Vocabulary Exercise – 21
English Skill Building – 21
Knowing the use of these words will help you to top the class in English
Inveterate
It means an ingrained habit, or practice that won’t change.
1. Viewers of Indian TV channels get disgusted to see the anchors’ inveterate tendency to sensationalize trivial issues to boost their TRP.
2. President Trump makes a policy announcement in the morning, changes it by noon, and again returns to the original by night. His aides do not approve of their president’s flip flops, but are now resigned to his inveterate impulsiveness.
Dissonance
It means disagreement or confusion.
1. Britain is in complete political disarray because of Brexit. The dissonance among the citizens of the oldest democracy in the world is quite troubling.
2. The Congress Party has been badly crushed in the last election. Dissonance among the state leaders is partly to blame for this debacle.
Bellicose
It means aggression and hostility.
1. Political observers had anticipated that the BJP will launch a bellicose campaign in West Bengal, but the ferocity of it surprised many.
2. Many strategic experts in the United States have advised President Trump not to be so bellicose towards Iran, because a war, if ever, could be utterly destructive to the countries in the region.
Bluster
Meaning 1 – Just loud talk with no effect
The Chinese have discounted Bolton’s statements on the South China Sea as nothing but senseless bluster.
Meaning 2 – To be hit hard continuously
The sea facing walls of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station were blustered by furious waves and strong gales before they gave in.
A fool’s errand
An activity that results in no success
1. The well-meaning efforts of Prime minister Imran Khan to put his country’s finances back on track may prove to be a fool’s errand, if he doesn’t cut military expenditure, and attract FDI in manufacturing sector.
2. The young man went to Delhi for extra coaching for the Civil Service examination. After three attempts also, he couldn’t qualify. It proved to be fool’s errand for the man, because he was poor in English.
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