English 1111-Sadlier Unit IIII

affable

(adj.) courteous and pleasant, sociable, easy to speak to
S: genial amicable, agreeable, cordial
A: surly cantankerous, dour, inhospitable

aggrandize

(v.) to increase in greatness, power, or wealth; to build up or intensify; to make appear greater
S: augment, amplify, enhance, exalt
A: reduce, decrease, diminish

amorphous

(adj.) shapeless, without definite form; of no particular type or character; without organization, unity, or cohesion
S: formless, unstructured, nebulous, inchoate
A: definite, well-defined, clear-cut

archetype

(n.) an original model on which something was patterned or replicated; the ideal example of a particular type of person or thing
S: model, prototype, epitome

aura

(n.) that which surrounds (as an atmosphere); a distinctive air or personal quality
S: ambience, atmosphere

contraband

(n.) illegal traffic, smuggled goods; (adj.) illegal, prohibited
S: (adj.) illicit, bootleg, unlawful
A: (adj.) legal, lawful, licit

erudite

(adj.) schoalary, learned, bookish, pedantic
S: profoundly educated, well-read
A: ignorant, uneducated, illeterate

gossamer

(adj.) thin, light, delicate, insubstantial; (n.) a very thin, light cloth
S: (adj.) filmy, diaphanous, sheer, airy, feathery, gauzy
A: (adj.) thick, dense, solid, massive

inscrutable

(adj.) incapable of being understood; impossible to see through physically
S: impenetrable, incomprehensible, enigmatic
A: comprehensible, intelligible, penetrable

insular

(adj.) relating to, characteristic of, or situated on an island; narrow or isolated in outlook or experience
S: narrow-minded, parochial, provincial
A: catholic, cosmopolitan, liberal

irrevocable

(adj.) incapable of being changed or called back
S: irreversible, unrecallable, unalterable
A: reversible, changeable

propensity

(n.) a natural inclination or predilection toward
S: natural bent, proclivity, penchant
A: natural incapacity or inability

querulous

(adj.) peevish, complaining, fretful
S: petulant, touchy, cranky, irritable
A: uncomplaining, stoical, serene, placid

remonstrate

(v.) to argue or plead with someone against something, protest against, object to
S: reason against, expostulate

repudiate

(v.) to disown, reject, or deny the validity of
S: disavow, abjure, renounce
A: avow affirm, aver, avouch

resilient

(adj.) able to return to an original shape or form; able to recover quickly
S: springy, elastic, buoyant, bouncy
A: rigid, stiff, inflexible, unyielding

reverberate

(v.) to re-echo, resound; to reflect or be reflected repeatedly
S: rumble, thunder, boom echo

scurrilous

(adj.) coarsely abusive, vulgar or low (especially in language), foul-mouthed
S: obscene, filthy, abusive, vituperative
A: decorous, seemly, tasteful, dignified

sedulous

(adj.) persistent, showing industry and determination
S: assiduous, tireless, indefatigable
A: lackadaisical, listless, indolent, otiose

sleazy

(adj.) thin or flimsy in texture; cheap; shoddy or inferior in quality or character; ethically low, mean, or disreputable
S: inferior, cheesy, tawdry, tatty
A: superior, first-rate, quality, sturdy