Choose the correct word to fill in the blank.
The eighteenth century British comedies raised a lot of laughter as they highlighted the _____ attitude of the royal ladies.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → vain
Complete sentence: The eighteenth century British comedies raised a lot of laughter as they highlighted the vain attitude of the royal ladies. The comedies laughed at the proud, showy attitude of the royal ladies. Vain, vein and vane sound alike: vain is proud, vein a blood vessel, vane a blade turned by the wind.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) wane | mainly a verb meaning to become smaller or weaker, as when the moon wanes (it cannot describe an attitude) | His interest in music began to wane. |
| (2) vein | a blood vessel that carries blood to the heart, or a particular mood or style, as in "in a lighter vein" (it is a noun, not an adjective) | The nurse found a vein in his arm to take blood. |
| (3) vain (answer) | an adjective meaning too proud of one's looks, abilities or position | The vain prince spent hours in front of the mirror. |
| (4) vane | a flat blade moved by wind or water, as in a weather vane that shows the wind's direction | A metal weather vane turned on the church roof. |