Wordsmith – Test your wordpower

Published on May 3, 2013 in Quizzes, Trivia

Improve and test your wordpower by matching each of the words below to one of the multiple possible definitions.

Vocabulary Ratings
14-15 correct	…………………..	excellent
12-13 correct	…………………..	good
9-11 correct	…………………..	fair

(1) gridlock A: computer error. B: immune reaction. C: traffic jam. D: wrestling move.

C: Traffic jam in which major intersections are blocked and vehicles are unable to move because of their excessive numbers, Combination of grid and lock.

(2) machismo {mack eez mo} A: leader. B: acuity. C: exaggerated manliness. D: aggression.

C: Exaggerated sense of manliness and the attitude that men should dominate; as, the machismo of the dictator. Spanish macho (male).

(3) yuppie A: tropical fish. B: young professional. C: fashion model. D: board game.

B: Young urban professional, viewed as upwardly mobile, trendy and affluent. Acronym.

(4) masterclass A: powerful group. B: top students. C: chess players. D: expert instruction.

D: Session in which a distinguished expert gives instruction, typically to advanced learners in a particular field.

(5) franglais {frahn glay} A: type of yoghurt. B: French use of English words. C: display of cool attachment. D: subtle banter.

B: French use of English words and expressions; for example, “une cover girl avec beaucoup de sex appeal.” Blend of Francois (“French”) and Anglais (“English”).

(6) neo-colonialism A. military invasion. B: exploitation of one country by another. C: territorial exploration. D: yearning for the past.

B: The current exploitation of one nation by another through economic and political pressures. Greek neo- (new) and English colonialism (acquisition of a colony).

(7) refusenik A: Soviet astronaut. B: rubbish tip. C: one refusing to co-operate. D: religious fanatic.

C: Person who refuses to co-operate; originally, a Soviet Jew refused permission to emigrate. From Latin refusus and Russian -nik.

(8) flexitime - system allowing A: planned holidays. B: routine exercise. C: variable work schedules. D: integration of lists.

C: System allowing employees variable work schedules. Combination of flexible and time.

(9) streetwise A: good navigator. B: careful with money. C: capable of dealing with danger. D: local-history expert.

C: Capable of dealing with dangerous situations or rough people, especially in big cities.

(10) stonewall A: to panic. B: be heavy-handed. C: insult. D: be uncooperative.

D: To be uncooperative or evasive; hinder. “He stonewalled the prosecuting lawyer.” From the immovability of a stone wall.

(11) glitch A: decorative knot. B: elf. C: malfunction. D: flash.

C: Malfunction; as, a glitch in the bank’s computers. Origin unknown.

(12) newspeak A: journalistic jargon. B: pidgin English. C: dialect. D: misleading language.

D: Deliberately misleading, ambiguous language, especially by government officials; for example, “negative growth in the economy.” Combination of new and speak. Coined by George Orwell in his novel 1984.

(13) glasnost A: democracy. B: restructuring. C: friendliness. D: openness.

D: Openness in the divulging and discussion of official policy ; specifically as a reform measure in the Soviet Union. Russian.

(14) plea bargain A: admission of a crime. B: wage negotiation. C: second chance. D: merciful decision.

A: Agreement between a prosecutor and a defendant who pleads guilty to a crime so as to receive a lighter sentence. From American legal usage.

(15) bionics - study of A: biology and technology. B: upper atmosphere. C: life in deep space. D: germs and viruses.

A: Study of biology and technology to help solve engineering problems. From biology and electronics.

(16) des res A: invitation requiring reply. B: table booking. C: nice house. D: computer term

C: House with many features attractive to prospective purchasers. Abbreviation of desirable residence.

(17) champagne socialist A: drunken revolutionary. B: hypocritical left-winger. C: cocktail. D: windbag politician.

B: Person with an extravagant lifestyle at odds with his/her professed socialism.

(18) camp A: outdoorsy. B: modern. C: exclusive. D: bizarre.

D: So affected and exaggerated as to be bizarre; effeminate; as, to decorate with camp furnishings. Origin uncertain.

(19) troika {troy kuh} A: Soviet bureaucrat. B: type of pastry. C: hang-gliding manoeuvre. D: group of three.

D: Any group of three, especially in a position of authority. Russian (a vehicle drawn by three horses abreast).

(20) big-bang theory -that which pertains to A: the universe's origin. B: an atomic explosion. C: humour. D: anger.

A: Assertion that the universe began about 15 billion years ago with a huge explosion of super-dense mass