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