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English Quiz - Definitions 01 (Questions)

Definitions are the meaning of words. Every word has a definition - and many words have more than one! If you don't know the meaning of a word, the best thing to do is ask, or check a dictionary. It can also be fun to guess! Sometimes you have a hunch about the meaning, other times it turns out that you were confusing a word with one spelled similarly. And sometimes you can work out a word's meaning by considering the context in which it is used. Knowing the meaning of words can make such a difference in understanding what is being written or spoken.

Words follow fashions, just as music, clothing and art do. Some dictionaries even list the most popular words for particular years! It can be helpful to be aware of words that are no longer in fashion so that you can understand books written a few decades, or even centuries, ago. Sometimes words become less and less common because the world has changed and the items or ideas to which the words refer become less relevant. If a word is especially old-fashioned, it is called "archaic" and if it completely dies out from modern English, it is known as "obsolete".

See if you know the meanings of the following ten words.

1. Find the definition of the following word.
Biennial
[ ] Constantly happening
[ ] Every two years
[ ] Never occurring
[ ] Twice each year
2. Find the definition of the following word.
Edifice
[ ] Building
[ ] Cake
[ ] Decoration
[ ] Delight
3. Find the definition of the following word.
Audacious
[ ] Brave
[ ] Fearful
[ ] Frightened
[ ] Timid
4. Find the definition of the following word.
Irrefragable
[ ] Answer for
[ ] Answer to
[ ] Answered
[ ] Unanswerable
5. Find the definition of the following word.
Roster
[ ] Chicken
[ ] Cockerel
[ ] Hen
[ ] List
6. Find the definition of the following word.
Auspicious
[ ] Favourable
[ ] Lowly
[ ] Poor
[ ] Threatening
7. Find the definition of the following word.
Rigorous
[ ] Lax
[ ] Loose
[ ] Relaxed
[ ] Strict
8. Find the definition of the following word.
Wherry
[ ] Ferry
[ ] Rowing boat
[ ] Steamer
[ ] Yacht
9. Find the definition of the following word.
Xylem
[ ] Percussion instrument
[ ] Plant tissue
[ ] Twigs
[ ] Wooden instrument
10. Find the definition of the following word.
Collegiate
[ ] Belonging to a college
[ ] Connect
[ ] Destroy
[ ] Disconnect

 

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English Quiz - Definitions 01 (Answers)
1. Find the definition of the following word.
Biennial
[ ] Constantly happening
[x] Every two years
[ ] Never occurring
[ ] Twice each year
The biennial festival took place in 2010, 2012, 2014, etc.
2. Find the definition of the following word.
Edifice
[x] Building
[ ] Cake
[ ] Decoration
[ ] Delight
The new town hall was a huge marble edifice
3. Find the definition of the following word.
Audacious
[x] Brave
[ ] Fearful
[ ] Frightened
[ ] Timid
The audacious tailor swatted seven flies at once!
4. Find the definition of the following word.
Irrefragable
[ ] Answer for
[ ] Answer to
[ ] Answered
[x] Unanswerable
The prefix irr- is negative and means "not" or "un-"
5. Find the definition of the following word.
Roster
[ ] Chicken
[ ] Cockerel
[ ] Hen
[x] List
A "roster" is a list. A "rooster" is a cockerel!
6. Find the definition of the following word.
Auspicious
[x] Favourable
[ ] Lowly
[ ] Poor
[ ] Threatening
Auspicious weather meant that the regatta could begin
7. Find the definition of the following word.
Rigorous
[ ] Lax
[ ] Loose
[ ] Relaxed
[x] Strict
"Rigour" is a noun; "rigorous" is an adjective; "rigorously" is an adverb
8. Find the definition of the following word.
Wherry
[ ] Ferry
[x] Rowing boat
[ ] Steamer
[ ] Yacht
"Wherry" rhymes with "ferry" but is a "rowing boat"
9. Find the definition of the following word.
Xylem
[ ] Percussion instrument
[x] Plant tissue
[ ] Twigs
[ ] Wooden instrument
Xylem carries water in plants. Phloem carries food!
10. Find the definition of the following word.
Collegiate
[x] Belonging to a college
[ ] Connect
[ ] Destroy
[ ] Disconnect
"Collegiate" means "belonging to a college"!