Vocabulary Workshop Level E, Unit 11

fathom

(verb) to understand, get to the bottom of; to determine the depth of (noun) a measure of depth in water Syn.: (verb) grasp, figure out, plumb

protrude

(verb) to stick out, thrust forth Syn.: project, bulge

placate

(verb) to appease, soothe, pacify Syn.: satisfy, mollify, allay, conciliate Ant.: vex, irk, provoke, exasperate, annoy

misconstrue

(verb) to interpret wrongly, mistake the meaning of Syn.: misjudge, misinterpret

allude

(verb) to refer to casually or indirectly Syn.: suggest, insinuate, intimate

placid

(adj.) calm, peaceful Syn.: undisturbed, tranquil, quiet, serene Ant.: stormy, agitated, turbulent, tempestuous

stark

(adj.) harsh, unrelieved, desolate (adv.) utterly Syn.: (adj.) sheer, downright, grim, bleak; (adv.) absolutely Ant.: (adj.) bright, cheerful, embellished, ornate

obnoxious

(adj.) highly offensive, arousing strong dislike Syn.: disagreeable, repugnant, hateful, odious Ant.: agreeable, pleasing, engaging, personable

endemic

(adj.) native or confined to a particular region or people; characteristic of or prevalent in a field Syn.: indigenous, restricted to Ant.: alien, foreign, extraneous

disreputable

(adj.) not respectable, not esteemed Syn.: disgraceful, discreditable, shady Ant.: honest, aboveboard, respectable, creditable

superficial

(adj.) on or near the surface; concerned with or understanding only what is on the surface, shallow Syn.: skin-deep, insubstantial, cursory, slapdash Ant.: deep, profound, thorough, exhaustive

potent

(adj.) powerful; highly effective Syn.: mighty, formidable, forceful Ant.: weak, inept, feckless, powerless, ineffective

conclusive

(adj.) serving to settle an issue; final Syn.: decisive, convincing, definitive Ant.: unsettled, provisional, indefinite

clairvoyant

(adj.) supernaturally perceptive; (noun) one who possesses extrasensory powers, seer Syn.: (adj.) insightful, discerning, uncanny; (noun) visionary Ant.: (adj.) blind, unseeing, myopic, dense

exemplary

(adj.) worthy of imitation, commendable; serving as a model Syn.: praiseworthy, meritorious, sterling, illustrative Ant.: infamous, notorious, scandalous, disreputable

plagiarism

(n) passing off or using as one's own the writing (or other materials) of another person Syn: piracy, theft

pretext

(noun) a false reason, deceptive excuse Syn.: pretense, cover story, rationale, evasion

reparation

(noun) a payment made for a wrong or an injury Syn.: compensation, damages, redress

itinerary

(noun) a route of travel; a record of travel; a guidebook Syn.: schedule, program

integrity

(noun) honesty, high moral standards; an unimpaired condition, completeness, soundness Syn.: rectitude, probity Ant.: dishonesty, corruption, turpitude

guile

(noun) treacherous cunning, deceit Syn.: trickery, chicanery Ant.: candor, artlessness, naivete, plain dealing