Grade 7 College Vocabulary, Week 18

Definition: to scold or rebuke someone, usually mildly.

From the reading: "My true account, lest He returning chide"

KJV: "He will not always chide" (Psalm 103:9).

Synonyms:

scold, reprimand, rebuke

Antonyms:

praise, commend, compliment

Root:Old English cidan, "to quarrel, complain."

Definition: to demand and get something, such as payment or work, often by force or authority.

From the reading: "Doth God exact day-labor, light denied?"

KJV: "And he said unto them, Exact no more" (Luke 3:13). John the Baptist tells the tax collectors to take only what is lawful.

Synonyms:

demand, require, extract

Antonyms:

waive, forgo, excuse

Root:Latin exigere, "to drive out, demand" (ex- "out" + agere "to drive"); past participle exactus.

Definition: In the old sense, foolishly or with too much hope; in the modern sense, lovingly or affectionately.

From the reading: "I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent"

Context: Milton means the first sense. He calls his own question foolish, because it doubts God's goodness.

Synonyms:

(old sense) foolishly, naively; (modern sense) affectionately, tenderly

Antonyms:

(old sense) wisely, sensibly; (modern sense) coldly, harshly

Root:Middle English fonned, "foolish," from fonne, "a fool." Over time the word changed from "foolish" to "foolishly loving" to just "loving."

Definition: A low, steady sound; a quiet complaint or grumbling.

From the reading: "That murmur, soon replies"

KJV: "Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured" (1 Corinthians 10:10). Paul is recalling Israel's grumbling in the wilderness.

Synonyms:

grumble, complaint, mutter

Antonyms:

praise, thanksgiving, contentment

Root:Latin murmur, "a humming, roaring." The doubled sound imitates a low noise.

Definition: A wooden bar joining two oxen so that they can pull together; a burden or bond of service or rule.

From the reading: "Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best"

KJV: "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:30).

Synonyms:

harness, bond, burden

Antonyms:

freedom, release, liberation

Root:Old English geoc, related to Latin iugum and Sanskrit yuga, "a joining."

Definition: to prevent or block something by acting ahead of time.

From the reading: "I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent"

Context: In Milton's day prevent often meant "to come before." Patience answers quickly to forestall the poet's murmur before it can grow into real complaint.

Synonyms:

prevent, preempt, head off

Antonyms:

allow, permit, invite

Root:Old English foresteall, "an ambush," from fore- "before" + steall "position." The idea is standing in the way before someone arrives.

Definition: a person who manages someone else's property or goods and must give an account of them.

Context: In the parable of the talents, each servant is a steward of his master's money. Milton fears that he cannot give a good account of his gift.

KJV: "Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful" (1 Corinthians 4:2).

Synonyms:

manager, caretaker, custodian

Antonyms:

owner, proprietor; (in conduct) squanderer

Root:Old English stigweard, "keeper of the house," from stig (hall) + weard (guard, ward).

Definition: a brief, indirect reference to a well-known person, story or text.

Context: Milton's mention of one talent buried and useless is an allusion to Christ's parable in Matthew 25, and readers who know the parable feel the full weight of his fear.

Synonyms:

reference, mention, hint

Antonyms:

direct statement, explanation

Root:Latin allusio, "a playing with," from alludere (ad- "to" + ludere "to play"). Do not confuse it with illusion, a false appearance.

Definition: calmness and evenness of mind, especially under strain or trouble.

Context: By the last line of the sonnet, Milton's anxious question has turned into the equanimity of a man who trusts his King.

KJV link: "In your patience possess ye your souls" (Luke 21:19).

Synonyms:

composure, calm, serenity

Antonyms:

agitation, anxiety, panic

Root:Latin aequanimitas, from aequus "even, level" + animus "mind."

Definition: enduring pain or hardship calmly, without showing feelings or complaining.

Context: The old Stoics told men to endure because they had to. Christian patience goes further: it endures because it trusts a loving God.

KJV link: "Behold, we count them happy which endure" (James 5:11).

Synonyms:

uncomplaining, long-suffering, impassive

Antonyms:

emotional, excitable, complaining

Root:Greek Stoa, "porch," the painted porch in Athens where Zeno taught his followers.

Definition: in low spirits from loss of hope or courage.

Context: A blind man in his early forties might easily have grown despondent, but Milton went on to dictate Paradise Lost.

Synonyms:

dejected, disheartened, downcast

Antonyms:

hopeful, cheerful, buoyant

Root:Latin despondere, "to give up, lose heart" (de- "away" + spondere "to promise").

Definition: to grow weak or faint; to suffer neglect or be left unused for a long time.

From the reading: "Lodged with me useless"

Context: Milton fears his talent will languish, shut away in the dark.

KJV: "The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing" (Psalm 41:3).

Synonyms:

weaken, wither, waste away

Antonyms:

flourish, thrive, prosper

Root:Latin languere, "to be faint, weary."

Definition: accurately describing or foretelling what will happen.

Context: Fiver's dark vision of the home warren proves prophetic, and the rabbits who stayed behind pay dearly for ignoring it.

Synonyms:

predictive, foreseeing, visionary

Antonyms:

mistaken, shortsighted

Root:Greek prophetes, "one who speaks for (a god)," from pro- "before, for" + phanai "to speak."

Definition: extremely peaceful, happy and lovely, often in a country setting.

Context: Cowslip's warren looks idyllic, with sleek rabbits and plenty of food, but beneath its comfort lies a deadly secret.

Synonyms:

peaceful, picturesque, pastoral

Antonyms:

grim, harsh, troubled

Root:Greek eidyllion, "a short descriptive poem," a little picture of country life, from eidos "form, picture."

Definition: ruling with total power, often cruelly; tyrannical.

Context: General Woundwort's despotic rule over Efrafa allows no rabbit to leave or question an order.

Synonyms:

tyrannical, dictatorial, oppressive

Antonyms:

just, lenient, lawful

Root:Greek despotes, "master, lord of the house."

Definition: a clever plan or trick for gaining an end, especially in war.

Context: Hazel's escape from Efrafa depends on a daring stratagem with a boat on the river and help from Kehaar the gull.

Synonyms:

scheme, ploy, maneuver

Antonyms:

blunder, open attack

Root:Greek strategema, "a general's act," from strategos, "general" (stratos "army" + agein "to lead").

Definition: needing great effort and endurance; hard and tiring.

Context: The rabbits' arduous journey takes them across a river, an open heath and strange country before they reach the high down.

Synonyms:

strenuous, grueling, laborious

Antonyms:

easy, effortless, simple

Root:Latin arduus, "steep, high." A hard task is like a steep climb.

Definition: to search widely for food or supplies.

Context: On strange ground, the rabbits must forage in the open grass while one of them watches for hawks and foxes.

Synonyms:

search, hunt, rummage

Antonyms:

hoard, store up

Root:Old French fourrage, "fodder," from Frankish fodr, "food" (related to English fodder).

Definition: to make someone afraid or discouraged.

Context: The size of Woundwort's army does not daunt Bigwig, who goes alone into Efrafa as a spy.

Synonyms:

intimidate, dishearten, discourage

Antonyms:

encourage, embolden, hearten

Root:Latin domitare, "to tame," from domare, "to subdue."

Definition: to prevent someone from doing what he plans; to block or frustrate.

Context: Hazel's bold plan in the last attack thwarts the General just when victory seems certain.

Synonyms:

frustrate, foil, hinder

Antonyms:

aid, assist, further

Root:Old Norse thvert, "across." To thwart someone is to put yourself across his path.