Set 11 Flashcards
bewilder
/bɪˈwɪldər/
To bewilder is to amaze, baffle, dumbfound, flummox, perplex, or stupefy. When you bewilder people, you confuse them.
Bewilder is a fun-sounding word for confusion-causing. A complicated math problem will bewilder many students. A magician’s tricks should bewilder the audience. Mystery stories should be a little bewildering, at least until the end. Sometimes, being bewildered has a more emotional element. If someone you know died in a freak accident, that would bewilder you in a very sad way.
(v.) to confuse or puzzle someone completely
The complex instructions seemed to bewilder the students.
USAGE NOTES:
Bewilder stresses a confusion of mind that hampers clear and decisive thinking.
…a bewildering number of possibilities
> 1680s, “confuse as to direction or situation,” also, figuratively, “perplex, puzzle, confuse,” from be- “thoroughly” + archaic wilder “lead astray, lure into the wilds,” which probably is a back-formation from wilderness. An earlier word with the same sense was bewhape (early 14c.) and there is a 17c. use of bewhatle.
> Merriam-Webster, Vocabulary.com, Etymonline.com
tinny
tinny
sodden
sodden
ladle
ladle
/ˈleɪd(ə)l/
noun
a large, deep spoon with a long handle, used for serving liquids
…She used a ladle to pour soup into the bowls.
…The chef grabbed a ladle to serve the stew.
verb
1 to serve or scoop liquid with a ladle: SPOON OUT, scoop out, dish up/out, serve; bail out
…He ladled gravy onto his mashed potatoes.
…She ladled hot chocolate into the mugs.
…He was ladling out the contents of the pot.
1a to provide (information, advice, etc.) lavishly or overgenerously
…He was ladling out his personal philosophy of life.
> “large, long-handled spoon for drawing liquids,” late Old English hlædel “ladle” (glossing Latin antlia), from hladan “to load; to draw up water” (see lade) + instrumental suffix -el (1) expressing “appliance, tool” (compare handle (n.)).
> Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus, Etymonline
croon
croon
rote
rote
gripe
gripe
dejected
dejected
jagged
jagged
wanton
wanton
entreaty
entreaty
huddle
huddle
/ˈhʌdl/
verb
1 to crowd together closely; to gather in a close group
…The children huddled together for warmth.
…The team huddled around their coach before the game.
2 to curl one’s body into a small space
…She huddled under the blanket during the storm.
…The cat huddled in the corner, frightened by the noise.
3 to hold a private conference or discussion; If people huddle in a group, they gather together to discuss something quietly or secretly.
…The executives huddled in the conference room to discuss strategy.
…The only people in the store were three young employees, huddled in the corner chatting.
…The president has been huddling with his most senior aides.
…The players huddled to plan their next play.
noun
1 a close-packed group of people or animals
…There was a huddle of students by the bulletin board.
…The penguins formed a huddle to stay warm.
2 a brief gathering of players to plan strategy
…The quarterback called the team into a huddle.
…They discussed the next play in the huddle.
> huddle (v.): 1570s, “to heap or crowd together,” probably from Low German hudern “to cover, to shelter” (of hens on chicks or nurses with children), from Middle Low German huden “to cover up,” which is probably a frequentative form from Proto-Germanic *hud-, from PIE *keudh-, extended form of root (s)keu- “to cover, conceal.” Compare also Middle English hoderen “heap together, huddle” (c. 1300). Related: Huddled; huddling. The noun is from 1580s. U.S. football sense is from 1928.
> Collins English Dictionary, Etymonline
pyrotechnics
pyrotechnics
dote on sb
dote on sb
cadre
cadre
pique
pique
dredge up
dredge up
unobscured
unobscured
go berserk
go berserk
boisterous
boisterous
belabor
belabor
fleck
fleck
bolt (v.)
bolt (v.)
/boʊlt/
verb
1 to move or run away suddenly, especially from fear
…The horse bolted when it heard the thunder.
…The thief bolted from the scene of the crime.
2 to move or proceed rapidly
…He bolted up the stairs two at a time.
…The children bolted into the playground.
3 (also bolt down) to eat (food) very quickly and without chewing properly
…He bolted down his breakfast.
…He bolted his breakfast and rushed to work.
…Don’t bolt your food – you’ll get indigestion.
4 to fasten two things together using a bolt
…She bolted the door before going to bed.
…Remember to bolt the windows at night.
Usage Notes:
- Often implies sudden, unexpected movement
- Frequently used to describe animals’ fearful reactions
- In construction/assembly contexts, means to secure with bolts
> bolt (n.): Old English bolt “short, stout arrow with a heavy head;” also “crossbow for throwing bolts,” from Proto-Germanic *bultas (source also of Old Norse bolti, Danish bolt, Dutch bout, German Bolzen), perhaps originally “arrow, missile,” and from PIE *bheld- “to knock, strike” (source also of Lithuanian beldžiu “I knock,” baldas “pole for striking”).
> bolt (v.): verbs from bolt (n.) in its various senses (especially “a missile” and “a fastening”); from a crossbow arrow’s quick flight comes the meaning “spring, make a quick start” (early 13c.). Via the notion of fleeing game or runaway horses, this came to mean “leave suddenly” (1610s). The meaning “gulp down food” is from 1794. The meaning “secure by means of a bolt” is from 1580s. Related: Bolted; bolting.
> Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Etymonline
bedeck
bedeck
