Unit 9

hi

accelerate

(v.) to speed up, cause to move faster; to bring about more quickly

ant: slow down

syn: fast

bystander

(n.) one who looks on or observes, a person present but not taking part

syn: onlooker

ant: active

canvass

(v.) to go through an area in order to produce votes, sales, or opinions; to go over in detail; to discuss

syn: survey

casual

(adj.) happening by chance or on an irregular basis; showing little concern; informal

ant: formal

syn: offhand

downtrodden

(adj.) treated unfairly and cruelly, oppressed

ant: uplifted

syn: mistreated

entice

(v.) to attract, tempt

syn: lure

ant: sickness

erode

(v.) to wear away gradually, eat away

syn: corrode

ant: nurture

flounder

(v.) to thrash about in a clumsy or ineffective way

syn: wallow

graphic

(adj.) lifelike, vivid; relating to the pictorial arts

syn: colorful

ant: dull

gruesome

(adj.) horrible, revolting, ghastly

syn:gory

ant: pleasant

melancholy

(adj.) sad, gloomy, unhappy; (n.) sadness, gloominess

syn: (adj) depressed

ant: (adj) merry n py

ordeal

(n.) a difficult or painful experience, a trail

syn: hardship

ant: pleasure

parch

(v.) to make dry and thirsty; to shrivel with heat

syn: dry up

ant: soak

persist

(v.) to continue steadily in a course of action, refuse to stop or be changed; to last, remain

syn: keep at

ant: give up

puny

(adj.) of less than normal strength or size; of no importance

ant: robust

syn: small

quibble

(v.) to evade or belittle a point by twisting words or raising minor objections

(n.) a petty objection

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ratify

(v.) to approve, give formal approval to, confirm

syn: sanction

ant: cancel

regal

(adj.) royal, kinglike; fit for a king

syn: majestic

ant: lowly

stifle

(v.) to smother, prevent from breathing; to hold back or choke off

syn: snuff

ant: encourage

vital

(adj.) having life, living; necessary to life, essential; key, crucial

syn: fundament

ant: unnecessary