Elements of Vocabulary Lesson 8 lurch: to make a sudden, jerky movement forward Ex. I lurched forward when the driver slammed on the brakes to avoid colliding with the sprinting deer. primp: take a long time getting ready because you are picky about how you look Ex. The three giddy girls spent two hours primping for the big dance. putrid: rotten and smells awful Ex. The bologna sandwich must have been there for days because the smell was putrid! rowdy: people who are being noisy and rough and may end up causing trouble Ex. The police were called to make sure the rowdy crowd didn’t cause trouble if their team lost the championship game. jovial: someone who is happy and behaves in a cheerful way Ex. Some people say that Santa Claus is a jovial character because he is always smiling and happy! outlandish: weird and unlikely to happen Ex. The chances of a kindergarten classroom winning the Reading Counts competition is simply outlandish. allure: the way in which something is attractive or exciting Ex. The allure of the yellow flower’s nectar was too strong for the bumble bee to ignore. suave: someone who is charming, polite, and elegant but may not be sincere Ex. The suave business man turned on the charm when he was trying to get my business. idyllic: something that is pleasant and peaceful Ex. DeLand is an idyllic place to raise a family. mendacious: someone who lies or tells falsehoods Ex. His mendacious nature got him in lots of trouble! plausible: something that seems reasonably true but may not be Ex. I didn’t think his tactic of getting sick every time his mom needed something would work, but I guess it is a plausible idea. candid: someone who is honest and sincere Ex. His candid answers to the reporter’s questions helped him win the election. barb: a negative or insulting comment Ex. The lady chose to ignore the barb the nasty man made about her new, flowered hat.