It's alive!

Kim B.
Vivid, vibrant verbs
20 words 2 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. accrue
    grow by addition
    Square has accrued a million customers just by word of mouth. New York Times (Jan 15, 2012)
  2. admonish
    counsel in terms of someone's behavior
    “You are not making a very good beginning,” Clay admonished. Gordon, Harry
    to scold, to give advise
  3. atrophy
    a decrease in size of an organ caused by disease or disuse
    His arms were atrophied sticks, his hands those of a young child. Salon (Jul 22, 2012)
  4. beguile
    attract; cause to be enamored
    The drink is an attention grabber, much like this beguiling Madrona restaurant. Seattle Times (Apr 26, 2012)
  5. capitulate
    surrender under agreed conditions
    Amsterdam capitulated, the country was occupied, and the patriot leaders declared incapable of holding any office. Various
  6. chastise
    scold or criticize severely
    He recalled the way his father chastised him for taking on too many tasks and how proud Daddy would have been now. New York Times (Feb 4, 2011)
  7. delineate
    make a mark or lines on a surface
    "Clearly, further research is needed to delineate this issue."
  8. disseminate
    cause to become widely known
    “They’re really using intimidating tactics to make sure information isn’t disseminated.” New York Times (Jan 28, 2012)
  9. embody
    represent in physical form
    In the past, art that embodied ancestors or represented gods was often kept hidden away, too precious to be seen.
  10. garnish
    decorate, as with parsley or other ornamental foods
    Another idea is to garnish your greens with two egg whites instead.
  11. imbibe
    take in liquids
    Educated like his brother, he had imbibed similar religious and political sentiments. Alberger, John
  12. inveigle
    influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
    She checked herself, feeling that she had no desire to be inveigled into discussing his character. Weigal, Arthur
  13. modulate
    fix or adjust the time, amount, degree, or rate of
    Psychologist Paul Ekman says emotional expressivity is modulated by cultural norms. Slate (Jul 26, 2012)
  14. officiate
    perform a ceremony or religious ritual
    He said he and Goodman sometimes officiated the same match.
  15. ostracize
    expel from a community or group
    Children are ostracized and drop out of school,” Ayele said. Scientific American (Apr 17, 2012)
  16. paraphrase
    express the same message in different words
  17. plagiarize
    take without referencing from someone's writing or speech
  18. propagate
    multiply through reproduction
    Scientists are now studying how best to propagate fresh vanilla, as demand for the flavour grows. BBC (Aug 27, 2012)
  19. redress
    make reparations or amends for
    Meetings were held throughout England in which the people called on the government to devise some means of redressing the situation. Jones, John P. (John Percival)
  20. vacillate
    be undecided about something
    An expedition was nearly ready; but the leading spirit vacillated. Wingfield, Lewis
Created on Wed Aug 29 13:50:16 EDT 2012 (updated Sat Sep 01 21:45:47 EDT 2012)

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