v treat or regard someone with contempt or

(v) treat or regard someone with contempt or disrespect; break down or deteriorate chemically She tried to degrade me by calling me a loser, but I just ignored her.

(n) behavior that shows low morals and a great love of pleasure, money, fame, etc. The 1920 s were a time of decadence when many people spent money carelessly in order to live a luxurious lifestyle.

(adj) no longer existing or being used The defunct factory was going to be renovate into luxury apartments.

(v) remove from office suddenly and forcefully; testify to or give evidence under oath, typically in a written statement The king lived in fear that his people would depose him; he just couldn’t bear the idea of giving up the crown.

(v) failure to fulfill an obligation, especially to repay a loan or appear in a court of law If you default on your loan, the bank can take your home away from you.

(v) expose the falseness or hollowness of a myth, idea, or belief Copernicus, a Polish astronomer, worked to debunk the myth that Earth was the center of the universe.

(n) an underground cemetery consisting of a subterranean gallery with recesses for tombs, as constructed by the ancient Romans As we walked down into the catacomb, we could see tombs of the ancient Romans who were buried there.

(n) an event causing great and often sudden damage or suffering; a disaster The major floods caused a catastrophe, destroying homes and washing away roads.

(n) a substance that causes a chemical reaction to happen more quickly; a person or event that quickly causes change or action Jamie’s protests were the catalyst that made the cosmetic company end animal testing.

(n) a book containing a list of things that you can buy, use, etc. ; a group of similar or related things The enormous catalog contained every item that the warehouse sold.