Lesson No. 24

Word # 1

Expend (verb)

Definition: to use or spend especially time, effort or money / use up, consume fully

Sentence: 1. You expend so much effort for so little return. 2. Governments expend a lot of resources on war. 3. The legislature expended its time on school questions. 4. She is expending a lot of effort to help the students.

Word # 2

Guesstimate (noun)

Definition: estimate based on a mixture of guess work and calculation / an approximate calculation of the size or amount of something when you do not know all the facts / an estimate that combines reasoning with guessing

Sentence: 1. Current guesstimates are that the company's turnover will increase by 7% this year. 2. May guesstimated that there were 45 jellybeans in the jar, when in fact, there were 65. 3. The current guesstimate of Asian elephant numbers in the Cardamom Mountains is between 200 and 500.

Word # 3

Seer (noun)

Definition: a person who says he or she can see what will happen in the future / a person with unusual powers of foresight

Sentence: 1. This article provides a spiritual perspective on the life of the famous seer Edgar Cayce. 2. They were headed by the seer to their destination.

Word # 4

Gratify (verb)

Definition: to please someone, or to satisfy a wish or need / make happy or satisfied

Sentence: 1. We were gratified by the response to our appeal. 2. He was gratified to see how well his students had done. 3. I wish to gratify your demands but I cannot justify the expense it would entail. 4. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.

Word # 5

Abnegate (verb)

Definition: give up / abandon formally / renounce or reject / deny

Sentence: 1. He abnegated his right to work. 2. It's hard to abnegate habit of smoking once started. 3. They abnegated their gods. 4. After his defeat, the Congressman found it difficult to abnegate his office. 5. Sylvia chose to abnegate the privileges of her wealthy
upbringing, seeking instead a simple life helping those less
fortunate than herself.