SAT Vocabulary Level 2 — Set 296

Set 296 of SAT Vocabulary Level 2 covers 5 words: burnish, yearn, rescind, abstain, implicate. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. burnish · verb/ˈbɜrnɪʃ/

   to polish or make something shiny by rubbing

   She used a soft cloth to burnish the silverware until it gleamed.

   Synonyms: polish, shine, buff

   Origin: Middle English burnischen, from Anglo-French burnir, of unknown origin

2. yearn · verb/jɜrn/

   to have a strong desire or longing for something

   After years of living abroad, she began to yearn for her hometown and the familiar sights and sounds.

   Synonyms: long for, crave, desire

   Origin: Middle English 'yernen', from Old English 'geornian' meaning to be eager or to desire.

3. rescind · verb/rɪˈsɪnd/

   to revoke, cancel, or repeal a decision, order, or law

   The company decided to rescind the job offer after discovering discrepancies in the candidate's application.

   Synonyms: revoke, annul, cancel

   Origin: From Latin 'rescindere', meaning 'to cut off, abolish', from 're-' + 'scindere' (to cut).

4. abstain · verb/əbˈsteɪn/

   to deliberately choose not to do something

   She decided to abstain from alcohol during the week to focus on her fitness goals.

   Synonyms: refrain, desist, forgo

   Origin: The word 'abstain' originates from the Latin word 'abstinere', which means 'to hold back, keep away'. It is composed of 'ab-', meaning 'away from', and 'tenere', meaning 'to hold'.

5. implicate · verb/ˈɪmplɪˌkeɪt/

   to show or suggest that someone is involved in a crime or wrongdoing

   The evidence found at the crime scene could implicate the suspect in the robbery.

   Synonyms: involve, implicate, associate

   Origin: from Latin 'implicare', meaning 'to entwine, involve' (in- 'in' + plicare 'to fold').