unit 15 Flashcards
abase (verb)
to lower in esteem, degrade; to humble
My friend refused to ______ herself by admitting to something she had not done.
SYNONYMS: lower, humiliate, prostrate, demean
ANTONYMS: elevate, ennoble, exalt
avert (verb)
to turn aside, turn away; to prevent, avoid
Rigorous training of the new lifeguards will quite probably _______ several tragedies each summer.
SYNONYMS: stop, deflect, ward off
ANTONYMS: invite, induce, provoke
brunt (noun)
the main impact, force, or burden
Fortunately, a sparsely populated area bore the _______ of the hurricane.
SYNONYMS: blow, shock
ANTONYMS: aftershock, aftermath, repercussion
combatant (noun) (adjective)
(n.) a fighter
Several times the referee had to step in and separate the two ______ after the bell rang.
SYNONYMS: soldier, disputant, warrior
ANTONYM: civilian
(adj.) engaged in fighting
The ______ forces from France and England met on the fields near Agincourt.
SYNONYMS: hostile, battling
ANTONYMS: peaceful, neutral
dubious (adjective)
causing uncertainty or suspicion; in a doubtful or uncertain state of mind, hesitant
Experts have said that the manuscript first attributed to Mark Twain was of ______ authenticity.
SYNONYMS: questionable, suspect, unsettled, undecided
ANTONYMS: certain, positive, indubitable, reliable
harry (verb)
to make a destructive raid on; to torment, harass
My parents are forever _______ me about cleaning up my room and playing music too loudly.
SYNONYMS: hound, pillage, ravage
impenitent (adjective)
not feeling remorse or sorrow for errors or offenses
His _______ demeanor during the trial probably encouraged the judge to impose a harsh sentence.
SYNONYMS: remorseless, unrepentant, incorrigible
ANTONYMS: ashamed, remorseful, contrite, apologetic
liberality (noun)
generosity, generous act; breadth of mind or outlook
The dean’s well-known _______ allowed an atmosphere of spirited debate to flourish at the college.
SYNONYMS: magnanimity, broad-mindedness
ANTONYMS: stinginess, miserliness, narrow-mindedness
probe (verb) (noun)
(v.) to examine, investigate thoroughly
An auditor was brought in to ______ the company’s financial irregularities.
SYNONYM: explore
ANTONYM: hide
(n.) an investigation; a device used to explore or examine
An unmanned _______ was sent to examine the geology of the Martian surface.
SYNONYMS: inquiry, detector
ANTONYMS: cover-up, whitewash
subterfuge (noun)
an excuse or trick for escaping or hiding something
The accused embezzler’s “heart attack” could be a clever _______ to avoid his upcoming trial.
SYNONYMS: dodge, blind, deception, artifice
actuate (verb)
to move to action; to impel
A third bad accident at the notorious intersection finally _______ an angry community protest.
SYNONYMS: incite, instigate
boorish (adjective)
rude, unrefined; clumsy
Her musical genius was rivaled only by her legendary _______ behavior in public.
SYNONYMS: vulgar, crude, uncouth, ill-mannered, gauche
ANTONYMS: suave, urbane, polished, courtly, well-bred
dormant (adjective)
inactive; in a state of suspension; sleeping
The warm spring sun stirred the _______ daffodil bulbs we planted in the park last fall.
SYNONYMS: resting, still, quiescent
ANTONYMS: awake, active, lively, productive
harangue (verb)(noun)
(v.) to deliver a loud, ranting speech
From the moment we walked in, our math teacher began to _______ us about our midterm exam scores.
SYNONYMS: rant, lecture
(n.) a loud speech
The speaker was supposed to discuss the criminal justice system, but delivered a ______ against lawyers.
SYNONYM: diatribe
ANTONYMS: whisper, murmur, undertone
knave (noun)
a tricky, unprincipled, or deceitful fellow
Her friends always knew that _______ of a first husband was only after her inheritance.
SYNONYMS: rascal, rogue, miscreant
