Vocabulary Lesson 9
8th Grade
abet
agile
allot
balmy
congregate
divert
humdrum
influx
intricate
memento
query
sporadic
staple
tumult
unseemly
abet
verb – to assist
in some activity
especially a
questionable
one.
Bob aided and abetted the criminal to escape
from prison.
agile
adjective – able to
move or think
quickly.
Agility – noun –
quickness of mind
Antonym : clumsiness
The gymnastic was very agile moving between the
parallel bars.
allot
verb – to
distribute a
portion or
share.
Synonym: assigned
Bob decided to allot $100,000 to buy new
furniture for the office.
balmy
adjective – soothing or mild
The weather has been so balmy this week
that we could go without a coat.
congregate
verb – to
assemble in a
group
Synonym: assemble
The students began to congregate together
in the gym for the assembly.
divert
verb – to turn aside
verb – to entertain
diversion – changing
direction or
entertaining Noun
The trench was dug
to divert the flood
waters away from
the houses.
humdrum
adjective –
Lacking
excitement
The vacation day was so humdrum. We
did absolutely nothing special.
influx
noun – an arrival
in a large number
Antonym : departure
There were a
large influx of
people arriving at
the airport at the
same time.
intricate
adjective – complicated, having a lot
of detail
The lace she
made had such
an intricate
pattern.
memento
noun – a souvenir kept as a reminder
of the past
I have a silver
certificate as a
memento from
my
grandmother.
query
noun – a question
verb – to question
It’s time to query
the class about
the vocabulary
game that we are
playing.
Antonym: reply
sporadic
adjective –
happening
occasionally
Antonym : regular
The assignments were turned in on a
sporadic basis.
staple
noun – a basic food
noun – a fastener
adj. – most
important
A important staple crop in China is rice.
tumult and tumultuous
noun – noisy
excitement
adjective – marked by
uproar
The announcement of free money caused
great tumult in the room
unseemly
adjective – not suitable, inappropriate and
improper
Antonym : appropriate
The change in the
staff was very
unseemly because
it happened so
quickly.