Lesson Seven Vocabulary

• Made by: Daniel Bitner and Rainee Swisher

AustereSevere or stern in manner; without adornment or luxury, simple, plain;

harsh or sour in flavor

The austere expression on the man’s face led us to believe that the victim of the

murder was his wife.

Austere sounds like “I’ll stare” (usually done with anger) and is similar in spelling to “severe”.

Antonyms- mild, indulgent; luxurious; flamboyant

Synonyms- forbidding, rigorous, puritanical, ascetic; adorned, subdued

BeneficentPerforming acts of kindness or

charity; conferring benefits, doing good

If one wishes to be held in higher respect of the community then he

should consider spending time performing beneficent acts.

Beneficent…it’s beneficial to perform good acts of kindness.

• Antonyms- selfish, cruel, harmful, deleterious

• Synonyms- humanitarian, magnanimous, charitable

Cadaverous

Pale, gaunt, resembling a corpse

From our vantage point it appeared that the casket shown with a

cadaverous light.

Cadaverous- Corpse spelled with a “c” as well… sounds like an adjective…combine these.

• Antonyms- robust, portly, rosy, the picture of health

• Synonyms- corpse-like, wasted, haggard, emaciated, ghastly

ConcoctTo prepare by combining ingredients, make up (as a dish); to devise, invent,

fabricate

The nurse was able to concoct a quick remedy to save the generals life.

Concoct- cocking a wall together with plaster….plaster is used as a mixture…which must be

concocted

• Synonyms- to create, fashion, fabricate; to rustle up

Crass

Coarse, unfeeling; stupid

It was said that O’Malley’s Mill itself was a crass place even after the funeral due to the ridiculous racism that was spewed

during his lifetime.

Crass- crab grass is annoying to get rid of and is a crass and stubborn plant

• Antonyms- refined, elegant, tasteful, polished, brilliant

• Synonyms- crude, vulgar, tasteless, oafish; obtuse

Debase

To lower in character, quality, or value; to degrade, adulterate; to

cause to deteriorate

The prosecution was able to debase the defendants reputation in case based on the

fact that he had indeed been with the woman in question at that time.

Debase- de…grade is a synonym

• Antonyms- to elevate, uplift, improve, enhance

• Synonyms- to cheapen, corrupt, demean, depreciate

DesecrateTo commit sacrilege, treat

irreverently; to contaminate, pollute

The Indian burial site was desecrated due to the teenagers’ late night partying

there.

Desecrate- crates are a symbol of pollution if they are pictured in environment

• Antonyms- to revere, honor, venerate, consecrate

• Synonyms- contaminate, pollute

Desist

To cease doing something, forbear

She commanded me to desist after I had taken the argument past a point of

reasonable discussion and had begun to take the debate personally.

• Desist- similar to resist… except one step further from resisting is to stop it and desist

• Antonyms- To continue, procede, prolong, resume

• Synonyms- To stop, discontinue, refrain, suspend

disconcert

To confuse; to disturb the composure of

The man seemed competent to disconcert any opponent confident enough to face him

in debate.

• Disconcert- rock concert would be a disconcerting for a fan of opera

Vs

• Antonyms- to relax, calm, put at ease

• Synonyms- to upset, rattle, ruffle, phase, perturb

grandiose

Grand in an impressive or stately way; marked by pompous affection or grandeur, absurdly exaggerated

The grandiose house was said to belong to a famous basketball player.

• Grandiose- something grand and impressive

• Antonyms- simple, modest, unaffected, humble

• Synonyms- impressive, pompous

Inconsequential

Trifling, unimportant

The quest that our boss had for us seemed so inconsequential that we were unwilling

to do them until he threatened our pay checks.

• Opposite of consequential. No consequences for something inconsequential

• Antonyms- important, essential, crucial, vital

• Synonyms- trivial, negligible, petty, trifling

InfractionA breaking of a law or obligation

However unfortunate it may have been, your anger is no reason to not pay for

the parking infraction.

• Infraction- base word fracture means to break….apply this to rules and you have an infraction

• Synonyms- violation, transgression, breach, offense

Mitigate

To make milder or softer, to moderate enforce or intensity

Although sometimes a hothead, the man’s wife was able to mitigate his advances in their argument quite

effectively.

• Mitigate- mittens are put on to soften the blow of outside cold

• Antonyms- to aggravate, intensify, irritate, exacerbate

• Synonyms- to lessen, relieve, alleviate, diminish

Pillage

To rob of goods by open force(as in war), plunder; the act of looting;

booty

After the civil war the southern general affectively disrupted the southern economy

by pillaging all of the major confederate holding areas.

• Pillage- rhymes with village and this would be ransacked if pillaged

• Synonyms- to ravage, sack, loot, booty

PrateTo talk a great deal in a foolish or

aimless fashion

The girls in his history class would sometimes prate for hours about things that he simply

did not think were worthy of discussion.

• Prate- Someone that prates often: Spencer Pratt

• Antonyms- to come to the point, not waste words

• Synonyms- to chatter, prattle, blab, babble, palaver

Punctilious

Very careful and exact, attentive to fine points of etiquette or propriety

The punctilious Napoleon Bonaparte was almost always successful in battle due to his

divinely- inspired tactics.

• Punctilious- Making a puncture (similar), one needs to be very exact and careful

• Antonyms- careless, negligent, lax, perfunctory

• Synonyms- precise, scrupulous, exacting; fussy, finicky

Redoubtable

Inspiring fear or awe; illustrious, eminent

He told us all that he was a competent leader because of his strong and redoubtable

determination.

• Redoubtable- A redoubtable person is never to be doubted because they are tremendously respected

• Antonyms- laughable, risible, contemptible

• Synonyms- formidable, fearsome, awesome; august

ReproveTo find fault with, scold, rebuke

The kindergarten reproved her children for eating the cheerios that she had set out for

an activity later that day.

• Reprove- Instead of approving of something, one reproves someone’s faults or problems

• Antonyms- to praise, commend, laugh, pat on the back

• Synonyms- to chide, chastise, upbraid, reproach

RestitutionThe act of restoring

someone/something to the rightful owner or to a former state or position;

making good for loss or damage

He wondered if he would be granted restitution for the car accident the month

before.

• Restitution- Gaining restitution can only be achieved after rest.

• Synonyms- repayment, recompense, compensation

Stalwart

Strong and sturdy; brave; resolute; a brave, strong person; a strong supporter; one who takes an

uncompromising position

In the movie “Brave Heart,” Mel Gibson plays a stalwart bent on the freedom of his

people.

• Stalwart- Stalwart…strong, sturdy…… like a wall.

• Antonyms- weak, infirm; irresolute, vaciliating

• Synonyms- sturdy, stout; intrepid, valiant; a mainstay

Stipend

A fixed sum of money paid periodically for services or to defray

expenses

The young man received a yearly stipend to attend a college of his choice due to his

fabulous essay in the competition.

• Stipend-similar to spending which deals with money. Stipend is a more constant payment

• Synonyms- salary, wage, allowance, emolument

Vulnerable

Open to attack; capable of being wounded or damaged; unprotected

The lonely base of Pearl Harbor sat perfectly and terribly vulnerable on that Sunday

morning of December 7, 1941 when the world’s history changed forever.

• Vulnerable- able to get attacked. Volunteer not important and would be let off if needed. Job is vulnerable.

• Antonyms- invincible, protected, safe, secure

• Synonyms- defenseless, exposed, unguarded

Review

1.Which of these is a synonym of reprove?

a)Approveb)Chastisec) Confused)Commend

2. Fill in the blank:

The __________ cost the careless driver several hundred dollars despite it being a parking ticket because of the many he had had before this incident.

3. Which of the following is an antonym of mitigate?

a) Solveb) Openc) Multiplyd) Irritate

4. What means the closest to restitution?

a) Restorationb) Fatalityc) Healthd) Subject

5. Which represents a stalwart the worst?

a) A mainstayb) A bravadoc) Firm supporterd) Weakling

6. Fill in the blank:The Vikings terrorized and

________ the town after defeating its feeble militia.

7. Which is the closest definition of prate?

a) To continue on a pathb) To underminec) To talk aimlesslyd) To research

8. Which is a synonym of stipend?

a) Allowanceb) Permitionc) Honord) Relaxation

9. What is not an antonym of vulnerable?

a) Invincibleb) Fortifiedc) Helplessd) Secure

10. Fill in the blank:

The ________ ways of our substitute teacher became very annoying to those of us who were not very precise in our work.

11. What is the opposite of redoubtable?

a)Contemptibleb) Fearsomec) Unattainabled) Atrocious

12. Which is a synonym of debase?

a) Degradeb) Approvec) Discernd) Disclude

13. The seemingly _______ old woman soon took off her veil and we realized she was downtrodden so much that she could not acknowledge any of us.

14. The opposite of inconsequential is:

a) Meaninglessb) Vitalc) Triflingd) Secondary

15. A synonym of concoct is:

a) Fabricateb) Includec) Pursued) Determine

16. The closest word in meaning to grandiose is:

a) Humbleb) Flamboyantc) Moderated) Mediocre

17. Fill in the blank:

The man attempted to ________ the security guard while his companion snuck around the back in a half-hearted effort to rob the jewelry store.

18. Which is most similar to cadaverous?

a) Mischievousb) Dependantc) Breath-takingd) Gaunt

19. Fill in the blank:

The officer commanded us to “cease and _______” after we had come to close to the stage at the rock concert.

20. Which is an antonym of beneficent?

a) Charitableb) Modernc) Selfishd) Courageous

21. Which is a synonym of austere?

a) Forbiddingb) Amiablec) Diversed) Exhilarating

22. Fill in the blank:

The unknowing first-time Church attendee accidently ________ the holy water by dipping his face gently into the container.