To become weaker; to decrease.

The speaker waited until the applause had abated before continuing.

To admit the existence of.

Did the police officer acknowledge your right to remain silent?

To express recognition or thanks for.

The new Wimbledon singles champion raised her hand to acknowledge the cheers of the crowd

A person who acts or does business for another.

The author’s agent found a company to publish his latest mystery story.

Something that brings about a result.

A new principal can be a powerful agent for change in a school.

The right to give orders, make decisions, or take action.

Only the Congress of the United States has the authority to declare war

An expert source of information.

The researcher Jane Goodall is a world authority on chimpanzees.

To ruin or destroy completely.

Farmers in the Midwest fear that lack of rain will devastate the wheat crop.

The rapid spreading of a disease to many people at one time.

The flu epidemic of 1918 killed over twenty million people in the Northern Hemisphere.

Spreading rapidly as a disease over a wide area.

AIDS became epidemic in central Africa in the 1980s.

A number that is not exact; a careful guess.

The mechanic’s estimate for repairing the car is $1000.

To figure out roughly; to make an approximate calculation.

We estimate that it will take us an hour to drive to the airport.

To force out of property by taking legal action.

The landlord threatened to evict the tenants for not paying the rent.

Not favoring one side more than another; fair.

A judge should be impartial in the courtroom.

Hardworking; not lazy.

The more industrious workers in the clothing factory were rewarded with pay raises at the end of the year.

To make very angry.

Cruelty to animals infuriates me.

Having nothing to do with the subject.

The candidate’s personal wealth is irrelevant to our discussion about his qualifications for the job.

Exact; accurate.

Do you know the precise time that your plane arrives?

Something fake or false.

Their offer to make us rich turned out to be a sham.

Not genuine; fake.

Although he tried to appear sorry, his sham apology fooled no one.

To pretend.

We shammed illness so we could stay home.

A long, slow, and difficult journey.

The hikers were exhausted after their trek over the mountain.

To travel slowly and with difficulty.

Sam trekked ten miles into town after his car broke down.

Wise in a clever or practical way.

An astute shopper compares prices carefully before making a purchase.

Genuine; true.

An authority on old maps declared that the sixteenth-century chart of the Florida Keys is authentic.

A choice item of food.

Smoked salmon is a delicacy.

Great consideration for the feelings of others.

Discussing her mistake will embarrass her unless you handle the matter with delicacy.

Expressing a low opinion; intended to hurt the reputation of a person or thing.

His habit of making derogatory comments about his co-workers made him unpopular.

To eat up hungrily.

The wolf was about to devour Little Red Riding Hood when the woodcutter arrived. 

To take in eagerly with the eyes or ears.

Something that is made up in the mind but that has no connection with reality.

The monster in the closet is a figment of the child’s imagination.

Imaginary; not real.

Unicorns are mythical creatures.

A bird’s feathers.

Parrots have brightly colored plumage.

Living by killing and eating other animals.

Crocodiles are predatory reptiles.

Living by robbing or stealing from others.

Predatory bands of pirates once sailed the Mediterranean seeking victims.

Coming earlier in time.

I was unable to see you this morning because I had a prior appointment.

Coming before in order or importance.

The court ruled that the Native Americans had a prior claim to the land.

To search through or pick over, looking for something usable.

People with metal detectors scavenge the beach looking for coins.

To kill in order to obtain meat.

The hogs are fattened up before they are slaughtered.

To kill people or animals in large numbers or in a cruel way.

For centuries, whales were slaughtered for their oil and other valuable products.

The killing of an animal for food.

The slaughter of beef cattle should be carried out as swiftly and painlessly as possible.

The act of killing on a large scale or in a cruel way.

Those who drink and drive contribute to the slaughter on the nation’s highways.

The condition of being alone or at some distance from people.

We enjoyed the solitude of a walk on the deserted beach.

Moving in a clumsy or awkward way.

Walruses, graceful in the water, are ungainly creatures on land.

Open to attack; easily injured physically or emotionally.

Starving people are more vulnerable to disease than those who are well fed.

To warn.

Rescue workers admonished us to stay away from the flooding river.

To criticize gently.

The coach admonished me for missing practice.

Struck with horror; shocked.

We were aghast at the photographs of starving children in Africa.

To destroy completely; to reduce to utter ruin.

General Custer’s army of over 200 men was annihilated at the battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876.

A person who provides help, especially by giving money.

People who donated more than $100 were listed as benefactors of the library.

To give as an honor; to present as a gift.

An Academy Award is the highest honor Hollywood can bestow on a film.

Having many twists and turns; winding.

The climbers followed a devious route up the mountain.

Sneaky; not frank or honest.

This devious scheme was intended to take advantage of vulnerable people.

Lacking; empty; entirely without.

Although he had experienced great misfortune, he was devoid of bitterness.

To pay attention to.

I hope you will heed my advice.

Attention; notice.

Pay heed to the teacher’s instructions before you begin the test.

A human being, especially as contrasted with a god.

Achilles, a hero in Greek mythology, had a goddess for a mother and a mortal for a father.

Of or relating to human beings.

Being mortal, he accepted the fact that one day he would die.

Causing death; fatal.

India’s Prime Minister Indira Gandhi received a mortal wound delivered by an assassin in 1984.

Very severe.

My friend wouldn’t go into the reptile house because he has a mortal fear of snakes.

To think about in a quiet, careful way.

I mused over whether to sell the house.

A person who goes before others and opens the way for them to follow.

Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, two nineteenth-century women, were pioneers in the women’s rights movement.

To open the way for others.

Isadora Duncan pioneered modern dance.

A deadly disease that spreads rapidly from person to person.

Those Londoners who could afford it fled to the country to escape the great plague of 1665.

Anything that causes destruction or suffering.

A plague of locusts destroyed the crop.

To cause suffering or distress.

After the tryouts, I was plagued by doubts that I would make the varsity team.

To sink to a lower level.

After the rain stopped, the floodwaters gradually subsided.

To become quieter or less active.

The baby’s sobs gradually subsided.

Not done on purpose; unintended.

I tried to ignore the unwitting insult, but his comment hurt me just the same.

Forceful anger; fury.

It says in the Bible that envy and wrath shorten life.

To gain ownership of something; to get by one’s own efforts or actions.

Most tourists acquire souvenirs from the places they visit.

To make an enemy of; to stir up anger or dislike.

You will antagonize your classmates if you make derogatory comments about them.

Having the ability to do what is needed.

The mechanic is competent to work on the car’s brakes.

To form; to make up.

Six states comprise New England.

To consist of or include.

A baseball team comprises nine players.

To match; to be equal to.

The two handwriting samples correspond in every way.

To exchange letters with another person.

Although the friends hadn’t seen each other for several years, they corresponded regularly.

In poor condition from neglect or age.

The shed was so dilapidated that it wasn’t worth repairing.

Very famous; outstanding.

V. S. Naipaul, the illustrious West Indian writer, received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2001.

Something that happens in real life or in a story; an event, often of little importance.

My car was struck from behind, but I thought no more about the

incident until my neck began to hurt.

To receive something from someone after that person’s death.

I inherited this house from my grandparents.

To receive, as part of one’s physical or mental make-up, from one’s parents.

The baby inherited his mother’s red hair.

The distance north or south of the equator, measured in degrees.

The latitude of New Orleans is 30 degrees north.

A region as marked by its distance from the equator.

Tropical plants cannot survive in northern latitudes.

Freedom from strict rules.

Students in high school are allowed some latitude in choosing their courses.

Unwilling; reluctant.

I was loath to put my trust in such a devious person.

To declare something to be true.

Although the evidence against her is strong, she continues to maintain her innocence.

To continue in the same way or condition.

The walkers try to maintain an even pace as they exercise.

To keep in good condition.

The state of New York maintains this highway.

To make like new again.

We intend to renovate the apartment completely before we move in.

To scold in a harsh or formal manner.

The manager reprimanded us for being late for work.

A strong scolding from someone in authority.

The teacher gave us a reprimand for being absent without permission.

To direct or manage activities.

Ms. Agostino will supervise the students in the study hall.

Enough; sufficient.

One blanket will be adequate on such a warm night.

To manage or direct.

The Red Cross administers the blood donor program. 

To give out as treatment or assistance.

The scout leader administered first aid to the child who had cut his hand.

To disturb or upset.

Talk of sharks in the water agitated swimmers at the beach. 

To move with an irregular, fast, or violent action.

Strong winds agitated the surface of the lake. 

To stir up interest in and support for a cause.

The miners agitated for better working conditions.

To give in; to surrender.

The airline capitulated to the baggage handlers’ demands and granted the pay raise.

A fruit of the family that includes oranges, lemons, grapefruits, and limes.

A citrus is an excellent source of vitamin C. 

A tree that produces these fruits.

Citruses grow well in Florida.

Of or relating to these fruits or trees.

The kumquat is a less well-known member of the citrus family.

To break up the orderly course of.

Angry protesters disrupted the president’s speech. 

To interrupt; to bring to a temporary halt.

A strike by the drivers disrupted service on the subway. 

An unpleasant, cramped, and dilapidated place to live.

The Saxons complained that they were forced to live in hovels while their Norman conquerers had fine homes.

Unable to read or write.

Volunteers are needed to help teach illiterate adults how to read. 

Volunteers are needed to help teach illiterate adults how to read. 

The authorities can no longer afford to be indifferent to the problem of nuclear waste disposal.

Neither very good nor very bad; passable.

Her indifferent grades in school worried her parents.

Of or relating to low-level, humble work.

Desperate for money, Oliver accepted menial work with low pay.

Lasting or expected to last for a long time.

A child’s first permanent teeth appear at about the age of six.

A period of rest; a pause.

The rain brought a welcome respite from the tremendous heat.

Needing much effort; using a lot of energy.

Chopping wood is strenuous work.

Very active; vigorous.

The plan to close the local school met with strenuous opposition from parents.

To work long and hard.

Sugar cane cutters toil in the fields from dawn to dusk. 

To make one’s way with difficulty.

We toiled up the steep hill. 

Hard and tiring labor.

After a lifetime of toil, her retirement is a richly deserved reward.

Needing quick action or attention.

The county has an urgent need for a new hospital. 

A person with a very strong desire for something that is habit-forming and sometimes harmful.

Junk food addicts need to change their eating habits. 

A person who is a very enthusiastic fan.

A true crossword puzzle addict should complete this puzzle in twenty minutes. 

To have a strong desire to get or do something; to seek.

Every NFL team aspires to win the Super Bowl. 

A preference that prevents one from being impartial; prejudice.

The lawyers in town insist that Judge Lewis shows bias in favor of women.

To cause someone to have prejudice; to influence.

Don’t let a single bad experience with one French restaurant bias you against all others.

Very obvious in an offensive or shameless way.

The governor’s promise to cut taxes if re-elected was a blatant attempt to win votes.

Expressed honestly and without holding back unpleasant truths.

Tony asked the teacher for her candid opinion about his poem.

To stand up to; to face boldly.

Do you intend to confront the people who have been spreading rumors about you? 

To put or bring face to face.

When the police confronted the pair with the evidence, they confessed to the robbery. 

A first public appearance.

Radio broadcasting made its debut in 1920. 

To make a first public appearance.

The new television shows debut in September.

To sign up to become a member of some group or activity; to register.

A small inheritance made it possible for me to enroll in art school. 

To make nervous, embarrassed, or confused.

The personal question flustered me, so I was unable to think of an answer quickly.

Freedom from being harmed or punished.

Those who think they can smoke cigarettes with impunity are sadly mistaken.

To increase; to strengthen or deepen.

Volunteers will intensify their efforts to find the missing children.

To frighten, especially by threatening someone.

The pitcher’s scowl was intended to intimidate the batter. 

Very unpleasant; disgusting.

An obnoxious diner at the next table ruined our meal by complaining in a very loud voice.

To answer, especially in a quick or clever way.

“You have much to be modest about,” I retorted when the speaker claimed to be a modest person.

A quick or clever reply.

Unable to think of a suitable retort, I remained silent.

A period of time devoted to a job or some task.

After finishing college, Marsha had a two-year stint in the Peace Corps in Kenya. 

A limit or restriction.

Local benefactors gave without stint to help make the youth center a reality. 

To limit or restrict.

Many parents stint on luxuries to pay for their children’s education.

To ask earnestly; to beg.

I beseech you to stay just one more day.

Amazement or fear that makes one feel confused.

We were filled with consternation when we saw that our car had been towed.

Pleasing to the senses, especially to the sense of taste; delicious.

My grandfather’s homemade apple pie is delectable.

A wreath or chain of leaves and flowers.

The islanders greet new arrivals with garlands of fresh flowers to put around their necks.

To please or satisfy.

The Red Cross was gratified by the response to its appeal for blood donors. 

To give in to what is wanted or requested.

My parents were unable to gratify my wish for a pony. 

Showing too much pride in oneself and scorn or contempt for others.

The supervisor’s haughty manner made her unpopular in the office. 

Inclined to act without thinking; hasty.

I regretted my impetuous decision to invite everyone at Marcello’s party to come over to my place.

Much more than enough.

The Chinese New Year’s celebration included a lavish fifteen-course meal. 

Very costly.

The tribal chiefs at the ceremony bestowed lavish gifts on each other as signs of respect. 

To give freely or generously.

Critics lavished praise on the new Broadway musical.

To pull off or out; to pick.

I was tempted to pluck a rose from the bush, but the sight of the thorns stopped me.

To remove the feathers from.

This machine can pluck a chicken in less than eight seconds.

To pull at and let go.

You play the harp by plucking the strings gently.

Courage; bravery.

It took a lot of pluck for Rico to learn to walk again.

To think about; to consider carefully.

Lost in thought, the chess player pondered her next move.

A special favor, right, or advantage given to a person or group.

Free parking at Reagan National Airport is one of the privileges enjoyed by members of Congress. 

Lying flat.

Having fainted, he lay prostrate on the floor. 

Lying facedown, especially to show respect.

The worshippers in the temple lay prostrate before the high priest. 

Completely overcome; weak and helpless.

People were prostrate with terror as the tornado approached.

A state of great joy, delight, or love.

The Scot was filled with rapture at the sound of bagpipes.

Noisy merrymaking.

Sounds of revelry came from the locker room after the game.

A sudden wish to do something without a particular reason; a fanciful idea.

Purchasing a puppy is not something to be done on a whim.

Sharp, irritating, or bitter to the sense of taste or smell.

Burning rubber gives off acrid fumes.

A person killed or injured in a war or accident.

There were many casualties of the 2005 tsunami, or tidal wave, that struck South Asia. 

Overcrowded; filled too full.

We take the subway during rush hour to avoid the congested city streets. 

Filled with fluid.

My sinuses get congested when the pollen count is high. 

To manage problems or difficulties successfully.

Extra police were on duty to cope with the large crowds expected for the parade.

With great speed or force; reckless.

The crowd made a headlong rush for the best seats as soon as the doors were opened. 

Recklessly; without time for careful thought.

It’s foolish to rush headlong into a dispute that doesn’t concern you.

To move with great force and speed.

A snowball hurtled past my ear.

To get in the way of; to interfere with the movement of.

An overturned truck impeded the flow of traffic. 

Bound to happen; unavoidable.

A certain amount of wear on even the best tires is inevitable with normal use.

To put into effect; to bring into use.

The school initiated the new dress code on September 6.

To take in as a member.

The National Honor Society initiated thirty new members last evening.

Very angry; furious.

Irate citizens demanded that the chemical company stop polluting the lake.

Not strictly enforced; undemanding; careless.

Frequent inspections are designed to ensure that airline safety procedures have not become lax. 

Not tight; loose.

When I felt the rope go lax, I knew that my partner had dropped the other end.

Failing to take proper care of or to give proper attention to.

You were negligent in failing to lock the car doors. 

To burn slowly without bursting into flames.

Hot ashes smolder long after the flames have died down.

To exist in a hidden state before bursting into the open.

A desire for freedom smoldered in the hearts of the people who left Cuba for Miami. 

Strict; severe.

The stringent rules state that no exceptions can be made.

A large number of people gathered together; a crowd.

A throng of supporters cheered the president’s arrival in Seattle.

To gather or move in large numbers.

Fans thronged into the ballpark for the first game of the World Series.

To make speechless with amazement.

The announcement that my cat Patch had won “best of show” dumbfounded me. 

To follow; to come as a result of or at a later time.

When the headmaster declared the next day a holiday, shouting and clapping ensued.

A particular period in history.

The era of space exploration began in the 1950s.

To thrive or prosper.

Plants flourish in a greenhouse. 

To wave in the air.

The softball player flourished her hat above her head to acknowledge the crowd’s cheers. 

A sweeping motion.

The star of the show made her first entrance with a flourish. 

A showy burst of music.

The opera begins with a flourish of trumpets. 

A fancy line or curve added to something written.

His artistic nature was expressed in the flourish with which he signed his name.

Soldiers stationed in a place to protect it.

The garrison held off the enemy for four days before capitulating. 

A military place of protection, together with its soldiers and weapons.

The garrison controlled the only passage through the mountain range.

To provide soldiers with a place to live.

The commander had to garrison the troops in an old schoolhouse.

Causing grief or pain; hard to bear.

It was a grievous loss to the entire family when our pet dog Tiny died.

To save and put away, especially secretly.

Squirrels hoard acorns for the winter. 

Anything put away in such a manner.

My hoard of comic books includes several authentic 1930s Superman comics.

To cover, as with water from a flood.

The valley was inundated when the dam burst. 

To load with an excessive amount or number of something.

Fans inundated radio stations with requests to play the Wailers’ new album.

Impossible to defeat.

When the Yankees had a fifteen-game winning streak, we began to think they were invincible.

A member of a group that settles briefly in one place and then moves on to another.

The Bedouins of the Sahara and Arabian deserts were nomads.

To stop from being angry; to calm.

I was able to placate my friend when I explained my reason for being late.

Most important.

The administration’s principal objective is to reduce the school dropout rate. 

A person or thing that is of the greatest importance.

The club owners and the players’ agent are the principals in the dispute over baseball players’ salaries. 

The head of a school.

The principal has the authority to hire extra teachers if student enrollment increases. 

The sum of money owed, not including the interest.

You would need $8,479 to pay off the principal on the car loan.

To move back or to drop to a lower level.

The tide receded and exposed the rocks near the shore. 

To become fainter.

The blare of the music from the car’s radio receded as it disappeared into the night.

Showing no mercy; pitiless.

Disease and inadequate supplies finally terminated the ruthless invader Attila the Hun in fifth-century Europe.

Something given up for the sake of another.

The parents made many sacrifices so that their children could go to college. 

An offering to a god.

In the Incan culture, sacrifices were often made during or after an earthquake, drought, or epidemic.

To give up something for another.

I sacrificed my privacy by sharing my room with my sister. 

To offer something of value to a god.

Goats and dogs were sacrificed at the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia. 

Growing or living in or on water.

Water lilies are aquatic plants. 

Done in or upon water.

Water skiing is an aquatic sport.

To say firmly; to declare.

Charles asserted that the money entrusted to him was in a safe place. 

To turn away.

I averted my eyes from the scary scenes in the movie. 

To keep from happening.

The driver averted an accident by hitting the brake.

Without much hope.

The company’s future looked bleak when the new product failed to sell. 

Cold and dreary; exposed to cold winds and bad weather.

Penguins seem to flourish in Antarctica’s bleak climate.

Cheerful; carefree.

The children’s blithe mood is captured beautifully in the Renoir painting. 

Not showing proper care; heedless.

The driver showed a blithe indifference for the safety of others on the highway.

Well behaved; easy to handle.

Because it was my first attempt at riding, I was given the most docile horse in the stable.

To keep on becoming less; to grow smaller in number or amount.

My hopes of winning the arm wrestling match dwindled when I saw the size of my opponent’s muscles.

Causing, or capable of causing, death.

A rattlesnake’s bite can be lethal.

To watch closely and frequently; to observe and make note.

Some cities monitor the amount of pollution in the air. 

A video screen used to display information.

The sales clerk checked the monitor to see if the book was still in stock.

To hurt or damage by cutting into, cutting off, or cutting out.

Steel traps are cruel because they mutilate the animals caught in them. 

Able to move quickly and easily.

Karen’s nimble fingers plucked the harp strings with amazing speed. 

Showing quickness of thinking; clever.

It takes a nimble mind to solve such a difficult problem.

A difficult or dangerous condition or situation.

The plight of homeless people was the principal subject of tonight’s evening news.

Heavy and slow moving.

The elephant made its way with ponderous steps through the clearing.

An edge, border, or brink.

After being on the verge of extinction, the bald eagle made a remarkable comeback in the 1980s. 

To come close to the edge or border of.

The story is not merely silly; it verges on the ridiculous.

Watchful; ready for danger.

Health authorities remain vigilant for any signs of the epidemic’s return.