Skyrim

spark

/spɑːrk/

noun, verb
A small fiery particle or flash of light; a small amount or trace of a feeling or quality; something that triggers a reaction or event.
To ignite or cause something to begin or happen suddenly.

He saw a spark fly from the fire.
There was a spark of interest in her eyes.
The speech was the spark that started the protest.
Her comment sparked a heated debate.
The news sparked excitement across the whole team.

bleak

/bliːk/

adjective

Cold, empty, and unpleasant; without hope or encouragement; depressing.

The landscape was bleak and covered in snow.

The future looks bleak for the struggling company.

She gave him a bleak stare.

It was a bleak day, both weather-wise and emotionally.

He faced the bleak reality of unemp

loyment.

barrow

/ˈbær.oʊ/

noun

A cart with two handles and usually one or two wheels, used for carrying loads (short for "wheelbarrow");

An ancient burial mound made of earth or stones.

He loaded the soil into the barrow and wheeled it away.

The gardener pushed the barrow full of compost across the yard.

They discovered ancient bones in the barrow near the village.

The barrow stood alone on the hill, silent and mysterious.

He bought a new barrow for moving bricks around

the site.

fatigue

/fəˈtiːɡ/

noun, verb

Extreme tiredness or exhaustion, often from mental or physical effort; in military terms, non-combat duties;

To tire out or exhaust someone.

She felt deep fatigue after the long shift.

Mental fatigue can affect your ability to concentrate.

The soldiers were worn down by fatigue.

Driving for hours on end fatigued him.

The repetitive work fatigued the muscles

quickly.

grind

/ɡraɪnd/

verb, noun

To crush or break something into very small pieces or powder; to rub something together with force; to work hard or persistently over time.

A repetitive or tedious task or routine; hard, monotonous work.

He used a machine to grind the coffee beans.

The gears began to grind loudly as the engine failed.

She had to grind through hours of boring paperwork.

Studying for finals can feel like a real grind.

You could hear the metal grind against the

concrete.

forge

/fɔːrdʒ/

verb, noun

To make or shape something, often metal, by heating and hammering; to create or develop something strong or lasting; to produce a fake copy of something.

A blacksmith’s workshop or furnace.

The blacksmith forged a sword from iron.

They forged a strong friendship over the years.

She forged her signature on the document.

The treaty helped forge peace between the two countries.

He works at a forge crafting cust

om tools.

dagger

/ˈdæɡ.ər/

noun

A short knife with a pointed blade, used as a weapon; a symbol of danger, betrayal, or intense emotion.

He drew a dagger from his belt.

The assassin carried a hidden dagger.

Jealousy stabbed at him like a dagger.

The villain’s words were like daggers to her heart.

A silver dagger lay beside the ancient scroll.

dull

/dʌl/

adjective, verb

Not sharp, bright, or lively; lacking interest, excitement, or clarity; slightly dark or cloudy.

To make or become less sharp, intense, or lively.

The knife is too dull to cut properly.

It was a dull and rainy afternoon.

His lecture was so dull that several students fell asleep.

The pain dulled after a few hours.

Her excitement dulled as the day

went on.

rack

/ræk/

noun, verb

A framework or stand used for holding or storing things; severe physical or mental suffering.

To place or arrange on a rack; to cause extreme pain, stress, or effort.

She hung her coat on the rack by the door.

The wine rack holds twelve bottles.

He was racked with guilt after the accident.

The intense training racked his body with exhaustion.

Books were neatly arranged on the woo

den rack.

preside

/prɪˈzaɪd/

verb

To be in a position of authority at a meeting, ceremony, or event; to lead or be in charge of something.

The judge presided over the courtroom with confidence.

She will preside at the company’s annual meeting.

He presided over the wedding ceremony.

A moderator presided during the debate.

The manager presides over all department ope

rations.

crawl

/krɔːl/

verb, noun

To move slowly on hands and knees or with the body close to the ground; to progress very slowly.

A slow or dragging movement.

The baby began to crawl across the floor.

We had to crawl through the narrow tunnel.

Traffic crawled along the highway during rush hour.

He felt a spider crawl up his arm.

The project is moving at a crawl due t

o delays.

pity

/ˈpɪt.i/

noun, verb

A feeling of sorrow or compassion caused by someone else's suffering or misfortune.

To feel sorry for someone.

She felt deep pity for the injured animal.

He looked at her with pity in his eyes.

They don't want your pity, only your respect.

I pity anyone who has to work in those conditions.

You shouldn’t pity him—he’s stronger than

he looks.

jest

/dʒest/

noun, verb

A joke or witty remark; something said or done for amusement.

To speak or act playfully or humorously.

His comment was made in jest, not meant to offend.

They laughed at his clever jest during the dinner.

Don’t take her words seriously—she was only jesting.

He jests even in serious situations.

The king enjoyed the jester’s endle

ss jests.

gullible

/ˈɡʌl.ə.bəl/

adjective

Easily tricked or deceived; too willing to believe what others say.

She’s so gullible, she believed the story about flying pigs.

Gullible tourists are often targeted by scammers.

He tricked his gullible little brother into doing his chores.

Don’t be so gullible—check the facts first.

The con artist preyed on gullible

victims.

splinter

/ˈsplɪn.tər/

noun, verb

A small, thin, sharp piece broken off from a larger object, especially wood or glass.

To break into small sharp fragments; to separate into smaller groups.

He got a splinter in his finger from the wooden chair.

Be careful—there are splinters on that broken bench.

The glass splintered when it hit the floor.

The party splintered into rival factions.

She used tweezers to remove the

splinter.

innocent

/ˈɪn.ə.sənt/

adjective, noun
Not guilty of a crime or offense; lacking experience or knowledge of the world; pure or harmless.
A person who is not guilty or is naive.

The jury found him innocent of all charges.
She gave him an innocent smile.
He’s just an innocent child—don’t blame him.
They claimed the prisoners were innocent.
The novel's main character is a young innocent caught in a corrupt system.

retrieve

/rɪˈtriːv/

verb

To get something back; to recover or regain possession of something; to bring back information or memories.

She ran to retrieve her lost bag.

The dog retrieved the ball from the lake.

He struggled to retrieve the file from his old computer.

They were unable to retrieve the stolen data.

The smell of fresh bread retrieved memories of her ch

ildhood.

redemption

/rɪˈdemp.ʃən/

noun

The act of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil; the act of gaining something back or making something better; repayment or recovery of something pledged.

He prayed for redemption after years of crime.

Her actions were a form of redemption for past mistakes.

The movie is a story of guilt and eventual redemption.

He made a donation as a kind of redemption.

The company offered coupon redemption at any store l

ocation.