Vocabulary Unit 2 Level F
Vocabulary Unit 2 Level F
Page 2: Ameliorate
Definition: (v.) to improve, make better, correct a flaw or shortcoming
Synonyms: amend, better
Antonyms: worsen, aggravate, exacerbate
Example: Nurse Amelia tried to ameliorate her patient’s sore throat with cough syrup.
Page 3: Aplomb
Definition: (n.) poise, assurance, great self-confidence; perpendicularity
Synonyms: composure, self-possession, levelheadedness
Antonyms: confusion, embarrassment, abashment
Example: Justin Bieber spoke with great aplomb when accepting his award.
Page 4: Bombastic
Definition: (adj.) pompous or overblown in language; full of high-sounding words intended to conceal a lack of ideas
Synonyms: inflated, highfalutin, high-flown, pretentious
Antonyms: unadorned, simple, plain, austere
Example: The politician’s bombastic speech grew tiring after the first few minutes.
Page 5: Callow
Definition: (adj.) without experience; immature, not fully developed
Synonyms: green, raw, unfledged, inexperienced
Antonyms: mature, grown-up, polished, sophisticated
Example: The road test can be very stressful for callow drivers.
Page 6: Drivel
Definition: (n.) saliva or mucus flowing from the mouth or nose; foolish, aimless talk or thinking; nonsense
(v.) to let saliva flow from the mouth; to utter nonsense or childish twaddle
Synonyms: (n.) balderdash, hogwash, tommyrot; (v.) slaver
Example: Only babies can look cute with drivel on their chin!
Page 7: Epitome
Definition: (n.) a summary, condensed account; an instance that represents a larger reality
Synonyms: abstract, digest, model, archetype
Example: The final score is not always the epitome of sportsmanship.
Page 8: Exhort
Definition: (v.) to urge strongly, advise earnestly
Synonyms: entreat, implore, adjure
Antonyms: discourage, advise against, depreciate
Example: The crowd exhorted the Hoyas on to victory.
Page 9: Ex Officio
Definition: (adj., adv.) by virtue of holding a certain office
Example: President Obama is the ex officio commander-in-chief.
Page 10: Infringe
Definition: (v.) to violate, trespass, go beyond recognized bounds
Synonyms: encroach, impinge, intrude, poach
Antonyms: stay in bounds
Example: Please do not infringe upon my privacy by reading my e-mails!
Page 11: Ingratiate
Definition: (v.) to make oneself agreeable and thus gain favor or acceptance by others
Synonyms: cozy up to, curry favor with
Antonyms: alienate, humiliate oneself, mortify oneself
Example: The new employee tried to ingratiate herself with her new boss by working late every day.
Page 12: Interloper
Definition: (n.) one who moves in where he or she is not wanted or has no right to be; an intruder
Synonyms: trespasser, meddler, buttinsky
Example: Imagine our surprise when we discovered that the interloper in the dog house was a possum!
Page 13: Intrinsic
Definition: (adj.) belonging to someone or something by its very nature; essential, inherent
Synonyms: immanent, organic
Antonyms: extrinsic, external, outward
Example: That old manual typewriter is of intrinsic value to me because it was so important to my father.
Page 14: Inveigh
Definition: (v.) to make a violent attack in words; express strong disapproval
Synonyms: rail, harangue, fulminate, remonstrate
Antonyms: acclaim, glorify, extol
Example: Politicians often inveigh against one another about issues.
Page 15: Lassitude
Definition: (n.) weariness of body or mind; lack of energy
Synonyms: fatigue, lethargy, torpor, languor
Antonyms: energy, vitality, animation, liveliness
Example: John spent so many hours studying that he was overcome with lassitude.
Page 16: Millennium
Definition: (n.) a period of one thousand years; a period of great joy
Synonyms: chiliad, golden age, prosperity, peace
Antonyms: doomsday, day of judgment
Example: Many people planned elaborate parties to usher in the new millennium in 2000.
Page 17: Occult
Definition: (adj.) mysterious, magical, supernatural; hidden from view
(v.) to hide, conceal; eclipse
(n.) matters involving the supernatural
Synonyms: supernatural, esoteric, abstruse, arcane
Antonyms: mundane, common, public, exoteric
Example: Fascination with the Twilight series has created a new interest in the occult.
Page 18: Permeate
Definition: (v.) to spread through, penetrate, soak through
Example: The snow and slush quickly permeated our clothes.
Page 19: Precipitate
Definition: (v.) to fall as moisture; to cause or bring about suddenly
(adj.) characterized by excessive haste
(n.) moisture; the product of an action or process
Synonyms: (v.) provoke, produce; (adj.) reckless, impetuous
Antonyms: (adj.) wary, cautious, circumspect
Example: Our reactions to last week’s storm warnings were precipitate and resulted in hasty trips to the grocery store.
Page 20: Stringent
Definition: (adj.) strict, severe; rigorously or urgently binding
Synonyms: stern, rigorous, tough, urgent, imperative
Antonyms: lenient, mild, lax, permissive
Example: When his grades began to suffer, Joey’s mother laid down some stringent rules.
Page 21: Surmise
Definition: (v.) to think or believe without certain supporting evidence; to conjecture or guess
(n.) likely idea that lacks definite proof
Synonyms: (v.) infer, gather; (n.) inference, presumption
Example: I surmise that we will not have another snow break like we had in 2011 for a long,