VOCAB UNIT 12

ABJURE

• to renounce, repudiate under oath; to avoid, shun
• syn: forswear, retract, abstain from
• ant: affirm, avow, aver, profess
• part of speech: verb
• Connor McDavid abjured from the dismal Edmonton Oilers

ACRID

• harsh in taste or odor; sharp in manner or temper
• syn: irritating, stinging, bitter, caustic
• ant: gentle, soothing, mild
• pos: adjective
• The rotten fruit had a very acrid taste.

AUGUST

• majectic, inspiring admiration and respect
• syn: stately, dignified, exalted, venerable
• ant: humble, base, mean, lowly, abject
• pos: adjective
• The august skater, moved around the ice with ease.

CALLOUS

• emotionally hardened, unfeeling
• syn: insensitive, unsympathetic, thick-skinned
• ant: sensitive, compassionate, tenderhearted
• pos: adjective
• Many politicians have a callous attitude towards various issues.

CLANDESTINE

• secret, concealed; underhanded
• syn: covert, furtive, surreptitious, stealthy
• ant: open, overt, undisguised, aboveboard
• pos: adjective
• Many actions of the CIA are clandestine and covert missions.

COMPUNCTION

• remorse, regret
• syn: scruple, qualm, misgiving, contrition
• ant: shamelessness, insouciance, nonchalance
• pos: noun
• The goalie felt compunction after letting in the winning goal.

CONFLAGRATION

• a large destructive fire
• syn: holocaust, wildfire
• ant: deluge
• pos: noun
• The forest conflagration caused a lot of damage and burned material.

ELATED

• in high spirits, jubilant; extremely pleased
• syn: overjoyed, ecstatic, tickled pink
• ant: depressed, crestfallen, despondent, blue
• pos: adjective, participle
• The elated hockey team celebrated the goal.

INDELIBLE

• not able to be erased or removed; memorable
• syn: lasting, permanent
• ant: erasable, impermanent, ephemeral
• pos: adjective
• The indelible memory of her childhood made her happy.

INDULGENT

• yielding to the wishes or demands of others
• syn: permissive, tolerant, liberal
• ant: strict, severe, hard-nosed
• pos: adjective
• The indulgent parents gave in to their kids' demands.

INVETERATE

• firmly established, long-standing; habitual
• syn: persisting, chronic, dyed-in-the-wool
• ant: sporadic, intermittent, occasional
• pos: adjective
• The inveterate franchise of New York, the Yankees, have been around for 100 years.

IRRELEVANT

• not to the point, not applicable or pertinent
• syn: inapplicable, immaterial, beside the point
• ant: pertinent, material, apropos, germane
• pos: adjective
• Always eliminate irrelevant points when taking notes for school.

NOCTURNAL

• of or occurring in the night; under cover of darkness
• syn: nighttime
• ant: daytime, diurnal
• pos: adjective
• Owls are nocturnal, and can see at night.

PLATITUDE

• a commonplace, stale, or trite remark
• syn: clichém truism, bromide
• ant: epigram, quip, witticism, bon mot
• pos: noun
• Many birthday cards contain boring, platitude comments.

QUELL

• to subdue, put down forcibly
• syn: pacify, squelch, quash, crush
• ant: incite, provoke, arouse, foment, stir up
• pos: verb
• Sports fans' emotions are often quelled during a loss.

QUIESCENT

• inactive; at rest
• syn: still, inert, motionless, tranquil
• ant: active, thriving, bustling, volatile
• pos: adjective
• The quiescent, lazy football player began training once again.

RUMINATE

• to meditate, think about at length
• syn: ponder, reflect, mull over, muse
• pos: verb
• The man ruminated over what food to pick from the menu.

TACIT

• unspoken, silent; implied, inferred
• syn: unexpressed, unvoiced, understood, implicit
• ant: explicit, express, specific
• pos: adjective
• The silent, tacit student would not answer a single question.

TANGIBLE

• capable of being touched; real, concrete
• syn: perceptible, actual, evident
• ant: immaterial, imperceptible, insubstantial
• pos: adjective
• After receiving the award, the team could not believe they had won, the trophy finally feeling tangible.

TRENCHANT

• incisive, keen; forceful, effective; cutting, caustic; distinct, clear-cut
• syn: penetrating, cutting, telling, acute
• ant: dull, bland, insipid, vapid, imperceptive
• pos: adjective
• The teacher's trenchant methods proved that the students were learning more.