New Words for Grade 10

100 Words list: 2020-03-28, 2019-02-28

makeshift   a. serving as a temporary substitute; sufficient for the time being
ready   v. prepare someone or something for an activity or purpose
by far   ad. far and away, much more of a particular quality than anything else
depict   v. show or represent by a drawing, painting, or other art forms
congregate   v. gather into a crowd or mass
chant   v. say or shout repeatedly in a singsong tone
curfew   n. a regulation requiring people to remain indoors between specified hours, typically at night
menace   n. a person or thing that is likely to cause harm
curate   v. select, organize, and look after the items in a collection or exhibition
binge-watch   v. watch multiple episodes of a television program in rapid succession
stellar   a. of an extremely high standard
dropout   n. a person who has abandoned a course of study
free fall   v. move under the force of gravity only; fall rapidly
shoot up   v. increase quickly by a large amount
mitigation   n. action of reducing the severity, seriousness, or painfulness of something
perusal   n. the action of reading or examining something
surfeit   n. an excessive amount of something
seminal   a, strongly influencing later developments
out of the woods   ad. out of danger or difficulty
contain   v. control or restrain
row   n. a noisy acrimonious quarrel
dampen   v. make less strong or intense
refute   v. prove something to be wrong or false; disprove
hashtag   n. a word or phrase preceded by a hash or pound sign to identify messages
grant   n. a sum of money given by an organization, especially a government
pilfer   v. steal, typically things of relatively little value
bid   n. an attempt to achieve or get something
news outlet   n. a newspaper, television company or other mass media which publishes news stories
reveal   v. make secret information known to others
entail   v. cause something as a necessary or inevitable part or consequence
getaway   n. an escape or quick departure, especially after committing a crime  
surveillance   n. close observation, especially of a suspected spy or criminal 
bring to its knees   v. almost defeat someone, or to make them extremely weak
sack   v. plunder and destroy a captured town, building, or other place
acquire   v. buy an object or asset for oneself, take over
envision   v. imagine as a future possibility; visualize
phenomenal   a. very remarkable; extraordinary
missionary   n. a person sent on a religious mission, especially one sent to promote Christianity in a foreign country
at times   ad. at intervals: occasionally, from time to time
stir   v. call forth, provoke, rouse to activity
in the wake of   ad. happening after an event or as a result of it
smear   v. coat or mark something messily or carelessly with a greasy or sticky substance
operative   n. a worker, especially a skilled one in a manufacturing industry
blow cover   v. expose true identity or motives after they had been intentionally
plague   v. cause continual trouble or distress to
categorical   a. unambiguously explicit and direct
holocaust   n. destruction or slaughter on a mass scale, especially caused by fire or nuclear war
nudity   n. the state or fact of being naked
sequence   n. a part of a film dealing with one particular event or topic
pretense   n. an attempt to make something that is not the case appear true
venue   n. place where something happens, especially an organized big event
down to earth   a. with no illusions or pretensions; practical and realistic
tarmac   n. an area of ground covered with a hard surface, esp. the areas where planes land and take off
vibrant   a. full of energy and enthusiasm
scattershot   a. broadly and often randomly inclusive
hit   n. a great success
gastronomy   n. practice or art of choosing, cooking, and eating good food
paraglide   n. recreational sport of soaring from a slope or a cliff using a modified parachute
bolster   v. support or strengthen; prop up
nurture   v. further the development of
sensationalize   v. present information about (something) in a way that provokes public interest and excitement  
mitigate    v. make less severe, serious, or painful 
curtailment   n. action or fact of reducing or restricting something
timber   n. wood prepared for use in building and carpentry
doom   n. an unpleasant or disastrous destiny
none the less   ad. in spite of that; nevertheless
dog   v. follow (someone or their movements) closely and persistently
scuffle   n. an unceremonious and disorganized struggle
confederate   n. a person one works with, especially in something secret or illegal
pitch black   a. completely dark; as black as pitch
creak   v. make a high-pitched, screeching noise
deplorable   a. of very poor quality or condition
irreparable   a. impossible to repair, rectify, or amend
groom   n. a person employed to take care of horses
page   n. a young person employed in a hotel or other establishment to run errands, open doors, etc
regurgitation   n. action of bringing swallowed food up again to mouth
whish   v. make a sibilant sound
predominate   v. appear very large or occupy a commanding position
eclipse   v. be greater in significance than
bustle   v. move or cause to move energetically or busily
dangle   v. hang freely
creep   v. occur or develop gradually
syllable   n. the least bit of expression; slightest detail, as of something said
populist   n. person of a political party seeking to represent the interests of ordinary people
imperative   n. an essential or urgent thing
homespun   a. simple and unsophisticated
offbeat   a. unconventional; unusual
ride   v. travel in a vehicle, such as a car, bus, or train
ragtag   a. untidy, disorganized, or incongruously varied in character
start in   v. attack verbally; begin to criticize
raunchy   a. earthy, vulgar, and often sexually explicit
poolroom   n. a commercial establishment where pool or billiard games are played
stroll   v. walk in a leisurely way
last-gasp   a. done at the last possible moment, typically in desperation
disperse   v. distribute or spread over a wide area
transfix   v. cause someone to become motionless with horror or wonder
feel at home   v. feel as if one belongs, feel accepted
rack   v. cause extreme physical or mental pain to
hysterical   a. deriving from or affected by uncontrolled extreme emotion
preacher   n. a person who delivers a sermon publicly