Vocabulary
Unit 6
Quiz next Wednesday
1. altruistic
 Most
people support altruistic programs to
help the less fortunate of this world.
 (adj.) unselfish, concerned with the
welfare of others
 SYNONYMS: selfless
 ANTONYMS: selfish, self-centered
2. assent
Workers hope that the threat of a long strike
will force management to assent to their
demands.
 Romeo and Juliet knew they would never
gain their feuding families’ assent to marry.
 (v.) to express agreement; (n.) an agreement
 SYNONYMS: concur, consent, accede
 ANTONYMS: disagree, differ, dissent

3. benefactor
 Without
the help of many benefactors,
most charities would be unable to carry
out their work.
 (n.) one who does good to others
 SYNONYMS: patron, humanitarian
 ANTONYMS: misanthrope, malefactor
4. chivalrous
 In
today’s busy world, where people are
often heedless of others, a chivalrous act
is admired by all.
 (adj.) marked by honor, courtesy, and
courage; knightly
 SYNONYMS: gallant, civil, valiant
 ANTONYMS: crude, uncouth, churlish,
loutish
5. clemency
 Many
judges are willing to show
clemency to first offenders who express
regret for their wrongdoing.
 (n.) mercy, humaneness; mildness,
moderateness
 SYNONYMS: leniency, forbearance,
gentleness
 ANTONYMS: harshness, severity, cruelty,
inflexibility
6. dearth
 An
employer may complain of a dearth
of qualified applicants for available jobs.
 (n.) a lack, scarcity, inadequate supply; a
famine
 SYNONYMS: insufficiency, want, paucity
 ANTONYMS: surplus, oversupply, glut,
abundance
7. diffident
 Many
a diffident suitor has lost his beloved
to a bold rival.
 (adj.) shy, lacking self-confidence;
modest, reserved
 SYNONYMS: timid, bashful, unassertive,
withdrawn
 ANTONYMS: bold, brash, audacious, selfconfident, jaunty
8. discrepancy
 Discrepancy
in the testimony of witnesses
to a crime can have a decisive impact on
the outcome of a trial.
 (n.) a difference, a lack of agreement
 SYNONYMS: disagreement, divergence,
inconsistency
 ANTONYMS: agreement, convergence,
consistency
9. embark
 Columbus
spent years raising money
before he was able to embark on his
perilous ocean voyage in search of a
passage to the Far East.
 (v.) to go aboard; to make a start; to
invest
 SYNONYMS: commence, launch, begin,
board
10. facile
 Writing
is a facile process for some authors
but a laborious task for others.
 (adj.) easily done or attained; superficial;
ready, fluent; easily shown but not
sincerely felt
 SYNONYMS: effortless, assured, poised,
specious
 ANTONYMS: labored, awkward, halting
11. scrupulous





Scientists are trained to record their
observations with scrupulous accuracy.
Exact, careful, attending thoroughly to
details; having high moral standards,
principled
Adjective
Synonyms: painstaking, meticulous,
conscientious
Antonyms: careless, negligent, remiss,
dishonest
12. skulk
 The
burglar skulked in the alley looking for
a way to get into the darkened jewelry
store without attracting the attention of
anyone who might be nearby.
 To move about stealthily; to lie in hiding
 Verb
 Synonyms: lurk, slink, prowl
13. supercilious
 Their
supercilious attitude toward their
servants was extremely offensive.
 Proud and contemptuous; showing scorn
because of a feeling of superiority
 Adjective
 Synonyms: snobbish, patronizing,
overbearing
 Antonyms: humble, meek, deferential,
servile
14. uncanny
 It
is highly unusual for a beginner to
display such an uncanny skill at playing
bridge.
 Strange, mysterious, weird, beyond
explanation
 Adjective
 Synonyms: eerie, inexplicable, spooky
15. venial
 Someone
whose offense is deemed by
the judge to be venial may be ordered to
perform community service.
 Easily excused; pardonable
 Adjective
 Synonyms: excusable, forgivable
 Antonyms: inexcusable, unforgivable,
unpardonable