English

〝Ah, then you look into the court.〞 She sighed. 〝If only Mr. Emerson was more tactful! We were so sorry for you at dinner.〞

1. tactful  [ˋtæktfəl] (adj.) someone who is tactful is very careful in the way they speak and behave so that they do not upset other people

    tact (n.) a careful way of speaking or behaving that avoids upsetting other people

    tactfully (adv.)

She proceeded no further into things, for Mr. Beebe reappeared, looking extremely pleasant.

2. proceed  [prəˋsid] (v.) to continue to happen

    Example: These negotiations had been proceeding since the late 1960s.

    (v.) to go in a particular direction

    Example: Passengers for flight 406 to New York should proceed to gate 32.

    (v.) used for telling other people about a surprising, embarrassing, or annoying thing that someone has done

    Example: She had a few beers and proceeded to tell everyone in the bar about our personal problems.

    (v.) to make progress by moving to the next stage in a series of actions or events

    Example: We would like your input before we proceed to the final stage of planning.

Miss Bartlett was startled.

3. startle (v.) to make a person or animal feel suddenly frightened or surprised by doing something they do not expect

    Example: Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you.

    startled (adj.) suddenly frightened or surprised by something

    Example: I was startled to see a face suddenly appear at the window.

    startling (adj.) surprising or very unusual

    Example: Nobody made any response to his startling suggestion.

〝You see, we don't like to take─〞began Lucy. Her cousin again repressed her.

4. repress  [rɪˋprɛs] (v.) to prevent yourself from showing a feeling

    Example: I couldn't repress my curiosity.

    Example: Repressing an impulse to laugh out loud, she thanked him and walked out.

    (v.) to refuse to admit that you have a particular feeling, need, or memory, so that it remains hidden in your mind

    (v.) to use force or violence to control people

    repressed (adj.) someone who is repressed has strong feelings that they do not show or that they refuse to admit that they have

    Example: repressed anger/ guilt

    repression (n.)

    repressive (adj.) ruling or controlling people by the use of force or violence, or by laws that put unreasonable limits on their freedom

    repressively (adv.)

That place is too sweetly squalid for words.

5. squalid  [ˋskwɑlɪd] (adj.) a place that is squalid is dirty and unpleasant

    (adj.) something that is squalid is unpleasant because it involves dishonest, illegal, or immoral behavior