Lesson TwelveEnglish I

girdDefinition• (v) to encircle with a belt

or band; to dress; to equip

• syn: enclose, surround

Example• Before mounting his

horse, the knight girded himself in armor.

gistDefinition• (n) main point• syn: essence

Example• I never did get the gist of

the story.

gleanDefinition• (v) to collect bit by bit; to

gather (grain)• syn: collect gradually,

harvest

Example• The investigator gleaned

pertinent information from the witnesses to the crash.

glutinousDefinition• (adj) gluey, sticky

Example• The glutinous mass I

was kneading on the counter in no way resembled the bread dough pictured in the cookbook.

gorgeDefinition• (v) to eat or swallow

greedily

Example• The starving youngster

began to gorge himself with a plateful of sandwiches.

GothicDefinition• (adj) medieval; type of

fiction that uses remote, gloomy settings

Example• The Warlock is a Gothic

novel with a little romance thrown in to lighten the mood.

granaryDefinition• (n) a storehouse for grain

Example• When the granary

burned down, we lost a year’s supply of corn.

gratifyDefinition• (v) to please• syn: satisfy, indulge• ant: displease, dissatisfy

Example• To gratify the pouting

child, his mother handed him a lollipop.

guileDefinition• (n) slyness and cunning

in dealing with others• syn: cunning, crafitness• ant: ingenuousness

Example• Not without guile herself,

she was quick to recognize it in others.

gullDefinition• (v) to cheat• syn: trick

Example• It is not easy to gull an

honest person.

gyrateDefinition• (v) to rotate, spin• syn: revolve, whirl

Example• The kite began to gyrate

crazily as the winds picked up speed.

harpDefinition• (v) to persist in talking

continuously (on or about something)

Example• My parents harp on the

importance of completing homework.

haughtyDefinition• (adj) arrogant, proud• syn: arrogant• ant: humble, shy

Example• He gave them a haughty

look as he waved the visitors through the gates.

havocDefinition• (n) great destruction

Example• The commandos landed

behind enemy lines in order to create confusion and havoc.

hilarityDefinition• (n) gaiety, joy• syn: mirth• ant: sadness, misery

Example• Because of the hilarity at

my slumber party, everyone was awake all night.