Sadlier Vocabulary Workshop: Level G Unit 7,8,9

allay

(v.) to calm or pacify, set to rest; to lessen or relieve

Synonyms: reduce, alleviate, moderate

think: alLay - lay down

bestial

(adj.) beastlike; beastly, brutal; subhuman in intelligence and sensibility

Synonyms: animalistic, loathsome

think: BESTial - beast

convivial

(adj.) festive, sociable, having fun together, genial

Synonyms: fun-loving, jovial, merry

think: convivial - carnival

coterie

(n.) a circle of acquaintances; a close-knit, often exclusive, group of people with a common interest

Synonyms: clique, set

counterpart

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

Synonym: match

demur

(v.) to object or take exception to; (n.) an objection

Synonyms: protest, object to

effrontery

(n.) shameless boldness, impudence

Synonyms: chutzpah, nerve, impertinence, cheek

think: EFFrontery - Effie Trinket

embellish

(v.) to decorate, adorn, touch up; to improve by adding details

Synonym: garnish

ephemeral

(adj.) lasting only a short time, short-lived

Synonyms: transient, evanescent, transitory

felicitous

(adj.) appropriate, apt, well chosen; marked by well-being or good fortune, happy

Synonyms: fortunate, well-put

furtive

(adj.) done slyly or stealthily, sneaky, secret, shifty; stolen

Synonyms: covert, surreptitious

think: furtive - fugative

garish

(adj.) glaring; tastelessly showy or overdecorated in a vulgar or offensive way

Synonyms: gaudy, flashy, tawdry

think: garish - a garnish can be tacky

illusory

(adj.) misleading, deceptive; lacking in or not based on reality

Synonyms: specious, spurious, imaginary

think: illusion

indigent

(adj.) needy, impoverished

Synonyms: penniless, poverty-stricken, destitute

inordinate

(adj.) far too great, exceeding reasonable limits, excessive

Synonyms: exorbitant, extravagant

jettison

(v.) to cast overboard, get rid of as unnecessary or burdensome

Synonyms: cast off, discard, dump, junk

think: people jump off the jettis at the beach

misanthrope

(n.) a person who hates or despises people

Synonym: 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

Synonyms: stubborn, determined

think: PERtinacious - PERsistent

picayune

(adj.) of little value or importance, paltry, measly; concerned with trifling matters, small-minded

Synonyms: piddling, trifling

raiment

(n.) clothing, garments

Synonyms: apparel, attire

think: RAIMent - RAINcoat

Allege

To assert without proof or confirmation

(Verb)

Syn: Contend

Ant: Prove

Arrant

Thoroughgoing, out and out; shameless, blatant

(Adj)

Syn: Egregious

Badinage

Light and playful conversation

(Noun)

Syn: Banter

Ant: Sermon

Conciliate

To overcome the distrust of, win over; to appease, pacify, to reconcile, make consistent

(Verb)

Syn: Mollify

Ant: Alienate

Countermand

To cancel or reverse one order or command with another that is contrary to the first

(Verb)

Syn: Recall

Ant: Reaffirm

Echelon

One of a series of grades in an organization or field of activity; an organized military unit; a steplike formation or arrangement

(Noun)

Syn:

Ant:

Exacerbate

To make more violent, severe, bitter, or painful

(Verb)

Syn: Worsen

Ant: Alleviate

Fatuous

Stupid or foolish in a self satisfied way

(Adj)

Syn: Silly

Ant: Intelligent

Irrefutable

Impossible to disprove; beyond argument

(Adj)

Syn: Indisputable

Ant: Disputable

Juggernaut

A massive and inescapable force or object that crushes whatever is in its path

(Noun)

Syn: Inescapable force

Lackadaisical

Lacking spirit or interest, halfhearted

(Adj)

Syn: Indolent

Ant: Energetic

Litany

A prayer consisting of short appeals to God recited by the leader alternating with the responses from the congregation; any repetitive chant, a list

(Noun)

Syn: Catalog

Macabre

Grisly, gruesome, horrible, distressing; having death as a subject

(Adj)

Syn: Ghoulish

Paucity

An inadequate quantity; scarcity, dearth

(Noun)

Syn: Dearth

Ant: Glut

Portend

To indicate beforehand that something is about to happen; to give an advance warning of

(Verb)

Syn: Forfeit

Raze

To tear down, destroy completely, to cut or scrape off or out

(Verb)

Syn: Demolish

Ant: Construct

Recant

To withdraw a statement or belief to which one has been previously committed, renounce, retract

(Verb)

Syn: Repudiate

Ant: Reassert

Saturate

To soak thoroughly, fill to capacity; to satisfy fully

(Verb)

Syn: Imbue

Ant: Drain

Saturnine

Of a gloomy or surly disposition; cold or sluggish in mood

(Adj)

Syn: Morose

Ant: Cheerful

Slough

To cast off, discard; to get rid of something objectionable or unnecessary; to plod through as if through mud; a mire, a state of depression

(Verb/ Noun)

Syn: Shed

Ant: Acquire

Acclamation

A shout of welcome; an overwhelming vote of approval

Noun

Syn: ovation

Ant: jeers

Bucolic

Characteristic of the countryside, rural; relating to shepherds and cowherds, pastoral

Adj

Syn: rustic

Ant: metropolitan

Caluminate

To slander; to accuse falsely and maliciously

Verb

Syn: libel

Ant: flatter

Chary

Extremely cautious, hesitant, or slow to; reserved, diffident

Adj

Syn: skittish

Ant: incautious

Collusion

Secret agreement or cooperation

Noun

Syn: conspiracy

Dilettante

Dabbler in the arts; one who engages in an amateurish, trifling way

Noun

Syn: amateur

Ant: professional

Imperturbable

Not easily excited; emotionally steady

Adj

Syn: unexciteable

Ant: exciteable

Increment

An enlargement, increase, addition

Adj

Syn: increase

Ant: reduction

Mandate

An authoritative command, formal order, authorization; to issue such an order

Noun/ Verb

Syn: directive

Ant: ban

Paltry

Trifling, insignificant; mean, despicable; inferior, trashy

Adj

Syn: meager

Ant: gigantic

Paroxysm

A sudden outburst; a spasm, convulsion

Noun

Syn: seizure

Pedantry

A pretentious display of knowledge; overly rigid attention to rules and details

Noun

Syn: nit-picking

Peregrination

The act of traveling; an excursion, especially on foot or to a foreign country

Noun

Syn: journey

Redolent

Fragrant, smelling strongly; tending to arouse memories or create an aura

Adj

Syn: aromatic

Ant: odorless

Refulgent

Shining, radiant, resplendent

Adj

Syn: splendid

Ant: dim

Shibboleth

A word, expression, or custom that distinguishes a particular group of people from all others; a commonplace saying or truism

Noun

Syn: slogan

Tyro

A beginner, novice; one with little or no background or skill

Noun

Syn: neophyte

Ant: expert

Unremitting

Not stopping, maintained steadily, never letting up, relentless

Adj

Syn: unrelenting

Ant: intermittent

Vacillate

To swing indecisively from one idea or course of action to another; to waver weakly in mind or will

Adj

Syn: oscillate

Ant: persevere

Vituperative

Harshly abusive, severely scolding

Adj

Syn: abusive

Ant: flattering