Hindu Editorial with Vocabulary: Jan Month– Day 19

The Hindu English Vocabulary

1) Referendum (Noun) – जनमत संग्रह

Meaning: a general vote by the electorate on a single political question which has been referred to them for a direct decision.

Synonyms: public vote, plebiscite, popular vote

Antonyms: unilateral decision

Usage: I had many such experiences at meetings and discussions in the lead-up to the referendum.

2) Legions (Noun) – विशाल संख्या

Meaning: a vast number of people or things.

Synonyms: horde, host, throng

Antonyms: few, numbered, scarce

Usage: “legions of photographers and TV cameras”

3) Dichotomy (Noun) – द्विभक्‍तीकरण

Meaning: a division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different.

Synonyms: division, separation, divorce

Antonyms: oneness, openness, single

Usage: “a rigid dichotomy between science and mysticism”

4) Woes (Noun) – दुःखसंकट

Meaning: great sorrow or distress (often used hyperbolically).

Synonyms: misery, sorrow, distress

Antonyms: happiness, joy

Usage: “the Everton tale of woe continued”

5) Sway (Verb) – नियंत्रण करना

Meaning: control or influence (a person or course of action).

Synonyms: influence, affect, bias

Antonyms: powerlessness, inability, inefficiency

Usage: “he’s easily swayed by other people”

6) Brevity (Noun) – संक्षिप्तता

Meaning: concise and exact use of words in writing or speech.

Synonyms: conciseness, concision, succinctness

Antonyms: long-windedness, verbosity

Usage: “the staff will edit manuscripts with a view to brevity and clarity”

7) Notorious (Adjective) – कुख्यात

Meaning: famous or well known, typically for some bad quality or deed.

Synonyms: infamous, of ill repute, with a bad reputation/name

Antonyms: unknown, anonymous, faceless

Usage: “Los Angeles is notorious for its smog”

8) Paucity (Noun) – कमी या विरलता

Meaning: the presence of something in only small or insufficient quantities or amounts.

Synonyms: scarcity, sparseness, sparsity

Antonyms: abundance

Usage: “a paucity of information”

9) Gratification (Noun) – परितोषण

Meaning: pleasure, especially when gained from the satisfaction of a desire.

Synonyms: satisfaction, fulfillment, indulgence

Antonyms: dissatisfaction, discontent, discontentedness

Usage: “a thirst for sexual gratification”

10) Raucous (Adjective) – कर्कश

Meaning: making or constituting a disturbingly harsh and loud noise.

Synonyms: harsh, strident, screeching

Antonyms: soft, dulcet, peaceful

Usage: “raucous youths”