The Uses and Misuses of English Words Learn How to Avoid Being a Malapropist!

Good usage in English is based on a mastery of the meanings, pronunciation s, and spellings of words and phrases. The field of English grammar is essential to the proper use of words and is very helpful in avoiding the abuse of English usage. Good speaking and good writing depend upon a knowledge of the meanings of words and the ways in which words are used. Good usage is not absolutely stan- d ardized; but sometimes there are guides for rules that are based on the practice s of those who are considered the "best writers and best speakers". It is believ ed that such "best" guides are dwindling more and more as many writers and, espe cially speakers, appear to be ignoring the rules of grammar. For example, too ma ny well "educated" speakers have been heard to say something like, "Everyoneshoul d dotheirbest to improvethemselves." If you do not see anything wrong with this sta tement, then you are very likely an active participant in the world ofmalapropism s. Right after the previous paragraph was written, a radio psychologist was h eard to say, "If everybody does their job, they will be happier." Why can t people realize that "everybody" is singular and so should take a singular pronoun refe rence (his/her) instead of "their"? The same is true for "everyone"! Why not say , "If people do their jobs, they will be happier"? There is a great deal ofconfusion with wordsthat are similar in some aspects but w hich are different in other characteristics. Among the most common pitfalls in English are the many groups of words tha t are more or less alike in form, sound, or meaning; but which have distinct dif ferences in one or the other of these elements: 1. Words that are pronounced the same, but are different in spelling and m eaning; such as,complementandcompliment,coarseandcourse,lead(metal) andled,paneand dpour,stationaryandstationery, as well asprincipalandprinciple. These kinds of words a e known ashomonymsand/orhomophones. Here is a poemthat illustrates such confusions ( if you missed a previous reference to it). 2. Words that are spelled the same but are different in both sound (pronun ciation) and meaning. These are usually one syllable words and are known asheter onyms. 3. Words that have similar pronunciations, but are different in meanings a nd spellings; including,acceptandexcept,allusionandillusion,council,counsel, andconsu geniousandingenuous,perspicuousandperspicacious,potionandportion,prescribeandproscr 4. Words that come from the same root and have related meanings, but are u sed in different senses and connections; such as,credibleandcredulous,continualandcon tinuous,disinterestedanduninterested,percentandpercentage,observanceandobservation,s , andspecies. 5. Synonyms, or words having similar meanings; such as,completeandfinished,cu stomandhabit,exceedandexcel,impetuousandvehement,requirementandrequisition. 6. Words not directly related but confused through associations with each other; such as,complexandcompound,implyandinfer,infectiousandcontagious,immunityand ,proposeandpurpose. Many hundreds of such troublesome pairs and groups of words are presented in thelinked pagesfor this site. Some people may have a good grasp of grammar, be expert at spelling and sy ntax, and still occasionally find themselves in a quandary about which words to use properly. These days appear to be difficult for those who want to be precise because it is more and more difficult with so many things working against us. One of the problems is the constant bombardment of sloppy English that we are subjected to from what we hear and read; and not just what is overheard on p ublic transportation or the graffiti that we are exposed to where ever we go. Th e conver- sations on the radio and television also contribute to our confusion; as well as, what is printed in every kind of publication. Public media are stron g influences and if we hear and see a word misused often enough, it takes on a c ertain "correctness". There aremanyinfluences working against the improvement of what is consideredpreferred-English usageand those same influences are receiving c

redit for increasing the use of malapropismsandmiscommunications. a tire, attire a tire(uh TIGHR), (noun) A rubber ring that usually contains air and which fits around he wheel of a car, a bicycle, a truck, etc: "She had to get a tire repaired because it was leaking air." attire(uh TIGHR) (verb) To dress or to clothe; especially, clothing worn on a specific occasion: "The pr incipal notified the students that they must wear proper attire to the prom or t hey would not be permitted to attend." A very fashionably dressed young man asked, "Do you think this is the rightat tirefor me to wear to changea tireon my bicycle?" a, eh a(AY) (adjective) One; any; some; each; expressing singleness, unity: "He brought a book to class. " eh(AY) (interjection) 1.What?A slang term used as an interrogative or to express uncertainty or surprise : "Eh, what did you say?" 2. Used to ask someone to repeat something: "He's only three feet tall!" "Eh? How's that again?" 3. Urging someone to agree: "Let's have another drink, eh?" This use ofehoccurs especially in British and Canadian English. ACanadian was chatting withafriend who asked, What I described makes a lot of sense,eh?" abdicate, abrogate, arrogate, derogate, delegate, delicate abdicate(AB duh kayt") 1. To formally renounce, which is commonly done by a monarch of a throne; vacate a throne, relinquish, abandon: "Edward VIII of England abdicated the throne so he could marry a commoner." 2. A person can also abdicate his power, office, duties, or rights: "He abdica ted his responsibilities as a father and never returned." abrogate(AB ruh gayt") 1. To abolish or to annul by authority; to nullify, to cancel: "Congress must ab rogate the new tax law." 2. To repeal, to annul, or to abolish something formally and publicly; especiall y, a law. arrogate(AIR uh gayt") 1. To claim, to take, to appropriate, or to assume for oneself without right; as when a person arrogatescertain privileges to himself: "He arrogated to himself t he powers of a general. Some presidents have arrogated the power of congress to declare war." 2. To assign or attribute to another person without justification: "He accused t he woman of arrogating to herself the power to punish people." delegate, noun (DEL i git); verb (DEL i gayt") 1. Someone who is authorized or sent to speak and act for others; representative , as at a convention: "Every state will send a delegate to the convention." 2. To entrust (authority, power, etc.) to a person acting as one's agent or repr esentative; entrust, assign, give over, charge, commit to the care of: "She dele gated her power of attorney to her nephew." Adelegateis a person sent with authority to represent another or others; todele gatework or authority is to transfer or send it to someone else. delicate(DEL i kit) 1. Pleasing in its lightness, mildness, subtlety, etc. (a delicate flavor, odor, color, etc.); fine, dainty, exquisite, elegant: "The queen wore a long gown of delicate silk." 2. Easily damaged, spoiled, fragile, frail, perishable; dainty: "The plate was s o delicate that I was afraid to wash it." 3. Frail, feeble, debilitated, weakened; infirm, unwell, sickly, ailing: "We wer

e concerned about her delicate condition." 4. Palatable, savory, delicious, appetizing, luscious: "Our hostess presented a tray of delicate food." 5. Soft, muted, subdued: "They had the walls painted with a delicate blue." 6. Exquisite, minute, detailed: "We admired the delicate workmanship on the bron ze doors." 7. Tactful, tasteful, diplomatic, careful, sensitive, refined: "He handled the s ituation in a delicate manner." The female senator decided toabdicateher senatorial seat after sheabrogateda de cision that wouldarrogateher right to become adelegateof a congressional committee b ecause of herdelicatephysical condition. abdication, addiction abdication(ab" duh KAY shuhn) A formal resignation and renunciation of powers; such as, a high office, a thron e, or an authority; a resignation: "The abdication by the king was expected and desired by the citizens of the country." addiction(uh DIK shuhn) A devotion to or an abnormally strong craving and dependence on something that i s psychologically or physically habit-forming; such as, caffeine, nicotine, and, especially, alcohol or narcotic drugs: "Our friend was still trying to recover from her drug addiction; as well as, her addiction to nicotine via smoking." When my friend decided to end heraddictionto smoking, we agreed to support her , including herabdicationas organizer of our Friday night social meetings which we re often at smoky clubs and restaurants. Abel, able, -able Abel(AY buhl) In the Bible, the second son of Adam and Eve, murdered by his older brother Cain : "Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him." Genesis 4:8. able(AY buhl) 1. Having enough power, skill, or means to do something [followed bytoplus an infi nitive); capable: "A cat is able to see in the dark." 2. Having more power or skill than usual; skillful: "She was an able teacher for more than 40 years." -able(uh buhl; depending on the word to which it is attached). Asuffixthat forms adjectives from verbs and nouns; for example, "They were very co mfortable sitting around the fireplace." Do you think you areableto tell the Biblical story of Cain andAbel without beco ming uncomfortableabout the horror of death by violence? ability, capacity ability(uh BIL i tee) The power, gift, or competence to do or to act physically, mentally, legally, fi nancially, etc.: "She was a young woman with a remarkable musical ability." capacity(kuh PAS uh tee) 1. Amount of room or space inside; largest amount that can be held by a containe r: "A gallon can has a capacity of four quarts (3.78 liters)." 2. Capable of learning or doing; power or fitness: "They have a great capacity f or learning." Theabilityof the speaker to draw acapacitycrowd at every town on the lecture cir cuit was amazing. It seemed to demonstrate that people have an insatiablecapacityfor learning ne w information. abjure, adjure abjure(ab JOOR),abjuring 1. To renounce, reject, or give up rights or allegiance on oath: "The man said h e would abjure his citizenship if his country continued with its policies of war instead of negotiating peaceful solutions to international problems." 2. To repudiate, renounce or recant publicly; to disclaim: "He abjured the habit s of his children's excessive eating and sitting around playing computer games i nstead of exercising."

adjure(uh JOOR) 1. To appeal to earnestly or to entreat: "The judge had to adjure the spectators to be silent." 2. To charge, to bind, or to command earnestly and solemnly, often under oath or the threat of a penalty: "The judge did indeed adjure the witness that he had b etter truthfully answer all questions put to him during the trial." The coach tried toadjurethe famous athlete toabjurefast foods and soft drinks du ring training so he would be fit to participate in the events. ablution, absolution ablution(ab LYOO shuhn) (noun) 1. A washing of one s body; washing, bathing, cleaning, bath, lavation: "Because o f the heat, he felt the need for a daily ablution." 2. A washing or cleansing as a religious ceremony of purification; ceremonial wa shing, ritualistic washing: "After his ablution in the river, the holy man conti nued on his journey." absolution(ab" suh LOO shuhn) (noun) A freeing from sin, guilt, or blame; or a declaration that frees a person from g uilt or punishment for sin: "The priest gave absolution to church members which always makes the parishioners feel a great deal better." There were many visitors to the religious shrine earlier today and the water was obviously murky; so, we decided not to take part in theablution; however, we did participate in theabsolutionby the religious leader. abridged, unabridged abridged(uh BRIJD) 1. Shortened; to decrease, condense, digest: "The book was abridged to a more re adable length." 2. Restrict, limit, curtail, diminish, deprive one of, take away: "No one should be allowed to have abridged citizens of their legal rights." unabridged(un" uh BRIJD) Entire, in full, not shortened, complete: "There is an unabridged dictionary on the library table; as well as, an unabridged book about etymologies." After he submitted anunabridgedversion of his epic poem to the editor, the aut hor was faced with the task of creating anabridgedversion for publication in a mag azine. abs; adds; ads; adz, adze abs(ABZ) An abbreviation forabdominal muscles: "They are doing sit-up exercises and other related activities so they can develop their abs." adds(ADZ) 1. An increase; mathematical summation; totals: "He usually adds the figures in his head." 2. Including; joining: "She adds special greetings whenever she meets her friend s." ads(ADZ) A shorter term foradvertisements: "I am constantly getting ads, also known asspam, in my e-mail." adzoradze(ADZ) A cutting tool for shaping heavy timbers, similar to an ax but with a blade set across the end of the handle and curving inward: "He used an adze to take the ba rk off the tree he just cut down." Working out by chopping wood with anadz(adze) reallyaddsto myabs. In fact, I m loo king so great, I have been asked to pose foradsin the local fitness-studio publica tion. abstain, abstemious abstain(ab STAYN, uhb STAYN) 1. To refrain from something by one's own choice: "He promised to abstain from t raditional political rhetoric." 2. To refrain from voting: "Forty-five senators voted in favor of the new health bill, forty-five voted against it, and twenty-five decided to abstain." abstemious(ab STEE mee uhs, uhb STEE mee uhs)

Marked by restraint especially in the consumption of food or alcohol: "Her mothe r was known as an abstemious eater and drinker who always had healthy meals for her family." "Her sister's midlife heart attack made her realize the importance of taking care of her body and turned her toward a more abstemious and healthful lifestyl e." The termsabstainandabstemiousseem to have similar formats and both have meanings involving "self-restraint" or "self-denial". Although they may appear to come from the same root and both of them start w ith the Latin prefixabs-, meaning "from" or "away";abstainis traced back toabs-plus t he Latin verbten?re, "to hold"; whileabstemiousgets its-temiousfrom a suffix related to the Latin nountemetum, "intoxicating drink". abundant, redundant abundant(uh BUN duhnt) Plentiful, present in great quantities: "Some parts of the world are abundant in natural resources." redundant(ri DUN duhnt) 1. Exceeding what is necessary or natural; superfluous: "She edited the report a nd removed any redundant information or statements." 2. Needlessly wordy or repetitive in expression: "Too often student papers are f illed with redundant phrases." 3. In Britain, dismissed, laid off, or fired from a job because someone is no lo nger needed: "More than 500 of the company's employees have already been made re dundant and it is likely that more will also be declared as being redundant." Too often a politician's speeches areabundantwithredundantstatements; in fact, the mayor of our town becameredundantbecause people were fed up with hisabundantunfu lfilled promises. abuse, misuse abuse(uh BYOOZ) A corrupt practice or activity; unfair use, improper use: "Too many politicians tend to abuse their positions with dishonest practices." misuse(mis YOOZ) 1. Improper or incorrect use; misapplication, waste: "Writing ad copy was a misu se of her creative talent, although I noticed a misuse of the wordwhoin her writin g." 2. To mistreat or to treat unfairly; to harm or to take advantage of: "An arroga nt man will generally misuse his friends." A politician should be careful not toabusethe rights and responsibilities of h is or her elected office. Audits of governmental departments often unearth infor mation suggesting that some officialsmisusetheir privileges. accede, exceed accede(ahk SEED) To comply with; consent to, approve; yield to; to agree with, surrender to, comp ly with: "The mayor will accede to the citizens demands." exceed(iks SEED) 1. To surpass, to go beyond normal requirements or beyond the limit of: "The pol ice will give you a ticket if you exceed the speed limit." 2. To excel, predominate, surpass, be superior: "She actually did exceed all of the other contestants in the singing contest." When he appeared before the judge, the miscreant stated he would accedeto the court order that he no longerexceedthe speed limits on the city streets. accelerate, exhilarate accelerate, verb (AK SEL uh rayt") 1. To cause anything in motion or process to go or move faster; to speed up: "To avoid being hit by the truck, he had to accelerate his car." 2. To cause to happen sooner; to hasten: "Resting will often accelerate a person s recovery from an illness." exhilarate, verb (ig ZIL uh rayt") To cause someone to feel very happy and excited: "Knowing that our daughter will have passed her exam will certainly exhilarate us."

When Iacceleratemy car on the highway, the rush of air through the window serv es toexhilarateme; however, I need to remember that excessive speed can alsoacceler atethe process of getting a speeding ticket. accelerator, exhilarator accelerator, noun (ak SEL ur ay" tur) A pedal or other device to make something go faster, to speed up, quicken the pa ce: "The driver of the car suddenly stepped too hard on the accelerator and ran into a tree." exhilarator, noun (eg ZIL uh ray" tur) That which cheers up, enlivens, stimulates, and delights: "We were told that it would be a real exhilarator if we were to go for a walk in the beautiful woods a nd fresh air." Stepping on theacceleratorand moving at great speed is often anexhilaratorto pe ople; that is, until they get caught in a speed trap. accent, ascent, assent accent(AK sent") 1. A stress on a syllable to aid in the pronunciation of words; a stress, an emp hasis: "The word 'woman' has its accent on the first syllable." 2. Pronunciation, enunciation, or modulation of speech: "He speaks with a French accent." 3. A hint, touch, detail: "The room was painted white with just a slightly blue accent." ascent(uh SENT) 1. A rising or climbing; an upward movement: "The construction worker made a car eful ascent up to the roof of the building." "The ascent to the top of the mountain was difficult." 2. Incline, slope: "The road made a sharp ascent to the top of the hill." 3. Advancement, progress: "We were amazed about her ascent from secretary to pre sident of the company in just five years." assent(uh SENT) To comply or to agree to something; to consent: "The majority would certainly as sent to my views on the matter." "He was willing to assent to her request." With theassentof the board of directors, the new board room was painted green with anaccentor two of white highlighting theascentof the ceiling to the skylight in the center. accept, except, expect accept(ahk SEPT) 1. To receive with consent, agree to, consent to, acknowledge: "I accept your ap ology." 2. To take what is offered, receive willingly: "She did accept his invitation to dance after all." except, excepted(ik SEPT, ik SEPT'd) To leave out, excluding, or showing exclusion: "Put everything in the box except the vase." "No one will be excepted from taking the test." "What I said about some people applies to men in general, present company ex cepted." expect(ik SPEKT) 1. To look forward to, plan on, look for, anticipate: "The skiers expect deep sn ow overnight." 2. Assume, presume, calculate, contemplate: "I expect to see her here soon." What do youexpectfrom us when everyoneexceptyou canacceptthe decision? access, assess, excess access(AK ses") 1. Way of approach, a means of reaching, passageway, entry: "Switzerland has acc ess to the sea by way of the Rhine River." 2. A way of getting to something or someone, admittance; entrance: "The thief ga ined access to the vault."

"The hallway offers good access to the bedroom." assess(uh SES) 1. To set an estimated value on property, etc. for taxation; estimate, appraise: "The local tax office decided to assess the new houses." 2. To judge, evaluate, appraise, determine look: "The general will assess the si tuation and call for reinforcements if needed." excess(ik SES) 1. Surpassing limits, surplus, extra, overflow: "The excess furniture was stored in the cellar." 2. Superabundance, surplus, overabundance, too much, oversupply: "The boy had an excess of energy." "There is an excess of poverty, hunger, and suffering in the world." Some people always confuseaccessandexcess.Accessis a way of getting to something or someone;excessis a surplus, a state of overabundance: "How could the thief have gainedaccessto the vault?" "Dieting will take off yourexcessweight." Excessis what some people always enjoy drinking to. Evan Esar Let'sassessthe situation and decide what we are going to do next because since there was noaccessto the compartment, we can't pump out theexcesswater. accessing, assessing accessing(ak SES ing) Entering, making an entre: "The thief was accessing the vault while the political rallies were taking place." assessing(uh SES ing) Evaluating property or a situation: "The military officers were assessing the ba ttle reports so they could decide what to do next." When I am in the process ofassessingreal estate, I often find myselfaccessingth e property so I can see firsthand all the details about the property. accidental, incidental, accidentally, accidently accidental(ak" suh DEN t'l) Happening by chance; belonging but not essential; unplanned, unintentional, unpr emeditated: "Our meeting on the street was purely accidental." incidental(in" si DEN t'l) Happening as a result or in connection with something more important; unexpected : "The incidental costs of repairs for the car added up to much more than expect ed." accidentally(ak" suh DEN tuh lee) Happening in a way that is not planned, intended, nor expected: "It was decided that she died accidentally, not by any intended cause." accidently(ak" suh DENT li) This pronunciation and spelling ofaccidentallyis not correct. Accidentallyis often mispronounced and misspelled. The correct word has five syllables ac-ci-den-tal-ly: "The use ofaccidentlyis considered a gross error and displays a lack of knowledge of what is supposed to be the correct spelling and pronunciation." Iaccidentallytallied theincidentalcar repair costs inaccurately and scared mysel f silly. I tried to explain theaccidentalnature of my mistake to my friend. acclamation, acclimation acclamation(ak" luh MAY shuhn) 1. Loud applause, shout of approval: "The queen received an acclamation from the crowd." 2. A voice vote, shout of approval: "He was elected president of the union by ac clamation." acclimation(ak" li MAY shuhn, ak" luh MAY shuhn) 1. To be accustomed to a different climate, environment, situation, or circumsta nce: "More time will be needed for the acclimation of the new workers and their equipment." 2. Adaptation of an organism to its natural climatic environment: "Now that wint er is over, the spring acclimation of earthworms will proceed naturally." There was no need for polling the delegates because they nominated her for p

rsident with a thunderousacclamation. In fact, she found thatacclimationto the suddenly new heights of power was not at all difficult to experience. acentric, eccentric acentric(ay SEN trik) 1. Not near the center, not central: "He used an acentric wheel to grind off the rough places on the edges of his metal sculpture." eccentric(ik SEN trik, ek SEN trik) 1. Departing from a recognized, conventional, or established norm or pattern: "S he was a kind but eccentric woman." 2. Strange or unusual: "He had eccentric behavior and ideas that were weird as i ndicated by his eccentric clothes." 3. Not following a perfectly circular path: "The asteroid was moving in an eccen tric orbit around the star." The pictures which theeccentricartist painted appeared to have anacentricbalanc e that puzzled the patrons of the gallery. -aceous, -acious, -atious This confusing ending is pronounced the same in all three spellings. -aceous(AY shuhs) Characterized by, relating to a group; such as, a plant family. Of the common wo rds, onlycurvaceousends in-aceous; however, a great many technical terms from bota ny, zoology, chemistry, medicine, etc. have this spelling: herbaceous, sebaceous , setaceous, etc. -acious(AY shuhs) Full of, characterized by, or tending toward. The most frequent form in use is-ac ious: audacious, gracious, pugnacious, etc. -atious(AY shuhs) Inclined to-ationor, some say, "The suffix is actually -ousand means "full of". The following end in-atious: disputatious, flirtatious, ostentatious, vexatious. Not e that for each of these there is a corresponding noun in-ation: disputation, fli rtation, ostentation, and vexation. Keep in mind that-aciousis more than likely to be the correct ending whenever there is any serious doubt as to which suffix to use. If I am verycautious, I will begraciousto the botanist who is studying theherbac eousgrowth patterns on the local hillside. acetic, ascetic; aesthetic, esthetic acetic(uh SEE tik) 1. Sour, acerbic: "These pickles are tooacetic; that is, too sour!" 2. A reference to vinegar or other acid characteristics: "The acetic flavor of v inegar is used in salad dressings to give them a little punch." ascetic(uh SET ik) A life of rigorous self-discipline and self-denial; an abstainer: "Some believe that most of the early saints chose to be ascetic." aesthetic, esthetic(es THET ik) Characterized by a heightened sensitivity to beauty: "There are practical as wel l as aesthetic reasons for planting trees." Sometimes a veryasceticindividual can develop anaceticpersonality which spoils t he naturalaestheticpotential of the individual. acronym, anagram acronym(AK ruh nim) A word formed from the first (or first few) letters of a series of words; such a s,radar(radiodetectingandranging): "Some people are confused by what appears to be o ne acronym after another, especially on the internet and by government organizat ions." anagram(AN uh gram") A word or phrase made from another by rearranging its letters (Ex.:nowcan becomewon ;dreadcan be transformed intoadder): "The anagram is just one of many kinds of word games that are around." The television station issued a challenge to its viewers to suggest anacrony mwhich would be the name of the new program for the fall that would feature ananag

ramcontest. acts; ax, axe acts(AKS) 1. Somethings done; deeds: "He did a series of acts of kindness for the poor wom an." 2. A process of doing certain things: "He was caught in three acts of stealing." 3. The main divisions of a play or opera: "The play had five acts." 4. Displays of affected or pretended behavior: "She is not really angry; she has been putting on these acts to get attention." axoraxe(AKS) 1. A tool with a flat, sharp blade fastened on a handle, used for chopping, spli tting, and shaping wood: "He used his ax to chop wood for the fireplace." 2. To be dismissed from a job; to be fired (informal): "She got the ax because s he would not work overtime when asked to do so by her supervisor." "Will companies axe ad spending next year?" There were threeactsin the play; at the end of the second act, the murderer ha d used anaxetoaxthe victim. acuity, acumen, acute acuity(uh KYOO uh tee) 1. Perceptual keenness; such as, with hearing, sight, or the intellect: "There i s no doubt that tiredness affects visual acuity." 2. Related toacute, with its sense of sharpness,acuityis used with reference to any human faculty and applied to any of the five senses as well as of the mind: "He was a man of great political acuity." acumen(uh KYOO muhn) 1. Mental sharpness, intelligence, sagacity: "She has considerable business and financial acumen." 2. Quickness in understanding and dealing with a situation; keen insight: "The s tudent contestant had the acumen to figure out which version of the homograph to spell correctly." acute(uh KYOOT) 1. Having a sharp point: "Angles of less than 90 degrees are called acute angles ." 2. Extremely severe and sharp; as anacute pain: "He is suffering from acute appen dicitis." 3. Keenly perceptive or discerning, ingenious: "Einstein is said to have been a man of uncommonly acute intelligence." Her naturalacumenin science suggested she had anacutesense of smell and a good v isualacuity. ad, add ad(AD) Short for advertisement: "He placed an ad in the paper." add(AD) 1. To find the sum of numbers or quantities: "They tried to add the total number of people." 2. To go on to say or to write more: "She said good-by and wanted to add that sh e had a pleasant visit." 3. To join one thing to another so as to increase the number, quantity, or the i mportance of something: "They decided to add a new wing to the house." They placed anadin the paper because they wanted toadda pool to their yard; howe ver, after they decided toaddall of the expenses, they found it much more feasible to invest in a wading pool instead. adapt, adept, adopt adapt(uh DAPT) 1. To make suitable by changing or adjusting; conform to: "The chameleon can ada pt to its surroundings by changing color." "He could not adapt himself to such a primitive society." 2. To fit for a new use; rework, convert, make suitable, modify, alter: "They wi ll adapt the drama from a short story." adept(uh DEPT)

Skillful, adroit, proficient: "She is adept at organizational work while he is a dept in needlecraft." adopt(uh DAHPT) 1. To choose as one s own child: "Many childless couples adopt children." 2. To take up and use (an idea, a practice, etc.) as one s own: "We wanted to adop t a Latin motto for our business." 3. To accept and to put into effect; formally approve: "Schools must adopt new m ethods of teaching English vocabulary." She proved herself veryadeptat learning toadaptto new situations; especially, wh en her company decided toadoptnew regulations for the employee's parking lot. addenda, addendum, agenda addenda(uh DEN duh) (plural) Things to be added, as in a supplement or an appendix: "The author included an a ddenda of new materials in his book." addendum(uh DEN dum) (singular) Something that has been added in a written document: "The report has an addendum clarifying certain points." agenda(uh JEN duh) A list of things to be done at a meeting; schedule, program: "What is on your ag enda today?" Agendawas originally the plural of Latinagendum(thing to be done) and is still considered by some to be a plural form. In modern English; however,agendais usually considered as the singular form wi thagendasthe plural: "What is on the agenda for the meeting?" "The secretary kept track of the two executives agendas." After the secretary printed the newagenda, he realized he also needed anadden dawhich should be printed in anaddendum. adder, adder adder(AD uhr) Someone or something that adds; especially, a computational device that performs arithmetic additions: "She used her adder to determine her total income for the year." adder(AD uhr) Any of several nonvenomous snakes; such as, the milk snake of North America, pop ularly believed to be harmful: "While going for a walk, we suddenly saw what we believed was an adder crawling through the grass." An experiencedadderis the perfect person to count the number ofadderin the loca l park. addible, edible addible(AD uh b'l) That which can be increased in size, quantity, quality, or scope: "She found tha t her yard still had addible areas for the new flowers." "The new part-time job made it possible to have addible cash for our expense s." edible(ED uh buhl) 1. Anything which can be safely eaten: "We were looking for edible fruit on the trees in the back." 2. Fit to be eaten; especially, by humans: "Not all of the decorations on the gi ngerbread house were edible; so, they had to be careful about what they ate." She was compiling a list ofediblevegetation in the garden; however, when this was completed, she realized there was still someaddiblespace to also cultivate flo wers. addition, edition addition(ad DISH uhn) 1. A mathematical summation: "Addition is usually taught before subtraction." 2. Including: "The addition of a baby to the household changed our lives." 3. Increase, enlargement, extra: "The addition in cost over last year s tuition is $500." 4. Annex, extension, adjunct: "The addition to the town library will double its

size." edition(i DISH uhn) 1. One of a number of printings of books and newspapers: "The book was so popula r that the publisher had to print a fifth edition." 2. The size, style, or form in which a book is published: "The publisher also pr inted a smallerpocket edition." The index was a newadditionto the latesteditionof the text book. adduce, deduce adduce(uh DOOS, uh DYOOS) Offer as a reason in support of an argument; cite as pertinent, conclusive, or p ersuasive: "At least the speaker did adduce three reasons for his actions." deduce(di DOOS, di DYOOS) 1. Reach a conclusion by reasoning: "The police officer was able to deduce that the criminal was a man." 2. Trace the course, descent, or origin of: "From her conversation, I could dedu ce that she had a large family." Because the officer was able toadducean explanation for the accident, the judg e was able todeducewho was responsible. adherence, adherents adherence(ad HIR uhns) 1. A steady attachment, as of a person to a rule: "The coach demanded adherence to the rules of the game." 2. Adhesiveness, stickiness: "Put more glue on the wallpaper to increase its adh erence." adherents(ad HIR uhnts) Supporters, allies, followers; sticking or holding together: "He is a leader wit h many loyal adherents." The new sports-teamadherentsexhibited a steadfastadherenceto the guidelines for behavior in the stadium. adhesion, cohesion adhesion(ad HEE zhuhn) A sticking together, as of substances or tissues: "Glue and paste provide the me ans of adhesion as well as adhesive tape." cohesion(koh HEE zhuhn) 1. Particles of the same substance sticking together; unity, particles that are united in a single mass: "By the time she poured the cake batter into the pans, the mixture had a smooth cohesion." 2. A story whose facts all make sense and fit together: "It is much easier to fo llow the story in the newspaper because of the cohesion of the facts that were p resented." 3. A group which is united and sticks together: "Sometimes financial needs can b e used as a cohesive social force." Thecohesionof her explanation depended on her ability to demonstrate anadhesiont o the facts. adjoin, adjourn adjoin(uh JOIN) To be next to; to be in contact with: "Yes, as strange as it may be, the hospita l did adjoin the cemetery." adjourn(uh JURN) 1. To put off or to suspend until a future time: "The meeting will adjourn until next week." 2. Move, depart for: "Having finished dinner, they decided to adjourn to the liv ing room." We decided toadjournthe meeting so we could go for coffee in the restaurant in the building whichadjoinedour meeting place. admission, admittance admission(ad MISH uhn) 1. The act of allowing someone to enter; applies to an acceptance that carries c ertain rights and privileges: "The admission of aliens into some countries has b ecome a big issue for certain governments."

"He sought admission to the convention." 2. The power or right of entering; permission to enter: "Now is the time to appl y for admission into this college." 3. A voluntary acknowledgment of truth: "With his admission of the truth to the police, they were able to solve the mystery." admittance(ad MIT'ns) 1. The right to enter; permission to enter: "Admittance is by invitation only." 2. Permission to enter or the right of entry: "We had the privilege of being all owed admittance to the private party." After I completed all the forms foradmissionto the secret society, I was infor med thatadmittanceto their meeting site was very difficult. adolescence, adolescents adolescence(ad'l ES uhns) Growth from childhood to adulthood: "The period of adolescence is an important i ntroduction to adulthood." adolescents(ad'l ES uhns) People growing up from childhood to adulthood, especially those from about 12 to about 20 years of age; youthful, teenagers: "Over 70 percent of today s adolescen ts are expected to finish high school." Someadolescentscomplete theiradolescencewhen they are old enough to vote. adverse, averse adverse(ad VURS, AD vurs") Opposed to, hostile to; unfavorable, contrary: "Adverse winds prevented our plan e from arriving on time." "Do not be discouraged by adverse criticism." averse(uh VURS) Disliking; unwilling; having a feeling of great distaste or an inclination again st something or someone: "My father is always averse to spending money." "I do not approve of liquor in any form and I am even averse to drinking wine." Theadversepublicity didn't hurt his career; however, the hostility of the crow d did make himaverseto performing at the next theatrical performance. advice, advise advice(ad VIGHS) (always a noun) 1. A recommended opinion; counsel: "Since this is a legal matter, get a lawyer s a dvice." 2. Formal or official information about something; intelligence, news, report: " Advice from abroad indicates that war is about to begin." advise(ad VIGHZ) (always a verb) 1. To offer an opinion or a course of action; to counsel; to recommend: "I advis e you to reconsider your decision to sell your car." "I advise you to take her advice." 2. To inform, tell, notify, make known: "The weather report did advise us that t he roads were too icy for the trip." Iadviseyou to take hisadviceand increase your vocabulary skills now. aerie; airy; eerie, eery aerie(ER ee, IR ee) The nest of an eagle, or other bird, of prey which is constructed in a high plac e: "He was able to see the eagle's aerie on the side of the mountain." airy(ER ee) 1. Well-ventilated: "The castle halls were large and airy." 2. Jaunty, sprightly, lively, frolicsome: "The little goats hopped around in an airy way." "The band played an airy tune." 3. Imaginary, fanciful, dreamy, ethereal, unrealistic: "Her head was full of air y thoughts." eerie, eery(IR ee) So strange as to inspire a feeling of fear; uneasy because of superstitious fear ; ominous, ghostly, spooky: "Seeing the old graveyard; especially, at night, gav

e us an eerie (or eery) feeling." Seeing theaerieof the eagle in theairyforest gave me aneeriefeeling. affect, effect affect(uh FEKT) 1.As a verb: To influence, to act on, to modify, to pertain to: "The rain will af fect our plans for a picnic." "The soft, gentle breezes affect her disposition." 2. To pretend, to feign: "She is from New York, but she just had to affect a Bri tish accent." 3.As a noun: A feeling, an emotion: "The affect of her speech was to cause anger and great dissension." effect(i FEKT) 1.As a noun: A result, a change; usually; a consequence: "The farmers felt the ef fect of the drought for several years." "The soft gentle breezes have an effect on his disposition." 2. Actuality, fact, reality: "In effect, her insult meant the end of our friends hip." 3. Influence, power, force: "The plea for clemency had no effect on the judge." 4.As a verb: to produce, to accomplish, to bring about: "Do you think a new haird o will effect my appearance?" Theaffectof the curve ball did noteffecthis hitting a home run. affinity, infinity affinity(uh FIN uh tee) 1. Natural liking, fondness; rapport: "Many classical musicians have an affinity for jazz." 2. Family resemblance, similarity, likeness: "There is a close affinity between lemons and limes." infinity(in FIN uh tee) 1. Unlimited space, time, distance; extending beyond any measure or comprehensio n; without beginning or end: "Beyond the Earth we find infinity." 2. In photography, a distance setting, as on a camera, beyond which the entire f ield is in focus: "She set the lens on her camera to infinity so objects at a di stance would be in focus." She seemed to have anaffinityfor photography; with careful precision, she set the aperture of the camera toinfinitywhen taking long-distance shots. affluence, affluents, effluence, effluents, influence affluence(AF loo wuhns; af LOO wuhns) An abundance of riches, wealth, or opulence: "The ideal economy has enough afflu ence to benefit everyone." affluents(AF loo wuhns; af LOO wuhns) Applies to people who have large incomes, usually incomes spent freely: "They we re obviously affluents who were members of the international jet set." effluence(EF loo uhns) 1. The act or process of flowing out: "The effluence of enthusiasm could not be repressed." 2. Something that flows out or forth; the emitting or sending out: "The odor of the gas leak became an effluence that made several people ill." effluents(EF loo uhns) Liquids; such as sewage or industrial chemicals, that are released as waste: "Th e factory has been accused of discharging effluents into the river." influence(IN floo wuhns) 1. The power of a person or a thing to affect others, seen only in its effect: " Special-interest groups have too much influence on government." 2. The ability to produce effects indirectly by means of power based on wealth, high position, etc.: "She had a strong urge to marry him not for love but becaus e of his affluence (wealth) and influence in politics." Theinfluenceof theaffluentsdidn't matter when the city was trying to solve the p roblem of theeffluenceof theeffluentsinto the sewer system. aggravate, annoy, exasperate, irritate aggravate(AG gruh vayt")

1. To make worse, make more severe; to intensify: "Don't scratch because you wil l only aggravate the itch." 2. To exasperate, anger, vex: "His bossy attitude tends to aggravate me." annoy(uh NOI) 1. To cause uneasiness to; especially, by repeated acts; to make somewhat angry: "Please let me know if playing my radio will annoy you during work." 2. To trouble, to upset, to disturb: "Why did you have to annoy me during my aft ernoon nap?" exasperate(ig ZAS puh rayte") 1. To provoke, peeve, infuriate;slang, to bug, turn off: "Constant interruptions will only exasperate the speaker." 2. To make someone very angry or frustrated, often by repeatedly doing something agitating: "Please don't exasperate me with your constant bickering." irritate(IR i tayt") 1. To exasperate, anger, make impatient, provoke: "The mother was afraid that he r child s whining might irritate the nurse." 2. To make painful, to make sore: "Woolen clothing will irritate the rash." The sound of the music from the apartment upstairs is starting toannoy me. If it gets much louder, it willaggravateme to the point that I will become exa speratedand I will go upstairs to speak to the person and hope that I don tirritatehi m too much. agnostic, agnostic agnostic(ag NAHS tik) Someone who believes that it is impossible to know whether there is a God or who is skeptical about the existence of God but does not profess true atheism: "The man said that he was an agnostic; that is, he did not know if there is a God or not; he simply did not know." agnostic(ag NAHS tik) Anyone who is doubtful, unsure, or noncommittal about something: "President Bara ck Obama said he isagnosticabout raising taxes on households making less than $250 ,000 as part of a broad effort to rein in the budget deficit." "Obama 'Agnostic' on Deficit Cuts, Won t Prejudge Tax Increases" By Rich Miller;Business Week; February 11, 2010. "The woman was considered a political agnostic because she lacked strong pol itical beliefs about supporting the views of the major party." The new parishioner was anagnosticabout whether anyone could be a completeagnos tic. agnostic, atheist, deist, theist agnostic(ag NOS tik) Someone who believes that there can be no proof of the existence of God, but doe s not deny the possibility that God exists: "At our theology lecture, there were several people making presentations, one of whom was an agnostic who explained that there is no proof that God exists." atheist(AY thee ist) A disbeliever, denier of God's existence: "I believe in the existence of God, bu t my brother is an atheist and doesn't have such a belief." deist(DEE ist) Someone who believes in God based on reason rather than revelation and involves the view that God has set the universe in motion but does not interfere with how it exists: "My friend is a deist who believes in God as the creator of the univ erse but that humans are allowed to determine the kind of existence they feel is appropriate whether for good or for bad." theist(THEE ist) Someone who believes in a personal God as creator and ruler of the universe, but not necessarily accompanied by a belief in divine revelation; such as, through the Bible: "She is a member of a theist group believing in God but not necessari ly as depicted in the Bible." Two friends, atheistand adeist, got together to debate whether being anatheistha s anything in common with those who profess to beagnostic. aid, aide

aid(AYD) 1. To help, assist, give a helping hand: "There are not enough organizations tha t give aid to the poor." 2. To foster, promote; make easy: "A good dictionary is an essential aid in the improvement of the English language." aide(AYD) An assistant or an adjutant: "The colonel served as an aide (aide-de-camp) or mi litary assistant and a confidential assistant, for the general." If she continues to behave that way, no one will come to heraid; but this tim e, she was fortunate because the doctor sent a very talentedaideto give her the me dication that she needed ail, ale ail(AYL) 1. To feel sick, be ill, have pain: "This medicine is good for whatever may ail you." 2. To cause uneasiness or pain; to afflict, to sicken: "Showing a little sadness in my demeanor, people were wondering what could possibly ail me." ale(AYL) A bitter beer; a fermented alcoholic beverage containing malt and hops, similar to but heavier than beer: "When he went to the store, he had a thirst for ale in stead of the more bland lite-beer." If you drink too muchale, you will begin toailbefore you get home. air, ere, err, heir air(AIR) 1. The atmosphere we breathe: "Air is composed primarily of oxygen, nitrogen, ca rbon dioxide, and water vapor." 2. Biosphere, stratosphere, sky: "The rocket blasted off into the air." 3. Wind, breeze, draft, current: "Cold air blew in through the open window." 4. To place something in an open area where there is a breeze to make it cool, d ry, or clean: "We put the blanket out on the line to air out." ere(AIR) Prior to; before in time: "We will have a warm fire ere nightfall and so ere lon g we will be comfortable." This is an old-fashioned or a literary term. err(ER, UR, or AIR) 1. To make a mistake, slip up, miscalculate: "Banks rarely err in figuring a che cking account balance." 2. To deviate from an established moral code; to transgress, sin, misbehave: "To err is human, to forgive divine." heir(AIR;notHAIR) 1. One who is legally entitled to inherit and to own an estate after the previou s owner s death; a beneficiary, an inheritor: "The millionaire s only heir was his s on." 2. A person who succeeds or is in line to succeed to a hereditary rank, title, o r office: "The king did not have an heir when he died." Anheiris someone who may be worth more financially than others and still be wo rthless. Evan Esar Theheirto the science project started toerrwhen she stated thaterethere wasair, th e earth was surrounded by carbon dioxide. aisle, I'll, isle aisle(IGHL) A passageway or corridor; for example: a narrow aisle between two rows of seats; a path way: "The aisle was crammed with people." I'll(IGHL) A contraction of "I will" or "I shall": "I ll do it as soon as I can." isle(IGHL) A very small island, an islet: "He bought his own private isle so he could build a house and have more privacy."

"We ll go to that beautiful isle where I ll walk down the aisle with my wonderfu l bride." I'llbet after they walk down theaisle, the bride and groom will leave for that distantislethey have talked about so often. alimentary, elementary alimentary(al" uh MEN tuh ree, al" uh MEN tree) Connected with food, nutrition: "The surgeon removed an obstruction in Sam's ali mentary canal." elementary(el" uh MEN tuh ree, el" uh MEN tree) Connected with rudiments, fundamentals: "The little boy has just started element ary school." When I was inelementaryschool, I learned more than I ever wanted to know about the workings of thealimentarycanal in earth worms. all mighty, almighty all mighty(awl MIGH tee) Whenallof those in a group are in agreement, or disagreement, about something: "We 're all mighty glad to see you." almighty(awl MIGH tee) Having absolute power; all-powerful: "Judaism is said to be the first religion t o teach the existence of a supreme deity having almighty power." The preacher shouted that we wereall mightyglad to know the power of thealmight ypresence of the Lord. all ready, already all ready(awl RED ee) Everyone or everything is prepared; quite ready in every particular; completely ready: "I was all ready to start my next job." "They will go to the office when they are all ready." already(awl RED ee) 1. By this time; soon: "Are you finished with your work already?" 2. Before this time: "We arrived at noon but you had already gone." "When he arrived, the bus had already gone." I wasall readyto go on my trip, but when I went to the bus station, I found ou t that the bus hadalreadygone and so I had to wait two hours for the next one. all right, all-right, alright all right(awl RIGHT) 1. Healthy, in good health; safe, uninjured: "She was all right in spite of her accident." 2. Satisfactorily, acceptably: "The new cake recipe turned out to be all right." 3. Yes, very well: "All right, I will do it just as you want it to be done." all-right(awl RIGHT) When hyphenated, this is the spelling for the slang adjective: "He s an all-right guy." This is generally considered to be the only acceptable exception toall righ t. alright This isneveran acceptable spelling forall right; regardless of how many times you m ay see it misspelled in print. Alright, although often misused by many people, it is still consideredsubstan dardEnglish! Alright's Not All Right By day and night I sing this song: "All right's all right; Alright's all wrong." Willard R. Espy My sister made a new cake recipe which came outall right, then when my niece took the cake to her office, her colleagues exclaimed, "That cake isall-right!". all together, altogether

all together(awl" tuh GETH uhr) Everyone in a group: "We found the boys all together in the living room." "We were all together for the whole day." "All together now, everyone, let's sing!" altogether(awl" tuh GETH uhr) 1. To the whole extent; completely; entirely: "The house was altogether destroye d by fire." "We were not altogether pleased by the outcome of the election." 2. On the whole; considering everything: "Altogether, I'm sorry it happened." 3. Informal, naked; nude: "When she opened the door, there her little boy stood in the altogether." The garage at the home of the famous skater wasaltogetherdestroyed by fire; bu t he announced that his gold medals wereall togetherin a safe place. all ways, always all ways(AWL wayz) 1. Every existing possibility, every method: "She investigated all ways that wer e possible to find her missing sister." 2. The entire distance, from start to finish: "All ways will be checked to see w hat we need to do to for this poor child." 3. Every way, all possible ways: "The teachers tried in all ways to interest Mar y in studying." always(AWL wiz, AWL wayz) 1. Every time, on every occasion, regularly, consistently: "We always start work ing at 0800 hours; however, she is always late." 2. Eternally, forever, perpetually: "He vowed that he would always love her." 3. At any time; in any event: "You may always get a new job if you want to." Even though she believed that she couldalwaysget a new job, she found that she had to exploreall waysof getting new employment; including advertising and talkin g with friends, before she found a job that she liked. all, awl all(AWL) 1. The whole of something; the entire contents of: "We drank all the milk that w as left in the fridge." 2. Every one of, each of; the whole number of: "All of the people had to be chec ked before they could get into the aircraft." 3. Everything, every item; the whole quantity: "Is that all that you can carry?" awl(AWL) A tool for making holes in wood, leather, etc.: "The shoe repairman used an awl to make a new shoe-lace hole." The carpenter used anawlto makeallthe holes in the lathing for the decorative ba rrel for my front porch. allay, alley, alleys, alloy, ally allay(uh LAY) 1. To make something less severe or strong: "The managers of the store tried to allay fears that some of the workers would lose their jobs." 2. To rest, to relieve: "Medicine will allay a person's pain." alley(AL ee) 1. A passageway, a narrow thoroughfare, narrow back street: "There was a busy st reet in front of the house and an alley behind it." 2. Narrow passage: "This alley leads nowhere." Alley follows the simple rule of adding an s to become a plural; "alley, a lleys": "Cats prowled the alleys of the town." alleys(AL oi", uh LOI) Narrow passages: "The city has many blind alleys." alloy(AL oi", uh LOI) A metal made by melting and mixing two or more metals or a metal and another mat erial mixed together: "Part of the freezer was made of aluminum alloy." ally(uh LIGH; AL igh) 1. Associate, partner, friend; collaborator: "The United States was an ally of G

reat Britain in two world wars." 2. To join with, band together: "Many of the townspeople planned to ally themsel ves as a group in an effort to lower their taxes." Don't confusealleyswithallies, the plural ofally: "France was just one of the U. S. allies during the war." With money you can buy all thealliesyou want, but they are never worth the pri ce. Anonymous It seemed toallaymy fears when I realized that the foundry that used a newalloyw as just twoalleysaway from me; so I found myself anallyand we went there together. alligator, crocodile alligator(AL i gay" tuhr) A large reptile that lives near water, has thick scaly skin, powerful jaws, a lo ng tail, and a shorter and broader snout than a crocodile. Native to the souther n United States, and the Yangtze river in China: "We were surprised to see an al ligator in our back yard during our Florida vacation." crocodile(KRAWK uh dighl") A large carnivorous reptile that lives near water, and has a long thick-skinned body and a broad head with strong jaws and which lives in geographical regions w ith hot weather; especially, the Nile crocodile: "When we went to Egypt, we saw a crocodile on the shore of the Nile river." In the Alligatoridae, the teeth of the lower jaw fit inside those of the upp er jaw, whereas in the Crocodylidae, the teeth of the two jaws form a single int erdititating row when the jaws are closed. In crocodiles, the fourth tooth of the lower jaw fits into an indentation of the upper jaw and is exposed to view when the mouth is closed. In alligators, this tooth is hidden from view when the mouth is closed, beca use it fits into a pit which exists in the upper jaw. Other physical characteristics exist; however, the foregoing information is the most outstanding. Crocodilians are well-adapted as predators, with few natural enemies. Bony p lates, called osteoderms, form a kind of armor in their thick skin. Their teeth, about 30 to 40 in each jaw, are set into sockets in the jawbone s and interlock when the mouth is closed. Crocodilians are the most vocal reptiles, producing sounds from quiet hisses to fearsome roars and bellows, usually during the mating season. On land, croco dilians move quickly in a belly crawl but can also gallop and walk mammal-like o n all four legs. Compiled from information located in "Crocodilia",Encyclopaedia Britannica; William Benton, Publisher; Chicago; Illinois; 1968; pages 787-789. My friend told me that an easy way to tell the difference between analligato rand acrocodileis that analligatorhas an "A" shaped snout and the snout of acrocodilei more rounded. I need to go to the zoo to check this out. allowed, aloud allowed(uh LOUD) 1. To permit someone to do something; give permission to; authorize, approve: "M y salary has not allowed me to live extravagantly." "The teacher allowed us to leave school early." 2. Allocate, grant, provide: "Have you allowed yourself at least an hour to get to the airport?" aloud(uh LOUD) Not in a whisper; in a normal speaking voice, audibly: "If you want to say it al oud, go ahead." "The ancients were in the habit of reading aloud even when they were alone." People are notallowedto speakaloudin the school library. allude, delude, deluge, elude, illude, refer allude(uh LOOD) To refer to indirectly without specific identification or details, to mention, t

o refer to: "He tried to allude to his childhood on the farm." "The candidate was heard to allude to the recent war by saying, 'We ve all mad e sacrifices.' " delude(di LOOD) 1. To cause someone to believe something that is not true: "She said, if he thin ks I care, then he will simply delude himself." 2. To deceive the mind or judgment of: "Much of the spam on the internet is done to delude people with some scheme or trickery." deluge(DEL yooj) 1. To flood with water; inundate; submerge: "The deluge of rain caused severe mu dslides." 2. To give or to send someone a large amount of things at the same time: "There will be a deluge of mail after the holidays." elude(i LOOD) 1. To avoid, escape from, evade as by daring, cleverness, or skill: "The burglar found a way to elude the police by hiding in a dumpster." "Even later, the suspect continued to elude the police because they couldn't locate him." 2. To escape the understanding or grasp of: "This is a name that has always elud ed me and it continues to elude me." "The true meaning of his speech will elude me unless I can find a dictionary ." illude(il LOOD) To deceive; to mock; to excite and to disappoint the hopes of: "Any increase in salary will simply illude us in this time of economic slowdown." refer(ri FUHR) 1. To direct to a source for help or information: "After completing the forms, s he was able to refer me to the personnel director." 2. To assign or to attribute to; make reference to: "The writer wanted us to ref er to the history book so he could verify his point." 3. To turn, to go; to consult: "Refer to the last page of the book for answers." Toreferto someone or something is to mention directly with specific identifica tion. I want toreferyou to the headlines thatalludeto thedelugeand devastation caused by the flood waters. Many survivors sought toeludethe dangers by climbing to the top of their barns ; however, this was just an effort todeludethemselves into believing they were saf er. The reality served toilludethem and eventually rescue boats arrived. allusion, delusion, elusion, illusion allusion(uh LOO zhuhn) 1. An indirect reference to something; a hint: "This book about American history makes a brief allusion to the ancient Greek idea of democracy." 2. A statement that refers to something without mentioning it directly; an impli ed or indirect reference: "She made an allusion to her first marriage, but she s aid nothing more revealing about it." An allusion is never an outright or explicit mention of the person or thing the speaker seems to have in mind. delusion(di LOO zhuhn) 1. A false idea, belief, or opinion that is contrary to fact or reality, resulti ng from deception or a misconception: "He labored under the delusion that he wou ld be successful." 2. A mental disorder; a false belief strongly held in spite of invalidating evid ence; especially, as a mental disorder: "He had a delusion that all women hated him." "She had the delusion of being extraordinarily beautiful." "He had the delusion that he was a young boy riding his tricycle as he was b

alanced on his head." Technically, a delusion is a belief that, though false, has been surrendered to and accepted by the whole mind as the truth. elusion(i LOO zhuhn) Evasion, escape by deception: "The embezzlers celebrated their elusion of the po lice a little too soon because they were caught." illusion(i LOO zhuhn) 1. A deception; a false, although often pleasant, notion; a misconception: "A pe rson's illusion of youth fades with maturity." 2. A misleading visual impression; hallucination: "Mirrors give an illusion of m ore space in a room." 3. A deceptive appearance; anything that seems to be something else or something that seems to exist but actually does not: "He had the illusion that the woman was floating above his bed." They were under thedelusionthat theillusionof safety for the workers was based o n anallusionto a report circulated to the supervisors; however, they were dishones t and planned anelusionto avoid responsibility. allusive, elusive, delusive, illusive, allusive(uh LOO siv) Suggestive, indirect reference to something: "He was always allusive regarding a nything about his personal life and never provided any specific information." elusive(i LOO siv) 1. Tending to slip away; hard to grasp or to perceive: "She had an elusive fragr ance which we could not identify." 2. Difficult to find or to capture: "The truth is proving to be elusive." delusive(di LOO siv) Tending to mislead, to deceive: "She's being delusive when she tells us we can f inish this job on time." illusive(i LOO siv) Deceptive, unreal, illusory: "He has illusive hopes of finding a better job." "While he was lost in the desert, he saw an illusive oasis known as a mirage ." He made anallusivecomment about theillusivenature of his new novel which was int ended to bedelusive, creating anelusivesense of reality and confusing the reader. altar, alter altar(AWL tur) Place of worship; a stand or platform in a place of worship: "He placed the Bibl e on the altar as he read passages to the congregation." "She knelt at the altar to pray." alter(ALW tur) 1. To change, transform, make different, modify: "The blond wig seemed to comple tely alter her appearance. She said she would also alter her dress." 2. To castrate or to spay an animal; such as, a cat or a dog: "The family dog wa s taken to the animal center so the vet could alter him." The minister wanted toalterthe churchaltarbefore the next worship service. alternate, alternative alternate(AWL tur nayt [verb]; AWL tur nit [adjective] [noun]) 1. Occurring by turns; succeeding each other, take turns, change (verb): "He and his sister alternate washing the supper dishes." 2. One and then the other; every other, successive (adjective): "Each of the two druggists works on alternate Sundays." "The awning had alternate red and white stripes." 3. Standby, backup, understudy (noun): "He attended the political convention not as a delegate but as an alternate." alternative(awl TUR nuh tiv) A choice between two or among more than two things; something remaining to be ch osen; an option: "Is there an alternative to going?" "If he wants to get to Los Angeles by tonight, he has no alternative but to go by plane." The two words have quite separate and distinct meanings:alternateimplies the

taking of turns, whilealternativeimplies a choice. Let's not blowalternatelyhot and cold on this; thealternativeto holding the line is fuzziness of meanings. altitude, attitude altitude(AL ti tood", AL ti tyood") The height of a thing above a reference level, especially above sea level or abo ve the earth's surface: "The aircraft was flying at an altitude of 9,000 feet (2 .74 kilometers)." attitude(AT i tood", AT i tyood") A feeling or way of thinking which affects a person's behavior: "She has a posit ive attitude about the kind of work she is doing; however, he has an attitude pr oblem (not friendly or cooperative)." Even though she tended to become fearful if she traveled at a highaltitude, she worked hard to present a positiveattitudeand not have her friends worry about her. alumna, alumnae, alumnus, alumni alumna(singular) (uh LUHM nuh) A female graduate: "My mother is an alumna of the University of California." alumnae(plural) (uh LUHM nee) Female graduates: "My two sisters are both alumnae of Alpha High School." alumnus(singular) (uh LUHM nuhs) A male graduate: "He was an alumnus of the University of Iowa." alumni(plural) (uh LUHM nigh) 1. Male graduates: "All of the graduates at the commencement were alumni because it was a males-only university." 2. Generally used to refer toboth the alumni and alumnaeof a coeducational institu tion: "My parents are alumni of the same college." My parents werealumniof the same college, graduating at different years. My mother was analumna(1934) and she often got together for lunch with her fel lowalumnae. My father was analumnus(1935) whose fellowalumniwould get together occasionally to go to football games. amateur, armature, neophyte, novice, tyro amateur(AM uh toor", AM uh tuhr", AM uh choor", AM uh tyoor") Someone who does something for pleasure rather than for payment and anyone with limited skills in, or knowledge of, an activity; nonprofessional: "An amateur is not allowed to play in most professional golf tournaments." "An amateur shouldn't play professional poker for high stakes." armature(AR muh choor") An armor like covering: "The armature of this dynamo needs repair." neophyte(NEE uh fight") Any new participant in some activity; beginner, apprentice; a disciple, convert, proselyte, novitiate: "The neophyte learned the required church procedures very quickly." novice(NOHV is) Someone who is beginning, or who is learning, an activity and has acquired littl e skill in it; a beginner, an apprentice: "He's a novice in the blacksmith's tra de." tyro(TIGH roh) Someone who is just beginning to learn something and who is new to a field or ac tivity, a beginner, a learner: "The old pro gave the tyro some tips on how to do the job more efficiently." My father was anamateurgardener who readily admitted he was aneophyte, really just atyro, when it came to raising certain bulbs; however, he carefully studied thearmatureof the corm of each of the species before planting them. Additional clarifications regarding amateur, neophyte, novice, and tyro Amateur, the most widely used of these four terms, is applied to someone who follows or pursues any art, study, or other activity simply from the love of do ing it. In certain activities; especially, sports, anamateuris anyone who, regardless

of excellence, receives no payment for his or her performance: "Alice played as anamateurfor five years before becoming a professional." Neophytealso refers to a beginner (novice, tyro), but the term is usually app lied to a recent church convert; especially, to anovicein a religious order and to a recently ordained priest. Anoviceis a beginner, a person new to any field or activity: "Some young bride s arenoviceswhen it comes to housekeeping." Tyrois closely related in meaning tonovice; because it refers to someone who i s inexperienced: "James was atyroduring his first weeks at training camp." Anamateurmay be skilled and even experienced, butneophytes, novices, andtyrosneve r are. Aneophyte, novice, ortyromay be a professional, but anamateurnever is. Based on information from Dictionary of Problem Words and Expressionsby Harry Shaw; McGraw-Hill Book Company; New York; 1975; page 71. amelioration, melioration, pejoration amelioration(uh meel" yuh RAY shuhn) A making or becoming better; improvement: "Efforts of amelioration are being mad e for the suffering of people who have lost their jobs." melioration(meel" yuh RAY shuhn; mee" lee uh RAY shuhn) 1. The act or process of improving something or the state of being improved: "We are hoping for a melioration of the financial situation for our company." 2. The linguistic process by which a word over a period of time grows more eleva ted in meaning or more positive in connotation: "The wordnicehas gone through the process of melioration because it formerly meant 'foolish'." pejoration(pej uh RAY shuhn; pee" juh RAY shuhn) 1. The process or condition of worsening or degenerating; deterioration: "The gl obal financial situation is going through a process of pejoration." 2. The process by which the meaning of a word becomes negative or less elevated over a period of time: "The wordsilly, which formerly meant 'deserving sympathy, helpless, or simple', has gone through pejoration, resulting in the meanings of 'showing a lack of good sense, frivolous.' " Some would say that the process of themeliorationof English vocabulary is bala nced with the process ofpejoration, because words become more elevated in meaning ; while other words become less so; however, theameliorationof the situation is he lped by the use of new dictionaries. amend, emend amend(uh MEND) 1. To change for the better; to improve; to rectify: "I would advise you to amen d your manners." "He was sincerely trying to amend his bad habits." 2. To change, to revise, to modify: "The members of the club voted to amend the constitution." emend(i MEND) To improve by critical editing; to correct, to revise: "We must emend the report by inserting the right data." "The editor thought it was necessary to emend the punctuation in the author' s essay." The professor wanted toemendthe essay she was reading and suggested the authora mendthe research and submit the essay again. amiable, amicable amiable(AY mee uh buhl) Friendly and agreeable in disposition; good-natured and likable: "Amiable neighb ors help make a house a home." "He has an amiable personality." amicable(AM i kuh buhl) Characterized by or exhibiting friendliness or goodwill; peaceable, agreeable: " If wars are to end, nations must learn amicable means of settling their disputes ." Amiableis more often used to describe people andamicableto describe actions, ge stures, etc.

Examples include: "The next-door neighbors areamiablepeople." "The union and the company reached anamicablesettlement in their contract disp ute." Because I approached my new,amiableneighbors with an open mind and a plate of muffins, we were able to reach anamicablesolution to building a new fence. amity, enmity amity(AM i tee) A feeling of friendship: "Friendly relations between nations or groups could giv e mankind an era of international amity." enmity(EN mi tee) A very deep unfriendly feeling: "There is a long history of enmity between him a nd his fellow workers because of his comments against the labor union." "It's a mistake to ignore the lethal enmity between Bin Laden and Hamas." This quote is from "The subtext of Bin Laden's message"; The Boston Globeeditorial; as seen in theInternational Herald Tribune; January 23, 2009; page 6. I agree that a universalamityis to be desired; however, I am afraid that there is a sense of distrust andenmityamong too many governments. amnesia, aphasia amnesia(am NEE zhuh) A loss of memory as a result of a shock, an injury, a psychological disturbance, or some kind of medical disorder: "Because of the shock caused by a head injury , the man's amnesia resulted in a total loss of memory regarding his past life." aphasia(uh FAY zhuh) One in a group of speech disorders in which there is a defect, or loss, of the p ower of expression and comprehension of spoken or written language or signs: "My brother suddenly had aphasia as a result of brain damage resulting from the aut omobile-accident." In addition to partialamnesia, the patient at the hospital sufferedaphasiawhic h impeded his recovery from the accident he suffered last year. among, between among(uh MUHNG) 1. Relationships involving more than two: "The teachers apparently agreed among themselves that the curricula needed revisions." 2. In the midst of; surrounded by: "We were in the forest among the trees." 3. In the company of; in association with: "We were traveling among a group of t ourists." between(bi TWEEN) 1. Applied to relationships involving only two: "The apple pie was shared betwee n the two sisters." 2. Also applicable to two or more when the items are distinctly separate: "The c ar was driven between several houses before it came to a stop." 3. Intermediate to, as in quantity, amount, or degree: "We found that it costs b etween fifteen and twenty dollars." 4. Often used to express a reciprocal relationship: "You will have to choose bet ween riding and walking." We wereamonga large group of visitors who walkedbetweenthe monuments at the anci ent church. amoral, immoral, unmoral amoral(ay MOHR uhl) 1. Neither moral nor immoral; that is, not showing concern for what is right or wrong in human behavior: "He is an amoral, selfish man who is only interested in pursuing his own personal goals regardless of how others might be harmed." 2. Not caring about right and wrong: "The governor has a cynical and amoral way of striving to increase his personal political objectives." immoral(i MOR uhl) Contrary to established social principles; corrupt, evil, wrong: "Selling illega l drugs to anyone is immoral." unmoral(uhn MOR uhl)

Having no perception of what is right or wrong or unable to distinguish right fr om wrong: "An infant or any one who is mentally incapable of knowing what is rig ht or wrong is considered to be unmoral; that is, neithermoralnorimmoral." The owner of the business felt that he was justified in firing the drug deal er because drug dealingis animmoralactivity. The dealer wasamoralin his attitude according to the head of the company; espe cially, since the dealer wasunmoralas revealed by his on-the-job behavior. amused, bemused amused(uh MYOOZ'd) Entertained, occupied; interested: "We amused ourselves by playing games until o ur parents got back home." bemused(bi MYOOZ'd) 1. Mildly amused; engrossed, thoughtful: "He gave the child a bemused look." 2. Confused, muddled, bewildered: "The wine left him somewhat bemused." The people were greatlyamusedby the antics of the animals in the field, then t hey became quitebemusedwhen for no apparent reason the creatures suddenly ran and hid in their holes. an, and an(AN) One, each: "This is an excellent report." and(AND) Also, plus: "He ate a peach and a pear." The dietician said I should eatanapple every dayandat least one banana. analyst, annalist analyst(AN uh list) Someone with specialized knowledge or skill who studies or examines something by separating it into its constituent elements and gives an assessment, descriptio n, or explanation of it: "In business, a person must be a good analyst of his or her commercial possibilities." annalist(AN uh list) 1. Someone who writes records of events arranged chronologically by each year or by successive years; a chronicler: "The annalist wrote a series of chronicles a bout the events that took place during the existence of the club." 2. A writer, or historian, who compiles the records and reports of an organizati on or a learned field in chronological order: "The historical annalist compiled a book about the city over the last 100 years." The author who was theannalistfor the town historians invited ananalystto revie w his writing before publication, to ensure that the facts were correctly explai ned. anecdote, antidote anecdote(AN ik doht") An interesting incident or brief history; a short narrative; sometimes, a humoro us account: "Have you noticed that many public speakers begin their talks with a humorous anecdote?" antidote(AN ti doht") 1. A remedy to counteract poison; an antitoxin: "Doctors rushed an antidote to t he boy who was bitten by a snake." 2. Anything that works against an unwanted condition; a remedy or a cure: "A hob by is considered a good antidote for boredom and for keeping our minds active." Be sure you spell and pronounceanecdoteproperly. Do not confuse it withantidote : "Jane told ananecdoteabout her early childhood." "Is there anantidotefor strychnine poisoning?" Be sure you spell and pronounceanecdoteproperly. Don't confuse it withantidote; for example, "James told ananecdoteabout his Canadian travels." "Does the doctor have anantidotefor the food poisoning our friend got when he ate at the restaurant?" angel, angle angel(AYN juhl; softg) 1. A celestial or heavenly being; a heavenly spirit: "The angel Gabriel is menti oned in the Bible."

2. A financial backer for a play; a patron, a sponsor: "He is an angel of the ne w play on Broadway." Anangelis a person who puts up money for theatrical plays when it's a case of dough or die. Evan Esar angle(ANG guhl; hardg) 1. A geometric figure, as of a triangle: "A vertical line will meet a horizontal line at an angle of 90 degrees." 2. A bend, a corner, or an edge: "The road makes a sharp angle just over that hi ll." 3. To fish with a hook and line: "They wanted to angle for trout today." 4. Trying to get something in a clever or indirect way: "She will angle for a pr omotion when she tells her boss about her new selling technique." 5. Point of view or a viewpoint; a perspective: "Try to look at the situation fr om my angle." "The view of the valley is beautiful from this angle." Our uncle or FamilyAngelis an avid fisherman and enjoysanglefishing. This seems to require following the old country road with all the twists anda nglesin it to get to the stream. Although he prefers to fish by himself, I oftenanglemy way into going with him . I usually set my rod at a sharpangleand then lie back and relax in the sun. angry, mad angry(ANG gree") Feeling extremely annoyed, often about an insult or a wrong; enraged, furious; h ostile, hateful: "Her rudeness makes me angry." "She's in an angry mood." mad(MAD) 1. Angry; resentful, infuriated: "If you keep teasing that dog, you are going to make him mad." 2. Suffering from a disorder of the mind; insane, deranged: "Some people have pe riods during which they are absolutely mad or out of their heads." You must bemadnot to feelangryabout the rude comments the radio announcer made. anguish, languish anguish(ANG gwish) Extreme anxiety or emotional torment; grief, woe: "The mother waited in anguish for news of her missing child." languish(LANG gwish) 1. To undergo hardship as a result of being deprived of something, typically att ention, independence, or freedom: "He lost his accustomed vigor and was about to languish in the tropical climate." 2. To long for something that is being denied; to pine for: "After days in the h ospital without visitors, he could only languish for the sight of his family." When I had tolanguishin my bed for such a long time because I was ill, I start ed to experience a sense ofanguishthat I might not ever be well again. annalize; analyze annalize(AN nuh lighz) 1. To record; to write in annals: "His main job was to annalize, or to record, e vents as they were arranged chronologically by the year." 2. To record history in general, as it is recorded in books and other documents: "She was known to annalize the historical past of her city." analyze(AN uh lighz") 1. To examine something in great detail in order to understand it better or to d iscover more about it; to separate and examine the parts of something: "The doct or wanted to analyze the blood sample for anemia." 2. To study the structure of something or how its constituent parts are put toge ther: "The mathematician will analyze his figures again." When I was studying at school, I had toanalyzethe writings of a famous histori an who was known toannalizethe myths and legends of her region of the country. annual, annul, perennial

annual(AN yoo uhl) 1. Yearly, occurring every year or once a year: "Most people have an annual birt hday celebration." 2. A plant that lives for only one year or season: "We planted some annual flowe rs in front of the house." 3. A book or magazine that is published once a year: "We just received the annua l publication about new words which have been created this year." annul(uh NUHL) To cancel; to invalidate, to rescind: "The contract was annulled because it was not legally signed by both parties." perennial(puh REN ee uhl) 1. Lasting through the year; that is, continuous: "Perennial air pollution conti nues to cause problems in many major cities of the world." 2. Lasting indefinitely; perpetual, continual: "She sits there with that perenni al grin on her face." 3. In botany, having a life span of more than two years; such as, a perennial pl ant: "There are many perennial plants that produce flowers every year." It is that time of year whenannuallyI plant several newperennialflowers in my g arden. I chose this year sannualsandperennialsfrom the new seed and flower catalog which I receive on anannualbasis. Last year, I had toannulmy old subscription for the dif ferent catalog. ant, aunt ant(ANT) Any of various social insects of the familyFormicidaeliving in highly organized so cial colonies: "As I was eating a piece of cake, I saw an ant on my plate." aunt(ANT, AWNT) The sister of one s father or mother, or the wife of a person's uncle: "My aunt an d my cousin, her son, went to a movie." Anantis said to be a small insect that s always busy; yet, always finds time to go on picnics with youraunt. Comics For Educators Image copyrighted, ALL rights are reserved. antagonist, protagonist antagonist(an TAG uh nist) 1. Someone, or something, opposing or in conflict with another person or thing; an opponent: "His antagonist in the debate was smarter than he was." 2. A major character in a book, play, or movie whose values or behaviors are in conflict with those of the primary character, or hero: "The objective of the ant agonist in the story was to destroy the protagonist in battle." protagonist(proh TAG uh nist) The most important, orprimary, character (good or evil) in a novel, play, story, or other literary work: "The protagonist had to defend himself against the oppos ition of the antagonist." Anantagonistis really someone opposed to another person, an "opponent". At a recentproduction of story of the prince and the poor girl, the character of the stepsister who was theantagonistwas exaggerated and made the audience laug h; however, the poor girl who was theprotagonistin the story was portrayed as gent le and sweet. ante-, ante, anti-; auntie, aunty ante-(AN tee) A prefix meaning "before": "The novel was set in the antebellum South." ante(AN tee) 1. In poker, to put up a stake before the cards are dealt, or before drawing new cards; "ante up": "The dealer waited until everyone had anted up before he deal t the cards." 2. Often used figuratively: "Parents are usually expected to ante up, or to pay, for their children's college education." 3. To increase an amount or level; such as, to raise the cost or price of someth

ing: "The popular actress first demanded twice the salary offered to her but the n she kept upping the ante." 4. To increase the risk or possible harm that could result from something: "The new law ups the ante, or increases penalties for, people who cheat on their taxe s." anti-(AN tigh, AN tee) A prefix meaning against or contrary: "I am definitely antiwar because there mus t be better ways to settle international disputes." Exceptions: antipasto (Italian, whereanti-, "before" +pasto"food") and anticipa te (and their related forms), which in these examples means "before". auntie, aunty(AN tee, AUN tee) An informal way of saying "aunt": "My favorite auntie and cousin decided to go t o the movies together." My favoriteauntiewas always interested in the life styles and customs of theant ebellum Southern states; however, she was also known to be very anti-oppression of the poor and oppressed. She used her influence toanteup the commitment of the community to create a fo od bank. antecedence, antecedents antecedence(an" ti SEED ns) The act or state of going before in time; precedence; priority in time, pre-exis tence: "In any chronology, everything has antecedence (precedence) to something else." antecedents(ant" uh SEED uhnts) The history, events, characteristics, etc., of one's earlier life; ancestors, fo refathers: "My antecedents were all pioneers." One of myantecedentson my father s side of the family attempted to write a chron ology of the family, making sure that theantecedenceof events were in the correct order. any one, anyone any one(EN ee wuhn", EN ee wuhn) Used to distinguish one person from others in the same group or class; any singl e person or thing: "Any one of these men could be guilty." "Not more than twelve new members are admitted to the club in any one year." anyone(EN ee wuhn", EN ee wuhn) Any person at all: "Can anyone identify the culprit who committed this crime?" "If anyone calls, please take a message." Any oneof the graduating class of 2011 could be distinguished as a scholar; h owever,anyonecan apply for entry to the college and hope to be identified as such. apiary, aviary apiary(AY pi er" i) A place for bees: "The farmer had an apiary for his bees so they could produce h oney." aviary(AY vi er" i) A place for birds; such as, a cage, house, or enclosure: "She kept several birds in her aviary." While designing the garden, my aunt planned to place anapiaryalong the south e dge of the garden and she built heraviaryon the north side. There were beds of flo wers in between which the bees would certainly appreciate during the summer. aplomb, a plum, a plumb aplomb(uh PLOM, uh PLUM) Confidence, skill, and poise; especially, in difficult or challenging circumstan ces: "A good hostess can handle an embarrassing situation with great aplomb." a plum(uh PLUM) A round or oval smooth-skinned fruit, usually red or purple, containing a flatte ned pit: "She gave me a plum to eat which was delicious." a plumb(uh PLUM) 1. As anoun, a weight, usually made of lead, attached to a line and used to find the depth of water or to verify a true vertical alignment: "He used a lead ball,

a plumb, attached to a line so he could determine the vertical accuracy of the building's walls." 2. Also, as averb, to examine something in a careful and complete way in order to understand it: "The book strives to plumb the complexities of human relationshi ps." "As a psychologist, he spent several years trying to plumb the minds of crim inals." The surveyors had to improvise when they neededa plumband used a ripeplumattache d to a string asa plumbfor surveying the field. At the end of the day, with greataplomb, one of the surveyors ate theplum. apportion, proportion apportion(uh POR shuhn; uh POHR shuhn) To divide and to assign according to a plan; to allot: "They will have to apport ion the proceeds from the auction to the families." proportion(pruh POR shuhn, pruh POHR shuhn) A relationship between things or parts of things with respect to comparative mag nitude, quantity, or degree: "Some of the money goes to cover expenses, but a la rge proportion is donated to charity." At the conclusion of the country fair, the organizers had to determine how t oapportionthe proceeds, ensuring that a generousproportionwas designated for the loc al charities. apposite, opposite apposite(AP uh zit) Especially well suited to the circumstances; strikingly appropriate and relevant : "When asked about her political choices, she made an apposite answer." opposite(AHP uh zit) 1. Placed or located directly across from something else or from each other: "Th e two houses are on opposite sides of the street." 2. Facing the other way; moving or tending away from each other: "They went in o pposite directions." When she attended her first political meetings, she was seatedoppositethe con testing candidates. During the meeting she asked severalappositequestions of each candidate. appraise, apprise, a prize appraise(uh PRAYZ) To place a value on; to judge the worth of something: "The agent wanted to appra ise the house at $100,000 for tax purposes." apprise(uh PRIGHZ) To inform or to give notice to someone about something; to notify: "Police shoul d apprise an arrested person of his/her right to remain silent and to be represe nted by a lawyer." a prize(uh PRIGHZ) Something offered or won as an award for superiority or victory, as in a contest or competition: "He won a prize for compiling the best computer program." After the important contest, my friend sought toapprisehis coach of the fact t hat he wona prize. My friend was asked by the reporters toappraisethe value of the prize, but he declined to do it. appreciate, depreciate, deprecate appreciate(uh PREE shee ayt") 1. Be grateful for, be thankful for, regard highly: "We appreciate all that you have done for us." 2. To realize the worth of, estimate justly "You don't have to be a connoisseur to appreciate good cooking." 3. To increase in value: "Given the history of this company, your investment cou ld appreciate over the months." depreciate(di PREE shee ayt") 1. To reduce or to lower the value of: "Runaway inflation can quickly depreciate the country's currency."

2. To belittle, to disparage: "All he can do is to depreciate all of my efforts to help him." deprecate(DEP ri kayt") 1. To protest or to express strong disapproval of: "The townspeople deprecate th e new exhibit." 2. To belittle: "You should not deprecate your own worth to the community." The end of the fiscal year is a time toappreciatethe value of the stocks which didappreciatesignificantly in the Stock Market. There was a slight period during which the stocks seemed todepreciatebut they rallied in a short time. All in all, we cannotdeprecatethe results of our busines s investments. apprehend, comprehend apprehend(ap" ri HEND) 1. To arrest, to take into custody: "The police expect to apprehend the kidnappe rs before nightfall." 2. To understand, to perceive: "The public doesn't fully apprehend the complexit y of space flight." comprehend(kom" pri HEND, komp" ri HEND) To take in the meaning, nature, or importance of; to grasp: "The child couldn't comprehend the advanced textbook." I find it difficult tocomprehendthat when the police had toapprehendthe motoris ts who were speeding, the drivers seemed unable toapprehendthe danger they create d by speeding on the highway. apt, opt apt(APT) 1. Exactly suitable; appropriate: "She made an apt reply to our query." 2. Quick to learn or to understand: "She was an apt student; especially, in math ematics." opt(OPT) To make a choice or decision: "He was given a choice to opt for retirement or to opt for a reduction in pay because of the company's financial difficulties." aptitude, attitude aptitude(AP ti tood", AP ti tyood") An inherent ability, as for learning; a talent: "His son said that he would be t aking a new test at school which is supposed to measure his aptitude for learnin g." "Anyone who can speak so many languages obviously has a great natural aptitu de for learning languages." attitude(AT i tood", AT i tyood") 1. The way a person feels about someone or something: "The teacher wants to chan ge the hostile attitude some of his students have regarding technology." 2. A feeling or way of thinking that affects a person's behavior: "Since his acc ident, there has been a change in his attitude." "The sales lady had a friendly attitude with all of her customers." During the coaching sessions before the exam, our tutor urged us to bring a positiveattitudewhen we go to the examination room to take theaptitudetests. arbitrate, mediate arbitrate(AR bi trayt") 1. To decide or to sit in judgment after listening to both sides: "The United Na tions will try to arbitrate the dispute between the nations." 2. A process of settling an argument or disagreement in which the people or grou ps on both sides present their opinions and ideas to a third person or group for settlement: "The teachers' union agreed to arbitrate its pay differences with t he school board." mediate(MEE dee ayt") To bring about an agreement: "The lawyer tried to mediate between the car compan y and the auto union." Tomediatea dispute is to try to find a middle ground or compromise on which bo th sides may agree. At first we thought there would be a need toarbitratean end to the disagreemen

t; however, once all of the parties sat down together, they realized that it was possible tomediatean agreement without difficulties. arc, ark arc(AHRK) A curved line, arch, crescent, bow: "The rainbow formed a beautiful arc in the s ky." Botharcandarchcome from the Latin elementarcus, "bow". Archery and archer also co me from this same Latin element. ark(AHRK) 1. The chest containing the Ten Commandments of God, written on stone tablets an d carried by the Hebrews during their long desert wanderings: "As they wandered the desert, the Hebrews carried the Ark with them because it contained their sac red documents." 2. The boat mentioned in the Bible which God commanded Noah to build for shelter during the Great Flood: "Noah was commanded to build an ark, big enough for two of all species of animals, in anticipation of the flood." 3. A large, flat-bottomed or awkward boat: "They lived on an ark, or house boat, on the Seine River in Paris." When we decided to move off the isolated island, we determined to build anarkt o carry our possessions. The builder designed thearkusing a longarcshaped bow. archive, archive archive(AR kighv"), noun A place or collection containing records, documents, or other materials of histo rical interest: "The government kept documents about the war in a special archiv e." archive(AR kighv"), verb To collect and to store material; such as recordings, documents, or computer fil es, so they can be found and used when they are wanted: "She made sure to archiv e the content of her website on a separate disk in case her computer crashed." I really enjoyed my summer job because I was working in the governmentarchiv edepartment for local history. My job was toarchivethe collection of newspaper arti cles about the town. are; are, ar; or, our are(AR) Second person singular and plural, and first and third person plural of the pres ent indicative ofbe.: "You aregoing andwe arealso going and I understand thatthey areg oing, too." are, ar(AR) A metric unit of area equal to 100 square meters (119.6 square yards): "By caref ul measurement, we determined the size of our property to be 100 square meters ( 119.6 square yards) or oneare." or(OR) A conjunction suggesting an alternative: "Pay the price or simply leave." our(OUR) The possessive form of "we"; used as a modifier before a noun; relating to or be longing to us: "We were reminded of our accomplishments in our hometown newspape r." "We kept our promise even though we were criticized for our actions." Ourparents had to decide whether they would purchase anarand build their houseori f they would purchase a pre-fabricated house. Theyaregoing to meet with a lawyer t omorrow with their decision. area, aria area(AIR ee uh) 1. Surface; space: "The apple orchard covers a large area of the farm." 2. Region, territory, district: "Alligators are found in this marshy area." 3. Field, sphere, realm: "France has always excelled in the area of the arts." aria(AH ri uh) A melody sung solo or as a duet in an opera, oratorio, or cantata: "The two sing ers closed the concert with an aria." Theareaof the stage and auditorium was vast; fortunately, the singer s voice was

strong as she sang the lovelyariaand everyone could hear and appreciate each note . Armageddon, snowmageddon Armageddon(ahr" muh GED'n) 1. In the Bible (Revelation 16:16); the scene of a final battle between the forc es of good and evil, prophesied to occur at the end of the world: "Armageddon re presents the location of the final cosmic battle of the forces of good and of ev il." "Armageddon is often used to mean simply anapocalyptic-scale disaster; for ex ample, news sites refer tofinancial Armageddon, environmental Armageddon, Toyota Armageddon, etc., where there is no indication of warring parties." 2. A decisive or catastrophic conflict: "Efforts are being made by some to avoid the threat of a nuclear Armageddon." snowmageddon(snoh" muh GED'n) An awesome accumulation of snow: "Snomageddon is a hyperbolic exaggeration refer ring to themonstroussnow storms which took place in parts of the United States in the early days of February, 2010." "Mid-Atlantic residents in the U.S. were buried by a likely record-setting b lizzard which President Obama jokingly labeledSnowmageddonas well as those who wer e brave enough to try to clear a path through the wet, heavy mounds, of thigh-hi gh snow." TheFarmers Almanacpredicted anArmageddonof rain and winds during the summer and a repeat of thesnowmageddonwhich we experienced two winters ago. arraign, arrange arraign(uh RAYN) 1. To call into court for some legal action; accuse, charge: "The district attor ney wanted to arraign the suspect immediately." 2. Accuse, call to account: "The medical association met to arraign the doctor f or his unethical behavior." arrange(uh RAYNJ) 1. To put in order; organize: "Please arrange the books in alphabetical order." 2. Plan, schedule: "The travel agent tried to arrange the trip with a stopover i n Rome." 3. Orchestrate, adapt: "The musician will arrange the symphony so it can be perf ormed by a marching band." The police officer knew that it was important toarrangeall of the evidence for the case before asking the court toarraignthe man on criminal charges. arrant, arrantly, errant, errantly arrant(AR uhnt) 1. Used to emphasize that someone or something is an extreme example of that whi ch is unacceptable: "This is arrant nonsense!" 2. Without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers: "H e dismissed the rumors as arrant nonsense." arrantly(AR uhnt li) Of the worst kind, impudently or not showing respect for other people: "He was a rrantly smoking in the non-smoking area of the restaurant." errant(ER uhnt) 1. Roving or wandering; especially, in search of adventure: "We were reading abo ut an errant traveler." 2. Straying from the proper course or correct standard: "She could no longer tol erate her errant husband." errantly(ER uhnt li) A reference to someone or something going out of a specified area: "The calf err antly went into the neighbor's garden." I thought it wasarrantbehaviour when I saw the doctorarrantlysmoking while stan ding outside the hospital. Is it possible that she is alsoerrantin her personal h ealth practices? Perhaps she should haveerrantlygone away from the door back into the hospital so her patients would not see her. artist, artiste

artist(AR tist) A practitioner of a fine art: "The paintings of the artist were displayed at the community center." artiste(ar TEEST) A skilled public performer or entertainer; especially, a singer or dancer: "The artiste closed the concert with a new song." When I visited the danceartistat her salon, I recognized that she was a fineart istein her interpretation of the music and choreography. ascension, assumption ascension(uh SEN shuhn) Rising, climbing, scaling: "The climbers' ascension of the mountain was more dif ficult than they expected." assumption(uh SUMP shuhn) 1. A belief, supposition, or premise: "The couple rented the old house on the as sumption that the landlord would renovate it." 2. Becoming responsible for, undertaking: "His assumption of his brother's debts was considered to be very admirable." The decision to climb the mountain range was based on theassumptionthat there was a meadow part way up the slopes; however, ourascensionwas slowed significant ly when we realized that the meadow was on the other side of the mountain. asinine, ass asinine(AHS uh nighn") Stupid, foolish, simpleminded, irrational: "It is certainly asinine to buy a hou se so close to a river that over flows every year." ass(AHS) 1. A donkey or similar horse-like animal with long ears and a braying call; male jackass; a burro: "One small ass was hitched to the cart." 2. A fool, an idiot, a nitwit: "Don't be an ass and quit your job before arrangi ng for another one." The director was very angry and exclaimed, "Don t be such anass! It was anasinin esuggestion you just made to the actress that she should ride a realassacross the stage." ask, ax ask(ASK) 1. The use of words when seeking the answer to (a question); try to find out abo ut by inquiring: "I will ask the librarian where I can find that book." 2. To request; to express a desire for: "I had no choice but to ask him for help in changing the tire." 3. To demand or to expect; such as, a price: "The antique dealer would ask $25.0 0 for the watch." ax(AKS); sometimesmisused for "ask"(ASK) A mispronunciation of ask used by a large number of people including those who a re considered to be educated: "I willaxmy friend if she wants to go to the dance w ith me." "Didn t youaxme that yesterday?" This pronunciation still exists in many dialects, but it isno longer consider ed acceptablein standard English. When the author was writing an anthology of rural folk tales, she often had toaskthe local people to explain what they were saying. She was amused at the frequent response, "Lady, youaxme that already." aspiration, inspiration, perspiration aspiration(as" puh RAY shuhn) 1. A strong desire or high ambition; something that a person wants very much to achieve: "Her aspiration for the future is to become a successful business woman ." 2. In linguistics, the act of pronouncing the sound of a breath: "The aspiration of the letter "h" as in "a house" is one example of pronouncing aspirated lette rs." 3. In medicine, removing liquid from a person's body: "She was treated with the aspiration of stomach fluids."

4. Breathing something into the lungs: "He was having problems caused by the asp iration of fluids into his lungs." inspiration(in" spuh RAY shuhn) 1. Stimulation of the mind or emotions to a high level of feeling or some creati ve effort or activity: "Her early childhood experiences provided the inspiration for her first novel." 2. The act of breathing in, especially the inhalation of air into the lungs: "Th e doctor was trying to help his patient improve her inspiration after years of l ung problems." perspiration(pur" spuh RAY shuhn) The fluid, consisting of water with small amounts of urea and salts, which is ex creted through the pores of the skin by the sweat glands; sweating: "She wiped t he perspiration from her forehead as she anticipated making her speech to a grou p of teachers." Genius is one percentinspirationand ninety-nine percentperspiration. Thomas Alva Edison I told my friend, the doctor, that he was aninspirationfor me to complete my m edical studies after he treated me for theaspirationof fluid into my lungs. He laughed and reminded me that I would have to shed a lot ofperspirationand tears during my medical training. aspire, expire, inspire aspire(uh SPIHR) 1. To strive toward an end: "The university students aspire to greater knowledge in their chosen career fields." 2. To want to have or to achieve something; such as, a particular career or leve l of success: "These young men and women aspire to careers in medicine." expire(ik SPIGHR) 1. To come to an end; to terminate: "Our memberships in the club will expire nex t month." 2. To breathe one's last breath; to die: "It is medically obvious that this pati ent will expire sometime today." 3. To exhale; to breathe out: "The doctor wanted to measure the volume of air wh ich the patient could expire." inspire(in SPIGHR) 1. To stimulate others to do something; for example, any creative or artistic wo rk: "Her teaching techniques are done with the idea that they will inspire her s tudents to become scientists." 2. To inhale air or a gas into the lungs: "As a result of the high mountains, we had to inspire oxygen before we could proceed higher." I want toaspireto become a teacher because I want toinspirestudents to appreciat e poetry. One of my fellow students remarked that it was a shame that many famous poet sexpirewhen they are young, and often poor and ill, too. assailant, assassin assailant(uh SAY luhnt) Someone who attacks another person; an attacker, an aggressor: "The assailant wa s later identified by the man he had attacked and beaten." assassin(uh SAHS sin) Someone who murders by surprise attack; especially, anyone who carries out a plo t to kill a prominent person: "John Wilkes Booth was Abraham Lincoln's assassin. " Assassincame from Arabichashshashin, "hashish-users", a name of an Islamic ord er founded about 1090, whose members were said to take hashish before being sent forth to assassinate leading Crusaders. The police were able to catch myassailant. He was wanted by the police becaus e he had been theassassinof another person who was in the same park where I was at tacked. assassinate, assail, assault assassinate(uh SAS uh nayt") To murder (a prominent person) with a surprise attack, often for political reaso

ns: "Someone did indeed assassinate President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas, in 1963." assail(uh SAYL) To attack with or as if with violent blows: "A mugger tried to assail him on the dark street as he was walking home." assault(uh SALT) 1. A violent physical or verbal attack: "He was heard to verbally assault one of his coworkers." 2. To attack with or as if with violent blows: "She was wanted by the police for assault because she attacked a man with her umbrella." It always seemed a bit unfair that the newspapersreferredto the attempted shoo ting of a famous man as an attempt toassassinatethat person. We ordinary people ha ve to be satisfied with being subject to anassaultby someone attempting toassailus. assay, essay assay(uh SAY, AS ay) 1. The chemical analysis or testing of an alloy or ore; especially, of gold or s ilver, to determine the ingredients and their proportions: "Specialists will ass ay the gold they found in the stream to find out how pure it is." 2. Any examination or testing: "The officials will assay the votes to determine the final results of the election." "Take time to assay the information before drawing a conclusion." essay(ES ay, e SAY) 1. A short piece of writing that reveals a person's thoughts or opinions about a subject: "Her assignment was to write a 500-word essay on one of the topics giv en by the teacher." 2. To try to do, to perform, or to deal with something: "There is no hint as to which of the approaches he will essay that will prove useful for this project." I wrote myessayfor the professor about how toassaythe minerals found in the loca l stream. assimilate, simulate assimilate(uh SIM uh layt") 1. To consume and incorporate (nutrients) into the body after digestion: "What w e eat will assimilate into our bodily systems." 2. To learn something so that it is fully understood and can be used: "Children need to assimilate new ideas and there is a lot of information to assimilate in schools." 3. To cause a person or group to become part of a different society, country, et c.: "Schools have been used to assimilate the children of immigrants." simulate(SIM yuh layt") 1. To make a pretense of; to feign: "The woman tried to simulate tears to get ou r sympathy." 2. To have or to take on the appearance, form, or sound of: "The wall surface wa s constructed to simulate stone." The contractors understood my request tosimulatebrick when building the new ho use; however, it took the workers time toassimilatethe instructions of exactly wha t was expected. assistance, assistants assistance(uh SIS tuhns) 1. Support; cooperation: "The pilot needed the copilot s assistance in landing the plane." 2. Financial support: "Public assistance is needed to build the orphanage." assistants(uh SIS tuhnts) Those who help someone, or who support a number of higher ranking people, to com plete work assignments: "The new assistants in the office are very hard workers. " May I ask yourassistantsfor theirassistancein carrying my heavy boxes up the sta irs? assume, presume assume(uh SOOM) 1. To take for granted, to speculate: "We assume that we will see the speaker at

the meeting next week." 2. To take on, become responsible for, take care of: "The new buyer will assume the mortgage on the house." presume(pri ZOOM) 1. Take for granted, believe, deduce: "Dr. Livingston, I presume?" 2. To rely on too much: "She wants to presume on his writing talents to compile her memoirs." These words have related but distinguishable meanings Toassumeis to take for granted, to infer without proof: "Mrs. Blakeassumedthat her husband had paid the bill." Topresumeis to believe something to be a fact: to infer as true without actual proof to the contrary. When Stanley came upon another explorer in Africa, he didn't say "Dr. Living stone, Iassume" but "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" This was because circumstances clearly indicated that the man he was meeting could be no one else. In ordinary conversation; however, the words may be used interchangeably. Based on information from Dictionary of Problem Words and Expressions by Harry Shaw; McGraw-Hill Book Company; New York; 1987; page 82. Please, do notpresumeto second guess what I am going to say. I only want toassu meresponsibility for my exact words. assurance, insurance assurance(uh SHOOR uhns) The state of being sure or certain about something; a strong feeling of confiden ce: "He spoke with quiet assurance about his future plans." insurance(in SHOOR uhns) An agreement in which a person makes regular payments to a company and the compa ny promises to pay money if the person is injured or dies; or to pay money equal to the value of something; such as, a house or a car, if it is damaged, lost, o r stolen: "After the fire destroyed our home, we used the money from the insuran ce to buy a new house." Theinsurancebroker wantedassurancethat the woman would pay the insurance premium s on time each month. assure, ensure, insure assure(uh SHOOR) 1. To promise, to guarantee: "The witness tried to assure the judge that he was telling the truth." 2. To make something certain: "Winning the literary award should assure her publ isher that the novel will be a success." ensure(en SHOOR) 1. To make sure or certain that something will take place: "We took steps to ens ure the safety of the passengers on the tour." 2. To make safe or secure: "The government took steps to ensure the people that they would be safe from tyranny and terrorism." 3. To make or to take steps to provide for the safety of an object, individual, or situation: "Shoveling snow after a snow fall was a way to ensure the safety o f people walking on the sidewalks." insure(in SHOOR) 1. To buy insurance for something; such as, property or health: "They want to in sure their house and car against fire and flood damage." "The owner of the new house tried to insure it for $500,000." 2. To take steps or precautions for the safety of a situation; often done in an anticipatory or precautionary manner: "She bought a bag of sand for the sidewalk before the major storm to insure she was prepared for any icy conditions." "They always try to take great care to insure the safety and security of the ir home." Apparentlyassure, ensure,andinsureall include the meaning "to make secure or cer tain". The use ofassurerefers to a person as in the sense of "to set the mind at e ase"; as "she wanted toassureher employer that she was ready to handle the new ass

ignment". A person canensurethat there will be prompt deliver of an item whileinsureis th e only proper verb to use when someone means "to protect against loss". So, althoughensureandinsurecan be interchangeable in some situations,insureis norm ally used in American English in the sense of "to guarantee people or property a gainst the risk of physical harm, damage, or loss" as when people have health in surance, property insurance, etc. Everyone shouldensurethat he or she willinsurea new car before driving it off th e sale's lot. astrology, astronomy astrology(uh STRAHL uh jee) A form of divination based on the theory that the movements of the celestial bod ies; such as, the stars, the planets, the sun, and the moon influence human affa irs and determine the course of events: "Each day he would check the astrology s ection in his newspaper to see what it said about his astrological sign." astronomy(uh STRAHN uh mee) Thescientific studyof heavenly bodies, particularly stars: "She wanted to study as tronomy so she could learn more about the science of the universe." Myastronomyprofessor was very well informed and had a good sense of humor. He was patient when people would ask him aboutastrology, seemingly confusing the scientific study of the universe with the suggestion that the stars and cons tellations influence human affairs. ate, eight ate(AYT) Past tense ofeat: "They ate their dinner earlier than usual." eight(AYT) The cardinal number 8 is equal to 7 + 1: "There were eight people waiting for th e bus." Iatetheeightsmall pieces of chicken that were on my plate. Later, I saw an octet consuming their food oreight ateat the table in the rest aurant. attendance, attendants attendance(uh TEN duhns) 1. Presence, appearance: "Your attendance at the monthly club meeting is necessa ry." 2. Number present, audience, crowd: "The attendance at the game was over 75,000. " attendants(uh TEN duhnts) 1. Escorts, followers, companions, servants, or associates: "The queen was alway s surrounded by her attendants." 2. Accompanying, associated, related: "We always dread winter and its related at tendants of hardships." Theattendantsdanced inattendanceat the dance at which theattendancewas estimated at about 300 people with theattendantconfusion of hats and coats. auger, augur auger(AW gur) A tool for boring holes into wood, leather, etc.: "He used an auger to make hole s in the shoes for the shoelaces." augur(AW gur) 1. Verb: To foretell, predict, forewarn: "Dark clouds augur the coming of the th understorm." 2. Noun: A prophet, a prognosticator, an oracle: "An ancient Roman augur told Ju lius Caesar to 'Beware the Ides of March'." 3. A priest who was a member of the College of Augurs that numbered twelve, six patricians, and six plebeians: "Marc Anthony distinguished himself as a member o f the College of Augurs." The Celticaugurreflected for a long time before he spoke: "Iaugurthat the hero i n the epic poem will use anaugerto bore his way through the stone wall to make his escape from prison." aught, naught, naughty, ought

aught(AWT) 1. Anything; any part or item; by any chance; in any respect (considered to be l iterary and old-fashioned): "For aught I know, he could have left an hour ago." 2. The figure "0"; a cipher of zero: "He had aught, or naught, available to pay for the bread." naught(NAWT) 1. Nothing, nonexistent, insignificant; zero, a cipher; worthless, useless: "All of our work was for naught." 2. Zero (usually anaught): "All of their efforts to complete the project on time was for naught." Naught: Something that is nothing. Evan Esar naughty(NAW tee) 1. Behaving disobediently or mischievously: "His mother called him a naughty boy because he tracked mud into the house without even trying to either take his sh oes off or at least trying to clean them before going in." 2. Used especially to describe a child who does not behave properly or does not obey a parent, teacher, etc.: "The mother received a call from the principal of her daughter's school today saying that the girl was naughty because she wouldn' t quit talking while the teacher was trying to explain how to do arithmetic prob lems." 3. As a play on the word: a reference to anything with a zero, or zeros: "Years that include zeros could be described as being naughty years; not because they b ehaved badly or were disobedient, but because they includenaughts or numbers with zeros." ought(AWT) 1. Used to indicate what is expected: "They ought to be here by now and you ough t to be able to read this book until they arrive." 2. Used to say or to suggest what should be done: "You ought to get some rest no w and then after that you ought to do your homework." Someone has suggested that since zero meansnaught, then anyone who is born du ring a year that has zeros in itoughtto be described as anaughtyperson (not with th e meaning of "bad") because he/she was born in a year with anaughtornaughtsin its nu merical composition; such as, 2001 or 2010; in other words,naughtyyears. ForaughtI know, the more zeros in a year thenaughtierthe people are who were bor n in those years and thenaughtiest, we must agree,oughtto be those who came into ex istence in the year2000which has the mostnaughts. aural, oral aural(OR uhl) Related to the ear or the sense of hearing: "Hearing aids overcome some aural de ficiencies." oral(OR uhl) 1. Something uttered by the mouth or in words; spoken, vocal, using speech: "Eac h student had to stand up and give an oral report in front of the class." 2. Treating the mouth, of the mouth; swallowed, taken into the body through the mouth: "An oral surgeon removed the impacted wisdom tooth." "The dog obeys both oral commands and hand gestures." My friend was fitted with anauraldevice which was designed to help her underst andoralstatements; such as, when her dentist referred her to anoralsurgeon for a co nsultation. aureole, oriole aureole(OR ree ohl") 1. A circle of light or radiance surrounding the head or body of a representatio n of a deity or holy person; a halo: "The picture of the saint in the stained gl ass has a beautiful aureole surrounding the head." 2. The outermost region of the sun's atmosphere; visible as a white halo during a solar eclipse: "By using the special telescope, the students were able to see the aureole of the sun during the eclipse." oriole(OR ree ohl")

1. Mostly a tropical songbird; the male is usually bright orange and black: "Dur ing her travels up the jungle river, she saw a beautiful oriole flitting through the trees." 2. An American songbird; the male is black and orange or yellow: "The American b aseball team, the Baltimore Orioles, was named after the colorful bird, the orio le." I noticed when the blueorioleflew across the path of the setting sun, it appea red as if it were surrounded by anaureoleof golden light. auricle, oracle auricle(OR i kuhl) 1. An ear or ear-shaped appendage or part; pinna:: "Many animals, including huma ns, have a dual auricle for hearing." 2. An ear-shaped muscular part that sticks out from the surface of each upper ch amber atrium of the heart: "Cardiologists are quite aware of each auricle of the heart." oracle(OR i kuhl) 1. A person; such as, a priestess, through whom a god was believed to speak: "So me people from the past would go to a shrine so they could consult an oracle." 2. Someone who has a great deal of knowledge about something and whose opinions and advice are highly valued: "I knew him long before he became the oracle of li nguistics." Theauricleshould not to be confused withoraclebecause neither the ear shape nor the upper chamber of the heart possess oracular powers. autograph, signature autograph(AW tuh graf") A person's own signature or handwriting: "Several people were asking the actor f or his autograph." signature(SIG nuh chuhr) A name written in one's own handwriting: "Before she could deposit her check, sh e had to write her signature on the back." The cashier required the singer to put hissignatureon the check before it coul d be cashed; however, she next asked him for hisautographon his picture which she had obtained the night before at his concert. automation, automaton automation(aw" tuh MAY shuhn) 1. The technique, method, or system of operating or controlling a process with e lectronic devices, reducing human intervention to a minimum: "The door uses a sy stem of automation so you don't have to push it open." 2. The self-moving transfer of one unit of a complex industrial assembly to a su ccession of machines, each of which completes another stage in a manufacturing p rocess: "Modern automobile companies are using more automation procedures than w ere used decades ago." automaton(aw TOM uh tuhn) 1. Anything capable of spontaneous movement or action: "They had an incredible a utomaton, or robot, that was vacuuming the rugs in the living room." 2. A person who acts in a mechanical or machinelike way: "He was behaving like a n unfeeling automaton." My uncle was so surprised to see what the newautomationprocess was able to do, he was moving like anautomaton; that is, moving as if he were in a daze of amaze ment. avenge, revenge, vengeance avenge(uh VENJ) The act of doing something to hurt another person in the sense of achieving just ice because that party caused harm to someone; to repay: "Sam wants to avenge an d to punish the person who caused his mother's injuries." "Bill planned to avenge his brother's death by burning the murderer's house down." revenge(ri VENJ) 1. Revenge usually stresses reprisal for the person wronged or offended; to pay

back: "He still plans to revenge the injury done to him by getting even." 2. An action taken in return for an injury or harmful offense: "They humiliated me, but I will get my revenge." vengeance(VEN juhns) An act of punishment in retaliation for an injury or offense: "He sought vengean ce for the murder of his sister." The tree that was chopped down in my front yard looked like an act ofvengean ce, as if someone were trying toavengehimself due to the decisions that, as the ch ief magistrate, I made in court in which I chided the accused for attempting tore vengehimself against his neighbor. aver, avert, divert, evert aver(uh VUR) To affirm positively; to declare, to proclaim: "Yes, the witness did aver that h e had seen the suspect at the scene of the crime." avert(uh VURT) 1. To turn aside, to turn away: "She had to avert her head so we could not see h er face." 2. To prevent, to turn away: "The quick arrival of fire-fighters would avert a m ajor forest fire." divert(di VURT) 1. To turn aside from a course or direction: "Traffic had to divert around the s cene of the accident." 2. To distract; to turn from serious thoughts: "Divert her attention by pointing up to the sky." 3. To entertain by distracting attention of someone from worrisome thoughts or c oncerns; to amuse or to entertain: "The teacher's funny stories helped to divert the children in the class from being so noisy." evert(i VURT) To turn outward or inside out, as any saclike object: "The doctor had to evert h er eyelid so he could remove the irritating grain of sand." Iaverto you that the clerk at the bake shop attempted todivertmy attention by ge tting me toavertmy eyes when she had toevertthe bag in which she was placing the dou ghnuts I was buying. avocation, vocation avocation(av" oh KAY shuhn) An activity taken up in addition to one's regular work or profession, usually fo r enjoyment; a hobby: "Her favorite avocation is reading." vocation(voh KAY shuhn) A regular occupation, especially one for which a person is particularly suited o r qualified: "I'm a carpenter by vocation, but my avocation is painting." Anytime someone is able to combine his or heravocationandvocation; such as, be ing a professor of literature and writing a novel in the spare time, is a very l ucky person indeed. avoid, devoid avoid(uh VOID) 1. To keep something from happening: "He tried very hard to avoid falling down o n the icy sidewalk." 2. To stay clear of or away from someone or something: "He took a detour onto an other street to avoid the heavy traffic." 3. To keep from doing something or participating in something: "I promise I won' t be late; that is, if I can avoid it." devoid(di VOID) Completely lacking; destitute or empty: "The landscape in this area seems to be devoid of any life." When she took the detour toavoidthe downtown traffic congestion, she had no id ea that she would see a city sodevoidof green space. award, reward award(uh WARD) 1. Something that is bestowed or granted, as for merit: "They award a scholarshi p to the student with the highest grades."

2. A decision, such as one made by a judge or an arbitrator: "The judge will awa rd $500 to the plaintiff." reward(ri WARD) 1. Something given or received in recompense for worthy behavior; a token of app reciation: "A large reward was offered for the return of the necklace." 2. Retribution for evil acts; receiving what someone deserves: "Eventually all e vildoers get their just rewards." 3. Money offered or given for the capture of a criminal: "The man received a mon etary reward for providing information that lead to the apprehension of the bank robber." During theawardsceremony, the president stated, "It gives me great pleasure tor ewardvaliant behavior with thisaward; actually it is a doubleawardincluding this me dal and a scholarship." away, aweigh away(uh WAY) 1. From a particular thing or place: "We ran away from the lion." "They sent the children away to boarding school." 2. At or to a distance in space or time: "They lived a block away from the park. " 3. At or by a considerable interval: "The scientist lived away back in the 17th century." aweigh(uh WAY) A reference to an anchor; just clear of the bottom of a body of water: "The ship raised its anchor aweigh." "The position of an anchor as it is raised clear of the bottom is referred t o as being aweigh." The sailors sang a shanty which began with the expression, "Anchorsaweigh, l ads, anchorsaweigh" as the ship drew away from the dock. "Hurray! The anchor isawei ghand we areawayto the Far East." awful, offal awful(AW fuhl) 1. Dreadful, bad, terrible: "What awful weather!" "He was guilty of the awful crime of murder." 2. Awe-inspiring, awesome, wondrous: "The astronauts know the awful expanse of t he solar system." offal(AWF l) The waste parts of butchered animals, carrion, carcass; such as, entrails: "The hunters took the meat and left the offal for the buzzards." The word offal is actually the waste parts that fall off a butchered anima l. The word comes from "off" + "fall". English borrowed the word from Middle Dutchafval, a compound formed fromaf, "o ff" andvallen, "fall" which referred to both the "extremities of animals cut off by the butcher; such as, feet, tail, etc." and "shavings, peelings", or "genera l refuse". By the 15th century,offalhad the meaning of "animals' entrails". Compiled from information presented in Dictionary of Word Originsby John Ayto; Arcade Publishing; New York; 1990; pages 371-372. Garbage is anoffalwaste. Evan Esar "What is thatawfulsmell?" she inquired. The response was, "It soffalthat smells s oawful". awhile, a while awhile(uh HWIGHL, uh WIGHL) For a short time; anadverbwhich is never preceded by a preposition such asfor: "Let us wait awhile;notfor awhile." "I'm going to sit and rest awhile." "This cold weather has been around awhile." a while(uh HWIGHL, uh WIGHL) Anounmeaning "a period of time". This form may be preceded by a preposition: "Stay for a while or stay a while."

"I'm going to be away for a while." "We had to wait quite a while." "We had to wait for a while before our meals were served." His mother asked him to stayawhile, justalittlewhilelonger. axes, axis axes(AHK sis) 1. Tools that have heavy metal blades and long handles that are used for choppin g wood, etc.: "The men used the axes to clear the trees blocking the highway aft er the storm." 2. Cutting or removing something: "The program director thought the only solutio n was a series of axes of television programs from the new seasonal schedule." axis(AHK sis) 1. The imaginary straight line that something; such as, the earth, turns around: "The earth rotates on its axis." 2. A straight line that divides a shape evenly into two parts: "An axis is a cen tral line around which the parts of an object are symmetrically or evenly arrang ed." 3. An affiliation of two or more nations to promote and ensure mutual interest, cooperation, and solidarity in their relations with foreign powers: "The axis, o r alliance, of Germany and Italy in 1936, later including Japan and other nation s, opposed the Allies in World War II." There was an interesting photograph collage of many ancientaxesmounted on the wall behind the six representatives of the nations comprising the peaceaxisduring their negotiations. aye, eye, I aye(IGH as in hIGH) 1.Yes, used especially in Scotland and in the language of sailors: "The sailor sa id, 'Aye, aye, sir!' when the captain gave him an order." 2. Applied to indicate an affirmative or yes vote: "All in favor, say 'aye'." "We have six nays and twelve ayes, so the ayes have it." eye(IGH) 1. As anoun, that part of the body used for seeing or the organ of vision in anim als: "He is wearing a patch over one eye and I have something in my eye." 2. As averb, to watch or to look at someone or something in a very close or caref ul way: "The guards were instructed to eye everyone who entered the bank; especi ally, because of the recent robbery that took place there." i, I(IGH as in hIGH) 1. The ninth letter of the English alphabet: "The word 'ice' begins with ani." 2. A person who is speaking or writing; used as the subject of a verb: "I feel f ine, but I think that I should leave now." "Aye, Aye,Sir", saidIwhen asked toeyethe horizon. babble, babel, bauble, bubble babble(BAB uhl) 1. To talk rapidly or at length about things that seem irrelevant or foolish; to jabber or to prattle: "The salesman kept going on with his babble until we shut the door in his face." 2. To say something rapidly and incoherently without pausing, usually because of excitement or fear: "She babbled something about a car accident and then ran ou t to take a closer look." 3. Clamor, hubbub, din: "The speaker shouted over the babble of the crowd." 4. Gurgle, murmur, coo: "The baby babbled happily." Babel, babel(BAY buhl, BAB uhl) Tumult, confusion, bedlam, clamor: "The political convention became a babel of c onflicting opinions." The termBabelcomes from the Biblical "Tower of Babel", the tower which accordi ng to Genesis 11:4-9 was started by the descendants of Noah to reach heaven but it was abandoned when God confused the language of the builders into many mutual ly incomprehensible languages. The city of Babel in Shinar is now thought to be

Babylon. bauble(BAW buhl) A trinket, ornament, usually cheap, or an inexpensive piece of jewelry: She wor e the red bauble that she obtained when she visited the gypsy s tent at the fair. bubble(BUB uhl) 1. A small globe of gas floating in a liquid: "The bubble floated upwards in the lava lamp." "The child loved to try to blow a big bubble in his milk using a straw." 2. To become lively or effervescent: "She seemed to bubble with laughter and hap piness." 3. Anything that lacks firmness or permanence of substance or that may involve e xcessive speculation; often fraudulent: "The investment officer encouraged his c lients to invest in the real estate bubble. Attending a conference of salespeople was like attending the building of the Tower ofBabel; allbabbleandbabble. It made me think that the whole thing was just ab ubbleof enthusiasm; however, the organizers gave us a charmingbaubleto take home as a memento. bad, bade, badly bad(BAHD) 1. Not good, poor, inferior, below standard; faulty, defective: "She's a very ba d singer." "Your car won't start if the battery is bad." 2. Immoral, unethical, wrong: "Lying is a bad thing." 3. Erroneous, wrong, incorrect: "Her bad spelling kept her from becoming a secre tary." bade(BAYD, BAHD) To tell, say, to wish: "He bade us farewell." "He bade his mother good-bye." badly(BAHD lee) 1. Poorly, improperly, incorrectly: "He did the work very badly." 2. Immorally, unethically, corruptly: "The army behaved badly toward the war pri soners." 3. Very much, greatly, intensely: "My tooth hurts badly." "The boy wanted a new bicycle badly." Shebadeus good bye after we had a verybadmeal. In fact, when I got home, my stom ach was behavingbadlyand I felt ill for the rest of the night. bail, bale bail(BAYL) 1. A bond, a surety: "The accused are being held on $10,000 bail." 2. Post bond for, post bail for: "The accused s brother was going to bail him out of jail." 3. Scoop, throw water out: "Bail the water out of the boat as quickly as possibl e." bale(BAYL) 1. A large amount of material; such as, hay, wood, paper, cotton, etc. which is pressed together tightly and often tied or wrapped: "The farmer loaded the big b ale of hay on to the truck." "The stevedore hauled one bale of cotton after another from the ship." 2. That which causes ruin or sorrow: "She was suffering the bale of woe and torm ent in her mental anguish." When he dropped abaleof cotton on his foot, it caused thebaleof his career as a runner. So, he got a job with a small boat organization in the harbor tobailout th e water that splashed into the boats so they could be used by people without get ting their feet wet. bait, bate bait(BAYT) 1. Food or other enticement placed, as a lure, on a hook, or in a trap: "The fis herman put an earthworm as bait on the fishing hook." 2. To torment with persistent insult or ridicule: "Neighborhood toughs would con stantly bait minority groups with racist remarks."

3. To get someone excited by exposing something desirable to that person while k eeping it out of reach: "He wanted to bait his wife by showing her a tantalizing necklace." bate(BAYT) To decrease, to lesson the force or intensity of, to moderate: "He was about to bate, or to become less active, in his exercise routines." After an attempt tobaitthe crowd to shout aggressively at the speaker, the eff ort seemed to fail as the energy of the crowd seemed tobateas the speaker continue d her address. baited, bated, batted baited(BAYT'D) Lured, as food, that is placed on a hook or in a trap and used in the catching o f animals: "They baited their hooks in expectation that they would catch many fi sh." bated(BAYT'D) In a nervous and excited state because it is not known what will happen: "They w aited for the answer with bated breath; that is, they nervously waited for the a nswer." batted(BAT'D) 1. To hit with or as if with a club or bat: "When he batted the ball that day, h e set a record." 2. Informal, to produce hurriedly: "She batted out a speech in a short time." 3. To discuss or consider at some length: "They batted the idea around." 4. To wink or flutter: "She batted her eyelashes." Shebattedher long eye lashes as she waited withbatedbreath, watching her friend as hebaitedthe hook so she could go fishing. bald, balled, bawled bald(BAWLD) 1. No hair on the head; bald-headed, bald-pated, hairless, smooth: "When he beca me bald, he bought a toupee." 2. Lacking a natural or usual covering; bare, without cover, treeless, denuded, barren: "The mountain is bald above the tree line." 3. Open, bare, undisguised: "That is a bald falsehood!" balled(BAWLD) 1. To form something into a round shape: "I stood up quickly and balled the lett er in my hands and threw it in the trash." 2. A state of confusion or things in a tangle and a mess: "Because the overseer did not check all the details before giving the order, the workers balled up the project." bawled(BAWLD) 1. Past tense of bawl (cried loudly); cried, wailed, weeped: "The nursery was fu ll of babies who bawled for long periods." 2. Cried out noisily; shouted, bellowed, yelled: "The captain bawled for the ser geant to come immediately." 3. Something said loudly; shouted by using a very loud voice: "The manager shout ed, 'Come in here, now!' and the salesman was bawled out for showing up late." The man was so upset by the letter from the doctor confirming that he was go ingbaldthat hebawledout loud and thenballedthe letter up and threw it into the trash. baleful, baneful baleful(BAYL fuhl) 1. Threatening harm or great evil; ominous: "He turned and gave us a baleful, or sinister, glare." 2. Harmful or deadly; full of menacing or malign influences; pernicious: "They e xperienced the baleful effects of water pollution on their health." baneful(BAYN fuhl) Causing harm, ruin, and death: "On television, we have been witnessing the banef ul results of war as Israel attacks Hamas in Gaza." In ordinary use,balefulandbanefulare interchangeable, althoughbanefulalso means " poisonous" and is normally applied to substances, causes, and influences that re sult in death.

"The gathering clouds promised abalefulstorm." "Some poisons are merely injurious, but others arebaneful." No one is likely to be arrested if he or she gives a rival abalefulglance, but watch out if anyone gives him abanefuldose of arsenic. Compiled from information found in Dictionary of Problem Words and Expressionsby Harry Shaw; McGraw-Hill Book Company; New York; 1987; page 88. ball, ball, bawl ball(BAWL) 1. Round mass, sphere, globe: "The cat played with the ball of twine." 2. Games which may involve using a round object to hit or to kick: "Four boys we re playing ball in the field." 3. Shot, bullets, projectiles: "Each musket was loaded with powder and ball." ball(BAWL) 1. Dance, dancing party, prom: "The banquet was followed by a ball." 2. A large formal party for dancing: "All of the students were invited to the un iversity ball." bawl(BAWL) 1. Cry, wail, howl, weep: "The little boy was so upset that he began to bawl for his mother." 2. To speak very loudly: "The children were misbehaving so badly and the father was so frustrated, that he could only bawl at them to settle down." We got into a terriblebrawlover theballgame we were playing and my friend starte d tobawl. Later in the evening, we all went to theballat the hotel and had aball, dancing and eating fine food. ballad, ballet, ballot ballad(BAL uhd) 1. A narrative poem or a narrative verse: "He read the class a great English bal lad." 2. Folk song, a song: "We sat around the campfire, while a folk singer sang a wo nderful ballad." ballet(bal LAY) An intricate group dance with pantomime that tells a story: "The famous ballet w as attended by hundreds of patrons." ballot(BAL uht) An act or method of voting; a ticket, a list of candidates to be voted on: "Thre e candidates for mayor are listed on the ballot." Theballetwas based on a famousballadabout a community that used theballotto elect law enforcement officers. balloon, balloon, balloon payment balloon(buh LOON) 1. An extremely large bag filled with a lighter-than-air gas (such as helium) an d used as a form of air transport, carrying passengers or equipment in a suspend ed basket or gondola: "We decided to take a ride in a balloon to see the country side from a different perspective." 2. A rounded outline with a point directed toward a character in a cartoon that encloses the text of the character's speech or thought: "Cartoonists often use o ne balloon after the other to express each character's spoken words or thoughts. " balloon(buh LOON) 1. A sac that is inserted into a body cavity or tube and distended with air or g as for therapeutic purposes; such as, with angioplasty: "The doctor explained th at he would inflate a balloon within the blood vessel so it would expand and per mit the normal flow of blood again." "Another physician explained that the surgeon would use balloon angioplasty to open the obstructed blood vessel by threading a small balloon-tipped catheter into the vessel to keep the blood flowing properly." 2. To become bigger quickly: "The monthly report indicated that their credit car d debt would balloon at least three times more than normally and, in addition, t

here was the ballooning costs of a college education to consider." balloon payment(buh LOON PAY muhnt) A final payment that is much larger than any earlier payment made on a debt: "We agreed to pay $1,000 a year for ten years and then make a balloon payment of $6 0,000 at the end of the period." While I was waiting for my hot airballoonride, I watched the colourful sac slo wlyballoonas it was filled with hot air. I had made a down payment for my flight and was horrified after I landed to realize I was facing aballoon paymentthat was twice my down payment. Balloonistsare constantly defying gravity and they must continually be aware of the highs and hazards of their hot-airballooningactivities. balm, bomb balm(BOM) An aromatic preparation, often made from tropical evergreen trees, used for heal ing: "I gave my son a soothing balm which had a good odor as well as a calming r esult." "The doctor prepared a balm using the resins and oils from various plants wh ich helped the patient become more comfortable and quiet." bomb(BOM) 1. As a military device, usually round, filled with an explosive substance which may be dropped on a subject with the intent of injury or destruction: "The pilo t sought to bomb the decoy ship while learning to fly the jet." 2. A container to store substances: such as, gas, paint, etc. stored under press ure: "The store carried a paint bomb in several shades of red." 3. A blob of lava exploded from a volcano: "The lava bomb in the farmer s field ma de plowing very difficult." After the paintbombaccidentally exploded causing a burn on my arm, the doctor prescribed abalmto relieve the pain and hasten the healing process. banco; banco, banko banco(BANG koh) A bet in certain gambling games, as baccarat and chemin de fer, for the entire a mount allowed by the casino banker: "The gambler made a banco that matched the f ull amount in the bank, to the exclusion of all of his previous lower bets." banco, banko(BANG koh) An African term for mud (local earth/clay plus water) mixed with straw and/or hu sks of cereals (plus cow dung which hardens to a smooth solid) and is used for c oating walls and ceilings: "The buildings which utilize banco mudbricks are foun d in several areas of Africa and the use of banco is characterized by its coolin g properties for those who live in such structures." This Africanbancoterm which refers to such "earthen construction practices" ca me from Manding, a widespread language group in West Africa. Hatumere: Islamic design in West Africa; by Labelle Prussin; University of California Press; Berkeley, California; 1986; page 137. The Manding languages are a fairly mutually intelligible group of dialects o r languages in West Africa, belonging to the Mande languages. Their best-known members are Bambara (the most widely spoken language in Mal i), Mandinka (the main language of Gambia), Maninka (or Malink, a major language of Guinea), and Dioula (Dyula or Jula) (an important language of the northern Cte d'Ivoire and western Burkina Faso). "Manding languages",Wikipedia. When we went on a safari to Africa we stopped at abancoand were intrigued to d iscover a casino. My friend decided to play abankoand we all held our breathes until we saw that he had won. band, banned band(BAND)

1. A group, company, party, crowd: "A band of students brought their grievances before the dean." 2. Orchestra, ensemble, group: "The band played until midnight." 3. To unite, join, gather: "If we band together, we can give our complaints grea ter strength." 4. A strip, circlet, strap; belt, collar, girdle: "Her hair was held in place by a velvet band." "A dark band of clouds was on the horizon." banned(BAND) Prohibited, restricted, barred, excluded, banished: "Bicycles are banned from th e new superhighway." "They threatened to have the book banned." The rock group was so bad that the audience wanted the untalentedbandto bebann ed. bandage, Band-Aid bandage(BAND dij) 1. A covering; such as, a strip of cloth that protects or supports part of the b ody that has been injured: "The doctor wrapped a bandage around the boy's arm af ter he fell off his bicycle." 2. To cover or to wrap a wound or other injury with a strip of cloth: "The girl' s mother had to bandage her daughter's knee to stop the bleeding." Band-aid(BAND ayd") 1. A trademark used for an adhesive bandage with a gauze pad in the center, used to protect minor wounds: "After I cut my finger with my pocket knife, I was abl e to put on a Band-Aid to stop the bleeding." 2. Always used before a noun, disapproving; able to help or to improve something only for a short time: "The government could only provide a Band-Aid solution t o the problem of unemployment." "True welfare reform is being bypassed by the U.S. Congress with Band-Aid so lutions." The nurse used aBand Aidas abandageto help the hiker who had fallen and skinned his elbow. bands, banns, bans bands(BAHNZ) Small groups of musicians who play popular music together: "The drummers of band s are a significant part of rock-and-roll bands and jazz bands." banns(BAHNZ) A public statement which announces that two people are going to be married: "The banns of marriage were posted in the church." bans(BAHNZ) Statements, usually official, forbidding people from using or from doing somethi ng: "The city has bans against smoking in all public buildings." There were two announcements made today: Thebannsfor my friends who are planni ng to be married next year and the municipalbansonbands playing loudly in the publi c park after midnight. bank, bank, bank bank(BANGK) 1. A piled-up mass, as of snow or clouds: "A bank of dark clouds could be seen i n the western sky and a bank of fog was also moving into our area." 2. A slope or higher ground adjoining a body of water, especially along a river, lake, or channel: "We sat near the bank of the river to watch the boats going p ast." bank(BANGK) 1. A business establishment in which money is kept for saving or commercial purp oses or is invested, supplied for loans, or exchanged; as well as, the building where such a business operates: "Our paychecks are deposited into the bank autom atically." "How much money do we have in our bank account?" 2. A place where something is stored until it is needed: "Information is stored

in the computer's memory bank until we need it for the yearly report." bank(BANGK) 1. As averb, to cause something; such as, an airplane to tilt or to lean to one s ide when turning: "The pilot will bank the plane to the left and then level it o ut to land." 2. To cause something; such as a ball to bounce off a surface: "The basketball p layer tried to bank the ball off the backboard." 3. To put money in a commercial organization so it will hopefully be safer: "I w ill bank the extra money in a separate account for emergencies." The pilot who was also vice president of the localbanknoticed a largebankof hea vy clouds ahead of him. He started tobankhis plane so he could fly around thebankof clouds; it felt as i f he were about tobankoff thebankof clouds. "I must put this experience in my memoryb ankto tell my family while we are lying on thebankof the river next summer." Some time in the past, a person told me that abankis a place where they lend y ou an umbrella in fair weather and ask for it back when it starts to rain. banking, banking banking(BANG king) The business of operating a bank: "They are both in the banking business and the ir daughter is also preparing for a banking career." banking(BANG king) 1. To count on; to depend on; to trust, and to have confidence in: "I am banking on him to hand us a reasonable bill for his services" "Are you sure it is safe to be banking on banks as reliable places to keep o ur money?" I told my friend, "I ambankingon you to help me understand the newbankingproced ures." barbarian, barbaric, barbarism, barbarous barbarian(bar BAIR ee uhn) 1. Savage, alien, outlander: "The city barricaded itself against the invading ba rbarians." 2. Hoodlum, roughneck: "Young barbarians have defaced public buildings throughou t the city." 3. Anti-intellectual, lowbrow, illiterate: "Barbarians in the audience jeered th e composer s new work." 4. Uncultivated, uncultured, crude: "The artist accused the public of having bar barian tastes." barbaric(bar BAIR ik) 1. Uncivilized, savage, wild: "The Huns were notorious for their barbaric cruelt y." "The tribal dance was a spectacle of barbaric splendor." 2. Coarse, uncouth, crude, ill-mannered, vulgar, rude: "His behavior to the gues ts was barbaric and embarrassing." barbarism(BAR bur iz'm) 1. An instance, act, trait, or custom marked by coarseness or brutality: "When h e slapped the child with such harshness, his barbarism resulted in his arrest by the police." 2. The use of words or forms felt to be incorrect or nonstandard; a specific wor d or form so used: "Using the wordain'tis considered a barbarism." barbarous(BAR bur uhs) 1. Cruel, brutal, harsh: "It is barbarous to keep a large dog cooped up like tha t." 2. Coarse, crude, vulgar: "The complaining letter was written in barbarous Engli sh." My friend who was an English teacher constantly commented about thebarbarousw ritten language her pupils used. "Really, they are littlebarbarianswhose previous years of schooling did nothin g to tame theirbarbaricways; they often use suchbarbarismsas 'Yo' instead of calling the person by name." barbel, barbell

barbel(BAHR buhl) One of the soft thread-like appendages to the jaws, chin, or nostrils of certain fish; functioning as an organ of touch: "In the aquarium we saw a large freshwa ter fish with more than one barbel hanging from its mouth." barbell(BAHR bel") A metal bar with weights at each end that is used for exercise and in weight lif ting: "He kept lifting the barbell until he was able to lift more weight than th e other guys." The school athlete excelled in the use of thebarbell; in addition, he had a l arge rare fish collection at home, and one of these fish had abarbellhanging from its mouth." bard, barred bard(BAHRD) 1. Poet-singer, a poet: "The Homeric poems were composed and sung by one bard af ter another." 2. A narrative poet, writer, minstrel: "A local bard read his poetry to the audi ence." barred(BAHRD) 1. To obstruct or impede; to block: "The gate to the estate barred visitors from access to the house." 2. To keep out; to exclude: "The guard barred their unauthorized entrance to the building." The poet was ostracized by the university, or in other words, theybarredthebar d. bare, bear, bear bare(BAIR) 1. Stripped naked, undressed, unclothed, uncovered, unclad: "The engineers worke d bare to the waist in the broiling sun." 2. Empty, void, vacant; unadorned: "We wanted to hang up some paintings on those bare walls." "The kitchen cupboard was bare." 3. Lacking full threads, bald, thin: "The carpet was worn bare from years of use ." 4. Just enough, scant, meager: "We existed on nothing but the bare necessities f or six months." bear(BAIR), as a noun. 1. The animal, also known as a bruin: "The bear was catching salmon in the river ." 2. A person who expects the price of stocks to go down and who sells them to avo id losing money: "As a bear, he is hoping to sell his stocks before the market g oes even lower." bear(BAIR), as a verb. 1. Support, sustain, maintain: "These columns bear the weight of the roof." "Our office will bear the brunt of the work." 2. To transport, to carry, to tote, to haul, to take: "The donkeys had to bear s upplies up the steep mountain trail." 3. To give birth to, to bring into being, to bring forth: "Yes, his mother did b ear three fine sons." "Is it really possible that a woman could beareight babiesas stated in the new s?" 4. To go, to move, or to turn in a specified direction: "When you get into town, bear to the north at the first street." A large quadruped bruin normally has thick fur but if it loses this covering because of some kind of skin disease, it could certainly be abare bearthat will s imply have tobearits handicap. Comics For Educators Image copyrighted, ALL rights are reserved. bareness, baroness bareness(BAR nes)

A lack of usual covering or furnishings: "The bareness of the room in the motel was depressing." baroness(BAR uh nis) 1. A woman who is a member of a low rank of British nobility: "The baroness was married to a baron." 2. A female industrialist or financier: "The baroness of the computer company de alt in a fair manner with all who worked with her." The corporatebaronesswas known for her frugal life style; in fact, her office has abarenessthat seems almost cold. barge, barge barge(BAHRJ), noun A long, large, usually flat-bottom boat for transporting freight that is general ly unpowered and towed or pushed by other water craft in harbors and on rivers a nd canals: "They made a contract with the owner of the barge to transport the au to parts." barge(BAHRJ), verb To carry by barge: "They plan to barge the goods down the river tomorrow." To push in a fast, awkward way, and to intrude rudely or to interrupt: "What makes him think that he can barge in here like that without even knocking?" That riverbargeshould not be allowed tobargeits way to the landing dock before i t is scheduled." baring, barring, bearing baring(BAIR ing) Uncovering, exposing: "He was so disturbed that he could not stop baring his inn ermost feelings." "He stood hatless, baring his head to the rain." barring(BAHR ing) As a preposition, excepting for, excluding; as a verb, to obstruct or impede; to keep out, to exclude: "Barring any adverse weather, we will walk the full dista nce." "Barring trouble, we will be finished soon." bearing(BAIR ing) Carrying; enduring; an attitude or behavior: "He kept bearing the shock of the l oss of his youngest child and he is bearing his emotions well." Thebearwasbaringher teeth at the photographer who,barringany accidents, like falli ng over a stone, wasbearingdown on her. baron, barren baron(BAR uhn) 1. A lord or nobleman; a peer who is a member of the lowest rank of British nobi lity: "The termbaronis not used as a form of address, but instead he is usually r eferred to as 'Lord'." 2. A person with great power, wealth, and influence in some sphere: "Because of his substantial accumulation of silver, he was considered the silver baron of th e country." barren(BAR uhn) 1. Producing no offspring, childless: "The couple decided to adopt a child when they realized that she was barren." 2. Incapable of producing offspring; sterile: "The farmer realized that he was c heated when he bought the barren cow." 3. Lacking vegetation, as barren fields; unproductive, unfruitful, depleted: "No one could raise crops on this barren land." Thebaronwas astonished when he saw thebarrenhills that were part of his estate. base, bass, bass base(BAYS) 1. Support, bottom, foundation, substructure: "The lamp stands on a circular bas e." 2. Foundation, essence, core, source: "The base of his argument is that our pric e is too high." 3. Camp, station, post, billet, installation: "The weary troops marched back to their base."

4. Inferior, poor quality; adulterated, impure: "Zinc and brass are base metals. " 5. Lacking proper social values or moral principles; not honest or good: "His ba se motives were soon obvious when he walked off with all of the money people had entrusted to him for their investments. bass(BAYS) 1. The range of the lowest male voice, below baritone: "He sang bass in the quar tet." 2. A low, deep sound or tone, as of a voice or a musical instrument: "Her father had a bass voice that stood out from any other man that I have ever heard." bass(BAHS) A kind of fresh or salt-water fish: "They caught five large bass for tonight s fis h dinner." Thebassswam around thebassdrum in the river where anotherbasswas painted on thebas eof thatbassdrum. The villainous singer sang his song in hisbase bassvoice. based, baste based(BAYS'd) A fundamental principal upon which is formed the foundation of an idea, a constr uct, or undertaking: "The theme of the novel is based on the idea of social just ice." baste(BAYST) 1. To sew together in a temporary fashion: "The seamstress will baste the skirt before the client tries it on to be sure it fits correctly." 2. To moisten periodically with the juice or fat from the meat being cooked: "Th e cook would baste the roast from time to time to be sure it was juicy and delic ious." My new cookbook wasbasedon the principles of healthy fat-free menus; however, once in a while I like a roast which I canbaste. bases, basis bases(BAY suhz) Plural ofbasisandbase. 1. Supports, underpinnings, substructures: "The tall building utilizes several k inds of bases or foundations to hold it solidly in place." 2. Camps, stations, posts, billets, installations, garrisons: "U.S. military uni ts still have several bases in Europe." basis(BAY seez) Base, foundation, fundamental, essential: "Charity toward others is the basis of her philosophy and way of life." Thebasisof baseball is that there are threebasesaround which the players must ru n. bastard, bastardly; dastard, dastardly bastard, bastardly(BAS tuhrd, BAS tuhrd lee) 1.An offensive term which should be avoided, meaning someone whose parents were n ot married to each other when he or she was born; in other words, an illegitimat e child: "The girl was the bastard child of the woman who was having an extramar ital affair with the politician who was still married to another woman." 2. Someone who is held to be mean or disagreeable: "Most people thought he was a bastardly cruel man who deserved the prison term oflife without parole." 3. Something that is of irregular, inferior, or of dubious origin; impure, irreg ular, inferior: "It was a bastard style of architecture and the architect even s poke bastardly with the French construction crew." dastard, dastardly(DAS tuhrd, DAS tuhrd lee) 1. A sneaking, malicious coward: "None of the investors ever thought that this d astard, Bernie Madoff, would become the$19 Billion Con Man." 2. Very cruel; using tricks or deceitful maneuvers to hurt people: "She wrote ab out a dastardly villain who made dastardly attacks on innocent people." "As far as some people were concerned, Bernard L. Madoff was an affable, cha rismatic man who moved comfortably among power brokers on Wall Street and in Was hington, a winning financier who turned out to be a dastardly investor losing bi llions of dollars for his clients."

3. A cowardly, sneaky, base, vile, despicable, and atrocious person: "The woman who shot and killed the teachers in an Alabama school recently is probably consi dered by some people to be a dastardly person who should be prosecuted to the li mit of the law." "The dastardly act included three teachers who were killed, at least three o thers were wounded, and a suspect (another teacher) was in custody Friday after a shooting on the campus of the University of Alabama; Huntsville, Alabama, offi cials said (February 12, 2010)." Althoughbastardwas a common term that was used in the past, it is now consider ed to beunacceptable and vulgarby many people and it is recommended thatits usage s hould be avoided! In legal usage,illegitimacyis the more usual term to replacebastard, and the pr eferable one for avoiding unduly derogatory connotations. Whiledastardlyis not used as a vulgar term, it still has shameful, villainous, and despicable applications to individuals who dodastardlythings. More Recent Definitions forDastardandDastardly Dastardis commonly muddled because of the sound association with its harsher rhyme,bastardand modern writers tend to usedastardas a printable euphemism for the m ore widely objectionable epithet. Recent American dictionaries record one meaning ofdastardas being "dishonorabl e, despicable" or "treacherously underhanded". So the new meaning should probabl y now be considered standard. Like the noun form, the adjectivedastardlyhas been subjected to a slipshod ext ension. Although most dictionaries define it merely as "cowardly", it is now oft en used as if it means "sneaky, underhanded; treacherous". The last three paragraphs were compiled from information provided by Bryan A. Garner in hisGarner's Modern American Usagebook; Oxford University Press; New York; 2009; page 224. bastille, bastion bastille(ba STEEL) 1. When not capitalized, a prison or jail: "The president decided to close the b astille located on a small island." 2. When capitalized, July 14, observed in France in commemoration of the stormin g of the Paris prison in 1789, a citizens' victory at the outset of the French R evolution: "The destruction of the Bastille is celebrated yearly in France." bastion(BAS chuhn, BAS tee uhn) 1. A fortified area or stronghold, frequently implying a rampart or irregular fo rtification surrounding the base of a structure: "The castle was considered a ba stion of safety during the Middle Ages." 2. An institution serving as an example of strength: "Her home was considered a bastion of respectability and good taste." Thebastionon the island was built along the architectural design of the Bastil lein Paris. bat, batt bat(BAT) 1. A stout wooden stick used in sports such as cricket and baseball: "The baseba ll player picked up a bat and scored a home run." 2. To hit or to strike with a stout wooden stick: "We saw the player bat the bal l over the fence for a home run." 3. Any of an order ofChiropteraor flying mammals with modified front legs which fo rm wings: "The bat is an mammal that has wings and a furry body like a mouse." "A bat flying around in the garden is a good thing because it will eat many insects." batt(BAT) Pieces of fabric used as lining when making quilts: "The women used a thick cott on batt when making the beautiful quilts which they sold." My grandmother made a quilt with a baseball theme. She used a softbattto give thebata 3-D effect. Her last name wasBatso she embroidered a littlebatin the corner of the quilt so I would always remember her.

bath, bathe bath(BATH) 1. That which is associated with the process or equipment for washing the body o r an item: "The Roman Bath in the city attested to the resourcefulness of the ci tizens, using natural waters to fill the bath." "We tried to give the dog a bath in the bathtub." 2. A chemical solution in which to immerse something: "The scientist prepared a acid bath in which to immerse the metal object." bathe(BAYTH) To immerse in water or other liquid for the purpose of refreshment or cleaning o neself with a sponge or cloth and soap: "During the hot weather, it felt good to bathe one s face frequently with scented water." "We'll bathe the baby after she eats." While we were on vacation in England, we decided tobathein the famous Romanbatht hat was near our hotel. In fact, we found out we couldbatheour dog in the special "petbathnext to the ancientbath. bathos, pathos bathos(BAY thos") Something that is ridiculously melodramatic, commonplace, or mawkish; particular ly when someone is striving for a much more exalted effect: "The serious message of the film is ruined by the bathos of its ridiculous ending." "The lady walked across the street, lifting her skirts to avoid the puddle, only to create a picture of bathos by stepping into the manure left by a passing horse." pathos(PAY thos) Something that genuinely evokes pity or sorrow: "Our knowledge of his tragic end adds an element of pathos to the story of his early success." "The stage play, based on the story of a farm boy, created a sense of pathos in the audience, as they remembered their own experiences." Because of the melodramaticbathosof the film I found it difficult to generate any genuinepathosfor the main character. baton, batten baton(buh TON, BAT'n) 1. A slender wooden stick or rod used by a conductor to direct an orchestra or b and: "The orchestra conductor raised his baton to start the music." 2. A hollow metal rod with a heavy rubber tip or tips that is wielded and twirle d by a drum major or drum majorette: "The majorette twirled the baton as she led the marching band." 3. A short staff carried certain public officials as a symbol of office: "The ma yor passed the baton or gave the job and responsibility on to the new mayor." 4. A cudgel or heavy stick carried by some police officers: "The standard police equipment in our town also includes a heavy baton. batten(BAT'n) 1. To prepare for possible trouble or difficulty: "The city is ready to batten d own for the weekend's scheduled protests." 2. To thrive and to prosper, especially at another person's expense: "He could o nly batten like a leech on the financial savings of other people." In anticipation of difficulties with rioters during the convention in the ci ty, the Police Chief planned tobattenfor any possibility, including equipping each of the officers with abaton. During the entrance parade, the police captain marched at the head of the pa rade holding abatonhigh for the others to follow. batter, batter batter(BAT uhr) 1. To hit heavily and repeatedly with violent blows in a way that causes much da mage or injury: "The sun, wind, and rain will continue to batter those mountain tops just as they have for thousands of years." 2. The player at bat in baseball and cricket: "He does equally well as both a le

ft-handed and a right-handed batter." batter(BAT uhr) A liquid, or semiliquid mixture, as of flour, milk, and eggs, used in cooking an d which is used to cover food before it is fried: "Dip the fish in a batter of f lour, milk, and eggs and then fry it." The leadbatterfor the team had many hidden talents, including how to make a de liciousbatterfor a chocolate cake. bazaar, bizarre bazaar(buh ZAR) 1. An Oriental market place; shopping quarter; marketplace, trade center: "We bo ught this rug at the bazaar in Marrakesh." 2. Awe-inspiring, awesome, wondrous: "The astronauts know the bazaar expanse of the solar system." bizarre(bi ZAR) Strange, weird, outlandish, odd, unusual: "Children like to wear bizarre costume s on Halloween." Remember the differences between these words: "A woman wore a ratherbizarredr ess as she bought a cake at the villagebazaar." Bazaaris a word for a charity sale spelled in abizarreway. BB, be, bee BB(BEE BEE) A tiny ball, or shot, measuring .18 of an inch (.46 centimeters) in diameter and which is fired from an air rifle (a BB gun) or shotgun: "His target practice co nsisted of shooting one BB at a time." be(BEE) 1. The verb "to be"; to exist in actuality: "He will be here later." 2. To have reality in one's life: "Shakespeare s character, Hamlet, pondered reali ty: 'To be or not to be...'." bee(BEE) 1. An insect, solitary or social in habit, some species of which produce honey: "He had bee hives so he could harvest the honey." "The bee flew from flower to flower collecting pollen which would be made in to honey." 2. A get together or gathering of people for a specific purpose; such as, a comp etition between schools or the completion of a joint project: "The sixth grade s tudents won the spelling bee." "The women met once each month for a quilting bee." Abeeis an insect that teaches us two lessons: One is not to be idle and the ot her is not to get stung. Evan Esar My teacher gave me an assignment to write a silly sentence. Here it is: Tobeo r not tobeabee, that is the question. Is it more painful tobestung by abeeor tobeacci tally hit by aBB? beach, beech beach(BEECH) The sloping shore of a body of water: "The family planned a picnic on the beach at the local lake." beech(BEECH) A kind of tree that grows in temperate regions with smooth, ash-gray bark and be aring an edible nut: "The squirrels in the garden loved to collect the beech nut s that fell to the ground." Abeachis the seaside where people rarely bother to hide their hides. Evan Esar The gray squirrel was perched on the branch of thebeechtree that was growing n ear thebeachof the local lake. beat, beet beat(BEET) 1. To hit or to strike repeatedly; to flog: "The cruel captain on the ship would beat the sailors who disobeyed him." 2. Indicating a tempo for music: "The violinist used a metronome to set the beat

for her practice sessions." 3. To speak about or to discuss something in a round about way: "He tried to bea t around the bush instead of providing a direct answer." "The politician beat around the bush when trying to explain the proposed pol icy." beet(BEET) A vegetable; the fleshly, succulent root of a biennial herb of the crowfoot fami ly used as a vegetable (beta vulgaris): "The chef created a beet salad for the m enu." "The bulbous root of the beet is characteristically dark red." When I saw the chopped up purple vegetable on my plate, it looked like abeat beet. Our cook on the ship was very responsive to music as illustrated when she us ed to chop thebeetroot for lunch to the rhythm andbeatof Island music. She did notbeataround the bush when telling us how thebeatof the music inspired her. beatify, beautify beatify(be AT uh figh) 1. In the Roman Catholic Church, to proclaim (a deceased person) to be one of th e blessed and thus worthy of public religious veneration in a particular region or religious congregation: "The Pope will beatify her after more than a hundred years since her death." 2. To make happy; to bless with the completion of celestial enjoyment: "She was blessed with spirits that beatify one's life." beautify(BYOO tuh figh) Enhance, adorn, dress up; to make or to become beautiful: "Planting flowers alon g the streets will help to beautify our town." My friends and I agreed tobeautifythe nave of the church in anticipation of th e announcement that the Pope willbeatifyour local heroine. beau, bow beau(BOH) The boyfriend, sweetheart, or lover of a girl or a woman: "She was waiting for h er beau to pick her up." bow(BOH) 1. A decorative knot: "He adjusted his bow tie before leaving for the dance." 2. A weapon made from a strip of elastic wood, bent by a string and used to proj ect arrows: "The boy was practicing his skills by shooting arrows at the target with his bow." 3. As a verb, to curve or to bend: "He was trying to bow the flexible piece of s teel." My newbeaumade a deep and respectfulbowbefore my mother. She smiled and helped him to adjust thebowof his necktie; then she asked if we were going to take my newbowout for some archery practice. beaut, butte beaut(BYOOT) A slang term for something beautiful or outstanding: "The boy exclaimed, 'Now, t hat was some beaut' when the red car drove by." butte(BYOOT) A conspicuous hill; one with steep sides and a flat top: "The explorers stood on the butte and admired the river below." We stood on thebutteto admire the sunrise. My sister remarked, "That is really abeaut!" been, bin been(BIN) Past participle of the verb "be": "He has been here all morning." bin(BIN) A box or an enclosed place or large receptacle for holding meal, coal, etc.: "He replaced the coal in the bin because it was almost gone." I havebeenputting all the empty bottles in thebinat the curb side for the recycl ing truck to pick up.

beer, bier beer(BIR) An alcoholic drink consisting of a fermented beverage made from malt and hops: " After work, the women from the factory got together for a beer before going home ." bier(BIR) 1. A coffin together with its stand prior to burial: "The undertaker arranged th e coffin and the bier for the funeral reception or wake." 2. A framework for carrying a dead body to the grave: "The mourners followed the bier to the cemetery." A sad fact of life is that if you drink too muchbeerand try too drive fast, yo u may wind up being carried away on abier. beetle, betel beetle(BEET'l) 1. A type of insect with wings that form a hard cover on its back when it is not flying: "The student was excited to find a rare beetle for her insect collectio n." 2. A heavy mallet with a large wooden head used to mash potatoes or to hammer co bblestones into place: "The workers completing the road repair used a beetle to set the stones into place." 3. Jutting; overhanging: "His beetle eye brows were quite a site to behold." betel(BEET'l) A climbing pepper plant producing leaves which Asians chew: "To relax after a ha rd day, the men gathered at the town square and chewed betel leaves and nuts." I noticed a strange coloredbeetleclimbing on thebetelplant that is growing in my garden. I grabbed a heavybeetleand banged on the tree to scare thebeetleoff. It flew off to land on thebeetleof the roof of the garage where I stored the beetleor hammer. believe, feel believe(bi LEEV) 1. To accept as true or real: "Many people seem to believe that theory, but I fi nd it difficult to accept." 2. To understand and accept on faith; to have an opinion or conviction as to the truth of something: "Looking out the window, the man saw enough to believe that it would rain today." 3. To have trust in the ability, worth, etc., of someone or something: "The foot ball team hasn't won a championship in many years, but their fans still believe that they will win one day." 4. To regard the existence of God as a fact or to have religious beliefs: "She w ent to church because her family expected it, but she didn't really believe." feel(FEEL) 1. To perceive as a physical sensation: "She wants to feel the material to deter mine if it is wool or cotton." 2. To learn about and to experience something through touch or physical explorat ion: "To read Braille, the student will feel the raised dots on the page." 3. To be aware of, to be conscious of a state of mind or impression, to experien ce sympathy or compassion with respect to a situation or individual: "I feel gre at sympathy with individuals who have recently lost their jobs." 4. To believe or to think something: "I feel that I really ought to say somethin g about the behavior of the neighbor's dog when no one is home." I reallybelieveour team will win this season because I am convinced that they can do it. I also feel that it is important for our youth to have something of v alue tobelievein. bell, belle bell(BEL) 1. A hollow metallic instrument, usually cup-shaped, which gives forth a musical tone when struck: "The large sonorous bell was hanging in the church tower." 2. Something that rings: "The fire bell woke us in the middle of the night." belle(BEL) A pretty woman or a beautiful girl: "That gown will make you the belle of the ba

ll." My cousin was thebelleof the ball when she wore a silverbellaround her neck that chimed softly when she danced. bellow, bellows, billow bellow(BEL oh) 1. To make a loud, bawling noise: "The cow began to bellow when the farmer was l ate to milk her." 2. To shout in a deep voice: "He was heard to bellow orders to one of his employ ees." bellows(BEL ohz) A device that produces a strong current of air when its sides are pressed togeth er: "He used a bellows to help start the fire." billow(BIL oh) 1. A surge or swell of water, a rolling mass of something; such as, smoke which resembles the movement of water: "The billow of smoke on the horizon worried the fire watch." 2. To swell out or to balloon through the action of the wind: "The sails on the ship will billow when the wind comes up." 3. To move as a large cloud or mass: "Clouds of smoke were seen to billow up fro m the chimney." Thebillowof smoke caused by the blacksmith'sbellowscaused the cattle in the barn tobellowloudly because the fumes hurt their eyes and throats. benediction, malediction benediction(ben" i DIK shuhn) 1. An invocation of divine blessing, usually at the end of a church service: "Th e minister concluded the church meeting with a prayer of benediction." 2. An expression of good wishes; something that encourages goodness or well bein g: "At the conclusion of the meeting of the members of the committee, the chairp erson spoke a brief benediction, wishing everyone a safe summer holiday." malediction(mal" i DIK shuhn) The calling down of a curse or an expression of slander: "The old patriarch utte red a malediction against the rival clan." The pastor of our church was aware of themaledictionwhich had been uttered aga inst one of the parishioners. In order to assure the congregation, he said abenedictioneach day at the end o f the service and spoke a personalbenedictionto each person leaving the church. beneficent, beneficial beneficent(buh NEF i suhnt) Characterized by or performing acts of kindness or charity: "Many organizations that give aid to the poor grew out of the beneficent activities of the wives of wealthy manufacturers." beneficial(ben" uh FISH uhl) 1. Producing or promoting a favorable result; advantageous: "A good health care plan is beneficial to everyone." "Exercise is beneficial to good health." 2. Receiving or having the right to receive proceeds or other advantages: "A goo d trade agreement can be beneficial to all of the countries involved." Thebeneficentorganization helped our community in manybeneficialways; such as, drilling for clean water and building new sewers. benevolence, malevolence benevolence(buh NEV uh luhns) An inclination to perform kind, charitable acts: "The queen's benevolence, or ki ndness and generosity, was known throughout the kingdom." malevolence(muh LEV uh luhns) Having or exhibiting ill will; wishing harm to others; malicious: "His reputatio n has been damaged by the malevolence of those who wanted to destroy his politic al career." Themalevolenceof the mill owners seemed to poison the whole town; however, the town council had an attitude ofbenevolencetowards the mill workers and made effor

ts to improve their living conditions. berg, burg berg(BURG) A great mass of ice; short for iceberg: "The news is shocking, but we may find o ut that the stories we've heard so far are just the tip of the berg." burg(BURG) Slang for a small town: "There are no more opportunities for me in this burg." During the summer, it is not unusual for a largebergto float down the coast of Newfoundland, providing a spectacular drama for those of us who lived in abergalo ng the coast. berry, bury berry(BER ee) A small succulent fruit containing few, or many, seeds: such as tomato, grape, g ooseberry, strawberry, raspberry, etc.: "Berry jam may be made of a single fruit ; for example, blue berry jam, or a mixture of fruits." bury(BER ee) 1. To cover over and to conceal: "When playing on the beach, the children tried to bury their father in the sand." 2. To place in a tomb, grave, etc.: "The funeral procession walked slowly to the cemetery to bury the popular mayor of the city." 3. To hide something in the ground: "I could see the dog in the backyard trying to bury a bone." 4. To hide something so it cannot be seen or is difficult to see: "She has learn ed to bury her feelings." "The newspaper covered the story, but they tried to bury it in the back of s ection C.">/P> I am fond ofberrypreserves; however, I have learned toburymy enthusiasm for them because my kid sister will try to eat all of theberrypreserves if she has the ch ance. I have tried toburythe jar ofberrypreserves in the back of the cupboard, but my sister always finds it. berth, birth berth(BURTH) 1. A bunk or bed in a vessel, sleeping car, camper etc.: "He found his berth on the train and fell asleep almost immediately." 2. Any place in which a vessel may lie at anchor or at a dock: "The ship tied up at the appointed berth." birth(BURTH) 1. The fact or act of being born: "His wife was about to give birth to their fir st child." 2. The bringing forth of an offspring: "The new father announced the birth of a son." Once a woman wrote to a travel agent about a cruise she was planning to go o n asking that he make sure that she would have a comfortablebirthbecause she was susceptible to seasickness. The travel agent responded with a note saying, "We can get you a comfortableb erth, but as for thebirthpart, I'm afraid that is beyond our capabilities." beseech, besiege beseech(bi SEECH) To beg or request in an urgent and anxious manner: "Falling to her knees, the pr incess cried, 'Please, kind knight, I beseech you to let me go.' " "I could hear her beseech the vet not to put her poor dog to 'sleep.' " besiege(bi SEEJ) 1. To worry, harass, distress, or to present a request: "The city counselors sou ght to besiege the mayor to repair the roads before winter." "Reporters would besiege the winner of the contest for interviews until he c ould stand it no longer and so he finally gave in." 2. In warfare, to surround with hostile armed forces: "The king s army sought to b esiege the castle before nightfall."

I wrote a letter tobeseechthe new mayor not tobesiegethe taxpayers with new taxe s on his first day in office. beside, besides beside(bi SIGHD) A preposition meaning at the side of, next to, near: "He was seen sitting beside the road." besides(bi SIGHDZ) A conjunction meaning furthermore, moreover or in addition to: "What would you l ike to do besides going to the park after lunch?" While sittingbesidethe fast running creek, it made me feel thirstybesidesfeelin g hungry after my hike. better, bettor better(BET uhr) The comparative for ofgood; good,better, best: "She played the piano better today than she did last week." bettor(BET uhr) Someone who places a wager on the outcome of some action: "The bettor made a bet that his political choice of candidates would win the election." As a more skillful wager, or gambler, my friend was known as abetter bettoramo ng his friends. bewilder, perplex, puzzle bewilder(bi WIL duhr) To confuse, perplex, or to lose one's bearings: "The many choices of activities in the city served only to bewilder the traveler." perplex(puhr PLEKS) To be unable to think logically or clearly about something; to make intricate or involved: "The situation served only to perplex and to confusethe two sisters." puzzle(PUZ uhl) 1. A question or problem that requires thought, skill, or cleverness to be answe red or solved: "Researchers are close to finding a solution, but they haven't fo und the final pieces of the puzzle." 2. To confuse someone or to be difficult for anyone to understand: "The situatio n continued to puzzle the police." 3. A problem or situation that is difficult to solve: "On Saturday afternoon, th e family worked on the cross-word puzzle that was in the newspaper." "The cause of the accident was a real puzzle for the investigators to resolv e." This wordpuzzlein the newspaper is going toperplexme for a long time. There are several possible right answers and it will continue tobewilderme until I ask for help so I can finish thepuzzle. bi-, buy, by, bye, bye-bye bi-(BIGH) A prefix meaningtwo: "Humans are considered to be bi-peds; that is, having two fe et." "The festival was scheduled to be a bi-annual affair." buy(BIGH) To acquire the ownership of something, for money or other equivalent; to purchas e: "They went to the bank for a loan so they could buy the house." by(BIGH) Next to; near; beside: "Please, put the chair by the table." bye(BIGH) 1. An informal way of sayinggoodbyeor an expression of farewell: "Bye. I'll see yo u tomorrow." Standing next to the car, the children waved bye to the visitors. 2. A secondary matter, a side issue: "The day was so lovely they drove on all th e bye roads to get to the village." 3. The position of someone who draws no opponent for a round in a tournament and so advances to the next round: "She got a bye into the second round of the tenn is tournament." bye-bye(BIGH-BIGH)

1. A farewell often used by children or when speaking to children: "Let's go dar ling. Say bye-bye to grandma and grandpa." 2. In the United States, a very informal meaning, to go away, which is used in i mitation of children's speech: "When the company went bankrupt, investors watche d their money go bye-bye." I went into town tobuya bicycle. I didn't realize it was thebicentennial celebr ation in town; so, I stoodbythe monument to watch. Then I saw a friend; we chatted and then we wavedbyeto each other as he was carrying his new baby, who smiled and wavedbye-byeto me. bi-, semibi-(BIGH) 1. Two, occurring every two [times]: "They came to visit us bimonthly." 2. Coming or happening two times: "It occurred on a biannual basis; that is happ ening twice a year." semi-(SEM igh, SEM ee) 1. Half of: "The teacher was clever and could draw a perfect semicircle free han d." 2. Occurring halfway through a designated period of time: "My semiannual visit t o my cousin took place twice a year." "The festival was held on a semiannual basis." 3. Partial or incomplete: "We wanted to visit the semitropical area on our next vacation." "After the accident, the patient was only semiconscious." Thebiannualcelebrations in the town coincided with thesemi-annual spelling bee at the local school. biannual, biennial, perennial biannual(bigh AN yoo uhl) Occurring twice a year; semiannual: "The family got together on a biannual basis to celebrate birthdays." biennial(bigh EN ee uhl) Occurring every two years: "Electing senators occurs on a biennial basis." perennial(puh REN ee uhl) Persistent over a period of several years; continuing without interruption: "The flowers in the border around the garden were of a perennial nature, ensuring br ight colors year after year." My country cousins come to visit on abiannualbasis; however, my cousins who li ve across the ocean come here onbiennialtrips. It is always great fun to garden tog ether; we like to plantperennialflowers which will be in bloom whenever the cousin s come to visit us. biased, bigoted, intolerant, prejudiced biased(BIGH uhs't) 1. A prejudiced outlook or perception of something or someone: "His opinion was biased by the books he had read on the subject." 2. In statistics, a tendency to yield one outcome more frequently in a statistic al exercise: "The outcome of the research appeared to be biased, based on the te acher s review of the statistics." bigoted(BIG uh tid) Stubborn or intolerant adherence to one s opinions or perceptions or prejudices: " The old farmer maintained a bigoted position about hiring certain neighbors to w ork on his farm." intolerant(in TOL uhr uhnt) An unwillingness to ensure that others have the equal freedom of basic rights; s uch as, religion, social, political, or profession: "The laws of the county appe ared to be intolerant of new ideas and activities." prejudiced(PREJ uh dis) An irrational attitude or judgment or action that is based on incomplete informa tion or without just grounds or a biased strong personal opinion: "Much of the v iolence that was observed in the county was the result of prejudiced behavior of the residents." Her brother'sprejudicedattitude appeared to beintolerantof the new neighbors bec

ause he said they seemed to have abigotedidea of what being a friendly neighbor in volved. During the conversation, he admitted that his feelings about the new neighbo rs are probablybiased, because he really liked his former neighbors very much. bibliography, biography bibliography(bib" lee AHG ruh fee) A listing, often descriptive, of materials, with information relating to a speci fic subject: "The student compiled an extensive bibliography of materials availa ble in the library to give to the professor." biography(bigh AHG ruh fee) Usually the written account of a person's life: "Elizabeth Gaskell wrote the bio graphy of Charlotte Bronte at the request of the Bronte family." My thesis consisted of an annotatedbibliographyof all thebiographybooks in the library. bid, bide bid(BID) 1. To make an offer for the price for something; often in the context of an auct ion: "During the auction of furniture, the housewife made the highest bid for th e set of chairs for the kitchen." 2. An invitation or an expression offered as a greeting or benediction: "When th ey met on the street, the older woman bid her friends to join her for tea in the shop." "After their tea, the women bid each other farewell as they went on their va rious ways." 3. An offer to do a job for a particular price: "The company is accepting the ma n's bid for the renovation project." 4. An attempt to win, to get, or to do something: "The company is facing a takeo ver bid by someone who is trying to gain control of the company by buying most o f its stock." bide(BIGHD) 1. To wait for an opportunity: "The philosopher often said that if you work hard and bide your time, you may become famous for the books you write." 2. To wait for the right time before doing something: "He will bide his time wai ting for the right opportunity before asking his parents for a loan." While Ibidemy time before making mybidat the auction, I thought I would go to me et a friend whobidme to come for a cuppa after the auction. I promised to meet her and then Ibidher goodbye and I went back to the auction hall to submit mybid. bidding, biding bidding(BID ing) To offer to pay a particular amount of money for something that is being sold: " He plans to stop bidding on the painting if the bids go over $1,000." biding(BIGH ding) Waiting for the right time before doing something: "He is biding his time before asking the bank for a loan." I ambidingmy time until thebiddingfor the glass pitcher at the auction begins. I am also interested inbiddingon that beautiful set of glasses. bigamy, monogamy, polygamy bigamy(BIG uh mee) The act of being married to two spouses at the same time: "The women were horrif ied to realize they were the victims of bigamy when they discovered they were bo th married to the same man." monogamy(muh NAHG uh mee) Marriage to only one person at a time: "In many cultures, monogamy is the typica l practice of marriage with just one spouse at a time." polygamy(puh LIG uh mee) Plural marriage; having more than one wife or husband at the same time: "Occasio nally there are articles in the newspapers about obscure religious groups that p ractice polygamy; for example, one man with thirteen wives." Bigamyis proof that two rites make a wrong.

Evan Esar Monogamyis a monopoly. Anonymous The media headlines about marriage-life styles were rampant, exclaiming that those who practiced eitherbigamyorpolygamywere carrying things too far. There was n o mention about the success ofmonogamy. billed, build billed(BILD) 1. A charge or written statement of an amount owing for an item or service: "The hotel billed the traveler for the cost of his room and his meals." 2. A written announcement of a public notice: "The actor was billed to play Rome o in the upcoming play." build(BILD) 1. To form or construct an edifice or a thought by assembling the necessary piec es: "The carpenters will build a garage for the car once the lumber has been del ivered." 2. The shape and size of a person's body: "He has a strong and muscular build." I hired the contractor tobuildmy new home; later, he alsobilledme for drilling a well. birr, burr birr(BUR) 1. Force or momentum; vigor: "The birr of the winds swept down from the canyons. " 2. A whirring sound: "The bag pipes make a birr when the players are attempting to tune them." burr(BUR) 1. A roughness or rough edge; especially, one left on metal after casting or cut ting: "The apprentice used the tools to remove the burr on the finished bust." 2. A rough or prickly part of a plant that easily sticks to a passerby: "After w alking through the rough grass, the traveler noticed that there was a burr stick ing here, there, and every where on his trouser legs." When I walked across the field, I noticed I had picked up aburror two on my pa nts. In addition, I could hear a distinctivebirrfrom the many insects that were in the tall grass. bisect, dissect bisect(BIGH sekt", bigh SEKT) To cut or to divide into two parts; especially, two equal parts: "The lines on t he map served to bisect the property into two sections." dissect(di SEKT, digh SEKT, DIGH sekt") To separate into sections for close scientific analysis or interpretation: "The students in the biology class each had a frog to dissect as their class project. " The diagram showing us how todissectthe specimen directed us first tobisectit f rom right to left. bisected, dissected bisected(BIGH sekt'd) 1. Having cut or divided something into two parts: "The city was bisected by the highway." 2. Having split or forked: "The driver noticed that the highway was bisected by the median which was planted with trees." dissected(DIGH sekt'd) 1. Having cut apart or separated (tissue), especially for anatomical studies: "A s part of the anatomy class, the students dissected a large worm which smelled a wful." 2. To have examined, analyzed, or criticized in minute details: "They dissected the company plan afterward to learn why it failed." "The panel dissected each point of his argument." We got lost when we discovered that when the highway hadbisected, we took the wrong turn.

There was a great deal of discussion while the driver and the tour guidediss ectedthe problem before deciding what to do. bite, byte bite(BIGHT) 1. To cut, tear, or grip with or as if with the teeth: "The nature film showed h ow the lion will bite and snarl while he is eating." 2. A stinging or smarting sensation: "The negative comment made by the superviso r had a distinctive bite to it and made the employee unhappy." byte(BIGHT) In computer science, a unit of computer information that is equal to eight bits; a bit being a single unit of computer information that is represented as either 1 or 0: "He has a computer with a six gigabyte hard drive meaning that he has a unit of computer information equal to 1,073,741,824 bytes." I started to gnash my teeth andbitemy thumb because I was so frustrated trying to understand thebytecapacity of my new computer. blast, blast blast(BLAST), noun 1. A mass of air that moves very fast and forcefully or a very strong gust of wi nd or air and the effect of such a gust: "During the winter storm, she experienc ed a cold blast when she opened the door." 2. A forcible stream of air, gas, or steam from an opening: "They were hit by a blast of water from the hose." 3. A violent explosion, as of dynamite or a bomb: "There was a strong blast that destroyed the power plant that was under construction." 4. An informal expression indicating a very enjoyable and exciting experience: " We had a blast when we went on a trip to the mountains." blast(BLAST), verb 1. To knock down or to shatter by or as if by an explosion; to smash: "The const ruction crew will have to blast a tunnel through the hill before they can contin ue building the highway." 2. To kill or to destroy by hitting or shooting; or to have a harmful or destruc tive effect on: "The navel gunship will blast the enemy submarine in order to st op the torpedoing." 3. To criticize or to attack someone or something vigorously; especially, in pub lic: "Several human rights groups plan to blast the government for its treatment of terrorist prisoners." 4. At full speed, volume, or capacity; to make a loud and usually unpleasant sou nd: "The neighbors next door are always turning the TV up full blast even late i nto the night." As we walked home from the party, we all agreed that we had had ablast. Fortu nately, the neighbors didn't complain about theblastof music from the speakers. When we walked around the corner, we were hit with ablastof icy wind that made our eyes sting. My friend was so upset, he started toblastthe weather reporter wh o didn't forecast such an arcticblast. blatant, flagrant blatant(BLAYT'nt) 1. Disagreeably loud or boisterous; offensively noisy; clamorous: "At the party next door, they were so blatant as they played their music." 2. Glaringly conspicuous, very obvious and offensive: "He showed a blatant disre gard for the safety of other drivers." flagrant(FLAY gruhnt) Conspicuously bad, offensive, outrageous, or reprehensible: "The corrupt mayor d emonstrated a flagrant disregard for the law." "Flagrantapplies to anything that is so obviously bad or wrong as to be notor ious; such as, a flagrant violation of the law." The crowd behaved in such ablatantmanner that the parade organizers were conce rned there would aflagrantviolation of the parade permit which they had obtained. bleak, blink bleak(BLEEK) 1. Gloomy and somber: "The future looks bleak for many people."

2. Providing no encouragement; depressing: "We are obviously in a bleak global-e conomic situation." 3. Exposed to the elements; unsheltered and barren: "The bleak weather is cold, rainy, and dark." "We could see the bleak, treeless regions of the high mountains behind us." blink(BLINGK) 1. To close and to open one or both of the eyes rapidly: "He had to blink his ey es when the bright light shined on his face." 2. To waver or back down, as in a contest of wills: "During the international me eting, the U.S. was expected to be one of the counties that would blink and agre e to remove the missiles." It was ableakand dreary day when we went hiking. The wind was so cold that it made meblinkmy eyes. bleu, blew, blue bleu(BLOO) 1. A reference to people who are able to cook food to the highest standard: "He was described as a cordon (ribbon) bleu chef." 2. A French word forblue: "We had cordon bleu cuisine for our evening meal." 3. A cheese containing a blue mold; such as, a semi-soft cheese made of cow's mi lk and having a greenish-blue mold and a strong flavor: "At the end of our Frenc h meal, we had some bleu cheese." blew(BLOO) The past tense ofblow: "The wind blew hard during the night." blue(BLOO) A color: "He wore a blue shirt with a matching blue tie." The windblewmybluenapkin onto thebleucheese sandwich which had been prepared by a cordonbleuchef who was working at the picnic. blob, blobs; blog, blogs; flog, flogs blob, blobs(BLAHB, BLAHBZ) 1. A soft, amorphous mass; an indistinct or shapeless form or object: "Cave bugs and blobs rewrite the story of the beginning of life." 2. A usually small amount of something thick and wet: "He still must clean up th e blobs of paint that he dropped on the floor." blog, blogs(BLAHG, BLAHGZ) To write entries in, add material to, or maintain a web log or web logs: "There are thousands of blogs being created by hundreds of thousands of people on the i nternet; both private and business." "She was writing a daily blog about her personal opinions, activities, and e xperiences." flog, flogs(FLAHG, FLAHGZ) 1. To beat or whip someone severely: "The guard was about to flog the prisoner a s punishment for trying to escape." 2. Used in a figurative sense: "The press is expected to flog the police chief f or his failure to take appropriate action against the criminal elements in his c ity." 3. The practice of public whipping, or beating, was often administered in histor ical times as a form of punishment and is still being done in some countries; es pecially, to women: "The TV news reveals flogs being administered to women in ce rtain countries even in these modern days." There are some people who believe that there are way too manyblobs(indistinct shapeless forms) ofblogson the internet and there are those who believe that a fe wflogsfrom the press would be a good idea. My idea for a newblogis just a bit of ablobin my mind right now. I mustflogmy ima gination in order to create severalblogseach week for my readers. Readers are very critical and oftenflogmyblogs; so, writing about those experie nces often become entries in my newblogs. bloc, block bloc(BLAHK) A group, as of politicians, nations, etc., combined to foster special interests: "The coastal nations formed a bloc to advocate for fishing rights."

block(BLAHK) 1. A solid piece of wood, metal, etc.; usually with one or more flat sides: "The mechanic from the auto repair shop used a block to raise the car so he could ch ange the flat tire." 2. To obstruct or to prevent passage: "That fallen tree will block the road for several hours." 3. To get in the way or to interfere with an activity, e.g. sports: "The footbal l player tried to block the the player of the other team who was trying to make a touchdown." Theblocin Parliament attempted toblockthe new legislation which was intended tobl ockthe importing of a new sports team to the city. In Parliament, the members ban ged their shoes on theblockof wood in front of their desks. blond, blonde blond(BLOND) A boy or man with light hair, blue eyes, and fair skin: "The use of 'blond' in t he past was limited to a male; however, now it is used interchangeably for both genders." blonde(BLOND) A girl or woman with light hair, blue eyes, and fair skin: "Some people have bee n usingblondeinstead ofblondfor female genders." I have a stunning picture of my family where it shows my nephew, who is ablon d, standing next to my sister, who is a genuineblonde. boar, Boer, boor, bore boar(BOHR) A male swine or pig: "We just saw a wild boar running into the woods." Boer(BOHR) A Dutch colonist or descendant of a Dutch colonist in South Africa: "An Afrikane r is another name for a Boer or a person who was born, raised, or lived in South Africa, whose first language is Afrikaans, and whose ancestors were Dutch." boor(BOOR) A person with rude, clumsy manners, and little refinement; often referred to as a peasant: "Because the farmer often acted like a boor, the people in the villag e usually tried to stay away from him." bore(BOHR) 1. To make weary by being dull, repetitive, monotonous, or tedious: "That film w as one big bore." 2. To make a hole in or through something as with a drill: "He wanted to bore a hole in the door frame." When the hunter talks about huntingboar, he may be considered aboreby others. A male pig that has nothing to do but lie around is just aboarthat is abore. Aboreis a person who talks when we wish he would listen. Ambrose Bierce Her uncle was aBoerwho liked to huntboar, but he was a real contrast to her oth er uncle who was such aboreand whose manners gave people a strong impression that he was a realboor. board, bored board(BORD, BOHRD) 1. A flat, thin slab of sawed wood: "They nailed a board over the broken window. " 2. An organized group of people who manage or direct a company or organization: "She sits on the bank's board of directors; so, now she's a board member at our bank." 3. Daily meals which one can pay for when he/she is paying to stay at a hotel, s chool, etc.: "He's looking for a place that provides board and lodging as he sta rts his trip." 4. As a verb, to get into or onto an airplane, a bus, a train, etc.: "Everyone m ust have a ticket in order to board the train." "The pirates tried to board the ship, but they were fought off by an armed g uard." 5. To cover or to close something with pieces of wood: "The caretaker wanted to

board up the window before it got too late." bored(BORD, BOHRD) Wearied by being in the company of someone who is dull, tedious, long-winded, et c.: "I hate to tell you but I am bored to death by long meetings." I appreciate that my friend is a good soundingboardand not soundingboredin resp onse. It would appear that the uninterested directors of a business are nothing mo re than abored board. Parents are people whobearinfants,boreteen-agers, andboardnewlyweds. E.C. McKenzie We were feeling a bitboredonboardthe ship when suddenly a gang of pirates attemp ted toboardthe ship. After we had been very disturbed about this, the Captain said the pirates we re a stunt to break up the monotony for those of us who wereboredonboardthis cruise ship. boarder, border boarder(BOR dur, BOR duhr) 1. A lodger, a bed and breakfast, a resident: "The ranch has boarder vacationers during the summer." 2. A lodger who receives meals regularly at a fixed price: "To earn extra money, they took in a boarder." 3. Someone who enters, gets on, or embarks: "The passenger was a boarder of the plane at noon after having been a boarder of a bus that delivered him to the air port." border(BOR dur, BOR duhr) 1. An edge, a rim, a perimeter: "Summer cottages were built all around the borde r of the lake." 2. A frontier, a boundary: "Do you need a passport to cross the Canadian border? " 3. To be next to, to adjoin: "California has a border with the Pacific Ocean." 4. A trim, a hem: "The seamstress sewed a border of flowers on the dress." A renter's boundary, or limitation, in a room and board situation is said to be aboarder border. boat, ship boat(BOHT) A water born vessel which is propelled by means of oars, paddles, power: "The st udents paddled their small red boat on the river, winning the race." ship(SHIP) 1. A large water born vessel; for example, sea going, that is propelled by power or sail: "The large ship, carrying fruit, sailed carefully through the Panama C anal." 2. To transport on a water born vessel: "I will ship my new car by freighter to England." 3. To send away: "The plan is to ship the boys off to boarding school when they are older." I noticed that theshipI was on had a large lifeboatin case of an emergency. bode, bowed bode(BOHD) 1. Past tense of the verbbide. To wait or to continue in a state or condition: "D ue to the weather, the travellers had to bode the completion of their travels un til the ice storm ended." 2. To anticipate or to foretell; to predict: "The reading of the astrological si gns bode great happiness for the newlywed couple." bowed(BOU'd, BOH'd) 1. To incline one s head and back, bending forward from the waist: "As the hearse passed by, the villagers bowed respectfully." 2. To submit, to yield, to stoop: "The old baroness felt bowed by the responsibi lities of her position in the castle." 3. To play a stringed musical instrument; such as, a violin: "The young girl bow ed her violin with precision, creating lovely music."

The write up in the newspaper seemed tobodewell for the concert tonight. The a rtist was excellent andbowedwith ease on his cello. bogey, bogy bogey(BOH gee) One stroke over par in a game of golf: "The champion claimed a bogey over her cl osest competition." bogy, bogey, bogie(BOH gee) A goblin; an evil spirit: "The children huddled in their beds after listening to stories about a bogy." 2. A person or thing which is feared: "Tales abound about a bogy who rides a bla ck horse on dark, moonless nights." There are many myths about golfers and the game. One story was that in order to have abogeyin the competition, a person must commune with thebogiethat haunted the golf course. bold, bowled bold(BOHLD) 1. Having courage, fearless, daring: "The captain of the ship was bold in the fa ce of pirates who tried to board his ship." "This area was settled by bold pioneers." 2. Unduly forward; brazen: "The mother cautioned her small child not to be bold when talking with older people." "If I may be so bold, I'd like to offer a few points of criticism." bowled(BOHLD) 1. To roll a ball or rounded object as in bowling: "The team cheered when the la st player bowled a perfect score." 2. In the game of cricket, to deliver the ball to the batsman: "The batsman bowl ed the final round to win the cricket competition." 3. To surprise: "Her arrival completely bowled her mother over as she was not ex pecting her daughter until the next day." My sister is veryboldand so she decided to surprise our mother on her birthday and, as a result, Mom was completelybowledover with surprise and happiness. bolder, boulder bolder(BOHL duhr) 1. More daring and resistant: "If you want to be noticed, perhaps you need to be a little bolder." 2. Showing or needing confidence or lack of fear: "Few politicians have been bol der than those who want to cut taxes." boulder(BOHL duhr) A very large stone or rounded piece of rock: "The road was blocked by a boulder. " When the man was removing rocks from the hill with his earth moving machine, he was thinking that he could see aboulderthat wasbolderthan the others because it resisted the pressures which he was using to bring it down. boll, bowl boll(BOHL) A seed pod of cotton or flax: "Sometimes the multiple existence of the cotton bo ll looks like a bunch of snow balls in the fields." bowl(BOHL) 1. A round dish: "We put the cereal in the bowl for breakfast." 2. A building or stadium shaped like a round dish: "They went to the Rose Bowl t o see this year's game." 3. To move, to roll smoothly and quickly, or to make something do this: "You cou ld see him bowl down the highway with his new car." 4. A round vessel that is open at the top and which is used for holding fruit or liquids or for serving food: "At a bowling alley, two men were looking at a fis h about to bowl a ball down the lane and the fish looked at them and said, 'What 's the matter? Haven't you ever seen a fish bowl before?' " As seen in the comic strip, "Frank & Ernest" by Bob Thaves, December 23, 2010. I went to the CottonBowlto watch a football game. While I was there, I went to

the gift shop and bought abowlthat I wanted to use to display the cottonbollthat I picked up along the road and which I intend to put on the shelf next to the fishb owl. bolt, bolt, bolt, bolt bolt(BOHLT) 1. A bar made of wood or metal that slides into a socket and is used to fasten d oors and gates: "The farmer made sure that the bolt was secured so his animals c ould not get out of their enclosures." 2. A metal bar or rod in the mechanism of a lock that is thrown or withdrawn by turning the key: "Before going to bed each night, one of the family members use a key to move the bolt in the lock." bolt(BOHLT) A flash of lightning; a thunderbolt: "During the storm, there was bolt of lightn ing every so often followed by the sound of thunder." bolt(BOHLT) 1. A sudden movement toward or away: "When the robber saw the police coming, he made a bolt for his car." 2. To desert or to withdraw support from (a political party): "Some dissatisfied members of the party have threatened to bolt the organization and to support th e opposition." bolt(BOHLT) 1. To run away suddenly and quickly: "You could see the horse bolt when it heard the gun go off." 2. To eat something quickly or suddenly: "Hi mother told him not to bolt his foo d." "After he bolted down his breakfast, he rushed out the door because he was l ate for work." During the evening meal, there was aboltof lightening which caused her toboltdow n her food and thenboltto the door and turn theboltof the lock because she felt safe r knowing that the door was locked. boors, bourse boors(BOORZ) Plural ofboor, an insensitive or rude person: "'I'm exhausted', she exclaimed, 'I have never met so many boors in one place in my life'." bourse(BOORS) A specialized sale; such as, numismatic or philatelic, typically at a convention where the items would be displayed on a table: "The collector set up his booth at the bourse which is held two times per year." At the end of thebourse, we met for drinks. My friend said that he had to tal k for hours with twoboorswho monopolized all his time. boos, booze boos(BOOZ) Sounds uttered to show contempt, scorn, or disapproval: "There were loud boos fr om the crowd at the end of the speech." "The announcement was greeted with a mixture of boos and cheers." booze(BOOZ) A casual expression describing an alcoholic beverage: "After the big football ga me, the boys went to the bar for a quick booze before going home." "They bought some chips and booze for the party." There were a lot ofbooswhen the bar ran out ofbooze. boot, boots; boot, boots boot, boots(BOOT, BOOTS), noun 1. A covering for the entire foot and the lower part of the leg usually made of leather or rubber: "He had to put a boot on each foot before he went out into th e winter snow and his wife wore her boots, too." 2. A forceful kick with the foot: "He gave the football a boot through the goal posts and won the game." 3. Getting fired, or dismissed, from a job: "She got the boot because she told t he press about her company secrets." boot, boots(BOOT, BOOTS), verb

1. To kick something with great force: "The teenager was determined to boot the ball from one end the field to the other end." 2. Forcing someone to leave a place or situation: "The voters decided to boot hi m out of office." 3. To start a computer: "The new computer boots up much faster than my old one d id." "I was told that I don't need all of those applications to open every time I boot my computer." He had just started tobootup his computer when he was told he was getting thebo otfrom his job; so, he decided to put on hisbootsand leave. He was so upset that wh en he walked away from his desk, he gave it aboot. booty; booty, bootee, bootie booty(BOO tee) 1. Money or goods stolen or taken in war: "Historically, conquering forces have been known to take a great deal of booty from their foes." 2. A valuable gain or prize: "Her booty from the auction included some rare anti ques." booty, bootee, bootie(BOO tee, boo TEE) 1. A small child's little shoe orboot: "His mother asked her little son where he hid his other booty." 2. A baby's knitted woolen boot: "The mother put a new bootee on each of the bab y's feet." 3. A light, half boot, for women: "Her mother showed her daughter a bootie in th e closet that she used to wear before the girl was born." Among thebootythat I found in the large box which I picked up at the auction, I found a pair ofbootiethat had been knitted for a child. My mother said they look ed just like thebooteewhich she had knitted for me when I was a baby. born, borne born(BORN) Brought forth, or into, being; offspring: "Her daughter was born yesterday at th e hospital." borne(BORN) To carry, support, or to hold up: "He has borne a gift for the family from Afric a." When the king s first child wasborn, he decided she would beborneto the church fo r the christening. borough, borrow, burro, burrow borough(BUR oh) A village or a political division of a city or an incorporated town or municipal ity, that is smaller than a city which may be perceived as part of a larger metr opolitan area: "In the metropolis of New York, Queens is a borough where many pe ople live." burro(BUR oh) A small donkey often used as a pack animal: "The miners used a burro to carry th eir mining equipment over the mountains." borrow(BOR oh) 1. To take for one's use: "I went to the library to borrow a few books." 2. To use an idea, saying, etc. that was thought up by someone else: "The speake r decided to borrow several phrases in his presentation that came from Winston C hurchill." burrow(BUR oh) 1. A small hole made in the ground as by a rabbit for habitation and refuge: "Be atrice Potter s story book character of Peter Rabbit and his family lived in a com fortable burrow." 2. To tunnel by digging either by hand or with machinery: "The engineers used a large bore to burrow through the hillside while building the railroad." When he went to theborough, the miner rode aburroto the bank toborrowsome money. He wanted to buy a piece of land so he could dig aburrowwhere he could bury his booty. bough, bow

bough(BOU) A branch of a tree, often the largest or main branch: "The tree surgeon noted th e bough of the walnut tree was very old and needed to be removed." bow(BOU) 1. As a noun, a bending: "The man made a bow to the king." 2. The front part of a vessel: "The bow of the ship was crushing through the win ter ice." 3. As a verb, to bend in greeting or to submit one's self: "She had to bow to th e queen's wishes." The mast head on thebowof the ship was carved like aboughin which was seated a s ea nymph. bouillon, bullion bouillon(BOOL yahn, BOOL yuhn) A thin, clear soup; usually of beef: "At the dinner party, the host served bouil lon as the first course." bullion(BOOL yuhn) Gold or silver in bars or plates, but not in coin formats: "The mules hauled the miners' bullion over the mountains in a special wagon." The very rich and very foolish man decided to have hisbullionmelted into grand bowls in which to servebouillonto his guests. bourgeois, proletariat bourgeois(boor ZHWA, BOOR zhwa") An individual or group which is perceived socially and economically as middle cl ass; a tendency towards material interests and respectability: "By living in tow n, the farmer attempted to be a bourgeois in his life style." proletariat(pro" li TAR ee it) Of or pertaining to the lower social or economic class in a community; such as, industrial workers or laborers: "The proletariat attempted to form a union at th e linen mill in an effort to improve their living standards." In the very class conscious society of the last century, there were clear di stinctions between thebourgeoiswho lived in grand houses and theproletariatwho live d in small and crowded huts. boy, buoy boy(BOI) A young-male child: "They brought their boy to the concert, too." buoy(BOO ee, BOI) 1. A warning float moored on a dangerous rock or shoal or at the edge of a chann el: "The buoy in the harbor was painted red and white and had a bell on the top of its head to attract the attention of the sailors." 2. A cork belt or jacket to keep a person from sinking: "All ships and boats sho uld carry one buoy or life jacket for each passenger and crew member." 3. As a verb, To hold up; to encourage: "The good news will buoy up our hopes fo r the results of the elections." I have never heard that there is such a thing as a "female float" or girlbuo y, but isn't it possible to say that there is such a thing as a "male float" cal led aboy buoy? One thing is certain, a girl can eitherbuoyup the self confidence of aboyor she can mutilate his ego. When a sea gull swooped and lit on abuoythat bobbed in the bay, he said, "As h ere I sit,buoymeets gull. Hey, hey." braid, brayed braid(BRAYD) 1. To create a hair style or a decorative band by the interweaving of three stra nds of (hair, narrow ribbon, etc.): "Her hair style was very simple; that is, ju st a braid tied with a colored ribbon." 2. Decorative ribbons worn on clothing or indicating a military rank or achievem ent: "The officer had braid on his uniform to indicate that he has been enlisted in the military service for several years." brayed(BRAYD) Past tense of the verbbray; the loud, harsh call or noise uttered by a donkey: "A

t day break, as the farmer went out to feed the horses, the donkey brayed for at tention in the pasture." His donkeybrayedvery loudly when he tried tobraidits tail. braise, brays, braze braise(BRAYZ) To cook (meat) by searing it until it is brown, then simmering it in a covered p an: "The hostess said she would braise the short ribs before putting them in the oven." brays(BRAYZ) 1. To make the loud harsh cry of a donkey: "The farmer could hear the brays of t he donkeys which were in the pasture." 2. To utter or sound loudly and harshly: "His voice was harsh and reminded her o f the brays of a donkey." braze(BRAYZ) To solder with a hard solder like brass: "The blacksmith attempted to braze the decorative piece for the saddle which had been broken." After working very hard trying tobrazea sword for his friend, the blacksmith s t hroat was so dry his voice sounded like thebraysof the burro. He was very hungry so he went home and decided tobraisea steak for his dinner. brake, break brake(BRAYK) 1. A device for slowing or stopping a vehicle or wheel; especially, by friction: "The hand brake failed to stop the car." 2. An instrument for separating the fiber of flax, hemp, etc. by bruising or cru shing it: "The museum had a fine example of a brake for flax in the weaving hous e." break(BRAYK) 1. To separate into parts or fragments; to shatter: "Such a strong vibration wil l break the glasses." 2. To crack without separating something into parts: "He knocked the glass over and it had a slight break on one side." When the man was driving in the winter, he had to suddenlybrakethe car; as a r esult, he hit the telephone pole and it caused the windshield tobreak. He was ve ry relieved that he didn'tbreakany of his bones. braking, breaking, breaking braking(BRAY king) Using a device for slowing or stopping something; such as, a vehicle: "The vehic le in front of us was braking suddenly when a cat ran across the street in front of him." breaking(BRAY king) Separating something into parts or pieces often in a sudden and forceful or viol ent way: "She was so upset that she was throwing and breaking dishes on the floo r out of frustration." breaking(BRAY king) To make something; such as, news publicly known for the first time: "The televis ion station often presentsBreaking News; sometimes excessively." I was afraid ofbrakingthe car too swiftly and accidentallybreakingthe windshield ; because in my small town, that would be consideredBREAKINGnews! brazen, brazen, brazen brazen(BRAY zuhn) Acting or done in a very open and shocking way without shame or embarrassment; i mpudent: " 'A lawyer was shot and killed Monday in a brazen daylight assassinati on in central Moscow', officials said." brazen(BRAY zuhn) Harsh sounding; such as, if someone were hitting something made of brass: "A per son who is brazen is described as being overly loud, harsh, and offensive." brazen(BRAY zuhn) Something made of brass, or resembling it, especially in color or hardness: "A b razen statue of the soldier was seen in the city square." She was considered abrazenhussy because she had abrazenvoice and hung around wit

h a tough gang who all wore wide belts with abrazenbuckles. breach, breech breach(BREECH) 1. An opening made by breaking down something solid; such as, a gap made in a wa ll or fortification: "There was a breach in several places of the wall so the so ldiers could get into the fortress." 2. A breaking or the neglect (of a law, a trust, etc.); an infraction or infring ement: "For the guard to leave now would be a breach of duty." 3. A breaking of friendly relations; a quarrel: "A misunderstanding caused a bre ach between me and my friend." breech(BREECH) 1. The lower rear portion of the human trunk; the behind, posterior; hind part: "Abreechis an old-fashioned word for the 'backside' of the body." 2. The part of a firearm (gun) to the rear of the bore: "Flame flew out of the b reech of the gun because of the defective bullets he was using." After the gun discharged, the hunter used thebreechto make abreachin the wall o f the cabin. This was abreachof the trespassing law and resulted in abreachin the relationshi p between the hunter and the owner of the cabin. bread, bred bread(BRED) A baked food made of flour or meal: "I just took a loaf of pumpernickel bread fr om the oven." bred(BRED) 1. To bring forth offspring or babies: "The horticulturalist bred a new strain o f flowers in her garden and took them to the fair." 2. The past tense and past participle form of the verb "to breed": "The farmer t ook his cow to his neighbor's bull where she was bred in hopes that a new calf w ould be born in the spring." 3. To train or to inspire good manners: "The teacher worked hard and her student s indicated that they had been properly bred by using good manners when they wen t to the concert." The farmer worked with the genetics department of the university andbreda new strain of wheat which was excellent for makingbread. breadth, breath, breathe breadth(BREDTH) Width: "The breadth of the prairies is incredible." breath(BRETH) Air which is inhaled and exhaled during breathing: "The loss of breath can be a dangerous symptom." breathe(BREETH) To inhale and to exhale air into one's lungs: "He rose quickly to the surface of the water and then he could breathe again." He tried tobreathedeeply, inhaling a freshbreathof air. He hoped this exercise w ould increase thebreadthof his chest. Breton, Britain, Briton Breton(BRET'n) Relating to Brittany or its people, language (Celtic), or culture: "He emphasize d that he was a Breton from Brittany not a Briton from Great Britain." Britain(BRIT'n) Great Britain: England, Scotland, and Wales. It is separated from the mainland o f Europe by the English Channel and from Ireland by the Irish Sea: "We had a ver y interesting trip to Great Britain last summer." Briton(BRIT'n) A native or inhabitant of Great Britain: "Winston Churchill is considered to hav e been a noble Briton." My uncle described himself as aBretonwhose ancestors long ago immigrated toBrit ain; after that, my relatives were considered to be fromBriton. brewed, brood brewed(BROOD)

1. To make ale or beer from malt and hops: "We went to the place where they brew ed the beer for our store." 2. To instigate or to incite: "He brewed discontent and trouble with the audienc e." brood(BROOD) 1. The young of certain animals; especially, a group of young birds or fowl hatc hed at one time and cared for together: "The mother hen had a colourful brood of chicks." 2. The children of a family: "The new neighbor has quite a brood of five childre n." Herbroodof six children oftenbrewedtrouble in the quiet neighbourhood. brews, bruise brews(BROOZ) 1. To create a beverage by steeping or soaking (tea) or by fermentation (beer): "She brews her tea for exactly ten minutes." "The company brews several different types of beer for the consumer." 2. To bring about or to plot, to contrive: "Trouble brews when the union members are unhappy with their contract." bruise(BROOZ) Discoloration on the skin caused by the breaking of blood vessels as the result of an injury: "After the boxer won the round, he had a big bruise over his right eye." His black eye and thebruiseon his arm are the result of the trouble thatbrewsbe tween the union workers on strike and the non-union workers; both of which somet imes get physical about the issues. bridal, bridle bridal(BRIGHD'l) Referring to a bride or a wedding: "She changed her bridal gown right after the marriage ceremony." bridle(BRIGHD'l) 1. The head harness, including bit and reins used to guide or to restrain a hors e: "The woman had trouble putting the bridle on her restless horse." 2. To show resentment by pulling back one's head and neck during a conversation or a confrontation: "My sister would bridle whenever her boyfriend talked to ano ther woman." Bridal, a harness for a man. J. Bailey Abridlepath is associated with grooms, not brides, and with halters, not altar s. Evan Esar Thebridleon the horse was decorated with the same colors of flowers as those w hich the members of thebridalcarried during the marriage ceremony. brief, short brief(BREEF) A concise statement or letter: "The lawyer prepared a brief in preparation for t he trial." short(SHORT) 1. Being of brief duration, abrupt, passing quickly: "There was a short pause in the speech before the Senator continued." 2. Insufficient: "The supplies in the store room were short several boxes." 3. Containing or cooked with a grease based ingredient; The pie crust was very short, flaky and delicious." The lawyer prepared abriefthat was submitted to the courts; however, the judge said it was tooshortand so he requested the lawyer to prepare a more comprehensiv ebrief. bring, take bring(BRING) 1. To come with something or someone to a place: "I'll bring the money when I co me to your house." 2. To move or carry to a place where some action is to occur: "The students were

asked to bring the books from the store room to the library to be put on shelve s." take(TAYK) To get something into one s possession or command: "In a moment of passion, the yo ung man attempted to take the young lady s hand in his." When I come to your house, I willbringa box of cookies which you and I cantaketo the party tonight. brink, drink brink(BRINGK) The edge at the top of a steep cliff; usually, used figuratively to refer to a p oint that is very close to the occurrence of something very bad or very good: "T he tree grew on the brink of the cliff." "He nearly lost everything because of his excessive drinking, but his friend s were successful in pulling him back from the brink of disaster." "Medical scientists may be on the brink of finding a cure for this mental di sease." drink(DRINGK) 1. To put a liquid in one s mouth in order to swallow it: "He held the flask to hi s mouth to take a drink of water." 2. To absorb or to receive avidly: "The students appeared to drink in all that t he professor said in class." 3. A beverage, non-alcoholic or alcoholic: "The students went to the cafe for a drink when they finished their examinations." In the early hours of the morning, we stood on thebrinkof the Grand Canyon todr inkour coffee. The view, the aroma, and the taste of the coffee were exhilarating . broach, brooch broach(BROHCH) 1. A pointed tool for making holes: "The carpenter used a broach to make a smoot h hole in the piece of wood." 2. To open by making a hole: "He tried to broach a cask of wine." 3. To begin to talk about something: "He wanted to broach a new topic for the di scussion." brooch(BROOCH, BRUCH) An ornamental pin used on one's clothing: "She wore a beautiful brooch with a pe arl as part of its structure." Her suitor wanted tobroachthe subject of giving her an ornamentalbroochfor her birthday which he had made by using abroachto pierce the soft gold in a decorative pattern. brochure, leaflet, pamphlet brochure(broh SHOOR) A small book or publication containing descriptive or advertising information: " The realtor put a brochure about the new house in the mailbox." leaflet(LEE flit) 1. Botanical, a small, young foliage: "In the spring, the students examined the leaflet on the branch of the tree." 2. A printed publication usually for distribution free of charge, typically one page in length: "The boy s first job was to distribute the leaflet put out by the grocery store to advertise the store sales." pamphlet(PAM flit) A printed publication that is unbound or with a soft, paper cover: "The members of the Student Union distributed a pamphlet outlining their concerns to the scho ol administration." The emblem on thepamphletresembled aleaflet. Thepamphletwas distributed to subscr ibers who also received a smallleafletwhich described thebrochurewhich would be publ ished in spring. brook, brook brook(BROOK) To put up with; to tolerate: "His parents said they would brook no further discu ssion."

brook(BROOK) A small stream, often a shallow or intermittent tributary to a river: "The brook was flowing near our back yard out in the country." The farmer decided that he couldbrookthe smallbrookthat crossed his fields even though thebrookusually flooded his fields every spring. broom, groom broom(BROOM) An implement used for sweeping, usually consisting of a bunch of twigs, straw, o r bristles bound together and attached to a stick or handle: "He used a broom to sweep off the sidewalk in front of his house." groom(GROOM) 1. A person who is employed to take care of horses or a stable for horses: "He w ill be the groom for the horses that will be used in the coming competition." 2. A man who has just married or is about to be married: "The bride and the groo m have just completed the necessary vows for marriage." 3. To remove dirt and parasites from the skin, fur, or feathers of by an animal or for another animal: "The cat can groom itself, but sometimes animals will gro om others; such as, one monkey has been seen to groom another one by looking for and eating fleas, etc. from the fur." 4. To prepare someone for a particular job or position: "Someone will groom a ne w person with the right skills to take over as the head of this department." Constable or "officer of the stable", the chief groom In medieval France, the head groom of a stable was called, in Late Latin,come s stabuli, "officer of the stable". During those times, horses were extremely valuable for their uses in transpo rtation and in war. Being in charge of the horses was an important job; therefor e,comes stabulicame to refer to a high officer of a royal or noble household, or t o a higher military officer. The present form ofconstablenow refers to any of various public officers of th e peace. In England, a policeman is known as aconstable. Based on information from Webster's Word Histories; Merriam-Webster, Inc., Publishers; Springfield, Massachusetts; 1989; page 118. Early in the morning, thegroomused abroomtogroomthe gravel walk leading to the chu rch. He chuckled, thinking that this was a great way togroomhimself to be not only a well trainedgroom, but also a helpful husband. brows, browse brows(BROUZ) The superciliary ridge over the eyes, the eyebrows: "The prominent brows on his face accentuated his deep brown eyes." browse(BROUZ) 1. To inspect leisurely and casually; to read by skimming: "Sitting on a bench i n the park, the man liked to browse through the books he carried." 2. To nibble on vegetation; such as, leaves or young shoots: "Everyday the sheep would browse on the grass in the meadow while the shepherd and his dog took car e of them." Herbrowswrinkled as she tried tobrowsethe shelves in the store looking for a par ticular book. She knew the title started with: "Theybrowsethe fields" ... but she could not remember the rest of it. brunt, burnt brunt(BRUNT) The principle force or stress: "The dam on the river bore the brunt of the flood waters thus protecting the villages in the valley." burnt(BURNT) A scrape or injury caused by heat: "When she fell, the little girl burnt her kne es by scraping them on the rough carpet." When my aunt slipped, she bore thebruntof her weight on the palms of her hands which wereburntby the carpet when she fell.

buccal, buckle buccal(BUK'l) The cheek or a reference to the mouth: "The buccal nerve on his right cheek was irritated by the infected tooth." buckle(BUK'l) 1. A clasp used to fasten the ends of a belt, strap, etc.: "The belt buckle was very fancy, depicting a rider and a horse." 2. A metal ornament for a shoe: "When the king dressed for special occasions, he demanded a gold buckle to be on each of his shoes." 3. As a verb, to fasten: "Be sure to buckle your seat belt when driving in a car ." 4. To bend, to bulge, or to wrinkle: "Heat applied to a sheet of plastic will ca use it to buckle, distorting its shape." Thebuccalnerve on the right side of her face was injured when thebuckleon her s eat belt slipped out of her hands and hit her. She cried out and muttered, "that is what happens when you are being conscie ntious and trying tobuckleyour seat belt"; unfortunately, for several months, the injuredbuccalnerve caused her face tobuckleslightly, but she is fully recovered now. bug, bug bug(BUHG), noun 1. An insect or similar organism; such as, a centipede or an earwig; usually a s mall insect: "There's a bug in my soup." "Please close the door, you're letting the bugs in." 2. A defect in a computer code or with the routine operation of a program: "We f ound a bug in the word-processing program which makes it impossible to do anythi ng." "He said he would be trying to work the bug, or bugs, out of the program sys tem as soon as he could find the cause of the bug." 3. An electronic listening device; such as, a hidden microphone or wiretap, used to secretly listen to and to record the conversations of a person or people: "T he authorities planted a bug in the suspect's room." "The secret service put a bug in the man's apartment in case he tried to con tact other suspected terrorists." bug(BUHG), verb 1. To bother or to annoy someone: "Please don't bug me about closing the door." "She told him to bug off and to leave her alone." 2. Putting a hidden microphone in a room in order to secretly hear what people a re saying: "The police received the judge's authorization to bug the guy's apart ment." "Everyone should be forewarned that certain governments are continually tryi ng to bug their phones, and their computers are constantly being bugged; as well as, other areas of their living and working areas." It's amazing how easy it is for abugtobugus. The agents decided tobugtheir suspect by planting abugin the vase on the table. Thebugwas disguised as abugon the leaf of the flowers; however, there was abugin t heirbugdevice and they could notbugtheir suspect; so, they gave up and went home. buggy, buggy buggy(BUHG ee) A light carriage that is usually pulled by one horse: "The last time I heard, to urists can still find a horse and buggy for a short ride in New York City." buggy(BUHG ee) 1. Full of or having many insects: "It's too buggy out here, let's go inside." 2. A computer program, system, etc. that has many problems or errors that preven t the proper operation of the computer: "This buggy software is driving me crazy because I can't do anything with my computer!" We drove our horse drawnbuggythrough thebuggyswamp on our way to town to consult with a technician because our computer program was allbuggyand needed repairing. bull, bull, bull, bull, bull bull(BUHL) 1. An adult male bovine mammal of the ox and cow family: "Among cows in the past

ure, there is usually at least one bull." 2. The male of certain other large animals, such as the alligator, elephant, wha le, or moose: "The bull elephant is also a protector of the younger elephants." bull(BUHL) An optimist, especially regarding business conditions, who buys commodities or s ecurities in anticipation of a rise in prices or who tries by speculative purcha ses to effect such a rise: "Sometimes there is a bull market which for some peop le may mean an increase in their financial status." bull(BUHL) An official document issued by the pope and sealed with abulla(a round seal affixe d to a papal bull): "The bull is an official command or statement written by the Roman Catholic Pope." bull, Bull(BUHL) A constellation in the Northern Hemisphere near Orion and Aries known asTaurusorBul l: "He was born under the sign of Taurus and he had the characteristics of being large, strong, and forceful; just like a bull." bull(BUHL) A slang term for a police officer or a detective: "A German cartoon showed a pol iceman talking with a cow and she told him that her husband was also abull." The optimisticbullissued by the church created a ban on shooting abullin the pa sture which was enforced by abullfrom the local police department who happened to be born under the astrological sign of theBull. These were all in response to thebullmarket in livestock trading. bump, thump bump(BUMP) To strike against something with force: "The truck hit the large stone with a jo lting bump." thump(THUMP) To hit or to knock with something heavy: "The guests were frightened when they h eard a loud thump in the attic which they had been told was caused by a ghost." When the maid dropped the bundle of laundry, we could hear itbumpdown the sta irs before landing with athumpat the bottom. bundle, bungle bundle(BUN d'l) A large number of things or items fastened together for ease of handling: "She w ent to the store and bought a large bundle of fresh asparagus for the dinner par ty." "He had a large bundle of cash in his pocket when he went shopping." bungle(BUNG guhl) To mishandle or to act in a clumsy manner: "The boss was very angry, stating tha t the new employee seemed to bungle the assignment." The secret-service agent managed tobunglehis mission which was to deliver a la rgebundleof secret documents to his superior officer. burger, burgher burger(BUR guhr) A sandwich consisting of a bun, a cooked beef patty, and often other ingredients ; such as cheese, onion slices, lettuce, or condiments: "She was so hungry that she went to the restaurant and ordered the special burger." burgher(BUR guhr) A citizen of a town or borough; or a member of the mercantile class of a medieva l European city: "At least one burgher expressed his desire for more security fr om criminal activities in his community." On his way to the city hall, theburgherdecided he was hungry and stopped to bu y aburgerand fries for lunch. burglar, robber, thief burglar(BUR gluhr) An individual who steals or attempts to take property that does not belong to th at person: "The burglar was caught by the police when he attempted to leave the store with the fancy TV set for which he had not paid." robber(ROB buhr)

An individual who takes property or valuables unlawfully and often with threat o f violence: "The robber wore a mask and waved his gun, shouting at the people in the bank to lie on the floor before the he escaped." thief(THEEF) An individual who takes property or steals in a very secretive manner: "The thie f was careful to create a sense of friendship with the rich man before he took t he valuable picture off the wall." Therobberdecided to employ athiefto assist him in his crimes; and because they w ere so clever, the police thought they were dealing with only oneburglar. burley, burly burley(BER lee) A kind of Kentucky tobacco: "At the tobacco market, the plantation owner receive d a large sum for his fine burley." burly(BER lee) Big and strong: "The wrestler appeared to be tall and burly as he stood by the T V announcer." Theburlysteamboat captain was often seen smokingburleywhich he imported from Ken tucky. burst, bust burst(BURST) 1. A sudden breaking apart or explosion: "The dam burst from the pressure of the water accumulated after the torrential rains." 2. An unexpected expression of emotion: "His heart burst with love for the lovel y girl whose name he did not know." 3. A short period of producing or doing something that begins suddenly: "He ran hard in a short burst of speed at the end of the race." bust(BUST) 1. A sculpture depicting the upper portion of the body: "The marble bust of Harr iet Smith, founder of the Art Gallery, stood in the foyer of the gallery." 2. To smash or to break up; to ruin; slang: "When the Stock Market collapsed, it marked the bust up of many businesses." 3. A complete failure, a flop; slang: "Although critically acclaimed, the play h as been a bust." 4. An occurrence in which the police catch and arrest people who are, or who hav e been, committing a crime: "There was a big drug bust last week when the police arrested the marijuana dealers." When the robber and the thiefburstinto the room through the window, they bumpe d thebustthat belonged to the senator which fell to the floor with a thump and itbu stinto a hundred pieces. When she saw this, the senator was so upset, sheburstinto tears and exclaimed, "I am a completebustwhen it comes to collecting art." The police thought they would soon be able tobustthe house breakers crime synd icate. bus, buss bus(BUS) 1. A long motor vehicle for carrying passengers, usually along a fixed route: "T he couple decided to go by bus to the next city so they could visit her parents. " 2. A four-wheeled cart for carrying dishes in a restaurant: "The first job the g irl had after high school was to push the bus from table to table, clearing off the dirty dishes." 3. A verb form, to transport in a long motor vehicle: "We agreed to bus it to th e big city to go to the movies." buss(BUS) To kiss, or a kiss: "In their hurried separation, he gave her a quick buss on th e cheek to say good-bye." When they got off thebus, the two new friends said good bye with abusson each other s cheeks; however, when they went into the cafe, they accidentally bumped in to thebuswhich the waiter staff was using. but, butt

but(BUT) A conjunction: on the other hand; yet; other than; except: "There are usually tw elve in a dozen but there are 13 in a baker s dozen." butt(BUT) 1. The larger or thicker end of anything: "The butcher said the butt end of the ham would make a great meal when cooked properly." 2. The unused end of a cigar or cigarette: "The street person picked up the butt of the cigar to try to smoke it." 3. A target for abuse or ridicule: "The senator was often the butt of the chairm an s jokes." My friend is often thebuttof his sister's sense of humor,buthe tends to be calm and smokes thebuttof his cigar while thinking of a response. cabal, cable cabal(kuh BAL) A secret group often devoted to intrigue and to the overthrow of a political sys tem: "The cabal consisted of men and women who were committed to achieving a new government by force if necessary." cable(KAY buhl) A rope, wire, or chain of considerable circumference and strength which may be u sed to hold or to fasten objects together or, as in telecommunications, to carry electric or message impulses: "The workmen installed the new cable for the tele phone system." When the workers were installing the newcablesystem in the basement, they came across a secret room where it appeared that acabalof social advocates met. cacao, coca, cocain, cocoa, coco cacao(kuh KOU, KAY oh) A South American tree,Theobroma cacao, which produces the seed pods from which co coa is made: "Attempts to grow the cacao tree in North America were mostly unsuc cessful." coca(KOH kuh) One of several South American plants of the Erythroxylon family, whose leaves co ntain cocaine and other alkaloids used to make highly addictive substances: "The dried leaves of the coca plant, chewed by people of the Andes for a stimulating effect is also used for extraction of cocaine." cocain(koh KAYN, KOH kayn") A narcotic (alkaloid) extracted from coca leaves; used as a surface anesthetic o r taken as a narcotic which can become powerfully addictive as a stimulant of th e central nervous system: "He attended a Detox program as he attempted to overco me his cocaine addiction." cocoa(KOH koh) 1. Cocao beans which have been roasted and ground to a powder and from which muc h of the fat has been extracted, often used for baking or making a hot drink: "T he recipe called for several spoonfuls of cocoa when making the chocolate cake." 2. The ground powder made from the cacao seeds which is mixed with milk or water and sugar to make chocolate (drink or syrup): "After a long walk on a snowy day , a cup of hot cocoa tastes delicious." coco(KOH koh) The coconut palm and its fruit: "When the tourist ship went into the harbor, the young boys climbed the coco trees and threw down the cocos." As a tourist one must be careful when buying a hot drink ofcocoawhich is made from the seed of thecacaotree. Don t be tricked into buying somecocaleaves from whichc ocaineis made. In fact, you are probably better off if you just buycocofrom the local market. cache, cash cache(KASH) 1. Stockpile, secret repository: "The rebels had a cache of firearms in the moun tains." 2. A place for concealment and safekeeping, as of valuables: "Not trusting banks

any more, my father hid his cash in a cache in our book case." 3. A small fast-memory storage area in a computer that holds recently accessed d ata, designed to speed up subsequent access to the same data: "Your computer kee ps information called cache memory. As the microprocessor processes data, it loo ks first in the cache memory and if it finds the data there (from a previous rea ding of data), it does not have to do the more time-consuming reading of data fr om a larger memory." "Using disk cache memory speeds up computer operations, because accessing da ta stored in RAM (Random Access Memory) is much faster than accessing data store d on a hard drive." cash(KASH) 1. Payment for goods or services in currency or by check: "The purchases were pa id for with cash." 2. To exchange for or to convert into ready money: "The store will cash your che ck." Hide thatcashin thecache. Cashis a purchasing plan where you pay 100 percent down, and nothing every mo nth from that time onward. If you have any left over, you can always put it into yourcacheunder the mattress. cacophemism, dysphemism, euphemism cacophemism(kuh KAH fuh mizm") Relating to harsh discordant sounds, words or phrases: "During the speech by the senator, the reporter noted one cacophemism after the other, as the senator use d many rough and harsh expressions." dysphemism(dis FEM izm) 1. The deliberate substitution of an offensive expression for a neutral one: "Hi s speech simply contained one dysphemism after another as he uttered "killed" an d "died" or "dead" when referring to her mother." 2. Disordered phonation (producing vocal sounds), articulation, or hearing resul ting from emotional or mental deficits: "His stuttering was an example of dysphe mism." euphemism(YOO fuh miz" uhm) Use of a mild, neutral, evasive, or vague term in place of one considered taboo, offensive, blunt, or unpleasant: "When he referred to his occupation, he descri bed himself with the euphemismsanitation workerinstead of using the termgarbage co llector." Her friend was prone to using aeuphemismfrom time to time; such as, describing himself as a musician when in fact he just hummed when he was working; however, when he was writing, he would frequently use adysphemism; such as, "&!#@**%" (t ranslation: "damn") instead of saying the individual was up set. He rationalized his decisions by citing the use ofcacophemismas a legitimate w riter s tool. caddie, caddy caddie(KAD ee) A golfer's assistant who carries a bag of clubs and performs other duties for a golfer: "He caddied for Mr. Smith yesterday." Eithercaddieorcaddyrefers to a person who carries a golfer's clubs on the golf c ourse. caddy(KAD ee) A can for storing tea: "She found an antique tea caddy which was used to keep te a in." After a long day on the greens, thecaddiewent home and made a pot of tea, sele cting his favorite tea from the antiquecaddyhe inherited from his grandmother. Cain, cane Cain(KAYN) 1. The brother of Abel (in the Bible); a murderer: "The Bible stated that Cain w as jealous of his brother Abel and therefore killed him." 2. Colloquialism, "raising cain" or causing a violent disturbance: "During reces s, the students raised cain on the play ground and the principal had to interven e".

cane(KAYN) 1. A walking stick that often has a curved handle and it used to help someone to walk: "Many years ago it was not unusual to see a gentleman carrying a cane whe n he was walking in the park." 2. A bamboo-like stem: "He went out to harvest sugar cane." 3. As a verb, to hit someone with a cane or stick as a form of punishment: "In t he past, some teachers would cane students who misbehaved." In the past, a school master carried acanewhich he used tocaneunruly students wh o were raisingcainin class. calendar, calender, colander calendar(KAL uhn dur) A table showing the months, weeks, and days of the year: "Each year on January 1 , I give my friends and family a new calendar." calender(KAL uhn dur) A machine in which cloth or paper is glazed by rollers: "When making paper, part of the process is to use the calender which rolls the paper very thin." colander(KUHL uhn dur, KAHL uhn dur) A bowl that has many small holes or perforations in the bottom used for washing, straining, or draining food: "She used the colander to drain water from the spa ghetti right after it was boiled." Acalendaris the proof that our days are numbered! It is also a system that pla ns its work a whole year ahead and never fails to finish on time. Evan Esar My niece learned to use acalenderfor her paper making course. She made me a wo nderfulcalendaron which I chart the chores required during the harvest season incl uding getting out thecolanderfor straining the cooked tomatoes while I am making s auce. calk, caulk calk(KAWK) 1. A tapered piece of metal projecting downward from the bottom of a shoe to pre vent slipping: "During the winter, the horse shoes were made with a calk so the horse would not slip on the ice." 2. To put projecting metal on the bottom of each shoe: "The farmer wanted a blac ksmith to calk the horse s shoes before winter set in." caulk(KAWK) To fill a crack so it will not leak: "At the start of each fishing season, the f ishermen will caulk their boats against leaks." The fisherman tried tocaulkhis boat before winter set in. Later he went to the blacksmith to have himcalkhis horse in preparation for the coming winter. call, caul call(KAL) 1. To speak loudly; to shout: "The mother went to the door to call her children to come in dinner." 2. To give a name to someone or something: "After the birth of their daughter, h er parents agreed to call her Katherine after her grandmother." caul(KAL) A membrane covering the head of a child at birth: "There are many superstitions about the caul of a child when it is born." One of the stories about when she was born was that the doctor had tocallto t he nurse to be sure that thecaulon her head was removed. callous, callus callous(KAL uhs) 1. Not feeling or showing any concern about the problems or suffering of other p eople: "He made a callous remark about those who were injured in the accident." 2. Emotionally hardened; unfeeling: "She had a callous indifference for the suff ering of her neighbor." callus(KAL uhs) A hard, thickened place on the skin; especially, on the hands and feet: "He had callus areas on his feet from walking so much." His impatient attitude wascalloustowards his friend who had a painfulcalluson h

is toe. caloric, choleric caloric(kuh LOR ik) Relating to the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one gram of wa ter one degree of Celsius under certain atmospheric conditions: "In chemistry, t he students studied the caloric tables in the text books." choleric(KAL uh rik, kuh LER ik ) Hot tempered, easily moved to excessive anger: "His red face gave away the chole ric nature of his personality." The politician s diet often consisted of foods with a highcaloriclevel which unf ortunately seemed to contribute to hischolericpersonality. Calvary, cavalier, cavalry Calvary(KAL vuh ree) 1. When this word is capitalized, it refers to the hill on which Jesus Christ wa s crucified: "Christ was crucified on Calvary, or Golgotha, which was near the s ite of ancient Jerusalem." 2. When this word is not capitalized, it refers to a sculptured representation o f the Crucifixion, usually erected in the open air: "When we approached the chur ch, we could see the calvary that had been erected there to symbolize Christ's C rucifixion." cavalier(kav" uh LEER) A gesture or offhand dismissal of important matters or showing no concern for so mething which is important or serious: "She has a cavalier attitude about spendi ng money." "They have a cavalier disregard for the rights of others." cavalry(KAV uhl ree) Members of the army who are assigned duties that require great mobility, either by horseback, motor vehicles, or helicopters: "When she enlisted in the army, he r preference was to serve in the cavalry." My aunt who was in the militarycavalry, and was stationed in the Middle East, often told me about visitingCalvaryduring a special trip. It upset her that some of the other visitors seemed to have a verycavalieratt itude at the site. can, may, might can(KAN) A mental or physical ability to do something: "I am sure that if I study hard en ough I can pass the exams at school tomorrow." may(MAY) 1. To be allowed or permitted to do something: "You may tell me your opinion, bu t that doesn't mean that I will change my mind." 2. Used to indicate that something is possible or probable: "If you work hard no w, you may end up sitting in the supervisor's chair some day." might(MIGHT) 1. Used to express that something is possible: "We might go if they ask us, but then again we might not." 2. Used to talk about a possible condition that does not or did not actually exi st: "If you were older, you might understand what she is talking about." Do you think itmightbe possible that Imaywrite my examination tomorrow? I know Ic anstudy tonight and be ready by then. canap, canopy canap(KAN uh pay, KAN uh pee) A cracker or piece of bread spread with a seasoned mixture of fish, cheese, etc. , and which is often served at a party: "A canap for a variety of taste choices w as served on platters at the party." canopy(KAN uh pee) 1. A covering fixed over a bed, throne, entrance, etc., as a decoration or shelt er: "A crowd gathered under the theater canopy which extended over the sidewalk. " 2. Sometimes used figuratively: "The canopy of the sky was wonderful to see." At the reception for her friend, the caterers served lovelycanapsfrom trays tha

t were on the trestle tables under thecanopyerected on the lawn. candid, candied candid(KAN did) Expressing opinions and feelings in an honest and sincere way: "He was quite can did about his past life." candied(KAN deed) Sugared; cooked with sugar until reaching a translucent appearance: "To make the Christmas cakes, the two women made their own candied fruit." The chef was verycandidwith his cooking staff as he admonished them to usecandi edviolet flowers when decorating the summer cakes which they would be preparing f or sale. cannon, canon, canyon cannon(KAN uhn) A large mounted gun that shoots heavy metal or stone balls and which was once a common military weapon: "In past wars, a variety of cannon were used to cause gr eat devastation." canon(KAN uhn) 1. A Roman Catholic Church law: "People are expected to know the canon of the Ch urch." 2. An accepted rule or guide about how people should behave or about how somethi ng should be done: "Anyone who disregards every canon of honesty as she has, sho uld be fired." canyon(KAN yuhn) A narrow valley with steep sides, often with a river in the bottom: "They rode t he mules to the bottom of Grand Canyon to view the Colorado River." It was against thecanonsfor respectful behavior to fire acannonover thecanyonedge during the tourist season. cant, can t cant(KANT) Words that are supposed to sound like serious statements about important issues; such as, religion or morality, but that are not honest or sincere: "We think th e people are sick of hypocrisy and cant from their leaders." can't(KANT) A contraction of the wordscan not: "The child yelled out,'I can t do it!'when he was urged by his father to jump off the diving board into the pool." Ican'ttell you how offended I am by all thecantthat is preached at the electorat e during an election. canter, cantor canter(KAN tur) A gait slower than a gallop but faster than a trot: "The rider kept the horse in an easy canter." cantor(KAN tur) The official soloist or chief singer of the liturgy in a synagogue: "Jan Pierce was a cantor before becoming an opera singer." Thecantorat our congregation was also a fine horsewoman and would take her hor se out for acanterearly in the morning. canvas, canvass canvas(KAN vuhs) Coarse cloth used to make tents, sailing cloth, etc.: "The tent was made of gree n canvas." canvass(KAN vuhs) To survey, examine, or to investigate: "In the spring, she would canvass her nei ghbors, asking for donations to the charity." Because it was raining when I went out tocanvassmy neighbors, I wore acanvasrain jacket so I could stay drier. capable, culpable capable(KAY puh buhl) Having the ability required for a specific task or accomplishment: "We were sure that he was capable of winning the game." culpable(KUL puh buhl)

Deserving of blame or censure as being wrong, evil, improper, or injurious: "He' s more culpable than the others because he's old enough to know better." The police investigator seemed to be verycapablewhen he brought the charges ag ainst the two men stating that they were bothculpablefor stealing the car. capital, capitol, Capitol capital(KAP i t'l) 1. In the form of uppercase letters; for example: A, B, C, etc., rather than a, b, c: "In his e-mail message, he typed in lower case letters at times when he sh ould have used capital letters." 2. Having the main offices of a government: "The state's capital city is where t he main government officials are located." 3. When referring to a crime, having death as a possible punishment: "Homicide t hat occurs during the course of an attempted kidnapping is a capital crime in se veral states." 4. The amount of money, property, etc. which is used to start or to operate a ne w business: "Do they have sufficient capital to continue in business or will we lose our jobs?" "He needed more capital for the investment." capitol(KAP i t'l) A building, or group of buildings, in which a state legislature meets and where other state government offices may be housed: "Have you seen the new capitol bui lding which was recently built in our city?" "The governor spoke on the capitol steps." Capitol(KAP i t'l) The white marble domed building in Washington, D.C., where the U.S. Congress mee ts: "The organization is lobbying Capital Hill to increase funding for education al research." Capitalpunishment is when those guys in theCapitolof Washington, D.C. come up w ith a newcapitaltax. carat, caret, carrot, karat carat(KAR uht) A unit of weight measuring pearls and precious stones, equal to 200 milligrams ( 7.05 ounces): "She was given a one carat diamond ring for her birthday." caret(KAR it) A mark (^) indicating that something needs to be inserted: "He included a caret,^ , while he was editing the lexicon, whenever it was necessary, to show where som ething should be added that was missing; such as, a word or phrase." carrot(KAR uht) An orange colored root vegetable: "She ate a raw carrot with her lunch." karat(KAR uht) A unit of fineness for gold, equal to 1/24 of the total amount of pure gold in a n alloy: "Pure gold is 24 karat while gold that is 50 percent pure is 12 karat." Acaratis the unit of measurement by which many a woman estimates a man's love. Evan Esar As acarrotto induce her to marry him, he dangled a ring which was made of 24kar atgold mounted with a twocaratdiamond. She was so thrilled when she wrote to her mother that she used all sorts of marks including the ^ (caret) to communicate her happiness: *!^@%%$ careen, career careen(kuh REEN) Typically involving speed, to move or sway from side to side: "The car appeared to careen down the street as if it were out of control." career(kuh RIR) A permanent profession or calling for which one trains: "It is often difficult t o decide what career to choose when you are young." Hercareerstarted tocareenout of control when the boss discovered she had taken m oney from the cash register. caries, carries caries(KAR eez, KAR i eez) Decay of teeth, bones, or tissues: "The dental assistant checked each of the stu

dents for caries as part of his job." carries(KAR eez) 1. Moving something from one place to another while holding and supporting it: " She often carries her baby in her arms." "My son always carries his books to school in a backpack." 2. Reporting information in the media: "The TV station carries reports on the we ather 24/7." 3. Having something in a store and ready to be sold or to keep something in stoc k: "Her grocery store always carries a good selection of fresh fruits and vegeta bles." My friend alwayscarriesan extra toothbrush because she is afraid of gettingcari esif she doesn't brush her teeth after every meal. carol, carrel carol(KAR uhl) A song of joy or a hymn: "As a normal practice, they were singing a carol in chu rch on Sunday." carrel(KAR uhl) A partially partitioned nook in or near the stacks in a library, used for privat e study: "The library didn't have another carrel available for me to do my resea rch." During the holidays, the library staff often gathered in an emptycarrelto prac tice thecarolsthey would be singing at the faculty lunch. carousal, carousel carousal(kuh ROU zuhl) A party or revelry that is marked by drunkenness and out of control behavior: "T he neighbors called the police when the carousal next door spilled out into the street." carousel(kar" uh SEL, kar" uh ZEL) 1. A Merry-Go-Round: "The children enjoyed riding on the carousel in the park." 2. A circular conveyor system: "She saw her luggage on the carousel at the airpo rt." Because the sports team had to wait for a long time at thecarouselin the airpo rt, they started acting silly and the other passengers complained about theircaro usal. cartilage, cartridge cartilage(KAHR t'l ij) Tough white fibrous connective tissue attached to the surfaces of bone joints: " When she fell during the tennis match, she tore the cartilage in her knee." cartridge(KAHR trij) 1. Small arms ammunition or shotgun shells: "He carried the cartridge of shot gu n shells in a special pocket in his jacket." 2. A small modular unit designed to be inserted into a larger piece of equipment : "The toner for the office printer came in a cartridge which made it easy to ch ange." 3. A case containing reeled magnetic tape: "The small tape recorder required a c artridge of tape in order to record the speech." 4. A case with photographic film that can be loaded directly into a camera: "His old fashioned camera had a separate cartridge for the film, not a disk." The doctor kept the video of her operation on the damagedcartilageof the man's knee in acartridgein her office. carton, cartoon carton(KAR t'n) A box made of cardboard: "When the carton is empty, please place it in the recyc ling bin." cartoon(KAR toon) An amusing drawing of people or things which are often also intended for satiric al or political purposes: "That particular political cartoon in the newspaper al ways makes people laugh or, in some cases, there are those who may be offended." On the side of the cerealcartonwas a note encouraging customers to collect thec artooncards which were inside each box.

cask, casque cask(KASK) A barrel to hold liquids: "The cask of wine was stored in the cave." casque(KASK) A helmet, especially an ornate visorless headpiece of the 16th century: "The tea cher wore a casque to illustrate the kind of helmet worn by a soldier of past." The actor discovered that when he was wearing acasque, it was impossible to r aise the smallcaskof cider to his lips for a drink without spilling it all over hi mself. casket, gasket casket(KAS kit) A coffin wherein a dead body is placed: "We were amazed at the price of the coff in and asked to see other models." gasket(GAS kit) A seal used between matched machine parts or around pipe joints to prevent the e scape of gas, fluids, etc.: "The rubber gasket on the pipes was important for th e safety of the workers." The oldcasketappeared to have a rubbergasketaround the edge to prevent air from getting into or out of it. cast, caste cast(KAST) 1. To toss, pitch, throw, or fling something: "He cast stones in an effort to ma ke them skip on the surface of the lake." 2. To assign a theatrical performer to a part in a drama: "My sister was chosen to be in the cast of the play." 3. To form into a given shape by pouring something into a mold; such as liquid m etal, plaster, clay, etc.: "We were pouring clay into the cast which would resul t in the shape of a man." caste(KAST) A social class, rank, or order: "The former caste system in India tended to prev ent people from getting an education and better jobs." Even though my uncle was from the uppercaste, he was active in the theater an d was oftencastin the part of a magician who couldcasta ball up into the air and hav e it turn into a feather. caster, castor, castor oil caster(KAS tuhr) 1. A small wheel on a swivel, attached under a piece of furniture or other heavy object to make it easier to move: "It's a good thing that the sofa had a castor on each of its six legs because it was much easier to move it across the room." 2. Someone who throws something: "He was a caster of nets in the ocean so he cou ld catch fish." castor(KAS tuhr) 1. A British spelling ofcasteror a swiveling roller fastened under an article of f urniture or portable machines to make them movable: "A castor on certain segment s of furniture facilitate the movement of such structures." 2. An oily odorous secretion of beavers; used in medicine and perfumery: "I was surprised to learn that my wife's perfume was made from the unpleasant odor of t he castor from beavers." castor oil(KAS tuhr OIL) A viscous fixed oil, colorless or pale yellow, extracted from the seeds of the c astor-oil plant which is used as a cathartic and lubrication; and also, used in paint and varnish as well as medically: "When some people have bowel problems th ey might take castor oil as a cathartic which causes the emptying of the bowels. " The large cask ofcastor oilwas sitting on the pallet which hadcastersunder it f or ease of movement. It was clearly marked:CASTOR OILso it wouldn't be confused with the small cask of beavercastorimported from Canada. casual, causal casual(KAZH oo uhl)

1. Occurring by chance, without predictable regularity, occasional: "During the summer vacation, he worked as a casual farmhand on his neighbor s farm." 2. An offhand, unfeeling, or uncaring remark: "Her husband made a casual remark about her shoes." "Her son has a casual attitude regarding his school homework." causal(KAW zuhl) Relating to any event or circumstances that brings about a result, expected or u nexpected: "The heavy rains had the causal effect of raising the level in the ri ver." The inappropriatecasualremark made by the neighbor had the unfortunatecausaleffe ct of breaking up their friendship. cat, cats; kat, khat, qat cat, cats(KAT, KATS) 1. A small animal that is related to lions and tigers and which is often kept by people as a pet: "My pet cat is curled up on the window sill enjoying the sunsh ine." "The lion is often called theKing of the Cats." 2. Now considered an old fashioned word to refer to a man who considers himself to be fashionable: "He was a cool cat who wore spats and a striped suit." kat, khat, qat(KAT, KAHT) The leaves of an evergreen shrub,Catha edulisof Arabia and Africa, the leaves of w hich are used as a narcotic or a euphoric stimulant when chewed or made into a b everage; such as, a tea by Arabs: "In some countries, kat is chewed and enjoyed on a daily basis." Theoldcatthought he was so cool when he got somekhatto chew, but when he got home he was so sleepy he forgot to feed his hungrycat. cataclasm, cataclysm cataclasm(KAT uh klaz uhm) Disruption; breaking down: "This winter's heavy ice and snow resulted in a catac lasm of electrical and phone lines in several parts of the country." cataclysm(KAT uh kliz" uhm) 1. A sudden and violent upheaval or disaster that causes great changes in societ y: "The revolution could result in a worldwide cataclysm." 2. A terrible and devastating natural disaster; such as, a flood: "An earthquake can cause a great cataclysm; especially, in a densely populated area." The summercataclysmof hail and heavy rains caused acataclasmof the dikes along t he river and a terriblecataclysmof flooding in the river bottoms. catholic, Roman Catholic catholic(KATH uh lik, KATH lik) Comprehensive or broad in interests, tastes, or sympathies: "Extensive reading a nd attending lectures at the university gave her a catholic understanding of the issues." Roman Catholic(ROH man KATH uh lik; ROH man KATH lik) A member of the Roman Catholic church; relating to the structure and organizatio n of the Roman Catholic church, a hierarchy of priests and bishops, etc.: "The h ead of the Roman Catholic church is the pope." Her friend attended a university run by an order of the RomanCatholicChurch w here she received a verycatholiceducation which included literature, science, and mathematics. caudal, caudle, coddle caudal(KAWD'l) Relating to or situated towards the end of the body: "The rooster has large brig htly colored feathers at the caudal end of his body." caudle(KAWD'l) A warm drink for invalids made of bread, eggs, sugar and spices: "The nurse mixe d a warm caudle to give to the ill person who came to the hospital." coddle(KOD'l) 1. To treat someone with too much care or kindness; to pamper: "She has a tenden cy to coddle her children too much." 2. To cook slowly in liquid that is just below the boiling point: "On Sunday mor

nings he liked to coddle an egg or two for breakfast." The doctor thought the woman tried tocoddleher son too much; especially, when she made a dish ofcaudleevery night before bed. Then one night, he spilled thecaudleon purpose and the mother spanked him on h iscaudal. cause, caws cause(KAWS) 1. A strong social position or movement which adherents believe must be defended : "The young man stood proudly behind the cause of his friends to raise money fo r charity during school hours." 2. Something or someone that produces an effect, result, or condition: "The exac t cause of the accident is still not known." 3. To make something happen or exist: "If he swerved the car, that could have be en the cause of the accident." caws(KAWS) The cry or "song" of such birds as crows or ravens which are loud and raucous: " The ravens at the Tower of London greeted the day with loud caws and much wing f lapping." Thecawsof the crows were thecauseof my waking up early in the morning. Fortunately, this gave me more time to prepare for the committee that was wo rking for thecauseof the unemployed. cede, seed cede(SEED) To yield or to transfer, typically through a written document or treaty: "The la wyer stated that by signing the papers on his desk, I would cede my property to my cousin." seed(SEED) 1. A small object produced by a plant from which a new plant can grow: "The farm er was very proud because he had a new machine to help seed the fields." 2. The beginning of something which continues to develop or grow: "Her comment p lanted a seed of doubt in his mind." I plan tocedemy community garden plot to my friend who willseedit with several d ifferent kinds of plants. -ceed, -sede, -cede -ceed(SEED) A suffix from Latincedere, "to go": "Only three words end with suffix-ceed: exceed , proceed, and succeed." -sede(SEED) A suffix from Latinsedere"to sit": "Only one word ends with-sede: supersede (never supercede)." -cede(SEED) A suffix from Latincedere, "to go": "All of the following words end with-cede: acc ede, antecede, cede, concede, intercede, precede, recede, and secede." He wasn't sure that he wouldsucceedin writing a sentence for these three suffi xes; however, he didconcedethat this presentation wouldsupersedehis original plan t o ignore this section. ceil, seal ceil(SEEL) 1. To provide or to cover the upper interior surface of a room: "The plasterer c reated a decorative new ceil in the dining room during renovations." 2. To line a ship's bottom and sides with planking: "They had to construct a pro per ceil for the ship so it could withstand the forces of the sea." seal(SEEL) 1. A die or signet having a raised or incised emblem used to stamp an impression on a receptive substance; such as, wax, paper, or even lead: "He had a special seal for his books with his name impressed in the front page." 2. A marine animal or any of various aquatic carnivorous mammals found chiefly i n the Northern Hemisphere and having a sleek, torpedo-shaped body and limbs that are modified into paddle-like flippers: "It was noisy but interesting to hear a nd to see the seal colonies near the beach."

3. To close tightly or hermetically: "They will seal the blacktop driveway with a new coating to make it more water proof." The ship had a newceilwhich meant we could sail out to the islands to enumerat e the herd ofseals. Once the count was done, the captain wouldsealhis report using a red waxsealbefo re mailing it to the appropriate authorities. ceiling, sealing ceiling(SEEL ing) 1. The top of a room or any overhanging structural area: "The painter applied gr een paint to the ceiling in the living room." 2. An upper limit, especially as set by a regulation: "The government set a wage ceiling for the next year." sealing(SEEL ing) 1. A design, initial, or other device which is placed on an official letter or d ocument: "The prince used a red sealing wax to close his letters." 2. Something that closes or fastens tightly or securely: "When packing to move, she used sealing tape which was reinforced with string to ensure the boxes would not come open." A sign in a munitions factory stated: "If you insist on smoking in this buil ding, be prepared to leave this world through a hole in theceiling." E.C. McKenzie Once theceilingwas finished, the painters used asealingcoat before starting to p aint. celery, salary celery(SEL uh ree) A plant (Apium graveolens) the stalks of which are typically ribbed, green and a re eaten either cooked or raw: "For her daily lunch, she always included several celery sticks because she liked the crunchy texture." salary(SAL uh ree, SAL ree) Compensation or wages paid for services: "She supplemented her small salary by g etting a second job." When I worked on a farm one summer, part of mysalarywas vegetables from the fi eld. I especially liked the greencelery. cell, cells; sell, sells cell, cells(SEL, SELZ) 1. A small room in a prison: "The author provided a realistic description of the prison cell in which his protagonist had lived for many years." 2. Small, hollow places: "Honey combs are made up of connecting cells joined to each other." 3. A unit of living matter: "With the fine new microscope, the scientist could s tudy the cell matter of the plant." 4. The container which holds the material to produce electricity: "The mechanic had to add water to each battery cell so the car would start again." sell, sells(SEL, SELZ) 1. To exchange something for money: "She was desperate for money when she agreed to sell her mother s jewelery." 2. To make things available to be purchased: "This is one of the few stores whic h sells that type of equipment." 3. To persuade someone to accept or to approve of something or someone: "You wil l really have to sell yourself at the interview to get that job." The young guy was caught trying tosellstolen property for which he was sentenc ed to spend time in a smallcellat the local jail. While he was there, he invented a new solarcellfor producing electricity which he nowsellsover the internet. cellar, seller cellar(SEL ur) 1. A room for storage, usually below ground or beneath a building: "At the end o f the summer, she had 1,000 containers of food stored in the cellar to feed her family through the winter." 2. The lowest level or standing; especially, in the relative standing of athleti

c teams: "The new player had the cellar position on the team; so, the only way t o go was up." seller(SEL ur) 1. Someone who exchanges a product or service for money; a vendor: "The street s eller pushed his cart along the beach, selling ice cream and sodas." 2. An item that is purchased in large numbers and in a specified manner: "The st ore stocked 500 copies of the book based on the review which said it would be a best seller!" For a long time, he has been known as a "basement salesman" or acellar seller . cement, concrete cement(si MENT) 1. A combination of chemicals which is pulverized and used to create mortar, a s ubstance to bind or stick, e.g. bricks, together in a building: "The workers mix ed fresh cement when they were building the new house." 2. A binding together as in friendship: "The two friends drank a toast to cement their new friendship." concrete(KAWN kreet", kawn KREET) 1. A strong building material created out of sand, water and a pulverized chemic al mixture: "The machine poured the concrete for the new sidewalk in an efficien t manner." 2. Actual, real, having qualities of reality: "The student asked his teacher if she could give a concrete example of what she was talking about." When theconcretewas still fresh on the side walk, two of the boy's friends dre w their initials in it tocementtheir friendship in aconcretemanner. cemetery, symmetry cemetery(SEM i ter" ee) A place where the dead are buried: "The famous author is buried in the local cem etery." symmetry(SIM i tree) The quality of something that has two sides or halves which are the same or very close in size, shape, and position: "During her travels, she admired the symmet ry of the ancient buildings in Italy." I noticed thesymmetryof construction of the tombs in thecemetery. censer, censor, censure, sensor censer(SEN suhr) An article used in certain religious services; such as, a container for burning incense: "The priest walked slowly, swinging the censer while chanting prayers." censor(SEN suhr) 1. Someone who examines things for non-conformity or possible evil: "The censor told the reporter that he was not allowed to speak on TV because he was going to attack the administration of the dictator." 2. To examine and to subject a book, writer, etc. for suppression or prevention from becoming known, when it is regarded as objectionable for any reason: "The c ensor banned the author's book because of the obscene language in it." censure(SEN shur) An act of condemnation or to make a formal, often public statement of disapprova l of somebody or something: "She was held up for public censure because of her r adical views regarding birth control." sensor(SEN suhr, SEN sor") A device capable of detecting and responding to physical stimuli; such as, movem ent, light, or heat: "To enhance her sense of safety, the electrician installed a light sensor at the corner of the garage which would illuminate the back yard. " A homonym is a word which is similar to another in sound, but has a differen t meaning; such as, in the sentence:Censerssmell sweet,censorsare foul. Evan Esar Acensoris a faultfinder who always sticks hisno'sinto other people's business an d a moralist who is always trying to tie the nation into hardnot's. Evan Esar

During our tour of the church, the guide demonstrated how thecenserwas used; however, in doing so, he activated the smokesensorand set off the fire alarm. This brought him thecensureof his supervisor who sometimes acted like acensorby telling the guides what and what not to say. census, senses census(SEN suhs) The periodic enumeration of the population in a specific geographic area; such a s, a city: "Her first summer job was to conduct a census in the capital city." senses(SEN suhs) Conscious awareness of rationality or meaning: "She came to her senses and reali zed her mistake at the last minute." The governor indicated that it makessenseto him to conduct a periodiccensusbeca use it gives a realsenseof what the issues are for the people. cent, scent, sent cent(SENT) A monetary unit or coin worth 1/100th of the basic value: "That car is not worth a cent." scent(SENT) 1. A particular odor or smell, typically pleasant but not necessarily: "He could smell the rancid scent from the factory long before he got to the front door." 2. An indication or hint of something to come: "There was a scent of trouble in the air." sent(SENT) The past tense ofsendor to cause something to happen, to communicate, or to convey : "He was sent away in disgrace because of the poor language he used in the meet ing." "She was sent to Australia on a mission by the government." My friend wassentby his wife to buy something called "penny perfume" or "cent scent". cents, cense, scents, sense cents(SENS) A monetary unit or coin worth 1/100th. of the basic value, sometimes used in an expression equating words with money: "He's always ready to offer his two cents worth on any topic, whether he knows anything about it or not." cense(SENS) To distribute an odor or perfume by using a censer: "When a priest uses a censer it is to cense the church, filling it with the odor of the incense being burned ." scents(SENS) Particular odors or smells, typically pleasant but not necessarily: "On her dres ser were several bottles of scents which she uses depending on her mood." sense(SENS) Awareness of rationality or meaning; agreement: "After the teacher explained the equation, it all made sense to her." The student had a fewcentsin her pocket which her commonsensetold her that she s hould spend on food, but she really wanted to purchase some fresh incense which she could burn tocenseher apartment and to replace some of the unpleasantscentsfrom the restaurant kitchen downstairs. cere, sear, seer cere(SEER) The thick skin at the base of the upper beak of some birds: "With parrots, the c ere contains the bird's nostrils." sear(SEER, SEE ur) To scorch, char, or burn the surface of or as if with something very hot: "The d irections said to sear the roast on all sides before roasting it slowly in the o ven." seer(SEER) A prophet or a clairvoyant: "The prophet at Delphi was considered a seer and peo ple often petitioned her for advice." Theseerwore a mask which was made to look like a bird s head complete with thecer

ewhich was drilled with holes so theseercould breathe. In this guise, theseertold the assembly of people that they shouldsearthe roast over the fire and then slow roast it until it was done. cereal, serial cereal(SEER ee uhl) 1. An edible, starchy grain yielded by certain plants of the grass family; such as, rice, wheat, rye, oats, etc.: "Farmers around the world are raising some kin d of cereal which is used for bread, breakfast food, etc. all of which are neces sary to feed many people on a global scale." 2. The grain and the food made from the grain: "A multitude of cereal types of f ood exist for people to eat for breakfast and all of their other meals every day ." serial(SEER ee uhl) A novel or other story regularly presented in successive installments; such as, in a magazine, on radio, television, or in motion pictures: "She published a ser ial about the suffering of women in various parts of the world." She wanted to check theserialnumber on the box ofcerealbefore she bought it beca use the box might contain a card with the next installment of theserialnovel she w as reading. cession, session cession(SESH uhn) The act of giving up something; such as, power, land, or rights to another perso n, group, or country: "The law required cession of the land to the heirs"." session(SESH uhn) 1. A period of time that is used to do a particular activity: "His health insura nce will cover just twelve one-hour sessions of therapy this year." 2. A formal meeting or series of meetings of a group of people; such as, a court of law or legislature: "The U.N. Special Session on Disarmament will take place next month." 3. A period of time during the year in which a school, college, or university ha s classes: "My children will be going to special classes during the summer sessi on and then the school will be back in regular session at the beginning of Septe mber." The newsessionof the legislature will deal with acessionof government properties to private ownership in order to reduce some of the government debt. cetaceous, setaceous cetaceous(si TAY shuhs) Any of a number of large marine mammals with long bodies, fins, and hairless bod ies: "The whale is among the largest of the cetaceous mammals in the sea." setaceous(si TAY shuhs) An object consisting of or made with bristles: "The curry brush for the horse wa s setaceous with bristles from pigs." Whalebone is the horny substance from the upper jaw of acetaceousmammal. More often, it is used to stiffen fabric for the clothing of women, and it m ight also have been used for thesetaceousconstruction of industrial brushes. champ, chomp champ(CHAMP) 1. An informal reference tochampion: "He was proud to be the champ of his basketb all team." 2. To make biting or chewing noises; to show impatience: "You could hear the man champ on his pipe angrily." chomp(CHOMP) 1. To chew or to bite on something in a noisy way: "We could hear the horse chom p on the oats." 2. To chew or to bite on something repeatedly: "He was obviously nervous because he could only chomp on his cigar over and over again." The black horse was the racingchampof the stables and the owners gave him carr ots and apples tochompon as a reward. champagne, champaign champagne(sham PAYN)

A sparkling white wine specific to a region in France, Champagne Province: "He o rdered champagne at the restaurant when they went to celebrate his new job." champaign(sham PAYN) A stretch of level and open country; a plain: "The champaign of the prairie stre tched before them as they started out on their holidays." Champaign is a city of east-central Illinois adjoining Urbana. Founded in 18 55 with the coming of the railroad, it is a commercial and industrial center in a fertile farm area. After crossing thechampaignin the late afternoon, they decided to celebrate wi th a glass ofchampagneat the local restaurant. chance, chants chance(CHANS) 1. The likelihood of the occurrence of an event: "The chance of it raining today is very high." 2. An unexpected, random, or unpredictable event: "The chance of a thunderstorm this time of year is 100 per cent." 3. A risk or hazard; a gamble: "They sat around the table playing a game of chan ce, betting food coupons instead of real money." chants(CHANTS) 1. A short, simple melody in which a number of syllables or words are sung on th e same note: "In the middle of the night, the monks rose to sing a chant in the church." 2. A monotonous rhythmic call or shout: "The chant of demonstrators at a meeting disrupted the speaker." We had the rarechanceto stop at the monastery just as the monks started theirch antsin the chapel. chanty, shanty chanty(CHAN tee) A song sung by sailors to the rhythm of their movements while working: "The sing er always included a sea chanty or two in her performance." shanty(SHAN tee) A roughly built, often ramshackle cabin; a shack: "The old shanty by the river w as destroyed when the river flooded." The old river pilot lived in ashantynear the river and often entertained passe rsby by singing a familiarchantyabout the river boats of the past. charted, chartered charted(CHART id) 1. A map showing coastlines, water depths, or other information of use to naviga tors: "They charted the course of the ship." 2. A sheet presenting information in the form of graphs or tables in order to ma ke a plan for something: "She charted her own career path and he charted a new c ourse for the company." chartered(CHAR tuhr id) Assigned or hired; such as, to hire a ship, bus, etc. for temporary use: "The bu s was chartered by our school to take students to the football game." After we hadchartedthe route for our holiday, wechartereda bus to carry all of u s and our luggage to the mountain lodge. chased, chaste chased(CHAYST) 1. The past tense of "to chase"; to have run after or pursued in order to catch someone or something: "She chased after her child before he could run out into t he street." 2. Having caused someone or something to go away: "She chased the cats out of he r garden so they wouldn't catch the birds." chaste(CHAYST) Not indulging in unlawful sexual activity, being decent and moral: "She remained chaste through out her engagement and married as a chaste bride." Achastewoman is seldomchased. Evan Esar My neighbor waschasteand upstanding. It always broke her heart if someonechaseda

stray animal into her yard. cheap, cheep cheap(CHEEP) 1. Not expensive or not costing a lot of money: "You can always get a cheap meal at this restaurant." 2. Low quality, not worth a lot of money: "These curtains were made of cheap mat erial." 3. Not willing to share or to spend money: "He was too cheap to pay for the dinn er." cheep(CHEEP) To chirp or to peep, as a baby chick or to make a quick high sound: "I could hea r the first newly hatched chick going cheep, cheep, cheep in the nest." He has a less expensive bird for sale which he calls acheap cheepor at least heaper cheeper. check, Czech check(CHEK) 1. In chess, the exposure of the King to capture, thus needing protection: "Duri ng the chess game, the strong player often moved his King, to avoid being in che ck." 2. In banking, a written order to be submitted to the bank, directing it to pay the amount indicated on the order: "She always used a check to pay her bills." 3. To inspect for accuracy or safety: "Her plan for the holidays was to check th e tests the students wrote just before the holiday began." 4. To halt, slow down or stop, often abruptly: "He put out his hands to check hi s fall against the wall." Czech(CHEK) A native of or the language of the country of Czechoslovakia: "Even though she h ad lived in New York for many years, she still spoke Czech fluently." When he accidentally fell, the woman'sCzechcompanion managed to diminish his escent by putting out his hand; however, he had to go to a hospital for acheckup fter which he wrote a generouscheckto express his gratitude. cheek, cheeky, chic, sheik cheek(CHEEK) 1. The fleshy part of either side of the face below the eyes and between the nos e and ears: "Her father kissed his daughter on the cheek." 2. British informal: impertinent boldness, an attitude, or way of behaving that is rude and does not show proper respect: "He had the cheek to insult his hosts at the party." "She had the cheek to complain that our birthday present was cheap." cheeky(CHEE kee) Primarily British: rude and showing a lack of respect often in a way that seems playful or amusing; impertinently bold; impudent and saucy: "His cheeky humor of ten resulted in cheeky grins from the rest of us." chic(SHEEK) 1. Conforming to the current fashion; stylish: "She always wore the most chic cl othes." 2. Adopting or setting current fashions and styles; sophisticated: "This particu lar style is the height of chic this year." sheik(SHEEK, SHAYK) 1. A leader of an Arab family, village, or tribe: "We paid a visit to sheik whil e we were traveling in his village." 2. A senior official in an Islamic religious organization: "We were happy to lea rn more about Islam from the sheik." Chicrefers to the woman who is always ready to take what'sbecomingto her. Evan Esar Thecheeky sheiktried to be verychicin his manners when he kissed his guest echeek. chew, eschew chew(CHYOO) 1. To bite food and to grind it with the teeth: "Many health experts believe peo

ac

d a

on th

ple should chew their food more before they swallow it." 2. To meditate on; to ponder: "He had to chew the problem over before he could g o on the trip." eschew(es CHYOO) To avoid doing or being involved in something disliked, harmful, or is not prope r or right: "Many people eschew the violence that is going on in so many parts o f the world." There are those who are convinced that we shouldeschewthe termmasticatewhen we meanchew. chews, choose, eschews chews(CHYOOZ) Biting and grinding with the teeth: "He prefers more chews and taking more time to consume his food during his meals." choose(CHYOOZ) To select or to prefer: "How can a person choose when there are so many things a vailable?" "We are being forced to choose sides in this dispute." eschews(es CHYOOZ) To avoid something especially because a person does not think it is right or pro per: "She is a psychologist who eschews the traditional methods of psychotherapy ." Masticate is the word toeschewwhen you meanchew. Evan Esar My cousineschewsgreen beans when she has tochooseher vegetables because she does n't like the texture when shechewsthem. childish, childlike childish(CHIGHL dish) Suggesting a simplicity or immaturity befitting a very young person:"His tantrums looked childish for a person who was working at the bank." childlike(CHIGHLD lighk") Resembling behavior or attitudes compatible with the period of a person's life w hen when he or she was very young: "She had a childlike innocence about her that was appealing." Her nephew usually acted in a verychildlikemanner when he was visiting his gra ndmother; but when he threw a temper tantrum, it was morechildishthan usual. chile, chili; Chile; chili, chilli; chilly chile, chili(CHIL ee) Peppers, hot or sweet, that add a strong flavor to food such as a thick meat sau ce: "The cook used several chilli peppers to flavor the soup." chili, chilli(CHIL ee) Alternative spellings for peppers, hot or sweet, that add a strong flavor to foo d; such as, a thick meat sauce: "The cook made a delicious chilli dish using thr ee different kinds of chilli peppers." Chile(CHIL ee) A country in South American bordering on the Pacific Ocean: "For her vacation, s he wanted to go to Chile to see the famous ruins and to enjoy the fine food and wine." chilly(CHIL ee) Unpleasantly cold; lacking in warmth or feeling: "The governor gave a chilly rec eption to his opponent on the blustery, chilly day." When they were on a hiking vacation toChile, they were often verychillyin the mountains. It always felt good to stop for lunch and have a dish ofchilliwhich was spiced with several differentchillipeppers. choir, quire choir(KWIGHR) 1. An organized group of singers; especially, in a church: "I sang in the choir at my high school." "The church choir was rehearsing for next Sunday's service." 2. The part of a church where singers assemble to sing during a service or cerem

ony:"The choir was in the balcony and the members of the choir had to climb the s teps carefully before each performance." quire(KWIGHR) 1. A compilation of 24 (or 25) sheets of paper of uniform size and quality: "The publisher decided to use a quire of yellow paper when publishing the book of po etry." 2. One twentieth of a ream of paper (500 sheets of paper): "I counted out a quir e of paper when I was in the store buying paper for my printer." The music for the schoolchoirwas available in a printedquirewhich they could buy at a local store. choler, collar, color choler(KAWL uhr, KOH luhr) Hot tempered and easily provoked: "The candidate often demonstrated a choler tem per when participating in a debate." collar(KAWL uhr) 1. To get control of or to stop: "The dog catcher attempted to collar the run aw ay dog." "The police were waiting to collar the robber when he left the bank." 2. The band of cloth that finishes the neckline of a shirt or blouse: "The colla r of the shirt was stripped, to contrast with the plain cloth of the shirt." 3. Any item worn around the neck, decorative as a necklace, or serviceable; such as, part of a harness for a horse: "She wore a diamond collar around her neck, a gift from her mother." "The collar for the horse was studded with brass to create a decorative patt ern." color; British,color(KUL uhr) 1. Vividness and/or variety of language when speaking or writing: "She would oft en color her prose with startling descriptions to capture the readers attention." 2. Visual distinction of an object based on the quality of light possessing hue, chroma (purity) and brightness: "The color of the ancient vase was a deep hue o f cobalt." 3. To add distinction or vividness to a picture or writing: "The child liked to color pictures for her mother." When someone is displaying acholertemperament and thecolorof his face is turning red, we sometimes say that he is getting "hot under thecollar". I think he should take a program to learn tocollarhis temper. choral, chorale, coral, corral choral(KOHR'l, KOR uhl) Referring to a choir or chorus: "The choral group at the church met every Thursd ay evening to practice." chorale(kuh RAL) A hymn sung by the choir and congregation of a church: "J. S. Bach wrote many ch orale pieces for soloists and choirs." coral(KAWR uhl, KOR uhl) Colonial marine animals and the hard, rock-like structure, formed by such organi sms: "The pink coral in her necklace came from the coral reefs in the ocean." corral(kuh RAL) An enclosure for confining livestock; such as, horses, cattle, etc.: "The cowboy s exercised the horses in the corral every morning." For the TV program, thechoralgroup, "The Singing Cowboys", was standing in thec orralsinging achoralework which had been written for them. Their insignia was a small piece ofcoralmounted on each of their silver belt b uckles. chord, cord, cored chord(KORD) 1. At least three musical notes which are sounded simultaneously: "The piano con certo ended with a resounding chord." 2. Emotional or prevailing responsiveness: "Her comments struck a chord with her audience."

cord(KORD) 1. A long, thin material that is usually thicker than a string but thinner than a rope: "She wore the key to the house on a cord around her neck." 2. An electrical wire that is wrapped in a protective covering and used to conne ct a device to a power source: "We have to be careful that we don't get our feet entangled in the extension cord to our TV set and the lamp." 3. A part of the human body that is like a string or rope: "The body has a cord for various parts of its anatomical structure; including, a nerve cord, a spinal cord, an umbilical cord (at birth), and vocal cords, to name just a few." 4. An amount of wood that has been cut for burning in a fireplace, a stove, etc. ; and such a unit contains cut fuel wood, equal to a stack measuring 4 4 8 feet or 128 cubic feet (3.62 cubic meters): "The truck delivered a cord of wood for o ur fireplace." 5. Clothing made of corduroy material: "He was wearing a black-cord jacket and d ark blue cord pants." cored(KORD) The removal of the innermost part of such things as fruit: "She cored the pears and apples before using them in her pies and cakes." During our conversation, my cousin, who was wearing a greencordjacket decorat ed with gold braidcord, helped me as wecoredthe apples for our lunch. She remarked that the piano trio with which she plays were practicing a uniq uechordfor their upcoming concert. chute, shoot chute(SHOOT) 1. A narrow tube or passage that things and people go down or through: "We could see people sliding down a water chute." 2. An informal term forparachute: "His chute opened automatically as he dived fro m the aircraft." shoot(SHOOT) 1. To cause a bullet, arrow, etc., to move forward with great force from a weapo n: "Does this gun shoot accurately?" "Last Saturday, I tried to shoot a gun for the first time and my friend want ed to shoot an arrow at the target." 2. To kick, hit, or throw a basketball, hockey puck, etc., toward or into a goal : "You can't really play hockey if you don't have a goal to shoot at." 3. To film or to photograph something: "They want to shoot the next movie in the mountains of Colorado." 4. A part of a new plant that is just beginning to grow above the ground: "We ca n see a new shoot on each twig of the tree now that winter is over." The contestants ran down thechuteonto the soccer field where the star player t ried to kick the ball into the goal while the goalie made every effort toshootit down with his foot. The sports commentator worked hard toshootall of the action on camera for a la ter broadcast on TV. cinque, sink, sync cinque(SINGK, SANGK) The number five in cards or dice: "The roll of the dice resulted in a double cin que." sink(SINGK) 1. To descend or to move to the bottom; especially, when it moves slowly or in s tages: "You could see the rock sink down to the bottom of the pool." 2. To become lower in amount, value, etc.; or to decline or to decrease: "Just w atch, this company's stock will sink after it announces that its profits are les s than expected." 3. To do something that is morally wrong: "How could he sink to cheating like th at?" 4. A basin typically with a built in drain and water supply used for washing han ds, dishes, etc.: "He filled the sink with water to wash the breakfast dishes. sync or synch(SINGK) 1. A situation in which two or more people or things move or happen together at

the same time and speed: "You could see the dancers move in sync across the stag e." 2. A condition in which two or more people or things agree with or match one ano ther and work together properly: "Since his views are in sync with ours, we can proceed with the project." An informal abbreviation of "synchronization, synchronism", or "synchronize" , etc. The two players were insyncduring the game; however, I am afraid that their lu ck willsinkbecause an opponent had acinquein his hand. After the game, all the players went to thesinkto wash up before going out to dinner together. circle, circle circle(SUR kuhl), as a noun 1. A perfectly round shape: "The student drew a circle around the correct answer on the quiz." 2. An arrangement of people or things that forms a circumference: "The campers f ormed a circle around the campfire." circle(SUR kuhl), as a verb 1. To form a line around something: "Again, you could see the members of the cla ss circle what they thought was the correct answer." 2. To move or to go around someone or something: "The pilot had to circle the ai rport before he could land." "The pioneers had to circle their wagons so they could defend themselves bet ter if there were an attack." When we were at camp, we would sit in acircleand look up at the sky and we cou ld see the planescircleoverhead while they waited for their turn to land at the lo cal airport. That reminded me of the time when I was a child watching skywriters flying o verhead and drawingcirclesand other letters in the sky with the smoke from their p lanes. circumscribed, circumspect circumscribed(SUR kuhm skrighb'd") 1. To define a space carefully by drawing a line (literal or figurative) around a space: "The surveyor circumscribed the building lot before the purchase was fi nalized." 2. A limited size or amount of something: "The circumscribed number of officers on the Board was established by the committee." circumspect(SUR kuhm spekt") Thinking carefully about possible risks before doing or saying something: "These people are circumspect in all their business dealings." As an architect you will need to be verycircumspectin your dealings with the c ity board whose number iscircumscribedby the city council. cite, sight, site cite(SIGHT) 1. To quote as an authority or example: "It is necessary that we cite our refere nces for this information." 2. To mention or to bring forward as support, illustration, or proof: "They were required to cite several instances of insubordinate behavior by the new employe es." "The judge will cite him for contempt of court." 3. To publicly and to officially honor someone for an outstanding performance: " The mayor is going to cite the neighbor for his bravery in saving the three chil dren from the fire at their house." sight(SIGHT) 1. The act or fact of seeing someone or something: "The new house was a beautifu l sight to see." "The police were ordered to shoot the killer on sight if he showed any sign of resistance." "We caught sight of a rare bird during our trip to the island."

2. The process or function of using one's eyes to obtain information: "We used o ur sight to read the inscription on the wall of the old building." 3. The foreseeable future or a prospect: "We could see no solution in sight." 4. Mental perception or consideration: "He lost sight of the purpose of his visi t." 5. Something that is notable and worth being seen: "The view was quite a sight a nd was worth all the effort of climbing the mountain to see it." 6. Disorderly, messy: "My apartment was a sight and needed to be cleaned up befo re my mother came for a visit." site(SIGHT) 1. The place or location for a structure: "The site of the stadium is up there o n the hill and it is also a good site for the new high school." "Now we have a website which can be of great value to anyone who wants to le arn." "We chose a site for our tent and set up camp for the night." 2. To locate or to position in a specific location: "We will site the models for the new buildings in the diorama tomorrow." We had tocitethe reservation data that was sent to us from the recreation auth orities indicating that we were authorized to use thissitefor our summer camp beca use we wanted to have a beautifulsightof the lake. clack, claque clack(KLAK) To make or to cause something to make a short sharp sound or series of short sha rp sounds: "It was easy to hear theclack, clack, clackof her heels in the hall." claque(KLAK) 1. A group of people hired to applaud at a performance: "When the politician spo ke there was always a claque responding with an applause of approval." 2. A group of sycophants or fawning admirers: "A claque of apparent worshipers w ere always around the actress praising her for everything she said or did." I may be cynical but whenever I see aclaqueof people together, I always expect to hear aclack clackas if theclaquewere gossiping like a clutch of hens in the farm yard. clamber, clamor, clamour clamber(CLAM buhr, KLAM uhr) To scramble, climb, or crawl in an awkward way: "The children always clamber ove r the rocks." "We could only clamber up the steep hill." clamor(KLAM uhr) 1. To cry loudly and insistently for something: "There was a public clamor for a n arrest in the case." 2. To be loud and noisy: "The children obviously wanted to clamor around them, a nd to sing songs and laugh." clamour(KLAM uhr [chiefly British]) To ask for or to demand something in a loud way: "Fans were seen to clamour for autographs of the sports stars outside the stadium." When they tried toclamberdown the hillside, they disrupted a flock of geese, t heclamorof which could be heard for miles. A British member of the group wrote a message in his e-mail: "It was almost as if the geese were trying toclamourfor attention." classic, classical classic(KLAS ik) 1. Belonging to the highest rank or class: "She bought classic clothing during h er trip to Paris, France." 2. A literary work of ancient Greece or Rome: "Virgil was an ancient Roman autho r who wrote the classic,Aeneid, whichwe read in class." classical(KLAS i kuhl) 1. A reference to the ancient Greeks and Romans; especially, their art, architec ture, and literature: "The builder sought to imitate the classical architecture when building the garden for the count." 2. Relating to European music during the latter half of the 18th and the early 1

9th centuries: "Her preferences run to classical music; especially, that written by Chopin." When his mother went to aclassicalmusic concert, she liked to dress in a suit with a veryclassicdesign. clause, claws clause(KLAWZ) Part of a compound sentence which includes a subject and verb: "She set off the clause in her sentence with quotation marks to highlight its importance." claws(KLAWZ) Sharp nails at the end of the foot of an animal or at the end of a limb; such as , a crab: "The banquet included Alaskan crab claws as a special treat." "The eagle was carrying a rabbit in its sharp claws." The opera diva always had aclausein her contract that stipulated that she woul d be served crabclawson ice after each concert. cleave, cleave cleave(KLEEV) 1. To split something by hitting it with an object that is heavy and sharp: "Usi ng this ax, we can cleave the log." 2. To pass easily and quickly through something: "The bow of the ship can easily cleave through the water." cleave(KLEEV) 1. To stay very close to someone: "You could see the boy cleave to his mother in the shopping center." 2. To stick closely to something; usually used in a figurative sense: "His wife continued to cleave to the beliefs of her family's religious teachings." Despite the storm, the cruise ship was able tocleaveits way through the water; however, the man's wife was so frightened that he urged her tocleaveto him and h e would protect her. cleaver, clever cleaver(KLEEV ur) A heavy cutting tool with a broad blade, used by butchers for cutting up large p ieces of meat: "He used a cleaver to reduce the amount of meat on the leg of a c ow that was delivered to the butcher shop." clever(KLEV ur) 1. Skillful, adroit, dexterous with the hands and fingers: "Even as a little boy playing with blocks, he was clever with his hands." 2. Quick in thinking or learning; intelligent, quick-witted, etc.: "Some clever students started a business recycling old computers." Thecleverbutcher was able to use thecleaververy skillfully. clench, clinch clench(KLINCH) To hold or to close tightly: "He started to clench his fists when he saw that th e man was angry." "We could see him clench his teeth as he continued to look straight ahead." clinch(KLINCH) To finalize or to bring to an end: "The judge s comments appeared to clinch the ar gument between the lawyers." "Her superior work on this project should clinch her a promotion." It's a cinch that when the debater is trying toclinchhis arguments, he willclen chhis fists and pound on the table top. clew, clue clew(KLOO) A ball of yarn or thread: "In Greek Mythology, Theseus used a clew to find his w ay out of the labyrinth." Primarily British, information that leads towards the solution of a situatio n or problem: "The detective was able to use one final clew to solve the murder. " clue(KLOO) Something that serves to guide or to direct someone in the solution of a problem or mystery: "The spy provided a clue to the identity of the suspect."

In the mystery story, the inspector followed theclewof thread as aclueto findin g the culprit. click; clich, cliche; clique click(KLIK) A slight, sharp sound: "When the door shut, he could hear the lock click." clich, cliche(klee SHAY) An expression or idea that has become trite (worn out or overly used) and so is no longer original: "The speech was littered one clich after another all of which dated the speaker." "The macho cop representations of Hollywood movies have become a clich." clique(KLEEK) A small, exclusive circle or group of people: "At the local high school, the gir ls formed a special clique which only included girls with red hair." Aclicheis a remark that's right, but quitetrite. Evan Esar Thecliqueof newspaper writers often vied with each other to write articles usi ng as many differentclichsas possible, including the old knock-knock joke: Knock Knock. Who s there?Click.Clickwho?ClickClock, the mouse ran up the clock. climacteric, climactic, climatic climacteric(kli MAK tuhr ik, kligh" mak TER ik) A critical period or year in a person's life when major changes in health or for tune are thought to take place: "I have always heard that when you turn 40, you are entering the climacteric period of your life." climactic(kligh MAK tik) Relating to or constituting a climax: "The music soared towards the climactic en ding to the opera." climatic(kligh MAT ik) Influenced by or resulting from the prevailing weather conditions: "The climatic changes in global warming are affecting the polar bears in the Arctic areas." The year I turned 60 seemed to be theclimactericperiod of my life. I had reached theclimacticpoint in my career and there was nothing more to do but retire and pursue my hobby which was to study theclimaticchanges in the envir onment. climb, clime climb(KLIGHM) To rise or to move upward; especially, by using the hands and feet: "She wore he avy boots when she decided to climb the mountain." clime(KLIGHM) A shorter term forclimate: "The students said they were off to their clime class to study global warming." Some people have noticed that as theyclimbin the mountains, the vegetation is obviously influenced by theclimeand soil conditions. cloister, closure, cloture, cloister(KLOI stuhr) A place, especially a monastery or convent, devoted to religious seclusion: "Aft er her husband was killed, Roxanna chose to live in a cloister with the nuns." closure(KLOH zhuhr) 1. A feeling of finality or resolution, especially after a traumatic experience: "She decided to visit the scene of the accident to try to bring closure to her grief." 2. A bringing to an end; a conclusion: "The speaker announced that after one mor e question, he would bring closure to the meeting." cloture(KLOH chuhr) A parliamentary procedure by which debate is ended and an immediate vote is take n on the matter under discussion: "The rookie senator rose to present a motion o f cloture, thus bringing the discussion to a vote." The motion ofcloturewas approved and the next item of business for the council was theclosureof a city landmark which was a formercloisterbuilt in the previous c entury. close, close

close(CLOHZ) Bringing to an end, stopping: "After a detailed summary, she brought the discuss ion to a close." close(CLOHS) 1. Fitting tightly, little space between: "The box was packed in such a manner t hat everything was close and tightly fitted." 2. Secretive, stingy: "Scrooge in Dickens' story was very close with his money." 3. Referring to people who know each other very well and care about each other v ery much: "The two friends were very close, having gone to school together." 4. Being near or at a short distance or time away: "She was instructed not to dr ive her car so close to the one in front of her." "The time for a decision is drawing close." He thought he was gettingcloseto aclose, but he was toocloseto the door tocloseit. clothes, cloths clothes(KLOHZ) Articles for personal apparel or household use: "Her clothes were often made of cotton which meant that they could be used as cleaning clothes when they were wo rn out." cloths(KLAWTHS, KLAHTHS) Soft pliable material made of woven or synthetic fabric often adapted for a part icular purpose: "The brightly colored cloths were used to decorate the pavilion for the fair." He hung up the washclothson the line just before changing hisclothes. coal, cole, kohl coal(KOHL) A dark solid burnable substance formed by the decomposition of vegetable matter subject to airlessness, moisture, and increased pressure and heat: "The miners w orked in the coal mine, bringing up several truck loads every day to be sold." cole(KOHL) Plants of theBrassica genisincluding broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower: "The doct or told her to eat at least one cole every day as part of her diet." kohl(KOHL) A cosmetic preparation used to darken the eyelids: "The actress used kohl to emp hasize her beautiful eyes." Using an old fashionedcoal-burning stove, the exotic dancer whose eyes were o utlined withkohl, prepared a fantastic dish ofcole, using sesame seeds and oil. coarse, course coarse(KORS, KOHRS) Inferior quality, rough textured; crude: "The language the mob used was coarse a nd angry." "The carpenter used a coarse grade of sandpaper when he started the project. " course(KORS, KOHRS) 1. A path or direction of movement: "The bird watchers tracked the course of the swans when they returned for the summer." 2. Typical or normal action: "In the normal course of events, the students would start their summer vacation in July." 3. One of several parts of a meal: "The host served a delicious soup as the firs t course at the banquet." While taking thecoursein school, we often had to endurecoarseconversation from one guy who was loud in taste, manner, and mouth. The rough track caused the athletes to complain about thecoarse course. coax, cokes coax(KOHKS) To persuade or to try to persuade by flattery or persistent pleading: "The host tried to coax the author to make a speech after dinner." cokes(KOHKS) Distillations of coals which are used as fuel and in making steel: "The steel fa ctory burned large quantities of various cokes in order to produce rails for the railroads."

The factories were often trying tocoaxthecokesto heat the metals more efficientl y. collaborate, corroborate collaborate(kuh LAB uh rayt") 1. To work together, typically in an intellectual undertaking: "The scientists a greed to collaborate in their research." 2. To assist or to work with an organization of which an individual may not be a member: "The spies agreed to collaborate with the enemy which was planning to i nvade the islands." corroborate(kuh ROB uh rayt") To confirm or to provide supporting evidence or information: "The independent re search from the two scientists appeared to corroborate the cause of the disease. " The committee continued tocollaborateon their research; in fact, their most re cent findings seemed tocorroboratetheir earlier conclusions. collaboration, cooperation collaboration(kuh LAB uh ray" shuhn) 1. To work together, especially in a joint intellectual effort: "The writers wor ked in collaboration to produce the book." 2. To give help to an enemy who has invaded a person's country during a war: "He was suspected of collaboration with the enemy." cooperation(koh ahp" uh RAY shuhn) 1. The association of people or businesses for common, usually economic, benefit : "The report cited a lack of cooperation between state and local officials." "The fair was organized with the cooperation of local businesses." 2. The actions of someone who is being helpful by doing what is wanted or asked for: "Thank you for your cooperation in adding new words to this project." Thecollaborationof the students on their production ofGilbert and Sullivanwas a great example ofcooperationin their school. collage, college collage(koh LAZH, kuh LAZH) An art work created from the use of diverse materials; such as, paper, cloth, et c.: "The children worked on the winter collage as a class project." college(KOL ij) A school for education beyond preparatory or high school. Part of a larger unive rsity which offers degrees in specialized courses: "After high school, she had t o decide to which college she would apply so she could become a teacher." She went to artcollegewhere she studied with a famous artist, re-known for herc ollagestyle which incorporated parts of machines, wheels, etc. collision, collusion collision(kuh LIZH uhn) An encounter between two objects that results in an exchange or change of energy : "The traffic was snarled because of the collision between two large trucks; fo rtunately, no one was injured." collusion(kuh LOO zhuhn) A secret agreement or working together for a typically illegal purpose: "When th e oil well failed, the operators suspected a collusion between the teams of work men." "The reporter revealed the collusion between city officials and certain loca l businesses." Thecollusionof the truck drivers to secretly change the speed limit signs on t he highway almost resulted in a disastrouscollisionduring the heavy rain. colonel, kernel colonel(KUR n'l) A highly ranking member of the military or similar organization; such as, the Sa lvation Army: "After her many years of service, she was proud to have achieved t he rank of colonel." kernel(KUR n'l) 1. The soft core of a seed: "For a special treat, they popped corn which was mad e of kernels of dried corn."

2. The essence or central aspect of a thought or an idea: "There was a kernel of truth to the story that was being told by the children." Whenever our military commander wanted a very short snack, he would eat popc orn, which we referred to as "thecolonel's kernels". coma, comma coma(KOH muh) A state of deep unconsciousness typically caused by an accident or an illness: " She was found in a coma after the skiing accident." "A traumatic brain injury is the most frequent cause of a coma." "The doctors induced a coma in the patient to allow his body to recover from the severe accident." comma(KAHM uh) A punctuation mark in a sentence typically used to separate parts of a sentence or a list within a sentence: "The editor suggested the use of a comma to highlig ht the list of words, for example: cat, dog, bird, and fish." The famous author almost fell into acomawhen she discovered that her editor in serted acommain her essay without asking her permission, thus changing the entire meaning of the piece. comb, come comb(KOHM) 1. An instrument with a row of long thin teeth used for straightening or organiz ing one s hair or fibers: "She had to comb her hair after she woke up." 2. To go through carefully: "The archaeologist decided to comb the dessert, sear ching for the gold comb used by the ancient king." 3. The fleshy crown of male birds; such as, the common rooster: "The comb of the rooster became even redder when he was excited by the noise." come(KUM) To journey or to move towards something or towards a specific destination: "The map indicated that they would come to an oasis in the desert if they continued g oing in a straight line." A rooster's unruffled, abroad or at home, because he always carries acomb. Ennis Rees,Pun Fun Before he couldcomehome, his wife called him by phone and asked him to go to t he store to purchase a newcombto be used on the horse. She reminded him that it is called a currycomb. comity, committee comity(KOM i tee) A social, friendly atmosphere or relationship promoting harmony: "The comity amo ng the villagers promoted a peaceful life style which appealed to those seeking a restful holiday." committee(kuh MIT ee) A group of individuals acting together for a designated purpose; such as, to inv estigate a situation: "The committee of lawyers worked together to draft new leg islation to settle land claims." Thecommitteeacted incomitywhen they met making it a pleasantcommitteeon which to serve. command, commend command(kuh MAND) To exercise authority or domination of a situation: "The colonel was in command of the campaign to bring fresh supplies to the area." commend(kuh MEND) To praise someone or something in a serious and often public way: "He commended the finder of the wallet and its contents for her honesty in returning everythin g." The king issued acommandthat the parliament shouldcommendthe head of the univers ity for his superior leadership in educational changes. commence, comments commence(kuh MENS) To start or to begin an undertaking "In September, I will commence my college ed ucation."

comments(KAHM ents) 1. To make a statement about someone or something: "When asked about his involve ment in the scandal, he refused to comment." 2. A remark or note to explain or to criticize something: "The art critic s commen t was important to the artist because it included an approach that could improve her artistic efforts." She willcommenceher speech this afternoon with a fewcommentsabout the weather. commission, omission commission(kuh MISH uhn) 1. A written document authorizing an individual or organization to undertake a s pecific task:"The committee received a commission from the president to investiga te wrong doings." 2. A document conferring military rank or authority to an individual: "Her colon el issued a commission indicating she was now a sergeant." omission(oh MISH uhn) Something that has not been included or done: "There is still an omission of my name from the list of those who will be invited to the lecture." It was a seriousomissionthat the newspaper forgot tocommissionan article about h is newcommissionas an officer in the military reserve. common, vulgar common(KAHM uhn) 1. That which is familiar or known by the general population: "It was common kno wledge in the village that if there were no clouds in the sky, it obviously woul d not rain." 2. Falling below generally accepted standards, second rate: "Her manners appeare d to be common, suggesting she had not lived in the city for very long." vulgar(VUL guhr) 1. Crude, undeveloped, lacking in generally accepted good taste: "His speech was peppered with vulgar expressions which offended the audience." 2. Relating to the common people or the speech of common people: "The wordvulgarco mes from Latinvulgus, 'the common people, the multitude, a crowd, the throng' whi ch is why it was placed here as a comparison with the other word in this group." It iscommonknowledge that it is consideredvulgarto use profane language while ya mmering on the radio and TV. communicate, commute, compute communicate(kuh MYOO ni kayt") To exchange or to provide information in a manner that is clear and understandab le: "To help herself to communicate better in the court room, the lawyer decided to take a public speaking course." commute(kuh MYOOT) 1. To travel to and from a place in a regular fashion: "His daily commute from h ome to office took about one hour each way." 2. To change a decision or penalty to something less severe: "The courts decided to commute his sentence from the death penalty to 25 years in prison for his cr imes." compute(kuhm PYOOT) To work out an answer by mathematical means: "The accountant used an adding mach ine to compute her tax rebate." During my dailycommuteto the office, I use my computer tocomputethe answers to the budget questions. When this is done, Icommunicatemy comments and observations via e-mail to the president of the company. communication, computation communication, noun (kuh myoo" ni KAY shuhn) Information provided in a manner that may include verbal, written, or behavioral : "He studied the intern's communication skills, reviewing written memos, noting her posture, and the use of her voice." computation, noun (kahm" pyoo TAY shuhn) The act of determining, by mathematical means, the solution to a numerical probl em: "Her computation skills were exceptional, earning her praise from her mathem

atics instructor." During the quiz show, the challenge was to complete thecomputationof a compli cated formula which the contestant did. The excitement shown on her face was better than any other form ofcommunicat ionto express her feelings. compact, compact, impact compact(kuhm PAKT, KAHM pakt") 1. Closely or solidly packed with little or no extra space: "The cabin was compa ct but it was still perfectly adequate." 2. Smaller than other things of the same kind: "The camera is compact and it is still very versatile." 3. A small case in which to carry cosmetics; such as, face powder: "The movie st ar got out her compact in order to powder her nose." 4. An automobile which is smaller than a medium sized car: "In order to save gas , the couple decided to purchase a compact car, replacing their larger model." compact(KAHM pakt") An agreement or a covenant: "The knight swore a compact with his king to protect the kingdom." impact(IM pakt") 1. The act or force of one thing hitting something else: "No one could have surv ived such an impact of the large stone that came tumbling down that mountain ont o the highway." 2. To make forceful contact with: "The impact of the collusion caused the air ba gs to inflate, saving the passengers from serious injury." 3. The impression of something which may be compelling or significant: "The impa ct of the discoveries of Madam Curie revolutionized science." Thecompactbetween the automobile companies resulted in the development of seve ralcompactcar models which had a significantimpacton the economy. compellation, compilation compellation(kahm" puh LAY shuhn) The act of addressing or designating someone by name: "John Smith was the compel lation of the author of the book." compilation(kahm" puh LAY shuhn) Something, such as a set of data, a report, or an anthology, that is gathered in to a collection: "He had an extensive compilation of research data for his repor t to the government." Her aunt, Mrs. Jones bycompellation, gained academic recognition through herco mpilationofFolk Legends from the Far North. complacent, complaisant complacent(kuhm PLAY suhnt Self-satisfied and unconcerned: "The expression on his face was complacent, refl ecting his lack of concern for the situation." complaisant(kuh PLAY suhnt, kum PLAY zuhnt) Exhibiting a desire or willingness to please; cheerfully obliging: "The butler, as represented in the movies, was always complaisant, speaking cheerfully to the guests." Thecomplaisantneighbor had acomplacentlook on her face when she described the re novations of the house next door. complement, compliment complement(KOM pluh muhnt) 1. Something that completes or perfects something else: "The new hat is a great complement to her outfit." 2. The usual number or quantity of something that is needed or used: "He had a f ull complement of animals for his farm." compliment(KOM pluh muhnt) 1. A remark that says something good about someone or something: "He told her th at he admired her paintings and she returned the compliment by saying that she w as a fan of his sculptures." 2. An action that expresses admiration or approval: "When people recommend my bo ok to friends and family members, I consider that to be the best compliment I ca

n receive." I have beencomplimentedmany times and they always embarrass me; I always feel that they have not said enough. In fact, nobody has ever been bored by someone p aying him acompliment. Mark Twain The milliner'scomplimentto the customer that the new hat was the perfectcomplem entto her suit was much appreciated. The customer said she now had a fullcomplementof hats to match all of her outf its whereupon the millinercomplimentedher for making such an investment. complementary, complimentary complementary(kom" pluh MEN tuh ree, kom" pluh MEN tree) Going well together or working well together: "My wife and I have complementary objectives for the next years." complimentary(kom" pluh MEN tuh ree, kom" pluh MEN tree) 1. Expressing praise or admiration for someone or something: "They made complime ntary remarks about his singing." 2. Something which is given free of any charges: "The restaurant offers valet pa rking as a complimentary service." The restaurant and the parking lot ownership had acomplementaryrelationship b ecause the parking lot attendant would offercomplimentaryparking to the restauran t customers in exchange for the restaurant patrons completing a survey form for the parking company. complete, finished complete(kuhm PLEET) Having all the necessary parts; brought to a conclusion: "The kit was complete, having all the parts to build the model railroad car." "The department manager stated that when the report is complete, he wanted t o see it ASAP." finished(FIN ish't) 1. To terminate, to bring to an end: "The speaker finished the speech with an am using story." 2. Having reached the end of an activity, job, etc.: "He started his homework tw o hours ago and he still isn't finished." After the apprentice workersfinishedeach toy kit, the senior craftsman checked to be sure the kits werecompletebefore they were put in their designated boxes. complex, compound complex(kuhm PLEKS, KOM pleks") Complicated, a group of related items, the nature of which is not completely und erstood: "The scientist studied the complex of atoms, trying to understand what they represented." "The teacher asked her students to write an example of a complex sentence." compound(kom POUND, kuhm POUND) 1. To combine in such a manner as to create a whole or a mixture: "The druggist created a compound of several different medications to treat the rash on the pat ient's arm." 2. In banking, to pay interest on both the actual money (principal) in the bank, and the interest accrued: "The banks' policy stated that compound interest woul d be paid three times a year." The bank clerk provided a verycomplexexplanation about thecompoundinterest on h er husband's account. In fact, he got a headache and had to go to the drugstore to ask for acompou ndto ease his discomfort. The druggist used acomplexof different ingredients when making thecompound, as suring the man that the mixture would work. comprehensible, comprehensive comprehensible(kahm" pri HEN suh buhl) Understandable: "The secretary's job was to translate the manager's directives i nto comprehensible language for the workers in the factory." comprehensive(kahm" pri HEN siv) Complete, inclusive; dealing with all or many of the relevant details: "The dire

ctor stated that the new report was the most comprehensive and comprehensible on e she had ever read." In response to the request from his supervisor, the social worker prepared ac omprehensivemanual for others to follow to prepare futurecomprehensiblereports for the office. concert, consort concert(KAHN surt) A performance of music or dancing that is typically intended for the public: "Sh e decided to buy a balcony ticket in order to attend the concert on the weekend. " consort(KAHN sort") 1. To maintain an association with an individual or group: "He was pleased when he realized that his daughter liked to consort with the musicians who often put on concerts in the park." "He has indicated that he wants to consort with other writers." 2. A spouse, typically thought of as regal: "The Prince Consort often accompanie d the queen during her travels." 3. A ship accompanying another in travel: "As the oil ship was traveling through the dangerous piracy area, there was a consort ship which was prepared to prote ct the bigger one." The queen and herconsortdecided to attend aconcertin a foreign country to which they would travel by ship accompanied by aconsortship which carried all of their l uggage. concession, confession concession(kuhn SESH uhn) 1. The act of giving up something or doing something in order to reach an agreem ent: "The company was willing to make this one concession to the strikers during negotiations." 2. Something that is done because a particular situation makes it necessary or d esirable: "I take afternoon naps now as a concession to my working so late every day." confession(kuhn FESH uhn) 1. A written or oral statement acknowledging guilt, made by someone who has been accused or charged with an offense: "She went to the police station and made a full confession." 2. The act of telling others about something that makes a person embarrassed, as hamed, etc.: "I have a confession to make about not being prepared to do this as signment." 3. An avowal of belief in the doctrines of a particular faith; a creed: "He expr essed his confession of faith as a member of a group of worshipers who adhered t o the same specific creed." In hisconfessionto the police, the fraudster made oneconcessionto the truth when he admitted that he wrote the invalid checks. Thisconfessionembarrassed him because he was not accustomed to making aconcessi onin order to avoid further questioning. concise, succinct concise(kuhn SIGHS) A brief expression or statement without elaboration or detail: "The director ask ed for a concise statement of the company's financial situation." succinct(suhk SINGKT) A precise, terse, expression in a few words: "Her succinct summary at the end of the speech summed up the information." Please write asuccinctreport that will provide aconciseexplanation of the plot o f the story. condemn, contemn condemn(kuhn DEM) 1. To express strong disapproval of: "He wanted to condemn the needless waste of government money." 2. To judge or to declare to be unfit for use or consumption, usually by an offi cial order: "The official said he had to condemn the old building because it was

not safe." contemn(kuhn TEM) To view with contempt; to despise: "When he heard the speech, he could only cont emn it as inappropriate and vulgar." After listening to the evidence which the judge was inclined tocontemn, the c riminal and he agreed with the verdict from the jury which was tocondemnthe crimi nal to ten years in prison. condemnation, commendation condemnation(kon" dem NAY shuhn) A statement or expression of very strong and definite criticism or disapproval: "The government's statement was a condemnation of all acts of terrorism." commendation(kom" uhn DAY shuhn) 1. The act of praising or approving someone or something: "Their hard work deser ves commendation." 2. An official letter that praises someone publicly: "The soldier was awarded a commendation for bravery." In hiscommendationto the citizen for bravery, the mayor also issued acondemnat ionof the poor construction of the bridge which lead to the accident. condom, condone, condominium condom(KON duhm) A flexible sheath, usually made of thin rubber or latex: "A condom, to be worn b y a man, is recommended by doctors as a way to prevent a woman from becoming pre gnant or to prevent the spread of diseases." condone(kuhn DOHN) To overlook, forgive, or disregard (an offense) without protest or censure: "The dean at the university sought to condone the students activities, refusing to ca ll in the authorities." condominium(kon" duh MIN ee uhm) A building or complex in which units of property, such as apartments, are owned by individuals and common parts of the property, such as the grounds and buildin g structure, are owned jointly by the unit owners: "We were considering the purc hase of a condominium in the same building where our aunt and uncle are living." The president of thecondominiumowners association found it difficult tocondoneth e discovery ofcondomsin the stairwells. confidant, confidante, confident confidant(KAHN fi dant", KAHN fi dahnt") Someone with whom secret or confidential information may be shared: "The king s tr usted confidant was his uncle." confidante[feminine form] (KAHN fi dahnt") Female form ofconfidant: "The queen s confidante was a young woman she had known fr om childhood." confident(KAHN fi duhnt) Being sure of oneself: "Being confident is the feeling a person has before he, o r she, knows better." I amconfidentthat aconfidanteis someone who never betrays aconfidencewithout firs t imposing the strictest secrecy. Confidentis the feeling some people have before they know better. confirm, conform confirm(kuhn FURM) To establish as true that which was doubtful or uncertain; to verify: "The emplo yer was finally able to confirm the rumor about the loss of jobs." conform(kuhn FORM) To behave in a conventional way; especially, in accepting customs, traditions, o r prevailing opinions: "When we moved to a new country, we had to conform to new ways of doing things." The teacher was sure that she mustconfirmthe rules of the playground which exp ect the children toconformto the policy of not throwing baseballs outside of the p ark. confirmer, conformer confirmer(kuhn FURM uhr)

An individual or authority who can, by statement, remove doubts or questions abo ut a situation: "Her position of authority at the university made her the perfec t confirmer to dispute the rumors circulating on campus." conformer(kuhn FORM uhr) Someone who adapts to the current customs or standards; or who acts in harmony o r agreement with others: "Although he was seen as a conformer, he never lost sig ht of his integrity." The student who appeared to be from a foreign country worked hard to be seen as aconformerto campus life. The head of the dormitory where he lived acted as aconfirmerto this impression . congregation, conjugation congregation(kong" gri GAY shuhn) A body of assembled people or things; a gathering: "The priest addressed the con gregation." conjugation(kon" juh GAY shuhn) The presentation of an inflected verb form: "Part of the conjugation of the verbt o be(in the singular, present tense) is: I am, you are, he/she/it is." The final task for thecongregationof English language specialists was tocomplet ethe conjugation of several verbs in Modern and Old English. connotation, denotation connotation(kon" uh TAY shuhn) 1. An idea or meaning suggested by or associated with a word or thing: "For some people, the wordfathas a negative connotation." 2. The set of associations implied by a word in addition to its literal meaning: "The wordchildlikehas a connotation of innocence or of being a pest." denotation(dee" noh TAY shuhn) Something signified or referred to; a particular meaning of a symbol, word, or p hrase: "The word has one literal denotation but several different connotations." The meaning of thedenotationon the chart appeared to be unequivocal; however, theconnotationswere apparently unlimited. connote, denote connote(kuh NOHT) To make people think about something in addition to the word's meaning: "For me, the wordfamilywill connote love and comfort." denote(di NOHT) To mean something: "The wordderbycan denote a horse race or a kind of hat." When I see the photograph of the soldiers, it will alwaysconnotemy ancestors. To them, serving in the military was a way todenoteheroism and valor. conscience, conscientious, conscious conscience(KAHN shuhns) A knowledge or awareness of right and wrong; with a compulsion to do the right t hing: "The teacher emphasized that the students should let their conscience be t heir guide when deciding what to do." conscientious(kahn" shee EN shuhs) Made or done according to what one knows is right and showing care and precision with painstaking efforts to do something properly: "She was a conscientious rep orter, always checking her facts before writing the story." conscious(KAHN shuhs) Having a feeling or knowledge of one's own sensations, feelings, etc.; or being aware of one's external environment: "Standing on the edge of the canyon, she wa s conscious of the vast beauty of the place." Conscienceis the voice some people never hear until they are caught doing som ething wrong; while trulyconscientiouspeople are those whoseconsciencestell them to do the right thing even when they areconsciousthat they won't get caught. consecutive, successive consecutive(kuhn SEK yuh tiv) An orderly arrangement of words, objects, etc., one after another: "The young st udent surprised everyone by remembering the long list of consecutive words." successive(suhk SES iv)

Following in an uninterrupted order: "Successive generations will be grateful fo r the conservation practices of today." Thesuccessiveposition of the monarchy was orderly and uninterrupted. The heraldry of each monarch in the Great Hall was arranged inconsecutiveorde r. consequence, consequents consequence(KAHN si kwens", KAHN si kwuhns) A result, sequel, outcome, or effect: "The decrease in sales was a consequence o f some bad publicity about the company." "Some say many jobs will be lost as a consequence of the trade agreement." consequents(KAHN si kwens", KAHN si kwuhns) Following as a natural effect, result, or conclusion: "They tried to prevent an oil spill and the damage consequents it would have on wild life." "Weather forecasters predict heavy rains and the flooding consequents that w ill result." Theconsequenceof the conference on global warming was the recommendation that the weather forecasters play closer attention to theconsequentsof heavy rainfall and melting glaciers consequent, subsequent consequent(KAHN si kwent", KAHN si kwuhnt) Something that follows as a natural effect, result, or conclusion: "The company tried to prevent an oil spill and the consequent damage to wildlife." subsequentSUB si kwent", SUB si kwuhnt) Following in time or order; succeeding: "Her work had a great influence on subse quent generations." Subsequentto the announcement of the resignation of the president, theconseque ntaction of the elected representatives was to elect someone to replace him on a temporary basis. conservation, conservative, Conservative, conserve conservation(kahn" sur VAY shuhn) Preservation or restoration from loss, damage, or neglect: "The old manuscripts were saved from deterioration by the program of library conservation." conservative(kuhn SUR vuh tiv) Favoring traditional views and values; believing in the value of established and traditional practices in politics and society: "He had some rather conservative ideas about the way life should be." Conservative(kuhn SUR vuh tiv) A member or supporter of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom: "He was e lected as head of the Conservative Party in the U.K." conserve(kuhn SURV) To keep something safe from being damaged, lost, or destroyed: "With so little r ain, everyone had to conserve water so there would be enough for the essentials of life." Theconservativemembers of theConservativeParty voted to support theconservationmea sures before the parliament which would help toconservethe wild life in the parks . console, console console(kuhn SOHL) To make someone feel less sad or disappointed; to comfort: "The prayers of the c ongregation did help to console her when her parents died." console(KAHN sohl) Among other things, this word refers to an instrument panel or unit, containing the controls for operating aircraft, computers, and other electrical or electron ic systems: "The pilot sat before the console in the airplane, studying each lig ht and button carefully." Toconsoleherself for the loss of her favorite cat, she bought a homeconsolewhic h included a TV, a DVD, and a CD player which included built in speakers and a r emote control for changing the various functions. consonance, consonants

consonance(KAHN suh nuhns) Harmonious agreement among the components or parts, for example, of sounds: "The consonance of the syllables in the song was pleasing to listen to." consonants(KAHN suh nuhnts) A speech sound characterized by the constriction of one or more points along the breath channel during pronunciation: "The professor said that there are more co nsonants in the English alphabet than vowel sounds." The chairperson of the meeting announced that given theconsonanceamong us reg arding the diacritical markings forconsonants, he recommended that we adjourn for a cup of tea. construction, destruction construction(kuhn STRUK shuhn) The product of the building or creating process, using building materials, words , etc.: "The construction of the sentence consisted of both individual words and phrases." "The construction of the sky scraper started with much ceremony and speeches ." destruction(di STRUK shuhn) Ruin, the process or act of tearing something down, literally or figuratively: " The whispered scandal of her illness proved to be the destruction of her career. " "The company had a contract authorizing the complete destruction of the old building, to make way for the new sky scraper." English is an interesting language; for example, the wordraisemeans theconstru ctionof something; however the wordrazemeans thedestructionof something. contemptible, contemptuous contemptible(kuhn TEMP tuh b'l) That which is deserving of scorn; despicable: "Due to his contemptible comments about the students last year, the senator was not invited back to the graduation ceremony." contemptuous(kuhn TEMP choo uhs) Being full of contempt; scornful, disdainful of someone or something: "Her tone of voice was contemptuous, dripping with unkindness and scorn." I think it iscontemptibleof anyone who would make suchcontemptuousremarks about this fine actor. content, content content(kuhn TENT) Happy, satisfied, basic needs or desires having been met: "As a senior citizen, she was content, having worked hard for many years, she was happy to relax." content(KAHN tent) Information dealt with in a field of study which is typically outlined in the be ginning of a publication: "The information described in the Course Syllabus outl ined the content for the lecture course." I amcontentthat thecontentof this dictionary is as complete as we can make it. contentious, controversial contentious(kuhn TEN shuhs) That which may cause quarrels or worrisome disputes: "The content of her new boo k proved to be contentious among academic scholars." controversial(kahn" truh VUR shuhl, kahn" truh VUR see uhl) Information or discussion characterized by a differing of opinions among readers , participants, etc.: "The controversial topic of Round Earth or Flat Earth is t he subject of the annual meetings of the Flat Earth Society." Thecontroversialsubject of the public forum proved to becontentiousamong both t he academics and the lay people who attended. continence, continents continence(KON tuh nuhns) 1. Self-restraint, moderation: "He was glad that he had continence when he was t empted by seeing so many kinds of cakes that were available." 2. Self-control over urinary and fecal discharges: "I read that most children ha ve continence by the age of three."

continents(KON tuh nuhnts) The principal land masses of the earth; usually, regarded as including Africa, A ntarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America: "He was an anthropologist who traveled the continents of Africa and Asia to research the c ultures that exist in those places." History suggests that many nations did not exercisecontinencewhen they were co lonizing land in the variouscontinentsaround the world. continual, continuous continual(kuhn TIN yoo uhl) A frequently repeated occurrence: "The continual drumming of the rain on the tin roof was very distracting." continuous(kuhn TIN yoo uhs) An action or circumstance that continues for a period of time without being stop ped or interrupted: "When she retired, she had a record of 45 years of continuou s service in the office." Thecontinualtapping of the rain on the roof reminded me of thecontinuousnoise o f tropical birds hopping on the tin roof of my lodge in the jungle. continuance, continuation continuance(kuhn TIN yoo uhns) The postponement of the proceedings in a court to a future date: "The judge orde red the continuance of the trial for the following week." continuation(kuhn tin" yoo AY shuhn) Resuming an activity after an interruption: "The children in the class anxiously awaited the continuation of the story after lunch." Thecontinuationof the trial was scheduled for two weeks after the judge ordere d acontinuancefor health reasons. continue, resume continue(kuhn TIN yoo) To sustain a course of action or direction: "After lunch, we decided to continue our trip to the lake country." resume(ri ZOOM) To undertake an activity after an interruption: "There was considerable applause after which the speaker decided to resume his speech." After the interruption by the radio announcer, we decided toresumeour discussi on of whether we shouldcontinueour day trip to the famous cathedral or go to the l ocal pub. contract, contract contract[as a noun] (KAHN trakt") 1. An agreement between two or more parties; especially, one that is written and enforceable by law: "The contract requires him to finish this project by the en d of the year." "The company was awarded a multi-million-dollar contract to build a new cour thouse." 2. The branch of law dealing with formal agreements between parties: "He studied contract law so he could specialize in this form of legal work." 3. To make an agreement to work or to pay someone to work: "The carpenter will c ontract with them to do the work on their house." 4. To agree formally to a marriage, an alliance, etc.: "The company wanted to co ntract an alliance with a former competitor." "They will make a legal contract for the marriage to take place in June." contract[as a verb] (kuhn TRAKT) 1. To make something smaller or shorter: "He was able to contract his lips into a frown and to contract his muscles at the same time." 2. To become ill with a disease: "She apparently did indeed contract malaria whi le she was traveling in Africa." The two families agreed to sign acontractwhich would create a formalcontractbet ween them. However, thiscontractwas canceled when one of the family members appeared tocon tracta disease while traveling abroad. The whole issue of thecontractwas taken to acontractlawyer for resolution.

converge, diverge converge(kuhn VURJ) To move towards a common point or point of interest: "The two lanes of the highw ay will converge at the edge of the city." "During their discussion, the two members of the debate team realized that t heir views on the subject did in fact converge." diverge(di VURJ, digh VURJ) To move away from a common point or point of agreement: "Watching the road signs carefully, the driver noticed the lanes of the highway diverged at the intersec tion, one lane leading to the countryside." "Realizing that our thoughts would diverge on the issue of the consequence f or highway speeding, we decided to go for a cup of tea." Rather than having our travel programdivergefrom the original plan, we decided toconvergein the next town and have lunch before going on. conversion, diversion conversion(kuhn VUR zhuhn, kuhn VUR shuhn) 1. A clear and decisive decision to adopt a particular religion: "After much tho ught and prayer, he was sure his conversion to the faith of his girlfriend was t he right decision." 2. The accomplishment of a point or free throw in a sports activity; such as, Am erican Football: "The team captain kicked the ball for the conversion point, tyi ng the game, 1 to 1." diversion(di VUR zhuhn, di VUR shuhn; digh VUR zhuhn, digh VUR shuhn) A distraction from the pursuit of an activity: "The presence of chocolate candy in the kitchen proved to be a diversion from her decision to do her homework ass ignments." The player was all set to kick the ball for theconversionpoint and win the gam e when there was adiversionamong the fans in the stadium and he missed the point. convince, persuade convince(kuhn VINS) By argument or discussion to bring to a point of agreement or understanding: "Yo u will convince me of your point of view if you can show me one more research st udy." persuade(puhr SWAYD) To determine a course of action as the result of argument or pleading: "You are right, you did persuade me to come on the country drive today." If I canpersuadeyou to carry an umbrella, your argument for a walk through the park in the rain willconvinceme of your intention not to catch a cold. convulsion, revulsion convulsion(kuhn VUL shuhn) A violent or uncontrolled fit often accompanied by violent contractions of muscl es: "The doctor prescribed medication to control her tendency to have a convulsi on when anxious." revulsion(ri VUL shuhn) A negative reaction or sudden pulling away from a situation, individual, etc.: " She showed a natural revulsion to the putrid smells in the factory." When my friend accidentally had aconvulsion, she threw up. Although I could u nderstand what happened, my stomach had an instantrevulsionto the odor. coo, coup coo(KOO) To utter the typical murmuring sound of a dove or pigeon; or a similar sound: "L earning over the baby s crib, Grandmother began to coo and smile at the baby." 2. To express or to utter fondly or amorously, as with a murmuring sound: "The l overs sat on the bench in the park so they could coo and bill without interrupti on." coup(KOO) 1. A coup d'tat or the sudden overthrowing of a government; literally, "a stroke of state": "The change of government was accomplished by a coup, headed by acade mics from the university." 2. A sudden appropriation of leadership or power; a takeover: "The joining of th

e two major companies was an unexpected coup for the Board of Directors." The daughter of the union boss was pleased with thecoupby the workers during t he strike. She tried tocooher delight to her boyfriend who reciprocated. cool, cool, cool, cool, cool cool(KOOL) Neither warm nor very cold; moderately cold: "We enjoyed the fresh, cool water f lowing by our tent during a cool autumn evening in the park." cool(KOOL) Marked by calm self-control: "She was a cool negotiator during the heat of the a rgument." cool(KOOL) Referring to, relating to, or characteristic of colors; such as, blue and green, that produce the impression of coolness: "The moderate blue of the room seemed to make me feel cool and comfortable." cool(KOOL) To make less ardent, intense, or zealous: "The problems that arose tended to coo l my enthusiasm for the project." cool(KOOL) In a calm manner or a way that does not seem unusual or excited: "She didn't wan t to seem too eager, so she tried to play it cool or to pretend to be calm even though she wasn't feeling calm." Thecoolweather tended tocoolthe passions of the marchers in the parade. The marchers were waving flags of manycoolcolors which they waved in a rhythmi c andcoolway. At the end of the parade, the marchers took off their shoes and put their fe et in the pond tocooltheir feet. coolie, cooly; coolly, coulee coolie, cooly(KOO lee) A poorly paid servant, frequently associated with Asia: "In order to pay for his university classes, the young man worked as a coolie during the tourist season. " coolly(KOO lee) Impersonal, lacking in friendliness: "His gaze swept coolly over the crowd as he tried to determine their reaction to his speech." coulee(KOO lee) A typically dry ravine or small canyon or gully: "During the thunderstorm, the c oulee flooded quickly, creating a danger zone for the tourists who were there." When the railroad was being built in thecoulee, the project manager hired acoo lieto work in the kitchen. Despite his usual good manners, yesterday the project manager seemed to actco ollytowards the workers. coop; coupe, coup coop(KOOP) A small, enclosed, often crowded pen or holding space: "The flock of chickens we re kept in the clean coop in the shade of the large tree." coupe(KOOP),coup(koo PAY) A small enclosed vehicle primarily designed to carry two people which might be h orse drawn or a small automobile: "The newly engaged couple went for a drive in the park in a horse drawn coupe." When there are too many people riding in thecoupe, it can feel like an overcr owdedcoop. cops, copse, Copts cops(KAHPS) 1. A slang expression for policemen: "He yelled at the two guys in his yard sayi ng the if they didn't leave right away, he would call the cops." 2. To capture or to win: "The announcer shouted excitedly, 'The home team cops a n unexpected victory'." copse(KAHPS) A grove or planting of small trees: "A feature of the fine country estate was th e lovely copse of evergreen trees down by the lake."

Copts(KAHPS) 1. Egyptians belonging to or descended from the people of ancient or pre-Islamic Egypt: "While the number of Copts continues to increase, their percentage withi n Egypt may be slowly declining because of lower birth rates and higher emigrati on rates, in comparison with Egyptian Muslims." 2. A shortened term for members of the Coptic Church: "Copts have had to commute to distant churches or worship in hiding at different homes in Cairo, Egypt." "Restrictions in Egypt have exacerbated sectarian violence and discriminatio n, say Copts, a 2,000-year-old-denomination that comprises about ten percent of the population." Several members of theCoptsdecided to plant acopseof trees in the coulee, but fi rst they had to get permission from thecopsto do so. core, corps, corpse core(KOR, KOHR) Center, an innermost area: "The core argument was summed up by the final speaker at the conference." corps(KOR, KOHR) A group of people; literally, a "body of people": "The corps of the audience was made up of older people who had retired." corpse(KOHRPS) A dead body: "The undertaker agreed to prepare the corpse for the funeral." Thecorpsof friends gathered at the city park in thecoreof the city for a memoria l for thecorpseof their friend. corespondent, correspondent corespondent(koh" ri SPAHN duhnt) A person charged with having committed adultery with the defendant in a divorce suit: "The show girl was named as the corespondent in the famous divorce proceed ings." correspondent(kor" i SPAHN duhnt, kahr" i SPAHN duhnt) Someone employed by the print or broadcast media (TV, radio, etc.) to supply new s stories or articles: "She served as a correspondent for the local newspaper, s ending her reports via fax." The headlines of the newspaper stated that the localcorrespondentfor Internati onal News Coverage was named as thecorrespondentin the divorce case of the publish er. cornet, coronet cornet(kor NET) 1. A wind instrument of the trumpet class, having three valves operated by pisto ns: "She played a cornet solo during the band performance." 2. A cone or trumpet shaped object; such as, that which is used in cream pastrie s or some plumbing equipment: "They stopped at the bakery and bought cream corne ts." coronet(kahr" uh NET, kor" uh NET) A small crown worn by princes and princesses and by other nobles below the rank of sovereign: "His wife wore the family coronet during the reception for the que en." The baker who knew how to bakecornetsalso knew how to play thecornetwhich he di d when thecoronetwas placed on the head of the prince who was visiting and who wen t to the bakery and enjoyed several cream filledcornets. corporal, corporeal, corpulent corporal(KOR pur uhl, KOR pruhl) 1. Bodily, as physical punishment: "The teaching manual at the school indicated teachers were NOT to use corporal punishment on the students." 2. A military rank (below sergeant): "She was very proud to be appointed the fir st female corporal in her military unit." 3. A white linen cloth on which the consecrated elements are placed during the c elebration of the Eucharist: "The women of the church volunteer committee embroi dered the corporal for the priests to use at mass." corporeal(kor POH ree uhl) Having a material body (not spiritual); tangible: "The Food Bank was established

to meet the corporeal needs of the neighborhood residents." corpulent(KOR pyoo luhnt) Fat and fleshy; stout; obese: "The doctor advised his corpulent patient to lose weight for the sake of his health." Corpulenceis the survival of the fattest. Evan Esar Thecorpulent corporealdid volunteer work at the local mission helping to provi decorporealassistance to the poor. correspondence, correspondents correspondence(kor" i SPAHN duhns) Letter writing; mail, communication: "At the office, e-mail appears to be the pr imary mode of correspondence among the departments." correspondents(kor" i SPAHN duhnts) Writers, reporters, contributors of news, etc.: "She belongs to the elite group of foreign correspondents, working in Europe for her Canadian based newspaper." Thecorrespondentswere having difficulty keeping up with thecorrespondencein the office so they decided to hire an assistant. costume, custom costume(KAHS toom", KAHS tyoom") An article, or articles, of clothing: "The costume which the actor wore had been made of gold cloth." custom(KUS tuhm) 1. A long established practice: "It was the family custom to go for a walk in th e woods before dinner." 2. A duty or tax on imported and some exported goods: "He was informed at the bo rder that he could not bring the package into the country until he paid the offi cer the required custom." It is thecustomat New Years to wear an elaboratecostumeto parties. council, counsel, consul council(KOUN suhl) A group appointed or elected to make decisions: "Most cities and towns have a co uncil that governs certain areas." counsel(KOUN suhl) As a noun, an attorney; as a verb, to give advice: "His counsel (attorney) did a n excellent job of building a legal case while the social worker tried unsuccess fully to counsel the parents." consul(KAHN suhl) A government official representing a country in another country: "A new consul w as appointed last week to handle negotiations for a peace treaty." Thecounseltold theconsulwhat to say to the citycouncil. counselor, councilor counselor(KOUN suh lur) An adviser who provides guidance; usually an attorney: "The counselor prepared t he case to present to the judge." councilor(KOUN suh lur) A member of an assembly of people called together for consultation, deliberation , or discussion; such as, one which is convened to advise a governor: "My neighb or was elected to be the city councilor for this area." Thecouncilorwas elected to city hall; however, she felt unsure about all of th e issues so she hired acounselorto assist her. counter, counter, counter counter(KOUN tuhr) A piece of furniture with a flat surface that workers and customers stand on opp osite sides of when doing business in a store, restaurant, etc.: "He walked up t o the counter and ordered his food and he also put his money down on the counter ." counter(KOUN tuhr) A person or device that counts something: "The counter records how many people v isit the web site." counter(KOUN tuhr)

Something that is made or done as a defense against or in response to something else: "The government policy is intended as a counter to efforts to decrease spe nding on education." The assignedcounter, of how many customers came into the store last month, la id out his report on thecounterwhen he was discussing thecounteroffensive with his supervisor. courier, currier courier(KOOR ee ur, KUR ee ur) 1. A messenger; especially, someone on official diplomatic business: "A courier will deliver the government documents this evening." 2. Chiefly British, as a verb, to use a courier to send a message, package, etc. to a person or a place: "He will courier a package overnight to our office." currier(KUR ee ur) 1. Anyone who processes hides into leather by soaking, coloring, and who finishe s the leather after it has been tanned: "He made his living as a currier in the leather processing industry." 2. A person who grooms a horse with a currycomb: "A currier uses a square comb w ith rows of small teeth to curry or to groom (give a neat appearance to) horses. " In Medieval mythology thecurrierwas secretly thecourierfor the king and he was w orking in the villages to learn how the people felt about the king. When thecurrierhad some information to send to the king, he would hire acouriert ocourierthe message safely. courteous, polite courteous(KUR tee uhs) Demonstrating respect by good manners and behavior: "It is courteous to stand wh en the justice enters the court room." polite(puh LIGHT) Demonstrating correct social skills and manners: "Her polite manners have a cert ain polish, reflecting the education and experience she acquired when attending school." My mother taught me to always bepoliteto her friends; and as a result, they of ten told her howcourteousand charming I was. courtesy, curtsy courtesy(KUR ti see) Generosity as demonstrated by providing gifts or special privileges: "She receiv ed a ticket to the event which was given as a courtesy of her employer." curtsy, curtsey(KURT see) The act of demonstrating respect for an individual by bending one s knees and bowi ng one s head: "She practiced her curtsy in front of the mirror in anticipation of meeting the Queen of England." As acourtesyto the visiting nobility, I learned how tocurtsycorrectly. covet, covert, overt covet(KUV it) To ardently want something that another person has; to long for with envy: "When I was young, I used to covet my friend s pretty clothes." covert(KOH vurt) Concealed, hidden, disguised, secret, or surreptitious: "The head of the company received a covert threat." overt(oh VURT, OH vurt") Clearly evident: "He had an overt dislike for his new supervisor." She was veryovertin her wish tocovether grandmother's necklace; however, after r eceiving acovertthreat from another relative, she changed her mind. cow, cow cow(KOU) 1. The mature female of cattle of the genusBos: "A cow produces milk for her youn g and for people as an important food." 2. The mature female of other large animals, such as whales, elephants, or moose : "The female whale is another animal known as a cow." cow(KOU)

To frighten with threats or a show of force; to intimidate: "They were trying to cow him into silence with attacks in the press." The sharks swam around the the whalecowand her calf which certainlycowedthe you ng whale. coward, cowered coward(KOU uhrd) An individual who shows fear in the face of danger or pain: "He was a coward who deserted his family when the house caught on fire." cowered(KOU uhrd) To cringe in fear: "He cowered in his house as the wind storm blew harder." As the fearful man cringed in his house, there is no doubt that he was acowe red coward. cram; cram-cram, cramcram, xaaxaam; cramp, cramp, cramped cram(KRAM) 1. To force something into an inadequate space; to stuff: "He was trying to cram his sweater into a bag which was too small." 2. To fill or to pack tightly: "He was successful in getting his sweater to cram into a bag which was slightly bigger." 3. To eat greedily, to stuff oneself with food: "For some reason, she would cram the food into her mouth even when she had plenty of time to eat." 4. To force information into the mind, or to fill a person with information; suc h as, regarding intensive study for an examination: "They were trying to cram fo r the final exam which would take place tomorrow." For the final exam before I received my university degree, I had tocramfor an exam about thecram-cramthat grows in the desert. I had to remember the many different spellings; such as,cramcramandxaaxaam. For tunately, my memory stood me in good stead and I passed my examination. LAWYERS Cram, Cram, Cram The law's last vestige of ordeal by fire is a legal torture called the bar e xam. Run by lawyers, judges and professors, cram schools are often big business. Before becoming a federal judge, New York Lawyer Harold Medina crammed 800 stude nts for $28,000 a year. Quote from "Cram, Cram, Cram";Time; July 17, 1964. The Big Cram "While their friends played video games in pajamas or vacationed in the trop ics, a dozen sixth graders spent winter break at Elite Academy in Flushing, Quee ns, New York; memorizing word roots." "Time was ticking as they prepared to face the thing they had talked about, dreamed about and lost sleep over for much of the past year: the Hunter College High School admissions exam, a strenuous three-hour test that weeds out about 90 percent of those who take it." Excerpts compiled from "The Big Cram for Hunter High School" by Javier C. Hernandez; as seen in theNew York Times; Education Section; January 2, 2009. cram-cram, cramcram, xaaxaam(KRAM-KRAM) Plants (Cenchrus biflorus) that cover the dunes in the Sahara; especially encoun tered in the Republic of Mali which have tiny, spiky burrs: "Usually after walki ng through cram-cram and getting them stuck to your pants, it is easier just to throw the pants away rather than to try to clear them of the cram-cram burrs." Only a few kinds of hardy, thorny plants can survive the harsh conditions of the Sahel zone of West and Central Africa. The Sahel zone is sparsely vegetated with tough plants that can live for lon g periods without rain. The tiny, spiky burrs of cram-cram grasses scatter acros s the land, sticking to anything that moves. Mali in Picturesby Francesca Davis DiPiazza; Lerner Publications Company; Minneapolis, Minnesota; 2007.

The termcram-cramcomes from the Wolof termxaaxaam. The Wolof people live in Sen egal, The Gambia, and southern Mauritania; and Wolof is the native language of t his ethnic group of people. Wolof is the most widely spoken language in Senegal, spoken not only by memb ers of the Wolof ethnic group (approximately 40 percent of the population) but a lso by most other Senegalese. This information came from Dr. Karl Heinz Striedter and "Wolof language" as seen inWikipedia. First-personal experiences with cram-cram by Dr. Karl Heinz Striedter Coming back from field research in the central Sahara and going to Niamey (c apital city of Niger), our team crossed the Sahel belt (a dry zone, extending fr om Sudan in the east to Senegal in the west, and separating the Sahara from the tropical regions of western and central Africa). At lunchtime we stopped some 10 0 meters away from the road in the thinning shadow of an acacia tree. After lunch, and a short siesta, we decided to have a look at a strange banc o (or banko) ruin we had seen when arriving; however, to go there, we had to cro ss a vast field of cram-cram which had in this season a bright yellowish color. In western Africa, the construction of very large buildings often includes banco ; such as, the great mosque of Djenn (a historically and commercially important s mall city in the Niger Inland Delta of central Mali). Bancois an African term for mud (local earth/clay plus water) mixed with stra w and/or husks of cereals (plus cow dung which hardens to a smooth solid and is used for coating walls and ceilings). The architecture which utilizes banco mudbricks is found in the whole Sahel zone of Africa, but it also exists in other parts of Africa and in additional ar eas of the world. It has excellent cooling properties for the living areas of th ose who exist in high-temperature conditions. At any rate, a colleague, having lived for some time in the Niger republic, warned me about the very unpleasant peculiarities of the seeds of the cram-cram plant, which dig their claws into any cloth and skin, and the unimaginable probl ems to get them off. So we looked for a path which was already made by a man or an animal. Although there were many paths going in various directions in the field, non e of them could keep us from being grabbed by the multitudes of cram-cram as the y extended their seed pods with their tiny hooks into any moving creature that m oved through the trails. The only rational being, my friend's dog, evidently with some relevant exper iences, while barking refused to cross into the field of cram-cram. My friend ha d to carry his canine friend well above the threatening plants. Later, while continuing on with our drive to Niamey, I felt an extreme itchi ng on my feet and legs; which was so bad that I had to pull my socks off. Finall y, no matter how much I washed the socks, I still couldn't get rid of the thorny cram-cram, so I threw them away. My trousers were not as bad as the socks, so, I gave them to someone who was not as sensitive to cram-cram as I was. This testimony about cram-cram was shared especially for this page by Dr. Karl Heinz Striedter, Ph.D. in anthropology; a former research fellow of the Frobenius Institute at the University of Frankfu rt; who was doing research in the Republic of Niger in 1987-1991, a landlocked republic in western Africa; which achieved independence from France in 1960. cramp(KRAMP) 1. An involuntary, sudden, painful muscular contraction; such as, in a leg, ofte n caused by a strain or a sudden chill: "Too often, I wake up with a cramp in ea ch leg." 2. A paralysis of local muscles caused by continued over exertion: "He developed writer's cramp in his hands because he would not stop for a rest." 3. To prevent someone from behaving or expressing his or her emotions and though

ts freely: "She felt as if the school's strict rule of not talking unless called upon by the teacher would cramp her desire to express herself." cramp(KRAMP) 1. An iron bar bent at both ends, used to bind two stones, various timbers, etc. , together: "The man was able to hold the two large stones together with a cramp ." 2. An adjustable frame in which pieces may be held or forced together, as when m aking a joint; a clamp: "The carpenter used a cramp, or two, to make the window frames." 3. To press or to confine something into a space: "In order to get a ride in the small car, she had to cramp herself into it." cramped(KRAMP't) 1. Not having enough space to move freely or feeling crowded and uncomfortable: "Because of the winter storm, several people were cramped inside the tiny cabin. " 2. Small and having parts too close together: "It's impossible to read her cramp ed handwriting." Hercrampedhandwriting described thecrampshe experienced when she was traveling o n the subway which was socrampedthat she had tocrampherself into a corner. crane, cranes; crane, cranes crane(KRAYN),cranes(KRAYNz), nouns 1. Any of various large wading birds of the family Gruidae, having long necks, l ong legs, and long beaks that live near water; such as, swamps or rivers: "It wa s interesting to see the cranes as they were trying to catch fish in the marshes ." 2. A machine for hoisting and moving heavy objects by means of cables attached t o a movable boom: "There were several cranes working on the construction of the new hotel." crane(KRAYN),cranes(KRAYNz), verb To stretch one's neck toward something for a better view: "We had to crane our n ecks to see the movie star as he walked on the sidewalk in our direction." There is a big difference betweencranesthat fly andcraneswhich are used for lift ing and moving heavy materials despite the fact that both types are involved in the construction of something; for example, those that build nests and those whi ch help in building various structures. crape, crepe crape(KRAYP) An arm band of dark cloth, often worn on one s sleeve, as a sign of mourning: "Whi le deciding to attend the funeral of his friend, the man thought about wearing a crape on his left sleeve as well as on his hat." crepe(KRAYP) Woven fabric that has a slight crinkly appearance: "The shop attendant stated th at the crepe came in several colors for spring." The darkcrepewhich I bought at the store will be used to make acrapeto wear to the memorial service for my former boss. crawl, trawl crawl(KRAHL) 1. To move in a slow manner as in traffic or by moving on one's hands and knees: "The traffic slowed to a crawl which was so slow we all joked that we could cra wl faster on our hands and knees." 2. While swimming, to move forward in water using an over arm stroke with one's arms and flutter kicking with one's feet: "The boy won several prizes for his pr owess in the crawl during the swim meet." 3. In the fishing industry, a confined space in shallow water for such crops as lobster: "The fishing community protected the lobsters in the crawl from illegal fishers." trawl(TRAHL) A method of fishing using a large cone shaped net which is dragged through the w ater, catching whatever is in the area: "There are many organizations who oppose trawl fishing because of the destruction of endangered species."

From the shore, we watched the boattrawlfor fish and it seemed tocrawlat a slow pace probably because it was passing through acrawlfor lobsters before moving int o the open sea. creak, creek creak(KREEK) A reference to a particular kind of grating or squeaking sound: "We could hear t he door creak as someone was walking in the hall with creaking shoes." creek(KREEK, KRIK) A very small stream which is often a shallow or intermittent tributary to a rive r: "When I was a boy, my brother and I used to go to a creek where we would sein e or fish with a small net to catch some tiny fish to put in our aquarium." Down by thecreekwas an old house and we noticed that when the door was opened, it seemed tocreakas if it hadn't been opened in a long time. crease; creese, kris crease(KREES) A mark in fabric that is the result of folding the material along a line: "The c leaners used a special iron to make the crease on the suit pants." creese, kris(KREES) A snake shaped dagger of Indonesian or Malay origin: "The tourist bought a kris, or creese, at the market as a souvenir but the officials at the airport told hi m to pack the dagger in his checked baggage." Thecreasein his trousers was as sharp as the blade of acreeseorkris. credible, creditable, credulity, credulous credible(KRED uh buhl) Believable, capable of being believed, or worthy of confidence; reliable: "Durin g the trial, she was presented as a credible witness for the defence." creditable(KRED i tuh buhl) Worthy of credit or praise for doing something: "Winning the spelling match was the result of the creditable performanceby all the students." credulity(kri DOO li tee) A tendency to believe too readily: "The police captain questioned the credulity of the new officer during the investigation of the crime." credulous(KREJ oo luhs) Inclined to believe almost anything; gullible; naive: "The credulous behavior of the young man who had just moved to the city suggested he was naive." With the appearance ofcredulousbehavior, the young woman told acrediblestory of the school competition during which the students gave acreditableperformance of a mystery play which stretched thecredulityof the audience. crevasse, crevice crevasse(kri VAHS) A large, deep fissure; especially, in a glacier: "The exploration team moved car efully over the glacier, watching for any existing dangerous crevasse." crevice(KREV is) A narrow split or crack: "It always amazes me that flowers in the desert grow wi thin almost any crevice in rocks." The determined tree grew from thecreviceof the rocks on the side of the mounta in; however, further up there was a glacier and nothing could grow in itscrevasse . crews, cruise crews(KROOZ) 1. Groups of people working together: "The workers were sent out in separate cre ws." 2. Personnel on two ships, or aircrafts, who assist in the operations of the cra fts which may or may not include officers: "Will both of the crews of the ships be ready to depart tomorrow?" cruise(KROOZ) 1. To sail or to travel about for pleasure: "We really enjoyed our cruise from L os Angeles to Mexico last year." 2. To travel at a speed providing maximum operating efficiency for a sustained p

eriod: "The bus will cruise at a maximum speed, not in excess of the posted spee d limit, unless there is a traffic problem ahead." Groups of sailors on ocean ships that carry passengers are known ascruise cr ews. criterion(s), criteria(pl) criterion(krigh TIR ee uhn) The basis or standard upon which a judgment may be made: "The young woman was ad amant about her criterion that a good husband must be loving and honest." criteria(krigh TIR ee uh) Things that are used as reasons for making judgments or decisions: "What were th e criteria used to choose the winner of the writing contest?" There were severalcriteriafor choosing a winner in the writing competition. Onecriterionwas that there be clarity of prose in the compositions. critic, critique critic(KRIT ik) 1. Someone who forms and expresses judgments of the merits, faults, value, or tr uth of a matter: "He is his own worst critic when it comes to analyzing his writ ing." 2. A person who specializes especially professionally in the evaluation and appr eciation of literary or artistic works: "George Bernard Shaw worked as a theater critic before developing his drama writing career." 3. Any one who tends to make harsh or carping judgments; a faultfinder: "Accordi ng to an article in the paper, a mother-in-law is often described as a critic of the marriage partner of her child." critique(kri TEEK) 1. An evaluation by using a review or commentary, especially one dealing with wo rks of art or literature: "The critique of the new play in the morning paper was very positive." 2. A crucial or decisive discussion of a specified topic: "During the course of the dinner, they engaged in a wide ranging critique of the new policies at the u niversity." Thecritiqueof the concert appeared in the paper this morning under the by line of the famouscriticwhose face in the picture at the top of the column was always obscured. croak, crock croak(KROHK) 1. A harsh, rough sounding voice or sound: "By the end of the exciting game, her voice was just a croak because of her excessive cheering and yelling." 2. A slang term for death or dying: "He had a heart attack that caused him to cr oak." crock(KRAHK) 1. A pot or jar made of baked clay: "When we went to the restaurant, we had chil i served in a crock." 2. An old, ill, or unhappy person: "Her neighbor is an old crock who complains a bout everything." The clerk at the bank who was such an offensivecrockapparentlycroakedlast week. crochet, croquet, croquette crochet(kroh SHAY) A form of needlework: "Her grandmother gave her several pieces of laced crochet work as a birthday gift." croquet(kroh KAY) A lawn game using mallets, wooden balls, and wickets: "Croquet was considered a very genteel game for children during the 1900's." croquette(kroh KET) A fried mass of mince (chopped) meat, fish, and/or vegetables: "The menu at the restaurant featured a croquette specialty." After we played a game ofcroqueton the lawn, we went into the restaurant and o rdered acroquettefor dinner. I was impressed with the decor of the restaurant because there was a beautif

ul piece ofcrochetwork in the center of each table. crop, crop crop(KRAHP), nouns 1. A plant or plant product that is grown by farmers: "The apple crop is better now than it was last year." 2. An area in the throat of a bird-like creatures or insects; for example, ants, where food is stored for a time: "An ant has a crop where liquid food can be st ored and from which it can be passed on to nest mates by regurgitation." "A crop is a pouch-like enlargement of a bird's gullet in which food is part ially digested or stored for regurgitation to nestlings." 3. A short and thick quantity of hair on a person's head: "He has a thick crop o f red, curly hair." crop(KRAHP), verbs 1. To cut off the upper or outer parts of something: "It is necessary that a bar ber will crop his hair before it gets any longer and we also need to crop the he dge for the same reason." 2. To cut off part of a picture or photograph: "They had to crop the photograph so it could fit into the frame." I noticed in the photograph album there was a photograph of thecropof barley f rom last year. The picture was a panorama which someone had tried tocropto fit the page. cross, cross cross(KRAHS) 1. An upright post with a transverse piece near the top, on which condemned pers ons were executed in ancient times: "In ancient history, thieves were often hung on a cross to die a slow death." 2. A mark or pattern formed by the intersection of two lines, especially such a mark (X) used as a signature: "Because she never went to school, she had not lea rned to write, so her signature was a carefulcross on the paper." cross(KRAHS) Showing anger or ill humor; being annoyed: "After the vase had been broken, the little girl cried to her mother, 'Please, don't be cross at me, I am sorry'." Please don t becrosswith me. I injured my hand and I can only make acrosson the p aper instead of my usual signature. cry, cry cry(KRIGH) To sob or to shed tears because of grief, sorrow, or pain; to weep: "After her f avorite cat died, she went to her room to cry in private." cry(KRIGH) To call out loudly or to shout: "She fell and injured her leg, causing her to cr y out for help." When I was lost in the woods, I stopped frequently tocryout or to shout for he lp. Apparently no one could hear me, so I started tocrybecause I was afraid I woul d never get out alive. cubical, cubicle cubical(KYOO bi kuhl) The shape of a cube, having identical measurements in all dimensions: "The cubic al shaped blocks had the alphabet printed on them so the children can pretend to spell words." cubicle(KYOO bi kuhl) A space in a large room that is partitioned off, often to ensure privacy: "Each of the workers was assigned to a cubicle, complete with a computer, file cabinet , and telephone." In the privacy of hiscubicle, the professor tried to discover a different use for an object with acubicalshape. cue, queue cue(KYOO) 1. A rod or "stick" used to propel or to move a ball in the game of pool or bill iards: "The billiard player sighted down his cue, determining the best angle at which to strike the ball."

2. A prompt or signal to do something: "The actress did not need a single cue du ring her performance of the long play." queue(KYOO) 1. Primarily British, a line of people or vehicles waiting their turns: "We stoo d in a queue at the bank, waiting for a teller to help us." 2. In computer science, a sequence of storage computer data awaiting processing: "Three jobs remain in the printer queue." 3. A pendent (dangling, hanging, or suspended) braid of hair on the back of the head; a pigtail: "She wore a long blond queue of hair which helped her endure th e heat of the day." We stood in aqueuein front of the billiard parlor waiting for acuethat there was acueavailable for each of us with a table so we could go in to play. curb, curb curb(KURB) As a noun, a raised paving or concrete border or row of joined stones forming pa rt of a gutter along the edge of a street: "The car drove into the parking space , stopping when the front tires bumped against the curb." curb(KURB) As a verb, to restrain or to control as if with a curb; to rein in: "When he got very angry, his father had to remind himself to curb his temper so he wouldn't get a headache." Walking down the street, I tripped on thecurb. This really upset me so I had to remind myself to breathe deeply so I couldcurbmy anxiety because I could have b roken my foot. cure, cur cure(KYOOR) 1. To restore a sick person or animal to health: "The doctor will try to cure he r with a new series of medicines." 2. To bring an end to an illness, disorder, or injury by medical treatment: "It isn't easy to find a cure for this disease." 3. To preserve food; especially, meat or fish, usually by smoking, drying, or sa lting it, or to be preserved by one of these methods: "The farmer will cure the pork for the restaurants." cur(kyoo RAY, kyoor RAY) A parish priest: "After the church service, we wanted to see the cur." The localcuroften worked with the local doctor to helpcurethe ill parishioners. The parishioners would take food staples to thecur, promising tocurea ham for h im later in the winter. curious, curious curious(KYOOR ee uhs) Unduly inquisitive; prying: "The boys became very curious when they saw the girl s whispering in the corner." curious(KYOOR ee uhs) Arousing interest because of novelty or strangeness: "Did you ever see such a cu rious stone as this one?" They werecuriousabout thecuriousstone structure which they found on the hillside so they took a photograph of it to the university lab for analysis. currant, current currant(KUR uhnt) A small red, black, or white berry that is often used in making jams and jellies : "The currant bushes in the garden produced enough fruit to make several jars o f preserves." current(KUR uhnt) 1. Generally accepted; happening in the present time: "In class, the students sh ared the current events which they had read in the newspaper." 2. The swift flow or movement of water: "The current in the center of the river was very strong." Thecurrantbushes grew next to the rivercurrentwhich was helpful in washing the b erries when we were harvesting them. cursed, cursed

cursed(KUR sid, KURST) To swear or to speak by using vulgar language: "When he became upset, he cursed in the foreign language he had learned as a child." cursed, curst(KURST) Seen as deserving of prayer or invocation for harm: "On days when everything wen t wrong, she felt she was cursed by the gods!" My unclecursedbecause something went wrong and he felt he wascurstby the fates on this particular day. customer, costumer costumer(KOS too" muhr, KOS tyoo" muhr) An individual who makes, buys, or sells the clothing used by actors, etc. for dr essing differently than normal: "The actors went to the costumer to get the righ t clothing for the part in the new play." customer(KUS tuh muhr) An individual who buys a service or item(s): "She was a good customer at the sto re, always buying her books from them." Thecustomerwent to the shop to talk with thecostumerabout thecostumeswhich were n eeded for thecostumeparty. cyclone, hurricane, tornado cyclone(SIGH klohn") A storm or wind system that blows in a rapid, circular fashion (clockwise in the southern hemisphere; counter clockwise in the northern hemisphere) and often ac companied by rain: "She planned her vacation so she could avoid the cyclone seas on because she didn't enjoy such rain storms." hurricane(HUR i kayn") Typically a tropical storm accompanied by high winds, thunder, lightening, and r ain: "It took the city years to recover from the damage caused by the hurricane. " tornado(tohr NAY doh) A violent windstorm accompanied by a funnel shaped cloud that moves across the l and: "The radio posted tornado warnings to alert the people of the risks of such a storm." While she was holed up in thetornadoshelter, my cousin speculated which would be worse; to be caught in ahurricaneor acyclonebecause both were typically accompani ed by torrents of rain. cygnet, signet cygnet(SIG nit, SIG nuht) A young swan: "We saw a mother swan with just one cygnet." signet(SIG nit, SIG nuht) 1. A seal; especially, as used on a document often one which is engraved on a ri ng: "The king used sealing wax to press his signet on the letter." 2. An impression made with a seal: "The signet was unbroken, assuring the reader no one had pried into the contents of the letter." I noticed the ring which he used for asignethad acygnetworked into the design wh ich made a handsome waxsigneton the letters which were being sent. cymbal, symbol cymbal(SIM buhl) A percussion instrument consisting of a concave brass plate that makes a loud cl ashing tone when hit with a drumstick or when used in pairs: "The symphony came to an end with a resounding clash of the cymbals." symbol(SIM buhl) 1. Something that represents something else by association, resemblance, or conv ention, especially a material object used to represent something invisible: "Whi le discussing the planets, the teacher used an orange as a symbol for the sun an d small rubber balls as symbols for the planets." 2. In psychology, an object or image that an individual unconsciously uses to re present repressed thoughts, feelings, or impulses: "The tall tree was a symbol f or the patient representing strength and independence." There were directionalsymbolsposted in the auditorium. I noticed that thesymbolf or QUIET was a pair ofcymbalswith a line stroked through them.

cypress, Cyprus cypress(SIGH pris) One of a number of evergreen trees that have leaves which overlap like scales: " In the warm climate, the cypress trees grew dark and green on the hillsides." Cyprus(SIGH pruhs) An island in the Mediterranean Sea: "They planned to spend their summer holidays on the Island of Cyprus." My friend, who grew up on the island ofCyprus, told me that the island was on ce covered withcypresstrees and that reforestation efforts were being undertaken t o bring them back. daffynition, fictionary, lexicomedy daffynition(daf" uh NISH uhn) A combination ofdaffyanddefinitionreferring to funny definitions and word play: "At the very minimum, a daffynition is a humorous way to consider the meanings of wo rds." * questionable: what Cain did when he was curious about what his brother Abel wa s so upset about. * outlying: where your prevaricating son is now. * laplander: anyone who can't keep his, or her, balance in a crowded subway. * gruesome: how they got their fresh vegetables. * groan: a fully matured person. * aspen: a donkey coral. * abdication: giving up on stomach exercises. * dictionary: the only place where "divorce" comes before "marriage". * gossip: a news source from one person based on a series of contributers. * jury: a panel of twelve untrained in law who are asked to render their legal d ecisions. fictionary(FIK chuhn airy) A composition of fake, or make-believe, definitions from "fiction" and the last part of "dictionary": "There are those who believe that "daffynition" and "ficti onary" are synonymous." * glazing: sleeping with the eyes open, a popular pastime at conferences and ear ly-morning meetings. * sarchasm: The gulf between the person being sarcastic and the person who doesn 't understand what it means. * keystroke: when only one side of the computer keyboard is working. * legend (leg-end): the foot or where the foot is located. * information (in formation): how military aircraft fly. lexicomedy(lex" i KOM uhdi) A source of facetious or humorous definitions or a publication that is always ch anging the subject on every page: "Another source of off-beat definitions can be found in lexicomedy presentations." * diet: a form of wishful shrinking. * dieting: corporal downsizing. * dieting: life in thefast[fasting] lane. I bought a new dictionary which was really afictionaryalthough it pretended to be scholarly; I laughed when I read the definition ofdaffynitionand then wrote t o my sister aboutdietingwhile she was driving her sports car "in the fast (fasting ) lane". I included a P.S. in my letter to explain thelexicomedyreference. dairy, diary dairy(DAIR ee) Milk or a milk-products-producing enterprise; a milk store: "Excuse me,will you d irect me to the dairy section of your store because I would like to buy some mil k." diary(DIGH uh ree) A daily record written about by someone about his/her life: "For her birthday, s he received a diary, a book in which she could write about the events of her lif e."

"She wrote regularly in her diary while she was traveling in Europe." Adiaryis the confidant that doesn't talk [but it can be very revealing if it f alls into another person's hands]. Evan Esar I wrote my in mydiaryabout the class trip to visit thedairyand what we learned a bout milk production. dam, damn dam(DAM) 1. A construction of earth, concrete, etc. which is meant to control a body of w ater: "The dam was built to control the flow of the river, unfortunately it is a lso endangering many buildings on the nearby land." 2. A female parent which is a reference to a quadruped: "The racing sheet explai ned that Daisy was the dam of the winning horse, Tulip." damn(DAM) 1. To condemn to eternal punishment, to doom: "Some people believe that morale m isconduct by those who commit such acts will damn them to eternal punishment." 2. Used to express anger, irritation, contempt, or disappointment: "When I hit m y finger with the hammer, I shouted,damn!and then I painfully went to get a bandag e." 3. To condemn as injurious, illegal, or immoral: "The speaker continued to damn drugs, alcohol, and smoking as destructive to the well-being of society." Damis a word that means to "hold back", but it has the opposite meaning if th e letternis added. Evan Esar When thedambroke and the water flooded the valley, the engineer who was riding thedamof a famous race horse, muttered, "Damn, I hope they don'tdamnthe future reco nstruction of adamon this river"; and so, he started to plan to rebuild anotherdam. dammed, damned dammed(DAM'd) Held or kept back; for example, by dirt or concrete banks: "The river was dammed so the water could be kept in place for use by the people." damned(DAM'd) Condemned, criticized, or cursed: "The preacher damned evil doers to Hell." Our friend said that shedammedher anger when she heard the preacher say we wer edamnedbecause we went dancing on Sunday. damp, dank damp(DAMP) 1. Moisture in the air; humidity: "It was hard to dry the laundry because the ai r was too damp." 2. Somewhat or slightly wet: "As her forehead was damp with perspiration, she ur ged her son to help her wipe up the mess of broken eggs on the kitchen floor wit h a damp cloth." dank(DANGK) Disagreeably damp, humid, or very moist: "Whenever it is dank, we can be sure th at it is a result of a rainy, humid, or foggy condition." While the woman was cleaning thedankbasement, her forehead became verydampwith p erspiration so she wiped it with adampcloth. After a while, the cloth becamedankand she had to replace it with another dry cloth. Dane, deign Dane(DAYN) An individual who lives in or is from Denmark, a country in Scandinavia: "Hans C hristian Anderson was a famous Dane who wrote fairy tales for children." deign(DAYN) To put aside the privileges of rank or position in a very condescending, superio r manner; that is, to lower oneself to do something that one considers to be bel ow his or her dignity: "Despite his misgivings, the mayor did deign to speak to the crowd at the tavern." The mayor who was aDaneby ancestry announced that he woulddeignthe offer to run for another term of office.

dangle, tangle dangle(DANG guhl) To hang about in an uncertain manner; to hang something in a manner that allows it to swing freely: "The dog's owner attempted to dangle a bone in front of the dog to make him do tricks." "She tried to dangle her feet in the water as she sat on the edge of the swi mming pool." tangle(TANG guhl) 1. A confused or bewildering situation: "He was about to tangle himself up in le gal problems." 2. A scrambled mess of something: "The string was all in a tangle and could not be undone." Oh, what atangleof confusion we create when we try to do too many things at on ce; like, trying todangleour feet in the water of our swimming pool while playing with our dog whose leash was in atanglebecause he was chasing the bone which we tr ied todanglein front of him. days, daze days(DAYZ) The periods of light between sunrises and sunsets: "For some reason, summer days are more desired than winter days." daze(DAYZ) A stunned or bewildered condition: "He left the science class in a daze more tha n he had anticipated." For some people, too often schooldaysresult in schooldaze. deadly, deathly deadly(DED lee) 1. Causing or able to cause death: "Some of the people had a more deadly form of the disease that was spreading throughout the world." 2. Extremely accurate and effective: "He had a deadly aim with his bow and arrow ." 3. Extreme or complete: "A deadly silence followed his question to the audience. " deathly(DETH lee) 1. Suggestive of the cessation of life: "Her face had a deathly pallor as the re sult of having thought she saw a ghost." 2. In a way that is close to death or dying: "He became deathly ill." My face became adeathlypale when I listened to the reports of thedeadlyeffect o f the avalanche on the mountain village. dear, deer dear(DEER) 1. Expensive, loved, or precious: "The jewelry which she inherited from her gran dmother was very dear to her." 2. With love and respect: "She lost her family, her home; everything that she he ld dear." 3. Used when writing to address someone; such as, in a letter: "Dear Sir, Dear J ane, etc." deer(DEER) A cud-chewing, herbivorous, hoofed quadruped: "The hikers saw a herd of deer in the meadow." When Santa Claus wanted to remind his flying reindeer to get ready to pull h is sleigh and to help him deliver Christmas gifts, he sent a common message to h is team starting with"Dear deer". A beloved buck, or doe, is adear deer. dearth, death dearth(DURTH) A scarce supply; a lack of, not having enough of something: "The dearth of uncen sored, firsthand information about the war is a concern of many leaders." "There is a dearth of food in many parts of the world." Go to this page for more details aboutdearth. death(DETH)

The act of dying; the termination of life: "His sudden death at such a young age was very disturbing to his parents." "She worked at the newspaper until her death at the age of 75." When I worked for a newspaper, I often noticed adearthofdeathnotices on certain days of the week. debar, disbar debar(dee BAHR) A circumstance that would prevent something from happening: "Being born in a for eign country would debar the candidate from running for President of the U.S." disbar(dis BAHR) To remove the status and privileges and obligations of someone who was a legal p ractitioner: "Not paying his traffic fines served to disbar the lawyer so he cou ld no longer practice law." "Her unethical practices were sufficient reasons to disbar her." The fact that she was born in a foreign country served todebarher from applyin g for the position; however, it did notdisbarher from practicing medicine. decadence, decadents decadence(DEK uh duhns, di KAYD ns) 1. Behavior that shows low morals and an excessive love of worldly pleasure, mon ey, fame, etc.: "The book condemns the decadence of modern society." 2. The characteristic of being artificial or lacking in quality: "The court dand y demonstrated decadence in his dress and manner." decadents(DEK uh duhns, di KAYD ns) Those who are described as having low morals and who are only interested in phys ical or worldly pleasures: "The book condemns some of society's wealthiest membe rs as decadent fools." In the latest movie about the Revolution, thedecadenceof the aristocraticdecade ntswas portrayed realistically. decease, disease decease(di SEES) To die, cease living; death: "The newspaper carried an article clarifying the de cease of the popular doctor." disease(di ZEEZ) A condition that impairs the full and healthy functioning of an animal or plant: "The crops in the field appeared to be dying of a disease which was turning the leaves brown." Thedeceaseof the popular musician was caused by a very unusualdisease. deceased, diseased deceased(di SEES't, di SEEST) Dead; no longer living: "The minister asked that everyone spend a quiet moment t hinking of their deceased friend." "Is your grandfather alive or deceased?" diseased(di ZEEZ'd, di ZEEZD) Ill, sick; a condition that prevents the body or mind from working normally: "Th e doctor determined his patient was diseased based on the spots appearing on his chest." The doctor reported that thedeceasedhad beendiseasedfor several years before dyi ng. decent, descent, dissent decent(DEE suhnt) Suitable, fit, or proper: "They were on strike for decent wages." descent(di SENT) 1. The act of going down; a downward drop: "The hikers found that their descent was very treacherous because of the loose rocks and tree limbs on the path." 2. A downward incline or passage; a slope: "The hikers found the descent on the mountain trail very dangerous because of the loose rocks." dissent(di SENT) 1. As anoun, a disagreement: "The fact they had an occasional dissent, and did no t see eye to eye on some subjects, did not spoil their friendship." 2. As averb, to disagree, to contradict, to differ in opinion or feeling, or to w

rangle: "During the debate among candidates, they often would dissent and contra dict each other." "The two members of government would often dissent with each other about leg al matters; however, they continued to be friends." I woredecentclimbing clothes for the challengingdescentof the mountain and I cer tainly didn'tdissentwith my friend's opinion that it was very scary at times. decertification, desertification decertification(dee SUHR tuh fuh kay" shuhn) 1. A procedure under which (1) employees of a firm can disassociate themselves f rom a specific union, or (2) a company can withdraw a union's official recogniti on as the exclusive bargaining representative of the firm's employees: "The auto mobile company may have to use decertification of unions in order to cut down on operational expenses." 2. A process that causes something to be no longer approved or accepted: "The go vernment had to use decertification of the agency because it was not performing its functions as intended". desertification(di zur" tuh fi KAY shuhn) 1. A process by which an area changes to, or becomes, a desert: "We must be awar e of further desertification of our western land areas." 2. The rapid depletion of plant life and the loss of topsoil at desert boundarie s and in semiarid regions; usually, caused by a combination of drought and the o verexploitation of grasses and other vegetation by people: "The international or ganization was praised for its efforts to prevent further desertification in Afr ica." Thedecertificationof the land management company came about because of thedeser tificationof the rich farm land as a result of mismanagement of water resources. decimate, demolish, destroy decimate(DES uh mayt") 1. To eliminate or to get rid of a large number of (plants, animals, people, etc .): "If we do not get rain soon, it will decimate our crops." 2. To severely damage or destroy a large part of something: "The government's bu dget cuts will decimate public services in many small towns." demolish(di MAHL ish) 1. To eliminate credibility: "The gossip in the office threatened to demolish th e reputation of the manager." 2. To break up into pieces or to tear down: "The construction company used large equipment to demolish the abandoned building." "They will demolish the old factory to make way for a new parking lot and a large quantity of explosives were used to demolish it." destroy(di STROI) To spoil or ruin the condition of an object: "Flooding in the basement will dest roy the furniture that is stored there." I plan todemolishthe old shed in the back. I know it willdestroythe home of a co lony of raccoons; in fact, it will actuallydecimatetheir numbers in the neighbourh ood. decisive, incisive decisive(di SIGH siv) 1. Being able to make or formulate solutions or answers to a situation: "Part of his job was to take decisive actions in difficult situations." 2. Causing something to end in a particular way: "The poverty of his childhood p layed a decisive role in his adult life." incisive(in SIGH siv) 1. Clear, direct, insightful: "Her incisive comments helped to bring the debate to a close." 2. Able to explain difficult ideas clearly and confidently: "She's known for her incisive mind and quick wit." Herincisivemind was helpful in her new position when she had to establish lead ership and to makedecisiverecommendations to her team of colleagues. decompose, discompose decompose(dee" kuhm POHZ)

1. To undergo a chemical change resulting in rot or decay: "They put the vegetab le trimmings in the garden to decompose and fertilize the soil." 2. To cause something; such as, dead plants and the bodies of dead animals, to b e slowly destroyed and broken down by natural processes, chemicals, etc.: "Bacte ria and fungi help to decompose organic matter." discompose(dis" kuhm POHZ) To make someone lose his or her composure; to agitate or to unsettle and so to p ut into a state of disorder: "The bad news about her mother could only discompos e or upset us." A visitor observed Beethoven seated at the piano earnestly erasing the notes from a score in front of him.As the man approached, Beethoven exclaimed: "Please , don t interrupt me because I mdecomposing." When we went for a hike earlier today, we discovered a human body which had been left todecomposeunder a tree. Seeing these bodily remains caused us todiscompo seand so we went straight to the police to tell them what we found. decorum, propriety decorum(di KOHR uhm) Good taste and behavior in both appearance and personal conduct: "She was the ep itome of decorum in all her business undertakings." propriety(pruh PRIGH i tee) Doing what is socially acceptable in terms of manners, conduct, and manner of sp eaking: "His behavior would not offend the propriety of the professional organiz ation to which he hoped to belong." "When attending a wedding, there are certain social rules that must be obser ved and so we should act with propriety." Properdecorumwhen attending a wedding is expected because there are certain so cial rules that must be observed and so we should act withpropriety. decree, degree decree(di KREE) An official order, edict, or decision; as of a church, government, or court: "Th e government issued a decree to the effect that everyone should conserve water d uring the summer." degree(di GREE) 1. Any of successive steps or states in a process or series; relative intensity: "In the television court room drama, the lawyers gave the witness the third deg ree, asking intense questions." 2. A unit of measure on a scale: "The students could measure the degrees of heat generated during their experiment using the temperature scale." 3. An academic title given to students who complete a prescribed course of study at a college or university, etc.: "She was very proud of her science degree fro m the famous university. Thedecreefrom the university announced to the world that I had achieved my aca demicdegreein science during which I discovered a newdegreefor measuring vapor. deduce, deduct deduce(di DOOS, di DYOOS) 1. To trace the course of: "The doctor asked his intern, 'How would you deduce t he course of the illness?'." 2. To infer by logical reasoning: "The student stated that he would deduce the p atient had a cold based on his temperature and fever." 3. To conclude from known facts or general principles: "The police inspector was able to deduce who was responsible for the accident based on his inspection of the actual scene." deduct(di DUKT) To subtract or to take away: "His employer will deduct the taxes from his pay ch eck before it is deposited in the bank." Ideductfrom your statement that you are unable todeducethe cause of my friend's illness. I think that it is essential that another specialist must be able todeducesom ething. defective, deficient

defective(di FEK tiv) Missing something essential or critical for typical function: "I had to return m y vacuum cleaner to the store where I bought it because it was defective." deficient(di FISH uhnt) Not up to typical expectations or standards; lacking in essential elements: "The doctor stated that the tests indicated she was deficient in iron and needed to take a supplement." He noticed thedefectivevalve in the engine. This is definitelydeficientin terms of what he had expected from the manufacturer. defence, defense defence(di FENS),a British, Canadian, etc. spelling. 1. Making or keeping safe from danger, attack, or harm: "They mounted a gooddefen ceagainst the invaders." 2. The act of speaking or writing in support of someone or something which is be ing attacked or criticized: "We listened to a passionatedefenceof the governor's d ecision." 3. The side of a legal case which argues that a person who is being sued or accu sed of a crime is innocent: "Thedefenceattorney told the jury that the prosecution had not proven its case." defense(di FENS),the U.S. spelling. 1. Making or keeping safe from danger, attack, or harm: "They mounted a gooddefen seagainst the invaders." 2. The act of speaking or writing in support of someone or something which is be ing attacked or criticized: "We listened to a passionatedefenseof the governor's d ecision." 3. The side of a legal case which argues that a person who is being sued or accu sed of a crime is innocent: "Thedefenseattorney told the jury that the prosecution had not proven its case." For the spelling bee I was asked to spelldefenseand I spelled itd-e-f-e-n-c-e. My teacher, who was from the U.S., announced: WRONG! I explained that I had just moved from Canada and that's the way we spelldef ence; however, my teacher said that she was sorry, but this is a U.S. spelling c ontest and so it should be spelled asdefense. defendant, plaintiff defendant(di FEN duhnt, di FEN dant") In a legal situation, the individual who must respond to an application before t he courts to resolve a situation: "The defendant answered the lawyer's questions to be best of his abilities." plaintiff(PLAYN tif) An individual who starts a legal action to resolve a legal situation involving h is or her rights: "The plaintiff hired a lawyer to help to resolve his demand fo r compensation after the accident." When he was studying architecture, he had to design a court room and it was necessary that he consider the needs of the judge, of thedefendantwho would be res ponding to questioning; as well as, of theplaintiff, who would be worried about h is rights and be there with his lawyer. defensible, defensive defensible(di FEN suh buhl) That which can be protected: "Her innocence of the crime was defensible because she had not been present when the murder took place." defensive(di FEN siv) Committed to resisting or protecting a situation from defeat or harm: "The footb all team played a strong defensive game, scoring the last touchdown to win the g ame." The debating team assumed adefensiveposition, arguing that freedom of speech i s adefensibleright of the students at the university. defer, differ defer(di FUR) 1. To put off or to choose to do something at a later time: "It is so easy to de fer major house cleaning until another day, but it always catches up with just a

bout everyone." 2. To yield to an authority: "The Social Worker agreed to defer to the experienc e of her supervisor." differ(DIF ur) 1. To disagree: "As best friends, we would often differ on our interpretations o f the books we had read." "We almost always seem to differ with each other on political issues." 2. To be unlike: "Even though they were twins, they tended to differ from each o ther in hobbies and sports." "The parents differ in their approach as to how the children should be disci plined." I beg todifferwith you; I did submit my application todefermy taxes until next y ear. deference, difference deference(DEF ur uhns) 1. A yielding in opinion, judgment or wishes: "The junior lawyer showed deferenc e to his senior partner by agreeing with his request to adjourn." 2. Courteous regard or respect for someone or something: "I was taught to show d eference to people who were as old as my grandparents." difference(DIF ur uhns, DIF ruhns) Not alike, dissimilar; not the same; the quality that makes one person or thing unlike another one: "The difference between the two objects on the table was dif ficult to notice at first glance." "There's a striking difference in the sisters' opinions on the subject." Thedeferencethat my cousins have shown my aunt highlighted thedifferencein the manners between them and the rude students at the school where she taught. defile, defile, defile defile(di FIGHL), verb 1. To make filthy or dirty; to pollute: "The town sewer was known to defile the river with sewage." 2. To take away or to ruin the purity, honor, or goodness of something or someon e important: "The vulgar talk of some talk-show hosts defile the normal acceptab ility of public communication." This meaning dates back to the 14th century and is derived from the Old Fren ch verbdefouler, meaning "to trample on" or "to mistreat". defile(di FIGHL), verb To march off in a line: "The students were told to defile into the auditorium fo r a special presentation." This meaning ofdefilecame into English in the early 18th century. It is also f rom French, but is derived from the verbdfilerwhich was formed by combiningde-, "de down, from, away" +filer, "to move in a column". defile(di FIGHL), noun A narrow passage through mountains; a gorge: "The train went through the defile of the mountains as it progressed to our destination." Dfileris also the source of this English noun "defile", which means "narrow pa ssage" or "gorge". When the group of hikers were told todefiledown the hill and across thedefileat the bottom of the valley, it soon became apparent that they woulddefiletheir sho es with mud. definite, definitive definite(DEF uh nit) Clear and unmistakable; precise: "The statement was definite and left no room fo r misunderstanding." definitive(di FIN i tiv) Authoritative and exhaustive: "This definitive life of Keats leaves nothing for future biographers; it is the final word on the subject." Thedefinitivebiography of the author s life wasdefinitein its statement that she h ad lived in the Far North of Canada. defuse, diffuse defuse(dee FYOOZ)

1. To remove the fuse from (an explosive device): "The special police had to def use the bomb before they could enter the building." 2. To make less dangerous, tense, or hostile: "The President made a diplomatic m ove that could defuse the crisis." diffuse(di FYOOS; dee FYOOZ) 1. (di FYOOS) Widely spread or scattered; not concentrated: "The forest was fill ed with a soft, diffuse light." 2. (dee FYOOZ) To spread out and to move freely throughout a large area: "The he at from the radiator seemed to diffuse throughout the room." The fan in the window helped todiffusethe fumes from the chemicals used for a bomb which the police had todefusebefore the basement was safe again. defused, diffused defused(di FYOOZ'd) To make something or a situation less harmful or tense: "The leaders' speeches t o the crowds defused the tense situation." diffused(di FYOOS'd, di FYOOZ'd) To cause to spread out or to scatter: "The wind diffused the seeds of the dandel ion." The interview with the director as reported in the paperdiffusedthe rumors andd efusedthe tension in the theater. delegate, delicate delegate 1. As a noun (DEL i git), a person authorized to act as a representative for ano ther person; a deputy or an agent: "He's been chosen as a delegate to the conven tion to represent our community." 2. As a verb (DEL i gayt"), to give control, responsibility, authority, etc. to someone: "The manager will delegate authority to the best employees of this comp any so the project can succeed." delicate(DEL i kit) 1. Pleasing to the senses; especially, in a subtle way: "The delicate color of h er dress was very attractive." 2. Easily broken or damaged: "This cup is very delicate and fragile; so please h andle it carefully." 3. Easily disturbed or upset: "Many people struggle to maintain the delicate bal ance between work and family." My mother said she woulddelegateme to go to the store to purchase adelicatechin a cup out of which to drink the new tea which has such adelicatescent. I was very careful because my mother s nerves were verydelicateand I was happy t o be herdelegate; especially, since I knew that the owner of the china shop would give us the best quality available. delegate, relegate delegate(DEL i gayt", DEL i git) An individual acting in behalf of another person; to give authority to another i ndividual: "The president appointed the union leader as a delegate to the conven tion." relegate(REL i gayt") To assign an idea or a concept to a place of insignificance or to put something out of one s mind: "After the long argument, I was determined to relegate the conf lict out of my mind and to think of other things." As adelegateto the conference, I was concerned about the efforts of a minority torelegatethe discussion of new books for the library to the bottom of the agenda . deluded, diluted deluded(di LOOD'd) To trick or to mislead the mind: "I was very sad to realize that the patient in hospital was deluded and thought he was the king." diluted(digh LOOT'd) To reduce the strength of something or to make thin by adding a substance: "The recipe stated that the sauce should be diluted with cream." I wasdeludedinto believing that thedilutedsauce would taste as good as the origi

nal recipe. denounce, renounce denounce(di NOUNS) To speak or to make threatening remarks against or about an individual or situat ion: "The mob made angry comments seeking to denounce the landlord for the high rents." renounce(ri NOUNS) To give up or to refuse to follow or to cooperate: "The king chose to renounce h is throne rather than allow the evil wizard to take over." They stood up todenouncethe crowd that was calling for the king torenouncehis t hrone. dense, dents dense(DENS) Concentrated, compact, requiring great concentration: "The poetry was very dense and powerful, requiring the students' careful study." dents(DENTS) Small hollows resulting from blows or hits by something harder: "She took her ca r to the body shop to repair the dents on the hood after the accident." Thedentson the bumper of my car were caused when I was driving throughdensefog a nd bumped into the guard rail paralleling the road. dependence, dependents dependence(di PEN duhns) Reliance, trust: "She showed great dependence on the reports that were given in the newspaper." dependents(di PEN duhnts) People who rely on others for support: "The tax forms ask the individual to list all the dependents under the age of 16." "The insurance provides coverage for workers and their dependents." Those who aredependentsof the social system for their daily life show consider abledependenceon the bureaucracy that administers the system. deposition, disposal, disposition deposition(dep" uh ZISH uhn) The written testimony of a witness made under oath: "The law clerk helped the wi tness prepare the deposition to submit to the court, telling her side of the sto ry." disposal(di SPOH zuhl) 1. The authority or inclination to determine the use of something: "As office ma nager, it is at my disposal whether the visitors may use the telephone and fax m achine." 2. An instrument for the orderly and systematic destruction of something: "When they renovated their kitchen, they installed a top-of-the-line disposal system f or garbage." disposition(dis" puh ZISH uhn) 1. To control or to manage: "The last will of the factory owner was careful to m ake a statement of the disposition of the bank account to the family lawyer." 2. Getting rid of something: "She arranged for the disposition of the old tires by sending them to the recycling center." 3. A typical attitude, temperament, or mood: "She had a sunny disposition which enhanced her teaching skills." Her strong publicdispositionmotivated her to write adepositionto the citydisposala gency to complain about the inadequatedisposalof garbage in her neighbourhood. depravation, deprivation depravation(dep" ruh VAY shuhn) The corruption of or making something or someone evil: "A consequence of living on the streets was a depravation of the character of the young man." deprivation(dep" ruh VAY shuhn) Not having basic or perceived basic requirements for living; lacking desired or necessary items or things: "She eventually overcame the deprivation of her child hood." It is a political truth that thedeprivationof a group of people may easily lea

d to theirdepravationand result in violence against a government that has deprived them of literacy and social justice. depraved, deprived depraved(di PRAYV'd) Having been made morally bad, corrupted, or perverted; morally debased: "The evi l character in the book was morally depraved and violent." deprived(di PRIGHV'd) 1. Underprivileged: "The film told the story of the deprived youth and how he su cceeded." 2. Something taken away: "When I am deprived of chocolate, I feel very cranky." The joke in my family is that if I amdeprivedof chocolate, I tend to becomedepr avedlike Frankenstein. deprecate, depreciate deprecate(DEP ri kayt") To disapprove; usually, with regret: "After the senator left town, I felt badly that I had attempted to deprecate his good works." depreciate(di PREE shee ayt") To lessen the price or value of something: "I was informed that the value of my car will depreciate every year." Wedeprecatethe policy of the insurance company that insists that the value of our new automobile willdepreciatesignificantly as soon as it is driven out of the dealership's parking lot. depression, recession depression(di PRESH uhn) 1. A state of feeling sad or a serious medical condition in which a person feels very sad, hopeless, and unimportant and often is unable to live in a normal way : "She has been undergoing treatment for severe depression." 2. A period of drastic decline in a national or international economy, character ized by decreasing business activity, falling prices, and unemployment: "After s everal years of an economic boom, it looks as though we may be heading for a dep ression." The term depression commonly refers to a serious, prolonged recession during which the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) declines by more than ten percentage poi nts. recession(re SESH uhn) 1. The act of moving back or away slowly: "They were happy to see the recession of the floodwaters." 2. A period, shorter than a depression, during which there is a decline in econo mic trade and prosperity: "Many people lost their jobs during the recent recessi on." One definition of a recession which is presented by many newspapers is "a de cline in the gross domestic product for two or more consecutive quarters". Most economists quibble with these characterizations because they don't take into account the unemployment rate or consumer confidence. The National Bureau of Economic Research, for example, defines the term rece ssion as a "significant decline" distributed across the economy lasting more tha n a few months; usually visible in the numbers for GDP, employment, industrial p roduction, and wholesale-retail sales. That which is understood as a natural part of the business cycle, a recessio n is the period between when an activity has reached its peak and when it declin es to its low point or "trough". It seems that economists don't agree on an official dividing line between a depression and a bad recession. Partly based on information from: "You Say Depression, I Say Recession; are we talking about the same thing?" by Juliet Lapidos;Slate Magazine; October 1, 2008. She was in a state ofdepressionwhen her bank informed her of the small interes t rate in her accounts due to the current economicrecession. descendant, descendent descendant(di SEN duhnt)

Someone who is related to a person or group of people who lived in the past: "He was a descendant of German immigrants." descendent(di SEN duhnt) Moving downward; a downward incline or passage; a slope: "The skiers were not aw are of the steep descendent hill until it was too late." When her friend studied genealogy, she was particularly interested in onedes cendantof her mother who had at one time been very wealthy; however, that relativ e became adescendentinto poverty because of the bad investments that were made in the stock market. desert, desert, deserts, dessert desert(di ZURT) To leave, forsake, or abandon, AWOL: "A person can desert from the army during w ar just once and never have a second chance to do it." "If their nest is disturbed, birds will often desert it." desert(DEZ urt) Dry, barren region (note one "s" as in sand): "A person can go walking out into the desert without water just once (one "s") because he/she probably will not su rvive to do it again." deserts(di ZURTS) That which is deserved or punishment that someone deserves: "They all wanted to see this criminal receive his just deserts." dessert(di ZURT) Sweet food served at the end of a meal; sometimes two are desired ("ss"): "We ha d ice cream and apple pie for our dessert." While the woman was having herdessertin the restaurant, she was wishing that s he coulddeserther broken down car right there in thedesert. Thedeserterin thedesertwho became nauseated after eating too muchdessertprobably got his justdeserts. desirable, desirous desirable(di ZIGHR uh b'l) 1. Something which a person wants: "I would find it desirable right now to have a drink of water." 2. Something which is pleasing or valuable: "Diamonds are considered a desirable investment." desirous(di ZIGHR uhs) Having, displaying, or marked by desire: "She was desirous of making a good impr ession during the job interview." I amdesirousof acquiring thatdesirablepiece of property down by the river. desolate, dissolute desolate 1.Verb(DES uh layt): To lay waste, to make uninhabitable: "They were afraid the se vere storm would desolate the countryside." 2.Adjective(DES uh lit): Lonely, solitary; uninhabited, deserted: "The story of th e desolate castle in the wilderness intrigued the explorers." dissolute(DIS uh loot") 1. Immoral, debauched: "Don Giovanni was considered a dissolute but charming ind ividual." 2. A description of someone whose way of living is considered morally wrong: "It 's sad to say, but she has led a dissolute life as a prostitute ever since she l eft home as a teenager." Thedissolutearmy officer marched his army through the countryside, planning tod esolateit for future farming. By the time his army reached the sea, a whole swath of country side wasdesol ateand uninhabitable. desperate, disparate, desperado desperate(DES puhr it) Extreme loss of hope, frustration, or attempts to escape a situation: "Caught in the undertow of the tide, he made a desperate attempt to swim to the shore." disparate(DIS puhr it, di SPAR it)

1. Marked by distinct differences or character: "Even though the boys were twins , their personalities were disparate." 2. Different from each other; dissimilar; radically different, different in esse ntial qualities: "The discussion included topics as disparate as the economy and health care." "The school was composed of students from disparate cultures." desperado(des" puh RAH doh, des" puh RAY doh) A bold bandit or criminal, often associated with the "wild west" of the United S tates: "The desperado was easily recognized by his white horse and silver saddle as he came into town." "The desperado was described as a desperate character or ruffian." Thedesperate desperadoesweredisparateas to how they should avoid capture by the pursuing police. detract, distract detract(di TRAKT) To take or to draw away: "The bill boards along the highway only detract your at tention from the lovely scenery." distract(dis TRAKT) To draw the mind or attention away in another direction; to divert: "The soft mu sic helped to distract her mind from her worries." The politician wanted todistracthis constituents by sending out charming lette rs intended todetracttheir attention to his outlandish remarks to the media. device, devise device(di VIGHS) Something invented to accomplish a specific purpose or to provide certain result s: "This device automatically turns on the street lights when it gets dark." devise(di VIGHZ) To invent or to contrive: "It must be possible to devise some way to protect the environment from such pollution." She wanted todeviseadevicethat would make driving safer and less expensive. deviser, devisor deviser(di VIGHZ uhr) Anyone who forms, invents, or contrives something in the mind: "He was a deviser of a new method for converting sunlight into electricity." devisor(di VIGH zuhr, dev" i ZOR) Someone who transmits real estate by means of a will: "She was a devisor of her home to her son." Acting as adivisor, her uncle ensured that the property he bought with the we alth he accumulated as thedevisorof specialized farm equipment was willed to her m other. dew, do, due dew(DOO, DYOO) Moisture in small drops: "The early morning sun highlighted the dew on the grass ." do(DOO) A verb which means "to act" or "to perform": "You need to do your yard work befo re it gets dark." due(DOO) That which is owed; payable: "The statement from the telephone company indicated payment on the bill was due tomorrow." Dueto the dry weather, wedonot see anydewon the grass. "If you had yourdue," Bill's father said, "You'd get a good whipping True?" "I guess," said Bill; "but bills aren't always paid when they aredue." Ennis Rees,Pun Fun diagnosis, prognosis diagnosis(digh" uhg NOH sis) The investigation or identification of a problem, illness, etc.: "The doctor wil l present her diagnosis at the conference tomorrow at the hospital." prognosis(prag NOH sis) Prospect of recovery after an illness or difficult situation: "The doctor's prog

nosis for a full recovery pleased the patient very much." Thediagnosisgiven by the three specialists confirmed that theprognosisof the pa tient was good and that she would have a full recovery. diagram, diaphragm diagram(DIGH uh gram") 1. A drawing that illustrates, explains, or shows the parts of something: "The d iagram showed us how the clock operates." 2. To show or to explain something: "The coach will diagram the new play on the blackboard for the football team." diaphragm(DIGH uh fram") The muscular partition between the chest and the abdomen in mammals; a thin memb rane or partition: "The football player complained that his diaphragm hurt after the hard tackle during the game." The doctor drew adiagramto illustrate the location and functions of the body'sd iaphragm. diarist, direst diarist(DIGH uh rist) An individual who writes a journal or diary: "Samuel Pepys was considered a grea t diarist of the Seventeenth Century." direst(DIGHR ist) Fearful or dreadful: "The pirate captain threatened the direst of punishments to the crew if they disobeyed him." The author was considered a significantdiaristof her times as she chronicled t hedirestof events with compassion and insight. dice, dies dice(DIGHS) 1. The plural form ofdie: "Each player threw one die to determine who would be th e first to roll the pair of dice at the table." 2. Small cubes that are made of plastic, wood, etc. which have one to six dots o n each side, and that are used usually in pairs in various games: "The guys in t he back room were playing dice games to see who could walk away with the most mo ney." 3. To cut food into small cubes: "She will dice the potatoes and add them to the soup and then dice the onions so they can become a part of the soup, too." dies(DIGHZ) No longer living or being in existence: "The garden dies if you don't water it r egularly." "The brain dies a little each day as a person gets older and older; especial ly, if there are no mental challenges." When my auntdies, the directions for how best todicevegetables willdiewith her u nless she writes them down. She explained the directions to her daughter who illustrated the page with d rawings ofdice. diced, minced diced(DIGHS't) Chopped into small cubicle pieces: "She put the diced vegetables into the soup." minced(MINS't) 1. To cut up into very small or minute pieces: "The spaghetti sauce was made wit h minced beef." 2. To speak with an affectation (pretense): "She minced her words in an effort t o sound sophisticated." As an actor on the TV cooking show, hemincedhis words while hedicedthe vegetabl es andmincedthe meat for the soup. dictionary, glossary, lexicon, thesaurus dictionary(DIK shuh ner" ee) A book containing the alphabetical listing of words used in a language, providin g definitions, pronunciations, etc.: "She received a new dictionary when she gra duated from high school." glossary(GLAH suh ree, GLOS uh ree) A collection of specialized words and their meanings: "There was a glossary at t

he end of the book to help the reader understand the text." lexicon(LEK si kahn", LEK si kon") Another term fordictionarywhich includes any book typically containing all the mor phemes (smallest meaningful parts) of a language: "The scholar sought a lexicon in the library to assist her in writing her thesis on the Gaelic language." thesaurus(thi SAUR uhs, thi SOR uhs) A book containing a store of words; especially, of synonyms and antonyms arrange d in categories: "We found out that there is more than one kind of thesaurus ava ilable for us to find logical structures and word associations." While I was looking up synonyms in thethesaurus, I also consulted a newdiction arywhich was helpful in that it had a specialglossaryof specialized words which I h ad not seen when I reviewed the oldlexiconthat my friend had given me. die, dye die(DIGH) 1. To cease living: "If you leave the fish out of the water too long, it will su rely die." 2. A tool for molding or shaping something: "The workers used a die to make the piece to fix the locomotive." 3. One of a pair of dice: "At the store, she rolled a large die and the number f ive was on top which gave her that number of free-trial days at the fitness stud io." dye(DIGH) To change the color of something: "She decided to dye her hair a dark red." I have always said that before Idie, I want todyemy hair red; but first I want to complete my collection of individualdieall of which are single samples of those that have been used in many gambling places in Las Vegas. I also plan to use adieto make a special cabinet in which to store mydiecollect ion. Make this your motto: "Don'tdieuntil you are dead. E.C. McKensie differentiate, distinguish differentiate(dif" uh REN shee ayt") To mark or identify distinguishing qualities or characteristics of something: "H ow would you differentiate between a rock and a hard place?" distinguish(di STING gwish) To perceive or to mark as different; to divide into classes or categories: "She marked each rock in her collection with a white dot to distinguish her rocks fro m those belonging to others." In order todifferentiatethe distinctive geological features on the map, she us ed different colored markers todistinguishlow hill formations from higher hill for mations. diffident, dissident diffident(DIF i duhnt, DIF i dent") Hesitant, lacking in self confidence: "His diffident manner suggested he was shy rather than embarrassed." dissident(DIS i duhnt, DIS i dent) Not having the same opinion as other individuals or groups:"Her political activi ties suggested she was a dissident among her peers." The leader of thedissidentfaction attending the conference displayed a surpris inglydiffidentattitude when speaking to the crowd. digest, digest digest, as a noun (DIGH jest) A collection of condensed information, a summary, or a synopsis; an abstract, a brief, an epitome: "When she was in the hospital, she found reading a digest of novels was easier than reading the entire book." digest, as a verb (di JEST) 1. To condense a piece of writing by briefly summarizing or abridging its conten ts: "As a student assistant, her job was to digest the text of the research arti cle into a summary for publication." 2. To change food; especially, in the mouth, stomach, and intestines with specia

l juices and bacteria into a form which can be absorbed by the body: "After dinn er, I like to go for a walk because I find that it helps me to digest my meal." In order for me todigestthe meaning of thedigestof information provided to me by the internet, I need to discuss the concepts with my colleagues; after which, I will be able to prepare adigestof the ideas to present to my students. digress, regress digress(digh GRES, di GRES) To side track or to divert attention from the topic at hand: "Her conversation o ften seemed to digress from the interests of her visitors." regress(ri GRES) To move backward, either physically or in one s thinking: "When he was ill and in the hospital, his mind seemed to regress, often talking about his childhood." Forgive me if I seem todigressfrom our conversation, but I am concerned that m y aunt's health willregresswhile she is hospitalized. diminish, minimize diminish(di MIN ish) To make less or small; for example, authority or distance: "The small stature of the manager seemed to diminish her authority." "The trains went quickly across the country, seeming to diminish the size of the territory by their speed." minimize(MIN uh mighz") To disparage or to reduce to the smallest possible size: "His radical speech att empted to minimize the importance of the celebration." His efforts tominimizethe importance of the discovery served only todiminishhis stature as a government official. dine, dyne dine(DIGHN) To eat: "After a busy day at work, they liked to relax and dine by candle light. " dyne(DIGHN) A unit of force that, acting on a mass of one gram, increases its velocity by on e centimeter per second along the direction in which it acts: "The dyne is the b asic unit of force in the centimeter-gram-second system." After wedinewith friends, we are going to a lecture at the science center abou t thedyneand how it relates to our every day lives. dinghy, dingy dinghy(DING ee) A small rowboat or an inflatable rubber life raft: "The tugboat pulled a small d inghy behind it for emergencies." dingy(DING jee) 1. Darkened with smoke and grime; dirty or discolored: "The tenement housing whi ch the author described was dingy with age." 2. Shabby, drab, or squalid: "They lived in a dingy room to save money so they c ould immigrate to a better life." Since the boat was old and poorly maintained, it was obvious that thedinghywa sdingy. dire, dyer dire(DIGHR) 1. Having or warning of terrible consequences; disastrous: "Even the smallest mi stake could have dire consequences." 2. Requiring urgent and immediate action or treatment: "The government is in dir e need of reform." dyer(DIGH'r) A person who uses a soluble substance for staining or coloring materials by soak ing in a coloring solution: "She spent the afternoon as a dyer of certain pieces of clothing and then the hair of her mother." My cousin, who was adyerin a fashionable hair salon, knew she was indiretrouble when the owner called her into the office. direct, erect direct(di REKT, digh REKT)

To show or to point out a way to accomplish a task; moving from point to point w ithout changing direction: "The manager's job was to direct the workers as they built the railroads." "Can you tell me the most direct route to the next town?" erect(i REKT) To build or to fix something: "Grandfather helped the children erect a model rai lroad tract." The shop teacher was able todirectthe students so they coulderecta safe fire tow er outside. disapprove, disprove disapprove(dis" uh PROOV) To express an unfavorable opinion of; to condemn; to reject: "The expression on the teacher's face suggested that she would disapprove of the essay on pets." disprove(dis PROOV) To prove to be false or to be in error; to refute: "Her research set out to disp rove the findings on the topic as presented in the last century." We know that there are those whodisapproveof our efforts todisprovethe gossip a nd rumors that are spreading in town about our cousin. disaster, holocaust, tragedy disaster(di ZAS tuhr, di SAS tuhr) A sudden event causing great damage or loss: "The rise in the river caused a dis aster in the farm land." holocaust(HAHL uh kost", HOH luh kost) Destruction or sacrifice by fire; when capitalized, refers to the destruction of the European Jewish community in the mid-Twentieth Century: "The eruption of th e volcano caused a holocaust of the villages below its slopes." tragedy(TRAJ i dee) A very bad event that causes great sadness and often involves someone's death: " The flight that crashed into the ocean was a terrible tragedy for many people in cluding people on the aircraft and their family members." The high floods along the river caused adisasterto the farms. It was truly atra gedythat so many farmers lost their livestock; however, the oldest farmer was phi losophical, reminding everyone that at least it was not aholocaust, because no b uildings were burned. disburse, disperse disburse(dis BURS) To pay out or to expend: "Our cashier will disburse several thousand dollars lat er today." "The accounting department is scheduled to disburse your travel expenses nex t week." disperse(di SPURS) To scatter something: "The street department is scheduled to disperse theroad sal tas soon as some of the snow is removed." Right after the company willdisbursethe weekly wages, the workers plan to quic klydisperseso they can get home before the thunder storm starts. disclose, divulge disclose(di SKLOHZ) To expose or to make known: "She promised that she would not disclose your secre t." divulge(di VULJ) To reveal or to make known: "The author of mystery novels decided to divulge her real name to her readers." The theater manager promised not todisclosethe cost of the renovations if the agent promised not todivulgethe names of those who caused the holocaust. discomfit, discomfort, disconcert discomfit(dis KUM fit) To frustrate the plans or expectation of; to thwart; to make uneasy; to confuse; to disconcert: "She will discomfit her sister when her secret marriage is made known." discomfort(dis KUHM furt)

Lack of comfort; uneasiness; inconvenience: "I don t like the discomfort of living in a tent all summer." disconcert(dis" kuhn SURT) 1. To upset or to frustrate plans, etc.: "The sudden change in the weather will disconcert our plans to hike up the mountain." 2. To upset the composure or self-possession of; to embarrass; to confuse: "The realization that her slip was showing served to disconcert the pianist just as s he was going on stage to perform." It willdisconcertme if the perceived level ofdiscomfortwith our cabins serves tod iscomfitour plans for a long voyage. discreet, discrete discreet(di SKREET) Displaying wise reserve in one's speech or conduct; being prudent and careful: " The university president was discreet as she spoke to the visitors." "They could always rely her to be discreet." discrete(di SKREET) Constituting a separate thing; distinct: "There is a discrete difference between the two sisters." "The teacher presented a number of discrete categories for the students to learn ." There is adiscretedifference in the two neighborhoods; so, we must bediscreetwh en we are talking with the local residents. discus, discuss, cuss discus(DIS kuhs) The plate of metal or stone thrown in athletic contests: "He won a gold medal in the discus throw at the sports competition." discuss(dis KUHS) To talk or to write about: "I would like to discuss this topic with you some mor e." cuss(KUHS) 1. Alternative term for the wordcurse, to swear or to utter a rude comment: "He w as so upset by the accident that he started to cuss." 2. The use of an offensive word, or words, when a person speaks; swear words: "S he started to yell and to cuss as soon as he came into the room." We shoulddiscussthediscuscompetition that is coming up next week. I remember whe n I first tried to throw adiscus, I dropped it on my foot and I started tocuss. disinterested, uninterested disinterested(dis IN trist id) Unbiased, impartial, unprejudiced; not personally involved; not influenced by pe rsonal feelings, opinions, or concerns: "A disinterested third party mediated th e dispute in a disinterested pursuit of the truth." "We need a disinterested party to settle the argument." "A judge must be disinterested in the cases he or she tries if a fair outcom e is to be achieved." uninterested(un IN trist id) Bored, indifferent, lacking interest; not wanting to learn more about something nor to become involved in certain things: "She was obviously uninterested in my discussion of vocabulary." "He said he likes music but that he is uninterested in doing any art work." I am afraid I amuninterestedin the new novel that tells the tale of the seemin glydisinterestedperson who served on the jury, but who was really a spy for the pr osecution who was determined to get a conviction. dispassionate, unimpassioned dispassionate(dis PASH uh nit) Not influenced by or effected by personal emotion or involvement: "A good news r eporter will approach each story with a dispassionate attitude." unimpassioned(un" im PASH uhnd) Marked by a reasonable approach totally devoid of emotional influence or appeal: "He answered the court charges with an unimpassioned defense." Thedispassionatenature of the news coverage made it difficult to envisage the

emotions behind theunimpassionedtelling of the story of the crime. displace, misplace, replace displace(dis PLAYS) To take from or to remove from the original location of an object or individual: "A refugee is someone who has been displaced from his/her home." misplace(mis PLAYS) 1. To place or to put in the wrong or untypical location: "I managed to misplace my glasses again!" "He was upset when he noticed that he misplaced a comma in the sentence." 2. To direct a feeling; such as, trust or confidence toward someone or something that does not deserve it: "She realized that her trust had been misplaced." replace(ri PLAYS); this should NOT be pronounced as, (ri PLAYZ) To return an object to its original location: "She was careful to replace the bo ok exactly where she found it." While I was doing a thorough cleaning at the library, I had todisplacethe boo ks from the shelves. When it was time toreplacethem, I was afraid I wouldmisplacesom e of the titles and confuse the users. dissidence, dissidents dissidence(DIS i duhns) Disagreement or a contrary opinion on a subject: "There was a sense of dissidenc e among the students during the lecture." dissidents(DIS i duhnts) Individuals who maintain a difference of opinion or disagreement regarding a par ticular situation: "The student dissidents decided to organize a silent march to protest the university rules." It soon became apparent among thedissidentsthat there was a strongdissidencebet ween their movement and the university administration. distinct, distinctive distinct(di STINGKT) 1. Different in a way that can be seen, heard, smelled, felt, etc.; noticeably d ifferent: "The class focused on U.S. English as distinct from British English." 2. Easy to see, hear, smell, feel, etc.: "She spoke with a distinct British acce nt." 3. Strong and definite: "A flight cancellation is a distinct possibility tomorro w." 4. Remarkable or unmistakable: "Her distinct style of dress caught the eye of th e famous clothing designer." distinctive(di STINGK tiv) 1. Demonstrating unique characteristics or style: "Her accent was distinctive an d unforgettable." 2. Appealing or interesting because of an unusual quality or characteristic: "Th is store sells the most distinctive chocolates." There is adistinctdifference between the large department stores and the small er stores that selldistinctiveclothing. distracted, distrait, distraught distracted(di STRAKT id) To call attention away from the focus of a situation: "The loud shout on the str eet distracted the attention of the people in the bank." distrait(di STRAY);distraite(dis TRAYT) [French] Inattentive or preoccupied, especially because of anxiety: "When she didn't show up for the meeting, her employer was uneasy and distrait." distraught(di STRAWT) Confused or stirred up due to mental conflict, anxiety or doubt: "When her son w as late coming home from school, the mother was distraught, imagining all sorts of things which might have happened to him." My mother appeared to bedistraughtanddistraitduring the school meeting. We were alldistractedby the noise of the train speeding past across the street. divers, diverse divers(DIGH vurz) 1. Various, several: "There were divers students and professors attending the sp

eech." 2. People who jump into the water from special boards, from boats, etc.: "Pearl divers need to be able to swim very well." diverse(di VURS, digh VURS) Different, varied, not similar: "It was apparent during the debate that the cand idates were very diverse in their recommendations." Thediverswho worked fordiverspearl companies often receiveddiversewages for the s ame dangerous work. divorce, divorc; divorcee, divorce divorce(di VORS, di VOHRS) 1. The legal dissolution of a marriage: "She was so unhappy in her marriage that she decided to apply for a divorce and live by herself." 2. A complete or radical severance of closely connected things: "To ensure a com pletely neutral decision, there should be a divorce between the church and the c ourts." divorc(di vor SAY, di vor SEE; di VOHR say") A divorced man: "As a divorc, he was cautious about going on dates again." divorcee, divorce(di vor SAY, di vor SEE) A woman who has officially ended her marriage and who has not married again: "In many old movies, the divorcee always seems to be having a good time." When thedivorcwas talking with adivorce, they discovered they had used the samediv orcelawyer when they finalized theirdivorces. do, doe, dough do(DOH) A syllable that represents the first note in a musical scale when singing solfeg gio which represents the note C: "The singer started her practice withdo re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti." There is also the verbdo(DOO): To perform or to execute, plus many other meani ngs; however, thedo(DOH) in this section is presented withdoeanddoughto demonstrate th eirhomonymicrelationships. doe(DOH) The female of the deer, antelope, rabbit, kangaroo, and certain other animals: " The kangaroo doe carries her young in the pouch on the front of her body." dough(DOH) 1. A soft mass of moistened flour or meal and other ingredients, mixed for makin g bread, pastry, etc.: "Mother was mixing dough for fresh loaves of bread." 2. Slang formoney: "He said he was running out of enough dough to take care of hi s family's needs." "I don't have much dough these days to pay for all of these expenses." He promised me a lot ofdoughif I would go to the forest with my camera and tak e a picture of thedoe. This made me happy that I walked away singing ...do...ra.. .mi...fa...sol...la...ti...do. doc, dock doc(DAHK) A casual reference for the term "doctor": "Am I going to be all right, doc?" dock(DAHK) 1. Any of a number of weedy broad leafed plants with a long tap root system: "Wh en it blooms, the dock in the ditch by the roadside is very colorful." 2. To reduce or take away: "If you are late three times in a row, the paymaster will dock your wages." 3. A specially designed platform or area for boats or ships when they are brough t close to land: "They hired an architect to design a new dock for their sail bo at." 4. A specified location within a court room where the prisoner or accused person remains during a court proceeding: "The Old Bailey Courthouse has a famous dock for criminals." The lawyer, who everyone referred to as "doc", often went to the cottage by the lake where thedockbloomed. He brought his boat up close to thedockbecause going to the cottage always gav e him a reprieve from having to see his clients in thedock.

does, does, doze does(DUHZ) The third person, singular, present tense of the verbdo: "The passerby shouted, " What does she think she is doing running across the street like that?" does(DOHZ) Female deer: "I watched the does in the meadow feeding in the tall grass." doze(DOHZ) To sleep lightly: "I couldn't help but doze off as I sat in the chair by the fir eplace because it was so comfortable." If the buck doesn'tdoze, then he probablydoesget excited when thedoescome around . Whendoesa female deer sleep? Well, we can see thosedoes dozethere in the field r ight now. done, dun done(DUN) Completely finished: "He'll travel many miles in several days before he's done w ith his trip." dun(DUN) 1. To make persistent demands to a debtor for payment of debts: "The bailiff wil l dun the farmer until all the debts to the bank are paid." 2. A grayish brown or reddish brown color: "The dun horse with the black mane pu lled the wagon into the barn." The bailiff travelled in a carriage pulled by thedunhorse when he went todunthe debtors; as a result, he was always very tired when he wasdonewith a day's work. doom, dune doom(DOOM) Inevitable destruction or ruin: "I had a sense of doom when I lost my passport." dune(DOON, DYOON) A hill or ridge of wind-blown sand: "They climbed the dune at the edge of the de sert to scan the vastness of the land before them." If the storm blowing sand off thedunelasts very long, we are afraid it willdoo mour plans to cross the desert on camel back. dope, dupe dope(DOHP) 1. Any drug or narcotic: "The slick looking man on the street corner looked like he was selling dope." 2. Slang for someone who is not considered to be very intelligent: "When I lost the spelling bee, I felt like a complete dope." dupe(DOOP, DYOOP) 1. To deceive by trickery; to fool or to cheat: "The man in the hotel tried to d upe my friend into paying a high price for a cheap watch." 2. A person who is easily deceived or tricked: "He was an unwitting dupe in the scheme to dupe the woman out of $500." Anydopewho allows a friend todupehim or her into usingdopewill feel as if the frie nd tried todupethat person into believing that usingdopewould be a healthy choice. douse, dowse douse(DOUS) 1. To wet thoroughly; to drench: "I will douse my hair with warm water before I shampoo it." 2. To put out (a light or fire); to extinguish: "Don't forget to douse your camp fire before leaving the camp ground." dowse(DOUZ) To use a divining rod to search for underground water or minerals: "He used a wi llow branch to dowse for water on the farmer's land." When we went camping, we tried todowsefor water because we needed lots of wate r todousethe campfire and todouseour faces, etc. in the morning. dove, dove dove(DUV) A small wild bird that is related to pigeons: "There was a dove eating seeds in our back yard."

dove(DOHV) 1. The past tense ofdiveor having jumped into water with the arms and head having gone in first: "She dove into the swimming pool from the diving board." 2. To go underwater or to go down to a deeper level underwater: "The whale dove down deeper in to the ocean." 3. To suddenly jump toward something that is on or near the ground: "He dove for cover or to a safer more protected place." After hearing the wild cat creeping up through the dry leaves, thedove doveint o the bushes. down, down, down, down, down down(DOUN), adverbs 1. From a higher to a lower place or position: "The hill slopes down to the rive r which made it easier for us to hike down into the village." 2. In a low position or place: "Make sure you keep your head down as we go down into the cellar." 3. On or to the ground: "Our neighbor's house burned down." down(DOUN), adjectives In a low place or position; on the ground or floor: "The window shades are down and a pile of dirty clothes are down on the floor, too." down(DOUN), prepositions From a higher to a lower part of something: "You could see sweat dropping down h er neck as she ran down the hill." down(DOUN), nouns 1. Fine, soft, fluffy feathers forming the first plumage of a young bird and und erlying the contour feathers in certain adult birds: "She still had a pillow fil led with goose down." 2. A covering of soft, short hairs, as on some leaves, fruit, insects, and some animal fur: "Ants have down, there are leaves with down, peaches have down, and there are humans with soft down on their faces; as well as some animals which ha ve soft-fur down." down(DOUN), verbs To cause something to fall to the ground: "Electrical storms can down aircraft a nd strong storms also often down power lines." When I went hiking, I wore mydowncoat to keep warm as I was hikingdownthe steep slope of the hill, but I warmed up quickly and I could feel the sweat runningdow nmy neck. I was not watching where I was going and so I felldownand rolleddownthe hill an d landeddownat the bottom of the slope. draft, draught draft(DRAFT) 1. An earlier type of something; such as, a document, that is made before it is completed in a final version: "She just completed a rough draft of her article w hich needs a lot of editing and rewriting." 2. Cool air moving in a closed space; such as, in a room: "It would be a good id ea if the windows were closed so we can stop the draft." draught(DRAFT); chiefly a British variant ofdraft. 1. An act of drinking something or the amount swallowed at one time: "He took a big draught of beer." 2. In Britain,draughts(DRAFTS) is the name for a game of checkers: "He took a drau ght of beer while he was playing a game of draughts in the pub." At the local bar, he called for adraughtof ale and went to sit in thedraftby the window. Later, his friends joined him and they played a game ofdraughtsbefore he went home to write the firstdraftof his speech. draw, draw draw(DRAW), as a verb 1. To make a picture, image, etc. by making lines on a surface usually with a pe ncil, pen, marker, chalk, etc.; but normally not with paint: "The children were trying to draw an illustration of their feelings about the accident which they w itnessed."

2. To choose something from a group without knowing which one is being chosen: " She was about to draw the slip from the container indicating what the prize woul d be for the winner." 3. To cause someone to become involved or interested in something or someone: "A good writer knows how to draw readers in by making them them interested in the contents of the material." draw(DRAW), as a noun 1. Someone or something that causes people to go somewhere and to participate in certain activities: "The festival is always a big draw and that band is the mai n draw at the celebration." 2. The choice of someone for a prize: "There will be a draw for the winner of th e money in a few minutes." She won thedrawat the party; the prize was for an artist todrawa portrait of her dog. This was a popular prize which served todrawmany people to buy more tickets in hopes of also winning a similardraw. dress, dress dress, a verb (DRES) To put clothes on; to clothe oneself or another person: "The children had to dre ss so they could get to school." dress, a noun (DRES) An outer garment for women or girls: "Her daughter wore a beautiful dress to the school prom." You don't have to see herdressin order to see herdress. drill, drill drill, a noun (DRIL) 1. An implement with cutting edges or a pointed end for boring holes in hard mat erials, usually by a rotating abrasion or repeated blows; a bit: "The carpenter used an electric drill to make holes in the wood so he could insert bolts to hol d the structure together." 2. An exercise done to practice military skills or procedures: "During basic tra ining, the military recruits spent hours every day doing one drill after another one as they were led by drill sergeants." 3. A physical or mental activity that is done repeatedly in order to learn somet hing, to become more skillful, etc.: "Her students will do a vocabulary drill ev ery Monday and Wednesday to prepare them for the tests that will be given on the following Fridays." drill, a verb (DRIL) 1. To make a hole in something with a drill: "He had to drill a hole in the back of the cabinet and place a bolt in it so it wouldn't fall apart." 2. To teach or to train people by repeating a lesson or exercise again and again : "The teachers wanted to drill the children on their multiplication tables at l east three times a week." "The commander gave orders to drill the troops by having them practice the s pecified military procedures and exercises until they got them right." When my friend studied carpentry, she learned by rotedrillthe safety procedure s and how to use adrill. She became very accomplished and was able to use the large industrialdrilltodr illholes of any size that might be required. We can all benefit bydrillingor exercising our minds withoutdrillingholes in ou r heads. droop, drupe droop(DROOP) To sink or to hang in a downward manner: "You can always tell when he is sad bec ause his shoulders will droop." drupe(DROOP) A fruit or nut which has a single seed in the center and is surrounded either by a soft flesh (cherry) or by a hard flesh (almond shell): "When the drupe are ri pe on the trees, it is always a contest of whether I will get to pick the cherri es or if the birds will get them first."

When the cherries are ripe, the branches of the trees tend todroopwith the wei ght of thedrupe. dual, duel dual(DOO uhl, DYOO uhl) Twofold, double: "An umbrella has a dual purpose which is to protect me from the rain or to shade me from the sun." duel(DOO uhl, DYOO uhl) A combat between two people; to fight: "In the 19th century, pistols were often used in a duel to settle arguments." Someone said he just saw a double sword fight, or adual duel, yesterday in th e gymnasium. ducked, duct ducked(DUK't) To lower the head or body quickly; especially, so as to avoid something; to dodg e or to evade: "The people ducked so they wouldn't hit their heads on the lower than normal door frames." duct(DUKT) 1. A tubular passage through which a substance; especially, a fluid, is conveyed : "The roofer installed a new rain duct along the edge of the roof." 2. A bodily passage, particularly one for secretion: "The duct from the kidney w as blocked and it was very painful for the patient." When he walked in the basement, heduckedhis head so he wouldn't hit it on the heatingductcoming from the furnace. dudgeon, dungeon dudgeon(DUJ uhn) A sullen, angry, or indignant humor: "She walked out of the meeting with high du dgeon." dungeon(DUN juhn) A dark, often underground chamber or cell used to confine prisoners: "The king t hrew the rebels into the dungeon located below the castle." After the prince was accidentally locked in thedungeon, he was in a state of highdudgeonand so he complained to the king about how poorly he had been treated. dump, dump dump(DUMP) As a verb, to empty (material) out of a container or vehicle: "We were able to d ump the trash in a place specified by the city." dump(DUMP) As a noun, a place where waste, or trash, is taken and left: "We always take our trash to the town dump every Saturday." We go to the citydumpevery weekend todumpour garbage and to deposit items for re cycling. dwarf, elf, gnome dwarf(DWORF) An individual of unusually small stature whose features are often out of proport ion to the rest of the body: "The dwarf was a fine actor and appeared in many fi lms." elf(ELF) A small, lively, often mischievous imaginary creature: "When we were young, we h oped that an elf would come and polish our shoes at night." gnome(NOHM) In folklore, a diminutive and often misshapen individual traditionally thought t o guard underground hidden treasures: "A gnome looks like a little man and is of ten shown wearing a pointed hat." Thedwarflived in a charming house in the village where he had a remarkable gar den and had a statue of a gardengnomenear the fountain. Because the fountain was often dry, thedwarfjoked that anelfmust be coming at ni ght and emptying the water. dyeing, dying dyeing(DIGH ing) The act of coloring with a special solution: "My sister was dyeing her hair with

a new color." "Some people think women have been dyeing their hair for centuries." dying(DIGH ing) 1. About to pass on or the drawing to a close of one's life: "His mother was dyi ng from pneumonia." "Many people are dying from curable diseases for lack of medical attention." 2. To wish or to long for something intensely: "She is dying to wear her new sho es to the dance." I amdyingto trydyeingmy hair red. dynamic, dynamite dynamic(digh NAM ik) 1. Always active or changing: "We feel that we are living in a dyamic city." 2. Having or showing a lot of energy: "She was a dynamic speaker and so she pres ented an exciting and dynamic performance." 3. Highlighted by physical force or energy: "His dynamic behavior was reflected in his inability to sit quietly." dynamite(DIGH nuh might") 1. An explosive device that is composed of nitro-glycerine mixed with porous mat erial, developed by Alfred Nobel in 1866: "To build the railroad, the engineers used dynamite toblast a tunnel through the mountain." 2. Someone or something that may cause arguments or trouble: "The death penalty is still political dynamite." 3.Informal use, exciting and very impressive or pleasing: "His new musical album is dynamite." "The rock band put on a dynamite performance." Thedynamicduo toured the country singing about the dangers of usingdynamitefor road repairs. Dynamiteexplodes with suchdynamicenergy that it can easily harm houses, sidewal ks, etc. earn, urn earn(URN) To acquire as a result of effort or action: "After all your hard work, you will earn the prize as the best speller." urn(URN) An ornamental vase for holding the ashes of the dead: "The ornamental urn held t he ashes of her father after he was cremated." His fame willearnhim the honor to be buried in anurnduring a ceremony in the tow n square. earthly, earthy earthly(URTH lee) Suggestive of belonging to the earth; ordinary, practical: "I could think of no earthly reason to say no to the request for ice cream on a hot day." earthy(UR thee) 1. Practical and straightforward; open and direct: "People were impressed by the speaker's earthy realism." 2. Plain and simple in style: "This restaurant tends to serve food that is made with simple, earthy ingredients." 3. Not polite; somewhat rude or crude: "His humor tends to be earthy and impolit e." We went to the new restaurant which servedearthy, organic foods, because none of us could think of anyearthlyreason to go to a high priced restaurant. eave, eve eave, eaves(EEV, EEVZ) The lower edge of a roof that overhangs the wall: "The mountain chalet had wide eaves to protect the windows from the snowfall." eve(EEV) 1. Typically used to refer to the night before a special day: "December 31 is Ne w Year s Eve and many people like to go to parties."

2. The period of time just before an important event: "The students were nervous on the eve of their graduation." It was on a cold winter seve, just a week before New Year sEve, when we thought we heard footsteps on theeavesof our house and we all went out to investigate. effective, effectual, efficient effective(i FEK tiv) Capable of having a decisive or desired result: "Brushing your teeth twice every day is an effective way to reduce tooth decay." effectual(i FEK choo uhl) Having produced or caused the desired result: "A trained police force was effect ual in reducing crime in the city." efficient(i FISH uhnt) Achieving the desired result with a minimum of waste: "The new water heater in t he kitchen was very efficient." Reading the manual on teaching fractions is a veryeffectiveway to increase thee ffectualnature of the teachers who are always striving to beefficient. e.g.(Latin),exempli gratia; i.e.(Latin),id est e.g.(ig zem" plee GRAY shee uh; ek SEM plee GRAT tee a") For example: "Many of the products in our stores are imported from many countrie s,e.g.Germany, Japan, and China." i.e.(id est) That is, namely; used to introduce something that explains a preceding statement more fully or exactly: "The medicine needs to be taken for a short period of ti me;i.e., three to five days." When the teacher was correcting her students' essays, she noticed that they frequently confusede.g.as inexempli gratia, "for example" withi.e.fromid est, "that i s", which suggests a clear explanation is to follow. egg(noun), egg(verb) egg(EG) As a noun, the round or oval female reproductive body of various animals, includ ing birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and insects, consisting usually of an emb ryo surrounded by nutrient material and a protective covering: "He likes to cons ume at least one egg every day." egg(EG) As a verb, to encourage or to incite to action: "The basketball fans continued t o egg their team on again and again." The football fans were eager toeggtheir team on to victory; however, in their enthusiasm, they threweggsat their opponents, making everyone upset. egoism, egotism egoism(EE goh iz" uhm, EG oh iz" uhm) A policy or doctrine that suggests that self interest is a valid reason for all actions: "Unfortunately, the recent events in Parliament suggest that egoism is the prevalent doctrine, excluding consideration of national interests." egotism(EE guh tiz" uhm, EG uh tiz" uhm) An overblown sense of self importance: "His egotism stood in the way of his maki ng practical decisions." Judging from the headlines, it would appear that theegotismof the prime minist er is reflected in theegoismof current legislation which appears to favor industry and commerce. egoist, egotist egoist(EE goh ist) Someone who constantly talks about himself; who is boastful and conceited: "She confided to her friend that Mr. Smith was such an egoist, talking about himself all the time, he was really very boring." egotist(EE guh tist) A person who pursues a policy of self-seeking and whose actions are determined b y self-interest: "Mr. Smith was such an egotist, thinking only of himself, that no one would support his decision to run for mayor." The newly elected mayor who is a bit of anegotistwas always complaining about the former mayor who he described as anegoist.

Anegoistis a person of low taste, more interested in himself than me. Ambrose Bierce Anegotistis a person with self admiration letting off esteem and someone who h as hisI'stoo close together. Evan Esar egress, ingress egress(EE gres) A way out or an exit: "People who use anegresswill find themselves outside." ingress(IN gres) A place or means of entering, an entrance: "People who use aningresswill be enteri ng a building or similar structure." A story that was going around some years ago, the source for which is now un known, relates how P.T. Barnum was presenting a "freak" show in a tent. In those days, it cost each person five cents to wander around and gawk at the deformed people and animals. It seemed that too many people stayed too long to look and there wasn't enou gh room for the new customers; so, Barnum had a sign set up next to one of the t ent-flap exits saying,This way to theEgress. Not knowing what anEgresswas (or meant), the people would go through the doortype flap of the tent and they found themselves outside. If they wanted to go ba ck in, then they had to pay the entrance fee again. We noticed that the signs forINGRESSwere printed in green but that the signs f or theEGRESSwere printed in red. either ... or, neither ... nor either ... or(EEthuhr...OR, IGHther...OR) A choice between only two alternatives: "The decision was to travel either by bu s or by train." neither ... nor(NEEthuhr...NOR, NIGHthuhr...NOR) A choice between two or more alternatives: "On the multiple choice questionnaire , neither #1 nor #2 was the correct answers." Going out for dinner can be stressful;eitherwe go to an inexpensive place wher e the food is goodorwe go to a prestigious place where the food is not so good; or maybe we should go somewhere else altogether different. Neitherthe second choicenorthe third choice was appealing, so we decided to eat at home instead. either, ether either(EEthuhr, IGHther) One or the other: "You will need to choose either toast and tea or eggs and ham for breakfast." ether(EE thuhr) A volatile, highly flammable liquid, used chiefly in industry and as an anesthet ic: "The doctor used ether so the patient was asleep during the operation." The patient was faced with a choice;eitherthe doctor could useetheror a local an esthetic for the minor operation. elegy, eulogy elegy(EL uh jee) Chiefly, a poem of sorrow for the dead: "Thomas Gray wrote a famous elegy which is often quoted at funerals." eulogy(YOO luh jee) High praise, written or spoken, usually about someone who has died: "The speech was so full of praise for the president, it sounded like an eulogy instead of a nomination speech." Eulogyis praise that is usually too much and too late. Evan Esar The politician delivered aeulogyfor his former friend. In hiseulogy, he quoted a lovelyelegywhich had been written more than a century ago. elicit, illicit, licit elicit(i LIS it) To draw out, extract, or to bring forth: "The teacher tried to elicit an answer from her students."

illicit(i LIS it) Not permitted, unlawful, illegal, banned: "He was caught with illicit drugs in h is briefcase." licit(LIS it) Permitted by law; legal: "They claimed that their activities were licit under th e law." Thelicitactivities of the sheriff are often seen by criminals as attempts toel icitinformation aboutillicitactivities. eligible, illegible, ineligible, legible eligible(EL i juh b'l) Qualified, entitled: "Maria is eligible for a secretarial position." illegible(i LEJ uh b'l) Unreadable: "Many people write so carelessly that their writing is illegible." ineligible(in EL i juh buhl) Not qualified or permitted to participate: "Because of his low grades, he was in eligible for playing on the baseball team." legible(LEJ uh b'l) Writing which is clear and plain enough to be understood: "The journals were wri tten in a legible hand by the secretary." Who would be the mosteligiblefor the new position: The person who had the mostl egiblehandwriting but had poor Public Relations skills, or the one who hadillegibl ehandwriting but who was great with people? Finally, it was decided that the person with good handwriting but poor PR sk ills wasineligiblefor the position. emanate, eminent, immanent, immediate, imminent emanate(EM uh nayt") To come forth, as from a certain source: "The smoke seemed to emanate from the d istant chimney." eminent(EM uh nuhnt) 1. Well-known, prominent, renowned: "The doctor was an eminent surgeon." 2. Rising above other things or places: "The snow capped mountain was eminent am ong the other low hills." immanent(IM uh nuhnt) 1. Living, remaining, or operating within, inherent: "She demonstrated immanent good sense in her dress and behavior." 2. Present throughout the universe, said of God: "Transcendent, immanent and ind welling the universe, time, etc.; or God as immanent and existing in and extendi ng into all parts of the created universe." 3. A thought or activity which occurs within the mind: "Thinking or day dreaming is an immanent activity." 4. Qualities or characteristics which are common throughout something: "Self pre servation is an immanent characteristic of most mammals." immediate(i MEE dee it) 1. That which happens or is accomplished with a minimum of time or distance: "Th e clap of thunder was immediate after the flash of lightening." 2. Happening without disruption or delay: "The telegram asked for an immediate a nswer." 3. To describe one's position in relation to others; next in line: "I was her mo st immediate relative." imminent(IM uh nuhnt) 1. Likely to happen without delay, near at hand; that which may happen at any mo ment: "Judging by the gray clouds in the sky, a thunder storm is imminent." 2. Immediate, ready to happen without further notice: "Leaping onto the subway t racks places you in imminent danger and is a foolish thing to do." Theimminentarrival of theeminentperformer seemed inevitable. Suddenly, there was a cheer which seemed toemanatefrom the crowd waiting at th e station; however, it was difficult to determine what theimmediatecause of the c heering was. Then the performer arrived, as always exudingimmanentcourtesy and charm. emerge, emerse, immerge

emerge(i MURJ) To come forth, to rise up, to come into sight is usually followed byfrom: "Mary w as seen with her hair dripping as she was about to emerge from the swimming pool ." "The sun is about to emerge from behind those fleecy clouds." emerse(ee MURS) The termemerseappears to be no longer used in English except in an adjectival, or past-participle, form which is primarily used in botany: "A water lily standing out of the water with its surrounding leaves is said to emerse from the water." immerge(i MURJ) To plunge or to sink into and to disappear; while in its former meaning, it is s ynonymous withimmerse: "The chemist will immerge the metal rod into the acid." "The faint moon will immerge into the shadow of the sun." The mermaid decided toimmergeherself into the deep water; then with a flick of her tail, she seemed toemergefrom the water like a flash of silver. emeritus, merit, meritorious emeritus(i MER i tuhs) Being retired from a professional position; holding an equivalent rank or title to that held prior to retirement: "The professor emeritus was invited back to th e school to give a guest lecture." merit(MER it) Behavior or conduct deserving of positive recognition and honor: "Her service on the committee was of the highest merit." meritorious(mer" i TOR ee uhs, mer i TOHR ee uhs) Behavior or actions that deserve esteem and honor: "The youth received a medal i n recognition of his meritorious contributions to helping handicapped people." The professoremeritusreally didmeritthe award she received for hermeritoriouscont ribution to the fund raising efforts of the school. emersed, immersed emersed(i MURST) Rising above the surface of a liquid: "The lilies were emersed in the pond." immersed(i MURST) To dip into a liquid or to be covered by a liquid: "The dirty dishes were immers ed in a sink full of soapy water." She observed that the lilies wereemersedfrom the center of the round pond. She wondered that if she were to pick them, would the lilies need to beimmersedinto cool water so they would stay fresh? emersion, immersion emersion(i MUR zhuhn, i MUR shuhn) The act or process of rising from a position or situation: "Her emersion from ob scurity to a position of leadership was amazing." immersion(i MUR zhuhn, i MUR shuhn) 1. The act or process of being under liquid or below the surface: "When she went swimming, she experienced the total immersion of being underwater." 2. "My cousin attends a French immersion program at her local school." The successfulemersionof my uncle as a leader in his community was a result of his totalimmersionin the daily events of the town and surrounding countryside. emigrant, immigrant emigrant(EM i gruhnt) An individual or object that has left a country or location to settle in another location: "They found a rare orchid which was an emigrant from the tropics." immigrant(IM i gruhnt) An individual or object which has come from a different location and settled in a new area: "My grandfather was an immigrant from France." The story of the settlement of the nation is a combined narrative ofimmigran tscoming from their homelands to settle and to build the next generation ofemigran tswho have moved from the cities out onto the prairies to farm. emigrate, immigrate emigrate(EM uh grayt") To leave a place; to leave one country for another: "The entire family made the

decision to emigrate to Canada." immigrate(IM uh grayt") To enter a new environment, country, or region; especially, with the purpose of settling there: "During the hard economic times, many people decide to immigrate to cities, looking for work." In my grandfather s time, the decision toemigrateto a new country was very diffi cult; however, my decision toimmigratefrom the farm to the city was not difficult for me at all. emit, omit emit(i MIT) To give voice to, to send out or to give off: "He was so unhappy, he simply had to emit a groan of dissatisfaction and despair." "The satellite will emit a bleep every time it goes around the earth." omit(oh MIT) To forget or fail to make use of or to include someone or something: "We decided to omit the last sentence in our quest for brevity." "Please don't omit any details." When you are writing your short story, don'tomitthe graphic description of the protagonist when he was about toemita sound of despair because he missed his trai n. emollient, emolument emollient(i MUL yuhnt) That which soothes or softens: "The pharmacist created an emollient for dry skin ." emolument(i MUL yuh muhnt) The compensation or rewards associated with employment: "An important question t o ask during a job interview is about the emolument for the position, e.g. wages and other benefits." There are those who say that theemolumentof the job is the realemollientfor all of the long hours they have to spend working. empathy, sympathy empathy(EM puh thee) Feeling or understanding the thoughts and experiences of another without direct communication: "She felt a great empathy for the woman whose difficulties were d escribed in the newspaper article." sympathy(SIM puh thee) The ability or capacity of an individual to relate to or to share the experience s and feelings of another person: "When he lost his job, his partner showed grea t sympathy and support." Theempathyshe felt for her friend s situation was sincere and she also had greats ympathyfor her friend because they both had experienced the same disappointments. empire, umpire empire(EM pighr") A large number of physical territories and people which are under the political control of an individual country: "The explorers who sailed around the world for the first time claimed land and people as part of their empire." umpire(UM pighr") 1. An individual who is appointed to help make decisions in a situation of contr oversy between parties: "During the negotiations to end the conflict, the mayor was appointed as umpire to help sort out the issues." 2. In sports, an individual who supervises and enforces the rules of a game: "Th e umpire for the baseball tournament used to be a famous player." The membership of the cricket team came from all corners of the country sempire . From them, a fair and justumpirewas selected to be sure the game was played fair ly. enable, unable enable(e NAY buhl) To make easy, possible, or practical: "This device will enable the students to c alculate the right answer very quickly." unable(un AY buhl)

Incapable or helpless: "Despite her best intentions, she was unable to answer th e questions in time." The teacher said that she wasunableto give the student a higher mark on his te st which would haveenabledhim to qualify for the football team. end, endings; inning, innings end(END) 1. A point that marks the limit of something or the point at which something no longer continues to happen or to exist: "Her report is due at least by the end o f the month." 2. Stopping a condition, activity, or course of action: "The death of the writer was the end of an era of such outstanding historical presentations." endings(EN dingz) 1. The final parts of something: "The book had more endings than usual." 2. Letters which are added to the final parts of words; such as, suffixes: "Many endings of English words include-ed, -s, -less, -ful,and-ing." inning(IN ing) One of the normally nine parts of a baseball game in which each team bats until three outs are made: "The batter hit two home runs in the second inning." innings(IN ingz) 1. Chances or opportunities for actions and turns to accomplish goals or objecti ves: "Now the winning politicians will have their innings to prove that they can do what they claimed." 2. Multiple parts of a baseball game: "The pitcher was doing very well for five innings before he was replaced." Theendof the fourthinningof the game was called because of the rain; however, pa st experiences have indicated that theendingsof the games for seasons can never be told until all of theinningshave been played. endemic, epidemic, pandemic endemic(en DEM ik) Native to a particular locale or region: "The bison are endemic to the plains of North America." epidemic(ep" i DEM ik) Very prevalent in a specific area: "The doctors were afraid of an epidemic of fl u in the schools during the winter." pandemic(pan DEM ik) That which occurs over a wide geographical, or international, area and effects l arge numbers of individuals: "The outbreak of flu appeared to be pandemic and th e medical profession worked hard to contain it." Thepandemicenthusiasm for soccer spread like anepidemicamong the fans; especiall y, those for whom soccer isendemicto their culture. enervate, innervate enervate(EN uhr vayt") To decrease or to reduce vitality or strength: "The woman's illness had a strong tendency to enervate her former energetic behavior." innervate(IN uhr vayt", i NUR vayt") 1. To stimulate (a nerve, muscle, or body part) to action: "The doctor invented a special machine to innervate the tired muscles of the runners legs." 2. To supply (an organ or a body part) with nerves: "The finger tips are equippe d with sensitive nerves in order to innervate people so they can be aware of the ir physical existence." There was no need toinnervatethe crowd in the stadium because the people were enthusiastic enough. If anything, it would be more important toenervatetheir enthusiasm before they head out on to the streets. entomology, etymology entomology(en" tuh MAHL uh jee) The study of insects: "When asked, the woman replied that her sister studied bug s when she was at the university; when the woman really meant to say her sister studied entomology." etymology(et" uh MAHL uh jee)

The act of tracing the origins, derivations, and developments of words: "She bec ame famous through her work in the etymology and use of rare words." "Etymology makes it possible to better understand the origin and meanings of words." It is important to have an understanding ofetymologyin order to understand the naming of insects during one's study ofentomology. Anetymologistis someone who knows the difference betweenetymologyandentomology. Modified fromEsar's Comic Dictionaryby Evan Esar; Doubleday & Company, Inc.; Garden City, New York; 1983; page 206. entry, entre entry(EN tree) 1. A door or gate allowing one to enter a space: "The entry to the house was thr ough the double doors." 2. A record or accounting of a fact or event: "The entry in the journal was help ful for the students of history." entre(AHN tray, ahn TRAY) The main or featured dish at a meal: "The entre for the evening meal was a finely prepared salmon." The elaborateentryto the restaurant was pictured on the cover of the menu at t he expensive restaurant. The menu was extensive and I read eachentrybefore I could decide whichentreI want ed to order. envelop, envelope envelop(in VEL uhp) As a verb, to wrap around; to cover completely; to conceal, to hide: "In a play about Mozart, he is visited by someone who chose to envelop himself in a dark ca pe so as to be unrecognizable." envelope(EN vuh lohp, AHN vuh lohp") As a noun, a cover or a paper wrapper holder for a letter: "Don't forget to put a stamp on the envelope before you mail it." She first decided toenvelopthe lovely card she was sending to her mother in pi nk paper before she put it in theenvelopeto be mailed. envy, covet, desire envy(EN vee) Angry or resentful awareness of the advantages enjoyed by another person or peop le: "The envy the older brother felt about the fact his brother was able to go t o university often upset him." covet(KUV it) To wish for or to desire something that belongs to another individual: "As long as she could remember, she was told by her mother not to covet her sister s bright red hair." desire(di ZIGHR) To hope or to express a wish for something: "In my heart of hearts, I desire a r ich and famous boy friend." Be careful what youcovetbecause you might get what youdesireand then you could a rouseenvyamong your friends who just might turn out to be your enemies. epic, epoch epic(EP ik) Typically a story or writing describing the legendary and heroic events and happ enings of a period in history: "The father read an epic to his children about a particular cowboy." epoch(EP uhk, EE puhk") A time in history that is set off by specific events or happenings: "The creatio n of the printing press marked the beginning of the epoch of literacy for many E uropeans and future generations around the world." The balladeers told theepictale of giants who lived on the earth before the pr esentepochin which we live. epigram, epigraph epigram(EP i gram") A wise or witty saying: "Benjamin Franklin knew how to present an epigram about

many topics and so he was famous for his numerous epigrams." Here are a few examples of Benjamin Franklin's epigrams: "Genius without Education is like Silver in the Mine." "Keep our eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards." "He's a Fool who makes his Doctor his Heir." "Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." Additionalepigramsare available at this "Benjamin Franklin: A Genius of Many Gifts " page. epigraph(EP i graf") 1. An engraved or carved inscription on something; such as, a statue or building : "The epigraph over the entry to the building gave the date when it was built." 2. A quotation at the beginning of a book, chapter, or section of a book, usuall y related to its theme: "There is an appropriate and amusing epigraph located ev ery so often in this dictionary." Theepigraphon the stone which marked the grave of the author quoted a portion of anepigramfrom his friend. The completeepigraphmay be seen in his book. epitaph, epithet epitaph(EP uh taf") Something written or said in memory of a dead person; especially, words written on a gravestone: "Here lies Pecos Bill He always lied He once lied loud He now lies still." epithet(EP uh thet") 1. A term used to characterize, or to describe, a person or thing: "His charitab le works have earned him the epithet 'Mr. Philanthropy'." 2. An offensive word or name that is used as a way of abusing or insulting someo ne or others: "There was a group of angry people hurling one epithet after anoth er at each other." Anepitaphis sometimes a statement that tells monumental lies orepithetsabove ab out the person who lies below. equable, equitable equable(EK wuh buhl, EE kwuh buhl) Lacking in extreme variation or difference: "She demonstrated an equable temper despite the circumstances." equitable(EK wi tuh buhl) Fairness, lacking in favoritism: "Their mother was always equitable with distrib uting treats and discipline." Hisequabletemperament made it easy for him to act in anequitablemanner during t he tense union negotiations. era, error era(IR uh, EHR uh) A point in time from which an event or significant period in history is marked: "The popularity of the automobile marked the beginning of an era of expanding tr ansportation options for people." error(EHR uhr) An act or situation based on unintentionally inaccurate information: "The bank c lerk noticed an error in the balance sheet of the customer." It is anerrorto think that the moderneraended at the turn of the century. erasable, irascible erasable(i RAYS uh b'l) That which can be removed from something as with an eraser: "The formula which w as written on the blackboard was erasable as soon as it was solved." irascible(i RAS uh b'l) Easily angered; quick tempered: "My neighbor has an irascible disposition." Theirascibletemper of the professor often confused the students. Sometimes he would write information on the chalkboard which he would then considererasablebefo re the end of his lecture. erect, eruct

erect(i REKT) 1. Being in a vertical, upright position: "The judge's posture was strong and er ect." 2. To construct by assembling: "The farmers all got together to erect the new ba rn after the fire." 3. To raise to a rigid or upright condition: "The gardener was careful to tie th e flowers in an erect position so they would bloom better." eruct(i RUKT) To belch: "His mother always reminded him it was not polite to eruct or belch in public." The professor always appeared soerectand proper that it was hard to imagine th at he would evereructin public. erotic, erratic erotic(i ROT ik) Suggestive of sexual interest or desire: "The ancient prints in the museum depic ted the deities of antiquity enjoying erotic interests." erratic(i RAT ik) Characterized by no fixed course of action or purpose: "When she was very tired, her driving skills were erratic and dangerous." The infamous and ofteneroticbehavior of the artist led the public to sense aner raticpattern to the production of his paintings. erratum(s), errata(pl) erratum, singular (i RAH tuhm, i RAY tuhm) An error in a publication discovered after the publication has been printed; the correction of which is made available on a separate sheet: "The publisher calle d attention to the erratum in the book by including the correction on a blue she et of paper." errata, plural (i RAH tuh, i RAY tuh) A list of corrections of errors in a publication: "I noticed on page #3 in the i ntroduction that there was an errata as indicated by the book publisher." There was oneerratumlisted for page 16 which was listed in theerrataat the fron t of the recently published book. eruption, irruption eruption(i RUP shuhn) An incidence of violent explosion: "The eruption of the volcano took everyone by surprise." irruption(i RUP shuhn) A violent incursion or sudden invasion: "The irruption of the population of rats in the city caused the health officials to be very concerned." Theeruptionof the volcano and subsequent destruction of the infrastructure in the city caused concern that there would be anirruptionof disease in the city. especial, spacial, special especial(i SPESH uhl) Distinctive, noteworthy, personal, of special significance: "In the speech, the college president paid especial attention to the awards the research department had achieved." spacial(SPAY shuhl) A description of the three dimensional spaces in which objects have relative dir ection or position: "To be a competent artist, you need to have a good sense of spacial relationships." special(SPESH uhl) Unusual and readily distinguishable from other objects or individuals or events: "The two little girls were special friends and played together all the time." It was anespecialhonor to listen to the professor talk aboutspacialrelationship s in architecture. It was aspecialmoment to see my favorite building highlighted in the discussio n. eunuch, unique eunuch(YOO nuhk) A man who has been castrated: "It is said that Cleopatra employed several eunuch

s as private servants." unique(yoo NEEK) Unequaled, distinctive, one of a kind; typically used without qualifying modifie rs: "The color of her eyes was unique and enchanting." The senioreunuchin the court was in auniqueposition to know all the court intrig ues. evade, invade evade(i VAYD) To avoid in a dexterous manner, turn aside, baffle: "He tried to evade telling t he truth by giving ambiguous answers to the police." invade(in VAYD) An encroachment with the intent to take over, conquer, or to plunder: "The weeds in the field will invade the garden unless they are cut down." The speaker tried toevadequestions that were being asked about the efforts of a large educational publisher toinvadethe small country school system. ever, never ever(EV uhr) 1. At all times; always: "He was ever hoping that he would strike it rich." 2. At any time: "The crime rate is higher now than it has ever been." 3. To a greater degree: "Technology in recent years has become ever more sophist icated." never(NEV uhr) Not ever; on no occasion; at no time: "He had never been there before." "You never can be sure about much of anything these days." It isevertrue, as some authors have said, that you cannevergo home again. every day, everyday every day(EV ree DAY) Each day or daily: "At school the students have two breaks every day." everyday(EV ree DAY) 1. Ordinary, typical, or usual: "It rained so often it seemed like an everyday o ccurrence." 2. Something that is used or seen daily; suitable for daily use: "Don't let the problems of everyday life affect you to such a degree that you are emotionally u pset." Every daysomething happens that makes me wonder if I should expecteverydayerro rs as the norm. everyone, every one everyone(EV ree wun") An inclusive word referring to every person or individual: "The invitation to th e fete was issued to everyone in the village." every one(EV ree wun") Every individual without exception: "The children noticed that every one of the kittens had blue eyes." Every oneof my six siblings was in school at the same time andeveryonereceived a special certificate of good attendance. everything, every thing everything(EV ree thing") Inclusive of all that relates to a subject or topic: "The boy wanted to know eve rything about the butterflies in the garden." every thing(EV ree thing") Every single or individual object: "They were told to do every thing listed on t heir schedule and not to miss one item." Every thingwhich I discussed with the gardener confirmed my suspicions that s he kneweverythingabout growing flowers. evils, weevils evils(EE vuhlz) 1. Things that are morally bad or wrong; wickedness: "Why are there so many evil s caused by people against others?" 2. Things that are causes or sources of suffering, injuries, or destruction: "Th e social evils of poverty and injustice still exist on a global scale."

weevils(WEE vuhlz) Any of numerous beetles, especially the snout beetle, that characteristically ha ve a downward-curving snout and are destructive to nuts, fruits, stems, and root s: "The weevils practically destroyed most of the almond trees in our area this year." As forevils, I try to eliminate theweevilsin my orchards. evoke, invoke, revoke evoke(i VOHK) To summon, call forth, or recollect: "Seeing the valley served to evoke strong m emories of growing up in the mind of the tourist." invoke(in VOHK) To solicit or to request help or support: "In ancient mythology, the priests wou ld invoke the deities to protect the sailors on the seas." revoke(ri VOHK) To take back, to annul, or to recall: "Their father decided to revoke his permis sion for the children to go swimming and they went to the movies instead." The city official had toinvokesupport from the fire department in order to car ry out the order torevokethe parade permit. In the end, he also had toevokean order from the mayor to cancel the parade. evolution, revolution evolution(ev" uh LOO shuhn) Process of change, typically involving development from a less complex status to a more complex one: "The evolution of childhood is marked by many opportunities for fun and learning." revolution(rev" uh LOO shuhn) 1. An unexpected, fundamental, and radical change, often in relation to a politi cal context: "The student revolution on the university campus surprised everyone ." 2. A measure of time for a celestial body to complete the orbit around its axis: "The approximate revolution of the earth around the sun is 365 days." The theory ofevolutioncaused arevolutionin the way people understood the laws of natural history. evolve, devolve evolve(i VOLV) To produce by natural change and development: "The expectations of the residents of the city in terms of services usually evolve over time." devolve(di VOLV) The change of power and authority from a central power or governing body to that of a more local center: "The corporation decided to devolve the control of sale s from the head office to the local authorities." It seemed to be a natural process that the authority in the board wouldevolv eto a more democratic process; in fact, it was decided todevolvethe power of the bo ard completely in favor of a citizen committee. exalt, exult exalt(ig ZAWLT) 1. To glorify and to praise: "The songs they sang each morning served to exalt t he beauty of the day." 2. To raise in rank, character, or status: "His reputation for good works will e xalt his character in the eyes of his neighbors." exult(ig ZULT) To be in high spirits or to rejoice greatly: "I could only exult at the good new s from my publisher." The decision toexaltthe memory of the former mayor, for her contribution to th e community, caused many of the older citizens toexultabout the power and influen ce of senior citizens. exceed, excel exceed(ik SEED) To go beyond typically established guidelines or limits: "Suddenly I noticed I w as about to exceed the speed limit near the school." excel(ik SEL)

To surpass, to be superior in achievement: "The twins appeared to excel more whe n they were singing together than when they sang solo." If Iexcelin spelling and grammatical accuracy, I shallexceedall expectations reg arding my written essay. exceptionable, exceptional exceptionable(ik SEP shuh nuh buhl) Liable to be objectionable or offensive: "The teachers attempted to censor the e xceptionable passages in the new novel assigned to the students." exceptional(ik SEP shuh nuhl) Differing from the norm, either better than average or worse than average: "Ther e was an exceptional amount of rain this summer and as a result, the rivers ran very high." Theexceptionalremark made by the politician was deemedexceptionableby the elect oral committee. excerpt, extract excerpt(EK surpt") 1. As a noun; a carefully selected literary passage, usually small or short: "As part of her speech to the doctors, the nurse read an excerpt from her medical t ext." 2. As a verb; to extract, to select, to take out, or to quote passages from a bo ok, etc.: "When you decide to excerpt a passage from a book or text, be sure to credit it properly; otherwise,you might be accused of plagiarism." extract(ik STRAKT) 1. Usually a large selection from a literary passage: "Herjob was to write the ex tract from the exciting new novel for the book review." 2. To pull something out: "While the dentist was working to extract her tooth, h e was also trying to extract information about the new concert series at the sym phony." 3. To obtain information from someone who is reluctant to provide anything: "The extract which my aunt wrote about the new novel was quotingfrom the author's des cription of her efforts to extract information from the police investigator." Theextractwhich she prepared for the newspaper contained an especially touchin gexcerptfrom a famous novel. exclude, exude exclude(ik SKLOOD) To restrict or to prevent participation or involvement in a situation or activit y: "The new rules were designed to exclude pets from living in the apartment bui lding." exude(ig ZOOD, ik SOOD) 1. To show off in an effusive manner: "She seemed to exude good humor and charm. " 2. To spread out in all directions: "The spilled oil seemed to exude all over th e garage floor." The scent of the perfume seemed toexudethroughout the room, making several peo ple sneeze; therefore, the management decided toexcludethe wearing of perfume in t he public rooms. exclusive, inclusive exclusive(ik SKLOO siv) Restricted limited use or possession by a small group and/or individuals: "The t ennis court appeared to be for the exclusive use by the members of the private c lub." inclusive(in KLOO sive) 1. Covering or including everything: "The bill submitted to the accountant was i nclusive, not leaving out a single item." 2. Open to everyone; not limited to certain people: "We joined the inclusive clu b because we wanted to meet all kinds of people from various cultures." The policy regarding theexclusiveuse of certain words in the newspaper was cha nged to make the paper seem moreinclusiveand reflective of the general population of the city. exercise, exorcise

exercise(EK suhr sighz") 1. To use frequently and repeatedly to strengthen: "She attempted to goto the gym nasium daily to exercise so she would be ready to run the marathon." 2. To carry out an official function or duty: "He will exercise his responsibili ties as vice president to the best of his ability." exorcise(EK sor sighz" EKS or sighz") To free or to get rid of something that is perceived as evil or difficult: "I jo ined the freedom march as a way to exorcise myself from feeling guilty about my ancestors." "The novel was about a priest who tried to exorcise demons from a young man and his sister." As anexerciseof my authority as mayor, I had to arrange for a shaman to come t o our town toexorcisethe evil spirits believed to haunt the community. exhaustible, exhausting, exhaustive exhaustible(ig ZOST i buhl) Possessing characteristics that suggest a depletion or using up of resources: "T imber is an exhaustible resource due to the lack of foresight by the lumber comp anies." exhausting(ig ZOST ing) 1. Characterized by using all of one's mental or physical energy: "Running the m arathon is an exhausting activity." 2. Completely using up something; such as, supplies or financial resources: "The y kept over spending until they finally realized that they were exhausting all o f their money." exhaustive(ig ZAW stiv) A thorough and complete study or consideration of information: "To complete his degree, he undertook an exhaustive study of the use of the printing press over t he decades." It wasexhaustingto complete theexhaustivestudy of theexhaustibleresources of the region. exhort, export, extort exhort(ig ZORT) To raise interest in something by strong argument or urging: "The student leader attempted to exhort his friends to march to the government buildings." export(ik SPORT, ik SPOHRT, EK sport", EK spohrt") When trading, the movement of goods or ideas from one location to another.: "The people were proud to be able to export their grain crops to poor countries." extort(ik STORT) To obtain something through intimidation or illegal power: "The courts realized that the gangster had tried to extort money from the business owners." The president of the union tried toexhorthis members to boycott theexportof exp ensive products. It was believed that the politicians were trying toextortthe unio n president for their own means. expand, expend expand(ik SPAND) 1. To spread out, open out, stretch out: "She stood on the lawn to expand her ar ms as if to embrace the whole world." 2. To make greater in size: "He used a special tool to expand the width of the p ipe." expend(ik SPEND) 1. To spend or to use something: "When running, try not to expend all your energ y in the first few minutes." 2. To use time, energy, effort, etc. for a particular purpose or objective: "We must be willing to expend the time and resources required to complete this proje ct." We agreed toexpendour personal resources in an effort toexpandthe prospects of o ur company. expanse, expense expanse(ik SPANS) Descriptive of something spread out, taking up a lot of space: "The wide expanse

of the Pacific Ocean is impressive." expense(ik SPENS) Cost which may be financial or an effort to achieve a goal or an end: "The expen se of the new addition to the hospital was considerable." Theexpanseof the company was achieved at greatexpenseto the share holders. expansive, expensive expansive(ik SPAN siv) Generosity, high spirited, or an exaggerated sense of self worth: "Her expansive personality was charming and helped her to make many friends." expensive(ik SPEN siv) Characterized by high cost or a price typically beyond the means of the person i nvolved in a negotiation: "The bids on the antique at the auction became too exp ensive for her pocket book." In anexpansivemoment, he decided to buy theexpensivepiece of property down by th e river. expedience, expedients expedience(ik SPEE dee uhns) Characteristic of using what is opportune to achieve a goal or end often without regard to principles or ethics: "Given the rush to complete the railroad on tim e, the managers resorted to the expedience of using poor quality materials." expedients(ik SPEE de uhns) That which is advantageous or profitable for the moment without due regard for o thers or for principles of honor: "The criminal resorted to shady expedients in order to rob the banks." "Striking while the iron is hot" is an expression that means to use what eve rexpedientsthat are necessary to capitalize on theexpedienceof the moment to achieve what you want. expletive, explicative expletive(EK spli tiv) A word used to fill a space in a communication (written or verbal) that does not add meaning to the communication and is often considered crude or obscene: "The editor of the newspaper did not approve of the writers using expletives in thei r text." explicative(EK spli kay" tiv, ik SPLIK uh tiv) Providing a detailed and logical explanation: "The speaker provided an explicati ve introduction to his topic." The advice columnist in the local newspaper provided anexplicativeexplanation why the use of anexpletivein polite conversation is not appropriate. explicit, implicit explicit(ik SPLIS it) Clearly stated; plain to see; readily observable: "The directions for making the cake were explicit." implicit(im PLIS it) 1. Suggested or to be understood though not plainly expressed; implied: "His com mitment to his wife was implicit in all that he did." 2. Without reservation or doubt; unquestioning, absolute: "The children responde d with implicit cooperation during the fire drill." Theexplicitdirections in the package left nothingimplicit; so, there should be no difficulty in putting the toy together. explosion, implosion explosion(ik SPLOH zhuhn) Characterized by a loud and noisy expression of emotion or to burst violently: " There was an explosion of tears and lamentations after the train crash." "During the construction of the train tunnel, dynamite was used to create an explosion, loosening the rock." implosion(im PLOH zhuhn) To cause to collapse inwardly due to the change in internal air pressure: "The i mplosion and collapse of the building was carefully engineered by the specialist s." We could hear a loudexplosioncaused by the detonation of the dynamite which wa

s used to bring about theimplosionof the damaged building. expose, expos expose(ik SPOHZ) 1. To leave something without a covering or protection: "When a strong wind blow s the shingles off the roof, it will certainly expose the wood under them." 2. To cause someone to experience something or to be influenced or affected by s omething: "The teacher wanted to expose his students to the great works of liter ature." 3. To reveal something that is hidden, dishonest, or criminal: "The reporters we re about to expose him as a fraud." expos(ek" spoh ZAY) 1. A news report or broadcast that reveals something illegal or dishonest to the public: "The newspaper was about to present an expos of the candidate's financia l corruption." 2. A book, newspaper report, magazine article, etc. making sensational disclosur es: "The article in the newspaper had an expos about the senator's illegal bribes ." The recentexposin the newspaper upset the councillors because it served toexposet he underhanded manipulations going on in the small committees. expostulate, postulate expostulate(ik SPAHS chuh layt") To reason or to discuss earnestly, typically to point out an inappropriate behav ior: "The parents attempted to expostulate with their children about the broken window." postulate(PAHS chuh layt") To assume that something is true: "The teacher stated he would postulate that th e garden would do well if it rained frequently." It seemed silly to try toexpostulatewith the small children just because I had decided topostulatethat perhaps they did break the window. extant, extent extant(EK stuhnt, ek STANT) Currently existing: "Very few copies of the Gutenberg Bible are extant." extent(ik STENT) A range or distance over which something extends: "To what extent are we the pro duct of our training and environment?" Theextentof the grazing lands for theextantherd of bison covered both the flat p rairie and the river bed. extemporaneous, impromptu extemporaneous(ik stem" puh RAY nee uhs) 1. Carried out or performed with little or no preparation: "The politician made an extemporaneous speech at the local college." 2. Prepared in advance but delivered without notes or text: "The newswoman prese nted an extemporaneous report about her recent experiences in China." impromptu(im PROMP too, im PROMP tyoo) 1. Prompted by the occasion rather than being planned in advance: "When two of h er former class mates dropped by unexpectedly, my sister had an impromptu little party." 2. Spoken, performed, done, or composed with little or no chance of preparation: "The teacher made an impromptu lecture about honor and responsibility." We decided to have animpromptupicnic down by the river. While we were enjoying ourselves, my friend got up and delivered anextemporaneousspeech about friendshi p. extraneous, intrinsic extraneous(ik STRAY nee uhs) Not essential or not forming a necessary part of something: "The balcony scene w as extraneous to the meaning of the play." "The reporter was able to speed up the process of completing her report by e liminating much of the extraneous comments made by some of the people." intrinsic(in TRIN zik, in TRIN sik) Essential to the nature of an object or idea: "The intrinsic nature of their fri

endship could not be described." "Someone once said that creativity is intrinsic to human nature." After getting rid of all theextraneousparagraphs in the new novel, the editor felt that only the keyintrinsicdescriptions remained; all of which were strengthen ing elements in the story line. eyed, I'd eyed(IGHD) 1. Having eyes of a specified number or kind; often used in combination: "She ha d a blue-eyed cat." 2. An attentive or focused glance or close observation: "The homeless man hungri ly eyed the hamburgers being prepared in the open-air market. I'd(IGHD) Contraction ofI hadorI would: "I'd rather go on vacation than to stay home; in fact , I'd leave right now if I could." I dhaveeyedthe menu more carefully had I realized that there would not be time fo r a meal this evening. eyelet, islet eyelet(IGH lit) 1. A small hole or perforation, usually rimmed with metal, cord, fabric, or leat her; used for fastening with a cord or hook: "The eyelets on the coat were made of leather so they would not tear." 2. A small eye: "The new born kitten s eyes were so small they could be described as eyelets." islet(IGH lit) A very small island: "My idea of a summer vacation is to spend it on an islet in a quiet lake." I often wore a dress of whiteeyeletwhen I spent the summer on theislet in Greec e. fable, foible fable(FAY buhl) 1. A short story that usually is about animals and which is intended to teach a lesson: "One of Aesop's fables is about a fox and some grapes." 2. A story or statement that is not true: "She combines fact and fable to make h er novel more interesting." foible(FOI buhl) A minor fault in someone's character or behavior: "Each of us has some little fo ible which can be very amusing." As a story teller, my friend often used afableto illustrate a charmingfoiblein a character s personality. faade, veneer faade, facade(fuh SAHD) 1. The front of a building: "The saloon had a large facade covering the whole fr ont." 2. A way of behaving or appearing that gives other people a false idea of your t rue feelings or situation: "We were always trying to keep up the facade of our h appy marriage." veneer(vuh NEAR) A thin layer of wood or other material that is attached to the surface of someth ing in order to make it look better: "All the shelves had veneer along the front ." Thefaadeof the building was covered with aveneerof imitation stone, making it loo k 100 years older than it actually is. facet, faucet facet(FAS it) 1. A part or element of something: "Each facet of the issue requires a lot of th inking through." 2. A small, flat surface on a jewel: "The diamond had one large facet and many s mall ones." faucet(FAW sit)

A device that is used to control the flow of water from a pipe: "The faucet wasn 't turned off and the bathtub was overflowing with water!" As I considered everyfacetof my home renovations, I decided I wanted a brass c overedfaucetin the bathroom. facetious, fictitious facetious(fuh SEE shuhs) Used to describe speech that is meant to be funny but that is usually regarded a s annoying, silly, or not proper: "Her facetious remark certainly did not fit th e situation." fictitious(fik TISH uhs) Not true or real: "The characters in the novel are all fictitious." The book reviewer made afacetiousremark about thefictitiouscharacters in the sh ort stories. facilitate, felicitate facilitate(fuh SIL i tayt") To make easy or easier: "Winning millions in the lottery may facilitate entering the world of high-class society" felicitate(fi LIS i tayt") 1. To wish joy or happiness to: "The parents of the bride wanted to felicitate t he newly wedded couple before they left for their honeymoon." 2. To congratulate: "Mr. Jones did indeed felicitate the student, a neighbor, fo r his graduation from college with a check and a written note in a letter." I think if I call my friends instead of writing to them, it willfacilitatemy a bility tofelicitatethem for their new baby. facility, felicity facility(fuh SIL i tee) 1. Something; such as, a building or large piece of equipment, that is built for a specific purpose: "The resort offers a large facility for various sports." 2. A skill and ease in doing something: "She has a great facility with words." felicity(fi LIS i tee) Great happiness: "Their marital felicity lasted many years." My cousin worked for a greeting card company because she had a greatfacilityw ith words. She was often assigned to create cards wishingfelicityfor many differe nt occasions; such as, weddings, new babies, promotions, etc. fail, failed, failing; flail, flailed, flailing fail, failed, failing, verbs (FAYL, FAYL'd, FAYL ing) 1. To prove deficient or lacking; to perform ineffectively or inadequately: "The business is expected to fail to fulfill its promises." 2. To decline, as in strength or effectiveness: "The light was failing because t he electrical power failed to go through the damaged wiring." flail, flailed, flailing, verbs (FLAYL, FLAYL'd, FLAYL ing) 1. To beat or to strike with or as if with a flail; that is, a manual threshing device consisting of a long wooden handle and a shorter, free swinging stick att ached to its end: "We could see some people on the farm flailing the grain to ge t the seeds out of the husks." 2. To move vigorously or erratically; to thrash about: "We could see him flailin g his arms helplessly in the water." The farmerfailedtoflailhis wheat before the weather became too rainy. He was very afraid of his cropsfailingbecause his daughter was going away to s chool in the fall and he felt that he wasflailingabout in debt and problems; and o n top of that, his health wasfailing. fain, feign fain(FAYN) Archaic use, happily ready, willing; pleased, happy: "They were fain to go on th eir summer vacation." "She fain would go to the party tomorrow." "When my friend invited me to dinner, I would fain do it, for sure, for sure ." feign(FAYN) To give a false appearance; to represent falsely: "Every Friday she feigns being

sick so she doesn't have to attend her sports' activities in school." To say that I wasfainto go to the concert would be incorrect; however, because my friends want to go, I willfeignenthusiasm and go with them. faint, feint faint(FAYNT) Dizzy, light headed; having little strength or vigor: "After hearing about the d eath of her son, she was quite faint." feint(FAYNT) Trick, ruse, stratagem; a misleading movement or attack directed toward one part to draw defensive action away from the actual target or objective: "The basebal l pitcher usually made a feint just before he threw the ball to first base." I thought I wouldfaintwhen I saw my friendfeinta heart attack and fall to the fl oor. fair, fare fair(FAIR) 1. Impartial, unbiased; honorable: "A fair settlement of the dispute was suggest ed by the labor arbitrator." 2. A reference to weather conditions: "The weather today is fair; that is, clear and sunny." 3. An exhibition to show off new equipment or materials for trade and purchase o f new equipment or materials: "We plan to go to the famous book fair in Frankfur t, Germany, again this October. fare(FAIR) A price paid for transportation: "The fare for a subway ride has been multiplied many times since it was originally set." Do you have thefarefor admission to thefair? I understand the weather will befai rtomorrow and I thought the weather report was given in afairand impartial manner o n the radio. There are some cities that are fortunate enough to have an equitable transpo rtation fee, or afair fare. fairy, ferry fairy(FAIR ee) An imaginary creature that looks like a very small human being, has magic powers , and sometimes has wings: "When I was a child I loved reading fairy-tale books which took me into the land of fairies." ferry(FAIR ee) 1. To carry or move (someone or something) on a vehicle; such as, a boat or car, usually for a short distance between two places: "The boat will ferry people to the island." 2. Ferryboat: "You can only go there by ferry because there is no bridge." My friend told me that the dentist put a bridge in his mouth; so, I asked hi m if the toothfairywent under it in herferry. faker, fakir faker(FAYK uhr) Having a false or misleading appearance; a fraud: "You are not badly injured, yo u faker!" fakir(fah KIR) A Muslim religious mendicant who is a member of an order of clerics who are forb idden to own property and who work or beg for their living: "The fakir, looking very thin and weak in this Muslim group, certainly is very poor." A renownfakirlived in a remote village; however, there were some who thought h e was afaker, trying to fool the population with his "miracles". false, faults false, adjective (FAWLS) 1. Not real or genuine and not really what it seems to be: "He presented his fal se documents to the police." 2. Based on mistaken ideas: "Your conclusion is based on false assumptions." faults, noun (FAWLTS) 1. Bad qualities or parts of someone's character: "She loved him despite his fau lts of over eating and not exercising."

2.Responsibility for problems, mistakes, bad situations, etc.: "Despite all of h is faults, he was still my best friend." We heard a report about the risk of earth quakes to towns that were built on thefaultsacross the desert. This report worried us until we realized that the report wasfalsebecause it wa s written on April 1; that is, April Fool s Day! A man who is working in a "Seismology Lab" said, "I can predict earthquakes. " Would that make him afaultsprophet? fan, fan, fan fan(FAN), noun 1. A device for creating a current of air or a breeze; especially; a machine usi ng an electric motor to rotate thin, rigid vanes in order to move air, as for co oling: "The engine was cooled by an electric fan." 2. A flat object that is held in a person's hand and waved back and forth in fro nt of his or her face: "It's a good thing that we each had a fan to use on our t rip so we could cool ourselves a little bit during those hot summer days." fan(FAN), verb 1. To move air on or toward someone or something with a waving object: "It was s o hot today that she had to fan herself with a newspaper while she was waiting f or the train." 2. In a figurative sense, to make an emotional situation more dangerous, so peop le become angrier and more likely to act in a violent way: "The speakers at the political meeting were trying to fan the group to march against the policies of the government." fan(FAN), noun Someone who likes and admires a famous person or something; such as, a sport or a sports team in a very enthusiastic way; an ardent devotee; an enthusiast: "She is a great golf fan and she is this player's most loyal fan." "This term forfanis a shortened form offanaticor someone who is overly enthusias tic about somethingoranyone who has extreme ideas about politics, religion, etc." I am afanof indoor sports and I often go to the local stadium. Sometimes it is hot in there because the electricfansare not working and because the hot music se ems tofanthe enthusiasm of the crowd and I have to use my program as afantofanmy face. farce, force farce(FAHRS) 1. A funny play or movie about ridiculous situations and events: "The play 'A Mi dsummer Night's Dream', by William Shakespeare, can be called a farce." 2. Something that is so bad that it is seen as ridiculous: "The election seemed to be a complete farce to the population." force(FOHRS) 1.Physical strength, power, or effect: "The front of the car took the full force of the accident." 2. A natural power or effect that is able to change the speed or direction of so mething: "The force of the earthquake caused the dishes to fall off the shelves and break." "Many people simply can not accept the use of force to solve such minor prob lems." What could you possibly like about professional wrestling? Is it the brutefo rcethat they exhibit? Well, what I like most about professional wrestling is the brutefarcewhich th ey perform. farm, pharm farm(FAHRM) A piece of land used for growing crops or raising animals: "My dad used to have a herb farm where he grew chives, parsley, and thyme, just to name a few." pharm(FAHRM) A place where genetically modified animals or plants are produced for the produc tion of pharmaceuticals: "The termpharmis a shortened form ofpharmacyandpharmaceutica lwhich are branches of the health sciences dealing with the preparation, dispensi

ng, and proper utilization of drugs." The newpharmwas built on oldfarmland that had been purchased from the owner. faro; farrow; Pharaoh, pharaoh faro(FAIR oh) A card game in which the players lay wagers on the top card of the dealer's pack : "While traveling in France, our friends were trying to learn how to play a gam e of faro." farrow(FAIR oh) A litter of pigs or giving birth to a litter of pigs: "The farmer was happy to s ee such a good farrow of new piglets when he went to the barn." Pharaoh(FAIR oh, FAY roh) A king of ancient Egypt or a reference to atyrant: "The Pharaoh is the title of t he rulers of ancient Egypt, who usually combined the roles of king and god." Pharaohis used today as a synonym for the king of ancient Egypt. Much expense of labor, money, and treasure was involved in their funeral rites, as shown by the pyramids and the tombs; such as, that of Tutankhamen. Each line of kings formed a dynasty, of which there were 31 in all, the peak s of power and development being known as the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms. The term originally and literally meant the "great house" referring to the living q uarters of the king which was the royal palace. The institution of kingship in ancient Egypt was centered around the concept that the Pharaoh was himself divine, a god among the gods, and therefore on a p lane above mankind. From the time of the New Kingdom (starting in the 18th dynasty, 1539-1292 B. C.), the term came to be used for kings of Egypt; however, the termPharaohwas nev er formally the king's title. Compiled from information found in the Encyclopaedia Britannica; William Benton, Publisher; Chicago; 1968; Volume 8, page 44. When thePharaohplayedfaro, the prize for the winner was afarrowof piglets. farther, further farther(FAR thur) Usually a reference to space dimension or a greater distance, but it should be u sed only in connection with a physical or alineardistance: "That town is farther a way than I thought." further(FUR thur) Not always differentiated from farther, but it should be used in referring to a degree, a quantity, or time in quality or degree: "The students had to do furthe r research in their project." The simple rule is to usefartherorfarthestonly when someone is talking about amea surable distance or space, otherwise usefurtherto indicategreater in quantity, time , and degree. In order to dofurtherresearch in our geography class, we went in search of a r egion that wasfartheraway from our university town than the next village. fast, fast fast(FAST) 1. Moving or able to move quickly: "He is a fast runner." 2. Placed, tied, or attached in a way that is not easily moved: "Make the rope f ast to the hook." 3. Very loyal or faithful: "They became fast friends." fast(FAST) 1. To eat no food for a period of time: "I was told that I would have to fast fo r at least seven hours before the operation." 2. The first meal of the day, usually eaten in the morning: "Every day people br eak the fast after a night of sleeping; in other words, we havebreakfastwhen we ge t up in the morning." Before they started theirfast, the two athletes, who werefastfriends, participa ted in a race because they were bothfastrunners. fatal, fateful fatal(FAYT'l)

1. Causing death: "Certain diseases can be fatal or deadly." 2. Causing ruin or failure: "The burglar made a fatal mistake in his undertaking and got caught." fateful(FAYT fuhl) Having important results: "Her life changed on that fateful October evening." She remembered thatfatefulday when thefatalexplosion at the mine marked the end of the mining industry in their area. fate, fete fate(FAYT) The force, principle, or power that is thought to predetermine events: "It is th e fate of teachers to always have to correct exams and make grades." fete(FAYT, FET) A feast or festival: "They had a big fete to celebrate the beginning of the New Year." My sister sighed, "It is myfateto be crowned queen of thefetethis year." fated, feted fated(FAY tid) Certain to do or be something: "The two characters in the play seemed fated or d estined for each other." feted(FAYT'd, FET'd) The simple past/past participle tense of "to fete" which is to honor (a person) or celebrate (something) with a large party or public celebration: "The team was feted by their fans after winning the last game of the season ." The history of the illfatedlovers isfetedevery year at the theater festival. faun, fawn faun(FAWN) In Roman Mythology, one of a group of rural deities depicted as having the body of a man and the horns, ears, tail, and legs of a goat: "Pan, the son of Hermes and depicted in Roman Mythology as a faun, is usually pictured playing on a simp le instrument, the Pan pipe, and dancing happily." fawn(FAWN) 1. A young deer; especially, one under a year old: "You usually have to look car efully in a forest if you want to find a fawn in the springtime." 2. To be overly affectionate: "When the celebrity arrives at the restaurant the waiters fawn all over him." 3. To seek favor by supporting slavishly every opinion and suggestion of a super ior; to grovel, to be an apple polisher, etc.: "Some of the pupils decided to fa wn on their teacher in order to get good grades in their class." I thought I wouldfawnover my professor and impress him with my knowledge of Ro man Mythology; especially, the myths surrounding thefaun. Unfortunately, in my essay I misspelled "faun" and wrote "fawn" instead. My professor was amused at my efforts tofawnbut he was not impressed. faze, phase faze(FAYZ) To disturb, disconcert, or to embarrass: "You will seldom succeed as a musician if you let criticism faze you." phase(FAYZ) Any of the stages or forms in any series of changes: "Good teaching usually need s to have more than one phase of learning in a lesson." Don't let the newphaseof educational reformfazeyou. Remember, we have watched th is happen before. fazed, phased fazed(FAYZ'd) The simple past/past participle of "to faze" which is to disturb, disconcert, or to embarrass: "She was absolutely fazed at the amount of attention she was gett ing after her performance." phased(FAYZ'd) Done gradually in steps and according to a plan: "The present government has tho ught about a phased closure of various military bases." I am neverfazedwhen I read about the changed plans that would havephasedin pris

on reform. feasible, plausible feasible(FEE zuh buhl) Possible to do: "Is it feasible to buy that house when our income isn't very muc h?" plausible(PLAW zuh buhl) Possibly true, believable or realistic: "The student had to think of a plausible explanation for being late for class." Is itfeasiblethat yourplausibleexplanation of the explosion would be accepted by the engineers? feat, feet, fete feat(FEET) An act of bravery, skill, endurance, or ingenuity: "The feat of the first man to walk on the surface of the moon will not soon be forgotten." feet(FEET) The plural form offoot: "Was it Napoleon who said that an army marches on its sto mach as well as its feet?" fete(FAYT, FEET) 1. As a verb, To honor someone or to celebrate something with a big party or pub lic event: "They decided to fete the winning football team with a parade." 2. As a noun, A festival or feast; an elaborate, often outdoor entertainment: "T he community decided to have a fete to celebrate the charity work done over the years by a group of dedicated volunteers." It was an extraordinaryfeatwhen my friend danced in her barefeetduring the danc e competition at thefete. In fact, the judges decided tofeteher and gave her a cou pon to buy a new pair of shoes for herfeet. ferment, foment ferment(FUR ment") 1. To undergo or to cause the gradual decomposition of an organic compound induc ed by enzymes, bacteria, yeast, etc.: "They want to ferment hops and barley so t hey can make some beer at home." 2. A situation in which there is much excitement and confusion caused by some ki nd of change: "After the opposing political party finally won the election, the town was in a state of ferment." foment(foh MENT) To cause or to try to cause the growth or development of something bad or harmfu l: "To foment or to incite people to plan a revolution without thinking can have very serious consequences!" In order tofomenta revolt among the farm hands, the revolutionary forces sprea d lies which caused a state offermentamong the farmers. They even went to the local pub and ordered beer which is made when the hops and barleyfermenttogether. ferrule, ferule, feral ferrule(FER uhl) Usually a metal ring or cap that is placed around the end of a wooden stick or h andle to strengthen it: "He repaired the handle of the broomstick by using a fer rule." ferule(FER uhl) A rod or ruler used in punishing children: "I remember my mother saying that the teacher at school used a ferule on their hands if they were not clean." feral(FER uhl) Wild, savage, escaped from domesticity and turned wild: "The feral cats gathered on the back fence to howl at the moon." The witch in the forest used aferruleto straighten herferulewhich she then used to chase theferalcats away from her Candy House. feted, fetid feted(FAYT'd, FET'd) The simple past/past participle of "to fete" which is to honor (a person or peop le) or celebrate (something) with a large party or celebration: "The couple was feted by their fans after they appeared in the musical production."

fetid(FET id, FEE tid) Having a strong or unpleasant smell: "A fetid or putrid odor of decaying meat fi lled the air in the kitchen." Several days after we werefetedat the Town Hall, the garbage stored behind the building was becoming veryfetidand needed to be carted away. few, phew few(FYOO) Amounting to or consisting of a small number: "He read a few pages of the book b efore falling asleep." phew(FYOO) An expression of relief, fatigue, surprise, or disgust: "Phew! I thought we were going to miss the train!"

"Phew! It's hot in here." "Phew! What's that odor?" Phew!! Even though I had only afewpages to read to finish the book, it seemed to take me forever. fewer, less fewer(FYOO uhr) A smaller number of people or things which can be counted: "There were fewer peo ple in the audience than I expected." "There are fewer fish in the stream." less(LES) 1. A smaller number or amount: "She is trying to save more money, and spend less ." 2. Applied to material in bulk: "There is less sugar in the coffee than yesterda y." 3. A reference to abstract situations: "It is obvious that there is less honor i n business dealings these days; especially, with some banks." 4. Applicable to matters involving degree and value: "There is much less purchas ing power than in the past because there is less money available for people to u se." Although too many writers and speakers use these words incorrectly, everyone should realize thatfewershould refer only tocountable numbers or thingsor to units capable of being counted; as in "Thelessmoney there is available, thefewerhamburger s and potato chips we can buy." Fewmeansnot many; little meansnot much.Fewermeanssmaller in number;lessmeanssmal n amount, as in "I havefewerlegs than a centipede, but a centipede haslessintelligen ce." Possibly "a doubtful proposition" according to Willard Espy. The last two paragraphs were compiled from Say It My Wayby Willard R. Espy; Doubleday & Company, Inc; Garden City, New York; 1980; page 192. If you are still not convinced, then consider the following: Although colloq uial English is often different, standard written English usesfewerwiththings that can be countedandlesswiththings that cannot be counted; for example,fewerpeople, butl ssmoney. It is unacceptable to writelessstudents orlessplayers. Also, don't writefewerthan six weeks because the expression "six weeks" refers to a single period of time, and not a collection of six individual objects; the refore, the required wording islessthan six weeks. Compiled from information located in Mind the Gaffeby R.L. Trask; Penguin Books; New York; 2001; page 126. In times of economic restraint, there arefewerpeople investinglessof their hard earned wages when they go out for a coffee. I always ask forlesssugar in my coffe e than usual so I will gainfewerpounds on my figure. fianc, fiance, finance fianc(fee" ahn SAY, fee AHN say) A man that a woman is engaged to be married to: "The young lady said, 'Let me in troduce you to my fianc.' "

fiance(fee" ahn SAY, fee AHN say) A woman that a man is engaged to be married to: "He introduced his fiance to his relatives." finance(fuh NANS, FIGH nans") 1. The way in which money is used and handled: "He will be taking a university c ourse on personal finance so he can become a specialist in personal investments. " 2. To buy something by borrowing funds that will be paid back over a period of t ime: "She had to borrow enough money so she could finance the purchase of a new car." Myfianc, who works in thefinancesector of the economy, introduced me to his fami ly as hisfiance. fibber, fiber fibber(FIB uhr) Someone who tells insignificant or childish lies or who makes an untrue statemen t about something minor or unimportant: "He admitted that he was a fibber when h e said he enjoyed the movie." fiber(FIGH buhr) 1. Plant material that can not be digested but which helps people to digest othe r food: "It's important to get enough fiber in our diets." 2. A thin thread of natural or artificial material that can be used to make clot h, paper, etc.: "This natural fiber will allow the fabric to breathe and that pa per is made from both cotton and wood fiber." He was not afibberwhen he told me that a diet high infiberwould be good for me. In fact, he wrote out the information on a piece of paper that was made of natur alfiber. fiddling, piddling fiddling(FID ling) 1. To move or to handle something with the hands or fingers in a nervous way: "S he was nervously fiddling with her pen as she was waiting for the test to start. " 2. Playing folk music, country music, etc., on a violin: "My friend recently won first place in a fiddling competition." piddling(PID ling) So trifling or trivial as to be beneath one's consideration: "He was unhappy abo ut the piddling amount of money he was receiving for all the work he did last mo nth." A lady wasfiddlingaround in the attic when she discovered the fiddle her uncle used to play. She had fond memories of thefiddlingconcerts in the kitchen when she was growi ng up in Newfoundland; but now, many people think that kitchen concerts are ofpid dlingconsideration. fiend, friend fiend(FEEND) 1. An evil spirit, a demon, a devil, or a very evil or cruel person: "From what I read in the newspaper he seemed to be a murderous fiend." 2. Someone who is very enthusiastic about something: "I think she is a real athl etic fiend because she spends all of her time on the sports field." friend(FREND) A person whom you like and enjoy being with: "Susan has always been a good frien d to me by supporting me whenever I need it." "The small business people knew they had a friend in the senator who support ed the tax relief that they needed if they were to survive in these economic tim es." The police said thefiendwho was preying on youth in the park often met them by pretending to be theirfriend. In fact, thefiendwas afiendfor skateboarding. filing, filling filing(FIGHL ing ) 1. A small piece that is removed when something is smoothed or rubbed with a fil e: "When the iron chair was worked on, it was easy to see the results of the fil

ing on the ground." 2. The act of giving an official form or document to someone in authority in ord er to begin a legal process: "The filing for the income tax return was taken car e of by the tax consultant." 3.The job, activity, or storing of documents in a file: "The secretary at the sc hool does all the computer work and filing for the principal." filling(FIL ing) 1.Material that is used to fill something: "She wanted to have a gold filling wh en she went to the dentist." 2.A food mixture that is used to fill something: "The pie needs more apple filli ng or the crust will be more significant than the fruit." After the dentist put afillingin my tooth, she wrote up the report and gave it to the clerk forfiling. The clerk said he would complete thefilingtomorrow because he was latefilinghis income tax forms, explaining that he had difficultyfillingin the questionnaire. fill, nil fill(FIL) 1. All that anyone wants or needs: "If you have eaten and drunk your fill then y ou have all that you want." 2. To satiate, as with food and drink: "They had a tendency to fill up on sandwi ches and soft drinks before going to football games." 3. To provide the things that are asked for in something; such as, an order: "We went to the drug store to fill our prescriptions." nil(NIL) Nothing; none at all, zero: "The chances of our getting an increase in our salar ies is nil." When youfillin the questionnaire, be sure to mark asnilthe question about the nu mber of cats in your household. That shouldfillthe appetite of the statisticians f or trivia. final, finale, finally, finely final(FIGHN'l) Coming to an end, last, a conclusion: "She was extremely glad when she passed th e final exam." finale(FIGHN'l ee) The conclusion or last part; the end: "He sung a magnificent song for the finale ." finally(fuh NAH lee) At the end: "After looking for an hour, I finally found my keys." finely(FIGHN lee) 1. In a fine manner, not coarse, in very small particles: "The nuts for the cupc akes should be finely chopped." 2. Superior in quality: "We enjoyed the finely performed recital by the students at the music hall." We attended afinelyexecuted dance recital at the end of which the dancers perf ormed, as theirfinalnumber, the grandfinalefrom a famous ballet before it wasfinallyti me for the curtain to come down. find, fined find(FIGHND) 1. To discover something or someone without planning or trying to: "Susan was ha ppy that she was able to find the money on the sidewalk." 2. To get or to discover something or someone that you are looking for: "To find anything that you have lost sometimes can take days." fined(FIGHND) Simple past tense or past participle tense form of "to fine", which is to requir e someone to pay a fine as a punishment: "He was fined $100 for speeding within the city limits." The prosecutor was determined tofindthe man guilty of speeding and the judgefin edthe man $100 and suspended his driving license for two months. fineness, finesse fineness(FIGHN uhs)

1. Superior in quality: "I had never before felt such fineness as this piece of silk fabric." 2. The proportion of pure gold or silver in an alloy: "There is a high fineness of gold in this ring." finesse(fi NES) 1. Skill, adroitness: "She handled the interview with the senator with finesse." 2. Subtlety or tact in maneuvering; craftiness: "He showed much finesse in deali ng with the company executive." Thefinenessof my friend's training was amply demonstrated by thefinessewith whi ch she managed the job interview subsequent to which she was offered a high payi ng position in the law firm. finish, Finnish finish(FIN ish) 1. The last part of something: "The competition had a very close or tight finish ." 2. The final coating on a surface or the appearance produced by such a coating: "The final finish on the table made it look like new!" Finnish(FIN ish) Of or relating to Finland, its people, or the Finnish language: "The Finnish peo ple are said to be very friendly." Is it possible to have a Scandinavian ending or aFinish finishat the winter sp orts this year? fir, fur fir(FUR) An evergreen tree having flat needles and erect cones: "Fir trees are often used as Christmas trees." fur(FUR) The thick coat of soft hair covering the body of an animal; such as, a cat, a ra bbit, a fox, a beaver, etc.: "Some women like to wear fur coats in the winter." When thefirtree is covered with fluffy snow, it looks like it is wearing afurco at. first lady, first lady first lady(FURST LAY dee) or First Lady when it refers to the U.S. President's wi fe. 1. The wife or hostess of the chief executive of a country, state, or city: "The U.S. President and the First Lady went to the reception together." 2. The foremost woman of a specified profession or art: "She has the reputation of being the first lady of theater and dance in England." first lady(FURST LAY dee) The first wife: "When a head of state who had married a fourth time was asked if his wife were thefirst lady, he responded by saying, 'No, she's my fourth lady' ." Ms. Brown was thefirst ladyof the violin and often gave concerts hosted by thef irst ladyof her government and attended by theFirst Lady, wife of the president of the United States. fiscal, physical fiscal(FIS kuhl) Of or relating to money and especially to the money a government, business, or o rganization earns, spends, and owes: "What is the fiscal situation now of the bu siness that you own?" physical(FIZ i k'l) Relating to the body of a person instead of the mind: "The doctor is interested in your physical health." Due tofiscalrestraints at budget time, investment in programs for ourphysicalwe ll being will not happen. fish, fishes, phish fish(FISH) 1.Noun, any of numerous cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates of the superclassPisces, characteristically having fins, gills, and a streamlined body: "When people are talking about one fish or one species of fish, both the singular and plural form

s arefish." 2.Verb, to catch or to try to catch fish: "We love to fish." 3. To search for something by feeling; such as, using the hand in an effort to f ind something: "She had to fish around in her purse for her keys." fishes(FISH iz) Any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills: "When more than one kind or species of fish are referr ed to, bothfishesandfishare acceptable; such as, varieties of tropicalfishor all thefi hesof the sea; however, now when anyone is talking about more than one kind of fi sh, the pluralfishis more commonly used rather thanfishes." phish(FISH) An internet process used by a scammer to seduce a person into providing financia l information and password data: "People need to be aware of an e-mail that clai ms to be a legitimate business trying to phish for important personal informatio n which can be used to the detriment of the individual." A Fishy Tale They always say the fish they caught Last year was twice the size, And make a big production of Their rods and lures and flies. They tell the tallest tales, it seems, Straight-faced and without blinking; It's not exactly lies, you know, But ratherfishfulthinking. Harriet Cooper This winter I plan to relax andfishforfishesorfishon the frozen lake. I need the b eak because I was very stressed after receiving aphishon the internet. fisher, fissure, phisher fisher(FISH ur) Someone who catches fish: "Her father used to be a fisher and caught lots of tro ut in the rivers." fissure(FISH ur) 1. A narrow crack or cleft; as in, a rock face: "The fissures in the tile walkwa y outside the house provided growing space for the weeds." 2. A separation or division; a schism or split: "The fissure of the castes resul ted in countless subcastes." phisher(FISH ur) Someone who uses illegal ways of gaining secured credit card numbers, bank accou nt information, brokerage information, and generally anything that could yield a financial gain in line with fraudulent operations: "A phisher is anyone who tri es to steal from others on the internet." Years ago I heard the story about afisherwho was wading in the lake and caught his foot in afissureon the lake bottom. fishing, phishing fishing(FISH ing) The process of catching or trying to catch numerous cold-blooded aquatic vertebr ates that characteristically having fins, gills, and streamlined bodies: "There are some people who love fishing whenever they have the opportunity to do so." phishing(FISH ing) Creating a replica of an existing web page to fool a user into submitting person al, financial, or password data: "Phishing is the term coined by hackers who imi tate legitimate companies in e-mails in order to entice people to share their pa sswords or credit-card numbers." The phisher wasphishinga web page for information aboutfishingwhile, at the sam e time, he was trying to get the credit card numbers of visitors to the site. flagrant, fragrant flagrant(FLAY gruhnt) Very bad, too bad to be ignored: "She made a flagrant error in her exam and fail ed completely." fragrant(FRAY gruhnt)

A pleasant and usually sweet smell: "The roses he gave me were exceptionally fra grant." In the Middle Ages, servants tried to cover up theflagrantsmell of bad food by putting bunches offragrantflowers in the dining room. flammable, inflammable, nonflammable flammable(FLAM uh buhl) Capable of being set on fire and of burning quickly: "Gasoline is a very flammab le liquid." inflammable(in FLAM uh buhl) Easily excited, aroused, or angered: "The man had an inflammable temper when he felt he was being wronged" is a proper usage, but it should no longer be used wi th reference to something that will not burn. The wordinflammableactually means "able to burn"; whilenonflammablemeans "unable (or unlikely) to burn". The prefixin-, used withinflammableis an intensifier not a "negative" as with s uch words asinhospitable, inhuman, insensible, indecent, inadequate, etc. It has been a mistake believed by many people thatinflammablemeant "not flammable" and s ome serious injuries resulted over the years because of this misunderstanding. As a consequence, many English-speaking countries passed laws that have requ ired manufacturers of materials and substances that burn easily to use the wordfl ammablein place ofinflammable, which is considered less ambiguous or confusing. So remember thatinflammablecomes frominflame, which in this case means "to set on fire" and not fromin-, "not" +flammable, "combustible". nonflammable(nahn FLAM uh buhl) Not flammable, especially not readily ignited and not rapidly burned: "It is muc h more realistic that people usenonflammableornon-flammableinstead of inflammable wh en they mean that something cannot burn or is very difficult to burn." In the confusion at the store, which was caused by a man'sinflammabletemper, I was unable to read the sign to see if the can of solvent wasflammableornon-flamm able. flare, flair, flayer flare(FLAIR) 1. To blaze up with a sudden, bright light: "The sparklers flare up in the dark night." 2. To burst out suddenly in anger, violence, etc.: "They always flare up when th e topic of child abuse is mentioned." flair(FLAIR) A natural talent or ability, an aptitude, a knack: "His daughter had a flair for math." flayer(FLAY uhr) 1. A person who strips off the skin or surface of: "The skin of the deer was str ipped off by the flayer." 2. The noun for to strip of a person's possessions: "The new government taxes se emed to be like a flayer of the peoples' earnings." 3. The noun for to reprove harshly or criticize severely: "The husband received a flayer from his wife when she found out where he had been that night." The newspaper writer had aflairfor words when he was writing about the corrupt government. He appeared to be aflayerof reputations and, as a result, the response of his victims was toflareup in angry indignation. flaunt, flout flaunt(FLONT) To display in a showy manner; to show off proudly, defiantly, or impudently: "Th e early uses of flaunt had to do with coquettish strutting about, showing off ga udy silks, and the word still means to parade one's possession in a way to invit e envy." flout(FLOUT) 1. To treat with scorn or contempt; to mock or to insult: "For some reason, all he could do was to flout the conventions of his new community of residence." 2. To break or to ignore a law, rule, etc. without hiding what one is doing or s

howing any fear or shame: "Despite repeated warnings, they have continued to flo ut the traffic laws." The corrupt business man seemed tofloutthe corporate regulations; in fact, he seemed toflaunthis behavior by daring his boss to fire him. flea, flee flea(FLEE) Any of various small, wingless, bloodsucking insects that have legs adapted for jumping and are parasitic on warm-blooded animals: "A dog, and other animals, ce rtainly can have fleas." flee(FLEE) To escape or to run away from danger, pursuit, or unpleasantness: "Many people w ere able to flee Nazi Germany in 1936." A dog could be thinking as it scratches the itching caused by an insect,fleeo ff mefleaor sometimes the canine simplyfleesfrom thefleaswhenever it is possible. A fly and afleain a flue Were imprisoned, so what could they do? Said the fly, "Let usflee!" "Let us fly!" said theflea. So, they flew through a flaw in the flue. Little Book of Word Tricks; Peter Pauper Press; Mount Vernon, New York; 1958; page 24. If she putsfleapowder on her dog, thefleawill certainlyflee, or die. flecks, flex flecks(FLEKS) 1. Tiny spots or marks: "There were flecks of mica in the stones." 2. Small bits or flakes: "You could see flecks of dandruff on the collar of this jacket." flex(FLEKS) 1. To bend (a joint) repeatedly: "The patient had to flex his fingers many times for the doctor." 2. To bend (something pliant or elastic): "This material has the ability to flex which is good for doing my exercises." I love this strip of plastic because when Iflexit, theflecksof silver sparkle in the sunshine. fleece, fleece fleece(FLEES), noun 1. The woolly coat of a sheep or other similar animals: "The fleece of sheep nee d to be trimmed, shorn, or clipped off with shears or clippers so it can be used for useful products." 2. A soft cloth that is used to make warm clothes: "We went to the clothing stor e to see if we could buy some warm fleece jackets or coats." fleece(FLEES), verb 1. To deceive, to defraud, or to take money or property from someone; to cheat o r to swindle: "Don't let that guy fleece us by overcharging us for that used car ." 2. To shear or to clip the wool from sheep: "They had to spend a lot of time try ing to fleece all of their sheep before the truck came to pick up the clipped fl eece." The rancher decided tofleecethefleecefrom the sheep and he was determined to sel l thefleecefor a fair price and not to let the unscrupulous middle menfleecehim. flesh, flush flesh(FLESH) 1. To provide more information about something or to make more complete by addin g details: "Mary had to flesh out her story with more descriptions of the charac ters." 2. The physical nature of a person rather than the mind or spirit: "Some people pay much more attention to the pleasures of the flesh than they do to mental and spiritual considerations." flush(FLUSH)

1. To cause a strong flow of water or some other liquid to clean something: "You should flush the toilet every time you use it." "The doctor wanted to flush the boy's eyes with a special solution." 2. The redness of a person's face because of heat, emotion, anger, etc.: "She al ways used to flush when her new boyfriend's name was mentioned." 3. Being even or level with another surface: "We wanted the book shelves and the wall to be flush with each other." The article in the paper provided information tofleshout the details of the en gineering project to raise the level of the road to beflushwith the sidewalk. The details of the article made the engineerflushwith anger because the plans were supposed to be secret. fleshly, fleshy fleshly(FLESH lee) Of or relating to the flesh or body or of relating to the bodily appetites: "The doctor noticed a fleshly spot on the arm of the man." fleshy(FLESH ee) 1. Having a large amount of flesh: "The big man had a very fleshy face." 2.Soft and thick: "A succulent plant has very fleshy leaves." Theflashypolitician seemed to be a bitfleshy. His hands were large and soft; hi s fingers were sofleshythat they reminded me of the leaves on my succulent plant a t home. flew, flu, flue flew(FLOO) The past tense verb ofto fly: "The aircraft flew low over our town." flu(FLOO) A shortened term forinfluenza: "The subject of swine flu has become a big concern throughout the world." flue(FLOO) 1. A pipe, tube, or channel for conveying hot air, gas, steam, or smoke, as from a furnace or fireplace to a chimney: "The flue in our fireplace was out of orde r so a lot of smoke filled the room." 2. An organ pipe sounded by means of a current of air striking a lip in the side of the pipe and causing the air within to vibrate: "The flue of the organ had t o be repaired first before the organist could play." Fluis both affirmative and negative; sometimes theeyeshave it and sometimes then ose. Evan Esar A chimney cleaner was telling a customer that he and his partner clean chimn eys with a big blast of air called aflueshot. I caught thefluthe same evening as theflueof the chimney was blocked and the roo m had become smoky. I had to go to bed and from the window I watched how the air planesflewover the trees on their way to the airport. flight, plight flight(FLIGHT) 1. A journey on an airplane: "The flight from Canada to Germany was quite smooth ." 2. A series of stairs going from one level or floor to another: "He broke his ar m when he fell down a flight of stairs." plight(PLIGHT) A difficult or dangerous situation; especially, a sad or desperate predicament: "The plight of unemployed might cause major economic problems for the future." Theplightof the passengers on theflightfrom overseas was not known. flip, flip-flop, flippant flip(FLIP) 1. To throw or to toss with a light brisk motion; to flick, to spin: "She tried to flip me the ball while she flipped her hair out of her eyes." 2. To toss in the air, imparting a spin; to turn over: "You could see him flip t hrough the pages of the phone book looking for the number." flip-flop(FLIP flahp") 1. A backless foam-rubber sandal with a V-shaped strap secured between the toes

and at the sides of the foot: "She wore a flip-flop on each foot as she went int o the shower." 2. A change of opinion, especially by a politician: "She was accused of trying t o flip-flop about her political position regarding the educational system." 3. A backward flip of the body: "Everyone saw him do a flip-flop in the air afte r he made the winning goal." 4. An electronic circuit or mechanical device that has two stable states and can be switched between the two: "An early computer used a flip-flop as its memory storage unit." flippant(FLIP puhnt) Showing a lack of seriousness that is thought to be inappropriate; impudent, bra sh, impertinent, insolent: "The young man shocked everyone by making flippant re marks while his father's will was being read." During an interview, theflippantpolitician was heard to make aflip-flopon the is sue of the city ordinance regarding unleashed dogs in the park. At the end of th e interview, he tossed his head tofliphis hair off his face. floe, flow, flux floe(FLOH) A flat mass of floating ice: "A floe was making progress with the ship quite dif ficult." flow(FLOW) To move smoothly, as in a stream: "She turned on the bathtub faucet and the wate r began to flow." flux(FLUKS) 1. Constant change and instability: "His political views are in a state of flux. " 2. A state of uncertainty about what should be done (usually following some impo rtant event) preceding the establishment of a new direction of action: "The flux following the death of the king caused much concern among the politicians." The frequentfluxin the weather patterns often causes an icefloetoflowdown the riv er towards the sea. FLOPS, flops FLOPS(FLOPS) In computing, FLOPS is an acronym meaningFLoating pointOperationsPerSecond: "The FLO PS is a measure of a computer's performance, especially in fields of scientific calculations that make heavy use of floating point calculations, similar to inst ructions per second." flops(FLOPS) 1. Someone who sits or lies down heavily by relaxing the muscles and letting the body fall: "Her body just flops onto the couch whenever she finishes her exerci ses." 2. To be completely unsuccessful: "All of their attempts result in a series of f lops." 3. The sounds made when people, or things, suddenly fall or sit down: "It was no mistake that the sounds were flops of people diving into the swimming pool." When heflopsdown in the chair in front of his computer, he wants to check theFL OPSto make sure the calculations are performing properly. flotsam, jetsam flotsam(FLAHT suhm) Floating pieces, parts, etc., from a ship that has been wrecked: "After the stor m, there was a lot of flotsam from wrecked ships that had washed ashore." jetsam(JET suhm) 1.Floating objects that are thrown into the water from a ship: "Some of the jets am we found on the beach were still usable." 2. It is usually used in the phraseflotsam and jetsam, also figuratively: "He fou nd a lot of flotsam and jetsam which had collected on his desk." Along the shore we could see a lot offlotsamfrom ship wrecks; however, here an d there was somejetsamfrom a ship which we took to the museum. The curator reminded us that the phrase "flotsamandjetsam" is often used to re fer to the accumulation of bits and pieces from ships along the shore.

flounder, floundered; founder, foundered flounder, floundered(FLOUN duhr, FLOUN duhr'd) 1. To struggle, to move, or to obtain a footing: "Because of the deep snow, we s aw the man flounder again as he came down the hill." 2. To proceed clumsily and in confusion: "A plan so rash and ill-conceived was c ertain to flounder." "The horses floundered in the deep snow as they crossed the field." founder, foundered(FOUN duhr, FOUN duhr'd) 1. A person who creates or establishes something that is meant to last for a lon g time: "As the son of the company's founder, he is expected to become the CEO o ne of these days." 2. To become submerged; to sink: "We saw the boat as it foundered in the lake." 3. To stumble and to fall, to fail completely, to collapse: "The fact that he wa s moving from job to job over the last several years indicates that he was exper iencing one career founder after another; in other words, he has foundered many times in his vocational careers." Founderalso has an established pleonastic (redundant) sense as part of the id iomatic "founder and sink" which is an unnecessary repetition; since, "to founde r" means "to sink" The ship wrecked sailor appeared toflounderin the water as he attempted tofloun derto the shore. Several years later, he became thefounderof the school system on the island. flour, flower flour(FLOUR) Ground wheat or other cereal seeds: "Whole wheat flour is recommended as more wh olesome for one's health." flower(FLOU ur) A blossom: "A flower, or flowers, can impress people in many ways." Flowershave more scents than people. Evan Esar Can you believe that there is such a thing asflower flouror what is also known as "ground-grain blossoms"? fluster, frustrate fluster(FLUS tuhr) To make someone nervous and confused: "Sudden, loud noises can fluster a speaker ." frustrate(FRUS trayt") To cause someone to feel angry, discouraged, or upset because of not being able to do something: "So many incomprehensible bureaucratic letters can only frustra te people who want to improve our economic situation." Getting lost when I am driving always seems tofrustrateme very much. In fact, it tends toflusterme so much that I have to take a break for a coffee. foal, foal foal(FOHL), noun A young horse; especially, a horse that is less than one year old: "We went to m y cousin's farm to see the foal that he has had for about nine months." foal(FOHL), verb To give birth to a new horse: "When we arrived at my cousin's place to see the n ine-month old foal, he told us that his other mare was about to foal her first f oal." Can a mare befoalingafoalwhile she still has afoalwith her and so have two, or mor e,foalsor does she have to wait until the previouslyfoaled foalhas reached a certain age before shefoalsanotherfoal? fogy, foggy fogy, fogey(FOH gee) A person who has old-fashioned habits and attitudes: "I think she is an old fogy because she doesn't like pop music." foggy(FAW gee, FAHG ee) 1. Having or filled with fog: "It took us a whole hour to get there because it w as so terribly foggy."

2. Not clear, vague or confused: "My memory is a bit foggy because I don't remem ber where I put my keys!" The oldfogyseemed to be veryfoggyabout the activities being planned in the after noon; however, all the plans were cancelled because the weather became veryfoggyan d we could not go for a drive. fondling, foundling fondling(FAWN dling) Gently caressing, stroking, handling, or touching in an affectionate or loving w ay: "She was always seen idly fondling the cat's ears." foundling(FOUND ling) A baby that is found after being left, or deserted, by its parents or a parent: "The children discovered a foundling deer in the forest apparently deserted by i ts mother." Thefoundlingrabbit was so sweet and patient; it did not seem to mind the child renfondlingits ears. for, fore, four for(FOR, FOHR) 1. Used to indicate the place someone or something is going to or toward: "They were heading for home when the accident happened." 2. Used to indicate the thing that something is meant to be used with: "The food here is for her birthday party." 3. In order to help or serve someone or something: "Let me carry that heavy box for you." fore(FOR, FOHR) Something that is located at or toward the front; the front part: "The emergency exits which are located at the fore part of a plane are very important." four(FOR, FOHR) 1. The number 4: "We have four people in our family." 2. Used to indicate the time of day, 4 o'clock: "I come back every day from work at four in the afternoon." When the two couples go out to eat, they often request a tablefor fourin thefor epart of the restaurant. forego, forgo forego(fohr GOH) To go before, to precede: "The news of the Pope's visit to Germany will forego h is arrival in the country." forgo(fohr GOH) To give up the use or enjoyment of something: "I decided to forgo the trip to Fr ance and stay at home with my children." Tradition says that eating one's potatoes shouldforegoeating a dessert; howeve r, I think I willforgotradition and enjoy my chocolate pudding right now before ea ting the potatoes. forever, for ever forever(FAIR ee), noun or adverb 1. A seemingly very long time, noun: "It has taken forever to resolve these poli tical problems." "After what seemed forever, she was finally able to see the doctor." 2. For a very long or seemingly endless time, adverb: "She said he promised that he would love her forever." "He's forever asking silly questions about the meanings of words." for ever(FAIR ee) The closed spelling of the adverbforeveris usually found in American English; whil e elsewhere in the English-speaking world, the open adverbial phrasefor everis nor mally used: "Her father promised his daughter that he would love her for ever." "She was for ever complaining about her job." In the United States, the termforeveris normally the preferred spelling; while in other English-speaking areas, it is acceptable to use the separated words off or ever; so, essentially, either one can be used to express the same meanings; h owever, one dictionary (Collins English Dictionary) states that:foreverandfor everc an both be used to say that something is "without end". For all other meanings,fo

reveris the preferred form. I had a new friendship with someone in the United States; she promised to lo ve meforever; however, because I live in Canada, I promised to love herfor ever. foreword, forward foreword(FOR wurd) An introduction in a book: "The foreword of a book is usually not written by the author." forward(FOR wurd) Movement to the front or onward: "The boy walked forward from the back of the bu s." She is movingforwardwith the work on her book; in fact, she just completed thef orewordin which she explained her interest in how people can get a better educati on. form, form form(FORM) A document with blank spaces for filling in information: "Some people hate to fi ll out a form or have an abnormal fear of doing so, on and off the internet." form(FORM) 1. The shape of something: "The building's massive form was more than most peopl e expected." 2. A bodily shape: "Some people strive to develop a form of the body which has a ppeal for another person or other people; such as, a shapely form has a special appeal for modeling, acting in movies, on TV, etc." 3. To get, to create, or to develop something over a period of time: "They wante d to form a friendship that would last for a lifetime." The statistical researcher's job was to giveformto the ideas of the committee and she was going to create aformto send to their colleagues. formally, formerly formally(FOR muhl ee) 1. Ceremonially or ceremoniously: "The new president of our college was formally installed last week." 2. Following or being in accord with accepted forms, conventions, or regulations : "She dressed quite formally which was required for the international conventio n." formerly(FOR mur lee) Previously; in earlier times; before: "Formerly it was considered dangerous to b reathe the air at night." Formerlythe ritual of installing a new president at the university was a very informal affair; however, now that the president is installedformally, everyone is dressingformallyfor the occasion. fort, forte fort(FORT) A fortified place for military defense: "The fort was captured after a long batt le." forte(FOR tay") 1. A note or passage of music played or sung in a loud, forceful manner: "She pl ayed forte when she was supposed to have played mezzopiano." 2. Something that a person is particularly good at: "She said that cooking was n ot really her forte." He studied military history and hisfortewas in analysing the foundations of th e oldfortin the city. forth, fourth forth(FORTH) 1. Forward, onward in time or place: "From that day forth or from that time onwa rd." 2. Out into notice or view: "There was a flow of lava bursting forth from the ea rth." "The snow is gone and the flowers are ready to spring forth." fourth(FORTH) 1. A 4th or one of four equal parts of something: "She cut the small cake into o

ne fourth piece for each person." 2. The number four in a series: "I will be flying in on the fourth of next month ." "The ball player got a base hit in the fourth inning." She wasfourthin line when her name was calledforthfor her to pick up her registr ation package for summer school. fortuitous, fortunate fortuitous(fohr TOO i tuhs, fohr TYOO i tuhs) Happening by chance: "His fortuitous arrival at the scene saved our lives." fortunate(FOHR chuh nit) Enjoying and receiving some unexpected good, having good luck: "We were fortunat e that we got home before the storm hit our area." We werefortunatethat the unforeseen butfortuitousclosing of the museum meant tha t we could go to the ball game instead. fortune, fortune fortune(FOR chuhn) A large amount of money: "Their house is worth a fortune." "She made her fortune in real estate before the economic decline." fortune(FOR chuhn) 1. Something that happens by chance or luck: "They had the good fortune to escap e injury when their car swerved into the ditch." 2. The future that someone or something will have: "She said that she could tell my fortune or how successful I will be in the future." At the local carnival, I went to see thefortuneteller who by goodfortunehappene d to be my aunt. She told me myfortunewhich suggested I would write an important book that woul d earn me afortune. foul, fowl foul(FOUL) 1. Rotten, contaminated, or dirty: "Have you ever noticed how foul eggs can smel l when they have been around too long?" 2. Unfavorable; contrary to the rules of a game or sport: "He has a reputation f or being a foul player." "The player committed a foul when he tripped the other soccer player." "After he was suspended from the football game, the player was asked why he had to foul so often because he fouled during just about every new play." fowl(FOUL) Birds collectively; a large edible bird; such as, a chicken, a turkey, a duck, e tc.: "We had roasted fowl for our Thanksgiving meal." No matter what you say, a stinking chicken is still afoul fowl. fraise, frays, phrase fraise(FRAYZ) A barrier or defense of pointed, inclined stakes or of barbed wire: "He was not able to escape because of the fraise surrounding the prison." frays(FRAYZ) 1. A scuffle or brawl: "Many crime movies show frays between the police and the culprits." 2. To alarm or to frighten: "The old man frays the little girl without meaning t o." 3. To wear away by rubbing; for example, the edges of fabric: "She frays the old pair of jeans at the bottom by wearing them much too long." phrase(FRAYZ) 1. A sequence of words regarded as a meaningful unit: "You may answer with a phr ase, not necessarily with a complete sentence." 2. A characteristic way or mode of expression; a brief expression that is common ly used: "A phrase my mother used to use was to be completelyfagged outafter worki ng so hard in the garden." "To borrow a phrase from my sister, she told her children that they are spen ding too much timewatching the boob tubeand not doing enough physical activities outside."

3. A group of two or more words that express a single idea but do not usually fo rm a complete sentence: "Please answer the following question with a complete se ntence, not just a phrase or phrases." Thephrasein the book described thefraisewhich had been erected around the yard. Thefraisewas built because there have beenfraysamong the residents. fraught, wrought fraught(FRAWT) Causing or having a lot of emotional stress or worry, anxious: "She was fraught with fear not knowing where to find her lost daughter." wrought(RAWT) Carefully formed or worked into shape: "The wrought wood forming the legs of the table were absolutely beautiful." When the blacksmith was creating the elaborate gate ofwroughtiron, he wasfraugh twith anxiety because he wasn't sure that the customer would be pleased with the results. frees, freeze, frieze frees(FREEZ) To set free: "As he frees his leg from the hole in the ice of the lake, someone was throwing him a rope so he could crawl back to safety." freeze(FREEZ) 1. To change into a solid by the loss of heat, or to cause a liquid to do this; especially, to change into ice: "This pond can freeze in the winter if the tempe rature gets too low." 2. To preserve something, especially food, by subjecting it to and storing it at a temperature at an extremely low cold point: "You can freeze food in a freezer and keep it frozen at a temperature of -18C." 3. To prohibit the conversion or use of assets: "They had to freeze the bank acc ounts in order to deprive the criminal of his ill gotten gains." frieze(FREEZ) A decorative horizontal band; for example, along the upper part of a wall in a r oom: "The frieze my mother chose for the living-room is really quite beautiful." I am thinking that I willfreezeas I am outside working on the ornamentalfriezeon the wall surrounding the gazebo (small building with open sides) in the garden; however, the faster I finish, the sooner itfreesup my time to go to the movies. frenetic, phrenetic frenetic(fruh NET ik) Filled with excitement, activity, or confusion; wild or frantic: "The celebratio n after the wedding was very loud and frenetic." phrenetic(fruh NET ik) A mental disorder, someone who is phrenetic or a madman: "He was admitted into t he institution because of indications of being phrenetic." It was very sad, the individual who was suffering from aphreneticcondition, s tarted to becomefreneticwhen he was in the crowd that was enjoying the sights and sounds of the circus. frequent, recurring frequent(FREE kwuhnt) Happening often: "The bus makes frequent stops on the way to the train station." recurring(ri KUR ing) Happening, appearing, or occurring over and over again: "The woman suffers from the same recurring nightmare; night after night." I have arecurringdream in which I am driving across the country, but having to makefrequentstops to fill the gas tank. friar, fryer friar(FRIGH uhr) A member of a men's Roman Catholic group who is poor and studies or teachers abo ut Christianity: "She met the friar on his way to the church." fryer(FRIGH uhr) 1. A deep pan for frying foods: "Please give me the fryer so I can get the bacon ready for breakfast." 2. A young chicken that is suitable for frying: "We got this fryer at the local

butcher's shop." An egg in a monastery was quoted as saying, "My destiny is to go out of thefr yerand into thefriar." frog, frogs; toad, toads frog, frogs(FRAWG, FRAHG; FRAWGZ) Any of various small, tailess amphibians, having a smooth, moist, scaleless skin and powerful web-footed hind legs for leaping and swimming; and they are more a quatic and more agile than a toad: "Frogs and toads both hatch from eggs as tadp oles and live in the water until they grow their legs." "A frog species (Psyllophrne didactyla), discovered in Cuba in 1996, is so t iny that it can sit comfortably on a human fingernail." This paragraph is based on information from Scientific American Science Desk Reference; John Wiley & Sons, Inc. publisher; 1999; page 392. toad, toads(TOHD, TOHDZ) Members of numerous small, tailess amphibians similar to frogs, that have a broa der body and rough or warty, glandular skin, hatch in water, but later live most ly on land; usually in moist habitats: "Our biology teacher taught us that toads and frogs have similar characteristics but that they are also quite different." "Toads feed on small invertebrates or animals that don't have a backbone; su ch as, worms and insects." "Toads have relatively short hind legs used for hopping, and they often have swellings containing glands that secrete an irritating fluid for defense purpos es and they are terrestrial or semiterrestrial in habit." Bothfrogsandtoadshave inconsistent common meanings. Anura is the order of amphibians that contains thefrogsand thetoads. Their eggs (spawn) are covered with jelly, are laid in water, and hatch into aquatic larva e (tadpoles), which undergo a rapid and extensive metamorphosis in which the tai l is absorbed and the gill slits are replaced by lungs. Mostfrogs(for example,Rana) live in damp places or are aquatic; some are arboreal.Toads(for example,Bufo) are better adapted to drier habitats. The content in this section is based on information from The Facts on File Dictionary of Biologyby Robert Hine; Facts On File, Inc.; 2005; page 24. When we visited the zoo, we went to the ponds and lakes section and observed severalfrogs; later we visited the wetlands section to count thetoads. fuddle, muddle fuddle(FUD'l) 1. A prolonged drinking spell; especially, in the phraseon the fuddle: "It seems as if he has been on the fuddle for about two days now." 2. A confused mixture, a jumble: "She certainly has a fuddle of spools of differ ent colored thread in that box." muddle(MUD'l) 1. To cause confusion in someone's mind: "He complained that getting too much ad vice can easily muddle his mind." 2. To mix something in a confused way: "So much information can easily muddle my efforts to properly organize the materials I am trying to set up for the book." I think before I have afuddleor two, I should try tomuddlethrough the accumulati on of paper work on my desk. funeral, funereal funeral(FYOO nuhr uhl) A ceremony or group of ceremonies held in connection with the burial or crematio n of a dead person: "There were several people who attended the funeral of our n eighbor." funereal(fyoo NIR ee uhl) Appropriate for or suggestive of a funeral; mournful: "When people attended the funeral, it was obvious that there was a funereal gloom and sadness about the pe rson being buried." The store stocked severalfunerealkinds of clothing that would be appropriate t o wear to the statefuneralof the former governor.

funk, punk funk(FUHNK) 1. A condition of cowardly fright or a panic or a state of severe depression: "H e is closer to coming out of his funk." "Her husband went into a deep funk after he lost his job." 2. A type of popular music combining elements of jazz, blues, and soul and chara cterized by syncopated rhythm and a heavy, repetitive bass line: "There was a sp ecial TV program which presented an hour of musical funk." punk(PUHNGK) 1. A young person; especially, a member of a rebellious counterculture group: "T he old lady had her purse stolen by a punk as she was getting off the bus." 2. Of poor quality, worthless; weak in spirits or health: "She had a punk feelin g because of her bad cold." I thought that thefunkmusic that was being broadcast was too loud and too muchp unkfor my taste. In fact, I was afraid that listening to it would trigger afunklike the one I experienced when apunktried to steal my purse last year. funky, punky funky(FUHNG kee) 1. Having a moldy or musty smell; having a strong, offensive, unwashed odor: "Sh e bought some funky cheese for her lunch." "When she went down into the cellar, she noticed a funky odor." 2. Stylish or appealing in an unusual way: "They had dinner at a funky little Sp anish restaurant last night." punky, punkie, punkey(PUHNG kee) Being weak in spirits or health; run down, tired, worn out, dragging, or maybe o n the verge of getting sick; for example, with the flu or a cold: "Dad said he w as feeling punky because he wasn't feeling very well even though he wasn't very sick; as least, not yet." "Hey, how are you doing today?" "Not very well. I'm feeling punky today." The doctor said that I was feelingpunkybecause I was living in a basement apart ment which had a strongfunkyodor. furry, fury furry(FUR ee) Having or bearing fine hair: "Mary loves her furry little kitten." fury(FYOOR ee) Violent anger; rage: "There was a great deal of fury regarding the death of the baseball player by a drunken driver." Myfurryfriend, the cat, flew into afurywhen I brought home a new puppy. gaff, gaffe gaff(GAF) 1. A metal hook or spear used by fishermen or butchers to lift and maneuver heav y objects: "The fisherman used his gaff to lift the fish from the net into the h old of the boat." 2. To fix or to set up for cheating: "The gambler was known to try to gaff when he played cards." gaffe(GAF) Social awkwardness or a diplomatic blunder: "She was deeply embarrassed by her s poken gaffe at the garden party." "When the man was introduced to the young woman, he realized that he had com mitted an embarrassing gaffe when he didn't pronounce her name correctly." It would be an unprecedented socialgaffeif you were to try togaffwhen playing ca rds; in fact, your opponent might think of using a metalgaffto stop you. gag, gag, gag, gag, gaga gag(GAG) To put something into or over a person's mouth in order to keep him or her from speaking or calling out: "The hostage had a gag put over her mouth so she couldn 't yell for help." gag(GAG) To censor or to prevent anyone from speaking freely or expressing an opinion: "T

he government was trying to gag the press from revealing any more political corr uptions." gag(GAG) To cause to choke, retch, or undergo a regurgitative spasm: "The odor in the hou se made her gag." "The sausage apparently got stuck in his throat and he could only gag on it until it came out." gag(GAG) Something said or done to make people laugh: "The comedian had people laughing a s he told one gag after the other." gaga(GAH GAH) 1. Completely enthusiastic, excited, or infatuated about or in something or some one: "Her son is gaga about the new neighbor's daughter." "Why are so many people so gaga about that movie?" 2. Crazy, silly, or foolish: "It has been said, that a lot of people were gaga a bout President Obama; especially, right after his election." "Polaroid Goes Gaga in that Lady Gaga will be in charge of directing Polaroi d creatively, and she will also be in charge of working with them on a co-brande d line, a Polaroid-branded sub-brand with a Lady Gaga twist to it." As seen inwww.WebProNews.com, "Polaroid Talks about Lady Gaga's Role with the Company" by Chris Crum; dated, January 30, 2010. At first, some people weregagaabout thegagthe comedian told in the restaurant, b ut it apparently caused others togagon their food and there were those who were wi shing that someone would put agagon his 'sick' humor." gage; gauge gage(GAYJ) 1. Something that is given or left as security until a debt is paid or an obliga tion is fulfilled: "He signed a gage stating that he would repay the loan." 2. A glove or other object that is thrown down or offered as a challenge to figh t: "The knight threw his glove at the feet of the other warrior as a gage to cha llenge him to a duel." 3. To offer something as security against a debt or other obligation: "She left a necklace as a gage that she would reimburse the expenses of the trip." gaugeand/orgage(GAYJ) 1. A measuring instrument for determining and indicating a quantity; such as, th e thickness of wire or the amount of rain etc.; estimate, judge, appraise, ascer tain: "Can you gauge the distance to the top of that hill?" 2. Measuring instrument, measuring device, standard, criterion: "This gauge regi sters the pressure in pounds." 3. Size, measurement, internal diameter, inner measurement, inner dimension: "Wh at gauge is that cannon?" In the sense of "measurement",gaugeis the preferable spelling. With the meanin g of "a pledge",gageis the correct and preferred form. In order togaugehis sincerity, she asked him to leave agagein her safe keeping. This was the equivalent of thegageoften referred to in romantic medieval ballads e ither when the princess couldgaugethe affections of the knight by thegagehe left her or when a knight would throw his glove orgageto the ground to challenge an oppon ent. gain, gainly gain(GAYN) 1. To come into possession or use of something; to acquire: "He strived to gain a small fortune in real estate just before the bubble burst." 2. To attain in competition or struggle; to win: "They really tried to gain a de cisive victory over the opposing athletic team." 3. To obtain through effort or merit; to achieve: "She wanted to gain recognitio n with her volunteer work as an educational tutor." gainly(GAYN'li) Graceful, pleasing, shapely: "He was described as a gainly youth with dark hair and blue eyes."

Thegainlyyouth tried togainthe girl's attention through his efforts togainthe las t goal at the game. In fact, hegainedan outstanding recognition for his efforts. gait, gate gait(GAYT) To amble, trot, or canter: "She watched the gait of the horse carefully." gate(GAYT) An entrance, exit, or passageway: "The gate opened automatically when the car ca me close." The old dog s limpinggaitnearly prevented him from making it into the yard befor e the automaticgateclosed. Callie Cardamon Because thegatewas open, I watched in horror as my pony, with an easygait, ran off down the road. gall, Gaul gall(GAWL) 1. A characteristic of boldness or impudence: "The boy had the gall to talk back to his grandmother." 2. Tasting bitter: "The medicine was bitter, tasting like gall." 3. Sore or irritated by rubbing: "The gall on the horse was due to the saddle no t fitting properly and rubbing constantly." 4. An enlargement of plant tissue due to fungus or parasites: "The botanist obse rved a large gall on the tree and looked carefully for the insects which would c ause it." Gaul(GAWL) A geographical reference to parts of Europe including present day Northern Italy , France, Belgium, parts of Switzerland, Netherlands, and Germany; often in conn ection with the Roman Empire: "Tacitus wrote of the conquest of Gaul at the time of the Romans." The Romans who invaded Gaul were clever, full ofgalland had good leadership. W henever the soldiers felt weak or intimidated or had agallfrom their armor, the do ctors boiled somegalland told themBE BRAVEor drink thisgall. galleon, gallon, galloon galleon(GAL ee uhn, GAL yuhn) A large three-masted sailing ship with a square rig and usually two or more deck s, used from the 15th to the 17th century especially by Spain as a merchant ship or warship: "Several Spanish sailors were hired to sail on the new galleon." "The galleon sailed into the harbor after a long voyage." gallon(GAL uhn) A unit of volume in the U.S. Customary System, used in liquid measure, equal to 4 quarts (3.785 liters): "They bought a gallon of fresh milk to take home from t he local store." galloon(guh LOON) A narrow band of embroidery, lace, braid, or silver or gold thread, used as a tr imming on clothes or upholstery: "Whenever the sisters next door go out, they ha ve a custom of wearing clothes with galloon decorations, or trimmings, on their dresses, coats, shoes, and hats; all of which attract a great deal of attention because of their very colorful clothing styles." The captain of thegalleon, with his uniform festooned withgalloonsof bright sil ver, ordered agallonof rum to be distributed to the crew. galley, gallery galley(GAWL ee) 1. The kitchen and equipment on a ship, airplane, or train: "The galley on the s hip was well equipped for the chef who loved to cook." 2. In printing and publishing, a single column of type set or the initial print or proof made from the column of type set: "The editor checked the galley print for spelling and factual errors." gallery(GAWL uh ree) 1. A room or building for the purpose of exhibiting works of art: "The gallery j ust off the main street was renown for its fine exhibitions of paintings."

2. A platform or construction in an auditorium to provide seating for an audienc e, often inexpensive seats: "The students always bought their tickets in the gal lery section of the auditorium when they went to concerts." When we visited the Maritime Museum, we sat in thegalleryabove the model of aga lleyand watched the staff from the museum demonstrate how to cook in such agalley. gambit, gamut gambit(GAM bit) 1. A maneuver or action intended to gain an advantage: "The winning chess player executed a clever gambit against his opponent." 2. A maneuver, stratagem, or ploy, especially one used at an initial stage: "The football coach outlined a new gambit to the players before the game started." 3. A remark intended to open a conversation: "As his opening gambit, he asked hi s new friend about the weather." gamut(GAM uht) The entire range or extent, as of emotions: "His face expressed a gamut of emoti ons, from tense anger to relaxed satisfaction." The chess player s expressions ran thegamutfrom fear to exhilaration as he ponde red hisgambit. Callie Cardamon In response to the producer s openinggambit, the face of the actor registered ag amutof emotions from fear to hatred. gamble, gambol gamble(GAM buhl) 1. To bet on an uncertain outcome, as of a contest or to play a game of chance: "They were always trying one form of gamble after another; for example, playing poker or roulette which involved risking money, or they even bet on horse races, in the hope of winning money." 2. To take a risk in the hope of gaining an advantage or a benefit: "They took a gamble that stock prices would rise." 3. To engage in reckless or hazardous behavior: "He was warned that to gamble wi th his health by continuing to smoke was a risky way to live." gambol(GAM buhl, GAM bohl) 1. To leap about playfully; to frolic: "The lambs would gambol in the field ever y morning." 2. To skip about, as in dancing or playing: "The little children loved to gambol in the play room." 3. Happy or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement: "The young dog was often seen to gambol with the opposite end of the leather leash t hat was attached to his neck." The teachers took agamblewhen they planned the end of schoolgambolfor the stude nts to be outside in the park. gambling, gamboling(U.S.); gambolling(British) gambling(GAM bling) Playing a game that involves betting money or other valuable items: "Fortunately , her gambling was infrequent and did not involve much money." gamboling(GAM buhl ing) Playing in a lively manner. "In the pastoral setting, it was enchanting to watch the lambs gamboling on the hillside." We weregambollingon the playground, pretending we were at the casino and werega mbling. The high stakes were our lunches that we brought from home. gantlet, gauntlet gantlet(GAWNT lit, GAHNT lit) Railroad terminology, an extent of railroad track that is characterized by the t rack of one section lying within the track of a second section, to highlight a s witching area: "The train operator was alert to the gantlet on the tracks so the switch from one track to the other could take place safely." gauntlet(GAWNT lit, GAHNT lit) 1. A heavy or protective glove used on industrial sites: "The steelworkers used a heat-resistant gauntlet on each hand while they were working." 2. An ordeal, either literally or figuratively in which an individual is require

d to dash between foes who attempt to harm that person: "The criticism of the pr oposal was so severe, the new senator felt as if she had run the gauntlet and ha d been battered about." During the severe rain storm, the railroad switch man wore agauntleton each ha nd to protect his hands while he tried to switch thegantletto prevent any disaster s. gaol, jail gaol(JAYL) Chiefly British forjail, a building or location for confining individuals accused of unlawful behavior: "In the exciting British spy novels, the villain always g oes to gaol in the end." jail(JAYL) A place where people are kept when they have been arrested and are being punishe d for a crime: "The new jail was located at the edge of town." We were putting on a Shakespeare play in the oldjailbuilding which had been co nverted to a community theater. In the play, the stage directions said "... and he was placed ingaol"; which was easy because we had not removed the oldjailcells. gap, gape gap(GAP) 1. A break, separation, or space in the continuity of a structure: "The horses e scaped through the gap in the fence." 2. A wide disparity or difference in attitudes or opinions: "The generation gap is the subject of many books and articles." gape(GAYP, GAP) A wide open gaze often in incredulity or wonder: "We could only gape in amazemen t at the performers at the circus." Through thegapin the stage curtain, he couldgapeunnoticed at the audience. He no ticed a significantgapbetween the afternoon, the matinee, and the evening audience s. gargle, gargoyle gargle(GAHR guhl) To rinse or to wash the throat with a liquid; a gargling sound: "She always reme mbered to gargle with salt water when her throat was sore." gargoyle(GAHR goil") A water spout, usually in the form of a grotesquely formed animal projecting fro m the gutter of a building: "Just about every gargoyle on the roof of Paris cath edral has been seen by numerous visitors over many years." I can hear the raingarglenoisily through thegargoyleon the edge of the roof. Callie Cardamon She laughs every time she goes into the bathroom togarglebecause the water spo ut in the sink is designed to look like agargoyle. garret; garrote(or)garrotte garret(GAR it) A small space under the roof of a building; sometimes used for storage or conver ted into a place for human occupancy: "When Imoved to the city, I livedin a garret at the top of the winding stairs." garrote(guh RAHT, guh ROHT") A method of execution formerly practiced in Spain, in which a tightened iron col lar was used to strangle or to break the neck of a condemned person: "The multip le murderer was executed by the Spanish authorities with a garrote which was als o the criminal's method of killing others." Be sure you know the difference between agarretand agarrotebecause there is defi nitely no similarity in their applications. According to a medieval legend, the man who was responsible for several murd ers bygarrottewas hiding in thegarretof a small house in the lane. gay, gay gay(GAY) 1. Happy and excited: "The gay and carefree children were playing in the park." 2. Very bright in color, colorful: "We were enjoying the gay colors of the sprin g flowers during our walk in the nearby woods."

gay(GAY) Being attracted to someone who is of the same gender: "There are those who are s triving for gay rights with the same privileges as married heterosexuals." The use of the termgaywith the meaning "happy and excited" has been superseded with anothergayexpression that refers to those who are "attracted to others of th e same gender" instead of people of the opposite sex. gays, gaze gays(GAYZ) A reference to people who have a sexual orientation to people of the same sex: " The flag that the gays like to display is designed with rainbow colors." gaze(GAYZ) To look steadily, intently, and with fixed attention: "Over a romantic dinner, s he gazed into his eyes intensely." The friends and families of the participants like togazeat thegaysin their outra geous costumes for the Halloween Parade in West Hollywood. Callie Cardamon When we were watching the parade in San Francisco, it was hard not togazeat t he huge rainbow flag that thegaysin the parade were waving. geek, freak geek(GEEK) A person who is single-minded or accomplished in scientific or technical pursuit s but is felt to be socially inept: "He admitted that his great interest in comp uter activities rather than socializing with people might make some people think of him as a geek." freak(FREEK) 1. A thing, or occurrence, that is markedly unusual or irregular: "A freak of na ture produced a midsummer snow storm." 2. Highly unusual or irregular: "It was a freak accident which resulted from a f reak storm." Frankenstein was afreakwhich was created, according to mythology, by ageekexperi menting in a laboratory. gel, jell gel(JEL) A colorless or slightly yellow, transparent, brittle protein formed by boiling t he specially prepared skin, bones, and connective tissue of animals used in food s, drugs, and photographic film: "How many people would continue to consume gel as a desert if they knew where it came from?" jell(JEL) To take shape or to fall into place; to crystallize: "He said that a plan of act ion was able to finally jell in his mind." She added a flavoredgelto the salad in hopes that it wouldjellin the mould so sh e could put it on a decorative plate. generic, genetic generic(juh NER ik) 1. Relating to a whole group or class: "The termfluis sometimes used as a generic term for any illness caused by a virus." 2. Not sold or made under a particular brand name: "They are selling generic dru gs at a lower price than the better known brands." 3. In biology, a class, group, or kind with common attributes; the more general class or kind in which something is included: "In the short story, the author ma de generic references to animals rather than to specific dogs or cats." genetic(juh NET ik) Relating to, or influenced by the origin or development of something: "The polic e used genetic material at the scene of the crime to identify the man as the cul prit." The Swedish beauty said that her daughter'sgenericfeatures could not be attrib uted togeneticinheritance. Callie Cardamon Thegeneticmakeup of plants and animals differ significantly; however, there ar e some biologists who believe that there is agenericrelationship among most groups

of plants and among most groups of animals. genes, jeans genes(JEENZ) Functional hereditary units that occupy a fixed location on a chromosome: "The d octor specialized in the study of the genes of his male patients." jeans(JEENZ) Pants made of jean or denim trilled cotton: "Originally designed in the United S tates for gold prospectors, jeans rapidly became very popular for all hard worki ng individuals." The first known reference to trousers calledjeansactually came from mid-19th c entury England. The namejeanscame from a kind of tough twilled cotton cloth calledjeanwhich is t he shortened term forjean fustian, which was introduced into English in the mid-1 6th century, in which thejeanrepresented a modification ofJanne, the Old French na me of the Italian city of Genoa. The namejean fustianwas "cotton fabric from Genoa", so named because that was where it was first made. Based on information located in theDictionary of Word Originsby John Ayto; Arcade Publishing; New York; 1990; page 307. Have you ever heard that chromosomes have dungarees? In other words, is it p ossible thatgeneswearjeans? genius, genus, genre genius(JEEN yuhs) Talent; a great mental capacity and inventive ability; especially, great and ori ginal creative ability in some art, science, etc.: "The girl showed a great geni us for engineering." genus(JEE nuhs) A class, kind, sort: "A Swedish scientist defined the genus of plants, helping t o categorize the different plants." genre(ZHAHN ruh) A kind, or type, as of works of literature, art, etc.: "The famous author specia lizes in the genre of short stories." Geniusbegins great works; labor alone finishes them. Joseph Joubert Ageniusis a man who shoots at something no one else can see and hits it. Evan Esar The author, who was considered agenius, wrote in a particulargenreand hergeniusw as making sense of thegenusand species of plants in the aquatic world. genteel; gentile, Gentile; gentle genteel(jen TEEL) Showing the good taste and refinement associated with polite society; elegant or fashionable: "Her genteel manners made her a welcome guest for any event." gentile, Gentile(JEN tighl) Anyone who is not of the Jewish faith or is of a non-Jewish nation: "People who are gentiles often shop on Saturday when observant Jewish people do not." gentle(JEN t'l) 1. Suitable to polite society; that is, refined, courteous, etc.: "Her gentle vo ice was pleasing." 2. Not violent, harsh, or rough: "The waves on the lake were gentle and did not cause the boat to rock dangerously." HergenteelJewish upbringing was reflected in hergentlevoice and her respect for theGentilepopulation in her neighborhood. gesture, jester gesture(JES chuhr) Movement of body parts, arms, hands, to communicate information: "The man used a gesture to indicate in which direction we should go to catch our bus." jester(JES tuhr) Someone who acts in a foolish manner attempting to be witty or playful: "In medi eval castles, a jester was often employed to entertain guests." The courtjestermade an oddgesturethat amused the king.

Callie Cardamon During the entertainment, the courtjesterused a sillygesturethat made every one laugh. ghastly, ghostly ghastly(GAST lee) Terrifying, frightening, horrifying, or extremely unpleasant: "When the car wind ows were opened, the passengers wanted to know what the ghastly smell coming fro m outside was." ghostly(GOHST lee) 1. Characterized by a shadowy, spectral appearance: "It felt as if there were a ghostly presence in the room." 2. A hint or a shadowy trace of something: "A ghostly smile flickered across his face at the discomfiture of his guests when a wail echoed through the building. " It was aghastlyexperience being frightened by theghostlyappearance of my long de ad grandfather. gibe, jibe, jive gibe(JIGHB) To taunt or to tease in a derisive manner: "The man made a gibe at the speaker w hich resulted in the person being led away by ushers." jibe(JIGHB) 1. To move forcefully from one side of a position to another: "The sailors had t o jibe the sails on the ship so it would changed course. 2. To be in agreement: "Your position on the issues does not seem to jibe with y our earlier statements." jive(JIGHV) Foolish, informal, or deceptive speech; often characterized by slang: "She grew up talking street jive." It seems that wejibein our assessment thatjivetalk is fun; however, we should be careful that we don'tgibeour neighbors who talkjivewith an accent. gild, guild gild(GILD) 1. To cover with gold or gold coloring: "The jeweler was able to gild the antiqu e necklace for her customer." 2. To give an often deceptively attractive or improved appearance to: "In order to sell his house quickly, the owner decided to gild the front door with a new c oat of paint." guild(GILD) An association of persons of the same trade or pursuits, formed to protect mutua l interests and maintain standards: "The bakers guild met every month to determin e the price of bread." The ancientguildof gold workers struggled hard to perfect a secret formula wit h which togildbase metal with gold. gilt, guilt gilt(GILT) 1. Covered with a brilliant substance such as gold or artificial gold color: "Th e picture frames appeared to be covered with gilt making them look very expensiv e." 2. Having a golden color: "The hall in the building had a beautiful gilt marble surface." guilt(GILT) 1. Feelings of responsibility for real or imagined offenses: "When the car stall ed, I had such an awful feeling of guilt because the car ran out of gas." 2. Responsibility for a crime or for doing something bad or wrong: "The jury wil l try to determine the defendant's guilt or innocence today." Going fromgilttoguiltis now part of the global landscape of luxury purchases tha t is changing, and not only because of financial chaos. Guiltis taking over fromgiltbecause of what some say is the current economic co nsumer malaise. gist, grist, jest

gist(JIST) The essence or main point of a matter: "Her opening speech at the inquest provid ed the gist of the issues to be reviewed." grist(GRIST) 1. Grain or a quantity of grain for grinding; ground grain: "The farmer delivere d corn to the grist mill to become grist or corn meal." 2. Something that can be used to one's advantage: "As a writer, my friend regard s her difficult childhood experiences as grist for the mill; that is, she consid ers such experiences as examples which she can use in her novel." jest(JEST) A frivolous comment made to communicate mockery rather than precise truth: "His jest about the speaker was considered to be in poor taste." Thegistof the story involved the difficult experience that the farmer had when he tried to deliver thegristto the mill for milling. This is not a story that should be told injestbecause it is related to the far mer's precarious livelihood. glacier, glazier glacier(GLAY shuhr) A large section or body of ice on a hillside or mountain that is characterized b y a slow and inexorable movement downhill: "The glacier moved slowly down the mo untain and pieces broke off when it got to the ocean." glazier(GLAY zhuhr) Someone who cuts and fits glass; such as, for doors and windows: "After the wind ow was broken, she called the glazier to come and repair it as soon as possible. " She gave me aglacierstare when I accidentally broke the window. Unfortunately, it meant she had to hire aglazierto repair the window. glance, glimpse glance(GLANS) 1. A quick, often oblique, look at something: "The actor cast a quick glance at the noisy group in the balcony." 2. To hit something and bounce off at an angle: "As the children threw the rocks , they watched them glance off the side of the wall." glimpse(GLIMPS) 1. A brief, quick look at something: "As the train rushed through the countrysid e, it was difficult to get more than a glimpse of the pastoral settings." 2. To look at or to see something or someone for a very short time: "We were abl e to glimpse the actress as she quickly entered the hotel." I tried toglanceover my left shoulder to catch aglimpseof the deer which was run ning away to hide. glut, gluten, glutton glut(GLUT) 1. As a noun, too much of something or a supply of something that is much more t han is needed or wanted: "There is a glut of oil on the market." 2. As a verb, to fill a thing with more of something than is needed or wanted: " Seeing the amount of food piled up on his plate, there is no doubt that he will glut himself during this meal." gluten(GLOOT'n) A substance in wheat and flour that holds the dough together: "The amount of glu ten in the flour is an important factor in how well the bread dough will rise." glutton(GLUT'n) 1. Someone who eats too much: "He is a glutton for ice cream and pie." 2. Someone who wants a large amount of something: "She's a glutton for gossip." Thegluten-free items in the health-food store did not appeal to thegluttonwho liked togluthimself with starchy treats. Callie Cardamon There was agluton the market ofglutenfree products many of which were very appea ling to thegluttonwho prided himself by having a natural products diet. gneiss, nice gneiss(NIGHS)

A banded or foliated metamorphic rock, usually of the same composition as granit e: "While walking in the mountains, we saw this nice gneiss which looked like a piece of granite stone." nice(NIGHS) 1. Pleasing and agreeable in nature: "We had a nice time at the party tonight." 2. Having a pleasant or attractive appearance: "She wore a nice dress which enha nced her nice face." Mynicefriend, who is a jeweler, made anicering for my niece from somegneisswhich I found when I went hiking. gnus, news gnus(NOOZ, NYOOZ) Either of two large African antelopes having drooping manes and beards, long tuf ted tails, and curved horns in both genders: "We saw a documentary film which sh owed gnus trying to cross a river while crocodiles were attacking them." news(NOOZ, NYOOZ) Information about recent events or happenings; especially, as reported by newspa pers, periodicals, radio, or television: "The latest news from Iraq was not good ." "We try to keep up with the latest news by watching and listening to it on o ur TV." Thenewsthat we received was that there were two newgnuscoming to the zoo. gobble, binge gobble(GAHB uhl) 1. To eat or to grab in a greedy manner: "The people who came to the food kitche n were so hungry all they could do was gobble the food given to them as fast as they could." 2. To make a throaty sound that resembles the sound a male turkey makes: "The hu nters tried to gobble like the wild turkey to trick them into to flying out of t he trees. binge(BINJ) Unrestrained behaviors; such as, drinking, eating, or shopping: "When she got he r paycheck, she went on a shopping binge until she spent almost all of her money ." Bingeeaters are sometimes people whogobbletheir food as if they were afraid the re would not be enough. gobbler, gobbler gobbler(GAHB luhr) A slang term for a male turkey: "This gobbler will be butchered and roasted; and he will be on our dinner table next week." gobbler(GAHB luhr) Someone who swallows or eats something at an excessive rate: "He was about the w orst gobbler I have ever seen at the dinner table." When he was at the Street Mission, the homeless man was often agobbler; espe cially, when a "gobbler" was served with gravy and vegetables. goer, gore goer(GOH uhr) Anyone who goes to places; especially, a person who goes to a specified place fr equently or regularly; often used in combination: "She was a regular beach-goer while her brother was a sports-goer." gore(GOR, GOHR) 1. Violent images or scenes that show a great deal of blood: "We left the movie early because it showed excessive violence, gore, and profanity." 2. To cut or wound something often with a sharp instrument: "A bullfighter is al ways at risk that the bull will gore him." 3. A tapered or triangle shaped piece of cloth used in making skirts to create a flared effect: "Each gore in her skirt was a different color creating a rainbow effect." My cousin, who was a partygoer, used a new skirt pattern which made eachgorea d ifferent color so she could make thegoredskirt she wanted to wear. Later, she came home after a party very disturbed because she and her friend

had passed the scene of an accident and had seen all thegoreon the street. goggle, google, googol goggle(GAH guhl) To look at something or someone with the eyes wide open in a way that shows that a person is surprised, amazed, etc.: "The huge statue caused him to goggle in a mazement." Google(GOO g'l) The name of the search engine and software company is a deliberate variant of th e mathematical term googol: "The company s founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, c ame up with the name in 1998 by altering the spelling for trademark purposes." googol(GOO g'l) The term is numerically valued as: (10100) 1 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000: "This googol is frequently used in mathematics." "A googol was once said to have more than the number of raindrops falling on the city in a century, or the number of grains of sand on the Coney Island beac h." I was all agogglewhen I tried to comprehend the numbergoogol. I had toGoogleit to get a definition. golf, gulf golf(GAHLF, GAWLF) A recreational sport employing specially designed sticks (called clubs) and a sm all ball, the objective of the game being to hit the ball across a distance and into a hole in the ground: "The man enjoyed playing golf after he retired." gulf(GUHLF) 1. A wide space or gap, often in relation to ideologies or life styles: "The gul f between generations was noted in the clothing that was worn by the adolescents ." 2. An expanse of ocean that extends inland: "The gulf extended far inland, creat ing a harbor for many ships." When I went to thegulffor my holidays last year, I enjoyed a lot ofgolfgames wi th thegolfpro who was providing instruction. Thegolfcourse looked out over the beautifulgulf, but I noticed a hugegulfin life style between the resort where I was and in the villages nearby. gored, gourd gored(GOHR'd) To cut or to wound with a sharp instrument: "Bull fighters run the risk of being gored by a bull during their contests in the ring." gourd(GOHRD, GOORD) 1. Plants of the vine family (Cucurbitaceae) that produce vegetables; such as, c ucumbers or squashes: "We decided to plant the gourds against the sunny fence in the garden." 2. Hard shelled fruit of vines (LagenariaorCucurbita) that, when hollowed out and dried, are used for ornaments or as containers for items: "At the market we boug ht several colorful gourds to use for decorating the table." In order to make a decorativegourdfrom thegourdof the plant growing in the garde n, Igoredit with a sharp knife to cut an opening so I could clean out the seeds. gorge, gorge gorge(GORJ), verb 1. To stuff with food; to glut: "They were so hungry that they didn't hesitate t o gorge themselves on cookies and candy." 2. To devour greedily: "These people who lived in the jungle were always seen to gorge their food as if they were afraid that someone or something would take it away from them." gorge(GORJ), noun 1. A deep ravine, usually with a river running through it: "As we flew over the area, we could see the gorge and the river flowing in it." 2. A narrow pass; especially, one that goes between mountains: "Our train was tr aveling parallel to the gorge as we enjoyed the scenery."

The restaurant was located on the cliff overlooking thegorge. The food was so good it was hard not togorgeourselves at every meal. gorilla; guerrilla, guerilla gorilla(guh RIL uh) An anthropoid or an ugly or brutal person: "Almost any gorilla probably has an u nhappy life in a zoo as compared to a natural existence in a jungle." guerrilla, guerilla(guh RIL uh) Someone who engages in irregular warfare: "To be successful, a guerrilla must op erate in a countryside containing many civilian sympathizers." An ape that uses sabotage as a method of fighting is known as aguerrilla gori lla. gourmand, gourmet gourmand(goor MAHND, GOOR muhnd) An individual who is exceedingly focused on food and drink: "The man could be de scribed as a gourmand based on his habits of always eating specialized meals and wines at various restaurants." gourmet(goor MAY, GOOR may") An individual whose special interests are fine foods and drink: "After years of study, the woman became a gourmet cook and entertained her friends frequently." Thegourmand, who was writing a new cook book, discussed it with her aunt who is also a renownedgourmetcook. graduate, graduate graduate(GRAJ yoo ayt") To be granted an academic degree or diploma: "About two thirds of the entering f reshmen stayed until they were able to graduate." graduate(GRAJ yoo ayt") To advance to a new level of skill, achievement, or activity: "After weeks of pr actice, the athletes were able to graduate to higher levels of achievement." Thegraduateof the famous university felt that she was ready tograduateto an adv anced level of research in her specialization of micro-biology. graft, graphed graft(GRAHFT) 1. The process of joining two branches or stems of a plant so they grow as one: "The tree surgeon was careful to graft the new twigs to the old tree." 2. Dishonest activity in which people with power use their positions and influen ces to get money and advantages: "Our local newspaper published information whic h exposed graft by city council members." graphed(GRAHFT) To have drawn or created, a diagram that shows the relationship or interrelation ship among or between two or more concepts or things: "To illustrate her speech, the scientist graphed her findings using a Power Point presentation." The policegrapheda chart which illustrated that there was an increase ingraftamo ng some of the corporations in the city. grantee, granty grantee(gran TEE) Someone to whom a grant is made: "He was the grantee of the scholarship." granty(gran TEE) Someone who accords a favor, prerogative, or privilege to another person: "She w as the granty of the request to extend him more time to pay off his debt." The grants committee acted as thegrantyin announcing the name of thegranteefor the lucrative contract needed for publishing the new book. grate, great grate(GRAYT) 1. To reduce to fragments, shreds, or powder by rubbing against an abrasive surf ace: "While the pasta boiled, I would grate the cheese for the sauce." 2. To make a harsh rasping sound by or as if by scraping or grinding: "Crickets grate their wings together to create their distinctive sounds." 3. A framework of lattice or parallel bars: "The water drain on the street was p rotected by a grate." great(GRAYT)

1. Extremely large or big: "The great expanse of the forest was overwhelming to the hikers." 2. Of outstanding importance or significance: "She was a great author, famous fo r her short stories." Thegreat gratein the street was placed there because of the extreme flooding r ains that often took place in that area. His barbecue turns out superb burgers and that's why he calls it hisgreat gra te. What was the name of the movie where the main actor lifted a drain cover on a street and got away from those who were chasing him? I think it was the "GrateEscape"! grave, grave, grave grave(GRAYV) 1. A hole in the ground for burying a dead body: "He was buried in a grave near his wife's grave." 2. Used as a reference to death: ""She took her secrets with her to the grave." grave(GRAYV) Requiring or causing serious thought or concern: "His carelessness could have gr ave consequences." "They are placing themselves in grave danger when they sail in the Somalia p iracy zone." grave(GRAYV) An accent mark over a letter, or letters, in certain words: "Examples of grave m arks are the 's in such French words as Svres and pre (which is used after a man's surname to distinguish a father from a son)." The minister spoke in agravetone, "May he rest in peace in thegrave." gray, grey gray(GRAY) An American spelling that refers to a color between black and white or often is like the color of smoke: "She was wearing a gray sweater which closely matched h er gray eyes." grey(GRAY) TheBritish-English spellingofgraywhich is a color that is between black and white: " We woke up to a grey morning before the sun finally appeared." Note the emphasis above on the differences of spelling: People inAmerica nor mally usegray; while the preferable spelling ofgreyis theEnglish or British prefere nce. When she was writing her essay on weather, she remembered that her professor was English and would want her to spellgreythe British way; as in, "today was agre yday". Normally, she spelled it the U.S. way; such as,gray. grease, Greece grease(GREES) 1. A thick oily lubricant, vegetable, petroleum or animal fat based: "The auto m echanic used grease in the engine." 2. To apply an oily lubricant to a surface: "The chef had to grease the baking t rays before he could bake the cookies." Greece(GREES) A peninsular country at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea: "We decided to go to Greece for our winter vacation." We went toGreecefor our vacation and I was glad that the chef at the restauran t where we ate did not use muchgreasewhile cooking. She used just a little togreaset he cooking pans. greave, grieve greave(GREEV) A medieval reference to the piece of armor designed to cover the lower leg: "The greave was fastened to a knight s leg with leather straps." grieve(GREEV) To cause distress or sorrow: "It will grieve me to tell you that your employment has been terminated."

A knight wearing medieval armor would tend togrieveif thegreaveof his armor was broken and his leg was wounded. grill, grille grill(GRIL) To cook using an arrangement of parallel bars over a source of heat; for example , an open fire: "We thought we would grill hamburgers tonight for dinner." grille(GRIL) A lattice or screen often used for ornamental purposes: "The blacksmith created a grille for the garden gate." We looked through thegrilleat the front of the restaurant so we could watch th e cookgrillthe fish over an open flame. grip, gripe, grippe grip(GRIP) 1. A tight hold; a firm grasp: "The drowning swimmer is now safely in the grip o f a lifeguard." 2. An intellectual hold or understanding: "He had a good grip on how to operate his computer." gripe(GRIGHP) To complain naggingly or petulantly; to grumble: "Her constant petty complaints are beginning to gripe me." "You could hear the students gripe that they had too much homework to do." grippe(GRIP) Influenza; an acute contagious viral infection characterized by inflammation of the respiratory tract and by fever, chills, muscular pain, and prostration: "The re is a mild epidemic of grippe in our town." The local doctor had a goodgripon the current knowledge about the new strain o fgrippewhich was causing many people togripeabout feeling ill. grisly, gristly, grizzly grisly(GRIZ lee) 1. Inspiring repugnance because of its appalling crudity or utter inhumanity; gr uesome: "The grisly scene of the mine explosion was carefully documented by the photographer." 2. Anything that suggests an appearance that causes someone to shudder with horr or: "We had nightmares about the grisly scene of the cars crashing into each oth er on the highway as a result of the sudden ice storm." gristly(GRIS lee) Tough cartilage, especially in meat prepared for eating: "Before grilling the st eak, the cook removed the gristly parts that would be difficult to chew." grizzly(GRIZ lee) 1. A very large and powerful bear of western North America: "The grizzly bears f ish in the streams where the salmon are swimming." 2. Streaked, flecked, or intermixed with gray; having gray or graying hair: "His grizzly hair was very distinguished looking and was set off by a black felt hat ." Agrisly grizzlywas having trouble chewing on thegristlymeat of a very old buffal o. gristle, grizzle gristle(GRIS uhl) 1. Cartilage, especially when present in meat: "Our dog was happy to have a bone with the gristle to chew on." 2. Tough matter in meat that is difficult to eat: "They complained that the rest aurant served them cheap pieces of meat, full of gristle and fat." grizzle(GRIZ uhl) 1. To make or to become gray: "My uncle had thinning hair and a beard which seem ed to grizzle more each time I saw him." 2. To complain in a weak or annoying way: "During the winter, she would grizzle about all the snow that blocked her from being able to leave her house." His dog didn'tgrizzleabout having a bone to chew thegristleoff; in fact, it seem ed to be more excited about chewing on thegristlethan eating regular dog food. groan, grown

groan(GROHN) A sound expressing pain, distress, or disapproval: "There was a loud groan among the workers when assignments were handed out." grown(GROHN) To have increased in size as a result of age: "My aunt exclaimed, 'My how you ha ve grown!' when she saw me after several years." His son uttered a loudgroan, "Oh, no, I'vegrownanother inch; now, none of my cl othes fit anymore." guarantee, guaranty guarantee(gahr" uhn TEE) A pledge that something is as represented and will be replaced if it doesn't mee t specifications: "The hand vacuum cleaner she bought had a three-year guarantee ." guaranty(GAHR uhn tee) A pledge by which a person commits himself/herself to the payment of another per son's debt or obligation in the event of default: "My aunt signed the guaranty w ith me when I borrowed money from the bank." If you will sign theguarantyfor me, IguaranteeI will pay back all the money that I borrow from the bank. I promise! guessed, guest, quest guessed(GEST) To come to an opinion or an answer based on very little evidence: "They guessed he was very rich based on the kind of car he drove." guest(GEST) An individual to whom hospitality is given, either in a private home or in an in stitution: "We will have a guest from out of town staying with us for two weeks. " quest(KWEST) To seek, to look for, or to search for something: "They went on a quest to find the remote gardens." Thequestof the hotel was to make visitor estimates or to have a series of gues sed guestdata in order to prepare for the summer season. guise, guys guise(GIGHZ) 1. An outward appearance; an aspect: "Her guise appeared calm despite the shatte ring news." 2. A mode of dress; a garb: "What guise will you wear to the masquerade ball?" guys(GIGHZ) 1. People in general: "What are you guys doing?" 2. Ropes, cords, or cables used for steadying, guiding, or holding: "The sailors used several guys to fasten the big crate to the deck." Theguysall got together and decided on a cowboyguisefor the masque ball schedule d for next week. gulp, gulp gulp(GUHLP), verb 1. To eat or to swallow (something) quickly or in large amounts:"His mother told him not to gulp his food so fast and his father told him not to gulp down his d inner like that." 2. To take (air) into one's lungs quickly: "The exhausted runner had to lie on t he ground as he tried to gulp for air." "The exhausted and over heated racers were gulping for air." 3. To swallow as the result of some strong emotion; such as, fear or shock: "She could only gulp nervously before beginning her oral report." "You could hear him gulp back tears as he thanked the rescuers for saving hi m from the river." gulp(GUHLP) 1. A large and hurried swallow: "He finished it in a single gulp." 2. A spasmodic reflex of the throat made as if swallowing: "She took one gulp of air after the other at the dinner table because she was choking on a piece of m eat."

In onegulp, he controlled his fears and managed togulpdown the foul smelling be verage. hack, hack hack(HAK), verb 1. To cut something or someone many times and usually in a rough and violent way : "You could hear him hack the tree down with an ax." 2. To make a path by cutting plants: "Each of us used a machete to hack a path t hrough the thick growth of brush." 3. To secretly get access to the files on a computer or network in order to get information, to cause damage, etc.: "Those guys were trying to hack into the net work so they could hack into the bank's financial records." hack(HAK), noun 1. The act of hitting something roughly with an ax, a knife, etc.: "He took a ha ck at the branch of the tree in his back yard." 2. A writer who hastily or routinely produces a lot of work without much quality just so he or she can make some money without regard for accuracy or consequenc es to others: "He was obviously a hack as a writer because he couldn't find anyo ne who wanted what he was producing." "Almost every day, she would use her computer to produce a column of hack in her blog." 3. Someone who does work that is not important or original: "She was just an ins ignificant political hack." Too often there is a radiohackwho just wants to verballyhackat those whose posit ions he or she disagrees with. This link abouthack, hackingwill provide more information. hail, hale hail(HAYL) 1. Precipitation in the form of spherical or irregular pellets of ice larger tha n 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) in diameter: "There was a sudden hail storm which c ame without any warning." 2. Something that falls with the force and quantity of a shower of ice and hard snow: "There was a hail of pebbles as the mountains were shaken by the earthquak e." "He received a hail of criticism because of his political position." hale(HAYL) Free from infirmity or illness; of sound health: "Hale stresses freedom from inf irmity, especially in elderly people who may be declared to behale and heartyor ve ry healthy and strong." My uncle who is a farmer was feeling less thanhaleafter being hit on the head byhailduring ahailstorm. hair, hare hair(HAIR) A thin, threadlike growth of the epidermis characteristically on mammals that co vers the skin and which may contain pigmentation or color: "The hair on her head was bright red as were her eyelashes." hare(HAIR) One of several fast running, shy mammals with long ears of the familyLeporidae: " The hare lived in the garden and was always on the lookout for dogs." Some people say that rabbit fur is really simplyhare hair. haircut, haricot haircut(HAIR kuht") 1. The act or an instance of cutting the hair: "She went to the salon to get her stylish haircut." 2. A style in which hair is cut: "The haircut she got looked just like that of a famous rock singer." haricot(HAIR i koh") 1. The edible pod or seed of any of several beans; especially, the kidney bean: "The chili (U.S.), chilli (British English), recipe said to add one can of red h aricot to make it rich and tasty."

2. A highly seasoned mutton or lamb stew with vegetables: "After a long hike in the hills, the haricot at the inn tasted wonderful; especially, since we were ve ry hungry." After eating a hearty helping of spicyharicot, I noticed that my hair felt li ke it was standing on end as if I had had a newhaircut. So, I went to the barber who gave me ahaircut; then I went home and made a redharicotsoup for dinner. hall, haul hall(HAWL) 1. A large, often imposing room, in a building, often used for meetings: "The wo rkers assembled in the hall to vote for a new union president." 2. A designating term for a building or part of a university complex: "We all at tended classes at Smith Hall when we were at the university." haul(HAWL) 1. To pull an object from one place to another: "We used the tractor to haul the bricks for the new building." 2. To change the direction of a ship's course to take advantage of the wind: "Th e sailors decided to haul the ship's course by raising new sails." It was moving day and we had tohaulthe furniture out of thehallto put into the m oving van. hallow, halo, hollow, holler hallow(HAHL oh) To set aside for sacred or holy use: "The priest thought to hallow the land next to the church as a burial ground." halo(HAY loh) 1. A nimbus of light surrounding a celestial object; such as, the sun, caused by the reflection of light on ice particles in the atmosphere: "On some nights the moon seems to have a halo surrounding it." 2. A sense of idealized glory invested in a person: "The woman who worked among the poor seemed almost to have a halo surrounding her." hollow(HAHL oh) 1. An empty space or cavity within an object: "The tree was old and hollow." 2. A sound made by hitting or beating a object that has an empty space in it: "Stri king the hollow log created a hollow sound that seemed like an echo." 3. Empty, lacking in sincerity: "She gave a hollow promise to do all her homewor k." 4. A low or sunken space, often in a field: "At the base of the hollow was a spr ing of water for the cattle." holler(HAHL uhr) To shout, to cry, or to call out: "When he hit his thumb with the hammer, his fi rst response was to holler in pain." We stood at the edge of thehollowin the remote valley and tried tohollerloudly so we could hear the echos of of our voices. While we were standing there, we seemed to see ahalosurrounding the moon which gave the place an eerie almosthallowedfeeling. halve, have halve(HAV, HAHV) 1. To divide something into two equal portions or parts: "We agreed to share the last slice of toast and my friend agreed to halve it with a knife." 2. To lessen or reduce by half: "She decided to halve the meal so the two of us could eat the same amount." have(HAV) 1. To maintain ownership or possession: "I decided I had to have a new car." 2. To experience or to suffer from something: "I feel terrible because I have a bad cold." 3. To come to a conclusion about an idea or object: "I have an opinion about the new fashions." My mother said Ihavetohalvethe last piece of chocolate with my sister. hammer; hammer, hammering; yammer, yammering hammer(HAM uhr), noun 1. A tool that has a heavy metal head attached to a handle and which is used for

hitting nails or pounding and breaking things apart: "The carpenter used his ha mmer to nail up the wooden panels on the walls." 2. The part of a gun-lock that hits the primer or firing pin and causes the gun to shoot: "When he pulled the trigger of the gun, the hammer caused the bullet t o fire and to leave through the barrel." 3. One of the padded wooden pieces of a piano that hits a string when the player presses a key: "When a musician depresses the keys of the piano, each hammer hi ts a tuned string that produces music." hammer, hammering(HAM uhr, HAM uhr ing), verb 1. To force something into a particular place or shape by hitting it with a hand tool: "He will hammer the dent out of the fender of the car today." 2. To use a striker that is covered in felt and that causes the piano strings to vibrate: "As she played the piano, each finger would hammer a tune on a string. " 3. To hit something or someone in a very forceful way: "We can be sure that the next hurricane will hammer many more towns." 4. To keep talking about something or trying to get something done: "She apparen tly will continue hammering her political opponent for his failure to cut taxes. " yammer, yammering(YAM uhr, YAM uhr ing) To talk on and on in an annoying way; usually, for a long time: "Every time she gets on the phone, all she can do is yammer and yammer about how her husband dis appoints her." "No matter where I go, it's amazing how many people I see who are yammering on their cell phones." Cartoons For Educators Image copyrighted, ALL rights are reserved. While listening to the politicianyammeraway, trying tohammerout the party platfo rm to the audience, caught my imagination. I envisaged the politician looking li ke ahammerbanging up and down. handsome, hansom handsome(HAN suhm) 1. Pleasing and dignified in form or appearance: "The young woman could not be d escribed as pretty but in her fine new outfit, she looked very handsome." 2. Generous or copious: "They offered a handsome reward for the return of the lo st dog." hansom(HAN suhm) A two-wheeled horse-drawn covered carriage with the driver's seat above and behi nd the passengers: "The travelers took advantage of having a ride around the cit y in the old hansom." Thehandsomeyoung man reserved ahansomand driver for the afternoon for which he p aid ahandsomefee to take him and his friend for a ride through the park. hangar, hanger hangar(HANG uhr, HANG guhr) A large structure for aircraft or airplanes: "There is no more room in the hanga r for additional planes." hanger(HANG uhr) 1. A device on which to hang clothes: "The common wire clothes hanger may be use d for things besides simply hanging objects of clothing on." 2. Someone who hangs something: "We hired a house painter who also works as a pa per hanger." We rented an abandonedhangarto use as an art gallery; then, we hired a profess ionalhangerto help us hang the works of art. In the entry hall, we set up a cloak room equipped withhangerson which to hang the patron s coats. hanged, hung hanged(HANG'd) The past tense and past participle ofhang; to kill someone by using a rope that g

oes around the neck and holds the person's body in the air without any support f rom below: "He was legally hanged for his crimes." hung(HUNG) The past tense and past participle ofhang; to attach or to place something so it is held up without support from below: "We hung the painting on the wall." In our history books, we read about the pirate who washangedfor his crimes. My father had a painting thathungin his study which portrayed that event. hard, hardly hard(HAHRD) 1. Resistant to pressure; not readily penetrated, bent, cut, etc.: "This bread i s as hard as a rock." 2. Requiring great effort or endurance: "You have to work hard in order to succe ed and I know how hard she tried." "That test was hard because the teacher asked a lot of hard questions." hardly(HAHRD lee) Barely, or almost not doing anything: "The changes in service have hardly been n oticed by anyone." "Hardly anyone showed up for the meeting today." Although you claim that your work ishard, you arehardlymaking any effort to get any work done. hardy, hearty hardy(HAHR dee) Able to withstand negative conditions; such as, poor weather: "The hikers were b oth hardy and enjoyed hiking in the rain." hearty(HAHR tee) 1. Unrestrained enthusiasm: "The visitors were given a hearty welcome when they arrived." 2. Excellent and vigorous good health: "The elderly man enjoyed a hearty life st yle and was rarely ill." 3. A brave sailor: "Each hearty on the ship was well trained in the use of sails ." Theheartyenthusiasm of eachheartyon the ship was supported by theheartymeals whic h the ship's cook prepared. It made thehearties hardyand strong so they could climb the rigging and furl t he sails. hart, heart hart(HAHRT) A male deer; especially, a male red deer over five years old: "We were amazed to see the hart just outside our tent in woods." heart(HAHRT) 1. The chambered muscular organ in vertebrates that pumps blood received from th e veins into the arteries, thereby maintaining the flow of blood through the ent ire circulatory system: "The doctor listened to the patient's heart with the ste thoscope." 2. The vital center and source of one's being, emotions, and sensibilities: "My heart swelled with pride when my friend was determined the winner of the contest ." 3. The firmness of will or the callousness required to carry out an unpleasant t ask or responsibility: "He didn't have the heart to send them away without somet hing to eat." 4. The central or innermost physical part of a place or region: "They worked in the heart of the financial district of New York City." Theheartof thehartwas pounding when he got confused and was roaming on the stree ts in theheartof the city before finding his way back into the large park. haunch, hunch haunch(HAWCH, HAHNCH ) The hip, buttock, and upper thigh in humans and animals: "The farmer slapped the haunch of the horse to send it to the barn." hunch(HUHNCH) 1. To bend forward in a position of crooked posture: "Sitting on the tall stool,

the clerk had to hunch forward to read the ledgers." 2. An intuitive sense regarding something that has happened or might happen: "I had a hunch my sister would come for a visit during the summer." After my horse galloped away with me, I found myselfhunchedover the saddle whi ch had slipped back onto thehaunchof the horse. I had ahunch I was destined for a f all and sure enough, I fell off. haunted, hunted haunted(HAWNT'd) 1. Inhabited, visited, or appeared to have been in the form of a ghost or other supernatural being: "They say that the hotel is haunted by ghosts." 2. Troubled or upset: "He was a mysterious young man who had a haunted expressio n on his face." hunted(HUHNT'd) 1. To have chased and killed: "The wolves hunted their prey until they were succ essful in getting their next meal." 2. Usually wild animals that have been chased and killed: "The hunted wolves sou ght refuge in the forest." The prince who hadhuntedall day and got lost in the forest, suddenly saw thehau ntedcastle in front of him and he realized that it was the home of the Sleeping B eauty. have, got, have got have(HAV) 1. To be in possession of something: "Don't you already have a car?" 2. To accept; to take: "I'll have the peas instead of the spinach, please." 3. To give birth to; to bear: "She told me that she is going to have a baby next month." got(GAHT) 1. To come into possession or use of; to receive: "She got a cat for her birthda y." 2. To go after something and to obtain it: "He got a book at the library right a fter he got his breakfast at the local restaurant." 3. To acquire as a result of some action or effort: "He got his information from the internet." have got(HAV GAHT) 1. To have or to possess, either in a concrete or an abstract sense. In American English,gotten, although occasionally criticized as substandard, is an alternati ve standard of the past participle in most senses; especially, in the sensesto re ceiveorto acquire: "I have got (or have gotten) all that I ever hoped for." 2. In the sense of "must" or "possess",have gotis in wide informal use: "I have (o r I've) got to leave." "We have got (or We've got) plenty and intend to keep it." Ihaveinherited a large fortune which my fathergotwith sound investments in miner al rights in Canada; and so, Ihavedecided Ihave gotto plan a long trip to see the w orld. haven, heaven haven(HAY vuhn) 1. A harbor or anchorage; a port: "The harbor at Halifax is a haven for many shi ps." 2. A place of refuge or rest; a sanctuary: "Churches have traditionally been con sidered a haven for the poor." heaven(HEV uhn) 1. The sky or the universe as seen from the earth; the firmament: "Standing on t he hilltop, we looked up into heaven to count the stars." 2. The abode of God, the angels, and the souls of those who are granted salvatio n: "The hymn that we sang at church described heaven as a place for angels." 3. An eternal state of communion with God; everlasting bliss: "I felt I was in h eaven when I listened to the beautiful music." 4. Any of the places in or beyond the sky conceived of as domains of divine bein gs in various religions: "When my friends and I discussed our spiritual beliefs,

I was surprised to discover we each believed in the existence of heaven." After the storm at sea, we sailed into the nearbyhavenwhich felt likeheavento u s after the terrible ordeal. hay, hey hay(HAY) Grass or other plants, such as clover or alfalfa, cut and dried for fodder: "The farmer is cutting his clover so it can dry and become hay for his cattle." hey(HAY) Used to attract attention or to express surprise, appreciation, wonder, or pleas ure: "Hey, come on and let's get going!" The farmer shouted to the summer help, "Hey! It's time to bring thehayin befo re it starts raining." hays, haze hays(HAYZ) A variety of feeds from dried grasses and other editable plant growth for live s tock: "The farmer kept various hays available for his animals." haze(HAYZ) 1. Atmospheric moisture, dust, smoke, and vapor that diminishes visibility: "Whe n we got up this morning, there was a thick haze in the hills above us." 2. A vague or confused state of mind: "The woman was stumbling around as if she were in a drug-induced haze." 3. Dimness, as of perception or knowledge: "He was in a haze when it came to und erstanding the vocabulary terms on the quiz." The new students at the Agricultural Farm seemed to be in ahazeabout the diffe rent kinds ofhaysthey were trying to learn about. he, he he(HEE) 1. Used to indicate a male person or animal that is the subject of a verb: "He h as been preparing for the trip to France since last year." "I was told that as a stallion, he is a great riding horse." 2. Used in a general sense or when the sex of the person is unknown: "Tell whoev er is calling on the phone that he or she will have to wait until I can call bac k." he(HEE) 1. A boy, a man, or a male animal: "As a young teenager, he was the champion of the swimming competition." 2. When referring to a person whose gender is unspecified or unknown: "Before bo arding, each passenger should make certain that he or she has a ticket." Avoid using the genericheorhimwhen the subject could be either male or female. U se the third-person plural or the phraseheorshe(nothe/she). It is also acceptable to write in the third person plural: "Before boarding, passengersshould make certain thattheyhave their tickets." It is grammatically unac ceptable to write: "Before boarding, eachpassengershould make certain thattheyhave their tickets." A singular subject must have an applicable singular verb and a plural subjec t should use a plural verb. Based on information from The Holt Handbook, Sixth Edition by Kirszner & Mandell; Harcourt College Publishers; Philadelphia; 2002; page 476. Hee, Hee, Hee. My friend said thathe would buy the famous race horse becausehew ould surely win the upcoming race. heal, heel, he'll heal(HEEL) To make well, to restore health: "This medicine will heal the blister on your fo ot." heel(HEEL) 1. In humans, the back part of the foot below the ankle: "When he removed his le ft boot, he discovered a blister on his heel." 2. The part of the hand closest to the wrist: "She used the heel of her hand to knead the bread dough before setting it to rise."

3. An individual who treats others with contempt: "Because he told so many lies, everyone thought of him as a heel." 4. To follow closely behind another's step: "The dog had been taught toheelwhen th ey were out for a walk." he'll (he will)(HEEL) Grammatical contraction ofhe willorhe shall: "He said he'll call us when he gets ho me." The cut on hisheelcan't possiblyhealin time for the basketball game; sohe'lljust h ave to wait until it gets better. healthful, healthy healthful(HELTH fuhl) Good for the well being of one's body and mind: "The doctor prescribed a healthf ul diet and lots of outdoor exercise for a more healthy body." healthy(HEL thee) 1. Prosperous, doing well in business: "He had a healthy reputation as a book se ller." 2. Enjoying a physical and mental well being that is free from signs of illness: "For someone of his age, he is very healthy." I feel veryhealthyand I think it must be because I follow ahealthfulroutine of exercise and rest. hear, here hear(HIR) 1. To gain information through sound received by the ears: "When I listened care fully, I could hear the sound of the wind in the trees." 2. To receive information from a trial witness: "The judge will hear the witness today." 3. An expression that expresses support or agreement for something that another person has just said: "The crowd shouted, 'Hear!' 'Hear!' several times during t he speech." here(HIR) At a specific point or place: "She was told to place the dictionary here on the table by the window." If a person won't listen over there, then he will have tohearmehere! heard, herd heard(HURD) Having gained information by receiving sound in the ears: "I heard a great shout in the distance." herd(HURD) 1. A large group of animals, tame or wild, congregating in the same place: "From the train window, we could see a herd of buffalo in the distance." 2. To move or to attempt to move a group of animals from one place to another: " The cowboys on horseback worked together to herd the cattle into the new pasture ." The cows were listening to the sounds coming from the direction of the fores t and so theherd heardthe wolves howling. You haveheardabout myherdof cattle, haven't you? hearsay, heresy hearsay(HIR say") Information or evidence that is obtained through a secondary or indirect source: "You cannot use hearsay evidence in court." heresy(HER i see) 1. Dogma or doctrine held by an individual or a group of individuals which is pe rceived as unacceptable or different to that of another religious group: "The el derly priest considered as heresy the sermons preached in the church across the street." 2. An opinion or belief that is held contrary to generally accepted standards or practices: "In a household of people who love cats, it is almost heresy to admi t to being fond of dogs." Before communication technology improved, there was always the risk thathears ayinformation could be interpreted asheresyand get people into trouble.

hedge; hedge, hedged; hedge; hedgerow; hedgehog hedge(HEJ) A close-set row of bushes, usually with their branches intermingled, forming a b arrier or boundary in a garden, lawn, yard, or field: "When the cat saw me walki ng in its direction, it jumped into the hedge." hedge, hedged(HEJ, HEJ'd) 1. An intentionally noncommittal or ambiguous statement: "She tried to hedge whe n she was asked to support the campaign." 2. To avoid answering a question directly or definitely: "She could have given a straight answer, but instead she hedged around and wouldn't say why she couldn' t come." hedge(HEJ) 1. Anoun: Any technique designed to reduce or to eliminate financial risk; for ex ample, taking two positions that will offset each other if prices change: "My br oker told me that he uses an investment company that uses high-risk techniques a s a hedge; such as, borrowing money and selling short, in an effort to make big capital gains." 2. Averb: To minimize loss or risk: "She invests her money as a hedge against inf lation and financial failure." hedgerow(HEJ rohw") A row of bushes, shrubs, or trees forming a hedge: "A traveler to Great Britain can see one hedgerow after another many of which have been up for hundreds of ye ars in certain parts of the England." More information abouthedgerowsis available here. hedgehog(HEJ hawg:) Any of several small insectivorous mammals of the familyErinaceidaeof Europe, Afri ca, and Asia, having the back covered with dense erectile spines and characteris tically rolling into a ball for protection: "I have seen an occasional hedgehog at night in our yard or even crossing the street." Thehedgehogwas hiding in thehedgerowwhich was growing like ahedgein my front yard . Since I didn't want thehedgehogto be caught, I tried tohedgemy description of what I saw hoping that the hunter would believe I really saw a dog. height, heist, hoist height(HIGHT) 1. A reference to a vertical measure representing the distance from the bottom t o the top: "The height of the mountains was deceptive and the hiker was exhauste d before reaching the summit." 2. To be at the top of something, tangible or otherwise: "The actor was at the h eight of her career when she made her first film." heist(HIGHST) The act of taking something unlawfully and often accompanied by violence: "The b ank heist made spectacular headlines in the local newspaper." hoist(HOIST) The act of lifting something by using a tackle: "They will hoist the flag at day break." The heavy machine operators decided tohoisttheir tools to a greatheighton the c rane to prevent aheistof the equipment over the weekend. hence, thence hence(HENS) 1. Proceeding from a specific time or place; later than the present time: "What will life be like a century hence?" 2. For this reason: "He was a newcomer and hence had no close friends here." "He couldn't raise enough money, hence, he decided to withdraw from the next election." thence(THENS) Proceeding from a specific place: "The village chief ordered that they all go th ence from their homes to reside in the mountains." We had movedthencefrom the valley to the city, andhencewe needed to find new loc al services. her, her

her(HUHR,UHR) 1. Used before a noun, possessive form ofshe; relating to or belonging to a certa in woman, girl, or female animal: "I understand that she bought her own car." 2. Made or done by a certain woman, girl, or female animal: "It's her turn to do the dishes." 3. Used to refer to a woman, girl, or female animal who has been previously ment ioned or whose identity is known: "The postman left her package with us so she c an pick it up when she comes home." "Since she said that she would go over the report again, we left it with her ." 4. Used figuratively to refer to something thought of as female; such as, a ship , a car, a machine, or a country: "Great Britain and her allies will stand up to the terrorist threats." her(HUHR, UHR) A pronoun, objective form of she; used to refer to a certain woman, girl, or fem ale animal as the object of a verb or a preposition: "Tell her that I appreciate her efforts to help." "We gave her the books so she can complete her research for the university c ourse." It washerintention to completeherdegree by studying the history of Italy andherall ies during the Renaissance; so,herprofessor senthera book to use withherresearch. heroin, heroine heroin(HER oh in) A drug derived from opium: "The abuse of heroin presents one of the major social problems of yesterday and today." heroine(HER oh in) 1. A woman who has the qualities of a hero: "Joan of Arc is considered by some t o be the greatest heroine in French history." 2. A woman noted for her courageous acts: "During the earthquake, she was called a heroine because she did so much to help many victims of the disaster." That woman is aheroineto me because she used to be aheroinaddict and has recover ed and now travels to schools making speeches about her bad experiences. hertz, hurts hertz(HURTS) In telecommunications, a unit used to describe the frequency of occurrence of an electromagnetic wave equal to one cycle per second: "Hertz (Hz) is a term used by and understood by radio technicians to describe electromagnetic activity." hurts(HURTS) Causing pain, discomfort, or suffering: "It hurts my feet when I wear shoes that are too small." She said that ithurtsher head to try to understand the importance ofhertzin the telecommunications world because she has to think so hard. hew, hue hew(HYOO) To chop or to cut by using a cutting instrument: such as, an axe: "The forester used an axe to hew the dead trees because they were dangerous." hue(HYOO) A gradient of color that helps to classify individual colors: "The hue of green in her dress matched the green in her eyes." You must be careful when you use an axe tohewthe branches; because, if you mis s and cut your foot, the ground will turn ahueof red. hi, hie, high hi(HIGH) A form of greeting similar to using the wordhello: "When they saw each other acro ss the street, both friends shouted,Hiand waved." hie(HIGH) To go or to move quickly: "The lord shouted, 'Hie you from my presence immediate ly'." high(HIGH)

1. Taller than typical or expected: "The ceilings in the room were very high." 2. Characterized by complexity: "He studiedhigh mathin school." 3. Characterized by unexpected costs for one's living standards: "The high cost of living is getting more challenging." 4. Characterized by excessive, often exuberant or inappropriate behavior: "He ap peared to be high on drugs as indicated by his inappropriate laughter." I called out "Hi" to my friend when I saw himhiequickly across thehighfence on his way home from school. hiatus, quietus hiatus(high AY tuhs) 1. A gap or interruption in space, time, or continuity; a break: "I took a brief hiatus from my studying for my final examinations and made a pot of tea." 2. A period of time when something; such as, an activity or program is stopped: "The musical group is making a new album after a ten-year hiatus." "The comedian put her show on hiatus for a several weeks until she gave birt h to a baby girl." quietus(kwigh ee tuhs) A stillness or pause; something that quiets, represses, or results in a removal from an activity: "Most schools have a quietus, or pause, from the end of June t o the beginning of September when classes become active again." "Latinquietus est; literally means, "he is at rest"; also,quieta non moveremean s,not to disturb quiet thingsorlet sleeping dogs lie." During the vacationhiatusbetween September in the fall and June in the spring, there is aquietusof activity at the recreation center. higher, hire higher(HIGHR) Qualifier comparing objects one of which is taller than another one: "The new ba nk building is higher than its counterpart across the street." hire(HIGHR) 1. To pay for the use of something on a temporary basis: "We will hire a taxi to take us to the train station." 2. To take a job or employment: "I decided to hire myself out as a cook for the summer." The superintendent, whose rank ishigherthan mine, decided tohirethe student for the summer position. him, hymn him(HIM) The objective form of the pronounhe: "I gave him the new book." hymn(HIM) A song for the purpose of praising, typically involved in a religious service: " The choir sang a new hymn in the church on Sunday." For his birthday, she gavehima new book which contained his favoritehymnfor the holiday season. his, his his(HIZ) 1. A possessive form ofheand it is always used before a noun; relating to or belon ging to a certain man, boy, or male animal: "His home is out in the country wher e he has his horses." "Do you know his name?" 2. Used to refer to a person of either sex in general statements or when the gen der of the person is unknown: "Each student should do his or her own work and no t copy from others." Correct alternative:"Allstudentsshould dotheirown work."Incorrect:"Everystudentsh d dotheirown work." his(HIZ) That which belongs to or is connected with a male: "That book is his because I s aw him put it there." "Are you his friend? I hope his efforts have the results that you and he are expecting them to be." You were asking about a friend at school. What ishisor her name and I will che

ck the school register. Ah,hisname is Frank. historic, historical historic(hi STOR ik) 1. Famous, having great importance: "When the treaty was signed, it was an histo ric moment for everyone." 2. Relating to history or the past: "The historic importance of the river is app reciated by all of us who live near it." historical(hi STOR i kuhl) Relating to, of great importance, or having the characteristics of history: "The students created a play depicting the historical moments in the town s past." "The book listed the kings of England in historical sequence." This book is ofhistoricinterest. The author attempted to undertake carefulhisto ricalresearch about the mayors of this city. ho, hoe ho(HOH) Used to express surprise or joy, to attract attention to something sighted, or t o urge onward: "Westward ho!" hoe(HOH) A long handled instrument, often with a sharp blade, for tilling and cultivating the soil: "The little girl used a special, short handled hoe, to help her mothe r in the garden." "What,HO" exclaimed her father when he discovered his favoritehoein the tool sh ed. hoar, hoer, whore hoar(HOHR) Icy particles often described as frost: "There was a rim of hoar on the edge of the bucket." hoer(HOHR) An individual who uses a specific garden instrument; such as, a long handled too l with a sharp blade that can be used for gardening: "The girl worked as a hoer in the city parks for a summer job." whore(HOHR) A prostitute or an individual who sells sexual intercourse to a customer: "The w hore stood on the street corner trying to look attractive for customers who migh t drive by in their cars." I noticed that thehoerwas a woman who used to be awhore; now, she uses a hoe to knock thehoaroff the edges of the roof. hoard, horde, whored hoard(HORD) 1. A cache of supplies often hidden or secretive: "We saw the hoard of dry beans in the cupboard." 2. To save, to put by, to acquire, to accumulate, or to keep a secret supply of something: "The miser planned to hoard his money." horde(HORD) A restless throng or crowd: "The horde of peasants stood before the palace and b egged for bread." whored(HORD) Having illicit sexual intercourse; especially, with a prostitute: "He whored wit h a woman he met at the hotel where he was staying." Thehordeof outlaws swept out of town in the morning and rode into the hills wh ere they had hidden ahoardof gold after havingwhoredduring the night. hoarse, horse hoarse(HORS) A harsh or grating sound or voice: "By the end of the hockey game, her voice was hoarse from cheering so loudly." horse(HORS) A large, strong quadruped domesticated to pull things (carts) or to transport an individual: "The strong brown horse pulled the carriage while the young man rod e on a slender black horse." The cowboy had to use anotherhorsetoday because his regular equine was sick wi

th ahoarsethroat which the vet diagnosed as ahoarse horse. Two police officers were discussing a drug-store break in. One officer said to the other one, "Someone broke in, but all he took was cough drops." The other policeman responded with, "He must have been ahoarsethief." hoes, hose hoes(HOHZ) 1. Garden instruments, often with a long handles, and equipped with a sharp blad es: "I noticed there were several hoes in the shed for us to use in the garden." 2. To use the garden instrument which typically has a long handle and a sharp bl ade: "The farmer noticed that the young man hoes the garden quickly and efficien tly." hose(HOHZ) 1. A close fitting garment or stocking covering the leg and foot: "Many years ag o, men wore hose that were beautifully embroidered." 2. A tube, typically flexible, used for conveying liquid from a source to anothe r location: "They bought the garden hose at the local store." 3. To wash with water using a long tube, typically rubber, which is attached to a faucet or water source: "The children used the red garden hose to hose the dus t off the car." After working in the garden, the man decided tohosethehoes. hole, holistic, whole hole(HOHL) 1. An opening into or through something: "He fixed the hole in the roof while hi s wife fixed the hole in his sock." 2. A reference to a situation in which someone, or something, is gone or missing : "When our daughter went to college, it left a big hole in our lives; in other words, we missed our daughter very much." holistic(hoh LIS tik) Relating to or concerned with complete, or whole, systems rather than with indiv idual parts: "We need to take a more holistic approach to improving our schools. " "Holistic medicine attempts to treat both the whole mind and body." whole(HOHL) 1. Something which is full or complete: "The whole day was spent trying to find a job." 2. Complete or full; not lacking or leaving out any part: "The community center offers a whole range of programs." Thewhole holemust be considered when usingholisticanalysis. holey, holy, holly, wholly holey(HOH lee) Characterized by having an opening, or openings, in something: "My socks were ol d and were very holey." holy(HOH lee) 1. Characterized as worthy of reverence: "She was a holy woman who inspired wors hip and reverence from others." 2. Characterized by the intensity of a situation: "The children's playroom looke d like a holy mess!" holly(HAHL ee) Any of a variety of shrubs or trees characterized by leaves that are deep green and spiny: "They cut the holly in the forest to use as decorations for the holid ays." wholly(HOH lee, HOHL lee) Entirely, completely: "The report is wholly inaccurate." If a devil is completely sinful then is it possible that an angel iswholly ho ly? Say,holyman, in yourholeycot, are youwhollypleased with your lowly lot? holiday, holy day holiday(HAHL i day") 1. Vacation, a time during which an individual does not work for pay: "For our s ummer holiday, we are going to go to the mountains."

2. A day that is identified as a celebration for a significant event: "The holid ay this weekend is to celebrate the establishment of the new university." holy day(HOH lee day") A special day designated for the celebration of religious events or observances: "The pastor suggested they designate the first day of summer as a holy day and have special church services to commemorate it." Tomorrow we have aholidayfrom school because it is aholyday for many religions a nd churches. home, home, hone home(HOHM) As a noun, a dwelling place together with the family or social unit that occupie s it; a household: "She made a good home for her husband and children." home(HOHM) As a verb, to find and to move directly toward someone or something: "The medica l researcher is trying to home in on the cause of the disease." "Website designers and innovators often mock up multiple designs and test th em quickly; then they repeat the process until they home in on the design that s eems to be most popular." hone(HOHn) 1. A stone, frequently of fine grain, for sharpening tools used for cutting: "Th e red hone was perfect for sharpening the kitchen knives." 2. To sharpen or to make intense and effective: "He tried to hone his speaking s kills by practicing every day." As the scientists started tohomein on a solution, they felt as if they had use d ahoneon their brains which were so tired. When they announced the solution, they cheered and then all of them wenthometo rest. homeless, homeliness homeless(HOHM lis) Having no home or haven; no place to live: "They volunteer at the shelter where homeless people can sleep and get food." homeliness(HOHM lee nuhs) Not attractive or good-looking: "Her homeliness was a problem for her in her ear ly years, but she was able to present a more attractive appearance in high schoo l." Because of hishomeliness, people often mistook my cousin for beinghomeless. homonym, homophone, homograph, heteronym homonym(HAHM uh nim", HOH muh nim") A word which is identical with another one in pronunciation, but differing from it in spelling and meaning: "The word pairsfair, fareandread, reedare each an exampl e of a homonym." homophone(HAHM uh fohn", HOH muh fohn") A word with the "same sound" as another one, is etymologically more precise and is less ambiguous in meaning than the referencehomonym: "The wordshimandhymnare examp les of homophones." homograph(HAHM uh grahf, HOH muh graf") A word that is identical with another one in spelling, but is different from it in origin and meaning, and sometimes in pronunciation: "The wordsbassreferring to a fish, andbassreferring to the quality of the male voice, are examples of homogra phs." heteronym(HET uhr uh nim") A word with an identical spelling as another one but with different pronunciatio ns and meanings: "The wordrowis an example of a heteronym; such as,rowmeaning object s in a line androwmeaning a quarrel or fight." Whenever she is stumped about a definition for a confusing-word group, she c hecks the online dictionary because it is precise and clear; for example,homonyma ndhomophonerefer to words that have similar definitions, buthomophoneis more precise . Two other words arehomographandheteronymwhich include spellings that may be the same; however, the definitions are very different. homophobia, homosexualphobia

homophobia(hoh" muh FOH bee uh) An excessive hatred of or fear of monotony [doing the same thing over and over a gain]; also said to be a fear of or an intense apprehension or hatred of homosex uality or homosexuals in general; however such references should be spoken of or written ashomosexualphobia: "He had homophobia regarding his job because he cons idered it to be so terribly boring." homosexualphobia(hoh" moh SEK shoo uhl FOH bee uh) A fear of, dread of, or strong contempt for lesbians and gay men: "It was diffic ult for him to conceal his homosexualphobia when he saw two guys hugging and kis sing each other on the bus going into town." Whenever he hears a negative reference spoken abouthomophobia, my friend who is a gay activist speaks up, correcting the speaker, insisting that the speaker use the correct term which ishomosexualphobia. honorarium, stipend honorarium(ahn" uh RAIR ee uhm) The gift of payment for a service in lieu of a specific price for the service: " For her speech at the university, the visiting professor was given an honorarium ." stipend(STIGH pend", STIGH puhnd) A specified sum of money paid on a periodic basis for services or expenses: "He received a stipend three times a year to pay for his housing costs." Her contract stated that she would be paid a specificstipendat the end of the year; however, she was encouraged to accept thehonorariumwhich the university was offering when she delivered a speech there. hoop, whoop hoop(HOOP) 1. A ring or band of stiff material; such as, wood, used to hold pieces of an ob ject together: "The cooper used willow withes to create the hoop to hold the sta ves of the barrel in place." 2. A ring of metal, wood or plastic used as a toy: "The children rolled the hoop down the street." "The girl next door won the hula hoop competition this week." whoop(HWOOP, WOOP, HOOP) 1. A loud expression of enthusiasm: "The crowd issued a whoop of delight when th eir favorite runner crossed the finish line." 2. To shout loudly in an enthusiastic or excited way: "You could hear the childr en whoop with excitement when they saw the presents." During the fund raising race, there was a loudwhoopof excitement when the hosp ital president rolled a bright pink plastichoopacross the finish line. hospitable, hospital hospitable(HAHS pi tuh buhl, hah SPIT uh buhl) Descriptive of a welcoming atmosphere or environment: "The ambiance of theBed and Breakfastfor our first stop was warm and hospitable." "The sunny window was a hospitable location for the exotic plant." hospital(HAHS pi tl, HAHS pit'l) An institution or building devoted to the care of ill and injured individuals: " The ambulance took the injured passengers to the closest hospital." "When my cat is ill, I take her to the local pet hospital." The solarium of the newhospitalwas designed to look veryhospitablefor the patie nts and guests. hostel, hostile hostel(HAHS tuhl) A supervised, inexpensive lodging place for travelers; especially, young travele rs: "His parents were looking for a hostel in the places where the boy would sta y during his trip to Europe." hostile(HAHS tuhl, HAHS tighl") Unfriendly, antagonistic: "The atmosphere around the union bargaining table was hostile." The rules which thehostelstaff posted stated very clearly than anyhostilebehavi or would not be tolerated. hour, our

hour(OUR) A measure of time consisting of one unit of a 24 unit cycle: "The noon hour is t ypically when people eat lunch." "A typical day consists of two 12 unit cycles designated as 12 a.m. to 11:59 a.m. and 12 p.m. to 11:59 p.m." our(OUR) Indicating possession or ownership: "That is our red car in the driveway." Each ofourwatches indicated that there was onehourto go before the train would l eave the station. hues, whose hues(HOOZ) Description of colors on an individual color spectrum: "There are many hues of g reen on the color chart." whose(HOOZ) A pronoun that indicates ownership: "Whose hat is sitting on the table?" The zebra's stripes are lackinghues, So they don't compare to you-knowwhose. From "Calvin and Hobbes" cartoon strip with reference to Hobbes, the tiger; as se en in the International Herald Tribune, January 13, 2009. Whosepoem said that thehuesof the rainbow would make a lovely flag? human, humane human(HYOO muhn) Characteristic of any living or extinct member of human beings, male and female: "The human form is very difficult to draw and requires many lessons in an art c lass." humane(hyoo MAYN) Characterized by sympathetic compassion and caring for another individual or ani mal: "Taking the injured dog to the animal clinic was a humane way to treat it." An importanthumancharacteristic of a person is thehumanetreatment of people who are not as well off as others. humble, humble humble(HUHM buhl) Marked by meekness or modesty in behavior, attitude, or spirit; not arrogant or prideful: "He had a humble attitude despite his great achievements in science an d technology." humble(HUHM buhl) Low in rank, quality, or station; unpretentious or lowly: "They lived in a humbl e cottage." As a result of herhumblelife, the lady was alwayshumblein her interactions with the people who worked for her. humerus, humorous humerus(HYOO muhr uhs) A bone extending from the elbow to the shoulder in humanoids or of a forelimb in other animals: "A fractured humerus can be a very painful injury." humorous(HYOO muhr uhs) Funny, comical, amusing: "Sometimes a humorous saying can contain a great deal o f wisdom." It is nothumorouswhen you hit the funny bone in your elbow; and it is even les shumorousif you hit yourhumerus. hurdle, hurtle hurdle(HUR d'l) 1. As anoun, a barrier, an obstacle; (in steeplechase racing) a fence, a hedge, a wall: "The racer cleared the last hurdle and dashed toward the finish line." 2. Anothernounform, an obstacle or difficulty, a hindrance, an obstruction: "The f inal exam is the student's last hurdle before graduation." 3. As averbit means to jump, to spring over, to clear: "The horse was able to hurd le the fence and run into the pasture." hurtle(HUR t'l) 1. To speed, to rush; to run quickly, to gallop; to go like the wind: "The motor

cycle was able to hurtle along the road at 90 miles an hour." "You could see the car hurtle down the highway." 2. To throw forcibly, to fling with great force; to whirl: "The quarter back was able to hurtle the football toward the receiver who caught it and ran for a tou chdown." "The bicycle hurtled into the pedestrian." The cross country runner was faced with manyhurdlesover which she had tohurdlehe rself as she attempted tohurtletowards the finish line. hyperbola, hyperbole hyperbola(high PUR buh luh) A mathematical term indicating a part a curve: "Every draftsman must learn the f ormula for the hyperbola." hyperbole(high PUR buh lee) 1. An extravagant overstatement or exaggerated language that distorts facts by m aking them much bigger than they are if looked at objectively: "Too much use of hyperbole can cast doubt on anything a person says." 2. A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect as il lustrated by these statements of hyperbole: "I'm so tired, I could sleep for a year." "This book weighs a ton." "I could eat a million of these cookies." "It is taking an eternity to finish the research!" It might be ahyperboleto describe thehyperbolaas reaching to the moon instead of just stating that is was large and graceful. hypercritical, hypocritical hypercritical(high" puhr KRIT i kuhl) Overcritical or excessively critical: "A hypercritical parent or teacher can dis courage a child from trying to improve." hypocritical(hip" uh KRIT i kuhl) Pretending to have certain beliefs about what is proper or right, but practicing the opposite or contrary behavior of those beliefs: "A hypocritical teacher dem ands respect from students, but he or she does not show respect for them." It would behypocriticalif a teacher overlooked the serious errors in his or he r student s homework, but it would be veryhypercriticalif that instructor criticized other teachers for being too loose with their grading systems. hyperthermia, hypothermia hyperthermia(high" puhr THUR mee uh) Unusually high body temperature: "The doctors were worried because the patient s eemed very hot as if suffering from hyperthermia." hypothermia(high" puh THUR mee uh) Abnormally low body temperature: "People who enjoy hiking in the winter need to be very careful that they don't develop hypothermia and frost bite." The doctors were very worried about the patient's well being because her tem peratures kept fluctuating betweenhyperthermiaandhypothermia without any medical ex planation. idiopathic, idiopathy idiopathic(id" ee oh PATH ik, id "ee uh PATH ik) Characterized as happening spontaneously or developing from an unknown cause: "H is brown eyes were idiopathic because everyone else in the family had blue eyes. " "Any disease that is of uncertain or unknown origin may be termed idiopathic ." idiopathy(id" ee AHP uh thee) 1. A disease of indeterminate cause; a spontaneous or primary disease: "My frien d was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer which seemed to appear as an idiopathy." 2. Happening spontaneously or developing from an unknown cause: "The idiopathy o f the new gene puzzled everyone in the laboratory."

The sore on her leg appeared to beidiopathic. The doctors were puzzled especi ally when anotheridiopathywith different characteristics erupted on her other leg. idle, idol, idyll, idyllic idle(IGHD'l) 1. Inactive, not working, not active, or not being used: "Too many factories hav e been standing idle during these last months." 2. Not having any purpose or value: "So many people have become idle because the y can't find jobs." 3. To make people or some things stop working: "Because of the bad economy, thou sands of workers have been forced to be idle." idol(IGHD'l) 1. An object or picture that is worshiped as a god: "The idol in the temple had many who were present to worship it." 2. Someone who is greatly loved or admired: "She was an actress who was the idol of thousands of people." idyll, idyl(IGHD'l) 1. A work of art, including writing, that includes rustic or rural life: "He wro te an idyll about his childhood on his father's farm in the country." 2. A narrative poem about an epic or romantic theme: "Tennyson'sIdylls of the Kin gis considered by some to be the most famous idyll in English." 3. A scene or event of a simple and tranquil nature: "She recalls living a pasto ral idyll as a child." idyllic(igh DIL ik) Very peaceful, happy, and enjoyable: "The brothers recalled the joy of having li ved an idyllic childhood together." "The neighbors told us about the pleasures they had during their idyllic vac ation in the country last year." Luck is theidolof theidlewho have written about theiridylldays away from cities an d lived inidyllicconditions. ileum, ilium ileum(IL ee uhm) Division of the small intestine: "Ileitis is an inflammation of the ileum." ilium(IL ee uhm) One of the bones composing the pelvis: "A fracture of the ilium can be very slow to heal." When he fell, he fractured hisilium. That was painful but his discomfort was compounded by the simultaneous inflammation of hisileum. imbrue, imbue imbrue, embrue(im BROO) To discolor or to stain: "The weaver used walnut skins to create the dark brown dye with which to imbrue the yarns he was using." imbue(im BYOO) To influence in a permanent fashion: "The new ideas seemed to imbue the students with a keen enthusiasm for their work." The designer tried toimbuethe style of upholstery available in the stores by d eciding toimbruethe fabric with multiple hues of green. imitate, intimate, intimate, intimidate imitate(IM i tayt") 1. To make or to do something the same way as something else: "Our competitors a re trying to imitate the same products that we have been producing for years." 2. To copy another person's behavior, sound, appearance, etc.; to follow the exa mple of; to take as one's model; and to impersonate or to mimic: "He's very good at trying to imitate his father's voice." intimate(IN tuh mit, IN tuh muht) 1. Having a very close relationship; very warm and friendly: "They remained inti mate friends throughout their lives." 2. The most private or personal relationship or being closely acquainted or asso ciated; very familiar: "We have an intimate friendship with our neighbors." intimate(IN tuh mayt") 1. To say or to suggest something in an indirect way; to hint or to imply: "He t

ried to intimate that we should plan to arrive early for our next business meeti ng." 2. To make known subtly and indirectly; to hint: "During our conversation, she a ttempted to intimate that she was not happy with her job." intimidate(in TIM i dayt") 1. To make someone afraid or insecure: "He tries to intimidate his political opp onents with hidden threats." 2. To frighten into submission, compliance, or acquiescence: "Sometimes a lawyer will intimidate a witness in order to make that person say something that will weaken his/her testimony." I didn't want toimitatenorintimidatewhat he was about tointimateto hisintimatefrie d. immoral, immortal immoral(i MAWR uhl, i MAHR uhl) Behavior or beliefs that conflict with perceived traditional and acceptable ways of behavior: "Because she chose a stage career, her family thought she had fall en into an immoral way of life." immortal(i MAWR t'l) 1. Having eternal life or existence; never dying, undying: "Many religions teach that when a person lives a holy life or follows the precepts of a certain theol ogy, that person will be immortal after leaving this mortal life." 2. Qualities of unending or lasting fame or existence: "The emperor thought he w as immortal and refused to accept the fact that he was getting old." The romantic poet gainedimmortalfame even though many considered his social be havior to beimmoral. immunity, impunity immunity(i MYOO ni tee) 1. A state of being able to resist disease by counteracting its effects: "She ha d already developed immunity to measles and was able to help nurse her younger b rother when he was ill." 2. A condition whereby a person is protected or exempt from certain normal civil rules; implies freedom from or protection against something disagreeable or men acing: "His status as an ambassador gave him immunity from being questioned by t he police." impunity(im PYOO ni tee) A state of being safe from or free from punishment, penalty, or harm: "He acted with impunity, knowing that he would not be prosecuted by the police." The local jewel thief often acted with the knowledge that he hadimpunitybecau se the police frequently granted himimmunityin exchange for secret information abo ut other criminals. impassable, impassible, impossible impassable(im PAS uh buhl) Unable to be traveled or overcome: "The severe snow storm made the roads in the mountains impassable." impassible(im PAS i buhl) Characterized as being incapable of feelings; immune to pain or suffering: "Her face was a masque, impassible to the suffering around her." impossible(im PAHS i buhl) Unacceptable, awkward, incapable of happening: "Until 40 years ago, it was belie ved that it was impossible to fly to the moon." It wasimpossibleto read hisimpassibleexpression at the news of the efforts of th eir friends to cross theimpassablemountain pass during the winter. impetuous, vehement impetuous(im PECH yoo uhs) Marked by impulsiveness, often without forethought: "Her decision to go on holid ays was impetuous and surprised everyone." vehement(VEE uh muhnt) Marked by powerful and deeply felt feelings: "He was vehement in his denunciatio n of the nasty articles in the newspaper." The romantic was frequentlyimpetuous, expressing his deep feelings in avehemen

tmanner; such as, loudly serenading his new love under her balcony. impinge, infringe impinge(im PINJ) 1. To hit or to strike something: "Such loud musical sounds that some people pla y on their car radios can impinge on their eardrums, causing temporary or even p ermanent hearing damage." 2. To affect the limits of something; especially, a right or law, often causing some kind of restriction: "His lawyer argued that such publicity would impinge o n his client's right to a just trial." infringe(in FRINJ) To enter into someplace in a manner that violates the law: "When you walk across my lawn, you infringe on my rights to privacy." I felt that your vehement speech in favor of a strike vote was an attempt to infringeon my right to make my own decisions; since, such a vote would no doubtimp ingeon my ongoing employment. impostor, imposture impostor(im PAHS tuhr) A pretender or someone who engages in deception under an assumed name or identit y: "The prime minister revealed that his assistant was an impostor, trying to fi nd out secrets from the prime minister s office." imposture(im PAHS chuhr) Deception by fraudulent impersonation or an instance of deception under an assum ed name or identity: "The history of crime contains many an incredible imposture ." Theimpostureby the infamousimpostorstruck at the heart of the national governmen t, threatening its very existence. imprudent, impudent imprudent(im PROOD n't) Unwise or indiscreet about handling practical matters; not exercising good judgm ent or common sense: "It was imprudent of her to borrow the money from her broth er." impudent(IM pyuh duhnt, IM pyoo duhnt) 1. Showing a lack of respect and excessive boldness: "Mother was concerned becau se I seemed to be impudent towards her older friends." 2. Characterized by offensive boldness; insolent or impertinent: "The little boy s impudent behavior earned him an early to bed time." It was animpudentshow of bravado when the elderly rancher decided on animpruden tcourse of action and married a young bride for her fortune. Imprudentis when someone suffers from acute indiscretion. Impudentis the proof that man does not live by bread alone, but also by crust (being rude and impertinent; self-assertiveness; nerve; gall). Evan Esar in, inn in(IN) 1. Within the limits, bounds, or area of: "You are in your rights to ask for cat sup to eat with your fries." 2. From the outside to a point within; into: "After standing in the door way, sh e finally was walking in the room." inn(IN) A public lodging house serving food and drink to travelers; a hotel: "We stayed at a charming inn during our mountain vacation." When we arrived at theinn, we inquired whether we wereintime for dinner. After standinginthe doorway, we were invitedinto sit down. inane, insane inane(in AYN) 1. Very silly or stupid: "She keeps interrupting me with her inane comments." 2. Empty, vacant; lacking sense or meaning; foolish, silly: "I quickly got tired of their inane questions." insane(in SAYN) Having or showing severe mental illness; mentally ill or deranged: "The murderer

was found to be criminally insane." It wasinsaneof the prisoners to think that they could get away with theirinanep lan to escape from prison by digging a hole through the wall. incidence, incidents incidence(IN si duhns) The scope or extent of an occurrence or influence of something: "The incidence o f measles in the village was high." incidents(IN si duhnts) 1. Behaviors likely to lead to serious consequences: "There were several inciden ts of the mayor undermining the union during the strike that made the union memb ers very angry." 2. Several happenings or events as a result of or in connection with something m ore important: "We remembered the happy incidents of our childhood when we went to the beaches and got sunburned." The principal talked to the students about severalincidentsof roudy behavior o n the play ground. He told them that any increase inincidenceof these activities c ould result in the cancellation of any more sports events. incipient, insipient incipient(in SIP ee uhnt) Beginning to exist or to appear: "It seems as if there is an incipient personnel problem." "The project is still in its incipient stages." insipient(in SIP ee uhnt) A lack of wisdom; foolishness: "His insipient decisions were absolutely unaccept able." "Another insipient politician was more than the voters could accept." Politicians suddenly becomeincipientwhen it is election time and they too ofte n becomeinsipientwhen they make speeches. incite, insight incite(in SIGHT) To stir up, spur on, arouse, or provoke to action: "It is easier to incite a mob than to disperse it." insight(in SIGHT) 1. The ability to understand people and situations in a very clear way: "Penetra ting insight is given to a few who must lead the others." 2. To discern the true nature of a situation: "We need to gain insight into the economic situation that is going on in the world." It takes a great deal ofinsightto talk with an angry crowd without appearing t oincitethem to violence. incoherent, inchoate incoherent(in" koh HIR uhnt) Lacking orderly cohesion or relevance; not logically connected; disjointed; ramb ling; lacking orderly continuity: "She was so upset by the accident that her spe ech was incoherent." inchoate(in KOH it) Initial rudimentary formulation of something; just begun; in the early stage; ru dimentary; not yet clearly or completely formed or organized; imperfectly formul ated; such as, an idea: "His inchoate formulation of the new theory intrigued hi s students." His initialinchoatespeech sounded a bitincoherent; so, obviously it needed a lo t of reworking. incompetence, incompetents incompetence(in KAHM pi tuhns) Characterized by being inadequate or unsuitable for effective action: "Her glari ng incompetence caused a significant delay in completing the project." incompetents(in KAHM pi tuhnts) Individuals who are unsuitable for a specific task: "He was disturbed by the inc ompetents that the employment agency sent to him." Theincompetenceof the incumbentincompetentsis truly amazing.

inconceivable, unthinkable inconceivable(in" kuhn SEE vuh buhl) Impossible to understand: "It was inconceivable that the professor wrote such an unsubstantiated article about the president of the university." unthinkable(un THING kuh buhl) 1. Impossible to be understood by the mind or contrary to reasonable expectation s: "It was unthinkable that the children should be expected to walk so far." 2. Inconceivable to imagine or to believe: "It was unthinkable that the teacher was leaving the school before the end of the semester." She found the mathematical formula on the examinationinconceivable; however, it wasunthinkablethat she would fail the exam because of this one problem. incredible, incredulous incredible(in KRED uh buhl) Unbelievable: "The modern world is accepting many incredible happenings as reali ty." incredulous(in KREJ uh luhs) Unbelieving: "Some men have been deceived so often that they have become incredu lous of even ordinary events." Asincredibleas it may be, he found himself totallyincredulouswhen the results of the election were announced and he had won. indeterminable, indeterminate indeterminable(in" di TUR muh nuh buhl) Not able to be settled or decided in a definite manner: "The date for completing the project is indeterminable at this time." indeterminate(in" di TUR muh nit) Inconclusive, unable to determine a specific answer: "The outcome of the chemist ry experiment was indeterminate and puzzling." Theindeterminateresponse which the student received to his questions to the ed itor of the journal will create anindeterminabledelay in the completion of his ess ay. indict, indite indict(in DIGHT) To make a formal accusation or indictment against someone by the findings of a j ury; especially, a grand jury: "It is much easier to indict than to convict." indite(in DIGHT), archaic or literary To write; especially, formally: "Few people now indite an epistle; instead, they scribble a note." The judge announced that he willinditehis decision as to whether he willindictth e self professed fraud artist. indigenous, indigent indigenous(in DIJ uh nuhs) Native to a place; existing or produced naturally in a region or country: "Tobac co was indigenous to the New World or the Western Hemisphere." indigent(IN di juhnt) Poor, needy, lacking money; poverty; destitute: "Every society must make some pr ovisions for the indigent." "The clinic provides free medical care for indigent patients." The newspaper reported that theindigenouspopulation in the far north is oftenin digentand in need of special medical services. indignant, indignity indignant(in DIG nuhnt) 1. Filled with anger caused by something unworthy or mean: "She was indignant wh en she read the mean spirited article in the newspaper." 2. Feeling or showing anger because of something that is unfair or wrong; especi ally, because of an unjust, mean treatment, or action: "She was very indignant a bout the excessive charges made by the taxi driver." indignity(in DIG ni tee) 1. A behavior which offends, humiliates, or insults: "The comments in the newspa per suggested a great indignity had been given to the visiting scholar."

2. An act or occurrence which hurts someone's dignity or pride or self-respect; an affront: "So many elderly people seem to find it necessary to endure one indi gnity after another as a result of growing old." She was filled withindignantoutrage when she witnessed theindignitywhich was be ing inflicted on the hapless old horse that was pulling a heavy cart. indiscreet, indiscrete indiscreet(in" di SKREET) Lacking discretion (without good judgment and sensitivity needed to avoid embarr assing or upsetting others); injudicious: "He was making so many indiscreet rema rks that the audience started to walk out because they were unable to tolerate s uch indiscretions." indiscrete(in" di SKREET) Not divided or divisible into separate parts: "There were layers of pages that w ere fused into an indiscrete bulky mass." It would beindiscreetto believe that the crowd in the town square wasindiscret ebecause there were obviously several different organizations waving their banner s. inequity, iniquity inequity(in EK wi tee) Injustice, unfair treatment: "The inequity of punishing an innocent man shocked the whole city." iniquity(i NIK wi tee) Wickedness, being unfair or evil: "The consistent iniquity of so many discourage s any hope of a Utopia." "Too many people in the world are plagued by corruption and iniquity." Theiniquityof the land lord towards the unemployed tenants was perceived as a greatinequity. inert, insert, inset inert(in URT) 1. Very slow, sluggish, lacking the ability to move: "I was so tired after the m arathon, I felt inert." 2. Not having the anticipated reaction either chemically or biologically: "The c hemistry formula proved to be inert and not dangerous." insert(in SURT) 1. To put or to incorporate anything into the body of something else: "While edi ting the manuscript, the professor suggested a new paragraph to insert into the text." 2. That which is included within the body of something else: "The newspaper had a special insert about the car race." inset(IN set", in SET) A small representation or part which is incorporated into the larger body of an item: "There was an inset on the map showing the larger cities." There was a colorfulinseton theinsertwhich the staff put in the programs for the theater performance. After completing the task of putting 700insertsinto 700 programs, they were so tired that they were totallyinert. infectious, contagious infectious(in FEK shuhs) Capable of spreading or communicating: "Her enthusiasm for her work was infectio us." "The disease is infectious and requires medical attention." contagious(kuhn TAY juhs) 1. Disease or infection that is spread by contact: "Her cough was highly contagi ous and she wore a mask to be sure others did not become ill, too." 2. An influence or mood that spreads rapidly: "The long sunny days created a con tagious sense of well being." The unusuallyinfectiousvirus was considered highlycontagious; so, the patient w as placed in isolation for a week. infer, imply, insinuate infer(in FUR)

To come to a conclusion based on facts or observations; to conclude from certain evidence (literally,to bring in, to deduce): "We could infer there was a forest fire because we saw the smoke on the horizon." imply(im PLIGH) To suggest a consequence rather than to make a clear statement: "He seemed to im ply that the meeting was over without actually saying it." insinuate(in SIN yoo ayt") 1. To insert something into a context with an indirect suggestion: "He appeared to insinuate that the man was dishonest by questioning his integrity." 2. To gradually make oneself a part of a group, a person's life, etc.; often by behaving in a dishonest way: "She stood next to the speaker hoping to insinuate herself into the conversation." "He has managed to insinuate himself into the city's highest social circles. " Speakers and writersimply; listeners and readersinferfrom what the speaker hasim plied. Careful speakers and writers distinguish between these two words, usingimplyt o mean, "indicate without saying outright"; andinferto mean, "draw a conclusion by reasoning". "Sam's warm smileimpliedthat he was pleased to see us. Weinferredfrom Sam's warm smile that he was pleased to see us." Imply, Infer What Iimply, I hint. What youinfer Is what you think I hinted. Better, madam/sir, To say "hello" in error for "good-by" Than to sayinferin error forimply. Willard R. Espy in his book Say It My Way; Doubleday & Company, Inc.; Garden City, New York; 1980, page 152. infidel, infidelity infidel(IN fi duhl, IN fi del") 1. A person who does not believe in a religion which another person regards as t he true religion: "Even in modern times, we hear about someone who condemns anot her person of being an infidel." 2. An individual who does not profess a religious belief: "As a free thinker, he thought of himself as an infidel with no religious affiliation." infidelity(in" fi DEL i tee) The act or fact of having a romantic or sexual relationship with someone other t han one's husband, wife, or partner: "She filed for divorce on the basis of her husband s infidelity with his fellow worker." She was so distraught by her husband sinfidelity, that she completely lost her spiritual faith; she thought of herself as aninfidel. informant, informer informant(in FOR muhnt) An individual who discloses information often in response to interrogation: "Bec ause he had been an informant to the police, the man was shunned by his neighbor s." informer(in FOR muhr) An individual who discloses knowledge or information, often about another indivi dual, and who is typically paid for such information: "The police informer was p aid a large sum for the information leading to the arrest of the gang members." In the mystery book that she is reading, theinformantfor the police had turned into aninformerfor the central government. ingenious, ingenuous ingenious(in JEEN yuhs) Characterized by an aptitude for invention and resourcefulness; being clever, tr icky, or shrewd: "She was ingenious in her ability to modify recipes." ingenuous(in JEN yoo uhs) Characterized by a childlike candor, without subtlety; open, frank, innocent: "S he brought an ingenuous perspective to the problem at hand."

Although the scientist who was presented in social situations as beingingenu ous, he was in factingeniousin his research. innocence, innocents innocence(IN uh suhns) 1. Unsophisticated, lacking in worldly awareness: "Our visiting cousin from abro ad demonstrated a delightful innocence when we showed her the highlights of the city." 2. Not guilty of a crime or offence: "The judge determined the innocence of the man on trial and released him." innocents(IN uh suhnts) 1. Individuals who are not guilty of an offense or crime: "The three men who had been charged were in fact wrongly accused innocents." 2. Lacking in the knowledge of evil: "Children are often described as innocents. " My favorite author is exceptional in describing her characters as charmingin nocents, displaying aninnocenceabout their surroundings which was refreshing to se e. insidious, invidious insidious(in SID ee uhs) 1. The gradual onslaught of an illness or disease in such a manner that it is en trenched before being discovered: "The insidious nature of his illness distresse d both the patient and the doctor." "Most people with this insidious disease have no idea that they are infected ." 2. Harmful but seen as something which is desirable: "The insidious nature of dr ug addiction often confuses people." invidious(in VID ee uhs) That which may cause discontent, envy, jealousy, or resentment: "The invidious n ature of the newspaper article created a sense of anger among the home owners." Theinvidiousarticles in the newspaper created aninsidiousatmosphere at city hal l which was difficult to understand. insolate, insulate, isolate insolate(IN soh layt", in SOH layt") To expose to sunlight: "We are going to the beach to insolate ourselves and get a suntan." insulate(IN suh layt", INS yuh layt") 1. To cause to be in a detached position: "Being a scientific theorist tended to insulate the man from his surroundings." 2. To prevent the passage of heat, electricity, or sound into or out of, especia lly by surrounding with a nonconducting material: "The electrician used a specia l tape to insulate the electrical cords." isolate(IGH suh layt") 1. To set apart or cut off from others: "To prevent cheating on the examinations , the professor chose to isolate the students who were using their laptop comput ers." 2. To place in quarantine: "The doctors decided to isolate the children with mea sles so other children would not become ill." 3. To render free of external influence: "Living in the remote mountains tended to isolate the residents from modern civilization." On my summer vacation, I intend toisolatemyself on an island andinsolatemyself in hopes of getting a good tan. In fact, staying on the island willinsulateme from the hustle and bustle of ev eryday city life. insolation, insulation, isolation insolation(in" soh LAY shuhn) The act, or an instance of, exposing to sunlight; including, therapeutic exposur e to sunlight: "People are cautioned against too much insolation which could res ult in sunstroke or heat stroke; which is characterized by convulsions, coma, an d excessive body heat." insulation(in" suh LAY shuhn, ins" yuh LAY shuhn)

A material or substance that is used to stop heat, electricity, or sound from go ing into or out of something: "They used fiberglass insulation in the house." isolation(igh" suh LAY shuhn) Being in a place or situation that is separate from others: "The isolation of th e mountain community has existed for many decades." Most countries no longer sell asbestos forinsulation; however, those countrie s that do may find themselves kept inisolationfrom international trade agreements. Instead, countries should work together to develop safeinsolationtechniques a nd equipment. insoluble, insolvable, insolvent insoluble(in SAHL yuh buhl) 1. Characterized by having no explanation or solution: "The mathematics problem appeared to the students to be insoluble." 2. Impossible, or practically impossible, to dissolve in a liquid: "The mixture appeared to be insoluble under those test tube conditions." insolvable(in SAHL vuh buhl) Having no solution or answer; not explainable, unsolvable: "She reached an insol vable stalemate while playing her computer Solitaire game." insolvent(in SAHL vuhnt) Not having sufficient funds to pay debts as they come due; bankrupt; unable to p ay an obligation or something that was borrowed: "The man was humiliated to admi t to being insolvent when speaking with his creditors." "His company became insolvent last week." When the company becameinsolvent, the directors felt that the situation wasins olublein terms of reporting to the investors; finally, the directors report was re leased and it revealed that the status of the company wasinsolvable. inspiration, expiration inspiration(in" spuh RAY shuhn) 1. The inhalation, or breathing in, of air: "The doctor measured her rate of ins piration because she had been ill with a lung infection." 2. To have the action or power to influence emotions or intellect: "Her work was an inspiration to others to volunteer to work in the remote village." expiration(ek" spuh RAY shuhn) 1. To exhale or to breathe out: "When I fell, the expiration of my breath was su dden and I gasped for air." 2. The end or termination of something: "The expiration date on the contract wil l be approaching soon." With a suddeninspiration, the author described theexpirationof the antagonist i n the novel with great detail. instance, instants instance(IN stuhns) An example to illustrate a situation or to make a point: "Her falling on the sta irs was one more instance of the need for safety rails." instants(IN stuhnts) 1. Characterized as happening immediately; imminent; without delay: "The chef re quired but an instants notice to prepare a fine meal." 2. An infinitely short space of time: "For a couple of instants, I forgot where I was." The speaker cited aninstanceof someone forgetting to pay taxes on time, noting that it only takes a couple ofinstantsto do so through the internet. instigate, institute, institute instigate(IN sti gayt") To urge, encourage, goad, incite, or to provoke: "The angry boy on the playgroun d tried to instigate a fight with the others." "The rebels tried to instigate a revolution." institute(IN sti toot", IN sti tyoot"), noun 1. An organization to promote education and learning: "We attended the institute in the city to learn new teaching skills." 2. A group created for a particular purpose; such as, research or education: "Th ey founded an institute for research into the causes of mental illness, dementia

, Alzheimer's disease, etc." institute(IN sti toot", IN sti tyoot"), verb To begin or to create something; such as, a new law, rule, or system: "The teach ers sought to institute a reading clinic for students in the community." "They are trying to institute new policies to increase public safety." The orator tried toinstigatethe crowd to demand that the localinstitutefor trai ning factory workersinstitutea new safety training program for new workers. integration, segregation integration(in" ti GRAY shuhn) The incorporation of individuals as equals into the mainstream of a social organ ization: "The new law will ensure the integration of all students who attend sch ool." segregation(seg" ri GAY shuhn) 1. The practice or policy of keeping people of different races, religions, gende rs, etc., separate from each other: "They fought to end the segregation of publi c schools." 2. The enforced separation of groups in a manner that is discriminatory: "The la ws governing school segregation have been declared illegal." Some school boards are considering a new policy ofsegregationof boys and girls ; however, the lawyers noted that the law of the country ensures totalintegratio nof all school children, including both genders. intelligent, intelligible, intellectual intelligent(in TEL uh juhnt) 1. Possessing and using good judgment, problem solving, and advanced thinking: " She appeared to be intelligent as reflected in her positive choices and decision s." 2. Having the ability to learn and to understand what is being learned: "The cla ss was characterized as being quite intelligent." intelligible(in TEL i juh buhl) That which is able to be understood or comprehended: "In her speech, she made ma ny relevant and intelligible comments on the topic of water conservation." intellectual(in" tl EK choo uhl) 1. Inclined towards or interested in things that require the use of thought and reflection: "He always liked intellectual pursuits; such as, studying poetry and the classics." 2. Possessing or suggesting the possession of a high level of critical thinking: "She had a fine intellectual face that matched her wits and conversational skil ls." The gathering was billed as anintellectualget together of doctors and the them e was anintelligibledialogue among the moreintelligentmembers of the medical profes sion. intense, intents intense(in TENS) 1. Deep feelings; having or showing strong emotions: "She felt an intense loyalt y to her old school friends." 2. Characteristic of extremes: "The intense heat was almost unbearable." intents(in TENTS) 1. For practical purposes or reasons: "For all intents and purposes, the decisio n to fly to the west coast was a good one." 2. Planned or purposeful actions; one's mental attitudes, including purposes, at the time of doing an act: "His criminal intents were well known to the courts." For allintentsand purposes, the air conditioner should be a big help against t heintenseheat of summer. intension, intention intension(in TEN shuhn) Rarely used, meaning determination, strong use of the mind: "Her intension to co mplete the examination despite feeling ill was admirable." intention(in TEN shuhn) 1. A resolution to act in a specific manner: "It is our intention to cross the d esert at night to avoid the intense heat."

2. Something that a person plans to do or to achieve: "She seemed to think that her brother was trying to cause problems, but that was never his intention." Theintentionof the landlord was to repair the basement and to paint the outsid e; however, hisintensionwas soon diminished when he found out what it would cost. inter; intern, inturn inter(in TUR) 1. To bury a dead person: "The arrangements to inter my uncle were made by his c hildren." 2. As a prefix, happening or occurring between something or things: "The interfa ce of printed pages and the colored illustrations made the book very interesting ." intern(IN turn") 1. A student of graduate academic standing completing professional training unde r the supervision of a qualified instructor: "She was an intern at the hospital, completing her training as a paediatrician." 2. To place in confinement or a restricted environment for political reasons: "M any governments choose to intern their citizens in response to certain governmen tal fears." inturn(IN turn") An inward turn or curve around an axis or fixed point: "He wore special shoes to correct the in-turn of his toes." The medicalinternwas assigned tointera cadaver that hadinturnfeet. intercession, intersession intercession(in" tuhr SESH uhn) A request or prayer directed on behalf of another person: "The religious leader lead a prayer of intercession for the health and safety of the family." intersession(IN tuhr sesh" uhn) The time period between two sessions of academic instruction: "She used the inte rsession at school to find a job." Theintersessionin the academic year was just long enough for him to make a pil grimage to the local holy shrine to make anintercessionon behalf of his mother's h ealth. interment, internment interment(in TUR muhnt) The ceremony of burial: "The interment of my uncle was accompanied by special pr ayers and beautiful music." internment(in TURN muhnt) The state or condition of being imprisoned or confined: "The internment of certa in members of the community caused a great deal of outrage." In dangerous times, theinternmentof political prisoners has often led to their secretinterment. inter-mural, intermural; intramural inter-mural, intermural(in tuhr MYOOR uhl) Involving participantsbetweentwo or more educational institutions, athletic clubs, or other groups; literally,between the walls: "There were friendly inter-mural d ebates scheduled among the rival schools." intramural(in truh MYOOR uhl) Existing or carried onwithinthe bounds of an institution; especially, a school, at hletic club, or a group; literally,within the walls: "I signed up to play intramu ral soccer at our school." The winner of theintramuralsports competition at each of the universities then played aninter-muralgame to determine the overall championship. international, intranational international(in" tuhr NASH uh nuhl, in" tuhr NASH nuhl) Relating to or consisting of two or more nations: "She went to school to study i nternational commerce." intranational(in" truh NASH uh nuhl; in" truh NASH nuhl) Existing or occurring within the boundaries of a single nation, rather than invo lving different nations: "Voting for the President of the United States is an in tranational event and international participation is not permitted."

The outcome of theintranationalelections in the country hadinternationalimplica tions for trade and commerce. interpellate, interpolate interpellate(in TUR pel" ayt, in tuhr" puh LAYT) To question formally: "It became necessary to interpellate the mayor regarding t he charges of corruption." interpolate(in TUR puh layt") To insert or to place someone or something between two or more things or people: "He likes to interpolate clever quotations from various writers into his speech es." The news reporter was allowed tointerpellatethe politician during an interview . When she prepared her report, she attempted tointerpolatedirect quotations with the facts gleaned during her interview. interstate, intestate, intrastate interstate(IN tuhr stayt") Between two or more states: "The federal government is authorized by the Constit ution to regulate interstate commerce." intestate(in TES tayt", in TES tit) Not having a valid will: "When he died, his property was intestate because he di d not think to write his will." intrastate(in" truh STAYT) Within one state: "Intrastate commerce is regulated by each state." Theintrastaterules governing estates which are leftintestatedo not apply tointers tatesituations. invade, inveighed invade(in VAYD) 1. To enter a territory for the purpose of conquest: "The ships sought to invade the country by sailing up the river." 2. Progressively injurious: "Without treatment, the doctors were afraid that gan grene would invade the wound." inveighed(in VAYD) Having complained or protested strongly and bitterly: "The populace inveighed ag ainst the building of the highway so close to the village." It seemed like the big box industrial building was set toinvadethe neighborhoo d despite the efforts of the local residents whoinveighedin vane against the incur sion. invalid, invalid invalid(IN vuh lid) Information lacking in truth or logical foundation: "Her findings were invalid d ue to an error in calculation." invalid(in VAL id) Someone who is ill and unable to perform typical responsibilities: "His father w as an invalid for many years and confined to a wheelchair." The health insurance wasinvalidfor the poorinvalid. invocation, benediction invocation(in" vuh KAY shuhn) 1. A formula or recitation for conjuring or creating something: "The children pr etended to be wizards and recited an invocation, hoping to make their milk into ice cream." 2. A process for asking for support, help, or intercession: "The invocation at t he beginning of the church service set the tone for the minister s sermon." benediction(ben" i DIK shuhn) An utterance of good wishes, often at the end of a religious service: "The minis ter gave his benediction to the congregation at the end of the service." Generally, aninvocationcomes at the beginning and abenedictioncomes at the end of a ceremony or religious service, etc. The wordinvocationhas Latin ancestors ininvocare, meaning "to invoke"; for exam ple, to call on (a higher power) for assistance, support, or inspiration". Abenedictionexpresses "good wishes" or "a blessing". It has ancestors in the L atin phrasebene dicere, meaning "to speak well" or "to praise". It is often assoc

iated with prayer, but not necessarily. In order to appease the many relatives, one uncle was asked to speak aninvoc ationat the beginning of the ceremony and the other uncle was invited to give theb enedictionat the close of the ceremony. invoke, revoke invoke(in VOHK) To appeal for or to make an earnest request: "He sought to invoke the help of hi s friends when he was building a new barn." revoke(ri VOHK) To take or to call back, to annul: "Because of his bad driving record, the polic e decided to revoke his driving license." I tried toinvokethe help of a magician to complete my overdue homework assignm ent; however, I then had torevokemy appeal when my teacher said I would lose marks if I had outside help. iPad, iPod; eye pad, eye pads iPad(IGH pad) A hand-held device that will allow users to view movies, surf the internet and p lay high-definition games: "The iPad features include the ability to browse the web and to listen to music, with photo, calendar, and maps applications." "The iPad will work with the iTunes store to let users discover and purchase music, movies and TV shows." "Like the iPhone, the iPad has a virtual keyboard, is about half an inch thi ck (1.27 centimeters), weighs 1.5 pounds (.68 kilograms), has a 9.7-inch (24.64centimeter) display, and offers internal storage option capacities of 16GB, 32GB or 64GB." iPod(IGH pahd) 1. A portable music player developed by Apple Computer: "Although it is an Apple product, the iPod can be used with both Macs and PCs." 2. A combination portable digital media player and hard drive from Apple Compute r: "An iPod has a reputation for being user-friendly because users can navigate with what Apple calls atouch wheel, which is a centrally-placed circular disk des igned for one-hand operation." "Popular iPod features include a calendar, address book, to-do list, alarm c lock with sleep timer, games, and a text reader." eye pad, eye pads(IGH pahd, IGH pahdz) Sterile oval eye pads have soft, cotton fill and lint-free poly outer covering f or patient comfort: "Some eye pads are pre-moistened with pure cucumber juice an d other rejuvenating natural extracts including chamomile, aloe vera, and green tea." "When a separate eye pad is applied to each eye, the eye pads will cool the eyes and reduce puffiness and dark circles." My eyes got so tired when I was using myIPadthat I needed to rest them by plac ing tea soakedeye padson my eyes and while I was resting, I listened to myiPod. iron, ironic iron(IGH uhrn) 1. A metallic element (Fe) occurring in meteorites and igneous rock: "The explor ers were looking for iron ore in order to create a new mining industry in the re gion." 2. Robust, healthy, strong: "His iron will was legendary among the tycoons of in dustry." 3. An instrument or tool used for removing the creases and wrinkles in cloth: "I n pioneer homes, the iron for pressing clothing was heavy and difficult to use." 4. To remove wrinkles by pressing with a heated instrument: "Would you like me t o iron your shirt?" ironic(igh RAHN ik) 1. A difference or inconsistency between reality and expectations: "It is ironic that the shoes of the cobbler's children often had holes in them." 2. A mocking or oblique comment: "His ironic sense of humor often conveyed the t ruth about what he was thinking." It was sadlyironicthat my uncle, who had always had anironconstitution, became

seriously ill when he was just 40 years old. irrational, unreasonable irrational(i RASH uh nuhl) 1. Incapable of logical thought, unthinking, unreasoning: "His father became mor e irrational as the fever got worse." "Some politicians become irrational in the way they spend and waste money." 2. Affected by loss of usual or normal mental clarity; incoherent, as from a sho ck: "Both your fears and your behavior are irrational." 3. Unsound, illogical, unreasonable, not based on reality, nonsensical, foolish: "She tends to be more irrational every day in her demented condition." unreasonable(un REE zuh nuh buhl) 1. Not governed by reason; a less than reasonable attitude; contrary to reason: "It's unreasonable for you to expect the weather to be so cool in the summer." 2. Exceeding reasonable limits; obstinate, headstrong, stubborn, inflexible, obd urate, prejudiced: "He's a spoiled, unreasonable person." 3. Excessive, too great, exorbitant, extravagant, immoderate, unjustifiable: "Th e company management considers the union's demands unreasonable." It is notunreasonableto fear that hisirrationalanger could translate into aggres sion which could becomeunreasonablyphysical; however, it seemed that authorities h ad to useunreasonableforce to control the person whose mental state could be descr ibed as increasinglyirrational. irrelevant, irreverent irrelevant(i REL uh vuhnt) Unrelated to, not applicable to the matter at hand; not pertinent; not relating to the point: "In an effort to sound important, the speaker included many irrele vant comments." irreverent(i REV uhr uhnt) Lacking in respect or seriousness; disrespectful; especially, to what is sacred: "His irreverent statements regarding religion and religious people was unaccept able and inexcusable." "The way some people use God's name in their irreverent and vulgar statement s indicates how impudent and inconsiderate some people are." In a response to the social columnist s propensity to makeirreverent comments i n her newspaper columns, the readers started to think of her as old fashioned an dirrelevantto the times. its, it's its(ITS) 1. A possessive pronoun: "Every animal is proud of its young." 2. Used as a modifier before a noun: "The airline canceled its flight to New Yor k." "Likehis, another possessive pronoun,itsnever takes an apostrophe." it's(ITS) A contraction ofit isorit has: "It's [It has] been nice to meet you and it's [it is ] good to know I'll see you again next month." Since aniis missing, an apostrophe must be inserted to show the omission, but it is never used as a possessive. Itsis the possessive form of the pronounitand is correctly written without an a postrophe. This should not be confused with the contractionit's(forit isorit has), whichshoul d always be written with an apostrophe. It'scome to my attention that many people have no understanding of the differ ence betweenit's; as in, "It'sgoing to be sunny today." andits; as in, "I put each flower initsproper place in the garden." jail, gaol; prison, penitentiary jail(JAYL); British,gaol(JAYL) 1. A place for the confinement of people in lawful detention; especially, those who are awaiting trial under local jurisdiction: "He was locked up in the county jail for driving while drunk." "She was arrested for drunkenness and spent a night in the city jail." 2. Ashort-termdetaining facility for those waiting trial or for those convicted of

minor offenses: "He was kept in the city jail while he was being tried for murd er and if convicted, he will be sent to the state prison." prison; penitentiary(PRIZ uhn; pen" i TEN shuh ree) Along-termdetaining facility for those convicted of major, or more serious crimes: "After spending six months in the city jail during his trial, he was then sente nced to life in the state prison." "She was sentenced to forty years in a federal penitentiary." In British English, there is no clear difference betweenjailandprison; and the wordpenitentiaryis apparently not used in Great Britain. The alleged criminal was held in the localjailwhich his British lawyer always referred to as the localgaolwhile his client was awaiting his trial. When he was found guilty and sentenced, he was sent to the statepenitentiaryw hich his lawyer referred to as aprison. jam; jamb, jambe jam(JAM) 1. A food usually made from fruit: "She likes to have strawberry jam on her pean ut butter sandwiches." 2. A predicament: "Boy! Did she ever get herself into a jam when she missed her bus." 3. A crowd: "Have you ever been caught in the subway jam during the busy hours?" jamb, jambe(JAM) An upright surface forming the side of an opening such as a door or window: "He was leaning against the door jamb to watch the children play in the back yard." My mother leaned on the doorjambwatching as the teens made bread andjamsandwiche s. They were going to take the sandwiches to an outdoor concert where they expec ted ajamof people. jealous, zealous jealous(JEL uhs) Intolerant of competition; suspicious of unfaithfulness: "My cat was very jealou s of the neighbor s cat which I was taking care of while my neighbor was on vacati on." zealous(ZEL uhs) Characterized by the passionate or eager pursuit of something: "She was zealous in her pursuit of becoming a fine water-color artist." In herzealouspursuit of success as a model, she was not aware that her younger sister was veryjealous. jinks, jinx jinks(JINGKS) Characterized by moving quickly, making sudden turns and twists, and dodging: "T he get-away car at the bank robbery raced down the street making many jinks to a void being caught." jinx(JINGKS) Something that causes bad luck or misfortune: "Some people say that breaking a m irror will jinx you, bringing you seven years bad luck." His erratic driving, committing manyjinksto stay on the roadway, seemed almost to be ajinxon his success as a race car driver. jog, jog jog(JAHG) 1. Verb forms, to run or ride at a steady slow trot: "The coach told the players to jog out to their positions on the playing field." 2. To rouse or to stimulate as if by nudging: "There was an old photo in the alb um that might jog our mother's memory." 3. Noun forms, a slow run done for exercise: "Some people depend on a morning jo g to give them energy for the day." 4. A light shake or push: "She gave him a jog with her elbow to stop him from ta lking so much." jog(JAHG) 1. A protruding or receding part in a surface or line: "As we observed the mount ains from the valley, we could see one jog after the other as they protruded up and receded down, again and again."

2. An abrupt change in direction: "When we came to a jog in the road, we had to make a sharp turn." 3. To turn sharply; to veer: "This is where the boundary will jog south." "At first,jogwas a training regimen for athletes, then it became a fad in abou t 1967." Thejogin the road caused the driver tojogabruptly to the left. The force of thisj ogalso caused the passenger in the back seat tojogand to spill her coffee on her la p. joust, just joust(JOUST, JUST) 1. A combat between two mounted knights or men-at-arms using lances; a tilting m atch: "The knight put on his armor as he prepared himself for the joust." 2. To engage in a personal combat or competition: "American football can be desc ribed as a joust when the players run into each other, knocking their opponents down." just(JUST) 1. Honorable and fair in one's dealings and action: "Her Honor, Judge Smith was always just in her decisions at court." 2. Valid within the law; lawful: "The decision by the judge for the man to pay t he traffic fine was a just decision." The knight tried to assure his lady fair, saying "Don't worry, it isjustajousta nd no one will be injured." judicial, judicious judicial(joo DISH uhl) Relating to a judge, to a legal court system, or to the judiciary: "Judicial eth ics should keep a judge, like this one, above suspicion." judicious(joo DISH uhs) Showing sound judgment: "His judicious decisions regarding his investments have made him wealthy." At the trial, thejudicialdecision was that the stockbroker had madejudiciousdec isions about investing the client's money and had not committed any fraud. juggler, jugular juggler(JUG luhr) 1. An entertainer who is able to keep several objects in the air at the same tim e by tossing and catching them from hand to hand: "The juggler at the circus enc hanted the children with his skills." 2. Someone who attempts to manipulate situations or individuals for a desired pu rpose: "The salesman was quite the juggler in trying to convince the man to buy the used car so he could get a commission." jugular(JUG yuh luhr) Veins on either side of the neck for returning blood from the head to the heart: "When he was angry, his jugular veins stood out in his neck." The newspaper reported that thejugglerhad an accident and one of the knives he wasjugglingslipped and cut hisjugularvein. Thejugglerwas reported recovering in the h ospital after the surgeon repaired hisjugular. junction, juncture junction(JUNGK shuhn) An intersection or meeting of roads or railroads: "The town was prosperous when it was a railroad junction." juncture(JUNGK chuhr) A point of time made critical by a combination of circumstances: "At this junctu re, we must make a final decision as to our future course." When we were traveling across the country by car, we came to a major highwayj unction. We had to decide if at thisjuncturein our trip, we should go south or tur n east. jurist, juror jurist(JOOR ist) A judge or lawyer: "He was described by his colleagues as an eminent jurist in t he area of commercial law." juror(JOOR uhr, JOOR or")

Member of a body of people sworn to give a legal verdict on a given matter prese nted in a court of law: "Yesterday, I was selected to be a juror at the trial of the person who had committed fraud." In a surprise turn of events, the eminent civil lawjuristwas selected as a jur orfor the upcoming conflict-of-interest trial. macrocosm, microcosm macrocosm(MAK ruh kahz" uhm) Great, universal, a complex that represents on a large scale one of its componen ts: "The assignment for the astronomy class was to create a macrocosm of one sta r in the Milky Way." microcosm(MIGH kruh kahz" uhm) Small, little, representing the epitome of a larger entity: "The diversity of th e residents in the tall residential building appeared to represent a microcosm o f the population of the city." "Think GLOBAL, buy LOCAL" is an example of balancing the concepts ofmacrocos mandmicrocosm. madam, madame madam(MAD uhm) 1. A respectful form of address to a woman when the actual name is not known: "I n answer to her questions, the youth spoke respectfully, addressing her asMadam." 2. The female head of a house of prostitution: "The madam of the brothel also ra n a bar to serve wine, beer, and liquor." 3. When capitalized, used to designate rank or position of a woman in a business or governmental context: "Madam Chairperson, will you please begin the meeting. " madame(muh DAM, MAD uhm) Term of reference and address to a woman who is not from an English speaking cou ntry: "Please, Madame, would you like me to order a taxi for you?" One can get into some very sticky social situations by addressing an older w oman of great dignity as "madame" if she is not aware of the nuances between bei ng addressed as "madam" and being referred to as a "madam". made, maid made(MAYD) 1. Artificially manufactured: "My purse is made of imitation snake skin." 2. Used to say that someone has the right qualities to be or to do something: "H e was made to be an actor." maid(MAYD) 1. A woman servant: "We hired a maid to help out at the large gathering in the g arden." 2. An unmarried young woman: "The young maid was imaginative and she often imagi ned what her future would be like." Themaidhadmadethe bed before she vacuumed the floor. magnate, magnet magnate(MAG nayt") An individual having power, rank, and influence; often in a specific area of exp ertise: "He was a magnate in the area of steel manufacture." magnet(MAG nit) 1. A piece of iron or steel which produces an attracting power which draws small er pieces of iron, steel, etc. to it: "We picked up the scattered nails on the f loor by using a magnet." 2. That which attracts: "The seashore was a magnet for holiday planners." The presence of the famed industrialmagnatewas a powerfulmagnetfor other indust rialists to attend the symphony fund raising event. mail, male mail(MAYL) 1. Items that are sent by the post from one location to another: "I checked the post box to see if the mail had arrived this morning." 2. To send an article from one location to another through the post: "She walked down the street to mail her letter."

3. Armour or the hard covering of an animal: "When going to battle, knights ofte n wore mail to protect themselves." "The turtle has a hard shell, like mail, that helps to protect it from harm. " male(MAYL) 1. Masculine, men, opposite of female: "The male sprinter won the race by only a second or two." 2. Characteristic of men, or being masculine: "Many sports that were considered appropriate only for a male player are now being played by women." The man's wife was complaining that there was nothing in the post box except moremale mail. Because he was expecting some delicately contentiousmail, the often flirtatio usmalein the office commented he d better put on hismailbefore opening his dailymail. A secretary was talking with a colleague, "I hate junkmail." Her fellow worker responded with, "Me, too, and there's one now," as she nodded toward her boss as he was just entering the office [referring to him as, "junkmal e"]. A woman likes amalebest who has a will of his own . . . made out in her name. Evan Esar main, mane, Maine main(MAYN) 1. Most important; principal, chief: "The main idea is to drive down the main hi ghway to get to our destination." "The audience was waiting for the main event of the evening." 2. Exerted to the utmost; sheer: "His main strength was never to give up." 3. The largest pipe in a system of connected pipes: "The water main was damaged during the earth quake and so people were deprived of water for several days." mane(MAYN) Long, heavy hair that is a characteristic observed around the necks of some mamm als: "The brown horse had a long black mane." Maine(MAYN) One of the fifty states comprising the United States: "Our summer cottage is on the coast of Maine." The man found a shaggy mare in the country side ofMaineand with might andmain, he tried to trim hermane. "What is the principal part of a horse?" "The principal part? Themane, of course. A male lion is the only cat with amane. "Lion researchers have observed that many male lions with shortmaneshad suffe red from injury or sickness; while by contrast, dark-manedmales tended to be olde r than the others, have higher testosterone levels, heal well after being wounde d, and sire more surviving cubs; all of which made them more desirable mates and formidable foes." "Amane, it seems, signals vital information about a male lion's fighting abil ity and health to mates and rivals." This information came from "The Truth about Lions" by Abigail Tucker; Smithsonianmagazine; January, 2010; page 30. maize, maze maize(MAYZ) Corn, often referred to as Indian Corn: "The recipe called for ground maize whic h I bought in the health food store." maze(MAYZ) That which is complicated or elaborate: "On the first day of my new job, I tried to understand the maze of regulations." "The ornamental garden was a complex maze of shrubbery and trees." The farmer set up a labyrinth in his corn field and invited people to partic ipate in what the newspaper referred to as the "maize maze". majority, minority, plurality majority(muh JOR i tee, muh JAHR i tee)

1. The age by which one receives and assumes civic responsibilities: "The first thing I did when I achieved the age of majority was to register to vote in the n ext election." 2. The greater number, by at least one, when counting the total of something: "T he majority of the class decided to go to the football game instead of staying i n the library." minority(muh NOR i tee, muh NAHR i tee, mi NOR i tee) 1. A segment of population which does not share characteristics of the larger po pulation: "The new immigrants were a minority in the large city." 2. A group which is comprised of a smaller number than another group the combina tion of which represents the total size of the something: "A minority attending the public meeting did not want the new bridge to be built." plurality(ploo RAL i tee) 1. A large or greater number; "The plurality of the townspeople wanted to build a swimming pool in the park." 2. The number of votes needed to elect an official that is not 50% of the total votes cast but is more than the total votes cast for either of two or more other candidates: "She was elected by a narrow plurality of five." Themajorityof the city population had reached theirmajorityand could therefore p articipate in elections; as a result, their candidate received a plurality of vo tes. Theminoritypopulation looked forward to gaining theirmajorityin a year or two. malady, medley, melody malady(MAL uh dee) An illness of an animal: "The veterinarian finally was able to diagnose the mala dy of the farmer s animal." medley(MED lee) A piece of music made up of a series of short tunes: "She hummed a medley of sho w tunes while she worked." melody(MEL uh dee) A pleasant and pleasing arrangement of sounds: "The melody played on the accordi on was delightful." I was unable to carry themelodyof the song which was in fact amedleyof popular tunes. Someone joked that I seemed to be suffering from an unknownmalady. mall, maul, moll mall(MAWL, MAL) 1. An urban shopping center, often enclosed to protect shoppers from the weather : "Going to the mall is one of my favourite things to do on Saturday." 2. A grassy public park, typically for pedestrian use: "We strolled down the mal l and enjoyed the beauty of the flowering trees." maul(MAWL) 1. A tool used for splitting logs or wood: "The hired hand on the farm used a ma ll to split logs for firewood." 2. To injure or to handle roughly: "There were reports in the newspaper of attem pts by bears to maul hikers." moll(MAHL) A woman companion of a gunman or gangster: "The crook's moll told the police whe re the gang was hiding." The gangster'smolldecided to go to themallfor the New Year's sales; however, she immediately went back home because she noticed that themallwas packed with so ma ny people and she didn't want anyone tomaulher during the excitement of the sales. man's laughter, manslaughter man's laughter(manz LAF tuhr, manz LAHF tuhr) The verbal or voiced expression by a male person of amusement or pleasure: "The man's laughter echoed across the room and amused others who heard him." manslaughter(MAN slaw tuhr) The illegal or unlawful killing of an individual: "The woman was convicted of ma nslaughter for purposely running the man down with her car and so she was sent t o prison." Is it really possible that some people feel that aman's laughtercan be more di sturbing thanmanslaughter?

manila, manilla, Minila, Manilla; vanilla manila, manilla(muh NIL uh) 1. A strong paper or thin cardboard with a smooth finish, usually buff or light brown in color, made from Manila hemp or wood fibers similar to it: "The manila envelope is an envelope designed for transporting documents and it is made of th ick, durable paper and sized so that full sheets of paper can fit inside without being folded." 2. The capital and largest city of the Philippines; located on southern Luzon: " Manila is a city and it should not be confused with "Manila" or "Manilla" paper. " vanilla(vuh NIL uh) A flavoring extract prepared from the cured seedpods of a plant or produced synt hetically as a food flavoring: "We both preferred vanilla ice cream rather than chocolate." How could anyone possibly confuse amanila, manillaenvelope with avanillaenvelop e, you may ask? Well, it seems that a reporter on the radio mixed up the two by referring to avanillaenvelope and someone called in to report the obvious error to the program 's moderators the next day and stated that there is a big difference betweenmanil a, manillapaper and a non-existentvanillapaper; unless someone had produced an enve lope withvanillaflavor. manner, manor manner(MAN uhr) 1. A method of artistic presentation: "His presentation was in the manner of the country gentry, wearing tweeds and high boots." 2. Social conduct: "She tried to imitate the manner of a famous actress." 3. Good and appropriate behavior: "The manner of our new neighbour was very frie ndly." manor(MAN uhr) 1. In North America, land which an individual rents from another for a fixed rat e: "The manor that my father rents is large enough to raise several cattle." 2. The house on an estate: "The manor house was large and gracious." The man wanted to be polite with his guests when they came to his luxurious house; so, he decided to establish an etiquette for his mansion which he called "amanorwith a goodmanner" because he wanted people to know that hismanor's mannerswer e superior. mantel, mantle mantel(MAN t'l) An ornamental facing around, or over, a fireplace: "The old clock stood on the m antel and kept perfect time." mantle(MAN t'l) 1. A loose sleeveless coat worn over outer garments; a cloak: "When he went to t he opera, he wore an elegant mantle instead of a coat." 2. Something that covers, envelops, or conceals: "Looking up into the sky was li ke looking at a dark blue mantle covering the earth." A tragedy almost happened when the glamorous opera star, wearing an elegantma ntle, leaned against themantelof the fireplace and hermantlealmost caught on fire. manual, Manuel manual(MAN yoo uhl) 1. Relating to or worked by hand, not using a machine: "Because of the rocks in the field, the farmer hired manual labor to cut the grass." 2. A book or precise description or explanation on how to use something: "The di rections in the car's repair manual was explicit and easy to follow." Manuel(MAN yoo uhl) 1. A given name for a male: "Mother called to remind her son, Manuel, to come ho me for dinner." 2. A surname: "I noticed there were many people in the telephone directory with the last name of Manuel." My nephew,Manuel, has always liked to domanualwork; especially, fixing engines which was easy for him because he always read the instructionmanual.

many, much many(MEN ee) A great number of countable nouns; such as, objects, things, etc.; usually in th e plural: "Many drops of water are needed to have a stream." "She has many brothers and sisters." "There are many words that still need definitions." much(MUHCH) A great quantity of unaccountable nouns; such as, sleep, water, hate, love, etc. ; usually in the singular : "Much water has flowed down hill because of the thun der storm." "He didn't get much sleep last night." "I have too much work to do." I felt like I had toomuchhomework to do even though there were really not verym anypages of math problems to complete. map, nap map(MAHP) A picture or chart that shows the rivers, mountains, streets, etc. regarding a p articular area: "Can you find where we are on the map?" nap(NAHP) 1. A short period of sleep; especially, during the day: "He woke up from his nap rested and refreshed so he could focus on his project much better." 2. To be in a state of mind in which those involved are not prepared to deal wit h something because they aren't paying attention: "When the problem appeared aga in, the government was not prepared to deal with it; in other words, officials w ere taking a nap instead of being alert to the situation." 3. A soft layer of threads on the surface of a piece of cloth, a carpet, etc.: " The fine nap of the wet cloth felt wonderful when I wiped my face after taking m y nap." When I took anap, my head was resting on an ornamental pillow, but then after I woke up, I could see the pattern of thenapof the pillow on my face in the mirro r. It almost looked like amapto the land of nod. mare, mare, mayor mare(MAIR) A female horse which is old enough to breed: "I bought a new mare for my riding stable." mare(MAIR) A Latin element meaningsea: "Marine, mariner, andsubmarineare just a few of many wo rds that come from the Latinmare." mayor(MAY uhr, MAIR uhr) An elected or appointed official who serves as chief magistrate of a city: "My u ncle was elected mayor of the city three times in a row." The newly electedmayor, who came from themareregion of the country, rode a whit emareto her installation ceremony. marital; marshal, marshall; martial marital(MAIR i t'l) Referring to circumstances relating to being married: "After we were married, we bought our marital home." marshal, marshall(MAHR shuhl) 1. An individual who manages or organizes the ceremonies of a gathering: "The ma rshal of the parade rode in the car leading the bands and walkers." 2. An officer of the law (appointed or elected) with duties similar to a sheriff in terms of enforcing the law: "The marshal accompanied the prisoner to court t o stand before the judge." 3. The senior head of a civic department; such as, a fire department: "The fire marshal organized the fire fighters when the factory caught fire." martial(MAHR shuhl) Of or relating to the military, war, or military life: "He seemed suited to the martial life because he liked order and precision." The fire marshal had a longmartialhistory before entering into amaritalrelation

ship which made him very happy. mark, marque mark(MAHRK) 1. A victim or recipient of ridicule or bullying: "The angry students thought th e new student would be an easy mark for teasing." 2. A distinguishing impression or trait of something: "When he completed his uni versity education, he had the mark of a gentleman and a scholar." 3. A landmark or guidepost for travellers: "The tall building on the corner was the mark we were looking for because we wanted to turn left at that point." 4. A label or indication of quality or price: "The mark on this jacket indicated it was on sale." 5. To highlight or to make note of something: "I will mark the date in my calend ar when we are going out for dinner." 6. To determine the value of something: "The teacher was determined to mark all the students' essays on the weekend." 7. A man's name: "My friend, Mark, is going to drive the car tonight when we go out." marque(MAHRK) A product brand: "The company made exceptionally good quality marque of saddles for the equestrian school." My friend,Mark, who was usually an easymarkfor teasing, decided to check out th emarkon the new laptop before buying it; however, he decided on a laptop which had a well knownmarque. marquee, marquis marquee(mahr KEE) A large canopy or tent for an outdoor event or exhibition: "We decided to have a marquee in the garden for our wedding reception." marquis(MAHR kwis, mahr KEE) A male of hereditary nobility: "The marquis lived in the large house by the rive r." At the summer fete, themarquisinstructed that a largemarqueeshould be construct ed in the park for the luncheon after the festivities. marry, Mary, merry marry(MAIR ee) To join in a close and typically permanent relationship, or wedlock, usually thr ough a ceremony: "They decided to marry as soon as they could arrange it." Mary(MAIR ee) A woman s name: "My Aunt Mary is coming to visit next week." merry(MER ee) High spirited, joyful; full of fun; lively laughter and cheerfulness: "We saw th e merry group of children playing in the park." My friendMaryalways stated, "I shall makemerrywhen Imarry." Marriageis said to be a climate where the husband usually reigns and the wife often storms. Also, in some cases,marriagecan begin with "I do" and end with "adieu". Evan Esar marten, Martian, martin marten(MAHR t'n) Any of a number of weasel like animals: "We watched the marten dive into the cra ck in the rock to hide." Martian(MAHR shuhn) 1. A hypothetical inhabitant of the planet Mars, especially as a stock fictional character: "She claimed that she saw a flying saucer out of which stepped a blu e Martian." 2. Of or relating to the planet Mars or its hypothetical inhabitants: "The astro nauts imagined that a Martian ship was moving in outer space." martin(MAHR t'n) 1. A European Swallow with distinctive features; such as, a forked tail: "We lov ed to watch the martin dart across the sky in search of insects." "We built a martin house for the flock that came each spring."

2. A person s name; usually, the first name of a male or a family name: "My friend , Martin, is coming for a visit in two weeks." Her nephew,Martin, enjoyed going for hikes in the mountains and once he repor ted that he saw a lively brownmartenin the hills. Then, going across the valley, he stated that he had also seen amartinswoop d own to skim the river, catching bugs, and then as he looked up, he claims that aM artianship was landing on the hill top. mask, masque mask(MASK) 1. A disguise or covering for the face: "For the party, I decided to wear a mask that looked like a harlequin." 2. The image or copy of a face made by a mold: "That's the mask of the famous co mposer; it was made after he died." 3. A covering for the face to protect it from harm: "When we went to see the fac tory, we were asked to wear a mask to prevent us from breathing the fumes." 4. To conceal or to hide: "He wore long sleeves to mask the fact he was carrying a stick." 5. To reconfigure or to modify the size or shape of something: "The photographer agreed to mask the photograph so it had a narrow border around it." masque(MASK) An entertainment typical of the 16th and 17th centuries in which the characters wore masks and a story was of an allegorical nature: "The jesters planned a masq ue for the entertainment of the king." When we went to themasque, we each wore a differentmaskto cover our faces; then , as the photographer was developing the pictures from themasque, she was carefu l tomaskthe scenery behind us, emphasizing how well eachmaskreally didmaskour individu al identities. massage, message massage(muh SAHZH, muh SAHJ) 1. The rubbing or kneading of one s tissues or flesh for relaxation or health reas ons: "I go for a massage every week and my stiff muscles are soothed." 2. To manipulate or to organize information: "I will need to massage my research data for my thesis." 3. To change numbers, data, etc. in a dishonest way in order to deceive people: "Some businesses are said to massage their sales results in order to make their profits appear to be greater than they really are." message(MES ij) 1. The theme or idea of a communication: "The message in the book about conserva tion was that the rivers are in danger of pollution." 2. Information that is communicated by writing, signals, etc.: "Please give a me ssage to my mother that I will be home late." In the middle of an important meeting, the chairman of the board received ame ssagefrom the reception desk to advise him that it was time to go for his dailymas sage. massed, mast massed(MAS't) Accumulated or gathered: "The bands massed in the park before the start of the p arade." mast(MAST) A tall vertical spar, sometimes sectioned, that rises from the keel or deck of a sailing vessel to support the sails and the standing and running rigging: "The tree that the builder used for the mast was a special pine grown in North Americ a." The tallmastshipsmassedin the harbor for the special historical anniversary. masseur, masseuse masseur(ma SUR, muh SYOOR) A man who professionally gives massages: "The fitness studio has a masseur who i s available to give anyone a massage by appointment, if he or she wants one." masseuse(ma SYOOZ, ma SYOOS) A woman whose job is to give massages: "In my opinion, our local masseuse has a

better technique for giving a massage than the masseur." The massage parlor advertised that the customers could have a malemasseuror a femalemasseusefor their appointments. massive, missive massive(MAS iv) 1. Large when compared to what is typical: "The doctor gave the patient a massiv e injection of antibiotics." 2. Solid, ponderous, heavy: "The pyramids were built of massive stone blocks." missive(MIS iv) A written letter or communication: "When I went away to school, I wrote a missiv e home to my friends every week." At an important juncture of the meeting, each of us received amassive missivew hich outlined in detail the long term plans of the corporation. masterful, masterly masterful(MAS tuhr fuhl) Strong ability and personality; inclined to play the master; domineering, imperi ous: "Her masterful personality and ability earned her the promotion she wanted. " "His masterful strength of personality enables him to impose his will on oth ers." masterly(MAS tuhr lee) Worthy of authority through knowledge or superior skill. "She played the complex piano composition with masterly precision." "The carpenter did a masterly job of repair work in their house." The head of the guild had amasterfulpersonality which easily established hismas terlyposition to negotiate for better wages. match, match match(MAHCH) 1. Noun: Someone who is like another in one or more specified qualities: "He was a good match for her because they shared the same interests." 2. Verb: To be suited to someone or something: "The curtains match the carpet pe rfectly." "My mother wanted to match me up with her friend's daughter and it turned ou t to be a good match because we are going to get married." match(MAHCH) A short, thin piece of wood or thick paper with a special tip that produces fire when it is scratched against something else: "He tried to light a match so he c ould start the fire." When she went out with a new guy, he seemed like a goodmatchfor her in terms o f their common interests; however, she quickly lost interest in him when he aske d her for amatchto light his cigarette. material, materiel, matriel material(muh TIR ee uhl) 1. Having real significance or consequence: "The material facts of the investiga tion were presented to the judge." 2. Tangible or physically present: "The material of my new dress is dark green." "The food bank provided material support to the family." 3. That which can be refined into a more finished form: "Her research provided n ew material for the biography of the painter which she was writing." 4. Information which is the object of study: "The course outline for my class in dicated the material that would be covered each week." materiel(muh tir" ee EL) Equipment used by a group or organization: "We will try out the camping materiel on the weekend." matriel(muh tir" ee EL) French version for equipment or hardware: "Matrielis an alternate spelling formater iel." Thematerialfor my research project was to compare the response of the purchasi ng public to reading about a newmaterialfor camping equipment versus reading about a newmatriel. I wanted to understand if the foreign sounding word affected the ch

oice of the customer. maybe, may be maybe(MAY bee) 1. Questionable, possible, perhaps: "Maybe it will rain tonight." 2. An expression indicating uncertainty: "Maybe I'm being too optimistic, but I really think we can get this project completed." 3. Used to give a response that is neither yes nor no: "So do you want to come w ith us or not?" "Well, maybe." 4. Used to introduce advice or suggestions: "Maybe you should ask her what she m eans before you jump to conclusions." 5. Indicates an approximate estimation; such as, of frequency or a number: "The forests in this region are no more than 60, maybe 70, years old." may be(may" BEE) A phrase used to express the possibility of something: "Your answer may be corre ct, after all." "I may be wrong, but I think the store is closed by now." Itmay bethat the weather report is right andmaybethere will actually be sunshine tomorrow. meal, zeal meal(MEEL) 1. Food eaten to satisfy one's hunger: "We had a nutritious and delicious meal." 2. The milled or ground seeds of certain grass plants: "We took the wheat to the mill to be ground into meal." zeal(ZEEL) Eager, enthusiastic pursuit of something: "He had a special zeal for studying bu tterflies." With greatzeal, he ate his firstmealafter a long fast. mean, mien mean(MEEN) 1. Humble, possibly shabby: "Her mean accommodations were small and clean." 2. Repellent, selfish, petty; bad-tempered, vicious, unmanageable: "His mean arr ogance resulted in his brother leaving without saying a word." 3. To have a purpose or an intention: "I mean to go to New York City sometime." 4. Middle position, half way between extremes: "I noticed that I was in the mean position in the line up to buy tickets for the movie." mien(MEEN) Bearing, appearance, conducting oneself, or manner; especially, as it reveals an inner state of mind: "Her outward mien was calm and focused." Hermienwas very elegant despite her rathermeanbeginnings. At times, she felt as if she were in themeanbetween two cultures. She once said, "Imeanto go to the big city to live with other educated and ref ined people." meat, meet, mete meat(MEET) The flesh of an animal used as food which often refers specifically to the flesh of mammals or birds instead of the flesh of fish: "The soup can be made with me at, chicken, or fish." meet(MEET) 1. To see and to speak to someone for the first time: "We wanted to meet each ot her in the linguistics class at our university." 2. To come together in order to talk about or to discuss something: "We want to meet downtown tomorrow to talk about a better way to sell our products." mete(MEET) To give something to the people who are considered worthy of receiving it; to al lot, distribute, or apportion: "They are trying to be fair as they decide to met e out punishments for crooked politicians." They deserved to have the restaurantmeteout a lunch where themeatwouldmeetthe tas te buds of the eaters. In Germany, a van used by a small business for preparing meals for parties, etc. was seen with the words:"Meating Point"painted on its sides.

medal, meddle medal(MED'l) A piece of metal similar to a coin which is issued to commemorate special events : "She won a gold medal in the swimming competition." meddle(MED'l) To interfere, to get involved in something that is not one's personal concern; t o take part in other people's affairs without being asked or needed; to interfer e with: "Please do not meddle in this discussion." "She had a tendency to meddle in her sister's family affairs." In spite of the efforts of the jury tomeddlewith the judge's decision, she dec ided to award themedalof achievement to the best student. Ameddleris someone whose business is what's none of his business. Amedalof honor is the best thing to induce chest expansion. Evan Esar media, median, medium media(MEE dee uh) The plural form ofmedium, often with reference to advertisement or news dissemina tion: "The news media covered the politician's speech and legislative experience s." median(MEE dee uhn) 1. Characterized by being in the middle position: "The median on the highway was planted with flowers." 2. Having a value that is in the middle of a series of values arranged from the smallest to the largest: "What is the median price of homes in this area?" medium(MEE dee uhm) 1. Occupying the middle position relative to others: "He was of medium height co mpared to the other players on the team." 2. A substance by which something is conveyed: "The metal in electricity cables is a medium for conveying electricity." 3. An individual through whom messages are passed to and from the dead to those living and the other way, too: "My aunt was believed by many to be a medium thro ugh whom they could pass messages to their dead loved ones." 4. A liquid used by painters in which color pigmentation is mixed: "Some artists use egg yolk as the medium for their painting." Themediatalked much about the artist and the newmediumwhich she used for her pai ntings; however, the art critic assessed the sale value of her works in themediumr ange. mediate, medicate, meditate mediate(MEE dee ayt") 1. To intervene between two or more disputants in order to bring about an agreem ent, a settlement, or a compromise: "He has been appointed by the government to mediate in the dispute between the auto company and the striking workers." 2. To settle or to reconcile differences between people: "Negotiations are going on to mediate a cease-fire between the two belligerents." medicate(MED i kayt") 1. To treat with medicine: "His doctor tried to medicate patient with the latest pharmaceutical drugs." 2. To tincture or to permeate with a medicinal substance: "The doctor wants to m edicate her patient with a different medication because he apparently has develo ped a strange allergy to the other drug." meditate(MED i tayt") 1. To think or to mentally reflect; especially, in a calm and deliberate manner; to contemplate: "My friend will make time every day to meditate for an hour dur ing the morning." 2. To engage in devotional contemplation, especially prayer: "He wants to medita te about the importance of God in his life." My doctor tried tomediatemy concerns about whether I shouldmedicatemy illness w ith the new drugs by suggesting that Imeditatesome more and consider what the cons equences would be if I don't take the medicine he has recommended. mediation, medication, meditation,

mediation(mee" dee AY shuhn) An attempt to bring about a peaceful settlement or compromise between disputants through the objective intervention of a neutral party: "The dispute between the landlord and the tenant was settled by mediation." medication(med" i KAY shuhn) The act or process of treating with medicine; the administration of medicine: "S he's taking medication for high blood pressure." meditation(med" i TAY shuhn) The act or process of spending time in quiet thought: "Daily meditation helps cl ear his mind of negative thoughts." Dailymeditation, in some cases, may help certain people avoid the need formedi cation. meliorative, pejorative meliorative(MEEL yuhr uh tiv; MEE lee uh ray" tiv; MEEL yuh ray" tiv) That which is made more tolerable; something that has been softened: "Instead of returning a pejorative from a colleague, she chose to be more meliorative and i t resulted in a more desirable conclusion to their discussion." pejorative(pi JOR uh tiv) Tending to make worse; derisive, derisory, demeaning, disparaging, derogatory; u ncomplimentary: "When she used the pejorativeyou're an idiotwith the young man, an d although he was tempted to send stronger pejoratives back to her, much to his credit, he resisted the temptation." If people are incapable of beingmeliorativewith their bosses and choose to tel l their employers that their ideas are "stupid", such actions would no doubt be consideredpejorativeand the result would very likely be "unemployment" for them. metal, mettle metal(MET'l) A substance; such as, gold, tin, or copper, that usually has a shiny appearance, is a good conductor of electricity and heat, can be melted, and is usually capa ble of being shaped: "Scraps and sheets of metal are being reprocessed from disp osable piles of discarded metal products." "Copper is said to be one of the most useful types of metal known to mankind ." mettle(MET'l) Character, spirit, ardor, courage, stamina; the ability to continue something de spite difficulties: "This sporting event will test her mettle as a competitor in this winter event." "Under such stress, she revealed an unexpected mettle." Is itmetalormettlethat is needed in stressful situations? Did the Norsemen havemettle, ormetal, craftiness, and good ships? The most common error is to usemetalin the sense of showing or trying one's ph ysical and mental hardiness; so, remember that to show yourmettle, you should be in sound physical condition. mewl, mule mewl(MYOOL) A weak cry or whimper: "I could hear the mewl of the kitten before I could find it." mule(MYOOL) 1. A mammal which is the result of the cross breeding a horse and a donkey: "The mule was harnessed to the wagon so the farmer could take his crops to the marke t." 2. A slipper typically without a back piece around the heel: "The missing mule w ith the fluffy fur around it was found under the bed." 3. A person whose personality can be considered stubborn: "When his mind is made up, he is as stubborn as a mule." 4. A machine used in the manufacture of yarn that pulls and twists the fibre sim ultaneously: "My summer job was in the yarn factory, specifically monitoring the function of the mule." A donkey whimper is also known as amule mewl. mews, muse

mews(MYOOZ) 1. A common gull of European origin: "The flock of mews circled over the fishing boats hoping for a handout." 2. The sound made by a gull or a cat: "I could hear the mews of the kittens befo re I could see them." 3. Primarily British: Stables for animals in an enclosed space which are frequen tly converted into attractive housing: "I was so lucky that I was able to find h ousing in the local mews which used to belong to the estate of the gentry." 4. A back alley or lane: "I walked down the mews to the mews where my horse was stabled." muse(MYOOZ) 1. To day dream or to reflect upon something: "I will muse upon the suggestion w hile I have my morning coffee." 2. A source of inspiration: "My mother was the muse for my interest in music." 3. One of several goddesses in Greek mythology responsible for arts and sciences : "Did the Muse of Poetry play a lyre when she was singing?" When she was a poor and unknown author, she used tomuseabout the day when she could afford to live in themewsnear the sea where she could hear themewsof the gulls flying over the harbor and themewsof the cats of St. Ives. might, mite might(MIGHT) 1. Power, authority, or bodily strength: "The mayor could use the might of his o ffice to approve the budget for the parade." "The might of the bull was such that he could pull the laden wagon with ease ." 2. Used to express probability or permission: "The supervisor might report the m alfunctioning machine to the head office." 3. Considered an alternative expression forshould, could, andmay: "You might consi der making a different choice." mite(MIGHT) 1. Any of a number of very small spider-like bugs which are often parasitic that can invade or infest foods, plants, or animals and may be disease carrying: "Th at mite bite on my foot itches a lot." 2. Something very small; such as, a coin: "I carry a mite coin in my pocket for good luck." 3. To a small degree, somewhat, or slightly: "The box could stand to be a mite b igger." "This is a mite embarrassing, but I need to tell you somethiing." Themightof themiteshould not be under estimated. milch, zilch(German words) milch(MILCH) 1. Giving milk: "The family had just one milch cow so they could get genuine fre sh milk every day." 2. Giving milk or bred primarily for milk production: "Milch goats and milch cam els are just a couple of additional milk producers besides cows." zilch(ZILCH) 1. Zero; nothing: "I know zilch about the subject." 2. Amounting to nothing; nil: "She has done zilch to help me with this project." Because she had not been fed nor given any water all day, themilchcow gavezilchm ilk when the farmer tried to milk her. milestone, milestones; millstone, millstones milestone, milestones(MIGHL stohn", MIGHL stohnz") 1. A stone or other marker that shows distances in miles to specified places: "T he ancient Roman roads used to have milestones to indicate "miles", but they hav e disappeared because later generations used them as part of the construction in buildings." 2. Figuratively, a decisive moment or situation in the lives of people, in caree rs, or in various periods in history, etc.: "In our modern times, milestones may still be highway markers for distances, but more often they are used to mean im portant events in the lives of people; such as, turning points in their careers.

" millstone, millstones(MIL stohn", MIL stohnz") 1. Two large stones used for grinding grain: "In the past, much of the world's g rain was ground into fine meal by millstones." 2. Figuratively, a heavy burden, problem, or responsibility that does not go awa y and which makes it difficult or impossible to do or to achieve an objective or target: "For some students, college loans quickly become millstones making it v ery difficult or impossible to achieve their goals." "The scandal became a political millstone for the candidate who was running for office." For some people,millstonesmake it impossible for them to take advantage of them ilestonesthat might have become available to them. militate, mitigate militate(MIL uh tayt") 1. To have an influence; especially, a negative one, on something; such as, to m ake something unlikely to happen or to prevent something from happening: "His in experience will militate against his getting an early promotion." 2. To have weight or an effect, to serve as a strong influence: "His youthful ap pearance can only militate against his getting into a high position in the compa ny; at least for now." mitigate(MIT uh gayt") 1. To make an offense or crime less serious or more excusable: "The lawyer tried to mitigate the circumstances so the punishment or penalty would be reduced, be cause evidence was produced that encouraged and enabled the judge to be less sev ere." 2. To make something less harsh, severe, or violent; to moderate in force or int ensity: "There's no way to mitigate the effect of that unfavorable report." These two often-confused words have different, mutually exclusive meanings a nd they function in different ways. Militatedoes not take a noun object, but is followed by a preposition, often "against", plus a noun. It means "to have an influence, especially a negative on e, on something": "Trade sanctionsmilitate[notmitigate] against international coope ration." Mitigateneeds a noun object and means "to lessen the impact or degree of seri ousness of something undesirable"; for example, "A six-month suspended sentence unfairlymitigatesthe seriousness of a vehicular homicide. There weremitigatingcircum stances beyond his control." millenary, millinery millenary(MIL uh ner" ee, muh LEN uh ree) 1. Of or relating to a thousand, especially to a thousand years; millenarian: "T here were celebrations planned for the new millenary." 2. Of or relating to the doctrine of the millennium; millenarian or millenarians : "He was considered an expert on the millenary." millinery(MIL uh ner" ee) Articles, especially women's hats, sold by someone who deals with such products: "In this millinery shop, we can buy fabuloushats that are one of a kind designs. " The sign in the window of themillineryshop proclaimed: "We have passed amillena ryin terms of the number of hats sold." mince, mints mince(MINS) 1. Finely chopped bits of food or to chop one's food finely: "Because my throat is sore and it is difficult to swallow, I must mince all my food for the next fe w days." "The mixed fruit mince makes a lovely pie." 2. To speak or to walk in a prim and fastidious manner: "When the children were playing make-believe, they liked to mince their words to sound like grownups." "Because of the ice, I had to mince my way across the street to avoid fallin g." mints(MINS)

1. Plants of theLabiataeplant family which have flavorful leaves used for flavorin g and cooking: "We have several different mints growing in our garden." 2. Candies or confections flavored with mint: "We have chocolate mints for an af ter dinner treat." 3. Locations where money or medals are coined: "There are two mints located in o ur city; unfortunately they do not give away free samples." 4. The manufacture of money or medals: "The mint in the city mints about 200 dif ferent coins each day." The recipe said tomincethemintsbefore adding them to the mixture. A woman was ma king a new delicacy to take on a picnic where she and her friends were going to listen to a speech about why the city needed two newmintsto replace an older one; in addition, she took several refreshingmintsto savor and to share with her frie nds. mind, mined mind(MIGHND) 1. To pay attention to; to follow orders: "Mind your step as the sidewalk is sli ppery." "When your teacher tells you to do something, you are expected to mind." 2. The human consciousness that originates in the brain and is manifested in tho ught, memory, perception, felling, will, and imagination: "It's important to kee p the mind active; especially, as we grow older." "My friend told me that he can't concentrate because his mind is always wand ering and he can't keep it focused on anything." 3. A collective or group which reflects public attitudes, etc.: "The public mind is not supportive of building the new bridge." mined(MIGHND) 1. To have placed explosives in a position so as to destroy or disrupt something : "The engineers mined the mountain for iron ore using dynamite." "The road was mined with explosives making it dangerous to use." 2. To dig for valuable metals or ore: "The men mined for gold in the abandoned m ine in the mountain." The difference between a railway conductor and a school teacher is that the conductorminds the trainand the teachertrains the mind. miner, minor miner(MIGH nuhr) An individual who digs for precious metals or other underground resources: "My n eighbor is the fourth generation in his family to be a coal miner." minor(MIGH nuhr) 1. Relatively unimportant: "He was a minor poet who has published two books." 2. Someone who has not achieved the age of majority and therefore not yet able t o assume civic responsibilities: "She will be a minor until her next birthday wh ich is in three months." 3. Not involving serious risk to one s life: "Her illness is minor and only requir es her to stay in bed for a few days." 4. In music it refers to an interval between the keys on a piano which gives the finished composition a sad or depressed tone, in comparison to major intervals which make the music very happy and joyful: "Listening to the song, which was wr itten in a minor key, she became very thoughtful and sad." The company employed a young coal digger who was the firstminor minerto be hir ed in several years. minuet; minute, minutes; minute minuet(min" yoo ET) A slow dance characterized by bowing, forward balancing and toe pointing or the music to accompany such a dance: "The composer wrote a new minuet for the dancer s to perform for the royal court." "We listened to the delightful minuet played by the string quartet." minute, minutes(MIN it, MIN its) 1. A unit of time equal to 60 seconds or one 60th of an hour: "It is now one min ute after midnight." 2. The written record kept about the proceedings of meetings: "The secretary pri

nted the minutes from this morning's meeting." "At the beginning of the meeting, the secretary read the minutes of the prev ious meeting." 3. Quickly, a short space or passage of time: "I will be with you in a minute." minute(migh NOOT, migh NYOOT) 1. Of little importance, trifling: "There appeared to be a minute flaw in the ne w paint job on my car." 2. Very complete and precise: "She told him what happened in minute detail." Will you dance theminute minuetwith me? It requiresminutecare lest I tread on yo ur toes. missal, missile missal(MIS uhl) A book containing all the prayers and responses for celebration of the Mass; a p rayer book; or a printed volume which contains the details of each religious ser vice throughout the year: "My new missal contained many prayers." missile(MIS uhl, mis IGHL) 1. An object which is thrown with the intention of striking something: "They use d a water filled balloon as a missile when they were playing in the park." 2. A rocket which can be projected or fired towards a target; an unmanned weapon propelled by its own power; such as, a rocket: "The missile was launched from t he research station." The silly youth tore a page out of themissaland folded it into amissilewhich wa s thrown from the balcony down onto the startled congregation. missed, mist missed(MIST) 1. To fail to make contact with someone or to fail to hit something aimed at: "W hen I telephoned, I was told I just missed the person with whom I wanted to talk ." "She missed hitting the fly with the swatter." 2. To avoid something: "He just missed being hit by the bicycle in the intersect ion." 3. To notice or to feel the absence of someone or something: "When she re-read h er essay, she realized she had missed several key points." 4. Failure to participate in or to attend something: "He missed several lectures this year due to illness." mist(MIST) 1. A large mass of vapor at or just above the earth's surface like fog but less dense: "There was a fine mist in the valley that obscured our view from the hill side." 2. That which dims or obscures: "Time tends to mist our memories." The cloud of very fine drops of water didn't get us wet because themist misse dour area. moan, mown moan(MOHN) 1. Prolonged lamentation; sound of grief; a low, drawn out, mournful sound, usua lly indicating sorrow or pain: "At the news of the king's death, a loud moan ros e from the crowd." 2. To make a sound of lamentation or an expression of grief or a similar sound m ade by something: "The child was heard to moan in sorrow when her favorite pet w as injured." "The wind was heard to moan in the trees on the windy night." mown(MOHN) 1. The process of cutting down plants; for example, grass with a specifically de signed machine: "The lawn was neatly mown using the new lawn mower." 2. With a violent connotation; such as, to have cut down or to have eliminated p eople by using a gun or similar equipment; to destroy a great number of people, as in battle: "The victims were mown down by the gangsters who used a machine gu n." After she hadmown(or mowed) the lawn, she collapsed onto the grass with a longm oanbecause she was so hot and tired.

moat, molt, mote moat(MOHT) A wide, deep ditch, usually filled with water, around a medieval town, fortress, or castle for protection against attacks; part of the defense system of any for tified place: "The hero swam the moat in order to reach the castle and rescue th e captive princess." molt(MOHLT) To shed or to cast off a covering of hair, feathers, skin, etc. which is then re placed with new growth in the same place: "The new chicks will molt their fluffy yellow feathers which will then grow into darker adult feathers." "Snakes molt as they grow, shedding the old skin and growing a larger new sk in." mote(MOHT) A tiny speck or particle of dust, dirt, etc.; : "I like to watch the mote dance in the sunbeam coming through my window." Against the sun light, he could see the dustmotesettling onto the water of them oat. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched the ducks that were swimming on th emoat molttheir winter feathers. mob, mob mob(MAHB), noun 1. A large crowd or group of people who are upset about something or who are out of control: "The violent mob smashed store windows, car windows, and were gener ally destructive." 2. A large number of people: "The winning team was greeted and surrounded by a m ob of excited fans." mob(MAHB), verb 1. To move close to someone, or a group, in an excited way: "The actor's fans wo uld mob him whenever he and his wife appeared in public." 2. To come together in a place when there are crowds of other people: "The shopp ers were expected to mob the stores when they started to reduce the prices; inde ed, the stores were mobbed with people who were trying to get things at much low er costs. Themobin the parking lot was highly excited by themobof players swarming out of the stadium. They all agreed tomobat the local pub for fish and chips before headi ng home. mobile, movable mobile(MOH buhl, MOH beel", MOH bighl") 1. An artistic creation assembled to balance and move in the wind: "The mobile o f paper birds moved gently in the breeze outside on the veranda." 2. Characteristic of the mixture of social groups or people: "They were an upwar dly mobile couple and soon moved to a new neighbourhood." 3. Changeable, versatile: "His mobile facial features were an asset for his acti ng career." 4. Capable of being moved or of moving: "She had a mobile telephone in her purse ." movable(MOOH vuh buhl) That which can be moved or displaced from one location to another: "During our s ummer vacations, we lived in a movable home which was located on the shores of a nearby lake." The local artist was commissioned to create a largemobileto hang in the centra l hall of the bank. Thismobilewas made of light weight materials which made it eas ilymovablefrom the studio for installation. mode, mowed mode(MOHD) 1. Common fashion or style: "She liked to dress in the current mode." "He always used the latest mode of hip vocabulary when talking with his stud ents." 2. The most frequently occurring value in a set of data: "The mode number in the list the teacher put on the blackboard was three." mowed(MOHD)

To have cut down something; for example, grass: "I mowed the lawn yesterday morn ing while it was still cool." In themodeof the day, the landscape artistmowedthe lawn into artistic patterns w hich were very impressive. mogul, mongrel mogul(MOH guhl) 1. An important, powerful, or prominent person: "He was the most important mogul in the manufacturing industry." 2. An individual who is a descendant from several groups of Mongol, Persians, or Turkish people who invaded India: "He traced his mogul ancestry when he was vis iting in South Asia." 3. A mound of hard compacted snow formed as an obstacle on a ski slope: "When sk iing down the hill, I was careful to watch for the mogul near the bottom of the hill." mongrel(MUHNG gruhl, MAHNG gruhl) A dog with parents of different or mixed breeds: "This yellow mongrel wandered i nto our back yard today." Themogulat the movie studio was an avid skier and knew how to handle themogulon the slopes; in an interview, he said he would like to adopt amongrelfor a pet ins tead of a dog with a pedigree. mold, mold, mold, mold mold(MOHLD) Soft, loose earth that is especially suitable or plants because it is rich in de caying organic matter: "I bought a bag of mold at the plant nursery for my garde n." mold(MOHLD) 1. A distinctive shape or characteristic: "His personality was of the mold of a university academic." 2. An object used to create a certain shape: "I have a baking mold the shape of a tree which I use at Christmas." mold(MOHLD) To shape or to create a form often by using one's hands: "I will mold the bread dough into a wreath before I bake it." "The potter used his hands to mold the clay into a beautiful vase." mold(MOHLD) Any of a variety of fungus growths commonly found on the surfaces of decaying fo od or in warm, moist places, and usually having a woolly or furry texture: "I sa w three different types of mold on the decaying log in our backyard." "The bread was covered with mold; so, we had to throw it away and get some f resh bread for our dinner." As a potter, I use amoldtomoldpots and containers in which to put gardenmoldfor my balcony garden. I sometimes try to feed the birds on my balcony, throwing them bits of bread which I was not going to eat because it had somemoldon it. mole, mole, mole, mole mole(MOHL) A small permanently colored spot or raised spot on one's body: "She has a small brown mole on her left cheek." mole(MOHL) A spy or an individual who works inside an organization and gives secret informa tion to another organization or country: "This exciting novel is about a mole wh o worked for the government." mole(MOHL) 1. An insect eating animal which burrows in the soil: "The mole in my garden mak es the lawn lumpy and difficult to mow." 2. A massive, usually stone wall constructed in the sea, used as a breakwater an d built to enclose or to protect an anchorage or a harbor: "The local harbor was enclosed by a mole." 3. A machine designed for boring through hard materials such as rock: "The huge mole was brought to the work site when it was time to dig the new tunnel." mole(MOH lay)

A spicy sauce made with chili and chocolate: "The Mexican restaurant served a de licious mole with the meat dishes." It is easy to see how a constructionmolegot its name; it acts like a gardenmol e, burrowing through the soil and rocks. During a construction project, after themolehad bored through the rock, the br oken and crushed rock was hauled to the harbor to reinforce the originalmole. A friend who worked on the project had a smallmoleon her cheek; and she said t hat after a hard day's work, she and her friends would often go to a restaurant to have chicken with amolesauce. momentary, momentous momentary(MOH muhn ter" ee) Very brief, lasting for only a moment, or done in an instant: "I had a momentary lapse of memory this morning and forgot to put on my shoes." momentous(moh MEN tuhs) Of significant or very great importance: "It was a momentous occasion when the f ormer football hero came to visit our school." In amomentaryflash of genius, he thought it would be amomentousoccasion if the mayor invited the retired astronaut to speak at the unveiling of the new monumen t in the town square. mommy, mummy mommy(MAHM ee) An informal expression meaningMother, often used by young children: "The little c hild seemed to be lost and was calling for her mommy." mummy(MUHM ee) 1. A dead body of a person, or animal, prepared for burial in the manner of the ancient Egyptians by treating it with oils and wrapping it in strips of cloth: " This mummy was found in the ancient caves near the river." 2. An informal British term forMother, used especially by children: "Where's my m ummy?" The first principle of Egyptian archaeology is formommyto find themummy. monologue, dialogue monologue(MAHN uh lawg", MAHN uh lahg") A dramatic speech or sketch performed by one actor: "She memorized the monologue for her role in the theater production." dialogue(DIGH uh lawg", DIGH uh lahg") A conversation or verbal exchange between two or more people: "The dialogue betw een the two lead characters in the play was fast paced and witty." The construction of the new play was interesting in that it created a unique balance betweenmonologuepassages and those of brilliantdialogue. monopoly; polypoly, polyopoly monopoly(muh NAHP uh lee) Exclusive possession or ownership of something: "The sugar mogul had a monopoly on the sugar import-export business in our city." polypoly, polyopoly(PAHL ee PAHL ee, pahl ee AH pahl ee) A market situation where there are large numbers of small buyers and small selle rs, none of which can influence prices or a market situation in which there are no large sellers but many small ones: "He was just one member of the polypoly, o r polyopoly, among many other business men who had no affect on the costs of his products beyond his sales outlet." One advantage of apolypolyorpolyopolymarket situation is the limited possibility of amonopolydeveloping among the buyers or sellers. mood, mooed mood(MYOOD) A temporary or predominant feeling or state of mind; an expression of that feeli ng: "She seemed to be in a very good mood after the delicious meal." mooed(MYOOD) The vocal sound made by cows: "The cows mooed when they were let into the fresh green pasture." The cowmooedcontentedly because she was in a goodmood. moose, mousse, mouse

moose(MYOOS) A large cud chewing member of the deer family, common in Canada and the northern United States: "We watched the large moose standing in the shallow water chewin g grass and other greens from the lake shore." mousse(MYOOS) A light dessert incorporating gelatin and/or whipped cream or beaten egg whites: "My aunt made a fabulous chocolate mousse for dessert." mouse(MOUS) 1. A small rodent with a slender tail, a pointed nose, and small ears: "My cat p erked up when she saw the mouse dash across the kitchen floor." 2. The small moveable device that is used to control and to move the cursor on a computer screen: "The mouse for my computer is very sensitive to movement." Is it possible that amooseand amouseboth would like to havemoussefor dessert? A man told about driving down a winding road with his wife when he had to sw erve suddenly to avoid hitting an animal with antlers. As he and his wife recovered from the startling situation, she turned to her husband and said, "Now, that wasreallya nearmoosecollision!" moot, mute moot(MYOOT) 1. Argued about but not possible for anyone to prove: "He said that they should have foreseen the accident, but that point is moot." 2. Not worth talking about; no longer important or worth discussing: "That is a moot point and not relevant to the topic we are trying to resolve." mute(MYOOT) 1. An individual who is unable or unwilling to speak: "He knew the answer, but f or some reason he decided to remain mute." "The police have been mute about the results of the investigation." 2. Something felt or expressed without the use of words: "They hugged each other in mute sympathy over the death of their father." 3. A device attached to a musical instrument to soften or to muffle the sound: " She used the mute on the strings of her violin to create a new and pleasing soun d." 4. Contributing nothing to the overall sound or pronunciation of a word: "Theeat t he end of the word is silent or mute." 5. To make a sound softer, quieter, or less harsh: "They covered their ears to m ute the sound of the guns being fired at the military funeral." "She was asked to use the remote control to mute the excessive loudness of t he TV." Although her uncle was amute, he could play the trumpet including using amuteto muffle the sound. In the family, it became amootpoint to argue whether her uncle could communicate because he was able to do it to some degree through his music. moral, morale, morel moral(MAWR uhl, MAHR uhl) 1. Concerning or relating to what is right and wrong in human behavior: "Each st ory in the book teaches an important moral lesson." 2. Based on what a person thinks is right and good: "She felt that she had a mor al obligation to help the poor people in her community." "He's a man with strong moral convictions who believes strongly that somethi ngs are right and others are not appropriate!" 3. A lesson that is learned from a story or an experience: "The moral of the sto ry is to be satisfied with what you have and not to keep looking for more and mo re material things." morale(muh RAHL, moh RAHL) The feelings of enthusiasm and loyalty that a person or group has about a task o r job: "Despite the fact that the team is not playing all that well, their moral e is still high." "The company has been improving with its profits which has resulted in great er morale for its employees." morel(muh REL, moh REL) Any of various edible mushrooms of the genusMorchellahaving a brownish spongelike

cap: "In France, people go morel hunting by the thousands every year because of the taste of the morels and for the joy of the hunt." The company management felt that it was theirmoralduty to plan events to impro ve themoraleamong the office staff. One activity was to plan amorelhunt, contracting with the localmorelhunters to explain the hunt, the secrecy among the hunters, et c. In a produce market, the manager instructed one of his employees: "Just tell customers that we have unpackaged mushrooms and stop saying,We have loosemorels!" Based on the cartoon presentation, "Frank and Ernest" by Bob Thaves; August 30, 2009. "In a Tiny Montana Town, the Hunt for Mushrooms Can Be aMorelImperative" An article headline by Lauren Etter and Janet Adamy as seen in The Wall Street Journal, Europe; page 1; 2004(?) morality, mortality morality(muh RAL i tee, maw RAL i tee) 1. The degree to which something is right and good: "The woman's husband suggest ed that she consider the morality of telling lies in order to protect her friend ." 2. Conformity to the ideals of interpersonal relationships: "Her standards of mo rality were very high and she was not able to compromise her ideals." mortality(mor TAHL it tee) The quality or state of being a person or something that is alive and therefore certain to die: "When people do not have good health care, the mortality rate am ong young children can be very high." "The death of his brother reminded him of his own mortality." When her friend died mysteriously, the circumstances of his death led her to consider her ownmortalityand to think about themoralityof her relationships with ce rtain questionable characters. morbid, sordid morbid(MOR bid) 1. Characterized by unwholesome or very sad feelings: "After reading the morbid novel, I was anxious to go for a walk to raise my spirits." 2. Characteristic of or induced by disease: "The conditions in the slum were mor bid and caused many people to be ill." sordid(SOR did) Very dirty, gross, and/or vile: "The novel was the sordid story of greed and ava rice." "She had to be moved to a supervised home because the 100-year old woman was living in a sordid situation." The public often displays amorbidcuriosity about thesordidfacts of life in the s lums as described by socially conscious authors; such as, Charles Dickens. more, mower, moor more(MOHR) 1. Greater, additional, more than expected: "We were surprised that more visitor s came to the gallery than we had expected." 2. A greater number or quantity: "Which is more, driving for three hours or driv ing for 120 minutes?" mower(MOHR) A machine designed to cut grass and other tall standing plants: "The boy's summe r job was to run the mower in the park every week to cut the grass." moor(MOOR) 1. One of the Arabic or Berber tribes which conquered and occupied Spain in the Eighth Century: "The Moor architecture developed in Spain by the Arabs is beauti ful." 2. To tie one's boat up at a dock: "We will moor our boat at our neighbor's dock ." 3. Boggy, infertile land typically covered with grasses: "We walked across the m oor when we were on a walking holiday in England." I wanted to go onemoretime to the art gallery; so, we rowed our boat across th e river tomoorit near the gallery gardens. We noticed that the lawnmowerhad been bu

sy and the grass was cut; resulting in the gardens complimenting theMoorstyle arch itecture of the gallery. morn, mourn morn(MORN) 1. The time of day taking place at sunrise until noon: "It was a beautiful morn when the sun came up today." mourn(MORN, MOHRN) To feel or to express grief at a time of death or other significant loss: "We wi ll all mourn the loss of our special friend who died just after her birthday." My mother died during the night and so it was not until the nextmornthat I co uldmournher passing. morning, mourning morning(MOR ning) The time of day between the rising of the sun and noon: "I have the most energy in the morning after I have had a good sleep and breakfast." "We discussed the situation this morning and we will get together tomorrow m orning to see if we can solve the problem." mourning(MOR ning) 1. Visible signs or apparel worn to recognize and acknowledge feelings of death or loss of life: "We decided to wear dark mourning clothing to the funeral." 2. The act of showing sorrow for someone who has died: "She is still mourning fo r her dead husband." 3. Great sadness felt because someone has died: "There was a period of deep mour ning in memory of the death of the scientist." "A day of mourning was declared by the Russian government for March 30, 2010 , for the people who died as a result of the two suicide bombings in the subways of Moscow on Monday morning (March 29, 2010)." Little did they know that they would bemourningin themorninguntil they found out that their dog died during the night. motif, motive motif(moh TEEF) A recurring detail or idea in a work of art: "The flower motif in the panel over the fireplace was beautifully painted." motive(MOH tiv) 1. An idea or feeling which inspires an individual to act or to take action: "Th e police were trying to figure out what the motive was for the break in at the b ank because nothing was missing." 2. A reason for doing something: "The motive for the kids in running away was to avoid being punished for breaking the window with the football." The posted reward was a strongmotivethat inspired her to design the signaturemo tiffor the entrance to the new library. mottle, motto mottle(MAHT 'l) Spots or blotches on the surface: "The sunshine created a mottle effect on the s idewalk as it shined through the leaves of the trees." motto(MAHT oh) A sentence, phrase, or short expression of the guiding principles for something: "The motto for our school is carved into the stone over the main entrance." "The Boy Scout motto isBe prepared." Themottofor the school, which was carved over the door, was gradually being hi dden from view as the lichen growing on the stone created amottleeffect that disg uised the motif. mucous, mucus mucous(MYOO kuhs) 1. Slimy or covered with thick slippery substance: "There was a mucous like subs tance on the steps leading down to the river." 2. Pertaining to, consisting of, or resembling mucus: "The mucous membrane is a thin, wet layer of skin that is inside some part of the body; such as, the nose and throat, which produces mucus." mucus(MYOO kuhs)

A thick, slippery substance produced by certain membranes in the body, the purpo se of which is to moisten and to protect: "When he sneezed, mucus was visible an d he needed a handkerchief to wipe his nose." In my favorite science fiction book, the victim was covered withmucouswhich w as disgusting because it reminded me of themucussecreted by the slugs in the garde n. mulched, mulcted mulched(MULCH 'd) To have covered something with sawdust, compost, etc. to keep weeds down, protec t from temperatures, etc.: "In the spring, I mulched the garden to keep the weed s from growing." mulcted(MULKT id) 1. Punished or fined for some offense, tort, or misdemeanor; penalized: "The cou rt mulcted the man for having lied about his car being stolen." 2. To have swindled someone or to have taken something by fraud, trickery, or de ception: "Bernard L. Madoff mulcted his victims of considerable amounts of money ." "Ponzi schemes, named after Charles Ponzi, refers to situations where potent ial investors were mulcted by being wooed with promises of unusually large monet ary returns that were usually attributed to the investment manager's superior sk ills or some secret knowledge." "Charles Ponzi was a fast-talking immigrant and college dropout, and his sch eme; according to Mitchell Zuckoff, Ponzi s biographer, rested on the eagerness of ordinary working people to benefit from the wealth they saw being generated aro und them as the economy recovered from World War I which made it easier for them to be mulcted." Mulctcomes from Frenchmulcter, "to fine, to punish" from Latinmulctare, altere d frommultare"to punish, to fine" frommulta, "penalty, fine". The sense of "to defr aud" is first recorded 1748. Sometimes the lies that were told in court were perceived as havingmulchedthe truth. When the judge realized that the accused hadmulctedthe public investors, she was determined that he should bemulcted, including being sent to prison. murmur, murmur murmur(MUR muhr), noun 1. A low sound made when many people are talking, as in an auditorium: "It was e asy to hear the murmur of voices of the audience during the intermission in the theater." 2. A relatively quiet expression of an opinion or feeling: "The conclusion of th e speech by the senator brought a murmur of agreement." 3. A low, quiet, and continuous sound: "While on the coast at night when we went to bed, we could hear the murmur of the waves along the shore." 4. In medicine, an unusual heart sound that may indicate a problem with the hear t's function or structure: "The man's doctor detected a heart murmur during a ro utine physical examination." murmur(MUR muhr), verb 1. To say something in a quiet and soft voice: "He could hear his friend murmur something about having to get home." 2. Something that makes a low, continuous sound: "The breeze will murmur again t onight just as it has been murmuring for the last several nights." An elderly man, with a slight hearing problem, went to get a medical examina tion and a few days afterward, his doctor saw him walking along the sidewalk wit h his arm around the waist of a beautiful young woman. Five days later, the man had another appointment to see the doctor, at which time the doctor commented that his patient seemed to be doing very well. The man replied by saying, "Yes, I feel great doctor. I did what you told me to do,get a hot mama and be cheerful." The doctor corrected the man, "I didn't tell you that! I told you that you h ave a heartmurmurand to be careful!" Another patient heard the doctormurmur, "That is a very unusual heartmurmur." muscle, mussel, muzzle

muscle(MUHS uhl) Tissue in the body that contracts when stimulated thus causing movement: "The mu scle in my leg is killing me because I was running too fast." mussel(MUHS uhl) A marine bivalve mollusk common to both the sea and fresh water: "The interior o f the mussel shell is pearly and smooth." muzzle(MUZ uhl) 1. The forward, projecting part of the head of certain animals; such as, dogs, i ncluding the mouth, nose, and jaws; the snout: "I pet the muzzle of the cute lit tle puppy." 2. A leather or wire restraining appliance that, when fitted over an animal's sn out, prevents biting and eating: "The by-law in the city required that every dog wear a muzzle to prevent the dog from hurting people and other dogs." 3. The forward, discharging end of the barrel of a firearm: "He pointed the muzz le of the gun at the target and pulled the trigger." Obviously we can notmuzzleamusselin order to see itsmuscle. musical, musicale musical(MYOO zi kuhl) 1. Relating to music, interest, or talent in music; harmonious: "She showed a ke en musical interest as a child and grew up to play the piano very well." 2. A theatrical production characterized by both song and spoken word: "Gilbert and Sullivan wrote my favourite musical,The Pirates of Penzance." musicale(myoo zi KAL) A social get together in which music is the primary entertainment: "We all atten ded the musicale at my aunt's home so we could listen to the string quartet." One of her favoritemusicalpieces is from a famous rendition that her music ins tructor played at themusicalegatherings at her home. mustard, mustered mustard(MUHS tuhrd) 1. A thick and spicy yellow or brownish-yellow sauce that is usually eaten with meat: "I like yellow mustard on my grilled meat." 2. A plant with yellow flowers, leaves that can be used for food, and seeds that are used in making the sauce to flavor certain kinds of edibles: "When the fiel d of mustard plants is in bloom it is a beautiful sea of yellow." mustered(MUHS tuhrd) 1. Called forth, enrolled, come together: "The police mustered the village peopl e to help look for the missing child." 2. Having worked hard to find or to get courage, support, etc.: "They mustered a ll the strength they could gather together to push the car out of the mud." The restaurant employees gathered their yellow condiment together to make su re there was an adequate supply; or, in other words, theymusteredall of theirmusta rdto make sure they had enough for the next busy days. mysterious, mythical, mystical mysterious(mi STIR e uhs) Eliciting wonder and curiosity but baffling attempts to understand: "The scienti sts were trying to understand the mysterious green light in the sky." mythical(MITH i kuhl) Legendary or occurring only in the imagination: "Ancient stories are filled with mythical characters and creatures." mystical(MIS ti kuhl) Characterized as having spiritual meaning that is not obvious to the senses nor to the intellect: "We all felt there was a mystical presence in the cathedral." It is a verymysteriousexperience to see amythicalstory adapted for a stage prese ntation. The audience may understand the superficial aspects of the story, but n ot necessarily themysticalrenditions of the narrations. nauseated, nauseous nauseated(NAW zee ayt'd, NAW zhee ayt'd, NAW see ayt'd, NAW shee ayt'd) To have felt very upset; to have had an upset stomach causing someone to feel li ke vomiting: "He was feeling weak and nauseated after smelling the rotten garbag e."

"I felt very nauseated after eating the tainted meat." nauseous(NAW shuhs, NAW zee uhs) Causing severe upset or disgust. "When I smelled the bilge in the engine room of the ship, it caused a nauseous feeling in my stomach." "When we saw the way the animals were being treated, it made us feel nauseou s." She becamenauseatedduring the afternoon after having breathed thenauseousfumes from the factory all day. naval, navel naval(NAY vuhl) Relating to ships and shipping or especifically to military ships: "She wore a s harp naval style blazer when she went sailing with her friends." "As part of our waterfront tour, we visited the naval ships which were in th e harbor." navel(NAY vuhl) The indentation or bump on the abdomen marking the spot where the umbilicus was attached: "When my sister was young and feeling adventurous, she had her navel p ierced and now she wears a small ring through it." Don't confuse yournavelor "belly button" with thenavalsailors, and other related personnel, who serve their country on ships and other sea-going transportation vessels. nay; nee, ne; neigh nay(NAY) A negative answer or response: "When the vote was called, the choice was to shou tyea!ornay!" "He was determined to votenaywhen the question on the ballot came up." "We had sixnay votesand twelveyea votes; so, the measure passed." nee, ne(NAY) A term of reference to identify a woman's surname name prior to marriage: "The a nnouncement in the newspaper identified her as Mary Brown, ne Mary Smith." neigh(NAY) The vocal sound made by a horse: "My horse was heard to neigh happily when I gav e her an apple." "We heard a distant neigh from the horse in the stable." Nay, Nay, Naythe horse was heard toneigh: "My rider is Mrs. Smith,neMiss Jones." negligent, negligible negligent(NEG li juhnt) Careless attention to one's duties or responsibilities: "His negligent attitude towards getting to work on time was noted by his supervisor." negligible(NEG li juh buhl) So small as to be unimportant or of no consequence: "The crack in the mirror app eared to be a negligible detail in the murder investigation." The accountant reported that anegligibleamount was missing in the bank's books . She could not bring herself to benegligentand not report it to the bank official s. nom de plume, pen name, pseudonym nom de plume(nahm" duh PLOOM) A name under which authors write which is not their real name: "Mark Twain is th e nom de plume for the author Samuel Clement who wrote stories about boys living on the Mississippi River." pen name(PEN naym") The name an author assumes which is not the author's real name: "Some women auth ors in the 1800's used a masculine pen name instead of their own." pseudonym(SOOD n im") A false or fictitious name: "The famous highwayman used a pseudonym so he would not be recognized when he was talking with people at the inn." The elegant and noble chevalier wrote critical essays under hisnom de plume. He thought it was safer to write under a foreign soundingpen namethan to attempt to write under a readily recognizablepseudonym. none, nun

none(NUHN) Not any; no such thing; not at all: "There were none of my favorite chocolates l eft in the box." "There were none like him when it came to being able to swim underwater for a long period of time." "It is none too soon to begin the long drive home." nun(NUHN) A female individual belonging to a religious group or order: "Her sister was a n un who lived in seclusion and translated religious writings." She hasnoneof the ingredients for the recipe which was given to her by Sister Benedict, anunfamous for her culinary skills. nose, knows, noes nose(NOHZ) 1. The part of the human face or the forward part of the head of other vertebrat es that contains the nostrils and organs of smell and forms the beginning of the respiratory tract: "The nose is capable of perceiving a variety of odors." 2. To discover, to look around, to inquire: "The private agent decided to nose a round in the library, looking for information about his client." 3. The front end of something: "The nose of the rocket was painted black and whi te." knows(NOHZ) Perceiving directly; grasping in the mind with clarity or certainty: "He knows v ery well that he should not be acting like that." noes(NOHZ) Negative responses; denials or refusals; negative votes: "The majority of the pe ople stressed their noes for the proposal." The woman'snosemakes sure that sheknowswhen she should consider the safetynoesabou t certain potentially dangerous odors. Anoseis a feature that lies in the middle of the face because it's the scenter . A negativist is what a man is when henoesorno'sa lot. Evan Esar Cyrano's proboscis is wise because hisnose knowsand there shouldn't be anynoesab out it. nougat, nugget nougat(NOO guht) A sweet confection which includes nuts and fruit, often chewy: "My favorite noug at is made with cranberries and pistachio nuts." nugget(NUHG it) A solid lump of something, typically associated with gold or other valuable meta ls: "The gold miner discovered a nugget of gold as big as his thumb." He found anuggetof solid chocolate fudge in thenougatbar that he bought. nuance, nuisance nuance(NOO ans", NYOO ans") A subtle or slight degree of difference, as in meaning, feeling, or tone; a grad ation: "The story had very little depth and nuance." "A nuance is a shade of feeling or meaning, a subtle variation; as when a po em expresses different nuances of feelings." nuisance(NOO suhns, NYOO suhns) Someone or something that is inconvenient, annoying, or vexatious; a bother: "Ha ving to stand so long in line to get on an airplane is a real nuisance." "That noisy disruptive child was always a big nuisance when his mother took him shopping with her." It is such anuisancehaving to explain thenuanceof a story to the listener who do es not understand Celtic mythology. number, number number(NUM buhr) A figure, symbol, or word used in calculating quantities of individual things: "

He was counting one number at a time in order to calculate how many items were l ost during the rain storm." number(NUM uhr) Being unable or only partially able to feel sensation or pain; deadened or anest hetized more than previously: "The gums around his teeth were number than they w ere ten minutes before." He didn't have any more words to say because his mind had a tendency to grown umberwith each additional effort; besides, after anumberof injections, his jaw also becamenumber. paced, paste paced(PAYST) 1. To have walked in a manner that is slow, measured, and deliberate: "When she was worried, she paced the floor in the living room." 2. To have measured a distance based on a careful walk: "He paced off the distan ce between the gate and the door of the barn." paste(PAYST) 1. To stick something to a surface: "The children are going to paste the stars t o the blue background." 2. A dough mixture that is made with a high level of fat and can be used to make pastries: "She patted the paste into the deep baking dish and filled it with ap ple slices before baking it." 3. A mixture of flour and water that is used as glue: "Mother made the paste for me so I could work on my notebook." 4. Jewelery that is made from glass that has a high lead content: "The paste nec klace was lustrous and looked almost real." Ipacedin front of the jewelery store trying to decide whether to buy thepastene cklace which I admired. I couldn't make up my mind so I went home and discovered the children had tr ied topastepictures into their photograph book using apasteof flour and water. After that, I went into the kitchen to make apastefor the apple pie I was goin g to bake. packed, pact packed(PAKT) 1. Compressed or filled to maximum capacity: "The theater was packed for the ope ning performance." 2. To have created a compact bundle: "I packed my suitcase last night." 3. To have carried or to have worn: "He packed his gun when he went hunting." 4. To be capable of having a significant impact: "The hurricane packed a wallop when it came on land." 5. To leave without any expressions of farewell or good-bye: "After the quarrel with her father, she packed up without saying good-bye." 6. To have created layers which are compact: "The riverbank was packed into laye rs of sand, gravel, and clay." 7. An indication that someone has finished putting things into bags, boxes, etc. : "They were all packed and ready to move to their new apartment." pact(PAKT) A formal agreement between two countries, people, or groups; especially, to help each other or to stop fighting: "The ten nations signed a pact agreeing not to pollute the rivers." "They supported a nonaggression pact between the two countries." In front of apackedaudience, the two national leaders signed apactwhich allowed for a conventional trade between the countries. packs, pax packs(PAKS) 1. To fill to the maximum: "The rock group really packs the stadium for the conc ert." 2. To assemble items into a compact space: "The boy packs his suitcase carefully so as not to forget anything." 3. To wear or to carry: "She always packs a lunch when she goes on holidays." 4. To cause a significant impact or impression: "The Northern Lights or Aurora B

orealis pacts quite an impression when you see it for the first time." pax(PAKS) 1. A Latin word for "peace" used in the Catholic Mass as a symbolic embrace in w hich the participants place their hands on each other's shoulders: "The priest u rged the congregants to express their pax with their neighbors by shaking hands or placing their hands on each other s shoulders." 2. A plaque or tablet containing a representation of a sacred subject and someti mes used in the Roman Catholic Mass during thepax: "At Christmas we often see the sign PAX displayed at the church." 3. In Roman mythology, Pax, the goddess of peace; identified with the Greek godd essIrene: "The Latin termpax, meaning "peace", is utilized in modern English." Whenever the famous speaker comes to town, shepacksthe local assembly hall; he r speechpacksquite an impression; especially, if you are hearing her for the first time. My friend alwayspacksa lunch and a bottle of water when she attends. The theme of the speaker s current talk ispax, urging neighbors to be friendly and forgiving . In fact, the local church committee wants to put up apaxin the church to comme morate her visit. pad, pad; pod pad(PAD), noun 1. A piece of soft material used to protect something or to give it shape, to cl ean or to polish articles, or to absorb moisture: "Her father had to sit with a foam pad behind his back to help support him." "The doctor put a gauze pad over her father's wound." 2. A covering for a specific part of the body that is worn to protect that part from injury: "Football players wear a pad for each shoulder and on the hips." 3. A set of paper sheets for writing or drawing which are glued or fastened at o ne edge: "They keep a pad and pencil, or pen, by the phone." 4. The soft part on the bottom of each foot of a dog, cat, etc.: "During freezin g weather, each of an animal's foot pad, or the pads of their feet, can be painf ul." 5. A flat area on the ground where helicopters can take off or land: "Our city h as a landing pad close to the hospital; especially, for emergency situations." pad(PAD), verb 1. To cover or to fill something with soft material; especially, to protect it o r to make it more comfortable: "The man wanted to pad the inside of the box with cloth and crumpled paper." 2. To make something larger, longer, or more attractive by addling things that a re unnecessary, unimportant, or false: "Too many politicians tend to pad their s peeches with accusations that their opponents caused the economic problems that exist in the country." pod(PAHD) 1. A long, thin part of some plants that has seeds inside: "The pea pods contain ed enough peas for tonight's dinner." 2. A group of ocean animals; such as whales, that are swimming together: "During our ocean cruise, we were thrilled to see a whale pod and even a a dolphin pod swimming next to our ship." The scientist tried topadthe report about the whalepod; in fact he used a wholep adof paper to write about thepod. What happened next was tragic. His dog sneaked up on his softpadsand grabbed t he report and ran away with it to the nearby helicopterpadand the report was blown away by the draft created by the helicopter blades. paddock, paddocks; padlock, padlocks paddock(PAD uhk) 1. A fenced area, usually near a stable, used primarily for grazing horses: "Yes terday, we enjoyed seeing the horses in the paddock on the farm that we were vis iting." 2. An enclosed area at a race track where horses, dogs, etc., are kept before a race: "Before the horses were brought to the race track, they were waiting in th

e paddock for their turn to join the race." 3. In some places, any enclosed piece of land, whether tilled (soil that has bee n cultivated for the production of crops, as by plowing, harrowing, hoeing, sowi ng, etc.) or untilled: "There is a program in Tanzania that subsidizes some herd smen who want to replace their bramble-enclosed paddocks with fences of metal an d wood so they can protect their crops from bush pigs and other animals." padlock(PAD lahk") A detachable lock with a U-shaped bar hinged at one end, designed to be passed t hrough the staple of a hasp or a link in a chain and then snapped shut: "She put a padlock on her front gate and the garage door." The groom used apadlockto lock thepaddockwhere the horses were stabled. paid, payed; paved paid(PAYD);payedis amisspellingofpaid 1. Receiving remuneration for a service: "He is a paid employee for the company. " 2. To have given remuneration for services provided or for property received: "I paid for my purchase at the cashier s desk." 3. To have made compensation for; to discharge a debt: "He had paid his debt to society by doing volunteer work with street youth." paved(PAYVD) Covered with a hard surface; such as, of stone, concrete, or asphalt: "Some of t he roads were paved with fresh asphalt." After the contractorspavedthe driveways, they were wellpaidfor their fast and su perior work. pail, pale pail(PAYL) A round container that is open at the top and usually has a handle: "Please fill the pail with water and pour it on the rose bushes." pale(PAYL) 1. Light in color: "We painted the walls with a pale blue color." 2. Having a skin color that is closer to white than is usual or normal: "When he came home from the hospital, his illness left him weak and pale." The father asked his son to bring the light-colored bucket from the garage. "Do you mean thepale pail?" the boy asked. pain, pane pain(PAYN) 1. To suffer or to cause distress: "It will pain me to tell my friend about the accident." 2. A bodily sensation characterized by discomfort and suffering: "He was in seve re pain with a broken hip that was caused by the fall down the stairs." 3. An individual who annoys or is troublesome to others: "My friend's sister is a pain when she gets into my school projects." 4. An acute emotional upset or disruption: "The pain of separation broke her hea rt." pane(PAYN) 1. A sheet of glass framed for a window or a door: The glassier installed the ne w pane in the front door." 2. A side of a bolt head or nut: "The flat pane of the bolt made it easy to hang on to while I tightened the nut with the pliers." If a broken glass-window were to have sense perceptions, isn't it obvious th at it would feel apainin thepane? pair, pare, pear pair(PAIR) 1. Characterized by two of something: "He bought a suit with a new pair of trous ers." "The new pair of shoes had buckles on the toes." "An extra pair of hands is just what we need to get the work done." 2. A partnership of two often engaged in a competition against another partnersh ip of two: "Our champion pair of tennis players easily defeated the challenging pair from the other club."

3. Two animals that mate together: "A pair of parrots can raise one chick each y ear." pare(PAIR) 1. To diminish, to reduce, or to trim: "The new budget will pare down on all exc ess expenses." "He used the clippers to pare his fingernails." 2. To remove the outer covering or skin of fruit with a knife or similar instrum ent: "She used the short knife to pare the apples before she made the apple pie. " pear(PAIR) A fruit which is wide at one end (bottom) and coming to a modified point at the other end (top): "The pear tree surprised us with a large crop of pears this sum mer." "Having a sweet and juicy pear is a real delight." When the phone rang, I was busy trying topareapairofpearsfor our afternoon snack. pairing, paring pairing(PAIR ing) Joining or associating one thing with something else: "Who would have thought of pairing cheese with apple pie?" paring(PAIR ing) Trimming or removing the thin outside layer of something; "My mother sat at the kitchen sink when she was paring the apples to make the pie." The cook was thinking about thepairingof roast beef with potatoes; so, she ask ed her helper to startparingthe potatoes. palate, palette, pallet palate(PAL it) 1. Roof of the mouth which separates the interior of the mouth from the nasal ca vity: "The shape of the palate in her mouth gave her voice a peculiar quality." 2. The sense of taste, often in reference to a refined or informed sense of tast e: "He had a fine palate for tea and drank several cups each day." palette(PAL it) 1. A thin board upon which an artist mixes paints and which is held when the art ist is painting: "When she needed a new palette for her studio, the artist went to the art supply store." 2. A distinctive quality or use of color in a painting: "The palette of the arti st ranged from deep reds to gold." pallet(PAL it) 1. A mattress or small, temporary bed: "When we have lots of company, mother mak es up a pallet on the library floor for the children to sleep on." 2. A portable platform used to move heavy objects which are placed on it: "The t ractor moved the pallet loaded with boxes to the end of the loading platform." 3. A small mechanism in a time piece which ensures the movement of the pendulum: "My clock keeps losing time and I think the pallet needs to be checked so the p endulum will work properly." The artist who was famous for herpalatefor fine tea, worked with apaletteand br ush using a widepaletteof distinctive colors. She would often stand on a smallpalletwhich she could move around the room in order to get a better perspective of her work. Her studio was also equipped with a daypalletfor a quick nap and an antique cl ock, thepalletof which needed adjusting from time to time. pall, pawl pall(PAWL) 1. To lose strength or to be tired of something: "My energy is beginning to pall and I need to stop for a cup of tea." "The old jokes are starting to pall on the audience." 2. Something that covers up or conceals: "The smoke from the fire created a pall over the city." 3. The heavy cloth that is used to drape over a coffin in which a body is lying: "At the request of the family, the pall on their grandfather s coffin was deep re d with gold embroidery."

pawl(PAWL) A piece of machinery that is intermeshed with another piece in a manner that cau ses movement in one direction: "With a loud clang, the pawl fell into place and the machinery started to operate." Once thepawlbegan to work properly, her energy started topalland she had to stop for a cup of tea and a muffin. paltry, petty, trivial paltry(PAWL tree) Trivial, meager, measly, inferior: "The miser gave a paltry donation to the fund for hungry children." "The quality of the language used by the youth was paltry and made it diffic ult for the listener to understand what was being said." petty(PET ee) 1. Of secondary or of little or no importance: "They often engaged in petty argu ments that went nowhere." 2. Characterized as being narrow minded: "He appeared to be a petty individual w ho was not interested in new music or challenging art." trivial(TRIV ee uhl) Ordinary, not very important: "It was a day filled with trivial activities." "Compared to the problems they are having, our inconveniences are trivial." It seemedpettyto argue about thepaltryquality of the poultry when lesstrivialmatte rs were at stake. par, parr par(PAR) 1. A typical or accepted standard: "His health was on par with other people his age." 2. The score standard for each hole during a golf game: "When we were on the gol f course, I could not remember what the par for each hole was." 3. The established value of money of one country as expressed in terms of the mo ney of another country, using an item of standard value for comparison; for exam ple, gold: "The exchange rates at the bank indicated my money was on par with th at of the country I was going to visit next week." parr(PAR) 1. A young fish that feeds in fresh water: "From the bridge we could see the par r in the river below us." 2. Young salmon before they migrate to the sea: "The salmon are known as parr th at live in fresh-water streams before they swim out to the ocean, become adults, and then return to breed and lay eggs in the streams that they left." The length of theparrwhich we caught wasparfor the time of year; so, we threw it back into the water and continued our golf game, shoutingPARwhen we reached the next hole. parameter, perimeter parameter(puh RAM i tuhr) A characteristic element or factor; a quantity or quality that gives a particula r form to the thing it characterizes: "We will discuss the parameters of the pro ject at our next meeting." perimeter(puh RIM i tuhr) 1. The outer limits, edge, or boundary of an area: "The perimeter of the pasture was marked with a fence." 2. A fortified strip or boundary usually protecting a military position: "The so ldiers were defending the perimeter of their camp for several days." Theparameterof his job was clear; that is, he was to build a new fence marking theperimeterof the pasture. pariah, piranha pariah(puh RIGH uh) Someone who is disliked and rejected by other people: "She is a talented player, but her angry outbursts made her a pariah in the sport of tennis." piranha(pi RAHN yuh, pi RAN yuh, pi RAH nuh, pi RAN yuh) Any of several tropical South American freshwater fish that are voraciously carn ivorous and often attack and destroy living animals: "We could see the multitude

s of piranha attacking the small deer in the river with their sharp teeth and st rong jaws and quickly devouring the animal." "He is considered a piranha in the insurance business because heeatsup the com petition." She had developed a reputation as apiranhain the construction business and so she was considered by some to be apariahat the national convention of contractors. parlay, parley parlay(PAHR lay, PAHR lee) To bet successfully, to exploit, or to increase something into another item of g reater value: "With his skill, he attempted to parlay his investment in the stoc k market into a great fortune." "The gambler decided to parlay his gold watch against the cards of his oppon ent." parley(PAHR lee) A meeting to discuss points or issues of difference; to discuss subjects in such a meeting: "We scheduled a parley with the union to discuss wage issues." "We attempted to parley the problems with the workers who were disinclined t o listen." Her uncle worked successfully toparlayhis whole fortune into gold bonds; as a result, he was successful and because he became wealthy, he called aparleyamong th e relatives to discuss how to fairly distribute his vast wealth. partition, petition partition(pahr TISH uhn) To divide or to separate: "We built a new fence to partition our fields from tho se of the neighbor." petition(puh TISH uhn) To request or to solicit, typically done formally through a written document: "T he governmental agency received the petition from the voters with over 1,000 sig natures." Three thousand voters signed thepetitionto allow for thepartitionof a large coun ty into two smaller counties. pass, passe; posse pass, passe(pah SAY) 1. No longer current or in fashion; out-of-date: "That style of music is now con sidered pass or passe." 2. Past the prime; faded or aged: "The clothes he wears these days are pass." posse(PAH si) A group of people who were gathered together by a sheriff in the past to help se arch for a criminal: "The sheriff and his posse rode out to look for the bank ro bbers." The concept of a sheriff and an armedpossemaintaining law-and-order is now con sideredpassand is no longer a popular TV theme. passed, past passed(PAST) 1. To have departed or to have died: "Her uncle passed away last night after a l ong illness." "The traveling circus passed through the town after their performance." 2. To have achieved approval, often from a legislative body: "The political orga nization passed a new resolution regarding membership." "The legislators passed a new law about speeding automobiles." 3. To have gone around or to have gone away from: "The speeding red car passed t he bus which was moving slowly up the hill." 4. To have changed or replaced ownership from one person to another: "The line o f inheritance was passed from the father to the son." 5. To have achieved a successful completion of a task: "When the marks were post ed, I noticed that I had passed the English grammar examination." 6. To exceed or to surpass: "The new shopping mall passed all expectations in te rms of variety of stores and shops." past(PAST) 1. Having taken place prior to the present: "It is interesting to study the past

times of our town and to learn about the early settlers." 2. Having held a position of authority or ownership; former: "She was the past p resident of the musical organization." "The past owner of the red sports car took very good care of it." 3. Going beyond something nearby: "She is past the age to be playing with the do ll house." "We went past the sign to the castle before we noticed it." 4. A previous life, history, or action: "She had a secret past which she did not want to talk about." Those who cannot remember what haspassedinto thepastare condemned to repeat it. Based on a quote by George Santayana pastor, pasture pastor(PAS tuhr) 1. A spiritual leader or member of the clergy: "Mr. Smith is the new pastor for the church in town." 2. To serve or to act in the role of a spiritual leader: "My friend became the p astor of the church and organized youth groups." pasture(PAS chuhr) A field or space of land devoted to raising grass and in which grazing livestock feed: "The green pasture was dotted with white sheep and their lambs." "The cattle enjoyed being in the fresh green pasture after a long winter in the barns." The newpastorwas innovative in his thinking in that during the summer, he plan ned to have open air church services in thepasturedown by the river. pathetic, prophetic pathetic(puh THET ik) 1. Arousing or capable of arousing sympathetic feelings of sadness and compassio n: "The blind and elderly dog was a pathetic site and you could hear its patheti c whining." 2. Arousing or capable of arousing scornful pity: "The basketball team was fairl y bad last year, but this year they're absolutely pathetic." prophetic(pruh FET ik) Foretelling events as if by divine inspiration: "He spoke casual words that prov ed to be prophetic." "Her warnings proved to be prophetic because the dangers that she warned us about regarding our trip to Africa came true." Thepatheticresponse of the crowd to the headlines predicting change seemedproph eticwhen the official announcements were made. patience, patients patience(PAY shuhns) Having the characteristics of calmness, not complaining, or being steadfast: "My mother had a lot of patience when I was practicing the piano." "Her patience paid off in that I became a famous concert pianist." patients(PAY shuhns) Several individuals who are receiving medical care and supervision: "The doctor' s patients were waiting for her when she arrived at the clinic." "The doctor said she was going out to the Street Clinic to see her patients who were living on the street." Sometimes people have to wait so long just to see a doctor that some of thepa tientslose theirpatience. Patienceis power; with time andpatience, the mulberry leaf becomes silk. Chinese Proverb pause, paws pause(PAWZ) 1. A temporary interruption, hesitation, or break from doing something: "The spe aker announced that the panel of judges would pause in their deliberations and r esume their meeting after lunch." "After she read the speech, there was a slight pause before the audience sta rted to applaud." 2. To stop or to linger: "I want to pause at the top of the hill and admire the

view before driving on." paws(PAWZ) 1. The feet of an animal, typically one with claws: "I had to wipe the mud off t he paws of my dog after our walk in the rain." 2. To touch in a clumsy manner, to scratch with a foot or hoof: "I noticed that the horse paws the ground as if anxious to start the race." "My kitten paws my shoe with her paw when she wants my attention." Very often animals have to stop and rest or they justpausetheirpawsfor awhile. paw, paw paw(PAW) The foot of an animal; especially, a quadruped, that has claws or nails: "The do g injured its paw when it dug in the field where there was a piece of broken gla ss." paw(PAW) An informal term referring to one's father: "My paw was always there to help me whenever I needed him." "The wordpawis used by some people as a slang term forpawhich is in turn a slang term forfather." The dog was trained to lift its frontpawto "shake hands" with mypawwhenever he came home from work. pawing, pawning pawing(PAW ing) Touching or grabbing in an excited or wild manner: "A crowd of customers was paw ing over the remaining sales items on the tables." "The puppies were playing as if they were fighting, pawing each other and ro lling on the grass." pawning(PAWN ing) The process of giving someone an object; such as, a security for a loan: "I was having such a bad financial situation that I was pawning my silver rings in orde r to buy groceries." Instead ofpawningmy jewelry to buy new clothes, I patronized the jumble sales, finding myselfpawingthrough used clothing to find the items that I will need. pawn, pawn pawn(PAWN) (noun) 1. One of the eight small pieces that have the least value in the game of chess: "His opponent in the game of chess took more than one pawn in that last move." 2. A person or group that does not have much power and who is controlled by a mo re powerful person or group: "She became a pawn in the political power struggle. " pawn(PAWN) (verb) To give something that a person owns to a pawnbroker in exchange for money: "My friend was forced to pawn his coin set to pay for his rent and some food." He felt like apawnof misfortune when he had to go to thepawnshop to sell his che ss set, including the pewterpawnwhich was engraved with the date when he won the c hampionship. peace, piece peace(PEES) 1. Tranquility, security, lack of disruption, or being harmonious: "After school , we enjoyed the peace of doing our homework without disruption." "There was a sense of peace in the town after the hectic pace of the recent festival." 2. An agreement to end hostilities: "The ambassador attempted to establish peace between the two countries." 3. An exclamation used to request calm and silence: "The leader shouted forpeacean d the crowd became very quiet and listened to him." piece(PEES) 1. A part of something, a fragment: "I decided I wanted a piece of pie for lunch ." "The child picked up a piece of glass that was on the playground and put it into a trash can so no one could fall on it and get hurt."

2. A short distance: "The mail box is just a short piece down the road and aroun d the corner." 3. A work of art, music, drama, or literature: "The composer wrote a piece for t he violin and piano, accompanied by a singer." "The youth read his piece which had won the prize for poetry." 4. A reference to a gun: "The hunter carried his piece carefully and it was unlo aded." 5. A coin or an item used as a coin: "I have a piece which I think is very old a nd belonged to my grandfather." "My sister told me to take the gold piece and see what the coin dealer would pay for it." His nephew exclaimed that he wanted apieceof thepeaceaction that was happening t his weekend in the city. Peace, the thing we are all fighting for or going to war to achieve; or the brief lull before the storm. Anonymous peaceable, peaceful peaceable(PEE suh buhl) 1. Characterized as without conflict or disorder: "The mood on the university ca mpus was peaceable and well ordered." 2. Not quarrelsome: "We have a peaceable relationship with my cousins and their families." peaceful(PEES fuhl) Of or relating to a time without violence or turbulence: "The years that I lived in the country were peaceful and productive because I was able to concentrate o n my new novel and enjoy life." The valley was sopeacefulit was hard to imagine a time when the region was notp eaceable. peak, peek, pique, piqu peak(PEEK) 1. A tapering, projecting point; a pointed extremity: "The peak of the roof had a weather vane on it." 2. The pointed summit of a mountain: "We hiked to the top of the mountain peak." 3. The point of greatest development, value, or intensity: "You could feel a pea k of excitement in the audience when the symphony came to a conclusion." peek(PEEK) To glance or to look quickly; especially, through an opening or from behind some thing: "Please take a quick peek at this picture before I mail it to my aunt." "While playing hide and seek, the woman's little boy would peek between the curtains at her." pique(PEEK) 1. A state of vexation caused by a perceived slight or indignity; a feeling of w ounded pride or a resentment at being disdained, a fit of displeasure: "She went into a pique when she did not get her way." 2. To excite, to arouse, or to cause curiosity or interest: "It seems that brigh tly colored things often pique a young child's interest." piqu(pi KAY, pee KAY) A tightly woven fabric with various raised patterns, produced especially by a do uble warp: "My new skirt is made of a blue piqu that matches the scarf I bought w hile I was on vacation." Mary said that she will experience apiqueif she is unable to get apeekat the ne wpiqufabric in the store. Her interest was intensified when she found out that onepi quhad an image of a famouspeakthat is located in the nearby mountains. peaked, peaked, piqued peaked(PEEKT) Characterized as having a pointed or sharp end: "The hat that he wore had a peak ed top and a visor." peaked(PEE kid) Characterized as being pale and in poor health: "The little girl looked peaked a nd tired as she lay in the hospital bed."

piqued(PEEK'd) To have excited or aroused anger and resentment: "His rousing speech served to h ave piqued the crowd which stood and cheered." His interest in becoming a doctor waspiquedwhen he read about a group ofpeakedch ildren living in a remote community surrounded bypeakedmountains. peal, peel peal(PEEL) 1. A loud sound, as of bells, thunder, or the clanging of bells: "Across the mea dow, we could hear the peal of the church bells coming from the hamlet in the va lley." 2. A loud, easily heard sound: "We could hear the peal of laughter coming from t he auditorium during the funny song and dance routine." peel(PEEL) 1. The skin of a fruit: "The peel of the orange is aromatic and when grated make s a tasty flavoring for a cake." 2. To cut away or to strip off the skin, covering, surface, or the outer layer o f something: "I will use a small knife to peel the orange for my breakfast." "They were asked to peel off their coats as soon as they stepped into the ho use after having been in the rain storm." 3. A medieval fortification on the border between England and Scotland: "The pee l had a moat surrounding it to protect the inhabitants from an invasion." 4. A flat shovel shaped tool used by bakers to put items into an oven or to remo ve them from the oven: "We used a wooden peel to remove the pizza from the brick oven just before it was time to eat it." I could hear herpealof laughter from the living room in the kitchen where I wa s trying topeelan orange. I saved thepeelto use for a baking project I was planning for the weekend. pealing, peeling pealing(PEEL ing) The ringing of bells: "We could hear the pealing of the bells after the wedding ceremony." peeling(PEEL ing) 1. Removing the outer layer of something: "We are peeling the apple with our fan cy new apple peeler."" "Her skin was peeling because of the bad sunburn she got at the beach." 2. The skin of something; such as, the outer skin of fruit that has been removed : "We put the peeling from the apple in the compost." Because of hispeelingsunburn, his wife waspealingwith laughter at the sight of h is red face. pean, paean; peon pean, paean(PEE uhn) A song of praise associated with ancient Greece or praise expressed for somethin g in a formal manner: "On our tour of Greece, we attended a ceremony in the amph itheater at which the actors sang a pean to the gods and deities." "When the president of the company retired, several of his colleagues expres sed their pean for his accomplishments." peon(PEE ahn", PEE uhn) 1. A worker typically indebted to another individual and held in compulsory serv ice to pay off a debt: "My great grandfather came to this country as a peon to t he merchant who had paid his fare on the ship." 2. A landless laborer in South America: "The peon hired himself out to the owner of the hacienda in exchange for food and lodging." 3. East Asian workers often associated with the military: "The local village eld er enlisted as a peon with the military as an orderly." Thepeon, who was hired by her uncle for the summer, recited apeanto the gods wh o oversaw the harvests. pearl, purl pearl(PURL) 1. Someone who is special and unique: "Her friends described her as a pearl amon g women because she was always gentle and kind."

2. An object formed within the shell of a bivalve or mollusk as the result of th e production of layers of secretion which encase an irritating foreign object an d is often colored and lustrous: "I discovered a pearl in an oyster while I was eating some of them at dinner." 3. A gem which is made from the covered irritant in a bivalve: "She wore a pearl necklace and earrings with a beautiful pearl on each one." 4. Something that is shaped like or resembles a pearl or pearls: "Dew drops, eac h one of which was like a pearl, were glistening on the blades of grass as the s un came out." purl(PURL) 1. To embroider or to stitch with gold and silver thread: "My sister decided to purl a design on her jacket." 2. A swirling stream or gentle murmur: "When we were hiking in the meadow, we ca me across a purl that looked fresh and inviting so we took off our boots and soa ked our feet." "We could hear the gentle purl of the birds as they were settling in the bus hes for the night." 3. A stitch used in knitting, often used in conjunction with a knit stitch to cr eate a smooth surface: "My teacher recitedknit one, purl one, in hopes that I wou ld learn to knit properly." When my aunt was knitting a jacket, she used theknit one,purlonepattern. Before she was done, she decided topurla lovely design on the sleeves, includi ng thepearlswhich she had from a broken necklace. pedal, peddle, petal pedal(PED'l) 1. The foot treadle or leaver that is pressed down to activate the attached mach inery: "She pumped the pedal of the organ so it could be played." "The pedal on my grandmother's sewing machine was fun to use." 2. The action necessary to move a bicycle: "I was going to pedal my bicycle home but I was too tired and decided to push it instead." 3. Of or relating to a treadle or to a foot: "When using my grandmother's old se wing machine, I used my right pedal or foot to press on the pedal which made the whole thing work." peddle(PED'l) To travel from place to place with items for sale: "My aunt used to peddle house hold cleaning products in the neighborhood by going from house to house." petal(PET'l) One of the leaves of a flower: "The pink petal from the rosebush fell off and wa s floating on the puddle of water" After I decided topeddlethe produce from our garden in the next town; I realiz ed I would have topedalmy bicycle up the hill and as I brushed under the rosebushe s, I discovered some pinkpetalswere caught in my hair. pedant, pendent, pundit pedant(PED nt) 1. An individual who approaches teaching in a formal and often unimaginative man ner: "Our history teacher is such a pedant that it is hard to concentrate on wha t he is saying." 2. An individual who flaunts the educational background which has been achieved: "The supervisor impressed me as a pedant because she never failed to mention th at she had a Master s Degree." pendent(PEN duhnt) 1. Something that is suspended or hanging freely: "She wore a lustrous pearl pen dent around her neck." 2. Ornamental roofs or ceilings characteristic of Gothic architecture: "The cent ral building at the university appeared to have a pendent roof line." 3. That which is secondary or supplementary: "The last chapter in the book was a pendent added by the author to explain some of the basic information in the tex t." pundit(PUHN dit)

A learned individual prone to give opinions in an authoritative manner: "The edi tor of the newspaper often came across as a pundit when he started talking about ecology and conservation." Thepunditfrom the newspaper frequently impressed me as apedantwhen he was speak ing. I also noticed that he wore apendentaround his neck with the insignia from his university. peer, pier peer(PIR) 1. To inspect closely and intently: "We all tried to peer at the new baby elepha nt at the zoo." 2. Someone of the same rank, value, quality, ability, or standing: "He is my pee r in terms of years of experience and education." 3. Social equality based on age, grade, or status: "The peer group at my high sc hool was very active in sports." 4. A member of one of several ranks within British aristocracy: "My favorite aun t married an English peer and moved to live with him in his castle in the countr y." pier(PIR) 1. A protective structure built out over the water and supported by pillars and used as a landing place, a pleasure pavilion, or as a walk for pedestrians: "The pier at Santa Barbara, California, was a great place to see fishermen, pelicans waiting for the men to toss them fish that were too small for people to eat, an d a view of the Pacific Ocean." 2. The structural support between two openings in a wall; such as, two windows: "The large ornate mirror hung in the pier in the dining room and reflected the c andle light on the table." 3. A mass of stone, concrete, or steel used to provide support for a wall: "The masons reinforced the wall with a pier of stone and gravel." The visitingpeerstood on thepierand watched the sunset spread over the ocean. Calvin was talking to Hobbes: "I'd build a raft for this pond, but I don't h ave a place to dock it." Hobbes replied: "I've always said you're a friend withoutpier.I guess you're u nder a lot ofpierpressure." Based on a conversation in the "Calvin and Hobbes" cartoon. pelisse, police pelisse(puh LEES) 1. A long cloak or outer robe, usually of fur or with a fur lining: "Her warm wi nter pelisse was made of dark wool and lined with beaver fur." 2. A woman's loose light cloak, often with openings for the arms: "I have a plai d pelisse which I wear when I go to the opera." police(puh LEES) 1. A member of an organization or political unit whose function is to ensure the safety and well being of the community: "The police often come to our school to talk with the students about bicycle safety." 2. A branch of government which is concerned with the maintenance of order and c ompliance with regulations: "The local police department is responsible for inve stigating crimes in our community." 3. To monitor and to prevent violations of rules and regulations: "We were asked to police the halls at school on rainy days." For the dress parade, thepoliceeach wore a dark bluepelissewith a crest embroide red on the lapel. pelt, pelt pelt(PELT), noun 1. The skin of an animal with the fur or hair still on it: "The hunter was in th e process of cutting lion's pelt off its body." 2. A stripped animal skin ready for tanning: "He added the pelt of the fox to th e others that were going to be prepared for tanning." pelt(PELT),pelted(PELT'd), verb 1. To strike or to assail repeatedly with or as if with blows or missiles; to bo

mbard: "The boy decided that he was going to pelt the other guys with snowballs. " 2. To cast, hurl, or throw objects: "You could see the rioter trying to pelt the police with bottles from the dumpster." 3. To hit against something repeatedly: "Rain and hail pelted the windowpanes fo r hours." The celebrity was wearing thepeltof an animal as a coat which outraged the cro wd who started topelther with paint balls. pen, pin, PIN pen(PEN) 1. A fenced enclosure for animals: "The sheep were kept in a pen next to the bar n." 2. An instrument for writing: "The museum had an exhibition entitled theHistory o f the Penwith examples of a quill pen, a fountain pen, a retractable pen, etc." 3. To write with a specialized instrument that uses ink: "The famous author deci ded to use a quill to pen his latest poem." 4. A slang term referring to a penitentiary or jail for long term prisoners: "Th e judge sentenced the gang member to seven years in the pen." pin(PEN) 1. An instrument which is used to hold several pieces of material together, typi cally with a sharp point at one end and a knob on the other: "The seamstress use d a long pin to hold the fabric pieces together." 2. One of several wooden pieces that constitute the target in a game: "When I go bowling, I have such poor luck, I am only able to knock one pin over at a time. " 3. A peg that is the target for pitching a quoit or metal ring in a game of quoi ts. When I pitched the quoit, it landed on the pin and I won the game." 4. The part of the stem of a key that goes into a lock: "I was very upset becaus e I broke the pin of the key and was not able to open the lock." 5. A trifle or something of minor value: "She has just enough pin money to spend when she went shopping." 6. The pole or staff of a flag used to mark the hole in a golf course: "I was ai ming for the red pin when it was my turn in the golf tournament." PIN(PEN) An acronym forPersonalIdentificationNumber: "For a person's financial protection, t he PIN should be kept in a separate place away from his or her bank card in case the card is lost or stolen." She will use apentopenherPINon a slip of paper and then she will use a safetypint t to the inside of her purse so she won't lose it. Apinis a small object that's easily lost because it's always pointed in one di rection and headed in the other. Evan Esar penance, pennants penance(PEN uhns) 1. Actions or behaviors that suggest sorrow or regret for a serious transgressio n: "He went to church every day as a penance for having taken a book from the bo okstore without paying for it." "Her penance for shop lifting in the grocery store was to write an essay on the social costs of shop lifting." 2. A sacramental rite involving contrition, confession of sins to a priest, the acceptance of penalties, and absolution: "The pastor led the rite of penance for those in the congregation who attended." pennants(PEN uhnts) 1. Nautical flags used for identification and signaling: "The ship entered the h arbor with all the colorful pennants flying." 2. Flags often associated with a champion or winning sports team: "The pennants of the champion football team were purple and yellow." 3. Flags or banners that taper to a point at one end: "The pennants of the knigh ts who supported the king were hung in the chapel." The fans at the soccer game waved theirpennantswith enthusiasm and accidentall

y broke a window; however, when their team lost, the fans were so sad they felt a sense ofpenanceand told the owner they would replace the broken window. pencil; pensile; pencel, pensil pencil(PEN suhl) 1. A tool for writing or drawing that consists of a slender cylinder surrounding a solid center typically made of graphite also known aslead: "The artist used a f ine pencil for her sketches of the countryside." "The carpenter used a pencil that was flat on one side so it would not roll off her workspace." 2. A small stick of medication or cosmetics for local application: "The doctor g ave her a pencil of antibiotic cream to put on the scratches of her arm." 3. A gathering or mass of rays such as sunshine: "A pencil of sunlight came thro ugh the wooden blinds of the window in the morning." 4. A collection of geometric objects each pair of which share a common property: "The adjoining cubes shared a pencil border." pensile(PEN sighl") Hanging loosely; suspended: "The birds nesting in the barn made pensile nests in the rafters." pencel, pensil(PEN suhl) A narrow flag, streamer, or pennon; especially, one carried at the top of a lanc e or spear: "When the knight rode into the tournament, he carried the pencel whi ch had been given to him by his sister fastened onto his lance." The traveling artist used apencilto sketch thepensilebanners in the church. She created a fanciful picture which included a knight riding into the churc hyard with apensilwaving from the point of his lance which was lighted by apencilof sunshine streaming through the colored windows. pendant, pendent; pennant pendant, pendent(PEN duhnt) A piece of jewelry that hangs on a chain or a cord which is worn around a person 's neck: "She wore a beautiful pendant (or pendent) to the formal dance." pennant(PEN uhnt) 1. A long, thin, pointed flag: "We could see the pennant waving on the tower in the breeze." 2. In U.S. baseball, the prize that is awarded to the champions of the certain l eagues each year: "Our local baseball team won the American League pennant this year." When he attended the reception in honor of the local baseball team for winni ng thepennantthis season, he wore an ornatependant(pendent) around his neck. penitence, penitents penitence(PEN i tuhns) The condition or quality of showing regret for wrongdoing: "Forgiveness requires penitence." penitents(PEN i tuhnts) Those who are feeling or expressing remorse for their misdeeds or sins: "The pen itents were seeking God's forgiveness." Thepenitentswere gathered in the garden to plant trees as theirpenitencefor hav ing chopped down a tree by the side of the road. penned, pinned penned(PEN'd) 1. To have written something, often done with a writing instrument which uses in k: "The document was penned and signed by the professors at the university." 2. Animals that have been enclosed in a confined area: "In the morning, the shee p were released back into the field of grass by the shepherd after having been p enned during the night for their protection." pinned(PEN'd) 1. Having immobilized or limited the movement of something or someone: "The wres tler was pinned to the canvas by his opponent." 2. To have given a girl a fraternity pin as a token of affection: "He pinned his girl friend as a token of his love for her."

3. Having assigned responsibility for something: "The police pinned the blame fo r the accident on the driver who was using his cell-phone while driving." 4. To have fastened or joined together: "The pattern for the dress was pinned to the fabric by the seamstress." Once the university student hadpinnedhis girl friend, his sisterpenneda poem ex pressing her delight. people, persons people(PEE puhl) Large groups or an undetermined number of individuals: "Thousands of people atte nded the annual book fair." persons(PUR suhnz) A relatively small or exact number of individuals: "There were only fifty person s who won prizes." The plural ofpersonis usuallypeopleexcept in formal or legal contexts, where the plural is oftenpersons. The wordspeopleandpersonsboth refer to a number of individuals and areused interc hangeably in most contexts. No safe rule exists for choosing betweenpeopleandpersonsexcept possibly what is expressed in the definitions as shown above. Since both words are in the plural format, neither term can be used to refer to an individual. Compiled from information presented by Harry Shaw inDictionary of Problem Words and Expressions; McGraw-Hill Book Company; New York; 1987; page 271. Of all thepeoplein the great hall, only fivepersonswere selected to make speeche s. per, purr per(PUR) 1. According to: "I did what I was told to do per the instructions that I receiv ed." 2. For each item, often with a financial context: "The price per box of chocolat es is higher in this store than in the store across the street." purr(PUR) 1. The vibrating murmur produced when a cat is content and happy: "My cat will p urr very loudly after she has had her supper and is lying on my lap." 2. To speak in a manner that suggests a murmur of contentment: "The novel descri bed her manner of speaking as if she would purr like a cat when she got her way. " 3. To speak in a gossipy or malicious manner: "When the two got together, they w ould purr and chat about all the local gossip." Asperwhat my veterinarian told me, my cat started topurronce she had taken some of the medicine that was prescribed. percent, per cent; percentage; percentile percent, per cent(puhr SENT) An amount that is equal to one one-hundredth of something: "It is estimated that water covers more than 70 percent of the earth's surface." "I am 99.9 percent sure that her version of the incident is correct." percentage(puhr SEN tij) 1. A share of the winnings or profits of an undertaking: "After taxes, I receive d a percentage of the profit from the sale of the property." "I was pleased with my percentage from the bet at the horse race this aftern oon." 2. Part of the whole of something presented in hundredths: "What is the percenta ge of winners in the lottery?" percentile(puhr SENT tighl") One of 100 equal parts that a group of people can be divided into in order to ra nk them: "My friend scored in the 95th percentile in advanced-vocabulary skills. " I wonder what thepercentageis of people who achieve a 100percenton their driver 's test. My mother was in the top 75thpercentileof her age when she took her drive r s test.

perch, perch, perch perch(PURCH), verb To sit on or to be on something high or on something from which it is easy to fa ll: "Birds often perch on the ledge outside our window." perch(PURCH), noun A high seat or location: "The lifeguard watches the swimmers from his high perch ." "The bird flew down from its perch in the tree." perch(PURCH), noun A fish that lives in rivers and streams and which is eaten as food: "Her father caught a good supply of perch for our dinner." The man decided toperchon hisperchso he could see the school ofperchwhen they swa m up the river towards his favorite fishing spot. perches, purchase perches(PURCH uhs) 1. Bars or pegs upon which something may be hung or upon which something may sit : "The pet store had several different perches to choose from for our new parrot ." "There was a row of perches in the cloakroom upon which to hang our coats." 2. To sit or to rest in a somewhat precarious situation: "My friend always perch es on the edge of the chair." "The eagle perches on the edge of the cliff poised to fly away. 3. Several small, white European fresh water fish (Perca fluviatilis); plural,per chorperches: "The river was abundant in perches and fishing was easy." purchase(PUR chis) 1. Something bought for a price in money or equivalent: "I sought to purchase a brace of pheasant for the elegant dinner I was planning." 2. To acquire the ownership of something by means other than inheritance: "He ac quired the ancestral lands by purchase rather than by inheritance." 3. To raise or to move through the use of a mechanical device: "The stone masons sought to purchase the rocks by using a lever to raise them." 4. To acquire through flattery, sacrifice, or a bribe: "His position on the Boar d of Directors was acquired through purchase and not through hard work." The pet shop had topurchasemoreperchesfor the additional birds that were coming. perfect, prefect perfect(PUR fikt) 1. To be without fault or a defect; to be complete and faultless in all respects : "Her explanation was perfect and there was no confusion." 2. Meeting ideal expectations: "He was the perfect gentleman." 3. An accurate reproduction: "She painted a perfect copy of the photograph of he r grandmother." 4. A verb form that indicates action completed in the pastbeforeanother past actio n: "Please use the perfect tense of the verb when writing this sentence; for exa mple, 'She had completed her homework before she went home.' " 5. To improve or to refine: "She sought to perfect her technique through constan t practice." prefect(PREE fekt") 1. A student in charge of monitoring other students, typically in a private scho ol situation: "He wanted to be the senior prefect in his class when he went back to school in September." 2. A high ranking officer or magistrate: "He wore the mantle of a prefect in the city council." When he was appointedprefectof his class, he was determined to be theperfect p refect; just like in the film,Goodbye Mr. Chips. perpetrate, perpetuate perpetrate(PUR pi trayt") To bring about, to commit a crime, to impose a hoax: "The police will try to fin d out who could perpetrate such a crime in the quiet neighborhood." perpetuate(puhr PECH oo ayt") To cause to last a long time or indefinitely; to preserve from oblivion: "By wri

ting a biography, he tried to perpetuate the memory of his parents and their ord eals as pioneers living in the desert." Unless the criminal is caught, he or she will continue toperpetratemore crimes which tends toperpetuatemore fear in the community. perpetual, perpetuity perpetual(puhr PECH yoo uhl) 1. Lasting forever, eternal; serving in a position or office for an indefinite t ime: "The movie had a perpetual sense about it and I thought it would never come to an end." "The beloved leader was elected to serve a perpetual term in office." 2. Continuous, blooming through every season: "The roses in the sheltered corner of the garden were in perpetual bloom." perpetuity(puhr" pi TOO i tee, puhr" pi TYOO i tee) 1. The quality or state of lasting forever; an unlimited time; eternity: "The mo nument was to ensure the memory of the heroes would last in perpetuity." 2. Payment of an annuity on an ongoing basis: "My grandfather s will stipulates th at the annuity be paid to my aunt in perpetuity." She planted a special rose bush which was described asperpetual; that is, blo oming every season. This rose bush was a memorial inperpetuityto her friend's valo r during the flood crisis. perplex, puzzle perplex(puhr PLEKS) 1. To be unable to think clearly or decisively about something: "It will perplex me all evening if I am unable to resolve that mystery." 2. To make something intricate or complicated: "His explanation of the map only served to perplex me further." puzzle(PUHZ uhl) 1. To present a mental challenge or to offer a situation that is difficult to so lve: "He tried to puzzle me with the complicated mathematical equations." 2. To resolve a question or situation with ingenuity: "She was able to puzzle he r way out of the challenging word quiz." 3. A challenging toy designed to amuse while requiring ingenuity to resolve or t o complete: "On rainy days, she enjoyed working on the 1,000 piece jig saw puzzl e of 50 different cats." The riddle, presented as apuzzle, continued toperplexhim because he could not f igure out the answer. perquisite, prerequisite, requisite perquisite(PUR kwi zit) A payment or profit received in addition to a regular wage or salary; especially , a benefit expected as one's due; aperk: "Use of the company's jet is a perquisi te of the job." prerequisite(pree REK wi zit) Required or necessary as a prior condition: "Competence is a prerequisite to pro motion to the next level of administration." requisite(REK wi zit) Required; essential or something that is indispensable: "It is a requisite that we carry water with us when we hike into the desert." In my naivety, or lack of experience, I thought that the car supplied by my employer was arequisite, in fact aperquisite; however, when I read the details of my contract again, I realized that owning a car was aprerequisiteto getting the j ob. I never was very good at spelling. persecute, prosecute persecute(PUR si kyoot") To constantly annoy, to harass, to afflict, or to bother someone: "The paparazzi were determined to persecute the famous actress by following her everywhere." 2. To treat someone cruelly or unfairly; especially, because of race or religiou s or political beliefs: "The regime was known to constantly persecute those who fought against it during the uprising." 3. To harass in such a manner as to injure or to afflict: "In the ancient city, the soldiers would often persecute people who were identified as foreigners."

prosecute(PRAHS i kyoot") 1. To initiate legal action as the result of a crime: "The police decided to pro secute the vandals who ruined the monument with graffiti." 2. To follow through with something until it is finished: "She is determined to prosecute those who committed the fraud until justice is achieved." She was determined to have the law officialsprosecuteher annoying neighbor who continues topersecuteher with rude remarks and lewd comments. persecution, prosecution persecution(pur" si KYOO shuhn) 1. The act or condition of being harassed or annoyed: "She had no tolerance for the persecution by the press since the publication of her new book." 2. The practice of harassing individuals in such a manner as to injure or to cau se harm: "Persecution of someone even in jest, or as a joke, may be unlawful and immoral." prosecution(PRAHS i kyoo" shuhn) 1. An individual or party which initiates a legal action in a criminal situation : "My uncle is a lawyer and is acting as the prosecution in a high profile crimi nal case." 2. The action of following through with a legal action until a final resolution has been accomplished: "The prosecution of the case was expected to take at leas t two years before the judge would give a final judgment." The witness for theprosecutioncomplained that she felt that she was in a state ofpersecutionby the investigators who were trying to obtain her testimony. personal, personnel personal(PUR suh nuhl) 1. Done by an individual without intervention by another: "It was her personal d ecision to try to swim the English Channel." 2. Relating to one's body, private: "Her mother taught her good personal hygiene ." 3. Relating to an individual's conduct, often in a negative context: "It felt li ke a personal insult when she left the party early without an explanation." 3. Short columns or stories about the activities of individuals or groups: "My s ister's first job at the newspaper was to write the weekly personal column about the local guilds." personnel(pur" suh NEL) 1. A group of individuals or staff who are employed or engaged in some activity: "The personnel list was posted in the lunch room at our office." 2. A department or part of an organization which is concerned with employees: "T he personnel department is interviewing candidates for the new position." Thepersonneldepartment at the agency to which he applied for a summer job aske d for hispersonalinformation; including, telephone number, address, etc. perspective, prospective, prospectus perspective(puhr SPEK tiv) 1. The technique for representing an object seen by the eyes on a flat or curved surface: "She presented an excellent perspective in her still life drawings." 2. A way or manner of thinking about and understanding a situation or subject: " The worried student took a long walk, after which his problems seemed to have ta ken on a new and more manageable perspective." 3. The process of being able to see or understand a situation in its true or rel ative importance: "With the new perspective on the situation, the committee was able to make sound recommendations." 4. A view which gives the impression of distance: "The perspective from the hill was lovely but we were glad the walk to the village was short." 5. The appearance to the beholder of objects with respect to their relative posi tions and distance: "By standing across the room, the artist was able to get a b etter perspective of the large painting she was working on." prospective(pruh SPEK tiv) 1. Likely to happen or to come about: "She was a prospective mother and the baby was due in two months." 2. Relating to the future: "He wrote a long novel in the hope of getting a prosp

ective bonus from the publisher." prospectus(pruh SPEK tuhs) 1. A printed statement that summarizes or describes a business and is for distri bution to potential investors: "I received the prospectus about the mining compa ny and an invitation to attend their annual meeting." 2. A statement outlining the main features of a new work or business enterprise or an established institution: such as, a college, hotel, bank, business, etc.: "The prospectus from the bank suggested that high interest rates were a thing of the past and that loans will be more difficult to arrange." Theprospectivenew artist for the firm sent in a detailed portfolio. It was eas y to evaluate his application because he had an excellent command ofperspectiveas shown in his drawings. Once the firm hired him, the artist applied to the bank for a loan, submitti ng a well preparedprospectusdetailing how the loan was to be used. perspicacious, perspicuous perspicacious(pur" spi KAY shuhs) 1. Having or showing penetrating mental discernment; clear-sighted: "He always t hought his mother was a perspicacious judge of character." 2. Having or showing an ability to notice and to understand things that are diff icult or not obvious: "The movie critic made some perspicacious observations abo ut the film." perspicuous(puhr SPIK yoo uhs) 1. Clearly expressed or presented; easy to understand: "As an author and a speak er, he was hailed as a perspicuous writer and presenter of oral information." 2. Expressing oneself clearly and effectively: "The professor was known as a per spicuous lecturer." Her lecture wasperspicuousand her scholarship demonstrated aperspicaciousunders tanding of the topic. peruse, pursue peruse(puh ROOZ) 1. To study or to consider with close attention to details: "Please peruse this essay carefully and check for spelling errors." 2. To look at or to read something in an informal, casual, leisurely, or relaxed way: "He decided to peruse the newspaper during his break while he enjoyed a sn ack." pursue(puhr SOO) 1. To find ways to achieve or to accomplish something: "She was determined to pu rsue a career in music." 2. To proceed or to follow: "We determined to pursue a course directly across th e snowy field in order to get to our winter lodge." 3. To haunt or to afflict: "The nightmares continue to pursue me after witnessin g the horrible boating accident." 4. To be involved in: "After his retirement, he was very happy to pursue his hob by of fishing." 5. To chase or to follow something in order to overtake, capture, or to kill it: "The hunter spent a long time in an effort to pursue the deer in the forest so he could shoot it and return home with venison for his family." He wants topursuea career in library sciences because it will make it possible for him toperusethe newest books and magazines. petrify, putrefy, purify petrify(PET ruh figh") 1. To change into stone or a stony substance: "Over thousands of years, the buri ed tree trunk will gradually petrify into stone." "His icy glare served to petrify me and I was unable to run away." 2. To confound with amazement or fear: "The harrowing tales of the author will p etrify you and you will not want to walk in the graveyard after dark ever again. " 3. To deaden or to stifle: "I had the feeling that the long lecture was going to petrify my mind because it was so boring." putrefy(PYOO truh figh")

To create a state of rottenness, physically or morally: "If you bury the garbage , it will putrefy and eventually become compost." "He was so evil he seemed to putrefy everything around him." purify(PYOOR uh figh") 1. To become pure or clean: "The brisk winds seemed to purify the air in the cit y." 2. To free from guilt or blemish: "Her confession that she took her mother's rin g helped to purify her conscience." He needs topurifythe air because the old cabbage has started toputrefyand to st ink up the place and if he smells it for very long, he is afraid his brain willpe trify. phenomenon, phenomena, phenomenal phenomenon, singular noun (fi NAHM uh nahn", fi NAHM uh nuhn) 1. A rare fact, circumstance, experience, or event: "It is considered a phenomen on when the home football team wins a game even with their poor record." 2. Any extremely unusual or extraordinary thing or occurrence that is known thro ugh the senses rather than known through thought or study: "The neighbor was sho cked with the phenomenon of a fire suddenly starting from an electrical explosio n in her kitchen caused by her refrigerator." 3. A fact of scientific interest that can be scientifically described, appraised , or explained: "Our chemistry instructor demonstrated the phenomenon of mixing chemicals to produce dyes for industrial purposes." phenomena, plural noun (fi NAHM uh nuh) ofphenomenon Occasionally used as the singular form ofphenomenonbut such usage is considered in correct: "When my essay was returned, my teacher had noted that I had correctly used the word 'phenomena' when discussing the many sightings of a rare bird on t he river." phenomenal, adjective (fi NAHM uh nuhl) 1. Extraordinary: "She made phenomenal progress with her singing lessons because she practiced every day." 2. Very good or great; extremely unusual in a way that is very impressive: "The book was a phenomenal success for several months." Hisphenomenalunderstanding of the single rare scientificphenomenonof ice crysta ls was amazing; however, I lost points in my essay by referring to it asa single rare scientificphenomena. physic, physique, psychic physic(FIZ ik) 1. A medicine or remedy; especially, a laxative: "The doctor recommended a physi c to overcome the patient's constipation." 2. The art of medicine and healing (archaic usage): "She wanted to follow in her mother's footsteps and planned to train as a physic as soon as she could." 3. To treat with medicine or to administer medicine to: "The prescription was to physic the patient as soon as possible in order to purge the blockage of his in testines." physique(fi ZEEK) The structure, strength, appearance, or form of a person's body: "He exercised e very day to maintain his healthy physique." psychic(SIGH kik) 1. That which lies outside knowledge or physical science; immaterial or spiritua l in nature; supernatural: "There was a psychic quality about her personality wh ich puzzled her friends." 2. Characterized by extraordinary sensitivity to forces beyond the physical worl d: "She seemed to have a psychic understanding of the woman s troubles." 3. A medium or individual who is sensitive to supernatural influences: "We decid ed to go to see a psychic to see if we could learn anything about our future liv es." Our new doctor had a magnificentphysiqueand the patients appreciated his admin istration of aphysic. Once he even admitted to studying the art of being apsychicto gain an even greater understanding of the healing arts that exist beyond the me re physical concepts.

pi, pie pi(PIGH) 1. The 16th letter of the Greek alphabet: "I have memorized all the Greek letter s up to and including pi (?)." 2. A number approximately equal to 3.14159 which is the ratio of the circumferen ce of a circle to its diameter and is represented by the symbol ?: "Learning wha t pi means has presented a mental block which is still unclear to me." pie(PIGH) 1. A dessert or savory dish that is baked in a pastry shell often with two crust s: "She baked an apple pie for dessert which we ate with cheese." 2. A business or social activity: "She wanted to have her finger in every social pie in town." 3. The whole of something which can be divided into shares: "The bankers were de termined to share the economic pie with the shareholders." A farmer was proud of his son's educational development, but he was very puz zled one day when the boy came home from school and told his father that he had learned about "PiR Square". "Son", said the farmer, "Piearen't square"; "Pieare roun d". Her aunt often bragged about her mathematical wizard of a son who was in jun ior-high school. She once commented that he could calculate thepiof her homemade a pplepie. piazza, pizza, plaza piazza(pee AZ uh, pee AH zuh) 1. A square open place surrounded by buildings in a town or city: "The cafes lin ed the piazza in the charming city." 2. A porch that is arcaded and roofed: "They sat in the piazza to stay out of th e sun while they drank their coffee." pizza(PEET zuh) A single crusted pie often made of bread dough that is covered with tomatoes, ch eese, and spiced meats, etc., and baked: "I like to put cheese and olives on my pizza when I make it at home." plaza(PLAZ uh) 1. An open air space in a city or town: "The new plaza was designed primarily fo r bicycle parking and pedestrian traffic." 2. A shopping area often adjacent to a road or highway: "My aunt's bakery is loc ated in the plaza near the main road into the city." 3. An area on or next to a highway having restaurants, gas stations, restrooms, etc.: "Besides the toll booth, the plaza also had a service station and coffee s hop; also called atoll plaza." When we went to Italy for our holidays, we sat in thepiazzaand enjoyed a freshp izza; all of which was far from being in any way similar to a typicalplazaback ho me. picture, picture; pitcher picture(PIK chuhr), noun 1. A painting, drawing, or photograph of someone or something: "We put the pictu re on the wall at her mother's place." 2. A conception of how something or someone looks or what something is like: "Af ter our discussion, I am convinced that we have a clearer picture of what we nee d to do to enhance our project." 3. Something or someone that looks very much like another person or thing: "The daughter was the picture of her mother." picture(PIK chuhr), verb 1. To have a thought, understanding, or idea bout someone or something; to imagi ne: "After all these years, I can still picture the tiny house and the neighborh ood where we lived in poverty." 2. To describe someone or something in a particular way: "Unless we have experie nced them ourselves, we can only picture the horrible devastation and suffering that is caused by earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones, etc." pitcher(PICH uhr), noun 1. A baseball player who throws the ball to the batters and attempts to strike t

hem out: "The pitcher had an exceptional day when he was able to strike out the first three batters in each of three consecutive innings." 2. A container with a lip and handle that is used for holding and pouring out li quids of various kinds: "Their mother poured milk out of a pitcher into the bowl s of cereal that the children were going to have for breakfast." 3. The amount of liquid held by a container: "We drank more than one pitcher of cold tea during that hot summer day." His grandmother said that she could stillpicturein her mind thepicturehis mothe r drew when she was just five years old. It was a remarkable drawing of apitcherfi lled with flowers. pidgin, pigeon pidgin(PIJ uhn) A simplified form of speech that is usually a mixture of two or more languages, has a rudimentary grammar and vocabulary, is used for communication between grou ps speaking different languages, and is not spoken as a first or native language : "The explorer in the desert learned to speak a pidgin form of the native langu age so he could communicate with those who lived there." pigeon(PIJ uhn) 1. An easy target, often in the context of exploitation: "He flashed his money a round in such a manner that it made him a pigeon for thieves." 2. Birds characterized by having a stout body, short legs, and smooth, solid, co mpact feathers: "There is a handsome black and white pigeon that comes to eat bi rd feed every day in our back yard." Her cousin was sure that he could teach his favoritepigeonto respond to verbal commands inpidginlanguage. pike, pike, pike, Pike pike(PIGHK) 1. A freshwater game and food fish of the Northern Hemisphere that has a long sn out and grows to a length of over 1.2 meters (4 feet): "Any of various similar o r related fish called northern pike." There are those who look forward to the time when they can go fishing for pi ke." pike(PIGHK) A road that people must pay to use: "In this kind of weather, there probably wil l be too much traffic on the pike." "We decided to take the pikeeven though we knew we would have to pay the toll ." pike(PIGHK) A long spear formerly used by infantry which typically consisted of a long pole with a sharp metal point: "During the Middle Ages, foot soldiers would carry a p ike and a shield to battle." Pike(PIGHK) An American army officer and explorer noted for his expedition up the Arkansas R iver to the Rocky Mountains (1806-1807): "Zebulon Montgomery Pike (1779-1813) ha d a mountain in Colorado named after him, now known as Pikes Peak, in the Rocky Mountains west of Colorado Springs." We were going down thepikeon our way to fish for somepikewhen our friend saw wha t turned out to be apikethat fell off a truck. Found near the foot ofPikes Peak, consisting of a spearhead attached to a lon g pole orpikestaff(which was later superseded by the bayonet), it turned out that it belonged to a collector of historical medieval weapons. pilot, pilot, pilot pilot(PIGH luht), noun 1. Someone who flies an airplane, helicopter, etc.: "The pilot of the plane made sure that we arrived at our destination on time." 2. To fly an aircraft or to steer a ship: "His sister is learning how to pilot a n airplane and his brother is getting experience in piloting ships into port dur ing fair and stormy weather." pilot(PIGH luht), verb 1. To fly an aircraft or to lead a ship through a difficult or dangerous area of

water: "He piloted the passenger plane safely to the airport during the thunder storm." 2. To try something with a small group of people to find out if it would be succ essful or popular: "The school was piloting a program for daily breakfasts with a few students before trying to introduce it to the whole school." 3. To provide advice or instructions that would help people accomplish something : "The coach piloted his team to the national championships." pilot(PIGH luht), adjective Done as a test to see if a project, study, etc., should be done: "The staff of t he school conducted a pilot study to see if students could improve their educati onal skills." Thepilotflew a twin engine aircraft as part of a project that he waspilotingfor an advancedpilottraining program. pine, pine pine(PIGN) 1. Any of various evergreen trees of the genusPinus, having fascicles of needle-s haped leaves and producing woody, seed-bearing cones: "These pine trees are wide ly cultivated for ornament and shade and for their timber and resinous sap, whic h yields turpentine and pine tar." 2. A tree that has long, thin needles instead of leaves and which stays green th roughout the year: "The wood of a pine tree is often used to make furniture." pine(PIGN) 1. To feel a lingering, often a nostalgic desire: "It was sad to see him pine al l these months for his college sweetheart." 2. To wither or to waste away from longing or grief: "If he continues to grieve for his dead parents, he will pine away and die, too." My friend told me that he was stillpiningfor thepinetrees where he grew up in th e mountains. In other words, hepinesfor thepinesof his youth. pink, pink, pink, PINK pink(PINGK) Very fashionable; up to date: "Her pink style was often imitated by her friends. " pink(PINGK) A hue of color ranging from pale red to slightly darker red: "Her pink hat was i n contrast to her red suit." pink(PINGK) 1. To hurtor to wound by the use ofirony or criticism: "His efforts to pink his op ponent in the election backfired and as a result, he lost the election." 2. Informal, very happy or amused: "He was tickled pink by the attention he got from his girl friend." PINK(PINGK) Thomas Pink, a retail clothing business, started inLondon, England,in 1984. The th ree Irish men who established thebusinessnamed the companyafter an 18th century Lon don tailor who was famous as a clothing manufacturer, specializing in fine cotto n shirts: "I boughtmy PINK shirt when it was on sale." When she was wearing herpink PINKshirt, she felt quitepinkwhen she was dancing a nd then she was tickledpinkwhen a friend asked her to dance and she noticed he was also wearing apink PINK. pistil, pistol pistil(PIS tuhl) The long central part of a flower that extends from the ovary: "We could see the pistil or seed-bearing organ of the flower on our table." pistol(PIS tuhl) A small gun made to be aimed and fired with one hand: "He practiced shooting his pistol at targets at least once a month." Thepistilof the flower my friend was holding was the most commanding and color ful part of the flower. He held it in one hand and held apistolin his other hand; sort of like old fashioned hippies, with flowers and guns. pitch, pitch, pitch, pitch pitch(PICH), noun

1. Any of various thick, dark, sticky substances obtained from the distillation residue of coal tar, wood tar, or petroleum and used for waterproofing, roofing, caulking, and paving: "The workers will use the commercial pitch on our drivewa y today." 2. A resin derived from the sap of various coniferous trees, as the pines: "He j ust found out how sticky the pitch from the tree can be." pitch(PICH), noun 1. The height or decreased level of a sound: "His voice has a low pitch." 2. Things which are said by someone; such as, a salesman, in order to make other s want to buy, to do, or to accept something: "The author of the novel started t o make a pitch about her new book as soon as she was introduced to the audience. " pitch(PICH), verb 1. To throw, usually with careful aim: "The baseball player will pitch his first ball as a professional today." 2. To discard by throwing: "He plans to pitch the trash in the first bin that he finds." 3. To fall in a headlong manner: "He stepped on his shoelace and started to pitc h down the staircase, but he was able to stop himself before being hurt." pitch(PICH), verb 1. To set at a particular level, degree, or quality: "Is it possible that she wi ll pitch her expectations as a singer too high?" 2. To talk about or to describe something in a favorable way so people will want to buy it, accept it, etc.: "They tried to pitch the TV show to several differe nt networks before they finally found one that agreed to produce it." As the man walked across the floor, he suddenly started topitchforward because his shoes got caught in some stickypitchon the floor boards. He shouted in such a loudpitchthat he caught a woman's attention and she rushe d to help him. He was so grateful that he used the occasion to give her a salespi tchabout a new kind of flooring. piteous, pitiable, pitiful piteous(PIT ee uhs) Something which elicits a strong sense of sympathy or compassion: "The circumsta nces of poverty were piteous and roused my determination to help in the local so up kitchen." pitiable(PIT ee uh buhl) Wretched, paltry, lamentable: "When the Industrial Revolution was just getting s tarted, employees earned pitiable wages and often lived in piteous housing." pitiful(PIT i fuhl) Touching, or exciting compassion: "The man who was standing on the corner looked so pitiful because he had no umbrella and he was being soaked by the unexpected rain." The famous British author, Charles Dickens, createdpitiablecharacters in his b ooks; for example, thepitifulstory of Tiny Tim inA Christmas Carol. His situation a nd the poverty of his family waspiteous. place, plaice place(PLAYS) An area with definite or indefinite boundaries; a portion of space: "We had to h unt for a large parking place for our truck because it was so big." plaice(PLAYS) A large edible marine flatfish: "For lunch we decided to have plaice and chips a t the roadside shop." I took myplaceat the table and the waiter served me a lovely dish ofplaiceand c hips. plain, plane plain(PLAYN) 1. Outspoken, without subtlety: "The mayor was plain spoken and did not try to d isguise what she was saying." 2. Ordinary, lacking in affectation: "Her manners were plain and helped to make visitors very comfortable."

3. Not complicated: "My mother preferred plain home cooked meals instead of high ly spiced foods." 4. A wide and open stretch of land, often treeless: "The fields of wheat covered the plain as far as we could see." 5. Without ornament: "The plain curtains in the window were strictly functional. " plane(PLAYN) 1. An instrument or tool for making the surface of wood smooth: "The cabinetmake r used a sharp plane to smooth the surface of the wooden table." 2. A level of consciousness or development: "His plane of thought was lofty and purely academic." 3. A major supporting surface of an airplane: "The plane of the new airplane was designed to hold the wing and be strong but not heavy." 4. A word used interchangeably withairplane: "The plane taxied to the take off si te." 5. Flat, level; having no depressions or elevations: "The plane surface of the t able was enhanced by the vase of stunning flowers." As I got on the aircraft, I noticed that it was just aplain planewithout any l uxuries. plait, plate, pleat plait(PLAYT, PLAT) 1. A braid or pigtail: "Her plaint of hair was dark, heavy, and was hanging down her back." 2. To braid: "She decided to plait her hair with colored ribbons." plate(PLAYT) 1. A flat and usually round dish which is used for eating or serving food: "I ha d a full plate of food so I didn't need to have any second servings." 2. Table settings or cutlery that is made by the process of chemically or electr onically bonding a thin layer of a valuable metal onto a less valuable base meta l: "The host set the table with the old family plate." 3. Any of large movable segments of the earth surface that shift during an earth quake: "The seismologist studied the plate in the earth quake prone area of the desert." 4. The dish which is passed among people for collections, often in a religious c ontext: "The ushers passed the plate for contributions to support the church fun d." pleat(PLEET) 1. A fold in a piece of material, often cloth, made by doubling the material ove r itself: "The seamstress made a pleat in the belt on the coat so it would hang in an attractive style." 2. To create a fold: "The student decided to pleat the paper carefully to make a paper airplane." When the female potter is working, she keeps herplaitof hair tied up so it won 't get caught on the potter s wheel. She has been making a largeplatewith apleatstyle crimping of the edge. pleas, please pleas(PLEEZ) 1. Statements made by a party in a legal proceeding in support of the party's po sition; as well as, the responses of an accused person to the charges brought be fore the court: "The alleged robber entered pleas ofnot guiltyin the court to the charges of robbing the bank and breaking the front door of the bank." 2. Explanations offered to excuse or to justify a decision: "We decided to leave the party early, offering our pleas to the host that we had an early appointmen t the next day." 3. Earnest begging or request for something: "Her pleas to stay out late did not make her parents change their position that she should be home before midnight. " please(PLEEZ) 1. To give satisfaction or pleasure: "She decided to please her friend by making a special chocolate cake for dessert."

2. A word used to express politeness: "Won t you have some cake, please?" "Please sit down and be comfortable by the fire." You could hear hispleasas he tried topleasehis mother in hopes of getting an ext ra dessert. plebeian, proletarian plebeian(pli BEE uhn) A common or ordinary individual or behavior: "He always joked that he was a pleb eian and rode his bicycle to work instead of taking the car." proletarian(proh" li TAIR ee uhn) A person who has low social status; such as, a member of the working class: "Bec ause he lacked a proper education and social existence, he spent his whole life as a poor proletarian." Even though the young man claimed he was a member of theproletarian, he did not haveplebeianmanners. plum, plumb plum(PLUM) 1. The fruit from one of several trees which is smooth skinned and with a large seed or pit in the middle: "We have a plum tree in the garden which yields delic ious yellow fruit." 2. A color that is dark reddish or purple in tone: "Her winter coat was a lovely plum color and looked nice with the white fur collar." plumb(PLUM) 1. A weight on the end of a line, used to determine water depth: "The captain of the ship dropped the plumb to determine the water depth in the river." 2. A weight on the end of a line, used especially by masons and carpenters to es tablish a true vertical: "The builders used a plumb quite often so they could be sure that the structure was straight and not leaning." When the man had to survey the site of the accident, he didn't have a profes sionalplumbwith him; so, he improvised and used the seed of aplumsuspended from a s tring. plump, plumped; plump plump(PLUHMP),plumped(PLUHMP't) 1. To sit, fall, or to lie down in a sudden, awkward, or relaxed way: "She came home and plumped down on the couch in the living room." 2. To shake or to hit something; such as, a pillow, to make it fuller, softer, o r rounder: "When he got into bed, he tried to plump up his pillow." plump(PLUHMP) Having a full, rounded shape; chubby: "Until he was about ten years old, he was a plump little boy." "We ate a plump, juicy peach with our lunch." How do you make thin boys fat? You throw them up in the air and they come do wnplump! After a hard day's work, it is a relief toplumpdown in a comfortable chair wit hplumpedpillows and enjoy a dish of ice cream with slices of peaches that areplumpan d ripe. poise, poise, poised poise(POIZ), noun 1. A calm, confident manner: "Although he was verbally attacked, he responded wi th poise and dignity." 2. A graceful way of walking, moving, standing, etc.: "She was a dancer with gre at poise and grace." poise(POIZ), verb 1. To hold something in a balanced and steady position: "We can see the students poise their fingers over their computer keyboards as they wait for the teacher' s signal to begin the assigned research on the internet." 2. To hold or to support, as in readiness: "The congressional committee wants to poise a new proposal for the health bill." poised(POIZ'd), verb, past tense 1. Not having moved, but ready to move when the situation calls for such action: "All of the actors were poised on the stage prepared to do their parts when the

curtain was opened." 2. Someone who was prepared or ready for something: "The new senator-elect was p oised to take on his new duties." "They were poised to become top scholars in their academic fields." 3. Having been in a state, place, or situation that was between two different or opposite things: "The survivors of the earthquake were poised between strugglin g as survivors and additional devastation." "A Roman gladiator cut the noose that was thrown by an opponent with a singl e slash of his sword while the rope was still poised in mid-air." The politician waspoisedto answer the questions from the press withpoiseeven af ter being attacked for his current political position regarding the war. Poiseis the ability to hide one's anger; or,poiseis the ability to be ill at ea se without showing it. Scintillate, scintillate, globule vivific! Fain would I fathom thy nature specific, Distantlypoisedin the ether capacious, Closely resembling a gem carbonaceous. Did you have difficulty understanding thissesquipedalian versionof the poem? I f so, here it is in a simple format. Twinkle, twinkle, little star! How I wonder what you are, Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky. pole, poll pole(POHL), verb To move an object or person forward using sticks to propel the object or person: "The riverboat operator was able to pole the raft across the river." "The champion skier could pole his way on the slopes with great skill." pole(POHL), noun 1. One of two opposite positions, situations, etc: "The two politicians were eac h on the opposite pole of the argument; in other words, they were poles apart." 2. Either end of the axis of a sphere; such as, the earth: "The arctic explorers planted a flag at the pole to mark their discovery." 3. Either of the two ends of an electric battery: "The directions said to place the positive pole of the battery pointing towards the top of the flashlight." poll(POHL), noun 1. The flat striking end of a heavy instrument; such as, a hammer: "The carpente r used the poll of her hammer to drive the nails into the lumber." 2. The location where votes are cast and or counted in an election: "My voting p oll is just across the street." "My uncle was assigned to my poll when it was time to count the votes after the election." 3. The questioning of individuals typically selected randomly to obtain informat ion or to determine the opinions of the population: "I was contacted by telephon e to complete a poll regarding the upcoming election." 4. A process of an election whereby people are requested to indicate their choic e individually: "The poll on the decision to break for coffee was done by a show of hands." In order to canvas eachpollin the voting district, he had topolehis way across t he river to visit the remote sites, even though he knew that the opposition cand idate was on the oppositepoleof the central issue of taxes. polish, Polish polish(PAHL ish), verbs and nouns 1. To perfect, to shine, to make glossy or refined: "I will use a soft cloth to polish the furniture." 2. To improve something by making it better than it was before: "We need to poli sh up some areas in our project before we can say that we are finished with it." 3. Cultured, not coarse or rude: "Her speech reflected the polish of her fine ed ucation and training."

4. A preparation which is used to clean or to shine furniture, etc.: "I used the polish on the silver plate that my grandmother gave me." Polish(POH lish), adjective Relating to, or referring to, Poland, the Poles, their language, or their cultur e: "Chopin was a famous Polish composer and pianist." It was necessary that wepolishthePolishtables and chairs. pomace, pumice pomace(PUHM is, POHM is) 1. That which has been crushed into a pulp: "The tomato pomace which the farmers made is great in tomato sauce." 2. The residue of material from which the liquid has been removed: "There was a layer of pomace at the bottom of the grape press." pumice(PUHM is) A volcanic stone that is filled with air spaces and is very light, often ground to use as a polishing agent: "There was a pumice stone on exhibition that was fr om Mt. Vesuvius in Southern Italy." "The stone finishers used a fine pumice to polish the stone once it had been cut." The blades of the equipment used to create the thick tomatopomaceneed sharpen ing; so, she will use a finepumicestone to do the job. pommel, pummel pommel(PUHM uhl, PAHM uhl) 1. To beat; to pummel: "The rowdy boys on the playground tried to pommel a group of older boys." 2. The high, round part on the upper front part of a saddle; a saddlebow: "The c owgirl wrapped her lasso around the pommel on her saddle." pummel(PUHM uh) To beat, or the act of beating, as with the fists; to pommel: "The angry crowd w anted to pummel the thief who was trying to get away after knocking the old lady down and taking her purse." The hero of the local myth was said to have rested a heavy stick on thepomme lof his saddle and he continued to carry the stick in case he had topummelany high way robbers. poor, pore, pour poor(POOR) 1. Inadequate, meager, inferior, characterized by poverty, without material poss ession: "The critics agreed that the singer at the concert was a poor choice." "The living conditions for the refugees in the large city were poor." "The children felt very poor because they did not have the latest TV model." 2. Not good in quality or condition; bad: "His poor physical condition makes it impossible for him to find a job." "The driver couldn't see the road sign because his of his poor vision." 3. Used when referring to someone or something in such a way as to show sympathy : "Leave the poor man alone, because he can't help it if he can't walk faster." "I wonder how those poor birds find food during the winter when the snow is covering everything." pore, pores(POHR, POR; POHRZ) 1. As a verb, to study intently, to meditate upon something in a steady manner: "The scholarship candidate was determined to pore over her notes before the exam ination." "I sat quietly in the comfortable chair in order to pore over the sad news f rom home." 2. As a noun, the very small openings in the surface of a plant or animal throug h which matter may pass: "She used a special soap to clean the pores on her skin ." pour(POHR, POR) 1. To rain hard and consistently: "The weather prediction is that there will be a down pour which will last for about three hours." 2. To flow or to dispense from a container: "The maid was careful to pour the te a from the pot into the new cups."

3. To give uninhibited expression to: "The two friends agreed to meet and to pou r out their concerns to each other." 4. To come continuously: "Compliments about the new fashion designs seemed to po ur in every day." The librarian exclaimed, "You poor dear, having to sit in the library all da y toporeover these ancient documents. You must come down to my office so I canpouryo u a cup of tea." poplar, popular poplar(PAHP luhr) Any of a number of quick growing trees which are part of the willow family: "The gardener planted a row of poplar trees along the side of the driveway hoping th ey would grow quickly and provide shade." popular(PAHP yuh luhr) 1. Inexpensive and available to the majority of the population: "The pink sungla sses were very popular among the girls at the local school." 2. Plain, easily understood: "The historian wrote a popular book about local eve nts in the village." 3. Widely accepted or encountered: "It is a popular myth that the moon is made o f green cheese." Apopulartree to plant in gardens and along the side of the roads is thepoplartr ee. populace, populous, population, populist populace(PAHP yuh lis) The people, the masses in a location: "The populace in the mountainous area of t he country enjoy skiing in the winter." populous(PAHP yuh luhs) Having a large number of individuals living in the same location; densely inhabi ted; crowded: "The stadium was populous during the soccer playoffs." population(pahp" yuh LAY shuhn) 1. The entire number of people or inhabitants in an area: "The population of she ep exceeds the population of people in some agricultural countries." 2. A collection of individuals having common characteristics: "The majority of t he population in the city lived in single home dwellings." 3. A sampling of individuals which have been selected for statistical measuremen t: "The poll results reflected the interests of the population in the rural area s of the country." populist(PAHP yuh list) 1. Someone who believes in the rights and wisdom of the common people: "Her poet ry was populist in nature and appealed to the students at the university." 2. A political party which claims to represent the best interests of the common people: "He ran for governor on a populist ticket appealing to the farmers and s hop keepers in the area for their vote." Her poetry had a largepopulistfollowing by thepopulacebecause she spoke about th e concerns and feelings of the ruralpopulation. Here thepopulouswas dealing with d rought conditions affecting their lives. poring, pouring poring(POHR ing) The act of studying intensely: "She was poring over her lesson plans carefully i n anticipation of her first day of teaching." pouring(POHR ing) 1. The act of dispensing a fluid or substance from a container: "The scientist w as very careful as he was pouring the green fluid from one container to another. " 2. The results of a heavy rainstorm: "After a spectacular show of lightning and thunder, it was pouring rain during the afternoon." 3. The act of giving vent to intense emotions and feelings or expressing one's t houghts forcefully: "She was pouring out her grief to her friend as they sat on the bench in the park." She wasporingover her new magazine while she waspouringher morning tea. portion, potion

portion(POHR shuhn) 1. An individual share or part: "Would you like to have a portion of pie for des sert?" 2. A dowry or inheritance: "The heiress' portion of her father's estate was cons iderable, and as a result, many suitors sought her hand." 3. An individual's lot or fate: "Because he broke a window at school, the silly boy's portion was to clean up the playground after school for the next two weeks ." potion(POH shuhn) A drink or a mixture of liquids: "The doctor mixed a potion for her patient to d rink which she said would help his cough." The stepmother who was up to no good, gave her stepson aportionof a secretpotio nwhich she had made for the occasion. pound, pound, pound, pound pound(POUND) To strike repeatedly with force: "Because I did not have a hammer, I used a rock to pound the nail into the board." pound(POUND) The British money unit: "The cashier gave me a pound note as change for my souve nir purchase which I made at the end of my trip to England." pound(POUND) An enclosure for animals: "I went to the pound to find a new kitten for my niece ." pound(POUND) Weight; such as, ounces: "A pound is known as 16 ounces avoirdupois and 12 ounce s troy weight." He wants to purchase a large amount of British money. Wouldn't that be like buying apoundofpounds? Then he wants to go the localpoundwith his hammer, because he needs topoundin a few nails to repair the fence before thepoundfalls apart. practicable, practical, pragmatic practicable(PRAK ti kuh buhl) Feasible, possible: "In theory, it is practicable for me to run the marathon tod ay but in reality, I need more practice." practical(PRAK ti kuhl) 1. Actively engaged in an action or occupation: "She worked as a practical nurse at the hospital." 2. Not theoretical, but useful: "She had a practical knowledge of auto mechanics that she obtained by working in the garage." pragmatic(prag MAT ik) 1. Dealing with the problems that exist in a specific situation in a reasonable and logical way instead of simply depending on ideas and theories: "The teacher' s pragmatic view of education came from years of working in public schools." 2. Relating to issues or matters of fact, often to the exclusion of intellectual or artistic elements: "Her approach to the curriculum at school was strictly pr agmatic, dealing with the basic subjects of math, science, etc." My friend was a nurse who took apragmaticapproach to her work. She often said that it waspracticablefor her to take further training, but she liked her position working as apracticalnurse and planned to retire in a couple of years. practice, practise practice(PRAK tis) 1. To do or to perform habitually or customarily; to make a habit of: "Everyone should practice courtesy in social situations." 2. To do or to perform (something) repeatedly in order to acquire or to polish a skill: "It takes a lot of practice for a tennis player to become successful as a professional." 3. To work at, especially as a profession: "She wants to practice law after she graduates from the university." practise(PRAK tis) Primarily British: To do or to perform something habitually or repeatedly: "He w ants to practise his skills as a computer technician so he can make his living i

n this vocation." It has been her morningpracticealways to dopracticesit ups. She used to be able to do 10, now she can do 20; and when she goes to England, she canpractisethe same exercise routine. praise, prays, preys praise(PRAYZ) 1. To make a favorable judgment or comment: "The critic gave high praise for the new portrait in the art gallery." 2. To glorify or to worship: "The hymn was designed to praise the new church bui lding." 3. As a noun, an expression of approval or admiration: "The praise she received motivated her to do even more to help people." prays(PRAYZ) 1. To make a request in a humble manner: "The minister prays before and after ea ch religious ceremony." 2. To implore: "The student standing before the school official certainly prays that she is not in trouble." preys(PRAYZ) 1. The act of hunting or killing for food: "The wolf preys on smaller animals in order to survive." 2. To raid, to seize, or to commit robbery: "The street ruffian often preys on c hildren going to school, stealing their lunch money." Should a person whopreyson other people for money receivepraisejust because hepr ays? pray, prey pray(PRAY) 1. A function word in the context of a request or plea; "Pray shut the door on y our way out." 2. To address a religious figure; such as, God or a deity, in a manner of suppli cation, adoration, etc.: "The minister requested that the congregation pray to G od with him after the hymn was concluded." prey(PRAY) 1. Victim, someone or something that is helpless: "People who are alone and live in isolation are often the prey of unscrupulous con-artists." 2. An animal which is taken by a predator as food: "The wild owl hunted its prey in the evening when it was almost dark." 3. To seize, devour, commit violence: "The lions might devour their prey for a f ew days before leaving their kill." "The roving bandits were known to prey on the isolated farms in the area." Praydo not feel sorry for her as if she were thepreyof an evil force because he r friends willpraythat it will notpreyon her anymore. precede, proceed, proceeds precede(pri SEED) 1. To go before, to be in front of: "The marching band will precede the parade m arshal's car in the parade." 2. To exceed in rank or degree of importance from someone else: "The rank of cab inet minister will precede that of deputy cabinet minister in the hierarchy of t he government." 3. To occur earlier than something else: "The rally in the stadium will precede the actual start of the game." proceed(proh SEED, pruh SEED) 1. To issue or to come forth from a source in a regulated manner: "The student m arch will proceed from the library to the administration buildings." 2. To continue after interruption: "After extensive applause, the speaker was ab le to proceed with his lecture and illustrated talk." 3. To move along in a designated course; to go ahead, to advance, or to go forwa rd: "The parade will proceed along the streets which will be decorated with colo rful bunting." proceeds(PROH seedz") The total amount of money or profit that is made via an activity: "The proceeds

from the Jumble Sale exceeded all expectations." "The proceeds of the concert will go to charity." "We took the proceeds from the sale of our business and invested then in sto cks." Before weproceed, I think we need to decide what to do with theproceedsof the land sale; so, could weprecedethe final decision with an estimate of the final amo unt that will be coming? precedence, precedents precedence(PRES i duhns, pri SEED n's) A position of superior honor in a formal occasion or ceremonial event; a priorit y: "The president of the university was given precedence in terms of where he sa t during the banquet." precedents(PRES i duhns) 1. That which is done or said and which may serve as examples to justify later p roceedings: "The judge noted there were several precedents in the law books for her ruling at the end of the trial." 2. Activities that are well established and based on practice over time: "Mornin g coffee and afternoon tea are two precedents which are traditions in their offi ce." Theprecedentsat their college dictate that the seating of visiting scholars in the dining hall takesprecedenceover the part time instructors. precedent, president precedent(PRES i duhnt) 1. The occurrence of something that sets an example for others: "He set a preced ent for his employees by coming to work an hour early every day." 2. Custom or activities that have become established over time: "Having a meal b reak at mid-day seemed to be the precedent at my new job." president(PREZ i duhnt, PREZ i dent") 1. An individual who has been elected to serve as the chief of state in a govern ment: "She was the first female president elected to the office in 75 years." 2. An individual who is the chief official or officer in a business or corporati on: "The Board of Directors at the company elected my uncle as President of the Board for a two year term." 3. An individual chosen to lead or preside over a meeting "The president of the parents' organization called the meeting to order." Thepresidentof the company set a newprecedentby inviting all of the employees fo r refreshments in her office on her first day on the job. precipice, precipitate, precipitous precipice(PRES uh pis) 1. An overhanging or extremely steep mass of rock; such as, a crag or the face o f a cliff: "He stood on the edge of the precipice as he looked down at the villa ges." 2. A point where danger, trouble, or difficulty begins: "The company is on the e dge of a financial precipice." precipitate(pri SIP i tayt") 1. To bring about before expected or needed; to hasten the occurrence of: "He mu st not have been aware that he was about to precipitate a quarrel about the mean ing of the word." 2. Hasty, rash, without due deliberation: "The precipitate act was a cause for m uch regret." 3. To send someone or something suddenly and rapidly into a particular state or condition: "Her mother's sudden death could only precipitate a severe family cri sis." precipitous(pri SIP i tuhs) 1. Very steep and perpendicular: "It was a precipitous slope." 2. Happening in a very quick and sudden way: "There has been a precipitous decli ne in home sales recently." "People were shocked by his precipitous fall from political power." The bank president'sprecipitousdecision will probablyprecipitatea jumping off of theprecipice(figuratively speaking) by the manager unless his decision is careful

ly reviewed. preclude, prelude preclude(pri KLOOD) To make impossible or to rule out: "Because she injured her hand, it will preclu de her performing on the piano this evening." prelude(PREL yood", PRAY lood", PREE lood) 1. An action or event that serves as an introduction to a primary event or occas ion: "The performance by the school choir was the prelude to the president of th e school board's speech on music in the schools." 2. A musical selection that serves as an introduction to a larger musical compos ition; such as, an opera or oratorio: "When I went to the opera, I had just a mi nute or two to read the program before the orchestra played the prelude." As apreludeto going on their vacation, the father decided to have the car chec ked toprecludeany possible difficulties. predicate, predicate, predict, predictive predicate(PRED i kayt") To state or to affirm as an attribute or quality of something: "The preacher's s ermon made efforts to predicate that people who follow the teachings of Christ a re true Christians." "He tends to predicate his theories on faulty assumptions." predicate(PRED i kit") The part of a sentence that expresses what is said about the subject: "In the se ntence,The child threw the ball, the subject isThe childand the predicate isthrew th e ball." "Sentences normally have two basic parts, asubjectand apredicate." "The simple subject is the principalnounorpronounthat tells what a sentence is a bout; while, the simple predicate is theverborverb phrasethat tells something about the subject"; for example, "Penguins dive." In most sentences, the meaning of the simple subject and the simple predicat e is expanded or modified by the addition of other words and phrases. The comple te subject consists of the simple subject andall the words that modify itwhile the complete predicate consists ofthe simple predicateandall the wordsthat modify or co mplete it; for example: "The penguins of Antarctica dive hundreds of feet." A compound predicate has two or more verbs or verb phrases that are joined b y a conjunction and have the same subject or subjects: "Diane and Jimwill washthe dishes,mopthe floor, andcookdinner." predict(pri DIKT) To foretell a future event based on reason or experience: "The meteorologist's j ob is to predict the weather to the best of his ability using weather maps, etc. " predictive(pri DIK tiv) Characteristics that foretell a situation: "High blood pressure could be a stron g predictive of future heart problems." The speech that the educational critic for the newspaper made seemedpredicti veof the future of grammar and creative writing in the schools. She attempted topredictthat children will no longer know what apredicateis and she tried topredicateher theories on the recent test scores from the schools. premier; premire, premiere premier(pri MIR, pree MIR) First in importance, position, rank or time: "The leader of the political party was appointed as premier after an election among his peers." "The new film was given the premier position on the schedule at the film fes tival." premire(pri MIR, pri MEER) The first exhibition or performance of something: "The artist worked hard to org anize her paintings for the premire which was scheduled in December." premiere(pri MIR, pri MEER) The first appearance of an actor, or actress, in a lead role: "Saturday was the

premiere for my aunt who was staring in a new play written especially for her." Yesterday was thepremireperformance of her friend's play as well as thepremierefo r the main actress. Her friend is consideredpremieramong the local playwrights. premise, surmise premise(PREM is) 1. That which is set forth ahead of time as an introduction to a discussion, etc .: "The premise of the suffragette movement was that women were entitled to the same rights and responsibilities as men." 2. Property upon which a building may be placed; a building: "With the windfall from the lottery, she decided to purchase a premise upon which to build a school ." 3. Something that is taken for granted or assumed: "It was the premise of the ci ty hall that there would be no opposition to higher taxes next year." surmise(suhr MIGHZ) To imagine or infer something based on thin or flimsy evidence: "Do not surmise I can swim just because I like to exercise in the swimming pool." There is apremisedown the street that is to be developed as a park, including a swimming pool. Isurmisethat there are plans for life guards, too. prescribe, proscribe prescribe(pri SKRIGHB) 1. To provide or write an order for medications or recommendations: "I asked my doctor to prescribe physiotherapy for my sore wrist." 2. To indicate or to dictate rules that are to be followed: "The school principa l decided to prescribe new play ground rules for the pupils." proscribe(proh SKRIGHB) 1. To prohibit or to condemn as harmful: "The village elders determined to prosc ribe smoking in the public buildings." 2. To make something illegal or to prohibit certain things: "The principal said he would proscribe the use of cell phones in school." 3. To publish the name of an individual who is condemned to death or whose prope rty is forfeited to the government: "The internal newsletter at the prison prosc ribed the list of inmates each week." When he asked the doctor toprescribepain killers for his injured ankle, she ag reed, but said that she would alsoproscribestrenuous physical activity for at leas t a month. prescribed, required prescribed(pri SKRIGHB'd) 1. Specified with authority: "The driver's handbook prescribed the consequences of driving without a valid driver's license." 2. To have required the use of something as a remedy: "The doctor prescribed a w eek in the mountains as a remedy for the patient's asthma." required(ri KWIGHR'd) 1. To have an essential or compelling need for something: "The animals required fresh water every day." 2. Expected as suitable or appropriate: "A black tie was not required at the for mal dinner but my friend was embarrassed because his polka dot tie was too infor mal." 3. That which has been made necessary for someone to do: "The taxi driver carrie d a special license, as required by the law." He isrequiredto take theprescribedtraining course before he can become a therapi st. presence, presents, presents presence(PREZ uhns), noun 1. A quality of poise and effectiveness that facilitates a relationship between individuals: "The presence of the speaker encouraged a warm response from the au dience when she read her poetry." 2. The immediate proximity of something or someone: "I could feel an eerie prese nce when I walked through the graveyard after dark." 3. The sense that something is close by: "Her presence was felt throughout the r oom because of her charming personality."

presents(PREZ uhnts), noun Something that has been given to someone; especially, as a way of showing affect ion: "I received three presents for my birthday." "We gave her two books as presents for her help." presents(pri ZENTZ), verb 1. To formally introduce or to announce: "The butler presents each of the guests to the host as the guests arrive at the party." 2. To give wards or certificates: "The school principal always presents certific ates for good citizenship to certain students during the end of school ceremonie s." 3. To describe or to show someone or something in a particular way: "She present s herself as a very ambitious candidate." Thepresenceof the agency's president at the retirement party for his colleague made him anticipate that certificates andpresentswould be awarded. The presidentpr esentsherself as an outgoing and friendly person. present, present, present present(PREZ uhnt) A moment or period in time perceptible as intermediate between past and future; now: "Past, present, and future are all linked together." "Let's leave things as they are for the present." "There's no time like the present for getting things done!" present(pri SENT) 1. To formally talk about something one has written, studied, etc. to a group of people: "The chemist wanted to present his report to the committee." 2. To make something available to be used or considered: "The defense lawyer wil l present evidence refuting the charges against his client." 3. To show something to someone: "Her sister was told that she would have to pre sent her passport when she was ready to cross the border." present(PREZ uhnt) Something that is given to someone; especially, as a way of showing affection or thanks: "He gave her a book as a present." "The couple received a wedding present from a friend in France." It is said that there is no time like thepresent, so I thought it was time to presentthepresentto my wife now. presumably, supposedly presumably(pri ZOOM uh bli) To guess to be true without specific facts; an assumption: "I did not listen to the weather report but presumably it will be sunny this afternoon." supposedly(suh POHZ uhd li) Pretended, alleged, make believe, a mistaken belief: "She was supposedly my best friend and I could not believe she would tell lies about me." "Supposedly we should be able to drive to the city and home again in three h ours." Supposedlyhe was to have started the new job last week. He had hoped to recei ve the contract to sign two weeks ago;presumably, it has been delayed in the mail . presumption, presumptive, presumptuous presumption(pri ZUHMP shuhn) 1. The inference of fact based on information that is based on other factual inf ormation: "The lawyers agreed on the presumption of certain information based on the hospital reports." 2. A belief or attitude based on probability: "In my country, there is a presump tion of innocence until proven otherwise in the legal system." 3. Audacious or discourteous: "It was a presumption on his part to think that te nnis shoes were appropriate for the luncheon at the hotel." presumptive(pri ZUHMP tiv) Embryonic, small, or immature in nature, but capable to developing normally: "Sh e was the heir presumptive to a fortune whenever she would complete her educatio n." presumptuous(pri ZUHMP choo uhs)

Stepping out of bounds of appropriate and expected behavior: "His loud and crude language was considered presumptuous in the quiet of the library board meeting. " It ispresumptuousof him to say anything to the press about thepresumptionthat t he prison was going to close because any discussion about prison closings is sti ll in itspresumptivestages. pretend, portend, portent, potent pretend(pri TEND) 1. To give a false impression; to make believe: "When we were children, my siste rs and I used to dress up and pretend to be fairy princesses." 2. To make a false claim or assertion: "We will pretend we have tickets and hope to go to the parade." portend(por TEND, pohr TEND) To give a sign in anticipation of something, an omen: "The dark clouds over the bay seem to portend a storm." portent(POR tent", POHR tent") That which foreshadows an event in a prophetic manner: "The arrival of the seagu lls in the farmer's field often is the portent that it will rain in about two ho urs." potent(POH n't") 1. Powerful; mighty: "The police proved to be a potent fighting force." 2. Producing powerful physical or chemical effects: "He used a potent drug to fi ght the cancer." 3. Having or exercising great power or influence: "The higher interest rate was a potent factor in the economy." Thepotentstatus of the newly elected mayor is aportentthat he willpretendto be a friend of the people; however, some of his statementsportendhidden taxes and a cu t in services for the future. prevent, hinder prevent(pri VENT) To keep from happening or succeeding; to deprive of hope or power: "The flat tir e on the car will prevent us from going to the movies tonight." "The birth of the prince will prevent the revolutionaries from taking power from the king." hinder(HIN duhr) To delay, to impede, to make progress difficult: "The heavy snow drifts on the r oads will hinder the progress of our car going across the hills towards our town ." The fact that a major report is due tomorrow willhindermy ability to meet with you this evening; however, it will notpreventme from having lunch with you next w eek. preventative, preventive preventative(pri VEN tuh tiv) Actions taken to deprive something from succeeding: "Getting a flu shot now is a good preventative measure so I won't become ill later." preventive(pri VEN tiv) Actions taken to forestall or to keep something from happening: "Careful crop ma nagement is a preventive measure in terms of soil erosion." The agronomist urged the farmers to takepreventativemeasures regarding soil nu trient depletion. He suggested that crop rotation is onepreventiveaction. preview, purview, purvey preview(PREE vyoo") 1. An advance showing, as of a movie or art exhibition, to which a selected audi ence is invited before public presentation begins: "We had the opportunity of se eing the movie at a special preview." 2. An introductory or preliminary message, sample, or overview; a foretaste: "Th e magazine includes a preview of the newest fall fashions." purview(PUR vyoo") 1. The range of operation, authority, control, concern, etc.: "The CIA drones wo n't cease operating, but a separate group of drones will now be under the purvie

w of the Defense Department and, for the first time, will be allowed to venture beyond the border areas." 2. The full scope or compass of any document, statement, subject, book, etc.: "T he moral dilemmas of the early settlers are beyond the purview of this book." purvey(puhr VAY, PUR vay") To publish or to pass on news or information; especially, gossip, scandal, or ot her kinds of information that people generally feel should not be circulated: "T he blog kept trying to purvey personal information about well-known people." Will you allow me topreviewyour new book? I see thepurviewis the development of settlements along the river. Once I have had the opportunity topreviewyour book, with your permission, I wi llpurveymy impressions to a wide audience. pride, pried pride(PRIGHD) 1. A gathering of lions: "On our safari, we saw a pride of lions." 2. Justifiable self esteem: "She felt a great deal of pride at her accomplishmen ts as a painter." 3. Delight or pleasure in one's own accomplishments or of another individual: "H e took great pride in his daughter's success as a conductor of the orchestra." 4. Disdainful behavior or treatment towards others: "His pride towards his neigh bors tended to blind him to their friendliness." pried(PRIGHD) 1. To have opened or exposed with difficulty: "My sister pried my secret recipe for cookies from me." 2. To have pulled something apart by using a lever: "Using a crow bar, my brothe r pried open the buried treasure chest." It was with greatpridethat hepriedthe lid off the old paint can without spilling the paint all over himself. prier, pryer; prior prier, pryer(PRIGH uhr) Someone who pries, especially a person who is unduly interested in the affairs o f others: "She was always known as a prier into what her son was doing when he w as away from home." prior(PRIGH uhr) 1. Existing earlier or preceding in time or order: "He had a prior history of ba ck problems." "We can't join them for dinner next Friday because we have a prior engagemen t with another family." 2. More important than something else because it came first: "They have a prior claim to the property." 3. A monk who is the head of a religious house or order: "We went to visit the p rior of our local monastery." 4. A previous time of being arrested for or found guilty of a crime: "The suspec t had a prior conviction as a robber." Priorto his being transferred, thepriorat the local abbey was notorious for bei ng aprierinto the affairs of the people in the village. pries, prize pries(PRIGHZ) 1. To use a tool as a lever or to force open something: "He usually pries open t he wooden boxes with a small crowbar." 2. Trying to find out about other people's private lives or snooping into the af fairs of other people: "She always pries into my business which upsets me." prize(PRIGHZ) 1. Something offered or won as an award for superiority or victory, as in a cont est or competition: "My grandmother won an authentic wooden shoe as the prize in a spelling contest." 2. Something worth striving for; a highly desirable possession: "Winning the sch olarship prize was worth all the hard work and practice." Theprizeat the Carpenters Competition was the latest tool to use when a personp riesthe lids off paint cans.

prince, prints prince(PRINS) 1. A male person of high standing in his profession: "As an actor, he was a prin ce among his peers." 2. The male child of a king; an heir to a royal throne: "Even though he was a pr ince, he was allowed to attend the local school and make friends among his class mates." prints(PRINS) 1. Copies or reproductions of original works of art: "At the shop in the art gal lery, I bought several prints of my favorite painting to give as gifts to my fri ends." 2. Original works of art intended as a reproduction and completed under the supe rvision of the original artist: "In my art history class we learned that many fa mous artists employed apprentices to paint prints of their famous paintings." 3. To create copies of something by hand or machine: "The new photocopier at the office prints very nicely." 4. To make letters of something by hand: "My sister is just starting school and she uses a pencil when she prints her name." It was easy to see the messyprintsof theprincebefore he washed his hands after w orking on his wet-clay sculptures. When told at the camera shop that her photographs were not back from the dev eloper, the woman began to sing: "Some day myprintswill come. . . ." principal, principle principal(PRIN suh puhl) 1. Most important or influential: "He was the principal financial backer of the railroad project." 2. The individual who has significant authority and leadership in an educational institution: "My aunt was the principal at the local high school for almost ten years before she retired." 3. The star or leading performer in a play or movie: "She had the principal role in the newly discovered play by Shakespeare." 4. Money that is used to fund an undertaking, not including interest accrued: "T he principal is in the bank and I am using it to pay the bills." 5. The primary source of information: "The principal source for my research was the letters and documents which were located in the library archives." principle(PRIN suh puhl) 1. A comprehensive rule or code of conduct: "The main rule or principle of the c ompany was declared to beintegrity." 2. An underlying quality or characteristic of something: "The famous writer had a principle which involved doing careful research before starting work on a nove l." 3. Characterized by adherence or devotion to appropriate behavior: "He was descr ibed as a man of principle in terms of his business transactions." 4. The laws of science that underlie the operation of an artificial device: "The water wheel operated on the principle that falling water would hit the paddles and turn the wheel." The professor said that his main code of conduct, or hisprincipal principle, was to make sure that his students would have every opportunity to improve their vocabulary skills. For more information and mnemonic explanations for determining the appropria te usage of these words, visit thisprincipal, principle, page. prodigal, profligate prodigal(PRAHD i guhl) 1. Characterized by extravagant, wasteful, lavish behavior: "His prodigal behavi or about the food left from the banquet upset many people." 2. An individual who spends foolishly or extravagantly: "Despite winning the lot tery, he was a prodigal and was soon poor again." profligate(PRAHF li git, PRAHF li gayt") An individual who always acts in a dissipated or wildly extravagant manner: "The king's son was a profligate and not liked by others in the court who feared he

would bankrupt the treasury." Theprofligateruler of the ancient kingdom proved to haveprodigalhabits and wast ed the valuable resources of the land. prodigy, progeny prodigy, noun (PRAHD uh jee) 1. An individual who is considered to be very talented, often in reference to a child: "Mozart was considered a child prodigy." 2. Something that is an extraordinary or unusual accomplishment or event: "The c ompletion of the massive symphony was nothing short of being a prodigy." progeny, noun (PRAHJ uh nee) Offspring, children, followers or successors: "The list of my grandparents' prog eny is extensive and includes me." It is not always true that theprogenyof a famousprodigyare all as equally talent ed. produce, produce produce(proh DOOS) 1. To make something; especially by using machines: "The company will produce th ousands of cars." 2. To show something or to cause something to appear or to be seen: "He had to p roduce his ID for the security guard before he was allowed entrance into the bui lding." produce(PROH doos) Fresh fruits and vegetables: "We will be going to buy produce at the market tomo rrow." Our farm helped toproduceneededproducefor people to buy at the market. profile, profile, profiling profile(PROH fighl"), noun 1. The shape of a head or face that is seen or drawn from the side: "The woman's profile is very unusual." 2. A brief written description that provides information about something or some one: "The article provided a profile of the shooter's background and attitudes r egarding the family that he killed." 3. Used to describe the amount of attention that someone or something is given o r desires: "She tries to maintain a low profile around the university while her friend does everything she can to get a high profile." "I try to keep a low profile around here so people won't notice me." profile(PROH fighl"), verb 1. To give brief description that provides information about someone or somethin g: "The newspaper wants to profile the organization that is donating so much tim e to helping the poor people in their community." 2. To provide information about potential terrorists or other criminals: "Securi ty organizations apparently were not very efficient in collecting the necessary profile of the man who tried to blow up the passenger air craft." profiling(PROH fighl" ing), noun 1. Recording a person's behavior and analyzing psychological characteristics in order to predict or to assess his/her ability in a certain sphere or to identify a particular group of people: "The store wanted to do some consumer profiling s o its management could determine the best procedures for increasing a profitable year." 2. The act or practice of regarding particular people as more likely to commit c rimes because of their appearance, race, etc.: "Some people are accusing certain law enforcement officials of using racial profiling which disproportionately ta rgets people of color for investigation and enforcement." "Criminal profiling is used mostly by behavioral scientists and the police t o narrow down an investigation to those suspects who possess certain behavioral and personality features that are revealed by the way a crime was committed." I saw an article that stated thatprofilingserial killers is supposed to be an art, but it's not. It's certainly not a science. The entireprofilingsystem; such a s, thoseprofilesproduced by the Behavioral Sciences Unit of the FBI, is based on i nterviews with an insufficient number of criminal subjects.

These days, toprofilepeople for potential criminal acts is an important factor in protecting the people. Aprofilemust be sufficiently composed soprofilesandprofil ingcan be properly utilized. profit, prophet profit(PRAHF it) 1. To gain benefit: "I know I will profit by going to summer school this year." 2. Income typically over a specific period of time: "The profit on her investmen t this year was significant and she was pleased." 3. Money obtained by selling something for more than the cost of production or m anufacture: "The company made a significant profit by deciding to buy the raw ma terials from local farmers rather than to import what they needed." prophet(PRAHF it) 1. An individual who can foretell future events or happenings: "The farmer was v iewed as a prophet when he warned his neighbors about the coming hail storm." 2. An individual who is credited with writing Holy Scripture; for example, the O ld Testament in the Christian Bible; "The Prophet was revered for his knowledge, understanding, and explanations of God's messages to mankind." 3. A spokesperson or leader for a group or a cause: "My uncle was seen as a prop het among climate change advocates." Many aprophethas been known toprofitfrom his prognosticator's successful renditi ons. The bestprophetof the future is the past. E. C. McKenzie Aprophetis a man who is not honored in his own country, because people grow ti red of hearing him say, "I told you so." Evan Esar program, pogrom program(PROH grahm"; PROH gruhm) 1. A listing of the order of events and other pertinent information for a public presentation; schedule, order of events, things to be done, agenda, plan; timet able; prospectus: "Today's program includes a tour of San Francisco." 2. List of players, list of selections: "The ushers gave everyone a program for the evening's performance." 3. Show, presentation, production; series: "They indicated that there would be a change in the program for the fall television schedule." 4. Schedule, arrange, book, slate, bill, calendar; design, intend, expect: "They will program her to appear on the show next week." pogrom(puh GRAHM; POH gruhm) A planned campaign of persecution or extermination sanctioned by a government an d directed against an ethnic group; especially, against the Jews in Tsarist Russ ia: "With the success of the Bolshevik Revolution, pogroms ceased in the Soviet Union; they were revived in Germany and Poland after Adolf Hitler gained power." The wordpogromis a Russian term, originally meaning "riot", which came to be a pplied to a series of violent attacks on Jews in Russia in the late 19th and ear ly 20th centuries. The local theater has scheduled a creative and challengingprogramthis year inc luding a play about apogromin Poland that took place in the last century. prop, prop, prop prop(PRAHP), verb To support something by placing an object against something else or by placing s omething under it to keep it from falling or shaking: "He was asked to prop the window open to let some fresh air in." "Would you prop the garage door open so it won't slam shut, please." prop(PRAHP), noun 1. Someone or something that gives help or support another person or something e lse: "She used her inheritance money as a prop to finance her business." 2. Something which is used to support an object: "Her father used rocks to prop up the fence post until he could fill the hole with dirt." prop(PRAHP), noun 1. A piece of theatrical property that is used by a performer or actor to create

a desired effect in a scene on stage or in a movie: "The actor used one prop af ter another to create the effects desired by the director." 2. A slang term for an airplane's propeller: "The prop had to be replaced before the pilot could fly his aircraft." Although the actor tried topropup the stagepropwhich represented an airplaneprop, he could not keep it from falling over; so, he signaled another actor to be apro pfor the stage property. prophecy, prophesy prophecy(PRAHF i see) The work of an individual who seems to be inspired with a spiritual will or purp ose: "The prophecy of the local saint was recorded in the church annals." prophesy(PRAHF i see) 1. To speak as if inspired by a divine thought: "He stood on the street corner t o prophecy about the dangers of dance halls and beer consumption." 2. To predict seemingly on the basis of mystical knowledge: "It was her prophecy that there would be a severe rain storm and flood during the coming summer." The localprophetmade aprophesythat was so true that an article in the newspaper praised theprophecyas a miracle. propose, purpose propose(pruh POHZ) 1. To make a request or suggestion for marriage: "My friend was determined to pr opose marriage to the girl he loves." 2. To suggest or to bring forward a plan to accomplish something: "The city engi neer was determined to propose the building of a new bridge." 3. To bring an idea to an individual or a group for discussion: "I would like to propose that we take this discussion down to the beach." 4. To nominate: "The committee of peers will propose the name of the professor t o be granted the fellowship to study polar bears." 5. To toast or to acknowledge in a speech: "The master of ceremonies rose to pro pose a toast to the retiring member of the board." purpose(PUR puhs) 1. Having a meaningful aim or goal: "His purpose in going to a university was to become a lawyer." 2. A subject for discussion or for accomplishment: "The purpose of the meeting a t city hall was to discuss raising property taxes." 3. Determination: "He had a purpose in his steps as he walked down the hall to t he office." Thepurposeof this meeting is toproposea merger of two of the branches of this in dustry as a cost saving measure. pros, prose pros(PROHZ) 1. Professionals in an area of endeavour: "The three retired golf pros got toget her every year to play another game." 2. An indication that an affirmation for something has been accomplished: "After the vote, the chair of the meeting indicated the pros had won." 3. An argument in favor of something: "The jury had to weigh the pros and cons o f the case while deciding a recommendation to the court." prose(PROHZ) 1. Ordinary language used by people everyday including both spoken and written e xpressions: "She spoke in clear prose so her neighbors could understand her expl anations." 2. Written in a simple and unimaginative manner: "When writing her autobiography , the famous singer used simple prose to convey the reality of her life." The members of the literary jury had to weigh theprosand cons of each article ofprosethat was submitted to the contest. prosperity, posterity prosperity(prah SPER i tee) Characterized as being successful, enjoying economic well being: "The town enjoy ed a new prosperity when the factory was built and the young people were being e mployed."

posterity(pah STER i tee) Including all the descendants of a lineage or family: "He lived frugally so that his posterity could enjoy an easier life style." The Captain of Industry worked hard to bringprosperityto the town. His goal wa s that hisposterity, including his sons and daughters, would continue the careful planning and investment which he had initiated. prostate, prostrate prostate(PRAHS tayt") An organ found in men and male animals that produces the liquid in which sperm i s carried: "At the time of his annual check-up, the doctor checked his patient's prostate for cancer and informed the man that he had an enlarged gland but that he did not have cancer." prostrate(PRAHS trayt") 1. Lying flat without the energy or power to get up: "After the long hike in the heat, the hikers lay prostrate in the shade, resting and sipping water slowly." 2. Demonstrating a helplessness or submissive posture: "The condemned prisoner a ssumed a prostrate position, hoping for clemency from the judge." A physician once said that it is preferred that a man beprostratebefore the ur ologist can examine hisprostate. prosthesis, prostration prosthesis(prahs THEE sis) An artificial device used to replace a body part; such as, a limb (leg or arm): "The occupational therapist helped her client learn to walk with the new prosthe sis which she needed after losing her left leg in a boating accident." prostration(prah STRAY shuhn) The result of someone becoming weak or powerless: "The campers suffered from hea t prostration and exhaustion." The patient found it difficult to adjust to the newprosthesis; in fact, he sa t down in a state ofprostrationat the end of his first therapy session. prosthetic, prostatic prosthetic(prahs THET ik) A reference to the branch of surgery dealing with the replacement of missing bod y parts, such as a hand, arm, leg, etc.: "The soldier was fitted with a prosthet ic leg to replace the one he lost as a result of the explosion." "A prosthetic replacement is a substitute for lost parts of the body resulti ng from disease or injury, particularly for the purpose of restoring the functio n of that part of the body; for example, a bridge of false teeth is a dental pro sthetic." prostatic(prahs TAHT ik) A reference to the prostate gland, an organ found in men and male animals that p roduces the liquid in which sperm is carried: "Many men and male animals suffer prostatic problems; such as, prostatic calculus, prostatic plexus, prostatic can cer, prostatic urethra, etc." After he recovered from hisprostaticcancer, her uncle returned to the medical school to studyprostheticsurgery because he was inspired by the injuries which his brother had received in the recent Afganistan conflicts. protean, protein protean(PROH tee uhn, proh TEE uhn) 1. Exhibiting great diversity: "The population in the city could be described as protean, as reflected in the more than 150 different languages that were spoken in the schools in the city." 2. Readily able to assume different characters or forms: "The friendly ghost in the house was a bit of a protean, appearing sometimes like a puppy and other tim es like a wisp of smoke." protein(PROH teen", PROH tee in) Any of a number of naturally occurring or synthetic complex amino acids essentia l for all living cells: "I eat eggs and cheese instead of meat to get my protein for the day." The food guide issued by the health department included a list ofproteanways to getproteinin our diets without necessarily eating lots of meat.

providence, province providence(PRAHV i duhns, PRAHV i dens") A reference to divine guidance or direction: "It was by divine providence that t he ship did not sink after it hit an iceberg." province(PRAHV ins) 1. The proper or characteristic function of something: "Balancing the budget is the province of the accountants." 2. An administrative division of a country or district: "The Province of Ontario in Canada is large and the capital city of the province is Toronto." 3. The division of a country outlining the jurisdiction of an archbishop: "The p rovince for the administration by the archbishop included the Far North." We may have to seek divineprovidenceif we hope to understand the division of t axes between the governments of eachprovinceand the national government and the ci ty governments. prude, prudent prude(PROOD) An individual who appears excessively attentive to proper behavior or decorum: " The school principal seemed such a prude when it came to noise in the hallways d uring recess." prudent(PROOD n't) Behavior that is described as circumspect or showing careful and wise judgment: "Her prudent management of household expenses meant they could go on vacation." She didn't mean to sound like aprude, but she was convinced that it would bepr udentto evacuate the town before the cyclone strikes. psychiatrist, psychologist, psychometrician, psychotherapist psychiatrist(si KIGH uh trist, sigh KIGH uh trist) A medical doctor who specializes in the study of mental and emotional issues or problems: "It takes many years of advanced medical studies to become a psychiatr ist." psychologist(sigh KAHL uh jist) An individual who has studied the mental and behavioral characteristics of an in dividual or group but who does not have a medical degree: "As a psychologist, my sister works in schools where there are many children with difficult behaviors. " psychometrician(sigh kahm" i TRISH uhn) 1. An individual who is a psychologist and who is trained in the administration and interpretation of objective tests administered to help professionals underst and the behavior of individuals who may be having mental, emotional, and behavio ral problems: "The psychometrician was very good with young children and gained their cooperation during the testing procedures." 2. A psychologist who deals with the design, administration, and interpretation of quantitative tests for the measurement of psychological variables; such as, i ntelligence, aptitude, and personality traits: "They had a psychometrician who g ave guidance for their son who was having problems adapting to his university re sponsibilities." psychotherapist(sigh" koh THER uh pist) An individual who is trained to use the principles of psychology to work with in dividuals with mental and/or emotional problems: "The psychotherapist who worked with my cousin was very sensitive to her concerns." The woman was concerned about the well being of her friend; so, she urged hi m to get a referral from hispsychiatristto see apsychometricianwho was also a well knownpsychologist. Thepsychometricianadministered several tests the interpretations of which were to try to help her friend to understand his psychological problems. At the end of the assessment period, thepsychologistrecommended that her frien d meet regularly with apsychotherapist. punk, punk punk(PUNGK) 1. A light, brownish, spongy preparation that burns very slowly, usually made fr om fungi: "He used a stick of punk to light the fireworks."

2. Decayed wood used in a dry state for tinder: "We used some punk on the fire t o keep us warm." punk, U.S. slang (PUNGK) 1. Poor or bad in quality: "He was told that he did a punk (punky) job of painti ng the walls." 2. In poor health; not well: "I am so punk (punky) today that I can't do anythin g." 3. An individual who is perceived to be too loud, rude, violent, or misbehaving: "Why can't that punk behave himself?" Thepunkthat we bought at the bargain counter in the discount store proved to b e just that,PUNK, and not good for anything. pupil, student, scholar pupil(PYOO puhl) 1. The round opening in the iris of each eye which contracts or opens depending on the kind of light to which it is exposed: "The ophthalmologist used a special magnifying flashlight to peer through each pupil of the patient's eyes." 2. A child or youth who is being taught in a school or by a tutor: "The new tuto r presented her pupil with drawing paper and pencils." student(STOOD n't, STYOOD n't) An individual who attends school with the purpose of learning: "My aunt was a st udent of entomology and often went to the meadow to study the butterflies there. " "She was the newest student to enroll at the craft school." scholar(SKAHL uhr) 1. An individual who has done advanced studies in a specific area of study: "Her son was an eminent scholar studying the flight patterns of birds." 2. An individual who has received an award typically accompanied by cash to enab le the person to study a specific area: "She was a prize winning scholar who rec eived a prestigious scholarship to study art in Italy." The internationally recognizedscholarhad in fact been astudentat our local high school. I realized she was apupilof mine when I taught there many years ago. puttee, putty puttee(puh TEE, PUHT ee) A strip of cloth that is wrapped around the leg from the ankle to the knee or a legging made of leather and fastened around the leg with laces or straps: "When he wore his full uniform, it included the white cloth puttee around each of his legs and his plumed helmet." "The leather puttee felt soft and comfortable when he fastened it around eac h of his legs." putty(PUHT ee) 1. A sticky substance often made of whiting and linseed oil used to fasten glass into window panes or to fill cracks in wood: "The glassier used putty to instal l a new pane in the window frame because the old one was broken." 2. A color that is brownish gray: "The naval ships were painted a putty color wh ich was a perfect disguise on the ocean." 3. Someone who is easily manipulated: "He was so in love, he was like putty in h er hands." 4. Any of a variety of sticky substances used to fill cracks or to mend items: " The plumber used a special putty to repair the leaky pipes under the sink." The colors of his uniform were subdued; theputteeon each leg was a brownish gr ay, just like the color ofputty. rabbet, rabbit, rabid rabbet(RAB it) 1. A groove cut into the surface of an item designed to match another piece so t hey can be joined: "The joiner cut a rabbet in the piece of cherry wood as he wa s building the new cabinet." 2. To cut a groove in the surface of an item: "To rabbet the piece of fine mahog any requires patience, care, and the proper tools." rabbit(RAB it)

1. Any member of the family of mammals characterized by long ears, soft fur and strong rear legs: "We watched the rabbit hop across the lawn." 2. The pelt or skin of such an animal: "My new cloak is made of soft rabbit fur. " 3. A member of a track team who sets the running pace for other team mates as pa rt of a long distance run: "My cousin trained to be the rabbit for the cross cou ntry racing team." rabid(RAB id) 1. Very violent, going to extremes in terms of expressing one s emotions and feeli ngs or opinions: "She was a politician with rabid supporters." "She became almost rabid in her defense of her pet rabbit s chewing behavior w hen visiting her friend." 2. Affected with rabies: "We were fearful of a rabid dog that was running around in the neighborhood." As he was taking a break from making therabbetfor the piece of furniture he wa s constructing, the joiner noticed arabbitbeing chased by what seemed to be arabiddo g. rabble, rubble, rubber, rubbish, ruble, rabble(RAB uhl) 1. A disorderly and unorganized group of people: "The rabble gathered in the tow n square to demand the end of the monopoly on coal." 2. An iron bar, usually with a bent end, used to rake, to stir, or to puddle mel ted iron: "At the smelter, the worker using the rabble to rake the melted iron r equires extensive training." 3. To stir or to mix something by using an iron bar: "He tried to rabble the mel ted iron but it was not hot enough." rubble(RUHB uhl) 1. Broken fragments of something which is often useless: "The pile of rubble lef t over from the building construction project needed to be hauled away." 2. Worn or broken stones, etc. that are used as filling in the construction of w alls: "The stone mason saved the rubble from his work to be used later when the wall was built." 3. Unfinished stone from a quarry: "The sculptor used the rough piece of rubble from the quarry to carve a beautiful statue." rubber(RUHB uhr) A strong substance that stretches and which is made out of chemicals or from the juice of a tropical tree: "He will be wearing rubber gloves and safety goggles while driving a car with rubber tires through the circle of fire during the exhi bition." rubbish(RUHB ish) Useless or rejected material; trash: "The trucks will collect the rubbish on Tue sday." ruble, rouble(ROO buhl) A Russian coin: "After my vacation in Russia, I saved a ruble as a reminder of t he great time I had there." At the construction site, the worker used arubberhandledrabbleto break up the ce ment intorubblewhich was consideredrubbish. The worker was paid withrublecurrency whi ch was put directly into his bank account. race, race race(RAYS) 1. A current of water flowing through a narrow channel, often in an industrial c ontext: "The mill race was created by damming the river and diverting the flow o f the water." 2. A contest of speed based on a set course and specific time frame: "The cross country race was set to begin this afternoon and the runners would pass through both flat land and hills before returning to the starting gate." 3. A rivalry or contest between two or more groups with the goal of winning some thing; such as, a pennant: "The two colleges participated in an annual race for the pennant and the prize money."

4. A track or groove through which something slides or rolls: "The ball bearings rolled down the race and into the gear box for the car." 5. To run or participate in a competition based on speed and timing: "The team d ecided to race in spite of the mist and cold weather." 6. To move at maximum speed: "My cousin will race his car around the track in ho pes of breaking the speed record." race(RAYS) 1. A family or group of people united by common characteristics or interests: "T he Nordic race has a history of bravery and seafaring explorations." 2. A grouping of people sharing traits that are passed on through generations an d whose traits have become distinctive to that group: "Typically the Aboriginal race in North America has darker hair than Europeans." The descendants of an ancientracescheduled aracedown theraceof the local river. rack, wrack rack(RAK) 1. High clouds that are blown about by the wind: "We could see the rack of cloud s moving across the sky." 2. An instrument or tool designed for torture so as to cause extreme pain: "The museum had an example of a rack that was used for torture during the Middle Ages ." 3. The manger for holding food for livestock: "The rack was filled with fresh ha y for the cattle." 4. A net or framework to be placed in a river to catch fish or floating matter: "The forester installed the rack in the polluted stream in hopes of gathering up the flotsam that was floating in the river." 5. Antlers, typically in sets of two, from such animals as moose: "There was a f ine rack of antlers displayed in the museum of wild life from the park." wrack(RAK) 1. Violent destruction of something: "The storm is so violent tonight I fear it will cause the wrack of the quay in the harbor." 2. Seaweed or kelp: "We watched the people of the seaside village harvest wrack and sell it as a crop." "Once I had somewrack pie, an experience I never want to repeat." 3. To ruin or to destroy completely: "With the loss of the livestock, the farmer felt he was on the road to wrack and ruin." To stave off totalwrackand ruin, the local people collectedwrackto sell to the l ocal dairy. In addition, they planned to design an artisticrackresembling therackfo r cattle to be used to hold magazines. racket, racquet racket(RAK it) 1.A clattering noise or excitement: "We could hear quite a racket in the hall and wondered what was going on." 2. An illegal scheme or enterprise involving fraud: "He was a member of a crimin al racket." 3. Light weight sports equipment consisting of a handle at one end and a net of thread or gut in an oval shape at the other end which is typically used to bat a tennis ball or a badminton shuttlecock back and forth with an opponent: "I use an aluminum racket which has helped improve my tennis game considerably." racquet(RAK it) An alternative spelling forracketusually occurring in the plural to refer to a gam e involving two to four players; including, a racket (racquet), a ball, and play ed within a walled court: "My sister and I played a game of racquet ball (racket ball) every day and were the local champions." Please stop theracket, I am trying to concentrate on theracquetgame on TV. There are those who say tennis is nothing more than aracket(with a ball) and a s far as the players are concerned,love meansnothing. raid, rayed raid(RAYD) 1. A hostile or surprise attack typically involving a small force: "The children tried to raid the cookie jar but their mother stopped them."

2. A sudden invasion or daring operation typically carried out by officers of th e law against suspected criminals or wrong doers: "The police captain led the ra id against the river pirates and captured the leader." 3. The recruitment by a company or business of personnel from a competitor: "The personnel officer staged a corporate raid of senior employees from a competing company." 4. To swindle public funds; an attempt to depress the stock market by selling of f a lot of stock: "The corrupt town treasurer attempted to raid the treasury and to defraud the townspeople." "The bank managers were manipulating the stock market by deciding to raid th eir bank stock." rayed(RAYD) 1. To have emitted radiation: "The laboratory equipment rayed the specimen for a brief period of time." 2. To have extended outward from a central focus: "In her primitive drawing, she drew yellow lines showing how the light rayed from the sun towards the earth." 3. To have been exposed to or placed in the path of radiation: "The scientist wa s very upset because the box of specimens had accidentally been rayed by an unsk illed technician." The activities of the illegal gang hadrayedinto the corporate world where ther e was a scheme toraidpublic funds. Their activities were curtailed when the police scheduled araid. The criminal s protested saying that they were only planning a corporateraidin order to recruit new members. rail, rail, rail rail(RAYL), noun 1. Any of a number of wading birds (Rallidae) similar to cranes but typically sm aller with short round wings and long toes for running in the mud of the swamps where they live: "We went on a bird expedition and saw a rare rail in the swamp. " 2. The fencing for a racetrack: "The crowd pressed against the rail during the e xcitement of the race." 3. A pole extending between two posts and whose function is to create a barrier: "The new rail at the gate was painted bright red." rail(RAYL), noun 1. One of the bars of steel that form a train's track: "The workers found a crac ked rail on the intercity train track today." 2. A system of traveling by train: "They have to travel back and forth from thei r town to the city by rail every working day." rail(RAYL), verb 1. To complain angrily about something: "The old man felt he had to rail at the doctor because as a patient he waited two hours and was still unable see anyone for a medical examination." 2. To use harsh or abusive language: "We could hear the actress rail against the director even though we were not in the room." 3. To install fencing: "The project of the day was to rail the corral for the ho rses that were being delivered next week." Don'trailat me because therailat the racetrack is broken; instead, why not form a committee andraila more securerail. The committee agreed and returned to the city byrail. rain, reign, rein rain(RAYN) 1. To give in an abundant manner: "During the holidays, her relatives tend to ra in presents on her because she is the only child." 2. Drops of water formed by the condensation of vapor and which falls from the a tmosphere: "As we stood by the window, we watched the rain begin to fall on the lawn." "It started to rain before we could put up our umbrellas." reign(RAYN) 1. The time during which an individual who is considered royalty holds political

influence or control: "The reign of the king lasted over forty years and was be lieved to be a peaceful time in the country." 2. To possess a position of presumed authority, often without much actual politi cal influence or power: "She will reign as consort until her son is old enough t o be the king." 3. To be prevalent or commonly occurring: "At the end of the school year, the re ign of confusion was wide spread as the students cleaned their lockers and said goodbye to their friends and teachers." rein(RAYN) 1.A controlling or restraining influence: "He kept a tight rein on the finances o f the town so there would be no wasteful spending." 2. Unhampered opportunity: "She was given free rein in planning the party for th e end of the year." 3. The strap which is fastened to the bit in an animal's mouth and by which the animal is controlled or directed: "She held each rein for her horse in her right hand as she mounted it." 4. To stop or to slow oneself or an animal: "He had to rein in his enthusiasm fo r the new bookbecause he was about to bore all his friends." You may want toreinin your enthusiasm at the start of thereignfor the new ruler. Your spirits might be dampened with the prediction ofrain; however, the start of a newreignmay be the signal torainthe newrulerwith gifts, including areinfor is favor te horse. rains, reigns, reins rains(RAYNZ) 1. Giving or distributing in a generous manner: "Every Christmas season good wil l rains in our community." 2. The downpour of water from clouds: "It rains at least three times a week in t he rain forest." reigns(RAYNZ) 1. Time periods that an individual rules a country often through a hereditary pr ocess: "The reigns of the three kings extended for more than 150 years." 2. To exert power or management of an institution or place: "She reigns supreme in her kitchen." reins(RAYNZ) 1. Slowing or stopping oneself or an animal: "We noticed that although the horse is very lively, the rider reins him in very well." 2. The straps attached to the bit placed in the mouth of animals for the purpose of guiding or restraining them: "She holds the reins loosely in her hands while she is driving the team and wagon." When you have spoken the word, itreignsover you. When it is unspoken, youreignov er it. Arabian Proverb Throughout thereignsof the great lords, the members of parliament have held th ereinsof power and a sense of peace and securityrainsthroughout the land. raise, rays, raze raise(RAYZ) 1. To lift something or someone to a higher position: "A small box to stand on w ill raise the speaker so she can speak comfortably into the microphone." 2. To elevate in terms of status or position: "The promotion will raise my colle ague to a managerial position at the factory." 3. An increase in the amount of money paid for a task or undertaking: "With her new position, my friend asked for a raise in her salary." 4. To enhance or to invigorate: "Such a sunny day will raise her spirits." 5. The process by which funds are collected for an undertaking: "We hope to rais e a large sum of money to contribute to the children's charity." 6. To bring an animal or child to maturity: "There is a saying which indicates t hat it takes a village to raise a child." 7. To question or to bring forth a topic for discussion or debate: "He said he w ould raise the question of new prices for bus tickets at the next board meeting. "

8. To cause the creation of a blister or sore: "If I do not wear gloves when I r ake leaves, the friction will raise blisters on my hands." 9. To increase the bid or offer on something: "At the auction, the auctioneer at tempted to raise the bids on the priceless piece of silver." 10. To increase or to cause the elevation of the level or baseline of something: "The heavy rains will raise the level of the river." "The landlord told her that he was going to raise her rent significantly nex t year." rays(RAYZ) 1. Any of a number of fish with flattened bodies and their eyes appearing on the flat upper surfaces: "We could see a colony of rays drifting in the bay from ou r boat." 2. Beams of light: "The sun rays shined through the window illuminating the room and making it feel warm and comfortable." 3. Lines drawn from a common center: "She depicted the sun by drawing several ra ys emanating from the round yellow circle in the corner of her picture." raze(RAYZ) To demolish, tear down, or to reduce something: "The bull dozers will raze the g rove this afternoon to make way for new buildings." "The carver used a small knife to raze the surface of the block of wood he w as working on so he could make an ornament." They had torazethe old building and build a new one before the sun srayswouldn'tra isethe temperatures so much. A landlord told his tenant, "I'm afraid I will have toraiseyour rent." The ren ter responded by saying, "I wish you would; I'm sure I can'traiseit." raised, razed raised(RAYZ'd) 1. To have lifted or elevated something or someone to a position higher than ori ginally indicated: "Her election as mayor raised her status among her colleagues and included a raise in salary." "The crane raised the box from the floor to the shipping dock." 2. To have collected funds in support of an undertaking: "She was surprised to r ealize that she had raised enough money for her trip by selling her homemade coo kies at the Farmers' Market." 3. To have cultivated, to have influenced, or to have brought an individual to a point of maturity: "She raised her son to love books and to use the library reg ularly." "Listening to the radio broadcasts of opera every weekend raised her interes t in this style of singing and she bought tickets often to attend her favorite p resentations." 4. To have created a sore or blister: "I raised a blister on my foot because my shoes were too tight." 5. To have caused an increase in the cost of something: "The merchant raised the price of the carpet when he realized that the tourist was interested in buying it." 6. To have caused the elevation or base level of something: "She raised her test performance scores significantly by studying every day after school." razed(RAYZ'd) To have torn down or destroyed something: "When he returned from his vacation, h e was surprised to see that his favorite building had been razed and a golf cour se was being built in its place." Heraisedhis eyebrows in astonishment at the equipment the crew used as the old building wasrazedto the ground. He thought the Committee to Save the Old Building hadraisedsufficient funds to protect it; however, inflation seemed to haveraisedthe costs for everything. rake, rake, rake rake(RAYK) A long-handled implement with a row of projecting teeth at its head, used especi ally to gather leaves or to loosen or smooth earth: "In the fall, the gardener u sed a rake to tidy the yard before the snows came."

rake(RAYK) 1. To slant or cause to incline from the perpendicular: "The stage designer deci ded to rake the stage for the opera in such a manner that it made it difficult f or the singers to walk easily." 2. The angle between the cutting edge of a tool and a plane perpendicular to the working surface to which the tool is applied: "The blacksmith repaired the brok en rake so the farmer could complete his chores." rake(RAYK) A man who leads an immoral life and is mainly interested in physical pleasure: " Our handsome neighbor became a selfish rake when he grew older and was not welco me in our family home." The oldrakeused araketorakethe lawn. rally, rally rally(RAL ee), verb 1. To call together for a common purpose to support or to oppose something; to a ssemble: "The senator's political party will rally tomorrow afternoon to support his re-election." 2. To reassemble and to restore to order: "As the deadline approached, the Capta in worked to rally the troops before the next attack." 3. To rouse or to revive from inactivity or decline: "We were hoping that our te am would rally in the fourth quarter and win the game." rally(RAL ee), noun 1. A public meeting to support or to oppose someone or something: "Protesters st aged a rally to push for greater efforts by governments to come up with solution s to solve global warming conditions." 2. An increase in price or value after a decrease in such values: "The stock pri ces improved after the U.S. dollar's rally in today's trading." The call went out over the internet and twitter torallyall the students at ther allytomorrow. We want torallythe students from their apathy which has resulted from the high cost of tuition. ramp, ramp, rant ramp(RAMP) 1. An inclined surface or roadway connecting different levels: "She increased he r speed as she entered the ramp leading onto the highway." 2. A mobile staircase by which passengers board and leave an aircraft: "The airl ine steward stood at the base of the ramp, assisting the passengers as they depa rted from the plane." 3. A concave bend of a handrail where a sharp change in level or direction occur s; such as, at a stair landing: "She held onto the ramp as she went down the sta irs to make sure that she wouldn't fall." ramp(RAMP) To increase or to cause something to increase in speed, size, etc.: "The work st arted slowly, but now they will ramp it up to full speed." "The company will simply have to ramp up production in order to complete the orders." rant(RANT) 1. To talk loudly and in a way that shows anger: "You can rant and rave all you want, but it's not going to change anything." 2. To complain in a way that is unreasonable: "Just about every day we had to li sten to his rant about the evils of the auto industry." Sometimes arantcan achieve a purpose. His aunt used torantabout the lack of arampa t the doctor's office; now, not only is there arampfor her wheelchair, but also ara mpfor her to hang onto. rap, rap, wrap rap(RAP) 1. A sharp blow or criticism: "The critic wrote a powerful rap about the new pla y, describing it as slow paced and boring." "The teacher delivered a rap on his knuckles because he tried to blame his f riend for the broken window." 2. A criminal charge or adverse consequence for an action: "He took the rap for

having been involved in the hold up at the gas station." 3. To make a short, abrupt sound: "He would often rap his baton on the music sta nd so he could get the attention of the orchestra players." 4. The least or minimum interest: "He does not care a rap about the rock concert that is coming to town next week." rap(RAP) 1. A type of music that has words that are spoken with rhythm instead of being s ung: "They listen mostly to rap these days." 2. To perform rap music or a rap song: "He plans to rap with the band tonight." wrap(RAP) 1. A piece of clothing, typically worn as a coat or covering: "She has a new wra p to wear to the concert next week." 2. To embrace or to encircle: "She tried to wrap her little cousin in a big hug but the child ran away to play." 3. To put on a piece of clothing: "She would wrap herself in the heavy jacket be fore going outside into the cold." 4. To enfold, to bundle, or to conceal: "They will wrap the delicate china in ma ny layers of paper before putting it in a box." She bought a recording ofrapmusic to send to a friend. Although she doesn't us ually care arapfor it, she willwrapand mail it to him next week. rapped, rapt, wrapped rapped(RAPT) To have caused a short, sharp blow or hit: "The highway man rapped on the window with his crop to get the attention of the beautiful girl who was waiting for hi m." rapt(RAPT) Completely or wholly absorbed as in thought, or carried away with emotion: "She listened to the singer with rapt attention, scarcely breathing." "He felt rapt and tearful when he listened to the dirge being played on bag pipes." wrapped(RAPT) 1. To have put on clothing, typically to be warm: "She wrapped herself in a volu minous cloak against the strong wind." 2. To have packaged something carefully: "The large painting was wrapped in seve ral layers of canvas to protect it during transit." 3. To have complete control over someone: "She has him wrapped around her little finger; that is, she controls him completely and he always does what she wants him to do." When she started to work on repairing the book shelf, her first thought was that she had better payraptattention to what she was doing or she could haverappedhe r thumb with the hammer and then she would need to have itwrappedwith a bandage. rappel, repel rappel(ra PEL) To descend a steep slope or vertical face using a rope that is secured at the to p and passed through a series of coils or a harness around the body: "One of my hobbies was to rappel down a steep incline by using a double rope secured above and placed around my body, usually under my left thigh and over my right shoulde r as I moved it out gradually in my descent." repel(ri PEL) 1. To ward off or to keep away; to drive back: "While camping, we constantly had to repel insects; especially, mosquitoes." 2. To offer resistance to; to fight against: "Our troops were making efforts to repel an invasion by the terrorists. In the high adventure story that he was reading, the hero had torappeldown th e cliff to warn his friends in time torepelthe attack by the enemy. rapper, wrapper rapper(RAP uhr) 1. An individual who taps or hits against something: "We wondered who the rapper could be who was knocking on the window." 2. An individual who performs African-American music in which the lyrics are cha

nted to the accompaniment of music: "As I walked through the park, I stopped to listen to the rapper who was sitting on a bench and performing." 3. A door knocker attached to the door by a hinge: "I thought the ornamental rap per on the door looked just like my uncle." wrapper(RAP uhr) 1. A papercover of a book that is not attached to the book itself: "The colorful wrapper on my new book enticed me to read the book right away." 2. An article of clothing that is worn closely around the body: "She wore a colo rful wrapper in the morning when she ate her breakfast before she dressed for th e day." 3. An individual whose responsibility it is to enfold an object in a protective covering: "For my holidays, I worked as a wrapper in the gift department at the department store." Thewrapperat the department store was very proud of the fact his former classm ate was now a famous musicalrapperand entertainer. rare, scarce rare(RAIR) 1. A reference to describe the degree of cooking for a piece of meat allowing th e center of the piece to remain red: "I always order my steak rare when I go out for dinner." 2. Distinguished by unusual merit or appeal: "At the gallery, we viewed the rare collection of ivory miniatures." 3. Superlative, seldom occurring: "We saw a rare bird while we were out on a hik e." scarce(SKAIRS) 1. Intentionally not present: "The children were told to make themselves scarce when the parents were decorating the house." 2. Limited quantity in comparison to the interest or demand; so, not easy to pro cure: "The grocer reported that lemons were scarce at this time of year." In our art store, there is ascarcesupply of copies of therareprint made by the I talian print master of the last century. rational, rationale rational(RASH uh nuhl) 1. Having good judgment: "She was a rational person and did not make hasty decis ions." 2. Sane, lucid, and able to make sound judgments: "The doctor indicated that the patient was rational and should not be detained in the hospital." 3. Having the ability to explain in a sensible manner: "Our explanation for bein g late seemed rational to us but not to our parents." rationale(rash" uh NAL) The underlying explanation or reason for a situation: "The president of the comp any explained his rationale for the layoffs at the factory." "My friend explained the rationale behind his early retirement, but I still can't comprehend the rationale for his decision." Therationalethat my normallyrationalfriend gave me for getting her speeding tick et was unbelievable. ravage, ravish ravage(RAV ij) 1. Violent damage or destruction: "We were afraid that the severe winds would ra vage the countryside." 2. To cause reckless destruction: "The revolutionaries marched across the city p lanning to ravage the palace of the king." ravish(RAV ish) 1. To be overcome with emotion: "I was told that the beauty of the valley would ravish my soul." 2. To take away or to seize with violence: "The police investigated an accusatio n by the woman that the man tried to ravish (rape) her." The destruction by the sudden storm seemed toravagean entire city block; so, I was afraid to go downtown to survey the damage for fear it would emotionallyravi shme.

raven, ravin, ravine raven(RAY uhn) 1. A large shiny black bird found in Europe, North America, and Asia: "We watche d the raven glide above us in the clear sky." 2. To eat or to feed in a greedy manner: "He was so hungry after his long hike t hat he started to raven his meal, taking large mouthfuls at a time." ravin(RAV uhn) The act of seizing something as prey: "The large black raven swooped down over t he field in an attempt to ravin the small field creatures." ravine(ruh VEEN) A small and narrow valley that has been created by a river, but not as large as a canyon: "There is a ravine across the street from my home where I frequently g o hiking." She noticed that a large blackravenlived in theravinenear her home; so, one morn ing she watched itravina small animal in the tall grass. She felt sad but she also remembered that theravenwas a wild bird and toravinin theravinewas one aspect of its way to exist. read, red read(RED) 1. Having examined and grasped the meaning of written or printed characters, wor ds, or sentences: "She read the newspaper earlier this morning before she went t o work." 2. To have gained information through the perusal of information available in pr inted, written, or computer form: "I have read the entire list of words and real ize that I did not always know the definitions." 3. To have reviewed something looking for potential errors: "I read the printer' s proofs of my new book and was very pleased." 4. To have ordered or reprimanded severely: "Our mother read the riot act to us because we refused to go to bed when she told us to do it earlier." red(RED) 1. A color that is part of a visible spectrum and resembles blood or a ruby ston e: "The red candy dish my mother gave me was a lovely glass dish on a silver ste m." 2. A term used to describe an economic or financial loss: "The company was in th e red last year and the possibility of a turn-about in the near future is minima l." Hereada large book with aredcover. It was an account of how the theater company wound up in theredbecause the management had notreadthe interests of the patrons co rrectly. read, reed read(REED) 1. Having the ability to examine and to grasp the meaning of written or printed material in a given language or notation: "Her latest novel is a good read." 2. To peruse or to look over something carefully: "I will read the author s notes after I complete reading the book." 3. To follow a course of study at school or independently: "I fully intend to re ad the classics when I go to school next semester." reed(REED) 1. The process of making corrugations; such as, on the edge of a coin: "He was a famous engineer who developed the machine to reed the coins for the mint." 2. Any of a number of tall grasses that often grow in wet areas and frequently h ave jointed stems: "This is an example of a reed from the marsh and as a group t hey provide a sanctuary for many birds." 3. A wind instrument made of a hollowed piece of wood: "She played in the reed s ection of the orchestra." 4. Part of the equipment needed when setting up a loom which is used to space th e warp threads evenly: "Her husband made the reed which she used when she was se tting up her loom in anticipation of weaving a blanket." Those who don'treadhave no advantage over those who can't. E. C. McKenzie

The ancient Egyptian book hereadwas written on papyrus which was made from aree dthat grew near the river and one of the illustrations in the book showed a godli ke figure playing on areedinstrument. readable, legible readable(REE duh buhl) Printed or written information that is interesting to peruse: "She just publishe d a very readable mystery book." legible(LEJ uh buhl) That which is capable of being deciphered: "She had very legible handwriting bec ause she practiced when she was in school." While writing areadableshort story for the local newspaper contest, she used h er mostlegiblehandwriting. real, reel real(REEL) Existing, factual, or genuine: "Her real name in this real world really does exi st." reel(REEL) 1. A cylindrical device on which something is wound; such as a reel of thread, s tring, or cord, etc. is wrapped around: "He bought a new rod and fishing reel." 2. To pull something in: "She wanted to reel in a fish that she caught by turnin g the reel of a fishing rod." 3. To be shocked, confused, and upset: "She could only reel and stagger from the sudden death of her husband." When we went fishing, we had arealgood time using thereelto pull in the fish. reality, realty reality(ree AL i tee) 1. Something that necessarily exists or must be: "The availability of fresh wate r is a reality of life." 2. The overwhelming sum of events and things: "The reality of the situation is t hat we were lost and so we arrived home very late." 3. The quality or state of existence: "My dream to be a nurse became a reality w hen I graduated from the university." realty(REE uhl tee) Property that may include land and/or buildings: "In her will, my mother left me her realty which included her house, a cottage, and the farm." There's a newrealityshow on TV which is all about therealtymarket. realize, know realize(REE uh lighz") 1. To accomplish: "She began to realize her dream of being a pilot by taking fly ing lessons on the weekend." 2. To cause or to appear to be in existence: "She was able to realize her charac ters in her book through careful descriptions." 3. To be completely aware of a situation: "He seemed to realize the danger he wa s facing by choosing to cross the desert by night." know(NOH) 1. To have direct information about something: "I know for a fact that my examin ation is next week." 2. To be convinced or aware of the truth about something: "After reading the bud get report, I feel I know what the real situation is at the company." 3. To have a straightforward, practical understanding of something: "I know how to bake bread and it is my latest hobby." Do yourealizethat weknowjust about nothing when it comes to international financ e? ream, ream ream(REEM), as a noun 1. A measurement of a quantity of paper, typically 500 individual sheets of pape r to a package: "We bought a ream of green paper on which to print the announcem ents." 2. A very large amount; usually used in the plural: "There were reams of materia l to read before going to the meeting."

ream(REEM), as a verb 1. To enlarge or to widen a hole using a specifically designed tool (reamer): "T he plumber had to ream the drain pipe so the water could drain properly." 2. To squeeze the juice out of fruit: "I will use the juicer to ream the oranges so we can have fresh orange juice for breakfast." It will take areamof fresh oranges toreamenough juice for everyone to have a lar ge glassful in the morning. rear, rear rear(RIR) 1. The part of something which is opposite to or away from the front part or it is the back part of something: "There are two bedrooms at the rear of the apartm ent." 2. The part of a military deployment usually farthest from the fighting front: " The troops were redeployed from the camp at the rear where their weapons were up graded for the next attack." rear(RIR) 1. To care for during the early stages of life; for example, animals, or an anim al, and children, or a child: "The parents tried to rear their children so they would be polite and well-mannered." "The woman wanted to rear her dog to be obedient and friendly." 2. To lift upright or to raise: "We could see the cliff wall rear way above us." The race horse owner was careful torearhis horses so they would notrearup if th ey heard a loud noise. He also kept the horses in therearpart of the barn where it was quieter. rebound, redound rebound(ree BOUND) 1. To bounce or to spring back after impact with another object: "The ball will rebound from the wall of the indoor ball court if you hit it hard enough." 2. A sharp increase or recovery: "There was a sharp rebound of prices on the sto ck market today." 3. The reaction to a set back or disappointment: "The gossip was that she was on the rebound from a broken engagement to be married." redound(ri DOUND) To have a particular result, used especially to describe how something affects s omeone or something or affects the opinion that people have about someone or som ething: "It will redound to his credit that he worked so hard to prevent this cr isis." The positiveredoundof his decision to invest in the stock market was that his stocks experienced a significantreboundin value. recede, reseed recede(ri SEED) 1. To move back or away from: "The train seemed to recede into the distance as w e were watching." 2. To return the ownership of something to the previous owner: "The ownership of the farm will recede to the old man who used to live there." reseed(ri SEED) 1. To sow or to plant new seeds on a piece of land: "After the construction was completed, we had to reseed our front lawn." 2. To plant an area through the natural distribution of seeds: The grass was all owed to mature so that it would reseed the pasture naturally." Once the flood watersrecede, the farmers will have toreseedtheir fields. receipt, recipe, reseat receipt(ri SEET) A written acknowledgment of something delivered or given to an individual or bus iness: "I had to sign the receipt for the delivery of the bricks to build the pa tio in my garden." "Open immediately upon receipt of the letter and remember that the enclosed form should be completed and returned within 30 days of receipt." recipe(RES uh pee") 1. A set of instructions for doing something; "I saw a new recipe for chocolate

cake that I want to bake." 2. A formula or steps to take for achieving something: "She seems to have found the recipe for success in her writing." reseat(ree SEET) To provide a different place to sit, for example at a concert: "The usher will r eseat us during the intermission because there is a post blocking our view of th e pianist on stage." While we were staying at the charming Bed and Breakfast our seats at the bre akfast table were designated; however, I didn't want to sit next to the window, so our host agreed toreseatme. We had such wonderful muffins I asked for therecipeand signed areceiptwith our host, promising always to follow the directions exactly as specified. recent, resent, resent, rescind recent(REE suhnt) Relating to time or events happening not long ago: "The recent headlines in the newspaper were very disturbing." "She is a recent university graduate who made a recent change in where she i s living." resent(ri SENT) To cause to be sent out or returned again: "The package that was returned will n eed to be resent once the address is corrected." resent(ri ZENT) To express ill will or displeasure at something: "The speaker announced, 'I rese nt the implications of that question'." "They resent being told that they are too old to continue working." rescind(ri SIND) 1. To annul by canceling or recalling: "The publisher decided to rescind his pre vious decision to cancel the book order and agreed to send out 600 copies to the book store." 2. To end (a law, contract, agreement, etc.) by officially stating that somethin g is no longer valid: "The company decided to rescind its offer of pay raises be cause of the poor economic situation." At therecenttown hall meeting, the owner asked the town torescindthe tax bill o n his factory. The townspeople called out: No! No! Weresentthat! It's unfair! Unf air!! recitation, resuscitation recitation(res" i TAY shuhn) 1. The act of reading out loud: "The poet gave a public recitation of her most f amous writings." 2. The act or process of enumerating information: "When asked by the teacher for his report, the youth gave a recitation of the facts about earth quakes." resuscitation(ri suhs" i TAY shuhn) The process by which someone is brought back from a state of unconsciousness: "T he paramedics were able to provide emergency resuscitation to the patient so he could be transferred to a hospital." In the middle of herrecitation, the poet suddenly fainted. The paramedics pro videdresuscitationand she was revived and, amazingly, she was able to complete herr ecitation. recluse, recuse recluse(REK loos", ri KLOOS) 1. An individual who has chosen to withdraw from society by living in solitude: "During her retirement, she became a recluse and rarely went out in public." 2. Characterized by a withdrawal from social contact: "His recluse behavior was accentuated by his unusual costume when he did go out in public." recuse(ri KYOOZ) 1. In law, to object to, to protest, or to challenge a judge, juror, etc.: "He w as dissatisfied with the judicial process and sought to recuse the judge on the basis of incompetence." 2. To disqualify oneself from acting in a particular situation: "The mayor sough t to recuse herself from the committee because of a personal conflict of interes

t." Recusalis the process by which a judge is disqualified on the objection of ei ther party (or disqualifies himself or herself) from hearing a lawsuit because o f self-interest, bias, or prejudice. The oldreclusewho lived in the barn tried torecusethe plan by the city council t o tear down the barn and to build a retreat for holiday goers. reek, wreak reek(REEK) To have a very strong and unpleasant odor: "The reek of the stinking garbage in the kitchen was more than we could tolerate and so was the added reek of smoke i n the room." wreak(REEK) 1. To inflict vengeance or punishment upon someone: "The gangs will wreak mayhem in the city if they are not brought under control." 2. To express anger, malevolence, or resentment: "The boy's father will wreak hi s anger on his son when he finally gets home tonight." 3. To cause something very harmful or damaging: "The storm is expected to wreak (and even wreck [REK]) havoc and extensive damage along the coast today." I saw the stormwreakhavoc in the farmers' fields; and after that, the prevaili ng breeze really didreekof rotting crops. reference, reverence reference(REF uhr uhns, REF ruhns) 1. A written or verbal statement describing the qualifications of an individual, typically prepared by someone who is well acquainted with the applicant: "The r eference letter for the candidate was outstanding." 2. The act of mentioning something in speech or in writing: "He made reference t o the agreement he made with the company regarding his retirement." 3. A source of information:"The index in the book provided the specific referenc e for which I was looking when doing my research." 4. A published work that provides extensive information on many subjects: "A dic tionary is an excellent reference when looking up multiple meanings of words." reverence(REV uhr uhns) 1. Devoted respect or honor for an individual; "The congregation showed a revere nce towards the woman who had been their pastor for many years by endorsing her appeal for funds for hungry children in the community." 2. To treat with respect or honor: "We had reverence for our parents as they gre w older." In the speech which she gave on Fire Fighters Day, the speaker madereferenceto thereverencewe owe our local fire fighters and their commitments to our community . refind, refined refind(REE fighnd) To get or to experience for more than one time: "He tried to refind his youth by going on a cross country trip with his motorcycle." refined(ree FIN'd) 1. To have improved to be more precise or exact: "She refined her essay carefull y before submitting it for publication." 2. To have overcome vulgarity or coarseness: "She came from a terribly impoveris hed background but the opportunity to go to school really refined her ability to speak and to act in an acceptable manner." 3. To have removed impurities: "The chemical process refined the ore into pure s ilver." In his essay, herefinedhis story-telling technique to enhance the mythology su rrounding the tale of the middle-aged man seeking torefindhis youth while hiking t hrough the outback of Australia. reflects, reflex reflects(ri FLEKS) 1. To return or give back an image: "The new mirror reflects the colors in the r oom in a fresh manner." 2. To think in a calm and quiet manner: "She always reflects on her goals and he

r progress towards her goals." 3. To cause or to bring about a specific characterization: "His comment about hi s opponent reflects well on his sense of integrity and fair play." 4. To express a thought or opinion based on extensive thinking and pondering: "A fter an extensive period of seclusion, she reflects her observations and suggest ions to her friends." reflex(REE fleks") 1. An automatic response to a stimulus: "When the ball was thrown at me, my firs t reflex was to shut my eyes." 2. Something that a person does without thinking as a reaction to something: "Di sagreeing with my suggestions seems to have become a reflex for my working colle ague." His automaticreflexto say "NO" certainlyreflectson his attitude towards new idea s and suggestions. refuge, refugee refuge(REF yooj) A place of shelter and protection in times of crisis: "The church is often seen as a refuge for troubled individuals." "The lady sought refuge in the library when she wanted peace and quiet." refugee(ref" yoo JEE) An individual who leaves a situation of stress or crisis and seeks protection an d shelter elsewhere: "My aunt was a refugee from the flooded areas of the countr yside." The floodrefugeesoughtrefugein the hills above the river. refuse, refuse refuse(ri FYOOZ) 1. To say that one will not accept something; such as, a gift or offer: "He deci ded to refuse the job offer because the pay was insufficient." 2. To say or to show that a person is not willing to do something that another p erson wants him/her to do: "After several attempts to get the woman to explain h er bad behavior in the restaurant, she continued to refuse to answer the police officer's questions." "Sometimes the public will refuse to accept the truth about bad eating habit s and that the lack of exercise can cause obesity." 3. Not allowing someone to have something: "The embassy continued to refuse the reporter a visa to visit the country." refuse(REF yoos) 1. Something like paper, trash, or garbage that has been thrown away: "The truck will be coming soon to pick up the cans full of refuse and to take them to the dump." 2. Items or material discarded or rejected as useless or worthless; rubbish: "We have to clean up the house and get all of that refuse into the dumpster." The city dump is just too full; so, it may be necessary for city officials t orefuseany morerefusefor awhile. I absolutelyrefuseto let you put yourrefusein my back yard. regal, regale, regalia regal(REE guhl) Suitable for royalty; a kind of excellence: "The hotel was so elegant it looked regal to my appreciative eyes." regale(ri GAYL) To entertain or to amuse (a person or people) by telling stories describing expe riences, etc.: "After dinner, our father used to regale us with stories of his c hildhood." "My friend would often regale her party guests with stories of her adventure s in Africa." regalia(ri GAYL yuh, ri GAY lee uh) Symbols of royalty; decorations or insignias of one's position or office: "The q ueen's regalia included a long train, a crown, and a sceptre." "Because she was the mayor, my aunt wore the regalia of her office, includin g a heavy chain around her neck."

Her cousin used toregaleus with tales about theregaliathat was worn by the parti cipants at the costume ball. She said they all looked veryregal. regime, regimen, regiment regime(ray ZHEEM, ri ZHEEM) 1. A regular pattern for activities or behavior: "At boarding school we followed the regime of showering with cold water." 2. To describe a form of authority or governance: "The current regime at the off ice is very strict about overtime." regimen(REJ uh muhn, REJ uh men") A regular or systematic plan or structure of activities, typically intended to i mprove one's health: "During the winter she tries to follow a careful regimen of diet and exercise." regiment(REJ uh muhnt) 1. A military unit typically composed of several battalions: "When my uncle was in the army, the dress colors of his regiment were green and purple." 2. To organize in a rigid and regulated manner: "For a joke, my sister tried to regiment her cats for the school parade." 3. To subject to uniformity: "The school principal attempted to regiment the pup ils into neat rows of ten." The establishedregimeordered a newregimenfor theregimentin terms of their parade d uties. register, registrar register(REJ i stuhr) 1. A written book or system of public records and information: "The election reg ister was kept in a locked safe when the office was closed." 2. The vocal range of a singer s voice or that of an instrument: "The register of the singer's voice of three octaves was amazing." 3. Formally to sign up for or to enroll for something: "When I stayed at the hot el, I had to register at the front desk before I could get a key to my room." "I plan to register for three lecture courses this summer." 4. To suggest or to convey an impression: "Her name did not at first register wi th me and I was embarrassed when I realized that she was one of my former teache rs." "My drama teacher taught me how to registersurprisein my face." registrar(REJ i strahr", rej" i STRAHR) The official of an educational institution responsible for maintaining records o f student enrollment, applicants for admission, and academic records: "The offic e of the registrar was located in the same building as the president of the univ ersity." Theregistrarat the university helped her toregisterfor the classes that she want ed to take next year. repassed, repast repassed(ri PAST) 1. To have returned or to be sent in the opposite direction: "Because the postal code was missing on the letter, it was repassed to the sender and would have to be sent again with the appropriate information." 2. To accept or to adopt for a second time "After much discussion and several re visions, the new tax measure was repassed at city hall." repast(ri PAST) A meal or feast: "The repast at the new restaurant lived up to the reputation of the chef." "Our friend offered us a light repast before we started our trip." After the bylaw wasrepassedby the city councillors with amendments, they all w ent to the cafeteria for arepastto celebrate their accomplishments. reported, retorted, reputed reported(ri PAWRT'd, ri POHRT'd) 1. To have made a written or verbal account of something: "The radio reported th at there was a bad accident on the highway." "The gym instructorreported on the new equipment for the gymnasium." 2. To herald the presence or arrival of something: "The cabin boy had climbed to

the crow's nest on the ship and reported that land was in sight." 3. To bring a matter that had been under consideration back to a group for furth er discussion and recommendations: "The chairperson reported the recommendations for energy conservation to the mayor's committee." 4. To give a formal accounting for something: "The treasurer reported a balance in the city's accounts for the previous year." retorted(ri TORT'd) To have replied or answered back particularly in the context of an argument: "Sh e was angry and retorted in an aggressive manner to the arguments being presente d." reputed(ri PYOOT'd) 1. Having a reputation: "She was reputed to have a green thumb and could make an y garden bloom in the spring." 2. Said to be true, to exist, to have a specified identity, etc.: "My friend was hired for his reputed talents as a superior manager." "I havereportedmy findings," sheretortedsharply to criticism from her boss. As a n accountant, she wasreputedto be very thorough and exacting in her analysis of th e budget. requirement, requisition requirement(ri KWIGHR muhnt) 1. Something that is needed or which is essential: "Sunshine is a requirement fo r the garden to grow."" 2. That which is essential or necessary so that something else can occur: "Takin g a math course is a requirement in order to finish your high school education." requisition(rek" wi ZISH uhn) 1. An authoritative demand for something: "He completed a requisition for fresh vegetables to be delivered to the store every Wednesday." 2. A formal demand or request, typically between nations for the provision of so mething or the exchange of individuals: "At the end of the war, the general sent a requisition for all the prisoners to be released immediately." 3. A request for something that is available but not readily provided: "The doct or signed the requisition for additional flu vaccine for her clinic." It is arequirementof his new job that he review allrequisitionslips that are bei ng sent to the supply department. reserve, reserve reserve(ri ZURV) 1. Characterized by not being very communicative nor volunteering information: " The witness had a steady reserve in the face of persistent questioning by the la wyer." 2. That which is set aside for later use: "We decided to keep the extra jar of s trawberry jam in reserve for breakfast." "We kept reserve funds in the sugar bowl for emergency expenses." 3. Members of the military forces who are not on active duty but can be called u pon in emergencies: "My nephew was a reserve officer in the navy and was called upon to provide aid to ships during the severe storms at sea." 4. An area of a country that is set aside for a special purpose: "The mountain g oats lived in the reserve high in the mountains." reserve(RI surv) To arrange for something to be saved: "We asked that the management reserve a ta ble for us near the window of the restaurant." We willreserveour comments until after the budget for thereservefund for our co ndominium has been approved. resew, resow resew(ri SOH) To mend or to sew something for a second (or subsequent) time: "I was careless w ith my clothes and had to resew the buttons on from time to time." resow(ri SOH) To replant a garden, plants, or a field for a second (or subsequent) time: "The heavy rains flooded the field and the farmer had to resow his crops." She had toresewthe band on her sunhat after she worked in the garden. She was

working in the garden again because she had toresowthe lettuce seeds since the bir ds consumed most of the first sowing. residence, residents residence(REZ i duhns, REZ i dens") 1. The actual living place of an individual or people, as opposed to a temporary living place: "His residence was located on a shady street with a lovely lawn i n front of it." 2. Often a reference to a large and impressive house where an important or wealt hy person lives: "They spent three months at their summer residence." 3. A length of time that someone has lived in a location: "His forty year reside nce in our town was highlighted by his serving as mayor for three consecutive te rms." residents(REZ i duhnts, REZ i dents") 1. Individuals who live in a specific place: "The hotel residents paid for the u se of the gym at the time they registered." 2. Doctors who are training at hospitals to become specialists in particular fie lds of medicine: "My cousins are both residents at our local hospital studying c ardiology as their field of medical specialization." The new medicalresidentswere going to live inresidenceat the hospital. resign, re-sign resign(re ZIGHN) 1. To give up or to relinquish something: "She agreed to resign her position as treasurer of the group rather than face an inquiry into the missing funds." 2. Formally to renounce one's position in a government or other organizational s ituation: "The king decided to resign from the throne so he could marry the woma n he loved." 3. To agree or to accept something as inevitable: "I feel I must resign myself t o staying home on Friday night." re-sign(ree SIGHN) To sign a written or printed document which furnishes information for a second o r more times: "Because my signature was illegible on the original check, I had t o re-sign it when I went back to the bank." Because of a perceived conflict of interest, she was forced toresignfrom her j ob; however, after an investigation, she was able tore-signher contract and to res ume her work. re-sort, resort re-sort(ree SORT) To arrange again according to class, kind, or size; to classify again: "The libr ary staff had to re-sort the books so they could include the new editions." resort(ree ZORT) 1. A place frequented by people for relaxation or recreation: "We were thinking about going to the ski resort this winter." 2. Something chosen for help: "The company will only declare bankruptcy as a las t resort." Since he was going to aresortfor the weekend, he had tore-sorthis clothes to be sure he would have the right clothing for the occasion. respectable, respectful, respective respectable(ri SPEK tuh buhl) 1. Proper, typically in reference to one's manners or demeanor: "He was a respec table young man and considered a good catch for the young ladies in our small to wn." 2. Tolerable, fair in size or amount: "His grades at school were considered resp ectable but not sufficiently strong enough to earn him a scholarship." respectful(ri SPEKT fuhl) Characterized by showing appreciation or courteous regard for someone: "Her resp ectful questions to the movie star were appreciated and answered thoroughly." respective(ri SPEK tiv) Belonging or relating to each one of the people or things that have been mention ed by someone: "After the meeting, we each went to our respective homes." "They are all very successful in their respective fields of study."

Theirrespectivelawyers were each regarded as highlyrespectablein legal circles. He figured that he would have to be veryrespectfulwhen talking with them. respectably, respectfully, respectively respectably(ri SPEKT tuh bli) Something that is completed in a decent and morally reputable manner: "At the en d of the story, the two love birds were respectably married and lived happily ev er after." respectfully(ri SPEKT fuhl li) Acting in a way which shows that someone is aware of the rights, wishes, etc. of others: "The secretary for the meeting recorded that the deputy mayor respectfu lly suggested that the meeting be adjourned until the following week." respectively(ri SPEKT tiv lee) Singly in the order that is designated or mentioned: "When the teacher stated th at the class did outstanding work, she was referring to each of the pupils respe ctively." She identified the players as antagonist and protagonistrespectively; so, sher espectfullyrequested that they quit acting silly and start rehearsing their partsr espectably. rest, wrest rest(REST) 1. Cessation of work, exertion, or activity: "The workers had a rest in the shad e during their lunch." "She went to her room to rest for awhile after having a difficult day." 2. The part that is left over after something has been removed; the remainder: " The beginning of the film was boring, but the rest of it was interesting." "The rest of them are arriving later." 3. To lie in a grave after death: "My grandmother was laid to rest next to my gr andfather." wrest(REST) 1. To obtain by or as if by pulling with violent twisting movements: "She was ab le to wrest her purse back from the guy who was trying to take it from her." 2. To take something from someone, or others, with much effort: "He was trying t o wrest control of the company again from the guys who had taken it over." He needed arestbecause he was very tired after having tried towresta favorable d ecision from the judge regarding the case in court this morning. restful, restive, restless restful(REST fuhl) Characterized by repose or quiet: "The cottage by the lake is a very restful pla ce to spend the summer holidays." restive(RES tiv) Fidgety, characterized by moving around excessively: "When he felt restive, my u ncle would walk around in his office in a nervous or stressful manner." restless(REST lis) 1. Characterized as lacking peace of mind: "Her restless mind was always thinkin g of new plots for her series of novels." 2. Unhappy about a situation and wanting changes: "The president realized that t he students were restless when they organized protest marches." 3. Having little or no relaxation or sleep: "We spent a restless night because o f the strong winds and thunder storms." Having beenrestiveall week long and feelingrestless, she was glad for the oppor tunity to go to the cottage where it is always quiet andrestful. resum, rsum, resume; resume; synopsis, summary resum, rsum, resume(REZ oo may", rez" oo MAY) A brief written account of one's accomplishments and qualifications, typically i n the context of an application for a position of employment: "She submitted her three page resum by fax when applying for the new job." resume(ri ZOOM) 1. To restart or to begin again after an interruption: "After the applause died down, the speaker was encouraged to resume her presentation." 2. To return to a position or place again: "She is taking her vacation now, but

she will resume her responsibilities when she returns." "The speaker was about to resume his place at the podium." synopsis(si NAHP sis) A condensed statement or abstract of something: "She sent a two page synopsis of her thesis to the journal hoping that her research would be considered for publ ication." summary(SUHM uh ree) 1. An abridgment of a written or verbal presentation: "Before the author started her presentation, she provided a summary of the book for the benefit of those w ho had not read it." 2. A comprehensive and succinct presentation of written or verbal information: " At the conclusion of his class report, the student presented a summary of the si gnificant points which he made." 3. Being quickly accomplished: "The judge presented her summary judgment at the conclusion of the trial." He said he wouldresumewriting hisrsumafter lunch. It will include asummaryof all his previous work experiences as well as a briefsynopsisdescribing the performanc e results for each of his former positions. retain, retain retain(ri TAYN) 1. To maintain possession of something in one's memory; especially, for a long t ime: "She has a remarkable ability to retain odd facts." 2. To keep or to hold in a particular place, condition, or position: "The TV sho w has been able to retain its popularity for many years." retain(ri TAYN) 1. To hire (an attorney, for example) by the payment of a fee: "They have decide d to retain a firm to conduct the survey and they may need to retain an attorney , too." 2. To keep in one's service or pay: "The company's goal is to attract and to ret ain good employees." She was able toretainthe services of a good butler because she needed someone who is able toretaindetailed information on the needs of her various guests. retard, retard, retarred retard(ri TAHRD) 1. To cause to move or to proceed slowly; to delay or to impede: "The brakes on the wagon served to retard the descent of the wagon down the mountain trail." 2. A slowing down or a hindering of progress; a delay: "Being ill for several we eks was unfortunate as it caused a retard in my academic progression towards my degree." retard(REE tahrd") 1. Used as a disparaging term for a mentally retarded person: "Many old educatio nal text books described a slow learning person as a retard." 2. A person who is considered to be foolish or socially inept: "The child on the playground was rude, calling a boy a retard because he could not run very fast. " retarred(ri TAHRD) 1. To recover with a dark, oily, viscid mixture of hydrocarbons: "The stretch of road was worn and needed to be retarred so cars could use it safely." 2. To re-smear someone with a distillation of resinous woods, coal, etc. and the n to cover with feathers as a punishment: "You would think that having been tarr ed and feathered last week, he would learn his lesson; however, he was retarred today because he tried to steal a loaf of bread." The road had beenretarredand the pavement was soft and served toretardthe progr ession of his car as he was trying to drive home. He was upset and muttered some thing about the engineer in charge being aretard. retch, wretch retch(RECH) A strong, wrenching attempt to vomit that does not bring up anything: "She hates being seasick because it makes her want to retch."

wretch(RECH) 1. A miserable, unfortunate, or unhappy person: "The old woman was such a wretch that no one wanted to work with her." 2. Someone who is regarded as mean or despicable: "The hermit was perceived as a n unwashed wretch by the people who lived nearby." He feels like awretchthis morning because he was ill last night and had toretchs everal times. reticent, taciturn reticent(RET i suhnt) 1. Inclined to keep one's thoughts, feelings, and personal affairs to oneself: " She was reticent about the cause for her feeling so sad." 2. Restrained or reserved in style; reluctant; unwilling: "My friend was reticen t to help out during the harvest season on the farm because of an injured hand." "He is reticent about discussing his past life." taciturn(TAS i turn") Habitually untalkative, tending to remain silent, or not speaking frequently: "T he old farmer was taciturn and would rock silently in his chair for hours." Thetaciturnfarmer wasreticentto help the new neighbor drill a new well. reveille, revelry reveille(REV uh lee, REV i lee) The sounding of a bugle early in the morning to awaken and to summon soldiers or sailors in a camp or garrison to wake up and to get out of bed: "The bugler use d a sound system to enhance the reveille for morning wake up." revelry(REV uhl ree) Boisterous or noisy merrymaking: "At New Years, there is revelry on the streets until the early morning hours." It was difficult to respond toreveillethis morning after having participated i n therevelrylast night. revel, revile revel(REV uhl) 1. To take great pleasure or delight in something: "My aunt said she would revel in her unaccustomed leisure; especially, after retirement." 2. To engage in uproarious festivities; to make merry: "Over the holidays, we pl an to revel with Christmas cakes and eggnog." revile(ri VIGHL) To use abusive language: "There is no excuse to revile the man since he is not h ere to explain what happened." He went to the neighbors in a mood torevilethem for the loud party music; howe ver, he ended up staying torevelin the festivities with them. review, revue review(ri VYOO) 1. A formal military ceremony typically in honor of an event or an individual: " The President attended the review which was held on the parade grounds." 2. A careful re-examination of something, typically of a judicial nature: "The l ocal judge agreed to review the decision of the previous court's findings." 3. A magazine or an essay the purpose of which is to provide a critique of a pub lication, play, essay, etc.: "I wrote a review of the play I saw last night and sent it to my publisher." 4. To take a critical or retrospective look at an event, etc.: "I find that this end-of-the-year period is a good time to review the events of the past year." revue(ri VYOO) A production in a theater, typically featuring a variety of skits, songs, etc. t hat contain a common theme: "The actress was famous for the revue that she put o n each year, singing and dancing all the familiar pieces." The review published a positivereviewof the theatricalrevueplaying at the univer sity. rheum, room rheum(ROOM) A watery or thin mucous discharge from the eyes or nose: "When I have a cold, I carry a handkerchief to wipe the rheum from my nose and eyes."

room(ROOM) 1. To live in a room, apartment, or house with another person: "He will room wit h his brother in college." 2. The amount of space needed for an object or an activity: "The many plants my aunt grew needed a sunny room to grow in." "The children played in the room next to the kitchen." 3. The possibility for something to happen or to exist: "There is considerable r oom for improvement as I revise the content of this writing project." Theroomwas cold and drafty resulting in her coming down with an illness that c aused a lot ofrheumin her nose and eyes. Rhodes, roads Rhodes(ROHDZ) 1. A Greek island located in the southeast Aegean Sea just off the Turkish coast : "We spent our vacation on Rhodes, enjoying the Aegean sunshine and beaches." 2. A British colonial financier and statesman in South Africa who made a fortune in gold and diamond mining: "Cecil Rhodes used some of his wealth to establish scholarships for students to study at Oxford University." roads(ROHDZ) Open pathways or highways for the use of vehicular traffic: "We were pleased tha t the roads in the county were well maintained and comfortable to use." During their vacation, they noticed that theroadsonRhodeshad been recently paved . rhumb, rum; rumba, rhumba rhumb(RUHM, RUHMB) Any of the points observed on the compass of a mariner: "The captain consulted t he rhumb on his compass to navigate the narrow channel." rum(RUHM) 1. An alcoholic drink made by the fermentation of a cane product; such as, molas ses: "Rum earned a bad reputation in history books which often described men as raging drunk with rum." 2. Chiefly British, odd or difficult: "The editor was a rum character when deali ng with new authors." "Why do they persist in being such a rum lot?" rumba, rhumba(RUHM buh, ROOM buh) 1. A dance of Cuban origin, combining complex footwork with a pronounced movemen t of the hips: "They danced the rumba for most of the night." 2. Music for this kind of Cuban dance or in this style: "The band played rumba m usic several times during the evening." They noticed by therhumbof the compass that they were near the island where th ey makerum. The ship stopped; they went ashore and found a restaurant where they had a drink and watched the dancers performing therumba. rhyme, rime rhyme(RIGHM) 1. A verse writing in which there is a similarity of sound among the last words of a sentence or line of writing: "In her enthusiasm to describe the lovely coun tryside, the young author wrote a rhyme which created beautiful word pictures." 2. To write in such a manner that the last words of a line or sentence have simi lar sounds: "The author tried to find a word to rhyme withorangebut he was not suc cessful." rime(RIGHM) Frost, small ice particles which form on exposed surfaces when the temperatures are below freezing: "There was a rime of frost on the water trough for the cattl e this morning." "It is the time for therimeto form on thine windows." How clever of her, she w rote arhyme. riddle; riddle, riddled riddle(RID'l), noun 1. A difficult question in a game or statement that requires thought to answer o r to understand; a conundrum: "She loved to solve at at least one riddle everyda y."

2. Someone or something which is difficult to understand or to solve: "We are co nstantly finding one riddle after another as we examine the history of science." riddle, riddled(RID'l, RID'ld), verb 1. To pierce with numerous holes; to perforate: "In order to stop the criminal f rom speeding away, the police had to riddle the car with bullets." 2. To fill something that is bad or unpleasant: "The author obviously riddled hi s book with one error after another." Did the authorriddlehisriddlewith irrational suggestions? Well, I'm convinced that the solution to theriddlewas definitelyriddledwith too many false clues. Here is an example of ariddle: What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment , but never in a thousand years? The letter "m". Here's anotherriddle: What goes around and around the wood but never goes int o the wood? The bark of a tree. rift, rift rift(RIFT) A situation in which two people, groups, etc., no longer have a friendly relatio nship: "The son's behavior will only widen the rift with his mother." rift(RIFT) 1. A deep crack or opening in the ground, a rock, the clouds, or other physical situations: "The rift in the clouds made it possible for us to see the new moon. " 2. In geology, a break in the earth's crust: "Geologists are still trying to ana lyze the Mid-Atlantic Rift." 3. A gap or break in something where it has split apart: "The buildings are bein g torn down because of the rift in the ground which is causing rifts in the wall s of several of the apartments." The geologists had ariftover the geological explanation for the seismicrifton t he fault line crossing the desert. rigger, rigor rigger(RIG uhr) 1.Someone who furnishes or provides equipment for a specific use: "When he retire d from whaling, my uncle became a rigger for other sailing ships." 2. Anyone who manipulates the outcome of an event; such as, an election: "The un derground boss was found to be the rigger of the election results after an inves tigation by officials." 3. A slender paint brush typically made of sable: "For her art work, the famous artist used a rigger to create the fine points of paint in her paintings." rigor(RIG uhr) 1. Characterized by being unyielding or inflexible: "The rigor of the judge's de cision made it difficult for the lawyers to challenge the outcome of the trial." 2. Conditions that made life and subsistence difficult: "The rigor of the arctic winters made the expedition's tasks harder to achieve." 3. The quality or state of being very exact, careful, or strict: "They conducted the experiments with scientific rigor because they were being guided by a schol ar known for her intellectual rigor." 4. Stiffness of tissue that prevents response to stimuli: "There was a rigor in the patient's arm that made it difficult for the doctor to examine her." When we ordered our arctic camping equipment from the localrigger, he warned us about therigorand dangers that might be a part of our arctic explorations. right, rite, wright, write right(RIGHT) 1. Upright, correct, genuine, acting in accordance with facts or truth: "The lab oratory tests proved that the scientists' theories were right." "Our friend was right when she gave us directions to the local store." "You did the right thing when you told the woman that she dropped her billfo ld out of her purse while she was walking in the store." 2. Situated on the body on the side which is away from the heart: "He raised his

right hand to take the oath of allegiance." 3. Qualities of character that suggest an ideal: "Knowing the truth is her right ." 4. Property ownership, often used in the plural: "She owned the mineral rights i n the remote mountain region." "He bought the film rights to the new novel based on the reputation of the a uthor." 5. Often capitalized, to designate a political party or individual who is politi cally conservative: "Members of the Right have voiced their opinions on this eco nomic proposal." rite(RIGHT) 1. A defined manner or pattern of words and actions for a ceremony: "She knew th e rite for the opening prayers of the meeting." 2. The prescribed or customary form for conducting a religious or other solemn c eremony: "Incense is often burned in this religious rite." "The opening rite for the summer solstice was very elaborate." wright(RIGHT) Someone who constructs or repairs something; often used in combination with the type of vocation involved (playwright, shipwright, etc.): "The famous playwright is going to work with our theater's production of her new play." write(RIGHT) 1. To inscribe words or figures on a surface: "She was asked to write the chemis try formula on the chalkboard." 2. To form (letters, words, or symbols) on a surface like paper with an instrume nt; such as, a pen, a pencil, a typewriter, etc.: "Her daily rite was to write i n her diary and so it was easier for her to compose a blog with her computer." "I intend to write a symphony before I am 20 years old." "The author was determined to write his autobiography when he retired." He tried towriteabout theplaywrightwho wanted to depict the correct wedding cere mony or theright rite. A minister of a church was asked if he and his congregation kneel to pray in his church. He responded with, "No, we stand up for ourrites." It was herrite(formal custom) towriteso much, but was itrightfor her to expect her readers to read everything? Bigamy is the only crime on the books where tworitesmake a wrong. E. C. McKenzie ring, wring ring(RING) 1. A clear resonating sound made by striking an object; such as, metal or glass: "The church bells have a wonderful ring to them on a winter s night." "If you tap the glass carefully, you can hear it ring." 2. To place a telephone call: "I will ring you in the morning to confirm our lun cheon date." 3. To encircle: "The low mountains ring the green valley." 4. A circular band often worn on a person's finger; or a circular band used to h old items: "I inherited a beautiful ring from my aunt and I wear it every day." "My friend gave me a key ring so I would not lose my keys so often." 5. A square space often used for sporting events: "The boxers met in the ring fo r the boxing competition." wring(RING) 1. The twisting of one's hands as an expression of anxiety: "I always knew my mo ther was worried when I saw her wring her hands." 2. To squeeze or to twist something in order to remove moisture: "Be sure to wri ng out the dish cloth before hanging it up." 3. To get something out of someone or something with a lot of effort: "They trie d to wring every last dollar of profit out of the failing company." Once Iwringout my polishing cloth, I will polish the bell so that it willringlo udly and clearly and then I willringyou up when I am done. ringer, wringer ringer(RING uhr)

1. Something or someone who causes a sound; especially one that sounds a bell or chime: "He's the ringer of the cathedral bells that we hear every morning." 2. Someone who looks very much like another person: "He's a ringer for the Presi dent." "She's a dead ringer for my friend Carol." wringer(RING uhr) Someone or something that wrings, squeezes, or compresses; especially, a device in which laundry is pressed between rollers to extract water: "The old fashioned washing machines had a hand wringer to squeeze the water from the laundry befor e it was hung to dry." He was surprised that Mrs. Smith was such aringerfor the woman who used to com e to help his mother operate thewringeron her washing machine. risk, risk risk(RISK), noun 1. The possibility of suffering harm or loss; danger: "The couple emphasized tha t they didn't want to put their savings at risk with a questionable investment." 2. A factor, thing, element, or course of action involving uncertain danger; a h azard: "They discovered that they had to be prepared to face the risk of rattles nakes, heat, and the lack of water in the desert." "As far as I am concerned, skydiving is not worth the risk." 3. Someone, or something, that is judged to be a good or a bad choice for insura nce, a loan, etc.: "The bank will determine if the man is a good credit risk for the loan he has requested." risk(RISK) verb 1. To put something in a situation in which it could be lost, damaged, etc.: "Sh e was willing to risk her life to save her children." 2. To do something that might have harmful or bad results: "She was advised not to risk physical harm by traveling so soon after her operation." There is the possibleriskof falling off the mountain when a person is climbing . Committed climbers say that toriskfalling is part of the allure and excitement o f climbing; however, they always take precautions to reduceriskwhere possible. risky; risque, risqu risky(RIS kee) 1. Accompanied by or involving danger; hazardous: "Driving in this weather can b e very risky." 2. Involving the possibility of something bad or unpleasant happening: "This inv estment could be a risky move for the company." risque, risqu(ris KAY) 1. Suggestive of or bordering on indelicacy or impropriety: "Why does that talkshow host have to be so risque in his conversation?" 2. Referring to sex in a rude and slightly shocking way: "I was surprised that s he would tell such a risqu joke." A "call girl" is a woman whose calling is a calculatedrisque. Usingrisquas part of an act has been labeled as ariskykind of blue material a com edian resorts to when he, or she, runs out of gray matter. It's ariskybusiness to tellrisqujokes when you don't know how your audience will respond. road, rode, rowed road(ROHD) An open, generally public way for the passage of vehicles, people, and animals: "There was great debate whether to impose a tax on the new road that was built." rode(ROHD) 1. To have traveled in a vehicle or on an animal: "We rode the horses back to th e camp in the valley." "We rode in the back seat of the jeep." 2. To have been anchored: "The ship rode at anchor in the harbor." 3. To have survived, usually accompanied by the wordout: "By careful management, we rode out the previous economic downturn." rowed(ROHD) To have moved or propelled a boat through the use of oars or polls: "They rowed

the life boat safely to shore." Jerryrodealong as werowedthe boat from the island to the lakesideroad. roam, Rome roam(ROHM) To wander, or to go from place to place, not necessarily with a designated purpo se: "For my summer vacation, I intend to pack my bags and roam throughout the co untryside." "When they are thirsty, the cattle will roam all day looking for water." Rome(ROHM) 1. A city in Italy which is the center of political and religious activity: "Whe n we were children, we visited Rome, Italy, and went to see some of the famous a ncient Roman ruins." 2. The name of at least two different cities in the United States: "Just for fun , I want to go to see Rome, New York and Rome, Georgia." Our neighbors have decided that they want to go to Italy this summer so they canroamaroundRomeand see the past and the present of that famous city. roar, rower roar(ROHR) 1. To utter or to create a loud noise which may communicate pain or excitement: "Lions tend to roar when they are hungry." "I dare you not to roar with laughter when you read this book." 2. A loud and often confusing sound: "It was difficult to speak with my friend o ver the roar of the crowd in the stadium." rower(ROHR) Someone who uses oars or polls to propel a boat: "My cousin was the lead rower f or the boat regatta at his university." Over theroarof the falls, therowershouted to the rest of the crew to turn back b efore it's too late. roc, rock roc(RAHK) A mythical bird of prey having enormous size and strength: "A winged roc with go lden wings was featured in the myth about the sailors who were ship wrecked in t he Aegean Sea." rock(RAHK) 1. A relatively hard, naturally formed mineral or petrified matter; stone: "We o rdered a load of crushed rock to use in the driveway." 2. A naturally formed aggregate of mineral matter constituting a significant par t of the earth's crust: "The Laurentian Shield in Canada is a layer of granite r ock in Northern Canada which makes it difficult for trees to grow." 3. Shaking or moving back and forth: "His mother started to rock the baby to sle ep while sitting in the rocking chair." 4. Popular music which is typically amplified: "They were getting ready to go to the rock concert downtown this evening." 5. Used in phrases to say that something is hard, steady, reliable, etc.: "He wo rks out quite often at the fitness studio, which is why when you touch his arm y ou sense that it is as solid as a rock." Therocwas perched on the outcroppingrocknear the sea and it appeared torockin the breeze; or perhaps therocwas responding to therockmusic from the cafe on the nearby side of the cliff. roe, row, row, row roe(ROH) 1. The eggs or the egg-laden ovary of a fish: "They were selling salmon roe at t he fish market." 2. The egg mass or spawn of certain crustaceans, such as the lobster: "When the lobster was picked up out of the water, you could see the roe under its tail." 3. A rather small, delicately formed Eurasian deer (Capreolus capreolus) having short branched antlers in the male and a brownish coat: "When we went for a walk in the woods, we saw a roe deer just ahead of us." row(ROH) 1. A series of objects placed next to each other, usually in a straight line: "I

n the class room, the desks were arranged six to a row." 2. A succession without a break or gap in time: "They won the football title for three years in a row." 3. A line of adjacent seats, as in a theater, auditorium, or classroom: "We were happy to get seats for the movie near the back row." 4. A continuous line of buildings along a street: "We were trying to find the ri ght row of buildings where our friends lived." row(ROH) 1. To propel a boat with or as if with oars: "The crew wanted to row the boat so they could win the rowing award." 2. To carry in or on a boat propelled by oars: "The only way we can get to the o ther side of the river is to row across it." row(ROU) 1. A boisterous disturbance or quarrel; a brawl: "The opposing forces had a row in the streets last night." 2. An uproar; a great noise: "There was a row in the stadium as the opposing tea m made the final touch down." 3. Any dispute or disturbance: "The wife got into a terrible row with her husban d while they were walking down the street." There was arowamong the oarsmen about how torowthe boat, then later, there was a notherrowabout how they would divide theroethat were in therowof boxes they had placed on the wharf. rogue, rogue rogue(ROHG) An unscrupulous or dishonest person; sometimes someone who is also likable: "My friend's father was a lovable old rogue and sometimes even a lying old rogue." rogue(ROHG) 1. Acting independently and using unorthodox methods that are unpredictable and sometimes are likely to cause trouble: "People were complaining about how the ro gue police were committing criminal acts." "Former Governor Sarah Palin completed her memoir, titledGoing Rogue: An Amer ican Lifeabout which one reviewer stated that she was thecomplainer-in-chief." 2. An animal that is vicious and uncontrolled and which lives apart from the res t of the herd or group: "Hunters were looking for the rogue elephant that was at tacking other elephants and even attacking the gardens and living quarters of so me of the local natives." The charmingroguedistracted everyone with his jokes and compliments; no one no ticed that he was disguising his true nature as a dangerous politicalrogue. roil, rile, royal roil(ROIL) 1. To make (a liquid) muddy or cloudy by stirring up sediment: "My little niece used a stick to roil the puddle in the back yard, making it very muddy." 2. To displease or to disturb; to vex: "Teenagers often roil their parents as th ey strive to achieve independence." rile(RIGHL) 1. To stir to anger: "The gossip I read in the newspaper really served to rile m e so I wrote a letter to the editor." 2. To stir up (liquid); to make a fluid cloudy or muddy by stirring around (a va riation ofroil): "The directions said to rile the medicine in a glass of water un til the mixture was cloudy." royal(ROI uhl) 1. Of or relating to a monarch or a king or queen: "The butler announced that th e royal guests would arrive on the morning train." 2. Of, relating to, or in the service of a kingdom: "My cousin was accepted into the royal guards which are featured in the palace parades." She told him that it wouldrileher if he persisted in treating his lazy friends in such aroyalmanner. In addition, she told him not toroilher with his silly explan ations and excuses. roll, role roll(ROHL)

1. A list or record of names or related items: "The roll of students' names cont ained many that were familiar to the principal." 2. To cause to move in a circular fashion: "When the boy kicked the ball, it sta rted to roll down the hill." 3. To shape or to wrap something into a ball shape: "Before tossing the scrap pa per into the recycling bin, I will roll it into a ball." 4. To continually shift one's eyes, frequently in a context of amazement or fear : "I saw her eyes roll while she watched the sword swallower at the circus." role(ROHL) 1. The part in a play or similar production undertaken by an actor: "She got the lead role in the romantic play which the drama department was preparing to pres ent to the public." 2. Patterns of social behavior as suggested by one's status in a group: "My uncl e's role at family gatherings was as the wise and kindly friend." The director called theroll, announcing arolefor each participant at the same t ime. He saw his friendrollher eyes when she was given theroleof a silly goose. Hisrol erequired him torolldown the hill. roo, rue, rue, roux roo(ROO) A shortened term for kangaroo: "While driving in Australia, a roo hopped across the road in front of our car." roux(ROO) A mixture of fat and flour; usually, cooked prior to incorporating into soup or sauce as a thickener: "I decided to make a rouxso I could finish making thegravey fo r dinner tonight." rue(ROO) To feel regret, remorse, or sorrow: "We were afraid that we would rue investing in that automobile company." "I rue the day that I signed that contract in May." rue(ROO) A woody herb plant, the leaves of which are bitter and are included in some medi cations: "When I was ill, the doctor prescribed a medication made with rue and i t tasted bitter, but it worked." "Because I was distracted when I was thinking about the babyrooI saw on my tri p to Australia,I think I willruethe day I tried to make arouxfor the soup I was cooki ng; however, the medicine made ofruewas a big help in making me feel better after eating so much." rood, rude, rued rood(ROOD) 1. A large crucifix typically hanging at the entrance of a medieval church: "The rood was made of fine wood and was intricately carved by a local master." 2. A unit of measurement equal to 7 or 8 yards or about 63 meters: "The surveyor measured off six rood to be the length of the garden." rude(ROOD) 1. Unfinished, crude: "She submitted a rude sketch of her planned painting to he r teacher for a critique." 2. Not refined, offensive: "His manners were considered rude even though I knew his mother would have told him to be polite when visiting friends." rued(ROOD) Having felt regret, remorse, or sorrow for something: "I rued the day I moved to the country because I was so bored." Heruedthe day that he allowed himself to be persuaded to purchase an "antique"r ood. In fact, he figured that he was being a littlerudeto the merchant when he tol d him that he doubted its authenticity. roomer, rumor roomer(ROO muhr) Someone who rents a room or rooms in which to live; a lodger: "He has been a roo mer in that hotel for years." rumor(ROO muhr) A piece of unverified information of uncertain origin usually spread by word of

mouth; hearsay: "There is a rumor going around that this store is going out of b usiness." A rooming house is whereroomersspreadrumorsabout otherroomers. She heard arumorthat there will be a newroomerat the boarding house where she li ves. root, route, en route, rout root(ROOT) 1. Typically the part of a plant that grows underground: "When I planted the new rose bush, I put fertilizer around the root so it would grow better." 2. The part of the tooth that extends into the bone socket in the jaw: "The dent ist had to drill in order to remove the infected root in my jaw because I was in a lot of pain." 3. The basics or essential core of a situation: "Sometimes they say that money i s the root of all evil, but I don t accept that as always being the truth." The full quotation suggests that an excessiveloveof money is the "root of evil " not necessarilymoneyitself: "For the love of money is the root of all evil: whi ch while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themsel ves through with many sorrows." (From 1 Timothy 6:10 in theKing James Bible). 4. A word origin from which other words are formed: "Many words have been integr ated into English from one Latin root after another; resulting in thousands of L atin and Greek roots that provide us with tens of thousands of vocabulary words that are utilized in multitudes of academic, technical, medical, scientific, and other areas." route(ROOT, ROUT) 1. A designated course of travel; "We planned our route carefully before startin g our trip." 2. A territory to be serviced: "The newspaper carrier had an extensive route for delivering the papers in the morning." 3. To direct someone in a specific direction: "The traffic control officer will route us to the most direct road to the market place." en route(ahn ROOT, en ROOT) On or along the way: "I used mycell phoneto call my mother to let her know we were en route to her home." rout(ROUT) 1. A disorderly retreat or flight following a defeat: "From the hillside, the sp ectators watched the rout of the army after the battle." 2. To dig with the snout; to root or to poke around; to rummage: "There are pigs who rout for truffles in the forests in France." "As I watched, the homeless person tried to rout in the dust bin for a pair of shoes." En routeto his dentist for arootcanal operation, he took a differentroutethan he usually did and he got lost. Instead of stopping to ask for directions, he deci ded to beat a hastyroutand go home to call and cancel the appointment. rose, ros, rows, roes, rouse rose(ROHZ) 1. Any of a number of plants characterized by showy flowers and prickly stems: " I bought a new pink rose bush for the garden." "I bought a single red rose for the vase on the piano." 2. Flavored or scented like a flower from theRosaceaefamily: "My mother loved a ro se scented perfume and we gave her a bottle for her birthday." 3. To have moved from a lying down position to an upright position: "When the al arm clock rang, I rose from my bed and took a cold shower to help me wake up." 4. To have achieved a promotion or an elevated rank: "Through hard work my nephe w rose from being a clerk in the store to being the manager." ros(roh ZAY) A light pink wine made from purple grapes, with the skins being removed from the juice during fermentation as soon as the desired color has been attained: "I br ought a bottle of ros to the party at my friend's home." rows(ROHZ) 1. The act of propelling a boat by using oars: "I noticed she was very athletic

and she rows the boat with ease." 2. Several lines of objects arranged in a straight line: "There were ten rows of chairs set up in the auditorium." roes(ROHZ) A short term for roe deer or rather small, delicately formed Eurasian deer havin g short branched antlers in the male and a brownish coat: "During our walk in th e park, we saw the small herd of roes vanish into the shadows." rouse(ROUZ) 1. To awaken: "I was so tired it was difficult to rouse myself in this morning s o I could get to work on time." 2. To create an excitement within a group: "The orator was able to rouse the cro wd which cheered and applauded loudly." While she was standing in the park smelling therosebushes, she saw a small her d ofroesglide into the sunshine. Their appearance also served torousea sense of cur iosity among a group of volunteers who were planting newrowsof flowers in the park . After their work day, they went to the local inn and ordered a freshros. roster, rostrum roster(RAHS tuhr, RAH stuhr) An itemized list, typically of people's names: "She glanced down the roster to s ee if her friend had registered for the same lecture course as she had." rostrum(RAHS truhm, RAW struhm) 1. A stage or raised platform for public speaking: "The carpenters built a rostr um for the speakers at the film festival." 2. A curved shape suggestive of a bird's beak, or bill, or the snout of some ins ects: "The ornithologist classified the unusual bird based on the rostrum of the its beak." The university president stood on therostrumand read therosterof students who we re receiving special awards at the end of the year. rot, wrought rot(RAHT) 1. To become morally corrupt or degenerated: "On the basis of his observed life style, I was afraid my cousin would rot and die an early death." 2. To decay or to decompose: "We put the vegetable trimmings on the compost pile to rot so we would have rich soil for the garden in the spring." 3. A plant disease characterized by the breakdown of tissue, caused by bacteria or fungi: "We had to use a special spray to get rid of the rot on my favorite ro se bush." wrought(RAWT) 1. To fashion or to form in an artistic manner: "The blacksmith wrought an elega nt iron gate for our garden." 2. Excited or deeply affected: "I was wrought with sorrow when I read about the sinking of the Titanic in 1912." When the newspaper wrote about the politicalrotthat was happening at city hall , she waswroughtwith anxiety because her brother was working there. rote, wrote rote(ROHT) 1. A memorizing process using a routine system or repetition, often without full attention or comprehension: "As a child, she learned the multiplication tables by rote." 2. A mechanical routine: "Operating the wringer is such a rote activity that I t hink I could do it in my sleep." wrote(ROHT) 1. To have drafted or formed letters or numbers on a surface with a pen, pencil, etc.: "I wrote a thank you note to my aunt for the lovely gift she sent me for my birthday." "The composer wrote his first symphony before he was twelve years old." 2. Having created a book, poem, story, etc. by writing words on paper, on a comp uter, etc.: "My friend wrote hundreds of poems during her lifetime as well as ma ny articles for the local newspaper."

3. To have put information into the storage system of a computer: "He wrote the secret formula in code and then he uploaded it onto a separate disk." Hewroteout his new spelling words several times so he could learn them byroteand not be afraid of the spelling test that would be coming later in the week. rough, ruff rough(RUHF) 1. An uneven, broken surface such as a road: "The road was so rough it was diffi cult to drive our car very fast." 2. Turbulent, challenging, or difficult: "The stormy seas were so rough even the sailors were feeling a bit sea sick." "When I met my friends this morning, we all talked about how rough the colle ge examination was which we had written yesterday." 3. Something that is unfinished or appears to be crude: "The rough sketch of the sunset over the lake was charming and the painter was eager to complete the pai nting." 4. An area on a golf course covered with tall grass that makes it difficult to h it the ball: "He hit his drive into the rough." ruff(RUHF) 1. A stiff, circular collar worn by men and women during the 16th and 17th centu ries: "The pictures of my ancestors show them each wearing a ruff around the nec k, but I had the impression that the people seemed to be uncomfortable." 2. A frill or collar of fur or feathers characteristic of some animals: "I could see the male lion had a distinctive ruff around his neck." "The grouse ruffles his ruff when he is courting." When he was in theroughon the golf course, he could feel that theruffon his col lar had aroughspot on it that was chafing on his neck and which would make aroughspo t on his skin if he didn't do something about it. rung, wrung rung(RUHNG) 1. To have caused a sonorous or reverberating sound: "After I had rung the door bell, I waited for the butler to admit me to the spacious hall." 2. To have caused a sound by striking a surface: "Those bells have rung on New Y ear's Eve every year for 100 years." 3. A piece of wood or metal that is placed between the legs of a chair for suppo rt: "We had to get the chair repaired after the rung was broken when my brother stood on it so he could reach the upper book shelf." 4. A position or level within a group, organization, etc., which is higher than others: "He was on the bottom rung of the corporate ladder before he rose to the highest rung on the pay scale. wrung(RUHNG) 1. To have squeezed an item so as to remove as much liquid from it as possible: "Have you wrung out the dishcloth and hung it up to dry?" 2. To have twisted one's hands as an expression of worry or anxiety: "She wrung her hands in despair because the telephone did not ring." 3. To have created a sense of tragedy and grief: "The play was so powerful, my h eart was wrung with sorrow for the lead actor by the end of the first act." Shewrungher hands with worry when she realized that she had accidentally broke n therungon the antique chair on which she had been sitting. rye, wry rye(RIGH) 1. A type of grass that is grown as a grain and used to make flour or whiskey: " The farmer sold his rye to the distillery for a good price." 2. The alcoholic drink distilled from the grains of a plant: "He went to the bar and ordered rye and soda, which is his favorite drink." 3. Bread that is made from rye flour: "We both ordered a ham sandwich on rye bre ad for our afternoon snack." wry(RIGH) 1. Marked by an expression of grim humor or irony: "His wry expression made me l augh because his books are noted for their wry humor." 2. Showing both amusement and a feeling of being tired, annoyed, etc.: "When she

was asked how she felt after winning the marathon, she gave the reporter a wry smile and said, 'Pretty tired'." His verywrysense of humor was enhanced after he had had a glass or two ofrye. sac, sack, sacque, sec sac(SAK) 1. A pouch containing fluid found in both plants and animals: "The doctor said h is patient had an inflammation in the sac surrounding his heart, medically ident ified as pericarditis." 2. A part inside the body of an animal or plant which is shaped like a bag and t hat usually contains liquid or air: "The hernial sac in the peritoneum (abdomina l cavity) is a sac-like protrusion that contains a herniated organ." sack(SAK) 1. A bag which may be made of cloth, paper, etc.; the contents of such an object : "I take my own plastic sack when I go shopping." "I bought a sack of peanuts to feed to the squirrels in the park." 2. A loose fitting dress or coat: "I remember when sack dresses were very popula r." 3. To place objects in a bag or similar container: "My summer job was to sack th e potatoes for the farmer." 4. To dismiss from an employment or job: "The employer plans to sack my neighbor because he is late too often." 5. To loot, to plunder, and to steal that which is valuable: "The pirates planne d to sack the coastal town at the crack of dawn." sacque(SAK) A short jacket typically worn by an infant: "Her grandmother made a colorful sac que for her baby as a holiday gift." sec(SEK) 1. Something that is moderately dry, often in reference to alcoholic drinks: "He ordered a sec martini; just the way he liked it." 2. A reference to a short space of time; short forsecond: "If you can wait just a sec, I will get the box off the shelf for you." Last year, her boss tried tosackher from her job. She appealed his decision an d did not lose the job after all; so, she went out to celebrate at a pub and had a drink that was verysec. While she was at the pub, a friend showed her a lovelys acquethat she had made for her niece. Her friend was feeling well that night; however, often she has experienced a pain in her chest and she was afraid that her pericardiumsacwas inflamed and so s he has been seeing a the doctor about it. sacks, sax sacks(SAKS) 1. Several bags or similar containers for holding objects: "I bought several col orful sacks to use when I give gifts to my friends." 2. To fill bags with objects: "The farm employee sacks the onions very quickly i n order to put the sacks on the truck." 3. Plundering or stealing: "Mythology has grown up about the pirate gang which s ails the seas and sacks the sleeping villages on the shore." sax(SAKS) The short name for the musical instrument known as thesaxophone: "My sister alway s wanted to play the sax in a concert band." There is a story about a thief whosacksan apartment and finds asaxwhich he take s home for his son to learn to play. sacred, sacrosanct sacred(SAY krid) 1. Holy, something that is considered worthy of veneration: "The sacred books we re kept in a fireproof box." 2. Important, devoted exclusively to one undertaking: "She believed that it was her sacred duty to care for children who lived in slums and had no families." sacrosanct(SAK roh sangkt") That which is considered very holy or too important and respected to be changed,

criticized, etc.: "The tradition of the ceremonies are considered sacrosanct." "My grandmother believed that the order of the religious ceremonies were sac rosanct." "We were told that the government's most sacrosanct institutions must be res pected." She considers it hersacredobligation to protect children who are vulnerable. I t is also asacrosanctteaching of many religions. sacrilege, sacrilegious sacrilege(SAK ruh lij) An outrageous violation of or act of irreverence towards something considered ho ly: "Whistling in church is definitely considered a sacrilege." sacrilegious(sak" ruh LIJ uhs, sak" ruh LEE juhs) An adjective or description of an act or behavior that is considered a violation of something considered holy and worthy of veneration: "The graffiti on the wal ls surrounding the cemetery were considered sacrilegious given the holiness of t he site to many of those whose ancestors were buried there." As a boy, he seemed to enjoy acting in asacrilegiousmanner; for example, shout ing in sacred places. His mother would admonish him, reminding him that his shou ting was asacrilege. sage, sage sage(SAYJ) A plant, the leaves of which are used in cooking and baking: "When making a spec ial bread, my mother always included ground sage which smelled wonderful when ba king." sage(SAYJ) 1. An individual who is considered to be wise by virtue of experience and age: " We consulted the village sage before we started to climb up the mountain." 2. Characterized by wisdom and good judgment: "My mother gave me some sage advic e before I went to the university." My grandmother, whom we teased about being asage, always hadsageadvice for us. She taught us thatsagewas an important plant to keep in our gardens because it ha d so many uses both for cooking and for medicinal applications. sail, sale sail(SAYL) 1. Fabric that is hung in a particular fashion on a ship or boat and which catch es the wind to make a ship or boat move in a forward direction: "The captain gav e the order to hoist the sail and we cheered because our adventurous travels had begun." 2. To move in a boat that is propelled by wind: "We plan to sail around the worl d in a schooner." 3. To move or to proceed without resistance: "I expect the new tax bill to sail through the city council without opposition." sale(SAYL) 1. The transfer of ownership of something from one person to another one for a s pecified price: "They completed the sale of the farm and cattle on the weekend." 2. The selling of items that are offered at bargain prices: "We went to the stor e that was having a sale of kitchen appliances." 3. A public event at which things are sold: "They're having a sale of fine antiq ues next week." The nautical club was having boat canvas bargains last weekend or, in other words, they made it possible for people to take advantage of asail sale. salon, saloon salon(suh LAHN, SAL ahn", sa LAWN) 1. A gathering of people often associated with the arts and cultural endeavors: "The members of the salon met every Wednesday in the home of their patroness." 2. A business establishment the purpose of which is to promote beauty and fashio n: "She owned a beauty salon in the local mall." 3. An assembly hall or space for the exhibition of art: "He owned a salon just o ff the main street where the new artists could show their creations." saloon(suh LOON)

1. A business establishment or room where alcoholic beverages are sold and consu med: "We looked for the sign, SALOON, and then went in for a drink." 2. A place on a train or ship that is comfortably and fashionably furnished for the comfort and ease of the passengers: "On the transcontinental train, the salo on car was the best place for us sit so we could see the scenery." Next door to his aunt's hair dressingsalonwas asaloonthat sometimes was noisy in the afternoon. Once or twice a year, she would take thesalooncar on the train into the city t o attend a beauticians' conference which was often held in a largesalon. salve, save salve(SAV, SAHV) 1. An ointment to apply to wounds or sores to assist in healing: "The nurse appl ied a salve to the scrape on his arm and then put a bandage on it." 2. A soothing influence, typically in connection with an injury (physical or emo tional) to make something less painful: "Her gentle voice was like a salve on he r friend s hurt feelings." "Her husband bought her flowers to salve his guilty conscience." save(SAYV) 1. An action that prevents an opponent in sports from gaining an advantage: "Bec ause of the last minute save by the goalie, the home team won the game by one po int." 2. To keep someone or something safe or to stop a person from dying or being hur t or preventing anything from being damaged or lost: "He risked his life to save his friend from drowning." "The life guard was there to save anyone who swam too far from shore." 3. To put aside money for a special purpose: "He decided to save all the money f rom his paper delivery service so he could buy a new bicycle." 4. To stop something from ending or failing: "The new CEO (Chief Executive Offic er) will make every effort to save the company from bankruptcy." 5. To store data in a computer file or on a storage device; so, it can be used l ater: "We should save our content on our CD (computer disk) before we shut down or we will lose everything we have done." She realizes that she needs tosavesome money so she can buy thesalvethat the do ctor prescribed. He said thesalvewouldsaveher skin from being burned by the sun. She was afraid t hat she might forget the name of thesalve, so she wrote it down, intending tosaveit later on her computer. sanatorium, sanitarium sanatorium(san" uh TOR ee uhm, san" uh TOHR uhm) An organization or establishment dedicated to the treatment or rehabilitation of individuals suffering illness or injury: "Because I had a lung infection, I had to spend six months at the sanatorium before I was well." sanitarium(san" i TAIR ee uhm) An alternative word for an establishment the purpose of which is to provide rest and treatment for the ill: "The famous sanitarium was located near the desert w here the air was dry and less polluted." While he was reviewing old medical texts, he noticed that what we now know a s asanatoriumused to be spelledsanitarium. Now, a distinction is sometimes made betweensanitarium(a kind of health resort ) andsanatorium(a hospital); or both spellings are used interchangeably. sane, seine, Seine sane(SAYN) Mentally healthy, able to anticipate and judge one's actions in a rational way: "You could tell by her disposition that she was a sane and happy person." seine(SAYN) 1. A fishing net that hangs vertically in the water which when drawn up towards shore or onto a boat captures fish: "The fishing company used a seine when fishi ng off the coast of the island." 2. To fish using a net: "We decided to seine for fish at night using a flare to light our way on the water."

Seine(SAYN, SEN) A river in France which flows northwest through Paris and empties into the Engli sh Channel: "We rented a barge and floated down the Seine River from Paris to th e sea." Sometimes, in order to feelsaneat the end of a strenuous working day, he imagi nes that he is sailing down theSeineRiver, using aseineto catch fish for his dinner. sanguine, sanguinary, sanguineous sanguine(SANG gwin) 1. Having the character traits of cheerfulness: "He had a sanguine personality a nd got along with everyone at school." 2. Having a ruddy complexion: "After a day hiking in the mountains, he had a fre sh and sanguine complexion." sanguinary(SANG gwuh ner" ee) Bloody, associated with bloodshed: "Too many wars end up being more sanguinary t han anticipated." sanguineous(sang GWIN ee uhs) 1. Relating to or involving blood or bloodshed: "The medical surgery was more sa nguineous than the doctors expected." 2. Having the color of blood; blood-red: "His new shoes were sanguineous and wer e hard to keep clean." Hersanguinepersonality was matched by hersanguineouscheeks which were a rosy red ; however, her favorite reading materials have been murder novels and the moresan guinarythe more she likes to read them! sap, sap, SAP sap(SAP), noun 1. The watery fluid that circulates through a plant, carrying food and other sub stances to the various tissues: "Maple syrup is made from the sap tapped from su gar maple trees." 2. A leather-covered hand weapon; a blackjack: "The robber used his sap on the p oor victim when he tried to resist being robbed." 3. A slang term for a person who is easily tricked or cheated: "The poor sap bel ieved everything she told him." sap(SAP), verb 1. To use up the supply of something; such as, a person's courage, energy, stren gth, etc.: "Carrying things up and down the steps for hours can sap the strength of just about everyone." "These unemployed people complained that months of not being able to get a j ob can really sap them of their self confidence and even cause serious depressio n." 2. To cause a person to lose courage, energy, strength, etc.: "His illness tende d to sap him of his mental and physical strength to such a degree that he was on the verge of giving up any further medical treatment." SAP(SAP) SystemApplicationsProgram, founded in 1972, in Germany, SAP has a history of innov ation and growth as an industry leader. SAP currently has sales and development locations in more than 50 countries worldwide and is listed on several exchanges , including the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and NYSE under the symbolSAP: "SAP deliv ers products and services that help accelerate business innovation for their cus tomers." "According to company statements, by using SAP solutions, companies of all s izes; including small businesses and mid-size companies, can reduce costs, optim ize performance, and gain the insight and agility needed to close the gap betwee n strategy and execution." The poorsap, he thought he was working for theSAPprogram, but he didn't read th e fine print:Stationary Alert Plan. The realization of this seemed tosaphis energy for a while; however, he rallie d and went on to design the tools used to tap thesapin maple trees. sat, set, sit sat(SAT) 1. To have rested on a chair or other surface: "I sat on the boulder and admired

the view." 2. To have been inactive: "The tractor sat in the barn because it had a flat tir e." 3. To have lain or rested: "The pot of soup sat on the stove where my wife was c ooking and it smelled very appetizing." 4. To have been in a location: "The house sat in the middle of the green lawn an d shade trees." set(SET) 1. To place on a surface with care and deliberation: "Please set the books neatl y on the shelves." 2. To attend with a fixed intention: "I set my mind to solving the mathematical puzzle before I watched television." 3. To establish a standard or pattern for a performance: "She set the standard f or high jumping during the sports competition." "His generosity set an example for his colleagues who also contributed to th e relief fund." 4. The scenery for a theatrical or film production: "The set for the new play wa s lovely and earned a round of applause." 5. A collection of books or other objects that belong together because of such c ircumstances as being by the same author, having the same pattern, etc.: "I boug ht a new set of china to replace the set I had when I was at college." "At the auction, we bought the complete set of Thackeray novels." sit(SIT) 1. To be in a position in which one's bottom is resting on a chair, a seat, the ground, etc.; especially, with one's back upright: "Please, come in and sit down on the couch." 2. To occupy an official position: "He was elected to sit for a city council pos ition after he resigned from the board of directors." 3. To allow to be inactive: "We will let the car sit in the garage over the wint er because we don't have winter tires." "The sled will sit in the garage during the summer and then it will be used again when the snow covers the ground in the winter." 4. To pose for a portrait, photograph, etc.: "She agreed to sit for the painter this week." The man thought he wouldsitdown for a few minutes and admire thesetfor the play which will premier tomorrow. The scene wassetin the countryside in an old house t hat looked as if it hadsaton the same location for at least a hundred years. Satan, satin, sateen Satan(SAYT'n) The profoundly evil adversary of God and humanity, often identified with the lea der of the fallen angels; the Devil: "As a child, if I told a lie, my mother wou ld remark that Satan must have gotten my tongue." satin(SAT'n) 1. A smooth fabric, as of silk or rayon, woven with a glossy face and a dull bac k: "Her beautiful wedding dress was made of antique satin." 2. Glossy, sleek, and smooth: "She brushed her hair so it had a satin sheen." sateen(sa TEEN) A cotton fabric with a satin-like finish: "I made a light cotton sateen dress fo r the summer." The young lady decided to buy a new dress insateeninstead ofsatin; however, it was a great temptation, as if the voice ofSatanwere whispering to her, to buy thesa tindress. satire, satyr satire(SAT ighr") A written work or a spoken expression that ridicules people's behavior: "He wrot e a satire based on his observations of people who traveled First Class on the t rain." satyr(SAY tuhr, SAT uhr) 1. A deity from Greek mythology with the characteristics of a goat or a horse an

d which enjoys revelry: "I looked at the urn in the gallery which depicted a sat yr prancing in the forest." 2. A lecherous man: "After too much to drink, the man acted like a satyr and was removed from the saloon by the bouncer." Thesatirewhich appeared in an arts magazine was on the same page as the photog raph of a recently discovered ancient pottery with asatyrpictured on it. savant, idiot savant, idiot savant(sa VAHNT) 1. A learned person or someone who knows a lot about a particular subject: "She is really a computer savant." 2. Someone who does not have normal intelligence but who has a very unusual ment al ability that other people do not have: "He had poor reading skills; however, he was considered a savant because he could do unbelievable things with numbers and he had a fantastic memory of historical facts." "Savantis now the preferred term foridiot savantand is recommended as the word which should be used instead." idiot savant(ID ee uht sa VAHNT) An intellectually disabled person who exhibits extraordinary ability in a highly specialized area; such as, mathematics or music: "Idiot savantis no longer consi dered an acceptable term andsavantis now the preferred reference for this definiti on." idiot(ID ee uht) A foolish or stupid person: "I really made an idiot of myself at the dinner tabl e last night." "An idiot driver kept trying to pass me on the narrow road tonight while I w as going at the speed limit and other cars were coming from the opposite directi on." The famed psychologist, a renownedsavantin the field of child psychology, gave a lecture in which she emphasized the negative implications of the use of the t ermidiot savantand the even more frequent use ofidiot. saver, savor, savior saver(SAY vuhr) 1. An individual who takes an active role in the prevention of harm or destructi on of something: "The mayor was seen as the saver of the historical district in our town." 2. Anyone who protects others from harm including physical, emotional, and spiri tual: "The preacher was renown as a saver of souls." 3. Someone stores, puts aside money, material items, etc.: "My mother was a real saver of coupons to take to the store." "When I looked at my bank book, I congratulated myself on being a saver so I could buy the car I needed." savor(SAY vuhr) 1. The distinctive taste or smell of something: "The savor of the soup was a ble nd of tomato and herbs." 2. To experience, to taste, or to delight in: "I savor my holidays every summer. " "He likes to dine by candlelight and to savor every bite of his well prepare d meal." savior(SAYV yuhr) 1. Someone who saves something or someone from danger, harm, failure, destructio n etc.: "I felt my psychologist had been my savior after my counseling sessions were completed." "There were many who expected the governor to be the savior of his political party." 2. When capitalized, Savior is used by Christians to refer to Jesus Christ: "As Christians, they took time to pray to their Savior during the special service on Christmas." You will be mysaviorif you willsavorthis soup I am making and tell me what you t hink. I am asaverof all the waters used to cook my vegetables to make the soup sto ck.

saw, saw saw(SAW), verb 1. To have perceived an object by the use of one's eyes or vision: "Yesterday I saw the herd of buffalo in the distance." "I saw your sister at the party last night and she seemed to be having a goo d time." 2. To have become aware of some concept or reality: "My friend saw an opportunit y to improve his career and so he took advantage of the situation." 3. To have understood something: "I finally saw the point made by my teacher aft er I read the chapter in my text book." saw(SAW), noun 1. A tool used for cutting hard material; such as, wood or metal: "He sharpened his saw so he could finish cutting the logs for the fire place." 2. A common saying or proverb: "Our grandfather recited the old saw about an app le a day keeping the doctor away." The speaker said, there is asaw(saying) about "Red Sky at Night, Sailors' Deli ght" because when she sailed to Australia, shesawwhat thatsawmeant since she and her fellow travelers experienced spectacular sunsets over the Pacific Ocean and a s afe and peaceful voyage. scald, scold scald(SKAWLD) 1. To burn by using a hot liquid or steam: "Why did I have to scald my hand with that hot water?" 2. To bring a liquid to a temperature that is not quite boiling: "The recipe sai d to scald the milk before using it." scold(SKOHLD) 1. Someone who is habitually noisy and quarrelsome: "The village scold was alway s complaining and gossiping about other people." 2. To rebuke or to find fault, typically in an argumentative manner: "The teache r might scold us if we don't do our homework." The oldscoldin the kitchen had toscoldher son by reminding him toscaldthe pot bef ore making a new pot of tea. scalp, scalping; scalp, scalping; scalpel scalp, scalping(SKALP, SKALP ing) 1. The skin covering the top of the human head: "She went to the doctor for trea tment of the excessive loss of hair from her scalp." 2. A portion of the skin that covered the top of the head with its attached hair , cut from a body especially as a battle trophy or as proof in claiming a bounty : "He cut a piece from the scalp of the fox as proof of killing it in order to c ollect a bounty." 3. Hair and skin that is cut or torn from the head of an enemy as a sign of vict ory; now often used figuratively: "Because of her disrespectful behavior, there is no doubt that her boss will be scalping (firing) her or wants her scalp [want s to fire her]." scalp, scalping(SKALP, SKALP ing) To engage in the reselling of something; such as, tickets for a sports or musica l event, etc.; usually, at a price higher than the established value: "Last week he was scalping tickets to the latest rock concert and now he wants to scalp ti ckets to the basketball game." scalpel(SKAL puhl) A small straight knife with a thin sharp blade used in surgery and dissection: " Each student in the anatomy class was using a scalpel to dissect his, or her, an imal corpse." As he started the brain operation, the surgeon used a finescalpelto remove par t of thescalpof the patient who was injured in a scuffle with a customer when he t ried toscalpa ticket for a hockey match. scam, scram scam(SKAM) 1. A deceptive, dishonest, or fraudulent undertaking: "The police arrested the t wo who were operating a scam and convincing others to give them money."

2. To get something; such as, money by deceiving individuals: "The Ponzi scheme ended up as a gigantic scam for thousands of people." "The Ponzi scam was an investment swindle in which some early investors were paid off with money put up by later people in order to encourage more and bigge r risks." scram(SKRAM) 1. To depart, to leave, to go away quickly: "The delinquents had to scram before the police would arrive." 2. A command to tell someone, or an animal, to leave or to get out of a place: " My mother told me to scram after she caught me eating cookies instead of carrot sticks." When the small grocery-store owner realized that the two children were tryin g toscamher into giving them some free candy, she told them toscram. scan, scandal scan(SKAN) 1. To review or to investigate carefully: "She was asked to scan the research ma terials the author wanted to use for his report." 2. To glance at something, often in a hasty manner: "I barely had time to scan t he statistics before responding to the questions." 3. To use a sensing device to examine objects: "My nephew used a Metal Detector to scan for lost metal objects on the beach." 4. An image, typically of a body part, that is obtained by the use of radiograph ic equipment: "The doctor reviewed the scan of my broken ankle and assured me I would not need surgery." scandal(SKAN d'l) 1. Conduct that discredits an individual or organization: "There was a horrible scandal in the bank when the manager discovered that some funds were missing." 2. Disgrace to one's integrity or reputation due to an immoral or disgraceful be havior: "The scandal surrounding the runaway couple was the gossip of the town f or a long time." She likes toscanthe newspapers every day to see if there is a newscandalinvolvi ng some politician and she is rarely disappointed. scat, scat, scat, scat scat(SKAT) Usually a command to leave immediately and quickly: "When the lady saw the stran ge cat on her back porch, she told it toscat!" scat(SKAT) A style of jazz singing that uses nonsense syllables to approximate the sound of a solo instrument: "The singer used scat to improvise vocal sounds instead of w ords to go along with the melody of the clarinet that was being played by anothe r member of the group." "Scat is said to have originated on theHot FivesongHeebie Jeebieswhen Louis Arms trong dropped his lyrics to sing in this new style." scat, scats(SKAT, SKATS) Small tropical-ocean fish, often kept in aquaria because of their bright colors; from Indian and Pacific oceans: "Scat is a shortened term of modern LatinScatoph agidaefrom Greekscatophagos, 'dung-eating'; because scats are known to frequent se wage outlets for their food consumption and they are scavengers, feeding on alga e and feces [scat]." scat(SKAT) A fecal dropping of an animal; especially of a game animal: "The veterinarian wa s examining the scat of the deer in an effort to find out what was making it and others sick." While the lady was listening to Louis Armstrong singscat, she noticed that ri ght after her cat left itsscatin the litter box, it jumped up on the table where t hescatswere swimming in the aquarium and so the lady firmly told her cat toscatand t o leave the fish alone. scene, seen scene(SEEN) 1. A portion of an act or a single situation or event in a theater or film produ

ction: "The second scene in the play was delightful and we laughed a lot." 2. The location where something happened: "The police searched the scene for clu es that would indicate what started the fire." 3. An exhibition of inappropriate behavior: "Because she was so tired, my little niece caused a scene at the restaurant so we all had to go home before we could even order our meals." seen(SEEN) 1. To have participated as a spectator: "We have seen several soccer games in ou r lives but none were as exciting as this one." 2. To have looked at: "I have seen the beautiful jewels in the Tower of London." 3. To have made sure something is done: "I have seen to the setting of the table and used all the good china." I ve neverseensuch a beautifulscenebefore. Not long ago, Kodak had a special "seenon thescene" advertisement about its ne w Easy Share dual lens digital camera. scent, sent scent(SENT) 1. A characteristic or particular odor left by an animal on a surface: "My dog w as sniffing around the tree and picked up the scent of the raccoon." 2. Perfume or other nice smelling liquids worn for the enhancement of one's pers onality: "My aunt wore her favorite scent when she went to the opera." 3. To get a hint or inkling of something: "They could scent that trouble was bre wing among the workers." sent(SENT) 1. To have caused something to go in a particular direction: "The teacher sent m y cousin home because she appeared to be sick." 2. To have dispatched: "I sent a telegram to my uncle about the train schedule." 3. To have grown as part of normal development: "The flowers sent out new shoots in the spring." 4. To have discharged or poured out: "The volcano sent up a cloud of smoke and a sh." When the man's wife received the special delivery package of perfume, it was good to know that they finallysentthescentshe was expecting. Why is the nose in the middle of the face? Because it is thescenter. scepter, specter scepter(SEP tuhr) The staff or emblem of royal authority: "The queen carried the scepter in her ha nd as she walked to her carriage." specter(SPEK tuhr) A ghost, something that appears to haunt a location or an individual: "In the sh adows, I was certain I saw the specter of my long lost uncle." Tradition has it that the royalspecterwalks beside the prince when he is carry ing thescepterinto the royal chambers. scratch, scratch scratch(SKRATCH), verb 1. To rub the skin with something sharp as with the fingernails in an attempt to stop an itching: "She had nervous itches and her first reaction was to scratch them for relief." 2. To decide to quit doing something: "They had to scratch their plans for flyin g because of the bad weather." 3. To earn barely enough money to live on: "The father was barely able to scratc h out a living for his family." scratch(SKRATCH), noun 1. A line or mark in the surface of something that is caused by anything rough o r sharp rubbing against it: "We saw a scratch on the back bumper of his car." 2. From a point at which nothing has been done before: "The author started his n ew novel yesterday from scratch." A vandal used a nail toscratchthe expensive car, leaving a deepscratchon the fe nder and two of the doors. The owner had toscratchhis plans to leave on his holida ys so he could take the car to the paint shop for repairs.

scream, screech, shriek, squeal scream(SKREEM) 1. To suddenly cry out in a loud and high voice because of pain, surprise, etc.: "You could hear her scream when she saw the dead body." 2. To speak, to write, or to express something in a way that shows intense or un controlled emotion: "The newspaper headlines did indeed scream about the increas e in crime of the downtown area." 3. Produce a vivid impression or startling effect: "The colors of her pink sweat er and orange blouse seemed to scream at each other." 4. To make a very loud, high sound: "We heard the scream of the woman when her h usband drove into the fire hydrant and hit a tree early in the morning." "In New York City, you never really get used to the scream of sirens." "It is no doubt just their imagination going wild, but some visitors claim t hat they can hear a scream from the picture ofThe Screamby the Norwegian artist Ed vard Munch in the National Gallery of Oslo, Norway." Word Infoimage ALL rights reserved. screech(SKREECH) Cry out sharply in a high voice, shriek; a shrill, harsh scream: "To hear any ow l screech at night and near by can startle just about everyone." shriek(SHREEK) 1. A loud, sharp, shrill sound: "The shriek of terror in the movie made the whol e audience jump." "The shriek of an engine s whistle causes pain in our ears." "The woman let out a shriek when she saw and felt the mouse running over her foot." 2. A loud, shrill laugh: "The little girl gave a shriek of delight when her dadd y came home from work." "Each child greeted the other one with a shriek of joy." squeal(SKWEEL) 1. Make a long, sharp, or shrill cry: "A pig will squeal when it is hurt or want s to get away when it is grabbed." "The puppy responded with a squeal when the woman stepped on its tail." 2. Slang: to inform on someone; to betray, or to expose one's accomplices: "She was getting ready to squeal to the police after seeing her neighbor break into a nother house and carry out a TV set." When the famous rock band came to our city, the young girls gathered on the streets toscreamand tosquealtheir enthusiasm. The noise was deafening, causing such an alarm that the police arrived with ashriekof a siren and then stopped with a su ddenscreechof the brakes. scrip, script scrip(SKRIP) 1. A wallet or a small bag: "I carried my subway tickets in a small scrip inside my knapsack." 2. Money, paper, or coins, which can be issued for use in emergency situations: "Because the roads were flooded and the merchants could not get to the bank, the y issued scrip for their customers to use instead of money." 3. Documents that indicate the person to whom it belongs is entitled to receive something: "The patient presented the scrip to the drugstore and the prescriptio n was renewed." script(SKRIPT) 1. The written form of a play, movie, television show, etc.: "At our rehearsals, we studied the script which the playwright had given us." 2. A style of printing that resembles handwriting: "The font choices on my compu ter include a very readable script." 3. A plan for what is going to be done or said in a particular situation: "We fo llowed the script from the travel agent when planning our trip by train." "When questioned, the company officials followed the script and declined to comment."

Thescripwhich the doctor wrote was written in a finescriptwhich was easily read by the pharmacist. After herscripwas filled, she placed it in herscrip(bag) before getting out her emergencyscripfor the subway ride home. She needed to get home to review thescriptof the new play for which she was auditioning. scrub, scrubs; scrub, scrubbed; scrub, scrubbed scrub, scrubs(SKRUHB, SKRUHBS) A straggly, stunted tree or bush; small bushes and trees: "We could see the chip munk hiding in the scrub farther away from the scrubs in the woods." scrub, scrubbed(SKRUHB, SKRUHB'd) 1. As a verb, to rub something hard with a rough object or substance and often w ith soap in order to clean it: "We had to scrub and scrub the floor until it was clean." 2. The procedure of having rubbed something very hard to get it clean. "The pan had a good scrub and is now clean and ready to be put away." scrub, scrubbed(SKRUHB, SKRUHB'd) 1. To cancel or to abandon; to drop what was anticipated: "Because of the high c ost, we had to scrub our plans for going away on a vacation." 2. Having decided that something; such as, a game, performance, etc. will not ha ppen or has been canceled: "They had to scrub the game because of the bad weathe r." "On February 7, 2010, NASA scrubbed the launch of the space shuttle,Endeavor, to the International Space Station (ISS) from the Kennedy Space Center in Flori da because the low clouds that moved in would obscure, or make it impossible to see, theEndeavoras it took off." After the doctor hadscrubbedup for the surgery, he discovered that the operati on had beenscrubbed; so, with the afternoon free, he went for a walk among thescru bson the hillside. scruff, scuff scruff(SKRUHF), noun 1. The back or nape of the neck: "The mother cat picked up her kitten by the scr uff of the neck and carried it back to the box with the other kittens." scuff(SKUHF), verb 1. To shuffle or to walk without lifting one's feet; to explore using one's feet : "When I am tired, I tend to scuff my feet when I am walking." "Children like to scuff by dragging their feet through piles of leaves in th e yard." 2. To roughen or to scratch by wear: "Before she could dance in her new high hee ls, it was necessary for her to scuff the soles of her shoes on the sidewalk so they wouldn't be slippery." 3. A slipper with a flat sole (noun): "She noticed the heel of her left scuff wa s worn out so she figured that she needs a new pair of slippers." When he walked across the lawn, his leftscuffcaught on a twig. He didn't want toscuffhisscuff(s) again so he took them off and started toscuffthrough the grass in his bare feet. As he was walking, his kitten ran to meet him and he picked her up by thescr uffof her neck to carry her into the house. scull, skull scull(SKUHL) 1. A racing boat that is propelled by individuals using oars: "The scull was lon g and sleek and easy to maneuver." 2. To propel a boat using one or two long oars, often undertaken by one individu al: "We watched as the son of our friend tried to scull the boat and almost tipp ed over." skull(SKUHL) 1. The structure of bones that form the head and face of a human or other animal : "After falling on the slippery sidewalk and being taken to the hospital, the d octor said our neighbor had a fractured skull." 2. The skeleton head bone of a vertebrate which encloses and protects the brain and other delicate parts in that part of the body: "In the museum I saw the skul

l believed to be that of the oldest primate in the world." They knew they were in danger when theirscullhit askullfloating in the river. sculptor, sculpture sculptor(SKUHLP tuhr) An artist who produces work by carving a material; such as, wood, stone, etc.: " The sculptor has an exhibit of her work in the local gallery." sculpture(SKUHLP chuhr) 1. The act of creating works of art out of hard materials (verb): "She tried to sculpture a toy out of a single piece of wood." 2. A work of art that is three dimensional (noun): "The sculpture of King Tut at the gallery was incredibly tall and beautiful." The localsculptorcreated a magnificentsculpturefor the new municipal building. sea, see sea(SEE) 1. The body of salt water that covers most of the surface of the world: "We deci ded to sail across the sea in a cargo ship which also had provisions for about t en passengers." 2. An essentially landlocked body of salt water of secondary size to the ocean: "The Mediterranean Sea is a beautiful blue during the summer." 3. The heaving motion of the surface of a large body of water: "The rough sea ca used our ship to toss up and down just before we arrived in the English channel. " 4. A gathering of vast dimensions: "From our balcony, we could watch the sea of faces gathered in the town square below." see(SEE) 1. The seat of ecclesiastical authority: "The palace is the see for the bishop i n this town." 2. To notice or to become aware of someone or something by using the eyes: "We c an see the hills in the distance from our front porch." 3. To recognize, to understand, or to suppose: "Looking at the sales figures, we can see a steady decline in profits." "Investors were never able to see this turn in the stock market coming." We asked our California friends if they canseetheseafrom their house. seam, seem seam(SEEM) 1. The joining of two edges of a fabric or material of some sort: "You could not see the seam in the dress where the tailor had mended it." 2. The space between the wooden planks on a ship: "The sailors used pitch to fil l the seam that was leaking." 3. A thin layer of something lying between sections of a different substance: "W e could see the seam of silver ore glinting in the dark rock." seem(SEEM) 1. To appear to be something or to do something: "Because my sleeping bag was we t, it would seem to me that the tent must be leaking and we should find a differ ent shelter." 2. To have a quality, appearance, etc., that shows or suggests a particular char acteristic, feeling, etc.: "What they're doing doesn't seem right to me." It wouldseemthat theseamin the tent doesn t keep the rain out. The difference between a kiss and a sewing machine is this; one sewsseamsnice and the otherseemsso nice. Ennis Rees,Pun Fun seamed, seemed seamed(SEEM'd) To have attached the two edges of a material or fabric to each other: "The new s ewing machine flawlessly seamed the material for the new coat." seemed(SEEM'd) To have given an impression or to have gained the sense of something: "It seemed to me that the tower on the hill was crumbling and needed to be repaired." It seemed to her that the seamstressseamedthe torn place in her coat so well t

hat theseamwas invisible. seamen, semen seamen(SEE muhn) Sailors having the rank below that of petty officers in the navy or coast guard: "The seamen wore their clean white uniforms while the ship was in port." semen(SEE muhn) A viscous fluid that is secreted by male reproductive organs: "The doctor collec ted a sample of the man's semen to send to the laboratory for analysis." Theseamenwere concerned about their colleague because the doctor had ordered a test of hissemen. sear, seer, seer, sere sear(SEER) To dry out or to burn with a sudden application of heat or flame: "The chef was careful to sear the swordfish steak over the open fire." "We saw the lightning sear the tree." seer(SEER) An individual who demonstrates unusual insight or one who practices divination ( fortune telling): "I was curious to consult a seer about my future life." seer(SEER) An individual who looks for or perceives information by using his or her eyes: " My aunt who had limited vision always traveled with a friend who acted as her se er, describing the scenery, etc." sere(SEER) Characterized by being dried, winkled, or withered: "In fairy tales, the old cro nes always seem to have sere skin." "Another way to describe 'dried cranberries' is to say the cranberries are s ere." At the local BBQ and street fair, aseerwas predicting how the chef wouldsearthe roast. "As aseer, I can see him planning tosearit until it is quitesere." seas, sees, seize, siege, cease seas(SEEZ) 1. The salt waters that cover much of the Earth's surface: "They traveled by shi p on the seas." 2. Large bodies of water, salt or fresh, that are more or less land locked: "The ir boat was overwhelmed by the heavy seas." sees(SEEZ) Noticing or becoming aware of living creatures or things by using the eyes: "She sees better now than she did before the operation on her eyes." seize(SEEZ) 1. To grasp suddenly and forcibly; to take or grab something: "The bank will sei ze their house because they have not been able to make their payments." 2. To grasp, to take possession of, to capture: "The publisher was enthusiastic, as he told the author that his new novel would seize the imagination of the pub lic." siege(SEEJ) A prolonged effort to gain or overcome something or a serious and lasting attack of something: "They had a long siege of bitterly cold temperatures this winter. " cease(SEES) 1. To put an end to or to stop doing something: "The factory will cease operatio ns next year." "Mr. Chips cautioned the students to cease their talking and to do their wor k." 2. To stop performing an activity or action; to desist: "The noise will cease wh en the cars stop honking their horns." The goal of a pirate captain is to wander theseas(with his fellow pirates) and toseizeany ship heseesthat looks as if it has any value even if he has to laysiegeto it until he gets his loot; then after that he willceasehis efforts until another v ictim is found. seasonable, seasonal

seasonable(SEE zuh nuh buhl) Happening in good time; appropriate for the circumstances; opportune: "We had a seasonable frost this morning which made the grass white." "We had a seasonable discussion about what to do about our friend's upcoming birthday." seasonal(SEE zuh nuhl) Occurring or varying depending on timing or circumstances: "Picking cherries on the farm is a seasonal activity." "We had a seasonal snow storm on the first of December." Since we are expectingseasonalweather for the weekend, we are planning aseasona bleoutdoors activity to celebrate the end of the school year. sects, sex sects(SEKS) 1. Several religious organizations which are perceived as having a distinctive d octrine: "The two sects decided to unite and created a communal purpose to hand print their religious books." 2. Factions or organizations that adhere to a specific code or doctrine or who f ollow a leader: "The political sects gathered on the school common for a rally a nd to listen to a charismatic speaker." 3. Religious or political groups that are connected to a larger organization who have beliefs that differ greatly from those of the main group: "Liberal sects h ave been expressing strong differences of opinions with the more conservative me mbers of the religious congregation." sex(SEKS) 1. The intercourse between male and female animals which may be for pleasure or for reproduction: "My cat was pregnant after having sex with the local tomcat." 2. Either of the two divisions of organisms that distinguish male and female spe cies: "In my botany course, we learned to distinguish the sex of the flowers tha t were grown in the laboratory." The very conservativesectsof some religions are adamant about traditionally de fined roles for the members of eachsex. sensitive, sensual, sensuous sensitive(SEN si tiv) 1. Susceptible or easily hurt: "I was aware of her sensitive nature and tried to be gentle when I told her about the accident." 2. Secret or classified information: "The sensitive documents for which the mini ster was responsible were accidentally left in the restaurant." 3. Readily fluctuating or changing: "The temperature in the room was sensitive a s the result of the drafts coming in through the crack in the window." sensual(SEN shoo uhl) Worldly; seeking gratification of one's physical appetites or desires: "She soug ht to satisfy her sensual desires by dressing in an extravagant manner and dinin g in elegant restaurants." sensuous(SEN shoo uhs) Characterized by the impressions or imagery of the senses: "Going to the museum was a sensuous feast for my artistic appetite." The well known andsensitivenews reporter was awarded prizes of excellence for a series of articles that providedsensuousdescriptions of those who are looking fo r physical gratifications in other parts of the world in order to satisfy theirse nsualdesires. sentence, sentence sentence(SEN tuhns) A group of words that expresses a statement, question, command, or wish: "Senten ces usually contain a subject and a verb and in written English, the first word of a sentence is capitalized and the sentence ends with a period, question mark, or an exclamation point." sentence(SEN tuhns) A court judgment, especially a judicial decision of the punishment to be inflict ed on a person adjudged guilty; the penalty meted out: "He is serving a sentence of fifteen years in prison for armed robbery."

"I am" is the shortest grammaticalsentencein English, but "I do" can be a lifes entence. septic; skeptic, sceptic; styptic septic(SEP tik) Characterized by infection or putrefaction: "Because it was not treated promptly , the wound on my foot became septic." skeptic, sceptic(SKEP tik) An individual who typically questions knowledge or reserves judgment on a topic: "My friend is a skeptic when it comes to reading certain articles in the local newspaper." styptic(STIP tik) A substance that tends to act as an astringent: "When he was learning to shave, the young man kept a tube of styptic close by in case he cut himself with the ra zor." The environmentalscepticwas observed poking around in theseptictrash in a park where he injured his thumb which required astypticapplication in order to prevent his thumb from becomingseptic. seraph, serif seraph(SER uhf) An angel, often depicted as a child: "We admired the painting of the seraph on t he ceiling of the chapel." serif(SER if) One of the short lines near the top and bottom of the long parts of some printed letters: "The curlicue at the top of the letter 'A' ??is my special serif when I am printing posters." There was a drawing of aseraphon the ceiling of the chapel and surrounding thes eraphwas some elegant writing with a distinctiveserifhighlighting each letter; suc h as,A B C D E Fall of which are showing the extra littleserifmarks on the letters. serf, surf serf(SURF) Someone in feudal times who was bound in servitude and who lived and worked on a estate which was usually owned by someone from the upper class: "The serf worke d hard, hoping that some day he would be able to rise to a higher social level a nd own property." surf(SURF) 1. A wave of the sea that breaks onto the shore: "We could hear the sound of the surf breaking on the beach from our resort hotel." 2. The activity by which individuals, using a specially designed board, ride the large waves of the sea towards the shore: "Her boyfriend tried to surf the big waves in Hawaii." 3. To go on the internet or to watch television for recreation, education, or en tertainment; frequently changing the site or channel: "I often surf the internet looking for information that can provide sources of information for my universi ty classes." He felt like aserfhaving to work so much all week; so, it was a relief on the weekend when he couldsurfthe internet and learn some new things. serge, surge serge(SURJ) A sturdy fabric that is woven with a diagonal stripe in it: "My mother made me a serge skirt to go with my new coat." surge(SURJ) 1. To rise and fall in a sudden and excessive manner: "After the storm, we were afraid that the waves would surge against the shore, causing flooding." 2. Characterized by an unexpected and sudden fluctuation or rise and fall: "Ther e was an unexpected surge in the electrical power last night." 3. To move like advancing waves: "We could see the fans surge forward to see the movie star." 4. A sudden spontaneous or planned increase in an activity: "President Barack Ob ama is set to formally authorize the dispatch of additional U.S. combat troops t o Afghanistan, the beginning stage of a military surge that will likely add many

more military personnel over the next year or more, doubling the U.S. occupatio n forces." There seems to be a sudden fashionsurgefor bluesergesuits this year. sever, severe sever(SEV uhr) To cut, to separate or to divide: "After an argument, my brother decided to seve r all communication with his former boss." severe(suh VEER) 1. Strict, stern, or rigorous in judgment: "He was his own most severe critic wh en talking about his new book." 2. Maintaining a scrupulous standard for behavior: "I thought that her expectati ons of the children s behavior were severe considering their ages." 3. Harsh, difficult, causing discomfort: "A winter in Northern Canada can be sev ere if anyone is not prepared for it." 4. Requiring great effort: "The war is a severe test of his leadership ability." She thought it was a ratherseveredecision on the part of her great aunt tosevera ll connections with her former colleagues when she retired. sew, so, sow, sow sew(SOH) To make, repair, or to fasten by stitching, as with a needle and thread or a sew ing machine: "Her mother is planning to sew another dress and to sew on some new buttons, too." so(SOH) 1. To a degree that is suggested or stated: "She had never felt so happy." "Her mother told her that she shouldn't eat so fast." 2. In the same way: "He was always a hard worker and so was his mother." sow(SOW) 1. To scatter (seed) over the ground for growing: "Every year in the spring, we sow corn." 2. To cause fear, doubt, etc. that can affect a large number of people: "Threats of war can sow fear in the region." sow(SOU) An adult female hog or even adult females of several other animals; such as, the bear: "The sow just gave birth to eight piglets who are now busy nursing." So, a crow can scatter wheat seeds, but can asow sowcorn or can she evensewa dre ss? See how easy it is to confuse these words? Remarked the tailor feeling low, "Business is bad, or justsew, sew." sewage, sewerage sewage(SOO ij) The refuse, or liquid and solid waste, carried off in sewers or drains: "It's im portant that municipalities make sure that the the sewage is properly carried aw ay from homes and other buildings in the systems of pipes which have been set up for that purpose." sewerage(SOO uhr ij) Either the removal of sewage or the system of removal: "The city official explai ned that sewerage refers to the removal of waste materials by means of the sewer system." The newseweragesystem was designed to remove thesewagemore efficiently than the previousseweragesystem. sewer, sewer, soar, sower, suer sewer, sewar(SOO uhr) 1. An underground conduit or pipe the purpose of which is to carry off drainage and excrement: "My street was dug up all summer long because the city was instal ling new sewer pipes in my neighborhood." 2. Formerly, in England, an attendant who supervised the serving of meals and th e seating of guests: "The Medieval romance described the sewer who was attached to the household and was in charge of making sure the food was properly prepared ." sewer(SOH uhr) 1. An individual who uses a needle and thread or a machine that is equipped to f

asten material together with stitches: "The new immigrant to the city was hired as a sewer in the local coat factory." 2. Someone who makes, mends, or fastens with a needle and thread: "Her mother wa s known as a talented and a practical sewer because she could do so many things with her needles and various threads." soar(SOHR) 1. To fly or hover in the air, typically at a great height: "I watched my kite s oar out of sight above the trees." 2. To glide or to fly without an engine and not lose altitude: "The pilot was ab le to soar over the plains in the glider which he had built." 3. To rise to a majestic or exalted professional or public level: "With the help of his secretary, his career began to soar in the company." 4. To increase very quickly in amount or price: "Housing costs started to soar t o greater amounts then suddenly dropped causing what has been termed to be ahousi ng bubble." sower(SOH uhr) 1. An individual who casts or scatters seed to grow a crop: "For a job during th e spring vacation, my cousin worked on a farm as a sower, scattering seeds for t he summer wheat." 2. Anyone who is responsible for introducing something into a special or selecte d environment: "The scientist was the sower of a new breed of wheat in the farm region." 3. A person who tries to cause fear, doubt, etc. which will affect many people: "The leader of the opposition was a deliberate sower of discord among the voters in the recent elections." suer(SOO uhr) An individual who uses a legal process to get a court of law to force another pe rson, company, or organization to make a financial payment or to take certain ac tions: "The judge asked that the suer stand up and explain his case." Someone told me that he saw a hand reaching up from a manhole in the street and it was showing a threaded needle. It's the only time he had ever seen asewercoming out of asewer. Thesuerin the court action involved asowerwho worked in the wrong field as a you ng farmer and who had hoped to use part of his farm area as a way tosoarhis glider . Unfortunately, there was also asewerpipe crossing the field that hampered his ob jectives. Later, the young farmer approached a neighbor who was well known as a clevers ewerto make a wind sock for his gliding enterprise. sext, sexting, sexted; text, texting, texted sext, sexting, sexted(SEKST, SEKST ing, SEKST'd), verbs 1. A portmanteau (combination) ofsexandtextingwhich is the act of sending sexually e xplicit messages or photos electronically, primarily between cell phones: "The m other of a twelve-year old girl was caught sexting a nude photo to her boy frien d." 2. The slang term for the use of a cell phone or other similar electronic device to distribute pictures or video of sexually explicit images: "Sexting also refe rs to text messages of an obviously sexual-content." 3. When a guy and a girl send sexually explicit text messages back and forth to each other which may also include pictures: "Both parents of the boy and girl we re very upset when they found out that their children had sexted to each other." "In other parts of the country, teens have been arrested for sexting on the internet." Come on people, don't you know that yoursextedmessages on the internet can be seen by other people? Every time yousextimages and messages, you have actuallysextedthem for the worl d to see. text, texting, texted(TEKST, TEKST ing, TEKST'd), verbs 1. To send a text message to: "My friend texted me when she arrived in town." 2. To communicate by text message: "He texted his wife that he would be late for dinner."

"A six-month trial of mobile calling, texting, and other data services were made available to their customers." Hey, friend, I've beentextingyou for several days and you haven'ttextedme back. Would you pleasetextme soon so I'll know that you are all right. sextant, sexton sextant(SEK stuhnt) A navigational instrument incorporating a telescope and an angular scale that is used to work out latitude and longitude of astronomical objects as viewed throu gh the telescope and its angular distance above the horizon is read off the scal e: "The captains on the old whaling fleets used a sextant to set the courses for their ships." sexton(SEK stuhn) An employee or officer of a church who is responsible for the care and upkeep of church property and sometimes for ringing bells and digging graves: "One of my nephews has a part time job as the sexton at his church." Thesextonat their church had an interesting career before arriving there as th e pastor. He once worked on a tall ship and used asextantto guide the vessel durin g its voyages. shall, will(verb forms) shall(SHAL) 1. This element is now mostly restricted to two situations, first, for interroga tive sentences requesting permission or agreement: "Shall we go for a walk now?" "Shall I open the present now?" 2. Second,shallis used in legal documents, in which it indicates a duty or respons ibility: "This tenant shall obtain the landlord's permission before he makes any changes to the property." will(WIL) With minor exceptions,willhas become the universal word to expressfuturity; regardl ess, of whether the subject is in the first, second, or third person: "My friend and I will be arriving in town early this evening and he will be driving the ca r." Grammar rules formerly had the following formats, which now are generally no longer utilized! Simple Futurity First person: I shall (s); we shall (pl) Second person: you will (s); you will (pl) Third person: he, she, it will (s); they will (pl) Determination, Promise, or Command First person: I will (s); we will (pl) Second person: you shall (s); you shall (pl) Third person: he, she, it shall (s); they shall (pl) "The artificial distinction betweenshallandwillto designate futurity has neither a basis in historical grammar nor the sound sanction of universal usage." -Norman Lewis,Better English; 1961; page 270. shear, sheer shear(SHIR) 1. To cut, trim, or to clip something (hair, wool, bushes, etc.) from something: "Today is the day we shear the sheep." "Tomorrow we will shear the lawn and the bushes." 2. A cutting instrument similar to scissors but typically larger and heavier tha t is usually referred to in the plural: "We bought a new pair of shears so we ca n trim the hedge." sheer(SHIR) 1. Something that is thin and almost transparent: "Her light summer coat was mad e of the sheer cotton that she bought at the store." 2. Straight up and down, perpendicular: "We decided we could not climb the sheer cliff today, but we are determined to try it tomorrow." 3. To act with focused determination: "She won the scholarship through her sheer

determination to excel in all her examinations." It takessheerconcentration to learn toshearsheep so the sheerer doesn't nick the m. sheath, sheathe sheath(SHEETH) 1. A cover or case for something: "In my craft class, I made a leather sheath fo r my cousin s pocket knife." 2. Any of a variety of coverings or supporting structures: "My umbrella has a pr otective sheath which I use when I put it in my purse." sheathe(SHEETH) 1. To cover something with a protective layer: "The builders will sheathe the wa lls of the house with plastic to make it windproof before putting up the brick s iding." 2. To put something; such as, a sword, into a sheath: "The swordsman was about t o sheathe his sword." The roofers were using a plasticsheathmaterial tosheathethe hole in the roof unt il after the heavy rains. shelf, shelve shelf(SHELF), noun 1. Something which is fastened to a wall for the storage of books or other items : "The handy man will put a shelf in the closet for my shoe boxes." 2. A ledge of rocks usually partially submerged in water: "The waterfowl stood o n the shelf in the bay while they were hunting for small fish." 3. A flat area of rock, sand, ground, etc.; especially underwater: "The swimmers had to be careful of the shelf of sand covered rock and shallow water when they were diving off shore." shelve(SHELV) 1. To place something on a flat surface structure that is fastened to a wall: "O nce the shelf is installed, I will shelve all of my books in alphabetical order. " 2. To put aside or to remove from active work or service: "I had to shelve my id ea of sailing around the world because I lost my job." "When she was called to the office, the engineer thought her boss was going to shelve her." His after school job was toshelvethe architect's drawings on the wideshelfthat was made especially for the large pieces of paper. shoe, shoo shoe(SHOO) 1. An item, typically constructed of leather, that is designed to be worn on and to protect each foot of a person: "I took my left shoe in to the repair shop to replace the worn heel." 2. A metal rim that is designed to protect the foot of a horse or similar animal : "The blacksmith made a new shoe for the mule while the farmer waited." 3. A part of the brake system used to slow the motion of something: "The auto me chanic told my friend that she needed a new brake shoe for each of the back whee ls, if she wanted to use her car safely." shoo(SHOO) To tell (an animal or person) to leave: "When she saw the strange cat in her yar d, she yelled, 'Shoo! Get out of here!' and it ran through the bushes." "We tried to help the woman, but her response was to shoo us away." She lost her leftshoewhile she was running across the yard trying toshoothe goo se out of the garden. shone, shown shone(SHOHN) 1. To have taken a fancy or liking to something: "I have shone my interest in wa ter color painting by enrolling at a studio." 2. Fair weather, brilliant: "The sun has shone all day which we really enjoyed a fter three days of rain." shown(SHOHN) 1. To have caused or permitted someone or something to be seen: "I have shown my

fancy embroidery at the local craft fair." 2. To have pointed out or exhibited: "The real estate agent has shown my house t o three couples who are interested in buying it." His reaction was that the sun finally hadshoneon the day that he sold his car. He figured that he hadshownit to at least a dozen people before someone finally d ecided to buy it. shot, shot, shot shot(SHAHT), noun 1. An act of having fired a gun: "The hunter fired a shot at the deer, but he mi ssed it." 2. Someone who shoots a gun: "She is a better shot than her brother." 3. A critical or insulting remark: "He took a shot at his opponent more than onc e during the debate." "As his parting shot, the senator said that the other candidate simply didn' t have any idea what the needs of his state are." 4. An attempt to do something successfully: "The football team lost the game, bu t there is no denying that the players gave it their best shot." 5. An informal expression referring to a photograph: "I got a good snap shot of the children making their snowman." "You can be sure that the police will make more than one mug shot of the per son who is accused of robbing the bank." 6. An act of putting something; such as, medicine or vaccine, into the body with a needle: "He decided to go get his flu shot this winter." shot(SHAHT), verb 1. Having discharged or fired a gun: "Are you sure that when you shot your gun a t the target you actually hit it?" "She shot an arrow at an apple on the fence and hit it right in the center." 2. Gone, moved, or passed quickly and suddenly in a particular direction or to a particular place: "The musical album shot straight to the top of the charts." shot(SHAHT), informal In a bad condition or situation: "This job is so stressful that my nerves are sh ot to pieces." "After sliding off the icy road into the ditch, my car is so shot that it wo n't pay to fix it!" "I have to stop and rest because I am simply too shot to drive any more toni ght." My nerves areshotbecause while I was trying to learn to shoot a cross bow, I t urned out to be a lousyshot. In fact, my friend took ashotof me trying to get a goodshotat the target and twi ttered it to all of our friends. I gave it my bestshotand so havingshota bull's eye once, I retired from the sport. shudder, shutter shudder(SHUHD uhr) 1. To tremble or to shiver in a convulsive manner: "It was so cold I began to sh udder and could not stop until I went inside to get warm." 2. The act of trembling or shivering in an uncontrollable manner: "I shudder to think of what could have happened if I had missed my plane." shutter(SHUHT uhr) 1. A moveable screen to cover a window or a door: "I decided to paint the shutte r on the porch a bright green." 2. To move a screen to cover a window or door: "I want to shutter the windows be fore the rain starts." 3. Part of a camera that opens and shuts to allow light to expose the film: "The shutter on my camera stuck and I had to get it repaired." Ishudderto think what damage might have happened if theshutteron the window had not been closed. sic, sic, sick sic(SIK)

To attack someone or something, usually used as a command to a dog: "When her ne ighbor saw the stranger trying to break into his house, he told the thief to sta nd still or he would sic his dog on him." sic(SIK) To indicate that the spelling or wording of something is intentional or original : "The editor wrotesicin the margins of the copy so the typesetter would understa nd that any misspellings or misuses of any words were intentional because they w ere written that way by another writer who was being quoted exactly." sick(SIK) 1. Not well, being ill, feeling queasy, or being nauseated: "I felt sick all day and did not go to work." 2. Corrupt in a spiritual or moral sense: "His sense of humor was vulgar and no one laughed at his sick jokes." 3. Filled with anxiety: "She was sick with worry before her daughter finally cam e home late from school." 4. Emotionally unsound or disordered: "Her mind was sick and she had to be psych ologically treated for several months." At first she thought that she was sic [sic] with fear that her angry neighbo r wouldsichis dog on her; however, she later determined that she was justsickwith th e flu. side, sighed side(SIGHD) 1. To support or to agree with: "I expect you to side with me when we talk with the school principal." 2. Either the left or right portion of the body: "He described a sharp pain in t he right side of his body." 3. A group of contestants or a team: "We cheered for our side as our spelling te am won the spelling bee." sighed(SIGHD) 1. To have made the sound of gently moving air: "The wind sighed through the bar e tree branches." 2. To have taken a deep breath that may be heard by others: "When she stood up, she sighed because she was tired and her feet hurt." "Oh, dear", shesighed, "I have a terrible pain in myside." sigher, sire sigher(SIGHR) An individual who tends to breathe deeply and heavily: "She always sounded like a sigher because it was difficult for her to breathe easily." sire(SIGHR) 1. The male parent of a domestic animal: "Black Diamond was the sire of the famo us racehorse." 2. To breed or to parent a domestic animal: "We want our horse to sire at least one colt before he is sold." 3. A form of address used to refer to a man of authority: "When the butler spoke to the landowner, he referred to him as 'sire' as a form of respect." Thesireof the farmer's favorite calf was ill. He said that the animal seemed t o be asigherbecause of a lung infection which could be cured. sighs, size sighs(SIGHZ) 1. To make or to take a deep audible breath: "She sighs when she is tired and ne eds a cup of tea." 2. To take in and let out a long and audible breath in a way that shows that som eone is bored, disappointed, relieved, etc.: "It was possible to hear some sighs of relief from students when they found out that they had passed the final exam ." size(SIGHZ) 1. The physical shape or bulk of something: "The size of the rain clouds was ama zing." 2. An indication of an item of graduated measurements or proportions: "I tried o n a size seven dress and it fit me perfectly."

"What size shoe do you wear?" 3. To alter, to make, or to modify something to correspond to its actual shape o r bulk: "The seamstress had to size the arms of the jacket to match the length o f the coat." 4. To cover something; such as, wallpaper with a sticky substance called sizing (glue, flour, or varnish) in order to make it stiff or smooth or to attach somet hing else to it: "The paper hanger had to size the paper before he could attach it to the walls." With manysighs, she had to agree that her footsizewas a little too large. sign, sine sign(SIGHN) 1. A motion or gesture the purpose of which is to communicate a signal or comman d: "He gave the sign for the race to begin." 2. A defined set of signals or gestures used for communication by individuals wh o are unable to hear properly; to make such gestures or signals: "He used his ha nds to sign to his friends that it was time to go to the ball game." "I plan to study sign language in order to communicate with my young cousin who is hearing impaired." 3. One of two characters (+, -) used to indicate positive or negative factors in mathematics: "I missed one question on the math examination because I forgot to put the correct sign in the answer." 4. A poster or bill board typically used for advertising or providing informatio n: "The directions said to turn right at the sign pointing to the bridge." "We noticed that our neighbor had aFor Salesign on his car." sine(SIGHN) Theratio of the hypotenuse to the opposite side of a right-angled triangle: "His geometry assignment was to calculate the sine of the right triangle using the me asurements which his teacher provided." It was asignthat she would not be much of a mathematician when she couldn't fi gure out what thesinewas on the geometry question in the quiz. simmer, summer simmer(SIM uhr) 1. To cook something so it is almost boiling for a certain period of time: "The directions for the recipe said to put all the ingredients in a pot and simmer fo r 45 minutes." "Simmer the stew for 30 minutes or until the sauce has thickened." 2. To be filled with a strong feeling that is difficult to control or to hide: " It was easy to see the customer simmer with anger when he couldn't get anyone to take his payment." summer(SUHM uhr) The season or time of the year that occurs between the seasons of spring and the fall, characterized by being warm or hot: "The girl said that she loves summer because there is no school and she can go to the beach every afternoon." "Her children have wonderful memories of summer camps over the years." It is so hot thissummer, that he feels as if he were a pot which has been set to a slowsimmer. simple, simplistic simple(SIM puhl) 1. Not requiring a high degree of sophisticated understanding: "The directions l ooked so simple that even my three-year old nephew could understand them." 2. Unconditional, readily understood, and uncomplicated: "The conditions of the warranty for the new vacuum cleaner were simple to understand." 3. Not special or unusual: "He enjoys the simple pleasures of spending time with his wife and children when he gets home from work." simplistic(sim PLIS tik) 1. The presentation of a problem in a manner that seems deceptively easy and ign ores certain relevant information: "To say that the butler did it seems like a s implistic approach to solving the mystery." 2. Not complete or thorough enough, or not treating or considering all the possi

bilities or parts: "The scientist's interpretation of the results was too simpli stic and failed to clarify what happened." It is not sosimplejust to givesimplisticexplanations for the current situation. Much more research is required before an adequate solution can be determined. simulate, stimulate simulate(SIM yuh layt") To copy or to imitate, often in such a manner as to be deceptive: "The students practiced flying a machine that was designed to simulate the actual flight of a jet." "The jeweler agreed to simulate the antique necklace so the original could b e kept in safe storage." stimulate(STIM yuh layt") To arouse, to excite, or to provoke. "The professor was exceptional and could st imulate her students to an active discussion of the issues." "A salary raise for employees could very well stimulate more production for the company." It mightstimulatemore learning if someone could design a game tosimulatethe pea ceful uses of space ships. sing, singe sing(SING) 1. To make musical tones by using the voice: "She was determined to learn to sin g so she enrolled in a vocal music program." "Since I have retired, I only sing opera for my family and friends, but not for others." 2. Informal, to give information, often in a clandestine or secret manner: "He a greed to sing on his criminal comrades in exchange for his freedom." singe(SINJ) To burn in a superficial or slight manner: "Be careful when you lean across the table, you might singe your hair in the candles." It was an amusing incident that could have turned tragic. Just as the sopran o was getting ready tosingher famous aria, she leaned too close to the candles and her wig started tosinge; so, she grabbed the wig off and threw it on the floor. sink, sink sink(SINGK) 1. To do something that is morally wrong: "How could he sink so low as to cheat on his final exam?" 2. To fall or to drop to a lower level; especially, to go down below the surface of water, mud, etc.: "We could see the car sink into the muddy river after it r an off the highway." "The water in the lake is expected to sink several feet during the long, dry summer." sink(SINGK) A water basin fixed to a wall or floor and having a drainpipe and generally a pi ped supply of water with faucets: "We just installed a new sink in our bathroom. " "We had to clean the stopped-up drain in the kitchen sink." It was sad to hear that he had tosinkso low as to hoard so much water during t he drought. Apparently he not only filled thesinkevery day, but also his bath tub and a big-plastic barrel. skim, skimp, skin skim(SKIM) 1. To remove a layer of something from the surface of a liquid: "The cook wanted to skim the fat from the broth." 2. To look over or to read something quickly; especially, to find the main ideas : "She only had time to to skim the reading assignment before the class started. " 3. To move quickly or lightly along, above, or near the surface of something: "I t was interesting to see the ducks skim over the lake before landing in the wate r." skimp(SKIMP)

To spend less time, money, etc., on something that is needed; to provide for or to supply inadequately; to be stingy with: "When it comes to their child's safet y, parents should not skimp." "For the sake of our health, we should not skimp on sleep." "His written instructions certainly don't skimp on details." skin(SKIN) 1. The natural outer layer of tissue that covers the body of a person or an anim al: "She had to be careful not to let the sun burn her skin." 2. The outer cover of a fruit, vegetable, etc.: "He was told that potato skin is nutritious." 3. Informal, to skin someone alive; that is, to punish someone severely: "His mo ther is going toskin him alivewhen she finds out about the window that he broke wh ile playing baseball in the front yard." Don'tskimpon your efforts toskimthe fat from a cooled soup base that was made fr om boiling theskinor the flesh and bones of a chicken; as well as, from vegetables . slam, slam slam(SLAM), verb 1. To close something in a strong way that results in making a loud noise: "Now, why did you have to slam that door?" 2. To criticize someone or something harshly: "The workers voted to slam the com pany for not paying decent wages." slam(SLAM), noun 1. The act of closing something in a forceful way that makes a loud noise: "She closed the book with a slam which expressed her anger at being disturbed." 2. U.S. informal, something which is certain to happen or to be successful: "The legal decision of guilty as charged was a slam dunk because there was no doubt that he committed the crime." You don t need toslamhim just because the door closed with aslamwhen a strong win d forced it to suddenly shut. slash, slash slash(SLASH) 1. To make a long cut in something with a knife or other sharp tool: "The man th reatened to slash the woman's face if she didn't give him her purse." 2. To reduce something by a significant amount: "They decided to slash prices to increase their sales." slash(SLASH) 1. A thin and usually long cut made with a knife or other sharp object: "You cou ld see the horrible slash on his arm which happened when he reached through the broken window." 2. The mark / which is used to mean "or" as inand/or; "and or" as inbottles/cans; "per" as inkilometers/hour; or as a division sign in fractions as in 1/2; also c alled aslash mark: "The slash symbol, or slash mark, is often used in computer pr ogramming, website addresses; as well as, in the situations shown in the example s presented in this #2 definition." The store manager decided toslashthe prices on many kitchen utensils. The post er for the sale listed many different utensils with aslashmark between the names o f each one. slate, slate slate(SLAYT), noun 1. A kind of hard stone that splits easily into thin layers: "Most school blackb oards were once made of slate and some schools still use this form of chalk boar d for classroom use." 2. A fine-grained rock that splits easily into layers and is widely used as a ro ofing material and on walls: "The house was constructed with a slate roof." 3. A list of people who are attempting to win a political election: "The party f ielded an impressive slate of candidates for next year." 4. A record of some past performance or activity: "The political party will have to start over with a clean slate if they want any of their members to win durin g the next election."

5. A portable computer that does not have a keyboard input device physically att ached to it: "The slate is essentially a computer that consists of a touch input screen and relies on input to come from finger or stylus input and on-screen ke yboards for textual input." "A slate is a class of notebook computer that accepts input from an electron ic pen rather than from a keyboard." slate(SLAYT), verb 1. To arrange or to plan for something to happen: "The city is planning to slate a new science museum to be opened next year." "The singer will slate her new album for release next month." 2. To be chosen for some position, job, etc.: "The company apparently plans to s late our supervisor to become the company's next CEO." His former boss is on theslateof directors for the new museum that presents an exhibition of roofing styles, materials, and equipment. There is also a very or nateslateroof on the museum structure that was imported from another country. slay, sleigh slay(SLAY) 1. To kill in a random and wanton manner: "Wild animals do not slay other animal s just for recreation, but for food." 2. To delight or to amuse someone, or others, very much: "You slay me when you t ell such outrageous jokes." sleigh(SLAY) 1. A vehicle with runners used to drive across the snow or ice: "The horse pulle d the red sleigh over the snow on the way back to the barn." 2. To drive a large, open vehicle that is usually pulled by a horse over snow or ice: "The man from the city wanted to learn to sleigh during his winter vacatio n on the farm." The way he tells the story of the runawaysleighwas so amusing, it could onlysla y(amuse) the audience. sleave, sleeve sleave(SLEEV) To separate something into fine filaments: "My cousin, who is an engineer, devel oped a machine to sleave the threads of silk before weaving it into new cloth." sleeve(SLEEV) 1. Part of a piece of clothing designed to cover each arm of the wearer: "When I tried on the new coat, I noticed that the right sleeve was too short for me so I concluded it was a manufacturing error." 2. An open ended tubular packaging: "I slipped the newspaper into the plastic sl eeve so it would not get wet." 3. Informal expression to suggest an individual is keeping a secret: "She was gr inning so hard I was sure she had something up her sleeve." The finishing touches on thesleeveof her new dress were very artistic. Someone had to spend a lot of time tosleavethe threads to create such an elaborate fringe along the seam. sleight, slight sleight(SLIGHT) 1. Deceitful efforts. "He tried to borrow a large sum of money by employing slei ght tactics." 2. The act of tricking or deceiving someone, or others, in a clever way: "Invest igative journalists exposed the company's financial sleight of hand to its inves tors." slight(SLIGHT) 1. Not stout, but slim or delicate: "Her slight figure was draped in black becau se her favorite cat had died." 2. Trivial, superficial, and not having much importance: "We had a slight acquai ntance and I would not say we were friends." The circus barker was physically veryslightas well as very clever. Hersleightof hand when it came to card tricks was amazing. slew, slough, slough, slough slew(SLOO)

1. Large numbers or quantities of something: "We collected a whole slew of eggs from the chicken nests in the barn." 2. To turn, to swing about, or to skid: "The car was going too fast and it slew around the corner on the ice." 3. To have killed something, typically in great numbers: "The knight slew the dr agon and won the hand of the princess." slough(SLOO, SLOU) 1. A depression or hollow, usually filled with deep mud or mire: "A slough is kn own as a slue or a stagnant swamp, marsh, bog, or pond; especially, as part of a bayou, inlet, or backwater." 2. A state of deep despair or moral degradation: "She was in such a slough of di scouragement that she decided to go to see her doctor for help." slough(SLUHF), noun 1. The dead outer skin shed by a reptile or an amphibian: "You can see in this c age that this is the slough or skin of the snake which is living here." 2. In medicine, a layer or mass of dead tissue separated from surrounding living tissue, as with a wound, a sore, or an inflammation: "Using a scalpel, the doct or removed the slough that was inhibiting the healing of the wound on her foot." slough(SLUHF), verb To get rid of something that is unwanted: "It is important that we slough off ou r fears and face the challenges that confront us in this project." "I will slough off my winter coat and stand in front of the fire so I can ge t warm." The dragon got ready tosloughitssloughwhile wading through theslough. Sloughing time is a verysloughtime in a dragon s life because it is very slow atsloughtime; in f act, a knight recentlyslewanother dragon that lived just down the pike. sloe, slow sloe(SLOW) A plum tree typical of the North Eastern United States which has dark purple fru it with yellow flesh: "The sloe of the blackthorn stained my fingers when I was picking them." slow(SLOW) 1. Lacking in readiness, dull: "We were slow to start this morning because of th e flat tire." "You will have to excuse me, but I am a bit slow so early in the morning." 2. Moving without much speed: "The traffic was so slow this morning." "The river is deep and slow here, but watch out for the rapids downstream." 3. Boring, lacking in activity and gaiety: "The pace of life in the country is s low when compared to living in the city." Don t beslowwhen you are picking asloefrom thesloetree. slug, slug, slug, slug slug(SLUHG) A small, soft creature which is like a snail without a shell: "Going for walks i n the country, I have seen one slug after another crawling around during the eve ning." slug(SLUHG) 1. In the U.S., a small piece of metal that is part of a bullet fired from a gun : "The police found a slug in the door that was fired by the suspect." 2. A disk shaped like a coin that is used illegally instead of a legitimate coin in a machine: "Someone used a slug to get candy from the coin machine." 3. A small amount of liquor taken in one swallow: "The customer took one slug of whiskey after the other at the bar." slug(SLUHG) A hard punch with the fist: "The boxer hit his opponent with a slug to the jaw." slug(SLUHG) To hit someone or something hard with the fist, a bat, a tennis racket, etc: "Th e baseball player positioned his bat so he could slug the ball for the winning s core." After taking aslugof whisky at the bar that belonged to another guy, that man reacted with aslugat the drinker's face which caused each drunk toslugthe other unt

il they were finally thrown out onto the street. sluggard, slugger sluggard(SLUHG uhrd) An individual who is habitually lazy and avoids work or physical exertion: "Our obese neighbor tends to avoid exercise, over eats, and spends too much time as a sluggard in front of the TV or playing electronic games hour after hour on his computer." slugger(SLUHG uhr) 1. Someone who hits a baseball very hard: "When the baseball player got up to ba t, the crowd cheered, 'Come on, Slugger. Get another home run'." 2. A boxer who hits an opponent hard over and over again: "The prize fighter was a slugger who won against most of his opponents." A baseballsluggercan hardly be asluggardand expect to win a championship. smack, smock smack(SMACK) (noun and verb) 1. To press together and open the lips quickly and noisily, as when eating or ta sting: "You could hear the cook smack his lips as he tasted the food he was prep aring for dinner." 2. To strike sharply and with a loud noise; such as, a blow delivered with an op en hand: "She brought her hands together with a loud smack." 3. A hard slap or hit; including a loud noise that is made when something hits a nything else in a forceful way: "We could hear the big book fall to the floor wi th a smack." smock(SMAHK) 1. A loose coatlike outer garment, often worn to protect the clothes while worki ng: "She wore an artist's smock whenever she was painting her pictures." 2. A wo man's loose blouse-like garment, reaching below the waist and worn over slacks, etc.: "We see more and more girls wearing a smock when they are in school or eve n walking around town." If you are going tosmackyour lips and gobble when you are eating, you will nee d to wear asmockto keep your clothes from getting messy. smart, smart, smart smart(SMART), adjective 1. Amusingly clever; witty: "He often came up with smart plays on words known as puns." 2. Characterized by sharp quick thought; mentally bright: "She made a smart inve stment, this time." The smart money's on tropical islands Looking for a sound investment to combat the biodiversity crisis? Spend your cash on an island. It turns out they are about nine times as valuable as an equ ally large piece of mainland. From an article by Emma Young in theNew Scientist; May 16, 2009; page 12. smart(SMART), adjective Relating to, or being a highly automated device; especially, one that is fitted with a built-in microprocessor: "There are many so-called smart cards, smart sig nals, smart phones, smart missiles, and many othersmarttools which are available i n our modern age." "When we started out to build our network two summers ago, there was not a s ingle smartphone (smart phone) with a Wi-Fi chip in it, not a single BlackBerry with a Wi-FI chip. Now, if you look at the industry data, about 90 percent of al l hand-held devices going out in the next five years are going to have Wi-Fi chi ps." Jack W. Blumenstein, chief executive of Aircell, the company that is providing nearly all of the Wi-Fi installations so far for U.S. carriers. smart(SMART) 1. To cause a sharp, usually superficial, stinging pain (noun): "The child cried because of the pain of the smart on her skinned knee." 2. To suffer acutely, as from mental distress, wounded feelings, or remorse (ver

b): "He is still smarting from the series of lost tennis matches that he suffere d last month." He wassmartto use hissmartphone so he could get medical attention for the painfu lsmarton his bleeding hand. Asmart phoneis described as a wireless phone with text and internet capabiliti es that can handle wireless phone calls, store addresses, take voice mail, acces s information on the internet, send and receive e-mail, and fax transmissions. smear, smirch, smirk smear(SMIR) 1. To spread on or to wipe a surface with something that is sticky: "I will use a knife to smear apricot jam on my morning toast." 2. A substance that is put onto a surface, often as a thin layer: "The mechanic will smear the gears with grease so they will function smoothly." 3. To make malicious or secretive comments about someone: "The unscrupulous bank er tried to smear his competitor by writing gossip in the newspaper." 4. An accusation or charge about someone that is without foundation: "The smear campaign by his political opponents consisted of telling lies about his war reco rd." 5. In medicine, A very small sample of something; such as, skin or blood which s omeone examines with a microscope: "The laboratory checked the patient's blood s mear and discovered that malaria was a factor causing his illness." smirch(SMURCH) 1. To make dirty, to sully: "Be sure to wear an apron so you don't smirch your d ress while you're washing the dishes." 2. To bring disgrace upon someone: "His negative comments seemed to smirch the r eputation of his former teacher." smirk(SMURK) To smile in a shallow, smug, unpleasant, or affected manner: "While the principa l was talking with him, the youth seemed not to pay attention and had a smirk on his face." The nasty minded youth seemed tosmirkwhen making a comment that wouldsmirchthe r eputation of his friend. It was almost as if young guy was trying to start some kind ofsmearcampaign against his buddy. smeller, speller smeller(SMELL uhr) 1. An individual who uses the olfactory senses to identify substances: "The most valued employee in the perfume factory is a smeller with a finely developed olf actory sense." 2. An individual or thing what emanates an odor: "That old cheese is quite a sme ller." speller(SPEL uhr) An instructional text to teach how to use letters to create meaningful words: "I brought my new speller home from school and I plan to use it for my homework." Thesmellerwho worked at the perfume factory always carried an old fashionedspel lerso she could write down new words, check the spelling of some words, and incre ase her vocabulary. smudge, smug, snug smudge(SMUHJ) 1. To rub, to blur, or to make indistinct: "She used the art gum eraser to smudg e the picture and to create the appearance of fog." 2. A spot or stain on something: "After eating a hamburger, he discovered a smud ge of catsup on his shirt." smug(SMUHG) 1. Having or showing the annoying quality of people who feel very pleased or sat isfied with their abilities, achievements, and having a glow of self-congratulat ion: "He had a smug expression on his face because he was sure he had won the co mpetition." 2. An archaic or out-of-date usage: very clean, tidy, and very correct: "His des k in the office was always smug as were the documents which he wrote." snug(SNUHG)

1. Close fitting and comfortable: "The new coat had a snug fit and was very comf ortable and warm." 2. Warm, comfortable, and safe: "The Christmas poem described the children as be ing snug in their beds." "The cottage was a snug place to be on a rainy afternoon." 3. To fasten down securely: "The sailors had to work hard to snug the barrels on the deck so they would not roll around." She was feeling verysmugbecause she was able to get thesmudgeout of her newsnugswe atshirt. soar, sore, sower soar(SOHR) 1. To sail up into the air to a great height or an upward flight: "I watched the butterfly soar up into the sky and fly away." "The new kite will soar above the trees." 2. To rise to a high or exalted level: "When I hear a stirring marching band, I can feel my heart soar with pride." "I expect the price of a new car will soar next year." 3. To fly a vehicle that is without an engine: "When I am in my glider, I can so ar over the fields and hilltops." sore(SOHR) 1. Painfully tender or sensitive: "They felt sore all over after the bruising fo otball game." 2. Characterized by difficulties and hardships: "The pioneers had a sore time cr ossing the mountains with their wagons and animals." 3. A localized spot on the body where the skin is broken and which is typically infected: "The nurse looked at the sore on the patient's elbow and applied some medications and a bandage." sower(SOHR) 1. An individual who plants seeds by scattering them: "My gardener is a sower of grass seeds which he scatters by hand." 2. Anyone who scatters non-truths and causes suspicion: "As a sower of gossip, t he thoughtless youth caused people to be angry and he was forced to apologize." His muscles aresorebecause he was flying his kite all day. It was exciting to watch itsoarover the farmer's field where he noticed asowerwas planting a new wheat crop. soared, sword soared(SOHRD) 1. To fly or to sail often at a great height by floating on air currents: "The e agle soared high in the sky above us." 2. To rise quickly upward to a great height: "The ball soared out of the stadium ." sword(SOHRD) A weapon with a long metal blade that usually has a sharp point and edge: "He wa s a skilled fighter with a sword." "There is a saying that people need to beat their swords into plowshares; or , to stop fighting wars and begin to live peacefully." During the hand-to-hand fight, the man's rapier flew into the air; that is, the opponent'ssword soaredout of control. He who lives by thesworddies by theswordor, in other words, those who view war a s a solution to a national or international problem will ultimately be destroyed by their ownsoaringviolence. sodder, solder sodder(SAHD uhr) Someone who, or a machine which, lays sod or grass for a lawn: "We had a sodder come to get rid of the weeds and give us a new lawn for our residence." solder(SAHD uhr) 1. The process by which two pieces of metal are fastened together, typically usi ng a different melted metal to accomplish the process: "The tinsmith was able to solder the broken drainpipe back together." 2. To create a solid friendship or union: "We went out to lunch together to sold

er our renewed friendship." The professionalsodderwho took care of their yard was also able tosolderthe bro ken hinge on the gate. soil, soil soil(SOIL), noun The top layer of the earth in which plants grow: "These plants will grow very we ll in moist soil." "The soil around here is very sandy." soil(SOIL), verb To make something dirty or unclean: "Yes, she did soil her dress when she spille d the milk shake in her lap." If anyone works in gardensoil, then that person should expect tosoilthe clothin g that is being worn. sold, soled sold(SOHLD) 1. To have exchanged money to acquire property: "He sold the antique desk to the highest bidder at the auction." 2. To have given up something in a foolish or dishonest manner: "He sold his goo d name when he became involved with the fraud scheme." 3. To have influenced or persuaded others to take a certain course of action: "T he teacher sold the children on the idea of creating posters advertising their u pcoming concert." soled(SOHLD) To have attached a new bottom to a shoe or boot: "The shoe repairman soled my sh oes for me while I was waiting." Shesoldthe pair of shoes that she recently hadsoledat the shoe repair. sole, soul sole(SOHL) 1. The underside of the foot from the toes to the heel: "I have a blister on the sole of my right foot where my new shoe was rubbing." 2. The underside of a shoe, boot, or other piece of footwear, sometimes excludin g the heel: "We had to have our shoes repaired with a new inner sole for each sh oe." 3. Only, exclusive, lone, solitary, single: "The hermit is the sole inhabitant o f that cave on the hill." 4. Exclusive: "The father has sole responsibility for the child." 5. Single, alone, or having no other individual associated with a situation: "Sh e has been the sole occupant of the house ever since her parents died." soul(SOHL) 1. The animating and vital principle in humans, credited with the faculties of t hought, action, and emotion and often conceived as an immaterial entity: "Every human being is believed to have a soul." 2. The spiritual nature of humans, regarded as immortal, separable from the body at death, and susceptible to happiness or misery in a future state: "Many relig ious leaders preach that the souls of their faithful followers will go to paradi se (heaven) and the souls of the unfaithful will suffer in hades (hell)." 3. Essence, embodiment, quintessence: "The banker was the soul of honesty and un derstanding." 4. Inspiration, force, spirit, vitality: "Some musicians lack soul." 5. Asoul mateor a person with whom someone has a strong affinity: "When she met my friend, she told her sister that she believed that she had finally found hersoul mate." Worship Services: Yoursoulis oursolemission. As the prince was trying on the shoe to find Cinderella, someone commented t hat the prince was using the shoe to find his true love, while someone over hear ing the statement said, the prince was actually looking for hissolemate; which, of course, would also supposedly result in the prince finding hissoulmate. solid, stolid solid(SAHL id) 1. Something that is neither a gas nor a liquid: "My chemistry teacher told me t

hat everything can be categorized by three separate characteristics: a solid (fi rm and visible), a gas (not visible), a liquid (visible and wet in appearance)." 2. Something that has no internal cavity: "On the playground, we used a solid ru bber ball in our games." 3. Uninterrupted: "The speeches went on for two solid hours without a break." 4. Prudent, serious in purpose and character: "He had a solid reputation for goo d judgment in financial matters." stolid(STAHL id) Expressing little or no emotion; impassive: "When she was angry, her face assume d a stolid expression and it was difficult to know what she was thinking." His personality was calm andstolid. People always had a sense ofsolidreassuran ce when working with him on business deals. solitaire, solitary solitaire(SAH i tair") 1. Any of a number of card games in which there is only one player: "In the even ing, I like to get my cards out and play solitaire while sitting by the fire." 2. A gem stone (diamond, etc.) mounted in a single setting with no other stones: "Her engagement ring was a beautiful topaz solitaire." solitary(SAH i ter" ee) 1. Living alone, isolated, without companionship: "He lived a solitary life styl e during the summer when he was camping." 2. Being both single and isolated: "He provided a solitary example of the relati onship between rocks and lichens." 3. Living in a prison with no other inmates: "Because of his dangerous behavior, the criminal was placed in solitary confinement for two weeks." Living a solitary existence needs a high light or two. She often playssolita ireout on the balcony while admiring hersolitaireengagement ring. some, sum some(SUHM) 1. An unknown or unspecified individual or thing: "Some guy called when you were out side and for some reason he wouldn't give me his telephone number." "He found some strange looking creatures in the water and brought them to th e laboratory for examination." 2. An unspecified amount, number, or quantity: "He needs to get some water becau se his throat is dry." "I have some change in my pocket." 3. An unspecified number of people or things: "I think there are some 80 individ uals attending the meeting." sum(SUHM) 1. As a brief statement of the most important information in a piece of writing or speech: "The last sentence in the report ought to sum up all the arguments fo r the new tax." 2. The answer when adding numbers: "The sum of five plus four is nine." 3. To perform the mathematical function of adding: "The grade five student was a sked to sum the column of numbers on the blackboard." "Will you sum up your comments in a short sentence, please." There are at leastsomepeople who know that when anyone adds numbers, the resul ts will be asumof those numbers. sometime, some time, sometimes sometime(SUHM tighm") Being or occurring only once in a while or occasionally: "My aunt was a sometime visitor to our home and she was always welcome." some time(SUHM tighm") At an unspecified or unknown point of time: "I heard the neighbors come home som e time last night after midnight." sometimes(SUHM tighmz") Occasionally, happening now and then: "Sometimes I like to go for a long walk wh en it is raining." Sometimeshe feels like going jogging; however, in reality it is asometimeactiv ity because he recently bought a new car. He promised his nephew that he would t

ake him for a drive into townsome time. son, sun son(SUHN) 1. A male offspring or descendent: "My boy friend is the son of the school princ ipal." 2. Sometimes the termsonis used by an older person to address a younger man or boy : "Slow down, son, you're talking too fast." 3. An individual closely associated with the creation of a nation, a geographic area, etc.: "He was a native son of the prairies." sun(SUHN) 1. The star around which the earth and other planets revolve and which provides light and heat for the Earth: "Using a specifically designed device called a sta r gazer, we were able to watch the eclipse of the sun and not injure our eyes." 2. Someone considered bright, brilliant, and remarkable: "Our mother was the sun in our family and she made us all very happy." His older son is really quite the mathematicalsunin the family. Since he is a truesonof the prairies, he excels in making calculations about thesunand the winds. soot, suet, suit soot(SOOT, SUHT) The black residue left from burning material; a fine black powder that accumulat es in chimneys: "There was a haze of soot in the air which came from the forest fires." "The chimney was clogged with soot and needed to be cleared out." suet(SOO it) The hard fat obtained from beef or mutton: "The butcher sold me some suet becaus e I was making a traditional Christmas pudding." suit(SOOT) 1. To accommodate or to meet the needs of: "Will these chairs suit you when you have your meeting in this room?" 2. An action in court the purpose of which is to regain the possession or right of something: "The shop proprietor brought a suit in the courts to recover goods that the shoplifter had taken." 3. Clothing or a set of garments, typically including two or more pieces: "She b rought a blue two-piece suit to wear to the job interview." "He bought a new suit for his job at the company." 4. To please, to agree, or to be satisfactory: "Will it suit you to come for the meeting at ten tomorrow morning?" He gotsootfrom the burnedsueton his newsuit. spacious, specious spacious(SPAY shuhs) Having a large area or space for utilization: "Our dining room is spacious enoug h to accommodate, or to seat, our family of five and up to six guests." specious(SPEE shuhs) 1. Having the ring of truth or plausibility but actually fallacious: "It was obv ious that he was making a specious excuse." 2. Appearing to be true but actually false: "She justified her actions with spec ious reasoning." The park provided aspaciousplayground for the children. The mayor presentedspec iouseconomic reasons as to why it should be closed. spam, Spam spam(SPAHM) Unsolicited e-mail, often of a commercial nature, sent indiscriminately to multi ple mailing lists, individuals, or newsgroups; junk e-mail: "We get a lot of spa m in our e-mail and we have to clear it out several times each day." Spam(SPAHM) A trademark used for a canned meat product consisting primarily of chopped pork pressed into a loaf: "Spam is a great meat to take on camping trips because the contents of the cans don't need refrigeration until the containers are opened." There was aspamadvertisement on his computer about a fantastic price for a bul k purchase of cans ofSPAM.

spark, stark, start spark(SPAHRK) 1. A small piece of burning material that comes from a fire or is produced by ru bbing or hitting two hard objects together: "A spark from the logs in the firepl ace could set something in this cabin on fire." 2. A quality that makes a person or something pleasant, interesting, or successf ul: "He's a great actor, but he seems to have lost some of the spark he used to have." 3. To cause something to start or to happen: "His accusation is bound to spark a n argument." 4. To increase interest, liveliness, or flavor to something: "His jokes always s park laughter before he even starts to tell them." stark(STAHRK) 1. Complete or utterly; extreme; entirely: "Too many people are living in stark poverty." "All of that loud noise is about to drive me stark raving insane and why is that guy walking down the street stark naked?" 2. Unpleasant and difficult to accept or to experience: "The stark reality of hi s death while driving should be a stark reminder of the dangers of driving while drunk." start(STAHRT) 1. As a verb, to begin doing something or to do the first part of something: "Sh e saw the new assignment as a chance to start a new life." "The fitness trainer suggested that we start with some warm-up exercises." 2. As a noun, the first part of an activity, development, event, or the time at which something begins: "From the start of this winter, it has been snowing at l east once a week." "The discovery of the books could be the start of a better understanding of how the pioneers were able to survive as they traveled across the country." A singlesparkfrom a cigarette was determined to have been thestartof the forest fire. The landscape appearedstarkand uninhabited after the fire was finally exting uished. speak, speech speak(SPEEK) 1. To articulate sounds in an ordinary voice: "Once I caught my breath, I tried to speak in a normal voice." 2. To make an oral expression of thoughts, feelings, or activities: "I was angry and I decided that I would speak my mind to the bossy neighbor the next time sh e interferes." 3. To act as a spokesperson for a group or gathering: "We authorized the union p resident to speak for the membership." speech(SPEECH) 1. The exchange or communication between or among individuals using verbal expre ssions: "Her speech was inspirational and sold her audience on the idea of a new park in the city." 2. An individual style or manner of communicating: "Her everyday speech sounded affected and insincere." 3. A public presentation of ideas through verbal communication: "The professor m ade a graduation speech about embracing future challenges." He agreed tospeakat the convention if he could choose the topic of hisspeech. specie, species specie(SPEE see, SPEE shee) 1. Coin of the precious metals (gold or silver), of a certain weight and finenes s, and bearing the stamp of the government, denoting its value as currency: "Sin ce the price of gold and silver have been going up, we have been examining each specie so we can tabulate its monetary value." 2. In law, with reference to a contract, the expression 'performance in specie' means strictly, or according to the exact terms: "The lawyer was explaining what the conditions of each specie for the new contract will be." species(SPEE seez, SPEE sheez)

1. A group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals o r plants: "According to some biologists, there are approximately 8,000 species o f ants." 2. A taxonomic collection of interbreeding populations that are reproductively i solated from other such collections: "A group of closely related species forms a genus." The profit from the sale of the antiquespeciewas donated to an organization de dicated to the protection of a uniquespeciesof cat. spell, spell, spell, spell spell(SPEL), verb 1. To write, say, or print the letters of a word or name: "How do you spell your last name?" 2. To have or to lead to a particular result or effect: "I was told that the amo unt of planning I do could spell the difference between success and failure." 3. To write out something in complete words instead of using a number, an abbrev iation, etc.: "When addressing the invitations, please spell out 'street', 'road ', etc." spell(SPEL), noun A charm or incantation; that is, a group of secret words that are believed to ha ve magic powers: "She felt as if she were under the spell of the words which he uttered." spell(SPEL), noun An interval of space or time usually marked by a particular activity or conditio n: "It looks like we're in for a spell of rainy weather." spell(SPEL), verb To take the place of another person who has been working or doing something for a period of time: "When the couple is taking care of their niece, they spell eac h other throughout the day." In their efforts to try to end the longspellof hot and dry weather, the farmer s resorted to hiring a water witch in hopes that she could cast aspellto bring rai n. They actually had to hire two water witches tospelleach other off while waiting for the rain to start. Later, after it actually rained, a farmer had to write a check to pay the tw o witches and so he asked each one tospellher name carefully for him. spelt, spelt spelt(SPELT) An ancient and hardy kind of wheat, grown mostly in Europe: "In Germany,speltis ca lleddinkeland when they eat chicken [hinkel] and spelt [dinkel] together, they som etimes express their thoughts about how good thehinkel and dinkel mealtasted." Etymology: The Latin name isTriticum spelta. spelt(SPELT) Primarily British, the past tense and past participle tense ofspellwhich forms a w ord or a part of a word: "The man from England, who was visiting in New York, to ld the librarian that she spelt his name incorrectly." "While visiting in London, I spelled the wordfavorin a note, but someone told me that in England they spelt it asfavour." The cook realized that he hadspeltthe word "spelt" wrong when he was writing d own a recipe. He wrote "spelled" when he meant "spelt" while he was referring to the flour that is used to make speciality breads. splatter, splutter splatter(SPLAT uhr) 1. To move, fall, or to hit something in large drops: "Mud will splatter everywh ere when the wet dog shakes herself." 2. To cause a liquid to move or to fall in large drops: "Why do you have to spla tter paint everywhere?" 3. Something that has been hit and broken apart on a surface: "I can see that yo u have a big bug splatter on the windshield of your car." splutter(SPLUT uhr) 1. To make a spitting or choking sound: "I can hear the log splutter in the fire

place." 2. To say something in a choking incoherent manner: "She couldn't help but cough and splutter as she climbed out of the icy water." 3. To speak hastily and incoherently, as when confused or angry: "He responded t o the accusation that he cheated on the test with a splutter, 'Th-that's simply not true!'." All she could do wassplutterwhen a car drove through a large mud puddle and cr eated a hugesplatterof goo all over her as she was walking on the sidewalk. spot, spot, spot spot(SPAHT), noun 1. A small area of a surface that is different from other sections: "The man fel l through a thin spot in the ice on the lake." 2. A small amount of a substance that is on something: "A candle in the holder d ropped a spot of wax on the table cloth." 3. A particular space or area: "They had trouble finding a parking spot." "We spent our vacation in a nice quiet spot on the coast." spot(SPAHT), verb To see or to notice someone or something that is difficult to see or to find: "D id you spot the lack of quality in this meal as compared to the one we had at th e other restaurant?" "She can spot errors in the written presentation much better than other edit ors." spot(SPAHT), adjective 1. Relating to goods or shares that are paid for and delivered immediately inste ad of at some future time: "There is quite a difference between futures and spot commodities." 2. The act or process of looking at a few things or people in a group in order t o find possible problems: "The police announced that they would be making spot c hecks of drivers on New Year's Eve in order to reduce driving after drinking alc oholic beverages." She did aspotcheck of her clothes and she was able tospotaspotof grease on her new green coat. spout, spout spout(SPOUT), verb 1. To shoot out with force; such as, a liquid: "From a safe distance, we could s ee the volcano spout fire and lava." 2. To flow out with force: "The surgeon must be careful to prevent the spout of blood from the wound." spout(SPOUT), noun 1. A tube, pipe, or hole out of which a liquid can flow: "This time the water wi ll flow down the unplugged spout when it rains again." 2. A sudden strong stream of liquid: "A spout of water was seen coming from the old pipe in the basement." 3. As an informal British usage,up the spoutis a description of something that has completely failed, been ruined, etc.: "England has been experiencing an economy that is up the spout." "The marriage of the couple is going up the spout [ordown the drain]." A British family recently installed a new rainspout, and then after a thunder storm, they could see the waterspoutout of thespoutas it flooded their garden. They were sure that they were up thespoutbecause their cellar was also being flooded. spring, spring spring(SPRING), noun 1. An elastic device; such as, a coil of wire, that regains its original shape a fter being compressed or extended: "There's a spring in the car seat that needs to be repaired or replaced." 2. A small stream of water flowing naturally from the earth: "One of the advanta ges of being in the country is that we can see a spring here and there more ofte n." 3. The season between winter and summer and the season when plants and trees beg in to grow again: "Last year, we were fortunate to have a mild spring with adequ

ate rain and sunshine." 4. A lively and energetic quality: "His grandmother, even at her age, had a grea t spring in her steps." spring(SPRING), verb 1. To move or to leap forward or upward suddenly: "We could see the deer spring back into the woods as we walked closer to it." 2. To move quickly to a different position: "If you stretch this rope and then r elease it, it will spring back into its original length." 3. An informal or slang expression meaning to help someone get out of or to esca pe from jail, prison, etc.: "The guy tried to forcefully spring his buddy from j ail instead of waiting for a lawyer to legally spring his friend." During their hike, they came across a smallspring. In order to cross it, they were able tospringfrom one rock to another one across the stream because before as pringrunoff, it is easier to cross aspringbefore it gets deeper. squib, squid squib(SKWIB) 1. A short news item often of a satiric nature, sometimes used as a filler on a newspaper page: "She worked hard on the incisive squib she wrote about the upcom ing political debate." 2. A move in an American football game in which the ball is kicked so it bounces along the ground instead of up in the air at a distance: "He was the designated kicker for the squib at the beginning of the football game." squid(SKWID) Any of a number of sea animals with ten arms characterized by a long body and a caudal fin: "The men went out in their boats to jig for squid which they sold to the local restaurant." "Before the squid reaches the menu in restaurants, it is often referred to a s calamari." There was a shortsquibin the local newspaper about the new restaurant which is serving delicioussquidmeals. We often go for asquiddinner after a football game so we can celebrate the designatedsquibkicker's success. stable, stable, staple, staple stable(STAY buhl), noun 1. A building in which domestic animals; such as, horses may be sheltered, fed, etc.: "She took the horse down to the stable after riding it for about an hour." 2. A group of athletes which is managed by one individual or organization: "The manager of the boxing club had a stable of five boxers whom he was training to f ight professionally." 3. Not changing, unvarying, steady, not subject to insecurity: "She was stable i n her commitment to pursue her career goals." "Her mental health was stable and she was encouraged to go back to work." 4. Not easily altered in terms of a chemical makeup: "The mixture in the test tu be is stable and will not change when water is added." 5. Secure, rational, or able to resist forces trying to move or to change someth ing: "Once the crew had snugged the barrels to the deck, they were stable and wo uld not roll around in the storm." stable(STAY buhl), verb To put or to keep a horse in a stable: "She wants to stable her horse as soon as she can before the rain storm starts." "Do you stable your horse here, too?" staple(STAY puhl), noun 1. A commodity the use of which is wide spread and constant: "Bread and cheese i s a staple in the diets of many people." 2. Grown in large quantities due to consistent demand: "Rice is a staple crop in the fields of many Asian villages." 3. A metal hoop or fine wire the purpose of which is to hold several items toget her: "Many people prefer to use a staple for each combination of pages rather th an a paper clip." 4. A textile fiber of a short length that is spun into yarn: "The nylon staple w ill make an attractive yarn and I will use it to weave a scarf for you."

staple(STAY puhl), verb To attach something with staples: "Please staple the pages together in the upper left corner." "Did you staple the check to the form before mailing it? If you did, please unstaple it because the company gave instructions not to staple checks to anythi ng." Thestablelist of supplies for the office included astaplemachine and boxes ofstap le(s). Users of the equipment were warned to be careful when they use thestaple(s ) so they don'tstapleany of them into their fingers. stagger, straggle stagger(STAG uhr) 1. To move or to stand unsteadily, as if under a great weight; to totter: "After I sprained my ankle, I was barely able to stagger back to the bench in the park ." "The bag of wheat was so heavy, the stevedore had to stagger when he picked it up." 2. To arrange in alternating or overlapping time periods: "Next week, the admini stration will stagger the work shifts of the nurses." straggle(STRAG uhl) 1. To stray or to fall behind: "When the class goes for a walk, I notice that th ere is always at least one pupil who will straggle behind." 2. To proceed or to spread out in a scattered or irregular group: "The search pa rty will straggle and scatter to check the tall grass for the missing expensive bracelet." She is aware that she normally tends tostragglebehind the others when they are hiking, but today she will probably evenstaggerbecause she turned her ankle this morning which makes it much more difficult for her to walk. staid, stayed staid(STAYD) Characterized by self restraint; serious, boring, or old fashioned: "His staid m anner was in contrast to the bright red sports jacket he was wearing." stayed(STAYD) 1. To have paused or stopped a forward movement: "The deer stayed perfectly quie t until the hunter got close to it." 2. To have lived or resided in some location: "We stayed in a lovely Bed and Bre akfast near the river for our vacation." 3. To stop or to delay a proceeding, often in a legal context.: "The judge staye d the court order until she heard the new evidence." Because of his important responsibilities, the officer alwaysstayed staidthro ughout his career. stair, stare stair(STAIR) One step of a flight or series of steps: "Each stair on the long staircase was p ainted with a different pattern." stare(STAIR) 1. To look directly and fixedly, often with a wide-eyed gaze; to look intently: "The view was breathtaking and all I could do was to stare in wonder." 2. To be conspicuous; to stand out: "According to my mother, who was a teacher, split infinitives would simply leap off the page and stare her in the face." Please don'tstareat me as I limp up onestairat a time, because I hurt my foot th is morning. stake, steak stake(STAYK) 1. A stick of wood or other material that has a pointed end and is driven into t he ground to serve as a marker: "The surveyor drove a stake into the ground to m ark the far edge of the field." 2. One primitive form of capital punishment was the use of a post to which an in dividual was tied in anticipation of an execution: "The traitor was tied to the stake and left to die." 3. The prize in a competition or contest: "All of the teachers contributed to th

e stake for the student competition in their school." steak(STAYK) A slice of meat from such animals as beef cattle, pork, or fish: "We are going t o BBQ a swordfish steak today." "We bought a frozen steak at the butcher shop which we will grill when the w eather gets warmer." Her father always kept asteak stakehandy for roasting beef over the charcoal b urner in the back yard during the summer. Remember, thestakefor winning the marathon is two tickets to go to a BBQ and h ave asteakof your choice, BBQ'ed to your preference. stalactite, stalagmite, stalacto-stalagmite, stalemate stalactite(stuh LAK tight") A conical or roughly cylindrical speleothem formed by dripping water and hanging from the roof of a cave like an icicle; usually composed of calcium carbonate: "When we went to the cave, we could see the stalactites hanging from the ceiling ." stalacto-stalagmite(stuh LAK toh-stuh LAG might) A columnar deposit formed by the union of a stalactite with its complementary st alagmite composed of mineral-rich water: "The combination of stalactites and sta lagmites caused an interesting stalacto-stalagmite formation in this very large cave." stalagmite(stuh LAG might") A conical speleothem formed upward from the floor of a cave by the action of dri pping water from a stalactite; usually composed of calcium carbonate: "In contra st to the thin stalactite, there is a massive stalagmite, which is 40 feet (12.1 9 meters) up from the floor of the cave." stalemate(STAYL mayt") Any position in which no action can be taken; complete standstill; deadlock, imp asse, standoff; blockage, standstill: "The stubborn negotiators could not agree so they reached a stalemate and never resolved the issue of having a gambling ca sino in the city."

Word Infoimage ALL rights reserved. Uh, This this is ais stalactite. stalagmite. astalemate. Astalactiteholdstightto the ceiling while astalagmitejustmightreach up to the ceil ng. There were somespelunkerswho were at astalematebecause when they saw astalactitean d astalagmiteformed together as one unit; they finally decided that what they had discovered was astalacto-stalagmite. stalk, stalk, stalker stalk(STAWK) The main supportive stem of certain plants: "The recipe called for one stalk of chopped celery." stalk(STAWK) 1. To hunt or to follow prey in a secretive manner: "My brother and I decided to stalk the chickens to see where they laid their eggs in the unfenced area of ou r farm." 2. To walk in a stiff manner: "When the police officer was concentrating, he see med to stalk about the office as if he were angry." stalker(STAWK uhr) An individual or animal which hunts or follows prey in a clandestine manner: "Ou r favorite cat is an excellent stalker of field mice." As part of a jungle expedition, the cameraman acted like astalkerwho was tryin g tostalkstrange insects. Once he saw a beautiful butterfly land on thestalkof a ver y unusual plant. stamp, stomp stamp(STAMP) 1. To injure or to destroy by bringing one's foot down heavily on an object in a repeated manner: "We tried to stamp out the fire with our boots so it would not spread."

2. A seal or imprint to indicate that something has been paid for or that a tax has been paid for: "I placed the postage stamp on my letter and mailed it off to my friend." "The county agent will use a stamp on my tax bill to indicate that I have pa id my taxes for the year." 3. A distinctive characteristic.: "The farm had a dreary stamp about it because of the unpainted buildings." stomp(STAHMP, STAWMP) 1. A form of dance characterized by repeated heavy footwork: "The two young peop le demonstrated thestompwhich was the latest craze at their school." 2 To have used one's foot heavily to injure or destroy something: "Did you have to stomp on all of those ants out in the yard?" The postagestampon the letter that she received had not been cancelled; so, sh e used it again to mail a note to a friend, inviting him to participate in astompa t the local youth club. She also used a custom designedstampto seal the letter. stance, staunch stance(STANS) 1. A publicly stated opinion: "The prosecuting attorney changed his stance after new evidence was discovered." "During the negotiations, the mayor maintained a neutral stance." 2. A way of standing: "Her son had a stiff stance as he was being scolded by his father." staunch(STAWNCH, STAHNCH) 1. To stop the flow of something: "She used a handkerchief to staunch her tears. " 2. To impede the apparent course of something: "The mayor said she would staunch the wave of crime in the city." 3. Loyal, steadfast: "We have been staunch friends since we were in grade school ." The political opposition tried tostaunchthe publicity of the candidate who was outlining herstanceon several important issues. star, star star(STAHR), noun 1. Any one of the objects in space which look like points of light in the night sky: "When we are away from the city lights, we can see the beautiful star clust ers in their distant star systems." 2. A sparkling space object; especially, one in a certain position which is beli eved in astrology to influence the lives of people: "Considering all of the bad things that have happened to her, she is convinced that she was born under an un lucky star." 3. Someone who is the most important and well-known performer in a movie, play, opera, etc.: "He's the star of this and several other movies and he's even a sta r in stage plays." star(STAHR), verb To perform or act in a movie, play, opera, etc.: "She will star in this film as she has done in several other productions before." When the famous moviestardied, there were those who said that there was a newst arin the sky honoring her memory. She really would have liked such an opportunity tostarin such a celestial role. Keep in mind that although a moviestarmay be beautiful or very handsome, thesta rsin space have a greater attraction. The wordstaris generally a Germanic word, with relatives in Germanstern; as se en in, Dutchster, Swedishstjarna, and Danish stjerne. The modern usage or figurative sense of a person of brilliant reputation or celebrity as astaris first recorded in English in 1824, and was originally used in theatrical language in reference to a leading actor, singer, or other performer . The termfilm starcame into usage in 1941 andmovie starappeared in 1919. Based on information fromThe Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology; The H.W. Wilson Company; Bronxville, New York; 1988; page 1060. staring, starring

staring(STAIR ing) 1. Looking at something with a fixed and wide eyed expression: "She kept staring at the map trying to understand how she could have gotten lost." 2. Showing up in a conspicuous, or not so obvious, manner: "The error was starin g me in the face all the time and I did not see it." starring(STAR ing) 1. To highlight by using an asterisk: "By starring the paragraph in his manuscri pt, the author called attention to the important information." 2. To feature with prominence: "I read that the new play is starring my favorite actor." 3. To decorate with stars: "She was starring the ceiling in the bedroom to make it look peaceful." She keptstaringat the movie poster and she could not believe that her favorite romantic actor wasstarringin a horror film. start-up, start-ups; upstart, upstarts start-up(START uhp") The act or process of setting into operation or motion: "They were looking to st art-up a new business and were looking for start-up money." start-ups(START uhps") 1. Businesses or undertakings that have recently started operation: "Their busin esses grew from very small start-ups to multimillion-dollar corporations." 2. Primarily in the U.S., newly successful people, businesses, etc.: "A few year s ago, several guys had successful start-ups with their internet companies." upstart(UP start") Someone who has gained sudden wealth, power or influence; but who has either not gained social acceptance or has become arrogant or presumptuous: "She is a youn g upstart from a local university who thinks she knows more than the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of our company." upstarts(UP starts") People of humble origins who attain sudden wealth, power, or importance; especia lly, those who are made immodest or presumptuous by the changes: "Simply because these upstarts got rich very quickly with their new computer site doesn't neces sarily mean that they will continue to rake in the money for very long." The politicalupstartused a special grant from the government asstart-upmoney for a new business. There were rumors about the uncouthupstartswhosestart-upswere maki ng huge fortunes. state, state state(STAYT), verb 1. To express something of importance in words: "When I print the poster, it wil l state that there is to beNO SMOKINGin the room." 2. To indicate something formally in speech or writing: "The lawyer will state t he facts of the case." state(STAYT), noun 1. A condition of temperament or physical health: "She was in a state of perfect health." "He was in a state of frustration because he had a flat tire and he was alre ady late for work." 2. One of several units of a nation having a federal government: "The governor o f the state went to the nation's capital to meet with the President." 3. The condition of something with respect to its main attributes: "The current state of affairs at my school is calm and well organized." We visited astatein the far north in which thestateof health of its residents is remarkable. The health minister agreed tostatethat thestateof health of the younger residents is the result of thestatecampaign toSTOP SMOKING. stationary, stationery stationary(STAY shuh ner" ee) Not moving; staying in one place or position: "The weather front has remained st ationary in our area." "The prices for the kind of machinery we are using has remained stationary o ver the last months."

stationery(STAY shuh ner" ee) Writing paper and envelopes and related office or personal supplies that are use d for corresponding with others: "We are fortunate that we have a store in our n eighborhood which sells stationery items and supplies." He asked the salesman if the prices for the various kinds ofstationerywill re mainstationaryfor the next months in case he needs to get some more for his busine ss. Spell itstationerywhen you meanpaperand other writing materials, and spell itstat ionarywhen you meanstanding, fixed, not movable, etc. statue, stature, statute statue(STACH yoo) A sculpture that represents a human or an animal which is usually made of stone, metal, etc.: "Including the base and pedestal, the Statue of Liberty is slightl y more than 300 feet (91.44 meters) high." stature(STACH uhr) 1. The level of respect that people have for a successful person, organization, etc.: "We are honored to be working with a writer of his stature." "The computer software company grew in stature in just a few months." 2. The natural height of a human, animal, or some object in an upright position: "Since his stature in was more than the other basketball players, he had a sign ificant advantage." statute(STACH yoot) An established law or rule that is formally created by a government: "The govern ment's statute of limitations limits the time people can submit their tax report s." "The state legislature passed the statute by an over whelming margin." The inspector told the sculptor that there was a citystatutewhich prohibits ast atueof suchstature. steady, study steady(STED ee), adjective Free or almost free from change, variation, or fluctuation; uniform: "Her brothe r finally has a steady job." study(STUHD ee), noun 1. The pursuit of knowledge, as by reading, observation, or research: "It requir es years of study to become a medical doctor." 2. An area of learning that is taught in a school or university; or what a perso n gives attention to: "The students were assigned to do a study regarding the ca uses of childhood obesity and to determine procedures that parents could utilize to diminish such conditions." She tries tostudyin a conscientious andsteadymanner for at least two hours every evening before watching any TV. steal, steel steal(STEEL) 1. To take wrongful possession of something: "The thief tried to steal the lawn mower from his neighbor." 2. To come or to go unexpectedly or unobtrusively: "The baseball player tried to steal a base but the other player tried to stop him." 3. To take or to win by trickery and cunning: "The soccer player tried to steal the ball from his opponent." steel(STEEL) 1. A quality of the mind or physical state that suggests hardness: "His muscles were as hard as steel." "His mind was like a steel trap because once he learned something, he never forgot it." 2. Commercial iron that may contain up to 1.7% carbon alloy thereby allowing it to be malleable:"The steel girders for the building were ready to install." 3. To prepare oneself for something difficult or unpleasant with determination a nd courage: "She was told to steel herself because someone was about to tell her some bad news." The competition tried tostealthe formulas for many of the successfulsteelproduc

ts that his company makes. steely, stele steely(STEE lee) 1. Resembling steel, as in color or hardness: "He had a steely determination to succeed." 2. Being very strong and determined often in a cold or unfriendly way: "She gave him a steely look when he tried to talk to her." stele(STEE lee) An upright stone or slab with an inscribed or sculptured surface, used as a monu ment or as a commemorative tablet in the face of a building: "The builders inclu ded a stele on the front of the building near the main entrance." The ancientstelethat was erected in the farmer's field often tripped visitors promptingsteelylooks from them. steer, steer steer(STEER) To direct the course of a vessel or vehicle by means of a rudder, steering wheel , or other guiding device: "Careful drivers can successfully steer their cars in to proper parking spaces." steer(STEER) A male bovine animal; such as, an ox of any age raised for beef: "The farmer had a steer which he was raising as beef for human consumption." The cowboys tried tosteerthe rebellioussteerinto the corral. steno, stereo steno(STEN oh) Short forstenographerorstenography: "As a steno, she used a steno pad when her empl oyer was giving her information to be written down." stereo(STER ee oh") A piece of electronic equipment that plays the radio, CD's, etc., and which uses two speakers for the sound: "The couple loved to play their stereo too often an d at an excessive volume." "We had to replace our old stereo system with the latest model because the s ound was very poor from the old stereo." Thestenocompleted the order forms for the newstereoequipment. stentorian, stertorous stentorian(sten TOR ee uhn, sten TOHR ee uhn) A very loud or powerful voice: "The teacher spoke to his noisy students with a s tentorian tone." stertorous(STUHR tuh ruhs) Characterized by a harsh snoring or gasping sound: "He often disturbed his wife' s sleep with his loud stertorous breathing." The politician not only spoke in astentorianvoice, but he was reportedly alsost ertorouswhen he was sleeping. step on it, step on it step on it(STEP awn it) To hurry up, or to go faster, in order to get something done quickly: "Come on, step on it so we can get this project finished tonight." "Step on it or we are going to be late." step on it(STEP awn it) To put or to set the foot down on something: "A mother saw a big bug crawling on the floor and she told her son to step on it before it went under the sofa." A man ordered a hamburger in the fast-food restaurant and told the waiter tos tep on it! A foreigner over hearing this wondered why the man would want to buy somethi ng to eat and tell someone tostep on it. step, steppe step(STEP) 1. Movement achieved by lifting one foot and replacing it slightly ahead of its original position and this is repeated with the other foot and done in a continu ous process so the user can make progress: "During my rehabilitation session I w as able to move one step at a time across the room."

2. The height or elevation of one stair: "The first step on the staircase was wi de but it was very shallow." 3. A short or abbreviated distance: "It is just a step or two from my house to t he corner store." 4. To press down on something using one's foot: "When he approached the corner, the driver had to step on the brake to slow the bus down." 5. A process that occurs as one of a series of actions: "We took the first step in planning our vacation by calling the travel agent to get things ready." steppe(STEP) A vast semiarid grass-covered plain, as found in southeast Europe, Siberia, and central North America: "The buffalo graze on the steppe in Alberta, Canada, wher e they live on a protected reservation." You have to watch yourstepwhen you walk across thesteppebecause you couldstepinto a "cow pie" of cattle waste. sticks, Styx sticks(STIKS) 1. Small or thin wooden pieces from a tree, often used to build a fire: "The chi ldren collected a bundle of sticks so their parents could build the camp fire." 2. To pierce or to puncture something either accidentally or by using an impleme nt: "The thorn on the bush is sharp and often sticks people when they walk too c losely to the plant." "Using a long handled fork, she sticks the piece of apple that was in the bo ttom of the pan." 3. To fasten or to adhere to something using a sticky substance: "The glue reall y sticks the pieces of wood together." Styx(STIKS) In Greek mythology, the main river in the underground, or Hades, often represent ing the passing over or turning point for one's death: "The Greek hero in mythol ogy crossed the River Styx to join his fallen comrades." In his imagination, he could see young men throwingsticksacross the riverStyxtea sing the large dogs that live on the other side. stiff, stiff, stiff, stiff stiff(STIF) 1. Anything that is difficult to bend or to move: "The stiff cardboard was too h ard to bend or to tear." 2. Being painful to move or to use or showing pain in movement or use: "My neck is stiff and painful from typing too long without taking a break from my work." 3. Not graceful, relaxed, or friendly: "The woman appeared to be stiff and not v ery talkative at the party." stiff(STIF) 1. Very much; to an extreme degree: "We were scared stiff when we heard the expl osion next door." 2. Very hard because of having been wet and then frozen: "When we took the shirt from the clothes line, it was frozen stiff." stiff(STIF) 1. The body of a dead person: "In 2003, a book was published about human cadaver s, titled:Stiff, The Curious Lives of Human Cadaversby Mary Roach." 2. Someone who is thought to be lucky, unlucky, etc.: "That poor stiff usually n ever gets a lucky break except last week when he was calleda lucky stiffbecause he won at bingo in his local social club." stiff(STIF) Not giving as much money as one should present to someone: "He was told that he should not stiff the waiter with such a small tip." In the past, a person had to be careful not to bestiffwhen working with the ca rters who would haul astiffoff to the graveyard. It was hard work because thestiffwa s verystiff. Usually a new carter reported being scaredstiffuntil he got used to t aking care of thestiffcadavers. stile, style stile(STIGHL) 1. A set of steps used to cross over to the other side of a fence or a wall: "Sh

e climbed the stile and jumped down into the grass on the other side of the fenc e." 2. The vertical arms of a structure or frame upon which other pieces are fastene d: "The builder created a stile so she could attach cross pieces and fashion a t emporary ladder." style(STIGHL) 1. A distinctive manner of dress, speech, fashion, etc.: "She had a great sense of style and always looked very fashionable." "His style of speech was very casual and friendly and easy to listen to." "The editorial style of the newspaper was sharp and incisive." 2. The pin on a sundial that casts a shadow and enables someone to tell the time : "The style on the sundial was perfectly positioned and the dial always told th e correct time; except when there was no sunshine to cast a shadow." 3. To create or to design a distinctive manner of dress, etc.: "She became a fam ous designer and would soon style fashions for the glitterati." When she went for a walk, she dressed in a comfortable countrystyle; however, she didn't realize that she would have to climb over astileto get back home. stink, stint stink(STINGK) 1. To give off a very bad smell or odor: "The garbage in the container will stin k in a day or two if it is not taken to the garbage dump." 2. To possess a very strong and offensive smell or odor: "Her brand of perfume, even though it is expensive, tends to stink if used to excess." stint(STINT) 1. A defined length of time to be devoted to an undertaking: "He served a stint of two years in the administration before deciding on a career change." 2. To be careful or frugal: "Please, don't stint on the butter on my hot toast." 3. The smallest of the sand piper family, the American Sandpiper: "On our stroll s along the beach, we sighted the female stint and her nest." After hisstintworking in the garbage industry, he was convinced that he wouldst inkfor the rest of his life. store, store store(STOR, STOHR) 1. To put something that is not being used in a place where it is available, whe re it can be kept safely, etc.: "She will store her jewels in a safe at the bank ." 2. To collect and to put something into one location for future use: "The solar panels store energy for later applications." 3. To place information in a person's memory or a computer's memory: "The websit e information has been formatted so we can store it with an Internet Service Pro vider (ISP). store(STOR, STOHR) 1. A building or room where things are sold: "I'm going to the store to buy groc eries." 2. A larger amount or supply of something that is kept for future use: "The inte rnet is the world's greatest store of information ever created by mankind." People go to astoreto buy all kinds of goods where theystoresuch things for pres ent and future acquisition. straight, strait straight(STRAYT) 1. Existing without curves, bends, angles, etc.: "The straight road lay ahead of us and appeared to be well paved." 2. Uninterrupted, direct, or candid; originating from a trustworthy source: "The teacher would give straight answers to our questions which made learning a plea sure." 3. Consecutive, ordered, or correct: "It rained for twelve straight days." "I interviewed the candidates to get the straight facts about their plans fo r the economy." 4. Conventional, not deviating from what is accepted as normal: "Her manners are straight and old fashioned which is very appealing in this age of hustle and bu

stle." strait(STRAYT) 1. A narrow passageway of water connecting two larger bodies of water: "We saile d safely through the strait despite the terrible weather." 2. A situation that is puzzling and causing distress: "Declaring bankruptcy was a strait that we had not anticipated when we started up the new restaurant." If you walkstraightacross the meadow, you will discover thestraitthat links the large ponds that the cattle use during the summer. straightened, straitened straightened(STRAYT n'd) 1. To have removed crookedness, bends, curves, etc.: "Over the summer, I noticed the mountain road had been straightened and it was safer for driving." "It was not until after he straightened his back, that he realized how hunch ed over his desk he had become." 2. To have corrected or provided accurate information: "In her rebuttal to the a rguments of the opposition, the lawyer straightened the facts of the case before the judge." straitened(STRAYT n'd) Not having enough money or having less money than before: "After the bankruptcy, the corporation was in straitened circumstances." "The family now lives in straitened conditions since the father lost his job ." The construction company was instraitenedcircumstances and it was not sure if it could fulfill its contract to havestraightenedthe road before winter sets in. stray, stray stray(STRAY), verb To go in a direction that is away from a group or from the place where someone o r something should be: "We could see the two cows stray through the broken fence into the street." "As she worked on her computer, her eyes would stray as she looked out the w indow." stray(STRAY), noun 1. An animal; such as, a cat, dog, etc. that is lost or has no home: "Our cat wa s a stray that we found waiting at our back door." 2. Someone or something that is separated from a group: "My mother matched up th e socks after washing and drying, but she often had a stray one." He found astraykitten in his yard in the morning and he was wondering how it m anaged tostrayinto his yard because he has a dog out there that barks at everythin g. streak, streak streak(STREEK), noun 1. A long, thin mark that is of a different color from its background: "The man left a streak on the windshield when he wiped the windows of his car." 2. A quality that is noticeable; especially, because it is different from a pers on's other qualities: "My friend has an adventurous streak in her." 3. A period of repeated success or failure: "She had a lucky streak of success a gainst her golf competitors." 4. A long, narrow area or flash of light: "There was a streak of lightning follo wed by a great burst of thunder." streak(STREEK), verb 1. To make long lines of a different color on or in something: "She was determin ed to streak her hair with blond stripes." 2. To run through a public place naked in order to get attention: "The ceremony was interrupted at the football stadium when a guy decided to streak across the field." We were all astonished because immediately following astreakof lightening in t he sky, we saw a naked manstreakacross the lawn to the old house at the back of th e garden. I had to clean my glasses to see better because I thought I must have astreakon them. stress, stress, stress

stress(STRES) 1. Importance, significance, attention to, or emphasis placed on something: "The stress the dentist put on flossing regularly really paid off because when I wen t to see him the next time, he didn't find any carries." 2. A greater loudness or force given to a syllable of a word in speech or to a b eat in music: "Stress falls on the first syllable of the wordlanguage." "A different stress can fall on each beat in different parts of a song." stress(STRES) In physics: an applied force, or system of forces that tends to strain or to def orm a structure: "The stress on the beams of many bridges is a potential danger to those who use those constructions as a means of travel." stress(STRES) Regarding physical and mental health: a mentally or emotionally disruptive or up setting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capab le of affecting physical health; usually, characterized by increased heart rate, a rise in blood pressure, muscular tension, irritability, and depression: "She apologized for being so grumpy, but she explained that she has been under a lot of stress at work lately." He is feeling a lot ofstressright now because at the conference next week, he is expected to give a speech in which he willstressthe importance of understanding the properties ofstresson the beams that will be part of the new bridge. stricture, structure stricture(STRIK chuhr) 1. Restriction or a law or rule that limits or controls something: "The unexpect ed stricture on speed on this road really slows the traffic down." "The local law has a stricture against the sale and possession of weapons." 2. A strong criticism: "They don't agree with her stricture, or strictures, on t he state of contemporary theater." structure(STRUK chuhr) 1. Something that has been built or constructed: "When will the structure at the entrance of the museum be completed?" "The sentence structure was complex and very interesting." 2. The specific arrangement of parts or particles of something: "In my science c lass, we studied the molecular structure of the chemical elements." 3. To create or to form into a recognizable shape; for example, a building: "The workers undertook to structure the new barn after the old one burned down." There is a newstrictureregulating how tall a newstructurecan be. This newstructur ewas subject to strongstricturein the press. strident, trident strident(STRIGHD n't) 1. Characterized by a loud, harsh, and discordant sound: "Our supervisor spoke i n a strident manner as he shouted commands to the workers." 2. Commanding attention by creating an intrusive impression: "The posters on the building were strident as they exhorted the workers to strike against the facto ry." trident(TRIGHD n't) 1. A spear with three prongs such as one that is used for fishing: "The hapless fisherman was trying to catch the fish using a trident." 2. In classical mythology, the three-pronged spear carried by the Greek sea god, Poseidon, or his Roman equivalent, Neptune: "The masthead of the ship represent ed Neptune carrying a trident." The actor had astridentvoice that was perfect for his part as Poseidon when he entered the stage carrying atrident. strike, strike strike(STRIGHK), verb 1. To hit sharply, as with the hand, the fist, or a weapon; to inflict (a blow): "While they were struggling to catch the football, you could see one player acc identally strike another one in the face." 2. To cause to come into violent or forceful contact: "I warned my friend to be careful or she might strike her knee against the desk if she were to make a sudd

en turn in her chair." 3. To produce a flame, light, or a spark from something by friction: "He had to strike a match so he could start the fire in the fireplace." strike(STRIGHK), noun 1. A period of time when workers stop work in order to force an employer to agre e to their demands: "The airline had to delay its flights because the pilots wer e going to strike for better working conditions." 2. In baseball, a ball thrown by a pitcher which passes through a certain area o ver the home plate without being hit and that counts against the batter: "The ba tter had a third strike which meant he wasoutand so a new batter would take his pl ace." 3. In the game of bowling, the achievement of knocking down all ten pins with th e first roll of the ball: "She surprised everyone, including herself, when she m ade a strike with her first attempt with the bowling ball." Mother often confused her sports. She would cheer when the umpire would call "STRIKE" against our local baseball players. She would laugh when she got astrik ewhen she was bowling. Every once in a while, she would shake her head andstrikeher forehead as an apology for the goofs she would make. strip, stripe strip(STRIP) 1. To remove the covering of something: "My job for today is to strip the paint off the old bench under the tree." 2. To take a person's possessions away: "The court decided to strip the traitor of his wealth and possessions." 3. To make bare, to take away equipment or furnishings: "When the owner decided to sell the store, he agreed to strip the shop to the walls and sell everything that could be removed." 4. A long narrow stretch of water or land: "The airplane landed on the narrow st rip of land next to the river." 5. A shopping area bordering a road: "We went to the strip mall to get some soft drinks for the BBQ." stripe(STRIGHP) 1. The design of a textile that includes bands of contrasting color against a ba ckground: "I like the stripe design in my new summer coat." 2. The band of braid or embroidery worn on the sleeve of military person to indi cate the length of service or rank: "The enlisted man had a single stripe on his sleeve because he just started his military career." 3. A kind or distinct sort or variety: "It was my impression that those who atte nded the convention were of the same political stripe." The skunk has a whitestripedown its back. If you ever get sprayed by a skunk, you will want to quicklystripoff all your clothes and take a bath as fast as possi ble. stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke; struck stroke(STROHK) 1. One of a series of unbroken, repeated movements: "Every day the swimmer pract iced his back stroke in hopes of increasing his speed." 2. The unexpected result of something: "He had a stroke of luck when he went sho pping and bought his new car when it was on sale." stroke(STROHK) A medical condition characterized by such things as the sudden loss of conscious ness, caused by the obstruction of blood in an artery to the brain: "My friend i s in the hospital because she had a stroke but she is expected to recover well." stroke(STROHK) The marking of time by hitting a bell to produce a sound: "The race will start a t the stroke of noon as indicated by the village clock." stroke(STROHK) To draw a short line through something or on something: "The professor used a re d pencil to stroke through the misspelled words in the essay." "She kept track of the days before her holidays started by making a stroke o n her calendar for each day."

struck(STRUK) 1. The actions of the workers who have determined not to work in order to obtain certain expectations, concessions, etc.: "The unionized workers struck the fact ory in hopes of obtaining better working conditions." 2. To have hit or to have caused a blow: "She accidentally struck me with the sn owball when she tried to throw it at her friend." 3. To have taken one's flag or pennants down, often in the context of a conflict : "The pirates struck their colors when the navy ship overtook them." 4. To cause something, like a match, to start burning by rubbing it against a su rface: "She struck a match so she could light the candles on the table." Itstruckme that if you use a red pen tostrokethrough every misspelled word in my essay, you will make onestrokeafter another. My essay was about a local custom in which, at thestrokeof noon, it was announ ced that the retired mayor had suffered astroke. strut, strut strut(STRUHT) To walk with a proud and affected gait or show of pride: "The officer appeared t o strut across the deck of the ship." "The models for the famous clothing designer always strut across the runway to show off the new fashions." strut(STRUHT) A long, thin piece of wood or metal used as a support or brace in a building, ve hicle, etc.: "The carpenters put the last strut in place before they started to work on the roof of the building." The new summer worker wouldstrutacross the construction yard carrying his tool bag and he was even strong enough to carry astrutto load onto the truck. stumble, tumble stumble(STUHM buhl) 1. To make an error or to act in a wayward manner; to commit a sin: "If he conti nues to go to the races, I am afraid he will stumble in his commitment to stop g ambling." 2. To trip or to walk in an unsteady manner: "It is difficult to walk on the bri ck street and I am afraid I am going to stumble." 3. To speak in an awkward or hesitating manner: "I am afraid I will stumble over my words if I do not practice my speech this afternoon." 4. To come across something unexpectedly: "By reading the police reports, it was clear he would stumble across the truth about the bank robbery." 5. The act or occasion of tripping: "Because the horse cast a shoe, its walk was more like a stumble." tumble(TUHM buhl) 1. Falling down unexpectedly: "He suffered a tumble when he missed the last step on the stairway." 2. Suffering an unexpected defeat or downfall: "The candidate's reputation exper ienced a tumble in the polls." 3. To roll downhill in a head over heels manner: "The children lay on the grass and started to tumble all the way to the bottom of the decline." 4. To toss together in a confused mass: "The chef was going to tumble the ingred ients for the mixed salad while we watched." 5. To drop unexpectedly or to fall into potential ruin: "The stock market took a major tumble last year and many people lost their shirts." Be careful not tostumbleor you mighttumbleonto the ground. subject, subject subject(SUHB jikt), as a noun 1. A person or thing that is being discussed or described: "The new museum exhib ition is the subject of an article in today's paper." "Death is an uncomfortable subject that few people are willing to talk about ." 2. An area of knowledge that is studied in school: "Latin was my favorite subjec t in high school." 3. A person or thing that is being dealt with in a particular way: "She was the

subject of a criminal investigation." subject(suhb JEKT), as a verb 1. To submit for consideration: "The sale of the property is subject to approval by the city council." 2. To cause or to force someone or a thing to experience something that may be h armful, unpleasant, etc.: "During the approaching hurricane, many buildings will be subject to severe winds." "The schedule is tentative and subject to change at a later time." The teacher was about tosubjecther students to tests involving her academicsubj ect. suburb, superb suburb(SUHB urb") 1. A small community that is close to a large city and is within commuting dista nce: "We live in a suburb of the biggest city in the province but we have great public transportation and can commute into the city easily." 2. The residential areas typically on the outskirts of a larger city: "The older suburbs typically have gracious lawns and large trees." superb(soo PURB) Characterized as splendid, excellent, or outstanding: "Our meal at that restauran t was superb and we will go again soon." "His scores in the track and field events were superb and earned him a unive rsity scholarship." They think it issuperbthat they now live in the newsuburbof the city. succor, sucker succor(SUHK uhr) 1. Something that provides relief: "It is said that prayer is often the succor f or a troubled soul." 2. To go to the assistance of something or someone: "We will succor the homeless and take warm blankets to the shelter this evening." sucker(SUHK uhr) 1. A lollipop or sweet candy often on a stick: "Each of the children was given a sucker at the end of the birthday party." 2. A person who is easily fooled or deceived or who is irresistibly attracted to something: "There is a saying that there is a sucker born every minute." "He is a sucker for red sports cars and goes to the New Sports Car Shows whe never he can." 3. A fresh water fish, the mouth of which is soft and fleshy: "At the aquarium, we watched the sucker feed at the bottom of the tank." 4. New shoots or stems that grow from the roots or the lower part of a plant: "T he sucker on the rose bush needs to be trimmed so the new blooms will flourish." A candysuckerwillsuccora crying child for at least a few minutes. suede, swayed suede(SWAYD) Leather or fabric that is finished with a soft-to-the-touch surface and is often used for clothing: "I bought a new suede coat with a fur collar to wear on cold winter days." swayed(SWAYD) 1. To have moved back and forth in a gentle manner: "The tops of the trees swaye d in the breeze from the lake." 2. To have changed ones position or opinion on a matter, often because of the in fluence of someone: "The fiery speech by the store owner really swayed my opinio n about the matter of widening the street." 3. To have provided a guiding or controlling influence: "The aging actor certain ly swayed the new actors when they worked with him." My niece actuallyswayedmy opinion about fashion. She convinced me that wearing asuedecoat to the afternoon tea party was not appropriate. suite, sweet, sweat suite(SWEET) A series of connected rooms used as a living unit: "The couple rented a suite of rooms for their holidays."

sweet(SWEET) 1. Having the taste of sugar or a substance containing or resembling sugar; such as, honey or saccharin: "Sugar and honey are well known as ingredients of sweet products; including, cakes, cookies, candy, etc." 2. Something that makes a person feel happy or pleased; very pleasant: "He told his wife that he hoped that she would sleep well and have sweet dreams." sweat(SWET) 1. To excrete (moisture) through a porous surface, such as the skin: "When it is as hot as it is in the summer, most people tend to sweat a lot." 2. The clear liquid that forms on the skin when a person is hot or nervous: "The runners were dripping with sweat during and after their race." He tried not tosweatas he went to the convention ofsweetspecialties in thesuiteof exhibition rooms. There are some people who are willing to pay big money when traveling just s o they can have asweet suitein a luxury hotel to avoid having tosweatin a cheaper p lace. summary, summery summary(SUHM uh ree) 1. Covering the main points of something: "The Executive Summary at the beginnin g of the report covered all the significant points." 2. An abstract or an abridgment: "At the end of her speech, the president provid ed a summary of all her major points." 3. Completed without delay: "The judge provided a summary judgment immediately a fter the trial." summery(SUHM uh ree) A characteristic of or a descriptive term for the warmest season of the year bet ween spring and fall: "There was a lovely summery feeling in the air, suggesting picnics and swims in the lake." It was on a warmsummeryday that he completed the writtensummaryabout the new bu t very LONG novel. sundae, Sunday, sundry sundae(SUHN dee, SUHN day) A dish of ice cream that may have a topping of fruit, sauce, or whipped cream: " I think I will have a hot fudge sundae with whipped cream for dessert." Sunday(SUHN dee, SUHN day) 1. A reference to the first day of the week in some countries and as the seventh day of the week in other countries: "Sunday may be a day for rest and for readi ng and doing quiet chores for some people." "Many go to church on Sunday to worship God, to listen to the music, and to hear thoughtful words from a minister." 2. A reference to ones clothing or an article of clothing which is typically wor n for special occasions like going to church or attending other significant even ts: "I will be wearing my Sunday clothes to the concert tonight." sundry(SUHN dree) Miscellaneous or an indeterminate number of something: "There were sundry items sitting on the shelf in the bathroom." "This was such a good book I would recommend it to all and sundry people." "Her purse contained keys, a wallet, and many other sundry items." After church onSunday, we went to the restaurant for lunch and to have asundaef or desert from asundryof choices that were available there. superintendence, superintendents superintendence(soo" puhr in TEN duhns) The act or fact of providing supervision for something: "The superintendence of the building site was left to the land agent." superintendents(soo" puhr in TEN duhns) Individuals who have been hired to provide the oversight or supervision for some thing: "The three superintendents who worked for their Boards of Education met t ogether so they could coordinate the educational activities of their school dist ricts." There were three shifts ofsuperintendentswho were hired to provide thesuperinte

ndenceof the new Condominium. supernatural, unnatural supernatural(soo" puhr NACH uhr uhl) 1. That which is unusual and appears to depart from the laws of nature: "There w as a supernatural glow in the sky that the astronomers could not explain." 2. An existence that is outside the visible or observable environment: "Ghosts a re often thought to be supernatural beings because they lack the physical compos itions of normal people." unnatural(uhn NACH uhr uhl) 1. Lacking ease, contrived: "Her manners seemed awkward and unnatural despite be ing among her friends." 2. Inconsistent with the normal expectations of events or feelings: "It seemed u nnatural to be picking apples this late in the season." "Her degree of frustration seemed unnatural for the situation involving a fl at tire." When the reporter went to interview the famous psychic, he felt veryunnatura lbecause it was difficult for him to understand what others believe to besupernatu ral. supply, supply supply(suh PLIGH) To add, to provide, or to make available for use: "The hardware store will suppl y all the tools needed for your garden." "The bank will supply the loan so my uncle can buy a new tractor for the far m." supply(suh PLIGH) 1. An amount or a commodity that is needed: "The farmer bought a supply of firew ood for the winter." 2. Goods that are offered for sale for a limited time: "The poster read: Buy You r New Toaster While the Supply Lasts!" The young woman is using the book cart so she cansupplymore books to the totals upplyon the bookstore shelves. suspect, suspicion suspect(suh SPEKT) 1. To have doubts or to mistrust: "I suspect that the directions for the recipe were copied wrong because the pie was a disaster." 2. To imagine guilt based on slight evidence or proof: "The police suspect that the man with the raincoat and umbrella broke the window in the store." 3. An individual who is thought to have committed a crime: "She was the prime su spect in the shop lifting episode during the holidays." suspicion(suh SPISH uhn) 1. Doubt, uncertainty; a state of unease in one's mind: "There is a shadow of su spicion in my mind about what really happened during the break-in at the store." 2. Questioning that something is wrong without proof or evidence to that effect: "It is my suspicion that our conclusion is wrong because we are missing an esse ntial piece of information." The police woman had asuspicionthat the man who was running away from the scen e of the crime was a primarysuspectin other robberies; however, the officer had le arned tosuspectsnap judgments and so she decided to investigate the situation furt her. swath, swathe swath(SWAHTH, SWAWTH) 1. A broad strip or a width and length of cut grass, etc. after a machine or ind ividual cuts it: "The tractor ploughed a swath across the field." "The crows followed the swath of grain in the field, feasting on grain that was on the ground." 2. The stroke or sweeping movement of a scythe: "The harvesters utilized the swa th of the scythe which made the completion of the harvest go faster." swathe(SWAHTH, SWAWTH) 1. To wrap closely in cloth: "The nurse planned to swathe the new baby after it had been bathed."

2. A band of material or any medium used for wrapping: "The antique dealer used lengths of soft swathe to package the vase so it would not break." He got a bad blister on his hand yesterday when he was using the scythe to c ut aswaththrough the grass in the field and so he will need toswatheit in a clean cl oth before he continues with his work today. sweater, sweater sweater(SWET uhr) An individual who perspires a lot: "Because he was nervous, the suspect appeared to be a sweater which raised the suspicions of the police." sweater(SWET uhr) A knitted or crocheted garment typically worn for warmth: "My aunt knitted me a lovely green sweater for my birthday." If you wear asweaterin hot weather, you can be sure that it will turn you into asweaterof perspiration. swell, swell, swell swell(SWEL) 1. To become larger than normal: "The wasp sting made her whole arm swell up." 2. To make something larger or more full than normal: "The rain storm will certa inly swell the river more than normal." 3. To increase in size or number: "Many populations in nations around the world tend to swell with more and more immigrants." swell(SWEL) 1. The upward and downward movement of the water in the sea: "A storm tends to c ause a swell, or swells, along the coast." 2. An increase in loudness: "As the music began to swell, I had to put my hands over my ears because it was getting too loud." swell(SWEL) A slang substitute term forvery good, excellentorwonderful: "We were so glad that w e went to that swell party with our swell friends." If you give me too many compliments, my head willswell; then I will think I a m aswellperson; of course, my ego willswell, too, if the number of praises continue s toswell. table, table, table, table table(TAY buhl) A certain kind of furniture: "We usually eat breakfast at our kitchen table." table(TAY buhl) An arrangement of words or numbers: "The table, or chart, shows you the grades o f each of the students." table(TAY buhl) A plateau or a tableland which is a broad, level, elevated region, usually treel ess: "While traveling in the desert we came upon a table of land and were able t o see scenic views of the valley down beyond the edge of this flat area." table(TAY buhl) To postpone or to delay something: "The staff decided to table the topic until n ext Thursday afternoon." The professor laid out on thetablethetableshowing the students grades. Since the conference at which he was speaking was held high on thetableoverlo oking the valley, the attendees decided totabletheir discussion until the followin g day so they could go sightseeing. tablet, tablet, tablet computer tablet(TAB let) A writing pad: "She used a tablet to take notes while in class." tablet(TAB let) A small, flat form used as a medical drug, a vitamin, etc.: "Did you take your v itamin C tablet as well as the other tablets this morning?" tablet computer(TAB let kuhm PYOO tuhr) In general, a tablet computer, or tablet laptop, is a wireless personal computer that allows a user to take notes using natural handwriting with a stylus or dig

ital pen on a touch screen: "A tablet computer is similar in size and thickness to a yellow paper notepad and is intended to function as the user's primary pers onal computer as well as a note-taking device." "Someone has written that a tablet computer, or tablet laptop, is fast and r uns many programs at the same time without lagging and freezing." "It is rumored that Apple will announce a 12 or 13-inch (30.5 or 33 centimet er) tablet computer in the fall of 2010; most likely in the September or October time frame. It will run the full Mac OS X and have a slot loading SuperDrive, a n "iPhone-type" GPS chip, and an Intel Core Duo processor, presumably Intel's At om." The doctor wrote directions about a new prescriptiontabletwhich stated that th e patient should take onetabletof the new medication every three hours; then, he a lso recorded the information on histablet computer. tack, tact tack(TAK) A small sharp nail usually with a wide, flat head: "The teacher used a tack to h ang up the notice on the bulletin board." tact(TAKT) 1. The ability to do or to say things without offending or upsetting other peopl e: "The success of the international conference depends a great deal on the tact of the political leaders who will be trying to solve some of the economic probl ems that are on the table for the meeting." 2. The skills to appreciate the delicacy of a situation and to do or to say the kindest or most fitting things; diplomacy: "The boy's father used tact in dealin g with their tragedy." Tactis the knowledge of how far is too far or the skill in making a point wit hout making an enemy. Atactfulhusband told his wife, "How do you expect me to remember your birthday when you never look any older?" People withtacthave less to retract. Tactis the ability to make a person see the lightning without letting him fee l the bolt. O.A. Batista tacks, tax tacks(TAKS) 1. To change the direction of a sailing ship using the direction of the wind: "T his ship tacks in the wind very easily." 2. To fasten something to a surface using a short sharp pointed pin or nail: "Th e principal of the school usually tacks the sports schedule on the bulletin boar d for the coming week." 3. Short sharp pointed nails with a flat head used to attach items to a surface: "She used colorful tacks to indicate the new buildings on the city map." tax(TAKS) 1. To make difficult or rigorous demands: "Don't tax my patience by yelling at m e like that!" 2. An amount of money that a government requires people to pay according to thei r income, the value of their property, for items purchased, etc., which is used to pay for the things done by the various levels of government: "The new tax on gasoline is supposed to pay for the renovations of the roads in local areas, dis tricts, and the country." "It's sad to say, but the more a person makes, the more he/she will have to pay a tax on such income." 3. To charge or to administer the collection of a specified amount of money for the use of or ownership of something: "The city council decided to tax each hous ehold for the amount of water that was being used in each residence." 4. To expect a great deal from or to put demands on someone or something: "That job will tax her strength because she will be required to use a lot of physical effort." "Will you have to tax your budget so you can go on this trip?" Bulletin board:Tacks'haven.

Ellen Schneider Atacks'haven is far from being the same as ataxhaven. Taxis another thing that, once started, declines to decline. Evan Esar The principal said that all thetacksthat were needed to tack up the schedules for the year wouldtaxher supply. tail, tale tail(TAYL) 1. The lower, inferior, or rear end of something: "The cat loved to chase her ta il around in circles." "The tail of the car was damaged in the accident." "He was at the tail end of the line waiting to buy tickets for the film." "The tail of the airplane was broken off when the pilot had to make an emerg ency landing after running out of gas." 2. To follow or to keep watching a suspect: "The detective had to tail the suspe ct for three hours." "My silly cat tried to tail me when I left home for a walk, but she soon got tired and went back to the house." 3. To become more faint or scattered: "Her voice started to tail off after she h ad been reading out loud for several minutes." tale(TAYL) 1. A story either based on fact or fiction that is told in printed or oral form: "The man told his tale of thehugefish which he caught but that got away." 2. An imaginative telling of an event: "A myth is often a tale used to explain p uzzling events or circumstances." 3. Gossip or stories that can be libellous: "The tale that was told about the co uple's elopement was scandalous and was later proven not to be true." The teacher was telling ataleabout a dog'stail. Atailis something attached behind the behind. Ataleis the largest part of a fish story. Evan Esar tailgate, tailgate tailgate(TAYL gayt), noun A door at the back of a vehicle; such as, a station wagon or pickup truck, that opens downward and which can be lowered or removed to make it easier to load thi ngs into the vehicle: "We opened the tailgate of the station wagon so we could l oad our baggage for our vacation trip." tailgate(TAYL gayt), verb To drive too closely behind another vehicle: "Be careful that you don't tailgate that red car in front of us because the driver might stop all of a sudden." At the scene of the accident it was obvious that the driver of the red sport s car had beentailgatingand rammed into thetailgateof the station wagon in front of him. Be careful that we don'ttailgatethe car in front of us because it belongs to m y friend and we are planning to have atailgateparty at the beach and we want to us e thetailgateon the back of his station wagon as the "stand" for the picnic. talent, talent talent(TAL uhnt) 1. A marked innate ability, as for artistic accomplishment: "His creative talent as a writer has resulted in many successful novels and cinematic presentations. " 2. Natural endowment or ability of a superior quality: "The computer company has hired some of the best talent for its software development." "Her brother's experience, skills, and talent have been recognized and will make him the perfect choice for the new position on the staff." talent(TAL uhnt) 1. A variable unit of weight and money used in ancient Greece, Rome, and the Mid dle East: "The termtalentwas used as any of various ancient Hebrew or Attic moneta ry units equal in value to that of a talent weight of gold, silver, or other met al."

"In Greek and Latin,talentwas used for a sum of money (a Greektalantonwas equiva lent to 6,000 drachmas)." "In the New Testament of the Bible (Matthew 25:14-30), the passage known as 'the parable of talents' has been interpreted to mean that the monetarytalentwas a God-given endowment which, if not used, would be lost and this 'endowment' sens e gave rise to its extended use as 'mental ability, skill, or aptitude'." The antique dealer had a specialtalentof being able to determine the differenc e between an authentic-ancienttalentand a clever reproduction. talents, talons talents(TAL uhnts) 1. The natural abilities or endowment of a person: "She has many talents includi ng being a gourmet cook." 2. The general abilities that someone has: "His winter sports talents were diver se including snowboarding, skiing, and skating." "Our friend's experience, skills, and talents make him perfectly suited for the new position in the company." talons(TAL uhns) 1. The sharp claws of an animal or bird of prey: "The hawk flew away carrying th e field mouse in its talons." "The talons of the mountain lion are sharp and useful for hunting its prey." 2. Any objects that are shaped like a claw: "The child used two crooked sticks a s talons when he tried to reach the ball he lost in the bushes." Histalentsas a sportsman included working with falcons whosetalonswere very sha rp and dangerous. tame, tame tame(TAYM), adjective 1. Not wild; domesticated or submissive: "My cat is tame and loves to play with me and never uses her talons to scratch me." 2. Insipid, lacking spirit or zest: "We were disappointed because we thought the sports event was merely a tame game." tame(TAYM), verb 1. To control or to bring into a domestic and submissive state: "The zoo keeper did not want to tame the wild elephant, but he could only admire the elephant fr om a distance." 2. To soften or to tone down: "He struggled to tame his temper while talking wit h his supervisor at work." He was trying totamethe hyperactivity of his kitten by using a verytamevoice wh en he had to scold her; however, he didn't want her to be tootameso she would be j ust anothertamehousehold pet. tangent, tangent tangent(TAN jent) To start talking about something that is only slightly or indirectly related to the original subject: "The student went off on a tangent about what happened dur ing his trip to London." tangent(TAN jent) In geometry, a straight line forming an angle or a straight line that intersects the circle or sphere in one and only one point: "The math teacher demonstrated how a tangent touches another curve or surface but does not cross or intersect i t." I know I should be studying geometry; especially, the lesson on thetangentand the hypotenuse of the triangle, but my mind seems to have gone off on atangentbec ause I was day dreaming about going swimming at the beach. tank, tank, tank tank(TANK) A large container for liquid or gas: "We filled the gas tank before we left on o ur trip." "Our neighbor cleaned the fish tank before he went camping." tank(TANK) A kind of military combat vehicle: "The tank was developed and first used in com bat by the British during World War I as a means to break the deadlock of trench

warfare." tank(TANK) 1. To be very unsuccessful; to fail completely: "The economic situation has tank ed and it could tank for some time to come." 2. In a very bad state or condition: "The global economy is in the tank right no w and no one really knows when it will get out of the tank." The driver of the armytankmust have been in atankedcondition when he filled the gastankbecause he filled it with water. tap, tap, tap tap(TAP) To strike with light blows: "I could hear the rain tap on the metal roof." tap(TAP) A water faucet: "I forgot to turn off the tap in the kitchen and the sink overfl owed and flooded the floor." tap(TAP) A piece that makes a heel or sole of a shoe thicker: "I had a metal tap put on e ach of my shoes so I could pretend I was a tap dancer." When the plumber came to fix the watertap, she used a hammer totapthe pipes. I t was obvious that she also hadtapson the heels of her shoes because the clicking was quite loud when she walked on the floor. taper, tapir taper(TAY puhr) 1. A tall slender candle; a waxed wick used for lighting candles: "I put a singl e red taper in the holder on the mantle." "I used the waxed taper to light the taper on the mantle." 2. A graduated narrowing of something towards one end: "You can see many leaves that taper to the ends." 3. To diminish or to become smaller: "Her voice began to taper off as she was re ading the long story." tapir(TAY puhr, tuh PIR) Any of several large, chiefly nocturnal, odd-toed ungulates of the genusTapirusof tropical America, the Malay Peninsula, and Sumatra, related to the horse and the rhinoceros, and having a heavy body, short legs, and a long, fleshy, flexible u pper lip: "On our expedition to Sumatra, we took several pictures of a tapir in its natural habitat." While we were camping out on the Malay Peninsula, we heard a noise outside o ur tent and when we used a lightedtaperto see what was going on, we were surprised to see atapirnear the tent entrance and then our sight of the animaltaperedoff as i t ran away. tar, tar tar(TAHR), noun A very thick, black, sticky liquid made from coal that becomes hard when it cool s and which is used especially for road and street surfaces: "During the winter, the roads have many holes which will need to be repaired with tar and its compo nents for use on highways." tar(TAHR), verb To cover something with a thick covering: "We will be so very glad when the city will tar the roads again because it is very difficult to drive on them now." When theytarthe city streets again, the people hope the newtarwill make driving much smoother. tare, tear; tear, tears; tier tare(TAIR) 1. An undesirable weed in a field or something that is not desirable: "The tare in the field seemed to have sharp points which hurt the mouths of the cattle whe n they were feeding." 2. A counterweight or an empty container that is the same size as a filled conta iner, used to determine changes in the original cargo caused by changing conditi ons: "The merchant used a tare when weighing the containers of grain to ensure a fair price for the actual produce." "The shipper made a tare of the container and deducted it from the gross wei

ght to obtain the net weight of the contents." tear(TAIR) 1. To separate or to pull apart something or to make an opening by ripping: "I h ad to tear out the hem on my skirt so I could mend it properly." "I tried to tear a piece of cloth to use as a cleaning rag." 2. To injure as if by pulling something apart: "My ankle sprain felt so bad it f elt as if someone were trying to tear my foot off my leg." 3. To move with haste: "He started to tear down the hill at breakneck speed on h is motor cycle." tear, tears(TIR, TEER; TEERZ) 1. A drop of the clear salty liquid that is secreted by the lachrymal glands of the eyes to lubricate the surfaces between the eyeballs and eyelids and to wash away irritants: "She wiped the tear, or tears, from her cheek." 2. A profusion of this liquid spilling from the eyes and wetting the cheeks; esp ecially, as an expression of emotion: "She was crying tears of frustration and a nger." "Why do your eyes tear when you cut onions?" tier(TIR, TEER) An arrangement of something, for example chairs, in an ascending manner one abov e the other: "The janitor arranged a tier of benches in the auditorium for the s tudent assembly." "With his promotion, my cousin joined the tier of upper management in the of fice where he worked." For our science lecture, the speaker was going to talk about a particulartar efound in the fields nearby; unfortunately, she turned out to be allergic to theta resample that was brought to the class and her eyes started totearup. A member of the class didn't have a handkerchief to give her, but he was abl e toteara strip of cloth off the lab coat he was wearing and give it to her becaus e he was sitting in the first row of thetierof seats in the auditorium. When the artist saw thetearin his painting, you can be sure that he shed more than onetearover it. Tearsare glum-drops. Evan Esar tarp, TARP tarp(TAHRP) A heavy material waterproofed with tar, paint, or wax; especially, canvas or pla stic which is used for protecting construction projects, athletic fields, or oth er exposed objects or areas from rain: "The wordtarpis a shortened term for tarpau lin that is used to cover things and to keep them dry." TARP, T.A.R.P.(TAHRP) TroubledAssetReliefProgram; a program of the United States government to purchase a ssets and equity from financial institutions to strengthen the financial sector: "TARP allows the United States Department of the Treasury to purchase or insure up to $700 billion oftroubledassets." At the time of the flood, the staff from theTARPprogram set up their desks und er atarpthat was hung between two trees. tart, tart tart(TART) 1. A small pie typically filled with fruit, custard, etc.: "I baked a lemon tart to take to the tailgate picnic tomorrow." 2. Chiefly British, a prostitute: "The young woman was determined to put her bac kground as a tart behind her and go back to school to complete her education." tart(TART) Sharp to the taste buds: "The lemonade was very tart and needed more sugar befor e we could drink it." The lemontartwastartto my taste, but I thought it was delicious. tartar, Tartar tartar(TAHR tuhr) 1. A hard yellowish deposit on the teeth, consisting of organic secretions and f

ood particles deposited in various salts, such as calcium carbonate: "The dental hygienist used a sharp tool to clean the tartar off my teeth." 2. A reddish acid compound, chiefly potassium bitartrate, found in the juice of grapes and deposited on the sides of casks during wine-making process: "During t he making of wine, the workers watch carefully for the sedimentation of tartar i n the barrels they use." 3. An individual described as having an unpredictable temper (considered informa l and old-fashioned): "She was a perfect tartar when she was crossed by her intr usive editor." Tartar(TAHR tuhr) A member of any of the Turkic and Mongolian people of central Asia who invaded W estern Asia and Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages: "The Tartar invaders were bel ieved to be superb horsemen." The old history book described theTartaras being atartarin terms of temperament. Perhaps the teeth of theTartarhurt because of a build up oftartarin his mouth that made him miserable all the time. taser, teaser taser(TAY zuhr) 1. A trademark name used for a high-voltage stun gun: "Whenever a stun gun is us ed by anyone, it is referred to as a taser which will taser a person; so, the te rm functions as a noun and a verb." 2. An electroshock weapon that uses electrical current to disrupt voluntary cont rol of muscles: "The stun gun manufacturer, Taser International, calls the effec ts of a taser aneuromuscular incapacitation." teaser(TEE zuhr) 1. An advertisement that attracts customers by offering something extra or free: "We saw the teaser that offered to make people a special deal if they signed up for a new credit card." 2. An attention-getting vignette or highlight presented before the start of a te levision show or at the end of a movie: "A teaser for the sequel appeared at the end of the movie." 3. Someone who harasses another person playfully or maliciously; especially by r idicule and by provoking with persistent annoyances: "The husband was a teaser o f his wife about her preference of classical music." Atasercertainly is a far from being any kind ofteaser. tasteful, tasty tasteful(TAYST fuhl) Exhibiting characteristics of good judgment and appreciation: "The room was deco rated in a tasteful manner and was not ostentatious." tasty(TAY stee) 1. Very intriguing or interesting: "The local gossip passed along a tasty bit of scandal about her neighbor." 2. Characterized as being very flavorful and appetizing: "The new soup made of p umpkin and tomatoes was very tasty and was a lovely way to start our holiday mea l." At the banquet, we noticed the buffet was laid out in atastefulfashion and the chef toldtastystories about each of the verytastydishes. tattoo, tattoo tattoo(ta TOO) 1. A signal sounded on a drum or bugle to summon soldiers or sailors to their qu arters at night: "The officer played the tattoo prior to the call for lights out for the night." 2. A display of military exercises offered as evening entertainment: "When we we re in England, we attended the Tattoo at the castle in London." tattoo(ta TOO) 1. A permanent mark or design made on the skin by a process of pricking and ingr aining an indelible pigment or by raising scars: "The old sailor had a tattoo on his right arm that read 'MOTHER'." 2. A design made on the skin with a temporary dye such as henna or ink: "For the masked ball, we dressed like bikers including having a temporary tattoo on each

of our arms." When we attended thetattooat the castle in the medieval city, we noticed that one of the bagpipe players had an intriguingtattooon his leg. taught, taut, taunt, tot taught(TAWT) 1. To have presented information in a manner for others to learn: "My father tau ght young people how to read for many years and his pupils were successful learn ers." 2. To have provided guidance to students in an academic context: "My mother taug ht grade school for many years before she retired." taut(TAWT) 1. Maintained in good or proper condition: "The captain ran a taut ship and rare ly had to go into port for major repairs." 2. Characterized as using minimal detail: "The report from the police was taut a nd included only the basic facts of the situation." taunt(TAWNT) An insult, a slurring comment; to make such a comment: "The taunt uttered by the crowd did not upset the police who were monitoring the parade." "The gang members tried to taunt the dignified man walking down the street." tot(TAHT) 1. A small child, typically too young to attend school: "My sister's tot is lear ning to play the piano which is amazing because she is so young." 2. A small measure of an alcoholic drink: "The bar tender measured a tot of rum for the customer." His mother was quitetautas shetaughthertotthat it was impolite totauntother childr n. tea, tee, tee tea(TEE) 1. An eastern Asian evergreen shrub or small tree (Camellia sinensis) having fra grant, nodding, cup-shaped white flowers and glossy leaves and the young, dried leaves of this plant, prepared by various processes and used to make a hot bever age: "My elderly uncle made his fortune operating a tea plantation." 2. Chiefly British, an afternoon refreshment consisting usually of sandwiches an d cakes served with tea or an afternoon reception or social gathering at which a hot drink is served: "We had such a busy day shopping, we just had to stop for tea before we became too tired." tee(TEE) 1. The letter 't' or something shaped like a 'T': "I used a metal 'T' square whe n completing my drawings of the buildings so I could get perfectly straight line s and right angles." 2. A mark aimed at in certain games; such as, curling or quoits: "The tee was ma rked under the ice on the curling rink." tee(TEE) 1. A small peg with a concave top for holding a golf ball for an initial drive: "My friend always uses a yellow tee for good luck when she plays golf." 2. The designated area of each golf hole from which a player makes his or her fi rst stroke: "The defending champion strolled up to the first tee to try for anot her major win." 3. A small device used to stand a football on end for a kickoff: "The crowd was quiet when the famous player approached the tee." 4. To anger or to irritate someone or people: "He certainly tried to tee me off with his teasing remarks about my game." I decided to wear my greenT-shirt to theteathat was held at the golf course. This reallyteedthe manager off; however, I was able to watch the champion golf erteeoff before I left. In fact, I bought a specially markedteeat the gift shop to commemorate the occ asion. team, teem team(TEEM) 1. Animals harnessed to a vehicle which are used to move it: "The team of matche

d bay horses were pulling the carriage of the princess during the parade." 2. A group of individuals associated with a specific task or activity: "The foot ball team appeared to be on a winning streak when they won their fifth straight game." "I was asked to join my team of colleagues who were assigned to plan the end of the year party for our office." 3. To join or to collaborate with a group for the completion of a specific task: "We agreed to team up with our other friends to plan a holiday together." teem(TEEM) 1. A large quantity or anything that is to be filled to the point of overflowing : "The lake seemed to teem with fish and I could hardly wait to go fishing there ." "The sky seemed to teem with rain all day long." 2. To empty or to pour out: "The foundry workers started to teem the molten meta l into the forms." When I went to the soccer game, I noticed that eachteamseemed toteemwith husky and powerfully built players. tease, teas, tees tease(TEEZ) 1. To straighten out a tangle or a tangled situation: "The lawyer tried to tease the facts out of a very shy witness." "I used my new hair brush to tease my hair when I woke up in the morning." 2. To make someone irritated or angry by engaging annoying behavior: "He tried t o make his sister laugh but his efforts to tease her only made her angry." 3. To style one's hair by back combing the hair to make it seem voluminous or fu ll: "The hair stylist started to tease my hair to give it a soft full puffiness in the front." 4. To tantalize but not to fulfill the expectations so aroused: "The aroma of ba king bread served to tease her appetite but since she was on a diet, she wouldn' t take even one slice of it." teas(TEEZ) Products prepared from the cured leaves of theCamellia sinensisor tea plant: "The store sold several different flavored teas to meet the various tastes of the cus tomers." tees(TEEZ) Small pegs with a concave surface the purpose of which is to provide support for a ball; for example, a golf ball, used in sports: "The golf player always carri ed extra tees in his pocket during the golf competition." It seems silly, but the little child was apparently trying to taunt the golf pegs, or as someone said, she seemed to trying toteasethe golfteeswith a variety oft eas. temerity, timidity, timorous temerity(tuh MER i tee) Recklessness, a foolhardy disdain for danger associated with an action: "The hig h school pupil had the temerity to talk back to the school principal." "The mountain hikers demonstrated temerity when planning their assent of the dangerous mountain." timidity(tuh MI duh tee) Not possessing courage or boldness: "His timidity made him a victim of many joke s on the playground." timorous(TIM uhr uhs) Fearful, doubtful: "Her timorous personality was not evident in the fascinating mystery books which she wrote under a pseudonym." Thetimorousquality of his personality was surprising because he often demonstr ated greattemeritywhen he was enjoying his hobby of bungee jumping. Perhaps the danger of bungee jumping gave him the courage to try to overcome histimidity. tenant, tenet tenant(TEN uhnt) An individual who lives in a building, or uses land, on a temporary basis, often

associated with the payment of rent money: "She was an excellent tenant who alw ays paid her rent on time." "Mr. Smith is a tenant on my father's farm." tenet(TEN it) A basic doctrine or foundation of belief that is believed to be true: "The basic tenet of my faith is to be kind to other people." The newtenantin the apartment below apparently believes in thetenetthat quiet p eople make good neighbors because he keeps the volume turned down when he plays his TV or radio. tenor, tenure tenor(TEN uhr) 1. A musical term describing the highest natural range of the male voice, or som eone who sings in this vocal range: "The musical composition called for a tenor voice." "Her brother is a tenor and enjoys singing in concerts." 2. The general idea of something: "The first paragraph in the essay gave the ten or for the rest of the composition." 3. Any of a number of musical instruments that have a high musical range: "My fr iend plays the tenor saxophone in the jazz quartet." tenure(TEN yuhr, TEN yoor") The time frame during which a position is held, or the status granted an individ ual in a professional position as an assurance against unexpected dismissal: "My sister has a secure tenure with the board of education where she works." "After five years, my friend's father was granted tenure as professor in our local university." Thetenor s tenurewith the opera company was cut short by an argument with the ge neral manager and thetenorwas asked to leave. tense, tents, tens tense(TENS) 1. A condition or state of mental or nervous tension: "We were very tense becaus e it seemed that we would never get this project completed." 2. Any one of the inflected forms in the conjugation of a verb that indicates th e time; such as, present, past, or future; as well as, the continuance or comple tion of the action or situation: "Now we are in the present tense; but if we tal k about yesterday, we are referring to the past tense." tents(TENS) Portable shelters often made of canvas water-proof material, stretched over a su pporting framework of poles with ropes and pegs: "We had to set up our tents bef ore it got dark." tens(TENZ) In groups of ten or ten to a section or unit: "Do you have any money in fives an d tens to exchange for this fifty dollar bill?" When this group of boy scouts go camping, they usually stay in what could be interpreted as nervous little outdoor cloth shelters which they calltense tentss et up in groups oftens. tepid, torpid tepid(TEP id) Lukewarm; lacking in enthusiasm or passion: "The tea in my cup has become tepid and had to be refreshed with more hot tea." "Her tepid personality was a guise for a brilliant mind." torpid(TOR pid) Sluggish, apathetic; bringing about listlessness: "The heat and humidity created such a torpid feeling that all I could do was to lie in the shade of the trees. " The heat of the day made me feel verytorpid; unfortunately, I was unable to g ain any relief by swimming in the lake because the water felttepid. tern, terne, turn tern(TURN) Any of a number of sea birds that are smaller than the typical seagull and are c

haracterized by narrow wings, forked tails, and a white body with a black cap: " I could watch the tern sweep the sky for hours because it was so graceful." terne(TURN) An alloy of tin and lead used as a coating in the production of terne plate: "Th e master foundry operator knew the secret formula to produce terne; also known a sterne plate." turn(TURN) 1. To take a short walk: "My friend and I took a turn in the park because the da y was so fresh and lovely." 2. The activity of doing something in agreed upon steps: "We each took our turn standing in line for the special concert tickets." "We were playing checkers and it was my friend's turn to make a move." 3. An expected or unanticipated change in the direction something is going: "The turn in the road was so sharp I had to slow the car down so I would not have an accident." "I had to turn the key in the lock to the right in order to open the door." 4. To become or to gradually change: "The weather is expected to turn very cold over night." 5. To appeal for assistance: "She decided to turn to her family for the money sh e needed to start up her new business." My friend and I took a shortturnon the beach being careful not to step on thete rnnest. Our conversation took an unexpectedturnwhen my friend mentioned that he had di scovered a new formula to maketerne. than, then than(THAN) 1. A function word that is used to indicate a difference or diversity: "We have had more rain than sunshine this winter." "We have seen more pedestrians walking in this city than we ever see in our hometown." 2. Used to introduce the second or last of two or more things or people that are being compared: "Ten is less than fifteen." "He can run faster than his brother." 3. Used to say that something happens immediately after something else: "No soon er did I ask where my wife was than she came into the room." then(THEN) 1. At the time mentioned or belonging to a specific time: "He was then the vice president in charge of advertising." 2. Soon after, following next in a sequence, or used to indicate what happened n ext: "In the circus parade, first came the clowns then came the horseback riders ." "We walked down the street, then we found our friend waiting on the corner." 3. A function word used to make a final statement that refers back to the things that have just been mentioned or described: "These words, then, are the most ap plicable for this context." "Both of us, then, must accept some responsibility for these results." To simplify these words, we should remember thatthanis used more often to indi cate acomparison; whilethenusually indicates some form oftimesequence. Examples include:"The new shopping center is biggerthanthe old one." "The scientist did his research;thenhe wrote the report for the university." I would rather be inside and coolthanoutside and hot.ThenI would be so uncomfort able I would just sit in the shade and wait for the sun to go down. their, there, they're their(THAIR) A collective pronoun to indicate possession or ownership of something by more th an one person: "The new table was their first purchase after the couple was marr ied." there(THAIR) 1. To indicate the position or placing of something in a specific location: "Ple ase put the chair there, next to the fireplace."

"All I can tell you is that she was sitting there a minute ago." 2. An expression used to indicate something that has caused frustration and is n ow accomplished: "There, the dishes are finally done and put away; so, now we ca n go shopping." 3. At a point in a process, activity, story, etc.: "Stop right there, before you say something you will regret." 4. Used to introduce a sentence in which the subject comes after the verb: "Ther e is nothing we can do about it now because it is simply too late." "There's still a lot for us to do on this project, don't you agree?" 5. Used to show satisfaction, approval, or encouragement: "There, it's finally f inished and you helped so much to make it possible." they're(THAIR) Used as a contraction ofthey are: "They're here earlier than they said they would be." "We still might be able to get some more milk at the store, but it all depen ds on whether they're still open." They rehangingtheircoats overthereon the coat rack. Several students are in the play; so, ifthey renot up here on the stage, then th ey must be outtherein the audience withtheirparents. therefor, therefore therefor(THAIR for") 1. In exchange for (now considered archaic): "I am returning this suit and wish a refund therefor." 2. For that: "I am ordering clothes as indicated and enclosing payment therefor. " therefore(THAIR for") Consequently, as a result, for that reason, as this proves: "I have had enough r est, and therefore I will go back to work, now." "I hate worms; therefore, I avoid digging in the garden." Thereforenormally appears at the beginning of a clause and may be followed by a comma. If it appears parenthetically within a clause, it has a comma before a nd after: "It appears,therefore, that he must be guilty." The long letter from the customer stated in part;therefore, I am returning th e unopened box and I request a refundtherefor. this, that this(THIS) 1. Something that is close at hand and under immediate discussion or observation : "We will continue to discuss this at our next meeting." 2. Something or someone near in time, place, etc.: "This is the person I wanted you to meet." 3. What has been indicated in a subsequent expression: "I will say this about my best friend; she is always there when I need her." that(THAT) 1. A function word used to introduce a noun clause, often used instead of a dire ct quotation; used to introduce an exclamatory clause: "She said that he was the president of the soccer club at school." "I was upset that the conflict between the students and the faculty should r esult in such mudslinging!" 2. Used to identify a person, a thing, an idea, etc. as indicated or mentioned b efore: "We were introduced at a dance and after that we saw each other quite oft en." Look atthis, it is really something. She thinksthatwe should write to our profe ssor about it. thong, throng thong(THAWNG, THAHNG) 1. A narrow strip of fabric: "He used a leather thong to mend the saddle." 2. A sandal which is fastened to the foot using a narrow strip of fabric which g oes between the toes and is fastened around the foot and ankle: "My left thong c ame undone and fell off while I was walking on the beach." throng(THRAWNG, THRAHNG)

1. A large number of people gathered together in a location: "We watched the thr ong gather in anticipation of the concert in the park tonight." "A throng of fans was waiting for the players to arrive." 2. To gather together or to crowd into a location: "After class, they decided th at they would throng to the local coffee shop to celebrate passing their examina tions." "Shoppers will throng the mall for the sales that will be available next wee k." Just for fun I took a survey of thethrongat the beach to see how many were wea ringthongsthat included leatherthongsas part of their compositions. thorough, throughout thorough(THUR oh, THUHR oh) 1. Exhaustive, detailed, complete, or painstaking: "We conducted a thorough sear ch of my closet in hopes of finding my missing shoe." "The police were thorough in their investigation of the bank robbery." 2. Having mastery or competence in something: "Her reputation was based on being a thorough and competent violinist." throughout(throo OUT) During the entire time; from beginning to end: "Throughout the entire summer, I read six books and went to two movies." Throughoutthe time it took the police to complete athoroughinvestigation of th e car accident, we were not allowed to leave the scene. Fortunately, my friend was athoroughmaster of the harmonica and so he played s o we could more easily pass the time away. thrash, thresh thrash(THRASH) 1. To whip, to hit, or to defeat: "Because of his disobedience, the school maste r said that he would have to thrash the student." "Our team is determined to thrash the competition this year!" 2. The process by which grain is harvested and separated from the leaves and ste ms of plants: "The weather is perfect so we will thrash the wheat this afternoon ." 3. To move about or to strike violently: "When I first learned to swim, I would thrash about in the water." thresh(THRESH) 1. To toss about: "I am so tired this morning because I am sure all I did was th resh in bed all night." 2. To separate grain from the plant on which it was grown using mechanical proce dures: "The new machine in the barn will thresh the grain more quickly than doin g it by hand." During my summer work experience on the farm, I used a flail tothrashthe grai n; however, on the first night after a day ofthreshingthe wheat, I was so tired th at all I could do wasthresharound in my sleep, trying to find a comfortable positi on. threw, through, thru threw(THROO) 1. To have tossed something to another person by using the arm: "The catcher thr ew the baseball to third base and the runner was out." 2. To have fallen off or to have fallen down: "The horse threw a shoe and was li mping." "She was upset and threw herself down on the sofa to have a good cry." 3. To put something on or to take something off in a casual way: "I threw on my coat when I went outside to watch the sunset." 4. To have given or organized an entertainment: "My sister threw a party for me when I went to visit her." through(THROO) 1. Going into one side and out the other side of something: He hit the nail thro ugh the wood in the door frame." "She looked through the binoculars so she could see what was happening on th e other side of the river."

2. Progressing without stopping: "He accidentally drove through the red light at the intersection." 3. Used to describe a movement within a space or an area of land, air, etc.: "Th ey rode their bicycles through the woods." thru(THROO) An informal spelling ofthrough: "We drove thru the towns along the river during o ur vacation." After her son accidentallythrewa baseballthroughthe window next door, he went to his mother to exclaim, "I'm sorry Ithrewthe ballthruour neighbor s window." thrill, trill thrill(THRIL) 1. A quivering or trembling caused by sudden excitement or emotion: "She so exci ted that she was unable to explain the thrill she got from seeing and talking wi th her favorite actor this evening." 2. To cause someone to feel very excited or happy: "Circus performers still thri ll audiences today." trill(TRIL) 1. A high-pitched warbling sound, especially one made by a bird: "You could hear the trill sounds being made by the birds in the pet shop." 2. To make a consonant sound by two vocal organs vibrating rapidly against each other; for example, the tip of the tongue vibrating against the ridge behind the front teeth: "You can hear him trill hisr'swhen he speaks." Every time I went to hear the famous soprano sing, it gave me athrillto hear t he way she couldtrillthe high notes in the arias. throes, throws throes(THROHZ) Difficult or painful struggles: "She was in the throes of sorrow due to the loss of her favorite aunt." throws(THROHZ) 1. To cast or to toss from one individual to another: "He throws a fast ball whe n he is on the pitcher's mound. 2. To cause or to create: "The sun throws long shadows across the land at the en d of the day." I noticed that herthroesof sadness happened every day just as the sunthrowsa sh adow across the window. throne, thrown throne(THROHN) 1. A chair typically associated with royalty or with the head of a religious org anization: "The bishop sat on the throne to listen to the petitions of the pilgr ims." "The king's throne was decorated with gold and gems." 2. To invest an individual with royal authority and responsibilities: "The bisho p will throne the queen today in a fairy tale ceremony." thrown(THROHN) 1. To have or to be overcome by something or a situation: "She was not thrown by the difficult physics problem on her examination." "He was thrown with emotion when he realized his friend was not hurt in the accident." 2. To have dashed or to hit something violently: "During the storm, the ship was thrown against the reef and was badly damaged." 3. To have built, constructed, or exerted oneself to do something: "The construc tion company has thrown together a shed for storing all of their equipment." "He has thrown all his influence into the proposal to build new houses." The king was so angry that he hurled the royal chair at his military ministe r; in other words, thethronewasthrownas an expression of the king's displeasure. throw, throe throw(THROH) 1. To cause confusion or to cause a fall: "She was afraid she would throw her op ponent during the debate by asking about a very sensitive issue." "It was easy for the horse to throw the rider because she was not holding th

e reins properly." 2. To put someone or something in a position or situation: "She was sure that wh en her little sister got home, she would throw her arms around the tree in the f ront yard because she would be so happy." 3. To roll or to cast something: "He watched the man throw a pair of snake eyes when he rolled the dice." throe(THROH) 1. An experience of a spasm or a pain: "She was in the throe of her first love a ffair because her boyfriend broke up with her." 2. A difficult struggle or experience: "The economic throe of the nation is refl ected in the struggle experienced by the artistic community." I thought I wouldthrowa temper tantrum if we had to face thethroeof a flat tire while we were crossing the dessert. thrust, thrust thrust(THRUHST), verb To push someone or something with force; to shove: "She thrust her way through t he crowd by pushing people aside so she could get on the last train to her home. " "It was so cold when he stepped outside that he thrust his hands into his po ckets so they could be warmer." thrust(TRUHST), noun 1. The main point or meaning of something: "He agreed with the main thrust of th e argument in the article." 2. The main concern or purpose of something: "The major thrust of the scientific team's research will be to find practical applications." 3. The pushing or pulling force exerted by a power plant; such as, an aircraft e ngine or rocket engine: "When a passenger plane takes off, it is necessary that passengers and staff members are all seated or they could be knocked down from t he resulting thrust of the aircraft as it ascends into the air from the airport runway." Thethrustof the feature article in the paper was that a celebrity got upset at the paparazzi andthrustthem aside as she got out of her car. thumb, thumb thumb(THUM) 1. One of the digits on the hand: "I hit my thumb with the hammer and it really hurts!" 2. An expression meaning to catch a ride when an individual is hitchhiking: "I w ill thumb a ride to town instead of taking the bus." thumb(THUM) To glance quickly through a book: "I was in a hurry and had very little time, so I could only thumb through the new chemistry book before class started." I used mythumbto mark my place in the recipe book while I tried tothumbthrough the other pages looking for another recipe. thyme, time thyme(THIGHM) Any of a number of plants with aromatic leaves frequently used in cooking or med icines: "The recipe said to put in a pinch of thyme just before serving." time(TIGHM) 1. To regulate, to set the speed or duration: "I will time the runners to determ ine who is the fastest one." 2. A measureable period during which something occurs or happens: "This is the t ime of fantastic explorations in space." 3. The determined or customary moment when something begins or ends: "It is now time for dinner after which there will be time to watch our favorite TV program before it is time to go to bed." 4. One's experiences during a specific event: "We had a great time at the tea ye sterday afternoon." 5. A period or length of apprenticeship, training, or military service: "He serv ed his time in the naval reserve and he was glad that he had the experience." "I still have time before I complete my internship at the hospital."

Spring is thetimeto plantthymein the garden. tic, tick tic(TIK) A sudden muscle spasm: "I get a slight tic in my left eye when I am nervous." tick(TIK) 1. A slight click or tap: "I could hear the tick of her cane on the tile floor a s she walked down the hall towards the door." 2. A bloodsucking insect: "After she had gone outside to play, my cat came home with a tick on her neck that was difficult to remove." "It is dangerous for people to get a tick bite because the tick may carry a disease; such as, Rocky Mountain spotted fever or Lyme disease." 3. Primarily a British usage: a mark; such as, ? or ?, which is used to show tha t something like an item on a list has been noted, done, etc.: "Put a tick (?) n ext to each item on the list as you complete it." 4. Another British term indicating an agreement to pay for something after a per iod of time: "She bought her items on tick; that is, she promised to pay for the things later." 5. A British indication about the time it takes a clock to make one click, a sec ond, or a very short time: "Her husband said he would be with her in a tick and she responded that she needed at least two ticks to be ready to go." He felt a suddenticin his left leg. When he looked down, he saw atickon his leg . In atick, he thought of applying a handful of salt on thetickand hoped that would make it drop off. ticket, ticket ticket(TIK it) A card representing admission to an activity or a fare for some form of transpor tation: "We were told to present our ticket when we arrived at the entrance of t he theater." "I bought a one way ticket on the bus." ticket(TIK it) A list of candidates running for political office: "She was asked if her name wa s on the ticket for governor in the upcoming election?" I bought aticketto the meeting of the candidates so I could hear the completeti cketof each of those who were running for the office of mayor. tide, tied tide(TIGHD) The rise and fall of bodies of water: "We sat on the shore and watched the tide come in." tied(TIGHD) Fastened together; such as, shoe lace, string around a package, etc.: "I tied th e laces on my shoes securely so they would not come undone." "Before I mailed the package, I made sure it was tied firmly with heavy stri ng." His boat wastiedto the pier so thetidewouldn't take it out to sea. tier, tier, tire, Tyre tier(TEER), noun Two or more rows of something arranged in an ascending order: "We sat on the sec ond tier of chairs in the auditorium to watch the concert." tier(TEER), verb To arrange objects in rows of ascending order: "The shop keeper planned to tier the bottles of olive oil according to size of the bottle." tire(TIGHR) 1. To become worn out or at a loss of energy: "I am sure that swimming will tire me out before I quit and go home." 2. The hoop of rubber and fabric that covers the air filled rubber inner tube wh ich is part of the wheel structure for a vehicle: "We had a flat tire because I accidentally drove over a nail in the roadway." Tyre(TIGHR) A port in southern Lebanon on the Mediterranean Sea which figures heavily in anc ient Phoenician history: "Fabulous wealth in silk and other fabrics passed throu

gh the Phoenician port of Tyre according to ancient history." Searching the library for the history ofTyrereally willtireme out because I have to climb the ladder to explore thetierof books. tight, tight, tight tight(TIGHT) 1. Not easily moved or opened; fastened, attached, or held in a position that is difficult to move: "The lid on the box was a tight fit and it was hard to open until he used more pressure." 2. Fitting very close to the body: "His pants are too tight, so he needs to get a looser, more comfortable pair, before we can go." 3. A low supply; not easily available: "We can't afford to go on a vacation beca use money is just too tight since we're getting much less income." tight(TIGHT) Stingy: "My friend has a reputation of being very tight with his money and so I didn't want to ask him for a loan." tight(TIGHT) An informal reference about someone who has had too much alcohol to drink or is drunk: "The bartender decided not to serve the customer any more drinks because the guy was obviously tight." My cousin was nottightwhen we first got together at the local pub and he treat ed us all to a drink. In fact, we sattightuntil we all becametightand the bouncer, w ho was wearingtighttrousers, told us that we had to leave. till, till, till till(TIL) To prepare (land) for the raising of crops, as by plowing, hoeing, sowing, harro wing, etc.; to cultivate: "The farmer wants to till his land before the rain sea son starts." till(TIL) A drawer, compartment, or tray in which money or valuables are kept, as at a ban k, store, etc.: "The till was opened so the sale's clerk could give the customer his change." till(TIL) Primarily an unstratified mass of mingled clay, sand, pebbles, and boulders, dep osited by glaciers: "Scientists were assigned to examine the till from the melti ng glaciers." The farmer was trying totillhis rocky field when he came across a pile oftillat the edge of river next to his field. He looked closely and found some gold nugg ets which he took to the bank and asked that they be put in thetillfor safekeepin g. timber, timbre timber(TIM buhr) 1. Trees or wooded land considered as a source of wood: "There is a fine stand o f timber on that mountain." 2. Wood used as a building material; lumber: "We went to the lumber yard and ord ered the timber needed to build the shed." 3. A dressed piece of wood, especially a beam in a structure: "I used a nail to fasten the timber to the frame as we were building the shed." timbre(TAM buhr, TIM buhr) The combination of qualities of a sound that distinguishes it from other sounds of the same pitch and volume: "The timbre of the singer's voice enchanted me bec ause it was so resonant." His wife laughed at him when he was hammering thetimberon to the front porch. He was singing at the time; and she said, thetimbreof his voice was enough to scar e away the crows. tinge, twinge tinge(TINJ) To change or modify to a slight degree typically in reference to color: "The art ist decided to tinge the sunset in the painting with a slight pink color." twinge(TWINJ) A sharp localized pain which may be either physical or moral: "I felt a twinge i

n my ankle when I was walking because I had twisted it earlier in the day." "He seemed to experience a twinge of conscience when he realized what he had done." The artist didn't seem to have atwingeof conscience when she decided totingethe original painting of the sunset by adding a hint of orange. tip, tip, tip, tip tip(TIP) A top or end: "The hotel is located at the tip of a high hill on the opposite ti p of this island." tip(TIP) A useful hint or to give useful or secret information to someone: "Someone final ly gave the police a significant tip about the robbers who stole the money from the store." tip(TIP) A small sum of money in addition to the cost of a service: "I'm glad that you re membered to tip the waiter for his good service." tip(TIP) To turn or to move something so that it is not straight or level or to cause som ething to lean or to slant: "If you're not careful as you lean back on that chai r, you will tip over." When we were traveling to thetipof the island, the local guide gave us atipabou t the staff of waiters at the hotel; for example, he suggested that we should be generous with ourtipor the water pitcher on the table might "accidentally"tipover a nd spill into one of our laps. tissue, tissue tissue(TISH oo) A material which is a part of animals and plants: "The soft tissue on her arm br uises easily." tissue(TISH oo) Soft paper: "She wrapped the gift in colorful tissue and tied a ribbon around it ." She had a slight cut on thetissueof her upper arm; so, she used a papertissueto stop the bleeding. title, title title(TIGHT uhl) A name or rank: "His official title on board ship is,Chief Petty Officer." title(TIGHT uhl) A legal right to property, etc.: "According to this document, I have a legal tit le to the riverside property." Her sports hero just won thetitlein the boxing competition. One would think th at thistitlewas a hereditarytitlebecause his father held thetitlebefore he did and to gether they even bought thetitleto some river front property. to, too, two to(TOO, TUH [when unstressed]) 1. A functional word used to indicate direction: "The children were running to a nd fro across the lawn." "After work, we drove to the country for a picnic." 2. A word used to indicate the end of an activity: "We came to the end of the st ory and had to return the book to the library." 3. Used to indicate that the following verb is in the infinitive form: "You aske d why I like to swim. Well, that's a difficult question to answer." too(TOO) Excessively, besides; also, to a regrettable degree: "I was too tired to do anyt hing except go to bed after I got home." "I decided to sell the car and the trailer, too." "His teasing had gone too far and my sister was upset and was crying." two(TOO) Being second; having more than one in number; an expression to suggest an approx imate small amount: "She came in second, or as number two, in the cross country race."

"I think I will have two chocolate desserts with my coffee." "I found only one or two pink shells on the beach." I wastooexcitedtorealize that there would betwoextra guests for dinner this evenin g. Her father told the clerk that he wanted a couple of the pens and that he wo uld givetwo tohis daughter,too. toad, toed, towed toad(TOHD) An amphibious creature characterized by a rough, squat form which spends conside rable time on land, returning to water to lay eggs: "I caught a toad in the gard en and carried it to the edge of the pond." toed(TOHD) A reference to a digit on the foot: "People are known as five-toed creatures." towed(TOHD) Pulled or dragged: "When we went camping, we towed a trailer with all of our cam ping gear behind the car." Atoadwastowedto another pond by hanging on to one of its long-toedfeet. Is it possible that being pigeon-toedis a strange condition since it could me an that someone is half pigeon and halftoad? toast, toast, toast toast(TOHST), verb To heat and brown (bread, for example) by placing in a toaster or an oven or clo se to a fire: "I will toast the whole-wheat bread to eat with our eggs for break fast." toast(TOHST), verb The act of raising a glass and drinking in honor of, or to, the health of a pers on (or people), or something: "We will toast the bride and groom at the receptio n." toast(TOHST), noun 1. Informal, to be in a lot of trouble: "If anyone finds out about this, we're t oast." "His career is toast because of this one little mistake in judgment. 2. A person in desperate straits; someone who isdoomed: "Just one little slip in this job and you're toast." Here's atoastto bread without which we would not havetoastwith our breakfast and remember that atoastis one of the few things that can be eaten or drunk. toe, tow toe(TOH) A digit on each foot: "Oh no, I hurt my toe when I stumbled on that rock just no w!" tow(TOH) To pull a vehicle behind another vehicle with a rope, a chain, or a special mech anism for that purpose: "Because of the accident, the auto repairman will tow ou r car to his garage." Be careful that you don t hurt yourtoewhen you try totowthe grocery cart up the st eep hill. told, tolled told(TOHLD) 1. To have explained something in detail: "I told you yesterday why we were not going shopping tonight." 2. Having described or explained something in words, verbal or written: "She tol d me about her dreams to be an actress when we were both children." "The letter from the bank told us about the financial situation that we woul d have to face." 3. To have ordered, directed, or admonished: "If I told you once, I have told yo u a thousand times, don't go there." tolled(TOHLD) 1. The bells that rang for a special occasion: "The bells tolled all night after their beloved king died." 2. Something that was encouraged or lured to a specific location: "The farmer to

lled the cattle to the barn by blowing on a special whistle." 3. Having decoyed game; especially, ducks: "The hunter tolled the ducks to land near the decoys of floating imitations of ducks." We weretoldthat the bells at the churchtolledevery evening at 6 P.M. which helpe d to remind the farmers it was time theytolledtheir cattle in from the fields. tole, toll tole(TOHL) A tray or sheet of metal that is painted and decorated in an elaborate fashion, frequently for domestic use: "Her parents had a stunning tole tray that was blac k with vivid flowers painted on it." toll(TOHL) 1. To call, to give an announcement, or to signal typically with the use of bell s: "We could hear the bell in the tower toll the hour and the half hour." "The toll of the bells announced the marriage of the popular couple in our t own." 2. To lure or to attract something to a desired location: "We scattered crumbs o n the water to toll the fish closer to shore." 3. A fee charged for the use of something: " We paid the toll before crossing th e bridge over the river." "There is a two-coin toll for the use of the public telephone." "There's a toll bridge ahead of us, so be prepared to pay the toll when we g et there." 4. A grievous or sad loss: "The toll in human lives was devastating after the se vere hurricane swept across the island." Thetoletray, which his parents possessed, commemorated important historical si tes in their home town. Depicted on the tray were atollbridge and a tall bell towe r and his parents told him that the bell in the tower wouldtollfor hours whenever there was atoll, or loss of lives, in the nearby mines. ton, tun ton(TUHN) 1. Any of a number of units of weight that are typically very heavy: "The box th at was being shipped across the ocean weighed at least a ton." 2. A large, heavy quantity of something: "The box was so heavy that I joked that it must weigh a ton." "Her son complained that he had a ton of homework to do for school." tun(TUHN) 1. A large cask for liquids; especially, wine: "I visited the cooper s shop where they were making a large oak tun for the local wine industry." 2. A measure of liquid capacity; especially, one equivalent to approximately 252 gallons (954 liters): "The vintner decided to buy a tun of the red wine based o n the reports that she had studied." Thetunthat was filled with rare wine felt as if it weighed aton. She did atonof research on the best wines to buy and thetunfrom the local winery was highly recom mended. tone, tone, tone tone(TOHN) Quality of a sound: "I had to adjust the tone on my CD (compact disk) player." tone(TOHN) Quality of a color: "Do you see that beautiful tone of green in the picture?" tone(TOHN) Quality of body organs: "The doctor said she had good muscle tone because she we nt swimming every day and worked out at the fitness studio." The doctor said that judging from thetoneof my skin and thetoneof my muscles, I was in great shape and should be able to create a perfecttonewhen I was singing. tongue, tongue, tongue tongue(TUNG) 1. The fleshy organ in the mouth which is sensitive to taste, and that is necess ary for speech as well as for eating: "I used my tongue to lick my ice cream con e." "The taste of the spice was still on her tongue."

2. A manner or quality of speech that clearly conveys the meaning of the speaker : "She had a sharp tongue and did not hesitate to use it to scold the silly boys on the street. tongue(TUNG) Part of the inside of a shoe that is drawn up over the top of one's foot and whi ch looks somewhat like a person's tongue: "I laced each boot over its tongue to be sure they were snug and tight." tongue(TUNG) 1. The language of a particular people: "The translator is skilled in interpreti ng the tongue of the people indigenous to this island." 2. To produce separate notes when a person is blowing air through a musical inst rument by using the tongue to briefly stop the flow of air: "He was learning how to tongue notes on the clarinet; that is, with notes that are produced by tongu ing." In order to speak thetongueof the remote island people, you must learn to move yourtonguerapidly in and out of your mouth. When you are hiking through the bush to get to the villages, be sure thetong ueon each of your hiking boots is laced securely. tonic, tunic tonic(TAHN ik) 1. An agent; such as, a medication that restores or increases body tone: "Every spring her father would take a tonic of honey and vinegar to get over the winter blahs." 2. An invigorating, refreshing, or restorative agent or influence: "Her laughter is a tonic for my soul when I am upset or depressed." tunic(TOO nik, TYOO nik) 1. A loose-fitting garment, sleeved or sleeveless, extending to the knees and wo rn by men and women; especially, in ancient Greece and Rome: "The Roman Emperor had a handsome gold belt fastened around the waist of his tunic." 2. A medieval surcoat, a loose outer coat, or gown worn in the Middle Ages by a knight over his armor: "The knight's tunic was emblazoned with his family crest. " 3. A long, plain, close-fitting jacket, usually having a stiff high collar and w orn as part of a uniform: "The officer's tunic was accented with gold and red br aid." 4. A long, plain, sleeved or sleeveless blouse: "During the summer, I prefer to wear a sleeveless tunic because of the hot weather." 5. A short pleated and belted dress worn by women for some sports: "Her tennis t unic was very sharp looking and very chic." 6. In anatomy, a coat or layer enveloping an organ or part: "The tunic of the bl ood vessel was thin and the surgeon was getting ready to repair it." 7. In botany, a loose membranous outer covering of a bulb or corm, as of the oni on, tulip, or crocus: "I removed the brown tunic of the onion before chopping it up so I could add it to the soup." He spilled sometonicon histunic. He looked so comical, the sight was atonicfor o ur low spirits. Then he changed histunicand reached for anothertonicto sooth his hurt feelings. tool, tulle tool(TOOL) 1. A device, such as a saw, used to perform or facilitate manual or mechanical w ork: "I was very excited because I bought a new tool for my tool chest so I coul d do home repairs." 2. A machine; such as, a lathe, used to cut and shape machine parts or other obj ects: "We used the new tool to make a carved newel post for the stairway at home ." 3. Something regarded as necessary to the carrying out of one's occupation or pr ofession: "Dictionary compilers believe that every word they find and research i s a tool of their trade." 4. Something used in the performance of an operation; an instrument: "The surgeo n used a different tool for each phase of the operation."

5. In computer science, an application program, often one that creates, manipula tes, modifies, or analyzes other programs: "A programming tool or a software dev elopment tool is a program or application that software developers use to create , to debug, to maintain, or otherwise to support other programs and applications ." tulle(TOOL) A fine, often starched net of silk, rayon, or nylon, used especially for veils, evening dresses, tutus, or gowns: "The dress she had for the dance included a fu ll tulle skirt that was embroidered with blue flowers." She used a sharptoolto trim thetullein order to decorate the elegant dress she w as making. toot, tout toot(TOOT) 1. A drinking spree: "After they finished their examinations, they all went on a toot for the rest of the evening." 2. A sharp note suggestive of the sound of a wind instrument: "The horn on the f erry boat sounds like the toot of a penny whistle." "She started to toot on the toy trumpet that was given to her for the New Ye ar's celebration." tout(TOUT) 1. To praise or to publicize in an extravagant manner: "You would think I was a hero the way my friend tries to tout my financial skills." 2. To talk about something or someone as being very good, effective, skillful, e tc.: "The company is trying to tout the drug as a miracle cure." 3. Chiefly British: Someone who attempts to spy out racing information for the p urposes of placing bets: "He was apprehended for being a tout for a crime syndic ate." After going on atootwith my friends at the local bar, I was embarrassed that t hey were all trying totoutmy competence as a rugby player. top, top, top top(TAHP) The highest point or part: "We climbed to the top of the mountain." top(TAHP) A spinning toy: "For her birthday, she was given a red and blue top and quickly learned how to spin it." top(TAHP) To surpass or to exceed: "By studying hard, she soon went to the top of her Lati n class." The prize for being at thetopof her elementary class was a multi-coloredtop. S he took it with her when the family went on vacation to thetopend of the valley. tort, torte tort(TORT) In law, damage, injury, or a wrongful act done willfully, negligently, or in cir cumstances involving strict liability; but not involving breach of contract, for which a civil suit can be brought: "The lawyer established his reputation by sp ecializing in tort cases in which there were wrongful undertakings but no actual violation of contracts between the parties." torte(TORT, TORT tuh) A rich cake made with many eggs and little flour and usually containing chopped nuts: "My sister made a lovely torte which was presented to the guests at her bi rthday party." To celebrate his reputation as a toptortlawyer, his cousin baked atorteand fill ed it with fresh fruit. tortoise, turtle tortoise(TOR tis) 1. Any of various terrestrial turtles; especially, one of the familyTestudinidae, characteristically having thick club-like hind limbs and a high, rounded carapa ce (protective, shell-like covering): "We kept a desert tortoise for several yea rs as a pet before taking it back to its natural habitat." 2. Anyone who moves slowly; a laggard: "There is an old fable,The Tortoise and th

e Hare, which describes the tortoise as slow moving but eventually getting where he wanted to go." turtle(TUR t'l) Any of various aquatic, or terrestrial reptiles, having horny toothless jaws and a bony or leathery shell into which the head, limbs, and a tail: "We had a smal l green turtle in our aquarium as well as several different kinds of fresh water fish." "When I went to Australia, I saw a sea turtle swimming next to the ship." When we went to the zoo, we saw thetortoiseenclosure which was designed to loo k like a desert. Because I had a blister on my foot, I moved like atortoisewhen we went to see theturtleenclosure that was a mixed environment of dry and marshy wet land. tortuous, torturous tortuous(TOR choo uhs) 1. Having or marked by repeated turns or bends; winding or twisting: "We drove o n a tortuous road through the mountains." 2. Not straightforward; circuitous; devious: "The story had a tortuous plot." "The politician had so much tortuous reasoning that we simply could not beli eve anything she said." 3. Highly involved; complex: "There were so many tortuous legal procedures that it took more than a year before there was a final decision." torturous(TOR chuhr uhs) 1. Of, relating to, or causing torture: "It was a torturous decision to decide n ot to go skiing in the mountains this winter." 2. Twisted; strained: "The mountain roads were torturous and required careful at tention in order to drive safely." Althoughtortuousandtorturousboth come from the Latin wordtorquere, "to twist", t heir primary meanings are distinct. Tortuousmeans "twisting" (a tortuous road) or by extension "complex" or "devi ous." Torturousrefers primarily to torture and the pain associated with it; however ,torturousalso can be used in the sense of "twisted" or "strained", andtorturedis an even stronger synonym; such as, "tortured reasoning". touch, touch touch(TUCH) To put the hand or finger on something so as to feel it: "I reached out my hand to touch the soft coat of the new colt." touch(TUCH) To affect the feelings of someone or other people; to cause others to feel an em otion; such as sympathy or gratitude: "The musician wants to touch her audience through her music." "The story read by the teacher to her class seemed to touch the feelings of the children." She reached out totouchthe shoulder of her friend who was so sad. Her story wi ll be sure totouchyour heart as well. touche, touchy touche(too SHAY) Used to acknowledge a hit in fencing, a successful criticism, or an effective po int in an argument: "At the end of the debate, my opponent called,TOUCHE!because h e was convinced that he had put forth a solid, closing argument." touchy(TUHCH ee) Easily offended; very sensitive; likely to cause people to become upset: "Borrow ing from the bank is a touchy subject with some people; especially, during these days of financial instability." "She is very touchy about the color of her hair whenever anyone says anythin g about it." It becomes a verytouchysubject when at the very end of the debate, your oppone nt suddenly shouts outTOUCHEbecause of a slight oversight on your part. tower, tower tower(TOU uhr), noun

1. A high part of some buildings: "The flag flew from the tower on the capital b uilding." 2. To rise above something: "Given her academic background, she seemed to tower over her competition." 3. An emotionally strong person who gives a great deal of support or help during difficult times: "His wife has been his tower of strength during his illness." tower(TOH uhr), verb Someone who or that which pulls a vehicle with a rope or chain: "When the engine in our car died, we called the garage and asked if someone could come and be a tower of our car." "The police sent a tower to remove the illegally parked car." Thetowerwas pulling a heavy cart of stones to the site where the builders were constructing a talltower. tracked, tract, trekked tracked(TRAKT) 1. Vehicles that travel on a railroad using air suspension instead of traditiona l rails: "The latest tracked vehicles go from the hotel downtown out to the airp ort." 2. To have searched for something until it was found: "The dogs tracked the miss ing child through the tall grass." 3. To have brought mud or other mess into a clean space: "After the storm, we al l tracked mud into the back porch." tract(TRAKT) 1. A defined area of land which may be either large or small: "They bought a tra ct of land that included a fine stand of timber." 2. A printed flyer or pamphlet of a religious or political nature: "We received the tract from the local church in our mailbox this afternoon." trekked(TREKT) To have migrated or to have made one's way towards something with great difficul ty: "The miners trekked over snow covered mountains to get to the gold fields in North America." Wetrekkedacross the largetractof grassy land during a rain storm and, when we go t back to our cabin, wetrackedmud all over the floor. transience, transients transience(TRAN zee uhns, TRAN zhuhns, TRAN shuhns) Characterized as being short lived; passing briefly through a situation or local e: "There was something of a transience nature about the circus barker that made his employer cautious." transients(TRAN zee uhns, TRAN zhuhns, TRAN shuhns) Individuals who frequently travel from place to place, often in search of employ ment or a better life style: "Several transients came to the door at the farm as king for temporary work." Thetransiencecamps which thetransientsestablished near the railroad station were often made of materials; such as, old boxes, cast off furniture, etc. translate, transliterate translate(TRANS layt, TRANZ layt, trans LAYT, tranz LAYT) 1. To change or transfer from one set of symbols to another: "He agreed to trans late the document from German into English for me." "Can you translate this list of measurements from Imperial measurements into Metric measurements, please?" 2. To move or to change either a physical location or the appearance of somethin g: "The king agreed to translate his court from the city to the country estate o f his friend." "My friend slowly started to translate from being a simple country boy into an active city guy." 3. To explain or to interpret: "Would you like me to translate that complicated legal document into plain English?" transliterate(trans LIT uh rayt", tranz LIT uh rayt") To write or to spell something using the characters of a different alphabet: "My friend agreed to try to transliterate the ancient Egyptian script into English.

" It is difficult totranslateancient Egyptian hieroglyphics unless you are first able totransliteratethem. transsexual, transvestite transsexual(trans SEK shoo uhl) 1. Someone who wishes to be considered by society as a member of the opposite se x: "After considerable struggle and counseling, my cousin informed the family th at she is a transsexual and wished to change her name." 2. Anyone who has undergone a sex change: "My friend just completed a series of operations and is now a transsexual but she must take many kinds of medications to help her body adjust." transvestite(trans VES tight", tranz VES tight") A person who dresses and acts in a style or manner traditionally associated with the opposite sex: "The community was surprised when it was revealed that a popu lar male teacher at the high school was a transvestite and enjoyed dressing up l ike a woman." The annual parade celebrating sexual differences included those who weretrans sexualas well as those who weretransvestite(s). trapping, trappings; trapping, trappings trapping, trappings(TRAP ing, TRAP ingz) A device that is used for catching animals; ensnaring: "During the winter, he wa s trapping several mice everyday." "Despite all of the trappings he set for the mice, they were never completel y eliminated." trapping, trappings(TRAP ing, TRAP ingz) An object or objects; activity or activities, etc., that are associated with a p articular condition, situation, life style, or position in life: "He had a great deal of money and enjoyed all the trappings of success and wealth." "Her friend inherited one more trapping to add to her other trappings when s he advanced to her new position as the CEO of the company." For her successful efforts intrappingthe international spy, the police officer was given a promotion complete with all thetrappingsof a new office, special desk , etc. travail, travel travail(truh VAYL, TRAV ayl") 1. Physical or mental exertion: "The travail of digging ditches was nothing comp ared to the mental travail of learning to live in a new country." 2. To work hard: "The hired helper on the farm agreed to travail for eight hours every day during which he would have an hour off for lunch." travel(TRAV uhl) 1. To move or to go from place to place; or to go at a high speed: "Town gossip can travel very fast unless it is stopped by the truth." "For my summer holiday, I plan to travel throughout many countries in Europe ." "I heard that the new train will travel much faster than the old one, so pas sengers will get where they want to go faster." 2. In sports, a violation of the rules in basket ball; such as, running with the ball: "The referee called atravelviolation against the star player who was runnin g with the basket ball instead of dribbling it." I must oftentravelso I can referee basketball games. It can be a challenge to call atravelagainst a star player. I realize that teams musttravailtogether many hours to become good players. tray, trey tray(TRAY) 1. A shallow flat receptacle with a raised edge or rim, used for carrying, holdi ng, or displaying articles: "The jeweler put several lovely watches on a tray fo r me to inspect." 2. A shallow flat receptacle with its contents: "The clerk put the tray of diamo nds in the safe right after the store closed for the night." trey(TRAY)

A card, die, or domino with three pips (spots): "He rolled a double trey with th e dice and won the bet." The gambler liked to use atraywhen trying to roll atreyso the smooth surface wou ld not jinx with the outcome. treachery, treason treachery(TRECH uh ree) A serious violation of faith or confidence: "His letter seemed pure treachery gi ven the faith I had in his promise." treason(TREE zuhn) Overt acts to overthrow a government to which one has pledged allegiance or any significant betrayal of trust: "It was an act of treason by our associate to tel l the conspirators where we were hiding." To undertake an act oftreasonis a serious act oftreacherythat is not easily unde rstood nor forgiven. tri-, try tri-(TRIGH) A prefix used to indicatethreeof something: "He wore a tricorn hat to the parade." try(TRIGH) 1. To attempt to do something, to experiment with something: "I will try a dish of pistachio ice cream this afternoon." 2. To undertake ajudicial procedure to determine the guilt or innocence of an ind ividual: "The judge agreed to try the traffic offender without a jury." It's a good idea totryto use the prefixtri-to form many words that mean "three" plus whatever word element it is attached to; such as, "tripod, triple, triangle ", and many others which can be seen by going to thistri-, tre-unit shown on this Word Info site. triumphal, triumphant triumphal(trigh UHM fuhl) Characterized by a joyful success or victory: "Winning the election was a triump hal moment in her career." triumphant(trigh UHM fuhnt) An event planned to rejoice and to celebrate a significant event: "The mayor pla nned a triumphant parade for the football team because it finally won the pennan t." The music at the beginning of the opera rang oftriumphalvictory; as if celebra ting thetriumphantreturn of the explorers from their dangerous voyage. troop, troupe troop(TROOP) 1. A group or gathering of soldiers, people or animals: "We watched the troop of monkeys when we went to the zoo." "There was a large troop of people gathered in the park for the celebration. " 2. To walk, to gather, or to move in a large group: "We watched the band troop i nto the stadium before the games started." "The sailors decided to troop down to the dock and watch the ship land." troupe(TROOP) 1. A group of performers for the theater: "The summer troupe at the playhouse de cided to perform one of the plays of Shakespeare." 2. To travel with or to perform with such a group: "In Medieval Times, a troupe of minstrels would troupe from town to town playing on their instruments and ent ertaining the crowds." Thetroupeof performers is ready totroopinto the stadium to perform before atroopof holiday makers. trooper, trouper trooper(TROO puhr) A horseback mounted police officer or a member of a cavalry: "My cousin is a tro oper in the local police force and rides her horse during parades." trouper(TROO puhr) An individual who travels with a musical or theatrical group: "A troubadour coul d also be considered a trouper because a troubadour often traveled with groups o

f actors." Thetrouperused to work with the police and was atrooperin the police band. trussed, trust trussed(TRUHST) 1. Having tied someone up tightly to prevent movement: "The thieves trussed up t he museum guards and then proceeded to steal several paintings." 2. Having used a strong frame of wooden beams, bars, or rods that have supported a roof or bridge: "The roof of the house was trussed with wooden supports while the bridge was trussed with steal bars." 3. To have tied together the wings and legs of a turkey, chicken, duck, goose, e tc. for cooking: "Her mother stuffed and trussed the duck for roasting." trust(TRUHST) 1. A belief that someone or something is reliable, good, honest, effective, etc. : "The friendship of the couple is based on a mutual love and trust; however, th e wife's brother was noted for being a liar and so the husband had no trust in h im." 2. An arrangement in which someone's property or money is legally held or manage d by someone else or by an organization; such as a bank, usually for a set time: "Her father created a trust for his daughter and the property will be held in t rust until her 18th birthday." 3. To believe that someone or something is reliable, good, honest, effective, et c.: "Working together is going to be difficult if you don't trust each other." "I am confident that he will do the right thing and so I trust him." Itrustthat the turkey is alltrussedand ready to put into the oven for our holida y meal later today. trustee, trusty trustee(tru STEE) 1. An individual to whom property is legally assigned for that person to adminis ter for the benefit of another individual: "I am the trustee of the bank account for my friend who is in the hospital." 2. An individual who occupies a position of trust and responsibility: "My nephew is a trustee with the local bank." trusty(TRUS tee) 1. Dependable, reliable; used especially to describe a useful tool, device, etc. , which a person has had and used for a long time: "I always carry my trusty poc ket knife with me." 2. A prisoner who is serving time in a prison and is trusted and given special p rivileges because of good behavior: "As a trusty, he had easy access to the pris on library and even helped to distribute books to other inmates." Thetrustywas thetrusteeof the tool box which contained thetrustyelectric screw dr iver. turbid, turgid turbid(TUR bid) Not clear, heavy with smoke, and characterized by obscurity: "The air in the fac tory was turbid and it was difficult to see across the room." "He chose to maintain a turbid lifestyle and rarely went out in public." turgid(TUR jid) 1. Plumped up, swollen, not wilted: "The stalk of celery was turgid and crisp wh en I bit into it." "After I hit my thumb with a hammer, it became very turgid and purple." 2. Characterized by a manner that is excessively embellished or bombastic: "The count tended to wear sweeping feathers on his hat and spoke in a turgid manner, using all sorts of glittering and fancy words." In spite of histurgidlifestyle, the man decided to keep histurbidancestral back ground from prying eyes and curious bystanders. turf, turf turf(TURF) 1. The top layer of soil and grass in a natural field or a sport's playing area:

"The maintenance staff kept the turf smooth and even for the soccer players." 2. A track for horse racing: "We watched the horses cut up the turf as they race d around the track." 3. Chiefly British: To remove forcefully: "After the customer had become rowdy, the owner decided to turf the customer out." turf(TURF) 1. An area or a place that is controlled by a group who feel that it is their ho me: "Our basketball team beat their opponents on their own turf." 2. The territory or portion of a city that is claimed by a gang for its activiti es: "The gang leader sent a message to the other gang saying that if they know w hat's good for them, they will stay out of his turf." 3. In a figurative sense, dealing with an unfamiliar subject: "In the first chap ter of his book, the writer seems to be presenting information about a topic whi ch is on unfamiliar turf for him." Theturffor the local gang seemed to be theturfat the local race track; however, when the gang members swaggered into the club house, they seemed to be on very u nfamiliarturfand the bouncer was able toturfthem out without much trouble. turkey, Turkey turkey(TUR kee) 1. A pejorative term referring to a foolish or inept person who is often a failu re: "He was such a turkey to think he could have won at the roulette table." 2. A large bird that occurs in the wild in North, Central, and South America or one that is raised domestically; frequently cooked and served for festive occasi ons: "We bought a large turkey at the market because we were expecting a group o f friends for dinner tomorrow." Turkey(TUR kee) The country known officially as theRepublic of Turkeythat spans the Anatolian peni nsula in Western Asia and the Balkan region of southeastern Europe: "My friend's sister spent her summer vacation traveling with a tour group to Turkey and she thought it was a wonderful country to visit." It is a well-known fact that the North Americanturkeyis not able to fly toTurk ey. tutor, Tudor tutor(TOO tuhr, TYOO tuhr) 1. A private instructor who gives additional, special, or remedial instruction t o someone or others: "I was able to find a tutor who could help me with my math course." 2. A graduate, usually a fellow, responsible for the supervision of an undergrad uate at some British universities: "She is a tutor in European history at this B ritish university." 3. A teacher or teaching assistant in some universities and colleges having a ra nk lower than that of an instructor: "A tutor at the university was assigned to provide additional guidance to foreign students about the English language." 4. To give extra academic instruction to someone as a teacher: "We were able to earn extra money to tutor foreign-language students about English vocabulary in the evening." "There are some teachers who stay after school to tutor students who need ad ditional help in their subjects." Tudor(TOO duhr, TYOO duhr) 1. An English ruling dynasty (1485-1603), including Henry VII and his descendant s Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I: "There is a great deal of Tudo r history to be learned about the rulers of England." 2. Of or relating to the royal monarchs of England: "When people study British h istory, they must not ignore the English royal family that descended from Sir Ow en Tudor." 3. Relating to or characteristic of an architectural style having exposed beams as a typical feature: "The Tudor architecture employed large windows, many firep laces, large bays, steep roofs, flattened arches, much carving, and paneling to make houses more livable." The prince in theTudorhousehold always had his owntutor.

tweak, tweet, tweeter, twit, twitter tweak(TWEEK) 1. To pinch, pluck, or twist sharply: "Her son is very annoyed when his aunt has to tweak his cheek." 2. To adjust; to fine-tune: "The company may have to tweak the software program once more." tweet(TWEET) 1. To utter a weak chirping sound: "Rescue efforts of the man and woman were ham pered by the flocks of birds that continued to tweet as they circled the couple' s heads." 2. A post or status update on Twitter, a microblogging service: "Because Twitter only allows messages of 140 characters or less,tweetis as much a play on the size of the message as it is on the audible similarity to Twitter." tweeter(TWEE tuhr) A small loudspeaker designed to reproduce high-pitched sounds in a high-fidelity audio system: "We had to adjust the tweeter on our speaker." tweetup(TWEET uhp) A meeting or other gathering organized by means of posts on the social networkin g service Twitter (fromtweet+up, based on the wordmeetup): "Her sister had quite a p arty after tweeting a tweetup to the twits that she knows." twit(TWIT) 1. To taunt, to ridicule, or to tease; especially, for an embarrassing mistake o r fault: "He continued to twit his mother long after it stopped being humorous." 2. A foolish person: "He is a twit who always wants to tweet on Twitter." twitter(TWIT tuhr) 1. Verb, to make fast and usually high sounds: "I could hear the bird twitter in the tree outside my bedroom window." 2. Noun, the short, high sounds that birds can make: "The twitter of songbirds f illed the air." 3.In a twitterrefers to being very nervous or excited about something: "She was al l in a twitter about the birthday party." 4. A mini-blogging social-network service that lets a person update friends on w hat is going on at any particular moment: "Twitter allows blog posts of only 140 characters, which is just large enough for a sentence, or two, if they are very short." 5. A social networking and micro-blogging service that allows its users to send and read other users' updates (known as tweets): "In March, 2009, Garry Trudeau' sDoonesburystrip started to satirize Twitter, with the strip characters ironically highlighting the triviality oftweetsand Roland, a character in the strip, defendi ng the need to keep up with the constant-update trend or lose relevance in today 's society." In Garry Trudeau's "Doonesbury" comic strip of March 6, 2009, the last frame has a banner saying:TweetsforTwits. Thetwitorganized atwitterin order totweakplans for the tweetup; however, although thetwitused thetwitterservice, unfortunately there was atwitterwho kept interrupting t he efforts totweetthetwit's friends. twill, 'twill twill(TWIL) 1. A fabric with diagonal parallel ribs and the weave used to produce such a fab ric: "He was wearing pants make of cotton twill." 2. To weave (cloth) so as to produce a pattern of diagonal parallel ribs: "She c ould twill the woven cloth into very beautiful material for dresses and shirts." 'twill(TWIL) 1. A contraction of "it will" which is an archaic or a literary usage: "Well, 't will be a long time before I do anything like this again!" 2. There are other forms of'tor the missing letteriinitplus verb forms: "Oh, come on, 'tisn't all that difficult." Maybe 'twasn't for you, but 'twas for me and besides, 'tis easy for you talk this way when you didn't have to go through the trouble. I repeat, 'twasn't an easy thing to do and if 'tweren't for the help of my friend, 'twouldn't be done

at all!" It seems that'twillbe a long time before she finds atwillthat she likes as well as thetwillshe saw in the store window. Even though 'twon't make her happy if she has to settle for her second choic e,'twillbe easy for you because you don't sew and so you don't know the difference between one kind oftwilland another one. udder, utter udder(UHD uhr) The bag-shaped part of a cow, goat, etc., that hangs below the belly and produce s milk: "You can milk a cow when the udder is full." utter(UHT uhr) 1. To make a particular sound: "Did she really utter a cry of pleasure when you told her the good news?" 2. To say something: "Don't utter a word or say anything about our upcoming marr iage." Anudderis the milk faucets on a cow. Evan Esar The cow was heard touttera sigh of relief after herudderwas milked and she was s ent back out to pasture for the evening. umbrella, parasol, sombrero umbrella(uhm BREL uh) 1. A device that is used for protection from the rain and sun consisting of a ci rcle of fabric attached to a folding frame that is connected to a central pole o r handle: "It is best to take an umbrella when you go out in the rain." 2. A group or organization that includes many smaller groups: "Several stores sp read throughout the country are part of this umbrella corporation." 3. Something that includes several or many different things: "This umbrella poli cy that I have includes liability insurance, car insurance, and household insura nce." parasol(PAR uh sawhl", PAR uh sahl") A light umbrella which can be used to protect oneself from the sun: "My mother g ave me her parasol when I went on the summer picnic." sombrero(sahm BRAIR oh, suhm BRAIR oh) A type of hat with a very wide brim that is often worn in Mexico and in the sout hwestern United States to protect the user from the sun: "He always wears his so mbrero when he goes out during the hot summer weather." A man wearing a largesombrerowalked down the street with a friend who was carr ying a colorfulparasol. They appeared to be going to the meeting of theumbrellaorganization representi ng small agencies which were protesting high taxes. unexceptionable, unexceptional unexceptionable(uhn" ik SEP shuh nuh buhl) Not likely to cause an objection or offense, but it is usually used to describe something that is good but not outstanding or excellent: "The work she did for t he company was unexceptionable; however, she was able to keep her position becau se she was dependable and always showed up for work on time." unexceptional(uhn" ik SEP shuh nuhl) Usually not good, interesting, etc.: "As an actress she was unexceptional, but a s a singer, she had an exceptional voice." As anunexceptionalbanker, she left much to be desired in terms of answering my questions; however, she wasunexceptionablewhen it came to investment management. uninhabited, uninhibited uninhabited(uhn" in HAB i tid) Not lived in by people: "Too often there were those who broke into the uninhabit ed house down the street until it was torn down and replaced with a new restaura nt." uninhibited(uhn" in HIB i tid) Able to express thoughts and feelings freely: "He is often the center of attenti

on because he is so very uninhibited while talking quite openly about his feelin gs." For his distance vacation, her cousin went to anuninhabitedisland; there he fe lt he could dance on the beach in anuninhibitedmanner and no one would be able to laugh at him. unit, unite unit(YOO nit) 1. A single thing, person, or group that is a part of something larger: "The bas ic unit of our society is the family." 2. A part of a hospital where a particular type of care is provided: "My father was put into the intensive care unit after having that bad accident." 3. A particular amount of length, time, money, etc., which is used as a standard for counting or measuring: "The Euro is the principal unit of Euopean currency. " unite(yoo NIGHT) 1. To join together to do or to achieve something: "The majority of students dec ided to unite to protest the increase of tuition for the upcoming semester." 2. To cause (two or more people or things) to be joined together and become one thing: "The couple wanted to unite in marriage last spring but couldn't because of the terrible car accident." The cleaning staff that worked in the emergencyunitof the hospital decided toun iteand ask for better wages. university, college university(yoo" nuh VUR si tee) An educational institution that offers courses leading to a degree: such as, a b achelor's, master's, or doctoral degree and where research is done: "He complete d his degree in law at the University of California." college(KAHL ij) 1. An educational place in the United States where a person may go after high sc hool and which offers courses leading to a degree; such as, a bachelor's degree or an associate's degree: "He decided first to go to a college to get his bachel or's degree and then to do research for his doctoral degree at the university." 2. A school that offers advanced training in a specified subject: "She was so ta lented in art that she decided to go to an arts college." After his cousin finished high school, she had to decide to apply to the wel l knownuniversitywhich was in another city or to the fine arts program at thecolleg ein her town. unwanted, unwonted unwanted(un WAHNT id, un WAWNT id) Not desired; not wished for: "She tried to give the unwanted magazines away." unwonted(un WAWN tid, un WOHN tid, un WUHN tid) 1. Not habitual or ordinary; unusual: "She had an unwonted softness in her face. " 2. Not normal, usual, or expected: "He was surprised by her unwonted cheerfulnes s." Hisunwantedattentions as a suitor wereunwontedand so she told him to go away. urban, urbane urban(UHR buhn) Of or relating to cities and the people who live in them: "As an architect she w as involved in the development of the urban housing projects in the city." urbane(uhr BAYN) 1. Polite and confident; courteous and refined, as opposed to crude or coarse: " A diplomat must be urbane in order to do his job successfully." 2. Fashionable and somewhat formal: "During our vacation, we really enjoyed the urbane sophistication of the people we met." The actor was veryurbanein his mannerisms which reflected his upbringing as he had always lived inurbancenters. Urbaneis the ability to put your foot forward without stepping on someone els e's toes. Evan Esar

usable, useful usable(YOO zuh buhl) Capable of being used or in good enough condition to be used: "The antique coffe e grinder was still quite usable and we utilized it to grind our coffee each mor ning for breakfast." useful(YOOS fuhl) Helping to do or to achieve something: "It is quite useful to type texts on the computer because, for one thing, correcting mistakes is much easier." Please make yourselfuseful. You can wash the kitchen utensils which are veryus ableeven though they are old. use, Jews, ewes use(YOOZ) 1. To do something with an object, machine, person, method, etc. in order to acc omplish a task, do an activity, etc.: "When you are finished talking to Susan on the phone, I'd like to use it please." 2. To treat someone well in order to get something for yourself: "I'm sure he wa s just trying to use me in that situation because he didn't even saythank youafter wards and hasn't called since." 3. The act of using something: "The childrens' scissors have become quite dull f rom constant use over all these years." Jews(JOOZ) People whose religion is Judaism, who are descended from Jewish people, or who p articipate in the culture surrounding Judaism: "There are Jews in our area who r egularly go to their synagogue." ewes(YOOZ) Female sheep: "The shepherd takes care of his rams, ewes, and lambs and makes ev ery effort to secure their safety and good health." IfJewswant to increase the number of sheep in their flocks, they simply mustuser ams andewesto make it happen.