Grade 9 College Vocabulary, Week 23

Definition: Having or showing a lack of thought or intelligence; empty.

From the reading: "Again a startled look came over the somewhat vacuous face of Miss Mary Sutherland." (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, selected)

Synonyms:

empty-headed, inane, mindless

Antonyms:

thoughtful, meaningful

Root:Latin vacuus. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: Showing or feeling no interest, enthusiasm, or concern.

From the reading: "They were not dull, apathetic Turks, but chiefly natives of Circassia and Georgia, the land where the human race is most beautiful and nobly formed." (A Book of Golden Deeds)

Synonyms:

indifferent, uninterested, listless

Antonyms:

eager, concerned

Root:Greek apatheia, from a-, without + pathos, feeling: without feeling.

Definition: To crouch down in fear.

From the reading: "Every plant that had rejoiced in passing such a winter now was cowering, turned away, unfit to meet the consequence." (Lorna Doone)

Synonyms:

cringe, quail, shrink

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Cf. Icelandic kera to doze, liequiet, Sw. kura, Dan. kure, German kauern to cower, W. cwrian. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: Strong and energetic; manly.

From the reading: "Everybody goes, cynic philosopher, virile boy, women, and priests—all go." (Ben-Hur)

Synonyms:

vigorous, robust, manly

Antonyms:

weak, feeble

Root:Latin virilis, from vir a man; akin to Old English (Anglo-Saxon) wer: compare French viril. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: Offered or consecrated in fulfillment of a vow.

From the reading: "If sin like this to honor can aspire, Why dance I still and lead the sacred choir? (Ant. 2) No more I’ll seek earth’s central oracle, Or Abae’s hallowed cell, Nor to Olympia bring My votive offering." (Oedipus the King and Antigone)

Synonyms:

consecrated, dedicated

Antonyms:

desecrated

Root:Latin votivus, from votum a vow: compare French votif. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: To lose or cause to lose luster; to damage a good reputation.

From the reading: "The tapestry hung down from the walls in many places, and in others was tarnished and faded under the effects of the sun, or tattered and decayed by age." (Ivanhoe)

Synonyms:

stain, sully, dull

Antonyms:

polish, burnish

Root:French ternir, to dull, from terne, dull (of Germanic origin): to lose brightness.

Definition: To suggest or call attention to indirectly; to hint at.

From the reading: "At this age the apartment alluded to would be termed a saloon." (Ben-Hur)

Synonyms:

refer, hint, mention

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Latin alludere to play with, to allude; ad + ludere to play. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: Done without being planned or rehearsed.

From the reading: "“Well, the sooner we act the better.” Both men, with a queer kind of impromptu fairness, took the same sort of formal farewell of the lady, and both jumped into the brisk little car." (The Innocence of Father Brown)

Synonyms:

unrehearsed, extempore, spontaneous

Antonyms:

prepared, rehearsed

Root:French impromptu, from Latin in promptu in readiness, at hand; in in + promptus visibility, readiness, from promptus visible, ready. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: To have or express an unfavorable opinion about something.

From the reading: "And still the King sulked and disapproved, and was afraid of our movement against the capital." (Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc)

Synonyms:

object, deplore, frown on

Antonyms:

approve

Root:Pref. dis- + approve: compare French déapprouver. Cf. Disapprobation. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: Very hot and dry; full of intense feeling.

From the reading: "There is a camp breaking up on the bare, torrid hills at morning, and Brazilian uniforms massed in blocks and columns to march." (The Innocence of Father Brown)

Synonyms:

scorching, sweltering; ardent

Antonyms:

cold, frigid

Root:Latin torridus, from torrere to parch, to burn, akin to English Thist: compare French torride. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: Deeply upset and agitated.

From the reading: "‘Why, pretty well, John,’ he returned, with the distraught air of a man who was casting about for the Philosopher’s stone, at least." (The Cricket on the Hearth)

Synonyms:

frantic, overwrought, agitated

Antonyms:

calm, composed

Root:Old English distract, distrauht. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: A pupil who stays away from school without permission; absent without leave.

From the reading: ""Why, where have you been, truant?" Sir William exclaimed as Archie entered the room in the governor's house which had been set apart for the use of Wallace since the expulsion of the English." (In Freedom's Cause)

Synonyms:

absentee, shirker

Antonyms:

present

Root:Cf. French truander. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: Thin, supple, and graceful.

From the reading: "The owner is an Egyptian, small, lithe, and of a complexion which has borrowed a good deal from the dust of the roads and the sands of the desert." (Ben-Hur)

Synonyms:

supple, limber, agile

Antonyms:

stiff, awkward

Root:Icel Listen. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: To go back over the same route; to discover and follow a course again.

From the reading: "In a little while they were retracing their steps back through the wady, intending to overtake the caravan if it had passed them by." (Ben-Hur)

Synonyms:

backtrack, reconstruct, recall

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Pref. re- + trace: compare French retracer. Cf. Retract. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: A public or official announcement.

From the reading: "And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country." (1 Kings 22:36)

Synonyms:

announcement, declaration, decree

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:French proclamation, Latin proclamatio. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: Action or speech that makes someone angry, especially deliberately.

From the reading: "And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin." (1 Kings 21:22)

Synonyms:

incitement, goading, affront

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:French provocation, Latin provocatio. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: To urge or command someone solemnly, as if under oath.

From the reading: "And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD?" (1 Kings 22:16)

Synonyms:

charge, beseech, entreat

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Latin adjurare, adjurdium, to swear to; later, to adjure: compare French adjurer. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: To spoil the appearance or beauty of; to tarnish one's character.

From the reading: "If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD." (Leviticus 1:3)

Synonyms:

mar, spoil, flaw

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Old French blemir, to make pale or to stain (of Germanic origin): a stain or flaw.

Definition: To give greater knowledge and understanding to; to give spiritual insight.

From the reading: "For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness." (Psalm 18:28)

Synonyms:

edify, instruct, illuminate

Antonyms:

confuse

Root:Pref. en- + lighten: compare Old English (Anglo-Saxon) inlihtan. Cf. Enlight. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: To deprive someone of land, property, or other possessions.

From the reading: "If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them?" (Deuteronomy 7:17)

Synonyms:

deprive, strip, divest

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Pref. dis- + possess: compare French déposséder. (Webster, 1913)