ARCHETYPE: An original pattern - copies reproduced from the archetype.

Synonym: prototype

Antonyms: Stereotype, facsimile, replica

ARID: Dry; barren - the arid desert land.

Synonyms. jejune, parched

Antonyms: arable, fertile

ARISTOCRACY: Government by the best people; a privileged class -special privileges enjoyed by the aristocracy.

Synonym: oligarchy

Antonym: democracy

ARMISTICE: A temporary suspension of hostilities. The armistice halted the war.

Synonym: truce

ARTFUL: Sly; crafty - attained his mean objective by artful measures.

Synonyms: cunning, wily, adroit, ingenious, guileful

Antonyms: guileless, ingenuous, artless

ARTICULATE (verb): To speak clearly or distinctly - articulated slowly so that he could not be misunderstood.

(adj.): Capable of speech; distinct, clear – an articulate man, always ready to give his views.

ASCETIC: Rigorously self-denying - pursued the ascetic life of a monk.

Synonyms: austere, abstinent

Antonyms: wanton, self-indulgent

ASKANCE: With distrust - looked askance at the forged signature.

ASSEVERATE: To declare positively; to confirm - asseverated his views with conviction.

Synonyms:assert, avouch, aver, avow, allege

Antonyms:gainsay, controvert, recant, rescind, abjure, disavow

ASSIDUOUS: Industrious - an assiduous worker, toiling long hours.

Synonyms:sedulous, attentive, diligent, indefatigable

Antonyms:indolent, slothful

ASYLUM: A place offering shelter and retreat -found asylum from persecution.

Synonyms:sanctuary, refuge

ATHEIST: One who denies that God exists - The atheist declared, "There is no God."

Synonyms:infidel, agnostic, skeptic

ATTRIBUTE (verb): Assign -attributed his success to bard work.

Synonym: ascribe

(noun): An inherent quality -Generosity was his outstanding attribute.

AUGMENT: To increase or enlarge - an army augmented by numerous enlistments.

Synonyms: enhance, amplify - Antonyms: abate, curtail

AUSPICIOUS: Indicating a happy outcome - The prospect for this project appears auspicious.

Synonyms:propitious, fortunate

Antonyms:ominous, foreboding

AUTHENTIC: Genuine -proved to be an authentic document.

Synonyms:veritable, bona fide

Antonyms;apocryphal, counterfeit, spurious, bogus

AUTOCRATIC: Despotic - feared by the masses as an autocratic ruler.

Synonym:tyrannical

Antonym:benevolent

AVARICE: Excessive greed - a fortune accumulated by avarice and miserliness.

Synonyms:covetousness, cupidity, avidity

Antonym:magnanimity

AWRY: Unsymmetrical; not straight - the picture, hanging awry on the wall.

Synonym:askew

BANAL: Lacking in freshness, originality, or vigor-bored by his banal remarks.

Synonyms:commonplace, hackneyed, prosaic, trite, stereotyped, vapid

Antonyms:racy, original, vivid

BANEFUL (noun: BANE: poison; source of harm): Destructive, poisonous - a baneful effect, causing serious injury.

Synonyms: deleterious, pernicious, virulent, noxious, toxic

Antonym:beneficent

BANTER: Good-natured teasing or ridicule-The two wits I exchanged banter, to the amusement of the audience.

Synonyms:raillery, chaff

BATON: A stick or staff - The conductor wielded his baton gracefully.

BELIE: To give a false idea of - His gracious manner belled his. evil purpose.

Synonym:misrepresent

BELLICOSE; Inclined to quarrel; warlike - His bellicose attitude often got John into fights.

Synonyms: pugnacious, contentious, disputatious

Antonyms: pacific, conciliatory

BELLIGERENT: Engaged in war - two belligerent nations warring fiercely.

BENEVOLENT: Kindly; charitable - like a benevolent monarch, bestowing many favors.

Synonyms: benign, benignant, gracious, magnanimous

Antonyms: malevolent, malignant

BEREAVE: To deprive or leave desolate by loss - a widow just bereaved of her husband.

BESMIRCH: To soil or dirty - besmirched his opponent's good name with vile epithets.

Synonyms: stilly, defile, smirch, bespatter

BIASED: Prejudiced - misled by a biased point of view.

Synonyms:bigoted, arbitrary, partial, partisan

Antonyms:disinterested, equitable

BIBLIOPHILE: A lover of books - The bibliophile fingered the old book fondly.

Antonym: bibliophobe

BIZARRE: Queer; unusual in appearance- bizarre clothes, outlandish in the extreme.

Synonyms:odd, fantastic, grotesque, eccentric

BLAND: Gentle; polite; agreeable - a bland diet, without irritating foods.

Synonyms: mild, suave (affable or persuasive in manner), soothing, non-irritating

Antonyms: piquant, tart, racy, caustic, acrid, pungent

BLANDISHMENT: A flattering speech or act - attracted people by his blandishments.

BLEMISH (verb): To scar or spoil - Bad associates blemished his character

(noun): A disfigurement, defect - a character without a blemish.

BLIGHT: To ruin or decay - the rotting wheat-, blighted by incessant rain.

Synonyms:wither, blast

BLITHE: Gay and light-hearted in spirit or mood - spread cheer with her blithe spirit.

Synonyms: jocund, merry, joyous

Antonyms: dejected, forlorn, abject

BOG: A swamp - sank into the spongy bog.

Synonyms: morass, fen, quagmire, mire

BOMBASTIC (noun: BOMBAST): High-sounding; pretentious in language - a bombastic speech, inflated with meaningless high-flown words.

Synonyms: ranting, pompous, fustian

BOORISH: Unrefined in speech or manners - exhibited the boorish manners of a backwoodsman.

Synonyms:churlish, uncouth. uncultured, crass

Antonym: suave

BUCOLIC: Pertaining to the country - a bucolic poem de- the joys of the shepherd.

Synonyms:pastoral, rustic, rural

BUFFOON: A clown - acting like a buffoon, full of ludicrous tricks.

Synonym: harlequin

BULWARK:

1. An embankment used as a fortification - a lofty bulwark for defense.

Synonym: rampart

2. A person, idea, or object serving as a protection - acted as a bulwark in the fight against crime.

BUMPTIOUS: Obnoxiously conceited or self-assertive - a bumptious monitor, puffed up with his own importance,

Synonyms: aggressive, arrogant, contumelious, overbearing

CABAL: A small group of persons engaged in plotting - a cabal of prominent persons united to overthrow the government.

Synonyms: junto, faction