Daily Vocabulary: 25th July 2019

India goes to the West Indies sensing more cricketing opportunities than threats


In the past, a tour of the West Indies has deemed the toughest endeavor for any cricketer. Reputations were either enhanced or lost and fractures seemed imminent in the battles against the fiery fast bowlers, while the crowds requested the perfume-ball, a euphemism for a nasty bouncer. But times change, and the inherent quality of the Caribbean squads has declined so much that a sporting visit to the isles with their sunny beaches is seen as an exercise towards etching triumphs, fattening batting averages and multiplying bowling yields. With this as the backdrop, India will fly halfway across the earth for a set of three Twenty20s — interestingly, two of them are being hosted in the United States of America — three ODIs and two Tests against the West Indies from August 3 to September 3. India will be the favorites across the three formats, though in limited-overs games, where the abridged nature of the sport tends to iron out the flaws, the host might fancy its chances. The tour, coming as it does close on the heels of the World Cup in England, presents an opportunity for India to look ahead, make a few changes in personnel and prepare for the future. Transition always coincides with the quadrennial World Cup and India too is part of that global trend.

Endeavor(verb)
Meaning: try hard to do or achieve something.
Synonym: attempt, venture
Antonym: quit, give up


Imminent(adjective)
Meaning: about to happen.
Synonym: brewing, looming
Antonym: remote


Fiery(adjective)
Meaning: consisting of fire or burning strongly and brightly.
Synonym: burning, blazing
Antonym: bland, indifferent

Nasty(adjective)
Meaning: very bad or unpleasant.
Synonym: unpleasant, disagreeable
Antonym: nice, delightful

Etching(noun)
Meaning: a print produced by the process of etching.
Synonym: engraving, print,
Antonym: erase, expunge, obliterate


Abridged(adjective)
Meaning: (of a piece of writing) having been shortened.
Synonym: curtail, truncate
Antonym: lengthened, expanded

Quadrennial(adjective)
Meaning: recurring every four years.