e

Usage

• neophyte

  A neophyte is a person who is just beginning to learn a subject or skill—or how to do an activity of some kind.

• acme

  The acme of something is its highest point of achievement or excellence.

• anodyne

  An anodyne is a medicine that soothes or relieves pain.

• obtuse

  Someone is obtuse when they are slow to understand things; someone can choose to be obtuse when they deliberately do not try to figure things out.

• peruse

  If you peruse some written text, you read it over carefully.

• superimpose

  If two things are superimposed, one is stacked over the other so that both become one.

• repute

  A person's repute is what others think of them; repute can also refer to someone's standing in society.

• renege

  If you renege on a deal, agreement, or promise, you do not do what you promised or agreed to do.

• conclave

  A conclave is a meeting between a group of people who discuss something secretly.

• transpose

  If you transpose two things, you make them change places or reverse their normal order.

• supine

  If you are supine, you are lying on your back with your face upward.

• transmute

  Something transmutes when it changes from one form or state into another.

• reprobate

  A reprobate has a bad character and behaves in an immoral or improper way.

• disburse

  To disburse is to pay out money, usually from a large fund that has been collected for a specific purpose.

• requisite

  If something is requisite for a purpose, it is needed, appropriate, or necessary for that specific purpose.

• mediocre

  Something mediocre is average or ordinary in quality; it’s just OK.

• edifice

  An edifice is a large or impressive building, such as a church, palace, temple, or fortress.

• demure

  If you describe someone, usually a young woman, as demure, you mean that she is quiet, shy, and always behaves modestly.

• cynosure

  A cynosure is an object that serves as the center of attention.

• misconstrue

  If you misconstrue something that has been said or something that happens, you understand or interpret it incorrectly.

• minuscule

  Something minuscule is extremely small in size or amount.

• malaise

  Malaise is a feeling of discontent, general unease, or even illness in a person or group for which there does not seem to be a quick and easy solution because the cause of it is not clear.

• traduce

  If you traduce someone, you deliberately say hurtful and untrue things to damage their reputation.

• denude

  To denude an area is to remove the plants and trees that cover it; it can also mean to make something bare.

• retrograde

  A retrograde action causes a return to a condition or situation that is worse instead of better than the present one.

• archetype

  An archetype is a perfect or typical example of something because it has the most important qualities that belong to that type of thing; it can also describe essential qualities common to a particular class of things.

• explicate

  To explicate an idea or plan is to make it clear by explaining it.

• excise

  When you excise something, you remove it by cutting it out.

• expostulate

  If you expostulate with someone, you express strong disagreement with or disapproval of what that person is doing.

• impute

  If you impute something, such as blame or a crime, to somebody, you say (usually unfairly) that that person is responsible for it.

• denounce

  If you denounce people or actions, you criticize them severely in public because you feel strongly that they are wrong or evil.

• satire

  Satire is a way of criticizing people or ideas in a humorous way by going beyond the truth; it is often used to make people see their faults.

• acquiesce

  If you acquiesce to something, you allow it to happen by doing what someone wants without putting up a struggle or voicing your own concerns.

• divulge

  To divulge something is to reveal information that was once private or secret.

• revile

  If something is reviled, it is intensely hated and criticized.

• sublime

  Something that is sublime is so strikingly beautiful that it seems not of this world; therefore, it affects the emotions deeply.

• abstruse

  You can describe something as abstruse if you find it highly complicated and difficult to understand.

• addle

  If someone is addled by something, they are confused by it and unable to think properly.

• imbibe

  If you imbibe ideas, values, or qualities, you absorb them into your mind.

• remonstrate

  To remonstrate with someone is to tell that person that you strongly disapprove of something they have said or done.

• lacerate

  When something lacerates someone, it makes a deep cut into their flesh.

• ensconce

  If you ensconce yourself somewhere, you put yourself into a comfortable place or safe position and have no intention of moving or leaving for quite some time.

• efface

  To efface something is to erase or remove it completely from recognition or memory.

• relegate

  You relegate someone or something if you give that person or thing a less important position than before.

• subterfuge

  If you employ subterfuge, you use a secret plan or action to get what you want by outwardly doing one thing that cleverly hides your true intentions.

• astute

  When you describe someone as astute, you think they quickly understand situations or behavior and use it to their advantage.

• expunge

  If you expunge something, you completely remove it or do away with it.

• suffuse

  If something, such as warmth, color, or liquid, suffuses a material, it gradually spreads through or covers it; if you are suffused with a feeling, you are full of that feeling.

• diatribe

  A diatribe is a speech or piece of writing that angrily attacks someone's ideas or activities at length.

• coerce

  You coerce people when you force them to do something that they don't want to do.

• acolyte

  An acolyte is someone who serves a leader as a devoted assistant or believes in the leader's ideas.

• epitome

  If you say that a person or thing is the epitome of something, you mean that they or it is the best possible example of that thing.

• abase

  If you abase yourself, people respect you less because you act in a way that is beneath you; due to this behavior, you are lowered or reduced in rank, esteem, or reputation.

• occlude

  If something, such as a road, is occluded, it has been closed off or blocked; therefore, cars are prevented from continuing on their way until the road is opened once again.

• connive

  If one person connives with another, they secretly plan to achieve something of mutual benefit, usually a thing that is illegal or immoral.

• deluge

  A deluge is a sudden, heavy downfall of rain; it can also be a large number of things, such as papers or e-mails, that someone gets all at the same time, making them very difficult to handle.

• enclave

  An enclave is a small area within a larger area of a city or country in which people of a different nationality or culture live.

• abate

  When something bad or painful abates, it becomes less strong or severe.

• trite

  A trite remark or idea is so overused that it is no longer interesting or novel.

• ensue

  When something ensues, it happens after or as a result of another event.

• intone

  If someone is intoning something, they are saying it in a slow and serious way without making their voice rise or fall.

• adage

  An adage is an inherited saying or phrase that has been historically used to express a common experience.

• bereaved

  A bereaved person is someone whose close friend or relative has recently died.

• impinge

  If something impinges on you, it affects you in some negative way.

• trope

  Tropes are expressions, phrases, or words that writers use as a clever method for expressing everyday ideas in a nonliteral and creative way.

• proscribe

  When someone proscribes an activity, they prohibit it by establishing a rule against it.

• ornate

  An ornate object is heavily or excessively decorated with complicated shapes and patterns.

• wile

  Wiles are clever tricks or cunning schemes that are used to persuade someone to do what you want.

• respite

  A respite is a short period of rest from work or something troubling.

• adjure

  When you adjure someone to do something, you persuade, eagerly appeal, or solemnly order them to do it.

• affable

  An affable person is pleasant, friendly, and easy to talk to.

• effete

  If you describe a person, group, or civilization as effete, you mean it is weak, exhausted, powerless, unproductive, and/or corrupt.

• facile

  If you criticize someone's arguments as being facile, you consider their ideas simplistic and not well thought through.

• obtrude

  If something obtrudes, it becomes noticeable or attracts attention in a way that is not pleasant or welcome.

• connote

  If a word or behavior connotes something, it suggests an additional idea or emotion that is not part of its original literal meaning.

• apprise

  When you are apprised of something, you are given information about it.

• presage

  To presage a future event is to give a sign or warning that something (usually) bad is about to happen.

• accede

  When you accede to a demand or proposal, you agree to it, especially after first disagreeing with it.

• sanguine

  If you are sanguine about a situation, especially a difficult one, you are confident and cheerful that everything will work out the way you want it to.

• jejune

  If you describe ideas as jejune, you are saying they are childish and uninteresting; the adjective jejune also describes those having little experience, maturity, or knowledge.

• allude

  When you allude to something or someone, often events or characters from literature or history, you refer to them in an indirect way.

• ingrate

  If you describe someone as an ingrate, you are criticizing them because they do not express thanks to someone who has helped them—they are ungrateful.

• irresolute

  Someone who is irresolute is unable to decide what to do.

• commune

  If you commune with something, you communicate without using words because you feel especially close to or in tune with it.

• tome

  A tome is a large weighty book that is usually of an important or scholarly nature.

• collude

  If you collude with people, you work secretly with them to do something dishonest.

• postulate

  If you postulate something, you assert that it is true without proof; therefore, it can be used as a basis for argument or reasoning—even though there is no factual basis for the assumption.

• regale

  If someone regales you, they tell you stories and jokes to entertain you— and they could also serve you a wonderful feast.

• agglomerate

  To agglomerate a group of things is to gather them together without any noticeable order.

• pare

  To pare something down is to reduce or lessen it.

• expiate

  If you expiate your crimes, guilty feelings, or bad behavior in general, you show you are sorry by doing something good to make up for the bad things you did.

• transcribe

  If you transcribe something, such as a speech or other text, you write it or type it in full.

• wane

  If something—such as power, influence, or feeling—wanes, it gradually becomes weaker or less important, often so much so that it eventually disappears.

• devolve

  When something devolves, such as a responsibility or a person's status, it passes along to another person.

• terse

  To be terse in speech is to be short and to the point, often in an abrupt manner that may seem unfriendly.

• deliberate

  If you deliberate, you think about or discuss something very carefully, especially before making an important decision.

• convoke

  To convoke a meeting or assembly is to bring people together for a formal gathering or ceremony of some kind.

• expurgate

  To expurgate part of a book, play, or other text is to remove parts of it before publishing because they are considered objectionable, harmful, or offensive.

• circumscribe

  If one's powers or rights are circumscribed, they are limited or restricted.

• clandestine

  Something that is clandestine is hidden or kept a secret, often because it is illegal.

• resonate

  If you say that something, such as an event or a message, resonates with you, you mean that it has an emotional effect or a special meaning for you that is significant.

• apogee

  The apogee of something is its highest or greatest point, especially in reference to a culture or career.

• apostate

  An apostate has abandoned their religious faith, political party, or devotional cause.

• opine

  To opine is to state your opinion on something.

• dissemble

  When people dissemble, they hide their real thoughts, feelings, or intentions.

• apposite

  Something that is apposite is relevant or suitable to what is happening or being discussed.

• contrite

  If you are contrite, you are very sorry or ashamed that you have done something bad.

• conflate

  If you conflate two or more descriptions or ideas, you combine them in order to produce a single unit.

• fete

  A fete is a celebration or festival in honor of a special occasion.

• misanthrope

  A misanthrope is someone who hates and mistrusts people.

• exude

  If you exude a quality or feeling, people easily notice that you have a large quantity of it because it flows from you; if a smell or liquid exudes from something, it flows steadily and slowly from it.

• imbue

  To imbue someone with a quality, such as an emotion or idea, is to fill that person completely with it.

• impasse

  An impasse is a difficult situation in which progress is not possible, usually because none of the people involved are willing to agree.

• sinecure

  A sinecure is a paid job or position that provides a regular income but does not involve much work or responsibility.

• austere

  Something austere is simple and plain in its style; an austere person is strict and severe with themself.

• farce

  A situation or event is a farce if it is very badly organized and consequently unsuccessful—or so silly and ridiculous that you cannot take it seriously.

• equivocate

  When people equivocate, they avoid making a clear statement; they are deliberately vague in order to avoid giving a direct answer to a question.

• recluse

  A recluse is someone who chooses to live alone and deliberately avoids other people.

• subsume

  If something is subsumed, it is included within a larger class or group as a member rather than being considered separately.

• abridge

  If you abridge a book or play, you make it shorter by making cuts to the original.

• obverse

  Something is obverse when it is facing or turned towards the observer, such as the facing side of a coin.

• transfuse

  When something is transfused to another thing, it is given, put, or imparted to it; for example, you can transfuse blood or a love of reading from one person to another.

• deprecate

  If you deprecate something, you disapprove of it strongly.

• diffuse

  When something is diffuse, it is widely spread out and scattered.

• inchoate

  If an idea, plan, or attitude is inchoate, it is vague and imperfectly formed because it is just starting to develop.

• pinnacle

  If someone reaches a pinnacle of something—such as a career or mountain—they have arrived at the highest point of it.

• condole

  If you condole with someone, you express sympathy or sorrow, usually on the death of someone dear.

• confute

  To confute an argument is to prove it to be thoroughly false; to confute a person is to prove them to be wrong.

• vestige

  A vestige of something is a very small part that remains from a once larger whole.

• recondite

  Recondite areas of knowledge are those that are very difficult to understand and/or are not known by many people.

• adduce

  When you adduce, you give facts and examples in order to prove that something is true.

• artifice

  When you employ artifice, you use clever tricks and cunning to deceive someone.

• abjure

  If you abjure a belief or a way of behaving, you state publicly that you will give it up or reject it.

• inane

  If you describe someone's behavior as inane, you think it is completely stupid or without much meaning.

• condone

  If you condone someone's behavior, you go along with it and provide silent support for it—despite having doubts about it.

• cede

  Someone cedes land or power to someone else by giving it to them, often because of political or military pressure.

• pristine

  Something that is pristine has not lost any of its original perfection or purity.

• collate

  When you collate pieces of information, you gather them all together and arrange them in some sensible order so that you can examine and compare those data efficiently.

• absolve

  When you absolve someone, you publicly and formally say that they are not guilty or responsible for any wrongdoing.

• surrogate

  A surrogate is someone who temporarily takes the place of another person, usually acting as a representative because that person is not available to or cannot carry out a task.

• disabuse

  If you disabuse someone of an idea or notion, you persuade them that the idea is in fact untrue.

• contravene

  To contravene a law, rule, or agreement is to do something that is not allowed or is forbidden by that law, rule, or agreement.

• abrogate

  To abrogate an act is to end it by official and sometimes legal means.

• recompense

  When you offer recompense to someone, you give them something, usually money, for the trouble or loss that you have caused them or as payment for their help.

• anecdote

  An anecdote is a short personal story that someone tells that is interesting or amusing.

• auspices

  When you are under another person's auspices, you are being guided and protected by them.

• belittle

  When you belittle something, such as an accomplishment, you make it seem little, of small importance, or insignificant.

• concede

  When you concede to something, you unwillingly admit it is true or give in to it.

• concise

  A concise statement is short, clear, and gets right to the point.

• conglomerate

  A conglomerate is a large business or organization that consists of many different companies involved in numerous areas of expertise.

• conjure

  When you try to conjure up images of the past, you call upon or summon them in your mind by imagining them.

• contrived

  When something is contrived, it is obviously thought about or planned beforehand, although it tries to be passed off as not being so.

• convene

  People convene when they gather together or are called together by someone for a meeting.

• correlate

  When you correlate two things, you compare, associate, or equate them together in some way.

• demise

  A demise can be the death of someone or the slow end of something.

• destitute

  Someone who is destitute lives in extreme poverty and thus lacks the basic necessities of life.

• dire

  If you are in dire need of help, you are in urgent need of it because the situation you are in is very bad or terrible.

• disentangle

  When you disentangle a knot or a problem, you untie the knot or get yourself out of the problem.

• dismantle

  When you dismantle something, you take it apart or destroy it piece by piece.

• divergent

  Divergent opinions differ from each other; divergent paths move apart from one another.

• eclipse

  When one person eclipses another's achievements, they surpass or outshine that person in that endeavor.

• exhume

  When you exhume a body, you dig it out of the ground; likewise, you can exhume or bring something to light that has lain hidden or buried for a long time.

• extradite

  When one nation extradites someone, it hands them over into the custody of a second nation, usually to stand trial for crimes committed against that second nation.

• figurehead

  A figurehead in an organization is the apparent authority or head in name only—the real power lies somewhere else.

• granule

  A granule is a small particle or tiny grain of something.

• improvise

  When someone improvises, they make something up at once because an unexpected situation has arisen.

• induce

  To induce a state is to bring it about; to induce someone to do something is to persuade them to do it.

• infringe

  To infringe on another person's rights is to violate or intrude upon those rights.

• innate

  An innate quality of someone is present since birth or is a quality of something that is essential to it.

• inopportune

  When something happens at an inopportune time it is inconvenient or not suitable.

• interpose

  When you interpose, you interrupt or interfere in some fashion.

• intersperse

  When you intersperse things, you distribute or scatter them among other things, sometimes at different intervals.

• intertwine

  When you intertwine two things, you twist them together and thereby interconnect them.

• monochrome

  A monochrome painting comprises different shades of only one color or is done in black and white.

• paraphrase

  When you paraphrase, you put into your own words what you have just read, usually in a shorter version.

• perquisite

  A perquisite is something extra that you receive over and above what you normally get.

• pique

  When you are piqued by something, either your curiosity is aroused by it or you feel resentment or anger towards it.

• preamble

  A preamble is an introduction to a formal document that explains the document's purpose.

• preclude

  When you preclude something from happening, you prevent it from doing so.

• predispose

  If someone is predisposed to something, they are made favorable or inclined to it in advance, or they are made susceptible to something, such as a disease.

• procure

  When you procure something, you obtain or get it in some fashion.

• protrude

  Something that protrudes is sticking or pushing outward from something else.

• purge

  To purge something is to get rid of or remove it.

• rebuke

  When you rebuke someone, you harshly scold or criticize them for something they've done.

• reimburse

  When you reimburse someone, you pay back the money that you borrowed from them, or you repay them for damages or losses they have suffered because of you.

• reinstate

  When you reinstate someone, you give back their job or position that they lost; this word also refers to restoring to use something that was no longer being used.

• renounce

  To renounce something, such as a position or practice, is to let go of it or reject it.

• replete

  Stores that are replete with goods to sell are well-stocked and completely supplied to satisfy many customers.

• repose

  If you are in a state of repose, your mind is at peace or your body is at rest.

• reprieve

  A reprieve is a temporary relief from or cancellation of a punishment; it can also be a relief from something, such as pain or trouble of some kind.

• resolve

  When you resolve a problem, you solve it or come to a decision about it.

• ruse

  A ruse is a clever trick or deception used to fool someone.

• stereotype

  A stereotype is a customary way of thinking about a particular group of people that is narrow-minded and often faulty.

• subside

  When something subsides, it begins to go away, lessen, or decrease in some way.

• subtle

  A subtle point is so clever or small that it is hard to notice or understand; it can also be very wise or deep in meaning.

• supersede

  When something supersedes another thing, it takes the place of or succeeds it.

• surge

  When something surges, it rapidly increases or suddenly rises.

• traverse

  When you traverse something, such as the land or sea, you go across or travel through it.

• undermine

  To undermine a plan or endeavor is to weaken it or make it unstable in a gradual but purposeful fashion.

• unnerve

  If something unnerves you, it makes you upset or nervous; it can also make you lose your courage because it frightens you so much.

• vengeful

  If you are vengeful, you want to get back at someone for something that they did to you because you are unwilling to forgive them.

• parable

  A parable is a short story that usually is told to illustrate a moral or lesson of some kind.

• suave

  If you are suave, you are charming and very polite; you are also agreeable, perhaps not always sincerely, to all you meet.

• appease

  When you appease someone, you either satisfy them by being accepting of what they want or make peace with them because of a wrong that you've done to them.

• vile

  Something vile is evil, very unpleasant, horrible, or extremely bad.

• serene

  A serene place or situation is peaceful and calm.

• allege

  When you allege that someone has done something, you say or claim that they have done it without showing any proof.

• restore

  When you restore something, you bring it back to its original condition.

• propose

  When you propose something, you offer an idea in the hope that it is accepted.

• immobile

  Something immobile is still, motionless, or incapable of moving.

• immerse

  When you immerse yourself in a subject, you are so interested in it that your mind is completely occupied by it.

• diverse

  A diverse group is made up of various and different people or things.

• endure

  When someone is able to endure something difficult, they are able to last or keep on going.

• endorse

  When someone endorses a product, they support or approve of it in a formal and public way.

• remorse

  Someone who is feeling remorse feels bad or guilty about something they've done.

• constitute

  Those things that constitute something form or make it up.

• enhance

  When you enhance something, you improve it, make it better, or add to it in some way.

• evince

  If you evince particular feelings, qualities, or attitudes, you show them, often clearly.

• prejudice

  A prejudice against another person—of whom there is no previous knowledge—is an unfair judgment, opinion, or dislike of them.

• espouse

  If you espouse an idea, principle, or belief, you support it wholeheartedly.

• ridicule

  When you ridicule someone, you make fun of or laugh at them in a mean way.

• assuage

  When you assuage an unpleasant feeling, you make it less painful or severe, thereby calming it.

• persevere

  When you persevere at a task, you keep on or continue doing it until it is finished.

• premise

  A premise to an argument is a foundation or idea upon which the argument is based.

• dissuade

  When you dissuade someone, you discourage or prevent them from doing something.

• override

  When one person overrides the decision of another, they reject or cancel it.

• dispute

  A dispute is a disagreement or argument about something.

• prelude

  A prelude is an introduction to a musical piece or something that comes before an event.

• analyze

  When you analyze something, you look closely at or study its parts to better understand it.

• entice

  When someone entices you, they are trying to get you to do something by making it appear attractive.

• obstacle

  An obstacle is something that gets in your way or stops you from doing something.

• elude

  If a fact or idea eludes you, you cannot remember or understand it; if you elude someone, you manage to escape or hide from them.

• merge

  When two things merge, they come together, combine, or unite in some way.

• compromise

  When you compromise someone's safety, you put it in danger in some way.

• finite

  A finite quantity is limited or restricted to a particular size or amount.

• aspire

  When you aspire to do something, you greatly desire to do it; therefore, you work hard to achieve it.

• intervene

  When you intervene in a difficult situation, you get involved in it to help solve the problem.

• reinforce

  When you reinforce something, you make it stronger or give extra support to it.

• refuge

  A refuge is a place to stay or live that offers shelter and protection.

• cite

  When you cite sources in a research paper, you quote or mention them to tell readers where you got your information.

• phase

  A phase is a stage in the life of something or someone.

• perceive

  When you perceive something, you see, notice, or realize it.

• incite

  When you incite someone to do something, you encourage, urge, or persuade them to do it.

• erode

  When something erodes, it slowly wears away or is gradually destroyed.

• secrete

  When the human body secretes a substance, such as saliva or spit, it produces and releases it.

• resume

  When you resume an activity, you start it up again or return to it.

• fatigue

  If you are suffering from fatigue, you are tired or exhausted.

• immense

  Something immense is huge, very big, or extremely large.

• coincide

  When two things coincide, they go along with each other, match, or happen at the same time.

• catastrophe

  A catastrophe is a widespread terrible disaster that is often accompanied by many deaths.

• subdue

  When you subdue something, such as an enemy or emotions, you defeat or bring them under control.

• surmise

  If you surmise why something has occurred, you make a guess, offer a possibility, or have a theory about it.

• besiege

  When a person is besieged, they are excessively bothered or overwhelmed by questions or other matters requiring their attention; likewise, when a city is besieged, it is surrounded by enemy forces.

• epicene

  The adjective epicene refers to having both feminine and masculine traits.

• genotype

  An individual's genotype is their genetic makeup that determines the physical traits that they as a particular individual possess.

• immure

  To immure something is to confine or enclose it within walls; likewise, immuring someone is the incarceration of them.

• plebiscite

  A plebiscite is a direct vote by an electorate of a state or entire nation to determine whether to accept or refuse a proposed measure or important public question.

• tense

  If you are tense, you are worried or nervous about something.

• cycle

  A cycle is a period of time that eventually repeats itself.

• introduce

  When you introduce two people, you present them to each other so they can get to know one another.

• technique

  A technique is a special way or skill to do something.

• define

  When you define something, such as a word, you state or explain its meaning.

• advice

  When you give someone advice, you help them by telling them what to do.

• contribute

  When you contribute to something, such as a good cause, you give money or help to it.

• incline

  An incline is an area or surface that can go up or down; it has a slope that rises or falls.

• collapse

  When something collapses, such as a bridge or building, it falls down suddenly.

• decide

  When you decide something, you make a choice, usually after thinking about it.

• emerge

  When something emerges, it comes out or appears so that it can be seen.

• antique

  Something antique is both old and valuable.

• completely

  If something is completely done, it is fully or all finished.

• globe

  A globe is a ball-shaped object; this word also commonly refers to a model of planet Earth or to Earth itself.

• entire

  If you eat an entire pie, you eat the whole thing.

• confuse

  Something that confuses you is hard to understand; it is so unclear that you cannot figure it out.

• displace

  When one thing displaces another, it takes its position or place and forces that other thing to leave.

• inspire

  If someone inspires you, they make you want to do something, such as be a better person, do something creative, or be like them in a good way.

• couple

  A couple is two things or people that are usually like one another in some way.

• reverse

  When something is reversed, it is changed to something completely different.

• conceive

  When you conceive something, such as an idea or plan, you form, imagine, or create it.

• deceive

  When you deceive another person, you trick them in some way, often by making them believe that something is true when it is not.

• describe

  When you describe something, you say what it is like or explain it.

• compare

  When you compare two things, you find out how those things are like—and not like—each other.

• pace

  Pace is how fast someone is walking or running.

• guidelines

  Guidelines are rules, directions, or advice that you follow in order to do something.

• guidelines

  Guidelines are rules, directions, or advice that you follow in order to do something.

• accuse

  If you accuse someone of doing something, such as a crime or other bad action, you say that they did it.

• assure

  When you assure someone, you make that person feel sure about something.

• deprive

  When someone deprives you of something, they keep it away from you so that you have none of it.

• devote

  When you devote yourself to something, such as helping the homeless or being the best student you can be, you spend a lot of time and put forth a lot of effort doing it.

• observe

  When you observe something, you watch it carefully to see what is happening.

• confine

  You confine a person or thing by limiting them or it; for example, you might limit where someone can go or limit your research to just one specific topic.

• dense

  Something dense is very thick and contains a lot of things in a small area, such as a forest where there are many trees very close together.

• judge

  When you judge something, you figure it out or make a choice about it.

• imagine

  When you imagine something, you create it or dream it up in your mind by forming a picture or an idea about it.

• collide

  When two things collide, such as cars or trains, they smash together or crash into each other.

• convince

  When you convince someone, you make that person see that something is true—or you get them to believe it.

• demonstrate

  When you demonstrate something, you show it clearly or present it for people to see.

• absolute

  If you know something with absolute certainty, you are total or complete in your belief.

• declare

  When you declare something, you say something official that is important, true, or happening right now.

• cease

  When something ceases, it stops, ends, or finishes.

• distribute

  When you distribute something, you hand it out or spread it around to a number of people.

• mature

  Someone who is mature has grown fully in all ways as a person.

• achieve

  When you achieve something, such as a high grade in math or running a mile, you do it successfully.

• explore

  When you explore something, such as another country, you go into it to find out all about it.

• extremely

  If it is extremely hot or cold, it is very or greatly hot or cold.

• state

  The state of something is how it stands, what shape it is in, or how it is right now.

• style

  The style of something is how it is done or the way in which it is made.

• prepare

  When you prepare for something, such as a test, you get ready for it.

• statement

  A statement is something that someone says or writes, often to give out information.

• purchase

  When you purchase something, you buy it to own it.

• solve

  To solve a problem is to figure it out by finding an answer to it.

• provide

  When you provide things for someone, you give them what they need or want.

• opposite

  The opposite of something is a wholly unlike thing, such as dark instead of light or hot instead of cold.

• source

  The source of something is where it comes from or what causes it.

• surface

  The surface of something, such as a lake or a table, is the top layer or part of it.

• release

  When you release something, such as a bird, you let it go or give it freedom.

• remove

  When you remove something, you take it away from or off something else.

• reserve

  When you reserve something, you keep it for yourself so that you are able to use it when you need to.

• reduce

  When you reduce something, you make it smaller in size or amount.

• privilege

  A privilege is a right or freedom that people have to do something, such as vote or drive a car.

• senseless

  If you do something senseless, there is no purpose or good reason for doing it; it is also often harmful or foolish.

• resource

  A resource is something that you can use to help you do something, such as wood to build a house, sunlight to create energy, or money to create a business.

• volume

  The volume of something is how loud it is, such as of a voice or sound; it can also be how much there is of it, such as the amount of space in a glass or box.

• pause

  A pause is a short period of rest or stop in an activity of some kind.

• postpone

  When you postpone doing something, you wait and do it at another time.

• relate

  When you relate two things, you show how they are linked to or like one another.

• invade

  When one country invades another, it goes into it to attack it.

• survive

  If you survive something, such as a difficult time or trouble, you manage to make it through or live to tell of it.

• determine

  When you determine something, you figure it out or decide about it.

• mere

  The word mere is used to point out that something is small or of little importance in comparison with other similar things.

• pursue

  When you pursue something, you chase after it to catch it.

• noble

  People who are noble are born into a very high social class; they are both wealthy and powerful.

• preserve

  When you preserve something, such as a forest or food, you take care of it to keep it from being used or harmed.

• update

  When you update something, you make it have the latest information or news.