Unit 12

ABSOLVE (v.) to clear from blame, responsibility, or guilt Syn: acquit, exonerate, vindicate, excuse, pardon Ant: condemn, convict, incriminate, inculpate

The detective SOLVED the case and ABSOLVED the defendant from any guilt!

CARICATURE (n.) a representation (especially a drawing) in which the subject’s characteristic features are deliberately exaggerated (v.) to present someone or something in a deliberately distorted way Syn: cartoon, burlesque, Parody, lampoon

He was so frequently the subject of CARICATURE that he seemed almost a fictional CHARACTER.

CLANGOR (n.) a loud ringing sound (v.) to make a loud ringing sound Syn: din, clamor, uproar Ant: silence, stillness, peace and quiet

The CLANGOR of the bells summoned everyone to the town square. CLANG! CLANG!

CONTIGUOUS (adj.) side by side, touching; near; adjacent in time Syn: adjoining, abutting, next door to Ant: detached, apart, distant, remote

Zoning laws attempt to add some CONTINUTIY to businesses and other buildings that are CONTIGUOUS to each other.

CUPIDITY (n.) an eager desire for something; greed Syn: avarice, rapacity, craving, lust Ant: generosity, contentment, satiation, gratification

CUPID’s only STUPIDITY may be found in his CUPIDITY for love.

DELETERIOUS (adj.) harmful, injurious Syn: detrimental, destructive, pernicious, damaging Ant: helpful, beneficial, harmless, innocuous

When I accidentally DELETED my entire paper, it was DELETERIOUS to my grade.

ENHANCE (v.) to raise to a higher degree; to increase the value or desirability of Syn: improve, magnify, heighten, elevate Ant: diminish, reduce, lessen, degrade I think I’ll do my homework to ENHANCE my grade in English

The quality of an image is often ENHANCED by police in the movies.

ENTHRALL (v.) to captivate, charm, hold spellbound; to enslave; to imprison Syn: fascinate, enchant, attract, bewitch Ant: bore to tears, repel, put someone off

The crowd was so deeply ENTERTAINED you could say they were ENTHRALLED

EXTENUATE (v.) to lessen the seriousness or magnitude of an offense by making partial excuses Syn: moderate, mitigate, diminish, downplay Ant: intensify, aggravate, worsen, exacerbate Would it be okay to steal bread in an EXTENUATING circumstance?

Those TEN YOU ATE can only be explained by the EXTENUATING circumstances of your extreme hunger.

IMPLICIT (adj.) implied or understood though unexpressed; without doubts or reservations, unquestioning; potentially contained in Syn: inferred, tacit, unspoken, unconditional Ant: explicit, expressed, stated, revealed

Something IMPLIED -- Even if it is not said – is IMPLICIT.

INCISIVE (adj.) sharp, keen, penetrating (with a suggestion of decisiveness and effectiveness) Syn: acute, cutting, perceptive, trenchant

Her remarks had great INSIGHT. Her words were INCISIVE

OSTENTATIOUS (adj.) marked by conspicuous or pretentious display, showy Syn: flashy, overdone, affected, flamboyant Ant: modest, plain, simple, demure, retiring

Old OSSENBERGER was so full of himself, but was his building as OSTENATIOUS as this one?

PARAGON (n.) a model of excellence or perfection Syn: exemplar, ideal, paradigm, model, good example

M.C. Escher is a PARAGON of PARADOX

PARAPHRASE (v.) to restate in other words (n.) a statement that presents a given idea in new language Syn: reword, rephrase, a rendition, version Ant: repeat verbatim, duplicate, quote

I’ll use a PAIR OF PHRASES to PARAPHRASE what he said.

POLITIC (adj.) prudent, shrewdly conceived and developed; artful, expedient Syn: tactful, diplomatic, judicious, circumspect Ant: unwise, injudicious, imprudent, rash

A POLITICIAN must be POLITIC with his or her words!

PROSAIC (adj.) dull, lacking in distinction and originality; matter-of-fact, straightforward; characteristic of prose, not poetic Syn: commonplace, humdrum, literal, pedestrian Ant: remarkable, distinctive, poetic, inspired POETRY vs. PROSE

Writing that is filled with PROSE instead of poetry can be called PROSAIC

REDUNDANT (adj.) extra, excess, more than is needed; wordy, repetitive; profuse, lush Syn: unnecessary, superfluous, verbose, prolix Ant: succinct, terse, laconic, scarce, inadequate I, myself, prefer steak over hot dogs.

It was REDONE so many times it was REDUNDANT

SANCTIMONIOUS (adj.) making a show of virtue or righteousness; hypocritically moralistic or pious, self-righteous, canting, holier-than-thou Ant: heartfelt, sincere, humble

He was so SANCTIMONIUS in his speech it was as if he wanted us to think he was a SAINT

SCINTILLATING (adj./part.) sparkling, twinkling, exceptionally brilliant (applied to mental or personal qualities) Syn: stimulating, lively, glittering, flashing Ant: dull, boring, insipid, flat, tame vapid

Can a SCENT be so stimulating that it can be called SCINTILLATING?

WINSOME (adj.) charming, attractive, pleasing (often suggesting childlike charm and innocence) Syn: winning, engaging, delightful, prepossessing Ant: unattractive, unappealing, repulsive

He was charming and WINSOME. Even when he lost, he’d simply say, “You WIN SOME, You lose some.”