VOCABULARY

1. esteem
   the condition of being honored
   Despite being held in the highest esteem by his fellow poets, Redgrove never quite achieved the critical reception or readership he deserved. 
   — The Guardian (Feb 10, 2012)
2. credible
   appearing to merit belief or acceptance
   Mike Mullen, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has acknowledged receiving the memo but said he ignored it as notcredible. 
   — New York Times (Dec 19, 2011)
3. provoke
   provide the needed stimulus for
   It provoked a bigger reaction than we could ever have anticipated. 
   — The Guardian (Feb 10, 2012)
4. tread
   a step in walking or running
   The farmer went down, his clumsy boots making no sound on the uncarpeted stairway, so careful was his tread. 
   — Woolson, Constance Fenimore
5. ascertain
   learn or discover with confidence
   Health care providers and manufacturers can ascertain alternative treatment more effectively by tackling predicted drug shortage incidences early in the process. 
   — Forbes (Feb 13, 2012)
6. fare
   proceed or get along
   A recent study breaks down how graduates with various college degrees are faring in today’s difficult job market. 
   — Washington Post (Feb 17, 2012)
7. cede
   relinquish possession or control over
   Some militia chiefs say they will only cede command of their fighters once an organized military and security apparatus is in place. 
   — Reuters (Jan 3, 2012)
8. perpetual
   continuing forever or indefinitely
   The river is a perpetual enjoyment, always something going on. 
   — Waddington, Mary King
9. decree
   a legally binding command or decision
   While the decree takes effect immediately, it requires Parliament’s approval within 60 days to remain in force. 
   — BusinessWeek (Jan 28, 2012)
10. contrive
    make or work out a plan for; devise
    The wily Roc, never taken much by surprise, contrived to escape, but old Tributor and his men were all captured. 
    — Thornbury, Walter
11. derived
    formed or developed from something else; not original
    Modern kale, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi are all members of the same species, derived from a single prehistoric plant variety. 
    — Slate (Feb 21, 2012)
12. elaborate
    marked by complexity and richness of detail
    But the tobacco industry and owners of other convenience stores say tribal cigarette manufacturing is just an elaborate form of tax evasion. 
    — New York Times (Feb 22, 2012)
13. substantial
    capable of being treated as fact
    Defence lawyers said the large number of forensic tests which had been carried out had failed to find any substantial evidence linked to the accused. 
    — BBC (Feb 23, 2012)
14. frontier
    a wilderness at the edge of a settled area of a country
    Adding to the precarious security situation, tribesmen kidnapped 18 Egyptian border guards along the frontier with Israel in Sinai Peninsula. 
    — New York Times (Feb 9, 2012)
15. facile
    arrived at without due care or effort; lacking depth
    As one teacher remarks about a troubled student, “There is no facilesolution.” 
    — New York Times (Oct 11, 2011)
16. cite
    make reference to
    The Federal Reserve has pledged low interest rates until late 2014,citing in part the weakness of the job market. 
    — BusinessWeek (Feb 21, 2012)
17. warrant
    show to be reasonable or provide adequate ground for
    In the United Kingdom and Europe the devices are not used unless the need is warranted by the patient's medical condition. 
    — US News (Jan 17, 2012)
18. sob
    weep convulsively
    He cried and trembled, sobbing, while they spoke, like the child he was.
    — Weyman, Stanley J.
19. rider
    a traveler who actively sits and travels on an animal
    In horseback riding, a rider will give commands by squeezing or lengthening the reins and altering the position of his legs. 
    — Time (Jan 5, 2012)
20. dense
    permitting little if any light to pass through
    Dense black smoke rose in the distance as demonstrators burned tires in Shiite villages. 
    — BusinessWeek (Feb 14, 2012)
21. afflict
    cause physical pain or suffering in
    Melanoma globally afflicts nearly 160,000 new people each year. 
    — Reuters (Dec 16, 2011)
22. flourish
    grow vigorously
    His business had been all along steadily flourishing, his patrons had been of high social position, some most illustrious, others actually royal. 
    — Petherick, Horace William
23. ordain
    invest with ministerial or priestly authority
    One of the present bishops was consecrated when quite a young boy, and deacons are often ordained at sixteen, and even much earlier. 
    — Bird, Isabella L. (Isabella Lucy)
24. pious
    having or showing or expressing reverence for a deity
    Mother, you see, is a very pious woman, and she attributes it all to Providence, saying that it was the Divine interference in her behalf. 
    — Various
25. vex
    disturb, especially by minor irritations
    There are vexing problems slowing the growth and the practical implementation of big data technologies. 
    — Forbes (Oct 21, 2011)
26. gravity
    the force of attraction between all masses in the universe
    Once captured, the combined object will have a new center of gravityand may be spinning in an uncontrolled way. 
    — Science Magazine (Feb 15, 2012)
27. suspended
    supported or kept from sinking or falling by buoyancy
    Frustrating enough at ground level, but can you imagine the agony about a stranded, ever-soggier Oreo being suspended 11 feet above the ground? 
    — Washington Post (Feb 21, 2012)
28. conspicuous
    obvious to the eye or mind
    Its bright scarlet fruits are conspicuous in late autumn. 
    — Anonymous
29. retort
    a quick reply to a question or remark
    Having put him in ill humour with this retort, she fled away rejoicing. 
    — Coster, Charles Th?odore Henri de
30. jet
    an airplane powered by gas turbines
    Typhoon fighter jets, helicopters, two warships and bomb disposal experts will also be on duty to guard against security threats. 
    — Seattle Times (Feb 20, 2012)