Stay on the Safe Side!: English Vocabulary List

afraid and cautious of the possible outcomes of an action, thus reluctant to take risks or action

"I am chary of strangers."

"I am chary of strangers and do not trust people easily until I get to know them well."

inflicting damage or harm on someone or something

"Smoking has deleterious effects."

"Smoking has deleterious effects on your lungs and can cause cancer and other diseases."

overflowing with bravery and determination

"The doughty knight fought bravely."

"The doughty knight fought bravely against overwhelming odds and refused to surrender."

(particularly of something unpleasant) likely to take place in the near future

"The storm is imminent."

"Danger is imminent so we must evacuate the building immediately before the fire spreads to this floor."

capable of easily catching fire

"The liquid is inflammable."

"The liquid is inflammable so keep it away from any open flames or sparks."

not likely to cause injury, offense, or strong reaction

"The snake is innocuous."

"His innocuous smile did not betray the complex thoughts running through his mind."

very courageous and not afraid of situations that are dangerous

"The intrepid explorer climbed the mountain."

"The intrepid explorer crossed the desert alone without any fear."

approaching death

"The industry is moribund."

"The industry is moribund and has been dying for years because of new technology."

possessing or displaying determination and bravery

"The plucky girl stood up to him."

"The plucky girl stood up to the bully and told him to leave her little brother alone."

eager to start a fight or argument

"The pugnacious man argued."

"The pugnacious dog barked and growled at every person who walked past the fence."

the skill to stay calm when in a situation that is difficult or dangerous

"The pilot showed amazing sangfroid during the emergency."

"The pilot maintained remarkable sangfroid during the emergency landing and safely evacuated all passengers from the burning aircraft."

lacking bravery and confidence

"The timorous mouse ran away."

"The timorous mouse ran away as soon as it heard the cat approaching from across the room."

not capable of being criticized, attacked, or doubted

"His argument is unassailable."

"His argument is unassailable and nobody has been able to find a flaw in his logic."

feeling or showing caution and attentiveness regarding possible dangers or problems

"Be wary of strangers."

"The wary cat approached the new person slowly and stopped every few steps to sniff the air before getting closer."

an individual who acts as if they possess special qualities, knowledge, or skills

"The fortune teller was exposed as a charlatan."

"The self proclaimed healer turned out to be a charlatan who sold sugar pills instead of actual medicine."

an extremely intense and destructive fire

"The conflagration turned the whole forest into black ash."

"The small campfire quickly spread into a massive conflagration that burned thousands of acres of forest before firefighters could finally control it."

an individual who is passionate about a cause, particularly political, and urges others to take action toward said cause, normally leading to trouble

"The firebrand stirred up the crowd."

"The union leader was known as a firebrand who organized strikes and gave passionate speeches demanding workers' rights."

a place that provides safety, peace, and favorable living conditions for humans or animals

"It is a safe haven."

"The wildlife refuge provides a safe haven for migratory birds during their long journey south."

a thing that is used as an inferior and temporary substitute for something that is not available

"They built makeshift shelter."

"They built a makeshift shelter using plastic sheets and wood after the storm destroyed their house completely."

a fight that is noisy, confusing, and involves many people

"The player was injured in the on-field melee."

"The peaceful protest turned into a chaotic melee when police and demonstrators began shoving each other aggressively."

a feeling or suspicion that something, particularly something unpleasant, is about to take place

"She had a presentiment that something was wrong."

"She had a strange presentiment that something terrible was about to happen just before the phone rang with bad news."

the act of hurting or damaging one's opponent or enemy in retaliation for the hurt or damage they inflicted upon one

"The attack was a reprisal for the bombing."

"The company feared reprisal from the powerful executive so no one dared to report his unethical behavior."

to cause a person to feel scared or unconfident

"Failure does not daunt her spirit."

"The huge amount of homework did not daunt her because she had a good plan to finish everything on time."

to send a person or thing somewhere for a specific purpose

"Send the doctor there."

"The courier will dispatch the package first thing tomorrow morning so it should arrive by Friday."

to closely follow someone

"Problems dog the project from start."

"The investigative reporter continued to dog the politician everywhere he went hoping to get a comment about the scandal."

to avoid a thing or doing something on purpose

"He eschews unhealthy foods entirely."

"Many health conscious people eschew processed foods and refined sugar in favor of whole grains fresh vegetables and lean proteins in their daily diets."

to deceive a person, often by hiding the truth or using clever tactics to mislead them

"Con artists hoodwink trusting elderly people."

"The fake psychic managed to hoodwink many people into paying her money for useless advice and predictions."

to constantly chase, pressure, or follow someone to gain or achieve something

"Reporters hound the celebrity for comments."

"The paparazzi constantly hounded the famous actress wherever she went making it impossible for her to have any privacy."

to make someone feel uneasy or anxious, disrupting their usual calm or confidence

"The sudden noise unnerved the nervous cat."

"The sudden loud noise unnerved the skittish horse causing it to throw its rider off and run away."

possessing bravery and boldness

"He is a hardy man."

"The hardy mountaineer faced the treacherous ascent with unwavering courage and determination."

utilized to set fire on a property

"The incendiary device exploded."

"The authorities were warned about the presence of incendiary materials stored in the abandoned warehouse."

overflowing with courage and determination

"The horse was mettlesome."

"The mettlesome young knight eagerly accepted the challenge of the jousting tournament."

unwilling to submit to authority or control

"The obstreperous child was loud."

"The obstreperous child was loud and disruptive and the teacher had to send him to the principal office."

full of danger or uncertainty, likely to cause harm or accidents

"The path is precarious."

"Navigating the narrow, icy ledge proved to be a precarious undertaking for the inexperienced climbers."

overflowing with anxiety, unease, or concern

"The nurse was solicitous."

"The nurse was solicitous and checked on the patient every hour to make sure he was comfortable."

a sudden or disastrous event that destroys or changes a whole region or system

"It was a cataclysm."

"The asteroid impact resulted in a global cataclysm that reshaped the planet's environment."

a strategic action or remark that is used to gain an advantage, particularly in the early stages of a situation, game, conversation, etc.

"His opening gambit was to offer a discount."

"His opening gambit in the negotiation was to ask for twice what he actually expected to receive."

a noisy bitter argument between countries, organizations, people, etc.

"A row broke out."

"The international row escalated, threatening diplomatic relations between the two neighboring nations."

to burst, fall, or collapse toward the inside violently

"The building will implode."

"Due to structural failure, the old skyscraper was carefully engineered to implode safely."

to cover a stretch of land with a lot of water

"The river inundated the town."

"Heavy rainfall caused the river to inundate the surrounding farmlands, destroying the crops."

to secure a place and make it resistant against attacks, particularly by building walls around it

"They fortify the castle walls."

"The soldiers worked through the night to fortify their position by building sandbag walls and digging deep trenches around the camp."