Page 150 - WEBSTER Essential vocabulary
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I: SAT Words
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intimidate (in TIM id ayt) vt. 1. to make afraid; daunt; 2. to deter or compel
with threats of violence; cow
• It is easy to intimidate little children, but it’s not very sporting.
• Mobsters have been known to intimidate potential witnesses against them
to deter them from testifying.
[-d, intimidating, intimidation, intimidator n.]
intrepid (in TRE pid) adj. not afraid; bold; fearless; very brave
• Actors who play Roman gladiators appear to be intrepid.
• The Marines who fought on Iwo Jima were intrepid indeed.
• Are you intrepid enough to ride a big roller coaster?
[Syn. brave]
intrigue (in TREEG) vt. 1. to bring on by secret plotting; 2. to excite the curiosi-
ty; fascinate —n. 1. a secret or underhanded plotting; 2. a secret plot; 3. a love affair
• Brutus and Cassius intrigue to kill Julius Caesar in Shakespeare’s take on the
subject.
• A cliff-hanger intrigues one to find out what will come next.
• The intrigue of Quisling’s fifth column betrayed Norway.
• Many believe the death of JFK was the result of intrigue.
• Tracy and Hepburn’s intrigue lasted many years.
[-d, intriguing] [Syn. plot]
intrinsic (in TRIN sik) adj. essential nature; not depending on outside sources;
inherent
• Gold has always had an intrinsic value as a precious metal.
• Some, but not all, believe that good is intrinsic to all people.
• The intrinsic nature of children is innocence.
[-ally* adv.]
intrusion (in TROO zhin) n. 1. the act of forcing one’s self or ideas on another
who has not asked for and/or does not welcome them; 2. (law) the illegal entry
onto another’s land; 3. (geology) the squeezing of magma between layers of solid
rock; the actual solidified rock so created
• Eric’s intrusion into the girl’s locker room was not greeted with amusement.
• Tresspassing is one form of illegal intrusion; burglary is another.
• Volcanic intrusions can be found in some museums’ geological exhibits.
intuitive (in TOO it iv) adj. 1. having to do with intuition (a direct and imme-
diate understanding or learning of something without use of reasoning); 2. learning
or knowing by such a feeling
• Ginny seemed to have been born with an intuitive grasp of how to ride a
horse.
• Alan found driving an automobile to be intuitive and was driving like an
old-timer the first time he took the wheel.
[-ly adv.]