unit 1 Flashcards
admonish (v.)
to caution or advise against something; to scold mildly; to remind of a duty
The librarian had to admonish the noisy students several times before they settled down.
SYNONYMS: reprimand, call on the carpet
ANTONYMS: praise, pat on the back
brigand (n.)
a bandit, robber, outlaw, highwayman
Ancient caravans passing through desolate areas were sometimes attacked by brigands.
diffuse (adj.)
wordy, long-winded, or unfocused; scattered or widely spread
The speech was so long and diffuse that most audience members were thoroughly confused by it.
SYNONYMS: verbose, prolix
ANTONYMS: brief, concise, succinct
cumbersome (adj.)
clumsy, hard to handle; slow-moving
The bus was filled to capacity with holiday shoppers carrying large and cumbersome packages.
SYNONYMS: ponderous, difficult, uncomfortable
ANTONYMS: manageable, easy to handle
diffuse (v.)
to spread or scatter freely or widely
The scent of lilacs slowly diffused through the open window.
SYNONYM: disperse
ANTONYM: concentrate
unbridled (adj.)
lacking in restraint
Sometimes the unbridled enthusiasm of sports fans can get a little out of hand.
SYNONYMS: unrestrained, unchecked
ANTONYMS: restrained, held in check, muted
commandeer (v.)
to seize for military or official use
Under certain circumstances the U.S. government has the right to comandeer private property.
SYNONYMS: take over, requisition, expropriate
muddle (n.)
a hopeless mess
The muddle was principally caused by their failure to carry out the general’s orders properly.
SYNONYMS: confusion, disorder
ANTONYMS: orderliness, neatness
predispose (verb)
spurious (adj.)
not genuine, not true, not valid
Manufacturers who make spurious claims for their products may face fines or lawsuits.
SYNONYMS: false, counterfeit, fraudulent, bogus
ANTONYMS: genuine, authentic, bona fide, valid
muddle (v.)
to make a mess of; muddle through: to get by
Too much stress and too little sleep will almost certainly muddle a person’s ability to concentrate.
SYNONYMS: jumble, mess up
predispose (v.)
to incline to beforehand
My genetic makeup seems to predispose me to colds and sore throats.
SYNONYMS: tending to, liable to
ANTONYMS: immunize against, shield from
breach (v.)
to create an opening, break through
Our troops were unable to breach the enemy’s lines during the battle.
ANTONYMS: close, seal
breach (n.)
an opening, gap, rupture, rift; a violation or infraction
Because of a serious breach of the rules, two players were ejected from the game.
deadlock (v.)
to bring to such a standstill
The refusal of labor and management to modify their demands deadlocked the contract negotiations.
deadlock (n.)
a standstill resulting from the opposition of two equal forces or factions
After fifteen innings, the score remained a frustrating 3-to-3 deadlock.
SYNONYMS: standoff, impasse
ANTONYMS: agreement, accord, breakthrough