Unit 25 Vocabulary ~ English

Wither

(Of a plant) become dry and sheiveled Ex: The grass had withered to an unappealing brown.

Willful

(Of an immoral or illegal act or omission) intentional; deliberate Ex: Willful acts of damage.

Yoke

A woodened crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to the plow or cart that they are to pull Ex: The houses were loosened from the yoke.

Witless

Foolish; stupid Ex: A witless retort.

Zeal

Great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective Ex: His zeal for privatization.

Yore

Of long ago or former times (used in nostalgic or mock-nostalgic recollection) Ex: A great empre in days of yore.

Withhold

Refuse to give (something that is due or is desired by another) Ex: The name of the dead man is being withheld.

Zealot

a person who is fanatical and uncompromising in pursuit of their religious, political, or other ideals Ex: Reforming zealots destroyed a vast collection of papers.

Zephyr

a soft gentle breeze Ex: There is a cool zephyr outside right now.

Wrench

a sudden violent twist or pull Ex: She felt a terrific wrench on her shoulders as he tried to haul her back.

Warranty

a written guarantee, issued to the purchaser of an article by its manufacturer, promising to repair or replace it if necessary within a specified period of time Ex: The car comes with a three-year warranty.

Wean

accustom (someone) to managing without something on which they have become dependent or of which they have become excessively fond Ex: The doctor tried to wean her off the sleeping pills.

Zany

amusingly unconventional and idiosyncratic Ex: Zany humor.

Winnow

blow a current of air through (grain) in order to remove the chaff Ex: Women winnow the chaff from piles of unhusked rice.

Whittle

carve (wood) into an object by repeatedly cutting small slices from it Ex: He sat whittling a piece of wood with a knife.

Wax

cover or treat (something) with wax or a similar substance, typically to polish or protect it Ex: I washed and waxed the floor.

Wrath

extreme anger (chiefly used for humorous or rhetorical effect) Ex: He hid his pipe for fear of incurring his father's wrath.

Wary

feeling or showing caution about possible dangers or problems Ex: Dogs that have been mistreated often remain very wary of strangers.

Wince

give a slight involuntary grimace or shrinking movement of the body out of or in anticipation of pain or distress Ex: He winced at ghe disgust in her voice.

Woe

great sorrow or distress Ex: They had a complicated tale of woe.

Yield

produce or provide (a natural, agricultural, or industrial product) Ex: The land yields grapes and tobacco.

Withstand

remain undamaged or unaffected by; resist Ex: The structure had been designed to withstand winds of more than 100 mph.

Whet

sharpen the blade of (a tool or weapon) Ex: She took out her dagger and began to whet its blade in even, rhythmic strokes.

Waylay

stop or interrupt (someone) and detain them in conversation or trouble them in some other way Ex: He waylaid me on the stairs.

Zenith

the time at which something is most powerful or successful Ex: Under Justinian, the Byzantine Empire reaches its zenith of influence.

Whelp

young dog Ex: The whelp was sleeping on the floor.