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CONTENTS
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PAGE No. A few words .............................................................................................................. 3 – 9 Alphabetical Wordlist ................................................................................................ 10 – 188 A .................................................................................................................................. 1 1 B .................................................................................................................................. 3 1 C .................................................................................................................................. 4 0 D .................................................................................................................................. 5 7 E .................................................................................................................................. 6 8 F .................................................................................................................................. 7 8 G .................................................................................................................................. 8 5 H .................................................................................................................................. 9 0 I ................................................................................................................................... 9 5 J & K ........................................................................................................................... 1 0 6 L .................................................................................................................................. 1 0 9 M ................................................................................................................................. 1 1 4 N .................................................................................................................................. 1 2 3 O ................................................................................................................................. 1 2 6 P .................................................................................................................................. 1 3 1 Q ................................................................................................................................. 1 4 6 R .................................................................................................................................. 1 4 8 S .................................................................................................................................. 1 5 7 T .................................................................................................................................. 1 6 9 U .................................................................................................................................. 1 7 6 V .................................................................................................................................. 1 7 9 W, X, Y & Z ................................................................................................................ 184
IC : PTpntvb01 The path to success
is to take massive,
determined action.
A few words ...
Dear Student, This may be the first time you are contemplating an activity as focused as ‘vocabulary bui lding’. Some of you may have undertaken i nformal exercises on an i rregular basis and if you have, then you already know what a pleasure it can be. Questions based on vocabulary form an important part of most MBA entrance tests and we need not emphasise the importance of such an exercise. Besides this, a sound vocabulary will: 1 . help you develop test­specific skills because vocabulary­based questions are one of the fastest and easiest ways to score well 2 . p r o v i d e i n d i r e c t h e l p i n o t h e r t e s t ­ r e l a t e d a r e a s l i k e r e a d i n g comprehension and language usage 3 . give you a knowle dge asse t that you can leverage throughout your c a re e r. This book contains an Alphabetical listing of Words. We have tried our best to provide you with a list of the most commonly used words in a typical management entrance test. Enormous efforts have gone into making the content intensive as well as extensive. Put in a lot of intelligent, dedicated and focused effort and you will be able to reap rich rewards from this book. Your w ork does not stop w ith the l earning. Form f ri ends w ho share the same passion about vocabulary building. Continuous stimulation and reinforcement of whatever you learn in the classroom are very important. Before you start, a word of caution. Do not take words for granted. They have a way of getting even with those who do so. Ó
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MBA entrance vocabulary
– An overview
There is no need to become a walking dictionary to succeed in entrance tests. What is needed is knowledge of the roots of words and the ability to relate a word to ‘similar’ or ‘opposite’ kind of words. Essence of the test of vocabulary: Most tests do not check whether you know exactly what a particular word means. Even if you do not know the precise dictionary definition, if you have a good idea what the word means, you will score. The tests only want to see if you have a broad and diverse vocabulary capable of helping you carry out your managerial tasks. Important observations: Our analysis of test papers over the last few years shows that most tests use the same kind of words. For example, all the words in the list that follows nearly mean the same thing. They all have something to do with the concept of criticism. The examination may well test you on one of these words or one of the other synonyms of ‘criticise’. Criticise/Criticism: Calumny, castigate, chastise, deride, derisive, derogate, diatribe, harangue, lambast, oppugn, pillory, rebuke, remonstrate. Some Frequently Asked Questions Q. How is vocabulary checked in these tests? A . A few MBA entrance tests check your vocabulary head on. These include analogy questions (determine the relationship between a pair of words); antonym questions (choose a word opposite in meaning to a particular word); synonym questions (choose a word similar in meaning); odd­man­out type questions (choose the word different in meaning from the other given words), etc. If you know the meaning of every word in the question, you can easily answer these questions. The more words you know, the better your chances of narrowing down the choices to the correct one. Tests can also gauge your vocabulary indirectly, through Reading Comprehension passages and questions, questions that ask you to correct sentences and other questions based on critical reasoning. Students with a strong vocabulary have an edge when it comes to these questions. Q. How are the words chosen for these tests? A . The tests check if a student possesses a well­rounded vocabulary. This is the kind of vocabulary you need to read, write and speak effectively in college and beyond. “Test­worthy words” include those any educated person might use in speaking or writing, as well as those that are quite specific to a particular academic field. Q. What kind of words am I not likely to find in the test? A . It is difficult to be definite about this. However, a few types of words generally excluded from tests are: Ø relatively common words that most graduates and undergraduates already know Ø highly technical words understood only by specialists or experts in certain academic fields and professions Ø non­English words that are not widely used among English speakers Ø jargon, slang or colloquialisms Ø archaic English words, which are no longer in common use
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Vibhav Singh
IIM­C, L, I, K
The language course
material was thorough
and the faculty
members gave a lot of
inputs during the class
sessions that were
extremely effective
while taking the CAT.
IC : PTpntvb01 How to improve your English? Learning to speak English (or any language for that matter) is a process. It takes some time and it definitely needs consistency. 1 . Remember that learning English is a gradual process. It does not happen overnight. 2 . Define your learning objectives early. What do you want to learn and why? 3 . Make learning a habit. Try to learn something every day. It is much better to study (or read or listen to English news etc.) 30 minutes each day than study for 4 hours just once a week. 4 . Choose your study material well. You will need material to help you with reading, grammar, writing, speaking and listening. 5 . Vary your learning routine. It is best to do different things each day to help keep the relationships among different areas active. 6 . Converse and study with friends who are also learning English. Learning English together can be very encouraging. 7. Choose listening and reading material that relate to what you are interested in. Your interest in the subject will make learning more enjoyable and more effective. 8 . Relate grammar to practical usage. Grammar by itself does not help you use the language. You should practise what you are learning by employing it actively. 9 . Move your mouth! Understanding something doesn’t mean the muscles of your mouth can produce the sound. Practise speaking aloud. It may appear strange but it is very effective. 10. Be patient with yourself. Remember that learning is a process. Speaking a language well takes time. 11. Communicate! There is nothing like communicating in English for being successful. Grammar exercises are good. It is fantastic to have your friend on the other side of the world understand your e­mail. 12. Use the Internet. The Internet is the most exciting, unlimited English resource available and it is right at your fingertips. To sum up, Ø Remember that English learning is a process Ø Be patient with yourself Ø Practise, practise, practise How to develop interest and learning skills simultaneously Let us see some very basic ways to build up interest in reading and thus enrich your word power. Try one or more of these at your convenience. What appears most appealing will probably work best for you. 1. Make a list of subjects that fascinate you most. The more you enjoy a topic, the easier it is to learn about it. Go to your local library and search for a dictionary of words specific to the topic. If you like Economics, find a dictionary of words used in Economics. Not every topic will have its own dictionary but you’ll be surprised how many do. Once you have found a dictionary, browse through it. Look for words that you have never heard or words you have heard but do not understand. The sheer joy of discovering the words and their meanings will help them sink into your memory. Since they relate to your favourite topic, you will practise and use them regularly with all the commitment needed to make them a part of regular conversation. 2. People favour different words in different parts of the country. Try picking up or subscribing to a newspaper from another part of the country. Enlist a friend or relative from another area to join you in your vocabulary improvement mission. Offer to send him/her a copy of your heaviest city newspaper in exchange. Or go online and read such a newspaper online for free. 3. In order to make learning easier and more productive, use flash cards to master several words at once. Pick four words that all have the same or similar meanings and write them on one side. Write their meanings on the other side. You will be learning four words and one definition with slightly subtle changes. Effectively, you will learn four times as much in about the same time. Such flash cards are part of the study material accompanying this book. Add your own flash cards to enhace your learning. 4. Object words are easier to learn. You will be learning the definition of a word which is also a tangible item you can picture in your mind. Go to a curio shop, speciality store or a museum you have never been to before. Pick up brochures or other documents that describe what you are seeing. Let the mental pictures drive the names of these items and their descriptions deep into your mind for later recall. 5. You learn a lot more by being humble than by being proud. When you are trying to place an address in a new locality, you should be willing to stop and ask for directions. Similarly, you shouldn’t be afraid to do some investigation when you encounter a new word. Look it up or even have the courage to ask. Go on a word hunt. Write down what you did not understand. Do not rest until you hunt down the word and its meaning. The satisfaction of victory over your ignorance of that one word will bolster your confidence and you will be pumped up to master many more words.
IC : PTpntvb01 (5) of (188) Easy ways to improve your vocabulary Ø Ask yourself every week: What do I want to learn this week? Asking yourself this question every week will help you stop and think about what is most important to you. It is easy to focus only on the current alphabet, exercise, etc. If you take a moment to stop and set a goal for yourself every week, you will notice the progress you are making and, in turn, become more inspired by how quickly you are learning English! You will be surprised at how this feeling of success will motivate you to learn more and more. Ø Break up the task into small and manageable pieces Do not try to cram words. Instead, tackle about 20 to 30 words at a time. In this book, you will find that we have divided the words into manageable chunks. Ø Learn words in the context of a story This is a very beautiful way of learning. You learn with reference to the context. Try and write short paragraphs with respect to some specific words. Also use 10 to 15 newly learnt words in this paragraph. Ø Discuss words with your friends Form a small group of friends interested in vocabulary building. You and your friends should be excited to discover and discuss new words. Use new words while talking to your friends. You should make it a way of your life. Ø Quickly review important new words shortly before going to bed Research has shown that our brains process information that is fresh in our mind while we sleep. By going over some exercise, or by reading before you go to bed, your brain will work away on this information while you sleep! Sounds interesting? Ø While doing exercises and when alone at home or in your room, speak English aloud Connect the muscles of your face to the information in your head. Just as understanding the basics of tennis does not make you a great tennis player, understanding grammar rules does not mean you can automatically speak English well. You need to practise the act of speaking often. Speaking by yourself at home and reading the exercises will help connect your brain to your facial muscles, improve pronunciation and make your knowledge active. Ø Look for situations in which you must speak/read/listen to English This is probably the most important tip. You need to use English in a real world situation. Learning English in a classroom is important but putting your English knowledge into practice in real situations will improve your fluency. If you cannot think of any “real life” situation, create situations by using the Internet or the radio to listen to news, write English responses wherever possible, exchange e­mails in English with friends, etc. Our approach Exercises In the classroom sessions, you will be given regular exercises that test and reinforce your vocabulary­related knowledge on a continuous basis. If you take these exercises seriously, tremendous advantages will accrue to you. Pronunciation Another important part of learning vocabulary is learning the correct pronunciation of each word. You are advised to look up the pronunciation from a good dictionary whenever you come across a new word. In order to help you with the correct pronunciation of the words which have rather unusual pronunciations, we have given a very easy­to­use pronunciation key along with such words. This way as you improve your vocabulary, you will also improve your spoken language abilities. Some innovative (but time consuming!) ways to help yourself Maintain a personal dictionary/vocabulary book Develop your own personal dictionary/vocabulary book. This will be a major help in the long run in improving your language abilities. You can put in important information that is not in other dictionaries. For example, Ø you can include information in any language (you can write the pronunciation in your mother tongue)
(6) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 Ø you can draw pictures to help you remember better Ø you can write the sentence where you first found the word and translate the whole sentence Ø you can put in collocations (words that often go together; e.g. a light meal) Ø you can add different connotations (words which describe the same thing but give you a good or bad impression according to the context; e.g. ‘freedom fighter’ and ‘terrorist’) Ø you can include different parts of speech for the same headword (for example, you can include various forms of the headword jump, like jumped, jumping and jumper) Ø you can compare how to use the word in English and in your own language Ø you can indicate whether the word is formal or informal; e.g. ‘a meeting’ or ‘a get­together’. Using your own dictionary is faster. Ø It only contains words you need, so it has fewer entries and it is easier to search for the word you need. Ø You can put in words that are not headwords in a normal dictionary, such as ‘jumped’, rather than ‘jump’. Ø You can put in any type of information that would otherwise require you to refer to different types of dictionaries. For example,you can include information from technical, pictorial, mono­lingual and bi­lingual dictionaries under one headword. Therefore, you only need to look in one place to find all the information. Ø You can do away with confusing abbreviations and write what you need to know in full. For example, you can write ‘Uncountable noun’ instead of [U]. A noun Word : Fluke Meaning : Something good that happens by accident and good luck (It also means a whale’s tail but this is a rare and technical meaning.) Example : ‘The goal was a fluke as the ball went between the goalkeeper’s legs.’ Pronunciation: /flu:k/ Grammar : Countable noun. Plurals are unusual but grammatically possible; e.g. “Their goals were all flukes but ours were skilful!” An expression It’s raining cats and dogs. Meaning: It’s raining heavily. Note: This expression is a bit old­fashioned, it is not used much nowadays. A modern equivalent is : “It’s pouring.” An adverb Word : Badly Meaning: adverb of ‘bad’ Examples: Pronunciation: /bædli/ Ø ‘He did very badly in his test, so he will have to read the study material again.’ Ø IC : PTpntvb01 ‘This is a badly­written assignment.’
(7) of (188) An idiom To swallow a/the dictionary Meaning: To use long and unnecessarily complicated words and expressions, especially in normal conversation. Example: “He talks like he has swallowed a dictionary, I can’t understand half of what he says.” Using a card system A card system is as good as a personal dictionary or vocabulary notebook but here each entry is on a separate card. And you can even order the cards into three sections. Ø Section One : Words you already know well Ø Section Two : Words you want to revise Ø Section Three : Words you are now learning As you learn more, you can move words from Section One to Section Two and then to Section Three. Here is a sample card. Front of the card Back of the card Expression meaning 'extremely rarely'. Once in a blue moon Example: "He smiles once in a blue moon." The phrase refers to the appearance of a second full moon within a calendar month, which actually happens rarely, about every 32 months. Great vocabulary learning tips Ø Read, read, read ! Most words are learned from context. The more words you’re exposed to, the better your vocabulary. While you read, pay close attention to words you don’t know. First, try to figure out their meanings from context. Then look the words up. Read and listen to challenging material so that you’ll be exposed to many new words. What should you read? Refer to the Standard Booklist given in the Student’s Handbook. Ø Practise, practise, practise. Learning a word won’t help very much if you promptly forget it. Our research shows that it takes from 10 to 20 repetitions to really make a word part of your vocabulary. It helps to write the word ­ both the definition and a sentence you make up using the word ­ perhaps on an index card that can later be reviewed. As soon as you learn a new word, start using it. Ø Ø Make up as many associations and connections as possible. Say the word aloud to activate your auditory memory. Relate the word to words you already know. For example, the word gargantuan (very large) has a meaning similar to the words gigantic, huge, large, cornucopian etc. You could make a sequence: small, medium, large, very large, gargantuan. List as many things as you can that could be considered gargantuan: Godzilla, the fat person, the zit on your nose, etc. Create pictures related to the word’s meaning that involve strong emotions. Think “the gargantuan creature was going to rip me apart and then eat me!” Pramod Panvel
IIM­A, K
PT provided the
platform which helped
me ex c el i n M B A
entrance exams. In fact,
I would recommend
everybody to join PT
Use mnemonics (memory tricks). For example, consider the word egregious (extremely and reap great benefits.
bad). Think EGG REACH US ­ imagine we’ve made a mistake so bad that they are throwing eggs at us and a rotten EGG REACHES US. Such funny little mental pictures are fun to make up and will help you remember what words mean. Also, find out which learning style suits you best. Everyone learns differently! Ø Get in the habit of looking up words you don’t know. If you have a dictionary program on your computer, keep it open and handy. Or always keep a good dictionary close to you when you read or write. Use a thesaurus when you want to use the word that fits best. (Don’t know what “thesaurus” means? Look it up in the dictionary!) Ø Play with words. Play scrabble, boggle and do crossword puzzles. These and other word games are available on the computer, so you do not need a partner to play. Ø Use vocabulary lists and take the tests. For serious vocabulary students, using vocabulary lists like the ones given here will be a major help. And the tests are great fun even as they let you know where you stand.
(8) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 Finally, how you should use this book As you go through the various sections you'll find that in addition to the traditional dictionary approach to vocabulary, we've also tried to look at words from various other angles like human attributes, animal attributes, manias, phobias, confusing words etc. You could read this book straight through from cover to cover or focus on certain parts, depending on how you prefer to learn new words and how much time you have. Here's a brief description of each part, along with some suggestions for using your study time most effectively. Ø Alphabetical wordlists This is an anytime dictionary for you which we have framed as per the test requirements. Here, you can systematically choose a set of words and go after them. Think of this as the ultimate reference for MBA entrance! Ø Foreign words in English English as a language has assimilated a large number of words from different languages and that is one reason it’s often referred to as a catholic language. Although the words given in this part are essentially foreign, they are used freely as part of the English language itself. Ø Topicwise words This will provide you with a more interesting style of learning wherein you can relate words to human behaviour, animal characteristics, anatomy, phobias etc. You will benefit more if you are able to relate these words to happenings or observations from daily life. Ø Confusing words While building up your word power, a common happening is that you get yourself entangled among several words. This special section on confusable will help to make your journey go smoother. Keep returning to this section till you are very sure of these tricky words. Ø Idioms and phrases This section will expose you to various usages popular among English speakers. You may never be asked the meaning directly, but knowledge of these idioms and phrases will help you in other test areas like Reading Comprehension. Ø Jargons Words dealing with specialised areas like law, games, geography etc. are usually missed out. Go through these words and make sentences so that you are very familiar with these words. Ø Phrasal verbs This part deals with usage of verbs (called phrasal verbs), which when followed by various prepositions or adverbs, acquire an idiomatic sense. This part includes several examples to help you understand the correct usage of these phrasal verbs. Ø Roots/Suffixes/Prefixes Vocabulary learning can never be complete without knowing the origin and usage of words. Once you are thorough with this part, it will be easier for you to understand the meaning of new words. The following pages are an expressway into the land of words, words that will help you express your way to success. On your marks, get set and vroooom! The SMS REMINDERS for EXAM NOTIFICATIONS
PT cares! Value added service for our PTzens. A unique SMS reminders for exam notifications (SREN) service where registered students will receive around 100 SMSs on issues like exam notifications, last dates for filling up application forms, exam reminders etc. related to MBA Entrance Tests. The process for the students to use this facility will be : 1. The st u dent will regist er for t his facilit y t hr o ugh a link pro vided o n www.PTeducation.com 2. He/she will update the mobile no. whenever it changes using this weblink itself 3. Students registering for SREN will automatically avail of this facility All the best ... Kar ke dikhayenge! IC : PTpntvb01 (9) of (188) Alphabetical Wordlist
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IC : PTpntvb01 “A”
ABACK Adv. ABET V. backwards; hence taken aback means taken by surprise to give encouragement, to help, to aid, assist, usually in doing some wrong, encourage a bad act, foment, instigate @ Australia was taken aback when lowly Bangladesh beat them in the one day cricket match. þ Syn. be an accomplice, help, support ¬ Ant. oppose, protest, hinder, hamper ABASE V. @ The law has penalties for those who aid and abet a criminal. to lower, to degrade, to humiliate þ Syn. fall, debase, devalue, defile ABEYANCE ¬ Ant. honour, upgrade, grace, elevate temporary suppression or suspension @ The president is not willing to abase himself before the nation and admit that he made a mistake. þ Syn. unresolved, incomplete ABASH V. ¬ Ant. continuing, under way @ Shw eta held all celebrations in abeyance while the coll ege review board considered her application. to strike with shame, to embarrass þ Syn. awe, humiliate, humble, deflate ABHOR ¬ Ant. embol den, reassure to loathe, detest @ He was a little abashed at being caught red­handed accepting the bribe. þ Syn. despise, abominate ABATE V. ¬ Ant. love, admire @ When the theorems became too confusing, Radha began to abhor geometry. to lessen, to nullify, to decrease, moderate, slacken, wane þ Syn. lessen, shrink A BJ ECT ¬ Ant. increase, augment, swell, grow miserable, pitiful @ The deepest of pain abates with the passage of time. þ Syn. appalling, contemptible ¬ Ant. proud, respected ABANDON N. total lack of inhibition @ We took pity on the abject creature and tended to its broken l e g. V. to leave, give up þ Syn. recklessness, carelessness, desert, disconti nue A BJ URE ¬ Ant. restraint, caution, retai n, continue to reject, abandon formally @ With her strict parents out of the w ay, Shi lpa danced al l night with abandon. þ Syn. renounce, repudiate AB DICA TE ¬ Ant. cherish, retain @ The president claimed that he was misled and publicly abjured his old stand. to give up a position, right, or power þ Syn. relinquish, renounce ABLUTION ¬ Ant. accept, accede to act of cleansing @ As the angry mob marched tow ards the pal ace, the ki ng abdicated his throne and fled. þ Syn. purification, sanctif ication ABDUCT V. ABDUCTION N. ¬ Ant. contamination, defilement @ The devotees waited as the priest finished his ablution before opening the temple. to forcefully take away þ Syn. kidnap, carry off, steal, nab ABNEGATION N. ¬ Ant. deliver, rescue, salvage, li berate renunci ation, self­sacrif ice @ The abducti on of rai l w ay passengers i n Bi har i s a usual occurrence. þ Syn. negation, negati ve, nay @ Walking out on his family like that was a total abnegation of his responsibilities. ABERRATION something different from the usual ABORTIVE þ Syn. digression, deviation stopped before completion, failed attempt ¬ Ant. normality, regularity þ Syn. unsuccessful, unprogressi ve @ T he m ar ke ti ng ma na ge r sa i d : “ Th er e ap p ea rs t o be a n aberration in the sales figure.” ¬ Ant. ef fecti ve, fruitful IC : PTpntvb01 @ He was frustrated after his abortive attempts for the CEO’s posi ti on.
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ABOLISH V. ABSTEMIOUS Adj. to put an end to, to do away with sparing in food, drink or enjoyment, moderate, temperate þ Syn. eliminate, stop, eradicate, annul þ Syn. sel f­denying, ascetic, sober ¬ Ant. establish, found, start, create ¬ Ant. wi ld, abandoned, unreserved @ It is important that casteism is abolished in India if any social harmony is to be achieved. @ It i s strange t o see the bul gi ng bel l i es of our so­c al l ed abstemious saints. ABOMINABLE Adj. ABOMINATE V. ABSTAIN V., abstinence N. Detestabl e, extremel y unpleasant, very bad to refrain deliberately þ Syn. repulsi ve, monstrous, detestable @ The prisoners are forced to live in abominable conditions. @ The best way to abstain from alcohol is to avoid friends who indulge in it. ABORT V. A B STRA CT to f ai l to go forw ard or develop as expected, to miscarry, to terminate early theoretical , summation þ Syn. end, abandon, stop midstream ¬ Ant. actual, concrete, full­version @ The Columbia mission had to be aborted for several reasons, one of which was bad weather. @ She f i nds i t di f fi cul t to understand abstract concepts l ike beauty and love. ABRASIVE Adj. ABRASION N. ABRADE V. A BSTRUSE tending to abrade, annoyi ng, irritating, causti c, rubbing aw ay, tending to grind down, causing bad feelings of annoyance difficult to understand þ Syn. rough, harsh, rasping, scratchy ¬ Ant. clear, obvious @ A professional has no business being abrasive in speech or acti on. @ The concept was rather abstruse, but the philosopher's simple explanation helped the group to understand it clearly. ABRIDGE ABUNDANT Adj. to condense, shorten ample, copious, luxuriant, overflowing þ Syn. condense, compress þ Syn. plentiful, copious, rich, profuse ¬ Ant. expand, enlarge ¬ Ant. meagre, scarce, inadequate @ The editor made sure that the abridged version of the novel was as exciting as the original. @ We took an abundant supply of food with us when we went hiking in the mountains. AB ROGA TE ABUT V. to put an end to, abolish by authority to end, to touch, to border upon, adjoin þ Syn. nullify, invalidate þ Syn. be next to, lie alongside ¬ Ant. ratif y, vali date @ The shed abutted the side of the house.
þ Syn. conceptual, synopsis þ Syn. perplexing, complicated @ Following the firing, the Prime Minister threatened to abrogate the treaty with the neighbouring country. ABSCOND Atul Meena
IIM­A, B, C, I, K
to depart secretly þ Syn. flee, run away ¬ Ant. arrest, stay @ Senior officers were taken by surprise as the policeman under suspension absconded with a loaded weapon. ABSOLVE to forgive, free from blame þ Syn. acquit, exonerate ¬ Ant. condemn, incriminate @ The queen absolved the general from blame for the defeat. The CTs and PracCATs
gave me the realistic
picture of the CAT and
proved to be very
beneficial for the
written tests. The AIRs
were very realistic and
helped me benchmark
myself. Thanks!
ABSCESS N. boil, pimple, ulcer, localised accumulation of pus in body tissues þ Syn. sore, swelling, eruption, pustule @ You need a surgeon to remove this abscess. (12) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 ACCEDE A CCOST to express approval, agree to to approach and speak to someone þ Syn. endorse, comply þ Syn. conf ront, wayl ay ¬ Ant. refuse, deny ¬ Ant. retreat, withdraw @ When the mayor proposed lower taxes, the people readi ly ac cede d. @ Furious, Mahima accosted the man who had trampled on her flower bed and demanded an apology. ACCENT N. ACCOUTREMENT N. stress on a word/theory etc., a way of speaking of a particular group dress, equipment, habi liment, paraphernalia þ Syn. inflection, intonation, twang @ The sporti ng accoutrements of today are techni cal ly much superior to those of old. @ His accent gave away his rustic origins. ACCRETION ACCESSIBLE growth in size or increase in amount attainable, availabl e, approachable þ Syn. accumulation, amassing þ Syn. obtai nable, reachable ¬ Ant. erosion, attrition ¬ Ant. i napproachable, unreachable @ Year after year of bumper crops led to a steady accretion in the farmer’s wealth. @ Pr eet i w as su rpr i s ed tha t t he f a mou s pro f es sor w as so accessible, inviting students to visit him at all hours. ACCRUE ACCESSORY to accumulate, grow by additions attachment, ornament, accomplice, partner þ Syn. amass, build up þ Syn. appendage, appurtenance ¬ Ant. disperse, di ffuse ¬ Ant. principal, adversary @ Bef ore l ong, the accrued interest w as f ar larger than the principal. @ The tiepin may be just an accessory, but it can make a major di ff erence to your appearance. ACE Adj. ACCLAIM N., V. of highest quali ty, outstanding commendation, ci tation, eulogy, applaud, announce with great approval þ Syn. first rate, world class, winner þ Syn. applause, cheer, encomium ¬ Ant. disapprove, odium, boycott @ Th e a ce de tec ti v e w as not f ool ed by the nu me rou s r ed herrings in his path. @ She w as uni versall y accl ai med f or her contri buti on to the di scovery. ACERBIC Adj. ACERBITY N. ¬ Ant. miserable, terrible, abysmal bitter and sour, corrosive ACCOMMODATE V. ACCOMMODATION N. þ Syn. acidulous, cutting, caustic, mordant contain, hold, adjust, reconcile, cater, oblige or help someone; adjust or bring into harmony ¬ Ant. mild, gentle, meek, placid, calm þ Syn. house, lodge, help, adjust @ In Mumbai, a pigeonhole often accommodates an entire family. ACCOLADE praise, di stinction þ Syn. honour, recognition ¬ Ant. criticism, disparagement @ The winners of the contest beamed as the audience heaped accolades on them. ACCOMPLICE N. conspirator, companion, coworker, associate in a crime þ Syn. accessory, co­conspirator @ The chairman was acerbic in criticising the members of the board. @ She was hurt by the acerbity in his tone. A CME highest point, summit þ Syn. pinnacle, zenith ¬ Ant. pit, nadir @ The dictator was assassinated just as he reached the acme of his power. ACOLYTE N. an assistant, a faithful follower @ He h ad ho rd es of ac ol yt es to en su re hi s vi c to ry at t he el ecti ons. @ The police nabbed the accomplice after a dramatic chase. ACOUSTIC Adj. ACOUSTICS pl (N.) ACCORDANCE Adj. conformi ty, agreement, concurrence related to theory of sound or hearing, quality that makes a room easy or hard to hear in þ Syn. agreement, harmony, uni ty þ Syn. audio, aural, auditory, sound @ In accordance with her wishes, she was buried in France. @ The auditorium has perfect acoustics. @ Animals use a whole range of acoustic, visual and chemical signals in their systems of communication.
IC : PTpntvb01 (13) of (188) ACQUISITION N. ACRONYM N. possession, property, addition, gain, prize a word formed from the initial letters of other words þ Syn. attainment, achi evement þ Syn. short form, contraction, ellipsis ¬ Ant. loss, defeat, beating, hammering @ GATT, FERA, Laser, Radar, Maser, TRIPs, TRIMs, VAT etc. @ Economic reforms have unleashed a spate of acquisitions in the corporate world. N o t e : W T O , O E C D , U N , I C I C I , S B I , M R T P e t c . a r e abb revi ati o ns a nd n ot a cron yms. An abbr evi a ti on i s the shortened form of something. An acronym is a word formed f r o m t h e f i r s t l e t t e r s o f a s e r i e s o f w or d s . U n l i k e a n abbrevi ation, an acronym i s usually pronounced as a w ord and not letter by letter. ACQUIESCE to agree, comply quietly þ Syn. concur with, consent to ¬ Ant. forbid, object ACTUARY N. ACTUA RIAL Adj. @ The princess acquiesced to the king’s demands, but she was not happy about it. A statistician who computes insurance risks and premiums. @ Rohit’s father i s an actuary; no wonder hi s know l edge of statistics is so good. A CQUITTA L release from blame ACTUATE V. þ Syn. discharge, exonerati on to put something into action, to start something, motivate ¬ Ant. conviction, incarceration þ Syn. drive, incite, goad, instigate @ The public was astonished at the acquittal of the serial killer. ¬ Ant. hinder, deter, restrain ACRIMONY @ The writings of Karl Marx actuated the October Revolution in Russ i a. bitterness, animosity þ Syn. resentment, causticity ACUITY N. ¬ Ant. goodw ill, benevolence keenness of perception; sharpness @ The evi dent acrimony between the coupl e made everyone feel uncomfortabl e. @ Sara’s acuity of taste landed her a wine­taster’s job. ACUMEN ACRID Adj. sharpness of insight bitter, pungent, sarcastic, acerbic, vitriolic, caustic, sharp, biting þ Syn. astuteness, sagacity þ Syn. choki ng, unpl easant, harsh ¬ Ant. witlessness, idiocy ¬ Ant. savoury, delectable @ Clouds of acrid smoke issued from the building. @ The portfolio manager's financial acumen helped his clients to become rich. ACRIMONIOUS Adj. ACRIMONY N. ACUTE full of bitterness in words or manner sharp, poi nted, severe þ Syn. spiteful, rancorous, hostile þ Syn. excruciating, piercing ¬ Ant. musical, congruent, cordial ¬ Ant. vague, dull @ The whole issue provoked an acrimonious debate which lasted al l afternoon. @ The government has announced certain emergency measures to deal with the acute shortage of food. ACROBAT N. ADA GE gymnast, tumbler old saying or proverb þ Syn. trapeze artist, circus performer þ Syn. aphorism, axiom @ He changes his loyalty with the ease of an acrobat. ¬ Ant. nonsense, paradox @ I was always fascinated by the acrobats at the circus. @ "A penny saved is a penny earned" is a popular adage. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . (d ) abdicate aberration abst ract abstruse accol ade theoreti cal award hard to understand devi ati on step down from power 1 . ( e ) 3 . ( a ) 4 . (c ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 . (b )
Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test (14) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 A D A MA NT ADJUDICATE V. ADJUDICATION N. uncompromising, unyielding to act as a judge or determiner þ Syn. uncompromising, obdurate þ Syn. arbitrate, sit in judgment, referee ¬ Ant. flexible, adaptable @ We will adjudicate the matter as soon as al l of the jurors ar ri ve . @ The landlord was adamant and refused to go away until the tenant paid the rent. ADJUNCT N. A DA P T to accommodate, adjust something or someone attached to but hol di ng a subordi nate position þ Syn. acclimatise, conform þ Syn. addition, appendage, extra ¬ Ant. preserve, unf it @ I hoped I would find the computer course a useful adjunct to my other studies. @ Although it may be difficult at first, but we all have to adapt to the new computer system. ADJURE V. ADDLE V. to charge on oath or to command solemnly under become rotten, confuse þ Syn. swear in, entreat, beseech @ She addled everyone with her plans. @ The judge adjured him to answer truthfully. ADDUCE V. ADMONISH to quote examples in a discussion or a debate to caution or reprimand þ Syn. propose, vol unteer, gi ve þ Syn. reproach, chasti se ¬ Ant. disprove, ref ute, withdraw ¬ Ant. encourage, praise @ He adduced our presence in a bar as evidence that Shweta and I were having an affair. @ My mother admonished me for my poor grades. ADORE V. ADORABLE Adj. ADORATION N. ADEPT Adj. dote on, idolise, love, w orship, revere, venerate highly skilled, consummate, proficient, expert at þ Syn. worship, esteem, respect, admire þ Syn. expert, adroit, clever ¬ Ant. hate, abhorrence, detestati on ¬ Ant. novice, beginner, clumsy, sloppy @ Both girls adored their father very much. @ Big businessmen have to be adept at handling the press. @ Aishwarya receives a lot of adoration because of her beauty and humility. ADHERE to cling to or follow without deviation ADORN V. þ Syn. stick to, cohere decorate, beauti fy, garni sh, ¬ Ant. flout, ignore þ Syn. embellish, polish, glamorise @ He was a strict Catholic who adhered to all the teachings of the Church. ¬ Ant. blemish, disfigure, distort ADIEU N. A DROIT a farewell skillful, accomplished, highly competent þ Syn. goodbye, bon voyage, sayonara þ Syn. dextrous, adept ¬ Ant. salutation, w elcome, greet ¬ Ant. clumsy, inept @ I hate to bid adieu to any loved one. @ She bade him adieu and left for want of quorum. @ The potter shaped the vessel so adroitly that the visitor could not help applauding. ADIPOSE Adj. ADULA TION of or related to animal fat high praise @ “The adi pose deposi ts around your wai st l ook ugl y,” sai d Dinesh to his wife. þ Syn. exaltation, idolisation ADJOURN V. @ The bride's hair was adorned with pearls and white flowers. ¬ Ant. detestati on, abhorrence @ After Adnan's mai den pi ano recital, the adulation was so overwhelming that he shed tears of joy. to postpone, put off to another date þ Syn. suspend, diff er, delay, stop, end A DULTERATE ¬ A nt. advance, expedite to corrupt or make impure @ The Lok Sabha was adjourned as a mark of respect to the departed soul. þ Syn. contaminate, pollute ¬ Ant. cl eanse, decontaminate @ It is a common practice to adulterate milk with water.
IC : PTpntvb01 (15) of (188) ADVA NTAG EOUS AFFA BLE favourable, usef ul friendly, easy to approach þ Syn. beneficial, profitable þ Syn. genial, jovial ¬ Ant. detrimental, troublesome ¬ Ant. aloof, frosty @ After Sehwag’s brilliant knock of 120 runs, India seems to be at an advantageous position against Australia. @ The affable postman was on good terms with everyone on his ro ut e. ADVENTITIOUS Adj. AFFECT V. arising or occurring sporadically or in other than usual location to act on, to influence, to move þ Syn. casual, accidental þ Syn. involve, shape, touch, disturb ¬ Ant. inherent, innate @ Economic liberalisation has affected the entire nation. @ The adventitious meeting with her ex­boyfriend rekindled her lost love. AFFECTATION N. an artificial show of manners, haughtiness, pretence, peculiarity ADVERSE þ Syn. habit, way, exaggeration, artifi ce unf avorable, unlucky, harmf ul @ His affectation invites ridicule from one and all. þ Syn. detrimental, pernicious ¬ Ant. benefici al, f avourable AFFINITY @ They cancel led the basebal l game due to adverse weather conditi ons. fondness, liking, similarity ADVERSARY N. opponent, hostile rival, enemy þ Syn. inclination, empathy ¬ Ant. dislike, aversion @ George felt an instant affinity for his new neighbour when he realised that he was another cricket addict. þ Syn. chall enger, rival ¬ Ant. supporter, follower, fan, backer AFFLICTION N. @ It is impossible to fight an unknown adversary. the cause of persistent pain or distress; great suffering þ Syn. ordeal, tribulation AEGIS N. ¬ Ant. consolation, solace patronage, support, shi el d, def ence @ Many people remember God only in the time of affliction. þ Syn. auspices, guidance, protection @ The nuclear power programme was held under the aegis of the Ministry of Defence. AERATOR, AERATION N. þ Syn. air, expose, f reshen, let breathe @ All the windows of the house had to be opened for proper aerat i on. A ERIA L having to do with the air þ Syn. airborne, in­flight ¬ Ant. terrestrial, earthly @ Fr om t he p l a ne , w e t oo k se ve ra l ae ri al p i c tu re s of t he mountaintop. AERODYNAMIC relating to the movement of air and its effects on objects moving through the air @ We made the paper airplane more aerodynamic by folding the wings at an angle. AFFLUENT ri ch, abundant þ Syn. wealthy, propertied ¬ Ant. poor, impoverished @ An affluent woman, Mrs. Shastri was able to give large sums of money to charity. AFFRONT personal off ence, insult þ Syn. indignity, aspersion ¬ Ant. compliment, justice @ Stephen took the waiter's insulting remark as an affront to his whole family. AFICIONADO N. an ardent follower, an amateur, a devotee þ Syn. enthusiast, adherent, f anatic @ Aficionados of chocolates can be found anywhere. AFTERMA TH N. AESTHETIC pertaining to beauty or art consequence, result, events follow ing @ Thousands perished in the aftermath of the drought. þ Syn. graceful , elegant ¬ Ant. distasteful , unattracti ve AGAPE Adj. @ The museum curator, with her fine aesthetic sense, created the perfect lighting for the exhibit. wide open, open­mouthed þ Syn. astonished, amazed @ The crow d stared agape as he cli mbed to the top of the building.
(16) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 AGENDA AGNOSTIC plan, schedule one who doubts that God exists þ Syn. programme, memo þ Syn. di sbeli ever, doubter @ The board put the unresolved issue at the top of the agenda for the next meeting. ¬ Ant. believer, worshipper @ The tragedy shook her faith in God; she proclaimed herself an agnosti c. AGGLOMERATION N. coll ection, heap AGONY N. þ Syn. coherence, accumulation affliction, pain @ T he s ho pk ee pe r t oo k ho ur s t o sy st em at i c a l l y st ac k th e agglomeration of items in the shop. þ Syn. sufferi ng, anguish, distress ¬ Ant. relish, delight, exulting, rejoicing AGGRANDISE V. AGGRANDISEMENT N. @ Agony w as w ritten large on the face of the vi ctim of the bomb blast. collect power/wealth, increase or intensify, raise in power, wealth, rank or honour AG RA RIAN þ Syn. exaggerate, overdo, enlarge related to farming or rural matters @ Self­aggrandisement is a common habit of the vain. þ Syn. agricultural, bucolic @ He always had this ambition to aggrandise his estate. ¬ Ant. urban, metropolitan AGGRAVATE V. @ She returned to the city as she could not adapt to the agrarian way of living. to w orsen, to make more grievous, i ntensi f y, to exacerbate, burden, irritate AIDE N. þ Syn. worsen, exaggerate, intensi fy an assi stant ¬ Ant. calm, pacify, quiet, appease @ A Prime Minister’s entourage consists of a lot of aides. @ The infection aggravated the patient’s condition. AISLE ( IL ) N. AG GREG ATE a passage between rows of seats, pathway collective mass or sum, total þ Syn. passageway, gangway, wal kw ay þ Syn. cumulative, sum @ In the finale, the actors walked down the aisle much to the amusement of the audience. ¬ Ant. individual, divided @ You have to write your aggregate marks in this column. AJA R Adj., Adv. AGILE partly open, unshut well­coordinated, nimble @ We left the door ajar so we could hear what they were saying. þ Syn. sprightly, lithe ¬ Ant. stiff, clumsy AKIMBO Adj. @ The agi le monkey sw ung f rom the w indow , snatched the banana and was away in the blink of an eye. an aggressive standing position with hands on hips and elbows turned outward þ Syn. oblique, crooked, hooked AGOG Adj. full of intense interest or excitement @ Stand akimbo in front of an Indian policeman and he’ll teach you manners. þ Syn. eager, anxious, keen ¬ Ant. aloof AKIN Adj. @ Teenagers are all agog over new cellphones. by kin, affiliated, analogous, alike þ Syn. similar, parallel, like AG HA ST Adj. stupefied with horror, horrified, dumbfounded þ Syn. amazed, shocked, astonished @ His poor performance and utter lack of concern left his parents a gh a st . @ The situation along the tense Indo­Pak border has been akin to w ar. A LA CRITY cheerful willingness, eagerness, speed þ Syn. sprightliness, promptitude AGITATE V. AGITATION N. ¬ Ant. apathy, clumsiness to stir violently, excite, perturb, disturb @ The playful dog fetched the stick with alacrity. þ Syn. trouble, excite, disquiet, rouse ¬ Ant. calm, tranquil, quiet, still, serene ALBEIT Conj. @ No point getting agitated over the unchangeable. although, even if @ The police firing changed the nature of the peaceful agitation. þ Syn. though, even though, even if @ We are moving, albeit backwards.
IC : PTpntvb01 (17) of (188) ALBINO N. ALLEGE V. ALLEGATION N. a person/animal with abnormally white skin and pink pupils to assert as true but without proof, þ Syn. lightness, fairness, snow iness þ Syn. aver, charge, arraign, impute S o m e s c i e n ti s t s b el i e v e th a t a l bi n o t i ge r s a r e a s e p ar a t e subspeci es altogether. ¬ Ant. reject, rebuff, contradict, refuse ALCHEMY N. a medieval chemical science that aimed to convert base metals into gold, the power or process of transforming something common into something special þ Syn. conversion, sorcery @ She managed, by some extraordi nary al chemy, to turn an unhappy family into a happy one almost overnight. ALEXIA N. loss of the power to read; word­blindness @ The writer survived the accident but, in cruel irony, was to suffer from alexia for the rest of her life. @ It is alleged that he was involved in the misappropriation. @ The allegations eventually turned out to be baseless and he was set free. ALLEGIANCE N. total devotion or faithfulness, loyalty þ Syn. adherence, fidel ity, affiliation ¬ Ant. treachery, subversi on, perfi dy @ The Japanese ow e al legi ance to nothi ng but the endl ess pursuit of excellence. ALLEGORY parable, story with a hidden meaning þ Syn. myth, apologue ALFRESCO Adj. in the open air, outdoors þ Syn. outdoor, uncovered, external ¬ Ant. inside, interior, enclosed @ Let's eat alfresco this evening ­ it's so hot inside. A LG ORITHM mechanical problem­solving procedure ¬ Ant. fact, history @ The guru used an allegory to explain the spiritual journey to his disciples. ALLEVIATE V. to reduce the burden of, to mitigate þ Syn. rel ieve, assuage, moderate ¬ Ant. heighten, accentuate @ Sara's new computer used algorithms to solve equations. @ All the charities may fail to alleviate the plight of the poor in the world but some sound economic planning may help. A LIA S ALLEY N. assumed name a passage, a narrow lane, a corridor þ Syn. pseudonym, incognito þ Syn. lane, all eyway, path, pathw ay @ The criminal who goes by the alias "Big Bad Bobby" was just ar res te d. @ He felt he had entered a blind alley by signing the partnership de ed . ALIENATE V. ALLIGATOR N. estrange, set at odds, detach, make hostile, separate a large amphibious reptile related to crocodiles þ Syn. disaffect, set against, distance ¬ Ant. engage, include, contain @ Ancient Egyptians are known to have kept the alligator as a p e t . @ All these changes in the newspaper has alienated its traditional re ader s. ALLITERATION repetition of the initial sounds of words ALIGNED @ The alliteration made the poem sound interesting. precisely adjusted, committed to one side þ Syn. line up, ally ALLOCATION @ Ruchi always made sure the folds of her saree were perfectly al igned. all owance, portion, share ALIMONY N. the money paid by a man to his wife after their divorce þ Syn. allotment, quota ¬ Ant. declassification, lumping @ The treasurer w il l be in charge of the al location of f unds during the campaign. þ Syn. maintenance, child support @ The man accused the woman of cheating him when they were married and argued that he was now too poor to pay alimony. ALLUDE V. ALLUSION N. ALLA Y þ Syn. denote, suggest, indi cate tacitly to lessen, ease, or soothe @ During the boardroom debate the members alluded to the change in the strategy of the company.
þ Syn. alleviate, mollify to make indirect/subtle references, refer indirectly, to hint at or refer to indirectly, without specific mention ¬ Ant. increase, intensify @ The nurse tried to allay the couple's fears about their son's health. (18) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 ALLURE ALUMNUS N. to entice by charm, attract a male graduate of a college (plural – alumni) þ Syn. appeal, seduce ¬ Ant. repulsion, revulsion @ I am proud to be an almnus of Imperi al Coll ege that has produced some of the great leaders of this country. @ T he v i d e o a r ca d e o w ne r al l ur e d t e en a g e c u st o me r s b y advertising new games. A MA LG A M A TE to mix, combine ALLY N. þ Syn. i ntegrate, incorporate partner, fri end, associate ¬ Ant. separate, detach þ Syn. helper, supporter, assistant @ ICICI and ICICI Bank were amalgamated to form ICICI Ltd. ¬ Ant. opponent, adversary, foe, rival @ During World War I, Turkey and Germany were allies. AMA SS V. to gather in great quantities, collect ALMA MATER N. þ Syn. heap, pile, rake, hoard school or college from where one graduated, fostering mother ¬ Ant. dole out, allocate, supply @ The vice­chancellor is trying to persuade successful former students to support their poverty­stricken alma mater. @ We are steadily amassing a lot of garbage on planet earth. AMA TEUR ( AMETUR ) N. ALMS N. an enthusiast or admirer, nonprofessional relief given to the poor out of pity, charity, dole, offering þ Syn. beginner, dabbl er, dilettante þ Syn. contribution, subscription ¬ Ant. professional, specialist, skilled @ In the past, people thought it was their religious duty to give alms to the poor. @ Lawton was an amateur singer until the age of 40, when he turned professi onal. ALOOF Adv. AMAZEMENT N. AMAZE V. reserved, conservative, indifferent, uninterested, apart, cool in manner astoni shment, stupefaction, surprise, wonder, consternati on þ Syn. distant, detached, cold, remote ¬ Ant. fri endl y, graci ous, responsive @ You may remain aloof but that will not solve the problem. ALTAR N. a table for making sacrifices or religious offerings, table used for communion in churches @ Many an ambition has died at the altar of social taboo. ALTERCATION N. a heated di spute, quarrel , noi sy fi ght, angry di spute, heated di spute þ Syn. brawl, ruckus, melee, fracas ¬ Ant. safeguarding, def ense @ Th e d eba te, w h i ch ha d s tar ted pe ace abl y e nou gh, so on turned into an altercation that left bitter feelings behind. þ Syn. wonder, admiration, shock @ She stared at the photograph in amazement. @ Surabhi was amazed at Madhur’s proficiency with numbers. AMAZON N. a tall, strong masculine woman, female warrior þ Syn. stream, masculine @ An Amazon is a member of a legendary race of female warriors in Scythia and elsewhere. AMBIDEXTROUS able to use both hands equally well @ The ambi dextrous cook w as able to chop vegetabl es w ith both hands simultaneously. AMBIENT Adj. AMBIENCE N. surroundi ng A LTRUISM unselfish concern for others' welfare þ Syn. encompassing, enveloping @ I love dining in the Taj because of its ambience. þ Syn. compassion, benevolence ¬ Ant. self ishness, malevol ence A MB IG UOUS @ The woman’s generosity showed that altruism was alive even in today’s money­minded world. uncertain, subject to multiple interpretations þ Syn. ambivalent, enigmatic ¬ Ant. unambiguous, clear ALTIMETER N. @ His directions were so ambiguous that we were soon lost. an instrument for measuring height (altitude) @ An altimeter in an aircraft shows height above sea or ground l evel . AMBIVALENCE attitude of uncertainty, conflicting emotions þ Syn. equivocation, indecision ALUMNA N. ¬ Ant. certainty, deci siveness a female graduate of a college or school (plural – alumnae) @ The government’s ambivalence over the dam is posing a threat to the environment.
@ Mrs.Indira Gandhi was the alumna of Shantiniketan. IC : PTpntvb01 (19) of (188) AMBLE N., V. A MIA BLE an easy gait, a leisurely walk friendl y, pleasant, likable þ Syn. saunter, linger, drift þ Syn. aff abl e, agreeable @ Even in her amble, she looks intelligent. ¬ Ant. unfri endly, disagreeable AMBROSIA N. @ The new boss was an amiable young man with a smile for e v e ry o n e . food of the Greek gods that provided immortal youth and beauty, anything sweet and pleasing AMICAB LE þ Syn. del icacy, nectar, perfume friendly, agreeabl e @ The chocolate mousse she makes is sheer ambrosia. þ Syn. amiable, likable ¬ Ant. unfri endly, disagreeable AMBULATORY Adj. able to walk, not bedridden @ The wise old man persuaded the adversaries to arrive at an amicable settlement, ending years of dispute. þ Syn. mobile, able to move around @ The recovery took long but finally the patient was happy to be ambulatory. A MITY fri endship þ Syn. accord, concord AMBUSH N.,V. ¬ Ant. animosity, enmity lying in wait to finally attack by surprise þ Syn. hold­up, stake­out, trap, raid, storm @ Correspondence over the years contri buted to the l asting amity between the women. @ Thousands of American soldiers were ambushed by guerillas in the Vietnam war. AMNESIA N. @ Several innocent passengers were killed in the ambush. loss of memory (amnesiac – one who suffers from amnesia) þ Syn. forgetfulness AMELIORA TE @ Every time I request for repayment of loan, he feigns amnesia. to make better, improve þ Syn. rectif y, mend AMNESTY N. ¬ Ant. worsen, leave something untended a general pardon, a period during which offenders are exempted from punishment @ The new nurses helped to amel iorate the conditions in the hospi tal . þ Syn. exoneration, reprieve, respi te ¬ Ant. punishment, imprisonment AMENABLE @ On Independence Day many prisoners are granted amnesty. agreeabl e, cooperati ve þ Syn. compliant, acquiescent AMOK, A MUCK Adv. ¬ Ant. uncooperative, wild in a violently raging manner @ The new director seemed rigid, but was amenable to changes in the interest of the film. @ In the movie, a deadly virus runs amok and threatens the survival of mankind. AMEND A MO RA L to improve or correct flaws in unprincipled, unethical þ Syn. modify, correct þ Syn. unscrupulous, without standard @ The government should amend the tax law. ¬ Ant. principled, moral AMENITIES N. @ The preacher was very agitated about the amoral nature of modern values. convenient f eatures, courtesi es þ Syn. facilities, services A M ORO US @ They have all amenities for the business traveller in the hotel’s busi ness centre. strongly attracted to love; showing love þ Syn. amatory, ardent ¬ Ant. unloving, cold AMENITY @ The poet wrote many amorous poems about his love. pleasantness, something that increases comfort þ Syn. conveni ence, advantage A MORP HOUS ¬ Ant. i nconvenience, unpleasantness having no definite form @ The kidnap victim was happy to regain access to the amenities of civilised society after spending several months in the jungle. þ Syn. forml ess, structureless ¬ Ant. shaped, defini te @ Flubber was an amorphous cartoon character that looked like a bouncing blob of jelly.
(20) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 AMORTISE V. AMORTISATION N. ANACONDA N. to reduce debt by paying small regular amounts a large South American water snake @ The borrower pleaded with the bank for more time to amortise the loan. @ It’s a miracle sighting an Anaconda in Asia. ANAGRAM N. AMPHIBIAN A word made by rearranging letters of another word creature equally at home on land or in water þ Syn. wordpl ay, paronomasia @ The frog is the most common amphibian. Mood – Doom, Stool – Tools etc. @ Silence is an anagram of license. AMP LE abundant, plentif ul ANA LOGOUS þ Syn. enough, suffici ent comparable, parallel ¬ Ant. insufficient, meagre þ Syn. corresponding, equival ent @ Though our backpacks were small, we carried ample food for the hike. ¬ Ant. dissimilar, unrelated @ Some say the universe is analogous to a mechanical watch, created by the divine watchmaker. A MP LIFY increase, intensi fy ANARCHY þ Syn. louden, magnify absence of government or law, chaos ¬ Ant. reduce, quieten þ Syn. mobocracy, disorder @ We will need to ampli fy the music at the wedding so that everyone can dance. ¬ Ant. rule of law, order @ Some believe that without a strong police force to keep society in order, anarchy would soon prevail. AMPHITHEATRE N. an oval or circular bui lding with rising tiers of seats arranged about an open space þ Syn. stadium, arena @ Scores of spectators gathered in the amphitheatre to watch the unarmed prisoners fighting a lion. A NA THEMA ban, curse, something shunned or disliked þ Syn. abhorrent, abomi nation ¬ Ant. benediction, blessing @ The soldier, with his sweaty, soiled clothing was anathema to the elegant princess. AMPUTATE V. AMPUTA TION N. þ Syn. cut of f, remove, sever, separate @ Amputation of the arm is the only medical option, otherwise the infection will spread. @ He was forced to amputate the less profitabl e activiti es to ensure the survival of the company. ANCILLARY accessory, subordi nate þ Syn. accompanying, addi tional ¬ Ant. main, prime @ As reforms were only instituted at the main factory, and not at the ancillary plants, defects continued to occur. A MULET ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits @ Laxmi claimed she was not superstitious, but always wore an amulet around her neck. ANCHOR N., V. ANACHRONISM N. ANACHRONISTIC Adj. þ Syn. attach, new scaster, presenter out of the present time or age, something or someone misplaced in time, a thing out of place in time, thus a chronological error ¬ Ant. unfasten, undo, di sengage þ Syn. rel ic, survival , lef tover, holdover @ A huge ship is anchored off the coast of Vishakhapatnam. a device to stabili se a structure, a reliable, principal support, secure or fasten firmly, @ He was my anchor during adverse times. @ “Simple living and high thinking” is an anachronism in today’s public life. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . (c ) antithesis a p at h y aphorism arbi trary ar ca ne mysteri ous direct opposite lack of interest wi tty sayi ng random
1 . (b ) 3 . (d ) 4 . ( e ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 . ( a ) Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test IC : PTpntvb01 (21) of (188) ANDROID N. ANNIHILATE V. ANNIHILATION N. machine in the form of human being to reduce to zero, destroy completely, exterminate, to wipe out, to vanquish, abolish @ Kids are usually fascinated by androids and cyborgs. þ Syn. abrogate, obl iterate, l iquidate ANECDOTE N. ¬ Ant. regenerate, retri eve a short story of an i nteresting i nci dent, short account of an amusing or interesting event @ If humans conti nue to destroy natural habitats, more and more animal species will be annihilated. þ Syn. story, tale, yarn, sketch @ He regaled the audience with lively anecdotes. ANOINT V. to apply oil to as a sacred rite especially for consecration ANGUISH N., V. @ King Ashoka anointed Mahendra as the king of Awadh. excessive pain of body and mind, agony, acute pain, extreme suf f eri ng ANNOTATE V. þ Syn. affliction, dolour, bale, torment ¬ Ant. satisf ied, contented, pleased to provide explanatory notes on a main issue/ topic, elucidate, revise, edit, comment, make explanatory notes @ His anguish at the outcome of the court case was very clear. þ Syn. gloss, interpret, comment on ANGULA R characterised by sharp angles, lean and gaunt þ Syn. pointed, sharp­cornered ¬ Ant. plump, rounded @ H er an gu l ar f r a me c o nt r as te d s h ar p l y w i th th a t of he r overwei ght companion. @ The record company has annotated its new compi lation of Beatles songs, describing how each recording was made. ANNUITY N. a regular payment due each year, yearly allowance þ Syn. pension, allowance, income @ Irregular annuity payments defeat the very purpose. ANIMADVERSION N. ANNUL a critical and usually censorious remark; adverse criticism to cancel, or make legally invalid þ Syn. obloquy, aspersion þ Syn. nullify, declare void ¬ Ant. commendation, laudation ¬ Ant. restore, reinstate @ He was neutral to animadversions and applause. @ The couple asked the court to annul their marriage, as they found it difficult to get along. ANIMA TION enthusiasm, excitement þ Syn. vivacity, livel iness ¬ Ant. sluggishness, lethargy @ Bobby spoke wi th animati on about his wonderf ul, exci ti ng trip to London. ANOMALY irregularity or deviation from the norm þ Syn. aberration, excepti on ¬ Ant. regularity, norm @ There are a number of anomalies in the present system. ANIMOSITY ANONYMITY hatred, hosti li ty condition of having no name or an unknown name þ Syn. acrimony, antagonism @ Af ter abandoni ng her movie career, Greta Garbo retreated into relative anonymity. ¬ Ant. af fecti on, friendship @ The deep­rooted ani mosi ty betw een them made it dif ficult for the cousins to work together. ANONYMOUS Adj. ANONYMITY N. unattested, uncredited, uni denti fied, unnamed ANNALS N. þ Syn. unidentified, unspeci fied, secret record of events in a yearwise fashion ¬ Ant. characteristic, i ndividual, unique þ Syn. archives, chronicl es, history @ The anonymous letter could not be traced. @ In the annals of cricket, Kapil’s name will be written in gold. @ For reason s of personal saf e ty, the i nf ormant requested anonymi ty. ANNEAL V. strengthen; esp.glass temper by subjecti ng to great heat and slow cooling @ The windscreens of cars are usually made of annealed glass. ANTAGONISM N. ANTAGONISTIC Adj. hostility, active resistance þ Syn. rivalry, opposition, aggression ¬ Ant. collaboration, assistance, help @ The underlying antagonism between the tw o men doesn’t exactly encourage party uni ty.
(22) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 ANTECEDENT Adj. ANTI­SEMITISM N. before in time; prior the philosophy of hating the Jews þ Syn. preceding, previous @ Anti­semitism raises its ugly head every now and then. ¬ Ant. consequent, subsequent @ The antecedent to this novel arouses reader’s interest. ANTIPA THY dislike, hostility, extreme opposition or aversion ANTEDILUVIAN Adj. þ Syn. abhorrence, antagonism antiquated, anci ent ¬ Ant. empathy, sympathy þ Syn. ancient, very old, primitive ¬ Ant. modern, current, recent, fresh @ The antipathy between the French and the English regularly erupted into open warfare. @ Thei r producti on techniques are posi ti vely antedil uvian by modern standards. ANTIQUA TED outdated, obsol ete ANTENA TAL Adj. þ Syn. bygone, outmoded before birth ¬ Ant. contemporary, modern @ E very pregnant l ady has to go to a gynaecol ogist f or an antenatal check­up. @ The old man's antiquated typewri ter fi nally lost out to the modern computer. ANTHOLOGY N. ANTIQUITY book of literary selections by various authors ancient times, the quality of being old þ Syn. compilation, album, omnibus þ Syn. ancientness, archaism @ This Bob Dylan anthology incl udes some rare recordings of his best songs. ¬ Ant. modernity, trendy @ It was obviously a castle of great antiquity, unchanged since the Middle Ages. ANTHROPOID N. manlike ANTITHESIS þ Syn. manlike, humanoid exact opposite or direct contrast @ Monkeys, gorillas and chimpanzees are anthropoids. þ Syn. contradi ctory, contrari ety ¬ Ant. resemblance, similarity ANTHROPOLOGIST N. an expert i n anthropology ­ a science of hi story and study of mankind. @ An anthropologist has to be an innate archaeologist if not a professional one. ANTHROPOMORPHIC Adj. @ The ill­mannered boy was often described as the antithesis of his sweet sister. ANVIL N. iron block used in hammering out metals. @ Hammering of metal sheets on the anvil is necessary to make things, howsoever noisy the process may be. having human form or characteristics þ Syn. manlike, theistic APARTHEID N. @ Anthropomorphi c f eatures can never be avoided from the images of gods, goddesses and deities. segregation and separate development of races þ Syn. segregation, prejudi ce ANTICLIMAX N. @ Apartheid is alive and kicking, only its forms are more subtle no w . a sudden drop in impressiveness after a steady rise, letdown in thought or emotion A P A THY þ Syn. comedown, di sappointment lack of feeling or emotion ¬ Ant. climax, pinnacle, height þ Syn. i ndi fference, unconcern @ Coming home after a trip somewhere is always a bit of an anticlimax. ¬ Ant. interest, enthusiasm @ The apathy of voters is so great that less than half the number of people eligible to vote bother to do so. ANTIDOTE N. anything that prevents an evil or counteracts poison, remedy to counteract a poison or disease þ Syn. cure, remedy, solution, answer ¬ Ant. poison, fatal, poisonous @ Sal es of nerve gas antidotes increased dramatically bef ore the war. IC : PTpntvb01 APE V., N. imitate or mimic; monkey þ Syn. copy, reproduce, simulate @ No discipl e of Pannalal Ghosh, the flautist, coul d even ape him. @ The apes from the nearby forest are causing a nuisance in the vi llage.
(23) of (188) APERTURE N. APOSTLE N. opening, cleft, crack, fissure, gap, inlet, hole an early supporter of a cause; promoter, revivalist þ Syn. opening, space, orifice, crack þ Syn. evangeli st, mi ssionary, advocate @ Light entered the cave through a small aperture in the rock. ¬ Ant. critic, enemy, attacker, heckler @ The apostle of peace and nonviolence was revered by many. APHASIA N. APHASIC Adj. loss of speech due to injury or illness APOTHECARY N. þ Syn. speech abnormality a druggist or a pharmacist @ Due to injuries on the face and the jaw he suff ered from aphasia for a very long time. @ Many apothecaries indulged in alchemy in ancient times. @ The girl was aphasic because of brain damage suffered during a difficult birth. APOTHEOSIS N. A PHORISM þ Syn. ideal, resurrection, idolisation old saying or short, pithy statement @ In states like Bihar and Tamil Nadu, the apotheosis of a political leader is common. þ Syn. maxim, axiom deification, glorification, elevation to godhood, an ideal example of something ¬ Ant. nonsense, paradox @ The country doctor w as given to aphorisms such as "Stil l waters run deep”. APPALLING Adj. APPALL V. awful, dire, disheartening, dreadful, causing fear, disgust, horror þ Syn. terrible, horri fying, shocking APHRODISIAC N. ¬ Ant. magnificent, superb, amazing sexual stimulant @ Seeing the appalling conditions of the slum­dwellers, the social worker was tearful. þ Syn. erotic, amative @ Thousands of rhi nos have been mercil essly kill ed for their horn which, as is wrongly believed, acts as an aphrodisiac. @ She was appalled on listening to the story of his struggles. APPARITION N. APLOMB ( EPLOM ) N. visual appearance of a ghost/phantom, a marvel or wonder coolness, self ­confidence, poi se þ Syn. spirit, spectre, phantom, ghoul þ Syn. assurance, cool , style @ He claims to have seen strange apparitions at night. ¬ Ant. awkwardness, inelegance @ He delivered the speech with aplomb. AP PEASE to satisfy, calm APOCALYPTIC Adj. APOCALYPSE N. þ Syn. pacif y, placate pertaining to the end of the world, prophetic ¬ Ant. infuriate, enrage þ Syn. revelatory, scri ptural @ We all sang lullabies to try and appease the bawling infant. @ The apocalyptic prophesies failed to create a stir. APPLAUSE N. APPLAUD V. APOCRYPHAL Adj. acclaim, cheering, clapping (v. applaud) of doubtful origin, dubious, spurious, not genuine, untrue, made u p þ Syn. commendations, kudos, plaudits þ Syn. mythical, l egendry, invented ¬ Ant. true, accurate, ri ght, exact ¬ Ant. jeering, mocking, taunts, scoffs @ The Secretary General deserves appl ause for his efforts to bring about peace. @ The story is probably apocryphal but sounds credible. APPOSITE Adj. APOGEE N. appropriate, f itti ng the point where a celestial body is farthest from earth, acme, apex, highest point þ Syn. apt, pertinent, rel evant, suitable þ Syn. summit, pinnacle, zenith, peak @ The fi lm starts in a graveyard, an apposi te image f or the decaying society which is the theme of the film. ¬ Ant. base, bottom, foot, pedestal , peri gee @ To set the satellite at the right apogee is the most important aspect of satellite launching. APOSTATE N. one w ho abandons his reli gious fai th or poli tical bel iefs, w ho renounces a faith or a commitment to a previous loyalty þ Syn. trai tor, f ugiti ve, renegade APPRAISAL N. APPRAISE V. the process of judging the value/worth of something þ Syn. assessment, evaluati on @ R aj end ra w a s anx i o us ab out t he ou tc ome o f h i s an nu al appraisal . @ He coolly appraised the situation, deciding which person was most likely to succeed.
@ Having lost a great deal of weight on the diet, Ashok became an apostate of his old, unhealthy habits. (24) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 APPREHEND V. ARBITER N. ARBITRATE V. to arrest, lay hold of, capture; to recognise, to consider, dread, percei ve ARBITRATION N. ARBITRABLE Adj. þ Syn. detain, arrest, capture, pick up þ Syn. ref eree, mediator, moderator @ The CBI has apprehended almost every worthwhile politician at some point of time! @ The arbiter’s decision w ill be bindi ng on all parties to the dispute. APPREHENSION N. APPREHENSIVE Adj. @ The issue of ownership has become arbitrable and will now be contested in the court. judge, person with final decision power fear of something, worry, anxiety, suspicion þ Syn. uneasiness, worry, trepidation ARCADE N. ¬ Ant. poise, assurance, self confidence a row of arches – open or closed, a covered passageway @ T h e e l d e r l y c o u p l e v i e w e d w i n t e r ' s a p p r o a c h w i t h apprehension, dreadi ng the i ce storms and snow ­covered st reet s. þ Syn. mall, shopping arcade @ The crowd was apprehensive about the filmstar’s condition, after he was admitted to a hospital. APPRISE V. to inform, advise, notify, to tell þ Syn. tell, describe, impart, acquaint @ The President has been apprised of the situation in the state by the governor. APPROBATION N. APPROBATE V. approval þ Syn. consent, esteem, good opinion @ The crow ds are throngi ng the l atest shoppi ng arcades i n Gurgaon. ARCANE secret, obscure, known only to a few þ Syn. mysterious, esoteric ¬ Ant. common, familiar @ The arcane rituals of the sect were passed down through many generations. ARCH Adj. principal, chief, roguish @ Real Madrid beat their arch rivals AC Milan 2­0 to lift the Euro c up . ¬ Ant. condemnation, displeasure @ He had worked long and hard on the project and, when his efforts succeeded, the committee never gave him so much as a word of approbation. A RCHA IC antiquated, from an earlier time, outdated þ Syn. dated, old­fashioned A QUA TIC ¬ Ant. modern, updated belonging to or living in water @ Her archaic computer could not run the new software. þ Syn. marine, maritime ¬ Ant. land, terrestrial ARCHAEOLOGY N. @ The heaviest aquatic creature, the whale, dwarfs the largest land animals, as its weight is supported by water. scientif ic study of human antiquities by excavations, study of artifacts and relics of early mankind AQUILINE Adj. like an eagle, bent, hooked, curved þ Syn. hooked, curved, an aquiline nose, aquiline features @ The statue of Adonis has an aquiline nose. ARAB LE suitable for cultivation @ Many anci ent ci vil i sati ons coul d be unearthed because of man's advancement in the field of archaeology. ARCHETYPE N. the original model, prototype, ideal form þ Syn. epitome, standard, classic @ Carl G. Jung tri ed to explain human behaviour i n terms of “archetypal patterns” i nheri ted through the generations of collective human experi ence. þ Syn. generati ve, fruitf ul ¬ Ant. infertile, barren ARCHIVES N. @ The overpopulated country desperately needed more arable land to grow food for its starving people. a repository of public records/monuments, etc. þ Syn. documents, annals, collection @ I've been studying village records in the local archives. A RB ITRA RY depending solely on individual will, inconsistent ARCHIPELAGO þ Syn. peremptory, autocratic large group of islands ¬ Ant. democratic, rational @ Boat taxis are the only form of transportation between villages in the Stockholm archipelago.
@ To everyone’s surpri se, Nutan w as given the priz e, making the judges' decision appear completely arbitrary. IC : PTpntvb01 (25) of (188) ARDENT AROUSE V. AROUSAL N. passionate, enthusi asti c, f ervent to awaken from sleep þ Syn. fervid, impassioned þ Syn. provoke, aw aken, whet ¬ Ant. unenthusi astic, dispassionate ¬ Ant. calm, quiet @ After the last defeat, even the most ardent fans have given up any hope of winning the cup. @ Shrew d po l i ti ci ans w ere aro usi ng communal pa ssi ons by del iveri ng fi ery speeches. A RDUOUS ARRAIGN V. extremely diffi cult, laborious þ Syn. onerous, taxing to publicly accuse, to put to trial, impeach, incriminate, indict, charge in court ¬ Ant. easy, ef fortless þ Syn. charge, prosecute, have up @ The climb was so arduous that Anita doubted if she would make it to the peak. @ He was arraigned on charges of aiding and abetting terrorists. ARRANT Adj. ARENA N. downright, utter, thorough any sphere of action, any place of public contest þ Syn. complete, total, unmitigated þ Syn. stadium, ground, pitch, dome @ He was an arrant fool. @ We were surprised to see a new candidate enter the arena just before the election. A RROG ATE to demand, claim arrogantly A RID þ Syn. badger, infringe extremely dry or deathly boring ¬ Ant. grant, off er þ Syn. parched, monotonous @ Mary watched in astonishment as her boss arrogated all the credit for Mary's brilliant work. ¬ Ant. scintillating, humid @ The arid farmland produced no crops. ARSENAL ARGOT N. ammunition storehouse an often more or less secret vocabulary and idiom peculiar to a particul ar group þ Syn. ordnance depot, armoury @ The soldiers ran for cover as the fire reached the arsenal. þ Syn. jargon, slang, dialect @ In the argot of the col lege campus the whol e issue was a “bogey”. A RMA DA N. a fleet of armed ships þ Syn. fleet, f lotilla, navy, squadron @ The Spanish Armada was sent by Ki ng of Spain to invade England in 1588. ARSON N. ARSONIST N. crime of burning properties þ Syn. incendiarism, firebug @ “Shoot the arsonists!”, shouted the general. @ Police suspect arson as the cause of the cinema fire. ARTICULATE (adj.) – eloquent, fluent (v) – express, give voice to ARMAGEDDON N. þ Syn. eloquent, cogent, assert time or place of great war between forces of good and evil. ¬ Ant. inarticulate, dumb þ Syn. World War @ She is such an articulate defender of labour that unions are among her strongest supporters. @ He said that unless people in western societies change the w a y i n w hi ch th ey l i ve, t he w o rl d w a ss he ad i ng f o r an environmental Armageddon. A RTIFA CT historical relic, item made by human craft, fabrication ARMOURY N. a storehouse of arms and ammunitions @ The bandits gained access to the armoury after kil ling the guards and helped themselves to more arms. @ The archaeologist discovered hundreds of interesting artifacts in the ruins of the mansion. ARTIFICE N. AROMA N. AROMA TIC Adj. skill, trickery, contrivance, ingenuity bouquet, fragrance, perfume, scent, flavour, charm þ Syn. pretence, ploy, deception, lie þ Syn. smell, odour, whiff @ His remorse is just an artifice to gain sympathy. @ The aroma of good food makes one’s mouth water. ARTILLERY N. offensive weapons of war þ Syn. arms, guns, armaments, missiles @ Naval gunfi re and ground­based artillery are generally less accurate than many aircraft­borne w eapons.
(26) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 A RTISA N ASKEW craftsperson, w right crooked, tilted þ Syn. craftsman, maker, smith þ Syn. slanted, of f­balance ¬ Ant. novice, amateur ¬ Ant. straight, symmetrical @ Artisans were among the most valued citizens of the kingdom for their skills in tool­making. @ I was so late for work that I rushed out of the house with my hair uncombed and my hat askew. ARTLESS Adj. ASPERSION N. ASPERSE V. without guile; free from artificiality, uncultured slander, calumny, false and damaging remark, defamation þ Syn. simple, natural, open, sincere þ Syn. slur, derision, disdain, verbal jab ¬ Ant. craftiness, wiliness, clever @ How easy it is to cast aspersions on another’s character! @ The artless comments of an innocent child has two elements: surprise and curiosity ASPIRE to have great hopes, to aim at a goal ASCEND þ þ to rise or climb @ Siddhartha had started out in the mailroom, but he aspired to become the CEO some day. þ Syn. mount, soar Syn. desi re, crave ¬ Ant. descend, decline @ As the old man ascended the stairs, he panted heavily. ASSASSINATION N. ASSASSINATE V. homicide, killing, murder, slaughter ASCENDANCY þ Syn. shooting, elimination state of rising, ascending, power or control @ Following the military coup, it was feared that the president would be assassinated. þ Syn. authority, predomination ¬ Ant. compliance, servility @ The dev i ous pol i ti ci a n's ascen danc y to the top r anks of government seemed inevitable. ASSENT N., V. acceptance, concurrence, accord þ Syn. consent, nod, approval ASCERTA IN ¬ Ant. disagree, di ffer, oppose, diverge to determine, discover, make certain of @ All we need is the assent of the boss for the plan. þ Syn. verify, discern ¬ Ant. invalidate, doubt @ Astha assented to the proposal to merge her company with mine. @ Try as he might, the archaeol ogist could not ascertain the correct age of the skeleton. ASSERTIVE Adj. ASSERT V. ASSERTION N. dogmatic, emphatic, firm, forceful, pushy ASCETIC þ Syn. self­confident, firm, forward sel f­denying, absti nent, austere ¬ Ant. timid, nervous, shy, fearful, coy þ Syn. restrai ned, stri ngent @ An assertive leadership has several merits. ¬ Ant. self­i ndulgent, hedonistic @ Assert yourself in front of the panel; otherwise they’ll reject y o u . @ The monk lived an ascetic life, deep in the wilderness, denying himself all forms of comfort. ASSESS V. ASSESSMENT N. ASCRIBE V. ASCRIPTION N. appraise, estimate, eval uate, gauge, determine, diagnose to assign, impute, attribute þ Syn. tax, charge, consider, calcul ate þ Syn. credit, attribute, blame on @ Let’s assess the loss. @ Though he ascribes his success to hard work his rivals ascribe it to lady luck. @ A chartered accountant prepares an assessment of your tax liabilities. ASININE Adj. ASININITY N. A SSIDUOUS of or like an ass / donkey diligent, persistent, hard­w orking þ Syn. silly, stupid, foolish, idiotic, dim þ Syn. persevering, painstaki ng ¬ Ant. clever, bright, intelligent, smart ¬ Ant. complacent, lazy @ An asi ni ne approach to economi c reforms cannot possi bl y encourage grow th. @ The chauffeur scrubbed the car assiduously, hoping to make a good impression on his employer.
IC : PTpntvb01 (27) of (188) ASSIMILA TION A SYMMETRICA L act of blending in, becoming similar not corresponding in size, shape, position, etc. þ Syn. absorption, incorporation þ Syn. disproportionate, skew ed ¬ Ant. dissimilation, separation ¬ Ant. well­proportioned, symmetrical @ Language classes were offered to help the assimilation of the immigrants with the natives. @ The customer was shocked to find that the new stylist had left her hair asymmetrical. ASSORTED Adj. ASSORTMENT N. ASYLUM N. diverse, mixed, sundry, various, miscellaneous, motley any place of refuge or protection þ Syn. mixed, various, varied þ Syn. retreat, sanctuary, shel ter @ The students come from assorted backgrounds. @ Stalin’s daughter had sought political asylum in the US. @ The assortment of chocolates in this gift pack looks tempting. ATHEIST N. ATHEISM N. A SSUA G E sceptic, unbeliever, heathen, infi del to make less severe, ease, relieve @ Contrary to public notion, Einstein was not an atheist. þ Syn. al leviate, soothe ¬ Ant. aggravate, i ntensi fy ATONE @ Like many people, Prem used alcohol to assuage his sense of despai r. to make amends for a wrong ASTEROID N. þ Syn. redress, recompense @ Many peopl e go to church to atone for their sins and seek f orgi v eness. small celestial body @ Tha nks to s ci en ce f i cti on, m any of u s ar e f a mi l i ar w i th asteroids. A TROP HY to waste away, wither from disuse þ Syn. degenerate, shri vel up ASTONISH V. ASTONISHMENT N. ¬ Ant. flourish, strengthen to surprise tremendously, to amaze þ Syn. astound, bowl over, dumbfound @ When Mini stopped exercising after the accident, her muscles began to atrophy. @ I was astonished by the news of the divorce;they'd seemed so happy together. ATROCITY N. ATROCIOUS Adj. @ To the utter astonishment of her parents, the princess married a commoner. A STRA Y Adv. out of the right way, in a lost state brutal ity, persecution, savagery þ Syn. cruel ty, monstrosity ¬ Ant. geniality, benignity, indulgence @ The atrociti es stil l suffered by Indian women and children make a mockery of our tall talk. þ Syn. off course, off track, off target ¬ Ant. on target, on track A TTA IN @ Th e y ou th of Ind i a ha ve gon e ast ray, l am ent ed th e o l d soldier. to accomplish, gain ASTRIDE Adv. @ It is clear that Clark’s hard work will help him attain the position he's been hoping for. þ Syn. achieve, bring to fruition in a striding position þ Syn. spanning, across ATTENUATE V. ATTENUATION N. @ Astride his new bike, Madhur strutted about the lanes of Delhi University. to make thin or lean, to reduce in value or strength ASTRINGENT harsh, severe, stern þ Syn. weaken, lighten, mitigate ¬ Ant. i ntensi f y, exaggerate, deepen @ Th e ex i t o f Gor ba ch ev h as co ns i d er ab l y at te nu at ed t he Russian political scene. þ Syn. austere, sti nging ¬ Ant. gentle, balmy A T TE ST @ The principal's puni shments seemed overl y astringent, but the students did not dare to complain. to testify, stand as proof of, bear witness A ST UTE having good judgment þ Syn. confirm, verify ¬ Ant. di sprove, deny @ A string of low scores attested to the batsman’s poor form.
þ Syn. insightful, ingenious ¬ Ant. stupid @ The astute Kumarmangalam Birla took his business empire to new hei ghts. (28) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 ATTIC N. AURA N. a small room in the roof of a house a supposed subtl e emanati on f rom al l li vi ng things, di sti nct chara cter þ Syn. loft, top storey, upper floor @ I've got boxes of old clothes in the attic, which I really should throw aw ay. þ Syn. ambience, atmosphere, air @ There is an aura of mystery about Mona­Lisa’s smile. @ There's an aura of sadness about him. ATTIRE V., N. to dress, accoutre, clad AURAL Adj. þ Syn. clothing, dress, clothes, outfit pertaining to the ear @ I feel comfortable attired in casuals. þ Syn. auditory, hearing, acoustic @ I hardly think jeans are appropriate attire for a wedding. @ The reckless noise will damage my aural senses. ATTRIBUTE N., V. AUSPICES N. essenti al quality, ascribe sponsorship or patronage þ Syn. characteri stic, trai t, feature þ Syn. support, endorsement @ Earlier a sceptre was used as an attribute of power. @ The function was held under the auspices of the charity club. @ The plane crash has been attributed to pilot’s negligence. AUSPICIOUS ATTRITION N. having favourable prospects, promising a gradual weakening or wearing down; a reduction in the number of employees as a result of resignations þ Syn. propi tious, encouraging þ Syn. erosion, slow destruction @ Tri pti thought that w i nni ng the appreci ati on of the boss marked an auspicious start to her new job. @ Feminists are struggling to stop the attrition of women's rights in the country. @ The BPO industry is plagued by high attrition rates. ¬ Ant. inopportune, inauspicious A USTERE stern, stri ct, unadorned A UDA CIOUS þ Syn. serious, unyielding bold, daring, fearless ¬ Ant. flexible, f ancy þ Syn. courageous, plucky ¬ Ant. timid, unenterprising @ The lack of decoration makes Zen temples seem austere to the untrai ned eye. @ The peasant was audacious enough to stand up and speak against the king in public. A UTHORITARIA N extremely stri ct, bossy AUDIBLE þ Syn. overbearing, totali tari an capable of being heard ¬ Ant. lenient, liberal þ Syn. discernible, perceptible ¬ Ant. inaudible, faint @ The authoritari an manager ali enated hi s subordinates wi th hi s overbearing atti tude. @ The shy boy's voice was barely audible as he answered the teacher's questi ons. AUTOCRACY N. AUGMENT a n ab s ol ut e g ov e rn me n t by on e p er so n , i . e . th e a ut o cr at , dictatorshi p, tyranny to expand, extend þ Syn. dictatorship, monocracy þ Syn. heighten, el evate ¬ Ant. democracy, social equality ¬ Ant. decrease, abate @ The autocracy of Louis XVI led to the French Revolution. @ Balraj augmented his salary by doing extra jobs after office. @ T h e v i c t o r y a g a i n s t a u t o c ra c y w a s w on a f t e r y ea r s o f struggl e. AUGUR, AUGURY N., V. a person who predicts the future, prophet, seer, visionary A UTO CRA T þ Syn. bode, promise, portend, foretell dictator @ The dark clouds augur a thunderstorm. þ Syn. despot, tyrant ¬ Ant. tol erant, democrat A UG UST dignified, awe­inspiring, venerable @ Mussol ini has been descri bed as an autocrat w ho di d not tol erate oppositi on.
þ Syn. prestigious, esteemed ¬ Ant. unimpressive, unimposing @ The august view of the summit of Everest filled the climbers with awe. IC : PTpntvb01 (29) of (188) AUTONOMOUS AVER V. separate, i ndependent to declare as true þ Syn. sovereign, sel f­suffi cient þ Syn. avow, state, claim, declare ¬ Ant. dependant, parasitic ¬ Ant. refute, di sprove, contest, rebut @ The people wanted autonomous status for their country and were ready to go to war for it. @ He averred the veracity of my statement. AVERSE Adj. AVERSION N. AUTONOMY N. antipatheti c, indi sposed, reluctant self­governance, li berty, freedom þ Syn. recalcitrant, uneager, unw illing þ Syn. i ndependence, sovereignty ¬ Ant. willing, enthusiastic, interested ¬ Ant. dependence, rel iance, trust @ The government is averse to the idea of releasing criminals for release of kidnapped foreigners. @ IITs and IIMs are autonomous institutes. @ The universities are anxious to preserve their autonomy even as the central government suggests greater government role. @ Rajendra’s aversion to love can be ascribed to his failed affair. AVERT AUTOPSY N. to turn (something) away, prevent, hinder a postmortem examination þ Syn. forestall , preclude @ The autopsy of Napoleon revealed that his death was due to systematic poisoning. @ The queasy medi cal school student had to avert her eyes when the operati on began. AUXILIA RY AVIARY N. supplementary, reserve a place for keeping birds þ Syn. accompanying, supporti ve @ The aviary at Jeejeebhoy Gardens has a fascinating collection. @ Gasping for air, the mountaineer opened his auxiliary can of o x y g e n . AVALANCHE N., V. a hurtling mass of ice, snow and rock descending a mountain side þ Syn. flood, rush, landslide, storm AVID Adj. very enthusiastic, ambitious, desirous to the point of greed þ Syn. keen, enthusi asti c, passionate ¬ Ant. apatheti c, indi ff erent, averse @ Sometimes a mere clap can trigger an avalanche. @ Avid bird–watchers can never ignore the contribution of Dr. Salim Ali. A VA RICE AVOW V. greed declare, acknowledge þ Syn. mercenariness, money­grabbing þ Syn. affirm, state ¬ Ant. generosity, magnanimity ¬ Ant. deny, refute, reject, rebuff @ There was no end to his avarice; he wanted more and more gol d. @ In spite of the scandals, millions avow that Osho was divine. AVENGE V. AVENGER N. to vindicate, to take revenge on behalf of someone else þ Syn. retali ate, get revenge, get even @ T he y s ay t ha t M rs Ga nd h i ’ s as s as si n at i o n p ro mp t ed b y Operation Blue Star. @ The aven ger as port rayed i n t he mo vi e w a s a v i cti m of consistent social abuse. AVUNCULAR Adj. like an uncle @ Kids delight in his avuncular indulgence. AWE N., V reverential wonder or fear (awe­inspiring, awestruck) þ Syn. fear, terror, dread, fright @ Nehru’s staunchest critics were in awe of him.
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BABBLE V., N. BALEFUL to talk foolishly or inarticulately, to murmur continuously, chatter idly harmful, with evil intentions þ Syn. menacing, malevolent þ Syn. blurb, gossip, prattle ¬ Ant. benevolent, fri endly @ Stop babbling while the lecture is going on! @ The sullen teenager gave his nagging mother a baleful look. @ You need to talk clearly and forcefully when you are trying to convince somebody, not just babble. BALLAD N. BACCHANAL N. BACCHANALIAN Adj. a song accompanying a dance, a narrative composition in verse to suit the rhythm of a dance a wild gathering involving excessive drinking and promiscuity, an orgiastic revel ry @ The valour of Laxmibai is beautifully described in the ballads of Bundelkhand. @ Late night party goers become bacchanals and indulge in acts that they later regret. BACON N. salted and dried flesh of pig @ John prefers bacon and bread for his breakfast. B A LM medicinal ointment, lotion, something that heals þ Syn. pomade, emollient ¬ Ant. astri ngent, irritant @ The balm of friendship can work wonders at times of great sorrow . BADINAGE N. light playful talk, banter BALLISTICS N. BALLISTIC Adj. @ Avoid badinage if you want to be accepted as serious speaker. science of motion of missiles, bullets, projectiles @ The details of modern ballistics can be traced to puranas. BAFFLING V., Adj., BAFFLE N. to frustrate, confound, confuse, bewilder, impede; a device for controlling the flow of gas, liquid or sound through an opening þ Syn. thwart, perplex, stymie ¬ Ant. aid, contribute, assist @ He was completely baffled by the question. @ Nidhi’s baffling behaviour at her birthday party is beyond my comprehensi on. BAIL V. (usually used with out ) to clear water from by dipping and throwing out; to help escape from a predicament þ Syn. payment, fi nancial guarantee @ After the main batsmen failed, the team was once again bailed out by the bowlers. @ The IMF tries to bail out many third world economies but its role is controversial. @ Indian scientists test fired a new ballistic missile today. BAN to forbid, outlaw þ Syn. prohibit, debar ¬ Ant. permit, admit @ Jagan was banned from the bar for life after he misbehaved and caused damage. BANAL trite, overly common þ Syn. cli ched, hackneyed ¬ Ant. original, uncommon @ His lyrics are considered banal and are no longer popular. BANDANA N. a large coloured spotted handkerchief often used as a neckerchief BAILIWICK N. distinct area, a person’s normal territory or jurisdiction @ You can spot gypsies wearing bandanas on the beaches of G oa . þ Syn. field, domain, dominion, terrain @ The MP had no decision making power outside of her bailiwick. BANDIT N. brigand, desperado, f ootpad BAIT N., V. þ Syn. outlaw, crook, conman any temptation or allurement as part of a trap; to persecute or exasperate with unjust, malicious or persistent attacks @ Travellers started avoiding the Pune­Nashik highway at night, after bandits looted bus passengers. þ Syn. decoy, enti cement, lure, tease @ The tiger came for the bait finally. BANE N. BANEFUL Adj. @ The dancers in the club baited many young professionals. destruction, death, source of evil, curse, source of bad luck or harm, cause of ruin þ Syn. scourge, curse, pestil ence ¬ Ant. boon, benef it, advantage @ Sloth and corruption are the bane of Indian administration.
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BANTER V., N. BARRAGE ( BARAAJ ) N. to tease playfully and in good humour a heavy or continuous fire, as of questions; a dam þ Syn. gossipry, small­talk, chit­chat þ Syn. bombardment, onslaught ¬ Ant. debate, deli beration @ Gandhi’s banter with Charlie is a cherished page of history. @ Fa rra k ha B ar ra g e h a s c o ns i d e ra b l y m i ti g a t ed t he f l o o d problem in Bengal and Bihar. @ He was surprised to see the violent reaction of his friend on hi s banter. @ S a l m a n d o d g ed a ba r r ag e o f q u e st i o ns a f te r h i s c ou r t appearance and sped away. BAPTISE V. BAPTISM N. BASH N. to give a name to, to administer baptism party, celebration þ Syn. sanctify, describe, denomi nate, dub @ A Christian is no Christian unless he is baptised. BASHFUL Adj. shy, demure, quiet BARB N. þ Syn. coy, di ffident, nervous a wounding or wittily pointed remark, a medieval cloth headdress. ¬ Ant. bold, extrovert, gregarious þ Syn. insult, dig, taunt, sting @ She gave a bashful smile as he complimented her on her good work. @ The barbs suffered by Adolf Hitler in childhood transformed him into the Fuhrer. BASK V. BARBAROUS Adj. BARBARIAN N. BARBARIC Adj. to lie in the warmth or sunshine uncivilised, uncultured, harsh or brute þ Syn. lie around, laze around, relax @ In the Second World War, the Japanese army was among the most barbarous. @ You can always see tourists basking in the sun on the beaches of Goa. @ The barbaric treatment of the prisoners in Iraq by American armed forces was condemned by the world. BASTION N. a strongly fortified, secured, guarded place BARBECUE V., N. þ Syn. bulwark, fort, embankment to roast or broil on a rack over hot coals; a fireplace for roasting meat @ The club regarded itself as one of the last bastions of male supremacy. @ My favourite dish is chicken marinated and barbecued. BATE V. BARGE V. BARGE N. to reduce the force or intensity of to thrust oneself heedlessly or unceremoniously, a roomy pleasure b oa t þ Syn. slacken, subside, wane @ Ani l sudd enl y barged i nto t he conf erence room and thi s annoyed hi s father. @ Owning a big barge is a sign of affluence among the fishermen in America. BAROQUE N., Adj. @ The hunter waited with bated breath for the lion to take the bai t. BAUBLE N. trinket, trifle @ Young children take pride in showing off their baubles. a bold style in architecture, extravagant, ornate, elaborate style of decoration or presentation BAWDY Adj. þ Syn. decorative, elaborate, rococo i ndecent, obscene ¬ Ant. plane, basic, pure, bare, obvious þ Syn. coarse, vulgar, lewd @ We are fascinated by Melinda’s absolutely baroque life; her huge Victorian house, complex career and elaborate clothing intrigue us. ¬ Ant. refined, advanced, superi or @ The baroque entrance to the lobby is indeed impressive. BAWL V., N. @ The bawdy remarks infuriated Ipshita and she retaliated. cry, lament, grieve, bemoan, wail BARONIAL Adj. þ Syn. cry, howl, wail, roar, sob, shout grand, majesti c, august, grandi ose ¬ Ant. whisper, murmur, undertone þ Syn. grand, impressive, opulent @ She lay there bawling but nobody came to forward to comfort h e r. ¬ Ant. humble, modest, poor, meek @ The baronial rooms of his house depict opulence. BAY( v) to howl long and deep (n) – large body of water, recess of land (32) of (188) þ Syn. howl, bellow @ The dog bayed all ni ght, much to the annoyance of the nei ghbours.
IC : PTpntvb01 BEATIFIC Adj., BEATITUDE N. BEGUILE supremely happy, angelic, giving bliss, blissful to deceive, mislead, charm þ Syn. innocent, saintly, virtuous þ Syn. dupe, bewitch ¬ Ant. evil, wrong, depraved, immoral ¬ Ant. be honest or straight @ The beatific smile on the face of the pilot belied the fact that he was facing certain death. @ You will be beguiled by his sweet talk. BEHEST N. BEAU N. command, an urgent prompting lover, dandy, boyfriend þ Syn. request, command, order, will @ Sara broke up with her beau and needed emotional support. @ The world trade no longer functions at the behest of any one superpow er. BECKON V. to make a summoning to, gesture, motion, nod BEHEMOTH þ Syn. signal, sign, summon, gesture huge creature or thing ¬ Ant. dismiss, release, discharge, sack þ Syn. colossus, goliath @ The nation beckons you, young man, rise and shine. ¬ Ant. tiny, lilliput @ The spate of mergers are creating corporate behemoths. BEDIZEN V., BEDIZENMENT N. to dress vulgarly BELA TED @ I was shocked to see girls bedizened in see­through costumes in the bar. late, behind time BEDRAGGLE V. þ Syn. delayed, overdue ¬ Ant. earl y, punctual @ George handed Sushmita a bel ated bi rthday gi ft wi th an apologetic grin. to wet thoroughly @ T h e p u p p y w a i t e d o u t s i d e t h e d o o r, b e d ra g g l e d a n d miserable, hoping to be allowed in. BELEAGUER harass, surround BELABOUR V. þ Syn. annoy, badger to attack verbally, to explain or insist on excessively ¬ Ant. assist, aid @ You d o n ot h av e t o b el ab ou r t he p o i n t, I ha ve al re ad y accepted my mistake. @ Manisha’s beleaguered parents finally gave in to her request for a PC. BEFUDDLE V. BELITTLE confuse thoroughly to represent as unimportant, make light of þ Syn. muddle, mix up, bewilder, baffle þ Syn. demean, disparage ¬ Ant. teach, coach, tutor, educate, drill ¬ Ant. praise, applaud @ The umpire’s strange signal befuddled not just the batsman but also the entire fielding side. @ Chandrika’s parents scolded her for constantly belittling her younger sister's views. BEGRUDGE V. BELLICOSE resent, envy, resi st ready to fight, aggressive @ They begrudged having to stay with their sick father, but put up with it for the sake of the patrimony that awaited them. þ Syn. irascible, hostile ¬ Ant. peaceloving, amiable @ Immediately after defeating one of his enemies, the bellicose chieftain declared war on another. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . (d ) banal basti on bel eaguer beli ttle belligerent surrounded unoriginal combative stronghold make to seem little
1 . (b ) 3 . ( a ) 4 . ( e ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 . (c ) Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test IC : PTpntvb01 (33) of (188) BELLIGERENT BENIGN Adj. hostile, aggressive, fighter kindly, favourable, gracious, gentle, mild, not malignant þ Syn. disputatious, quarrelsome þ Syn. humane, clement, humanitarian ¬ Ant. neutral, friendly ¬ Ant. barbarous, cruel, malignant. @ The bartender real i sed that there w as no subdui ng the belligerent drunk. @ Her benign presence lent glitter to the occasion. BEQUEATH V. BEQUEST N. BELLOW V. to leave by will for another, to leave for posterity to make a violent cry, to roar out like a bull, scream þ Syn. bestow, accord, hand out þ Syn. shout, roar, yell, bawl, holler @ Picasso bequeathed Spain and France most of his paintings and scul ptures. ¬ Ant. whisper, sigh, rumour, hint @ Hitler was known to bellow at his subordinates. BEMOAN V. to express deep grief or distress over @ Ruby bemoaned separation from her lover for six months. BEMUSE V. BEMUSEMENT N. BEMUSED Adj. @ ‘Liberty, equality and fraternity’ was one of the rallying cries of the French revolution. BERATE to scold harshly þ Syn. rebuke, admonish ¬ Ant. praise, laud @ Andy was embarrassed when his mother berated him in public for damaging the family car. to put in confusion þ Syn. bewilder, puzzle, perplex, muddle BERSERK Adj. @ The bemused parents looked at their son's ponytail carefully. violently frenzied or angry, out of control, mad þ Syn. maniacal, amok, crazy, mad BENCHMARK ¬ Ant. sane, sensible, sound, normal standard of measure þ Syn. criterion, yardstick @ Denied permission to marry hi s lady l ove, Prince Dipendra went berserk and opened fire on his entire family. @ The average scores of the previous year's students are used as a benchmark to assess the new batch. BEREAVE V., BEREAVEMENT N. BENEDICTION N. good wishes, blessings, encouragement, sanction þ Syn. blessing, approval, sanction @ Benediction, they say, at the ri ght ti me, i n right amounts, can inspire one to move mountains. BENEFACTOR someone giving aid or money þ Syn. patron, champion @ A mysterious benefactor paid off Ravina’s debts, making it possible for her children to attend college. to deprive of something, to take away by force, state of sorrow after the death of a beloved @ He was bereaved of his possessions when his father kicked him out of the house. @ The entire nation was in bereavement after the death of the young prime minister. BESEECH V. to entreat, to implore, to ask for, to solicit, þ Syn. beg, request, ask, plead, press @ He came again and again beseeching for money. BESIEGE V. BENEFICENT kindly in action and purpose, charitable, producing good effects þ Syn. altruistic, philanthropic ¬ Ant. unkind, mean @ Despite his tough reputation, Kumar was a beneficent man, and donated millions to worthy charities. BENEVOLENCE N., BENEVOLENT Adj. charitableness, phi lanthropy, kindness þ Syn. contributi on, donation, largesse to surround to force to give up, harass, cause to feel distressed þ Syn. blockade, surround, beset ¬ Ant. di vest, uncover, expose @ A f t er t h e co n tr ov er s i a l f i l m w a s t el e ca st t h e te l ev i s i o n company was besieged by angry phone calls and letters. BESMIRCH V. to make dirty with smoke or soot, to sully, soil, defile þ Syn. defame, scandalise, malign, slur @ T h e c r i m e s t h e y c o m m i t t e d i n t h e S e c o n d W o r l d W a r besmirched the country’s name. ¬ Ant. enmity, resentment, malignancy @ Hi s benevol ence turned out to be a charade to cover hi s nefari ous activi ties. BESTOW @ Hi s benevol ent nature is refl ected i n many of hi s chari ty proje cts. þ Syn. confer on, award to ¬ Ant. deprive, refuse @ The students bestowed many gifts upon the teacher on her reti rement.
(34) of (188) to give as a gift IC : PTpntvb01 BETROTH V., BETROTHAL N. BILLET­DOUX N. become engaged to marry a l ove­letter @ Their betrothal came as a surprise to most of their classmates. @ The love­smitten scholar handed her a note saying, “Here’s a little billet­doux,” and the simple lady thought he was giving her the bill for the food. BEVY N. group, assembly, collecti on, cluster, covey, flock þ Syn. horde, throng, multitude, pack @ He got to see a bevy of beautiful girls at the pageant. B IA S prejudice, sl ant þ Syn. partiality, favouritism ¬ Ant. impartiality, objectivity @ Racial bias in employment is illegal in the United States. BILLOW V., BILLOWING Adj. swelling out in waves, surging @ The billowing emotions across the country may lead to war. BINGO N., Interjection a game, an expression of unexpectedness @ I was just about to borrow some money when bingo! ­ I won the l ottery. BIOPSY N. BIBLIOGRAPHY list of books þ Syn. catalogue, list of references @ Please i nclude a bibliography at the end of the thesis so that the reviewer can identify the sources. the removal and examination of tissue, cells or fluid from a living b od y @ Af ter studying the bi opsy report, the doctor assured the patient that the growth was benign. BISECT – to cut into two (usually equal) parts BIBLIOPHILE þ Syn. break in two, split book lover ¬ Ant. join, unite þ Syn. bookworm, bibliomaniac @ @ The librarian was a real bibliophile; she knew every author we mentioned. The new road bi sected the f orest, putting al l the smal l animals at risk. BIVOUAC N., V. BICKER V. a temporary shelter or camp, tent quarrel, qui bble, argue @ The first time I slept outdoors was when we had to spend the night in a bivouac in the last year of school. þ Syn. di spute, debate, squabble ¬ Ant. agree, consent, correspond @ It is pity that educated girls bicker over trivial matters. BIZARRE Adj. striking; out of ordinary BIGOT N., BIGOTED Adj. þ Syn. f antastic, extravagant, eccentri c biased, narrow­minded person @ Most fashion designers present bizarre creations. þ Syn. extremist, dogmatist, hypocrite @ The bigot was thoroughly disliked for his hate­filled opinions. BLANCH V. @ She’s so bi goted that she ref uses to accept anyone w ho doesn't think like her. bleach, whiten; to parboil in water or steam in order to remove the skin þ Syn. grow pale, lighten, blench BILATERAL @ Use blanched almonds for this recipe. two­si ded þ Syn. two­pronged, joint BLAND Adj. ¬ Ant. independent, unilateral smooth, gentle, suave, polite, mild @ The battle finally came to a halt when the two sides signed a bilateral treaty. þ Syn. insipid, weak, tasteless, plain ¬ Ant. spicy, pi quant, peppery, zesty @ Continental food is too bland for the Indian palate. BILIOUS Adj. related to lever trouble, irritable, suffering from indigestion BLANDISHMENT N. @ T h e e n d i n g o f t h e f i n a n c i a l y e a r s e e s m a n y a b i l i o u s businessmen. coaxing, cajoling, flattering, adulation @ Despi te the blandi shments of f ered by the sal esman, she resisted buying the product. BILK V., N. to cheat out of something valuable, frustrate, escape BLARE V., N. þ Syn. def raud, baffle, disappoint to roar, to sound harshly, loud, flamboyance @ The fake fakir bilked the lady of her belongings in the name of Go d. þ Syn. blast, boom, make a racket @ The blaring horns of the truck will make you deaf one day. @ His attire this evening is nothing but a blare.
IC : PTpntvb01 (35) of (188) BLASPHEMY N. BLASPHEMOUS Adj. BLOND (also BLONDE) N., Adj. w ords/ acti ons meant to mock somethi ng, prof ane speaki ng, swearing about something sacred, irreverence, cursing a person of fair complexion and golden, light auburn coloured hai r þ Syn. desecration, impiety, sacrilege þ Syn. fair haired, pale, flaxen ¬ Ant. faithf ulness, godliness, piousness @ Blondes are generally considered beautiful. @ Blasphemy is punishable by death in certain fundamentalist countri es. @ Meg Ryan’s blonde hair gels well with her personality. @ S a l m a n R u s h d i e e a r n e d t h e “ f a t w a ” f o r h i s a l l e g e d l y blasphemous writings. BLUSH V. B LA TANT glaring, obvious, showy þ Syn. shameless, evident ¬ Ant. subtle, inconspicuous @ The building was constructed in blatant violation of the law. to grow red out of shame and confusion þ Syn. go red, flush, colour, redden ¬ Ant. blench, draw back, falter, recoil @ He blushed profusely when she asked him out for dinner. BLUSTER V., N. to talk or act w ith noisy swaggering threats, threaten emptily, bully þ Syn. harangue, bulldoz e, rant, bristle BLEAK Adj. @ The bully was all bluster and no substance. colourless, cold, depressing, grim @ Many f ound Fi del Castro’s blusters agai nst the USA quite amusing. þ Syn. barren, exposed, gaunt, open ¬ Ant. cheerful, happy, smiling, joyful @ The chances of a majority government at the centre has now become bleak. BOG V., N. marsh, morass, swamp, slow down þ Syn. marshland, quagmire, retard BLEMISH N., V. flaw, stain, def ect, scar, blot @ The expansion plans of the company have been bogged down by certai n controversies. þ Syn. mark, imperfection, fault, blotch @ Morarjibhai’s 75 years in public life were without a blemish. BOGGLING Adj. something astounding, astonishing, amazing BLISS N. the highest happi ness, heavenly happi ness @ Many mind­boggling problems in LR section of CAT 2004 were responsible for the student’s poor performance. þ Syn. ecstasy, paradi se, deli ght ¬ Ant. misery, sadness, grief, sorrow BOHEMIAN N. @ It’s bliss to be able to lie back and just forget all about your worries. s o m e o n e w h o s e t s s o c i a l c o n v e n t i o n s a s i d e , a n a r t i s t , unconventi onal , unorthodox @ Maqbool Fida Hussein is known for his Bohemian ways. BLITHE Adj. cheerful, sprightly, gay, joyous, merry, casual, li ghthearted BOISTEROUS Adj. þ Syn. carefree, unconcerned, happy wild, noisy and exuberant; turbulent, violent, rough ¬ Ant. tense, anxi ous, bothered, edgy þ Syn. clamorous, obstreperous @ He blithely ignored the warning and swam out far from the sho re. ¬ Ant. quiet, shy, timid BLITZ or BLITZKRIEG N. BOLERO N. a sudden, overwhelming attack; an intensive aerial campaign a Spanish dance ; a loose waist­length jacket open at the front þ Syn. raid, bombardment, onslaught @ Sofia looked beautiful in a beige bolero. @ The Israeli blitzkrieg at Entebbe remains a landmark rescue operation. @ There is a bolero being performed at the night­club tonight. @ The launch of the new car was accompanied by a media blitz involving newspapers, magazines, television and radio. BOLSTER V. BLOAT V. BLOATED Adj. to swell out, to puff out, to dilate þ Syn. inflate, blow up, expand, distend @ The children were having a boisterous game in the playground. to support, to give a boost to, reinforce þ Syn. boost, strengthen, encourage ¬ Ant. undermine, weaken, challenge @ Her conf idence in group di scussi ons i s bolstered by many practice sessions.
@ The doctor said her face was looking bloated because of water retenti on. (36) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 BOMB ASTIC BOURSE N. using high­sounding but meaningless words a E uropean stock exchange þ Syn. pompous, grandiloquent ¬ Ant. simple, unpretentious @ There has been a rise in the number of bourses operating in E uro pe. @ T h e d i c t a t o r ’ s s p e e c h e s w e r e m o s t l y b o m b a s t i c ; h i s outrageous claims had no basis in fact. BOURGEOIS middle­class BONANZA þ Syn. conservative, material istic extremely large amount; something profitable ¬ Ant. proletarian, communist þ Syn. godsend, windfall @ @ Julie was not sure how to use the bonanza when she won the l ottery. The bourgeois family found it too difficult to adjust to the new working­class neighbours. BOUT N. BONHOMIE N., BONHOMOUS Adj. contest, encounter, outbreak good­natured easy fri endl iness þ Syn. short period, spell, attack, fit þ Syn. genial ity, affability @ This first bout with destiny made him maturer. @ An atmosphere of bonhomie prevailed at the dance party. @ He suffered from a bout of bronchitis. BOON – blessing, something to be thankful for BOVINE Adj. þ Syn. godsend, bonus like cow/cattle, dull, placid ¬ Ant. curse, disadvantage @ Democracy is wasted on the bovine and the asinine. @ Deepak realised that the new employee’s artistic skills would be a real boon to the company. @ He was a gentle, rather bovine man. BOWDLERIZE V. BOOMERANG V., N. to remove objectionable material from a writing, to censor rebound, backfire; a bent or angular throwing club þ Syn. cut, abridge, expurgate, amend þ Syn. bounce back, ricochet @ So far Taslima Nasreen has refused to bowdlerize ‘Lajja’. @ It was ironic that the Vietnam war boomeranged on the USA. BRACKISH Adj. BOOR somewhat saline, rather salty, unappealing crude person, one lacking manners or taste þ Syn. sal ty, briny þ Syn. lout, ruffian ¬ Ant. gentlemanly, well­behaved @ Though the w ater i n those marshes i s bracki sh and f oul ­ smelling to us, the birds seem to like it. @ He beha ved l i ke a boo r, di sturbi ng the reci tal w i th hi s conti nuous chatter. @ Rahul even sipped the brackish tea prepared by his fiancee. BRAGGADOCIO N. BOOZE V., N. arrogant pretension, braggart to drink excessively þ Syn. braggart, cockiness @ They always go boozing after their football match. @ Rahul’s braggadocio was beginning to irritate his girlfriend. @ There’s a party at my hostel room on Friday night – bring some booze. BOULEVARD N. a broad road bordered by trees, channel, promenade þ Syn. avenue, thoroughfare, drive @ The boul evards of Pari s remai n unparal l eled i n terms of b e a u t y. BRANDISH V. to wave and show as a weapon, flourish þ Syn. swing, wave about @ Brandishing black flags, the protesters gheraoed the minister. BRASH Adj., BRASHNESS N. reckless, impetuous, impudent, audacious BOUNTY N., BOUNTIFUL Adj. þ Syn. hasty, foolhardy, aggressi ve liberality in bestowing gifts ¬ Ant. sluggish, unhurried, measured þ Syn. reward, prize, payment, generousi ty @ The manager’s brashness was the cause of the company’s f ai lure. @ The bounty of politicians at the election­time is no longer a s ec r et . @ The bountiful harvest this year has brought smiles to many a f a ce . @ Don’t you think that suit is a bit brash for a funeral? BRAVADO N. a displ ay of bravery, false show of bravery, swagger, assumed air of defiance þ Syn. boldness, daring @ It was an act of bravado that made him ask his boss to resign.
IC : PTpntvb01 (37) of (188) BRAZEN BROOK V., N. bold, shameless, impudent, of or like brass tol erate, endure; a creek þ Syn. immodest, abashed þ Syn. stream, rivulet, accept ¬ Ant. modest, shy @ I could not just brook the delay. @ The coach found the decl aration to be rather brazen but hoped his cricket team would pull off a win. @ A f ive­star hotel al ong a brook appears to be a wonderful i dea. BREACH BROTHEL N. act of breaking, violation a building where prostitutes are available þ Syn. contravention, inf ringement ¬ Ant. bridge, upholding @ Brothels have been in existence since early ages, catering to man’s baser needs. @ The record company sued the singer for breach of contract when he recorded for another company. BRUISE N., V. contusion, discolourati on, sore spot, BREVITY N. þ Syn. shiner, bump conciseness, shortness, terseness þ Syn. briefness, concision, pithiness @ Hi s ego was bruised w hen his sister outperf ormed hi m in tenn i s. ¬ Ant. length, span @ She suffered a few cuts and bruises but nothing serious. @ Brevity is the hallmark of a seasoned orator. BRUSQUE Adj. BREW V., N. to prepare by i nf usi on, boi l i ng and f ermentati on, to pl ot; a beverage ‘concoction made by brewing’ abr upt, bl u nt i n man ners, che eky, i mpu dent , sho rt, usua l l y unpleasant in effect, curt þ Syn. offhand, rough, brisk, gruff þ Syn. make, ferment, distil, blend ¬ Ant. civil, social, national, communal @ Caesar hardly realised what was brewing behind his back. @ The brusque young son of the old lady met a tragic end. @ This local brew is one of the strongest liquors I have ever h a d . BUCKLE V., N. to catch, clasp, bend, acquiesce, yield BRIC­A ­BRAC N. þ Syn. clip, fastener, collapse, crumple old curiosities, knickknacks, ornaments etc. ¬ Ant. undo, unfasten, untie, unbutton @ Tourists flock to chor­bazaar for buying bric­a­brac. @ It’s the weak who buckle under threats. BRINK N. BUCOLIC Adj. cl if f­top, edge, verge related to cattle­tending, pastoral, rustic, rural @ Indian economy was on the brink of disaster in 1990. þ Syn. pastoral, country, countrifi ed ¬ Ant. urban, municipal, metropolitan BRISK Adj. full of life and spirit, lively @ Thanks to the government’s heavy subsidies, bucolic pursuits earn handsome returns. þ Syn. bustling, busy, energetic, lively ¬ Ant. slow, sluggish, dawdling BUFFET (v) @ The cardiologist advised a brisk walk in the evening. to toss about BROACH V., N. to ve er or ya w d ang ero us l y, to pi erc e f or w i thd raw i n g t he contents, to open up þ Syn. mention, bring up, approach @ During his visit, the PM is expected to broach the subject of forei gn investment. (n) – a meal consisting of several dishes from which guests serve themselves þ Syn. batter, strike repeatedl y and viol ently @ The swing, buffeted by the wind, smashed into the tree and broke. BUFFOON N., BUFFOONERY N. a person always joking, clown, joker, jester BROOD V., N. þ Syn. clown, joker, comedian to meditate silently, to think anxiously for sometime; the young of an animal or a family @ Chaplin’s buffoonery was an effective tool of biting sarcasm. @ Doesn’t he get tired of playing the buffoon in class? þ Syn. clutch, litter @ Shantanu sat at his desk, brooding darkly why she left him. BULGE V., N. project, protrude, jut, overhang, swell, di late þ Syn. protuberance, knot, hump @ Come forties and the battle of the bulge begins. @ Flesh bulged out where the elasticated clothing was too tight.
(38) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 BULLDOZE V. BURGEON to sprout or flourish þ Syn. proliferate, prosper ¬ Ant. shrink, wither @ W e w i l l n e ed a m a jo r ex pa n si on t o a cc om mo d at e th e burgeoning population of the city. to intimidate, to bully, to demolish, push, jostle þ Syn. flatten, raze, level , clear, force @ Bulldozing may win you the game but never the match. BULLION ( BOOLYEN ) N. gold and silver in the shape of rods or bars þ Syn. gold, gold bars, gold ingots @ The bullion market came under attack as soon as news of war sp re ad . BULLY N., V. a cruel oppressor of the weak, an overbearing fellow þ Syn. blackmailer, intimidator @ Being an international bully, the USA knows its strengths only too well. @ Bipasha bullied her way into the meeting. BULWA RK defense wall, anything serving as defense þ Syn. fortifi cation, barricade @ The villagers used logs to construct a bulwark against the invading army. BUMPTIOUS Adj. e g ot i s t i c, o f t en i r r i t a t i n gl y s e l f ­ a s s ur e d , pu s h y, a r r o g an t , unpl easantl y confi dent þ Syn. boastful , arrogant, brash ¬ Ant. modest, diffident, humble, meek @ Often, Ravindra comes across as a bumptious teenager but he’s really thoughtful and intelligent. BURGLAR N. housebreaker, rai der, sneak thi ef, i ntruder þ Syn. robber, criminal @ The anti­burglar alarm system failed last night. BURLESQUE N. l udi crous i mi tation, cheap or vul gar entertai nment, sati re, a l i terary or dramati c w ork maki ng f un or ri di cul i ng by comi c exaggeration, a mockery or caricature, an imitation that ridicules þ Syn. caricature, travesty, lampoon @ S tr ee t t he a tr e o f t en at te m pt s t he bu rl e sq ue bu t r er el y suc ceed s. BURNISH V., N. to make bright or lustrous by rubbing þ Syn. shine, wax, buff, rub, clean @ The car lost its burnish in a year. @ A proper coach can burnish your skills in no time. BUST V. to break, shatter, crack, arrest þ Syn. out of order, broken ¬ Ant. mend, repair, fix, restore @ The police busted the gang of drug dealers gang. @ Mary and her boyfriend bust up last week. BUTTRESS N., V. a support, foundation, base þ Syn. prop, reinforcement, bolster @ Soon after the church w as bui lt buttresses had to be built along the south wall because it was beginning to collapse. BUNGLE V., N. to do a job clumsily or awkwardly, goof up þ Syn. botch, mismanage, ruin ¬ Ant. succeed, thrive, make it @ Our tour operators really bungled ­ they booked us on the wrong flight! @ Your bungle is going to cost the company dearly. BUXOM Adj. vigorously or healthily plump, full bosomed @ A scantily dressed buxom blonde attracted the crowd towards the new car she was promoting in the trade fair. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . (d ) benef actor beni gn bl at ant bli the bourgeoi s ca ref r ee middle class donor not harmful of fensively noi sy 1 . (c ) 3 . ( e ) 4 . ( a ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 . (b )
Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test IC : PTpntvb01 (39) of (188) “C”
CABAL N. CALAMITY N., CALAMITOUS Adj. a small party united for a secret purpose, gang, conspiracy, plot catastrophe, af fli cti on, disaster þ Syn. group, unit, sect, faction, section þ Syn. hardship, distress @ It is alleged that he was a member of the cabal responsible for the bombings. ¬ Ant. prosperity, tranquillity, blessing @ They feared the calamitous consequences of yet another war. @ The UTI scam came as a calamity to the middle class. CACHE ( KASH ) N. a h i d i n g p l a c e f o r t r e a s u r e , p r o v i s i o n , a m m u n i t i o n e t c ., storehouse þ Syn. store, accumul ation, reserve @ I keep a cache of chocolate at the back of the cupboard. CACHET ( KASHAY ) N. a seal usually used as a mark of official approval, a distinctive stamp of prestige, mark, emblem þ Syn. status, reputati on @ The Diners club card was a prized cachet in the not­so­distant pas t. CACOPHONY N., CACOPHONOUS Adj. CALLIGRAPHY N. beautiful penmanship, a characteristic writing þ Syn. lettering, handw riting @ Mary won the calligraphy prize when she was at school. CALLOUS Adj., CALLOUSNESS N. hardened, cruel, insensitive, unfeel ing þ Syn. apatheti c, cold, hard­hearted ¬ Ant. sensiti ve, empathetic, tender @ The officialdom is notorious for its callousness. @ S m r i t i ’ s c a l l o u s b e h a v i o u r i s a n o u t c o m e o f y e a r s o f repression. discord, horrible sound; harsh, displeasing noise þ Syn. dissonance, di sharmony CALLOW Adj. ¬ Ant. harmony, accord, agreement inexperi enced, immature, juvenil e, unsophi sticated, youthful @ There are some people who enjoy even the cacophony of the st reet s. CADAVER N., CADAVEROUS Adj. þ Syn. naive, adol escent, green ¬ Ant. stylish, difficult, urbane, mature @ Richard was just a callow youth of sixteen when he arrived in Pari s. corpse þ Syn. dead body, remains, carcass CALUMNIATE V., CALUMNY N. @ Rivers like the Ganges, the Yamuna etc. have been polluted by human and animal cadavers, in addition to other pollutants. to spread malicious slander @ He is so emaciated that he appears cadaverous. CADENCE N. Balanced, rhythmic flow, as of poetry or oratory @ The cadence of the parade at the Republic Day always instils a sense of patriotism in me. @ Media is always handy in calumniating a politician or a public f i gu re. @ The office was torn apart by calumny; soon nobody trusted a ny bo dy. CAMARADERIE N. good fellowship, the feeling of comradeship þ Syn. brotherhood, esprit de corps CAGEY Adj. ¬ Ant. enmity, hostility, antagonism secretive, artfully shy, marked by cleverness @ Peace­loving nati ons of the w orl d must unite as it is only thr ough camar ader i e th at th e evi l s of the w orl d can be eliminated. þ Syn. wary, guarded, reticent, evasi ve ¬ Ant. careless, slapdash, imprudent @ The secret service is cagey about the whole phone­tapping busi ness. CA JOLE to fl atter, coax, persuade þ Syn. wheedl e, coax CAMEO N. shell or jewel carved in relief; a small theatrical appearance þ Syn. character part, cameo role @ He has a cupboard full of cameos. @ Even a cameo by Amitabh Bachhan is sufficient to pull the crowds to the theatres. ¬ Ant. bully, coerce @ She was confident that she could cajole her father into buying her a new dress. CAMOUFLAGE N., Adj., V. a device used for disguising oneself to deceive others, conceal þ Syn. disguise, mask, obscure, facade @ The chameleon’s camouflage was so good that the bird failed to spot it. @ Militarymen wear a camouflage jacket.
(40) of (188)
IC : PTpntvb01 CANARD N. CANTANKEROUS Adj. An unfounded or false, deliberately misleading story perverse in temper, testy, quarrelsome @ The canard of sexual exploitation in the university claimed its first victim as the professor committed suicide. þ Syn. argumentative, contentious CANDID Adj., CANDIDNESS N., ¬ Ant. quiet, submissive @ T h e o l d e r s o m e p e o p l e g e t , t h e m o r e d e m a n d i n g a n d cantankerous they seem to become. CANDOUR N. frank, ingenuous, clear, impartial, fair, open and honest, free of bias even to the extent of bluntness CANTER N., V. þ Syn. true, veracious, scrupul ous þ Syn. run, gallop, trot, jog, sprint ¬ Ant. fal se, untrue, dishonest, evasi ve @ The horse’s canter was so graceful! an easy gallop/motion @ A candid judgement is what we all seek from the judiciary. @ They of ten cri tici sed me f or my candour, but real i sed its significance when I was given the best manager award. CANVASS V., N. CANINE Adj., N. determine or seek opinions, votes; to do a survey, solicit votes, opinions or orders; a firm closely woven cloth used as a surface for painting like or pertaining to a dog, related to dogs þ Syn. drum up support, test, poll @ The feline are loners while the canine move in packs. @ The party w orkers canvassed the whole night for the l ocal candidate. @ Sometimes my canine instinct is aroused but I quickly control it. @ Mona Lisa, the canvass by Leonardo Da Vinci is a masterpiece to many and a mystery to some. CANNIBAL N., CANNIBALISM N. one who eats of the flesh of one’s own species CAP ACIOUS @ It is believed that even today cannibals exist in some parts of our country. large, roomy, extensi ve þ Syn. spacious, commodious ¬ Ant. small, cramped CANNY @ We wondered how many stores occupied the capacious mall. smart, founded on common sense, careful þ Syn. astute, sharp CAPE N. ¬ Ant. obtuse, unintel ligent a point or extension of land jutting out in water like a peninsula; a sleeveless outer garment that fits closely at the neck and hangs loosely over the shoulders. @ The executi ve's canny business sense saved the company from bankruptcy. þ Syn. isthmus, mantle, promontory, headland CANOE ( KENOO ) N. a boat made of hollowed trunk of a tree @ Canoes are the cheapest mode of transport in the backwaters of Kerala. @ Ships had to sail around the Cape of Good Hope in order to reach Indi a. @ Sushmita wore a purple woollen cape for the IFFI awards. CAPITOL V. CANON N. the building in which a legislature convenes (in the US), senate a law or a rule, standard or criterion @ Following the bomb threat, the capitol was evacuated. þ Syn. norm, principle, tenet, annals @ Hard working executives coin their own canons of business practi ce. CAPITULATE V. to yield or surrender on certain conditions, to give in, acquiesce þ Syn. cede, succumb, yield, forfeit CANOPY N., V. ¬ Ant. vanquish, subdue, overcome aw ning, covering, shade, tester þ Syn. cover, shelter, blind, roof @ The company had to capitulate to the employees’ demand of a wage hike. @ We sat drinking our coffee under the canopy, grateful for the s ha de . CAPRICE N., CAPRICIOUS Adj. a sudden/abrupt change of mind or opinion CANT N., V. þ Syn. impulse, quirk, fancy, fad, vagary a hypocri ti cal or perfunctory styl e of speech, i ncli ne, jargon, trite talk, dialect of a particular group @ The caprice of fate caught him unawares. þ Syn. insincerity, false piety, humbug CAPSIZE V. ¬ Ant. seri ousness, earnestness to overturn @ Despite his cant he cannot pass off as a foreigner. þ Syn. keel over, tip over, upset @ T he p ol i c e sa i d th at t he b o at h ad c ap si z ed b ec au se o f overl oading.
IC : PTpntvb01 (41) of (188) CAP TIOUS Adj. CAROUSAL N., CAROUSE V. ready to find faults, hypercritical, faultfinding Boisterous drunken merrymaking or revelry þ Syn. peevish, censorious, hairsplitting @ Sameer lost his senses in the New Year’s eve carousal and abused Preeti . @ He preferred to work overtime than go home to his captious wi fe. CARP V. CARPING N., Adj. CARAFE N. A glass pot with a pouring spout, used in making coffee or tea to criticise unreasonably, nag, scold, berate, cavil, flay, to nitpick, find fault in a petty manner @ “Serve me tea i n a carafe,” he ordered, pushi ng the mug asi de. þ Syn. complain, moan, grumble, nag CARAVAN N., V. @ After years of havi ng to listen to her carping criti cism, he finally left her. a group of people travelling together þ Syn. procession, convoy, motorcade @ The VIP caravan will arrive shortly. @ We take the children camping or caravanning every summer. CARCINOGENIC Adj. CARCINOGEN N. a substance that promotes growth of cancer @ Ultraviolet rays of the sun are carcinogenic. @ Ci g aret te s moke con tai n s ma ny c arci noge ns; that ’s w hy smoking is banned at public places. @ He’s convinced that however much people carp about junk mail, most couldn’t live without it. CARTOGRAPHY N. CARTOGRAPHER N. the science of map­making @ Cartography originated in Mesopotamia. @ Leonardo­da­Vinci was a cartographer too. CASANOVA N. lover esp ; a man who is a promiscuous and unscrupulous @ Commitment in a relationship is not expected of a casanova. CA RDIOLOGIST CASCADE N., V. physician specialising in diseases of the heart small waterfall; something falling or rushing forth in quantity @ Al though a f amous cardiol ogi st perf ormed the operation, Krishna's heart transplant was unsuccessful. þ Syn. flow, pour, drop, spill, tumble CAREEN V. @ Coins cascaded out of the vending machine. @ A series of cascades had been caused by large boulders which had fallen into the stream. To lurch or swerve while in motion þ Syn. stagger, sway, swing CA STIG A TE @ The car careened to a grinding halt as I jammed the brakes. to punish, chastise, criticise severely þ Syn. reprimand, admonish CARICA TURE N. ¬ Ant. praise, commend distorti on, burlesque @ Sunil’s father castigated him for not attending the morning p ra y e r.
þ Syn. cartoon, drawing, skit, sketch @ There was a wonderful caricature of the prime minister in the new spaper yesterday. CARNAGE N. a massacre, large scale killing of people, blood bath, destruction of life, slaughter þ Syn. mass killing, bloodshed, butchery @ The images of the Godhra carnage still haunt its victims. CARNAL Adj. rel ati ng to or gi ven to crude bodi l y pl easures or appeti tes; marked by sexuality @ His tastes lie on the carnal side of life. CARNIVOROUS meat­eating Shipra Jain
IIM­L, IIFT, MDI,
XLRI, IIT­B
The best part of PT is its
faculty team an d
material, whether it is
language, Quant or
Reasoning. The teachers
provided total support
that kept me motivated.
The material provided
too was one of the best.
þ Syn. predatory, raptori al ¬ Ant. herbi vorous, vegetari an @ Do gs ar e ca rni vo rou s ani ma l s an d do no t d o w e l l on a vegetari an di et. (42) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 CATACLYSM N. CA USTIC del uge, upheaval biting, sarcastic, able to burn þ Syn. catastrophe, disaster, calami ty þ Syn. stinging, scathing @ The organised killing of millions will have a cataclysmic effect on the small African nation that has been already ravaged by AIDS. ¬ Ant. kind, soothing CA TA LYST CAUTERIZE V. something that does not change but causes change to burn/destroy/sear with a hot substance þ Syn. accel erator, sti mulant @ Cauterisation was the only cure for Rabies in the 18th century. @ Khaled Mohammed is reputed for his well­written but caustic movi e revi ews. ¬ Ant. bl ockage, anti catalyst @ The imposition of fresh taxes acted as a catal yst and the revolution gathered momentum. CA TA RA CT N. great waterfall; eye abnormality þ Syn. cascade, chute, torrent, fl ume @ Victoria Falls is a mighty cataract. @ Di abetes also causes cataract. CATASTROPHE N. CATASTROPHIC Adj. adversity, affliction, blow, mass destruction, di saster þ Syn. calamity, misfortune, ruin CAVALCADE N. a procession or sequence þ Syn. column, caravan, convoy, line @ The PM’s cavalcade passed through the city an hour ago. CAVALIER (n) mounted soldier (adj) haughty, unceremonious þ Syn. offhand, contemptuous ¬ Ant. respectful, modest @ The nobleman's cavali er attitude tow ards the suf feri ng of the peasants made them hate him. @ A catastrophic storm ravaged the city. @ The emigration of scientists is a catastrophe for the country. CAVIL V., N. CATEGORICAL Adj. CATEGORICALLY Adv. to find faults with or raise trivial objections to, to object in an unimportant way, to find fault in a captious way unequivocal, unambiguous, total, definite, absolute þ Syn. carp, quibble, nudge, henpeck þ Syn. clear­cut, uncompromising @ Do not cavil or you will demoralise the young scientist. ¬ Ant. qualified, fit, capable, competent @ He wanted a categorical reply to his query. @ They cavilled at the price, although many freebies had been incl uded. @ Though the government categoricall y denied any plans f or retrenchment, the employees of PSUs were not convinced. CEDE V. transfer, yield title to, surrender formally CATHARTIC Adj., N. CATHARSIS N. þ Syn. concede, let go, relinquish purifyi ng, purgative, cl eansing ¬ Ant. acquire, obtain, attain, buy þ Syn. liberating, beneficial, energising @ He ceded all his real estate to the school of the handicapped. @ Mountaineering, the buffs say, is a cathartic experience. CELERITY N. CA THOLIC alacrity, cadence, swi ftness, stride, speed, rapidity universal, broad and comprehensive þ Syn. haste, promptness þ Syn. generic, unbiased þ Ant. disregard, lassitude ¬ Ant. parochial, limited @ James Bond’s celerity holds the audience spellbound. @ Hot tea with honey is a catholic remedy for a sore throat. CELIBACY N. CELIBATE Adj. CAUCUS N. unmarried state especially under a vow Any small and influential group within a larger body @ Catholic priests are expected to lead celibate lives. þ Syn. conclave, committee, conference @ Bhishma of Mahabharata observed celi bacy. @ In the U S, caucuses are someti mes hel d to deci de w hich candidate a group will support. CELEBRITY fame, well­known person CA USA LITY þ Syn. stardom, renown cause and effect relationship ¬ Ant. obscuri ty, anonymity þ Syn. connection, agent @ The cel ebri ty was mobbed by crazed f ans as soon as he stepped out of the car.
@ T he re w a s de f i n i t e c au s al i t y b et w e e n th e n ew p e t an d Reshma’s respiratory problems. IC : PTpntvb01 (43) of (188) CELLAR N. CHAOS N. CHAOTIC Adj. basement, bunker, crypt, vault þ Syn. vault, underground room commotion, disturbance, anarchy, confusion, extreme disorder, conf usion @ The cellars full of wine casks made a tempting sight. þ Syn. imbroglio, clutter, disarray ¬ Ant. regularity, unif ormity, symmetry CEMETERY N. burial ground, churchyard, graveyard þ Syn. memorial park @ The municipal cemetery dotted with tombstones provided the eerie setting for the finale of the horror movie. CENSURE ( SENSHER ) V., N to condemn, to blame, to express disapproval of þ Syn. fault, reprimand, knock, scorn ¬ Ant. praise, admire, extol, eulogise @ The directors w ere censured for their lack of deci siveness during the crisis. CENTRIPETAL @ Chaos theory is a scientific theory about situations that obey particular laws but appear to have little or no order. CHAPERON N. an older person who supervises and protects younger ones þ Syn. escort, gui de, retinue @ The family was chaperoned to safety by the commandos. CHARISMA N. CHARISMATIC Adj. divine gift; great popular charm or appeal þ Syn. personality, magnetism, allure @ I can’t understand how a man of so little personal charisma came to be the chairman of this company. @ A charismatic actor like Shahrukh is a known face in Hollywood t o o . directed or moving towards the centre ¬ Ant. centrifugal CHA RLA TA N @ Centripetal force keeps trains from derailing as they round c ur v es . quack, fake þ Syn. fraud, cheat ¬ Ant. real, genuine CERULEAN Adj. sky blue, sea green @ The patient called the doctor a charlatan as the medicines did not work. þ Syn. azure, cobalt, navy, sapphi re @ I was mesmerised by her cerulean eyes. CHARY Adj. careful , prudent, w ary, watchful, ungenerous, stingy, cauti ous CESSATION N., CEASE V. þ Syn. suspicious, mindful, shy of a stoppi ng, pause, suspension @ Banks used to lend money to anyone but they’ve grown chary since the recession. þ Syn. termination, close, ending, pause @ The politician asked if the cessation of terrorist activities had made the Punjab police complacent. CHASM ( KAZM ) N. a big gap on earth’s surface, abyss, a major difference of opinion CHAFE V. þ Syn. breach, clef t, canyon, gorge to wear off by rubbing, to abrade, to get irritate, vex @ They leaned over the rails and peered down into the dizzying chasm below. þ Syn. scrap, scratch, annoy @ Please make sure that the collar is not too tight or it might chafe the dog’s neck. @ As the tal ks fai l ed, the pol i ti cal chasm betw een the tw o countri es w idened. @ He was a man of vision who chafed against the cruel practices of his time. CHASTE Adj. CHAGRIN N. þ Syn. abstinent, maidenly, virginal something that annoys or causes embarrassment, feeling distress, e m b a r r a s s m e n t , u n h a p p i n e s s b r o u g h t o n b y h u m i l i a t i o n , di sappointment, vexati on @ In the past, a woman needed to be chaste to make a good marriage. þ Syn. mortification @ Much to his chagrin, he found that the work had not been compl eted. CHAMPION (v) to defend or support (n) – victor, winner þ Syn. proponent, promoter refi ned and pure in style, modest, pure from unl awf ul sexual i ntercourse CHASTISE V., CHASTEN ( CHASN ) Adj. to punish, to restrain or moderate, to castigate þ Syn. reprimand, discipline, chastise @ To chasten his errant son, the father disowned him. @ The kids were chastised for picking their neighbours’ flowers. CHAUVINIST N. CHAUVINISM N. CHAUVINISTIC Adj. ¬ Ant. opponent, critic bl indl y devoted patriot; prejudiced belief i n the superiority of one’s own gender @ Usha continued to champion the rights of the prisoner, as she believed that he was innocent. þ Syn. bigot, sexist (44) of (188) @ It is male chauvinism, when the few women who have jobs are ridiculed.
IC : PTpntvb01 CHECKERED/CHEQUERED Adj. CHOLERIC pa tt ern ed w i th al ter nat i n g s qu are s of col ou r; to va ry w i th contrasting elements or situations easi ly angered, short­tempered @ As the chequered flag went up in the Shanghai Grand Prix, Ferrari won this year’s championship. ¬ Ant. amiable, affable þ Syn. irritable, irascible @ In his checkered career, he lived in palaces as well as barns. @ The choleric principal raged at the students who had come late to school. CHERUBIC Adj. CHOICE (adj.) angel ic, innocent­looking specially sel ected, preferred þ Syn. divine, holy, blessed, spiritual (n) – selection, picking @ Her eyes, her innocent queries and her disarming smile make her cherubic. þ Syn. fi nest, exclusive CHIC ( SHEK ) N., Adj. @ When he took the choi cest cut of the cake f or himself, it annoyed e verybody. ¬ Ant. inferior, mediocre style, el egance, skill, fashionable þ Syn. attractive, elegant, modish CHROMATIC – relating to colour @ She wears chic, expensive clothes with designer labels. þ Syn. hued, bright @ Chic females in the malls is what attracts boys there. ¬ Ant. wan, pallid CHICANERY @ As he was colour blind, his chromatic perception was different from normal people. trickery, fraud, decepti on þ Syn. deceit, duplicity CHRONIC Adj. ¬ Ant. honesty, scrupulousness of long duration, continuing @ The buyer must be on guard against chicanery while buying a used car. þ Syn. prol onged, persistent, extended CHIDE CHURLISH Adj., CHURLISHNESS N. to scold, express disapproval rude, ungracious, insolent, ill­mannered þ Syn. chastise, reprimand þ Syn. boorish, truculent, impolite ¬ Ant. laud, approve ¬ Ant. courteous, poli te, considerate @ Fatima chided her dog for eating the birthday cake that she had baked for her friend. @ Riches should not be an excuse for churlishness. @ Sloth is a chronic malady of the Indian psyche. @ They invited me to dinner and I thought it would be churlish to ref use. CHIMERA (KI MERA) N. CHIMERICAL Adj. a wild fancy CHUTZPAH ( HOOTSPE ) N. þ Syn. f antasy, daydream excessi ve bol dness, nerve ¬ Ant. reality, realism, truth, certainty þ Syn. gall, brashness, ef frontery @ Precision and quality is a chimera for Chinese manufacturers, according to their Indian rivals. @ Bhutto’s chutzpah met an ignominious end. CIRCUITOUS Adj. CHIVALROUS (SHI­VALROUS) Adj. CHIVALRY N. having a circular or winding route; roundabout brave, bold, gallant, courteous to ladies þ Syn. indirect, meandering, winding þ Syn. courtly, mannerly, gracious ¬ Ant. direct, strai ght, through ¬ Ant. boorish, rude, impolite, rough @ Men, they say, are chivalrous as long as the bride is new or bel ongs to another. @ To declare someone very simple is a circuitous way of calling him a fool. @ Chivalry in tits and bits is still visible in the Indian society. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 .( e ) cosmopoli tan co ve rt credible criteri on crypti c beli evable worldly and sophisticated mysteri ous standard sec ret 1. (b ) 3 .( a ) 4. (d ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5. (c )
Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Tes IC : PTpntvb01 (45) of (188) CIRCUMLOCUTION N. CLAMOUR N., CLAMOUROUS N. expressing an idea indirectly, evasive talk, pleonasm a loud continuous outcry @ Politicians excel in the art of circumlocution. þ Syn. yell, cry, screech, bawl, holler ¬ Ant. whisper, sigh, rumour, hint CIRCUMSCRIBE @ Every politician clamours for a place in the cabinet. to encircle, restrict, confine þ Syn. surround, demarcate CLANGOUR N. ¬ Ant. liberate, set free loud, resounding noise @ Pahalgam is circumscribed by rolling mountains. þ Syn. peal, ringing, tolling, dingdong CIRCUMSPECT @ The noise level in today’s life has reached such a level, that the clangour destroys all peace. cautious, wary þ Syn. guarded, secreti ve CLARITY ¬ Ant. frank, open cl earness, clear understandi ng @ Repeated failures have made Jack far more circumspect in hi s ventures. þ Syn. lucidity, comprehensibility CIRCUMVENT @ She explained the plan to him with the utmost clarity, but he still failed to understand. ¬ Ant. confusion, incomprehensibility to go around, avoid þ Syn. evade, dodge ¬ Ant. confront, f ace @ Lal ita circumvented the hospital's rules and remained l ong after visitng hours, pretending to be a doctor’s relative. CISTERN tank for rainwater þ Syn. reservoir, vat @ When their water supply was cut off, the family had to rely on the old cistern. CLAUSTROPHOBIA N. CLAUSTROPHOBIC Adj. fear of small enclosed spaces @ Because of his claustrophobia, he used to keep the doors of his room wide open, even when he slept. @ I feel claustrophobic in crowded suburban trains. CLEAVE V. to separate into distinct parts, to split þ Syn. slice, cut, slash, smite, hew, chop CITADEL @ Communal politics finally cleaved Indian subcontinent. fortress or stronghold þ Syn. castle, fortification CLEMENT Adj., CLEMENCY N. @ The nobleman retreated to his citadel to protect himself from an attack. disposition to be lenient; mildness, as of the weather CIVIL polite, relating to citizens þ Syn. civilised, polished ¬ Ant. impolite, uncultured @ Police officers are instructed to be civil to the general public, although cases of highhandedness continue to occur. CLAIRVOYANT Adj., CLAIRVOYANCE N. Ha vi n g t he pow er to se e o bje cts or ev ent s tha t c ann ot be percei ved by the senses @ The clairvoyant foretold the rise of India and China as new superpow ers. þ Syn. mercy, forgiveness, moderation ¬ Ant. harshness, austerity, bleakness @ Wh en th e su pre me co ur t u ph el d t he de at h p en al ty, t he prisoner prayed to the President of India for clemency. @ Justice Bhandari is known to be a cl ement judge and has never awarded the capital punishment. CLICHE ( KLEESHAY ) N., Adj. a stereotyped phrase, overw orked expression, banali ty þ Syn. commonplace, platitude @ Women’s emancipation has become a cliche. @ His cliched expressions failed to rouse her empathy for him. CLIQUE N. CLANDESTINE small, exclusive group secretive, concealed for a darker purpose þ Syn. cabal, faction, clan, gang, coterie þ Syn. covert, steal thy @ He left the party, claiming that a clique had hijacked its ideals. ¬ Ant. open, above board @ T h e d o u b l e a ge n t p a i d m a n y c l a n d e s t i n e v i s i t s t o t h e president's office in the dead of night. CLOISTER N., V. CLAMBER V. @ Dr. Ashok Sen, a nuclear scientist, cloistered himself in his lab for years, to come up with a nucleus separator.
climb by crawling A place, especially a monastery or convent, devoted to religious seclusion; to seclude þ Syn. scramble, scale, mount, crawl @ He clambered up the cliff inch by inch. (46) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 CLOSET N., V. COG N. a small private room, private chambers of a sovereign a spoke in a wheel, an unimportant person in a large organisation þ Syn. private, cl andestine, secreti ve þ Syn. component, gear, mechanism ¬ Ant. open, unlock, unbolt, unf asten @ Oil the cogs, they say, to keep the wheel moving. @ Once the CBI enquiry started, the secrets started coming out of the closet. COGENT Adj. convi ncing, persuasive, pertinent CLOUT N. þ Syn. forceful, strong, well­argued, relevant great influence, especially political or social ¬ Ant. unconvincing, weak, f eeble þ Syn. wallop, whack, smack, blow @ Hi tl e r’ s c oge nt ar gum ent s w er e e nou gh to co nvi nc e h i s countrymen about the legitimacy of his heinous crimes. @ Women in dual­earner households are gaining in job status and earnings, giving them more clout at work and at home. COGITATE V. CLOYING Adj. distasteful because excessive, excessively sweet or sentimental þ Syn. over­sw eet, sticky, sugary ¬ Ant. clean, spotless, dirt free, tidy @ Sh e cr i t i c i s ed w ha t sh e de sc ri be d as t he f i l m’ s cl oy i n g sentimental ity. to give serious consideration or thought to, to contemplate, think o v e r þ Syn. consider, deliberate, ruminate @ For a world­cl ass economy Indi a must cogi tate over eco­ friendly legislation. COGNOSCENTE ( CONYOSHENTI ) N. COAX V. a critical judge of something, a connoisseur, esp. one of arts, wines etc. to try and persuade by flattery or fondling, to soothe or pet, cajole @ When it comes to wines, he is considered a cognoscente. þ Syn. wheedle, persuade, enti ce ¬ Ant. force, compel, coerce COHERENT @ He coaxed his parents into sending him abroad. intelligible, lucid, understandable þ Syn. rational, comprehensible COA GULATE ¬ Ant. irrational, muddled to clot or change from a liquid to a solid @ Chitra was so tired that her speech was barely coherent. þ Syn. clot, thicken ¬ Ant. liquefy, melt COHORTS N. @ Haemophil i acs can bl eed to death because thei r bl ood i s incapable of coagulating. henchmen COERCE COLLAGE N. to compel by force, intimidate any work put together from assembled fragments þ Syn. constrain, pressurise þ Syn. patchwork, collection ¬ Ant. persuade, coax @ India is a veritable collage of cultures and ideologies. @ The gun­wielding thief coerced the cashier into handing over all the money. COLLATE V., COLLATION N. COCOON N. to assemble pages of a file or manuscript in proper order, sort, correlate; a light meal the silky protective sheath spun by insect larvae while developing þ Syn. collect, gather, assemble, pool þ Syn. insulate, protect, envelop, w rap @ The anthropologists have more or less collated the history of mankind. ¬ Ant. expose, picture, rendering @ The mafia kingpin arrived in Mumbai along with his cohorts. @ The onl y way to succeed is to break out of the cocoon of inhibi tions. @ Since he invariably reached home late, he preferred a collation to a heavy meal. @ Rajesh cocooned himself from the world after his failed suicide attempt. COLLATERAL accompani ment, security CODDLE V. þ Syn. corroborati ve, surety to treat gently, pamper @ The CEO urged the managers to stick to the agenda and not be distracted by collateral issues. @ We never coddle our students. COFFER N. COLLOQUY N. a chest for holding treasure or money, vault m u t u a l d i s c o u r s e , f a i r l y s e r i o u s c o n v e r s a t i o n , d i a l o g u e , conf erence þ Syn. casket, strongbox, saf e, treasury þ Syn. discussion, meeting, symposium @ The government’s forex coffers were empty in 1991. @ John burst into the house eager to tell his good news but, noticing that his parents were engaged in quiet colloquy, he decided to wait.
IC : PTpntvb01 (47) of (188) COLLOQUIAL Adj., N. COMMISSA RY N. informal talk, unceremonious tal k, pertaining to conversational talk one to whom any charge is committed, an officer, a deputy @ He is the newly appointed commissary for the region. þ Syn. idiomatic, everyday @ His colloquial manner was contrary to the traditional sti ff­ upper­lip of the British. COMMISERA TE V. to condole with, to express pity for, to sympathise with COLOSSAL Adj., COLOSSUS N. þ Syn. empathise, console @ Most commiserate with the poor, only a few lend a helping han d. huge, enormous; a huge statue þ Syn. gargantuan, mammoth, titan @ India is ruled by the colossus of bureaucracy. COMMODIOUS Adj. roomy, spacious, comfortable þ Syn. large, ample, big, vast, extensive COLLUSION N. ¬ Ant. overcrowded, restri cted @ Colonial mansions are commodious and have an ambience. @ Th e sw i ndl i ng empl oyee cau sed col o ssal dam age to t he company. A secret agreement between two or more parties for a fraudulent, illegal, or deceitful purpose; connivance @ The collusion between the two terrorist groups is a matter of grave concern for the police department. COMATOSE Adj. COMMONPLACE found every day þ Syn. ordinary, mediocre ¬ Ant. speci al, exceptional @ Computers are commonplace in modern offices. drowsy, sleepy, affected with coma, unconscious þ Syn. exhausted, spent, passed out, torpid COMMOTION N. ¬ Ant. energeti c, active, brisk, bouncy activity, ado, action, turmoil þ Syn. disquiet, conf usion, bustle ¬ Ant. calmness, tranquillity, serenity @ The edi torial asked if the intel li gence of the country was comatose after the police failed to achieve any breakthrough in the bomb blasts case. @ The bomb scare created a commotion in the court house. COMELY Adj. COMMUNICABLE pleasing and wholesome in appearance; attractive transmittable þ Syn. contagious, infectious @ I would love to have a comely girl as my wife. COMMEMORATE V. to celebrate, to preserve the memory of þ Syn. honour, remember, observe ¬ Ant. ignore, disregard, discount @ A statue has been bui lt to commemorate the 100th bi rth anniversary of the poet. COMMEND ¬ Ant. incommunicable, non­transferable @ Nurses must wear surgi cal masks as a precaution agai nst communicable diseases. COMM UTE travel, exchange, reduce penalty þ Syn. attenuate, curtail ¬ Ant. increase, uphold @ His death sentence was commuted on an appeal filed by his wi fe. to compliment, praise þ Syn. applaud, extol ¬ Ant. criticise, condemn @ The teacher commended Yukta on her brilliant performance in the test. COMMENSURA TE proporti onal þ Syn. equivalent, corresponding ¬ Ant. di sproportionate, i nordinate @ Steve was given a salary commensurate with his experience. COMMENSURABLE Adj. capable of being measured by same unit @ The grief suffered by the innocent victims of the blast and the alleged injustices meted out to the jailed comrades were certainly not commensurable. (48) of (188) COMPASSION N. pi ty, commi serati on, sympathy, f orbearan ce, aw arene ss and caring for others, sympathy for others’ misfortunes þ Syn. empathy, kindness, care ¬ Ant. coldness, chilliness, frostiness @ “I understand how difficult it must be for you to live without your parents,” she said with compassion. COMPENDIUM N. brief summary of a larger work, abstract @ Th e s tud ent s s hou ted w i th hap pi n ess w h en the te ach er distributed a glossy compendium of Maths formulae just before the test. COMPELLING having a powerful and irresistible effect þ Syn. enthralli ng, captivating ¬ Ant. boring, dull @ The defense lawyer's compelling arguments made the jurors sympathetic towards the accused.
IC : PTpntvb01 COMPENSATE to repay or reimburse þ Syn. recompense, make amends @ The moving company had to compensate the customer f or causing damage to the furniture. @ The government has eased the procedure for filing tax returns but has made compliance mandatory. COMPOSURE N. mental calmness þ Syn. equanimi ty, serenity, mixture COMPLACENT Adj. COMPLACENCY N. COMPLACENCE N. satisfied with success and not trying for further improvements þ Syn. contended, pleased with oneself ¬ Ant. agitated, turbulent @ The complacent company soon realised that its slow pace of change had allowed its competitors to spread their tentacles. @ T h e R o m a n E m p i r e c a n a t t r i b u t e i t s d o w n f a l l t o t h e complacency of its people. ¬ Ant. agitation, campaigning, protest @ You may feel nervous but don't lose your composure in front of your interviewer. COMPOUND (adj.) complex, composed of several parts (n) – a mixture of two or more things þ Syn. composite, blended COMPLAISA NT Adj. cheerfully obliging, desirous of pleasing @ A c o mp l a i sa n t at t i t u de r e f l e ct s i ns i nc e ri ty to w ar ds th e organisati on. COMPLEMENT to complete, perfect þ Syn. accompaniment, adjunct ¬ Ant. contrast, disparity @ G i t a ' s m a r o o n s w e a t e r c o m p l e m e n t e d h e r g o l d e n h a i r perf ectl y. ¬ Ant. simple, synthesized @ A compound word is a combination of two or more words. COMPRESS to reduce, squeeze þ Syn. condense, contract ¬ Ant. amplify, enlarge @ The campers compressed the six­man tent into a tiny package. COMPRISE V. include, consist of COMPLIA NT þ Syn. encompass, embrace, involve submissive and yielding ¬ Ant. exclude, bar, prohibit, prevent þ Syn. acquiescent, amenable ¬ Ant. recalci trant, uncooperati ve @ India as a nati on compri ses as many cultures as there are s t at e s . @ The new employee was less quali fied but more compliant, leading to less conflicts in the office. @ The course comprises a class book, a practice book and an audi o tape. COMPLICITY N. COMPULSIVE participation or involvement in a questionable act or crime obsessive, f anatic þ Syn. responsi bility, connivance þ Syn. distraught, erratic @ His complicity in the sabotage case led to termination of his servi ces. ¬ Ant. controlled, flexible @ A compulsive l iar, Ravi claimed that he had once cl imbed Mount Everest with a yak on his back. COMPLY V., COMPLIANCE N. accord, acquiesce, adhere to, agree to COMPUNCTION N. þ Syn. obey, fulfill, abide by, submit A strong uneasiness caused by a sense of guilt ¬ Ant. def y, contravene, vi ol ate @ Mil i nd l acked compuncti on as he was seen partyi ng af ter committing the crime. @ Comply with the dictates of your conscience and you will never have to regret. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . (c ) circumscribe circumspect circumvent civil cl emency f ru stra te draw a line around cauti ous pol ite mercy
1 . (b ) 3 . ( a ) 4 . (d ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 . ( e ) Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test IC : PTpntvb01 (49) of (188) CONCEDE V. CONDESCEND V. to admit reluctantly, to yield to descend willingly from a superior position, to unbend þ Syn. grant, allow, compromise, forfeit þ Syn. stoop, deign ¬ Ant. maintain, continue, sustain @ I cannot believe that he could condescend to this level, just to insult me. @ The losing candidate conceded at midnight after the polls had cl osed. CONDIMENTS N. CONCEIT N., CONCEITED Adj. Holding or characterised by an unduly high opinion of oneself þ Syn. smug, arrogant, snobbish @ He’s a conceited young man who believes he’s always right about everything. A substance, such as a relish, vinegar, or spice, used to flavour or complement food. @ Add a couple of condiments to this bland curry and it will become delectable. CONDOMINIUM N. CONCEPTUALISE to envision, imagine þ Syn. visualise, behold @ It was easier to conceptualise the new building than construct it. a building or complex in which units of property such as apartments are owned by individuals and common parts like roof are jointly owned; joint sovereignty @ The condominium of the communist elite is no different from their erstwhile rulers. @ The all i es f eared that they w ere paw ns i n a superpow er condominium. CONCILIATORY Adj. CONCILIATION N. reconciling, soothing CONDONE V., CONDONATION N. þ Syn. appeasing, pacifyi ng, assuaging to f orgive, excuse, overlook, to pardon ¬ Ant. provocative, conf rontati onal þ Syn. disregard, close the eyes to @ He took a conciliatory initiative to end the discord. ¬ Ant. acknowledge, admit, recognise CONCLAVE N. @ If the government is seen to condone violence, the bloodshed will never stop. private meeting, secret meeting, convention þ Syn. assembly, council, congress CONDUCIVE Adj. @ The ministers huddled in a conclave to take the decision. helpful, suitable, promoting, furthering, aiding, contributive þ Syn. favourable, encouragi ng CONCOCT V., CONCOCTION N. to prepare by mixing ingredients, as in cooking; to devise, using skill and intelligence @ A work culture conducive for learning is what management graduates need in their internship. þ Syn. contrive, cook­up, formulate CONFISCATE @ This concoction will relieve you of your cold. to appropri ate, seize @ Shyam concocted a story for his late arrival. þ Syn. extract, annex ¬ Ant. bequeath, relinquish CONCOMITANT Adj., N. accompanying, occurring along with þ Syn. attendant, connected, affi li ated ¬ Ant. unrelated, unconnected, di stinct @ Social change is concomitant to economic revolution. @ If there is a shortage, there w ill be a concomi tant ri se in pri ces. @ The FBI agents conf iscated the shipment and arrested the drug dealers. CONFLAGRATION N. a deadly and devastating fire þ Syn. inferno, bush fire, forest fire @ The conflagration in the UP hills has damaged the ecosystem permanentl y. CONCORD agreement, harmony þ Syn. pact, consensus ¬ Ant. discord, disagreement @ The manager and her empl oyees were in concord over the changes to the product. CONFLUENCE gathering, meeting of two streams þ Syn. assemblage, merger ¬ Ant. divergence, split @ Allahabad is situated at the confluence of two rivers. CONCUR CONFOUND V. confuse, puzzle to agree þ Syn. stun, amaze, mystify, bewilder þ Syn. accede, acquiesce @ An elderly man from Hoogly has confounded doctors at the local hospital by getting up and walking after he was officially declared dead.
¬ Ant. argue, object @ When the owner suggested that there was a need to put in extra work to tide over the problem, everyone concurred. (50) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 CONGEAL CONNOISSEUR N. to become thick or solid, as a liquid freezing expert, aesthete, critic, judge, þ Syn. coagulate, clot þ Syn. authority, specialist, aficionado ¬ Ant. dissolve, liquefy @ A connoisseur will be able to tell you the value of that painting you found in your attic. @ The melted butter congealed on the floor, forming a sticky mass. CONGENIAL similar in tastes and habits þ Syn. aff able, convivial ¬ Ant. antagonistic, unsociable @ Couples with congenial personalities stay together longer than those who are opposites. CONGENITAL @ I’m no connoisseur but I know a good champagne when I taste one. CONSCIENTIOUS Adj. moral, honourable, right þ Syn. diligent, exact, meticulous @ S h e e t a l i s a n e x c e l l e n t s t u d e n t ­ ­ b r i g h t , a t t e n t i v e a n d consci entious. CONSCRIPT N., V. existing since birth draftee, person forced into military service, to draft or enlist a person by law or force þ Syn. inherent, innate þ Syn. recruit, enlist, enroll, rookie ¬ Ant. acquired @ One person from a family compulsorily has to be a conscript in some countries. @ The i nf ant's congeni tal def o rmi ty w as corrected through su rger y. @ Many young men were conscripted into the army during the Indo­China war. CONGLOMERATE collected group of varied things CONSECRATE V., Adj þ Syn. aggregati on, assemblage to devote or declare to a sacred cause ¬ Ant. individual, unit þ Syn. bless, anoint, baptise, purify @ The conglomerate manuf actured everything from chemicals to trucks. @ The monument is consecrated to the memory of fallen heroes. CONGRESS CONSENSUS formal meeting or assembly unanimity, agreement of opinion or attitude þ Syn. convention, convocati on þ Syn. accord, concord ¬ Ant. dispersion, disbanding ¬ Ant. discord, dissension @ The parties debated long into the night, but could not reach a compromise. @ The jurors f i nal l y reached a consensus and decl ared the def endant gui l ty. CONJECTURE N., V. CONSIGN surmise, guess, supposition, conclusion to commit, entrust þ Syn. guess, inference, speculati on þ Syn. delegate, turn over @ It is dangerous to act on mere conjectures. ¬ Ant. keep, recei ve CONJUGAL Adj. Of or relating to marriage or the relationship of spouses @ Today’s youth start enjoyi ng conjugal bl iss even pri or to marriage. @ They assembled at that consecrated spot to pray for peace. @ My aunt consigned her cat to the care of her neighbour while she vacationed in Kashmir. CONSOLATION something providing comfort or solace for a loss or hardship þ Syn. assuagement, all eviation CONJURE V. ¬ Ant. aggravation, i ntensifi cati on summon a devil, practise magic; imagine, invent @ The millions she inherited provided little consolation to the grief­stricken widow. þ Syn. summon, call­up, involve @ A completely happy life has to be conjured up. CONNIVE to conspire, deliberately ignore þ Syn. devise, cogitate @ The customs officials were found to have connived with the smugglers. CONSOLIDATE to combine, strengthen þ Syn. amalgamate, fortify ¬ Ant. shatter, fragment @ The author consolidated various articles into one book. CONSONANCE N. harmony, agreement, concord @ There must be consonance among all departments for the overall success of the company.
IC : PTpntvb01 (51) of (188) CONSORT N., V. CONTEMPLATIVE Adj. CONTEMPLATE V. CONTEMPLATION N. a companion or partner, a group or a company; to keep company, unite or associate deep in thought, meditative, musing, pensive þ Syn. conform, harmonise, associate @ The contemplative mood of the investors is wreaking havoc on BSE. @ The queen governed in consort with her advisers. @ A politician in Bihar is known to consort with gangsters. þ Syn. pensi ve, refl ective, introspecti ve @ Deepak sought f urther inf ormati on i n contempl ati on of a career change. CONSTERNATION N. worry, concern, di smay, astoni shment CONTEND þ Syn. disquiet, al arm, anxiety to battle, cl ash, compete ¬ Ant. composure, equanimity þ Syn. conf ront, di spute @ The entire nation looked on in consternation as the twin towers coll apsed. ¬ Ant. retreat, harmonise @ No boxer, past or present, would have been able to contend with Muhammad Ali in his prime. CONSTITUENT component, part, citiz en, voter CONTENTIOUS þ Syn. elemental, essential quarrel some, di sagreeable ¬ Ant. aggregate, composite þ Syn. belligerent, bellicose @ The leader was voted out of power as his constituents were unhappy with his work. ¬ Ant. amiable, affable @ T he c on te nt i ou s ge nt l e m an i n th e b ar a ng ri l y ri di cu l e d whatever anyone sai d. CONSTRAINED forced, compelled, conf ined, restrained CONTINENCE N. þ Syn. obl igated, coerced ¬ Ant. allowed, permitted voluntarily refraining from sexual intercourse, voluntary control over urinary and fecal discharge @ The writer, constrained by the limitations his editor imposed upon him, had to cut 200 pages from his book. @ In the epi c Mahabharat, Bhi shma vowed to l ead a l if e of cel ibacy and continence. CONSTRAINT @ As men age, prostate problems can cause l oss of urinary continence. somethi ng that forces or compel s, something that restrains or confi nes CONTINGENT Adj., N. CONTINGENCY N. þ Syn. compulsion, captivity likely but not certain to happen, ¬ Ant. release, liberty an unforeseen eventual ity; f ortui tousness @ The madman was chained, but this constraint was insufficient to prevent him from injuring five persons. þ Syn. emergency, incident, possibility @ The contingencies of life test one’s mettle. @ The Indian contingent for the Olympics arrived in Rome today. CONSTRUE to understand or interpret þ Syn. decipher, expli cate ¬ Ant. confuse, obf uscate @ She wasn't sure how to construe his remark but decided to consider it a compliment, for the sake of peace. CONSUL N. an official agent of a govt. appointed in a foreign land to take care of its citizens’ interests CONTORT V., CONTORTION N. to twist in a violent manner þ Syn. warp, deform @ E ven under anaesthesia, her contorted face reveal ed the pain she was enduring. CONTOUR N. outline, general character or aspect þ Syn. diplomat, ambassador þ Syn. curve, line, form, outline, shape @ T h e n e w l y ap p o i n t ed c o n s ul w a s so o n b e l e a g u e r ed b y probl ems. @ He studied the contour of her face, silhouetted against the darkening sky. CONSUMMATE Adj., V. CONTRABAND Adj. CONSUMMATION N. prohibited by law, excluded by law supreme, complete, perf ect, of the highest quality and order, accomplished, skilled þ Syn. illegal imports þ Syn. carry out, achi eve, expert @ The economic reforms led to a drop in contraband trade in Indi a.
@ Michelangelo was a consummate artist. @ Michelle consummated the business deal quickly and left for Pari s. (52) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 CONTRAVENE CONVIVIAL Adj. to contradi ct, deny, act contrary to social, jovial, gregarious, lively, spirited, congenial þ Syn. abjure, conflict þ Syn. welcoming, warm, cordial ¬ Ant. agree, approve ¬ Ant. unfriendly, aloof, distant, surly @ The watchman contravened his official instructions by leaving his post unmanned for an hour. @ Many an executive owes his promotion to convivial spouses. CONVOLUTED CONTRITE Adj. brokenhearted f or sin, penitent, sorry, apol ogeti c, sorrowf ul , regretf ul þ Syn. remorseful , repentant, penitent ¬ Ant. unapologetic, shameless @ Her set, contrite face told him more about her misery than words could have expressed. twisted, complicated, involved þ Syn. serpentine, tangled ¬ Ant. straight forward, simple @ Although many people bought ‘ A Brief History of Time’ , very few could follow its convoluted ideas and theories. COPIOUS Adj. CONTRIVE V., CONTRIVANCE N. suff icient, lavish, abundant, plentiful to plan, invent, to bring about, arrange, plot þ Syn. profuse, bountiful, numerous þ Syn. engineer, plan, plot, scheme ¬ Ant. a few, a couple, a handful, some @ It is believed that ISI contrived with the mil itants to bring about the Charar­e­Shari f di saster. @ I took copious notes so that I would have enough material for my term paper. CONTUMACIOUS Adj. CONTUMELY N. COQUETTE (KOKET) N. COQUETTISH Adj. obstinate, scornful, stubborn; scornful i nsolence a flirting woman @ The contumacious ways of Khruschev and Brez hnev have contributed much to Russia’s present economic condition. @ A coquette brings fun to life and brings ulcers as wife. @ He was patient for long but the last contumely was too much to bear and he retaliated in kind. @ The coquettish smil e on Deepali’s face i ndicates that she’s only having fun with Rituraj. CORDON V. (usually used with off ), N. CONUNDRUM N. any puzzling question, a riddle þ Syn. eni gma, quandary @ The conundrum of falling rupee has been worrying the finance ministry for long. to form a cordon around (an area) so as to prevent movement in or out @ The troops cordoned off the road leading to the president’s pa l ac e. CORNUCOPIA N. CONVENE An overflowing store; an abundance to meet, come together, assemble @ A c o r n u c o p i a o f e m p l o y m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s e x i s t s i n metropolitan cities. þ Syn. congregate, convoke ¬ Ant. di sperse, scatter @ The members of the board convene at least once a week. CORONER N. an officer who inquires into accidental or suspicious deaths CONVENTIONAL @ In many a murder case only the coroner’s report is crucial. typical, commonplace þ Syn. customary, orthodox CORPOREAL Adj. ¬ Ant. unorthodox, bohemian something physical or concrete, tangible, material, substantial @ Conventional wisdom today says that a good job requires a col lege educati on. þ Syn. bodily, animal CONVEX curved outw ard þ Syn. protuberant, cambered ¬ Ant. cerebral, psychol ogical @ The spiritual rewards of success far outweigh the corporeal one s. @ His corporeal needs were few – food and physical comforts meant nothing to him. ¬ Ant. concave, i ncurvate @ The convex shape of his pot belly contrasted sharply with his wife's taut and flat stomach. CORPULENT Adj., CORPULENCE N. very fat, obese, chubby þ Syn. fleshy, rotund, plump, podgy CONVICT N., V. ¬ Ant. slim, thin, slender, slight, wiry criminal, culprit, felon, to find or prove to be guilty @ The pol ice commi ssioner has deci ded not to put up wi th corpulent men among officers.
þ Syn. off ender, prisoner, condemn @ The mixing of hardened convicts with juvenile offenders is not a good idea. @ Hiren Thakur was convicted for murdering his wife. IC : PTpntvb01 (53) of (188) CORRELATION COUP (KOO) N. association, relationship between two or more things a master stroke, a sudden blow or stroke þ Syn. connection, association þ Syn. overthrow , revoluti on, takeover @ All too often, there is little correlation between a man’s wealth and his intelligence. @ The poli tics of coups is the bane of infant democracies of Af ri c a. CORROBORATE V., CORROBORATOR N. @ The company pulled off a coup when the product launch party was graced by the prime minister himself. to confirm, to make more certain, to ratify, to support þ Syn. agree with, substantiate, uphold COUPE N. ¬ Ant. contradict, gainsay, challenge a carriage with seating arrangements; a car with a fixed roof, two doors and usually a sloping back @ It is one thing to accuse, another to corroborate it. þ Syn. car, auto, vehi cle, sports car CORRUGATE V. @ I had reserved a coupe in the train. to wrinkle or draw into folds @ Time corrugates the most beautiful of faces. COVENANT N. a mutual agreement COSMETIC þ Syn. contract, treaty, promise, pledge relating to beauty, affecting the surface of something @ The covenants of law ought to be respected for sake of social order and harmony. þ Syn. beautifyi ng, superficial ¬ Ant. fundamental, structural @ Cosmetic surgery such as a nose job is generally not covered by insurance. COVERT Adj. covered, concealed, secret, hi dden þ Syn. clandestine, stealthy, veil ed COSMOP OLITAN ¬ Ant. open, unlock, unbolt, exposed b el o n gi n g t o a l l t h e w o rl d , s o ph i st i c at e d, f re e f r o m l o ca l prejudices @ T he m ur d er e d s o l di e r b e l o n ge d to an a rm y un i t w h i c h specialises in covert operations. þ Syn. international, multiracial ¬ Ant. provinci al, unsophi sticated COVET V., COVETOUS Adj. @ What the world needs today is a cosmopolitan outlook rather than narrow racial groupings. to wish for enviously; very desirous of something, avaricious, g re ed y þ Syn. envious, jeal ous COTERIE N. a social, literary or politically exclusive circle, clique, a distinct group of people with common interests, faction @ Many of the political blunders of Mr. Rajiv Gandhi are now attributed to his coterie. @ The covetous pol iti cian can hardl y f ormul ate a l ong­term policy of growth and development. @ My daughters are very competi tive and covet each other’s jobs. COWER V. COUNTENANCE N., V. to sink due to fear, to crouch shrinkingly, to cringe in fear ap pear ance , es peci al l y th e ex pres si on on the f ac e; t o gi ve approval to, tol erate þ Syn. cringe, tremble, recoil, shy away @ The question left him with a puzzled countenance. @ The most corrupt politician cowers at the mere mention of a public interest litigation against him. @ The Governess refused to countenance Shilpi’s insolence. COY Adj., COYLY Adv. CULL V., N. marked by cute, coquettish, or artful playfulness to pick out from others; select, to remove þ Syn. bashful, timid, modest, demure rejected members or parts from (a herd, for ¬ Ant. bold, shameless, audacious exampl e) @ There i s of ten strong emotional maturi ty behi nd the coy demeanour of a woman. @ This author has culled the best questions from various books and compiled them into a new exercise book. CULVERT N. a transverse and totally enclosed drain under a road or railway @ The road contact with Shimla was lost as the culverts alongway were overf low ing. @ Geetika acted coyly when we asked her about her fiance. CRA SS Adj. very unrefined, grossly insensible þ Syn. tactless, stupid, inane, ridiculous ¬ Ant. sensitive, recepti ve, percepti ve COUNTERMAND V. to give an order cancelling the previous one, to revoke þ Syn. cancel, stop, annul, retract @ Crass consumerism has affected the elite most. @ He made crass comments about her w orn­out dress even though he knew she couldn’t afford to buy any more clothes.
@ Th e s upr eme co urt ha s t he aut hor i ty to co unt erm and a decision of the lower courts. (54) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 CRAVEN CREVICE N. cow ardly, lily­livered an opening crack, fissure, clink, division þ Syn. faint­hearted, timid þ Syn. gap, cl eft, fracture, cranny ¬ Ant. brave, courageous @ The harsh li ght revealed every crevi ce and wrinkl e on his f a ce . @ The craven lion looked funny, cringing in a corner, away from the mouse. CRINGE V. CRAVING N. shrink back, as if in fear desire, hunger, longing, lust þ Syn. recoil, wince, shy away, cower þ Syn. passion, thirst, yearning, yen @ We all cringed at her ribald jokes. ¬ Ant. hatred, aversion, dislike @ Sometimes Neeta has a craving for chocolates. CRITERION standard for judging, rule for testing CREDIBLE Adj., CREDIBILITY N. þ Syn. benchmark, yardstick which may be believed @ Only recently has intelligence become an important criterion in judging beauty pageants. þ Syn. convincing, plausible ¬ Ant. incredible, enormous @ They haven’t produced any credi bl e pol ici es for improvi ng the situation. CROTCHET N., CROTCHETY Adj. @ The company lost credibility in the market after it was fined for evading taxes. @ The facade of a crotchety old man stood Hercules Poirot, the detecti ve, in good stead. CREDITABLE Adj. CRUCIFY V., CRUCIFIXION N. prai sew orthy, trustw orthy to put to death on a cross, to torment, to subdue þ Syn. good, worthy, laudable @ Humanity has always crucified its great only to venerate them later on. ¬ Ant. poor, deprived, reduced, pi tiable @ Pele’s performance as a football player had been creditable. CREDULOUS gullible, trusting þ Syn. naive, i ngenuous ¬ Ant. worldly­wise, suspicious @ Although small children believe in the Easter Bunny, only the most credulous teenagers do so. a fancy, a whim, an eccentricity @ Calgary is the site just outside Jerusalem where the crucifixion of Christ took place. CRUMPLE V. to crush into irregular wrinkles þ Syn. crease, crinkle, crush, screw up ¬ Ant. smooth, flat, level, even, soft @ Sylvie crumpled up the letter and threw it in the bin. CREED CRYOGENICS N. statement of belief or principle branch of Physics dealing with very low temperature phenomena þ Syn. doctrine, dogma, faith @ Indians were surprised at Russia's reluctance to share the Cryogenic engine technology with them. @ It was part of the old man's creed to cook his own food. CREME DE LA CREME (French) the best of the elite, the very best @ The creme de la creme of society were present at the classical music concert. CRYPTIC Adj. hidden, mysteriousl y obscure, secret, unseen þ Syn. puzzling, baffling ¬ Ant. exoteric, easy @ W he n i t ca m e t o w i n ni ng qu i z co nt e st s, ou r c l a s s w a s considered the creme de la creme. @ Archaeologists have deciphered the most cryptic of all ancient l anguages. CRESCENDO N. CUISINE – characteristic style of cooking a gradual increase in the intensity of a thing þ Syn. cookery þ Syn. upsurge, swelling, loudening @ The Mexican cuisine is spicy and tangy. @ The demand for reservation of 33 per cent seats of Indian Parliament for women is now reaching a crescendo. CUL­DE­SAC N. a blind alley, a trap CRESTFALLEN Adj. þ Syn. dead end, blind alley dejected, di spiri ted @ Beware! Your reckless ambition may lead you to a cul­de­sac.
þ Syn. disappointed, down, sad ¬ Ant. cheerful, happy, jovial, merry @ Saurav strode confidently out on to the pitch but returned crestfallen a few minutes later, with a score of only two runs. IC : PTpntvb01 (55) of (188) CULINARY Adj. CUPIDITY N. pertaining to the kitchen or cookery covetousness, greed, avarice þ Syn. cooking, gastronomic þ Syn. sel fishness, meanness, avidity @ The culinary expertise of the chef made him pricey. @ His success in business is largely due to his cupidity. CULMINATE V., CULMINATION N. CURA TOR to reach the highest point caretaker and overseer of an exhibition, especially in a museum þ Syn. end, terminate, conclude, finish ¬ Ant. start, create, found, establ ish @ The curator resigned when he could no longer bear begging for donations to keep the museum open. @ Their many years of research have fi nally culmi nated in a cure for Hepatitis B. CURSORY hastily done, superficial CULPABLE Adj. þ Syn. perf unctory, rapid cri minal, faulty, censurabl e, reproachable ¬ Ant. thorough, painstaking þ Syn. guilty, blameworthy, liable @ The copy edi tor gave the articl e a cursory glance, missing doz ens of errors. ¬ Ant. innocent, guiltl ess, naive, pure @ Sheltering a criminal is a culpable offence. CURTA IL CULP RIT to shorten, diminish guilty person þ Syn. reduce, pare þ Syn. miscreant, off ender ¬ Ant. increase, l engthen @ The police caught the culprit right outside the bakery, eating the stolen doughnut. @ I had to curtail my vacation because I ran out of money. CUTLERY CULT N. cutting instruments, tablew are an unorthodox or false religion, a fad, excessive admiration of an idea @ The restaurant w as notori ous for not washing its cutl ery properl y. þ Syn. sect, party, trendy, craze @ The Osho cult still has a tremendous following. CYNICAL Adj., CYNIC N. misanthropic, disbelieving, distrustful, sceptical CUMULATIVE Adj., CUMULATE V., CUMULATION N. þ Syn. pessimistic, mocking, sarcastic growing by addition @ Modern youth tends to be cynical. þ Syn. increasing, snowballing, swelling @ I ’ v e a l w a y s a b ho r r e d c y n i c s i n m y te a m b e c a u se t h e y demoral ise everyone. @ Gr ow i n g r i ch i s a cu mul ati v e pr oce ss, w i s e an d r egul ar investments bring in compunded benefits. CYNOSURE N. the focal point or centre of attraction @ Media plays a very big role in making a Kalpana Chawla or a Diana Hayden the cynosure of all eyes. A nt hr op ol og y The following are 10 words that are related to the topic mentioned a bo ve . ANDROID : BIBELOT : CONSANGUINITY : MIDDEN : NOMAD : (56) of (188) PETROGLYPH RITE : : SHIBBOLETH : TOTEM : VENDETTA : a robot with a human appearance a small item of rarity, beauty, or curiosity, relic; artifact relationship by blood a dunghill or refuse heap a pe r s on w h o m o v es a bo u t i n a s e a s on a l pa t t er n , especially in search of work and usually without a fixed home a prehistoric carving or drawing on stone a f ormal ceremoni al act or procedure, of ten part of solemn religious occasions a custom, principle or belief distinguishing a particular class or group of people. an object of animal with which a tribe, clan or group of people identity in its rituals a private feud in which kin are obliged to seek revenge for wrongs done to relatives
IC : PTpntvb01 “D”
DABBLER N. DEA RTH neophyte, beginner lack, insufficiency þ Syn. amateur, di lettante þ Syn. scarcity, shortage ¬ Ant. adept, professional ¬ Ant. abundance, surfeit @ The dabblers of yore are today the serious players of share market. @ The dearth of suppli es w as proving to be a greater threat than the firepower of the enemy. DAINTY Adj. DEBACLE N. pleasant to the palate, tasteful; small, dwarfish, petite a complete break up or collapse or failure þ Syn. charming, lilliputian, delicate þ Syn. disaster, undoing, cataclysm @ We were given tea and some dainty cakes. ¬ Ant. success, accomplishment DALLY V., DALLIANCE N. @ Liberalisation may prove to be a debacle in countries that do not gi ve i t a sustained and consi stent push backed up by regular policy reforms and political will. to lose time by idleness; playful flirtation þ Syn. hand about, dawdle, loiter ¬ Ant. hurry, rush, hasten, speed DEBASE @ The government is dallying over the issue of privatisation of telecommunication. to degrade or lower in quality or stature @ Her dalliance at work place resulted in her removal from the j ob . ¬ Ant. dignify, ennoble þ Syn. demean, humiliate @ The president's shameful actions debased the stature of his of f i ce. DANGLE V. to hang loosely or with a swinging motion DEBA UCH þ Syn. hand down, suspend, droop to corrupt, mislead from virtue or duty @ He dangled the puppet in front of the children. þ Syn. indulge in, degenerate ¬ Ant. straighten up, redeem DANK Adj. damp @ After the unscrupulous count debauched the mi ni ster, the conspiracy against the king began to take shape. þ Syn. moist, humid, soggy, wet @ The rooms of the village school are dank and dirty. DEBILITATE to weaken, enf eeble DASTARDLY Adj., DASTARD N. þ Syn. enervate, devitali se cow ardl y ¬ Ant. strengthen, invigorate þ Syn. shameful, immoral, base, low ¬ Ant. dignified, righteous @ Debilitated by the flu, the postman was barely able to finish his rounds. @ The bombing of the houses is yet another dastardly attack on innocent people. DEBONAIR Adj. elegant, courteous, of a good appearance DAUB V., N. þ Syn. suave, smart, refined, charming to paint carelessly, to smear ¬ Ant. graceless, clumsy, ungainly þ Syn. spread, slap, appl y, splatter @ The debonair actor was very popular among girls. @ A canvas daubed with paint is often passed of as modern art. DEBRIS ( DAYBREE ) N. DAUNT V. wreckage, rui ns, rubbi sh, garbage, waste to frighten, to subdue, to lessen the courage of, to cow þ Syn. remains, fragments, rubble, trash þ Syn. deter, di scourage @ The car was buried in the debris which the landslide had swept down the hill and this made recovery very difficult. ¬ Ant. arouse, awaken @ The daunting inflation rate had the finance minister worried. DEBUNK V. DAZE V., N. expose as fal se, exaggerated, worthless to stun, to stupefy, to confuse þ Syn. show up, deflate, discredit þ Syn. shock, astound, bemuse, baffle @ Ram er Pi l l ai ’ s cl a i m to gene rate petr ol f r om pl ants w as debunked fi nall y.
@ The drop in BSE sensex has dazed the economic pundits. @ She was wandering around in a daze after she got the highest marks in the university. IC : PTpntvb01 (57) of (188)
DEBUTANTE DECREPIT Adj. young woman making first formal entry into high society worn out from ages or overuse, weak, dilapidated, run­down @ The debutante spent hours dressing for her first ball. þ Syn. old, feeble, frail, weak, infirm ¬ Ant. hearty, vigorous, energetic, vi tal DECEITFUL Adj. @ A decrepit old man sat on a park bench. crafty, cunni ng, di shonest @ No one should have to live in a house that’s so run­down and decrepi t. þ Syn. deceiving, fraudulent, devious ¬ Ant. honest, truthful, sincere, candid @ The deceitful looks on his face made me wary of the proposal. DECRY to belittle, openly condemn DECIDUOUS þ Syn. disprove, berate losing leaves in the fall, short­lived, temporary ¬ Ant. approve, appreciate ¬ Ant. evergreen @ Governments all over the world decried the dictator's vicious massacre of hel pless peasants. @ Deciduous trees are bare in winter. DECIPHER V. to decode þ Syn. interpret, transl ate, crack @ Only a chemist can decipher a doctor’s handwriting. DEFAMATORY slanderous, injuri ous to reputation þ Syn. libellous, malicious ¬ Ant. complimentary, esteemed @ The tabloid was sued for making defamatory statements about the celebrity. DECLIVITY N. a place that declines or slopes downwards DEFECTION N. @ The hill people utilise the declivity of land for setting up water mills. deserti on DECOR N. general decorative effect of a room, scenery @ His defection from the charity resulted in a drop in the trust’s projecti ons. @ Recent changes in policy have resulted in large­scale defection from the party.
þ Syn. furnishings, interior decoration @ Red seats and cream walls may not be the most elegant decor but it’s a friendly pub. DECOROUS proper, tastef ul, sociall y correct þ Syn. mannerly, dignified ¬ Ant. indecorous, immodest @ He was always very decorous in the company of women. Pramod Kumar Dubey
IIM­K
At PT, the faculty team
was highly qualified
and professional in
their approach. Such a
DECORUM focused attitude helped
proper behavi or, propriety me prepare duly for the
þ Syn. etiquette, modesty ¬ Ant. impropriety, immodesty @ The way he handled the fork and knife, it was clear that he lacked the decorum to fit into high society. DECOY N. CAT and other MBA
entrance exams. I was
regularly given
feedback on my
þ Syn. lure, trap, snare, distraction, bait performance which
further enhanced my
@ They used a girl hitchhiker as the decoy to get him to stop. s k i l l s .
an animal, person or thing used to entrap a victim T r u l y
Professional!
DECREE N. a judicial decision, an order by an authority þ Syn. ruling, verdict, announcement @ Ayatollahs’ decree to assassinate Rushdie made life difficult for the author. (58) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 DEFENDANT DEFUNCT Adj. person required to answer a legal action or suit dead, no longer in use or existence þ Syn. appellant, accused þ Syn. obsolete, i nvalid, redundant ¬ Ant. present, existing, recent, modern @ The credit cooperati ve society w hich f unctioned so well is now def unct. ¬ Ant. plaintiff @ Th e de f end ant sat i mp assi vel y as w i t ness af t er w i tne ss described the dreadful crimes she had committed. DEFERENCE N. respectful compliance, submission, devotion, esteem þ Syn. regard, reverence, admi rati on ¬ Ant. contempt, disrepute, insol ence @ She covered her head out of deference to the custom at that place of worship. DEGENERATE V., DEGENERATIVE Adj. become worse, deteriorate, to sink into a lower or less useful sta te þ Syn. disi ntegrate, collapse, rel apse ¬ Ant. improve, get better, recover @ The debate quickly degenerated into a shouting match. @ Sufferi ng from a degenerative brai n disease, he asked f or euthan asi a. DEFERENTIAL respectful and polite in a submissive way DEITY N. þ Syn. courteous, humble god, goddess, divinity, idol þ Syn. holy being @ For many, worshipping a deity is more important than finding empl oyment. ¬ Ant. arrogant, rude @ The clerk treated the Supreme Court order very deferentially. DEFIANT Adj. DEFIANCE N. ¬ Ant. compliant, biddable, submissive DELECTABLE Adj., N, DELECTABILITY N. delightful, pleasing, delicious þ Syn. appetisi ng, exquisite @ A defiant Jack Welch went about restructuring the behemoth corporation called GE. @ The delectabl e perf ormance by the chil d­arti st enthrall ed many. disobedient, insubordinate, mutinous þ Syn. insolent, rebellious, bold DEFINITIVE clear­cut, expl icit, reliable þ Syn. conclusive, ultimate ¬ Ant. provisi onal, unauthoritative @ ‘Trains at a glance’ is a def initive guide f or every rai lw ay passe nger. DEFILE V. to pollute, corrupt, sully, besmirch þ Syn. tai nt, debase, corrupt, debauch @ Many peopl e bel i eve that the operati on to f l us h out the terrorists was a deliberate defiling of the place of worship. DEFLATION decrease, depreci ation þ Syn. devaluation, reduction ¬ Ant. inflation, rise @ The def lation of the currency resul ted in fi nancial disaster for many ordinary Russians. DEFORM to disfigure, distort þ Syn. misshape, cripple ¬ Ant. shape, boost @ Bipasha shrieked at the sight of the deformed features of the circus freak. DEFT Adj. neat, skillful þ Syn. adroit, clever, nifty, nimble ¬ Ant. clumsy, ungainly, maladroit @ The deft welder fixed the broken shaft so well that it does not seem to have broken at all. IC : PTpntvb01 @ When I return f rom my busi ness tri ps, I l ove to f east on home­cooked del ectables. DELIBERATE V. DELIBERATE Adj. consider, debate, meditate, mull, contemplate, plan, intentional, calcul ated, contrived, conscious þ S y n . r e f l e c t , t h i n k , w e i g h u p , p o n d e r, p u r p o s e f u l , premedi tated ¬ Ant. uni ntenti onal, unplanned @ I’ve been deliberating all morning and I still can’t decide what to do. @ A de l i berate act of sabotag e has be en unea rthed i n the computer department. DELEGATE (v) to give powers to another, entrust (n) – representative, envoy þ Syn. assign, depute ¬ Ant. cling to power, disenable @ After learning to delegate more work to his assistants, the manager reduced his stress level significantly. DELINEATION N., DELINEATE V. the act of representing pictorially þ Syn. portrayal , characteri sati on @ We sat for hours with the architect as she delineated each aspect of our proposed office complex. DELINQUENT Adj., N. failing in duty þ Syn. criminal, aberrant, offending ¬ Ant. honest, straight, peaceable @ The delinquent behaviour of insurance employees has stalled reforms in the insurance sector. @ People disagree over whether juvenile delinquents should be punished or helped.
(59) of (188) DELIRIOUS Adj., DELIRIUM N. DEMOG RA PHICS wandering in mind, insane; state of extreme happiness study or data relating to human population þ Syn. deranged, maniacal, raving @ Sophie had a high temperature and was delirious all last night. @ Demographi cs seem to indicate that the population of the world will double within the foreseeable future. @ Preeti has been in a state of delirium since Rohit asked her o u t . DEMOLISH V., DEMOLITION N. destroy, raz e, nul lif y, overthrow DELTA þ Syn. knock down, bulldoze, flatten tidal deposit at the mouth of a river, a Greek alphabet ¬ Ant. build, construct, erect, make @ The delta of a river is a very impressive aerial sight. @ The Australian pace attack demolished the Kiwi batting line­ up for just 87 runs. DELUDE V., DELUSION N. @ The demolition squad of municipal corporation has taken up the task of removing encroachments. to deceive, to cause to accept what is false as true þ Syn. deceive, cheat, con, fool, trick @ The thieves deluded the old lady into thinking that they were telephone engi neers. @ Simon laboured under the delusion that success was at hand. DEMOTE to reduce to a lower grade or rank þ Syn. downgrade, humiliate ¬ Ant. promote, aggrandise @ The army will demote any soldier who disobeys orders. DELUGE N., V. a flood, an excessive overflow; to inundate þ Syn. torrent, surf eit, overabundance DEMUR ¬ Ant. drought, dearth, famine to express doubts or objections @ A deluge of fan mail irked Britney Spears. þ Syn. protest, dissent ¬ Ant. accept, agree @ Mr Seth demurred when the suggestion was put to him. DELVE V. to make deep research, probe, investigate, inquire þ Syn. research, dig DEMURE Adj. ¬ Ant. scan, browse through sober, modest, staid, calm, undisturbed @ Some historians have delved deep into the past tryi ng to unearth mysteries related to the evolution of man. þ Syn. sedate, reserved, shy, retiri ng ¬ Ant. bold, brave, daring, courageous @ A Miss World candidate must know how to be demure. @ She gave him a demure smile. DEMARCATION borderline, act of defining or marking a boundary or distinction þ Syn. separation, delimitation DENIGRATE V. @ The Berlin Wall formed a clear demarcation between East and West Germany. to defame, asperse, degrade, deprecate DEMEANOUR N. ¬ Ant. praise, admire, extol, eulogise b eh a v i o u r o f a p e rs o n , c o nd u ct , be h a vi o u r, c om p o rt m e nt , beari ng @ I was very hurt when he denigrated my efforts. þ Syn. manner, conduct, character @ She has the demeanour of a woman who is content with her lif e. þ Syn. disparage, belittle, malign DENIZEN N. inhabi tant þ Syn. occupant, resident, dweller @ Dimple is one of the longer­serving denizens of the accounts department. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . ( e ) debilitate decorous definiti ve del uge de pre ca te flood express disapproval of concl usi ve w eaken proper 1 . (d ) 3 . (c ) 4 . ( a ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 . (b )
Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test (60) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 DENOUEMENT N. DEPREDATION N., DEPREDATE V. the outcome of a sequence of events, the end result state of being ravaged, act of plundering þ Syn. conclusion, finale, completion þ Syn. ravages, devastati on, havoc ¬ Ant. start, create, found, establ ish @ Depredation of the forests is destroying hundreds of species each year. @ The denouement in Shakespeare’s tragedies have a cathartic effect on the audience. @ The ‘Tehelka’ denouement was strikingly unexpected. DEPRECATE to belittle, disparage DENOUNCE þ Syn. disapprove of, deplore to accuse, blame ¬ Ant. praise, overrate þ Syn. condemn, criticise @ Anand deprecated his own contribution, and highlighted the efforts of his coworkers. ¬ Ant. praise, appreciate @ Shalini denounced her coworkers for stealing pencils from the of f i ce. DEPRECIATE to lose value gradually DENUDE þ Syn. deval ue, cheapen to make bare, uncover, undress ¬ Ant. appreciate, raise þ Syn. strip, expose @ Tax laws allow a fixed rate of depreciation on assets. ¬ Ant. cover, shroud @ Th e mo un ta i n w as c om pl et el y d en ud ed b y un co nt ro l l ed logging. DEPLETE V. to empty, reduce, exhaust, drain þ Syn. drain, diminish, lessen ¬ Ant. increase, augment, amplify @ With all emergency grain supplies depleted, the nation was headed towards fami ne. DERELICT Adj., N. f orsaken, abandoned, negl ected; a desti tute homeless social misfit þ Syn. dil apidated, ruined, vagrant @ Having lost his possessions in betting, Farhan now lives the life of a derelict. @ There are plans to redevelop the derelict building near the stati on. DERIDE V., DERISION N., DERISIVE Adj. to laugh at, to mock, to treat scornfully DEPLORE V., DEPLORABLE Adj. þ Syn. scoff, put down, mock, scorn to regret, to lament, bemoan ¬ Ant. approve, agree, commend þ Syn. condemn, criticise, deprecate @ I was derided for making such a stupid suggestion. ¬ Ant. approve, support, commend @ Dressed in a short skirt, Rupali became an object of derision among her friends. @ Even though I deplore the CEO’s decision, I’ll have to accept it. @ The inmates in Tihar jail live in deplorable housing conditions. DERIVE to take from a certain source DEPLOY þ Syn. procure, acquire to spread out strategically over an area, dispel ¬ Ant. originate, cause þ Syn. arrange, disband @ Maple syrup is derived from the sap of maple trees. ¬ Ant. gather, garner @ T h e g e n e r a l d e p l o y e d h i s t r o o p s a l l o v e r t h e r e g i o n , overwhelming the enemy through sheer numbers. DEPOSE DERMATOLOGIST N., DERMATOLOGY N. one who studies the skin and its diseases @ You need not consult dermatologists for each and every skin problem; a good beautician can do the job as well. to remove from a high position þ Syn. overthrow , overturn DEROGATE ¬ Ant. crown, empower to belittle, disparage @ After being deposed from his throne, the king spent the rest of his life in exile. þ Syn. denigrate, discredit DEPRAVITY N. ¬ Ant. praise, applaud @ The sarcastic old man never stopped derogating the efforts of his daughter, even after she won the Nobel Prize. amorali ty, debauchery, degeneracy, perversion þ Syn. corruption, evil, decandence DEROGATORY Adj. ¬ Ant. goodness, decency, honesty detracting, injurious, disparaging, belittling, negatively critical @ The depravity of the men running Hitler’s concentration camps was unimaginable. þ Syn. insulting, off ensive, deprecating ¬ Ant. complimentary, admiring, kind @ Wri ters usual l y wel come hel pf ul cri ti cism but derogatory remarks tend to put them on the defence.
IC : PTpntvb01 (61) of (188) DESCRY DETAIN V., DETENTION N. to discover by the eye, to spot or perceive retai n, keep, hold, grasp @ The famous Amarnath cave was descried by a Muslim shepherd who had lost his way. þ Syn. arrest, capture, confine, control @ I descried a ray of hope in her words. @ The customs detained the lady due to suspicion of smuggling. DESECRATE V. @ While in detention, I pondered over my criminal career and felt remorseful. to treat sacrilegiously, to defile or profane something sacred or very speci al DETER V., DETERRENT N., Adj. þ Syn. damage, vandalise, despoil to hinder or prevent ¬ Ant. consecrate, sanctif y, make holy þ Syn. daunt, di ssuade, prevent @ It’s a crime to desecrate the country’s flag. ¬ Ant. encourage, cheer, persuade ¬ Ant. rel ease, free, di scharge, liberate @ A dog deters the thieves from attempting a theft. DESOLATE Adj., DESOLATION N. l onel y, comf ortl ess, having no inhabi tants, deserted, barren, lifeless þ Syn. isolated, bleak, wild, barren ¬ Ant. populous, full of people, packed @ The house looked out over a bleak and desolate l andscape. @ Two years of continuous drought brought desolation to the regi on. DESPISE V., DESPICABLE Adj. deride, disdain, look down on þ Syn. hate, abhor, loathe, scorn ¬ Ant. love, revere, respect @ She despised him for the way he treated her sister. @ On e can no t be a des pi cab l e r ogu e and d rea m of so ci al ac cept anc e. DESPONDENCY N., DESPONDENT Adj. a feeling of dejection, despair or hopelessness þ Syn. sadness, misery, depression ¬ Ant. Cheerfulness, joyf ulness, cheer @ The large­scale destruction filled the populace with a spirit of de spon denc y. @ A nuclear bomb is usually just a deterrent and not intended for actual use. DETERMINATE having defined limits, conclusive þ Syn. fixed, quantified ¬ Ant. indeterminate, vague @ The priest violated the determinate rules of caste by shaking hands with the sweeper. DETONATION N., DETONATE V. expl osion þ Syn. ignition, discharge, blast, bang @ India detonated an underground nuclear device at Pokharan. @ Th e ai rcr af t bl e w ap art af t er t he deto nat i on of a bo mb disguised as a radio. DETOUR N., V. diversion, digression, excursion þ Syn. deviati on, alternative route @ The trains had to detour due to the accident. DETRIMENTAL causing harm or injury DESPOTISM N., DESPOT N. þ Syn. injurious, ruinous dictatorship, tyranny, autocracy ¬ Ant. benign, beneficial þ Syn. absolutism @ It is well known that cigarette smoking is detrimental to health. ¬ Ant. democracy, equality, consensus @ In the French Revolution, the Bastille w as a symbol of the despotism of the monarchy. DEVIATE to stray, w ander þ Syn. drift, digress DESTITUTE Adj., DESTITUTION N. ¬ Ant. conform, stay on course entirely lacking in, very poor, indigent, poverty stricken @ As long as you don't deviate from the trail, you should be back in the camp before sunset. þ Syn. impoverished, i nsol vent, needy ¬ Ant. in the black, in the chips @ The destitute refugees of Bosnia looked to the UN for help. DEVIOUS Adj., DEVIOUSNESS N. @ Continued destitution can lead one to move towards crime. indirect, roundabout, strayed, cunning þ Syn. deceitful, tricky, designing, wily DESULTORY Adj. ¬ Ant. strai ghtforward, clear cut j u m p i n g f r o m o n e t h i n g t o a n o t h e r, w i t h o u t a n y ra t i o n a l connection, without set plan, random, haphazard, casual @ We knew from Greg’s devious behaviour that he was planning a surprise. þ Syn. unfocussed, indiscriminate @ You have to be a bit devious if you’re going to succeed in busi ness.
¬ Ant. methodical, systematic, precise @ Researc h requi res sci enti f i c metho d and not a de sul tory app roac h. (62) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 DEVOUR V., DEVOURING Adj. DIFFIDENT Adj., DIFFIDENCE N. to swallow greedily, to eat up not self­confident, lacking self confi dence, shy, unassertive þ Syn. consume, get through, demolish þ Syn. unsure, i ndecisive @ The booming industrialisation has devoured the agricultural land. ¬ Ant. conf ident, sure, dashing DEXTEROUS Adj., DEXTERITY N. @ There’s no need to be so diffident about your achievements – you’ve done really well! skillful, adroit, deft, adept @ Di ffi dence i s sure to mar your chances of selection i n the i ntervi ew . þ Syn. handy, nimble, agile ¬ Ant. gauche, clumsy, all thumbs DIFFUSION N., DIFFUSE V. @ A dexterous plastic surgeon would be much in demand. wordiness; spreading in all directions like a gas @ Her dexterity in mathematical calculations amazes many. þ Syn. dispersion, distribution, flow @ Your painting suffered from a diffusion of lines. DIABOLIC or DIABOLICAL Adj. wicked, like a devil, extremely unpleasant, very bad @ The diabolic plans to capture power did not succeed. @ With a diabolical smile, Shanker advanced towards a cowering S an ge e ta . @ He was one of the f irst scientists to study the process of diffusion in gases. DIGRESS V., DIGRESSION N. to depart from the main subject þ Syn. deviate, wander, stray, ramble DIALECTIC N. the art or practice of arriving at the truth by the exchange of logical arguments @ The dialectic is a formal method of argument, in which new positions are reached by testing opposing views against one an ot he r. @ The lecturer temporarily digressed from what she was saying to answer a question. DILAPIDATED Adj. ruined because of neglect þ Syn. decrepit, decaying, ramshackle ¬ Ant. pristine, immaculate, unspoiled DIATRIBE N. a continued discourse, a long bitter speech, @ It needs no pointing out to the authorities that be, that our historical buildings are dilapidated. þ Syn. ti rade, i nvective, harangue, rant @ After di nner he l aunched i nto a l ong di atri be agai nst the government’s policies. DILATORY Adj., DILATE V. slow, given to procrastination, tardy; to expand þ Syn. remise, slack, negligent, lagging DICHOTOMY ¬ Ant. prompt, punctual, quick division into two parts @ In the era of TQM there is no place for dilatory attitudes. þ Syn. split, disjunction @ The ophthalmologist instilled a few drops of the medicine to dilate the patient’s pupils. @ Movies often show a simple dichotomy between good guys and bad guys. DILETTANTE N. DICTUM N. something said, a saying, an authoritative saying, diktat a d abbl e r i n art, sci en ce or l i t eratu re, a n ama teur, novi ce, ne ophy te þ Syn. maxim, motto, cliché, truism þ Syn. amateur, dabbler @ He has always followed the famous American dictum, ‘don’t get mad, get even’. @ He’s a bit of a dilettante as far as wine selection is concerned. DILIGENT Adj., DILIGENCE N. DIDA CTIC steady and earnest in application, industrious, assiduous excessivel y i nstructi ve þ Syn. hard working, meticulous þ Syn. doctrinal, heuristic ¬ Ant. lazy, indolent, idle, languid @ The father was overly didactic with his children, turning every activity into a lesson. @ Leo is very diligent about his work. @ It is diligence that is required to crack a competitive exam like C AT. DIFFERENTIATE to distinguish between two items DISAFFECTED þ Syn. discriminate, discern discontented and di sloyal @ N a v i n h o p e d t h a t h i s f i a n c e e w o u l d n o t b e a b l e t o di fferentiate between a real diamond ring and the ring he had bought her. þ Syn. dissatisfied, disgruntled ¬ Ant. contented, loyal @ The king discovered a plot by di saf fected elements in the army and immediately punished the conspirators.
IC : PTpntvb01 (63) of (188) DISBAND V. DISCREPANCY dissolve, disperse þ Syn. break up, scatter, separate @ It is not impossible to disband the gangs of the underworld dons in Mumbai. dif ference betw een þ Syn. di spari ty, variance ¬ Ant. similarity, correspondence @ The accountants discovered a discrepancy in the books and reported it to the management. DISBURSE to pay out DISCRETIONARY þ Syn. spend, splurge subject to one's own judgment ¬ Ant. gather, retain þ Syn. opti onal, voluntary @ The gov ernm ent di sb urse d mi l l i o ns o f ru pees to ref o rm el ementary school s. ¬ Ant. compulsory, obligatory DISCERNING Adj., DISCERN V. discriminating, observant, acute, sensitive þ Syn. sharp, astute, shrewd ¬ Ant. haphazard, random, arbitrary @ A discerning art critic would be forthright in her views. @ Ambassadors have some discretionary powers, though they must bow to the authority of the secretary of state. DISCURSIVE Adj. desultory, running from one thing to another, moving from one topic to another, rambling @ M s . W i l s o n ’ s p r e s e n t a t i o n w a s d i s c u r s i v e , y e t h i g h l y interesting and we enjoyed her digressions into humour. DISCLA IM to deny, disavow DISDAIN N., V. þ Syn. reject, discard a feeling of contempt due to superiority complex, haughtiness ¬ Ant. accept, claim þ Syn. scorn, contempt, di sregard @ Mridula later disclaimed her silly statement, saying she had never made it in the first place. ¬ Ant. respect, deference, reverence DISCLOSE @ She disdained the idea of sharing her room with her younger brot her. to confess, di vulge @ The high caste people still show disdain towards the low caste in rural India. þ Syn. reveal, make known ¬ Ant. conceal, hide DISENGAGED @ The CIA agent disclosed that he had been selling top secret information to the enemy for years. di sconnected, disassoci ated þ Syn. separate, disentangle ¬ Ant. attach, connect DISCONCERT V. to embarrass, to disturb the composure of, to throw into confusion þ Syn. distress, sadden, trouble, off end ¬ Ant. please, gratify, delight, thrill @ It is quite natural to be disconcerted by the unexpected. DISCONSOLATE Adj. without consolation or comfort, grief­stricken, cheerless þ Syn. dejected, gloomy, discontent ¬ Ant. satisf ied, contented @ She was disconsolate at the loss of her dog. DISCREET Adj., DISCRETION N. very prudent, cautious, circumspect, tactful in dealing, wary þ Syn. circumspect, cautious, careful ¬ Ant. tactless, indiscreet, clumsy @ They are very good assistants, very discreet – they wouldn’t go shouti ng to the press about anythi ng they di scovered while working for you. @ The decision is now at the discretion of the boss. DISCREDIT to disprove or disgrace þ Syn. confute, dishonour ¬ Ant. prove, honour @ The war hero was discredited after it was revealed that he had fled in terror from the battle. (64) of (188) @ Di sengaged from the proceedings, the aged senator didn't notice when the warning bell went off. DISGRUNTLED Adj. di sappointed, disgusted þ Syn. di scontented, unhappy, i rri tated ¬ Ant. contented, happy, pleased @ Disgruntled elements in the party can cause a real havoc. DISHEVELLED V. not ordered, ruffled, untidy, unkempt @ Dishevelled hair is in fashion these days. DISILLUSION N., V. disappointment, disenchantment, anti climax þ Syn. disenchant, let down, dishearten ¬ Ant. motivate, encourage, instigate @ When hard labour goes unapplauded, disillusion sets in. @ Disillusioned after losing his job, he has become a bitter man. DISINCLINED averse, unwilling, lacking desire þ Syn. rel uctant, recal citrant ¬ Ant. inclined, willing @ Harry was disinclined to put in a lot of effort into his homework, since the teacher never checked it.
IC : PTpntvb01 DISINGENUOUS Adj. DISPERSE crafty, not i ngenuous, insincere, deceitful to break up, scatter þ Syn. untruthful, hypocriti cal þ Syn. disseminate, sprinkle ¬ Ant. strai ghtforward, simple, easy ¬ Ant. unite, assemble @ The disingenuous world of Hindi films catches many a victim unaw are. @ The workers dispersed after receiving their paychecks, many of them heading for the local bar. DISMAY N., V DISREPUTE consternati on, amaz ement, dejection; to destroy courage or resolution by exciting dread or apprehension; to cause to lose enthusiasm disgrace, di shonour þ Syn. shock, consternation, panic þ Syn. infamy, notoriety ¬ Ant. honour, esteem @ The law firm fell into disrepute after one of its lawyers was found guilty of jury tampering. ¬ Ant. soothe, console, reassure, calm @ Much to Indi a’s di smay, the patent f or Basmati ri ce w as granted to a US based company RiceTec. @ Aishwarya was dismayed to hear rumours linking him with a billionaire. DISSEMBLE to pretend, disguise one's motives þ Syn. deceive, feign ¬ Ant. reveal, expose DISPARAGE V., DISPARAGING Adj. to talk triflingly of, to lower in rank, belittle, downgrade, decry þ Syn. discredi t, underrate ¬ Ant. admire, commend, honour @ The villain tried to dissemble his exit by trying to look like another shopper but the police was alert enough to nab him. DISSEMINATE @ Only insecure people disparage others. to spread far and wide @ On hearing the disparaging remarks about my fiancee, I lost my temper and indulged in a fistfight with the hooligans. þ Syn. promulgate, propagate DISPARATE Adj., DISPARITY N. @ The wire service disseminates information so rapidly that news of events reaches all corners minutes after they happen. ¬ Ant. conceal, suppress basically di fferent, unrelated þ Syn. unlike, unequal, incongruent DISSENT V., N. ¬ Ant. similar, alike, parallel, analogous to disagree or differ in opinion @ The two cultures were so utterly disparate that she found it hard to adapt. þ Syn. oppose, rebel, dispute @ There is disparity in their age but their mental age appears the same. @ In a democracy, dissent has to be respected. ¬ Ant. concur, be in agreement, consent @ The parties dissented on the issue of women’s reservation in Parl iament. DISPASSIONATE Adj. calm, impartial DISSIMULATE V. þ Syn. composed, detached, cool pretend, conceal by feigning ¬ Ant. fiery, burning, blistering, sizzling @ She tri es to di ssimul ate her tensi ons and worri es by her geni al ity. @ A journalist should be a dispassionate reporter of facts. DISPENSE DISSIPA TE to distribute, administer to scatter, to pursue pleasure to excess þ Syn. disburse, all ocate þ Syn. evaporate, squander ¬ Ant. coll ect, receive ¬ Ant. i ntensify, save @ Pharmacists require doctors' prescriptions to dispense some medicines to customers. @ The fog gradually dissipated, revealing all the ships docked in the harbor. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . (b ) didactic discern di sparage disseminate di ssipate spread seeds insi ght intended to teach beli ttle thin out 1 . (c ) 3 . (d ) 4 . ( a ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 .(e )
Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test IC : PTpntvb01 (65) of (188) DISSOCIATE DOCILE to separate, remove from an association ¬ Ant. associate, detach tame, willing to be taught þ Syn. tame, pliant ¬ Ant. wild, wilful @ Rajesh dissociated himself from the project when he realised the projections were all wrong. @ Wolves are not as docile as dogs; they are not recommended as house pets. DISSOLUTION N., DISSOLUTE Adj. DOCTRINAIRE Adj. un ab l e to co mp rom i s e a bo ut po i nt s of do ctr i n e, do gma ti c, unyielding þ Syn. rigid, stern, strict, unbending þ Syn. relate, connect disintegration; looseness in morals þ Syn. closure, disbanding, suspension @ Prof li gacy and dissolution shown i n some Hindi f ilms in a melodramatic manner is loathsome. DISTEND V. to expand from internal pressure, swell out þ Syn. bloat, balloon, inflate ¬ Ant. defl ate, shrink, reduce, puncture @ The patient’s stomach was distended and the doctors thought it was a bad sign. ¬ Ant. liberal, moderate, tolerant @ I pref er talking to a professor who is less doctrinai re and more open to debate. DOFF V. take off the hat as a greeting or as a sign of respect @ His doffing the hat very often has become more a mannerism than an etiquette. DOGGED Adj. DISTRESS N., V., Adj ¬ Ant. peace, calm, tranquility, silence determined, stubborn þ Syn. persistent, resolute, gri tty @ Her ambition and dogged determination ensured that she rose to the top of her profession. @ Many of the horses were showing signs of distress at the end of the race. DOGMA N., DOGMATIC Adj. discomfort, misery, suffering, w retchedness þ Syn. pain, sorrow, grief @ Sunita was di stressed to see her younger sister in a porn vi d eo. disbelief and suspicion an authoritative doctrine, a settled opinion; strongly opinionated, di ctatori al þ Syn. creed, canon, bel ief, vi ew, tenets @ Raja Rammohan Roy’s crusade agai nst dogmas in the dark ages was remarkable. (v) – be wary of, be suspicious of @ Rita tended to be dogmatic about what she believed in. DISTRUST (n) þ Syn. suspicion, wariness ¬ Ant. trust, faith DOLEFUL @ An atmosphere of distrust pervaded the office af ter a rash of burglaries. sad, mournful þ Syn. woeful, sorrowful DITHER V., N. ¬ Ant. happy, joyous @ Looking into the dolef ul eyes of the lonely puppy, the gi rl decided to take it home. to tremble, to shiver; a state of indecisive agitation þ Syn. hesitate, dal ly, dawdle, vaci llate @ The government is di thering on hard reforms li ke the exit pol i cy. DOLOROUS Adj. very sad, melancholic, gloomy @ Her music always has a faintly dolorous feel. DIVEST V., DIVESTITURE N. strip, deprive; disposal of property, title etc. under a government order þ Syn. rid, deny, rob DOLT N. stupid person @ I have never come across such a pack of dolts. ¬ Ant. add, put in, insert, adjoin @ He was divested of his priestly authority when his promiscuity was discovered. @ The di v esti ture of go vernment’s l es s prof i tabl e b usi ness operations has reduced the burden on the exchequer. DIVULGE V., DIVULGENCE N. DONOR benef actor, contri butor þ Syn. philanthropist, patron ¬ Ant. recipient @ Donors should be tested f or diseases bef ore their blood is used for transfusion. to reveal, to make public, to expose, to make known þ Syn. reveal , acknow ledge, concede ¬ Ant. conceal, hide, shroud @ The divulgence of trade secrets by disenchanted employees has cost the company dearly. @ Sources close to the Prime Mi ni ster have di vul ged that he would like to retire after the next election. (66) of (188) DORMA NT at rest, inactive, in suspended animation þ Syn. inert, latent ¬ Ant. acti ve, awake @ The vol cano seemed dormant, but a devastating eruption was brewing deep beneath.
IC : PTpntvb01 DORSAL Adj. DRIBBLE V., N. belonging to the back side, posterior, tail @ The sight of a shark’s dorsal fin above the water is enough to clear the sea of swimmers. to fall in small drops, move a ball by repeated taps or kicks þ Syn. trickle, trip, ooz e, seep, salivate @ The dribbl ing gai ns of economic ref orms proved to be too slow for a populace impatient for results. DOSSIER N. @ David Beckham is adept at dribbling the ball. a bundle of documents relating to a person, a brief þ Syn. fil e, record, report, database @ The secret service probably has a dossier on all of us. DOTE V. to show excessive love, to treasure DRUDGERY N. a very hard, boring work; uninteresting toil þ Syn. labour, hard work, toil, chore @ E l ectroni c i nformati on retri eval w i l l remove much of the drudgery of research and leave time for the more interesting bi ts. @ People tend to dote on their grandchildren. DUBIOUS Adj. DOUBLE­ENTENDRE (DOUBLE AN TRANDA) N. phrase with two meanings: one of them indecent @ Hindi films teem with double­entendres. DOUGHTY Adj. valiant, dauntless, fearless þ Syn. tough, feisty, indomitable ¬ Ant. feeble, weak, frail, delicate @ Tilak, the doughty nationalist, put up his case vehemently in the court. DOUR (DOOR) Adj. obstinate, sullen, morose, harsh, stubborn þ Syn. sour, stern, grim, severe, gloomy doubtful, debatable, disputable, equivocal, questionable þ Syn. uncertain, unsure, undeci ded @ The dubious credentials of the politician will make interesting scoop material. DUPE V., N. to deceive others, to trick þ Syn. fool, trick, deceive, con @ The girls were duped by drug smugglers into carrying heroin for them. DUPLICITY N. double­dealing, hypocri sy, decepti on þ Syn. deceit, di shonesty, disl oyal ty ¬ Ant. frankness, i ntegrity, candor ¬ Ant. kindly, gently, nicely @ Duplicity is the order of the day and if you are honest and straightforward you are in danger. @ The perpetual dour expressi on on someone’s f ace can be quite irritating. DURABILITY – strength, sturdiness DOWDY Adj. þ Syn. imperishability, permanence ¬ Ant. perishability, fragility sl ovenl y, unti dy @ The all­terrain pickup truck was built for durability. þ Syn. drab, plain, dated, dull, dreary ¬ Ant. chi c, stylish, attractive, elegant DURA TION @ Physical inefficiency and lack of agility makes a person dowdy. period of time that something lasts þ Syn. span, time scale @ Devi was seasick in her cabin for the entire duration of the v o y a g e . DOWRY money or property given by a bride’s family to the groom’s family on the occasion of marriage @ Her parents were wealthy enough, but Sonal refused to marry anyone who demanded dowry. DURESS N. DRAB N. imprisonment, constraint þ Syn. pressure, force, threat, coercion ¬ Ant. persuasion, inf luence, urging a dull colour, dullness, monotonous colour @ Signing a document under duress would make it null and void. þ Syn. plain, dowdy, dreary, dingy ¬ Ant. interesti ng, attractive, appeali ng @ The drab surroundings of an orphanage need to be changed. DRAFT (v) to plan, outline, to recruit DWINDLE V. depreciate, devalue, diminish þ Syn. decrease, decli ne, fall, drop ¬ Ant. increase, add to, augment, boost @ Dwindling currency reserves sent alarm bells ringing in the government. (n) – rough sketch, outline þ Syn. blueprint, conscript ¬ Ant. final version @ The boys were drafted into the army when they turned 18. IC : PTpntvb01 DYSPHORIA N. morbid restlessness, uneasiness, depression and discontent @ His dysphoria knew no bounds when he learnt that his friend had managed to get the promotion.
(67) of (188) “E”
EARNEST Adj., N. EDIFICE N. sincere, serious; a serious and intent mental state a large and impressive building or structure, þ Syn. solemn, grave, sober þ Syn. construction, house, shop ¬ Ant. frivolous, playf ul, perky @ The cru mbl i n g ed i f i c e of l aw and o rder i n Indi a can be atttributed to our politicians. @ Earnest eff orts to reform Indian el ecti ons have turned the election commission into a powerful entity. @ Now we can relax in earnest. @ A white marble edifice called the Taj attracts millions to India ev ery yea r. EBB EDIFY to f ade aw ay, recede to instruct morally and spiritually þ Syn. retreat, wane þ Syn. enlighten, educate ¬ Ant. increase, intensify ¬ Ant. to keep in the dark, conceal @ Madhu enjoyed watching the ebb and flow of the tide from her beachsi de balcony. @ Th e gu ru w as pa i d t o ed i f y t he a ct re ss i n t he w ay s of Buddhism. EBULLIENT Adj., EBULLIENCE N. EDITORIALISE enthusi asti c, excessi vely excited, exuberant to express an opinion on an issue þ Syn. cheerful , happy, jovial , bright @ T h e o l d j o u r n a l i s t c r i t i c i s e d t h e m o d e r n t e n d e n c y t o editorialise even regular news items. ¬ Ant. depressing, gloomy, miserable @ Our ebullient host couldn’t stop laughing and talking. @ Meg Ryan’s bubbling ebullience is simply infectious. ECHELON N. a group of individuals at a particular level i n an organisation, hi erarchy þ Syn. level, stratum, rank, height @ Reaching the highest echel ons of i nternational politics is a dream for many. ECLECTIC Adj. made up of elements borrowed from different sources, carefully selected, chosen from the best or various sources EFFACE V., EFFACEABLE Adj., EFFACEMENT N. to destroy the surface of, to obliterate, to erase þ Syn. wipe out, eradicate ¬ Ant. engrave, etch, carve @ Hi tl er’s attempts at ef facement of the Jews fi nally proved f uti l e. @ The police had a difficult task as the culprits had effaced all evidence from the scene of burglary. EFFERVESCENT bubbly, li vely þ Syn. assorted, f ree, mi scellaneous þ Syn. vivacious, jaunty @ Maria reads an eclectic array of books and can always suggest a good title. ¬ Ant. depressed, fl at @ Tina's effervescent personality made her the perfect game show host. ECSTASY N., ECSTATIC Adj. a feeling of great happiness, exultation, intense delight EFFEMINATE Adj., N. þ Syn. joy, rapture, del ight feminine, womanly, unmanly ¬ Ant. deject, gloom, agony @ He’s got a very effeminate gait. @ The agony and ecstasy of motherhood can be onl y f elt by those who go through it. EFFETE Adj. worn out, exhausted, no longer useful, outmoded, nonproductive EDDY air or wind current @ With nothing to do all day except amuse themselves, the rich kids had grown effete and lazy. þ Syn. whirlpool, vortex @ When water gets pulled down a drain, it forms a small eddy. EFFICACY N., EFFICACIOUS Adj. power to produce the desired effect EDICT þ Syn. ef fectiveness, useful ness, w orth law, command, official public order ¬ Ant. incompetence, i nadequacy þ Syn. diktat, proclamation @ The efficacy of the medicine can be ascertained only after its prolonged use. @ Peopl e were angered by the new edict of the dictator that restri cted free movement. (68) of (188)
@ For years, people hoped that someone woul d discover an efficacious treatment for polio.
IC : PTpntvb01 EFFIGY stuffed doll, likeness of a person þ Syn. dummy, statue @ The anti­American militants burned Uncle Sam’s effigy during thei r demonstration. EFFRONTERY impudent boldness, audacity þ Syn. impertinence, braz enness ¬ Ant. politeness, timidity @ The receptionist had the effrontery to laugh out loud when the visitor tripped and fell. EFFUSIVE Adj., EFFUSION N. pouring out, gushing out @ His manner of receiving people may be effusive but is not necessarily spontaneous and sincere. @ The crow d w as qui te ef f usi ve i n i ts expressi on of anger against the candidate. EFFULGENCE N., EFFULGENT Adj. radiant splendour, brilliance @ The effulgence of diamonds seems to have cast a spell on women around the world. EGRESS N., V. exit, issue, emergence, outbreak þ Syn. way out, door, outlet ¬ Ant. entry, access, way in, arrival @ They egressed from the cinema hall zapped by Shah Rukh’s perf ormance. ELATION exhi laration, joy þ Syn. delight, glee ¬ Ant. misery, suffering @ The actress was filled with elation when she heard that she had been awarded the Oscar. ELEGY mournful poem, usually about the dead þ Syn. requiem, plaint @ I wrote an elegy for my father. ELICIT to draw out, obtain þ Syn. extract, educe ¬ Ant. supress, insert @ The tough policeman was not able to elicit a confession from the suspect. ELIXIR N. cure­all, something invigorating @ The so­called magical elixir turned out to be nothing but a cheap alcoholic drink. EGALITARIANISM N., EGALITARIAN Adj. a belief in human equality þ Syn. democratic, free, classless, equal ¬ Ant. repressive, exploiti ve, brutal @ Communism aims at an egalitarian society. EGOCENTRIC concerned only about one’s own interests þ Syn. narcissistic, self­centred ¬ Ant. altruistic, magnanimous @ Chi tranjan w as too egocentri c to noti ce the eff ect of hi s comments on his colleagues. EGREGIOUS Adj. outrageously bad, flagrant, profoundly noticeable in a negative w a y @ T h e e g r e g i o u s b o w l i n g b y t h e S r i L a n k a n s d u r i n g t h e tournament earned them a lot of infamy. ELOQUENT Adj., ELOQUENCE N. strongly expressi ve, arti cul ate, memorabl e because of verbal skills, moving and forcefully phrased þ Syn. fluent, articulate, pow erful @ Adolf Hitler’s eloquence on Aryan supremacy made millions of Germans walk behind him to conquer Europe. @ Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ is widely considered to be on e of the mo st el oqu ent a nd ef f ec ti v e s pee ch es i n American hi story. ELUCIDATE to explain, clarify þ Syn. expound, deli neate ¬ Ant. confuse, obf uscate @ The teacher elucidated the reasons why she had failed the student, to his parents. A rc hi te ct ur e The following are 10 words that are related to the topic mentioned a bo ve . IC : PTpntvb01 AISLE : BOULEVARD CONCOURSE EDIFICE HOVEL MEZZANINE OBELISK : : : : : : PERISTYLE ROCOCO VOUSSOIR : : : a passage between rows of seats in a building such as Church or Theatre , an aircraft or train. a wide street in a town or city typically one lined with trees an open space where several paths meet a monument a shed or poorly constructed or ill­kept house a low balcony above the ground floor of a building a tapering (narrowing) column that forming pyramid at the top a colonnade or row of piers surrounding a building or courtyard ornate; highl y decorati ve a wedge­shaped stone used in making an arch or vault
(69) of (188) ELUDE V., ELUSIVE Adj. EMERITUS Adj. to escape by trickery officially retired but functioning in a honorary capacity, honourably discharged from public duty þ Syn. evade, dodge, hedge, avoid ¬ Ant. confront, capture, face @ They had minor breakthroughs but real success eluded them. @ The elusive sandalwood smuggler Veerappan was eventually killed in a police encounter. @ Dr. Singh has been appoi nted professor emeritus at Delhi School of Economics. EMIGRATE V., EMIGRATION N. to move from one country to another EMA CIA TED þ Syn. move abroad, go into exile skinny, gaunt, especially from hunger @ Millions of Tibetans emigrated from Tibet to India before the Indo­China war. þ Syn. scrawny, undernourished ¬ Ant. heal thy, wel l­fed @ T h e e m a c i a t e d m e n d i c a n t be g g e d f o r s c r a p s f r o m t h e pi cnickers. EMINENT Adj., EMINENCE N. conspicuous, projecting; importance or prominence þ Syn. distinction, reputation, fame EMANCIPATE to set free, liberate þ Syn. unbridle, unyoke ¬ Ant. imprison, restrain @ After the slaves were emancipated, many of them moved to big cities in search of opportunities. @ Having achieved eminence as an actress she now intends to perform a comparable feat in politics. @ The eminent painter had his own idiosyncracies. EMOLLIENT having soothing qualities, especially for skin þ Syn. softening, pall iative EMANATE V. ¬ Ant. i rritant, aggravati ng to come out from a source @ After a couple of weeks, the emollient lotion changed Divya's skin from scaly to smooth. þ Syn. originate, spring @ Odour emanating from the rotten fruits lying around is making walking in that alley impossible. EMBARGO N. a prohibition, a ban on trade þ Syn. restriction, stoppage @ The UN embargo on Iraq failed to break Saddam. EMBELLISH V., EMBELLISHMENT N. to decorate with ornaments, adorn, garnish þ Syn. embroider, beautify, make fancy @ The Maharaja suite is embellished with many Bonsai plants. @ The intri cate embel li shments i n Hindu temples aw e many forei gn tourists. EMBEZZLE V., EMBEZZLEMENT N. to steal, to fraudulently take as one’s own þ Syn. misappropriate, misuse, cheat @ When the chi ef trustee w as charged wi th embez z l ement, everyone was shocked. EMBROIL to involve in, cause to fall into disorder þ Syn. entangle, enmesh ¬ Ant. disentangle, extricate @ Lawyers became embroiled in the dispute when a compromise appeared difficult without their help. EMBRACE V., N. to clasp in the arms; to take up especially readily or gladly þ Syn. hug, cuddle, cling EMOLUMENT N. salary or fees for a job, remuneration, pay or compensation for work þ Syn. wage, pay cheque @ The lure of fancy emoluments beckons students to the IIMs. EMOTIVE appealing to or expressing emotion þ Syn. sensitive, touchy ¬ Ant. cold, indifferent @ The film had a strong emotive appeal, reducing the audience to tears. EMPA THY identification with another's feelings þ Syn. sympathy, compassion ¬ Ant. antipathy, cold­heartedness @ Having been a teacher herself, Jennifer had great empathy for the troubled teacher in the film. EMULATE V. to strive to equal or excel, to imitate þ Syn. follow, simulate, copy, imitate @ Adolescents often try to emulate their favourite pop singers or movie stars. ENCORE additional performance, often demanded by audience þ Syn. replay, repetition @ Soon as the danseuse finished her performance, the audience enthusiastically demanded an encore.
@ They embraced and kissed before departing. @ Mata Amritanandmayi Devi is well known for her disease­curing embraces. (70) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 ENCHANT V., ENCHANTING Adj. ENGROSS V. to bewitch, delight, beguile, charm to absorb, captivate, charm þ Syn. captivate, f ascinate, enthrall þ Syn. occupy, involve, hold @ The enchanting music of A.R. Rehman is the only saving grace of the movie. ¬ Ant. repul se @ The guests were enchanted by the actor’s presence at the w eddi ng. @ He was engrossed in the movie. The poli tician was so engrossed in self­aggrandization that he was blind to the misery around him. ENCEPHALOGRAM N. ENGULF V. An X­ray picture of the brain to swallow up completely @ The encephalogram clearly shows a tumour on the left side. þ Syn. overw helm, overcome @ The blue whale can engulf a whole school of fish at a time. ENCOMIUM N., ENCOMIASTIC Adj. a eulogy, high commendation or praise ENIGMA N., ENIGMATIC Adj. @ The encomium “Indira is India” was too far­fetched. a confusing statement, mysterious situation or person, riddle, a thing hard to understand or fathom, conundrum ENCUMBER V. þ Syn. mystery, riddle, puzzle to weigh down, burden @ His high energy levels at the ripe age of 80 is an enigma to all the family members. @ His life has always been encumbered with responsibilities. ENDEMIC belonging to a particular area, widespread þ Syn. indigenous, infectious ¬ Ant. foreign, confined @ As the outbreak was endemic to the small village, the health department quarantined the i nhabitants. ENDORSE V. to give one’s sanction to something; to approve openly þ Syn. support, sanction, back ¬ Ant. oppose, protest @ The communist leader, of late, has been endorsing economic ref orms. ENDURANCE ability to withstand hardships þ Syn. forbearance, stami na ¬ Ant. impatience, weakness @ Boris built up her endurance by running ten miles every day, as she prepared for the marathon. ENERVATE V., ENERVATED Adj. ENERVATION N. to depri ve of nerve, strength or vi tali ty, to rob of energy, to diminish the strength of mind or body þ Syn. weaken, sap your strength ¬ Ant. energise, boost @ It is normal to feel enervated after a good w orkout i n the gymnasium. @ The enervated look on your face tel ls me that you haven’t eaten for some days. ENGENDER @ Ruchi is an enigmatic girl; at times she acts so mature and at times like a kid. ENJOIN command, forbid or prohibit, as by judicial order þ Syn. to urge, order ¬ Ant. request @ The judge enjoined the stalker from being present within 100 yards of the complainant. ENMITY hostility, ill­will þ Syn. antagonism, animosity ¬ Ant. goodwill, friendship @ We hope that cricket will help to cool down the simmering enmity between the two countries. ENNUI N. a feeling of weariness and dissatisfaction @ A feel ing of ennui sets in if I have to sit at home w ithout work. ENORMITY state of being gigantic or terrible þ Syn. vastness, massiveness ¬ Ant. triviality, smallness @ The manager underesti mated the enormity of the probl em and his delay resulted in disaster. ENRAGE V. to make angry, bother, irri tate, aggravate þ Syn. infuriate, madden @ He was so enraged at the article about him that he sued the new sp aper. to produce, cause, bring about þ Syn. trigger, instigate ENRAPTURE V. ¬ Ant. thwart, extinguish to fill with delight, please intensely @ The death of a friend by snakebite engendered the fear of snakes in him. þ Syn. capti vate, enchant, begui le IC : PTpntvb01 @ The live pop concert enraptured the audience.
(71) of (188) ENSCONCE V. ENTRENCHMENT N., ENTRENCH V. to settle, establish a fortification, a defence, a protection @ The dog jumped up and ensconced itself comfortably in the sof a. @ The legal entrenchment of apartheid has been lifted. @ By next year, I will have my followers firmly entrenched in Bihar politics. ENSEMBLE N. al l parts of a thi ng taken toget her, a comp l ete c ostume of complementary clothing þ Syn. company, group, en masse ENUMERATE to count, list þ Syn. itemise, cite @ She bought a dress and matching hat, gloves and shoes – in fact the whole ensemble. ENSHROUD to cover, hide @ The hill was enshrouded by clouds and we failed to spot the go at s. ¬ Ant. be vague @ The policeman patiently enumerated the offences while the motorist tried to plead ignorance of the local rules. ENUNCIATE V. verbal ise, vocali se, arti culate þ Syn. assert, affirm, proclaim ENTAIL ¬ Ant. deny, contradict, dis­claim to involve as a necessary result, necessitate @ Th e ma ni f e st o f a i l e d to e nu nc i a te t he pa rt y’ s st an d on relations with the USA. þ Syn. assume, warrant @ The reforms you suggest would entail great expense. ENVOY N. a messenger ( especial ly one sent to transact business w ith a foreign government) ENTHRALL to captivate, enchant, ensl ave þ Syn. representati ve, emissary, herald þ Syn. beguile, fascinate @ The Indi an env oy to Paki stan has never b een i n a more comfortable position than now. ¬ Ant. bore, disillusion @ The children were enthral led by the stunts of the trapeze artists. EPHEMERAL momentary, transient, fleeti ng ENTITY þ Syn. transitory, evanescent something with its own existence or form ¬ Ant. permanent, enduring þ Syn. individual, exi stence @ The life of a butterfly is but ephemeral, lasting just a day or t w o . ¬ Ant. non­entity, nonexistence @ At te mp ts ha ve b ee n mad e to p res er ve H on g K on g as a terri torial entity, separate from China. EPICURE person with refined taste in food and wine ENTOURAGE N. þ Syn. gourmet, gourmand surroundi ngs, fol low ers, attendants, retinue þ Syn. associ ates, backup, support @ The rock star arrived in London with her usual entourage of dancers and backstage singers. @ He was popular as an epicure and his columns helped people decide where to eat. EPIGRAM N. witty thought or saying, usually short ENTREAT to plead, beg þ Syn. axiom, quip, ditty, rhyme þ Syn. implore, beseech @ Epigrams of Churchill and Bernard Shaw are famous. ¬ Ant. command, demand @ I entreated him to just tell me what the problem was, but he re f use d. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . (c ) elicit eminent emul ate endemic e ne rv at e bring out strive to equal well known reduce the strength of nat i ve
1 . ( a ) 3 . (b ) 4 . ( e ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 . (d ) Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test (72) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 EPILOGUE EQUIVOCATE concluding section of a literary work to use vague or ambiguous language intentionally þ Syn. afterword, postscri pt þ Syn. prevari cate, hedge ¬ Ant. confront, f ace @ The smaller parties could not afford to equivocate any longer as the coalition government had to be in place within a week. ¬ Ant. prologue, prelude @ In the epilogue of the novel, the author revealed the ultimate fate of the main characters. EPITAPH N. inscription in memory of a dead person, writing on a tomb or at the gravesite @ I do not know what my epitaph would read but I never did invite infamy. EP ITOME representing the highest feature, summary ERADICATE to erase or wipe out þ Syn. exterminate, obliterate ¬ Ant. generate, propagate @ Politicians promise to eradicate poverty and then renew the vow before the next el ection. EROTIC Adj. ¬ Ant. complete version, worst tending to arouse sexual love or desire @ The erotic art depicted in the Khajuraho temple makes it world f amous. @ The host w as the epitome of graciousness, maki ng all the guests feel perfectl y comfortable. ERRANT þ Syn. embodiment, conspectus EPOCH N., EPOCHAL Adj. a point of time made remarkable by some great event þ Syn. era, period, time, age, eon @ The president said that the country was moving into a new epoch of lasting peace with the old rival in the neighbourhood. @ During his epochal term as the prime­minister, Rajiv Gandhi changed the face of modern India. EQUABLE Adj. tranquil , steady, unif orm þ Syn. composed, calm, levelheaded ¬ Ant. nervous, anxious, w orri ed @ Compared to the extreme climate of Af ri ca and the West, India enjoys an equable climate. EQUANIMITY N. straying, mistaken þ Syn. mischievous, roving ¬ Ant. strai ghtforw ard, aboveboard @ The errant disciple realised his mistake and returned to the guru after several weeks of hardship. ERRAND N. a mission, a purpose, a short journey either to deliver or collect somethi ng þ Syn. task duty, chore, job @ I am in Singapore running an errand for my father. ERUDITE Adj. schol arl y, learned, wel l ­cul tured, educated, possessi ng great know ledge þ Syn. cultured, intell ectual @ The erudite scholar knew a great deal about ancient history but very l ittle about current events. evenness of mind and temper under stress, calmness þ Syn. composure, calmness, equability ESCAPADE N. @ T h e f i n a n c e m i n i s t e r ’ s e q u a n i m i t y i n t h e f a c e o f t h e opposition’s accusations is creditable. a usually adventurous action that runs contrary to convention @ The escapade in the Amazon jungl es was expected to f ree the minds of the senior executives of the software giant. EQUESTRIAN Adj., N. related to horse riding; a horse­rider @ They erected an equestrian statue of the prince. EQUITABLE Adj. fair, impartial, aboveboard, uncoloured þ Syn. evenhanded, reasonable, just ¬ Ant. unfair, unjust, i nequitable, undue @ There’s a great need for a more equitable tax system. EQUIVOCAL ambiguous, open to more than one interpretation ESCHEW to abstain from, avoid þ Syn. shun, renounce ¬ Ant. indulge in, take liberty of @ Models generally eschew rich desserts that can be fattening. ESOTERIC understood by only a learned few þ Syn. recondite, arcane ¬ Ant. simple, familiar @ On l y a han df ul of exp erts ar e kn ow l e dgea bl e abo ut t he esoteric world of particle physics. þ Syn. indeterminate, ambiguous ¬ Ant. explicit, specific ESPIONAGE N. @ Poems are inherently equivocal, and diff erent readers may interpret them di fferentl y. the practice of spying to obtain information about the activities of a foreign country or a rival company þ Syn. spying, intelligence @ IB and RAW are the counter espionage agencies in India.
IC : PTpntvb01 (73) of (188) ESPOUSE V., ESPOUSAL N. EUPHORIA N., EUPHORIC Adj. to take up and support as a cause; to marry an exaggerated feeling of happiness or well­being @ Irene espoused the cause of educating street children. þ Syn. ecstasy, joy, rapture, excitement ¬ Ant. despair, misery, anguish, gloom ESPRIT DE CORPS a deep loyalty of members towards the group @ The euphori a of Princess Di ana’s happy li fe wi th Al Fayed finally turned out to be ephemeral. @ His leadership kept the team’s esprit de corps intact during difficult periods. @ Yo u ar e e up ho ri c w he n y ou s ee yo ur n ame i n the f i n al admission list of IIM A. EUGENICS N. EUTHA NASIA the science of race improvement by proper gene selection etc. mercy killing; intentional, easy, and painless death @ Eugenics was the central and most controversial part of his social philosophy. @ The woman argued that giving her terminally­ill husband an overdose of morphine was euthanasia, not murder. ESTRANGE EVADE V., EVASIVE Adj., EVASION N. to alienate, keep at a distance to escape or avoid artfully þ Syn. separate, di vorce þ Syn. avoid, dodge, escape, shirk, skirt ¬ Ant. unite, connect @ During the enquiry his answers were evasive. @ Abhishek was not aware of the death of his parents, because he was estranged from his family for many years. @ An Olympic gold medal is the only thing that has evaded her in her remarkable career. @ Tax evasion has been a major problem in our country. ETHEREAL not earthly, spi ritual, delicate EVANESCENT Adj., EVANESCENCE N. þ Syn. celestial, dainty fleeting, vanishi ng, ephemeral, temporary ¬ Ant. earthly, indelicate þ Syn. passing, brief, momentary @ Her delicate, ethereal beauty made her a popular model for pre­impressionist artists. ¬ Ant. permanent, enduri ng, eternal @ The evanescent post­war economic boom was quickly followed by a deep recession. ETHOS beliefs or character of a group EVANGELIST N. þ Syn. ethics, essence missionary, crusader, proselyti ser @ The wise king was determined to safeguard the ethos of the people of the country he had just conquered. @ Chri stian evangeli sts are rendering yeoman servi ce to the tribals in several part of India, though some accuse them of being aggressive in religious conversion. EULOGY N., EULOGISE V. EULOGISTIC Adj. a speech of praise, written praise, laudation, acclaim, encomium þ Syn. tribute, acclamation ¬ Ant. criticism @ Today, everyone sings eulogies of Sonia’s leadership skills. EUNUCH N. one who lacks virility and power, a castrated man @ Eunuchs begging in local trains in Mumbai hurl obscenities to scare passengers into shelling out money. EUPHEMISM use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one @ The funeral director preferred to use the euphemism "passed away" instead of the word "dead." EUPHONY N., EUPHONIOUS Adj. an agreeable sound, sweet sound, pleasing or agreeable sound ¬ Ant. cacophony EVICT to put out or force out þ Syn. oust, eject ¬ Ant. admit, maintain @ The tenant was evicted from the apartment when she failed to pay rent for three months in a row. EVINCE to show clearly, display, signify þ Syn. indicate, exhibit ¬ Ant. conceal, obscure @ The new secretary evinced impressive typing and filing skills. EVOCATIVE Adj., EVOCATION N. EVOKE V. tending to call up or remind @ Driving through the bylanes of Mumbai evoked sweet memories of my childhood. @ My evocative journey to my hometown brought tears to my eyes.
@ The euphony of temple bells in the morning is so soothing to the soul. (74) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 EXACERBATE EXCRUCIATE V., EXCRUCIATING Adj. to aggravate, intensify the bad qualities of to torture, to inflict severe pain þ Syn. worsen, compound @ The excruciating tooth extraction made my eyes wet. ¬ Ant. improve, reduce @ The President excoriated the Western press for their biased vi ew s. @ It is unwise to take aspirin to relieve heartburn; the drug will only exacerbate the problem. EXCULPATE EXAGGERATE V., EXAGGERATION N. to clear of blame or fault, vindicate to magnify unduly, to represent too strongly þ Syn. absolve, acquit þ Syn. overstate, overstress, embroider ¬ Ant. condemn, indict ¬ Ant. understate, devalue, minimise @ The new legal system is intended to convict those who are guilty and to exculpate those who are innocent. @ The threat of a Pakistani attack along the Line of Control has been greatl y exaggerated. @ A little exaggeration about her disease got her a fortnight’s extensi on of leave. EXECRABLE utterly detestable, abhorrent þ Syn. abominable, despicable EXALT V., EXALTATION N. ¬ Ant. good, admirable laud, glorify, honour @ E v e r y o n e a t t h e p a r t y w a s a p p a l l e d b y h e r e x e c r a b l e behavi our. þ Syn. extol, praise, acclaim ¬ Ant. cri ticise, censure, reprove @ Exalting the dead and criticising the living seems to be our national pastime. EXECRATE V. to detest utterly @ Ta ru na e xe crate s th e bi tt er me mo ri es o f h er d ay s as a ho stag e. EXASPERATE V., EXASPERATION N. to irritate, to make very angry, infuriate þ Syn. madden, frustrate, annoy EXEMPLARY Adj. @ The exasperated parents of the aberrant youth feel helpless at times. serving as a model; outstanding @ After he lost the match, Andre Agassi broke his racquet in exasper ati on. @ Joan of Arc’s exemplary courage was appreciated by all. þ Syn. excellent, consummate, ideal EX GRATIA Adj. EXCERPT N., V. as an act of grace, as a favour and not an obligation an extract from a source (book, speech etc.), citation, clipping @ Although the suppliers were shown not to have been negligent, they made ex gratia payments to all those affected by the spill age. þ Syn. passage, quote, selection, pi ece @ The excerpts contain the essential points of the report. @ He has beautifully excerpted The Bhagwad Gita in 10 pages. EXHILARATE V., EXHILARATION N., EXCHEQUER N. EXHILARATING Adj. government department in charge of the revenues to make cheerful, enliven, excite @ The poll gimmick of a kilo of rice at two ruppes will bankrupt the exchequer. þ Syn. commove, spirit up ¬ Ant. di shearten, deject @ The exhilaration of driving a Porsche at EXCORIATE V., EXCORIATION N. 200 mph is simply unparalleled. to wear off the skin of, abrade @ The crow d w ent mad at Shanghai Grand Pri x as Mi chael Schumacher put in yet another exhilarating performance. þ Syn. criticise, attack, upbraid, rebuke ¬ Ant. commend, praise, acclaim, laud @ His latest novel received excoriating reviews. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . ( e ) engender enormi ty ephemeral epitome equivocal intentionall y confusing lasting a very short time cause to exit brief summary extreme evil 1 . (c ) 3 . (b ) 4 . (d ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 .(a )
Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test IC : PTpntvb01 (75) of (188) EXHORT V., EXHORTATION N. EXOTIC Adj. to urge strongly, goad, incite, egg, encourage alien, foreign by nature, strange þ Syn. press, push, insist, pressure þ Syn. foreign, from abroad @ Hi s stooges exhorted the voters to re­el ect the inef ficient l e ad er. ¬ Ant. familiar, recognisable, common @ The jailer’s exhortation to maintain peace fell on deaf ears and there was a lot of bloodshed. EXHUME to remove from a grave, uncover a secret þ Syn. unearth, disclose ¬ Ant. bury, entomb @ The body was exhumed, but as it failed to provide any new evidence, it was buried again the next day. EXIGENCY N., EXIGENT Adj. urgent situation, an urgently demanding time or state of affairs þ Syn. need, emergency, pressure @ It i s due to an admi nistrati ve exigency that he has been posted on the front line. @ An exigent situation cropped up and the General had to rush to the spot. @ My idea of a vacation is a trip to the exotic locales of Malibu. EXPANSIVE sweeping, comprehensi ve, tending to expand þ Syn. spacious, all­embracing ¬ Ant. taciturn, restricted @ Some chapters in the book were expansive in their historical c ov er a ge . EXP ATRIATE one who lives outside one's native land þ Syn. refugee, migrant ¬ Ant. native, national @ He spent much of his adult life as an expatriate and returned to his own country after retirement. EXPEDIENT convenient, effi cient, practical EXIGUOUS Adj. þ Syn. beneficial, pragmatic small, minute, scanty ¬ Ant. ill­advised, unprofitable @ The judge said that the evidence was exiguous and gave the defendant two more weeks for finding more. @ It was considered more expedient to send the fruit directly to the retailer instead of involving a middleman. EXODUS N. EXPEDITE V., EXPEDITIOUS Adj. a moving out of many people from a place or country to another to hasten, to speed up, facilitate þ Syn. mass departure, evacuation þ Syn. accel erate, hurry up, advance @ There is always an exodus to the coast at holiday times. ¬ Ant. impede, obstruct, hamper, delay EX OFFICIO Adj. @ T h e g o v e r n m e n t m u s t e x p e d i t e t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n a n d commissioning of the new power project. by virtue of the office; automatically a member because of the post already held EXPIATE V., EXPIATION N., EXPIABLE Adj. @ The President i s the ex­offi cio supreme commander of the armed forces. to make amends for, atone for, to make up for, in the sense of atoni ng þ Syn. make up, redress, apologise EXONERATE V. exculpate, to free from blame, to acquit, vindicate, to free from guil t, absolve @ He bought her a bunch of flowers to expiate for forgetting her birthday. þ Syn. absolve, acquit, forgive, pardon EXPIRE ¬ Ant. convict, bl ame, charge to come to an end, die, breathe out @ After being exonerated from the charges, the minister looked very happy. þ Syn. lapse, become obsolete EXORBITANT Adj. ¬ Ant. inhale, inspire @ Since her driver's licence was about to expire, she had to go and exchange it for a new one. going beyond normal limits, excessive þ Syn. very hi gh, inflated, steep EXPLETIVE Adj., N. ¬ Ant. reasonabl e, sensible, rational an obscene exclamation @ Th e f oo d w as pal ata bl e b ut the bi l l f o r t he di n ne r w as exo rbi ta nt. þ Syn. curse, oath, exclamation ¬ Ant. blessing, benediction @ He let out a string of expletives at being pushed so roughly. EXORCISE V., EXORCIST N. to free a person from an evil spirit, to get rid of something terrible by formal prayer EXPLICIT þ Syn. get rid of, escape, jettison þ Syn. specific, precise @ We must exorcise ourselves of the ghost of partition. ¬ Ant. vague, general @ The exorcist stripped the girl and beat her with a broom to get rid of the spirit that had possessed her. @ The owner gave several explicit instructions to the tenants about the proper maintenance of the house.
(76) of (188) clearly defined, forthright in expression IC : PTpntvb01 EXPONENT EXTIRPATE V., EXTIRPATION N. one who champions or advocates to root out, wipe out þ Syn. crusader, uphol der @ The military rulers have tried to extirpate all opposition. ¬ Ant. critic, opponent @ The vice president was an enthusiastic exponent of computer technol ogy. EXTOL to praise þ Syn. panegyrise, laud EXPOSTULATION N., EXPOSTULATE V. ¬ Ant. criticise, demean protest, remonstrance @ The salesman extolled the virtues of the used car but failed to convince the customer. @ Despi te the IT department’s appeal s, expostul ati ons and threats, not much of bl ack money comes out i n amnesty schemes. EXPOUND to elaborate, to expand or increase þ Syn. del ineate, eluci date ¬ Ant. complicate, obfuscate @ The teacher expounded on the theory of relativity for hours, but failed to impress the students. EXPUNGE V. to erase, del ete, wipe off, to efface, terminate, þ Syn. obli terate, erase, delete, edit out @ The obscene w ords exchanged by the two general s were expunged from official records. EX TREMITY outermost or farthest point þ Syn. fringe, margin ¬ Ant. inside, middle @ The extremities of the body, such as toes, are vulnerable to frostbite in extreme cold weather. EXTRICA TE to free from, disentangle þ Syn. liberate, loosen ¬ Ant. entangle, involve @ The fly was unable to extricate itself from the spider’s web. EXTRINSIC EXP URGA TE to remove all bad parts, censor not inherent or essential, coming from outside þ Syn. adventi ti ous, extraneous þ Syn. make palatable, purify ¬ Ant. intrinsic, internal ¬ Ant. endorse, permit @ The animal population in the jungle is affected by extrinsic factors like encroachment and poaching. @ Government propagandists expurgated all negative references to the dictator from the film. EXUBERANT Adj., EXUBERANCE N. EXQUISITE Adj. li vel y, eff usi ve, enthusi astic delicious, of consummate excellence, impeccable þ Syn. excited, lively, energetic þ Syn. beautiful, fine, superb, lovely ¬ Ant. unattractive, hi deous, unsightly ¬ Ant. lethargic, tired, weary, languid @ He is a classical dancer with an exuberant, flamboyant style. @ I have just bought an exquisite piece of crystal. EXUDE EXTEMPORANEOUS – unrehearsed, at the spur of the moment to give off, ooze þ Syn. unprepared, impromptu þ Syn. emanate, send out ¬ Ant. premeditated, planned ¬ Ant. absorb, take up @ Jyoti gave an extemporaneous performance of a skit at her surprise birthday party. @ The candidate exuded an aura of self­confidence, impressing the i nterviewers. EXTENUATING Adj., EXTENUATE V., EXULT V., EXULTANT Adj., EXULTATION N. EXTENUATION N. to rejoice exceedingly, to triumph palliating, reducing the guilt in a crime þ Syn. revel, take pride, gloat, glory þ Syn. mitigating, justifying @ An exultant Steffi Graff cheered the crowd at Roland Garros after winning the French Open. ¬ Ant. implicating, corroborating @ The extenuating circumstances of the crime helped him secure bail. @ In their exultation, the crowd threatened to strom the ground and mob their team after the match.
EXTINCTION end of a living thing or species þ Syn. eradication, elimination ¬ Ant. survival, activation @ The dodo was hunted to extinction by man many years ago. IC : PTpntvb01 (77) of (188) “F”
FA BRICA TE FALLOW Adj. to devise, construct left unsown after tilling þ Syn. make, create þ Syn. uncultivated, unsown, crop­free ¬ Ant. destroy, dismantle ¬ Ant. refined, cul tured, educated @ Rohit fabricates wonderful stories in self­defence, whenever he is caught doing something wrong. @ Farmers have been told they cannot be eligible for government support unless they leave a certain amount of land fallow. FACADE ( FASAAD ) N. FAMISH V., FAMISHED Adj. the exterior face of a building, appearance, face, the face you show to the world to feel very hungry þ Syn. frontage, portico, f ascia, front @ They w ere ti red and f amished after l ong trek across the d es e rt . @ The peaceful situation is a mere facade; there is a volcano simmering within. @ The DTF shopping mall in Gurgaon has a complete glass and steel f acade. FACILE very easy þ Syn. simplistic, schematic @ To a famished palate no food is insipid. FANATIC Adj., N., FANATICISM N. extravagantly or unreasonably zealous, excessively enthusiastic þ Syn. extremist, uncompromising @ Religious fanaticism leads to bigotry. @ The fanatic youth in Pakistan burnt effigies of Musharraf for his support to Bush administration. ¬ Ant. profound, thorough @ She was alarmingly facile when it came to telling lies; they seemed to roll off her tongue. FA CILITA TE to aid, assist þ Syn. enable, expedi te ¬ Ant. impede, obstruct @ The organisers tried to facilitate social interaction among the delegates by arranging informal games. FANCIFUL Adj. whimsical, visionary þ Syn. imaginary, fantastic, unlikely @ He ideas may sound fanciful but he is a true visionary. FARCE N., FARCICAL Adj. broad comedy, mockery þ Syn. shambl es, travesty, circus, sham @ The whole show turned out to be a farce. FACTIOUS Adj., FACTION N. @ You have put me into a farcical situation. turbulent, given to faction, seditious þ Syn. defiant, rebellious, insubordinate FA SCISM ¬ Ant. obedient, compliant, amenable an extremely authoritarian form of a government @ The factious teens can go to extremes if their wishes are not fulfilled. þ Syn. despoti sm, dictatorship, tyranny @ There have been hundreds of factions in Congress party. @ Mussolini played a key role in the rise of fascism in Italy in the 192 0s. FAD N. FA STIDIOUS a transient hobby or craze, an unimportant belief careful with details, finicky þ Syn. fashion, trend, vogue, whim, cult þ Syn. meticulous, painstaking @ A palm­top is the latest fad among young executives. ¬ Ant. careless, sl oppy FAIT ACCOMPLI N. @ Ajay was normal ly so fastidious that Leena was astonished to find his desk cluttered. an ac com pl i she d f act , a th i ng al r ead y d one an d c ann ot be ch ang ed FA TUOUS Adj. @ The widening cyberspace is a fait accompli now. silly, imbecilic, foolish, idiotic þ Syn. stupid, childish, inane, absurd FALLACIOUS ¬ Ant. sensible, rational, reasonable wrong, unsound, illogical @ He made some sort of fatuous suggestion about standing on a chair to do the job. þ Syn. inaccurate, misguided ¬ Ant. true, correct @ "The Earth is flat" is a fallacious statement. FAUNA N. the animals living in a region or in a particular period @ She took part in an expedition to explore and describe the flora and fauna of the Amazon basin.
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IC : PTpntvb01 FAUX PAS ( FO PA ) a disastrous blunder, a very big mistake @ He committed a faux pas by walking in front of the dignitary instead of staying two steps behind. FAWN V., N., FAWNING Adj. a young deer; to fl atter in a servil e way; courting favour by cringing and flattering þ Syn. yellowish­brown, beige, mushroom, buff @ The fawning hangers­on of a filmstar lead a parasite­like life. @ The journalists fawned over her like she was some sort of a q ue en . FAZE V. to disturb the composure of, disconcert þ Syn. discomfit, rattle ¬ Ant. relax, relieve @ After suffering the trauma of being a prisoner of war for five years, nothing fazed him anymore. FEASIBLE possible, capable of being done þ Syn. viable, practicable ¬ Ant. impossible, non­viable @ As it was not feasible to distribute free CDs, the music store decided to consider a different method of promotion. FECKLESS i neff ecti ve, carel ess þ Syn. irresponsible, incompetent ¬ Ant. worthy, competent @ Anju took on the responsibility of caring for her aged mother, realising that her feckless brother was not up to the task. FECUND fertile, fruitful þ Syn. producti ve, generati ve ¬ Ant. barren, degenerative @ The outsourcing idea appeared useless in the beginning but turned out to be very fecund for the organisation. Vikas Lokhande
IIM­K
The personal attention
g i v en b y f a c ul ty
members helped me to
cope with my
shortcomings. I am
thankful to the entire
team PT for being a
great help to me.
FEIGN N., FEIGNED Adj. to pretend, disguise þ Syn. put on, simulate, act as if, invent @ Foxes often feign death to catch an easy prey. @ The servant f ei gned i gnorance duri ng pol ice i nterrogation, casting a shadow on his possible involvement in the crime. FEISTY excitable, easily drawn into quarrels þ Syn. snappish, irritable ¬ Ant. cool­tempered, unirritable @ The feisty old lady alienated her neighbours with her habit of picking up fights with anyone who crossed her. FELICITOUS Adj., FELICITATION N. very appropriate, pertinent, well chosen, fortunate, fit, suitable, pl easant þ Syn. lucky, blessed, fortuitous ¬ Ant. out of luck, hapless, unfortunate @ He thanked the retiring director for his contribution, summing up his achievements in a few felicitous phrases. FELINE Adj. like a cat þ Syn. catlike, slinky, subtle, graceful @ The feline grace of Madhu Sapre on the ramps made her a super model. FELON N., FELONY N. a person who has committed a serious crime þ Syn. criminal, murderer, thief @ The weak laws embolden felony. FEROCIOUS Adj., FEROCITY N. savage, fierce, cruel þ Syn. vicious, violent, brutal, very bad ¬ Ant. calm, kind, tender, moderate @ She fought the robbers with the ferocity of a lioness. @ The prime minister came in for some ferocious criticism from the opposition. FERRET V. to investigate carefully and reveal þ Syn. hunt, rummage, furrow, flush @ I know his name but I haven’t yet managed to ferret out his addr ess. FERVENT Adj., FERVOUR N. hot , ar dent, z ea l ous, pas si ona te, f ervi d, f u l l o f str ong and sincere emotions, impassioned þ Syn. keen, avid, eager, burning ¬ Ant. unresponsive, apathetic @ It was a debate which aroused fervent ethical arguments. @ There was no holding back the crowd’s fervour when Ronaldo arrived on the field. FERVID passionate, intense, z ealous þ Syn. w hole­hearted, heartfelt ¬ Ant. half ­hearted, di spassi onate @ His fans were particularly fervid, doing anything to catch a glimpse of the great singer.
IC : PTpntvb01 (79) of (188) FESTER V. FIGMENT N. to cause increasing irritation, to exist in a state of progressive deteri oration, rankle a fabrication or invention, fiction @ The municipal corporation allowed slums to fester and today they have become a nuisance for the authorities. @ Ghosts are just figments of one’s imagination. FETE N. þ Syn. creation, illusion, fantasy FILCH V. a festival, a holiday to steal, burglarise, appropriate, to steal in a sneaky way (usually something of minor value) þ Syn. bazaar, f air, gala, party þ Syn. steal, pinch, rob, thieve, snatch @ They’re holdi ng the coll ege f ete on the greens adjacent to the auditorium. @ Don’t filch any of those cookies before they’ve had time to cool. FETID Adj. FILIGREE N. stinking, having a foul odour, malodorous delicate, lacelike metalwork þ Syn. rotten, putrid @ The sunli ght shining through the branches made a fil igree pattern on the tiles. ¬ Ant. fresh, f ragrant @ The fetid air of the prison cell made her vomit. FILLIP V. FETISH N. to stimulate, incite anything which a person irrationally reveres or worships, charm, obsession, talisman, amulet þ Syn. boost, tonic, spur, impetus, zest þ Syn. thing, fixation, mania, inclination @ The government intends to provide a fillip to infrastructure development in India. @ That old, chewed­up square of blanket is of our dog’s fetish. @ He has a fetish for cleanliness. FILTH N. obscenity, foul matter FETTER V., N. þ Syn. dirt, grime, refuse, debris to restrain from motion; a chain or shackle on the feet @ People complained in the press about the filth on the roads . þ Syn. tie, bind, chain, confine @ You cannot be unconventi onal w hen you ar e f ettered by tradi tions. FINESSE N. @ He broke the fetters loose and escaped from a high security prison. þ Syn. skill, flair, grace, elegance, poise FEUDAL Adj. @ She has handled these difficult negotiations with tremendous f i nesse.
highly artful, skilled, superb technique, adroitness ¬ Ant. clumsiness, awkwardness pertaining to feuds of fiefs, belonging to feudalism @ For years the feudal system followed in India was responsible for the misery of poor farmers. FIASCO disaster, utter fai lure Rachna Jain
IIFT, NMIMS, IIT­B
PT
for
me
was
þ Syn. debacle, wreck Personalized Training.
¬ Ant. success, triumph The material was
@ After the lead guitarist turned up drunk, it was hardly surprising that the concert ended up being an utter fiasco. properly structured into
FICTITIOUS Adj., FICTION N. small parts that was easy
to understand. The small
imaginary, invented, made­up, unreal learning eventually
þ Syn. untrue, fabri cated, i nvented helped me get a
compsandeepmrehensi
¬ Ant. factual, truthful, realistic, honest @ The actor has dismissed the recent rumours about his private life as fictitious and malicious. FIDELITY l oyalty, constancy þ Syn. devotedness, f aithf ul ness ve learning of the
subject. Thanks PT for
creating such a great
material!
¬ Ant. disloyalty, infidelity @ A traitor is someone whose fidelity is questionable. (80) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 FINICKY FLAMB OYANT fussy, difficult to please flashy, garish, exciting, dazzling þ Syn. exacti ng, over­criti cal þ Syn. showy, ostentatious ¬ Ant. encouragi ng, undemanding ¬ Ant. modest, restrained @ The finicky child rejected every dish on the menu much to the exasperation of his parents. @ The actor’s flamboyant clothing made him stick out among the crowd. FISSION – process of splitting into two parts þ Syn. separation, disjuncture FLAUNT V. ¬ Ant. fusion, combination to display in an impudent, brazen, ostentatious or gaudy manner, to show off @ The di scove ry of the pro cess of nucl ea r f i ss i on ena bl ed scientists to construct the atom bomb. þ Syn. exhibit, display, parade @ Guys love flaunting their bikes and girls their mobiles. FITFUL Adj. spasmodic, intermittent FLAY V. þ Syn. disturbed, restless, sporadic to remove the skin from, to subject to severe criticism ¬ Ant. unbroken, constant, steady þ Syn. whip, lash, thrash, criticise @ I had a fitful sleep last night. @ In Pakistan, liars and robbers are flayed. FLABBERGASTED Adj., FLABBERGAST V. @ In prehistoric times, people used flint to flay the animals they killed. stunned, confounded, confused þ Syn. shocked, staggered, amazed FLEDGLING N. @ The successive exposure of scams flabbergasted the Indian popul ace. novice, unexperienced, tyro @ The flabbergasted photographer couldn’t react when Britney Spears spat on him. @ The current economi c cl i mate i s parti cul arl y di f f i cul t f or fledgl ing businesses. FLACCID Adj. FLEECE N., V. flabby, loose, not firm, drooping, not competent þ Syn. sagging, lifeless wool coat of a sheep; to strip of money or property by fraud or extorti on ¬ Ant. firm, solid, hard, rigid, secure þ Syn. swindle, con, rip off, cheat @ The flaccid leadership at the company was responsible for its fal l. @ The bureaucrats fleeced him but did not manage a licence for him. FLAGRA NT FLICK N., V. outrageous, shameless a quick, light blow or stroke; the slight sound; a movie þ Syn. blatant, braz en þ Syn. brush, tap, flip ¬ Ant. unobtrusive, slight @ Cows flick their tails to brush away flies annoying them. @ His flagrant disregard for the rules resulted in his dismissal from the job. @ Are you coming to watch the latest Bond flick this Saturday at the multiplex? FLAIR N. FLIMSY Adj. a natural aptitude for some art, game or trait weak, thin, without strength þ Syn. style, finesse, flamboyance þ Syn. fragile, delicate, insubstantial @ The head o f the department h as a great f l ai r f or publ i c speaking. ¬ Ant. strong, powerful, muscular þ Syn. baby bird, baby chicken @ She looked sensuous and seductive in a flimsy night gown. @ The storm flattened the flimsy wooden huts that the villagers lived in. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . (c ) fastidi ous f ec und fi deli ty f lagrant flout meticulous glaringly bad f ertil e l oya l ty to di sregard contemptuously 1 . ( a ) 3 . (d ) 4 . (b ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 .(e )
Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test IC : PTpntvb01 (81) of (188) FLINCH V. FOIL V. to shrink back due to pain, fear etc. def eat, f rustrate þ Syn. thwart, outwit @ An attempted coup agai nst the country’s military ruler was f oi l ed yesterday. þ Syn. recoil, strong, shy away, balk @ In spite of the anaesthetic, the patient flinched as the doctor dug his scalpel into her leg. FLIPPANT Adj., FLIPPANCY N. talkative, frivolous, impertinent, airy þ Syn. offhand, glib, dismissive ¬ Ant. serious, grave, solemn, somber @ His flippancy at busy hours of work is despised by all. @ This article has been written in a very flippant style. FLIT V. to pass quickly from one place or condition to another FOLIA TE to grow, sprout leaves @ The plant looked dead, so Vicky was astonished when it began to foliate. FOMENT to arouse or incite þ Syn. instigate, provoke ¬ Ant. discourage, extinguish @ Ramola flits from one boyfriend to another. @ The protesters tried to foment public opinion against the war through their speeches and demonstrations. FLORID FOOLHARDY Adj., FOOLHARDINESS N. gaudy, extremel y ornate, ruddy, fl ushed ¬ Ant. pale, plain foolishly adventurous and bold; rash þ Syn. reckless, risky, imprudent ¬ Ant. sensible, sane, rational, shrewd @ The palace had been decorated in a florid style; every surface had been carved and gilded. @ He made a foolhardy attempt to climb the tree in order to rescue the ki tten. FLOUNDER @ It would be foolhardiness on her part to risk all her savings on this crazy scheme. þ Syn. f lamboyant, over­elaborate to falter, waver þ Syn. to muddle, struggle FORAY N., V. ¬ Ant. prosper, make good progress an attempt, a venture or expedition þ Syn. rai d, venture, sortie, assault @ R e l i a n c e ’s f o r a y i n t o b i o m ed i c a l r e s e a r c h w i l l a l s o b e successf ul . @ The previ ousl y glib def endant began to f lounder when the prosecutor found a hole in his story. FLOUT to treat contemptuously, scorn þ Syn. defy, disdain ¬ Ant. obey rules @ The motorist flouted traffic rules and rashly cut across several l anes. FLUCTUA TE to alternate, w aver þ Syn. vacillate, oscillate ¬ Ant. be steady, unequivocal @ Prices of certain stocks fluctuate so much that it is risky to invest in them. FLUKE N. an accidental success þ Syn. accident, stroke of luck @ Taiwan’s success in computer hardware is not a fluke. FLUSTER V. confuse, a nervous state þ Syn. bother, agitate, upset, muddle ¬ Ant. soothe, cal m, paci fy, appease @ During the enquiry he continuously flustered the cops. FOIBLE N. a minor weakness, short coming, defect or imperfection þ Syn. quirk, bad habit, eccentricity @ Great leaders have their own foibles that sometimes cost the nati ons greatl y. (82) of (188) @ She forayed into acting before starting a career as a model. FOREBODE V., FOREBODING N. to prognosticate, to have a premonition of evil þ Syn. foretell, portend, prophesy @ Forebodi ngs about the end of the world by the year 2000 were ridiculous. FORENSIC Adj. relating to the application of scientific knowledge to legal problems @ Forensic examination revealed a large quantity of poison in the dead man’s stomach. FORESHADOW V. give an i ndication beforehand, portend, prefigure @ The recent outbreak of violence was foreshadowed by isolated incidents in the city earlier this year. FORESTA LL to prevent, del ay, anticipate þ Syn. apprehend, hamper ¬ Ant. encourage, facil itate @ The landlord waited outside the door to forestall the tenant’s attempt to slip away. FORETHOUG HT anticipation, foresi ght þ Syn. insight, prudence ¬ Ant. hindsight, negligence @ W i t h a l i t t l e f o r e t h o u g h t y o u c o u l d h a v e m a d e y o u r presentation a lot more effective.
IC : PTpntvb01 FORLORN Adj. FRA CA S neglected, wretched, quite lost, forsaken noisy dispute @ The forlorn victims of Bhopal gas tragedy died slow deaths. þ Syn. commotion, scuffle ¬ Ant. concord, harmony FORMIDABLE Adj. causing fear, inspiring awe fostering respect or awe, arousing fear or worry @ When the bandits discovered that the gambler was cheating them at cards, violent fracas ensued. þ Syn. alarming, dreadful, terrifying FRA CTIOUS @ A formidable opposition is what every ruling alliance dreads. unruly, rebellious þ Syn. disobedient, uncontrollable FORMULA TE ¬ Ant. dutiful, contented to concei ve, devise, express, state þ Syn. to draft, plan @ The general had a hard time maintaining discipline among his fracti ous troops. @ The marketers formulated a new advertising strategy to launch the product in the market. FRANTIC Adj. marked by fast and nervous or anxiety driven activity FORSA KE þ Syn. anxious, f renz ied, frenetic to abandon, withdraw from ¬ Ant. tranquil, peaceful, calm, still þ Syn. renounce, di sown @ A frantic search is on for the assassin. ¬ Ant. keep, return to @ Crimi nals on death penalty tend to feel that everyone has forsaken them. FRAUDULENT deceitful, dishonest, unethi cal þ Syn. duplicitous, unscrupulous FORSWEAR V. ¬ Ant. honest, above board renounce, abandon @ The factory engaged in fraudulent practices, producing radios with spurious components. þ Syn. disavow, reject, disown, abjure @ He was courageous enough to forswear his religion by birth. FRAUGHT Adj. FORTE N. filled with, laden, accompanied by something in whi ch one excel s, special strength or skill, what you’re known for þ Syn. burdened, full, filled þ Syn. strong point, speciality, gift @ Life is fraught with opportunities if you can see them. ¬ Ant. lacking, absent, missing ¬ Ant. failing, deteriorating @ Laila’s forte was bellydancing but she was also an excellent bal leri na. FORTIFY V., FORTIFICATION N. to strengthen, invigorate, confirm, enrich þ Syn. make stronger, reinforce, brace ¬ Ant. weaken, damage, fail, wane, fade @ The Great Wall of China was made to protect Chinese territory from Mongol attacks. FORTITUDE N. courage in endurance, persistence, vi gour þ Syn. courage, resilience, guts, grit @ The fortitude of Tilak was inspiring. FORTUITOUS happening by l uck, fortunate þ Syn. i nadvertent, accidental ¬ Ant. predictabl e, foreseen @ R u km i n i g o t h e r st a r t i n th e m us i c i n d u st r y w h e n s h e fortuitously met a talent scout during a show. FRENZY N., FRENZIED Adj. violent excitement þ Syn. fury, anger, rage, passion ¬ Ant. cal mness, serenity, peace @ The frenzy of a mob on the rampage is difficult to control. @ The frenzied crowd was restless as soon as their f avourite hero alighted from the plane. FRESCO N. a mode of painting upon walls covered with damp plaster þ Syn. wall painting, mural, frieze @ The frescoes of Ajanta caves w ere discovered by a Briti sh ci ti zen. FRIGID Adj., FRIGIDITY N. intensely cold þ Syn. cold, frosty, chilly, icy, glacial ¬ Ant. torrid, hot, stifling, scorching @ Many parts of Russia are in the frigid zone. @ Her frigidity kept people off her. FOSTER to nourish, cul tivate, promote FRITTER V. þ Syn. encourage, espouse ¬ Ant. negl ect, suppress þ Syn. dribble away @ The record agent fostered the development of his clients by sending them to singing lessons. @ Do not fritter away your education in gossip and trivialities.
IC : PTpntvb01 to waste away little by little, squander, dissipate ¬ Ant. conserve, save, preserve, keep (83) of (188) FRIVOLOUS Adj., FRIVOLITY N. FUNEREAL silly, trifling mournful, appropriate to a funeral þ Syn. playful, frolicsome, flippant þ Syn. solemn, gloomy ¬ Ant. seri ous, i mportant, acute, severe ¬ Ant. cheerful , lively @ My friends enjoyed my frivolity in their leisure but they never took me seriously otherwise. @ Dep resse d by the party 's f u nere al at mosph ere, Suz a nne decided to leave early. @ He is generally a good student but he is inclined to be frivolous in group discussions. FURORE N. an angry or maniacal fit, frenzy; an outburst of public excitement FROLIC N., V., FROLICSOME Adj. @ A f ur or e e ru pt e d ov er th e co u rt ’s ve rd i c t o n l e g al i s i n g homosexual marri ages. gaiety, prank þ Syn. play, skip, leap, cavort, gambol @ The kids were frolicking at the party. FURTIVE @ The two teams were so unevenly matched that the game was little more than a frolic for the winning side. secret, steal thy þ Syn. surreptitious, sly ¬ Ant. open, above board FRUGAL Adj., FRUGALITY N. economical, sparing, thrifty, sparing, careful about how money or goods are used @ Gl enn furtively peered out of the corner of hi s eye at the stunningly beautiful model. þ Syn. thrifty, prudent, spari ng FUSILLADE N. ¬ Ant. spendthrif t, wastrel, squanderer simultaneous discharge of firearms, barrage, burst @ Chetna says she has enough money to last through the month but only if she is frugal in her spending. @ Tw e n t y­ e i g h t d e m o n s t r a t o r s w e r e s h o t d e a d a n d 1 8 8 wounded in a five­minute fusillade of automatic fire. @ Judging by their frugality, you would never guess they were rich. FUSION – process of merging things into one þ Syn. amalgamation, coal escence FUGITIVE Adj., N. ¬ Ant. f ragmentation, separati on fl eeing, evanescent, w anderi ng @ Cement is formed by the fusion of shale and limestone. þ Syn. escapee, deserter, renegade @ Fugitive families who fled the fighting in the cities are now trying to survive in the mountains. FUSSY Adj. choosy, discriminating, particular, picky FULSOME Adj. þ Syn. finicky, selective disgusti ngl y i nsi ncere, immoderate; overabundant, overdone, obsequious or servile ¬ Ant. cool, relaxed, tranquil þ Syn. flattering, excessive, immoderate @ He earned the fulsome praise of the chief minister. @ The children are so fussy about the food that I don’t know what to cook. @ The fulsome chrome glitter of escalator dominated the central hall. FUZZY Adj. @ The old man is fussy. blurred, not clear þ Syn. hairy, downy, blurry, unclear ¬ Ant. clear, transparent, lucid @ You can pick up a lot of stations on the car radio but the sound is usually quite fuzzy. B i och e m ist ry The following are 10 words that are related to the topic mentioned a bo ve . (84) of (188) BILIOUS CARCINOGEN CYTOLOGY DETRITUS ENZYME IMMISCIBLE LIPID OSMOSIS : : : : : : : : SUB STRA TE : VISCERAL : affected by or associated with nausea or vomiting any cancer­causing substance the study of cells decaying organic matter lying just below the surface protein which acts as a biological catalyst not capable of being mixed a fatlike substance that cannot be dissolved in water di f fusi on of substance i n a l i quid sol ution across a membrane an y s ub sta nce w h i c h i s a cte d o n or al t ere d by an enzyme relating to deep inward feelings rather than to intellect
IC : PTpntvb01 “G”
GAFFE N. GALVANISE V. a social or diplomatic blunder, mistake stimulate by shock, stir up; to coat with zinc þ Syn. faux pas, error of judgement þ Syn. rouse, animate, incite ¬ Ant. make dull @ The prospect of his mother coming to stay galvanised him into action and he immediately set about cleaning the house. ¬ Ant. righteous move, correct @ I made a real gaffe, calling his new wife by the name of his ex­w i f e. GAMBIT N. an initial move, sacrifice for gain later on þ Syn. ploy, manoeuvre, scheme @ Her clever opening gambit gave her an early advantage. GAINSAY V. to declare to be untrue, to deny, to contradict, to dispute þ Syn. oppose, naysay, ref ute ¬ Ant. agree, concur @ T h e r e ’ s n o g a i n s a y i n g t h e t e c h n i c a l b r i l l i a n c e o f h i s perf ormance but one mi ght have hoped f or a l ittl e more f eeli ng. GALE N. GAMBOL V. to frisk and frolic, leap playfully @ Seeing her gambol in the amusement park, I remembered my chi ldhood. a strong wind; an emotional outburst GA MELY Adv. in a spirited manner, with courage þ Syn. willingly, gladly, voluntarily ¬ Ant. grudgi ngly, ungenerously @ Though outclassed, he fought on gamely against the superior adversary and won the applause of the audience. @ Gales of laughter broke out after he completed the joke. GALL N., V. bi tterness, nerve, brazen boldness; vex þ Syn. irritate, infuriate, provoke ¬ Ant. pl ease, entertain @ I don’t know how she can have the gall to accuse other people of inefficiency when she’s the most incompetent person! @ The loose saddle galled the horse’s back. GALLANT Adj., GALLANTRY N. brave, noble, attentive to ladies; splendid, stately þ Syn. chivalrous, grand, fine, dashing ¬ Ant. cow ard, unchivalrous, dastard @ Despite fierce competition she made a gallant effort to win the first medal of the championships. @ It would appear that there are not many gallant men left in the big cities, the way women are pushed around in the crowd. GALORE Adv. in abundance, plentiful þ Syn. in great quantity ¬ Ant. meagre, in short supply @ And for the sweet­toothed, this café has desserts galore. GAMUT N. the whole spectrum or range of anything, the full extent þ Syn. range, scale, breadth, array @ In her stories she expresses the w hole gamut of emotions from happiness to sorrow. GARBLE V. to mangle or mutilate, misrepresent, misconstrue þ Syn. confuse, muddle, distort, jumble ¬ Ant. arrange properly, display, pose @ He left a rather garbled message on my answering machine. GARGA NTUAN gi ant, tremendous þ Syn. enormous, monstrous ¬ Ant. tiny, minuscule @ Strangel y, for some teenagers, it is a gargantuan task to maintain a little order. Civil Law The following are 10 words that are related to the topic mentioned above. BILK CHATTEL CODICIL DEMUR FIDUCIA RY NOVATION QUITCLA IM : : : : : : : RECIDIVISM SUBROG ATE VEST : : : IC : PTpntvb01 withhold money by deceit or without justification movable property (not attached to land) a legal document which adds to or changes the provisions of a will to claim that even if another party’s facts are true there is no legitimate claim or legal recourse one charged with the legal responsibility for administrating and/or managing another’s assets substitution of a new contract or obligation for an existing one to transfer or relinquish title in property to another without any representation as to one’s legal authority to do so tending to go back to crime to substitute one party (e.g., a creditor) for another to attain a right or interest without possibility of losing it
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GARISH Adj. GENESIS N. show y, gaudy, flamboyant, ostentatious generation, producti on þ Syn. dazz ling, showy, taw dry, kitschy þ Syn. origin, start, birth ¬ Ant. germane, apt, regular ¬ Ant. end, armageddon @ The sets of most Hindi films are garish. @ Banker­broker nexus was the genesi s of the Bombay bank scam. GARNER @ Scientists are carrying out research into the genesis of cancer. to gather and store þ Syn. amass, stockpile GENIAL Adj., GENIALITY N. ¬ Ant. disperse, dissemble kindl y, healthful @ The businessman managed to garner f inance from several sources for his next project. þ Syn. kind, affable, gracious, amiable GARRULOUS Adj., GARRULITY N. ¬ Ant. antagonistic, inhospi table @ The geniality of those who receive or deal with the customers in any business plays a critical role in its success. a person who talks a lot, extremely talkative, loquacious, gabby, ve rb os e @ The headteacher is an easy­going genial man. þ Syn. loquacious, chattering, babbling GENOCIDE N., GENOCIDAL Adj. ¬ Ant. taciturn, monosyllabic, subdued deliberate extermination of a race or group etc. @ Af ter hi s daughter’s birth, the normal ly shy Rohan turned garrulous, telling endless stories about his new and perfect chi ld. @ The genocide of Jews by Hitler was heinous. GASTRONOME N. GENRE a person who relishes drinks and food, epicure, type, cl ass, category þ Syn. connoisseur, bon vivant þ Syn. ilk, variety @ Delhi is the Mecca of gastronomes. @ My sister l oves mysteri es, but I can't stand that genre of books. @ Saddam’s genocidal policy towards Kurds in northern Iraq was sheer barbarism. GAUCHE Adj. clumsy, tactless GENUFLECT V. þ Syn. maladroit, inept to bend the knee as in worship ¬ Ant. debonair, suave @ The finishing school transforms the gauche into suave. @ Thousands of Muslims genuflect simultaneously while offering namaz at the Jama Masjid . GAUNT Adj. GERMANE Adj. excessively thin and angular; barren something relevant, suitable, pertinent, proper, appropriate @ Supermodel Giselle Bundchen has a characteristic long gaunt f a ce . þ Syn. useful, connected, of interest GELID Adj. ¬ Ant. immaterial, extraneous @ He r re mark s co ul d not have be en m ore germ ane to t he di scussion. very cold, icy (said of people’s attitudes as well as of substances) þ Syn. frozen, chilled, dormant GERONTOCRACY N. ¬ Ant. warm, in action government ruled by the old people @ The haughty old queen gave her subjects a brief, gelid smile as she informed them that their audience was over. @ Gulliver’s Travels describes gerontocracy in a country where the young are made to serve and the old rule. GENEALOGY N. GESTATION a history or study of the descent of a family, ancestry, pedigree growth process from conception to birth @ My father has produced a genealogy of our family going back to 1732. þ Syn. incubation, maturation @ The longer the gestation period of an organism, the more developed is its baby at birth. GENERIC Adj., N having a wide appli cation, of a type of cl ass, comprehensive, uni versal GESTICULATE V., GESTICULATION N. þ Syn. basic, common, standard þ Syn. wave, signal, sign, indicate ¬ Ant. explicit, exact, unambiguous @ I n K a t h a k a l i , t h e d a n c e r s c o n v e y t h e i r s t o r y u s i n g gesticulations and facial expressions. @ Xerox has become a generic term for photocopiers. to make vigorous and expressive signals or gestures @ As he became more excited, he gesticulated more and more wildly.
(86) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 GHASTLY Adj. terrifyingly horrible to the senses þ Syn. terrible, frightening, appalling ¬ Ant. pl easant, enjoyable, agreeable @ She was wearing the most ghastly outfit you’ve ever seen. GIBBER V., GIBBERISH N. GLIB fluent in an insincere manner, offhand, casual þ Syn. loquacious, disingenuous ¬ Ant. sincere, inarti culate @ The slimy politician managed to gain support because he was a glib speaker. GLIMMER N., V. feeble rays of light, faint perception þ Syn. twinkle, shine, gleam, spark @ I see a glimmer of intelligence in that young lad. to utter senseless or inarticulate talk þ Syn. babble, rant, prattle, prate @ Don’t you gibber in the presence of royalty. @ Stop that gibberish and tell us exactly what you saw. GIBE V., N. to scoff at, to make fun of, deride, tease with rude remarks þ Syn. mock, tease, jeer, joke, laugh @ The gibes should be well directed so that they entertain and not irritate. GILD V. to cover with gold or gold­like substance þ Syn. make golden, paint gold @ If you gild the lily you try to improve or decorate something which is already perfect and therefore spoil it. GIRTH circumference, width GLOAT V. to look with intense, malicious satisfaction þ Syn. revel, take pride, glory, triumph ¬ Ant. lament, mourn, grieve, bewail @ She won’t stop gloating over her new job. GLOOM N., GLOOMY Adj. partial darkness, cloudi ness, hopelessness þ Syn. obscurity, shade, shadow, murk ¬ Ant. bri ghtness, i ntensity, clarity @ The article about pollution painted a picture of gloom. @ A gloomy atmosphere prevailed in the colony where an elderly couple were murdered the previous night. GLUT V., N. to feed to satiety, to saturate, to flood þ Syn. excess, surplus, superfluity ¬ Ant. shortage, scarcity, def ici ency @ The glut of electronic goods reflects rampant consumerism. @ The young boy marvelled at the girth of the peepul tree. GINGERLY Adj. very carefull y þ Syn. cauti ous, del icate, gentle @ Eggs should always be cracked gingerly especially when you want to separate the white from the yolk. GIRTH N. GLUTINOUS Adj. sticky, gummy @ The glutinous gel that I plastered my hair with is difficult to wash of f. a measure around the body, circumference @ Deepak has been growing in gi rth ever since he moved to Del hi. GLARING Adj., GLARE V., N. highly conspicuous, harshly bright GLUTTONOUS Adj., GLUTTON N. voracious, ravenous; a greedy eater þ Syn. insati abl e, excessi ve @ He is gluttonous and obviously suffers from obesity. @ For a glutton, he was remarkably slim. þ Syn. conspicuous, obvious, obtrusive ¬ Ant. inconspicuous, ordinary, subtle @ Those wearing glaring clothes will attract a lot of attention and some jeer too. GLUTTONY eating and drinking in excess þ Syn. greediness, voraci ty ¬ Ant. absti nence, moderation @ After all the gluttony at the party, the guests took days to recover thei r appetite. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2. (c ) f ors ake f ortuitous f u rti ve garrul ous genre secre ti ve ab and on acci dental type of art c ha tt y 1. (b ) 3 .( a ) 4 .( e ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5. (d )
Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test IC : PTpntvb01 (87) of (188) GNARL V. GRANDEUR N. snarl, growl; twist into a state of deformity impressiveness, statel iness, majesty @ The man gnarled but was helpless with so many policemen surrounding him with guns drawn. þ Syn. splendour, opulence, majesty @ The sight of the old gnarled tree reminded the poet about an old man. @ The grandeur of Taj at night captivates the tourists. GNOME N. a dwarf (like an old man) living in a cave þ Syn. sprite, goblin, troll, leprechaun @ The gnomes in children’s books are always kind and magical but some are quite mischievous. ¬ Ant. austeri ty, severi ty, strictness GRANDILOQUENT Adj. GRANDILOQUENCE N. pompous, bombastic, using high­sounding language þ Syn. pompous, pretentious, verbose ¬ Ant. straightf orw ard, easy, basic @ He was a performer who loved making grandiloquent gestures. @ Her speech was full grandiloquence but offered no new ideas. GOAD N., V. a sharp pointed stick to drive animals, a stimulus, an instrument or prod used to GRANDIOSE stimulate action þ Syn. resplendent, ostentatious þ Syn. provoke, drive, prod, push ¬ Ant. unimpressive, humble ¬ Ant. calm, tranquil, peaceful, still, cool @ The house had a grandiose facade that hid its humble interior. @ They may hate you but you must continue to goad the students to put in regular hours for their own good. GRAPPLE V. @ The cowherd made cruel use of his goad to make the animals move faster. GOBBLE V. to swallow hastily, to eat greedily þ Syn. guzzle, bolt, gorge, gulp ¬ Ant. nibble, chew, gnaw, bite, eat @ Expanding cities are gobbling up agricultural land. GORGE N., V. a ravine; to stuff to capacity þ Syn. canyon, defile, gap, chasm @ He was only interested in gorging at the party and did not bother to talk to anybody. @ The gorges cut out by the Colorado river in California make a spectacul ar sight. magnificent and imposing, exaggerated and pretentious wrestle, come to grips with þ Syn. struggle, fight, tackle, seize ¬ Ant. let go, release, liberate, free @ She grappled with the problem but could not find a solution. GRATE V. to rub hard or wear away, grind, file, grit þ Syn. shred, scrape, rasp, annoy ¬ Ant. please, satisfy, gratif y, del ight @ After a while her voice really started to grate on me. @ I agreed to grate the carrots so that my mother could make her tasty Gajar Halwa in the evening. GRATIS Adj. without payment, f ree, complimentary þ Syn. on the house, complimentary GORY Adj. @ The hangers­on are forever looking for gratis goods. bloodstai ned @ The gory det ai l s of th e rap e an d sub seque nt m urder of Hannah Foster shocked British society. GOSSA MER Adj., N. sheer, like cobw ebs, substantial þ Syn. delicate, flimsy, gauzy ¬ Ant. robust, vigorous, hearty @ The women stood about in the summer evening, their gossamer dresses stirring in the breeze. GRATUITOUS Adj. done for nothing, uncalled for, unwarranted, offered freely, not necessary under the circumstances þ Syn. free, complimentary ¬ Ant. compulsory @ A lot of viewers complained that there was too much gratuitous sex and violence in the film. G RA TUITY something given voluntarily, tip GOURMAND N. þ Syn. gift, fringe benefit one who is excessively fond of eating and drinking @ Many restaurants add an 18 percent gratuity to the bill if the dining party is large enough. þ Syn. glutton, gastronome, foodie @ The gourmand visited bylanes of Chandni Chowk trying out every dish that came his way. GOURMET N. an epicure, a person with very fine taste of food and drink þ Syn. gastronome, connoisseur @ Our speciality food will appeal to the gourmet. (88) of (188) GREGARIOUS Adj. fond of the company of others, soci able, extroverted, fond of groups, convivi al þ Syn. outgoing, sociable, social ¬ Ant. shy, introverted, withdrawn @ Emma is a gregarious, outgoing sort of person.
IC : PTpntvb01 GRIMACE facial expression showing pain or disgust þ Syn. frown, pout ¬ Ant. smile, grin @ The manager grimaced when his wife, drunk as usual, spilled coffee on the boss. GRIMY dirty, filthy þ Syn. unclean, grubby ¬ Ant. clean, sterile @ Betty w as di spl e ased w hen h er date sh ow ed up i n di rty clothes. GRUFF Adj. rough­mannered þ Syn. grumpy, bad tampered, snippy ¬ Ant. fri endl y, graci ous, responsive @ She spoke to me in a gruff voice, obviously annoyed that she had been disturbed. GUILD N. an association for mutual aid or help þ Syn. association, union, league, club @ The city’s Writers’ Guild could not help the author when his story was allegedly plagiarised. GRISLY Adj. ghastly, fri ghtfully, macabre þ Syn. gruesome, horrible, shocking ¬ Ant. pleasant, amiable, congenial @ The newspaper descri bed a series of grisly murders where people had been hacked to death. GUILE GRIT N. persi stence, stamina; sand þ Syn. gravel, shingle, determination ¬ Ant. cowardice, fearful ness, fear @ She is a person with a lot of grit and determination. GUISE N. GROSS( adj.) obscene, bl atant, fl agrant (v) – make, earn, bring in þ Syn. vulgar, indecent ¬ Ant. pure, ref ined @ Spike's comment that he liked the casual look was a gross understatement. trickery, decepti on þ Syn. craf tiness, deviousness ¬ Ant. candour, honesty @ Gautam acquired the job with guile, even claiming to be a retired army off icer. external appearance, manner, behavi our, dress þ Syn. semblance, show, pretext, excuse @ Opportunity often knocks in the guise of a setback. GULLIBLE Adj., GULLIBILITY N. a person easily deceived, easy to fool, ingenuous þ Syn. nai ve, suscepti ble ¬ Ant. smart, elegant, neat @ The local tourist guides delight gullible Western tourists with unlikely stories. GUNG­HO Adj. GROTESQUE Adj. absurd, f antasti c, unnatural, distorted, ugly þ Syn. ugly, gross, fantastic, bi zarre ¬ Ant. attractive, good looking @ H i s a t t e m p t t o a p p e a r y o u n g w a s g r o t e s q u e a n d embarrassing. @ Gothic churches are full of devils and grotesque figures. enthusiasti c, eager, zealous þ Syn. competi tive, bl oodthirsty ¬ Ant. passive, i nert, inactive, ref lexi ve @ Tushar is gung­ho about the market prospects for the next y e a r. GUSTATORY Adj. relevant to the sense of tasting GROUSE V., N. complain, fuss; a reddish brown game bird þ Syn. complaint, grumble, moan, nag @ Give the new hostellers a little time and soon they will stop grousi ng about inconveni ences. @ The wine produces a whole range of gustatory sensations. GUSTO N. enjoyment, enthusiasm þ Syn. delight, pleasure, zest GROVEL V. to crawl due to fear, to behave servilely þ Syn. plead, beg, cringe @ I will apologise to him but I won’t grovel. ¬ Ant. apathy, indif ference, lethargy @ It is his habit to accept every assignment with gusto. GUTTURAL Adj. pertaining to the throat GRUELLING Adj. severe, tough, demanding, exhausting, tiring, punishing @ Junior doctors often have to work a gruelling 100­hour week. GRUESOME Adj. macabre, bloody, ghastly, gory, grim þ Syn. grisly, horrible, horrid ¬ Ant. pl easant, enjoyable, agreeable @ The gruesome tale of the Bhopal gas tragedy can be read on the faces of its victims. IC : PTpntvb01 þ Syn. harsh, rasping, rough, throaty ¬ Ant. silky, melodious, harmonious @ Two Egyptians w ere arguing outside the room, their voices loud and guttural. GYPSY N. travel l er, rover @ There was something strange about the gypsy who offered to tell me my fortune.
(89) of (188) “H”
HACKNEYED HALLOW V., HALLOWED Adj. worn out by overuse to make hol y, venerate þ Syn. cliched, vapid þ Syn. consecrate, sanctify, bless ¬ Ant. original, fresh ¬ Ant. damage, vandalise, defile, despoil @ We always mock the old man for his hackneyed expressions and dated styl e. @ My mother hallows the puja room every morning by sprinkling gangajal . HAEMATOLOGY N. @ It was a dream come true as I walked through the hallowed portals of IIMA. study of blood @ Haematol ogy has come centre­stage due to the rampant spread of AIDS. HALLUCINATION N., HALLUCINATE V. a delusion, a perception without objective reality þ Syn. vision, illusion, phantasm heavy bl eedi ng @ I hallucinated that a big spider was spinning its web around me. @ The haemorrhage w ould have ki lled the soldier but f or the brave nurse’s timely action. HAMLET N. HA EMORRHAG E a cluster of houses, community, village HAGGARD N. þ Syn. settlement, small town an untamed hawk; wild in appearance @ She used to live in a remote hamlet consisting of just 20 houses and a temple. þ Syn. worn, fatigued, tired, faded ¬ Ant. fresh, new, clean, bright @ After hours of dragging out bodies f rom the mangled train c om p ar t me n ts , t h e r es c ue rs w e r e l oo k i n g h a gg a rd an d di straught. HANGAR N. a shelter for aircraft þ Syn. shed, barn, store, storage place @ The plane had to parked in the open as there was no room in the hangar. HALCYON Adj. calm, peaceful þ Syn. untroubled, calm, peaceful, happy, golden HAPLESS Adj. ¬ Ant. turbul ent, confused, unstable unlucky, unf ortunate @ The statistics that you are quoting about the company are of its halcyon days. þ Syn. ill­fated, luckless Nilufer Jain
IIT­B & D, NMIMS,
SIBM, SCMHRD
¬ Ant. fortunate, happy, privileged @ Rural people are often the hapl ess victi ms of government a p a t h y. HARA­KIRI N. Japanese way of committing suicide by disembowelment PT not only provided
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@ If the company raises its prices, it will be committing economic hara­ki ri. HARANGUE N. a loud, pompous speech þ Syn. berate, criticize, sermonize @ At the railway station, a drunk was haranguing the passers­ b y. HARBINGER N. a pioneer, forerunner, herald, precursor þ Syn. portend, omen, indication @ Einstein was the harbinger of the concept of relativity. HARDY robust, vigorous þ Syn. sturdy, rugged ¬ Ant. delicate, tender @ Heena was a strong, hardy girl who beat up her elder brothers every day.
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IC : PTpntvb01 HARROW V., HARROWING Adj. HEGEMONY N., HEGEMONIC Adj. to torment, vex ; acutely painful or distressing, agonising leadershi p, preponderant infl uence þ Syn. torture þ Syn. domination, control, supremacy ¬ Ant. comfort, ease ¬ Ant. subservience, surrender @ F o r e i g n t o u r i s t s , e s p e c i a l l y A m e r i c a n s , a r e f r e q u e n t l y harrowed in Islamic countries. @ The three nations competed for regional hegemony. @ I find his firsthand accounts of torture too harrowing. HEINOUS shocking, wicked, terrible HA UG HTY arrogant and condescending þ Syn. vai n, conceited þ Syn. atroci ous, reprehensible ¬ Ant. pardonable, admirable ¬ Ant. modest, humble @ Nobody could believe that the baby­sitter had committed the heinous crime. @ The teacher resented Sita’s haughty attitude and gave her a D grade for the semester. HENCHMAN N. HAUTEUR N. a servant, a right hand man, usually doing unl awf ul work f or someone arrogance, haughtiness þ Syn. concei t, pride, overconf idence @ Like other politicians, he tried to distance himself from the dirty deeds carried out by his henchmen. ¬ Ant. modesty, di ffidence, reticence @ H e pr e si de d o ve r t he f i rs t m ee ti n g w i t h hi s c us t om ar y detached hauteur. HERALD V. to usher in, to proclaim þ Syn. messenger, bearer of news, publicise HAVEN N. @ The silicon chip heralded a new era in computer technology. a retreat or asylum þ Syn. refuge, saf e pl ace, sanctuary HERCULEAN Adj. @ They wanted to provide a safe haven for the refugees. very tough, arduous, superhuman þ Syn. phenomenal, prodigious, heroic HEADLONG Adv. ¬ Ant. normal, usual, standard, regular hasty, rash @ Plagued by several crises and many recent electoral defeats, the party is requires nothing short of a herculean effort from its new leader to turn things around. þ Syn. headfirst, recklessly @ He involves himself headlong in the affairs of others. @ In the headlong rush to buy houses, many people got into de bt . HERMETIC tightly sealed HEADSTRONG Adj. stubborn, wilful, unyielding þ Syn. determined, pigheaded ¬ Ant. docile, tractable, compliant @ Everybody calls her headstrong but she is one of the boldest in her group. HEATHEN pagan, uncivilised and irreligious þ Syn. atheist, uncouth ¬ Ant. religious, devout @ The missionaries considered it their duty to convert as many of the heathen natives as possible. @ The hermeti c seal preserved the contents of the jar f or a long time. HETERODOX Adj., HETERODOXY N. unorthodox, unconventional þ Syn. heretical, profane, sacrilegious @ Famous for his heterodox ideas, Kabir was a darling of the masses. HEW to cut with an axe þ Syn. chop down, hack down @ Varun hewed down the trees in order to build a cabin. HECKLE V. HEYDAY N. to harass with questions, challenges and gibes the best period in performance, vigour and prosperity @ The old inmates hackled the new one and that added to his w oes. þ Syn. prime, zenith, glory days HEDONISM HIATUS N. pursuit of pleasure as a goal a break in continuity, a gap, a lapse in action þ Syn. immoderation, affluence þ Syn. pause, interrupti on ¬ Ant. aversion, abhorrence @ Tourists are once again visiting Kashmir after a long hiatus caused by terrorism.
@ Sanjeev l ay on the couch eati ng cookies all day, claiming hedonism was his philosophy of life. IC : PTpntvb01 @ In his heyday, Jitendra was Bollywood’s most polished dancer. (91) of (188) HIDEBOUND HISTRIONIC Adj. excessively rigid, dry and stiff d ra m at i c , a f f e ct e d, o f a ct i ng or dr a m a, so m et i me s ov e rl y dramatic, theatrical þ Syn. theatri cal, exaggerated, insincere ¬ Ant. restrained, reserved, controll ed þ Syn. conservative, orthodox ¬ Ant. liberal, broad­minded @ The hidebound old patriarch would not tolerate any opposition to his orders. HIDEOUS Adj. offensive to the senses, grotesque, gruesome þ Syn. ugly, repugnant, shocking @ The new concrete structures l ook so hideous next to the simple huts in the serene village. @ Her histrionics, obviously borrowed from Hindi films, fooled no one. HOA RY very old, whitish or gray from age þ Syn. venerabl e, hackneyed ¬ Ant. original, young @ The old man's hoary beard contrasted starkly with the new stubble of the teenager. HIEROGLYPHIC N. picture writing @ The hieroglyphics on the walls of the pyramid warned everyone of the danger inside. HILARIOUS Adj., HILARITY N. HOAX N. a trick, practical joke, deception þ Syn. flimflam, humbug @ Unfortunately some virus threats are a hoax and simply cause some panic with no real damage. very funny, jolly, merry @ Hilarity is improper on serious occasions. HOBBLE V., N. to walk unsteadily or awkwardly þ Syn. limp, hop, shamble, totter @ He tries to flirt with women half his age, with hilarious results. @ The beggar hobbling along the road presented a painful sight. HINDSIGHT HOBSON’S CHOICE an offer where you really have no alternative, the choice between a thing offered and nothing @ When it came to food, the canteen off ered us a Hobson’s choi ce. þ Syn. amusing, comical, entertaining ¬ Ant. serious, grave, weighty perception of events after they happen @ In hi ndsight, Hari sh realised that eating the entire box of chocolates was probably not a wise idea. HINTERLAND N. a region lying inland from the coast HOI POLLOI (Greek) crowd, masses, general public @ The hinterland of our country is very fertile and produces a number of crops. þ Syn. rabble, commoners ¬ Ant. elite HIRSUTE Adj., HIRSUTISM N. @ Amitabh will be in the VIP lounge where he doesn’t have to mix with the hoi polloi. hai ry, rough, shaggy, bristly þ Syn. bushy, furry, HOLISTIC ¬ Ant. bald, hairless, receding, plain emphasising importance of the whole and interdependence of its parts @ Dr Anu Khanna believes in a holistic approach to healing. @ The baby looked rather hirsute but the doctor assured the new parents that there was no cause for worry. HISPANIC Adj. of Spanish origin, of Spain and other Spanish speaking countries HOLOCA UST widespread destruction, usually by fire þ Syn. catastrophe, di saster @ The city was utterly destroyed by the holocaust. @ The Hispanic culture is ancient and rich. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . (c ) grandiose gregarious hac kney ed hapl ess homogenous uniform over used soci able absurdl y exaggerated unl ucky 1 . (d ) 3 . (b ) 4 . ( e ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 .(a )
Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test (92) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 HOMA GE HOUND V. public honour and respect to chase and harass, hassle, intimidate, persecute þ Syn. tri bute, eulogy þ Syn. pursue, pester, persecute ¬ Ant. criticism, cynicism @ All celebrities are hounded by the press. @ Upon arriving at the village, the warriors paid homage to its chief. HOVER V. to hang fluttering in the air, wait nearby HOMICIDE N. þ Syn. float, drift, linger mansl aughter, murder @ The plane kept hovering for an hour before landing. þ Syn. killing, slaughter @ The young man was arrested for homicide. HUBBUB N. confused uproar HOMOGENEOUS þ Syn. noise, racket, hullabaloo, din composed of identical parts @ I could hardly hear myself speak above the hubbub in the restro ­bar. þ Syn. consistent, uniform ¬ Ant. heterogeneous, dissimilar @ Finl and w as a very homogenous country unti l i mmi grants began to settle there several decades ago. HUBRIS N. arrogance, excessi ve self ­conceit HOMONYM @ Humility can take you places but hubris often lands you in the debri s. w ord i denti cal i n pronunci ati on and spel l i ng but di f ferent i n meani ng HUDDLE V. @ "Right" as in the direction and "right" meaning "correct" are homonyms. HONE to sharpen þ Syn. strop, grind ¬ Ant. blunt, dull @ You might want to hone your writing skills before filling out college applications. HONORARIUM N. a voluntary fee paid to a person for his professional services @ We usual l y of fer our vi si ti ng l ecturers an honorari um of Rs.500 per hour. to crowd together in disorder þ Syn. group, cluster, knot, bend @ The frightened monkeys huddled in their cage. HUMANE merciful, kindly þ Syn. compassionate, sympathetic ¬ Ant. cruel, inhumane @ The camp co mmander ensured that a l l pri so ners of w ar received humane treatment. HUMBUG N. something designed to deceive or mislead, pretense þ Syn. hypocrisy, insincerity, lip service HOOLIGAN N., HOOLIGANISM N. ¬ Ant. si nceri ty, honesty, authenti ci ty a young, violent, rude person @ The government’s claim that it did not know about the arms deal is a lot of humbug. þ Syn. punk, gorilla, ruffian, hoodlum @ The police warned the hooligan and let him go. @ Hooliganism is the norm of the day when these rioting football fans meet. HUMDRUM Adj. dull, monotonous þ Syn. bori ng, routine, everyday HORDE N. crowd þ Syn. crowd, mass, gang, group, pack @ Hordes of his admirers await his entry on the stage. @ When they heard the concert was free, they came in hordes. HORS D’OEUVRE savoury like olives, sardines etc. to whet the appetite before a meal @ The hors d’oeuvre tasted better than the main course at the di nn er. ¬ Ant. exciting, thrilling, stirring @ After the metropol is, he found life in the small town quite humdrum. HUSBANDRY N. f r u g a l i t y, t h r i f t , a g r i c u l t u r e , c a r e f u l u s e o f r e s o u r c e s , conservati on @ Thanks to his husbandry, they were not short of food even when the war prolonged. @ He gave a lecture on crop and animal husbandry. HUTCH pen or coop for animals, shack, shanty @ The rabbits bred so rapidly that they outgrew their hutch in no time.
IC : PTpntvb01 (93) of (188) HYGIENIC HYPOTHESIS cl ean, sanitary assumption subject to proof þ Syn. antiseptic, sterilised þ Syn. conjecture, supposition ¬ Ant. dirty, insanitary @ It's an interesting hypothesis, but I'll need proof. @ Hygienic living conditions help to keep infections away. HYPOTHETICAL HYMN (HIM) N. theoreti cal, speculati ve a song of praise þ Syn. conjectured, imagined þ Syn. song, chant, mantra, tune ¬ Ant. real, actual @ The school choir sang the hymns very well at the festival. @ The of ficial claimed that his radical forecast was based on hypotheti cal si tuati ons. HYPERBOLE N. wil d exaggeration, often deliberate HYSTERIA N., HYSTERICAL Adj. þ Syn. overstatement an outbreak of wild emotions, panic, chaos, frenzy ¬ Ant. understatement, irony, dryness þ Syn. panic, hysterics, frenzy, madness @ The blurb at the back was full of the usual hyperbole, but the book was a disappointment. ¬ Ant. calm, sereni ty, quietness, peace HYPOCHONDRIA N. @ There is always a hysterical crowd at the stadium during an Indo­Pak cricket match.
morbid anxiety about health, imaginary illness @ There is hysteria among teenagers and pop music lovers over the arrival of Michael Jackson. @ S h e w a s w o r r i e d t h a t h e r d o c t or w o u l d a c c u s e he r o f hypochondri a. HYPOCRITE person claiming beliefs or virtues he or she doesn't really possess þ Syn. phony, pretender @ The docto r w ho advi se d hi s pati e nts to stay aw ay f rom tobacco was called a hypocrite when he was caught smoking. Busine ss, Economics, and Finance The following are 10 words that are related to the topic mentioned a bo ve . (94) of (188) ACCRUE BULLISH EMBA RG O : : : ESCROW : HEDGE : PECUNIARY RED HERRING : : SCRIVENER SURETY : : USURIOUS : to accumulate over time (e.g., interest or money owing) characterized by rising share prices on Stock Exchange an official prohibition or restriction of foreign trade by one nation against another a temporary account established to hold funds pending the completion of investment or purchase transaction to of f se t t he ri s k o f l oss ( e.g .; f ro m m ark et pri ce fl uctuations) financial; monetary something especial ly a cl ue, w hi ch is i ntented to be misleading or distracting a professional or public copyist, scribe, or notary one who guarantees the perf ormance (e.g., payment) on behalf of another referring to an extremely high or unlawful rate of interest IC : PTpntvb01 “I”
ICONOCLAST N., ICONOCLASTIC Adj. ILLICIT Adj. a person opposing conventional beliefs, dissident, agitator þ Syn. misfit, maverick, nonconformist unl awful , unauthori sed, forbi dden, (esp. of substances) illegal or disapproved of ¬ Ant. conservative, tradi ti onal, orthodox þ Syn. felonious, wrongful @ Human civilisation largely owes its evolution to its iconoclastic members. ¬ Ant. legal, lawful @ It must have been an iconoclast who conjured up the audacious dream of space travel. @ Illicit liquor is the creation of prohibition. ILLUSORY unreal , deceptive IDEA LISM þ Syn. delusory, notional pursuit of noble goals þ Syn. philosophy, principle ¬ Ant. materialism, cynicism ¬ Ant. genuine, real @ His idealism is admirable, but it will not be easy to support ten orphans. IDEE FIXE N. a fixed idea or belief, obsession @ In thes e troubl ed ti m es characteri sed by rapi d c hanges, managers should try and rid themselves of every possible idee fixe. @ The l ost travel ler was devastated to discover that the lake he had seen was illusory, just a mirage. ILLUSTRIOUS famous, renowned þ Syn. eminent, acclaimed ¬ Ant. obscure, unknown @ The illustrious music composer produced one hit after another, much to the delight of his fans. IDIOSYNCRASY N. peculiarity of temperament or mental constitution, eccentricity, oddi ty IMBECILE N. þ Syn. abnormality, quirk @ My grandfather had many lovable idiosyncrasies, one being his insistence that dessert be eaten after every meal, even af ter breakf ast. ¬ Ant. brilliant IDYLLIC Adj. simple, innocent, charming þ Syn. peaceful, calm, tranquil, restful @ Idyllic scenery of Manali allures thousands every year. IGNOBLE Adj. of low birth or common origin, plebeian þ Syn. lowborn base a f ooli sh, unwi se, stupid person, a person w ho behaves i n a stupid way @ Things have become so bad that only an imbecile can expect a politician to put country before self. IMBIBE V. to absorb, receive in the mind þ Syn. drink, down, swallow @ Imbibing the ideals of the great men will be worth the effort. IMBROGLIO N. confusion, chaos, embroilment, full of trouble and problems þ Syn. entangl ement, embarrassment ¬ Ant. noble, dignified, highborn @ Ignoble means to achieve success are despicable. @ The Sovi et Uni on became anxi ous to wi thdraw i ts sol diers from the Afghan imbroglio. IGNOMINY N., IGNOMINIOUS Adj. public or profound disgrace, insult IMBUE þ Syn. humiliation, shame ¬ Ant. honour, respect, admiration @ Not even the fear of ignomi ny dampens the spiri t of the crooked. þ Syn. permeate, fill @ The ignominious mayor fled from the town, leaving behind a tangled financial mess. to infuse, dye, wet, moisten ¬ Ant. starve, block @ Maithili struggled to imbue her children with decent values, a difficult task in this day and age. IMMA CULATE Adj. clean, spotless, pure, exquisite, unsullied ILLEGIBLE Adj. not readable, indistinct, indecipherable þ Syn. scrawled, scribbled ¬ Ant. readable, comprehensi ble @ I am afraid illegible handwriting is not the only qualification required to become a doctor. IC : PTpntvb01 þ Syn. clean and tidy, perfect, spick ¬ Ant. messy, untidy, muddled, chaotic @ Dressed in an immaculate white chiffon Simi Grewal looked angeli c.
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IMMA TERlA L IMMURE V. inconsequential, not consisting of matter þ Syn. extraneous, nonessential ¬ Ant. important, tangible to imprison, confine @ Amit used to immure himself in his study­room for a fortnight before the exams. @ For some people, the means are immaterial; results are all that matters. IMMUTAB LE unchangeabl e, i nvari able IMMENSE enormous, huge þ Syn. massive, gigantic þ Syn. perpetual , unshakeable ¬ Ant. transient, vari able ¬ Ant. minute, tiny @ In the main hall of the museum, an immense dinosaur skeleton towered over the children. @ Poverty was an immutabl e f act of l ife f or the unfortunate Arora family; every source of income had run dry. IMPA IR to damage, injure IMMERSE to bathe, dip, to engross, preoccupy þ Syn. disable, cripple þ Syn. submerge, absorb ¬ Ant. dehydrate, distract @ As the heat became unbearable, the tiger immersed itself in the zoo pool and stayed there till evening. ¬ Ant. enhance, improve @ Years of knitting in poor light had impaired Dora's vision. IMPA SSE blocked path, dilemma with no solution IMMINENT Adj. o v e r h an g i n g , i m p en d i n g , t h re a t e n i n g , ( e s p . o f s o me t h i n g unpleasant) likely to happen very soon þ Syn. looming, depending, on the agenda ¬ Ant. distant, remote, outlying, far @ The Prime Mi ni ster has strenuousl y deni ed reports that a general election was imminent. þ Syn. deadlock, stalemate ¬ Ant. breakthrough, resoluti on @ With both leaders fail ing to budge, the peace process had reached an impasse and the mediator had to act fast. IMPASSIONED with passion þ Syn. sincere, f ervent IMMOBILE ¬ Ant. half ­hearted, di spassi onate not moveable, still þ Syn. motionless, stationary ¬ Ant. mobile, moving @ The protesters made an impassioned plea for the life of the condemned man. @ Al though Ghanshyam's legs have been immobi le since the accident, he gets around on his wheelchair. IMPASSIVE showing no emotion IMMOLATE V., IMMOLATION N. t o o f f er i n s a c ri f i c e, t o k i l l ( e s p. y ou r s e l f ) or t o d e s tr o y (something), usually by burning, esp. as an expression of anger @ Students’ self­immolation over the Mandal issue was tragic. þ Syn. apathetic, i ndif ferent IMMUNE Adj., IMMUNITY N. exempt, f ree f rom danger or obl igation, protected agai nst a disease by substances in the blood IMPEACH þ Syn. resistant, protected, impervi ous ¬ Ant. susceptible, vulnerable, prone ¬ Ant. excitable, expressi ve @ The ki ng l ooked on i mpassi vely as the trai tor desperatel y pleaded for his life. to charge with misdeeds in public office, accuse þ Syn. arraign, indict ¬ Ant. discharge, acquit @ Politicians are immune to public criticism. @ J ou r na l i s t s, h e i n si s te d , m us t n o t h av e i mm u ni t y f ro m prosecution. @ The senators debated whether or not the president should be impeached for his felony. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . ( a ) iconocl ast illicit impeccable impotent i naugurate illegal flaw less pow erl ess attacker of popular beliefs begin officially 1 . (d ) 3 . (b ) 4 . (c ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 .(e )
Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test (96) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 IMPECCABLE IMPLACABLE flawless, without fault inflexible, incapable of being pleased þ Syn. unblemished, blameless þ Syn. unpaci fiable, unyi elding ¬ Ant. imperfect, f aulty ¬ Ant. mollifiable, forgiving @ The dress rehearsal was impeccable; everythi ng was ready for the actual performance. @ Hi s rag e at the betr ayal w as so gr eat that he r emai ned implacable for weeks. IMPENETRABLE Adj. IMPLANT(v) n ot a bl e t o be p i er ce d o r en te re d , be yo n d un de rs t an di ng , impossible to enter or go through to set securely or deeply, to instill þ Syn. impassable, opaque, enigmatic þ Syn. embed, lodge @ Ocean’s mysteries are impenetrable. ¬ Ant. extract, draw out (n) – transplant, graft @ The teacher tried to implant good virtues in his students. IMPENITENT Adj. not repentant, not sorry or ashamed about something bad you have done, not peni tent þ Syn. not sorry, shameless ¬ Ant. remorseful, regretful, sorry @ To this day she remains impenitent about her criminal past. IMPERATIVE essential, mandatory þ Syn. indispensable, obl igatory ¬ Ant. unimportant, optional @ It's imperative that you follow the instructions of the crew in the event of a crash. IMPLICATE V., IMPLICATION N. to involve, to entangle or connect; a possible si gni fi cance þ Syn. associate, involve, connect, link ¬ Ant. cl ear, obvious, apparent, patent @ The top brass of Global Trust Bank is implicated in the scam. @ The book has political implications. IMPLICIT implied, not directly expressed þ Syn. understood, deduci ble ¬ Ant. explicit, direct IMPERIAL Adj. royal, noble, aristocratic, grand, of an empire or the person who rules it @ He never said so but it was implicit in Ravi’s behaviour that he wanted to terminate his relationship with Sapna. þ Syn. regal, imposing, majestic IMPORTUNE V. @ All imperial palaces of Europe are tourist attractions. to urge with troublesome persistence þ Syn. appeal, beg, plead IMPERIOUS Adj. domi neeri n g, tyr anni ca l , aut hori ta ti ve, di ctat ori al , haugh ty; intensely compelling þ Syn. arrogant, superior @ The contesti ng candidates importuned me f or votes ri ght through the campaigning period. IMP OSE ¬ Ant. submissive, obedient, compliant to inflict, force upon @ Imperious government officials close their eyes to the plight of the public. þ Syn. press, compel @ We need to find a solution to the imperious problems of new age gizmos like cellphone cameras. @ Her father refused her request and imposed his will on her against her wishes. IMPERTURBABLE Adj. IMPOSING cal m, qui et, w hi ch cannot be perturbed or di sturbed, bei ng unusually calm and serene, dignified, grand þ Syn. tranquil, serene, placid ¬ Ant. unimpressive, mediocre ¬ Ant. excited, frenzied, turbul ent @ The imposing facade of the mansion intimidated the governess who had come to work there. @ She was calmly competent and imperturbable in a crisis, just the ideal nurse. ¬ Ant. bully, refuse þ Syn. striking, magnificent IMPOTENT IMP IOUS powerless, lacking virility not devout in religion þ Syn. hel pless, ineffectual þ Syn. unholy, irreligious ¬ Ant. powerful, eff ecti ve ¬ Ant. holy, pious @ Himself an alcoholic, Chaudhury was impotent to prevent his daughter's plunge into drug abuse.
@ The nun cut herself of f f rom her impious f ami ly after she entered the convent. IC : PTpntvb01 (97) of (188) IMPRECATE V., IMPRECATION N. IMPUNITY N. to utter curses s af e ty f r o m p un i sh m en t , i mm u ni t y, l i c en c e, f r e ed o m f ro m punishment @ The girl imprecated the street boys for harassing her. @ Indians flout traffic rules with impunity. IMPREGNABLE Adj. invulnerable, so strong and well­made that it cannot be broken into or taken by force IMPUTE V. to ascribe, charge, attribute (often unfairly) þ Syn. unassailable, invincible, secure þ Syn. refer, assign ¬ Ant. vulnerable, susceptible, open to @ Each political candidate imputes his opponent of corruption. @ You can fit your house with burglar alarms and double locks but your home will never be impregnable against determined thi e ves. INADVERTENT Adj. unintentional, thoughtless þ Syn. unintended, chance, involuntary IMPRESSIONABLE ¬ Ant. deli berate, planned, calculated easily influenced or affected @ The heavy fog caused an inadvertent delay of the flight. þ Syn. persuadable, susceptible ¬ Ant. insusceptible, unimpressionable INADVERTENTLY @ After attending the Spice Girls concert, the impressionable girl began to dress like Posh Spice every day. unintenti onal ly þ Syn. accidentally, unwi ttingly ¬ Ant. del iberately, intentionally IMP ROMP TU spontaneous, wi thout rehearsal @ A s h e w a s b a c k i n g o u t o f t h e d r i v e w a y, t h e d r i v e r inadvertently ran over a rose bush. þ Syn. extempore, unrehearsed ¬ Ant. premeditated, planned INALIENABLE Adj. @ Duri ng the interview, the Beatles suddenly decided to give an impromptu performance of "Love Me Do." not capable of being removed, undeniable, irrevocable IMPROVISE V. þ Syn. absolute, immutable, undeniable @ The inalienable influence of the British rule on the way of life and thinking of Indians was radical as well as harmful. to compose, recite, perform without preparation, better, advance þ Syn. manage, get by, get along, cope INANE Adj. @ I hadn’t prepared a speech so I suddenly had to improvise. empty, void, insubstantial þ Syn. absurd, idiotic, childish IMPUDENT Adj. ¬ Ant. sensible, sane, reasonable shamelessly bold, brazen­faced, insolent, rude and not respectful @ There are too many inane quiz shows and imported detective series on television these days. þ Syn. cheeky, imperti nent, insolent ¬ Ant. respectful, reverential, reverent @ Impudent behavi our of the neo­ri ch of ten l ands them i n trouble. INA UGURATE to begin or start officially, to induct into office þ Syn. institute, establish IMPUGN to call into question, attack verbally ¬ Ant. end, wind up @ The new headquarters of the company was inaugurated in a lavi sh ceremony attended by thousands. þ Syn. challenge, assail ¬ Ant. support, praise INCARCERATE V. @ "How dare you impugn my honourable motives ?" protested the lawyer on being accused of spying. to impri son, confi ne, detai n, to l ock up or conf ine agai nst a person’s will þ Syn. jail, intern IMPULSE sudden tendency, inclination @ The judge determi ned that the young of fender shoul d do community service rather than be incarcerated. þ Syn. urge, whim ¬ Ant. premeditated, with forethought INCARNATE @ On impulse, Sarah bought a leather jacket for her boyfriend, although she couldn't really afford it. having bodily form IMPULSIVE þ Syn. embodied in the flesh, in human form @ The serial killer was so sadistic that the media described him as the devil incarnate. spontaneous, unpredictabl e þ Syn. reckless, impromptu INCENDIARY N. ¬ Ant. cautious, premeditated a person who deliberately sets fire, arsonist @ Last Christmas, she impulsively cancelled the trip to London and went to Hawaii instead. @ The identical pattern of fires in the city confirm the hand of an incendiary.
(98) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 INCENSE(v) INCOMMUNICADO Adj. to infuriate, enrage (n) – perfume, fragrance, smell þ Syn. outrage, antagoni se i n soli tary conf inement, not communi cating wi th anyone else because you do not want to or you are not allowed to ¬ Ant. placate, please @ T h e g e n e r a l b e c a m e t h o r o u g h l y i n c e n s e d w h e n h i s subordinates failed to follow his orders. @ He w a s hel d i nco mmu ni cad o f or 48 ho urs af ter h e w as ar res te d. INCONGRUOUS Adj. inconsistent, unsuitable, incompatible, seeming out of place or unsui ted INCEPTION N. beginning, origin, birth, debut þ Syn. incompatible, inappropriate þ Syn. setting up, start, initiation ¬ Ant. culmination, conclusion, finale @ Si nce its inception i n 1968, the company has been at the forefront of computer peripherals development. ¬ Ant. consistent, steady, constant @ Do you think it incongruous that a woman should be the editor of a men’s magazine? INCONTINENT Adj. INCIPIENT lacking self­restraint, not having voluntary control over excretion of urine and faeces beginning to exist or appear; at an initial stage þ Syn. embryonic, nascent ¬ Ant. full­blown, fully developed @ The symptoms were yet to become evident but the incipient illness was already affecting her sleep. @ He thought he was incontinet because he was old but was p l es a n t l y s u r pr i s e d w h e n t h e t re a t m e nt m a de a m aj o r difference and restored his confidence. INCREDIBLE Adj. INCISIVE beyond belief, unbelievable, amazing, unimaginable, impossible to believe percepti ve, penetrating þ Syn. sharp, astute þ Syn. disembodied, ghostly, spiritual ¬ Ant. rambling, vague @ The psychologist's incisive analysis of her patient's childhood helped him to understand his own behaviour. ¬ Ant. tangi ble, touchable, physical INCITE V., INCITATION N. to move to action, to instigate, to encourage (someone) to do or f e el þ Syn. provoke, inflame, rouse, goad INCREDULITY N., INCREDULOUS Adj. ¬ Ant. inhibit, hold back, restrain, stall @ Ghulam Mir was kept in solitary confinement because it was feared he might incite another riot. INCLEMENT Adj. severe, harsh, rigorous (of weather) þ Syn. stormy, rainy, windy, foul ¬ Ant. pl easant, enjoyable, agreeable @ The inclement life amidst Himalayan snows demands tenacity. @ T he ne w s t ha t he sc o re d 1 0 0 p er c en t i l e i n CAT s e em s incredible but it is true. a tendency to disbelief þ Syn. amaz ement, astonishment, doubt ¬ Ant. belief, faith, trust, conviction @ He cast an incredulous glance at the well­dressed gentleman who turned out to be a thief. @ He felt a sense of incredulity, anger and pain at the accusation made against him. INCRIMINATE V., INCRIMINATION N. to charge w i th a cri me, to accuse of bl ame or i mpl i cate as bl amew orthy þ Syn. accuse, indict, inculpate ¬ Ant. acquit, extenuate, absol ve INCOGNITO Adj. unknown, under an assumed name, with a hidden identity þ Syn. in disguise, undercover ¬ Ant. openl y, explicitly, frankly @ The i ncrimi nating evidence agai nst the Congressmen is an eye opener. @ The prince often travels abroad incognito. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . (b ) inept inert i nf atuated inf er i ngenuous clumsy i nactive conclude fool ish artl ess
1 . ( a ) 3 . (d ) 4 . (c ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 . ( e ) Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test IC : PTpntvb01 (99) of (188) INCLINATION INDEFENSIBLE tendency towards inexcusabl e, unf orgi vabl e þ Syn. proclivity, propensity þ Syn. unpardonable, refutable ¬ Ant. aversion, disinclination ¬ Ant. justifiabl e, tenable @ Her natural inclination was to refuse Madhur's invitation to dinner, but since he was her boss she could not refuse. @ I was aghast at the indefensible cruelty of the ruling sect. INCLUSIVE comprehensive þ Syn. with everything included, all­encompassing ¬ Ant. exclusive, excepti ng @ It took 30 years, but the publisher managed to produce the most inclusive encyclopedia on the market. INDELIBLE Adj. that cannot be removed, washed away or er as ed @ The whole election turned out to be a f arce when the so­ called indelible ink smeared on voters’ fingers turned out to be easily washable. INDEMNIFY V., INDEMNITY N. INCONCEIVABLE impossible, unthinkable þ Syn. implausible, absurd to secure against or compensate loss @ The state provided indemnity f or the steel plant project in Ori s sa. ¬ Ant. likely, believable @ It was inconceivable to the dictator that his subjects could hate him, although they obviously did. INCONSEQUENTIAL unimportant, trivial INDICATIVE showing or pointing out þ Syn. suggestive of, symptomatic @ T h e l o o ti n g o f t he s h op w as i n di c a t i v e o f t h e g e n er a l lawlessness that prevailed in the city. þ Syn. insignificant, trifling ¬ Ant. significant, important INDICT V., INDICTMENT N. @ The director di smi ssed the report as i nconsequential and ordered a fresh round of research. to charge with a crime formally, accuse INCORRIGIBLE incapable of being corrected þ Syn. i ncurable, inveterate ¬ Ant. occasional , repentant @ Shabana is an incorrigible flirt. þ Syn. impeach, summons @ The High Court indicted the seer for murder. INDIGENOUS native, occurring naturally in an area þ Syn. original, initial ¬ Ant. expatriate, migrant INCREDULOUS @ Palm trees are indigenous to Florida, unlike penguins. sceptical, doubtful þ Syn. disbelieving, distrustful INDIGENT Adj., INDIGENCE N. ¬ Ant. credulous, gullible poor, destitute, in need of money @ Apparently my friend missed the incredulous look on my face because he went on to tell another tall story. þ Syn. poor, needy, impecunious ¬ Ant. wealthy, rich, prosperous, flush @ The indigent Chakma refugees live in a pitiable condition. INCULCATE V. to i nsti l l by repet i ti on , to f i x ( i deas, bel i ef s, f acts etc.) i n someone’s mind esp. by repeating them often @ Economists or politicians could not find a way to eliminate or even reduce inequalities of wealth and eliminate indigence. þ Syn. beat, hammer, pound, repeat INDISCRIMINATE Adj. @ Right values have to be inculcated right from infancy. choosing at random, confused, promiscuous þ Syn. haphazard, random, arbitrary INCUMBENT Adj., N., INCUMBENCY N. lying, resting, officially having the named position @ The indi scriminate use of fertil isers has caused l ong­term problems in the area. þ Syn. current, in office, present, now ¬ Ant. past, history, precedent, beyond INDOLENT Adj., INDOLENCE N. @ The present incumbent is due to retire next month. lazy, sluggish @ The anti­incumbency wave removed NDA from power. þ Syn. lethargic, slothful, idle ¬ Ant. industrious, busy, productive INDEFATIGABLE @ People living in warm climates tend to be indolent. never tired @ If you want to make progress you have to shed your indolence f i rst.
þ Syn. untiring, tenacious ¬ Ant. idle, feeble @ Vasanti seemed i ndef ati gabl e, ready f or a few laps in the pool after a 10­kilometre run. (100) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 INDOMITABLE Adj. INEXORABLE Adj. invincibl e, unconquerable, dauntl ess unrelenting, stubborn, obstinate, not movable by any means þ Syn. strong, resolute, tough þ Syn. unal terabl e, unchangeable ¬ Ant. feeble, weak, frail, delicate @ The storm’s path was inexorable and the best we could do was prepare for the worst and hope for the best. @ Meenu proved indomitable and she did not let even the fall affect her preparation for her arangetram . INEXPLICABLE Adj. INDUCE incapable of being explained to persuade, bring about þ Syn. mysterious, unf athomable þ Syn. prompt, instigate ¬ Ant. understandable, reasonable ¬ Ant. dissuade, prevent @ The sudden change in her mood was inexplicable. @ Tom thought the prospect of a walk in the hills would induce his girlfriend to go skydiving with him, but she refused. INFAMY reputation f or bad deeds INDUCT þ Syn. notoriety, disrepute to place ceremoniously in office ¬ Ant. honour, anonymi ty þ Syn. install in, instate in ¬ Ant. bar from, dismiss @ His infamy threatened to degrade the high position he now occupied. @ The wicketkeeper was proud to be inducted into cricket’s Hall of Fame. INFANTILE childish, immature INDULGE þ Syn. juvenil e, adolescent to give in to a craving or desire ¬ Ant. mature, level­headed þ Syn. splurge, luxuriate in @ The young man's infantile behaviour in the presence of his mother annoyed his fiancee. ¬ Ant. deny oneself of, stifle @ Jenny indulged herself with a weekend at a luxurious spa. INFATUATED INEBRIATE V., INEBRIATED Adj. INEBRIETY N. strongly or foolishly attached to, inspired with foolish passion, overly in love to i ntoxicate þ Syn. besotted, smitten @ Deepak was caught in an inebriated condition while on duty and was promptly dismissed. @ After seeing her picture in a fashion magazine, Lalit became completely infatuated with the beautiful model. INEFFABLE Adj. INFER causing too much emotion (esp. pleasure) to express in words to conclude, deduce þ Syn. indescri bable, unspeakable þ Syn. surmise, imply @ There is ineffable joy in seeing one’s baby start to walk for the first time. @ I think we can infer from this study that the quality of old­ age homes needs to be improved. INEPT INFINITESIMAL Adj. clumsy, awkward insignificant, small þ Syn. unskilful, incompetent þ Syn. minute, minuscule, tiny ¬ Ant. competent, expert ¬ Ant. immeasurable, endless, infinite @ He was so i nept i n the garden that he dug up roses and fertili sed weeds. @ No lapse ought to be treated as infinitesimal. INFRINGE V., INFRINGEMENT N. INERT to violate, trespass, defy unable to move, inactive þ Syn. break, encroach þ Syn. immobile, motionless ¬ Ant. obey, mind, follow, observe ¬ Ant. moving, animated @ In the heat of the desert afternoon, lizards lie inert. @ T he pr i so n er s c l ai m ed th a t t he ne w r e gu l at i on w a s a n infringement of their right to live with dignity. INEVITABLE INFURIATE V. certain, unavoi dable to madden, to enrage þ Syn. i nescapable, inexorable þ Syn. enrage, madden, incense, annoy ¬ Ant. avoidable, uncertain @ The inefficiency of the administration infuriated the public.
@ With all the obstacles in their path, the end of their relationship was, perhaps, inevi tabl e. IC : PTpntvb01 (101) of (188) INGENIOUS INITIATE ori ginal, clever, inventive to begin, introduce, to enlist, induct þ Syn. creative, sharp­w itted þ Syn. commence, install ¬ Ant. unimaginative, stupid ¬ Ant. complete, expel @ Ajay f ound an i ngeni ous w ay to sol ve the compl ex math problem. @ He thought the first experimental sip at the bar would initiate him into manhood. INGENUOUS INJECT straightforward, open, naive and unsophi sticated to force into, to introduce into conversation þ Syn. candid, forthright þ Syn. instil, infuse ¬ Ant. cunning, artful @ Her loud remark injected an element of uneasiness into the conversations at the party. @ She was so ingenuous that her friends feared she would be exploited in the big city. INNATE INGRATE natural, inborn ungrateful person þ Syn. inbred, congenital þ Syn. thankless, unappreci ati ve ¬ Ant. acquired, extraneous ¬ Ant. thankful, grateful @ When nobody thanked her for the fruit cakes she had sent, Neena condemned them all as ingrates. @ Her innate level ­headedness w ill help her to withstand the enormous pressure of the job. INNOCUOUS INGRATIATE V. to commend to someone’s grace or favour, to work your way into someone’s good graces harmless, inoffensive þ Syn. peaceful, insipid þ Syn. curry flavour, toady, grovel to ¬ Ant. harmful, obnoxious @ For once the bureaucrat’s ingratiating manner failed to work and the no­nonsense minister ordered him to produce results. @ Some snakes are poisonous, but most are innocuous and pose no danger to humans. INHIBIT INNOVATE to hold back, prevent to invent, moderni se, revolutionise þ Syn. restrict, restrain þ Syn. institute, pi oneer ¬ Ant. allow, encourage @ Coco Chanel innovated a new suit design, transforming the fashi on industry. @ Ruchi was too i nhibi ted to tell Amar that she resented his failure to repay the money he kept borrowing from her. INNUENDO N. INIMICAL an indirect derogatory comment, insinuation hostile, unfriendly þ Syn. aspersion, barb, implication þ Syn. antagoni sti c, antipathetic ¬ Ant. warm, friendly @ The many innuendoes about his private life eventually made him resign. @ E v en t ho u g h t h e c e a se f i re w as h ol d i n g, t he t w o s i d e s remained inimical and the tension did not ease. INNUMERABLE too many to be counted INIQUITY þ Syn. numerous, countless sin, injustice, wickedness ¬ Ant. few, calculable þ Syn. villainy, immorality @ There are innumerable stars in the sky. ¬ Ant. virtue, goodness @ The iniquity of his act was apparent to all and it was an easy decision to bar him from entering the church. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . beginni ng make very angry cutting right to the heart incapable of being reformed nat i ve 2 . ( a ) i ncense incipient incisive incorrigible indigenous 1 . (b ) 3 . (c ) 4 . (d ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 .(e )
Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test (102) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 INOCULATE V., INOCULATION N. INSOLUBLE to insert as a bud or a graft, to vaccinate that cannot be solved or dissolved þ Syn. immunise, vaccinate þ Syn. insolvable, inexplicable @ It is important to inoculate every infant at the earliest. ¬ Ant. resol vable, interpretable INOPPORTUNE Adj. @ When the mathematician found the solution to the problem others had declared insoluble, he was hailed as a genius. unseasonable in time þ Syn. ill­timed, unfortunate ¬ Ant. opportune, fitting, apt, right @ Without thinking, I made an inopportune remark that hurt my f ri e nd. INORDINATE Adj. excessive, unrestrained, beyond normal limits, þ Syn. immoderate, undue, unw arranted @ Thanks to the inordinate delay in the commissioning of the power project there is no way to bridge the huge gap between demand and supply. INSATIABLE never satisfi ed þ Syn. unquenchable, unappeasable ¬ Ant. easily satisfied, content @ Meera's insatiable appetite made it difficult for her to lose w ei ght. INSCRUTABLE Adj. that which cannot be understood, mysterious, difficult to interpret þ Syn. enigmatic, deadpan @ The inspector’s inscrutable smile gave nothing away as the accused rambled on. INSOLVENT bankrupt, unable to pay one's debts þ Syn. penniless, ruined ¬ Ant. solvent, creditw orthy @ The company became insolvent after overinvesting in many overambitious projects and had to go out of business. INSOUCIANT Adj. indifferent, without concern or care @ Perhaps his youth makes him insouciant but he ought to be conscious of his official responsibility. INSTIGATE to incite, urge, agitate þ Syn. goad, encourage ¬ Ant. dissuade, discourage @ The man who had instigated the rebellion escaped, although all his followers were arrested. INSULAR isol ated, detached þ Syn. segregated, separate ¬ Ant. tol erant, accessible @ Her insular attitude made it very difficult for her to adjust to the new workplace though others were willing to accommodate h e r. INSIDIOUS Adj. deceptive, treacherous, wily, alluring but dangerous, deceitfully damaging þ Syn. sinister, menacing @ Insidious mortal pleasures make one run after money. INSINUATE V., INSINUATION N. to suggest indirectly, imply INSURGENT Adj., N., INSURGENCY N. rebellious þ Syn. rebel, rising ¬ Ant. content, happy, substance @ The coup was masterminded by the insurgent troops. @ T he a r my ca rr i ed o u t c ou nt e r­ i n s ur g en cy op er a ti o ns i n Kashmir valley last fortnight. þ Syn. make out, intimate @ He w as insi nuati ng that the starl et had succumbed to the casting couch to bag the role. INSURRECTION N. a rising or revolt, mutiny þ Syn. rebellion, revolution, mutiny INSIPID lacking f lavour, without excitement @ This insurrecti on against orthodoxy is necessary for radical ch an ge . þ Syn. bland, unpalatable ¬ Ant. tasty, interesti ng INTEGRAL @ The critic claimed that the soup was insipid, without any spice. central, indi spensable þ Syn. essential, fundamental INSOLENT ¬ Ant. incidental, peripheral impudent, cheeky @ Paper is an integral part of a book. þ Syn. uncivil, impolite ¬ Ant. polite, courteous INTEGRITY @ Despite several warnings, the student continued to be insolent and was asked to leave the class. decency, honesty; whol eness þ Syn. uprightness, morality ¬ Ant. di shonesty, insincerity @ The candidate's integrity made him a refreshing contrast to his sleazy political opponents.
IC : PTpntvb01 (103) of (188) INTERMINABLE INTRANSIGENT endl ess uncompromising, refusing to be reconciled þ Syn. incessant, ceaseless þ Syn. inflexible, unbending ¬ Ant. restricted, limited ¬ Ant. flexible, compliant @ By the time the interminable play ended, the last train home had already lef t. @ The professor was intransi gent and ref used to extend the deadline for submission of the assignment. INTERMITTENT INTREPID starting and stopping fearless, dauntl ess þ Syn. sporadic, fitful þ Syn. undaunted, unafraid ¬ Ant. steady, continuous ¬ Ant. fearful, cow ardly @ The flow of traffic was intermittent on the highway. @ The intrepid hiker completed his ascent to the peak, despite the bleeding wound and the freezing winds. INTERPOLATE to insert, change by adding new words or material INTRIGUE (INTREEG) N., V. þ Syn. append, interject conspiracy, machination, secret af fair ¬ Ant. remove, delete þ Syn. plot, deception, scheme @ The editor interpolated a few sentences, and the new edition was ready to print. @ The silence of the minister is very intriguing as his ministry is in the thick of the scam. INTERROGATE INTRINSIC to question formally inherent, i nternal þ Syn. grill, cross­examine þ Syn. inherent, integral ¬ Ant. respond, reply ¬ Ant. acquired, extrinsic @ The secret police interrogated the suspected rebel for days, demanding to know the names of his co­conspirators. @ The intrinsic value of this diamond is already considerable; the elegant setting makes it truly priceless. INTERSPERSE to distribute among, mix with þ Syn. intermingle, disperse ¬ Ant. assembl e, congregate @ The gardener interspersed shrubs with flowering plants giving the garden a fresh and colourful look. INTERVENE V., INTERVENTION N. come between þ Syn. arbitrate, mediate, occur @ I had to intervene when the heated conversation threatened to get physical. INTIMATION announcement, suggesti on þ Syn. notification, indication @ As he was away from work without leave, he stood to lose his wages for the entire month. INTIMIDATE V., INTIMIDATION N. INTRINSICALLY Adv., INTRINSIC Adj. essentiall y i nnate, inherently þ Syn. basi cally, f undamentally @ We all like to be judged for our intrinsic worth and not for extrinsic things like money or position. INTROSPECTIVE Adj., INTROSPECTION N. looking within oneself þ Syn. thoughtf ul, meditative, pensive @ Everyone should keep aside some time for introspection. @ On introspection, I realised my follies and set forth to correct them. INTUITIVE instincti ve, untaught þ Syn. inborn, inherent ¬ Ant. cerebral, cultivated @ Riya's talent with numbers was completely intuitive; she had not received any formal training. browbeat, bully, cow, lean on þ Syn. threaten, frighten, scare, bully INUNDATE @ Managements now realise that intimidation does not contribute to eff iciency. to cover with water, overwhelm @ The don’s intimidating presence in the nightclub was disturbing the other patrons. ¬ Ant. afl oat, leave unaf fected þ Syn. submerge, besiege @ The tidal wave inundated the island, which simply vanished from the face of the earth. INTRACTABLE not easily managed INVECTIVE N. þ Syn. uncontroll able, unmanageable censure, sarcasm, satire, verbal abuse or insult, vituperation ¬ Ant. compliant, obedient þ Syn. diatribe, criticism, tirade @ The hardened criminals were intractable and the reformer’s task was not likely to be easy. ¬ Ant. praise, admire, commend, extol (104) of (188) @ Their conversations are always laced with invectives.
IC : PTpntvb01 INVEIGH (INVAY) V. IRATE Adj. to make a bitter verbal attack, to object w ith bitterness, to complain forcefully, to rail ang ry þ Syn. di sparage, censure ¬ Ant. calm, tranquil, peaceful, quiet @ T h e l a w y e r i n v e i g h e d a g a i n s t t h e u n n e c e s s a r i l y s t r i c t sentence given to his client. @ The irate crowd burnt several buses and cars. INVEIGLE V. to e nt i c e, t o co ax b y f l at te ry, to c on vi nc e or p er su ad e by cl everness or f lattery þ Syn. furious, mad, irritated IRIDESCENT showing many colours þ Syn. kaleidoscopic, multicoloured þ Syn. cajole, wheedle, trick, deceive, con ¬ Ant. monochromatic, colourless @ Many young Nepali girls are inveigled into the flesh trade in Mumbai. @ The touri sts sighed at the beautiful sight of the i ridescent tropical butterfly fluttering among the orchids. INVETERATE Adj. IRKSOME Adj. deep rooted, stubborn, habitual annoyi ng, tedious þ Syn. chronic, confi rmed, hardened þ Syn. infuriating, irritating, tiresome ¬ Ant. mild, gentle, kind, soft, calm ¬ Ant. pl easant, enjoyable, l ovely @ An i nveterate l i ar, she seemed to know of no di f f erence between truth and fiction. @ A pedant that he was, I found his queries irksome. IRONY N., IRONICAL Adj. INVIGORATE V. to strengthen a c o n d i t i o n w h e r e o n e s e e m s t o b e m o c k e d b y f a t e , t h e unexpected, when it is the opposite of what you expected þ Syn. refresh, revitalise, stimulate þ Syn. satire, sarcasm, mockery ¬ Ant. exhaust, tire, drain, fati gue @ It is an irony of life that good times seem so near, yet so far. @ The invigorating climate of the hill­station restored my mood. @ Ironical ly, wealth came to him in hi s old age after he had spent all his youth hankering after it. INVINCIBLE Adj. insuperable, unyi elding IRREPROACHABLE Adj. þ Syn. unbeatabl e, unshakable innocent, guiltless, blameless, impeccable ¬ Ant. yielding, submissive, weak þ Syn. vi rtuous, exemplary @ I n d i a ’ s s p i n a t t a c k h u m b l e d t h e s e e m i n g l y i n v i n c i b l e Austral i ans. @ The irreproachable JRD Tata will always remain a legend. IRRESOLVABLE INVIOLABLE unable to be resolved, not analysable safe from violation or assault þ Syn. baffling, inexplicable þ Syn. untouchabl e, sacrosanct ¬ Ant. vulnerabl e, unprotected @ The conf lict between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland seemed irresolvable until last year. @ The refugees felt inviolable in the camp under the protection of the U.N. troops. IRREVERENT Adj. impious, irreligious, sacrilegious, cheeky, rude INVOKE to call upon, request help þ Syn. conjure, evoke ¬ Ant. respond, reply @ Varun invoked the assistance of all his relatives when his business ran into serious trouble. þ Syn. cheeky, mocking, impertinent ¬ Ant. respectful, deferential, revent @ Among today’s youth it is a trend to be irreverent. IRREVOCABLE Adj. incapable of being revoked, recalled, repealed, brought back IO TA þ Syn. binding, final, irreversible very tiny amount ¬ Ant. flexible, supple, lithe, elastic þ Syn. shred, ounce @ The words that leave your tongue is irrevocable. @ Duryodhan told Krishna that he would not even give an iota of land to the Pandavas. ITINERARY N. a plan for the journey, record of journey, travel route, guidebook IRASCIBLE þ Syn. schedule, plan, trip easil y­angered @ Our itinerary takes us through the four southern states.
þ Syn. irri table, tetchy ¬ Ant. sweet­natured, cool­tempered @ The dacoit’s irascible and violent nature made all who dealt with him fear for their lives. IC : PTpntvb01 (105) of (188) “J” and “K”
J
JAB V., N. to pierce, poke with a sharp object; a short straight boxing punch þ Syn. scoff, scorn ¬ Ant. praise, laud, extol @ Tyson’s right jab can knock his opponent out in one blow. @ She jabbed tw o sti cks i nto the ground and ti ed a stri ng between them. JAUNT N., V. an excursion; to make a short journey þ Syn. outing, spree, stroll, excursion @ The soldiers are on extra pay during their jaunt to one of the world’s most expensive resorts, Siachen . @ We jaunted through Madhya Pradesh in just three days. JAUNTY Adj. having a sprightly manner, lively and cheerful in manner þ Syn. cheerf ul, vivacious ¬ Ant. gloomy, listless, dull JADED @ Our mountain guide had a jaunty air about him as we set off on our trek up the slopes of Himalayas . tired, bored, or lacking enthusiasm, typical ly after having had too much of something þ Syn. burned out, wearied JEER V., N. ¬ Ant. fresh @ While the naive girls stared at the spectacle in awe, the jaded matrons dozed in their chairs. JACUZZI N. a special type of bath mechanism where water is agitated to give a whirlpool effect @ I may not have time even for a regular bath on working days but on Sundays you cannot get me out of my jacuzzi. JAGGED Adj. uneven, rough­edged, notched þ Syn. rough, serrated ¬ Ant. smooth, f lat, even @ The jagged rocks i n the rapids of Ganga make whitewater rafting very dangerous. to make fun of, deride, scoff, mock þ Syn. boo, hiss, heckle, taunt ¬ Ant. applaud, cl ap, congratul ate @ She jeered at him after he was expelled from the class. @ I am no longer disturbed by her jeers. JEOPARDY N., JEOPARDISE V. danger, insecurity, peril, hazard þ Syn. risk, threat @ International terrorism has put humanity in jeopardy. @ Indira jeopardised Mohan’s plan to get nominated by filing a sexual harassment case against him. JETTISON V. to throw overboard, to eject from an airplane or spaceship in flight þ Syn. discard, ditch, dump JAMBOREE N. ¬ Ant. keep, stay, remain, be, maintain a boisterous frolic, a spree þ Syn. party, cel ebration, fête, shi ning @ As political instability perseveres, worthless shares are being jettisoned and the market continues to sink. @ The issue was ignored during the huge political jamboree of the polls. @ Ai r traf fi c control instructed the pil ot to jettison f uel and prepare for emergency landing. JANGLING clashing, jarring, harshly unpleasant (in sound) þ Syn. assaulting, fraying ¬ Ant. soothing, pleasing @ Ritesh stood on the terrace jangling his car keys. JINGOISM N. extremely aggressive and militant patriotism JARGON nonsensical talk, specialised language þ Syn. argot, technical l anguage ¬ Ant. dialect, common lingo @ You need to master technical jargon in order to communicate successfully with engineers. JAUNDICED affected by jaundice, prejudiced or embittered þ Syn. cyni cal, resentful ¬ Ant. optimistic, charitable @ T he c yn i ca l ma n a do pt e d a j au nd i c e d vi ew to w ar ds al l marriages after going through five divorces. (106) of (188)
þ Syn. loyalist, nationalist, partisan ¬ Ant. turncoat, trai tor, deserter, spy @ He w a s a c onf i rm ed ji ngo i st a nd f re qu ent l y w ar ne d h i s countrymen agai nst the dangers f rom the other nations of the union. @ Her jingoistic speech was only an election gimmick but nobody questioned her for fear of being labelled unpatriotic. JOIE DE VIVRE ( ZHWA DE VEEVR ) the joy of living @ You cannot find the warmth and joie de vivre of Goa anywhere else in India. JOVIAL Adj. joyous, full of geniality þ Syn. cheerful , jol ly, happy, buoyant ¬ Ant. miserable, unhappy, sad, down @ The jovial boss is a delight to work with.
IC : PTpntvb01 K
JUBILATION N. cel ebration, el ation, euphoria, exultation þ Syn. elation, triumph, euphoria, joy ¬ Ant. unhappiness, sorrow , sadness @ There was great jubi lati on the night India w on the World C u p . KALEIDOSCOPE N., KALEIDOSCOPIC Adj. an optical toy showing a changing variety of forms JUBILEE special anni versary þ Syn. celebration, commemoration @ At the queen's Silver Jubilee, the entire country celebrated her long reign. JUDICIOUS sensible, showing good judgment þ Syn. prudent, discerning ¬ Ant. injudicious, rash @ The w i s e and di sti ng ui shed judge w as respected f or hi s judi cious temperament. JUGGERNAUT N. a massive force, campaign that crushes everything on its path @ The advertising juggernaut launched by the giant company is calculated to wipe out the small players. JUGULA R Adj. pertaining to the neck @ The enemy lay dead in a minute as Achilles cut the jugular veins in a swift move. JURISPRUDENCE N. principles on which laws are based @ The Ch i ef Justi ce expressed concern ov er the qual i ty of juri sprudence. JUVENILE Adj., N. young, childish, immature þ Syn. infantile, callow ¬ Ant. mature, adult, ripen, older @ J uv en i l e d el i n qu e nt s ne e d re ha b i l i t at i on m or e t ha n th e reprimand. @ Her behaviour was quite juvenile at the party. JUXTAPOSITION N., JUXTAPOSE V. placing close together, side by side þ Syn. combination, concurrence @ Juxtapose the two different situations and you will appreciate my decision. @ The juxtaposition of cultures in New York makes it a varied and interesting city.
@ The kaleidoscopic life of the Gypsies is enticing. @ The street bazaar was a kaleidoscope of colours, smells and soun ds. KEEL V., N. turn or be turned over, to heel or lean precariously; the chief longitudinal structural member of a boat or ship @ F o r t h e f i r s t t i m e , t h e a n n u a l b u d g e t o f t h e c e n t r a l government was on an even keel. @ We realised that after colliding with the iceberg the boat had damaged its keel. KEN N. range of knowledge or mental perception þ Syn. knowledge, awareness @ This maths problem is difficult but it is not beyond my ken. KEEN having a sharp edge, intellectually sharp, perceptive þ Syn. eager, incisive ¬ Ant. stupid, dull @ With her keen intelligence, she figured out the puzzle in two seconds flat. KENNEL N. house for dogs @ I plan to leave my dog in a kennel when I go on holiday. KERNEL N. the inner softer part of the seed @ The delicacy required fresh kernels of corn. KEYNOTE – note or tone on which a musical key is founded, main idea of a speech, program, etc. þ Syn. theme, salient point @ The uni versi ty asked the hi storian to del i ver the keynote address at the conference. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. insolent i nsti gate insular integral i ntractabl e a . b . c . d . e . prov oke like an island uncontrol lable essential arrogant
1 . ( e ) 2 . ( a ) 3 . (b ) 4 . (d ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 . (c ) Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Tes IC : PTpntvb01 (107) of (188) KINDLE V. KNEAD (NEED) V. to set fire to, arouse þ Syn. light, inflame, inspire, ignite ¬ Ant. extinguish, discourage @ To kindle a dream is an act of kindness. @ Use paper to kindle the fire. to press together in a mass þ Syn. massage, press, rub, work, mold @ If your muscles are sti ff, knead them w ith your fingers to help them relax. KNELL (NELL) N. KINDRED Adj. a group of related individuals þ Syn. relatives, family members @ The rich man was ready to spend millions in his search for someone kindred to him. @ We recognised each other as kindred spirits. the stroke of a bell usually connected with death or funeral @ The Quit India movement was the death knell of British rule. KNICKKNACK (NIK–NAK) N. a small trifling toy, plaything, amusement, trinket þ Syn. ornament, souvenir, object KINETIC relating to motion, characterised by movement þ Syn. dynamic, mobile ¬ Ant. static, stati onary @ The ki neti c sculpture moved back and forth, startli ng the museum visitors. @ T h e r o o m w a s c r o w d e d w i t h o r n a m e n t s a n d u s e l e s s knickknacks. KNOLL N. (NOLL) a small hillock, top of a hill þ Syn. hill, hummock, mound, mount @ The car was parked beyond the knoll. KINGPIN N. chief, don, boss þ Syn. key player, top dog, linchpin @ The terrorist group has been the kingpin behind many bomb blasts in India. KINK N. a whim; a mental or physical peculiarity; imperfection @ If a rul er goes by his ki nks, he may pl ay havoc wi th the go vern anc e. @ She asked her hairdresser to make her hair straight and take out any kink. @ A grassy knoll was visible through the trees. KNOTTY (NOTTY) Adj. intri cate, diff icult, tangled þ Syn. difficult, tricky, awkward, hard ¬ Ant. simple, easy, plain, effortless @ The knotty problems of our country are poverty, population explosion, poor i nfrastructure and corruption. KOWTOW V. to act in an obsequious way, bow, kneel, genuflect þ Syn. be conventional, be traditional KLEPTOMANIA N. a morbid impulsion to steal things @ A kleptomaniac needs psychological attention. ¬ Ant. rebel, insurgent, mutineer KNACK (NAK) N. dexterity, talent, prof ici ency, abili ty þ Syn. ability, skill, talent, flair, aptitude @ The knack of hitting the headlines makes one a celebrity. KUDOS N. @ I want a promotion but I’m not prepared to kowtow to the boss for it. @ Making pastry is a knack that you can soon pick up. prestige, credit, f ame þ Syn. status, standing, stature, esteem @ Kudos to the athlete who won the marathon. Enginee ring and Construction The following are 10 words that are related to the topic mentioned above. (108) of (188) CALIPER DOWEL FLANGE GLAZ IER HYDRAULICS : : : : : MA SONRY PITON RA SP SHA FT WINCH : : : : : a two­pronged instrument used to measure diameter or thickness of an object a round peg used to join wooden parts together a projecting rim, edge, collar or ring on a pipe or shaft one who cuts and fits glass panes for windows the branch of sci ence and technol ogy concerned w i th the conveyance of liquids through pipes and channels, especially as a source of mechanical force or control stonework spike hammered into rock fissures or ice to aid in climbing an abrading tool made of steel a long cylindrical rotating rod for the transmission of motive power in a machine a machine used to pull up heavy weights
IC : PTpntvb01 “L”
LABYRINTH N., LABYRINTHINE Adj. LAMPOON N., V. maze, perplexity, a very confusing and intricate problem a personal satire, caricature, satire aimed at a person or persons; to ridicule þ Syn. warren, jumble, muddle @ Being a novice at international politics, he found it very difficult to navigate through the labyrinth. þ Syn. satirise, parody @ The doctors f ound i t di ff i cul t to remove the l abyri nthi ne growths surrounding his lungs. @ The magazine is famous for its merciless political lampoons. @ The cartoonist makes lampooning an art. LANGUOR N. LANGUID Adj., LANGUISH V. LACERATE V., LACERATION N. lassitude, tiredness or weakness of body or mind wound, to rip, rend or tear in a harsh way, to distress emotionally þ Syn. laz iness, torpor, lethargy þ Syn. mangle, tear, afflict ¬ Ant. vigour, energy, dynamism, drive ¬ Ant. heal, soothe, cure @ The surgeon lacerated the infected tissue with a scalpel. @ He has recovered f rom chroni c mal ari a but suf f ers f rom l anguor. @ He reserved his most lacerating criticism for the English, whom he detested. LANK Adj. slender, thin LACHRYMOSE Adj. þ Syn. scrawny, skinny producing tears ¬ Ant. burl y, chubby @ He is better known for his lachrymose ballads than hard rock numbers. @ The lank Indian cattle give an idea of their malnutrition. LACKADAISICAL Adj. half­hearted, enervated, sluggi sh, languid þ Syn. dilatory, limp, lethargic ¬ Ant. energeti c, li vely, active, vigorous @ T h e f o o d w a s n i ce e n o ug h b u t t h e s er v i c e w a s r at h e r lackadaisical. LAP(v) – to drink using the tongue, to wash against (n) – circuit, stretch þ Syn. splash, lick up @ The thirsty dog eagerly lapped up all the water in the bowl. LARCENY – theft of property þ Syn. pilfering, thievery LACONIC – using very few words @ Stealing a wallet can be categorised as a petty larceny. þ Syn. taciturn, brief ¬ Ant. loquacious, tal kative LARGESSE/LARGESS N. @ She was a laconic poet who built her reputation on using very few w ords, very ef fecti vel y. generosity, li beral donation, bounty, rew ard þ Syn. charity, money ¬ Ant. meanness, nastiness, malice LAGOON N. a small lake or pond near a sea þ Syn. mere, tarn @ Lake Chilka is a fresh­water lagoon. LAMB AST V. to thrash, to reprimand severely, rebuke @ Chi n a w as l ambast ed by s everal w ester n nati o ns f or i ts aggression in Tibet. @ The mysterious beneficiary of the largesse is likely to arouse suspicions.
Manish Harodia
IIM­A, L, K
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LAMENT(v) – to deplore, grieve (n) – burial hymn, moaning þ Syn. bemoan, bewail ¬ Ant. celebrate, rejoice @ The children continued to lament the death of the goldfish weeks after its demise. IC : PTpntvb01 with the short cuts
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LARYNX – organ containing vocal cords LAXITY – carelessness @ The opera si nger's l arynx w as damaged i n the acci dent, spelling doom for her career. þ Syn. laxness, remissness ¬ Ant. vigilance, caution @ Our newspaper always reaches late because of the delivery boy's laxity. LASCIVIOUS Adj. wanton, lustful, lewd, l echerous @ She was about to obey him and move closer to him when his lascivious leer made her change her mind. LECTERN N. a reading desk on the stage @ We prepared a glass lectern for the guest of honour to deliver the l ecture. LASSITUDE N. weakness, acedi a, l istl essness þ Syn. weariness, lethargy, stupor LEERY Adj. ¬ Ant. energy, vital ity, verve, lif e, drive suspicious, cautious @ The l assi tude of l aw ­impl ementi ng authori ti es has l ed to anarchy in the state. þ Syn. di strustf ul, apprehensive, wary ¬ Ant. trusting, credulous, innocent @ He is leery about everything he eats out of his home. LATENT – present but hidden, potential þ Syn. dormant, untapped LEGIBLE – readable ¬ Ant. obvious, manifest þ Syn. legible, decipherable @ Job rotati on can hel p bri ng out th e l ate nt tal ent of the empl oyees. ¬ Ant. illegible, unreadable @ Gracy's chickenscratch handwriting was barely legible. LEGISLATE – to decree, mandate, make laws LAUD V., LAUDABLE Adj., þ Syn. constitutionalise, ordain LAUDATORY Adj. @ Some congressmen make every effort to legislate in favour of powerful business houses. to praise þ Syn. praise, acclaim, extol, mention ¬ Ant. denigrate, di sparage, degrade LENIENT – easygoing, permissive @ The minister lauded the official’s actions. þ Syn. liberal, sparing @ The committee’s efforts to raise money for social programmes were laudabl e. ¬ Ant. strict, severe @ She was the subject of many laudatory articles in the national dail ies. @ When the bowler was only fined a small amount for tampering wi th the ball, there was an uproar of protest from cricket l o ver s. LAUREATE N. the recipient of honour for achievement in art or science LESION N. @ Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s poems are best enjoyed in Bengali. a harmful change in an organ þ Syn. sore, laceration @ Brain lesions can be caused by bacterial infections. LAUREL N. a prize, honour, distinction @ Behind every laurel lies a lot of sweat and grime. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . ( a ) i rrevocabl e i ti nerary judicious ju xta po se kinetic planned trip route place side by side exercising sound judgement i rreversi bl e act i ve
1 . (d ) 3 . (c ) 4 . (b ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 . ( e ) Answ er K ey ­ Mini R evision Test (110) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 LETHARGIC Adj., LETHARGY N. LIBEL N., LIBELOUS Adj. torpid, sleepy, weary a written accusation, a malicious defamatory publication, smear þ Syn. sluggish, tired, weary, lacklustre þ Syn. defamation, vilification, slander ¬ Ant. energetic, lively, vigorous ¬ Ant. praise, admire, commend, extol @ The lethargic government machinery is a drain on our economy. @ Indian politicians seldom sue for libel. LEVERAGE N., V. @ The leader was offended by a libelous article about his party in the newspaper today. advantage gai ned for any purpose þ Syn. influence, power, force, pull LIBERTARIAN – one who believes in unrestricted freedom @ In life, you ought to leverage your core strengths. þ Syn. permissiveness, liberal ¬ Ant. oppressive, domineering @ The libertarian refused to pay taxes to the government, as he didn't recognise its jurisdiction over him. LEVIATHAN N. anything huge, gigantic, colossal þ Syn. mammoth, overwhelming, titanic LIBERTINE – one without moral restraint ¬ Ant. tiny, dwarfish, lilliputian þ Syn. womaniser, philanderer @ The leviathan statue at Shravan Belagola is world famous. ¬ Ant. puri tan, ascetic @ The libertine took pleasure in gambling and seducing innocent y ou t hs . LEVITATE – to rise in the air or cause to rise þ Syn. escalate, climb ¬ Ant. plunge, plummet LICENTIOUS – immoral, unrestrained by society @ The magician caused his assistant to levitate in the air, and the audience broke into thunderous applause. þ Syn. debauched, w anton LEVITY N. @ Religious citizens were outraged by the licentious exploits of the community of artists living in the town. lack of seriousness or steadiness, frivolity, lightness of approach or treatment, humour þ Syn. cheerfulness, humour, joki ness ¬ Ant. moral, virtuous LIMPID – clear, transparent þ Syn. lucid, crystalline ¬ Ant. gravity, seriousness, importance @ Academicians recognise that a little levity i n the classroom helps rather than hinders learning. LEVY V., N. impose a fi ne, coll ect a payment, to take or requi re by l egal means ¬ Ant. murky, inexplicit @ Nidhi could see all the way to the bottom through the pond's limpid water. LINEAGE – ancestry þ Syn. descent, genealogy þ Syn. tax, charge, rates, toll, duty @ Shruti could trace her lineage back through many generations. @ The municipality will have to levy new taxes to cover up its def icit. LINGERIE N. women’s underclothing @ There is a huge business in designer lingerie worldwide. LEXICON – dictionary, list of words þ Syn. thesaurus, encyclopedia @ It is said that the word impossible does not exist in that brave warrior’s lexicon. LINGUISTIC Adj., LINGUIST N. pertaining to language, study of speech, philology @ The study of linguistics reveals how many English words are borrowed from other languages. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . (b ) l abyri nth laconic lament lampoon l atent mourn using few words maze present but not visible satiri ze
1 . (c ) 3 . ( a ) 4 . ( e ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 . (d ) Answ er K ey ­ Mini R evision Test IC : PTpntvb01 (111) of (188) LIONISE V. LOATHE V. treat as a celebrity to dislike intensely þ Syn. glorify, idolise, praise, fete þ Syn. hate, di slike, detest, despise @ She likes to be lionised but at the same time is afraid of the media. ¬ Ant. adore, love, worship, esteem @ If the fruits of liberalisation do not trickle down to the masses, they may loathe the process itself. LIQUIDATE V. to dispose of, to wind up, to do away with LOCOMOTION – movement from place to place þ Syn. pay a debt, shut down þ Syn. mobility, transit @ The company will have to be liquidated if it fails to secure new loans by the end of the month. @ Some believe that the advent of rapid methods of locomotion speeded up the spread of civilisation. LISSOME Adj. LOGISTICS N. nimble, flexible, supple, agile the art of movement and supply of army troops; the handling of the details of an operation @ The lissome dancers in the ballet enthralled the audience. LISTLESS – lacking energy and enthusiasm þ Syn. enervated, spiri tless @ W i t h o u t s t r e a m l i n e d l o g i s t i c s , a r m y t r o o p s c a n n e v e r manoeuvre properly. @ The resulting improvements in airline operating logistics might even bring ai rfares down. ¬ Ant. energeti c, lively @ Listless and depressed after breaking up with his girlfriend, Neeraj spent his days moping on the couch. LITANY N. LOGO – corporate symbol þ Syn. monogram, trademark @ Bajaj's logo can be found on all its products. a prayer, chant, either musical or repetitive, a prayer of entreaty with responses LOITER V. @ Pooja’s litany of complaints seems to have no end. amble, dawdle, idle, loaf @ The re i s a l i tany of me di cal pro bl ems f aci ng th e pri son popul ati on. þ Syn. wait, hang around, linger, dally LITERATI N. LONGEVITY N. intelligentsia, scholarly people great length of life @ Her novels are popular wi th the uni versity li terati but they have failed to attract a wider audience. þ Syn. long life, permanence, durability @ He loitered on the shore, reluctant to leave. @ In any business proposition, i t is the longevity of the deal that brings in true prosperity. LITHE N. supple, limber, agile, flexible and graceful LOQUACIOUS Adj., LOQUACITY N. þ Syn. flexible, lissome, agile, nimble talkative, glib, garrulous, gabby @ We watched the lithe, beautiful motions of the dancers and were impressed with their physical condition and grace. þ Syn. effusive, rambling ¬ Ant. taciturn, sil ent, reserved, aloof @ Her loquacity has landed her in trouble. LITIGATE V., LITIGATION N. @ She was very loquacious about her experiences. to dispute by a legal suit þ Syn. go to court, sue, proceedings LUCID Adj., LUCIDITY N. @ The village­folks litigate over trivia. transparent, easily understood, clear and distinct, intelligible @ Pub l i c i nte rest l i t i gat i ons i n t he S C ha ve e xpos ed m any problems to public gaze and attention. þ Syn. logical, coherent, cogent, plain LITTER N., V. @ A journalist’s prose should have lucidity but a literary style is not necessary. any scattered coll ection of objects þ Syn. waste, trash, garbage, disorder ¬ Ant. confused, puz zled, baff led @ The drugs she’s taking make her drowsy and confused but there are times when she is quite lucid. @ The littered streets of our colony is an eyesore. @ We sell most of our straw to the local stables who use it as litter for their horses. LUCRE N. LUCRATIVE Adj. sordid gain, riches, money, capital @ The greed for lucre got him involved with criminals.
LIVID Adj. anaemic, ashen, extremely angry, enraged þ Syn. bruised, furious @ My father was livid at my brother’s disobedience. @ He had a long livid scar across his cheek. (112) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 LUDICROUS Adj. LURID Adj. ridiculous, absurd, comical, laughable, absurd þ Syn. foolish melodramatically sensational, shocking, ugly, violent, excessively pale looking, provoking horror, gruesome ¬ Ant. sensible, sane, reasonable þ Syn. loud, bright, garish @ He knew he looked ludicrous in the costume but he was bent upon wearing it for the duration of the party. @ She told me all the lurid details of her affair. LUSCIOUS Adj. LUGUBRIOUS Adj. delightful, fulsome, sweet mournful, sad, dismal, looking or sounding profoundly sad þ Syn. juicy, succulent, fresh þ Syn. gloomy, doleful, cheerless ¬ Ant. bland, withered, dry, shrivelled ¬ Ant. cheerful, happy, smiling, joyful @ The lugubrious atmosphere of the morgue made him queasy. @ Fondness f or l usci ous sw eets are sometimes w orse than addiction to wine. LUMINARY – bright object, celebrity, source of inspiration LUSH Adj. þ Syn. dignitary, megastar rich and juicy, luxuriant ¬ Ant. nobody, pleb þ Syn. verdant, abundant, green @ The luminaries of Bollywood gathered for a charitable cricket match in Mumbai. ¬ Ant. arid, dry, baked, barren @ Kerala is one of the most lush green states. @ T h e o l d g u r u k u l s u s e d t o b e s e t a m i d s t l u s h g r e e n surroundings. LUMINOUS – bright, brilliant, glowing þ Syn. shini ng, incandescent ¬ Ant. dark, dull LUXURIANCE – elegance, lavishness @ The luminous moon shone right through the curtains into the bedroom. þ Syn. splendour, magnif icence ¬ Ant. austeri ty, poverty @ The luxuriance of the couches made them an obvious choice for the palace sitting room. LUNATIC Adj., LUNACY N. a madman, maniac þ Syn. outrageous, crazy, fool ish LYRICAL – suitable for poetry and song, songlike ¬ Ant. sensible, rational, reasonable þ Syn. melodic, subjective @ It seems that his love for the woman has turned him into a lunati c. ¬ Ant. harsh, objecti ve LUNAR – relating to the moon LYNCH V. @ The scientists analysed the lunar rocks for traces of water. to judge and put to death without the usual form of law @ Ambar's lyrical talents made him a gifted poet and songwriter. þ Syn. string up, hang, assassinate, kill @ The errant truck driver was lynched by the mob. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . ( a ) l ethargy l evi ty loquacious lucid lugubrious li ghtness taking a lot sl uggishness exaggeratedl y mournf ul easy to understand
1 . (c ) 3 . (b ) 4 . ( e ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 . (d ) Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test IC : PTpntvb01 (113) of (188) “M”
MACABRE Adj. MAG NITUDE gruesome, deathlike, horrible, eerie extent, greatness of si ze þ Syn. ghoulish, ghastly, grisly, chilling þ Syn. immensity, vastness @ Even the police were horrified at the macabre nature of the killings. ¬ Ant. smallness, triviality @ When she saw the large wet patches on the walls, she realised the full magnitude of repairs the house needed. MACHIAVELLIAN (MAKIAVELIEN) Adj. crafty, perfidious in activity, based on amoral political rules MAGNILOQUENT Adj., þ Syn. evil, wicked, deceitful, fraudulent MAGNILOQUENCE N. @ The Machiavellian activities of our politicians surprise no one. pompous, boasting @ The magniloquent contestant sounded too rude. MACHINATE V., MACHINATION N. to form a plot for doing some harm MAGNUM OPUS N. þ Syn. plot, conspire, plan a great work especially of literature or learning @ The arrested person revealed about the machinations of the assassination. @ Paradise Lost is John Milton’s magnum opus. MAIM V. MACHO Adj., MACHISMO N. to disfigure, mutilate aggressive, dominant, domineering, he­man @ Many maimed bodies were recovered from the bogies of the ill­fated train. @ He’s too macho to admit he was hurt when his girlfriend left him. MALADROIT Adj. MA CROCOSM unskillful, clumsy, gauche, faltering, inept the entire universe, a complex that is a large­scale reproduction of one of its parts þ Syn. awkward, ungainly þ Syn. cosmos, galaxy @ Her lack of self­confidence does make her rather maladroit in social situations. ¬ Ant. microcosm, model @ In a welfare society, the state can be considered a macrocosm of the family in that it takes care of the elderly and children. MA ELSTROM whirlpool, turmoil, agitated state of mind þ Syn. tumult, eddy @ The transportation system of the city had col lapsed in the maelstrom of war. MALA DY N. disease, fault, illness þ Syn. problem, difficulty, trouble, woe @ Inefficiency is the biggest malady plaguing the Indian industry. MALAISE N. uneasiness, a feeling of discomfort þ Syn. depression, disquiet, melancholy MAESTRO N. ¬ Ant. optimism, sanguinity, buoyancy a master, especially an eminent music composer or conductor @ She wrote about the depression and malaise felt by women trapped in their suburban homes. þ Syn. genius, expert, ace, whiz ¬ Ant. amateur, unpaid, recreational @ The si tar maestro Pt. Ravi shankar wi l l gi ve a reci tal thi s even i ng. MA LAPROPISM N. Verbal blunder, misapplication of words without mispronunciation, wrong use of a similar sounding word MAGNANIMOUS Adj., MAGNANIMITY N. generous, large­hearted, not petty, noble and generous in victory as well as defeat, forgiving þ Syn. benevolent, ki nd, chivalrous ¬ Ant. petty, mean, mal icious, obdurate @ Arsenal’s manager was magnanimous in victory and praised the losing team. MAGNATE N. @ In the sentence, “The price of food in Japan is gastronomical”, the word ‘gastronomical’ is a malapropism, because it should be ‘astronomical.’ MALCONTENT N. a person who is not satisfied þ Syn. dissident, nonconformist @ The usual malcontents turned up for the meeting and made trouble.
a very powerful person, VIP, tycoon þ Syn. attraction, inducement, pull @ Bombay and Surat are inhabited by diamond magnates. (114) of (188)
IC : PTpntvb01 MALEDICTION N. MALODOROUS cursing, a calling down of evil foul­smelling ¬ Ant. benediction þ Syn. fetid, putrid @ Malediction, if heart­felt, does come true at times. ¬ Ant. fragrant, aromatic MALEFA CTOR N. @ The malodorous beggar stood no chance of winning anyone’s sym path y. an evil­doer, a criminal ¬ Ant. benef actor MA LNUTRITION @ A malefactor policeman can wreak havoc. undernourishment þ Syn. anorexia, hunger MALEVOLENT Adj., MALEVOLENCE N. ill­disposed, wishing evil, sinister, ominous, bad, intense hatred ¬ Ant. benevolent @ The character was not entirely malevolent; the author made a point of showing her good qualities as well. @ The child's distended stomach and spindly limbs were sure signs of malnutrition. MAMMOTH Adj. very huge, colossal, goliath, promethean þ Syn. enormous, huge, massive MALFEASANCE N. ¬ Ant. tiny, minute, little, small, petite mismanagement, malpractice @ Cleaning up the Yamuna is going to be a mammoth task. @ Several cases of malpractice and malfeasance in the financial world are currently being investigated. MANDA TORY necessary, requi red MALFUNCTION þ Syn. obligatory, compulsory breakdown, fail ure ¬ Ant. opti onal, voluntary þ Syn. collapse, impairment @ It i s mandatory f or al l company empl oyees to wear bl ue uniforms while on the job. @ The malfunction of the booster rocket meant that the space shuttle could not be launched on schedule. MANIFEST(adj.) – obvious (v) – demonstrate MALICE N., MALICIOUS Adj. þ Syn. show, exhibit ill­will, spite, antipathy, animosity, acrimony ¬ Ant. hide, mask þ Syn. hatred, malevolence, cruelty @ The fact that she had had plastic surgery was manifest, since she looked 20 years younger than she did the previous week. ¬ Ant. compassi on, gentleness @ One of my malicious students has spread canards about me. MANIFESTO N. @ Killing the neighbour’s dog was an act of sheer malice. a written public declaration MALIGN Adj., V., MALIGNANT N. þ Syn. policy, proposal, programme baleful, injurious, malignant, to speak of in an evil way, to defame or slander; having an evil influence @ Mani f estos of al l pol i tical parti es are hi gh­ sounding and theref ore all uring. þ Syn. slander, criticise, libel ¬ Ant. praise, admire, commend MANIFOLD @ El aborate and speci ali sed treatment is required to prevent the spread of a malignant disease. diverse, varied, comprising many parts @ She has maligned my reputation because she has a prejudiced vi ew . ¬ Ant. simple, single þ Syn. multitudinous, multifarious @ The manifold touri st attracti ons of London make it a great place to visit. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . (b ) martyr maudlin mendacious mentor mercenary lying overl y sentimental one who dies for a cause te ac he r hired soldier
1 . (c ) 3 . ( a ) 4 . (d ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 . ( e ) Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Tes IC : PTpntvb01 (115) of (188) MANTLE N. MARSHAL V., N. a symbol of authority, coat to lead solicitously, to place in proper rank and position; a high­ ranking military official @ S he u ns uc ce ss f u l l y at te mp te d to a ss um e th e ma nt l e o f presi dency. þ Syn. assemble, line up, position ¬ Ant. dismiss, give notice, reject MANUAL(adj.) – operated by hand (n) – instruction book @ T he f i gh t i n g i n t he ci ty f o l l o w ed r e po r ts o f t h e re b el s marshalling their forces in the countryside. þ Syn. physi cal, non­automatic ¬ Ant. automatic, mechanical MARSUPIAL Adj. @ When the power lines went down, the secretary dug out his old manual typewriter to finish the letters. mammals that carry their young ones in a pouch MANUMIT V. MA RT IA L emancipate, free from bondage, release from slavery warlike, pertaining to the military @ The authorities in our big temples should come forward and manumit the devdasis . þ Syn. combative, soldierly MAR – to damage, deface, spoil @ Kangaroos are marsupials. ¬ Ant. civil, civilian @ Experts in martial arts know how to defend themselves using their bare hands. þ Syn. disfigure, detract ¬ Ant. improve, enhance MA RTINET @ T he t el e ph o ne p ol e s m a rr e d t he n at u ra l be a ut y o f th e countrysi de. strict disciplinarian, one who rigidly follows rules þ Syn. bully, authoritarian ¬ Ant. liberal, lenient MARAUDER N., MARA UD V. þ Syn. raider, l ooter, prowler, intruder @ A complete martinet, the official insisted that Pankaj fill out all the forms again even though he was already familiar with his case. @ The marauders burst into the camp, shooting into houses, hurling stones and smashing car windows. MA RT YR a plunderer, a raider, seeker of goods, pillager person dying for his or her beliefs MARGARINE N. a butter­like substance, fat or lard used in cakes, desserts etc. @ Joan of Arc became a famous martyr after she was burned at the stake for her beliefs. @ I prefer my toast with margarine. MA SCOT N. MARGINAL – barely sufficient a talisman, one who brings good luck þ Syn. insignificant, minimal þ Syn. lucky charm, amulet ¬ Ant. vast, gross @ T h e r e ’ s a c o m p e t i t i o n f o r d e s i g n i n g a m a s c o t f o r t h e commonwealth games. @ Because her skills were margi nal, she was paid a very low sa l a ry. MASOCHISM N., MASOCHIST N. MARIJ UANA N. cannabis, ganja , grass @ Regular smoking of marijuana can cause short­term memory loss and long­term health problems. MARINATE V., MARINATION N. to soak food in a liquid or paste; a step in food preparation @ Marinate the chicken i n w hi te w i ne f or a coupl e of hours bef ore fryi ng. MA RITIME Adj. pertaining to the sea, having a sea coast þ Syn. marine, naval @ The blockade of the ports has eliminated mariti me trade but some suppl ies are sti ll getti ng through over land. (116) of (188) pleasure obtained by being tortured by others, grati fication in pai n @ He was so lazy that, for him, the marathon was nothing short of masochism. MA SQUERA DE disguise, action that conceals the truth þ Syn. pretence, decepti on ¬ Ant. honesty, candour @ The rogue who was masquerading as a senior police officer managed to dupe several wealthy persons. MASTICATE V. to chew or grind to a soft material before swallowing þ Syn. munch, crunch, chomp @ Ayurvedic drugs need to be masticated.
IC : PTpntvb01 MA TERIA LISM MAXIM N. preoccupation with material things proverb, a truth pithily stated, repeated saying of truth þ Syn. worldliness þ Syn. adage, proverb @ Hermits renounce materialism. @ A Sil icon Vall ey company is about to test the maxim that smaller is always better for computers. MATRON N., MATRONLY Adj. An elderly lady of staid and sober habits MAYHEM N. @ The matron of a hostel or a hospital has to be ruthless at times. a violent or noisy situation @ The woman was too matronly to suit this kind of job. ¬ Ant. arrange, sort, organi se, regul ate þ Syn. chaos, disorder, turmoil @ The mayhem at the site of accident was beyond control. MAUDLIN Adj. weepy, excessi vely sentimental MEAGRE Adj. þ Syn. mawkish, sappy, slushy, mushy deficient, scraw ny ¬ Ant. unemotional, impassive þ Syn. scanty, paltry, trifling @ Every Saturday night, he drank until he was quite maudlin. ¬ Ant. abundant, plentiful , enough MAUL V. @ M e a g r e r e s o u r c e s a r e m a j o r o b s t a c l e s t o g r o w t h i n infrastructure . to handle roughly, beat, bruise @ Mauled by her brother­in­law, Seema filed a report of physical abuse at the police station. MEANDER V. to wander aimlessly, to follow a winding course þ Syn. roam, amble, stroll, rove MAUSOLEUM N. ¬ Ant. rush, hurry, dash, sprint a large tomb @ Narmada meanders through the Vi ndhyachal s and enters Guja rat. þ Syn. crypt, burial chamber @ We spent the af ternoon meandering around the streets of the old town. @ The mausoleum of Akbar is at Sikandra in Agra. MAVERICK N. MEDDLER a nonconformi st, a stray person, unorthodox person person interfering in others' affairs þ Syn. eccentric, rebel þ Syn. intruder, interloper ¬ Ant. conformist, follower @ He was considered as something of a maverick in the publishing worl d. @ Mi c key i s a rea l me ddl e r, al w ays rea dy w i th unso l i ci ted suggestions and offers of help. MEDDLESOME Adj. MA WKISH very of fici ous, interfering sickeningly sentimental þ Syn. intrusive, nosy þ Syn. sickening, nauseating @ We have very meddlesome neighbours, who always want to know what we’re doing. ¬ Ant. cool, impassive @ The poet hoped to charm his lover with his romantic poem, but she was put off by its mawkish tone. MEDIEVAL relating to the Middle Ages (about 500 A.D. to 1500 A.D.) @ In medi eval times, diseases consi dered trivi al today ki ll ed thousands, because medicine w as not very advanced. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2.(b) mercurial metamorphosis mitigate mollify morose gloomy magical change in form sof ten moderate the eff ect of emotionally unpredictable
1.(e) 3.(d) 4.(c) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5.(a) Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test IC : PTpntvb01 (117) of (188) MEDLEY N. MELODY a mingled mass, mixture, assortment pleasing musical harmony, related to music þ Syn. combination, mix, jumble þ Syn. tunefulness, lyricism @ There was a medley of stalls in the book fair. @ The hit pop song had the same basic melody of a favourite old song. @ Discotheques play a medley of dance numbers to keep the rhythm going. MENACE N. MEEK Adj. threat, danger, nui sance submissive, patient and long suffering þ Syn. danger, hazard, peril þ Syn. humble, timid, gentle @ Teenage drivers are a traffic menace. ¬ Ant. assertive, confi dent, forcef ul @ The law still seems to regard women as meek and submissive and men as strong breadwinners. MERCENARY(adj.) motivated only by greed, money­minded (n) – hired soldier MEGA LITH þ Syn. rapacious, materialistic huge stone used in prehistoric structures ¬ Ant. charitable, philanthropic @ The archaeol ogist w ondered how the prehistoric tribe had managed to move the gigantic megalith to the top of the hill. @ M a n y c e l e b r a t e d " e x p l o r e r s " w e r e a c t u a l l y m e r c e n a r y pl underers. MEGALOMANIAC N. MERCURIA L a person having a hunger for greatness and power quick, shrewd, and unpredictable @ The breed of megalomaniacs is increasing nowadays. þ Syn. vol atile, unpredictable @ The rulers in many countries build the tallest structures just to satisfy their megalomania. ¬ Ant. stable, constant @ Her mercurial temper made it difficult for her team to arrive at a rational decision. MELANCHOLY N., MELANCHOLIC Adj. s a d n e s s , s u f f e r i n g , g r i e f, s o r r o w , a b n o r m a l d e j e c t i o n , excessively low spirit þ Syn. sad, depression, low, down MERIDIAN imaginary circle passing through the two poles of the Earth @ Dilip Kumar is an actor who is famous for melancholic roles. @ The explorer attempted to follow the meridian from the North Pole to the South Pole, but his ship failed to negotiate the i cebergs. MELANGE (MAYLANZH) N. MERITORIOUS a mixture of different elements deserving reward or praise þ Syn. concoction, brew, combination þ Syn. praiseworthy, commendable @ Her book presents an i nteresti ng mel ange of i deas f rom dif ferent phil osophi es. ¬ Ant. worthless, discreditable ¬ Ant. cheerf ul, happy, jovial, positive @ The student's meritorious performance won him a scholarship. MELLIFLUOUS Adj. sweetly or smoothly flowing, very smooth MENDACITY N., MENDACIOUS Adj. þ Syn. smooth, honeyed untruthfulness, lying, deceiving, falsity ¬ Ant. harsh, cruel, callous þ Syn. dishonesty, deceit, lies, falsehood @ The mellifluous tunes of Beatles songs made them living pop l egends. @ Mendacity is the hallmark of most Indian politicians. @ The mendacious saint was in for a public thrashing now that he w as exposed. MELLOW Adj., V. soft and ripe, well matured, melodic MENDICANT N., MENDICANCY N. þ Syn. smooth, rich, full, soft a beggar ¬ Ant. harsh, cruel, unsympathetic @ Mendicancy seems to be a thriving business in India. @ Age mellows the wildest of youth. MENIAL Adj., N. MELODRA MATIC Adj., MELODRAMA N. work of a servile or humiliating nature, blue­collar work exaggerated, histri oni c, overdone, sensati onal þ Syn. unskilled, boring, tedious, basic @ If all Hindi films are not melodramatic, what are they ? ¬ Ant. skilled, capabl e, expert, able @ We Indians love melodrama, be it TV serials or films. @ The lot of the menials will never improve in the world. @ Many nurses fi nd themsel ves gi ven meni al tasks, such as making beds and washing patients, which make little use of their skills.
(118) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 MENTOR MIASMA N., MIASMATIC Adj. experi enced teacher and wise adviser þ Syn. trainer, counsellor swamp gas, heavy, vaporous atmosphere, often emanating from decaying matter ¬ Ant. disciple, student @ A miasma of pollution hung in the air over the city. @ Ruchi asked her mentor for help to choose the right college. MICROBE MERETRICIOUS Adj. flashy, gaudy, glamorous in a cheep and showy way, rooted in bigotry and hypocritical views @ H e c l a i ms th a t a l o t o f j ou rn a l i s m i s m er e tr i ci o us an d superf icial. a microorganism like bacterium, particularly the kind that causes di sease @ The discovery that microbes caused certain diseases was a major medical breakthrough. MIG RA TORY METAP HOR wandering from place to place with the seasons figure of speech comparing two different things þ Syn. translocation, migrating þ Syn. fi gurative expressi on, anal ogy @ Bird watchers started gathering near the lake, in anticipation of the arrival of the migratory birds. @ The metaphor "a sea of troubles" suggests a lot of troubles by comparing their number to the vastness of the sea. MILIEU N. MESMERISE V. the surroundings or atmosphere hypnotise, captivate, engross, charm þ Syn. setting, environment, locale þ Syn. enthral l, entrance @ The European milieu is a shock to the Asians at first. ¬ Ant. bore, tire, irk, bore stiff @ The audience was completely mesmerised by her singing. MINATORY Adj. having a menacing quality, threatening METAMORPHOSIS N. a sudden or drastic change in characteristics, unexplainable but usually very noticeable change of form or character @ Munna threatened to kill the Sharma family and his minatory gaze said it all. @ The collapse of communism caused the metamorphosis of the erstwhil e USSR. MINCE V. METE V. þ Syn. cut up, chop up, hash to allot, give out @ Do not mice words with me – tell me what you’re thinking. @ Corrupt and criminal politicians should be meted out proper puni shment. @ Mince two pounds of chicken finely for preparing kebabs . to cut into tiny sections, to talk or walk in an affected or overly dainty manner, to hold back words discreetly MINUSCULE – very small METEORIC Adj. þ Syn. diminutive, tiny breakneck, explosi ve, spectacul ar, speedy ¬ Ant. vast, huge þ Syn. dramatic, sudden, swift, rapid ¬ Ant. gradual, slow, regular, measured @ Dave needed a magnifying glass to read the minuscule print on the lease agreement. @ Anyone who has a meteoric rise can fall to the lowest depth in life. MIRE V., N. METICULOUS Adj. entangle, sti ck i n swampy ground, deep mud, al so unpleasant si tuation very careful about minute detai ls, showing extreme care in all respects þ Syn. scrupul ous, thorough, fussy þ Syn. swamp, marsh, sludge, slush @ Thei r expedi ti on w as h ampered t emporari l y becaus e the vehicles of their caravan were mired in the mud. ¬ Ant. carel ess, slapdash, casual, sloppy @ A copy editor must correct written materials meticulously so that the published material is as perfect as possible. MIRTH N. gladness or gaiety accompanied with laughter þ Syn. glee, hilarity METTLE ¬ Ant. dejection, gloom qual ity of character, courage, endurance @ An atmosphere of mirth prevailed in the f reshers’ party at Hindu college. þ Syn. f ortitude, tenaci ty ¬ Ant. cowardice, irresolution @ The pilot showed his mettle, landing the helicopter very close to the wounded soldiers, despite the heavy winds. MISANTHROPE N., MISANTHROPIC Adj. a person who hates his fellow human beings @ Hitler was often called a misanthrope. @ His tendency to avoid any company is almost misanthropic.
IC : PTpntvb01 (119) of (188) MISAPPREHEND MITIG ATE to misunderstand, misconstrue to soften, or make milder þ Syn. confuse, misjudge þ Syn. pall iate, appease @ The poli ceman misapprehended the si tuati on and arrested Mohan, although Prahlad was the guilty one. ¬ Ant. aggravate, intensi fy @ The judge may mitigate the sentence if he is convinced that the crime was committed in self­defence. MISCONSTRUE V. to misinterpret, misjudge, misrepresent MNEMONIC Adj. þ Syn. misunderstand, misread pertaining to memory ¬ Ant. understand, appreciate, know @ Their caution was misconstrued as cowardice. @ Things, phone numbers, words etc. can be remembered with mnemonic tricks. MISCREANT N. MOCK an evildoer to deride, ridicule þ Syn. scoundrel, malef actor þ Syn. jeer at, scorn @ Police apprehended the miscreants on the eve of holi . ¬ Ant. inspire, encourage MISDEMEANOUR N. bad conduct, a misdeed, violation, crime, offense @ The government apologised for police misdemeanour. MISERLINESS extreme stinginess þ Syn. thrift, penuri ousness @ Charles suspected that Toni was mocking him behind his back, and decided to be on his guard with her. MODERA TE to make less excessive, restrain, regulate þ Syn. curb, diminish ¬ Ant. aggravate, increase @ The engineer moderated the flow of electricity to the house after its fuses blew repeatedly. ¬ Ant. generosity, liberality @ Although Mohandas was a rich man, he was too much of a miser to help others. MISGIVINGS N. doubts MODICUM N. a very small amount þ Syn. little, bit, degree @ Given time, modicum of rancour can blow up into full­fledged v e n de t t a . þ Syn. qualms, worries, fears @ Misgivings should be done away with because they break up families and spoil lives. MISHA P acci dent, misfortune þ Syn. setback, adversi ty ¬ Ant. fortune, fortui ty @ In an unfortunate mi shap, the actress broke her arm and could not perform that night as planned. MISNOMER an incorrect name or designation @ Some f eel that "peacemaker" is a mi snomer for a nuclear missile. MODUS OPERANDI N. the manner of operating or working @ The modus operandi of the crime suggested a mafia hand. MOGHUL N. powerful person who has great wealth and power þ Syn. tycoon, industriali st, magnate @ Subhash Chandra, al ready a TV moghul is now thinking of venturi ng i nto newspapers. MOLLIFY to calm or make less severe þ Syn. appease, allay ¬ Ant. enrage, inflame MISOGAMIST N., MISOG AMY N. a person hating marriage @ G.B. Shaw was often accused of being a misogamist. @ Failed marriages are creating misogamy in today’s youth. MISOGYNIST N., MISOGYNY N. a person hating women @ The club’s refusal to allow women to become members is sheer misogyny. @ Their argument was so intense that it was difficult to believe any compromise could mollify them. MOLLYCODDLE V. to pamper @ She mollycoddled the irate child by buying him a soft toy. MOMENTOUS Adj. extremely important, crucial, decisive þ Syn. important, significant, crucial @ Whether or not to move overseas was a momentous decision for the family.
(120) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 MONASTIC MORGUE N. extremely plain or secluded, as in a monastery a place where dead bodies are kept for identification þ Syn. asceti c, austere þ Syn. motherly, caring, tender ¬ Ant. luxurious, indulgent @ To identify the dead in the morgue is in itself a mortifying act. @ T h e p h i l o s o p h e r r e t i r e d t o h i s m o n a s t i c l o d g i n g s t o contemplate life, away from any worldly distraction. MORIBUND Adj. about to die, in a dying state MONOCHROMATIC þ Syn. declining, waning, past it having one colour ¬ Ant. thriving, flourishing, booming @ T h e m u l t i c o l o u r e d b u t t e r f l y r e a l l y s t o o d o u t i n t h e monochromatic foliage of the clearing. @ The old Indian social structure appears to be in a moribund s t at e . MONOGA MY MORON N. custom of marriage to one person at a time a feeble­minded person þ Syn. wedding, matrimony @ Some moron smashed into the back of my car yesterday. ¬ Ant. polygamy @ Monogamy is the accepted norm in Indian culture, though some members of certain religions take more than one wife. MONOLITHIC Adj., MONOLITH N. solidly uniform, unyielding; a massive structure MOROSE gloomy, sullen or surly þ Syn. taciturn, sulky ¬ Ant. cheerful, communicative @ Many PSUs in our country are monolithic in structure. @ After he was rejected by the university of his choice, Amit was morose for weeks. MONOLOGUE MORTIFY V. dramatic speech performed by one actor to humiliate, to deaden, subdue, to destroy þ Syn. soliloquy, spiel þ Syn. degrade, crush, shame ¬ Ant. di alogue, conversati on @ She remembered how mortified she’d been as a child, having to wear her sister’s old dress to school. @ The actor skilfully varied the tone and pace of his 40­minute monologue to make it interesting. MOTIF N. MONUMENTAL Adj. a theme, design, issue, argument commemorative, memorial, columnar þ Syn. pattern, i mage, decoration þ Syn. colossal, epic, huge, vast @ The typical moti fs in ancient Indian pal aces is due to the assimilation of Mughal architecture. ¬ Ant. small, little, minute, tiny, petite @ Monumental strides in the field of electronics have made the little things in life a lot more convenient. @ We chose some curtains with a floral motif. MOTLEY Adj. MORA TORIUM N. legal delay of payment, stopping of an activity for a period heterogeneous, assorted, di verse, of di fferent, oddl y grouped parts þ Syn. suspensi on, f reeze, hal t, pause þ Syn. assorted, diverse, vari ed @ A general moratori um on repayment of agri cul tural l oans pr ovi d es f ar mers so me r oom to try an d ov erc ome the i r probl ems. @ The museum has been converted i nto of fi ces and i s now inhabi ted by a motley assortment of archi tects, designers and arti sts. MORBID Adj. MOTTLED Adj. induced by disease, pessimistic, brooding, grisly, macabre sp ott ed þ Syn. morose, gloomy, dark, moody þ Syn. dappled, spotty ¬ Ant. cheerf ul, happy, cheery, joyf ul @ The mottled deer is so beautiful that it’s worth watching. @ The morbid declaration of doomsday or the end of the world can frighten some people. MOULT to shed hair, skin, or an outer layer periodically MORDANT Adj. bi ti ng, sarcasti c, stinging, cutting to the heart of the matter, incisive @ The snake moulted its skin and left it behind in a crumpled mass. þ Syn. caustic, acerbic, scathing MOUND N. ¬ Ant. gentle, mild, kind, calm a hillock, a heap @ Celebrities fear the mordant coverage of their private life by the press. þ Syn. heap, pile, stack, mass, load IC : PTpntvb01 @ Archaeologists are investigating whether the small hill is really a burial mound
(121) of (188) MULCT V., N. MUTILATE V., MUTILATION N. to defraud or cheat; a fine, a penalty cripple, damage, disfigure @ The new ruler mulcted the citizens in the name of a new city development fund. þ Syn. maim, injure, hurt, harm MULTIFACETED MUTINY N., MUTINOUS Adj. having many parts, many sided defi ance, di sobedience, insurrection, rebel lion @ The multifaceted actor played five different roles in a single film, executing each to perfection. þ Syn. revolt, sedition, uprising MULTIFA RIOUS @ The disillusionment has deeped to open mutiny in the ranks of the soldiers. di ve rse @ Repeated amendments have mutilated the constitution. @ The mutinous crew had endangered the passengers on the pl ane. þ Syn. varied, manifold ¬ Ant. homogeneous, uniform MUZZLE V., N. @ India is famous for its multifarious culture and cuisine. to silence; mouth, snout þ Syn. silence, gag, shut up, quiet, stifle MUNDANE Adj. @ A good administrator never muzzles dissent. commonplace, everyday, earthly as opposed to heavenly, worldly, ordinary or run­of­the­mill, menial MYOPIC Adj. þ Syn. dull, routine nearsighted, shortsi ghted ¬ Ant. foreign, from abroad, exotic þ Syn. bigoted, i ntolerant @ Mundane matters such as eating and drinking do not excite her any longer. ¬ Ant. broadminded, tolerant @ The i r myo pi c re f usal to act now w i l l un doubte dl y ca use problems in the future. MUNIFICENCE N., MUNIFICENT Adj. magnificent liberality in giving, very liberal, generous in giving, lavi sh þ Syn. largesse, benevol ence MYRIA D Adj. numberless þ Syn. countless, innumerable, many @ Sir Swaraj Paul is known for his munificence. ¬ Ant. few, little, the minority @ They offered no solution for all our myriad problems. MUTABLE Adj., MUTATION N. vari able, subject to change þ Syn. changeable, changing ¬ Ant. fixed, permanent, unchanging @ Mutable government policies keep investors at bay. @ In today’s changing environment, a company has to maintain a mutable stand on policy matters. G as t ro n om y The following are 10 words that are related to the topic mentioned a bo ve . BRA ISE : BREW : COLANDER : CONFECTIONERY : DECANTER : (122) of (188) GASTRONOMY PASTEURIZE : : SAUTE TRUSS : : Z EST : to cook f irst by seari ng, then si mmering i n a smal l amount of liquid make beer, tea or coffee by soaking formation or boiling a perforated basket used to strain water­filled foods any sweet food comprised primarily of sugar narrow­necked glass container used to hold and serve wi ne the science of preparing and serving food to steri l i z e by rai si ng and l ow eri ng temperature to prevent fermentation and growth of bacteria fry briefly over high heat to secure (hold together) with skewers or twine before cooki ng the outside rind of any citrus fruit which contains the essential oils used for flavoring
IC : PTpntvb01 “N”
NADIR N. NEFARIOUS Adj. the lowest point of something, absolute bottom wicked, villainous, vicious, perverse, evil þ Syn. lowest point, depths þ Syn. evil, despicable, immoral ¬ Ant. zenith, peak, pinnacle ¬ Ant. reputabl e, upright, honest @ The defeat was the nadir of her career. @ The nefarious activities of the mafia pervade Italy. NAIVE (NAAEEV) Adj. NAIVETE N. NEGLIGIBLE si mple, natural , ingenuous, frank, unworl dl y, unsophisti cated, unaffected, innocent; quali ty of being unsophisticated not worth considering þ Syn. immature, adolescent, green ¬ Ant. significant, considerable ¬ Ant. complicated, stylish, difficult @ It is obvious from our negligible dropout rate that our students love our course. @ They make the naive assumption that because it’s popular it must be good. þ Syn. insignificant, trivial NEMESIS N. NARCISSISM N., NARCISSIST N. an agent of retribution, a terrible opponent excessive self­admiration, egotism, vanity; conceited person þ Syn. vengeance, retribution, doom þ Syn. selfishness, conceit @ Avarice may prove to be the nemesis of man. @ Actors must need a certain amount of narcissism to get up on stage and perform in front of an audience. NASCENT – starting to develop, coming into existence þ Syn. embryonic, incipient ¬ Ant. established, dying @ The advertising campaign was still in a nascent stage, and the details were yet to be finalised. NATAL Adj. insti nctive, genetic, inherent, i nborn NEOLOGISM N. new or newly coined word or phrase þ Syn. new expression, new term, new phrase, coinage @ The newspaper used the neologism DINKS to describe the couple­­double income no kids. NEONATE newborn child @ Af ter the gas leak, the intensi ve care unit w as fi ll ed wi th neonates havi ng respiratory problems. þ Syn. biological, birth, natural @ The natal gentleness of a cat can be seen in the kittens. NEOPHYTE N. tyro, novice, beginner, di lettante NATATION N. þ Syn. tenderf oot, recruit Swimming ¬ Ant. veteran, expert, prof essi onal @
@ Unfortunately the manual is written by people who seem to have forgotten that most of their readers are neophytes. The instructor emphasised the need for courses in natation. NATTY Adj., NATTILY Adv., NATTINESS N. smart and f ashionable. NEPOTISM N. Syn. smart, fashionable, dapper, trendy undue patronage to one’s relations Ant. scruffy, unti dy, dirty þ Syn. favouritism, partiality, bias @ Malaika is a natty dresser and sets fashion trends. @ The government was dismissed following revelations about corruption, nepotism and political incompetence. NEBULOUS Adj. hazy, vague, ambiguous, confused, fuzzy, unformed, indistinct NETHER Adj. þ Syn. vague, imprecise, unformulated lower ¬ Ant. precise, exact, accurate, speci fic þ Syn. posterior, rear, hind @ Our pl an f or touri ng the West had been so nebulous that every ni ght on the trip, we had to pore over gui debooks, deciding where to go next. ¬ Ant. front, foref ront, fore NECROMANCY N. NETTLE V. witchcraft, sorcery, black magic to sting, bother Syn. wizardry, occultism, enchantment, divination þ Syn. annoy, i rritate, exasperate, vex @ It is sad but true that even educated people believe in necro­ mancy.
@ S h e l o o k e d u p a t m e s h a r p l y, c l e a r l y n e t t l e d b y t h e interrupti on.
IC : PTpntvb01 @ The boiler room is somewhere down in the building’s nether regions. (123) of (188) NEUTRALITY NIHILISM N., NIHILITY N. disinterestedness, impartial ity a belief in nothing, extreme scepticism; nothingness þ Syn. fairness, lack of prejudice ¬ Ant. partiality, bias @ N i h i l i s m i s t h e b a c k l a s h o f t h e r a m p a n t m a t e r i a l i s m , consumerism and heartless modern life. @ Sw i tz e rl a nd i s w el l kno w n f or i ts neu tra l i t y i n ti mes of international conflict. NIGGLE V., N. cause slight but persistent annoyance NEXUS N. þ Syn. Irritate, annoy, w orry, trouble association, link, connection @ I don’t react any more when opponents try and niggle me. @ T he no t or i ou s po l i t i ci a n­ c ri m i n a l n ex u s i n I n di a s e em s unbreakabl e. NIT­PICKING Adj. carping, fault­finding, finicky, hairsplitting NIBBLE V. @ Nit­picking never delivers goods. to bite gently, chew, gnaw @ In the fi ght against corrupti on, the macro issues must be targeted first; nitpicking should not mislead the crusade. þ Syn. chew, gnaw, bite, eat @ While sitting idle, he kept on listlessly nibbling at the food. NOCTURNAL Adj. NICETY of night, operating in the night elegant or delicate feature, minute distinction þ Syn. of the night, night þ Syn. nuance, subtlety @ O w l s a r e n o c tu r n a l c r e at u r e s . M o s t b a t s a n d o w l s a r e nocturnal . @ Rani went to fancy parties all summer, enjoying the niceties of upper­crust society. NOISOME Adj. NICHE ( NISH ) N. a recess in a wall, a special place e x t r e m e l y o f f e n s i v e t o t h e s e n s e s ( e s p . s m e l l ) , h i g h l y objectionabl e þ Syn. position, place, slot, function þ Syn. obnoxious, off ensive, repugnant @ Marketers are concentrating on niche markets. ¬ Ant. pleasant, sw eet­smelling @ The jailhouse was a noisome dungeon. NIFTY Adj. NOMAD N. NOMADIC Adj. fine, smart, sharp, neat w anderer þ Syn. ingenious, clever, natty, neat þ Syn. rover, travell er, dri fter @ The nifty receptionist in the front lobby was attracting all e y e s . @ At heart he was a nomad. @ Thanks for a nifty piece of work ! NOMENCLATURE terms used in a particular science or discipline NIGGARDLY Adj. þ Syn. language, termi nology stingy, thri fty, greedy, parsimonious, very tight w ith money or means, penurious @ Although I've been studying medicine for six months, I just can't seem to get the nomenclature right. þ Syn. stingy, meagre, miserly, measly ¬ Ant. kind, liberal, giving, charitable @ The company’s ni ggardly sal aries di scouraged many of i ts employees, who began to look elsewhere for better pay. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . ( a ) mundane myriad nebulous nef arious neologism a huge number new word evil ordi nary va gu e
1 . (d ) 3 . ( e ) 4 . (c ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 . (b ) Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test (124) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 NOMINAL NOVICE existing in name only, negligible apprentice, beginner þ Syn. titular, official þ Syn. l earner, inexperi enced ¬ Ant. real, substantial ¬ Ant. veteran, expert @ A nominal but far from devout Catholic, she rarely went to chur ch. @ Although Julie is still a novice at saili ng, she show s great potenti al . NONCHALANT Adj. NONCHALANCE N. NOXIOUS Adj. unconcerned, careless, unceremonious hurtful, deadly, lethal, baneful þ Syn. casual, offhand, unfl appable þ Syn. harmful, toxic, poisonous ¬ Ant. concerned, worried, troubled ¬ Ant. harmless, safe, risk free @ Unlike many of the runners who were obviously nervous, the champion seemed almost nonchalant before the race. @ The noxious fumes from modern automobiles, industries etc. are polluting the environment. NONDESCRIPT Adj. NUANCE N. not easily classified, commonplace, dull shade of difference in meaning or colour þ Syn. ordinary, dull, uninteresting þ Syn. shade, tone, gradation, ti nge ¬ Ant. special, particular, individual @ The arti st has mana ged t o cap ture every nuanc e of the woman’s expressi on. @ The meteorological bureau is in a nondescript building on the outskirts of town. NUBILE Adj. NONPAREIL Adj. suitable for marriage. matchless, unequalled @ Performance­wise “Gone with the Wind” remains nonpareil. @ She is worried about finding a husband for her nubile daugh­ t e r. NONPLUS V. NUGATORY Adj. surprise, astonish, amaze, baffle, discomfit futile, w orthl ess þ Syn. unnerve, throw, stump @ The adv i ce w as nuga tory as e very mem ber of t he t eam committed the same old blunders. @ Diana’s candid interview nonplussed many. NON SEQUITUR Adj. an irrelevant conclusion, an illogical statement @ It was obvious that he was not paying attention during the discussion as he came up with a non sequitur. NOSTALGIA N. sentimental longing for past times, reminiscence, recollection þ Syn. wistfulness, longing @ Nostalgia is the last resort of fallen heroes. NOSTRUM N. a secret or quick remedy @ There are no nostrums available for the chronic ailments of Indian society. NOTORIETY unfavourable f ame NUGGET N. a lump þ Syn. piece, bit, chunk, hunk, wad @ Confucius’s philosophy consists of many nuggets of wisdom. @ A chicken or fish nugget is a small piece that has been covered in bread crumbs and fried. NULLIFY to make legally invalid; to counteract the effect of þ Syn. annul, repeal ¬ Ant. ratif y, vali date @ Rowl ing nul lified her contract wi th her publisher when she received a better offer from another company. NUMISMATIST N. person who collects coins @ The numismatist’s collection of antique coins is unique because he has taken pains to document the history of every coin. þ Syn. infamy, disrepute ¬ Ant. low profile, anonymity NUPTIAL Adj. @ Arjun realised from the silence that greeted him as he entered the bar that his notoriety preceded him. pertaining to marriage þ Syn. marriage, wedding, bridal @ Apparently, the nuptial knot is tied stronger in the east than in the west.
IC : PTpntvb01 (125) of (188) “O”
OAF N. OBLIVION N. OBLIVIOUS Adj. stupid, awkward person þ Syn. lout, boor, barbarian the condition of being f orgotten, exile, emptiness; inattentive, unmindful ¬ Ant. civilised, sophisticated, intelligent þ Syn. f orgetf ul ness, stupor, @ The servant was so used to being called a clumsy oaf that he almost stopped responding to his real name. ¬ Ant. aw areness, al ertness OBDURATE Adj. @ He was oblivious to the danger around him. @ Af ter al l that she w ent through she w el comed the great oblivion of sleep. hardened in heart and feelings þ Syn. obsti nate, stubborn, tenacious OBLOQUY N. ¬ Ant. meek, flexible, faltering slander, di sgrace, infamy @ The President remains obdurate on the question of cutting t a x e s . þ Syn. humiliation, disgrace, misery ¬ Ant. honour, credit, tribute @ Regardless of the provocation, the obloquy on her character was in bad taste. OBEISANCE N. an act of reverence, a bow þ Syn. bob, bend, curtsy OBNOXIOUS Adj. @ The nobl emen came f orw ard one by one and made thei r obeisance before the queeen. off ensi ve, objectionabl e þ Syn. hateful, abhorrent, unbearable ¬ Ant. nice, good, find @ Obnoxious effluents from the industries have polluted all our ri ve rs. OBFUSCATE V. to darken, obscure, conf use þ Syn. confuse, conceal, disguise ¬ Ant. clarify, make clear, simplify OBSCENITY N. filthiness, perversion; indecent act or word @ She was criticised for using arguments that obfuscated the main issue. @ Obscenity is a relative term. OBLIQUE – indirect, evasive, misleading, devious OBSCURE Adj., V þ Syn. slanting, sloping not distinct, make unclear ¬ Ant. straight, di rect þ Syn. concealed, undistingui shed @ U suall y open and f riendl y, Ashok has been behavi ng i n a curiously oblique manner lately. ¬ Ant. obvious, distinct, noticeable @ A woman shouted obscenities at the speaker. @ The teacher’s explanation was so obscure that the students were forced to approach another tutor. OBLITERATE V. to blot out, to efface, raze, annihilate, terminate OBSEQUIOUS Adj. þ Syn. nullify, quash, wipe out sycophanti c, excessively servi le ¬ Ant. validate, authorise, confirm þ Syn. flattering, toadying, submissive @ Obliterate your own w eaknesses before you point a finger an ot he r. ¬ Ant. assertive, forceful , conf ident @ T h e y o u n g e m p l o y e e d e c i d e d t o a d o p t a n o b s e q u i o u s approach to win a promotion. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. nihilism nominal noxi ous a . b . c . 4 . 5 . nua nce obdurate d . e . in name only subtl e dif ference belief in the absence of all values and morals stubborn harmful
1 . (c ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 2 . ( a ) 3 . ( e ) 4 . (b ) 5 . (d ) Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test (126) of (188)
IC : PTpntvb01 OBSESSED Adj. , OBSESSION OBVIATE V. consumed, dominated; fixed idea to eliminate a difficulty þ Syn. gri pped, fixed, passionate þ Syn. prevent, hinder, avert ¬ Ant. uninterested, indif ferent, aloof ¬ Ant. permit, let, sanction @ The government seems obsessed by the need for secrecy. @ A peacef ul sol ution woul d obviate the need to send a UN military force. OBSESSIVE – preoccupying, all­consuming þ Syn. addicti ve, f anati cal OCCLUDE V. , OCCLUSION N. ¬ Ant. balanced, practical shut, close @ Shyam is obsessive about his work; he never leaves the office before 10 at night. @ Prejudice and bigotry occluded reason and common sense as the riots raged on. OBSOLETE Adj. OCCIDENT N. out of use, outdated, antiquated, archaic the west þ Syn. out of date, outdated, past it @ Globalisation have blended the cultures of the occident and the orient. ¬ Ant. up­to­date, new , advance @ The obsolete ideas of the clergy are the biggest obstacles facing the women of the world. OCCULT Adj. secret, hidden, esoteric OBSTETRICIAN N. physician specialising in the delivery of children @ An obstetrici an has special trai ning i n caring for pregnant women and in helping with childbirth. OBSTINATE Adj. dogged, immovable, persistent, stubborn, adamant þ Syn. fixed, adamant, persistent ¬ Ant. compliant, obedient, amenable @ She cl aims to have occult pow ers, gi ven to her by some mysterious spirit. OCULAR Adj. OCULIST N. pertaining to the eye, optical, visual; physician who specialises in the treatment of the eyes þ Syn. visual, optical @ An ocular operation can correct the vision of a person. @ An oculist is required to have a degree in ophthalmology.
@ There is a thi n l ine between being determined and bei ng obstinate. OBSTREPEROUS Adj. noisy, clamorous, unruly, boisterous þ Syn. hostile, defiant, sullen ¬ Ant. cheerful, joyful, in good sprits @ The shop announced heavy discounts but failed to placate its obstreperous customers as the goods were sold out within an hour. OBTRUDE V. OBTRUSION N. become noticeable in an unwelcome or intrusive way @ The sound of the boisterous laughter obtruded the silence of the temple. Abhinav Dave
IIM­K, MDI
The PT course material
was well designed. It
started with basics
þ Syn. noticeable, prominent p r o v i d i n g a s ol i d
foundation and exposed
to the tougher part of the
¬ Ant. unobtrusive, inconspicuous subject. The vocabulary
@ I think that huge portrait that you hung in the hall is a bit obtrusi ve. sessions conducted in
OBTRUSIVE – pushy, too conspicuous OBTUSE Adj. the class were quite
advantageous as it
helped me retain words.
blunt, dull, insensitive þ Syn. dull­witted, thick, slow ¬ Ant. intelligent, able, quick @ Media always hype up the obtuse statements of controversial authori ties. IC : PTpntvb01 (127) of (188)
ODIOUS Adj. ODIUM N. OMNIPOTENT Adj. monstrous, disgracef ul, atrocious; detestation all­powerful, invincible þ Syn. hatef ul, loathsome, repulsive þ Syn. all­powerful, invincible, supreme ¬ Ant. pleasant, amiable, charming ¬ Ant. powerless, toothless, immobilised @ Henry Bavington plays the part of Mr. Gri mes, the odi ous headmaster. @ Even the omnipotent Hitler was finally defeated. @ His trial has led to widespread public odium. OMNISCIENT – having infinite knowledge, all­seeing þ Syn. all­knowing, all­wise ODYSSEY N. ¬ Ant. ignorant, illiterate a long trip, a trip fraught with dangers @ Christians believe that because God is omniscient, they cannot hide their sins from Him. @ The film follows one man’s odyssey to find his mother from whom he was separated at birth. OMNIVOROUS – eati ng everything, absorbing everything OFFICIOUS Adj. þ Syn. indiscriminate, undiscriminating interfering, meddlesome ¬ Ant. discriminate, selective þ Syn. bossy, fussy, intrusive @ She is an omnivorous reader, covering everything from comics to Premchand. ¬ Ant. submissive, docile, passive @ He’s an officious little man and widely disliked in the company. ONEROUS Adj. OFFSHOOT – branch burdensome, oppressi ve þ Syn. side shoot, tendril þ Syn. arduous, heavy, diffi cult ¬ Ant. trunk, bole ¬ Ant. easy, , simple, painless @ The company encouraged the growth of the small spare parts shops as offshoots of the main factory. @ To achieve 100 percent literacy is an onerous task. ONOMATOPOEIA N. OGLE V. words that sound like the noises they refer to. to look at fondly, amorously @ “Hiss”, “buzz” and “squelch” are onomatopoeic words. þ Syn. look at, stare at, gaze at @ His riches made people ogle at his balance sheet. ONUS N. burden, responsibil ity OLIGARCHY N. þ Syn. responsibility, burden, duty government by a few, rule of elite @ Do you think oligarchy is preferable to dictatorship? @ The onus lies with the customer to check every detail before signing any contract. OMINOUS Adj. OPALESCENT – iridescent, displaying colours threatening, sinister, impending þ Syn. multicoloured, prismatic þ Syn. gloomy, menacing, warning @ The infant, fascinated by the opalescent stone, stared at it for hours on end. ¬ Ant. reassuring, supportive, cheeri ng @ There was an ominous silence when I asked for the renewal of my contract. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . ( e ) of ficious onerous opa que ostensible ostentati ous misleadingl y apparent impossible to see through annoyingl y helpful showing off burdensome 1 . (c ) 3 . (b ) 4 . ( a ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 . (d )
Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test (128) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 OPAQUE – impervious to light, difficult to understand ORB – spherical body, eye þ Syn. non­transparent, obscure þ Syn. spheroid, globe ¬ Ant. transparent, transl ucent ¬ Ant. non­spherical, polygonal @ The heavy buildup of dirt and grime made the car windows almost opaque. @ Paramjeet sighed at the sight of the lantern orbs glowing like small moons above the tables in the restaurant. OPINE – to express an opinion ORCHESTRATE – to arrange music for performance, to coordinate þ Syn. think, suggest þ Syn. to arrange, to organise @ The rude participant in the show opined that the guest was a pathetic excuse for a human being. ¬ Ant. to disorganise, to usurp @ Though the president took all the credit, it was his wife who had actual ly orchestrated the enti re event. OPPORTUNE Adj. very right or fit ORDAIN V. þ Syn. fitting, apt, right decree, manage, conduct ¬ Ant. inappropri ate, w rong, unsuitable @ Be prepared to grab the opportune moment. @ The counci l, in its w isdom, has ordained that all the local libraries will remain closed on Mondays. OPPORTUNIST – one who takes advantage of circumstances ORDEAL N. @ Doz ens of opportuni sts travel l ed to the earthquake­struck region to sell food and water to the victims. labour, nightmare, torment, tribulation OPPROBRIOUS – disgraceful, contemptuous ORGY N. þ Syn. abusive, scornful wild, drunken revelry; unrestrained indulgence ¬ Ant. laudatory, praising þ Syn. debauch, carousal, carouse @ Despite his opprobrious addiction to gambling, the governor was re­elected. @ It was a night of wild orgy for them. @ Travel by bus or train in India is really an ordeal. ORIENT Adj. OPPROBRIUM N. rising, as the sun, Eastern disgrace, infamy, ignominy @ The lore of the orient constantly attracts Western tourists. þ Syn. abuse, vituperati on, condemnation Ant. praise, accolade, encomium ORNATE Adj. @ The i nt erna ti on al co mmun i ty heap ed op prob ri um on the country after its unprovoked invasion of its neighbour. el aborate, flori d, showy, decorated OPULENT Adj. OPULENCE N. ORNITHOLOGY N. , ORNITHOLOGIST N. wealthy, extravagant, cornucopi an, luxurious; extreme wealth, luxuri ousness, abundance study of birds; scientific student of birds þ Syn. rich, well­to­do ¬ Ant. poor, impoverished, desti tute @ There is great irony in the opulent lifestyle of the so­called godmen. ORACLE – person who foresees the future and gives advice þ Syn. prophet, fortune teller @ Omar decided to consult an oracle when he could not make the decision on his own. ORATOR – lecturer, speaker @ The new professor's dull tone of voi ce and lack of energy make him a particularly poor orator. @ The gates at the marriage reception pandals these days are ornate and gaudy. @ Dr. Salim Ali was a famous ornithologist. @ Bird watching is just a small activity under the discipline of orni thol ogy. ORTHOGRAPHY N. correct spelling @ Until and unless you master English orthography, you cannot hope to be a good writer. OSCILLATE – to move back and forth þ Syn. sway, swing ¬ Ant. remain steady, be sedentary @ The ancient oscillating fans did little to cool down the room. ORACULAR Adj. OSSEOUS Adj. OSSIFY V. prophetic, hard to interpret, enigmatic made of bone, bony; change or harden into bone þ Syn. predictive, prescient, prognostic @ The creature appeared to be osseous, yet very fl uid in i ts movements.
@ The saint spoke in an oracular tone. IC : PTpntvb01 (129) of (188) OSTENTATION N. OSTENTATIOUSNESS Adj. OUTLANDISH Adj. act of showing, boasting; showy biz arre, peculiar, unconventional þ Syn. pretension, di splay, affectati on þ Syn. pecul iar, strange, odd ¬ Ant. modesty, diffi dence, reserve ¬ Ant. run of the mill, average @ Ostentation can only evoke envy not fri endship. @ Looking even further into the future, he expected designers to experiment with even more outlandish ideas. @ The ostentatious lifestyles of Boll ywood stars evoke much interest among the public. OUTRAGEOUS Adj. OSTENSIBLE Adj. atrocious, barbaric, infamous, monstrous outwardly showing, apparent, likely þ Syn. shameful, shocking, offensive þ Syn. apparent, suppose, seeming ¬ Ant. commendable, worthy, admirable ¬ Ant. real, actual, true, valid @ He visited Pakistan ostensibly to visit his brother. @ It i s outrageous that these bui l di ngs remai n empty w hil e thousands of people have no homes. OSTRACISE V. OVATION N. to boycott socially applause, enthusiastic recepti on þ Syn. exclude, banish, shun þ Syn. acclaim, applause, praise ¬ Ant. include, take in, contain ¬ Ant. jeering, mocking, hissing @ For centuries, lepers were ostracised by society and banished to remote colonies. @ The royal bal let received a thunderous ovation w hen they performed here two months ago. OUST V. OVERT Adj. expel, drive out open to view þ Syn. expel, throw out, exile þ Syn. open, clear, plain, evident ¬ Ant. appoint, employ, hire, sign up ¬ Ant. hidden, unseen, unknown @ He has been ousted from the company for no mistake of his. @ His overt life showed him to be a very respectable and kind man. OUSTER – expulsion, ejection OVERSTATE – to embellish, exaggerate þ Syn. bani shment, debarment þ Syn. over­dramatise, over­emphasi se ¬ Ant. including, welcoming @ After his insane behaviour at the meeting, the chairman faced ouster by his fellow board members. ¬ Ant. understate, play down @ I do not want to overstate this, but I need you to understand the seriousness of the situation. Linguistics The following are 10 words that are related to the topic mentioned a bo ve . ASSONANCE : DIALECTOLOGY : ELOCATIVE : INTONATION : (130) of (188) LOCUTION PERORATION : : PHONETIC REBUS SEMA NTIC : : : SYNTAX : repetition of sounds, especially vowel sounds, in a word or phrase branch of linguistics concerned with dialects causing an emotional reaction in the listener ( or reader) the melodic pattern produced by the variation in pitch of the voice during speech any utterance, expressi on, or phrase th e c onc l u di n g p art of a pu bl i c a ddr ess o r s pee ch (especi ally, summing up and recapitulating key points and /or exhorting and uplifting the audience) based on sounds (e.g, th phonetic spelling of a word) the representation of a word by pictures or symbols involving sings (especially, words) and the things (ideas) they are intended to signify construction of a sentence; arrangement of words in a se nt en ce .
IC : PTpntvb01 “P”
PACHYDERM N. PALLID Adj. an animal with a thick skin, such as an elephant, a rhinoceros or hippopotamus, also an insensitive person weak, pale, without colour @ Call a politician a pachyderm and he will probably take it as a compliment. ¬ Ant. colorful, pink, rosy PAEAN N. song of praise or joy þ Syn. exal tation, panegyric, alleluia @ I wonder if singing paeans to our freedom fighters once or twice a year is sufficient to instil patriotism in our children. þ Syn. pale, white, ashen @ A pallid complexion could be the symptom of a disease. PALPABLE Adj., PALPITATION N. tangible, obvious, detectabl e, noti ceable þ Syn. bl atant, flagrant, overt ¬ Ant. covert, hidden @ The sense of excitement among the crowd was palpable. PA CIFIST one opposed to war þ Syn. peace­l over, appeaser ¬ Ant. warmonger, belligerent PA LTRY Adj. insignificant; petty þ Syn. worthless, measly, trivial @ For one who claimed to be a pacifist, Dinesh was surprisingly fond of weapons of war. ¬ Ant. substantial, large, considerable PALATABLE Adj. Palate N. PAN V. tasteful, nice to eat, appetising, delectable, agreeing with your taste buds or your mind, pleasing criticise harshly þ Syn. edi ble, pleasant, tasty ¬ Ant. praise, commend, applaud ¬ Ant. bland, tasteless, dull @ Sulman Rushdie’s latest book has been panned by critics. @ The meal w as barely palatable – i n f act, I thought i t w as di sgusting. P ALA TIA L like a palace, magnificent þ Syn. luxurious, opulent ¬ Ant. modest, humble @ After living in a one­room flat for five years, Amrita thought the modest one­bedroom house looked downright palatial. PALEONTOLOGY N. PALEONTOLOGIST N. the study of fossils @ Paleontology has revealed a lot about the evolution of life on pl anet E arth. @ The company offered Jeremy a paltry sum which he refused. þ Syn. censure, attack, lambaste, condemn PANACEA N. the ultimate cure for everything, remedy, cure þ Syn. cure­all, solution, answer @ Education is a panacea for India’s problems. PANACHE N. flair, flamboyance, behavi our, speech, dash or verve þ Syn. flamboyance, flai r, style ¬ Ant. clumsiness, awkwardness @ The solo passages were played with great panache. PANDEMIC Adj. widespread, prevalent over a whole country or the world. PALETTE N. þ Syn. pervasive, rif e, rampant a thin board used by artists to mix colours ¬ Ant. Sporadic, intermittent, scarce @ She mixes her col ours on the canvas rather than on the pal e tte. @ The WHO fears that the AIDS epidemic w ould soon reach pandemic proportions. PALINDROME N. PANDEMONIUM N. a word or phrase which is spelt the same backwards and forwards a great uproar and confusion, chaos, indiscipline @ The word Malayalam is a palindrome. þ Syn. chaos, mayhem, bedlam, racket @ You can cage a swallow, can’t you but you can’t swallow a cage, can you? (Try reading the sentence backwards, last word first. ) ¬ Ant. peace, calm, order @ Pandemonium broke out in the burning pandal.
PALLIATE V. PALLIATION N. ease pain, make less severe or offensive @ We should palliate the suffering of the poor affected by the landslide. IC : PTpntvb01 (131) of (188)
PANDER V. PARAGON N. cater to the low desires of others a perfect model of virtue, excellence etc., treasure, gem, the ideal @ Hol l yw ood f i l m producers pander to the masses through violence and sex. @ Political leaders almost inevitably pander to big business. þ Syn. model, ideal, epitome @ After hearing repeatedly that our cousin Amy was a paragon of virtue, we lost all interest in meeting her. PANEGYRIC N. a speech in great praise of someone PARAMOUNT Adj. þ Syn. eulogy, encomium, accolade supreme, extreme, above all @ She delivered a panegyric on the President­elect. þ Syn. dominate, chief, principal ¬ Ant. marginal, peripheral, minimal PANORAMA N. PANORAMIC Adj. @ Character and ethics are paramount in whatever you do. complete view or picture of a subject; denoting an unobstructed and a comprehensive view PA RAMOUR N. þ Syn. view, scene, vista, landscape a term used for an unlawful lover @ This book promises to be a panorama of Indian culture. @ The paramour was thrashed by the husband. PANTOMIME N. PARANOIA N. acting or making gestures without speech ty pe o f a p sy cho l o gi cal d i s eas e w h ere a p ers on f eel s th at everyone is against him @ She did a pantomime of opening a lock and finally I understood that she wanted her room key. þ Syn. fear, suspici on, obsession @ In his last days, Hitler suffered from paranoia. PARADIGM (PARADYME) N. PARA DIGMATIC Adj. model, pattern, an extremely fine model or example of a type, ar ch et yp e PARAPHERNALIA N. þ Syn. example, model, pattern þ Syn. apparatus, kits, implements @ Tatas, Birlas and Ambanis are the paradigms of great success in business. @ H e r p u r s e c o n t a i n e d c o m b s, g l o s s a n d o t h e r p e r s o n a l paraphernal i a. PARADOX N. P ARAP HRASE a thing which seems to contradict itself but may actually be true, a statement that appears to contradict itself but may be true to reword, usually in simpler terms þ Syn. enigma, incongruity, mystery @ Paradoxically, Ravi ate so much but never put on weight while Ajay bloated on a starvation diet. equipment; odds and ends þ Syn. rephrase, restate @ In paraphrasing the poet, she lost the eloquence of his style and the punch of his message. Lite r ature The following are 10 words that are related to the topic mentioned a bo ve . (132) of (188) APOCRYP HAL BA LLAD COLOPHON : : : DENOUEMENT : DOGGEREL : EUPHEMISM : FIGURATIVE MISSIVE ODE P LA GIARISM : : : : of unknown authorship or doubtful integrity a narrative poem meant for recitation or singing a p ub l i s h er ’ s a nd / o r pr i n t e r’ s d i st i n c t i v e e m bl e m , monogram or cipher the f i nal unf oldi ng or a plot; the f i nal resol uti on or outcome following the climax p o e t i c v e r s e o f g e n e r a l l y p o o r q u a l i t y ; v e r s e characterized by a crude, rough, irregular, or burlesque styl e a pleasant or complimentary word or phrase used instead o f on e th a t i s h a rs h or d e ro ga to r y to p re v en t th e conveyance of a bluntly honest opinion metaphoric; not to be interpreted literally a letter, usually formal or official a literary or musical work the practice of taking someone else’s work or ideas and passing them off as one’s own
IC : PTpntvb01 P ARA SITE PA RODY person or animal that lives at another's expense humorous imitation þ Syn. scrounger, leech þ Syn. satire, lampoon @ Sameer was a parasite wasting his wife’s money in drinking and gambling. @ Shahana's new play is a thinly veiled parody of corruption in the government. PARIAH N. PARSIMONIOUS Adj. PARSIOMY N. a person ostracised by civilisation, an outcast of society miserly with money, stingy, thrifty þ Syn. exile, outsider, recluse þ Syn. economical, frugal, saving @ For his beliefs, Vidyasagar was initially declared a pariah. ¬ Ant. wastrel, spendthrif t, squanderer @ His parsimonious attitude denied him of friends. PARITY – equality þ Syn. equival ence, congruence PARSIMONY ¬ Ant. disparity, inequality sti nginess @ Mrs. R amanna tri ed to mai nt ai n pari ty betw een h er tw o children, although each claimed she favoured the other. þ Syn. thrift, miserliness PARLANCE N. ¬ A nt. extravagance, generosity @ Ethel gained a reputation for parsimony when she refused to pay for her daughter's college education. a special way of talking or conversing, expression, verbiage þ Syn. idiom, phrasing, dialect PARVENU N. @ Campus parlance often shocks parents. a person who has recently acquired riches @ Rich tastes cannot be expected of a parvenu. PARLEY N. V. conference (also v) PASSE Adj. þ Syn. meeting, discussion, confab not in current use, old­fashioned, outdated, obsolete @ The parl ey between the two countries conti nues but there not much hope of an agreement. @ Manual typewriters are passe. PASTICHE N. PAROCHIAL Adj. imitation of another’s style in musical composition or in writing a restricted, narrow viewpoint; ignorant, unsophisticated þ Syn. take off, imitation, spoof þ Syn. narrow, provincial, insular @ The critic wrote that the author’s l atest work was a mere pastiche and lacked originality. @ The parochi al boundari es of caste and col our have been detrimental to our growth. PA STORA L Adj. PA RODY humorous imitation rel ated to a calm, peaceful village l ife, of the country, rustic, bucolic þ Syn. satire, lampoon þ Syn. rustic, countrified, rural @ Shahana's new play is a thinly veiled parody of corruption in the government. ¬ Ant. urban, city, town, municipal @ The paintings depict beautiful pastoral settings that remind me of my childhood on the farm. PAROLE N. conditional release of a prisoner before his sentence is actually o v e r PATERNITY @ The crime was committed while the prisoner was out on parole. @ In this week's episode, the serial’s star refuses to reveal the paternity of her child. fatherhood, acquired from the father PAROXYSM N. a wild, uncontrollable fit of anger; rage, wrath PATENT þ Syn. convulsion, fit, outburst, spasm official document giving exclusive commercial right to an invention @ These proposals have thrown many people into paroxysms of ra ge . þ Syn. copyright, li cence @ M ar ga r et r eg r et te d t ha t t ho ug h s he ha d d ev el op e d th e machine first, she had not bothered to get a patent for it. PARRY V. ward off a blow, deflect PATHOGENIC þ Syn. avert, block, counter, evade causing disease @ The boxer ducked and parried the blow. þ Syn. infective, morbid @ Bi na's research on pathogeni c organi sms should help stop the spread of di sease.
IC : PTpntvb01 (133) of (188) PATHOS N. PECCADILLO N. the qual ity which arouses a feel ing of sorrow, stri ngs of pi ty, poi gnancy a small error, minor fault, minor flaw, small offense þ Syn. sadness, pity, sorrow ¬ Ant. asset, virtue ¬ Ant. joy, delight, pl easure @ He dismissed what had happened as a mere peccadillo. þ Syn. sin, offence, failing, crime @ Thomas Hardy’s novels were built around pathos. PECUNIARY N. PATOIS N. referring to money, monetary, fiscal local or provincial dialect þ Syn. financial, fiscal, economic þ Syn. vernacular, local parlance, argot @ Some hard decisions are overdue in the pecuniary arena. @ It may be the same language but the difference in the patois as one moves from village to village is simply fascinating. PEDAGOGUE N. PATRICIDE N. unpleasant pedantic teacher, who gives too much attention to formal rules and is tedious murder of one’s own father @ The pedagogues keep students away from colleges. @ In the heat of the moment he committed patricide. PEDANT N. PEDANTIC Adj. PA TRIMONY heritage derived from one's father a person always trying to show off his knowledge by pointing out minor errors, a nitpicking type þ Syn. inheritance, l egacy þ Syn. doctrinaire, sophist @ After the will was read, Pooja asked her brother to donate his share of the patrimony to charity. ¬ Ant. amateur, dabbler @ In college, where students can often choose their professors, pedants may find their classrooms rather empty. PATRONAGE N. PATRONISE V. giving support or encouragement; support, act superior toward PEDESTRIAN(adj.) – commonplace þ Syn. support, backing, aid (n) – person on foot, walker @ Bharat Bhavan survives under central government patronage. þ Syn. plodding, unimaginative, stroller ¬ Ant. imaginative, inspired @ Although the restaurant's prices were high, critics considered its food little more than pedestrian. PAUCITY N. scarcity, lack of enough amount, dearth þ Syn. scarcity, rareness PAEDIATRICIAN ¬ Ant. pl ethora, excess, surfeit doctor specialising in the care of children and their ailments @ The paucity of funds does not deter a diligent worker. @ She chose to be a paediatrician because she loved working with children. PAVILION tent or light building used for shelter or exhibitions PEER N. þ Syn. marquee, arbour, pergola, bower, gazebo, porch @ The ca terers deco rated the pa vi l i on l avi shl y w i th l i ghts, streamers and balloons. a person of the same rank or class or group þ Syn. gaze, stare, examine ¬ Ant. glance, look, glimpse @ Peer group pressures dictate teenage behaviour. PAUPER N. a poor person, beggar @ His gambling turned him into a pauper. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . (c ) p ar a do x parochi al pa ro dy parsimonious pa te nt satirical imitation obvi ous narrow in point of view contradi ctory truth stingy 1 . (d ) 3 . ( a ) 4 . ( e ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 . (b )
Answ er K ey ­ Mini R evision Test (134) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 PEERLESS PENURY N. unequall ed extreme poverty, great lack of something þ Syn. incomparabl e, unmatched þ Syn. poverty, destituti on @ H ar p r ee t ’s d ed i ca t i on to t he c au s e o f c r ea t i ng gr e a te r awareness about leprosy has been peerless. ¬ Ant. af fl uence PEEVED Adj., PEEVISH Adj. PERDITION N. annoyed, bad tempered damnation; complete ruin þ Syn. annoyed, irritated, irked, piqued Syn. doom, condemnation, destruction ¬ Ant. pl eased, satisfied, content @ The clergy spoke passionately about perdition for all sinners. @ They were peeved that the trip was reduced from the usual three weeks to 10 days. PEJORATIVE Adj. disapproving, disparaging, making something worse @ His childhood was spent in penury. PEREGRINATION N. jo urn ey @ The pol i tical l eader undertook a peregrinati on across the country, in what he called a “journey of discovery.” þ Syn. derogatory, negati ve, cri tical ¬ Ant. positive, optimistic, helpful PEREMPTORY Adj. @ Somethi ng terrible must have happened for ‘home’ to have such a pejorative connotation for him. demanding and leaving no choice PELLUCID Adj. transparent, limpid þ Syn. authori tati ve, dictatorial ¬ Ant. polite, civil, gracious @ It was a peremptory order for promotion with transfer and he had to accept it. Syn. clear, comprehensible, lucid Ant. clouded, vague, confusi ng PERENNIAL – present throughout the year, persistent @ Readers enjoy Stephen Hawkin’s pellucid writing. þ Syn. ceaseless, perpetual ¬ Ant. seasonal, temporary PENANCE N. punishment accepted to make amends for some sins committed earl ier @ This is a perennial flowering plant and will look good in your ga rd en . þ Syn. atonement, contriti on, remorse PERFIDY N. PERFIDIOUS adj. @ As p ena nc e, she s ai d s he w o ul d b uy th em al l a bo x of chocol ates. faithl essness, disloyalty, treachery PENCHANT ( PAYSHAY ) N. a strong liking or inclination for something þ Syn. liking, fondness @ His penchant for cars turned him into a car collector. @ Her penchant for disappearing for days at a time w orries her family. PENITENT N. one who is sorry for having done something wrong þ Syn. apologetic, remorseful @ A penitent Bharat followed Ram to the forest. PENSIVE Adj. dreamily thoughtf ul; contemplative þ Syn. disloyalty, deceit, lying @ The double agent was punished for his perfidy. PERFUNCTORY Adj. mechanical, rapid, superficial, symbolic, hollow þ Syn. unthinking, automatic, dutiful ¬ Ant. thoughtful , consi derate @ Perfunctory medical examinations often fail to detect serious ail ments. PERIPATETIC Adj. walking about; moving þ Syn. nomadic, itinerant, migrant ¬ Ant. stationary, fixed, unmoving @ Finally, tired of his peripatetic lifestyle, he decided to settle down with a stable job. Syn. philosophical, cogi tative, rumi native Ant. joyful , cheerf ul PERJURE V. PERJURY N. @ I tried to cheer Mohan out of his pensive mood. to tell lies in a court of law where you have sworn to tell the truth þ Syn. equivocate, misstate, concoct PENULTIMATE @ Perjury is a punishable offence under the law.
next to last @ The low­scoring cricket match ended in the first hour of the penultimate day of the five­day test. IC : PTpntvb01 (135) of (188) PERMEABLE PERTURB V. penetrabl e þ Syn. porous, absorbent to disturb, make anxious, to bother greatly or annoy, to disquiet, discompose ¬ Ant. impermeable, watertight þ Syn. trouble @ Karishma discovered that her new raincoat was permeable when she was drenched in the rain, in spite of wearing the coa t. @ The new s that h er son had b een a rreste d by t he pol i ce perturbed her greatl y. PERTURBATION PERNICIOUS N. disturbance harmful, evil, bad, wicked þ Syn. fluster, discomfiture þ Syn. destructi ve, harmful, deadly ¬ Ant. reassurance, comfort ¬ Ant. harmless, safe, nontoxic @ Grandpa sleeps so soundl y that no perturbati on can wake him up. @ The pernici ous ef f ects of al cohol and tobacco cannot be de ba te d. P ERUSA L PERPETRATE V. close examination commit an offence þ Syn. scrutiny, inspection Syn. inflict, wreak, bring about @ When you fly, your carry­on luggage is always subject to the perusal of customs officials. @ The insurgents perpetrated a series of offences against the government. PERUSE V. PERPETUAL inspect, comprehend, examine endless, lasting þ Syn. read thoroughl y, scrutinise þ Syn. everl asting, eternal ¬ Ant. skim, glide, float ¬ Ant. transitory, intermittent @ He opened a new spaper and began to peruse the personal advertisements. @ Although objects may appear solid, electrons that make up every object are actually in perpetual motion. PERVASIVE Adj. , PERVADE V. PERSECUTE V. spread throughout; become part of something else, to permeate to torment, to treat cruelly þ Syn. invasive, insidious þ Syn. hound, pursue, bully ¬ Ant. envel opi ng, persi stent @ Galileo was persecuted for his beliefs. @ The g overnment ’s ref or ms are be i ng under mi ned by al l ­ pervasive corrupti on in the country. PERSPICACIOUS Adj. one who has brilliant insight, sharp PERVERSION N. þ Syn. insightful, wise, astute corruption, turning from right to wrong ¬ Ant. dense, opaque, solid þ Syn. parody, cari cature, di stortion @ Hi s perspi caci ous grandf ather had bought the l and as an investment, guessing that there might be gold underground. @ He was always honest, upright and straightforward; so it is difficult to understand his perversion. PERT Adj. PERVERT(v) impertinent, forward to cause to change in immoral way; to misuse þ Syn. animated, alert, lively (n) – degenerate, debauchee ¬ Ant. listless, languid, lethargic þ Syn. distort, warp @ Your pert remarks will do you no good; it might result in a loss. ¬ Ant. consecrate, sancti fy PERTINACIOUS Adj. stubborn; persi stent þ Syn. tenacious, assiduous, resolute, intractable ¬ Ant. tentative, i rresolute, waveri ng @ Su jat a w as ve ry per ti n aci ous i n h er que st f or t he ri g ht information. @ Chandan objected when the opposing lawyer seemed to be perverti ng the truth. PETRIFY V. to turn to stone, to horrify, to scare þ Syn. fri ghten, terrify, horrify @ It was a petrifying sight at Latur after the tremors stopped. PERTINENT PETTY Adj. applicable, appropri ate trivial, unimportant, very small þ Syn. relevant, apposi te þ Syn. little, trivial ¬ Ant. irrelevant, inappropri ate ¬ Ant. important, vital, significant @ The supervi sor f el t that hi s empl oyee's compl ai nts w ere pertinent and mentioned them in the meeting. @ It i s su rpri si ng that petty quarrel s ul ti matel y l e d to the couple’s separati on.
(136) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 PETULANT Adj. PETULANCE N. PILFER irritable, bad­tempered, ill­humoured and peevi sh, occasionally rude, ill­mannered to steal þ Syn. huffy, snappish, grouchy ¬ Ant. relaxed, easygoing, calm @ Marianne did not pilfer the money for herself but rather for her sick brother, who needed some medicine. @ One colleague recalled the dancer’s petulant refusal to collect an award because her name had been wrongly pronounced. PILFERAGE N. þ Syn. embezzle, mi sappropriate thef t, burglary, misappropriation PHILANDERER N. @ Railways lose millions due to pilferage. faithless lover, flirt þ Syn. liberti ne, playboy, seducer PINNACLE N. ¬ Ant. chaste, faithful the topmost point, acme, apex, peak, zenith @ No woman would ever want a philanderer as her husband. þ Syn. summit, peak, height ¬ Ant. base, bottom, foot PHILANTHROPY Adj. monetary or volunteer promotion of mankind’s welfare, generous giving of self or resources @ Your generous acts of phi lanthropy are greatly appreci ated by the beneficiary institutions. @ Indian cricket was at its pinnacle in the 70’s. PIOUS dedicated, devout, extremely religi ous þ Syn. spiritual, sanctimonious PHILATELIST N. ¬ Ant. irreligious, impious stamp collector @ Shantanu, a pious man, walks to the temple everyday and p ra ys . @ The high value of the old rare stamps is what motivates many to become philatelists. PIQUANT Adj. PHILISTINE N. person unsympathetic to the arts, narrow­minded @ I wouldn’t have expected them to enjoy a film of that quality anyway ­­ they’re just a bunch of philistines! pleasantly interesting, amusing þ Syn. spicy, hot ¬ Ant. bland, insipid @ More piquant details of the former official’s private life were re vea l e d. PHLEGMATIC Adj. calm, not easily annoyed, imperturbable, sluggish, slow, showing little emotions, impassive, stolid PIQUE N. þ Syn. apatheti c, indiff erent, placid þ Syn. interest, attract ¬ Ant. energetic, lively, acti ve @ He stormed from the room in a fit of pique shouting that he had been misunderstood. @ As a f ootbal l er hi s great asset w as hi s cal m, phl egmati c manner. resentment, annoyance, i ndi gnati on PITHY Adj. PITH N. PHOBIA concise, meaty; core, marrow , essence exaggerated illogical fear þ Syn. terse, condensed, curt þ Syn. dread, fixation ¬ Ant. convol uted, compl icated ¬ Ant. obsession, mania @ He gave a pithy summary of his political views. @ According to Tanya her phobia of spiders started when she was bitten by one in the school. PITTANCE N. low wages or allowances PHONETICS þ Syn. meagre amount, trifle, nothing study of speech sounds @ When you pay a pittance, don’t expect the best brains to work for you. @ The f i el d of p honeti cs had i nterested Il a ever si nce she conquered her stammering as a teenager. PLACATE V. PICTURESQUE Adj. very artistic, beautiful, charming, special, uncommon to c al m, so othe, m ake l es s angry, assuag e, al l a y, appe ase, particularly by offering to be good; to do a favour for someone þ Syn. charming, striking, quaint þ Syn. pacify, conciliate @ Th e p i ct ure squ e s i gh ts of Ka shm i r att rac t t hou san ds of tourists from all over the world. ¬ Ant. enrage, i nfuriate @ It takes skill, experience and guts to placate an irate mob.
PIEBALD Adj. of different colours; mottled; spotted þ Syn. speckled, pied, variegated @ The farmer rode a piebald horse. IC : PTpntvb01 (137) of (188) PLACEBO N. PLAUDIT N. an innocuous or inert medication, given as a pacifier or as part of experiments on the efficacy of a drug enthusiastic approval; round of applause þ Syn. sop, gesture @ The movie generated great reviews and earned plaudits from the classes and the masses alike. @ P l a c e b o s a r e s o m e t i m e s u s e d t o t r e a t p s y c h o s o m a t i c disorders. PLEBEIAN Adj. PLA CID comm on, pert ai ni ng t o the co mmon pe opl e, co ncerni ng the common folk or masses (often used in a derogatory way) calm, imperturbable þ Syn. blue collar, working class þ Syn. tranquil, serene ¬ Ant. aristocratic, noble ¬ Ant. turbulent, temperamental @ Pol iticians make speeches calculated to appeal to plebeian minds. @ Looking at Aparna's placid expression, no one could tell that she was inwardly seething with rage. PLETHORA N. PLAGIARISM N. , PLAGIARISE V. excess, overabundance, a vast amount, great excess copying the work of someone else, theft; steal another’s ideas) þ Syn. overabundance, excess, surf ei t þ Syn. copying, lifting, bootlegging ¬ Ant. shortage, lack, defici ency @ The editor has the experience and the skill to know whether a work is plagiarism or original. @ Our l ibrary boasts of a plethora of books on modern and anci ent li terature. PLAINTIFF PLIANT Adj. injured person in a lawsuit flexible, easi ly influenced ¬ Ant. def endant þ Syn. pliable, flexible @ The lawyer asked the plaintiff to rise and show the court his injuries. ¬ Ant. stiff, rigid, taut PLAINTIVE Adj. PLIGHT N. sad, gloomy, melancholy, dismal, doleful condition, state, predicament þ Syn. mournful, sad, nostalgic Syn. diff iculty, trouble, extremi ty @ The plaintive notes of violin are pervading the atmosphere. @ The arti cle hi ghl ighted the pli ght of child labourers i n the co untr y. @ It is not healthy to force children to be too pliant. PLATITUDE N. cliche, banality, commonplace phrases, an old and stale comment lacking originality or freshness, trite remark PLUCK N. þ Syn. cliche, inani ty, banality þ Syn. nerve, guts, resolve @ We’ll get the usual politicians who’ll mouth the usual platitudes about ‘the glories of democracy.’ ¬ Ant. cowardice, fearfulness cour age @ I was amazed at the pluck of the frail woman fighting to get justice from the law. PLATONIC Adj. non­sexual love between a man and a woman PLUMMET V. þ Syn. spiritual, friendly, nonphysical to fall sharply, to erode soon @ Platonic relationships are rare in today’s materialistic world. þ Syn. plunge, drop, dive @ A recently published report suggests that the levels of literacy have plummeted across the nation. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . (d ) perf un ctory pe rju ry perni cious perti nent phi l anthropy deadl y love for mankind rel e vant lying under oath unenthusi asti c
1 . ( e ) 3 . ( a ) 4 . (c ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 . (b ) Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test (138) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 PLURALISTIC POLYGLOT including a variety of groups speaker of many languages @ The United States is a pluralistic society, incorporating a wide range of groups. þ Syn. linguist, multilingual person @ Vandana's extensi ve travel s have hel ped her to become a true polyglot. PLUTOCRACY N. , PLUTOCRATS N. government by the very rich; barons, industrialists PONDER N. , PONDEROUS Adj. @ T he f i r st f e w se l f ­g ov e rn me nt s u nd er B ri ti s h­ ru l e w er e plutocraci es. to think deeply; heavy PLY þ Syn. consider, think about, mull over @ He sat back in his chair to ponder his next move in the chess game. to use diligently, to operate, to join together þ Syn. manipulate, operate PONTIFICATE V. , PONTIFICAL Adj. @ The weaver plied the fibres and made a blanket as if by magic. to speak or write in a pompous way; pertaining to a bishop or Pope, pompous or pretentious PNEUMATIC þ Syn. be dogmatic, preach relating to air, worked by compressed air @ Grandfather will pontificate on any subject if you let him. @ The rebel launched a missile with the help of a pneumatic g un . POROUS full of holes, permeable to liquids PODIUM þ Syn. penetrable, absorbent platform or lectern for orchestra conductors or speakers ¬ Ant. impenetrable, impervious @ The audience could see Tara shaking as she walked up to the podi um. @ Unfortunately, the tent was more porous than we thought and the rain soaked us to the bone. POIGNANT Adj. POIGNANCY N. PORTENT N. , PORTEND V. v e r y m o v i n g , s a d , h e a r t b r e a k i n g , s e n t i m e n t a l , m a u d l i n , profoundly affecting feelings, highly emotional in effect, piercing a warning that something unpleasant is going to happen þ Syn. moving, emotional, distressing ¬ Ant. unemotional, pokerf aced @ The report reveals some worrying economic portents for the coming year. @ Nirmal Verma’s novels are poignant in theme and complex in st yl e. PORTLY Adj. þ Syn. omen, sign, presage stout; corpulent POLAR þ Syn. plump, paunchy, pot­bellied relating to a geographic pole, exhibiting contrast ¬ Ant. slim, thin þ Syn. frozen, conflicting ¬ Ant. molten, analogous @ He was easy to spot, a portly figure in a tight­fitting jacket and bow tie. @ Though Sean and Angeli na are polar in temperament, they have been happily married for nine years. POSTERIOR bottom, rear POLARISE þ Syn. hind, rear end to tend towards opposite extremes ¬ Ant. front, anterior þ Syn. antagonise, collide ¬ Ant. accord, concord @ The veterinarian injected the antibiotics into the posterior of the animal. @ The leaders feared the conflict would polarise the group into two separate camps. POSTERITY N. generations which will follow, offsprings, descendants POLEMICAL Adj. , POLEMIC N. controversial; controversy, argument in support of point of view @ Every attempt is being made to ensure that these works of art are preserved for posteri ty. @ Throughout her regi me Mrs Gandhi remained a pol emical l e ad er. POSTHUMOUS Adj. @ Her polemical essays are rather naïve and simplistic. after death, occurring after death (as posthumously published manuscripts) POLITIC @ E mil y Dicki nson, the Ameri can metaphysi cal poetess, got recogni tion posthumousl y. di screet, tactful þ Syn. diplomatic, sagacious ¬ Ant. unwise, injudicious POTAB LE @ Her prompt and politic management of the crisis led to her re­ election the following year. dri nkable IC : PTpntvb01 @ Though the water was potable, it tasted terrible.
(139) of (188) POTENTA TE PRECIPITATE V. monarch or ruler with great power to make something happen suddenly þ Syn. emperor, overlord @ An invasion would certainly precipitate a political crisis. @ Alex was a much kinder person before he assumed the role of potentate and it went to his head. PRECISION state of being precise POTPOURRI N. þ Syn. exactitude, accuracy general mixture of bits and pieces ¬ Ant. vagueness, bluntness þ Syn. hodgepodge, assortment @ The watchmaker assembled the tiny parts with remarkable precision and speed. @ Indi a i s f amous in the world for its potpourri of cultures, races and religions. PRECLUDE V. POUND V. þ Syn. hit, strike, beat, hammer to prevent something from happening, prevent, inhibit, to make impossi ble or i neff ectual by pl anni ng or acting in advance, to forestall , hinder, avert, prevent @ My heart was pounding as I opened the letter from the IIM. þ Syn. prevent, stop, rule out, bar to hit hard, to run heavily ¬ Ant. permit, allow, authorise PRAGMATIC Adj. , PRAGMA TIST N. dealing with facts, not theory; practical, useful, down­to­earth; sometimes excluding artistic or intellectual endeavours @ Hoping to preclude any chance of failure in the competition, Durga practised over and over again. þ Syn. practical, realistic, sensible PRECOCIOUS N. Adj. ¬ Ant. idealistic, optimistic, romantic a chi ld extremely advanced for its age, having unusual earl y mental development; talented, gifted @ Deng’s pragmatic approach towards the economy turned China into a super power in just over two decades. þ Syn. intelligent, bright, gifted ¬ Ant. slow, sluggish, leisurely PRATTLE V. to talk in a childish manner þ Syn. chatter, bl ather, natter @ Many radio listeners are bored with DJs who prattle on instead of playing music. PRECARIOUS Adj. likely to fall, uncertain, subject to chance or circumstances beyond control, risky or hazardous þ Syn. shaky, unstable, insecure, unsafe @ The precocious child could speak three languages by the time he was eight years old. PRECURSOR N. a person or thing which goes in advance, ancestor, predecessor, f orerunner þ Syn. pi oneer ¬ Ant. successor, hei r, descendent @ Sel ecti on f or Ranji Trophy games is usually a precursor to s e l e c t i o n f o r t h e n a t i o n a l t e a m , b u t t h e r e h a v e b e e n except i ons. ¬ Ant. stable, steady, firm @ The precarious foreign exchange situation improved slowly under the new government. PRECEDENT N. Adj. something preceding in time that may be used as an authority or guide for f uture action, something occurring before they may serve as a model for subsequent, similar acts, antecedent PREDATOR N. , PREDATORY Adj. animal which lives by eating other animals; plundering, preying þ Syn. marauder, killer @ The antel opes are on their guard against li ons and other predators. þ Syn. standard, instance, example PREDICAMENT N. @ Sadly there are precedents of accidents happening at railway crossi ngs. a difficult situation, troubles, crisis, dilemma PRECIPICE N. þ Syn. mess, jam, pickle, fix @ With no money, no job and nowhere to live, he found himself in a real predicament. cliff; dangerous situation Syn. rock face PREDILECTION N. @ Stallone found himself dangling precariously from a precipice. p a r t i a l i t y, p r e f e r e n c e , p o s i t i v e f e e l i n g s o r o p i n i o n h e l d beforehand, natural preference, prejudi ce PRECIPITOUS Adj. very steep, spectacular, meteoric, impulsive þ Syn. steep, sheer, abrupt þ Syn. fondness, liki ng, preference ¬ Ant. dislike, hate, abhor @ Ever since she w as a child, she has had a predil ection for spi cy food.
¬ Ant. gentle, mild, calm, cool @ We slowly made our way down the precipitous mountain path. (140) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 PREDISPOSITION PRESENTIMENT tendency, i ncli nati on premonition, sense of foreboding þ Syn. susceptibil ity, proneness þ Syn. intuition, inkling ¬ Ant. immunity, aversion @ I had a presenti ment of do om w hen I saw the manager heading towards us with an angry look on his face. @ I have a predisposition to be suspicious of used car salesmen, even though some of them may be honest. PRESCIENT Adj. , PRESCIENCE N. PRE­EMPT V. , PRE­EMPTION N. , person who can tell about future; ability to foretell the future to get an advantage by doing something before anyone else þ Syn. propheti c, psychic, clairvoyant þ Syn. forestall, anticipate, block @ The accused f iled for antici patory bail in an effort to pre­ empt his imminent arrest. @ Their prescient comments about the dangers of l ead were made some si x years before research show ed that lead in drinking water harmed children. PREEN V. PRESUMP TUOUS Adj. Make oneself tidy in appearance; feel self­satisfaction rude and bold, arrogant, impudent, presuming or assuming too much in an overbeari ng way, overweening, overstepping. þ Syn. tidy, smooth, arrange @ She preened herself before the mirror before leaving for the p a rt y. þ Syn. swoop, jump, jump out @ It is never presumptuous to demand what is rightfully yours. PREMEDITA TE PRETEXT N. to consider, plan beforehand e xc us e þ Syn. cogitate, deli berate þ Syn. alleged reason, cause, ploy, ruse ¬ Ant. falter, vaci llate @ He has a plethora of pretexts not to start the project at all. @ The di st ri ct a ttorn ey ha d to p rove that the mu rder w as premeditated for the jury to consider the maximum penalty. PREVARICATE V. PREMONITION N. , PREMONITORY Adj. to try not to tell the truth, to stray f rom the truth, to li e or equi vocate feeling that something unpleasant is going to happen; serving to w arn þ Syn. hedge, evade, quibbl e, dither @ It was obvious that the witness was trying to prevaricate. þ Syn. feeling, intuition, hunch @ He stopped swimming because his friend had a premonition that he might drown. PREPONDERANCE N. PRIM Adj. very precise and formal @ She is always very prim and proper in her attire and appears composed all the time. superiority of pow er, quantity etc. @ The preponderance of the English speaki ng middle class is one of the biggest factors in the emergence of the BPO sector in India. PREPOSTEROUS Adj. silly, absurd, fantastic, bizarre þ Syn. ridiculous, absurd, silly ¬ Ant. sensible, sane, rational @ The themes of Hindi films are often preposterous. PREROGATIVE N. privilege belonging to one person or a group, special rights þ Syn. privilege, right, due, choice @ Defence and foreign policy will remain the prerogative of the centre, while the new states will control their own economies and resources. PRIMORDIAL Adj. existing at the beginning (of time), rudimentary þ Syn. primeval, primal, elemental @ The trip took us through ancient, primordial rain forests. PRISTINE Adj. fresh, unspoilt, new or almost new þ Syn. immaculate, perfect, pure ¬ Ant. soiled, dirty, mucky @ They moved into a pristine house which was totally furnished. PRIVATION N. hardship, want þ Syn. adversi ty, poverty, neediness @ Several villages suffered seri ous privations during the long spell of rainless months. PRESA GE to foretell, indicate in advance PROBITY N. þ Syn. prophesy, portend uprightness, incorruptibility, sticking to noble ideas @ The demol iti on of the Berl in Wal l presaged the fall of the Soviet Union. þ Syn. goodness, decency, honesty ¬ Ant. wickedness, evil, sin @ Probity in the public life of a person contributes to making him a charismatic leader.
IC : PTpntvb01 (141) of (188) PROCLIVITY N. PROFOUND Adj. inclination, natural tendency, inherent leaning towards something objectionabl e very serious, very deep, esoteric, severe þ Syn. liking, appetite, taste, penchant ¬ Ant. superficial, surface, shallow @ His proclivity for alcohol was almost as well­known as his p o et r y. @ The most profound influence on a child is that of its parents and teachers. PROCRASTINATE V. PROFUSE Adj. PROFUSION N. to postpone, put off, to delay until another time þ Syn. delay, postpone, adjourn abundant, excessive, plentiful, extravagant; lavish expenditure, overabundant condi ti on @ Procrastination leads to mismanagement. þ Syn. plentiful, copious, prolific þ Syn. deep, thoughtf ul, refl ecti ve ¬ Ant. scanty, insuffici ent, very little to obtain @ In our wedding recepti ons, f ood and dri nks are served i n profusi on. þ Syn. acquire, secure @ The company accepted blame and sent us profuse apologies. PROCURE ¬ Ant. bequeath, dispose of @ I was able to procure tickets to the premiere of the new Star Wars movie. PROGENY N. offspring, scion, descendant, child þ Syn. chi ldren, young, descendants PRODIGAL Adj. @ Pandit Nehru’s progeny could not match his charisma. pl enti ful, extravagant, cornucopian þ Syn. wasteful , reckless, di ssolute PROGRESSIVE ¬ Ant. cautious, careful, alert favouring progress or change, movi ng forw ard, going step­by­ s te p @ There have been rumours that he was prodigal with company f un ds. þ Syn. accelerati ng, enterprising ¬ Ant. conservative, reacti onary marvellous; enormous @ T h e p r o g r e s s i v e p a r t y p u s h e d f o r r e f o r m s , w h i l e t h e conservatives tried to maintain status quo. @ We marve l l ed at t he pr odi gi ous a rches of the c athed ral building. PROLETARIAT N. , PROLETARIAN N. PRODIGY N. , PRODIGIOUS Adj. the working class, common people, peasant class; member of the working class PRODIGIOUS Adj. ge ni us , w i z ar d; i n sp i ri ng a w e, e xt rem el y l ar ge , eno rm ou s, monstrous þ Syn. grassroots, w orkers, plebs þ Syn. geni us, sensation, phenomenon @ C o m m u n i s m b a s i c a l l y p u r p o r t e d g o v e r n a n c e b y t h e prol etari ans. @ Most child prodigies go on to become maestros in their chosen fi el d. ¬ Ant. aristocracy, landed gentry PROLIFERATE V. , PROLIFERATION N. PROFANE Adj. grow rapidly, spread, multiply obscene, crude, lewd, blasphemous þ Syn. reproduce, propagate, multi ply þ Syn. irreverent, wicked, sacril egious @ Seedy projects for making easy money have been proliferating in our country. ¬ Ant. pious, devout, virtuous, moral @ Profane literature is causing undue damage to young minds. PROLIFIC Adj. PROFICIENT expert, skilled in a certain subject þ Syn. accomplished, dexterous ¬ Ant. inept, incompetent fertile, creative, voluminous, multifarious, extremely fruitful or productive, f ecund þ Syn. productive, creati ve, fruitf ul @ Sidney Sheldon is a prolific writer who manages to give best sellers with his each new book. @ The mechanic was proficient at repairing vintage cars. PROLIXITY N. PROLIX Adj. PROFLIGACY N. , PROFLIGATE Adj. tedious wordiness; verbosity extravagance, wild spending; di ssipated, wasteful, licentious Syn. circumlocuti on, wordiness þ Syn. dissolution, decadence Ant. succi nct; terse ¬ Ant. parsimony, frugal ity, prudence @ He found the book too prolix and boring.
@ Fiscal profligacy of the government leads to huge deficits. (142) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 PROLOGUE PROSELYTISE V. introductory section of a literary work or play Induce someone to convert to a religion or belief. þ Syn. f oreword, preface @ It is wrong for people to proselytise in the guise of charity work. ¬ Ant. epilogue, postscript @ The novel's prologue introduces the narrator of the story. PROSECUTE V. PROMISCUOUS Adj. to bring to court to answer a charge lecherous, wanton, indiscriminate, immoral, mixed þ Syn. put on trial, act against, impeach þ Syn. immoral, loose, licentious @ They will prosecute him for laxity in duty. @ The sixties are synonymous with promiscuous sex and free li ving. PROSECUTOR person who initiates a legal action or suit PROMULGATE V. þ Syn. attorney, legal agent to make a law known to the public, announce, proclaim @ The prosecutor's aggressive questioning l eft the defendant f l ustered. þ Syn. broadcast, propagate, spread @ Aurangzeb promulgated Zazia. P ROSTRA TE PROPENSITY N. lying face downward, flat, sapped fondness, inclination, disposition, distinct and sometimes strong natural tendency or inclination, leaning þ Syn. f atigued, spread­eagl ed þ Syn. parti ality @ She’s inherited from her father a propensity to talk too much. @ Af ter t aki ng a tumbl e dow n the sta i rs, Mi l l i e w a s f ound prostrate on the floor of the basement. PROPHESY V. PROPHETIC Adj. PROTAG ONIST to foretell what wi ll happen in the future, predi ct, anti cipate; having to do with predicting the future main character in a play or story, champion þ Syn. predict, f orecast, envi sage ¬ Ant. minor character, opponent @ The mini ster suggested that the dire prophecies of certain leading environmentalists were somewhat exaggerated. @ In dramatic tragedy, the protagonist often brings about his own downfall. PROPHYLACTIC Adj. PROTEAN Adj. used to prevent disease versatile, able to take on many forms @ Despi te al l the prophyl acti c measures by the doctor, she succumbed to her injuries. þ Syn. variable, changeable, mutable ¬ Ant. fresh, upright þ Syn. hero, lead, star @ He was so protean as an artist that the critics could never categorise his work. PROPINQUITY N. nearness; kinship PROTEGE ( PROTEEJEE ) N. @ Their propinquity during college days blossomed into a lifelong friendship. person who is supported in work with money or advice by someone el se þ Syn. responsibility, dependent PROPITIOUS Adj. @ Sam Pitroda was a Rajiv protege. favourabl e, auspicious þ Syn. promising PROTOCOL @ With the economy in the worst recession for 30 years, it was scarcely the most propitious time to start up a company. ceremony and manners observed by diplomats þ Syn. eti quette, conventi on PROSAIC Adj. @ Diplomats must strive to observe the correct protocol in their dealings with foreign heads of state. commonpl ace, dul l , pedestri an, of f acts, not i magi nati ve or original, ordinary, banal PROTRUSION þ Syn. mundane, colourless, ordinary something that sticks out ¬ Ant. inspiring, stirring, exciting þ Syn. lump, outgrowth @ Most of our magazines are full of prosaic writings. @ The carpenter noti ced a protrusi on on the surf ace of the wood and sanded it down till it disappeared.
PROSCRIBE V. , PROSCRIPTION N. to forbid by law, prohibit, outlaw þ Syn. ban, bar, forbid, disallow ¬ Ant. permit, allow, make available @ Consuming alcohol is proscribed in Gujarat. IC : PTpntvb01 (143) of (188) PROVIDENCE N., PROVIDENT Adj., PROVIDENTIAL Adj. PRURIENT Adj. f a t e , d e s t i n y ; d i s p l a y i n g f o r e s i g h t , t h r i f t y, p r e p a r e d f o r emergencies, providing for times ahead; saving, prudent, frugal vulgar, obscene, l ew d, raunchy þ Syn. fate, chance, luck, destiny @ Prurient songs and other noises cause immeasurable harm to our psyche. @ Providence did not give Rajiv a second chance at premiership. @ A provident man that he was, he had arranged everythi ng for his family in the eventuality of his death. PRY V. inquire impertinently; use leverage to raise or open something. þ Syn. scrutinise, probe, snoop around PROVINCIAL @ It’s not correct to pry into other people’s lives. rustic, limited in scope þ Syn. unsophisti cated, parochial PSEUDONYM N. ¬ Ant. metropolitan, cosmopolitan false or invented name, nom­de­plume, a pen name, any assumed name @ Anita, a sophi sticated ci ty gi rl, sneered at the provi nci al attitudes of her country cousins. þ Syn. alias, false name, stage name @ Saki was the pseudonym of H.H.Munro. PROVOCATION cause, incitement to act or respond PSYCHE N. þ Syn. goading, stimulus soul, mind ¬ Ant. suppression, curbing þ Syn. consciousness, awareness, mind @ Snakes seldom attack without provocation. @ Charisma also comes from knowing the psyche of the people or the masses well. PROWESS N. talent, skill, efficiency, adroitness, brains PSYCHIC þ Syn. incite, aggravate, goad, needle perceptive of non­material, spiritual forces @ Bradman’s batting prowess is legendary. þ Syn. paranormal , supernatural ¬ Ant. natural, normal PROXIMITY N. nearness @ Many gullible persons have been robbed of their savings by people claiming to have psychic powers. þ Syn. nearby, close, adjacent ¬ Ant. distant, remote, isolated PUGNACIOUS Adj. PUGNACITY N. @ Too much of proximi ty can l ead to apathy even betw een coupl es. quarrelsome, belligerent, bellicose, contentious, warlike, spoiling for a fight, combative, truculent þ Syn. aggressive, bell igerent PROXY ¬ Ant. serene, harmonious, calm power to act as a substitute for another @ Sameer was a pugnacious guy, always spoiling for a fight. þ Syn. deputy, del egate @ The senile woman's niece produced a document that identified her as her aunt's proxy for all legal matters. PRUDENCE N. , PRUDET N. PUISSANT Adj. powerful , strong, potent @ Being a puissant man, he expected everyone to be in awe of him. foresight, vigil ance þ Syn. care, caution, discretion PULCHRITUDE N. ¬ Ant. reckl essness, w ildness, haste beauty; comel iness @ The firm was commended for its financial prudence. @ Her pulchritude was purely the product of his passion. PRUDENT PULMONARY Adj. caref ul , cautious referring to the lungs þ Syn. wary, f ar­sighted @ Pulmonary veins carry oxygenated blood f rom the lungs to the heart. ¬ Ant. incautious, imprudent @ Considering the small size of our army, it would not be prudent for us to attack right now. PULVERISE to pound, crush, or grind into powder; destroy PRUDISH Adj. PRUDE N. þ Syn. mash, demolish strict, puritanical, narrow minded; excessively modest or proper person ¬ Ant. crystallise, construct þ Syn. prim, stuff y, pedantic @ The polar bear has such powerful paws that one blow can pulverise a man.
þ Syn. relaxed, tranquil, calm, cool @ Prudes cannot appreciate avant garde fil ms, art, l iterature e t c . (144) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 PUNCTILIOUS Adj. meticulous, conscientious, painstaking, exacting, carping, precise about observi ng customs and rul es, conventional, scrupul ously e xa c t þ Syn. scrupulous, thorough ¬ Ant. sloppy, slack, shoddy @ The mistake w as spotted i mmediately by thei r puncti li ous l a w y er. PURPORT V. N. PURPORTED Adj. t o m e a n , e x p r e s s , i n d i c a t e , h i n t , i m p l y, t o a p p e a r t o b e something, to profess, intend; meaning that is open or suggested; substance, gist, import þ Syn. claim, assert, allege @ I didn’t read it all but I think the purport of the letter was that he will not be returning for at least a year. PUNDIT N. learned Hindu, any learned person, authority on a subject. þ Syn. expert, specialist, analyst @ He is the new pundit in marketing. PURVEYOR N. furnisher of foodstuffs, caterer þ Syn. suppli er, seller, vendor, outlet @ He has been in contract as a purveyor of wine and food in the club. PUNGENT strong or sharp in smell or taste þ Syn. pervasive, nauseating ¬ Ant. bland, mild @ The smoke from the burning tyres was extremely pungent. PUSILLA NIMOUS Adj. timid, afraid, petty, cowardly, lacking forcefulness þ Syn. timid, cowardly, fearful, nervous ¬ Ant. brave, courageous, bold, daring @ He’s too pusillanimous to stand up to his opponents. PUNITIVE Adj. punishing þ Syn. penal, disciplinary ,corrective, severe, stringent @ The judge ordered $4 million in punitive damages against the convi ct. PUTRID Adj. dirty, rotten, vicious, disgusting, foul þ Syn. rotten, rotting, rancid ¬ Ant. fresh, clean, new, bright @ We came across the putrid body of a dead fox while we were walking in the woods. PURGATION catharsis, purification þ Syn. absolution, atonement ¬ Ant. contamination, defilement @ Some religions make converts undergo ritual purgation before accepting them as members of the faith. PURGE N. V. laxative, an elimination; eradicate, eliminate, clean; rid oneself of something unwanted; to free or eliminate þ Syn. wash out, cleanse, remove @ We need to purge the society of racism. PYRE N. ceremonial fire @ A traditional Indian custom used to involve a widow burning herself alive on her husband’s funeral pyre. PYROMANIAC N. An obsessive desire to set things on fire þ Syn. arsoni st, incendiary, firebomber @ The police is looking for the pyromaniac responsible for the series of catastrophic fires in the area. PYRRHIC VICTORY N. a victory which costs the victor too much efforts @ Ashoka’s pyrrhi c vi ctory over Kal i nga l ed to hi s spi ri tual transf ormati on. G ov e rn m e n t The following are 10 words that are related to the topic mentioned a bo ve . COUP : INSURGENCY JUNTA : : MORA TORIUM : OMBUDSMA N : IC : PTpntvb01 POTENTA TE : REG A LIA SECEDE THRA LLDOM USURP : : : : a sudden, vi ol ent and il legal seiz ure of pow er from a government. a minor revolt against a local government; uprising a small group, usually composed of military officers, ruling a country in the absence of a civilian government an officially declared stoppage an intermediary between a citizen and the government w h o i n v e s t i g a t e s c o m p l a i n t s b y c i t i z e n s a b o u t government agencies or officials a monarch, dictator, or similar person possessing great political power emblems and trappings of a political or military office to separate from an organized body of government sl avery; serfdom to assume political power or office by force or without right
(145) of (188) “Q”
QUACK N. QUAINT Adj. sound made by a duck; an unqualified doctor oddly, odd fashioned, picturesque þ Syn. fraud, charlatan, cheat, hypocri te þ Syn. old world, charming @ Do not take his advice seriously – he’s a quack. @ They may be a li ttl e quaint and conservati ve but I found them quite adorable. QUAFF V. drink with relish QUALIFIED Adj. þ Syn. drink, swill, imbibe, guzzle limited, restricted @ He’s always quaffing these strange herbal medicines, which he thinks will make him healthier. þ Syn. fit, capable, competent, skilled @ An MBA does not mean that you are automatically qualified for the managing director’s job. QUADRUP ED animal having four feet QUALM N. @ a feeling of guilt or worry, compunction After injuring my back, I could only manage to move around like a quadruped. þ Syn. misgiving, doubt, bad feeling QUAGMIRE N. @ Most parents have occasional qualms about whether they’re doing the best thing for their children. soft boggy area of land that gives way underfoot; an awkward, complex or hazardous situation QUANDARY N. Syn. swamp, morass, mess, predicament, plight dilemma, enigma, predicament, puzzle @ After the killing of the gangster’s son the whole village has sunk into a quagmire of violence and arson. þ Syn. fix, jam, difficulty QUAIL V. QUARANTINE N. cower; lose heart period of time when someone has to be kept in isolation to prevent spreading an infectious disease; enforced isolation @ The brave do not quail in the face of danger. @ Govt. is in a quandary over the exit policy issue. þ Syn. seclusion, exile @ The horse had to spend several months in quarantine when it reached Britai n. Deepak Balan
IIM­A, C, L, K, I
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QUARRY N., V. place where stones are dug out of ground; prey, game; to mine, to dig þ Syn. pi t, excavati on @ The pack of wild dogs pursued their quarry for several miles, and went in for the kill when it was exhausted. QUASH V. subdue, crush, squash þ Syn. suppress, repress ¬ Ant. bring about, prompt @ The military was sent in to quash the rebellion in the city. QUEASY Adj. feeling sick, restless, squeamish þ Syn. nauseous, sick, ill @ The il l­informed and half ­educated youth of today beget a queasy feeling in us. QUELL V. to calm, stifle, annihilate þ Syn. suppress, subdue, crush, quash ¬ Ant. provoke, inflame, rouse, goad @ Th e ar my q ue l l ed t he r eb el l i on a nd a rr es te d do z e ns o f parti ci pants.
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IC : PTpntvb01 QUERULOUS Adj. QUISLING N. bad­tempered, peevish, complaining person who betrays his country or cause þ Syn. argumentative, dif ficult, irritable þ Syn. coll aborator, turncoat, renegade ¬ Ant. friendly, sociabl e, aff able @ Terrorist organisations have become the breeding ground of quislings. @ He became increasingly dissatisfied and querulous in his old a g e . QUIVER N., V. QUIBBLE N. container for arrows; slight shake, tremor; to tremble arguments about details, dispute þ Syn. shudder, shi ver þ Syn. equivocate, hedge, nitpick, cavil @ Quibbles have become the norm in parliament. @ The opening bars of the music sent a quiver of excitement through the crowd. QUIETUDE N. QUIXOTIC Adj. tranquilli ty strange, impractical þ Syn. tranquillity, calmness, quietness þ Syn. idealistic, unrealistic, romantic ¬ Ant. activity, movement, stir, flurry ¬ Ant. practical, realistic, sensible @ He liked the place because of its quietude. @ Any plan to reduce poverty in India can easily be termed as qui xoti c. QUINTESSENCE N. QUIZZICAL Adj. essence, core, crux, gist, pi th, substance amused þ Syn. embodiment, epitome, soul @ Mot her Teresa w as the q ui ntes sence of c ompas si on and sacrif ice. QUIP N., V. þ Syn. questioning, curious, puzzled @ The quizzical expression on his face is deceptive; he knows exactly what is going on. QUORUM N. taunt, a witty remark number of members necessary to conduct a meeting þ Syn. jest, pun, repartee @ S hr ad d ha ’s qu i p f a i l e d to e v ok e a ny l a ug ht e r f r o m he r audi e nce. @ Four members walked out of the session, with the result that the committee did not have a quorum and could not take any deci si on. QUIRK N. QUOTIDIAN Adj. abnormality, idiosyncrasy daily, commonplace, customary þ Syn. peculiari ty, trait @ Sensational scoops have become quite quotidian in these days of the camera with a sting. @ By the quirk of fate, we ended up on the same train. Health P rof ession The following are 10 words that are related to the topic mentioned a bo ve . IC : PTpntvb01 CONGENITAL EMETIC FEBRILE GERIA TRIC HOSPICE : : : : : MORBIDITY NATAL PLACEBO : : : PROSTHESIS VENTILATOR : : existing or dating from birth; inbred; inborn; innate any substance used to induce vomiting f everi sh relating to medical care and treatment of the elderly a shelter for the sick, dying, or underprivileged (or for travel ers) the incidence or prevalence of disease (or death) pertaining to birth a pill, medicine, or procedure prescribed more for the ps ycho l og i cal ben ef i t to th e pa ti e nt o f be i ng gi v en prescription than for any physiological effect an artificial body part. an appliance or aperture for artificial respiration
(147) of (188) “R”
RACKET N. RAMSHA CKLE Adj. illegal profit­making deal, scam, swindle dilapidated, falling to pieces þ Syn. row, noise, din, commotion þ Syn. rickety, tumbledown @ Surprisingly, a policeman was also involved in the protection ra ck et . ¬ Ant. sturdy, strong, powerful RACONTEUR N. RANCID Adj. storytel ler tasting or smelling bad þ Syn. narrator, storytell er þ Syn. sour, stale, putrid, fetid @ He knew many jokes and was a brilliant raconteur. ¬ Ant. fresh, sweet, pleasant @ There’s a ramshackle old shed at the bottom of the garden. @ A rancid smell pervaded the dockyard. RA DICA L fundamental, drastic RANCOUR N. þ Syn. exhaustive, rudi mentary disli ke, bitterness, hate, acrimony, anti pathy ¬ Ant. superficial, conservati ve þ Syn. resentment, bitterness, spi te @ Bored with her appearance, Lucy decided to make a radical change and dyed her hair bright purple. ¬ Ant. amicability, affability, philanthropic @ As he denounced the government, we could hear the rancour behind every word. RAGAMUFFIN N. person weari ng tattered clothes RANKLE V. þ Syn. urchin, waif irri tate, fester @ One can find scores of ragamuffins begging near the traffic si gnal s. þ Syn. annoy, irk RAKISH Adj. stylish, sporty þ Syn. dashing, debonair, jaunty, carefree ¬ Ant. shabby, dull @ He was a rakish guy who set fashion trends in the college. RAMBLE N., V. wander aimlessly, itinerate, discuss þ Syn. walk, hike, stroll, wander @ It still rankles that my junior got promoted and I didn’t. RAPACIOUS Adj. , RAPACITY N. greedy, grabbing þ Syn. greedy, voracious, graspi ng @ Rapacious soldiers looted the houses in the city. RAPPORT N. harmony, intimacy, liaison, association þ Syn. rel ationshi p, understanding @ I love to ramble through the fields. @ Maintaini ng rapport w ith those in pow er is crucial f or the growth of many an industrial empire. RAMIFICATION N. R A P T consequence, progression, branching out deepl y absorbed þ Syn. result, implication, corollary þ Syn. engrossed, preoccupi ed @ The collapse of communism in Russia had global ramifications. ¬ Ant. uni nterested, inattentive @ Surprisingly, the normally restless infant sat rapt in attention during the classical music performance. RAMPAGE N. riot, stampede, storm þ Syn. charge, run riot, storm, go wild RA SH @ T he tr oo p s w en t o n a r a mp ag e t h ro u gh t h e c on qu e re d territory. careless, hasty RAMPANT Adj. , RAMPANCY N. þ Syn. reckless, impulsive ¬ Ant. cautious, prudent @ Rash driving can be injurious to one’s own health. unrestrai ned, free, audacious þ Syn. uncontrolled, unbridled, wild RATIFY V. ¬ Ant. controlled, restricted, limited approve formally, confirm, verify @ Corruption has become rampant in the country. þ Syn. sanction, endorse, corroborate ¬ Ant. reject, revoke @ The countri es decided to ratif y the Free Trade Agreement within one month.
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IC : PTpntvb01 RATIOCINATION N. RAZE V. reasoning, act of drawing conclusion from premises destroy completely @ Her gift of ratiocination helped her immensely in her research work. þ Syn. demolish, annihilate, level, wreck ¬ Ant. construct, put up, erect, make @ The land mafia wants to raze the ancient structure so that it can grab the land. RATIONAL Adj. open to logical reason or being reasonable; of sane mind þ Syn. lucid, balanced, sane, normal REACTIONARY Adj. ¬ Ant. illogical, unreasonable, foolish recoiling from progress; retrograde @ We need to decide what would be the most rational course of acti on. þ Syn. di ehard, conservati ve ¬ Ant. activist, campaigner, protester, objector @ It is surpri sing that the urban educated support thi s party which is so blatantly reactionary. RAUCOUS Adj. noisy, blatant, rough, harsh þ Syn. rough, harsh, strident, hoarse REBUFF V. N. ¬ Ant. soft, yielding, spongy snub; beat back @ I think their music is rather raucous. þ Syn. rejection, refusal, snub, denial ¬ Ant. accept, welcome @ I rebuffed his proposal in the most polite manner. RAVAGE V. to plunder, devastate, maraud þ Syn. devastate, destroy, desol ate REBUKE V. @ Chechnya is a provi nce ravaged by war. scold, berate, admonish þ Syn. censure, reprimand, reproach RAVE N. ¬ Ant. praise, admire, commend, extol overw helmingly favourable review ; praise enthusiastically; talk in a noisy or excited manner @ Her mother rebuked her for frightening her brother. þ Syn. talk wildly, rant, ramble REBUTTAL N. @ The cri tics gave a rave revi ew of the movi e and w ere al l praise for the director. ref utati on, response w ith contrary evidence þ Syn. disproof, confutation, denial ¬ Ant. acceptance, receipt, taki ng RAVENOUS Adj. @ S h e i s su e d a p o i n t ­ by ­ p oi n t re b u tt a l o f t he c om p a ny ’ s accusati ons. very hungry, voracious, covetous þ Syn. famished, starving, starved ¬ Ant. full, filled, occupied RECALCITRANT Adj. @ Growing children have ravenous appetites. stubborn, unmanageable, unruly þ Syn. i ntractable, refractory, wayw ard RAVINE ¬ Ant. well ­behaved, obedient, duti ful deep, narrow gorge @ Overindulgent parents tend to raise recalcitrant children. þ Syn. canyon, gully @ Police officers scoured the crime scene for days and finally found the murder weapon in a ravine. RECANT V. to take back, recede, retract, rescind þ Syn. renounce, disavow , deny @ The witness was forced to recant by the mafia. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2. (c ) provincial proximi ty prud ent quixotic ramifi cation foolishly romantic consequence nearness narrow in outlook caref ul 1. (d ) 3 .( e ) 4 .( a ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5. (b )
Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test IC : PTpntvb01 (149) of (188) RECAPITULATE V. RECRUIT to repeat the main points of an argument enlist, to seek þ Syn. sum up, summarise, run through þ Syn. to draft, to enroll @ In any f ormal meeti ng, i t is necessary to recapi tulate the proceedings of the earlier meeting. ¬ Ant. dismiss, disband @ Companies often send representatives to college campuses to recruit bright young employees. RECEPTIVE open to others' ideas, congenial RECRIMINATION N. þ Syn. open­minded, acceptant countercharges, act of accusing in return ¬ Ant. resistant, unresponsi ve þ Syn. accusation, reproach, all egation @ The software company was quite old but the management was receptive to new ideas. @ Di vorce proceedings normall y wi tness bitter recriminations from both parties. RECIDIVISM N. RECTITUDE N. habitual return to crime upri ghtness, integri ty @ Unlike men, women are rarely recidivist and tend to reform. þ Syn. morality, goodness ¬ Ant. wickedness, immorality RECLUSE N. person who leads a solitary life, loner @ An austere man of unquesti oned moral recti tude, Tushar inspired deep devotion in those who worked for him. þ Syn. hermit, outsi der, ascetic @ A recluse leads an austere life away from the humdrum. RECTIFY to correct RECLUSIVE þ Syn. amend, reform shut off from the world ¬ Ant. perpetrate, damage þ Syn. secl uded, isolated @ ¬ Ant. gregarious, sociable Most people would rectify their errors if they are given the opportuni ty. @ Anthony's reclusive tendencies led him to leave the city and move into a lonely cabin in the mountain RECURRENCE repetiti on RECONCILE V. þ Syn. happen agai n, happen repeatedly correct inconsistencies, become friendly after a quarrel @ The frequent recurrence of cancer even after it is seemingly cured makes it a particularly terrible disease. þ Syn. settle, square, reunite, resol ve ¬ Ant. estrange, ali enate @ It’s nice to see the two friends reconci le after their bitter fight last year. REDOLENT Adj. fragrant; odorous þ Syn. evocative, suggesti ve, remini scent RECONDITE Adj. @ The movie was redolent of the golden era of Indian music. esoteric, obscure, abstruse @ The whole household was redolent with the smell of spices, a sure sign was grandma was at work in the kitchen. þ Syn. complex, hidden, concealed ¬ Ant. mainstream, normal, typical @ They left the physicist in peace, happily grappling with some recondite formula. REDOUBTABLE Adj. formidable, causing fear þ Syn. impressive, terrible, fearsome RECONNOITRE V. RECONNAISSANCE N. to ma ke a surve y to get i nf ormati o n especi al l y f or mi l i tary operati ons @ Their ground forces were able to manoeuvre and reconnoitre without any danger of air attack. @ E ve n a t th i s ag e , Ma r ti na Na v ra ti l ov a i s a r ed ou b ta bl e opponent f or anyone. REDRESS N. remedy, compensation þ Syn. restore, equali se, rectify RECOUNT V. narrate or tell; count over again @ S E B I i s t h e a g e nc y t h a t e ns u r e s r e d r es s a l o f i nv e s t o r gri eva nces. þ Syn. tel l, narrate, relate, report @ I listened to him recount an anecdote about a woman he’d met on a train. (150) of (188) REDUNDANCY unnecessary repetition þ Syn. superfl uity, uselessness ¬ Ant. usefulness, eff icacy @ The editor suggested deletion of some paragraphs as there was too much redundancy in the article.
IC : PTpntvb01 REFORM REGRESS to change, correct to move backward, revert to an earlier form or state þ Syn. improve, alter þ Syn. deteriorate, retrogress ¬ Ant. preserve, mai ntain ¬ Ant. progress, improve @ T h e n e w m a y o r s t r u g g l e d t o r e f o r m t h e c o r r u p t administration, to keep her promise to the voters. @ Elderly people who suffer from senility often regress to the early years of their childhood. REFRACTORY Adj. REHAB ILITA TE stubborn, unmanageable; capable of enduring high temperature þ Syn. unruly, intractable, disobedi ent to restore to good health or condition, re­establish a person's good reputation ¬ Ant. good, obedient, dutiful þ Syn. restore, reinstate @ He was a spoilt child, quite refractory and rather repulsive in his manners. @ The star wanted to get rid of her drug addiction and checked into a clinic in order to rehabilitate herself. REFRAIN V. REITERA TE abstain from, resist to say or do again, repeat þ Syn. desist, abstai n, cease, renounce þ Syn. restate, retell ¬ Ant. persist, persevere, continue @ The teacher was forced to reiterate the instructions because some students had come late. @ An audi ence cannot be refrai ned f rom joi ni ng i n during a chorus renditi on. REJOINDER N. REFUGE retort, comeback, reply escape, shelter þ Syn. response, answer, reply þ Syn. asylum, sanctuary @ She always has a witty rejoinder to any question. @ As the storm broke, the couple took refuge under a tree. REJUVENATE V. REFULGENT Adj. to make someone young again, invigorate brightly shining, gleaming þ Syn. revitalise, revive, renew, restore @ The refulgent orb of the Golden Temple is a heartening sight to every devotee. @ She felt rejuvenated by her fortnight in the Bahamas. RELEGATE V. REFURBISH V. banish to an inferior position,delegate,assign rejuvenate, revamp, restore, polish up þ Syn. downgrade, exile, demote þ Syn. renovate, smarten up ¬ Ant. upgrade, promote @ The developers refurbished the house inside and out. @ He disliked being relegated to doing all the menial jobs around the house. REFUTE V. disprove RELENT V. þ Syn. contest, rebut, counter give in ¬ Ant. prove, show, confirm þ Syn. cave in, concede, surrender @ The barrister used new evidence to refute the charges and cl ear the defendant. ¬ Ant. stand firm, hold on, hold out @ Her parents just did not relent when she wanted the liberty to choose her lifemate. REGALE V. entertain, suppl y lavi shly RELIC N. þ Syn. amuse, delight, fasci nate object which has been left over from the past @ The old man regaled us with stories of his youth as we waited for the rain to abate. þ Syn. historical object, artifact, remains REGIMEN N. prescribed diet and habits þ Syn. routine, schedule, treatment @ Physical fitness requires a strict regimen. @ The archaeologists wanted to cordon off the site where the relics were found but the villagers were more worried about their farms than some “useless” pieces of pottery. RELINQUISH V. resign, surrender, abdicate, quit þ Syn. give up, abandon, resign ¬ Ant. retain, keep, hold @ She relinquished responsibility for the family investments to her son.
IC : PTpntvb01 (151) of (188) RELISH V. REMORSE N. savour; enjoy regret, sorrow, penitence, guilt þ Syn. like, appreciate þ Syn. sorrow, guilt, compunction ¬ Ant. dislike, detest, abhor @ I want to relish each and every moment of my holiday. @ The cri mi nal di d not deny h i s behavi our and show ed no remorse for the pain he had caused. REMEDIABLE REMUNERATION capable of being corrected pay or reward for work þ Syn. curable, treatable þ Syn. emoluments, wages ¬ Ant. irremediable, incurable @ @ In the belief that the juvenile thief was remediable and not a hardened criminal, the judge put him on probation. You can't expect peopl e to do this ki nd of bori ng work without some form of remuneration. RENDEZVOUS N. REMINISCENCE meeting place, appointment remembrance of past events þ Syn. tryst, assignation, assembly point þ Syn. recall, recollection @ The lovers met at a secret rendezvous in the park. ¬ Ant. amnesia, forgetful ness @ The old timer's reminiscence of his childhood was of a time when there were no cars. RENEGADE Adj. rebel, dissident, agitator þ Syn. traitor, rebel , turncoat @ T h e p o l i t i c a l p a r t y w a s w e a k e n e d b y t h e r e n e g a d e s clamouring for their share of the spoils of power. REMISS Adj. negl igent þ Syn. careless, lax, slipshod RENEGE @ It was remiss of me to forget to give you the message. to go back on one's word REMIT þ Syn. repudiate, retract to send (usually money) as payment ¬ Ant. keep, honour þ Syn. dispatch, transmit @ @ Every month, the sailors had to remit part of their pay to creditors in the village. Hitler reneged on his promise not to attack the Soviet Union when his troops invaded the country during World War II. RENOUNCE V. REMNANT N. resign, quit, relinquish remainder, residue, vesti ge þ Syn. reject, relinquish, abandon þ Syn. remainder, remains, relic ¬ Ant. accept, believe, recognise @ The remnants of the marriage party littered the lawn. @ Buddha renounced the world. REMONSTRATE V. REMONSTRANCE N. RENOWN to protest against something fame, widespread acclaim þ Syn. argue, protest, object þ Syn. stardom, eminence ¬ Ant. concur, consent, correspond ¬ Ant. anonymi ty, obscurity @ We called an agitation to remonstrate against the company’s policies. @ Having spent his whole childhood banging on things, Siva grew up to be a great drummer. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . (d ) rebuke recal ci trant rec ant reclusive recondi te hard to understand criticize sharply publicly deny stubbornl y defiant hermitlike
1 . (b ) 3 . (c ) 4 . ( e ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 . ( a ) Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test (152) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 REPARTEE N. REPROACH V. series of witty answers in a conversation condemn, berate, admonish, scold þ Syn. banter, jousting, wordplay þ Syn. criticism, censure, reprimand @ Oscar Wilde’s plays are full of witty repartee. ¬ Ant. praise, commend, compliment REPEL @ The students were reproached for not completing their task on time. repulse, disgust, offend þ Syn. to rebuf f, parry REPROBATE N. ¬ Ant. be overwhelmed by, welcome person hardened in sin; devoid of decency @ So f ar, the castl e defenders have managed to repel the attac kers. þ Syn. rogue, profligate, debauchee ¬ Ant. principled, upright, virtuous @ Our elections witness many a reprobate vouching for morality. REPERTOIRE N. talents, acts, catal ogue REPROVE V. REPROOF N. þ Syn. range, list, stock censure; rebuke @ The comedy artist had many funny acts and anecdotes in his repertoi re. þ Syn. criticise, accuse, scold, tell off REPINE V. ¬ Ant. praise, compliment @ T h e t e a c h e r g e n t l y r e p r o v e d t h e b o y s f o r n o t p a y i n g attenti on. fret, complaint þ Syn. mope, languish, lament REPUDIATE V. @ She was left all alone when her husband went away but she did not repine and was quite resolved to get on with her life. to reject or refuse to accept, condemn, exile þ Syn. reject, disclaim, renounce, rebut ¬ Ant. acknowledge, admit, recognise REPLICA N. dummy, duplicate, copy @ He repudi ated the all egation that he had tried to deceive them. þ Syn. copy, imitation, model ¬ Ant. unique, i nnovati ve, creati ve REPUGNANT Adj. REPUGNANCE N. @ The ship is an exact replica of the original Golden Hind . unpl easant, nasty, l oathi ng þ Syn. disgusting, revolting, repulsive REPREHENSIBLE Adj. ¬ Ant. good looking, gorgeous blamew orthy, cul pable, fel onious @ The repugnant acts of the U.S military in Iraq has shocked the world. þ Syn. guilty, in the wrong, to blame ¬ Ant. innocent, blameless, guiltless @ Your behaviour is reprehensible and sets a bad example for the youngsters. REPULSE sicken, disgust þ Syn. repel, fend off REPRIEVE N. ¬ Ant. be overpowered by, be overwhelmed by interruption, rest, amnesty @ He thinks women can't resist him, when in reality many of them are repulsed by his arrogance. þ Syn. official pardon, acquittal ¬ Ant. charge, punish @ The holiday brought a long­desired reprieve from work. REQUITE V. repay, revenge REPRIMAND N., V. þ Syn. return, reci procate, avenge severe rebuke, scol ding, chide @ Ram swore to requite the atrocities heaped on his family. þ Syn. warning, talking to, telling off ¬ Ant. praise, commend, compliment RESCIND V. @ His boss reprimanded for being late yet again. cancel, abrogate, annul, quash þ Syn. revoke, abolish REPRISAL N. ¬ Ant. assign, consign retaliati on @ If you continue to lose library books, we wi ll rescind your right to borrow them. þ Syn. payback, punishment @ The king marshalled his troops fearing reprisal from the rebels. RESENTMENT N. indignati on; bitterness; di spleasure þ Syn. anger, vexation, discontent ¬ Ant. contentment, happiness @ He could hardly hide his resentment when his opponent was aw arded the trophy.
IC : PTpntvb01 (153) of (188) RESILIENT Adj. RESURRECT V. , RESURRECTION V. pliable, flexible, alterable revive, rebui ld, restore þ Syn. elastic, flexible, pliant þ Syn. bring back to life, restore to life ¬ Ant. unbending, inflexible, stiff ¬ Ant. kill, slay, take life @ Only the most resilient of the lot will survive the 16 mile trek along the countrysi de. @ Over the past f ew months, she has been busi ly trying to resurrect her career in telecom. RESOLUTE RETAIN determined, with a clear purpose to hold, keep possession of þ Syn. purposive, resolved þ Syn. keep, engage ¬ Ant. irresolute, doubtful ¬ Ant. give up, dismiss @ Louise was resolute; she would get into medical school no matter w hat. @ Britain had to give up most of its colonies, but it retained control over Hong Kong until very recently. RESOLVE(n) RETALIATE V. determination, firmness of purpose repay in kind, usually for bad treatment (v) – to conclude, determine þ Syn. hit back, get even, react þ Syn. resol ution, perseverance ¬ Ant. believe, recognise, admit ¬ Ant. indetermination, indecision @ The terrorists retaliated by lauching a bomb attack. @ I admire your resolve, but is it really a good idea to go through with the marathon in this bad weather? RETA RD to slow, hold back RESPITE N. þ Syn. hinder, delay delay in punishment, interval of relief; rest ¬ Ant. accel erate, expedi te þ Syn. interval, break, breather @ She thought bonsai was a cruel way to retard the normal growth of plants. @ Although neither side was satisfied with the treaty, both sides recogni sed the need f or some respi te f rom two years of conf li ct. RESPLENDENT Adj. very splendid, glowing þ Syn. dazzling, magnificent, glorious @ The resplendent Moghul architecture i s evi dent in The Taj and other historical buildings. RESTIVE Adj. restlessly impatient; obstinately resisting control þ Syn. agitated, anxious, recalcitrant ¬ Ant. calm, biddable, peaceable @ The star was very late in his arrival and the crowd was growing increasi ngl y restive. RESTORA TIVE having the power to renew or revitalise @ Indu told all her fri ends about the miraculous restorative powers of herbal tea. RESTRAINED controlled, repressed, restricted þ Syn. reticent, discreet ¬ Ant. immoderate, emotional @ The formerly wild girl became restrained and serious after a month in the strict boarding school. RESURGENT Adj. RESURGE V. rising again after a defeat; new increase in interest or activity @ In his articl e, he tal ks of the resurgent fundamentalism in many religious movements. (154) of (188) RETICENT Adj. taciturn, uncommunicative þ Syn. secretive, shy, laconic ¬ Ant. gregarious, tal kative, verbose @ A reticent man would be uncomfortabl e in the presence of gregarious peopl e. RETINUE N. fol lowers, escort þ Syn. entourage, fol low ers, attendants @ A w hole reti nue accompanies the film star on all outdoor shoots regardless of the need and the cost. RETIRING shy, modest, reserved. þ Syn. diffident, unassuming ¬ Ant. bold, outgoing @ A shy and reti ring man, he w as horri fi ed at the idea of having to speak in public. RETORT N. quick, sharp reply þ Syn. reply angrily, rejoin, snap @ She was ready with a retort every time he chose to chastise her on her conduct. RETRENCHMENT N. RETRENCHMENT V. reduction, cutback þ Syn. cutback, economising @ Workers’ retrenchment is an emotionally charged issue.
IC : PTpntvb01 RETRIBUTION N. REVOKE V. well deserved punishment to cancel, abrogate, annul þ Syn. vengeance, revenge, justi ce þ Syn. annul, w ithdraw, retract, repeal @ The cruel pirates feared nothing, not even divine retribution. ¬ Ant. maintain, uphold, preserve RETRIEVE V. RETRIEVAL N. @ The authorities have revoked their original decision to develop a public park here. recover, find and bring in þ Syn. get back, regain, salvage REVULSION N. ¬ Ant. misplace, mislay, drop disgust, aversion, repulsion @ C o m pu t e r s ar e u s e d t o s t o re a n d re t r i e v e i n f o r m at i o n ef fi ci entl y. þ Syn. revolt, nausea, horror RETROGRADE V., Adj. ¬ Ant. attraction, magnetism, pull, draw @ A person sufferi ng from jaundice devel ops a revulsion f or f oo d. go backw ards; degenerate þ Syn. retrospective, nostalgic RHAPSODY N. ¬ Ant. acti vist, advanced, f uturi stic music, poetry, ecstasy, bliss @ Some regard the rampant growth in consumerism to be a retrograde step in the spiritual evolution of man. þ Syn. rapture, enthusiasm RETROSPECT V., RETROSPECTIVE Adj., RETROSPECTION N. ¬ Ant. gloom, darkness, shade @ There was much rhapsody in her farewell speech and it left all eyes moist. recall, recollect, reminisce @ In retrospection, the past is always glorious. RHETORIC N. art of speaking forcefully and eloquently REVELRY N. þ Syn. public speaking, language boisterous merrymaking @ The art of r heto ri c begi n s w i th a stro ng i dea a nd g ood grammar. þ Syn. festivi ties, celebrati ons, partying @ The revelries next door kept me awake all night. REVERBERATE V. echo, resonate, þ Syn. ring, @ The hall reverberated with the applause of the audience. REVERENT Adj., REVERENCE N. , REVERE V. respectf ul ; respect RIBALD Adj. vul gar, obscene, crude, erotic, wanton þ Syn. coarse, vulgar, baw dy ¬ Ant. sophisticated, superior @ The programme's humour w as too ribald for the evening’s audi e nce. RIFE Adj. teeming, swarming, prevalent þ Syn. deferential , reverential, aw ed þ Syn. widespread, common, rampant ¬ Ant. disrespectful, cheeky, mocking ¬ Ant. sparse, thin, spare, light @ There is a thin li ne betw een a reverent attitude towards a person and hero worshipping. @ T h e r e i s e v e r y e v i d e n c e t h a t c o r r u p t i o n i s r i f e i n t h e government. REVERIE N. RIFT N. daydream, musing openi ng, break þ Syn. dream, trance @ He was shaken out of his reverie by the ground realities of lif e around. þ Syn. crack, gap, hole @ The marriage caused a ri ft between the brothers and they didn't speak to each other for ten years. REVILE V. RIG V. slander; vilify fix, manipulate þ Syn. insult, abuse, scorn þ Syn. distort, falsify ¬ Ant. admire, praise, commend @ T he p ar ty tr i e d to ri g th e e l e ct i o ns by s et ti n g up f ak e candi dates.
@ His is the nasty habit of reviling anybody. IC : PTpntvb01 (155) of (188) RIVETING Adj. RUE N. absorbing; engrossing regret or sorrow þ Syn. fascinating, enthralling þ Syn. be remorseful, lament ¬ Ant. boring, monotonous, dull @ You will rue the day you insulted me. @ He may never win the Pulitzer but his books are very riveting. RUMINATE V. ROBUST Adj. chew over and over (mentally or physically) mull over, ponder strong, vigorous, sturdy, muscular þ Syn. meditate, contemplate, brood þ Syn. heal thy, vigorous, hearty @ Shekhar wanted to be alone so that he could ruminate over the unexpected turn of events in his life. ¬ Ant. feeble, frail, puny @ Robust health was the old man’s greatest asset. RUSE N. ROCOCO Adj. trick; stratagem ornate, highl y decorated þ Syn. ploy, tactic, machination, subterfuge þ Syn. ostentati ous, flamboyant @ It was a ruse to trap him into confessing. ¬ Ant. plain, simple @ The living room was furnished in rococo style. Health P rof ession The following are 10 words that are related to the topic mentioned a bo ve . (156) of (188) CONGENITAL EMETIC FEBRILE GERIA TRIC HOSPICE : : : : : MORBIDITY NATAL PLACEBO : : : PROSTHESIS VENTILATOR : : existing or dating from birth; inbred; inborn; innate any substance used to induce vomiting f everi sh relating to medical care and treatment of the elderly a shelter for the sick, dying, or underprivileged (or for travel ers) the incidence or prevalence of disease (or death) pertaining to birth a pill, medicine, or procedure prescribed more for the ps ycho l og i cal ben ef i t to th e pa ti e nt o f be i ng gi v en prescription than for any physiological effect an artificial body part. an appliance or aperture for artificial respiration
IC : PTpntvb01 “S”
SABOTAGE N. SA LUTA RY Adj. malicious and deliberate destruction tending to improve, beneficial þ Syn. damage, disrupt, impair, harm þ Syn. helpful , useful, valuable @ They suspect sabotage to be the cause of accident. ¬ Ant. unwelcome, irrelevant SACRILEGIOUS Adj. @ The community service programmes have a salutary effect on young offenders and help them rejoin the mainstream. lack of deference, respect or reverence for anything sacred or special SAMARITAN N. þ Syn. blasphemous, heretical , desecrating person who helps someone in trouble; member of the Samaritans ¬ Ant. reverent, deferential @ As stress levels i ncrease the worl d needs more and more good Samaritans. @ The clerics banned the book stating that it was sacrilegious and downright trash. SANCTIMONIOUS Adj. SACROSANCT Adj. displ aying ostentatious or hypocritical devoutness very sacred, pure, consecrated þ Syn. smug, pious, self­righteous þ Syn. sacred, revered, holy @ It is nothing but sanctimonious behaviour when the ex­convict pledged honesty. @ The head priest refused to al low any change in the ritual, stating that it was too sacrosanct. SANCTUARY SADISM N. SADISTIC Adj. haven, retreat pleasure derived from being cruel; inclined to cruelty þ Syn. shrine, altar þ Syn. aggression, fighting, hostility @ He was given sanctuary in the US Embassy in Beijing. @ The sadism of Hitler is history. SANGUINE Adj. SAGACITY N. SAGACIOUS Adj. confident, optimistic wisdom and discernment; keen perception, shrewdness þ Syn. cheerful , hopeful, positive þ Syn. shrewdness, wi sdom, prudence ¬ Ant. doubtf ul, uncertain ¬ Ant. foolishness, stupidity, idiocy @ He’s sanguine about getting the work finished on time. @ We admired our grandmother’s sagacity and often asked for her advice and opinion. SARCASM N. Sarcastic Adj scornful remarks; stinging rebuke SALACIOUS Adj. þ Syn. irony, mockery, derision erotic, obscene, lascivi ous @ Sarcasm will never win you friends, only enemies. þ Syn. scandalous, spicy, exci ting @ S a l ac i o u s l i t e r a tu r e o u gh t t o s t a y o ut o f t he r e a ch o f you ngste rs. SALIENT Adj. prominent þ Syn. outstanding, relevant, significant ¬ Ant. minor, slight, small, negligent @ O u r c o n s t i t u t i o n d r a w s o n t h e s a l i e n t f e a t u r e s o f t h e constitutions of many countries. SARDONIC Adj. scornful, cynical, mocking, sarcastic þ Syn. sarcastic, deri sive, scathing @ He wears a permanent sardonic grin that keeps people away. SARTORIAL Adj. referring to clothes (especially of men) or tailoring @ He was renowned for his sartorial elegance. SALUBRIOUS Adj. SATE V. he al t hy satisfy to the full; cloy þ Syn. wholesome, respectable, decent þ Syn. satisfy, fill, quench, slake ¬ Ant. unhealthy, unpleasant ¬ Ant. starve, deprive, dissatisfy @ Taking a walk after your dinner is salubrious. @ The boy slept with a sated look on his face, after its first full meal in days.
IC : PTpntvb01 (157) of (188)
SATIATE V. SATIETY N. SCENARIO surfeit; satisfy fully plot outline, possible situation þ Syn. satisfy, fill, sate, slake þ Syn. framework, course of events @ I was so hungry that it took three plates of food to satiate me. @ Their daily confrontation in the suburban train would make an interesting scenario for a play. SATIRE N. , SATIRICAL Adj. SCEPTIC N. form of literature in which irony, sarcasm and ridicule are employed to attack vice and folly person doubtful of many things, cynic, detractor, agnostic þ Syn. send up, spoof, lampoon @ They tried hard to convince the sceptics of the truth but in vai n. @ It was a wonderful satire that somehow managed to get past the censors and gave its audience a rare chance to laugh at the dictator. ¬ Ant. believer, disciple SCEPTICAL doubtful , questioning SA VOURY þ Syn. denying, not convinced agreeable in taste or smell ¬ Ant. convinced, believing þ Syn. delectable, tangy @ Al th oug h h er pa re nts t ri e d t o tel l her t hat Sa nt a C l a us existed, the girl was sceptical. ¬ Ant. unappetising, unpalatable @ T he ba n qu e t g u es t s c on s um e d t he sa v ou r y t r ea t s w i t h pl easure. SCHISM N. division of a group into sections, a breach SCAMPER N. þ Syn. split, division, rupture, gulf run, gallop, scurry, sprint @ Some people believe that globalisation has only widened the gap between the haves and the have­nots. þ Syn. scuttle, hurry @ The deer went scampering on sighting a lion. SCHIZOPHRENIA N. , SCAPEGOAT N. SCHIZOPHRENIC Adj. person who carries the blame for someone else ment al i l l ness w h ere th oughts, f eel i ngs an d acti o ns are al l disconnected; divided personality þ Syn. victim, whipping boy @ The captain became a scapegoat for the team’s failure to win the cup that year. @ S y m p t o m s o f s c h i z o p h r e n i a c a n i n c l u d e d e l u s i o n s , hallucinations, thought disorder and strange behaviour and emotions. SCATHING Adj. harsh or severe to an extreme; strongly critical SCINTILLATE V. þ Syn. scornful, mocking, derisive to shine, sparkle, gleam, glimmer ¬ Ant. complimentary, flattering @ His confidence makes his personality scintillate. @ Mohan wrote a scathing editorial for our school newspaper attacking those who polluted our local waterways. SCION N. young member of a noble family SCAVENGER N. , SCAVENGE V. þ Syn. implant, graft, shoot, bud animal w hi ch feeds on dead ani mals; hunt through discarded materials for usable items; search, especially for food @ Jyotiraditya is the scion of the Scindia family. þ Syn. hunter, f orager, searcher @ Urchins scavenging for food is a heart­wrenching but common sight in our country. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. scrupul ous a . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . scrutinize secul ar sensual serendipity b . c . d . e . having nothing to do with religion stri ct devote to pleasure accidental good f ortune examine very carefully 1 . (b ) 1 . 2 . ( e ) 3 . ( a ) 4 . (c ) 5 . (d )
Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test (158) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 SCOFF V. SECTA RIAN to make fun of in a nasty way narrow­minded, relating to a group or sect þ Syn. mock at, sneer, belittle, deride þ Syn. partial, one­sided ¬ Ant. laud, prai se, extol ¬ Ant. tol erant, broadmi nded @ The Prime Minister scoff ed at the suggestion that he w as about to resign. @ Si nce the f al l of communi sm, the country’s various ethnic groups have plunged into sectarian violence. SCORCH V. SECULA R blacken, blister, burn, char, roast not specifically pertaining to religion þ Syn. burn, singe, sear, char þ Syn. worl dly, profane @ His feet were scorched by the burning sands. ¬ Ant. sacred, religious SCORN N. @ The new manager was so secular in his outlook that he did not want the column for religion in the application form. feeling of looking down, disrespect, contempt þ Syn. disdain, derision, ridicule SEDENTARY Adj. ¬ Ant. admiration, respect, esteem always sitting down, not active @ She feels nothing but scorn for people who condemn l ying but tell lies themselves. þ Syn. inactive, sitting SCOURGE N. ¬ Ant. active, lively, energetic @ My doctor says I shoul d take up some sport because my lifestyle is too sedentary. thing which causes suffering, affliction, plague, bane ¬ Ant. blessing, bonanza SEDITION N. @ Terrorism looks set to be the scourge of the world for many years to come. encouraging people to rebel against the government þ Syn. agitation, treason, subversi on SCRUPLE N. SCRUPULOUS Adj. @ The government charged them for sedition and put them in jail. reservation, qualm, compunction, pang; conscientious, extremely thorough SEDULOUS Adj. þ Syn. misgiving, doubt, qualm, regret very caref ul and persistent, resolute, perseveri ng @ A scrupulous young woman, she was the most suitable person for the post. Syn. assiduous, meticulous, dogmatic @ He is a man without scruple ­­ he has no conscience. @ Clearing CAT requires a sedulous effort. SCRUTINY SEMANTICS N. careful observati on study of deep meaning of languages þ Syn. i nvestigati on, survey @ Very few universities offer semantics as a subject. ¬ Ant. careless, sl oppy ¬ Ant. glance, cursory look @ The prehistoric fossils were subjected to a careful scrutiny by the team of scientists. SECEDE to withdraw formally from an organisation or a union SEMBLANCE N. appearance, simi lari ty, anal ogy þ Syn. impressi on, resemblance, veneer @ The city has now returned to some semblance of normality after last night’s devastati on. þ Syn. split with, leave ¬ Ant. join, resign SEMINAL Adj. @ Eventually Latvia seceded from the USSR. g e r m i n a l , r e l a t e d t o s e e d o r s e m e n ; i n f l u e n c i n g f u t u r e devel opments SECLUDED þ Syn. determining, influential, decisive isolated and remote ¬ Ant. irrelevant, unimportant þ Syn. lonely, cut off @ He played a seminal role in the formation of this organisation. ¬ Ant. accessible, public @ The hermit lived i n a secluded cottage, far from the other vi llagers. SECLUSION N. SENILE Adj. SENILITY N. old and mentally weak;feeblemindedness of old age @ Some memory loss is normal with aging and not a sign that a person is completely senile.
isolation, solitude þ Syn. pri vacy, qui et, shel ter @ The vi cti m ’s f ami l y remai ned i n secl usi on yest erday and refused to talk to reporters. IC : PTpntvb01 (159) of (188) SENSUAL Adj. SHAM N. referring to pleasures of the body and not of the mind f raud, hoax, counterf ei t þ Syn. bodily, physical, corporeal þ Syn. pretense, deception, con, fraud ¬ Ant. spiritual, mental ¬ Ant. genuine, real, authentic @ According to some, too much focus on the sensual has led to the decadence of American society. @ It turned out that he wasn’t a real doctor at all – he was just a sham. SENSUOUS Adj. SHAMBLES N. which gives pleasure to the senses, hedonistic slaughter house; scene of a mess or a muddle þ Syn. sumptuous, luxurious, rich þ Syn. mess, muddle, dump ¬ Ant. asceti c, austere, frugal @ After the dinner was over, my room was in shambles. @ A sensuous presentation by the troupe. SHARD SENTENTIOUS Adj. piece of broken glass or pottery too full of moral sense, terse, concise þ Syn. fragment, splinter Syn. moralistic, judgemental, pompous @ Bina picked up the shards of the broken vase and attempted to glue them back together. @ The young have neither the ti me nor the pati ence for the sententi ous. SHEEPISH SENTIENT timid, meek, bashful aware, conscious, able to perceive þ Syn. ashamed, mortified þ Syn. responsive, reacti ve ¬ Ant. unabashed, unembarrassed ¬ Ant. insentient @ Sam l ooked sheepish and apologeti c when he w as caught smoking in the no­smoking zone. @ The anaesthetic didn't work and the patient was still sentient when the surgeon made the first cut. SHIRK SERENDIPITY N. to avoid a task due to laziness or fear pleasure obtained from things got accidentally; luck, coincidence þ Syn. dodge, shuffle þ Syn. chance, fate, desti ny ¬ Ant. fulfilling the duty, sincere ¬ Ant. design, plan, intend, mean @ She was hard­working and did not shirk any task. @ Finding that parking space right in front of the museum was sheer serendipity. SHODDY Adj. sham; not genuine; inferior SERENE Adj. SERENITY N. þ Syn. careless, slapdash, inferior amiable, calm, pleasant @ If you look at the way the furniture has been put together, it’s fairly shoddy. þ Syn. tranquil, calm, peaceful, quiet ¬ Ant. bustling, busy, active @ The serene European countryside attracts millions of tourists. SHREW N. scolding woman SERRA TED Adj. þ Syn. termagant, spitfire, martinet toothed, with a zigzag edge @ H e r f o r m e r h u s b a n d d e s c r i b e s h e r a s a g r e e d y a n d manipulative shrew. þ Syn. jagged, notched, ragged ¬ Ant. smooth, f lat, even @ The serrated edge of the branch cut him sharply. SIESTA N. af ternoon sleep SERVILE Adj. þ Syn. rest, nap, sleep, snooze like a slave, ingratiating, menial, obsequious @ In most Medi terranean countri es markets cl ose dow n f or si est a. Syn. sycophanti c, subservient, unctuous Ant. bossy, arrogant @ Your servile behaviour will only earn you disdain and contempt. SEQUEL SIMIAN Adj. monkey­like @ Some mammals may show simian characteristics but not the monkey’s intelligence. anything that follows þ Syn. continuation, with flow SIMULATE V. ¬ Ant. gap, breaks to pretend, dupli cate, copy, clone @ I hear they're making another sequel to the movie, Matrix. þ Syn. replicate, reproduce, imitate @ The most important part of astronaut training is to simulate space flight conditions.
(160) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 SINECURE N. SLOTH N. SLOTHFUL Adj. well­paid position with little responsibility lazi ness @ The post w as just a si necure passed down from one party member to another. þ Syn. idleness, laziness, inactivity SINEWY Adj. ¬ Ant. liveliness, energy, sparkle @ Th e rep ort c ri t i ci se s t he go ver nm ent ’s sl oth i n t ack l i ng environmental problems. tough; strong and firm þ Syn. wiry, lean, strong SLOVENLY Adj. @ H i s s i n e w y a nd m us c u l a r p h y si q ue a dd s to hi s er u d i t e demeanour. unti dy, careless þ Syn. sloppy, dishevelled, messy ¬ Ant. tidy, neat SINGE þ Syn. char, blacken @ The store manager lectured his employees on the importance of neatness, warning them that a sl ovenly appearance was cause for dismissal. @ Martha singed the hairs on her arm while trying to save the vessel on the stove from toppling SLUG GA RD to burn slightly, scorch lazy, inactive person SINISTER Adj. þ Syn. immobile, impassive evil ¬ Ant. active, energetic þ Syn. menacing, ominous, evil, creepy @ He w as a sl uggard, only i nterested in eating potato chi ps while lazing on the couch and watching TV. @ E very soci ety has certai n si ni ster el ements; rel i gi on has nothing to do with it. SMATTERING N. SINUOUS Adj. slight knowledge winding; bending in and out; not morally honest þ Syn. bit, modicum, dash, smidgen þ Syn. lithe, supple, twisting, windy @ I’ve only got a smattering of experience with computers. ¬ Ant. straight, erect @ The sinuous movement of the snake propelled it through the desert sand. SMIRK N. V. conceited smile þ Syn. grin, leer, sneer, simper SKIRMISH N. slight battle between opposite sides @ Polly had a smirk on her face when her colleague made a poor presentati on. þ Syn. contest, encounter, struggle @ W e a r e r ec e i v i n g r e p o r t s of s e v e r a l s k i r m i s he s i n t h e surroundi ng countryside. SMOULDER V. burn without flame; be liable to break out at any moment þ Syn. burn, smoke, glow SLANDER V. to say untrue or malicious things about a person @ Safety regulations prevent the sale of any furniture that can catch fire from a smouldering cigarette. þ Syn. insult, malign, libel, defamation ¬ Ant. acclamation, praise SMUG Adj. @ He sued the papers for slander against him. self­satisfied, narcissistic þ Syn. superior, arrogant, conceited SLIG HT ¬ Ant. humble, modest, unassuming to treat as unimportant, insult @ Most Indian companies are facing immense difficulties in the liberalised regime, smug as they were earlier under protection. þ Syn. lightweight, i nconsequential ¬ Ant. substantial, important @ Prakash slighted his old friend Shyamala by not inviting her to his birthday party. SNICKER or SNIGGER N. V. half­stifled laugh, laugh at someone þ Syn. scorn, scoff, mock, deride SLIPSHOD careless, hasty þ Syn. disorganised, casual ¬ Ant. meticulous, careful @ There w as snicker i n the class w hen the teacher made a mi stake. They spent much time sniggering at the clothes worn by the members of rival group.
@ Because he was so stressed out, Kumar did a rather slipshod job of his last project. IC : PTpntvb01 (161) of (188) SNIPPET SOMBRE tiny part, tidbit dark, gloomy þ Syn. morsel, fragment þ Syn. melancholy, dismal ¬ Ant. total, whole @ Everyone at the funeral was weari ng dark, sombre clothes except for the little girl in the flowery dress. @ From the brief snippet of conversation she overheard, Isha realised that her job was in danger. SOMNAMBULISM N. , SOMNAMBULIST N. SNUB N. V. walking in sleep insult, disregard; spurn, ostracise @ The defence lawyer claimed that the accused suffered from somnambulism. þ Syn. ignore, sli ght, rebuff ¬ Ant. admit, acknowledge, allow @ The PM is rumoured to have snubbed the offer. SOMNOLENT drowsy, sleepy, inducing sleep SNUG Adj. þ Syn. tired, languid warm and comfortable, homey, cosy ¬ Ant. energetic, enthusiastic þ Syn. cosy, warm, homely, close @ She felt somnolent after a tiring schedule. ¬ Ant. bleak, unwelcoming, austere, miserable, drab @ We curled up in bed, all snug and warm and listened to the wind in the trees outside. SONOROUS Adj. which makes a loud ringing noise þ Syn. loud, deep, resonant SOBRIETY ¬ Ant. thin, fine, sheer, reedy seriousness @ The sound of the sonorous church bells brought the whole village to life. þ Syn. sol emnness, gravity ¬ Ant. anxiety, perturbati on, discomposure @ Shashank's w i tty comments all evi ated the sobri ety of the budget conf erence. SOP HIST person good at arguing deviously þ Syn. debator, swindler, trickster SOB RIQUET ¬ Ant. dumb, quiet nickname @ The philosopher, known as a masterful sophist, was respected by people but not trusted. þ Syn. moniker, byname, pet name ¬ Ant. full name, formal designation @ One of Ronald Reagan's sobriquets was “The Gipper”. SOPORIFIC Adj. sl eep­induci ng SODDEN þ Syn. hypnotic, heavy, monotonous thoroughl y soaked, saturated ¬ Ant. stimulating, inspiring, exciting þ Syn. drenched, streaming @ A good lunch and a bad lecture are both soporific. ¬ Ant. dry, arid @ My shoes were thoroughly sodden after trekking through the damp forest grass. SORDID Adj. wretched, foul, dirty, inferior þ Syn. squalid, distasteful, foul SOJOURN ¬ Ant. pl easant, enjoyable, l ovely vi si t, stay @ Journalists snooped around for sordid bits of gossip. þ Syn. stopover, resi dence @ A f t er g r a du a t i n g f r o m co l l e g e , K a l y an i i d e ci d e d on a n extended sojourn in South India. SPARTAN Adj. lacking luxury and comfort; sternly disciplined þ Syn. frugal, simple, basic, bare, severe SOLECISM N. ¬ Ant. luxurious, comfortable, deluxe construction that is flagrantly incorrect @ They lead a rather spartan life, with no comforts or luxuries. þ Syn. error, mistake, blunder @ The article contains many solecisms. SPASMODIC Adj. fitful; periodic SOLICITOUS þ Syn. irregular, sporadic concerned, attentive, eager ¬ Ant. continuous, incessant, constant þ Syn. mindful, responsible @ His spasmodic attempts dieting did not achieve anything.
¬ Ant. irresponsible, careless @ The solicitous waiter stood at the star's table right through the meal, attentive to her every need. (162) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 SPATE N. SPURIOUS Adj. sudden fl ood false; counterfeit; forged; illogical þ Syn. epidemic, wave, rash, craze þ Syn. bogus, forged @ The river which passes through our village, causes a spate ev ery yea r. ¬ Ant. genuine, authenti c, indisputable, actual @ Police are investigating a spate of burglaries in the Kingsland Road area. @ Onl y experts can disti ngui sh betw een a spuri ous di amond and a genuine one. SPURN V. SPECIOUS Adj. reject; scorn seemingly reasonable but incorrect þ Syn. snub, slight, repulse, disdain þ Syn. false, hollow, erroneous, baseless ¬ Ant. accept, believe, recognise, admit @ Her specious arguments didn’t really convince anyone. @ I think he was rather outraged that I’d spurned his advances. SPECTRE N. , SPECTRAL Adj. SQUABBLE N. ghost, fear; ghostly quarrel, argument, altercati on þ Syn. apparition, spirit, image þ Syn. argue, quarrel , bicker, row @ The spectre of failure made him nervous. @ They squabbled i n the morni ng, made up by eveni ng and started all over again the next morning. SPECULATION contemplation, act of taking business risks for financial gain SQUALID Adj. SQUALOR N. þ Syn. gambl e, hypothesising shabby, dirty, fil thy, sooty, sordid @ Speculation in the stock markets is quite common. þ Syn. filthy, dirty, foul, nasty ¬ Ant. clean, spotless, unsoiled SPONTANEOUS on the spur of the moment, impulsive @ Man y pr i son s, ev en t oday, are ove rcro w ded and squa l i d pl ac es. þ Syn. impromptu, impulsive ¬ Ant. planned, calcul ative SQUANDER V. @ Jean took a spontaneous decision to go to the movies instead of visiting her in­laws. to waste away money or energy þ Syn. waste, spend, dissipate, misuse ¬ Ant. save, put aside, keep, bank SPOONERISM N. exchanging letter of words by mistake @ The Reverend William Spooner used to produce spoonerisms such as “a scoop of boy trouts”, instead of “a troop of boy scouts.” @ It’s better to save your money for when you really need it than to squander it. SQUEAMISH Adj. easily shocked, easily made sick þ Syn. delicate, prudi sh, particular SPORA DIC Adj. ¬ Ant. strong, burly, robust, glaring occasional, recurrent, infrequent @ Many cooks are squeamish about putting live shellfish into boiling water. þ Syn. intermittent, inf requent, erratic ¬ Ant. regular, usual, normal, recurring @ Your sporadic visits to the library will not fetch the desired resul ts. SQUIRM V. to wriggle about, writhe, fidget þ Syn. wriggle, writhe, twist, fidget SPORTIVE frolicsome, playful @ The thief squirmed when the police asked him some searching questi ons. þ Syn. high spirited, romping ¬ Ant. solemn, staid STAG NANT @ The lion roared in pain as the sportive cub bit its tail playfully. immobile, stale þ Syn. inert, stable SP RIG HTLY ¬ Ant. following, running lively, animated @ T h a t s t a g n a n t p o n d i s a p e r f e c t b r e e d i n g g r o u n d f o r mosquitoes. þ Syn. energetic, vigorous ¬ Ant. doddering, sluggish @ He was quite sprightly and active for a 98­year­old. STALEMATE N. deadlock þ Syn. impasse, deadlock, draw, tie @ The talks on wage revision has again reached a stalemate.
IC : PTpntvb01 (163) of (188) STALK STILTED to hunt, pursue stiff, unnatural þ Syn. to look for, to search for þ Syn. artif icial, unrelaxed @ The rock star put a restraining order on the insane woman who had been stalking him for many years. ¬ Ant. ef fortl ess, natural @ The nervous father of the bride gave a rather stilted speech at the weddi ng banquet. STALWART N. strong, vigorous, brave person STINT N. þ Syn. strong, muscular, athletic job, task, assignment, duty, chore @ The Tatas have been the stalwarts of Indian industry. þ Syn. spell, stretch, period @ His stint at the World Bank taught him a lot. STAUNCH V. to stop blood from flowing, resist, check STIPEND þ Syn. resolute, unyielding, stubborn allowance, fixed amount of money paid regularly ¬ Ant. irresolute, vacillating, unsure þ Syn. salary, emolument @ The country’s asylum laws were amended to staunch the flow of economic migrants. ¬ Ant. incentive, perks @ Unable to survive on her small stipend from the university, Jane was forced to take loans. STARTLE V. frighten, alarm, intimidate, spook STIPPLE V. þ Syn. surprise, shock, frighten paint or draw with dots @ The noise of the car startled the birds and the whole group flew up into the air. @ He stippl ed pai nt on the canvas to create an i nteresti ng abstract painting. STICKLER N. STIPULATE V. perfectioni st, puri st insist, demand, require þ Syn. pedant, nitpi cker, martinet þ Syn. specify, instruct, order @ He’s a stickler for detail. @ In a democratic setup it is difficult to stipulate a monetary fine for spitting on the roads. STIFLE V. suffocate, curb, censor, suppress STOCKADE þ Syn. smother, throttle, choke enclosed area forming defensive wall ¬ Ant. encourage, let out þ Syn. a military prison, defensive area @ He threw a blanket over the burning frying pan to stifle the f lames. ¬ Ant. open place, public area @ As the enemy approached, the soldiers took their defensive positions behind the stockade. STIGMA N. guilt, blame, onus, shame, disgrace STOIC N. þ Syn. shame, disgrace, dishonour person who accepts pains without complaining ¬ Ant. honour, credit þ Syn. austere, ascetic, unmoved @ There is no longer any stigma attached to getting a divorce. @ We knew she must have been i n pai n, despi te her stoi c att i tud e. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . (c ) stri ngent stymie subju gate sublime subtl e not obvious awesome thw art stri ct subdue
1 . (d ) 3 . ( e ) 4 . (b ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 . ( a ) Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test (164) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 STOLID Adj. STOLIDITY n. STUPEFY V. sl o w an d he avy, not exc i tab l e, p hl eg mati c, s toi c ; du l l ne ss; impassi veness to astonish, daze, stun, shock þ Syn. impassi ve, matter­of­f act @ IBM’s growth has been a stolid unlike that of Microsoft. @ Stupefied by the number of items required for a lengthy canoe trip, I gritted my teeth and set about collecting the supplies. STOUT Adj. STUPOR N. robust, sturdy, muscular, strong slate of apathy; daze; lack of awareness þ Syn. fat, heavy, solid þ Syn. trance, coma, daze, dream ¬ Ant. weak, slight @ I’ve bought myself a pair of good stout boots for hiking. @ While in a drunken stupor he became abusive and violent and had to be restrained by hotel staff. STR A TA G EM STYLISE plan or trick designed to deceive an enemy to fashion, formalise þ Syn. scheme, tactic þ Syn. magnified, polished ¬ Ant. random, without plan ¬ Ant. casual, informal @ The Trojan Horse must be one of the most successful military stratagems in history. @ After Nita stylised her wardrobe to match Princess Diana's, everyone said they could have been sisters. STRA TIFY STYMIE to arrange in layers to block or thwart @ Caste was used to stratify society in ancient India. þ Syn. obstruct, inhibit þ Syn. astonish, astound, amaze, stun ¬ Ant. assist, help STREW V. spread randomly; sprinkle; scatter þ Syn. encumber, litter, fill ¬ Ant. free, gratis, at no cost @ The floor of the auditorium was strewn with flowers. STRIDENT Adj. STRIDENCY N. rough, harsh, caustic, loud þ Syn. vociferous, clamorous, shrill ¬ Ant. yielding, squashy, elastic @ The strident commercials often take away the pleasure of watching movies. STRINGENT Adj. strict, firm, inflexible, harsh þ Syn. severe, strict, rigorous, stern ¬ Ant. lax, sloppy, flexible, sloppy @ In spite of the rather stringent rules at camp, we enjoyed the acti viti es. STULTIFY V. , STULTIFICATION N. to make someone stupid þ Syn. deaden, dampen, cloud, blunt ¬ Ant. emphasise, highlight, stress @ Too much of pampering will only stultify the child. STUNTED having arrested growth or development þ Syn. bantam, dwarf ¬ Ant. giant, huge @ The plant’s growth w as stunted, smothered by the rapidly growi ng creeper. IC : PTpntvb01 @ The guard’s effort to trap the bank robber was stymied when the thief escaped through a rear window. SUAVE ( SWAHV ) Adj. SUAVITY N. extremely polite, slick, smooth, genteel þ Syn. smooth, polished, polite, urbane @ A successful manager has first of all got to be suave. SUBDUED suppressed, sti fl ed þ Syn. low­spirited, downcast ¬ Ant. lively, cheerful @ The a ctor w as momentari l y subdu ed af ter the di rec tor’s outburst, but was soon his overconfident self again. SUBJECTION dependence, obedience, submission þ Syn. domination, oppression ¬ Ant. submissive, accommodating @ The coach demanded total subjection from the athletes in his team. SUBJUGATE V. overpower, ensl ave, subdue, def eat þ Syn. beat down, vanquish ¬ Ant. help, f oster, nurture @ The British subjugated the Indians through divide and rule. SUBLIMATE V. ref ine; purify @ We shoul d try to sublimate our stami na and energies into constructive work.
(165) of (188) SUBLIME Adj. SUCCINCT grand, nobl e, magni ficent, very great terse, brief, concise þ Syn. inspiring, inspirational, uplifting þ Syn. compact, condensed ¬ Ant. ridiculous, ludicrous, absurd ¬ Ant. verbose, l engthy @ The dresses in the fashion show went from the sublime to the ridiculous. @ She was sought af ter by many talk show s, as her remarks were always succinct and to the point. SUBLIMINAL Adj. SUCCOUR N. below the consciousness of the senses help, assistance þ Syn. subconscious, concealed þ Syn. help, aid, assi stance, support ¬ Ant. explicit @ T h e w h o l e w o r l d , t h e d e v e l o p e d a n d t h e d e v e l o p i n g countries, should provide succour to the starving children of Ethiopia, Rawanda and such other African countries. @ The interview was carried out in front of a factory to give voters the subliminal message that the Prime Minister was a man of the people. SUCCULENT Adj., N. SUBSERVIENT Adj. SUBSERVIENCE N. juicy; full of richness behaving like a slave; servile; obsequious þ Syn. juicy, most, tender, luscious þ Syn. submissive, obedient ¬ Ant. dry, shrivelled, unappetising ¬ Ant. pushy, aggressi ve @ This is the land of plenty of succulent fruits. @ Being an upright man, he refused to be subservient to any o n e . SUFFERABLE bearabl e SUBSEQUENT þ Syn. manageable, tolerable following in time or order ¬ Ant. unbearable, enduring þ Syn. succeeding, ensuing @ The only thing that made his prison term sufferable was his beloved pet mouse, Romeo. ¬ Ant. previous, prior @ A statement will be issued subsequent to the meeting. SULLEN SUBSISTENCE N. brooding, gloomy existence; means of support; livelihood þ Syn. morose, resentful þ Syn. maintenance, support, upkeep ¬ Ant. cheerful, sociable @ My pension is the only means of my subsistence. @ The sullen child sat in the corner by herself, refusing to play with her classmates. SUBTERFUGE N. deception, trick, fraud, hoax SUMPTUOUS Adj. þ Syn. trick, ploy, ruse, dodge very luxurious, splendid, opulent ¬ Ant. honesty, openness þ Syn. extravagant, costl y, superb @ It w a s c l ea r t hat th ey had o bta i ne d t he i nf orm ati on by sub terf u ge. ¬ Ant. meagre, scanty, too little SUBTERRANEAN SUNDER V. hi dden, secret, underground separate; part þ Syn. secret, conceal ed þ Syn. divi de, split, cleave ¬ Ant. on the surface, in light @ North and South Korea were politically sundered. @ The new railway had to take the subterranean route as there was no room left above ground in the growing city. SUPERANNUATED Adj. @ The dinner served at the wedding was simply sumptuous. retired or disqualified because of age SUB TLE @ He was superannuated from his job when he turned 60. understated, muted þ Syn. toned down, subdued SUPERCILIOUS Adj. ¬ Ant. lurid, obvious arrogant, lofty, haughty @ The pickpocket was so subtle that his victims did not even realise they had been robbed. þ Syn. snooty, patronising SUBVERSION N. SUBVERSIVE Adj. ¬ Ant. modest, humble, meek @ The supercilious invariably have a great fall.
revolt, mutiny, treason; tending to overthrow; destructive @ He was found guilty of subversion and imprisoned. (166) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 SUPERFICIAL SURLY Adj. hasty, shallow and phony rude; cross þ Syn. external, outer þ Syn. gruff, brusque, abrupt, curt ¬ Ant. deep, thorough ¬ Ant. courteous, considerate, civil @ The politician was friendly, but in a superficial, unconvincing w a y. @ His surly behaviour is the root cause of his failure. SURMISE N. SUPERFLUOUS Adj. a guess, supposition, assumption excessi ve; overabundant; unnecessary þ Syn. guess, infer, deduce, gather þ Syn. surplus, not required, excessive ¬ Ant. know ¬ Ant. essential, basic, fundamental @ I surmise that Rajat is involved in some illegal activity. @ Whenever I go travel ling, I al ways make sure that I don't take any superfluous luggage with me. SUPERNUMERARY N. person or thing in excess of what is necessary; extra @ His role in the play seemed supernumerary when he appeared on the stage. SURMOUNT V. to overcome an obstacle þ Syn. prevail, conquer, triumph ¬ Ant. fail, not pass, disappoint @ Progress results when you surmount your limitations. SUPERSEDE V. SURP A SS cause to be set aside; replace to do better than, be superior to þ Syn. succeed, supplant, surpass þ Syn. excel, outshine @ He was promoted superseding other senior officers. @ Ayrton Senna surpassed his own record to clinch the F1 title. SUPPLANT V. replace; usurp SURREPTITIOUS Adj. cl andesti ne, deceitful, covert þ Syn. di splace, succeed, supersede þ Syn. secret, sly, craf ty @ In most offices, the typewriter has now been supplanted by the computer. ¬ Ant. bl atant, open, honest @ He’d been so surreptitious about hi s dri nking that no one realised he'd become an alcoholic. SUPPLE flexible, pliant SURROGATE N. þ Syn. agile, sprightly substi tute, backup, standby ¬ Ant. stiff, unfit @ The supple stalks of bamboo swayed back and forth in the wind. þ Syn. repl acement, proxy, deputy @ Due to a ban on direct advertising, liquor manufacturers have to rely on surrogate advertising in India. SUPPLIANT Adj., N. SURVEILLANCE N. entreating; beseeching strict w atch, observati on þ Syn. begging, pleading, imploring þ Syn. watch, scrutiny @ Few can resist a suppliant dog. @ More banks are now installing surveillance cameras. SUPPLICANT one who asks humbly and earnestly SUSCEPTIBLE vul nerabl e, unprotected þ Syn. borrower, suitor þ Syn. credulous, gullible @ He w as normal l y a tough f el l ow , but transf ormed i nto a supplicant when pleading with the banker for a loan. ¬ Ant. sceptical, streetw ise @ Because of her w eakened state, Veena was suscepti bl e to infection. SURFEIT Adj. excess, plethora, abundance SUSPEND þ Syn. surplus, glut, flood to defer, interrupt, dangle, hang ¬ Ant. deficit, under­supply @ The country has a surfeit of cheap labour. þ Syn. postpone, del ay ¬ Ant. continue, resume @ The Golden Gate bridge is suspended two miles in the air on steel wires.
IC : PTpntvb01 (167) of (188) SUSTAIN SYMBIOSIS support, uphold cooperation, mutual helpfulness þ Syn. endure, undergo þ Syn. alliance, coalition ¬ Ant. collapse under ¬ Ant. autonomy, competition @ If we can sustain our efforts a little longer, I'm sure our plan will succeed. @ The rhino and the bird live in symbiosis; the rhino gives the bird food in the form of ticks, and the bird rids the rhino of parasi tes. SWARTHY Adj. dark; dusky; SYMP OSIUM @ He was swarthy but his smile really dispelled all darkness. meeting with short presentations on related topics @ The universi ty's E ngli sh department held a symposi um on sexual imagery in the works of D. H. Lawrence. SWELTER V. , SWELTERING Adj. be oppressed by heat SYNOPSIS þ Syn. scorching, red hot, sizzling plot summary ¬ Ant. freezing, cold, icy, chilly @ In many states in India, people swelter in the summer season. SWERVE V. þ Syn. abstract, outli ne @ Oren wrote a one­page synopsis of a 55­page book. SYNTHESIS to move to one side, deviate, detour blend, combination þ Syn. veer, deviate, change directi on @ The car swerved after slipping on the road. @ The methods used i n the experiment w ere a synthesis of techniques from biology and medicine. SWINDLER N. SYNTHETIC che at artificial, imitation þ Syn. fraud, faker, biker, shark þ Syn. mock, simulated @ He was very successful as a swindler because he was able to persuade people to believe in him. ¬ Ant. real, natural @ The flowers in the window looked so realistic that you could hardly tell they were made of synthetic materials. SYCOPHANT N. person who flatters those in power þ Syn. toady, fl atterer @ The politician is surrounded by sycophants. Political Science The following are 10 words that are related to the topic mentioned a bo ve . BUREAUCRA CY : a system of govt. in which most of the important decisions ar e t ake n b y s tat e o f f i ci a l s ra the r t han by el ect ed representati ves GERRYMANDER : to alter voting district lines so as to further one’s own interests in obtaining votes INCUMBENT : currently in office; running against a challenger JINGOISM : belligerent or excessive patriotism JUNKET : personal trip of a public official financed by public funds NEPOTISM : p o l i t i c a l f a v o r i t i s m t o w a r d f r i e n d s a n d r e l a t i v e s , especially in granting favours PA RTISAN : advocating or favouring the views of one party RAB BLE­ROUSER: a person w ho speaks wi th intention of i nf lami ng the emoti ons of a crowd of people, typi cal ly for poli tical reas ons QUORUM : the minimum number of members required to conduct busi ness STA L WA RT : an unw avering, staunch supporter
(168) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 “T”
TA BLEA U TALISMAN N. vivid description, striking incident or scene an object supposed to bring good luck þ Syn. pageant, scene þ Syn. charm, amulet, fetish @ The tourists admired the famous painter's lifelike tableau of the Last Supper. @ She has worn the ring as a talisman ever since she survived the plane crash. TABLOID N. TA NG a type of popular newspaper with smal l pages, many pictures and short simple reports usually of the sensational kind sharp flavour or odour þ Syn. lurid, scandalous, shocking ¬ Ant. admirable, estimable, excellent @ After being smoked with herring, the bacon had a distinctly fi shy tang. @ Information on the personal life of a film star is just the sort of story the tabloids love. TANGENTIAL þ Syn. taste, savour irrelevant, i nessenti al TABOO N. þ Syn. secondary, unimportant r es tr i c ti on , ba n, p ro hi bi ti on , ba r; t he a vo i d an ce , am on g a particular group of people, of parti cular acti ons or words f or religious or social reasons ¬ Ant. primary, important þ Syn. forbidden, banned, outl awed ¬ Ant. acceptabl e, sui table, sati sfactory @ Death is a taboo subject for many. TA CIT silently understood or implied þ Syn. implicit, understood @ Your argument is interesting, but it's tangential to the matter at hand, so I suggest we get back to the point. TANGIBLE that can be sensed, perceptible, measurable þ Syn. palpable, tactile ¬ Ant. theoretical, abstract @ The storming of the castle didn't bring the soldiers tangible rewards, but it brought them great honour. ¬ Ant. explicit, stated @ Everyone in the room knew that a tacit agreement had been reached about the course of action. TACITURN Adj. uncommunicative, reserved, sil ent, reti cent; saying littl e (esp. habituall y) TANGY Adj. with a sharp taste and smell þ Syn. tasty, spicy, sharp, strong ¬ Ant. bland, insipid, weak, mild @ Everyone loves the tangy pickles grandma prepares. þ Syn. silent, cold, quiet, distance ¬ Ant. tal kati ve, communicative, chatty TANTALISE V. @ Taci turn candi dates w il l not able to perform well in stage show s. entice, titillate, attract, arouse; to excite or attract (someone) by an offer or a suggestion of something which is, in fact, unlikely to happen TACTILE Adj. sensitive to touch, corporeal, related to touch þ Syn. tease, enti ce, excite, tempt @ Tantalised by the prospect of two weeks in the Bahamas, she bought ten lottery tickets. þ Syn. physical, concrete, percepti ble ¬ Ant. intangible, vague, subtle TA NTAMOUNT Adj. @ The right hemisphere of the brain specialises in the perception of complex patterns, both visual and tactile. identical, same, equal, synonymous; being almost the same or having the same effect as (usually something bad) þ Syn. equal, the same as, identical TAINTED Adj. TAINT V. ¬ Ant. different, dissimilar, unlike contaminated, corrupt @ T h e b a n k w o u l d n ' t l e n d a n y m o r e m o n e y, w h i c h w a s tantamount to making the business close down. þ Syn. ruined, stained, polluted ¬ Ant. clean, untained, wholesome @ Hi s reputati on w as p ermanent l y tai n ted by t he f i nan ci al scandal . TANTRUM N. a t t a c k o f u n c o n t r o l l a b l e b a d t e m p e r, a s u d d e n p e r i o d o f uncontrolled childish anger þ Syn. outburst, f it, paroxysm ¬ Ant. out of shape, unfit, in poor shape @ The director and the producer of Hindi films usually have to bear with the tantrums of their stars.
IC : PTpntvb01 (169) of (188)
TARDY Adj. TA WDRY Adj. late, sluggish, delayed, slow or late in happening or arriving þ Syn. slow, behind blatant, brazen, gaudy, tasteless; l ooking bright and attractive but in fact cheap and of low quality ¬ Ant. punctual, prompt, timely þ Syn. ostentatious, showy @ The star made a fashionable tardy entry. ¬ Ant. tasteful , refi ned, el egant @ The clothes that had l ooked so beautif ul on stage l ooked tawdry, hanging in the dressing room. TARNISH V. disgrace, damage, obscure, discolour; to make or (esp. of metal) become less bright or a different colour TAXONOMY þ Syn. dull, stain, smear, dirty science of classification ¬ Ant. cl ean, dirt­free, sanitary @ Certain new species do not seem to fit into the systems of classification used in traditional taxonomy. @ The media has the evil power to tarnish the image even of a celebrity with impeccable character and record. TECHNOCRAT TARNISHED strong believer in technology, technical expert corroded, discoloured @ The technocrat could barely hide his contempt as the CEO struggled to open a file on his computer. þ Syn. discredited, di sgraced ¬ Ant. bright, polished @ The antique silver plate was so tarnished that Anna had to polish it for hours before she could use it. TEETOTALLER N. person who never drinks alcohol @ The tribe of teetotallers is shrinking. TARRY V. delay; dawdle TEMERITY N. þ Syn. l inger, l oiter, procrastinate audacity, insolence, effrontery, chutzpah; a willingness to do or say something that shocks, angers or upsets other people @ The teacher asked the students not to tarry in the corridors and to go to the library instead. þ Syn. nerve, gall, cheek ¬ Ant. silence, discretion, shyness @ He had the temerity to tell me that smoking was bad for me when I knew he was a smoker himself. TAUT Adj. tense, hard, secure, firm, tight or completely stretched þ Syn. tight, rigid, firm, rigid TEMPERANCE ¬ Ant. slack, loose, limp, baggy, floppy @ He kept h i s eye s on t he roa d ahea d, hi s f ace taut w i th concentrati on. restrai nt, self ­control, moderation þ Syn. abstenti on, sobriety ¬ Ant. crapulence, bibulousness @ The strict, religious community frowned on newcomers who did not behave with temperance. TAUTOLOGY N. unnecessary use of synonyms in a single phrase @ “Nothing was covered up and no information was concealed,” sai d the mi ni ster, produci ng hi s second tautology of the i ntervi ew . TEMPEST N. TEMPESTUOUS Adj. storm; violently stormy, impassioned þ Syn. storm, gale, snowstorm @ The ship was blown 200 miles off­course by the tempest. @ S h e h a d a t e m p e s t u o u s n a t u r e a n d g o t i n t o a l o t o f arguments. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . (b ) surrepti tious syc opha nt synthesi s taci t taciturn naturall y untalkati ve f l att erer combining of parts sn ea ky implied 1 . (d ) 3 . (c ) 4 . ( e ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 .(a )
Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test (170) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 TEMPORA L Adj. TERSE Adj. not lasting forever, limited by time, secular, relating to practical matters or material things laconic, concise, crisp; using few words, sometimes in a way that seems rude or unfriendly þ Syn. chronological, of time, activist þ Syn. short, brief, curt @ Everything in the life of a person and in the world is temporal. ¬ Ant. rambling, wordy, confused TEMPORISE V. @ In a terse statement yesterday, the company announced that it was closing three of its factories. avoid committing oneself, gain time; to delay making a decision or stating your opinion in order to obtain an advantage TESTA MENT @ The gover nment tempori sed f or months, w ai ti n g f or the economy to pick up before calling an election. TENABLE statement of belief, will þ Syn. evidence, proof @ Guy's children couldn't believe that he had left everything to his chihuahua in his last will and testament. defensible, reasonable þ Syn. justifiable, sustainable TESTY Adj. ¬ Ant. untenable, indefensi ble irritable; short­tempered @ This politically convenient view is no longer tenable. þ Syn. grumpy, peevish, crabby ¬ Ant. cheerful , good­humoured TENACIOUS Adj. TENACITY N. Her chronic illness has turned her into a testy and snappy pe rso n. resolute, dedicated, stubborn, holding tightly onto something or keeping an opinion in a determined way; firmness, persistence, adhesi veness TÊTE­À ­TÊTE N. þ Syn. stubborn, resolute, firm private talks between two people ¬ Ant. irresolute, unsure, cow ardly þ Syn. conversation, talk, dialogue @ The conservation group was tenacious in its opposition to the new ai rport. @ He is believed to have had a tête­à­tête with the PM before the cabi net reshuffl e. TENDENTIOUS Adj. TETHER having an aim, biased, designed to further a cause; (of speech or writing) expressing or supporting a particular opinion which many other people disagree with to bind, tie @ H e cl ai ms t ha t th e ar ti cl e g i v es a d i s to rt ed a nd h i g hl y tendentious view of the political situation in the country. ¬ Ant. unl eash, release TENET N. THEISM N. doctrine; dogma belief that God exists; the belief that there is only one God, who is completely separate from His creations, rather than being a part of them Syn. principle, beli ef, percept, view @ The con serva ti ve Lef t doe s not bel i eve i n t he te nets of liberali sation. TENSILE capable of withstanding physical stress @ Archi tects use tensi l e materi al s to construct bui l di ngs i n earthquake­prone areas. TENUOUS Adj. thin, rare, slim, weak, easily damaged or proved false þ Syn. weak, shaky, feeble, vague ¬ Ant. strong, sturdy, tough @ We w ere only able to make a tenuous connection between the two robberies. TEPID lukewarm, showing little enthusiasm þ Syn. warmish, apathetic ¬ Ant. hot, cold, passionate @ Roxanne refused to take a bath in the tepid water, f earing that she would catch a cold. IC : PTpntvb01 þ Syn. tie up, hitch @ The cheetah chewed through its tether and ran away. @ T h e i s m i s a t r e m e n d o u s b o n d i n g f o r c e f o r u n i v e r s a l brothe rhood. THEOCRACY N. government of a community by religious leaders @ Theocracy is feasible in the country where there is a single religion and that is the state religion. THERAP EUTIC medicinal þ Syn. remedial, curing ¬ Ant. harmful, detrimental @ Tarun found the hot springs to be very therapeutic for his aches and pains, so he bathed in them often. THESIS theory or hypothesis; dissertation; long, written composition þ Syn. proposal, contention @ Henry worked for six years on his Ph.D. thesis.
(171) of (188) THESPIAN Adj. , N. TIFF N. pertaining to drama, connected with acting and the theatre small argument, quarrel þ Syn. theatrical, staged þ Syn. row, spat @ The biography covers a thespian career which spanned four de cade s. ¬ Ant. agreement, accord, union THRALL N. TIMOROUS Adj. slave, bondage demonstrating fear, lacking confidence, easily fri ghtened þ Syn. power, yoke, enslavement þ Syn. nervous, fearful, timid ¬ Ant. freedom, manumit ¬ Ant. brave, dari ng, f earl ess @ The impossible terms set by the moneylenders held the poor illiterate farmers in thrall for generations. @ His timorous demeanour exposed his weakness. THRA SH V. to batter, assail, attack; to hit hard or make a series of violent and uncontrolled movements þ Syn. beat, whip, lash, batter @ We had a slight tiff over whose turn it was to clean the floor. TINGE shade, col our þ Syn. dye, stain @ Photographs develop a yellowish tinge as they age. @ Police thrashed the outlaw but failed to extract a confession. TIRADE N. THRIFTY Adj. careful about money, economical þ Syn. frugal, careful, prudent ¬ Ant. spendthrift, wastrel, squanderer @ Fortunately he was thrifty and managed to save even out of his meagre salary. THROES N. great suff eri ng; i n the process of doing somethi ng w hi ch i s difficult, unpleasant or painful @ My brother is in the throes of a mid­life crisis which makes him rather difficult to live with. extended scolding, denunciation, a long angry speech expressing strong di sapproval þ Syn. outburst, rant, lecture ¬ Ant. praise, extol, honour, admire @ Concluding his furi ous tirade, the oppositi on spokesperson demanded the minister's resignation. TITAN person of colossal stature or achievement @ Despite hi s odd personal habits, it can't be deni ed that Mr Shah was a titan of the nation’s industry. TITANIC Adj. THRONG N. gigantic great crowd of people þ Syn. colossal, immense, huge, giant þ Syn. multitude, mass, crowd, horde ¬ Ant. uni mportant, irrelevant ¬ Ant. few, little, not many @ The titanic project required a unique entrepreneurship. @ Throngs of people were milling about the airport waiting for delayed fl ights. TITILLATE V. THROTTLE V. to excite, stimulate, electrify, arouse; to excite intentionally but only a little, usually with sexual images or descriptions to strangle by squeezing the neck; a valve which allows more or less fuel to go into an engine and thus changes the power of the engine @ These days many advertisements are designed to titillate. þ Syn. strangle, choke, stifle having the title of an office without the obligations, having the title of a position but not the responsibilities, duties or power; in name only @ The operator opened the throttle a little and the machine ran f a s t e r. TITULA R Adj. þ Syn. supposed, ostensible, so­called THWART V. ¬ Ant. actual, real, definite prevent, deter, foil, hinder; to stop (something) from happening or (someone) from doing something @ Even though he was only the titular head of the company, he enjoyed all amenities and perquisites. þ Syn. spoil, prevent, foil, ruin ¬ Ant. encourage, cheer, hearten TOADY N. @ She i s constantly trying to thwart my efforts to make new f ri ends. servile flatterer, yes man; a person who praises and is artificially pl easant to people i n authority, usuall y in order to get some advantage from them þ Syn. f latterer, creep, crawl er @ Bosses l i ke the toadi es and not the i ndi vi dual w orker or i ndependent adviser.
(172) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 TOLERANCE TOTALITARIANISM N. capacity to respect different values, to endure or resist something single party government system þ Syn. sufferance, l iberali ty þ Syn. despoti sm, tyranny, absolutism ¬ Ant. unbearable, intolerance ¬ Ant. democracy, democratic system @ Dictators are characterised by their lack of tolerance for any opposition. @ China follows totalitarianism. TOTTERING TONAL walk unsteadily, barely standing relating to pitch or sound þ Syn. stagger, stumble @ Although it has interesting lyrics, the song's tonal deficiencies make it unpleasant to the ear. ¬ Ant. stabl e, steady @ The tottering old man still managed to make his way to the corner shop every day to buy his favourite candy bar. TOP OGRA PHY art of making maps or charts TOUCHSTONE N. þ Syn. contour, shape stones used to test the fi neness of gold al loys; criterion, an established standard or principle by which something is judged @ A master in the art of topography, Leavenworth was hired to create maps of the coast of South America. þ Syn. criterion, acid test, hallmark ¬ Ant. unusual, odd, curious TORMENT V. to make someone suffer, great mental suffering and unhappiness or great physical pain @ In business, having a l arge share of the market is often assumed to be the touchstone for success. þ Syn. angui sh, suffering, agony, pain TOUT V. ¬ Ant. pleasure, joy, bliss, satisfaction @ The prisoners underwent great torment under their captors. publicise, praise excessively; to advertise or make known or praise (something or someone) repeatedly, esp. as a way of encouraging their sale, popularity or development TORPOR N. TORPID Adj. þ Syn. advertise, hype, plug lethargy, sluggishness, dormancy ¬ Ant. understate, minimise, belittle þ Syn. inactivity, inertia @ The local car manufacturer has produced a series of television advertisements touting the safety features of their cars. @ Our people are so lethargic that nothi ng can arouse them from their torpor. TOXIN @ Torpid workers can hardly contribute to TQM. poi son TORRID Adj. þ Syn. harmful, dangerous passionate, burning, hot, fi ery ¬ Ant. fruitful, salutary þ Syn. hot, boiling, burning @ It's essential to keep all toxins away from children, as they might eat them accidentally. ¬ Ant. cool, chill, cold @ In the torrid heat of May, no one was keen to walk f ar or indulge in strenuous exercise. TRACTABLE Adj. amenable, obedient, submissive; easily dealt with, controlled or persu aded TORTUOUS Adj. þ Syn. good, obedient, dutiful full of twists and turns, not direct or simple ¬ Ant. disobedient, defiant, naughty þ Syn. winding, twisted, twisting @ He’s quite a docile, tractable child. ¬ Ant. straight, directly @ The route through the back streets is a little tortuous, but it helps you avoid the worst of the traffic. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . (b ) surrepti tious syc opha nt synthesi s taci t taciturn naturall y untalkati ve f l att erer combining of parts sn ea ky implied 1 . (d ) 3 . (c ) 4 . ( e ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 .(a )
Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test IC : PTpntvb01 (173) of (188) TRADUCE V. TRAUMA TIC Adj. expose to sl ander, to cri ti cise ( someone or somethi ng) very negati vel y pertai ni ng to an injury caused by vi ol ence, severe emoti onal shock; pain caused by an extremely upsetting experience þ Syn. defame, malign, calumniate þ Syn. shocking, disturbing, upsetting ¬ Ant. praise, applaud, cheer ¬ Ant. reassuring, supportive, cheering @ She tried to traduce his simplicity by calling him a simpleton. @ A traumatic experience in childhood stays a long way through one’s life. TRANQUILITY N. calmness, peace TRAVAIL N. þ Syn. calm, quiet, stillness painful labour ¬ Ant. uproar, di n, racket, @ There is always a limit to enduring travail and humiliation. @ I love the tranquillity of the countryside. TRAVESTY N. þ Syn. supernatural, mystical, divine comical parody, treatment aimed at making somethi ng appear ri di cul ous; something w hi ch fai ls to represent the val ues and qualities that it is intended to represent, in a way that is shocking or off ensi ve ¬ Ant. mundane, average, medi ocre þ Syn. charade, parody, farce @ Transcendental meditation has its own merits. @ The activist described the court ruling as a travesty of justice. TRANSGRESS V. TRANSGRESSION N. TREMULOUS Adj. to go against a rule, trespass; to break (a law or moral rule) shaking, quivering þ Syn. sin, lapse, do wrong þ Syn. unsteady, shaky ¬ Ant. behave, act, perf orm ¬ Ant. steady, firm, solid @ Those are the rul es and anyone w ho transgresses wi ll be severel y puni shed. @ The o l d man’s voi ce w a s tremul o us but hi s resol v e w as unw averi ng. TRANSIENT Adj. TRANSITORY Adj. TRENCHANT Adj. something temporary, lasting for only a short time, temporary þ Syn. brief, temporary, passing sharp, biting remark; (esp. of criticism, remarks, etc.) severe and expressed with force ¬ Ant. permanent, lasting, stable þ Syn. pointed, caustic @ It is an organisation set up to provide money and help for transi ents. ¬ Ant. benevolent TRANSCENDENT Adj. , TRANSCEND V. which rises above the level of ordinary reasoning; exceed, surpass TRANSLUCENT @ His most trenchant criticism is reserved for the party leader, in his opinion, “the most incompetent and ineffectual the party has known.” partial ly transparent þ Syn. diaphanous, glassy ¬ Ant. opaque @ The man was visible through the translucent shower curtain. TREPIDATION N. affliction, fear or anxiety about what is going to happen þ Syn. f ear, anxiety, concern ¬ Ant. equanimity, calmness, poise TRA NSMUTE to change in appearance or shape þ Syn. al ter, adapt ¬ Ant. fixed, irreversible @ In stages, the caterpillar transmuted into a beautiful butterfly. TRANSPIRE V. be revealed, happen; (of a fact which was secret or not known) to become known þ Syn. leak, come out @ No one is willing to predict what may transpire at the peace con f eren ce. TRAPPINGS N. outward decorations, ornaments, all the things that are part of or are typical of a particular job, situation or event @ There’s always a certain amount of trepidation when you’re starting a new job. TRIBULATIONS N. di stress, suff eri ng þ Syn. evils, harms, problems @ He is now at peace, those days of trials and tribulations are just a bad memory. TRIFLlNG of slight worth, trivial, insignificant þ Syn. unimportant, insignificant ¬ Ant. serious, considerable @ That little glitch in the computer program is a trifling error; normally it works really well.
þ Syn. accessories, frills @ He enjoyed the trappi ngs of pow er, such as a chauf f eur­ driven car and bodyguards. (174) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 TRITE Adj. TURBULENCE N. v e r y o r d i n a r y, c o m m o n p l a c e , u n e x c i t i n g ; e x p r e s s e d t o o frequently to be interesting or seem sincere state of violent agitation, a state of confusion and lack of order or strong uneven movements within air or water þ Syn. stale, tired, corny þ Syn. commotion, disorder ¬ Ant. original, novel, new ¬ Ant. calm, still, cool @ I find the words of love and peace in his lyrics too trite to be taken seriousl y. @ Due to the presence of terrorists and subversive elements, there is always turbulence in Kashmir and Assam. TRUCULENT Adj. , TRUCULENCE N. TURG ID Adj. aggressive and discourteous, bad­tempered and tending to argue a lot sw ol l en, b l oated, i nf l ated, p ompous; bombasti c ( of speech, writing, style etc.) þ Syn. hostil e, defiant, fractious þ Syn. pompous, dull, hard going ¬ Ant. friendly, gracious, open ¬ Ant. airy, fresh, light, open @ He was in a very truculent mood throughout the meeting. @ Her prose is too turgid for the common reader. TRUNCA TE TURPITUDE N. to cut off, shorten by cutting depravi ty, baseness, vil eness þ Syn. cut short, trim ¬ Ant. l engthen, extend @ The turpitude of chil d­molesters is sickening and deserves severe punishment. @ The mayor truncated his standard lengthy speech when he realised that the audience was in a hurry to go home. TUTELAGE N. TUTELARY Adj. TRYING – difficult to deal with guardianship, training, help; advice or teaching about how to do somethi ng þ Syn. taxing, demanding þ Syn. auspices, gui dance, support ¬ Ant. easy, painless @ She is learning classical music under the tutelage of Pandit J as r aj . @ Mi racul ousl y, she managed to fi ni sh the project under the most trying of circumstances. TYCOON N. TRYST N., V. meeti ng a business magnate, baron, big shot, capitalist, a person who has succeeded i n busi ness or i ndustry and has become very wealthy and powerful þ Syn. assignation, meeting þ Syn. magnate, mogul, industrialist @ This pl ace is a regul ar dating joi nt and w itnesses many a t r ys t s . @ This year has seen the rise of many business tycoons in diverse sectors. TUMID Adj. TYRANNY N. swollen, pompous, bombastic þ Syn. di stended, engorged, bloated oppression; government by a ruler or small group of people who have unlimited power and use it unfairly and cruelly ¬ A nt. shrunken,si mpl e,modest þ Syn. oppressi on, cruelty, autocracy @ Her tumid belly was a proof of her oncoming motherhood. ¬ Ant. liberty, freedom, autonomy @ Even in this age, there are tyrannies in many countries. TUMULT N. commotion, riot, noise, a loud noise, esp. that produced by an excited crowd or a state of confusion, change or uncertainty TYRO N. þ Syn. uproar, clamor, din þ Syn. novi ce, learner, trainee ¬ Ant. peace, calm, quiet ¬ Ant. expert, old hand @ You c ou l d n' t he a r h e r s p e ak o ve r th e tu m u l t f ro m th e screaming fans. @ A tyro cannot command the price of a master.
a beginner, a novice TURBID Adj. muddy, thick, disordered; (of a liquid) not transparent because of suspended matter þ Syn. di rty ¬ Ant. clear, obvious, lucid @ The once­clear waters of the lake have become turbid with microscopic algae. IC : PTpntvb01 (175) of (188) “U”
UBIQUITOUS Adj. UNBRIDLED Adj. th i n g w hi ch s eem s to be p res en t eve ry w h ere , w i des pr ea d, common, omnipresent which is not controlled, free, excessive, unrestrained, violent þ Syn. ever­present, everyw here ¬ Ant. contained, limited, enclosed ¬ Ant. rare, scarce, sporadic @ Unbridled constructions are turning cities into ghettos. þ Syn. uninhibited, unconcealed @ Corruption is a ubiquitous phenomenon around the world. UNCANNY Adj. ULTERIOR Adj. hidden or secret, covert, secondary; ( esp. of a reason f or a particular action) secret þ Syn. concealed, secret, underhanded mysterious, astonishing, strange, bizarre, strange or mysterious, difficult or impossible to explain þ Syn. eerie, weird, strange, mysterious @ It’s uncanny how much you and Radhika look like sisters. ¬ Ant. transparent, see­through, clear @ He claims that his attempts to depose the leader were only for the good of the party but I suspect he may have had some ulterior motive. UNCONSCIONABLE unscrupulous, shockingly unfair or unjust þ Syn. immoral, unprincipled UMBRAGE N. to take umbrage, to feel insulted, to feel upset or annoyed þ Syn. offense, pique, indignation @ The minister took umbrage to the article. ¬ Ant. ethical, acceptable @ The president's betrayal of his employees who had worked hard to get him elected was unconscionable. UNCOUTH Adj. UMPTEEN Adj. ru de , i m po l i t e, a ud ac i ou s; l ac ki ng gr ac e, p ol i te ne ss a nd a pl easant appearance; rude and unpl easant very large number, many þ Syn. boorish, coarse, uncivilised @ I have reminded them umpteen number of times but to no avai l . ¬ Ant. sophisti cated, poli te, courteous UNABASHED Adj. not ashamed, blatant, barefaced, shameless, impudent, without any worry about possible criticism or embarrassment þ Syn. brazen, blatant, f orward, brash ¬ Ant. modest, coy, demure, dismayed @ He w as quite unabashed i n admi tting hi s need f or cheap publicity to retain his position in the film industry. UNA DULTERATED @ An uncouth marketing manager will soon get the boot. UNCTUOUS Adj. oily, bland, insincerely suave; full of praise, interest, friendliness, etc. that is unpleasant because it is false þ Syn. sycophantic, grovell ing, creepy @ The salesman was unctuous and glib, hoping to sell us his products. UNDERHAND Adj. absolutely pure c ra f t y, c r o o k e d , d e c e p t i v e , d o n e s e c r e t l y a n d s o m e t i m e s dishonestly, in order to achieve an advantage þ Syn. undiluted, original þ Syn. devious, dishonest ¬ Ant. degrade, debase ¬ Ant. aboveboard @ Only bottles containing drinking water that is unadulterated with chemicals should be labelled "pure". @ The underhand dealings of bankers, bureaucrats and brokers led to the Bombay Bank scam. UNANIMITY UNDERMINE state of total agreement or unity to sabotage, thwart þ Syn. accord, harmony þ Syn. threaten, compromise ¬ Ant. disagreement, division ¬ Ant. enhance, improve @ The unanimity of the council on this issue was surprising; I never thought they'd be able to agree on it. @ Rumours of his infidelity undermined the star's marriage, and it eventually ended in divorce. UNAPPEALING UNDERSCORE V. unattractive, unpleasant accentuate, hi ghli ght, focus þ Syn. uninvi ting, unfascinating þ Syn. underline, emphasise ¬ Ant. attractive, fascinati ng @ U nderscori ng the need f or greater transparency i n stock trading, the minister launched the BOLT on the BSE.
@ The fish dish looked so unappealing that Jitendra could not bring himself to taste it. (176) of (188)
IC : PTpntvb01 UNDERWRITE V. UNISON N. to i nsure, give guarantee for, certif y, endorse unity of pitch, complete accord, in unison, together; at the same time þ Syn. guarantee, countersi gn, fund @ If a company underwri tes an i nsurance pol icy, someone's property, etc., they have an agreement to pay out money in case of damage or loss. þ Syn. agreement, harmony, unanimity ¬ Ant. dispute, argument, friction @ The international community must act in unison if we are to find a lasting resolution to this problem. UNDULATE V. UNDULATING Adj. move with a wavelike motion UNKEMPT Adj. @ The crowd was undulating behind him, as he led them in an unusual walking prayer. di shevell ed, with uncared­f or appearance þ Syn. tousled, messy, scruffy ¬ Ant. tidy, neat, shipshape, organi sed UNEQUIVOCAL Adj. @ He always looks unkempt, as if he's just got out of bed. cl ear, easi l y understood, unambi guous; total or ( expressed) without any doubt þ Syn. explicit, obvi ous, definite UNMITIGATED Adj. unrelieved; immoderate; absolute ¬ Ant. equivocal , vague, unclear @ The union's unequivocal rejection of the latest pay offer will almost certainly lead to further strikes. þ Syn. categorical, complete, total ¬ Ant. partial, limited @ His unmitigated enthusiasm lifted our spirits. UNFLINCHING Adj. solemn, stoic, unemotional, dignified; not frightened of or trying to avoid danger or unpleasantness UNPRECEDENTED Adj. þ Syn. unwavering, constant, resolute þ Syn. extraordinary, unrivall ed, excepti onal @ Only with an unflinching desire for perfection can an artist create masterpieces. ¬ Ant. normal, common novel; unparallel @ In an unprecedented move, the company deci ded to close the loss­making factories. UNGAINLY Adj. awkward, graceless in movement UNRAVEL V. þ Syn. clumsy, lumbering, mean ¬ Ant. elegant, refined, poi sed di sentangle, sol ve; (of a pi ece of w ool len or woven cloth) to separate into threads @ He is in this ungainly position out of his own doing. þ Syn. loosen, untangle, unstitch @ She takes a very long time to unravel her tangled hair. UNIMPEACHABLE Adj. blameless and exemplary; (of a person's character) completely honest and moral UNREQUITED Adj. þ Syn. faultless, flawless, impeccable @ She suffers in unrequited love. not reci procated ¬ Ant. shameful, disgraceful, appalling @ He has an unimpeachable record of services to the cause of the chari ty. UNRULY Adj. wild, with no discipline, defiant; difficult to control and not tending to obey rules þ Syn. boisterous, disobedient, wild ¬ Ant. well­behaved, dutiful, polite @ The unruly crowd of demonstrators suddenly turned riotous as the police appeared. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . (b ) transgress transi ent trepidation turpi tude ubiquitous everywhere at once not lasting long f e a r wickedness vi ol ate
1 . ( e ) 3 . (c ) 4 . (d ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 . ( a ) Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test IC : PTpntvb01 (177) of (188) UNSEEMLY Adj. UPSHOT N. unbecoming, indecent þ Syn. rude, uncouth, indecorous outcome; something which happens as a result of other actions, events or decisions ¬ Ant. proper, correct, suitable, right þ Syn. result, ef fect, end @ Due to an unseemly act of his, he has earned a bad name. @ T he u ps h ot o f th e d i s cu s si on s i s th at th er e w i l l be n o redundancies. UNTENABLE Adj. indefensible, not able to be maintained URBANE Adj. þ Syn. refutable, flimsy, implausible sophisticated, cultured; (esp. of a man) confident, comfortable and polite in social situations ¬ Ant. tenable, defensible þ Syn. suave, refined, cultured, stylish @ The w itness gave such an untenable account of her stand that the judge ruled it as inadmissible. ¬ Ant. simple, primitive, unrefined @ The so­called urbane class of our society does not know the ground realities of our country. UNTOWARD Adj. u n f o r t u n a t e , a n n o y i n g ; u n e x p e c t e d a n d i n c o n v e n i e n t o r unpl easant þ Syn. troublesome, awkward ¬ Ant. appropriate, suitable, ri ght, apt @ Unless anything untoward happens we should be there just before mi dday. UNWARRANTED Adj. w hi ch i s not justi f i ed, unreasonabl e, undue, l acki ng a good reason, unnecessary USURP V. to take possession by force; to take ( control or a position of power), esp. without having the right to þ Syn. seize, take, assume, grab ¬ Ant. admit defeat, submit, yield @ The land mafia are usurping the open plots in our cities. UTILITARIAN Adj. practical, accessible, within reach þ Syn. gratuitous, needl ess, uncalled for þ Syn. useful, practical, functional ¬ Ant. needed, essential, requi red ¬ Ant. ineffecti ve, futile, i nadequate @ Cel ebri ti es have to f ace unwarranted i ntrusion i nto thei r private li ves. @ A utilitarian attitude in life does not bring happiness. UTOPIA N. UNWIELDY Adj. large and awkward; (of an object) di fficult to move or handle because it is heavy @ All PSU s are not unwi eldy; some are market­fri endly and flexibl e too. an imaginary ideal place; (the idea of ) a perfect society in which everyone works well with each other and is happy @ To think of eradication of poverty in India is to chase utopia. UXORIOUS Adj. submissively fond of a wife UNWITTING Adj. unintentional, not knowing, without knowing or planning þ Syn. ignorant, innocent, unconscious ¬ Ant. cauti ous, cagey, circumspect @ The two women claimed they were the unwitting victims of a drugs dealer who planted a large quantity of heroin in their l uggage. UPBRAID V. to scold severely þ Syn. tell off, reproach, rebuke @ In her newspaper articles she consistently upbraided those in authority who overstepped their limits. UPROARIOUS Adj. marked by commotion, extremely funny, very noisy þ Syn. hilarious, a hoot, hysterical @ The New Year’s party was an uproarious affair and a huge success. (178) of (188) @ He was so uxorious that he thought it an honour to be called henpecked.
Ajeeta Kahale
IIFT, XLRI, FMS
The comprehensive
course material helped
me prepare thoroughly
for CAT. The tricks
gi ven by fac ult ies
helped me a lot to
remember and recall
the words. It was a
great experience being
with PT. Thanks!
IC : PTpntvb01 “V”
VACILLATE V. VANITY N. to waver, to hesitate; to be uncertain what to do or to change frequently between two opinions pride, disdain, narcissism, þ Syn. hesitate, dither, f luctuate ¬ Ant. humility, humbleness, meekness ¬ Ant. decide, choose, determine, elect @ The entire cosmetic industry survives because of vanity. @ T h e v a c i l l a t i n g a t t i t u d e o f t h e g o v e r n m e n t o n P S U privatisation will help no one. VACUOUS Adj. w i th n o me an i n g, s i l l y, va can t, n ot e xp re ss i n g or s ho w i ng intelligent thought or purpose þ Syn. empty­headed, stupid, inane ¬ Ant. bright, brilliant, intense, dazzling @ Family planning and poverty reduction slogans are becoming vacuous in our country. VAGARY N. oddity, whim, impulse, caprice @ Vagaries of the monsoon still determine India’s fate. VAGRANT Adj. wandering, gypsy, nomadic, a person who is poor and does not have a home or job, þ Syn. nomadic, itinerant, roaming @ Vagrants and drunks hang around the bars at the end of the s t re e t . þ Syn. conceit, arrogance, egotism, airs VANQUISH to conquer, defeat þ Syn. beat, annihi late ¬ Ant. create, build @ Napoleon was vanquished by the E ngl ish at the Battl e of Water l oo. VAPID Adj. dul l , a bsent mi nd ed, s i l l y, bor i ng; hav i ng n o i m agi na ti on or excitement þ Syn. insipid, lifeless, weak, watery, flat ¬ Ant. lively, sparkling, vivacious @ Audiences will never listen to vapid presentations or talks. VARIEGATED Adj. , VARIEGATION Adj. Many­coloured; a pattern of different colours, especially yellow, white or red, on the leaves of a plant þ Syn. spotted, dappled, f lecked ¬ Ant. uniform, identical, even, regular @ The gypsies wear variegated cl othes. VAINGLORIOUS Adj. boastful ; excessi vel y conceited VAUNTED Adj. @ The actress turned out to be vainglori ous and arrogant in att i tud e. boasted; bragged; highly publicised VA LIDA TE þ Syn. flaunt, brag, extol @ The much­vaunted movi e f ail ed to get even a decent first week collection. to authorise, certify, confirm þ Syn. substanti ate, authenticate ¬ Ant. invali date, reject @ The employee validated my guest pass so that I could enter the park for free. VEER V. change in direction þ Syn. turn, swerve, change direction @ Manic depressives may veer back and forth between periods of manic behaviour and normality. VALOUR N. b r av e r y VEGETATE V. @ Rani Lakshmi Bai’s valour in the battle against the British has gone down in history. live in a monotonous way, to live in a way that lacks physical and mental activity þ Syn. sit around, stagnate, loaf, kill time VAMPIRE N. ghostly being that sucks the blood of living beings @ A rep ort ha s s how n t hat ch i l d ren sp end to o m uch ti me vegetating in front of the TV when they come home from school . þ Syn. leech, parasite, tick, mosquito @ The most famous vampire is Count Dracula of Transylvania in the stories of Bram Stoker. VANGUARD N. forerunners; advance forces, esp. an army or figuratively, who are making changes or developments þ Syn. frontl ine, precursor, f orerunner VEHEMENCE N. , VEHEMENT N. forceful way; f ierce, furious þ Syn. intensity, fervour, vi olence ¬ Ant. indi fference, unresponsiveness, apathy, unconcern @ The vehemence of the Narmada Bachao Andolan took the government by surprise.
@ Our environment group has always been in the vanguard of all movements related to environment and ecology. IC : PTpntvb01 (179) of (188)
VEHEMENTLY VERACIOUS Adj. VERACITY N. strongl y, urgently truthf ul, legiti mate, factual; truthf ulness þ Syn. forcef ully, frantically þ Syn. trustw orthy ¬ Ant. in a laid­back manner, impassively ¬ Ant. deceitful, dishonest, lying @ Ritika vehemently denied the accusation that she had cheated in the test. @ She proposed hi s name f or the promotion because of hi s v erac i ty. VENAL Adj. VERBA TIM Adj. who will take a bribe, fraudulent, evil word for word, using exactly the same words as were originally us ed @ The w hol e o f the go vernmen t machi nery has appare ntl y become venal. þ Syn. precisely, l iterally, accurately ¬ Ant. approxi mately, around, nearly VENDETTA N. private quarrel between families @ He kept verbatim transcripts of discussions with his friends so he could use them in his next novel. þ Syn. quarrel, dispute, hostilities @ He saw himself as the victim of a personal vendetta being waged by his political enemies. VERBIAGE N. VENEER N. @ His explanation was wrapped up in so much technical verbiage that I simply couldn’t understand it. thin layer, cover; a thin layer of decorative wood or plastic used to cover a cheaper material l an g ua ge w h i ch i s v e ry co m pl i c a te d a n d co n ta i ns a l o t o f unnecessary words þ Syn. facing, finish, surface, layer VERBOSE Adj. @ Lamination gave it a fine veneer. using more words than necessary @ She managed to hide her corrupt dealings under a veneer of respectabi li ty. þ Syn. wordy, effusive, loquaci ous VENERABLE Adj. VENERATE V. ¬ Ant. taciturn, reti cent, reserved @ He w as notorious for bei ng a verbose and rather tedi ous after­di nner speaker. deserving high respect (due to age or wisdom) þ Syn. renowned, honoured, eminent VERDANT ¬ Ant. disreputabl e, di shonourable green with vegetation, inexperienced @ He w as a ve nerabl e man, mu ch soug ht af ter by var i ous compani es. þ Syn. grassy, flourishing VENERATION ¬ Ant. experienced, barren @ He w and ered dee p i nt o th e ve rdan t w oo ds i n se arch of mushrooms and edible flora. adoration, honour þ Syn. reverence, respect VERIFIED ¬ Ant. insult, disdain proven true @ In traditional Indian society, the young treat their elders with ven erati on. þ Syn. substantiated, confirmed VENIAL Adj. ¬ Ant. refuted, deni ed @ Before you publish that information, please have it verified by the right authority. forgivable, trivial, not serious and therefore easily forgivable @ T h e o r t h od o x y, n a r r ow ­ m i n de d n e s s a n d r i g i d i t y o f t h e illiterates are venial but what about the literates? VERISIMILITUDE N. VERISIMILAR Adj. appearance of being true, likelihood VENOM N. @ She has included photographs and reproductions of letters in the book to lend verisimilitude to her story­telling. poison, toxin, bane, acrimony, ill will, malice; a poisonous liquid which some snakes, insects, etc. produce when biting or stinging VERITABLE Adj. VERITY N. þ Syn. poison, toxin, bane, malice, spite actual; not false or imaginary ¬ Ant. antidote, cure, remedy, solution @ On stage, she is a veritable actress, dazzling the audience with her performance. @ A vacci ne has been created for people who are allergic to bee stings, which uses the venom extracted from bees. VERMIN VENT N. small creatures offensive to humans, worthless person small opening, outlet; a small opening which allows air, smoke or gas to enter or escape from an enclosed space þ Syn. obnoxious person, the hoi polloi þ Syn. expel, voice, emit, utter, declare @ Neeti called the exterminator to fumigate her vermin­ infested apartment.
¬ Ant. repress, stifle, restrain, constrain @ The closed vent in the cellar caused humidity. (180) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 VERNACULAR N., Adj. VIABLE li vi ng l anguage, natural style; the form of a language that a regional group of speakers use naturally workable, able to succeed or grow þ Syn. dialect, language, lingo, argot ¬ Ant. impracticable, improbable @ His lively vernacular style goes down well with the younger vi ew ers. @ I don't thi nk your pl an to increase sal es by sendi ng f ree samples to every household is viable. VERNAL VICARIOUS Adj. related to spring indirectly felt; experienced by watching, listening to or reading about the activities of other people. ¬ Ant. autumnal @ Bindu basked in the balmy vernal breeze, happy that winter was at last coming to an end. þ Syn. feasible, possible þ Syn. explicit, shocking, vivid, juicy ¬ Ant. bland, insipid, weak, tasteless @ They get a vicarious thrill from watching motor racing. VERSATILE adaptable, al l­purpose VICIOUS Adj. þ Syn. flexible, multifaceted evil, wild, violent, fierce, having or showing an intention or desire to hurt very badly ¬ Ant. rigid, limited @ This versatile little gadget can be used to dice vegetables, open cans, and even whip cream! þ Syn. ferocious, inhuman, sadistic ¬ Ant. cheerful, friendly, kind, happy @ A life of vice has a vicious end. VERVE N. enthusiasm, liveli ness, great energy VICISSITUDE N. þ Syn. vitality, energy, vigour, dash, life variation in luck, change of fortune ¬ Ant. lethargy, weari ness, tiredness @ V i c i s s i t u d e t u r n s s o m e t o d u s t a n d o t h e r s t o m e n o f determi nati on. @ Her lectures were full of verve and wit which the students enjoyed i mmensely. VIE V. VESTIGE N. contend; compete trace, remains, shadow; a still existing small part or amount of something larger þ Syn. contest, fight, grapple þ Syn. mark, indication, hint, evidence @ There is no vestige of hope that the missing children will be found alive. @ It is amusing to watch the antics of some stars as they vie for attenti on. VIGILANT attenti ve, w atchful VETO V. to reject formally N. – rejection, dismissal þ Syn. observant, alert þ Syn. deny, turn down ¬ Ant. negligent, inattentive ¬ Ant. approval, authori sati on @ Fearful that the new law would be used to reduce her powers, the president vetoed it. @ Air traffic controllers must be vigilant in order to ensure that planes do not collide with one another. VIGNETTE N. VEX N. picture; short literary sketch annoy; distress @ The star of yesteryears stil l looked stunning in her l atest vi gne tt e. þ Syn. irritate, enrage, nettle ¬ Ant. placate, mollify, appease @ You will vex the teacher if you keep talking in the class. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . ( e ) ve rb os e vernacul ar ve sti ge v e x viabl e capable of living ann oy last trace w ordy slang 1 . (d ) 3 . (c ) 4 . (b ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 .(a )
Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test IC : PTpntvb01 (181) of (188) VILE Adj. VIRULENCE N. VIRULENT Adj. extremely unpleasant, wicked, wretched, evil great strength; extremel y poisonous þ Syn. depraved, base, degraded, foul @ As a virulent critic of the ruling party, he has made himself very unpopular in certain circles. ¬ Ant. high quality, superior, excellent @ He is a man of vile intentions. VISAGE N. VILIFY V. VILIFICATION N. appearance, expressi on, aspect, the face slander; to say or write unpleasant things about (someone or something) þ Syn. f eatures, f acade @ His stern visage concealed a soft and loving heart. þ Syn. speak ill of, malign, denigrate ¬ Ant. compliment, praise, tribute VISCERAL Adj. @ During elections, the candidates are busy vilifying each other in order to grab votes. felt in one’s inner organs; based on deep feeling and emotional reactions rather than on reason or thought þ Syn. intuitive, animal, primeval, gut VIM ¬ Ant. factual, accurate, reali stic energy, enthusiasm @ The infection seems to be visceral. þ Syn. verve, vi gour ¬ Ant. inability, incapacity VISCOUS @ The sprightly old woman, still full of vim and vigour, walked four miles every day. thick, syrupy, and sticky þ Syn. viscid, gluey ¬ Ant. watery, free­flow ing VINDICATE V. to justif y, maintain, warrant, argue, to show to be free from guilt or blame þ Syn. claim, exonerate, defend, prove @ The CE O’s f ai th i n hi s manager w as vi ndi cated af ter the stupendous success of the new marketing plan. @ The viscous sap trickled slowly down the trunk of the tree. VITIATE V. spoil the effect of; make inoperative Our economic growth has been vitiated by the rise in population. VINDICATION VITREOUS Adj. clearance from blame or suspicion, proof of truth like glass þ Syn. amnesty, absolution @ The bizarre stone is vitreous in structure. ¬ Ant. conviction, condemnation @ Many years af ter he w as unjustly accused of treason, the new evidence provided ample vindication of his innocence. VITRIOLIC Adj. very vi olent, rude, caustic þ Syn. spiteful, hurtful , acerbic, bitter VINDICTIVE Adj. ¬ Ant. kind, type, style, sort, class wanting to take revenge, spitef ul, revengef ul, @ He launched a vitriolic attack on the prime minister, accusing him of shielding corrupt friends. þ Syn. malicious, bitter, mean ¬ Ant. forgiving, compassionate, kind @ In the film ‘Cape Fear,’ a lawyer’s family is threatened by a vindictive former prisoner. VITUPERATE to abuse verbally þ Syn. berate, condemn VINTAGE N. ¬ Ant. praise, laud old, antique; group of things or people active during the same particular period; the wine made in a particular year @ The crabby old man vituperated his wife for forgetting to buy his favourite breakfast cereal. þ Syn. period, age, epoch, traditional @ He possesses both vintage cars and vintage wine. VITUPERATION N. VITUPERATIVE Adj. abuse, insulting words; abusive, scolding VIRILE Adj. , VIRILITY Adj. manly, mascul ine, stalw art; strength (of a man, esp. a young man) @ In this role, Shahrukh is a virile tycoon bent on having his w a y. @ When his proposal was rejected by the committee, he became more vituperative. VIVACIOUS Adj. lively, scintillating, attractively full of energy and enthusiasm þ Syn. cheerful, spirited, chirpy VIRTUOSO N. ¬ Ant. relaxed, leisurely, lazy, lethargic person skilled in an art, expert, master @ Apart from being beautiful and savvy, an aspirant to beauty contests should be vivacious.
þ Syn. genius, performer, maestro @ Famous mainly for his wonderful voice, Kishore Kumar was also a virtuoso performer on screen and on stage. (182) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01 VIVID Adj. VOLLEY impressive, expressive, very brightly coloured; (of descriptions, memories, etc.) producing very clear, powerful and detailed images in the mind flight of missiles, round of gunshots þ Syn. bright, glowing, brilliant þ Syn. torrent, barrage @ The troops fired a volley at the enemy, but they could not be sure how many of the bullets found their targets. ¬ Ant. boring, dark, stupid, tedious @ The leader of the Antarctica expedition gave vivid descriptions of the trip. VOLUBLE N. who speaks easily with a lot of words þ Syn. fl uent, articulate, verbose VIXEN N. @ Only voluble comperes can be successful in TV talk shows . female fox, ill­tempered woman @ It is surprising that such a knowledgable, sober, intelligent woman in the office can turn into a vixen at home. VOLUMINOUS large, having great volume VOCIFEROUS Adj. þ Syn. sizeable, immense clamorous, noisy, repeatedly expressing opinions and complaints in speech ¬ Ant. tiny, tight­fitting þ Syn. voluble, enthusiastic, noisy @ The bride's voluminous dress trailed several yards behind her as she walked down the aisle. ¬ Ant. quiet, calm, silence, hush, peace @ Local activist groups have become increasingly vociferous as the volume of traffic passing through the village has grown. VORACIOUS Adj. greedy, gluttonous, hungry þ Syn. avi d, big, hungry, ravenous @ Usually, voracious readers find it easy to clear CAT. VOGUE N. fashion, populari ty, craze þ Syn. trend, rage, mode, fad, style VORTEX N. @ Body piercing is out of vogue these days. whirlwind, whirlpool, centre of turbulence, predicament into which one is inexorably plunged þ Syn. eddy, whirlpool, current VOID @ The vortex of a tornado tends to be very calm. emptiness, vacuum þ Syn. empty space, blankness ¬ Ant. filled up, stuffed VULNERABLE Adj. @ The astronauts released their shuttle's ancillary rockets and watched them drift off into the void. weak, unprotected; physically, emotionally or mentally hurt easily; infl uenced or attacked þ Syn. susceptibl e, weak, defenseless VOLITION N. ¬ Ant. impervious, impermeable, solid wish, initiative, ambition, the power to make your own decisions @ The troops were in a vulnerable position, completely exposed to attack from the air. þ Syn. decision, desi re, preference ¬ Ant. compulsion, bullying, cruelty @ The minister wished it to be known that he had left the cabinet of his own volition. VYING Adj. rival, competing, opposing @ MNCs are vying for the mega projects in our country. Mini Re vision Test Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column. a . b . c . d . e . 2 . ( a ) vi cari ous vi cissitude vil ify vindi cate vi ndi cti ve upheaval clear from suspicion seeki ng revenge defame experienced through an oth er 1 . ( e ) 3 . (d ) 4 . (b ) 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 5 . (c )
Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test IC : PTpntvb01 (183) of (188) “W”, “X”, “Y” and “Z”
W
WAFFLE N. to talk or write a lot without giving any useful information or any clear answers þ Syn. gobbledygook, rubbish @ The Presi dent has been w af f l i ng on thi s i ssue, probabl y because he is still uncertain about what to do. WANGLE V. wiggle out, fake, achieve by trickery þ Syn. contrive, mani pulate, devise @ Th e st ud en ts de ci de d ei t he r to w a ng l e a n i nv i t at i o n or gatecrash the New Year’s party. WANTON Adj. unrestrained, wilfully malicious, unchaste þ Syn. gratuitous, reckless, wilful WAFT V. ¬ Ant. justifi ed, correct, acceptable to carry or f loat gentl y or l ightl y through the ai r or over the w ater @ He spends whatever he earns in a wanton manner. þ Syn. drift, float, fan, blow, breath WARRANT V. WARRANTED Adj. @ Sounds wafting across the lake create a romantic feeling. justify, authorise; to make (a particular activity) necessary þ Syn. merit, deserve, demand, justify WAGGISH Adj. mischievous; humorous; tricky @ The responsibility of the post warrants my twenty­four hour readiness for the job. þ Syn. roguish, playful, comical @ His waggish attitude lands him in trouble with the authorities. WARRA NTY guarantee of a product's soundness WAIF N. þ Syn. assurance, promise homeless child or animal; a child or animal which does not receive enough care @ I can't believe that the warranty on this car ran out two days before it broke down. þ Syn. stray, soul, thing, urchin, orphan @ The hostel is designed to give a bed for the night to homeless people and other waifs and strays. WARY Adj. WAIVE V. þ Syn. cautious, distrustful, guarded to give up a claim to, postpone, delay; to not demand (something you have a right to) ¬ Ant. slapdash, casual, uncaring þ Syn. surrender, give up, put aside very cautious, not completely trusting or certain about something or someone @ She's been a bit wary of dogs ever since one bi t her as a chi ld. ¬ Ant. put into effect, implement, inflict @ They have waived the fine in view of your past record. WASTREL N. profligate, one who does nothing positive with one’s life WALLOW V. þ Syn. spendthrift, compulsive shopper roll in, indulge in, become helpless; to lie or roll about slowly in deep wet earth, sand or water @ His son turned to be a wastrel who drank and gambled away the family fortune. þ Syn. flounder, stumble, lurch, stagger @ I wallowed through the muddy ravine up to the hill. WAX V. increase, grow WAN Adj. þ Syn. polish, shine, buff, increase pale, colourless, sickly; (of a person's face) paler than usual and tired­looking @ Due to her hardwork and zeal, her career was always waxing. þ Syn. pallid, ashen, feeble, weak WAYLAY V. @ He would remember the child's wan face at the window, waving at him. ambush, lie in wait WANE V. þ Syn. accost, intercept, surprise, stop @ The underworld mafia of Mumbai can waylay and kill anybody anyti me. grow gradually smaller, weaken in strength or influence þ Syn. diminish, get smaller, disappear WA YWA RD ¬ Ant. shi ne, buf f, expand, enl arge errati c, unrestrained, reckless @ By the late seventies the band's popularity was beginning to w an e. þ Syn. wilful, unmanageable ¬ Ant. well­behaved, docile @ Mr. Sharma’s wayw ard son squandered hi s inheri tance and got into trouble with the law.
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IC : PTpntvb01 WEAN V. WILFUL Adj. accustom a baby not to nurse, give up a cherished activity intentional, headstrong; determined to do exactly as one wants, even if it is known to be wrong @ She decided to wean herself away from the habit of taking tea frequently. þ Syn. stubborn, obstinate, unruly ¬ Ant. instinctive, spontaneous, refl ex WEATHER V. endure the effects of weather or other forces, the conditions in the air above the Earth such as wind, rain or temperature @ The present crisis is the result of years of wilful neglect by the council. þ Syn. climate, conditions, withstand WILY Adj. @ He has learnt to weather the vagaries of both climate and fortune. cunning, artful; (of a person) clever þ Syn. crafty, sl y, devious WELTER N. ¬ Ant. open, unlock, begin, start turmoil, bewildering jumble; a large and esp. not well organised number (of things) @ In money matters, she is very wily. þ Syn. flurry, jumble, mass, confusion WINCE V. @ The welter of complicated process and paperwork precludes high collection of income tax revenues. shrink back, flinch, to show pain briefly and suddenly in the face WHEEDLE V. þ Syn. flinch, cringe, start, make a face @ It makes me wince even thinking about eye operations. cajole, coax, deceive by flattery; to try to persuade (someone) to do (something) by praising them or being intentionally charming WINDFALL N. þ Syn. inveigle, charm, persuade, talk fallen fruit, unexpected lucky event @ She’s one of those children who can wheedle you into giving her anything she wants. þ Syn. bonus, boon, extra, premium WHELP N. WINNOW V. young of a carnivorous animal like a wolf, dog, tiger etc. sift, separate good parts from bad @ It will be very difficult to look after the whelp as a pet. @ After several rounds of talks, they winnowed down the list of candidates to three. @ The inheritance was a windfall for him. WHET V. sharpen, excite, stimul ate, arouse WINSOME Adj. þ Syn. sharpen, file, increase, arouse agreeable, gracious, engaging; (esp. of people) attractive and pleasing @ I read a brief extract of his new novel on the train and it has whetted my appetite for the book. þ Syn. charming, pleasant, endearing ¬ Ant. repellant, disgusting, revolting WHIFF N. @ By his winsome approach, he made friends wherever he went. puff or gust of air, scent etc., hint, a brief smell, carried on a current of air WISPY Adj. þ Syn. smell, aroma, scent, hint, trace thin, slight, barely discernible @ He starts working as a detective on the slightest whiff of a myst ery. þ Syn. f eathery, fi ne WHIMSICAL Adj. WHIMSY N. WISTFUL Adj. capricious, fanciful; unusual and strange in a way that might be amusing or annoying vaguely longing, sadly pensive þ Syn. fanciful, capricious, unusual @ He was a whimsical guy, constantly changing his priorities in life. @ Her wispy hair was all ruffled in the wind. þ Syn. melancholy, refl ective ¬ Ant. satisfied, content, pleased @ As his granddaughter talked about her life in the theatre, he began to grow wistful about his own days as an actor. WHIT N. smallest speck WITHER V. þ Syn. scrap, speck, shred shrivel, decay; (to cause) to become weak and dry and decay ¬ Ant. overabundance, profusi on þ Syn. wilt, shrink, droop, fade @ His absence didn’t make a whit of difference to the group. ¬ Ant. bloom, blossom, flower, flourish WHITTLE V. @ Plants can wither both in strong sunlight and with excessive w ateri ng.
cut of f bits; to make ( somethi ng) out of a piece of w ood by cutting off small thin pieces þ Syn. carve, cut, shape, fashion @ He whittled a piece from the bark of the tree. IC : PTpntvb01 (185) of (188) WITHHOLD V. WONT N. refuse to give; hold back custom, practice, habit þ Syn. stop, retain, hide þ Syn. accustomed, inclined, routine ¬ Ant. give in, divulge @ The voters are wont to change their mind at the last minute. @ We decided to withhold the wages till the workers completed their assigned tasks. WOO V. WITLESS Adj. lure, solicit; to attempt to obtain the support of (someone) by persuasi on foolish, idiotic, stupid or lacking intelligence þ Syn. court, enti ce, pursue, flatter þ Syn. pointless, unintelligent, clueless ¬ Ant. di shearten, dissuade, deter @ His witless statements show that he is a foolish man. @ The party has been trying to woo the voters with promises of electoral reform. WITTICISM N. witty saying, facetious remark, a remark that is both clever and humorous þ Syn. quip, joke, clever remark @ The best man’s speech contained all sorts of witticisms about the bridegroom. WRANGLE N. argument; dispute (esp. one which continues for a long period of time) þ Syn. argue, dispute, quarrel, battle @ The joint venture ended in a legal wrangle between the two compani es. WIZARDRY N. sorcery, magi c; the skil l of a w i zard or fi gurativel y cl ever or surprising ways of doing things WRATH N. @ Using their new high­tech wizardry, the police were able to locate the owners of the stolen property within hours. þ Syn. rage, fury great anger @ He incurred the wrath of many people in the acting world by saying there was a marked lack of talented young actors. WIZENED Adj. dried up, shrivelled, withered WREAK V. þ Syn. wrinkled, lined, aged ¬ Ant. smooth, flat, soft, charming inf lict, to cause (something) to happen in a viol ent and of ten uncontrolled way @ Even at 70, he has not wizened. þ Syn. cause, do, inflict @ I knew he would wreak his vengeance when he was out of the prison. WOEFUL Adj. WOE N. mournful, pathetic, melancholy; very bad or (of something bad or unpleasant) very great or extreme WRENCH V. þ Syn. unhappy, doleful, sorrowful to twist or pull with force, take by violence ¬ Ant. cheerful, happy, jolly, smiling þ Syn. pull, tug, jerk, twist, seize, snatch @ When I saw her woeful face, I knew she had bad news. @ His hands had been tied behind his back but he managed to wrench one hand free and untie himself. A n a t o m y The following are 10 words that are related to the topic mentioned a bo ve . (186) of (188) A MB ULA TORY DEGLUTITION HYPERTROPHY INCONTINENCE LACUNA : : : : : MANDIBLE SOMA TIC TUMOR : : : ULCER : VESICLE : able to walk or move about the act or process of swallowing food abnormally large growth of a bodily organ the inability to control one’s bodily urges and functions cavity, hole or gap in a bone (or in a plan’s cellular tissue or a rock) the principle bone of the lower jaw pertaining to the body a swell ing of a part of body, caused by an abnormal growth of tissue an open sore on body (internal or external) caused by break in skin or mucous membrane any fluid­filled sac in the body
IC : PTpntvb01 WRIT N. legal paper ordering people to do or not to do something; citation, w arr ant þ Syn. summons, injunction YEN N. desire, appetite, craving, Japanese currency, a feeling of intense desire @ There have been at least seven writs issued against him for late payment of bills. þ Syn. urge, desire, craving, hankering WRITHE V. YELP – shriek, cry out with pain to distort the body, twitch, contort in pain þ Syn. screech, squeal þ Syn. squirm, wriggle, struggle, thrash @ When the dog was hit with a large stone, it yelped in pain. @ I have a yen for mountains and snow. @ She writhed at the thought of the horrific scene. YEOMAN N. WRY Adj. twisted, with a humorous twist; showing that you find a bad or difficult situation slightly amusing farmer wi th his own land; a man who w as not a servant and owned and cultivated an area of land @ He was no slave but an yeoman, humble despite his riches. þ Syn. ironic, cynical, sardonic, dry @ The captain had a wry smile on his face as the team caved in yet again despite his brilliant individual performance.
X
YOKE V. joi n together, uni te, a wooden bar whi ch is fastened over the necks of two animals þ Syn. repression, oppression, burden XENOPHOBIA N. @ All these dif ferent pol iti cal elements have somehow been yoked together to form a new alliance. di sl i ke and hatred for f orei gners; extreme di sli ke or f ear of foreigners, their customs, their religions etc. YOKEL N. þ Syn. chauvinism, racism ¬ Ant. broad­mi ndedness, acceptance country bumpkin, a stupid or awkward person who lives in the countryside rather than a town @ Xenophobic tendencies of the locals were well exploited by the politicians. þ Syn. Oaf, lout boor XYLOGRAPHY YORE N. wood engraving, especially of an early period time past, of a long time ago @ In the modern era of computerisation, xylography is becoming exti nct. @ Homer’s Iliad is an epic of the yore.
@ In his school days his classmates took him to be a yokel. Z
XYLOPHONE N. a musical instrument consisting of flat wooden bars of different lengths hit with a pair of sticks @ He plays the xylophone beauti fully.
ZANY Adj. absurd, preposterous, mad, crazy þ Syn. madcap, wacky, screwball Y
YACHT N. sailing boat, cruiser, craft, vessel, a boat with sails and sometimes an engine þ Syn. ship, cruiser, dinghy, f erry, craft @ More than 800 yachts from 26 classes are racing at Cowes this year. @ Many consider time travel to be a zany idea. ZEALOT N. enthusi ast, f anatic, crusader, a person who has very strong opinions about something and tries to make other people have them too þ Syn. supporter, bel iever, advocate ¬ Ant. scepti c, cynic, doubter @ The irrational religious zealots have shunned all approaches to peaceful talks. YARD – backyard, workshop þ Syn. courtyard, factory @ After all the passengers had alighted, the train was moved to the yard for cleaning and overhauling. YARN – thread used for weaving þ Syn. strand, string ZEALOUS Adj. fiery, loyal , enthusi astic, eager þ Syn. keen, passionate, extreme ¬ Ant. apathetic, uni nterested, droopy @ He has remained a zealous supporter of the government's policies.
@ Sweaters are made from yarns of wool. IC : PTpntvb01 (187) of (188) ZENITH N. ZING N. apex, acme, climax, crescendo, peak þ Syn. peak, summit, pinnacle, top spi rit, sparkle, li veli ness, vi gour, energy, a qual ity that makes something interesting or exciting; enthusiasm or energy ¬ Ant. nadir, bottom þ Syn. vitality, dynamism, vigour @ The newspaper reached its zenith in the 1960s but has since decli ned. ¬ Ant. apathy, l ethargy, l aziness, ennui ZEPHYR N. ZILCH N. the west wind, a mild gentle wind or breeze zero, nothing, none, no þ Syn. waft, gust, puff of air, draft þ Syn. zip, nil @ The zephyr, they say, brings romance with it. @ Avarice and litigation reduced his business to zilch. ZEST N. ZOOLOGIST – scientist who studies animals enthusiasm, zeal, passion, thri ll, eagerness, energy, interest @ The zoologist spent much of his career studying the social interaction among a group of chimpanzees. þ Syn. keenness, gusto, reli sh, appetite @ A bit of lemon juice will add zing to the sauce. ¬ Ant. apathy, lethargy, boredom, ennui @ After last week's defeat, the team seems to have recovered some of its zest. The SMS REMINDERS for EXAM NOTIFICATIONS
PT cares! Value added service for our PTzens. A unique SMS reminders for exam notifications (SREN) service where registered students will receive around 100 SMSs on issues like exam notifications, last dates for filling up application forms, exam reminders etc. related to MBA Entrance Tests. The process for the students to use this facility will be : 1. The st udent will regist er fo r t his facilit y t hr ough a link pro vided on www.PTeducation.com 2. He/she will update the mobile no. whenever it changes using this weblink itself 3. Students registering for SREN will automatically avail of this facility All the best ... Kar ke dikhayenge! P s ych olo gy The following are 10 words that are related to the topic mentioned a bo ve . (188) of (188) ANACLITIC CA TAP LEXY : : CAPRICIOUS : EMPA THY : EUPHORIA G ESTA LT : : LUDIC PLACEBO : : SUB LIMATE : SURROGA TE : dependent on another person a sudden paralysis of all voluntary movement, resulting in a collapse of the entire body given to sudden & unaccountable changes of mood or behavi our the ability to partici pate i n another person’s feeli ngs and experiences and to understand them a feeling of well­being happiness. uni f ied whole, especi al l y the human psyche, having properties distinct from the sum of its parts pertaining to play and playful curiosity a treatment that has no effect expect in the patient’s own mind to express repressed desires or wishes in acceptable forms a substitute IC : PTpntvb01