Vocab Unit 6
51)
avarice noun [avarus (Latin), “greedy,” from avere (Latin), “desire”]
An excessive desire to acquire and possess wealth; a combination of greed and
stinginess.
Related Forms: (adj) avaricious; (noun) avariciousness
Synonyms: acquisitiveness, cupidity, covetousness, rapacity, miserliness,
parisomy, acquisitive, greedy, covetous, rapacious, grasping, stingy, miserly,
tightfisted
Antonyms: generosity, liberality, openhandedness, generous, liberal,
openhanded
52)
avid adjective [avidus (Latin), “craving; greedy,” from avere (Latin),
“desire”]
Extremely eager, anxious, or enthusiastic.
Related Forms: (n) avidity; (adv) avidly
Synonyms: zealous, ardent, keen, fervent, fervid, voracious, insatiable, rabid,
fanatical, passionate, gung ho
Antonyms: indifferent, apathetic, unresponsive, apathy, indifference
53)
badger
verb [Origin uncertain, possibly from the name of the animal]
To tease; to annoy with a constant string of petty torments.
Related Forms:
Synonyms: harass, torment, pester, plague, vex, irritate, hassle, bait, harry
Antonyms: leave in peace; soothe, calm, pacify
54)
baffle verb
[Origin uncertain]
a. To puzzle completely.
b. To prevent from achieving a goal.
Related Forms: (adj) baffling; (n) bafflement
Synonyms: perplex, mystify, bewilder, nonplus, confound, thwart, foil, balk,
frustrate, stymie, stump, mystifying, bewildering, enigmatic, perplexed,
mystified, quizzical
Antonyms: understand, comprehend, fathom, help, aid, assist
55)
banal
adjective [banal (French), “commonplace,” from ban (Old French)
“summons to military service”]
Made stale by constant use or repetition.
Related Forms: (n) banality; (adv) banally
Synonyms: trite, hackneyed, stereotyped, prosaic, commonplace, pedestrian,
insipid, vapid, fatuous, jejune, corny, triteness, insipidity, cliche, platitude,
bromide
Antonyms: novel, fresh, original, innovative, provocative, striking, sparkling,
scintillating, piquant; novelty, originality
56)
belligerent
adjective & noun [bellum (Latin), “war” + gerens (Latin),
“waging,” from gerre (Latin), “wage”]
a. Warring, actually engaged in a war;warlike or hostile.
b. A party (for example, a nation or organization) engaged in a war.
Related Forms: (n) belligerence, belligerency; (adv) belligerently
Synonyms: martial, combative, bellicose, quarrelsome, contentious, militant,
pugnacious, hawkish
Antonyms: pacific, peaceable, conciliatory, dovish
57)
benign
adjective
a. Gentle and kindly.
b. Wholesome or favorable.
[bene (Latin), “well” + genus (Latin), “birth; race”]
Related Forms: (n) benignity; (adj) benignant; (adv) benignly
Synonyms: benevolent, favorable, auspicious, beneficial, salutary, salubrious
Antonyms: malevolent, pernicious, deleterious, injurious, inimical, noxious,
detrimental
58)
bicker verb [bikeren (Middle English), “thrust; attack”]
To engage in petty quarreling.
Related Forms: (n) bickering
Synonyms: squabble, wrangle, haggle, dicker
Antonyms: agree, concur
59)
bizarre
adjective [bizarre (French), “strange,” originally “gallant”: from
bizarro (Spanish), “handsome, manly”; from bizar (Basque), “beard”]
Weird or fantastic.
Related Forms: (n) bizarreness
Synonyms: grotesque, outlandish, freakish, odd, queer, singular, far-out,
unconventional, eccentric
Antonyms: normal, conventional, orthodox, straight, square, sedate,
conservative, sober, staid
60)
bland adjective
[blandus (Latin), “smooth; soft-spoken”]
a. Mild or gentle. (When used in this sense, the word is usually neutral in tone.)
b. Lacking interest or liveliness; flat. (When used in this sense, the word is
distinctly pejorative.)
Related Forms: (n) blandness; (adv) blandly
Synonyms: calming, soothing, nonirritating, dull, boring, unexciting, insipid,
lifeless, nondescript, mediocre, run-of-the-mill
Antonyms: irritating, harsh, spicy, pungent, piquant, racy, colorful, florid,
scintillating, lively, sprightly