entreat, assuage, sully, daub, reappear: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from SAT Vocabulary Level 3 set 89. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. entreat · verb/ɪnˈtrit/

   to ask someone earnestly or anxiously to do something

   I entreat you to reconsider your decision before it's too late.

   Synonyms: implore, beseech, beg

   Origin: Middle English, from Old French 'entretier' meaning 'to treat, maintain, or handle'

2. assuage · verb/əˈsweɪdʒ/

   to make an unpleasant feeling less intense

   To assuage her anxiety about the upcoming exam, she practiced relaxation techniques daily.

   Synonyms: alleviate, mitigate, soothe

   Origin: The word 'assuage' originates from the Old French 'assuagier,' which derives from the Latin 'assuaviare,' meaning 'to make sweet.'

3. sully · verb/ˈsʌli/

   to damage the purity or integrity of something

   The scandal threatened to sully the reputation of the once-respected journalist.

   Synonyms: taint, tarnish, soil

   Origin: Late Middle English, from the Old French 'sullier' which means to defile or make dirty.

4. daub · verb/dɔb/

   to smear or coat with a thick or sticky substance

   She decided to daub the wall with a thick layer of paint to create a textured effect.

   Synonyms: smear, coat, paint

   Origin: Middle English 'dauben' meaning to smear, from Old Norse 'dauf' meaning to smear or daub.

5. reappear · verb/ˌriːəˈpɪr/

   to appear again after being gone or absent

   After several months of absence, the famous artist decided to reappear at the gallery opening, much to everyone's surprise.

   Synonyms: recur, return, materialize

   Origin: from Middle English reappear, from Old French reaparer, from Latin re + apparere 'to appear'