surrender, isolate, restore, dissolve, hamper: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from SAT Vocabulary Level 1 set 219. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. surrender · verb/səˈrɛndər/

   to relinquish possession or control of something to someone else

   After a long negotiation, the company decided to surrender control of the project to the new management team.

   Synonyms: relinquish, yield, capitulate

   Origin: from Old French 'surrender', from 'surrendre' meaning to return, from 'sur-' meaning 'over' + 'rendre' meaning 'to render, give back'.

2. isolate · verb/ˈaɪ.sə.leɪt/

   to set apart from others or to separate

   To ensure accurate results, the researchers had to isolate the variable in their experiment from external factors.

   Synonyms: separate, detach, insulate

   Origin: from Latin 'insolatus', meaning 'made solitary'

3. restore · verb/rɪˈstɔr/

   to bring back to a former condition or position

   The community came together to restore the historic building to its original grandeur after years of neglect.

   Synonyms: rehabilitate, repair, renew

   Origin: Middle French 'restorer', from Latin 'restaurare', which means to restore or rebuild.

4. dissolve · verb/dɪˈzɑlv/

   to cause to become incorporated into a liquid so as to form a solution

   To make the soup richer, you should dissolve the bouillon cubes in hot water before adding them to the pot.

   Synonyms: dissipate, melt, combine

   Origin: from Latin 'dissolvere', which means 'to loosen, dissolve' (dis- 'apart' + solvere 'to loosen')

5. hamper · verb/ˈhæmpər/

   to hinder or impede progress or movement

   Heavy traffic can hamper progress on the construction project, causing delays.

   Synonyms: hinder, impede, obstruct

   Origin: Middle English, from Old French 'hamper', meaning to shut up, hinder, or obstruct.