Webster Essential Vocabulary

distort (dis TAWRT) vt.1. to twist out of shape; change the normal shape, form,
or appearance of; 2. to misrepresent; misstate; pervert

• Rubber dolls and action figures are easy to distort.


• Martin’s report on Korea seriously distortsthe facts.
  [-ed, -ing, -er n.] [Syn. deform]
  diversion*(di VER zhuhn) n.1. a turning aside; 2. distraction of attention; 3.
  anything that distracts the attention, such as a pastime or an amusement


• Diversionof the Colorado River through tunnels allowed the Hoover Dam
  to be built near Las Vegas.


• The Japanese attacked the Aleutians in World War II as a diversionto draw
  America’s attention away from Midway.


• Six Flags provides diversionat several amusement parks.
  divination(DIV i NAY shun) n.1. a trying to predict the future or examine the
  unknown by means beyond human understanding; 2. a prophecy; prediction; fore-
  knowing; 3. a correct guess or good intuition


• Divinationwas often used in the Old West to decide where to dig wells for
  water.


• Nostradamus’s stock and trade was divination.


• One who succeeds in divinationis often referred to as a lucky guesser.


• Divinationis ESP (not ESPN).

Quick Review #29.

Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most
nearly the same thing.

88 Essential Vocabulary

1. dispersal


2. disregard


3. dissemble


4. disseminate


5. dissent


6. dissimilar


7. dissipate


8. distinct


9. distinguish


10. distort


11. diversion


12. divination

a. different

b. deform

c. unmistakable

d. foretelling

e. characterize

f. distraction

g. disagree

h. squander

i. neglect

j. promulgate

k. scattering

l. pretend