9th Grade Honors English Quarter 1 Napoli EHS

Adroit (Adjective)

skillful, expert in the use of the hands or mind

Many rodeo performers are \_______ at twirling a rope while on horseback.

Adulterate (verb)

To corrupt, make worse by the addition of something of lesser value

Hospitals take strict precautions to assure that nothing \_______ the blood supply.

Adversary

an enemy, opponent

A best friend off the tennis court can also be a fierce adversary on it.

Alienate (Verb)

to turn away; to make indifferent or hostile; to transfer, convey

Gossiping and backstabbing are bad habits that are bound to \_____ friends.

Ambidextrous (adjective)

able to use both hands equally well; very skillful; deceitful, hypocritical

Occasionally a teacher will come across a child who displays \_____abilities when taught to write.

Amicable (Adjective)

peaceable, friendly

Sometimes mediation by a neutral individual can lead to an \_______ settlement of a dispute.

Artifice (Noun)

a skillful or ingenious device; a clever trick; a clever skill; trickery

Even the most renowned art experts were completely taken in by the forger's \______.

Augment (verb)

to make larger, increase

Many couples have to \______ their income in order to pay the mortgage on a new home.

Averse (Adjective)

having a deep-seated distaste; opposed, unwilling

You are not likely to become a marathon runner if you are \______to strenuous exercise.

Belligerent (Adjective)

Given to fighting, warlike; combative, aggressive

I did not expect such a \_______ answer to my request for directions.

Benevolent (Adjective)

kindly, charitable

The newcomers had nothing but \________feelings towards all their neighbors.

Bereft (adjective)

deprived of; made unhappy through a loss

Individuals who live to be very old may eventually find themselves completely \______ of family and friends.

Coerce (Verb)

to compel, force

Dictators try to \_____ their subjects into obedience by threatening them or their families with punishment.

Craven (Adjective)

cowardly; a coward

Those who urged Great Britain to make peace with Hitler were criticized for their \______ attitude.

Culinary (Adjective)

of or related to cooking or the kitchen

Cooking shows on television have helped many people to master the secrets of the \_______arts.

Cursory (Adjective)

hasty, quick, not thorough

The mayor gave a final \______ glance at the text of her speech before mounting the podium.

Demise (Noun)

a death, especially of a person in a lofty position

Traditionally, the tolling of church bells has announced the \______ of a monarch.

Deploy (verb)

to position or arrange; to utilize; to form up

The government \______ troops to foreign countries for battle.

Dour (adjective)

stern, unyielding, gloomy, ill-humored

Old Benjamin in Animal Farm is a character with a \_____ disposition.

Duplicity (Noun)

treachery, deceitfulness

We found it difficult to believe that our good friend could be capable of such \_______.

Exhilarate (Verb)

to enliven, cheer, give spirit or liveliness to

The first landing on the moon, in the summer of 1969, \______ the nation.

Extol (Verb)

to praise extravagantly

Many inspiring stories and plays have been written that \________the heroic deeds of Mythological Gods.

Fallow (Adjective)

plowed but not seeded; inactive; reddish-yellow; land left unseeded; to plow but not seed

After a month without a date, I decided that my social life was definitely in a \_______ period.
In the drought-stricken region, there were millions of acres of \_______.

Feasible (Adjective)

possible, able to be done

Our city needs to develop a \_______ plan of action for dealing with storms and other emergencies.

Fortitude (noun)

courage in facing difficulties

The residents of the Mississippi delta showed remarkable \_______ during and after the flood that destroyed their homes and businesses.

Gape (verb)

to stare with open mouth; to open the mouth wide; to open wide

First-time visitors to Niagara Falls can be expected to \_______ at the spectacular sights nature has provided for them.

Gibe (verb)
(noun)

to utter taunting words; an expression of scorn

The recruits rushed into battle so that no one could \______ at them for cowardice.
Voters may reject a candidate who resorts to personal \______ instead of discussing the issues.

Grimace (Noun)

A wry face; facial distortion

The \_____ of the refugee in the photograph reveals the pain of homelessness.

Guise (noun)

an external appearance, cover, mask

The thieves gained entry to the home by presenting themselves in the \______ of police officers.

Harass (Verb)

To disturb, worry; to trouble by repeated attacks

The judge repeatedly cautioned the prosecuting attorney not to \______ the witness.

Holocaust (Noun)

a large-scale destruction, especially by fire; a vast slaughter; a burnt offering

Journalists at the time were eager to interview survivors of the Chicago \________.

Impervious (Adjective)

not affected or hurt by; admitting of no passage or entrance

It is best to store flour in a container with a plastic cover that is \______ to moisture.

Impetus (Noun)

a moving force, impulse, stimulus

The coming of winter gave a new \_____ to the appeals for food and clothing for needy families.

Inclement (Adjective)

stormy, harsh; severe in attitude or action

During an \____________ New England winter, heavy snowfalls may bring highway traffic to a standstill.

Insidious (Adjective)

intended to deceive or entrap; sly, treacherous

The investigators uncovered an \______ scheme to rob people of their life savings.

Intimation (noun)

a hint, indirect suggestion

They were too proud to give any \_____of their financial difficulties.

Jeopardy (Noun)

danger

Experienced hikers know that a single misstep can put their life into serious \________.

Liquidate (Verb)

to pay a debt, settle an account; to eliminate

After a profitable year, the business was able to \_______ its loan.

Meticulous (Adjective)

extremely careful; particular about details

If you have a full-time job outside of the home, you may find it difficult to be a \_______ housekeeper.

Muse (Verb)

to think about in a dreamy way, ponder

Philosophers have always \_______ on the meaning of life.

Negligible (Adjective)

so unimportant that it can be disregarded

After taxes are deducted, a small raise in salary may result in a \______ increase in take-home pay.

Nostalgia (Noun)

a longing for something past; homesickness

Looking at old scrapbooks and reading old letters can bring on a sense of \_____ for days gone by and friends no longer near.

Opulent (adjective)

wealthy, luxurious; ample; grandiose

The tour guide showed us the \______ living quarters of the royal family.

Perpetuate (Verb)

to make permanent or long lasting

In most cultures, people try to \_____ the customs of their ancestors.

Pliable (adjective)

easily bent, flexible; easily influenced

A piece of metal is not easily \_______.

Precedent (Noun)

an example that may serve as a basis for imitation or later action

We hope that students at other schools in our city will follow our \_______ in volunteer work and charitable contributions.

Punitive (Adjective)

inflicting or aiming at punishment

The general led a \________ expedition against the rebel forces.

Quintessence (Noun)

the purest essence or form of something; the most typical example

Risking one's own life to save the lives of others is considered the \______ of selfless bravery.

Redress (Verb)

to set right, remedy; relief from wrong or injury

An apology can go a long way to \_______ the hurt feelings caused by an insensitive comment or a thoughtless act.

Reiterate (verb)

to say again, repeat

Effective speakers often \________ an important statement for emphasis

Retrogress (Verb)

to move backward; to return to an earlier condition

In the novel, the survivors of a nuclear explosion \_______ into a state of barbarism and anarchy.

Scrutinize (Verb)

to examine closely

Lawyers are paid to \______ legal papers and explain the fine print to their clients.

Sojourn (Noun)

a temporary stay

No matter how short your \_______ in Paris, you must take time to go to the Louvre.

Stolid (adjective)

not easily moved mentally or emotionally; dull, unresponsive

\___people can generally be expected to take most things in stride.

Tentative (adjective)

experimental in nature; uncertain, hesitant

Negotiators have come up with a \______agreement that will keep both sides at the bargaining table past the strike deadline

Tepid (Adjective)

lukewarm; unenthusiastic, marked by an absence of interest

A cup of \_______ tea will not warm you up on a chilly morning.

Unkempt (adjective)

not combed; untidy; not properly maintained; unpolished, rude

According to my parents, the latest fashions make me and my friends look \________.

Urbane (Adjective)

refined in manner or style, suave

An \_______ host puts guests at ease by appearing totally confident and unruffled no matter what happens.

Verbatim (adjective)

word for word

Newspapers often publish the \_____ text of an important political speech.

Warily (adverb)

cautiously, with great care

The hikers made their way \________ up the steep and rocky trail.