straddle -
Sit or stand with one leg on either side of
Saddles were first invented so that riders could straddle a horse.
audio
290 of586 Bad /
Unfriendly
verb
scoff -
Speak to someone or about something in a scornfully derisive or mocking way
The mayor scoffed at the ridiculous question from the reporter.
audio
291 of586 Bad /
Weak
verb
succumb -
Fail to resist (pressure, temptation, or some other negative force)
Michael had tried to quit smoking, but he kept succumbing to the temptation of nicotine.
audio
292 of586 Good /
Friendly
verb
Picture
Greet -
To welcome or acknowledge someone, typically in a friendly or polite manner.
He was eager to greet his friends at the airport after his long trip.
audio
293 of586 Bad /
Aggressive
verb
expunge -
Erase or remove completely (something unwanted or unpleasant)
Terrence accepted the plea deal of one year of community service in exchange for the court expunging his criminal record.
audio
294 of586 Bad /
Mistake
verb
Picture
backfire -
When a plan fails, and it has the opposite result of what was intended.
The politician tried to hide his assets, in order to appear like a common man. But his plan backfired when they were revealed, and people saw that he was a liar.
audio
295 of586 Bad /
Weak
verb
deplete -
To reduce something by a large amount so that there is not enough left, such as resources or money
By the end of the marathon run, Bill felt that his energy was totally depleted, and he had to push himself to complete the race.
audio
296 of586 Other /
Slow
verb
Picture
Defuse -
To reduce the tension or danger in a difficult situation.
The mediator worked hard to defuse the conflict and tension between the two sides that were trying to negotiate an agreement.
audio
297 of586 Other /
Move
verb
Picture
Descend -
To move from a higher to a lower place or position; to go down.
We watched the sun slowly descend behind the hills.
audio
298 of586 Bad /
Dislike
verb
Picture
Expel -
To force someone to leave a place, especially a certain institution or country, removing them from a group or organization.
The student was expelled for repeated rule violations.
audio
299 of586 Other /
Inward
verb
putter -
To do things in a relaxed way, without rushing
When Ed retired, he loved to putter in his basement workshop, building toys for his grandchildren.
audio
300 of586 Good /
Happy
verb
josh -
Tease (someone) in a playful way
Matt had a crush on Audrey but couldn't tell her that, so he would josh her about her odd clothing choices and hoped that would work instead.
