adj. Enough; sufficient.

[One blanket will be adequate on such a warm night.]

v. 1. To manage or direct.

[The red cross administers the blood donor program.]

2. To give out as treatment or assistance.

[The scout leader administered first aid to th child who had cut his hand.]

v. 1. To disturb or upset.

[Talk of sharks in the water agitated swimmers at the beach.]

2. To move with an irregular fast or violent action.

[The strong waves agitated the surface of the lake.]

3. to stir up interest in and for a cause.

[The miners agitated for better working conditions.]

v. To give in; to surrender.

[The airline capitulated to the baggage handlers' and granted the pay raise.]

n. 1. a fruit in the family that includes oranges, lemons, grapfruits, and limes.

[A citrus is an excellent source of vitamin C.]

2. A tree that produces these fruits.

[Citruses grow well in Florida.]

adj. Of or relating to these fruits or trees.

[The kumquat is a less well-known member of the citrus family.]

v. 1. To break up the orderly course of.

[Angry protesters disrupted the president's speech.]

2. To interupt; to bring to a temporary halt.

[A strike by the drivers disrupted the service on the subway.]

disruptive adj. Causing confusion or disorder. 

[Disruptive behavior is not acceptable in the classroom.]

disruption n. A disturbance that interrupts or causes confusion.

[Work on the telephone lines caused a temporary disturption of service.]

n. An unpleasent, cramped, and dilapidated place to live.

[The Saxons complained that they were forced to live in hovels while their Norman conquerors had fine homes.]

adj. Unable to read or write.

[Volunteers are needed to help teach illiterate adults to read.]

illiteracy  n. Inability to read or write.

[Illiteracy is practically nonexistent in Japan.]

adj. 1. Not concerned about; not caring.

[The authorities can no longer afford to be  indifferent to the problem of nuclear waste disposal.]

2. Neither very good or very bad; passable.

 [Her indifferent grades in school worried her parents.]

adj. Of or relating to low-level, humble work.

[Desperate for money, Oliver accepted menial work with low pay.]

adj. Lasting or expected to last a long time.

[A child's first permanent teeth appear at about the age of 6.] 

n. A period of rest; a pause.

[The rain brought a welcome respite from the tremendous heat.]

adj. 1. Needing much effort; using a lot of energy.

[Chopping wood is strenuous work.]

2. Very active; vigorous.

[The plan to close the local school was met with strenuous opposition from parents.]

v. 1. To work long and hard.

[Sugar cane cutters toil in the fields from dawn to dusk.]

2. To make one's way with difficulty.

[We toiled up the steep hill.]

n. Hard and tiring labor.

[After a lifetime of toil, her retirement is a richly deserved reward.]

adj. Needing quick action or attention.

[The country has an urgent need for a new hospital.]

urgency n. The need for quick action.

[The Senator stressed urgency of cleaning up the polluted waters of our country.]