nettle, kindle, loll, inculcate, substantiate: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from Word Master set 48. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. nettle · noun/ˈnɛt.əl/

   a herbaceous plant with stinging hairs that cause a painful irritation to the skin

   Be careful not to touch the nettle, as it can sting your skin.

   Synonyms: urtica, stinging plant, bramble

   Origin: Old English 'netele,' from Proto-Germanic '*natōlō,' related to the action of sting

2. kindle · verb/ˈkɪndl/

   to start a fire or ignite something

   He used dry leaves to kindle the fire in the campfire pit.

   Synonyms: ignite, light, spark

   Origin: Old English 'cyndele', which is derived from 'cyn', meaning 'to produce or bring forth'.

3. loll · verb/lɑl/

   to sit, stand, or hang in a lazy or relaxed way

   After school, I like to loll on the couch and watch TV.

   Synonyms: loaf, lounge, sprawl

   Origin: Origin unknown, possibly a variant of the Middle English 'lollen' meaning to dangle or hang loosely.

4. inculcate · verb/ɪnˈkʌl.keɪt/

   to teach and instill an idea or habit through persistent instruction

   Parents should inculcate good manners in their children from a young age.

   Synonyms: instill, teach, implant

   Origin: Latin 'inculcare', meaning to tread upon or to instill

5. substantiate · verb/səb'stæn.ʃiˌeɪt/

   to provide evidence or support for a claim or opinion

   The scientist needed to substantiate (verb) her findings with more data before publishing the study.

   Synonyms: support, prove, verify

   Origin: from the Latin word 'substantiare', meaning 'to affirm, support'