Dictionary

Front 1

vinyl

Back 1

strong plastic that can easily bend

Front 2

percussion

Back 2

instrument used to make music by beating with drum sick

Front 3

skirt

Back 3

to move around in the corners

Front 4

bemused

Back 4

showing that you are confused and unable to think clearly

Hint 4

She looked somewhat shaken and bemused by what had happened.

Front 5

mediate

Back 5

to try to end a disagreement between two or more people or groups by talking to them and trying to find things that everyone can agree on

Hint 5

The Secretary-General was asked to mediate in the dispute.

Front 6

banal

Back 6

very ordinary and containing nothing that is interesting or important

Hint 6

a banal conversation about the weather

Front 7

mundane

Back 7

not interesting or exciting

Hint 7

I lead a pretty mundane existence.

Front 8

soothe

Back 8

to make sb who is anxious, upset, etc. feel calmer

Hint 8

This should soothe the pain

Front 9

ember

Back 9

a piece of wood or coal that is not burning but is still red and hot after a fire has died

Hint 9

Only the embers of the bonfire remained.

Front 10

stasis

Back 10

a situation in which there is no change or development

Front 11

soporific

Back 11

making you want to go to sleep

Hint 11

the soporific effect of the sun

Front 12

rack

Back 12

shelf of books or to make sb suffer great physical or mental pain

Hint 12

Her face was racked with pain

Front 13

leer

Back 13

to look or smile at sb in an unpleasant way that shows an evil or sexual interest in them

Front 14

creepy

Back 14

causing an unpleasant feeling of fear or slight horror or scary

Hint 14

It's kind of creepy down in the cellar!

Front 15

unilateral

Back 15

done by one member of a group or an organization without the agreement of the other members

Hint 15

They were forced to take unilateral action

Front 16

veto

Back 16

to stop sth from happening or being done by using your official authority (= by using your veto )

Hint 16

to stop sth from happening or being done by using your official authority (= by using your veto )

Front 17

protracted

Back 17

lasting longer than expected or longer than usual

Hint 17

protracted delays/disputes/negotiations

Front 18

consensus

Back 18

an opinion that all members of a group agree with

Hint 18

She is skilled at achieving consensus on sensitive issues

Front 19

prime

Back 19

to prepare sb for a situation so that they know what to do, especially by giving them special information

Hint 19

They had been primed with good advice

Front 20

novel

Back 20

different from anything known before

Hint 20

Job-sharing is still a novel concept and it will take a while for employers to get used to it.

Front 21

diagnostic

Back 21

connected with identifying sth, especially an illness

Hint 21

to carry out diagnostic assessments/tests

Front 22

trounce

Back 22

to defeat sb completely

Hint 22

Brazil trounced Italy 5–1 in the final.

Front 23

decisive

Back 23

very important for the final result of a particular situation

Hint 23

Climate was a decisive factor in establishing where the tournament should be held.

Front 24

upshot

Back 24

the final result of a series of events

Hint 24

The upshot of it all was that he left college and got a job.

Front 25

deadlock

Back 25

a complete failure to reach agreement or settle an argument

Hint 25

European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies.

Front 26

scuttle

Back 26

to run with quick short steps

Hint 26

She scuttled off when she heard the sound of his voice.

Front 27

dynamics

Back 27

the way in which people or things behave and react to each other in a particular situation

Hint 27

the dynamics of political change

Front 28

dynamics

Back 28

the way in which people or things behave and react to each other in a particular situation

Hint 28

the dynamics of political change

Front 29

conventional

Back 29

tending to follow what is done or considered acceptable by society in general; normal and ordinary, and perhaps not very interesting

Hint 29

She's very conventional in her views.

Front 30

wisdom

Back 30

the ability to make sensible decisions and give good advice because of the experience and knowledge that you have

Hint 30

I question the wisdom of giving a child so much money

Front 31

probing

Back 31

intended to discover the truth

Hint 31

They asked a lot of probing questions

Front 32

clout

Back 32

power and influence

Hint 32

I knew his opinion carried a lot of clout with them.

Front 33

potent

Back 33

having a strong effect on your body or mind

Hint 33

a potent argument

Front 34

lobby or lobbying

Back 34

to try to influence a politician or the government and, for example, persuade them to support or oppose a change in the law

Hint 34

Farmers will lobby Congress for higher subsidies.

Front 35

gauge

Back 35

to make a judgement about sth, especially people's feelings or attitudes

Hint 35

They interviewed employees to gauge their reaction to the changes

Front 36

gritty

Back 36

showing the courage and determination to continue doing sth difficult or unpleasant

Hint 36

a gritty performance from the British player

Front 37

adept

Back 37

good at doing sth that is quite difficult like skillful

Hint 37

He became adept at getting even the shyest students to talk.

Front 38

myriad

Back 38

an extremely large number of sth

Hint 38

Designs are available in a myriad of colours

Front 39

primer

Back 39

a book that contains basic instructions

Hint 39

The President doesn't need a primer on national security.

Front 40

conspicuously

Back 40

easy to see or notice; likely to attract attention

Hint 40

Mary's red hair always made her conspicuous at school.

Front 41

agnostic

Back 41

a person who believes that it is not possible to know whether God exists or not