Vocabulary Exercise – 10

English Skill Building – 10

Learn new words and phrases with practical examples

Affront

In an election speech in Bihar, Prime minister Modi said that Bihar is known for its poverty and backwardness. Although he said so out of sympathy and love for the Biharis, many in the audience felt it was an affront to their dignity.

Bigot

Unquestionably, Aurangjeb was a bigot who discriminated against Hindus with no remorse. However, he was also a very principled man, who didn’t take a paisa from the royal coffers for his personal comforts.

Mercenary

Mercenaries are hired soldiers who fight for a foreign power for remuneration. In the years gone by, European mercenaries were active all over Africa fighting for dictators and corrupt leaders.

Gird

Meaning 1 – The Rajput warrior’s battle attire was girded by a thick leather belt from which a sword hung majestically.

The fort was girded by a deep circular gorge to fend off attackers.

Meaning 2 – After the defeat in the election, the party president was girded in the meeting with acidic remarks and taunts.

Pariah

North Korea has been regarded as a pariah in the international community, with very few countries willing have trade or cultural links with it.

Hollow out

To get some respite from Israel’s crippling border controls, Palestinians in Gaza have hollowed out underground tunnels to link them to the Egyptian side. They ferry goods through such routes.

Embattle

After weeks of strident street protests in Algiers, the longest ruling President of Algeria agreed to relinquish office. Even the  army didn’t come to the rescue of the embattled president.

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