Vocabulary Unit 9

accelerate

(v.) to speed up, cause to move faster; to bring about more quickly

Synonym: fast

Antonym: slow down

The hikers needed to accelerate their pace once it became clear that it would soon rain.

bystander

(n.) one who looks on or observes, a person present but not taking part

Synonym: onlooker

Antonym: active

The bystander who had witnessed the collision gave his statement to the police.

canvass

(v.) to go through an area in order to produce votes, sales, or opinions; to go over in detail; to discuss

Synonym: survey

Antonym: a piece of material

The student volunteered to canvass the neighborhood for our canadidate.

casual

(adj.) happening by chance or on an irregular basis; showing little concern; informal

Synonym: formal

Antonym: offhand

downtrodden

(adj.) treated unfairly and cruelly, oppressed

Synonym: uplifted

Antonym: mistreated

entice

(v.) to attract, tempt

Synonym: lure

Antonym: sickness

erode

(v.) to wear away gradually, eat away

Synonym: corrode

Antonym: nurture

flounder

(v.) to thrash about in a clumsy or ineffective way

Synonym: wallow

Antonym: succeed

graphic

(adj.) lifelike, vivid; relating to the pictorial arts

Synonym: color full

Antonym: dull

gruesome

(adj.) horrible, revolting, ghastly

Synonym: gory

Antonym: pleasant

melancholy

(adj.) sad, gloomy, unhappy; (n.) sadness, gloominess

Synonym: depressed

Antonym: merry

ordeal

(n.) a difficult or painful experience, a trail

Synonym: hardship

Antonym: pleasure

parch

(v.) to make dry and thirsty; to shrivel with heat

Synonym: dry up

Antonym: soak

persist

(v.) to continue steadily in a course of action, refuse to stop or be changed; to last, remain

Synonym: keep at

Antonym: give up

puny

(adj.) of less than normal strength or size; of no importance

Synonym: small

Antonym: robust

quibble

(v.) to evade or belittle a point by twisting words or raising minor objections; (n.)a petty objection

Synonym: cavil

Antonym: squabble

ratify

(v.) to approve, give formal approval to, and confirm

Synonym: sanction

Antonym: cancel

regal

(adj.) royal, kinglike; fit for a king

Synonym: august

Antonym: humble

stifle

(v.) to smother, prevent from breathing; hold back, or choke off

Synonym: snuff

Antonym: encourage

vital

(adj.) having a life, living; necessary to life, essential; key, crucial

Synonym: fundament

Anotnym: unnecessary