8 • Lesson 18 Word List

aperture

(n) An opening or hole.
Tony could see an eye peering at him through a small aperture in the door.

A camera lens with a visible aperture in the center.
cache

(n) 1. A hiding or storage place, especially for food or valuables.
A hollowed-out book provided a cache for the family's jewels.

2. Anything hidden or stored in such a place.
I found my sister's cache of marbles in the back of the closet.

combustible

(adj) Capable of catching fire or burning.
don't store combustible rags near the furnace.

delegate

(n) A person appointed to act on behalf of others; a representative.
Delegates from each section of the state attended the meeting on water conservation in the capital.

(v) To assign or entrust to another.
Mr. Juarez delegated to Karen and me the task of lining up the music for our school dance.

inclement

(adj) 1. Stormy.
We had such inclement weather on the scheduled day of our field trip to the zoo that we postponed it to the following week.

2. Harsh; not merciful.
The preschool teacher's decision to place the crying child in the corner of the room all morning seemed like an inclement action.

Heavy snow causing traffic delays, an example of inclement weather.
indelible

(adj) Not able to be erased; permanent.
The beauty of Venice made an indelible impression on the visitors.

A hand writes
malady

(n) A sickness or unhealthy condition.
Malaria is a malady prevalent in tropical areas.

memoir

(n) An account based on the author's personal experiences.
The Civil War anthology contains a moving memoir by a young Union officer.

paramount

(adj) Most important; chief.
It is paramount that my mother receive this message before she leaves the house at 5:00 p.m.

rectify

(v) To correct or adjust.
The teacher rectified his grading error on my mid-year project by adjusting my final grade.

requisite*

(adj) Required; necessary.
When Aunt Mercedes completes the requisite two-year course, she plans to become a travel agent.

(n) Something that is required or necessary.
Our teacher always insists that a sharp pencil and a sharp mind are the two requisites for taking a test.

squeamish

(adj) Easily made to feel upset or sick to the stomach.
There is no reason to feel squeamish about giving blood.

tract

(n) 1. An area of land or water.
The students developed a tract of land in the center of the city for a vegetable garden.

2. A system of organs in the body that performs some function together.
The esophagus and stomach are part of the digestive tract.

3. A pamphlet, often expressing religious or political ideas, that seeks to persuade.
Volunteers handed out tracts on legal reform.

A vacant lot of land in front of a white house.
tribulation

(n) Great trouble or suffering.
The recession of 2008 caused much tribulation for those who lost their jobs.

vignette

(n) A short sketch that provides a clear picture.
The movie begins with a series of vignettes about life in Los Angeles.