vocab ch 12

abjure

(verb) to renounce, repudiate under oath; to avoid, shun

Toward the end of Shakespeare's last play, The Tempest, the magician Prospero \__________ his powers over nature.

Syn.: forswear, retract, recant, abstain from

Ant.: affirm, avow, aver, profess

acrid

(adj.) harsh in taste or odor; sharp in manner or temper

The \__________ stench of a fire lingers in the air long after the flames have been extinguished.

Syn.: irritating, stinging, bitter, caustic

Ant.: gentle, soothing, mild

august

(adj.) majestic, inspiring admiration and respect

The \__________ visages of four of America's great presidents are carved on the face of Mount Rushmore.

Syn.: stately, dignified, exalted, venerable

Ant.: humble, base, mean, lowly, abject

callous

(adj.) emotionally hardened, unfeeling

Protesters accused the mayor of \__________ indifference to the plight of the homeless.

Syn.: insensitive, unsympathetic, thick-skinned

Ant.: sensitive, compassionate, tenderhearted

clandestine

(adj.) secret, concealed; underhanded

During the early stages of the American Revolution, \__________ colonial printing presses churned out quantities of anti-British propaganda.

Syn.: covert, furtive, surreptitious, stealthy

Ant.: open, overt, undisguised, aboveboard

compunction

(noun) remorse, regret

In some religious writings \__________ is used as a synonym for contrition to express profound regret for one's sins.

Syn.: scruple, qualm, misgiving, contrition

Ant.: shamelessness, insouciance, nonchalance

conflagration

(noun) a large destructive fire

A large number of wooden structures quite literally added fuel to the \__________ that swept through San Francisco in 1906.

Syn.: holocaust, wildfire

Ant.: deluge, flood

elated

(adj., part.) in high spirits, jubilant; extremely pleased

\_____________ fans lines the city's streets to cheer the World Series champions.

Syn.: overjoyed, ecstatic, tickled pink

Ant.: depressed, crestfallen, despondent, blue

indelible

(adj.) not able to be erased or removed; memorable

The brutal crimes against humanity committed by the Nazis left an \__________ stain on the history of the twentieth century.

Syn.: lasting, permanent, unforgettable

Ant.: erasable, impermanent, ephemeral

indulgent

(adj.) yielding to the wishes or demands of others

A heightened sense of compassion has induced the federal government to adopt a more \__________ policy toward illegal aliens.

Syn.: lenient, permissive, tolerant, liberal

Ant.: strict, severe, inflexible, hard-nosed

inveterate

(adj.) firmly established, long-standing; habitual

It has been claimed that many writers and artists have an \__________ hostility to criticism.

Syn.: persisting, chronic, dyed-in-the-wool

Ant.: sporadic, intermittent, occasional

irrelevant

(adj.) not to the point, not applicable or pertinent

When you take notes, it's best to record only the main ideas and eliminate all \__________ details.

Syn.: inapplicable, immaterial, beside the point

Ant.: pertinent, material, apropos, germane

nocturnal

(adj.) of or occurring in the night; under cover of darkness

Most \__________ creatures have keen eyesight and acute hearing.

Syn.: nighttime

Ant.: daytime, diurnal

platitude

(noun) a commonplace, stale, or trite remark

The sentiments expressed in most greeting cards seldom rise above the level of timeworn \__________.

Syn.: cliche, truism, bromide

Ant.: epigram, quip, witticism, bon mot

quell

(verb) to subdue, put down forcibly

The English poet John Dryden believed that music has the power either to arouse or to \__________ strong emotions.

Syn.: suppress, pacify, squelch, quash, crush

Ant.: incite, provoke, arouse, foment, stir up

quiescent

(adj.) inactive; at rest

Although some volcanoes are believed to be truly extinct, many are merely \__________.

Syn.: still, inert, motionless, dormant, tranquil

Ant.: active, thriving, lively, bustling, volatile

ruminate

(verb) to meditate, think about at length; to chew the cud

In old age many people sadly \__________ on mistakes made and opportunities missed.

Syn.: ponder, reflect, mull over, muse