Set 8 Flashcards
(7 cards)
What is the definition of ‘demise’?
(n.) a death, especially of a person in a lofty position.
Traditionally, the tolling of church bells has announced the demise of a monarch. SYNONYMS: decease, passing away; ANTONYMS: birth, commencement.
What does ‘exhilarate’ mean?
(v.) to enliven, cheer, give spirit or liveliness to.
The first landing on the moon, in the summer of 1969, exhilarated the nation. SYNONYMS: stimulate, excite, gladden; ANTONYMS: discourage, dispirit, dishearten, inhibit.
What is the meaning of ‘fallow’?
(adj.) plowed but not seeded; inactive; reddish-yellow; (n.) land left unseeded; (v.) to plow but not seed.
After a month without a date, I decided that my social life was definitely in a fallow period. Farmers often fallow a third of their fields each year to restore the chemical balance of the soil. SYNONYMS: (adj.) unproductive, dormant; ANTONYMS: (adj.) productive, fertile, prolific.
What does ‘harass’ mean?
(v.) to disturb, worry; to trouble by repeated attacks.
The judge repeatedly cautioned the prosecuting attorney not to harass the witness. SYNONYMS: annoy, bedevil, beleaguer.
What is the definition of ‘inclement’?
(adj.) stormy, harsh; severe in attitude or action.
During an inclement New England winter, heavy snowfalls may bring highway traffic to a standstill. SYNONYMS: blustery, tempestuous, implacable; ANTONYMS: mild, gentle, balmy.
What does ‘liquidate’ mean?
(v.) to pay a debt, settle an account; to eliminate.
After a profitable year, the business was able to liquidate its loan. SYNONYMS: reconcile, pay, cancel, exterminate; ANTONYMS: invest, collect.
What is the meaning of ‘muse’?
(v.) to think about in a dreamy way, ponder.
Philosophers have always mused about the meaning of life. SYNONYMS: contemplate, daydream.
