banish v. drive out; drive away; compel to depart; dispel |
barrage n. artificial obstruction; heavy curtain of artillery fire; rapid, concentrated discharge of missiles |
barren a. desolate; fruitless and unproductive; lacking |
barter v. trade goods or services without the exchange of money |
batter v. beat with successive blows; beat repeatedly and with violence |
becalm v. keep from motion, or stop progress of; make calm or still |
beget v. produce; give rise to |
begrudge v. resent; give or expend with reluctance; be envious of |
belittle v. disparage or depreciate; put down |
benign a. kindly; favorable; not malignant |
bequeath v. leave to someone by a will; hand down |
blight v. blast; prevent the growth and fertility of; destroy the happiness of; ruin; frustrate |
bore v. drill; make a hole in or through, with or as if with a drill |
bountiful a. abundant; graciously generous; giving freely and generously |
bovine a. dull, slow-moving, and stolid, like an ox; placid and dull |
brazen a. having loud, usually harsh, resonant sound; shameless |
broadcast n. message that is transmitted by radio or television; radio or television show |
browbeat v. bully; intimidate; discourage or frighten with threats |
bulwark n. earthwork or other strong defense; person who defends |
burly a. husky; muscular and heavily built |
burrow n. tunnel; hole in the ground made by an animal for shelter; dig; move through by or as by digging |
cache n. hiding place; secret store of valuables or money |
calamity n. event that brings terrible loss, lasting distress, or severe affliction; disaster; misery |
caldron n. large kettle or boiler of copper, brass, or iron |
calligraphy n. beautiful writing; excellent penmanship |
camaraderie n. good-fellowship; companionship; close friendship in friends or teammates |
caper v. leap or jump about in a sprightly manner; skip; spring |
carcinogen n. any substance that produces cancer |
cataclysm n. an event resulting in great loss and misfortune; deluge or overflowing of water |
catastrophe n. calamity; disaster; state of extreme ruin and misfortune |
chamber n. a private room, typically a bedroom; compartment; a large room used for formal or public events |
chaotic a. in utter disorder; lacking visible order or organization |
chivalry n. knightly skill; courtesy towards women |
circumvent v. surround an enemy; enclose or entrap; beat by cleverness and wit |
cleave v. split with or as if with a sharp instrument; pierce or penetrate; remain faithful to |
cliche n. obvious remark; overused expression or idea |
clique n. small exclusive group of friends or associates |
clutch v. grasp and hold tightly; attempt to grasp or seize |
coax v. persuade or try to persuade by pleading or flattery; move to or adjust toward a desired end |
colloquial a. of informal spoken language or conversation; conversational or chatty |
commemorate v. serve as a memorial to; honor the memory of with a ceremony |
commiserate v. feel or express pity or sympathy for |
compassion n. sensation of sorrow excited by the distress or misfortunes of another; pity; commiseration |
comply v. yield assent; accord; agree, or acquiesce; adapt one's self; fulfill; accomplish |
concern n. interest in any person or thing; regard; solicitude; anxiety |
conclave n. a confidential or secret meeting |
condensation n. compression; the conversion of a vapor or gas to a liquid |
condolence n. expression of sympathy with another in sorrow or grief. |
confer v. bestow; present; have a conference in order to talk something over |
confirm v. support or establish the certainty or validity of; verify |
confiscation n. seizure by the government |
congenial a. pleasant or agreeable because suited to one's taste; compatible |
conglomeration n. a rounded spherical form; a sum total of many heterogenous things taken together |
consensus n. general agreement or accord; opinion reached by a group as a whole |
conservative a. favoring traditional views and values; tending to oppose change |
constable n. a police officer of the lowest rank; a lawman with less authority and jurisdiction than a sheriff |
construct v. form by assembling or combining parts; build; create |
contradiction n. assertion of contrary; denial of the truth of a statement or assertion; opposition, whether by argument or conduct |
contravened v. deny the truth of; go against, as of rules and laws |
convey v. carry from one place to another; bear or transport |
convoy v. accompany for protection, either by sea or land; attend for protection; escort |
corrupt a. changed from sound to putrid state; spoiled; tainted |