laud
To praise
PM lauds Community Spirit

launch
To begin
Police launch anti-crime drive

line
Position; demand
Israel softens line

link
To connect
Fungus linked to Mystery Disease

loom
Expected in the near future
Treaty dispute looming

loot
To take away of valuable goods unlawfully (v.)
Stolen money or goods (n.)
Rioters loot stores
Police recover loot

man
Representative
Carter man in China

nab
To capture
Gang leader nabbed

net
To total
To capture
Drug raid nets $1m
Patrol nets 2 prisoners

nod
Approval
Ministry seeks nod for oil saving plan

ordeal
Painful experience, drama
Jail ordeal ends

office
An important government position
Minister quits: tired of office

opt
Choose; decide
Swiss opt to back tax for churches

oust
To take power away from, push out, drive out, replace
Voters oust incumbents
Argentina ousts Union leaders

output
Production
Industrial output increases in Italy

pact
Agreement, treaty
Warsaw Pact ends

pay
Wages, salary
Pay rise for miners

pit
Coal mine
Pit talks end

plea
Request for help
A statement in court indicating guilt or innocence
Guilty pleas expected

pledge
Promise
Labor pledges higher pensions

plunge
Steep fall
Dollar plunges

poised
Ready for action
Bolivian workers poised to strike

poll
Election, public opinion survey
Voting station
Swedish poll shows swing to Right
Voters go to the polls in Japan

post
Position in government, business, etc.
Unknown gets key cabinet post

press for
To demand, ask for
Teachers press for pay rise

probe
Investigation
Mayor orders fire probe

prompt
To cause
Court decision prompts public anger

rage
To burn out of control
Forest

raid
Attack, robbery
$23M drug raid

rap
Accusation; charge
To criticize
Corruption rap unfair says senator
Safety commission raps auto companies

riddle
mystery
Girl in shotgun death riddle

rock
To shock; to surprise
Gov’t. Report rocks stock market

rout
To defeat completely
Rebels routed, leave 70 dead

row
To quarrel, argument, dispute
Oil price row may bring down Gov’t

rule
To decide (especially in court)
Court rules today in corruption case

rule out
do not consider as a possibility
Israel rules out PLO talks

sack
Dismiss from a job
Jail chief sacked

sack (from “ransack”)
To search thoroughly and rob
14 held for US Embassy sacking

scare
Public alarm
Rabies scare hits Britain

set
Decide on, ready
Peace talks set for April

slay
To kill or murder
2 slain in family row

snag
Problem; difficulty
Last minute snag hits arms talks

snub
To pay no attention to
Protestants snub Ulster Peace bid

soar
To rise rapidly
Inflation rate soars

solon
legislator
5 solons killed

spark
To cause; to lead to action
Frontier feuding sparks attack

split
To divide
Nationalization splits Party at conference

squeeze
Shortage, scarcity
Petrol squeeze ahead

stalemate
A disagreement that cannot be settled
New bid to break hostage stalemate

stall
Making no progress
Peace effort in Lebanon stalled

stance
Attitude, way of thinking
New stance toward power cuts

stem
To prevent or stop
Rainy season stems refugee exit

storm
Angry reaction, dispute
MP’s racist speech storm grows

strife
conflict
Inter-Union strife threatens peace deal

sway
To influence or persuade
President fails to sway Union

swindle
An unlawful way of getting money
Stock swindle in NY

switch
Change, deviation
Dramatic switch in incomes policy announced

swoop
Sudden attack or raid
Drug swoop in Mayfair

talks
discussion
Peace talks threatened

thwart
To prevent from being successful
Honduras attack thwarted

ties
relations
Cuba ties soon

top
To exceed
Post office profits top $40M

trim
To cut
Senate trims budget

trigger
To cause
Killing triggers riot

vie
To compete
Irish top ranks vie for office

void
To determine to be invalid
Voting law voided by court

vow
To promise
Woman vows vengeance

walkout
Strike (often unofficial)
Factory walkout threat over sacking

wed
To marry
Financier free to wed

weigh
To consider
Reagan weighs Tax Increase