Lesson 1
Junior Vocabulary
- abate verb to lessen in violence or intensity
When the winds abated, the helicopter was able to land.
syn: subside, decrease ant: intensify, increase - abet verb to assist or encourage, especially, in wrongdoing
For hiding the thief in his basement, he was charged with aiding and abetting a criminal.
syn: encourage, promote, incite ant: impede, dissuade, deter - abhor verb to detest, loathe, hate strongly
The father warned his children to abhor lying.
syn: despise, abominate ant: love, esteem - acquit verb to find not guilty or fault or crime
The jury acquitted the man, and he was free to go.
syn: vindicate, absolve, exonerate ant: convict, incriminate, condemn - acrimony noun harsh temper or bitter feeling
Because of his acrimony, the old man found himself lonely and friendless.
syn: resentment, rancor, unkindness ant: amiability, tenderness, kindness - adamant adj. unyielding; firm in opinion
Despite the protests of the entire city council, the mayor remained adamant.
syn: stubborn ant: amenable, flexible - adulation noun excessive praise or admiration
She despised the adulation heaped on rock stars by young fans.
syn: flattery, adoration ant: derision, mockery - affable adj. friendly; courteous; agreeable in manner; easy to talk to
The affable old man never wanted for visitors.
syn: amiable, good-natured ant: disagreeable, irritable, bad-tempered - agnostic noun one who believes that the existence of God is unknown and unknowable
Although he would not say there was no God, he did not attend church because he was an agnostic.
syn: skeptic; one with a critical or doubting attitude ant: believer - agrarian adj. having to do with farms, farmers, or the use of land
Because New Jersey is mostlyagrarian, it is called "The Garden State".
syn: agricultural; rural; pastoral ant: urban
