Vocab level c unit 8

abut

(v.) to join at one or be next to; to support, prop up

Syn: border on, bolster

attire

(n.) clothes, apparel, garb; (v.) to dress, adorn, or bedeck

syn: (n.) clothes

avail

(v.) to be of use or benefit; to make use of; to take advantage of; to profit or benefit; (n.) use, benefit, or value

crony

(n.) a very close friend, chum, buddy

ant: adversary, rival

cryptic

(adj.) puzzling, mystifying, or enigmatic

Ant: crystal clear, unambiguous

divergent

(adj.) going in different directions; different from each other; departing from convention, deviant

syn: not in agreement, differing, unorthodox, unconventional

Ant: merging, interesting, converging, orthodox, conventional

enmity

(n.) hatred, ill-will

Syn: hostility, animosity

Ant: friendship, amity

fervent

(adj.) very earnest, emotional, passionate, extremely hot

syn: enthusiastic, burning, blazing, scorching

ant: blase, apathetic, restrained, emotionless

gaunt

(adj.) thin and bony, starved looking; bare, barren

syn: lean, lanky, all skin and bones

ant: plump, stout, corpulent

infiltrate

(v.) to pass through or gain entrance to gradually or stealthily

syn: slip into, creep into, penetrate

nullify

(v.) to make of no value or consequence, cancel, wipe out

Syn: invalidate, annul

Ant: confirm, endorse, ratify, sanction

perceptible

(adj.) capable of being grasped by the senses or mind

Syn: noticeable, discernible, observable

Ant: invisible, unnoticeable, indiscernible

plummet

(v.) to plunge straight down; (n.) a weight fastened to a line

Syn: (v.) to take a nosedive

Ant: (v.) soar, skyrocket

proclaim

(v.) to declare publicly or officially

Syn: announce, promulgate

Ant: conceal, cover up

proxy

(n.) an agent, substitute; a written permission allowing one person to act in another’s place

Syn: deputy

rankle

(v.) to cause anger, irritation, or bitterness(with the suggestion that the pain grows with time)

Syn: irritate, vex, nettle, irk

Ant: please, gratify

scavenger

(n.) a person who collects or removes usable items from waste materials; an animal that feeds on refuse or dead bodies

Syn: rummanger

stint

(v.) to limit, be sparing or frugal; (n.) a limit or restriction; a fixed share of work or duty; a period of activity

Syn: (v.) restrict, scrimp, economize

Ant: (v.) splurge, squander, lavish

stoical

(adj.) self-controlled, not showing feeling in response to pleasure or pain.

Syn: unresponsive, impassive

Ant: excitable, emotional, hotheaded

unflagging

(adj.) tireless, continuing with vigor

Syn: steady, undiminished, unremitting

Ant: diminishing, drooping, sagging