Vocabra List 5

1. Vocabra List 5

2. spar • Roberto liked to sneak into the gym late at night to watch his brother spar with the other boxers. • “You really don’t want to spar with me,” warned the powerful senator, “because I’ll win.” • Definition: to argue or fight; to practice boxing

3. insinuate • “Are you trying to insinuate that my precious baby bulldog is ugly?” Lydia asked. • When supermodel Sylvia Smyth started to put on a few pounds, her agent suggested that jogging might be a good idea, insinuating that she was getting too heavy. • Definition: to imply; to suggest or hint at indirectly.

4. modest • The Duke of Dinkeydom was anything but modest, driving around his stretch limo with the built-in hot tub. • “It’s hard to be modest when you’ve been elected prom queen two years in a row,” Mia remarked. • Definition: not conceited; limited in size

5. precarious • Little Max had a precarious hold on the edge of the fish tank when his mom found and rescued him. • Russell’s career as a stockbroker was precarious because he could never predict what was going to happen. • Definition: uncertain; insecure; risky

6. disclose • The judge asked Six-Finger Louie to disclose the hiding place of the 12 karat diamond that he had stolen from the jewelry store. • “If you finish my term paper for me, I won’t disclose the fact that you sneaked out of the house last week to meet your boyfriend,” Judith told her sister. • Definition: to reveal; uncover; make known

7. extravagant • Myrtle thought that spending $75 on a pair of sandals for her two-year-old grandson was a little extravagant. • When their 30th wedding anniversary was near, Mike decided to give Marge a really extravagant gift – a vacation to Hawaii. • Definition: wastefully expensive; excessive

8. bustling • The toddlers at the preschool were a bustling group that exhausted the teacher. • At 97, GrammaHaluska and her daughters, aged 74 and 76, were a bustling trio who never slowed down while they cooked Thanksgiving dinner. • Definition: busy; energetic and lively

9. Smoke screen • When his parents found the broken taillight on their car, the sneaky teenager created a smoke screen by pretending to be extremely shocked. • Some politicians create a variety of smoke screens to hide their past mistakes. • Definition: any action used to try to cover up something.

10. enlighten • “I think I’d better enlighten you on the high cost of rent before you plan to move out of the house,” said Mrs. Stenson to her eighteen-year-old son. • Mr. Morgan felt the need to stop people on the street and enlighten them about the importance of wearing a helmet when riding a motorcycle. • Definition: educate; inform

11. transformation • When his class started tenth grade, everyone noticed Jake’s transformation from a short, chubby kid into a tall, lanky young man. • The caterpillar goes through an amazing transformation when it turns into a butterfly. • Definition: a big change

12. **fabricate • Jonah’s classmates were pretty sure he fabricated the part of the story about his family’s escape from Iceland. • The mad scientist was fabricating a quick and easy way for every Earthling to take weekend trips to the moon. • Definition: make up; invent

13. **debonair • Marcos looked quite debonair as he strolled down the stairway in his tuxedo. • Some older men look clumsy with their walking canes, but Sue’s debonair grandfather swings his around gracefully. • Definition: gracious and charming, especially in social situations