Vocabulary Test 10

The word 'prone' literally means 'having a tendency' or 'likely to' but its etymology comes from Latin 'pronus' meaning 'leaning forward' or 'thrown forward'. While commonly used to indicate susceptibility to something, the closest meaning among the options is the literal 'thrown forward' which captures its original physical orientation sense.

Perspicacious means perceptive, alert, shrewd. Hence, option 3 is correct.

Gluttony refers to excessive eating and drinking to the point of waste, but fundamentally it represents greed and overindulgence in general. Among the options, 'greed' is the closest synonym as gluttony is considered one of the seven deadly sins representing excessive desire and consumption beyond need.

Intrepid means fearless, brave, and courageous. It describes someone who shows no fear in dangerous or difficult situations. The word comes from Latin 'intrepidus' where 'in-' means not and 'trepidus' means alarmed, literally meaning 'not alarmed' - perfectly captured by 'fearless'.

Obfuscation means deliberately making something unclear, confusing, or difficult to understand. It comes from the Latin 'obfuscare' meaning 'to darken' but in modern usage primarily refers to confusing others through complexity or ambiguity. 'Confusing others' is the closest meaning among the options.

Proscribe means to officially forbid, denounce, or condemn something. While banish typically means to send someone away from a place, in this context it's the closest match among the options. Proscribe is often used for laws or actions that are prohibited, while banish is more about physical removal.

Sozzled is an informal British term meaning completely intoxicated or drunk. The word comes from the idea of being soaked in alcohol. Cultured and moderate are opposites of the intended meaning, while burning is unrelated.

Vituperate means to criticize or berate someone harshly, abusively, and bitterly. It comes from Latin words meaning to blame or scold violently. Encourage and appraise are positive opposites, while appreciate is completely unrelated to harsh criticism.

Ostracise means to exclude someone from a society or group, effectively cutting them off from social interaction or membership. This comes from the ancient Greek practice of ostracism, where citizens could vote to banish someone from the city. Welcome and include are direct opposites.

"regret"

A fiasco is a complete, humiliating failure, especially one that is ridiculous or embarrassing in nature. The term comes from Italian and originally referred to a broken bottle or flask. Success and hope are positive opposites, while strength is completely unrelated.

Spew means to vomit or eject something forcibly from the body, often in large quantities. It can also be used metaphorically for things being ejected rapidly. Puke is a direct synonym. The other options describe completely different actions.

Osmosis is the biological process of gradual or effortless absorption. In everyday language, learning by osmosis means picking up information without conscious effort, just by being around it. This metaphorical use captures the idea of apparently effortless absorption of knowledge or traits from one's environment.

Obstreperous means noisy, difficult to control, or unruly in behavior. It describes someone who is aggressively resistant to control or discipline. Cheerful and calm are positive opposites, while obstinate (stubborn) is close but misses the key noisy/unruly aspect.

A vendetta is a prolonged feud or conflict between families or individuals, often characterized by acts of revenge. The term comes from Italian and specifically refers to a blood feud. Friendship is the direct opposite, while threat and mortal are related but not synonymous.

A whim is a sudden desire or change of mind, often without a serious reason. In this context, fancy is being used as a synonym for a sudden impulse or caprice. Irritate and clumsy are unrelated, while unnatural behavior is too broad.

Repugnance means strong disgust, aversion, or loathing for something. Disinclination captures this sense of being strongly opposed to or turned off by something. Affection, like, and approve are all positive opposites of the intended meaning.

A viaduct is a type of bridge, specifically a long bridge-like structure that carries a road or railroad across a valley, river, or other obstacle. It's essentially a specialized form of bridge. Railroad and pipe are things a viaduct might carry, not what it is.

Anathema means something or someone that is detested or accursed. Option A correctly identifies this as something strongly detested. Options B (accepted) and C (constant) are opposites or unrelated, while D (difficult to collect) is irrelevant to the meaning.

Penchant means a strong liking, taste, or inclination toward something. Option B (like) captures this essence of preference. Option A (disability) is unrelated, while options C (eagerness) is close but not precise, and D (dislike) is the opposite.

Deplete means to reduce the quantity or content of something, essentially to empty or use up completely. Option D (to exhaust) is the correct synonym. Options B (fill) and C (make greater) are antonyms, while A (take away) is partially related but not precise.

Cavil means to raise trivial or petty objections about something. Option B (quibble) correctly identifies this meaning of making minor objections. Options A (munch), C (amuse), and D (appreciate) are completely unrelated to the word's meaning.

Vernal means relating to or occurring in spring. Option B (spring like) is the correct answer. Options A (luxuriant), C (scale), and D (dirty) are unrelated to the word's meaning, which is derived from the Latin word for spring.

Alacrity means eagerness, liveliness, or readiness to do something. Option A (eagerness) is the correct synonym. Options B (hesitatingly) and C (unwillingly) are antonyms, while D (with suspicion) is unrelated to the word's positive connotation.