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Taking Sides

30 words 456 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

  1. anxious
    causing or fraught with or showing nervousness
    Sweating, rapid heartbeat, churning stomach, and fear – these are just a few symptoms of an anxious mind. Forbes (Sep 28, 2013)
  2. apologize
    acknowledge faults or shortcomings or failing
    At other times, she seems to be pulling back, apologizing, making excuses. Slate (Oct 8, 2013)
  3. arc
    a continuous portion of a circle
    The very best long snappers, though, can send the ball spiraling in a sharp arc at 52 miles per hour.
  4. championship
    a competition at which a winner is chosen
    Now we’re focused on getting to the ultimate goal of a championship.”
  5. charity
    an institution set up to provide help to the needy
    More than 55,000 people took part in the event - the world's most popular half marathon - with many running for charity.
  6. chump
    a person who is gullible and easy to take advantage of
    “Give it a few more years, and that twenty grand will look like chump change,” her boss says. Washington Post (Mar 31, 2012)
  7. competition
    the act of contending with others for rewards or resources
    Competition, by its very nature, requires an underlying desire to win at someone’s expense. Forbes (Oct 13, 2013)
  8. foul
    highly offensive; arousing aversion or disgust
    There’s no out of bounds and no shooting fouls.”
  9. free throw
    an unhindered basketball shot from the foul line
    Rose scored five points in the first half, badly clanking his first free throw.
  10. graffiti
    unauthorized drawings or writing on walls in public places
    "Graffiti does ruin people's property," Bloomberg said in a press conference Wednesday.
  11. grocery
    (usually plural) consumer goods sold by a grocer
    "Some people had eight or 10 shopping carts full of groceries," Springhill Police Chief Will Lynd said on Monday.
  12. homework
    preparatory school work done outside school
    Like many parents, my first inclination was to consider limiting access to digital media, restricting his Minecraft time, making him do more homework instead. Forbes (Oct 11, 2013)
  13. hunger
    a physiological need for food
    The intensity of his hunger had blotted out his other senses.
  14. import
    bring in from abroad
    Chinese policy has generally pushed exports while discouraging imports.
  15. intruder
    someone who enters a place or situation without permission
    A warning shot was sufficient to scare off the intruder.
  16. jock
    a person trained to compete in sports
    "He's very good at playing the young, muscular jock or hero," he said. Seattle Times (Nov 17, 2012)
  17. lecture
    a speech that is open to the public
    In a joint lecture with John Glenn 49 years later at the Smithsonian Institution, Mr Carpenter recalled his feelings from that time.
  18. locker
    a storage compartment for clothes and valuables
    The atmosphere inside the visiting locker room was dazed and, other than a few murmurs about missed opportunities, quiet.
  19. mantel
    a shelf that projects from the wall above a fireplace
    Here and there lights began to shine in the houses, on gleaming oak ceilings and carved mantels. Weyman, Stanley J.
  20. mingle
    bring or combine together or with something else
    Almost 150 FBI agents were assigned to mingle in the crowd, working in tandem with secret service agents.
  21. permission
    approval to do something
    Formal permission from the council must be sought before any listed building's colour is changed.
  22. saunter
    walk leisurely and with no apparent aim
    Everybody is too busy talking, sipping, pointing, sauntering, forking up something delicious.
  23. sentimental
    marked by tender, romantic, or nostalgic emotion
    Looking at the history of trying to coax and prise out overdue babies since ancient times is not a sentimental trip down memory lane. Scientific American (Jul 20, 2013)
  24. spectator
    a close observer; someone who looks at something
    Paramedics wheeled an injured spectator to a helicopter. Wall Street Journal (Oct 7, 2013)
  25. stucco
    a plaster now made mostly from Portland cement and sand and lime; applied while soft to cover exterior walls or surfaces
    He would prefer to have another homeowner move into the orange stucco house next door. Chicago Tribune (Mar 16, 2013)
  26. surveyor
    an engineer who determines boundaries and elevations of land
    It is getting under way as surveyors report their sales levels are at their highest for nearly four years.
  27. traitor
    a person who says one thing and does another
    Until recently, those who abandoned Cuba were considered traitors and blocked from returning.
  28. urgent
    compelling immediate action
    States have attempted to address their most urgent technology problems.
  29. violent
    acting with great force or energy or emotional intensity
    That brief and violent bulge had, at some point, vanished.
  30. workout
    the activity of exerting your muscles in various ways to keep fit
    Dozens of elderly residents take part in this keep-fit workout.
Created on Mon Oct 21 12:44:15 EDT 2013 (updated Thu Oct 24 10:13:06 EDT 2013)

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