New Words for Grade 12

100 Words list: 2021-05-02, 2020-06-13

disentangle   v. separate things that have become joined or confused
tease out   v. try to get information or understand a meaning that is hidden or not clear
brittle   a. hard but liable to break or shatter easily
geometrical   a. consisting of lines and simple shapes; of or relating to or determined by the geometry
microcosm   n. a small place, society, or situation that has the same characteristics as something much larger
lean into   v. pursue some task or activity with great effort
strive   v. make great efforts to achieve or obtain something
lattice   n. a structure made from strips of wood or other material that cross over each other with spaces between
swab   n. a small piece of soft material at the end of a thin stick, used for cleaning something or for putting on medicine
lesion   n. a region in an organ or tissue which has suffered damage through injury or disease
salience   n. the fact of being important to or connected with what is happening or being discussed
deplete   v. use up the supply or resources of
ozone   n. a poisonous form of oxygen, a colorless unstable toxic gas with a pungent odor
pathogen   n. a bacterium, virus, or other microorganisms that can cause disease
metastasize   v. spread to other parts of the body and cause tumors to grow there.
hype   n. extravagant or intensive publicity or promotion
topple   v. cause to turn over
go-to   a. regularly or repeatedly chosen
approach   v. speak to (someone) for the first time about something, typically with a proposal or request
triage   n. (in medical use) the assignment of degrees of urgency to decide the order of treatment
extrapolate   v. extend the application to an unknown situation by assuming that existing trends will continue
algorithm   n. a process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem
olfactory   a. relating to the sense of smell
canine   a. relating to or resembling a dog or dogs
exacerbate   v. make (a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling) worse
disseminate   v. spread (something, especially information) widely
cull   v. kill the weaker or selective animals in a group in order to reduce their numbers
mutate   v. change or cause to change in form or nature
moratorium   n. a temporary prohibition of an activity
eviction   n. the action of expelling someone, especially a tenant, from a property
laud   v. praise highly, especially in a public context
misstep   v. a clumsy or badly judged step
precocious   a. (of a child) having developed certain abilities at an earlier age than usual
motor   n. a source of power, energy, or motive force
stark   a. severe or bare in appearance or outline
strain   n. a severe or excessive demand on the strength, resources, or abilities of someone or something
vaccinate   v. treat with a vaccine to produce immunity against a disease
meticulously   ad. in a way that shows great attention to detail; very thoroughly
fertility   n. a woman’s ability to have babies
tome   n. a book, especially a large, heavy, scholarly one
rallying cry   n. people join together to support an idea, cause, etc.
morsel   n. a small piece or amount of food; a small piece or amount
domination   n. the exercise of control or influence over someone or something
smirk   v. smile in an irritatingly conceited or silly way
smugly   ad. in a way that shows excessive satisfaction or pride in oneself
only to   ad. to highlight an upsetting, disappointing, or unpleasant action that occurred after something else
abound   v. exist in large numbers or amounts
mire   v. cause to become stuck in the mud
cozy up   v. attain or try to attain familiarity, friendship, or intimacy
low-yield   a. used to describe investments that do not pay much income
tally   v. calculate the total number of
scrutiny   n. critical observation or examination
reincarnation   n. the rebirth of a soul in a new body
sport   v. wear or display
bounty   n. things given in generous amounts
wield   v. hold and use (a weapon or tool)
purportedly   ad. as appears or is stated to be true, though not necessarily so
spill   v. spread profusely or beyond bounds
subpoena   n. a legal document ordering someone to appear in a law court
marginally   ad. to only a limited extent; slightly
haptic   a. relating to the sense of touch
acoustic   a. relating to sound or the sense of hearing
dieback   n. a condition in which a tree begins to die from the tip of its leaves or roots backwards
severity   n. fact or condition of being severe
creaky   a. bad in some way because it is old or old-fashioned
ill-timed   a. occurring at or planned for an unsuitable time
terrace   v. make sloping land into a number of level flat areas resembling a series of steps
irrigation   n. supply of water to land or crops to help growth, typically by means of channels
vilification   n. abusively disparaging speech or writing
frenzied   a. wildly excited or uncontrolled
prime-time   n. regularly occurring time at which a television audience is expected to be greatest
stipend   n. a fixed regular sum paid as a salary or allowance
collaborator   n. a person who works jointly on an activity or project; an associate
enshrine   v. place a revered or precious object in an appropriate receptacle
infringe   v. actively break the terms of a law or agreement
knack   n. an acquired or natural skill at performing a task
unabashed   a. not embarrassed, disconcerted, or ashamed
influencer   n. a person or thing that influences another
drop shipper   n. agent, distributor, or retailer who earns a commission on orders passed on to the manufacturer or original supplier
knock off   n. a copy that sells for less than the original
blatant   a. done openly and unashamedly
barbaric   a. savagely cruel; exceedingly brutal
brand   v. consider or refer to something as being bad
culminate   v. reach a climax or point of highest development
bear no resemblance   v. not be similar to someone or something else
bolster   v. support or strengthen; prop up
ramp up   v. increase or cause to increase in the amount
cull   v. kill animals, especially the weaker members of them, in order to reduce or limit their number
mink   n. a small animal with valuable fur that is used to make expensive coats, or the fur from this animal
draconian   a. excessively harsh and severe
chatter   n. incessant trivial talk
skirmish   n. an episode of irregular fighting, especially between small parts of armies or fleets
stunned   a. so shocked that one is temporarily unable to react; astonished
incursion   n. an invasion or attack, especially a sudden or brief one
afloat   a. out of debt or difficulty
prose   n. written language in its ordinary form rather than poetry
implication   n. a conclusion that can be drawn from something, although it is not explicitly stated
grapple   v. engage in a close fight or struggle without weapons
rowdy   a. noisy and disorderly
grubby   a. dirty; grimy