unit 10 vocabulary Flashcards
askance
(adv.) with suspicion, distrust, or disapproval
SYNONYMS: distrustfully, suspiciously
attenuate
(v.) to make thin or slender; to weaken or lessen in force, intensity, or value
SYNONYMS: thin out, dilute, water down
ANTONYMS: thicken, strengthen, bolster
benign
(adj.) gentle, kind; forgiving, understanding; having a favorable or beneficial effect; not malignant
SYNONYMS: benevolent, salubrious, harmless
ANTONYMS: malevolent, deleterious
cavil
(v.) to find fault in a petty way, carp; (n.) a trivial objection or criticism
SYNONYM: (v.) nitpick
charlatan
(n.) one who feigns knowledge or ability; a pretender, imposter, or quack
SYNONYM: mountebank
decimate
(v.) to kill or destroy a large part of
SYNONYM: devastate
foible
(n.) a weak point, failing, minor flaw
SYNONYMS: shortcoming, quirk
ANTONYMS: forte, virtue
forgo
(v.) to do without, abstain from, give up
SYNONYMS: refrain from, renounce
ANTONYMS: indulge in, partake of
fraught
(adj.) full of or loaded with; accompanied by
SYNONYM: charged with
ANTONYMS: devoid of, lacking, deficient in
inure
(v.) to toughen, harden; to render used to something by long subjection or exposure
SYNONYMS: accustom, acclimate
luminous
(adj.) emitting or reflecting light, glowing; illuminating
SYNONYMS: bright, refulgent, lustrous
ANTONYMS: dark, opaque, dim, murky
obsequious
(adj.) marked by slavish attentiveness; excessively submissive, often for purely self-interested reasons
SYNONYMS: fawning, servile, sycophantic, mealymouthed
ANTONYMS: assertive, bumptious, candid, frank, independent
obtuse
(adj.) blunt, not coming to a point; slow or dull in understanding; measuring between 90º and 180º; not causing a sharp impression
SYNONYMS: thick, mild
ANTONYMS: perceptive, quick-witted
oscillate
(v.) to swing back and forth with a steady rhythm; to fluctuate or waver
SYNONYM: vibrate
penitent
(adj.) regretful for one’s sins or mistakes; (n.) one who is sorry for wrongdoing
SYNONYMS: (adj.) remorseful, regretful, rueful
ANTONYM: (adj.) remorseless
peremptory
(adj.) having the nature of a command that leaves no opportunity for debate, denial, or refusal; offensively self-assured, dictatorial; determined, resolute
SYNONYM: unconditional
ANTONYMS: irresolute, mild, unassuming
rebuff
(v.) to snub; to repel, drive away; (n.) a curt rejection, a check
SYNONYMS: (v.) repulse, reject; (n.) setback
ANTONYMS: (v.) accept, welcome
reconnoiter
(v.) to engage in reconnaissance; to make a preliminary inspection
SYNONYM: scout
shambles
(n.) a slaughterhouse; a place of mass bloodshed; a state of complete disorder and confusion, mess
sporadic
(adj.) occurring at irregular intervals, having no set plan or order
SYNONYMS: intermittent, spasmodic
ANTONYMS: steady, continuous, uninterrupted
