amenity = n. something that makes life easier or more enjoyable
syn. convenience

For some people a car is an amenity, for others it's a basic necessity.

One expects many amenities at a five-star hotel.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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.