Sadlier Level H Units 1-3

ancillary

subordinate or supplementary
syn-auxiliary
ant- primary

bowdlerize

to remove material considered offensive (from a book, play, film, etc.)
syn-expurgate

condescend

to come down or stoop voluntarily to a lower level; to deal with people in a patronizing manner
syn-talk down to

cozen

to trick; to cheat or swindle
syn- beguile

enclave

an enclosed district, region, or area inhabited by a particular group of people or having a special character
syn-subgroup

forte

a person's strong point; what a person does best
syn-aptitude
ant-weakness

gratis

free; without charge
syn- on the house

icon

a representation or image of a sacred personage, often considered sacred itself; an image or picture; a symbol; a graphic symbol on a computer monitor display; an object of blind devotion
syn- emblem

interstice

a small, narrow space between things or parts of things
syn- crevice

macrocosm

the universe considered as a whole; the entire complex structure of something
syn- cosmos
ant-microcosm

mountebank

a trickster or swindler; a charlatan
syn- impostor
ant- "mark"

paean

a song of praise, joy, or triumph
syn- ode
ant- dirge

persiflage

lighthearted joking, talk, or writing
syn- badinage

plethora

over fullness; superabundance; superfluity
syn- glut
ant- paucity

pragmatic

concerned with practical considerations or values; dealing with actions and results rather than with abstract theory; stiff in one's opinions
syn-down-to-earth
ant- impractical

quizzical

puzzled; mocking; odd; equivocal
syn- perplexed
ant- unequivocal

rapacity

inordinate greed; the disposition to obtain one's desires by force, extortion, or plunder
syn- avarice
ant- altruism

schism

a formal split within a religious organization; any division or separation of a group or organization into hostile factions
syn- rift
ant- reconciliation

therapeutic

having the power to heal or cure; beneficial
syn- salutary
ant-deleterious

virtuoso

a brilliant performer; a person with masterly skill or technique; masterly or brilliant
syn-expert
ant- amateur

aegis

(n) Protection; patronage; sponsorship
SYN: auspices

apprise

(v) To inform of; to make aware of by giving oral or written notice
SYN: acquaint
ANT: keep secret, withhold information

bibulous

(adj) Fond or inclined to drink; absorbent
SYN: inebrious
ANT: abstemious, temperate

claque

(n) a group of people hired to applaud a performer or performance; enthusiatic or fawning admirers; an opera hat
SYN: fan club, flatterers
ANT: critics, detractors, slanderers

deracinate

(v) 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

(n) An explanation or critical interpretation (especially of a text)
SYN: analysis, explication
ANT: mystification

indigenous

(adj) Originating in the country or region where found, native; inborn; inherent
SYN: endemic, domestic, homegrown
ANT: foreign, alien, exoteric, imported

lachrymose

(adj) Given to tears or weeping; causing to shed tears; mournful, lugubrious
SYN: tearful, doleful, dolorous
ANT: dry-eyed, merry, hilarious

lexicon

(n) a dictionary of a language; the special vocabulary of a person, group, or subject; a compendium
SYN: wordbook, glossary

melee

(n) A confused struggle; a violent free-for-all; a tumultuous mingling
SYN: fracas, brawl, scuffle, donnybrook
ANT: friendly chat, peace and quiet

microcosm

(n) 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

miniscule

(adj) Very small, tiny
(n) a lowercase letter
SYN: infinitesimal, insignificant
ANT: huge, massive, monumental

obfuscate

(v) To darken or obscure; to confuse or bewilder
SYN: muddy the waters
ANT: elucidate, explicate, clarify

paternalism

(n) The policy or practice of treating or governing people in the manner of a father dealing with his children
SYN: benevolence, solicitude, fatherliness

polarize

(v) To cause to concentrate around two conflicting or contrasting positons; to cause light to vibrate in a pattern
SYN: split, alienate, estrange
ANT: unite, unify, reconcile

purview

(n) The range, extent, or scope of something; in law, the scope or limit of what is provided im a statue
SYN: orbit

sanguine

(adj) Having a ruddy complexion; of a naturally cheerful, confident, or optimistic outlook
SYN: flushed, rosy
ANT: bloodless, ashen, pessimistic, gloomy

solecism

(n) A substandard or ungrammatical usage; a breach of etiquette; a mistake
SYN: misusage, blunder

vassal

(n) a person under the protection of a feudal lord to whom he or she owes alliegiance; a subordinate or dependent; a servant
(adj) subservient
SYN: minion
ANT: overlord

verisimilitude

(n) The quality of appearing to be true, real, likely, or probable
SYN: realism, lifelikeness, authenticity

adjunct

(n.) something added to something else as helpful or useful but not essential; an assistant or helper; a valuable quality or characteristic; (adj.) added or connected in a subordinate capacity; attached to a faculty or staff in an auxiliary capacity SYN: associate, addition

bellwether

(n.) the male sheep that leads the flock to the slaughterhouse; a leader, as in a desperate or violent undertaking; an indicator of trends SYN: ringleader, initiator

caterwaul

(v.) to howl or screech like a cat; to quarrel; (n.) a harsh or noisy cry; a racket SYN: whine, screech

chimerical

(adj.) absurd; wildly fantastic; impossible SYN: visionary; quixotic; pie-in-the-sky

effete

(adj.) lacking in wholesome vigor or energy; worn-out or exhausted; sterile or unable to produce; out of date SYN: decadent, enfeebled

fait accompli

(n.) an accomplished or praumbly irreversible deed, fact, or an action SYN: accomplished fact

hidebound

(adj.) narrow minded and rigid, especially in opinions or prejudices; stubbornly and unthinkingly conservative SYN: intolerant; inflexible

hierarchy

(n.) any system of things or people arranged or graded one above another in order of rank, wealth, class, etc. SYN: chain of command

laissez-faire

(adj.) a philosophy or practice characterized by a usually deliberate abstention from direction or interference, especially with individual freedom of choice or action SYN: nonrestrictive

liturgy

(n.) a religious service or rite; The form of a ritual or other act of public worship SYN: observance

morass

(n.) a patch of low, soft, wet ground; a swamp; a confusing situation in which one is entrapped, as in quicksand SYN: bog

noisome

(adj.) offensive or disgusting; foul-smelling; harmful or injurious SYN: noxious, vile, loathsome

oblivious

(adj.) forgetful; unaware SYN: insensible

poltroon

(n.) a base coward SYN: craven, "chicken"

proselyte

(n.) a convert; a disciple SYN: novice, neophyte

quasi

(adj.) resembling but not actually being; seemingly but not actually or completely

raillery

(n.) good humored ridicule; teasing SYN: persiflage

ribald

(adj.) irreverently mocking; coarse, vulgar, or indecent in language SYN: risqué

supine

(adj.) lying flat on one's back; listless or lethargic; apathetic or passive SYN: prostrate, prone, inert

vignette

(n.) a short description or sketch; a picture or illustration with edges that gradually shade off; a decorative design on the title page of a book or at the beginning or end of a chapter SYN: sketch, anecdote