| A | B |
|---|
| antithesis | a direct opposite, a contrast |
| ascend | to move upward, to rise from a lower station |
| austere | strict, stern; unadorned, ascetic |
| autonomous | independent, self-contained |
| banal | common, ordinary, lacking freshness, hackneyed |
| benign | not causing harm, of gentle disposition, beneficial |
| capricious | changing suddenly, fickle |
| dawdle | to waste time, to spend time idly, to move in a lackadaisical manner |
| defamation | act of harming or ruining another's reputation |
| esoteric | understood only by a small group or a select few |
| exacerbate | to aggravate, to irritate, to vex |
| extol | to praise, to glorify |
| fastidious | reflecting a meticulous or demanding attitude, critical to an extreme |
| furtive | secret in an underhanded way, stealthy |
| gregarious | sociable and outgoing |
| hypocrite | one who is insincere or deceitful |
| innate | existing from birth, inborn |
| lethargic | sluggish, languid |
| melancholy | depression of spirits |
| opaque | not allowing the passage of light, not transparent; hard to understand |
| prolific | abundantly fruitful, marked by great productivity |
| reprove | to scold or to rebuke for a misdeed usually with kindly intent |
| symmetry | balanced proportions |
| tranquil | peaceful, calm |
| venerate | to honor, to revere |
