Freshman Unit 1 Vocabulary

Muddle

Definition: A confused or disordered condition, a mess; To mix up in a confused or bungling manner. Sentence: I would let you play with my rubik's cube, but I've got four sides done and I'm afraid you'll MUDDLE the whole thing up. Synonyms: mess; disorder; confuse; jumble Antonyms: order; organize; tidy; clear up Part of Speech: noun, verb

Perennial

Definition: A plant that lasts for several years; Lasting a very long time, enduring. Sentence: His need for sucking his thumb was a PERENNIAL habit that lasted all through college. Synonyms: recurrent; returning; permanent; perpetual Antonyms: limited; fleeting; finite; bounded Part of Speech: noun, adjective

Dilemma

Definition: A situation in which a choice between opposing modes of conduct is necessary. Sentence: You shouldn't have to worry about money if your most pressing DILEMMA is whether to drive the Jaguar to school or the Hummer. Synonyms: quandary; predicament; impasse; problem Antonyms: solution; answer; resolve; elucidation Part of Speech: noun

Deadlock

Definition: A state in which progress is impossible, a standstill; To bring or come into a standstill. Sentence: Both tight-rope walkers reached a DEADLOCK when they couldn't pass each other and didn't know how to walk backward, either. Synonyms: impasse; stalemate; standstill Antonyms: resolution; settlement; decision; conclusion Part of Speech: noun, verb

Breach

Definition: An opening, tear, or rupture.; A violation of a law or promise; To make a hole or gap in, to break through. Sentence: The BREACH in the Titanic originally was viewed as nothing serious by the captain, but he was later proven wrong. Synonyms: rift; break; violation; opening; separation Antonyms: bridge; connection; link; Part of Speech: noun, verb

Unbridled

Definition: Being without restraint. Sentence: Clifford the red dog broke its leash and ran around UNBRIDLED on the streets of Manhattan causing havoc everywhere he went. Synonyms: unrestrained; uncontrolled; uninhibited; rampant Antonyms: controlled; restrained; bounded; reserved Part of Speech: adjective

Circumspect

Definition: Cautious; prudent; wary; careful. Sentence: Most tight-rope walkers are very CIRCUMSPECT due to the fact that the ones who aren't don't seem to be around anymore. Synonyms: cautious; careful; wary; vigilant Antonyms: careless; reckless; rash; feckless Part of Speech: adjective

Spasmodic

Definition: Convulsive. Sentence: The epileptic boy couldn't go into the dance club because it caused him to have SPASMODIC seizures whenever he saw strobe lights. Synonyms: fitful; irregular; intermittent; sporadic Antonyms: continuous; calm; motionless; tranquil Part of Speech: adjective

Cumbersome

Definition: Difficult to handle because of weight or bulk. Sentence: The crew on the stage had to move the CUMBERSOME scenery during the play. It is a good thing that they are strong. Synonyms: awkward; bulky; burdensome Antonyms: manageable; easy; graceful; compact Part of Speech: adjective

Opinionated

Definition: Holding stubbornly and often unreasonably to one's own opinions. Sentence: There are still some OPINIONATED people who hold strongly to the belief that 80's music is great. Synonyms: prejudiced; dogmatic; intolerant; narrow-minded Antonyms: open minded; tolerant; unprejudiced Part of Speech: adjective

Spurious

Definition: Not genuine. Sentence: I tried to pass off a SPURIOUS amulet for the real one, but the Colombians found out and broke both of my legs. Synonyms: false; bogus; fake; forged; counterfeit Antonyms: genuine; authentic; bona fide; real Part of Speech: adjective

Brigand

Definition: One who lives by robbery and plunder. Sentence: We were out having a wonderful hike until a BRIGAND came up and robbed us of all our money and clothes. Synonyms: bandit; thief; robber; thug; felon Antonyms: Samaritan; do-gooder; humanitarian Part of Speech: noun

Salvage

Definition: Property saved from a shipwreck, fire, etc.; To save from a shipwreck, fire, etc. Sentence: Once the passengers were all safe, the Coast Guard began to SALVAGE what remained of the wrecked ship. Synonyms: save; recover; rescue; retrieve Antonyms: abandon; desert; leave; discard Part of Speech: noun, verb

Debris

Definition: The scattered remains of something broken or destroyed; rubble or wreckage. Sentence: After the plane crashed into the oil tanker, there was so much DEBRIS strewn about it was hard to find the bodies. Synonyms: wreckage; remains; rubble Antonyms: treasure; prize; fortune; valuables Part of Speech: noun

Efface

Definition: To cause to disappear by rubbing out, striking out, etc. Sentence: The robber made sure to EFFACE all the evidence of the murder, but the team on last night's CSI found some evidence that sent him to jail. Synonyms: wipe out; obliterate; eradicate; erase Antonyms: add; insert; put in; interpolate Part of Speech: verb

Relinquish

Definition: To give up using or having. Sentence: I had to RELINQUISH my title of "Richest Girl in School" when the heiress Paris Hilton showed up to class. Synonyms: surrender; give up; abandon; resign Antonyms: retain; withhold; clutch; save Part of Speech: verb

Predispose

Definition: To make someone inclined to something in advance; To make susceptible. Sentence: Some people's genes PREDISPOSE them to cancer, according to some studies. Synonyms: incline; affect Antonyms: restrain; inhibit; withhold; disincline Part of Speech: verb

Commandeer

Definition: To seize for military use; confiscate. Sentence: When the robbers jumped into their getaway car, the bike-cop had to COMMANDEER my car to chase them. Synonyms: seize; hijack; take; grab; confiscate Antonyms: free; liberate; release; extricate Part of Speech: verb

Diffuse

Definition: To spread out or scatter, to disseminate; Wordy, tending to use more words than are necessary. Sentence: Our waiter was so DIFFUSE that he must have spent 15 minutes talking about the specials before we could tell him our order. Synonyms: talkative; verbose; wordy; long-winded Antonyms: concise; abrupt; terse; succinct Part of Speech: verb, adjective

Admonish

Definition: To warn of a fault, lightly scold. Sentence: My teacher had to ADMONISH me because I was disturbing the class but isn't it the job of the class clown to disrupt things. Synonyms: reprove; warn about; reprimand; scold Antonyms: approve; commend; extol; praise Part of Speech: Verb