Page 55 - WEBSTER Essential vocabulary

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Essential Vocabulary
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carnivorous (kahr NIV oer uhs) adj. 1. flesh eating (as opposed to herbivorous);
2. insect eating (applying to some plants); 3. of the carnivores
• Wolves hunt mostly mammalian prey because they are carnivorous.
• The sundew represents a class of carnivorous plants.
• Having canine teeth, or fangs, is a carnivorous trait.
cartographer (kahr TOG ruh fuhr) n. a person who designs and makes maps
or charts
• Mercator is the name of the man who is probably the best-known cartogra-
pher who ever lived.
• Robinson is another well-known cartographer.
castigate* (KAS ti gayt) vt. to punish or bawl out, especially by using harsh
public criticism
• The police chief proceeded to castigate the officers for showing poor
judgment dealing with the demonstrators.
• The nine-year-old castigated the president for not being able to pronounce
“nuclear.”
[-d, castigating, castigation, castigator n., castigatory adj.] [Syn. punish]
catalyst* (KAT uh list) n. 1. an agent in a chemical reaction that causes the
reaction to speed up, but does not itself undergo any permanent change; 2. a per-
son or thing that speeds up a result
• During the process of photosynthesis, chlorophyll is the catalyst for plants
combining water and carbon dioxide to manufacture sugar and oxygen in
the presence of light.
• The catalyst for Karen and David giving their realtor an immediate deposit
on the house was another couple’s interest in it.
catnap (KAT nap) n. a doze; a short, light sleep —vi. to take a snooze
• The watchman often takes two- or three-minute catnaps.
• Karen often catnaps while watching TV at night.
[-ped, -ping]
cautious (KAW shus) adj. very careful; trying to avoid danger; wary; circumspect
• The bomb-squad member was very cautious in his approach to the mysteri-
ous package.
• Cautious people regret less later.
[-ness n., -ly adv.] [Syn. careful]
celebrate (SEL eb RAYT) vt. 1. to perform some kind of public and formal ritual;
2. to mark an anniversary, a holiday, etc. with ceremony or festiveness; 3. to praise
or honor publicly; 4. to perform cheerful activity to mark an occasion
• Melissa and Gino invited 200 people to celebrate their wedding.
• Let’s celebrate Arbor Day with a tree-planting ceremony.
• We join with Timmy to celebrate Lassie’s heroics yet again.
• Get out the noisemakers and funny hats so that we can celebrate the ring-
ing in of the New Year.
[-d, celebrating, celebration n.] [Syn. commemorate, observe]