Unit 2. Disaster

Word

Definition

Example

anticipate

to sense or expect something before it happens

Are there any redundancies anticipated?

catastrophic

extremely harmful

The consequences of losing his job were catastrophic for him.

collide

to come together with great or violent force

The car collided with a bus.

eruption

a sudden, often violent, outburst

Likewise, some volcanic eruptions, namely those that produce lots of sulfur, can cool the earth significantly.

famine

severe hunger; a drastic food shortage

Another season without rainfall is likely to cause a major famine.

flood

an overflowing of water; an excessive amount

A flood is when everything becomes covered with water.

impact

a strong influence

Ann made a significant impact on the project

persevere

to keep going in spite of obstacles

Despite receiving little support, the women are persevering with their crusade to fight crime.

plunge

to go down suddenly

He stripped off and plunged into the sea

unleash

to release a thing or emotion

His comments unleashed a wave of protest