Daily Flashcards

1
Q

protagonist (/prəˈtæɡ.ən.ɪst/)

A

the main character in a play, film or book

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2
Q

antagonist (/ænˈtæɡ.ən.ɪst/)

A

a person who strongly opposes somebody/something (<> protagonist)

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3
Q

liability (/ˌlaɪ.əˈbɪl.ə.t̬i/)

A

[uncountable] the state of being legally responsible for something
e.g: He denies any liability for the damage caused.

[countable] a person or thing that causes you a lot of problems

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4
Q

catastrophic (/ˌkædəˈstrɑː.fɪk/)

A

(adj) causing sudden and very great harm or destruction
E.g Nevertheless, they were decisions which were catastrophically wrong

(of a natural event) causing many people to suffer
e.g An unchecked increase in the use of fossil fuels could have catastrophic results for the planet.

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5
Q

the bread and butter of something

A

Typical or common. My sister worries about everything, even the bread-and-butter tasks of everyday life

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6
Q

pandemic

A

An outbreak of a pandemic disease

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7
Q

outbreak

A

A sudden occurrency of something unwelcome such as war or disease

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8
Q

widespread

A

Found of distributed over a large area or number of people

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9
Q

prudent (/ˈpruː.dənt/)

A

sensible and careful when you make judgements and decisions; avoiding unnecessary risks. Synonyms: careful, cautious, discreet, economical, frugal, judicious, reasonable:
e.g It’s always prudent to read a contract carefully before signing it.
His decision was prudent and timely.

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10
Q

respiratory (/ˈres.pə.rə.tɔːr.i/)

A

Relating to or affecting respiration or the organs of respiration

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11
Q

strain

A

A natural or cultured variety or a microorganism with a distinct form, biochemistry, or virulence

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12
Q

infect

A

Affect (a person, organism, etc.) with a disease-causing organism

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13
Q

advocate

A

(verb) to publicly support or suggest an idea, development, or way of doing something. E.g He advocates the return of capital punishment.
(noun) someone who publicly supports something. E.g He advocate of state ownership of the railways
(noun) a lawyer who defends someone in a law court

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14
Q

contract the virus

A

infected by the virus. E.g Three people contracted the virus

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15
Q

falsification (/ˌfɑːl.sə.fəˈkeɪ.ʃən/)

A

the action of changing something, such as a document, in order to deceive people. E.g falsification of evidence

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16
Q

formidable endeavor ( /fɔːrˈmɪd.ə.bəl/ /enˈdev.ɚ/)

A

The vast amount of effort.

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17
Q

ineffable (/ˌɪnˈef.ə.bəl/)

A

It’s hard to put in to words

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18
Q

stiff competition

A

We now face stiff competition in foreign markets.

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19
Q

ahead of the pack

A

to be more successful than or ahead of your competitors. E.g:

  • At this stage in the campaign, the Democratic candidate is way ahead of the pack
  • We constantly innovate to stay ahead of the pack
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20
Q

cut-throat

A

competing in an unfair way, and not caring about any harm caused to others. E.G; Many firms have fallen victim to cut-throat competition

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21
Q

go through the roof

A

Reach a very high level.
E.g
If the level of something, especially a price, goes through the roof, it increases very quickly.
Our number of downloads has gone through the roof.

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22
Q

smooth sailing

A

To be easy and without impediment or difficulty. E.G Our last product launch was smooth sailing

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23
Q

in the black

A

Not in debt.
If a bank account is in the black, it contains some money, and if a person or business is in the black, they have money in the bank and are not in debt.

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24
Q

back to the square one

A

If you are back to the square one, you have to start something again; return to the initial point

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25
Q

back to the drawing board

A

Back to the beginning of a process again because it is not working

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26
Q

go down the drain

A

be totally wasted.

e. g:
1. all his money went down the drain
2. the government must stop public money from going down the drain

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27
Q

at stake

A

in danger; at risk

e.g Thousands of lives will be at stake if emergency aid does not arrive in the city soon

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28
Q

last straw

A

the latest problem in a series of problems, that makes a situation impossible to accept
e.g The last straw was when the company fired most of the managers
It was the last straw for me when he didn’t call

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29
Q

go broke

A

To no longer have any money

E.g I’m going to go broke if I have to pay any more medical bills this month

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30
Q

go bust

A

To experience financial failure or ruin, often as of a business; become bankrupt

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31
Q

bankrupt

A

(of a person or organization) declared in law unable to pay outstanding debts

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32
Q

pink slip

A

A notice from an employer saying employees no longer have jobs
e.g They gave him the pink slip. He didn’t perform well

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33
Q

sack (/sæk/)

A

to remove someone from a job, usually because they have done something wrong or badly, or sometimes as a way of saving the cost of employing them
E.g
They sacked her for being late
He got sacked from his last job

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34
Q

lay off

A

an occasion when a company stops employing someone, sometimes temporarily, because the company does not have enough money or enough work
e.g The recent economic crisis has led to massive layoffs.

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35
Q

finalist

A

a person or group competing in a final

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36
Q

prospect ( /ˈprɑː.spekt/)

A

the possibility that something good might happen in the future
e.g: Is there any prospect of the weather improving

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37
Q

prospects

A

the possibility of being successful, especially at work

e. g
- She’s hoping the course will improve her career prospects
- Prospects of/for (= opportunities for) employment remain bleak for most people in the area.

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38
Q

eloquent (/ˈel.ə.kwənt/)

A

using language to express ideas or opinions clearly and well, so that they have a strong effect on others:
E.g
When required, he could be an eloquent speaker, but preferred talking to small groups
She made an eloquent appeal for action

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39
Q

exemplary (/ɪɡˈzem.plɚ.i/)

A

very good and suitable to be copied by other people

E.g His tact was exemplary, especially considering the circumstances

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40
Q

specialty

A

the subject of one’s study or work, or a particular skill:

E.g Her specialty is heart surgery

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41
Q

slacker

A

A person who avoids work or effort

e.g Those slackers have gone home early again

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42
Q

sneaky

A
  • doing things in a secret and unfair way
  • used to describe something you do, eat, or drink especially when you do it without telling anyone or when you should not really do it
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43
Q

unprincipled

A

(of a person or their behavior) not acting in accordance with moral principle

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44
Q

Cougar (/ˈkuː.ɡɚ/)

A

An older worman who is in 40s 50s seeks a sexual relationship with a much younger man

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45
Q

Spectacular (/spekˈtæk.jə.lɚ/)

A

Very exciting to look at

E.g He scored a spectacular goal in the second half

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46
Q

federal (/ˈfed.ɚ.əl/)

A

A federal system of government consists of a group of regions that are controlled by a central government.

E.g: They were charged with violating federal law.

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47
Q

Congress (/ˈkɑːŋ.ɡres/)

A

a large formal meeting of representatives from countries or societies at which ideas are discussed and information is exchanged

48
Q

impart (/ɪmˈpɑːrt/)

A

Impart something (to somebody) to pass information, knowledge, etc. to other people

49
Q

mediocre (/ˌmiː.diˈoʊ.kɚ/)

A

(adj) not every good

50
Q

blacksmith (/ˈblæk.smɪθ/)

A

a person who makes and repairs iron objects and horseshoes

51
Q

stasis (/ˈsteɪ.sɪs/)

A

(noun) a state that does not change:

52
Q

glacier (/ˈɡleɪ.si.ɚ/

A

(noun) a large mass of ice that moves slowly

53
Q

glacial (/ˈɡleɪ.ʃəl/)

A

(adj) extremely slow (with activity); or cold (with weather)

54
Q

leap (/liːp/)

A

(verb) to make a large jump or sudden movement, usually from one place to another

55
Q

distort (/dɪˈstɔːrt/)

A

(verb) to change the shape of something so that it looks strange or unnatural

56
Q

corrode (/kəˈroʊd/)

A

(verb) If metal corrodes, or if something corrodes it, it is slowly damaged by something such as rain or water

57
Q

inevitable (/ˌɪnˈev.ə.t̬ə.bəl/)

A

(adj) certain to happen and unable to be avoided or prevented

58
Q

proprietary /prəˈpraɪə.ter.i/

A

(adj) relating to owning something, or relating to or like an owner
E.g This is proprietary software, and you have no right to copy it without a license from the owner

59
Q

snag /snæɡ/

A

(noun) a problem, difficulty, or disadvantage.

E.g We don’t anticipate any snags in/with the negotiations

60
Q

barren /ˈber.ən/

A

(adj) not creating or producing anything new.

E.g She became very depressed during the barren years when she was unable to paint

61
Q

rote /roʊt/

A

(noun) learning something in order to be able to repeat it from memory, rather than in order to understand it

E.g. She learned multiplication by rote

62
Q

pinnacle /ˈpɪn.ə.kəl/

A

(noun) the most successful or admired part of a system or achievement

E.g By the age of 32 she had reached the pinnacle of her career

63
Q

compound /ˈkɒm.paʊnd/

A

(noun) something consisting of two or more different parts.

E.g Then there was his manner, a curious compound of humour and severity

64
Q

corollary /ˈkɔːr.ə.ler.i/

A

(noun) something that results from something else

E.g Unfortunately, violence is the inevitable corollary of such a revolutionary change in society

65
Q

perceive /pəˈsiːv/

A

(verb) to come to an opinion about something, or have a belief about something.

E.g He perceives himself to be a failure, though nothing could be further from the truth

66
Q

flounder /ˈflaʊn.dɚ/

A

(verb) to experience great difficulties or be completely unable to decide what to do or say next

E.g He lost the next page of his speech and floundered around/about for a few seconds

67
Q

cubicle /ˈkjuː.bɪ.kəl/

A

(noun) a small space with walls or curtains around it, that is separate from the rest of a room and where you can be private when taking clothes off, etc

E.g I was getting undressed in one of the cubicles

68
Q

strike /straɪk/

A

(verb) to refuse to continue working because of an argument with an employer about working conditions, pay levels, or job losses

E.g We’re striking for better pay and improved safety standards.

69
Q

resentment /rɪˈzent.mənt/

A

(noun) a feeling of anger because you have been forced to accept something that you do not like

E.g. He harbors a deep resentment against his parents for his miserable childhood

70
Q

resisteance /rɪˈzɪs.təns/

A

(noun) the act of fighting against something that is attacking you, or refusing to accept something

E.g There’s a lot of resistance (= opposition) to the idea of a united Europe

71
Q

proximity /prɑːkˈsɪm.ə.t̬i/

A

(nount) the state of being near in space or time

E.g the best thing about the location of the house is its proximity to the town center

72
Q

constitute /ˈkɑːn.stə.tuːt/

A

(verb) to be or be considered as something
(verb) to form or make something

E.g They felt that our discussions with other companies constituted a breach of our agreement

73
Q

diminish /dɪˈmɪn.ɪʃ/

A

(verb) to reduce or be reduced in size or importance

E.g

  1. I don’t want to diminish her achievements, but she did have a lot of help.
  2. These memories will not be diminished by time
74
Q

deliberate /dɪˈlɪb.ɚ.ət/

A

(adj) (often of something bad) intentional or planned
E.g We made a deliberate decision to live apart for a while.

(verb) to think or talk seriously and carefully about something
E.g The committee has deliberated the question at great length

75
Q

inflation /ɪnˈfleɪ.ʃən/

A

(noun) a general, continuous increase in prices

E.g The control of inflation is a key component of the government’s economic policy

76
Q

intimate /ˈɪn.t̬ə.mət/

A

(adj) having, or being likely to cause, a very close friendship or personal or sexual relationship

E.g He’s become very intimate with an actress.

77
Q

steer /stɪr/

A

(verb)
- to control the direction of a vehicle.
- to take someone or something or make someone or something go in the direction in which you want him, her, or it

E.g. The main task of the new government will be to steer the country towards democracy

78
Q

connotation /ˌkɑː.nəˈteɪ.ʃən/

A

(noun) a feeling or idea that is suggested by a particular word although it need not be a part of the word’s meaning, or something suggested by an object or situation (hàm ý)

E.g The word “lady” has connotations of refinement and excessive femininity that some women find offensive.

79
Q

absolutism /ˈæb.sə.luː.t̬ɪ.zəm/

A

(noun) a political system in which a single ruler, group, or political party has complete power over a country

80
Q

permanence /ˈpɝː.mə.nəns/

A

(noun) staying the same or continuing for a long time

E.g A loving family environment gives children that sense of stability and permanence which they need.

81
Q

inhibitor /ɪnˈhɪb.ɪ.t̬ɚ/

A

(noun) something that stops or slows down a process

E.g An inhibitor of gastric secretion provided relief from the patient’s chronic diarrhoea.

82
Q

diametrically opposed /diametrically/ /əˈpoʊzd/

A

to be completely and directly in opposition to something

E.g His view of the situation is diametrically (= very strongly) opposed to mine.

83
Q

proponent /prəˈpoʊ.nənt/

A

(noun) a person who speaks publicly in support of a particular idea or plan of action (người đề xướng)

E.g He is one of the leading proponents of capital punishment

84
Q

interoperability /ˌɪntərɒpərəˈbɪləti

A

(noun) the degree to which two products, programs, etc. can be used together, or the quality of being able to be used together

E.g This product offers direct interoperability with the major word processing packages.

85
Q

ostensibly /ɑːˈsten.sə.bli/

A

(adj) i
- in a way that appears or claims to be one thing when it is really something else
- apparently or purportedly, but perhaps not actually.

E.g

  • He has spent the past three months in Florida, ostensibly for medical treatment, but in actual fact to avoid prosecution
  • Ostensibly, she had achieved all her primary objectives
86
Q

hindrance /ˈhɪn.drəns/

A

(noun) something that makes it more difficult for you to do something or for something to develop (sự cản trở)

E.b I’ve never considered my disability a hindrance, but other people have

87
Q

monstrous /ˈmɑːn.strəs/

A

(adj) having the ugly or frightening appearance of a monster

E.g he wasn’t lovable, he was monstrous and violent

88
Q

backcountry

A

(noun) a rural or mountain area that is away from cities and has few people

E.g That night, I camped at Bee Island, one of the park’s six backcountry campsites

89
Q

habitual /həˈbɪtʃ.u.əl/

A

(adj) done or doing constantly or as a habit.

E.g

  • This pattern of behavior can become habitual
  • His habitual dress
90
Q

antagonistic /ænˌtæɡ.ənˈɪs.tɪk/

A

(adj) showing or feeling active opposition or hostility toward someone or something.

E.g He’s extremely antagonistic towards all critics

91
Q

dismal /ˈdɪz.məl/

A

(adj) sad and without hope

E.g

  1. The trip was a dismal failure
  2. The dismal weather made the late afternoon seem like evening
92
Q

slack /slæk/

A

(adj) not tight; loose

E.g These tent ropes are too slack - they need tightening

93
Q

geek /ɡiːk/

A

(noun) someone who is extremely interested in computers, esp. someone whose only interest is computers

E.g Thanks to brilliant computer geeks, I can copy, scan, fax, and send photos all from a single machine

(verb) engage in or discuss computer-related tasks obsessively or with great attention to technical detail

E.g we all geeked out for a bit and exchanged ICQ/MSN/AOL/website information

94
Q

inherent /ɪnˈhɪr.ənt/

A

(adj) existing in something as a permanent, essential, or characteristic attribute.

E.g

  • There are dangers/risks inherent in almost every system design
  • I have an inherent distrust of lawyers
95
Q

creep /kriːp/

A

(verb) to move slowly, quietly, and carefully, usually in order to avoid being noticed

E.g Someone was creeping around outside my window

96
Q

strive /straɪv/

A

(verb) to try very hard to do something or to make something happen, especially for a long time or against difficulties

E.g In her writing she strove for a balance between innovation and familiar prose forms

97
Q

scrutiny /ˈskruː.t̬ən.i/

A

(noun) the careful and detailed examination of something in order to get information about it (sự xem xét kỹ lưỡng)

E.g We suggest that newly recognised agents or tick/ pathogen associations receive careful scrutiny before being declared as potential public health burdens

98
Q

Exorbitant /ɪɡˈzːɔr.bə.t̬ənt/

A

(adj of a price or amount charged) unreasonably high (giá cắt cổ)

E.g The bill for dinner was exorbitant.

99
Q

cognizant /ˈkɑːɡ.nɪ.zənt/

A

(adj) understanding or realizing something, be aware of something (biết về)

E.g We should be cognizant of the fact that every complaint is not a justified complaint.

100
Q

notoriously /noʊˈtɔːr.i.əs.li/

A

(adv) in a way that is famous for something bad (khét tiếng)

E.g The game is notoriously difficult to play.
E.g He was involved in crime - most notoriously, a series of armed robberies

101
Q

desperate /ˈdes.pɚ.ət/

A

(adj) very serious or bad, no hope (tuyệt vọng)

E.g The situation is desperate - we have no food, very little water and no medical supplies.

102
Q

morale /məˈrɑːl/

A

(noun) the amount of confidence felt by a person or group of people, especially when in a dangerous or difficult situation (chí khí, nhuệ khí)

103
Q

acceleration /əkˌsel.əˈreɪ.ʃən/

A

(noun) the increase in something’s speed, or its ability to go faster (sự tăng tốc)

E.g An older car will have poor acceleration

104
Q

debut /ˈdeɪ.bju/

A

(noun) the occasion when someone performs or presents something to the public for the first time
(verb) to perform or appear in public, or to be shown or introduced to the public, for the first time

E.g He started as an actor, making his debut as a director in 1990

105
Q

synergy /ˈsɪn.ɚ.dʒi/

A

(noun) the combined power of a group of things when they are working together that is greater than the total power achieved by each working separately (sức mạnh hợp tác, tính hiệp lực)

E.g Team work at its best results in a synergy that can be very productive.

106
Q

critique /krɪˈtiːk/

A

(noun) a report of something such as a political situation or system, or a person’s work or ideas, that examines it and provides a judgment, especially a negative one (bài phê bình)
(verb) to give an opinion or judgment about a piece or work, book, film, etc (phê bình)

107
Q

cadence /ˈkeɪ.dəns/

A

(noun) the regular rise and fall of the voice (nhịp)

108
Q

dissipated /ˈdɪs.ə.peɪ.t̬ɪd/

A

(adj) spending too much time enjoying physical pleasures and harmful activities such as drinking a lot of alcohol (bị phung phí, chơi bời phóng đãng)

E.g He recalled his dissipated youth spent in nightclubs and bars

109
Q

averse /əˈvɝːs/

A

(adj) strongly disliking or opposed to (ghét, không thích)

E.g. Few people are averse to the idea of a free holiday.
E.g I’m not averse to (= I like) the occasional glass of champagne myself.

110
Q

harness /ˈhɑːr.nəs/

A

(noun) a piece of equipment with straps and belts, used to control or hold in place a person, animal, or object (yên ngựa, công cụ lao động)

to go back into the harness: lại lao đầu vào công việc.

111
Q

continuum /kənˈtɪn.ju.əm/

A

(noun) something that changes in character gradually or in very slight stages without any clear dividing points (liên tục)

E.g It’s not “left-wing or right-wing” - political opinion is a long continuum

112
Q

assimilate /əˈsɪm.ə.leɪt/

A

(verb) take in (information, ideas, or culture) and understand fully (tiêu hoá cái mình đã đọc)

E.g Marie tried to assimilate the week’s events

113
Q

fluctuation /ˌflʌk.tʃuˈeɪ.ʃən/

A

(noun) a change, or the process of changing, especially continuously between one level or thing and another (sự dao động)

114
Q

volatile /ˈvɑː.lə.t̬əl/

A

(adj) likely to change suddenly and unexpectedly, especially by getting worse

E.g Food and fuel prices are very volatile in a war situation.

115
Q

grocery /ˈɡroʊ.sɚ.i/

A

Cửa hàng tạp hoá