Vocabulary 1

Adulterate - To corrupt; to make worse by addiction

-- The water supply had been ^^adulterated^^ with chemicals from the soil.

Ambidextrous - Able to use both hands

-- "Actually, I'm ^^ambidextrous^^."

Augment - To make larger, increase

-- He would have to find work to ^^augment^^ his income.

Bereft - Deprived of; empty of

-- The team now seems ^^bereft^^ of inspiration.

Deploy - To position or arrange

-- She was trying to ^^deploy^^ her forces for her premeditated attack.

Dour - Stern, gloomy

-- That word sounds very ^^dour^^.

Fortitude - Courage in facing difficulty

-- The family demonstrated remarkable ^^fortitude^^ through the difficulties.

Gape - To stare open-mouthed

-- He wanted to ^^gape^^ in astonishment but didn't dare.

Gibe - To utter taunting words

-- I knew Vera was not my friend when she made a ^^gibe^^ about my weight.

Guise - An external appearance; mask

-- Time wears a strangely different ^^guise^^ out of doors.

Insidious - Intended to deceive

-- The changes are ^^insidious^^.

Intimation - Hint/Indirect suggestion

-- His lordship had given no ^^intimation^^ of his return.

Opulent - Wealthy, luxurious

-- Most of the cash went on supporting his ^^opulent^^ lifestyle.

Pliable - Easily bent, flexible

-- Baskets made from them are particularly ^^pliable^^ and durable.

Reiterate - To say again, repeat

-- Let me ^^reiterate^^ the most important points.

Stolid - No easily moved; unresponsive

-- They listen in ^^stolid^^ silence.

Tentative - Uncertain, hesitant

-- I passed on my ^^tentative^^ conclusions to the police.

Unkempt - Untidy, unpolished

-- He was a man with ^^unkempt^^ hair and an expressionless face.

Verbatim - Word for word

-- He reported the speech ^^verbatim^^.

Warily - Cautiously; with great care

-- They followed them ^^warily^^.