The document defines and provides examples for 16 vocabulary words: abate, acknowledge, agent, authority, devastate, epidemic, estimate, evict, impartial, industrious, infuriate, irrelevant, precise, sham, trek. Definitions include: abate means to lessen or decrease; acknowledge means to admit or recognize; and agent means a person who acts for another. Examples are provided to illustrate the meaning and proper usage of each word.

1. abate (v) to become weaker;
to decrease
(uh-beyt)
Clue: abate = lessen, get weaker
The speaker waited until the
applause had abated before
continuing.
Ex: crowd’s enthusiasm abated;
pain abated; storm’s intensity
abated

2. acknowledge (v) to admit the
existence of; to express
recognition or thanks for
(ak-nol-ij)
Clue: acknowledge = recognize
Did the police officer acknowledge you
right to remain silent?
Ex: acknowledge the authority;
acknowledge the winner; acknowledge
the students

3. agent (n) a person who acts or
does business for another;
something that brings about a
result.
(ey-juhnt)
Clue: agent
The author’s agent found a company to
publish his latest mystery story.
Ex: a powerful agent for change; an
real estate agent

4. authority (n) the right to give orders,
make decisions, or take action; an
expert source of information
(uh-thawr-i-tee)
Clue: authority = the professionals or
boss
Only the Congress of the United States
has the authority to declare war.
Ex: the researcher who is the
authority; the authority who gives
orders

5. devastate (v) to ruin or destroy
completely
(dev-uh-steyt)
Clue: devastate the estate
Farmers in the Midwest fear that
the lack of rain will devastate the
wheat crop.
Ex: devastate the neighborhood;
devastate the land; devastate the
plans

6. epidemic (n) the rapid spread of
disease to many people at
one time
(ep-i-dem-ik)
Clue: epidemic = Yellow Fever
The yellow fever epidemic of 1793
in Philadelphia killed nearly 5000
people, 10 percent of the city’s
population.
Ex: wide spread epidemic; flu
epidemic; AIDS epidemic

7. estimate (v) to figure out roughly;
(n) a number that is not
exact
(v. es-tuh-meyt; n. es-tuh-mit)
Clue: estimate = a careful guess
We estimate that it will take us an hour
to drive to the airport.
Ex: the mechanic’s estimate; estimate
the damage

8. evict (v) to force out of property
by taking legal action
(ih-vikt)
Clue: evict = Get out!
The landlord threatened to evict
the tenants for not paying the
rent.
Ex: evict the renters; evict
homeless

9. impartial (adj) not favoring
one side more than
another; fair
(im-pahr-shuh)
Clue: impartial = be fair
A judge should be impartial in
the courtroom.
Ex: impartial referee; impartial
reporter; impartial umpire

10. industrious (adj)hardworking; not
lazy
(in-duhs-tree-uhs)
Clue: industrious = busy bee
The more industrious workers in
the clothing factory were
rewarded with pay raises at the
end of the year.
Ex: industrious students;
industrious athletes; industrious
teachers

11. infuriate (v) to make very angry
(in-fyoor-ee-yet)
Clue: infuriate = furious
Cruelty to animals infuriates me.
Ex: infuriate the crowd; infuriate
the judge; infuriate the parents

12. irrelevant (adj) having nothing
to do with the subject
(ih-rel-uh-vuhnt)
Clue: irrelevant = doesn’t matter
The candidate’s personal wealth is
irrelevant to our discussion about
his qualifications for the job.
Ex: irrelevant information;
irrelevant topic

13. precise (adj) exact; accurate
(pri-sahys)
Clue: precise = accuracy
Do you know the precise time
that your plane arrives?
Ex: precise amount; precise
measurements

14. sham (n) something false or
fake
(v) to pretend
(sham)
Clue: sham = fake
Although he tried to appear sorry,
his sham apology did not fool his
wife.
Ex: get-rich-quick sham; great
deal was a sham

15. trek (n) a long, slow, and
difficult journey; v. to
travel slowly and with
difficulty
(trek)
Clue: trek = trudge
The hikers were exhausted after
their trek over the mountain.
Ex: trek across the swamp; trek
across the ocean