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settle

settle is a verb that means to become resolved, fixed, established, or quiet. To settle means to come to order or rest, much as snow settles on the ground or dust settles on the dining room table. Settle has a number of meanings. After moving several times, you'll wish your parents would settle in one place for the rest of your school years. Have you ever heard your house creaking or groaning? That's the house settling. When adults tell children to calm down, they'll often say, "Settle down kids!" And as a legal term, you settle a lawsuit when the accuser and the accused come to an agreement without going to court.

They appeared to see beyond the sun-filled valley some place of greater "moment", some place far distant.

significance moment is a noun that means importance in effect or influence.

rattle

v make short successive sounds v shake and cause to make a rattling noise n a rapid series of short loud sounds (as might be heard with a stethoscope in some types of respiratory disorders)

In the heart of every man were the mingled emotions of excitement, of dread, of vague "desire".

"longing" desire is a noun that means the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state. If you're talking about the longings of the heart, use the word desire. When you are studying for a difficult history exam, the desire to be somewhere far away doing something fun might be very strong! Desire can be used as both a noun and a verb. Is your boyfriend your heart's desire? Your parents probably desire your punctual appearance at the dinner table every evening. Desire is usually used not just when you long for any old thing, but for something that is associated with giving great pleasure. Thus, you might want to get an A on a test, but you desire a piece of chocolate cake.

And when you write a check, the number you put in the little box gets ________ from what you have.

"subtracted" is a verb that means to make a subtraction. In math, when you subtract, you take one number away from another. If you subtract four from ten, you're left with six. You can also use subtract to mean "take away" in a more general sense, as in "If you subtract some of the salt from the recipe, the pasta will be healthier." When you're doing math, you know you're supposed to subtract if you see a minus sign. Subtracting gives you the difference between numbers, and you can see this in a real way when you subtract actual objects instead of numbers. If you have a dozen cupcakes and subtract ten of them, you have only two cupcakes left. The Latin root of subtract is subtrahere, "take away or draw off."

booth

A booth is a temporary table, tent, or area that you set up in order to sell something. You might have a cupcake booth at a school craft fair, for example. You might stop at an information booth in a tourist town, or or shop for records at a music booth in your local flea market. You can use the noun booth for any small, impermanent stall, kiosk, or stand. Another kind of booth is the cozy, private seating area at a restaurant that often has high walls and benches around a table. Booth has an Old Norse origin, the word buth, which is rooted in búa, or "dwell."

By the fifth millennium B.C., the Sumerians "mined" silver to create ornaments, jewelry and money.

=excavated mine is a verb that means to get from the earth by excavation. A mine is a hole in the earth from which workers take valuable things: coal, diamonds, copper. It is also a bomb that explodes when it's touched, often buried in the earth. When you think of mines, think of something beneath the surface or hidden. People mine for gold by sifting through water and rocks. West Virginia is famous for its coal mines. A mine field might describe a field laced with explosives — such as landmines. When people put these explosives in place, they're mining the land. Also, any dangerous situation can be called a mine field. Talking about sensitive subjects — like religion or race — is a verbal mind field for sure.

glint

A glint is a brief flash or flicker of light. You might enjoy gazing at the glint of light on the water as you lie on the beach in the summer time. You can use the word glint as a noun or a verb: your brother's braces might glint in the afternoon sun, and freshly fallen snow sometimes glints under streetlamps at night. Glint is a Scottish word, first coined in the late 1700s, that comes from the Middle English glenten, "gleam, flash, or glisten." Its ultimate root is Scandinavian, possibly from the same root as the word glass. nv be shiny, as if wet v throw a glance at; take a brief look at

moment

A moment is a particular point in time. Some moments you remember forever: like the moment you earned your driver's license or the moment you learned that you passed your organic chemistry class. A moment is a short, but unspecified, amount of time. At Thanksgiving, you are supposed to take a moment to be grateful for friends and family. Or maybe you have been asked to observe a "moment of silence" for a national tragedy. Moment can also mean "importance." If you say something is "of little moment," then you are saying it doesn't matter.

TALLY

A tally is a continuous count of something, like the number of words in a document, or the number of favors your best friend owes you. To tally is to add up, like keeping the score of a game. The word tally has to do with counting. It comes from the Latin word for "stick" because people used to keep a tally by marking a stick. Tally can be the total, or the act of adding it all up. If you count the bikers riding by, your count is a tally. As a verb, tally is used for keeping score. Two friends playing basketball need to tally the points after each basket so they don't lose track. 1. n,v determine the sum of 2 be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics

asthma

Asthma is a respiratory condition that involves allergies and your lungs: people with asthma have trouble breathing at times.

They then subtract the fund's expenses for the day, such as commissions paid.

Deduct In math, when you subtract, you take one number away from another. If you subtract four from ten, you're left with six. You can also use subtract to mean "take away" in a more general sense, as in "If you subtract some of the salt from the recipe, the pasta will be healthier." When you're doing math, you know you're supposed to subtract if you see a minus sign. Subtracting gives you the difference between numbers, and you can see this in a real way when you subtract actual objects instead of numbers. If you have a dozen cupcakes and subtract ten of them, you have only two cupcakes left. The Latin root of subtract is subtrahere, "take away or draw off."

distract v

Distract is what you do when you draw someone's attention — Hey! Look! Over there! Oh. Never mind. What was I saying? That's right: distract is to draw attention away from what someone is doing. Distract comes from the Latin word for "draw apart." It can be annoying when someone or something distracts you. A loud car alarm or a talkative friend might distract you when you're watching your favorite TV show. But being distracted is not always bad. Playing a round of miniature golf might distract you from feeling sad about the death of your parakeet.

The opposite of respect is:

DİSESTEEM n the state in which esteem has been lost v have little or no respect for; hold in contempt

excavation

Excavation is the act or process of digging, especially when something specific is being removed from the ground. Archaeologists use excavation to find artifacts and fossils. There are many types of excavation, but they all involve digging holes in the earth. Mining for coal, gold, or diamonds all require excavation, and before buildings and houses can be built, there is often some excavation that's done before a foundation can be poured. The Latin source of excavation is excavationem, "a hollowing out," from excavare, "to hollow out," with its roots of ex-, "out," and cavare, "to hollow."

inevitable

If something is inevitable, it will definitely happen, like death or tax season. Inevitable comes from the Latin word inevitabilis, which means unavoidable. If you say something is inevitable, you give the sense that no matter what scheme you come with to get around it, it's going to happen sooner or later. You can use all the skin products you want, but wrinkles are inevitable. ADJ incapable of being avoided or prevented

The thought of seeing Denna was the only thing that had the potential to raise my SPIRITS a little.

In this question, spirit is a noun that means the state of a person's emotions. Mood

enhance

Increase, make better or more attractive Many people use the expression "enhance your chance" to point out ways to increase your chances of winning or earning a contest or prize. When you enhance something, you heighten it or make it better. "Hance" is not a word, but the addition of "en-" does something to enhance it and improve its sound. You can enhance the size of something, too, by altering it or raising it, which is what the word original meant (the "hance" part came via French from Latin altus, meaning "high"). When you enhance something you take it to a higher level, like adding salt to French fries to enhance flavor or adding words to enhance your vocabulary.

laxity

Laxity is a tendency of being too easy-going, or not strict enough. If your teacher doesn't punish her math class for climbing out the classroom windows, she may be accused of laxity. A government's laxity with regulations can result in big companies taking advantage of the situation. Likewise, a babysitter's laxity with his young charges can result in mayhem, or at the very least an extremely late bedtime. A physical kind of laxity is a literal looseness, especially of muscles and ligaments: "If you over-stretch before your run, your muscles' laxity can harm your joints." The Latin root is laxus, "loose."

frown

N. a facial expression of dislike or displeasure V. look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval If you frown at someone, you look at them with disapproval, and if you frown on something they do, you don't approve of that either. Because you frown on smoking, you probably frown at smokers too! The distant ancestors of frown, the ones that came long before Old French, meant "nose." Think about the expression, to look down one's nose at someone or something, which means "to disapprove of." If you have a frown on your face, you definitely don't like what you see! Sometimes when you're thinking hard about something, you might frown, but that is probably more of an expression of concentration than disapproval.

The queen lays eggs, some insects remain in the hive to RAISE the young, and others forage, traveling beyond the hive in search of pollen.

Nurture. If you raise your hand, you put it up in the air. If you raise your daughter, you "bring her up" from childhood to adulthood. And, if you raise the roof, you and a crowd of people cheer wildly for a performer. Raise can be used almost any time you bring something up, either literally: "if you raise the lid on that trap door you will see a secret passage," or figuratively: "please don't raise the topic of my arachnophobia." The verb raise comes from the Old English word ræran, which means "to rear," as in, "do you really want to raise your children in that town?" As a noun, a raise can also mean a salary increase.

Hatteras Island students found loads of American Indian ""pottery"" and arrowheads dating back more than 1,000 years just 2 feet underground behind their school.

Something made out of clay and baked in a kiln is a piece of pottery—and the craft of creating it is also pottery. You might make pottery in the arts and crafts tent at camp. Anything made from clay that's been fired, or baked at a high temperature in a kiln, is pottery. Some pottery is made on a wheel that turns while the potter forms the shape of a bowl or vase. Other pottery is formed with hands or tools that shape the clay. In the 15th century, a pottery was a potter's shed or studio.

unassailable

The adjective unassailable means without flaws or indefensible. If you are going to get home late (again!), you'd better have an unassailable alibi for your parents, or else you should plan on not seeing the outside of your room for a while. The adjective unassailable also means immune to attack or doubt, such as an unassailable military holding or an unassailable reputation. Unassailable can also mean untouchable or unable to be defeated. If your high school basketball team is leading 92 to 14 with just a couple of seconds to go, the announcer might say you have an unassailable lead. The corrupt politician had so many connections, he seemed unassailable; he always seemed to manage to deflect even a hint of scandal onto others in the party. adj impossible to assail

Professors and students, gentlemen—they were a "united" front in those days.

an adjective that means being or joined into a single entity. united states

perimeter

The noun perimeter refers to the border of an enclosed space. The perimeter of a house is its property line. For a country, it would be that country's borders.

"He did what?" "exclaimed" the officer in disbelief.

The verb exclaim is from the Latin word exclamare, which means "to cry out." The English meaning is similar, to cry out, but with the added element of a strong emotion such as fear, joy, surprise. In writing, when someone exclaims something, the punctuation mark used to express this vehement outcry is usually the exclamation point: "Stop!" you exclaim when your toddler climbs precariously on a chair stacked with books. "Not in this lifetime!" you cry out when your teenager wants to borrow the new car. You will exclaim "I'm so proud!" when your child graduates college.

"We've made good progress, we are a step closer to agreement on the significant and far-reaching reforms I have "proposed"," he said.

The verb propose means "to suggest a plan," like the most well-known thing to propose: marriage. If you propose to your girlfriend, you propose getting married, and you probably give her a ring, too. The word propose comes from the Old French root words pro, meaning "forth" and poser, meaning "put, place." Using propose to refer to an offer of marriage was first recorded in the 1700s but the verb also has other meanings. It can mean to present for consideration or criticism, like proposing a four-day school week or "to nominate someone for an elected office or official post."

propose

The verb propose means "to suggest a plan," like the most well-known thing to propose: marriage. If you propose to your girlfriend, you propose getting married, and you probably give her a ring, too. The word propose comes from the Old French root words pro, meaning "forth" and poser, meaning "put, place." Using propose to refer to an offer of marriage was first recorded in the 1700s but the verb also has other meanings. It can mean to present for consideration or criticism, like proposing a four-day school week or "to nominate someone for an elected office or official post."

skimp

The verb skimp refers to using a limited amount of something. When tomato prices are high, a cost-conscious restaurant might skimp on the amount of chopped tomatoes it puts on salads. Skimp can also describe getting by spending very little money, like someone who skimps in order to save for the future. You can also skimp on time and effort, like when you skimp on the amount of care you put into your math homework. Skimp is likely a variation of scrimp, which means "to make too small" and comes from the Swedish word skrumpna, meaning "to shrink, shrivel up."

intermediate

an adjective that means lying between two extremes in time, space, or state.

daring

To be daring is to be bold, adventurous, and a little nervy. It's a quality possessed by people who tend to take risks. If someone says, "I dare you," and you always do, you're a daring person. If you're daring, you dare to do things that are risky and even dangerous. A daring mountain climber goes for the top of Mount Everest, and a daring policeman enters the scariest houses to catch a crook. In comics and movies, superheroes are daring. Even quitting your job to start your own business is daring. The seafarers who first traveled across the globe were daring. Daring people are brave, and daring adventures are pretty exciting. n a challenge to do something dangerous or foolhardy

unconventional

To be unconventional is to act, dress, speak, or otherwise exist out of the bounds of cultural norms. If you eat cheeseburgers for breakfast, that's somewhat unconventional. Anything that's nonconformist or out of the ordinary can be described as unconventional. Every culture has its own conventions — or norms — and what may be unconventional in one region might be typical in another. The perception of what's unconventional is determined by context.

cease V

To cease is to stop or end. Your gym teacher may have trained the class so well that all chattering will cease every time she blows her whistle. Cease comes from the Old French cesser, which means "come to an end," "go away," "give up," or "yield." Although cease often appears in the past tense with "-ed," cease is common for talking about things as they come to an end. A dead plant has ceased living, and if you cease watering the rest of the plants, they will cease to exist too put an end to a state or an activity; have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense; either spatial or metaphorical;

chatter

To chatter is to talk lightly or casually — to shoot the breeze or chitchat. You might chatter with your workmates about the weather or where you'll eat lunch. You probably chatter with your friends all the time without even thinking about it, gossiping or talking about unimportant things. You can call the talk itself chatter too: "The chatter in the cafeteria was so loud I couldn't hear myself think." In the 13th century, it was chateren, from an imitative Middle English root.

itemize

To itemize is to make a list. If you work at a store that sells pet fish, you might need to itemize your stock of fish — separately listing the number of goldfish, cuttlefish, and jellyfish. When you place items, or individual things, on a list, you itemize them. Though itemize is essentially a synonym for list, it is usually used for more formal situations and those related to budget. So itemize your tax deductions or your spending report, or even itemize the reactions of your chemistry experiment. But to itemize your complaints about your little brother is probably going overboard V. specify individually;place on a list of items

smash

To smash something is to hit or throw it so hard that it breaks or is hurt. It's important to pay careful attention while you're driving so you don't smash into the car in front of you. A running child can smash into her friend and knock her down, and an angry chef can smash a plate by throwing it on the floor. In the latter example, there's the additional meaning of "break into pieces." A smash can be a car accident, but it can also be a "great big success," like a TV series that starts slow but turns out to be a smash. This "hit" meaning dates from 1920s reviews of Broadway plays.

falsify

V make false by mutilation or addition; as of a message or story falsify knowingly To falsify is to alter or mangle something, like a message or document, in a way that distorts the meaning. Since false things aren't true, to falsify something is to dishonestly change its meaning. If a friend tells you a story, and then you retell the story but change important facts, you falsified the story. If you lie in court — commit perjury — you're falsifying the facts. Faking someone else's signature is another type of falsifying, as is lying on your resume. Anytime you misrepresent the truth, you're falsifying.

invade V

When you Invade, you aggressively take over or occupy a place. If a country's leader wants to gain more land, the military might invade a neighboring country. Not everything that invades is militaristic. Some things that invade are cultural, such as the phenomena of young, stylish people moving into a neighborhood that had never been thought of as cool before. In an instant, new restaurants and shops catering to the newcomers open and soon the area is overrun with people wearing, say, skinny jeans and complicated eyewear. Natives to the area lament, "This place has been invaded by hipsters." occupy in large numbers or live on a host

carry

When you carry something, you hold it and take it somewhere. When you live in a walk-up apartment, you have to carry bags of groceries up several flights of stairs. You carry armfuls of books home from the library, or carry your new puppy when she gets tired on a long walk. You might also carry friends in your car, or carry plenty of cash in your wallet. In any of these cases, you're transporting something. If you're ill and can spread germs to other people, a doctor might say that you carry an infectious disease. The words carry and car share a common Latin root, carrum, "two-wheeled chariot."

crunch

When you crunch something, you grind it into tiny pieces, often with your teeth. You can also crunch whole spices into smaller bits with a mortar and pestle. A horse might crunch an apple, and on a summer day you might drink a glass of iced tea and crunch the ice between your teeth. You could also describe the sound of gravel underneath the wheels of a car or feet walking in fresh snow as a crunch. A figurative crunch is a deadline or crisis: "When it came to the crunch, I just voted for the person who would do the least harm." Add to List... Thesaurus Share It vn the sound of something crunching n a critical situation that arises because of a shortage (as a shortage of time or money or resources)

disentangle

When you disentangle something, you free it from a snarl or tangle. If you have long hair and pierced ears, you've probably had to disentangle an earring from a curl of hair. Something that becomes tangled or twisted needs someone to disentangle it — you might disentangle your kitten from a length of yarn, or disentangle your jacket from a thorny bush when you're hiking through the woods. You can also disentangle someone figuratively, helping them get out of an uncomfortable or difficult situation. Tangle is at the heart of disentangle, from the fourteenth century word tagilen, "to involve in a difficult situation." separate the tangles of

garble

When you garble something, you warp or distort it, making it hard to understand. Talking with marbles in your mouth is one sure way of garbling your speech. When garble first emerged on the scene in the early 15th century, it meant "to sift" or "sort through." So imagine a sentence so scrambled that you have to sort through each word, trying to figure out what everything means. Garbling can happen by accident, like when your radio signal is bad and the songs get all distorted. But spies often jumble up their secret messages on purpose to protect them from prying eyes and ears. make false by mutilation or addition; as of a message or story

respect

a courteous expression of esteem or regard

perpetual

adj Use the adjective perpetual to describe something that never ends or changes. If you're a perpetual procrastinator, your dilly-dallying ways are never going to improve. It may be true that the only constant is change, but English nevertheless has no shortage of words to describe things that never change: everlasting, eternal, and permanent, for example — and this word, perpetual, from the Latin perpetuus, "continuous." In casual usage, though, you might hear someone say "This perpetual bad weather needs to clear." Maybe it should come as no surprise to find people using the word to describe things that are not truly everlasting — since so few things really are.

polished

adj perfected or made shiny and smooth adj (of grains especially rice) having the husk or outer layers removed

condescending

adj (used of behavior or attitude) characteristic of those who treat others with condescension If you are being condescending, you are looking down on someone. A 10-year-old who says to his sibling, "What do you know? You're only a 6-year-old!" is being condescending. The Latin prefix con- means "with," and the Latin word for descend means "down," so the word condescending probably developed to describe someone who looked down on others. Condescending behavior is, not surprisingly, itself looked down upon. It's usually intended to make people feel bad about not knowing or having something, and it very often works.

ecstatic

adj feeling great rapture or delight The adjective ecstatic turns the noun "ecstasy" into a descriptive word. When Celine hit that high note, the audience was ecstatic. Originally, ecstatic had religious connotations having to do with the sheer joy of knowing God or someone truly holy. That meaning remains today, but ecstatic now includes almost anything that's really pleasurable or wonderful. I was ecstatic at the news that I'd been nominated for an award. The entire world reacted with an ecstatic sense of glee when the Berlin Wall finally came down. The hangover the next day, though, wasn't so ecstatic.

dated

adj marked by features of the immediate and usually discounted past Something that's dated is very obviously old-fashioned or out of style. Your grandmother's expectation that you send her a written thank-you note whenever she gives you a gift might seem a little dated to you. Some people can wear thrift shop clothes from the 1980s and look stylish, while others just look dated. And while some movies are still funny even years after they're released, the jokes in others just seem dated. This word meaning "old-fashioned" has been around since the turn of the 20th century, from date, which means both "to mark with a date" and also "to mark as old-fashioned."

hammered

adj shaped or worked with a hammer and often showing hammer marks

uncooperative

adj unwilling to cooperate intentionally unaccommodating

She is already on her way according to the last letter from Munich, where she proposes to spend this month.

aim propose is a verb that means to intend. The verb propose means "to suggest a plan," like the most well-known thing to propose: marriage. If you propose to your girlfriend, you propose getting married, and you probably give her a ring, too. The word propose comes from the Old French root words pro, meaning "forth" and poser, meaning "put, place." Using propose to refer to an offer of marriage was first recorded in the 1700s but the verb also has other meanings. It can mean to present for consideration or criticism, like proposing a four-day school week or "to nominate someone for an elected office or official post."

Most accounts "agree" on the events of the first 37 rounds, which lasted roughly two hours.

are compatible, similar, consistent When you agree with someone, you share the same opinion, feeling, or purpose, like when you agree on the movie you will go see on Saturday afternoon. If we were living in 12th century France, we might use the phrase a gré to describe things that are favorable or go well for us. This positive outcome is still part of the verb agree, because if people agree with you, your plan or idea is the one that will be used. In grammar, subjects and verbs agree when they are both singular or both plural. For example, "everyone is here" agrees but "everyone are here" does not.

"Stratton, old man," whispered Guest, "for goodness sake, "contain" yourself.

calm. contain is a verb that means to lessen the intensity of. The verb contain has many shades of meaning but it often describes something that's held back or held in by something. Kids on the last day of school may find it hard to contain their glee when summer officially starts. Picture Times Square on New Year's Eve. People can barely contain — or hold back — their excitement at being there. They clutch cups that contain — or hold — hot drinks that help them stay warm. The police set up barriers to contain — or restrain — the crowd to keep everyone under control. The next morning, the heaps of trash on the street will contain — or include — streamers, party hats, and cups.

stunning

causing great astonishment and consternation; strikingly beautiful or attractive Someone who is strikingly beautiful can be described as stunning. There's something magical about weddings that makes every bride look stunning. The adjective stunning also means causing astonishment, shock, or disbelief. If your basketball team suffers a stunning defeat, it comes at the hands of a rival team you were positive you would beat. Stunning is rooted in the Old French verb estoner, meaning to stun or shock, and it was used in the 1800s as a synonym for excellent. It's still used this way, particularly when something is really impressive, like the school mime troupe's stunning performance.

immediate means:

close. immediate is an adjective that means very close or connected in space or time. Something immediate is happening now or right away. If you're in immediate danger, you'd better run or call 911. Immediate is a word that pretty much means "now." If you take immediate action, then there's no delay. If you need immediate assistance, you can't wait for assistance. The related word immediately should be a clue, since it also means "right now." If something is happening later, or it happened a long time ago, or you have to wait for it at all, then it's not immediate.

If you're talking about the longings of the heart, use the word ---------. When you are studying for a difficult history exam, ------- to be somewhere far away doing something fun might be very strong!

desire. the desire If you're talking about the longings of the heart, use the word desire. When you are studying for a difficult history exam, the desire to be somewhere far away doing something fun might be very strong! Desire can be used as both a noun and a verb. Is your boyfriend your heart's desire? Your parents probably desire your punctual appearance at the dinner table every evening. Desire is usually used not just when you long for any old thing, but for something that is associated with giving great pleasure. Thus, you might want to get an A on a test, but you desire a piece of chocolate cake.

influence means to:

determine influence is a verb that means to shape or give direction to.

Tally pulled out her binoculars and "trained" them inward, toward New Pretty Town, where the party towers were just coming alight.

directed. means to point or cause to go towards. To train means to teach a skill. If you train your cat to use the toilet, your family will be amazed. You can train animals to perform in a circus or roll over, and you can train people to do things like program computers or use an espresso machine. When you instruct someone how to do a task, you train him or her. Other meanings of the word train? A locomotive, like the train that takes people from New York City to Boston or a long piece of material attached to the back of a dress, like the train on a wedding dress.

distort

distort Distort means to twist out of shape. When you look at a tree through a twisting kaleidoscope, you distort its image, making its branches and leaves look wavy and misshapen. Distort is a verb that means to change the shape of something. You can distort pretzel dough by twisting it into the shape of an "S" instead of a normal pretzel shape. You can also distort, or change, the meaning of something. When one distorts the truth, it might not be an out-and-out lie; it could just be an exaggeration — like telling your pals you caught a six-foot tuna when you actually landed a six-inch minnow.

People widely report that crying relieves tension, restores emotional equilibrium and provides "catharsis," a washing out of bad feelings.

eases. relieve is a verb that means to lessen the intensity of or calm. To relieve is to ease a burden or take over for someone. An aspirin can relieve a headache, and a substitute can relieve the teacher who fell asleep on her desk after lunch. Relieve comes from the Latin word relevare meaning "to help" or "make light again." An ice pack might relieve a pain in your elbow, but you can also be relieved of your duties if you get fired (or taken out to lunch). A thief might even relieve you of your wallet. Like thief, relieve is the rare word that actually follows the "i" before "e" rule ("i" before "e" except after "c" or when sounded as "a" as in "neighbor" and "weigh"). Aren't you relieved?

scrutinize v

examine carefully for accuracy with the intent of verification look at critically or searchingly, or in minute detail If you want to examine something closely and go over every single detail, then you should scrutinize it. Like the way your mom probably assesses your outfit before you leave the house for school. Scrutinizing is very different from glancing or gazing. It's even more than a long, hard look. To scrutinize something, you have to look at it really critically, investigating every nook and cranny. Often things are scrutinized to verify if they're correct or authentic. So it makes perfect sense that this verb is rooted in the Latin word scrutari, which means "to search."

By the fifth millennium B.C., the Sumerians "mined" silver to create ornaments, jewelry and money.

excavated. mine is a verb that means to get from the earth by excavation. A mine is a hole in the earth from which workers take valuable things: coal, diamonds, copper. It is also a bomb that explodes when it's touched, often buried in the earth. When you think of mines, think of something beneath the surface or hidden. People mine for gold by sifting through water and rocks. West Virginia is famous for its coal mines. A mine field might describe a field laced with explosives — such as landmines. When people put these explosives in place, they're mining the land. Also, any dangerous situation can be called a mine field. Talking about sensitive subjects — like religion or race — is a verbal mind field for sure.

mine means:

excavation from which ores and minerals are extracted A mine is a hole in the earth from which workers take valuable things: coal, diamonds, copper. It is also a bomb that explodes when it's touched, often buried in the earth. When you think of mines, think of something beneath the surface or hidden. People mine for gold by sifting through water and rocks. West Virginia is famous for its coal mines. A mine field might describe a field laced with explosives — such as landmines. When people put these explosives in place, they're mining the land. Also, any dangerous situation can be called a mine field. Talking about sensitive subjects — like religion or race — is a verbal mind field for sure.

Small and dark, he's the most "fluent" dancer on the stage, now slinky, now explosive.

graceful fluent is an adjective that means smooth and unconstrained in movement. To be fluent in something — like a language or an instrument — is to be able to use it smoothly and effortlessly. It takes many years and lots of practice to become fluent in a second language. But when you're finally fluent, you can understand it, speak it, and write easily in it. One French class won't make you fluent — gaining fluency takes years. You can also be fluent in other things that you've practiced and mastered, like cello or computer programming. If you're doing something in a way that makes it look easy, you're fluent.

character

graphic symbol character is a noun that means a written symbol that is used to represent speech. When Martin Luther King, Jr. said he looked forward to the day when all Americans would be judged solely "by the content of their character," he was talking about a person's essential qualities. "Just because you are a character doesn't mean you have character," a guy called The Wolf advises a young woman named Raquel in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. The line illustrates three different senses of the word, which can mean "moral strength or reputation" (what Raquel lacks), "a person in a work of fiction" (what The Wolf and Raquel literally are), or, by extension, "a colorful personality" (what Raquel has). A fourth usage is "the distinctive nature of a person or thing," a meaning reflected in the word's origins. In Greek, a kharaktēr was a stamping tool, used to give something a distinctive mark.

Any theory in physics stands or falls depending on whether its predictions ________ with the data.

gree is a verb that means to be compatible, similar, or consistent. When you agree with someone, you share the same opinion, feeling, or purpose, like when you agree on the movie you will go see on Saturday afternoon. If we were living in 12th century France, we might use the phrase a gré to describe things that are favorable or go well for us. This positive outcome is still part of the verb agree, because if people agree with you, your plan or idea is the one that will be used. In grammar, subjects and verbs agree when they are both singular or both plural. For example, "everyone is here" agrees but "everyone are here" does not.

harass V

harass When you harass someone, you bother them to the point of exhaustion. It's not that each attack is so severe, it's the constant small attacks that wear someone out. If you harass your boss for a raise, you might end up getting fired instead! Harass probably comes from the Old French word harer meaning "to set a dog on." Think of someone being hounded when you use this word. You can harass your parents with questions or requests, but in turn, they can also harass you to clean your room! While this is annoying, it's much worse if you are harassed in the sense of being verbally abused. The bully at school who harasses some poor kid will be subject to disciplinary action if a complaint is filed. annoy continually or chronically exhaust by attacking repeatedly

influence

influence is a verb that means to shape or give direction to. Influence is the power to have an important effect on someone or something. If someone influences someone else, they are changing a person or thing in an indirect but important way. Sometimes a person who influences another doesn't intend to have any effect, but sometimes they are using influence to benefit themselves. An example of a personal benefit or advantage would be the use of political influence. Influence is also a verb, from Latin influere to flow in.

yearning n

longing. prolonged unfulfilled desire or need A yearning is a strong desire. If you have a yearning to travel in Africa, it means that you dream about it and intensely hope that one day you'll end up there. A strong longing for something is a yearning for it. If you have a yearning for ice cream, it probably means that you've gone a long time without any and are almost desperate to taste some. The Old English root of the words yearn and yearning is georn, which means "eager or desirous."

mighty

mighty Something that's mighty is large and powerful. Mighty Mouse is no ordinary mouse; he's a superhero. It's best not to mess with anyone with mighty in their name. adj having or showing great strength or force or intensity adv (Southern regional intensive) very; to a great degree

reluctance

n Reluctance means "unwillingness." Your reluctance to travel on an airplane would be understandable if you glimpsed the pilot and copilot wearing party hats and blowing noisemakers. If you'd rather not do something, you feel a sense of reluctance about it. You pause for a moment, maybe to consider whether you should really go through with it, or just to enjoy the last moment before it happens. The word comes from the Latin reluctari, or to struggle against. There's always a struggle when reluctance is present, in that you feel pressure to do something or in not agreeing right away, someone is going to be disappointed.

integrity

n integrity Integrity is a personal quality of fairness that we all aspire to — unless you're a dishonest, immoral scoundrel, of course. Having integrity means doing the right thing in a reliable way. It's a personality trait that we admire, since it means a person has a moral compass that doesn't waver. It literally means having "wholeness" of character, just as an integer is a "whole number" with no fractions. Physical objects can display integrity, too — if you're going over a rickety old bridge that sways in the wind, you might question its structural integrity.

binary file Add to List...

n (computer science) a computer file containing machine-readable information that must be read by an application; characters use all 8 bits of each byte

dare

n a challenge to do something dangerous or foolhardy v challenge When you challenge or provoke someone to try something risky, it's a dare. If you accept a dare, you're probably trying to prove how brave you are. When you challenge your friend to a dare, you dare him. You might, for example, dare your brother to jump off the garage into a pile of leaves. Another way to dare is to actually be brave: "I admire her so much, because she dares to stand up to bullies." The Old English root of dare is durran, "to brave danger, venture, or presume." If you say, "How dare you?" you're expressing outrage or indignation.

"It would be a "necessary" consequence of how biochemistry works."

necessary is an adjective that means unavoidably determined by prior circumstances. Everyone can agree that certain things are necessary for survival: food, water, shelter. Some people might add chocolate to that list. Necessary refers to anything you can't do without. Necessary, cede, and cease all come from the same root, cedere, which is Latin for "to go away" or "to give something up." When something's necessary, you won't give it up. That fudge-covered brownie sundae from your favorite ice-cream shop? It might seem like a decadent treat, but if you're a true chocolate lover you'll insist that it's as necessary as a warm jacket in winter

The queen lays eggs, some insects remain in the hive to "raise" the young, and others forage, traveling beyond the hive in search of pollen.

nurture raise is a verb that means to bring up. If you raise your hand, you put it up in the air. If you raise your daughter, you "bring her up" from childhood to adulthood. And, if you raise the roof, you and a crowd of people cheer wildly for a performer. Raise can be used almost any time you bring something up, either literally: "if you raise the lid on that trap door you will see a secret passage," or figuratively: "please don't raise the topic of my arachnophobia." The verb raise comes from the Old English word ræran, which means "to rear," as in, "do you really want to raise your children in that town?" As a noun, a raise can also mean a salary increase.

occupy

occupy is a verb that means to fill the whole of. When you spend a lot of your free time reading tea leaves, you occupy yourself with that pastime, meaning it takes up your time and keeps you busy. An army can invade another country and occupy its territory, and this use of the word reflects its original Latin meaning, which was "to seize." There are also less aggressive forms of occupation, as with the family of chipmunks who occupy your garden. If you are the mayor of your town, you occupy an important office. And if you're a fan of Andy Warhol, a series of Campbell's soup can paintings may occupy a prominent place on your walls.

Instead, the terrain looked like Nebraska—perpetual ________ that faded into the horizon.

plain is a noun that means an extensive tract of level, open land. Plain things are simple, unadorned, and even a little boring. Being a plain talker means you don't use pretentious, fancy words. But having a plain face means you're not much to look at. Plain comes from the Latin word planum, meaning "level ground." That's one meaning of the word, as in a flat prairie or low lying coastal flood plain. If something is in plain view, it's out in the open with no obstructions. But usually we use plain as an adjective to describe unembellished, bare, or unimpressive things. A white room with just an old bed and a chair is pretty plain.

"It must be because you're so " approachable" ," I say flatly.

pleasant approachable is an adjective that means easy to meet or converse or do business with. Celebrities who are friendly and easy to talk to are often described as approachable. It means they are nice and open, so you can easily approach them and say hello. A text is approachable if a reader feels like it's easy to understand and connect with. Approachable also describes how you approach, or get to a location. If your school is located deep in the woods, it might only be approachable by one road. In the winter, that road had better stay plowed or your school won't be approachable by anyone at all.

nurture

provide with nourishment, nourish, sustain bring up,bring up, parent, raise, rear, help develop; help grow, foster If you plant a seed, water it daily and give it lots of light, you nurture it until it is ready to be transplanted outside. When you nurture a person or thing, you care for it and help it to grow.

But the ten miles to come have an utterly different "character."

quality character is a noun that means a property that defines the individual nature of something. When Martin Luther King, Jr. said he looked forward to the day when all Americans would be judged solely "by the content of their character," he was talking about a person's essential qualities. "Just because you are a character doesn't mean you have character," a guy called The Wolf advises a young woman named Raquel in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. The line illustrates three different senses of the word, which can mean "moral strength or reputation" (what Raquel lacks), "a person in a work of fiction" (what The Wolf and Raquel literally are), or, by extension, "a colorful personality" (what Raquel has). A fourth usage is "the distinctive nature of a person or thing," a meaning reflected in the word's origins. In Greek, a kharaktēr was a stamping tool, used to give something a distinctive mark.

familial

relating to or having the characteristics of a family "children of the same familial background" The word familial has to do with all things relating to family. A familial gathering is one in which family has come together. A familial bond is a strong connection between family members. It's easy to spot the Latin root familia meaning "family" in the word familial. This is a word that describes events, relationships, or all other things having to do with family. When you talk about a familial bond, you are talking about the kind of intimate connection that only family members can share. If you are interested in genealogy, you have an interest in familial history.

Haitian participation in the program has been regularly renewed for 18-month "intervals" and the latest extension expires in July.

span interval is a noun that means a definite length of time marked off by two instants. A clock breaks time down into intervals of seconds, minutes, and hours. An interval is a distinct measure of time or the physical or temporal distance between two things. When you are driving down the highway at 60 mph, you'll see distance markers at intervals of .1 miles. That means that every 1/10th of a mile, you will see one of these markers. Do the math and you'll see that these signs flash by you at intervals of 6 seconds. If your coach tells you to try interval training, he is telling you to do something like run for three minutes, lift weights for two, then run again for three. If he tells you do this again and again, you might want to end this interval of your life.

"Strewth, I've been sacked!" he had cause to "exclaim" a couple of seconds later.

state or announce The verb exclaim is from the Latin word exclamare, which means "to cry out." The English meaning is similar, to cry out, but with the added element of a strong emotion such as fear, joy, surprise. In writing, when someone exclaims something, the punctuation mark used to express this vehement outcry is usually the exclamation point: "Stop!" you exclaim when your toddler climbs precariously on a chair stacked with books. "Not in this lifetime!" you cry out when your teenager wants to borrow the new car. You will exclaim "I'm so proud!" when your child graduates college.

contain means to:

stop. contain is a verb that means to hold back, as of a danger or an enemy. The verb contain has many shades of meaning but it often describes something that's held back or held in by something. Kids on the last day of school may find it hard to contain their glee when summer officially starts. Picture Times Square on New Year's Eve. People can barely contain — or hold back — their excitement at being there. They clutch cups that contain — or hold — hot drinks that help them stay warm. The police set up barriers to contain — or restrain — the crowd to keep everyone under control. The next morning, the heaps of trash on the street will contain — or include — streamers, party hats, and cups.

To remove this type of ________, use a polish specifically labeled for stainless steel — not silver polish, which will only make the problem worse.

tarnish is a noun that means discoloration of metal surface caused by oxidation. To tarnish is to become dull or discolored. Silver tends to tarnish easily, which is why your mother is always having you polish the family silver. As a noun, a tarnish is the dull layer of corrosion that sometimes forms on metal items, usually the result of the metal reacting to oxygen in the air. Metals are most likely to tarnish, but so can anything that once felt sparkly and bright but has lost its luster — even you. If the new kid just beat you in chess, your reputation as the best chess player in your class has started to tarnish. Better not lose again!

state means:

territory occupied by an administrative district of a nation State can be a condition — like solid, liquid, or gas, or even sad or happy. It can also be a state as in Idaho or New York. To state is to say something.

train

train is a verb that means to exercise in order to prepare for an event or competition. To train means to teach a skill. If you train your cat to use the toilet, your family will be amazed. You can train animals to perform in a circus or roll over, and you can train people to do things like program computers or use an espresso machine. When you instruct someone how to do a task, you train him or her. Other meanings of the word train? A locomotive, like the train that takes people from New York City to Boston or a long piece of material attached to the back of a dress, like the train on a wedding dress

secure means:

unassailable; secure is an adjective that means immune to attack; incapable of being tampered with. Secure means safe, protected. Your money is secure in a bank. Supportive friends and family make you feel secure. Secure can also be used as a verb. You secure the sails before you take out the sailboat, which means you tie them down. If you secure someone a ticket to a popular Broadway play, you've found them a hard-to-find seat. On an airplane, you're told that in the event you need an oxygen mask, you should secure yours — get it in place — before helping someone else. Almost all meanings contain the idea of safety: making sure things are right.

flex

v cause (a plastic object) to assume a crooked or angular form v contract n the act of flexing When you flex something, you bend or contract it. To appear super tough, you might flex your archery bow while flexing your muscles. Things curve and bend when they flex, whether they're human joints or objects made of a bendable material like plastic or soft wood. Another way to flex is to tense or contract a muscle: "The weightlifter flexes her biceps." Experts suspect that flexible came first, from the Latin root flexibilis, "flexible, pliant, or yielding," and figuratively, "tractable, or easily influenced."

scatter

v cause to separate and go in different directions cause to separate If you hear someone shout "Everybody scatter!" that person wants everyone to spread out and leave the area. Scatter is a verb that means "to separate suddenly and spread out in different directions." Scatter is sometimes used as a noun to refer to something that has been scattered. If you have clothes strewn all over your room, you might say there is a scatter of clothes on the floor. More commonly, though, scatter is used as a verb meaning "to spread about." You might scatter grass seed on your front lawn in the spring. Scatter can also mean "break up or disperse." The police, for instance, might scatter an unruly mob or gathering.

oblige

v force somebody to do something To oblige is to do something you have to, because you're bound by either good manners or the law. You are obliged to pay back your student loans, or for your portion of the dinner bill. You may also feel obliged to bring a gift if you're invited to a wedding. You can also tip your cowboy hat and be "much obliged" if someone does you a favor. The French phrase, noblesse oblige means basically that "privilege entails responsibility," or that the wealthy are obliged to do something productive in the world and not just sit around polishing their silver spoons.

consent

v give an affirmative reply to; respond favorably to Synonyms: accept, go for Antonyms: decline, refuse n permission to do something Before you have surgery, you'd better give your consent, because the surgeon can't get his scalpel anywhere near your skin without first getting this permission from you. Consent is permission that can be given or taken away. A father might give his consent to allow a young man to marry his daughter, but he might refuse that consent if he learns that the prospective groom has a prison record. A homeowner who won't give a developer consent to tear down her house and build a shopping mall might finally consent after receiving a very large check from the developer.

envy

v n Wanting what someone else has and resenting them for having it is envy. If your best friend comes to school with the silver backpack you'd had your eye on all summer, you want to be happy for her, instead you feel bitter envy. Envy comes from the Latin word invidere, which literally means "look upon." You know when you say something funny or smart and someone gives you the evil eye? Envy all the way. Envy can be used as a noun or as a verb: Envy (noun) is the feeling you have when you envy (verb) what someone else has. a feeling of grudging admiration and desire to have something that is possessed by another

conjure

v summon into action or bring into existence, often as if by magic v ask for or request earnestly v engage in plotting or enter into a conspiracy, swear together If your mom can magically conjure up the most delicious meals from the most random ingredients in the kitchen, she might just be the best cook in the neighborhood.

beckon

v summon with a wave, nod, or some other gesture appear inviting signal with the hands or nod To beckon is to use a physical gesture to call someone over to you. Universally recognized gestures used to beckon include crooking the finger or nodding the head to invite someone over. We get the word beckon from the Old English gebecnian, meaning "to make a mute sign," which comes from bēacen, meaning "a sign or beacon." (Remember that "beacon" is a noun while beckon is a verb). When you beckon to someone, you give them a physical sign to "come here." Figuratively, an ice cream sundae might beckon you, calling you away from your diet.

unleash

v turn loose or free from restraint loose release or vent When you remove your dog's leash so she can run wildly across the beach, you unleash her — you set her loose. And when you unleash a storm of insults against your brother, you allow them to flow freely from your lips. There are two ways to use the verb unleash. Literally, it means "set loose," like when a police officer unleashes her trained dog to sniff luggage for illegal drugs, or a farmer unleashes her llama after moving it into a pen. Figuratively, you can unleash all kinds of emotions, forces, opinions, and actions. Unhappy citizens might unleash a series of high-profile protests, or a barrage of shouted demands, for example.

The opposite of secure is:

vulnerable

train

work out: train is a verb that means to exercise in order to prepare for an event or competition. To train means to teach a skill. If you train your cat to use the toilet, your family will be amazed. You can train animals to perform in a circus or roll over, and you can train people to do things like program computers or use an espresso machine. When you instruct someone how to do a task, you train him or her. Other meanings of the word train? A locomotive, like the train that takes people from New York City to Boston or a long piece of material attached to the back of a dress, like the train on a wedding dress.

Inside you is a vital force that is mad with "desire" to be realized.

yearning desire is a noun that means the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state. If you're talking about the longings of the heart, use the word desire. When you are studying for a difficult history exam, the desire to be somewhere far away doing something fun might be very strong! Desire can be used as both a noun and a verb. Is your boyfriend your heart's desire? Your parents probably desire your punctual appearance at the dinner table every evening. Desire is usually used not just when you long for any old thing, but for something that is associated with giving great pleasure. Thus, you might want to get an A on a test, but you desire a piece of chocolate cake.