hemisphere half of a sphere, especially half of the Earth The Northern Hemisphere

experiences winter in December.

prodigious remarkably or impressively great in extent, size, or degreeShe has a
prodigious talent for painting.
destitute without the basic necessities of life The charity cares for
destitute children.
oblivious not aware of or not concerned about what is happening around one He was
oblivious to the noise outside.
sorrowful feeling or showing sadness She gave him a sorrowful look as he left.
affluent having a great deal of money; wealthy The affluent neighborhood was
filled with mansions.
analogous comparable in certain respects, typically in a way that makes clearer
The human heart is analogous to a pump.
libertarian advocating principles of liberty and free will He holds libertarian
views on government and personal freedom.
incessant continuing without pause or interruption The incessant rain caused
flooding in the area.
intermittent occurring at irregular intervals; not continuous or steady He
suffers from intermittent back pain.
sporadic occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places There were
sporadic outbreaks of disease in the village.
peripheral relating to or situated on the edge or periphery of something He saw
the car in his peripheral vision.
revitalize to imbue something with new life and vitality The new park has
revitalized the downtown area.
concoct to make a dish or meal by combining various ingredients She
concocted a delicious stew from the leftovers.
contrive to create or bring about by deliberate use of skill and artifice They
contrived a plan to escape.
crafty clever at achieving one's aims by indirect or deceitful methods She
was crafty in her negotiations.
rejuvenate to make someone or something look or feel younger, fresher, or more
lively The holiday rejuvenated him.
revivify to give new life or vigor to The artist's new work revivified his
career.
correlation a mutual relationship or connection between two or more things There
is a correlation between smoking and lung cancer.
nugatory of no value or importance The law was rendered nugatory by the lack
of enforcement.
trifling unimportant or trivial She dismissed the problem as trifling.
deluxe of special elegance, sumptuousness, or fineness They stayed in a deluxe
hotel suite.
cut the mustard to achieve the required standard He didn't cut the mustard in
his new job.
pin down to determine the exact nature of something It was hard to pin down
the cause of the problem.
carry it off to handle a difficult situation successfully She managed to
carry it off with grace.
put stories about to spread rumors He put stories about to damage his rival's
reputation.
get one's back up to become angry or irritated His comments really got her back
up.
chip in to contribute something as one's share of a joint activity, cost, etc.
Everyone chipped in for the gift.
pay tribute to express admiration or praise They paid tribute to the soldiers
who died in the war.
culinary of or for cooking She attended culinary school in France.
hygienic conducive to maintaining health and preventing disease The kitchen
was kept in a very hygienic condition.
erratic not even or regular in pattern or movement His erratic driving led
to an accident.
metaphysics the branch of philosophy that deals with the first principles of things
He is studying metaphysics at university.
satirical using satire to criticize or mock The satirical show lampooned
political figures.
weather-beaten worn by exposure to the weather The weather-beaten cabin
stood on the cliff.
implicit implied though not plainly expressed His comments were seen as an
implicit criticism.
round the clock all day and all night The store is open round the clock.
border on to be very nearly something His remarks bordered on rudeness.
stardom the state or status of being a famous or exceptionally talented
performer She achieved stardom at a young age.
supine lying face upward He was lying supine on the beach.
predisposed make someone liable or inclined to a specified attitude, action, or
condition Genetic factors predispose some people to diabetes.
dowry property or money brought by a bride to her husband on their marriage Her
family gave a large dowry at her wedding.
partial favoring one side in a dispute above the other The judge was accused of
being partial.
symmetrically in a way that is made up of exactly similar parts facing each
other The garden was laid out symmetrically.
marginal relating to or situated at the edge or margin of something The report
showed only marginal improvement.
distress extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain She was in great distress after the
accident.
parse to analyze a sentence into its parts and describe their syntactic roles
The students were asked to parse the sentences.
locust a large, mainly tropical grasshopper with strong powers of flight
A swarm of locusts destroyed the crops.
relinquish to voluntarily cease to keep or claim He relinquished control of
the company.
ask for the moon to make unreasonable demands Asking for another raise is like
asking for the moon.
take hold to start to have an effect The new policy began to take hold.
on the level honest and straightforward I believe he's on the level about
his plans.
spur sb on to encourage someone to continue The crowd's cheering spurred him on
to win the race.
snap up to quickly take advantage of an opportunity The tickets were snapped
up within hours.
the mists of time a period of time so long ago that people cannot remember itThe
story has been lost in the mists of time.
float/walk on air to feel very happy She was floating on air after winning the
competition.
cut the apron strings to become independent from one's parents It's time for him
to cut the apron strings and move out.
few and far between very rare Good job opportunities are few and far between
in this town.
implement to put a decision, plan, agreement, etc. into effect They implemented
the new system last year.
plethora an excess of something There was a plethora of options to choose from.
ventilate to cause air to enter and circulate freely The room was well
ventilated.
aerate to introduce air into a material The soil needs to be aerated
regularly.
preclude to prevent from happening His injury precludes him from playing
football.
soot a black powdery or flaky substance produced by the incomplete burning The
chimney was full of soot.
conspicuous standing out so as to be clearly visible She wore a conspicuous red
dress.
illusive deceptive; illusory The promise of easy money proved to be
illusive.
erroneous wrong; incorrect His theory was based on erroneous assumptions.
extirpation the complete removal or destruction of something The extirpation of
the species was due to habitat loss.
inundation flooding The town suffered an inundation after the storm.
low-lying situated at a low level in relation to the surrounding landThe low-
lying areas were most affected by the flood.
accede to agree to a demand or request He acceded to their demands.
usurp to take a position of power or importance illegally or by force He attempted
to usurp the throne.
expropriate to take property from its owner for public use or benefit The
government expropriated the land for a new highway.
arrogate to take or claim something without justification He arrogated the
right to make decisions.
collation the action of collating something The collation of the documents took
hours.
enfranchise to give the right to vote The new law enfranchised women.
emancipate to set free, especially from legal, social, or political restrictions
The proclamation emancipated the slaves.
marginalize to treat a person, group, or concept as insignificant or peripheral
The community felt marginalized by the government.
acquiesce to accept something reluctantly but without protest She acquiesced to
her boss's demands.
premise a previous statement or proposition from which another is inferred
The premise of his argument was flawed.
adage a proverb or short statement expressing a general truth The old adage "a
stitch in time saves nine" is still relevant today.
water down to make something less forceful or effective The proposal was watered
down before approval.
in the wake of following (someone or something), especially as a consequence
The company was restructured in the wake of the scandal.
churn out to produce something routinely or mechanically, especially in large
quantities The factory churns out thousands of cars each week.
keep to oneself to avoid contact with others He tends to keep to himself and
doesn't socialize much.
chow down to eat enthusiastically They chowed down on burgers and fries.
show sb the door to dismiss or expel someone The boss showed him the door after
the argument.
run before you walk to attempt something complex before mastering its more
basic elements He tried to run before he could walk and made several mistakes.
run into sand to come to nothing; to fail The project ran into sand due to
lack of funding.
disseminate to spread or disperse something widely The organization disseminates
information about health.
impediment a hindrance or obstruction in doing something His speech impediment
made it hard for him to communicate.
secluded not seen or visited by many people; sheltered and private They stayed
in a secluded cabin in the woods.
sequestered isolated and hidden away The sequestered jury was not allowed to
go home.
congested blocked up with or too full of something The city's streets were
congested with traffic.
be on edge to be nervous or worried She was on edge before the interview.
make after to chase or pursue The dog made after the cat.
ill-gotten acquired by illegal or unfair means He lived off his ill-gotten gains.
exorbitant unreasonably high The prices at the resort were exorbitant.
deputy a person who is appointed to undertake the duties of a superior in
their absence He is the deputy director of the company.
agglomeration a mass or collection of things The city is an agglomeration
of different cultures.
assemblage a collection or gathering of things or people The museum's assemblage
of artifacts is impressive.
aristocracy the highest class in certain societies The aristocracy lived in
opulent mansions.
echelon a level or rank in an organization, a profession, or society He is
in the upper echelon of the company.
encompass to surround and have or hold within The festival encompasses music,
dance, and theater.
conciliate to stop someone from being angry or discontented He tried to
conciliate his angry friend.
propitiate to win or regain the favor of someone by doing something that pleases
them They offered sacrifices to propitiate the gods.
nosedive a sudden and rapid fall or decline The stock market took a nosedive
after the announcement.
sanguine optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult
situation He is sanguine about the company's future.
ameliorate to make something bad or unsatisfactory better The reforms were
designed to ameliorate the situation.
palliate to make a disease or its symptoms less severe The medication helped to
palliate the patient's pain.
assuage to make an unpleasant feeling less intense He tried to assuage his
guilt by apologizing.
impinge to have an effect or impact, especially a negative one The new law
impinges on our rights.
necessitate to make something necessary The injury necessitated surgery.
pass the buck to shift responsibility for something to someone else He always
tries to pass the buck when things go wrong.
for cradle to grave from birth to death The policy provides care from
cradle to grave.
in the driving seat in control of a situation She is now in the driving
seat of the company.
converge to come together from different directions so as eventually to meet
The two roads converge in the town center.
be slashed to be reduced greatly Prices were slashed during the sale.
of the first water of the highest quality Her performance was of the first
water.
fly high to be very successful or happy The company is flying high after
the successful product launch.
take a nosedive to experience a sudden and dramatic fall After the scandal, his
popularity took a nosedive.
till the cows come home for a very long time You can argue till the cows come
home, but I won't change my mind.
preside to be in the position of authority in a meeting or gathering She
presided over the meeting.
bear the stamp of to show signs or characteristics of His work bears the stamp of
genius.
ostentatious characterized by vulgar or pretentious display He wears
ostentatious jewelry to show off his wealth.
smart cookie an intelligent and clever person She's a smart cookie and
always knows the right answer.
have a row with to have a quarrel or argument with He had a row with his
neighbor over the fence.
pore over to study or read something very carefully She spent hours poring over
the documents.
be borne out to be confirmed or supported His story was borne out by the
evidence.
be squared away to be in order or ready for use The project needs to be
squared away before the deadline.
sweep the board to win all the prizes or contests The team swept the board at
the competition.
gloss over to treat or describe something as if it were not important He glossed
over the details of his past.
like shooting a fish in a barrel extremely easy to do or accomplish Winning that
game was like shooting a fish in a barrel.
with nose in the air acting in a superior or disdainful manner She walked into
the room with her nose in the air.
melancholy a feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause He
felt a sense of melancholy as he watched the sunset.
impetus the force or energy with which a body moves The new project gave
fresh impetus to the team.
veracity conformity to facts; accuracy The veracity of his statement was
questioned.
gaudily in a way that is extravagantly bright or showy, typically so as to be
tasteless She was gaudily dressed in bright colors.
selfsame exactly the same He gave the selfsame excuse as before.
idiosyncratic peculiar or individual His idiosyncratic behavior made him stand
out.
non-standard not average or usual; not following the accepted norm He uses a
non-standard approach to problem-solving.
narrate to give a spoken or written account of He will narrate the
documentary.
put sb in the picture to inform someone about a situation Let me put you in the
picture about what's happening.
what of it? used to challenge someone's remark or assumption Yes, I was late,
what of it?
sidestep to avoid dealing with or discussing something He tried to sidestep the
issue during the interview.
multifaceted having many facets or aspects The problem is multifaceted and
requires a comprehensive solution.
robust strong and healthy; vigorous He has a robust constitution.
repulsing causing intense distaste or disgust The repulsing smell made him feel
sick.
aboriginal inhabiting or existing in a land from the earliest times or from before
the arrival of colonists The aboriginal people have a rich cultural heritage.
intrinsic belonging naturally; essential The intrinsic value of the gem is
high.
termite a small, pale soft-bodied insect that lives in large colonies The
wooden house was infested with termites.
oscillation movement back and forth at a regular speed The oscillation of the
fan was soothing.
cylindrical having straight parallel sides and a circular or oval cross-section
The tank is cylindrical in shape.
bereavement the action or condition of being bereaved She was overcome with grief
after the bereavement.
sporadically occasionally or at irregular intervals The attacks occurred
sporadically throughout the year.
intermittently at intervals; not continuously or steadily It rained
intermittently all day.
askance with an attitude or look of suspicion or disapproval She looked askance
at his suggestion.
recoil to suddenly spring or flinch back in fear, horror, or disgust He
recoiled at the sight of the snake.
inadvertently without intention; accidentally She inadvertently sent the
email to the wrong person.
render to provide or give a service, help, etc. The artist rendered the scene
beautifully.
misrepresentation the action or offense of giving a false or misleading account of
the nature of something The company was sued for misrepresentation.
build on sand to plan something that is not reliable Their financial plans
were built on sand.
cover yourself in/with glory to do something that makes people admire you He
didn't exactly cover himself in glory during the debate.
thereby by that means; as a result of that He signed the contract, thereby
agreeing to the terms.
take against to develop a dislike for someone She took against him after
their argument.
give the game away to reveal a secret or one's feelings His smile gave the
game away.
give out to come to an end; be completely used up The supplies gave out before
the end of the trip.
in the pay of employed by or receiving money from someone, especially secretly
He was in the pay of the rival company.
have a go at to try to do something Let me have a go at fixing it.
throw dust in someone's eyes to mislead or confuse someone He threw dust in their
eyes to hide the truth.
think for oneself to make decisions and form opinions independently She always
taught her children to think for themselves.
pensioner a person who receives a pension The pensioner enjoys a quiet life.
revelation a surprising and previously unknown fact The revelation shocked
everyone.
scatter to throw in various random directions The wind scattered the leaves
across the yard.
abate to become less intense or widespread The storm finally began to abate.
bequest a legacy; something left to someone in a will She received a large
bequest from her aunt.
prospector a person who searches for mineral deposits The prospector
discovered gold in the hills.
mount to organize and initiate They mounted a campaign against the new law.
shimmer to shine with a faint, flickering light The lake shimmered in the
moonlight.
luminescence the emission of light by a substance not resulting from heat
The luminescence of the jellyfish was beautiful.
mitigate to make less severe, serious, or painful Measures were taken to
mitigate the impact of the disaster.
furtherance the advancement of a scheme or interest He worked for the furtherance
of their cause.
obstruction something that blocks or gets in the way The road was closed due to an
obstruction.
pose as to pretend to be someone or something He posed as a journalist to
get into the event.
in the twinkling of an eye very quickly The change happened in the
twinkling of an eye.
circulate to move or cause to move continuously or freely through a closed system
or area Blood circulates through the body.
circulation the movement of blood through the body or of air around a closed system
The circulation of air in the room was poor.
calamity an event causing great and often sudden damage or distress The
earthquake was a terrible calamity.
denude to strip something of its covering, possessions, or assets The trees
were denuded of leaves.
sedimentation the process of settling or being deposited as a sediment The
lake's sedimentation has increased over the years.
unerringly in a way that is always accurate or correct She unerringly hit the
target every time.
divulge to make known (private or sensitive information) He refused to
divulge his sources.
integrity the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles Her
integrity is beyond question.
irradiate to expose to radiation They irradiate food to kill bacteria.
adjourn to suspend a meeting to a future time or place The meeting was
adjourned until next week.
sameness lack of variety; uniformity The sameness of his routine was boring.
impunity exemption from punishment or freedom from the injurious consequences of
an action They acted with impunity despite the laws.
obliterate to destroy utterly; wipe out The village was obliterated by the
volcano.
scorching very hot The scorching heat was unbearable.
frigid very cold The frigid air made her shiver.
anarchy a state of disorder due to absence or nonrecognition of authority
The country fell into anarchy after the government collapsed.
adornment a thing that adorns or decorates; an ornament The room was full of
beautiful adornments.
morose sullen and ill-tempered He became morose after losing his job.
endemic regularly found among particular people or in a certain area
Malaria is endemic in some tropical regions.
enigma a person or thing that is mysterious or difficult to understand She is
an enigma, always keeping her thoughts to herself.
defer to put off to a later time They decided to defer the decision until next
month.
withhold to refuse to give something that is due or desired by another He
withheld information from the police.
dissent to hold or express opinions that are at variance with those previously,
commonly, or officially expressed He voiced his dissent during the meeting.
smother to kill by covering their nose and mouth so that they suffocate She
tried to smother the flames with a blanket.
float about to be heard or talked about by many people Rumors are floating
about regarding the merger.
set about to begin doing something He set about fixing the broken fence.
step up to increase the amount, speed, or intensity of something They need to
step up their efforts to win the contract.
appeal to to make a serious or urgent request, typically to the public The
charity appealed to the public for donations.
call into question to doubt or dispute something His honesty was called into
question.
throw up your hands in horror/despair to show that you are shocked or appalled
She threw up her hands in horror at the mess.
squeeze out to force out or exclude Small businesses are being squeezed out by
large corporations.
clutch at straws to try to find some way to succeed when nothing you choose is
likely to work He was clutching at straws, hoping for a miracle.
bring/call something to mind to cause someone to remember something The smell of
the sea brought childhood holidays to mind.
donkey work hard, boring work He does all the donkey work in the office.
fall off the radar to be ignored or forgotten The issue seems to have
fallen off the radar.
surreptitious kept secret, especially because it would not be approved ofHe
took a surreptitious glance at the answers.
fortnight a period of two weeks They went on vacation for a fortnight.
ascertainable able to be found out or discovered The facts are easily
ascertainable.
tentative not certain or fixed They made a tentative agreement to meet next
week.
endeavor to try hard to do or achieve something She is endeavoring to improve
her skills.
vexatious causing or tending to cause annoyance, frustration, or worry The
delay was extremely vexatious
irrefutable Impossible to deny or disprove The evidence presented in the case
was irrefutable.
imminent About to happen The storm's arrival was imminent.
rudimentary Basic; elementary He has only a rudimentary understanding of the
subject.
with one’s eyes open Fully aware of the possible difficulties or consequences
She took the job with her eyes open, knowing the challenges involved.
put in To contribute effort or time He put in a lot of work to complete the
project.
on the cards Likely to happen A promotion is on the cards for him this year.
be under a cloud To be in disgrace or under suspicion After the scandal, he
was under a cloud at work.
hierarchy A system of organization with different levels of authorityThe
company's hierarchy is very rigid.
glow of pride A feeling of satisfaction and pride She had a glow of pride after
her successful presentation.
immutable Unchanging over time The laws of physics are considered immutable.
henceforth From this time on Henceforth, all meetings will be held on Tuesdays.
multiethnic Including or involving several ethnic groups The city is known for
its multiethnic population.
impeccable Flawless; perfect Her performance in the play was impeccable.
shabbily In a way that looks old and in poor condition The house was shabbily
furnished.
smolderingly In a manner showing suppressed anger or passion He looked at her
smolderingly.
overextend To burden with too much work or debt She overextended herself by
taking on too many projects.
meddle To interfere in something that is not one's concern He tends to meddle
in other people's affairs.
unhesitating Without delay or doubt She gave her unhesitating approval.
bibliography A list of the books referred to in a scholarly work The book
includes an extensive bibliography.
dispense To distribute or provide The machine dispenses snacks and drinks.
cast an eye over To look at or examine briefly He cast an eye over the report
before the meeting.
tiny cog in a vast machine A small and insignificant part of a large
organization or system He felt like a tiny cog in a vast machine at the
corporation.
poke one's nose To interfere in other people's business He always pokes his nose
into other people's conversations.
of one's own accord Voluntarily; without being asked She left the job of her
own accord.
coordinator A person who organizes an activity or event She is the project
coordinator for the new initiative.
wingspan The distance from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other The
eagle has a wingspan of over two meters.
catacomb An underground cemetery The catacombs of Paris are famous tourist
attractions.
knowingly In a way that shows awareness She smiled knowingly.
lofty Of imposing height; noble He had lofty ambitions.
out of line Inappropriate or improper His comments were completely out of line.
lay up To confine to bed due to illness or injury He was laid up with a
broken leg.
walk on eggshells To be very cautious in dealing with someone Since the
argument, she's been walking on eggshells around him.
inflicted To cause something unpleasant or painful The storm inflicted severe
damage on the town.
creek A small stream They went fishing in the creek.
delegate A person appointed to represent others Each country sent a delegate
to the conference.
hewn Chopped or cut with an ax or other tool The path was hewn through the
forest.
fortnightly Every two weeks The magazine is published fortnightly.
quarterly Every three months The company releases its quarterly earnings
report in January.
polarize To divide into sharply contrasting groups The issue has polarized the
community.
scantly Barely; insufficiently The instructions were scantly detailed.
thwart To prevent someone from accomplishing something His efforts were
thwarted by unforeseen circumstances.
subcutaneous Situated or applied under the skin The injection is given
subcutaneously.
waiver An intentional relinquishment of a right She signed a waiver before
participating in the activity.
apprehend To arrest or take into custody The police apprehended the suspect.
be out of earshot Too far away to hear They waited until they were out of
earshot before discussing the secret.
melodic Pleasant-sounding The song has a very melodic tune.
constricted Narrow or restricted His throat constricted with fear.
lethargic Sluggish and apathetic She felt lethargic after the long flight.
delimited Having defined boundaries The area is delimited by fences.
discernible Able to be perceived or recognized There was no discernible difference
between the twins.
fallacy A mistaken belief, especially one based on unsound arguments The
notion that the earth is flat is a fallacy.
debauched Indulging in or characterized by excessive indulgence in sensual
pleasures The novel depicts a debauched lifestyle.
acupuncture A traditional Chinese medical practice using needles She tried
acupuncture for her back pain.
sparingly In a restricted or infrequent manner Use the spices sparingly to
avoid overpowering the dish.
rake in the green To earn a lot of money He raked in the green after launching his
new business.
jump ship To leave an organization suddenly He decided to jump ship and join a
competitor.
intermarry To marry someone from a different group The two communities began to
intermarry.
variance The state of being different or divergent There was a significant
variance in the results.
variation A change or difference in condition, amount, or level The variations in
temperature are normal.
fluid Able to flow easily; not fixed The situation is fluid and could change
at any moment.
backlog of An accumulation of uncompleted work She has a backlog of emails to
answer.
anthropology The study of human societies and cultures He has a degree in
anthropology.
time-honored Respected because of having been used for a long time The time-
honored tradition of the festival continues.
segregation The action or state of setting someone or something apart The policy
of racial segregation was abolished.
override To overrule or set aside The manager decided to override the
decision.
profusion An abundance or large quantity of something The garden was in
profusion with flowers.
concurrent Happening at the same time The two events were concurrent.
immunization The process of making someone immune to infection Children
receive immunizations to protect them from diseases.
ridge A long, narrow hilltop or mountain range They climbed to the top of the
ridge.
fan out To spread out over a wide area The search party fanned out across
the field.
trek A long, arduous journey They went on a trek through the mountains.
epilepsy A neurological disorder marked by sudden recurrent episodes of seizures
He was diagnosed with epilepsy.
satire The use of humor, irony, or exaggeration to criticize The novel is a
satire of the political system.
have a whale of time To have a very enjoyable time The kids had a whale of a
time at the amusement park.
mixed-bag A diverse assortment The party was a mixed-bag of personalities.
estivate To spend a hot or dry period in a prolonged state of dormancy
Certain animals estivate during the summer.
short-haul Involving short distances They booked a short-haul flight to the
neighboring city.
foolhardy Recklessly bold or rash His foolhardy actions nearly got him in
trouble.
venture A risky or daring journey or undertaking They embarked on a new
business venture.
apprise To inform or tell She was apprised of the situation.
glaciated Covered or having been covered by glaciers The landscape is
glaciated with deep valleys.
glacier A large, slow-moving mass of ice The glacier has been retreating
over the years.
aural Related to the sense of hearing The aural experience of the concert was
amazing.
oral Spoken rather than written She gave an oral presentation.
bate To reduce the force or intensity He had to bate his excitement.
waterborne Carried or transmitted by water The disease is waterborne.
bough A main branch of a tree He climbed out on a sturdy bough.
canvass To solicit votes or opinions They canvassed the neighborhood for
support.
censor To suppress or delete anything considered objectionable The book was
censored due to its controversial content.
censure To express severe disapproval The committee censured the politician for
his remarks.
chord A group of notes sounded together She played a beautiful chord on the
piano.
climatic Relating to climate The climatic conditions were perfect for
skiing.
anticlimactic Causing disappointment at the end of an exciting or impressive
series of events The ending of the movie was anticlimactic.
bishop A senior member of the Christian clergy The bishop presided over the
ceremony.
cue A signal for someone to do something She took his silence as her cue to
leave.
sediment Matter that settles at the bottom of a liquid The wine had a lot of
sediment in the bottle.
discreet Careful and circumspect in one's speech or actions She was discreet
about her personal life.
discrete Individually separate and distinct The project is divided into
discrete phases.
betrothal A formal engagement to be married Their betrothal was announced at
the family gathering.
averse Having a strong dislike or opposition to something She was averse to
taking risks.
in tandem with Together with; simultaneously The two projects are being
developed in tandem with each other.
in breach of In violation of He was fined for being in breach of the
agreement.
ballot A process of voting, in writing and typically in secret The election
was decided by ballot.
sideshow A minor or less important part of an event or situation The argument
was just a sideshow compared to the main event.
defeatist A person who expects or is excessively ready to accept failure His
defeatist attitude discouraged the team.
convention A large meeting or conference The annual convention attracted thousands
of attendees.
convent A Christian community under monastic vows She decided to join a
convent.
sentiment A view or opinion that is held or expressed The sentiment in the
room was one of optimism.
faun A mythical creature that is part human and part goat The faun in the story
was a symbol of nature.
comity Courtesy and considerate behavior toward others There was a sense of
comity in the negotiations.
flout To openly disregard a rule or law He continued to flout the traffic laws.
flaunt To display ostentatiously She likes to flaunt her wealth.
flounder To struggle or stagger helplessly The company began to flounder after
the CEO resigned.
founder To fail or collapse The business plan foundered due to lack of
funding.
forbear To refrain from doing something He decided to forbear from making
any comments.
capitol A building where a legislative body meets The capitol was filled with
lawmakers.
foreword A short introduction to a book The author wrote a foreword for the
new edition.
grizzly A large species of bear They saw a grizzly in the forest.
grisly Causing horror or disgust The crime scene was grisly.
hoard A stockpile of something He has a hoard of old coins.
horde A large group of people A horde of fans surrounded the celebrity.
loath Reluctant; unwilling He was loath to admit his mistake.
loathe To feel intense dislike or disgust She loathes waking up early.
militate To be a powerful or conclusive factor in preventing The lack of funds
will militate against the success of the project.
locus A particular position or place where something occurs The locus of the meeting
was the conference room.
easel A stand for holding an artist's work She set up her easel by the window.
palate The roof of the mouth The wine had a taste that pleased his palate.
palette A range of colors used by an artist She chose a bright palette for her
painting.
peddle To sell goods, especially illegally He was arrested for peddling drugs.
poll A survey of public opinion The poll showed a significant shift in voter
preferences.
proscribe To forbid; to prohibit The government proscribed the use of certain
chemicals.
gaffe An unintentional act or remark causing embarrassment He made a gaffe during
the speech.
gaff A stick with a hook for landing large fish He used a gaff to pull the
fish onto the boat.
septic Infected with bacteria The wound became septic.
plait A braid She wore her hair in a plait.
titillate To arouse interest or excitement The movie trailer was designed to
titillate the audience.
titivate To make small enhancements or alterations She titivated her appearance
before the party.
tortuous Full of twists and turns The path through the woods was tortuous.
torturous Causing extreme pain or suffering The long wait was torturous.
clinician A doctor or other practitioner involved in treating patients The
clinician examined the patient.
adjunct A thing added to something else as a supplementary rather than an
essential part The new course is an adjunct to the main curriculum.
apiece Each; per person The tickets were $50 apiece.
accede To agree to a demand or request He acceded to their request for
more information.
ascetic Characterized by severe self-discipline The monk lived an ascetic
life.
aide An assistant The aide helped with the administrative tasks.
alliterate To repeat the same sound at the beginning of adjacent wordsThe phrase
"Peter Piper picked a peck" alliterates.
apposing To place side by side or close together The two paintings were
apposed in the gallery.
bale A large bundle of goods They loaded the bale of hay onto the truck.
bail Temporary release from jail He was released on bail.
squawk A loud, harsh noise The bird made a loud squawk.
concerted Planned or performed in cooperation with others They made a concerted
effort to improve the situation.
eminent Famous and respected within a particular sphere He is an eminent
scientist.
faze To disturb or disconcert The loud noise didn't faze her.
gauge An instrument for measuring or testing The gauge showed the temperature
had risen.
gouge To make a deep cut or hole He gouged a hole in the wall.
hock The joint in a quadruped's hind leg The horse injured its hock.
moot Subject to debate; unresolved The point is moot and can be discussed later.
hallmark A distinguishing characteristic Honesty is a hallmark of his
personality.
morale The confidence and enthusiasm of a group The team's morale was high
after their victory.
mourning The expression of deep sorrow They were in mourning after the loss of a
loved one.
wring To squeeze and twist She wrung the water out of the cloth.
libel A written defamatory statement He sued the newspaper for libel.
marital Relating to marriage They sought counseling for their marital
issues.
clique A small, exclusive group of people The high school was full of
different cliques.
corroborate To confirm or give support to a statement or theory The witness
corroborated his alibi.
congenial Pleasant and agreeable The atmosphere at the party was congenial.
congenital Present from birth He has a congenital heart defect.
stature A person's natural height She has a tall stature.
gait A person's manner of walking He had a distinctive gait.
guerilla A member of a small independent group fighting against larger forces
The guerillas launched a surprise attack.
hale Strong and healthy He is still hale and hearty at 80.
induction The process of being formally introduced to a new job The induction
program lasted a week.
garment An item of clothing She bought a new garment for the party.
vicariously Experiencing something through another person She lived vicariously
through her children's adventures.
cleavage A sharp division or split The issue caused a cleavage in the
community.
tendril A slender, threadlike part of a climbing plant The vine's tendrils
wrapped around the trellis.
canopied Covered with a canopy The bed was canopied with lace.
beat to the punch To do something before someone else does He beat her to the punch
by finishing the project first.
consolidate To combine into a single more effective whole They consolidated their
efforts to win the game.
warehouse A large building for storing goods The company rented a warehouse for
storage.
shaft A long, narrow part or section The elevator shaft was under repair.
barn A large farm building used for storing grain or keeping animals The barn was
full of hay.
noisome Having an extremely offensive smell The noisome odor came from the
garbage dump.
obtuse Annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand He was being
deliberately obtuse.
abstruse Difficult to understand The professor's lecture was abstruse.
peal A loud ringing of bells The peal of the church bells filled the air.
stigma A mark of disgrace associated with a circumstance There is a social
stigma attached to mental illness.
raze To completely destroy The old building was razed to make way for a new one.
regimen A prescribed course of medical treatment or a way of life She follows
a strict exercise regimen.
regiment A permanent unit of an army The regiment marched into the
battlefield.
riffle To flip through quickly She riffled through the pages of the book.
glut An excessive supply of something There was a glut of unsold cars on the
lot.
serf An agricultural laborer bound under the feudal system The serfs worked the
land for the lord.
call sb on/onto the carpet To reprimand someone The manager called him onto
the carpet for his mistakes.
daybreak The time in the morning when daylight first appears They set out at
daybreak.
crack of dawn Very early in the morning He woke up at the crack of dawn to
start his journey.
all fingers and thumbs Clumsy or awkward She was all fingers and thumbs while
trying to fix the gadget.
aborigine An original inhabitant of a country The aborigines of Australia have a
rich cultural heritage.
ingenuous Innocent and unsuspecting Her ingenuous smile won everyone over.
dismissive Showing a lack of interest or respect He was dismissive of their
concerns.