English Vocabulary 1

ameliorate

become better; make better; improve; enhance (ant. worsen)

amelioration

improvement (ant. degradation)

conserve

keep from waste, loss, or decay; save (ant. waste)

conservation

preservation from loss, injury, or waste

conservationalist

one who advocates the conservation of natural resources

detriment

injury, damage, or something that causes it; disadvantage (ant. advantage)

detrimental

harmful; damaging

exotic

1. introduced from another country; foreign (ant. native, indigenous)

2. strikingly unusual; strange

folly

lack of good sense; foolish action or undertaking (ant. wisdom)

formerly

in an earlier period; previously (ant. now)

former

preceding; previous (ant. latter)

harmony

peaceable or friendly relations; accord; agreement; tranquility; concord (ant. conflict)

harmonious

friendly; amicable

ignore

refuse to take notice of; disregard (ant. heed)

ignoramus

ignorant, stupid person; dunce; dolt; dullard; nincompoop

impediment

something that hinders or obstructs; hindrance; obstacle (ant. aid)

impede

interfere with or slow the progress of; hinder; obstruct

indolent

disposed to avoid exertion; lazy; idle; lethargic (ant. industrious)

indolence

idleness; laziness

intact

untouched by anything that damages or diminishes; left complete or entire; uninjured

invalid

not binding in law; having no force or effect; void; nugatory

invalidate

abolish; annul

invalid

sickly or disabled person

noncarcinogenic

not producing, or tending to produce, cancer

parsimonious

unduly sparing in the spending of money; stingy; miserly; tightfisted (ant. generous)

parsimony

stinginess; parsimoniousness (ant. generosity; liberality)

raze

destroy utterly by tearing down; demolish; level (ant. erect)

reticent

inclined to be silent or secretive; uncommunicative; reserved (ant. frank)

reticence

restraint in communicating (ant. frankness)

retire

1. withdraw from active duty or business

2. go to bed (ant. rise)

retort

1. answer; reply sharply or angrily (ant. ask) (v)

2. quick, witty, or sharp reply; answer (n)

subvert

overturn or overthrow from the foundation; undermine (ant. uphold)

subversion

sabotage; undermining

tractable

easily led, taught, or controlled; yielding; docile; amenable (ant. unruly)

tractability

obedience