Scarlett letter

Question 1

throng (n)

Answer 1

a large, densely packed crowd of people or animals:

he pushed his way through the throng. **a throng of birds.

ORIGIN Old English (ge)thrang ‘crowd, tumult,’ of Germanic origin. Gedraenge.The early sense of the verb (Middle English) was ‘press violently, force one’s way.’

Question 2

edifice (n)

Answer 2

a building, esp. a large, imposing one.

the imposing new edifice on Whitfield Street:

ORIGIN Latin aedificium, from aedis ‘dwelling’ + facere ‘make.’

Question 3

sepulcher(n)

Answer 3

tomb, a small room or monument, cut in rock or built of stone, in which a dead person is laid or buried.

an old family sepulcher on the grounds of the estate:

ORIGIN: Latin sepulcrum ‘burial place,’ from sepelire ‘bury.’

Question 4

ponderous (adj)

Answer 4

slow and clumsy because of great weight: her footsteps were heavy and ponderous.

gloomy (figuratively)
• dull, laborious, or excessively solemn: Liz could hardly restrain herself from finishing all his ponderous sentences.

ORIGIN Latin from pondus, ponder- ‘weight.’

Question 5

transfigure

verb [with obj.] (usu. be transfigured)

Answer 5

transform into something more beautiful or elevated: the world is made luminous and is transfigured.

the glow of the sunrise transfigured the whole landscape:

ORIGIN Latin transfigurare, from trans- ‘across’ + figura ‘figure.’

Question 6

beadle

Answer 6

1) a ceremonial officer of a church, college, or similar institution.
2) historical a minor parish officer dealing with petty offenders.

Question 7

congenial (adj)

Answer 7

warm, friendly

.(of a person) pleasant because of a personality, qualities, or interests that are similar to one’s own: his need for some congenial company.
• (of a thing) pleasant or agreeable because suited to one’s taste or inclination: he went back to a climate more congenial to his cold stony soul.

Question 8

inauspicious (adj)

Answer 8

bad fortune, foreboding

not conducive to success; unpromising: it was an inauspicious beginning to the long and complex entanglement.
• unlucky.

Question 9

physiognomy (n)

Answer 9

a person’s facial features or expression, esp. when regarded as indicative of character or ethnic origin.
• the supposed art of judging character from facial characteristics.

from Greek phusiognōmonia ‘judging of a man’s nature (by his features),’ based on gnōmōn ‘a judge, interpreter.’

Question 10

augur (v)

Answer 10

to foretell

• the end of the Cold War seemed to augur well *

Question 11

betoken (v)

Answer 11

to suggest or to hint

she wondered if his cold, level gaze betokened indifference or anger.

Question 12

heterodox (adj)

Answer 12

holding different or forbidden beliefs

• heterodox views.*

Question 13

vagrant (adj)

Answer 13

moving from one place to another

• vagrant beggars.*

Question 14

magistrate (n)

Answer 14

a high government official

Question 15

gallows

Answer 15

a hanging device, where people are hanged.

• saved from the gallows by a last-minute reprieve.*

Question 16

solemnity (n)

Answer 16

reverence, respectful quietness

the state or quality of being serious and dignified: his ashes were laid to rest with great solemnity.

Question 17

demeanor (n)

Answer 17

behavior or personality

• a quiet, somber demeanor.*

Question 18

venerable (adj)

Answer 18

held in high esteem

• a venerable statesman.*

Question 19

transgressor (n)

Answer 19

someone who commits a crime, criminal

grant these transgressors forgiveness

a transgressor against human rights

Origin:Latin transgress- ‘stepped across,’ from the verb transgredi, from trans- ‘across’ + gradi ‘go.’

Question 20

scaffold (n)

Answer 20

a supporting structure

• the majority of scaffolds in HK are made with bamboo sticks*
• the soot-black scaffolded (verb) structures.*
  also: a raised wooden platform used formerly for the public execution of criminals.
• The condemned man was led to the scaffold.*

Question 21

infamy

Answer 21

bad or ill fame, notorious

• a day that will live in infamy.*
• she was punished for her alleged infamy: *

Question 22

penal (adj)

Answer 22

related to punishment

• the campaign for penal reform.*

from Latin poenalis, from poena ‘pain, penalty.’

Question 23

impropriety (n)

Answer 23

misconduct, inappropriate behavior

she was scandalized at the impropriety of the question | there are no demonstrable legal improprieties.

Question 24

whit (n)

Answer 24

a small amount

the last whit of warmth was drawn off by the setting sun.

Question 25

rotundity

Answer 25

round

finally a diet that really worked, allowing her to leave behind a lifetime of rotundity and ridicule

from Latin rotundus, from rotare ‘rotate.’

Question 26

haughty (adj)

Answer 26

arrogant

He rejected their offer with a tone of haughty disdain.
<the haughty waiter smirked when I remarked that it was odd that a French restaurant didn’t even have french fries on the menu>

Question 27

abash (v)

Answer 27

to shame

she felt terribly abashed when she walked into the wrong hotel room>

Question 28

sumptuary (adj)

Answer 28

regulating consumption

esigned to regulate extravagant expenditures or habits especially on moral or religious grounds <sumptuary laws> <sumptuary tax>

Question 29

evanescent (adj)

Answer 29

fleeting, transient, lasting a short time

<beauty that is as evanescent as a rainbow>

Question 30

gentility (n)

Answer 30

gentleness

she was full of the same gentility and grace that marked the rest of the family>

Question 31

ignominy (n)

Answer 31

disgrace

• ignominy of being imprisoned.*
• She had to endure the ignominy of being forced to resign.*

Question 32

picturesque (adj)

Answer 32

an ideal of beauty

The view of the mountains was very picturesque.

Question 33

spurn (v)

Answer 33

to reject

fiercely independent, the elderly couple spurned all offers of financial help>

Question 34

provision (n)

Answer 34

a rule or guide

He made provisions to donate part of his fortune to charity after he died.
You should make provision for emergencies.

Question 35

rankle (verb)

Answer 35

to irritate

The joke about her family rankled her.
<that kind of rude treatment from a young person makes me rankle>

Question 36

deportment (noun)

Answer 36

behavior

The new students were instructed in proper dress and deportment.
His stiff deportment matched his strict demeanor.

Question 37

ordeal (noun)

Answer 37

obstacle or trial

the hikers were finally rescued after a three-day ordeal in the wilderness>

Question 38

effectual (adj)

Answer 38

effective

acting like a jerk has generally not been a terribly effectual dating strategy>

Question 39

guillotine (n)

Answer 39

means of execution

Question 40

flagrant (adj)

Answer 40

obvious (-)

her flagrant disregard for other people’s rights

Question 41

Papist (n)

Answer 41

Roman Catholic, a follower of the Pope

often used disparigingly

Under the Act of Settlement enacted in 1701, no one who professes “the popish religion” or marries “a papist” may succeed to the throne of the United Kingdom.

Question 42

taint (v)

Answer 42

to make impure

• a tendency toward conceitedness taints that athlete’s status as a role model>*
• criticism of her sister’s singing that was tainted by envy>*

Question 43

earnest (adj)

Answer 43

hard working, serious

an earnest plea for help
<I’ll accept only an earnest apology from you.>

Question 44

somber (adj)

Answer 44

downcast

Her death put us in a somber mood.
The movie is a somber portrait of life on the streets.
He wore a somber suit.

Question 45

unrelenting (adj)

Answer 45

not stopping, continuous

that professor tends to be unrelenting about deadlines>
<unrelenting in the pursuit of equality for all races>

Question 46

fortify (v)

Answer 46

to make stronger

fortify a city against attack
a city fortified by high walls

He took a deep breath to fortify himself before stepping onto the stage.
milk fortified with vitamin D

Question 47

venomous (adj)

Answer 47

poisonous

The cobra is a venomous snake.
a venomous attack on his character

Question 48

contumely (n)

Answer 48

slander, contempt

• the church should not be exposed to gossip and contumely.*

Question 49

disdainful (adj)

Answer 49

contempt, hate

He looked at the waiter with a disdainful glare.
a disdainful attitude toward authority

Question 50

conspicuous (adj)

Answer 50

noticeable, obvious

There were a number of conspicuous changes to the building.
The sign was placed in a very conspicuous spot.
The bird has a conspicuous red head.
She felt very conspicuous in her pink coat.

Question 51

glimmer (n)

Answer 51

a ray of light, sparkle

the glimmer of a distant star
Their first meeting with the new boss gave them a glimmer of what they could expect.

Question 52

spectral (adj)

Answer 52

desceptive, dream-like

*a spectral figure darting about in a purplish fog: *

Question 53

preternaturally (adv)

Answer 53

supernaturally

She has a preternatural ability to charm people.
There was a preternatural quiet in the house.

Question 54

hewn (adj)

Answer 54

cut

The walls are built of stones hewn by skilled craftsmen.

Question 55

phantasmagoric (adj)

Answer 55

spectral

an exhibition of optical effects and illusions

He saw a phantasmagoria of shadowy creatures through the fog.

Question 56

heedful (adj)

Answer 56

attentive

heedful of snakes, we watched our footing while walking through the tall grass to the lake’s edge>

Question 57

impediment (n)

Answer 57

obstacle

tough going for the donkeys on the canyon trail, even without the added impediment of heavy loads>

Question 58

remonstrance (n)

Answer 58

protest

also: a feeling or declaration of disapproval or dissent
* over the vociferous remonstrances of my parents I decided to drop my music lessons*

Question 59

ponderous (adj)

Answer 59

slow and clumsy because of great weight:

her footsteps were heavy and ponderous.

Question 60

cloister (n)

Answer 60

an enclosed part of a monastery

monks living in a cloister in the country>