English Study Material for Bank & ssc exam

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MISCELLANEOUS VOCABULARY
Salient Features
 Meaning
 Examples with explanatory Notes
 Foreign Expressions and Their Usage
 Collective Nouns
 Words Denoting sounds
 Young ones of Animals and Birds
 Homes of Animals and Birds
 Words used for Different Living Places
 Specific Words for Certain Places
 Some Appropriate
The Objective English Syllabi of the various
Competitive Examinations include
exercises on synonyms, antonyms, idioms
and one-word substitutions. Hence the
students make arduous efforts in learning
the list of synonyms, antonyms, idioms and
one-word substitutions. A precise
knowledge of a wide variety of
miscellaneous vocabulary will also go a
long way to help the students in locating
the correct choice. Let us examine a few
questions to see how the knowledge of
miscellaneous vocabulary is indispensable.
EXAMPLES
1. Convent is to nuns as ………….. is to monks.
(a) Monastery b. apiary c. home d. church
Here the answer is (A) because convent is a place where the nuns live while the monks live
in monastery. The Knowledge of the various places of living helps the students in locating
the correct choice.
2. The committee decided to adjourn the meeting………..
(a) Sine quanon b. laissez faire c. tete-e-tete d. sine die
(D) Is the right choice since the expression sine die means for an indefinite period. The
knowledge of foreign expressions thus becomes indispensable in answering such
questions.
3. The Milky Way is a broad luminous……..of stars encircling the sky.
(a) Group b. constellation c. flock d. cluster
(B) Is the most appropriate choice because Constellation is the right group term for stars.
Here the knowledge of group terms or collective nouns helps the students.
4. Kitten is to cat as………is to dog.
a. Cub b. Calf c. Puppy d. Bitch
Foreign Expressions
1. Ad hoc : (arranged for this purpose, temporary) After the suspension of the
managing committee of D. A. V. College, an ad hoc managing
committee has been set up to work.
2. Ad interim: (in between, in the meantime) The present Government has lost
the vote of confidence on the floor of the house and so it will work
as a care-taker Government ad interim.

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3. Alma mater: (name used for the university or school that a person attended) I
cannot forget my alma mater.
4. Alumni: (old students of an institution) The alumni of St. Mary’s
celebrated the New year Eve.
5. Agent
provocateur:
(culprits in disguise) Pakistanies were the agent provocateur in
the Kargil war in Kashmir.
6. Bona fide: (genuine, sincere) Amartiya Sen was awarded the Bharat Rattan
for being the bona fide scholar of Economics.
7. Carte blanche: (full authority or freedom) The manager is given carte blanche to
work independently.
8. De jure: (according to law) Ram was the de jure king of Ayodhaya.
9. De facto: (in fact, whether by right or not) Prospero’s younger brother
became the de facto duke of his dukedom.
10. Dramatis
personae:
(characters in a drama) The dramatis personae should be
mentioned by the dramatist in order to understand a drama
properly.
11. En route: (on the way) We stopped at Paris en route from Rome to
London.
12. Ex officio: (because of one’s office or position) He is an ex officio member of
the admission committee.
13. Exparte: (one-sided) It is an exparte statement.
14. Ipos facto: (by that very fact) Being the only son of his father, he is the ipso
facto heir of his property.
15. Laissez faire: (the state of being free from Government’s control) The Indian
Government is going to introduce a laissez faire economic
policy.
16. Lingua franca: (language adopted for local communication) Swahili is the lingua
franca in East Africa as Hindi is in India.
17. Mala fide: (with a bad intention) Though the mothers punish their children,
yet there is nothing mala fide in it.
18. Magnum opus: (great literary undertaking) Hamlet is the magnum opus of
Shakespeare.
19. Modus operandi: (the mode of working) The collector’s modus operandi is different
from the Superintendent of Police.
20. Par excellence: (superb) Kalidas, the Sanskrit poet, was a poet par excellence.
21. Per Capita: (of one person) The Indian Government is trying hard to raise the
per capita income of the Indians.
22. Prima facie: (based on the first impression) He produced the prima facie
evidence against him.
23. Summum bonum: (the chief good) Honesty is the summum bonum of my life.
24. Sine quanon: (necessary condition) politeness is the sine quanon of the
Indians.
25. Tete-e-tete: (informal talk) She had a tete-e-tete with Arbindo.
26. Ultra vires: (beyond the powers or authority granted by law) The orders of the
Principal, to dismiss an employee, have been declared ultra virus
by the court.
27. Viva-Voce: (oral examination) A viva-voce is necessary for the completion of
Ph. D. degree.

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Collective Nouns
An army of soldiers A litter of pigs, pups
An anthology of poems A lock of hair
An assembly of people A league of nations
A band of singers A multitude of people
A basket of fruits A mob of rioters
A board of Directors A museum of art
A bench of judges A muster of soldiers
A bunch of grapes A nest of ants
A bunch of keys A nursery of plants
A bouquet of flowers A pack of hounds
A bundle of sticks A pack of playing cards
A bevy of ladies or lasses A packet of cigarettes
A caravan of travellers A pair of shoes
A century of years A panel of jurymen
A chain of mountains A peal of bells
A choir of singers A pile of books, wood or arms
A class of students A pride of lions
A constellation or cluster of stars A quiver of arrows
A concourse of people A regiment of soldiers
A congregation of worshippers A retinue of followers
A company of soldiers A series of lectures
A crew of sailors A school of thinkers
A drove of cattle A school of whales
A fall of snow or rain A set of articles
A fleet of ships A sheaf of arrows
A flock of sheep A shower of rain
A group of persons, islands A stock of hay, goods
A gang of robbers, thieves A string of camels
A garland of flowers A suite of clothes, rooms
A gallery of pictures A swarm of flies, bees, ants
A grove of trees A squadron of cavalry
A heap of sand stone A stud of horses
A heap of ruins A staff of officials or servants

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A herd of cattle, deer, goals A team of horses, players
A hive of bees A team of oxen
A hoard of money A train of followers
A horde of pirates A throng of people
A host of men or angles A troop of scouts, horses, artillery
A house of senators
A troupe of artists A valley of stones, abuse
A tuft of grass A wreath of flowers
A valley of shots, bullets A yoke of oxen
Words Denoting Sounds
Apes Gibber Geese Gabble
Arms Clang Goats Bleat
Asses Bray Hawks Scream
Aeroplanes Zoom Hens Cluck
Bears Growl Horses Snort, nigh
Bees Hum, buzz Hyenas Laugh, scream
Beetles Drone Hands Clap
Babies Cry Horns Toot
Bells Ring, lisp, tinkle Jackals Howl
Birds Chirp, sing Kittens Mew
Bulls Bellow Lions Roar
Brakes Screech Lambs Bleat
Calves Bleat Larks Warble, sing
Cats Mew, purr Mice Squeak
Cows Low Monkeys Chatter, gibber
Cockes Crow Metals Ring
Crows caw Nuts Crack
Camels Grunt Nightingales Sing, warble
Chains Clank Owls Screech, hoot
Coins Jingle Parrots Talk
Cuckoos Coo Pigeons Coo
Cattle Low Pigs Squeal, grunt
Clocks Tick Puppies Jeep
Clouds Thunder Ravens Croak

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Deer Bell Rains Patter
Dogs Bark, growl Serpents Hiss
Doves Coo Sparrows Twitter
Ducks Quack Swans Cry
Dishes Rattle Sheep Bleat
Door Creak, bang Squirrels Squeak
Drums Beat Sails Flap, flutter
Engines Whistle Silk Rustles
Eagles Scream Teeth Chatter
Elephants Trumpet Trains Rumble
Flies Buzz Trumpets Blare, bugle
Frogs Croak Tigers Roar
Fire Crackles Turkeys Gobble
Flags Flutter Trees Crash
Thunder Rumbles Wolves Howl
Wings Flutter, flap Wrens Warble
Wind Howls, sighs Wood Crackles
Whips Crack Whistles Shriek
Waves Ripple Water Ripples
Young ones of Animals and Birds
Bear Cub Hare Leveret
Cat Kitten Horse Colt, foal
Cow Calf Hen Chicken
Deer Fawn Owl Owlet
Dog Puppy Peacock Pea chicken
Duck Duckling Pig Piglet
Eagle Eaglet Lion Cub
Elephant Calf Sheep Lamb
Fish Minnow Swan Signet
Frog Tadpole Tiger Cub
Goat Kid Wolf Cub
Goose Gosling
Homes of Animals and Birds
Bee Hive Mouse Hole

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Bird Nest Pig Sty
Cow Shed Pigeon Dove-cote
Dog Kennel Rabbit Burrow
Eagle Eyre Sheep Pen, fold
Fowl Coop Spider Web
Fox Earth Squirrel Dray
Hare Farm Tiger Lair
Horse Stable Hen Coop
Lion Den
Words used for Different living places
Arab Tent Nun Convent
Convict Prison Peasant Cottage
Gipsy Caravan Prisoner Cell
King Palace Savage Hut
Lunatic Asylum Soldier Barrack, camp
Man House Wild animals Menagerie
Monk Monastery Young children Nursery
Noble Castle
Specific Words for Certain Places
Beer Brewery Ships Dockyard
Bread Bakery Aero planes Aerodrome
Bricks Kiln Birds Cage
Butter Dairy Animals Zoo
Films Studio Clothes Wardrobe
Flour Mill Fishes Aquarium
Food Kitchen Motor cars Garage
Leather goods Tannery Weapons Arsenal
Coins Mint Wares go down
Some Appropriate Comparisons
As angry as a wasp As dirty as a hog
As bald as an egg As drunk as a lord
As bare as a stone As dry as a biscuit
As big as a whale As easy as ABC
As black as coal As easy as a pie

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As black as a crow As fair as a rose
As blind as a bat As faithful as the dog
As blunt as a hammer As firm as a rock
As bold as a lion As fit as a fiddle
As brave as a lion As foolish as a calf
As bright as day As free as thought
As brittle as glass As fresh as a rose
As busy as a bee As gentle as a dove
As calm as death As gloomy as night
As changeable as the moon As graceful as a swan
As chaste as Diana As green as grass
As cheerful as a lark As hard as flint
As clear as crystal As heavy as lead
As clear as daylight As hollow as a drum
As cold as ice As industrious as an ant
As cool as a cucumber As meek as a lamb
As countless as the stars As naked as a needle
As cowardly as a wild duck As pale as death
As cross as two sticks As proud as a peacock
As cruel as death As red as a cherry
As cunning as a fox As rich as Croesus
As dark as midnight As round as a ball
As dead as a door-nail As senseless as stone
As deaf as a post As smooth as glass
As deep as a well As sober as a judge
as soft as butter As tame as a cat
As soft as silk As vain as a peacock
As sour as vinegar As wise as an owl
To spread like wild fire As wise as Solomon
As still as a statue As white as snow
As straight as an arrow As white as a lily
As stupid as a donkey As yellow as saffron
As sweet as honey As yellow as saffron
As swift as an arrow

English Study Material for Bank & ssc exam

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English Study Material for Bank & ssc exam