Review 2 Flashcards
(207 cards)
1
Q
Nadir
A
the worst moment, or the moment of least hope and least achievement:
The defeat was the nadir of her career.
Opposite
Zenith
the best or most successful point or time:
In the 1860s, Tolstoy was at the zenith of his achievement.
His career reached its zenith in the 1960s.
2
Q
Decorum
A
behaviour that is controlled, calm, and polite:
As young ladies we were expected to act/behave with proper decorum.
3
Q
Seemly
A
socially suitable and polite
Seemly behavior
4
Q
Edgy
A
nervous; not calm:
He was feeling a little edgy about the whole thing.
unusual in a way that is fashionable or exciting:
edgy art installations
5
Q
Afloat
A
floating on water:
She spent seven days afloat on a raft.
He managed to keep/stay afloat by holding on to the side of the boat.
having enough money to pay what you owe:
Many small businesses are struggling to stay/keep afloat.
6
Q
Prod
A
[ C ] an act of pushing something or someone with your finger or with a pointed object:
He gave her a prod in the ribs.
[ S ] encouragement to do something:
She hasn’t ordered that book for me yet - I must give her a prod.
Verb
[ I or T ] to push something or someone with your finger or with a pointed object:
I prodded her in the back to get her attention.
She prodded the cake with her fork to see if it was cooked.
[ T ] to encourage someone to take action, especially when they are being slow or unwilling:
He gets things done, but only after I’ve prodded him into doing them.
7
Q
Bemuse
A
to slightly confuse someone:
Her answer bemused us all.
8
Q
Buff
A
Verb
Polish / to rub a surface with a soft material to make it shine:
First you apply the wax to the floor, let it dry, and then buff it.
Noun
a person who is very interested in a subject and knows a lot about it:
a history/movie buff
Adj
having a strong, healthy body with well-developed muscles:
He was spotted on the beach looking extremely buff.
9
Q
Delve / rummage
A
to search, especially as if by digging, in order to find a thing or information:
She delved into her pocket to find some change.
She rummaged in/through all the drawers, looking for a pen.
10
Q
Boulder
A
a very large rock
11
Q
Exert
A
[ T ] to use something such as authority, power, influence, etc. in order to make something happen:
If you were to exert your influence they might change their decision.
Some managers exert considerable pressure on their staff to work extra hours without being paid.
**exert yourself
to make a mental or physical effort:
I was too tired to exert myself
12
Q
Accord
A
(a formal) agreement:
On 31 May the two leaders signed a peace accord.
The project is completely in accord with government policy.
of your own accord
**If you do something of your own accord, you do it without being asked to do it:
She came of her own accord. No one asked her to come
13
Q
Stupor
A
a state in which a person is almost unconscious and their thoughts are not clear:
He was lying under the table in a drunken stupor.
14
Q
Proxy
A
[ C or U ] a written document that officially gives someone the authority to do something for another person, for example by voting at a meeting for them:
A creditor may give a proxy to any person of full age requiring him or her to vote for or against any specified resolution.
proxy materials/cards/forms
[ C or U ] a person who you choose to do something officially for you, for example to vote at a meeting or in an election when you are not able to vote yourself:
Your proxy does not necessarily have to sign the form himself or herself.
proxy votes/voting
15
Q
Terse
A
using few words, sometimes in a way that seems rude or unfriendly:
“Are you feeling any better?” “No!” was the terse reply.
Curt
If someone’s manner or speech is curt, it is rude as a result of being very quick:
to give a curt nod/reply
Andy was very curt with him.
16
Q
Ravine
A
a deep narrow valley with steep sides
17
Q
Ascot
A
AmE
a wide, straight piece of material worn like a tie in the open neck of a shirt
BrE
a town in S England, in Bracknell Forest unitary authority, Berkshire: noted for its horse-race meetings, esp Royal Ascot, a four-day meeting held in June. Pop: 8755 (2001)
18
Q
Gamut
A
The whole range of things that can be included in something
In her stories she expresses the whole gamut of emotions, from happiness to sorrow.
Jonson has run the gamut of hotel work, from porter to owner of a large chain of hotels.
19
Q
Register
A
Voice
All the notes that a musical instrument or a person’s voice can produce, from the highest to the lowest
Music written mainly for the lower/higher register of the clarinet.
20
Q
Nook / cranny
A
A small space that is hidden :
A cosy/sheltered/quiet nook
A small narrow opening in something solid:
There were small plants growing in every nook and cranny of the wall.
21
Q
Dredge
A
To remove unwanted thing from the bottom of a river, lake using a boat or special device
They have to dredge the camel regularly to keep it open.
The police are dredging the lake for his body.
They dredged up all sorts of rubbish from the bottom of the river.
22
Q
Slug
A
Informal
A bullet
The poor guy wound up with a slug in his stomach.
23
Q
Tycoon / mogul
A
A powerful and rich person
A business/property/shipping tycoon
Movie/media/industry moguls
24
Q
Swerve
A
To change direction suddenly
The bus driver swerved to avoid hitting a cyclist.
If you do not swerve from a principle or certain actions, you continue to think or act as you did in the beginning / unswerving
She is one of those rare politicians whom one can trust not to swerve from policy and principle.
Unswerving loyalty/devotion/support/faith
25
Ford
An area in a river or stream that is not deep and can be crossed on foot
26
Daub
Smear / to spread a thick or sticky liquid on something or to cover something with a thick or sticky liquid, often quickly or carelessly:
The walls had been daubed with graffiti.
The baby had daubed butter all over his hair and face.
The children had smeared peanut butter all over the sofa.
27
Deride
Ridicule
to laugh at someone or something in a way that shows you think they are stupid or of no value:
He derided my singing as pathetic.
This building, once derided by critics, is now a major tourist attraction.
28
Sea dog
an old sailor with many years of experience at sea:
With his white beard and blue cap he looked like an old sea dog.
29
Denizen
Inhabitant / an animal, plant, or person that lives in or is often in a particular place:
Deer and squirrels are among the denizens of the forest.
30
Hoist
to lift something heavy, sometimes using ropes or a machine:
A helicopter hoisted the final section of the bridge into place.
With some difficulty he hoisted her onto his shoulders.
31
Insurgent
Rebel / someone who is fighting against the government in their own country:
All approaches to the capital are now under the control of the insurgents.
32
Tantalize
to excite or attract someone by offering or suggesting something that is unlikely to be provided or is not enough:
Her paintings tantalize the eye.
33
Earful
angry, complaining speech:
I’d better not be late for practice or the coach will give me an earful.
34
Slate / censure
uk informal to attack by criticizing; to write or say that something is very bad:
Her last book was slated by the critics.
Formal ; strong criticism or disapproval:
His dishonest behaviour came under severe censure.
35
Sot
someone who often drinks too much alcohol
36
Heathen
(of people or their way of life, activities, and ideas) having no religion, or belonging to a religion that is not Christianity, Judaism, or Islam
37
Onus
the responsibility or duty to do something:
[ + to infinitive ] The onus is on the landlord to ensure that the property is habitable.
We are trying to shift the onus for passenger safety onto the government.
38
Autocrat
absolute ruler
a ruler with unlimited power, or someone who demands that people completely obey them
39
Spot on
exactly right:
"How old do I reckon she is? I'd say 38." "Spot on."
40
Also ran
someone in a competition who is unlikely to do well or who has failed
Unplaced
41
Fret
to be nervous or worried:
Don't fret - I'm sure he's OK.
She spent the day fretting about/over what she'd said to Nicky.
42
Racket / din
[ S ] informal an unpleasant loud continuous noise:
They were making such a racket outside that I couldn't get to sleep.
a loud, unpleasant confused noise that lasts for a long time:
the din of the traffic
I had to shout to make myself heard above the din.
The children were making a terrible din.
43
Fulcrum
จุดสมดุล
[ S ] formal the main thing or person needed to support something or to make it work or happen:
The fulcrum of the debate/argument is the individual's right to choose.
44
Pivot
the central or most important person or thing in a situation:
The former guerrilla leader has become the pivot on which the country's emerging political stability turns/revolves (= it depends on him).
to turn or twist:
She pivots her left foot.
He pivoted on his heels and headed out.
Future deals will pivot on (= depend on) easing commercial conflicts.
45
Ire
anger:
| Petty restrictions easily raised/aroused the ire of such a creative artist.
46
Sham
Phoney (informal)
Something that is not what it seems to be and is intended to deceive people:
It turned out that he wasn’t a real doctor at all - he was just a sham.
They claimed that the election had been fair, but really it was a sham.
To pretend:
He isn’t really upset - he is just shamming.
47
Dolt
A stupid person
48
Ebb
(Water)
When the sea or tide ebbs, it moves away from the coast and falls to a lower level
We will sail on the ebb.
If a physical or emotional felling ebbs, it becomes less strong or disappear
He could feel his strength ebbing away.
49
Asunder
Into forcefully separated pieces
Their lives were torn asunder by the tragedy.
50
Sepulcher
/‘sep e ker/
Tomb
51
Garret
Attic
52
Dip
To go down to a lower level
The sun dipped below the horizon.
53
Brink
The point where a new or different situation is about to begin
Scientists are on the brink of a major new discovery.
54
Butty
A sandwich
55
Bifid
Divided into two parts
A bifid leaf
56
Rid
to free a person or place of something unwanted or harmful:
In the city, it is hard to rid a building permanently of pests.
57
Sever
to break or separate, especially by cutting:
The knife severed an artery and he bled to death.
Her foot was severed from her leg in a car accident.
58
Livid
extremely angry:
He was livid when he found out.
(especially of marks on the skin) of an unpleasant purple or dark blue colour:
He had a long, livid scar across his cheek.
59
Intermittent
not happening regularly or continuously; stopping and starting repeatedly or with periods in between:
intermittent rain
an intermittent noise
Although she made intermittent movie appearances, she was essentially a stage actress.
60
Sporadic
happening sometimes; not regular or continuous:
sporadic gunfire
a sporadic electricity supply
More than 100 people have been killed this year in sporadic outbursts of ethnic violence.
61
Vim
energy and enthusiasm:
At 87, Minna's still full of vim and vigour.
62
Canny
thinking quickly and cleverly, especially in business or financial matters:
These salesmen are a canny lot.
63
Meadow
a field with grass and often wild flowers in it:
There was a path through the meadow to the village.
64
Bleat
to produce the sound made by a sheep or goat:
The brass section bleated like goats with bad colds.
informal to complain in an annoying way:
She's always bleating (on) about how badly she's been treated.
65
Demure
(especially of women) quiet and well behaved:
| She gave him a demure smile.
66
Dawdle
to do something or go somewhere very slowly, taking more time than is necessary:
Stop dawdling! You'll be late for school!
67
Toot
to make a short sound or series of short sounds, especially with the horn of a car as a warning:
The driver tooted (her horn).
The waiting taxi gave a toot on its horn.
68
Intemperate
showing anger or violence that is too extreme and not well controlled:
an intemperate outburst
intemperate language
The governor said he would not be provoked into intemperate action.
69
Revel
to dance, drink, sing, etc. at a party or in public, especially in a noisy way
70
Wallow
(esp. of animals) to lie or roll about slowly in deep, wet earth, sand, or water:
The pig wallowed in the mud.
to allow yourself to enjoy something completely:
My idea of a holiday is to stay in a five-star hotel and just wallow in luxury for a week.
71
Gait
(formal) a particular way of walking:
He walked with a slow stiff gait.
the particular way a horse walks or runs:
The pony's gait slowed from a canter to a trot.
72
Adonis
a very beautiful or sexually attractive young man:
| She walked in on the arm of some blond Adonis.
73
Plunder
[ I or T ] to steal goods violently from a place, especially during a war:
After the president fled the country, the palace was plundered by soldiers.
Tragically, the graves were plundered and the contents scattered.
[ T ] to steal or remove something precious from something, in a way that does not consider moral laws or is more severe than it need be:
Someone has been plundering funds from the company.
The future of our planet is in danger if we continue to plunder its resources as we do.
74
Loot
(usually of large numbers of people during a violent event) to steal from shops and houses:
During the riot shops were looted and cars damaged or set on fire.
(Indian English) to steal something from a place or person:
Burglars looted cash and mobiles from a shop in Tagore Town.
The passengers in the general compartment of Shramjivi Express were looted and robbed of their valuables.
75
Din / racket
a loud, unpleasant confused noise that lasts for a long time:
the din of the traffic
I had to shout to make myself heard above the din.
The children were making a terrible din.
Racket
informal an unpleasant loud continuous noise:
They were making such a racket outside that I couldn't get to sleep.
76
Enact
[ T often passive ] specialized law to put something into action, especially to make something law:
A package of economic sanctions is to be enacted against the country.
[ T ] (formal) to perform a story or play:
The stories are enacted using music, dance and mime.
77
Ringlet
a curled piece of long hair:
Her hair hung down in ringlets.
78
Spoor
the marks left by a wild animal as it travels
79
Stray
Stray also means happening by chance and lacking direction:
It was just a stray thought I had while washing the dishes.
There are still a few stray spots of paint on the window pane.
Several journalists have been killed or injured by stray bullets while reporting on the civil war.
80
Tally
Agree
to match or agree with something else:
The numbers on your spreadsheet don't tallywith ours.
81
Livid
extremely angry:
| He was livid when he found out.
82
Assailant
a person who attacks another person:
Can you describe your assailant?
None of the witnesses could identify the assailant.
83
Caprice
(the quality of often having) a sudden and usually silly wish to have or do something, or a sudden and silly change of mind or behaviour:
The $300 million palace was built to satisfy the caprice of one man.
84
Whim
a sudden wish or idea, especially one that cannot be reasonably explained:
We booked the trip on a whim.
Oh for a husband who would indulge my every whim!
85
Dexterity
the ability to perform a difficult action quickly and skilfully with the hands, or the ability to think quickly and effectively:
He caught the ball with great dexterity.
He answered the reporters' questions with all the dexterity of a politician.
86
Adroit
very skilful and quick in the way you think or move:
an adroit reaction/answer/movement of the hand
She became adroit at dealing with difficult questions.
87
Embellish
[ T ] to make something more beautiful by adding something to it:
The ceiling was embellished with flowers and leaves.
[ I or T ] to add or change some details of a story, usually to make it more interesting or exciting:
He couldn't resist embellishing the story of his accident a little.
I don't blame him for embellishing.
88
Breaker
a wave moving towards the coast:
We swam out beyond the breakers.
89
Bombshell
[ C usually singular ] a sudden and often unpleasant piece of news:
My sister dropped a bombshell by announcing she was leaving her job.
90
Frivolous
behaving in a silly way and not taking anything seriously:
I think he sees her as a frivolous young woman.
A frivolous activity or object is silly or not important rather than useful or serious:
I feel like doing something completely frivolous today.
91
Astray
away from the correct path or correct way of doing something:
The letter must have gone astray in the post.
I was led astray by an out-of-date map.
92
Unattached
Single
not married or not having a relationship with anyone; single:
He's gorgeous, he has his own house and, what's more, he's unattached.
not physically joined to something else:
The cover of the book was stained and almost completely unattached.
not feeling connected to a person, group, or idea:
Feeling unattached to the community is one of the risk factors for drug abuse.
93
Saunter
to walk in a slow and relaxed way, often in no particular direction:
He sauntered by, looking very pleased with himself.
94
Brolly
informal for umbrella
95
Gore
blood that has come from an injury and become thick:
It's a good film, but there's a lot of blood and gore in it (= pictures of people being badly injured).
(of an animal) to cause an injury to someone, or damage something, with the horns or tusks:
gored by a bull
96
Whirlpool
A small area of the sea or other water in which there is a powerful, circular current of water that can pull objects down into its centre
97
Eddy
If water, wind, smoke, etc. eddies, it moves fast in a circle:
The water eddied around in a whirlpool.
98
Titter
to laugh nervously, often at something that you feel you should not be laughing at:
A couple of the younger teachers tittered at his dirty jokes.
99
Append
to add something to the end of a piece of writing:
| The author appends a short footnote to the text explaining the point.
100
Patent
(formal) very obvious:
a patent lie
a patent disregard of the law
"No," he replied, with patent distaste.
101
Be all ears
to be waiting eagerly to hear about something:
| I'm all ears - tell us what they had to say.
102
Scoff
to laugh and talk about a person or idea in a way that shows that you think they are stupid or silly:
The critics scoffed at his paintings.
Years ago people would have scoffed at the idea that cars would be built by robots.
[ T ] uk informal us scarf to eat something quickly and eagerly:
I baked a huge cake this morning, and the kids scoffed the lot.
103
Rupture
to (cause something to) explode, break, or tear:
His appendix ruptured and he had to be rushed to hospital.
(figurative) This news has ruptured (= violently ended) the delicate peace between the rival groups.
an occasion when something explodes, breaks, or tears:
a rupture of the pipeline
figurative a rupture (= an end to a friendly relationship) between the families
a medical condition in which the wall of muscle holding the stomach and bowels in place inside the body is broken apart:
You're going to give yourself a rupture if you lift that.
Syn Hernia
104
Aide
a person whose job is to help someone important, such as a member of a government or a military officer of high rank:
a senior government aide
an aide to the prime minister
105
Pinafore
(informal) or pinny
a piece of clothing worn by women over the front of other clothes to keep them clean while cooking or doing other work in the house
Apron
106
Rut
[ C ] a deep, narrow mark made in soft ground especially by a wheel
Groove
a long, narrow, hollow space cut into a surface:
The window slides along a groove in the frame.
107
Ardent
showing strong feelings:
an ardent supporter of Manchester United
an ardent feminist
108
Foil
to prevent someone or something from being successful:
| The prisoners' attempt to escape was foiled at the last minute when police received a tip-off.
109
Baffle
to cause someone to be completely unable to understand or explain something:
She was completely baffled by his strange behaviour.
to cause someone to be unable to understand or explain something:
Even his friends were baffled by his behavior.
110
Banal
boring, ordinary, and not original:
He just sat there making banal remarks all evening.
banal pop songs
Trite
111
Flannel
Facecloth
112
Hi-fi
[ C or U ] electronic equipment used to play recorded sound, especially music:
I've just bought a new hi-fi.
hi-fi equipment
Stereo
113
Inhuman
extremely cruel:
Prisoners of war were subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment.
not human in an unusual or frightening way:
Most people feel that there is something almost inhuman about perfection.
114
Seer
Prophet
115
Census
a count for official purposes, especially one to count the number of people living in a country and to collect information about them:
We have a census in this country every ten years.
She was stopped in her car for a traffic census.
116
Beacon
a light or fire on the top of a hill that acts as a warning or signal:
As part of the centenary celebrations a chain of beacons was lit across the region.
figurative She was a beacon of hope in troubled times.
117
Centenary
(the day or year that is) 100 years after an important event:
centenary celebrations
Next year is the centenary of her death.
118
Limb
an arm or leg of a person or animal:
The accident victims mostly had injuries to their lower limbs (= legs).
an artificial limb
119
Brawny
physically strong and with big muscles:
He was a big brawny man with huge hands.
At twelve years of age, he was already big and brawny.
120
Waterfowl
the types of birds that live on or near rivers, lakes, or the ocean
Like swan
121
Bog
Wet spongy ground
[ C ] uk slang a toilet:
I'm just going to nip to the bog.
We've run out of bog paper/roll.
122
Inane
Senseless
extremely silly or with no real meaning or importance:
He's always making inane remarks.
There are too many inane quiz shows on television these days.
123
Gnash your teeth
to bring your teeth forcefully together when you are angry:
The monster roared and gnashed its teeth.
humorous to complain angrily and noisily about something:
New Yorkers gnashed their teeth about the governor's decision to raise property taxes.
124
Talk out of
Persuade not to do it
He tried to talk me out of buying such a big car.
125
Go back on
Break promises
It wouldn’t be fair to go back on all those promises.
126
Courier
a person or company that takes messages, letters, or parcels from one person or place to another:
I want to have this package delivered by motorcycle courier.
to send something using a courier:
I'll courier the relevant documents to you this afternoon.
127
Fraternal
```
relating to brothers:
fraternal rivalry
friendly, like brothers:
The president's official visit marks the start of a more fraternal relationship between the two countries.
```
128
Modicum
a small amount of something good such as truth or honesty:
There's not even a modicum of truth in her statement.
Anyone with a modicum of common sense could have seen that the plan wouldn't work.
129
Disregard
Neglect
to ignore something:
He told us to disregard everything we'd learned so far and start again.
the fact of showing no care or respect for something:
What amazes me is her complete disregard for anyone else's opinion.
130
Slumber
sleep:
I fell into a gentle slumber.
I didn't want to rouse you from your slumbers.
131
Sumptuous
impressive in a way that seems expensive:
The celebrity guests turned up dressed in sumptuous evening gowns.
132
Adieu
ēdu:
```
goodbye:
She bade (= said to) him adieu and left.
```
133
Frankfurter
a thin, red-brown sausage, preserved using smoke or chemicals and often eaten with bread
134
Legal tender
coins or bank notes that are part of a country's official currency:
Acceptable currency
The euro became legal tender in 12 European countries on Jan. 1, 2002.
135
Stammer
a speech problem in which someone speaks with unusual pauses or repeated sounds :
Robert has a slight stammer.
Speech lessons had corrected a childhood stammer.
the act of saying something with unusual paused or repeated sounds because of fear or nervousness:
Although he said he felt calm, there was a slight stammer in his voice.
She was a gangly girl of 15, all stammers and blushes.
Stutter
She stutters a little, so be patient and let her finish what she's saying.
136
Concave
curving in:
a concave lens
Convex
curved or swelling out:
a convex lens/mirror
137
Fixture
a permanently fixed piece of furniture in a house, such as a bath, that would not be taken by someone when moving to a new home:
All fixtures and fittings are included in the house price.
figurative They've been together so long he's become a permanent fixture in her life.
138
Epee
Fencing sword
139
Habit
Nun’s costume
140
Baton
a stick used by a conductor
a stick that is passed from one runner to another in a relay race
```
uk also (truncheon), us also (nightstick)
a thick, heavy stick used as a weapon by police officers
```
141
Alcove
a small space in a room, formed by one part of a wall being further back than the parts on each side:
We've put some bookshelves in the alcove.
Recess
[ C ] a small area in a room that is formed by one part of a wall being set back further than other parts:
The room has a recess designed to hold bookshelves.
142
Afflict
If a problem or illness afflicts a person or thing, they suffer from it:
It is an illness that afflicts women more than men.
a country afflicted by civil war
143
Settee
Sofa
144
Spry
(especially of older people) active and able to move quickly and energetically:
He was amazingly spry for a man of almost 80.
145
Automaton
Robot
a machine that operates on its own without the need for human control, or a person who acts like a machine, without thinking or feeling:
I take the same route to work every day, like some sort of automaton.
146
Beano
Party
147
Commotion
To-do
a sudden, short period of noise, confusion, or excited movement:
His arrival caused quite a commotion.
He looked up to see what all the commotion was about.
148
To-do
a show of anger, worry, or excitement that is unnecessary or greater than the situation deserves:
Getting our passports renewed was such a to-do.
149
Gait
formal a particular way of walking:
He walked with a slow stiff gait.
the particular way a horse walks or runs:
The pony's gait slowed from a canter to a trot.
150
Bearing
[ U ] formal someone's way of moving and behaving:
She had a proud, distinguished bearing.
151
Ruse
a trick intended to deceive someone:
It was just a ruse to distract her while his partner took the money.
Stratagem
a plan or trick to achieve something:
Barry devised several stratagems for escape.
152
Confabulate
specialized psychology to invent experiences or events that did not really happen:
He came to believe that these patients were confabulating.
He confabulated a version in which the President praised him for the good work he was doing.
[ I ] formal to have a conversation:
It was just two old friends confabulating.
153
Osculate
Kiss
154
Wonderment
great and pleasant surprise:
| He listened with quiet wonderment as his grandfather told him of his life in the circus.
155
Rasp
ตะไบหยาบ
156
Demur
Object
To express disagreement or refuse to do something
The lawyer requested a break in the court case, but the judge demurred.
157
Elan
A combination of style and energetic confidence
She dances the role with such elan.
As a prime minister, she had a certain elan.
158
Counterfoil
Stub
หางตั๋ว
The part of ticket, cheque, etc. which you keep as a record of payment
We suggested that you retain the counterfoil as a proof of purchase.
159
Ignoble
Syn base
Having no morals
An ignoble action/idea
I accused him of having base motives.
160
Exhaust
to use something completely:
How long will it be before the world's fuel supplies are exhausted?
I'm afraid he's exhausted my patience.
We seem to have exhausted this topic of conversation (= we have nothing new to say about it).
Noun
the waste gas from an engine, especially a car's, or the pipe the gas flows through:
Car exhaust is the main reason for the city's pollution.
161
Angular
thin and bony:
She was tall and angular.
having a clear shape with sharp points:
Her features were too angular, her face a little too long for beauty.
162
Awkward
difficult to use, do, or deal with:
It's an awkward corner, so take it slowly.
Some of the questions were rather awkward.
It was an awkward ascent, but we reached the top eventually.
[ + to infinitive ] My car's quite awkward to drive.
He's an awkward customer (= a difficult person to deal with).
163
Allude
Refer
to mention someone or something in a brief or indirect way:
He alluded to problems with the new computers.
164
Stifle
to (cause to) be unable to breathe because you have no air:
He is said to have stifled his victim with a pillow.
We almost stifled in the heat of the city.
to prevent something from happening, being expressed, or continuing:
She stifled a cough/yawn/scream/sneeze.
I don't know how I managed to stifle my anger.
We should be encouraging new ideas, not stifling them.
165
Bawdy / ribald
containing humorous remarks about sex:
bawdy humour/songs
Ribald language refers to sex in a rude but humorous way:
He entertained us with ribald stories.
166
Vice
[ C or U ] a moral fault or weakness in someone's character:
Greed, pride, envy, and lust are considered to be vices.
mainly humorous My one real vice (= bad habit) is chocolate.
[ U ] illegal and immoral activities, especially involving illegal sex, drugs, etc.:
The chief of police said that he was committed to wiping out vice in the city.
167
Libel
Defame
to write and publish something that contains bad and false things about a person:
She claims the newspaper libelled her in editorials and news articles.
With a few exceptions, no writer consciously sits down with the aim of libelling anyone.
168
Catnap
A short sleep
169
Deduce
Infer
to reach an answer or a decision by thinking carefully about the known facts:
We cannot deduce very much from these figures.
[ + that ] The police have deduced that he must have left his apartment yesterday evening.
170
Bust
informal to break something:
Oh no! I bust his MP3 player.
a model of the head and shoulders of a person:
There was a bust of Mahler on his desk.
171
Impudent
rude and not showing respect, especially towards someone who is older or in a more important position:
an impudent remark/child
172
Simplistic
making something complicated seem simple by ignoring important parts of it:
They have a simplistic point of view about the war.
173
Kitty
[ C usually singular ] an amount of money that is made up of small amounts given by different people, used by them for an agreed purpose:
We all put $20 in/into the kitty to cover the cost of food.
174
Cadet
| a student in the armed forces or the police
175
Licit
allowed by law:
Illicit and licit drugs are both dangerous to human health if abused or used incorrectly.
176
Spasm
an occasion when a muscle suddenly becomes tighter in a way that cannot be controlled:
a muscle/muscular spasm
mainly uk My leg suddenly went into spasm.
Tic
He developed a tic when he was nervous.
177
Yen
Desire
[ C usually singular ] informal a strong feeling of wanting or wishing for something:
I have a yen for travelling.
178
Cur
a mongrel (= dog of mixed type), especially one that is frightening or fierce
179
Gendarme
French policeman
/ˈʒɑːn.dɑːrm/
a police officer who is a member of a gendarmerie (= a police force that is part of the armed forces in France and some other countries where French is spoken):
French gendarmes recovered the painting three years later.
180
Fiasco
something planned that goes wrong and is a complete failure, usually in an embarrassing way:
The show was a fiasco - one actor forgot his lines and another fell off the stage.
The entire political campaign was a fiasco, and at the end he drew only 30% of the votes.
181
Falsehood
lying:
| She doesn't seem to understand the difference between truth and falsehood.
182
Cummerbund / sash
a long, narrow piece of cloth worn around the waist and fastened at the back, or a strip of cloth worn over the shoulder, often with a uniform at official ceremonies
183
Rue
to feel sorry about an event and wish it had not happened; regret
rueful /ˈru·fəl/
She gave him a rueful smile.
184
Cabal
a small group of people who plan secretly to take action, especially political action
He was assassinated by a cabal of aides within his own regime.
185
Conspiracy
the activity of secretly planning with other people to do something bad or illegal:
The three men are accused of conspiracy.
[ + to infinitive ] She has been charged with conspiracy to murder.
I think there was a conspiracy to keep me off the committee.
186
Risible
so lacking in quality or usefulness that it deserves to be laughed at:
She's been making risible attempts to learn the trumpet.
Laughable
187
Ludicrous
stupid or unreasonable and deserving to be laughed at:
a ludicrous idea/suggestion
He looked ludicrous in that suit!
188
Nifty
good, pleasing, or effective:
a nifty piece of work/footwork
a nifty little gadget
189
Agile
able to move your body quickly and easily:
Monkeys are very agile climbers.
You need to have agile fingers to do this kind of work.
able to think quickly and clearly:
For a man of 80, he has a remarkably agile mind.
190
Epaulette / epaulet
a decoration worn on the shoulder of a piece of clothing, especially on a military coat, shirt, etc.
บั้ง
191
Apiarist
Beekeeper
a person who keeps bees, especially to produce honey
192
Iota
an extremely small amount:
I haven't seen one iota of evidence to support his claim.
Jot
not at all or not even a small amount:
Don't listen to her! There's not a jot of truth (= there is no truth) in what she's saying.
None of the committee's proposals will matter a jot (= they will not matter) if no one reads their report.
193
Skylight
a window built into a roof to allow light in:
Putting in a skylight made the attic seem big and bright.
194
Connubial
Wedded
connected with marriage:
connubial bliss
195
Futile
(of actions) having no effect or achieving nothing:
Attempts to get supplies to the region are futile because troops will not allow the aid convoy to enter the city.
It's completely futile trying to reason with him - he just won't listen.
All my attempts to cheer her up proved futile.
Synonym
fruitless
unavailing (formal or literary)
196
Withdraw
Detach
to stop talking to other people and start thinking thoughts that are not related to what is happening around you:
As a child, she frequently withdrew into her own fantasy world.
After the accident, he withdrew into himself and refused to talk to family or friends.
197
Upshot
Outcome
something that happens as a result of other actions, events, or decisions:
The upshot of the discussions is that there will be no layoffs.
198
Licensee
A person who has official permission to sell alcohol:
By law, the licensee of a pub must be a fit and proper person.
Publican - a manager of a pub
199
Efficacy
Effectiveness
the ability, especially of a medicine or a method of achieving something, to produce the intended result:
They recently ran a series of tests to measure the efficacy of the drug.
200
Blotto
Extremely drunk
201
Astute
able to understand a situation quickly and see how to take advantage of it:
an astute investor/businesswoman
his astute handling of the situation
an astute observer of human behaviour
202
Undue
to a level that is more than is necessary, acceptable, or reasonable:
Such a high increase will impose an undue burden on the local tax payer.
203
Outwit
to get an advantage over someone by acting more cleverly and often by using a trick:
In the story, the cunning fox outwits the hunters.
204
Outwith
scottish english
outside:
22 percent of the students are from outwith Scotland.
205
Denture
a small piece of plastic or similar material, with false teeth attached, that fits inside the mouth of someone who does not have their own teeth:
a set of dentures
206
Irresolute
not able or willing to take decisions or actions:
an irresolute reply
Hesitant
If you are hesitant, you do not do something immediately or quickly because you are nervous or not certain:
You seemed a bit hesitant about recommending that restaurant - is something wrong with it?
She gave me a hesitant smile.
207
Resolute
determined in character, action, or ideas:
Their resolute opposition to new working methods was difficult to overcome.
She's utterly resolute in her refusal to apologize.
