Sixth Grade Unit 8 Vocab

Front 1

affluence

Education, hard work, and a very strong desire to succeed can raise a person from poverty to affluence.

Back 1

(n.) wealth, riches, prosperity; great abundance, plenty

Synonym: opulence
Antonyms: poverty, want, destitution, scarcity

Front 2

arrears

Bad spending habits and unexpected expenses left my aunt in arrears.

Back 2

(n., pl.) unpaid or overdue debts; an unfinished duty

Synonyms: in default, in the red, late, overdue

Front 3

cascade

We were trilled when we hit the jackpot, which produced a cascade of loudly jangling coins.

I watched the clear, sparkling water cascade down the mountainside.

Back 3

(n.) a steep, narrow waterfall; something falling or rushing forth in quantity; (v.) to flow downward (like a waterfall)

Synonyms: (v.) plunge, rush, tumble
Antonyms: (n.) drip, drop; (v.) trickle, ooze

Front 4

cringe

My father told me to be brave and not to cringe when the doctor vaccinated me.

Back 4

(v.) to shrink back or hide in fear or submissiveness.

Synonyms: flinch, duck, cower, fawn
Antonyms: strut, swagger

Front 5

crotchety

It is unfortunate that the teacher asked me to work with the most crotchety partner in the class.

Back 5

(adj.) cranky, ill-tempered; full of odd whims

Synonyms: grumpy, grouch, crabby, desagreeable

Antonyms: sociable, friendly, agreeable, amiable

Front 6

format

The clear format of the website makes it easy for users to find its key features.

Back 6

(n.) the size, shape, or arrangement to something

Synonyms: layout, design

Front 7

immobile

Models must remain immobile for a long time in order for an artist to draw or paint them accurately.

Back 7

(adj.) not movable; not moving

Synonyms: fixed, stationary, unmoving, rooted

Antonyms: movable, portable, nimble, agile

Front 8

impassable

Fallen trees formed an impassable barrier across the highway after the storm.

Back 8

(adj.) blocked so that nothing can go through

Synonyms: closed, impenetrable

Antonyms: unblocked, clear, open, fit for travel

Front 9

innovation

Our furnace has an energy-saving innovation that turns the heat on and off at certain intervals.

Back 9

(n.) something new, a change; the act of introducing a new method, idea, device, etc.

Synonyms: Novelty, modernization, new wrinkle

Front 10

jovial

My jovial friend is very entertaining and is always the life of the party.

Back 10

(adj.) good-humored, in high spirits; merry

Synonyms: jolly, cheerful, festive

Antonyms: gloomy, morose, melancholy, cheerless

Front 11

manacle

The kidnappers clamped manacle on their hostages.

The guards were told to manacle the prisoner to the chair.

Back 11

(n., usually pl.) a handcuff, anything that chains or confines; (v.) to chain or restrain (as with handcuffs)

Synonyms: (v.) put in chains, fetter

Antonyms: (v.) unchain, set free, emancipate, release

Front 12

martial

The army band plays martial music as the troops formally march past the visiting general.

Back 12

(adj.) warlike, fond of fighting; relating to war, the army, or military life

Synonyms: military, hostile, bellicose

Antonyms: peace-loving, peaceable, pacific, unwarlike

Front 13

minimum

I need to sleep a minimum fo seven hours every night.

Sixteen is the minimum age to get a driver's license in this state.

Back 13

(n.) the smallest possible amount; (adj.) the lowest permissible or possible

Synonym: (adj.) least

Antonyms: (n.) maximum; (adj.) highest, most

Front 14

nimble

As the nimble climber scaled Mount Everest, it looked as if she was barely exerting any energy at all.

Back 14

(adj.) quick and skillful in movement, agile; clever

Synonyms: lively, keen, flexible

Antonyms: awkward, clumsy, stiff, inflexible

Front 15

onset

At the onset of the heavy storm frightened people ran to find shelter.

Back 15

(n.) the beginning, start (especially of something violent and destructive); an attack, assault.

Synonyms: outset, commencement

Antonyms: conclusion, close, end

Front 16

partition

A cloth partition in the study gave each of us some privacy.

We can partition the backyard into four separate play areas.

Back 16

(n.) something that divides (such as a wall); the act of dividing something into parts or sections; (v.) to divide or subdivide into parts or shares.

Synonyms: (n.) divider, separation

Antonyms: (v.) join, combine, consolidate, merge

Front 17

perishable

You must keep perishable foods chilled or they will spoil.

Back 17

(adj.) likely to spoil or decay

Synonyms: short-lived, fleeting

Antonyms: long-lasting, durable, undying, permanent

Front 18

retrieve

I enjoy playing tennis, but I don't relish having to retrieve tennis balls every time you hit them over the fence!

Back 18

(v.) to find and bring back, get back; to put right, make good

Synonyms: recover, regain, fetch, remedy, rectify

Front 19

sinister

A sinister message left on our answering machine made us wonder if we were safe at home.

Back 19

(adj.) appearing evil or dangerous; threatening evil or harm

Synonyms: frightening, menacing, ominous

Antonyms: cheering, encouraging, reassuring, benign

Front 20

taut

A taut chain kept the curious dog away from the swimming pool.

Back 20

(adj.) tightly drawn, tense; neat, in good order

Synonyms: tight, strained, orderly, shipshape

Antonyms: loose, slack, drooping, messy, sloppy