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100 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
- 3rd side (hint)
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Obscure
adjective (obscurer, obscurest) |
not discovered or known about; uncertain
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/əbˈskjʊə/
his origins and parentage are obscure |
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Hideous
adjective |
extremely ugly
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/ˈhɪdɪəs/
hideous lizard-like creatures |
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boredom
noun |
the state of feeling bored
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/ˈbɔːdəm/
I’ll die of boredom if I live that long |
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sheer
adjective |
nothing other than; unmitigated (used for emphasis)
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/ʃɪə/
she giggled with sheer delight |
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coincide
verb |
occur at the same time
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/ˌkəʊɪnˈsʌɪd/
publication is timed to coincide with a major exhibition |
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exhibition
noun |
a public display of works of art or items of interest, held in an art gallery or museum or at a trade fair
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/ɛksɪˈbɪʃ(ə)n/
an exhibition of French sculpture |
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commit
verb |
perpetrate or carry out (a mistake, crime, or immoral act)
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/kəˈmɪt/
he committed an uncharacteristic error |
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innocent
adjective |
not guilty of a crime or offence
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/ ɪnəs (ə) NT /
the prisoners were later found innocent |
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bystander
noun |
a person who is present at an event or incident but does not take par
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/ˈbʌɪstandə/
water cannons were turned on marchers and innocent bystanders alike |
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parachute
noun |
a cloth canopy which fills with air and allows a person or heavy object attached to it to descend slowly when dropped from an aircraft, or which is released from the rear of an aircraft on landing to act as a brake
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/ˈparəʃuːt/
the planes came over the coast and started to drop supplies by parachute |
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canopy
noun (plural canopies) |
an ornamental cloth covering hung or held up over something, especially a throne or bed
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/ˈkanəpi/
a romantic four-poster bed complete with drapes and a canopy |
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throne
noun |
a ceremonial chair for a sovereign, bishop, or similar figure
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/θrəʊn/
King Solomon’s great ivory throne |
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ceremonial
adjective |
relating to or used for formal religious or public events
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/sɛrɪˈməʊnɪəl/
a ceremonial occasion |
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sovereign
noun |
a supreme ruler, especially a monarch
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/ˈsɒvrɪn/
the Emperor became the first Japanese sovereign to visit Britain |
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monarch
noun |
a sovereign head of state, especially a king, queen, or emperor
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/ˈmɒnək/
his followed an attempt by the deposed monarch to regain his throne |
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disposable
adjective |
(of an article) intended to be thrown away after use
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/dɪˈspəʊzəb(ə)l/
disposable nappies |
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cleverness
noun [mass noun] |
the quality of being clever; intelligence or shrewdness
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/ˈklɛvənəs/
people marvelled at his cleverness |
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recognize
verb [with object] |
identify (someone or something) from having encountered them before; know again
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/ˈrɛkəgnʌɪz/
I recognized her when her wig fell off |
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impurity
noun (plural impurities) |
[mass noun]
the state or quality of being impure |
/ɪmˈpjʊərɪti/
a struggle to rid the soul of sin and impurity |
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agile
adjective |
able to move quickly and easily
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/ˈadʒʌɪl/
Ruth was as agile as a monkey |
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symptom
noun |
a physical or mental feature which is regarded as indicating a condition of disease, particularly such a feature that is apparent to the patient
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/ˈsɪm(p)təm/
dental problems may be a symptom of other illness |
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regard
verb |
[with object and adverbial] consider or think of in a specified way
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/rɪˈgɑːd/
she regarded London as her base |
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cease
verb |
come or bring to an end
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/siːs/
[no object]: the hostilities ceased and normal life was resumed |
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synthetic
adjective |
(of a substance) made by chemical synthesis, especially to imitate a natural product
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/sɪnˈθɛtɪk/
synthetic rubber |
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postscript
noun |
an additional remark at the end of a letter, after the signature and introduced by ‘PS’
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/ˈpəʊs(t)skrɪpt/
he added a postscript: ‘Leaving tomorrow’ |
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prescribe
verb |
(of a medical practitioner) advise and authorize the use of (a medicine or treatment) for someone, especially in writing
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/prɪˈskrʌɪb/
her doctor prescribed sleeping tablets |
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authorize
verb [with object] |
give official permission for or approval to (an undertaking or agent)
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/ˈɔːθərʌɪz/
the government authorized further aircraft production |
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approval
noun [mass noun] |
the action of approving something
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/əˈpruːv(ə)l/
the road schemes have been given approval |
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approve
verb [with object] |
officially agree to or accept as satisfactory
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/əˈpruːv/
the budget was approved by parliament |
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satisfactory
adjective |
fulfilling expectations or needs; acceptable, though not outstanding or perfect
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/satɪsˈfakt(ə)ri/
he didn’t get a satisfactory answer |
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expectation
noun |
a strong belief that something will happen or be the case
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/ɛkspɛkˈteɪʃ(ə)n/
reality had not lived up to expectations |
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subscribe
verb |
[no object] arrange to receive something, typically a publication, regularly by paying in advance
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/səbˈskrʌɪb/
subscribe to the magazine for twelve months and receive a free limited-edition T-shirt |
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arrange
verb [with object] |
put (things) in a neat, attractive, or required order
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/əˈreɪn(d)ʒ/
she had just finished arranging the flowers |
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reprove
verb [with object] |
reprimand (someone)
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/rɪˈpruːv/
he was reproved for obscenity |
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reprimand
noun |
a formal expression of disapproval
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/ˈrɛprɪmɑːnd/
the golfer received a reprimand for a breach of rules |
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prodigal
adjective |
spending money or using resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant:money or using resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant
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/ˈprɒdɪg(ə)l/
prodigal habits die hard |
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extravagant
adjective |
lacking restraint in spending money or using resources
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/ɪkˈstravəg(ə)nt, ɛk-/
it was rather extravagant to buy both |
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restraint
noun |
(often restraints) a measure or condition that keeps someone or something under control
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/rɪˈstreɪnt/
decisions are made within the financial restraints of the budget |
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financial
adjective |
relating to finance
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/fʌɪˈnanʃ(ə)l, fɪ-/
an independent financial adviser |
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finance
noun [mass noun] |
the management of large amounts of money, especially by governments or large companies
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/fʌɪˈnans, fɪ-, ˈfʌɪnans/
the firm’s finance department |
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mourn
verb [with object] |
feel or show sorrow for the death of (someone), typically by following conventions such as the wearing of black clothes
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/mɔːn/
Isobel mourned her husband |
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convention
noun |
a way in which something is usually done
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/kənˈvɛnʃ(ə)n/
to attract the best patrons the movie houses had to ape the conventions and the standards of theatres |
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rejoice
verb [no object] |
feel or show great joy or delight
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/rɪˈdʒɔɪs/
we spent the evening rejoicing at our victory |
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digest
verb |
break down (food) in the alimentary canal into substances that can be absorbed and used by the body.
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/dʌɪˈdʒɛst, dɪ-/
Chemistry treat (a substance) with heat, enzymes, or a solvent in order to decompose it or extract essential components. |
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essential
adjective |
absolutely necessary; extremely important
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/ɪˈsɛnʃ(ə)l/
[with infinitive]: it is essential to keep up-to-date records |
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absolutely
adverb |
with no qualification, restriction, or limitation; totally
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/ˈabsəluːtli/
she trusted him absolutely |
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restriction
noun (often restrictions) |
a limiting condition or measure, especially a legal one
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/rɪˈstrɪkʃ(ə)n/
planning restrictions on commercial development |
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commercial
adjective |
concerned with or engaged in commerce
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/kəˈməːʃ(ə)l/
a commercial agreement |
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concern
verb [with object] |
relate to; be about
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/kənˈsəːn
the story concerns a friend of mine |
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commerce
noun [mass noun] |
the activity of buying and selling, especially on a large scale
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/ˈkɒməːs/
the changes in taxation are of benefit to commerce |
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preface
noun |
an introduction to a book, typically stating its subject, scope, or aims.
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/ˈprɛfəs/
a preliminary explanation |
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preliminary
adjective |
preceding or done in preparation for something fuller or more important
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/prɪˈlɪmɪn(ə)ri/
a preliminary draft |
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rough
adjective |
having an uneven or irregular surface; not smooth or level
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/rʌf/
they had to carry the victim across the rough, stony ground |
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uneven
adjective |
not level or smooth
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/ʌnˈiːv(ə)n/
the floors are cracked and uneven |
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draft
noun |
a preliminary version of a piece of writing
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/drɑːft/
the first draft of the party’s manifesto |
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precede
verb [with object] |
come before (something) in time
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/prɪˈsiːd/
a gun battle had preceded the explosions |
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detest
verb [with object] |
dislike intensely
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/dɪˈtɛst/
she really did detest his mockery |
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prevail
verb [no object] |
prove more powerful or superior
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/prɪˈveɪl/
it is hard for logic to prevail over emotion |
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accommodate
verb [with object] |
(of a building or other area) provide lodging or sufficient space for
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/əˈkɒmədeɪt/
the cottages accommodate up to six people |
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sufficient
adjective & determiner |
enough; adequate
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/səˈfɪʃ(ə)nt/
he had a small private income which was sufficient for her needs |
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relish
noun |
[mass noun] great enjoyment
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/ˈrɛlɪʃ/
she swigged a mouthful of wine with relish |
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rummage
verb [no object] |
search unsystematically and untidily through something
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/ˈrʌmɪdʒ/
he rummaged in his pocket for a handkerchief |
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unsystematic
adjective |
not done or acting according to a fixed plan or system; unmethodical
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/ˌʌnsɪstəˈmatɪk/
the burial mound was excavated in an unsystematic way |
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untidy
adjective (untidier, untidiest) |
not arranged neatly and in order
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/ʌnˈtʌɪdi/
the place was dreadfully untidy |
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refined
adjective |
with impurities or unwanted elements having been removed by processing
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/rɪˈfʌɪnd/
refined sugar |
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inmate
noun |
a person living in an institution such as a prison or hospital
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/ˈɪnmeɪt/
inmates of the Louisiana State Penitentiary |
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tardy
adjective (tardier, tardiest) |
delaying or delayed beyond the right or expected time; late
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/ˈtɑːdi/
please forgive this tardy reply |
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expect
verb [with object] |
regard (something) as likely to happen
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/ɪkˈspɛkt, ɛk-/
it’s as well to expect the worst |
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excessive
adjective |
more than is necessary, normal, or desirable; immoderate
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/ɪkˈsɛsɪv, ɛk-/
he was drinking excessive amounts of brandy |
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desirable
adjective |
wished for as being an attractive, useful, or necessary course of action
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/dɪˈzʌɪərəb(ə)l/
[with infinitive]: it is desirable to check that nothing has been forgotten |
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immoderate
adjective |
not sensible or restrained; excessive
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/ɪˈmɒd(ə)rət/
immoderate drinking |
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sprawl
verb [no object, with adverbial] |
sit, lie, or fall with one’s arms and legs spread out in an ungainly way
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/sprɔːl/
the door shot open, sending him sprawling across the pavement |
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ungainly
adjective |
(of a person or movement) awkward; clumsy
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/ʌnˈgeɪnli/
an ungainly walk |
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awkward
adjective |
causing difficulty; hard to do or deal with
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/ˈɔːkwəd/
some awkward questions |
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clumsy
adjective (clumsier, clumsiest) |
awkward in movement or in handling things
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/ˈklʌmzi/
the cold made his fingers clumsy |
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exile
noun [mass noun] |
the state of being barred from one’s native country, typically for political or punitive reasons
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/ˈɛksʌɪl, ˈɛgz-/
e knew now that he would die in exile |
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authority
noun (plural authorities) |
[mass noun] the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience
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/ɔːˈθɒrɪti/
he had absolute authority over his subordinates |
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enforce
verb [with object] |
compel observance of or compliance with (a law, rule, or obligation)
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/ɪnˈfɔːs, ɛn-/
the role of the police is to enforce the law |
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compel
verb (compels, compelling, compelled) |
force or oblige (someone) to do something
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/kəmˈpɛl/
a sense of duty compelled Harry to answer her questions |
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oblige
verb [with object and infinitive] |
make (someone) legally or morally bound to do something
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/əˈblʌɪdʒ/
doctors are obliged by law to keep patients alive while there is a chance of recovery |
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compliance
noun [mass noun] |
the action or fact of complying with a wish or command
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/kəmˈplʌɪəns/
the ways in which the state maintains order and compliance |
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comply
verb (complies, complying, complied) |
act in accordance with a wish or command
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/kəmˈplʌɪ/
we are unable to comply with your request |
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accordance
noun (in phrase in accordance with) |
in a manner conforming with
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/əˈkɔːd(ə)ns/
he ballot was held in accordance with trade union rules |
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conform
verb [no object] |
comply with rules, standards, or laws
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/kənˈfɔːm/
the kitchen does not conform to hygiene regulations |
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standard
noun |
a level of quality or attainment
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/ˈstandəd/
their restaurant offers a high standard of service |
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attainment
noun [mass noun] |
the action or fact of achieving a goal towards which one has worked
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/əˈteɪnm(ə)nt/
the attainment of corporate aims |
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stubborn
adjective |
having or showing dogged determination not to change one’s attitude or position on something, especially in spite of good reasons to do so
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/ˈstʌbən/
you’re a silly, stubborn old woman |
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repent
verb [no object] |
feel or express sincere regret or remorse about one’s wrongdoing or sin
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/rɪˈpɛnt/
the Padre urged his listeners to repent |
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remorse
noun [mass noun] |
deep regret or guilt for a wrong committed
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/rɪˈmɔːs/
they were filled with remorse and shame |
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regret
verb (regrets, regretting, regretted) [with object] |
feel sad, repentant, or disappointed over (something that one has done or failed to do)
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/rɪˈgrɛt/
she immediately regretted her words |
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repentant
adjective |
expressing or feeling sincere regret and remorse; remorseful
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/rɪˈpɛntənt/
he is truly repentant for his incredible naivety and stupidity |
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remorse
noun [mass noun] |
deep regret or guilt for a wrong committed
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/rɪˈmɔːs/
they were filled with remorse and shame |
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accommodate
verb [with object] |
(of a building or other area) provide lodging or sufficient space for
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/əˈkɒmədeɪt/
the cottages accommodate up to six people |
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stern
adjective |
(of a person or their manner) serious and unrelenting, especially in the assertion of authority and exercise of discipline
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/stəːn/
a smile transformed his stern face |
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discipline
noun |
[mass noun] the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behaviour, using punishment to correct disobedience
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/ˈdɪsɪplɪn/
a lack of proper parental and school discipline |
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disobedience
noun [mass noun] |
failure or refusal to obey rules or someone in authority
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/dɪsəˈbiːdiəns/
disobedience to law is sometimes justified |
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oblivious
adjective |
not aware of or concerned about what is happening around one
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/əˈblɪvɪəs/
she became absorbed, oblivious to the passage of time |
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aware
adjective [predic.] |
having knowledge or perception of a situation or fact
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/əˈwɛː/
most people are aware of the dangers of sunbathing |
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perception
noun [mass noun] |
the ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses
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/pəˈsɛpʃ(ə)n/
the normal limits to human perception |
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melancholy
noun [mass noun] |
a feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause
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/ˈmɛlənkəli/
he had an ability to convey a sense of deep melancholy and yearning through much of his work |
