Review 3 Flashcards
(208 cards)
1
Q
Efface
A
[ T ] formal to remove something intentionally:
The whole country had tried to efface the memory of the old dictatorship.
2
Q
Self effacing
A
not making yourself noticeable, or not trying to get the attention of other people:
The captain was typically self-effacing when questioned about the team’s successes, giving credit to the other players.
3
Q
Cringe
A
to feel embarrassed and ashamed about something:
I cringed when I realized what I’d said.
To cringe is also to pull back in fear from someone or something that seems powerful and dangerous:
He cringes every time he hears the dentist’s drill.
4
Q
Cower
A
to lower your head or body in fear, often while moving backwards:
Stop cowering! I’m not going to hit you.
The dog cowered in the corner, realizing she’d done something wrong.
5
Q
Revue
A
a show with songs, dances, jokes, and short plays often about recent events
6
Q
Avarice
A
an extremely strong wish to get or keep money or possessions:
Her business empire brought her wealth beyond the dreams of avarice (= an extremely large amount of money).
7
Q
Adhesive
A
glue:
You’ll need a/some strong adhesive to mend that chair.
8
Q
Precipitous
A
If a slope is precipitous, it is very steep:
a precipitous mountain path
If a reduction or increase is precipitous, it is fast or great:
Over the past 18 months, there has been a precipitous fall in car sales.
9
Q
Secrecy
A
the state of being secret or of keeping something secret:
The content of her report is shrouded in secrecy (= being kept secret).
I’d love to tell you about it, but Martin’s sworn me to secrecy (= made me promise not to tell anyone).
There has been strong criticism of the secrecy surrounding the negotiations.
10
Q
Stealth
A
movement that is quiet and careful in order not to be seen or heard, or secret action:
These thieves operate with terrifying stealth - they can easily steal from the pockets of unsuspecting travellers.
It would seem that some politicians would prefer to use financial stealth rather than legislation to produce change.
The weapons had been acquired by stealth.
11
Q
Resit
A
to take an exam again:
If you fail these exams, you can resit them next year.
12
Q
Minim
A
Us half note
a musical note with a time value equal to two crotchets or half a semibreve
โน้ตตัวขาว
13
Q
Crotchet
A
Us quarter note
a musical note with a time value equal to two quavers or half a minim
โน้ตตัวดำ
14
Q
Quaver
A
us eighth note
a musical note that is half as long as a crotchet
ตัวเขบ็ต
15
Q
Semibreve
A
us whole note
a musical note with a time value equal to two minims or four crotchets
โน้ตตัวกลม
16
Q
Tat
A
informal
anything that looks cheap, is of low quality, or in bad condition:
Like most souvenir shops, it sells a lot of old tat.
17
Q
Shard
A
a piece of a broken glass, cup, container, or similar object:
Shards of glass have been cemented into the top of the wall to stop people climbing over.
18
Q
Sliver
A
a very small, thin piece of something, usually broken off something larger:
a sliver of glass
Just a sliver of cake for me, please - I shouldn’t really be having any.
19
Q
Enthuse
A
to express excitement about something or great interest in it:
He was enthusing over a wonderful restaurant he’d been to.
[ + speech ] “She’s the best leader that this country has ever known!” he enthused.
[ T ] to get other people to share your excitement and interest in a particular subject:
He was passionately interested in classical music but failed to enthuse his children (with it).
20
Q
Remunerate
A
to pay someone for work or services:
He is poorly remunerated for all the work he does.
21
Q
Plenipotentiary
A
a person who has the authority to represent his or her country, especially in another country
22
Q
Abject
A
the state of being extremely unhappy, poor, unsuccessful, etc.:
They live in abject poverty.
This policy has turned out to be an abject failure.
showing no pride or respect for yourself:
an abject apology
He is almost abject in his respect for his boss.
23
Q
Shack
A
a simple, small building:
The family lived in a one-room shack.
24
Q
Procession
A
a line of people who are all walking or travelling in the same direction, especially in a formal way as part of a religious ceremony or public celebration:
a wedding/funeral procession
The festival will open with a procession led by the mayor.
[ S ] a series of people or things, one after the other:
My day has just been a never-ending procession of visitors.
25
Lapel
a strip of cloth that is part of the front of a jacket or coat. It is joined to the collar and folded back onto the chest:
A flower was pinned to/in her lapel.
26
Evict
to force someone to leave somewhere:
Tenants who fall behind in their rent risk being evicted.
He was evicted from the bar for drunken and disorderly behaviour.
27
Peal
Chime
When bells peal, they ring with a loud sound:
After their wedding, the bells pealed out from the tower.
a long loud sound or series of sounds, especially of laughter or thunder:
Her suggestion was met with peals of laughter.
A loud peal of thunder woke him from restless sleep.
28
Axilla
Armpit
29
Rancour
a feeling of hate and continuing anger about something in the past:
They cheated me, but I feel no rancour towards/against them.
Spite
30
Feeler
one of the two long parts on the head of an insect and some other creatures with which it touches things in order to discover what is around it
31
Anon
soon or in the near future:
See you anon.
Old use
32
Grasping
Greedy
(of people) always trying to get and keep more of something, especially money:
a grasping, greedy man
33
Fall short
to fail to reach an amount or standard that was expected or hoped for, causing disappointment:
August car sales fell short of the industry's expectations.
34
Ring a bell
ring any bells
to sound familiar:
The name rang a bell but I couldn't remember where I had heard it before.
No, I'm sorry, that description doesn't ring any bells with me.
35
Mohair
a soft wool or cloth made from the outer hair of angora goats (= goats with long soft hair):
a mohair jumper
Angora
the wool or material made from the long, soft hair of a type of rabbit or goat:
an angora sweater
36
Terra-cotta
hard, baked, red-brown clay:
| terra-cotta tiles
37
Undying
Undying feelings or beliefs are permanent and never end:
| He pledged undying love/loyalty.
38
Absolve
(especially in religion or law) to free someone from guilt, blame, or responsibility for something:
The report absolved her from/of all blame for the accident.
The priest absolved him (of all his sins).
39
Chest
a large, strong box, usually made of wood, used for storing goods or possessions or for moving possessions from one place to another:
Her books and clothes were packed into chests and shipped across to Canada.
40
Crate
a box made of wood, plastic, or metal, especially one divided into parts to hold bottles:
a milk crate
a crate of empty bottles
a packing crate
41
Sag
to drop down to a lower level in the middle:
The shelf sagged under the weight of the heavy books.
a sagging roof/floor/bed
to become weaker:
The dollar held up well this morning but the pound sagged.
42
Droop
to bend or hang down heavily:
The flowers were drooping in the heat.
I can see you're tired because your eyelids have started to droop.
If your spirits (= feelings of happiness) droop, you start to feel less happy and energetic.
43
Curtail
Shorten
to stop something before it is finished, or to reduce or limit something:
to curtail your holiday/spending
With all the snow, our daily walks have been severely curtailed.
He had to curtail his speech when time ran out.
44
Curtailment
the action of reducing or limiting something, or of stopping something before it is finished:
She condemned postwar curtailment of civil liberties.
The policy included insurance against cancellation or curtailment of the holiday.
45
Barren
Infertile
unable to produce plants or fruit:
We drove through a barren, rocky landscape.
formal unable to have children or young animals
not creating or producing anything new:
She became very depressed during the barren years when she was unable to paint.
46
Windowsill
US Window ledge
a shelf below a window, either inside or outside a building:
He has a few plants in pots on the windowsill.
47
Ledge
a narrow, flat area like a shelf that sticks out from a building, cliff, or other vertical surface:
a window ledge
48
Hurl
Throw
to throw something with a lot of force, usually in an angry or violent way:
In a fit of temper he hurled the book across the room.
Youths hurled stones at the soldiers.
to shout insults or rude language at someone angrily:
I wasn't going to stand there while he hurled abuse at me!
49
Tartan
Plaid
a pattern of different coloured straight lines crossing each other at 90 degree angles, or a cloth with this pattern:
a tartan kilt
50
Diction
the manner in which words are pronounced:
| It is very helpful for a language teacher to have good diction.
51
Air
C2 [ S ] manner or appearance:
She has an air of confidence about her.
to make opinions or complaints known to other people:
Putting a complaint in the suggestions box is one way of airing your grievances.
He'll air his views on the war whether people want to listen or not.
52
Testy
Bad tempered
easily annoyed and not patient:
a testy old man
testy comments
53
Vat
a large container used for mixing or storing liquid substances, especially in a factory:
a vat of wine/oil
The grapes are crushed in deep wooden vats.
54
Distil
to make a liquid stronger or purer by heating it until it changes to a gas and then cooling it so that it changes back into a liquid:
Some strong alcoholic drinks such as whisky are made by distilling.
55
Pathos
a quality in life or art that causes feelings of sadness or sympathy:
The dying girl’s speech generates genuine pathos.
56
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.
57
Contender
Competitor
someone who is qualified to compete to win something or to achieve a position of leadership: :
He is a top contender for Senate majority leader.
Now aged 42, he is no longer considered a serious contender for the title.
58
Contend
to compete in order to win something:
There are three world-class tennis players contending for this title.
He's contending against someone with twice his experience.
[ T + (that) ] formal to say that something is true or is a fact:
The lawyer contended (that) her client had never been near the scene of the crime.
59
Laud
to praise:
The German leadership lauded the Russian initiative.
The president lauded the rise of market economies around the world.
60
Gaffe
a remark or action that is a social mistake and not considered polite:
I made a real gaffe - I called his new wife "Judy", which is the name of his ex-wife.
You started eating before anyone else had been served? What a gaffe!
Faux pas
61
Faux pas
words or behaviour that are a social mistake or not polite:
| I made some remark about his wife's family, and then realized I'd made a serious faux pas.
62
Blunder
a serious mistake, usually caused by not taking care or thinking:
He said that the tax was a major political blunder.
I made a blunder by getting his name wrong.
[ I usually + adv/prep ] to move in an awkward way:
I could hear him blundering around in the darkness.
63
Spite
a feeling of anger towards another person that makes someone want to annoy, upset, or hurt them, especially in a small way:
He's the sort of man who would let down the tyres on your car just out of/from spite.
64
Malice
the wish to harm or upset other people:
There certainly wasn't any malice in her comments.
formal I bear him no malice (= do not want to harm or upset him).
65
Creed
Credo
| a set of beliefs that influences the way you live
66
Perturb
to worry someone:
| News of the arrest perturbed her greatly.
67
Moot
Formal to suggest something for discussion:
The idea was first mooted as long ago as the 1840s.
His name was mooted as a possible successor.
often discussed or argued about but having no definite answer:
It's a moot point whether building more roads reduces traffic congestion.
not important or not relevant, therefore not worth discussing:
We don't have enough money to go, so it's all moot anyway.
If a legal question is moot, it does not need to be dealt with, because something has happened that solves the issue:
The court's decision became moot when the defendant was found dead.
imagined or invented as an example, and so without any legal importance:
a moot case
A moot court
68
Tenterhooks
On tenterhooks
worried or nervous about something that is going to happen:
We were on tenterhooks all morning waiting for the phone to ring.
69
Astronomical
informal also astronomic An astronomical amount is extremely large:
an astronomical rent/bill/price/fee
70
Waive
formal
to not demand something you have a right to, or not cause a rule to be obeyed:
The bank manager waived the charge (= said we didn't have to pay), as we were old and valued customers.
If they waive (= remove) the time limit, many more applications will come in.
He persuaded the delegates to waive (= give up) their objections.
71
Perpetrator
informal perp
someone who has committed a crime or a violent or harmful act:
The perpetrators of the massacre must be brought to justice as war criminals.
72
Perpetrate
Commit
to commit a crime or a violent or harmful act:
In this country, half of all violent crime is perpetrated by people who have been drinking alcohol.
Federal soldiers have been accused of perpetrating atrocities against innocent people.
73
Atrocity
[ C usually plural ] an extremely cruel, violent, or shocking act:
They are on trial for committing atrocities against the civilian population.
[ U ] the fact of something being extremely cruel, violent, or shocking:
These people are guilty of acts of appalling atrocity (= cruelty).
74
Echelon
a rank or position within an organization, company, or profession:
in the upper/top/higher echelons of sth
Politicians are often hired by private equity for the connections and skills gained while working in the upper echelons of government.
at the upper/top echelon
The job allows you a glimpse into day-to-day goings-on at the company's top echelon.
Most believe it is this juggling act that keeps women in the lower echelons of the legal profession.
75
Pertain
to relate to or have a connection with something:
regulations pertaining to high-tech industries
Seaweed’s properties, as they pertain to skin care, are still in dispute.
76
Inflict
to force someone to experience something very unpleasant:
These new bullets are capable of inflicting massive injuries.
The suffering inflicted on these children was unimaginable.
77
Subdue
to reduce the force of something, or to prevent something from existing or developing:
The fire burned for eight hours before the fire crews could subdue it.
He criticized the school for trying to subdue individual expression.
78
Padre
a Christian priest, especially in the armed forces
79
Elation
a state of extreme happiness or excitement:
| There's a sense of elation at having completed a race of such length.
80
Chasm
a very deep, narrow opening in rock, ice, or the ground:
They leaned over the rails and peered down into the dizzying chasm below.
formal a very large difference between two opinions or groups of people:
There is still a vast economic chasm between developed and developing countries.
81
Trinket
a small decorative object, or a piece of jewellery that is cheap or of low quality:
She always returns from vacation with a few souvenirs, mostly just cheap trinkets.
82
Bauble
a piece of bright but cheap jewellery
uk a ball-shaped Christmas decoration for hanging on a tree
83
Decider
mainly uk a final game or competition that allows one person or team to win, or the winning point scored:
They lost what was regarded as the championship decider at Leeds.
Jones scored the decider in the final minute.
mainly us a person who makes the decisions in a particular situation:
The president is the decider in these matters.
84
Sire
Father
to become the male parent of an animal or the father of a child:
The foal was sired by a cup-winning racehorse.
old use or humorous At the age of 70, he married a much younger woman and went on to sire two more children.
85
Keepsake
something that helps you remember a person, place, or occasion:
Her aunt gave her a little wooden elephant as a keepsake.
86
Lachrymose
literary
sad or likely to cry often and easily:
He is better known for his lachrymose ballads than hard rock numbers.
87
Begrudge
to feel unhappy because someone has something that you think they do not deserve:
[ + two objects ] I don't begrudge him his freedom.
to feel unhappy about spending money on something or spending time doing something:
They begrudged every day they had to stay with their father.
[ + -ing verb ] She begrudged paying so much for an ice cream cone.
88
Rasher
a thin flat piece of bacon
89
Potent
very powerful, forceful, or effective:
Surprise remains the terrorists' most potent weapon.
The Berlin Wall was a potent symbol of the Cold War.
This is a very potent drug and can have unpleasant side-effects.
90
Decry
Formal to criticize something as bad, without value, or unnecessary:
Lawyers decried the imprisonment of several journalists.
91
Denounce
to criticize something or someone strongly and publicly:
The government's economic policy has been denounced on all sides.
We must denounce injustice and oppression.
92
Oppression
a situation in which people are governed in an unfair and cruel way and prevented from having opportunities and freedom:
Every human being has the right to freedom from oppression.
War, famine and oppression have forced people in the region to flee from their homes.
the oppression of women
a feeling of being very uncomfortable and worried:
Several people had experienced the same feeling of oppression when they slept in that room.
93
By no matter of means
```
by no means
also not by any means
not at all:
It is by no means certain that we'll finish the project by June.
```
This isn't the last we'll hear of it by any means.
94
Rue the day
to feel very sorry about an event:
| She'll rue the day (that) she bought that house.
95
Undefeated
in sports, having won every game:
| The team managed to remain undefeated in the final weeks of the season.
96
Bunkum
Nonsense
What a load of bunkum!
97
Crater
the round hole at the top of a volcano, or a hole in the ground similar to this:
the huge crater of Vesuvius
a bomb crater
With a good telescope, you can see craters on the moon.
98
Amity
Friendship
formal
a good relationship:
The two groups had lived in perfect amity for many years before the recent troubles.
99
Land mine
| a bomb that is hidden in the ground and that explodes when a person steps on it or a vehicle drives over it
100
Whet
to increase someone's interest in and wish for something, usually by giving them a small experience of it:
I've read an excerpt of the book on the Web and it's whetted my appetite.
That one kiss had whetted his appetite.
old use to sharpen the blade of a knife or similar tool:
He whetted his knife against the stone.
101
Vanguard
The forefront
a group of people who lead the development of new ideas, or a leading position in the development of something:
He is in the vanguard of economic reform.
the most noticeable or important position:
She was one of the politicians at/in the forefront of the campaign to free the prisoners.
His team is at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines.
102
Mercantile
formal
related to trade or business
Instead of mercantile competition with Europe and America, Chinese capitalists have been looking to the developing world for bigger opportunities.
a mercantile economy/society/tax
103
Missive
an official, formal, or long letter:
She sent a ten-page missive to the committee, detailing her objections.
104
castigate
Formal reprimand someone severely
He was castigated for not setting a good example.
105
Habituate
Make or become accustomed to or used to something
Bears can habituate to people very easily.
106
Impassible
Incapable of suffering or feeling pain
Believe in an impassible god
A road is like an impassible wall to arboreal animals.
107
arboreal
Living in trees
Arboreal rodents
108
Cleave
to separate or divide, or cause something to separate or divide, often violently:
With one blow of the knight's axe, he clove the rock in twain (= into two pieces).
109
Enclave
a part of a country that is surrounded by another country, or a group of people who are different from the people living in the surrounding area:
Campione d'Italia is an Italian enclave in Switzerland.
Yorkville was an enclave of German immigrants.
110
Exclave
a part of a region or country that is not connected to the main part but is surrounded by another region or country:
Kaliningrad is a Russian exclave pinched between Poland and Lithuania.
111
Bayonet
Rifle attachment
a long, sharp blade fixed on to a rifle (= gun)
112
Forte
a strong ability, something that a person can do well:
| Cooking was not exactly her forte.
113
Alarm
C2 [ U ] sudden worry and fear, especially that something dangerous or unpleasant might happen:
I didn't tell her that he was late because I didn't want to cause her any alarm.
Villagers have reacted with alarm to news of a proposed new road.
114
Rustle
mainly us to steal farm animals
115
Chuck
informal to throw something carelessly:
Chuck it over there/into the corner.
[ + two objects ] Chuck me the keys.
116
Defraud
to take something illegally from a person, company, etc., or to prevent someone from having something that is legally theirs by deceiving them:
He was found guilty of defrauding the Internal Revenue Service.
They are both charged with conspiracy to defraud an insurance company of $20,000.
117
Folly
[ C or U ] formal the fact of being stupid, or a stupid action, idea, etc.:
She said that the idea was folly.
[ + to infinitive ] It would be folly for the country to become involved in the war.
118
Lethal
able to cause or causing death; extremely dangerous:
Three minutes after the fire started, the house was full of lethal fumes.
In the car the police found guns, knives, and other lethal weapons (= weapons that can kill).
A 59-year-old man was executed by lethal injection (= by having a poisonous substance put into his body) this morning.
119
Facet
Aspect
one part of a subject, situation, etc. that has many parts:
She has so many facets to her personality.
120
Nippy
informal Nippy weather or air is quite cold:
It's a little nippy today - you might need a coat.
uk informal able to change speed and direction easily:
a nippy little car
121
Leaven
to add a substance to bread or another food made with flour to make it increase in size when it is cooked
formal to make something less boring:
Even a speech on a serious subject should be leavened with a little humour.
122
Founder
(especially of a boat) to fill with water and sink:
The ferry foundered in a heavy storm, taking many of the passengers and crew with it.
to be unsuccessful:
Teaching computers to read and write has always foundered on the unpredictable human element in language.
123
Ante
an amount of money that each person must risk in order to be part of a game that involves gambling:
a $30 ante
124
Putrefy
to decay, producing a strong, unpleasant smell:
the smell of putrefying flesh
The body had putrefied beyond recognition.
125
Doyen
Senior member
the oldest, most experienced, and often most respected person of all the people involved in a particular type of work
126
Sheer
C1 [ before noun ] used to emphasize how very great, important, or powerful a quality or feeling is; nothing except:
The suggestion is sheer nonsense.
His success was due to sheer willpower/determination.
It was sheer coincidence that we met.
C2 extremely steep; almost vertical:
a sheer mountain side
a sheer drop of 100 metres
127
Kismet
Destiny fate
A force that some people think controls what happens in the future, and is outside human control:
It must have been kismet. A few months after accepting the commission, she learned she would be having a baby.
128
Dire
very serious or extreme:
These people are in dire need of help.
He gave a dire warning that an earthquake was imminent.
This decision will have dire consequences for local people.
mainly uk informal very bad:
I thought her latest book was dire!
129
Imminent
C2 coming or likely to happen very soon:
imminent disaster/danger
A strike is imminent.
130
Near
Approach
to get close to something in distance, time, or state:
I'm pleased to say the project is nearing completion.
As the wedding day neared, I started to have second thoughts about getting married.
The captain switched on the seat belt sign as we neared the airport.
131
Blithe
/Blai th/
happy and without worry:
She shows a blithe disregard for danger.
132
Fondle
Caress
to touch gently and in a loving way, or to touch in a sexual way:
She fondled the puppies.
He gently fondled the baby's feet.
She accused him of fondling her (= touching her in a sexual way) in the back of a taxi.
133
Truant
a child who is regularly absent from school without permission:
Police reports showed that the vast majority of crime committed by children was carried out by truants.
play truant uk us usually play hooky
to be regularly absent from school without permission:
Most parents are horrified when they discover their children have been playing truant from school.
134
Score
formal 20 or approximately 20:
He lived to be three score years and ten (= until he was 70 years old).
by the score formal
in large numbers:
People are leaving the organization by the score.
scores [ plural ]
a lot of things or people:
Sean received cards from scores of local well-wishers.
135
Oblige
/é blaidg/
formal also obligate to force someone to do something, or to make it necessary for someone to do something:
The law obliges companies to pay decent wages to their employees.
The law does not obligate sellers to accept the highest offer.
136
Gruff
(of a person's voice) low and unfriendly, or (of a person's behaviour) unfriendly or showing no patience:
"Yeah, so what?" came the gruff reply.
He's quite a sweet man beneath the gruff exterior.
137
Surly
often in a bad mood, unfriendly, and not polite:
We were served by a very surly waiter.
He gave me a surly look.
138
Sate
formal or literary
to satisfy someone by giving them something that is wanted or needed:
He searched for a book that would sate his desire for all the details of Olympic history.
139
Bellow
Roar
to shout in a loud voice, or (of a cow or large animal) to make a loud, deep sound:
[ + speech ] "Keep quiet!" the teacher bellowed across the room.
We could hear the sergeant bellowing orders to his troops.
The bull bellowed in pain.
140
Akin
cognate
having some of the same qualities:
They speak a language akin to French.
141
Heinous
formal very bad and shocking:
| a heinous crime
142
Pressing
urgent or needing to be dealt with immediately:
a pressing need for housing
a pressing issue
The most pressing question is what do we do next?
143
Bung
Informal usually us stopper a round piece of rubber, wood, etc. that is used to close the hole in a container
a payment made to someone to persuade them to do something, usually something dishonest:
Of course both the politicians denied taking bungs.
to put something somewhere in a careless way:
"Where shall I put my coat?" "Oh, bung it anywhere."
144
Attain
formal C1 to reach or succeed in getting something:
He has attained the highest grade in his music exams.
We need to identify the best ways of attaining our objectives/goals.
India attained independence in 1947, after decades of struggle.
145
Feral
Wild
existing in a wild state, especially describing an animal that was previously kept by people:
feral dogs/cats
146
Contend
Vie, compete
to compete in order to win something:
There are three world-class tennis players contending for this title.
He's contending against someone with twice his experience.
formal to say that something is true or is a fact:
The lawyer contended (that) her client had never been near the scene of the crime.
147
Onset
the beginning of something:
We have to get the roof fixed before the onset of winter.
the onset of sth
the moment at which something unpleasant begins:
the onset of winter
The new treatment can delay the onset of the disease by several years.
148
Prowess
formal great ability or skill:
athletic/sporting prowess
He's always boasting about his sexual prowess.
149
Consort
to spend time in the company of particular people:
She warned him against consorting with suspicious characters.
a wife or husband, especially of a ruler
150
Gyrate
/ˈdʒaɪ.reɪt/
to turn around and around on a fixed point, usually quickly
to dance, especially in a sexual way:
A line of male dancers gyrated to the music while the audience screamed their appreciation.
151
Tirade
a long, angry speech expressing strong disapproval:
She launched into an angry/furious tirade about how she had been unfairly treated.
In a furious tirade of abuse, the opposition spokesperson demanded the minister's resignation.
152
Spurn
Reject
formal to refuse to accept something or someone because you feel that thing or person is not worth having:
She spurned my offers of help.
Ellis plays the part of the young lover spurned by his mistress.
153
Abate
to become less strong:
The storm/wind/rain has started to abate.
The fighting in the area shows no sign of abating.
Unabated
formal without becoming weaker in strength or force:
The fighting continued unabated throughout the night.
154
Foursome
a group of four people meeting for a social activity, such as playing a game or having a meal:
Why don't we invite Caroline and Mark and make up a foursome?
155
Staff
[ C ] formal a long, strong stick held in the hand that is used as a support when walking, as a weapon, or as a symbol of authority
[ C ] formal also flagstaff
a flagpole
156
Blasphemy
something that you say or do that shows you do not respect God or a religion:
to be accused of blasphemy
figurative humorous Madonna fans think that any criticism of her is blasphemy.
157
Heresy
/ˈher.ə.si/
[ C or U ] (the act of having) an opinion or belief that is the opposite of or against what is the official or popular opinion, or an action that shows that you have no respect for the official opinion:
Radical remarks like this amount to heresy for most members of the Republican party.
She committed the heresy of playing a Lady Gaga song on a classical music station.
158
Append
Add
to add something to the end of a piece of writing:
The author appends a short footnote to the text explaining the point.
159
Saunter
Amble stroll
to walk in a slow and relaxed way, often in no particular direction:
He sauntered by, looking very pleased with himself.
160
Vestige
/ˈves.tɪdʒ/ formal
a small part or amount of something larger, stronger, or more important that still exists from something that existed in the past:
These old buildings are the last vestiges of a colonial past.
There is now no vestige of hope that the missing children will be found alive.
161
Adept
Skillful
/əˈdept/
having a natural ability to do something that needs skill:
She's very adept at dealing with the media.
Tamsin Palmer gave a technically adept performance on the piano.
162
Trance
a temporary mental condition in which someone is not completely conscious of and/or not in control of himself or herself:
First she goes/falls into a deep trance, and then the spirit voices start to speak through her.
When a hypnotist puts you in(to) a trance, you no longer have conscious control of yourself.
He sat staring out of the window as if in a trance.
163
Daunt
discourage
to make someone feel slightly frightened or worried about their ability to achieve something:
She was not at all daunted by the size of the problem.
Daunting
making you feel slightly frightened or worried about your ability to achieve something:
The country was faced with the daunting prospect of overcoming four decades of division.
164
Indelible
/ɪnˈdel.ə.bəl/
An indelible mark or substance is impossible to remove by washing or in any other way:
indelible ink
The blood had left an indelible mark on her shirt.
[ before noun ] Indelible memories or actions are impossible to forget, or have a permanent influence or effect:
I have an indelible memory of that meeting with Anastasia.
In his 20 years working for the company, Joe Pearson made an indelible impression on it.
165
Retrospect
/ˈret.rə.spekt/
in retrospect
thinking now about something in the past:
In retrospect, (= thinking about the past now) I think their marriage was doomed from the beginning.
I'm sure my university days seem happier in retrospect than they really were.
Retrospection
the act of thinking now about something in the past:
a time/mood of retrospection
Retrospection just isn't in his nature.
166
Overarching
formal most important, because of including or affecting all other areas:
a grand overarching strategy
The overarching theme of the election campaign was tax cuts.
167
Exploitation
the use of something in order to get an advantage from it:
Britain's exploitation of its natural gas reserves began after the Second World War.
the act of using someone unfairly for your own advantage:
Marx wrote about the exploitation of the workers.
168
Well off
rich:
Her family was very well off.
[ before noun ] Grants are available for less well-off families.
[ after verb ] having a lot of or a number of:
The city is well off for parks and gardens.
the well-off
rich people:
Finance firms are concentrating on the well-off.
169
Marginalize
/ˈmɑːr.dʒɪ.nəl.aɪz/
to treat someone or something as if they are not important:
Now that English has taken over as the main language, the country's native language has been marginalized.
Marginalization
The marginalization of certain groups within the community may lead to social unrest.
170
Unrest
disagreements or fighting between different groups of people:
It is feared that the civil unrest we are now witnessing in this country could lead to full-scale civil war.
171
Welding
the activity of joining metal parts together
Welder ช่างเชื่อมเหล็ก
172
Poignant
/ˈpɔɪ.njənt/
causing or having a very sharp feeling of sadness:
The photograph awakens poignant memories of happier days.
It is especially poignant that he died on the day before the wedding.
The production took on added poignancy due to the director's recent death.
The poem has a haunting poignancy.
173
Disposition
[ C usually singular ] the particular type of character that a person naturally has:
She is of a nervous/cheerful/sunny disposition.
[ S + to infinitive ] formal a natural tendency to do something, or to have or develop something:
a disposition to deceive
174
Avant-garde
Avant-garde ideas, styles, and methods are very original or modern in comparison to the period in which they happen:
avant-garde art/cinema/painting
It was one of the first avant-garde works to appeal to a wide audience.
the painters, writers, musicians, and other artists whose ideas, styles, and methods are very original or modern in comparison to the period in which they live, or the work of these artists:
New York is the international capital of the musical avant-garde.
175
Inaugural
an inaugural speech is the first speech someone gives when starting an important new job:
an inaugural address/lecture/speech
In her inaugural speech, she identified the recruitment of top faculty talent to the university as one of her chief goals.
an inaugural event is the first in a series of planned events:
He plans to be on the inaugural flight when the twinjet aircraft goes into service next month.
He held the inaugural meeting on Friday of a council to forge common ground between union and business leaders.
an inaugural celebration/ceremony/event
176
Sentinel
literary a person employed to guard something:
A policeman stood sentinel at the entrance.
Synonym
sentry
177
Nugget
something that a person has said or written that is very true or very wise:
a nugget of information/truth
humorous What other astonishing nuggets of wisdom do you have for us?
178
Stranded
unable to leave somewhere because of a problem such as not having any transport or money:
He left me stranded in town with no car and no money for a bus.
If the tide comes in, we'll be stranded on these rocks.
179
Lax
without much care, attention, or control:
The subcommittee contends that the authorities were lax in investigating most of the cases.
not severe or strong enough:
He took a gun through baggage control to highlight the lax security.
Laxity / laxness
Laxity in enforcing safety regulations can cost lives.
180
Ingot
a piece of metal, usually in the shape of a narrow brick:
a gold/silver ingot
If you buy ingots, storage and insurance costs mean you effectively have a negative yield because gold produces no income.
181
Modicum
formal 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.
182
Fine
mainly uk sunny and dry:
| The forecast said it would be fine and dry today.
183
Rebut
formal to argue that a statement or claim is not true:
She has rebutted charges that she has been involved in any financial malpractice.
Refute
formal to say or prove that a person, statement, opinion, etc. is wrong or false:
to refute a person/theory/argument/claim
184
Quarry
[ C ] a large artificial hole in the ground where stone, sand, etc. is dug for use as building material:
a granite/limestone/marble/slate quarry
Prey
[ S ] a person or animal being hunted or looked for:
The dogs pursued their quarry into an empty warehouse.
185
Lapel
/ləˈpel/
a strip of cloth that is part of the front of a jacket or coat. It is joined to the collar and folded back onto the chest:
A flower was pinned to/in her lapel.
186
Undue
formal C2 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.
Unduly
There's no need to be unduly pessimistic about the situation.
187
Tardy
formal slow or late in happening or arriving:
Dinner was somewhat delayed on account of David's rather tardy arrival.
```
Belated
coming later than expected:
a belated apology
They did make a belated attempt to reduce the noise.
Belated birthday greetings!
```
188
Incision
an opening that is made in something with a sharp tool, especially in someone's body during an operation:
The surgeon makes a small incision into which a tube is inserted.
Surgical cut
189
Hackneyed
disapproving a hackneyed phrase or idea has been said or used so often that it has become boring and has no meaning:
The plot of the film is just a hackneyed boy-meets-girl scenario.
190
Cliche
an idea or expression that has been used too often and is often considered a sign of bad writing or old-fashioned thinking:
The story is shamelessly corny, and grownups will groan at its clichés.
a saying or remark that is very often made and is therefore not original and not interesting:
My wedding day - and I know it's a cliché - was just the happiest day of my life.
191
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
192
Scupper
Scuttle
to sink your own ship on purpose
to cause something such as a plan or an opportunity to fail:
Arriving late for the interview scuppered my chances of getting the job.
193
Inconsistent
(of an argument or opinion) containing elements that are opposed and do not match, so that it is difficult to imagine how both can be true:
These findings are inconsistent with those of previous studies
disapproving changing in character; not staying the same:
The team’s play is inconsistent – winning one day and losing the next.
194
Erratic
changing suddenly and unexpectedly:
an erratic schedule
moving or behaving in a way that is not regular, certain, or expected:
He drove in an erratic course down the road.
She can be very erratic; one day she is friendly and the next she'll hardly speak to you.
195
Overtake
to go past something by being a greater amount or degree:
Our US sales have now overtaken our sales in Europe.
We'd planned to hold a meeting tomorrow, but events have overtaken us (= things have changed).
uk us pass to come from behind another vehicle or a person and move in front of them:
Always check your rear view mirror before you overtake (another car).
to happen to a person or a place suddenly and unexpectedly:
The family was overtaken by tragedy several years ago, and they still haven't recovered.
196
Hosiery
hose
formal a word used especially in shops for things such as socks, tights, and stockings:
Hosiery is on the second floor, Madam.
197
Insolent
intentionally and rudely showing no respect:
| Students were often inattentive, sometimes even insolent, and showed relatively little interest in their work.
198
Impertinent
rude and not showing respect, especially towards someone older or in a higher position than you:
I hope he didn't think I was being impertinent when I asked him about his private life.
an impertinent remark/question
199
Liken
Compare
to say that someone is similar to or has the same qualities as someone else:
She's been likened to a young Elizabeth Taylor.
200
Slingbacks
women's shoes with a strap around the back of the heel instead of a full covering:
a pair of slingbacks
slingback sandals/shoes
My sister and I got fabulous party dresses and slingback heels.
201
Ricochet
Rebound bounce
(of a ball, bullet, or other small object) to bounce off a surface:
The ball ricocheted off the goalie’s foot and into the net.
He was hit by a ricochet from a stray bullet.
Their second goal was a ricochet.
202
Belie
Contradict
to represent something falsely or to hide something:
His gruff manner belied a gentle personality.
Her calm face belied the terror she was feeling.
203
Reverent
Respectful
showing great respect and admiration:
A reverent silence fell over the crowd.
Irreverent
lacking the expected respect for official, important, or holy things:
The television program takes an irreverent look at the medical profession.
an irreverent comment/approach/attitude
irreverent thoughts
204
Callow
literary disapproving
Someone, especially a young person, who is callow behaves in a way that shows they have little experience, confidence, or judgment:
Mark was just a callow youth of 16 when he arrived in Paris.
205
Sparse
small in numbers or amount, often spread over a large area:
a sparse population/audience
sparse vegetation/woodland
a sparse beard
Information coming out of the disaster area is sparse.
206
Pot luck
anything that is available or is found by chance, rather than something chosen, planned, or prepared:
We had no idea which hotel would be best, so we just took pot luck with the first one on the list.
Mary's welcome to stay for dinner if she doesn't mind taking pot luck (= having whatever is available).
[ C ] mainly us also potluck an informal meal where guests bring a different dish that is then shared with the other guests:
a pot luck dinner
We're having a pot luck on Saturday.
207
Pigsty
```
pigpen
an enclosed area where pigs are kept
a dirty or messy place:
Your bedroom's a pigsty!
```
208
Erroneous
formal wrong or false:
| an erroneous belief/impression
