Review 7 Flashcards
(212 cards)
1
Q
Meander
A
to walk slowly without any clear direction:
We spent the afternoon meandering around the streets of the old town.
If a text, process, or activity meanders, it has no clear purpose or direction:
The film meanders along with no particular story line.
a journey that has no particular direction:
The TV series continues its haphazard meander around the globe - this week in Portugal.
2
Q
Pronounce on sth
A
/prəˈnaʊns/ verb [ T ]
to give a judgment or opinion about something:
I’d rather not go pronouncing on a subject that I know so little about.
3
Q
Top brass
A
the most important people in an organization:
The top brass also received benefits not given to the average employee.
It has been sent to top brass and Ministers for their eyes only.
4
Q
Statesman
A
an experienced politician, especially one who is respected for making good judgments
a statesmanlike speech
5
Q
Infantry
A
/ˈɪn.fən.tri/ the part of an army that fights on foot: The infantry was/were sent into battle. It's a light/heavy infantry unit.
6
Q
Calvary
A
/ˈkæv·əl·ri/
an army group which fights from armored vehicles, helicopters (= type of aircraft), or, esp. in the past, while riding horses
a soldier in an army who fights in a tank, or (especially in the past) on a horse:
Former cavalrymen gather at West Point for a yearly memorial.
Genghis Khan’s nomadic cavalrymen once wreaked devastation across Asia.
7
Q
Amnesty
A
/ˈæm.nə.sti/
[ C or U ] a decision by a government that allows political prisoners to go free:
Most political prisoners were freed under the terms of the amnesty.
[ C usually singular ] a fixed period of time during which people are not punished for committing a particular crime:
People who hand in illegal weapons will not be prosecuted during the amnesty.
The government refused to declare an amnesty for people who had not paid the disputed tax.
8
Q
Downplay
A
/ˌdaʊnˈpleɪ/
understate
to make something seem less important or less bad than it really is:
The government has been trying to downplay the crisis.
She believes the research understates the amount of discrimination women suffer.
Play down sth
The doctor tried to play down the seriousness of my father’s illness, but we weren’t fooled.
9
Q
Foreground
A
/ˈfɔːr.ɡraʊnd/
to give the most importance to a particular subject, etc.:
His speech foregrounded the history of the decision.
10
Q
Epitomize
A
/ɪˈpɪt̬.ə.maɪz/
encapsulate Typify
to be a perfect example of a quality or type of thing:
With little equipment and unsuitable footwear, she epitomizes the inexperienced and unprepared mountain walker.
11
Q
Encapsulate
A
/ɪnˈkæp.sjə.leɪt/
epitomize typify
to express or show the most important facts about something:
It was very difficult to encapsulate the story of the revolution in a single one-hour documentary.
She encapsulates the stereotyped image that the British have of Americans.
12
Q
Typify
A
/ˈtɪp·əˌfɑɪ/
to be an example of a particular thing or kind of thing:
This trial typifies the problems juries face all the time.
With his blond, blue-eyed athletic looks, he typifies the all-American boy next door.
13
Q
Dichotomy
A
/daɪˈkɑː.t̬ə.mi/ formal
a difference between two completely opposite ideas or things:
There is often a dichotomy between what politicians say and what they do.
I try to examine the dichotomy between what people think they are and what they do.
14
Q
Duality
A
/duːˈæl.ə.t̬i/ formal
the state of combining two different things:
His poems reveal the duality of his nature, the joy and hope, the fear and despair.
15
Q
Belligerent
A
/bəˈlɪdʒ.ɚ.ənt/ disapproving wishing to fight or argue: a belligerent person a belligerent gesture Watch out! Lee's in a belligerent mood. She was so belligerent that I gave up trying to explain.
formal fighting a war:
The belligerent countries are having difficulties funding the war.
16
Q
Eschew
A
/ɪsˈtʃuː/ formal
shun
to avoid something intentionally, or to give something up:
We won’t have discussions with this group unless they eschew violence.
17
Q
Chagrin
A
/ˈʃæɡ.rɪn/ formal
disappointment or anger, especially when caused by a failure or mistake:
My children have never shown an interest in music, much to my chagrin.
She was chagrined to discover her mistake.
18
Q
De facto
A
/ˌdeɪ ˈfæk.təʊ/ US /ˌdeɪ ˈfæk.toʊ/ formal
existing in fact, although perhaps not intended, legal, or accepted:
The city is rapidly becoming the de facto centre of the financial world.
He’s her de facto husband though they’re not actually married.
English is de facto the common language of much of the world today.
If it is on British soil then it is de facto British.
19
Q
De jure
A
/ˌdeɪ ˈdʒʊr.i/ formal
having a right or existence as stated by law:
The country has de facto independence now, and it will soon be recognized de jure by the world’s governments.
The president aims to create a de jure one-party state.
20
Q
Vintner
A
/ˈvɪnt.nɚ/
a person whose job it is to buy and sell wine
21
Q
Monumental
A
/ˌmɑːn.jəˈmen.t̬əl/ very big: a monumental task a monumental waste of time
Rebuilding the bridge proved to be a monumental job.
22
Q
Dissipate
A
/ˈdɪs.ə.peɪt/ formal
to (cause to) gradually disappear or waste:
The heat gradually dissipates into the atmosphere.
His anger dissipated as the situation became clear.
23
Q
Unprecedented
A
/ʌnˈpres.ə.den.t̬ɪd/
C2 never having happened or existed in the past:
This century has witnessed environmental destruction on an unprecedented scale.
We’ve entered an age of unprecedented prosperity.
24
Q
Delineate
A
/dɪˈlɪn.i.eɪt/ formal
to describe or mark the edge of something:
The main characters are clearly delineated in the first chapter.
The boundary of the car park is delineated by a low brick wall.
to describe something completely, including details:
The constitution carefully delineates the duties of the treasurer’s office.
25
Galvanize
/ˈɡæl.və.naɪz/
to cause someone to suddenly take action, especially by shocking or exciting them in some way:
Western charities were galvanized by TV pictures of starving people.
The prospect of his mother coming to stay galvanized him into action and he started cleaning the house.
26
Undermine
/ˌʌn.dɚˈmaɪn/
C2 to make someone less confident, less powerful, or less likely to succeed, or to make something weaker, often gradually:
The president has accused two cabinet members of working secretly to undermine his position/him.
Criticism just undermines their confidence.
27
Embark
/ɪmˈbɑːk/
[ I ] to go onto a ship, aircraft, or train:
The flight crew embarked and the plane took off.
[ T ] to put goods or passengers onto a ship, aircraft, or train:
The ship had an electrical hoist which allowed cars to be embarked and disembarked in all tidal conditions.
embarkation
noun [ C or U ]
The records show each passenger's name, place of origin, and port of embarkation.
28
Trajectory
/trəˈdʒek.tɚ.i/ specialized
the curved path that an object follows after it has been thrown or shot into the air:
the trajectory of a bullet/missile
The missile came in on a very low trajectory.
29
Remnant
/ˈrem.nənt/
leftover
a small piece or amount of something that is left from a larger original piece or amount:
the remnants of last night's meal
remnants of the city's former glory
a carpet remnant
30
Jettison
/ˈdʒet̬.ə.sən/
to get rid of something or someone that is not wanted or needed:
The station has jettisoned educational broadcasts.
to decide not to use an idea or plan:
We've had to jettison our trip because of David's accident.
to throw goods, fuel, or equipment from a ship or aircraft to make it lighter:
The captain was forced to jettison the cargo and make an emergency landing.
31
Felony
```
/ˈfel.ə.ni/ mainly us
(an example of) serious crime that can be punished by one or more years in prison:
a felony charge
He was convicted of a felony.
Robbery is a felony.
```
32
Grant
/ɡrænt/
B1 an amount of money given especially by the government to a person or organization for a special purpose:
a student/research grant
a local authority/government grant
[ + to infinitive ] They gave/awarded her a grant to study abroad for one year.
to give or allow someone something, usually in an official way:
[ + two objects ] They granted her an entry visa.
He was granted asylum.
formal She granted their request/wish.
to accept that something is true, often before expressing an opposite opinion:
I grant that it must have been upsetting but even so I think she overreacted.
I grant you (= it is true that), it's a difficult situation but I feel sure he could have handled it more sensitively.
33
Asylum
/əˈsɑɪ·ləm/
protection or safety, especially that given by a government to people who have been forced to leave their own countries for their safety or because of war:
to seek/apply for political asylum
The refugees have asked for political asylum.
34
Clique
/klɪk/ disapproving
Coterie
a small group of people who spend their time together and do not welcome other people into that group:
Our golf club is run by a very unfriendly clique (of people).
There's a clique at work that never talks/who never talk to anyone else.
35
Coterie
/ˈkoʊ.t̬ɚ.i/
a small group of people with shared interests, often one that does not want other people to join them:
a coterie of writers
36
Scrutiny
/ˈskruː.t̬ən.i/
C2 the careful and detailed examination of something in order to get information about it:
The government's record will be subjected to/come under (close) scrutiny in the weeks before the election.
37
Leapfrog
/ˈliːp.frɑːɡ/ -gg-
to improve your position by going past other people quickly or by missing out some stages:
They've leapfrogged from third to first place.
She leapfrogged several older colleagues to get the manager's job.
We’re going to leapfrog the rest of the market in technology.
38
Labor-intensive
/ˌleɪ.bɚ.ɪnˈten.sɪv/
Industries and methods that are labour-intensive need a lot of workers:
A lot of farming techniques have been abandoned because they were too labour-intensive.
The service sector is more labour-intensive and less productive than manufacturing.
Converting shale oil to usable material takes a labor-intensive process that's very environmentally damaging.
39
Capital-intensive
used to describe an industry, business, or process that needs a lot of investment in materials, equipment, etc. in order to operate:
The oil industry is capital-intensive, and the company's capital spending budget last year was $19.9 billion.
As agriculture became more capital intensive, many farm labourers moved to the towns and cities to look for work.
40
Brainchild
/ˈbreɪn.tʃaɪld/
an original idea, plan, or invention:
The project was the brainchild of one of the students.
The encyclopedia was the brainchild of historian John C. McCormick.
41
Layman
/ˈleɪ·wʊm·ən/
a person who is not trained in or does not have a detailed knowledge of a particular subject:
The book is supposed to be the layman’s guide to home repair.
42
Botch
/bɑːtʃ/ uk also bodge
to spoil something by doing it badly:
We botched (up) our first attempt at wallpapering the bathroom.
uk also botch-up, bodge, bodge-up
something that is spoiled by being done badly:
The company made a series of botches before it went bankrupt.
uk The concert was very badly organized. In fact, the whole thing was a real botch-up.
43
Tussle
to have difficult disagreements or strong arguments:
During his twelve years in Congress he has tussled with the chemical, drug and power companies on behalf of the ordinary person.
The residents are still tussling over the ever-scarcer street parking.
to fight with another person using your arms and body:
The boys started to tussle in the playground.
a difficult disagreement or violent argument:
a boardroom/bureaucratic/legal tussle
There followed a long tussle for custody of the children.
a fight with another person using your arms and body:
You could see he had been in a tussle.
44
Fraternal
```
/frəˈtɝː.nəl/
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.
```
```
Fraternally
in a friendly way, like a brother:
He kissed her fraternally on the cheek.
They were welcomed fraternally and entertained in one of the great halls.
```
45
Crowdsource
/ˈkraʊd.sɔːrs/
to give tasks to a large group of people or to the general public, for example, by asking for help on the internet, rather than having tasks done within a company by employees:
The company plans to crowdsource the translation of its new web app.
Crowdsourcing
/ˈkraʊdˌsɔːr.sɪŋ/
the activity of giving tasks to a large group of people or to the general public, for example, by asking for help on the internet:
Crowdsourcing has profoundly influenced the way companies do business.
Advertising agencies believe crowdsourcing can be a valid way for a company to discover marketing ideas.
46
Attest
/əˈtest/ formal
to show something or to say or prove that something is true:
Thousands of people came out onto the streets to attest their support for the democratic opposition party.
The number of old German cars still on the road attests (to) the excellence of their manufacture.
As his career attests, he is a world-class tennis player.
specialized The will needs to be attested (= officially marked to show that the signature of the person who made the will is correct) by three witnesses.
Her wealth was attested to by her fur coat and designer shoes.
47
Complecent
/kəmˈpleɪ.sənt/ disapproving
self-satisfied
feeling so satisfied with your own abilities or situation that you feel you do not need to try any harder:
a complacent smile/attitude
We can't afford to become complacent about any of our products.
People are more complacent about protection.
48
Complacency
/kəmˈpleɪ.sən.si/ also complacence, UK/kəmˈpleɪ.səns/ US/kəmˈpleɪ.səns/ disapproving
a feeling of calm satisfaction with your own abilities or situation that prevents you from trying harder:
What annoys me about these girls is their complacency - they seem to have no desire to expand their horizons.
There's no room for complacency if we want to stay in this competition!
We’re finally making a profit, but there is no reason for complacency.
49
Mastectonomy
/mæsˈtek.tə.mi/
a medical operation to remove a woman's breast:
a partial mastectomy (= when part of the breast is removed)
a double mastectomy (= when both breasts are removed)
50
Oncologist
/ɑːnˈkɑː.lə.dʒɪst/
a doctor who studies and treats tumours (= masses of cells, as in cancer) in the body:
His oncologist suggested that he join the clinical trial.
The surgeon fixed an appointment with a leading oncologist.
51
Circadian
/sɝːˈkeɪ.di.ən/ specialized
used to describe the processes in animals and plants that happen naturally during a 24-hour period:
Our circadian clock makes it difficult to sleep during the day.
They suggested that the light may be suppressing production of melatonin, thereby disruption circadian rhythm and eating pattern.
52
Thereby
+ noun phrase
/ˌðerˈbaɪ/ formal or old-fashioned
C1 as a result of this action:
Diets that are high in saturated fat clog up our arteries, thereby reducing the blood flow to our hearts and brains.
They had failed to agree to a settlement, thereby throwing 250 people out of work.
53
Socioeconomic
```
/ˌsoʊ.si.oʊˌiː.kəˈnɑː.mɪk/
related to the differences between groups of people caused mainly by their financial situation:
socioeconomic groups/groupings
socioeconomic factors
```
College Board officials said the difficulties arise more from socioeconomic than from ethnic differences.
People in lower socioeconomic brackets tend to consume the most ultra-processed foods.
54
Ghrelin
US/ˈɡrel.ɪn/ specialized
a hormone (= a chemical made in the body) that makes you hungry:
When ghrelin levels are up, people feel hungry.
In experiments, sleep-deprived adults produced more ghrelin.
55
Cut back
to spend less, do less, or use less of something:
The government has announced plans to cut back on defence spending by 10 percent next year.
If exercise is causing you pain, you should cut back.
We are trying to cut back on travel costs.
The firm has cut back hours at its factory.
56
Enthusiast
```
/ɪnˈθuː.zi.æst/
a person who is very interested in and involved with a particular subject or activity:
a keep-fit enthusiast
a model-aircraft enthusiast
```
57
Arthroscopy
/ɑːrˈθrɑːs.kə.pi/ specialized
a type of surgery in which a very small hole is made in a person's body in order to look at a joint using a special instrument and sometimes to repair the joint at the same time:
He is having an arthroscopy to remove debris in his knee.
58
Unveil
/ʌnˈveɪl/ US
to show or introduce something new or make it known publicly for the first time:
The company unveiled a 2.7% rise in underlying profits to $544m.
unveil a plan/policy/proposal
The airline company unveiled a plan for compensating customers hit with flight delays or cancellations.
Today they will unveil new products at lower prices.
59
Render
formal to cause someone or something to be in a particular state:
[ + adj ] His rudeness rendered me speechless.
New technology has rendered my old computer obsolete.
formal to change words into a different language or form:
She is rendering the book into English from French.
formal to give something such as a service, a personal opinion or expression, or a performance of a song or poem, etc. to people:
The singers rendered the song with enthusiasm.
We see that freight railroads make good profits while rendering excellent service.
60
Cautionary
/ˈkɑː.ʃən.er.i/ formal
giving a warning
It doesn’t mean that the leafy vegetable can be consumed without cautionary notes.
61
Take sth with a grain of salt
take sth with a pinch of salt uk
to not completely believe something that you are told, because you think it is unlikely to be true:
You have to take everything she says with a pinch of salt, because she tends to exaggerate.
to understand that something is likely to be untrue or incorrect:
I’ve seen the article, which I take with a grain of salt.
When there is no study on humans, people should take it with a grain of salt.
62
Palpitation
/ˌpæl.pəˈteɪ.ʃən/
the feeling that your heart is beating too quickly or not regularly:
He ended up in hospital with heart palpitations.
have palpitations humorous
to be very shocked:
My mother will have palpitations when she sees my new boyfriend.
63
Palpitate
/ˈpæl.pə.teɪt/
(of the heart) to beat very fast and in a way that is not regular:
My heart was palpitating with fear.
64
Repertoire
/ˈrep.ɚ.twɑːr/
all the music or plays, etc. that you can do or perform or that you know:
The Royal Shakespeare Company also have many modern plays in their repertoire.
There is an extensive repertoire of music written for the flute.
Americans don’t know the American repertoire, aside from Gershwin.
65
Ascent
the act of climbing or moving upwards:
She made her first successful ascent of Everest last year.
As the plane made its ascent, we saw thick smoke coming from one engine.
formal the fact of starting to become successful:
His ascent to power was rapid and unexpected.
66
Amass
/əˈmæs/
to get a large amount of something, especially money or information, by collecting it over a long period:
She has amassed a huge fortune from her novels.
Some of his colleagues envy the enormous wealth that he has amassed.
67
Unapologetic
/-pɑː.ləˈdʒet̬.ɪk/
not sorry about having caused someone problems or unhappiness, even though people might expect you to be sorry:
They were very rude and completely unapologetic about it.
68
Posy
Nosegay
```
uk and us a small bunch of cut flowers:
a posy of violets
us a flower:
a delicate yellow posy
```
69
Get at sth.
to reach or obtain something, especially something that is difficult to get:
I've put the cake on a high shelf where he can't get at it.
C1 informal When someone is getting at something, they mean it or are trying to express it:
I'm not sure what you're getting at - don't you think I should come tonight?
What do you think the poet is getting at in these lines?
70
Get at sb
to criticize a person repeatedly:
He keeps getting at me and I really don't know what I've done wrong.
to influence a person illegally, usually by offering them money or threatening them:
The accused claimed that the witness had been got at.
71
Ration
Fixed allowance
/ˈræʃ.ən/
a limited amount of something that one person is allowed to have, especially when there is not much of it available:
During the war, no one was allowed more than their ration of food, clothing and fuel.
an amount of something that you would expect to have:
We've had more than our ration of problems recently.
to limit the amount of a particular thing that someone is allowed to have:
Do you remember when petrol was rationed to five gallons a week?
My children would watch television all day long, but I ration it.
72
Misfire
/mɪsˈfɑɪər/
(of a gun or other weapon) to fail to fire, or to fail to fire as intended:
Conchas’s gun misfired after three shots.
If a plan misfires, it does not have the result that was intended:
The boy's death was the result of a practical joke that misfired.
73
Near
to get close to something in distance, time, or state:
Approach
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.
74
Leeway
/ˈliˌweɪ/
freedom to act within certain limits:
[ + to infinitive ] The law gives companies more leeway to decide whether to accept or reject an offer.
Leeway is also additional time or money:
Homeowners need some leeway to buy a new house after they sell the old one.
There is a lot of leeway to make up after the holiday period.
75
Room for manoeuvre
room for/to manoeuvre also freedom of manoeuvre
leeway
the opportunity to change your plans or choose between different ways of doing something:
The law in this area is very strict and doesn't allow us much room for manoeuvre.
76
Manoeuvre
/məˈnuːvər/ US us maneuver
to try to control or influence a person or situation in a particular way:
He has manoeuvred astutely to avoid industrial action among staff.
to turn an object and make it go where you want:
easy/difficult to manoeuvre The machine is compact and easy to manoeuvre and store.
a movement or set of movements needing skill and care:
Reversing round a corner is one of the manoeuvres you are required to perform in a driving test.
77
Municipality
/mjuːˌnɪs.əˈpæl.ə.t̬i/
a city or town with its own local government, or the local government itself:
The municipality provides services such as water and rubbish collection.
```
/mjuːˈnɪs.ə.pəl/
C1 of or belonging to a town or city:
municipal authorities
municipal tennis courts
municipal elections
```
78
Malodorous
/ˌmælˈəʊ.dər.əs/
having an unpleasant smell:
The town is built on a malodorous swamp.
But at times, the malodorousness returns to wreak havoc on people in the community.
79
Helm
/helm/
the handle or wheel which controls the direction in which a ship or boat travels:
Who was at the helm when the collision occurred?
at the helm
officially controlling an organization or company:
With Steve Lewis at the helm, we are certain of success.
After 20 years at the helm, she intends to retire in September.
take the helm
to take control of a company or organization:
In January, a new president will take the helm.
80
Joyous
```
/ˈdʒɔɪ.əs/ literary
Joyful
full of joy; very happy:
a joyous hymn/event/voice
```
At the airport, they hugged joyously.
81
Gusto
/ˈɡʌs.toʊ/
Relish
great energy, enthusiasm, and enjoyment that is experienced by someone taking part in an activity, especially a performance:
Everyone joined in the singing with great gusto.
eager enjoyment experienced when doing something:
We ate and drank with gusto.
82
Relish
/ˈrel.ɪʃ/ formal
C2 to like or enjoy something:
I always relish a challenge.
[ + -ing verb ] I don't relish telling her that her son has been arrested.
If you relish the idea or thought of something, you feel pleasure that it is going to happen:
She's relishing the prospect of studying in Bologna for six months.
a type of sauce that is eaten with food to add flavour to it:
tomato and onion relish
Would you like relish on your burger?
formal the enjoyment you get from doing something:
She ate her cake slowly and with relish.
I have no relish for hunting and killing animals.
83
Veritable
/ˈver.ə.t̬ə.bəl/
used to describe something as another, more exciting, interesting, or unusual thing, as a way of emphasizing its character:
My garden had become a veritable jungle by the time I came back from holiday.
The normally sober menswear department is set to become a veritable kaleidoscope of colour this season.
If current projections hold, Montgomery County will experience a veritable explosion in its school-age population (= it will have many more students).
84
Sparse
/spɑːrs/
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.
This area is very sparsely settled because there isn’t much water.
85
Rendition
a particular way of performing a song, piece of music, or poem:
She ended the concert with a powerful rendition of "I Will Always Love You".
86
Timbre
/ˈtæm.bɚ/ specialized
a quality of sound that makes voices or musical instruments sound different from each other:
He has a wonderful singing voice, with a rich timbre and resonant tone.
87
Trance
a mental state between sleeping and waking in which a person does not move but can hear and understand what is being said:
The sound of the waves lulled me into a trance.
88
Sublime
```
/səˈblaɪm/
extremely good, beautiful, or enjoyable:
sublime beauty
The book has sublime descriptive passages.
very great:
He possesses sublime self-confidence.
```
89
Parlance
/ˈpɑːr.ləns/ formal
a group of words or style of speaking used by a particular group of people:
Oral contraceptives are referred to as "the pill" in common parlance.
business/legal parlance
90
Contraceptive
/ˌkɑːn.trəˈsep.tɪv/
C2 any of various devices or drugs intended to prevent pregnancy:
The clinic provides a free supply of contraceptives upon request.
91
Destitute
/ˈdes.tə.tuːt/
without money, food, a home, or possessions:
The floods left thousands of people destitute.
Destitution has become a major problem in the capital.
92
Indigent
/ˈɪn·dɪ·dʒənt/ fml
having no money or anything else of value:
an indigent family
very poor:
We are a non-profit agency that provides legal services to indigent clients.
93
Plight
an unpleasant condition, especially a serious, sad, or difficult one:
the plight of the poor/homeless
Few of us can be unmoved by the plight of the refugees.
My problems aren’t much compared with the plight of the storm victims.
94
Unmoved
Emotionless
not feeling any emotion:
Both men appeared unmoved as the judge read out their sentence.
95
Masses
/ˈmæs·ɪz/
the ordinary people who form the largest group in a society:
The candidate won the support of the masses.
96
Downtrodden
/ˈdaʊnˌtrɑː.dən/
treated badly and unfairly:
the downtrodden masses
He has a heart for the downtrodden.
97
Hindsight
/ˈhaɪnd.saɪt/
the ability to understand an event or situation only after it has happened:
With (the benefit/wisdom of) hindsight, I should have taken the job.
In hindsight, it would have been better to wait.
They are ideas that, in hindsight, often seem hair-brained.
98
Penance
/ˈpen.əns/
an act that shows that you feel sorry about something that you have done, sometimes for religious reasons:
As a penance, she said she would buy them all a box of chocolates.
They are doing penance for their sins.
99
Sobriety
/səˈbrɑɪ·ɪ·t̬i/
the state of being sober:
us The police said his car had been weaving all over the road, so they pulled him over and gave him a sobriety test.
seriousness:
We had the priest sitting at our table, which instilled a little sobriety into the occasion.
This judge is known for his sobriety and fairness.
100
Instil
/ɪnˈstɪl/
to put a feeling, idea, or principle gradually into someone's mind, so that it has a strong influence on the way that person thinks or behaves:
It is part of a teacher's job to instil confidence in/into his or her students.
101
Vehicular
/viːˈhɪk.jə.lɚ/ formal
relating to a vehicle or vehicles:
Barricades were put in place to block all vehicular traffic.
The house has no vehicular access but can be reached by a short walk across the fields.
102
Geriatrician
/ˌdʒer.i.əˈtrɪʃ.ən/ specialized
a doctor who specializes in the care and treatment of old people
103
Quinine
/ˈkwaɪ.naɪn/
a drug used to treat fevers such as malaria
104
Outpace
/ˌaʊtˈpeɪs/
to move or develop faster than someone or something else:
Bolt managed to outpace every other runner.
The company has completely outpaced its rivals in the market.
105
Ubiquitous
/juːˈbɪk.wə.t̬əs/ formal or humorous
Omnipresent
seeming to be everywhere:
Leather is very much in fashion this season, as is the ubiquitous denim.
The Swedes are not alone in finding their language under pressure from the ubiquitous spread of English.
The mobile phone, that most ubiquitous of consumer-electronic appliances, is about to enter a new age.
106
Omnipresent
/ˌɑːm.nɪˈprez.ənt/ formal
present or having an effect everywhere at the same time:
The singer became an omnipresent icon of style and beauty.
/ˌɑːm.nɪˈprez.əns/ formal
the fact of being present or having an effect everywhere at the same time:
the omnipresence of the secret police
The world has grown accustomed to the omnipresence of global brands.
107
Afterthought
/ˈæf.tɚ.θɑːt/
an idea, thought, or plan that was not originally intended but is thought of at a later time:
She only asked me to her party as an afterthought.
The pillars seem to have been added to the entrance as an afterthought.
108
Askew
Not straight or level
Awry
Isn’t that picture slightly askew?
My hat was askew so I adjusted it in the mirror.
109
Awry
/ə rai/
Not in the intended way
Anything that goes awry (goes wrong) in the office is blamed on Pete.
The strike has sent the plans for investment seriously awry.
She rushed in, her face red and sweaty and her hat awry.
110
Brigand
/ˈbrɪɡ.ənd/ literary
a thief with a weapon, especially one of a group living in the countryside and stealing from people travelling through the area
Bandit
an armed thief, esp. (in older use) one who attacks people while they are traveling:
Bandits attacked the travelers just outside of town.
111
On cue
If something happens on cue, it happens just after someone has said or thought it would happen:
I was just wondering where Sarah was, when, right on cue, she came in.
take your cue from sb
to take notice of someone's words or behaviour so that you know what you should do:
She watched his lips carefully and took her cue from him.
112
Renege
/rɪˈnɪɡ, -ˈneɡ/
to not do what you previously agreed to do; to fail to keep a promise or agreement:
He reneged on his offer.
If you renege on the deal now, I'll fight you in the courts.
113
Bereavement
/bɪˈriːv.mənt/
the death of a close relation or friend:
She has recently suffered a bereavement.
114
Commendation
/ˌkɑː.mənˈdeɪ.ʃən/
formal praise, or an official statement that praises someone:
Several of the firefighters received commendation for their bravery.
an honour such as a prize given to someone because they have done something that people admire:
He was very proud when his daughter received a commendation for her achievement.
115
Commend
/kəˈmend/
to formally praise someone or something:
The judge commended her for/on her bravery.
For a low-budget film, it has much to commend it (= it deserves praise).
It says on the back cover of the book "highly commended".
116
Commendable
/kəˈmen.də.bəl/ formal
deserving praise:
commendable efforts/behaviour/bravery
a laudable goal/ambition
The recycling programme is laudable, but does it save much money?
His actions during the crisis were truly praiseworthy.
117
Frolic
to behave in a happy and playful way:
| A group of children were frolicking on the beach.
118
Urchin
/ˈɜr·tʃən/ dated
a small child who is badly dressed and dirty:
urchins playing in the street
119
Jump the gun
to act too soon or before the right time:
They only met three weeks ago – isn’t it jumping the gun to start talking about marriage?
120
Deleterious
/ˌdel.ɪˈtɪr.i.əs/ formal
injurious
harmful:
These drugs have a proven deleterious effect on the nervous system.
121
Injurious
/ɪnˈdʒʊr.i.əs/ formal
deleterious
harmful:
Too much alcohol is injurious to your health.
122
Intravenous
/ˌɪn·trəˈvi·nəs/ abbreviation IV
put directly into a vein (= one of the tubes in the body that carry blood to the heart):
an intravenous drug
Intravenous drug users are at particular risk of contracting the disease.
The antibiotic was given in a fluid intravenously.
123
Cervical
```
/ˈsɝː.vɪ.kəl/
relating to the cervix (= the narrow, lower part of the uterus):
cervical cancer
cervical screening
```
124
Dialysis
```
/daɪˈæl.ə.sɪs/ specialized
a process of separating substances from liquid by putting them through a thin piece of skin-like material, especially to make pure the blood of people whose kidneys are not working correctly:
a dialysis machine
kidney dialysis
She is on (= being treated by) dialysis.
```
125
Dashing
/ˈdæʃ·ɪŋ/ dated
attractive and stylish because of being energetic, exciting, and confident:
a dashing young man
126
Sketchy
/ˈsketʃ·i/
not detailed or not complete:
Officials provided only sketchy details of the trip.
127
Repress
/rɪˈpres/
to prevent feelings, desires, or ideas from being expressed:
In the end, it was impossible to repress her emotions.
The government repressed all reports from the region.
128
Decry
Condemn
/dɪˈkrɑɪ/
to publicly criticize something as being undesirable or harmful:
Mitchell decried the high rate of unemployment in the state.
129
Daintily
/ˈdeɪn.t̬əl.i/
in an attractive, careful way, especially used about something small or having small movements:
She skipped daintily down the street, holding her father's hand.
He handed round a plate of tiny sandwiches, daintily arranged in rings.
small and attractive in a delicate way:
a dainty wrist/hand
dainty flowers
She was a small, dainty child, unlike her sister who was large and had big feet.
The chicken salad was served in dainty pastry shells.
130
Retribution
/ˌre·trəˈbju·ʃən/ fml
deserved punishment:
He was seeking retribution for the crime committed against him.
Many saw her death as divine retribution (= punishment by God) for her crimes.
131
Eatery
/ˈiː.t̬ɚ.ri/ informal
a restaurant:
We met in a little eatery just off the main road.
132
Pine
to strongly desire esp. something that is difficult or impossible to obtain:
Bradley pined for his wife, who was far away.
133
Impenetrable
/ɪmˈpen·ɪ·trə·bəl/
impossible to enter or go through:
an impenetrable jungle
If language is described as impenetrable, it is impossible to understand:
Too many scholarly books are written in an impenetrable jargon.
134
Magistrate
/ˈmædʒ.ə.strɪt/ uk us magistrate judge
C1 a person who acts as a judge in a law court that deals with crimes that are less serious:
He will appear before the magistrates tomorrow.
Greenway appeared at Bow Street Magistrates' Court to face seven charges of accepting bribes.
135
Gild the lily
disapproving
to improve or decorate something that is already perfect and therefore spoil it:
Should I add a scarf to this jacket or would it be gilding the lily?
136
Gild
to cover the surface of something with bright, gold-coloured light:
Sunlight gilded the children's faces.
137
Tinge
/tɪndʒ/
tint
to add a slight amount of color or a quality to something:
The sunset tinged the sky red.
His hair is starting to show tinges of grey.
I felt a tinge of regret that I hadn't accepted her offer.
138
Renegade
disapproving formal
/ˈren.ə.ɡeɪd/
turncoat apostate
a person who has changed their feelings of support and duty from one political, religious, national, etc. group to a new one:
A band of renegades had captured the prince and were holding him to ransom.
139
Grime
/ɡrɑɪm/
dirt
a layer of dirt on skin or a building:
The building is covered with grime.
140
Sordid
morally wrong and shocking:
Sleazy
He told me he'd had an affair but he spared me the sordid details.
dirty and unpleasant:
There are lots of really sordid apartments in the city's poorer areas.
141
Sleazy
/ˈsli·zi/
morally bad and low in quality, but trying to attract people by a showy appearance or false manner:
He’s a sleazy politician who ignored his responsibilities in order to make his friends rich.
142
Receptacle
/rɪˈsep·tə·kəl/
a container for holding things or that you can put things in:
a trash receptacle
Residents are given four separate receptacles for their rubbish.
143
Dud
/dʌd/
something that is not successful or is of little value:
The movie turned out to be a dud.
Are there any more batteries? This one's a dud.
He's made eleven movies in the last 20 years and not one has been a dud.
A customer had tried to pay with a dud cheque (= one for which a bank will not give money).
144
Accoutrement
/əˈkuː.t̬ɚ.mənts/
the equipment needed for a particular activity or way of life
The accoutrements of religious ritual
145
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.
146
Inextricable
unable to be separated, freed, or escaped from:
There's an inextricable bond between twins.
For many top executives, golf and business are inextricably linked.
147
Serendipitous
/ˌser.ənˈdɪp.ə.t̬əs/
happening or found by chance:
Reading should be an adventure, a personal experience full of serendipitous surprises.
A team of researchers has made a serendipitous discovery that could help in the struggle to cure obesity.
148
Invigorate
/ɪnˈvɪɡ.ɚ.eɪt/
กระปรี้กระเปร่า
to make someone feel fresher, healthier, and more energetic:
We were invigorated by our walk.
to give new energy or strength to someone or something:
They argued that a cut in the tax rate would invigorate the economy.
149
Surreptitious
/ˌsɝː.əpˈtɪʃ.əs/
อย่างลับๆล่อๆ
done secretly, without anyone seeing or knowing:
She seemed to be listening to what I was saying, but I couldn't help noticing her surreptitious glances at the clock.
150
Viable
/ˈvɑɪ·ə·bəl/
able to exist, perform as intended, or succeed:
The company had to seek other ways to remain viable.
He would be a viable candidate for any office he wanted to run for.
I am afraid your plan is not commercially/economically/financially/politically viable.
She’s going to have to cut costs to maintain the viability of her business.
151
Resilience
/rɪˈzɪl.jəns/ (formal resiliency, UK/rɪˈzɪl.jən.si/ US/rɪˈzɪl.jən.si/ )
C2 the ability to be happy, successful, etc. again after something difficult or bad has happened:
Trauma researchers emphasize the resilience of the human psyche.
The resilience of the economy has come as a surprise to some.
the ability of a substance to return to its usual shape after being bent, stretched, or pressed:
The plant fibre has incredible strength and resilience.
152
Resilient
/rɪˈzɪl.jənt/
able to be happy, successful, etc. again after something difficult or bad has happened:
She's a resilient girl - she won't be unhappy for long.
Optimists argue that the economy may prove more resilient.
C2 able to quickly return to its usual shape after being bent, stretched, or pressed:
This rubber ball is very resilient and immediately springs back into shape.
resilient materials
153
Cascade
/kæsˈkeɪd/
to fall quickly and in large amounts; to flow:
Coins cascaded from/out of the fruit machine.
The blast shattered windows, sending pieces of glass cascading to the pavement.
a small waterfall, often one of a group
a large amount of something that hangs down:
A cascade of golden hair fell down his back.
154
Agglomeration
a large group of many different things collected or brought together:
an agglomeration of various ethnic and religious groupings
155
Unrest
/ʌnˈrest/
disagreements or fighting between groups of people:
civil/social/labor unrest
The president is cutting short an international trip because of growing unrest in his country.
It is feared that the civil unrest we are now witnessing in this country could lead to full-scale civil war.
156
Shroud
a layer of something that covers or surrounds something:
Everything was covered in a thick shroud of dust.
a situation that prevents something from being known or understood:
The truth about the accident remains hidden beneath a shroud of secrecy.
to hide something by covering or surrounding it:
Visitors have complained about the scaffolding that shrouds half the castle.
Suddenly all the lights went out and the house was shrouded in darkness.
The mist shrouding the valley had lifted by eight o'clock.
157
Impose
to officially force a rule, tax, punishment, etc. to be obeyed or received:
Very high taxes have recently been imposed on cigarettes.
Judges are imposing increasingly heavy fines for minor driving offences.
The council has imposed a ban on alcohol in the city parks.
C1 [ T ] to force someone to accept something, especially a belief or way of living:
I don't want them to impose their religious beliefs on my children.
We must impose some kind of order on the way this office is run.
158
Glaring
(of something bad) very obvious:
| It was a glaring mistake.
159
Lapse
a failure to do something that happens as a particular event at a particular time:
a memory lapse
She had a momentary lapse in concentration and lost the game.
a lapse of concentration
The management's decision to ignore the safety warnings demonstrated a remarkable lapse of judgment.
to end something, either intentionally or accidentally, that might be continued or that should continue:
I must have let my subscription lapse, because I haven’t received any issues of the magazine in months.
160
Impersonate
/ɪmˈpɜr·səˌneɪt/
to intentionally copy another person’s speech, appearance, or behavior:
to impersonate a movie star
He was charged with impersonating a police officer.
161
Misappropriate
/ˌmɪs·əˈproʊ·priˌeɪt/
to steal something that you have been trusted to manage and use it for your own benefit:
He misappropriated $30,000 to pay for personal travel.
He was charged with embezzlement and misappropriation of union funds.
Embezzle
She embezzled thousands of dollars from the charity.
They were arrested for the embezzlement of company funds.
162
Underwrite
to support something that costs money by promising to pay for it, or by promising to pay if necessary to protect others who are risking their money:
The museum show was largely underwritten by a grant from the government of Sweden.
163
Syndicate
a group of people or companies who join together in order to share the cost of a particular business operation for which a large amount of money is needed:
A syndicate of banks is/are financing the deal.
to provide or manage a large loan together with other financial organizations who share the risk:
The bank was prepared to lend as much as $5.75 billion, though it would syndicate the debt.
164
Flagship
the best or most important thing among a group:
The retail chain has its flagship in New York and branches in 19 states.
This machine is the flagship in our new range of computers.
The company's flagship store is in New York.
165
Precast
/ˈpriː.kæst/
(especially of concrete) formed into a particular shape and allowed to become solid before being used:
precast concrete slabs
166
Scalper
/ˈskæl·pər/
a person who sells tickets at increased prices without official permission:
We tried to get tickets, but the scalpers wanted $150 per ticket.
167
Flatly
/ˈflæt·li/
in a complete, very clear, or certain way:
He flatly denied that he saw what had happened.
The witness responded flatly to the judge's questions.
168
Dislodge
/dɪˈslɑːdʒ/
to remove something or someone, especially by force, from a fixed position:
The earthquake dislodged stones from the walls and the roof.
The Red Sox need two wins to dislodge the Yankees from first place.
169
Osteoarthritis
/ˌɑː.sti.oʊ.ɑːrˈθraɪ.t̬əs/
a disease that causes pain and stiffness in the joints (= places where two bones are connected)
170
Gestation
/dʒeˈsteɪ·ʃən/
(the period of) the development of a child or young animal inside its mother’s uterus:
The gestation period of rats is 21 days.
The baby was born prematurely at 28 weeks gestation.
171
Vigilant
/ˈvɪdʒ·ə·lənt/
being very careful to notice things, esp. signs of danger:
Security personnel need to be more vigilant in checking bags and packages.
Following the bomb scare at the airport, the staff have been warned to be extra vigilant.
172
Akin
/əˈkɪn/
having some of the same qualities; similar:
They speak a language akin to French.
173
Girth
the distance around the outside of a thick or fat object, like a tree or a body:
The oak was two metres in girth.
humorous His ample girth was evidence of his love of good food.
He was a man of massive girth.
174
Hearsay
/ˈhɪrˌseɪ/
information you have heard that might or might not be true:
The court cannot accept evidence based on hearsay and rumor.
175
Teethe
(of a baby or small child) to grow teeth:
| The baby was often cranky because she was teething.
176
Spar
to practice the sport of boxing without hitting hard:
Dexter sparred with his partner for about an hour.
To spar also means to argue:
State officials are still sparring over funding.
177
Incur
to experience something bad as a result of actions you have taken:
We incurred heavy expenses to repair the poor work done by the builder.
178
Upheaval
/ʌpˈhiː.vəl/
a great change, especially causing or involving much difficulty, activity, or trouble:
Yesterday's coup brought further upheaval to a country already struggling with famine.
I'm not sure it's worth the upheaval of moving to gain just a little more space.
179
Manifestation
/ˌmæn.ə.fesˈteɪ.ʃən/
[ C ] a sign of something existing or happening:
She claimed that the rise in unemployment was just a further manifestation of the government's incompetence.
[ U ] appearance:
Unlike acid rain or deforestation, global warming has no visible manifestation.
180
Accolade
/ˈæk.ə.leɪd/
praise and approval:
He's been granted the ultimate accolade - his face on a postage stamp.
Her approval was the highest accolade he could receive.
181
Bottleneck
/ˈbɑt̬·əlˌnek/
a section of road where traffic moves slowly:
Traffic is causing a bottleneck on I-75.
A bottleneck is also any delay:
Bureaucratic bottlenecks delayed the project’s start.
He urged the department to identify and eliminate bottlenecks.
182
Well versed
having a lot of knowledge about something:
| He was well-versed in the history of space flight.
183
Sustenance
/ˈsʌs·tə·nəns/
food, or the energy and other things food provides people and animals to keep them strong and healthy:
The ranch animals get a lot of their sustenance from grazing.
A stick of celery does not provide much sustenance.
emotional or mental support:
When her husband died, she drew sustenance from/she found sustenance in her religious beliefs.
184
Ensue
/ɪnˈsu/
to happen after something else, esp. as a result of it:
Chaos ensued when 60 charter schools run by one company were all suddenly closed.
After his outburst, a long silence ensued.
The police officer said that he had placed the man under arrest and that a scuffle had ensued.
185
Primp
/prɪmp/
to make small changes to your hair, make-up, clothes, etc. in order to look more attractive:
Hollywood's finest are primping and preening in anticipation of the awards ceremony tonight.
She primped her hair in front of the mirror.
186
Reparation
/ˌrep.əˈreɪ.ʃən/
[ C or U ] payment for harm or damage:
The company had to make reparation to those who suffered ill health as a result of chemical pollution.
The company paid reparations to the victims of the explosion.
reparations [ plural ] history specialized
payments made by a defeated nation after a war to pay for damages or expenses it caused to another nation
187
Flip one’s lid/ wig
To become very angry
She’ll flip her lid/wig if I’m late again.
188
Gentrification
The process by which a place changes from being a poor area to a richer one, where people from a higher social class live
Ordinary working people have been priced out of East London by gentrification.
The area where he grew up has been gentrified and lost all its old character.
189
Complacent
Feeling so satisfied with your own abilities or situation that you feel you do not need to try any harder
We can’t afford to become complacent about any of our products.
190
Pinpoint
to discover or establish something exactly:
They were unable to pinpoint the source of the noise.
It is not possible to pinpoint precisely the time of death.
C2 to discover or describe the exact facts about something:
Emergency workers at the site are still unable to pinpoint the cause of the explosion.
a very small spot of something:
a pinpoint of light
very exact:
The computer will calculate your position with pinpoint accuracy.
191
Innocuous
/ɪˈnɑː.kju.əs/
completely harmless (= causing no harm):
Some mushrooms look innocuous but are in fact poisonous.
My own problems began innocuously enough.
The epidemic started innocuously with coughs and headaches.
All changes must be reported to the medical staff regardless of the duration or innocuousness of the symptoms.
We all like to believe in the innocuousness of childhood.
192
Be ahead of the curve
to be one of the first to change to a new idea or way of doing something that later becomes generally popular:
In equipping its vehicles with mobile WiFi, the company was ahead of the curve.
He was ahead of the curve in the early 1960s when he started promoting running for health.
193
Truant
/ˈtruː.ənt/
[ C ] 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.
Truancy is a serious problem in many schools.
194
Afoot
After verb
happening, or being planned or prepared:
Big changes are afoot at Lake Utah.
There are plans afoot to launch a new radio station.
195
Astir
/əˈstɝː/
out of bed and moving around, or in an excited state:
She was rarely astir later than seven o'clock.
After the explosion, the hospital was astir with overworked nurses and doctors.
196
Pensive
/ˈpen·sɪv/
ruminative
quiet and thinking seriously:
James was more pensive than usual.
She became withdrawn and pensive, hardly speaking to anyone.
197
ruminative
/ˈruː.mə.neɪ.t̬ɪv/
pensive
thinking deeply and for a long period:
a quiet and ruminative temperament
Her writing is less descriptive, more ruminative.
198
Repository
/rɪˈpɑː.zɪ.tɔːr.i/
[ C ] formal a place where things are stored and can be found
a nuclear waste repository
fig. The proverbs amounted to a repository of wisdom.
[ C usually singular ] a person who has, or a book that contains, a lot of information or detailed knowledge:
She's a repository of knowledge about our family history.
199
Treasure trove
a place that is full of something good:
a treasure trove of information
Though small, this museum is a veritable treasure trove of history.
[ C or U ] uk a large amount of money or a large number of valuable objects found hidden somewhere and seeming to belong to no one:
A Roman soldier's pay, found by a metal detector enthusiast in Norfolk, has been declared treasure trove.
200
Veritable
/ˈver.ə.t̬ə.bəl/
used to describe something as another, more exciting, interesting, or unusual thing, as a way of emphasizing its character:
My garden had become a veritable jungle by the time I came back from holiday.
The normally sober menswear department is set to become a veritable kaleidoscope of colour this season.
201
Ostensible
/ɑːˈsten.sə.bəl/
seeming
appearing or claiming to be one thing when it is really something else:
Their ostensible goal was to clean up government corruption, but their real aim was to unseat the government.
202
Seeming
/ˈsi·mɪŋ/
appearing true or obvious, although it might not be:
Their seeming reluctance to demand better treatment was puzzling.
He said, with seeming embarrassment, that he would have to cancel the meeting.
He is seemingly untroubled by our recent problems.
203
Full fledged
completely developed or qualified:
She’s a full-fledged member of the community.
Washington wants to avoid a full-fledged war.
Within months the student had become a full-fledged instructor.
204
Boon
something good or very helpful:
Spring rains are a boon to local farmers.
Guide dogs are a great boon to the partially sighted.
205
Underwhelmed
feeling no excitement about or admiration for something or someone:
I get the feeling that John's colleagues are distinctly underwhelmed by his latest proposal.
The food was good but unfortunately we found the rest of the experience distinctly underwhelming.
206
At odds
in disagreement:
The two brothers were always at odds.
His behavior is clearly at odds with what the college expects from its students.
207
Reflexive
done because of a physical reaction that you cannot control:
| I hadn't meant to answer her, it was simply reflexive.
208
Cogent
/ˈkoʊ·dʒənt/
persuasive and well expressed:
He makes a cogent argument for improving early childhood education.
Her writing combines fluency with cogency.
She argued most cogently for a relaxation of the sanctions.
209
Weighty
important and serious:
| They discussed weighty topics like arms control, the Middle East, and the federal budget deficit.
210
Exhort
/ɪɡˈzɔrt/
to strongly encourage or persuade someone to do something:
She exhorted all of us to do our very best.
The governor exhorted the prisoners not to riot.
211
Undercut
to weaken, damage, or cause the failure of something; undermine:
He's got a plan, so I don't want to undercut the effort that he has underway.
Big supermarkets can undercut all rivals, especially small family-owned shops.
They claim to undercut their competitors by at least five percent.
212
Nosh
IFM
to eat:
us We asked the waiter for something to nosh on while we waited for a table.
food or a meal:
They serve good nosh in the cafeteria.
[ U ] us informal a small amount of food eaten between meals or as a meal:
I have a little nosh at about 10.30, so I don't overeat at lunch.
