Tag: communication

The idiom "cost a pretty penny" means something that is very expensive or costly. The word "pretty" here is used as an intensifier meaning "considerably" or "very", not related to appearance. Option B correctly identifies this meaning. Options A and C are incorrect because they misinterpret "pretty" literally or as "cheap", while D is unrelated to the idiom's meaning.

The idiom 'about face' comes from a military command to turn 180 degrees. Figuratively, it means a complete reversal of attitude, opinion, or action. The distractors incorrectly suggest it refers to facial features or consistency in behavior.

A 'kangaroo court' is an unofficial court held by a group of people to settle a dispute among themselves, often characterized by a lack of legal standing and disregard for justice. It is a 'bogus or illegal court' and has nothing to do with actual animals or Australian geography.

The word 'beneficent' (often spelled beneficent) means resulting in good, or a person who is generous or 'kindly, doing good'. 'Harm' and 'cruel' are antonyms, and 'attractive' refers to physical appearance rather than moral actions.

Bolster means to support, strengthen, or reinforce something. Support is the correct synonym as bolstering provides backing or reinforcement. Hinder means to obstruct or create difficulty, which is opposite in meaning. Method and Disport are unrelated to the meaning of bolster.

Bombastic describes speech or writing that is pompous, pretentious, and showy without real substance. Pompous perfectly captures this inflated self-importance and grandiose style. Creative is unrelated, while Pen and Write are nouns referring to writing tools, not descriptive adjectives.

The word 'boorish' describes someone who is rough and bad-mannered, essentially 'rude'. 'Soft' is an antonym, while 'inharmonious' and 'unmusical' refer to sound rather than social behavior and manners.

To 'burgeon' means to begin to grow or increase rapidly; to flourish. The other options like 'speak out loud', 'cry', or 'expensive' are unrelated to the concept of rapid growth or prosperity.

To 'burnish' means to polish something (especially metal) by rubbing, thereby making it 'shine'. 'Dull' is the antonym, while 'clear' and 'smooth' are related qualities but do not capture the primary action of making something bright through polishing.

To 'buttress' something means to provide it with support or to reinforce it. 'Bolster' is a synonym that also means to support or strengthen. 'Mistress', 'band', and 'drum' do not share this meaning of providing structural or metaphorical support.