Vocab Unit 9c

study.

Apt

(adj.) suitable, fitting, likely; quick to learn

Syn: appropriate, fit proper, liable

Ant: inappropriate, unlikely, slow

awry

(adj., adv.) in a turned or twisted position or direction; wrong, out of the right or hoped-for course

Syn: (adj.) crooked, askew, amiss

Ant: (adj.) straight, symmetrical

bludgeon

(n.) a short club used as a weapon; (v.) to strike with a heavy club; to use force or strong arguments to gain some point

Syn: (n.) cudgel; (v.) clobber, clout

capitulate

(v.) to end resistance, give up, surrender, throw in the towel

Ant: hold out, persist

chafe

(v.) to warm by rubbing; to wear sore by rubbing; to feel annoyance or dissatisfaction, annoy, irk; to strain or press against; (n.) a sore or injury caused by rubbing

Syn: (v.) irritate, scrape, abrade

Ant: )v.) soothe, mollify, please, elate

defile

(v., trans.) to make unclean or dirty, destroy the purity of; (v., intrans.) to march in a single line or in columns; (n.) a narrow passage; gorge, canyon

Syn: pollute, contaminate, desecrate

Ant: cleanse, purify

dire

(adj.) dreadful, causing fear or suffering; warning of trouble to com; demanding immediate action to avoid disaster

Syn: disastrous, ominous, sinister, urgent

Ant: favorable, auspicious, beneficial

disarming

(adj.) charming, tending to get rid of unfriendliness or suspicion

Syn: endearing, winning

Ant: alarming troubling, disquieting

disgruntled

(adj., part) in bad humor, discontented, annoyed

Syn: displeased, grumpy, surly

Ant: pleased, satisfied, content

encroach

(v.) to advance beyond the usual or proper limits, trespass

Syn: intrude, infringe

endow

(v.) to furnish, equip, provide with funds or some other desirable thing or quality

Syn: grant, bestow, present, bequeath

Ant: take away, deprive

fend

(v.) to ward off, resist; to get along, manage

Syn: stave off, cope

impunity

(n.) freedom from punishment

Syn: exemption from penalty, immunity

mien

(n.) air, manner; appearance; expression

Syn: look, bearing, demeanor

penal

(adj.) having to do with punishment

Syn: correctional, disciplinary

pertinent

(adj.) related to the matter at hand, to the point

Syn: relevant, germane, apropos

Ant: unrelated, irrelevant, immaterial

predominant

(adj.) the greatest in strength or power; most common

Syn: chief, major, paramount, prevalent

Ant: secondary, minor, subsidiary, rare

prodigy

(n.) something wonderful or marvelous; something monstrous or abnormal; an unusual feat; a child or young person with extraordinary ability or talent

Syn: marvel, wonder, freak, genius

Ant: dumbbell, dunce, dullard

recluse

(n.) a person who leads a life shut up or withdrawn from the world

Syn: loner, hermit

renown

(n.) fame, glory

Syn: reputation, celebrity, prestige

Ant: obscurity, infamy, notoriety