Journey to the Summit

1. Unit Seven Grade Eight

2. 1. acme (n) the highest point • syn: summit, top, peak, pinnacle • ant: low point, bottom, nadir

3. 2. attribute (n) a quality or characteristic belonging to or associated with someone or something • (v) to assign to, credit with; to regard as caused by or resulting from • syn: (n) trait (v) ascribe

4. 3. belittle (v) to make something appear smaller than it is; to refer to in a way that suggests lack of importance or value • syn: minimize, underrate, disparage • ant: exaggerate, magnify, overestimate

5. 4. convey (v) to transport, to transmit; to communicate, make known; to transfer ownership or title to • syn: carry, send, impart

6. 5. doctrine (n) belief, principle, or teaching; a system of such beliefs or principles; a formulation of such beliefs or principles

7. 6. excise (v) to remove by cutting • (n) an indirect tax on the manufacture, sale, or distribution of a commodity or service • syn: (v) cut out, delete, expunge • ant: (v) put in, insert, interpolate

8. 7. exotic (adj) foreign; charmingly unfamiliar or strikingly unusual • syn: strange, alien, picturesque, colorful • ant: native, indigenous, familiar, commonplace

9. 8. haggard (adj) thin, pale, and careworn as a result of worry or suffering; wild-looking • syn: drawn, gaunt, wasted • ant: healthy, glowing, radiant, hale and hearty

10. 9. jaunty (adj) lively, easy, and carefree in manner; smart or trim in appearance • syn: unconcerned, lighthearted • ant: downcast, dejected, glum

11. 10. juncture (n) a joining together; the point at which two things are joined; any important point in time • syn: union, seam, joint, turning point

12. 11. menial (adj) lowly, humble, lacking importance or dignity • (n) a person who does the humble and unpleasant tasks • syn: (n) underling, scullion, servant • ant: (adj) lofty, elevated (n) boss, master

13. 12. parry (v) to ward off, fend off, deflect, evade, avoid • (n) a defensive movement in fencing and other sports

14. 13. predatory (adj) preying on, plundering, or piratical • syn: looting, pillaging, ravenous, rapacious

15. 14. ravage (v) to destroy, lay waste, ruin • (n) ruinous damage, destruction • syn: (v) wreck, devastate • ant: (v) spare

16. 15. stance (n) a way of holding the body; an attitude or position on an issue • syn: posture, bearing

17. 16. tawdry (adj) showy and flashy but lacking in good taste • syn: loud, garish, gawdy, tacky, vulgar • ant: refined, tasteful, subdued, muted

18. 17. turncoat (n) a person who switches to an opposing side or party • syn: traitor, quisling, deserter, renegade • ant: loyalist, diehard

19. 18. unassuming (adj) not putting on airs, unpretentious; modest • ant: conceited, pretentious, self- important

20. 19. wallow (v) to roll about in a lazy, clumsy, or helpless way; to overindulge in; to have in abundance • (n) a wet, muddy, or dusty area used by animals as a sort of bath; a state of moral or physical collapse • syn: delight in, bask in

21. 20. waver (v) to move to and fro, become unsteady; to show lack of firmness or decision • syn: hesitate, falter • ant: stand firm, be resolute