by S L Ager
127 hypnotic (adj) making one feel sleepy (soporific); mesmerising, rhythmic, repetitive. (ant) invigorating.
128 mortified (adj) embarrassed or ashamed; humiliated, degraded, shamed, humbled. (ant) pleased, gratified.
129 initially (adv) at first, to begin with, at the start; originally, firstly, primarily. (ant) finally, lastly, eventually.
130 embarrassing (adj) causing awkwardness or shame; humiliating, mortifying, degrading. (ant) dignifying.
131 cringe (v) shiver inwardly with embarrassment or disgust; wince, squirm, blush, recoil.
132 assume (v) suppose something to be the case without prior proof; presume, think, believe. (ant) doubt.
133 digest (v) break down (food) in the body; process, absorb, consume, burn, convert.
134 ravenous (adj) very hungry; famished, starving, insatiable, rapacious, wanting. (ant) full, sated, satiated.
135 fantasise (v) daydream about something; imagine, visualise, hallucinate, muse.
136 stoically (adv) in a stoic (tolerant) way; tolerantly, coolly, enduringly, calmly, patiently. (ant) responsively.
137 unveil (v) reveal or uncover; disclose, display, open, unwrap, divulge, expose, show. (ant) conceal, cover.
138 wedge (n) a solid piece, often triangular; segment, hunk, chunk, sliver, slice, block. (ant) whole.
139 anticipation (n) the action of expecting something to happen; expectation, hope.
140 abstain (v) stop oneself from doing or enjoying something; cease, forgo, refrain. (ant) continue, accept.
141 charitable (adj) generous in giving to those in need; altruistic, kind, benevolent. (ant) uncharitable, mean.
142 abstinence (n) restraining or not allowing oneself; moderation, avoidance. (ant) excess, indulgence, greed.
143 forte (n) a great strength, something one excels at; strong suit, speciality, thing. (ant) weakness, failing.
144 relent (v) give in to something; capitulate, acquiesce, surrender, yield, concede, weaken. (ant) stand firm.
145 prevail (v) be superior or more powerful; beat, win, succeed, triumph, dominate. (ant) fail, lose.
146 ungrateful (adj) not showing or feeling thanks; unappreciative, churlish, rude. (ant) grateful, appreciative.
147 bolt (n) a jagged flash of lightning; thunderbolt, thunderstroke, projectile, missile, shaft.
148 succulent (adj) moist and tasty; juicy, delicious, mouth-watering, yummy, lush, fresh. (ant) dry, unappetising.
149 generous (adj) eager to give (often pertaining to money); kind, charitable, giving. (ant) mean, stingy.
150 famished (adj) very hungry; ravenous, starving, underfed, unfed, empty, hollow. (ant) full, sated, satiated.
151 invariably (adv) on each occasion; always, habitually, consistently, regularly. (ant) occasionally, erratically.
152 scoff (v) eat greedily and quickly, gobble food down; guzzle, devour, bolt, wolf. (ant) nibble, pick.
153 finest (adj) best; premium, top, quality, superior, supreme, deluxe, handpicked, optimum. (ant) worst.
154 alleviate (v) make a problem or suffering less severe; ease, lessen, assuage, relieve. (ant) aggravate, worsen.
155 mite (n) a small amount; tiny bit, little, dash, touch, tad, smidgen, mote. (ant) lot, loads, tons, heaps.
156 draught (n) liquid with medicinal properties; medicine, dose, dosage, potion, elixir.
157 leaden (adj) heavy like lead; weighty, sleepy, dragging, slow, laboured, sluggish. (ant) light, lively.
158 miserly (adj) small and inadequate; meagre, piddling, paltry, mean, derisory, miserable. (ant) generous.
159 fumble (v) handle or do something clumsily; scrabble, feel, search, root, dig, rummage.
160 saliva (n) watery liquid (spit) secreted from the mouth; spittle, dribble, slaver, drool, slobber.
161 curious (adj) eager to learn or know something; inquisitive, snooping, prying. (ant) apathetic, indifferent.
162 glimpse (n) a quick or partial view of something; peep, flash, sight, peek, glance, shufti, look. (ant) stare.
163 burden (n) something that causes worry, hardship or distress; problem, weight, affliction. (ant) relief.
164 jar (v) shock or disturb slightly; shake, jolt, hit, rattle, irritate, disturb, perturb. (ant) appease, please.
165 average (adj) ordinary or standard; normal, typical, regular, mediocre, middling. (ant) extraordinary.
166 locate (v) find the exact position or place of; track down, detect, establish, discover, pinpoint. (ant) lose.
167 overfamiliarity (n) an inappropriately informal manner; immodesty, presumption. (ant) formality, reserve.
168 probing (adj) enquiring closely (nosy); invasive, prying, personal, impertinent. (ant) restrained, discreet.
169 encroach (v) advance gradually but beyond acceptable limits; intrude, infringe, invade. (ant) respect.
170 personal (adj) affecting or belonging to a certain person (yours); own, private, intimate, special. (ant) public.
171 audacious (adj) daring and bold or showing a lack of respect; brave, overconfident. (ant) reticent, respectful.
172 manner (n) the way in which something happens or is done; conduct, behaviour, demeanour.
173 coy (adj) making a pretence of modesty or shyness; bashful, timid, evasive, demure, reserved. (ant) brazen.
174 reserved (adj) slow to reveal opinions or emotions; reticent, aloof, unfriendly, diffident. (ant) outgoing.
175 acknowledgement (n) recognition or acceptance; admission, appreciation, awareness. (ant) denial.
176 shift (v) move; budge, shuffle, swing, relocate, drift, alter, deviate, change.
177 stride (v) walk in long marching steps; tread, stomp, pace, pound, stamp. (ant) dawdle, drag, shuffle.
178 brief (adj) not lasting for long; short, fleeting, momentary, swift, temporary, passing. (ant) lasting, lengthy.
179 discourage (v) persuade against an action; dissuade, deter, prevent, curb, oppose, stop. (ant) encourage.
180 a tad (adv) a small amount, a little bit; a touch, a dash, a mite, a smidgen. (ant) very, extremely.
181 dupe (v) deceive and trick; fool, hoodwink, mislead, cheat, delude, beguile, bamboozle, con.
182 rack one’s brains (v) make an effort to think or remember; concentrate, think hard.
183 disorientated (adj) confused; confounded, thrown, puzzled, baffled. (ant) clear, lucid.
184 unpronounceable (adj) difficult to say; unsayable, unutterable, inexpressible. (ant) pronounceable.
185 niggled (adj) slightly irritated; bothered, troubled, worried, annoyed. (ant) at ease, alleviated, appeased.
186 scenario (n) development of events; situation, state, set-up, consequence, circumstance.
187 insane (adj) foolish, mad and irrational; crazy, idiotic, irresponsible, senseless. (ant) sensible, rational.
188 increasingly (adv) more and more; gradually, progressively, mountingly. (ant) less, decreasingly.
189 sedate (adj) unhurried and tranquil; quiet, peaceful, calm, placid, serene. (ant) boisterous, busy.
190 rural (adj) of the countryside; agricultural, rustic, idyllic, provincial, bucolic. (ant) metropolitan, urban.
191 subway (n) tunnel under a road or ground; underpass, passageway, channel. (ant) overground, flyover.
192 dissect (v) cut up or through something; divide, separate, part, disjoin. (ant) combine, connect, join.
193 emerge (v) move out of or through something; appear, arise, arrive, surface. (ant) disappear, submerge.
194 undulating (adj) rising and falling; rolling, wave-like, flowing, swelling, heaving. (ant) flat, level.
195 choppy (adj) having small, rough waves; shifting, ripply, uneven, irregular. (ant) smooth, regular, flat.
196 horizon (n) where the surface of the earth and the sky appear to meet; skyline.
197 glorious (adj) striking and beautiful; magnificent, superb, splendid, wonderful. (ant) dull, awful, atrocious.
198 spirit (n) feelings and mood; emotion, attitude, air, ener
gy, enthusiasm, morale, heart.
199 predicament (n) difficult or embarrassing situation; dilemma, crisis, plight. (ant) walkover, doddle.
200 unbeknown (adj) without having knowledge of; unknown, undetermined, undiscovered. (ant) known.
201 imminent (adj) about to happen; pending, expected, looming, forthcoming, likely, immediate. (ant) remote.
202 peer (v) look with concentration; stare, scrutinise, gaze, scan, focus, examine, study, rake. (ant) glance.
203 disembark (v) leave (usually some form of transport); alight, land, arrive, get off. (ant) embark, board.
204 barrier (n) an obstacle to prevent movement through or across; obstruction, boundary, limit.
205 stray (v) wander or roam; drift, meander, err, swerve, deviate, diverge, digress, turn.
206 en route (adv) on the way; bound for, in transit, advancing, en voyage, travelling, proceeding.
207 bristle (v) recoil or react defensively; stiffen, prickle, shiver, flinch, object, blench. (ant) calm.
208 unnerved (adj) made to lose confidence or courage; alarmed, daunted, flustered. (ant) calm, encouraged.
209 heave (v) produce (a sigh); breathe, exhale, emit, utter, huff, puff, billow.
210 audible (adj) able to be heard; detectable, discernible, noticeable, clear, distinct. (ant) inaudible.
211 span (v) cross or extend from side to side; bridge, cover, traverse, connect, link. (ant) disconnect, unlink.
212 panic-stricken (adj) affected by panic; scared, frightened, anxious, alarmed. (ant) calm, confident.
213 smother (v) suppress a feeling; stifle, oppress, choke, quash, restrain, conceal. (ant) express, show.
214 urge (n) a sudden or strong impulse or desire; need, wish, compulsion, appetite. (ant) disinclination, dislike.
215 bearing (n) direction or position; heading, orientation, location, course.
216 enthusiastic (adj) eager; keen, excited, fervent, animated, exuberant. (ant) apathetic, indifferent.
217 traitorous (adj) characteristic of a traitor (disloyal person); two-faced, false, duplicitous. (ant) faithful, loyal.
218 furiously (adv) in a furious (energetic) manner; energetically, feverishly, frantically. (ant) slowly, calmly.
219 overreact (v) respond more forcibly or emotionally than needed; overdramatise, overplay. (ant) underplay.
220 comically (adv) in a funny or amusing way; hilariously, entertainingly. (ant) seriously, solemnly.
221 lap (v) slurp and move the tongue like an animal drinking; lick, slosh, swill, slap.
222 absorb (v) take in and understand; assimilate, follow, comprehend, get. (ant) miss, misunderstand.
223 stutter (v) struggle to say one’s words; stammer, splutter, falter, mumble, hesitate. (ant) enunciate.
224 contradict (v) deny the truth, assert the opposite; oppose, counter, dispute, refute. (ant) agree, confirm.
225 intuitive (adj) tending to use one’s feelings to judge; instinctive, insightful, discerning. (ant) non-intuitive.
226 intend (v) plan to do or have; try, mean, aim, expect, attempt, propose.
227 stump (v) cause to be at a loss; baffle, bewilder, confuse, confound, mystify. (ant) clarify, explain.
228 fickle (adj) often changing one’s feelings or affections; changeable, indecisive, erratic. (ant) constant, stable.
229 seasoned (adj) experienced and accustomed to certain conditions; veteran, expert. (ant) inexperienced.
230 engage (v) put into use; employ, enlist, appoint, involve, draw from. (ant) disengage.
231 resolve (n) firm determination; firmness, resolution, steadfastness, tenacity, doggedness. (ant) indecision.
232 gesture (v) move (usually the head or hand) to express something; gesticulate, signal, nod.
233 astounded (adj) shocked or greatly surprised; amazed, astonished, stunned, stupefied. (ant) unimpressed.
234 harness (v) yoke (attach) to a harness to pull something; connect, bind, hitch. (ant) unharness, detach.
235 rickety (adj) likely to collapse, poorly manufactured; wobbly, unstable, unsound. (ant) reliable, sound.
236 trap (n) two-wheeled carriage pulled by a pony or horse; cart, gig, hansom.
237 grim (adj) serious or gloomy; stern, dour, severe, surly, morose, unkind. (ant) kind, pleasant, cheerful.
238 rein (n) long, narrow strap used when leading, guiding or riding a horse; lead.
239 plume (n) puffs of smoke resembling feathers; trail, cloud, curl, spiral, column.
240 billow (v) move or flow outwards with undulating motions; undulate, puff, balloon, rise, waft.
241 stout (adj) heavy build; strong, solid, big, sturdy, robust, heavy-duty. (ant) flimsy, thin, slight.
242 thunderstruck (adj) shocked or surprised; astonished, incredulous, flabbergasted. (ant) unsurprised.
243 nimble (adj) light and quick in movement; agile, sprightly, lithe, deft, lissom. (ant) awkward, clumsy.
244 mode (n) the usual way or manner of something; kind, method, means, type, fashion.
245 stern (adj) serious and strict; severe, firm, formidable, dour, uncompromising. (ant) cheerful, lenient.
246 amenable (adj) responsive and open; agreeable, cooperative, willing, biddable. (ant) stubborn, unwilling.
247 voluminous (adj) having much fabric, loose and full; ample, spacious, roomy. (ant) slight, lacking, small.
248 draughty (adj) cold due to feeling currents of cool air; chilly, breezy, windy, gusty, blowy. (ant) cosy, warm.
249 appreciate (v) recognise and be grateful for; welcome, acknowledge, enjoy, cherish. (ant) disparage.
250 instant (adj) happening at once; immediate, rapid, swift, prompt, direct, instantaneous. (ant) gradual.
251 weave (v) interlace thread to form cloth (past participle: woven); intertwine, interweave. (ant) unravel.
252 mohair (n) a yarn or fabric made from the hair of the angora goat mixed with wool.
253 scowl (v) frown in an angry way; glare, glower, disapprove, lour, grimace. (ant) smile, approve, praise.
254 inaudible (adj) unable to be heard; hushed, imperceptible, muffled, indistinct. (ant) audible, perceptible.
255 oversized (adj) larger than the usual size; enormous, jumbo, whopping, massive. (ant) mini, undersized.
256 disdain (n) the feeling that something is unworthy of respect; contempt, derision, scorn. (ant) admiration.
257 rump (n) the hind part or backside of a mammal; rear, bottom, behind, beam, buttocks.
258 helm (n) a position of leadership (at the front of); command, reins, controls.
3. An Old Betrayal
1 colossal (adj) exceptionally large or great; gargantuan, immense, huge, mammoth. (ant) little, small.
2 steadfastly (adv) in a steadfast (firm) way; unwaveringly, persistently, staunchly. (ant) weakly, irresolutely.
3 canine (adj) relating to or like a dog; doggy, doggish, doglike, dogly, hound-like.
4 encourage (v) persuade or support; urge, push, spur, excite, boost, goad. (ant) dissuade, discourage.
5 sculpted (adj) well shaped, like a good sculpture; chiselled, carved, angled, defined. (ant) uncarved.
6 chiselled (adj) strongly and clearly defined (as if carved with a chisel); rugged, carved. (ant) undefined.
7 ruddy (adj) having a reddish colour of the face; blooming, florid, flush, rosy, bronzed. (ant) pale.
8 intricate (adj) detailed and complicated; complex, labyrinthine, elaborate, obscure. (ant) plain, simple.
9 craggy (adj) rugged and rough but in an attractive sort of way; weathered, lined. (ant) smooth, even.
10 etching (n) engraving or carving on a surface; mark, impression, imprint, inscription, score, scratch.
11 divulge (v) make known; disclose, reveal, show, exhibit, tell, confess. (ant) conceal, hide, protect.
12 emotion (n) one’s feelings, mood or mental state; sentiment, reaction, sensation.
13 tweed (n) a rough cloth (originating from Scotland) flecked with colours.
14 attire (n) clothes; clothing, dress, outfit, apparel, garb, garments, wardrobe.
15 indescribable (adj) too difficult or unusual to describe; indefinable, intense, powerful. (ant) definable.