World Lit 10 Unit 1&2

arrogate        (v) to claim or take without right

syn. greedy, avaricious, retentive

ant. altruistic

banal        (adj) hackneyed, trite, commonplace

syn. stale, insipid

ant. fresh, original, new

coherent        (adj.) holding or sticking together; making a logical whole; comprehensible, meaningful

syn. connected, unified, consistent, cohesive

ant. muddled, chaotic, disjointed

emulate        (v.) to imitate with the intent of equaling or surpassing the model

syn. copy, mimic, rival, match, measure up to

encomium        (n) a formal expression of praise, a lavish tribute

syn. panegyric, eulogy

ant. condemnation, castigation, criticism

germane        (adj.) Relevant, appropriate, apropos, fitting.

(SYN: pertinent)

(ANT: irrelevant, extraneous, inappropriate)

intransigent        (adj) refusing to compromise, irreconcilable

syn. uncompromising, unyielding, obdurate

ant. lukewarm, half-hearted, yielding

reconnaissance        (n) a survey made for military purposes; any kind of preliminary inspection or examination

syn. exploration

substantiate        (v.) to establish by evidence, prove; to give concrete or substantial form to

syn. confirm, validate, authenticate

ant. refute, disprove, invalidate

temporize        (v.) to stall or act evasively in order to gain time, avoid a confrontation, or postpone a decision; to compromise

syn. dillydally, procrastinate

ant. decisive

acquisitive        (adj.) able to get and retain ideas or information; concerned with acquiring wealth or property

syn. greedy, avaricious, retentive

ant. altruistic

belabor        (v.) to work on excessively; to thrash soundly

syn. overwork

carping        (adj.) tending to find fault, especially in a petty, nasty, or hairsplitting way; (n.) petty, nagging criticism

syn. nit-picking, caviling

ant. approving, uncritical

congeal        (v.) to change from liquid to solid, thicken; to make inflexible or rigid

syn. harden, jell, solidify

ant. liquefy

eschew        (v.) to avoid, shun, keep away from

syn. abstain from, steer clear of; forgo

ant. embrace, adopt

insatiable        (adj.) so great or demanding as not to be satisfied

syn. unquenchable, ravenous

ant. satisfied, content

invidious        (adj.) offensive, hateful; tending to cause bitterness and resentment

syn. malicious, spiteful, prejudicial, pejorative

ant. flattering, ameliorative

largesse        (n.) generosity in giving; lavish or bountiful contributions.

syn. liberality, bounty

ant. stinginess, miserliness

taciturn        (adj.) habitually silent or quiet, inclined to talk very little

syn. tight-lipped, uncommunicative, laconic

ant. garrulous, loquacious, prolix, verbose

tenable        (adj.) capable of being held or defended

syn. defensible, justifiable, maintainable

ant. indefensible, unjustifiable

Accost        (v.) to approach and speak to first; to confront in a challenging or aggressive way

syn. buttonhole, approach

ant. avoid, shun

Brackish        (adj.) having a salty taste and unpleasant to drink

syn. saline

ant. clear, sweet

Celerity        (n.) swiftness, rapidity of motion or action

syn. promptness, speed

ant. slowness, sluggishness, dilatoriness

Halcyon        (n.) a legendary bird identified with the kingfisher; (adj.) of or relating to the halcyon; calm, peaceful; happy, golden; prosperous, affluent

syn. tranquil, placid, palmy

ant. turbulent, tumultuous

Incendiary        (adj.) deliberately setting or causing fires; designed to start fires; tending to stir up strife or rebellion; (n.) one who deliberately sets fires, arsonist; one who causes strife

syn. inflammatory, provocative, firebrand

ant. soothing, quieting, peacemaker

Maelstrom        (n.) a whirlpool of great size and violence; a situation resembling a whirlpool in violence and destruction

syn. chaos, turbulence, tumult

Overt        (adj.) open, not hidden, expressed or revealed in a way that is easily recognized

syn. clear, obvious, manifest, patent

ant. clandestine, covert, concealed

Pejorative        (adj.) tending to make worse; expressing disapproval or disparagement, derogatory, deprecatory, belittling

ant. complimentary, ameliorative

Suppliant        (adj.) asking humbly and earnestly; (n.) one who makes a request humbly and earnestly, a petitioner, suitor

Undulate        (v.) to move in waves or in a wavelike motion; to have a wavelike appearance or form

syn. fluctuate, rise/fall

animadversion        (n.) a comment indicating strong criticism or disapproval

syn. rebuke, reproof

ant. praise, compliment

avid        (adj.) desirous of something to the point of greed; intensely eager

syn. enthusiastic, keen, grasping

ant. reluctant, unenthusiastic, indifferent

devious        (adj.) straying or wandering from a straight or direct course; done or acting in a shifty or underhanded way

syn. roundabout, indirect, tricky, sly, artful

ant. direct, straightforward, open, aboveboard

gambit        (n.) in chess, an opening move that involves risk or sacrifice of a minor piece in order to gain a later advantage; any opening move of this type

syn. ploy, ruse, maneuver

histrionic        (adj.) pertaining to actors and their techniques; theatrical, artificial; melodramatic

syn. affected, stagy

ant. muted, untheatrical, subdued

myopic        (adj.) nearsighted; lacking a broad, realistic view of a situation; lacking foresight or discernment

syn. shortsighted

ant. farsighted

propriety        (n.) the state of being proper, appropriately; (pl.) standards of what is proper or socially acceptable

syn. fitness, correctness

ant. unseemliness, inappropriateness

sacrilege        (n.) improper or disrespectful treatment of something held sacred

syn. desecration, profanation, defilement

ant. reverence, respect

summarily        (adv.) without delay or formality; briefly, concisely

syn. promptly, peremptorily

talisman        (n.) an object that serves as a charm or is believed to confer magical powers, an amulet, fetish