(of work) not requiring much skill and lacking prestige

"Menial factory jobs"

Synonyms:unskilled, lowly, humble, low-grade

dispense or allot justice, a punishment, or harsh treatment

"Punishments meted out to soldiers who violated army regulations"

Synonyms:careful, conscientious, diligent, scrupulous, punctilious

a person's social environment

Synonyms:environment, background

to make something less likely to happen or succeed

"His inexperience militates against his getting an early promotion"

Synonyms:hinder, resist

a wrong interpretation

Synonyms:misunderstanding, misinterpretation

(of income) less

"Modest income"

Synonyms:meagre

Antonyms:substantial, considerable

moderate

"Modest price"

Synonyms:fair

"He comes of a modest (poor) background"

(of behaviour) humble and shy

"Modest behaviour"

sullen and ill-tempered

"He became morose after he lost his job"

Synonyms:sullen, sulky, gloomy, bad-tempered, ill-tempered

Synonyms:embarrass, humiliate, chagrin, shame

a recurring theme, idea, or pattern in a work of art, literature, or music

"The motif of love and sacrifice appears throughout the novel"

Synonyms:theme, idea, concept

Synonyms:inducement, stimulus, incentive

a surface having colored spots or blotches

multiplicity

to speak quietly and in a way that is not clear

eat something steadily and audibly

Synonyms:chew, crunch

Synonyms:generous, bountiful, magnanimous, philanthropic

dark and dirty or difficult to see through

Synonyms:dark, gloomy

the lowest or most unsuccessful point in a situation

"Defeat in a battle is the nadir of most kings"

Synonyms:ingenuous, inexperienced

Antonyms:artful, experienced

Synonyms:siesta, doze, snooze