Semester Exam Vocabulary Workshop 1-7 level g

allay

(v.) to calm or pacify, set to rest; to lessen or relieve (syn.) reduce, alleviate, moderate (ant.) aggravate, exacerbate, intensify

bestial

(adj.) beastlike; beastly, brutal; subhuman in intelligence and sensibility (syn.) animal, depraved, loathsome (ant.) human, humane, clement, virtuous, upright

convivial

(adj.) festive, sociable, having fun together, genial (syn.) fun-loving, jovial, merry (ant.) dour, grim, sullen, unsociable

coterie

(n.) a circle of acquaintance; a close-knit, often exclusive, group of people with a common interest (syn.) clique, set

counterpart

(n.) a person or thing closely resembling or corresponding to another; a complement (syn.) match

demur

(v.) to object or take exception to; (n.) an objection (syn.) protest, object to (ant.) assent to, consent to, accept, agree to

effrontery

(n.) shameless boldness, impudence (syn.) gall, chutzpah, nerve, impertinence, cheek (ant.) shyness, diffidence, timidity

embellish

(v.) to decorate, adorn, touch up; to improve by adding details (syn.) ornament, garnish (ant.) strip, mar, disfigure

ephemeral

(adj.) lasting only a short time, short-lived (syn.) fleeting, transient, evanescent, transitory (ant.) durable, long-lasting, permanent, perpetual

felicitous

(adj.) appropriate, apt, well chosen; marked by well-being or good fortune, happy (syn.) fortunate, well-put (ant.) inappropriate, inept, graceless, unhappy

furtive

(adj.) done slyly or stealthily, sneaky, secret, shifty; stolen (syn.) clandestine, covert, surreptitious (ant.) forthright, aboveboard, open

garish

(adj.) glaring; tastelessly showy or overdecorated in a vulgar or offensive way (syn.) gaudy, flashy, tawdry (ant.) subdued, muted, understated, quiet

illusory

(adj.) misleading, deceptive; lacking in or not based on reality (syn.) specious, spurious, fanciful, imaginary (ant.) actual, real, factual, objective

indigent

(adj.) needy, impoverished (syn.) penniless, poverty-stricken, destitute (ant.) wealthy, affluent, prosperous

inordinate

(adj.) far too great, exceeding reasonable limits, excessive (syn.) exorbitant, extravagant (ant.) moderate, reasonable, equitable

jettison

(v.) to cast overboard, get rid of as unnecessary or burdensome (syn.) cast off, discard, dump, junk, abandon (ant.) conserve, retain, hold on to, keep

misanthrope

(n.) a person who hates or despises people (syn.) people-hater

pertinacious

(adj.) very persistent; holding firmly to a course of action or a set of beliefs; hard to get rid of, refusing to be put off or denied (syn.) stubborn, dogged, determined

picayune

(adj.) of little value or importance, paltry, measly; concerned with trifling matters, small-minded (syn.) inconsequential, piddling, trifling (ant.) important, significant, huge, gigantic

raiment

(n.) clothing, garments (syn.) apparel, attire

abject

(adj) degraded; base, contemptible; cringing, servile; complete and unrelieved

syn: wretched, miserable, ignoble, sheer, utter

ant: noble, exalted

agnostic

(n) one who believes that nothing can be known about God; a skeptic; (adj) without faith, skeptical

syn: doubter

ant: believer

complicity

(n) involvement in wrongdoing; the state of being an accomplice

syn: connivance, collusion

ant: noninvolvement, innocence

derelict

(n) someone or something that is abandoned or neglected;(adj) left abandoned; neglectful of duty

syn: vagrant; delinquent

ant: punctilious, conscientious, scrupulous

diatribe

(n) a bitter and prolonged verbal attack

syn: harangue, tirade

ant: panegyric, encomium, eulogy

effigy

(n) a crude image of a despised person

syn: figure, figurine

equity

(n) the state or quality of being just, fair or impartial; fair and equal treatment

syn: justice, fairness, impartiality

ant: bias, unfairness, prejudice

inane

(adj) silly, empty, meaning or value

syn: idiotic, moronic, fatuous

ant: sensible, meaningful, profound

indictment

(n) the act of accusing; a formal accusation

syn: charge, accusation

indubitable

(adj) certain, not to be doubted or denied

syn: unquestionable, indisputable

ant: questionable, debatable, dubious

intermittent

(adj) stopping and beginning again, sporadic

syn: fitful, spasmodic, random

ant: uninterrupted

moot

(adj)open to discussion and debate, unresolved, (v)to bring up for discussion; (n) a hypothetical law case argued by students

syn: debatable, questionable, broach

ant: undebatable, indisputable, self-evident

motif

(n) a principal idea, feature, theme, or element

neophyte

(n) a new convert, beginner, novice

syn: tenderfoot

ant: veteran, past master, expert, pro

perspicacity

(n) keenness in observing and understanding

syn: acumen, discernment

ant: dullness, obtuseness

plenary

(adj) complete in all aspects or essentials; absolute

syn: unrestricted

ant: limited, restricted, incomplete

surveillance

(n) a watch kept over a person; careful, close, and disciplined observation

syn: observation, monitoring

sylvan

(adj) pertaining to or characteristic of forests; living or located in a forest

syn: arcadian

testy

(adj) easily irritated; characterized by impatience and exasperation

syn: irritable, peevish, waspish, petulant

ant: imperturbable, unexcitable

travesty

(n) a grotesque or grossly inferior imitation; a disguise (v). to ridicule by imitating in a broad or burlesque fashion

acuity

(n.) sharpness (particularly of the mind or senses)

syn:acuteness

ANTONYMS: dullness, obtuseness

delineate

(v.) to portray, sketch, or describe in accurate and vivid detail; to represent pictorially

SYNONYMS: picture, render

depraved

(adj.) marked by evil and corruption, devoid of moral principles

SYNONYMS: perverted, degenerate, vicious, corrupt

ANTONYMS: moral, virtuous, upright, uncorrupted

enervate

(v.) to weaken or lessen the mental, moral, or physical vigor of; enfeeble, hamstring

SYNONYMS: impair, cripple, paralyze

ANTONYMS: invigorate, strengthen, buttress

esoteric

(adj.) intended for or understood by only a select few, private, secret

SYNONYMS: cryptic, arcane, recondite

ANTONYMS: accessible, comprehensible, intelligible

fecund

(adj.) fruitful in offspring or vegetation; intellectually productive

SYNONYMS: fertile, teeming, prolific

ANTONYMS: infertile, barren, unproductive

fiat

(n.) an arbitrary order or decree; a command or act of will or consciousness

SYNONYMS: dictum, ukase

figment

(n.) a fabrication of the mind; an arbitrary notion

SYNONYMS: invention, fancy

garner

(v.) to acquire as the result of effort; to gather and store away, as for future use

SYNONYMS: collect, accumulate, accrue

ANTONYMS: scatter, squander, waste, dissipate

hallow

(v.) to set apart as holy or sacred, sanctify, consecrate; to honor greatly, revere

SYNONYMS: venerate

ANTONYMS: defile, profane

idiosyncrasy

(n.) a peculiarity that serves to distinguish or identify

SYNONYMS: quirk, mannerism

ignominy

(n.) shame and disgrace

SYNONYMS: humiliation, disrepute, odium

ANTONYMS: honor, acclaim

mundane

(adj.) earthly, worldly, relating to practical and material affairs; concerned with what is ordinary

SYNONYMS: prosaic, humdrum, routine, sublunary

ANTONYMS: heavenly, spiritual, transcendental

nuance

(n.) a subtle or slight variation

SYNONYMS: shade, nicety, refinement

overweening

(adj.) conceited, presumptuous; excessive, immoderate

SYNONYMS: arrogant, unbridled, inflated

ANTONYMS: restrained, understated, meek

penchant

(n.) a strong attraction or inclination

SYNONYMS: proclivity, predilection

ANTONYMS: disinclination, aversion

reputed

(adj.) according to reputation or general belief; having widespread acceptance and good reputation; (part.) alleged

SYNONYMS: putative, reputable

ANTONYMS: proven, corroborated, authenticated

sophistry

(n.) reasoning that seems plausible but is actually unsound; a fallacy

SYNONYM: specious reasoning

sumptuous

(adj.) costly, rich, magnificent

SYNONYMS: lavish, munificent, opulent, splendid

ANTONYMS: skimpy, stingy, spartan

ubiquitous

(adj.) present or existing everywhere

SYNONYMS: pervasive, universal

ANTONYMS: restricted, limited, rare, scarce

SYNONYMS: pervasive, universal

ANTONYMS: restricted, limited, rare, scarce

atrophy

(n.) the wasting away of a body organ or tissue; any progressive decline or failure; (v.) to waste away

syn: degeneration, deterioration; wither

ant: growth, mature

bastion

(n.) a fortified place, stronghold

syn: citadel, rampart, parapet

concord

(n.) a state of agreement, harmony, unanimity; a treaty, pact, covenant

ant: disagreement, strife, discord

consummate

(adj.) complete or perfect in the highest degree; (v.) to bring to a state of completion or perfection

syn: masterful, clinch, conclude

ant: launch, initiate, begin, kick off

disarray

(n.) disorder, confusion; (v.) to throw into disorder

syn: disorganization, dishevel, mess up

a: organization, order, tidiness

exigency

(n., often pl.) urgency, pressure; urgent demand, pressing need; an emergency

s: requirement, crisis

flotsam

(n.) floating debris; homeless, impoverished people

s: floating wreckage, debris

frenetic

(adj) Frenzied, highly agitated

s: frantic, overwrought

a: calm, controlled, relaxed, leisurely

glean

(v.) to gather bit by bit; to gather small quantities of grain left in a field by the reapers

s: cull, pick up

grouse

(n.) a type of game bird; a complaint; (v.) to complain, grumble

s: kvetch, bellyache

incarcerate

(v.) to imprison, confine, jail

s: intern

a: liberate, free

incumbent

(adj.) obligatory, required; (n.) one who holds a specific office at the time spoken of

s: mandatory, necessary

a: optional, unnecessary

jocular

(adj.) humorous, jesting, jolly, joking

s: waggish, facetious, droll

a: solemn, grave earnest, grim

ludicrous

(adj.) ridiculous, laughable, absurd

s: risible, preposterous

a: heartrending, poignant pathetic

mordant

(adj.) biting or caustic in thought, manner, or style; sharply or bitterly harsh

s: acrimonious, acidulous, sardonic, scathing

a: bland, mild, gentle, soothing

nettle

(n.) A prickly or stinging plant; (v.) to arouse displeasure, impatience, or anger; to vex or irritate severely

s: peeve, annoy, incense, gall

a: please, delight, soothe, pacify

pecuniary

(adj.) consisting of or measured in money; of or related to money

s: monetary

pusillanimous

(adj.) contemptibly cowardly or mean-spirited

s: lily-livered

a: stouthearted, courageous

recumbent

(adj.) in a reclining position, lying down, in the posture of one sleeping or resting

s: prone, supine, inactive

a: erect, energetic, dynamic

stratagem

(n.) a scheme to outwit or deceive an opponent or to gain an end

s: trick, ploy, subterfuge

Cavort

(v) to romp or prance around exuberantly; to make merry

syn: gambol

Credence

(n) belief, mental acceptance

syn: credit, trust, confidence

ant: disbelief, skepticism, incredulity

Decry

(v) to condemn, express strong disapproval; to officially depreciate

syn: denounce, censure, devalue

ant: tout, commend, extol, laud, praise

Dissemble

(v) to disguise or conceal, deliberately give false impression

syn: dissimulate, mask, feign

Distraught

(adj.) very much agitated or upset as a result of emotion or mental conflict

Synonyms: distracted

Antonyms: calm, collected

Eulogy

(n.) a formal statement of commendation; high praise

Synonyms: panegyric, encomium, tribute

Antonyms: philippic, invective

Evince

(v.) to display clearly, to make evident, to provoke

Synonyms: exhibit, manifest, occasion

Exhume

(v.) to remove from a grave; to bring to light

Synonyms: disinter, unearth, uncover

Antonyms: bury, inter

Feckless

(adj.) lacking in spirit and strength; ineffective, weak; irresponsible, unreliable

Synonyms: feeble, incompetent, ineffectual

Antonyms: competent, capable, effective

Murky

(adj.) dark and gloomy, obscure; lacking in clarity and precision

Synonyms: dim, cloudy

Antonyms: clear, transparent, lucid, limpid

Nefarious

(adj.) wicked, depraved, devoid of moral standards

Synonyms: iniquitous, reprehensible

Antonyms: virtuous, honorable, praiseworthy, meritorious

Piquant

(adj.) stimulating to the taste or mind; spicy, pungent; appealingly provocative

Synonyms: zestful, tangy

Antonyms: bland, insipid, tasteless, mild

Primordial

(adj.) developed or created at the very beginning; going back to the most ancient times or earliest stage; fundamental, basic

Synonyms: original, primal

Propinquity

(n.) nearness in place or time; kinship

Synonyms: similarity

Antonyms: remoteness, distance

Substantive

(adj.) real, having a solid basis; considerable in number or amount; meaningful and on topic

Synonyms: firm, substantial, meaty

Antonyms: imaginary, unreal, meaningless

Unwonted

(adj.) not usual or expected; not in character

Synonyms: unusual, uncommon, unexpected, atypical

Antonyms: usual, customary, typical

Utopian

(adj.) founded upon or involving a visionary view of an ideal world; impractical

Synonyms: idealistic

Antonyms: realistic, pragmatic

Verbiage

(n.) language that is too wordy or inflated in proportion to the sense or content, wordiness; a manner of expression

Synonyms: prolixity, diction, jargon