Vocabulary #3
1. vendor
(n.) a person who sells something
If the appliance you purchased turns out to be defective, you should return it to the __________.
Synonyms: peddler, hawker, dealer, merchant
Antonyms: buyer, purchaser, customer
2. kindred
(n.) a person’s relatives; a family relationship; (adj.) related by blood; like, similar
If you have any long-lost __________ , you may be able to use the internet to locate them.
People who feel that they are __________ spirits usually have many interests in common.
Synonyms: (n.) kin, relations
Antonyms: (adj.) unlike, dissimilar, contrasting
3. estrange
(v.) to drift apart or become unfriendly; to cause such a separation; to remove or keep at a distance
A long and bitter feud may __________ a family that was once close-knit.
Synonyms: part company, alienate
Antonyms: bring together, reunite, reconcile
4. befall
(v.) to happen, occur; to happen to
It is only natural to worry from time to time about the ills that may someday __________ us.
Synonym: come to pass
5. crucial
(adj.) of extreme importance, decisive, critical
In many adventure films, the hero always arrives just at the __________ moment.
Synonym: pivotal
Antonyms: insignificant, inconsequential
6. exasperate (v.) to irritate, annoy, or anger
Small children sometimes __________ adults with endless questions.
Synonyms: vex, try one’s patience
Antonyms: soothe, mollify, please, delight
7. embody
(v.) to give form to; to incorporate, include; to personify
The villain in a melodrama __________ cold-blooded ruthlessness.
Synonym: encompass
8. heritage
(n.) an inheritance; a birthright
A rich __________ of human history and creativity is housed in the world’s libraries and museums.
Synonyms: legacy, descent, pedigree
9. veneer
(n.) a thin outer layer; a surface appearance or decoration; (v.) to cover with a thin layer
Some people may adopt a thin __________ of friendliness to hide their true feelings toward others.
Furniture makers often __________ sturdy but common wood with a finer, more costly variety.
Synonyms: (n.) facing, overlay, façade, pretense
Antonyms: (n.) nucleus, inner core
10. reciprocal
(adj.) shared; involving give-and take between two persons or things; working in both directions;
(n.) (math) a number that, when multiplied by another number, gives 1
A __________ understanding of each other’s likes and dislikes is important in a close friendship.
The fraction 4/3 is the __________ of the fraction 3/4.
Synonym: (adj.) mutual
Antonyms: (adj.) one-sided, unilateral
11. mercenary
(adj.) acting or working for self-gain only; (n.) a hired soldier, a soldier of fortune
A fortune hunter’s motives are __________ rather than romantic.
A country that does not have a standing army may need to call upon __________ to fight in
its wars.
Synonyms: (adj.) grasping, avaricious
Antonyms: (adj.) unselfish, disinterested, altruistic
12. parable
(n.) a short narrative designed to teach a moral lesson
Sermons are often based on __________ from the New Testament.
Synonyms: moral tale, fable, allegory
13. conventional
(adj.) in line with accepted ideas or standards; trite
Many people have rather __________ taste in clothing.
Synonyms: ordinary, commonplace, orthodox
Antonyms: outlandish, bizarre, unorthodox
Choose 5 vocabulary words and write questions that can be answered “yes” or “no”.
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3.
4.
5.
VOCABULARY PRACTICE – unit #3
SYNONYMS – Choose the vocabulary word that most nearly the same as the boldface word.
1. a merchant with an old-fashioned pushcart
_______________
2. a fable with an important message
3. one who personifies courage and strength
_______________
4. had few close relatives
_______________
5. a bad habit that really irritates me
_______________
6. unwilling to alienate supporters
_______________
7. claimed the property that was their birthright
_______________
8. unprepared for what occurred
_______________
9. a thoroughly selfish and grasping individual
_______________
_______________
ANTONYMS – Choose the vocabulary word that is most nearly the opposite of the boldface word.
10. unorthodox ways of getting things done
_______________
11. a series of insignificant clues
_______________
12. an inner core of self-confidence
_______________
13. a unilateral agreement
_______________
Choose the vocabulary word which best completes each sentence. Write in your answer.
1. Instead of relying on a ___________textbook, our social studies teacher has us using many
different materials and media.
2. The spirit of the new law to protect consumers is not “Let the buyer beware” but, rather “Let the
______________beware.”
3. The job of a mediator is to help ____________parties find a basis for settling their differences.
4. It’s hard for some people to admit that some of the misfortunes that _____________ them are
really their own fault.
5. Such familiar stories as “Little Red Riding Hood” are really _______________ that tell a child
something about the conditions of human life.
6. Once the war had been won, the victors laid aside their high-minded ideals and became involved
in a ______________ squabble over the spoils.
7. Underneath the ____________ of her polished manners, we recognized the down-to-earth young
woman we had known in earlier years.
8. Her constant chattering while I’m trying to do my vocabulary exercises __________________
me more than I can say.
9. Experience teaches us that many of the things that seemed so _____________ when we were
young are really of no ultimate importance.
10. My uncle, who was a West Point graduate, _______________ all the qualities suggested by the
phrase “an officer and a gentleman.”
11. The plan of the two schools to exchange members of their faculties proved to be of ___________
advantage.
12. A descendant of one of the Founding Fathers of this country, she strove all her life to live up to
her distinguished _______________.
13. Every week she meets up with a small circle of ______________souls whose greatest interest in
life is the music of Johann Sebastian Bach.