Word Power: Building Vocabulary Skills
Lesson 8
Lesson Quiz
Lesson Words
Etymology: [re (Latin), "back" + scindere, "to cut"]
to withdraw or cancel
A potential buyer of a home can rescinded their offer at any moment prior to the seller accepting their offer.
Synonyms: annul, abrogate, repeal, nullify
Antonyms: reinforce
Etymology: [adventus (Latin), "arrival"; from ad, "to" + venire, "come"]
arrival, coming
Some historians mark the end of the medieval period of European history with the advent of the printing press.
Synonyms: arrival, coming, appearance
Antonyms: recession, withdrawal, departure
Etymology: [origin unknown]
1. of various colors
Beth's date to the dance showed up at her house wearing a suit with a motley pattern.
Synonyms:jumbled, mixed up, patchwork
of mixed elements; composed of diverse ingredients
The film The Dirty Dozen is about an army major who assembles a motley crew of 12 convicted criminals for an extremely dangerous raid on a Nazi-occupied chateau in France.
Synonyms:diverse
NOTE 1: Motley is also a noun, meaning a woolen fabric of mixed colors; a garment made from this material; a mixture of colors.
NOTE 2: Mottled is derived from motley and means "marked with spots or blotches of varied colors."
Etymology: [calumnia (Latin), "deception," "slander"]
a false accusation maliciously made to injure another's reputation
The defendant told the jury that he was innocent and merely a victim of calumny.
The candidate was defeated in the election as a result of calumny spread by his opponent.
Synonyms: slander, defamation, aspersion, vilification
Antonyms: flattery, blandishment, cajolery, adulation, sycophancy
NOTE: Please review the following distinctions among the more common synonyms of calumniate:
"To calumniate is to invent and circulate lies about another.
"To slander is to repeat and help to spread whatever lies or evil reports are already in circulation, especially behind the back of the person concerned.
"To defame is publicly to speak or write serious accusations against the character and reputation of another.
"To asperse is to cast reflections upon another's goodness or good name by insinuating things to his discredit."
Etymology: [praeludere (Latin), from prae, "before" + ludere, "to play"]
1. something done, written, or said to prepare the way for a more important matter
A series of threats exchanged between the two countries was the prelude to a declaration of war.
Synonyms:preface, introduction, prologue
Antonyms: postlude, epilogue
2. in music, a movement introducing the theme; a piece, especially an organ solo, played at the beginning of a service
We arrived at wedding just in time — as the taxi pulled up at the church the organist began playing the prelude.
Synonyms: overture
Etymology: [cursor (Latin), "a runner"; from currere, cursus, "run"]
Superficial; hasty.
The expert warned that he was only able to give the picture a cursory examination, but he believes that it is an authentic Vincent Van Gogh painting.
Synonyms: hurried, rapid, transient, careless, fitful
Antonyms: thorough, exhaustive, comprehensive, painstaking, methodical, systematic, critical, protracted, prolonged
Etymology: [erudire (Latin), "to bring out of the rough; hence, to instruct"; from e, "out of" + rudis, "rude"]
have or show great academic knowledge
The book publisher told John that the subject matter of his book was far too erudite to appeal to the general public.
Synonyms: scholarly, learned
Antonyms: ignorant, unlettered, superficial
Etymology: [gala (Italian), "finery, enjoyment"]
(adjective) in the manner and spirit of a holiday
The guests' attire reflected the gala occasion. The women wore dresses made of silk and many men wore tuxedos.
(noun) a festival; a celebration
We went to a wonderful gala on New Year's Eve.
Synonyms: (adjective) festive; (noun) festivity
Antonyms: (adjectives) solemn, dismal, doleful
Etymology: [explicare (Latin), "to unfold"; from ex, "out" + plicare, "to fold"]
(noun) a deed or heroic act
The country celebrateed the hero's exploits by erecting a monument of him in the center of the city.
Synonyms: (nouns) feat, achievement, deed, accomplishment
(verb) to utilize; to use (usually unfairly) for one's own benefit
Unions were established to prevent large companies from exploiting their employees.
Synonyms: utilize, take advantage of, manipulate
Etymology: [parler (French), "to speak"; from parabolare (Late Latin), "to speak," derived from parabole (Greek) and parabola (Latin), "a comparison, a parable"]
a conversation or conference about a subject; a talk with an enemy, in order to arrange a truce
The leaders of the 2 countries met at a parley to discuss their differences.
Synonyms: conference, discussion
NOTE: Parley may also be used as a verb, meaning "to confer orally."
