baking hot summer. [VERB noun]
   Their discovery could herald a cure for some forms of impotence. [VERB noun]
   Synonyms: indicate, promise, precede, pave the way More Synonyms of herald
2. COUNTABLE NOUN
   Something that is a herald of a future event or situation is a sign that it is going to happen or appear.
   [formal]
   I welcome the report as a herald of more freedom, not less. [+ of]
   For her, it was the herald of summer.
   Synonyms: forerunner, sign, signal, indication

Question 64

unheralded

Answer 64

1. ADJECTIVE [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
   If you describe an artist or sports player as unheralded, you mean that people have not recognized their talent or ability.
   [journalism]
   They are inviting talented, but unheralded film-makers to submit examples of their work.
   …two unheralded players he hopes to turn into stars.
   Synonyms: unknown, unrecognized, unsung, unnoticed More Synonyms of unheralded
2. ADJECTIVE
   If you describe something that happens as unheralded, you mean that you did not expect it, because nobody mentioned it beforehand.
   [written]
   …Sandi’s unheralded arrival on her doorstep.
   The complete reversal of this policy was unheralded.
   Synonyms: unexpected, out of the blue, surprise, unforeseen

Question 65

enigmatic

adjective

Answer 65

mysterious and impossible to understand completely:
The Mona Lisa has a famously enigmatic smile.
He left an enigmatic message on my answering machine.

Question 66

connotation

Answer 66

COUNTABLE NOUN
The connotations of a particular word or name are the ideas or qualities which it makes you think of.
It’s just one of those words that’s got so many negative connotations.
‘Urchin’, with its connotation of mischievousness, may not be a particularly apt word. [+ of]
Synonyms: implication, colouring, association, suggestion

Question 67

demography

noun [ U ]

Answer 67

the study of changes in the number of births, marriages, deaths, etc. in a particular area during a period of time:
historical demography

Question 68

decelerate

verb [ I or T ]

Answer 68

to reduce the speed that a vehicle is travelling at:

The car decelerated at the sight of the police car.

Question 69

plumb

verb [ T ]

Answer 69

to supply a building or a device with water pipes, or to connect a building or a device to a water pipe:
We’ve discovered that our house isn’t plumbed properly.
I think we can plumb the new bath into the existing pipes.
Have you plumbed the dishwasher in yet?

to understand or discover all about something:
Now that she had begun, she wanted to plumb her own childhood further.

informal
exactly:
The hotel is plumb in the middle of the town.
He hit me plumb on the nose.

US informal
completely:
I plumb forgot your birthday.

Question 70

clangour
noun [ U ]
UK (US clangor)

Answer 70

the continuous loud noise of something, especially something made of metal, being hit or rung:
His music often evokes the pealing or clangour of bells.

Question 71

subdue

verb [ T ]

Answer 71

to reduce the force of something, or to prevent something from existing or developing:
The fire burned for eight hours before the fire crews could subdue it.
He criticized the school for trying to subdue individual expression.

If a colour or light is subdued, it is not very bright:
subdued lighting
If a noise is subdued, it is not loud:
subdued laughter/cheers

Question 72

erstwhile

Answer 72

You use erstwhile to describe someone that used to be the type of person indicated, but no longer is.
[formal]
Erstwhile workers may have become managers.
He fled to America with Phyllis Burton, an erstwhile friend of his wife’s.
Synonyms: former, old, late, previous

Question 73

undulate

Answer 73

verb
Something that undulates has gentle curves or slopes, or moves gently and slowly up and down or from side to side in an attractive manner.
[literary]
As we travel south, the countryside begins to undulate. [VERB]
His body slowly undulated in time to the music. [VERB]
[Also VERB noun]
Synonyms: wave, roll, surge, swell

Question 74

double-dealing

noun [ U ]

Answer 74

dishonest behaviour and actions intended to deceive:

The local business community has been destroyed by corruption, cheating and double-dealing.

Question 75

Meaning of backpedal in English
backpedal
verb [ I ]

Answer 75

to change an opinion that you had expressed before, or do something different from what you had said you would do:
As soon as I said I thought she was wrong, she started backpedalling.
He said he’d help, but now he’s starting to backpedal (on his promise).

to move the pedals (= parts you operate with your feet) backwards on a bicycle:
Some types of bike have brakes that you operate by backpedalling.

Question 76

unflattering

flatter

Answer 76

adjective
If you describe something as unflattering, you mean that it makes a person or thing seem less attractive than they really are.
He depicted the town’s respectable families in an unflattering light.
The knee-length dresses were unflattering and ugly.
Synonyms: unattractive, plain, unbecoming, unprepossessing

1. VERB
   If someone flatters you, they praise you in an exaggerated way that is not sincere, because they want to please you or to persuade you to do something.
   [disapproval]
   I knew she was just flattering me. [VERB noun]
   …a story of how the president flattered and feted him into taking his side. [VERB noun + into]
   Synonyms: praise, compliment, pander to, sweet-talk [informal] More Synonyms of flatter
2. VERB
   If you flatter yourself that something good is the case, you believe that it is true, although others may disagree. If someone says to you ‘you’re flattering yourself’ or ‘don’t flatter yourself’, they mean that they disagree with your good opinion of yourself.
   I flatter myself that this campaign will put an end to the war. [V pron-refl that]
   I flatter myself I’ve done it all rather well. [V pron-refl that]
   You flatter yourself. Why would we go to such ludicrous lengths? [VERB pronoun-reflexive]
3. VERB
   If something flatters you, it makes you appear more attractive.
   Orange and khaki flatter those with golden skin tones. [VERB noun]
   My philosophy of fashion is that I like to make clothes that flatter. [VERB]
   Synonyms: suit, become, enhance, set off

Question 77

ostensible
adjective [ before noun ]
formal

Answer 77

appearing or claiming to be one thing when it is really something else:
Their ostensible goal was to clean up government corruption, but their real aim was to unseat the government.

Question 78

portentous

pretentious

Answer 78

1. adjective
   If someone’s way of speaking, writing, or behaving is portentous, they speak, write, or behave more seriously than necessary because they want to impress other people.
   [formal, disapproval]
   There was nothing portentous or solemn about him. He was bubbling with humour.
   …portentous prose.
   Synonyms: pompous, solemn, ponderous, self-important More Synonyms of portentous
   portentously adverb [usually ADVERB with verb]
   ‘The difference is,’ he said portentously, ‘you are Anglo-Saxons, we are Latins.’
2. adjective
   Something that is portentous is important in indicating or affecting future events.
   [formal]
   The city’s contribution to 20th century thought and culture was no less portentous.
   Portentous choices were forced on him by the dozen.

formal disapproving
too serious and trying to be very important:
The problem with the book is that it sometimes descends into portentous philosophizing.

literary
Portentous events, statements, or signs are important because they show that something unpleasant is very likely to happen:
The report contains numerous portentous references to a future environmental calamity.

ADJECTIVE
If you say that someone or something is pretentious, you mean that they try to seem important or significant, but you do not think that they are.
[disapproval]
His response was full of pretentious nonsense.
This pub was of a very different type, smaller, less pretentious.
Synonyms: affected, mannered, exaggerated, pompous

Question 79

rapacious
adjective
formal

Answer 79

having or showing a strong wish to take things for yourself, usually using unfair methods or force:
a rapacious landlord/businessman
her rapacious appetite for fame

Question 80

odium
noun [ U ]
formal

Answer 80

hate and strong disapproval

Question 81

legerdemain
noun [ U ]
formal

Answer 81

skilful hiding of the truth in order to trick people:
The survey suggests nearly half the electorate believes the president won through electoral legerdemain.
skilful tricks done as part of a performance:
There are traditional acts of legerdemain with bright scarves and floating balls.
More examples

Workers staged a 24-hour strike to denounce what they characterize as official legerdemain with inflation data.
It's a supreme bit of architectural legerdemain: a curving tower doing what should be, for a building, the impossible.
He cuts her hair on stage with a little stage legerdemain.
Mediums were made to insert their hands in shoeboxes during seances, to prevent any sly legerdemain.

Question 82

occlusion

Answer 82

in medicine, something that blocks a tube or opening in the body, or when something is blocked or closed