Term
Admonish
Verb
Syllables 3
The libraian 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 midly; to remind of duty
SYN: warn, call on the carpet
ANT: praise, pat on the back |
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Term
Breach Noun, Verb
Syllables 1
Because of a serious breach of the rules, to players were ejected from the game
OUr troopes were unable to breach the enemy's lines during thebattle
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Definition
(n) an opeing, gap,rupture,rift; a violation or infraction; (v) to create an opening, break through
SYN: NONE
ANT: (v.) close, seal |
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Term
Brigand
Noun
Syllables 2
Ancient caravans passing through desolate areas were sometimes attacked by brigands |
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Definition
a bandit, robber, outlaw, highwayman
SYN: NONE
ANT: NONE |
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Term
Circumspect
Adjective
Syllables 3
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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Term
Commandeer
Verb
Syllables 3
Under certain circumstances the U.S. government had the right to commandeer private property. |
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Definition
to sieze for military or offical use
SYN: take over, requisition, expropriate
ANT: NONE |
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Term
Cumbersome
Adjective
Syllables 3
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: unwiedly, ponderous
ANT: manageable, easy to handle |
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Term
Deadlock
Noun, Verb
Syllables 2
After fifteen innings, the score remained a frustrating 3-to-3 deadlock.
The refusal of labor and managment to modify their demands deadlock then contract negotionation. |
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Definition
(n) a standstill resulting fro the oppistion of two equal forces or factions; (v) to bring to such a standstill
SYN: (n) standoff, stalemate, impasse
ANT: (n) agreement, accord, breakthrough |
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Term
Debris
Noun
Syllables 2
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
ANT: NONE |
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Term
Diffuse
Verb, Adjective
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 throughly confused by it. |
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Definition
(v) to spread or scatter freely or widely; (adj) wordy, longwinded, or unfocused; scattered or widely spread
SYN: (v)disperse;(adj) rambling, verbose, prolix
ANT: (v) concentrate,(adj) brief, concise, succint |
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Term
Dilemma
Noun
Syllables 3
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
Syllables 2
Time had effaced almost all signs of the struggle that took place on the famous battlefield. |
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Definition
to wipe out; to keep oneself from being noticed
SYN:blot out, erase, obliterate, expunge
ANT: NONE |
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Term
Muddle
Verb, Noun
Syllables 2
Too much stress and too little sleep will certainly muddle a person's ability to concentrate.
The muddle principally caused by their failurs to carry out the general's orders properly |
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Definition
(v) to make a mess of; muddle through; to get by;(n) a hopeless mess
SYN: (v) jumble, mess up;(n) confusion, disorder
ANT: (n) orderliness, tidiness, neatness |
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Term
Opinionated
Adjective
Syllables 5
My boss is not too opinionated to listen to a reasonable proposal. |
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Definition
stubborn and often unreasonable in holding one's own ideas, having a closed mind
SYN: obstinate, pigheaded, inflexible
ANT:open-minded, reasonable |
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Term
Perennial
Adjective, Noun
Syllables 4
Pizza is like a perennial favorite of young and old alike in the United States.
A garden of perennial is relatively easy to mantain. |
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Definition
(adj)lasting for a long time, persistant;(n) a plant that lives for many years
SYN: (adj) enduring, recurring
ANT: (adj) breif, short-lived, fleeting, ephemeral |
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Term
Predispose
Verb
Syllables 3
My genetic makeup seems to predispose me to colds and sore throats. |
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Definition
to incline to beforehand
SYN: make susceptible
ANT: immunize against, shield from |
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Term
Relinquish
Verb
Syllables 3
Severe illness forced me to relinquish 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
Syllables 2
Fortunetly, we were able to salvage a few things from the fire.
Salvage from sunken ships can be a 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
Syllables 3
Spasmodic flashes of lightning and booming thunderclaps were accompanied with 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
Syllables 3
Manfacturers who make spurious claims on their products may face fine lines or lawsuits. |
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Definition
not genuine, not ture, not valid
SYN: false, counterfeit, fradulent, bogus
ANT: genuine, authentic, bona fide, valid |
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Term
Unbridled
Adjective
Syllables 3
Sometimes the unbridled enthusiam 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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