Page 131 - WEBSTER Essential vocabulary

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Essential Vocabulary
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hackneyed (HAK need) adj. made commonplace or trite through overuse
• “Been there, done that” is one example of a hackneyed expression.
• “We’re going to give it 110%” is both hackneyed and impossible.
[Syn. trite]
harangue (hoer ANG) n. a long, loud, scolding speech; a blustering tirade —vt.
to speak or address one in such a manner
• The sergeant gave the patrol a 20-minute harangue when they failed to be
in the first two to finish their exercise.
• The coach harangued the kicker for 15 minutes for having missed the field
goal.
[-d, haranguing] [Syn. tirade]
harass (HAR ris, hoer AS) vt. 1. to bother or torment as with worries, bills,
repeated questions, etc.; 2. to trouble by repeatedly attacking
• Bill collectors harass their debtors with phone calls at all hours of the day
and night.
• Viola’s ex-boyfriend, Ted, kept harassing her about why they couldn’t give
it a second try.
• The attack helicopters kept harassing the retreating enemy with repeated
sorties against their rear guard.
[-ed, -ing]
harvest (HAHR vist) n. 1. the time of year when ripe crops are reaped; 2. a sea-
son’s yield of crops or of a particular crop —vt., vi. 1. to gather in the ripe crop(s);
2. to trap, shoot, or catch game, usually for commercial purposes; 3. to get some-
thing as the result of some action; 4. to collect organs for transplant
• Autumn is the time for the cranberry harvest.
• There was a plentiful harvest of all crops last year.
• We need some migrant labor to help harvest the grapes.
• Salmon farms harvest only salmon of a certain age after breeding is
finished.
• How much goodwill you can harvest depends on how much your speech is
believed.
• Surgeons harvest hearts, lungs, livers, kidneys, and corneas from donors for
transplant.
[-ed, -ing, -er n.]
heckle (HEK il) vt. to annoy or harrass a speaker by taunting or interrupting
with annoying questions
• It’s not unusual for comedians in a nightclub to be heckled by one or more
inebriated audience members.
• When the prime minister of England speaks to Parliament, he can expect
members of the opposition to heckle him.
[-d, heckling, -r* n.] [Syn. bait]