UNIT 12

ABJURE

• DEF. (v.) to renounce, repudiate under oath; to avoid, shun
• SYN. forswear, retract, recant, abstain from
• ANT. affirm, avow, avert, profess
• EX. The naughty child was abjured after doing something wrong.

ACRID

• DEF.(adj.) harsh in taste or odor; sharp in manner or temper
• SYN. irritating, stinging, bitter, caustic
• ANT. gentle, soothing, mild
• EX. The rotten food was extremely acrid.

AUGUST

• DEF. (adj.) majestic, inspiring admiration and respect
• SYN. stately, dignified, exalted, venerable
• ANT. humble, base, mean, lowly, abject
• EX. Martin Luther King Jr. was an august man because of what he did.

CALLOUS

• DEF. (adj.) emotionally hardened, unfeelings
• SYN. insensitive, unsympathetic, thick-skinned
• ANT. sensitive, compassionate, tenderhearted
• EX. The British guard was callous and not smiling.

CLANDESTINE

• DEF. (adj.) secret, concealed; underhanded
• SYN. covert, furtive, surreptitious, stealthy
• ANT. open, overt, undisguised, aboveboard
• EX. The tops secret army mission was clandestine.

COMPUNCTION

• DEF. (n.) remorse, regret
• SYN. scruple, qualm, misgiving, contrition
• ANT. shamelessness, insouciance, nonchalance
• EX. After a loved one has passed, there is always compunction in the house.

CONFLAGRATION

• DEF. (n.) a large destructive fire
• SYN. holocaust, wildfire
• ANT. deluge, flood
• EX. When a cow knocked over the lantern, it caused a conflagration.

ELATED

• DEF. (adj., part) in high spirits, jubilant; extremely pleased
• SYN. overjoyed, ecstatic, tickled pink
• ANT. depressed, crestfallen, despondent, blue
• EX. After the teams big win, the coach was elated.

INDELIBLE

• DEF. (adj.) not able to be erased or removed; memorable
• SYN. lasting, permanent, unforgettable
• ANT. erasable, impermanent, ephemeral
• EX. A permanent sharpie is indelible.

INDULGENT

• DEF. (adj.) yielding to the wishes or demands of others
• SYN. lenient, permissive, tolerant, liberal
• ANT. strict, severe, inflexible, hard-nosed
• EX. The overly nice teacher was indulgent with the students.

INVETERATE

• DEF. (adj.) firmly established, long-standing; habitual
• SYN. persisting, chronic, dyed-in-the-wool
• ANT. sporadic, intermittent, occasional
• EX. The very old fort from the 1900s is considered inveterate.

IRRELEVANT

• DEF. (adj.) not to the point, not applicable or pertinent
• SYN. inapplicable, immaterial, beside the point
• ANT. pertinent, material, apropos, germane
• EX. Steve changing the subject was completely irrelevant.

NOCTURNAL

• DEF. (adj.) of or occurring in the night; under cover of darkness
• SYN. nighttime
• ANT. daytime, diurnal
• EX. Owls are nocturnal and like the nighttime.

PLATITUDE

• DEF. (n.) a commonplace, stale, or trite remark
• SYN. cliche, truism, bromide
• ANT. epigram, quip, witticism, bon mot
• EX. The platitude was over used.

QUELL

• DEF. (v.) to subdue, put down forcibly
• SYN. suppress, pacify, squelch, quash, crush
• ANT. incite, provoke, arouse, foment, stir up
• EX. The state troopers had to quell the crazy convict.

QUIESCENT

• DEF. (adj.) inactive; at rest
• SYN. still, insert, motionless, dormant, tranquil
• ANT. active, thriving, lively, bustling, volatile
• EX. The sleeping panda was quiescent.

RUMINATE

• DEF. (v.) to meditate, think about at length; to chew the cud
• SYN. ponder, reflect, mull over, muse
• EX. The senior had to ruminate when picking his choice of college.

TACIT

• DEF. (adj.) unspoken, silent; implied, inferred
• SYN. unexpressed, unvoiced, understood, implicit
• ANT. explicit, express, specific
• EX. The monk was very tacit.

TANGIBLE

• DEF. (adj.) capable of being touched; real, concrete
• SYN. perceptible, actual, evident, palpable
• ANT. immaterial, imperceptible, insubstantial
• EX. Everything you can touch is tangible.

TRENCHANT

• DEF. (adj.) incisive, keen; forceful, effective; cutting, caustic; distinct, clear-cut
• SYN. penetrating, cutting, telling, acute
• ANT. dull, bland, insipid, vapid, imperceptive
• EX. The U.S. Army is trenchant.