Vocab Unit 8

Allege

(V.) to assert without proof or confirmation

Allege (syn)

Contend

Allege (ant)

Prove

Arrant

(Adj.) thoroughgoing, out-and-out; shameless, blatant

Arrant (syn)

Egregious, unmitigated

Badinage

(N.) light and playful conversation

Badinage (syn)

Banter, persiflage, repartee

Badinage (ant)

Sermon

Conciliate

(V.) to overcome the distrust of, win over; to appease, pacify; to reconcile, make consistent

Conciliate (syn)

Mollify, propitiate

Conciliate (ant)

Antagonize, alienate, estrange

Countermand

(V.) to cancel or reverse on order or command with another that is contrary to the first

Countermand (syn)

Recall, revoke

Countermand (ant)

Reaffirm, reassert

Echelon

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

Echelon (syn)

Rank

Exacerbate

(V.) to make more violent, severe, bitter, or painful

Exacerbate (syn)

Intensify, worsen

Exacerbate (ant)

Alleviate, mitigate, ameliorate

Fatuous

(Adj.) foolish in a self-satisfied way

Fatuous (syn)

Silly, vapid, inane, doltish, vacuous

Fatuous (ant)

Intelligent, perceptive, bright

Irrefutable

(Adj.) impossible to disprove; beyond argument

Irrefutable (syn)

Indisputable, incontrovertible, undeniable

Irrefutable (ant)

Disputable, indefensible, untenable

Juggernaut

(N.) a massive and inescapable force or object that crushes whatever is in its path

Lackadaisical

(Adj.) lacking spirit or interest, halfhearted

Lackadaisical (syn)

Indolent, indifferent, lax

Lackadaisical (ant)

Energetic, vigorous, wholehearted

Litany

(N.) a prayer consisting of short appeals to God recited by the leader alternating with responses from the congregation; any repetitive chant; a long list

Litany (syn)

Catalog, Megillah

Macabre

(Adj.) grisly, gruesome; horrible, distressing; having death as a subject

Macabre (syn)

Grim, ghoulish

Paucity

(N.) an inadequate quantity, scarcity, dearth

Paucity (syn)

Lack

Paucity (ant)

Glut, plenitude, deluge

Portend

(V.) to indicate beforehand that something is about to happen; to give advance warning of

Portend (syn)

Bode, foretell, suggest

Raze

(V.) to tear down, destroy completely; to cut or scrape off or out

Raze (syn)

Pull down, demolish, shave off

Raze (ant)

Build, construct, raise, erect

recant

(V.) to withdraw a statement or belief to which one has previously been committed, renounce, retract

Recant (syn)

Repudiate, disavow

Recant (ant)

Reassert

Saturate

(V.) to soak thoroughly, fill to capacity; to satisfy fully

Saturate (syn)

Drench, flood, imbue

Saturate (ant)

Drain

Saturnine

(Adj.) of a gloomy or surly disposition; cold or sluggish in mood

Saturnine (syn)

Morose

Saturnine (ant)

Cheerful, vivacious

Slough

(V.) to cast off, discard; to get rid of something objectionable or unnecessary; to plod through as if through mud; (n.) admire; a state of depression

Slough (syn)

(V.) shed, slog

Slough (ant)

(V.) to take on, acquire, assume