Vocab Chapter 1

levy (verb)

Impose or raise a tax The king levied a tax on the citizens

onslaught (noun)

attack The enemy launched a fierce onslaught against our army.

kaleidoscopic (adj)

constantly changing It was a time of kaleidoscopic change, when no one knew what to expect next.

paternal (adj)

fatherly He took a paternal interest in the boy. He treated him like a son.

torrent (noun)

flood Their boat was swept away in the torrent.

bigoted (adj)

intolerant; narrow-minded He is such a bigot because he will only invite people who are the same religion as he is.

retrospect (noun)

looking back In retrospect, I made a mistake in doing what I did.

zenith (noun)

the highest point; peak We climbed the zenith of the mountain.

perceive (verb)

to become aware of through the senses We perceived a faint light in the distance.

thwart (verb)

to block The governor thwarted his opponent's attempt to win the election.

indifferent (adj)

uninterested I love swimming but I am indifferent to winter sports.

exceptional (adj)

unusual We have has an exceptional number of warm days this fall.

imperative (adj)

urgent It is imperative that I speak with your father right away.