Unit Four Vocabulary

Grade Seven

1. alliance (n) a joining together for some common purpose

syn: pact, league, coalitionant: rift, splitEx. The companies formed

an alliance to go green and protect the environment.

2. bewilder (v) to puzzle completely, to confuse

syn: baffle, perplexant: set straight,

enlightenEx. The Sudoku

bewildered the student.

3. buffoon (n) a clown; a coarse, stupid person

syn: jester, foolEx. A buffoon may be

entertaining at a circus but would be out of place at a funeral.

4. controversial (adj) arousing argument, dispute, or disagreement

syn: arguable, debatableEx. The candidates discuss controversial subjects at a debate.

5. dishearten (v) to discouragesyn: dismay, demoralize,

dispiritant: encourage, heartenEx. Do not be disheartened

if you do not make the team. Try again next year.

6. fruitless (adj) not producing the desired result; unsuccessful

syn: useless, vain, unproductive, futileant: productive, effectiveEx. The fruitless attempt to

make the squad left the young player disheartened.

7. hostile (adj) unfriendly; unfavorable; warlike, aggressive

ant: friendly, cordial, peaceful

Ex. Opposing candidates appear hostile to each other.

8. inflammable (adj) easily set on fire; easily angered or aroused

syn: combustible, flammable, excitableant: fireproof, fire-resistant,

calmEx. The crowd of protestors was

inflammable. It took little to get them angry.

9.inflict (v) to give or cause something unpleasant; impose

syn: deal out, visit uponant: suffer, undergo, sustainEx. When the girl accidentally

touched the hot frying pan, pain was immediately inflicted on her hand.

10. malignant (adj) deadly, extremely harmful, evil; spiteful, malicious

syn: lethal, wickedant: wholesome, beneficial,

benignEx. Holes in the ozone are

having a malignant effect on the world.

11. mortify (v)to hurt someone’s feelings deeply; to cause embarrassment or humiliation; to subdue or discipline by self-denial or suffering

syn: humiliate, embarrass, abashEx. The boy was mortified when he

shot his first basket of the game in the wrong hoop.

12. orthodox (adj) in agreement with established or generally accepted beliefs or ways of doing things

syn: traditional, standard, customaryant: unusual, unconventional, hereticalEx. I will never drop in uninvited to

someone’s home. I have an orthodox view that one must be invited before appearing at someone’s door.

13. procure (v) to obtain through special effort; to bring about

syn: gain, acquire, achieveEx. The Drama Club procures

funding for each show from the profits from the previous show.

14. scurry (v) to run quickly, scamper, hurry

syn: rush, dash, scrambleant: trudge, plod, creep,

crawlEx. When playing dodge ball,

players scurry out of the way of a flying dodge ball.

15. sodden (adj) soaked with liquid or moisture; expressionless; dull; spiritless, listless

syn: drenched, waterlogged, saturated

ant: parched, aridEx. I became sodden quickly

during the deluge.

16. spirited (adj) full of life and vigor; courageous

syn: lively, animated, gallantant: lifeless, dull, lacklusterEx. The cheerleader was

spirited and motivated the team into a second effort to win the game.

17. virtual (adj) having a certain force or effect in fact but not in name; so close as to be equivalent to the real thing

syn: functioning as, equivalent toEx. Although he had not been

officially elected as class president, he ran everything already and was virtually the leader.

18. void (adj) completely empty; having no legal force or effect

(n) empty or unfilled space (v) to cancel or nullifysyn: (adj) invalid, vacant, bareant: (adj) in effect, teeming with (v) confirmEx. The Milky Way is not void; six

planets reside there.

19. wayward (adj) disobedient, willful; unpredictable, capricious

syn: perverseant: docile, well-behaved,

predictableEx. The untrained puppy was

wayward and chewed through many things.

20. wince (v) to draw back suddenly, as though in pain or fear

(n) the act of drawing back in this way

syn: (v) flinch, shudder, recoilEx. The girl winced when she

accidentally touched the hot frying pan.