Alienate: GRE Word Groups
Alienate: GRE Word Groups
Alienate: GRE Word Groups
; transfer ownership to another; make hostile: separate estrange to alienate lacerate mangle; tear rend split; tear apart sunder separate; part gossamer sheer; like cobwebs - Characterized by unusual lightness and delicacy "gossamer shading through his playing" imponderable weightless confine (imprison) n. a boundary or bounded region; border; limit / [Old Poet.] confinement/[Obs.] a place of confinement v. to keep within limits; restrict [to confine a talk to ten minutes]/to keep shut up, as in prison, in bed because of illness, indoors, etc. SYN. limit constraint compulsion; repression of feelings custody (imprisonment) a guarding or keeping safe; care; protection; guardianship detain to keep in custody; confine / to keep from going on; hold back /[Obs.] to withhold detention detaining or being detained; specif., a) a keeping in custody; confinement b) an enforced delay/a form of punishment in which a student is required to stay after school duress forcible restraint, especially unlawfully fetter shackle incarcerate to imprison; jail / to shut up; confine manacle fetter or chain for the hands or feet / fetter with manacles ; restrain / handcuff obligatory binding; required quarantine isolation of person or ship to prevent spread of infection restraint controlling force seclusion a secluding or being secluded, retirement, isolation; isolation; solitude sequester retire from public life; segregate; seclude shackle chain; fetter stringent strict, severe, that must be obeyed ; tight, difficult to operate because of scarcity of money; binding; rigid arrogance the state or manner of having too great pride in oneself / haughtiness; arrogant unduly or excessively proud, as of wealth, station, learning, etc bloated swollen or puffed as with water or air brazen insolent Page 1 of 1
bumptious self-assertive cavalier gallant n. an armed horseman; knight / a gallant or courteous gentleman, esp. one serving as a lady's escort/ [C-] a partisan of Charles I of England in his struggles with Parliament (1641-1649); Royalist: opposed to Roundhead adj. [C-] a) of the Cavaliers b) associated with the court of Charles I of England [Cavalier poets]/a) free and easy; gay b) casual or indifferent toward matters of some importance c) haughty; arrogant; supercilious conceit whimsical idea; extravagant metaphor contumely scornful insolence; insult disdain contempt ; scorn / look on with contempt ; think it dishonorable to do something ; be too proud; treat with scorn or contempt domineer rule over tyrannically elated in high spirits ; proud / overjoyed; haughtiness pride; arrogance hubris arrogance; excessive self-conceit imperious commanding ; haughty ; arrogant ; urgent / domineering imperiousness lordliness; domineering manner; arrogance impertinent insolent impudent adj. 1 orig., immodest; shameless 2 shamelessly bold or disrespectful; saucy; insolent SYN. impertinent insolent haughty and contemptuous lofty very high mincing affectedly dainty overweening presumptuous; arrogant peremptory not to be disobeyed or questioned ; dogmatic ; insisting upon obedience ; imperious; demanding and leaving no choice pert impertinent; forward pontificate to officiate as a pontiff, to speak or act in a pompous or dogmatic way presumption arrogance; effrontery presumptuous arrogant; taking liberties pretentious claiming great merit or importance / ostentatious; ambitious smug (spruce) adj. orig., neat, spruce, trim, etc. / narrowly contented with one's own accomplishments, beliefs, morality, etc.; self-satisfied to an annoying degree; complacent stilted bombastic; inflated supercilious contemptuous; haughty thrasonical bragging, boastful vain (of, about) adj. having no real value or significance; worthless, empty, idle, hollow, etc. [vain pomp] / without force or Page 2 of 2
effect; futile, fruitless, unprofitable, unavailing, etc. [a vain endeavor] / having or showing an excessively high regard for one's self, looks, possessions, ability, etc.; indulging in or resulting from personal vanity; conceited / [Archaic] lacking in sense; foolish vainglorious boastful; excessively conceited apprehend arrest a criminal; dread; perceive apprehensive fearful about something that might happen ; quick to understand ; perceptive; fearful; discerning hypochondriac one who suffers from morbid anxiety / person unduly worried about his health; worrier without cause about illness misgivings doubts perturb disturb ; make afraid or anxious; disturb greatly qualm a fit of nausea qualms misgivings solicitous anxious or concerned about someone's welfare, etc ; eager to help or serve someone; worried; concerned appall fill with fear or terror ; dismay ; shock deeply craven cowardly dastard coward daunt intimidate diffident not having much belief in one's own abilities ; lacking in self-confidence ; shy dismay to make afraid or discouraged at the prospect of trouble or danger; fill with apprehension or alarm; daunt n. a loss of courage or confidence at the prospect of trouble or danger; consternation SYN. Dismay suggests fear or, esp. in modern usage, discouragement at the prospect of some difficulty or problem which one does not quite know how to resolve [dismayed at his lack of understanding]; appall suggests terror or (now more commonly) dismay at a shocking but apparently unalterable situation [an appalling death rate]; horrify suggests horror or loathing (or, in a weakened sense, irritation) at that which shocks or offends one [horrified at the suggestion]; daunt implies a becoming disheartened in the performance of an act that requires some courage [never daunted by adversity] intimidate milquetoast a timid, shrinking, apologetic person poltroon coward pusillanimous cowardly; fainthearted recreant coward; betrayer of faith terrify timorous fearful; demonstrating fear weak sister (slang) one who is cowardly, unreliable, etc. Page 3 of 3
drone idle person; male bee / talk dully; buzz or murmur like a bee indolence laziness indolent habitually inactive or idle schmo, schmoe (slang) fool slack sloth laziness; slow-moving tree dwelling mammal sloven sluggard lazy person sluggish inactive ; slow-moving / lazy; lethargic; not easily aroused by activity; slow to respond supine (indolent) lying on back torpor (torpidity) lethargy; sluggishness; dormancy truant One who is absent, evader affected artificial: pretended aggrandize make someone or a nation greater in power, wealth, rank, etc. ; exag gerate; increase or intensify blowhard a very boastful and talkative person [syn: braggart, boaster, line-shooter, vaunter] bluff (Poker) To deter (an opponent) from taking the risk of betting on his hand of cards, as the bluffer does by betting heavily on his own hand although it may be of less value. [U. S.] 2. To frighten or deter from accomplishing a purpose by making a show of confidence in one's strength or resources; as, he bluffed me off. [Colloq.] n. 1. A high, steep bank, as by a river or the sea, or beside a ravine or plain; a cliff with a broad face. Beach, bluff, and wave, adieu. --Whittier. 2. An act of bluffing; an expression of self-confidence for the purpose of intimidation; braggadocio; as, that is only bluff, or a bluff. 3. A game at cards; poker. [U.S.] --Bartlett bombastic pompous; using inflated language braggadocio boasting braggart boaster bravado swagger; assumed air of defiance charlatan quack; pretender to knowledge consequential pompous; self-important distend expand; swell out effusive expressing excessive emotion in an unrestrained manner ; pouring out ; overflowing / pouring forth; gushing enhance advance; improve; to make greater, better fanfare call by bugles or trumpets flaunt display ostentatiously fustian pompous; bombastic gasconade bluster; boastfulness grandiloquent pompous; bombastic; using high-sounding language Page 4 of 4
grandiose imposing; impressive hyperbole exaggerated statement made for effect and not intended to be taken literally; exaggeration; overstatement inflate take action to increase the amount of money in circulation so that prices rise ; fill a tire , balloon, etc. with air or gas ; make proud or elated inflated enlarged with air or gas; exaggerated magniloquent boastful; pompous mountebank charlatan; boastful pretender orotund having a round, resonant quality; inflated speech ostentatious done for unnecessary display ; liking to attract notice; showy; pretentious panache flair, flamboyance panegyric formal speech or writing praising a person or event ; high or hyperbolic praise, laudation; formal praise
pomposity self-important behavior; action like a stuffed shirt pretentious claiming great merit or importance / ostentatious; ambitious rhetoric art of effective communication; insincere language rhetorical pertaining to effective communication; insincere in language stilted bombastic; inflated strut pompous walk / supporting bar stuffed shirt tumid swollen; pompous; bombastic turgid swollen; distended
vaporer a braggart
vaunt vaunted boasted; bragged; highly publicized vaunter affinity a close relationship ; likeness ; strong liking or attraction; kinship apt bent determined; natural talent or inclination adj. 1 made curved or crooked; not straight 2 strongly inclined or determined: with on [bent on going] 3 set in a course; bound [westward bent] 4 [Slang] a) dishonest; crooked b) eccentric; odd n. 1 an inclination; tendency 2 a natural leaning or tendency; propensity [a bent for music, a criminal bent] 3 a framework transverse to the length of a structure, for supporting lateral as well as vertical loads disposition n. 1a putting in order or being put in order; arrangement [the disposition of the troops] 2management or settlement of affairs 3a selling or giving away, as of property 4a Page 5 of 5
getting rid of something [the disposition of wastes] 5the power or authority to arrange, settle, or manage; control 6an inclination or tendency [a disposition to quarrel] 7one's customary frame of mind; one's nature or temperament adj. SYN. disposition refers to the normal or prevailing aspect of one's nature [a genial disposition]; temperament refers to the balance of traits that are manifested in one's behavior or thinking [an artistic temperament]; temper refers to one's basic emotional nature, esp. as regards relative quickness to anger [a hot temper, an even temper]; character is applied to the sum of moral qualities associated with a distinctive individual [a weak character] and, unqualified, suggests moral strength, self-discipline, etc. [a man of character]; personality is applied to the sum of physical, mental, and emotional qualities that distinguish one as a person [a negative personality] and, unqualified, suggests attractiveness or charm [a girl with personality] endearment fond statement gusto enjoyment; enthusiasm inclination incline slope; slant leaning partial partiality inclination; bias penchant strong inclination; liking predilection special liking ; mental preference; partiality; preference predisposition proclivity a natural or habitual tendency, or inclination especially toward something discreditable / natural tendency proneness propensity a natural inclination or tendency tendency tendentious having an aim; designed to further a cause ablution the act of washing one's body or a part of it as a religious ceremony chaste pure, free from obscenity disinfection expurgate take out from a book what is considered to be improper or object on able parts / clean; remove offensive parts of a book hygiene immaculate pure ; faultless ; without a spot or stain ; perfectly clean ; right in every detail / spotless impeccable faultless ; incapable of doing wrong lave wash pristine characteristic of earlier times; primitive; unspoiled Page 6 of 6
purge clean by removing impurities; to clear of charges purify sanitation sterilization bark howl. Whine. Growl. Snarl. chaff worthless products of an endeavor epidermis hull husk membrane peel pod rind scale shuck coda concluding section of a musical or literary composition culminate 1to reach its highest or lowest altitude: said of a celestial body 2to reach its highest point or climax; result (in) vt. to bring to its climax; cap epilogue peroration, prologue ; last part of a literary work; short speech at conclusion of dramatic work finale conclusion interminable endless ; unable to be ended ; tedious because too long prorogue dismiss parliament; end officially terminate bring to an end ; come to an end / to bring to an end truncate cut the top off dawdle be slow, waste time / loiter; dissipate squander extravagant fritter waste improvident not looking to future needs ; wasteful / thriftless lavish liberal; wasteful loiter hang around; linger muddle muddled state, confusion of ideas / bring into a state of confusion and disorder / confuse; mix up niggle spend too much time on minor points; carp prodigal wasteful ; too free in giving or spending ; abundant; wasteful; reckless with money prodigality profligacy shameless viciousness profligate shamelessly immoral ; reckless, extravagant; dissipated; wasteful; licentious profuse very plentiful or abundant ; lavish or extravagant ; giving generously Page 7 of 7
profusion lavish expenditure; overabundant condition spendthrift squander waste thriftless unthrifty waster wastrel profligate agitation excitement of the mind or feelings, anxiety ; discussion or debate for the purpose of bringing about a change ; social or political unrest or trouble / strong feeling; excitement altercation quarrel or noisy argument; wordy quarrel bicker quarrel; to quarrel vi. 1 to have a petty quarrel; squabble 2 to move with quick, rippling noises [a bickering brook] 3 to flicker, twinkle, etc. n. 1 a petty quarrel 2 a rippling or pattering sound brabble (with) vi.[Archaic] to quarrel noisily over trifles n. quarrelsome chatter contend struggle ; be in rivalry or competition ; argue ; assert / compete; assert earnestly contentious quarrelsome contest dispute controvert dispute about ; deny, oppose / oppose with arguments; contradict disputatious argumentative; fond of argument dispute vi. 1to argue; debate 2to quarrel vt. 1to argue or debate (a question); discuss pro and con 2to question the truth of; doubt 3to oppose in any way; resist 4to fight for; contest [to dispute every foot of ground] n. 1a disputing; argument; debate 2a quarrel 3[Obs.] a fight SYN. discuss, argument beyond dispute 1not open to dispute or question; settled 2indisputably in dispute still being argued about; not settled haggle argue or dispute especially the price of something or the terms of a bargain / argue about prices incontrovertible that cannot be disputed / indisputable moot debatable polemic controversy; argument in support of point of view polemical problematic perplexing; unsettled; questionable spat n.[Rare] a slap/a quick, slapping sound/[Colloq.] a brief, petty quarrel or dispute vi.1[Rare] to slap/to strike with a quick, slapping sound/[Colloq.] to engage in a spat, or quarrel vt.[Rare] to slap SYN. quarrel squabble to quarrel noisily over a small matter; wrangle n.a noisy, petty quarrel or dispute; wrangle SYN. quarrel2 tiff n. a slight fit of anger or bad humor; huff; pet/ a slight quarrel; spat vi. to be in or have a tiff Page 8 of 8
wrangle such an argument / take part in a noisy or angry argument / quarrel; obtain through arguing; herd cattle acidulous slightly sour: sharp: caustic Slightly sour; sub-acid; sourish; as, an acidulous tincture. --E. Burke. Acidulous mineral waters, such as contain carbonic anhydride. bilious suffering from indigestion; irritable churl 1. A rustic; a countryman or laborer. ``A peasant or churl.'' --Spenser. Your rank is all reversed; let men of cloth Bow to the stalwart churls in overalls. --Emerson. 2. A rough, surly, ill-bred man; a boor. A churl's courtesy rarely comes, but either for gain or falsehood. --Sir P. Sidney. 3. A selfish miser; an illiberal person; a niggard. Like to some rich churl hoarding up his pelf. --Drayton crabbed sour; peevish adj. peevish; morose; ill-tempered; cross / hard to understand because intricate or complicated / hard to read or make out because cramped or irregular [crabbed handwriting] cumbersome burdensome ; heavy and awkward to carry / hard to mange fastidious difficult to please; squeamish finicky too particular; fussy fractious irritable, peevish, bad-tempered / unruly intractable unruly or stubborn ; not easily controlled or dealt with; unruly; refractory malcontent a person who is not contented / discontented and inclined to rebel / person dissatisfied with existing state of affairs martinet strict disciplinarian meticulous excessively careful morose ill-humored; sullen mutinous unruly; rebellious overnice adj. too nice; too fastidious, precise, etc. petulant touchy; peevish recalcitrant obstinately stubborn refractory resisting control, discipline, etc. wilful ; not yielding to treatment ; hard to melt, fuse or work; stubborn; unmanageable restive unmanageable; fretting under control adj. refusing to go forward; balky, as a horse / hard to control; unruly; refractory / nervous or impatient under pressure or restraint; restless; unsettled SYN. contrary shrew scolding woman squeamish adj. having a digestive system that is easily upset; easily nauseated; queasy / easily shocked or offended; prudish / excessively fastidious; oversensitive SYN. dainty touchy sensitive; irascible; sensitive; irritable unruly not easily controlled ; disorderly / disobedient; lawless untoward unfortunate; annoying vixen female fox; ill-tempered woman Page 9 of 9
wanton unruly; unchaste; excessive besmear besmirch soil; defile vt. 1 to make dirty; soil 2 to bring dishonor to; sully blotch n. 1 a discolored patch or blemish on the skin 2 any large blot or stain vt. to cover or mark with blotches blur brindled tawny or grayish with streaks or spots dappled spotted defile make something dirty ; destroy the purity of; pollute; profane disheveled untidy filthy fleck spot frowzy slovenly; unkempt; dirty immaculate pure ; faultless ; without a spot or stain ; perfectly clean ; right in every detail / spotless mottled spotted piebald mottled; spotted pied variegated; multicolored slovenly of or like a sloven / untidy; careless in work habits smear sordid filthy; base; vile squalid dirty; neglected; poor squalor Sordid dirtiness tainted contaminated; corrupt unkempt untidy ; uncombed / disheveled; with uncared for appearance abash embarrass, to destroy the self-confidence, poise, or selfpossession of; disconcert; make ashamed or embarrassed addle rotten: muddled; crazy 1. Liquid filth; mire. [Obs.] 2. Lees; dregs. [Prov. Eng.] --Wright. a. Having lost the power of development, and become rotten, as eggs; putrid. Hence: Unfruitful or confused, as brains; muddled. --Dryden. agitation excitement of the mind or feelings, anxiety ; discussion or debate for the purpose of bringing about a change ; social or political unrest or trouble / strong feeling; excitement anarchy absence of government or control ; disorder ; confusion; absence of governing body; state of disorder baffle frustrate; perplex; to confuse bedlam (St. Mary of Bethlehem (madhouse) madhouse; [Archaic] any insane asylum ;any place or condition of noise and confusion confound vt. 1to mix up or lump together indiscriminately; confuse 2to make feel confused; bewilder 3to damn: used as a mild oath 4[Archaic] to defeat or destroy 5[Archaic] to abash consternation surprise and fear ; dismay Page 10 of 10
deranged insane disarray a disorderly or untidy state discombobulate to upset the composure of; disconcert embroil throw into confusion; involve in strife; entangle fluctuate move up and down fluster confuse fuddle imperturbable not capable of being excited ; calm / placid maelstrom whirlpool muddle muddled state, confusion of ideas / bring into a state of confusion and disorder / confuse; mix up obfuscate darken or obscure the mind ; bewilder; confuse; muddle oscillate vibrate pendulum like; waver pandemonium wild and noisy disorder / wild tumult perplex perturb disturb ; make afraid or anxious; disturb greatly perturbation agitation ruffled trepidation fear; trembling agitation turmoil confusion; strife vacillation fluctuation; wavering welter wallow / turmoil; bewildering jumble accede agree ; take up a position ; succeed ; become a member of an organization accolade bestowed of a knighthood by a tap on the shoulder with the flat of a sword ; praise ; approval; award of merit accord the state of being in agreement or harmony; be in agreement or harmony ; give, grant to agree; to be in harmony; to grant or bestow acquiesce to assent tacitly ;submit or comply silently or without protest ; assent; agree passively assent agreement / agree to something / accept compact concur agree, be in harmony ; happen at the same time ; work together concurrent happening at the same time conformity harmony; agreement congruence correspondence of parts; harmonious relationship congruous corresponding to what is right, proper, or reasonable; fitting; suitable; appropriate consort associate with converge come towards each other and meet at a point / come together seconder stand-by Page 11 of 11
unanimity complete agreement or unity uniformity sameness; consistency; monotony unison concord or agreement / unity of pitch; complete accord articulate say words or speak distinctly ; connect by joints / in which the separate sounds and words are clear ; able to put thoughts and feelings into clear speech; effective; distinct babble chatter idly drone idle person; male bee / talk dully; buzz or murmur like a bee eloquent enunciate speak distinctly glib fluent; spoken easily but with little thought ; fluent mumble murmur mutter prattle babble stammer stuttering verbiage unnecessary words for the expression of an idea, etc. / pompous array of words voluble loquacious ; able to talk very quickly and easily ; fluent ; rotating / glib austere strict; stern brevity shortness of statements, human life and other nonmaterial things; conciseness concise brief ; giving much information in few words; brief and compact curt adj. orig., short or shortened / brief, esp. to the point of rudeness; terse or brusque [a curt reply] SYN. blunt epigrammatic of the epigram or full of epigrams / having the nature of an epigram; terse, witty, etc. Also laconic brief and to the point pithy concise; meaty proverb reticent not saying all that is known or felt ; in the habit of saving little; reserved; uncommunicative, inclined to silence sententious dull and moralizing ; having an air of wisdom ; in the habit of saying or writing things in a short and witty manner; terse; concise; aphoristic succinct terse ; expressed briefly and clearly; brief; terse; compact taciturn habitually silent; talking little terse concise; abrupt; pithy vignette picture; short literary sketch amicable done in friendly way ; peaceful Page 12 of 12
amity friendship bonhomie good nature; pleasant, affable manner; amiability convivial gay ; cheerful ; fond of chatting, merry-making, drinking, etc. ; of a feast or an official dinner; festive; gay; characterized by joviality debonair friendly; aiming to please jaunty stylish; perky; carefree jocund merry jovial good-natured; merry resilient bouncing or springing back into shape, position, etc. after being stretched, bent or compressed ; buoyant in disposition / elastic; having the power of springing back sanguine hopeful ; optimistic ; having a red complexion; cheerful; hopeful spruce neat and trim suavity urbanity; polish vivacious lively, high-spirited, animated; gay winsome attractive ; pleasing, bright / agreeable; gracious; engaging belie give a wrong or untrue idea of ; fail to justify or be equal to what is hoped for or promised; contradict; give a false impression contravene go against a law, a custom, etc. ; attack a statement, a principle, etc. / contradict; infringe on discordant not in agreement ; not harmonious ; harsh / inharmonious; conflicting discrepancy difference ; absence of agreement; lack of consistency; difference disparity inequality ; difference / condition of inequality dissent disagreement in opinion / have a different opinion from ; refuse to assent to ; refuse to accept the religious doctrine of the Chuch of England dissident person who disagrees ; dissenter / disagreeing dissonant divergent get farther apart from a point, or from each other as they progress / differing; deviating friction clash in opinion; rubbing against incompatible implacable that cannot be appeased ; relentless / incapable of being pacified incoherence lack of relevance; lack of intelligibility incoherent not logically coordinated, as to parts, elements, or details incongruity lack of harmony; absurdity incongruous not fitting; absurd inconsistency irreconcilable incompatible; not able to be resolved Page 13 of 13
oxymoron A rhetorical figure in which incongruous or contradictory terms are combined, as in a deafening silence and a mournful optimist paradox statement that seems to say something opposite to common sense or the truth, but which may contain a truth; statement that looks false but is actually correct rent repugnance loathing schism division; split anesthetic substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness callous hardened; unfeeling impassive showing no sign of feeling ; unmoved / without feeling; not affected by pain insensate without feeling insensible unconscious; unresponsive opiate sleep producer; deadener of pain soporific sleep producer stolid (dull) dull; impassive stupefaction a stupefying or being stupefied / stunned amazement or utter bewilderment stupor almost unconscious condition caused by shock, drugs, alcohol, etc.; state of apathy; daze; lack of awareness torpid dormant; dull; lethargic hefty ponderous weighty; unwieldy preponderous atrophy A decrease in size of an organ caused by disease or disuse, Any weakening or degeneration (especially through lack of use) attenuate make thin or slender ; weaken callous hardened; unfeeling debilitate make weak; weaken; enfeeble debility decrepitude A state of deterioration due to old age or long use devitalize drowsiness effeminacy The trait of being effeminate (derogatory of a man) enervate deprive of strength, force, vigor, etc. ; weaken physically, mentally, or morally / weakened enfeeble flabby flaccid flabby flagging weak; drooping impassive showing no sign of feeling ; unmoved / without feeling; Page 14 of 14
not affected by pain impotent weak; ineffective indolent habitually inactive or idle inertia state of being inert or indisposed to move inertness insensate without feeling insensible unconscious; unresponsive lackadaisical affectedly languid, Lacking spirit or liveliness laggard slow; sluggish languid weary; sluggish; listless languor A relaxed comfortable feeling, A feeling of lack of interest or energy, Inactivity; showing an unusual lack of energy lassitude A state of comatose torpor (as found in sleeping sickness), A feeling of lack of interest or energy lax careless lethargy a condition of abnormal drowsiness or torpor ; a great lack of energy ; being uninterested listless too tired to show interest or do anything; lacking in spirit or energy loaf (v.) Be lazy or idle loiter hand around; linger loll vi. 1to lean or lounge about in a relaxed or lazy manner 2to hang in a relaxed manner; droop [the dog's tongue lolled out] vt. to let droop or hang loosely n. [Archaic] the act of lolling phlegmatic calm; not easily disturbed remiss careless of duty / negligent sap senility old age; feeblemindedness of old age sloth laziness; slow-moving tree dwelling mammal sluggard lazy person sluggish inactive ; slow-moving / lazy; lethargic; not easily aroused by activity; slow to respond somnolent sleepy ; almost asleep ; causing sleep / half asleep stolid (dull) dull; impassive stupor almost unconscious condition caused by shock, drugs, alcohol, etc.; state of apathy; daze; lack of awareness supine (indolent) lying on back torpid dormant; dull; lethargic torpor (torpidity) lethargy; sluggishness; dormancy foolhardy rash temerarious rash temerity boldness; rashness venturesome bold anhydrous withered arid dry; barren barren Page 15 of 15
colander utensil with perforated bottom used for straining deluge great flood ; heavy fall of rain ; anything coming in a heavy rush / flood ; come down on; flood; rush deplete empty until little or none remains ; use up ; exhaust; reduce; exhaust desiccant desiccate dry up drain drench drought exsiccate Lose water or moisture hydrate immerse inundate flood ; cover with water by over-flowing ; deluge; overflow; flood macerate Separate into constituents by soaking, Cause to grow thin or weak parch saturate soak scorch sear Become superficially burned soak soaked; dull, as if from drink steep soak asinine stupid buffoon a clown bungler Someone who makes mistakes because of incompetence dolt stupid person dupe n. a person easily tricked or fooled vt. to deceive by trickery; fool or cheat SYN. cheat farcical Broadly or extravagantly humorous; resembling farce fatuity A ludicrous folly fatuous foolish; inane folly 1 a lack of understanding, sense, or rational conduct; foolishness 2 any foolish action or belief 3 any foolish and useless but expensive undertaking 4 a) [Obs.] wickedness or evil; also, lewdness b) action that ends or can end in disaster See also follies imbecile A person of subnormal intelligence impolitic not wise imprudent lacking caution; injudicious inane silly; senseless inept not suitable to the purpose ; wrong in a foolish and awkward way; unsuited; absurd; incompetent jester lout clumsy person ludicrous laughable; trifling Page 16 of 16
mooncalf oaf stupid, awkward person obtuse blunt; stupid pantaloon puerility The state of a child between infancy and adolescence sap head schlemiel schmo, schmoe simp (simpleton) simpleton soft head softy, softie stick-in-the-mud stultify cause to appear foolish or inconsistent stupe stupor almost unconscious condition caused by shock, drugs, alcohol, etc.; state of apathy; daze; lack of awareness tomfool vacuous empty; inane vapid insipid; inane witless foolish; idiotic zany n. 1a clown or buffoon; specif., a former stock character in comedies who clownishly aped the principal actors 2a silly or foolish person; simpleton adj. of or characteristic of a zany; specif., a) comical in an extravagantly ludicrous or slapstick manner b) foolish or crazy acumen mental keenness; keen insight; shrewdness apprehensive fearful about something that might happen ; quick to understand ; perceptive; fearful; discerning clairvoyant having the power of seeing things not seen by other persons ; unusually keen / fortuneteller / having foresight discerning mentally quick and observant; having insight epiphany any appearance or bodily manifestation of a deity erudite having or showing a wide knowledge gained from reading ; learned; learned; scholarly erudition high degree of knowledge and learning judicious showing or having good sense; wise; determined by sound judgment perspicacious quick to judge and understand / having insight; penetrating; astute sagacious keen; shrewd; having insight contumacious resisting authority ; obstinate and disobedient defiance the act of defying; open, bold resistance to authority or opposition / a challenge insubordinate disobedient ; rebellious insurgent a person engaged in resurgent activity / rebellious ; Page 17 of 17
rising in revolt ; in revolt against the leadership of a political party insurrection rebellion; uprising malcontent a person who is not contented / discontented and inclined to rebel / person dissatisfied with existing state of affairs mutineer mutiny mutinous unruly; rebellious rebel n. one who engages in armed resistance against the established government of one's country / a person who resists any authority or controls / [often R-] name for a Confederate soldier in the Civil War adj. rebellious / of rebels vi. to be a rebel against the established government of one's country / to resist any authority or controls [to rebel against one's parents] / to feel or show strong aversion; be repelled [his mind rebels at the thought] recalcitrant obstinately stubborn restive unmanageable; fretting under control adj. refusing to go forward; balky, as a horse / hard to control; unruly; refractory / nervous or impatient under pressure or restraint; restless; unsettled SYN. contrary sedition tumult, allegiance; resistance to authority; insubordination seditionary avert turn away, turn aside ; avoid ; prevent; prevent; turn away balk n. 1 a ridge of unplowed land between furrows 2 a roughly hewn piece of timber 3 a beam used in construction 4 something that obstructs or thwarts; check, hindrance, disappointment, etc. 5 [Obs.] a blunder; error 6 Baseball an illegal motion by the pitcher, such as an uncompleted motion to throw to a base, while one foot is on the rubber: it entitles each base runner to advance one base 7 Billiards any of the outer spaces between the cushions and the balk line vt. 1 orig., to make balks in (land) 2 to obstruct or thwart; foil 3 [Archaic] to miss or let slip by 4 Baseball to force (a base runner to score from third base) by committing a balk vi. 1 to stop and obstinately refuse to move or act 2 to hesitate or recoil (at) 3 to make a balk in baseball SYN. frustrate circumvent prevent a plan from being carried out, frustrate; outwit; baffle defer deterrent something that discourages; hindrance encumber get in the way of ; be a burden to ; choke up forestall upset somebody or his plans by doing something unexpectedly early ; buy up ; do something first and so prevent another from doing it; prevent by taking action in advance hamper obstruct hindrance block; obstacle Page 18 of 18
impede hinder; block impediment a thing which hinders ; an obstacle ; a defect in speech / hindrance; stumbling- block inhibit hinder, restrain ; forbid / prohibit; obstructionist pester vt. to annoy constantly or repeatedly with petty irritations; bother; vex/[Obs.] to overcrowd; cram preclude prevent ; make impossible in advance; make impossible; eliminate procrastinate delay action ; keep on putting off / postpone; retard seditionary slacken slow up; loosen stonewalled stymie present an obstacle; stump temporize delay making a decision, giving an answer, stating one's purpose etc. ; act so as to gain time; avoid committing oneself; gain time thwart baffle; frustrate apostate one who abandons his faith / one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs convert neophyte person who has newly been converted to some belief or religion ; beginner; recent convert; beginner perfidious faithless ; treacherous / basely false perfidy violation of a trust proselyte a person who has been converted from one religion to another, or from one belief, sect, party, etc. to another to try to convert (a person), esp. to one's religion / to persuade to do or join something, esp. by offering an inducement proselytize convert to a religion or belief recreant coward; betrayer of faith renegade person who changes his religious beliefs ; person who deserts his political party ; traitor / deserter; apostate tergiversation evasion; fickleness traitor treacherousness caprice whim capricious fickle; incalculable conceit whimsical idea; extravagant metaphor cranky adj. in poor condition; apt to operate poorly / irritable; cross / queer; eccentric/ [Rare] full of turns; crooked/ Naut. liable to lurch or capsize; unsteady SYN. irritable crotchety eccentric; whimsical faltering falter vi. to move uncertainly or unsteadily; totter; stumble / to stumble in speech; speak haltingly; stammer / to act Page 19 of 19
hesitantly; show uncertainty; waver; flinch [to falter under enemy fire] / to lose strength, certainty, etc.; weaken [the economy faltered] vt. to say hesitantly or timidly n. a faltering / a faltering sound fanciful whimsical; visionary fantastic unreal; grotesque; whimsical fickle often changing ; not constant; changeable; faithless flux flowing; series of changes frivolous (silly) adj. of little value or importance; trifling; trivial / not properly serious or sensible; silly and light-minded; giddy [a frivolous remark, a frivolous youth] intersperse Introduce one's writing or speech with certain expressions, Place at intervals in or among mercurial fickle; changing metamorphose monotony sameness leading to boredom moodiness fits of depression or gloom mutable liable to change ; likely to change / changing in form; fickle protean versatile; able to take on many shapes quicksilver quirk startling twist; caprice skittish lively; frisky tantrum fit of petulance; caprice transition a passing from one condition, period, form, stage, activity, place, etc. to another / going from one state of action to another transmute change the shape, nature or substance of / convert to something different vacillation fluctuation; wavering vagary caprice; whim vagrant Continually changing especially as from one abode or occupation to another vicissitude change, especially in somebody's fortunes; change of fortune volatile evaporating rapidly; lighthearted; mercurial wanton unruly; unchaste; excessive waver vi. to swing or sway to and fro; flutter / to show doubt or indecision; find it hard, or be unable, to decide; vacillate / to become unsteady; begin to give way; falter / to tremble; quaver: said of the voice, etc. / to vary in brightness; flicker: said of light / to fluctuate / to totter n. the act of wavering, trembling, vacillating, etc. whimsical capricious; fanciful; quaint nemesis revenging agent reprisal injury or revenge done in return for an injury, especially Page 20 of 20
by one country to another in a war; retaliation requite repay; revenge retaliate repay in kind usually for bad treatment vendetta feud; private warfare vengeance n. the return of an injury for an injury, in punishment or retribution; avenging of an injury or offense; revenge / the desire to make such a return vindicate prove the justice, truth, validity, etc. of; clear of charges abjure renounce upon oath abnegate to renounce (a right or privilege); 1. to refuse or deny oneself (some rights, conveniences) ;reject 2. to relinquish ; give up abnegation repudiation; self-sacrifice contravene go against a law, a custom, etc. ; attack a statement, a principle, etc. / contradict; infringe on controvert dispute about ; deny, oppose / oppose with arguments; contradict demur delay; object desist cease ; stop ; give up disavow deny belief, approval or knowledge ; refuse disavowal denial; disclaiming discard disclaim give up ; reject ; deny; disown; renounce claim to discredit loss of credit or reputation / refuse to believe or have confidence in / defame; destroy confidence in; disbelieve disprove dissent disagreement in opinion / have a different opinion from ; refuse to assent to ; refuse to accept the religious doctrine of the Chuch of England flout reject; mock gainsay deny negate negation denial override protest rebuff snub; beat back rebut to contradict renege deny; go back on renounce consent formally to give up a claim, right, possession, etc. ; refuse to acknowledge ; disown; abandon; discontinue; disown; repudiate repel vt. to drive or force back; hold or ward off [to repel an attack]/to refuse to accept, agree to, or submit to; reject [to repel advances]/ to refuse to accept (a person); spurn [to repel a suitor]/ a) to cause distaste or dislike in; disgust [the odor Page 21 of 21
repelled him] b) to cause (insects, etc.) to react by staying away/ a) to be resistant to, or present an opposing force to [a coating that repels moisture] b) to fail to mix with or adhere to [water repels oil] vi. to drive off, or offer an opposing force to, something / to cause distaste, dislike, or aversion repudiate disown ; say that one will have nothing more to do with ; refuse to accept or acknowledge ; refuse to pay an obligation or dept; disown; disavow revoke withhold apparent elucidate explain ; make clear ; throw light on a problem, or difficulty / enlighten; to make understandable evince show that one has a feeling, quality, etc.; show clearly explicit clearly stated and leaving nothing implied ; outspoken ; saying what is meant without reservation or disguise; definite; open incontrovertible that cannot be disputed / indisputable indisputable that cannot be disputed ; unquestionable / too certain to be disputed indubitable that cannot be doubted; unquestionable limpid clear lucid clear ; lucent; bright; easily understood manifest understandable; clear noncommittal not committing oneself to a definite course or to either side in a dispute, etc. / neutral; unfledged; undecided overt open to view palpable that can be felt or touched ; clear to the mind; tangible; easily perceptible patent open for the public to read; obvious pellucid transparent; limpid; easy to understand perspicuous plainly expressed tangible that can be perceived by touch ; clear and definite ; real; able to be touched; real; palpable transparent allowing light to pass through ; about which there can be no mistake or doubt / permitting light to pass through freely; easily detected unequivocal clear, having one only possible meaning / plain; obvious unerringly plain; obvious dim filmy hazy slightly obscure; not clear; vague murky nebulous cloudy; hazy opaque dark; not transparent Page 22 of 22
opaqueness sooty turbid muddy; having the sediment disturbed abusive using insults and curses ; of wrong use / coarsely insulting; physically harmful admonish blame or scold gently ; warn ; give advice to someone; warn: reprove affront an open insult / insult someone openly and on purpose ; meet death face to face anathema formal declaration of the church, excommunicating somebody or condemning something as evil; solemn curse anathematize curse animadvert arraign charge in court; indict aspersion the act of sprinkle water ; slander; slanderous remark assail assault averse unwilling ; opposed / reluctant berate scold sharply / scold strongly vt. to scold or rebuke severely billingsgate vituperation; abusive language blasphemous profane; impious bluster n. 1. Fitful noise and violence, as of a storm; violent winds; boisterousness. To the winds they set Their corners, when with bluster to confound Sea, air, and shore. --Milton. 2. Noisy and violent or threatening talk; noisy and boastful language. Syn: Noise; boisterousness; tumult; turbulence; confusion; boasting; swaggering; bullying. calumniate slander calumny malicious misrepresentation; slander castigation punishment; severe criticism censorious critical censure blame; criticize chastise punish chide scold contemn regard with contempt; disregard contempt scorn; disdain contumely scornful insolence; insult culpable blameworthy, deserving punishment; deserving blame decry disparage defamation harm that is given to one's reputation ; slander / harming a person's reputation defame to slander denigrate blacken denounce condemn; criticize deprecate feel and express disapproval of; disapprove regretfully deprecatory disapproving Page 23 of 23
derogatory tending to damage or take away from one's credit, etc. ; insulting; expressing a low opinion despise scorn detest detraction slandering; aspersion diatribe bitter scolding; invective disapprobation disapproval; condemnation disapproval disdain contempt ; scorn / look on with contempt ; think it dishonorable to do something ; be too proud; treat with scorn or contempt disparage say that someone or something is of small value or importance ; speak ill of; belittle epithet an expression which give a good description, eg. Sophocles, the wise one / descriptive word or phrase excoriate flay; abrade execrable deserving hate ; abominable ; very bad execrate curse; express abhorrence for expletive interjection; profane oath flak n. the fire of antiaircraft guns / [Colloq.] strong, clamorous criticism, opposition, etc. flay strip off skin; plunder flout reject; mock fulminate thunder; explode fulmination gainsay deny gibe mock hireling one who serves for hire (usually contemptuously) hurl (pitch) vt. to throw or fling with force or violence / to cast down; overthrow / to utter vehemently [to hurl insults] vi. to throw or fling something / to move with force or violence; rush hypercritical too demanding, finding too much to criticize / excessively exacting ignominy 1 loss of one's reputation; shame and dishonor; infamy 2 disgraceful, shameful, or contemptible quality, behavior, or act imprecate curse; pray that evil will befall imprecation a curse impugn attack by argument or criticism, express doubt about a statement, act, quality, etc.; doubt; challenge; gainsay imputation charge; reproach incriminate accuse of a crime ; say that someone is guilty of wrongdoing indignity offensive or insulting treatment invective abuse language ; curses ; violent expressions inveigh denounce; utter censure or invective libel defamation Page 24 of 24
libelous defamatory; injurious to the good name of a person malediction curse ; prayer to God that someone or something may be destroyed, hurt, etc malign speak evil of; defame; to slander maul mock mortify cause someone to be ashamed, humiliated, or hurt in his feelings ; discipline bodily passions or overcome bodily desires; humiliate; punish the flesh mudslinger nauseate objurgate scold; rebuke severely obloquy bad words spoken of a person or thing ; ill repute ; disgrade / slander; disgrace; infamy opprobrium the disgrace or infamy attached to conduct viewed as grossly shameful ; scorn ; reproach / vilification pan peace monger pejorative having a deteriorating or depreciating effect on the meaning of a word pelf stolen property; money or wealth in a contemptuous sense rail scold; rant rate rebuke recrimination accusation made in return for one already made ; countercharge; countercharges remonstrate say or plead in protest, objection, complaints, etc. reprehend reprehensible deserving to be blamed; deserving blame reprimand reproach blame; censure reprobate person hardened in sin, devoid of a sense of decency reprobation severe disapproval reprove find fault with ; say sharp words to; censure; rebuke revile swear at, abuse; slander; vilify scathe slander defamation; utterance o false and malicious statements slater slight slur smear sneer sordid filthy; base; vile spurn reject; scorn stigmatize describe somebody scornfully; brand; mark as wicked stricture critical comments; severe and adverse criticism Page 25 of 25
tirade extended scolding; denunciation traduce say untrue or malicious things about ; slander / expose to slander umbrage resentment; anger; sense of injury or insult upbraid scold; reproach vilifier vilify slander vituperate Spread negative information about abscond go away suddenly and hide / depart secretly and hide abstruse deep in meaning ; difficult to understand; obscure: profound: difficult to understand; recondite arcane secret; mysterious cache clandestine secret conclave private meeting covert secret; hidden; implied crabbed sour; peevish adj. peevish; morose; ill-tempered; cross / hard to understand because intricate or complicated / hard to read or make out because cramped or irregular [crabbed handwriting] cryptic mysterious; hidden; secret enigmatic obscure; puzzling esoteric known only to the chosen few furtive stealthy incognito concealed under a disguised identity ; with an assumed name / with one's name, identity, etc. concealed / with identity concealed; using an assumed name inconspicuous intricate complicated ; difficult to follow or understand lurk obscure dark; vague; unclear; darken; make unclear occult hidden ; secret ; mysterious ; supernatural ; magical; mysterious; secret; supernatural privy secret; hidden; not public profound deep; not superficial; complete recondite abstruse; profound; secret riddle skulk move furtively and secretly subterranean surreptitious done, got made, etc. in a secret, stealthy way, clandestine affected artificial: pretended apocryphal relating to the apocryphal ; not genuine; not genuine; sham artifice deception; trickery astute wise; shrewd Page 26 of 26
beguile cheat ; amuse / delude; belie give a wrong or untrue idea of ; fail to justify or be equal to what is hoped for or promised; contradict; give a false impression bilk vt. 1 to balk or thwart 2 to cheat or swindle; defraud 3 to get away without paying (a debt, etc.) 4 to manage to get away from; elude [to bilk the police] n. 1 a bilking or being bilked; hoax 2 a person who cheats; swindler bogus counterfeit; not authentic cajole coax; wheedle calumny malicious misrepresentation; slander charlatan quack; pretender to knowledge chicanery trickery circumlocution roundabout way of speaking ; roundabout expression; indirect or roundabout expression cog tooth projecting from a wheel concoct prepare by mixing together ; invent a story, and excuse, a plot, etc.; prepare by combining; make up in concert contrived forced; artificial; not spontaneous cozen cheat; hoodwink; swindle delude deceive ; mislead delusion false belief; hallucination delusive deceptive; raising vain hopes devious going astray; erratic disingenuous insincere ; not straightforward / not naive; sophisticated dissemble hide one's feeling, intentions, etc. ; disguise; disguise; pretend dissimulate hide one's feelings, intentions, etc. by pretense ; pretend / conceal by feigning dupe n. a person easily tricked or fooled vt. to deceive by trickery; fool or cheat SYN. cheat duplicity elusive evasive; baffling; hard to grasp equivocate use vague expressions / lie; mislead; attempt to conceal the truth fabricate build; lie factitious artificial; sham fallacious 1 containing a fallacy; erroneous [fallacious reasoning] 2 a) misleading or deceptive b) causing disappointment; delusive feint trick; shift; sham blow finesse delicate skill forswear perjure oneself ; give up doing or using something fraudulent cheating; deceitful furtive stealthy gerrymander change voting district lines in order to favor a political party Page 27 of 27
gimmick gouge tear out guile deceit; duplicity guise appearance; costume hoax trick; practical joke; a trick hoodwink deceive; delude hypocritical pretending to be virtuous; deceiving illusive deceiving illusory deceptive; not real imposture assuming a false identity; masquerade improbity dishonesty insidious treacherous; stealthy; sly inveigle lead astray; wheedle legerdemain sleight of hand mendacious lying; false mendacity molten in a melted and therefore very hot state ; made of metal that has been melted and cast nonentity thing that does not really exist or that exists only in the imagination ; unimportant person / nonexistence; person of no importance perfidious faithless ; treacherous / basely false perjury the act of making a false statement after taking an oath to tell the truth ; willful false statement; false testimony while under oath pharisaical pertaining to the Pharisees; self-righteous; hypocritical; deceiving ploy pretentious claiming great merit or importance / ostentatious; ambitious pretext a false reason or motive put forth to hide the real one / excise prevaricate make untrue or partly untrue statements, try to evade telling the whole truth / lie quack charlatan; impostor quibble evasion of the main point of an argument, attempt to escape giving an honest answer, by using a secondary or doubtful meaning of a word or phrase / use quibbles ; argue about small points of differences / equivocate; play on words ruse trick; stratagem serpentine twisting and curving like snake; winding; twisting shammer shark sharper swindler short-changer shrewd clever; astute Page 28 of 28
skinner skullduggery dishonest behavior sleight dexterity specious seeming right or true, but not really so; seemingly reasonable but incorrect spurious false; counterfeit stratagem deceptive scheme studied subterfuge pretense; evasion subtlety nicety; cunning; guile; delicacy surreptitious done, got made, etc. in a secret, stealthy way, clandestine swindle tortuous full of twists and bends ; not straight forward, devious; winding; full of curves twister vulpine of or like a fox ; crafty wangle wiggle out; fake welsher Someone who swindles you by not repaying a debt or wager wheedle cajole; coax; deceive by flattery wily cunning; artful botch 1. A swelling on the skin; a large ulcerous affection; a boil; an eruptive disease. [Obs. or Dial.] Botches and blains must all his flesh emboss. --Milton. 2. A patch put on, or a part of a garment patched or mended in a clumsy manner. 3. Work done in a bungling manner; a clumsy performance; a piece of work, or a place in work, marred in the doing, or not properly finished; a bungle. To leave no rubs nor botches in the work. --Shak. an embarrassing mistake [syn: blunder, blooper, bungle, foul-up, fuckup, flub, boner, boo-boo, misdoing] v : make a mess of, destroy or ruin [syn: fumble, botch up, muff, blow, flub, screw up, ball up, blunder, spoil, muck up, bungle, fluff, bollix, bollix up, bollocks, bollocks up, bobble, mishandle, louse up, foul up, mess up, fuck up] bungle spoil by clumsy behavior dismal adj. 1causing gloom or misery; depressing 2dark and gloomy; bleak; dreary 3depressed; miserable doggerel poor verse fumble vt. 1 to search (for a thing) by feeling about awkwardly with the hands; grope clumsily 2 to handle (a thing) clumsily or unskillfully; bungle 3 to lose one's grasp on (a football, etc.) while trying to catch or hold it 4 to make (one's way) clumsily or by groping n. 1 the act or fact of fumbling 2 a football, etc. that has been fumbled gauche clumsy; boorish; impolite; clumsy; awkward Page 29 of 29
inept not suitable to the purpose ; wrong in a foolish and awkward way; unsuited; absurd; incompetent maladroit not adroit ; clumsy ; tactless / bungling parody writing intended to amuse by imitating the style of writing used by someone else ; weak imitation / make a parody of; humorous imitation; travesty uncouth rough, awkward, not cultured / outlandish; clumsy; boorish; rude in one's behavior ballast heavy substance used to add stability or weight barge houseboat careen lurch; sway from side to side caulk A waterproof filler and sealant that is used in building and repair to make watertight figurehead galley hold lurch porthole skiff tugboat armor clad arsenal n 1: all the weapons and equipment that a country has [syn: armory, armoury] 2: a military structure where arms and ammunition and other military equipment are stored and training is given in the use of arms [syn: armory, armoury] 3: a place where arms are manufactured [syn bulwark earthwork or other strong defense; person who defends cavalier gallant n. an armed horseman; knight / a gallant or courteous gentleman, esp. one serving as a lady's escort/ [C-] a partisan of Charles I of England in his struggles with Parliament (1641-1649); Royalist: opposed to Roundhead adj. [C-] a) of the Cavaliers b) associated with the court of Charles I of England [Cavalier poets]/a) free and easy; gay b) casual or indifferent toward matters of some importance c) haughty; arrogant; supercilious cavalry Troops trained to fight on horseback chivalrous the knights or the Middle Ages ; honorable ; courteous / courteous; faithful; brave chivalry Courtesy towards women dagger drawbridge gauntlet leather glove; To offer or accept a challenge; "threw down the gauntlet"; "took up the gauntlet" moat Ditch dug as a fortification and usually filled with water motto quiver Page 30 of 30
rampart defensive mound of earth cantankerous ill humored; irritable/bad-tempered; quarrelsome choleric hot-tempered/orig., bilious/ having or showing a quick temper or irascible nature SYN. irritable crabbed sour; peevish adj. peevish; morose; ill-tempered; cross / hard to understand because intricate or complicated / hard to read or make out because cramped or irregular [crabbed handwriting] cranky adj. in poor condition; apt to operate poorly / irritable; cross / queer; eccentric/ [Rare] full of turns; crooked/ Naut. liable to lurch or capsize; unsteady SYN. irritable cross (irritable) (with); adj. lying or passing across or through; transverse; crossing or crossed [cross street, cross ventilation] going counter; contrary; opposed [at cross purposes] illtempered; cranky; irritable involving reciprocal actions, etc. of mixed variety or breed; hybrid; crossbred [Archaic] causing harm; unfavorable exasperate vt. to irritate or annoy very much; make angry; vex [Archaic] to intensify (a feeling, disease, etc.); aggravate SYN. irritate fractious irritable, peevish, bad-tempered / unruly fretful adj. tending to fret; irritable and discontented; peevish grate vt. to grind into shreds or particles by rubbing or scraping/to rub against (an object) with a harsh, scraping sound/to grind (the teeth) together with a rasping sound/to irritate; annoy; fret vi. to grind or rub with a harsh scraping or rasping sound/to make a harsh or rasping sound/to have an irritating or annoying effect irascible irritable; easily angered nag vt.to annoy by continual scolding, faultfinding, complaining, urging, etc./to keep troubling, worrying, etc. [nagged by a thought] vi.to urge, scold, find fault, etc. constantly/to cause continual discomfort, pain, etc. [a nagging toothache] n.a person, esp. a woman, who nags nettle any of a genus (Urtica) of annual and perennial weeds of the nettle family with stinging hairs/any of various other stinging or spiny plants adj.designating a family (Urticaceae, order Urticales) of chiefly tropical, dicotyledonous plants usually covered with stinging hairs, including the ramie vt.to sting with or as with nettles/to irritate; annoy; vex peevish (cross) adj. hard to please; irritable; fretful; cross/ showing ill humor or impatience, as a glance or remark pester vt.to annoy constantly or repeatedly with petty irritations; bother; vex/[Obs.] to overcrowd; cram petulant touchy; peevish querulous fretful; whining adj.inclined to find fault; complaining / Page 31 of 31
full of complaint; peevish splenetic spiteful; irritable; peevish touchy sensitive; irascible; sensitive; irritable vex annoy; distress vt. to give trouble to, esp. in a petty or nagging way; disturb, annoy, irritate, etc./to distress, afflict, or plague [vexed with rheumatism]/to keep bringing up, going over, or returning to (a matter difficult to solve)/[Obs.] to shake or toss about SYN. annoy dearth scarcity deficiency devoid completely without ; lacking iota very small quantity meager scanty; inadequate modicum limited quantity myopia nip paucity scarcity pinch to press between one's fingers or another object scant meager scanty meager; insufficient scarcity scintilla shred; least bit soupcon suggestion; hint; taste whit smallest speck clapper 1. One who makes knickknacks, toys, etc. --Mortimer. 2. One of two or more pieces of bone or wood held loosely between the fingers, and struck together by moving the hand; -- called also clapper. --Halliwell. diffuse adj. 1spread out or dispersed; not concentrated 2using more words than are needed; long-winded; wordy vt., vi. 1to pour, spread out, or disperse in every direction; spread or scatter widely 2Physics to mix by diffusion, as gases, liquids, etc. SYN. wordy discomfit frustrate the plans or expectations of ; make someone uneasy or confused; put to rout; defeat; disconcert garrulity talkativeness garrulous loquacious; wordy glib fluent; spoken easily but with little thought ; fluent loquacious talkative, fond of talking magpie newsmonger prate speak foolishly; boast idly prolix verbose; drawn out prolixity raconteur story-teller rattlebraind Lacking sense or discretion rattler Page 32 of 32
redundant superfluous; superfluous; excessively wordy; repetitious screed long, tiresome harangue verbiage unnecessary words for the expression of an idea, etc. / pompous array of words verbose wordy voluble loquacious ; able to talk very quickly and easily ; fluent ; rotating / glib wordy yenta cogitate think over consider to think deliberately about contemplate deliberate consider; ponder meditation reflection; thought mull muse ponder ponder pore ruminate chew the cud; ponder adjunct something added to another thing, but not essential ; a person connected with another as a helper or subordinate associate / added or connected in a secondary or subordinate way ; temporarily employed; something attached to but holding an inferior position bivouac temporary encampment bout a going and coming back again, as across a field in plowing; turn 2 a struggle; contest or match [a championship bout] 3 a period of time taken up by some activity, illness, etc.; spell [a bout of the flu, a bout of shopping] brink the edge of a high place capricious fickle; incalculable cursory quick ; hurried ; done without attention to details; casual; hastily done ephemeral living for a very short time ; transitory; short-lived; fleeting evanescent tending to fade from sight ; soon going from the memory ; ephemeral; fleeting; vanishing fleeting flit fly; dart lightly; pass swiftly by improvise make verse, music, etc. without preparation or plan ; provide something roughly for an immediate need; compose on the spur of the moment makeshift meteoric swift; momentarily brilliant mirage an image of a distant object, often upside down, seen as Page 33 of 33
if it were near especially in the desert ; any illusion or hope that cannot be realized / unreal reflection; optical illusion palliation act of making less severe or violent perquisite any gain above stipulated salary provisional tentative reprieve postponement or remission of punishment, especially by death ; delay or respite / postpone or delay punishment ; give relief for a short time from danger, trouble, etc. / temporary stay secular worldly; not pertaining to church matters; temporal sojourn temporary stay stopgap temporal not lasting forever; limited by time; secular tentative provisional; experimental transient guest who is not a permanent resident in a hotel, boarding-house, etc. / lasting for a short time only ; ephemeral; fleeting; quickly passing away; staying for a short time transitoriness impermanence waive give up temporarily; yield acquiescence submission; compliance acquiescent accepting passively amenable readily managed; willing to be led biddable complaisant disposed to please ; polite ; complaint / trying to please; obliging compliance readiness to yield; conformity in fulfilling requirements compliant ready or disposed to comply / yielding conformity harmony; agreement deference the act of obeying the judgment or opinion of another ; great respect; courteous regard for another's wish docile easily trained or controlled; obedient; easily managed ductile insubordinate disobedient ; rebellious lithe flexible; supple malleable capable of being shaped by pounding manageable meek obeisance deep bow of respect or homage ; homage ; obedience, submission pliable easily bent, shaped, or twisted ; easily influenced ; open to suggestion pliant recalcitrant obstinately stubborn resigned unresisting; patiently submissive submissive supple flexible; pliant Page 34 of 34
tractability The trait of being easily pesuaded unruly not easily controlled ; disorderly / disobedient; lawless yielding artless without guile; open and honest artlessness n. The quality of being artless, or void of art or guile; simplicity; sincerity the quality of innocent naivet [syn: innocence, ingenuousness, naturalness] 2: ingenuousness by virtue of being free from artful deceit [ant: artfulness] cherubic angelic; innocent-looking guileless without deceit ingnue (Onjenoo) an artless girl; an actress who plays such parts ingenuous frank ; open ; innocent ; natural; naive; young; unsophisticated nave (na-eev) naivet quality of being unsophisticated unfeigned genuine; real disconsolate unhappy at the loss of something ; withouut comfort or hope ; sad ; gloomy dolorous sorrowful elegiac like an elegy; mournful funereal sad; solemn grievous creating affliction lachrymose producing tears lugubrious mournful maudlin effusively sentimental mawkish sickening; insipid plangent plaintive; resounding sadly rheumy pertaining to a discharge from nose and eyes rueful regretful; sorrowful; dejected snivel run at the nose; snuffle; whine affray public brawl bedlam St. Mary of Bethlehem(madhouse); [Archaic] any insane asylum ;any place or condition of noise and confusion blare blatant loudly offensive boisterous violent; rough; noisy brouhaha n 1: loud confused noise from many sources [syn: hubbub, uproar] 2: a confused disturbance far greater than its cause merits clamorous clangor loud, resounding noise commotion deafening din continued loud noise Page 35 of 35
ferment agitation; commotion fluster confuse fulminate thunder; explode obstreperous boisterous; noisy piercing rambunctious rattling raucous harsh and shrill scaremonger sedition tumult; resistance to authority; insubordination seethe be disturbed; boil squeaker stentorian extremely loud strident loud and harsh tumult commotion; riot; noise tumultuous turbulence state of violent agitation turbulent violent ; disorderly ; uncontrolled vociferous noisy, yelling; clamorous assiduous working steadily, diligent ; eagerly attentive chary cautiously watchful circumspect cautious ; well-considered; prudent; cautious conscientious scrupulous; careful; honest discreet judicious discretion carefulness ; prudence ; freedom of judgment, choice, or action / ability to adjust actions to circumstances gingerly very carefully heed judicious showing or having good sense; wise; determined by sound judgment meticulous excessively careful precise exact precision prim very precise and formal; exceedingly proper providence prudent acting only after careful thought or planning ; careful; cautious; careful punctilious laying stress on niceties of conduct or form; precise sagacious keen; shrewd; having insight scrupulous conscientious; extremely thorough scrutinize examine closely and critically unobtrusive not too obvious or easily noticeable ; discreet / inconspicuous; not blatant vigilance watchfulness, keeping watch wary cautious; very cautious misanthrope hater of mankind ; person who avoids society / one Page 36 of 36
who hates mankind misogamy hatred of marriage misogynist hater of women misologist a hater of knowledge and enlightenment Negrophobe a person who strongly fears or dislikes black people xenophobe hatred of strangers affray public brawl (remember, defray means pay ) altercation quarrel or noisy argument; wordy quarrel bicker quarrel; to quarrel vi. 1 to have a petty quarrel; squabble 2 to move with quick, rippling noises [a bickering brook] 3 to flicker, twinkle, etc. n. 1 a petty quarrel 2 a rippling or pattering sound bout n. 1 [Dial.] a going and coming back again, as across a field in plowing; turn 2 a struggle; contest or match [a championship bout] 3 a period of time taken up by some activity, illness, etc.; spell [a bout of the flu, a bout of shopping] duel feud a bitter, long-continued, and deadly quarrel, esp. between clans or families vi. to carry on a feud; quarrel n. land held from a feudal lord in return for service; fief fracas brawl; melee fray brawl spat n.[Rare] a slap/a quick, slapping sound/[Colloq.] a brief, petty quarrel or dispute vi.1[Rare] to slap/to strike with a quick, slapping sound/[Colloq.] to engage in a spat, or quarrel vt.[Rare] to slap SYN. quarrel squabble vi. to quarrel noisily over a small matter; wrangle n.a noisy, petty quarrel or dispute; wrangle SYN. quarrel2 strife vendetta feud; private warfare wrangle such an argument / take part in a noisy or angry argument / quarrel; obtain through arguing; herd cattle adulation flattery: admiration blandishment flattery cajole coax; wheedle court creep cringe shrink back, as if in fear cringing crouch encomiastic praising; eulogistic fawning courting favor by cringing and flattering flattery fulsome disgustingly excessive grovel crawl or creep on ground; remain prostrate incense enrage; infuriate Page 37 of 37
indomitable unyielding ; that cannot be subdued or conquered / unconquerable ingratiate bring oneself into favor, especially in order to gain an advantage ; flatter; become popular with inveigle coax, cajole lackey footman; toady obsequious too eager to obey or advantage ; showing excessive respect from hope of reward or advantage; slavishly attentive; servile; sycophantic (Remember, Obsequies means funeral ceremony) parasite animal or plant living on or in another and getting its food from it ; person supported by another and giving him nothing in return / animal or plant living on another; toady; sycophant sequacious eager to follow; ductile servile of or like a slave ; lacking in the spirit of independence ; obsequious; slavish; cringing snob spaniel a submissive, fawning, or cringing person subjection subservient useful as a means to a purpose ; giving ot much respect to / behaving like a slave; servile; obsequious succumb give way to ; yield to temptation, flattery, etc. ; die; yield; give in; die sycophant a servile flatterer, especially of those in authority or influence sycophantic servilely flattering toady flatter for favors truckle curry favor; act in an obsequious way tuft hunter unctuous oily; bland; insincerely suave wheedle cajole; coax; deceive by flattery
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