List 3

befit [tr.]

  1. to be suitable to or proper for (someone or something).

the army was buried in the cathedral, as befit christian soldiers

you must wear nice clothes that befit the occasion

besiege [tr.]

  1. surround (a place) with armed forces in order to capture it or force its surrender.

crowds besiege the city’s night clubs after sunset

the army plans to besiege the walled city at midnight

the guerrillas continued to besiege other major cities to the north

Henry brought up forces to besiege the town, while Henry the Younger was joined by troops from his brother Geoffrey and the new king Philip of France

debase [tr.]

  1. to lower in status, esteem, quality, or character.

he wouldn’t debase himself by doing manual labor

the governor should try not to debase himself by lying to the public

we debase language by using it inappropriately until it loses its meaning

disparage [tr.]

  1. regard or represent as being of little worth.

I would say persist and never minimize or disparage yourself or your abilities

voters don’t like political advertisements in which opponents disparage one another

enervate [tr.]

  1. to deprive (someone) of strength or vitality.

thanks so much and hope you regain your energy soon, don’t let school or whatever it is enervate you too much

shun all that may enervate or diminish your youthful energies

haul [tr.]

  1. to pull or drag (something) with effort.
  2. to take something or someone somewhere, especially by force.

a freight train can haul thousands of tons of goods

it took three men to haul the roller across the field

a crane had to be used to haul the car out of the stream

mourn [tr.]

  1. feel or show sorrow for the death of (someone).

dressed in widows weeds to mourn her beloved husband, her black clothing merely enhanced the strict lines of her face

we as a family mourn her loss daily

any people had come to mourn the quiet woman who had taught literature at the college

outwit [tr.]

  1. to get the better of by superior cleverness.

the fox managed to outwit the hunter by hiding in a tree

it is impossible to negotiate if one side feels that the other side is trying to outwit them

snatch [tr.]

  1. quickly seize (something) in a rude or eager way.

when the moon hovers above spring tides each February, the king-tide waves will reach over the rocks, enter houses, snatch belongings and garbage and children, and poison freshwater wells, called lenses, with salt water

thwart [tr.]

  1. prevent (someone) from accomplishing something.

it seems obvious that a greater police presence in that neighborhood might thwart some criminals and inadvertently save lives

she did all she could to thwart his plans

will Eliza find the courage to thwart these evil people and restore balance to the African wild?

tug [tr.]

  1. to pull (something) hard and suddenly.

the doctor will firmly grasp a section of hair near the scalp and tug all the way down, repeating this around the head

twine [tr.]

  1. to twist together.

these strands of molecules twine around each other to form cable-like structures

you need to twine the different coloured threads together

Quiz