Term
admonish [image]
verb
3 syllables
The librarian had to admonish the noisy students several times before they settled down. |
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Definition
to caution or advise against something; to scold mildly; to remind of a duty
Syn: warn, call on the carpet
Ant: praise, pat on the back |
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Term
breach[image]
noun/verb
1 syllable
Because of a serious breach of the rules, two players were ejected from the game.
Our troops were unable to breach the enemy's lines during the battle.
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Definition
(n) an opening, gap, rupture, rift; a violation or infraction;
(v) to create an opening, break through
Ant: (v) close, seal |
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Term
brigand
noun
2 syllables
[image]
Ancient caravans passing through desolate areas were sometimes attacked by brigands. |
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Definition
a bandit, robber, outlaw, highwayman |
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Term
commandeer
verb
3 syllables
Under certain circumstances the U.S. government has the right to commandeer private property.
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Definition
to seize for military or official use
Syn: take over, requisition, expropriate |
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Term
cumbersome
adjective
3 syllables
The bus was filled to capacity with holiday shoppers carrying large and cumbersome packages. |
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Definition
clumsy, hard to handle; slow-moving
Syn: unwieldy, ponderous
Ant: manageable, easy to handle |
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Term
deadlock
noun/verb
2 syllables
After fifteen innings, the score remained a frustrating 3-to-3 deadlock. |
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Definition
(n) a standstill resulting from the opposition of two equal forces or factions;
(v) to bring to such a standstill |
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Term
debris
noun
2 syllables
After the storm, the beach was littered with driftwood and other debris. |
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Definition
scattered fragments, wreckage
Syn: rubble, detritus, flotsam and jetsam |
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Term
diffuse
verb/adj
2 syllables
The scent of lilacs slowly diffused through the open window.
The speech was so long and diffuse that most members of the audience were thoroughly confused by it. |
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Definition
(v) to spread or scatter freely or widely;
(adj) wordy, long-winded, or unfocused; scattered or widely spread
Syn: (v) disperse (adj) rambling, verbose, prolix
Ant: (v) concentrate (adj) brief, concise, succinct |
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Term
dilemma
noun
3 syllables
During the crisis the President found himself caught in a painful dilemma. |
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Definition
a difficult or perplexing situation or problem
Syn: predicament, quandary, pickle, bind
Ant: cinch |
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Term
efface
verb
2 syllables
Time had effaced almost all signs of the struggle that took place on that famous battlefield. |
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Definition
to wipe out; to keep oneself from being noticed
Syn: blot out, erase, obliterate, expunge |
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Term
muddle
verb/noun
2 syllables
Too much stress and too little sleep will almost certainly muddle a person's ability to concentrate.
The muddle was principally caused by their failure to carry out the general's orders properly. |
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Definition
(v) to make a mess of; muddle through
(n) a hopeless mess
Syn: (v) jumble, mess up; (n) confusion, disorder
Ant: (n) orderliness, tidiness, neatness |
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Term
opinionated
adjective
5 syllables
My boss is not too opinionated to listen to a reasonable proposal. |
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Definition
stubborn and often unreasonable in holding to one's own ideas, having a closed mind
Syn: obstinate, pigheaded, inflexible
Ant: open-minded, reasonable |
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Term
perennial
adjective/noun
4 syllables
Pizza is a perennial favorite of young and old alike in the United States.
A garden of perennials is relatively easy to maintain. |
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Definition
(adj) lasting for a long time, persistent
(n) a plant that lives for many years
Syn: (adj) enduring, recurring
Ant: (adj) brief, short-lived; fleeting, ephemeral |
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Term
predispose
verb
3 syllables
My genetic makeup seems to predispose me to colds and sore throats. |
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Definition
to incline to beforehand
Syn: make susceptible to
Ant: immunize against, shield from |
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Term
relinquish
verb
3 syllables
Severe illness forced me to relinguish my role in the school play. |
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Definition
to let go; give up
Syn: surrender, abandon
Ant: hold on to, keep, retain, cling to |
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Term
salvage
verb/noun
2 syllables
Fortunately, we were able to salvage a few things from the fire.
Salvage from sunken ships can be of great value to archaeologists and historians. |
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Definition
(v) to save from fire or shipwreck
(n) property thus saved
Syn: (v) rescue, recover, retrieve, reclaim
Ant: (v) abandon, scrap, junk
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Term
spasmodic
adjective
3 syllables
Spasmodic flashes of lightning and booming thunderclaps were accompanied by torrential rain. |
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Definition
sudden and violent but brief, fitful, intermittent
Syn: irregular, occasional
Ant: steady, continuous, chronic |
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Term
spurious
adjective
3 syllables
Manufacturers who make spurious claims for their products may face fines or lawsuits. |
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Definition
not genuine, not true, not valid
Syn: false, counterfeit, fraudulent, bogus
Ant: genuine, authentic, bona fide, valid |
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Term
unbridled
adjective
3 syllables
Sometimes the unbridled enthusiasm of sports fans can get a little out of hand. |
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Definition
uncontrolled, lacking in restraint
Syn: unrestrained, unchecked
Ant: restrained, held in check, muted |
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Term
circumspect
adjective
3 syllables
It is important for a diplomat to behave in a manner that is both discreet and circumspect. |
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Definition
careful, cautious
Syn: wary, prudent, guarded
Ant: incautious, rash, reckless, heedless |
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