Eazyprep brings to you ‘Words in News’, an easy and interesting way to learn vocabulary important for your exam. Now discover new meanings while also going through current affairs articles at the same time!
Today’s article talks about skilled goldsmiths working meager jobs to make ends meet.
The article title is: ‘Those who crafted gold ornaments are digging ditches today’.
Did you find words that were absolutely new? Great! Below are the explanations given for some of those difficult words you found. Go through them slowly and don’t forget to do the exercises at the end.
Important words and idioms from the article
LIVELIHOOD
Pronunciation: laiv-lee-hud
Part of Speech: noun
Meaning: means of living a secure life
Synonyms: employment, income, subsistence, sustenance
Antonyms: avocation, unemployment
Usage: Their livelihood depends on wages of daily labour.
Forms: life(noun), live(verb)
VIRTUAL
Pronunciation: vuh-choo-uhl
Part of Speech: adjective
Meaning: not existing in reality
Synonyms: implicit, implied, tacit
Antonyms: real, explicit
Usage: He is living a virtual life on social media.
Forms: virtually(adverb)
SPLATTER
Pronunciation: spla-tuh
Part of Speech: noun
Meaning: splash something
Synonyms: douse, bespatter, slosh, dash
Usage: The sculpture was found broken and splattered on the floor.
DESPERATE
Pronunciation: deh-spuh-reit
Part of Speech: adjective
Meaning: having a great need for something
Synonyms: dire, urgent, necessary, crucial
Antonyms: unimportant, trivial
Usage: Desperate times call for desperate measures.
Forms: desperation(noun), desperately(adverb)
INTRICATE
Pronunciation: in-truh-kuht
Part of Speech: adjective
Meaning: in great detail
Synonyms: easy, simple, apparent, clear
Usage: The detectives created an intricate network of spies for the suspects
Forms: intricacy(noun), intricately(adverb)
DISHEARTENED
Pronunciation: duhs-haat-uhnd
Part of Speech: adjective
Meaning: having lost all hope
Synonyms: dispirited, dismayed, demoralised, discouraged
Antonyms: heartened, inspirited, stimulated
Usage: The team was disheartened after their first loss in the tournament.
LABOURER
Pronunciation: ley-ber-er
Part of Speech: noun
Meaning: a person who does unskilled labour for a living
Synonyms: drudge, worker, hand, grunt
Antonyms: skilled, professional
Usage: The labourers in the farm were unpaid and overworked.
Forms: labour(noun, verb)
ESTIMATE
Pronunciation: es-tuh-meyt
Part of Speech: verb, noun
Meaning: a) to guess something(verb)
b) an approximate guess of something(noun)
Synonyms: assess, consider, evaluate, predict
Antonyms: measure, calculate
Usage: The expenses exceeded the estimated budget.
Forms: estimation(noun)
UPGRADE
Pronunciation: up-greyd
Part of Speech: verb, noun
Meaning: a) raise something to a higher standard(verb)
b) an act of upgrading(noun)
Synonyms: boost, enhance, raise, promote
Antonyms: downgrade, decrease, diminish
Usage: Their seats were upgraded from business to economy class.
Forms: upgradation (noun)
ARTISAN
Pronunciation: aa-tuh-zan
Part of Speech: noun
Meaning: a worker who makes things by hand
Synonyms: craftsperson, craftsman, professional, builder
Antonyms: apprentice
Usage: The artisans prepared handicrafts for the fair.
Forms: artist(noun), art(noun)
Practice Questions
Q1) If the words ‘virtual’ and ‘real’ make a perfect pair, select the correct pair from the following set of words following the same logic:
- Intricate-Complex
- Estimate-Approximate
- Splatter-Splash
- Desperate-Unimportant
Q2) Create sentences of your own with the following words:
- Livelihood
- Estimate
- Artisan
- Labourer
- Upgrade
Tell us your answers in the comments below.
