< V > TOEFL Vocabulary (178)

Sabotage (noun) 

a deliberate and underhanded effort to defeat or do harm to an endeavor

To sabotage his friend’s grades, John’s roommate accused him of cheating on a

Philosophy exam.

Sacred (adjective) 

regarded with particular reverence or respect

In 1772, von Colloredo retained Wolfgang as concertmaster at a token salary. In this

capacity Mozart composed a large number of sacred and secular works. 

  

Safeguard (verb) 

to make safe, to protect 

Putin's tough stand was seen by analysts as an attempt to protect Russian interests in

Iraq -- Moscow wants to safeguard its multi-billion dollar debt payments and contracts

signed with Baghdad in existence before the war. 

 

Sail (verb) 

to move swiftly through the water through the use of boat

Thorvaldsen Eriksson, son of Erik the Red, sailed from Greenland to the New World

which he had been told about by his brother Leif.

Salivate (verb) 

to produce an abnormal flow of saliva–the result of secretion of water in the mouth

Pavlov noticed that the dogs in his laboratory salivated not only when they ate their

food, but also before they had taken a bite.

Sanctioned by (verb) 

adhering to beliefs or practices approved by authority or tradition

Many same-sex couples participate in their own ceremonies, sanctioned by their

friends, families and spiritual communities.

Sanctuary (noun) 

a sacred or holy place; the state of being protected or safeguarded, as from danger or 

hardship

William Faulkner’s written description of the gardens would later be revised for the

closing of his novel Sanctuary.

Sanitation (noun) 

the act or process of being readily kept in cleanliness 

Nearly three-fifths of the 4.8 billion people in developing countries lack basic

sanitation, almost a third have no access to clean water, a quarter lack adequate

housing, and a fifth lack access to modern health services. 

Satire (noun) 

a work, as a novel or play, that exposes folly by the use of humor or irony

Political satire, found in newspapers across the US, aims at prominent leaders such as

the president, governors, and leaders of congress.

Savage (verb) 

so intense as to cause extreme suffering

During the early 1940's, Germany created many savage labor camps which were not

liberated by the allies until 1945.