Directions: Each item in this section consists of a sentence with an underlined word followed by four options, (a), (b), (c) and (d). Select the option that is opposite in meaning to the underlined word and mark your response accordingly. He had the audacity to blame him.
politeness
Understanding the Question: Finding the Antonym of Audacity
The question asks us to find the word that is opposite in meaning to the underlined word "audacity" in the sentence "He had the audacity to blame him." We need to examine the given options and determine which one presents the clearest antonym.
Defining Audacity
The word "audacity" has two main meanings:
- A willingness to take bold risks; daring.
- Rude or disrespectful behavior; impudence.
In the given sentence, "He had the audacity to blame him," the second meaning, related to rudeness or disrespect in daring to do something inappropriate (like blaming someone when perhaps he shouldn't have), is more prominent.
Analyzing the Options
Let's look at the meanings of the provided options:
- boldness: This means a willingness to take risks or be confident and courageous. This is a synonym for one meaning of "audacity".
- vigour: This means physical strength and energy. It is unrelated to the meaning of "audacity".
- temerity: This means excessive confidence or boldness; recklessness. This is also a synonym or very closely related word to "audacity", often implying rashness.
- politeness: This means having or showing behavior that is respectful and considerate of other people. This is the direct opposite of rude or disrespectful behavior, which is a key aspect of "audacity".
Finding the Opposite of Audacity
Comparing the meanings, "boldness" and "temerity" are synonyms or near-synonyms of "audacity". "Vigour" is unrelated. "Politeness" is the opposite of the rude, disrespectful, or impudent aspect of "audacity".
Therefore, "politeness" is the antonym of "audacity".
Conclusion on the Antonym
Based on the analysis of the word "audacity" and the given options, "politeness" stands out as the word with the opposite meaning, particularly regarding the disrespectful or impudent connotation of audacity.
| Word | Meaning | Relationship to Audacity |
| Audacity | Boldness; rude/disrespectful behavior | The word in question |
| Boldness | Willingness to take risks | Synonym |
| Vigour | Strength/energy | Unrelated |
| Temerity | Excessive boldness/recklessness | Synonym/Close meaning |
| Politeness | Respectful/considerate behavior | Antonym |
Revision Table: Key Vocabulary Antonyms
| Word | Antonym |
| Audacity | Politeness |
| Boldness | Fearfulness, Timidity |
| Temerity | Caution, Prudence |
| Vigour | Lethargy, Weakness |
Additional Information on Antonyms and Synonyms
Understanding antonyms and synonyms is crucial for vocabulary building in English. Antonyms are words that have opposite meanings, while synonyms are words that have similar meanings.
- Learning antonym pairs helps in grasping the full spectrum of a word's meaning.
- Synonyms allow for variety in expression and help in understanding nuances between similar words.
- Context is important. Some words can have multiple meanings, and their antonyms or synonyms might change depending on how they are used in a sentence. For example, the antonym of "light" could be "dark" (absence of light) or "heavy" (opposite weight).
Regular practice with vocabulary questions, like finding antonyms and synonyms, improves language proficiency for exams.
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