Elements of Vocabulary Lesson 7 levitate: someone or something appears to rise and float in the air without anything to support them Ex. I didn’t believe in magic until the magician’s assistant began to levitate right on the stage! neglect: fail to take care of something properly Ex. If you neglect to water your plant, it will die. stifle: force something to stop Ex. When the man behind me in the movie theater began talking, I asked him to stifle his conversation. astray: something that has gone missing while it was on its way somewhere Ex. The young girl was led astray by the lost puppy as she was walking home from school. alibi: you can prove that something was not your fault or you were somewhere else when it happened Ex. I told the judge I couldn’t possibly have committed the crime because I had a good alibi – I was in the hospital having my tonsils out when the crime happened! enigma: mysterious and difficult to understand Ex. The pyramids of ancient Egypt are an enigma. escapade: a daring adventure or action Ex. My friends and I had a wonderful escapade in New York! notorious: to be well-known for something bad Ex. Hitler is a notorious historical figure. impersonate: to mimic or pretend to be someone else Ex. I knew the little girl was trying to impersonate Britney Spears by the microphone she wore around her head. prodigious: enormous or extraordinarily great in size or quantity Ex. The elephant has a prodigious appetite. potent: powerful and effective Ex. You only need a small drop of that perfume, because it is potent. unflappable: someone who has a lot of self-control and is not easily upset or frightened Ex. I’m unflappable, except when it comes to bugs, snakes, the dark, thunder, ghosts, and my own shadow! stoic: someone who does not show any feeling, whether it’s pain or pleasure Ex. The man kept a stoic expression on his face even though his heart was breaking.