| A | B |
|---|
| altruism | N. The quality of unselfish concern for the welfare of others |
| cacophony | N. Loud confusing disagreeable sounds |
| diminutive | Adj. Very small |
| disparate | Adj. Fundamentally different or distinct in quality or kind ("such disparate attractions as grand opera and game fishing"; "disparate ideas") |
| equivocal | Adj. 1. Open to two or more interpretations; or of uncertain nature or significance; or (often) intended to mislead ("an equivocal statement"; "the polling had a complex and equivocal message for potential female candidates"; "the officer's equivocal behaviour increased the victim's uneasiness"; "popularity is an equivocal crown"; "an equivocal response to an embarrassing question") 2. Open to question ("aliens of equivocal loyalty"; "his conscience reproached him with the equivocal character of the union into which he had forced his son") 3. Uncertain as a sign or indication ("the evidence from bacteriologic analysis was equivocal") |
| erudite | Adj. Having or showing profound knowledge (“an erudite professor”) |
| inculcate | V. Teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions ("inculcate values into the young generation") |
| metamorphosis | N. A striking change in appearance or character or circumstances ("the metamorphosis of the old house into something new and exciting") |
| mirth | N. Great merriment, glee, joy |
| misconstrue | V. Interpret in the wrong way ("She misconstrued my remarks") |
| pragmatic | Adj. 1. Concerned with practical matters ("a pragmatic approach to the problem") 2. Guided by practical experience and observation rather than theory ("not ideology but pragmatic politics") |
| punctilious | Adj. Marked by precise accordance with details ("punctilious in his attention to rules of etiquette") |
| sporadic | Adj. Recurring in scattered and irregular or unpredictable instances ("a city subjected to sporadic bombing raids") |
| stoic | N. Someone who is seemingly indifferent to emotions. 2. Adj. Seeming unaffected by pleasure or pain; impassive ("stoic courage"; "stoic patience") 3. N. A member of the ancient Greek school of philosophy founded by Zeno ("a Stoic achieves happiness by submission to destiny") |
| venerate | V. Regard with feelings of respect and reverence; consider hallowed or exalted or be in awe of ("We venerate genius") |
