Unit 8

abnormal

abnormal

(adj.) not usual, not typical, strange

syn: freakish, unnatural, irregular, anomalous

ant: normal, usual, regular, typical

capsize

(v.) to turn bottom side up, upset syn: upend, tip over

catastrophe

(n.) a large-scale disaster, misfortune, or failure

syn: tragedy, cataclysm

ant: triumph, victory, success

decrease

(v.) to become or make less; (n.) a lessening

syn: (v.) lessen, reduce, dwindle, diminish

ant: (v.) increase, grow, develop, wax

disputatious

(adj.) inclined to argue or debate; provoking debate

syn: argumentative, quarrelsome, contentious

ant: nonargumentative, peaceable, pacific

evict

(v.) to force out from a property, eject

syn: oust, expel, kick out

ant: admit, insert

flourish

(v.) to grow, thrive, be prosperous; to wave in the air; (n.) a dramatic gesture; a fanfare of horns

syn: (v.) prosper, burgeon, increase

ant: (v.) wither, die, fade, shrivel up

incentive

(n.) a reason for doing something; something that stimulates action

syn: stimulus, spur, motive, inducement

ant: curb, check, restraint, hindrance

insubordinate

(adj.) disobedient, rebellious

syn: defiant, unruly, mutinous

ant: obedient, submissive, docile, tractable

legible

(adj.) easily read

syn: clear, decipherable

ant: unreadable, indecipherable

nub

(n.) the central point or heart of a matter; a knob

syn: kernel, nucleus, crux

ant: fringe, periphery, edge

onslaught

(n.) a violent attack; a sudden rush of something

syn: assault, charge, foray, onset

ordain

(v.) to establish by law; to order or command; to appoint as a priest or minister; to destine

syn: anoint, consecrate, enact, decree

ant: forbid, veto, cancel

outstrip

(v.) to get ahead of, do better than, exceed

syn: outdo, outperform, outdistance, surpass

ant: trail, lag behind

pervade

(v.) to spread throughout

syn: permeate, diffuse, imbue

prudent

(adj.) cautious, careful, showing good sense

syn: wary, judicious

ant: foolish, unwise, rash

quench

(v.) to put out, extinguish, end

syn: douse, stifle

ant: ignite, kindle

remnant

(n.) a small part remaining behind

syn: remainder, residue, leftover

simultaneous

(adj.) happening or existing at the same time

syn: occurring at the same time, concurrent

ant: occurring at different times

swerve

(v.) to turn aside sharply; (n.) a sharp or sudden turn

syn: (v.) digress, sheer off