Beta Group: Brave New World

1: Typhoid

Sentence: "Oh, the usual typhoid and sleeping sickness."

Definition: Also called typhoid fever. an infectious, often fatal, febrile disease, usually of the summer months, characterized by intestinal inflammation and ulceration, caused by the typhoid bacillus, which is usually introduced with food or drink.

Clues: "sickness" tells the reader that the word relates to a disease.

Synonym: Illness

Antonym: Healthy

Reason: This word is one that many have heard, but few actually know what it is.

 

2: Optimum

Sentence: "The optimum Decanting Rate at any given moment."

Definition: The best or most favorable point, degree, amount, etc., as of temperature, light, and moisture for the growth or reproduction of an organism.

Clues: The speaker is almost bragging in this sentence, making it obvious that "optimum" means "best".

Synonym: Flawless

Antonym: Poorest

Reason: This is another word that many mistake for other words, like "optimism".

 

3: Gratuitous

Sentence: "Primroses and landscapes, he pointed out, have one grave defect: they are gratuitous. A love of nature keeps no factories busy."

Definition: Given, done, bestowed, or obtained without charge or payment; free; voluntary.

Clues: The speaker is talking about how loving nature means factories aren't busy, and in saying so is implying that it's not good for the economy, since loving nature costs no money.

Synonym: Costless

Antonym: Expensive

Reason: Many have mistaken this word for "gratitude", and people may be grateful for something gratuitous, but it isn't the same thing.

 

4: Indefatigable

Sentence: "'...so frightfully clever,' the soft, insinuating, indefatigable voice was saying, "I'm really awfully glad I'm a Beta, because...'"

Definition: Incapable of being tired out; not yielding to fatigue; untiring.

Clues: The speaker had been talking for a long time, which the word was emphasizing.

Synonym: Tireless

Antonym: Fatigued

Reason: This isn't a word often used; it's rather rare in vocabulary today.

 

5: Incongruous

Sentence: "Fanny's kind, rather moon-like face took on an incongruous expression of pained and disapproving astonishment."

Definition: Out of keeping or place; inappropriate; unbecoming: an incongruous effect; incongruous behavior.

Clues: Since Fanny's face is usually kind, "disapproving" seems to be a contradiction to this, which gives clues that "incongruous" is as well.

Synonym: Contradictory

Antonym: Suitable

Reason: The word isn't used very often, and is usually misunderstood when it is.

 

6: Pneumatic

Sentence: "'Oh, she's a splendid girl. Wonderfully pneumatic. I'm surprised you haven't had her."Definition: Of or pertaining to air, gases, or wind.

Clues: The sentence gives the impression that she has sexual relations with many guys.

Synonym: Exposed

Antonym: Concealed

Reason: This isn't a word often used to describe a person, and if so, not always in a positive way, such as it is here.

 

7: Centrifugal

Sentence: "Forests of Centrifugal Bumble-puppy towers gleamed between the trees."

Definition: Moving or directed outward from the center (opposed to centripetal).

Clues: Since the towers are apparently spread around, it hints at the meaning of centrifugal.

Synonym: Diffusive

Antonym: Centripetal

Reason: This word seems a lot like "centripetal," so it's important to know the difference.

 

8: Derision

Sentence: "Was that a kind of bestial derision that he detected in those blank grey eyes?"

Definition: To ridicule to mock; make fun of.

Clues: "Bestial" hints at something animal or beast-like, and beasts usually look at people with dislike.

Synonym: Mockery

Antonym: Respect

Reason: "Derision" is a word that's pleasant to the ears, though the meaning itself isn't a pleasant one.

 

9: Melodious

Sentence: "The sexophones wailed like melodious cats under the moon, moaned in the alto and tenor registers as though the death were upon them."

Definition: Of the nature of or characterized by melody; sweet-sounding; musical.

Clues: The word was used synonymously to "cats", which were described as wailing under the moon.

Synonym: Tuneful

Antonym: Discordant

Reason: "Melodious" describes something tuneful that sounds nice, but the pronunciation of the word is also melodious.

 

10: Incandescence

Sentence: Flood-lighted, its three hundred and twenty metres of Carra-surrogate gleamed with a snowy incandescence over Ludgate Hill; at each of the four corners of its helicopter platform an immense T shone crimson against the night, and from the mouths of twenty-four vast golden trumpets a solemn synthetic music.

Definition: The emission of visible light by a body, caused by its high temperature.

Clues: The sentence talks about the Carra-surrogate being "flood-lighted" and describes it gleaming.

Synonym: Glow

Antonym: Dull

Reason: Simple; the word is beautiful to say, and typically describes something beautiful.

 

11: Obstinately

Sentence: "He remained obstinately gloomy the whole afternoon; wouldn't talk to Lenina's friends (of whom they met dozens in the ice-cream soma bar between the wrestling bouts); and in spite of his misery absolutely refused to take the half-gramme raspberry sundae which she pressed upon him."

Definition: Firmly or stubbornly adhering to one's purpose, opinion, etc.; not yielding to argument, persuasion, or entreaty.

Clues: The word describes something he did the entire afternoon, implying that he's stubborn.

Synonym: Stubborn

Antonym: Docile

Reason: The word "obstinately" seems to be used especially well here, expressing how stubborn the person is, and how inflexible they're choosing to be.

 

12: Oppressive

Sentence: "And then–it was almost the last day of my leave–then … well, she got lost. We'd gone riding up one of those revolting mountains, and it was horribly hot and oppressive, and after lunch we went to sleep."

Definition: Burdensome, unjustly harsh, or tyrannical: an oppressive king; oppressive laws.

Clues: "Horribly hot" hints at something negative, and the heat certainly oppresses people at times.

Synonym: Overbearing

Antonym: Temperate

Reason: "Oppressive" is a word used to describe the entire society of the book, so it's only appropriate it be one of the vocab terms.

 

13: Indignant

Sentence: "'But how can they live like this?' she broke out in a voice of indignant incredulity. (It wasn't possible.)

Definition: Feeling, characterized by, or expressing strong displeasure at something considered unjust, offensive, insulting, or base.

Clues: She's questioning something with amazement, but it's not positive, showing that "indignant" must be negative.

Synonym: Provoked

Antonym: Pleased

Reason: "Indignant" is a term often misunderstood or not understood at all, often when someone uses it, the other person will question what it means.

 

14: Obsidian

Sentence: "His face was profoundly wrinkled and black, like a mask of obsidian."

Definition: A volcanic glass similar in composition to granite, usually dark but transparent in thin pieces, and having a good conchoidal fracture.

Clues: The man's face is described as "black" which is a color associated with obsidian.

Synonym: Ebony

Antonym: Ivory

Reason: "Obsidian" is an interesting term to use to describe someone's facade, and it's also interesting that someone would have that color of a face.

 

15: Uncivilized

Sentence: "I expect it's true, because I looked at it, and it seemed to be full of nonsense. Uncivilized."

Definition: Not civilized or cultured; barbarous.

Clues: Nonsense is rarely used positively, and this is no exception; "uncivilized" is obviously a negative term used her to describe something "abnormal", which of course doesn't fit into society.

Synonym: Barbaric

Antonym: Uncultured

Reason: The word is used strangely here in comparison to our own society; "uncivilized" is a term that's typically used to describe someone immoral and savage, someone completely out of the norm of society. But nonsense is quite common in our own society, so it's not defined as "uncivilized" at all.

16: Treacherous

Sentence: "A man can smile and smile and be a villain. Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain."

Definition: Characterized by faithlessness or readiness to betray trust.

Clues: The other words used in the sentence are all extremely negative, and "villain" especially describes someone treacherous.

Synonym: Traitorous

Antonym: Trustworthy

Reason: The word was used well in the sentence, especially in accordance to the other words, so it fit in this category.

 

17: Pensive

Sentence: "Bernard meanwhile lay pensive and wide-eyed in the dark. It was long after midnight before he fell asleep."

Definition: Dreamily or wistfully thoughtful.

Clues: Bernard is laying in the dark before falling asleep, people usually only do that when they're thoughtful.

Synonym: Thoughtful

Antonym: Negligent

Reason: "Pensive" is a term not commonly used today, and people have mistaken it for something of a writing utensil in the past.

 

18: Detestable

Sentence: "Detestable thought! He was ashamed of himself."

Definition: Deserving to be detested; abominable; hateful.

Clues: He feels ashamed of himself, meaning the thought is something to be despised, or "detested".

Synonym: Atrocious

Antonym: Admirable

Reason: People sometimes misuse the word "detestable," yet it's used very well in this sentence, and truly emphasizes the mistake made.

 

19: Eminence

Sentence: "His intellectual eminence carries with it corresponding moral responsibilities. The greater a man's talents, the greater his power to lead astray."

Definition: High station, rank, or reputation.

Clues: "Talents" "intellectual" and "lead" hint that "eminence" is related to power or authority.

Synonym: Prestige

Antonym: Inferiority

Reason: "Eminence" is often used when referring to kings or deities, and can be mistaken as only being usable in that sense, so it's important to know that it doesn't only apply to them.

 

20: Heinous

Sentence: "Consider the matter dispassionately, Mr. Foster, and you will see that no offence is so heinous as unorthodoxy of behaviour."

Definition: Hateful; odious; abominable; totally reprehensible.

Clues: The meaning of "heinous," or something similar to it, can be realized because of the word "offence" which is obviously something that is very negative.

Synonym: Horrendous

Antonym: Virtuous

Reason: "Heinous" is a word that some, if unfamiliar with, may be unable to pronounce, and possibly not aware of the meaning.

 

21: Obscenity

Sentence: "Linda, on the contrary, cut no ice; nobody had the smallest desire to see Linda. To say one was a mother–that was past a joke: it was an obscenity."

Definition: The character or quality of being obscene; indecency; lewdness.Clues: "Joke" shows that "obscenity" isn't a positive word, describing Linda as negative.

Synonym: Impurity

Antonym: Virtuous

Reason: It's interesting and strange that "obscenity" is used to describe someone because she's a mother.

 

22: Demurred

Sentence: "Dr. Shaw at first demurred; then let her have what she wanted.

Definition: To make objection, especially on the grounds of scruples; take exception; object.

Clues: Obviously it took a bit for Dr. Shaw to agree, so if he "demurred" he must not have agreed at first.

Synonym: Disapprove

Antonym: Accept

Reason: The word sounded French, but could also have a tendency to remind people of "docile" or perhaps "purr" which is a sound cats make, so it's important not to make these mistakes.

 

23: Heretical

Sentence: "The men were furious at having been tricked into behaving politely to this insignificant fellow with the unsavoury reputation and the heretical opinions."

Definition: Opinion or doctrine at variance with the orthodox or accepted doctrine, especially of a church or religious system.

Clues: "Insignificant fellow" and "unsavoury reputation" are both terms that describe the man as an outcast of society, at least to an extent, which is also what heretics were considered.

Synonym: Nonconformist

Antonym: Orthodox

Reason: The word in this sentence was used rather cleverly, with the other terms working up to it.

 

24: Unwonted

Sentence: "Pale, her blue eyes clouded with an unwonted melancholy, she sat in a corner, cut off from those who surrounded her by an emotion which they did not share."

Definition: Not customary or usual; rare.

Clues: The fact that the others didn't share the emotion showed that it might have been something strange, or unusual

Synonym: Abnormal

Antonym: Bizarre

Reason: "Unwonted" is a rare word used in today's vocabulary, and if used, many may be unclear on the meaning.

 

25: Sententiously

Sentence: "'Well, you must persevere,' said Fanny sententiously. But it was obvious that her confidence in her own prescriptions had been shaken."

Definition: Abounding in pithy aphorisms or maxims.

Clues: Since Fanny's confidence wasn't too great, which seemed a contradiction to how she spoke, then "sententiously" must mean something along the lines of "self-righteous."

Synonym: Concise

Antonym: Uncertain

Reason: This word is another rarity, probably only used by those with higher vocabulary.

 

26: Moribund

Sentence: "They had never seen a face like hers before–had never seen a face that was not youthful and taut-skinned, a body that had ceased to be slim and upright. All these moribund sexagenarians had the appearance of childish girls."

Definition: In a dying state; near death.

Clues: "Moribund" is similar to "morbid" which relates to death.

Synonym: Perishing

Antonym: Healthy

Reason: It's possible that "morbid" is derived from "moribund" and it's good to know the roots of words, or at least where words come from.

 

27: Vestibule

Sentence: "A door had been opened, a table and chair carried into the vestibule."

Definition: A passage, hall, or antechamber between the outer door and the interior parts of a house or building.

Clues: Tables and chairs are usually carried into chambers or types of rooms.

Synonym: Hallway

Antonym: Outside

Reason: "Vestibule" is a very odd word used for something like a "hallway" and seems to overdo it.

 

28: Inquisitiveness

Sentence: "The Savage meanwhile wandered restlessly round the room, peering with a vague superficial inquisitiveness at the books in the shelves, at the sound-track rolls and reading machine bobbins in their numbered pigeon-holes."

Definition: Given to inquiry, research, or asking questions; eager for knowledge; intellectually curious.

Clues: The "Savage" is wandering restlessly, and seems to be exploring, so he must be curious.

Synonym: Curious

Antonym: Apathetic

Reason: The word was used well in this sentence to show the curiosity of the savage.

 

29: Superfluous

Sentence: "But there aren't any losses for us to compensate; religious sentiment is superfluous."

Definition: Being more than is sufficient or required; excessive.

Clues: Since the losses don't matter, religious sentiment must be unnecessary or too much.

Synonym: Unneeded

Antonym: Important

Reason: The word "super" means "amazing". Knowing this, "fluous" must be something like "too much".

 

30: Ingratiating

Sentence: "'What do you want?' asked the Savage, scowling. The reporter returned his most ingratiating smile.

Definition: Deliberately meant to gain favor; charming.

Clues: Even though the savage is scowling, the reporter is smiling, so he must be trying to be friendly, and especially because he's a reporter and has ulterior motives.

Synonym: Disarming

Antonym: Repulling

Reason: The word was used perfectly here, because reporters do usually smile at people in a way to disarm them so that they can get information, especially if the person is scowling.

 

Works Cited

 

"Brave New World by Aldous Huxley : Chapter One." Brave New World by Aldous Huxley : Chapter
     One-Chapter Eighteen. N.p.,n.d. Web. 10 May 2014.

 

Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 09 May 2014."Synonyms and Antonyms of Words."

 

Thesaurus.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 May 2014.