Sadlier-Oxford Vocab Level H - Unit 2

aegis

(noun)

protection; patronage; sponsorship

syn: auspices

apprise

(verb)

to inform of; to make aware of by giving oral or written notice

syn: acquaint

ant: keep secret, withhold information

bibulous

(adjective)

fond of or inclined to drink; absorbent

syn: inebrious

ant: abstemious, temperate

claque

(noun)

a group of people hired to applaud a performer or performance; enthusiastic or fawning admirers; an opera hat

syn: fan club, flatterers

ant: critics, detractors, slanderers

deracinate

(verb)

to pull up by the roots; to root out, uproot, or dislocate; to eliminate all traces of

syn: extirpate, eradicate, expunge

ant: implant, nurture, foster, instill

exegesis

(noun)

an explanation or critical interpretation (especially of a text)

syn: analysis, explication

ant: mystification

indigenous

(adjective)

originating in the country or region where found, native; inborn, inherent

syn: endemic, domestic, homegrown

ant: foreign, alien, exoteric, imported

lachrymose

(adjective)

given to tears or weeping; causing to shed tears; mournful, lugubrious

syn: tearful, doleful, dolorous

ant: dry-eyed, merry, hilarious

lexicon

(noun)

a dictionary of a language; the special vocabulary of a person, group, or subject,; a compendium

syn: wordbook, glossary

melee

(noun)

a confused struggle; a violent free-for-all; a tumultuous mingling

syn: fracas, brawl, scuffle, donnybrook

ant: friendly chat, peace and quiet

microcosm

(noun)

a miniature world or universe; a group or system viewed as the model of a larger group or system

syn: epitome, world in little

ant: macrocosm, cosmos, totality

minuscule

(adjective)

very small, tiny

(noun)

a lowercase letter

syn: (adjective) infinitesimal, insignificant

ant: (adjective) huge, massive, monumental

obfuscate

(noun)

to darken or obscure; to confuse or bewilder

syn: muddy the waters

ant: elucidate, explicate, clarify

paternalism

(noun)

the policy or practice of treating or governing people in the manner of a father dealing with his children

syn: benevolence, solicitude, fatherliness

polarize

(verb)

to cause to concentrate around two conflicting or contrasting positions; to cause light to vibrate in a pattern

syn: split, alienate, estrange

ant: unite, unify, reconcile

purview

(noun)

the range, extent, or scope of something, in law, the scope or limit of what is provided in a statute

syn: orbit

sanguine

(adjective)

having a ruddy complexion; of a naturally cheerful, confident, or optimistic outlook

syn: flushed, rosy

ant: bloodless, ashen, pessimistic, gloomy

solecism

(noun)

a substandard or ungrammatical usage; a breach of etiquette; any impropriety or mistake

syn: misusage, blunder

vassal

(noun)

a person under the protection of a feudal lord to whom he or she owes allegiance; a subordinate or dependent; a servant

(adjective)

subservient

syn: (noun) minion; (adjective) servile

ant: (noun) overlord

verisimilitude

(noun)

the quality of appearing to be true, real, likely, or probable

syn: realism, lifelikeness, authenticity