Secondary Meanings Vocabulary

alloy

to commingle; to debase by mixing with something inferior

appropriate

to take for one’s own use; to confiscate

arrest

to suspend; to engage; to hold one’s attention

august

majestic; venerable

bent

leaning; inclination; proclivity; tendency

broach

to bring up or announce; to begin to talk about

brook

to tolerate, endure, or countenance

cardinal

of great importance

color

to change as if by dyeing (i.e. to distort, gloss, or affect)

damp

to diminish the intensity or check the vibration of a sound, etc.

die

a part of a machine that punches shaped holes or cuts

essay

to test or try; to attempt or experiment

exact

to demand, call for, require or take

flag

to sag or droop; to become spiritless; to decline

flip

sarcastic; impertinent

ford

to wade across the shallow part of a river or stream

grouse

to complain or grumble

guy

a cord or cable used to steady or guide something

intimate

to imply, suggest, or insinuate

list

to tilt or lean to one side

lumber

to move heavily and clumsily

milk

to exploit; to squeeze every last ounce of

mince

to pronounce or speak affectedly; to speak too carefully; also, to take tiny steps or tiptoe

nice

exacting; fastiduious; extremly, even excessively, precise

obtain

to be established, accepted, or customary

occult

hidden; concealed; beyond comprehension

pedestrian

commonplace; trite; unremarkable; quotidian

pied

multicolored, usually in blotches or patches

pine

to lose vigor (as through grief); to yern

plastic

moldable; pliable; not rigid

prize

to pry; to press or force with a lever; something taken by force; spoils

rail

to complain about bitterly

rent

torn, put past tense of rend; an opening or tear caused by such

quail

to lose courage; to become frightened

qualify

to limit

sap

to enervate or weaken the vitality of

scurvy

contemptible; despicable

singular

exceptional; unusual; odd

steep

to saturate or completely soak

strut

to supporting structural cross-part of a wing

table

to remove (as a parliamentary motion) from consideration

tender

to proffer or offer; to give

waffle

to equivocate; to change one’s position

wag

wit; joker