half

semicolon, demitasse

one

monogamy

one

unicycle

two

duodecimal

two

bimonthly

three

tricycle

four

quadriplegic

five

quintuplets

six

sextet

seven

september (was the 7th month of the ancient Roman year, which began in March)

eight

October ( the 9th month in the ancient Roman calender, which began with March)

nine

November (the ninth month of the ancient Roman year, which began with March)

ten

December (the 10th month of the ancient Roman year, which began with March)

hundred

century

thousand

millipede

many

polugon

first

study of something

archaeology, biology

kill vs. live, alive

genocide (killing of a large group)

vivacious (full of life), revive (bring back to life)

small vs. large

microcosum (miniture of something)

macrocosum (universe)

(negative word) not or without

atheist, anarchy, anonymous apathy, aphasia, anemia, atypical, anesthesia

(negative word) away or from

absent, abduction, aberrant, abstemious, abnormal, abstract, absorb

(negative word)  against, opposite

antisocial

negative word - apart, away

dismiss, disallow, disperse, dissuade, disconnect, disproportion, disrespect, distemper, distaste, disarray

negative word - bad, ill

dyslexia, dysfunction, maladapted

(negative word) hate

misadventure, misadvise, misalignment,

misinform, misinterpret, mispronounce, misnomer, mistake, misogynist

(negative word) - not

inviolate, innocuous, intractable, innocent, impregnable, impossible

(negative word)  not

nonferrous, nonabrasive, nondescript, nonfat, nonfiction, nonprofit, nonsense, nonentity

(negative word) out

emit, expulsion, exhale, exit, express, exclusive, enervate, exceed, explosion

against

(positive word) good

benefactor, beneficial, benevolent, benediction, beneficiary, benefit

good

together, with

convene, compress, contemporary, converge, compact, confluence, concatenate, conjoin, combine, convert, compatible, consequence

together, with

synthesis, synchronous, syndicate, synergy, snyopsis, syncretism

forward

self

automobile, automatic, autograph, autonomous, autoimmune, autopilot, autobiography

life

biography

to, toward

admit, addition, advertisement, adherent, admonish, address, adhesive, adept, adjust

before

anteroom, antebellum, antedate antecedent, antediluvian

around

circumnavigate, circumflex, circumstance, circumcision, circumference, circumorbital, circumlocution, circumvent, circumscribe, circulatory

together, with

convene, compress, contemporary, converge, compact, confluence, concatenate, conjoin, combine, convert, compatible, consequence

from, down

detach, deploy, derange, deodorize, devoid, deflate, degenerate, deice, descend, derail, depress, depart, decompose, destruction

in, into, on

inviolate, innocuous, intractable, innocent, impregnable, impossible

between

international, intercept, intermission, interoffice, internal, intermittent

within

introvert, introduce

around, about

periscope, perimeter, perigee, periodontal

again, back

report, realign, retract, revise, regain, reflect, rename, restate, recombine, recalculate, redo

apart

over, above

superior, suprarenal, superscript, supernatural, supercede, superficial, superhero, superimpose

to bend

lexible, reflection, deflect, circumflex, inflection, reflex

break

break, burst

rupture

turn

convert, revert, advertise, versatile, vertigo, invert, reversion, extravert, introvert

god

theology, theist, polytheist, pantheism, atheist

believe

credo, credible, credence, credit, credential, credulity, incredulous, creed, incredible

to aid

I refused to abet the neighbors in the scheme to sabotage the construction site.

syn:  endorse, collude

to renounce, to give something up

She had abjured the doctrines of her parents' faith.

syn:  abandon, repudiate, reject

to agree to

The authorities did not accede to the demonstrators' demand.

syn:  assent, acquiesce, concur

hard, stubborn

He is adamant that he is not going to resign.

syn:  insistent, resolute

able to move quickly and easily

She was as agile as a monkey.

Syn: nimble, quick, alert, sharp

Ant: clumsy, stiff, slow or dull

to make easier, relieve

Use ice to alleviate the swelling.

Syn: diminish, mitigate, allay

Ant: aggravate

to make something bad better

The reform did much to ameliorate living standards.

Syn: enhance, benefit

Ant: worsen

something out of the ordinary; irregular

There are a number of anomalies in the test results.

Syn: incongruity, aberration

Ant: commonplace

the opposite

Friends of the actress say that she is quite the antithesis of her giddy and frivolous character.

Syn: converse, obverse, contrary

doubtful in authenticity

The origin of the painting was apocryphal.

Syn: Fictitious, fabricated

enthusiastic, passion

The student approached the project with great ardor.

Syn: dedication, vehemence, gusto

to make less intense (a pain),  ease, alleviate, satisfy (a hunger)

He had a pain that could never be assuaged.

Ant: diminish, reduce

greed

The job had become less about integrity and more about avarice.

Syn: materialism

Ant: generosity

warlike

I cannot endorse the bellicose nature of your organization.

Syn: aggressive, hostile

Ant: peaceable

kind, warmhearted, good-natured

He was a benign king.

Syn: benevolent, genial

Ant: unfriendly, hostile

a causal and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper

 She had a blithe disregard for rules of the road.

Syn: heedless, nonchalant

Ant: thoughtful

a thing that is helpful or beneficial

The navigation system will be a boon to both the military and civilian users.

Syn: advantage, windfall

Ant: curse

an act of breaking or failing to follow the law

A breach in the dam caused the flooding.

Syn: discord, transgression

restraint in eating and drinking

The monks have willingly chose this abstemious life.

Syn: temperate, abstinent

Ant: self-indulgent

accept something reluctantly but without protest

Sarah acquiesced in his decision.

Syn: concede or assent to

1: sharp and harsh or unpleasantly pungent in taste or odor: irritating (acrid fumes) 2: deeply or violently bitter: acrimonious (an acrid farewell)

syn: caustic

1 : being pleasant and at ease in talking to others 2 : characterized by ease and friendline.

He was an affable and agreeable companion.

syn: gracious

removed or distant either physically or emotionally

They were courteous but faintly aloof.

syn: indifferent

open to more than one interpritation; double meaning

The question is rather ambiguous.

syn: equivocal, ambivalent

1. of or relating to the period before the flood described in the Bible (gigantic bones of antediluvian animals) 2. extremely primitive or old fashioned (antediluvian stereotypes)

syn: outdated, outmoded

peak, summit, pinnacle, tip

The apex of a pyramid.

having or showing an ability to acurately assess situtations or people and turn this to one's advantage. 

He as an astute businessman.

syn: shrewd, sharp, clever

a ruler who has absolute power

The king was an autocrat.

syn: dictator, despot, tyrant

1 : of or relating to an uncle 2 : suggestive of an uncle especially in kindliness or geniality.

He had an avuncular manner.

one that confers a benefit; especially : one that makes a gift or bequest

An anonymous benefactor gave money to the orphanage.

syn:  patron, contributor

1.  existing in a state of intellectual, moral, or social darkness: unenlightened. 2. overtaken by darkness or night

They saw themselves as bringers of culture to poor benighted peoples.

syn: obscure

1 : done openly and unashamedly.

(Blatant lies)  2 : completely obvious, conspicuous, or obtrusive especially in a crass or offensive manner: brazen (forcing herself to resist is blantent charm)

syn: flagrant, glaring

a harsh or discordant mixture of sounds.

A cacophony of deafening alarm bells.

syn:  clamor, discord

truthful and straightforward

His responses were remarkable candid.

syn: frank

1.  to surrender often after negotiation of terms

2. to cease resisting : acquiesce

The patriots had to capitulate to the enemy forces.

syn: yield

1. the seed coverings and other debris separated from the seed in threshing grain 2. something comparatively worthless 3. good natured wisecracks

Separate wheat from the chaff.

The pleasure of chaffing your buddies.

syn: tease

1 : the use of an unnecessarily large number of words to express an idea 2 : evasion in speech

When you've finish your circumlocution, maybe you could just get to the point.

syn: verbose, long-winded, wordiness

1: clear, logical and convincing.   2a: appealing forcibly to the mind or reason : convincing ; b : pertinent, relevant

He outlined a cogent analysis of the situation.

syn: valid

used in ordinary or familiar conversation;  not formal or literary.

She just loved the colloquial expressions of her Sourthern in-laws.

syn:  slang, popular

1. being of the same opinion.  2. to act together to a common end or single effect; approve; to express agreement

We concur with this view.

syn: agree

to alleviate the grief, sense of loss, or trouble of;

She tried to console him but he gently pushed her away.

syn: soothe, comfort

abundant in supply or quantity

I had been a little too copious in talking of my country.

syn: plentiful

having, consisting of, or relating to a physical material body (not spiritual) 

They tried to bring Satan into corporeal existence.

syn: human, material, tangible

made in imitation of something else with intent to deceive:

He had tried to pass counterfeit money at the bank.

syn:  forged, insincere, feigned, imitation

too eager to believe especially on slight or uncertain evidence

He sold "miracle" cures to credulous and desperate clients.

syn:  gullible

to delegate to another;  to submit to another's wishes, opinion, or governance usually through deference or respect

She deferred to her father's wishes.

syn: yield

to use up the supply of

The pilgrams supplies are depleting fast.

syn: consume

discourage, or prevent from doing something.

The teachers were able to deter her behavior with mild forms of punishment.

syn:  inhibit

1. demonstrating neat skill: clever - her dexterous handling of the crisis - 2 : done with dexterity: artful -a dexterous maneuver - 3 : skillful and competent with the hands - a dexterous surgeon -

syn: deft

an argument presenting two or more equally conclusive alternatives against an opponent.

The people often face the dilemma of feeding themselves or their cattle.

Syn:  plight, perplexity

extremely or unusually small.

 A diminutive figure dressed all in black.

syn: midget, petite, tiny

good judgment in conduct and especially in speech esp in order to avoid causing offense or gaining an advantage.

We made some discreet inquiries.

to make public or known (as a confidence or secret)

The spy refused to divulge the US secrets.

syn: reveal

2 : marked by a suspension of activity: as a : temporarily devoid of external activity, asleep, inactive

The volcano had been dormant for years.

syn: latent

something regarded as worthless, rubbish

There are bargins if you have the patience to sift through the dross.

fit to be eaten: eatable

The food was of such poor quality that it was not edible.

an exit

The egress from the gallery was blocked.

a poem of serious reflection - typically a lament for the dead.

He read an elegy for his father.

the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

They had empathy for the survivors.

to bring forth

His work engendered considerable controversy.

the state or feeling of being actively opposed or hostile to someone or something.

Since biblical times there has always been great enmity between Catholics and Protestants.

to lie by using ambiguous language

She equivocated in her response.

syn: mislead

extremely delicate and light in a way that seems to perfect for this world.

Her ethereal beauty.

syn: unsubstantial, unreal

to bring or recall to the conscious mind.

The painting evoked much controversy.

syn:  elicit  

1 : to execute promptly 2 : to accelerate the process or progress of : speed up

They exdedited the delivery so they would not be fined.

syn: help, assist

no longer existing;  gone out of use: no longer burning.

syn: see dead

easily accomplished or attained.

A facile victory.

syn: see easy

a false or mistaken belief: erroneousness: an often plausible argument using false or invalid inference

The notion that the camera never lies is a fallacy.

to pretend

She laid still and feigned asleep.

syn: affect, assume, simulate

sparing or economical with regard to the use of money or food

He led a remarkably furgal life.

syn: stingy

complimentary or flattering to an excessive degree.

They are almost embarassingly fulsome in their appreciation.

syn: soapy, oily

excessively talkative esp on tivial matters.

Polonius is portrayed as a foolish, garrulous old man.

synonyms see chatty, gabby

fond of company, sociable

He was a popular and gregarious man.

sly or cunning intelligence: duplicity

He used all his guile and guts to free himself from his captures.

easily duped or cheated

He was a swindler who preyed on gullible elderly widows.

1 a : to restrict the movement of by bonds or obstacles : impede b : to interfere with the operation of : disrupt

His refusal to answer the detectives questions hampered the investigation.

syn: encumber, shackle, manacle

blatantly and disdainfully proud

His haughty behavior made him difficult to be around.

syn: proud, arrogant, vain

hatefully or shockingly evil : abominable

The crime was heinous and bloody.

to chop or cut something with an ax, pick or other tool. 

We have finished hewing and hauling the wood.

1. not honorable in character or purpose.   2. of low birth or common origin : plebeian.  

Ignoble feelings of intense jealousy.

Ignoble savages.

1 : having no stain or blemish : pure 2 : containing no flaw or error, spotlessly clean

She always kept her room immaculate.

weaken or damage

The strike seriously impaired community services.

synonyms see injure

to interfere with or slow the progress of

Your efforts to impede our progress will be unsuccessful.

syn: hinder

silly, stupid, empty, insubstantial, insignificant, meaning, or point.

Don't constantly badger people with inane questions.

syn: insipid

to move to action : stir up : spur on : urge on

The gang members tried to incite the neighbors to torch the city.

unwilling to admit or accept what is offered as true: skeptical

Chung was incredulous when the congressman was not more forthcoming in his broadcast interview about the case.

1 a : that cannot be removed, washed away, or erased b : making marks that cannot easily be removed 2 a : lasting b : unforgettable, memorable

He made an indelible impression.

1. adverse to activity, effort, or movement : habitually lazy

Those who choose to remain indolent and aimless will never benefit from our self-help programs.

syn: lazy

producing no injury : harmless, inoffensive

An innocuous fungus.

An innocuous comment.

characterized by resolute fearlessness, fortitude, and endurance

Our intrepid leader inspired us to keep moving foward.

Syn: bold

intense and usually openly displayed anger

The plans provoked the ire of conservationists.

synonyms see anger

1: given to jesting : habitually jolly  2: characterized by jesting: playful

My jocular uncle was a pleasure to be around.

syn: witty

having or expressing feelings of joy or triumph

A jubilant crowd came to celebrate the President's inaugeration.

worthy of praise : commendable

They were thanked for the laudable contributions of time and talent.

not sufficiently strick or severe - lax security.  careless

Lax discipline at home made the teenager uncontrolable.

a dictionary

The students often used the lexicon while they read.

thin, supple and graceful.  

  Alithe vine.  A lithe dancer.

full of excessive talk, wordy

He was a friendly and loquacious little boy.

syn:  talkative

expressed clearly, easy to understand,

showing ability to think clearly

She gave a lucid description of her capture.

syn: clear, vivid

a person who is dissatisfied and rebellious. 

A group of malcontents stormed the embassy.

syn:  rebel

1: a winding path or course;labyrinth 2 : a turn or winding of a stream

The river meandered through the valley.

a begger

The mendicant was told to move off the city streets.

a person's ability to cope well with difficulties or to face a demanding situation in a spirited and resilient way. 

gentlemen of brave mettle — Shakespeare.

syn: courage

to imitate in order to entertain or make fun of, mock

She mimicked his accent. 

to appease the anger or anxiety of someone

They tried to mollify the protesters. 

sullen and gloomy disposition

She had a very dark and morose aura.

syn: sullen

lacking interest or excitement; dull

Her mundane life in Ohio made her want to move to New York.

the lowest point in the fortunes of a person or organization (the opposite of zenith)

They had reached the nadir of their sufferings.

1. extremely offensive smell - noisome garbage 2. disagreeable and umpleasant

Noisome vapors from the smoldering waste.

syn: malodorous

stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action.

The brass were also obdudrate in their opposition to having any women in conbat positions.

syn: stubborn, inflexible

1 a : neither perpendicular nor parallel : inclined or slanting.  having no right angle.  We sat at the settee oblique to the fireplace.  2a : not straightforward : indirect. 

He issued an oblique attack on the President.

also : obscure, devious, underhanded

noisy and difficult to control. unruly

The boy is cocky and obstreperous.

synonyms see vociferous

extremely unpleasant, repulsive, offensive

  The dumpsite was especially odious during the summer months. 

ostentatiously rich and luxurious or lavish.

The opulent comfort of the limousine.

syn: rich

to exile : to exclude from a group by common consent

A group of people who have been ridiculed, ostracized and persecuted for centuries.

1 : capable of being touched or felt : tangible 2 : easily perceptible : noticeable -a palpable difference.

The palpable bump on the bridge of her nose.

syn: perceptible

a public speach or published text in praise of someone or something.

The panegyric she delivered in Syd's memory brought tears to our eyes.

a model of excellence or perfection, perfect example

She is a paragon of cheerfulness.

superior to all others: supreme.

A matter of paramount importance.

syn: dominant

a quality that evokes pitty or sadness. 

The actor injects his customary humor and pathos into the role.

syn:  tragedy

perfidious

deceitful and untrustworthy; treachery: an act or an instance of disloyalty

A perfidious child revealed the secret of the gobstopper to Willy Wonka's competitior.

walking

He could never get used to her peripatetic lifestyle.

extremely harmful

A pernicious influence on society.

of little or no importance or significance; trivial and  small-minded

The petty divisions of party politics.

of two or more colors in blotches;

A pied horse.

a feeling of irretation or sentment resulting from a slight;  anger

He left in a fit of pique.

a request made in an urgent and emotional manner.

The President made a darmatic plea for disarmament.

having great power, influence or effect - powerful

Throwns were very potent symbols of authority.

to competely destroy; tear down

Villages were razed to the ground.

formidable, intimidating

He was a redoubtalbe debater.

extremely distasteful, unacceptable, offensive

The thought of going back into the fog was repugnant to him.

to think deeply about something (literal meaning is to chew cud)

We sat ruminating on the nature of existence.

wise

The Chinese sage Confucius.

to strike with a firm blow, to hit

He smites the water with his sword.

something that puts you to sleep

The motion of the train had a somewhat soporific effect on the passangers.

persistent, stubborn

He had a tenacious hold on his oppontent.

hard work

Advice for those who wish to save great sarrow and travail.

courage

The medals are awarded for all acts of valor.

truthfulness

Officials expressed doubts about the veracity of the statements.

irritate, annoy

The memory of the conversation still vexed him.

pale

She looked so wan and pale in the hospital.

to increase in size

The Generals requested that the President wax the number of infentry men.

The moon waxes at the beginning of each month.

to decrease in size (often used in describing the moon)

The moon wanes towards the end of every month.

clever and quick to see how to take advantage of a situation

It was obvious that he was an astute investor as his portfolio had made millions.

1: exceptionally early in development or occurrence - precocious puberty - 2: exhibiting mature qualities at an unusually early age- a precocious child.

People often comment that Aidan is precocious child.

1 a : stiffly formal and proper . 2 : neat, trim - prim hedges.

The girls at cotillion often dress very prim and proper.

1. tending or able to change frequently or easily.  2. able to do many different things.

He was a remarkable protean composer, one at home with a wide variety of styles.

It is difficult to comprehend the whole of this portean subject.

acting with or showing care and thought for the future. 

No prudent money manager would authorize a loan without first knowing its purpose. 

syn: wise

eager or quick to argue, quarrel or fight. 

The increasingly pugnacious behavior of politicians.

syn: belligerent

1: question, inquiry;  2: a question mark

We are happy to answer your queries.

There was a query as to who owned the hotel.

1 : aggressively greedy or grasping- rapacious landlords. 2: ravenous- a rapacious appetite.

Tom has fallen for a rapacious gold digger.

a person who kills a king

cheerfully optimistic

They are not sanguine about the prospect.

the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.

A fortunate stroke of serendipity.

comfort or consolation in a time of sadness or distress

She sought solace in her religion.

extremely dirty and unpleasant esp as a result of poverty or neglect.

The squalid, overcrowded prisons.

behaving, done or made in a cautious and surreptitious manner, so as not to be seen or heard - stealthy footsteps.

She was a natural for such stealthy activities.

to cause to be under water

The submarine submerged.

so delicate or precise so as to be difficult to analyze or describe.

His language expresses rich and subtle meanings.

reserved or uncommunicative in speech - saying little

Our taciturn daughter has suddently become a little talkative.

mentally or physically inactive; lethargic.

We sat in a torpid state.

lasting only for a short time; temporary.

A transient cold.

a feeling of fear or agitation about something that may happen.

The men set off in fear and trepidation.

eager or quick to argue or fight; aggressively defiant.

His days of truculent defiance were over.

present, appearing or found everywhere.

His ubiquitous influence was felt by all of the family.

excessively or ingratiatingly flattering; oily.

He seemed anxious to please but not in a unctuous way.

to take a position of power illegally or by force. 

Richard usurped the thrown.

1. a thin decorate covering of fine wood applied to a coarser wood or other material. 2. an attractive appearance that covers or disguises someone or something's true nature or feelings.

Her veneer of composure cracked a little.

using more words than necessary.

Much academic language is obscure and verbose.

1. form or proportion of the features of a face. An elegant, angular visage. 2. a person's facial expressions.

There was something hidden behind his visage of cheerfulness.

make more entertaining; animate.

Outings vivify learning for children.

a person who is fanatical or uncompromising in pursuit of their religious, political or other ideals.

York was too much of a zealot for the party to endorse seriously.

The highest point reached - the opposite of nadir.

The missile reached its zenith then fell.

a soft gentle breeze; a light article of clothing. From Zephuros - god of the wind.

A summer zephyr gently stirred her hair.

a person who opposes official policy

A dissident who has been jailed by a military regime.

syn:  rebel, insurgent

ant:  conformist

introductory section of litirary or musical work.

Davis wrote the porlogue to her brother's autobiography.

distress or embarassment at having failed or been humiliated

Jeff, much to his chagrin, was not invited.