Week 3     3/21. 3/28

 

1.      Sequoias (n.)

Meaning: a very tall evergreen tree that grows in California

 

2.      Diameter (n.)

Meaning 1: a straight line from one side of something (such as a circle) to the other side that passes through the center point

Meaning 2: the distance through the center of something from one side to the other

Sample sentence: Dig a hole that's two feet deep and three feet in diameter.

 

3.      Meteor (n.)

Meaning: a piece of rock or metal that burns and glows brightly in the sky as it falls from outer space into the Earth's atmosphere

 

4.      Damp (n.) (v.)

Meaning 1: slight wetness in the air

Meaning 2: to make (something) somewhat or slightly wet

Meaning 3: to make (something) less strong or active

Sample sentence 1: The boxes were left outside in the damp.

Sample sentence 2: His hands were damped with sweat.

Antonyms: brace, energize, enliven, invigorate, quicken, stimulate, vitalize, vivify

Synonyms: moisture, dampness, humidity, moistness, dehydrate, dampen, deaden, desiccate, devitalize, enervate, geld, lobotomize, petrify

 

5.      Frontier (n.)

Meaning 1: a border between two countries

Meaning 2: a distant area where few people live

Meaning 3: the limits of knowledge in a particular field

Sample sentence: They were sent on an expedition to explore the western frontier.

Synonyms: border, borderland, march

 

6.      Limb (n.) (v.)

Meaning 1: the outer edge of the apparent disk of a celestial body

Meaning 2: the expanded portion of an organ or structure; especially :  the upper spreading portion of a corolla (as of the phlox) whose lower part consists of a tube of fused petals

Meaning 3: a branch or arm of something (as an anatomical part)

 

7.      Rot (v.) (n.)

Meaning 1: to slowly decay or cause (something) to decay

Meaning 2: the process of rotting or the condition that results when something rots

Meaning 3: foolish words or ideas

Sample sentence 1: Eating too much candy can rot your teeth.

Sample sentence 2: They found a lot of rot in the house's roof.

Antonyms: ameliorate, improve, meliorate

Synonyms: atrophy, crumble, decay, decline, degenerate, descend, devolve, ebb, regress, retrograde, deteriorate, sink, worsen

 

8.      Muddy (adj.) (v.)

Meaning 1: filled or covered with mud

Meaning 2: similar to mud

Meaning 3: not clear or bright : dull or cloudy

Meaning 4: to cover (something) with mud

Meaning 5: to make (a color) cloudy or dull

Meaning 6: to cause (something) to become unclear or confused

Sample sentence: She muddied the color by adding some brown.

Antonyms: clarify, clear (up), illuminate

Synonyms: addle, baffle, bamboozle, beat, befog, befuddle, bemuse, bewilder, buffalo, confound, discombobulate, disorient, flummox, fox, fuddle, get, gravel, maze, muddle, confuse, mystify, perplex, pose, puzzle, vex

 

9.      Plaid (n.)

Meaning 1: a pattern on cloth of stripes with different widths that cross each other to form squares

Meaning 2: a woolen cloth with a plaid pattern that is worn over the shoulder as part of the Scottish national costume

Sample sentence: She likes to wear plaids.

 

10.  Slope (adj.) (n.) (v.)

Meaning 1: to not be level : to have a downward or upward slant

Meaning 2: to not be straight : to lean or slant to the left or right

Meaning 3: ground that slants downward or upward : ground that slopes

Meaning 4: an area of land on a mountain that is used for skiing

Meaning 5: an upward or downward slant

Sample sentence: His handwriting slopes to the left.

Synonyms: angle, cant, cock, heel, incline, list, pitch, slant, lean, tilt, tip

 

11.  Steep (adj.)

Meaning 1: almost straight up and down : rising or falling very sharply

Meaning 2: going up or down very quickly

Meaning 3: very high

Sample sentence: The store's prices are too steep for me.

Antonyms: easy

Synonyms: abrupt, bold, precipitous, sheer

 

12.  Galloping (adj.)

Meaning: quickly developing or increasing

Sample sentence: <the galloping pace of development in that Sunbelt state>

Antonyms: slow

Synonyms: blistering, breakneck, breathless, brisk, dizzy, fleet, fleet-footed, flying, fast, hasty, hot, lightning, nippy, quick, rapid, rapid-fire, rattling, snappy, speedy, splitting, swift, whirlwind, zippy

 

13.  Lamely (adj.) (v.) (n.)

Meaning 1: having an injured leg or foot that makes walking difficult or painful

Meaning 2: not strong, good, or effective

Meaning 3: not smart or impressive

Sample sentence: She's nice, but her boyfriend is really lame.

Antonyms: admirable, commendable, creditable, laudable, meritorious, praiseworthy

Synonyms: cheap, cruddy, deplorable, despicable, dirty, grubby, contemptible, lousy, mean, nasty, paltry, pitiable, pitiful

 

14.  Cicadas (n.)

Meaning: a large insect

 

15.  Disfigure (v.)

Meaning: to spoil or damage the appearance of (something or someone)

Sample sentence: His face was disfigured by a scar.

Antonyms: doctor, fix, mend, patch, rebuild, recondition, reconstruct, renovate, repair, revamp

Synonyms: blemish, bloody, break, compromise, crab, cripple, cross (up), deface, damage, flaw, harm, hurt, impair

 

16.  Solemnly (adj.)

Meaning 1: very serious or formal in manner, behavior, or expression

Meaning 2: sad and serious

Meaning 3: done or made sincerely

Sample sentence: We made a solemn promise to love each other forever.

Antonyms: flighty, frivolous, giddy, goofy, silly, undignified

Synonyms: august, distinguished, imposing, portly, dignified, staid, stately

 

17.  Wizard (n.) (adj.)

Meaning 1: a person who is skilled in magic or who has magical powers : a sorcerer or magician

Meaning 2: a person who is very good at something

Sample sentence: He is a wizard at math.

Antonyms: amateur, inexpert, nonexpert

Synonyms: charmer, conjurer (or conjuror), enchanter, mage, Magian, magus, necromancer, sorcerer, voodoo, voodooist, witch, magician

 

18.  Drain (v.) (n.)

Meaning 1: to remove (liquid) from something by letting it flow away or out of a container : to become empty of a liquid or of a liquid : to flow into, away from, or out of something

Meaning 2: something (such as a pipe) that is used for removing a liquid from a place or container

Sample sentence: The drain in the bathtub is blocked.

Antonyms: fill

Synonyms: bleed, draft, draw (off), pump, siphon (also syphon), tap

 

19.  Anticipate (v.)

Meaning 1: to think of (something that will or might happen in the future)

Meaning 2: to expect or look ahead to (something) with pleasure : to look forward to (something)

Meaning 3: to do something before someone else

Sample sentence: The organizers of the fair anticipate a large crowd.

Synonyms: expect, await, hope (for), watch (for)

 

20.  Strenuous (adj.)

Meaning: requiring or showing great energy and effort

Sample sentence: Avoid all strenuous exercise until the sprain heals.

Antonyms: nonassertive

Synonyms: aggressive, assertive, dynamic, energetic, forceful, full-blooded, muscular, resounding, emphatic, vehement, vigorous, violent

 

21.  Breakthrough (n.)

Meaning 1: a sudden increase in knowledge, understanding, etc.: an important discovery that happens after trying for a long time to understand or explain something

Meaning 2: a person's first important success

Sample sentence: Researchers say they have made a major breakthrough in cancer treatment.

Antonyms: setback

Synonyms: advancement, advance, enhancement, improvement, refinement

 

22.  Spare (v.) (adj.) (n.)

Meaning 1: to choose not to punish or harm (someone)

Meaning 2: to not destroy or harm (something)

Meaning 3: to prevent (someone or something) from experiencing or being affected by something unpleasant, harmful, etc.

Meaning 4: kept as something extra that can be used if it is needed

Meaning 5: available to be used in whatever way you want

Meaning 6: not needed by you and available to be shared or given to someone else

Meaning 7: something extra that is kept to be used if it is needed

Sample sentence: I keep a spare set of keys in my desk.

Antonyms: bounteous, bountiful, charitable, freehanded, generous, liberal, munificent, openhanded, unsparing

Synonyms: excess, extra, redundant, supererogatory, superfluous, supernumerary, surplus

 

23.  Chop (v.) (n.)

Meaning 1: to cut into or sever usually by repeated blows of a sharp instrument

Meaning 2: to cut into pieces —often used with up <chop up an onion>

Meaning 3: a forceful usually slanting blow with or as if with an ax or cleaver

Meaning 4: a sharp downward blow or stroke

 

24.  Centenarian (n.)

Meaning: a person who is 100 years old or older

 

25.  Squashes (v.)

Meaning 1: to press (something) into a flat or flatter shape

Meaning 2: to stop (something) from continuing by doing or saying something

Meaning 3: to move into a space that is very tight or crowded

Sample sentence: His poor performance squashed any hope he had of a promotion.

Synonyms: mash, pulp, crush

Week 2  3/14

1.      Acoustic (adj.)

Meaning 1: of or relating to sound or to the sense of hearing of a musical instrument : not having its sound changed by electrical devices.

Meaning 2: made with or using acoustic instruments.

Sample sentence: She loves listening to acoustic folk music.

Synonyms: audial, audile, aural, auricular

Antonyms: nonauditory

 

2.      Deafening (adj.)

Meaning: extremely loud.

Sample sentence: It was the deafening roar of the planes that made me uncomfortable.

Synonyms: blaring, blasting, booming, clamorous, clangorous, loud, earsplitting, piercing, plangent, resounding, ringing,

Antonyms: gentle, low, soft

 

3.      Lethal (adj.)

Meaning: causing or able to cause death.

Sample sentence: He was sentenced to death by lethal injection.

Synonyms: baleful, deathly, fatal, fell, killer, deadly, mortal, murderous, pestilent, terminal, vital

Antonyms: healthful, healthy, nonfatal, nonlethal, wholesome

 

4.      Collar (n.) (v.)

Meaning 1: a part of a piece of clothing that fits around a person's neck and is usually folded down

Meaning 2: a band of leather, plastic, etc., worn around an animal's neck

Meaning 3: a ring or band used to hold something (such as a pipe or a part of a machine) in place

Meaning 4: to catch or arrest (someone)

Meaning 5: to stop (someone) in order to talk : to force (someone) to have a conversation

Sample sentence 1: He wore a shirt with a tight-fitting collar.

Sample sentence 2: She grabbed me by the collar.

Sample sentence 3: I bought a new collar for the dog.

Sample sentence 4: The police collared the guy a few blocks from the scene.

Sample sentence 5: He collared me on my way out the door.

Synonyms: choker, necklace, dog collar, lei

Antonyms: discharge

 

5.      Controversial (adj.)

Meaning: relating to or causing much discussion, disagreement, or argument : likely to produce controversy

Sample sentence 1: Abortion is a highly controversial subject.

Sample sentence 2: He is a controversial author.

Synonyms: argumentative, contentious, disputatious, hot-button

Antonyms: noncontroversial, safe, uncontroversial

 

6.      Affectionate (adv.)

Meaning: feeling or showing love and affection

Sample sentence: He is an affectionate child who gives hugs and kisses freely.

Synonyms: adoring, loving, devoted, fond, tender, tenderhearted

Antonyms: unloving

 

7.      Clamor (n.)

Meaning 1: a loud continuous noise (such as the noise made when many people are talking or shouting)

Meaning 2: a loud or strong demand for something by many people

Sample sentence 1: A clamor outside woke them in the night.

Sample sentence 2: There is growing clamor for reform.

Synonyms: howl, hubbub, hue and cry, hullabaloo, noise, outcry, roar, tumult, uproar, vociferation

Antonyms: quiet, silence, still, stillness

 

8.      Drudgery (n.)

Meaning: boring, difficult, or unpleasant work

Sample sentence: He hated the drudgery of his job.

Synonyms: donkeywork, drudge, fatigue, grind, labor, moil, slavery, sweat, travail

Antonyms: fun, play

 

9.      Shade (n.) (v.)

Meaning 1: an area of slight darkness that is produced when something blocks the light of the sun

Meaning 2: something that is used to block strong light

Meaning 3: a darkened area in a drawing, painting, etc.

Meaning 4: to shelter (something) from strong light and especially from sunlight

Meaning 5: to make an area in a drawing, on a graph, etc., darker than other areas

Meaning 6: to change (something, such as the truth) slightly in order to deceive people

Sample sentence 1: The buildings cast shade on the plaza.

Sample sentence 2: It was a hot sunny day, but luckily their seats for the game were in the shade.

Sample sentence 3: The article shaded the truth by revealing only one side of the story.

Synonyms: dusk, penumbra, shadiness, shadow, umbra, shadow

Antonyms: blaze, brightness, brilliance, day, daylight, glare, glow, light, lightness

 

10.  Strain (n.) (v.)

Meaning 1: to injure (a body part or muscle) by too much tension, use, or effort

Meaning 2: to try very hard to do or get something

Meaning 3: to be pulled or stretched in a forceful way

Sample sentence 1: Too much computer work strains the eyes.

Sample sentence 2: He strained a muscle in his leg.

Synonyms: pull, rack, stretch, wrench

Antonyms: loosen, slack, slacken

 

11.  Sway (n) (v)

Meaning 1: a slow movement back and forth

Meaning 2: a controlling force or influence

Meaning 3: to move slowly back and forth

Meaning 4: to cause (someone) to agree with you or to share your opinion

Sample sentence 1: The ancient Romans held sway over most of Europe.

Sample sentence 2: She persisted in her argument, but I wouldn't let her sway me.

Synonyms: impact, influence, mark, repercussion, effect

Antonyms: impotence, impotency, powerlessness

 

12.  Weed (n.) (v.)

Meaning 1: an obnoxious growth, thing, or person

Meaning 2: something like a weed in detrimental quality; especially :  an animal unfit to breed from

Meaning 3: to remove weeds from (an area of land, such as a garden)

Sample sentence: We need to weed the garden.

 

13.  Recount (v.)

Meaning 1: a second count of the votes in a very close election

Meaning 2: to count again

Sample sentence: The election was very close and the loser demanded a recount.

 

14.  Transplant (v.) (n.)

Meaning 1: to remove (a plant) from the ground or from a pot and move it to another place

Meaning 2: to move (a person or animal) to a new home

Meaning 3: a person who has moved to a new home especially in a different region or country

Sample sentence 1: The group transplanted the beavers to another part of the state.

Sample sentence 2: Doctors transplanted one of his kidneys into his sister.

 

15.  Proceed (v.)

Meaning 1: to continue to do something

Meaning 2: to continue being done

Meaning 3: to do something after you have done something else

Sample sentence 1: All passengers must proceed to the baggage claim area.

Sample sentence 2: After the interruption, she proceeded with her presentation.

Sample sentence 3: We will proceed according to plan.

Synonyms: advance, come, come along, do, fare, forge, get along

Antonyms: remain, stand, stay

 

16.  Wail (v.)

Meaning 1: to make a loud, long cry of sadness or pain

Meaning 2: to make a long, high sound

Meaning 3: to complain in a loud voice

Sample sentence 1: The child started wailing after she stumbled and fell.

Sample sentence 2: A saxophone wailed in the background.

Synonyms: fuss, gripe, grizzle, grouch, grouse, growl, grumble, grump

Antonyms: crow, delight, rejoice

 

17.  Writhe (v.)

Meaning: to twist your body from side to side

Sample sentence: She lay on the floor, writhing in pain.

Synonyms: interweave, lace, ply, twist, weave, wreathe, intertwine

Antonyms: braid, plait, plat, blend, fuse, join, link, mix

 

18.  Moan (n.) (v.)

Meaning 1: a long, low sound that someone makes because of pain, unhappiness, or physical pleasure

Meaning 2: a long, low sound

Meaning 3: a complaint about something

Meaning 4: to make a long, low sound because of pain, unhappiness, or physical pleasure

Meaning 5: to express unhappiness about something

Meaning 6: to say (something) in a way that shows pain or unhappiness

Sample sentence 1: She let out a long, deep moan.

Sample sentence 2: We were all moaning about the cold, rainy weather.

Sample sentence 3: The children were moaning and groaning all morning, but their mother would not let them go outside.

Antonyms: groan, wail

Synonyms: crow, delight, rejoice

 

19.  Pleading (n.)

Meaning 1: the act of asking for something in a serious and emotional way

Meaning 2: one of the formal, usually written statements made by the two sides of a legal case in a court of law

Sample sentence 1: I'm tired of their begging and pleading.

Sample sentence 2: Despite our pleadings to be allowed to leave, they kept us there for several more hours.

Antonyms: adjuration, appeal, conjuration, cry, desire, entreaty

Synonyms: application, requisition; call, claim, demand, insistence

 

20.  Poll (n.) (v.)

Meaning 1: an activity in which several or many people are asked a question or a series of questions in order to get information about what most people think about something

Meaning 2: the record of votes that were made by people in an election

Meaning 3: the number of votes made in an election

Meaning 4: to ask (several or many people) a question or a series of questions in order to get information about what most people think about something

Meaning 5: to receive (a specified number or percentage of votes) in an election

Sample sentence 1: The magazine conducted a poll to find out the favorite 100 movies of all time.

Sample sentence 2: A recent poll shows a decrease in the number of teenagers who smoke.

Sample sentence 3: The conservative candidate polled more than 10,000 votes in the last election.

Synonyms: interview, canvass, solicit, survey

Antonyms: circularize; interrogate, question; feel (out), sound (out)

 

21.  Jerk (n.) (v.)

Meaning 1: a stupid person or a person who is not well-liked or who treats other people badly

Meaning 2: a quick pull or twist

Meaning 3: a sudden sharp movement

Meaning 4: to give a quick suddenly arrested push, pull, or twist to

Meaning 5: to propel or move with or as if with a quick suddenly arrested motion

Meaning 6: to mix and serve (as sodas) behind a soda fountain

Sample sentence 1: That jerk can't do anything right.

Sample sentence 2: The dead branch came loose after a few jerks.

Sample sentence 3: The car started with a jerk.

Synonyms: bastard, beast, bleeder [British], blighter [chiefly British], boor, bounder, bugger, buzzard

Antonyms: push

 

22.  Remedy (n.) (v.)

Meaning 1: a medicine or treatment that relieves pain or cures a usually minor illness

Meaning 2: a way of solving or correcting a problem

Meaning 3: to solve, correct, or improve (something)

Sample sentence 1: Building more roads isn't always the best remedy for traffic congestion.

Sample sentence 2: She was left without remedy since the court did not recognize her claim.

Sample sentence 3: The conflict can be remedied by scheduling the meeting for next week.

Synonyms: cure, drug, medicament, medication, medicinal, pharmaceutical, physic, medicine, specific

 

23.  Sob (v.) (n.)

Meaning 1: to cry noisily while taking in short, sudden breaths

Meaning 2: to say (something) while sobbing

Meaning 3: an act of sobbing

Meaning 4: a sound like that of a sob

Sentence 1: He began to sob uncontrollably.

Sentence 2: She could not stop sobbing.

Sentence 3: “I hate you,” she sobbed.

Synonyms: bawl, blub [chiefly British], blubber, cry, weep

Antonyms: scream, squall, wail, yowl; bleat, mewl, pule, whimper

 

24.  Propel (v.)

Meaning: to push or drive (someone or something) forward or in a particular direction

Sentence 1: He grabbed him and propelled him through the door.

Sentence 2: The train is propelled by steam.

Synonyms: drive, push, shove, thrust

Antonyms: bridle, check, constrain, contain, control, curb, inhibit

 

25.  Octave (n.)

Meaning: the difference in sound between the first and eighth note on a musical scale

Sentence: He sang the song an octave lower.