seal When used as a verb, the word “seal” means to close. Alisha sealed the chicken in a freezer bag before putting it in the freezer. If you don’t seal the lid, the food in the container might dry out. Jim sealed a deal for the purchase of some property downtown. (“seal a deal” / “seal the […]
scrape When removing the top layer of something or when cleaning the surface of something, you can use the verb “scrape.” Scrape your plate before you put it in the dishwasher. (This sentence is in the imperative form. The subject is “you.) You have to scrape ice off of your windshield in the winter if you
scarce Use the word “scarce” when something is not easy to find, there’s not much of it, or it’s rare. Water and food were both scarce in the aftermath of the storm. Scarce food supplies often result in rioting. Some species of animals are becoming scarce on our planet because of human development. Bill is
scam Use the word “scam” when a company or a person cheats or fools someone for money. The diet pills that Yolanda purchased turned out to be a scam. Don’t waste your money on lottery tickets. The lottery is a scam. It’s nothing but a scam. Dirk McMaster was involved in several scams and eventually
etymology When studying English, your teacher might talk to you about a word’s etymology. The etymology of a word is the history or the origin of the word. Advanced learners of English are the ones most likely to have this kind of a lesson (in a word’s eytmology) with a teacher, but it’s possible some beginning
eventually Use the word “eventually” when something is likely to happen in the future. It may or may not happen, but there’s a very good chance that it will. Eventually, the team will get better with more practice. Vanessa hopes that her daughter will eventually get married. Simon hopes to find a better job eventually.
gain When something improves or increases, there is a gain. You can use this word as a noun or as a verb. This is how you can use “gain” as a verb: You can gain a lot of knowledge by going to school. Jeremy gained some new friends when he joined the soccer club. Hilda feels like
gadget A gadget is a tool or a device. It’s usually useful, but it might not be. I have a gadget for removing the oil filter from my car. My friend, Bob, has an interesting gadget in his Swiss army knife, but he’s not sure what it’s used for. Hardware stores sell gadgets for fixing things around
legible If something is legible, that means it’s possible to read it. This word refers to the quality of handwriting or the words that have been printed on a piece of paper. This note is barely legible. (It’s hard to read because the quality of the handwriting is bad.) The words written by the three-year old boy
latch A latch is a piece of hardware that keeps a door or a box closed. The latch on the shed has a lock on it. The latch on the toolbox is open. In order to carry the toolbox, you have to close both of the latches. The latch on a kitchen cabinet keeps the cabinet door
