Jan to May 2015 Words – Definitions/parts of speech/sample sentence
ambition - noun – a strong desire to achieve a specific goal
Mark’s ambition was to learn to surf.
sarcastic – adjective – using cutting or bitter words for the purpose of making
fun of someone or something.
I was already embarrassed about my bad haircut, and my classmates’ sarcastic
remarks didn’t make me feel any better.
defiant – adjective – bold in standing up against someone or something
The colonists were defiant when the king’s soldiers ordered them to return home.
destitute – adjective – having no money or other means of living
The fifth-graders raised money to help destitute people in their community.
hyperbole – noun- exaggerated statements or claims that are not meant to be
taken literally
Last night I ate a ton of double cheeseburgers at the all you can eat restaurant.
treacherous – adjective – dangerous; hazardous
Skydiving and mountain-climbing can be treacherous sports.
stagnant – adjective- not moving or flowing; synonym-still
When a puddle of water is stagnant, harmful bacteria can grow in it.
presence – noun – the stat or fact of exiting, occurring, or being present.
The mom’s presence at the recital, made her daughter feel comfortable.
obsolete – adjective – no longer in use
Just as CDs made records a thing of the past, DVDs made videocassettes
obsolete.
tedious – adjective – boring; tiresome
Three hours of weeding a garden can be tedious.
stake – noun - a strong wooden or metal post with a point at one end used to
support something.
verb- to mark with, fasten with or support with a stake (the point wood
or metal)
The landscaper used a stake to support the tree that came out of the ground.
Or
The landscaper staked out the boundaries of the property by staking young
trees that will grow and create a fence.
spontaneous – adjective – happening without planning
The supporters burst into spontaneous cheers when a play made a remarkable
goal, even though their team was losing.
flounder – 1. noun – a flatfish that lives in water
2. verb – to struggle through something, either physically or
mentally
After floundering through the deep, wet sand at the sea’s edge, imagine my
surprise at finding a flounder fluttering in the cuff of my pants.
Invent/inventor- 1. invent- verb: to create or design something that did not
exist before
2. inventor- noun: the person/pioneer who creates or
designs something new
In 1930, Richard Drew invented the Scotch tape. Richard Drew was the
inventor of the world’s first waterproof, see-through adhesive.
whim – noun – a sudden idea to do something
I planned to clean out my closet today, but on a whim, I decided to go rollerskating instead.
luscious – adjective – smelling or tasting delicious
The peach pie with vanilla ice cream was a luscious dessert!
gym/gymnast – noun- Gym: a place equipped for physical education or work
out. Gymnast: a person trained highly trained in athletic or acrobatics.
All the students gathered in the gym to watch the two gymnasts complete in
several events such as floor exercises, uneven bars and balance beams. The
athlete’s skills were amazing.
priority – noun – the most important thing at a certain time
My highest priority after school is to get my homework done. Then I can enjoy
leisure activities.
ambiguous – adjective – having more than one possible meaning
synonym: vague; unclear
The judge asked the witness to clarify her ambiguous answer.
hoarse – adjective – harsh in sound
I had a hoarse voice because of my cold.
authentic – adjective – the real thing
antonym: imitation
The store sells authentic Native American jewelry and baskets.
petty – adjective – not important
When we divided the lunch bill, it seemed petty to argue over who would pay the
extra five cents.
do – due - dew
do – verb- to perform a task or to make available.
What can I do for you?
due – adjective- expected or planned for a certain time.
The application is due by Friday.
Or a noun- a person’s right or what is owed to someone.
Nelson Mandela received his due when he was released from prison after 27
years.
dew - noun- tiny drops of water that form on cool surfaces at night when water
vapor condenses.
The grass was wet with the morning dew.
flaunt – verb – to display noticeably
My cousin loves to flaunt her expensive clothes whenever she has a chance.
confident – adjective – having trust or faith
I am confident that I can pass this test.
herd – noun – a number of animals of one kind kept or living together
verb – to assemble or come together into a group
We heard the cowboys screaming at the cattle while they were trying to herd the
cattle into a herd.
intuition – noun – the ability to guess about something correctly
My intuition was right! There is a surprise quiz today.
ambivalent – noun – uncertainty or unable to decide which course of action to
take
Matthew was feeling ambivalent about whether or not he should trust John.
compile – verb- to put together in one book or work
After we completed our research on animals, we will compile the chapters to
create a nonfiction books for others to read.
contemplate – verb – to think about for a long time
Jeremy took some time to contemplate the question before he answered it.
diplomatic – adjective – skilled at dealing with people
My teacher is so diplomatic at giving me feedback that I never get my feelings
hurt when she corrects me.
patients – noun – plural of patient - a person receiving or registered to receive
medical treatment.
Dr. Cook has a good reputation with helping people, which causes him to have
many patients.
fiasco – noun a complete failure
The pool party was a complete fiasco due to the lightning storm.
reluctant – adjective – unwilling
The boy was reluctant to jump into the deep end of the pool.
scene – noun – a small part of a motion picture, televisions program, play or
story.
noun-place of disturbance or embarrassment
The music scene in the play had all the people up on their feet dancing.
Or
The two boys, who created a scene on the school bus, severely distracted the
driver; so they were admonished and suspended for three days.
infamous – adjective – famous, but in a bad way; having an exceedingly bad
reputation; notorious
My grouchy old neighbor is infamous among the kids on our street.
nonchalant – adjective – easy going; laid back; showing no concern; not easily
excited
The nonchalant chaperone allowed the kids to wallow freely in the mud.
teach/teacher- 1. teach-verb-to show or explain (to someone) how to do
understand something.
2. teacher-noun- the person who shows, explains or helps
someone to understand a task, concept, lesson, etc.
After Mrs. Smith teaches Vanessa how to solve the quadratic equation, Vanessa
will teach all her peers who still do understand the concept. Both Mrs. Smith and
Vanessa are teachers.
agitate – verb - to upset; disturb:
Nicole was agitated by the alarming news.
conform – verb – to act or think in a way that follows the rules
I’d rather sit on the floor, but at school I must conform and sit at a desk.
pier - noun - A structure leading out from the shore into a body of water or a
platform supported by pillars or girders, used as a landing stage for boats.
After the flooding from the hurricane, all the boats along the pier ended up on
the street.
patience-noun- a person’s ability to wait something out or endure something
tedious without getting upset or angry.
It takes a lot of patience to train two my unruly pups; but one day I know that
they’ll learn.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------heal – he’ll – heel
heal – verb – to make whole or well
he’ll – contraction – he will
heel – noun – the back part of a person’s foot
Toby said that he’ll heal my aching heel by preparing a soothing foot soak.