Units 4 & 5 Flashcards
atrophy
(n.) the wasting away of a body organ or tissue; any progressive decline or failure; (v.) to waste away
Synonyms: (n.) degeneration, deterioration; (v.) wither
Antonyms: (n.) growth, development; (v.) mature, develop
bastion
(n.) a fortified place, stronghold
Synonyms: citadel, rampart, bulwark, parapet
concord
(n.) a state of agreement, harmony, unanimity; a treaty, pact, covenant
Antonyms: disagreement, strife, discord
consummate
(adj.) complete or perfect in the highest degree; (v.) to bring to a state of completion or perfection
Synonyms: (adj.) masterful; (v.) clinch, conclude
Antonyms: (v.) launch, initiate, begin, kick off
disarray
(n.) disorder, confusion; (v.) to throw into disorder
Synonyms: (n.) disorganization; (v.) dishevel, mess up
Antonyms: (n.) organization, order, tidiness
exigency
(n., often pl.) urgency, pressure; urgent demand, pressing need; an emergency
Synonyms: requirement, crisis
flotsam
(n.) floating debris; homeless, impoverished people
Synonyms: floating wreckage
frenetic
(adj.) frenzied, highly agitated
Synonyms: frantic, overwrought
Antonyms: calm, controlled, relaxed, leisurely
glean
(v.) to gather bit by bit; to gather small quantities of grain left in a field by the reapers
Synonyms: collect, cull, pick up
grouse
(n.) a type of game bird; a complaint; (v.) to complain, grumble
Synonyms: (v.) gripe, kvetch, bellyache
incarcerate
(v.) to imprison, confine, jail
Synonyms: intern, immure
Antonyms: liberate, release, free
incumbent
(adj.) obligatory, required; (n.) one who holds a specific office at the time spoken
Synonyms: (adj.) mandatory, necessary
Antonyms: (adj.) optional, unnecessary
jocular
(adj.) humorous, jesting, jolly, joking
Synonyms: waggish, facetious, droll, witty
Antonyms: humorless, solemn, grave, earnest, grim
ludicrous
(adj.) ridiculous, laughable, absurd
Synonyms: risible, preposterous
Antonyms: heartrending, poignant, pathetic
mordant
(adj.) biting or caustic in thought, manner, or style; sharply or bitterly harsh
Synonyms: acrimonious, acidulous, sardonic, scathing
Antonyms: bland, mild, gentle, soothing
nettle
(n.) a prickly or stinging plant; (v.) to arouse displeasure, impatience, or anger; to vex or irritate severely
Synonyms: (v.) peeve, annoy, incense, gall, irk
Antonyms: (v.) please, delight, soothe, pacify
pecuniary
(adj.) consisting of or measured in money; of or related to money
Synonyms: monetary, financial
pusillanimous
(adj.) contemptibly cowardly or mean-spirited
Synonyms: craven, lily-livered
Antonyms: stouthearted, courageous, daring
recumbent
(adj.) in a reclining position, lying down, in the posture of one sleeping or resting
Synonyms: prone, prostrate, supine, inactive
Antonyms: erect, upright, energetic, dynamic
stratagem
(n.) a scheme to outwit or deceive an opponent or to gain an end
Synonyms: ruse, trick, ploy, subterfuge
acuity
(n.) sharpness (particularly of the mind or senses)
Synonyms: keenness, acuteness
Antonyms: dullness, obtuseness
delineate
(v.) to portray, sketch, or describe in accurate and vivid detail; to represent pictorially
Synonyms: depict, picture, render
depraved
(adj.) marked by evil and corruption; devoid of moral principle
Synonyms: perverted, degenerate, vicious, corrupt
Antonyms: moral, virtuous, upright, uncorrupted
enervate
(v.) to weaken or lessen the mental, moral, or physical vigor of; enfeeble, hamstring
Synonyms: impair, cripple, paralyze
Antonyms: invigorate, strengthen, buttress
esoteric
(adj.) intended for or understood by only a select few, private secret
Synonyms: occult, cryptic, arcane, recondite
Antonyms: accessible, comprehensible, intelligible
fecund
(adj.) fruitful in offspring or vegetation; intellectually productive
Synonyms: fertile, teeming, prolific
Antonyms: infertile, barren, unproductive
fiat
(n.) an arbitrary order or decree; a command or act of will or consciousness
Synonyms: edict, dictum, ukase
figment
(n.) a fabrication of the mind; an arbitrary notion
Synonyms: creation, invention, fancy
garner
(v.) to acquire as the result of effort; to gather and store away, as for future use
Synonyms: collect, accumulate, accrue
Antonyms: scatter, squander, waste, dissipate
hallow
(v.)to set apart as holy or sacred, sanctify, consecrate; to honor greatly, revere
Synonyms: venerate, bless
Antonyms: desecrate, defile, profane
idiosyncrasy
(n.) a peculiarity that serves to distinguish or identify
Synonyms: eccentricity, quirk, mannerism
ignominy
(n.) shame and disgrace
Synonyms: dishonor, humiliation, disrepute, odium
Antonyms: honor, glory, acclaim
mundane
(adj.) earthly, worldly, relating to practical and material affairs; concerned with what is ordinary
Synonyms: prosaic, humdrum, routine, sublunary
Antonyms: heavenly, unworldly, spiritual, transcendental
nuance
(n.) a subtle or slight variation (as in color, meaning, quality), delicate gradation or shade of difference
Synonyms: shade, nicety, refinement
overweening
(adj.) conceited, presumptuous; excessive, immoderate
Synonyms: arrogant, unbridled, inflated
Antonyms: restrained, understated, modest, meek
penchant
(n.) a strong attraction or inclination
Synonyms: proclivity, propensity, predilection
Antonyms: disinclination, aversion
reputed
(adj.) according to reputation or popular belief
Synonyms: putative, reputable, supposed
Antonyms: proven, corroborated, authenticated
sophistry
(n.) reasoning that seems plausible but is actually unsound; a fallacy
Synonym: specious reasoning
sumptuous
(adj.) costly, rich, magnificent
Synonyms: lavish, munificent, opulent, splendid
Antonyms: skimpy, meager, stingy, niggardly, spartan
ubiquitous
(adj.) present or existing everywhere
Synonyms: omnipresent, pervasive, universal
Antonyms: restricted, limited, rare, scarce
