Page 579
es • tu • ar • y n., inlet of the sea. The estuary attracts many types of birds and saltwater fish.
sod • den adj., soaked through. My clothes were sodden after I walked home in the rain.
Page 580
breach v., make a gap by battering; break. The soldiers breached the barrier and scrambled through it.
rup • ture v., break apart. The impact of the fall caused the box to rupture. ruptured, adj.
gar • ner v., gather. The investigator will garner information from witnesses.
Page 581
re • buff n., abrupt refusal. Mother answered my plea with a loud rebuff.
re • pel v., cause distaste or disgust. The skunk’s unique ability to cause a stink repels most humans.
sanc • tu • ar • y n., place of refuge or protection. Dwayne’s treehouse in the woods was his sanctuary.
Page 582
un • err • ing adj., unfailing, faultless. Jane’s unerring arguments helped the debate team to win. unerringly, adv.
ex • tant adj., still existing. There are few ocelots extant in South America.
ee • rie adj., mysterious; strange. The howling of the wolves gave me an eerie feeling. eerily, adv.
Page 583
buf • fet v., strike repeatedly; thrust. The children buffeted the target with balls.
im • port n., significance. Fred’s minor problems are of little import to me.
Page 584
bid v., express in leave-taking. Vanessa bid her grandmother goodbye and ran to the playground.
Page 585
tou • sle v., rumple, muss. My father likes to tousle my hair. tousled, adj.
Page 586
ten • dril n., tender shoot. Tiny tendrils of the fern poked through the earth.
tread n., act of stepping. The wooden steps were worn from the tread of visitors.
Page 587
plac • id adj., undisturbed, calm. A speedboat marred the placid lake.
ex • er • tion n., effort. Packing the moving truck takes much physical exertion.
in • ar • tic • u • late adj., unable to express ideas well in speech. Although Pablo is inarticulate around strangers, he can write better than anyone I know.
Page 588
har • ried adj., tormented, ravaged. After ten hours, the harried firefighters finally put out the terrible fire.
tur • moil n., extremely confused or disturbed state. The fire drill left the school in turmoil. turmoil, v.
frag • men • tar • y adj., consisting of disconnected parts. As I pieced together the fragmentary images from my memory, I began to recall the strange dream.
Page 591
der • e • lict adj., abandoned. The volunteer group repairs derelict housing for homeless people.