The community gathered to consecrate the new chapel, marking it as a place of worship and reflection.
synonyms
sanctifyhallowdedicate
word origin — from Latin 'consecratus', past participle of 'consecrāre', from 'con-' (together) + 'sacrāre' (to make sacred, dedicate)
SAT Vocabulary Level 2 — Set 277
Set 277 of SAT Vocabulary Level 2 covers 5 words: consecrate, ferment, accentuate, submerge, defuse. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.
consecrate · verb/ˈkɑ:n.sə.kreɪt/
to make or declare something sacred or holy
The community gathered to consecrate the new chapel, marking it as a place of worship and reflection.
Synonyms: sanctify, hallow, dedicate
Origin: from Latin 'consecratus', past participle of 'consecrāre', from 'con-' (together) + 'sacrāre' (to make sacred, dedicate)
ferment · verb/fərˈmɛnt/
a biochemical process involving the conversion of sugars to acids, gases, or alcohol by microorganisms
During the brewing process, yeast is added to the wort to ferment the sugars into alcohol and carbonation.
Synonyms: brew, fermentate, culture
Origin: From Old French 'fermenter', from Latin 'fermentare', from 'fermentum' meaning 'leaven, yeast'
accentuate · verb/ækˈsɛn.tʃu.eɪt/
to make something more noticeable or prominent
The designer chose to accentuate the model's features by applying dramatic makeup and clever lighting.
Synonyms: emphasize, highlight, stress
Origin: from Latin 'accentuare', meaning 'to intensify'; from 'accentus', meaning 'a song, note, or tone'.
submerge · verb/səbˈmɜrdʒ/
to put or sink beneath the surface of a liquid
The divers will submerge themselves in the ocean to explore the coral reefs.
Synonyms: dunk, submersion, immerse
Origin: from Latin 'submergere', where 'sub-' means 'under' and 'mergere' means 'to dip or plunge'.
defuse · verb/dɪˈfjuz/
to reduce the tension or danger in a situation
The negotiator worked tirelessly to defuse the escalating conflict between the two rival factions.
Synonyms: de-escalate, calm down, alleviate
Origin: The word 'defuse' is derived from the prefix 'de-' meaning 'removal' or 'reversal' and 'fuse', which comes from the Latin 'fusus', meaning 'to melt' or 'to pour out'. The original meaning refers to removing the fuse from an explosive device.