Unit 6-8, Level E, Vocabulary

accede (v.)

to yield to; to assume an office or dignity

Synonyms: consent, concur, comply, assent

Management was not willing to __accede__ **to** labor’s initial demands, thus increasing the likelihood of long and bitter strike.

brandish (v.)

to wave or flourish in a menacing or vigorous fashion

Synonyms: Swing, shake

I __brandish__ **my umbrella** repeatedly in a vain effort to hail a cab.

comprise (v.)

to include or contain; to be made up of

Synonyms: compose, constitute, encompass

Classical symphonies usually __comprise__ **three or four** movements of varying musical form, tempo, and character.

deft (adj.)

skillful, nimble

Synonyms: dexterous, adroit, proficient, clever masterful

The __deft__ **fingers** of Spanish seamstresses produced some of the finest, most delicate lace ever seen.

destitute (adj.)

deprived of the necessities of life; lacking in

Synonyms: wanting, devoid, penniless

Some people fled their homes so suddenly that they arrived at the refugee camp absolutely __destitute__.

explicit (adj.)

definite, clearly stated

Synonyms: distinct, forthright, unambiguous, clear

The more __explicit__ your **directions** are, the easier it will be for all of us to find our way to the campsite.

extirpate (v.)

to tear up by the roots; to destroy totally

Synonyms: uproot, eradicate, wipe out, excise

We must do everything we can to __extirpate__ **racism** from American society.

inopportune (adj.)

coming at a bad time; not appropriate

Synonyms: ill-timed, inconvenient, inappropriate, unsuitable

Why do my relatives always seem to turn up at the most __inopportune__ **time** imaginable?

ironic (adj.)

suggesting an incongruity between what might be

Synonyms: incongruous, satiric, sardonic, wry

The short stories of O. Henry are famous for their __ironic__ **endings**.

musty (adj.)

stale, moldy; out-of-date

Synonyms: hackneyed, antiquated

Houses that have been closed up for a very long time often have an unpleasantly __musty__ **smell** about them.

officious (n.)

meddling; excessively forward in offering services or assuming authority

Synonyms: meddlesome, prying, obtrusive

The Manager of the store wanted the entire salesforce not to be too __officious__ **when helping** customers.

ominous (v.)

unfavorable, threatening, of bad omen

Synonyms: unpropitious, inauspicious, portentous

The __ominous__ **sound** of distant thunder warned us of the storm’s approach.

pinnacle (n.)

a high peak or point

Synonyms: apex, acme, summit, apogee Image

Some pop musicians reach the __pinnacle__ **of** their careers comparatively early in life.

premeditated (adj.)

considered beforehand, deliberately planned

Synonyms: preplanned, prearranged, rehearsed Image

Some crimes are spontaneous acts of passion; others are quite __premeditated__.

rampant (adj.)

growing without check, running wild

Synonyms: widespread, unrestrained, extravagant

All kinds of odd rumors **run** __rampant__ during a political campaign.

solace (v. and n.)

to comfort, console

Synonyms: soothe, reassure, cheer up

Airline companies often call in professional grief counselors to **help** __solace__ **the families** and friends of crash victims.

stately (adj.)

signified, majestic

Synonyms: grand, magnificent, imposing

Who can forget the stirring sight of those __stately__ **tall ships** with their lofty mast and graceful lines as they sailed past the Statue of Liberty on the Fourth of July?

supple (adj.)

bending easily; bending with agility; readily adaptable; servile

Synonyms: flexible, limber, pliable, pliant

A great dancer, like a great athlete, must have a sharp sense of timing and a highly trained, responsive, and __supple__ **body**.

suppress (adj.)

to stop by force, put down

Synonyms: subdue, crush, stifle, squelch, quash, silence

The students couldn't __suppress__ their **groans** of dismay when the teacher announced a surprise quiz.

venal (adj.)

open to or marked by bribery or corruption

Synonyms: dishonest, bribable, corruptible, mercenary

In the mid-1800s, "Boss" Tweed controlled New York City through a __venal__ **political machine** that fed on graft and extortion.

abhor (v.)

to regard with horror or loathing; to hate deeply

Synonyms: detest, despise, abominate

A pacifist is someone who __abhors__ **violence** in all its forms.

amend (v.)

to change in a formal way; to change for the better

Synonyms: modify, improve, correct

If you are not doing well in a particular subject, you may want to __amend__ **your way** of studying it.

buffet (v.)

to slap or cuff; to strike repeatedly; to drive or force with blows; to force one's way with difficulty

Synonyms: sock, thump, pummel, toss about

Blinding snowstorms __buffeted__ **the barren landmass** of Antarctica for months on end.

chaos (n.)

great confusion, disorder

Synonyms: anarchy, turmoil

A great many people lost their fortunes and even their lives in the __chaos__ **brought** by the French Revolution.

commodious (adj.)

roomy, spacious

Synonyms: comfortable, ample, capacious

No one would expect a tiny studio apartment to have particularly __commodious__ **closets**.

corrosive (adj.)

eating away gradually, acidlike; bitterly sarcastic

Synonyms: caustics mordant, acidulous, spiteful

Sulfuric acid is one of the most __corrosive__ **substances** known to chemistry.

discern (v.)

to see clearly, recognize

Synonyms: perceive, detect, distinguish

It is a jury's job to __discern__ **the truth** by carefully evaluating all the evidence presented at trial.

extant (adj.)

still existing; not exterminated, destroyed, or lost

Synonyms: surviving, in existence

The paintings of animals and human hands in Spain's Altamira caves are among the oldest __extant__ **specimens** of Stone Age art.

implicate (v.)

to involve in; to connect with or be related to

Synonyms: incriminate, entangle

The suspects never stood trial because there was no solid evidence to __implicate__ **them in the daring series** of robberies.

inter (v.)

to bury, commit to the earth; to consign to oblivion

Synonyms: unearth, exhume

Jewels and other objects once __inter__ **with** Egypt's pharaohs can now be seen in numerous museums all over the world.

martinet (n.)

a strict disciplinarian, a stickler for the rules

Synonyms: taskmaster, slave driver

When it came to drilling troops, the Revolutionary War general Baron Friedrich von Steuben was something of a martinet.

obviate (v.)

to anticipate and prevent; to remove, dispose of

Synonyms: preclude, forestall, ward off

Vaccinations can do much to __obviate__ **dangers** of childhood illnesses.

renegade (n.)

one who leaves a group; a deserter, outlaw

Synonyms: turncoat, heretic

Many a writer has been labeled a __renegade__ **for refusing** to conform to society's conventions.

reprehensible (adj.)

deserving blame or punishment

Synonyms: objectionable, blameworthy, culpable, odious

Stalin eliminated many potential rivals by accusing them of all sorts of __reprehensible__ **acts** that they did not commit.

somber (adj.)

dark, gloomy; depressed or melancholy in spirit

Synonyms: mournful, dismal

The atmosphere in the locker room of the losing team could best be described as __somber__.

squalid (adj.)

filthy, wretched, debased

Synonyms: dingy, sordid, foul, vile, abject

Many laws prohibit the types of __squalid__ **working conditions** found in sweatshops.

turbulent (adj.)

turbulent, riotous, violent; stormy

Synonyms: tumultuous, unruly, agitated

Letters and diary entries may reveal a person’s lifelong struggle to gain some control over __turbulent__ **emotions**.

vociferous (adj.)

loud and noisy; compelling attention

Synonyms: clamorous, uproarious, blustering

Relief agencies regularly make __vociferous__ **appeals** for aid for victims of war, terrorism, and natural disasters.

voluminous (adj.)

of great size; numerous; writing or speaking at great-length

Synonyms: bulky, massive, plentiful

The task of summarizing __voluminous__ **reports** issued by government agencies may fall to members of a legislator’s staff.

waive (v.)

to do without, give up voluntarily; to put off temporarily, defer

Synonyms: decline, relinquish, forgo

The senator agreed to __waive__ **opposition** to the proposed bill if some of its more controversial provisions were substantially modified.

animosity (n.)

strong dislike; bitter hostility

Synonyms: enmity, rancor, antipathy

The deep __animosity__ **between** the Montagues and Captules could not prevent Romeo and Juliet from falling in love.

apathy (n.)

a lack of feeling, emotion, or interest

Synonyms: indifference, disinterest, detachment

I was horrified when the sales force greeted my great ideas for an ad campaign **with** total __apathy__.

apprehensive (adj.)

fearful or anxious, especially about the future

Synonyms: worried, nervous, fretful, jittery

As the hurricane approached, __apprehensive__ **residents** all along the coast prepared for the worst.

commend (v.)

to praise, express approval; to present as worthy of attention; to commit to the care of

Synonyms: applaud, entrust

The mayor __commended__ **the young people for** their volunteer work at local hospitals and soup kitchens.

compatible (adj.)

able to get along or work well together, capable of use with some other model or system

Synonyms: harmonious in agreement

Eyewitness accounts of an accident rarely **are** totally __compatible__.

condolence (n.)

an expression of sympathy

Synonyms: commiseration, solace, sympathy

A few well-chosen **words of** __condolences__ can be a great comfort to someone who has lost a loved one.

consecrate (v.)

to make sacred, hallow; to set apart for a special purpose

Synonyms: devote, sanctify

Traditionally most religious denominations hold special ceremonies **to** __consecrate__ a new house of worship.

decrepit (adj.)

old and feeble; worn-out, ruined

Synonyms: infirm, broken-down, rickety

“I may be aging,” the famous movie star replied, “but I am hardly __decrepit__.”

deride (v.)

to ridicule, laugh at with contempt

Synonyms: mock, scorn, disparage

Most people find jokes that __deride__ someone’s national origin or social background extremely offensive.

ingenuous (adj.)

innocent, simple; frank, sincere

Synonyms: naive, artless, guileless, candid

In his novels, Dickens has harsh words for those who take cruel advantage of __ingenious__ **young people**.

multifarious (adj.)

having great variety; numerous and diverse

Synonyms: varied, manifold, heterogeneous

Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks reveal that he was a man **of** __multifarious__ **interests**.

obsolete (adj.)

out-of-date, no longer in use

Synonyms: outmoded, passé, old hat

In order to remain competitive, manufacturing companies periodically replace __obsolete__ **machinery**.

omnivorous (adj.)

eating every kind of food; eagerly taking in everything, having a wide variety of tastes

Synonyms: all-devouring, voracious

An __omnivorous__ animal has a greater chance of survival than one that depends on a single food source.

parsimonious (adj.)

stingy, misery; meager, poor, small

Synonyms: frugal, niggardly, penny-pinching, cheap

Many people who lost money in the Great Depression later adhered to a __parsimonious__ **lifestyle**, even during more prosperous times.

quandary (n.)

a state of perplexity or doubt

Synonyms: confusion, dilemma, predicament

Try as I might, I could see no way out of the ethical __quandary__ **in** which I found myself.

recalcitrant (adj.)

stubbornly disobedient, resisting authority

Synonyms: unruly, obstinate, contrary, ornery

A __recalcitrant__ **individual** may have great difficulty adjusting to a job that requires a good deal of teamwork.

reprisal (n.)

an injury done in return of injury

Synonyms: retaliation, revenge

The Highland clans of Scotland engaged in cattle rustling in __reprisal__ **for** real or imagined injuries.

revel (v. and n.)

(v.) to take great pleasure in; (n.) a wild celebration

Synonyms: relish, savor, bask in, carouse

Some movie stars do not __revel__ **in** the attention that their fans and the media pay them.

stultify (v.)

to make ineffective or useless, cripple; to have a dulling effect on

Synonyms: smother, stifle, neutralize, negate

Oppressive heat may __stultify__ **the mind** and spirit as well as the body.

suave (adj.)

smoothly agreeable or polite; pleasing to the senses

Synonyms: sophisticated, urbane, polished

Nick Charles, the clever detective in the *Thin Man* movies, is **a** __suave__ **man-about-town**.