Wordly Wise 3000 Book 6

flammable

(adj) Able to catch fire easily. (1) Children's night clothes must be fireproofed so they are not ___.

versatile

(adj) Able to do many different things or to be used in many different ways. (n) The state or condition of being versatile. (1) She is a ___ musician who can play eight instruments. (2) The tomato's ___ and distinct flavor make it a favorite of many cooks.

hardy

(adj) Able to survive under bad conditions; tough. (1) Sage is a ___ plant that can be left outside during the winter.

monotonous

(adj) Always the same; not varying; boring. (n) Lack of variety resulting in boredom. (1) Making photocopies is ___ work. (2) Switching tasks helps to relieve the ___ of assembly-line work.

tranquil

(adj) Calm; peaceful. (n) The state of being tranquil. (1) The sea was ___ with no hint of the approaching storm. (2) Many authors prefer writing during the ___ of early morning before anyone else is up.

conspicuous

(adj) Easily or plainly seen. (1) His great height made him ___ in any crowd.

hectic

(adj) Full of feverish activity, haste, or confusion. (1) After a ___ week of sightseeing, the tourists were glad to go home and relax.

continuous

(adj) Going on without stopping. (1) The ___ flow of traffic makes it impossible to cross the street here.

incredible

(adj) Hard or impossible to believe. (1) It seems ___ that no one was injured in such a bad accident.

humid

(adj) Having a large amount of water or moisture in the air. (n) The amount of moisture in the air. (1) Residents escape the hot, ___ weather by going inside where it is cool and dry. (2) The ___ was so high that the slightest activity made us sweat.

innate

(adj) Having from birth; occurring naturally rather than being learned. (1) Mozart's ___ musical ability showed itself at a very early age.

arid

(adj) Having little or no rainfall; very dry. (1) Much of North Africa is arid land.

abundant

(adj) More than enough; plentiful. (n) A great amount. (1) If good weather continues, farmers can expect an ___ harvest. (2) Natural gas supplies an ___ of power to the entire country.

constant

(adj) Not changing. (adj) Loyal; faithful. (adj) Without a pause; unending. (1) The function of cruise control is to keep the car at a ___ speed. (2) The farmer's ___ companion is an affectionate collie. (3) A small child requires ___ attention.

tentative

(adj) Not fully worked out or final; hesitating or uncertain. (1) he deadline is ___ and may be extended.

stationary

(adj) Not moving. (adj) Not changing. (1) A ___ bicycle is used for exercise. (2) The price of admission to the ball park has remained ___ for the past couple of years.

casual

(adj) Not planned. (adj) Not regular; occasional. (adj) Suitable for everyday use; comfortable. (1) Several friends got together for a ___ meeting after the movie. (2) I have a ___ job doing errands for my uncle when he needs me. (3) The store sells ___ apparel for the beach.

distinct

(adj) Not the same; different or separate. (adj) Unmistakable; definite. (1) Apples come in over two thousand ___ varieties. (2) Chili peppers add a distinct flavor to this dish.

mediocre

(adj) Of low to medium quality; barely passable. (1) ___ grades make it difficult to get into a good college.

rural

(adj) Of or relating to the country and the people who live there. (1) The villagers believe that a shopping mall has no place in a ___ area.

superb

(adj) Of the highest quality; grand; splendid. (1) The view from the mountaintop was ___.

deft

(adj) Quick and sure; skillful at handling. (1) A ___ juggler can keep five or more objects in the air at one time.

arrogant

(adj) Showing too much pride in oneself. (n) A feeling of too much pride in oneself. (1) You were ___ to claim that you knew all the answers. (2) Declaring that you are sure to win is another example of your ___.

eloquent

(adj) Skilled at speaking or writing; having the power to move people. (n) Skill at speaking or writing; the power to move people. (1) Anne Frank's ___diary often moves readers to tears. (2) Martin Luther King's ___ made him the obvious choice to lead the 1960s Civil Rights Movement.

supreme

(adj) The highest in rank or position. (adj) Of the greatest importance. (1) Saddam Hussein was the ___ ruler of Iraq until his overthrow in 2003. (2) The mayor declared that eliminating homelessness was the ___ challenge for the city.

minute

(adj) Very small; tiny. (1) A ___ speck of dust in one's eye can be very annoying.

lofty

(adj) Very tall or high. (adj) Noble in feeling or high in ideals. (adj) Showing a too-proud or superior attitude. (1) ___ elm trees provided welcome shade on many American streets. (2) Ending world hunger in our lifetime is a ___ goal. (3) The ___ way the diner spoke to the waiter made me feel uncomfortable.

diligent

(adj) Working with great care and effort. (1) ___ students usually attain high marks.

aloft

(adv) Up in the air, especially in flight. (1) A strong breeze kept the kites ___.

antic

(n) (usually pl.) A playful or funny act. (1) The ___s of the clown made the crowd roar with laughter.

pedestal

(n) A base or support on which something stands. (1) After communism collapsed in Russia, hardly a statue of Stalin was left standing on its ___.

ferry

(n) A boat that carries people and goods back and forth across a stretch of water. (v) o move people or goods by boat across a stretch of water. (1) The ___ will go out of service when the new bridge opens. (2) The boat owner who ___ied us across the lake would not accept any payment.

affection

(n) A fond or tender feeling. (adj) Gentle and loving. (1) Hugging is one way to show ___. (2) My cousin took my hand and gave it an ___ squeeze.

ceremony

(n) A formal event held in honor of a special occasion. (1) The bride and groom exchanged rings during the wedding ___.

horde

(n) A large group or crowd, especially one on the move. (1) ___s of swimmers head for the pool in summer.

triumph

(n) A noteworthy success. (n) A noteworthy success. (v) To win. (adj) Joyful over a victory or success. (1) Helen Keller's graduation from college was a ___. (2) The dancer who was invited to audition shot a look of ___ at those who were not so lucky. (3) The ___ skater was given a hero's welcome on her return from the Olympic Games.

immigrant

(n) A person who comes into a country to live there. (1) Many Polish ___s settled in Chicago.

buffet

(n) A piece of furniture with drawers and shelves for the display of plates, dishes, and bowls. (n) A meal laid out for guests to help themselves. (v) To pound repeatedly; to batter. (1) This splendid antique ___ contains a valuable collection of china. (2) The abundance of food at the ___ allowed people to go back for second or third helpings. (3) High winds and waves ___ed the ship during the storm.

peninsula

(n) A piece of land, connected to a larger land mass, that juts out and is almost completely surrounded by water. (1) Bays along the Baja ___ provide shelter for several kinds of whales.

sanctuary

(n) A place of safety or shelter. (n) Protection offered by such a place. (1) The temple was a ___ to those who were being persecuted. (2) The shelter offers ___ to women fleeing violence in the home.

brawl

(n) A rough, noisy fight. (v) To fight noisily. (1) A ___ broke out when one of the workers accused another of stealing. (2) Players who ___ during the game are fined.

campaign

(n) A series of actions intended to accomplish a goal. (n) A series of military actions in a particular area. (v) To take part in actions planned to accomplish a particular goal. (1) Picking up litter was the first step in the ___ to clean up the town center. (2) General Sherman's four-month-long Atlanta ___ ended with the fall of that city on September 2, 1864. (3) Students who wish to ___ for class office must submit petitions.

fiber

(n) A thin, threadlike part of animal hair or plant tissue; also, an artificial thread that resembles this. (n) An arrangement of body cells that forms muscles and nerves. (n) A food substance that provides bulk but is not digested. (1) Cotton, wool, and rayon ___s can all be spun into yarn to make cloth. (2) Red meat is made up of muscle ___. (3) Bran is a good source of ___ in one's diet.

terrain

(n) An area of land; a region. (n) The surface features of a region. (1) After hiking for several days we knew the ___ quite well. (2) The mountainous ___ of western Colorado attracts skiers from all parts of the country.

attire

(n) Clothes, especially fine and expensive clothes. (v) To dress up or be dressed up. (1) One often needs special ___ to be in a wedding party. (2) The designer ___d the models in shirts and trousers for the fashion show.

custody

(n) Control over and responsibility for care. (n) In the keeping of the police; in jail. (1) Following a divorce, each parent may want ___ of the children. (2) The new officer took the thief into ___.

jeopardy

(n) Danger (v) To put in danger of loss or injury. (1) Mountaineers who climb without partners put their lives in ___. (2) Smokers ___ their health by smoking cigarettes.

squalor

(n) Filth; misery. (adj) Dirty and unfit for living, especially as a result of neglect. (1) People lived in ___ after their homes were destroyed by the hurricane. (2) The newly arrived immigrants worked long hours in ___ conditions for very low wages.

splendor

(n) Magnificence; brilliance of appearance. (adj) Very impressive; magnificent. (1) The ___ of the palace at Versailles took our breath away. (2) The exhibition of American sculpture includes several ___ statues by Harriet Hosmer.

motion

(n) Movement. (n) A suggestion on which members at a meeting must vote. (v) To signal. (adj) Not moving; stationary. (1) The ___ of the train almost put me to sleep. (2) The ___ to end further discussion was defeated by a show of hands. (3) We eluded capture by remaining ___ when we heard the guards approaching.

shroud

(n) Something that covers or hides from view. (n) Cloth used to wrap a dead body before burial. (v) To block from sight. (1) A ___ of mystery surrounds the couple's disappearance. (2) It used to be the custom to make a ___from a long linen sheet dipped in melted wax. (3) Dense fog on the river ___ed the tug boats.

verdict

(n) The decision reached at the end of a trial. (n) A judgment or opinion. (1) The foreman looked grim as she announced the ___. (2) The ___ on the new computer is that it does twice the work in half the time.

poverty

(n) The state of being poor. (1) The food stamp program was started to help feed American families living in ___.

apparel

(n) The things that are worn by a person; clothing. (1) Party goers dressed in their finest ___ for New Year's Eve.

eclipse

(n) The total or partial hiding of one heavenly body by another. (v) To do or be better than; to outshine. (1) An ___ of the sun occurs when the moon passes directly in front of it. (2) Her latest novel ___s all of her previous work.

swivel

(n) The view from the mountaintop was superb. (v) To turn freely around a fixed point. (1) This chair has a ___ that enables it to turn in a full circle. (2) Owls can ___ their heads to look behind them.

posture

(n) The way one holds one's body; a pose or position. (v) To assume a particular position, especially a pretended one. (1) You can improve your ___ by throwing your shoulders back. (2) They ___d as my supporters while secretly campaigning against me.

violate

(v) To break, as a law or a promise. (v) To treat in an improper or disrespectful way. (n) A breaking of or failing to keep something like a law or a promise. (1) Working for another research company ___s the agreement she made with her previous employer. (2) The vandals who violated the cemetery by knocking over gravestones had to restore it. (3) Revealing the secret to your friends was a ___ of the trust placed in you.

originate

(v) To bring or come into being. (n) A beginning or coming into being. (1) The custom of sending Valentine cards ___d in the 1800s. (2) What is the ___ of the story that alligators live in the New York sewers?

degrade

(v) To bring shame or disgrace upon.\ (adj) Causing shame or disgrace. (1) By lying to cover up his cheating, Sam ___d himself even more. (2) Losing the trophy because one player had taken a bribe was a ___ing experience.

emerge

(v) To come into view; to appear. (v) To become known. (1) A large brown bear ___d from the cave. (2) The truth did not ___ until the trial was under way.

hatch

(v) To come or to bring forth from an egg. (v) To think up. (n) A small opening with a door or cover. (1) A little yellow chick ___ed last night. (2) The children ___ed a plot to scare their parents. (3) The ___ on the main deck flew open when the ship hit a reef.

sheathe

(v) To cover with something that protects. (1) Metal workers will ___ the ship's bottom with copper plates.

stifle

(v) To cut off the air from; to smother. (v) To hold back; to check. (1) Thick smoke ___d those who remained in the burning building. (2) The spectators tried to ___ their yawns during the lengthy ceremony.

evolve

(v) To develop and change gradually over time. (n)The changes that take place as something evolves. (1) Some scientists think that modern birds may have ___d from dinosaurs. (2) The ___ of aircraft from the Wright brothers' flimsy plane to the modern jet airplane occurred over an incredibly short time.

excel

(v) To do well; to be better or greater than others. (1) Babe Ruth ___led both as a pitcher and as a batter.

elude

(v) To escape by being quick or clever. (adj) Hard to find or capture. (adj) Hard to explain or make clear. (1) The mouse ___d the cat by slipping through a crack in the wall. (2) The ___ outlaws were familiar with the terrain while those pursuing them were not. (3) Albert Einstein's connection between energy and the speed of light is too ___ for most nonscientists to grasp.

plummet

(v) To fall suddenly toward the earth or to a lower level; to plunge. (1) The abundant harvest caused the price of corn to ___.

graze

(v) To feed on growing grass. (v) To touch lightly in passing. (1) A small herd of cows ___d in the meadow. (2) The snowball ___d my cheek but didn't hurt me.

inflate

(v) To fill with air or other gas. (1) ___ the tires to the correct pressure.

contribute

(v) To give along with others who are giving. (v) To have a part in bringing about. (n) That which is given. (n) One who gives. (1) I ___d a spinach salad to the potluck supper. (2) Exercise ___s greatly to good health. (3) The museum sent a thank-you note for the fifty-dollar ___. (4) ___s to the new theater received free tickets for opening night.

clasp

(v) To grasp or hold tightly. (n) A strong grasp or hold. (n) Something, as a hook or fastener, that holds two parts together. (1) The dancers ___ed hands and circled the maypole. (2) The nurse gently removed the doll from the toddler's ___. (3) The necklace has a ___ in the shape of a snake biting its tail.

moor

(v) To hold in place with ropes or anchors. (n) A place to which a boat or aircraft can be moored. (1) After the sailors ___ed the boat to the dock, they went ashore. (2) The hurricane tore many boats from their ___ings.

boycott

(v) To join others in refusing to deal with a person or group. (n) The act of boycotting. (1) Customers plan to ___ that store if it continues to overcharge. (2) The fans called off their ___ when the teams agreed to lower ticket prices.

segregate

(v) To keep separate or apart. (n) The act of keeping separate or apart. (1) Ranchers ___ sick animals from the herd to prevent diseases from spreading. (2) One of the goals of the Civil Rights Movement was to end racial ___ in the United States.

inhabit

(v) To live in or on. (n) A person or animal that lives in a certain place. (1) Millions of bison once ___ed the great plains of America. (2) Most of the ___ of California were born somewhere else.

shed

(v) To lose; to give up. (v) To cause to flow. (v) To throw off water without letting it soak through. (v) To send out or give off. (1) Cats ___ hair in the summer. (2) The parents ___ tears of joy when they heard their lost child had been found. (3) A raincoat should ___ water. (4) The full moon ___ a bright light.

appeal

(v) To make an earnest request; to ask. (v) To be of interest to; to be attractive to. (n) An earnest request for help. (n) The power to attract or be of interest. (1) Three students ___ed for more time to finish the work. (2) This very funny movie will ___ to children of all ages. (3) The letter contained an ___ for money to provide shelters for the homeless. (4) Neither the liver and onions nor the meatloaf had much ___.

vacate

(v) To make empty, as by leaving. (1) We will ___ the house at the end of June to make way for the people moving in.

pollute

(v) To make impure or dirty. (n) The action of polluting; the state of being polluted. (1) Smoke from cars' engines ___s the air of our cities. (2) The careless dumping of poisonous chemicals caused widespread ___ of the soil.

declare

(v) To make known; to state openly. (n) A public statement. (1) "I will not seek reelection," she ___d. (2) The ___ read by the mayor stated that November was bicycle safety month.

dissolve

(v) To make or become liquid. (v) To bring or to come to an end. (1) Sugar ___s easily in warm water. (2) The members agreed to ___ the chess club.

aggravate

(v) To make worse. (v) To anger or annoy. (n) Annoyance; exasperation. (n) A source of annoyance or exasperation. (1) The skater ___d an old knee injury when she fell. (2) That loud rock music from the club ___s the neighbors. (3) My ___ increased as the noisy construction continued outside my window. (4)

transfer

(v) To move, carry, send, or change from one person or place to another. (n) The act of transferring. (n) A ticket used for transferring from one bus or train to another. (1) ___ your notes to a fresh notebook. (2) It is easy to ___ money from a savings to a checking account. (3) A ___ from the subway allows riders to continue by bus without paying an additional charge.

captivate

(v) To please greatly; to win over by special charm. (1) The cast's superb acting ___d the audience.

inhibit

(v) To prevent from doing something or to prevent from happening. (adj) Held back because of shyness. (1) Oil ___s the formation of rust on metal. (2) ___ed people don't make friends easily.

propel

(v) To push or drive forward. (1) Two engines ___led the speedboat.

extend

(v) To reach out. (v) To offer. (v) To make longer. (v) To stretch or lie. (1) The conductor ___ed her arms as a signal to the orchestra to be ready. (2) I wish to ___ my apologies for behaving so badly. (3) The exhibition was so popular that the museum decided to ___ it by a week. (4) The property ___s for a half mile beyond the river.

attain

(v) To reach; to arrive at. (v) To achieve. (1) Redwood trees ___ heights of over 300 feet. (2) The library ___ed its lofty goal of raising ten thousand dollars for the repair fund.

hover

(v) To remain in place over an object or location. (1) Hummingbirds ___ by beating their wings sixty times a second.

unveil

(v) To remove a covering from. (v) To make known or reveal for the first time. (1) The president of the American Red Cross ___ed the portrait of its founder, Clara Barton. (2) The police chief will ___ a plan to reduce street crime at today's meeting.

appreciate

(v) To see the worth or quality of. (v) To increase in value. (1) I ___ handmade lace edgings on pillowcases. (2) The house we bought for $100,000 has ___d to $180,000.

function

(v) To serve a purpose. (n) The special purpose something is used for. (n) An important ceremony or gathering. (1) This couch also ___s as a bed. (2) One ___ of a dictionary is to define words. (3) Following tonight's ___ to honor the retiring teachers, there will be a buffet.

exhibit

(v) To show in public. (n) An item or collection of items in a public show. (n) A large-scale public show. (1) Local artists ___ed their paintings at the library. (2) The most interesting ___ in the museum was the dinosaur skeleton. (3) Tickets for the ___ of early automobiles go on sale next week.

detain

(v) To stop or hold; to keep from going on. (1) The customs officers ___ed us while they searched our bags.

domesticate

(v) To tame; to bring plants or animals under human control. (adj) To tame; to bring plants or animals under human control. (1) Some people claim that they can ___ skunks, and that they make good pets. (2) The carrot is a ___d form of a plant called Queen Anne's lace.

persecute

(v) To treat cruelly or harshly because of political, religious, or other differences. (n) The state or condition of being persecuted. (1) The Kurds of northern Iraq were ___d by the Iraqi rulers for wanting their own state. (2) Hitler's ___ of the Jews led to the murder of millions of innocent people.

integrate

(v) To unite into a whole; especially to end the separation of races. (n) The act of uniting or bringing together, especially people of different races. (1) In 1948, President Truman ___d the armed forces of the United States. (2) In the 1950's many people opposed the integration of restaurants and other public places.

exhaust

(v) To use up. (v) To tire out. (n) The waste gases from an engine; also, the system that pumps out such waste gases. (1) Lost on the mountain, the climbers ___ed their supplies after two days. (2) A ten-mile hike will ___ most people. (3) The muffler is often the first part of the ___ to wear out.

inscribe

(v) To write, print, or etch into as a permanent record. (n) The act of inscribing or what is inscribed. (1) Most of the gravestones were simply ___d with the person's name, date of birth, and date of death. (2) Coins of the United States bear the ___ "E PLURIBUS UNUM."