Vocab Flashcards
(26 cards)
sequester (v.)
isolate; retire from public life; segregate; seclude
Banished from his kingdom, the wizard Prospero sequestered himself on a desert island. To prevent the jurors from hearing news broadcasts about the case, the judge decided to sequester the jury.
serendipity (n.)
gift of finding valuable or desirable things by accident; accidental good fortune or luck.
Many scientific discoveries are a matter of serendipity. Newton was not sitting under a tree thinking about gravity when the apple dropped on his head.
serenity (n.)
calmness, placidity
The sound of air raid sirens pierced the serenity of the quiet village of Pearl Harbor.
serpentine (adj.)
winding; twisting
The cars swerved at every curve in the serpentine road.
servile (adj.)
slavish; cringing
Constantly fawning on his employer, humble Uriah Heap was a servile creature.
severity (n.)
harshness; intensity, sternness; austerity
The severity of Jane’s migraine attack was so great that she took to her bed for a week.
shackle (v.)
chain, fetter
In a chain gang, convicts are shackled together to prevent their escape.
sham (v.)
pretend
He shammed sickness to get out of going to school.
shambles (n.)
wreck, mess
After the hurricane, the Carolina coast was a shambles. After the New Year’s Eve party, the apartment was a shambles.
shard (n.)
fragment, generally of pottery.
The archeologist assigned several students the task of reassembling earthenware vessels from the shards he had brought back from the expedition.
shear (v.)
cut or clip (hair,fleece); strip of something
You may not care to cut a sheep’s hair, but Sarah sheers sheep for Little Bo Beep.
sheathe (v.)
place into a case.
As soon as he recognized the approaching men, he sheathe his dagger and hailed them as friends.
sheer (adj.)
very thin or transparent; very steep; absolute
Wearing nothing but an almost sheer robe, Delilah draped herself against the sheer temple wall. Beholding her, Samson was overcome by her sheer beauty. Then she sheared his hair.
shimmer (v.)
glimmer intermittently.
The moonlight shimmered on the water as the moon broke through the clouds for a moment.
shirk (v.)
avoid(responsibility, work, etc); malinger.
Brian has a strong sense of duty; he would never shirk any responsibility.
shoddy (adj.)
inferior, trashy, cheap
Grumbling, “They don’t make things the way they used to,” Grandpa complained about the shoddy workmanship nowadays.
shrewd (adj.)
clever; astute
A shrewd investor, he took clever advantage of the fluctuations of the stock market.
shroud (v.)
hide from view; wrap for burial.
Fog shrouded Dracula’s castle, hiding the ruined tower beneath sheets of mist.
shun (v.)
keep away from
Cherishing his solitude, the recluse shunned the company of other human beings.
simper (v.)
smirk; smile affectedly
Complimented on her appearance, Stella self-consciously simpered.
sinecure (n.)
well paid position with little responsibility.
My job is no sinecure, I work long hours and have much responsibility.
sinewy (adj.)
tough; strong and firm.
The steak was too sinewy to chew.
singular (adj.)
unique, extraordinary, odd
Though the young man tried to understand Father William’s singular behavior, he still found it odd that the old man incessantly stood on his head.
sinuous (adj.)
winding, bending in and out; not morally honest
The snake moved in a sinuous manner.
