Peter the Great - List 7 - P79-89

anemometer

an instrument for measuring the force of the wind.

apologizing

1 to make an apology 2 to say sorry for having done something wrong or badly.

asthmatic

someone who suffers from asthma, a disease which makes breathing difficult at times.

chat

to have a friendly talk; noun, a friendly or informal talk with someone;

gnawed

to keep biting something that is hard.

pleasantries

a pleasant remark, especially one made in casual conversation.

predict

to say what is going to happen before it happens

coffins

the long box in which a corpse is buried or cremated.

foundry

a place where metal or glass is melted or moulded

gutter

a long, narrow channel at the side of a street or along the edge of a roof, which carries rainwater away.

mint

1 a place where coins are made 2 a green plant with fragrant leaves used for flavoring 3 a boiled sweet flavored with pepper-mint;

observatory

a building equipped with telescopes for observing the stars, planets, etc.

operated

1 to work in a certain way 2 to make something work 3 to carry out a surgical operation on somebody

perching

to sit or stand on the edge of something or on something small

tradesmen

a craftsman

cultivating

1 to try to make something grow or develop 2 to use land to grow crops;

gluttony

greed or excessive eating.

lawn

an area of mown grass in a garden.

loin

a joint of meat

onerous

burdensome

paintings

a painted picture

pruned

something (e.g. a tree or a bush) which has its unwanted parts cut off.

reveled

to make merry.

riddled

with many holes in it.

typical

1 normal 2 usual 3 belonging to a particular type

veal

calf's flesh, which is used as food.

weighing

1 to have a certain weight 2 to find out how heavy something is 3 “to weigh down” to hold something down 4 “to weigh up” estimate or consider.

wheelbarrows

a small cart with one wheel at the front and two handles at the back.

accomplished

to complete or achieve successfully.

declarations

1 a formal statement or announcement 2 the act of declaring.

flustered

nervous and confused

gondola

a boat with high pointed ends, mainly used on the canals in Venice;

impetuous

liable to act hastily.

recruitment

the act of getting people to join an organization, especially an army.

beady

like beads, especially describing eyes that are small and bright.

exorcise

to drive out evil spirits

on the verge of

just about to

single-mindedness

with only one purpose in mind

sprouted

1 to start to grow 2 to produce leaves.

technical

1 concerned with machinery or the way that things work 2 in a strict legal sense

tour

a journey visiting several places

dogmatic

1 arrogant 2 given to imposing personal opinions on others

glares

1 to look angrily at somebody 2 to shine with a very bright or dazzling light;

snipped

to cut a small piece or pieces off something.

convent

a place where nuns live and work.

offender

someone who commits a crime or offence.

treasonous

someone who betrays one's country,often by planning to kill the sovereign or overthrow the government.

unhealthy

not healthy

horseshoes

a U-shaped piece of metal nailed to a horse's hoof to protect it

kindred spirits

a person whose attitudes or interests are similar to one's own.

rebels

refuse to obey someone in authority, especially the government

straighten

to make or become straight.

clean-shaven

without a beard or moustache.

disdained

to scorn

displeased

unsatisfied or annoyed;

flattening

to make or become flat.

joint

1 the place where two bons fit together 2 a large piece of meat

shave

I to cut hair from the surface of the skin with a razor 2 to cut or scrape a thin slice off something;

whiskers

a hair growing on the face of a person or animal.

amuses

1 to make someone laugh or smile 2 to make time pass pleasantly for someone

damned

1 sent for punishment after your death 2 condemned;

anguished

suffering extreme misery or mental pain

relaxed

1 to become less stiff or less strict 2 to rest;

tufts

bunch of threads, grass, hair, feathers, etc. held or growing together

unsheathed

to take sword or knife out of its holder