applaud:  to clap hands in appreciation
The audience applauded wildly at the end of the concert.
I applaud her courage in leaving her husband.

benefit:  to be good for
A national health program benefits everyone.
A house with more bedrooms would benefit us a lot.

concern:  to be of interest to, be worried
A shortage of water concerns all the farmers in the area.
I’m concerned about my father’s health.

deprive:  to stop from having
As a good mother she deprives her children of candy.
Because he studied all night, he was deprived of sleep.

ensure:  to make sure, guarantee
This new investment will ensure the success of the company.
Please ensure that the door is locked after you leave.

glance:  to look at very quickly
She glanced at the clock and saw it was midnight.
The child glanced over his shoulder to see if anyone was following him.

infuriate:  to make very angry
It infuriates me when my wife takes a long time to get ready to go.
When the president cancelled elections, it infuriated the citizens.

magnify: to make larger
He just needs reading glasses to magnify the words so he can see them.
You don’t want to magnify the problem, so just be quiet.

oppose: to try to stop by doing things against
There are many people who oppose war.
The church opposes the new “right to die” law.

recommend: to say someone should do (something)
My friends recommend that we go eat at the new Mexican restaurant downtown.
What treatment does the doctor recommend for this patient?

regret: to be sorry about
I hurt your feelings, and I regret that very much.
After he bought the motorcycle, he regretted his purchase.

seal: to close up tight to keep the air out
When he was finished, he sealed the letter in the envelope.
You need to seal that container better if you want the food to last.

sponsor:  to be responsible for, support with money
This show is sponsored by the Ford Motor Company.
Senator Cohen helped sponsor a bill to legalize marijuana.

terrify: to greatly scare
The boy terrified his sister with a snake he found in the garden.
When he thinks about losing his family, it terrifies him.

verify: to prove something is true
She verified that the painting was a real Van Gogh.
The bank verified his signature and gave him the money.

Use these flashcards to help you study.

When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.