The Campaigns of Napoleon

Question 1

off the cuff

Answer 1

If you speak off the cuff, you say something without having prepared or thought about your words first:
I hadn’t prepared a speech so I just said a few words off the cuff.
an off-the-cuff remark

Question 2

retort

Answer 2

to answer someone quickly in an angry or funny way:

“That doesn’t concern you!” she retorted.

Question 3

bereavement

Answer 3

the death of a close relation or friend:

She has recently suffered a bereavement.

Question 4

frugal

Answer 4

careful when using money or food, or (of a meal) cheap or small in amount:
a frugal lifestyle
a frugal meal of bread and soup

Question 5

dabble

Answer 5

to take a slight and not very serious interest in a subject, or try a particular activity for a short period:
He first dabbled in politics when he was at law school.
She dabbled with drugs at university.

Question 6

mollify

Answer 6

to make someone less angry or upset:

I tried to mollify her by giving her flowers.

Question 7

profuse

Answer 7

produced or given in large amounts:
She was admitted to St Mary’s Hospital with profuse bleeding.
The company accepted blame and sent us profuse apologies.

Question 8

ludicrous

Answer 8

stupid or unreasonable and deserving to be laughed at:
a ludicrous idea/suggestion
He looked ludicrous in that suit!

Question 9

compunction

Answer 9

a slight guilty feeling about something you have done or might do:
I wouldn’t have any compunction about telling him to leave.

Question 10

remorse

Answer 10

a feeling of sadness and being sorry for something you have done:
He felt no remorse for the murders he had committed.
After the argument, she was filled with remorse.

Question 11

acquiesce

Answer 11

to accept or agree to something, often unwillingly:

Reluctantly, he acquiesced to/in the plans.

Question 12

ad lib

Answer 12

said without any preparation or practice:

I’d forgotten the notes for my speech so I had to do it ad lib.

Question 13

dogged

Answer 13

very determined to do something, even if it is very difficult:
Her ambition and dogged determination ensured that she rose to the top of her profession.

Question 14

pertinacious

Answer 14

very determined and refusing to be defeated by problems:

Like most successful politicians, she is pertinacious and single-minded in the pursuit of her goals.

Question 15

unyielding

Answer 15

completely unwilling to change a decision, opinion, demand, etc.:
Korea is unyielding in its demands for a new treaty.

Question 16

extemporize

Answer 16

to speak or perform without any preparation or thought:

I’d lost my notes and had to extemporize.

Question 17

detour

Answer 17

a different or less direct route to a place that is used to avoid a problem or to visit somewhere or do something on the way:
You’d be wise to make a detour to avoid the roadworks.

Question 18

by dint of sth

Answer 18

as a result of something:

She got what she wanted by dint of pleading and threatening

Question 19

exert

Answer 19

to use something such as authority, power, influence, etc. in order to make something happen:
If you were to exert your influence they might change their decision.
Some managers exert considerable pressure on their staff to work extra hours without being paid.

Question 20

chafe

Answer 20

to be or become annoyed or lose patience because of rules or limits:
We have been chafing under petty regulations for too long.

Question 21

erstwhile

Answer 21

previous:
Also, there were comings and goings, and the erstwhile placid atmosphere of the cabin was vexed with strange perturbations and unrest.
Besides, he sought only the obscure hotels, where he was not likely to meet any of his erstwhile fellow passengers.

Question 22

appreciate

Answer 22

to understand a situation and realize that it is important:
We appreciate the need for immediate action.
I appreciate that it’s a difficult decision for you to make.

Question 23

amid

Answer 23

in the middle of or surrounded by:
On the floor, amid mounds of books, were two small envelopes.
The new perfume was launched amidst a fanfare of publicity.

Question 24

heartily

Answer 24

enthusiastically, energetically, and often loudly:

She laughed heartily at the joke.

Question 25

the mists of time

Answer 25

used to show that something happened a very long time ago and is difficult to remember clearly:
The precise details of what happened have been lost in the mists of time.

Question 26

rankle

Answer 26

to make someone annoyed or angry for a long time:
The unkind way in which his girlfriend left him still rankled with him long after.
It still rankles that she got promoted, and I didn’t.

Question 27

sorely

Answer 27

extremely; very much:
I was sorely tempted to say exactly what I thought of his offer.
You’ll be sorely missed by everyone here, and we wish you success in your new job.

Question 28

nominal

Answer 28

name or thought but not in fact or not as things really are:

She’s the nominal head of our college - the real work is done by her deputy.

Question 29

missive

Answer 29

an official, formal, or long letter:

She sent a ten-page missive to the committee, detailing her objections.