04 Flashcards
canvass
verb
1 [with object] solicit votes from (electors in a constituency): in each ward, two workers canvassed some 2,000 voters | [no object] : she canvassed for votes.
• try to obtain; request: they’re canvassing support among shareholders.
• question (someone) in order to ascertain their opinion: they promised to canvass all member clubs for their views.
2 • [with object] discuss thoroughly: the issues that were canvassed are still unresolved.
noun [usually in singular]
an act or process of attempting to secure votes or ascertain opinions: a house-to-house canvass.
caprice
noun
1 a sudden and unaccountable change of mood or behavior: the caprices of the electorate | a land where men were ruled by law and not by caprice.
captivate
verb [with object]
attract and hold the interest and attention of; charm: he was captivated by her beauty.
careworn
adjective
tired and unhappy because of prolonged worry: a careworn expression.
cardinal
noun
1 a leading dignitary of the Roman Catholic Church. Cardinals are nominated by the Pope, and form the Sacred College which elects succeeding popes (now invariably from among their own number).
• (also cardinal red) a deep scarlet color like that of a cardinal’s cassock.
adjective [attributive]
of the greatest importance; fundamental: two cardinal points must be borne in mind.
caricature
noun
a picture, description, or imitation of a person in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated in order to create a comic or grotesque effect: there are elements of caricature in the portrayal of the hero | a caricature of Jimmy Durante.
• a ludicrous or grotesque version of someone or something: he looked like a caricature of his normal self.
verb [with object]
make or give a comically or grotesquely exaggerated representation of (someone or something): he was caricatured on the cover of TV Guide | a play that caricatures the legal profession.
carnal
adjective
relating to physical, especially sexual, needs and activities: carnal desire.
carouse
verb [no object]
drink plentiful amounts of alcohol and enjoy oneself with others in a noisy, lively way: they danced and caroused until the drink ran out | (as noun carousing) : a night of carousing.
noun
a noisy, lively drinking party: corporate carouses.
carp
verb [no object]
complain or find fault continually about trivial matters: I don’t want to carp about the way you did it | he was constantly carping at me.
clique/cliquish
noun
a small group of people, with shared interests or other features in common, who spend time together and do not readily allow others to join them.
cast
verb (past and past participle cast | kast | )
1 [usually with adverbial of direction] chiefly literary throw (something) forcefully in a specified direction: figurative : individuals who do not accept the norms are cast out from the group | lemmings cast themselves off the cliff.
• throw (something) so as to cause it to spread over an area: the fishermen cast a large net around a school of tuna | figurative : he cast his net far and wide in search of evidence.
• throw the hooked and baited end of (a fishing line) out into the water.
• let down (an anchor or sounding line).
• direct (one’s eyes or a look) at something: she cast down her eyes | [with two objects] : she cast him a desperate glance.
2 [with adverbial of place] cause (light or shadow) to appear on a surface: the moon cast a pale light over the cottages | figurative : running costs were already casting a shadow over the program.
• cause (uncertainty or disparagement) to be associated with something: journalists cast doubt on the government’s version of events | I do not wish to cast aspersions on your honesty.
castigate
verb [with object] formal
reprimand (someone) severely: he was castigated for not setting a good example.
categorical
adjective
unambiguously explicit and direct: a categorical assurance.
catholic
adjective
including a wide variety of things; all-embracing: her tastes are pretty catholic.
caustic
adjective
1 able to burn or corrode organic tissue by chemical action: a caustic cleaner.
2 sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way: the players were making caustic comments about the refereeing.
3 Physics formed by the intersection of reflected or refracted parallel rays from a curved surface.
caveat
noun
a warning or proviso of specific stipulations, conditions, or limitations.
• Law a notice, especially in a probate, that certain actions may not be taken without informing the person who gave the notice.
cavil
verb [no object]
make petty or unnecessary objections: they caviled at the cost.
noun
an objection seen as petty or unnecessary.
cataclysmic
noun
a large-scale and violent event in the natural world.
• a sudden violent upheaval, especially in a political or social context: the cataclysm of the First World War.
cede
verb [with object] give up (power or territory): they have had to cede control of the schools to the government.
cement
verb [with object]
attach with cement: wooden posts were cemented into the ground.
• settle or establish firmly: the two firms are expected to cement an agreement soon.
concomitant
adjective
naturally accompanying or associated: she loved travel, with all its concomitant worries | concomitant with his obsession with dirt was a desire for order.
noun
a phenomenon that naturally accompanies or follows something: some of us look on pain and illness as concomitants of the stresses of living.
censure
verb [with object]
express severe disapproval of (someone or something), especially in a formal statement: a judge was censured in 1983 for a variety of types of injudicious conduct.
noun
the expression of formal disapproval: angry delegates offered a resolution of censure against the offenders | they paid the price in social ostracism and family censure.
chic
adjective (chicer, chicest)
elegantly and stylishly fashionable.
noun
stylishness and elegance, typically of a specified kind: French chic | biker chic.
chaff
noun the husks of corn or other seed separated by winnowing or threshing. • chopped hay and straw used as fodder. • worthless things; trash. noun lighthearted joking; banter. verb [with object] tease.
chagrin
noun
distress or embarrassment at having failed or been humiliated: Jeff, much to his chagrin, wasn’t invited.
verb (be chagrined)
feel distressed or humiliated: he was chagrined when his friend poured scorn on him.
chameleon
• figurative a person who changes their opinions or behavior according to the situation.
champion
verb [with object]
support the cause of; defend: priests who championed human rights.
compulsive
adjective
1 resulting from or relating to an irresistible urge, especially one that is against one’s conscious wishes: compulsive eating.
• (of a person) acting as a result of an irresistible urge: a compulsive liar.
2 irresistibly interesting or exciting; compelling: this play is compulsive viewing.
chimera
noun
1 (Chimera) (in Greek mythology) a fire-breathing female monster with a lion’s head, a goat’s body, and a serpent’s tail.
• any mythical animal with parts taken from various animals.
2 a thing that is hoped or wished for but in fact is illusory or impossible to achieve: the economic sovereignty you claim to defend is a chimera.
charlatan
noun
a person falsely claiming to have a special knowledge or skill; a fraud.
chary
adjective (charier, chariest)
cautiously or suspiciously reluctant to do something: most people are chary of allowing themselves to be photographed.
chasm
noun
a deep fissure in the earth, rock, or another surface.
• a profound difference between people, viewpoints, feelings, etc.: the chasm between rich and poor.
chauvinistic
adjective
feeling or displaying aggressive or exaggerated patriotism.
• displaying excessive or prejudiced support for one’s own cause, group, or sex.
cherubic
adjective
having the childlike innocence or plump prettiness of a cherub: a round, cherubic face.
chicanery
noun
the use of trickery to achieve a political, financial, or legal purpose: an underhanded person who schemes corruption and political chicanery behind closed doors.
chide
verb (past chided or archaic chid | CHid | ; past participle chided or archaic chidden | ˈCHidn | ) [with object]
scold or rebuke: she chided him for not replying to her letters | [with direct speech] : “You mustn’t speak like that,” she chided gently.
choleric
adjective
bad-tempered or irritable.
• influenced by or predominating in the humor called choler: a choleric disposition.
chord
noun
a group of (typically three or more) notes sounded together, as a basis of harmony: the triumphal opening chords | a G major chord.
verb [no object] (usually as noun chording)
play, sing, or arrange notes in chords.
churlish
adjective
rude in a mean-spirited and surly way: it seems churlish to complain.
cipher
noun
1 a secret or disguised way of writing; a code: he was writing cryptic notes in a cipher | the information may be given in cipher.
• a thing written in a cipher.
• a key to such a cipher.
3 a monogram.
verb
1 [with object] put (a message) into secret writing; encode.
circuitous
adjective
(of a route or journey) longer than the most direct way: the canal followed a circuitous route | figurative : a circuitous line of reasoning.
circumlocution
noun
the use of many words where fewer would do, especially in a deliberate attempt to be vague or evasive: his admission came after years of circumlocution | he used a number of poetic circumlocutions.
circumscribe
verb [with object] 1 restrict (something) within limits: their movements were strictly monitored and circumscribed. 2 Geometry draw (a figure) around another, touching it at points but not cutting it. Compare with inscribe.
circumspect
adjective
wary and unwilling to take risks: the officials were very circumspect in their statements.
circumvent
verb [with object]
find a way around (an obstacle).
• overcome (a problem or difficulty), typically in a clever and surreptitious way: I found it quite easy to circumvent security.
civility
noun (plural civilities)
formal politeness and courtesy in behavior or speech: I hope we can treat each other with civility and respect.
• (civilities) polite remarks used in formal conversation: she was exchanging civilities with his mother.
chokehold
noun
a tight grip around a person’s neck, used to restrain him or her by restricting breathing: the police have banned chokeholds | figurative : the southern delegates had the convention in a chokehold.
clandestine
adjective
kept secret or done secretively, especially because illicit: she deserved better than these clandestine meetings.
clarion
noun historical a shrill narrow-tubed war trumpet. • an organ stop with a quality resembling that of a clarion. adjective literary loud and clear: clarion trumpeters.
clasp
verb [with object]
1 grasp (something) tightly with one’s hand: he clasped her arm.
• place (one’s arms) around something so as to hold it tightly: Kate’s arms were clasped around her knees.
• hold (someone) tightly: he clasped Joanne in his arms.
• (clasp one’s hands) press one’s hands together with the fingers interlaced: he lay on his back with his hands clasped behind his head.
2 archaic fasten (something) with a small device, typically a metal one: one modest emerald clasped her robe.
noun
1 a device with interlocking parts used for fastening things together: a handbag with a golden clasp.
• a silver bar on a medal ribbon, inscribed with the name of the battle at which the wearer was present.
2 [in singular] an embrace.
• a grasp or handshake: he took her hand in a firm clasp.
clement
adjective
1 (of weather) mild.
2 (of a person or a person’s actions) merciful.
clog
noun
1 a shoe with a thick wooden sole.
2 an encumbrance or impediment: a clog in the system.
verb (clogs, clogging, clogged)
block or become blocked with an accumulation of thick, wet matter: [with object] : the gutters were clogged up with leaves | [no object] : too much fatty food makes your arteries clog up | (as adjective clogged) : clogged drains.
• [with object] fill up or crowd (something) so as to obstruct passage: tourists clog the roads in summer.
clot
noun
1 a thick mass of coagulated liquid, especially blood, or of material stuck together: a flat, wet clot of dead leaves | figurative : a clot of people arguing in the doorway.
2 British informal a foolish or clumsy person: “Watch where you’re going, you clot!”.
verb (clots, clotting, clotted)
form or cause to form clots: [no object] : drugs that help blood to clot | [with object] : a blood protein known as factor VIII clots blood.
• [with object] cover (something) with sticky matter: its nostrils were clotted with blood.
cordial
adjective
warm and friendly: the atmosphere was cordial and relaxed.
• strongly felt: I earned his cordial loathing.
noun
1 North American another term for liqueur.
• British a sweet fruit-flavored drink: wine cups and fruit cordials | [mass noun] : a tall glass of blackcurrant cordial.
2 a comforting or pleasant-tasting medicine.
clout
noun
1 informal a heavy blow with the hand or a hard object: a clout on the ear.
2 informal influence or power, especially in politics or business: I knew he carried a lot of clout.
3 archaic a piece of cloth or clothing, especially one used as a patch.
4 Archery a target used in long-distance shooting, placed flat on the ground with a flag marking its center.
• a shot that hits a clout.
verb [with object]
1 informal hit hard with the hand or a hard object: I clouted him on the head.
cloy/cloying
verb [with object] (usually as adjective cloying)
disgust or sicken (someone) with an excess of sweetness, richness, or sentiment: a romantic, rather cloying story | [no object] : the first long sip gives a malty taste that never cloys | a curious bittersweetness that cloyed her senses.
coagulate
verb [no object]
(of a fluid, especially blood) change to a solid or semisolid state: blood had coagulated around the edges of the wound.
• [with object] cause (a fluid) to change to a solid or semisolid state: epinephrine coagulates the blood.
coalesce
verb [no object]
come together to form one mass or whole: the puddles had coalesced into shallow streams | the separate details coalesce to form a single body of scientific thought.
• [with object] combine (elements) in a mass or whole: to help coalesce the community, they established an office.
coax
verb [with object]
persuade (someone) gradually or by flattery to do something: the trainees were coaxed into doing hard, boring work | “Come on now,” I coaxed.
• (coax something from/out of) use flattery or gradual persuasion to obtain something from: we coaxed money out of my father | figurative : coaxing more speed from the car.
• manipulate (something) carefully into a particular shape or position: her lovely hair had been coaxed into ringlets.
coda
noun Music
the concluding passage of a piece or movement, typically forming an addition to the basic structure.
• the concluding section of a dance, especially of a pas de deux or the finale of a ballet in which the dancers parade before the audience.
• a concluding event, remark, or section: his new novel is a kind of coda to his previous books.
coeval
adjective
having the same age or date of origin; contemporary: these lavas were coeval with the volcanic activity.
noun
a person of roughly the same age as oneself; a contemporary: like so many of his coevals, he yearned for stability.
cogent
adjective
(of an argument or case) clear, logical, and convincing.
cognizant
adjective [predicative] formal
having knowledge or being aware of: statesmen must be cognizant of the political boundaries within which they work.
collude
verb [no object]
cooperate in a secret or unlawful way in order to deceive or gain an advantage over others: the president accused his opponents of colluding with foreigners | university leaders colluded in price-rigging.
coltish
adjective
energetic but awkward in one’s movements or behavior.
combustible
adjective
able to catch fire and burn easily: highly combustible paint thinner.
• excitable; easily annoyed: two combustible personalities.
noun
a combustible substance.
comity
noun (plural comities) formal
1 an association of nations for their mutual benefit.
• (also comity of nations) the mutual recognition by nations of the laws and customs of others.
2 courtesy and considerate behavior toward others.
commencement
noun
1 [usually in singular] a beginning or start: at the commencement of training.
2 North American a ceremony in which degrees or diplomas are conferred on graduating students: [as modifier] : a commencement address.
commend
verb [with object]
1 praise formally or officially: he was commended by the judge for his courageous actions.
2 present as suitable for approval or acceptance; recommend: I commend her to you without reservation.
• cause to be acceptable or pleasing: this recording has a lot to commend it.
3 (commend someone/something to) archaic or formal entrust someone or something to: I commend them to your care.
commensurate
adjective
corresponding in size or degree; in proportion: salary will be commensurate with experience | such heavy responsibility must receive commensurate reward.
commingle
verb literary
mix; blend: [no object] : the dust had commingled with the rain | [with object] : publicly reproved for commingling funds.
committed
adjective
feeling dedication and loyalty to a cause, activity, or job; wholeheartedly dedicated: a committed reformer.
commodious
adjective 1 formal (especially of furniture or a building) roomy and comfortable.
commonsensical
common sense
commotion
noun
a state of confused and noisy disturbance: she was distracted by a commotion across the street | figure out what all the commotion is about.
• civil insurrection: damage caused by civil commotion.
compendium
noun (plural compendiums or compendia | -dēə | )
a collection of concise but detailed information about a particular subject, especially in a book or other publication.
• a collection of things, especially one systematically gathered: the program is a compendium of outtakes from our archives.
complaisance
adjective
willing to please others; obliging; agreeable: when unharnessed, Northern dogs are peaceful and complaisant.
compliant
adjective
1 inclined to agree with others or obey rules, especially to an excessive degree; acquiescent: a compliant labor force.
• (often compliant with) meeting or in accordance with rules or standards: policies compliant with federal legislation and regulations | the systems are Y2K compliant.
2 Physics & Medicine having the property of compliance.
clownish
adjective
characteristic of or resembling a clown, especially in being foolish, playful, or humorously exaggerated: clownish antics | they only manage to look clumsy and clownish.
compose
3 calm or settle (oneself or one’s features or thoughts): she tried to compose herself.
