1. adversary (n.) an enemy, opponent S: antagonist, rival, foe
A: friend, ally, supporter, confederate
A best friend off the tennis court can be a fierce adversary on it.

2. alienate
(v.) to turn away; to make indifferent or hostile; to transfer, convey
S: separate, drive apart, estrange
A: befriend, attract, captivate,
reconcile
Gossiping and backbiting are bad habits that are bound to alienate friends.

3. artifice
(n.) a skillful or ingenious device, a clever trick; a clever skill; trickery
S: ruse, stratagem, contrivance
Even the most renowed art experts were completely taken in by the forger’s artifice.

4. coerce (v.) to compel, force
S: pressure, bully, intimidate, constrain
A: persuade, cajole
Dictators try to coerce their subjects into obedience by threatening them or their families with punishment. .

5. craven (adj.) cowardly; (n.) a coward
S: fearful, fainthearted, pusillanimous
A: brave, courageous, valiant
It is a mistake to assume that everyone who refuses to go to war is a craven who lacks patriotism.
Those who urged Great Britain to make peace with Hitler were criticized for their craven attitude.

6. culinary (adj.) of or related to cooking or the kitchen
Cooking shows on television have helped many people to master the secrets of the culinary arts.

7. demise
(n.) a death, especially of a person in a lofty position; ending
S: decease, passing away; downfall
A: birth, beginning, commencement
Traditionally, tolling of church bells has announced the demise of a monarch.

8. exhilarate (v.) to enliven, cheer, give spirit or liveliness to
S: stimulate, excite, gladden
A: discourage, dispirit, dishearten, inhibit
The first landing on the moon, in the summer of 1969, exhilarated the nation.
Loser

9. fallow Farmer Fred fallowed the fallow fallow.
(adj.) plowed but not seeded; inactive; reddish-yellow; (n.) land left unseeded; (v) to plow but not seed
S: unproductive, inert, dormant
A: productive, fertile, prolific
Farmer Fred fallowed the fallow fallow.

10. harass (v.) to disturb, worry; to trouble by repeated attacks
S: annoy, pester, bedevil, beleaguer
The judge repeatedly cautioned the prosecuting attorney not to harass the witness.

11. inclement (adj.) stormy, harsh; severe in attitude or action
S: blustery, tempestuous, implacable
A: mild, gentle, balmy, tranquil
During an inclement New England winter, heavy snowfalls may bring highway traffic to a halt.

12. liquidate (v.) to pay a debt, settle a debt; eliminate .
S.: reconcile, pay, cancel, exterminate
A.: invest, collect
The owners were ordered to liquidate the company and pay their creditors.
The company is liquidating its assets. .

13. muse (v.) to think about in a dreamy way, ponder
S: meditate, contemplate,
daydream
Philosophers have always mused on the meaning of life.
** In Greek mythology, poetry and literature, muses are the goddesses of the inspiration of literature, science, and the arts.

14. negligible (adj.) so unimportant that it can be disregarded
S: trivial, inconsequential,
insignificant
A: significant, crucial,
momentous
After taxes are deducted, a small raise in salary may result in a negligible increase in take-home pay.

15. perpetuate (v.) to make permanent or long lasting
S: continue, preserve,
prolong indefinitely
A: discontinue, abolish,
abandon
In many cultures, writers perpetuate the valiant deeds of ancient heroes by retelling stories such as The Iliad, which depicts the heroic actions of Hector and Achilles in The Trojan War.

16. precedent (n.) an example that may serve as a basis
for imitation or later
action
S: guide, tradition, model
We hope that students at
other schools in our city will follow our precedent in
volunteer work and charitable contributions.

17. punitive (adj.) inflicting or aiming at punishment
S: penalizing, retaliatory
The general lead a punitive
expedition against the rebel
forces.

18. redress (v.) to set right, remedy; (n.) relief from wrong or injury
S: rectify, correct, mitigate
The accident victims will seek
redress for the injuries they
suffered in the train crash.
An apology can go a long way
to redress the hurt feelings caused by an insensitive
comment or thoughtless act.

19. sojourn (n.) a temporary stay; (v.) stay for a time
S: visit, stopover, brief
stay
No matter how short your
sojourn in Paris, you
must take time to go to
the Louvre.
Many American college graduates sojourn abroad before they begin working full-time at home.

20. urbane (adj.) refined in manner or style, suave
S: elegant (Brad Pitt, John Legend, Emma Watson, Angelina?, Jennifer Anniston, Will Smith, Selena Gomez, The Obamas)
A: crude, uncouth, boorish (Justin Bieber, Lindsey Lohan, Floyd Mayweather, Kardashians, Miley Cyrus)
An urbane host puts guests at ease by
appearing totally confident and unruffled
no matter what happens.