Vocabulary/Spelling Words  12/08/04

1.         Plank – A board, a long, flat piece of lumber

The pirates made the captives “walk the plank.”

2.         Platform – A raised table or bench

He always painted on a raised platform.

3.         Paste – Thick, sticky, spread able substance

We slathered on the spaghetti sauce and tomato paste.

4.         Principal – The leader of a school

Mr. Horn is our school principal.

5.         Principle – A personal rule or belief

The most important principle is personal honesty.

6.         Varmint – An unprotected pest animal

The hunters were out shooting varmints.

7.         Decay – Rot

The pile of wet leaves began to decay.

8.         Waste – Cast out things, garbage

I picked up trash and placed it in the waste container.

9.         Refuse (re-"fyüs) – Waste or garbage

The garbage truck came and picked up our refuse.

10.     Refuse (ri-'fyüz) – To say no

It is very hard to refuse such a generous gift.

11.     Slobber – Drool saliva (spit)

It isn’t sanitary to let the dog slobber all over you.

12.     Knight – Heroic ancient fighter

The knight fell from his horse but was so heavy with armor he couldn’t rise.

13.     Night – Hours of darkness

He told me that he used to be afraid of the night.

14.     Nocturnal – Active at night

I have a pet owl that is nocturnal and only eats at night.

15.     Nape – Back of neck

She picked up the kitten by the nape of its neck.

16.     Nostril (nares)– Nose opening

The little bee almost went up my right nostril!

17.     Maxilla – Upper Jaw and face (doesn’t move)

He lost two upper teeth and had a crack in his maxilla after the fall.

18.     Mandible – Lower jaw (moves)

Why does my mandible always make a popping sound when I chew meat?

19.     Frenulum - Connecting fold of membrane serving to support or restrain a part (as the tongue)

I had a sore on the frenulum under my tongue and it really hurt.

20.     Vermin – An animal pest

The man came out to get rid of the vermin under our house.

21.     Gas – Vapor

She thinks  she smells gas!

22.     Game – Organized play

We all got together and played a game of tag.

23.     Gale – Sudden strong wind and rain at sea

A sudden gale almost blew us off of the boat.

24.     Gait – Manner of walking

The man always walks with a limping gait.

25.     Gantry - Movable structure with platforms

The gantry moved away from the Space Shuttle launch tower.