Grade 8 College Vocabulary, Week 31

Definition: Lower in rank or position; under the authority of another.

From the reading: "Use a subordinate clause for the cause (jealousy) and a participial phrase for the result." (the lesson)

Synonyms:

inferior, junior, subject

Antonyms:

superior, senior

Root:Pref. sub + Latin ordinatus, p.p. of ordinare to set in order, to arrange. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: To approach or come close to; to border on.

From the reading: "On the verge, a great beech-tree hung, precariously rooted; and here the old outlaw, pulling aside some bushy underwood, bodily disappeared into the earth." (The Black Arrow)

Synonyms:

approach, border on, near

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:French verge, Latin virga; perhaps akin to English wisp. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: To copy the manner or work of another, especially as a way of learning; to mimic.

From the reading: "I thought the writing excellent, and wished, if possible, to imitate it." (Benjamin Franklin, Autobiography, in the lesson)

KJV link: "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1)

Synonyms:

copy, emulate, mimic

Antonyms:

originate, invent, innovate

Root:Latin imitari, "to copy," related to imago, "image."

Definition: A complete list of items on hand, such as goods in a store or pieces in a portfolio.

From the reading: "Choose three pieces from your inventory: one weak piece from an early exercise, one middle piece, and one from this year." (Composition lesson 8.3)

Synonyms:

list, catalogue, stock

Antonyms:

(none exact) omission

Root:Latin inventarium, "a list of what is found," from invenire, "to find."

Definition: A false idea or belief; something that deceives the senses.

From the reading: "I smiled to myself, and in my psychological way, began lazily to inquire into the elements of this illusion, occasionally, even as I did so, dropping back into a comfortable morning doze." (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde)

Synonyms:

delusion, deception, fantasy

Antonyms:

reality

Root:French illusion, Latin illusio, from illudere, illusum, to illude. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: To change something in part; in grammar, to limit or describe the meaning of another word.

From the reading: "Place modifiers next to what they modify, and repair dangling ones." (Composition lesson 8.3)

Synonyms:

alter, adjust, qualify

Antonyms:

keep, preserve, leave unchanged

Root:Latin modificare, "to limit, measure," from modus, "measure," + facere, "to make."

Definition: Not persuaded; still doubting after hearing the argument.

From the reading: "“I wish to my soul you had seen and heard him!” said Freckles, unconvinced." (Freckles)

KJV link: "Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe." (John 20:25)

Synonyms:

skeptical, doubtful, dubious

Antonyms:

persuaded, convinced, certain

Root:English un- + Latin convincere, "to overcome completely, prove," from con- + vincere, "to conquer."

Definition: Relating to the punishment of offenders under the law.

From the reading: "The poor peasant, a Saxon by birth, was dragged forward to the bar, terrified at the penal consequences which he might have incurred by the guilt of having been cured of the palsy by a Jewish damsel." (Ivanhoe)

Synonyms:

punitive, disciplinary

Antonyms:

rehabilitative, legal

Root:Latin poenalis, from poena punishment: compare French pénal. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: An event regarded as a sign of good or evil to come.

From the reading: "The voice of the soldiers, too, as they passed and repassed, was loud and cheerful, carrying with its very tone an assurance of high and excited courage, and an omen of approaching victory." (The Talisman)

Synonyms:

sign, portent, presage

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Latin omen, the original form being osmen, according to Varro. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: Using words that mean the opposite of what one intends; happening in the opposite way to what is expected.

From the reading: ""She said you would remember the name." Loristan looked at the lettering with an ironic half-smile." (The Lost Prince)

Synonyms:

sarcastic, wry, paradoxical

Antonyms:

literal

Root:Greek eironeia, feigned ignorance, from eiron, one who says less than he means: saying the opposite of what is meant.

Definition: Unwarranted or excessive; more than is right.

From the reading: "He seemed to me to have strong intentions of his own about little Ruth, and on that account to regard me with a wholly undue malevolence." (Lorna Doone)

Synonyms:

unjustified, unwarranted, unreasonable

Antonyms:

due, reasonable

Root:un-, not + due (Old French deu, owed, from Latin debere, to owe): not owed or fitting; excessive.

Definition: To make narrower by squeezing; to limit or restrict.

From the reading: "And then a spasm constricted her mouth for an instant: as it passed away she turned and left the room, and so did I." (Jane Eyre)

Synonyms:

squeeze, tighten, restrict

Antonyms:

expand, loosen

Root:Latin constringere, to bind tightly.

Definition: Impossible to restrain or manage.

From the reading: "Then a wave of uncontrollable tenderness moved him so he hobbled to his bombardment once more." (Freckles)

KJV link: "But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison." (James 3:8)

Synonyms:

unmanageable, unruly, irrepressible

Antonyms:

controllable, manageable, restrained

Root:English un- + Old French contrerole, "a counter-roll" (a duplicate register used to check accounts), + -able.

Definition: Deserving of trust; reliable and honest.

From the reading: "McLean now felt that there was not a man in it who was not trustworthy." (Freckles)

KJV link: "A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent." (Proverbs 28:20)

Synonyms:

reliable, dependable, honest

Antonyms:

untrustworthy, unreliable, treacherous

Root:Old Norse traust, "confidence," + English worthy.

Definition: A state of awed admiration or surprise; astonishment.

From the reading: "Freckles looked in sheer wonderment into the beautiful face of the Angel." (Freckles)

KJV link: "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." (Psalm 139:14)

Synonyms:

awe, amazement, astonishment

Antonyms:

indifference, boredom

Root:Old English wundor, "marvel," + -ment.

Definition: Dishonest or mischievous behavior; the conduct of a rascal.

From the reading: "WESSNER, a Dutch timber-thief who wants rascality made easy." (Freckles)

Synonyms:

knavery, mischief, villainy

Antonyms:

honesty, uprightness, integrity

Root:Old French rascaille, "rabble, the common sort," of uncertain origin.

Definition: Wanting to own or control someone or something and unwilling to share; in grammar, showing ownership.

From the reading: "From the effort to protect the birds and animals, it was only a short step to the possessive feeling, and with that sprang the impulse to caress and provide." (Freckles)

KJV link: "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's." (Exodus 20:17)

Synonyms:

controlling, jealous, grasping

Antonyms:

generous, sharing, unselfish

Root:Latin possidere, "to hold as owner," from potis "able" + sedere "to sit."

Definition: Not able to be moved; (of a person) firm and unyielding.

From the reading: "He tried the outlet into the area, but that was immovable." (The Lost Prince)

KJV link: "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:58)

Synonyms:

fixed, steadfast, unshakable

Antonyms:

movable, yielding, wavering

Root:Latin in- "not" + movere, "to move," + -able.

Definition: Producing no result; useless, in vain.

From the reading: "During a riot in the palace, when a last fruitless search was made, the king himself was killed." (The Lost Prince)

Synonyms:

futile, vain, unproductive

Antonyms:

fruitful, productive, successful

Root:Latin fructus, "fruit, enjoyment," from frui, "to enjoy," + English -less.

Definition: Serving to describe; giving a picture in words.

From the reading: "It was a first attempt at descriptive narration." (Freckles)

Synonyms:

illustrative, graphic, vivid

Antonyms:

vague, abstract, bare

Root:Latin describere, "to write down, copy," from de- + scribere, "to write."