English 8

allege def

V: to assert without proof or confirmation

allege syn

claim, contend

allege ant

deny, prove

arrant def

ADJ: thoroughgoing, out-and-out, shameless, blatant

arrant syn

egregious, unmitigated

badinage

N: light and playful conversation

badinage syn

banter, persifiage, repartee

badinage ant

sermon

conciliate def

V: to overcome the distrust of, win over, to appease, pacify; to reconcile, make consistent

conciliate syn

placate, mollify, propitiate

conciliate ant

antagonize, alienate, estrange

countermand

V: to cancel or reverse one order or command with another that is contrary to the first

countermand syn

recall, revoke

countermand ant

reaffirm, reassert

echelon def

N: one of a series of grades in an organization or field of activity; an organized military unit; a step like formation or arrangement

echelon syn

level, rank

exacerbate def

V: to make more violet, severe, bitter, or painful

exacerbate syn

aggravate, intensify, worsen

exacerbate ant

alleviate, mitigate, ameliorate

fatuous def

ADJ: stupid or foolish in a self-satisfied way

fatuous syn

silly, vapid, inane, doltish, vacuous

fatuous ant

sensible, intelligent, perceptive, bright

Irrefutable def

ADJ: impossible to disprove; beyond argument

irrefutable syn

indisputable, incontrovertible, undeniable

irrefutable ant

disputable, indefensible, untenable

juggernaut def

N: a massive and inescapable force or object that crushes whatever is in its path

lackadaisical def

ADJ: lacking spirit or interest

lackadaisical syn

listless, indolent, indifferent, lax

lackadaisical ant

energetic, vigorous, wholehearted

litany def

N: a prayer consisting of short appeals to God recited by the leader alternating with responses from the congregation; a repetitive chant or long list

litany syn

rigmarole, catalog, megillah

macabre def

ADJ: grisly, gruesome, horrible, distressing, having death as a subject

macabre syn

grotesque, grim, ghoulish

paucity def

N: an inadequate quantity, scarcity, dearth

paucity syn

lack

paucity ant

abundant, glue, plenitude, deluge

portend def

V: to indicate beforehand that something is about to happen, to give advance warning of

portend syn

bode, foretell, foreshadow, suggest

raze def

V: to tear down, destroy completely, to cut or scrape off

raze syn

pull down, demolish, shave off

raze ant

build, construct, raise, erect

recant def

V: to withdraw statement or belief to which one has previously been committed, renounce, retract

recant syn

repudiate, disavow

recant ant

reaffirm, reassert

saturate def

V: to soak through, fill to capacity, to satisfy fully

saturate syn

permeate, drench, flood, imbue

saturate ant

drain

saturnine def

ADJ: of a gloomy or surly disposition, cold or sluggish in mood

saturnine syn

sullen, morose

saturnine ant

lighthearted, cheerful, vivacious

slough def

V: to cast off, discard, to get rid of something objectionable or unnecessary; to plof through as if through mud

N: a mire, a state of depression

slough syn

V: shed, slog

slough ant

V: to take on, acquire, assume