Unit 14 Vocabulary

amplify

(v.) to make stronger, larger, greater, louder, or the like

syn: increase, augment, fill out, supplement

ant: lessen, diminish, abbreviate, shorten

armistice

(n.) a temporary peace, halt in fighting

syn: cease-fire

arrogant

(adj.) haughty, too convinced of one's own importance

syn: high-handed, overbearing, presumptuous

ant: meek, humble, modest, unassuming

bland

(adj.) gentle, soothing, mild; lacking interest or taste

syn: dull, insipid

ant: harsh, irritating, pungent, spicy, piquant

disclaim

(v.) to deny interest in or connection with; to give up all claim to

syn: disavow, repudiate

ant: admit, avow, confess

epoch

(n.) a distinct period of time, age

estrange

(v.) to drift apart or become unfriendly; to cause such a separation; to remove or keep at a distance

syn: part company, alienate

ant: bring together, reunite, reconcile

gratify

(v.) to please, satisfy; to indulge or humor

syn: delight

ant: disappoint, dissatisfy, frustrate, thwart

infinite

(adj.) exceedingly great, inexhaustible, without limit, endless; (n., preceded by the) an incalculable number, the concept of infinity; (cap. I) a name for God

syn: (adj.) unlimited, boundless

ant: (adj.) limited, restricted, measurable

irascible

(adj.) easily made angry, hot-tempered

syn: irritable, quarrelsome, cantankerous

ant: even-tempered

kindred

(n.) a person's relatives; a family relationship; (adj.) related by blood; like, similar

syn: (n.) kin, relations

ant: (adj.) unlike, dissimilar, contrasting

naive

(adj.) innocent, unsophisticated, showing lack of worldly knowledge and experience

syn: green, wet behind the ears

ant: sophisticated, knowing, urbane, suave, blase

niche

(n.) a decorative recess in a wall; a suitable place or position for a person or thing

syn: nook, alcove

obliterate

(v.) to blot out completely, destroy utterly

syn: wipe out, erase, efface

ant: foster, promote, create

ramshackle

(adj.) appearing ready to collapse, loose and shaky

syn: rickety, unsteady, run-down, dilapidated

ant: well built, well maintained, shipshape, trim

ransack

(v.) to search or examine thoroughly; to rob, plunder

syn: rummage, scour

ant: spot check

rote

(n.) unthinking routine or repetition, a fixed or mechanical way of doing something; (adj.) based on a mechanical routine

solvent

(adj.) able to meet one's financial obligations; having the power to dissolve other substances; (n.) a liquid used to dissolve other substances; something that solves, explains, eliminates, or softens

syn: financially sound, in the black

ant: bankrupt, in the red

tedious

(adj.) long and tiresome

syn: boring, monotonous

ant: stimulating, interesting, short and sweet

vendor

(n.) a person who sells something

syn: peddler, hawker, dealer

ant: buyer, purchaser, customer