Daily Archives

Front 1

Play up

Back 1

emphasize or exaggerate the extent or importance of something."the mystery surrounding his death was played up by the media"

Front 2

Close ranks

Back 2

unite in order to defend common interests."the family had always closed ranks in times of crisis"

Front 3

Despicable

Back 3

deserving hatred and contempt."a despicable crime"Similar:contemptibleloathsome

Front 4

Stupor

Back 4

a state of near-unconsciousness or insensibility."a drunken stupor

Front 5

Tenacity

Back 5

the quality or fact of being very determined; determination."you have to admire the tenacity of these two guys"the quality or fact of continuing to exist; persistence."the tenacity of certain myths within the historical record"

Front 6

Tenacity

Back 6

the quality or fact of being able to grip something firmly; grip."the sheer tenacity of the limpet"

the quality or fact of being able to grip something firmly; grip."the sheer tenacity of the limpet"the quality or fact of being very determined; determination."you have to admire the tenacity of these two guys"the quality or fact of continuing to exist; persistence."the tenacity of certain myths within the historical record

the quality or fact of being very determined; determination."you have to admire the tenacity of these two guys"the quality or fact of continuing to exist; persistence."the tenacity of certain myths within the historical record

Front 7

Limpets

Back 7

used in comparisons to refer to people and things that cling tightly."the couples on the floor were clinging to each other like limpets"

Front 8

Dog

Back 8

follow (someone) closely and persistently."photographers seemed to dog her every step"

having or showing tenacity and grim persistence."success required dogged determination"

Front 9

Outlaw

Back 9

made illegal; banned."an outlawed extremist group"

Front 10

Outlaw

Back 10

made illegal; banned."an outlawed extremist group"

Front 11

Outlaw

Back 11

made illegal; banned."an outlawed extremist group"

Front 12

Solicit

Back 12

.ask for or try to obtain (something) from someone."he called a meeting to solicit their views"Similar:ask forrequestapply for

Front 13

Solicit

Back 13

.ask for or try to obtain (something) from someone."he called a meeting to solicit their views"Similar:ask forrequestapply for

Front 14

Solicit

Back 14

.ask for or try to obtain (something) from someone."he called a meeting to solicit their views"Similar:ask forrequestapply for

Front 15

Kickback

Back 15

an illicit payment made to someone in return for facilitating a transaction or appointment."the ruling party depends on contributions and kickbacks"Similar:bribepayment

Front 16

Kickback

Back 16

an illicit payment made to someone in return for facilitating a transaction or appointment."the ruling party depends on contributions and kickbacks"Similar:bribepayment

Front 17

Resuscitate

Back 17

revive (someone) from unconsciousness or apparent death."an ambulance crew tried to resuscitate him"Similar:bring roundrevivebring back

Front 18

Hail

Back 18

call out to (someone) to attract attention."I hailed her in English

signal (an approaching taxi) to stop."she raised her hand to hail a cab

Front 19

Rote

Back 19

mechanical or habitual repetition of something to be learned."a poem learnt by rote in childhood"

Front 20

Travail

Back 20

engage in painful or laborious effort."creation may travail in pain but it cannot escape its destiny

Front 21

Succour

Back 21

assistance and support in times of hardship and distress."the wounded had little chance of succour"Similar:aidhelpa helping hand

Front 22

Succour

Back 22

assistance and support in times of hardship and distress."the wounded had little chance of succour"Similar:aidhelpa helping hand

Front 23

Succour

Back 23

assistance and support in times of hardship and distress."the wounded had little chance of succour"Similar:aidhelpa helping hand

Front 24

Persona non grata

Back 24

an unacceptable or unwelcome person."he was persona non grata with the regime"

Front 25

Tenor

Back 25

the general meaning, sense, or content of something."the general tenor of the debate"a settled or prevailing character or direction, especially the course of a person's life or habits."the even tenor of life in the kitchen was disrupted the following day"

Front 26

Requite

Back 26

make appropriate return for (a favour, service, or wrongdoing)."they are quick to requite a kindness"

return a favour to (someone)."to win enough to requite my friends"Similar:returnreciprocate

respond to (love or affection)."she did not requite his love"Similar:reciprocatereturn

Front 27

Squalid

Back 27

showing or involving a contemptible lack of moral standards."a squalid attempt to save themselves from electoral embarrassment"Similar:impropersordidunseemly

(of a place) extremely dirty and unpleasant, especially as a result of poverty or neglect."the squalid, overcrowded prison

Front 28

Squalid

Back 28

showing or involving a contemptible lack of moral standards."a squalid attempt to save themselves from electoral embarrassment"Similar:impropersordidunseemly

(of a place) extremely dirty and unpleasant, especially as a result of poverty or neglect."the squalid, overcrowded prison

Front 29

Squalid

Back 29

showing or involving a contemptible lack of moral standards."a squalid attempt to save themselves from electoral embarrassment"Similar:impropersordidunseemly

(of a place) extremely dirty and unpleasant, especially as a result of poverty or neglect."the squalid, overcrowded prison

Front 30

Grope

Back 30

search blindly or uncertainly by feeling with the hands."she groped for her spectacles"Similar:fumblescrabble

root aboutroot aroundfeelcast aboutcast roundcast aroundrootle aroundgrabbleroust around2.fondle (someone) for sexual pleasure roughly or clumsily, or without the person's consent."I don't want strangers groping me"

Front 31

Wistful

Back 31

having or showing a feeling of vague or regretful longing."a wistful smile"Similar:regretfulnostalgicyearning

Front 32

Artifice

Back 32

clever or cunning devices or expedients, especially as used to trick or deceive others."an industry dominated by artifice"Similar:trickerydeviousnessdeceit

Front 33

Artifice

Back 33

clever or cunning devices or expedients, especially as used to trick or deceive others."an industry dominated by artifice"Similar:trickerydeviousnessdeceit

Front 34

Satraps

Back 34

any subordinate or local ruler.

Front 35

Satraps

Back 35

any subordinate or local ruler.

Front 36

Satraps

Back 36

any subordinate or local ruler.

Front 37

Relegate

Back 37

assign an inferior rank or position to."they aim to prevent women from being relegated to a secondary role"Similar:downgradelower

Front 38

Relegate

Back 38

assign an inferior rank or position to."they aim to prevent women from being relegated to a secondary role"Similar:downgradelower

Front 39

Roil

Back 39

make (a liquid) turbid or muddy by disturbing the sediment."winds roil these waters"(of a liquid) move in a turbulent, swirling manner."the sea roiled below her"

Front 40

Eke

Back 40

manage to make a living with difficulty."many traders barely eked out a living"Similar:scrapescratchscrimpsurvivemake an amount or supply of something last longer by using or consuming it frugally."the remains of yesterday's stew could be eked out to make another meal"

Front 41

Dither

Back 41

be indecisive."I can't bear people who dither"Similar:hesitatefalterwaverteetervacillate

Front 42

Motif

Back 42

dominant or recurring idea in an artistic work."superstition is a recurring motif in the book"Similar:themeideaconceptsubject

Front 43

Normative

Back 43

establishing, relating to, or deriving from a standard or norm, especially of behaviour."negative sanctions to enforce normative behaviour"

Front 44

Acquiesced

Back 44

accept something reluctantly but without protest."Sara acquiesced in his decision"Similar:permitconsent toagree toallow

Front 45

Frill

Back 45

an unnecessary extra feature or embellishment."it was just a comfortable flat with no frills"Similar:ostentationornamentation

Front 46

Unrivalled

Back 46

better than everyone or everything of the same type."the paper's coverage of foreign news is unrivalled"

Front 47

Fait accompli

Back 47

a thing that has already happened or been decided before those affected hear about it, leaving them with no option but to accept it.

Front 48

Hived off

Back 48

to break away from or as if from a group : become separate.

Front 49

Hived off

Back 49

to break away from or as if from a group : become separate.

Front 50

Perturb

Back 50

make (someone) anxious or unsettled."they were perturbed by her capricious behaviour"Similar:worryupsetunsettledisturb

Front 51

Unfazed

Back 51

not disconcerted or perturbed."the protestors were unfazed by the prospect of arrest"

Front 52

Piety

Back 52

the quality of being religious or reverent."acts of piety and charity"

Front 53

Enunciate

Back 53

express (a proposition, theory, etc.) in clear or definite terms."a written document enunciating this policy"Similar:expressutterstate

Front 54

Banal

Back 54

so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring."songs with banal, repeated words"Similar:tritehackneyedclichéd

Front 55

Prose

Back 55

plain or dull writing, discourse, or expression."closely typed in best office prose

Front 56

Idhyll

Back 56

an extremely happy, peaceful, or picturesque period or situation, typically an idealized or unsustainable one."the rural idyll remains strongly evocative in most industrialized societies"Similar:perfect timeideal timewonderful time

Front 57

Substantive

Back 57

having a firm basis in reality and so important, meaningful, or considerable."there is no substantive evidence for the efficacy of these drugs"2.having a separate and independent existence.(of a rank or appointment) not acting or temporary; permanent."he earned the rank of Substantive Corporal"

Front 58

Evince

Back 58

reveal the presence of (a quality or feeling); indicate."the news stories evinced the usual mixture of sympathy and satisfaction"Similar:revealshowmake clearmake plain

Front 59

Exclusion

Back 59

the process of excluding or the state of being excluded."he had a hand in my exclusion from the committee"Similar:barringkeeping outdebarmentdebarring

Front 60

Wrangling

Back 60

engagement in a long, complicated dispute or argument."weeks of political wrangling"

Front 61

Upend

Back 61

set or turn (something) on its end or upside down."she upended a can of soup over the portions"

Front 62

Juggernaut

Back 62

a huge, powerful, and overwhelming force."the juggernaut of public expenditure"

Front 63

Draw on

Back 63

use one's experience, talents, or skills as a resource."Sue has a lot of past experience to draw on"Similar:call onhave recourse toavail oneself ofturn to

of a period of time) pass by and approach its end."he remembered sitting in silence with his grandmother as evening drew

Front 64

Tractable

Back 64

(of a person) easy to control or influence."she has always been tractable and obedient, even as a child"

Front 65

Rubric

Back 65

.a heading on a document.a category."such ideas fall naturally under the rubric of postmodernism"2.a set of instructions or rules.a direction in a liturgical book as to how a church service should be conducted.a statement of purpose or function."art for a purpose, not for its own sake, was his rubric"

Front 66

Fledgling

Back 66

person or organization that is immature, inexperienced, or underdeveloped."A New York businessman accused of defrauding a fledgling Broadway production has been held without bail"Similar:emergingemergentarisingsunrisedawning

Front 67

Overture

Back 67

An introduction

an approach or proposal made to someone with the aim of opening negotiations or establishing a relationship."he began making overtures to British merchant banks"Similar:opening moveconciliatory movemoveapproach