Grade 6 College Vocabulary, Week 3

Definition: to hold back or put down by force of will; to keep something from growing or being shown.

From the reading: "It is easier to suppress the first desire, than to satisfy all that follow it."

Synonyms:

restrain, check, stifle

Antonyms:

indulge, release, encourage

Root:Latin suppressus, from sub- (under) + premere (to press): to press something down.

Definition: a lack of good sense; a foolish act or idea.

From the reading: "...it is as truly folly for the poor to ape the rich, as for the frog to swell, in order to equal the ox."

KJV: "Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly" (Proverbs 15:21).

Synonyms:

foolishness, senselessness, madness

Antonyms:

wisdom, prudence, good sense

Root:Old French folie, "madness," from fol, "fool."

Definition: the feeling that someone or something is worthless or beneath notice; scorn.

From the reading: "Pride that dines on vanity, sups on contempt"

KJV: "When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach" (Proverbs 18:3).

Synonyms:

scorn, disdain, derision

Antonyms:

respect, admiration, esteem

Root:Latin contemptus, from contemnere, "to despise" (con- thoroughly + temnere to scorn).

Definition: a bad reputation for a wicked or shameful deed; public disgrace.

From the reading: "...dined with Poverty and supped with Infamy."

KJV: "Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away" (Proverbs 25:10).

Synonyms:

disgrace, dishonor, notoriety

Antonyms:

honor, renown, good name

Root:Latin infamia, from in- (not) + fama (fame, reputation): having lost one's good name.

Definition: Empty pride in one's looks or things; emptiness, worthlessness (the sense in Ecclesiastes).

From the reading: "Pride that dines on vanity, sups on contempt"

KJV: "Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity" (Ecclesiastes 1:2).

Synonyms:

conceit, self-admiration; (second sense) futility, emptiness

Antonyms:

modesty, humility; (second sense) worth, substance

Root:Latin vanitas, from vanus, "empty."

Definition: to imitate or copy, often in a foolish or clumsy way.

From the reading: "...it is as truly folly for the poor to ape the rich, as for the frog to swell, in order to equal the ox."

Synonyms:

mimic, imitate, copy

Antonyms:

originate, differ from

Root:Old English apa, "ape." Because apes seem to copy people, the noun became a verb meaning "to mimic."

Definition: real worth or excellence that deserves praise or reward.

From the reading: "...it makes no increase of merit in the person, it creates envy, it hastens misfortune."

Synonyms:

worth, value, excellence; (verb) deserve, earn

Antonyms:

fault, worthlessness, demerit

Root:Latin meritum, "a thing deserved," from merere, "to earn."

Definition: to make something happen sooner; to hurry.

From the reading: "...it creates envy, it hastens misfortune."

Synonyms:

hurry, speed, accelerate

Antonyms:

delay, slow, postpone

Root:Middle English hasten, from haste, from Old French haste, "speed."

Definition: careful and watchful because danger may be near.

Context: After the trolls and the goblins, Bilbo grew wary, and in Mirkwood he remembered Gandalf's warning never to leave the path.

Synonyms:

cautious, alert, guarded

Antonyms:

careless, heedless, trusting

Root:Old English waer, "aware, on guard." The word beware comes from the same root.

Definition: seeming to warn that something bad will happen.

Context: The dark, silent trees of Mirkwood felt ominous to the travelers, as though the forest itself were watching them.

Synonyms:

threatening, foreboding, menacing

Antonyms:

promising, hopeful, reassuring

Root:Latin ominosus, from omen, "a sign of what is to come."

Definition: boldly daring, willing to take great risks; (also) shockingly bold or rude.

Context: A comfortable hobbit who had never wanted adventures made the audacious choice to walk alone down the tunnel toward a sleeping dragon.

Synonyms:

daring, bold, fearless

Antonyms:

timid, cautious, fearful

Root:Latin audax, "bold," from audere, "to dare."

Definition: clever and inventive, especially in finding a new way to solve a problem.

Context: Bilbo's ingenious plan to send the dwarves floating down the river in barrels freed them from the Elvenking's halls.

Synonyms:

inventive, resourceful, clever

Antonyms:

clumsy, unimaginative, dull

Root:Latin ingeniosus, from ingenium, "natural ability, inborn talent."

Definition: to look at or think about one's own success or wealth (or another's trouble) with selfish delight.

Context: Smaug lay upon his heap of stolen gold and gloated over every cup and jewel, though he could never spend a single coin.

Synonyms:

exult, crow, revel

Antonyms:

lament, regret, sympathize

Root:Probably from an old Scandinavian word meaning "to grin" or "to stare."

Definition: to praise someone too much or falsely, usually to win a favor.

Context: In his riddling talk with the dragon, Bilbo flattered Smaug with grand titles, and the vain dragon showed him the weak spot in his armor.

KJV: "A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet" (Proverbs 29:5).

Synonyms:

sweet-talk, compliment, cajole

Antonyms:

criticize, insult, belittle

Root:Old French flater, "to stroke, caress": to stroke someone with words.

Definition: proud in an overbearing way; acting as though one is better than others.

Context: Smaug was so arrogant about his strength that he never thought a man of Lake-town could bring him down.

KJV: "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate" (Proverbs 8:13).

Synonyms:

haughty, conceited, overbearing

Antonyms:

humble, modest, meek

Root:Latin arrogare, "to claim for oneself" (ad- to + rogare to ask).

Definition: a modest view of one's own importance; lowliness of mind before God and others.

Context: Bilbo never thought himself a hero, and by the end of the tale even proud Thorin had come to honor the hobbit's humility and good sense.

KJV: "The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility" (Proverbs 15:33).

Synonyms:

modesty, meekness, lowliness

Antonyms:

pride, arrogance, vanity

Root:Latin humilitas, from humilis, "low, near the ground," from humus, "earth."

Definition: a short, clever saying that states a general truth; another word for a maxim.

Context: Franklin did not invent most of his aphorisms; he took old sayings and sharpened them. As the Preacher said, "there is no new thing under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9).

Synonyms:

maxim, proverb, adage

Antonyms:

(none exact) rambling, long-winded speech

Root:Greek aphorismos, "a definition," from aphorizein, "to mark off by boundaries."

Definition: short but full of meaning; saying much in few words.

Context: "Little boats should keep near shore" is a pithy way to tell a man of small means not to take large risks.

Synonyms:

concise, terse, compact

Antonyms:

wordy, rambling, verbose

Root:Old English pitha, "the soft core of a plant": a pithy saying is all core, with nothing extra.

Definition: a quiet, settled happiness with what one has.

Context: Father Abraham warns the crowd that buying fine things to keep up appearances never brings contentment.

KJV: "But godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Timothy 6:6).

Synonyms:

satisfaction, peace, ease

Antonyms:

discontent, restlessness, greed

Root:Latin contentus, "satisfied," from continere, "to hold together, contain."

Definition: deep public shame or humiliation.

Context: Franklin's proud spender, who began the day with Plenty, ends it in ignominy.

KJV: "When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach" (Proverbs 18:3).

Synonyms:

disgrace, humiliation, dishonor

Antonyms:

honor, glory, credit

Root:Latin ignominia, from in- (not) + nomen (name): the loss of one's good name.