05 Flashcards
compound
adjective | ˈkämˌpound, kəmˈpound |
made up or consisting of two or more existing parts or elements: a compound noun.
verb | kəmˈpound, ˈkämˌpound | [with object]
1 make up (a composite whole); constitute: a dialect compounded of Spanish and Dutch.
• mix or combine (ingredients or constituents): yellow pastas compounded with lemon zest or saffron.
• calculate (interest) on previously accumulated interest: the yield at which the interest is compounded.
2 make (something bad) worse; intensify the negative aspects of: I compounded the problem by trying to make wrong things right.
compromise
verb
1 [no object] settle a dispute by mutual concession: in the end we compromised and deferred the issue.
• [with object] archaic settle (a dispute) by mutual concession: I should compromise the matter with my father.
2 [no object] accept standards that are lower than is desirable: we were not prepared to compromise on safety.
• [with object] weaken (a reputation or principle) by accepting standards that are lower than is desirable: commercial pressures could compromise safety.
3 [with object]
• cause to become vulnerable or function less effectively: yo-yo dieting can compromise your immune system | last month’s leak of source code will not compromise your IT security.
compunction
noun [usually with negative]
a feeling of guilt or moral scruple that prevents or follows the doing of something bad: spend the money without compunction | he had no compunction about behaving blasphemously.
concoct
verb [with object]
make (a dish or meal) by combining various ingredients: they concoct relish from corn that is so naturally sweet no extra sugar is needed.
• create or devise (said especially of a story or plan): they concocted a preposterous but entertaining story.
concede
verb
1 [reporting verb] admit that something is true or valid after first denying or resisting it: [with clause] : I had to concede that I’d overreacted | [with object] : that principle now seems to have been conceded.
• [with object] admit (defeat) in a contest: he conceded defeat.
• [with object] admit defeat in (a contest): ready to concede the gold medal.
2 [with object] surrender or yield (something that one possesses): to concede all the territory he’d won.
• grant (a right, privilege, or demand): their rights to redress of grievances were conceded once more.
• (in sports) fail to prevent the scoring of (a goal or point) by an opponent: the coach conceded three safeties rather than kick into the wind.
• allow (a lead or advantage) to slip: he took an early lead that he never conceded.
concerted
adjective
1 jointly arranged, planned, or carried out; coordinated: determined to begin a concerted action against them.
• strenuously carried out; done with great effort: it would take a concerted effort for a burglar to break into my home.
conciliate
verb [with object]
1 stop (someone) from being angry or discontented; placate; pacify: concessions were made to conciliate the peasantry.
• [no object] act as a mediator: he sought to conciliate in the dispute.
• formal reconcile; make compatible: all complaints about charges will be conciliated if possible.
concord
noun
1 formal agreement or harmony between people or groups: a pact of peace and concord.
• a treaty.
2 Grammar agreement between words in gender, number, case, person, or any other grammatical category which affects the forms of the words.
concur
verb (concurs, concurring, concurred) [no object]
1 be of the same opinion; agree: the authors concurred with the majority | “That’s right,” the chairman concurred | they concurred in the creation of the disciplinary procedures.
• (concur with) agree with (a decision, opinion, or finding): we strongly concur with this recommendation.
2 happen or occur at the same time; coincide: in tests, cytogenetic determination has been found to concur with enzymatic determination.
condign
adjective formal (of punishment or retribution) appropriate to the crime or wrongdoing; fitting and deserved.
condole
verb [no object] (condole with)
express sympathy for (someone); grieve with: the priest came to condole with Madeleine.
condone
verb [with object, often with negative]
accept and allow (behavior that is considered morally wrong or offensive) to continue: the college cannot condone any behavior that involves illicit drugs.
• approve or sanction (something), especially with reluctance: the practice is not officially condoned by any airline.
conducive
adjective
making a certain situation or outcome likely or possible: the harsh lights and cameras were hardly conducive to a relaxed atmosphere.
cantankerous
adjective
bad-tempered, argumentative, and uncooperative: a crusty, cantankerous old man.
confluence
noun
the junction of two rivers, especially rivers of approximately equal width: here at the confluence of the Laramie and North Platte Rivers.
• an act or process of merging: a major confluence of the world’s financial markets.
confound
verb [with object]
1 cause surprise or confusion in (someone), especially by acting against their expectations: the inflation figure confounded economic analysts.
• prove (a theory, expectation, or prediction) wrong: the rise in prices confounded expectations.
• defeat (a plan, aim, or hope): we will confound these tactics by the pressure groups.
• archaic overthrow (an enemy).
2 (often be confounded with) mix up (something) with something else so that the individual elements become difficult to distinguish: ‘nuke’ is now a cooking technique, as microwave radiation is confounded with nuclear radiation.
congeal
verb [no object]
solidify or coagulate, especially by cooling: the blood had congealed into blobs | (as adjective congealed) : congealed egg white.
• take shape or coalesce, especially to form a satisfying whole: the ballet failed to congeal as a single oeuvre.
congenial
adjective
(of a person) pleasant because of a personality, qualities, or interests that are similar to one’s own: his need for some congenial company.
• (of a thing) pleasant or agreeable because suited to one’s taste or inclination: he went back to a climate more congenial to his cold stony soul.
congruent
adjective
1 in agreement or harmony: the rules may not be congruent with the requirements of the law | institutional and departmental objectives are largely congruent.
2 Geometry (of figures) identical in form; coinciding exactly when superimposed.
conjecture
noun
an opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information: conjectures about the newcomer were many and varied | the purpose of the opening in the wall is open to conjecture.
• an unproven mathematical or scientific theorem: the Goldbach conjecture.
• (in textual criticism) the suggestion or reconstruction of a reading of a text not present in the original source.
verb [reporting verb]
form an opinion or supposition about (something) on the basis of incomplete information: many conjectured that the jury could not agree | he conjectured the existence of an otherwise unknown feature.
• (in textual criticism) propose (a reading).
connive
verb [no object] (connive at/in) secretly allow (something considered immoral, illegal, wrong, or harmful) to occur: you have it in your power to connive at my escape. • (usually connive to do something) conspire to do something considered immoral, illegal, or harmful: the government had connived with security forces in permitting murder.
conscientious
adjective 1 (of a person) wishing to do what is right, especially to do one's work or duty well and thoroughly: a conscientious and hardworking clerk. 2 relating to a person's conscience: the act does not provide exemption from service on the basis of personal conscientious beliefs.
conservatory
noun (plural conservatories)
1 North American a college for the study of classical music or other arts.
2 a room with a glass roof and walls, attached to a house at one side and used as a greenhouse or a sun parlor.
consilience
noun
agreement between the approaches to a topic of different academic subjects, especially science and the humanities.
console
verb [with object]
comfort (someone) at a time of grief or disappointment: she tried to console him but he pushed her gently away | you can console yourself with the thought that you did your best.
consonant
noun
a basic speech sound in which the breath is at least partly obstructed and which can be combined with a vowel to form a syllable. Contrasted with vowel.
• a letter representing a consonant.
adjective
1 denoting or relating to a consonant sound or letter: a consonant phoneme.
2 (consonant with) in agreement or harmony with: the findings are consonant with other research.
• Music making a harmonious interval or chord: the bass is consonant with all the upper notes.
conspicuous
adjective
standing out so as to be clearly visible: he was very thin, with a conspicuous Adam’s apple.
• attracting notice or attention: he showed conspicuous bravery.
conspire
verb [no object]
make secret plans jointly to commit an unlawful or harmful act: they conspired against him | they deny conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service.
• (of events or circumstances) seem to be working together to bring about a particular result, typically to someone’s detriment: everything conspires to exacerbate the situation.
constitute
verb [with object] 1 be (a part) of a whole: single parents constitute a great proportion of the poor. • (of people or things) combine to form (a whole): there were enough members present to constitute a quorum. • be or be equivalent to (something): his failure to act constituted a breach of duty. 2 (usually be constituted) give legal or constitutional form to (an institution); establish by law.
constrain
verb [with object]
compel or force (someone) toward a particular course of action: children are constrained to work in the way the book dictates.
• (usually as adjective constrained) cause to appear unnaturally forced, typically because of embarrassment: he was acting in a constrained manner.
• severely restrict the scope, extent, or activity of: agricultural development is considerably constrained by climate | we can constrain data access.
• archaic bring about (something) by compulsion: Calypso in her caves constrained his stay.
• literary confine forcibly; imprison.
