Wordly Wise 3000 Book 5 Lesson 15

Front 1

disaster

Back 1

n. Something that causes great damage or harm.

Hurricane Katrina was the worst disaster to hit New Orleans in many years.

Front 2

flee

Back 2

v. To run away from danger or from something frightening.

I quickly decided to flee from the park when I heard a noise behind me.

Front 3

fracture

Back 3

n. A crack or break, as in metal or bone.

The plane was grounded because of a small fracture in the metal tail unit.

v. To crack or break.

Ruth fractured her arm for the second time this summer when she fell from the swing.

Front 4

immense

Back 4

adj. 1. Great in size or extent.

The Pacific Ocean is an immense body of water.

2. Great in degree.

To the immense relief of his parents, the lost child was soon found.

Front 5

intense

Back 5

adj. 1. Very strong; very great.

The intense heat from the fire melted the plastic dishes.

2. Showing great depth of feeling.

The scene in the play was so intense that the audience often weeps.

Front 6

investigate

Back 6

v. To look into closely; to study in great detail.

The fire marshal will investigate the cause of the fire in the old mill.

Front 7

lurch

Back 7

v. To move forward or to one side suddenly and unexpectedly.

The car lurched to the left to avoid a pothole in the road.

n. A jerking or swaying movement.

The bus started with a lurch, throwing the passengers off balance.

Front 8

major

Back 8

adj. Great in size, number, or importance.

Seas and oceans make up the major part of the earth's surface.

n. 1. A military officer just above a captain in rank.

A colonel is superior in rank to a major.

2. The main subject a student is studying.

My major will be in Russian.

Front 9

minor

Back 9

adj. Small; unimportant.

Her knee injury was minor, so she finished the match.

n. A person who is not yet an adult; a child.

Minors may attend this movie if an adult goes with them.

Front 10

petrify

Back 10

v. 1. To make rigid with terror; to terrify.

The director said that he felt his horror movies had failed if they didn't petrify audiences.

2. To change into a stone-like substance.

We saw examples of wood that had petrified over millions of years.

Front 11

predict

Back 11

v. To say what will happen before it takes place.

The highway department predicts heavy traffic on the roads this holiday weekend.

Front 12

prone

Back 12

adj. 1. Likely to have or do.

All of us are more prone to colds in the winter than in the summer.

2. Lying face downward.

I had to lie in a prone position because my back was so sunburned.

Front 13

sparse

Back 13

adj. 1. Thinly grown or spread.

The grass near the driveway was sparse, so we reseeded it.

2. Not crowded.

The town meeting had a sparse turnout this year.

Front 14

topple

Back 14

v. 1. To fall or push over.

The cat toppled the pile of books.

2. To overthrow.

The student demonstrations helped to topple the government.

Front 15

urban

Back 15

adj. Having to do with cities.

Traffic in urban areas is a serious problem during rush hour.