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