Unit 5

Vocabulary Workshop Level F - Accelerated 10 English

amnesty

Many political prisoners were freed under the amnesty granted by the new regime.

amnesty

(n.) a general pardon for an offense against a government; in general, any act of forgiveness or absolution

synonym: reprieve

autonomy

Even after the thirteen colonies gained autonomy from England, many Americans clung to English traditions.

autonomy

(n.) self government, political control

synonyms: home rule

antonyms: dependence, subjection,

axiomatic

(adj.) self-evident, expressing a universally accepted principle or rule

synonym: taken for granted antonyms: questionable, dubious

blazon

They will blazon the results of the election across the Internet and every television set in the land.

blazon

(v.) to adorn or embellish; to display conspicuously; to publish or proclaim widely

synonyms: broadcast, trumpet

antonym: hide, conceal, bury

caveatThe well known Latin phrase “caveat

emptor” means “Let the buyer beware.”

caveat

(n.) a warning or caution to prevent misunderstanding or discourage behavior

synonyms: admonition, words to the wise

equitable

He did more work, so a sixty-forty split of the profits seemed an equitable arrangement

equitable

(adj.) fair, just, embodying principles of justice

synonyms: right, reasonable, evenhanded

antonyms: unjust, unfair, one-sided, disproportionate

extricate

The ring must have slid off my finger as I was trying to extricate the fish from the net.

extricate

(v.) to free from entanglements or difficulties; to remove with effort

synonyms: disentangle, extract, disengage

antonyms: enmesh, entangle

filch

If you filch pennies from the cash drawer, you are unlikely, after a white to be satisfied with only pennies.

filch

(v.) to steal, especially in a sneaky way and in petty amounts

synonyms: pilfer, purloin, swipe

flout

She chose to ignore my advice, not because she wanted to flout my beliefs, but because she had strong opinions of her own

flout

(v.) to mock, treat with contempt

synonyms: sneer at, snicker at, scorn

antonyms: obey, honor

fractious

It seems as if we even the smoothest-running organizations contain one or two fractious elements

fractious

(adj.) tending to be troublesome; unruly, quarrelsome, contrary; unpredictable

synonyms: refractory, recalcitrant, peevish

antonyms: docile, tractable, cooperative

precept

Many of the religions follow the precept that it is important to treat others as you, yourself, would like to be treated.

precept

(n.) a rule of conduct or action

synonyms: principle, maxim

salutary

The cute new puppy had a salutary effect on her health.

salutary

(adj.) beneficial, helpful; healthful, wholesome

synonyms: salubrious, curative

antonyms: detrimental, deleterious

scathing

Sometimes a carefully reasoned discussion does more to change people’s minds than a scathing attack.

scathing(adj.) bitterly severe, withering,

causing a great harm.

synonyms: searing, harsh, savage

antonyms: bland, mild

scourge

Jonathan Swift used wit to scourge the British government for its cruel treatment of Ireland.

Competing teams consider my daughter the scourge of the soccer field.

scourge

(v.) to whip, punish severely; (n.) a cause of affliction or suffering; a source of severe punishment, or criticism

synonyms: (v.) flog, beat; (n.) bane, plague, pestilence

antonyms: (n.) godsend, boon, blessing

sepulchral

(adj.) funereal, typical of the tomb; extremely gloomy or dismal

synonym: lugubrious, mortuary

soporific

He claimed that the musical, despite, its energy, was soporific and that he had slept through the entire second act.

Shakespeare’s Juliet drinks a soporific so as to appear to be dead - a trick she is so soon to regret.

soporific

(adj.) tending to cause sleep, relating to sleepiness or lethargy

(n.) something that induces sleep

synonyms: (n.) narcotic, anesthetic

antonyms: (adj.) stimulating (n.) stimulant, stimulus

straitlaced

(adj.) extremely strict in regard to moral standards and conduct, prudish, puritanical

synonyms: highly conventional, overly strict, stuffy

antonyms: lax, loose, indulgent, permissive, dissolute

transient

(adj.) lasting only a short time; fleeting; (n.) one who stays only a short time

synonyms: (adj.) impermanent, ephemeral, evanescent

antonyms: (adj.) permanent, imperishable, immortal

unwieldy

(adj.) not easily carried, handled, or managed because of size or complexity

synonyms: bulky, clumsy, impractical

antonyms: manageable, easy to handle

vapid

(adj.) dull, uninteresting, tiresome; lacking in sharpness, flavor, liveliness, or force

synonyms: lifeless, colorless

antonyms: zesty, spicy, colorful