unit 11 Flashcards
brevity (noun)
shortness
The speech was notable more for its ______ than for its clarity.
SYNONYMS: terseness, pithiness
ANTONYMS: verbosity, long-windedness, prolixity
concise (adjective)
expressing much in a few words
As a rule of thumb, editors and readers appreciate writing that is ______ and forceful.
SYNONYMS: brief, succinct, terse, pithy, to the point
ANTONYMS: wordy, verbose, long-winded, prolix
deteriorate (verb)
to lower in quality or value; to wear away
It is painful for anyone, particularly a doctor, to watch someone’s health ______.
SYNONYMS: worsen, decline, degenerate, debase
ANTONYMS: fix up, enhance
enlightened (adjective)
free from ignorance and false ideas; possessing sound understanding
An ______ society is ruled by knowledge and reason rather than superstition and prejudice.
SYNONYMS: knowing, aware, cultivated
ANTONYMS: ignorant, unaware, untaught, benighted
forestall (verb)
to prevent by acting first
Sometimes it is possible to ______ a cold by taking Vitamin C.
SYNONYMS: hinder, thwart, preclude, ward off
ANTONYMS: welcome, accept, allow, submit, abide by
proponent (noun)
one who puts forward a proposal; one who supports a cause or belief
Lucretia Coffin Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton were among the first ______ of women’s suffrage in the United States.
SYNONYMS: supporter, advocate, exponent
ANTONYMS: opponent, critic, foe, adversary
quaver (verb)
to shake, tremble; to trill
My voice ______ whenever I try to reach the high notes.
SYNONYMS: vibrate, shiver, quake, palpitate
recoup (verb)
to make up for, regain
I plan to ______ my family’s lost fortune
by working hard, earning extra money, and investing wisely.
SYNONYMS: recover, retrieve
ANTONYMS: lose, default, forfeit, kiss good-bye
reek (noun) (verb)
(n.) an unpleasant smell
The unmistakable ______ of spoiled food greeted us as we entered the long-abandoned cabin.
SYNONYM: stench
ANTONYMS: perfume, fragrance, bouquet
(v.) to give off unpleasant smells; to give a strong impression
In How the Other Half Lives (1890), Jacob Riis describes tenements in urban neighborhoods that ______ of poverty.
SYNONYMS: stink, smell
statute (noun)
a law
The student body is governed by the ______ of the university.
SYNONYMS: rule, enactment
comport (verb)
to conduct or bear oneself, behave; to be in agreement
As the students started to leave, the principal reminded them to ______ themselves as school emissaries.
SYNONYMS: agree, concur
demure (adjective)
sober or serious in manner, modest
Despite her ______ appearance, she is a
competitive speed skater, always ready for a challenge on ice.
SYNONYMS: shy, sedate, seemly, decorous
ANTONYMS: forward, assertive, immodest
depreciation (noun)
a lessening in value; a belittling
The accountant calculated the ______ of the computer over a period of five years.
SYNONYMS: cheapening, lowering
ANTONYMS: increase, appreciation, enhancement
divulge (verb)
to tell, reveal; to make public
On some occasions, scrupulous reporters cannot ______ their sources of information.
SYNONYMS: disclose, impart, spill the beans, “leak”
ANTONYMS: hide, conceal, cover up, secrete, keep under wraps
garble (verb)
to distort in such a way as to make unintelligible
If you’ve played “telephone,” you know how easy it is to inadvertently ______ a message.
SYNONYMS: jumble, confuse, misrepresent
ANTONYMS: elucidate, articulate
