Set 12

Question 1

acrimonious

Answer 1

(typically of speech or discussion) angry and bitter

Question 2

belligerent

Answer 2

hostile and aggressive

Question 3

beneficent

Answer 3

(of a person) generous or doing good

Question 4

canny

Answer 4

having or showing shrewdness and good judgement, especially in money and business matters

Question 5

cavalier

Answer 5

showing a lack of proper concern; offhand

a dashing and attentive man; especially one acting as a lady’s escort

a small spaniel of a breed with a long snout

Question 6

distressed

Answer 6

suffering from extreme anxiety; sorrow or pain

(of furniture or clothing) having simulated marks of age and wear

Question 7

dwindling

Answer 7

gradually diminishing in size, amount or strength

Question 8

eclipse

Answer 8

an obscuring of the light from one celestial body by the passage of another between it and the observer or between it and its source of illumination

a loss of significance or power in relation to another person or thing

Question 9

encyclopedic

Answer 9

comprehensive in terms of information

Question 10

exacerbate

Answer 10

make (a problem, bad situation or negative feeling) worse

Question 11

exasperated

Answer 11

intensely irritated or frustrated

Question 12

fungible

Answer 12

(of goods contracted for or without an individual specimen being specified) replaceable by another identical term, mutually interchangeable

Question 13

hackneyed

Answer 13

(of a phrase or idea) having been overused; unoriginal and trite

Question 14

incongruous

Answer 14

not in harmony or keeping with surroundings or other aspects of something

Question 15

interchangeable

Answer 15

apparently identical; very similar

(of two things) able to be interchanged

Question 16

laconic

Answer 16

(of a person, speech or style of writing) using very few words

Question 17

lucrative

Answer 17

producing a great deal of profit

Question 18

magisterial

Answer 18

having or showing great authority / domineering; dictatorial

Question 19

onerous

Answer 19

(of a task or responsibility) involving a great deal of effort, trouble or difficulty

Question 20

opprobrium

Answer 20

harsh criticism or censure

Question 21

parsimonious

Answer 21

very unwilling to spend money or use resources

Question 22

peripheral

Answer 22

relating to or situated on the edge of periphery of something

of secondary or minor importance; marginal

Question 23

provocative

Answer 23

causing anger or another strong reaction, especially deliberately

Question 24

renounce

Answer 24

formally declare one’s abandonment of (a claim, right or possession)

Question 25

tempestuous

Answer 25

characterized by strong and turbulent or conflicting emotion

very stormy

Question 26

tenable

Answer 26

able to be maintained or defended against attack or objection

(of an office, position, scholarship, etc.) able to be held or used

Question 27

transgression

Answer 27

an act that goes against a law, rule or code of conduct; an offence

Question 28

urbane

Answer 28

(of a person, especially a man) courteous and refined in manner

Question 29

verisimilitude

Answer 29

the appearance of being true or real

Question 30

vitiate

Answer 30

spoil or impair the quality or efficiency of