< V > TOEFL Vocabulary (183)

Signature (adjective)

describing a tune, musical number, or sound effect or in television a characteristic used to 

identify a program, entertainer, or orchestra

The film widely regarded as Wood Allen’s best, with Diane Keaton’s signature role,

“Annie Hall,” plays at 7:30 p.m. at the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences.

Sizzling (adjective) 

marked by much heat

In July, the Sahara Desert is characterized by sizzling days and sultry nights.

Skepticism (noun) 

a lack of conviction or certainty

His continued skepticism, however, shaped his subsequent theological studies at Crosier

Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania, and at Boston University, where he

received a doctorate in systematic theology in 1955.

Skim (verb) 

to pass quickly and lightly through

Part of maintaining a pool is to skim the surface daily for leaves, drowned insects, and

other forms of debris.

Skyward (adverb) 

moving toward the sky; going in an upward direction

After the countdown, the space shuttle explosively launched itself skyward and

ultimately reached speeds of 25,000 miles per hours while in orbit.

Slab (noun) 

a relatively long, straight, rigid piece of metal or other solid material

There are many different types of avalanches, but the one that worries us the most is the

slab avalanche, in which a mass of cohesive snow releases as a unit.

Slant (verb) 

to move from true vertical or horizontal

In the Sierra Nevada mountain range, trees growing at altitudes of at least 9,000 feet

slant away from the prevailing Northern winds. 

Slender (adjective) 

having little flesh or fat on the body

Running five miles day helps to create a slender body.

Slightly (adverb) 

with little significance; moderately

Temperature variations on Mercury are the most extreme in the solar system ranging

from 90 K to 700 K. The temperature on Venus is slightly hotter but very stable.

Slip (verb) 

to shift or be shifted out of place 

Around the margins of the Pacific Ocean, For example, denser oceanic plates slip under

continental plates in a process known as seduction.