Vocab 71

1.       Scourge (n): It is a whip – or anything else that is punishing and dreadful. You could confront “a scourge of corruption” or “a scourge of hunger”.

In short, something or someone that causes great suffering or a lot of trouble.

E.g: Aids has been described as the scourge of the modern world.

2.       Studded (adj): If something is studded (decorated with) many objects of the same type, those objects are arranged regularly across it, or across the surface of it.

E.g: Eliane looked up at the black, velvety sky studded with tiny, twinkling stars.

3.       Puff (v): To breathe fast and with difficulty, usually because you have been doing exercise.

E.g: He came puffing up the stairs.

4.       Bellow (v): To bellow is to shout in a deep, angry voice. If you constantly bellow at other drivers on the road, consider signing up for anger management class.

We use bellow for human speech that has that angry power of a loud bovine, or for any loud, threatening noise. It can be a noun, as in the bellow of the thundercloud, or a verb, as when you bellow at your kid brother.

E.g: “Keep quiet!” the headmaster bellowed across the room.

5.       Climax (n): When something – like a movie or piece of music – reaches its most important or exciting part, that’s the climax. A climax is a high point.

This word is also used often in art and entertainment. In an adventure movie, there’s usually a moment near the end there’s a lot of danger, suspense, and action – a point the whole movie has been building towards. That’s the climax.

E.g: The election campaign reaches its climax next week.

6.       Hiss (v): To make a noise which is like the first sound in the word ‘sing’ but which lasts longer.

E.g: Why do snakes hiss?

7.       Sway (v): Back and forth …. back and forth ….. back and forth. The sway, or rocking motion, of a boat is too much for many stomachs.

People can sway if they’re dizzy, tilting from side to side as they walk. On a windy day you can see trees swaying and bending in the wind. Swaying is usually a gentle motion, but if you’re easily swayed, you’re in trouble.

8.       Hood (n): Part of a piece of clothing which can be pulled up to cover the top and back of the head.

E.g: The coat has a detachable hood.

9.       Protrude (v): It means to stick out. A gravestone protrudes from the ground, a shelf protrudes from a wall, a lollipop stick protrudes from your mouth.

10.   Sieve (n): A tool consisting of a wood, plastic or metal frame with a wire or plastic net fixed to it. You use it either to separate solids from a liquid, or you rub larger solids through it to make them smaller.

11.   Nasty (adj): Something nasty is filthy, foul, dirty, or awful. Nasty is not a word for anything nice.

The main meaning of nasty is for things that are unpleasant and very gross. The smell of a bathroom is nasty. A song full of dirty words is nasty in a different way.

E.g: He had a nasty cut above the eye.

12.   Dump (n): Heap of rubbish.

E.g: I need to clear out the shed and take everything I don’t want to the dump.

13.   Dubious (adj): Choose this word for something you have doubts or you suspect is not true. A dubious claim is probably not true, whereas a dubious website or character is of questionable quality. Dubious can also be synonymous of doubtful when referring to a person as in “she was dubious about the idea”.

14.   Growl (v): To make a low rough sound, usually in anger.

E.g: The dog growled at her and snapped at her ankles.

15.   Boorish (adj): A person who is rude and doesn’t consider other people’s feelings.

E.g: I found him rather boorish and aggressive.

Compiled By: Chaudhary Amit V.

Source: Vocabulary.com. TheDictionary.com, Cambridge Dictionary