Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Level B Unit 1
adjacent (adj.) near, next to, adjoining
alight (v.) to get down from, step down from; to come down from the air, land; (adj.) lighted up
barren (adj.) not productive, bare
disrupt (v.) to break up, disturb
dynasty (n.)a powerful family or group of rulers that maintains its position or power for some time
foretaste (n.) an advance indication, sample, or warning
germinate (v.) to begin to grow, come into being
humdrum (adj.) ordinary, dull, routine, without variation
hurtle (v.) to rush violently, dash headlong; to fling or hurl forcefully
insinuate (v.) to suggest or hint slyly; to edge into something indirectly
interminable (adj.) endless, so long as to seem endless
interrogate (v.) to ask questions, examine by questioning
recompense ( v.) to pay back; to give a reward; (n.) a payment for loss, service, or injury
renovate (v.) to repair, restore to good condition, make new again
résumé (n.) a brief summary; a short written account of one’s education, working experience, or
qualifications for help
sullen (adj.) silent or brooding because of ill humor, anger, or resentment; slow moving, sluggish
trickle (v.) to flow or fall by drops or in a small stream; (n.) a small, irregular quantity of anything
trivial (adj.) not important, minor; ordinary, commonplace
truce (n.) a pause in fighting, temporary peace
vicious (adj.) evil, bad; spiteful; having bad habits or an ugly disposition; painfully severe or extreme
Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Level B Unit 2
available (adj.) ready for use, at hand
cater (v.) to satisfy the needs of, try to make things easy and pleasant; to supply food and service
customary (adj.) usual, expected, routine
dissuade (v.) to persuade not to do something
entrepreneur (n.) a person who starts up and takes on the risk of a business
firebrand (n.) a piece of burning wood; a troublemaker; an extremely energetic or emotional person
hazard (n.) risk, peril; (v.) to expose to danger or harm; to gamble
homicide (n.) the killing of one person by another
indifference (n.) a lack of interest or concern
indignant (adj.) filled with resentment or anger over something unjust, unworthy, or mean
indispensable (adj.) absolutely necessary, not to be neglected
lubricate (v.) to apply oil or grease; to make smooth, slippery, or easier to use
mutual (adj.) shared, felt, or shown equally by two or more
pelt (v.) to throw a stream of things; to strike successively; to hurry
plague (n.) an easily spread disease causing a large number of deaths; a widespread evil; (v.) to annoy or
bother
poised (adj., part.) balanced, suspended; calm, controlled; ready for action
regime (n.) a government in power; a form or system of rule or management; a period of rule
retard (v.) to slow, delay, hold back
transparent (adj.) allowing light to pass through; easily recognized or understood; easily seen through or
detected
unscathed (adj.) wholly unharmed, not injured
Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Level B Unit 3
animated (adj.) full of life, lively, alive; (part.) moved to action
brood (n.) a family of young animals, especially birds; any group having the same nature and origin;
(v.)to think over in a worried, unhappy way
culminate (v.) to reach a high point of development; to end, climax
downright (adv.) thoroughly; (adj.)absolute, complete; frank, blunt
drone (n.) a loafer, idler; a buzzing or humming sound; a remote-control device; a male bee; (v.)to make
a buzzing sound; to speak in a dull tone of voice
goad (v.) to drive or urge on; (n.) something used to drive or urge on
indulge (v.) to give in to a wish or desire, give oneself up to
ingredient (n.) one of the materials in a mixture, recipe, or formula
literate (adj.) able to read and write; showing an excellent educational background; having knowledge or
training
loom (v.)to come into view; to appear in exaggerated form; (n.) a machine for weaving
luster (n.) the quality of giving off light, brightness, glitter, brilliance
miscellaneous (adj.) mixed, of different kinds
oration (n.) a public speech for a formal occasion
peevish (adj.) cross, complaining, irritable; contrary
seethe (v.) to boil or foam; to be excited or disturbed
singe (v.) to burn slightly; (n.) a burn at the ends or edges
unique (adj.) one of a kind; unequaled; unusual; found only in a given calls, place, or situation
upright (adj.) vertical, straight; good, honest; (adv.) in a vertical position
verify (v.) to establish the truth or accuracy of, confirm
yearn (v.)to have a strong and earnest desire
Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Level B Unit 4
alliance: (n.) a joining together for some common purpose
bewilder: (v.) to puzzle completely, confuse
buffoon: (n) a clown; a coarse, stupid person
controversial: (adj.) arousing argument, dispute, or disagreement
dishearten: (v.) to discourage
fruitless: (adj.) not producing the desired results, unsuccessful
hostile: (adj.) unfriendly; unfavorable; warlike, aggressive
inflammable: (adj.) easily set on fire; easily angered or aroused
inflict: (v.) to give or cause something unpleasant, impose
malignant: (adj.) deadly, extremely harmful, evil; spiteful, malicious
mortify: (v.) to hurt someone’s feelings deeply; to cause embarrassment or humiliation; to subdue or
discipline by self-denial or suffering
orthodox: (adj.) in agreement with established or generally accepted beliefs or ways of doing things
procure: (v.) to obtain through special effort; to bring about
scurry: (v.) to run quickly, scamper, hurry
sodden: (adj.) soaked with liquid or moisture; expressionless, dull; spiritless, listless
spirited: (adj.) full of life and vigor; courageous
virtual: (adj.) having a certain force or effort in fact but not in name; so close as to be equivalent to the
real thing
void: (adj.) completely empty; having no legal force or effect; (n.) empty or unfilled space; (v.) to cancel
or nullify
wayward: (adj.) disobedient, willful; unpredictable, capricious
wince: (v.) to draw back suddenly; as though in pain or fear; (n.) the act of drawing back in this way
Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Level B Unit 5
anecdote: (n.) a short account of an incidence in someone’s life
consolidate: (v.) to combine, unite; to make solid or firm
counterfeit: (n.) an imitation designed to deceive; (adj.) not genuine, fake; (v.) to make an illegal copy
docile: (adj.) easily taught, led, or managed; obedient
dominate: (v.) to rule over by strength or power, control; to tower over, command due to height
entreat: (v.) to beg, implore, ask earnestly
fallible: (adj.) capable of being wrong, mistaken, or inaccurate
fickle: (adj.) liable to change rapidly, erratic; marked by a lack of constancy or steadiness, inconsistent
fugitive: (n.) one who flees or runs away; (adj.) fleeting, lasting a very short time; wondering; difficult to
grasp
grimy: (adj.) very dirty, covered with dirt or soot
iota: (n.) a very small part or quantity
maul: (v.) to beat or knock about, handle roughly; to mangle; (n.) a heavy hammer
potential: (adj.) possible, able to happen; (n.) something that can develop or become a reality
radiant: (adj.) shining, bright; giving forth light or energy
rural: (adj.) relating to farm areas and life in the country
substantial: (adj.) large, important; major, significant; prosperous; not imaginary, material
tactful: (adj.) skilled in handling difficult situations or people; polite
tamper: (v.) to interfere with; to meddle rashly or foolishly with; to handle in a secret and improper way
ultimate: (adj.) last, final; most important or extreme; eventual; basic, fundamental
uncertainty: (n.) doubt, the state of being unsure
Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Level B Unit 6
anonymous: (adj.) unnamed, without the name of the person involved (writer, composer, etc.);
unknown; lacking individually or character
browse: (v.) to nibble, graze; to read casually; to window-shop
dupe: (n.) person easily tricked or deceived; (v.) to deceive
dynamic: (adj.) active, energetic, forceful
eradicate: (v.) to root out, get rid of, destroy completely
frustrate: (v.) to prevent from accomplishing a purpose or fulfilling a desire; to cause feelings of
discouragement
grim: (adj.) stern, merciless; fierce, savage, cruel
inimitable: (adj.) not capable of being copied or imitated
makeshift: (n.) a temporary substitute for something else; (adj.) crude, flimsy, or temporary
marginal: (adj.) in, at, or near the edge or margin; only barely good, large, or important enough for the
purpose
pending: (adj.) waiting to ne settled; (prep.) until
prescribe: (v.) to order as a rule or course to be followed; to order for medical purposes
preview: (n.) something seen in advance: (v.) to view beforehand
prominent: (adj.) standing out so as to be easily seen; important, well-known
quaint: (adj.) odd or old-fashioned in a pleasing way; clever ingenious; skillfully made
reluctant: (adj.) unwilling, holding back
scrimp: (v.) to handle very economically or stingily; to supply in a way that is small, short, or scantly
snare: (v.) to trap, catch: (n.) to trap or entanglement
utmost: (adj.) greatest, highest, farthest; (n.) the extreme limit
vengeance: (n.) punishment in return for an injury or a wrong; unusual force or violence