VOCABULARY
Lesson 1C
1. adage- (noun) a proverb, wise saying
The early bird catches the worm is a favorite ADAGE of my father’s.
Synonym: aphorism
2. collaborate- (verb) to work with, work together
Students will COLLABORATE in small groups on Disney projects next week.
Synonym: team up, join forces
Antonyms: work alone
3. discordant- (adjective) disagreeable in sound, jarring; lacking in harmony, conflicting
Their little spat struck a DISCORDANT note in our otherwise happy
family get-together.
Synonyms: grating, shrill, different, divergent
Antonyms: harmonious, in agreement
4. revert- (verb) to go back to old ways
The Bengals were in the playoffs two years ago, but they seem to have
REVERTED to their losing ways.
Synonyms: relapse, regress
Antonyms: progress, advance
5. preclude- (verb) to make impossible, prevent, shut out
Three wrong answers will PRECLUDE any contestant from entering the
quiz show’s final round.
Synonyms: hinder, check, stop
Antonyms: help, promote, facilitate
6. churlish- (adj.) rude
The store manager instructed all the salesclerks to avoid CHURLISH
replies to customer’s questions.
Synonym: surly
Antonyms: courteous
7. decree- (noun) an order having the force of law; (verb) to command
My parents issued a DECREE that I can’t go out on week nights.
Why does nature always seem to DECREE nasty weather for our annual picnic?
Synonyms: (n) proclamation, edict; (v) proclaim
8. laggard- (noun) a person who moves slowly or falls behind; (adj.) falling behind; slow to move
or respond
Tour guides often have to urge LAGGARDS to keep up with the rest of the group.
Tenants who are LAGGARD in paying rent run the risk of being forced to move.
Synonyms: (n.) slowpoke; (adj.) sluggish
Antonyms: (n.) early bird (adj.) speedy
9. servile- (adj.) Having or showing an excessive willingness to serve or please others.
Of or characteristic of a slave or slaves
Most serious performers prefer constructive criticism to SERVILE flattery.
Synonyms: groveling
10. wrangle- (verb) to argue in a noisy, angry way; to obtain by argument; to herd
(noun) a noisy quarrel or argument
My brother and sister always WRANGLE over whose turn it is to take out the trash.
The customer got into a nasty WRANGLE with the shopkeeper.
Synonyms: (v.) squabble
Antonyms: (v.) agree
11. bonanza- (n.) a rich mass of ore in a mine; something very valuable; a source of wealth;a very
large amount; sudden profit
The final Harry Potter movie proved to be a box office BONANZA.
12. citadel- (n.) a fortress that protects a city; any strong or commanding place
A medieval CITADEL once guarded the capital city of the Greek island of Rhodes.
13. evolve- (v.) to develop gradually; to rise to a higher level
Authors hope that their notes and character sketches will EVOLVE into a book.
14. excerpt- (n.) a passage taken from a book, article, etc.;
(v.) to quote; to take from a text
My essay includes a long EXCERPT from a speech by Sojourner Truth.
If you EXCERPT material from a book, put it in quotation marks.
15. grope- (v.) to search uncertainly
When the power failed, we had to GROPE for a flashlight.
16. hover- (v.) to float suspended over; to move back and
forth over or around
A large group of vultures HOVERED in
the air above the wounded animal.
synonym: linger
antonym: soar
17. jostle- (v.) to make or force one’s way by pushing;
to bump, or shove; to compete for
I tried not to JOSTLE other riders as I exited the crowded bus.
18. plaudits- (n.) applause; enthusiastic praise
The skaters who won the gold medals gratefully accepted
the PLAUDITS of their fans.
antonyms: boos, ridicule
19. rubble- (n.) broken stone or bricks, ruins
Bulldozers and wrecking balls soon reduced the
damaged building to a heap of smoking RUBBLE.
synonym: debris
20. vigil (n.)- a watch, especially at night;
a period of watchful attention
Thousands attended the solemn VIGIL at the
Vietnam Veterans Memorial.