Vocabulary

Front 1

scry (v)

Back 1

To see or predict the future by means of a crystal ball.

Front 2

lax (v)

Back 2

not strict or careful enough about standards of behaviour, work, safety etc

Front 3

slump (v)

Back 3

1 to fall or lean against something because you are not strong enough to stand
slump against/over/back etc
[British English] She slumped against the wall.
Carol slumped back in her chair, defeated.
Ben staggered and slumped onto the floor.
2 to suddenly go down in price, value, or number [≠ soar]:
Sales slumped by 20% last year.
slump to
The currency slumped to a record low.
3 also be slumped if your shoulders or head slump or are slumped, they bend forward because you are unhappy, tired, or unconscious:
Her shoulders slumped and her eyes filled with tears.

Front 4

presumptuous (adj)

Back 4

doing something that you have no right to do and that seems rude

Hint 4

s it presumptuous (of somebody) to do something
Would it be presumptuous of me to ask why you are so miserable?
—presumptuously adverb
—presumptuousness noun [uncountable]

Front 5

boon (n)

Back 5

something that is very useful and makes your life a lot easier or better:

Hint 5

The bus service is a real boon to people in the village.

Front 6

precipice (n)

Back 6

1. a very steep side of a high rock, mountain or cliff:
2. a dangerous situation in which something very bad could happen:

Hint 6

1. A loose rock tumbled over the precipice.
2. The stock market is on the edge of a precipice.

Front 7

stool (n)

Back 7

1. a seat that has three or four legs, but no back or arms
2. medical a piece of solid waste from your bowels

Hint 7

1. a bar stool

Front 8

flagon (n)

Back 8

a large container for liquids, especially beer or wine

Front 9

wield (v)

Back 9

1. have a lot of power or influence, and to use it
2. to hold a weapon or tool that you are going to use

Hint 9

1. The Church wields immense power in Ireland.
2. She had her car windows smashed by a gang wielding baseball bats.

Front 10

scythe (n)

Back 10

a farming tool that has a long curved blade attached to a long wooden handle, and is used to cut grain or long grass

Front 11

deference (n)

Back 11

polite behavior that shows that you respect someone and are therefore willing to accept their opinions or judgment

Hint 11

Lewis was annoyed that Adam did not show enough respect and deference to him.
They were married in church out of deference to their parents' wishes.

Front 12

lobsided (adj)

Back 12

1.having one side that is lower or heavier than the other
2. unequal or uneven, especially in an unfair way

Hint 12

1.a lopsided grin
2.a lopsided 8-0 victory

Front 13

ambidextrous (adj)

Back 13

able to use either hand equally well

Front 14

sinuous(n)

Back 14

1. moving with smooth twists and turns, like a snake:
2. with many smooth twists and turns:

Hint 14

1. the sinuous grace of a cat
2.They followed the sinuous trail deep into the mountains.

Front 15

coddle (v)

Back 15

to treat someone in a way that is too kind and gentle and that protects them from pain or difficulty:

Hint 15

Don't coddle the child - he's fine!

Front 16

hatchling

Back 16

A newly hatched bird, amphibian, fish, or reptile.

Front 17

iridescent (adj)

Back 17

showing colors that seem to change in different lights

Hint 17

small iridescent blue flies

Front 18

escarpment (n)

Back 18

a high steep slope or cliff between two levels on a hill or mountain

Front 19

ruddy(adj)

Back 19

1. a ruddy face looks pink and healthy [≠ sallow]
2. [literary] red
3. [only before noun] British English informal used to emphasize what you are saying, especially when you are annoyed with someone or something [= bloody, damn]

Hint 19

1. a ruddy complexion
ruddy cheeks
2. The fire cast a ruddy glow over the room.
3. I wish that ruddy dog would stop barking!

Front 20

immaculate (adj)

Back 20

very clean and tidy [≠ messy]

Hint 20

He wore an immaculate dark-blue suit.

Front 21

impugn (v)

Back 21

to express doubts about someone's honesty, courage, ability etc

Hint 21

I did not mean to impugn her professional abilities.

Front 22

decree (n)

Back 22

1. an official order or decision, especially one made by the ruler of a country
2.a judgment in a court of law

Hint 22

1.The Emperor issued the decree repealing martial law.

Front 23

pester(v)

Back 23

to annoy someone, especially by asking them many times to do something

Hint 23

She'd been pestered by reporters for days.
pester somebody for something:
I can't even walk down the street without being continually pestered for money.
pester somebody to do something:
The kids have been pestering me to buy them new trainers.

Front 24

turmoil (n)

Back 24

[singular, uncountable]
a state of confusion, excitement, or anxiety

Hint 24

the prospect of another week of political turmoil
Ashley gazed at him, her thoughts in turmoil.

Front 25

suffuse (v)

Back 25

1. if warmth, colour, liquid etc suffuses something or someone, it covers or spreads through them
2. be suffused with something if someone is suffused with a feeling, they are full of that feeling

Hint 25

1. The light of the setting sun suffused the clouds.
Hot colour suffused her cheeks.
2.She was suffused with happiness.

Front 26

ague(n)

Back 26

[uncountable and countable]
old-fashioned a fever that makes you shake and feel cold

Front 27

wax (v)

Back 27

1. [transitive] to rub a layer of wax into a floor, surface etc to protect it or make it shine
2. to talk with extreme feeling, liking or pleasure about something - used humorously
3. [intransitive] when the moon waxes, it seems to get bigger each night [≠ wane]
4 wax and wane to increase and decrease over time:
5.[transitive]DCB if you wax your legs, arms etc, you remove the hair from them using wax

Hint 27

2. wax sentimental/eloquent/lyrical Journalists wax lyrical about the band.
4. Interest in the show has waxed and waned.

Front 28

roil (v)

Back 28

v.tr.
1. To make (a liquid) muddy or cloudy by stirring up sediment.
2. To displease or disturb; vex

v.intr.
To be in a state of turbulence or agitation.

Hint 28

2. My roommate's off-putting habits began to roil me.

Front 29

ascetic(adj)

Back 29

living without any physical pleasures or comforts, especially for religious reasons

Hint 29

an ascetic life

Front 30

reprieve (v)

Back 30

[transitive usually passive]
1 to officially stop a prisoner from being killed as a punishment
2 to change a decision to close a factory, school etc or get rid of something

Front 31

impeccably(adv.)

Back 31

1. Having no flaws; perfect. See Synonyms at perfect.
2. Incapable of sin or wrongdoing.

Front 32

surreptitious (adj)

Back 32

done secretly or quickly because you do not want other people to notice

Hint 32

Rory tried to sneak a surreptitious glance at Adam's wristwatch.

Front 33

glade (n)

Back 33

literary a small open space in a wood or forest

Front 34

teeming(adj)

Back 34

1. full of people, animals etc that are all moving around
2. British English teeming rain is very heavy rain

Hint 34

1. the teeming streets of the city
2. She walked home through the teeming rain.

Front 35

beleaguer (v)

Back 35

tr.v. be·lea·guered, be·lea·guer·ing, be·lea·guers
1. To harass; beset:
2. To surround with troops; besiege. See Synonyms at besiege.

Hint 35

1. We are beleaguered by problems.

Front 36

scavenge (v)

Back 36

1. if an animal scavenges, it eats anything that it can find
2. if someone scavenges, they search through things that other people do not want for food or useful objects

Hint 36

1. Pigs scavenged among the rubbish.
scavenge for
rats scavenging for food
2. There are people who live in the dump and scavenge garbage for a living.
scavenge for
Women were scavenging for old furniture.

Front 37

aphid (n)

Back 37

[countable]
a type of small insect that feeds on the juices of plants

Front 38

vagary(n)

Back 38

n. pl. va·ga·ries
An extravagant or erratic notion or action.

Front 39

gainsay (v)

Back 39

[transitive usually in negatives] formal
to say that something is not true, or to disagree with someone [= contradict]

Hint 39

No one dared to gainsay him.

Front 40

contravene (v)

Back 40

to do something that is not allowed according to a law or rule [= violate]

Hint 40

Some portions of the bill may contravene state law.

Front 41

dumbstruck (adj)

Back 41

so shocked or surprised that you cannot speak

Front 42

prance (v)

Back 42

[intransitive]
1 [always + adverb/preposition] to walk or dance with high steps or large movements, especially in a confident way
2 if a horse prances, it moves with high steps

Hint 42

1. We used to prance around our bedroom pretending to be pop stars.

Front 43

lupine (adj)

Back 43

1. Characteristic of or resembling a wolf.
2. Rapacious; ravenous.

Front 44

bauble(n)

Back 44

1 a cheap piece of jewellery
2 British English a brightly coloured decoration that looks like a ball and is used to decorate a Christmas tree

Front 45

whorl (n)

Back 45

[countable]
1 a pattern made of a line that curls out in circles that get bigger and bigger
2 technical a circular pattern of leaves or flowers on a stem

Front 46

ratchet (n)

Back 46

a machine part consisting of a wheel or bar with teeth on it, which allows movement in only one direction