Metamorphose (v): met-uh-mawr-fohz
To metamorphose or be metamorphosed means to develop and change into something completely different = change
From an easygoing young girl, she had metamorphosed into a neurotic Doctor
Mete (v): meet
To mete out a punishment means to order that someone should be punished in a certain way
His father meted out punishment with a slipper
Militate (v): mil-i-teyt
To militate against something means to make it less possible or likely To militate against someone means to prevent them from achieving something
Environmental factors militate against building the power station in this area
Misappropriate (v): is-uh-proh-pree-eyt
If someone misappropriates money which does not belong to them, they take it without permission and use it for their own purposes = misuse, steal
The treasurer was accused of misappropriating funds from the Club’s treasury
Mitigate (v): mit-i-geyt (430)
To mitigate something means to make it less unpleasant, serious, or painful = to lesson, less severe
Meditation mitigates the pain of one’s loss
Modulate (v): moj-uh-leyt
If you modulate your voice or a sound, you change or vary its loudness, pitch, or tone in order to create a particular effect = regulate
In spite of my extreme terror, I made every effort to modulate my voice and speak calmly
Mollify (v): mol-uh-fahy
If you mollify someone, you do or say something to make them less upset or angry = to soothe, pacify, appease
Do you thing you will be able to mollify her with a chocolate?
Molt (v): mohlt
To cast or shed the feathers, skin, or the like, that will be replaced by a new growth =Moult
The replacement of all or part of the feathers is called a molt
Mortify (v): mawr-tuh-fahy
If you say that something mortifies you, you mean that it offends or embarrasses you a great deal = embarrass
She was mortified to realize that her husband is living with another person
Muddle (v): muhd-l (435)
If people or things are in a muddle, they are in a state of confusion or disorder = to mix up, jumple, bungle
Someone's muddled up all the papers on my desk
Mulct (v): muhlkt
defraud a person of something
The lawyer was accused of trying to mulct the family of its legacy
Muse (v): myooz
to say something in a way that shows you are thinking about it carefully = ponder
If you muse on something, you think about it, usually saying or writing what you are thinking at the same time Many of the papers muse on the fate of the President
Mutilate (v): myoot-l-eyt
If a person or animal is mutilated, their body is severely damaged, usually by someone who physically attacks them = maim
More than 30 horses have been mutilated in the last nine months
Nauseate (v): naw-zee-eyt
If something nauseates you, it makes you feel as if you are going to vomit
The smell of frying nauseated her
Nettle (v): net-l (440)
If you are nettled by something, you are annoyed or offended by it = annoy
He was nettled by her manner
Nullify (v): nuhl-uh-fahy
To nullify a legal decision or procedure means to declare that it is not legally valid = cancel
The supreme court nullified the decision of the governement
Nurture (v): nur-cher
If you nurture something such as a young child or a young plant, you care for it while it is growing and developing = bring up, feed, educate
Humans learn partly by nature, partly by nurture
Obfuscate (v): ob-fuh-skeyt, ob-fuhs-keyt
To obfuscate something means to deliberately make it seem confusing and difficult to understand = confuse
Politicians have once again obfuscated the issue
Objurgate (v): ob-jer-geyt
to reproach or denounce vehemently; upbraid harshly; berate sharply = scold
I am afraid he will objurgate us publicly for this big mistake
Obliterate (v): uh-blit-uh-reyt (445)
If something obliterates an object or place, it destroys it completely = destroy
The building was completely obliterated by the bomb
Obtrude (v): uhb-trood
When something obtrudes or when you obtrude it, it becomes noticeable in an undesirable way = intrude
He didn’t want to obtrude on her privacy
Obviate (v): ob-vee-eyt
To obviate something such as a problem or a need means to remove it or make it unnecessary = eliminate
This new evidence obviates the need for any further enquiries
Ogle (v): oh-guhl
If you say that one person is ogling another, you disapprove of them continually staring at that person in a way that indicates a strong sexual interest
I didn’t like the way he was ogling her
Ordain (v): awr-deyn
When someone is ordained, they are made a member of the clergy in a religious ceremony = command
The King ordained that deer should not be hunted without a royal licence
Oscillate (v): os-uh-leyt (450)
If an object oscillates, it moves repeatedly from one position to another and back again, or keeps getting bigger and smaller = vibrate pendulumlike, waver
he stock market is oscillating wildly at the moment
