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Succint
(adj) clearly expressed in few words; to the point. The president delivered powerful messages in clear, succinct speeches. Syn: concise, pithy. Ant: wordy; drawn-out
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Tundra
- (n) a treeless plain in arctic regions having permanently frozen subsoil.
- During the warmest summer months, the soil of the tundra is soft and muddy.
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Dubious
(adj) 1. Uncertain in thought.
Dave had a dubious opinion about computers until he learned how to use one. Syn: unconvinced; undecided. Ant: sure; confident. 2. Questionable; suspicious. I knew the man was impersonating a police officer when I saw his dubious badge.
Syn: suspect; fishy. Ant: reliable; certain.
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Dupe
(v) to fool; to delude.
The crook tried to dupe the couple by convincing them to invest in a fictional company. Syn: cheat; con.
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Feudal
(adj) pertaining to the practice of sovereign
lords granting land to nobles in exchange for money and military service.
In a feudal economic system, barons and dukes govern lands but pay taxes to the king.
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Illegible
(adj) incapable of being read.
The student was told to rewrite his essay because his handwriting was illegible.
- Syn: scrawled; undecipherable.
- Ant: clear; neat
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Indigent
(adj) poor; destitute.
The greedy king seldom considerd the indigent peasants living beyond the castle walls.
- Syn: needy; impoverished.
- Ant: affluent; wealthy.
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Inhibition
(n) a mental restraint or hindrance.
Kelly’s inhibitions prevent her from singing at the karaoke bar.
- Syn: reserve; self-consciousness.
- Ant: daring; brvado.
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Merit
(v) to deserve.
Finding a single, Native-American arrowhead on the ground does not merit turning our baseball field into a full-fledged archaeological dig.
- Syn: entitle; earn; justify.
- Ant: prohibit; forbid.
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Potent
(adj) producing great effects; powerful.
That potent medicine can cause death if taken in large doses.
- Syn: strong; mighty.
- Ant: prohibit; forbid.
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Protagonist
(n) 1. the main character in drama or literature.
Throughout the story, the protagonist grows from a young girl into an old woman.
- Syn: hero/heroine; star.
- Ant: antagonist. 2. The leader or great supporter of a cause. The group’s protagonist speaks at rallies and public gatherings. Syn: champion. Ant: enemy.
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Ruse
(n) a strategic act of deception ; a ploy.
The general used a ruse to defeat the considerably larger enemy.
Syn: stratagem; scheme.
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Straightforward
(adj) honest and frank; not evasive.
The politician was never known to give a simple, straightforward answer to a question.
- Syn: candid; forthright.
- Ant: evasive; confusing.
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Subsequent
(adj) following in time or order; resulting.
The blizzard struck without warning, and subsequent snowdrifts caused the highways to close for days.
- Syn: ensuing; consequent.
- Ant: previous; prior.
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Vogue
(n) the fashion at a particular time.
People often laugh at the clothing styles that were once in vogue.
Syn: fad; style.
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Writhe
(v) to twist and squirm, as from pain.
Tim writhed in pain after breaking his ankle during the soccer match.
Syn: thrash; wriggle.
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Askew
(adj) turned or twisted to one side.
The painting hung askew, so Margie straightened it.
- Syn: crooked, slanted.
- Ant: straight; centered.
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Cope
(v) to deal with; to endure difficulties successfully.
If you cannot change the situation, you will simply have to cope with it until things improve.
- Syn: manage; survive.
- Ant: yield; surrender.
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Deceptive
(adj) tending to deceive; misleading.
The deceptive salesman repainted retired taxi cabs and police cars and told buyers that they belonged to elderly couples who seldom drove.
- Syn: dishonest; shifty.
- Ant: truthful, genuine.
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