Vocabulary 2

Linimenta medicinal liquid rubbed into the skin to relieve aches or pain

Syn. ointment, salve

My grandfather always used the smelliest liniment for the pain in his knees.

SkepticallySkeptic

Skepticalshowing doubt; tending to question things instead of accepting them to be true

Syn. distrustfully, suspiciouslyAnt. trustingly, unquestioningly

He was looking at the worker skeptically because he didn’t think she was really out with the flu.

Grizzled

having fur or hair streaked with grayHis grizzled beard showed his age.

Syn. grayingAnt. youthful

Mollified

to be calmed or soothed; to make something less intense or angry

Syn. placate, appeaseAnt. enrage, rile

A customer was unhappy, and the store manager mollified her by returning her money.

Pugnacious

•inclined to fight or be aggressive; quarrelsome

The pit bull is a nasty, pugnacious dog.

Syn. truculent, belligerentAnt. peaceful, amiable

Gingerly

in a careful, cautious way

Syn. delicately, gentlyAnt. recklessly, clumsily

She gingerly picked up the expensive glass vase.

Ominously

threateningly; suggesting that something bad is going to happen

Syn. portentously, gloomilyAnt. favorably

The black clouds were ominously hanging over the area.

Ominous

Slough

swampy area

deep despair

something that is shed or discarded; dead skin

Syn. dispense with, dispose ofAnt. keep

Once she went to an Ivy League school she decided to slough off her former friends.

Derogatory

expressing criticism or a low opinion of someone

His derogatory comments were hurtful and cruel.

Syn. disparaging, deprecatingAnt. complimentary, admiring

Plaintively

expressing sadness or sounding sad or sorrow

Syn. mournfully, melancholyAnt. happily, joyfully

He heard the child crying plaintively outside the back door.

Plaintive

Contorted

twisted out of shape

After doing my yoga exercises my body felt so contorted that I could not stand straight.

Syn. bent, distortedAnt. straight

ContortContortionist

Apprehensive

fearful, worried that something bad will happen

My mother grew more and more apprehensive, as she awaited my arrival because she had no idea where I was at.

Syn. anxious, uneasyAnt. confident, unconcerned

Disengage

•to disconnect one thing from another; to mentally detach yourself

The technician had to disengage the wiring from a large device.

Syn. extricate, unfasten

Ant. fasten, connect

seriousness; solemnity in attitude; grave consequences

After looking at the information, they realized the gravity of the oncoming storm.

Syn. enormity, magnitude; earnestnessAnt. insignificance; cheerfulness

Profoundshowing great understanding of something; very strong or intense or deep

Syn. thoughtful, reflective, acuteAnt. superficial, shallowI give you my profound

thanks for saving my life.

Complacentlyself-satisfied or unconcerned; eager to please

She sat complacently waiting for her husband to return.

Syn. contentedly, smuglyAnt. discontentedly, sullenly

complacent