1 Flashcards
graft
1.to join or add something new:
The management tried unsuccessfully to graft new working methods onto the existing ways of doing things.
2.to work hard:
We’ll have to graft like mad to be ranked in the top ten this year.
It was very sad that after spending all those years grafting (away), he died so soon after he retired.
3.the act of getting advantage through the dishonest use of political power:
The whole government was riddled with graft, bribery, and corruption.
noun: a hard worker:
Bassett was a real grafter and worked very hard.
noun, verb
pace
the speed at which someone or something moves, or with which something happens or changes:
When she thought she heard someone following her, she quickened her pace.
I don’t like the pace of modern life.
Could you slow down - I can’t keep pace with (= walk or run as fast as) you.
For many years this company has set the pace (= has been the most successful company) in the communications industry.
pace yourself: to be careful not to do something too quickly, so that you do not get too tired to finish it:
No more soup, thank you. I’m pacing myself so that I have room for a dessert.
Don’t try to do everything at once - pace yourself.
There’s a tremendous amount to see and do in the city, so pace yourself and don’t try to do it all on the first day.
The secret is to pace yourself and only increase the length of your run once a week.
obscure
verb: obscure: to prevent something from being seen or heard:
The sun was obscured by clouds.
Managers deliberately obscured the real situation from federal investigators.
adj: not clear and difficult to understand or see:
Official policy has changed, for reasons that remain obscure.
His answers were obscure and confusing.
noun: obscurity
He rose from relative obscurity to worldwide recognition.
noun: obscuration: the act of preventing something from being seen or heard, or something that prevents something else from being seen or heard:
The planet is less vividly banded than Jupiter, possibly due to greater obscuration by ammonia clouds.
There must be no deliberate obscuration of information.
adverb: obscurely
She died obscurely in her house in the country.
restraint
noun: restraint: calm and controlled behaviour:
He showed admirable restraint, and refused to be provoked.
The security forces exercised (= used) great restraint by not responding to hostile attacks and threats.
A restraint is something that limits freedom of movement, action, or growth:
Social restraints seem to have become dangerously unrestrictive.
While some legal restraints on labour may exist,…
verb: restrian: مهار کردن، جلوگیری کردن، نگه داشتن to control the actions or behaviour of someone by force, especially in order to stop them from doing something, or to limit the growth or force of something:
When he started fighting, it took four police officers to restrain him.
She was so angry that she could hardly restrain herself.
Growth in car ownership could be restrained by increasing taxes.
adverb: restrainedly: in a calm and controlled way:
“That might be difficult,” he said restrainedly, forcing his voice to stay as calm as possible.
adj: restrained: acting in a calm and controlled way:
I was expecting him to be furious but he was very restrained.
assert
verb: assert: to behave in a way that expresses your confidence, importance, or power and earns you respect from others:
Don’t be afraid to assert yourself and make your views clear.
Refusing to help with the housework was his way of asserting himself.
to say that something is certainly true:
He asserts that she stole money from him.
noun: Assertiveness = strength of character, ability to make one’s opinion heard.
Assertion = a statement, a proposal, a claim.
Galileo showed great assertiveness when he made the bold assertion that the earth revolves round the sun.
adj: assertive:
If you really want the promotion, you’ll have to be more assertive.
adverb: assertively:
Make your request assertively, but not aggressively.
assertiveness
enhance
/ɪnˈhɑːn.s/
verb: enhance: to improve the quality, amount, or strength of something:
These scandals will not enhance the organization’s reputation.
It’s things like this that enhance the quality of life.
The county took steps to enhance water quality.
adj: enhanced:better than before:
We continue to create new and enhanced versions of our products.
noun: enhancement: the process of improving the quality, amount, or strength of something:
Enhancements made to websites often result in increased page views.
noun: enhancer: something that is used to strengthen or improve the quality of something. Enhancer is usually used as a combining form:
mood enhancer: Music can be a mood enhancer.
flavour enhancer: I don’t like to use artificial flavour enhancers in my cooking.
intervention
the action of becoming intentionally involved in a difficult situation, in order to improve it or prevent it from getting worse:
Repeated interventions on the currency markets failed to prevent the currency’s value falling.
an occasion when someone’s friends or family speak to them about a problem or situation because the person’s behaviour is unreasonable or harmful:
humorous He’s been playing that video game all day. I think it’s time for an intervention.
verb: intervene:
The minister intervened personally to stop the museum from being closed.
The Central Bank intervened in the currency markets today to try to stabilize the exchange rate.
endure
verb: 1. to suffer something difficult, unpleasant, or painful:
We had to endure a nine-hour delay at the airport.
verb: 2. to continue to exist for a long time:
The political system established in 1400 endured until about 1650.
noun: endurance:
Running a marathon is a test of human endurance.
The pain was bad beyond endurance.
adj: endurable:
The workload was barely endurable, but the experience was priceless.
Many patients need aspirin to make life endurable.
adv: endurably:
She managed to make their lives run endurably, if not comfortably.
adj: enduring:existing for a long time:
He believed in the enduring power of love.
adv: enduringly:in a way that continues to exist for a long time:
Beethoven’s 9th has become one of the most enduringly popular symphonies of all time.
sophisticated
adj: 1. having a good understanding of the way people behave and/or a good knowledge of culture and fashion:
فرهیخته، سطح بالا
I don’t think I have any books that would suit your sophisticated tastes.
adj: 2. intelligent or made in a complicated way and therefore able to do complicated tasks:
I think a more sophisticated approach is needed to solve this problem.
These are among the most sophisticated weapons in the world.
noun: sophistication:
Her sophistication is evident from the way she dresses.
adv: sophisticatedly:
Perhaps it’s time to think more sophisticatedly.
The romantic dining room is sophisticatedly decorated.
accommodation
noun: 1. a place to stay or live:
There’s a shortage of cheap accommodation in the city.
There is accommodation for about five hundred students on campus.
2. a particular type of place to sit or sleep on a train, boat, etc.:
We were assigned first-class accommodation on the train.
3. an agreement between two groups who have different opinions:
She may be able to reach an accommodation with other EU members.
4. a special arrangement that is made for a person or group that has different needs to others:
The hotel tries to make accommodations for people with small children.
verb: accommodate: 1.
There aren’t enough rooms to accommodate all the students.
2. to give what is needed to someone:
The new policies fail to accommodate people with disabilities.
adj: accommodating=accommodative: a person who is willing to help other people, for example by changing his or her plans:
I’m sure she’ll help you - she’s always very accommodating.
adv: accommodatively: in a way that shows someone is eager or willing to help other people:
She accommodatingly replied that she would be happy to help.
ultimately
/ˈʌl.tɪ.mət.li/
adv: 1. finally, after a series of things have happened:
سرانجام
Our plans ultimately depend on the weather.
2. used to emphasize the most important fact in a situation:
Ultimately, he’ll have to decide.
noun: ultimate:most extreme or important because either the original or final, or the best or worst:
نهایی، قطعی
My manager will make the ultimate decision about who to employ.
Infidelity is the ultimate betrayal.
Hairy backs are for me the ultimate turn-off.
coordinate
verb: 1. to make many different things work effectively as a whole:
Right now I’m having problems co-ordinating thought and speech.
They coordinated diaries and made the event happen.
A number of charities are coordinating their efforts to distribute food to the region.
2. to match or look attractive together:
The bed linen coordinates with the bedroom curtains.
noun: coordinates
The pilot had been given the wrong co-ordinates.
Students learn the fundamentals of graphs and how X and Y coordinates work.
noun: coordination:
1. There is a need for better coordination between state and county governments.
2. Playing video games can actually improve coordination.
3. Her home shows her eye for detail and colour coordination.
adj: coordinated: 1. If a person is coordinated, they move in a very easy and controlled way, especially when playing sports or dancing:
I wasn’t a very coordinated child.
2. The rebel troops have launched a coordinated attack on government soldiers.
3.The colour scheme of their living room is carefully coordinated.
launch
noun:
1. an event to celebrate or introduce something new:
How much champagne will we need for the launch?
2. an occasion when a ship is put into water, or a spacecraft is sent into space, for the first time:
The launch of the space shuttle was delayed.
3. a boat that has an engine and carries passengers for short distances
verb:
1. The programme was launched a year ago.
2. A spokesman for the dockyard said they hoped to launch the first submarine within two years.
nurture
verb: 1. to take care of, feed, and protect someone or something:
She wants to stay at home and nurture her children.
a carefully nurtured garden
2. to help a plan or a person to develop and be successful:
As a record company executive, his job is to nurture young talent.
3. to have a particular emotion, plan, or idea for a long time:
*Winifred nurtured ambitions for her daughter to be a surgeon.
*noun: the way in which children are treated as they are growing:
Which do you believe has the strongest influence on how children develop - nature or nurture?
competency
an important skill that is needed to do a job:
Once the informal competency questions are available, the set of terms used can be extracted from the questions.
