Grade 9 College Vocabulary, Week 16

Definition: Beyond the laws of nature; miraculous.

From the reading: "He stood as if rooted to the ground; his eyes dilated; his flesh crept chilly, as if touched by something supernatural." (Ben-Hur)

Synonyms:

miraculous, otherworldly, preternatural

Antonyms:

natural

Root:Pref. super- + natural: compare Old French supernaturel, French surnaturel. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: Surprisingly impressive or notable.

From the reading: "And when he did look around, it was with the astonished air of one at whose feet a thunderbolt has just burst, and who hears still the astounding report ringing in his ears." (Ivanhoe)

Synonyms:

amazing, astonishing, staggering

Antonyms:

unremarkable

Root:Middle English astoned, stunned (Old French estoner, from Latin ex-, out + tonare, to thunder): stunning as with thunder.

Definition: Generous in giving to the needy; kind and lenient in judging others.

From the reading: "To break her heart, to crush her hope with a so frankly brutal speech as that, without one charitable soft place in it—it seemed a shameful thing, and it was." (Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc)

Synonyms:

generous, benevolent, kind

Antonyms:

uncharitable, unkind

Root:F. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: Capable of arousing and holding the attention.

From the reading: "All the staff had forgotten the huzzaing army drifting by in its rolling clouds of dust, to crane their necks and watch the bandaging as if it was the most interesting and absorbing novelty that ever was." (Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc)

Synonyms:

engrossing, fascinating, gripping

Antonyms:

boring

Root:Latin absorbere, to swallow up, from ab-, away + sorbere, to suck in: taking up all one's attention.

Definition: To be similar or equivalent; to exchange letters.

From the reading: "The passage into which he first entered was high, but somewhat narrow; red tiling formed the floor, and the walls were tinted to correspond." (Ben-Hur)

Synonyms:

match, agree; write

Antonyms:

differ

Root:Pref. cor- + respond: compare f. correspondre. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: Showing a lack of proper concern; offhand.

From the reading: "As the cavalier approached his enemy at full career, he seemed to expect that the Knight of the Leopard should put his horse to the gallop to encounter him." (The Talisman)

Synonyms:

offhand, careless, high-handed

Antonyms:

careful, considerate

Root:French cavalier, Italian cavaliere, Late Latin caballarius, from Latin caballus. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: Having plenty of room.

From the reading: "Such is my opinion. 7 Craft That Was in Vain THE THIRD meeting of the court was in that same spacious chamber, next day, 24th of February." (Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc)

Synonyms:

roomy, ample, capacious

Antonyms:

cramped, small

Root:Latin spatiousus: compare French spacieux. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: Lack of respect or courtesy.

From the reading: "I showed at the window my sweetest smile, and these Senors being (with no disrespect to you) the most gallant gentlemen in the world,--I passed on!" (Cyrano de Bergerac)

Synonyms:

discourtesy, rudeness, contempt

Antonyms:

respect, esteem

Root:dis-, not + respect (Latin respicere, to look back at, re-, back + specere, to look): lack of regard.

Definition: Frank in stating one's opinions.

From the reading: "And since I was come to know Lorna better, and she to know me thoroughly--many things had been outspoken, which her early bashfulness had kept covered from me." (Lorna Doone)

Synonyms:

frank, candid, forthright

Antonyms:

reticent

Root:out + spoken (Old English sprecan, to speak): speaking out freely.

Definition: A special uniform worn by a servant or official; the keeping of horses for hire.

From the reading: "The livery was the last meal of the day, and was served with great pomp and ceremony about nine o'clock at night to the head of the house as he lay in bed." (Men of Iron)

Synonyms:

uniform, costume, regalia

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Old French livree, a thing delivered, from livrer, to deliver (Latin liberare, to free): clothing given to servants.

Definition: To apply or bring to bear a force or influence; to make a strenuous effort.

From the reading: "I long to exert a fraction of Samson’s strength, and break the entanglement like tow!”" (Jane Eyre)

Synonyms:

apply, wield; strive

Antonyms:

relax

Root:Latin exserere, to put forth.

Definition: To take something away from; to deny.

From the reading: "Like another Alexander, he hoped to subdue Asia, and overthrow the hated British power by depriving it of India." (A Book of Golden Deeds)

Synonyms:

strip, divest, rob

Antonyms:

endow, enrich

Root:Late Latin deprivare, deprivatium, to divest of office; Latin de- + privare to bereave, deprive: compare Old French depriver. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: To become accustomed to a new climate or situation.

Context (original sentence): The missionaries took months to acclimate to the heat.

Synonyms:

adjust, adapt, accustom

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:French acclimater, from climat, climate.

Definition: To strengthen or support.

From the reading: "They will reinforce the bridge forts from this side to-night, knowing what ought to happen to-morrow." (Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc)

Synonyms:

strengthen, fortify, bolster

Antonyms:

weaken

Root:re-, again + enforce (Old French enforcier, to strengthen, from Latin fortis, strong): to strengthen again.

Definition: After the expected or usual time; delayed.

From the reading: "And if the benefactor so belated should now be slain!" (Ben-Hur)

Synonyms:

late, tardy, delayed

Antonyms:

timely, punctual

Root:be- + lated, from late (Old English laet, slow): coming too late.

Definition: To avoid or neglect a duty or responsibility.

From the reading: "One by one the others shirked the inquirers and joined us in our refuge." (Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc)

Synonyms:

evade, dodge, neglect

Antonyms:

fulfill

Root:Probably the same word as shark. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: Sheltered and private; hidden from view.

From the reading: "“He is my prisoner,” added the Templar, “and secluded from speech with others, as thou mayest suppose; but prisons have been broken--” “Chains left unlocked, and captives have escaped,” answered the Marquis." (The Talisman)

Synonyms:

private, isolated, sheltered

Antonyms:

public, busy

Root:Latin secludere, to shut off, from se-, apart + claudere, to shut: shut away from others.

Definition: To cause pain or suffering to; to trouble greatly.

From the reading: "Never afflict yourself to know more of it; But let his disposition have that scope That dotage gives it." (King Lear)

Synonyms:

trouble, torment, plague

Antonyms:

comfort, relieve

Root:Latin affligere, to dash down.

Definition: To bring legal charges against; to carry on or pursue something to its end.

From the reading: "Of them all, perhaps, De Bracy least regretted the interruption; for his conference with the Lady Rowena had arrived at a point, where he found it equally difficult to prosecute or to resign his enterprise." (Ivanhoe)

Synonyms:

charge, try; pursue

Antonyms:

defend

Root:Latin prosecutus, past participle of prosequi to follow, pursue. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: Having a pleasant and distinctive smell; fragrant.

From the reading: "She held in her hand a silver lamp, fed with some aromatic spirit, which burned with unusual brightness." (The Talisman)

Synonyms:

fragrant, sweet-smelling, perfumed

Antonyms:

malodorous

Root:Greek aroma, a spice + -tic: fragrant.