safeguard
n. one who, or that which, defends or protects; defense; protection |
sagacity
n. quality of being sagacious; quickness or acuteness of sense perceptions; keenness of discernment; shrewdness |
savant
n. scholar; man of learning or science; one eminent for learning |
scarlet
a. of a brilliant red color |
scribble
v. write or draw carelessly and in a hurry; doodle; meaningless marks and lines |
secure
v. free from fear, care, or anxiety; not have reason to doubt |
sentry
n. soldier placed on guard; guard |
session
n. meeting devoted to a particular activity; time for school to hold classes |
shepherd
n. a herder of sheep; someone who keeps the sheep together in a flock |
siege
n. seat, especially a royal seat; throne; rank; grade; sitting before a fortified place; surrounding or investing of a place by army |
sieve
n. device to separate larger objects from smaller objects, or to separate solid objects from a liquid; utensil for separating; coarse basket |
singular
a. unique; extraordinary; being only one |
slovenly
a. messy and dirty; careless and excessively casual |
sneer
v. show contempt by turning up the nose, or by a particular facial expression; speak derisively; show mirth awkwardly |
sobriquet
n. nickname; familiar name for person, typically shortened version of given name |
solicitous
a. worried or concerned; full of desire; expressing care or concern |
speculate
v. assume to be true without conclusive evidence; engage in buying or selling of a commodity for profit |
splendor
n. magnificence; Great light or luster; brilliance; grandeur |
sprawl
v. extend; stretch; spread; sit or lie with the body and limbs spread out awkwardly |
spurn
v. reject disdainfully or contemptuously; scorn |
stifle
v. interrupt or cut off voice; keep in or hold back; suppress; conceal or hide |
strident
a. loud and harsh; insistent; high-pitched; rough-sounding |
stymie
v. present obstacle; stump; cause to fail or to leave hopelessly puzzled, confused, or stuck |
subjective
a. occurring or taking place in person's mind rather than external world; unreal |
subterfuge
n. pretense; something intended to misrepresent |
succinct
a. brief or compact; by clear, precise expression in few words |
succumb
v. submit to an overpowering force; yield to an overwhelming desire; give up or give in |
superfluous
a. being beyond what is required or sufficient |
surveillance
n. watching; inspection; close observation of a person or group; supervision |
tacit
a. indicated or understood without expressed directly; not speaking; silent |
taciturn
a. silent or reserved in speech; saying little; not inclined to speak or converse |
tactics
n. strategy; policy; plan for attaining a particular goal |
tarnish
v. make dirty or spotty; stain; dull the luster of; discolor, especially by exposure to air or dirt |
tedious
a. tiresome by reason of length, slowness, or dullness; progressing very slowly |
teem
v. be abuzz; be full of; move in large numbers |
tether
v. tie with rope; fasten or restrict with rope or chain |
theme
n. subject of conversation or discussion; topic; essay |
thicket
n. wood or collection of trees, shrubs |
threadbare
a. worn through till threads show; wearing old, shabby clothing; shabby and poor |
tract
n. expanse of land or water; system of organs that perform a specialized function; leaflet or pamphlet |
transition
n. going from one state of action to another |
tribute
n. payment in money made by one ruler or nation; tax; mark of respect; praiseworthy quality |
trident
n. a spear with three prongs |
turbulent
a. characterized by unrest or disorder |
tycoon
n. wealthy and powerful businessperson or industrialist; magnate |
unconscionable
a. lacking conscience; greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation |
undecipherable
a. not easily deciphered; not able to be read or understood |
underhanded
a. short-handed; clandestine; marked by deception |
underwrite
v. write under something else; subscribe; assume financial responsibility for; guarantee against failure |
ungainly
a. awkward; lacking grace in movement or posture |
unpronounceable
a. impossible or difficult to pronounce correctly; very difficult to pronounce correctly |
utensil
n. instrument, implement, or container for practical use, especially in kitchen or laboratory |
variegated
a. streaked, spotted, or marked with a variety of color; very colorful |
vaudeville
n. a variety show with songs and comic acts etc. |
velocity
n. rapidity or speed of motion; swiftness |
vicinity
n. state of being near in space or relationship; proximity |
vignette
n. unbordered picture, often a portrait; decorative design placed at beginning or end of book or chapter; short literary sketch |
vindication
n. act of vindicating, or state of being vindicated; defense; evidence or statements that justify a claim or belief |
violate
v. treat in a violent manner; abuse; do violence to; disturb; interrupt |
vocation
n. a person's employment or main occupation; career or profession |
wage
v. hazard on the event of a contest; stake; engage in, as a contest; adventure, or lay out, for hire or reward; hire; employ |
whittle
v. reduce or eliminate gradually, with knife; cut small bits off |
wither
v. shrivel; decay; lose freshness, vigor, or vitality; loss of moisture |
xenophobia
n. exaggerated or abnormal fear of strangers or foreigners |
zephyr
n. gentle breeze; west wind; any of various soft light fabrics, yarns, or garments |
zest
n. a piece of orange or lemon peel, used to give flavor to liquor; something that gives or enhances a pleasant taste; appetizer |