animal farm

Benevolent- He was twelve years old and had lately grown rather stout, but he was still a majestic-looking pig, with a wise and benevolent appearance in spite of the fact that his tushes had never been cut. Meaning: showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding. Synonym: caring. Antonym: Cruel

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Cynical- He seldom talked, and when he did, it was usually to make some cynical remark--for instance, he would say that God had given him a tail to keep the flies off, but that he would sooner have had no tail and no flies. Meaning: believing the worst of human nature and motives Synonym: Ironic. Antonym: Hopeful

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Ensconced-At one end of the big barn, on a sort of raised platform, Major was already ensconced on his bed of straw, under a lantern which hung from a beam. Meaning: fix firmly. Synonym: fix. Antonym: Destroy

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Acute- Every mouthful of food was an acute positive pleasure, now that it was truly their own food, produced by themselves and for themselves, not doled out to them by a grudging master. Meaning: ending in a sharp point. Synonym: Intense. Antonym: Blunt.

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Articulate- Some of the pigs themselves, however, were more ARTICULATE" (Orwell 69). Meaning: eloquent; able to speak clearly. Synonym: fluent. Antonym: unclear.

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Biding- Napoleon produced no schemes of his own, but said quietly that Snowball's would come to nothing, and seemed to be biding his time" (Orwell 62). Meaning: staying; waiting. Synonym: dwell. Antonym: carry on

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Blithely-"One day as Mollie strolled blithely into the yard, flirting her long tail and chewing at a stalk of hay, Clover took her aside" (Orwell 61). Meaning: cheerfully; without care or concern. Synonym: gladly. Antonym: sadly.

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Capitulated-For five days the hens held out, then they CAPITULATED and went back to their nesting boxes" (Orwell 87). Meaning: gave in to an argument; surrendered. Synonym: cave in. Antonym: conquer.

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Complicity-On the same day it was given out that fresh documents had been discovered which revealed further details about Snowball's complicity with Jones. Meaning: guilt as a confederate in a crime or offense. Synonym: collaboration. Antonym: ignorance.

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Conciliatory-In addition, four pigeons were sent to Foxwood with a conciliatory message, which it was hoped might re-establish good relations with Pilkington. Meaning: intended to placate. Synonym: civil. Antonym: fighting

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Contemptible- hey could not understand, they said, how even animals could bring themselves to sing such contemptible rubbish. Meaning- deserving of scorn or disrespect. Synonym: Hateful. Antonym: Kind.

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Countenance-"Napoleon appeared to change countenance, and sharply ordered Boxer to let the dog go..." (Orwell 92). Meaning: a face or expression on a face. Synonym: demeanor. Antonym: accept.

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Denounced-Napoleon had denounced such ideas as contrary to the spirit of Animalism.Definition: to speak badly about or publicly accuse. Synonym: Accuse. Antonym: Approve

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Disciples- " their most faithful Disciples were the two carts-horses, boxer,clover. Meaning-follower. Noun. synonym-elaborate. Antonym-obscure

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Dung- Jones was hurled into a pile of DUNG, and his gun flew out of his hands" (Orwell 58). Meaning- manure; animal excrement. Synonym: manure. Antonym: discharge.

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Expounded- Several nights a week, after Mr. Jones was asleep, they held secret meetings in the barn and expounded the principles of Animalism to the others. Meaning: add details, as to an account or idea. Synonym: Explain. Antonym: Complicated.

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Gamboled- In the ecstasy of that thought they gamboled round and round, they hurled themselves into the air in great leaps of excitement. Meaning: play or run boisterously. Synonym: Play. Antonym: Face.

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Gilded-"The grass and the bursting hedges were gilded by the level rays of the sun" (Orwell 94). Meaning: covered with gold, appeared as if covered with gold. Synonym: luxurious. Antonym: dull

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Grudged- "But they were happy in their work; they GRUDGED no effort or sacrifice..." (Orwell 73). Meaning: esented; felt ill-will towards. Synonym: animosity. Antonym: Friendship

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Ignominious- And so within five minutes of their invasion they were in ignominious retreat by the same way as they had come, with a flock of geese hissing after them and pecking at their calves all the way. Meaning- deserving or bringing disgrace or shame. Synonym: Disgraceful. Antonym: respectable.

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Impromptu-An impromptu celebration of the victory was held immediately. Meaning: without advance preparation. Synonym: offhand. Antonym: deliberate.

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Indignation- There was a cry of INDIGNATION, and everyone began thinking out ways of catching Snowball if he should ever come back" (Orwell 82). Meaning: anger at unfairness. Synonym: rage. Antonym: calm.

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Invariably- There was nothing with which they could compare their present lives: they had nothing to go upon except Squealer's lists of figures, which invariably demonstrated that everything was getting better and better. Meaning: in every case or on every occasion; always. Synonym: always. Antonym; consistently

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Knacker-You, Boxer, the very day that those great muscles of yours lose their power, Jones will sell you to the knacker, who will cut your throat and boil you down for the foxhounds. Meaning: someone who buys up old horses for slaughter. Synonym: carper. Antonym: censor.

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Laborious- "But it was a slow laborious process" (Orwell 74). Meaning; requiring a lot of work. Synonym: tiresome. Antonym: easy

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Lamentation- A cry of lamentation went up. Straw was laid down outside the doors of the farmhouse, and the animals walked on tiptoe. Meaning: a cry of sorrow and grief. Synonym: complaining. Antonym: celebration

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Malignity- "In sheer malignity, thinking to set back our plans and avenge himself..." (Orwell 82). Meaning: with intense hatred or will to harm. synonym: evil. Antonym: kindless

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Maxim- After much thought Snowball declared that the Seven Commandments could in effect be reduced to a single maxim, namely: "Four legs good, two legs bad." Meaning: a saying that is widely accepted on its own merits. Synonym: Adage. Antonym: Motto

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Meddle- Clover asked Benjamin to read her the Sixth Commandment, and when Benjamin, as usual, said that he refused to meddle in such matters, she fetched Muriel. Meaning: intrude in other people's affairs or business. Synonym: hinder. Antonym: aid

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Morose-: Only old Benjamin was much the same as ever, except for being a little greyer about the muzzle, and, since Boxer's death, more morose and taciturn than ever.Definition: having a gloomy orsullen manner; not friendly or sociable. Synonym: cranky. Antonym: bright

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Obstinate- He did his work in the same slow obstinate way as he had done it in Jones's time, never shirking and never volunteering for extra work either. Meaning: marked by tenacious unwillingness to yield. Synonym: Willful. Antonym: obedient.

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Parasitical- With the worthless Parasitical human beings gone, there was more for everyone to eat. Meaning: relying on or requiring a person or thing for support, supply, or what is needed. Synonym: Enslaved . Antonym: Arrogant Ch. 4

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Pervading- "It seemed to them as though Snowball were some kind of invisible influence, pervading the air about them and menacing them with all kinds of dangers" (Orwell 89). Meaning: spreading throughout. Synonym: infused. Antonym: drain.

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Posthumously- There was also "Animal Hero, Second Class," which was conferred posthumously on the dead sheep. Meaning: after death Synonym: post-mortem. Antonym: future.

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Poultices-Clover treated the hoof with poultice of herbs which she prepared by chewing them, and both she and Benjamin urged Boxer to work less hard. Meaning: a medical dressing spread on a cloth and applied to the skin. Synonym: cataplasm. Antonym: balm

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Pretext- On every kind of pretext she would run away from work and go to the drinking pool..." (Orwell 61). Meaning: a hidden reason; a made up excuse. Synonym: excuse. Antonym: reality.

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Procure- Nevertheless, towards the end of January it became obvious that it would be necessary to procure some more grain from somewhere" (Orwell 86). Meaning: to acquire something. Synonym: buy up. Antonym: discourage

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Ratified- "It had come to be accepted that the pigs, who were manifestly cleverer than the other animals, should decide all questions of farm policy, though their decisions had to be RATIFIED by a majority vote" (Orwell 62). Meaning: formally approved. Synonym: approved. Antonym: deny

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Repose- You would not rob us of our repose, would you, comrades?" (Orwell 80). Meaning: a state of rest or inactivity. Synonym: stillness. Antonym: Action. Ch. 7

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Reproached- the others reproached her sharply, and they went outside. Meaning: express criticism towards. Synonym: Admonish. Antonym: Commend

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Scullery-With the ring of light from his lantern dancing from side to side, he lurched across the yard, kicked off his boots at the back door, drew himself a last glass of beer from the barrel in the scullery, and made his way up to bed, where Mrs. Jones was already snoring. Meaning: a small room next to the kitchen for household jobs. Synonym: Cookhouse. Antonym:

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Skulking-Snowball was known to be still skulking on Pinchfield Farm. Meaning: lie in wait or behave in a sneaky and secretive manner. Synonym: crouch Antonym: confront

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Surmounted-It was surmounted by a portrait of Napoleon, in profile, executed by Squealer in white paint. Meaning:overcome. Synonym: conquer.Antonym: fail.

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Trodden- he two horses had just lain down when a brood of ducklings, which had lost their mother, filed into the barn, cheeping feebly and wandering from side to side to find some place where they would not be trodden on. Meaning: put down, place, or press the foot. Synonym: squash. Antonym: Let go Ch. 2

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Vivacious- Snowball was a more vivacious pig than Napoleon, quicker in speech and more inventive, but was not considered to have the same depth of character. Meaning: vigorous and animated. Synonym: Animated. Synonym: Dull.

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Wafted- Meaning: moved gently through the air Benjamin was the oldest animal on the farm, and the worst tempered animals had never smelt before, wafted itself across.

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taciturn-Only old Benjamin was much the same as ever, except for being a little greyer about the muzzle, and, since Boxer's death, more morose and taciturn than ever.Definition: (adj.) habitually silent or quiet, inclined to talk very little. Synonym: dour. Antonym: communicative

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Frugally-The truest happiness, he said, lay in working hard and living frugally.Definition: in a thrifty way; economically Connotation: saver, non spender other form: Frugal. Synonym: careful. Antonym: careless

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interment- It had not been possible, he said, to bring back their lamented comrade's remains for interment on the farm, but he had ordered a large wreath to be made from the laurels in the farmhouse garden and sent down to be placed on Boxer's grave.' Meaning: the act or ceremony of interring; burial. Synonym: burying. Antonym: Burial

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