intimidate(in TIM id ayt) vt.1. to make afraid; daunt; 2. to deter or compel
with threats of violence; cow
- It is easy to intimidatelittle children, but it’s not very sporting.
- Mobsters have been known to intimidatepotential witnesses against them
to deter them from testifying.
[-d, intimidating, intimidation, intimidator n.]
intrepid (in TRE pid) adj.not afraid; bold; fearless; very brave - Actors who play Roman gladiators appear to be intrepid.
- The Marines who fought on Iwo Jima were intrepidindeed.
- Are you intrepidenough to ride a big roller coaster?
[Syn. brave]
intrigue(in TREEG) vt.1. to bring on by secret plotting; 2. to excite the curiosi-
ty; fascinate —n. 1. a secret or underhanded plotting; 2. a secret plot; 3. a love affair - Brutus and Cassius intrigueto kill Julius Caesar in Shakespeare’s take on the
subject. - A cliff-hanger intriguesone to find out what will come next.
- The intrigueof Quisling’s fifth column betrayed Norway.
- Many believe the death of JFK was the result of intrigue.
- Tracy and Hepburn’s intriguelasted many years.
[-d, intriguing] [Syn. plot]
intrinsic(in TRIN sik) adj.essential nature; not depending on outside sources;
inherent - Gold has always had an intrinsicvalue as a precious metal.
- Some, but not all, believe that good is intrinsicto all people.
- The intrinsicnature of children is innocence.
[-ally* adv.]
intrusion(in TROO zhin) n.1. the act of forcing one’s self or ideas on another
who has not asked for and/or does not welcome them; 2. (law) the illegal entry
onto another’s land; 3. (geology) the squeezing of magma between layers of solid
rock; the actual solidified rock so created - Eric’s intrusioninto the girl’s locker room was not greeted with amusement.
- Tresspassing is one form of illegal intrusion;burglary is another.
- Volcanic intrusionscan be found in some museums’ geological exhibits.
intuitive(in TOO it iv) adj.1. having to do with intuition (a direct and imme-
diate understanding or learning of something without use of reasoning); 2. learning
or knowing by such a feeling - Ginny seemed to have been born with an intuitivegrasp of how to ride a
horse. - Alan found driving an automobile to be intuitiveand was driving like an
old-timer the first time he took the wheel.
[-ly adv.]
I: SAT Words 141