Day 5

Question 1

caustic

Answer 1

Capable of corroding metal or burning the
skin; very critical or sarcastic

“the players were making caustic comments about the refereeing”

Question 2

censure

Answer 2

Strong disapproval or official reprimand
(noun); to issue such disapproval or
reprimand (verb)

“the company was heavily censured by inspectors from the Department of Trade”

Question 3

chauvinism

Answer 3

Fanatical patriotism or blind enthusiasm
for military glory; undue or biased
devotion to any group, cause, etc.

“we stand together to stamp out chauvinism and bigotry”

Question 4

chicanery

Answer 4

Trickery, deception by knowingly false
arguments

“storylines packed with political chicanery”

Question 5

chronological

Answer 5

Arranged in or relating to time order

“the diary provided a chronological framework for the events”

Question 6

circumscribe

Answer 6

Strictly limit a role, range of activity, or
area; in math, to be constructed around so
as to touch as many points as possible

“the minister’s powers are circumscribed both by tradition and the organization of local government”

Question 7

circumspect

Answer 7

Cautious, prudent; careful to consider the
circumstances and consequences

“the officials were very circumspect in their statements”

Question 8

clamber

Answer 8

Climb awkwardly or with difficulty,
scramble”

I clambered out of the trench”

Question 9

clamor

Answer 9

Noisy uproar or protest, as from a crowd; a
loud, continuous noise

“the growing public clamour for more police officers on the beat”

Question 10

clinch

Answer 10

Make final or settle conclusively; to fasten
or hold together

“the Texan wanted to impress him to clinch a business deal”

Question 11

cloying

Answer 11

Disgustingly or distastefully sweet

“a romantic, rather cloying story”

Question 12

coagulate

Answer 12

Cause a liquid to become solid or semisolid

“blood had coagulated round the edges of the gash”

Question 13

coalesce

Answer 13

Come together, unite; fuse together

“his idea served to coalesce all that happened into one connected whole”

Question 14

coda

Answer 14

Final part of a musical composition; an
ending, esp. one that sums up what has
come before

“his new novel is a kind of coda to his previous books”

Question 15

coffer

Answer 15

Chest for storing valuables; financial
resources, a treasury

“a battered leather coffer sealed with a waxen crest”

Question 16

cogent

Answer 16

Very convincing, logical

“they put forward cogent arguments for British membership”

Question 17

collude

Answer 17

Conspire; cooperate for illegal or
fraudulent purposes

“the president accused his opponents of colluding with foreigners”

Question 18

commensurate

Answer 18

The same in size, extent, etc., equivalent;
proportional

“salary will be commensurate with age and experience”

Question 19

compendium

Answer 19

Concise but complete summary; a list or
collection

“an invaluable compendium of useful information about language”

Question 20

complacent

Answer 20

Self-satisfied, smug; overly content (and
therefore lazy, neglectful, or some other
bad quality)

“you can’t afford to be complacent about security”

Question 21

complaisant

Answer 21

Eager to please; cheerfully complying

“there are too many complaisant doctors signing sick notes”

Question 22

complementary

Answer 22

Completing; fitting together well; filling
mutual needs

“they had different but complementary skills”

Question 23

compliant

Answer 23

Obeying, submissive; following the
requirements

“a compliant labour force”

Question 24

concede

Answer 24

Give in, admit, yield; acknowledge
reluctantly; grant or give up (such as giving
up land after losing a war)

“I had to concede that I’d overreacted”

Question 25

conciliatory

Answer 25

Reconciling, appeasing, attempting to make
the peace

“a conciliatory approach”

Question 26

concur

Answer 26

Approve, agree

“the authors concurred with the majority”

Question 27

condone

Answer 27

Overlook, tolerate, regard as harmless

“the college cannot condone any behaviour that involves illicit drugs”

Question 28

confer

Answer 28

Consult, compare views; bestow or give

“the Minister may have exceeded the powers conferred on him by Parliament”

Question 29

confound

Answer 29

Confuse, frustrate; mix up or make worse

“the inflation figure confounded economic analysts”

Question 30

connoisseur

Answer 30

Expert, especially in the fine arts; person of
educated, refined tastes

“a connoisseur of music”

Question 31

connote

Answer 31

Suggest or imply in addition to the precise,
literal meaning

“the term ‘modern science’ usually connotes a complete openness to empirical testing”

Question 32

console

Answer 32

Lessen the suffering or grief of (verb); a
control panel, or small table or cabinet
(noun)

“she tried to console him but he pushed her gently away”
“ games console”

Question 33

consolidate

Answer 33

Unite, combine, solidify, make coherent

“the Companies Act 1948 and subsequent enactments were consolidated by the Companies Act 1985”