Example: Haryana’s praise of veil sparks row.
1. Veil [veyl]
Noun: a piece of opaque or transparent material worn over the face for concealment, for protection from the elements, or to enhance the appearance; a piece of material worn so as to fall over the head and shoulders on each side of the face, forming a part of the headdress of a nun.
Synonyms: cloak, curtain, mask, shroud, blind, coloring.
2. Row [rou]
Noun: a noisy dispute or quarrel; commotion; noise or clamor.
Verb: to quarrel noisily; to upbraid severely; scold.
Synonyms: controversy, dispute, quarrel, squabble, trouble, affray, altercation, bickering, brawl.
Antonyms: agreement, peace, calm, calmness, harmony, order, quiet, silence.
Example: A photo caption in a Haryana government magazine saying that the veil (ghoonghat) was the “identity of the State” has invited criticism from the Opposition, which has accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government of promoting a regressive mindset.
3. Regressive [ri-gres-iv]
Adjective: regressing or tending to regress; retrogressive; Biology. of, relating to, or effecting regression; (of tax) decreasing proportionately with an increase in the tax base.
Synonyms: back, rearward, aback, abaft, about, astern, behind.
Antonyms: aggressive, ahead, developing, fast, forward, intelligent, precocious, smart.
Example: The apex court observed that no interim order could be passed merely on the “apprehension” raised by the petitioners that somebody might be deprived of welfare benefits due to the lack of Aadhaar, especially when no such affected person had come before it.
4. Interim [in-ter-uh m]
Noun: an intervening time; interval; meantime; a temporary or provisional arrangement; stopgap; makeshift.
Adjective: for, during, belonging to, or connected with an intervening period of time; temporary; provisional; an interim job.
Adverb: meanwhile.
Synonyms: provisional, acting, caretaker, makeshift, stopgap, ad interim, improvised.
Antonyms: finished, permanent, continual.
5. Apprehension [ap-ri-hen-shuh n]
Noun: anticipation of adversity or misfortune; suspicion or fear of future trouble or evil; the faculty or act of apprehending or understanding; perception on a direct and immediate level; acceptance of or receptivity to information without passing judgment on its validity, often without complete comprehension; a view, opinion, or idea on any subject.
Synonyms: alarm, disquiet, doubt, dread, foreboding, misgiving, mistrust, suspicion, trepidation, uneasiness.
Antonyms: belief, calm, calmness, certainty, confidence, faith, peace.
Example: China protests against ‘incursion’.
6. Incursion [in-kur-zhuh n, -shuh n]
Noun: a hostile entrance into or invasion of a place or territory, especially a sudden one; raid; a harmful inroad; a running in.
Synonyms: aggression, attack, foray, infiltration, inroad, intrusion, penetration.
Antonym: retreat.
Example: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said: “We have lodged solemn representation in Beijing and New Delhi to elaborate our solemn position.”
7. Solemn [sol-uh m]
Adjective: grave, sober, or mirthless, as a person, the face, speech, tone, or mood; gravely or somberly impressive; causing serious thoughts or a grave mood; serious or earnest; characterized by dignified or serious formality, as proceedings; of a formal or ceremonious character.
Synonyms: dignified, earnest, funereal, glum, intense, pensive, portentous, reflective.
Antonyms: cheerful, excited, happy, ignorant, joyful, light, lively, thoughtless.
8. Elaborate [adjective ih-lab-er-it; verb ih-lab-uh-reyt]
Adjective: worked out with great care and nicety of detail; executed with great minuteness; marked by intricate and often excessive detail; complicated; ornate.
Verb: to work out carefully or minutely; develop to perfection; to add details to; expand; to produce or develop by labor.
Synonyms: busy, complicated, decorated, detailed, embellished, exact, fancy, garnished, imposing.
Antonyms: easy, facile, natural, simple, uncultured, unrefined.
Example: Counting the strides.
9. Stride [strahyd]
Verb: to walk with long steps, as with vigor, haste, impatience, or arrogance; to take a long step; to straddle.
Synonyms: stalk, stomp, traipse, tramp, clump, drill, march.
Example: No one would deny that Pakistan is a particularly misogynistic country, where patriarchal relations and attitudes discriminate heavily against women.
10. Misogynistic [mi-soj-uh-nis-tik, mahy‐] Adjective: reflecting or exhibiting hatred, dislike, mistrust, or mistreatment of women.
