by S L Ager
166 taper (v) narrow, diminish or reduce in thickness towards one end; contract, decrease. (ant) thicken, expand.
167 merge (v) blend or mingle into something else; meld, mix, combine, unify, conflate. (ant) separate, diverge.
168 miniature (adj) a small version of something; tiny, minute, mini, baby, minuscule, diminutive. (ant) giant.
169 minuscule (adj) incredibly small; tiny, minute, microscopic, infinitesimal, diminutive. (ant) gigantic, vast.
170 primed (adj) made ready for use or action; prepared, set, braced, loaded, poised. (ant) unprepared.
171 shrub (n) a woody plant smaller than a tree; bush, shrubbery, thicket, brier, undergrowth.
172 frond (n) leaf like a fern or a palm.
173 fidget (v) make small, nervous or impatient movements; fret, fiddle, twiddle, twitch. (ant) sit still, relax.
174 jig (v) move in jerky, dance-like movements; caper, hop, bounce, prance, skip, spring.
175 ravine (n) a deep and narrow gorge with steep sides; gulley, canyon, valley, rift, abyss. (ant) mountain, hill.
176 treacherous (adj) presenting hidden or unforeseen dangers; hazardous, precarious, perilous. (ant) safe.
177 barb (n) a spiky hook or thorn-like object; arrow, dart, bristle, prong, point, prickle, tip, spur, needle, spine.
178 detect (v) able to discern the presence of something; notice, sense, perceive. (ant) miss, overlook.
179 nestle (v) be situated; lie, hide, shelter, settle, huddle, burrow.
180 dilapidated (adj) needing repair due to age; run-down, tumble-down, shabby, decaying. (ant) pristine.
181 ramshackle (adj) in a state of disrepair; rickety, tumble-down, dilapidated, derelict, decrepit. (ant) sturdy.
182 secluded (adj) private and sheltered; concealed, undisturbed, isolated, segregated, quiet. (ant) public, busy.
183 coil (n) an object made of or consisting of concentric rings; loop, curl, spiral, twirl, helix.
184 modest (adj) not elaborate, large or expensive; ordinary, humble, plain, simple. (ant) flashy, excessive.
185 utter (adj) absolute; unconditional, total, complete, downright, unreserved. (ant) partial.
186 multiple (adj) numerous and usually varied; many, various, legion, manifold, different. (ant) few, one, same.
187 gibberish (n) nonsense talk; prattle, babble, drivel, twaddle, garbage, rot, claptrap. (ant) sense, reason.
188 identical (adj) the same; equal, indistinguishable, duplicate, alike, like, matching. (ant) different, separable.
189 blunt (adj) not sharp; dull, rounded, deadened, worn, edgeless, stubby. (ant) sharp, pointed, severe, harsh.
190 melancholic (adj) feeling sadness; unhappy, gloomy, forlorn, despondent, nostalgic, lamenting. (ant) happy.
191 yearn (v) really want something; long, ache, pine, crave, desire, hanker, thirst. (ant) reject, abjure.
192 congenial (adj) pleasing and pleasant; agreeable, convivial, welcoming, friendly. (ant) unfriendly.
193 convey (v) make known or understandable; deliver, transmit, exude, communicate. (ant) obscure, conceal.
194 adorn (v) make more attractive or beautiful; decorate, embellish, ornament, enhance. (ant) strip.
195 chequered (adj) in a pattern made of squares (like a chessboard); plaid, tartan, checked, squared.
196 dominate (v) be the most conspicuous (stand out most); command, overshadow, prevail, dwarf, dictate.
197 circulate (v) move freely in a closed area or system; flow, move, travel, distribute, spread.
198 presume (v) suppose or imagine that something is the case; believe, assume, guess, gather. (ant) doubt.
199 tide (n) alternate rise and fall of the sea (usually twice a day); flow, current, drift.
200 normality (n) condition of being normal or usual; ordinariness, routine, normalcy. (ant) abnormality.
201 confounded (adj) surprised or confused; muddled, puzzled, baffled, perplexed, bemused. (ant) clear.
202 recount (v) tell someone about something; narrate, describe, depict, convey, story-tell.
203 folklore (n) traditional belief in a custom or story; legends, myth, mythology, fiction. (ant) non-fiction.
204 thistle (n) spiky plant; barb, bramble, brier.
205 regret (v) feel sad about something one has done or failed to do; lament, bemoan, rue. (ant) cherish.
206 taint (v) spoil because of an undesirable (unwanted) quality; blemish, contaminate, pollute. (ant) enhance.
207 devastating (adj) destructive, causing grief or shock; harmful, distressing, detrimental. (ant) constructive.
208 fateful (adj) involving far-reaching consequences; significant, pivotal, consequential. (ant) insignificant.
209 start (v) jerk or jump with alarm; jolt, flinch, twitch, react, blanch, bounce. (ant) stand firm.
210 lodge (v) firmly wedge, embed or stick in a place; catch, fix, plant, jam. (ant) dislodge.
211 unaccustomed (adj) not used to or familiar with; untuned, unfamiliar, unacquainted. (ant) accustomed.
212 pronounce (v) sound out; say, speak, utter, enunciate, articulate. (ant) mispronounce.
213 exaggerated (adj) increased beyond normal proportions; overstated, embellished. (ant) understated.
214 accentuated (adj) made prominent or noticeable; emphasised, highlighted, stressed. (ant) played down.
215 grate (v) make a rasping sound; abrade, chafe, gravel, catch, scratch. (ant) please, soothe, pacify.
216 abrasive (adj) capable of polishing by rubbing or grinding; rough, scratchy, coarse, rasping. (ant) smooth.
217 temple (n) flat part of the head situated between the forehead and the ear.
218 wrinkle (v) make lines or folds in; crease, furrow, crinkle, rumple, screw. (ant) smooth, straighten.
219 furrow (n) a wrinkle, crease or line on a person’s face; undulation, crinkle, crow’s foot. (ant) smoothness.
220 untuned (adj) not properly adjusted or tuned (not used to); unaccustomed, unfamiliar. (ant) accustomed.
221 exquisite (adj) extremely beautiful; wonderful, perfect, delightful, superb, flawless. (ant) ugly, flawed.
222 emerald (n) a bright green precious stone; jewel, gem, treasure, gemstone, rock, sparkler.
223 embed (v) fix into surrounding mass; insert, implant, sink, surround, inlay. (ant) dislodge, extract.
224 covert (adj) not openly displayed or acknowledged; secret, underground, concealed. (ant) obvious, overt.
225 location (n) specific position or place; site, setting, scene, locality, whereabouts, situation, spot, area.
226 combination (n) a mixing of things that remain individually distinct; arrangement, grouping. (ant) division.
227 responsibility (n) a moral obligation to respect, behave or care for; duty, accountability. (ant) immorality.
228 corruption (n) dishonest behaviour by those in power; exploitation, fraud, immorality. (ant) honesty.
229 order (n) a society of knights bound by a common rule of life; organisation, company, group.
230 entitle (v) give a title (name) to someone or something; label, designate, call, dub.
231 clad (adj) clothed or dressed; attired, covered, cloaked, garbed, disguised. (ant) unclothed, undressed.
232 armour (n) metal coverings worn in battle to protect the body; shield, shell, defence.
233 chain mail (n) flexible armour made of small metal rings that link together.
234 wield (v) hold and wave a weapon with intent to use it; brandish, manipulate, carry, sport.
235 portray (v) represent or describe something in a certain way; depict, show, reveal. (ant) obscure.
236 blend (v) mix in without being noticed; merge, combine, mingle, unify, meld, amalgamate. (ant) stick out.
237 honoured (adj) regarded with gratitude and respect; privileged, grateful, pleased, thrilled. (ant) insulted.
238 exclaim (v) cry out suddenly; blurt, proclaim, declare, shout, call, yell. (ant) whisper, mutter.
239 reiterate (v) say again for e
mphasis or clarity; repeat, restate, recap, retell.
240 observe (v) watch carefully; inspect, note, regard, scrutinise, monitor, study, survey. (ant) ignore, overlook.
241 instinct (n) an innate (inbuilt) ability; talent, aptitude, character, flair, intuition, sense. (ant) knowledge.
242 knight (v) give someone the title of knight; ennoble, dub, entitle, designate. (ant) revoke, renounce.
243 title (n) a name to describe someone’s position or job; label, rank, entitlement, designation, epithet.
244 potential (adj) having the possibility of being; possible, budding, prospective, probable. (ant) unlikely.
245 confused (adj) bewildered or perplexed; puzzled, baffled, mystified, bamboozled. (ant) enlightened, clear.
246 exchange (n) a short conversation; discussion, talk, chat, interchange, altercation.
247 ensure (v) make certain; guarantee, assure, safeguard, confirm, warrant, protect. (ant) undermine, weaken.
248 benevolence (n) goodwill and kindness; compassion, generosity, goodness, altruism. (ant) malevolence.
249 prosperity (n) the state of having money or success; wealth, affluence, opulence, riches. (ant) poverty.
250 reign (v) be the dominant feature of a situation; rule, dominate, prevail, control, lead. (ant) submit, yield.
251 malevolent (adj) wishing or showing evil; malicious, spiteful, wicked, nasty, vindictive. (ant) benevolent.
252 destructive (adj) causing huge damage; calamitous, detrimental, injurious. (ant) constructive, beneficial.
253 flit (v) move swiftly; dart, dip, flicker, sweep, fly, skim, flutter, flash. (ant) dawdle.
254 possess (v) have or own a characteristic or thing; acquire, occupy, carry, obtain, maintain. (ant) lack.
255 graceful (adj) having grace, elegance and poise (not stiff and ungainly); agile, nimble, fluid. (ant) clumsy.
256 gait (n) the way a person walks or strides; step, manner, posture, bearing, style, carriage, movement.
257 sturdy (adj) strong and solidly built; robust, durable, substantial, rugged, muscular, burly. (ant) weak, frail.
258 encompass (v) surround, enclose or hold within; circle, envelop, contain, hold, wrap, swathe. (ant) exclude.
259 sheepishly (adv) in an embarrassed or unconfident way; awkwardly, uncomfortably. (ant) confidently.
260 proximity (n) nearness to; closeness, immediacy, vicinity, adjacency. (ant) remoteness, distance.
261 submit (v) give in to; succumb, acquiesce, yield, surrender, defer, buckle, capitulate. (ant) defy, resist.
262 handsome (adj) good-looking; attractive, fetching, striking, appealing, fine. (ant) ugly, unattractive, plain.
263 subtle (adj) delicate or difficult to detect; slight, faint, indistinct, imperceptible. (ant) obvious.
264 tattoo (n) an indelible (permanent) mark on the skin from injecting pigment (colour); brand, mark.
265 fawn (v) flatter and give excessive attention to; court, pander, cajole, crawl, grovel, butter up. (ant) belittle.
266 hail from (v) originate from; come from, have one’s roots in, be a native of.
267 perceive (v) interpret or view in a particular way; see, comprehend, regard, consider. (ant) misinterpret.
268 mortal (n) a human who will eventually die; person, individual, man, woman, child. (ant) immortal.
269 deem (v) consider, judge or regard in a specified way; assume, believe, reckon, suppose. (ant) misjudge.
270 couple (v) combine or link together with something else; pair, join, attach, team, unite, match. (ant) separate.
271 expression (n) look that conveys (shows) a certain emotion; face, appearance, air.
272 statement (n) a clear expression of something that is said or written; account, speech.
273 comprehend (v) understand; follow, get, realise, fathom, grasp, twig. (ant) misunderstand, misinterpret.
274 generations (n) a period of time encompassing many steps in a line of descent; ages, years, aeons.
275 unearth (v) discover by searching or investigating; uncover, excavate, exhume, find, expose. (ant) bury.
276 lineage (n) direct descent from an ancestor; ancestry, family, line, heredity, roots, origin.
277 descendant (n) a person descended (coming) from an ancestor; offspring, progeny, child. (ant) ancestor.
278 ruffled (adj) upset or disturbed; vexed, perturbed, unsettled, distressed, irritated, irked. (ant) calm.
279 flippantly (adv) in a disrespectful or unserious way; frivolously, offhandedly, jokingly, cheekily. (ant) seriously.
280 herald from (v) originate from; come from, have roots in, hail from.
281 derivative (n) something derived (coming) from another; descendant, offshoot, spin-off. (ant) original, root.
282 authentic (adj) genuine, original or traditional; valid, accurate, real, legitimate. (ant) false, fake.
283 translation (n) the act of changing one language into another; conversion, interpretation. (ant) original.
284 tend (v) be likely to possess certain characteristics; be prone to, be liable to, have a propensity.
285 supposed (adj) assumed to be true; presumed, claimed, apparent, alleged. (ant) real.
286 innate (adj) naturally occurring; inborn, intuitive, instinctive, inherent, characteristic, intrinsic. (ant) learned.
287 flair (n) instinctive ability or aptitude for doing something well; talent, skill, gift, finesse. (ant) ineptitude.
288 benefit (n) an advantage or profit; value, help, boon, perk, reward, bonus. (ant) detriment, disadvantage.
289 infinite (adj) never-ending or impossible to calculate; unlimited, endless, boundless. (ant) finite, limited.
290 defend (v) protect from harm or resist an attack; preserve, uphold, secure, shield, guard. (ant) attack.
291 provoke (v) deliberately cause or stimulate something (often unwelcome); aggravate, incite. (ant) allay.
292 stress (v) emphasise or give importance to; accentuate, highlight, affirm. (ant) understate, mumble.
293 evolve (v) develop gradually over time; grow, change, progress, advance, thrive, flourish. (ant) regress.
294 thrive (v) do well; flourish, grow, prosper, advance, succeed, blossom. (ant) wither, decline, deteriorate.
295 moreover (adv) even more so, as a further matter; in addition, furthermore, also.
296 loyal (adj) remaining consistent and true; trusty, reliable, dependable, faithful, constant. (ant) disloyal.
297 profound (adj) intense, deep or great (feelings, qualities, or emotions); sincere. (ant) superficial, shallow.
298 integrity (n) soundness of moral principle; truthfulness, honour, reliability. (ant) dishonesty, corruption.
299 preposterous (adj) utterly nonsensical; stupid, ridiculous, absurd, ludicrous. (ant) sensible, reasonable.
300 reverie (n) a state of being lost in thought; daydream, musing, contemplation, fantasy. (ant) concentration.
301 sombre (adj) deep seriousness or sad (feeling or looking); melancholy, solemn, grave, sober. (ant) cheerful.
302 foresee (v) be aware of beforehand (see something coming); predict, forecast, prophesy.
303 capability (n) someone’s or something’s abilities; skill, competence, proficiency, aptitude. (ant) inability.
304 realistically (adv) in a realistic (true and accurate) way; practically, sensibly, logically. (ant) unrealistically.
305 opportunity (n) the chance to be able to do or achieve something; prospect, occasion.
306 limit (v) restrict (prevent from obtaining or achieving more than); curb, cap, restrain. (ant) exceed.
307 element (n) essential part or characteristic of something; bit, component, constituent. (ant) whole.
308 strive (v) make huge efforts to obtain or achieve something; aim, struggle, endeavour, try. (ant) shirk, quit.
309 knowledge (n) skills or awareness gained by study or practice; expertise, wisdom. (ant) ignorance.
310 proficiency (n) great skill or expertise; ability, talent, aptitud
e, competence. (ant) incompetence.
311 valiant (adj) showing determination or courage; brave, heroic, gallant, intrepid. (ant) cowardly, craven.
312 elusive (adj) difficult to achieve, find, catch or remember; evasive, fleeting, tricky. (ant) accessible.