TOEFL Vocabulary — Set 69

Set 69 of TOEFL Vocabulary covers 5 words: beckon, deviate, curtail, deify, persevere. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. beckon · verb/ˈbɛkən/

   to make a gesture to someone to come closer or follow

   She smiled and beckoned him to join the group around the fire.

   Synonyms: summon, gesture, signal

   Origin: Middle English, from Old Norse 'bekkja' meaning 'to beckon or signal'

2. deviate · verb/ˈdiː.vi.eɪt/

   to depart from a standard or expectation

   The study found that the participants tended to deviate from the expected results, indicating a need for further analysis.

   Synonyms: diverge, stray, depart

   Origin: from Latin 'deviatus', meaning 'to turn aside', from 'de-' (from) + 'via' (way)

3. curtail · verb/kɜrˈteɪl/

   to reduce in extent or quantity

   The company decided to curtail expenses in order to improve its financial stability.

   Synonyms: reduce, cut back, limit

   Origin: Middle English: from Old French 'curtailer', from 'curtail' + the suffix '-er'.

4. deify · verb/ˈdiːɪfaɪ/

   to treat or regard someone or something as a god

   Many people tend to deify their favorite celebrities, elevating them to an unrealistic status.

   Synonyms: idolize, worship, venerate

   Origin: From Latin 'deificare', from 'deus' meaning 'god' and '-ficare' meaning 'to make'.

5. persevere · verb/ˌpɜrsəˈvɪr/

   to continue trying to achieve something despite difficulties or obstacles

   Despite facing numerous setbacks, she decided to persevere in her quest to finish the marathon.

   Synonyms: persist, endure, continue

   Origin: from Latin 'perseverare', which means 'to persist steadfastly'.