Ms Trinh Flashcards
(141 cards)
1
Q
Touchstone
A
Sth providing a standard against which other things are compared/judged
2
Q
Unsullied
A
Unspoiled; still pure and in original state
3
Q
Verge on
A
Border on
4
Q
Predate
A
Be built/formed/etc at an earlier date
5
Q
Ineradicable
A
[of a quality/a situation/etc.] that cannot be removed/changed
6
Q
Conduit
A
A person/organization/country etc. that serves to pass things/information to others
7
Q
Gamut
A
The complete range of things of a particular kind
8
Q
Run the gamut of sth
A
Experience/show the whole range of sth
9
Q
(not) cut it
A
(not) be as good as needed/expected
10
Q
Rancor
A
Bitterness
11
Q
Taunt
A
(v) try to make sb angry/upset by saying unkind things
(n) un insulting/unkind remark intended to anger/upset sb
12
Q
Grouse
A
(inf)
(n) complaint
(v) complain in an annoying way (+about)
13
Q
Verve
A
Great energy and enthusiasm
14
Q
Prognostication
A
A thing sb says will happen in the future
15
Q
Raucous
A
Sounding loud and rough
16
Q
Equable
A
- Calm and not easily upset
2. [of weather] steady, with no changes
17
Q
Balmy
A
[of air/weather/etc.] warm and pleasant
18
Q
Apocalyptic
A
- Describing very serious destruction in past or future events
- Like the end of the world
19
Q
Quixotic
A
Having/showing ideas that are imaginative but usually not practical/viable
20
Q
Incinerate
A
Burn sth until it’s completely destroyed
~ incineration (n)
21
Q
Half measures
A
A weak and inadequate plan/action
~ work by half measures
22
Q
Middle ground
A
An option or decision all opposing groups can agree on
23
Q
Fib
A
(inf)
(n) a lie about sth unimportant
(v) tell a fib
24
Q
Measure sb/sth against sb/sth
A
Compare
25
Hit-and-miss
Done carelessly without proper planning, therefore of unreliable quality/accuracy/etc.
26
Time and again
Again and again
27
In times gone by
In the past
28
Tail off
Decrease in amount/become lower in level
| eg. a voice/profit/etc.
29
Rally
1. Come together/bring people together to support sb/sth (+around/behind/to)
2. Recover
30
Solipsism
The theory that only the self exists and can be known
| ~ solipsistic (adj)
31
Resuscitate
Revive
32
Point of reference
Sth you already know that helps you understand/explain sth
33
Signpost
A sign giving information/direction
34
```
Latch on (to sb/sth)
Latch onto sb/sth
```
1. Become attached to sb/sth
2. Stay around sb, esp. when they'd prefer you not to
3. Develop a strong interest in sth
35
Perverse
Deliberately determined to behave in a way that is considered wrong, unacceptable or unreasonable
~ perversity (n)
~ perversely (adj)
36
Pervert
1. Change sth in a bad way so that it's no longer what it should be
2. Make sb think/act in an immoral way; corrupt
37
Perversion
1. Behavior generally considered unacceptable (esp. when connected with sex)
2. The act of changing sth good into bad, sth right into wrong
38
Detour
A longer route you take to avoid sth/when the usual one is closed
39
Apostle (of sth)
A strong advocate of a policy/idea etc.
40
A trifle (adv)
Slightly
41
Trifle
Sth not valuable/important
42
Legion
A large number of people of a particular type
43
Augury
Omen
44
Augur well/badly (for sth)
Bode
45
Brood
1. Think a lot about sth (+over/on/about)
| 2. (a bird) sit on eggs until they hatch
46
Cosset
Treat sb with a lot of care and attention (sometimes too much)
= pamper
47
Indefatigable
Never giving up/getting tired of doing sth
48
Fallback
A plan/course of action to fall back on
| ~ (adj) eg. fallback position
49
Entity
Sth existing separately and having its own identity
50
Stilted
[of behavior/writing style/etc.] not natural; too formal
51
Assimilate
1. Fully understand sth
2. (let sb) become part of a community (+into/in)
3. Make an idea etc. fit in/become acceptable (+into/in)
52
Entrant (to sth)
Sb who has recently joined a profession/university/etc.
53
Annex
Take control of a country etc. by force
| ~ annexation (n)
54
Clout
Power and influence
55
Pared-down
Having no unnecessary features; reduced to a very simple form
56
Pare sth (down) to the bone
Cut sth to the bone
57
Well and truly
(inf) completely
58
Edify
Improve sb's mind/character by teaching them
~ edification (n)
~ edifying (adj) likely to improve your mind/character
59
Crackpot
(inf) sb with strange or crazy ideas
60
No-go area
An area people should stay away from because it's controlled by a violent group
61
Edifice
1. A large impressive building
| 2. A long-established system
62
Anecdotal
Based on personal accounts (and possibly not true/accurate)
63
Detract (sth) from sth
Make sth seem less good/enjoyable
64
Detractor
Sb who tries to make sb/sth seem less good by criticizing it
65
In place
In the correct position; working/ready to work
66
Wondrous
Wonderful
67
Conflagration
1. A large destructive fire
| 2. A large violent event
68
Expurgate
Remove part of a conversation/piece of writing lest it offend people
~ expurgation (n)
~ (un)expurgated (adj)
69
Idiosyncrasy
Eccentricity
| ~ idiosyncratic (adj)
70
Epistolary
Written in the form of letters
71
Epistle
A long serious letter
72
Freewheeling
Not concerned about rules or possible results of your actions
73
Pathology
1. The study of diseases
| 2. An extreme, unreasonable and uncontrollable aspect of sb's behavior
74
Pathological
1. Not reasonable or sensible; impossible to control
2. Caused by/connected with diseases
3. Related to pathology
75
Perfidy
Treachery
| ~ perfidious (adj)
76
Yen
Longing (+for)
77
Meretricious
Seeming attractive but in fact having no real value
78
Puncture
Suddenly make sb less confident, proud etc.
79
Salient
Most important/noticeable
80
Enervate
Make sb weak and tired
| ~ enervation (n)
81
Externality
1. A consequence of industrial/commercial activity that affects sb/sth without being reflected in market prices
2. The fact of existing outside sb/sth that is aware of it (+to)
82
Conservative estimate
Lower than the real amount/number
83
Wry
Showing you're both amused and upset; ironically amusing
| ~ wryness (n)
84
In order
1. (of a document) valid
2. As it should be
3. Suitable to say/do on a particular situation
85
Atone (for sth)
Make amends for sth wrong you did in the past
| ~ atonement (n)
86
Plague (v)
Trouble sb/sth
87
Detritus
1. Natural waste material
| 2. Any kind of rubbish/garbage/debris
88
Pathos
The power of a performance/description/etc. to produce feelings of sadness and sympathy
89
In good/fine fettle
In good condition; healthy
90
Edict
An official order, esp. a forceful and unfair one
91
Sport (v)
1. Have/wear sth proudly
| 2. Play in a happy and lively way
92
Dissension
Argument and disagreement among a group/organization/etc.
93
Camaraderie
A feeling of trust and friendship among people who spend much time together
94
Intercept
Stop sb/sth from arriving
| ~ interception (n)
95
Resound
1. (of a voice/sound/etc.) fill a place with sound (+through/around)
2. (of a place) be filled with a sound (+to/with)
96
Offshoot
Sth that develops from sth larger/older
97
Put/set sb/sth to rights
Correct sb/sth; put sth in order
98
Exquisite
1. Extremely beautiful/carefully made
2. (of a feeling) strongly felt
3. (of a taste/sense/etc.) delicate and sensitive
99
Solace
Help and comfort when you are sad/worried
| ~ (v)
100
Morbid
1. Having a strong interest in sad/unpleasant things (esp. disease/death)
2. Connected with disease
~ morbidity (n)
101
Exhilarate
Make sb very happy and excited
| ~ exhilaration (n)
102
Herald
1. Be a sign of sth that is going to happen
2. Say in public that sb/sth is good/important (+as)
~ (n) a sign that sth is going to happen soon
103
Gratify
Satisfy
104
Resonant
1. (of sound) deep, clear and continuing for a long time
2. Causing sound to continue for a long time
3. Having the power to bring images/feelings/memories into your mind
105
Incumbent (n)
A person with an official position
106
Repeal
Make a law no longer valid
107
Eclipse
Outshine/overshadow sb/sth
| ~ (n) a loss of importance, power etc. to sb/sth else more important
108
By default
Because you have not made any other decision or choices which would make things happen differently
109
Fruition
The successful result of a plan/process/activity/etc.
| ~ come to/bring sth to fruition
110
Fledgling
1. A young bird that has just learned to fly
| 2. A new inexperienced person/organization/system/etc.
111
Smother sth in/with sth
Cover sth completely with sth
112
Sublime
Of high quality and causing great admiration
~ the sublime
~ from the sublime to the ridiculous
113
Sabotage
1. The act of deliberately damaging sth
2. The act of deliberately spoiling sth to prevent it from being successful
~ (v)
114
Effluent
Liquid waste or sewage (esp. chemicals from factories)
115
Noxious
Poisonous/harmful
116
Infiltrate
1. (make sb) enter a place/an organization secretly to spy on it
2. (of liquids/gases) pass slowly into
~ infiltration (n)
117
Onerous
Needing great effort; difficult to do
118
Confer
1. Discuss (+with sb on/about sth)
2. Give sb an award/a degree/an honor/a right (+sth on/upon sb)
~ conferment (n)
119
Spasm
1. A sudden painful contracting of a muscle
| 2. A sudden strong feeling/reaction that lasts for a short time (+of)
120
Tumultuous
1. Very loud; involving strong feelings esp. feelings of approval
2. Involving a lot of change, confusion and/or violence
121
Tumult
1. A confused situation involving a lot of noise and excitement
2. A state of confusion
~ in tumult
122
Backlog
A quantity of work that should have been done already, but hasn't been done
123
Hard at it
(inf) putting a lot of effort into what you're doing
124
Corrode
Destroy sth slowly
125
Cardinal (adj)
Most important; having other things based on it
126
Repertoire
1. (also repertory) all the plays/songs/etc. a performer knows and can perform
2. All the things a person is able to do
127
Doldrums
1. The state of feeling sad/depressed
2. A lack of activity/improvement
~ in the doldrums
128
Impervious
(to sth) not affected/influenced by sth
129
Wizened
Shriveled with age
130
Surreal
Very strange; more like a dream than reality
131
Wean sb off/from sth
Make sb gradually stop using/doing sth
132
Wean sb on sth
Make sb experience sth regularly, esp. from a young age
133
Tell a different story/tale
Give information that is difficult from what you expect/have been told
134
Sinuous
1. Turning while moving in an elegant way
| 2. Having many curves
135
Have no use for/not have any use for
Not need sth
136
Assail
1. Attack sb/sth violently, either physically or verbally
| 2. Disturb/upset sb severely
137
Malleable
(of people/ideas/etc.) easily influenced/trained/controlled
138
At a premium
Uncommon and therefore valuable
139
Put/set/place a premium on sb/sth
Think that sb/sth is particularly important/valuable
140
In similar vein
Similarly
141
Succulent
Juicy
