06 Flashcards
creep
verb (past and past participle crept | krept | ) [no object]
1 move slowly and carefully in order to avoid being heard or noticed: he crept downstairs, hardly making any noise | they were taught how to creep up on an enemy.
• (of a thing) move very slowly at an inexorably steady pace: the fog was creeping up from the marsh.
2 (creep in/into) (of an unwanted and negative characteristic or fact) occur or develop gradually and almost imperceptibly: errors crept into his game | (as adjective creeping) : the creeping centralization of power.
• (creep up) increase slowly but steadily in number or amount: interest rates have been creeping up in the past few weeks.
noun
2 slow movement, especially at a steady but almost imperceptible pace: an attempt to prevent this slow creep of costs.
crescendo
noun
(plural crescendos or crescendi | -dē | ) Music a gradual increase in loudness in a piece of music.
• the loudest point reached in a gradually increasing sound: Debra’s voice was rising to a crescendo.
• a progressive increase in force or intensity: a crescendo of misery.
• the most intense point reached in this; a climax: the negative reviews reached a crescendo in mid-February.
verb (crescendoes, crescendoing, crescendoed) [no object]
increase in loudness or intensity: the reluctant cheers began to crescendo.
crest
noun
• a thing resembling a tuft, especially a plume of feathers on a helmet.
2 the top of a mountain or hill: she reached the crest of the hill.
verb
1 [with object] reach the top of (something such as a hill or wave): she crested a hill and saw the valley spread out before her.
• [no object] US (of a river) rise to its highest level: the river was expected to crest at eight feet above flood stage.
3 (be crested with) have attached or affixed at the top: his helmet was crested with a fan of spikes.
crestfallen
adjective
sad and disappointed: he came back empty-handed and crestfallen.
cronyism
noun derogatory
the appointment of friends and associates to positions of authority, without proper regard to their qualifications.
crook
noun
1 the hooked staff of a shepherd.
• a bend in something, especially at the elbow in a person’s arm: her head was cradled in the crook of Luke’s left arm.
2 informal a person who is dishonest or a criminal.
verb [with object]
bend (something, especially a finger as a signal): he crooked a finger for the waitress.
croon
verb [no object]
hum or sing in a soft, low voice, especially in a sentimental manner: she was crooning to the child | [with object] : the female vocalist crooned smoky blues into the microphone.
• say in a soft, low voice: “Goodbye, you lovely darling,” she crooned.
noun [in singular]
a soft, low voice or tone: he sang in a gentle, highly expressive croon.
culminate
verb [no object]
reach a climax or point of highest development: the tensions and disorders which culminated in World War II.
• [with object] be the climax or point of highest development of: her book culminated a research project on the symmetry studies of Escher.
• Astronomy & Astrology (of a celestial body) reach the highest point at the meridian.
crumple
verb [with object]
crush (something, typically paper or cloth) so that it becomes creased and wrinkled: he crumpled up the paper bag | (as adjective crumpled) : a crumpled sheet.
• [no object] become bent, crooked, or creased: they heard the jetliner crumple moments before it crashed.
• [no object] (of a person) suddenly flop down to the ground: she crumpled to the floor in a dead faint.
• [no object] (of a person’s face) suddenly sag and show an expression of desolation: the child’s face crumpled and he began to howl.
noun
a crushed fold, crease, or wrinkle.
crutch
noun
1 a long stick with a crosspiece at the top, used as a support under the armpit by a lame person.
• [in singular] a thing used for support or reassurance: they use the Internet as a crutch for their loneliness.
crux
noun (plural cruxes or cruces | ˈkro͞oˌsēz | ) (the crux)
the decisive or most important point at issue: the crux of the matter is that attitudes have changed.
• a particular point of difficulty: both cruces can be resolved by a consideration of the manuscripts.
cryptic
adjective
1 having a meaning that is mysterious or obscure: he found his boss’s utterances too cryptic.
• (of a crossword) having difficult clues which indicate the solutions indirectly.
culpable
adjective
deserving blame: sometimes you’re just as culpable when you watch something as when you actually participate.
cultivate
verb [with object]
1 prepare and use (land) for crops or gardening.
• Biology grow or maintain (living cells or tissue) in culture.
2 try to acquire or develop (a quality, sentiment, or skill): he cultivated an air of indifference.
• try to win the friendship or favor of (someone): it helps if you go out of your way to cultivate the local people.
• apply oneself to improving or developing (one’s mind or manners).
cumbersome
adjective
large or heavy and therefore difficult to carry or use; unwieldy: cumbersome diving suits.
• slow or complicated and therefore inefficient: organizations with cumbersome hierarchical structures.
curmudgeon
noun
a bad-tempered person, especially an old one.
cursory
adjective
hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed: a cursory glance at the figures.
curt
adjective
rudely brief: his reply was curt.
curtail
verb [with object]
reduce in extent or quantity; impose a restriction on: civil liberties were further curtailed.
cynic
noun
1 a person who believes that people are motivated purely by self-interest rather than acting for honorable or unselfish reasons: some cynics thought that the controversy was all a publicity stunt.
• a person who questions whether something will happen or whether it is worthwhile: the cynics were silenced when the factory opened.
dabble
verb
1 [with object] immerse (one’s hands or feet) partially in water and move them around gently: they dabbled their feet in the rock pools.
• [no object] (of a duck or other waterbird) move the bill around in shallow water while feeding: teal dabble in the shallows.
2 [no object] take part in an activity in a casual or superficial way: he dabbled in writing as a young man.
daft
adjective British informal
silly; foolish: don’t ask such daft questions.
• (daft about) infatuated with: we were all daft about him.
dazzling
adjective
extremely bright, especially so as to blind the eyes temporarily: the sunlight was dazzling | figurative : a dazzling smile.
• extremely impressive, beautiful, or skillful: a dazzling display of football.
verb [with object]
(of a bright light) blind (a person) temporarily: she was dazzled by the headlights.
• amaze or overwhelm (someone) with a particular impressive quality: I was dazzled by the beauty and breadth of the exhibition.
brightness that confuses someone’s vision temporarily: [in singular] : a dazzle of green and red spotlights.
dally
verb (dallies, dallying, dallied) [no object]
1 act or move slowly: workers were loafing, dallying, or goofing off.
2 have a casual romantic or sexual liaison with: he should stop dallying with movie stars.
• show a casual interest in something, without committing oneself seriously: the company has been dallying with the idea of opening a new office.
damper
noun
a person or thing that has a depressing, subduing, or inhibiting effect: another damper on reactor development was the problem of safeguards.
• Music a pad that silences a piano string except when removed by means of a pedal or by the note being struck.
• a device for reducing mechanical vibration, in particular a shock absorber on a motor vehicle.
• a conductor used to reduce hunting in an electric motor or generator.
• a movable metal plate in a flue or chimney, used to regulate the draft and so control the rate of combustion.
dandy
noun (plural dandies)
1 a man unduly devoted to style, neatness, and fashion in dress and appearance.
2 informal, dated an excellent thing of its kind: this umbrella is a dandy.
adjective (dandier, dandiest)
1 North American informal excellent: things are all fine and dandy | upgrading seemed a dandy idea.
2 relating to or characteristic of a dandy.
dank
adjective
disagreeably damp, musty, and typically cold.
dapper
adjective
(typically of a man) neat and trim in dress, appearance, or bearing.
dappled
adjective
marked with spots or rounded patches: the horse’s dappled flank.
daredevil
noun
a reckless person who enjoys doing dangerous things.
adjective [attributive]
reckless and daring.
dart
noun
2 an act of running somewhere suddenly and rapidly: the cat made a dart for the door.
• a sudden, intense pang of a particular emotion: a dart of panic.
verb [no object]
move or run somewhere suddenly or rapidly: she darted across the street.
• [with object] cast (a look or one’s eyes) suddenly and rapidly in a particular direction: she darted a glance across the table.
• [with object] shoot (an animal) with a dart, typically in order to administer a drug.
daunt
verb [with object] (usually be daunted)
make (someone) feel intimidated or apprehensive: some people are daunted by technology.
dawdle
verb [no object]
waste time; be slow: I couldn’t dawdle over my coffee any longer.
• [with adverbial of direction] move slowly and idly: Ruth dawdled back through the woods.
deadpan
adjective
deliberately impassive or expressionless: answers his phone in a deadpan tone | deadpan humor.
adverb
in a deadpan manner.
verb (deadpans, deadpanning, deadpanned) [with direct speech]
say something amusing while affecting a serious manner: “I’m an undercover dentist,” he deadpanned.
dearth
noun [in singular]
a scarcity or lack of something: there is a dearth of evidence.
debacle
noun
a sudden and ignominious failure; a fiasco: the economic debacle that became known as the Great Depression.
debark
verb [no object]
leave a ship or aircraft: we debarked from our cruise ship for a day of fun.
• [with object] unload (cargo or troops) from a ship or aircraft.
verb [with object]
remove (the bark) from a tree.
debase
verb [with object]
reduce (something) in quality or value; degrade: the love episodes debase the dignity of the drama.
• lower the moral character of (someone): war debases people.
• historical lower the value of (coinage) by reducing the content of precious metal.
debilitate
verb [with object]
make (someone) weak and infirm: (as adjective debilitated) : a debilitated patient | a weakness that debilitates him despite his overwhelming physical might.
• hinder, delay, or weaken: hard drugs destroy families and debilitate communities.
debunk
verb [with object]
expose the falseness or hollowness of (a myth, idea, or belief): the magazine that debunks claims of the paranormal.
• reduce the inflated reputation of (someone), especially by ridicule: comedy takes delight in debunking heroes.
decadence
noun
moral or cultural decline as characterized by excessive indulgence in pleasure or luxury: he denounced Western decadence.
• luxurious self-indulgence: “French” connotes richness and decadence, and that’s the idea of this ice cream.
detest
verb [with object]
dislike intensely: of all birds the carrion crow is the most detested by gamekeepers.
decorous
adjective
in keeping with good taste and propriety; polite and restrained: dancing with decorous space between partners.
decrepit
adjective
(of a person) elderly and infirm: a decrepit old drunk.
• worn out or ruined because of age or neglect: centuries-old buildings, now decrepit and black with soot.
deject
verb [with object] archaic
make sad or dispirited; depress: nothing dejects a trader like the interruption of his profits.
deleterious
adjective formal
causing harm or damage: divorce is assumed to have deleterious effects on children.
deliberate
adjective | dəˈlib(ə)rət |
done consciously and intentionally: a deliberate attempt to provoke conflict.
• fully considered; not impulsive: a deliberate decision.
• done or acting in a careful and unhurried way: a careful and deliberate worker.
verb | diˈlibəˌrāt | [no object]
engage in long and careful consideration: she deliberated over the menu.
• [with object] consider (a question) carefully: jurors deliberated the fate of those charged | [with clause] : deliberating what she should do.
delicacy
noun (plural delicacies)
1 fineness or intricacy of texture or structure: miniature pearls of exquisite delicacy.
2 susceptibility to illness or adverse conditions; fragility.
3 tact and consideration: I have to treat this matter with the utmost delicacy.
• the quality of requiring discretion or sensitivity: the delicacy of the situation.
• accuracy of perception; sensitiveness.
4 a choice or expensive food: asparagus was considered a delicacy by the ancient Greeks.
delirium
noun
an acutely disturbed state of mind that occurs in fever, intoxication, and other disorders and is characterized by restlessness, illusions, and incoherence of thought and speech.
• wild excitement or ecstasy.
deluge
noun
a severe flood.
• (the Deluge) the biblical Flood (recorded in Genesis 6–8).
• a heavy fall of rain: a deluge of rain hit the plains.
• a great quantity of something arriving at the same time: a deluge of complaints.
verb [with object] (usually be deluged)
inundate with a great quantity of something: he has been deluged with offers of work.
• flood: the country was deluged with rain.
delve
verb [no object]
reach inside a receptacle and search for something: she delved in her pocket.
• research or make painstaking inquiries into something: as we delve further into the atom’s secrets.
• [with object] literary dig; excavate: (as adjective delved) : the approach from the surface above had awed her, so hugely delved were the tunnels.
demagogue
noun
a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires and prejudices rather than by using rational argument.
• (in ancient Greece and Rome) a leader or orator who espoused the cause of the common people.
demotic
adjective
denoting or relating to the kind of language used by ordinary people; popular or colloquial: a demotic idiom.
• relating to or denoting the form of modern Greek used in everyday speech and writing. Compare with katharevousa.
• relating to or denoting a simplified, cursive form of ancient Egyptian script, dating from c. 650 bc and replaced by Greek in the Ptolemaic period. Compare with hieratic.
noun
ordinary colloquial speech.
• demotic Greek.
• demotic Egyptian script.
demur
verb (demurs, demurring, demurred) [no object]
raise doubts or objections or show reluctance: normally she would have accepted the challenge, but she demurred.
noun [usually with negative]
the action or process of objecting to or hesitating over something: they accepted this ruling without demur.
denigrate
verb [with object]
criticize unfairly; disparage: there is a tendency to denigrate the poor.
disingenuous
adjective
not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does.
dent
noun
• a diminishing effect; a reduction: a dent in profits.
verb [with object]
mark with a dent: the moose dropped a hind foot and dented the hood of the car.
• have an adverse effect on; diminish: this neither deterred him nor dented his enthusiasm.
denude
verb [with object]
strip (something) of its covering, possessions, or assets; make bare: almost overnight the Arctic was denuded of animals.
deplore
verb [with object]
feel or express strong disapproval of (something): we deplore this act of violence.
depravity
noun (plural depravities)
moral corruption; wickedness: a tale of wickedness and depravity.
• a wicked or morally corrupt act.
deprecate
verb [with object]
1 express disapproval of: (as adjective deprecating) : he sniffed in a deprecating way.
• (be deprecated) (chiefly of a software feature) be usable but regarded as obsolete and best avoided, typically due to having been superseded: this feature is deprecated and will be removed in later versions | (as adjective deprecated) : avoid the deprecated element that causes text to flash on and off.
depreciate
verb
1 [no object] diminish in value over a period of time: the pound is expected to depreciate against the dollar.
• reduce the recorded value in a company’s books of (an asset) each year over a predetermined period: the computers would be depreciated at 50 percent per annum.
2 [with object] disparage or belittle (something): she was already depreciating her own aesthetic taste.
deprivation
noun
the damaging lack of material benefits considered to be basic necessities in a society: low wages mean that 3.75 million people suffer serious deprivation | rural households could escape the worst deprivations of the towns.
• the lack or denial of something considered to be a necessity: sleep deprivation.
deracinate
verb [with object]
tear (something) up by the roots.
derelict
adjective
in a very poor condition as a result of disuse and neglect: the cities were derelict and dying.
• chiefly North American (of a person) shamefully negligent in not having done what one should have done: he was derelict in his duty to his country.
noun
a person without a home, job, or property: derelicts who could fit all their possessions in a paper bag.
• a piece of property, especially a ship, abandoned by the owner and in poor condition.
deride
verb [with object]
express contempt for; ridicule: critics derided the proposals as clumsy attempts to find a solution.
derivative
adjective
(typically of an artist or work of art) imitative of the work of another person, and usually disapproved of for that reason: an artist who is not in the slightest bit derivative.
• [attributive] (of a financial product) having a value deriving from an underlying variable asset: equity-based derivative products.
noun
something that is based on another source: a derivative of the system was chosen for the Marine Corps’ V-22 tilt rotor aircraft.
• (often derivatives) an arrangement or instrument (such as a future, option, or warrant) whose value derives from and is dependent on the value of an underlying asset: [as modifier] : the derivatives market.
• a word derived from another or from a root in the same or another language.
• a substance that is derived chemically from a specified compound: crack is a highly addictive cocaine derivative.
descend
verb [no object]
• come or go down a scale, especially from the superior to the inferior: (as adjective descending) : the categories are listed in descending order of usefulness.
• (descend to) act in a specified shameful way that is far below one’s usual standards: she descended to self-pity.
• (descend into) (of a situation or group of people) reach (a state considered undesirable or shameful): the army had descended into chaos.
2 (descend on/upon) make a sudden attack on: the militia descended on Rye.
• make an unexpected and typically unwelcome visit to: treasure-seekers descended upon the site.
• (of a feeling or atmosphere) develop suddenly and be felt throughout a place or by a person or group of people: an air of gloom descended on the Democratic Party headquarters.
• (of night or darkness) begin to occur: as the winter darkness descended, the fighting ceased.
3 (be descended from) be a direct blood relative of (a specified, typically illustrious ancestor): she is descended from Charles II.
• (of an asset) pass by inheritance, typically from parent to child: his lands descended to his eldest son.
divination
noun
the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means.
desecrate
verb [with object]
treat (a sacred place or thing) with violent disrespect; violate: more than 300 graves were desecrated.
desiccate
verb [with object]
1 (usually as adjective desiccated) remove the moisture from (something, especially food), typically in order to preserve it: desiccated coconut.
2 (as adjective desiccated) lacking interest, passion, or energy: a desiccated history of ideas.
designate
verb | ˈdeziɡˌnāt | [with object]
• signify; indicate: the term “brainstem” designates the medulla, pons, and mesencephalon.
adjective | ˈdeziɡnət, ˈdeziɡˌnāt | [postpositive]
appointed to an office or position but not yet installed: the Director designate.
