Reading...
Play button
Play button
Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
125 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
(1) The boys continually taunted each
(2) He suffered the taunts of the other children. (3) She ignored his taunt. |
taunt: to say insulting things to (someone) in order to make that person angry
|
|
|
(1) Everyone knew him as an amiable fellow
(2) She had an amiable conversation with her friend. (3) He is a very amiable man |
amiable: friendly and pleasant
|
|
|
(1) a one-volume compendium of information
(2) He published a compendium of folk tales. (3) The Roman Catholic Church has issued a compendium of its teachings. |
compendium: a collection of things (such as photographs, stories, facts, etc.) that have been gathered together and presented as a group especially in the form of a book
|
|
|
(1) At its zenith in the 1980s, the company employed more than 300 people
(2) That was the zenith of her career (3) the company employed more than 300 people |
zenith: (1)the strongest or most successful period of time
(2)the highest point reached in the sky by the sun, moon, etc. |
|
|
(1) His reputation has been damaged by innuendos about his drinking and gambling.
(2) His reputation has been damaged by innuendo. (3) The movie relies on sexual innuendo for its humor. |
innuendo: a statement which indirectly suggests that someone has done something immoral, improper, etc.
|
|
|
(1) She has a shy/friendly/warm demeanor.
(2) His quiet demeanor [=manner, bearing] had a calming effect on us. (3) They maintained a solemn demeanor as they told us the bad news. |
demeanor: a person's appearance and behavior : the way someone seems to be to other people —usually singular
|
|
|
(1) She repeated the old shibboleth that time heals all wounds.
(2) It is time to go beyond the shibboleth that conventional forces cannot deter. (3) the crumbling of old political shibboleths |
shibboleth: (1) an old idea, opinion, or saying that is commonly believed and repeated but that may be seen as old-fashioned or untrue
(2) a word or way of speaking or behaving which shows that a person belongs to a particular group |
|
|
(1) She accepted the invitation with alacrity
(2) They accepted the offer with alacrity. (3) She accepted with alacrity. |
alacrity: a quick and cheerful readiness to do something
|
|
|
(1) The lyrics contain biblical allusions
(2) She made an allusion to her first marriage, but said nothing more about it. (3) Her poetry is full of obscure literary allusion. |
allusion: a statement that refers to something without mentioning it directly
|
|
|
(1) The new test is supposed to measure the aptitudes of the students.
(2) Anyone who can speak five languages obviously has a great natural aptitude for (learning) languages. (3) She's shown great natural aptitude for (learning) languages. ▪ a test of aptitude |
aptitude: a natural ability to do something or to learn something
|
|
|
(1) He is regarded as an arbiter of taste in the world of jazz.
(2) The mayor will act as the final arbiter in any disputes between board members. (3) He was the ultimate arbiter on both theological and political matters. |
arbiter: (1) a person who is considered to be an authority on what is right, good, or proper.
(2) a person who has the power to settle an argument between people |
|
|
(1) a brutal murderer who killed without compunction
(2) He feels/has no compunction about his crimes. (3) She has no compunctions about rejecting the plan. |
compunction: a feeling of guilt or regret
|
|
|
(1) This new evidence gives/adds/lends (some) credence
(2) The theory is gaining credence among scientists. (3) I don't give any credence to these rumors. |
credence (1) : belief that something is true
(2) the quality of being believed or accepted as something true or real |
|
|
(1) a group of violent delinquents
(2) Deanes writes and lectures about teenage delinquents. (3) remand homes for delinquent children. |
delinquent: a young person who regularly does illegal or immoral things
|
|
|
(1) The deluge caused severe mudslides
(2) The office receives a deluge of mail every day. (3) Viewers sent a deluge of complaints about the show. |
deluge: (1A) a large amount of rain that suddenly falls in an area
(1B) a situation in which a large area of land becomes completely covered with water (2) a large amount of things that come at the same time |
|
|
(1) She has a shy/friendly/warm demeanor
(2) His quiet demeanor [=manner, bearing] had a calming effect on us. (3) They maintained a solemn demeanor as they told us the bad news. |
demeanor: a person's appearance and behavior : the way someone seems to be to other people
|
|
|
(1) The incident has caused a lot of dissension within/in the police department.
(2) Religious dissension threatened to split the colony. (3) This move sowed dissension within the party ranks. |
dissension: disagreement that causes the people in a group to argue about something that is important to them
|
|
|
(1) water here is five fathoms deep.
(2) I still can't fathom out what she meant. (3) Mark couldn't fathom why she resented him so much. |
fathom: a unit of length equal to six feet used especially for measuring the depth of water
|
|
|
(1) The boxer made a feint with his right, then followed with a left hook.
(2) In sport or military conflict, if someone feints. (3) The boxer made a feint with his right, then followed with a left hook. |
feint: a quick movement that you make to trick an opponent
|
|
|
(1) He showed great forbearance in his dealings with them.
(2) All the Greenpeace people behaved with impressive forbearance and dignity. (3) The mortgage company had acted with forebearance, only taking them to court as a last resort. |
forbearance: the quality of someone who is patient and able to deal with a difficult person or situation without becoming angry
|
|
|
(1) She's a glutton for gossip.
(2) That guy's a real glutton for punishment. (3) I can't control my eating. It's hard when people don't understand and call you a glutton. |
glutton: (1) a person who eats too much
(2) someone who wants a large amount of something |
|
|
(1) a butterfly's wings of gossamer.
(2) the daring gossamer dresses of sheer black lace. (3) a gown of gossamer silk the gossamer wings of a dragonfly. |
gossamer: (1) a piece of a spider's web
(2) a very light or delicate material |
|
|
(1) The bomb threat is probably a hoax, but we should still evacuate the building.
(2) She was the victim of a cruel hoax. (3) The bomb threat is probably a hoax, but we should still evacuate the building. |
hoax: an act that is meant to trick or deceive people
|
|
|
(1) She had to endure the ignominy of being forced to resign.
(2) the small/petty ignominies that are a part of everyone's life. (3) She had to endure the ignominy of being forced to resign. |
ignominy: a situation or event that causes you to feel ashamed or embarrassed
|
|
|
(1) He has a reputation for impropriety.
(2) The judge excused herself from the case to avoid any appearance of impropriety (3) She was shocked by the impropriety of his behavior/language. (4) He has been accused of financial/sexual improprieties. |
impropriety: (1A) rude or immoral behavior : improper behavior
(1B) a rude or improper quality |
|
|
(1) A wave of nostalgia swept over me when I saw my childhood home.
(2) He was filled with nostalgia for his college days. (3) A wave of nostalgia swept over me when I saw my childhood home. |
nostalgia: pleasure and sadness that is caused by remembering something from the past and wishing that you could experience it again
|
|
|
(1) They are going to hold a plebiscite on the question of national independence.
(2) The issue will be decided by plebiscite. (3) to hold a plebiscite on the country’s future system of government |
plebiscite: a vote by which the people of a country or region express their opinion for or against an important proposal
|
|
|
(1) Right now, doctors say his prognosis is/isn't good.
(2) The president had a hopeful prognosis about the company's future. (3) a hopeful prognosis of the country's future development |
prognosis: (1) a doctor's opinion about how someone will recover from an illness or injury.
(2) a judgment about what is going to happen in the future. |
|
|
(1) People are attracted to the area by the proximity of several beaches.
(2) I like the proximity of the bus stop to my home. (3) The bus stop is located in close proximity to my home. |
proximity: the state of being near
|
|
|
(1) Satellites help meteorologists predict the weather.
(2) Images of the planet are sent by satellite. (3) satellite broadcasting/channels/images/radio/TV |
satellite (1) a [count] : an object (such as a moon) that moves around a much larger planet b : a machine that is sent into space and that moves around the earth, moon, sun, or a planet ◊Satellites are used for radio, television, and other types of communication and for studying the objects they move around.
(2) a country, organization, etc., that is controlled by a larger and more powerful country, organization, etc. |
|
|
(1)She repeated the old shibboleth that time heals all wounds.
(2) It is time to go beyond the shibboleth that conventional forces cannot deter. (3) the crumbling of old political shibboleths |
shibboleth: 1 : an old idea, opinion, or saying that is commonly believed and repeated but that may be seen as old-fashioned or untrue
2 : a word or way of speaking or behaving which shows that a person belongs to a particular group |
|
|
(1) a wall with a stone veneer
(2) a dresser with mahogany veneer (3) She dropped her veneer of sophistication. |
veneer: 1 : a thin layer of wood or other material that is attached to the surface of something in order to make it look better
2: a way of behaving or appearing that gives other people a false idea of your true feelings or situation —usually + of |
|
|
(1) At its zenith [=peak] in the 1980s, the company employed more than 300 people.
(2) That was the zenith of her career. (3)The rock band was at the zenith of its creative powers. |
zenith: 1 formal : the strongest or most successful period of time
2 technical : the highest point reached in the sky by the sun, moon, etc. |
|
|
(1) The donor wishes to remain anonymous.
(2) The college received an anonymous gift. (3) His was just another anonymous face in the crowd. |
anonymous: 1 : not named or identified
2 : made or done by someone unknown 3 : not distinct or noticeable : lacking interesting or unusual characteristics |
|
|
(1) the antithetical forces of good and evil.
(2) The court's ruling is antithetical to the very idea of democracy. (3) Love is the antithesis of selfishness. |
antithetical: directly opposite or opposed.
|
|
|
(1) a commodious apartment/room/house.
(2) A commodious room or house is large and has a lot of space. (3) A commodious room or house is large and has a lot of space. |
commodious: having a lot of space
|
|
|
(1) a corpulent man.
(2) her large, corpulent body. (3) He is a short, somewhat corpulent, man. |
corpulent: fat
|
|
|
(1) Police diverted traffic to a side street.
(2) They're only proposing the law to divert attention from important issues. (3) The children diverted themselves with games. |
diverting: 1 : to change the direction or use of (something)
2 a : to take (attention) away from someone or something 3 formal : to entertain (someone) |
|
|
(1) Many of these old traditions have since become extinct.
(2) an extinct (species of) animal (3) an extinct volcano |
extinct: 1 : no longer existing
2 : no longer active |
|
|
(1) He is known for his obdurate determination.
(2) Officials at the hospital were obdurate. (3) Her obduracy angered them. |
obdurate: refusing to do what other people want : not willing to change your opinion or the way you do something
|
|
|
(1) The system was made/rendered obsolete by their invention
(2) obsolete mills and factories (3) an obsolete word |
obsolete: 1 : no longer used because something newer exists
2 : no longer used by anyone |
|
|
(1) She has a shy/friendly/warm demeanor
(2) His quiet demeanor [=manner, bearing] had a calming effect on us. (3) They maintained a solemn demeanor as they told us the bad news. |
demeanor: a person's appearance and behavior : the way someone seems to be to other people
|
|
|
(1) His reputation has been damaged by innuendos about his drinking and gambling.
(2) His reputation has been damaged by innuendo. (3) The movie relies on sexual innuendo for its humor. |
innuendo: a statement which indirectly suggests that someone has done something immoral, improper, etc.
|
|
|
(1) a brutal murderer who killed without compunction
(2) He feels/has no compunction about his crimes. (3) He has no compunctions about his crimes |
compunction: a feeling of guilt or regret
|
|
|
(1) a wall with a stone veneer
(2) a dresser with mahogany veneer (3) She dropped her veneer of sophistication. |
veneer: 1 : a thin layer of wood or other material that is attached to the surface of something in order to make it look better
2: a way of behaving or appearing that gives other people a false idea of your true feelings or situation —usually + of |
|
|
(1) She accepted her misfortunes with equanimity.
(2) She accepted the prospect of her operation with equanimity. (3) His sense of humour allowed him to face adversaries with equanimity |
equanimity: calm emotions when dealing with problems or pressure
|
|
|
(1) popular fallacies about medicine
(2) It's a fallacy (to believe) that the Earth is flat. (3) The fallacy of their ideas about medicine soon became apparent. |
fallacy: 1 [count] : a wrong belief : a false or mistaken idea
2 [noncount] : the quality of being false or wrong |
|
|
(1) Most people are immune to the disease.
(2) The court ruled that he was immune from prosecution because of his diplomatic status. (3) an immune response/reaction |
immune: 1 not used before a noun a : not capable of being affected by a disease
2 not used before a noun : having special protection from something that is required for most people by law 3 always used before a noun : of or relating to the body's immune system |
|
|
(1) an army of foreign mercenaries
(2) She’s interested in him for purely mercenary reasons. (3) She’s interested in him for purely mercenary reasons. |
mercenary: a soldier who is paid by a foreign country to fight in its army
|
|
|
(1) She followed her own predilections.
(2) They shared a predilection for adventure stories. (3) He has a predilection for trouble. |
predilection: a natural liking for something : a tendency to do or to be attracted to something
|
|
|
(1) stringent rules/requirements/restrictions/standard
(2) Licences are only granted under the most stringent conditions. (3) the government’s stringent economic policies. |
stringent: very strict or severe
|
|
|
(1) Something was dreadfully/terribly awry.
(2) Their plans went awry. (3) Something had gone dreadfully/terribly awry. |
awry: 1 not working correctly or happening in the expected way
2 not straight or neat |
|
|
(1)I can't invite a boor like him to dinner! He'd offend the other guests.
(2) I found him rather boorish and aggressive. (3) their boorish rejection of the ageing movie star. |
boorish: a rude and rough person
|
|
|
(1) employees who are at the mercy of a capricious manager
(2) The court ruled that the punishment was arbitrary and capricious. (3) He was a cruel and capricious tyrant. |
capricious: 1 : changing often and quickly
2 : not logical or reasonable |
|
|
(1)Officials were circumspect about what the talks had achieved.
(2) This is a very sensitive case requiring extreme circumspection. (3) a scholar known for her circumspection |
circumspect: thinking carefully about possible risks before doing or saying something.
|
|
|
(1) My roommate and I are very compatible
(2) Our tastes are not compatible (3) a policy that is compatible with my beliefs |
compatible: 1 : able to exist together without trouble or conflict
2 of devices and especially computers |
|
|
(1) She has a whimsical sense of humor.
(2) Despite his kindly, sometimes whimsical air, he was a shrewd observer of people. (3) Much of his writing has a whimsical quality. |
whimsical: unusual in a playful or amusing way
|
|
|
(1) Few people are credulous enough to believe such nonsense.
(2) quack doctors charming money out of the pockets of credulous health-hungry citizens. (3) too ready to believe things and therefore easy to trick |
credulous: too ready to believe things : easily fooled or cheated
|
|
|
(1) The boys continually taunted each
(2) He suffered the taunts of the other children. (3) The boys continually taunted each |
taunt: to say insulting things to (someone) in order to make that person angry
|
|
|
(1) Everyone knew him as an amiable fellow
(2) She had an amiable conversation with her friend. (3) He is a very amiable man |
amiable: friendly and pleasant
|
|
|
(1) a one-volume compendium of information
(2) He published a compendium of folk tales. (3) The Roman Catholic Church has issued a compendium of its teachings. |
compendium: a collection of things (such as photographs, stories, facts, etc.) that have been gathered together and presented as a group especially in the form of a book
|
|
|
(1) At its zenith in the 1980s, the company employed more than 300 people
(2) That was the zenith of her career (3) the company employed more than 300 people |
zenith: (1)the strongest or most successful period of time
(2)the highest point reached in the sky by the sun, moon, etc. |
|
|
(1) His reputation has been damaged by innuendos about his drinking and gambling.
(2) His reputation has been damaged by innuendo. (3) The movie relies on sexual innuendo for its humor. |
innuendo: a statement which indirectly suggests that someone has done something immoral, improper, etc.
|
|
|
(1) She has a shy/friendly/warm demeanor.
(2) His quiet demeanor [=manner, bearing] had a calming effect on us. (3) They maintained a solemn demeanor as they told us the bad news. |
demeanor: a person's appearance and behavior : the way someone seems to be to other people —usually singular
|
|
|
(1) She repeated the old shibboleth that time heals all wounds.
(2) It is time to go beyond the shibboleth that conventional forces cannot deter. (3) the crumbling of old political shibboleths |
shibboleth: (1) an old idea, opinion, or saying that is commonly believed and repeated but that may be seen as old-fashioned or untrue
(2) a word or way of speaking or behaving which shows that a person belongs to a particular group |
|
|
(1) She accepted the invitation with alacrity
(2) He accepted the invitation with an alacrity that surprised me. (3) She accepted the invitation with alacrity |
alacrity: a quick and cheerful readiness to do something
|
|
|
(1) The lyrics contain biblical allusions
(2) She made an allusion to her first marriage, but said nothing more about it. (3) She made allusion to her first marriage. |
allusion: a statement that refers to something without mentioning it directly
|
|
|
(1) The new test is supposed to measure the aptitudes of the students.
(2) Anyone who can speak five languages obviously has a great natural aptitude for (learning) languages. (3) She's shown great natural aptitude for (learning) languages. ▪ a test of aptitude |
aptitude: a natural ability to do something or to learn something
|
|
|
(1) He is regarded as an arbiter of taste in the world of jazz.
(2) The mayor will act as the final arbiter in any disputes between board members. (3) She is regarded as an arbiter of taste in the world of jazz. |
arbiter: (1) a person who is considered to be an authority on what is right, good, or proper.
(2) a person who has the power to settle an argument between people |
|
|
(1) a brutal murderer who killed without compunction
(2) He feels/has no compunction about his crimes. (3) He has no compunctions about his crimes |
compunction: a feeling of guilt or regret.
|
|
|
(1) This new evidence gives/adds/lends (some) credence
(2) The theory is gaining credence among scientists. (3) I don't give any credence to these rumors. |
credence (1) : belief that something is true
(2) the quality of being believed or accepted as something true or real. |
|
|
(1) a group of violent delinquents
(2) Deanes writes and lectures about teenage delinquents. (3) remand homes for delinquent children. |
delinquent: a young person who regularly does illegal or immoral things.
|
|
|
(1) His instructions were cryptic.
(2) I received a cryptic message through the post. (3) He has issued a short, cryptic statement denying the spying charges..., My father's notes are more cryptic here. |
cryptic: difficult to understand : having or seeming to have a hidden meaning.
|
|
|
(1) They held her culpable for the accident.
(2) He's more culpable than the others because he's old enough to know better (3) After the accident, the company refused to accept culpability. |
culpable: deserving blame : guilty of doing something wrong
|
|
|
(1) She was wearing a demure gray suit.
(2) She's very demure and sweet. (3) She was demurely dressed in a black woollen suit. |
demure: quiet and well behaved
|
|
|
(1) The company was accused of using devious.
(2) He took us by a devious route to the center of the city. (3) He got rich by devious means. |
devious: describes people or plans and methods that are dishonest, often in a complicated way, but often also clever and successful
|
|
|
(1) His parents are devout.
(2) It is his devout wish to help people in need. (3) She devoutly hoped he was telling the truth. |
devout: believing strongly in a religion and obeying all its rules or principles
|
|
|
(1) an exciting and dynamic performance
(2) She's young and dynamic and will be a great addition to the team. (3) Market dynamics are working in the company’s favour. |
dynamic: having a lot of ideas and enthusiasm; energetic and forceful
|
|
|
(1) The article contains a number of egregious.
(2) It was an egregious error for a statesman to show such ignorance. (3) the most egregious abuses of human rights. |
egregious: very bad and easily noticed
|
|
|
(1) His argument is based on fallacious reasoning.
(2) Their main argument is fallacious. (3) His argument is based on fallacious reasoning. |
fallacious: containing a mistake : not true or accurate
|
|
|
(1) The boxer made a feint with his right, then followed with a left hook.
(2) In sport or military conflict, if someone feints. (3) The boxer made a feint with his right, then followed with a left hook. |
feint: a quick movement that you make to trick an opponent
|
|
|
(1) He showed great forbearance in his dealings with them.
(2) All the Greenpeace people behaved with impressive forbearance and dignity. (3) The mortgage company had acted with forebearance, only taking them to court as a last resort. |
forbearance: the quality of someone who is patient and able to deal with a difficult person or situation without becoming angry.
|
|
|
(1) She's a glutton for gossip.
(2) That guy's a real glutton for punishment. (3) I can't control my eating. It's hard when people don't understand and call you a glutton. |
glutton: (1) a person who eats too much
(2) someone who wants a large amount of something. |
|
|
(1) a butterfly's wings of gossamer.
(2) the daring gossamer dresses of sheer black lace. (3) a gown of gossamer silk the gossamer wings of a dragonfly |
gossamer: (1) a piece of a spider's web
(2) a very light or delicate material |
|
|
(1) The bomb threat is probably a hoax, but we should still evacuate the building.
(2) She was the victim of a cruel hoax. (3) The bomb threat is probably a hoax, but we should still evacuate the building. |
hoax: an act that is meant to trick or deceive people
|
|
|
(1) She had to endure the ignominy of being forced to resign.
(2) the small/petty ignominies that are a part of everyone's life. (3) She had to endure the ignominy of being forced to resign. |
ignominy: a situation or event that causes you to feel ashamed or embarrassed.
|
|
|
(1) A wave of nostalgia swept over me when I saw my childhood home.
(2) He was filled with nostalgia for his college days. (3) A wave of nostalgia swept over me when I saw my childhood home. |
nostalgia: pleasure and sadness that is caused by remembering something from the past and wishing that you could experience it again.
|
|
|
(1) They are going to hold a plebiscite on the question of national independence.
(2) The issue will be decided by plebiscite. (3) to hold a plebiscite on the country’s future system of government |
plebiscite: a vote by which the people of a country or region express their opinion for or against an important proposal
|
|
|
(1) Right now, doctors say his prognosis is/isn't good.
(2) The president had a hopeful prognosis about the company's future. (3) a hopeful prognosis of the country's future development |
prognosis: (1) a doctor's opinion about how someone will recover from an illness or injury.
(2) a judgment about what is going to happen in the future. |
|
|
(1) Satellites help meteorologists predict the weather.
(2) Images of the planet are sent by satellite. (3) satellite broadcasting/channels/images/radio/TV |
satellite (1) a [count] : an object (such as a moon) that moves around a much larger planet b : a machine that is sent into space and that moves around the earth, moon, sun, or a planet ◊Satellites are used for radio, television, and other types of communication and for studying the objects they move around.
(2) a country, organization, etc., that is controlled by a larger and more powerful country, organization, etc. |
|
|
(1)She repeated the old shibboleth that time heals all wounds.
(2) It is time to go beyond the shibboleth that conventional forces cannot deter. (3) the crumbling of old political shibboleths |
shibboleth: 1 : an old idea, opinion, or saying that is commonly believed and repeated but that may be seen as old-fashioned or untrue
2 : a word or way of speaking or behaving which shows that a person belongs to a particular group |
|
|
(1) a wall with a stone veneer
(2) a dresser with mahogany veneer (3) She dropped her veneer of sophistication. |
veneer: 1 : a thin layer of wood or other material that is attached to the surface of something in order to make it look better
2: a way of behaving or appearing that gives other people a false idea of your true feelings or situation —usually + of |
|
|
(1) She accepted her misfortunes with equanimity.
(2) She accepted the prospect of her operation with equanimity. (3) His sense of humour allowed him to face adversaries with equanimity |
equanimity: calm emotions when dealing with problems or pressure
|
|
|
(1) He is known for his obdurate determination.
(2) Officials at the hospital were obdurate. (3) Her obduracy angered them. |
obdurate: refusing to do what other people want : not willing to change your opinion or the way you do something
|
|
|
(1)I can't invite a boor like him to dinner! He'd offend the other guests.
(2) I found him rather boorish and aggressive. (3) their boorish rejection of the ageing movie star. |
boorish: a rude and rough person
|
|
|
(1) Few people are credulous enough to believe such nonsense.
(2) quack doctors charming money out of the pockets of credulous health-hungry citizens. (3) too ready to believe things and therefore easy to trick |
credulous: too ready to believe things : easily fooled or cheated
|
|
|
(1) an army of foreign mercenaries
(2) She’s interested in him for purely mercenary reasons. (3) She’s interested in him for purely mercenary reasons. |
mercenary: a soldier who is paid by a foreign country to fight in its army
|
|
|
(1) His presence there was entirely fortuitous.
(2) You could not have arrived at a more fortuitous time. (3) The timing of the meeting is certainly fortuitous. |
fortuitous: not planned, happening by chance
|
|
|
(1) You're making a ghastly mistake.
(2) Today's newspaper gives all the ghastly details of the murder. (3) I thought her outfit was ghastly. |
ghastly: 1 : very shocking or horrible
2 : very bad |
|
|
(1) meretricious beauty
(2) He claims that a lot of journalism is meretricious and superficial. (3) vulgar, meretricious and shabby souvenirs. |
meretricious: seeming attractive but really false or of little value
|
|
|
(1) There was something sinister about him.
(2) The ruined house had a sinister appearance. (3) A sinister-looking man sat in the corner of the room. |
sinister: having an evil appearance : looking likely to cause something bad, harmful, or dangerous to happen
|
|
|
(1) He alienated most of his colleagues with his bad temper
(2) Her position on this issue has alienated her from many voters (3) Her position on this issue has alienated many former supporters. |
alienate: (1) to make (someone) unfriendly
(2) to cause (someone) to feel that she or he no longer belongs in a particular group, society, etc. |
|
|
(1) Managers tried to allay fears that some workers would lose their jobs.
(2) The new advertising campaign is an attempt to allay the public's concerns/worries about the safety of the company's products. (3) The president made a statement to allay public anxiety. |
allay: to make (something) less severe or strong
|
|
|
(1) She's an intelligent and articulate speaker.
(2) He was very articulate about his feelings on the subject. (3) The baby is beginning to form articulate words and phrases. |
articulate: able to express ideas clearly and effectively in speech or writing
|
|
|
(1) The abandoned factory is a blight on the neighborhood.
(2) Her guilty secret was a blight on her happiness. (3) A broken leg blighted her chances of winning the championship. |
blight: (1) a disease that makes plants dry up and die
(2) something that causes harm or damage like a disease |
|
|
(1) A wave of nostalgia swept over me when I saw my childhood home.
(2) He was filled with nostalgia for his college days. (3) A wave of nostalgia swept over me when I saw my childhood home. |
nostalgia: pleasure and sadness that is caused by remembering something from the past and wishing that you could experience it again
|
|
|
(1) to come together to form one group or mass
(2) a group of young reformers who gradually coalesced into a political movement (3) The ice masses coalesced into a glacier over time. |
coalesce :to come together to form one group or mass
|
|
|
(1) I concede that the work has been slow so far, but it should speed up soon.
(2) Although it seems clear that he has lost the election, he still refuses to concede. (3) The former ruler was forced to concede power to a new government. (4) The team has not conceded |
concede: (1) to say that you accept or do not deny the truth or existence of
(2) to admit that you have been defeated and stop trying to win (3) to give away (something) usually in an unwilling way (4) to allow an opponent to score |
|
|
(1) The biography includes conjectures about the writer's earliest ambitions
(2) Most of the book is conjecture, not fact. (3) Your plan is based on conjecture. |
conjecture: an opinion or idea formed without proof or sufficient evidence
|
|
|
(1) The photograph showed his somber countenance.
(2) I will not countenance you being rude to Dr Baxter. (3) The school will not countenance bad behaviour. |
countenance: the appearance of a person's face : a person's expression
|
|
|
(1) It's a word that doesn't have much use in ordinary discourse.
(2) He likes to engage in lively discourse with his visitors. (3) She delivered an entertaining discourse on the current state of the film industry. |
discourse: (1) the use of words to exchange thoughts and ideas
(2) a long talk or piece of writing about a subject |
|
|
(1) They are going to hold a plebiscite on the question of national independence.
(2) The issue will be decided by plebiscite. (3) to hold a plebiscite on the country’s future system of government |
plebiscite: a vote by which the people of a country or region express their opinion for or against an important proposal
|
|
|
(1) They are going to hold a plebiscite on the question of national independence.
(2) The issue will be decided by plebiscite. (3) to hold a plebiscite on the country’s future system of government |
plebiscite: a vote by which the people of a country or region express their opinion for or against an important proposal
|
|
|
(1) When the news broke, a long period of chaos ensued.
(2) problems that ensue from food and medical shortages (3) The police officer said that he had placed the man under arrest and that a scuffle had ensued. |
ensue: to come at a later time ; to happen as a result
|
|
|
(1) I entreat you to help me.
(2) His parents entreated him to return to school. (3) His friends entreated him not to go. |
entreat: to ask (someone) in a serious and emotional way
|
|
|
(1) American expatriates living in Paris
(2) British expatriates living in Spain (3) The new leaders expatriated the ruling family. |
expatriate: a person who lives in a foreign country
|
|
|
(1) They felt it was necessary to expurgate his letters before publishing them.
(2) an expurgated version of her writings (3) The book was expurgated to make it suitable for children. |
expurgate: to change (a written work) by removing parts that might offend people
|
|
|
(1) Something was dreadfully/terribly awry.
(2) Their plans went awry. (3) Something had gone dreadfully/terribly awry. |
awry: 1 not working correctly or happening in the expected way
2 not straight or neat |
|
|
(1) Few people are credulous enough to believe such nonsense.
(2) quack doctors charming money out of the pockets of credulous health-hungry citizens. (3) too ready to believe things and therefore easy to trick |
credulous: too ready to believe things : easily fooled or cheated
|
|
|
(1) She repeated the old shibboleth that time heals all wounds.
(2) It is time to go beyond the shibboleth that conventional forces cannot deter. (3) the crumbling of old political shibboleths |
shibboleth: (1) an old idea, opinion, or saying that is commonly believed and repeated but that may be seen as old-fashioned or untrue
(2) a word or way of speaking or behaving which shows that a person belongs to a particular group |
|
|
(1) The water here is five fathoms deep.
(2) Mark couldn't fathom why she resented him so much. (3) I still can't fathom out what she meant. |
fathom: to understand what something means after thinking about it carefully
|
|
|
(1) She liked to flaunt her wealth by wearing furs and jewelry.
(2) The rich flaunted their wealth while the poor starved on the streets. (3) He's got a lot of money but he doesn't flaunt it. |
flaunt: to show your money, success, beauty etc so that other people notice it - used to show disapproval
|
|
|
(1) Many people had to be immunized after being exposed to the disease.
(2) All the children have been immunized against polio. (3) There is still no vaccine to immunize people against the virus. |
immunize: to protect someone from a particular illness by giving them a vaccine
|
|
|
(1) Congress will vote on whether or not to impeach the President.
(2) The defense lawyers tried to impeach the witness's testimony by forcing him to admit that he had changed his story. (3) The governor was impeached for using state funds improperly. |
impeach: if a government official is impeached, they are formally charged with a serious crime in a special government court:
|
|
|
(1) They were both incarcerated for armed robbery.
(2) He spent 10 years incarcerated in prison. (3) Thousands of dissidents have been interrogated or incarcerated. |
incarcerate: to put or keep someone in prison
|
