| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | stop short |
| Synonyms: | cramp, crimp, demur, desist, dodge, evade, flinch, hesitate, recoil, refuse, resist, shirk, shrink from, shy, turn down, upset apple cart |
| Main Entry: | back down |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | back off |
| Synonyms: | abandon, accede, acquiesce, admit, back off, back out, back pedal, backtrack, balk, beg off, bow out, cancel, cave in, chicken out, chicken out, concede, cop out, demur, give ground, give in, give up, go back on, have no fight left, hold back, pull back, pull out, recant, recoil, renege, resign, retreat, submit, surrender, take back, wimp out, withdraw, withdraw from agreement or statement, yield |
| Antonyms: | go forward |
| Main Entry: | beam |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | length of material used as support |
| Synonyms: | axle, bail, balk, bolster, boom, brace, cantilever, column, crossbar, crosspiece, girder, jamb, joist, lath, lintel, pile, piling, pillar, plank, pole, post, prop, rafter, reach, scaffolding, scantling, shaft, sill, spar, stanchion, stay, stringer, strip, strut, stud, timber, transverse, trestle, two-by-four |
| Notes: | ray is distinguished from beam in that it describes a smaller quantity of light (beam being a collection of parallel rays) |
| Main Entry: | blow |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | catastrophe |
| Synonyms: | affliction, balk, bolt from the blue, bombshell, calamity, casualty, chagrin, comedown, debacle, disappointment, disaster, disgruntlement, frustration, jolt, letdown, misadventure, misfortune, mishap, reverse, setback, shock, tragedy, upset |
| Antonyms: | good fortune, luck |
| Main Entry: | chagrin |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | displeasure |
| Synonyms: | annoyance, balk, blow, crushing, discomfiture, discomposure, disgruntlement, dismay, disquiet, dissatisfaction, embarrassment, fretfulness, frustration, humiliation, ill-humor, irritation, letdown, mortification, peevishness, shame, spleen, upset, vexation |
| Antonyms: | delight, gladness, happiness, joy, pleasure, triumph |
| Main Entry: | dash |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | discourage, frustrate |
| Synonyms: | abash, baffle, balk, beat, bilk, blast, blight, chagrin, chill, circumvent, cloud, confound, dampen, disappoint, discomfort, dismay, dispirit, foil, nip, ruin, spoil, thwart |
| Main Entry: | decline |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | say no |
| Synonyms: | abjure, abstain, avoid, balk, beg to be excused, bypass, demur, deny, desist, disapprove, dismiss, don't buy, forbear, forgo, gainsay, nix, not accept, not hear of, not think of, pass on, refrain, refuse, reject, renounce, reprobate, repudiate, send regrets, shy, spurn, turn down, turn thumbs down |
| Notes: | one declines (or accepts) something that is offered; one refuses (or agrees) to accept something offered |
| Antonyms: | accept, say yes |
| Main Entry: | defeat |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | frustrate |
| Synonyms: | baffle, balk, beat down, beat the system, blank, block, bury, cast down, cause setback, checkmate, circumvent, confound, contravene, cook*, counterplot, cross, disappoint, discomfit, disconcert, disprove, edge out, foil, invalidate, neutralize, nonplus, nose out, nullify, outwit, overturn, put end to, puzzle, quell, reduce, refute, ruin, scuttle, shave, shellac, skunk, spoil, squash, stump, subdue, subjugate, surmount, take wind out of sails, throw for loop, thwart, undo, victimize |
| Notes: | decimate means to kill or destroy in large numbers; defeat means to win a victory over or to beat |
| Antonyms: | abet, aid, encourage, help, inspirit |
| Main Entry: | demur |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | disagree |
| Synonyms: | balk, cavil, challenge, combat, complain, deprecate, disapprove, dispute, doubt, fight, hem and haw, hesitate, object, oppose, pause, protest, pussyfoot, refuse, remonstrate, resist, scruple, shy, stick, stickle, strain, take exception, vacillate, wait and see, waver |
| Notes: | demur is the verb 'to object or voice opposition' while demure is the adjective meaning 'modest, shy' |
| Antonyms: | accept, agree, consent, go along |