Word / Pronunciation |
Definition |
Sample Sentence |
abroad
[uh-BRAWD]
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(adj.) outside one's home country
(adv.) in or to a foreign country
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1) Thomas used subways and trains easily while he was abroad, but the foreign bus systems were too hard to figure out.![](/images/bl_speaker.gif)
2) Though Peter preferred vacationing in his own country, he decided to travel abroad last summer so that he could meet foreigners and experience new cultures.![](/images/bl_speaker.gif)
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combustible
[kuhm-BUS-tuh-buhl]
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(adj.) capable of catching on fire
(n.) something that can easily catch on fire
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1) When Mrs. Dukes discovered that the rug in the nursery was made of combustible material, she immediately replaced it with a non-flammable rug.![](/images/bl_speaker.gif)
2) "Be sure to clear the garage of combustibles, such as gasoline and oil, before beginning your welding project", warned Mr. Daniels. "You don't want to start a fire with a stray spark!"![](/images/bl_speaker.gif)
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decoy
(n.)[DEE-koi], [di-KOI];
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(n.) a fake meant to lure someone or something into a trap
(v.) to lure into a trap
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1) Hunters often use carefully positioned fake animals as decoys to lure their prey into an open area, where they can be shot.![](/images/bl_speaker.gif)
2) The witch built her house out of candy so that she could decoy children into her kitchen and eventually into her oven.![](/images/bl_speaker.gif)
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disposition
[dis-puh-ZISH-uhn]
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(n.) natural mental or emotional outlook or state
(n.) prevailing tendency
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1) Jerry has a very kind-hearted disposition: ever since childhood, he has been slow to anger and has always done his best to help those around him.![](/images/bl_speaker.gif)
2) Henry has a disposition to spend more money than he has in the bank, so he is always deeply in debt.![](/images/bl_speaker.gif)
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flaw
[FLAW]
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(n.) a feature that spoils the perfection of something or someone
(v.) to spoil or weaken (usually the passive "flawed")
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1) Among Jerry's many failings, his worst flaw was his inability to care about anyone but himself -- not even his own children!![](/images/bl_speaker.gif)
2) A large diamond can be fairly inexpensive if it is flawed ; a smaller diamond with no imperfections will be more costly.![](/images/bl_speaker.gif)
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lure
[LOOR]
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(n.) anything used to attract someone or something
(v.) to tempt or to entice
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1) Janet sprinkled seeds on the sill as a lure to tempt birds to come to her window, but they seemed to be more effective bait for squirrels!![](/images/bl_speaker.gif)
2) The wonderfully delicious smells coming from the restaurant lured Jonathan inside, where he was tempted to buy everything on the menu.![](/images/bl_speaker.gif)
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pacifist
[PAS-uh-fist]
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(n.) a person who opposes violence of any kind
(adj.) opposed to violence of any kind
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1) Kim considered herself a pacifist, and demonstrated against the war on the grounds that violence couldn't solve anything.![](/images/bl_speaker.gif)
2) The minister's pacifist philosophy prevented him from directly taking part in the violent war, though he did pray for his country's soldiers.![](/images/bl_speaker.gif)
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reception
[ri-SEP-shuhn]
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(n.) an important formal social function
(n.) the quality of radio, television, or similar signals
(n.) the act of receiving, the act of receiving and reacting to something or someone new
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1) After the wedding ceremony at the church, there will be a reception for the couple's friends and family at a nearby party hall.![](/images/bl_speaker.gif)
2) The thunderstorm made the radio reception so bad that Charlie could barely hear the score of the baseball game.![](/images/bl_speaker.gif)
3) "Remember, the foreign exchange student will be nervous and scared when she arrives for her first day of school", said the teacher, "so let's be sure to give her a warm, friendly reception."![](/images/bl_speaker.gif)
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sacred
[SEY-krid]
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(adj.) holy, containing religious or spiritual importance
(adj.) invulnerable to violation or disrespect
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1) The temple where the villagers worshiped was a sacred place, so they took off their shoes and bowed their heads before entering the holy space.![](/images/bl_speaker.gif)
2) For many Americans, the right to free speech is sacred: no matter how objectionable the words, they believe that all citizens must have the liberty to express themselves however they want, with no interference from the government.![](/images/bl_speaker.gif)
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tentative
[TEN-tuh-tiv]
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(adj.) hesitant, uncertain, unconfident
(adj.) not firmly fixed or decided upon
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1) Due to her severe stage fright, Lena could take only one shaky, tentative step onto the stage before running behind the curtain again.![](/images/bl_speaker.gif)
2) "I don't know exactly what my work schedule will be in October, but for now, let's make a tentative plan to meet on October 5th", Terry said.![](/images/bl_speaker.gif)
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