List 1

billow [n.]

  1. a large undulating mass of something, typically cloud, smoke, or steam.
  2. a large sea wave.

when we got out on the street we saw a billow of white smoke and the sound was deafening

I went out to the back of the shop to get some stock and saw a billow of black smoke come from under the door

carrion [n.]

  1. the flesh of dead animals.

a crow wheeled over the hills in search of carrion

they are often seen soaring in search of carrion, but their diet also includes young goats and lambs

embroidery [n.]

  1. the art or process of forming decorative designs with hand or machine needlework.

the other three colorways feature decorative embroidery on the straps, which gives them a casual, heritage vibe

singer posted mask patterns, including ways to personalize them with embroidery, upcycling ideas and sewing tutorials to its website and social media

gale [n.]

  1. a very strong wind (about 51 to 102 kilometers per hour).

the boat was damaged in a strong gale

the tent was sturdy with triple-stitched seams and supported by heavy aluminum poles strong enough to withstand being buried in snow or the force of a gale

grief [n.]

  1. deep sorrow, especially that caused by someone’s death.
  2. trouble, annoyance.

she was well known and respected in the area and her death has caused much grief and sorrow

he has been unable to recover from his grief at his son’s death

words could not describe the grief felt by the small but united community of Nurney

I had no idea that forgetting my driving licence would cause me so much grief

gurney [n.]

  1. a bed on a frame with wheels that is used for moving people who are sick or injured.

none of us present will forget the sight of him lying on the hospital gurney about to be wheeled into the operating room

the paramedics put me on a gurney and wheeled me toward the ambulance

lump [n.]

  1. a compact mass of a substance, especially one without a definite or regular shape.

there was a lump of ice floating in the milk

Alex stared down at the lump of an unknown substance currently residing on his lunch tray

mast [n.]

  1. nuts (such as acorns) accumulated on the forest floor and often serving as food for animals.
  2. a long pole or spar rising from the keel or deck of a ship and supporting the yards, booms, and rigging.

he explains that the native rats ate many kinds of berries, beech mast, and other wholesome foods of the forest

the first assumption is that mast crops and small mammal populations are synchronized across a wide range

the boom then swung precariously from the ongoing storm, but somehow stayed tied to the mast

musing [n.]

  1. a period of reflection or thought.

he was clearly in a musing mood, and did not feel like talking just then

scum [n.]

  1. a layer of something unpleasant or unwanted that forms on top of a liquid.

green scum was found on stagnant pools

there, waste components naturally separate, with heavier solids settling to the bottom forming sludge, and lighter solids floating to the top forming scum

boil the chicken and use a spoon to remove any scum that floats to the surface

sham [n.]

  1. a trick that deludes.

the proposed legislation is a farce and a sham

they claimed that the election had been fair, but really it was a sham

slob [n.]

  1. a person who is lazy and has low standards of cleanliness.
  2. someone who is just an ordinary person.

a slob of a professor whose office was littered with a decade’s worth of notes and student papers

she’s become a slob who sits at home eating

he is just a poor working slob

Quiz