unit 8

arrant

thoroughgoing, out and out, shameless, blatant

syn: egregious, unmitigated

lackadaisical

lacking spirit or interest, half-hearted

syn: listless, indolent, indifferent, lax

ant: energetic, vigorous, whole hearted

slough

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

syn: shed, slog

ant: take on, aquire, assume

allege

to assert without proof or confirmation

syn: claim, contend

ant: prove, deny

litany

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

syn: rigmarole, catalog, megillan

saturnine

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

syn: sullen, morose

ant: light hearted, cheerful, viracious

saturate

to soak thoroughly, fill to capacity; to satisfy fully

syn: permeate, drench, flood, imbue

ant: drain

recant

to eithdraw a statement or belief to which ine has previously been committed, renounce, retract

syn: repudiate, disavow

ant: reaffirm, reassert

raze

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

syn: pull diwn, demolish, shave off

ant: build, construct, raise, erect

portend

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

syn: bode, foretell, foreshadow, suggest

paucity

an inadequate quantity, scarcity, dearth

syn: lack

ant: abundance, glut, plenitude, deluge

macabre

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

syn: grotesque, grim, ghoulish

juggernaut

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

irrefutable

impossible to disprove; beyond argument

syn: indisputable, incontrovertible, undeniable

ant: disputable, indefensible, untenable

fatuous

stupid or foolish in a self-satisfied way

syn: silly, vapid, inane, doltish, vacuous

ant: sensible, intelligent, perceptive, bright

exacerbate

to make more violent, severe, bitter, or painful

syn: aggravate, intensify, worsen

ant: alleviate, mitigate, ameliorate

echelon

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

syn: level, rank

countermand

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

syn: recall, revoke

ant: reaffirm, reassert

conciliate

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

syn: placate, mollify, propitiate

ant: antagonize, alienate, estrange

badinage

light and playful conversation

syn: banter, persiflage, repartee

ant: sermon