Vocabulary Work Shop Unit 2
adverse Definition (adj.) unfavorable, negative; working against, hostile Sentence Not doing your homework can have an adverse affect on your grade.
arid Definition (adj.) extremely dry; uninteresting, dull Sentence Some teachers are very arid in class.
assailant Definition (n.) a person who attacks violently (with blows or words) Sentence You should never be an assailant.
billow Definition (n.) a large wave; (v.) to rise or swell like a wave Sentence The captain looked up and saw the largest wave he’d ever seen in his life billow toward him.
Definition (v.) to meet face-to-face, especially as a challenge; come to grips with Sentence Whenever someone confronts me I always stand my ground. confront
constrain Definition (v.) to force, compel; to restrain hold back Sentence Some of you need to constrain your desire to talk without raising your hand.
contemporary Definition (adj.) belonging to the same period of time as oneself; (n.) a person of the same time Sentence Dominique Wilkins is a contemporary of Michael Jordan.
depict Definition (n.) to portray; to represent or show in the form of a picture Sentence An American Tale depicts the pogroms in Russia during the late 19th century.
disinterested Definition (adj.) fair-minded, free from selfish motives; indifferent Sentence Disinterested may not always mean what you think it means.
encompass Definition (v.) to encircle, go or reach around; to enclose; to include a with certain group or class Sentence Our classroom discussions usually encompass a wide variety of topics.
groundless Definition (adj.) without any good reason or cause, unjustified Sentence Many of your excuses are groundless.
hypocrite Definition (n.) a person who pretends to what he or she is not or better than he or she really is; a two-faced person Sentence Many religious leaders are hypocrites.
incomprehensible Definition (adj.) impossible to understand Sentence Not doing your homework is incomprehensible to me.
manipulate Definition (v.) to handle or use skillfully; to manage or control for personal gain or advantage Sentence My mother-in-law tried to manipulate my children.
maximum Definition (n.) the greatest possible amount or degree (adj.) reaching the greatest possible amount or degree Sentence If you want to be truly successful you must give maximum effort.
mimic Definition (n.) a person who does imitations; (v.) to imitate; to make fun of Sentence My kids like to mimic just about everything I do.
ruffle Definition (v.) to wrinkle, make uneven; to annoy, upset; to flip through; (n.) a gathered strip of material used for trimming edges; a ripple; a low drumbeat Sentence When you allow people to ruffle your feathers you are giving them what they want.
Definition (adj.) peaceful, calm; free of emotional upset; clear and free of storm; majestic, grand Sentence There are many places in Alaska that exemplify serene beauty. serene
sheepish Definition (adj.) embarrassed; resembling a sheep in meekness, timid Sentence Most of you are quiet sheepish when you get in trouble.
stamina Definition (n.) the strength needed to keep going or overcome physical or mental strain; staying power Sentence Basketball requires more stamina then any other sport.