by Damon Suede
SHIELD (+): armor, -avert, bar, barricade, buffer, bulwark, conceal, conserve, cordon, counter, counterattack, cover, cushion, defend, fence, forfend, guard, harbor, house, insulate, keep, maintain, oppose, outlast, police, preserve, -prevent, protect, rebut, resist, safeguard, save, screen, secure, sentinel, shade, shadow, shelter, stonewall, support, sustain, uphold, wall, ward, withstand (≠ -abandon, assail, assault, attack, beset, besiege, blitz, bombard, compromise, -desert, endanger, imperil, impugn, jeopardize, mortar, offend, overrun, risk, storm, target, threaten)
SHIELD (/): block, canopy, cap, cloak, clothe, cloud, conceal, costume, cover, crown, curtain, darken, dim, disguise, drape, hide, mask, obscure, overlap, overshadow, pall, protect, screen, shade, shadow, shroud, veil (≠ accost, bare, betray, compromise, concede, confess, confide, confirm, confront, denounce, detect, display, divulge, expose, incriminate, out, present, strip, uncover, unmask, unveil)
SHIFT (→): adapt, adjust, alter, beam, bear, budge, calibrate, carry, cart, change, convert, convey, dislocate, displace, disturb, drive, haul, improve, lug, modify, move, recline, redo, refashion, relegate, relocate, remake, remodel, remove, replace, reposition, rethink, revamp, revise, rework, schlep, shove, shunt, shuttle, sideline, situate, supersede, supplant, tote, transfer, transform, transmit, transplant, transport, transpose, tune, tweak, vary (≠ -abort, anchor, embed, endure, entrench, fix, freeze, -ignore, immobilize, implant, ingrain, lodge, maintain, moor, paralyze, perpetuate, preserve, root, secure, set, stabilize, stop, sustain, transfix)
-SHIRK (/): -avert, -avoid, ban, bar, -bypass, -circumvent, debar, deflect, detour, divert, -dodge, -duck, eliminate, -elude, -escape, -eschew, -evade, except, -exclude, fake, finesse, foil, forget, fox, -frustrate, fudge, half-ass, miss, -neglect, -obviate, -omit, oppose, outfox, outsmart, outwit, parry, -preclude, -prevent, shake, -shun, skirt, -thwart, ward (≠ accept, accomplish, accost, achieve, catch, confront, contract, court, embrace, enjoy, exceed, execute, incur, invite, locate, maintain, perform, pursue, relish, seek, welcome)
SHOCK (→): agitate, alarm, amaze, appall, astonish, astound, awe, baffle, bewilder, blindside, boggle, bushwhack, confound, confuse, consternate, daze, dazzle, deafen, discombobulate, discomfit, disconcert, disgust, dismay, distress, disturb, dumbfound, electrify, excite, flabbergast, floor, flummox, fluster, frighten, galvanize, gaslight, gobsmack, horrify, invigorate, jar, jolt, muckrake, muddle, nauseate, nonplus, numb, offend, outrage, overwhelm, panic, paralyze, perplex, petrify, rattle, razzle-dazzle, repel, revolt, rile, rock, roil, rouse, scandalize, scare, shake, sicken, stagger, startle, stir, stump, stun, stupefy, surprise, terrify, thrill, throw, traumatize, trigger, unnerve, unsettle, upset, wow (≠ anchor, annoy, anticipate, appease, assure, balance, blunt, bore, calm, caution, center, charm, cheer, clarify, comfort, compose, console, cushion, dampen, deaden, delight, -disregard, dull, elucidate, embolden, encourage, entice, expect, explain, follow, forecast, foretell, gratify, hearten, help, hypnotize, -ignore, jade, lull, mellow, mesmerize, mind, miss, mitigate, moderate, mollify, orchestrate, organize, outguess, -overlook, pacify, placate, please, predetermine, predict, quiet, reassure, regiment, regret, relax, remind, sedate, signal, soothe, stabilize, steady, steel, stultify, tease, tempt, threaten, tranquilize, warn, weary) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
SHOOT (→): aim, bandy, barrage, blast, blaze, bombard, burn, cast, catapult, destroy, direct, discharge, dispatch, drill, empty, execute, expel, explode, finish, fire, fling, fry, fusillade, gun, heave, hit, hurl, hurtle, ignite, injure, kick, kill, launch, lob, loose, mortar, murder, pelt, pepper, pitch, plug, pop, project, propel, pump, skitter, sling, snipe, strafe, target, throw, torpedo, toss, trigger, wing, wound, zap (≠ absorb, accept, acquire, armor, cover, deactivate, defend, disarm, drag, draw, gain, garner, hold, holster, load, poke, procure, receive, reload, secure, shield, slow, suck, suppress, unload, withhold)
SHORTCHANGE (←): bamboozle, beat, betray, bilk, bleed, bluff, cheat, chisel, clip, con, cozen, deceive, defraud, diddle, double-cross, dupe, exploit, extort, fast-talk, fiddle, fleece, flimflam, fool, gouge, gull, hoodwink, hustle, manipulate, milk, mislead, nick, overcharge, pluck, ream, rook, rope, screw, short, skin, soak, squeeze, stick, stiff, sting, stint, swindle, trick, underpay, victimize, withhold, wrench, wrest, wring, wrong (≠ believe, comp, confess, confront, disclose, divulge, donate, expose, give, help, honor, indemnify, offer, refund, reimburse, repay, restore, reveal, reward, tender, trust, uncover, undeceive, unmask)
SHOULDER (→): bash, bludgeon, bump, butt, coerce, crowd, drive, elbow, force, hit, hustle, jam, jar, jolt, jostle, knock, move, muscle, nudge, oblige, pack, poke, press, pressure, prod, prompt, propel, push, railroad, ram, shove, shunt, slam, smash, steamroller, stuff, thrust (≠ -avoid, -balk, bar, barricade, block, curb, daunt, -deter, -ditch, -dodge, draw, -duck, -elude, -evade, extract, -flee, fling, -halt, hamper, hinder, impede, miss, -prevent, pull, push, remove, repel, restrain, stall, stymie, -thwart, tug, withstand, yank)
SHOULDER (+): abide, accept, allow, assume, bear, brave, brook, buck, carry, concede, condone, confront, countenance, endure, experience, face, hack, harden, incur, indulge, know, lug, outlast, overcome, permit, receive, sanction, season, stand, stomach, suffer, support, surmount, survive, sustain, swallow, sweat, take, tolerate, weather, withstand (≠ -avoid, battle, combat, contest, -decline, denounce, -deny, -deter, disallow, disappoint, drop, embrace, enjoy, fight, flout, -forbid, forgo, oppose, -prevent, pull, -quit, -refuse, -reject, -repudiate, surrender, -veto, withdraw)
SHOVE (→): bash, bulldoze, bully, bump, compel, cram, crowd, dash, drive, elbow, force, frogmarch, hammer, hustle, impel, jam, jam-pack, jolt, jostle, knock, march, move, muscle, nudge, pack, poke, pound, press, pressure, prod, propel, punt, push, ram, sardine, shoulder, shunt, slam, smash, squash, squeeze, strike, stuff, thrust, urge, wedge (≠ -avoid, barricade, block, brake, check, clutch, cradle, curb, defend, deflect, delay, -deter, discourage, dissuade, -dodge, draw, embrace, extract, fling, grasp, grip, guard, -halt, hinder, pull, push, remove, repel, restrain, tug, wall, yank)
SHOW (→): advertise, air, announce, bare, bellow, betray, blaze, brandish, broadcast, communicate, concede, confess, confide, confirm, confront, declare, demonstrate, disclose, discover, display, divulge, elaborate, embody, evince, exhibit, expose, externalize, flash, flaunt, flourish, herald, hype, manifest, offer, outshine, parade, placard, plug, post, present, proclaim, produce, project, publicize, reveal, showcase, sound, spitball, sport, telegraph, televise, tender, trumpet, uncloak, uncover, unmask, unsheathe, unveil, volunteer, wave (≠ camouflage, cloak, clothe, cloud, conceal, costume, counterfeit, cover, curtain, disguise, distort, embellish, embroider, enshroud, falsify, garble, gild, gloss, hide, holster, mask, miscommunicate, misrepresent, obscure, occlude, occult, rotate, sheathe, shroud, spackle, twist, varnish, veil, whitewash)
SHOW (→): accompany, attend, chaperone, conduct, control, convoy, direct, escort, guide, lead, manage, marshal, pilot, route, steer, take, usher (≠ -abandon, -desert, -ditch, dog, dump, follow, forget, -forsake, hound, -ignore, -neglect, shadow, tail, tailgate, trail)
SHOW (+): admit, affirm, ascertain, assert, attest, authenticate, certify, claim, confess, confirm, contend, corroborate, declare, demonstrate, document, double-check, endorse, establish, evidence, express, justify, maintain, pledge, proclaim, profess, promise, pronounce, prove, ratify, state, substantiate, support, sustain, testify, uphold, validate, verify, warrant (≠ challenge, confute, contest, contradict, cross-examine, debate, -deny, discredit, disprove, dispute, distrust, doubt, gainsay, grill, interrogate, interview, invalidate, oppose, question, rebut, refute, -repudiate, scruple)
SHOW (+): accompany, attend, brief, chaperone, clarify, coach, contextualize, convoy, counsel, cultivate, demonstrate, direct, drill, elucidate, engineer, enlighten, escort, explain, foster, godfather, guide, illustrate, inculcate, indoctrinate, inform, instruct, lead, mentor, nurture, oversee, pilot, school, see, shepherd, squire, steer, superintend, supervise, sway, teach
, train, tutor (≠ baffle, checkmate, confound, confuse, faze, fox, frustrate, gaslight, muddle, mystify, nonplus, pall, perplex, puzzle, throw, -thwart, upset)
SHRED (/): break, butcher, chop, cleave, cut, destroy, dismember, dissect, doom, eradicate, fray, frazzle, gash, hack, incise, lacerate, mangle, reduce, rend, ribbon, rip, rive, rupture, shave, slash, slice, sliver, split, strip, tatter, tear, trash, unsew, vivisect (≠ aggregate, amend, braid, correct, darn, fix, fuse, glue, heal, improve, mend, patch, rectify, remedy, renew, renovate, repair, restore, sew, stitch, weave)
SHRINK (/): abate, abridge, collapse, compress, concentrate, condense, constrict, contract, decrease, deflate, digest, diminish, excise, flatten, fritter, lessen, lighten, lower, miniaturize, minimize, mitigate, moderate, narrow, prune, reduce, shorten, shrivel, sink, squander, truncate, waste, weaken, wilt, wither (≠ accent, accentuate, accrue, accumulate, amplify, assert, augment, balloon, broaden, elongate, emphasize, expand, expound, extend, grow, increase, inflate, punctuate, stretch, swell, unspool)
SHROUD (←): blanket, bower, circle, cloak, cocoon, curtain, drape, embed, embrace, encase, encircle, enclose, encompass, enfold, enlace, enshroud, envelop, involve, lap, mantle, mask, muffle, overlay, pall, screen, swaddle, swathe, veil, wind, wrap (≠ bare, denude, disclose, divest, expose, shred, shuck, strip, tatter, tear, uncloak, uncover, unveil, unwrap)
SHROUD (/): belie, blear, blot, burke, bury, camouflage, censor, cloak, clothe, cloud, conceal, cover, curtain, disguise, ensconce, gild, gloss, haze, hide, mask, mist, obliterate, obscure, occult, overcloud, paper, quash, redact, repress, screen, secrete, silence, smother, spackle, spike, squash, squelch, stash, stifle, store, stow, strangle, suppress, throttle, varnish, veil, whitewash (≠ advertise, affirm, air, blab, blaze, blurt, broadcast, circulate, concede, confess, confront, debunk, declare, disclose, divulge, expose, present, proclaim, publicize, publish, push, recount, report, reveal, show, shrive, spill, spread, telegraph, uncloak, uncover, unmask, unveil)
SHROUD (/): becloud, bedim, befog, blanket, block, blur, cloud, conceal, cover, darken, eclipse, fog, obstruct, occlude, overshadow, shade, shadow, smother, varnish, veil, withhold (≠ brighten, broadcast, clarify, confide, confirm, disclose, display, divulge, expose, flash, floodlight, illuminate, illumine, light, lighten, uncloud, uncover)
SHUFFLE (/): agitate, change, clutter, confuse, derange, disarrange, disarray, discompose, dishevel, disjoint, dislocate, disorder, disorganize, disrupt, disturb, entangle, hash, infuse, intermix, jumble, mix, muddle, muss, perturb, rearrange, rejigger, reorganize, reshuffle, retool, rumple, scramble, shift, snarl, stir, swap, switch, tangle, tousle, tumble, unsettle, untidy, upset (≠ adjust, align, arrange, array, calibrate, classify, codify, compose, fix, groom, marshal, methodize, neaten, order, organize, queue, regiment, regulate, spruce, straighten, systematize, systemize, tidy, tune, unscramble)
-SHUN (→): -abandon, -avert, -avoid, ban, bar, bilk, -blank, -boycott, -bypass, -circumvent, -cold-shoulder, -cut, debar, -decline, deflect, -desert, -despise, detour, -disdain, disrespect, -ditch, divert, -dodge, -duck, eliminate, -elude, -escape, -eschew, -evade, except, -exclude, finesse, -flee, foil, fox, -frustrate, -ignore, isolate, maroon, miss, -neglect, -obviate, -omit, oppose, -ostracize, oust, outfox, outsmart, outwit, overreach, parry, -preclude, -prevent, -refuse, regret, -reject, rue, -scorn, seclude, shake, -shirk, shortcut, skirt, -snub, stall, -thwart, ward, weasel (≠ accept, accost, acknowledge, admire, catch, celebrate, chauffeur, colonize, confront, contract, court, covet, crave, desire, embrace, enjoy, esteem, face, fetishize, incur, meet, pursue, relish, reunite, sanction, seek, target, welcome, win, woo)
SHUNT (→): alter, -avert, bend, bring, budge, bump, butt, carry, deflect, dislodge, displace, divert, elbow, fetch, focus, force, funnel, hustle, impel, jam, jig, jostle, knock, move, muscle, nudge, press, pressure, prod, propel, pull, punt, push, ram, rechannel, redirect, rejigger, relegate, relocate, reorient, reposition, reverse, shift, shoulder, shove, shuttle, sidetrack, slam, smash, strike, sway, swerve, swing, switch, swivel, take, thrust, transfer, transport, transpose, tug, turn, twist, urge, whirl, wiggle, wrench, yank (≠ affix, aid, allow, assist, -avoid, barricade, block, bolt, brake, check, clamp, clasp, clutch, concentrate, curb, defend, deflect, delay, dement, -deter, discourage, dissuade, draw, extract, fasten, fix, fling, freeze, fuse, grasp, grip, guard, -halt, hamper, hinder, hold, impede, keep, lose, maintain, paralyze, pin, restrain, retain, stabilize, steady, straighten, support, trace, trap, weld)
SHUT (/): bar, bolt, cage, choke, cinch, close, confine, cork, draw, enclose, -exclude, fasten, fold, imprison, latch, lock, -omit, pen, plug, push, seal, secure, slam, squeeze, stop, stopple, strangle, throttle, wall (≠ accept, broach, clear, crack, expose, include, loose, loosen, open, release, take, unbar, unbolt, unchain, uncover, unfasten, unfold, unlock, unseal)
SICKEN (/): affect, afflict, affront, aggrieve, ail, alarm, anguish, appall, blackjack, bother, browbeat, brutalize, bully, burden, coerce, contaminate, curse, daunt, dement, derange, disconcert, disgust, dismay, disorder, -disown, displease, disquiet, distress, frighten, grieve, harass, harm, horrify, hurt, indispose, infect, inflict, insult, intimidate, menace, nauseate, offend, oppress, outrage, overextend, pain, plague, poison, press, pressure, repel, repulse, revolt, scare, shock, strain, stress, strike, terrify, terrorize, threaten, torment, trouble, try, unhinge, unnerve, unsettle, upset, weary, wound (≠ allure, attract, beguile, bewitch, captivate, charm, cure, delight, diagnose, disarm, draw, drug, enchant, encourage, enrapture, enthrall, entice, entrance, fascinate, gratify, heal, help, interest, intrigue, isolate, lure, medicate, mend, nurse, order, please, pull, quarantine, reassure, recover, rectify, rejoice, remedy, restore, seduce, soothe, tantalize, taunt, tease, tempt, thrill, tickle, uplift, vaccinate, wow)
SIDELINE (/): banish, bench, blackball, degrade, delegate, demote, denigrate, deport, discard, discharge, discourage, dismiss, disparage, dispatch, downgrade, eject, -exclude, -excommunicate, exile, expatriate, expel, hinder, humble, -ostracize, oust, reassign, relegate, remove, sack, transfer (≠ advance, aggrandize, boost, elevate, encourage, favor, feature, forward, foster, further, honor, hype, praise, prefer, prioritize, promote, reward, select, shelve, target, task, upgrade)
-SIDESTEP (→): -avert, -avoid, beat, -blank, -boycott, -bypass, -circumvent, deflect, detour, disobey, -disregard, -ditch, divert, -dodge, -duck, -elude, -end-run, -escape, -eschew, -evade, -flee, flout, fudge, half-ass, -ignore, -obviate, -omit, outflank, outrun, -overlook, parry, -prevent, shake, -shirk, -shun, skip, skirt, slip, subvert, trick, ward, weasel (≠ accept, accost, address, brave, catch, confront, contact, contract, court, embrace, face, follow, incur, keep, mind, note, obey, observe, oppose, pursue, seek, tackle, welcome, woo, wrestle)
SIDETRACK (←): agitate, alter, -avert, bother, bug, change, concern, confound, daunt, deflect, derail, discomfit, discompose, disconcert, displace, disquiet, disrupt, distract, distress, disturb, divert, dizzy, exasperate, faze, fluster, frazzle, freak, fret, funnel, gall, hamper, harass, harry, haunt, heckle, impede, indispose, irk, irritate, jar, misguide, mislead, mortify, needle, nettle, niggle, nonplus, obstruct, overturn, peeve, perturb, pester, plague, -prevent, rankle, rattle, redirect, refocus, reorient, rile, roil, shake, short-circuit, sideline, startle, swerve, switch, unhinge, unnerve, unsettle, unsteady, upset, vex, worry, wreck (≠ advance, aid, aim, assist, balance, boost, brace, calibrate, calm, center, chair, compose, concentrate, continue, dedicate, direct, enable, encourage, equalize, expedite, facilitate, focus, forward, further, guide, help, keep, maintain, prioritize, quiet, settle, smooth, soothe, stabilize, steady, steer, support, sustain, target, tranquilize, tune, tweak)
SIFT (←): analyze, appraise, ascertain, assess, audit, benchmark, categorize, check, clock, compare, consider, contemplate, critique, decide, deduce, detect, determine, discover, evaluate, examine, explore, eye, eyeball, fathom, gauge, grade, inspect, investigate, judge, learn, measure, observe, peruse, prioritize, probe, prowl, rank, rate, read, reappraise, reassess
, reevaluate, regard, reinvestigate, review, sample, scan, scope, scrutinize, search, settle, slot, sort, study, survey, suss, test, weigh (≠ accept, assume, blind, -bypass, cheat, cloak, cloud, conceal, confuse, deceive, -discount, disguise, -disregard, dump, forget, half-ass, -ignore, jumble, mimic, misjudge, mislead, miss, mistake, muddle, -neglect, -omit, overestimate, -overlook, predetermine, puzzle, scramble, skim, skip, swallow, trick, underestimate)
SIFT (/): clarify, clean, colander, comb, decontaminate, drain, filter, grade, leach, pan, part, percolate, prospect, purify, rarefy, refine, riddle, screen, separate, sieve, size, sort, strain, winnow (≠ adulterate, besmirch, blemish, blend, churn, combine, compile, contaminate, damage, defile, dirty, disgrace, dishonor, join, jumble, mar, mix, pollute, scramble, soil, spoil, spot, stain, sully, taint, tarnish)