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400 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back
  • 3rd side (hint)
abandon (v.)
to leave; to give up
Ex: To save their lives, the sailors had to ~ the sinking ship.
adversely (adj.)
in a harmful way; negatively
Ex: Excessive rainfall early in the spring can ~ affect the planting of crops.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by affect.
aggregate (adj.)
gathered into or amounting to a whole
Ex: It is impossible to judge last year's performance without knowing the ~ sales numbers.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by a term like sum, total, or numbers.
cultivation (n.)
preparing the land to grow crops; improvement for agricultural purposes
Ex: With the development of land ~, hunters and gatherers were able to settle in one place.
fertilize (v.)
to supply with nourishment for plants by adding helpful substances to the soil
Ex: This farm ~+ tomatoes more than any other crop.
intensify (v.)
to increase in power; to act with increased strength
Ex: Jacob's long absence ~+ his certainty that he should marry Rose.
irrigation (n.)
the supplying of water to dry land
Ex: In dry areas of the country, you can see ditches all over the farm-land for ~.
obtain (v.)
to gain possession of; to get
Ex: After a series of difficult interviews, he finally was able to ~ the job.
photosynthesis (n.)
the process by which green plants make their own food by combining water, salts, and carbon dioxide in the presence of light
Ex: Oxygen is a by-product of the process of ~.
precipitation (n.)
water that falls to the Earth's surface
Ex: In the Pacific Northwest, the high level of ~ ensures rich, green plant life.
anticipate (v.)
to expect; to sense something before it happens
Ex: By placing sensors in earthquake-prone areas, scientists can ~ some tremors in time to warn the public.
catastrophic (adj.)
Extremely harmful; causing financial or physical ruin
Ex: The architect died in a ~ elevator accident.
collide (v.)
to come together with great or violent force
Ex: As usual, their holiday was ruined when their in-laws' views on politics ~+ with their own.
eruption (n.)
a sudden, often violent, outburst
Ex: The ~ of Mount St. Helens in 1980 caused 57 deaths and immeasurable change to the face of the mountain.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by an of phrase.
famine (n.)
severe hunger; a drastic food shortage
Ex: The potato ~ in Ireland in the mid-nineteenth century caused large numbers of Irish people to emigrate to America.
flood (n.)
an overflowing of water; an excessive amount
Ex: The constant rain and poor drainage system caused a ~ in town.
Ex: The political party sent out a ~ of letters criticizing their opponents.
impact (n.)
a strong influence
Ex: The speech about the importance of education made an ~ on me.
Usage Tips: ~ is usually followed by on or of.
persevere (v.)
to keep going, despite obstacles or discouragement; to maintain a purpose
Ex: The hikers ~+ despite the bad weather and the icy trail.
plunge (v.)
to go down suddenly; to decrease by a great amount in a short time
Ex: He jumped off the diving board and ~+ into the pool.
Ex: The value of the company's stock ~+ after its chief executive was arrested.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by an into phrase.
unleash (v.)
to release a thing or an emotion
Ex: When they saw the strange man on their property, they ~+ their dogs.
Ex: He is from such an unemotional family, he will never learn to ~ his feelings.
adapt (v.)
to adjust to the circumstances; to make suitable
Ex: Dinosaurs could not ~ to the warmer temperatures.
Ex: The teacher ~+ the exercises for his more advanced students.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by to.
diverse (n.)
various; showing a lot of differences within a group
Ex: India is one of the most linguistically ~ countries in the world.
Usage Tips: An -ly adverb (e.g., linguistically) often comes before ~.
evolve (v.)
to develop; to come forth
Ex: Modern-day sharks ~+ from their ancestor Eryops, which lived more than 200 million years ago.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by into or from.
feature (n.)
part, characteristic
Ex: The best ~ of this car is its heated seats.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by of.
generation (n.)
a group of people born at about the same time
Ex: As older managers retired, a new ~ of leaders took control of the company.
Usage Tips: Before ~, an adjective like new, next, earlier, or older is common. ~ is often followed by of.
inherent (adj.)
naturally characteristic; always found within something, because it's a basic part of that thing
Ex: No job can be interesting all the time. Boredom is ~ in any kind of work.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by in.
migration (n.)
movement from one place to another by a group of people or animals
Ex: The ~ of farm workers from one state to the next depends primarily on the harvest.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by to or from.
physical (adj.)
related to the body; related to materials that can be seen or felt
Ex: Because of the shape of its throat, an ape does not have the ~ ability to speak.
Ex: The mountains form a ~ barrier between the west and the east.
Usage Tips: ~ usually comes before the noun it describes.
process (n.)
a series of steps leading to a result
Ex: To get a good job, most people go through a long ~ of letter-writing and interviews.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by of plus the -ing form of a verb.
survive (v.)
to continue living (despite some danger or illness)
Ex: After getting lost in the mountains, Gordon ~+ by eating wild plants and catching fish.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by a phrase with by.
constraint (n.)
something that restricts thought or action
Ex: The ~+ of military life kept Eileen from seeing Private Morris more than once a month.
contamination (n.)
being made less clean by a germ or hazardous substance
Ex: The ~ in the river came from the factory located just upstream.
deplete (v.)
to greatly decrease the supply of a resource or material
Ex: The prolonged war ~+ the country's national treasury.
dispose of (v.)
to throw away; to get rid of; to kill
Ex: She ~+ her unwanted possessions before moving. The tyrant cruelly disposed of all his enemies.
Usage Tips: ~ should be learned as a unit. In this meaning, ~+ does not occur without of.
elementally (adv.)
in terms of elements; basically
Ex: ~, coal and diamonds are the same.
emission (n.)
sending out from a small space into the general environment; a substance discharged into the air
Ex: The Environmental Protection Agency regulates the ~ of pollutants into the air.
Usage Tips: ~ is usually followed by an of phrase.
extinction (n.)
complete disappearance; the end of existence
Ex: Human beings have caused the ~ of many other species.
Usage Tips: ~ implies an absolute end; an ~+ thing cannot be brought back into existence.
reservoir (n.)
a place where a liquid is collected and stored
Ex: Cult members threatened to poison the town's water ~.
shrink (v.)
to become reduced in size, amount, or value
Ex: If you dry your clothing on the "high heat" setting, they may ~.
stable (adj.)
firm and dependable; showing little change
Ex: He fell because the ladder wasn't ~.
adjust (v.)
to change; to get accustomed to something
Ex: Travelers are advised to ~ their watches before arriving in the new time zone.
arbitrary (adj.)
chosen simply by whim or chance, not for any specific reason
Ex: The decision to build a school in Blackberry Township was ~, without any thought to future housing patterns.
denominator (n.)
the number written below the line in a fraction
Ex: In the fraction 1⁄2, the number 2 is the ~.
Usage Tips: The phrase lowest common ~ means "the most basic and unsophisticated things that most people share.
exponentially (adv.)
at a very fast rate
Ex: In Turkey, the value of the lira has decreased ~ in the last several decades.
Usage Tips: ~ is taken from mathematics, where an ~+ is a number indicating how many times something is multiplied by itself. For example, 43 contains the ~+ "3", indicating 4 × 4 × 4.
infinitesimal (adj.)
immeasurably small
Ex: The number of contaminants in the water was ~, so the water was safe to drink.
maximize (v.)
to increase or make as great as possible
Ex: A coach helps each athlete ~ his or her potential.
parallel (adj.)
being an equal distance apart everywhere
Ex: The street where I live runs ~ to the main road through town.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by to.
proportion (n.)
a part in relation to the whole
Ex: The average employee spends a large ~ of each workday answering e-mails.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by of.
rate (n.)
the cost per unit of a good or service; the motion or change that happens in a certain time
Ex: Postal ~+ in Japan are among the highest in the world.
Usage Tips: Some grasses grow at the ~ of one inch per day.
sequence (v.)
to organize or arrange in succession
Ex: Volunteers have been asked to ~ the files and organize the boxes.
accuracy (n.)
precision; exactness
Ex: The research department checks all our articles for ~ of facts before we print them.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by of.
adjacent (adj.)
next to
Ex: Even though the villages are ~ to each other, their residents speak different languages.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by to.
compress (v.)
to press together
Ex: To make the foundation stronger, they ~+ the soil before pouring the concrete.
feasibly (adv.)
practically; in a way that can work
Ex: Scientists can't ~ bring energy from deep ocean currents to where it is needed-on land.
gut (v.)
to empty or hollow out
Ex: In order to remodel the house, we must first ~ it and throw away all the old fixtures.
Usage Tips: ~ also means "the stomach of an animal"; this verb makes an image, that the inside of a building is like the inside of an animal.
integrally (adv.)
in a whole or complete manner
Ex: Writing and spelling are taught ~ as part of the reading program.
overlap (v.)
to lie over part of something; to have elements in common
Ex: One of the two assistants will likely get fired, since most of their duties in the office ~.
retain (v.)
to keep or hold
Ex: The rain fell so heavily that the banks of the river could not ~ all the water.
seep (v.)
to pass slowly for a long time, as a liquid or gas might
Ex: As the containers rusted, the toxic waste ~+ into the ground.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by into or through.
structure (n.)
something constructed, such as a building
Ex: Most companies have a social ~ that can't be understood by outsiders.
circulate (v.)
to move throughout an area or group; to move along a somewhat circular route
Ex: The gossip ~+ quickly through the small town.
Ex: Blood ~+ more quickly during physical exercise.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by through.
corrode (v.)
to be slowly weakened by chemical reactions
Ex: Sitting in salt water, the old coins ~+ and became very easy to break.
Usage Tips: A familiar kind of ~+ produces rust, the reddish coating on iron or steel that has been exposed to air and water.
derive (v.)
to come from, usually through a long, slow process
Ex: The Cyrillic alphabet was ~+ from the Greek alphabet.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by from.
detection (n.)
discovering something that cannot easily be found
Ex: With new medical technology, the ~ of cancer is much easier nowadays.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by an of phrase.
expeditiously (adv.)
quickly and efficiently
Ex: Using carrier pigeons, the military commanders exchanged messages ~.
implement (v.)
to make use of; to carry out
Ex: Not until after the new software was installed could we ~ the new filing system.
installation (n.)
setting something into position for use
Ex: ~ of the new software takes only four minutes.
maintenance (n.)
the act of keeping something in good condition
Ex: The only problem with living in such a big house is that it requires a lot of ~.
simulation (n.)
an imitation or representation
Ex: To test car safety, automobile makers study crash ~+.
innovative (adj.)
ahead of the times; novel
Ex: The ~ use of props and lighting drew many favorable comments.
combustion (n.)
the process of burning
Ex: When air quality is poor, ~ of materials in a fireplace is prohibited.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by of.
component (n.)
one part of a system or whole
Ex: Their home theater system has a number of separate ~+.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed or preceded by of.
convey (v.)
to transport from one place to another; to transmit or make known
Ex: A messenger ~+ the prince's letter to the commander of the army.
Ex: The worst part about being a doctor was when she had to ~ bad news to a family.
discretely (adv.)
separately; distinctly
Ex: In order to understand how the engine worked, each component needed to be studied ~.
nucleus (n.)
a central or essential part around which other parts are gathered; a core
Ex: The ~ of many European cities is the town square.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by of.
permeate (v.)
to spread or flow through out ; to pass through or penetrate
Ex: The smell of cooking ~+ the entire apartment building.
rotate (v.)
to turn around; to take turns in sequence
Ex: The planet ~+ on its axis once every 14 Earth days.
Ex: The children ~ classroom responsibilities on a weekly basis.
solar (adj.)
of, or relating to, the sun
Ex: The ancient society kept time with a ~ calendar.
source (n.)
the point of origin or creation
Ex: The reporter was unable to identify the ~ of the information for his story.
trigger (v.)
to set off or initiate
Ex: I was certain any mention of politics would ~ a big argument.
acquisition (n.)
the act of taking possession of something
Ex: Our recent ~ of over 2,000 books makes ours the biggest library in the region.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by of.
anomaly (n.)
something unusual
Ex: White tigers get their beautiful coloring from a genetic ~.
consciously (adv.)
with awareness of one's actions
Ex: He may have hurt her feelings, but he never would have done so ~.
degrade (v.)
to reduce in value or strength
Ex: The roads in cold or wet areas of the United States ~ faster than those in warm, sunny regions.
gap (n.)
opening; a big difference in amount or quality
Ex: The small ~ between the walls in the old house caused cold drafts to come in.
indisputable (adj.)
beyond doubt; unquestionable
Ex: The members of the jury found her guilty because they found the facts of the case ~.
intervene (v.)
to come between
Ex: A good mediator ~+ only as much as necessary to settle a dispute between other parties.
intuitively (adv.)
by means of a natural sense about things that are hard to observe
Ex: Many mothers know ~ when something is wrong with their children.
recede (v.)
to move back or away from
Ex: After the age of 30, his hairline began to ~ further back from his forehead.
retrieve (v.)
to bring or get back
Ex: Most dogs can be trained to ~ objects that their owners have thrown.
agnostic (adj.)
believing that humans cannot know whether there is a god
Ex: His devoutly Christian parents had problems with his ~ beliefs.
animism (n.)
the belief that natural objects, such as trees, have souls
Ex: Desert cultures that practice ~ often believe that winds contain spirits.
atheist (n.)
one who does not believe in the existence of a supreme being
Ex: He argued that his scientific training made it impossible for him to be anything but an ~.
be inclined to (v.)
to favor an opinion or a course of action
Ex: He couldn't say which candidate he favored, but he had always ~+ vote Republican.
contemplate (v.)
to consider thoughtfully
Ex: If you contemplate each step for so long, we will never complete this project on time.
deify (v.)
to worship as a god
Ex: When people ~ the leader of their country, the leader is able to abuse power more easily.
ecclesiastical (adj.)
relating to a church
Ex: He was looking specifically for a university where he could study ~ history.
exalt (v.)
to praise or honor
Ex: He would often ~ the virtues of his new wife.
pious (adj.)
having or exhibiting religious reverence
Ex: Sometimes she was so ~ that the rest of us felt like heathens.
sacrifice (v.)
anything offered to a deity as a religious thanksgiving; giving up something in order to have something more valuable later on
Ex: Every harvest time, the Fadeloni people ~+ vegetables to their gods as a show of thanks.
Ex: In order to succeed in his career, he had to ~ his private life and his leisure time.
aggravate (v.)
to make worse; to anger or intensify
Ex: Running will ~ your sore knees.
decrepit (adj.)
weakened or worn out because of age, illness, or excessive use
Ex: The once-beautiful building was now dirty, ~, and roofless.
disease (n.)
an unhealthful condition caused by an infection or a long-term physical problem
Ex: Thanks to developments in medicine, many once-fatal ~+ can now be cured.
fatally (adv.)
causing death or disaster
Ex: The soldier was ~ wounded in the battle.
forensics (n.)
the use of science and technology to investigate facts in criminal cases
Ex: Advances in the study of ~ have made it much easier to identify criminals from very small traces of evidence.
persist (v.)
to continue to exist; to hold to a purpose, despite any obstacle
Ex: If your symptoms ~, you should go see a doctor.
Ex: Lola ~+ in her efforts to become a lawyer.
prognosis (n.)
an educated guess of how something will develop, especially a disease
Ex: The room fell silent when the doctor gave Senator Grebe a grim ~ of months of treatment.
terminal (adj.)
located at an end; approaching death
Ex: The cancer ward at the hospital held both ~ and recovering patients.
vein (n.)
any of the tubes that form a branching system, especially those that carry blood to the heart
Ex: She became fascinated with human anatomy, especially when she learned how ~+ transport oxygen.
wound (v.)
to inflict an injury on
Ex: Sometimes he didn't realize his sharp humor could ~ as well as entertain.
anesthesia (n.)
techniques for reducing sensation and feeling, especially to control pain
Ex: The Civil War was the first American war when ~ was widely used in surgery on soldiers.
Usage Tips: ~ and ~+ are often used interchangeably.
augment (v.)
to make bigger or better by adding to
Ex: In some types of popular cosmetic surgery people ~ parts of their bodies.
Ex: The college ~+ its course offerings because students complained that there were too few choices.
certifiably (adv.)
in a manner that is officially recognized
Ex: He couldn't be institutionalized until he was declared ~ insane.
complication (n.)
a factor that makes something more difficult or complex
Ex: The surgeons could not easily stop the bleeding because of ~+ related to the patient's diabetes.
cure (v.)
to restore to health
Ex: They say laughter can help ~ many illnesses.
implant (v.)
to set in firmly; to insert in the body surgically
Ex: The actress had cheek ~+ to make her face look fuller.
inject (v.)
to insert a liquid by means of a syringe
Ex: The doctor used a needle to ~ the medicine slowly into her arm.
obese (adj.)
Excessively overweight
Ex: More Americans are ~ now because U.S. culture encourages overeating and discourages exercise.
procedure (n.)
a specific way of performing or doing something
Ex: The flight attendant explained the emergency evacuation ~.
scar (n.)
a mark on the skin left after a wound has healed; a lasting sign of damage, either mental or physical
Ex: The surgery was successful, but it left a large ~ across her abdomen.
astrological (adj.)
related to the study of the position of stars, the sun, and the planets in the belief that they influence earthly events
Ex: Every day, Mona read her ~ forecast in the newspaper, and she was careful if the horoscope predicted trouble.
divination (n.)
foretelling the future by finding patterns in physical objects
Ex: In Turkey, women offer ~+ by reading the dregs from a coffee cup.
haunt (v.)
to continually appear (in the form of a ghost) in the same place or to the same person
Ex: Some say the ghost of Princess Hilda ~+ this castle, appearing as a headless form while she plays the piano.
Ex: The pictures of children dying in war have ~+ me for a long time.
horror (n.)
strong fear mixed with disgust
Ex: On Halloween night, all the ~ movies were rented out.
intermediary (n.)
acting as an agent between people or things
Ex: The plaintiff's lawyer suggested that they hire an ~ to help them discuss their case.
Usage Tips: ~ comes from the Latin words meaning "between the ways".
invoke (v.)
to call on for support
Ex: In many religions, believers ~ their god by holding out their hands.
meditate (v.)
to reflect; to think quietly and deeply for a long time
Ex: Every morning, the monks ~+ for three hours in complete silence.
phantom (n.)
a dimly visible form, usually thought to be the spirit of a dead person, a sunken ship, etc.
Ex: Many visitors reported seeing a ~ who appeared around the lake.
psychic (adj.)
relating to the supposed ability of the human mind to sense things that cannot be observed
Ex: The governor's assistant claimed to have unique ~ abilities enabling him to read people's minds.
self-perpetuating (adj.)
having the power to renew oneself for an indefinite period of time
Ex: It is difficult to escape from a lie, as they are often ~.
assimilate (v.)
to consume and incorporate; to become similar
Ex: Not all of the overseas students could ~ into the rigidly controlled school.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by into.
cremation (n.)
the act of burning the dead
Ex: ~ is particularly common in Japan, where land for burial is very limited.
domesticate (v.)
to make something suitable for being in a home (usually a plant or animal)
Ex: The Barnes family hoped to ~ the tiger, but their neighbors were skeptical.
Usage Tips: The object of ~ is usually a plant or animal.
folklore (n.)
traditional myths of a people (beliefs, customs, and stories of a community) transmitted orally
Ex: Through ~, archaeologists have learned about the migration of Native Americans in North America.
fossilize (v.)
to become preserved in clay or stone or ash after death, so that a natural record is left of the original organism; to become rigid and stuck in old ways
Ex: The dinosaur eggs had ~+ over thousands of years.
relic (n.)
something left from a long-ago culture, time period, or person
Ex: ~+ of the war can still be found in the sand dunes along this shore.
rite (n.)
a ceremony meant to achieve a certain purpose
Ex: Many cultures have fertility ~+ that supposedly make it more likely for women to bear children.
ritually (adv.)
as part of a traditional ceremony or habit
Ex: The children ~ kissed their parents on the cheek before bed.
saga (n.)
a long story about important events long ago; a long story of heroic achievement
Ex: Many American families tell ~+ about their ancestors' arrival in the United States.
vestige (n.)
a visible trace that something once existed
Ex: The wilted flowers were the only ~ of their romantic weekend.
amend (v.)
to change for the better
Ex: The residents voted to ~ their neighborhood policy on fences.
biased (adj.)
leaning unfairly in one direction
Ex: Her newspaper article was criticized for being heavily ~ toward the mayor's proposal.
burden (n.)
something that is carried; a source of stress or worry
Ex: The donkey walked slowly under the ~ of its heavy load.
Ex: The failing company faced the ~ of bad debts and a poor reputation.
counter (v.)
to act in opposition to; to offer in response
Ex: The hockey player ~+ the punch with a smashing blow from his hockey stick.
Ex: Jane ~+ every accusation with a specific example of her achievements.
de facto (adj.)
truly doing a job, even if not officially
Ex: Popular support established the Citizens Party as the ~ government.
discriminate (v.)
to choose carefully among options; make an unjust or prejudicial distinction in the treatment of different categories of people or things, esp. on the grounds of race, sex, or age
Ex: The governor wisely ~+ between urgent issues and those that could wait.
notion (n.)
A belief; a fanciful impulse, a conception of or belief about something; an impulse or desire, esp. one of a whimsical kind
Ex: The ~ that older office equipment is unreliable is inaccurate.
Ex: One morning, she suddenly took the ~ to paint her kitchen red.
Usage Tips: ~ can be followed by a that clause or a to phrase.
oppress (v.)
to keep down by force; to weigh heavily on, by the unjust exercise of authority
Ex: Factory management ~+ workers through intimidation.
paradigm (n.)
a pattern or model; a set of assumptions
Ex: The usual ~ for economic growth in developed countries does not apply to some poor nations.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by for.
prejudiced (adj.)
causing to judge prematurely and unfairly
Ex: Many consumers are ~+ against commercial goods made in third-world countries.
curriculum (n.)
the courses of study offered by an educational institution
Ex: The teachers met to design a new ~ for the Intensive English Program.
distinctly (adv.)
in a way that is readily distinguishable by the senses; clearly
Ex: I ~ remember saying that we would meet at noon.
erudite (adj.)
highly educated; having or showing great knowledge or learning
Ex: Even though Stella was only a freshman, she was considered ~ by both her classmates and her professors.
fortify (v.)
to strengthen; protect against attack
Ex: The high-priced drink had extra vitamins and minerals to ~ the body.
implicitly (adv.)
without being stated; unquestioningly; in a way that is not directly expressed
Ex: By joining the competition, she agreed ~ to the rules.
parochial (adj.)
restricted in outlook; relating to the local parish; small-minded, provincial, narrow, small-town
Ex: Marla moved from her rural community to get away from its ~ thinking.
Ex: Sending your children to a ~ school can cost as much as sending them to college.
rigor (n.)
strictness; difficult situations that come from following rules strictly
Ex: The wrestler followed his diet with ~.
Ex: The ~+ of military life toughened the young men quickly.
roster (n.)
a list, especially of names
Ex: Two of the names on the ~ were misspelled.
secular (adj.)
worldly rather than spiritual; not related to religion
Ex: Few private schools in the United States are ~.
suspend (v.)
to cause to stop for a period; to hang as to allow free movement
Ex: The trial was ~+ when the judge learned that one of the jury members knew the defense lawyer.
Ex: The circus acrobat was ~+ in midair.
allegiance (n.)
loyalty, commitment
Ex: My ~ to my country is based on respect for its principles.
Usage Tips: ~ is commonly followed by a to phrase.
artillery (n.)
large guns that shoot powerful shells; army units that handle such guns
Ex: An ~ barrage broke down the city's thick walls within seconds.
Ex: The 47th ~ fired on rebels camped in the city center.
Usage Tips: When it means a part of an army, ~ is sometimes plural.
battle (v.)
to fight against
Ex: The Viet Minh ~+ French forces at Dien Bien Phu for nearly two months in 1954.
cease (v.)
stop
Ex: The lightning continued even after the thunder had ~+.
Usage Tips: ~ is found in official statements, not usually in everyday speech.
hierarchy (n.)
a system of levels that places people high or low according to their importance
Ex: Starting as a lowly private, Burt Jones gradually rose through the ~ of the army.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by an of phrase.
in the trenches (adv'l.)
in the middle of the hardest fighting or work
Ex: With their unrealistic view of this war, our generals don't know what things are like out ~.
Usage Tips: ~ creates an image of soldiers fighting in a long, dug-out place in the battlefield.
mobilize (v.)
to put members of a group into motion
Ex: After a terrible storm, the governor ~+ the National Guard to rescue victims.
rank (v.)
to put into a many-leveled order, depending on importance or achievement
Ex: The Marines ~+ Jim Hurst highest among all their officer candidates.
ratio (n.)
the relationship of one number or amount to another
Ex: Military analysts say that the ~ of attackers to defenders in a battle should be about three to one for the attackers to win.
Usage Tips: ~ is very often followed by an of ... to structure.
strategic (adj.)
related to long-term plans for achieving a goal
Ex: United States has formed ~ friendships with Tajikistan and Mongolia to have Central Asian bases in the future.
Usage Tips: ~ is often used with nouns for plans.
annex (v.)
to make something (usually land) part of another unit
Ex: Bardstown grew by ~+ several farms at the north edge of town.
apex (n.)
the highest point
Ex: Gregory knew that his running skills had to be at their ~ during the tournament.
Usage Tips: ~ is often used to describe the high point of someone's abilities.
collapse (v.)
to fall down, usually because of weakness
Ex: The roof ~+ on top of me.
conquest (n.)
a takeover by force or continued effort
Ex: The first recorded ~ of Mt. Everest was by Tensing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hilary.
Usage Tips: ~ is usually followed by an of phrase.
devise (v.)
to find an original way to make an object or a plan
Ex: The soldiers ~ a way to cross the river into enemy territory without being seen.
invasive (adj.)
aggressively entering into someone else's territory
Ex: Surgery with a laser is less ~ than surgery with a knife or scalpel.
prevailing (adj.)
strongest or most common
Ex: The ~ attitude among our neighbors is to be friendly but not too friendly.
resist (v.)
to refuse to give in to a strong force or desire
Ex: Although many native nations ~+, the U.S. government eventually took over almost all Indian land.
severely (adv.)
harshly; extremely
Ex: Commanders ~ punished any soldier who criticized the battle plan.
violation (n.)
an action that breaks a law or agreement; mistreatment of something that deserves respect
Ex: The army's testing of new weapons was a ~ of the cease-fire agreement.
Ex: The sculptures at Mt. Rushmore may be a ~ of sacred Indian land.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by an of phrase.
chronologically (adv.)
in order according to time
Ex: Allen's book is arranged ~, from the First Crusade in 1095 to the fall of Granada in 1492.
Usage Tips: ~ is often used with arranged, organized, listed, or some other word for order.
coincide (v.)
happen or exist at the same time
Ex: The Viking attacks on western Europe ~+ with an abnormally warm period in the Earth's climate.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by a with phrase.
consequence (n.)
a result, often one much later in time than the cause
Ex: One ~ of global warming may be the flooding of low lying islands.
Usage Tips: ~ usually implies something negative or serious about the result.
core (n.)
an area or object at the center
Ex: The ~ of India's film industry is in Bombay, where all but a few film studios are located.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by another noun (e.g., ~ principle) or by an of phrase.
deny (v.)
say that something is not true
Ex: Movie star Allen Butcher ~+ that he and the Princess of Denmark were getting married.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by the -ing form of a verb or by a that clause.
diminish (v.)
make something smaller or weaker; become smaller or weaker
Ex: The Protestant Reformation ~+ the power of the Roman Catholic Pope.
Ex: Mr. Partridge's influence in the company ~+ after he relocated to a branch office.
longitude (n.)
a system of imaginary lines running from north to south along the Earth's surface, where each line is numbered from 0° to 180° west or east
Ex: The prime meridian, a line running through Greenwich, England, is marked as 0° ~.
milieu (n.)
general environment or surroundings
Ex: Many Vietnam veterans did not feel comfortable in the antiwar social ~ of the 1970s.
Orwellian (adj.)
frightening and overcontrolled by a government that interferes in nearly every aspect of personal life
Ex: Biometric devices like eye-scanners allow an ~ level of government knowledge about everyone's location.
reconciliation (n.)
coming back together peacefully after having been enemies
Ex: South Africa avoided a bloodbath after apartheid by setting up a Truth and ~ Commission.
allocate (v.)
to give out different amounts for different purposes
Ex: The budget ~+ $58 billion to the military and only about $2 billion to education.
Usage Tips: Things that can be ~+ are things that can be "spent"; money, time, energy, etc.
commodity (n.)
a thing that can be bought and sold, such as grain, oil, or wood
Ex: Tulip bulbs were one of the most valuable ~+ in seventeenth-century Holland.
Usage Tips: A thing is called a ~ only in the context of buying or selling it.
decline (v.)
to decrease in power or amount; politely refuse
Ex: America's railroads ~+ because the automobile dominated American life.
equity (n.)
the value of one's share in an investment
Ex: Barnard's ~ in the business was one-third, or about $350,000.
Usage Tips: In this meaning, ~ is always singular and usually followed by an in phrase.
inflation (n.)
a situation in which prices for many items rise quite fast
Ex: During the rapid ~ of the 1970s, prices for food and fuel sometimes rose 20 percent in a single month.
net (adj.)
after all costs have been subtracted from an amount
Ex: My gross salary is around $35,000, but my ~ pay is closer to $29,000.
per capita (adv.)
for each person
Ex: Research shows we're likely to sell 15 light bulbs ~ per year in medium-sized cities.
regulate (v.)
control according to a set of rules
Ex: Trading on the NewYork Stock Exchange is ~+ by officials of the exchange and by federal law.
subsidy (n.)
money given by a government or other organization to support an activity
Ex: Federal ~+ to grain farmers have helped them stay in business despite three years of bad weather.
tangible (adj.)
obviously real because it can be seen, touched, or otherwise observed
Ex: One ~ benefit of putting electrical cables underground is a clearer view of the sky.
accumulate (v.)
to build up a large amount of something
Ex: Over several generations, the Hardington family ~+ vast wealth by buying and selling land.
affluence (n.)
wealth and the style of life that goes with it
Ex: Mohadzir grew up amid ~, which poorly prepared him for his grad student days in crowded apartments with no servants.
elite (adj.)
belonging to a special, honored group; a group of people considered (by others or themselves) to be the best in a particular society or category, esp. because of their power, talent, or wealth
Ex: Messner is an ~ climber who recently ascended an 8,000-meter mountain without extra oxygen.
impoverish (v.)
to make a person or group poor
Ex: The collapse of the steel industry ~+ several counties in eastern Ohio.
luxury (n.)
Extreme comfort, beyond what anyone needs
Ex: Automakers try to give their cars an image of ~ by including extras like heated seats and satellite tracking systems.
nobility (n.)
a group of socially prominent people with special titles given by a king or queen, such as "duke" or "countess"
Ex: In the Middle Ages, the ~ supposedly followed a code that required them to take care of poorer people who lived near their estates.
Usage Tips: ~ is used as a name for a group of distinguished people; it can also mean "a highly dignified form of behavior".
prestige (n.)
honor and respect for being better than the average
Ex: The Grassleys enjoyed the ~ of living in the historic town, but they did not feel at home there.
privileged (adj.)
able to enjoy special advantages because of one's position (usually because of being born into a wealthy or powerful family); having special rights, advantages, or immunities
Ex: Despite his ~+ position in one of America's most powerful families, the politician tried to portray himself as an ordinary person.
prosper (v.)
to do very well in one's business or personal life
Ex: Vargas ~+ after finally patenting his new inventions.
Usage Tips: A person can ~; so can a group, a company, or an area.
working class (n.)
people with low-paying (often unskilled) jobs who are not poor but who are not securely in the middle class
Ex: The Farrelly family, like other members of the ~, were proud of their jobs and did not want any handouts from charity or the government.
acquire (v.)
to get something, usually something with special value or meaning
Ex: Bart hoped to ~ the 1898 D Indian Head penny, which would make his collection complete.
Usage Tips: Unlike get, ~ implies that a possession has special value or meaning.
assess (v.)
to estimate the value of something
Ex: The Barnes building was ~+ at $1.3 million, but it can probably sell for much more than that.
asset (n.)
a possession that has positive value
Ex: The school is a ~ to the community.
Usage Tips: Some examples of ~+ are real estate, cash, and stock shares.
hazardous (adj.)
dangerous
Ex: Parents have to be careful not to buy children's clothes and toys made of ~ materials.
jointly (adv.)
together with one or more other parties
Ex: In most states, a husband and wife are assumed to own all their possessions ~.
lease (v.)
to rent something for a long time (several months or years)
Ex: Some drivers prefer to ~ a car rather than buy one.
liability (n.)
Legal responsibility for harming a person or property; a person or thing whose presence or behavior is likely to cause embarrassment or put one at a disadvantage
Ex: Before you go river rafting, you sign a document releasing the trip leaders from ~ in case of injury.
Ex: Henderson is just a ~ to our work team, because he never finishes anything on time.
Usage Tips: In its second meaning, ~ is often followed by a to phrase.
proprietor (n.)
owner, usually of a business or a building
Ex: The ~ of Hekman's Windows is Nels Hekman, grandson of the people who established the factory.
Usage Tips: Very often, ~ is followed by an of phrase.
safeguard (v.)
to protect ; protect from harm or damage with an appropriate measure:
Ex: A burglar-alarm system ~+ our house when we go away on vacation.
Usage Tips: ~ implies continuous protection over a long time.
sole (adj.)
only
Ex: Many people have wanted to invest in Harry's publishing business, but he remains the ~ owner.
Usage Tips: ~ almost always appears before the noun it modifies. It does not come after a linking verb like be.
compensate (v.)
to give an employee money or other things in exchange for the work he or she does
Ex: My pay doesn't properly ~ me for my efforts, but my other benefits, like health insurance, fill in the gap.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by a for phrase.
dynamic (adj.)
full of energy, activity, or progress
Ex: This job requires a ~ person, someone who will look for opportunities instead of just waiting around for them.
enterprising (adj.)
creative in thinking of ways to make money
Ex: Immigrants are often among the most ~ members of society, partly because anyone brave enough to make an overseas move is likely to be a risk-taker.
Usage Tips: There is no verb "to ~+".
exploit (v.)
to take advantage of; to treat inconsiderately in order to profit; make full use of and derive benefit from (a resource)
Ex: The company tried to ~ the low interest rates to expand operations.
Usage Tips: The foreign mining company ~+ our copper resources and then simply left.
incentive (n.)
a possible benefit that motivates a person to do a certain thing
Ex: This city's willingness to support its public schools gave us an ~ to move here with our two young children.
Usage Tips: ~ is usually followed by a to phrase.
industrious (adj.)
willing to work hard
Ex: The Dutch settlements in Ottawa County were founded by ~ farmers who objected to frivolous behavior such as dancing.
Usage Tips: Only people can be ~; companies cannot.
marginal (adj.)
not very significant or effective
Ex: Our new advertising campaign had only ~ success, raising sales by a mere 3 percent.
merit (n.)
value; success based on one's work, not on luck
Ex: Pay raises at our company are based on ~, as determined by a committee of managers.
Usage Tips: ~ is uncountable.
promote (v.)
to move someone to a higher position in a company
Ex: Because of his excellent handling of the Vredeman account, Jim Harris was ~+ to vice president.
Usage Tips: ~ is very often followed by a to phrase indicating the position one has been moved up to.
resign (v.)
to quit one's job
Ex: Because of controversy over his leadership style, Morton ~+ from his job as president.
distill (v.)
to remove one liquid from a mixture of liquids by boiling; to get something valuable from a confusing mix of ideas
Ex: The forest peoples of Southeast Asia ~ an alcoholic drink called arak from a paste of palm berries.
Ex: Most students are confused by her lectures, but Joe can always ~ her main idea.
entrepreneurial (adj.)
able to create business opportunities from a wide variety of circumstances
Ex: Many engineers of the 1970s made great computers, but only a few were ~ enough to see the business possibilities in the new machines.
extract (v.)
to take out
Ex: International mining companies came to the Malay Peninsula to ~ the region's massive tin deposits.
haggle (v.)
To argue back and forth about a price
Ex: The customer and the shopkeeper ~+ over the silver plate for more than an hour.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by a phrase with over or about.
intrepid (adj.)
fearless
Ex: For nearly 200 years, only the most ~ colonists would cross the Appalachian Mountains.
merchant (n.)
a person who makes a living by selling things
Ex: The spice ~+ of the eastern markets charged top prices to the Dutch and British sailors, who had come too far to sail away without buying.
Usage Tips: The word ~ might be preceded by another noun telling what the ~ sells (e.g., spice ~ or wine ~).
proportionately (adv.)
in an amount appropriate to each of several recipients
Ex: The food aid was distributed ~ per family, with larger families receiving more.
prototype (n.)
the first one made of a machine or system
Ex: The airplane manufacturer uses robots to test every ~, just in case there is a problem with the design.
reward (n.)
something one gets for having done well
Ex: The greatest ~ of being a parent is to see your child make a wise decision.
Usage Tips: ~ might be followed by an of or for phrase naming what one has done well.
shuttle (v.)
to move back and forth often between two places
Ex: The small jet ~+ between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore nearly every two hours.
advocate (v.)
to speak out in favor of something; publicly recommend or support
Ex: Some environmentalists ~ removing large dams from the Columbia River.
Usage Tips: ~ is usually followed by a term for a process or action, very often the -ing form of a verb
authority (n.)
the power to make decisions, to tell others what to do.
Ex: The governor has the ~ to call the legislature together for emergency sessions.
Usage Tips: A to phrase often follows ~.
bitterly (adv.)
strongly and with a lot of bad feelings
Ex: Senator Thomas ~ opposed the movement to design a new state flag.
candidate (n.)
someone who wants to be chosen, especially in an election, for a position
Ex: In most U.S. elections, there are only two major-party candidates for president.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by a for phrase.
coalition (n.)
a group of several different groups or countries that are working together to achieve a certain goal.
Ex: Several local churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples formed a ~ to promote understanding among people of different religions.
contest (v.)
to challenge; oppose (an action, decision, or theory) as mistaken or wrong
Ex: Dave Roper, who narrowly lost the mayor's race, ~+ the results, demanding a recount of the votes.
Usage Tips: The noun ~ can mean a game, especially one played for a prize.
election (n.)
a process in which people choose officials
Ex: Because of problems with vote-counting four years ago, international observers monitored this year's ~ to make sure it was fair.
inaugurate (v.)
to bring into public office; to start formally
Ex: The U.S. president is elected in November but is not ~+ until the following January.
Ex: An effort to bring electric service to farms and small towns was ~+ with the Rural Electrification Act of 1936.
Usage Tips: When it means "bring into public office," ~ is usually in the passive voice.
policy (n.)
an approved way for approaching a certain kind of situation
Ex: The ~ said that government money could not be given to any private hospital.
poll (v.)
to find out a small group's opinion so that you can guess what a much larger group thinks
Ex: The newspaper ~+ 500 registered voters and found that only 27 percent were in favor of expanding the city zoo.
accuse (v.)
to say that someone did something wrong (e.g., committed a crime)
Ex: Jordan was ~+ of using a stolen credit card to buy about $300 worth of electronic equipment.
Usage Tips: ~ is often used in the passive voice.
allegedly (adv.)
according to what people say, although there is no proof
Ex: The chief financial officer of the company ~ took company money for his personal use.
civil (adj.)
involving a dispute between two citizens, not a criminal charge
Ex: in a ~ suit against his neighbor, Barney claimed that the neighbor's dog had bitten him.
Usage Tips: In a court context, ~ almost always appears in one of the following phrases: ~ suit, ~ action, ~ court, ~ proceedings, and ~ penalties.
convict (v.)
to decide that someone is guilty of a crime; declare (someone) to be guilty of a criminal offense
Ex: Dean was ~+ of assault after the jury saw a video of him striking another man.
Usage Tips: ~ is often used in the passive voice.
guilty (adj.)
responsible for doing something bad
Ex: The jury found that the director was ~ of embezzlement.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by an of phrase that names a crime or bad deed.
offense (n.)
a specific act that breaks the law
Ex: Convicted twice of reckless driving, Victor will lose his license if he commits another serious traffic ~.
peer (n.)
a person who is one's social equal; a person of the same age, status, or ability as another specified person
Ex: In requiring judgment by "a jury of one's ~+," U.S. law meant to protect lower-class defendants from the possibly biased judgment of upper-class juries.
suspect (n.)
someone who, in the opinion of the police, might have committed a certain crime
Ex: The police were investigating the activities of five ~+ in the liquor-store robbery.
verdict (n.)
a judgment in a court case
Ex: It took the jury only 30 minutes to reach a ~ of "guilty."
Usage Tips: ~ is often the object of the verbs reach or arrive at.
witness (v.)
to see something, especially a crime, happen
Ex: After ~+ the car theft, Rodney called the police.
apprehend (v.)
to capture; understand or perceive
Ex: The police ~+ the robbery suspect as he tried to get on a bus to Chicago.
ascertain (v.)
to make sure of
Ex: The police failed to ~ that the man they arrested was the Gregory Brown they were really looking for.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by a that clause.
bureaucratic (adj.)
related to a large organization with a lot of complicated procedures
Ex: Before I could speak with the chief, I had to go through a ~ run around of identity checks and written requests.
Usage Tips: ~ implies that something is inefficient and unnecessarily complicated.
condemn (v.)
to speak out against something in very strong terms; express complete disapproval of
Ex: Religious radicals ~+ the government for allowing alcohol to be sold in restaurants.
evidence (n.)
something that makes the truth of a statement seem more likely
Ex: The most convincing ~ that Garner robbed the store was a videotape from surveillance cameras.
implicate (v.)
to suggest that someone was involved in a crime or other wrong behavior; convey (a meaning or intention) indirectly through what one says
Ex: No group claimed responsibility for the bombing, but the type of explosive used ~+ the Heartland Freedom Militia.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by in.
inquiry (n.)
an investigation; an act of asking for information
Ex: The FBI launched an ~ into the relationship between organized crime and the trucking company.
intrusively (adv.)
in a way that brings an unwanted person or thing into someone else's affairs
Ex: The new consultant from company headquarters appeared ~ at meetings, staff parties, and other functions where he was not wanted.
seize (v.)
to take something against its owner's will
Ex: Federal agents can ~ private homes and other property possibly used in the production or sale of illegal drugs.
surveillance (n.)
a process of watching something or someone for a long time, usually because the person is suspected of something
Ex: Police ~ of one suspected car thief resulted in the arrest of a whole gang of carjackers.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by an of phrase.
analyze (v.)
to examine something by looking at its parts
Ex: Chemists ~+ the white powder and found it to be only a mixture of sugar and salt.
assail (v.)
to attack or criticize forcefully
Ex: With DNA evidence from the crime scene, the defense lawyer ~+ the police for falsely arresting his client.
contrary (adj.)
opposite
Ex: ~ to most studies, Dr. Ito's work shows the world's climate is not getting warmer.
Usage Tips: Common phrases are ~ to and on the ~.
hypothesize (v.)
to make a guess, the correctness of which will eventually be investigated systematically.
Ex: Scientists ~ that planets capable of supporting life exist beyond our solar system, but they have not yet seen any.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by a that clause.
impair (v.)
to make something less effective than usual
Ex: The snow ~+ John's ability to hear anyone's footsteps.
Usage Tips: The object of ~ is often [someone's] ability to.
inference (n.)
a conclusion drawn from evidence
Ex: Inspector Dowd's ~ that Ms. Miller was South African was based on her accent.
objectively (adv.)
based on unbiased standards, not on personal opinion
Ex: I don't like Mr. Rowan, but looking ~ at his sales numbers, I saw that he was a very valuable employee.
suspicious (adj.)
believing that something is wrong; acting in a way that makes people believe you have done something wrong
Ex: The neighbors became ~ of Jim when he bought a big new car and some fancy clothes.
Ex: Jim's ~ purchases made his neighbors think he might be getting money illegally.
tolerate (v.)
to avoid getting upset about something
Ex: My math teacher ~+ a lot of talking in her class, but my history teacher tells us to be quiet.
versus (prep.)
against (esp. in sports and legal use)
Ex: In the debate, it was pro-war senators ~ antiwar senators.
Usage Tips: ~ is often abbreviated as ~+ in sports contexts, or simply ~+ in legal contexts.
bribery (n.)
giving money or other gifts to a government official or other person in authority in order to get special privileges
Ex: ~ of police officers is common in countries where police salaries are very low.
cynically (adv.)
disrespectfully; emphasizing the weaknesses of otherwise respected things
Ex: Employees of the Roadways Department ~ referred to their boss as "the banker" because he took so many bribes.
erode (v.)
to wear away and become smaller
Ex: People's respect for the government ~+ as more officials were arrested for corruption.
Usage Tips: ~ can be intransitive (the beach ~+) or transitive (the waves ~+ the beach).
evade (v.)
to get away from something that tries to catch you
Ex: The robbery suspects tried to ~ the police by fleeing to Canada.
grotesque (adj.)
Extremely unattractive, in a way that catches a lot of attention; comically or repulsively ugly or distorted
Ex: Spending $3.5 million to redecorate the governor's house is a ~ misuse of public money.
integrity (n.)
personal honesty and good character
Ex: We don't have a problem with our employees stealing from the store because we hire only people with a lot of ~.
prevalent (adj.)
common; easy to find because it exists in great amounts
Ex: Distrust of elected officials was ~ in our county because many of them were friends with certain candidates.
reform (v.)
to make big improvements (something, typically a social, political, or economic institution or practice)
Ex: The new law was an attempt to ~ the system of giving money to political candidates.
scandal (n.)
a case of wrongdoing that hurts someone's reputation
Ex: In the Watergate ~, some of the president's top advisors were revealed to be criminals.
unmask (v.)
reveal; expose something that is hidden
Ex: The Forge Trucking Company was eventually ~+ as a front for organized crime.
abduction (n.)
kidnapping; the action or an instance of forcibly taking someone away against their will
Ex: Pirates got many crew members by ~, snatching unlucky citizens from seaport towns.
coerce (v.)
to force; to put pressure on someone to do something
Ex: A criminal's confession is not usable in court if the police ~ him or her into giving it.
detain (v.)
to prevent someone, for a relatively short time, from going on their way
Ex: The police ~+ at least 20 men for questioning, but charged none of them with a crime.
deviant (adj.)
in a style that is not normal and is offensive to many
Ex: The artist based his reputation on creating ~ works of art that disgusted most of the public.
Usage Tips: ~ always implies a bad opinion of someone or something.
distort (v.)
to twist or misrepresent; to make something seem different from what it really is
Ex: If you hold a pencil in a glass of water, the water ~+ the appearance of the pencil.
intentionally (adv.)
on purpose, not by accident
Ex: Danny ~ lost his last golf ball because he was tired of playing.
piracy (n.)
stealing a ship or taking the ship's cargo; the unlawful copying of books, CDs, etc.
Ex: Modern-day ~ occurs mostly near groups of small, uninhabited islands where pirates can hide.
Usage Tips: The software company constantly battled ~.
predicament (n.)
a difficult situation, one that is hard to get out of
Ex: College basketball stars face the ~ of wanting to graduate but being tempted by high professional salaries.
smuggle (v.)
to illegally bring things into a country
Ex: The pirate Ben Dewar ~+ guns to British and Indian fighters in North America.
villainy (n.)
Exceptional badness, as demonstrated by many serious evil deeds
Ex: Fred was not a natural criminal, but he learned all kinds of ~ while being jailed for a minor crime.
addictive (adj.)
making someone want it so much that the person feels ill without it
Ex: Some drugs, like heroin or methamphetamines, are ~ to almost everyone who tries them.
cartel (n.)
a small group controlling a certain area of business
Ex: The world's major oil producers formed a ~ to control the price and supply of petroleum.
concentrated (adj.)
strong because large amounts are in a certain space
Ex: ~ lemon juice is very sour, so I mix it with water when I make lemonade.
interdict (v.)
to keep something from reaching a certain place; prohibit or forbid
Ex: With faster patrol boats, the Coast Guard can more easily ~ drugs being smuggled by sea.
juxtapose (v.)
place next to one another
Ex: If you ~ these two similar flowers, you can see clear differences between them.
misconception (n.)
a mistaken belief; a view or opinion that is incorrect because it is based on faulty thinking or understanding
Ex: A common ~ about rabbits is that they are a kind of rodent.
modify (v.)
make small changes in order to get a certain result
Ex: People who live in high mountains often ~ their car engines to run well in the thinner air.
potent (adj.)
powerful; having great power, influence, or effect
Ex: A very ~ type of marijuana with surprisingly strong effects became available in Burrytown.
residual (adj.)
left behind after most of a thing has gone
Ex: In the airplane, agents found ~ traces of heroin.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by trace, amount, or some other word referring to "quantity".
subtly (adv.)
in a quiet, hard-to-notice way
Ex: By ~ changing the soft drink's formula, we improved its taste and made production cheaper.
ancestral (adj.)
relating to family members from earlier generations
Ex: Sweden is my ~ homeland, from which my great-grandfather emigrated in 1922.
cohesion (n.)
ability to stay together as a unit
Ex: Family ~ is difficult if young people have to go far away to find work.
Usage Tips: ~ can also be used to describe forces that keep materials or structures together.
descendant (n.)
a direct relative in a later generation (such as one's son, daughter, or grandchild)
Ex: Billy Sobieski claimed to be a ~ of Jan Sobieski, a former king of Poland.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by an of phrase.
inheritance (n.)
things passed down to you from your ancestors
Ex: My ~ from my grandmother included her favorite necklace.
kin (n.)
relatives
Ex: Even though my uncle didn't really like me, he was kind to me because we were ~.
Usage Tips: A common phrase is next of ~, meaning "closest relative".
legitimate (adj.)
true and respectable; in the context of family, born of a mother and father who were married to each other
Ex: You can skip the meeting if you have a ~ reason.
Ex: Harcourt had two ~ children with his wife Hannah and one ~+ son with a woman whom he met while traveling.
Usage Tips: The opposite of ~ is ~+.
paternal (adj.)
relating to a father
Ex: My mother's parents have both died, but my ~ grandparents are still alive.
Usage Tips: ~ may appear with ~+, meaning "relating to a mother".
proximity (n.)
nearness
Ex: The house was comfortable, except for its ~ to a busy road.
Usage Tips: ~ can be followed by an of phrase or a to phrase.
sentiment (n.)
feelings; opinion based on feelings
Ex: I share your ~+ about air travel, but I disagree that cars are safer.
Usage Tips: ~+ (the plural) is more common than ~.
sibling (n.)
brother or sister
Ex: My ~+ and I got together to buy our parents a gift for their anniversary.
Usage Tips: ~ is often preceded by a possessive noun or pronoun.
affection (n.)
an emotional closeness or warmth
Ex: I show ~ for my girlfriend by spending time with her, not by spending money on her.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by a for phrase.
associate (v.)
to regularly spend time together
Ex: Carol doesn't ~ with people who smoke.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by a with phrase.
bond (n.)
a close connection
Ex: Some researchers say that there is an especially strong emotional ~ between twins.
Usage Tips: A between phrase, indicating the things that are connected, often follows ~.
clique (n.)
a small group of friends who are unfriendly to people outside the group
Ex: High-schoolers form ~+ to gain security and acceptance.
Usage Tips: ~ indicates a negative feeling toward a group.
confide (v.)
to tell very personal things; tell someone about a secret or private matter while trusting them not to repeat it to others
Ex: Teenagers are more willing to ~ in a friend than in a parent.
Usage Tips: ~ almost always followed by an in phrase.
exclusive (adj.)
keeping out all but a few people
Ex: The most ~ universities accept only a small percentage of people who want to attend.
Usage Tips: ~ can indicate a positive opinion, but in the context of friendship, it can mean "attached only to one person".
fluctuate (v.)
to change often, from one condition to another
Ex: Earth's climate ~+ between warm periods and cold periods.
Usage Tips: ~ is usually followed by a between phrase (or by a from ... to structure).
in common (adv.)
as a shared characteristic
Ex: Billy and Heather have a lot in ~; basketball, a love of pizza, and an interest in snakes.
Usage Tips: ~ very often appears with the verb to have.
solidarity (n.)
standing together despite pressure to move apart
Ex: Many student groups declared ~ with the Latino Student Association in their effort to get a Spanish-speaking principal.
Usage Tips: ~ is usually used in political contexts.
willing (adj.)
agreeable and ready to do something
Ex: Because of their long friendship, Professor Gardner was ~ to say a few words at Jones's birthday celebration.
Usage Tips: ~ is almost always followed by a to + verb structure.
complex (adj.)
not simple; involving many parts that work together
Ex: A modern car engine is too ~ for most car owners to repair by themselves.
despondent (adj.)
Extremely sad and without hope for the future
Ex: After his girlfriend left him, Johnson was ~ and wouldn't talk to anyone.
devotion (n.)
a willingness to keep supporting someone you admire
Ex: Grant showed great ~ to his wife, supporting her during her long illness.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by a to phrase.
dilemma (n.)
a difficult choice between two things (equally undesirable ones)
Ex: I was caught in a ~ between traveling by airplane and taking a train, which is slower but more comfortable.
engender (v.)
to bring into being; to cause to exist
Ex: The government's warnings about terrorism ~+ fear throughout the nation.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by a noun for an emotion.
loyal (adj.)
faithful; giving or showing firm and constant support or allegiance to a person or institution
Ex: Carter was ~ to his girlfriend and would not date anyone else.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by a to phrase.
passion (n.)
an extremely strong emotion, like love or anger
Ex: Debbie complained that there was no ~ in her marriage.
proliferation (n.)
an increase in the number of something and in the number of places it can be found
Ex: The ~ of fast-food restaurants has made it harder for Americans to eat healthy lunches.
Usage Tips: ~ is very often followed by an of phrase.
reciprocity (n.)
doing as much for another as he or she has done for you; the practice of exchanging things with others for mutual benefit
Ex: Dan was giving a lot of attention to Kelly, but he felt no ~ in their relationship.
vanish (v.)
to disappear suddenly
Ex: When the sun came out, last night's light snowfall ~+.
antipathy (n.)
a strong, long-lasting negative feeling
Ex: My ~ toward telemarketers is so strong that I am often rude to them.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by a toward phrase.
arrogantly (adv.)
in a way that shows a high opinion of oneself and a low opinion of others
Ex: Jenny told us about her party only one day in advance, ~ thinking we had nothing else to do.
berate (v.)
to say insulting and disrespectful things
Ex: The teacher lost his job because he cruelly ~+ students who made mistakes.
Usage Tips: You can only ~ someone directly, only when he or she can hear you.
contemptuous (n.)
having no respect
Ex: Most scientists are ~ of reports that aliens from outer space have landed on the Earth.
Usage Tips: A very common structure is be ~ of.
despise (v.)
hate very much
Ex: Tom grew to ~ his greedy and unfriendly boss.
humiliation (n.)
an event that causes someone to feel that she or he has lost the respect of others
Ex: Losing the chess tournament was a great ~ for Marie, and she never played chess again.
obnoxious (adj.)
bothersome; doing small things that others don't like
Ex: My ~ neighbor keeps talking to me while I'm trying to read in my backyard.
shame (n.)
dishonor because one has done something wrong
Ex: Feeling deep ~ because of their son's crimes, the Ford family moved to a different town.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by an of or about phrase.
stigmatize (v.)
to mark with a visible feature that makes other people think, perhaps incorrectly, that someone or something is wrong; describe or regard as worthy of disgrace or great disapproval
Ex: Cadbury's beard and tattoos ~+ him as a bad match for Wall Street, so he couldn't find work as a financial analyst.
vitriolic (adj.)
showing an extreme, hateful anger
Ex: The mayor's ~ attacks against the city council only made him sound unreasonable.
Usage Tips: The origin of ~ is ~+; a strong chemical that could cause painful burns.
adolescent (adj.)
characteristic of a teenager; not fully grown up
Ex: In policy meetings, George refuses to reason with anyone and just scowls in an ~ way.
cause (n.)
a political or social goal that one believes is right and works to achieve
Ex: Our river cleanup effort would be more effective if someone famous spoke out for the ~.
conflict (v.)
to fit so poorly together that the differences cause a problem
Ex: A teenager's need for security can ~ with his desire for independence from his family.
delinquency (n.)
serious misbehavior; not doing what one should do; minor crime, esp. that committed by young people
Ex: Because of his laziness and ~, Lefty was an unreliable friend.
Usage Tips: A common combination is juvenile ~, meaning "criminal behavior by a teenager".
fringe (n.)
edge; in social contexts, parts of society that look or act very different from most people
Ex: Punk music got its start at the ~ of London's rock music culture.
Usage Tips: ~ implies an edge that is uneven and not very solid.
hedonistic (adj.)
Excessively interested in seeking pleasure
Ex: Suddenly wealthy, Allen fell into a ~ life of parties, expensive dinners, and heavy drinking.
Usage Tips: ~ usually implies that the pleasures are wrong.
hypocritically (adv.)
in a way that accuses other people of weaknesses that the speaker also possesses
Ex: Henry spent $2,500 on a new suit and then ~ accused me of spending too much on clothes.
manipulation (n.)
quietly moving or influencing people or things in order to get what you want
Ex: Bob's ~ of the boss's feelings led to his promotion.
rebel (v.)
To go against an established system or authority
Ex: The people of Ghurdia ~+ against the dictator and set up a new government.
Usage Tips: ~ works well in political contexts and in contexts of personal relationships.
status quo (n.)
the systems and conditions that exist now
Ex: Let's just maintain the ~ until we can think of a better way.
abstract (adj.)
not concrete and realistic; not obviously related to every-day experience
Ex: ~ painting became popular partly because early photography was very realistic.
context (n.)
a larger environment that something fits into
Ex: In the ~ of Soviet Russia, public art had to be about the triumph of communism and its leaders.
Usage Tips: The preposition in often comes before ~, and an of phrase often comes after it.
depict (v.)
to show in pictures
Ex: Michelangelo's painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel ~+ nine scenes from the Bible.
dimension (n.)
a direction or surface along which something can be measured; an aspect
Ex: The three ~+ of physical objects are length, width, and depth.
Ex: One ~ of the problem is their long history of competition.
esthetically (adv.)
in a way that relates to beauty or appearance
Ex: The outside of the office building is ~ pleasing, but the inside is dark and unpleasant.
Usage Tips: ~ is often spelled with an "a" at the beginning: a~.
intrinsic (adj.)
being part of the basic nature of something
Ex: Frequent elections are ~ to a democratic system.
perspective (n.)
a way of seeing from a particular location; a way of thinking about something
Ex: From my ~, the entire town can be seen through a set of large windows.
Ex: They held different ~+ on how to care for their aging parents.
portrayal (n.)
a description or drawing that reflects a certain point of view
Ex: Most ~+ of Abraham Lincoln emphasize his sense of humor and his honesty.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by an of phrase to indicate what is being described.
realism (n.)
a technique that tries to picture something as it really looks
Ex: ~ was popular among seventeenth-century Flemish painters like Rembrandt van Rijn.
spectrum (n.)
a range of different things, usually colors
Ex: Bart's colorful designs include every color of the ~, from deep blue to vibrant red.
Usage Tips: The phrase the ~ frequently means "the colors that the human eye can see".
advent (n.)
coming; arrival; the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event
Ex: The ~ of the automobile greatly increased the demand for petroleum.
Usage Tips: ~ is usually followed by an of phrase.
ambiguous (adj.)
having more than one possible meaning
Ex: The sentence It's hard to say is ~, with different meanings in different contexts.
connotation (n.)
a meaning implied, not stated directly
Ex: When my boss says, "Thank you", the ~ is that she's done talking and I should leave.
decipher (v.)
to figure out the meaning, even though it is written in a code or an unknown language
Ex: The Rosetta Stone helped archaeologists ~ ancient Egyptian writing.
Usage Tips: A ~+ is a code or puzzle; ~ means "solve a puzzle written in code".
denote (v.)
to mean something clearly and directly
Ex: An "X" next to a name on this list ~+ a person who has been chosen for the soccer team.
illiterate (adj.)
unable to read
Ex: In many villages nearly everyone was ~ and unschooled, and the few who could read held great power.
ingenious (adj.)
very clever and imaginative
Ex: Ann thought up an ~ way to keep other people from accidentally taking her pens.
inscription (n.)
something written into a piece of rock or metal
Ex: The ~ on my ring says "August 1," because that was the day of our wedding.
phonetic (adj.)
related to the sounds in a language
Ex: Children learning to write often make up ~ spellings, based on the way a word sounds.
symbolic (adj.)
acting as a sign for some other thing or idea
Ex: Since the 1970s, yellow ribbons have been ~ of hope that someone will return from a dangerous situation.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by an of phrase indicating the meaning of a ~+.
amateurish (adj.)
not good enough to be the work of professionals
Ex: Whoever painted this room did an ~ job, with all sorts of uneven edges.
cast (n.)
the group of actors in a play, movie, television show, etc.
Ex: Some viewers mistakenly start thinking that a TV show's ~ members are really the characters they play.
Usage Tips: In U.S. English, ~ is singular. In some other varieties of English it is plural.
charismatic (adj.)
Extremely attractive and charming
Ex: Because of the sparkle in his eye and his confident style, John F. Kennedy was a ~ leader.
gala (adj.)
Expensive, elaborately arranged, and full of celebration
Ex: A college graduation party should be a ~ affair, not a backyard barbecue.
Usage Tips: ~ is somewhat old-fashioned, far more common in print than in speech.
hilarious (adj.)
very funny
Ex: In my opinion, the most ~ character on television was Basil Fawlty.
improvisation (n.)
inventing a solution to an unexpected problem
Ex: Boy Scouts take pride in their ~ when faced with trouble during a camping trip.
incompetent (adj.)
unskilled; lacking the ability to perform a task
Ex: Because we hired an ~ builder to replace our roof, we now have leaks everywhere.
Usage Tips: Usually, ~ implies that someone tries to do something but fails.
medium (n.)
a channel or way for a meaning to be expressed
Ex: Watercolor art is often considered childish, but some artists have achieved great things working in that ~.
Usage Tips: The plural of ~ is ~+.
skit (n.)
a short, informal play
Ex: Marnie and Chris spent a long time practicing their ~ for the school show.
zeal (n.)
enthusiasm; a deep determination to do well
Ex: Unfortunately, Tom's ~ to become a rock star distracted him from his studies.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by to plus a verb or by a for phrase.
bulk (n.)
largeness and a heavy appearance
Ex: The ~ of Kevin's athletic body was too great for one small chair, so he sat on a bench.
capricious (adj.)
moving unpredictably from one thing to another
Ex: Your college studies will go on too long if you make ~ jumps from one major to another.
Usage Tips: ~ comes from a Latin word meaning "goat"and implies a motion like the jumping of a goat.
cumbersome (adj.)
difficult to wear or carry because of weight or shape
Ex: To make it to the top of the mountain before dark, the hikers dumped their ~ tent.
exotic (adj.)
interesting or unusual because of coming from a faraway place
Ex: I walked into the restaurant and smelled the ~ aromas of Malaysian spices.
inhibit (v.)
to discourage or to slow down
Ex: This lotion will ~ the itching caused by mosquito bites.
minimum (n.)
the smallest possible amount or level
Ex: The ~ for being accepted to Cavill University is a score of 60 on the test.
striking (adj.)
very noticeable; easily attracting attention
Ex: Gordon had a ~ new attitude after he learned self-discipline at the army academy.
Usage Tips: ~ comes from a verb that means "to hit".
trend (n.)
a movement in one direction or a widespread change in fashion
Ex: The ~ among some young men is to wear their caps with the bill off to one side.
vanity (n.)
an excessive concern for one's appearance; excessive pride in or admiration of one's own appearance or achievements
Ex: Mark's ~ led him to spend far too much money on haircuts and new clothes.
vulnerable (adj.)
Exposed to possible harm
Ex: Babies and very old people are especially ~ to the new disease.
Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by a to phrase.