Vocabulary Workshop Unit 1-3

No. Word Part of
Speech
Definition / Illustrative Phrase
Synonyms Antonyms
1. adulterate
(v)
to corrupt, make worse by the addition of something of lesser value _____ the milk with water to contaminate,
pollute, sully to purify, purge,
expurgate 2. ambidextrous (adj)
able to use both hands equally well; very skillful; deceitful, hypocritical
marveled at his _____ abilities equally skillful with both hands clumsy, all thumbs, maladroit
3. augment
(v)
to make larger, increase _____ one’s income to enlarge,
supplement, amplify to decrease, diminish 4. bereft
(part,
adj)
deprived of; made unhappy through a loss _____ of friends in his old age
deprived; saddened by loss, bereaved replete, well provided with 5. deploy
(v)
to position or arrange; to utilize; to form up _____ troops for battle to arrange, station, organize
6. dour (adj)
stern, unyielding; gloomy, ill-humored
a _____ and sullen disposition harsh, bleak,
forbidding, saturnine cheery, inviting, genial 7. fortitude
(n)
courage in facing difficulties showed great _____ during the flood
resolve,
steadfastness, mettle fearfulness, timidity, faintheartedness 8. gape
(v)
to stare with open mouth; to open the mouth wide; to open wide _____ in wonder at the sight to gawk, ogle; to open wide
9. gibe (v) (n) to utter taunting words _____ at him for his cowardice
an expression of scorn
to ridicule, mock, deride, jeer a compliment, praise
10. guise
(n)
an external appearance, cover, mask the _____ of a police officer
a costume, semblance; a pretense
11. insidious
(adj)
intended to deceive or entrap; sly, treacherous
an _____ scheme cunning, underhanded, perfidious frank, ingenuous,
aboveboard 12. intimation
(n)
a hint, indirect suggestion gave no _____ of her difficulties
a clue, indication, inkling
a direct or blunt communication 13. opulent
(adj)
wealthy, luxurious; ample; grandiose
_____ living quarters rich, lavish, plentiful, abundant poverty-stricken, wretched, destitute 14. pliable
(adj)
easily bent, flexible; easily influenced
three spools of _____ copper wire supple, adaptable, resilient rigid, inflexible, recalcitrant 15. reiterate
(v)
to say again, repeat _____ a statement for emphasis
to repeat, rehash
16. stolid
(adj)
not easily moved, mentally or emotionally; dull, unresponsive
a _____ person who takes everything in stride impassive, phlegmatic, unresponsive emotional,
oversensitive; high-strung
17. tentative
(adj)
experimental in nature; uncertain, hesitant
a _____ arrangement
provisional, inconclusive definite, conclusive, confirmed 18. unkempt
(adj)
not combed; untidy; not properly maintained; unpolished, rude
seemed to take pride in being _____ sloppy, disheveled; disorganized; rough well-groomed, tidy, neat, natty 19. verbatim
(adj,
adv)
word for word; exactly as written or spoken repeat _____
word for word, exact paraphrased 20. warily (adv)
cautiously, with great care
approach the mouth of the cave _____
carefully, prudently, gingerly
recklessly, heedlessly, incautiously
No. Word Part of
Speech
Definition / Illustrative Phrase
Synonyms Antonyms
1. adroit
(adj)
skillful, expert in the use of the hands or mind
_____ at twirling a rope clever, deft, dexterous, slick clumsy, inept,
all thumbs 2. amicable
(adj)
peaceable, friendly
an _____ settlement of the dispute congenial, neighborly, cordial
hostile, antagonistic 3. averse
(adj)
having a deep-seated distaste; opposed, unwilling
_____ to strenuous exercise disinclined, opposed, loath
favorably disposed, eager, keen 4. belligerent
(adj) (n)
given to fighting, warlike; combative, aggressive a _____ answer one at war, one engaged in war
assertive, truculent, pugnacious peaceful, conciliatory, placid
5. benevolent
(adj)
kindly, charitable
a _____ feeling toward all their neighbors kindly, benign, well-meaning malicious, spiteful, malevolent
6. cursory
(adj)
hasty, not thorough
a _____ glance at the document quick, superficial, perfunctory thorough, painstaking, careful 7. duplicity
(n)
treachery, deceitfulness fired the employees suspected of _____ fraud, double-dealing, chicanery
8. extol
(v)
to praise extravagantly _____ her heroic deeds to glorify, applaud, acclaim, hail to criticize, belittle, disparage 9. feasible
(adj)
possible, able to be done
develop a _____ plan of action workable, practicable, viable
unworkable, impractical 10. grimace
(n) (v) a wry face, facial distortion a _____ of pain
to make a wry face
a pained expression, facial contortion to smile, beam, grin
11. holocaust
(n)
a large-scale destruction, especially by fire; a vast slaughter a victim of the Chicago _____
a conflagration; devastation; annihilation a deluge, inundation 12. impervious
(adj)
not affected or hurt by; admitting of no passage or entrance
a plastic cover _____ to moisture impenetrable; resistant, proof against porous, permeable,
vulnerable 13. impetus
(n)
a moving force, impulse, stimulus gave a new _____ to the drive an impulse, incentive, stimulus, spur a curb, hindrance, impediment, constraint 14. jeopardy (n)
danger
mistakes that put the entire operation in serious _____
risk, hazard, peril safety, security 15. meticulous
(adj)
extremely careful; particular about details
a _____ housekeeper careful, fastidious, painstaking, fussy careless, negligent, sloppy 16. nostalgia
(n)
a longing for something past; homesickness a vague feeling of _____
a longing for things past; homesickness
17. quintessence (n) the purest essence or form of something; the most typical example a deed hailed as the _____ of valor the purest essence; a paragon, exemplar
18. retrogress (v)
to move backward; to return to an earlier condition has _____ into barbarism to revert; to degenerate , decline
to advance, evolve,
progress 19. scrutinize (v)
to examine closely _____ the documents
to inspect, examine, pore over to skim, scan, glance at 20. tepid (adj)
lukewarm; unenthusiastic, marked by an absence of interest
a cup of _____ tea
lukewarm; insipid; halfhearted, wishy-washy
heated, excited, enthusiastic
No. Word Part of
Speech
Definition / Illustrative Phrase
Synonyms Antonyms
1. adversary
(n)
an enemy, opponent a worthy _____ on the court
an antagonist, rival, foe
a friend, ally, supporter, confederate 2. alienate
(v)
to turn away; to make indifferent or hostile; to transfer, convey bad habits that _____ friends to separate, drive apart, estrange to befriend, attract, captivate, to reconcile 3. artifice
(n)
a skillful or ingenious device; a clever trick; clever skill; trickery deceived by his _____ a ruse, stratagem, contrivance
4. coerce (v)
to compel, force _____ into obedience by a threat of punishment to pressure, bully, intimidate, constrain to persuade, cajole 5. craven
(adj) (n)
cowardly criticized by his opponent for his _____ policies a coward
fearful, fainthearted, pusillanimous brave, courageous, valiant 6. culinary
(adj)
of or related to cooking or to the kitchen
a fine example of French _____
related to cooking
7. delete
(v)
to erase, wipe out, cut out shortened the report by _____ two paragraphs to remove, cancel, expunge to insert, add, retain, include 8. demise
(n)
a death, especially of a person in a lofty position tolling bells that indicated the _____ of the king a death, decease, passing away a birth, beginning, commencement 9. exhilarate
(v)
to enliven, cheer, give spirit or liveliness to _____ by the good news to stimulate, excite, gladden
discourage, dispirit, dishearten, inhibit 10. fallow
(adj) (n) (v) plowed but not seeded; inactive; reddish-yellow land left unseeded
to plow but not seed garden plots left _____ for a year unproductive, inert, dormant productive, fertile, prolific 11. harass
(v)
to disturb, worry; to trouble by repeated attacks _____ the witness with difficult questions
to annoy, pester, bedevil, beleaguer, worry
12. inclement
(adj)
stormy, harsh; severe in attitude or action
unaccustomed to the _____ New England winter blustery, tempestuous, implacable mild, gentle, balmy, tranquil 13. muse
(v)
to think about in a dreamy way, ponder _____ on the meaning of life
to meditate, contemplate, daydream
14. negligible
(adj)
so important that it can be disregarded
a _____ loss that we need not worry about trivial,
inconsequential, insignificant significant, crucial, momentous 15. perpetuate
(v)
to make permanent or long lasting _____ the customs of our ancestors
to continue, preserve, prolong, indefinitely to discontinue, abolish, abandon 16. precedent (n)
an example that may serve as a basis for imitation or later action set a _____ for others to follow
a guide, tradition, model
that which follows or comes afterwards 17. punitive
(adj)
inflicting or aiming at punishment
led a _____ expedition against the rebels penalizing, retaliatory
18. redress
(v) (n) to set right, remedy
relief from wrong or injury seek _____ through the courts
to rectify, correct, mitigate
19. sojourn
(n) (v)
a temporary stay a week’s _____ in Paris
to stay for a time
a visit, stopover, brief stay
20. urbane (adj)
refined in manner or style, suave
an _____ host
suave, elegant
crude, uncouth, boorish。