appreciate (uh PREE shee AYT) vt.1. to think well of; to understand or enjoy;
esteem; 2. to recognize and be thankful for; 3. to estimate the quality or value of
(especially favorably); 4. to be sensitively aware of; 5. to increase the price or value of
- We all appreciatehow well mannered Shewana is.
- Many of her students appreciatethe educational experience Mrs. Sheridan
provides in her applied physics class. - The connoisseur appreciatedthe fineness of the woodwork.
- The college entrance committee fully appreciatesall the applicants’ concern
for its ethnic and racial blindness. - The price of fine art continues to appreciateeven as you are reading this
sentence.
[-d, appreciating, appreciation n.] [Syn. treasure, cherish, pride]
approach(uh PROHch) vt.1. to come close or closer to; 2. to be similar to; to
approximate; 3. a proposal or request to; to make advances; 4. to start dealing with - You may approachthe rim of the Grand Canyon, but don’t approachit too
closely—for obvious reasons. - Digital audiotape approachesthe quality of CD sound.
- Do you have the nerve to approachyour boss for a raise?
- It’s time to approachthe matter of clearing the flood waters’ debris out of
the basement.
[-es pl., -ed, -ing, -able adj., -abilityn.(also approach n.)]
appropriate(uh PROH pree AYT for v.,uh PROH pree it for adj.) vt.1. to take for
one’s exclusive use; 2. to take without permission or improperly; 3. to set aside for a
certain use or particular person —adj.right for the purpose; suitable; fit; proper - The Duchess has been known to appropriatethe entire seating area of a
town’s only restaurant when she desires to have tea. - Jane’s mother overruled Jane’s attempt to appropriateher neighbor’s lawn
chair. - Farmer Jack had to appropriate the horse to draw the sleigh—at least until
the snowmobile was fixed. - A bathing suit is appropriatefor the swimming pool but not at all appropri-
ate for the igloo.
[-d, appropriating, -ness, appropriation n.] [Syn. fit]
aquarium (uh KWAER ee uhm) n.1. a tank, usually having glass sides, or a
pool, bowl, etc. for keeping live water plants, fish, and/or aquatic mammals; 2. a
building used to put such collections on exhibit - Margie had tropical fish in the 20-gallon aquariumthat she kept against a
wall of the living room. - The National Aquariumin Baltimore, Maryland, is a major tourist attrac-
tion in that city’s inner harbor.
26 Essential Vocabulary