SSC One Word Substitution Test

DIRECTIONS: Select single word or phrase which means most nearly the same as the given idiomatic phrase.

1. An office with pay but little responsibility

(a) sinecure

(b) presidency

(c) factotum

(d) plutocracy

2. A group of small ships

(a) archipelago

(b) fleet

(c) flotilla

(d) tugs

3. A person in the habit of pointing out others faults

(a) interloper

(b) officious

(c) gossamer

(d) gadfly

4. The study of handwriting as a guide to character

(a) forensic

(b) graffiti

(c) hieroglyphics

(d) graphology

5. A long boring speech

(a) horology

(b) harangue

(c) valediction

(d) filibuster

6. Accidental solving of a crime

(a) investigation

(b) detection

(c) sixth-sense

(d) serendipity

7. A commonplace and unoriginal statement

(a) witticism

(b) preamble

(c) prevarication

(d) platitude

8. Mutual loyalty among group members

(a) etiquette

(b) homogeneity

(c) espirit de corps

(d) rendezvous

9. Poetry that is silly

(a) observe

(b) doggerel

(c) dirge

(d) limerick

10. Inscription on a grave

(a) epigram

(b) oration

(c) obituary

(d) epitaph

11. A place where bees are kept

(a) aviary

(b) artifice

(c) diadem

(d) apiary

12. Something short-lived

(a) ephemeral

(b) Epicurean

(c) interim

(d) illusory

13. Interested only in money

(a) marmoreal

(b) mordant

(c) mercenary

(d) munificent

14. Scientific study of birds

(a) aviation

(b) ornithology

(c) microbiology

(d) supersonics

15. A very light and thin material

(a) gossamer

(b) gazelle

(c) coterie

(d) poultice

16. Mercy-killing of patients who are incurably ill

(a) circumspection

(b) benignity

(c) euthanasia

(d) apoplexy

17. General act of forgiveness on a national occasion

(a) benediction

(b) emancipation

(c) investiture

(d) amnesty

18. Passing off someone else’s writing as one’s own

(a) copying

(b) patenting

(c) plagiarism

(d) adaptation

19. A lake of sea water

(a) archipelago

(b) lagoon

(c) gorge

(d) inundation

20. The science of making watches

(a) graphology

(b) morphology

(c) aneroid

(d) horology