Honors British Literature
Vocabulary List # 1
ABANDON (v.t.): to give up completely—The captain was forced to abandon
the sinking ship.
Synonyms: relinquish, forgo, forsake
ACCOLADE (n.): an award or salute—The World Series champions received
a tremendous accolade from the crowd lining the parade route.
Synonyms: tribute, ovation
AGGRESSIVE (adj.): self-assertive, attacking, offensive—Marmaduke
annoyed people with his aggressive attitude. (Noun form:
AGGRESSION)
Synonyms: bumptious, officious, obtrusive
Antonyms: meek, humble, retiring, diffident
ALACRITY (n.): eagerness; cheerful promptness—When Clarence was
offered a promotion, he responded with alacrity.
Synonyms: celerity, briskness, energy, animation
Antonyms: apathy, nonchalance, sluggishness, lethargy,
phlegmatism
AMBIGUOUS (adj.): uncertain, vague, capable of being interpreted in more
than one way—Rhonda was puzzled by the ambiguous statement.
Synonyms: hazy, obscure, equivocal, dubious, nebulous
Antonyms: explicit, unquestionable
ARMISTICE (n.): a temporary suspension of hostilities—The armistice
halted the fighting before the peace treaty was negotiated.
Synonym: truce
AVARICE (n.): excessive greed—Many feel the recent setbacks in the
financial markets were the result of unbounded avarice.
Synonyms: covetousness, cupidity, avidity
Antonym: magnanimity
BEREAVE (v.t.): to deprive or leave desolate by loss—Her husband’s death
bereaved the widow.
BOG (n.): a swamp—The old fort slowly sank into the spongy bog.
Synonyms: morass, fen, quagmire, mire
CALUMNIATE (v.t.): to accuse falsely or maliciously in order to injure
another's reputation; slander—Bertrand calumniated his political
opponent by spreading false rumors.
Synonyms: asperse, vilify, defame, scandalize
CHICANERY (n.): trickery, deception—Mortimer’s chicanery forced many iof
his investors into bankruptcy.
Synonyms: duplicity, craft, stratagem, wile (subterfuge)
CONDONE (v.t.): to forgive or overlook (an offense)—The principal
condoned the yelling in the halls after the big football game.
Synonyms: palliate, mitigate, gloss (over)
CONTEMPTUOUS (adj.): expressive of anger and disgust—Martha cast a
contemptuous look at Roscoe whom she believed was trying to copy
from her.
Synonyms: supercilious, scornful, disdainful, contumelious
CONVIVIAL (adj.): festive; gay—Everyone loved Melvin’s convivial party.
Synonyms: jovial, jocund, mirthful
Antonyms: lugubrious, dolorous, mirthless
CREDIBLE (adj.): worthy of belief—No one believed Rufus’s excuse for
missing curfew was credible.
Antonym: incredible
CREDITABLE (adj.): deserving or reflecting credit or honor—His parents
thought Millard’s 4.0 average was a creditable performance.
Synonyms: praiseworthy, meritorious, commendable
Antonyms: discreditable, infamous, opprobrious, ignominious
CURT (adj.): rudely abrupt—Wilhelmina was offended by the curt response.
Synonyms: blunt, brusque, bluff
Antonyms: affable, civil
DEMAGOGUE (n.): a leader who tries to stir the passions of the people for
his own purposes—The mob was roused by the unprincipled
demagogue.
DEVIOUS (adj.): (1) winding; indirect—Grover took a devious, rather than a
direct, way home.
Synonym: circuitous
(2) straying from the right course—Grover used devious means to
attain his wicked ends.
Synonyms: crooked, erring
DIVERSE (adj.): varied; different—Winifred and Mavis were two diverse
characters: one candid, the other insincere. (Verb form: DIVERSIFY;
Noun form: DIVERSITY)
Synonym: multifarious