Lesson 02 Flashcards
(15 cards)
antipathy
(noun) an intense dislike
So great was her feeling of antipathy that she was afraid it showed in her face.
syn: aversion
ant: affinity
antithesis
(noun) an exact opposite; an opposite extreme
Love is the antithesis of hate.
badinage
(noun) playful, teasing talk
(verb) to banter; to tease with playful talk
Although it started out as badinage, it quickly escalated to cutting insults.
banal
(adj.) common, ordinary
His banal remarks quickly bored the entire class.
syn: trivial, insipid
ant: original, fresh
baroque
(adj.) overly decorated
The new dance club had a great light show; the baroque furnishings seemed right in place.
syn: ornate
ant: simple
bauble
(noun) a showy but useless thing
John had to find some kind of bauble to give Mary for Christmas.
syn: trinket
bedlam
(noun) a noisy uproar; a scene of wild confusion
The concert hall was sheer bedlam until the rock star appeared.
beguile
(verb) to deceive; to charm; to enchant
Scarlett O’Hara tried to beguile all the eligible men she met.
besiege
(verb) to overwhelm; to surround and attack
Congressmen were besieged with phone calls during the controversial hearings.
besmirch
(verb) to make dirty; to stain
My ex-best friend tried to besmirch my reputation with her vicious gossip.
syn: soil, sully, smear
ant: cleanse
bestial
(adj.) savage, brutal
He took a bestial delight in tormenting the captive slaves.
syn: brutish, vile, cruel
ant: humane, kind
bilious
(adj.) bad tempered; cross
No one could stand being in the same room with Sam when he was in a bilious mood.
syn: grouchy, cantankerous
ant: pleasant
blanch
(verb) to whiten, to make pale
Sue’s face blanched visibly when she saw the charred remains of what had been her home.
bland
(adj.) mild, tasteless, dull
His bland manner had a calming effect on the children.
syn: smooth, agreeable
ant: exciting, thrilling
blandishment
(noun) flattery
Silky-smooth blandishments poured from his lips as he tried to butter up the old lady.
