Vocabulary Workshop Unit 1 Level C

Front 1

adage

Back 1

(n.) a proverb, wise saying

One way to begin an informal speech or an oral report is quote an old adage.

Front 2

bonanza

Back 2

(n) a rich mass of ore in a mine; something very valuable, profitable, or rewarding; a source of wealth or prosperity; a very large amount; sudden profit or gain

The thrilling adventure movie set in Alaska proved to be a box-office bonanza.

Front 3

churlish

Back 3

(adj.) lacking profession or good manners; lacking sensitivity; difficult to work with or deal with; rude

The store manager instructed all the salesclerks to avoid churlish replies to customers; questions.

Front 4

citadel

Back 4

(n.) a fortress that overlooks and protects the city; any strong or commanding place

A medieval citadel once guarded the capital city of the Greek island of Rhodes.

Front 5

collaborate

Back 5

(v.) to work with, work together

Several students plan to collaborate on a geology project for the annual science fair.

Front 6

decree

Back 6

(n.) an order of having the force of law; (v.) to issue such an order; to command firmly or forcefully

Ceaser Augustus issued a decree that all the world would be taxed.

Why does nature always seen to decree nasty weathers for our annual family picnic?

Front 7

discordant

Back 7

(adj.) disagreeable in sound, jarring; lacking in harmony

Their little spat struck a discordant note in our otherwise happy family get-together.

Front 8

evolve

Back 8

(v.) to develop gradually; to rise to a higher level

Authors hope that their notes, descriptions, and character sketches will evolve into a book.

Front 9

excerpt

Back 9

(n.) a passage taken from a book, article, etc. ; (v.) to take such a passage; to quote

My essay includes a long excerpt from a speech by Sojourner Truth.

If you excerpt some material from a reference book, be sure to enclose it in quotation marks.

Front 10

grope

Back 10

(v.) to feel about hesitantly with the hands; to search blindly and uncertainly.

When the power failed, we had to grope in the dark to find a working flashlight.

Front 11

hover

Back 11

(v.) to float or hang suspended over; to move back and first uncertainly over and around

A large group of vultures hover in the air above the wounded animal.

Front 12

jostle

Back 12

(v.)not make force one's way by pushing or elbowing; to bump, brush against ;to compete for

I tried not to jostle other riders as i exited the crowed bus.

Front 13

laggard

Back 13

(n.) a person who moves slowly or falls behind; (adj.) falling behind; slow to move, act, or respond

Tour guides often have to urge laggard to keep up with the rest of the group.

Tenants who are laggard in pain rent runtime risk of being forced to move.

Front 14

plaudits

Back 14

(n., pl.) applause; enthusiastic praise or approval

The skaters who won the gold medals gratefully accepted the plaudits of their fans.

Front 15

preclude

Back 15

(v.) to make impossible, prevent, shut out

Three wrong onsets will preclude any contestant from entering the quiz show's final round.

Front 16

revert

Back 16

(v.) to return, go back

Control of a property usually revert to the legal owner when a lease is up.

Front 17

rubble

Back 17

(n.) broken stone or bricks; ruins

Bulldozers and wrecking balls soon reduced the damaged building to heap of smoking rubble.

Front 18

servile

Back 18

(adj.) of or relating to a slave; behaving like or suitable for a slave or a servant, menial; lacking spirit or independence, abjectly submissive

Most serious performers prefer constructive criticism to servile flattery.

Front 19

vigil

Back 19

(n.) a watch, especially at night; any period of watchful attention

Thousands attended the solemn vigil at Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Front 20

wrangle

Back 20

(v.) to quarrel or argue in a noisy, angry way; yo obtain by argument; to herd; (n.) a noisy quarrel

My brother and sister always wrangle over whose turn it is to take out the trash.

The customer got into a nasty wrangle with the shopkeeper.