Word Master: Definition - List 3

Question 1

Definition of ennui

Answer 1

(noun) a feeling of utter weariness and discontent resulting from satiety or lack of interest; boredom

Question 2

Definition of burnish

Answer 2

(verb - used with object) to polish a surface by friction
(verb) to make smooth and bright
(verb) to flatten and enlarge the dots of (a halftone) by rubbing with a tool
(noun) gloss; brightness; luster

Question 3

Definition of nascent

Answer 3

(adjective) beginning to exist or develop
(adjective) Chemistry: in the nascent state.

Question 4

Definition of euphoria

Answer 4

(noun) a state of intense happiness and self-confidence
(noun) Psychology a feeling of happiness, confidence, or well-being sometimes exaggerated in pathological states as mania.

Question 5

Definition of ferment

Answer 5

(noun) Also called organized ferment. any of a group of living organisms, as yeasts, molds, and certain bacteria, that cause fermentation
(noun) Also called unorganized ferment. an enzyme
(verb) to act upon as a ferment, to cause to undergo fermentation
(verb) to seethe with agitation or excitement

Question 6

Definition of pragmatic

Answer 6

(noun) of or relating to a practical point of view or practical considerations.
(noun) Philosophy. of or relating to pragmatism (def. 2).
(noun) of or relating to pragmatics (def. 1, 2).
(noun) treating historical phenomena with special reference to their causes, antecedent conditions, and results.
(adjective) an officious or meddlesome person

Question 7

Definition of bromide

Answer 7

(noun) Pharmacology. potassium bromide, known to produce central nervous system depression, formerly used as a sedative.
(noun) a platitude or trite saying.
(noun) a person who is platitudinous and boring.
(noun) a salt of hydrobromic acid consisting of two elements, one of which is bromine, as sodium bromide, NaBr.

Question 8

Definition of disseminate

Answer 8

(verb) (used with object) to scatter or spread widely, as though sowing seed; promulgate extensively; broadcast; disperse:

Question 9

Definition of quixotic

Answer 9

(adjective) extravagantly chivalrous or romantic; visionary, impractical, or impracticable.
(adjective) impulsive and often rashly unpredictable.
(adjective) (sometimes initial capital letter) resembling or befitting Don Quixote.

Question 10

Definition of abrasion

Answer 10

(noun) a scraped spot or area; the result of rubbing or abrading
(noun) the act or process of abrading

Question 11

Definition of pine

Answer 11

(noun) any evergreen, conifer of the genus Pinus, having long, needle-shaped leaves, certain species of which yield timber, turpentine, tar, pitch, etc.Compare pine family.
(noun) any of various similar coniferous trees.
(noun) the wood of the pine tree.
(verb) suffer a mental and physical decline, especially because of a broken heart.

Question 12

Definition of valid

Answer 12

(adjective) sound; just; well-founded
(adjective) producing the desired result; effective
(adjective) having force, weight, or cogency; authoritative
(adjective) legally sound, effective, or binding; having legal force

Question 13

Definition of gale

Answer 13

(noun) a very strong wind
(noun) Meteorology. a wind of 32–63 miles per hour (14–28 meters per second)
(noun) a noisy outburst

Question 14

Definition of languish

Answer 14

(verb) to be or become weak or feeble; droop; fade
(verb) to lose vigor and vitality
(verb) o languish.
to undergo neglect or experience prolonged inactivity; suffer hardship and distress
(verb) to be subjected to delay or disregard; be ignored
(noun) Archaic. the act or state of being neglected, losing vigor, or becoming weak.
(noun) Archaic. a tender, melancholy look or expression

Question 15

Definition of salient

Answer 15

(adjective) prominent or conspicuous
(adjective) projecting or pointing outward
(adjective) leaping or jumping
(adjective) Heraldry. (of a beast) represented as leaping
(noun) a salient angle or part, as the central outward-projecting angle of a bastion or an outward projection in a battle line.
(noun) Physical Geography. a landform that extends out beyond its surroundings

Question 16

Definition of forte

Answer 16

(noun) a person’s strong suit, or most highly developed characteristic, talent, or skill; something that one excels in
(noun) the stronger part of a sword blade, between the middle and the hilt (opposed to foible)

Question 17

Definition of taper

Answer 17

(verb - used without object) to become smaller or thinner toward one end; to grow gradually lean
(verb - used with object) to make gradually smaller toward one end; to reduce gradually
(noun) gradual diminution of width or thickness in an elongated object; gradual decrease of force, capacity, etc

Question 18

Definition of arduous

Answer 18

(adjective) requiring great exertion; laborious; difficult
(adjective) requiring or using much energy and vigor; strenuous
(adjective) hard to climb; steep
(adjective) hard to endure; full of hardships; severe

Question 19

Definition of stance

Answer 19

(noun) the position or bearing of the body while standing
(noun) a mental or emotional position adopted with respect to something
(noun) Sports. the relative position of the feet, as in addressing a golf ball or in making a stroke

Question 20

Definition of persevere

Answer 20

(verb) to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly
(verb) to persist in speech, interrogation, argument, etc.; insist
(verb) to bolster, sustain, or uphold

Question 21

Definition of impervious

Answer 21

(adjective) not permitting penetration or passage; impenetrable
(adjective) incapable of being injured or impaired
(adjective) incapable of being influenced, persuaded, or affected

Question 22

Definition of placebo

Answer 22

(noun) Medicine. a substance having no pharmacological effect but given merely to satisfy a patient who supposes it to be a medicine.

Question 23

Definition of rivet

Answer 23

(noun) a metal pin for passing through holes in two or more plates or pieces to hold them together
(verb) to fasten with a rivet or rivets
(verb) to hammer or spread out the end of (a pin, bolt, etc.) in order to form a head and secure something
(verb) to fasten or fix firmly
(verb) to hold (the eye, attention, etc.) firmly

Question 24

Definition of amorphous

Answer 24

(adjective) lacking definite form; having no specific shape; formless
(adjective) of no particular kind or character; indeterminate; having no pattern or structure; unorganized
(adjective) Petrography, Mineralogy. occurring in a mass, as without stratification or crystalline structure.

Question 25

Definition of tenacity

Answer 25

(noun) the quality of being tenacious, or of holding fast; persistence
(noun) the quality of retaining something
(noun) the quality or property of holding together firmly