VOCAB UNIT 5

Amnesty

Amnesty

(n.) A general pardon for an offense against a government; in general, any act of forgiveness or absolution.

s: reprieve

Autonomy

(n.) Self-government, political control.

S: Home Rule A: Dependence, Subjection, Colonial Status

axiomatic

(adj.) Self-evident, expressing a universally accepted principle or rule. \n \n S: Taken for granted \n A: Questionable, Dubious, Controversial

Blazon

(v.) To adorn or embellish; to display conspicuously; to publish or proclaim widely. \n \n S: Broadcast, Trumpet \n A: Hide, Conceal, Cover Up, Bury

Caveat

(n.) A warning or caution to prevent misunderstanding or discourage behavior. \n \n S: Admonition, Word to the Wise

Equitable

(adj.) Fair, just, embodying principle of justice. \n \n S: Right, Reasonable, Evenhanded \n A: Unjust, Unfair, One-Sided, Disproportionate

Extricate

(v.) To free from entanglements or difficulties; to remove with effort. \n \n S: Disentangle, Extract, Disengage \n A: Enmesh, Entangle, Involve

Filch

(v.) To steal, especially in a sneaky way and in petty amounts. \n \n S: Pilfer, Purloin, Swipe

Flout

(v.) To mock, treat with contempt. \n \n S: Scoff at, Sneer at, Snicker at, Scorn \n A: Obey, Honor, Revere, Uphold

Fractious

(adj.) Tending to be troublesome; unruly, quarrelsome, contrary; unpredictable. \n \n S: Refractory, Recalcitrant, Peevish \n A: Docile, Tractable, Cooperative

Precept

(n.) A rule of conduct or action. \n \n S: Principle, Maxim

Salutary

(adj.) Beneficial, helpful; healthful, wholesome. \n \n S: Salubrious, Curative \n A: Detrimental, Deleterious, Pernicious

scathing

(adj.) Bitterly severe, withering; causing great harm. \n \n S: Searing, Harsh, Ferocious, Savage \n A: Bland, Mild

scourge

(v.) To whip, punish severely. \n (n.) A cause of affliction or suffering; a source of severe punishment or criticism. \n \n S: (v.) Flog, Beat; (n.) Bane, Plague, Pestilence \n A: (n.) Godsend, Boon, Blessing

sepulchral

(adj.) Funereal, typical of the tomb; extremely gloomy or dismal. \n \n S: Doleful, Lugubrious, Mortuary

soporific

(adj.) Tending to cause sleep, relating to sleepiness or lethargy. \n (n.) Something that induces sleep. \n \n S: (n.) Narcotic, Anesthetic \n A: (adj.) Stimulating; (n.) Stimulant, Stimulus

straitlaced

(adj.) Extremely strict in regard to moral standards and conduct; prudish, puritanical. \n \n S: Highly Conventional, Overly Strict, Stuffy \n A: Lax, Loose, Indulgent, Permissive, Dissolute

transient

(adj.) Lasting only a short time, fleeting. \n (n.) One who stays only a short time. \n \n S: (adj.) Impermanent, Ephemeral, Evanescent \n A: (adj.) Permanent, Imperishable, Immortal

Unwieldy

(adj.) Not easily carried, handled, or managed because of size or complexity. \n \n S: Cumbersome, Bulky, Clumsy, Impractical \n A: Manageable, Easy to Handle

vapid

(adj.) Dull, uninteresting, tiresome; lacking in sharpness, flavor, liveliness, or force \n \n S: Insipid, Lifeless, Colorless \n A: Zesty, Spicy, Savory, Colorful, Lively