Cognitive Processes & Actions: English Vocabulary List

used to tell someone to ignore or disregard something that was just said

"Scratch that. Forget what I said."

"Scratch that. Forget what I said because I have changed my mind about the whole plan."

to ruin a situation through mistakes or poor judgment

"Do not screw up this opportunity."

"Do not screw up this important opportunity because it may be the only chance you ever get."

to cause feelings of unease or revulsion

"That creepy guy skeeves me out."

"The creepy behavior of the stranger at the bus stop really skeeved out the young woman who was waiting alone."

to infer the meaning of a word from its context

"He tried to glark the meaning."

"It took me a while to glark the meaning of his cryptic message but eventually I figured it out."

a person, thing, or event that recalls or resembles something from the past

"The photo was a throwback to 2010."

"The photo was a throwback to their college days when they had much less responsibility and more hair."

in a mental state of focused concentration on an activity

"The basketball player was in the zone and scored every shot."

"The basketball player was in the zone and scored twenty points in the first quarter alone."

to fully understand something difficult, complicated, or strange

"I can't wrap my head around it."

"It took scientists years to wrap their minds around the complex theory that fundamentally changed our understanding of the universe."

to become aware of or adapt to modern trends, ideas, or ways of thinking

"My grandfather refuses to get with the times and use a smartphone."

"The old man finally got with the times and bought himself a smartphone to use the internet."

a claim or right to something, usually made before others can claim it

"I have dibs on the front seat."

"He called dibs on the front seat of the car by shouting his claim before anyone else could."

to ignore or undervalue someone or something

"Don't sleep on it."

"Many underestimated the small startup, but they would eventually sleep on its potential for disruption."

to suddenly begin to realize or understand something

"It will click."

"After hours of confusion, the complex puzzle suddenly began to click into place."

to notice, register, or recognize something

"I clock him."

"She quickly clocked the subtle change in his demeanor when the sensitive topic arose."

to say, especially used when one is orally narrating something

"He will go."

"The narrator will go on to explain the intricate details of the ancient ritual."