Deck009

Question 1

trite ​

adjective
BrE /traɪt/
NAmE /traɪt/

Answer 1

(of a remark, an opinion, etc.) dull and boring because it has been expressed so many times before; not original
➔ SYNONYM ​banal

Question 2

tim·or·ous ​

adjective
BrE /ˈtɪmərəs/
NAmE /ˈtɪmərəs/
literary or formal

Answer 2

nervous and easily frightened

➔ SYNONYM ​timid

Question 3

tem·er·ity ​

```
noun
BrE /təˈmerəti/
NAmE /təˈmerəti/
[uncountable]
formal
~~~

Answer 3

extremely confident behaviour that people are likely to consider rude
 He had the temerity to call me a liar!

Question 4

tan·ta·mount ​

adjective
BrE /ˈtæntəmaʊnt/
NAmE /ˈtæntəmaʊnt/

Answer 4

tantamount to something (formal) having the same bad effect as something else
 If he resigned it would be tantamount to admitting that he was guilty.

Question 5

sa·ti·ate ​

verb
BrE /ˈseɪʃieɪt/
NAmE /ˈseɪʃieɪt/

Answer 5

[usually passive] satiate somebody/​something (formal) to give somebody so much of something that they do not feel they want any more

Question 6

punc·tili·ous ​

adjective
BrE /pʌŋkˈtɪliəs/
NAmE /pʌŋkˈtɪliəs/
formal

Answer 6

very careful to behave correctly or to perform your duties exactly as you should
 a punctilious host

Question 7

pu·er·ile ​

adjective
BrE /ˈpjʊəraɪl/
NAmE /ˈpjʊrəl/
disapproving

Answer 7

silly; suitable for a child rather than an adult

➔ SYNONYM ​childish

Question 8

prof·li·gate ​

adjective
BrE /ˈprɒflɪɡət/
NAmE /ˈprɑːflɪɡət/
formal, disapproving

Answer 8

using money, time, materials, etc. in a careless way
➔ SYNONYM ​wasteful
 profligate spending
 the profligate use of resources
 The opposition criticized the governmentʼs profligate spending plans.
 The report dismisses claims that the US is profligate in its use of energy.

Question 9

para·gon ​

noun
BrE /ˈpærəɡən/
NAmE /ˈpærəɡɑːn/

Answer 9

a person who is perfect or who is a perfect example of a particular good quality
 I make no claim to be a paragon.
 He wasnʼt the paragon of virtue she had expected.

Question 10

nu·ance ​

noun
BrE /ˈnjuːɑːns/
NAmE /ˈnuːɑːns/
[countable, uncountable]

Answer 10

a very slight difference in meaning, sound, colour or somebodyʼs feelings that is not usually very obvious
 He watched her face intently to catch every nuance of expression.
 Her singing has both warmth of sound and delicacy of nuance.
 You need to be able to convey the subtle nuances of meaning of each word.

Question 11

nox·ious ​

adjective
BrE /ˈnɒkʃəs/
NAmE /ˈnɑːkʃəs/
formal

Answer 11

poisonous or harmful

 noxious fumes

Question 12

men·da·cious ​

adjective
BrE /menˈdeɪʃəs/
NAmE /menˈdeɪʃəs/
formal

Answer 12

not telling the truth
➔ SYNONYM ​lying
 mendacious press statements

Question 13

mal·le·able ​

adjective
BrE /ˈmæliəbl/
NAmE /ˈmæliəbl/

Answer 13

1 (specialist) (of metal, etc.) that can be hit or pressed into different shapes easily without breaking or cracking

2 (of people, ideas, etc.) easily influenced or changed

Question 14

iras·cible ​

adjective
BrE /ɪˈræsəbl/
NAmE /ɪˈræsəbl/
formal

Answer 14

becoming angry very easily

➔ SYNONYM ​irritable

Question 15

inter·locu·tor ​

noun
BrE /ˌɪntəˈlɒkjətə(r)/
NAmE /ˌɪntərˈlɑːkjətər/
formal

Answer 15

1 a person taking part in a conversation with you

2 a person or an organization that talks to another person or organization on behalf of somebody else

Question 16

in·sidi·ous ​

adjective
BrE /ɪnˈsɪdiəs/
NAmE /ɪnˈsɪdiəs/

Answer 16

(formal, disapproving)
spreading gradually or without being noticed, but causing serious harm
 the insidious effects of polluted water supplies

Question 17

ini·quity ​

```
noun
BrE /ɪˈnɪkwəti/
NAmE /ɪˈnɪkwəti/
[uncountable, countable]
pl. ini·quities
(formal)
~~~

Answer 17

the fact of being very unfair or wrong; something that is very unfair or wrong
 the iniquity of racial prejudice
 the iniquities of the criminal justice system

Question 18

in·cen·di·ary ​

adjective
BrE /ɪnˈsendiəri/
NAmE /ɪnˈsendieri/
[only before noun]

Answer 18

1 designed to cause fires
 an incendiary device/​bomb/​attack
2 (formal) causing strong feelings or violence
➔ SYNONYM ​inflammatory
 incendiary remarks

Question 19

ad·um·brate ​

verb
BrE /ˈædəmbreɪt/
NAmE /ˈædəmbreɪt/ , also /əˈdembreɪt/

Answer 19

adumbrate something (formal) to give a general idea or description of something without details
➔ SYNONYM ​outline

Question 20

re·prove ​

verb
BrE /rɪˈpruːv/
NAmE /rɪˈpruːv/

Answer 20

reprove somebody (for something/​for doing something) | reprove (somebody) + speech (formal) to tell somebody that you do not approve of something that they have done
➔ SYNONYM ​rebuke
 He reproved her for rushing away.

Question 21

pug·na·cious ​

adjective
BrE /pʌɡˈneɪʃəs/
NAmE /pʌɡˈneɪʃəs/
formal

Answer 21

having a strong desire to argue or fight with other people

➔ SYNONYM ​bellicose

Question 22

pri·meval ​

```
adjective
also prim·aeval
BrE /praɪˈmiːvl/
NAmE /praɪˈmiːvl/
[usually before noun]
~~~

Answer 22

1 from the earliest period of the history of the world, very ancient
 primeval forests
 primeval soup (= the mixture of gases and substances that is thought to have existed when the earth was formed and from which life started)
2 (formal) (of a feeling, or a desire) very strong and not based on reason, as if from the earliest period of human life
 primeval urges
▼︎ Word Origin
mid 17th cent.: from Latin primaevus (from primus ‘firstʼ + aevum ‘ageʼ) + -al.

Question 23

pres·ci·ent ​

adjective
BrE /ˈpresiənt/
NAmE /ˈpresiənt/
formal

Answer 23

knowing or appearing to know about things before they happen
 prescient warnings
▼︎ Word Origin
early 17th cent.: from Latin praescient- ‘knowing beforehandʼ, from the verb praescire, from prae ‘beforeʼ + scire ‘knowʼ.

Question 24

per·ni·cious ​

adjective
BrE /pəˈnɪʃəs/
NAmE /pərˈnɪʃəs/
formal

Answer 24

having a very harmful effect on somebody/​something, especially in a way that is gradual and not easily noticed
 the pernicious influence of TV violence on children
 Ageism is equally as offensive and pernicious as sexism.
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English: from Latin perniciosus ‘destructiveʼ, from pernicies ‘ruinʼ, based on nex, nec- ‘deathʼ.

Question 25

ebul·li·ent ​

adjective
BrE /ɪˈbʌliənt/ , /ɪˈbʊliənt/
NAmE /ɪˈbʌliənt/ , /ɪˈbʊliənt/
formal

Answer 25

full of confidence, energy and good humour
 The Prime Minister was in ebullient mood.
 He was accompanied by an ebullient, talkative blonde.
 The ebullient Mr Clarke was not to be discouraged.
 She sounded as ebullient and happy as ever.
▼︎ Word Origin
late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘boilingʼ): from Latin ebullient- ‘boiling upʼ, from the verb ebullire, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘outʼ + bullire ‘to boilʼ.