Unit 12 Vocabulary

Question 1

Absolve

Answer 1

(v) to clear from blame, responsibility, or guilt
S: acquit, exonerate, vindicate, excuse, pardon
A: condemn, convict, incriminate, inculpate

Question 2

Caricature

Answer 2

(n) a representation ( especially a drawing) in which the subject’s characteristic features are deliberately exaggerated
(v) to present someone or something in a deliberately distorted way
S: (n) cartoon, burlesque, parody, lampoon

Question 3

Clangor

Answer 3

(n) a loud ringing sound
(v) to make a loud ringing noise
S: (n) din, clamor uproar
A: (n) silence, stillness, peace and quiet

Question 4

Contiguous

Answer 4

(adj.) side by side, touching; near; adjacent in time
S: adjoining, abutting, next door to
A: detached, apart, distant, remote

Question 5

Cupidity

Answer 5

(n) an eager desire for something; greed
S: avarice, rapacity, craving, lust
A: generosity, contentment, satiation, gratification

Question 6

Deleterious

Answer 6

(adj.) harmful, injurious
S: detrimental, destructive, pernicious, damaging
A: helpful, beneficial, innocuous

Question 7

Enhance

Answer 7

(v) to raise to a higher degree; to increase the value or desirability of
S: improve, magnify, heighten, elevate
A: diminish, reduce, lessen, degrade

Question 8

Enthrall

Answer 8

(v) to captivate, charm, hold spellbound; to enslave; to imprison
S: fascinate, enchant, attract, bewitch
A: bore to tears, repel, put someone off

Question 9

Extenuate

Answer 9

(v) to lessen the seriousness or magnitude of an offense by making partial excuses
S: moderate, mitigate, diminish, downplay
A: intensify, aggravate, worsen, exacerbate

Question 10

Implicit

Answer 10

(adj.) implied or understood through unexpressed; without doubts or reservations, unquestioning; potentially contained in
S: inferred, tacit, unspoken, unconditional
A: explicit, expressed, stated, revealed

Question 11

Incisive

Answer 11

(adj.) sharp, keen, penetrating (with a suggestion of decisiveness and effectiveness)
S: acute, cutting, perceptive, trenchant

Question 12

Ostentatious

Answer 12

(adj.) marked by conspicuous or pretentious display, showy
S: flashy, overdone, affected, flamboyant
A: modest, plain, simple, demure, retiring

Question 13

Paragon

Answer 13

(n) a model of excellence or perfection

S: exemplar, ideal, paradigm, model, good example

Question 14

Paraphrase

Answer 14

(v) to restate in other words
(n) a statement that presents a given idea in new language
S: (v) reward, rephrase; (n) a rendition, version
A: (v) repeat verbatim, duplicate, quote

Question 15

Politic

Answer 15

(adj.) prudent, shrewdly conceived and developed; artful, expedient
S: tactful, diplomatic, judicious, circumspect
A: unwise, injudicious, imprudent, rash

Question 16

Prosaic

Answer 16

(adj.) dull, lacking in distinction and originality; matter-of-fact, straightforward; characteristic of prose, not poetic
S: commonplace, humdrum, literal, pedestrian
A: remarkable, distinctive, poetic, inspired

Question 17

Redundant

Answer 17

(adj.) extra, excess, more that is needed; wordy, repetitive; profuse, lush
S: unnecessary, superfluous, verbose, prolix
A: succinct, terse, laconic, scare, inadequate

Question 18

Sanctimonious

Answer 18

(adj.) making a show of virtue or righteousness; hypocritically moralistic or pious, self-righteous, canting, holier-than-thou
S: heartfelt, sincere, humble

Question 19

Scintillating

Answer 19

(adj., part.) sparkling, twinkling, exceptionally brilliant (applied to mental or personal qualities)
S: stimulating, lively, glittering, flashing
A:dull, boring, insipid, flat, tame, vapid

Question 20

Winsome

Answer 20

(adj.) charming, attractive, pleasing (often suggesting a childlike charm and innocence)
S: winning, engaging, delightful, prepossessing
A: unattractive, unappealing, repulsive