Sentences:  ____ makes perfect.  The immigrants kept up many of the
____ of their native land.  “God fulfils himself in many ways, Lest one
good ____ should corrupt the world.”  It was his ____ to walk among the
ruins.  An old ____ permits a man to kiss a girl who is standing under
mistletoe. ____ establishes many peculiar idioms in a language.  He
acquired the ____ of smoking.  “It is a ____.  More honor’d in the breach
than the observance.”  De Quincey was a victim of the opium ____.  “Age
cannot wither her, nor ____ stale Her infinite variety.” “’Tis not his
____ to be the hindmost man.”

Harass, annoy, irritate, vex, fret, worry, plague, torment, molest, tease, tantalize.

Sentences:  The merchant ____ about his financial losses.  “Life’s
but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and  ____ his hour upon
the stage, And then is heard no more.”  The children never lost an
opportunity to ____ the teacher.  The other pupils ____ him because he was
the teacher’s favorite.  The newcomer was ____ by their frequent questions. 
Don’t ____ the child by holding the grapes beyond its reach.  “He was met
even now As mad as the ____ sea.”  Ah, but I am ____ by doubts and fears. 
“The moping owl does to the moon complain Of such as, wand’ring near her
secret bower, ____ her ancient, solitary reign.”  The child ____ because
the rain kept it indoors.  When the joke was discovered, they almost ____
the life out of him.  I was ____ at their discovering my predicament.  “You
may as well forbid the mountain pines To wag their high tops, and to make
no noise When they are ____ with the gusts of heaven.”

Hinder, restrain, obstruct, impede, hamper, retard, check, curb, clog, encumber, forestall, suppress, repress, prevent.

Sentences:  Baggage ____ the progress of an army.  It is the purpose
of modern medicine to ____ disease.  The accumulations of dust and grease
____ the machine.  “My tears must stop, for every drop ____ needle and
thread.”  By acknowledging his fault he hoped to ____ criticism.  Though
before she had been unable to ____ her tears, she could now scarcely ____
a yawn.  A fallen tree ____ his further progress.  The horse was ____ with a
heavy burden, and the unsure footing of the trail further ____ the
ascent.  His jealous colleagues ____ his plans in every way they could.

Hole, cavity, excavation, pit, cache, cave, cavern, hollow, depression, perforation, puncture, rent, slit, crack, chink, crevice, cranny, breach, cleft, chasm, fissure, gap, opening, interstice, burrow, crater, eyelet, pore, bore, aperture, orifice, vent, concavity, dent, indentation.