English Vocabulary - 2

1. INFINITESIMAL (ADJECTIVE) : small

Synonyms: insignificant, imperceptible
Antonyms: huge, significant

Example: Since we lost many early games, our chances of winning the tournament were infinitesimal; but we are playing our hearts out anyway.

2. DESULTORY (ADJECTIVE): random

Synonyms: erratic, haphazard
Antonyms: organized, systematic

Example: The discussion at our meeting today was desultory; no one's comments seemed to be related to anyone else's and we hardly discussed any of the planned topics.

3. FOIBLE (VERB): personal imperfection

Synonyms: shortcoming, weakness
Antonyms: strength, perfection

Example:The delegates to the state convention ignored the candidates' qualifications and their positions on major issues of national importance and instead, only concentrated on their foibles.

4. MALLEABLE (ADJECTIVE): pliable

Synonyms: adaptable, flexible
Antonyms: stiff, rigid

Example: Gold is so malleable in its purest form that it cannot easily be used for making jewellery.

5. IDYLLIC (ADJECTIVE): perfect; extremely pleasant

Synonyms: bucolic, peaceful
Antonyms: imperfect, bad

Example : Our vacation to Kerala was idyllic, we spent hours canoeing in the calm back-waters.

6. IMPERMEABLE (ADJECTIVE): impenetrable

Synonyms: airtight, dense
Antonyms: loose, unsealed

Example: He points out that many people can avoid illness simply by ensuring that the basement of dwellings is made impermeable to such gases.

7. ARABLE (ADJECTIVE): farmable

Synonyms: cultivable, fertile
Antonyms: infertile, barren

Example: Except for United States of America, India has the largest amount of arable land; still there is routine occurrence of food shortage due to excessive dependence on rainfall.

8. HEATH (NOUN): grassy field

Synonyms: grassland, pasture

Example: The heath was covered with golden patches of flowering gorse, gleaming magnificently in the light of the bright spring sunshine. - Arthur Conan Doyle, "The Return of Sherlock Holmes". ­­

9. COMPENDIOUS (ADJECTIVE): abridged

Synonyms: abbreviated, brief
Antonyms: lengthy, enlarged

Example: If you would like to know a compendious way to mortify your desires, then surrender yourself to the God.

10. FETTER (VERB): tie up, hold

Synonyms: curb, restrain
Antonyms: permit, expedite

Example: When his parents went to Australia for a few months, my cousin often invited his entire group of college friends for some unfettered late night partying in the empty home.