New Word Archive
flexible (flex-i-ble) - adjective 1. Capable of being bent or twisted without breaking The flexible gymnast could bend down and touch his toes. 2. Easily changed; adaptable
The number of players on a team is flexible. You can play with 5, 7, or 11 players on each team.
Attitudes are contagious. Is yours worth catching?
mandatory (man-da-to-ry) - adjective 1. Demanded or required by custom or duty  It is mandatory to turn in a permission slip before attending the fieldtrip.
Only people who do nothing, never make mistakes.
conform (con-form) - verb 1. To make similar; adapt
Please conform your behavior to that of the other students.
Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important.
adjacent (ad-ja-cent) - adjective1. Lying near or close by Georgia is adjacent to Florida.
Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.
edible (ed-i-ble) - adjective - Suitable for food; fit to eat As part of my survival training, I learned which plants are edible and which are poisonous.
You have only failed when you have failed to try.
ricochet (ric-uh-shay) verb - To bounce or rebound from or off a surface.
The bullet ricocheted off the wall.
A quitter never wins, a winner never quits.
trinket (tring-kit) noun - Any small object, like jewelry, of little value.  Even though they were only trinkets, the little girl treated her rings as if they were gold.
A smile is the shortest distance between two points.
itinerary (i-tin-ah-rer-e) noun - The plan or route of a journey.  The cruise ship's itinerary includes the Bahamas, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.
The mind is like a parachute, it only works when it is open.
option (op-shun) noun - The act of choosing; a choice. Since we are ordering the new car, we have the option of a radio or CD player.
Time is nature's way of making sure everything doesn't happen at once.
ambiguous (am-big-you-us) adjective - 1. Having more than one possible meaning  2. Doubtful or uncertain The politician's answer was so ambiguous, I still did not know  if he was for or against gun control.
To be a winner ... all you need to give is all you have.
dispute (dis-pute) verb  1. To argue or challenge  noun 2. An argument  The neighbors could not settle their dispute over who should fix the fence.
To have a friend, you must be a friend.
instigate (in-sti-gate) verb 1. To spur or urge on to some action  The child would instigate the others to argue, yet never be part of the argument.
There is no I in team.
competent (com-pe-tent) adjective 1. Having enough ability; capable.
The competent teacher answered every question.
Before arguing with a fool, be sure the other person is not doing the same.
talisman (tal-is-man) noun  A ring, stone, etc. believed to bring good luck. The actress treated the stone as a talisman and always rubbed it before every performance.
Never strike out, go down swinging.
blatant (bla-tant) adjective  Impossible to overlook.  Driving 40 mph in a school zone is a blatant disregard of the law.
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
phobia (pho-bi-a) noun  An unreasonable and persistent fear of a particular thing. The teacher had such a phobia about snakes that she would not enter my classroom even though the snake was in its cage.
A good memory is not as good as good ink.
inevitable (in-ev-i-ta-ble) adjective  Unavoidable, certain.  No matter what happens over night, it is inevitable that the sun will rise in the morning.
If at first you don't succeed, you're about average.
compromise (com-pro-mise) noun.  An adjustment or settlement in which each side gives up part if its demands. The two sides reached a compromise, neither the owner nor the employees received everything they wanted.
Every cloud has a silver lining.
punctual (punc-tu-al) adjective.  Acting, finishing, or arriving on time.  All of the punctual people arrived at the meeting before it started.
Don't count your chickens before they hatch.
commitment (com-mit-ment) noun.  A pledge; promise.  I could not go to the party because I already made a commitment to help at the car wash.
Label jars, not people.
naive (na-ive) adjective.  Foolish or inexperienced; childlike.  My little brother is so naive, that when I told him the dog told me the answer, he believed me.
It's quality not quantity.
tolerate (tol-er-ate) verb.  To allow to be or permit without opposition.  The coach does not tolerate players being late for practice. If the player is late, she cannot play in the next game.
The expert in anything was once a beginner.
proprietor (pro-pri-e-tor) noun.  The legal owner of something, as a store, business, etc.
The proprietor hired six employees to work in his store.
You should listen more than you talk. Remember, you have two ears but only one mouth.
vulnerable (vul-ner-a-ble) adjective.  Capable of being hurt, injured, or wounded.
Superman is only vulnerable to kryptonite, it is the only substance that can hurt him.
If it is to be, it is up to me.
deprive (de-prive) verb.  To take away from; to keep from getting, having, or enjoying.
Due to the child's rude behavior, his mother deprived him of his favorite toy.
I use not only all the brains I have, but all I can borrow.
apparel (a-par-el) noun.  Clothing We went to the apparel department to look for shorts.
It's later than it's ever been.
confound (con-found) verb.  To confuse, amaze, or bewilder.  This kind of riddle confounds me.
An error only becomes a mistake when you refuse to correct it.
scaffold (scaf-fold) noun.  A temporary platform put up to support workmen and materials above the ground. The painters stood on a scaffold while they painted.
Be flexible and you won't get bent out of shape.
conceal (con-ceal) verb.  To keep secret or out of sight; hide.  The little boy tried to take a frog up to his room by concealing it in his backpack.
Whatever you do, do it well.
deceptive (de-cep-tive) adjective.  That which is meant to trick or fool; misleading.  The magician used deceptive movements to make you believe the coin had really disappeared.
Sometimes in the dark you see what you want to see.
Good things come to those who wait.
convey (con-vey) verb. To make known; communicate. My mother can convey her thoughts just by the way she looks at me.
You can't have everything. Where would you put it?
conspicuous (con-spic-u-ous) adjective. Easily or clearly seen.  The green snake became conspicuous when it moved on the black dirt.
Before arguing with a fool, be sure the other person is not doing the same.
ply - noun.   A layer or thickness, as of cloth, wood, etc.  The two ply paper towels absorbed better than those that were just a single layer.
Nothing is impossible. Some things are harder to believe or take longer to achieve.
lenient (lean-yent) adjective   Gentle or merciful; not stern or severe; mild  The judge was lenient because it was his first arrest.  He was given only a fine, instead of being sentenced to jail.
You are the most important, but not the only important.
barrier (bar-ri-er) noun  Something that blocks the way or stops movement, as a wall, fence, dam, etc. The narrow doorway acted as a barrier for the man in the wheelchair.
A weed is only a flower growing in the wrong place.
superlative (su-per-la-tive) adjective  Excellent in the highest degree.  The student won first prize for his superlative science project.
Don't accept good enough as good enough.
serial (ser-i-al) adjective  Of, having to do with, or arranged in a series. Every dollar bill has its own serial number.
It's not what you say, it's how you say it.
nonchalant (non-cha-lant) adjective  Showing coolness; not excited or concerned. She accepted the prize with a nonchalant attitude.
To get to the top, get off your bottom.
porcelain (por-ce-lain) noun  A fine, hard, white earthenware used for plates, dishes, cups, etc.;china
We used our finest porcelain cups for the party.
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
concur (con-cur) verb  To agree or approve    I concur with you in your decision.
Jumping to conclusions can be a bad exercise.
skeptical(skep-ti-cal) adjective  Showing doubt; not believing readily
I became skeptical of his story when he said he jumped over the fence without touching it.
One man's trash is another man's treasure.
passive (pas-sive) adjective  Not active or not responding actively      The passive man did not get excited when he won the lottery.
Everybody's different. Nobody's perfect.
chisel (chis-el) noun  A cutting tool with a sharp beveled edge, used to cut or shape wood, metal. or stone The artist used a chisel to create the statue from the marble slab.
The right to do something does not mean that doing it is right.
augment (aug-ment) verb  To make or become greater as in size, amount, etc.: increase
The army was augmented by calling up the reserves.
A journey of 1000 miles begins with the first step.  Confucius
clerical (cler-i-cal) adjective  Of or related to clerks in offices or their work
Due to a clerical error, the check was written for $10 instead of $100 .
It's easy to tell a lie. It's hard to tell just one lie.
benefit (ben-e-fit) verb   To be helpful or useful to
Schools benefit the entire community.
Even a fish would stay out of trouble if he kept his mouth shut.
confiscate (con-fi-scate) verb   To take by authority
The officer confiscated the birds that were being smuggled into the country.
Looks are deceiving.
monarchy (mon-ar-chy) noun   Government by a single ruler, as a king, queen, etc.
In a monarchy the king has a great deal of power.
You have to take the bad with the good.
reinforce (re-in-force) verb   To give new force or strength to by adding something.
The carpenter reinforced the chair by adding two braces between the legs.
The more you learn, the more you find out you don't know.
lack   verb   To be without or have too little.
The new player is good, but lacks the experience needed to predict where the ball is going.
It's not the hours you put in, it's what you put into the hours.
glib   adjective    Speaking or spoken easily without much thought or sincerity.
The student's glib answer showed she was not really thinking about the problem.
Take a look at yourself and you will look at others differently.
ply  noun   A layer or thickness, as of cloth, wood. etc..
The two ply paper towel absorbs better than the towel made of just a single layer..
For every second you are angry, you lose minutes of happiness.
efficient (i-fish-ent)  adjective   Producing results with the least effort or waste.
Scientists are always looking for more efficient ways to produce electricity.
Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.
priority (pri-or-i-ty)  noun  Something that is first in importance or order.
The nurse's top priority is caring  for her patient.
reliable (re-li-a-ble)  adjective  Dependable; trustworthy.
My reliable friend will be there when I need him..
Variety is the spice of life.
insight (in-sight)  noun  The ability to see into the heart or inner nature of something or someone.
After talking to homeless people, I have gained insight to the problems of the poor.
Fall seven times, stand up eight. Japanese Proverb
simultaneous (si-mul-ta-ne-ous)  adjective  Happening, done, or existing at the same time.
The dancers made simultaneous movements.
Many people toil for a loaf when a slice would be sufficient.
acquire (a-kwir)  verb  To come to own; get; obtain.
Over the years, I have acquired a collection of nearly 2000 baseball cards.
Life's most urgent question is: what are you doing for others?   Martin Luther King, Jr.
pseudonym (soo-da-nim)  noun  A fictitious name used by a writer or other well-known person in place of his own name.
Mark Twain is the pseudonym of Samuel Clemens.
Consideration for others can mean taking a wing instead of a drumstick.
sole  adjective  Being the one and only. (Also: noun; bottom surface of the foot, and noun; a type of flatfish related to the flounder)
When my ship wrecked on the deserted island I became its sole inhabitant.
Let people know what you stand for and what you won't stand for.
quarantine (quar-an-tine) noun  The keeping of persons, goods, etc., that have been infected by or exposed to contagious diseases away from other people or things.
The zoo had to quarantine the sick snake in its own room to be sure the other snakes did not catch its disease.
The best way to have the last word is to apologize.
humane (hu-mane) adjective  Kind; compassionate.  Pets deserve humane treatment.
Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Marie Curie
contrast (con-trast) verb  To compare in order to show differences.
It is easy to contrast living in the big city with living on a farm.
Label jars not people.
warp  (verb)  To turn or twist out of shape.
The hot sun warped the record I left in my car.
Even the mosquito has to get to work before she gets a slap on her back.
anticipate  (an-ti-cip-ate) verb  To look forward to; expect.
We could anticipate a large crowd at the free concert.
Confidence is when you enter a contest and you wonder who's coming in second.
quiver  (quiv-er) verb  To make a slight trembling motion; vibrate.
The mouse quivered with fear when it saw the cat.
You have only failed, when you have failed to try.
tension  (ten-sion) noun  The condition of being stretched.
The huge fish caused so much tension on my line, it snapped.
One thing you can give and still keep is your word.
acoustic  (a-koos-tik) adjective  Of or having to do with sound or hearing.
The acoustic ceiling panels made the room quieter because they absorbed the sound.
You have to take the bad with the good.
dominate  (dom-uh-nate) verb  To control or rule over.
The two brothers fought because the older one wanted to dominate his younger brother.
Don't build yourself up by putting others down.
apply  (a-ply) verb  To be suitable or appropriate.
This rule applies to everyone in the class.
Ones man's work is another man's pleasure.
evaluate  (e-val-u-ate) verb  To judge or find the amount, worth, etc, of.
The jeweler closely evaluated the ring before saying the diamond is real.
Good, Better, Best,
Never let it rest,
Until the good is better,
and the better is to best.
alternate  (al-ter-nate) verb  To follow one after the other by turns.
In order to make doing the chores fair we alternated doing the dishes. I did them every other day.
priority  (pri-or-i-ty) noun  Something that is first in importance or order.
Your priority should be school, not sports.
It takes both rain and sunshine to make a rainbow.
correspond  (cor-e-spond)  verb   To write or exchange letters.
I correspond with my friend in Ohio everyday using e-mail.
Anger is only one letter short of danger.
uniform  (u-ni-form)  adjective   Always the same; not varying or changing.
All roads are built in a uniform manner so they may easily connect with each other.
The word listen contains the same letters as the word silent.
stipulate  (stip-u-late)  verb   To specify as a condition of an agreement.
I was allowed to go with the stipulation that I would be home by 11.
Half of being smart is knowing what you're dumb at.
priceless  (price-less)  adjective   Worth more than any price; invaluable.
Moon rocks are priceless because you cannot collect them.
The greatest of all faults is to imagine you have none.
reluctant  (re-luc-tant)  adjective   Unwilling; not eager.
My four year old brother is always reluctant to go to bed..
When I do good no one remembers; when I do bad, no one forgets.
indirect  (in-di-rect) adjective   Not directly connecting with, or resulting from something else. Improved medical monitoring equipment is an indirect benefit
of the U.S. space program.
One person can make a difference. A team can make a miracle.
maintain  (main-tain)  verb   To keep in proper condition.
The park is very nice because the city works hard to maintain it.
We are mirrors. We see in people only what they see in us.
vary  (var-y)  verb   To make or become different in some way; change
The restaurant varies its daily special from day to day.
If you see a turtle sitting on a fence post, you know it got some help.
temporary  (tem-po-rar-y)  adjective   Lasting or meant to be used for a short time only; not permanent
The temporary traffic problem will improve once the road repairs are completed..
I never make the same mistake twice. Everyday I make new ones.
emphatic  (em-pha-tic)  adjective   Spoken or done with emphasis
The coach's emphatic speech motivated the team to play its best.
Build bridges not walls.
coincidence  (co-in-ci-dence)  noun   A chance occurrence or appearance of two things at the same place or time
It was a coincidence when the two friends showed up at the party wearing the same outfit.
Everything comes for those who wait, providing they work while they wait.
mobile  (mo-bil)  adjective   Easily transported or movable
The televison was small and mobile, I could carry it with one hand.
To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing.
routine  (roo-teen)  noun   A fixed, habitual way or method of doing something
Every morning I follow the exact same routine from the time I wake up until I leave the house.
To get ahead get off your behind.
laudable  (la-da-ble)  adjective   Deserving praise or approval; praiseworthy
Returning the $100 is a laudable act .
Appearance is important.
vivid  (viv-id)  adjective   Creating clear, lifelike, or original images in the mind
The writer's account of the snowstorm was so vivid that I felt the coldness of the snow.
Experience is the best teacher.
imminent  (im-mi-nent)  adjective   Likely to happen soon; probable
Once we saw the lightning bolt, we knew everyone on the field was in imminent danger.
That which is used develops, that which is not wastes away.
nuisnance  (noo-sens)  noun   Any person, thing, conditon, etc., that annoys, bothers, or irritates
When my friends come over, my little brother becomes a nuisance.
You can catch more flies with sugar than with vinegar.
plume  (ploom)  noun   A feather, especially if long and ornamental
The drum major wore a red plume in his hat.
A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.
generate  (jen-a-rate)  verb   To produce or cause to be
A  flame generates heat.
Just when you think you see the whole picture of life clearly, the channel changes.
depict  (de-pict)  verb   To describe in words
The poet depicted the sunset so vividly, I could see it.
The only people who never make mistakes are people who do nothing at all.
pursue  (pur-sue)  verb   To proceed with; keep on with
I always wanted to pursue stamp collecting as a hobby.
When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.
shambles  (sham-bles)  noun   A place in which there is great destruction or disorder.
After the tornado the small town was in shambles.
It takes two people to have an argument.
tamper  (tam-per)  verb   To meddle so as to damage, put out of adjustment, etc.
Please don't tamper with my camera.  Even just touching it may change its settings.
You never know everything.
hesitate  (hez-i-tate)  verb   To be slow or doubtful in acting, making a decision, etc.
On Jeopardy, the player who hesitates never gets on with the answer..
He who hesitates is lost.
ascend  (a-send)  verb   To go upward; rise.     The climbers ascended the mountain..
It's never as easy as it looks.
ajar  (a-jar)  adjective; adverb      Partly open, as a door.
The new car says, "The door is ajar," if the door is left open.
Don't ever slam the door; you might want to go back.
transpose  (trans-pose)  verb;   To reverse the order or change the place of.
If you transpose the letters in "pal" you get "lap".
Make today better than yesterday... And tomorrow better than today.
hurdle  (hur - del)  noun;     A difficulty or obstacle to be overcome.
The final test is my last hurdle to pass the class.
Frustration is not having anyone to blame but yourself.
peer  (peer)  verb;  To look closely, as in an effort to see clearly.
He peered at the page by candlelight.
Whoever gossips to you will gossip about you.
sever  (sev-ir)  verb;  To cut or break in two or more pieces.
He used a knife to sever the rope into two pieces.
An apology is a good way to have the last word.
gorge  (gorj)  noun;  A narrow, very deep ravine; canyon.
As I rafted down the river, I looked up and saw the steep walls of the gorge.
Never make demands you are not in a position to.
cinch  (sinch)  noun; slang  Something easy or certain.
Since I studied all week, the test was a cinch.
I wondered why somebody didn't do something.  Then I realized that I am somebody.
aroma  (a-ro-ma)  noun; A pleasant fragrance or smell, as of food or a plant.
Everyone smelled the aroma of the popcorn popping in the microwave.
Better late than never; but better never late.
tedious  (te-de-us)  adjective;  Long, dull, and tiresome.
Writing all 35 names on 3 lists became a tedious job.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
crimp  (crimp)  verb;  To press or bend into small regular ridges or folds.
The cooking directions said to cover the top of the pie
with the crust dough and crimp around the edge.
It's the thought that counts.

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