Vocab 7-9 7th grade

Accelerate

(v.) to speed up, cause to move faster

syn: quicken

Bystander

(n.) one who looks on or observes, a person present but not taking part

syn: onlooker

Canvass

(v.) to go through an area in order to procure votes, sales, or opinions; to go over in detail; to discuss

syn: solicit

Casual

(adj.) happening by change or on an irregular basis; showing litter concern; informal

syn: offhand

Downtrodden

(adj.) treated unfairly and cruelly, oppressed

syn: mistreated

Entice

(v.) to attract, tempt

syn: lure

Erode

(v.) to wear away gradually

syn: corrode

Flounder

(v.) to thrash about in a clumsy or ineffective way

syn: wallow, struggle

Graphic

(adj.) lifelike, vivid; relating to the pictorial arts

syn: colorful

Gruesome

(adj.) horrible, revolting, ghastly

syn: gory

Melachony

(adj.) sad, gloomy, unhappy; (n.) sadness, gloominess

syn: depressed

Ordeal

(n.) a difficult or painful experience, a trial

syn: hardship

Parch

(v.) to make dry and thirsty; to shrivel with heat

syn: dehydrate

Persist

(v.) to continue steadily in a course of action, refuse to stop or be changed; to last, remain

syn: perservere

Puny

(adj.) of less than normal strength or size; no importance

syn: weak

Quibble

(v.) to evade or belittle a point by twisting words or raising minor objections; (n.) a petty objection

syn: squabble

Ratify

(v.) to approve, give formal approval to, confirm

syn: endorse

Regal

(adj.) royal, King like; fit for a king

syn: majestic

Stifle

(v.) to smother, prevent from breathing; to hold back or choke off

syn: strangle

Vital

(adj.) having life, living; necessary to life, essential; key, crucial

syn: indispensable

Abnormal

(adj.) not usual, not typical, strange

Capsize

(v.) to turn bottom side up

Catastrophe

(n.) A large-scale disaster, misfortune, or failure

Decrease

(v.) to become or make less; (n.) a lessening

Disputatious

(adj.) inclined to argue or debate; provoking debate

Evict

(v.) to force out from a property, eject

Flourish

(v.) to grow thrive, be prosperous

Insubordinate

(adj.) disobedient, rebellious

Incentive

(n.) a reason for doing something

Legible

(adj.) easily read

Nub

(n.) the central point or heart of matter

Onslaught

(n.) A violent attack; a sudden rush

Ordain

(v.) to establish by law; to order or command; to appoint as a priest or minister

Outstrip

(v.) to get ahead of, do better than, exceedpe

Pervade

(v.) to spread throughout

Prudent

(adj.) cautious, careful, showing good sensequ

Quench

(v.) to put out, extinguish, end

Remnant

(n.) a small part remaining behind

Simultaneous

(adj.) happening or existing at the same time

Swerve

(v.) to turn aside sharply; (n.) a sharp or sudden turn

Brawl

(n.) a noisy quarrel or fight; (v.) to fight nor quarrel noisily

Detest

(v.) to hate, dislike very much, loathe

Flaw

(n.) a slight fault, defect, crack

Fluster

(v.) to make or become confused, agitated, or nervous

Momentum

(n.) the force or speed with which something moves

Perjury

(n.) the act of swearing to a lie

Presume

(v.) to take for granted, assume or suppose; to date, take upon oneself

Proficient

(adj.) skilled, expert, capable in any field or activity

Vigilant

(adj.) wide-awake, alert, volley

Wrath

(n.) intense anger

Amiss

(adj.) faulty, imperfect; not as it should be; (adv.) in a mistaken or improper way