Unit Eight

Grade Seven

1. abnormal (adj) not usual, not typical, strange

syn: freakish, unnatural, irregular, anomalous

ant: normal, usual, regular, typical

Ex. It would be abnormal to have a school day where students did no work.

2. capsize (v) to turn bottom side up, upset

syn: overturn, upend, tip over

ant: remain uprightEx. The boat capsized and

sent its passengers into the river.

3. catastrophe (n) a large scale disaster, misfortune, or failure

syn: calamity, tragedy, cataclysm

ant: triumph, victory, success

Ex. Hurricane Katrina was a catastrophe on American soil.

4. decrease (v) to become or make less (n) a lessening

syn: (v) lessen, reduce, dwindle, diminishant: (v)increase, grow, develop, wax

Ex. The need to learn new things does not decrease with age.

5. disputatious (adj) inclined to argue or debate; provoking debate

syn: argumentative, quarrelsome, contentiousant: nonargumentative, peaceable, pacificEx. A debate would be

unsuccessful if the people were not disputatious.

6. eject (v) to drive or throw out, evict

syn: oust, expel, kick outant: admit, let in, insertEx. The player fouled out

and was ejected from the game.

7. flourish (v) to grow, thrive, be prosperous; to wave in the air

(n) a dramatic gesture; a fanfare of horns

syn: (v) prosper, burgeon, increaseant: (v) wither, die, fade, shrivel upEx. The fertilizer caused the

flowers to flourish.

8. incentive (n) a reason for doing something; something that stimulates action

syn: stimulus, spur, motive, inducement

ant: curb, check, restraint, hindrance

Ex. The offer of bonus points often serves as incentive for students to complete an assignment.

9. insubordinate (adj) disobedient, rebellious

syn: defiant, unruly, mutinousant: obedient, submissive,

docile, tractableEx. The child was insubordinate

to his parents and was punished for his defiance.

10. legible (adj) easily readsyn: readable, clear,

decipherableant: unreadable,

indecipherableEx. One’s handwriting must

be legible on a job application.

11. nub (n) the central point or heart of a matter; a knob

syn: core, kernel, nucleus, cruxant: fringe, periphery, edgeEx. The nub of the

persuasive essay was stated in the thesis statement.

12. onslaught (n) a violent attack; a sudden rush of something

syn: assault, charge, foray, onsetEx. The onslaught of

mosquitoes was prevented by bug spray.

13. ordain (v) to establish by law; to order or command; to appoint as a priest or minister; to destine

syn: anoint, consecrate, enact, decreeant: forbid, veto, cancelEx. The Constitution was

ordained by the founding fathers.

14. outstrip (v) to get ahead of, do better than, exceed

syn: outdo, outperform, outdistance, surpass

ant: trail, lag behindEx. To outstrip the competition,

one must work harder and give 100 percent.

15.pervade (v) to spread throughout

syn: saturate, permeate, diffuse, imbue

Ex. The scent of the lilacs pervaded the room and obliterated all remaining traces of the fish served for dinner.

16. prudent (adj) cautious, careful, showing good sense

syn: wary, sensible, judiciousant: foolish, unwise, rash,

recklessEx. It was prudent to

approach the strange dog carefully.

17. quench (v) to put out, extinguish, end

syn: douse, stifle, slakeant: ignite, kindleEx. Quench your thirst

with Gatorade.

18. remnant (n) a small part remaining behind

syn: remainder, residue, leftover, fragmentEx. The carpet remnant

was enough to cover the small area.

19. simultaneous (adj) happening or existing at the same time

syn: occurring at the same time, concurrentant: occurring at different timesEx. The yearbook meeting and

drama rehearsal cannot occur simultaneously since Mrs. Frow cannot be in two places at the same time.

20. swerve (v) to turn aside sharply (n) a sharp or sudden

turnsyn: veer, digress, sheer offEx. The boys had to swerve in

the hallway to miss the group of giggling girls who had stopped to gossip.