Pride and Prejudice (Volume II / Ch. 24 – 42) Vocabulary

ablution

n. the washing of one's body or part of it (as in a religious rite) 沐浴
a building on a military base that houses bathing and toilet facilities
ex: - performing his morning ablutions
- ritual ablutions

allay

v. as in to alleviate
to make more bearable or less severe 缓和, 解
synonym: alleviate, relieve, help, soothe, mitigate, ease, assuage, soften, mollify, heal
antonym: impair, hurt, harm, injure, exacerbate, aggravate
ex: a gentle breeze would allay the heat

apace

adverb. as in rapidly
with great speed 快速地, 急速地, 快速
synonym: rapidly, quickly, swiftly, fast, soon, quick
antonym: slowly, sluggishly, lingeringly, leisurely, deliberately
ex: the end of another year is hastening apace

censure

n. as in condemnation
an often public or formal expression of disapproval 谴责, 责难, 指责, 非难
synonym: condemnation, reprimand, rebuke, criticism, denunciation, reproach, reproof, excoriation, punishment, stricture, lecture
antonym: endorsement, indorsement, commendation, honor, citation, tribute, praise, acclamation
ex: a rare censure of a senator by the full United States Senate for misconduct

v. as in to reprimand
to express public or formal disapproval of
synonym: reprimand, condemn, denounce, punish
antonym: commend, endorse, cite, indorse, honor, applaud
ex: a vote to censure the President for conduct that was unbecoming to his office

as in to denounce
to declare to be morally wrong or evil
synonym: denounce, condemn, criticize, blame
antonym: approve, sanction, endorse, bless, indorse, praise, commend
ex: our society generally censures the taking of another person's life

as in to criticize
to express one's unfavorable opinion of the worth or quality of
synonym: criticize, blame, condemn, fault, denounce
antonym: praise, extol, laud, approve, sanction, recommend
ex: critics have striven to outdo each other in censuring that pop novelist's latest work

controvert

v. as in to argue
to express different opinions about something often angrily 反驳
synonym: argue, bicker, quarrel, fight
antonym: get along, accept, agree, concur, coexist
ex: ever since the poem was first published, critics and scholars have controverted over the meaning of its concluding lines

depravity

n. as in degradation
a sinking to a state of low moral standards and behavior 堕落, 腐败, 放荡
synonym: degradation, corruption, corruptness, dissoluteness
antonym: virtue, morality, goodness
ex: regards the widespread acceptance of gambling as another sign of the depravity of today's society

as in corruption
immoral conduct or practices harmful or offensive to society
synonym: corruption, sin, immorality, evil, sinfulness, evilness
antonym: morality, virtue, right, integrity
ex: a section of the city long known as den of depravity

as in sinfulness
the state or quality of being utterly evil
synonym: sinfulness, badness, atrocity, evilness, vileness
antonym: goodness, righteousness, morality
ex: the depravity of the demons and devils in many tales of horror

derision

n. as in joke
a person or thing that is made fun of 嘲笑, 愚弄, 嘲
synonym: joke, target
antonym: favorite, pet
ex: after yet another last place finish, the team became nothing more than a derision to all but its most loyal fans

as in ridicule
the making of unkind jokes as a way of showing one's scorn for someone or something
synonym: ridicule, contempt, disdain, laughter, mockery, scorn
antonym: approval, praise, applause
ex: their absurd behavior on the awards show became a source of derision for comedians

duplicity

n. as in deception
the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery 表里不一, 不诚实
synonym: deception, deceit, deceptiveness, fraud, deceitfulness, cheating, cunning
antonym: sincerity, good faith, forthrightness, ingenuousness, artlessness, frankness, openness, candor, directness
ex: we were lucky not to be taken in by his duplicity

formidable

adj. as in terrifying
causing fear 强大, 艰巨, 可怕, 利害, 吓人
synonym: terrifying, frightening, scary, terrible, horrible, intimidating
antonym: reassuring, soothing, relaxing, comforting, calming, inviting, tranquilizing, quieting, consoling
ex: a formidable, irascible old man who frightened the neighborhood children

as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
synonym: difficult, challenging, tough, rigorous, hard, demanding, heavy, complicated
antonym: easy, simple, soft, light, cheap, effortless, clear, manageable, facile, uncomplicated, undemanding, achievable, mindless, elementary
ex: running a marathon is a formidable undertaking

impute

v. as in to ascribe
to explain (something) as being the result of something else 归咎, 归罪
synonym: ascribe, attribute
ex: people often impute his silence to unfriendliness and not to the shyness it really represents

mercenary

adj. as in greedy
having or marked by an eager and often selfish desire especially for material possessions 雇佣兵, 被雇的, 图利的
synonym: greedy, eager, avaricious, acquisitive
antonym: charitable, liberal, altruistic, generous, handsome, selfless, unselfish, magnanimous, munificent, controlled, bountiful
ex: they were a mercenary couple, who defined themselves not by what they were but by what they owned

obeisance

n. as in homage
a show of respect or acknowledgement of the authority or importance of another 敬拜, 顿首, 服从
synonym: homage, respect, salute, nod, bow, reverence, submissiveness
antonym: disrespect, insolence, impudence, affront, rudeness, insult, indignity, name, outrage, noncooperation, slap, defiance, epithet, offence, diss, slight
ex: - They made obeisance before the king and queen.
- She earned herself some political enemies when she failed to make the proper obeisance to those in power.

officious

adj. as in busy
thrusting oneself where one is not welcome or invited 多管闲事, 好事, 非官方的, 非正式的, 过分殷勤
synonym: busy, intrusive, meddlesome, intruding, obtrusive, annoying
antonym: unobtrusive
ex: an officious little man who was always telling everyone else how to do their jobs

parsonage

n. as in vicarage
the building in which a parson lives 牧师住宅, 牧师公寓
synonym: vicarage, rectory, manse, residence, dwelling, hermitage, abode, house, roof, hearth, domicile, quarters, fireside
ex: The current school building was constructed in 1927 and remained in use until 1945, when it was closed and converted into a parsonage for the church, the release said.

pecuniary

adj. as in financial
of or relating to money, banking, or investments 金钱的, 金钱上的
synonym: financial, economic
antonym: nonfinancial
ex: - that makes good pecuniary sense
- the judge recused himself from the case because he had a pecuniary interest in the company that was being sued

preferment

n. as in promotion
a raising or a state of being raised to a higher rank or position 升迁, 升任, 晋升
synonym: promotion, advancement, rise, ascent
antonym: reduction, degradation, demotion, abasement, dismissal, discharge, deposition, removal, suspension, downgrade, overthrow
ex: anticipated her preferment to a better-paying position within the company

profligacy

n. as in corruption
immoral conduct or practices harmful or offensive to society 腐败, 挥霍, 放荡, 浪费
synonym: corruption, immorality, sin, sinfulness, evil
antonym: virtue, morality, right
ex: a religious leader who railed against the profligacy of the nation's decadent aristocrats

propriety

n. as in etiquette
socially acceptable behavior 礼, 礼仪, 礼节, 礼貌, 斯文
synonym: etiquette, decorum, decency, morality, prudence, form
antonym: impropriety, indecency, coarseness, crudeness, vulgarity
ex: some people miss the straitlaced propriety that was largely abandoned in the 1960s

repine

v. as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely 抱怨, 发牢骚
synonym: complain, scream, whine
antonym: rejoice, delight, endure, accept, tolerate, take, bear
ex: there is no use repining over a love that's been long lost

replete

adj. as in plump
having an excess of body fat 充足, 充满
synonym: plump, full, round, fat
antonym: thin, spare, lean, slender, slim, skinny, gaunt, sinewy, skeletal, angular, bony, lank, lanky, haggard, wasted, rawboned, slight
ex: the merchant was a richly replete gentleman, clearly enjoying the fruits of his success

as in filled
possessing or covered with great numbers or amounts of something specified
synonym: filled, packed, bursting, abundant, awash, stuffed, crowded, crammed, jammed, rife, teeming, fraught
antonym: devoid, empty, blank, bare, stark, barren, vacant, void
ex: a gym that is replete with the very latest in home exercise equipment

as in stuffed
having one's appetite completely satisfied
synonym: stuffed, full
antonym: empty, hungry, starving, starved
ex: everyone settled back and relaxed, completely replete after the huge meal

seldom

adverb. as in rarely
not often 很少, 不常, 难得, 罕见
synonym: rarely, infrequently, never, sporadically
antonym: often, frequently, usually, generally
ex: we seldom go to the theater downtown because its prices are so high
- Islay is seldom visited by tourists

adj as in unusual
synonym: unusual, uncommon, infrequent, rare, extraordinary, unfamiliar
antonym: frequent, common, ordinary, usual, familiar, commonplace, everyday, routine, ubiquitous, normal
ex: Parental roles seldom factor in the effort required to nurture the connection and intimacy between partners.
- a great but seldom pleasure

trepidation

n. as in fear
the emotion experienced in the presence or threat of danger 惶恐, 不安, 担忧, 担心, 焦急
synonym: fear, anxiety, fearfulness, dread
antonym: confidence, assurance, boldness, aplomb, self-confidence, courage
ex: shaking with trepidation, I stepped into the old abandoned house

tumult

n. as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity 骚乱
synonym: commotion, disturbance, turmoil, stir, hurry, fuss, noise
antonym: rest, peace, tranquillity, stillness, calm, tranquility, quiet, hush
ex: - in the tumult of the evacuation from the coast, we accidentally left on the television, which was of course tuned to the local newscast breathlessly reporting on the hurricane we were fleeing

as in upheaval
a violent disturbance (as of the political or social order)
synonym: upheaval, unrest
ex: the political tumult that swept the American colonies in the late 1700s

as in roar
a violent shouting
synonym: roar, noise, howl
antonym: murmur, rumble, rumbling, murmuring
ex: went to the window to see what the great tumult was and discovered a crowd of demonstrators marching down the street

unalloyed

adj. as in pure
free from added matter 纯合金
synonym: pure, unadulterated, undiluted, unmixed, plain, absolute, fresh, purified, straight, refined, tried, neat
antonym: alloyed, mixed, impure, contaminated, adulterated, polluted, diluted, spoiled, soiled, tainted, debased
ex: unalloyed chemicals

as in unconditional
having no exceptions or restrictions
synonym: unconditional, sheer, pure, utter, absolute, complete, total, simple, definite, outright, unmitigated
antonym: uncertain, doubtful, restricted, qualified, questionable, dubious
ex: the unalloyed happiness that marriage has brought them

veracity

n. as in integrity
devotion to telling the truth 真实性, 愫
synonym: integrity, honesty, truthfulness, reliability, sincerity
antonym: lying, dishonesty, deceit, untruthfulness, mendacity, falsity, deception, hypocrisy, duplicity, falseness, deceitfulness, insincerity, fakery, smoothness, dissimulation, artifice
ex: her innate veracity is beyond question

as in accuracy
the quality or state of being very accurate
synonym: accuracy, precision, preciseness
antonym: inaccuracy, roughness, approximation, imprecision, coarseness, roundness, falsity
ex: I challenge the veracity of many of the quotations in his memoirs, for he recreates conversations that occurred decades ago