Unit 8 Vocab

(v.) to assert without proof or confirmation
syn: claim, contend, supposedly
ant: prove, deny

the Newspaper tabloid ____ that he movie star and the director were having creative differences.

(adj.) thoroughgoing, out-and-out; shameless, blatant
syn: egregious. unmitigated

In shake-spear tragedy the audience sees clearly that lago is an ___ scoundrel, but Othello is blind to his treachery.

(n.) light and playful conversation
syn: banter, persiflage, repartee
ant: sermon

I enjoyed the delightful ___ between stars like spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn in 1940s movies.

(v.) to overcome the distrust of, win over; to appease, pacify; to reconcile, make consistent
syn: placate, mollify, propitiate
ant: antagonize, alienate, estrange

Because of the weakness of our army, we had to try to ___- the enemy.

(v.) to cancel or reverse one order or command with another that is contrary to the first
syn: recall, revoke
ant: reaffirm, reassert

Todays directive clearly ___- all previous instructions on how to exit the building in case of fire.

(n.) one of a series of grades in an organization or field of activity; an organized military unit; a steplike formation or arrangement
syn: level, rank

Although the civil servant began in the lower ____ of government service, he rose quickly through the ranks.

(v.) to make more violent, severe, bitter, or painful
syn: aggravate, intensify, worsen
ant: alleviate, mitigate, ameliorate

Shouting and name calling are sure to ___ any quarrel.

(adj.) stupid or foolish in a self-satisfied way
syn: silly, vapid, inane, doltish, vacuous
ant: sensible, intelligent, perceptive, bright

In order to discredit the candidate, the columnist quoted some of his more ____, self serving remarks.

(adj.) impossible to disprove; beyond argument
syn: indisputable, incontrovertible, undeniable
ant: disputable, indefensible, untenable

the jury felt the prosecution presented it with ___ evidence of the defendants guilt.

(n.) a massive and inescapable force or object that crushes whatever is in its path

Any population that has experienced the ___ of war firsthand will not easily forget its destructive power.

(adj.) lacking spirit or interest, halfhearted
syn: listless, indolent, indifferent, lax
ant: energetic, vigorous, wholehearted

The teams performance in the late innings was ___ because they were so far ahead.

(n.) a prayer consisting of short appeals to God recited by the leader alternating with responses from the congregation; any repetitive chant; a long list
syn: rigmarole, catalog, megillah

Whenever she talks about her childhood, she recites an interminable ___ of grievance.

(adj.) grisly, gruesome; horrible, distressing; having death as a subject
syn: grotesque, grim, ghoulish

The continuing popularity of horror movies suggests that one way to score at the box office is to exploit ___ situations.

(n.) an inadequate quantity, scarcity, dearth
syn: lack
ant: abundance, glut, plenitude, deluge

The senate campaign was married by a ___ of original ideas.

(v.) to indicate beforehand that something is about to happen; to give advance warning of
syn: bode, foretell, foreshadow, suggest

In shake-spear plays, disturbances in the heavens usually ___ disaster or trouble in human affairs.

(v.) to tear down, destroy completely; to cut or scrape off or out
syn: pull down, demolish, shave off
ant: build, construct, raise, erect

The town ____ the old schoolhouse to make room for a larger, more modern school complex.

(v.) to withdraw a statement or belief to which one has previously been committed, renounce, retract
syn: repudiate, disavow
ant: reaffirm, reassert

On the stand, the defendant _______ the guilty admissions she had made in her confessions to the police.

(v.) to soak thoroughly, fill to capacity; to satisfy fully
syn: permeate, drench, flood, imbue
ant: drain

A sponge that is ____ with water swells up but does not drip.

(adj.) of a gloomy or surly disposition; cold or sluggish in mood
syn: sullen, morose
ant: lighthearted, cheerful, vivacious

Ebenezer scrooge, of dickens a Christmas carol, has a decidedly ____ tempera-met.

(v.) to cast off, discard; to get rid of something objectionable or unnecessary; to plod through as if through mud; (n.) a mire; a state of depression
syn: (v.) shed, slog
ant: (v.) take on, acquire, assume

At new years time, , many people resolve to _____ off bad habits and live better.