< V > TOEFL Vocabulary (208)

Wholesale (adjective) 

without discrimination; having no particular pattern, purpose, organization, or structure    

The wholesale evolutionary restructuring of some reptiles over a period of thousand of

years equipped the new animals to escape their predators and to find food more easily.

Widespread (adjective) 

existing or happening in many places, or affecting many people

Earlier studies of firefighter mortality that did not identify brain cancer as a cause of

death were done before the widespread introduction of plastics in the 1950s.

Wield (verb) 

to exert one's authority 

Yet he wielded political power virtually to the end, prevailing upon President Bush to

appoint his 29 year old son, Strom Jr., as U.S. Attorney in South Carolina in 2001.

Windmill (noun) 

a building with a set of wind driven revolving sails or blades attached to the site of its roof 

that drive a grinding machine inside

In more modern times in the United States, windmills were erected as the West was

developed during the late 19th century.

Wipe out (verb) 

to destroy completely: annihilate 

On the other hand, the general public in developing countries has a host of other

problems than the possibility that a large bolides could wipe out mankind

Withdrawal (noun) 

the act of taking money from a bank account, or the amount of money taken out

That a withdrawal of $35,000 was made after his wife’s murder is evidence that the

suspect is a flight risk.

Wizardry (noun) 

the use of supernatural powers to influence or predict events

It was once believed that witchcraft and wizardry was practiced among some of the

citizens of Salem, Massachusetts.

Wobbly (adjective)

lacking stability

Home buying has jumped as borrowing costs plummet, providing support to a wobbly

economy.

Woe (noun) 

a condition of deep suffering from misfortune, affliction, or grief

An economist at Fannie Mae, the top source of U.S.  housing finance, said accounting

woes  at the second largest such financing source, Freddie Mac, had little impact on

mortgage lending over the last week.

Wound (verb) 

to cause or inflict an injury to the body (as from violence, accident, or surgery) that 

involves laceration or breaking of a membrane (as the skin) and usually damage to 

underlying tissues

In a surprise attack, Little Turtle's forces killed or  wounded about 900 American

soldiers.