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The Crucible Act II words 2012

Selected Act II words from Arthur Miller's "The Crucible"
20 words 280 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

  1. ameliorate
    make better
    In every human being there is a wish to ameliorate his own condition. Webster, Noah
  2. avidly
    in a zealous manner
    Future work in this field will be read avidly in those circles.
  3. blasphemy
    profane language
    Others accused of blasphemy have been killed by mobs in the recent past.
  4. base
    lowest support of a structure
    Another attack last week on Camp Bastion, where many UK troops are based, saw two US marines killed.
  5. crone
    an ugly, evil-looking old woman
    Around the joyous groups the old crones circulated, clapping their withered hands, shrieking delight in cracked voices, and generally encouraging the festivity. Hamilton, J. Angus
  6. deference
    courteous regard for people's feelings
    Royalty could not any longer exist by right, commanding deference and silence.
  7. evasive
    deliberately vague or ambiguous
    The responses were patchy, evasive, and in many places leave out key information. Forbes (Jul 9, 2012)
  8. gingerly
    in a manner marked by extreme care or delicacy
    Now, at his house, Taylor gingerly walks down his steps.
  9. grapple
    work hard to come to terms with or deal with something
    It has also grappled with a high-profile contracting scandal in New York City. Washington Post (Aug 30, 2012)
  10. indignant
    angered at something unjust or wrong
    The indignant words were delivered by a Burmese taxi driver but could well have represented the feelings of many in Rangoon.
  11. monstrous
    distorted and unnatural in shape or size
    Rookie Brooks Raley was shelled in his final start, giving up a pair of monstrous home runs to Jonathan Lucroy and Ryan Braun.
  12. obstruct
    block passage through
    It said he was also suspected of obstructing justice.
  13. pallor
    an unnatural lack of color in the skin
    Now he seemed a little washed out, and there was a sort of pallor beneath the natural tan. Futrelle, Jacques
  14. perplex
    be a mystery or bewildering to
    An equally perplexing puzzle is why one individual gets a disease like or depression, while an identical twin remains perfectly healthy.
  15. quail
    draw back, as with fear or pain
    He quailed before me, and forgetting his new part in old habits, muttered an apology. Weyman, Stanley John
  16. reprimand
    an act or expression of criticism and censure
    Hamilton was given a reprimand for his role in provoking the incident. BBC (May 26, 2012)
  17. taint
    place under suspicion or cast doubt upon
    Harvard's silence left researchers studying animal cognition wondering which of Hauser's hundreds of published studies might be tainted.
  18. theology
    the rational and systematic study of religion
    Science aspires, like theology used to, to explain absolutely everything. Slate (Jul 23, 2012)
  19. vengeance
    harming someone in retaliation for something they have done
    Two suburban gardeners were swearing vengeance on cats. Chambers, F. W.
  20. wily
    marked by skill in deception
    Gunners have "educated" the intelligent bird into being, perhaps, the most wily, difficult game in the woods. Blanchan, Neltje
Created on Mon Sep 17 12:48:32 EDT 2012 (updated Mon Sep 17 12:51:56 EDT 2012)

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