(n) A fond or tender feeling.
Hugging is one way to show affection.
affectionate (adj) Gentle and loving.
My cousin took my hand and gave it an affectionate squeeze.
(v) 1. To make an earnest request; to ask.
Three students appealed for more time to finish the work.
2. To be of interest to; to be attractive to.
This funny movie will appeal to children of all ages.
(n) 1. An earnest request for help.
The letter contained an appeal for money to provide shelters for the homeless.
2. The power to attract or be of interest.
Neither the asparagus and onions nor the meatloaf had much appeal.
(v) To grasp or hold tightly.
The dancers clasped hands and circled the maypole.
(n) 1. A strong grasp or hold.
The nurse gently removed the doll from the toddler?s clasp.
2. Something, such as a hook or fastener, that holds two parts together.
The necklace has a clasp in the shape of a snake biting its tail.
(adj) Easily or plainly seen.
His great height made him conspicuous in any crowd.
(v) 1. To give along with others who are giving.
I contributed a spinach salad to the potluck supper.
2. To have a part in bringing about.
Exercise contributes greatly to good health.
contribution (n) That which is given.
The museum sent a thank-you note for the fifty-dollar contribution.
contributor (n) One who gives.
Contributors to the new theater received free tickets for opening night.
(v) To make known; to state openly.
?I will not share a room with my sister anymore,? she declared.
declaration (n) A public statement.
The declaration read by the mayor stated that November was bicycle safety month.
(adj) Skilled at speaking or writing; having the power to move people.
Anne Frank?s eloquent diary often moves readers to tears.
eloquence (n) Skill at speaking or writing; the power to move people.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.?s eloquence made him a strong leader of the 1960s Civil Rights movement.
(v) To show in public.
Local artists exhibited their paintings at the library.
(n) An item or collection of items in a public show.
The most interesting exhibit in the museum was the dinosaur skeleton.
exhibition (n) A large-scale public show.
Tickets for the exhibition of early automobiles go on sale next week.
(n) A boat that carries people and goods back and forth across a stretch of water.
The ferry will stop running when the new bridge opens.
(v) To move people or goods by boat across a stretch of water.
The boat owner who ferried us across the lake would not accept any payment.
(n) A person who comes into a country to live there.
Many Polish immigrants settled in Chicago.
(adj) 1. Very tall or high.
Lofty elm trees provided welcome shade along the streets.
2. Noble in feeling or ideals.
Ending world hunger in our lifetime is a lofty goal.
3. Showing a too-proud or superior attitude.
The lofty way the diner spoke to the waiter made me feel uncomfortable.
(n) A base or support on which something stands.
At the museum, I backed up to get a better view of the painting and almost knocked the sculpture off its pedestal.
(v) To treat cruelly or harshly because of political, religious, or other differences.
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution does not allow anyone to be persecuted based on religious beliefs.
persecution (n) The state or condition of being persecuted.
Hitler?s persecution of the Jewish people led to the murder of millions of innocent people.
(n) The state of being poor.
The food stamp program was started to help feed families living in poverty.
(v) 1. To remove a covering from.
The American Red Cross held a ceremony to unveil the portrait of its founder, Clara Barton.
2. To make known or reveal for the first time.
The police chief will unveil a plan to reduce street crime at today?s meeting.