Vocabulary 2

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Questions and Answers

What is a term used to describe a small, showy trinket or decoration?

Fresco

Bauble (correct)

Aspersion

Ethereal

What is the practice of lending money at unreasonably high interest rates?

Malinger

Usury (correct)

Circumvent

Remonstrate

What is a term used to describe a painting done rapidly in watercolor on wet plaster on a wall or ceiling?

Fresco (correct)

Iridescent

Ethereal

Promontory

What is a term used to describe showing luminous colors that seem to change when seen from different angles?

Iridescent Signup and view all the answers

What is a term used to describe a high point of land that juts out into the sea or a large lake?

Promontory Signup and view all the answers

What is a term used to describe something that occurs every two years?

Biennial Signup and view all the answers

What does it mean to placate or pacify someone?

To conciliate with them Signup and view all the answers

What is the opposite of impeccable?

Faulty Signup and view all the answers

What does it mean to make something seem less severe?

To extenuate Signup and view all the answers

What is a feeling of bitterness or resentfulness?

Rancor Signup and view all the answers

What is a payment for work or service?

Remuneration Signup and view all the answers

What does it mean if something is difficult to understand?

Abstruse Signup and view all the answers

What does the word 'assiduous' mean?

Showing great care, attention, and effort Signup and view all the answers

What does it mean to be reticent?

Not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily Signup and view all the answers

What does the word 'iniquity' mean?

Immoral or grossly unfair behavior Signup and view all the answers

What does the word 'aver' mean?

To state or assert to be the case Signup and view all the answers

What does it mean to foment something?

To instigate or stir up an undesirable or violent sentiment Signup and view all the answers

What does the word 'tenable' mean?

Able to be maintained or defended Signup and view all the answers

What is a testimonial?

A formal statement testifying to someone's character and qualifications Signup and view all the answers

What does it mean to be officious?

To assert authority in an annoyingly domineering way Signup and view all the answers

What does the word 'corollary' mean?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

What does the word 'quell' mean?

To put an end to a rebellion or disorder Signup and view all the answers

What is disparity?

A great difference or inequality between two or more things Signup and view all the answers

What does it mean to be facetious?

To treat serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor Signup and view all the answers

What does it mean to be devoid of something?

To be entirely lacking or free from it Signup and view all the answers

What is a regime?

A course of medical treatment or way of life Signup and view all the answers

What does it mean to be sagacious?

To have keen mental discernment and good judgment Signup and view all the answers

What is an epitome?

A person who is a perfect example of a particular quality Signup and view all the answers

What does it mean if something is moot?

It is open for discussion or debate Signup and view all the answers

What is a repository?

A place where things are stored Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Vocabulary Building

A bauble is a small, showy trinket or decoration.
A fresco is a painting done rapidly in watercolor on wet plaster on a wall or ceiling.
Iridescent describes something that shows luminous colors that seem to change when seen from different angles.
A promontory is a high point of land that juts out into the sea or a large lake.
Apostasy is the abandonment or renunciation of a religious or political belief.
Bullion refers to gold or silver in bulk before coining, or valued by weight.
Frugal means being economical in use or expenditure; not wasteful.
Opulence refers to great wealth or luxuriousness.
Usury is the practice of lending money at unreasonably high interest rates.

Lesson 29

Abscond means to be difficult to understand; obscure.
Aspersion is a small, showy trinket or decoration.
Ethereal describes a painting done rapidly in watercolor on wet plaster on a wall or ceiling.
Malign means showing luminous colors that seem to change when seen from different angles.
Prognosis is a high point of land that juts out into the sea or a large lake.
Adjure means the abandonment or renunciation of a religious or political belief.
Circumvent means to avoid or get around something by being clever or deceitful.
Ignominy means being economical in use or expenditure; not wasteful.
Malinger means to pretend to be ill or injured in order to avoid work or responsibility.
Remonstrate means to protest or complain strongly about something.

Lesson 30

Biennial means occurring every two years.
Elicit means to draw out a response, answer, or fact from someone in reaction to one's own actions or questions.
Equivocal means open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous.
Conciliate means to stop someone from being angry or discontented; to placate or pacify.
Duress means threats, violence, constraints, or other action brought to bear on someone to do something against their will or better judgment.
Extenuate means to make a guilt or an offense seem less serious or more forgivable.
Impeccable means in accordance with the highest standards; faultless or flawless.
Rancor means bitterness or resentfulness, especially when long-standing.

Lesson 27

Burgeoning means beginning to grow or increase rapidly; flourishing.
Commiserate means to express or feel sympathy or pity; to sympathize.
Festoon means a chain or garland of flowers, leaves, or ribbons, hung in a curve as a decoration.
Maudlin means self-pityingly or tearfully sentimental, often through drunkenness.
Remuneration means money paid for work or a service; compensation.
Caricature means a picture, description, or imitation of a person in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated in order to create a comic or grotesque effect.
Evanescent means soon passing out of sight, memory, or existence; quickly fading or disappearing.
Gambol means to run or jump about playfully.
Pallor means an unhealthy pale appearance.
Venal means showing or motivated by susceptibility to bribery; corrupt or corruptible.

Additional Vocabulary

Abstruse means difficult to understand; obscure.
Assiduous means showing great care, attention, and effort; diligent and persistent.
Cessation means the fact or process of ending or being brought to an end.
Equanimity means mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation.
Inordinate means unusually or disproportionately large; excessive.
Pecuniary means relating to or consisting of money.
Aver means to state or assert to be the case.
Denizen means an inhabitant or occupant of a particular place.
Iniquity means immoral or grossly unfair behavior; wickedness.
Mercurial means subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind; volatile or temperamental.
Tenable means able to be maintained or defended against attack or objection.
Avarice means extreme greed for wealth or material gain.
Corollary means a proposition that follows from (and is often appended to) one already proven.
Espouse means to adopt or support (a cause, belief, or way of life).
Fissure means a long, narrow opening or line of breakage made by cracking or splitting, especially in rock or earth.
Quell means to put an end to (a rebellion or other disorder), typically by the use of force.
Vestige means a trace or remnant of something that is disappearing or no longer exists.
Clandestine means kept secret or done secretively, especially because illicit or unauthorized.
Foment means to instigate or stir up (an undesirable or violent sentiment or course of action).
Reticent means not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily; reserved or restrained.
Temerity means excessive confidence or boldness; audacity.
Vindicate means to clear (someone) of blame or suspicion.

Lesson 21

Differentiate means to recognize or ascertain what makes (someone or something) different.
Empirical means based on observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic.
Officious means assertive of authority in an annoyingly domineering way, especially with regard to petty or trivial matters.
Renounce means to formally declare one's abandonment of (a claim, right, or possession).
Testimonial means a formal statement testifying to someone's character and qualifications.
Disparity means a great difference or inequality between two or more things.
Facetious means treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor; flippant.
Chauvinism means exaggerated or aggressive patriotism; blind and enthusiastic devotion to a cause, group, or gender, often with a sense of superiority.
Devoid means entirely lacking or free from.
Inexorable means impossible to stop or prevent; unyielding.
Regimen means a prescribed course of medical treatment, way of life, or diet for the promotion or restoration of health.
Sagacity means the quality of being sagacious; having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment; wisdom.
Cosmopolitan means familiar with and at ease in many different countries and cultures; worldly.
Epitome means a person or thing that is a perfect example of a particular quality or type.
Moot means subject to debate, dispute, or uncertainty, and typically not admitting of a final decision.
Repository means a place, building, or receptacle where things are or may be stored.
Tenuous means very weak or slight; insubstantial.
Bode means to be an omen of a particular outcome; to indicate by signs or predictions.

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Test your knowledge of unusual words and their meanings with this quiz. From bauble to opulence, learn to define and understand these uncommon words.