Vocab for high school students 2

mitigate (v.)

make less severe; lessen; soften; relieve

With the help of novocaine, your dentist can greatly mitigate the pain of drilling.

novice (n.)

one who is new to a field or activity; beginner

There are two slopes: one for experienced skiers and one for novices.

rarity (n.)

something uncommon, infrequent, or rare

Rain in the Sahara Desert is a rarity.

resume (v.)

begin again

School closes for the Christmas recess on December 24 and resumes on January 3.

shrink (v.)

draw back; recoil

Wendy shrank from the task of telling her parents about the car accident, but she finally got the courage and told them.

sober (adj.)

not drunk

Our driver had avoided strong drink because he wanted to be sober for the trip home.

suffice (v.)

be enough, adequate, or sufficient

I told Dad that $25 would suffice for my school supplies. As it turned out, it was not enough.

vacant (adj.)

empty; unoccupied; not being used

I had to stand for the first half of the performance because I could not find a vacant seat.

adjourn (v.)

close a meeting; disband

When we visited Washington, D.C., Congress was not in session; it had adjourned for the Thanksgiving weekend.