Category : 9th Class
VOCABULARY
Learning Objectives
Introduction
It is very important to develop a good store of vocabulary which gives one a niche in developing a rich sense of understanding and expressing In English language. This part includes:
(i) Word meaning |
(ii) Synonyms and Antonyms |
(iii) Phrases & ldioms |
Word Meaning
We come across different words daily. Some words are simple as are normally used regularly, while a few are hard or difficult to understand. Words like, ruin, forecast, principle, etc. are common words. But certain words, like ingenious, adroit, infidel, agnostic, etc. are uncommon words and are difficult to understand. The usage of these words in sentences reduces the chance of easily understanding the text of meaning intended in the sentence.
A list of few uncommon words which are tough to understand
A
Abstain: keep oneself from doing or enjoying something; refrain. |
Aloft: Up in the air; overhead. |
Absurd: Unreasonable; not sensible; foolish in a funny way; ridiculous. |
Authentic: Known to be true or genuine; trustworthy; reliable. |
Abscond: Go away suddenly and secretly. |
Amorous: Readily showing or feeling love |
Affray: Disturbance of the peace caused by fighting or rioting in the public place. |
Ardour: Great warmth of feeling; enthusiasm; zeal. |
Affinity: Structural resemblance or similarity of character; relationship |
Avail: Make use of something; take advantage of something. |
B
Bane: Cause of Somebody?s ruin or trouble. |
Babble: to Murmur. |
Bawl: Shout or cry loudly. |
Baffle: to confuse. |
Bedevil: Trouble greatly; torment; afflict. |
Barbarian: uncivilized. |
Bilk: Avoid paying money to somebody; cheat somebody. |
Bashful: shy. |
Blemish: Mark or stain that spoils the beauty or perfection of somebody or something. |
Beguile: to deceive; to while away. |
C
Canopy: over-hanging shelter; an ornamental roof like structure. |
Complacent: satisfied. |
Castigate: punish. |
Concubine: a woman living with a man but not actually married. |
Celibacy: unmarried or single life. |
Confiscate: to seize by authority. |
Censure: blame, criticise. |
Cumulative: all together, collected. |
Coincide: happen together, agree. |
Cynic: a philosopher criticizing everyone and everything. |
D
Dearth: scarcity. |
Deprave: corrupt. |
Debar: prohibit. |
Denizen: citizen, inhabitant. |
Delinquent: to do wrong, violation of law. |
Discern: make out, find out. |
Demise: death. |
Dubious: not clear, occasioning great doubt. |
Demure: quiet, shy and modest. |
Drub: beat. |
E
Ebullient: enthusiastic or full of excitement. |
Elegy: a poem or song written on death. |
Eccentric: out of the usual course, different |
Elixir: a liquor thought to have the power of from normal people, prolonging life. |
Effrontery: shameless boldness. |
Elysium: heaven, any delightful place. |
Elapse: to pass silently. |
Embark: to start a work or go on board a ship. |
Elegant: pleasing, of good taste. |
Emulate: strive to excel or to improve. |
F
Fabricate: to devise falsely. |
Felon: disloyal, traitorous. |
Fallible: liable to commit mistake or error. |
Fend: to keep off. |
Fanatic: unreasonably zealous. |
Fiasco: a failure. |
Fantasy: fancy, imagination. |
Flatulent: empty, vain |
Fastidious: affecting or pretending superiority. |
Flirt: to triffle with love, to throw with a jerk. |
G
Gab: talk, chatter. |
Glum: suiien, sad, moody, gloomy. |
Genial: cordial. |
Grasp: understand. |
Gestation: carrying of youth in womb, pregnancy. |
Gratify: satisfy, delight. |
Gestation: use the movement of hand and feet when speaking. |
Grudge: ill will |
Giddy: dizzy |
Guile: malice. |
H
Haggle: dispute on terms or rate. |
Haze: mist |
Hanky-panky: deceptive behaviour. |
Heathen: not adhering to any religion. |
Harass: worry, trouble. |
Hideous: repulsive, morally detestable. |
Harlot: prostitute. |
Histrionic: of or pertaining to stage or actors. |
Hearth: part of room meam making fire. |
Hotchpotch: confused, jumbled. |
I
Idiosyncratic: having peculiar temper. |
Impeach: to accuse. |
Illusion: unreal or misleading image presented to the vision, a deceptive appearance. |
Impede: to slow in progress, obstruct, hinder. |
Imbibe: to absorb, to saturate, soak, steep. |
Impertinent: irrelevant, Inapplicable, inappropriate, rude. |
Immigrate: to come into a country of which one is not a native. |
Impetus: driving or moving force. |
Immune: exempt from tax, protected against disease as by inoculation, enjoying immunity. |
Ingenuous: innocent, frank, of a superior character. |
J
Jab: sudden thrust. |
Jabber: chatter rapidly or unintelligibly, |
Jargon: unintelligible speech. |
Jettison: throw overboard. |
Jaunty: showy. |
Jostle: push roughly against somebody in crowd. |
Judicious: prudent. |
Jocund: merry, cheerful. |
Juno: a very beautiful woman. |
Jocund: merry, cheerful. |
|
Jeopardy: in danger of harm, loss or destruction. |
K
Kaleidoscope: optical toy in which a whole lot of coloured designs can be seen. |
Kudos: honour, glory, praise. |
Kin: kith and kin, near and dear. |
Kindle: catch fire. |
Knack: dexterity aptitude |
Kingpin: essential person or thing. |
Knave: villain, rogue. |
Knead: press and stretch with the hands to from a fiem smooth paste. |
Kindred: related, belonging to the same family. |
Keynote: central theme of a speech, book, etc. |
L
Lampoon: a personal satire in writing, usually malicious or abusive, by 18th century poets. |
Lieu: instead of. |
Languish: become weak or faint. |
Litigate: carry on a law suit. |
Laud: praise. |
Loathe: hate. |
Lethargy: laziness, drowsiness. |
Loggerhead: engaged in quarrel. |
Licentious: sexually immoral. |
Loquacious: given to talking, garrulous. |
M
Madden: to make or become mad. |
Manifest: clear, evident to the senses, up to the sight. |
Make-believe: story full of lies. |
Meager: destitute of riches, strength or the like. |
Malnutrition: unsuitable or insufficient feeding. |
Medico: a physician, surgeon or medical student. |
Mammoth: very large, |
Mendicancy: beggary. |
Mandate: an authoritative command or order |
Mundane: of or pertaining to earth, worldly. |
N
Nagging: constantly finding fault. |
Nightmare: dreadful dream. |
Nausea: inclination to vomit. |
Nostalgia: home-sickness. |
Neology: coining of new words, introduction of new sense of old words. |
Novice: a beginner. |
Nibble: to keep on eating a little more or less constantly. |
Nurture: nursing or nourishing. |
Nestle: to settle comfortably. |
Nymph: young and beautiful semi-divine maiden. |
O
Oasis: green spot in a desert, any place of rest or pleasure in the midst of toil and gloom. Obdurate: difficult to influence, stubborn Oblivion: act of forgetting, official ignorance of offences. Occult: hidden, mystical, crossing the bounds of natural knowledge, magic. |
Odyssey: Greek epic written by Homer a long wandering, or series of travels. Ogle: to look fondly, amorously. Opera: musical drama. Oration: public speech on a special occasion. Ordeal: a difficult thing. Overrack: to torture or trouble beyond bearing. |
P
Pacify: to tranquilise, calm. Pamper: overindulge, flatter. Paragon: a model, a type of perfection. Parlance: formal conversation, discourse. Pedagogue: dogmatic school teacher. |
Perpetual: lasting forever, continuous. Perspicuous: lucid, plain. Pertinacious: persistent, adhering resolutely to an opinion. Plebiscite: decision by direct voting. Pliable: easily influenced. |
Q
Quaint: old, curious, whimsical. Quandary: state of perplexity, puzzling situation Quaver: tremble. Queer: odd, strange. Quibble: play on words, evasion. Quagmire: soft wet boggy land, complex or dangerous Situation from which it is difficult to dangerous situation to fee oneself. |
Qualms: misgivings, uneasy fears, especially about matters of conscience. Quirk: startling twist, caprice. Quizzical: teasing, bantering, mocking, curious. Quietus: release from life, extinction.
|
R
Rabid: headstrong. Radical: essential, thorough. Rakish: debauched. Ransack: to make a thorough search. Rapport: relationship, communication. |
Rebellion: revolt. Recede: to shrink back. Reciprocate: to give and take mutually. Recluse: living in retirement. Recuperate: recover from illness. |
|
|
S
Salvation: state of being saved from sin. Sarcasm: bitter remarks. Satiate: satisfy to the full. Saturate: limit, to the full. Scavenger: sweeper of a person allowed to clean streets. |
Scoff: taunt, mocking. Scramble: struggle with others. Scribble: write carelessly as one feels. Sedative: soothing. Sedulous: diligent. |
T
Taciturn: reserved, silent. Tantalize: to torment. Tattler: idle talker. Tavern: public house where liquor is sold. Tedious: wearisome, tiresome. |
Teetotaler: one who does not use any in toxicants? Temerity: rashness. Tenacity: persistency, adhesiveness in life. Thematic: belonging to a theme. Throng: crowd. |
U
Ulterior: beyond what appears. Unequivocal: explicit, unambiguous. Unilateral: one sided contract. Usury: lending of money at exorbitant rates. Unanimity: complete |
Unctuous: oily, bland, in sincerely suave. Unpalatable: distasteful, disagreeable Urbane: suave, refined, and elegant. Uncanny: unnatural. Unabated: as strong, violent, serious, etc. as before. |
V
Vacillate: waver, move to and fro. Valediction: farewell. Vamp: woman who consciously and knowingly allures man. Vanquish: conquer, overcome. Vengeance: revrenge. |
Veracious: truthful, honest. Vicissitude: unexpected char irregular change. Vitiate: to contaminate, spoil, harm. Voracious: greedy, excessively eager, immoderate, in satiable. Vulnerable: weaker sections of society, not proof against wounds. |
W
Waive: renounce intentionally, to defer. Wangle: manipulate. Will-nilly: willing or unwilling. Wilt: to limp, to lose strength. Wizard: magician, genius. |
Wrath: anger. Wreck: destruction (especially of ships). Waif: homeless child or animal. Wallow: roll in, indulge in, become helpless. Wince: shrink back, flinch. |
X-Y-Z
Xenophobia: intense dislike or fear or foreigners or strangers. Yammer: talk noisily and continuously complain or speak in a whining, grumbling manner. Yearn: desire strongly or with compassion or tenderness, be filled with longing. Yawn: take a deep breath with the mouth wide open. Yield: bear, produce or dislike. |
Yob: aggressive, ill-tempered and ill-mannerd young person, person, lout Yokel: simple-minded country person, bumpkin. Zeal: eager enthusiasm. Zenity: point directly overhead m the s summit. Zoom: move very quickly with a buzzing humming noise. |
Synonyms & Antonyms
A synonym is a word that has the same meaning as another word. Synonyms are different words with almost identical or similar meanings.
Antonyms are words that lie in an inherently incompatible binary relationship as the words opposite to each other. Opposites are, interestingly, simultaneously different and similar in meaning.
Here is a list of few synonyms and antonyms.
Words with synonyms
1. |
Abandon: Leave, forsake, give up |
36. |
Lament: Mourn, grieve |
2. |
Abhor: Hate, detest |
37. |
Liberal: Generous |
3. |
Absurd: Silly, ridiculous |
38. |
Liberty: Freedom, Independence |
4. |
Abridge: Shorten, curtail, reduce |
39. |
Malice: Spite |
5. |
Acquiesce: Assent |
40. |
Meagre: Small |
6. |
Apposite: Suitable |
41. |
Melancholy: Gloomy, sad |
7. |
Brisk: Bright, lively |
42. |
Negligent: Careless, heedless |
8. |
Baggy: Tight |
43. |
Obsolete: Antiquated |
9. |
Bliss: Joy, happiness, felicity |
44. |
Pensive: Thoughtful |
10. |
Brutal: Savage, Cruel |
45. |
Persuade: Urge |
11. |
Callous: Hard, cruel |
46. |
Pretense: Excuse, Pretext |
12. |
Candid: sincere, frank |
47. |
Obscene: Indecent, filthy |
13. |
Compassion: sympathy, pity |
48. |
Quaint: Queer |
14. |
Cynical: Misanthropic |
49. |
Radiant: Brilliant, bright |
15. |
Denounce: Accuse, condemn |
50. |
Reiterate: Repeat |
16. |
Dexterity: Skill, deftness, adroitness |
51. |
Remorse: Regret, Repentance |
17. |
Diligent: industrious, preserving |
52. |
Reticent: silent, reserved |
18. |
Emulate: Imitate |
53. |
Savage: wild, barbarous |
19. |
Eccentric: Odd, singular |
54. |
Sterile, barren, unproductive |
20. |
Extravagant: Wasteful, prodigal |
55. |
Sublime: elevated |
21 |
Fabricate: forge, construct |
56. |
Tedious, Wearisome, monotonous |
22. |
Fanciful: imaginative |
57. |
Temporal: worldly |
23. |
Ferocious: fierce savage, barbarous |
58. |
Thrifty: Economical |
24. |
Flimsy: Slight, thin |
59. |
Urbane: polite, courteous |
25. |
Gaiety: Joyousness mirth, happiness |
60. |
Vacillate: Waver |
26. |
Grievous: Painful, sorrowful |
61. |
Vigilance: Watchfulness |
27. |
Guilt: sin crime |
62. |
Vigilance: Revengeful |
28. |
Humane: kind, benevolent |
63. |
Warlike: Soldierly |
29. |
Hamper: Hinder, impede |
64. |
Weary: Tired |
30. |
Inanimate: Lifeless |
65. |
Wrack: Ruin, destroy |
31 |
Inanimate: continuous |
66. |
Yield: Surrender |
32. |
Indignant: Angry |
67. |
Yearn: Crave, desire |
33. |
Ingenuous: Artless, sincere |
68. |
Zest: Enthusiasm |
34. |
Jubilant: Joyful |
69. |
Zenith: Top, summit |
35. |
Jovial: Merry, Jolly |
70. |
Zeal: Passion |
Words with Antonyms
1. |
Absurd: Rational |
36. |
Mobile: Stationary |
2. |
Attract: Repel |
37. |
Mandatory: Optional |
3. |
Ascent: Descent |
38. |
Nimble: Lazy |
4. |
Authentic: Spurious |
39. |
Neat: Untidy, Mixed |
5. |
Barbarous: Civilized |
40. |
Obliging: mulish |
6. |
Barren: Fertile |
41. |
Obtain: Forfeit |
7. |
Benevolent: Malevolent |
42. |
Plenty: Paucity |
8. |
Boisterous: Placid |
43. |
Praise: Abuse |
9. |
Certain: precarious |
44. |
Pride: Humility |
10. |
Cheap: Dear |
45. |
Perturbed: Calm |
11. |
Censure: Praise |
46. |
Pardon: Chastise |
12. |
Coarse: Fine |
47. |
Questionable: Sure, certain |
13. |
Definite: Vague |
48. |
Questionable: Friendly |
14. |
Delay: Haste |
49. |
Quicken: Retard |
15. |
Dexterity: Impotency |
50. |
Reciprocal: Unilateral |
16. |
Earthly: Celestial |
51. |
Refute: confirm |
17. |
Emancipate: Enslave |
52. |
Rectify: Falsify |
18. |
Fabulous: Real |
53. |
Rapidity: Inertia |
19. |
Freedom: Slavery |
54. |
Recover: Praise |
20. |
Fraud: Integrity |
55. |
Smile: Frown |
21 |
Gaiety: Mourning |
56. |
Safe: Exposed |
22. |
Generosity: Stinginess |
57. |
Transparent: Opaque |
23. |
Hypocrisy: Sincerity |
58. |
Tame: Wild, savage |
24. |
Hide: Divulge |
59. |
Theory: Practice |
25. |
Infringe: Obey |
60. |
Thrifty: Extravagant |
26. |
Insult: Esteem |
61. |
Uniform: varied |
27. |
Insipid: Tasty |
62. |
Vindictive: Forgiving |
28. |
Jump: sink, drop |
63. |
Vulgar: Cultured |
29. |
Justice: Partiality |
64. |
Wavering: Steady |
30. |
Keen: Indifferent |
65. |
Want: Possess |
31 |
Keep: Discard |
66. |
Welcome: Insult, offend |
32. |
Lethargic: Smart |
67. |
Wicked: Virtuous |
33. |
Languid: Energetic |
68. |
Yield: Withhold, keep back |
34. |
Malice: Goodwill |
69. |
Zenith : Nadir |
35. |
Melancholy: Spirited |
70. |
Zest : Tardy |
Phrases and idioms
An apple a day keep the doctor away. |
Eating an apple every day can help to keep you healthy. Other interpretation: A small preventive treatment wards off serious problems. |
All work and no play makes jack a dull boy. |
Everybody needs a certain amount of relaxation. It is not good to work all the time. |
All things are difficult before they are easy. |
With practice everything becomes easier. |
All roads lead to Rome |
There are many different ways to reach an objective. |
All?s well that ends well. |
There is a salutation to everything even if there are doubts. |
All?s is fair in love and war. |
Things that are done in love or war can often be excused. |
All in good time. |
Be patient. Things will happen when the time is right. |
All that glitters is not gold. |
Appearances can be deceptive. |
All good things come to those who wait. |
If you are patient you will be rewarded. |
A friend?s eye is a good mirror. |
A real friend will tell you the truth. |
A friend to all is a friend to none. |
Someone who is a friend to everyone makes none of them feel special. |
A bird in hand is worth two in a bush. |
It is better to keep what you have rather than to risk losing it by searching for something better. |
Bad news travels fast. |
People tend to circulate bad news very quickly (accidents, illness, etc.,) |
Be just before you are generous. |
Make sure all your debts are paid before you start offering help to others. |
Beauty is only skin deep |
A person?s character is more important than their appearance. |
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. |
Different people have different tastes. |
Be swift to hear, slow to speak. |
Listen carefully before speaking. |
Better an egg today than a hen tomorrow. |
It is preferable to have something sure now that the possibility of something better later. |
Charity begins at home. |
A person?s first duty is to help and care for his own family. |
Cleanliness is next to godliness. |
A clean body is just as important as a pure soul. |
Dead men tell no lies |
A dead person cannot cause difficulties by revealing something that it would be preferable to conceal. |
Diligence is the mother of good fortune |
Hard work brings rewards. |
Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. |
It is much better for you to go to bed early and to get up early in the morning. |
Easier said than done. |
What is suggested sounds easy, but it is more difficult to actually do it. |
Elbow grease is the best polish |
Hard work gives the best results. |
Empty vessels make the most noise. |
The least intelligent people are often the most talkative or noisy. |
Every clud has a silver lining. |
There is a positive or hopeful side to every situation. |
Every rose has its thorn. |
Every good thing has an unpleasant side. |
Experience is the father of wisdom. |
Experience and knowledge result in better judgment. |
Facts speak louder than words. |
People show what they are really like by what they do rather than do rather than by what they say. |
Failure teaches success. |
People can learn from their failures and be successful later on. |
False friends are worse than open enemies. |
It?s better to know who your real enemies are rather than trust someone who pretends to be a friend but is capable of stabbing you in the back. |
God helps those who help themselves. |
Success comes to those who make a real effort to achieve it. |
Hard words breaks no bones. |
Criticism or verbal attacks may be unpleasant but will not kill anyone. |
Haste makes waste. |
If something is done too quickly, it may be doe carelessly and need to be redone. |
Hatred is as blind as love. |
A person who feels hatred does not see any qualities in the person he/she hates. |
If two ride a horse, one must ride behind |
When two people do something together, one will be the leader and the other will be the subordinate. |
If you want a friend, be a friend |
Friendship must be reciprocal. |
Justice delayed is justice denied. |
If the law is applied too lake, there is no justice. |
Knowledge in youth is wisdom in age. |
What you learn when you are young will be invaluable when your grow old. |
Laughter is the best medicine. |
Laughter makes people feel good. |
Learn to walk before you run. |
Don?t rush into doing something before you know how to do it. |
Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. |
Education is something that you keep forever. |
Look before you leap. |
Consider possible consequences before taking action. |
Loose lips sink ships. |
Disclosing important information (to the enemy or a competitor) could result in large losses. |
Lookers weepers, finders keepers. |
If you lose something you lament, if you find something you keep it. |
Love is blind. |
A person in love does not see the faults of the person he/she loves. |
Man proposes, God disposes. |
Our destiny depends on God?s will. |
Man can die but once. |
If death comes now, you will not have to experience it later. |
Man is as old as he feels himself to be. |
Your age doesn?t matter as long as you are fit and healthy. |
Man is known by the company he keeps. |
A person?s character is judged by the type of people with whom they spend their time. |
No news is good news. |
If the news was bad we should hear of it. Since we have heard nothing, we can assume that is well. |
No pain, no gain. |
Without hard word nothing will be achieved. |
No smoke without fire. |
There could be some truth in the rumour? |
Nothing ventured, nothing gained. |
You cannot expect to achieve anything if you take no. risks. |
Once bitten, twice shy. |
After an unpleasant experience, people are careful to avoid something similar. |
Out of sight, out of mind. |
We tend to forget people or things that we do not see. |
Penny wise, pound foolish. |
Refers to a person who is careful about spending small amounts of money, but not careful about spending large amounts. |
People who live in glass houses should not throw stones. |
One should not criticize others for faults similar to one?s own and risk retaliation. |
Practice makes perfect. |
Doing something repeatedly is the only. |
Way to become good at it |
|
Practice what you preach |
Do yourself what you advise other to do. |
Prevention is better than cure. |
It is easier to prevent something from happening than to repair the damage or cure the disease later. |
Pride come before a fall. |
Don?t be too self-confident or proud; something may happen to make you look foolish. |
A problem shared is a problem halved. |
It is easier to deal with a problem when you discuss it with someone. |
Wisdom is better than strength. |
It is preferable to use one?s intelligence than one?s physical strength. |
You are never too old to learn. |
You can always learn something new, no matter how old you are. |
You Scatch my back and l?ll scratch yours. |
You help me and l?ll help you. |
There is a black sheep in every flock. |
There is always someone who doesn?t behave or perform like the others. |
There?s many slip between the cup and the lip. |
We do not own something until we actually get it. |
There is a trick in every trade. |
There is an established way of doing things. |
Time and tide wait for no man. |
Delaying a decision will not prevent events. |
Time is money |
Time is valuable and should not be wasted. |
To err is human, to forgive divine. |
It is human nature to make mistakes, therefore one should forgive them. |
A tree is known by its fruit |
A person is judged by his actions. |
Truth is the spice of life. |
Events in real life are often stranger than in fiction. |
Union is strength |
A group has more force than an individual. |
Variety is the spice of life. |
Doing a lot of different thing makes life more interesting. |
Waste not, want not. |
If you never waste anything, you will have is when you need it. |
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. |
You should adopt the customs of the people or country you are visiting and behave in the same way. |
Where there?s life there?s hope. |
As long as a person is breathing, there is hope for recovery. |
Where there?s will there?s a way. |
If you are determined to do something you will find a way to do it. |
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