Verbs of the Week!
Each week I will post new vocabulary words that you will have to use in an e-mail, over the phone, in a conversation, etc.
I will give you a brief definition of the words and two or three sentences to put them in context..
We will discuss in our conversation class how you managed to use those words during the week! Enjoy...
I will give you a brief definition of the words and two or three sentences to put them in context..
We will discuss in our conversation class how you managed to use those words during the week! Enjoy...
Week 1
Creep, creeps, creeping, past and past participle crept. Move slowly and carefully, especially in order to avoid being heard or noticed. “He crept downstairs, without making any noise.” “They were taught how to creep up on an enemy.”
Flee, flees, fleeing, past and past participle fled. Run away from a place or situation of danger. “A man fled from five masked youths.” “He was forced to flee the country.”
Grind, grinds, grinding, past and past participle ground. Reduce something to small particles or powder by crushing it. “Grind some black pepper over the salad.” “They grind up fish for fertilizer.”
Be flying high. To be very successful. “The company had some initial problems but now it is flying high.”
Flee, flees, fleeing, past and past participle fled. Run away from a place or situation of danger. “A man fled from five masked youths.” “He was forced to flee the country.”
Grind, grinds, grinding, past and past participle ground. Reduce something to small particles or powder by crushing it. “Grind some black pepper over the salad.” “They grind up fish for fertilizer.”
Be flying high. To be very successful. “The company had some initial problems but now it is flying high.”
Week 2
Dwell, dwells, dwelling, past and past participle dwelt. Live in or at a specified place. “Groups of gypsies still dwell in these caves.” “You dwell in one of these surrounding neighborhood?”
Kneel, kneels, kneeling, past and past participle knelt. Be in or assume a position in which the body is supported by a knee or the knees. “They knelt down and prayed.” “He kneels in front of the king of rock and roll each time he sees him.”
Fling, flings, flinging, past and past participle flung. Throw with force. “He picked up the debris and flung it away.” “I was flung into jail.”
Good riddance. I am happy someone or something has gone. “I couldn’t stand this anymore. Good riddance!”
Kneel, kneels, kneeling, past and past participle knelt. Be in or assume a position in which the body is supported by a knee or the knees. “They knelt down and prayed.” “He kneels in front of the king of rock and roll each time he sees him.”
Fling, flings, flinging, past and past participle flung. Throw with force. “He picked up the debris and flung it away.” “I was flung into jail.”
Good riddance. I am happy someone or something has gone. “I couldn’t stand this anymore. Good riddance!”
Week 3
Forbear, forbears, forbearing, past forbore, past participle forborne. Politely or patiently restrain an impulse to do something; refrain. “The boy forbore from touching anything.” “He modestly forbears to include his own work.”
Input, inputs, inputting, past and past participle input. Put data into a computer. “He was inputting data into the computer when she came in.” “I input all the data yesterday.”
Mislay, mislays, mislaying, past and past participle mislaid. Unintentionally put an object where it cannot readily be found and so lose it temporarily. “I seem to have mislaid my car keys.” “I mislay the music cassettes somewhere in my bedroom.”
Take a nosedive. To go down suddenly and fast. “Share prices took a nosedive last week.”
Input, inputs, inputting, past and past participle input. Put data into a computer. “He was inputting data into the computer when she came in.” “I input all the data yesterday.”
Mislay, mislays, mislaying, past and past participle mislaid. Unintentionally put an object where it cannot readily be found and so lose it temporarily. “I seem to have mislaid my car keys.” “I mislay the music cassettes somewhere in my bedroom.”
Take a nosedive. To go down suddenly and fast. “Share prices took a nosedive last week.”
Week 4
Forsake, forsakes, forsaking, past forsook, past participle forsaken. Abandon someone or something. “He would never forsake Tara.” “I won’t forsake my vegetarian principles.”
Gainsay, gainsays, gainsaying, past and past participle gainsaid. Deny or contradict a fact or statement.
“The impact of the railroads cannot be gainsaid.” “Since Jack told the truth on the witness stand, no one was able to gainsay his statement.”
Heave, heaves, heaving, past and past participle heaved or hove. Lift or haul a heavy thing with great effort. “She heaved the sofa back into place.” “He heaved himself out of bed.”
A glutton for punishment. Someone who likes working hard or doing things other people would find unpleasant. “She’s certainly a glutton for punishment. She’s started doing a second degree, even though she’s got a full-time job and two young children.
Gainsay, gainsays, gainsaying, past and past participle gainsaid. Deny or contradict a fact or statement.
“The impact of the railroads cannot be gainsaid.” “Since Jack told the truth on the witness stand, no one was able to gainsay his statement.”
Heave, heaves, heaving, past and past participle heaved or hove. Lift or haul a heavy thing with great effort. “She heaved the sofa back into place.” “He heaved himself out of bed.”
A glutton for punishment. Someone who likes working hard or doing things other people would find unpleasant. “She’s certainly a glutton for punishment. She’s started doing a second degree, even though she’s got a full-time job and two young children.
Week 5
Mislead, misleads, misleading, past and past participle misled. Cause someone to have a wrong idea or impression about someone or something. “The government misled the public about this story.” “I misled her about the unicorns.”
Mistake, mistakes, mistaking, past mistook, past participle mistaken. Be wrong about something or wrongly identify someone or something as. “Because I was inexperienced, I mistook the nature of our work.” “She thought he’d mistaken her for someone else.”
Sling, slings, slinging, past and past participle slung. Suspend or arrange something, especially with straps, so that it hangs loosely in a particular position. “A hammock was slung between two trees.” “He had his jacket slung over one shoulder.”
Receive a windfall. Get some unexpected money. “Investors will each receive a windfall of $10, 000.”
Mistake, mistakes, mistaking, past mistook, past participle mistaken. Be wrong about something or wrongly identify someone or something as. “Because I was inexperienced, I mistook the nature of our work.” “She thought he’d mistaken her for someone else.”
Sling, slings, slinging, past and past participle slung. Suspend or arrange something, especially with straps, so that it hangs loosely in a particular position. “A hammock was slung between two trees.” “He had his jacket slung over one shoulder.”
Receive a windfall. Get some unexpected money. “Investors will each receive a windfall of $10, 000.”
Week 6
Forecast, forecast, forecasting, past and past participle forecast or forecasted. Predict or estimate a future event or trend. “Rain is forecast for eastern Ohio.” “Coal consumption is forecast to increase.”
Stride, strides, striding, past strode, past participle stridden. Walk with long, decisive steps in a specified direction. “He strode across the road.” “He is striding confidently toward the future.”
Strive, strives, striving, past strove or strived, past participle striven or strived. Make great efforts to achieve or obtain something. “National movements were striving for independence.” “We must strive to secure steady growth.”
Can't judge a book by its cover. Cannot judge something primarily on appearance. “Patrick doesn't look very fast, but you can't judge a book by its cover.”
Stride, strides, striding, past strode, past participle stridden. Walk with long, decisive steps in a specified direction. “He strode across the road.” “He is striding confidently toward the future.”
Strive, strives, striving, past strove or strived, past participle striven or strived. Make great efforts to achieve or obtain something. “National movements were striving for independence.” “We must strive to secure steady growth.”
Can't judge a book by its cover. Cannot judge something primarily on appearance. “Patrick doesn't look very fast, but you can't judge a book by its cover.”
Week 7
Sow, sows, sowing, past sowed, past participle sown or sowed. Plant seed by scattering it on or in the earth. “Sow a thin layer of seeds on top.” “The corn had just been sown.”
Swell, swells, swelling, past swelled, past participle swelled or swollen. Especially of a part of the body, become larger or rounder in size. “Her bruised knee was already swelling up.” “My neck swells when I eat peanuts.”
Vex, vexes, vexing, past and past participle vexed. Make someone feel annoyed or worried. “The reminiscence of the conversation still vexed him.” “We were vexed by the delay.”
A penny for your thoughts. A way of asking what someone is thinking about something. “Eric, you look very pleased today. A penny for your thought?”
Swell, swells, swelling, past swelled, past participle swelled or swollen. Especially of a part of the body, become larger or rounder in size. “Her bruised knee was already swelling up.” “My neck swells when I eat peanuts.”
Vex, vexes, vexing, past and past participle vexed. Make someone feel annoyed or worried. “The reminiscence of the conversation still vexed him.” “We were vexed by the delay.”
A penny for your thoughts. A way of asking what someone is thinking about something. “Eric, you look very pleased today. A penny for your thought?”
Week 8
Hoist, hoists, hoisting, past and past participle hoisted. Raise something. “The Pittsburgh Penguins hoisted the Stanley Cup.” “She hoisted her backpack onto her shoulder"
Scatter, scatters, scatterings, past and past participle scattered. To distribute at irregular intervals. To disperse. “To scatter seeds.” “To scatter a crowd.”
Weep, weeps, weeping, past and past participle wept. Shed tears. “Patrick wept when the Pittsburgh Penguins hoisted the Stanley Cup.” “He wept tears because of her cruelty.”
Back Seat Driver. People who criticize from the sidelines, much like someone giving unwanted advice from the back seat of a vehicle to the driver. “John quickly became annoyed at Mary's tendency to become a backseat driver whenever he drove her somewhere, so he just began to let her drive.”
Scatter, scatters, scatterings, past and past participle scattered. To distribute at irregular intervals. To disperse. “To scatter seeds.” “To scatter a crowd.”
Weep, weeps, weeping, past and past participle wept. Shed tears. “Patrick wept when the Pittsburgh Penguins hoisted the Stanley Cup.” “He wept tears because of her cruelty.”
Back Seat Driver. People who criticize from the sidelines, much like someone giving unwanted advice from the back seat of a vehicle to the driver. “John quickly became annoyed at Mary's tendency to become a backseat driver whenever he drove her somewhere, so he just began to let her drive.”