Words 16 Flashcards
(15 cards)
endemic
adjective
UK /enˈdem.ɪk/ US /enˈdem.ɪk/
especially of a disease or a condition, regularly found and very common among a particular group or in a particular area:
Malaria is endemic in many of the hotter regions of the world.
The disease is endemic among British sheep/to many British flocks.
There is endemic racism/poverty/violence in many of the country’s cities.
unbeknownst adverb formal UK /ˌʌn.bɪˈnəʊn/ US /ˌʌn.bɪˈnoʊn/ (also unbeknown, UK /ˌʌn.bɪˈnəʊn/ US /-ˈnoʊn/) unbeknownst/unbeknown to sb
without a particular person knowing:
Unbeknownst to me, he had rented out the apartment while I was away.
vis-à-vis
preposition formal
UK /ˌviːz.əˈviː/ US /ˌviːz.əˈviː/
in relation to:
I need to speak to James Lewis vis-à-vis the arrangements for Thursday.
Later I asked him more directly about government’s role vis-a-vis the environment.
in comparison with:
What worries us is the competitive edge that foreign companies have vis-à-vis British firms.
unpack verb (EXPLAIN)
[ T ]
to explain or examine something in order to make its meaning clearer:
He read the agreed statement to the group and then began to unpack it for them.
Please could you send over a quote for a short analytical piece unpacking your views on his position vis a vis the GM, with some references to public material where necessary.
stave sth off
— phrasal verb with stave verb
UK /steɪv/ US
to stop something bad from happening, or to keep an unwanted situation or person away, usually temporarily:
We were hoping to stave off these difficult decisions until September.
Economists and investors have for months urged the bank to lift rates to slow the pace of credit growth and stave off a repeat of the currency crisis that the country experienced two years ago.
respite
noun formal
UK /ˈres.paɪt/ US /ˈres.paɪt/
a pause or rest from something difficult or unpleasant:
[ C usually sing ]
The center provides a respite for teens in trouble.
While Thursday’s decision gave some respite to the lira, analysts said the central bank would need to go further to support the currency and rebuild its credibility.
We worked for hours without respite.
not get a word in edgeways UK informal (US not get a word in edgewise)
to not be able to say anything because someone else is talking all the time:
Maria was talking so much that nobody else could get a word in edgeways!
precipitate verb (MAKE HAPPEN)
[ T ] formal
zemin hazırlamak
to make something happen suddenly or sooner than expected:
An invasion would certainly precipitate a political crisis.
Fear of losing her job precipitated (= suddenly forced) her into action.
Late payment of debts was a common complaint among Turkish companies that were suppliers to the government in the aftermath of a 2018 currency crisis that wiped almost 30 per cent off the value of the lira and precipitated a recession.
distorted
adjective
UK /dɪˈstɔː.tɪd/ US /dɪˈstɔːr.t̬ɪd/
changed, especially in a way that makes something worse than it was before:
My sleep schedule is all distorted.
false or wrong:
Covid-19 Patients Are Suffering From Distorted and Phantom Smells.
This report gives a somewhat distorted impression of what actually happened.
We have a distorted belief that we are more ethical than we really are.
tranquility
noun [ U ] US (UK tranquillity)
US /træŋˈkwɪl.ə.t̬i/ UK /træŋˈkwɪl.ə.ti/
C2
a peaceful, calm state, without noise, violence, worry, etc.:
Living in peace and tranquility.
The sense of calm and tranquillity we get from remoteness is perhaps needed ever more in our hectic world.
Peace and tranquility is the basis for the relationship
I love the tranquility of the lakes.
cul-de-sac
noun [ C ]
UK /ˈkʌl.də.sæk/ US /ˈkʌl.də.sæk/
a short road that is blocked off at one end
a situation that leads nowhere:
an intellectual cul-de-sac
In Kars, everything is walkable. There are no cul-de-sacs and there is a high number of intersections which make it very easy to get around by foot or bicycle.
drought
noun [ C or U ]
UK /draʊt/ US /draʊt/
C2
a long period when there is little or no rain:
This year (a) severe drought has ruined the crops.
If global greenhouse gas emissions are not sharply reduced, scientists project that the U.S. Southwest – already the nation’s hottest and driest region – will experience unprecedented multi-decade “mega-droughts” in the coming decades.
Research has shown that the disaster was fueled by a combination of severe droughts and over-cultivated lands. Today, climate change driven by human actions is enhancing the occurrence of droughts in multiple regions around the world.
throes
noun [ plural ]
UK /θrəʊz/ US /θroʊz/
in the throes of sth
experiencing or doing something that is difficult, unpleasant, or painful:
The country is presently in the throes of the worst recession since the Second World War.
He’s in the throes of a mid-life crisis that makes him pretty hard to live with.
plague
verb [ T ]
UK /pleɪɡ/ US /pleɪɡ/
C2
to cause worry, pain, or difficulty to someone or something over a period of time:
Financial problems have been plaguing their new business partners.
My shoulder’s been plaguing me all week.
to annoy someone, especially by asking repeated questions:
The children plagued him with questions all through lunch.
He’s been plaguing me for a loan of the book.
abate
verb [ I ] formal
UK /əˈbeɪt/ US /əˈbeɪt/
to become less strong:
The pandemic is far from over. It’ll abate, but governments must get a grip (to make an effort to control or to begin to understand a difficult situation and start to find a way of dealing with it).
We need to get a grip on how dangerous this situation is.
The storm/wind/rain has started to abate.
