Vocabulary Words Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What does the word "abeyance" mean?

A state of being temporarily inactive, suspended, or set aside.

What does the word "ambivalent" mean?

Having opposite and conflicting feelings about someone or something.

What does the word "beleaguer" mean?

To set upon from all sides; to surround with an army; to trouble, harass.

What does the word "carte blanche" mean?

Full freedom or authority to act at one's own discretion. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "cataclysm" mean?

A sudden, violent, or devastating upheaval; a surging flood, deluge. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "eclat" mean?

Dazzling or conspicuous success or acclaim; great brilliance (of performance or achievement). Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "fastidious" mean?

Overly demanding or hard to please; excessively careful in regard to details; easily disgusted. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "gambol" mean?

To jump or skip about playfully. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "malleable" mean?

Capable of being formed into different shapes; capable of being altered, adapted, or influenced. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "nemesis" mean?

An agent or force inflicting vengeance or punishment; retribution itself; an unbeatable rival. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "philistine" mean?

Lacking in, hostile to, or smugly indifferent to cultural and artistic values or refinements; such a person. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "picaresque" mean?

Involving or characteristic of clever rogues or adventurers. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "refractory" mean?

Stubborn; hard or difficult to manage; not responsive to treatment or cure. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "savoir-faire" mean?

The ability to say and do the right thing in any situation; social competence. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "aberration" mean?

A departure from what is proper, right, expected, or normal; a lapse from a sound mental state. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "cantankerous" mean?

Ill-tempered, quarrelsome; difficult to get along or deal with. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "casuistry" mean?

The determination of right and wrong in questions of conduct or conscience by the application of general ethical principles; specious argument. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "harbinger" mean?

A forerunner, herald; to herald the approach of. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "lackluster" mean?

Lacking brilliance or vitality; dull. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "malcontent" mean?

Disconcerted with or in open defiance of prevailing conditions; such a person. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "mellifluous" mean?

Flowing sweetly or smoothly; honeyed. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "peccadillo" mean?

A minor sin or offense; a trifling fault or shortcoming. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "piece de resistance" mean?

The principal dish of a meal; the principal event, incident, or item; an outstanding accomplishment. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "syndrome" mean?

A group of symptoms or signs that collectively characterize or indicate a disease, disorder, abnormality, etc. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "beautitude" mean?

A state of perfect happiness or blessedness; a blessing. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "bete noire" mean?

Someone or something that one especially dislikes, dreads, or avoids. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "ecumenical" mean?

Worldwide or universal in influence or application. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "gargantuan" mean?

Of immense size, volume, or capacity; enormous, prodigious. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "incubus" mean?

A demon or evil spirit supposed to haunt human beings in their bedrooms at night; anything that oppresses or weighs upon one, like a nightmare. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "infrastructure" mean?

A basic foundation or framework; a system of public works; the resources and facilities required for an activity; permanent military installations. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "inveigle" mean?

To entice, lure, or snare by flattery or artful inducements; to obtain or acquire by artifice. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "lagniappe" mean?

An extra or unexpected gift or gratuity. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "protege" mean?

Someone whose welfare, training, or career is under the patronage of an influential person; someone under the jurisdiction of a foreign country or government. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "sycophant" mean?

Someone who attempts to win favors or advance him- or herself by flattery or servile behavior; a slanderer, defamer. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word "tautology" mean?

Needless repetition of an idea by using different but equivalent words; a redundancy. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Vocabulary Words and Definitions

Abeyance: A temporary state of inactivity, suspension, or being set aside.
Ambivalent: Having conflicting or opposing feelings about something.
Beleaguer: To attack or trouble someone or something from many sides. Similar to besiege.
Carte Blanche: Complete freedom or authority to act as one chooses.
Cataclysm: A sudden and violent upheaval or disaster.
Debauch: To corrupt morally; to indulge in excessive pleasure or dissipation; or the act of excessive pleasure or dissipation.
Eclat: Dazzling success or acclaim; great brilliance.
Fastidious: Overly demanding or hard to please; excessively careful about details or easily disgusted.
Gambol: To jump or skip playfully.
Imbue: To fill or saturate something or someone with a particular feeling or quality; to thoroughly soak or stain.
Inchoate: Just beginning or not fully formed.
Lampoon: A malicious satire; to satirize or ridicule.
Malleable: Capable of shaping or changing. Also, adaptable.
Nemesis: An agent of vengeance; an unbeatable rival.
Opt: To make a choice or decision.
Philistine: Someone uninterested in culture or the arts; someone lacking cultural or artistic refinement.
Picaresque: Involving clever rogues or adventurers.
Queasy: Feeling nauseated or uneasy; causing nausea or uneasiness. Could also be a feeling of being troubled.
Refractory: Stubborn or difficult to control or manage.
Savoir-faire: The ability to say and do the right thing in any situation; social competence.
Aberration: Departure from what is expected or usual; a lapse.
Ad hoc: For a specific purpose; improvised.
Bane: A source of destruction, harm, or ruin.
Bathos: The intrusion of commonplace material into a context intended to be elevated; an anticlimax.
Cantankerous: Ill-tempered; quarrelsome.
Casuistry: The use of clever but often specious arguments to determine right and wrong.
De facto: Actually existing or in effect, though not officially sanctioned.
Depredation: The act of preying upon or plundering.
Empathy: Understanding or sharing the feelings of another.
Harbinger: A forerunner; something that indicates the approach of something else.
Hedonism: Devotion to pleasure as the highest good.
Lackluster: Lacking brilliance; dull.
Malcontent: Discontented; someone who is unhappy with conditions.
Mellifluous: Smooth; sweet sounding.
Nepotism: Favouritism towards relatives.
Pander: To cater to the base desires of others; to satisfy low tastes.
Peccadillo: A minor sin or fault.
Piece de Resistance: The highlight; the most impressive part.
Remand: To send back (e.g., someone to jail or to a lower court).
Syndrome: A group of symptoms that characterize a disease or disorder.
Beatitude: A state of perfect happiness or blessedness.
Bête Noire: Someone or something one dislikes intensely.
Bode: To indicate the approach of something; to serve as an omen.
Dank: Unpleasantly damp or musty.
Ecumenical: Worldwide in scope.
Fervid: Enthusiastic or passionate.
Fetid: Having a bad smell.
Gargantuan: Enormous.
Heyday: The period of greatest success or power.
Incubus: An oppressive influence or something that weighs heavily.
Infrastructure: Basic systems or frameworks of a country, organization, or building.
Inveigle: To persuade or entice with charm and flattery.
Kudos: Praise and acclaim for an achievement.
Lagniappe: An unexpected gift or bonus.
Prolix: Long-winded and wordy.
Protégé: A person under the patronage or protection of another.
Prototype: An original model or pattern.
Sycophant: Someone who tries to win favor by flattery.
Tautology: Needless repetition of the same idea using different but equivalent words.
Truckle: To yield submissively or submit tamely.

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Description

Test your knowledge of challenging vocabulary words and their definitions. This quiz covers a variety of terms, from 'abeyance' to 'lampoon', each with a unique meaning. Perfect for enhancing your language skills and expanding your lexicon.