1. NASTY
FUNCTION: adjective
- very dirty; filthy
- offensive in taste or smell; nauseating
- morally offensive; indecent
- very unpleasant; objectionable
- mean; malicious; ill-humored
- very harmful or troublesome


Examples:
A. You can improve your personal hygiene by stopping any nasty habit like biting your nails.


B. It is time to review those nasty errors that damage our credibility when we write.

2. POIGNANT
FUNCTION:adjective
- keenly distressing to the feelings: a poignant regret
- keen or strong in mental appeal: a subject of poignant interest
- affective or moving the emotions: a poignant scene
- pungent to the smell: poignant cooking odors

SYNONYMS: intense, sincere, heartfelt

Examples: 
A. I found the novel a poignant portrayal effects of a war  that touched every aspect of society.

B. The beautiful red rose brought back poignant memories of her romance with John.

C. Joe played grandfather's favourite piano piece at his funeral; it was a poignant choice.

D. The poignant smell of the spoiled food made me want to vomit.

E. The ending of the movie "Titanic" was poignant and made me well up with tears.

F. The last scene of the movie was convincingly poignant and left everybody crying.

G. Soft guitar sounds with sad lyrics have a poignant effects on listeners.


3. BOORISH
FUNCTION: adjective
- resembling or characteristic of a boor; rude and clumsy in behavior
- ill-mannered; insensitive; coarse in behavior; vulgar

Examples:
A. Daphne is interviewed on TV about her career. Nancy is watching until her boorish husband switches the TV off.

B. I am beginning to be convinced that banks have the worst customer service among all industries and sectors. You have long lines, boorish bank officers, and unsmiling tellers who look like they are  desperate to be  somewhere else rather than behind the counter.


4.DILIGENCE
FUNCTION: noun
- earnest and persistent application to an undertaking ; steady effort; assiduity
- attentive care; heedfulness
- proper attention of care
- conscientiousness in paying proper attention to a task
- giving the degree of care required in a given situation

Examples:
A. His diligence won him quick promotions.

B. Everyone must show diligence for work to get success.


5. EXPLICATE
FUNCTION:  verb
- to make clear or explicit; explain
- to formulate or develop ( a theory, hypothesis, etc.)
- make plain and comprehensible


Examples: 
A. The teacher tried to explicate to her students how a bird raises her chicks.


B. He could not explicate the actions of his son.





 

DEFER
FUNCTION: verb
- to put off; postpone
- to procrastinate


DEFERRED
FUNCTION: adjective
- postponed or delayed
- withheld until a future date


Examples:
A. The Task Force agreed to defer a final decision on the paper.


B. Arrangements are to be deferred next meeting.


C. After a failed attempt to tie her shoes, she decided to defer the task.


D. Max had work, but because he deferred his work, he has more to do.

A. SEIZE
FUNCTION: verb
- to grasp suddenly and forcibly; take or grab: seize a sword
- to grasp with the mind; apprehend: seize an idea and develop it to the fullest extent
- to posses oneself of  (something) : seize an opportunity
- to have something overwhelming effect on: a heinous crime that seized the minds and emotions of the populace.
- to overwhelm physically: a person who was seized with a terminal disease

More Examples:
A. May I seize the opportunity to wish you a Happy New Year?
B. This is his chance to seize the glory.

1. SUBDUE
FUNCTION: transitive verb
- to bring into subjection; conquer; vanish
- to overcome, as by persuasion or training; control
- to make less intense; reduce; diminish; soften; allay
- to repress (emotions, passions, etc.)
- to bring (land) under cultivation


Examples:
A. The police had to use tear gas to subdue the angry mob.


B.  Farmers subdued the arid land of Australia.


2. CONTAIN
FUNCTION: transitive verb
- have something within; to have or hold something inside
  Example: This pack contains a training video and set of instructions.


- include something; to include something as part of the contents or make-up
   Example: The report contain several inaccuracies.


- control emotion
  Example: I couldn't contain myself any longer.


3. HARBOUR
FUNCTION: noun
- a sheltered port
- a place of refuge or safety


FUNCTION: verb
- secretly shelter
- keep in one's possession
- hold back a though or feeling about
- maintain ( a theory, thoughts, or feelings)

NOTE: What is the difference between harbor and harbour?
The difference is in the spelling of English & American English. For some reason the Americans have tried, in some cases to simplify spelling of some words. But a harbour is a harbor whichever way you look at it. It's the same thing spelt differently. The 2 systems can co exist, there is no right & wrong. Harbor, by the way is the US version. 

- wiki.answers.com
Examples: 
A. She is harbouring a grudge against him

B. I don't harbor any resentment against the audience for wanting to hear our older material.


C. If you harbor terrorists, you are a terrorist.


4. GRUDGE
FUNCTION: noun
- a persistent feeling of resentment
- a resentment strong enough to justify retaliation
  Example:
A.  It was an accident and I bear him no grudge.


B. He has a grudge against me.


C. They held up my claim for months, but I won't bear a grudge against them.


FUNCTION: transitive verb
- to envy and resent (someone) because of that person's possession or enjoyment of  (something)
- to be covetous or envious;  to show discontent; to murmur; to complain; to repine; to be unwilling or reluctant.


  Example: 
A. He eats his meat without grudging.


B. I grudge wasting time on this, but I suppose I'll have to do it.


5. RETALIATION
FUNCTION: noun
- action taken in return for an injury or offense; vengeance
  "an eye for an eye"


Examples: 


A. The new government laws brought violent retaliation from the people.


B. That was John's retaliation.


C. His retaliation was swift and cruel.

1. SMOLDERING
FUNCTION: adjective
- burning slowly without flame
- showing scarcely suppressed anger


Examples:
A. The smoldering heat Filipinos have experienced in recent months is about to end as  the rainy seasons begin in June.


B. The fire was still smoldering in the fireplace after I put water on it.


C. I am smoldering with hidden rage.


2. SIZZLING
FUNCTION: adjective
- hot enough to burn with or as if with a hissing sound
- characterized by intense emotion or interest of excitement; red-hot
- intensely stirred up especially  by anger or resentment; boiling


Examples: 
A. The hottest day of the year in Metro Manila was recorded last May 19, when the temperature rose a sizzling 37.3 degrees Celsius.


B. When the oil is hot, add the garlic, ginger and chillies and allow to sizzle for 5 minutes.


C. I wrote 6 sizzling tip on how to make an article readable and interesting.


3. SUBDUED
FUNCTION: adjective
- cowed, passive or shy
- quiet; inhibited; repressed; controlled
- not harsh or bright


Examples:
A. Little minds are tamed and subdued by misfortune, but great minds rise above them.-- Washington Irving

B. After the argument he was much more subdued.

C. The house is decorated with wallpaper in subdued greens.


4. FATHOM
FUNCTION: noun
- a unit of length equal to six feet.


FUNCTION: verb
- to measure the depth of by means of a sounding line; sound
- to penetrate to the truth of; comprehend; understand


Examples:
A. The finite mind cannot fathom the mysteries of God.


5. TOLL
FUNCTION: noun
- a fixed charge or tax for a privilege, especially for passage across a bridge of along the road
- a charge for a service, such as a long distance telephone call
- an amount of extent of loss or destruction, as of life, health or property


FUNCTION: verb
- to exact as a toll
- to charge a fee for using


Example: Poverty and inadequate health care take their toll on the quality of a community health.









B. I simply could not fathom the  reasons why this was axed.


C. Lizzie cannot fathom why she can never get a man.

A. GRIMACE
FUNCTION: noun
- a sharp contortion  of the face expressive of pain, contempt, or disgust

FUNCTION: intransitive verb
- to make  a sharp contortion of the face

Examples: 
A. She grimaced when she smelled the medicine.

B. Nathan looked down at his injury and raised his other hand to the bandage, grimacing slightly as he touched it. 

C. The grimace of the refugee in the photograph reveals the pain of homelessness.

D. He grimaced when he see the amount of homework he has to do. 


2. DISGUST
FUNCTION: noun
- strong feeling of dislike 
- an emotion that is typically associated with things that are perceived as unclean, inedible, or infectious.

Examples:
A. The reason why I want to talk to you is to express my utter disgust at your current advertising campaign.

B. The restaurant served foods of disgusting standards.


3. DEFAME
FUNCTION: transitive verb
- to damage the reputation, character or good name of by slander or libel


Examples:
A. In a final attempt to defame the family, the reporter posted a nasty article.

B. No man can demand that you cease from loving the country of your birth; but while you enjoy the benefits of this country, you should not defame its government to extol another.


4. FAMISHED
FUNCTION:  transitive verb
- to cause to endure severe hunger
- to cause to starve to death

FUNCTION: intransitive verb
- to endure severe deprivation, especially of food
- to undergo starvation and die

FUNCTION: adjective
- extremely hungry
Examples:
A. My father was famished after three days in the wild.
B. People in the third world countries are usually dehydrated  and very famished.


5. EXCRUCIATING
FUNCTION: adjective
- causing extremely bodily or mental pain
- very painful or something that causes embarrassment / awkwardness
- very intense or extreme


Examples:
A. She felt excruciating pain after she was hit on the head with a bat.

B. Being up there in front of all those people during that speech was extremely excruciating for me as I have fear of public
 speaking.

C. I don't want to leave New York and leave my family. It is excruciating for me to be away from them. 

1. PERFLEX
FUNCTION : transitive verb
- to make unable to grasp something clearly or to think logically and decisively about something.
Examples:
       A.Her attitude perflexes me.
       B. A perflexing problem that comes and go.
       C.  We never enjoy perfect happiness; our most fortunate             successes are mingled with sadness; some anxieties      always perflex the reality of our satisfaction.


2. DEJECTED
FUNCTION: adjective
- gloomy or miserable
- depressed in spirits; disheartened; depressed
 
Example:
    A. The dejected expression on the face of the loser spoiled my          victory. 
     B. They walked in dejected silence back to their apartment                  building.


3. VAIN
FUNCTION: adjective
- not yielding the desired outcome; fruitless
  Example: a vain attempt


- lacking substance or worth
   Example: a vain talk


- excessively proud of their appearance; conceited; arrogant
   Example: She is so vain; she thinks every guy wants her.


4. SEEP
FUNCTION: verb
- to pass, flow, or ooze gradually through a porous substance
  Examples:
     A.  Water seeps through cracks in the wall.
     B. With new technology comes new jargon and often it take years before we can agree on the proper spelling and usage of words that seep into our vocabulary for common usage.

    

1. GAUGE
FUNCTION: noun
- extent, scope, capacity
   Example: I am trying to determine gauge of his own strength.

FUNCTION: verb
- to evaluate, estimate, judge or measure
Example: I could not gauge his understanding by the look on his                   face. 


2. RIDICULOUS
FUNCTION: adjective
 - fitted to excite ridicule; absurd and laughable; unworthy or serious consideration


Example: He is not a great singer, that is why it is ridiculous to expect him to sell  a good record.


3. CONSPIRACY
FUNCTION: noun
- an evil, unlawful, treacherous, or surreptitious plan formulated in secret by two or more persons; plot


- a combination of persons for a secret, unlawful, or evil purpose


Examples:
A. He joined the conspiracy to overthrow the government.


B. Iraqi security forces uncovered the conspiracy and arrested the participants.

4. EXTRANEOUS
FUNCTION: adjective
- not constituting a vital element or part
- inessential or unrelated to the topic or matter at hand; irrelevant


Examples:
A. He always insisted and issue extraneous to the debate.


B. During the long, boring lecture, most people agreed that much of the information was extraneous.

1. GRUDGING
FUNCTION: adjective
- petty , reluctant  or unwilling in giving or spending
  Example: He shows a grudging acceptance of the victory of his                      opponent.


2. INDISPENSABLE
FUNCTION: adjective
- absolutely necessary; of importance


Examples:
A. He was an absolutely indispensable member of the team.


B. Electricity is an indispensable source of energy. 


3. SURGE
FUNCTION: noun
- a sudden forceful flow
  Example: The destruction of the building produced an enormous debris surge.


- a sudden or abrupt strong increase
  Example: Stimulated a surge of speculation


FUNCTION: verb
- rise or move forward
  Example: Surging waves


- rise or heaved upward under the influence of a natural force such as a wave
   Example: The boats surged.
 
- see one's performance improved
  Example: He levelled the score and then surged ahead.