In each of the following questions, out of the given alternatives,choose the one which best expresses the meaning of the given word.
Cynosure
Answer: B
It is centre of attraction.
A cynosure is something everyone looks at. The word is Greek for the dog's tail - the constellation now called the Little Bear, which holds the Pole Star that sailors steered by.
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Acronym
Answer: D
It is a word formed from an abbreviation.
An acronym is made from the initial letters of a phrase and pronounced as a word - NASA, laser, radar. A poem of sorrow is an elegy, and a pen name a pseudonym.
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Concert
Answer: D
It is agreement.
Concert in this sense means acting together, as in in concert with. Disharmony and disagreement are its opposites, and the musical performance is the word's commoner but narrower sense.
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Obfuscation
Answer: D
It is confusing others.
Obfuscation is the deliberate making of something unclear, from the Latin for darkening. To darken is the literal root; the word in use always means confusing an audience rather than dimming a light.
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Reiterate
Answer: A
It is repeat.
To reiterate is to say something again, from the Latin iterum, again. Take back is its opposite in effect.
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Scavenger
Answer: A
It is a bird that lives on decaying flesh.
A scavenger is an animal that feeds on carrion or refuse - the vulture and the hyena are the standard examples. The word once meant a street cleaner, which is where its figurative uses come from.
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Ghastly
Answer: B
It is horrible.
Ghastly means shockingly frightful, and shares its root with ghost and aghast. Comforting and delightful are its opposites.
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Festal
Answer: C
It is merry.
Festal means of a feast or festival, and so joyous. Sad, solemn and apathetic are its opposites.
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Parry
Answer: D
It is ward off.
To parry is to turn aside a blow, from fencing, and by extension to deflect a question. Encounter and confront are its opposites - meeting the thing rather than turning it away.
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Beguile
Answer: C
It is to charm.
To beguile is to charm, often with a hint of deception, and also to pass time pleasantly. Repulse and disenchant are its opposites.
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