Sadlier-Oxford: Level G: Units 4-6

atrophy

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

ant- growth, development, mature, develop

bastion

(n) A fortified place, stronghold

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

ant- launch, initiate, begin, kick off

disarray

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

ant- organization, order, tidiness

exigency

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

flotsam

(n) Floating debris; homeless, impoverished people

frenetic

(adj) Frenzied, highly agitated

ant- calm, controlled, relaxed, leisurely

glean

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

grouse

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

incarcerate

(v) To imprison, confine, jail

ant- liberate, release, free

incumbent

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

ant- optional, unnecessary

jocular

(adj) Humorous, jesting, jolly, joking

ant- humorless, solemn, grave, earnest, grim

ludicrous

(adj) Ridculous, laughable, absurd

ant- heartrending, poignant, pathetic

mordant

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

ant- bland, mild, gentle, soothing

nettle

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

ant- please, delight, soothe, pacify

pecuniary

(adj) Consisting of or measured in money; of or related to money

pusillanimous

(adj) Contemptibly cowardly or mean-spirited

ant- stouthearted, courageous, daring

recumbent

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

ant- erect, upright, energetic, dynamic

stratagem

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

acuity

(n.) sharpness [particularly of mind or senses]

ant- dullness, obtuseness

delineate

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

depraved

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

ant- moral, virtuous, upright, uncorrupted

enervate

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

ant- invigorate, strengthen, buttress

esoteric

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

ant- accessible, comprehensible, intelligible

fecund

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

ant- infertile, barren, unproductive

fiat

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

figment

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

garner

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

ant- scatter, squander, waste, dissipate

hallow

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

ant- desecrate, defile, profane

idiosyncrasy

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

ignominy

(n.) shame and disgrace

ant- honor, glory, acclaim

mundane

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

ant- heavenly, unworldly, spiritual, transcendental

nuance

(n.) a subtle or slight variation [as in color, meaning, quality], delicate gradation or shade of difference

overweening

(adj.) conceited, presumptuous; excessive, immoderate

ant- restrained, understated, modest, meek

penchant

(n.) a strong attraction or inclination

ant- disinclination, aversion

reputed

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

ant- proven, corroborated, authenticated

sophistry

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

sumptuous

(adj.) costly, rich, magnificent

ant- skimpy, meager, stingy, niggardly, spartan

ubiquitous

(adj.) present or existing everywhere

ant- restricted, limited, rare, scarce

abject

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

ant- lofty, noble, exalted

agnostic

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

complicity

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

ant- noninvolvement, innocence

derelict

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

ant- punctilious, conscientious, scrupulous

diatribe

(n.) a bitter and prolonged verbal attack

ant- panegyric, encomium, eulogy

effigy

(n.) a crude image of a despised person

equity

(n.) the state or quality of being just, fair, or impartial; fair and equal treatment; something that is fair; the money value of a property value of a property above and beyond any other mortgage or other claim

ant- injustice, unfairness, bias, prejudice

inane

(adj.) silly, empty of meaning or value

ant- sensible, meaningful, profound

indictment

(n.) a act of accusing; a formal accusation

indubitable

(adj.) certain, not to be doubted or denied

ant- questionable, debatable, dubious

intermittent

(adj.) stopping and beginning again, sporadic

ant- continuous, uninterrupted

moot

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

ant- undebatable, indisputable, self-evident

motif

(n.) a principal idea, feature, theme, or element; a repeated or dominant figure in a design

neophyte

(n.) a new convert, beginner, novice

ant- veteran, past master, expert, pro

perspicacity

(n.) keenness in observing and understanding

ant- dullness, obtuseness

plenary

(adj.) complete in all aspects or essentials; absolute; attended by all qualified members

ant- limited, restricted, incomplete

surveillance

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

sylvan

(adj.) pertaining to or characteristic or forest; living or located in a forest; wooded, woody

testy

(adj.) easily irritated; characterized by impatience and exasperation

ant- even-tempered, imperturbable, unexcitable

travesty

(n.) a grotesque or grossly inferior imitation; a disguise, especially the clothing of the opposite sex; (v.) to ridicule by imitating in a broad or burlesque fashion