(v) To cause horror, shock, or dismay.
The teachers were appalled by the poor test results.
appalling (adj) Causing shock and horror.
The television report exposed the appalling destruction of the rainforest..
(adj) Discouraged; low in spirits.
Jesse felt dejected when he couldn't find his friends at the park.
(v) 1. To rely on for support.
Many blind persons depend on guide dogs.
2. To be based on.
Whether I go to the concert depends on what my parents say.
dependable (adj) Reliable.
If you do a lot of walking, you need a dependable pair of shoes.
(adj) Sad and gloomy.
I pulled up the shades to let more light into Olga's dark and dreary room.
(n) A person whose enthusiasm for a belief is extreme.
Uncle Roger ran the restaurant for years, and he was a fanatic about cleanliness in the kitchen.
fanatical (adj) Carrying an interest or enthusiasm to extremes.
Mr. Gradgrind was a fanatical believer in the importance of facts.
(n) 1. The striking of one object by another.
The impact of the ball bruised the catcher's arm.
2. Forceful impression.
martin Luther King Jr.'s ?I Have a Dream? speech had a great impact on millions of Americans.
(v) 1. To enter by force in order to take over.
The German army invaded Russia in June 1941.
2. To intrude; to enter in great numbers.
I am putting a lock on my drawer so my little sister won't be able to invade my privacy any more.
invasion (n) The act of invading.
The neighborhood kids planned an invasion of our tree house.
(v) To cut off from others.
As soon as my brother got a rash, the doctor isolated him for a week.
isolation (n) The condition of being isolated.
The park's isolation makes it appealing to someone 'seeking a quiet place to read.
isolated (adj) Cut off from others.
The lighthouse keeper actually enjoyed her isolated life.
(v) 1. To live in; to take up.
my aunt Bianca's family occupied the apartment next to us when I was little.
2. To take over by force.
Protesting students occupied the school president's office.
occupation (n) 1. A person's job or profession.
Nursing is a perfect occupation for my brother because he loves helping people.
2. A filling up of time or space.
The sign in the elevator said that occupation by more than twelve people was against the law.
(v) 1. To make known.
If you reveal the wish you made, it might not come true.
2. To bring into view; to show.
The curtain rose to reveal three men sitting on top of a stone wall.
(n) A disorganized retreat from an attack; a total defeat.
The battle ended in a rout as the enemy dropped their weapons and ran.
(v) To defeat completely.
The home team routed the visitors 72 to 21.
(v) 1. To think of as probably guilty.
The teachers suspect we are not practicing our musical instruments.
2. To suppose that something is true.
I suspect that she knows more algebra than she thinks she does.
(n) A person believed to be guilty.
The suspect asked to see a lawyer before being questioned.
(adj) Lasting or made to last for a short time.
The town hall provided a temporary place for people to stay after the storm.
(n) Great fear.
Thunder and lightning always fill my grandmother with terror.
terrify (v) To fill with terror or great fear.
The reports of the escaped lion in the neighborhood terrified the residents.
(adj) Causing great sadness; terrible or dreadful.
The entire nation grieved over the tragic death of Martin Luther King Jr.
tragedy (n) 1. An event that causes great pain, suffering, or loss of life.
The closing of the school would be a tragedy for the students.
2. A play that ends sadly as the hero or heroine loses at the end of a great struggle.
I would rather see a comedy than a tragedy.