2019-20 1st Semester words

culinary

(adj.) of or related to cooking or the kitchen T.V. cooking shows have helped many people master the culinary arts.

tepid

(adjective) lukewarm; unenthusiastic, marked by an absence of interest Synonyms: halfhearted, wishy-washy Antonyms: heated, excited, enthusiastic A cup of tepid tea will not warm you up on a chilly morning.

perpetuate

(verb) to make permanent or long lastingSynonyms: continue, preserve, prolong indefinitelyAntonyms: discontinue, abolish, abandonIn most cultures, people try to perpetuate the customs of their ancestors. '

discern

(verb) to see clearly, recognize Synonyms: perceive, detect, distinguish Antonyms: overlook It is a jury's job to discern the truth by carefully evaluation all the evidence presented at trial.

redress

(verb) to set right, remedy (noun) relief from wrong or injurySynonyms: rectify, correct, mitigate An apology can go a long way to redress the hurt feelings caused by an insensitive comment or a thoughtless act.The accident victim will seek redress for the injuries they suffered in the train accident.

buffet

(verb) to slap or cuff; to strike repeatedly; to drive or force with blows; to force one's way with difficulty; (noun) a slap, blow Synonyms: (verb) batter, sock, thump, pummel, toss about Blinding snowstorms buffet the barren landmass of Antarctica for months on end. Few figures in history or literature are as severely tested by fortune's buffet as Job in the Old Testament.

muse

(verb) to think about in a dreamy way, ponderSynonyms: meditate, contemplate, daydream Philosophers have always mused on the meaning of life.

repose

verb to rest; lie; place Synonyms: sleep The mortal remains of thousands who fell in America's wars repose in Arlington National cemetery.

plod

verb to walk heavily or slowly; to work slowly Synonyms: lumber, trudge Antonyms: scamper, skip, prance After the blizzard, we had to plod through deep snowdrifts to reach the nearest stores.

craven

(adj.) cowardly, (n.) a coward Synonyms: fearful, fainthearted, Antonyms: brave, courageous, valiant Because of his craven attitude, Tom did nothing to help the ninth grader being attacked by the bully.

facile

(adj.) easily done or attained; superficial; ready; fluent; easily shown but not necessarily felt. Synonyms: effortless, assured, poised, specious Antonyms: labored, awkward, halting Writing is a facile process for some authors but a laborious task for others.

belligerant

(adj.) given to fighting, warlike; combative, aggressive; (n.) one at war, one engaged in war. I did not expect such a ____________________ answer to my request for directions.

cursory

(adj.) hasty, not thorough Syn.: quick, superficial, perfunctory Ant.: thorough, painstaking, careful

averse

(adj.) having a deep-seated distaste; opposed, unwilling You are not likely to become a marathon runner if you are _______ to exercise.

benevolent

(adj.) kindly, charitable The newcomers had nothing but________ feelings towards all their neighbors.

fallow

(adj.) plowed but not seeded; inactive; reddish-yellow; (noun) land left unseeded; (verb) to plow but not seed Synonyms: unproductive, inert, dormant Antonyms: productive, fertile, prolific In the drought stricken region, there were millions of acres of fallow. Famers often fallow one-third of their fields each year to restore the chemical balance of their soil.

feasible

(adj.) possible, able to be done. Our city needs to develop a __________ plan of action for dealing with storms and other emergencies.

adroit

(adj.) skillful, expert in the use of the hands or mind. Many rodeo performers are ________at twirling a rope while on horseback.

infallible

(adjective) free from error; absolutely dependable Synonyms: unerring, certain Antonyms: imperfect Some critics seem convinced that their expert knowledge makes them infallible judges of the quality of an artist's work.

somber

(adjective) dark, gloomy; depressed or melancholy in spirit Synonyms: mournful, dismal Antonyms: bright, sunny, lighthearted, cheerful, jaunty The atmosphere in the locker room of the losing team could best be described as somber.

turbulent

(adjective) disorderly, riotous, violent; stormy Synonyms: tumultuous, unruly, agitated Antonyms: calm, placid, tranquil, still Letters and diary entries may reveal a person's lifelong struggle to gain some control over turbulent emotions.

corrosive

(adjective) eating away gradually, acid-like; bitterly sarcastic Synonyms: caustic, mordant, acidulous spiteful Antonyms: bland, mild, benign, amiable Sulfuric acid is one of the most corrosive substances known to chemistry.

impervious

(adjective) not affected or hurt by; admitting of no passage or entrance. Synonyms: impenetrable, resistant, proof against Antonyms: porous, permeable, vulnerable It is best to store flour in a container with a plastic cover that is impervious to moisture.

voluminous

(adjective) of great size; numerous; writing or speaking at great length Synonyms: bulky, massive, copious, plentiful Antonyms: scant, meager, brief, succinct The task of summarizing the voluminous reports issued by government agencies may fall to members of a legislator's staff.

urbane

(adjective) refined in manner or style, suaveSynonyms: elegant Antonyms: crude, uncouth, boorishAn urbane host puts guest at ease by appearing totally confident and unruffled no matter what happens.

commodious

(adjective) roomy, spacious Synonyms: comfortable, ample, capacious Antonyms: cramped, claustrophobic, insufficient No one would expect a tiny studio apartment to have particularly commodious closets.

duplicity

(n.) treachery; deceitfulness We found it difficult to believe that our good friend could be capable of such __________________.

altruistic

(Adj)unselfish, concerned with the welfare of others

chivalrous

(adj) marked by honor, courtesy, and courage; knightly Synonyms: gallant, civil, valiant Antonyms: crude, uncouth, churlish, loutish In today's busy world, where people are often heedless of others, a chivalrous act is admired by all.

diffident

(adj) shy, lacking self-confidence; modest, reserved Synonyms: timid, bashful, unassertive, withdrawn Antonyms: bold, brash, audacious, self-confident, jaunty Many a diffident suitor has lost his beloved to a bold rival.

amicable

(adj.) peaceable, friendly Sometimes mediation by a neutral individual can lead to an ________ settlement of a dispute.

reprehensible

(adjective) deserving blame or punishment Synonyms: objectionable, blameworthy, culpable, odious Antonyms: commendable, blameless, meritorious Stalin eliminated many potential rivals by accusing them of all sorts of reprehensible acts that they did not commit.

meticulous

(adjective) extremely careful; particular about details Synonyms: fastidious, painstaking, fussy Antonyms: careless, negligent, sloppy If you have a full-time job outside the home, you may find exceedingly difficult to be a meticulous housekeeper.

squalid

(adjective) filthy, wretched, debased Synonyms: dingy, sordid, foul, vile, abject Antonyms: neat, spruce, exalted, lofty Many laws prohibit the types of squalid working conditions found in sweatshops.

punitive

(adjective) inflicting or aiming at punishmentSynonyms: penalizing, retaliatory The army general led a punitive expedition against the rebel forces.

vociferous

(adjective) loud and noisy; compelling attention Synonyms: clamorous, uproarious, blustering Antonyms: quiet, soft-spoken, muted, subdued Relief agencies regularly make vociferous appeals for aid for victims of war, terrorism, and natural disaster.

negligible

(adjective) so unimportant that it can be disregardedSynonyms: trivial, inconsequential, insignificant Antonyms: significant, crucial, momentousAfter taxes are deducted, a small raise in salary may result in a negligible increase in take-home pay.

extant

(adjective) still existing; not exterminated, destroyed or lost Synonyms: surviving, in existence Antonyms: extinct, defunct, vanished The paintings of animals and human hands in Spain's Altamira caves are among the oldest extant specimens of Stone Age art.

inclement

(adjective) stormy, harsh; severe in attitude or actionSynonyms: blustery, tempestuous, implacable Antonyms: mild, gentle, balmy, tranquilDuring an inclement New England winter, heavy snowfalls may bring highway traffic to a standstill.

demise

(n.) a death, especially of a person in a lofty position Synonyms: decease, passing away Antonyms: birth, beginning Traditionally, the tolling of church bells has announced the demise of a monarch.

discrepency

(n.) a difference; lack of agreement Synonyms: disagreement, divergence, inconsistency Antonyms: agreement, convergence, consistency Discrepancy in the testimony of witnesses to a crime can have a decisive impact on the outcome of a trial.

dearth

(n.) a lack, scarcity, inadequate supply, a famine Synonyms: insufficiency, want, paucity Antonyms: surplus, oversupply, glut, abundance An employer may complain of a dearth of qualified applicants for available jobs.

artifice

(n.) a skillful or ingenious device; a clever trick; a clever skill; trickery Synonyms: ruse, stratagem, contrivance Even the most well-known art experts were completely taken in by the forger's artifice.

grimace

(n.) a wry (twisted) face, facial distortion; (v.) to make a wry (twisted) face The ________ of the refugee in the photograph reveals the pain of being homeless. Most people ________ at the mere sound of the dentist's drill.

adversary

(n.) an enemy, opponent Synonyms: antagonist, rival, foe Antonyms: friend, ally, supporter A best friend off the soccer field can also be a fierce adversary on the soccer field.

clemency

(n.) mercy, humaneness, mildness, moderateness Synonyms: leniency, forbearance, gentleness Antonyms: harshness, severity, cruelty, inflexibility Many judges are willing to show clemency to first offenders who express regret to for their wrongdoing.

benefactor

(n.) one who does good to others Synonyms: patron, humanitarian Antonyms: misanthrope, malefactor Without the help of many benefactors most charities would be unable to carry out their work.

renegade

(noun) One who leaves a group; a deserter, outlaw; (adjective) traitorous; unconventional, unorthodox Synonyms: (noun) turncoat, defector, heretic Antonyms: loyalist, patriot Many a writer has been labeled a renegade for refusing to conform to society's conventions. Renegade senators from the President's own party joined the opposition to defeat the bill.

holocaust

(noun) a large scale destruction, especially by fire; a vast slaughter; a burnt offering Synonyms: conflagration, devastation, annihilation Antonyms: deluge, inundation Journalists at the time were eager to interview survivors of the Chicago holocaust.

nostalgia

(noun) a longing for something past; homesickness Synonyms: longing, sentimentality, wistfulness Looking at old scrapbooks & reading old letters can bring on a vague sense of nostalgia for days gone by and friends no longer near.

impetus

(noun) a moving force, impulse, stimulus Synonyms: impulse, incentive, Antonyms: hindrance, impediment, constraint The coming of winter gave a new impetus to the appeals for food and clothing for needy families.

martinet

(noun) a strict disciplinarian, a stickler for the rules Synonyms: a taskmaster, a slave driver When it came to drilling the troops, Revolutionary War General Friedrich von Steuben was something of a martinet.

sojourn

(noun) a temporary stay; (verb) to stay for a timeSynonyms: visit, stopover, brief stay Many American graduates sojourn in Europe before starting full-time jobs.

precedent

(noun) an example that may serve as a basis for imitation or later actionSynonyms: guide, tradition, model We hope that students at other schools in our city will follow our precedent in volunteer work and in donating to charities.

jeopardy

(noun) danger Synonyms: risk, hazard, peril Antonyms: safety, security Experienced mountaineers know that a single mistake can put an entire expedition in serious jeopardy.

chaos

(noun) great confusion, disorder Synonyms: anarchy, turmoil, pandemonium Antonyms: order, regularity, tranquility A great many people lost their fortunes and even their lives in the chaos brought on by the French Revolution.

quintessence

(noun) the purest essence or form of something; the most typical example Synonyms: paragon, exemplar Risking one's own life to save the lives of others is considered the quintessence of selfless valor and bravery.

coerce

(v.) to compel, to force Synonyms: pressure, bully, intimidate, constrain Antonyms: allow, permit Dictators try to coerce their subjects into obedience by punishing them or their families.

harrass

(v.) to disturb; worry; to trouble by repeated attacksSynonyms: annoy, pester, The judge repeatedly cautioned the prosecuting attorney or not to harass the witness.

exhilerate

(v.) to enliven, cheer , give spirit or liveliness to Synonyms: stimulate, excite, gladden Antonyms: discourage, dishearten, dispirit The first landing on the moon, in the summer of 1969, exhilarated the nation.

delete

(v.) to erase, wipe out, cut out Synonyms: remove, cancel Antonyms: insert, add, include, retain Crime labs can determine whether an attempt has been made to delete files from a computer's hard drive.

embark

(v.) to go aboard; to make a start, to invest Synonyms: commence, launch, begin, board Antonyms: Columbus spent years raising money before he was able to embark on his perilous ocean voyage in search of a passage to the far East.

extol

(v.) to praise extravagantly Many inspiring stories have been written that _____________ the heroic deeds of Joan of Arc.

alienate

(v.) to turn away; to make indifferent or hostile; Synonyms: separate, drive apart, estrange Antonyms: befriend, attract, captivate, reconcile Gossiping and backbiting are bad habits that will alienate friends.

obviate

(verb) to anticipate and prevent; to remove, dispose of Synonyms: Preclude, forestall, ward off Vaccinations can do much to obviate the dangers of childhood illnesses.

inter

(verb) to bury, commit to the earth; to consign to oblivion Antonyms: unearth, exhume Jewels and other objects once interred with Egypt's pharaohs can now be seen in numerous museums all over the world.

ammend

(verb) to change in a formal way; to change for the better Synonyms: modify, improve, correct If you are not doing well in a particular subject, you may want to amend your way of studying it.

waive

(verb) to do without, give up voluntarily; to put off temporarily, defer Synonyms: decline, relinquish, forgo Antonyms: claim, accept The senator agreed to waive opposition to the proposed bill if some of its more controversial provisions were substantially modified.

scrutinize

(verb) to examine closely Synonyms: inspect, pore over Antonyms: skim, scan, glance at Lawyers are paid to scrutinize legal papers and explain the fine print to their clients.

implicate

(verb) to involve in; to connect with or be related to Synonyms: incriminate, entangle Antonyms: absolve, exculpate The suspects never stood trial because there was no solid evidence to implicate them in a daring series of robberies.

retrogress

(verb) to move backward; to return to an earlier condition Synonyms: revert, degenerate, decline Antonyms: advance, evolve, progress In the novel, the survivors of a nuclear explosion retrogress into a state of barbarism and anarchy.

abhor

(verb) to regard with horror or loathing; to hate deeply Synonyms: detest, despise, abominate Antonyms: admire, cherish, respect, relish A pacifist is someone who abhors violence in all its forms.

indomitable

Adjective unconquerable, refusing to yield Synonyms: unbeatable, invincible, unyielding Antonyms: surrendering, submissive, yielding All who hear of the remarkable deeds of Harriet Tubman admire her indomitable courage in the face of grave danger.

virulent

adjective extremely poisonous; full of malice; spiteful Synonyms: venomous, noxious, baneful, hateful Antonyms: innocuous, harmless, benign. The First Amendment protects the right of free speech for everyone, even those with virulent views that are repugnant to most people.

pungent

adjective causing a sharp sensation; stinging, biting Synonyms: sharp, spicy, piquant, caustic, racy Antonyms: bland, unappetizing, colorless, insipid The kitchen of the French restaurant was filled with the pungent aroma of onion soup.

truculent

adjective fierce and cruel; aggressive; deadly; destructive Synonyms: brutal, savage, belligerent, vitriolic Antonyms: gentle, mild, meek, unthreatening People with truculent dispositions can make life miserable for those who have to work with them.

remiss

adjective neglectful in performance of one's duty, careless Synonyms: negligent, lax, slack Antonyms: scrupulous, dutiful punctilious When I am remiss in doing daily chores, I have to spend a big part of the weekend catching up.

unfeigned

adjective sincere, real, without pretense Synonyms: genuine, heartfelt Antonyms: insincere, simulated, phony The novelist won high praise for her ability to portray the unfeigned emotions of children.

temerity

noun rashness, boldness Synonyms: recklessness, foolhardiness, effrontery Antonyms: timidity, fearfulness, diffidence, humility Few of his subordinates had the temerity to answer the general back.

assent

verb: to express agreement noun: agreement Synonyms: (verb) concur, consent, accede Antonyms: (verb) disagree, differ, dissent Workers hope that the threat of a long strike will force management to assent their demands. Romeo and Juliet knew they would never gain their feuding families' assent to marry.