Grade 7 College Vocabulary, Week 30

Definition: a violent, rushing stream of water; (figuratively) a sudden, overwhelming flood of words, feeling or events.

From the reading: "...for in the very torrent, tempest, and, as I may say, whirlwind of passion, you must acquire and beget a temperance that may give it smoothness."

Synonyms:

flood, deluge, outpouring

Antonyms:

trickle, drip, dribble

Root:Latin torrens, "rushing, boiling," from torrere, "to scorch, to boil": water that seems to boil as it rushes.

Definition: To father a child; to cause or bring about (the common test sense: "violence begets violence").

From the reading: "...you must acquire and beget a temperance that may give it smoothness."

KJV: "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth" (James 1:18).

Synonyms:

produce, generate, give rise to

Antonyms:

prevent, destroy, stifle

Root:Old English begietan, "to get, acquire" (be- "thoroughly" + gietan "to get").

Definition: The keeping or following of a rule, law, custom or religious duty; a rule or custom so kept.

From the reading: "Suit the action to the word, the word to the action, with this special observance, that you o’erstep not the modesty of nature"

Synonyms:

keeping, compliance, adherence

Antonyms:

neglect, violation, disregard

Root:Latin observantia, from observare, "to watch over, heed" (ob- "toward" + servare "to keep").

Definition: A humble estimate of one's own worth; moderation, keeping within proper limits; freedom from excess or show.

From the reading: "...that you o’erstep not the modesty of nature; for anything so overdone is from the purpose of playing"

Synonyms:

humility, restraint, moderation

Antonyms:

arrogance, vanity, excess

Root:Latin modestia, from modestus, "keeping due measure," from modus, "measure." Hamlet's "modesty of nature" means the natural measure that a good speaker does not overstep.

Definition: The way a person holds the body when standing or sitting; an attitude or stance taken toward something.

From the reading: "The fifth canon: the use of voice, face, posture and gesture in speaking."

Synonyms:

bearing, carriage, stance

Antonyms:

(sense 1, none exact) slouch, sprawl

Root:Latin positura, "position," from ponere, "to place, put."

Definition: A movement of the hand, head or body that expresses meaning; an action done to show a feeling or intention, as in "a gesture of goodwill.".

From the reading: "Let your hands rest at your sides until a real gesture comes"

Synonyms:

motion, signal, sign

Antonyms:

stillness, motionlessness

Root:Medieval Latin gestura, "manner of carrying the body," from Latin gerere, "to carry, to perform."

Definition: To pronounce words clearly and distinctly; to state an idea or principle plainly.

Context: Hamlet wants his players to speak "trippingly on the tongue," so a good speaker must enunciate every word clearly enough to reach the back row.

Synonyms:

articulate, pronounce, voice

Antonyms:

mumble, mutter, slur

Root:Latin enuntiare, "to speak out, announce" (e- "out" + nuntiare "to announce," from nuntius, "messenger").

Definition: The rise and fall in the pitch or tone of a speaker's voice; in grammar, a change in a word's form to show tense, number or case.

Context: In the warm-up, one sentence takes on seven meanings just by a change of inflection on a different word each time.

Synonyms:

intonation, modulation, tone

Antonyms:

monotone, flatness

Root:Latin inflectere, "to bend" (in- + flectere "to bend"): the voice bends up and down.

Definition: fluent, forceful and moving in speech or writing; (also) clearly expressive, as in "an eloquent silence."

KJV: "And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus" (Acts 18:24). Compare Moses: "O my LORD, I am not eloquent" (Exodus 4:10). God used both men.

Synonyms:

articulate, persuasive, expressive

Antonyms:

inarticulate, halting, tongue-tied

Root:Latin eloquens, from eloqui, "to speak out" (e- "out" + loqui "to speak").

Definition: calm self-confidence and steadiness, especially under pressure.

Context: When she lost her place on the key-word card, she paused, found the next head, and went on with such aplomb that no listener noticed.

Synonyms:

poise, composure, self-possession

Antonyms:

nervousness, awkwardness, panic

Root:French à plomb, "according to the plumb line," that is, standing perfectly upright.

Definition: inclined to keep one's thoughts and feelings to oneself; reluctant to speak.

Context: A reticent student may dread delivering a speech, but the rule of James holds for every speaker: "let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath" (James 1:19).

Synonyms:

reserved, quiet, restrained

Antonyms:

talkative, outspoken, garrulous

Root:Latin reticere, "to keep silent" (re- "back" + tacere "to be silent").

Definition: talking too much, especially about unimportant things; excessively talkative.

Context: A garrulous speaker runs past four minutes and buries his one good deed under a pile of words.

KJV link: "In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise" (Proverbs 10:19).

Synonyms:

talkative, chatty, long-winded

Antonyms:

reticent, quiet, concise

Root:Latin garrulus, from garrire, "to chatter."

Definition: cruel or unjust use of power over others; (also) a feeling of being weighed down.

From the reading: "...caused them to redouble the harshness and oppression of their rule."

KJV: "Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad" (Ecclesiastes 7:7).

Synonyms:

tyranny, persecution, subjection

Antonyms:

freedom, justice, liberty

Root:Latin oppressio, from opprimere, "to press down" (ob- "against" + premere "to press").

Definition: careful, steady watchfulness for danger or trouble.

From the reading: "...the future of Scotland, may depend upon your care and vigilance."

KJV link: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8).

Synonyms:

watchfulness, alertness, attentiveness

Antonyms:

carelessness, negligence, inattention

Root:Latin vigilantia, from vigil, "awake, watchful."

Definition: Conquered or brought under control; quiet, soft or restrained, as in "a subdued voice" (a common test sense).

From the reading: "During the winter Galloway had been subdued"

KJV: "And the land was subdued before them" (Joshua 18:1).

Synonyms:

(sense 1) conquered, overcome; (sense 2) muted, hushed, restrained

Antonyms:

(sense 1) unconquered, rebellious; (sense 2) loud, boisterous, vivid

Root:Old French souduire, from Latin subducere, "to draw away," with its sense shaped by Latin subdere, "to put under."

Definition: having lost courage, hope or confidence.

From the reading: "...the parties retired, worn out and disheartened, to the castle."

Synonyms:

discouraged, dispirited, downcast

Antonyms:

encouraged, heartened, emboldened

Root:dis- ("away, not") + hearten ("to give heart"): to have one's heart taken away.

Definition: Complete ruin and emptiness of a place; great loneliness or grief.

From the reading: "I have seen how the English turn a land to desolation as they sweep across it"

KJV: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation" (Matthew 12:25). In Henty's story, Scotland's quarrelling nobles learned this the hard way.

Synonyms:

ruin, devastation, bleakness

Antonyms:

prosperity, flourishing, abundance

Root:Latin desolare, "to leave alone, abandon" (de- "completely" + solus "alone").

Definition: gloomy, silent and resentful; (of weather or sea) dark and threatening.

From the reading: "...a deep and sullen discontent reigned among the people"

Synonyms:

sulky, morose, brooding

Antonyms:

cheerful, sunny, good-humored

Root:Middle English solein, "solitary," from Old French solain, from Latin solus, "alone": one who keeps to himself in a bad mood.

Definition: A sudden raid or attack into enemy territory; a first attempt at a new activity, as in "her first foray into public speaking.".

From the reading: "For a dashing foray they would be excellent."

Synonyms:

raid, sally, incursion; (sense 2) venture, attempt

Antonyms:

retreat, withdrawal

Root:Middle English forraien, "to pillage," from Old French forrer, "to forage," from fuerre, "fodder": raiders went out for food and cattle.

Definition: Deep shame or humiliation; in Christian teaching, the putting to death of sinful desires by self-denial.

From the reading: "Then the English had the mortification of seeing them land and march away quietly on the other side."

KJV link: "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth" (Colossians 3:5).

Synonyms:

humiliation, embarrassment, chagrin

Antonyms:

pride, satisfaction, triumph

Root:Latin mortificare, "to put to death" (mors, mortis "death" + facere "to make").