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 privatisation of certain railway carriages by Indian Railways.
The article title is: ‘A different track’.
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
INITIATE
Pronunciation: ih-nee-shuh-eyt
Part of Speech: verb
Meaning: cause a process to begin
Synonyms: commence, start, inaugurate
Antonyms: block, cease, close
Usage: The fight was initiated by Rahul.
Forms: initiation(noun)
HAULAGE
Pronunciation: hawl-uhj
Part of Speech: noun
Meaning: a) commercial transport of goods.
b) to collect something
Synonyms: suction, absorption, drawing
Usage: There was a haulage for necessities as soon as the pandemic hit.
Forms: haul(verb,noun)
CONSUMPTION
Pronunciation: kuhn-suhmp-shn
Part of Speech: noun
Meaning: to use up something
Synonyms: expenditure, utilisation, decrease, diminution
Antonyms: conservation
Usage: We need to decrease the consumption of fossil fuels significantly.
Forms: consume(verb)
REVENUE
Pronunciation: reh-vuh-nyoo
Part of Speech: noun
Meaning: income
Synonyms: credit, fundings, earn,gain
Antonyms: debt, loss
Usage: The farmers paying half their revenue to landowners isn’t right.
PARAMETER
Pronunciation: puh-ra-muh-tuh
Part of Speech: noun
Meaning: a certain quantity or quality to measure something else
Synonyms: limit, criterion, guideline
Usage: The parameters of an ideal candidate have not been met by Prateek.
Forms: parametric(adjective)
MINISCULE
Pronunciation: mi-nuh-skyool
Part of Speech: adjective
Meaning: extremely small
Synonyms: insignificant, microscopic, small
Antonyms: enormous, huge, large, important
Usage: Their chances of winning this game is minuscule.
VIABILITY
Pronunciation: vai-uh-bil-uh-tee
Part of Speech: noun
Meaning: ability to run successfully
Synonyms: possibility, plausibility, growth, activity
Antonyms: inactivity, inanimacy
Usage: There is no viability for this plan to work successfully
Forms: viable(adjective)
FACILITATE
Pronunciation: fuh-si-luh-teit
Part of Speech: verb
Meaning: to aid something or someone
Synonyms: ease, expedite, help, promote
Antonyms: block, cease, delay
Usage: The funds from the administration will facilitate our research.
Forms: facility(noun)
FLEXIBILITY
Pronunciation: flek-suh-bi-luh-tee
Part of Speech: noun
Meaning: a) the quality of bending easily
b) willingness to change
Synonyms: elasticity, adaptability, compliance
Antonyms: constraint, resistance
Usage: The flexibility of the telecom plans drew more customers.
Forms: flexible(adjective)
EXCEEDINGLY
Pronunciation: uhk-seed-uhng-lee
Part of Speech: adverb
Meaning: to a great extent
Synonyms: enormously, hugely, excessively, largely
Antonyms: little, small
Usage: The price of groceries went up exceedingly.
Forms: exceed(verb), excess(noun,adjective)
Practice Questions
Q1) If the words ‘consumption’ and ‘utilisation’ make a perfect pair, select the correct pair from the following set of words following the same logic:
- Initiate-Finish
- Parameter-Criterion
- Minuscule-Tiny
- Flexibility-Constraint
Q2) Create sentences of your own with the following words:
- Exceedingly
- Parameter
- Haulage
- Revenue
- Viability
Tell us your answers in the comments below.
