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min • ion n., favorite. Rather than hiring unknowns, the politician filled all the local government offices with one minion after another.
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flout vt., show scorn or contempt for. The reckless driver managed to flout nearly every rule of the road before he skidded into a ditch.
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at • tire n., dress; clothing. Greg detested parties that required formal attire; he felt unnatural in a suit and tie.
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cor • po • ral adj., of the body; bodily. The whipping of people for minor offenses was a common form of corporal punishment in colonial America.
ear • nest n., something given or done as an indication or assurance of what is to come. When we offered to buy the couple’s house for $95,000, we gave them $2500 as an earnest.
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tri • fle n., something of little value or importance. After the writer was made poet laureate, people expected great things of him, but his later poems were only trifles.
sur • mise n., guessing, imagined actions. Although he did not know what was in the sealed locker, an intelligent surmise told him that the locker’s contents must be very valuable.
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rec • om • pense n., repayment; reward. Carmen demanded recompense for all the extra hours she had worked.
wan • ton adj., undisciplined; unmanageable. Although destined to grow into a disciplined racehorse, for now the wanton colt galloped about the pasture.
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chas • tise vt., scold or condemn sharply. The grandmother chastised the child for chasing a ball into the road.
im • pede vt., obstruct or delay. The only thing that impedes us from happiness is our own negative thoughts.
mor • tal adj., deadly. Susan kissed the scrape on her daughter’s arm and assured her it was not a mortal wound.
re • morse n., pity; compassion. Because the defendant showed no remorse for the murder, the judge sentenced him to life in prison.
pall vt., cloak in darkness. Drawing the curtains palled the house, so they switched on the lights.
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pur • vey • or n., one who supplies or provides. The purveyor of fine wines made frequent trips to France to select new wines for his stores.
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met • tle n., spirit, courage. The long-distance runner won in part because of her superior strength but mostly because of her superior mettle.