wind up
v. come to be in a particular situation or condition, especially a bad onehope against hope
v. hope very strongly that something will happen, although you know it is not likelyLeon winds up hiding in one of the secret rooms, surviving along with other children, waiting, hoping against hope that his mother will be released from prison.
strain
n. a severe or excessive demand on the strength, resources, or abilities of someone or somethingvaccinate
v. treat with a vaccine to produce immunity against a diseaseThe NHS is under severe strain and we must take action to protect it, both so doctors can continue to save lives and so they can vaccinate as many people as possible.
in a bid
ad. in an attemptstem
v. prevent, stop, or deterWith a highly transmissible new variant of the virus surging across Britain, Johnson is rushing out vaccines faster than the country’s neighbors in a bid to stem the pandemic.
meticulously
ad. in a way that shows great attention to detail; very thoroughlyfertility
n. a woman’s ability to have babiesThe U.S. is on track for a 0.13 drop in the total fertility rate, the biggest one-year decline since the 1970s, according to the latest estimates from an agency that meticulously studies this sort of thing.
baby bust
n. a temporary marked decrease in the birth ratework out
v. solve a problem by doing a calculationIt all works out to fewer New Year’s babies; the baby bust could mean some 320,000 children who statistically would have likely been born in 2021 but won't because of the pandemic.
tome
n. a book, especially a large, heavy, scholarly onerallying cry
n. people join together to support an idea, cause, etc.Part scientific tome, part rallying cry against humans’ impulse to interfere with the natural world, that's the Yellowstone Wolves.
aspen
n. a poplar tree with rounded, long-stalked, and typically coarsely toothed leavesunfettered
a. unrestrained or uninhibitedYellowstone’s aspens and other vegetation have rebounded; beavers, who rely on the willows the unfettered elk once ate, are flourishing.
morsel
n. a small piece or amount of food; a small piece or amountdomination
n. the exercise of control or influence over someone or somethingThe complaints filed Wednesday are full of anecdotal morsels assembled to show that Facebook has systematically marched toward domination.
enforcer
n. a person or group that compels observance of or compliance with a lawuncharted
a. not mapped or surveyedAfter years of inaction from enforcers that left so much legal territory uncharted, there’s a chance to start drawing a map.
abound
v. exist in large numbers or amountsmire
v. cause to become stuck in the mudCultural distractions abound and church attendance is dropping, and faith leaders mired in the scandal are struggling to figure out how to connect with the next generations.
pew
n. a long bench with a back, placed in rows in the main part of some churchesplay out
v. become spent, unfoldIt’s playing out in the pews, where church attendance is down, where those of faith say they feel increasingly marginalized.
cozy up
v. attain or try to attain familiarity, friendship, or intimacylow-yield
a. used to describe investments that do not pay much income