Words 18 Flashcards
(20 cards)
fame
noun [ U ]
UK /feɪm/ US /feɪm/
B2
the state of being known or recognized by many people because of your achievements, skills, etc.:
One study found that young adults who focus on money, image and fame tend to be more depressed and suffer more physical symptoms such as headaches.
She moved to London in search of fame and fortune.
The town’s fame rests on its beautiful cathedral.
quest
noun [ C ] literary
UK /kwest/ US /kwest/
C2
a long search for something that is difficult to find, or an attempt to achieve something difficult:
Nothing will stop them in their quest for truth.
She went to India on a spiritual quest.
entice
verb [ T ]
UK /ɪnˈtaɪs/ US /ɪnˈtaɪs/
to persuade someone to do something by offering them something pleasant:
People are enticed away from government jobs by higher salaries.
ubiquitous
adjective formal or humorous
UK /juːˈbɪk.wɪ.təs/ US /juːˈbɪk.wə.t̬əs/
seeming to be everywhere:
Smartphones are now ubiquitous: virtually everyone has one and uses it for hours every day.
Digital payments through mobile phones are ubiquitous.
lure sb away (from sth)
to persuade someone to do something or go somewhere by offering them something they would like to have:
He was lured away from the US retailer by a Turkish energy company.
Many manufacturing facilities were LURED AWAY from their MOORINGS elsewhere through tax incentives and SLICK (skilful and effective but not sincere or honest) promotional efforts.
raison d’être
noun [ C usually singular ]
UK /ˌrez.ɑ̃ː ˈdet.rə/ US /ˌreɪ.zɑːn ˈdet.rə/
plural raisons d’être
a reason for existence:
Her job is her raison d’être.
The pandemic has shaken the modern system in unprecedented ways, but there is a raison d’etre for cities not so easily dislodged.
depletion
noun [ S or U ]
UK /dɪˈpliː.ʃən/ US /dɪˈpliː.ʃən/
a reduction in something:
the depletion of the ozone layer.
The dependency of fossil fuels causes serious environmental problems because of pollution and, furthermore, the depletion of finite resources.
cock-a-hoop
adjective [ after verb ]
UK /ˌkɒk.əˈhuːp/ US /ˌkɑːk.əˈhuːp/
extremely happy and excited about something:
He was cock-a-hoop when Besiktas won the championship.
Downing Street was cock-a-hoop on Friday when Biden telephoned Johnson before any other European leader.
segregate
verb [ T ]
UK /ˈseɡ.rɪ.ɡeɪt/ US /ˈseɡ.rə.ɡeɪt/
segregate verb [T] (KEEP SEPARATE)
to keep one thing separate from another:
The boys and girls were segregated into different classes.
In pre-WWII Germany, Jewish shops were smashed and looted (yağma), and Jewish people were segregated from civil life.
unfettered
adjective formal
UK /ʌnˈfet.əd/ US /ʌnˈfet̬.ɚd/
not controlled, limited, or prevented by anyone:
The law gives the governor unfettered discretion to make these appointments.
impede
verb [ T ] formal
UK /ɪmˈpiːd/ US /ɪmˈpiːd/
to make it more difficult for something to happen or more difficult for someone to do something:
There’s always at least one person in every group who impedes the group’s progress more than helps it.
impinge on/upon something
— phrasal verb with impinge verb
US/ɪmˈpɪndʒ/
to have an effect on something, often by limiting it in some way:
The Supreme Court will decide if the new communications bill impinges on the Constitutional right to free speech.
Nontrivial
Important or big enough to matter.
We all make mistakes. But this mistake was nontrivial, and there is going to be an investigation.
Outstrip
Surpass, exceed; be larger or better than; leave behind.
Our sales figures this quarter have outstripped those of any other quarter in the company’s history.
revamp
verb [ T ]
UK /ˌriːˈvæmp/ US /ˌriːˈvæmp/
to change or arrange something again, in order to improve it:
This country’s health care system needs revamping.
plutocratic
adjective
UK /ˌpluː.təˈkræt.ɪk/ US /ˌpluː.toʊˈkræt̬.ɪk/
powerful because of being rich:
Some say the world is ruled by a plutocratic elite.
postulate
verb [ I or T ] formal
UK /ˈpɒs.tʃə.leɪt/ US /ˈpɑːs.tʃə.leɪt/
Claim, assert; assume the truth or reality of in order to form an argument.
Before proceeding further, let us postulate that men and women have some fundamental differences.
recapitulate
verb [ I or T ]
UK /ˌriː.kəˈpɪtʃ.ə.leɪt/ US /ˌriː.kəˈpɪtʃ.ə.leɪt/
Summarize, repeat in a concise way.
I only have a minute, but can you recapitulate what you’re proposing?
spearhead
verb [ T ]
UK /ˈspɪə.hed/ US /ˈspɪr.hed/
to lead something such as an attack or a course of action:
British troops spearheaded the invasion.
subversive
adjective formal
UK /səbˈvɜː.sɪv/ US /səbˈvɝː.sɪv/
Subvert - Overthrow, corrupt, cause the downfall of.
trying to destroy or damage something, especially an established political system:
subversive elements/groups in society
subversive ideas/influences
The FBI had the duty of obtaining evidence of subversive activity.
