Sadlier Oxford Level F Unit 12

Absolve

(v.) to clear from blame, responsibility, or guilt

S: acquit, exonerate, vindicate, excuse, pardon

A: condemn, convict, incriminate, inculpate

Caricature

(n.) a representation (especially in drawing) in which the subject's characteristic features are deliberately exaggerated; (v.) to present someone or something in a deliberately distorted way

S: cartoon, burlesque, parody, lampoon

Clangor

(n.) a loud ringing sound; (v.) to make a loud ringing noise

S: din, clamor, uproar;

A: silence, stillness, peace and quiet

Contiguous

(adj.) side by side, touching; near; adjacent in time

S: adjoining, abutting, next door to;

A: detached, apart, distant, remote

Cupidity

(n.) an eager desire for something; greed

S: avarice, rapacity, craving, lust;

A: generosity, contentment, satiation, gratification

deleterious

(adj.) harmful, injurious

S: detrimental, destructive, pernicious, damaging;

A: helpful, beneficial, harmless, innocuous

Enhance

(v.) to raise to a higher degree; to increase the value or desirability of

S: improve, magnify, heighten, elevate;

A: diminish, reduce, lessen, degrade

Enthrall

(v.) to captivate, charm, hold spellbound; to enslave; to imprison

S: fascinate, enchant, attract, bewitch;

A: bore to tears, repel, put someone off

Extenuate

(v.) to lessen the seriousness or magnitude of an offense by making partial excuses

S: moderate, mitigate, diminish, downplay;

A: intensify, aggravate, worsen, exacerbate

Implicit

(adj.) implied or understood though unexpressed; without doubts or reservations, unquestioning; potentially contained in

S: inferred, tacit, unspoken, unconditional;

A: explicit, expressed, stated, revealed

Incisive

(adj.) sharp, keen, penetrating (with a suggestion of decisiveness and effectiveness)

S: acute, cutting, perceptive, trenchant

Ostentatious

(adj.) marked by conspicuous or pretentious display, showy

S: flashy, overdone, affected, flamboyant;

A: modest, plain, simple, demure, retiring

Paragon

(n.) a model of excellence or perfection

S: exemplar, ideal, paradigm, model, good example

Paraphrase

(v.) to restate in other words (n.) a statement that presents a given idea in new language

S: reword, rephrase, a rendition, version;

A: repeat verbatim, duplicate, quote

Prosaic

(adj.) dull, lacking in distinction and originality; matter-of-fact, straightforward; characteristic of prose, not poetic

S: commonplace, humdrum, literal, pedestrian

A:remarkable, distinctive, poetic, inspired

Politic

(adj.) prudent, shrewdly conceived and developed; artful, expedient

S: tactful, diplomatic, judicious, circumspect

A:unwise, injudicious, imprudent, rash

Redundant

(adj.) extra, excess, more than is needed; wordy, repetitive; profuse, lush

S: unnecessary, superfluous, verbose, prolix;

A:succinct; terse, laconic, scarce, inadequate

Sanctimonious

(adj.) making a show of virtue or righteousness; hypocritically moralistic or pious, self-righteous, canting, holier-than-thou

A: heartfelt, sincere, humble

Scintillating

(adj., part.) sparkling, twinkling, exceptionally brilliant (applied to mental or personal qualities)

S: stimulating, lively, glittering, flashing;

A: dull, boring, insipid, flat, tame, vapid

Winsome

(adj.) charming, attractive, pleasing (often suggesting a childlike charm and innocence)

S: winning, engaging, delightful, prepossessing;

A:unattractive, unappealing, repulsive