Vocabulary Unit 7
Mrs. Frazee
Meander
When I travel, I like to meander
through unfamiliar towns and cities.
Meander




Verb
To wander about, wind about
Noun
A sharp turn or twist (For example, Lombard Street in San
Francisco is famous for its many meanders.)
 Synonyms: (v.) ramble, roam, zigzag, twist
 Antonyms: go direct, stay on path
Tirade
The dictator’s televised tirade against his
opponents lasted for four hours.
Tirade
 Noun
 A long, angry speech, usually very critical
 Synonyms: tongue-lashing, rant, outburst
 Antonyms: calm, harmony, peace
Momentous
A momentous decision by the Supreme Court in
1954 declared public school segregation
unconstitutional.
Momentous
 Adjective
 Very important
 Synonyms: important,
vital, significant, crucial
 Antonyms: trivial,
unimportant, slight
Perilous
Episodes of old-time movies usually ended
with the hero or heroine in perilous
circumstances.
Perilous
 Adjective
 Dangerous
 Synonyms: risky, chancy, hazardous, unsafe
 Antonyms: safe, secure, harmless
Assurance
What assurance can you provide me that if I
jump out of the plane and pull the rip-cord,
this parachute WILL open?
Assurance
 Noun
 A pledge; freedom from doubt,
self-confidence
 Synonyms: promise, sureness,
poise, self-possession
 Antonyms: uncertainty, doubt,
insecurity
Console
A neighbor tried to console the sobbing
child whose cat had wandered away.
Console
 Verb – to comfort
 Noun – the keyboard of an organ; a control
panel for an electrical or mechanical device
 The console of the large church organ had an
assortment of keys, knobs, and pedals.
Synonyms: (v.)soothe, solace, alleviate
Antonyms: (v.) distress, aggravate, bother ,
torment
Flippant
Parents and other adults are often upset
by a teenager’s flippant responses.
Flippant
 Adjective
 Lacking in seriousness;
disrespectful, saucy
 Synonyms: frivolous,
insolent, superficial, jokey
 Antonyms: serious,
respectful
Rejuvenate
A few minutes of conversation with my best
friend helped to rejuvenate my melancholy
spirits.
Rejuvenate
 Verb
 To make young again; to
make like new
 Synonyms: revitalize,
renew
 Antonyms: wear out,
exhaust, enervate,
debilitate
Preposterous
The theory that Stonehenge was constructed
by alien life-forms is utterly preposterous.
Preposterous
 Adjective
 Ridiculous, senseless
 Synonyms: nonsensical,
absurd, incredible
 Antonyms: sensible,
reasonable, realistic, plausible
Liability
A limited attention span is his biggest
liability as a student.
Liability
 Noun
 A debt; something disadvantageous
 Synonyms: handicap, difficulty, drawback
 Antonyms: advantage, asset
Enriched English
Warp
The carpenter explained that humidity
caused the kitchen door to warp.
Warp




Verb
To twist out of shape Noun
An abnormality – Criminal behavior
often shows a striking lack of
judgment or a warp in thinking.
 Synonyms: (v.) bend, distort,
misshape; (n.) irregularity
 Antonyms: (v.) straighten, unbend,
rectify
Assimilate
A well read person assimilates
knowledge of wide range of subjects.
Assimilate
 Verb
 To absorb fully or make one’s own; to adapt fully
 Synonyms: digest, incorporate, blend in
 Antonyms: misunderstood, reject, unlearn
Surly
Passengers stranded in an airport because
their flight is canceled may become quite
surly.
Surly
 Adjective
 Angry and bad tempered;
rude
 Synonyms: gruff, sullen,
cranky, grouchy, hostile
 Antonyms: polite, gracious,
civil, friendly, genial
Emancipate
Scientific knowledge can emancipate
humanity from blind superstition.
Emancipate
 Verb
 To free from slavery; to release
or liberate
 Synonyms: set loose, unchain,
unshackle, unfetter
 Antonyms: enslave, snare, chain,
shackle
Shoddy
That designer watch I bought from a street
vendor turned out to be a shoddy knockoff.
Shoddy
 Adjective
 Of poor quality; characterized by
inferior workmanship
 Synonyms: flimsy, cheap, tacky, sloppy,
substandard
 Antonyms: well-made, solid, durable,
superior