Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop, Level F: Unit III (3)

NAME ______

Word Bank

abominatecommiserateinadvertentsangfroid

acculturationenjoinnominalseditious

adventitiousexpeditenoncommittaltenuous

ascribeexpiatepeculatevitriolic

circuitousfermentproclivitywheedle

  1. ______(adj.) resulting from chance rather than from an inherent cause or character; accidental, not essential; (medicine) acquired, not congenital
  2. It was no______meeting that led to their writing songs together, for in fact they were cousins.
  3. Synonyms: extrinsic, incidental, fortuitous
  4. Antonyms: essential, intrinsic, inherent, congenital
  5. ______(adj.) roundabout, not direct
  6. I followed a______path through the woods, not because I feared pursuit, but because I was lost.
  7. Synonyms: indirect, meandering, winding
  8. Antonyms: straight, direct, as the crow flies
  9. ______(v.) to direct or order; to prescribe a course of action in an authoritative way; to prohibit
  10. I______them to stop spending so much money or to face the consequences.
  11. Synonyms: bid, charge, command, adjure
  12. Antonyms: allow, permit
  13. ______(n.) a state of great excitement, agitation, or turbulence; (v.) to be in or work into such a state; to produce alcohol by chemical action
  14. Caught in the______of revolution, the young men enlisted with the local militias.
  15. If left for a time, cider will eventually ______.
  16. Synonyms: (n.) commotion, turmoil, unrest
  17. Antonyms: (n.) peace and quiet, tranquility, placidity
  18. ______(adj.) resulting from or marked by lack of attention; unintentional, accidental
  19. The poor fellow was stronger than he realized, and the damage he did was______.
  20. Synonyms: accidental, unconsidered
  21. Antonyms: deliberate, intentional, premeditated
  22. ______(v.) to steal something that has been given into one’s trust; to take improperly for one’s own use
  23. Investigators discovered that the clerk came up with a scheme to______from the company.
  24. Synonyms: embezzle, defraud, misappropriate
  25. ______(adj.) resistant to lawful authority; having the purpose of overthrowing an established government
  26. Dictators usually begin their reigns by searching out and silencing______opinion.
  27. Synonyms: mutinous, rebellious, subversive
  28. Antonyms: supportive, loyal, faithful, allegiant
  29. ______(v.) to use coaxing flattery to gain some desired end
  30. The spy used charm and flattery in order to______the information from the diplomat.
  31. Synonyms: cajole, inveigle, soft-soap, sweet-talk
  32. Antonyms: coerce, browbeat, intimidate, strong-arm
  33. ______(v.) to have an intense dislike or hatred for
  34. I______cruelty yet do not always notice when I have said something cruel without meaning to.
  35. Synonyms: loathe, abhor, despise, detest
  36. Antonyms: relish, savor, cherish, esteem
  37. ______(v.) to assign or refer to (as cause or source), attribute
  38. You may______these holes to gophers or elves, but I blame the dog from next door.
  39. Synonyms: impute, credit, attribute
  40. ______(v.) to sympathize with, have pity or sorrow for, share a feeling of distress
  41. The family______with her after the loss of her old and faithful dog.
  42. Synonyms: feel sorry for, empathize
  43. Antonyms: feel no sympathy for
  44. ______(v.) to make easy, cause to progress faster
  45. The pleasant background music did not______their guilt by whatever means necessary.
  46. Synonyms: accelerate, facilitate, speed up
  47. Antonyms: hinder, hamper, impede, obstruct
  48. ______(adj.) existing in name only, not real; too small to be considered or taken seriously
  49. Because so many of its patients were having financial troubles, the health clinic charged only______fees.
  50. Synonyms: titular, token, trifling, inconsequential
  51. Antonyms:real, actual, exorbitant, excessive
  52. ______(n.) a natural or habitual inclination or tendency (especially of human character or behavior)
  53. Curious, patient, and fond of long walks outdoors, she soon displayed a______for nature study.
  54. Synonyms: natural bent, penchant, propensity
  55. Antonyms: inability, incapacity
  56. ______(adj.) thin, slender, not dense; lacking clarity or sharpness; of slight importance or significance; lacking a sound basis, poorly supported
  57. My grasp of trigonometry was______until I attended the extra-help sessions.
  58. Synonyms: flimsy, insubstantial, vague, hazy
  59. Antonyms: strong, solid, substantial, valid
  60. ______(n.) the modification of the social patterns, traits, or structures of one group or society by contact with those of another; the resultant blend
  61. Every immigrant group newly arrived in another country goes through a slow process of______.
  62. Synonyms: adaptation
  63. ______(v.) to make amends, make up for; to avert
  64. They seemed more than willing to______their guilt by whatever means necessary.
  65. Synonyms: redeem, make amends for, atone, make reparation
  66. ______(adj.) not decisive or definite; unwilling to take a clear position or to say yes or no
  67. We questioned her quietly, carefully, and at length, but her answers remained______.
  68. Synonyms: cagey, uninformative, playing it safe, playing it close to the vest
  69. Antonyms: positive, definite, committed
  70. ______(n.) composure or coolness, especially in trying circumstances
  71. An experienced actor can perform with what seems like limitless______, even when he forgets a line.
  72. Synonyms: poise, self-assurance, equanimity
  73. Antonyms: excitability, hysteria, flappability
  74. ______(adj.) bitter, sarcastic; highly caustic or biting (like a strong acid)
  75. Though hurt by his______language, I had to admit that some of his points were valid.
  76. Synonyms: withering, acerbic, mordant
  77. Antonyms: bland, saccharine, honeyed, sugary

Choosing the Right Word

1. I was simply unable to follow the (circuitous, adventitious) reasoning by which she “proved” that a straight line is not necessarily the shortest distance between two points.

2. Our military is prepared to deal with external aggression, but our best defense against (sedition, peculation) at home is the loyalty of the American people.

3. (Commiseration, Proclivity) is a noble human emotion, but in itself is no substitute for efforts to help others.

4. Since he has been able to (expiate, wheedle) almost anything he wants out of his parents, he is quite unprepared now to face the harsh realities of life.

5. An experienced politician always tries to avoid making (fermented, inadvertent) remarks that may offend voters.

6. Although the Queen is the (nominal, adventitious) head of state, the Prime Minister is the real leader of the British government.

7. (Peculation, Sedition) was such a common offense among Roman provincial governors that, when asked how they made their fortunes, most simply replied, “In the provinces.”

8. His investments proved to be profitable, but they were (adventitious, nominal) rather than the result of knowledge and planning.

9. The Biblical prophets (abominated, acculturated) idol worship of any kind and railed vehemently against it.

10. You are following an all too familiar pattern in (ascribing, expediting) your failures to anyone and everyone – except yourself.

11. Although that critic is feared for (noncommittal, vitriolic) reviews, I have learned that there is usually a sound basis for her unfavorable judgments.

12. I learned that I would have to make a choice between my strong aversion to hard work and my equally strong (proclivity, wheedle) for eating.

13. It is only in my fantasies that I display the (ferment, sangfroid) associated with movie heroes who are “as cool as a cucumber.”

14. After he had seen the error of his ways, the villain attempted to (expiate, enjoin) the dark deeds of his past by acts of kindness and mercy.

15. Experienced lawyers know that the line between literal truth and slight but significant distortion of the facts is often a (seditious, tenuous) one.

16. With the deadline fast approaching, the local newspaper office was in a (ferment, sedition) of last-minute activity and preparation.

17. They are conscientious objectors to military service because they are (enjoined, ascribed) by a deep religious conviction not to take a human life.

18. When I spoke to Mother about going on the Easter trip to Washington, her only reply was a (nominal, noncommittal) “We’ll see.”

19. Modern American society can justly be said to be the end point of the (commiseration, acculturation) of diverse groups of immigrants.

20. The worst way I can think of to (expedite, ascribe) this program would be toset up a new Committee on (Expediting, Ascribing) Programs.

Word: ______

Part of Speech: ______

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Visual or Mnemonic Device (a way to help remember):