Vocabulary Unit 6

Front 1

anomalous (adj)

Back 1

abnormal, irregular, departing from the usual

Synonyms: exceptional, atypical, unusual, aberrant
Antonyms: normal, regular, customary, typical, ordinary

Front 2

aspersion (n)

Back 2

a damaging or derogatory statement; the act of slandering or defaming

Synonyms: innuendo, calumny, denigration
Antonyms: endorsement, testimonial, praise

Front 3

bizarre (adj)

Back 3

extremely strange, unusual, atypical

Synonyms: grotesque, fantastic, outlandish
Antonyms: normal, typical, ordinary, expected

Front 4

brusque (adj)

Back 4

abrupt, blunt, with no formalities

Synonyms: curt, tactless, ungracious, gruff, rough
Antonyms: gracious, tactful, courteous, diplomatic

Front 5

cajole (v)

Back 5

to coax, persuade through flattery or artifice; to deceive with soothing thoughts or false promises

Synonyms: wheedle, inveigle, soft-soap, sweet-talk
Antonyms: coerce, force, strong-arm

Front 6

castigate (v)

Back 6

to punish severely; to criticize severely

Synonyms: chastise, rebuke, censure, upbraid
Antonyms: reward, honor, praise, laud

Front 7

contrive (v)

Back 7

to plan with ingenuity, invent; to bring about as the result of a scheme or plan

Synonyms: think up, devise, concoct, fabricate

Front 8

demagogue (n)

Back 8

a leader who exploits popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power

Synonyms: rabble-rouser, firebrand

Front 9

disabuse (v)

Back 9

to free from deception or error, set right in ideas or thinking

Synonyms: undeceive, enlighten, set straight
Antonyms: deceive, delude, pull wool over one's eyes

Front 10

ennui (n)

Back 10

weariness and dissatisfaction from lack of occupation or interest, boredom

Synonyms: languor, world-weariness, listlessness
Antonyms: enthusiasm, liveliness, excitement, intensity

Front 11

fetter (n), (v)

Back 11

(n) a chain or shackle placed on the feet (often used in plural) anything that confines or restrains
(v) to chain or shackle; to render helpless or impotent

Synonyms: (n) bond, restraint; (v) bind, hamper
Antonyms: (v) free, liberate, emancipate

Front 12

heinous (adj)

Back 12

very wicked, offensive, hateful

Synonyms: evil, odious, abominable, outrageous
Antonyms: excellent, wonderful, splendid

Front 13

immutable (adj)

Back 13

not subject to change, constraint

Synonyms: unchangeable, unalterable, fixed, invariable
Antonyms: changeable, inconstant, variable, fickle

Front 14

insurgent (n), (adj)

Back 14

(n) one who rebels or rises against authority
(adj) rising in revolt, refusing to accept authority; surging or rushing in or on

Synonyms: (adj) revolutionary, rebellious, mutinous
Antonyms: (adj) loyalist, loyal, faithful

Front 15

megalomania (n)

Back 15

a delusion marker by a feeling of power, wealth, talent etc., far in excess of reality

Synonyms: delusions of grandeur
Antonyms: humility, modesty, self-abasement

Front 16

sinecure (n)

Back 16

a position requiring little or no work; an easy job

Synonyms: "no show" job, cushy job, "plum"

Front 17

surreptitious (adj)

Back 17

stealthy, secret, intended to escape observation; made or accomplished by fraud

Synonyms: furtive, covert, clandestine, concealed
Antonyms: open, frank, aboveboard, overt

Front 18

transgress (v)

Back 18

to go beyond a limit or boundary; to sin, violate a law

Synonyms: overstep, exceed, trespass, err
Antonyms: obey, toe the line

Front 19

transmute (v)

Back 19

to change from one nature, substance, or form to another

Synonyms: transform, convert, translate, metamorphose
Antonyms: maintain unchanged, preserve

Front 20

vicarious (adj)

Back 20

performed, suffered, or otherwise experienced by one person in place of another

Synonyms: surrogate, substitute, imagined, secondhand
Antonyms: real, actual, firsthand