John Wiley And Sons Webster''s New World - Essential vocabulary_B

B barricade (BAR I kayd) n. 1. a defense barrier hastily thrown up, as in street fight- ing; 2. any obstacle or barrier —vt. to keep out or in by use of a barrier; to obstruct • Police put up barricades to keep the crowd off the parade route. • Barricades consisting of piled-up rubble were used for defense by soldiers in the cities of post–D-day Europe during World War II. • The people of Stalingrad barricaded the streets to keep out the invading Germans. [-d, barricading] barter (BAHR toer) vi. to trade goods or services without the use of money —vt. to swap goods or services in return for other goods and services; trade —n. 1. the act of swapping; 2. anything swapped • In colonial days it was common for settlers to barter knives and hatchets to Native Americans for beaver pelts. • Barter that hat for two pairs of socks and a Hershey bar. • Al and Frank often do business by barter. • This hat cost me nothing; I got it from Alice by barter. [-ed, -ing, -er n.] basic (BAY sik) adj. 1. of or at the beginning; fundamental; essential; 2. making or being a support or introduction; elementary •A basic course in weaving might be helpful to rug makers. • A knowledge of mathematics is basic to learning physics. • Honesty is a basic principle to live by. basis (BAY sis) n. 1. the start, foundation, or main support of anything; 2. the main ingredient of anything; 3. the underlying philosophy; 4. a timed plan or pro- cedure; 5. a certain attitude • “What is the basis for your accusing me of eating on the job?” Gail asked, quickly swallowing what was in her mouth. • That all men are created equal is the basis of the U.S. Constitution. • We pay for cable TV on a monthly basis. • Mark and Louise are on a friendly basis these days. battle (BA tl) n. 1. a fight—as that between armed units on the sea, land, or in the air; 2. war or armed combat; fighting; 3. any conflict or fight —vt. to oppose; fight —vi. 1. to participate in a fight or struggle; 2. to fight • One of the most intense battles in the Pacific during WWII was for the island of Iwo Jima. • There was a street battle between two rival gangs. • The landlord and tenant had an ongoing battle over upkeep. • Nemo’s father battled the move to expel him from school. • Geoffrey was in the battle for human rights in El Salvador. • Oscar de la Hoya and Ray Mancini were in a real ring battle. [-d, battling] 37 06_571656 ch02.qxd 11/10/04 12:33 PM Page 37 behalf (be HAF) n. on (or in) behalf of; in the interest of; speaking for; representing • Harriet spoke in behalf of the truth’s being known. • The lawyer appeared on behalf of his client, Mr. Jones. behavior (be HAYV yoer) n. 1. how anybody acts; conduct; deportment; 2. any organism’s reaction to stimulus—especially a recordable response; 3. noticeable actions or responses of any person, animal, or machine • Nora’s behavior seemed perfectly normal to Dennis. • Juanita thought Ted’s behavior to be rather strange when she saw him hit his finger with a hammer and laugh. • Amy was disturbed by her car engine’s rough behavior. being (BEE eeng) n. 1. existing or living; life; existence; 2. basic or essential nature; 3. someone or thing that is alive or exists; 4. all the qualities, physical and mental, that make up a person; personality • Any living thing is in a state of being. • Any plant or animal can be thought of as a being. • Very few people acknowedge a fly as a being, but it is one. • Most religions believe in the existence of a Higher Being. belie (bee LY) vt. 1. to disguise; misrepresent; 2. to disappoint or leave unful- filled; 3. to prove false or show to be untrue • Al’s good-natured smile belies his evil intentions. • Sally hated to belie her customer by telling her the cake she had ordered was not yet ready. • It is a debunker’s job to belie the tricks of charlatans. [-d, belying] belief (bee LEEF) n. 1. a conviction that some things are true or real; 2. faith, especially in a religious sense; 3. confidence in; trust in; 4. something accepted as true; 5. an opinion; an expectation; a judgment • Geoffrey’s belief that there is a tooth fairy is based on a chapter from his book of bedtime stories. • Maribel’s beliefs are between her and her pastor—and are none of our business. • Valerie had complete belief in Harper’s honesty. • It was her belief that Santa would show up later. • Your accomplishments are totally beyond belief. belligerent* (bel IDG oer ent) adj. 1. at war; 2. relating to war; of fighting; 3. showing an eagerness to fight; spoiling for a fight • During World War I, the belligerents engaged in four years of unmoving trench warfare. • The belligerent adversaries duked it out in the ring. • Veronica’s attitude was always belligerent, as if she were seeking to get into an argument. [belligerently adv.] [Syn. bellicose] 38 Essential Vocabulary 06_571656 ch02.qxd 11/10/04 12:33 PM Page 38 beneficial (BEN e FISH uhl) adj. 1. to the advantage of; helpful; 2. getting bene- fit; 3. in one’s best interest • Mary’s friendship turned out to be beneficial to Evelyn around holiday time. • Having auto insurance proved quite beneficial for Tania when a reckless driver ignored the stop sign and hit her car. • It is beneficial for you to have an individual retirement plan. [-ly adv.] benefit (BEN e fit) n. 1. a helpful, charitable act; 2. an advantage; a gain —vt. to help; aid —vi. to gain; to profit from • The singer sang at a benefit to raise money for the group. • The cab waited an additional 10 minutes for Bob’s benefit. • My singing publicly benefited the business of all ear doctors in the neighborhood. • A playwright benefits from each performance of her play. [-ed, -ing] berate (be RAYT) vt. to scold or strongly rebuke (with wagging finger) • Don’t berate me for acting the way you act. • Audrey berated Robert for driving after having had a drink. [-d, berating] [Syn. scold] QUICK REVIEW #12 Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing. B: SAT Words 39 1. barricade 2. barter 3. basic 4. basis 5. battle 6. behalf 7. behavior 8. being 9. belie 10. belief 11. belligerent 12. beneficial 13. benefit 14. berate a. disguise b. conduct c. opinion d. profit e. quarrelsome f. helpful g. conflict h. existence i. scold j. elementary k. representing l. procedure m. trade n. obstruct 06_571656 ch02.qxd 11/10/04 12:33 PM Page 39 bereft (bi REFT) adj. 1. without; devoid (of); deprived; 2. bereaved • For his crime, the criminal was bereft of his freedom. • The crime victim was bereft of her feeling of security. • The bereft twins mourned the death of their uncle. betray (bit RAY) vt. 1. to aid the enemy, or make vulnerable to the enemy in a traitorous way; 2. to break faith with; to not act up to expectations; 3. to deceive; 4. to give away secret information • Benedict Arnold betrayed his defenses to the British. • Bill went to the broker so as not to betray Anne’s faith in his ability to get tickets for Cats. • Nan got Sue to join the team, convincing her that they’d have fun togeth- er; then she betrayed her by quitting. • During the game, Sue betrayed Hal’s hiding place to Jim. [-d, -ing, -al, -er n.] [Syn. deceive, reveal] between (bit WEEN) prep. 1. in or through the area separating two things; 2. in the time separating two things; 3. along a path that connects two things —adv. 1. in a middle location, time, space, or function; 2. in the midst of; 3. in confidence • The gate is between the third and fourth fence posts. • Lunchtime comes between breakfast and dinner times. • That color is between blue and green. • Second gear is between first and third gears. • In between jobs, Hannah and her sisters took a vacation. • Let’s keep this between you and me. bewilder (bee WIL der) vt. to thoroughly confuse, as by something very involved and complicated; befuddle; puzzle • Jose was bewildered by the Times’ crossword puzzle. • Alice’s disappearing coin trick served to bewilder Francine. • On Ian’s visit to the art supply store, he was faced with a bewildering selec- tion of brushes and palette knives. [-ed, -ing] [Syn. puzzle] bias (BY uhs) n. 1. a line cut or sewn on the diagonal to the weave of a cloth; 2. a mental partiality or slant; bent; partiality; inclination —vt. to have a prejudice; to influence • The seamstress sewed the hem on a bias. • As Jason aged, his childhood bias in favor of dark-meat chicken had changed to one for white meat; go figure. • The attorney feared that the judge might be unduly biased by his client’s unsavory reputation. • Kira’s wallpaper choice is biased by her love of earth tones. [-ed, -ing] 40 Essential Vocabulary 06_571656 ch02.qxd 11/10/04 12:33 PM Page 40 bicker (BI kuhr) vi. 1. to quarrel in a petty manner; to squabble; 2. (rare) to move with quick, rippling noises —n. 1. a little quarrel; 2. a rippling or a pattering sound • Carl and Violet bicker all the time about everything. • The brook bickers in the breeze. • Carl and Violet just had another minor bicker. • One can barely hear the bicker of a snake coming down the path. [-ed, -ing] bilk (BILK) vt. 1. to thwart; 2. to swindle; cheat; defraud; 3. to escape or flee leaving unpaid debts; 4. to elude • The raccoon bilked all attempts to catch him. • The investors were bilked out of millions by crooked management. • Nate bilked the bank by his failure to make payments. • The crook bilked the police. [-ed, -ing] biological (BY uh LAH gzhi kl) adj. 1. of or connected to living things; 2. relat- ed genetically, in contrast to by adoption • A botanist is only interested in the plant part of the biological sciences. • Mark’s scientific interests are purely biological. • Your biological parents are your real mother and father. [-ly adv. (also biologic)] blueprint (BLOO print) n. 1. a plan drawn in white on a blue background and used by architects or engineers; 2. any exact or detailed plan • The contractor checked the blueprint of the house to see what materials he would need to order. • With its adoption in 1789, the U.S. Constitution became the blueprint for American democracy. bog (BAHG) n. wet, spongy area of ground, noted for smelly decaying mosses that form peat —vi., vt. to get stuck in; mired (usually with down) • For organic matter, Martha used peat from the nearby bog to enrich her garden soil. • The Medicare revisions got bogged down in committee. [-ged, -ging] bore (BAWR) vt. 1. to make a hole with a drill; 2. to dig a well, tunnel, etc. with a turning helical tool; 3. to push one’s way (through) —vi. to tire of or lose interest in —n. 1. a hole made by a drill; 2. the interior of a hollow tube • Before hanging the door, I must bore holes for the hinges. • Gino bored holes for the deck’s concrete footings. • Gracie bored through the rush-hour crowd. • Go away; you bore me. • The plot was very predictable, and therefore very boring. • The hole in the wall was a very shallow bore. • Shotgun barrels come in various bores. [-d, boring, -dom n.] B: SAT Words 41 06_571656 ch02.qxd 11/10/04 12:33 PM Page 41 brain (BRAYN) n. 1. the mass of tissue inside the skull of vertebrates; the organ that is the destination for the spinal cord, the main center of reasoning and inter- preter of senses, as well as the director of motor functions; 2. a comparable organ in an invertebrate; 3. (often pl.) mental capacity; intelligence; 4. (usually pl.) the chief organizer or planner of a group event; head director —vt. to hit hard on the head • No computer can yet equal the human brain. • A flea’s brain is not very complex. • You don’t need instructions; just use your brains. • When it comes to planning, Kevin’s the brains of this outfit. • Roger got brained by the baseball bat. [-ed, -ing] brandish (BRAEN dish) vt. to wave about or shake, in a threatening or chal- lenging way; flourish • When you brandish that saber, everyone ducks for cover. • Helen brandished the fireplace poker as if she wanted to strike someone with it. [-ed, -ing] burden (BOER din) n. 1. a load; anything carried; 2. something one has to put up with; a heavy load; hard work; sorrow or responsibility —vt. to weigh down; to oppress • The drywall was a heavy burden for the roof of the car. • When Jill sat on the jury, she had the burden of deciding the guilt or inno- cence of the defendant. • Certain trucks are classified by the burden they can carry. • I hate to burden you with the job of deciding what to wear. [-ed, -ing] burrow (BOER o) n. 1. a hole dug by an animal or a tunnel in the ground; 2. any hole or passage serving as a shelter, refuge, etc. —vi. 1. to dig (into, under, etc.); 2. search as if by digging —vt. to make burrows in the ground • Groundhogs live in burrows of their own making. • Some animals often find shelter in burrows dug by others. • Burrowing through old files led to finding the real murderer. • Construction crews burrowed beneath the English Channel to build the Chunnel, connecting the U.K. and France. [-ed, -ing] buttress* (BUH tris) n. a brace, usually of brick or stone, built against a wall to support or reinforce it; a prop —vt. 1. to support or reinforce with such a structure; 2. to prop up; bolster • Many Gothic buildings sport buttresses to reinforce them. • Flash cards can be thought of as buttresses for rote learning of facts. • Buttress your argument against the tax hike by having the documentation concerning the results of previous hikes. [-ed, -ing] 42 Essential Vocabulary 06_571656 ch02.qxd 11/10/04 12:33 PM Page 42 QUICK REVIEW #13 Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing. B: SAT Words 43 1. bereft 2. betray 3. between 4. bewilder 5. bias 6. bicker 7. bilk 8. biological 9. blueprint 10. bog 11. bore 12. brain 13. brandish 14. burden 15. burrow 16. buttress a. influence b. elude c. planner d. related e. plan f. mire g. devoid h. drill i. deceive j. puzzle k. squabble l. amidst m. threaten n. search o. oppress p. reinforce 06_571656 ch02.qxd 11/10/04 12:33 PM Page 43 C cajole (kuh JOHL) vt. to coax with insincere talk; to flatter in hopes of getting one’s way; to wheedle • Maxine tried to cajole her husband into going to the movies. • Barney cajoled Lois to accompany him to the book sale. [-d, cajoling, -ry n., cajolingly adv.] [Syn. coax] calamity (kuh LAM i tee) n. 1. deep trouble; misery; 2. any great misfortune entailing sorrow and loss; disaster • The loss of a loved one is always a calamity. • The attack on the World Trade Center ranks with Pearl Harbor among the U.S.A.’s greatest calamities. [calamitous adj., calamitously adv.] [Syn. disaster] camaraderie (kam uh RAD oer ee) n. warm, friendly feelings of loyalty among comrades; comradeship • Camaraderie is most likely to develop among military comrades who have been through some combat together. • A general feeling of camaraderie pervaded the air as the business associates gathered in the tavern to relax and share their tales on a Friday afternoon. campaign (kam PAYN) n. 1. a sequence of military operations aimed at a cer- tain objective; 2. a series of organized actions for some specific purpose —vi. to be involved in a campaign • The Second World War’s European campaign was fought to liberate the cap- tive nations and to defeat Germany. • Andrea was involved in the presidential election campaign. • She campaigned enthusiastically for (then) Senator Kerry. [-ed, -ing, -er n.] [Syn. battle] canvass (KAV vuhs) vt. 1. to look over carefully; 2. to go to or among (people) to seek votes, orders, etc. —vi. to try to get votes, orders, etc.; solicit —n. the act of asking a targeted group of people questions such as who they voted for, what brands they use, etc., especially in an attempt to estimate the outcome of an elec- tion, sales campaign, etc. • Charlie canvassed the canvas with the art appraiser to determine the insur- ance value of the painting. • Samantha canvassed the mothers at the soccer game, trying to get some orders for Daryl’s school fund-raiser. • Canvassing potential voters was how the paper was able to predict the out- come of the election. [**Alert** Do not confuse with canvas, the cloth.] [-ed, -ing, -er n.] 44 07_571656 ch03.qxd 11/10/04 12:34 PM Page 44 captive (KAP tiv) n. 1. one captured and held prisoner; 2. a person enthralled, as by love or beauty —adj. 1. taken or held prisoner; 2. unable to act independently; 3. made to watch/listen (as in a captive audience) • The captive was behind bars. • The first time Iris saw San Francisco, she became captive to its charm. • A babysitter is captive to his or her charge. • For many years, Poland was a captive nation of the USSR. • Ian loves to play his guitar before a captive audience. career (kuh RIR) n. 1. one’s way of earning a living; lifework; 2. a profession or occupation for which one trains and which one pursues for life —adj. adapting a normally temporary activity as a lifework • One’s career is not always the one prepared for. • Some veterinarians pursue that career deliberately, while for others it is a booby prize for failing medical school. • Herbert decided to become a career soldier. carnivore* (KAHR ni VAWR) n. 1. any of a number of fanged, flesh-eating mammals, like lions and tigers and bears; 2. an animal that eats other animals; 3. a plant that eats small animals—especially insects. • Unlike herbivores, who eat plants, and omnivores, who eat both plants and animals, a carnivore prefers a diet of meat. • The Venus flytrap is a plant that can be categorized a carnivore. [carnivorous adj., carnivorously adv.] QUICK REVIEW #14 Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing. C: SAT Words 45 1. cajole 2. calamity 3. camaraderie 4. campaign 5. canvass 6. captive 7. career 8. carnivore a. solicit b. wheedle c. battle d. friendliness e. lifework f. dependent g. flesh eater h. disaster 07_571656 ch03.qxd 11/10/04 12:34 PM Page 45 carnivorous (kahr NIV oer uhs) adj. 1. flesh eating (as opposed to herbivorous); 2. insect eating (applying to some plants); 3. of the carnivores • Wolves hunt mostly mammalian prey because they are carnivorous. • The sundew represents a class of carnivorous plants. • Having canine teeth, or fangs, is a carnivorous trait. cartographer (kahr TOG ruh fuhr) n. a person who designs and makes maps or charts • Mercator is the name of the man who is probably the best-known cartogra- pher who ever lived. • Robinson is another well-known cartographer. castigate* (KAS ti gayt) vt. to punish or bawl out, especially by using harsh public criticism • The police chief proceeded to castigate the officers for showing poor judgment dealing with the demonstrators. • The nine-year-old castigated the president for not being able to pronounce “nuclear.” [-d, castigating, castigation, castigator n., castigatory adj.] [Syn. punish] catalyst* (KAT uh list) n. 1. an agent in a chemical reaction that causes the reaction to speed up, but does not itself undergo any permanent change; 2. a per- son or thing that speeds up a result • During the process of photosynthesis, chlorophyll is the catalyst for plants combining water and carbon dioxide to manufacture sugar and oxygen in the presence of light. • The catalyst for Karen and David giving their realtor an immediate deposit on the house was another couple’s interest in it. catnap (KAT nap) n. a doze; a short, light sleep —vi. to take a snooze • The watchman often takes two- or three-minute catnaps. • Karen often catnaps while watching TV at night. [-ped, -ping] cautious (KAW shus) adj. very careful; trying to avoid danger; wary; circumspect • The bomb-squad member was very cautious in his approach to the mysteri- ous package. • Cautious people regret less later. [-ness n., -ly adv.] [Syn. careful] celebrate (SEL eb RAYT) vt. 1. to perform some kind of public and formal ritual; 2. to mark an anniversary, a holiday, etc. with ceremony or festiveness; 3. to praise or honor publicly; 4. to perform cheerful activity to mark an occasion • Melissa and Gino invited 200 people to celebrate their wedding. • Let’s celebrate Arbor Day with a tree-planting ceremony. • We join with Timmy to celebrate Lassie’s heroics yet again. • Get out the noisemakers and funny hats so that we can celebrate the ring- ing in of the New Year. [-d, celebrating, celebration n.] [Syn. commemorate, observe] 46 Essential Vocabulary 07_571656 ch03.qxd 11/10/04 12:34 PM Page 46 [...]... between Greece and Troy • A good teacher tries to concern parents with their children’s day-to-day school experiences • It concerns Lois that she has not yet heard from her tax preparation person • Mark’s well-being is a concern of Diane’s • Sandy has a financial concern in the company’s health • The stock market’s fall was a great concern of those nearing retirement [-ed, -ing; also -ed adj and -ing prep.]... one way and her head pulling the other • The Hundred Years’ War was a very lengthy conflict • Todd’s sweet tooth is in a conflict with his need to diet • Emotional conflict can often result from a desire to do two or more things at the same time [-ed, -ing] [Syn fight, struggle] confront (kon FRUHNT) vt 1 to stand or meet face-to-face; 2 to face or oppose boldly or defiantly; 3 bring face-to-face with... Lee’s drill-sergeant demeanor • Contrast the appearance of a 10-karat-yellow gold ring to a 14-karat one, and the difference is immediately obvious C: SAT Words 65 • Look at a rectangle next to another parallelogram, and you will immediately recognize the contrast • Adjusting the contrast on a television will soften or harden the way objects next to each other are differentiated [-ed, -ing] [Syn compare]... Beethoven bridges the Classical and Romantic eras [-ly adv., -ity n.] 50 Essential Vocabulary clique (KLEEK or KLIK) n a small, exclusive circle of people; snobbish or narrow coterie (Common interest and snobbery are implied.) • The cheerleaders kept together in their own clique • The Obscure Poets Society was a self-important, highbrow clique that generally looked down on others [-ish or cliquish adj., cliquishly... is classical and worth every thousand • The Jaguar XJ6 has absolutely classical (or classic) lines • Shakespeare’s tragedies followed those of Sophocles and Euripides as being both classical and timeless • Until the 1950s, the college graduates of modern Europe and those from Ivy League colleges were given classical educations, with a knowledge of Latin being essential • Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven... to controvert all notions of the world s being flat [-ed, -ing, -ible adj., -ibly adv.] [Syn disprove] conundrum (kuh NUHN drm) n 1 a riddle in which the answer contains a pun (play on words); 2 any puzzling question or problem A conundrum’s sense #1 is illustrated in the following Q & A: Q What’s the difference between a jeweler and a jailer? A One sells watches, and the other watches cells • Having... censors • In the Soviet Union, every newspaper article was censored [-ed, -ing, -ship n.] century (SEN che ree) n 1 any span of 100 years; 2 a specific period of 100 years dating from the beginning of the Christian (or Common) Era; 3 a series, group, or subdivision of 100 • A century passed between the beginnings of the American Civil War and our involvement in Vietnam • Alexander the Great lived in the fourth... jail • The city condemned five private homes to make room for the football stadium’s parking lot • The run-down tenement will be condemned and demolished [-ed, -ing, -er n.] [Syn criticize] condescend (KON dis END) vi 1 to lower oneself to the level of the person one is dealing with; to graciously and willing do something regarded as beneath one’s dignity; deign; 2 to deal with others in a proud or haughty... sent to the office for bad conduct The tour guide conducts a new group every half hour While Leonard Bernstien was music director of the New York Philharmonic, he frequently conducted his own works • Children should conduct themselves properly in public • Aluminum conducts heat better than steel but not as well as copper [-ed, -ing, -ible adj., -ibility adv.] confirm (kuhn FIRM) vt 1 to strengthen; establish;... their fight against the Nazis [-d, cohering, -nt adj., -nce, cohesion, cohesiveness n.] [Syn stick] colleague (KAH leeg) n a fellow worker; one in the same profession • Matt and Louise were colleagues at the electric company • Dr Lang and Dr Griffith were colleagues at Lehigh Hospital [Syn associate] collect (kuh LEKT) vt 1 to bring together; assemble; 2 to call for and receive (for example, taxes); . thing. B: SAT Words 43 1. bereft 2. betray 3. between 4. bewilder 5. bias 6. bicker 7. bilk 8. biological 9. blueprint 10. bog 11. bore 12. brain 13. brandish. brained by the baseball bat. [-ed, -ing] brandish (BRAEN dish) vt. to wave about or shake, in a threatening or chal- lenging way; flourish • When you brandish