Comprehensive Vocabulary Dictionary: Definitions and Meanings

Vocabulary Definitions and Meanings

• Astound: To overwhelm with amazement.
• Assail: To attack vigorously or violently.
• Blink: To open and close the eye.
• Backstage: Behind the proscenium in a theater, especially in wings or dressing rooms.
• Banister: Any of various symmetrical supports, as furniture legs or spindles, tending to swell toward the bottom or top.
• Bundle: An item wrapped for carrying.
• Chore: Small or routine job to do.
• Creep: To move slowly with body close to the ground, on hands and knees.
• Dizzy: Having a sensation of things going round and round; giddy.
• Deadline: The time by which something must be finished.
• Distress: Sharp or strong anxiety, pain, or sorrow.
• In Earnest: With serious or sincere intentions.
• Flattering: To praise or compliment insincerely or excessively.
• Flicker: To burn unsteadily; shine with a wavering light.
• Frown: To wrinkle the forehead, such as when one is displeased or in deep thought.
• Fussy: Too busy with small, unimportant things; anxious or particular about petty details.
• Gasp: To catch one's breath.
• Grip: The power of grasping or holding fast.
• Grope: To feel about with the hands; feel one's way hesitantly.
• Groan: To utter a deep, mournful sound that expresses pain or grief; moan.
• Hunch: To thrust out or up in a hump.
• Jinx: To bring bad luck to.
• Latch: A device for holding a door, gate, or the like closed, with a bar that falls or slides into a catch, groove, or hole.
• Lanky: Ungracefully tall and thin.
• Mower: To cut down (grass, etc.), especially with a machine.
• Mishap: An unfortunate event.
• Muffle: To wrap with something to deaden sound.
• Nuisance: One that is unpleasant, inconvenient, or annoying.
• Offhand: Without previous thought or preparation; extempore.
• Outwardly: As regards appearance or outward manifestation.
• Paunch: A large and protruding belly; potbelly.
• Quell: To put down; suppress.
• Rudder: A vertical blade at the rear of a ship or plane that can be turned to control direction.
• Rung: A level or degree, as in a business, organization, etc.
• Sachet: A small bag or pad containing sweet-smelling powder.
• At Sea: Perplexed; uncertain.
• Slipshod: Careless, untidy, or sloppy; not careful.
• Startle: To disturb suddenly as by surprise.
• Splutter: To talk rapidly and unclearly, as when excited.
• Stroll: To walk slowly, easily, and without a definite direction, as for pleasure; ramble.
• Slide: To (cause to) move in continuous contact with a smooth or slippery surface.
• Stumble: To strike the foot against something, as in running, so as to trip or fall.
• Smuggle: To convey (goods) secretly and illegally into or out of a country.
• Touchy: Likely to take offense for some slight reason; irritable.
• Trousseau: An outfit of clothing, household linen, etc., belonging to a bride.
• Thaw: To change from a frozen to a liquid state.
• Tipsy: Slightly intoxicated.
• Wrench: To pull, jerk, move, or force with or as with a violent twisting motion.
• Weary: Physically or mentally exhausted.
• Well: To rise, spring, or gush, as from a well.