Deck 1

Question 1

Capricious

Answer 1

showing sudden changes in attitude or behaviour

changing suddenly and quickly

Question 2

mercenary

Answer 2

n. a soldier who will fight for any country or group that offers payment
adj. only interested in making or getting money

Question 3

intransigent

Answer 3

adj.(of people) unwilling to change their opinions or behaviour in a way that would be helpful to others

Question 4

clamorous

Answer 4

adj. (especially of a lot of people or animals) making a loud noise;
(of a lot of people) making demands for something

Question 5

invidious

Answer 5

adj. unpleasant and unfair; likely to offend somebody or make them jealous

Question 6

numinous

Answer 6

adj. having a strong religious and spiritual quality that makes you feel that God is present

Question 7

sonorous

Answer 7

adj. having a pleasant full deep sound.

Her clear, sonorous voice is perfect for opera.

Question 8

insular

Answer 8

adj. (disapproving) only interested in your own country, ideas, etc. and not in those from outside.

The British are often accused of being insular.

adj. (usually disapproving) having little contact with other people.
adj. (specialist) connected with an island or islands

Question 9

dearth

Answer 9

dearth (of something) a lack of something; the fact of there not being enough of something

Question 10

ad hoc

Answer 10

adj/adv. arranged or happening when necessary and not planned in advance

The meetings will be held on an ad hoc basis.

Question 11

fickle

Answer 11

adj. changing often and suddenly;

(of a person) often changing their mind in an unreasonable way so that you cannot rely on them;

Question 12

antiquarian

Answer 12

adj. connected with the study, collection or sale of valuable old objects, especially books.
n. a person who studies, collects or sells old and valuable objects

Question 13

counterfeit

Answer 13

adj. (of money and goods for sale) made to look exactly like something in order to trick people into thinking that they are getting the real thing

Question 14

proprietary

Answer 14

adj. (of goods) made and sold by a particular company and protected by a registered trademark;
relating to an owner or to the fact of owning something

Question 15

didactic

Answer 15

adj. designed to teach people something, especially a moral lesson;
(usually disapproving) telling people things rather than letting them find out for themselves

Question 16

ameliorate

Answer 16

v. to make better something that was bad or not good enough

Question 17

honorific

Answer 17

showing respect for the person you are speaking to

an honorific title

Question 18

malign

Answer 18

malign somebody/something to say bad things about somebody/something publicly

Question 19

brook

Answer 19

v. not brook something/not brook somebody doing something/brook no… to not allow something
n. a small river

Question 20

fecundity

Answer 20

n. the ability to produce children, crops, etc.;

the ability to produce new and useful things, especially ideas

Question 21

irascibility

Answer 21

n. the fact of tending to become angry very easily

Question 22

downplay

Answer 22

v. to try to make something seem less important than it really is

Question 23

neophyte

Answer 23

n. a person who has recently started an activity; a person who has recently changed to a new religion; a person who has recently become a priest or recently entered a religious order
Word Origin

Question 24

monolithic

Answer 24

adj. used to describe large single vertical blocks of stone, especially ones that were shaped into a column by people living in ancient times, and that may have had some religious meaning;
(often disapproving) used to describe single, very large organizations that are very slow to change and not interested in individual people

Question 25

haphazard

Answer 25

adj. with no particular order or plan; not organized well

Question 26

sagacious

Answer 26

adj. showing good judgement and understanding

Question 27

incommensurable

Answer 27

incommensurable (with something) if two things are incommensurable, they are so completely different from each other that they cannot be compared

Question 28

comity

Answer 28

n. an association of nations or organizations that brings benefits to each one

Question 29

loquacious

Answer 29

talking a lot

Question 30

perfidious

Answer 30

that cannot be trusted

Question 31

pastiche

Answer 31

n. [countable, uncountable] a work of art, piece of writing, etc. that is created by deliberately copying the style of somebody/something else

Question 32

parody

Answer 32

n. [countable, uncountable] a piece of writing, music, acting, etc. that deliberately copies the style of somebody/something in order to be humorous

Question 33

clandestine

Answer 33

adj. done secretly or kept secret

Question 34

vapid

Answer 34

not showing interest or intelligence

Question 35

banal

Answer 35

very ordinary and containing nothing that is interesting or important

Question 36

discretionary

Answer 36

decided according to the judgement of a person in authority about what is necessary in each particular situation; not decided by rules

Question 37

limpid

Answer 37

(of liquids, etc.) clear

Question 38

pellucid

Answer 38

extremely clear

Question 39

panacea

Answer 39

panacea (for something) something that will solve all the problems of a particular situation

Question 40

sycophancy

Answer 40

behaviour that praises important or powerful people too much and in a way that is not sincere, especially in order to get something from them

Question 41

wherewithal

Answer 41

the wherewithal (to do something) the money, things or skill that you need in order to be able to do something

Question 42

panache

Answer 42

the quality of being able to do things in a lively and confident way that other people find attractive

Question 43

lull

Answer 43

lull (in something) a quiet period between times of activity

Question 44

acerbic

Answer 44

(of a person or what they say) critical in a direct and rather cruel way

Question 45

seditious

Answer 45

intended to encourage people to oppose a government

Question 46

restive

Answer 46

unable to stay still, or unwilling to be controlled, especially because you feel bored or not satisfied

Question 47

snag

Answer 47

(informal) a problem or difficulty, especially one that is small, hidden or unexpected

Question 48

hitch

Answer 48

a problem or difficulty that causes a short delay

Question 49

diminutive

Answer 49

very small

Question 50

paucity

Answer 50

a small amount of something; less than enough of something

Question 51

proselytize

Answer 51

to try to persuade other people to accept your beliefs, especially about religion or politics

Question 52

transience

Answer 52

the fact that something continues for only a short time

Question 53

aver

Answer 53

to state clearly and strongly that something is true

Question 54

clique

Answer 54

a small group of people who spend their time together and do not allow others to join them

Question 55

insouciance

Answer 55

the state of not being worried about anything

Question 56

abstemious

Answer 56

not allowing yourself to have much food or alcohol, or to do things that are fun

Question 57

lugubrious

Answer 57

sad and serious

Question 58

tepid

Answer 58

slightly warm, sometimes in a way that is not pleasant; | not enthusiastic

Question 59

gainsay

Answer 59

gainsay something to say that something is not true; to disagree with or deny something

Question 60

mitigate

Answer 60

mitigate something to make something less harmful, serious, etc.

Question 61

extirpate

Answer 61

extirpate something to destroy or get rid of something that is bad or not wanted

Question 62

garrulous

Answer 62

talking a lot, especially about unimportant things

Question 63

ballyhoo

Answer 63

unnecessary noise and excitement