by S L Ager
32 grovel (v) act obsequiously (humbly and creepily); crawl, beg, plead, cringe, fawn, kowtow. (ant) dominate.
33 copiously (adv) in copious (large) quantities; profusely, abundantly, extravagantly. (ant) barely.
34 lumber (v) move in an awkward, heavy and slow way; shamble, waddle, trudge, plod, galumph. (ant) glide.
35 officious (adj) overenthusiastic and overly helpful; meddlesome, interfering, self-important. (ant) subdued.
36 detain (v) stop from proceeding by holding back; hold, delay, restrain, hinder, obstruct. (ant) release, free.
37 promptly (adv) in a prompt (immediate) manner; swiftly, rapidly, straight away, hastily. (ant) slowly.
38 delinquent (adj) tending to commit minor (small) crimes; lawless, errant, troublesome. (ant) dutiful.
39 clarify (v) make clearer and less confusing; simplify, confirm, elucidate, explain, explicate. (ant) confuse.
40 shapeless (adj) having no specific shape; formless, unattractive, baggy, loose-fitting. (ant) defined, fitting.
41 garment (n) an item of clothing; clothes, outfit, garb, attire, dress, vestment, costume, apparel, raiment.
42 abbreviated (adj) (of words) shortened; reduced, cut, contracted, condensed, truncated. (ant) lengthened.
43 evacuate (v) leave or remove; vacate, clear, empty, abandon, void, desert. (ant) fill, occupy, enter.
44 dopey (adj) foolish and idiotic; daft, dim-witted, slow, stupid, simple. (ant) intelligent, bright, smart.
45 guffaw (v) laugh heartily and loudly; roar, howl, chortle, hoot, cackle. (ant) sob, moan, whine.
46 preoccupation (n) extreme concern; engrossment, anxiety, absorption. (ant) nonchalance.
47 fledgling (adj) inexperienced or underdeveloped (still learning); emergent, budding, novice. (ant) expert.
48 resourceful (adj) able to overcome difficulties; capable, ingenious, quick-witted. (ant) unimaginative.
49 onerous (adj) involving effort or difficulty; burdensome, troublesome, arduous, excessive. (ant) easy, facile.
50 adversity (n) an unpleasant or difficult situation; hardship, distress, danger, misfortune. (ant) advantage.
51 weary (adj) extremely tired; exhausted, fatigued, drained, whacked, shattered. (ant) fresh, refreshed.
52 taut (adj) tense, not relaxed; stretched, strained, tight, stressed, worried. (ant) slack, relaxed, loose.
53 skeletal (adj) relating to the skeleton, extremely thin; emaciated, gaunt, skinny, wasted. (ant) obese.
54 hollow (adj) empty and expressionless; flat, dull, void, muffled, muted, dead, heavy. (ant) expressive.
55 sunken (adj) weakened or diminished; haggard, drawn, drooping, sagging. (ant) healthy, boosted.
56 fretfulness (n) feeling of distress; worry, unease, anxiety, apprehension. (ant) confidence, unconcern.
57 fatigue (n) extreme tiredness; exhaustion, weariness, lethargy, lassitude, weakness. (ant) refreshment.
58 concur (v) agree with; accord, acquiesce, correspond, coincide, accede, consent, ascent. (ant) disagree.
59 hobble (v) walk in an awkward way; limp, shuffle, falter, shamble, totter, stumble. (ant) stride, glide.
60 melodic (adj) tuneful and pleasant; musical, harmonious, agreeable, sweet, dulcet. (ant) discordant.
61 unison (n) harmonious and simultaneous performance; chorus, harmony, unity, union. (ant) discord.
62 languid (adj) peaceful and relaxed; leisurely, unenergetic, unhurried, lethargic, indolent. (ant) vigorous.
63 retrace (v) go back over, trace back; review, redo, repeat, reconstruct, return.
64 pinpoint (adj) precise and to the best degree; exact, accurate, clear-cut, correct, meticulous. (ant) vague.
14. Luxury in Defeat
1 chauffeur (n) a person employed to drive a car; driver, operator, cabdriver. (ant) passenger.
2 misjudge (v) form a wrong opinion of; miscalculate, underestimate, misinterpret. (ant) understand.
3 oblong (adj) rectangular in shape; quadrilateral, four-sided.
4 shrewd (adj) having sharp judgement; astute, clever, cunning, crafty, sharp-witted. (ant) naïve, slow.
5 sly (adj) deceitful (dishonest) and cunning in nature; crafty, wily, devious, evasive, sneaky. (ant) honest.
6 bewitching (adj) enchanting and delighting; charming, beguiling, captivating, fascinating. (ant) repulsive.
7 vexed (adj) annoyed; displeased, irked, riled, irritated, aggravated, exasperated. (ant) pacified, calm.
8 resilience (n) the ability to recover swiftly from difficulty; toughness, hardiness, durability. (ant) fragility.
9 ruthlessness (n) a lack of pity for others; callousness, heartlessness, mercilessness. (ant) mercy.
10 transparent (adj) can be seen through; see-through, clear, translucent. (ant) opaque, blocked, cloudy, dark.
11 privacy (n) a state where one is private (unseen or alone); seclusion, isolation, solitude. (ant) public.
12 recline (v) lean or lie back with one’s back supported; relax, repose, lounge, loll, rest, sprawl. (ant) stand.
13 decadent (adj) luxurious and self-indulgent (spoiling oneself); hedonistic, deluxe. (ant) restrained.
14 opulence (n) great wealth or luxury; lavishness, affluence, prosperity. (ant) poverty, simplicity.
15 plush (adj) expensive and luxurious; deluxe, lavish, posh, swanky, swish, lush. (ant) spartan, cheap.
16 extravagant (adj) highly or overly priced; profligate, excessive, exorbitant, big-budget, costly. (ant) cheap.
17 gesticulate (v) use gestures (movements) to communicate; wave, signal, motion, indicate.
18 column (n) vertical arrangement; list, line, string, procession, file. (ant) row.
19 consequential (adj) having a consequence (importance or relevance); significant. (ant) inconsequential.
20 time zone (n) a geographical area where a common standard time is used.
21 erratic (adj) not regular or even; abnormal, irregular, bizarre, unpredictable, inconsistent. (ant) consistent.
22 financial (adj) relating to finance (money management); commercial, fiscal, economic.
23 ponder (v) think carefully about; consider, contemplate, deliberate, muse, cogitate, reflect. (ant) disregard.
24 rapturous (adj) causing rapture (intense pleasure); ecstatic, joyful, blissful, divine. (ant) depressing.
25 concerto (n) music written for a solo instrument accompanied by an orchestra; composition, masterpiece.
26 minor (adj) a musical term, of a key or mode based on a minor scale. (ant) major.
27 filter (v) slowly enter; trickle, flow, seep, permeate, ooze. (ant) flood, pour.
28 unobtrusive (adj) not intruding or attracting attention; inconspicuous, tasteful, discreet. (ant) obtrusive.
29 ostentatious (adj) designed to impress; showy, flashy, flamboyant, grandiose, extravagant. (ant) modest.
30 sublime (adj) of great beauty or excellence; moving, uplifting, superb, heavenly. (ant) inferior, poor.
31 orchestral (adj) relating to (like) an orchestra; symphonic, instrumental, classical, musical.
32 unwind (v) relax and de-stress; rest, repose, quieten, recline, wind down, chill out, laze. (ant) tense, stress.
33 exorbitant (adj) unreasonably or very highly priced; extortionate, excessive. (ant) cheap, reasonable.
34 customise (v) modify (change) to suit specific tastes or needs; personalise, tailor. (ant) generalise.
35 leisure (n) free time for enjoyment; freedom, holiday, rest, ease, relaxation. (ant) work, labour.
36 reprimand (v) address disapproval to (tell off); rebuke, chastise, scold, reproach, chide. (ant) praise.
37 yacht (n) a medium to large boat; pleasure boat, cruiser, sailing boat.
38 amber (adj) a honey-yellow colour (like amber resin); golden, ochre, tawny.
39 thermometer (n) an instrument for measuring and indicating temperature; temperature gauge.
40 flute (n) a narrow and tall wine glass.
41 extortionate (adj) a very or too
-high price; exorbitant, inflated, outrageous, extravagant. (ant) reasonable.
42 beverage (n) any drink, but not usually water unless it is bottled; libation, potable, potation.
43 obsessive (adj) tending to obsess (think, talk or do continually); fanatical, compulsive. (ant) moderate.
44 attribute (n) a feature or quality seen as a characteristic; trait, element, aspect, part, quirk, feature, mark.
45 eccentric (adj) unconventional (unusual) and slightly odd; peculiar, abnormal, bizarre. (ant) conventional.
46 liberal (adj) generous; ample, considerable, substantial, large, abundant, copious. (ant) measly.
47 vintage (adj) from the past and high quality; prime, select, first-rate, first class. (ant) inferior.
48 luxuriant (adj) characterised by luxury; luxurious, lavish, opulent, self-indulgent. (ant) austere.
15. Sticking to the Story
1 sumptuous (adj) splendid and expensive-looking; luxurious, lavish, plush, extravagant, grand. (ant) meagre.
2 interior (n) inner part of something; inside, internal. (ant) exterior, outside, peripheral.
3 arresting (adj) attracting attention; attractive, fascinating, bewitching, engaging. (ant) repellent.
4 gadget (n) small and clever mechanical or electronic device or tool; implement, thingamajig, widget.
5 banger (n) an old car or vehicle in poor condition; heap, jalopy, wreck, rattletrap, beater. (ant) new car.
6 afloat (adj) out of difficulty or debt (owing money); above water, stable, solvent, steady. (ant) insolvent.
7 dire (adj) of an extremely bad quality; terrible, dreadful, calamitous, disastrous, appalling. (ant) wonderful.
8 vow (v) make a solemn (serious) promise; swear, affirm, assure, guarantee, assert, pledge.
9 airhead (n) silly or dreamy person; dreamer, idealist, birdbrain, ninny, space cadet. (ant) realist.
10 bona fide (adj) real and genuine; true, actual, authentic, legitimate, valid, official. (ant) bogus, artificial.
11 compliment (n) an expression of praise or admiration; tribute, accolade, approval, kudos. (ant) criticism.
12 fantasy (n) an idea or thing not based on reality; dream, illusion, imagination, fiction. (ant) reality.
13 cliché (n) an expression used by many people; banality, saying, stereotype. (ant) originality, novelty.
14 indicator (n) flashing vehicle light that indicates (shows) manoeuvres (movements); blinker, signal.
15 mercy (n) forgiveness and compassion; clemency, leniency, pity, sympathy, tolerance. (ant) cruelty.
16 judgemental (adj) overly critical (disapproving); fault-finding, negative. (ant) uncritical.
17 sincerely (adv) in a sincere (true and heartfelt) or genuine way; honestly, earnestly. (ant) insincerely.
18 distraught (adj) extremely worried and upset; distressed, hysterical, fraught, desperate. (ant) calm, serene.
19 justice (n) fair treatment or behaviour; integrity, impartiality, rightness, justness. (ant) injustice, unfairness.
20 revolting (adj) causing disgust; sickening, repellent, repulsive, nauseating. (ant) delightful, enchanting.
21 congest (v) obstruct or block; jam, clog, halt, choke, overcrowd, overfill. (ant) free, clear, unblock.
22 gridlock (n) severe (bad) traffic congestion; stoppage, deadlock, bottleneck, snarl, tailback.
23 solace (n) comfort in a bad situation; condolence, consolation, support, relief, help. (ant) aggravation.
24 coherently (adv) in a coherent (logical) manner; rationally, reasonably, lucidly, clearly. (ant) incoherently.
25 expel (v) officially ask to leave school permanently; exclude, remove, eject, oust, banish. (ant) include.
26 serial (adj) repeatedly following the same behaviour; repeat, persistent, regular, ongoing. (ant) one-time.
27 offender (n) a person or thing that does something wrong; culprit, delinquent, wrongdoer. (ant) hero.
28 liable (adj) likely to be or do something; bound, predisposed, prone, inclined, susceptible. (ant) unlikely.
29 rueful (adj) showing regret or sorrow, especially in an ironic or humorous way. (ant) unrepentant.
30 pale (v) seem or become less important; diminish, fade, lessen, reduce. (ant) intensify, worsen, deepen.
31 clout (v) hit hard with the hand or an object; smack, thump, slap, cuff, wallop, beat, whack.
32 economical (adj) using or giving no more than is necessary; sparing, careful, frugal. (ant) lavish, careless.
33 allude (v) call attention to indirectly, suggest; hint at, imply, indicate, insinuate. (ant) announce, elucidate.
34 automatic (adj) working by itself; self-regulating, self-executing, computerised, programmed. (ant) manual.
35 ignition (n) mechanism or electronics that activate a car engine; starter.
36 despondent (adj) feeling low from loss of hope; downcast, crestfallen, discouraged. (ant) hopeful.
37 veto (n) a ban; rejection, embargo, refusal, sanction, quashing, prevention. (ant) approval, permission.
38 wretched (adj) extremely unhappy or unfortunate; miserable, desolate, dejected, abject. (ant) happy.
39 balk (v) hesitate or be unwilling; recoil, resist, refuse, cringe, flinch. (ant) proceed, accept, advance.
40 take aback (v) surprise or shock; confuse, startle, astonish, throw off. (ant) reassure.
41 tirade (n) a lengthy, angry speech, criticism or accusation; outburst, rant, diatribe, harangue. (ant) praise.
42 drench (v) wet thoroughly; soak, saturate, drown, douse, flood, deluge. (ant) dry, parch.
43 sporadic (adj) occurring irregularly; occasional, periodic, intermittent, erratic, random. (ant) regular, even.
44 blood-curdling (adj) expressing or causing terror; frightening, chilling, fearsome. (ant) comforting.
45 insolent (adj) rude and lacking respect; cheeky, brazen, disrespectful, impudent. (ant) respectful.
46 sidle (v) walk in a furtive (secretive) or timid (shy) manner; sneak, creep, slink, slip, edge. (ant) stride.
47 sheepish (adj) embarrassed from shame; uncomfortable, hangdog, awkward, guilty. (ant) unashamed.
48 kudos (n) compliments or congratulations; respect, well done, good show. (ant) poor show.
49 deck (v) knock to the ground with a strike; floor, punch, thump, hit.
50 brandish (v) wave as a threat or in excitement; flourish, shake, wield, flash, display, flaunt. (ant) conceal.
51 quizzical (adj) puzzled or amused; questioning, curious, enquiring, sceptical. (ant) certain, uninterested.
52 adolescent (adj) developing from a child into an adult; teenage, pubescent, juvenile. (ant) baby, adult.
53 alight (adj) shining brightly; lit, sparkling, aglow, burning, blazing, ablaze, flaming. (ant) dark, dull, dim.
54 broadcast (v) transmit content; circulate, publish, air, show, screen, spread, announce. (ant) suppress.
55 contemplate (v) think about; ponder, consider, deliberate, reflect on, ruminate on. (ant) disregard.
56 afterthought (n) something that is thought of or added later; addition, second thought. (ant) forethought.
57 abide (v) tolerate or endure (deal or put up with); bear, stand, take, stomach, accept. (ant) ban, reject.
58 vociferously (adv) in a vociferous (loud and forceful) manner; vocally, noisily, stridently. (ant) quietly.
59 jittery (adj) nervous and unable to relax; edgy, anxious, jumpy, frazzled, skittish, fidgety. (ant) calm, still.
60 dab (v) repeatedly press lightly against something; touch, pat, daub, blot, stroke.
61 virtually (adv) almost; nearly, effectively, practically, essentially, fundamentally. (ant) entirely, actually.
62 crestfallen (adj) sad, disappointed, low in confidence; downcast, despondent, disconsolate. (ant) upbeat.
63 smeared (adj) spread or coated over something; wiped, rubbed, streaked, smudged.
64 tendril (n) something resembling (like) a tendril (slim, curly branch of a plant); strand, finger, thread.
&n
bsp; 65 mascara (n) a cosmetic for darkening or thickening eyelashes.
66 matted (adj) tangled into a thick mess; knotted, entangled, intertwined, snarled. (ant) disentangled.