2014 Butte County Spelling Bee
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2014 BUTTE COUNTY SPELLING BEE Tim Taylor, Superintendent PRACTICE WORDLIST 1. abacus A calculating instrument for performing arithmetical processes by sliding counters by hand on rods or in grooves. “The grocer used an abacus instead of a modern cash register.” 2. acquaintance Familiarity, experience. “Ruth developed an acquaintance with Tibetan musical tradition.” 3. acre Any of various units of land area. "Miriam had to cross a 10-acre field to get to her favorite swimming hole.” 4. acrobat One who performs gymnastic feats or exercises. “Paul is developing the skills of a first-rate acrobat.” 5. activity Something somebody does; physical exercise “Which physical education activity did you like the best?” 6. acuate Having a sharp point: shaped like a needle: sharpened. “Cobb's beagle was distinctive because of its acuate tail.” 7. addition The act of adding something onto or into something else “Our next test in math will be on addition.” 8. adjacent Living nearby or sitting or standing relatively near or close together. “Citizens of Centerville and its adjacent communities banded together to form a volunteer fire department.” 9. adversaries Ones that contend with oppose or resist. “Cynthia’s adversaries in the tennis tournament were not easily defeated.” 10. aerobatics Spectacular flying feats and maneuvers (as rolls and dives). “Brian enjoyed the exhibition of aerobatics at the Labor Day festival.” 11. affliction A state of pain, distress, or grief. “John Addison wrote that some virtues are seen only in affliction.” 12. alphanumerical Consisting, of both letters and numbers and often other symbols as well. “Because she used two separate alphanumerical codes, Georgia made many mistakes.” 13. amendment The process of changing or modifying in any way for the better (as a motion, bill, act, or constitution). “A well-drafted constitution will provide for its own amendment.” 14. amnesia Loss of memory, forgetfulness. “Alice suffered from amnesia as the result of a head injury.” 15. ample Marked by extensive or more than adequate size. “Wilma enjoyed her walks in the estate’s ample gardens.” 16. amplitude The extent of a vibratory movement or of an oscillation. “Titus carefully noted any variations in the amplitude of the sine waves.” 17. analogy A figure of speech involving an extended or elaborate comparison between two things or situations. “Hugo used an analogy to illustrate his point, but no one understood the analogy either.” 18. analyze Weigh or study (various aspects, factors, or elements) in order to arrive at an answer, result, or solution. “Deanne needed more information before she could analyze the lab report.” 19. anoint Bless somebody with oil; ordain somebody “The knight will anoint the pheasant at a special ceremony.” 20. antelope Any of various ruminant mammals of Africa and southwest Asia. “The bounding antelope managed to outdistance the pursuing lion.” 21. anthology A usually representative collection of selected literary pieces or passages. “John hopes to find ‘The Raven’ in his mom's anthology of American literature.” 22. apex The point of the heavens toward which a celestial body is moving at a given time. “Helga tracked the planet’s movement towards the apex.” 23. apologetic Regretfully excusing or acknowledging. “Segal's face was so apologetic that his teacher could not be angry at him.” 24. appalling Inspiring dismay: shocking. “There was something about the night that was mysterious and appalling.” 25. apple Firm round fruit with central core “Did you bring an apple for the new teacher?” 26. appliance Domestic electrical machine “Our new stove came from the appliance store.” 27. aquatic Living wholly or chiefly in or on water. “The oil spill caused the deaths of many aquatic animals and plants.” 28. ardent Extremely loyal: devoted, faithful. “Bickford was an ardent supporter of environmental causes.” 29. argue To express disagreement with somebody, especially continuously or angrily “I hate it when my brother and sister argue.” 30. assess Determine the rate or amount of. “Joyce's job with the insurance company was to assess damages.” 31. assimilate Receive into the mind and consider and thoroughly comprehend. “Sandy needs time to sort things out and assimilate them properly.” 32. astronomy The science that treats of the celestial bodies. “Astronomy is a popular topic for science writers.” 33. asunder Into parts: into different pieces. “The wind was so violent that Justin feared his tent would be torn asunder.” 34. attack Harm; criticize somebody or something “I didn't understand why the class wanted to attack my poem.” 35. audiome ter An instrument used in measuring the acuity of hearing in the individual ear for sounds of various frequencies. “At the local schools, students’ hearing is tested annually by a specialist using an audiometer.” 36. audition Give a trial performance. “Cornelius decided to audition for the part of Romeo.” 37. authoritarianism A political system that concentrates power in the hands of a leader or a small autocratic elite not constitutionally responsible to the people. “Sergei said that despite all its democratic rhetoric, the system was authoritarianism, pure and simple.” 38. avenue A wide street or road in a town; a course of action “Is there another avenue to the state capital?” 39. avocado The pulpy green or purple pear-shaped edible fruit of various tropical American trees. “Dennis poured lemon juice over the sliced avocado.” 40. aware Having knowledge of something; realize that something is happening “He became aware of a pain in his left side.” 41. badgers Any of certain strong sturdily-built carnivorous mammals. “Ivar always said that the badgers had cleaner houses than people, and that when he hired a housekeeper her name would be Mrs. Badger.” 42. balloonist One that ascends in a balloon (as for exhibition purposes). “The aerial photograph of Leadville was taken by a balloonist more than a hundred years ago.” 43. bantam Small: easily handled. "Accustomed to bantam automobiles in Europe, Jacqui regarded American cars as too large and unwieldy.” 44. baronial Splendid, stately, spacious, ample. “The baronial fireplace had enough room to hold six-foot logs.” 45. beet large swollen root, eaten cooked, yields sugar “Natives used the broth of a cooked beet as a dye.” 46. bevy An usually large group or collection. “A bevy of reporters crowded around the gold medal winner.” 47. bewildering Causing to lose one’s bearings. “The town’s maze of streets was bewildering even to its own inhabitants.” 48. bewitched Cast a spell over. “Some say a sorceress bewitched the valley during the early days of settlement.” 49. binoculars A handheld optical instrument composed of two telescopes and a focusing device and usually having prisms to increase magnifying ability. “Binoculars have proved to be a great benefit to bird- watching.” 50. biscuit A quick bread made in a small shape from dough that has been rolled and cut or dropped and that rises in baking. “A hot biscuit with butter and honey was the best part of the lunch.” 51. blather Voluble, foolish, or nonsensical talk. "Matt's announcement consisted of 10 percent information and 90 percent blather.” 52. blemish Defect, flaw. “A skilled watercolorist can render a blemish invisible.” 53. blizzard A severe and prolonged snow storm. “Last winter many cattle perished in a blizzard.” 54. blossoming Flowering. “Between the blossoming branches of the canopy, bits of blue sky looked down like wonderful eyes.” 55. board Flat piece of wood “We needed one more board to finish our float.” 56. bomb A missile containing explosive or other destructive material “We used a bug bomb to get rid of the fleas in the house.” 57. boniface The proprietor of a hotel, nightclub, or restaurant. “The boniface of the Red Horse Inn loves to have his picture taken with visiting celebrities.” 58. boundary Border; limit “My mom set a two block boundary for bike riding.” 59. brain Organ of thought and feeling “You have to use your brain to win the spelling bee.” 60. brandishing Shaking or waving a weapon menacingly. "‘That's why I drove him off,’ cried the Humbug fiercely brandishing his cane.” 61. brea th Air breathed in and out “Take a deep breath before you spell the word.” 62. bribery The act of influencing the action of another by a reward, gift or favor bestowed or promised. “Though they might not admit it, most parents occasionally use bribery to make their young children behave.” 63. bronchitis Acute or chronic inflammation in the lungs. “Because of his bronchitis, Sam had given up jogging.” 64. bulbous Resembling or suggesting a bulb especially in roundness or in the gross enlargement of a part. “Rudolph is well known as the lead reindeer because of his large red fluorscent bulbous nose.” 65. burly Strongly built: stout, sturdy. “The director chose Harry for the part of the construction worker because of his burly appearance.” 66. bursitis Inflammation of a fluid-filled cavity in a joint of the body. “Pain during the tennis game was Brett’s first symptom of bursitis.” 67. burst To split or break apart suddenly and violently because of excess internal pressure “The suitcase had burst open.” 68. bustling Given to or full of noisy or energetic activity. “As they strolled along the bustling and busy avenue, he began.” 69. butterscotch A hard candy made by boiling together brown sugar, corn syrup, and water. “Butterscotch has a deep golden color and a delicious rich taste.” 70. cable Strong thick rope or steel wire used for lifting, pulling, towing, or securing things “Bridges are made of many yards of cable.” 71. cactus A plant found in dry desert regions many varieties produce brightly colored flowers. “If you live in Arizona, you probably have a cactus plant in your yard.” 72.