UNIT 2 VOCABULARY

Adroit(adj.) Skillful, expert in the use of the hands or

mind

Synonyms: Clever, deft, dexterous, slick

Antonyms: Clumsy, inept, all thumbs

Pronunciation

The members of the Carolina Crown Drum Line are extremely adroit while playing.

Amicable(adj.) peaceable, friendly

Synonyms: congenial, neighborly, cordial

Antonyms: hostile, antagonistic

Pronunciation

Averse(adj.) opposed, unwilling; having a deep-

seated distaste

Synonyms: disinclined, loath

Antonyms: favorably disposed, eager, keen

Pronunciation

He has always been averse to eating healthy

food.

Belligerent(adj.) given to fighting, warlike; combative, aggressive;

(n.) one at war, one engaged in war

Synonyms: assertive, truculent, pugnacious

Antonyms: peaceful, conciliatory, placid

Pronunciation

Benevolent(adj.) Kindly, charitable

Synonyms: benign, well-meaning

Antonyms: malicious, spiteful, malevolent

Pronunciation

Cursory(adj.) hasty, not thorough

Synonyms: quick, superficial, perfunctory

Antonyms: thorough, painstaking, careful

Pronunciation

Duplicity(n.) treachery, deceitfulness

Synonyms: fraud, double-dealing, chicanery

Pronunciation

We found it difficult to believe that our good friend could be capable of such duplicity.

Extol(v.) to praise extravagantly

Synonyms: glorify, applaud, acclaim, hail

Antonyms: criticize, belittle, disparage

Pronunciation

Feasible(adj.) possible, able to be done

Synonyms: workable, practicable, viable

Antonyms: unworkable, impractical

Pronunciation

Is this feasible?

Grimace(n.) a wry face, facial distortion;

(v.) to make a wry face

Synonyms: pained expression, facial contortion

Antonyms: (n.) smile, grin; (v.) beam

Pronunciation

Holocaust(n.) a large-scale destruction, especially by fire;

a vast slaughter; a burnt offering

Synonyms: conflagration, devastation, annihilation

Antonyms: deluge, inundation

Pronunciation

Impervious(adj.) not affected or hurt by; admitting of no

passage or entrance

Synonyms: impenetrable, resistant, proof against

Antonyms: porous, permeable, vulnerable

Pronunciation

Impetus(n.) a moving force, impulse, stimulus

Synonyms: impulse, incentive, spur

Antonyms: curb, hindrance, impediment, constraint

Pronunciation

Saving the elephants should get the same impetus as the “save

the whales” movement!

Jeopardy(n.) danger

Synonyms: risk, hazard, peril

Antonyms: safety, security

Pronunciation

Meticulous(adj.) extremely careful; particular about details

Synonyms: fussy, painstaking, fastidious

Antonyms: careless, negligent, sloppy

Pronunciation

The old man was meticulous when it came to his lawn.

Nostalgia(n.) a longing for something past; homesickness

Looking at old scrapbooks and reading old letters can bring on a vague sense of nostalgia for days

gone by and friends no longer near.

Pronunciation

Quintessence(v.) the purest essence or form of something; the

most typical example

Synonyms: paragon, exemplar

Pronunciation

Risking one’s own life to save lives of others is considered the quintessence of a selfless hero.

Retrogress(v.) to move backward; to return to an earlier

condition

Synonyms: revert, degenerate, decline

Antonyms: advance, evolve, progress

Pronunciation

Scrutinize(v.) to examine closely

Synonyms: inspect, pore over

Antonyms: skim, scan, glance at

Pronunciation

Tepid(adj.) lukewarm, unenthusiastic, marked by an

absence of interest

Synonyms: insipid, halfhearted, wish-washy

Antonyms: heated, excited, enthusiastic

Pronunciation

The water is tepid.