Vocab Lesson 4

Front 1

Cessation

Back 1

A bringing or coming to an end; a halt
*The cessation of the loud drilling, from outside, enabled Ricardo to continue his flute lesson.

Front 2

Commence

Back 2

To begin
*The race commenced as the referee swiftly lowered the flag.

Front 3

Deter

Back 3

To prevent or discourage from acting, by means of fear or doubt
*The iciness of the roads deterred us from driving.

Front 4

Hamper

Back 4

A: To prevent from moving freely or making progress; to limit
*Chuck's painfully tight shoes hampered him on the dance floor.
B: A large basket, usually with a cover
*The hamper in the bathroom was overflowing with dirty clothes.

Front 5

Obstruction

Back 5

Something that blocks or gets in the way; an obstacle
*The landslide created an obstruction, blocking traffic on the freeway.

Front 6

Preclude

Back 6

To make impossible or unlikely; to prevent
*The very cold temperature precludes the possibility of finding liquid water here.

Front 7

Procrastinate

Back 7

To delay; to put off doing something
*Martin was supposed to take out the garbage, but her procrastinated so long that the kitchen began to smell.

Front 8

Scuttle

Back 8

To run or move with short, hurried movements; to scurry
*The students scuttled across the yard and entered the classroom just before the bell rang.

Front 9

Subside

Back 9

A: To sink to a lower or more normal level
*It took days for the floodwaters to subside.
B: To become less active or intense
*After Meredith read the test, her fear of failing subsided.

Front 10

Thwart

Back 10

To prevent from taking place; frustrate; block
*A swarm of bees thwarted our plans for a picnic.