Discerning: Able to make or usually making careful judgments about the quality of similar

things: person or group that makes an official decision about something, especially about

who is right in a disagreement.

The food critic is renowned for his discerning palate

Onset: The beginning of something.

We have to get the roof fixed before the onset of winter.

Outdo: To do more or be better than someone else.

He always tries to outdo his teammates.

Sniff: To smell something by taking in air through the nose.

He took a sniff of the medicine

Groundwork: Work done in preparation for something that will happen later. The

planning committee will lay the groundwork for the conference.

Impending: Used to refer to an event, usually something unpleasant or unwanted, that is

going to happen soon.

It was an impending disaster.

Sophomore: A student studying in the second year of a course at a US college or high

school.

A sophomore at our school won the science competition.

Lark: a small, brown bird with a pleasant song.

A small, brown bird with a pleasant song

Dashing: Attractive and stylish because of being energetic, exciting, and confident.

He was wearing a rather dashing waistcoat.

Freshman: A student in the first year of a program of study in a college, university, or high

school (= a school for students aged 14 to 18).

He is a freshman at Harvard

Oxymoron: a phrase or statement that seems to say two opposite things, as in "jumbo

shrimp" and "agree to disagree".

Fast turtles? - isn't that an oxymoron?

Grumble: To complain in an annoyed way.

"I don't see why I have to do that" He grumbled.