Page 778

am • bling part., moving with a smooth, easy gait. The ambling hitchhiker stopped to put out his thumb when he heard a car approaching.

Page 780

wane vi., lose strength. The moon has passed full and is now in the waning phase.

Page 781

coun • te • nance n., facial expression. I could tell that he was furious with me when his countenance changed from a smile to a grimace.

Page 785

yearn vi., filled with longing. My sister has been yearning to see the Grand Canyon before she moves to Tokyo.

dis • cern • ing part., showing good judgment. The jury was discerning in their refusal to be persuaded by the flimsy evidence presented by the prosecution.

Page 789

can • ker vt., infect with corruption. Just one bad apple in a basket can canker the rest of the bushel.

fick • le adj., unstable in affection, loyalty, interest, etc. My fickle dog scurries from one person to the next, hoping for a discarded morsel.

mould • ered or mold • ered adj., decayed. We had to throw away the moldered quilt we had found in the trunk in the damp basement.

Page 790

stag • nate vi., become sluggish. Once the dam was built, the formerly swift-moving river stagnated.

Page 792

de • rive vt., get from a source. I derive satisfaction from a job well done.

Page 794

tu • mult n., commotion; agitation. The tumult from the New Year’s Eve party next door was more than I could stand or sleep through.

Page 795

dif • fu • sive adj., tending to disperse. The snake oil salesman’s crowd was diffusive, no matter what wondrous cures he effected.