Vocabulary Workshop Level H Unit 3

ancillary

(adj.) subordinate or supplementary

synonyms: auxiliary, accessory

antonyms: central, key, primary, principal, main

bowdlerize

(v.) to remove material considered offensive (from a book, play, film, etc.)

synonyms: purge, expurgate

condescend

(v.) to come down or stoop voluntarily to a lower level; to deal with people in a patronizing manner

synonym: talk down to

cozen

(v.) to trick; to cheat or swindle

synonyms: dupe, deceive, beguile, inveigle 

enclave

(n.) an enclosed district, region, or area inhabited by a particular group of people or having a special character

synonyms: island, subgroup

forte

(n.) a person’s strong point; what a person does best

synonyms: gift, aptitude, specialty

antonyms: weakness, foible

gratis

(adj.) free; (adv.) without charge

synonym: (adj.) on the house

icon

(n.) a representation or image of a sacred personage, often considered sacred itself; an image or picture; a symbol; a graphic symbol on a computer monitor display; an object of blind devotion

synonym: emblem

interstice

(n.) a small, narrow space between things or parts of things

synonyms: gap, slot, crevice, interval, lacuna

macrocosm

(n.) the universe considered as a whole; the entire complex structure of something

synonyms: cosmos, entirety

antonyms: model, miniature, microcosm 

mountebank

(n.) a trickster or swindler; a charlatan

synonyms: impostor, quack

antonyms: dupe, elegy, threnody

paean

(n.) a song of praise, joy, or triumph

synonyms: ode, anthem

antonyms: dirge, elegy, threnody

persiflage

(n.) lighthearted joking, talk, or writing 

synonyms: banter, jesting, badinage 

plethora

(n.) overfullness; superabundance; superfluity

synonyms: surplus, glut, excess

antonyms: shortage, paucity, dearth, scarcity

pragmatic

(adj.) concerned with practical considerations or values dealing with actions and results rather than with abstract theory; stiff in one’s opinions

synonym: down-to-earth

antonyms: impractical, visionary

quizzical

(adj.) puzzled; mocking; odd; equivocal

synonyms: peculiar, perplexed, mystified, derisive 

antonyms: unequivocal, unambiguous 

rapacity

(n.) inordinate greed; the disposition to obtain one’s desires by force, extortion, or plunder

synonyms: avarice, cupidity, voraciousness

antonyms: liberality, altruism

schism

(n.) a formal split within a religious organization; any division or separation of a group or organization into hostile factions

synonym: rift

antonym: reconciliation 

therapeutic

(adj.) having the power to heal or cure; beneficial

synonyms: salutary, salubrious

antonyms: harmful, injurious, deleterious

virtuoso

(n.) a brilliant performer; a person with masterly skill or technique; (adj.) masterly or brilliant

synonyms: (n.) expert, prodigy, maestro

antonyms: (n.) amateur, beginner, novice (adj.) mediocre