Word Masters December 1

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Bombast

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n. Extravagant or pompous in speech or writing

adj. ----- bombastic. Having an extravagant or pompous style

n. Cotton, or any soft, fiberous material used as stuffing for garments; stuffing; padding

v. To swell out, to pad or inflate

synonyms: rant, overblown, declamatory, brag, bull, hot air, bluster, grandiosity, fanfare, pretentious, padding, pomposity

antonyms: plain, simple, straight forward, sincere, basic, humble, real, truthful, reserved, quiet, restrained, modest, unpretentious

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Bulwark

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n. A wall or building serving as a fortification

N. Something that serves as a defense

n. A breaker water; an earth work or defensive wall; fortified rampart

n. Part of a ship's side that is above the upper deck

v.tr. To serve as a defense to; defend; protect

synonyms: fend, guard, defend, screen, secure, shield, bastion, lprotect, rampart, fortress, stronghold, safeguard, protection, defense

antonyms: capitulation, appeasement, submission, yielding, weakness, harm, hurt, injure, attack, offense

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Connive

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HV. Intr. o pretend not to notice or fail to notice or deal with something that should be reported or condemned

intr. v. To cooperate secretly in an illegal or wrongful action

synonyms: plot, plan, devise, collude, conspire, machinate, scheme, contrive

Antonyms: disapprove, frown upon, disallow, refuse, deny

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Convivial

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adj. fond of food, drink and good company; sociable

adj. festive

synonyms: jovial, merry, jolly, lively, social, festive, sociable, vivacious, companionable, outgoing, sociable

antonyms: solemn, sad, dull, unhappy, gloomy, antisocial, unsociable, reclusive, introverted

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Duplicity

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n. Pl .deliberate deceptivenness in behavior or speech

synonyms:deceit, guile, cunning, treachery, double-dealing, dishonesty, betrayal, disloyalty, chicanery, disingenuousness

antonyms: faithfulness, loyalty, devotion, fidelity, allegiance, frankness, ingenuousness, truthfulness, honesty, openness, sincerity

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Embryo

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n. Pl. an animal in its earliest stage of development, especially before it has reached a recognizable shape

n.pl. a plant in its earliest stages of development, especially while it is still in the seed

N.pl. in an early or beginning stage

synonyms:

bud, germ, seed, fetus, spark, nucleus, incipient, egg, root, beginning,

Antonyms: adult, mature, grown-up, adulthood, end, termination, conclusion, endpoint, ending

synonyms: bud, germ, seed, fetus, spark, nucleus, incipient, egg, root, beginning

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Fallacy

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n. Pl .a false notion or mistaken belief

n.pl .an often plausible argument using false or illogical reasoning

Synonyms: error, falsity, untruth, delusion, deception, falsehood, spuriousness, erroneousness, misbelief; illusion; misconception

aantonyms: truth, fact, truthfulness, honesty, truth, belief, reality

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flog

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tr. V. To beat harshly with a whip or rod

informal v. To publicize aggressively for the purpose of sale

Colloquial:

flog a dead horse → waste energy on something unalterable flog to death → talk about or promote at tedious length

synonyms: beat, lash, whip, thrash, flail, horsewhip, lash, switch, tan, scourge, whack, slap, abuse

antonyms: tend, nurse, cuddle, pamper, indulge, comfort, love, help, mind, serve, watch, minister

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Forthcoming

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Adj. about to appear or take place; approaching

adj. available as required or when promised

Adj. candid and willing to cooperate; willing to share knowledge or information

Synonyms: awaited, expected, imminent, anticipated, approaching, impending, looming, coming, nearing, upcoming, oncoming

antonyms: unexpected, abrupt, sudden, accidental, unaware, unavailable, inaccessible, unannounced, surprising, impetuous, late, recent, distant, past, unavailable

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Gossamer

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N. A soft, sheer, gauzy cloth

The

N. Something delicate, light, or flimsy; a waterproof outer garment especially for women

n. A fine silky film or cob webs often seen caught in grass or bushes

adj. light, sheer, or delicate

synonyms: web, flimsy, gauzy, transparent, cobwebby, unsubstantial, airy, fine, light, delicate, sheer

aantonyms: thick, coarse, sturdy, strong, sound, tough, stalwart, tenacious, substantial

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Impending

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Adj. about to occur; on the verge of happening

adj. to hover threateningly; to hang or suspend

adj. nearing; approaching

synonyms: forthcoming, looming, approaching, nearing, approaching, hovering, imminent, overhanging, threatening; coming

antonyms: distant, far-off, past, gone, remote, slight, faraway, outlying, negligible

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incipient

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Adj. beginning to exist or appear

adj. just beginning; in an early stage; commencing

synonyms:

initial, embryo, beginning, commencing, introductory, budding, inchoate, emerging

Antonyms: final, last, ending, closing, ultimate, mature, developed, concluding, terminating, adult, full-grown, experienced

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loom

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intr. v.
to come into view, often with a threatening appearance which may appear in an unnaturally large, indistinct, or distorted form

intr. v.
to seem close at hand; be about to happen

n.
a machine or frame on which threads or yarns are woven to make
cloth

n.
the part of an oar between the blade and the handle

synonyms: appear, emerge, impend, approach, forthcome, brew, tower, hover, overhang, threaten

antonyms: decline, diminish, disappear, fade, vanish, recede, fall, leave, abandon, retreat

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Pedant

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n.
a person who pays too much attention to booklearning and formal rules; one who annoys others by correct small errors and giving too much attention to minor details

n.
a person who shows off his or her learning

n.
obsolete: a schoolmaster.

Synonyms:

bookish, learned, academic, schoolish, scholar, purist, hair-splitter, literalist, bookworm, dogmatic, egghead,
illiterate, dull, dumb, ignorant, untaught, unlearned, untutored, uncultured, uneducated

antonyms: pedantic; pedantically; pedantry; pedantries; pendantesque; pedantichood; pedagogue; pedangious; pedanticism

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pontificate

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intr. v.
to speak in a pompous dogmatic way, which is characterized by expressions of principles, beliefs, or opinions in an authoritative, often arrogant way where you think you are always right

intr. V. To Play the Pontiff or the pope; to pretend to be infallible or perfect; to be pompously dogmatic

n. The office of the pontiff, bishop, or pope; The term of office of a pope

synonyms: preach, rant, lecture, sermonize, dissertate, moralize, preachify, pompousness, arrogant, dogmatic, pope, bishop, harangue

Antonyms: suggest, propose, proposal, reminder, hint, listen, minion, quiet, silence, praise, commend, hail, flatter

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Profuse

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adj. abundance; plentiful

adj. giving or giving generously; extravagant; lavish

synonyms: plentiful, abundant, lavish, extravagant, liberal, bounteous, excessive, luxuriant, generous,

Antonyms: minimal, stingy, frugal, cheap, miserly, thrifty, economical, penny-pinching, tightfisted, few, unprofuse

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Prudent

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Adj. Wise in handling practical matters; sensible

adj. Careful in regards to one's own interests and is providing for the future; provident

adj. Careful about one's own conduct; circumspect

synonyms: wise, sensible, tactical, advisable, expedient, judicious, careful, intelligent, discreet, disciplined, sagacious

Antonyms: imprudent, indiscreet, injudicious, unwise, foolish, brash, ill-advised, short-sighted, inadvisable, senseless; temerity

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Regale

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tr. v. To entertain or amuse

tr. V. To provide a lavish feast for

Intr. V. To feast

N. ------ regalia regalement

The emblem and symbol of royalty, the crown and scepter;special symbols and costumes distinguishing a certain rankle office; fine fancy clothing; A choice piece of food

synonyms: feast, dinner, spread, banquet, entertainment, feed, treat, amuse, please, captivate, fascinate, entrance,

Antonyms: grieve, bore, disappoint, annoy, disturb, agitate, bother, upset, trouble, perturb, pester, plague, anger

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Temerity

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n. Foolish disregard of danger; recklessness; boldness

synonyms:

gall, nerve, daring, audacity, brashness, impetuosity, foolhardiness, recklessness, hastiness,

Antonyms: prudence, caution, carefulness, care, hesitation, manners, forethought, modesty, fear

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Terse

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Adj. Brief and to the point; concise

synonyms: curt, brusque, succinct, compact, concentrated, trenchant, pithy

Antonyms: gentle, long-winded, verbose, kind, wordy, lengthy, polite

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throttle

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n. A valve that restrict the flow of a liquid,such as the valve in an internal combustion engine that restricts the flow of fuel into the combustion chamber

n. A pedal or lever that controls a valve

tr. V. To control with or as if with a throttle

tr. V. To strangle; choke

tr.v. To Surpress

Synonyms: choke, gag, muffle, hold back, stifle, strangle, suppress, hold down, control, regulate, constrict, accelerator

Antonyms: free, release, restore, resuscitate, revive, unblock, loosen

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Trammel

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n. A shackle used to teach a horse to amble

n. Something that restricts activity or free movement; a restraint

tr. V. To hinder the activity or free movement of

n. Dragnet to catch a fish, which catches them as they swim through

n. A hook in a fire place used for a tea kettle

n. An instrument used for drawing ellipses; a beam compass

synonyms: impediment, hindrance, shackle, handicap, restriction, restraint, curb, deterrent, constraint, obstacle, impede, hinder, constrain, chain

Antonyms: catalyst, goad, advantage, aid, assistance, benefit, boost, help, unbind

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Truculent

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adj. Ready or willing to fight

Adj. Scathingly harsh; caustic

Adj. savage and cruel; feirce

synonyms: aggressive, argumentative, brawly, discordant, fierce, violent, rude, harsh, savage, cruel

Antonyms: nonaggressive, peaceable, peaceful, mild, gentle, cooperative, tame

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Upbraid

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Tr.v. To scold; reproach; to speak in an angry way

synonyms: reprimand, rebuke, admonish, chastise, chide, reprove, reproach, scold, berate, censure,

Antonyms: praise, respect, compliment, rave, approve, cheer, approve, forgive, laud, homage, flattery

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Zeal

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n.enthusiastic devotion to a cause, idea, or goal and tirelessly working to further it

synonyms:

enthusiastic, diligence, ardor, diligence, spirit, earnestness, eagerness, fanaticism, gusto, inclination, passion,

antonyms:

indifference, insincerity, laziness, neglect, neglectfulness, lethargy, apathy, coldness, disregard, unconcern, detachment, disinterest, insensitivity,