Cutting Edge Advanced: Module 2
nr definitions/synonyms opposites
1. appall (v) to cause someone to be extremely upset or shocked; frighten, comfort, encourage
horrify, outrage
appallingly (adv) in a very bad or shocking way comfortingly
encouragingly
appalling (adj) very bad; shocking and very bad; alarming, astounding, comforting,
awful encouraging
appalled (adj) feeling or showing horror or disgust at something unpleasant delighted
or wrong
2. apprehend (v) 1. to understand something; understand, comprehend 1. miss,
2. to take into custody; arrest misinterpret
2. release
apprehensive (adj) anxious, alarmed, uneasy confident
apprehension (n) anxiety, angst, worry confidence
3. ashamed (adj) feeling shame; distressed or embarrassed by feelings of guilt, shameless
foolishness, or disgrace; regretful
ashamedly (adv) bashfully, regretfully shamelessly, boldly
ashamedness (n)
4. at the end of your completely fed up, at one’s wits end, desperate
tether
5. awe (n) overwhelming feeling of wonder and admiration; reverence, calmness, coolness
shock, wonder
awe (v) amaze; astonish, flabbergast
awed (adj) filled with wonder; amazed; astonished unimpressed
6. bewildered (adj) very confused; perplexed, puzzled
bewilder (v) perplex, puzzle
bewilderedly (adv)
7. betray (v) to deliver or expose to an enemy by treachery or disloyalty; be loyal; be faithful
reveal
betrayal (n) the action of betraying; disloyalty, revelation
betrayer (n) back-stabber, double-crosser, traitor
betrayed (adj) expose to danger by treacherously giving information to an
enemy
8. baffle (v) confuse, bewilder, perplex clarify
bafflement (n)
baffling (adj) puzzling, bewildering, perplexing clear,
comprehensible
bafflingly (adv) bewilderingly
9. down in the dumps sad and fed up; unhappy, sad, depressed cheerful
10. ecstatic (adj) relating to, or characterized by ecstasy or a state of sudden miserable,
intense overpowering emotion; rapturous, overjoyed, sorrowful
blissful
ecstasy(n) great joy
ecstatically (adv) miserably,
sorrowfully
11. intrigue (v) to arouse the curiosity or interest of by unusual, new, or bore, annoy
otherwise fascinating or compelling qualities; interest,
fascinate, captivate
intriguingly (adv)
intriguer (n) conspirator, conspirer, plotter
intrigue (n) plotting, planning, conspiracy
intriguing (adj) interesting, fascinating, absorbing
12. nonplus (v) to render utterly perplexed; puzzle completely; confuse, enlighten
stupefy, astonish
nonplus (n)
13. envious (adj) want something that someone else wants; jealous, covetous, satisfied, generous
desirous
enviously (adv)
enviousness/envy (n) jealousy
14. overwhelm (v) to overcome completely in mind or feeling; overpower, underwhelm
overtake, destroy
overwhelming (adj) overpowering, amazing, astounding underwhelming;
unimpressive
overwhelmingly amazingly, astoundingly, breathtakingly
(adv)
overwhelmed (adj) beaten, devastated, overpowered underwhelmed
15. seethe (v) to be in a state of agitation or excitement; rage, ferment,
sizzle
seething (adj) calm, happy
seethingly (adv)
16. ambiguous (adj) open to more than one interpretation or meaning; dubious; unquestionable,
vague; unclear explicit, definite
ambiguously (adv) vaguely, unclearly, dubiously
ambiguousness/ uncertain of meaning; doubt, vagueness, uncertainty certainty, clarity
ambiguity (n)
17. nervous (adj) very excitable or sensitive; apprehensive or worried; anxious; relaxed, confident,
agitated; distressed calm
nervously (adv) anxiously, uneasily
nervousness (n)
nerve (n) nerve fiber
self-confidence; audacity, courage timidity, shyness
nervy (adj) nervous, anxious, tense relaxed, easy-going
18. despair (n) complete loss of hope; hopelessness; desperation; hope
disheartenment
despair (v)
19. contemporary (adj) belonging to the same period of time old, antique, old-
current, modern, recent fashioned
contemporarily (adv)
contemporariness (n)
contemporary (n) person of nearly the same age as another; coeval; peer
20. illusion (n) a false appearance or deceptive impression of reality; reality, certainty,
delusion, fallacy, fantasy fact
illusional (adj)
illusionary (adj) characterized by illusions; deceptive, misleading
A. Word pairs: Write compound or complex sentences with each word in the following
word pairs to show the difference in meaning between them. No simple sentences allowed.
1. ambiguous (adj)/ ambiguity (n) 2. contemporary (n/adj)
B. Paraphrase the following sentences:
1. Her despair led her to believe that her colleague’s betrayal was just innocent envy of a
contemporary, but it is nothing short of an illusion.
2. The nervy young man did not apprehend that his ambiguous and baffling replies caused the
bewildered expression on the examiner’s face.
3. Whether we were intrigued or nonplussed by the rare sight is beside the point; we were all
witnesses who were overwhelmingly filled with awe.
C. Proverbs:
1. Do not judge a book by its cover. = Don’t judge someone by appearance alone.
2. It's a blessing in disguise. = When an opportunity arrives through a crisis.
3. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. = The person who complains in a situation is more likely
to get something.
4. Sticks and stones may break my bones. = A response to an insult, implying that this person
might be hurt by physical force but not by insults.
5. A clear conscience laughs at false accusations. = Honest people do not fear false accusations .
