Flocab unit 2 Flashcards
acquire
(verb) to gain ownership of something; to obtain by one’s own actions
Only once he became the spokesperson for a brand of cereal could the rapper finally acquire the
yellow sports car he always wanted.
Synonyms: obtain
Antonyms: lose, forfeit
addict
(noun) a person who becomes dependent on something that is habit-forming, like a drug or
an activity
Kyle was a shoe addict: He owned more than 20 pairs!
Synonyms: fanatic, fiend
Other forms: Many types of drugs can be addictive (adj); you can even get addicted (verb) to the
caffeine in coffee. Addictions (noun) can be very serious and sometimes extremely harmful.
aspire
(verb) to desire something eagerly, especially something important or in the future
Beyoncé always aspired to be a singer, but she never knew she’d become an actress as well.
Synonyms: yearn, long for
Other forms: Even though Jojoba was young, he had lots of big aspirations (noun).
chorus
(noun) 1. a group of people trained to sing together 2. the part of a song that’s repeated after
each verse
1. The chorus was invited to sing at the White House. 2. The chorus to that song is so catchy!
Synonyms: 1. choir 2. hook
Other forms: Some choral (adj) concerts are pretty amazing.
conjure
(verb) to make something happen or come into being as though by magic
The basketball captain announced that the team would have to conjure up $200 this year to pay for
uniforms.
Synonyms: summon
Other forms: A conjurer (noun) is a magician who makes things appear.
firebrand
(noun) a troublemaker; someone who encourages others to rebel
Tony tried to get Lisa kicked off the school paper staff because he thought she was a firebrand.
Synonyms: rebel, agitator
gravity
(noun) 1. the force that makes objects fall toward the center of the Earth (or any other large
mass) 2. seriousness
1. There is less gravity on the moon, so astronauts have been able to hop along the surface like
kangaroos. 2. Chloe didn’t realize the gravity of her dad’s illness until he was rushed to the hospital.
Synonyms: 2. importance, severity
Antonyms: 2. unimportance, silliness
Other forms: With so much gravitation (noun), Jupiter sucked the space ship into its gravitational (adj)
field. As a verb, gravitate can mean “to be naturally drawn toward/attracted to”:I don’t tend to gravitate
(verb) toward science, though; I prefer history.
magnetic
(adj) 1. having the power to attract 2. being able to attract iron
1. Ronda has a magnetic personality, which is probably why she’s so popular. 2. Some metals are
more magnetic than others.
Synonyms: alluring
Antonyms: uninteresting, repellent
Other forms: My fridge is covered in magnets (noun).
mirth
(noun) joy, fun, and laughter There was so much mirth around the Thanksgiving table; everyone seemed to be smiling and enjoying themselves. Synonyms: glee, hilarity Antonyms: sadness, distress
quench
(verb) to put out, extinguish; to satisfy
If I’ve been at cheerleading practice and I’m thirsty, for some reason milk just doesn’t quench
my thirst.
Synonyms: put down, relieve
Antonyms: start
subtle
(adj) difficult to perceive, barely observable; delicate
The chicken had a very subtle apple flavor to it.
Synonyms: faint
Antonyms: obvious, blatant
Other forms: To tell someone they made a big mistake without hurting their feelings requires some
subtlety (noun).
sullen
(adj) silent or gloomy because of anger or resentment
After finding out that they weren’t going to stop and get ice cream, the toddler became sullen and
frowned quietly.
Synonyms: glum, frowning
Antonyms: cheerful
toxic
(adj) poisonous; causing harm
Don’t drink laundry detergent: It’s toxic!
Antonyms: harmless
Other forms: Toxic is sometimes used as a noun: Many cleaning supplies, like laundry detergent,
are toxics .
urgent
(adj) needing fast action or attention
Rory ran out of homeroom with an urgent note for his friend Camille.
Synonyms: critical, pressing
Other forms: An intense person, Kiki brought an urgency (noun) to everything she did.
wary
(adj) cautious and watchful; careful of danger
In certain cities, you need to be wary of thieves who might try to pick your pocket.
Synonyms: alert, suspicious
Antonyms: careless
