amplify

(v) to make stronger, larger, greater, louder, or the like

s:  increase, augment, fill out, supplement

a:  lessen, diminish, abbreviate, shorten

armistice

(n) a temporary peace, halt in fighting

s:  cease-fire, truce

arrogant

(adj) haughty, too convinced ofone's own importance

s:  high-handed, overbearing, presumptuous

a:  meek, humble, modest, unassuming

bland

(adj) gentle, soothing, mild, lacking interest or taste

s:  dull, insipid

a:  harsh, irritating, pungent, spicy, piquant

disclaim

(v) to deny interest in or connection with; to give up all claim to

s:  disavow, disown, repudiate

a:  admit, achknowledge, avow, confess

epoch

(n) a distince period of time, era, age

estrange

(v) to drift apart or become unfriendly; to cause such a separation; to remove or keep at a distance

s:  part company, alienate

a:  bring together, reunite, reconcile

gratify

(v) to please, satisfy, to indulge or humor

s:  delight

a:  disappoint, dissatisfy, frustrate, thwart

infinite

(adj) exceedingly great, inexhaustible, without limit, endless (n) preceded by the ) an incalculable number, the concept of infinity; (cap I) a name for God

s:  (adj) unlimited, boundless

a:  (adj) limited, restricted, measurable

irascible

(adj) easilty made angry, hot-tempered

s:  irritable, quarrelsome, cantankerous

a:  even-tempered

kindred

(n) a person's relatives; a family relationship; (adj) related by blood, like, similar

s:  (n) kin, relations

a:  (adj) unlike, dissimilar, contrasting

naive

(adj) innocent, unsophisticated, showing lack of worldly knowledge and experience

s:  green, wet behind the ears

a:  sophisticated, knowing, urbane, suave, blase

niche

(n) a decorative recess in a wall; a suitable place or positon for a person or thing

s:  nook, alcove

obliterate

(v) to blot out completely, destroy utterly

s:  wipe out, erase, expunge, efface

a:  foster, promote, create

ramshackle

(adj) appearing ready to collapse, loose and shaky

s:  rickety, unsteady, run-down, dilapidated

a:  well-built, well maintained, shipshape, trim

ransack

(v) to search or examine thoroughly, to rob, plunder

s:  rummage, scour

a:  spot-check

rote

(n) unthinking routine or repetition; a fixed or mechanical way of doing something; (adj) based on a mechanical routine

solvent

(adj) able to meet one's financial obligations; having the power to dissolve other substances;  (n) a liquid used to dissolve other substances; something that solves, explans, eliminates or softens

s:  financially sound, in the black

a:  bankrupt, flat broke, in the red

tedious

(adj) long and tiresome

s:  boring, monotonous

a:  stimulating, interesting, short and sweet

vendor

(n) a person who sells something

s:  peddler, hawker, dealer, merchant

a:  buyer, purchaser, customer