Unit 15 Vocabulary

Question 1

Adamant

Answer 1

(adj.) firm in purpose or opinion, unyielding, obdurate, implacable, inflexible
(n) an extremely hard substance
A: (adj.) yeiling, flexible, pliable

Question 2

Brouhaha

Answer 2

(n) a confused hodgepodge of sounds, hubbub; an uproar or commotion that goes far beyond what is justified
S: furor, hullabaloo, tumult, pandemonion

Question 3

Bulwark

Answer 3

(n) a strong defence or protection, a solid wall-like structure for defense
(v) to provide such defense or protection
S: (n) stronghold, citadel, bastion, rampart
A: (n) breach, weak point in the defense

Question 4

Choleric

Answer 4

(adj.) easily made angry, bad-tempered
S: irascible, testy, splenetic, bilious
A: affable, genial, even-tempered

Question 5

Cloy

Answer 5

(v) to spoil or destroy an appetite by too much indulgence, especially in sweet or rich things; to glut, satiate, surfeit
A: stimulate, whet

Question 6

Curtail

Answer 6

(v) to cut short, bring to a halt or end sooner than expected; to reduce
S: limit, abbrviate, abridge, contact
A: protract, extend

Question 7

Deference

Answer 7

(n) courteous yielding to the wishes and ideas of another person; great respect marked by sumission, as to a superior
S: respect, consideration, courtesy
A: contempt, disrespect, scorn, disdain

Question 8

Definitive

Answer 8

(adj.) conclusive, final, respecting the limit of what can be done
S: exhaustive, authoritative
A: tentative, inconclusive

Question 9

Demeanor

Answer 9

(n) the way a person behaves, overall impression made by comportment, manner, etc.; facial appearence, mein
S: conduct, behavior, bearing, carriage

Question 10

Enigmatic

Answer 10

Puzzling, perplexing, inexplicable, not easily understood
S: baffling, mysterious, inexplicable
A: intelligable, understandable, fathomable

Question 11

Impromptu

Answer 11

(adj., adv) without preparation, offhand, suddenly or hastily done
(n) and extemporaneous composition or remark; a minimal piece suggestive of improvisation
S: (adj.) spontaneous, improvised, unrehearsed
A: (adj.) rehearsed, planned, prepared, premeditated

Question 12

Mawkish

Answer 12

(adj.) excessively and objectionably sentimental; having a mildly sickening flavor
S: sentimentalized, maudlin, mushy, nauseating
A: unsetimental, callous, insensitive

Question 13

Mollify

Answer 13

(v) to soften, make gentle, pacify; to calm, allay (as an emotion), assuage, appease, placate; to reduce in intensity
A: enrage, anger, aggravate, exacerbate

Question 14

Onus

Answer 14

(n) something that is heavy or burdensome (especially an unwelcome responsibility); a stigma; blame
S: burden, obligation, duty, stigma

Question 15

Presentiment

Answer 15

(n) a vague sense of approaching misfortune

S: foreboding, premonition, hunch

Question 16

Profligate

Answer 16

(adj.) given over to dissipation and self-indulgence, immoral; recklessly extravagant
(n) a person given self- indulgent and wild spending
S: (adj.) prodigal, improvident; (n) spendthrift
A: (adj.) penny-pinching, frugal, economical

Question 17

Remit

Answer 17

(v) to send or hand in (as money); to cancel (as a penalty or punishment), forgive, pardon; to lessen, diminish; to put off, postpone, defer
S: pay, absolve subside, abate

Question 18

Requisite

Answer 18

(adj.) need, necessary, regarded as essential or indispensable
S: required, obligatory, incumbent
A: nonessential, superfluous, optional

Question 19

Sartorial

Answer 19

(adj.) of or pentaining to a tailor or his work; having to do with clothes or dress (especially men’s)

Question 20

Thwart

Answer 20

(v) to oppose successfully; to prevent, frustrate
S: foil, baffle
A: aid, assist, abet, further