10 - 12 Flashcards
nebulous
unclear - vague
‘Normality’ is a rather nebulous concept.
a nebulous ghostly figure.
excavate
if a scientist or archaeologist excavates an area of land, they dig carefully to find ancient objects, bones etc
Schliemann excavated the ancient city of Troy.
supplement
1 something that you add to something else to improve it or make it complete
vitamins and other dietary supplements
supplement to
The payments are a supplement to his usual salary.
2 an additional part at the end of a book, or a separate part of a newspaper, magazine etc
the Sunday supplements
3 an amount of money that is added to the price of a service, hotel room etc
Single rooms are available at a supplement.
precedence
priority
Do we want a society where appearance takes precedence over skill or virtue?
Guests were seated in order of precedence.
Safety must be given precedence.
ubiquitous
seeming to be everywhere – sometimes used humorously. Like pervasive and omnipresent
Coffee shops are ubiquitous these days.
موجود درهمه جا
opt
to choose one thing rather than another.
Many young people are opting to go on to college.
nullify
فاقد اعتبار کردن
1 law to officially state that something has no legal force
The election results were nullified because of voter fraud.
2 formal to make something lose its effect or value SYN cancel out
Recent inflation could nullify the economic growth of the last several years.
allure
a mysterious, exciting, or desirable quality
the allure of foreign travel
At 50, she had lost none of her sexual allure.
—allure verb [transitive]
harmonies that never fail to allure the listener
uphold
to defend or support a law, system, or principle so that it continues to exist
a committee that aims to uphold educational standards
propound
to suggest an idea, explanation etc for other people to consider
The theory of natural selection was first propounded by Charles Darwin.
taint
if a situation or person is tainted by something, it damages them by making them seem bad
Baker argues that his trial was tainted by negative publicity.
competing
1 competing stories, ideas etc cannot all be right or accepted. Like incompatible
Several people gave competing accounts of the accident.
a compromise between competing interests within the organization
competing claims
2 → competing products/brands/companies etc
products etc that are trying to be more successful than each other
modulate
to change a process or activity to make it more controlled, slower, less strong etc
These drugs modulate the disease process.
تحت کنترل دراوردن
disdain
((crown 11))
a complete lack of respect that you show for someone or something because you think they are not important or good enough
with disdain
She watched me with disdain.
a look of complete disdain
disdain for
his disdain for capitalism
expediency
action that is quickest or most effective in a particular situation, even if it is morally wrong
expedient (adj)
helpful or useful in a particular situation, but sometimes not morally acceptable:
It might be expedient not to pay him until the work is finished.
The management has taken a series of expedient measures to improve the company’s financial situation.
Don’t mistake it with expedition which means (long or short) journey or trip.
Expeditiously: in a quick and effective way. Like efficiently
acquiescent
too ready to agree with someone or do what they want, without complaining or saying what you want to do.
inflate
باد کردن
یا واسه دوچرخه و ماشین یا باد غرور
It took us half an hour to inflate the dinghy.
The success further inflated his self-confidence.
Hotels often inflate prices at particular times of the year.
Costs were inflating.
peculiar
strange, unfamiliar, or a little surprising
There was a peculiar smell in the kitchen.
Something peculiar is going on.
He’s been a little peculiar lately. (strange and crazy a bit)
Peculiarity: unusuality. Like foible
Dont mistake it with pecuniarity: monetory
deplete
to reduce the amount of something that is present or available
Salmon populations have been severely depleted.
concession
something that you allow someone to have in order to end an argument or a disagreement
a policy of no concessions to terrorists
امتیاز.. شبیه باج
renegade
Like spy مزدور mercenary
someone who leaves one side in a war, politics etc in order to join the opposing side – used to show disapproval
a renegade army unit
like chameleon (آفتاب پرست ک رنگش عوض میشه)
enigmatic
mysterious and difficult to understand
enigmatic smile/expression
(Abstruse. Inscrutable. Recondite)
candour
(crown 12)
the quality of being honest and telling the truth, even when the truth may be unpleasant or embarrassing → candid
She spoke with candour about her life.
skirt
as verb
1 to go around the outside edge of a place or area
The old footpath skirts around the village.
2 to avoid talking about an important subject, especially because it is difficult or embarrassing – used to show disapproval
a disappointing speech that skirted around all the main issues
tentative
provisional موقت
The government is taking tentative steps towards tackling the country’s economic problems.
a provisional government
These dates are only provisional.
devote
1 to use all or most of your time, effort etc in order to do something or help someone SYN dedicate
devote your time/energy/attention etc to something
He devoted his energies to writing films.
devote yourself to something
She devoted herself full-time to her business.
2 to use a particular area, period of time, or amount of space for a specific purpose. like allocate
devote something to something
The meeting will be devoted to health and safety issues.
run counter
to be opposed to
The former CEO’s actions run counter to everything this company stands for.
The governor’s newest policy seems to be running counter to everything he promised during his election campaign.
seminal
a seminal article, book etc is important, and influences the way things develop in the future. Like precursor
a seminal study of eighteenth-century France
stale
کهنه - بیات
French bread goes stale (=becomes stale) very quickly.
stale cake
Like banal(not containing anything new)
