Elevate (verbs) Flashcards
Learn new verbs
caulk (verb)
kɔːk
to seal gaps or seams to prevent leakage.
e.g. She caulked the tile edge of the shower.
vivify (verb)
to bring to life or add excitement to.
e.g. The artist vivified the dull room with exciting patterns.
quibble (verb)
to argue over unimportant matters.
e.g. They quibbled over which brand of mustard to buy.
augur (verb)
ˈɔːgər
to predict or foretell an outcome.
e.g. Good grades augured her becoming valedictorian.
kvetch (verb)
to complain a lot.
e.g. He likes to kvetch about the weather.
mizzle (verb)
to lightly rain or drizzle.
e.g. I find the world more romantic when it mizzles.
defraud (verb)
illegally obtain money by deception.
e.g. He tried to defraud the insurance company.
plunder (verb)
to steal goods, often with force.
e.g. Pirates plunder ships for treasure.
abrogate (verb)
to repeal, suppress or completely do away with.
e.g. The leaders abrogated the treaty during the summit.
repeal (rɪˈpil)
revoke or annul
(a law or congressional act).
e.g. The legislation was repealed five months later.
quell (verb)
to quiet, stop, or suppress.
e.g. Ginger works well to quell an upset stomach.
expunge (verb)
to remove or destroy completely.
e.g. All dust and dirt must be expunged from our house!
admonish (verb)
to advise, especially against; to scold.
e.g. My nonna admonished me for my poor cooking skills.
reconcile (verb)
to restore a relationship or to make peace.
e.g. The kids reconciled over cake after their fight.
demarcate (verb)
to set boundaries or to separate.
e.g. The fence demarcates where our property ends.
vex (verb)
to bother, annoy, or frustrate.
e.g. Her indirect leadership style vexes me to no end.
accede (verb)
to agree to a demand or request.
e.g. They acceded to their toddler’s cries for dessert.
cavil (verb)
to make a petty complaint.
e.g. He didn’t want to cavil, but the room was too cold.
bowdlerize (verb)
to remove material that is considered inappropriate.
e.g. If we bowdlerize the movie, the message will be lost.
enshrine (verb)
to preserve or cherish as sacred.
e.g. The law enshrines our basic rights.
enshrine (verb)
to preserve or cherish as sacred.
e.g. The law enshrines our basic rights.
repine (verb)
to feel or express discontent.
e.g. He would often repine about his job.
coddle (verb)
to treat with excessive care or kindness.
e.g. She tends to coddle her grandchildren.
despoil (verb)
to rob of valuable items, to plunder.
e.g. The robbers despoiled the mansion.
vitiate (verb)
to damage or destroy the value of something.
e.g. A bad review can vitiate a restaurant’s reputation.
lave (verb)
to wash or bathe oneself
e.g. After walking through the mud, it’s a joy to lave.
forestall (verb)
to prevent by taking action ahead of time.
e.g. We forestalled delays by getting to the airport early.
allocate (verb)
to distribute resources or tasks for a purpose.
e.g. She allocated tasks to each team member.
satiate (verb)
to fill to the point of excess.
e.g. The feast will surely satiate your hunger.
prognosticate (verb)
to forecast or predict the future.
e.g. They prognosticated the market’s upturn.
cultivate (verb)
to prepare for growth, literally or figuratively.
e.g. Cartoons cultivated my interest in animation.
rave (verb)
to praise to excess
e.g. I raved about the play and urged everyone to see it.
foment (verb)
to cause bad feelings to grow.
e.g. His cruel comments fomented bad energy in the group.
extirpate (verb)
to eliminate or wipe out completely.
e.g. We must extirpate invasive species.
promulgate
to spread an idea or belief widely.
e.g. The teacher promulgates kindness in all of theirs classes.
fabricate
to invent or make something, often a lie.
e.g. He fabricated an excuse on the spot.
douse
to dampen or pour liquid over something.
e.g. He doused his stained shirt in water.
reprove
to criticize for a fault, to reprimand.
e.g. The coach reproved the player for being late.
aver
to say confidently that something is true.
e.g. I averred my commitment to the project.
cower
to shrink away in fear or shame.
e.g. He cowers at the sight of spiders.
