Term
admonish V.
3 syllables
The librarian had to admonish the noisy students several times before they settled down. |
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Definition
V. to caution or advise against something; to scold mildly; to remind of a duty
Synonyms: warn, call on the carpet
Antonyms: praise, pat on the back |
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Term
breach N., V.
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
Synonyms: none
Antonyms: V. close, real |
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Term
brigand N.
2 syllables
Ancient caravans passing through desolate areas were sometimes attacked by brigands. |
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Definition
N. a bandit, robber, outlaw, highwayman
Synonyms: none
Antonyms: none |
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Term
circumspect Adj.
3 syllables
It is improtant for a diplomat to behave in a manner that is both discreet and circumspect. |
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Definition
Adj. careful, cautious
Synonyms: wary, prudent, guarded
Antonyms: incautious, rash, rickless, heedless |
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Term
commandeer V.
3 syllables
Under certain circumstances the U.S. government has the right to commandeer private property. |
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Definition
V. to seize for military use
Synonyms: take over, requisition, expropriate
Antonyms: none |
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Term
cumbersome Adj.
3 syllables
The bus was filled to capacity with holiday shoppers carrying large and cumbersome packages. |
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Definition
Adj. clumsy, hard to handle; slow-moving
Synonyms: unwieldy, ponderous
Antonyms: manageable, easy to handle |
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Term
deadlock N., V.
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 fractions; V. to bring to such a standstill
Synonyms: N. standoff, stalemate, impasse
Antonyms: N. agreement, accord, breakthrough |
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Term
debris N.
2 syllables
After the storm, the beach was littered with driftwood and other debris. |
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Definition
N. scattered fragments, wreckage
Synonym: rubble, detritus, flotsam and jetsam
Antonym:none |
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Term
diffuse V.
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
Synonyms: V. disperse; Adj. rambling, verbose, prolix
Antonyms: V. concentrate; Adj. brief, concise, succinct |
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Term
dilemma V., Adj.
3 syllables
During the crisis the President found himself caught in a painful dilemma. |
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Definition
N. a difficult or perplexing situation or problem
Synonyms: predicament, quandary, pickle, bind
Antonyms: cinch |
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Term
efface V.
2 syllables
Time had effaced almost all the signs of the struggle that took place on that famous battlefield. |
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Definition
V. to wipe out; to keep oneself from being noticed
Synonyms: blot out, erase, obliterate, expunge
Antonyms: none |
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Term
muddle V., N.
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: to get by; N. a hopeless mess
Synonyms: V. jumble, mess up; N. confusion, disorder
Antonyms: N. orderliness, tidiness, neatness |
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Term
opinionated Adj.
5 syllables
My boss is not too opinionated to listen to a reasonable proposal. |
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Definition
Adj. stubborn and often unreasonable in holding to one's own ideas, having a closed mind
Synonyms: obstinate, pigheaded, inflexible
Antonyms: open-minded, reasonable |
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Term
perennial Adj., N.
4 syllables
Pizza is a perennial favorite of young and old alike in the United States.
A garden of perennial 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
Synonyms: Adj. enduring, recurring
Antonyms: Adj. brief, short-lived, fleeting, ephemeral |
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Term
predispose V.
3 syllables
My genetic makeup seems to predispose me to colds and sore throats. |
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Definition
V. to incline beforehand
Synonyms: make susceptible to
Antonyms: hold on to, keep, retain, cling to |
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Term
relinquish V.
3 syllables
Severe illness forced me to relinquish my role in the school play. |
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Definition
V. to let go; give up
Synonyms: surrender, abandon
Antonyms: hold on to, keep, retain, cling to |
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Term
salvage V., N.
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
Synonyms: V. rescue, recover, retrieve, reclaim
Antonyms: V. abandon, scrap, junk |
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Term
spasmodic Adj.
2 syllables
Spasmodic flashes of lightning and booming thunderclaps were accompanied by torrential rain. |
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Definition
Adj. sudden and violent but brief; fitful; intermittent
Synonyms: irregular, occasional
Antonyms: steady, continuous, chronic |
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Term
spurious Adj.
3 syllables
Manufacturers who make spurious claims for their products may face fines or lawsuits. |
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Definition
Adj. not genuine, not true, not valid
Synonyms: false, counterfeit, fraudulent, bogus
Antonyms: genuine, authentic, bona fide, valid |
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Term
unbridled Adj.
3 syllables
Sometimes the unbridled enthusiasm of sports fans can get a little out of hand. |
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Definition
Adj. uncontrolled, lacking ion restraint
Synonyms: unrestrained, unchecked
Antonyms: restrained, held in check, muted |
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