Educational

persnickety

[per-snik-i-tee]

overparticular; fussy

viscous

[vis-kuhs]

of a glutinous nature or consistency; sticky; thick; adhesive

complacency

[kuhm-pley-suhn-see ]

a feeling of quiet pleasure or security, often while unaware of some potential danger, defect, or the like; self-satisfaction or smug satisfaction with an existing situation, condition, etc.

bedraggled

[bih-drag-uhld]

dirty and disheveled

servile

[se-rvi-ile]

subservient

constituent

[co-nst-ent]

an essential part

nomadic

[no-mad-dic]

wandering from place to place

prolific

[pruh-lif-ik]

producing in large quantities or with great frequency; highly productive

tantamount

[tan-tuh-mount]

equivalent, as in value, force, effect, or signification

spawned

[spawnd]

brought forth ; generated, produced.

frightening

[fryt-ning]

causing fear or alarm

pretend

[pr-et-end]

to act as if something is true when it is not; also refers to make-believe behavior.

disrespectful

[dis-ri-spekt-fuhl]

showing a lack of respect

writhe

[rahyth]

to shrink mentally in discomfort or embarrassment.

drowse

[drouz]

to be dull or sluggish

allege

[uh-lej]

to declare with positiveness; affirm; assert

ailurophile

[ahy-loor-uh-fahyl]

a person who likes cats; cat fancier

discharge

[dis-chahrj]

to release or allow something to flow out

diphthong

[dif-thawng]

a sound formed by the combination of two vowels in a single syllable, in which the sound begins as one vowel and moves toward another (as in coin, loud, and side)

skittish

[skit-ish]

apt to start or shy

passion

[p-aszhun]

intense emotion, enthusiasm, or desire, often for something or someone.

venerate

[ven-uh-reyt]

to regard or treat with reverence; revere

crumbling

[krum-bling]

breaking apart into small fragments

gawk

[gawk]

to stare stupidly; gape