admire:  to think well of someone
I admire your patience with young children.
She admired her mother for raising four children by herself.

behave:  to act, usually in a good way
I’ll take my children to the movies if they promise to behave.
She behaved badly when she saw her ex-husband with his new girlfriend.

complete:  to finish doing
It took them three weeks to complete their garden.
She makes her children complete their homework before dinnertime.

destroy:  to make useless, to break
The fire destroyed the entire building.
He got so angry he destroyed his computer with a hammer.

fasten:  to close (something) so it doesn’t open
He didn’t fasten his briefcase and everything fell on the floor.
Fasten your seatbelt.  It’s the law.

improve:  to make (something) better
Is there any way to improve the taste of this stew?
I’m afraid Johnny isn’t improving much in math.

kneel:  to get on your knees
Grandfather kneeled to hug his granddaughter.
Kneel down and look under the desk for your lost keys.

lend:  to let (someone) use (something) that’s yours
Could you lend me $100 until pay day?
He lent her his guitar and never saw it again.

mind:  to be bothered (by something)
Do you mind if I close the window.  I’m a little chilly.
My wife doesn’t mind my snoring at night.

offer:  to give if the other accepts
We offered to help them, but they refused.
I can offer you some apple juice, but that’s all I have to drink.

protect:  to keep safe
It was his job to protect his younger brother and keep him out of trouble.
He took karate lessons to learn how to protect himself.

reply:  to answer
You don’t have to reply right now, but let me know by the end of the week.
When he called her name, no one replied.

seem:  to appear to be a certain way
You seem tired.  Have you been getting enough sleep?
I seem to be the only person who knows what to do.

succeed:  to get what you want
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.
She went to university, where she succeeded in getting her bachelor’s degree.

wander:  to walk with no destination
He wandered around the park for hours thinking about his future.
While she was wandering through the town, she found a little coffee shop.

accept:  to say yes to an offer
We accepted their invitation to dinner.
They told the letter carrier they don’t accept junk mail.

appreciate:  to be thankful for something you are given
Thanks again.  I really appreciate all your help.
She appreciates it when her family visits her in the hospital

borrow:  to take and use something for a short time that’s not yours
Could I please borrow your cell phone.
Her sister often borrows her clothes without asking.

cure:  to make (someone) healthy again
He cured his cold with vitamin C and plenty of water.
The doctor cured his patient of a nasty rash.

entertain:  to do something that people enjoy
The mime entertained the crowd for hours.
She entertained her children by playing a game with them.

gain:  to get more
She knew that she had gained weight over the holidays.
What do you have to gain by that action?

head:  to go 
If the alarm sounds, head for the nearest exit.
The soldier headed in the direction of the gunfire.

irritate:  to bother someone a lot
I can’t use that cream because it irritates my skin.
Their loud Saturday night parties irritate us.

memorize:  to learn (something) by repetition
He quickly memorized her phone number.
We have to memorize our lines for the play.

permit:  to allow, to give permission
Many parents permit their children to stay up later on Friday nights
The police would not permit them to walk in the street.

promise:  to do what you say you’re going to do
She promised to never leave him.
Do you promise not to laugh when I tell you my story?

recognize:  to know (something) from an earlier time
I recognize that music.  It’s Beethoven, isn’t it?
The old man didn’t recognize his own daughter.

switch:  to replace one thing with another, to exchange
Let’s switch seats.  I can’t see the screen very well.
I don’t like this toothpaste.  I’m going to switch to another brand.

suffer:  to feel pain for a long time
She suffers from migraine headaches.
Many teenagers suffer from not enough sleep.

warn:  to tell (someone) about a future danger
A sign warned motorists that there was black ice on the road.
He warned her not to go out after dark.