Synonyms (English) Flashcards
(40 cards)
to disdain
disdain; to disdain; disdainful
1.) to strongly dislike or disapprove of someone or something, to belittle, to contemn (mépriser), to deride (verhöhnen), to disregard, to look down on, to despise 2.) to refuse to do something || *They disdained him for being weak. *She disdained to answer their questions.
to disown
disownment
to repudiate (repudiation), to cast off, to deny, to abandon, to discard, to disinherit, to disacknowledge, to cut off, to reject, to renounce [1.) verleugnen 2.) aufgeben, verzichten: to renounce violence, a right], to desert, to repudiate any connection or identification with
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*Her parents threatened to disown her if she didn’t go back to school. *He was disowned for bringing shame to the family. *He steadfastly disowned that he was having an affair.
to serve time
to spend time in prison,
to be in jail,
to do jail time,
to serve a prison sentence
to stall someone
If you stall a person, you delay them or prevent them from doing something for a period of time
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*I managed to stall him for a few days until I’d got enough money to pay back the loan.
*(mainly US:) The thief broke into the office while his accomplice stalled off the security guard.
peremptory
peremptorily
expecting to be obeyed immediately and without asking questions
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*He started issuing peremptory instructions. *"”Now,”” he said peremptorily, ““step forward and state your name.”
to bolt (horse)
“runaway” - horses that gallop off with a handler at high speed
to move suddenly and quickly
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*locking the stable door after the horse has bolted (i.e. doing something when it’s already too late).
*At the first whiff of smoke, the horse bolted from the barn.
inadvertent
not intentional
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*I fear it can hardly have been inadvertent….
*All authors need to be wary of inadvertent copying of other people’s ideas.
*He inadvertently deleted the file.
to eavesdrop
to listen to someone’s private conversation without them knowing
to overhear
to scrimp
to spend as little money as possible,
to skimp on
*She scrimped and saved to care for her two younger sisters.
*He and his wife are scrimping to save enough so they can finally buy a home together.
*the scrimping never stopped
*They scrimped and saved for their big vacation.
adamant
utterly unyielding in attitude or opinion in spite of all appeals, urgings …,
too hard to cut, break, or pierce.
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*I have told her she should stay at home and rest but she’s adamant that she’s coming.
to coax
to influence or persuade (a person or animal) to do something by talking in a gentle and friendly way,
to cajole
to get (something) by talking in a gentle and friendly way
to cause (something) to do something by making a careful and continual effort
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* It took almost an hour to coax the cat down from the tree.
*She tried to coax a raise from her boss.
*he coaxed the box open with a screwdriver
to languish
1.) to pine for so./sth.,
2.) to continue for a long time without activity or progress in an unpleasant or unwanted situation — usually + in
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*He was put on trial and still languishes in prison.
to disparage
to criticize someone or something in a way that shows you do not respect or value them
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*The actor’s work for charity has recently been disparaged in the press as an attempt to get publicity.
squalor
squalor; squalidness; squalid
squalid (adj.) - (of places) extremely dirty and unpleasant
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*It was a dirty, damp, smelly flat - the usual student squalor.
notch
a V-shaped cut in a hard surface
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*The stick has two notches, one at each end.
notch sth up (phrasal verb)
to achieve something
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She has recently notched up her third win at a major tennis tournament.
fickle
likely to change your opinion or your feelings OR a situation that changes suddenly and without a good reason
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*She’s so fickle - she’s never been interested in the same man for more than a week!
*Fickle winds made sailing conditions difficult.
firehose
a long plastic or rubber pipe, used to direct water onto fires, gardens, etc.:(UK also hosepipe)
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*The severe drought has led to a hosepipe ban in eastern England.
to scurry
to move quickly, with small, short steps
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*The mouse scurried across the floor.
*The noise of the explosion sent the villagers scurrying back into their homes.
pawnshop
a shop where a pawnbroker (Pfandleiher) operates their business
to convulse
to (cause to) shake violently with sudden uncontrolled movements
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*to be convulsed with laughter (sich vor Lachen krümmen)
*to be convulsed with pain (sich vor Schmerzen krümmen)
*A racking cough convulsed her whole body.
to chug
to make the sound of an engine or motor, or to move making this sound
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*The lorry chugged up the hill.
poplar
a tall tree with branches that form a thin pointed shape
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a tall row of poplars
orchard
an area of land where fruit trees (but not orange trees or other citrus trees) are grown
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*orchards of peach trees *an apple/cherry orchard
