VOCABULARY

I Have A Dream
SEAR
 Become superficially burned

Example: This momentous decree came

as a great beacon light of hope to
millions of Negro slaves who had been
seared in the flames of withering
injustice.”
WITHER
 Lose vitality or vigor
 slowly dying Wallow-living in
discontentment
 Example: Oppression-unfair treatment to
people and prevents people from having the
same rights
NULLIFICATION
 the failure or refusal of a U.S. state to aid in
enforcement of federal laws within its limits,
especially on Constitutional grounds.
 Inextricably-linked together and affects
each other
INJUSTICE
 Being unfair
CAPTIVITY
 the state of being captive
TRIBULATION
 Definition: serious troubles and
problems
PROSPERITY
 The condition of having a good fortune
ARCHITECT
 a person who designs buildings and in many
cases also supervises their construction.
MANACLES (N.)
a shackle for the hand or wrist : HANDCUFF —usually used in
plural: Symbol of slavery
2 : something used as a restraint

Example: The manacles prevented the bear from roaming

beyond a very small area
 BEACON (N.)
a: a lighthouse or other signal for guidance
b: a radio transmitter emitting signals to guide aircraft

Example:
Poland was once a beacon for countries struggling to escape the yoke
of the Soviet Union and embrace Western democracy.
CASH A CHECK
When someone writes you a check, they promise to pay you
the amount of money that is indicated on the check. When
you cash the check, you get the money that they have
promised to pay you. When King refers to checks in his
speech, he is saying that the United States has promised
something to African Americans.
SWELTERING (ADJ.)
oppressively hot
Example:
The air conditioning was broken, and it was sweltering in
the office
 INVIGORATING (ADJ.)
having an enlivening or stimulating effect

Example:
The journalists had a choppy ride in the invigorating morning
air.
 CROOKED (ADJ.)
not straight

Example:
A long, crooked line of people had formed in front of the
ticket booth
PROMISSORY NOTE
 A promissory note is a financial instrument that
contains a written promise by one party (the
note's issuer or maker) to pay another party (the
note's payee) a definite sum of money.
THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
 MILITANCY (N.)

Definition:
1. Aggression
2. vigorously active and aggressive,
especially in support of a cause: militant
reformers.
3. engaged in warfare; fighting
Example:
The militancy of the radical organization made the authorities a little
nervous
DEGENERATE (V.)
 having declined or become less specialized

Example:
The debate degenerated into a shouting match.
REDEMPTIVE (ADJ.)
VAST
 very great in size, amount, degree, intensity,
or especially in extent or range.
 Example:
 She has a vast amount of knowledge on this
subject.