amenity
= n. something that makes life easier or more enjoyable
destroy = v. to ruin thoroughly
syn. obliterate, wreck
adj. destructive
adv. destructively
n. destructiveness
n. destruction
n. destroyer
The factory was destroyed by the fire.
A computer virus caused the destruction of the database.
disperse = v. to cause to move in many
directions
syn. scatter, spread
adj. dispersed
The high winds and rain dispersed the crowd.
The company has several branches dispersed throughout the
state.
dwelling = n. where someone or something
lives
syn. residence, abode, domicile
n. dweller
v. dwell (on = to remain)
Prairie dogs never stray very far from their dwellings.
The professor dwelled on the topic for so long that some
of the students got bored and left the lecture hall.
element = n. a piece of the whole;
"normal environment"
syn. component
adj. elemental
Hard work and perseverance are the basic elements of
success, but good luck never hurts.
Urban dwellers sometimes feel out of their element in rural
areas.
elementary = adj. simple in structure, easy
to do
syn. primary, basic, fundamental
Sherlock Holmes always said to his assistant: "...elementary
my dear Watson".
You usually have to take Elementary Physics before you can
enroll in an advanced course.
eliminate = v. to do away with, free oneself
of something
syn. remove, get rid of
n. elimination
adj. eliminated
Graffiti, which is usually written by morons, is both difficult and expensive to eliminate.
Mafia hitmen specialize in the elimination of their boss's
enemies.
emphasize = v. show that something has
special significance
syn. highlight, stress
adj. emphatic n. emphasis
adv. emphatically
The professor emphasized some aspects of the topic more
than others.
His emphasis on the use of computers in class was not
appreciated by all the students.
encircle = v. to make a circle around
syn. surround
adj. encircled
The players encircled their coach after winning the big game.
The encircled military unit was eventually wiped out.
erratic = adj. without a regular pattern,
changing with no apparent reason
syn. random, inconsistent
adv. erratically
The artist' s paintings have an erratic quality, some being
excellent and others mediocre.
Unstable chemicals react erratically.
exaggerate = v. to present something as
being more than it actually is
syn. overstate, inflate
adj. exaggerated
n. exaggeration
The federal government exaggerated the success of its
programs.
To say that second-hand smoke is dangerous is not an exaggeration.
mention = v. to refer to, either in speech or
writing
syn. note, comment, remark
adj. mentioned
n. mention
The professor casually mentioned that there would be an exam the next day.
The book mentioned today was included in the bibliography
that was handed out in class last week.
prevalent = adj. existing everywhere
syn. commonplace
n. prevalence
Computers were once very rare and expensive, but today they're almost as prevalent as radios and TVs.
There is usually a prevalence of disease where poor
sanitation exists.
release = v. to let go of, set free
syn. free
n. release
The nuclear material released during the Chernobyl accident
polluted large areas of Europe.
The release of the government's report did little or
nothing to remove the speculation about the magnitude of the problem.