Enrich your Vocabulary

Question 1

blithesome

Answer 1

• carefree, lighthearted [adj.]
• p: blyth-sum
• ex: the beauty of the first snow put us in a blithesome mood

Question 2

augury

Answer 2

• a sign or omen used to predict future events [n.]
• p: aug-er-ee
• ex: the cheerful anticipation in my dad’s expression as he carried the Christmas tree in was an augury of joyful celebrations to come

Question 3

floe

Answer 3

• a sheet of ice drifting on the sea [n.]
• p: like “flow”
• ex: the penguins hopped from floe to floe

Question 4

preternatural

Answer 4

• outside of the usual limits of the natural world
• p: pre-ter-natural
• ex: the superhero did that with preternatural ability
• different than supernatural in that the person can be real but have ridiculously good abilities

Question 5

insaturation

Answer 5

• act of restoring or renewing after lapse or decay [n.]
• p: in-stor-ration
• ex: our instauration of the vintage vanity I bought at a garage sale will include replacing the broken mirror
• how to get something back

Question 6

irrupt

Answer 6

• enter suddenly or burst in [v.]
• p: eer-rupt
• Tim irrupted into his friend’s room

Question 7

gadfly

Answer 7

• person who persistently annoys or provokes with questions or criticism [n.]
• p: gad-fly
• usually used to describe journalists

Question 8

apposite

Answer 8

• highly appropriate, suitable, or fitting [adj.]
• p: ah-po-sit
• ex: it was apposite, an appropriate decision

Question 9

phlegmatic

Answer 9

• having a calm and steady disposition; not easily moved to anger or excitement [adj.]
• p: fleg-matic
• ex: the phlegmatic mother juggled her online meetings and responsibilities

Question 10

magnanimous

Answer 10

• displaying generosity and benevolence [adj.]
• ex: Ira’s magnanimous leadership style

Question 11

arbitrary

Answer 11

• choice based on random or person whim RATHER THAN LOGIC
• something that is based on random choice or personal whim rather than any reason or system
• often implies a lack of clear rules or principles guiding a decision
• an arbitrary decision might be one made without careful consideration or justification

Question 12

inane

Answer 12

• silly, pointless
• lacking sense or meaning

Question 13

unflappable

Answer 13

• showing calmness in a crisis
• unexcitable, collected, cool

Question 14

pugilistic

Answer 14

• involving fighting with fists
• pugilist = fighter

Question 15

arpeggio

Answer 15

when you play the notes of a chord one after another, rather than all at once to create a flowing sound

Question 16

emblematic

Answer 16

• something that represents or symbolizes a particular idea or quality
• dove is emblematic of peace

Question 17

disseminate

Answer 17

• spread or distribute information, ideas, or knowledge widely
• when you share news or teach others, you are disseminating information

Question 18

exorbitant

Answer 18

• unreasonably high [adj.]
• ex. of a price or amount charged

Question 19

aphorism

Answer 19

• observation that contains a general truth, such as, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it
• “A penny saved is a penny earned.”
  “Actions speak louder than words.”
  “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
  “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
  “Live to fight another day.”
  “Never interrupt your enemy when they’re making a mistake.”

Question 20

regal

Answer 20

• suitable for a king or queen, because it is very impressive or beautiful

Question 21

countenance

Answer 21

[v]: admit as acceptable or possible (ex. “he was reluctant to countenance the use of force”)

Question 22

inscrutable

Answer 22

• impossible to understand or interpret
• ex: you might describe someone’s smile, silence, or gaze as inscrutable

Question 23

expediency

Answer 23

• the quality of being convenient and practical despite possibly being improper or immoral
• ex: “an act of political expediency” or “Instead of carefully packing all the boxes, Jane decided to use expediency and just tossed everything in, so she could finish moving quickly”
• when you do something the fastest way possible, even if it’s not the best or neatest way

Question 24

primatology

Answer 24

study of primates, including monkeys and apes

Question 25

opulence

Answer 25

• Opulence is extreme wealth, luxury, and abundant richness or grandeur
• ex: The palace was filled with opulence, from golden chandeliers to velvet curtains

Question 26

animatronics

Answer 26

robotic figures that simulate lifelike movement and behaviour

Question 27

stupefied

Answer 27

being shocked, amazed, or unable to think clearly

Question 28

venetian

Answer 28

anything related to Venice, its people, or style

Question 29

vocational

Answer 29

training or education for a specific trade or career
- ex. vocational school, vocational activities

Question 30

azure

Answer 30

bright blue colour, often like a clear sky (legit colour)

Question 31

connotation

Answer 31

additional meaning or feeling a word evokes
- ex: The word “home” has a positive connotation, suggesting warmth, safety, and comfort, while “house” is neutral, just referring to a building

Question 32

combustion

Answer 32

chemical reaction where something burns, producing heat and light. It happens when a substance, like wood or gasoline, reacts with oxygen from the air. This reaction often creates smoke, flames, and sometimes even explosions!

Question 33

hasten

Answer 33

to hurry or do something more quickly. (ex. if you hasten your steps, you walk faster)

Question 34

erroneous

Answer 34

something that is wrong or incorrect. (ex. an erroneous answer is an answer that is not right)

Question 35

diabolical

Answer 35

something evil, cruel, or wicked. It’s often used to describe something that seems really bad or sinister, like a “diabolical plan” being one that’s very wicked or harmful

Question 36

laudatory

Answer 36

praising or showing approval. For example, a laudatory comment is one that compliments or admires someone or something.

Question 37

prodigious

Answer 37

something very large, impressive, or remarkable. For example, a prodigious effort is one that takes a lot of skill or strength, or a prodigious amount of food is a huge amount