7 • Lesson 18 Word List

(v) To praise strongly or applaud loudly.
Audiences acclaimed the new student play.

(n) Strong praise or loud applause; approval.
The musicians from China won the critic?s acclaim last night at Symphony Hall.

(n) One who is not tolerant of those people who are different in some way; a prejudiced person.
Only a bigot would claim that one race is superior to another.

bigotry (n) The intolerant attitude or behavior of such a person.
In one of their songs, the Beatles asked listeners to imagine a world free of bigotry.

(v) To have a strong and envious desire for, especially for something belonging to another.
The little girl coveted her teacher?s blue notebook.

coveted (adj) Greatly prized; highly desired.
Former President Jimmy Carter won the coveted Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

(adj) Dead, with regard to a person.
The man?s thoughts often turned to his deceased wife.

(n) Used with "the." One who has died recently.
The funeral director asked if I was a relative of the deceased.

(adj) 1. Causing fear or apprehension.
A team with a fourteen-game winning streak is a formidable opponent.

2. Difficult.
Crossing the Rocky Mountains was a formidable task for settlers heading west.

(n) A section of a city occupied by a minority group of people, usually because of poverty or social pressure.
The Warsaw ghetto in Poland was the location of the largest uprising during World War II.

(adj) Very important.
The day of high school graduation is a momentous one for students.

(v) 1. To weigh down with worry.
Fear of the difficult math exam oppressed the students.

2. To keep down by severe and unjust use of force.
Peasants oppressed by the monarchy became the leaders of the French Revolution.

oppression (n) The act or state of being oppressed.
The oppression of African Americans led to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and ?60s.

oppressive (adj) Very harsh or burdensome.
This oppressive heat makes one very lethargic.

(v) 1. To defeat utterly and completely.
Sioux and Cheyenne warriors overwhelmed General Custer?s army at the Battle of Little Big Horn in 1876.

2. To deeply affect the mind or emotions of.
We were overwhelmed by the welcome we received.

3. To upset; to turn over.
A huge wave overwhelmed the small boat.

overwhelming (adj) Great in strength or effect.
The student bake sale was an overwhelming success.

(v) 1. To become aware of through the senses, especially the sense of sight.
I perceived a figure in the distance but could not make out who it was.

2. To take in information through the mind.
I perceived a subtle shift in their attitude.

perception (n) The act of perceiving or the thing perceived.
Because I am farsighted, my perception of close objects is slightly fuzzy.

(n) The first showing of a play, film, etc.
The play, a big success in London, has its North American premiere this Saturday.

(adj) Expected or likely to happen or become.
The prospective bride and groom want to have a June wedding.

(v) To refuse in a scornful way.
I spurned their offer of help because there were too many conditions attached to it.

(adj) Faithful; true; strong.
Mr. Fielding, a staunch supporter of Little League baseball, donated the uniforms for our team.

(n) 1. A dominant idea, as in art, literature, or music; a topic or subject.
The theme of the story is the danger of excessive pride.

2. A short essay on a single subject.
I had to write a theme on ambition.

3. A series of musical notes on which variations are made; a melody that is associated with a film or television show.
The concert began with a medley of themes from popular television shows.