Deck No. 1

Question 1

abberant

Answer 1

markedly different from an accepted norm

Question 2

contortion

Answer 2

n. the act of twisting or deforming the shape of something (e.g., yourself)
n. a tortuous and twisted shape or position

Question 3

nimble

Answer 3

adj, quick and light in movement; moving with ease; agile; active; rapid: nimble feet.
quick to understand, think, devise, etc.: a nimble mind.
cleverly contrived: a story with a nimble plot.

Question 4

ordeal

Answer 4

Noun: any extremely severe or trying test, experience, or trial.

Question 5

meager

Answer 5

adjective

deficient in quantity or quality; lacking fullness or richness; scanty; inadequate: a meager salary; meager fare; a meager harvest.

Question 6

anectodal

Answer 6

adjective

(of an account) not necessarily true or reliable, because based on personal accounts rather than facts or research.

Question 7

lurch

Answer 7

verb:
make an abrupt, unsteady, uncontrolled movement or series of movements; stagger.
“the car lurched forward”

synonyms: stagger, stumble, sway, reel, roll, weave, totter, flounder, falter, wobble, slip, move clumsily

Question 8

gale

Answer 8

noun

1. a very strong wind.
   “I slept well despite the howling gales outside”

synonyms: storm, tempest, squall, hurricane, tornado, cyclone, typhoon, whirlwind, superstorm; a storm at sea.
2. an outburst of laughter.
“she collapsed into gales of laughter”
synonyms: outburst, burst, eruption, explosion, effusion, attack, fit, paroxysm;

Question 9

intone

Answer 9

verb:
say or recite with little rise and fall of the pitch of the voice. “he intoned a short Latin prayer”
synonyms: chant, intonate, sing, recite;

Question 10

nimble

Answer 10

adjective:

quick and light in movement or action; agile.
“with a deft motion of her nimble fingers”

adroit; “her mind was so nimble and she was so quick to learn”

Question 11

gall

Answer 11

noun:

bold and impudent behavior.
“the bank had the gall to demand a fee”

used to refer to something bitter or cruel.

Question 12

fable

Answer 12

noun:

a short story, typically with animals as characters, conveying a moral.
a supernatural story incorporating elements of myth and legend.
myth, legend

Question 13

cavernous

Answer 13

adjective:

giving the impression of vast, dark depths.

Question 14

strident

Answer 14

adjective:

1. (of a sound) loud and harsh; grating.
   “his voice had become increasingly strident”
2. presenting a point of view, especially a controversial one, in an excessively forceful way.
   “public pronouncements on the crisis became less strident”

Question 15

chastise

Answer 15

verb:

rebuke or reprimand severely.
“he chastised his colleagues for their laziness”

Question 16

cringe

Answer 16

verb:

1. bend one’s head and body in fear or apprehension or in a servile manner. “he cringed away from the blow”
2. experience an inward shiver of embarrassment or disgust. “I cringed at the fellow’s stupidity”

Question 17

impetuous

Answer 17

adjective:

acting or done quickly and without thought or care.
“she might live to rue this impetuous decision”

moving forcefully or rapidly.
“an impetuous but controlled flow of water”

Question 18

somber

Answer 18

adjective:

1. having or conveying a feeling of deep seriousness and sadness. “he looked at her with a somber expression”
2. dark or dull in color or tone.
   “the night skies were sombre and starless”

Question 19

grotesque

Answer 19

adjective:

1. comically or repulsively ugly or distorted.
   “a figure wearing a grotesque mask”
2. incongruous or inappropriate to a shocking degree.
   “a lifestyle of grotesque luxury”

Question 20

strife

Answer 20

noun:

angry or bitter disagreement over fundamental issues; conflict. “strife within the community”

Question 21

visceral

Answer 21

adjective:

relating to deep inward feelings rather than to the intellect. “the voters’ visceral fear of change”

Question 22

wane

Answer 22

verb:

(of a state or feeling) decrease in vigour or extent; become weaker. “confidence in the dollar waned”

Question 23

protégé

Answer 23

noun:

a person who is guided and supported by an older and more experienced or influential person.
“Ruskin submitted his protégé’s name for election”

Question 24

agnostic

Answer 24

noun:

a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God.

Question 25

brawl

Answer 25

noun:

a rough or noisy fight or quarrel.
“he’d got into a drunken brawl in a bar”

Question 26

sly

Answer 26

adjective:

1. having or showing a cunning and deceitful nature.
   “a sly, manipulative woman”
2. showing in an insinuating way that one has some secret knowledge that may be harmful or embarrassing.
   “he gave a sly grin”
3. surreptitious

Question 27

morsel

Answer 27

noun:

a small piece or amount of food; a mouthful.
“Juliet pushed a morsel of toast into her mouth”

Question 28

drowsy

Answer 28

adjective:

1. sleepy and lethargic; half asleep.
   “the wine had made her drowsy”
2. (of a place) peaceful and quiet.
   “a drowsy suburb called Surrey Hills”

Question 29

gruff

Answer 29

adjective:

1. (of a voice) rough and low in pitch.
   “she spoke with a gruff, masculine voice”
2. abrupt or taciturn in manner.
   “Robert’s gruff, no-nonsense approach”

Question 30

digress

Answer 30

verb:

leave the main subject temporarily in speech or writing.
“I have digressed a little from my original plan”

Question 31

haughty

Answer 31

adjective:

arrogantly superior and disdainful.
“a look of haughty disdain”

Question 32

bulge

Answer 32

noun:
a rounded swelling which distorts an otherwise flat surface. “the telltale bulge of a concealed weapon”

verb:
swell or protrude to an incongruous extent.
“the veins in his neck bulged”

Question 33

saunter

Answer 33

verb, noun:

walk in a slow, relaxed manner.
“Adam sauntered into the room”

Question 34

regent

Answer 34

noun:

a person appointed to administer a state because the monarch is a minor or is absent or incapacitated.

Question 35

blithe

Answer 35

adjective:

showing a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper.
“a blithe disregard for the rules of the road”

happy or carefree.
“a blithe seaside comedy”

Question 36

redundant

Answer 36

adjective:

not or no longer needed or useful; superfluous.
“an appropriate use for a redundant church”

Question 37

effrontery

Answer 37

noun:

insolent or impertinent behaviour.
“one juror had the effrontery to challenge the coroner’s decision”

Question 38

cozen

Answer 38

verb:

trick or deceive.
“do not think to cozen your contemporaries”

Question 39

brusque

Answer 39

adjective:

abrupt or offhand in speech or manner.
“she could be brusque and impatient”

Question 40

preen

Answer 40

verb:

1. (of a person) devote effort to making oneself look attractive and then admire one’s appearance.
   “adolescents preening in their bedroom mirrors”
2. congratulate or pride oneself.
   “he’s busy preening himself on acquiring such a pretty girlfriend”

Question 41

grisly

Answer 41

adjective:

causing horror or disgust.
“the town was shaken by a series of grisly crimes”

Question 42

gruesome

Answer 42

adjective:

causing repulsion or horror; grisly.
“the most gruesome murder”

extremely unpleasant

Question 43

froth

Answer 43

noun:

1. a mass of small bubbles in liquid caused by agitation, fermentation, or salivating.
   “leave the yeast until there is a good head of froth”
2. worthless or insubstantial talk, ideas, or activities.
   “the froth of party politics”

Question 44

quiver

Answer 44

verb:

tremble or shake with a slight rapid motion.
“the tree’s branches stopped quivering”