29.These words are razors to my wounded heart. Flashcards
Toil
hard unpleasant work done over a long period.
I’ve been toiling away at this essay all weekend.
toil[ intransitive always + adverb/preposition ]
toil away: to work very hard for a long period of time
toil at
I’ve been toiling away at this essay all weekend.
2 to move slowly and with great effort
They toiled slowly up the hill.
Hard work; to work hard; move with difficulty.
a. The feeble old man toiled up the hill.
b. After years of toil, scientists disclosed that they had made progress in controlling the dreaded disease.
c. Despite all his toil, Fred never succeeded in reaching his goal.
Blunder
Stupid mistake; to make a stupid mistake; stumble; say clumsily.
a. The exhausted boy blundered through the wood.
b. Bert’s awkward apology could not make up for his serious blunder.
c. The general’s blunder forced his army to a rapid retreat.
Daze
Confuse.
In a daze: Feeling confused & not able to think clearly.
Also check: Hazy: Unclear, misty.
a. The severity of the blow dazed the finger & led to his defeat.
b. When he ventured out of the house @ night, the child was dazed by the noise & the lights.
c. Dazed by the flashlight(spotlight:Focus), Maria blundered down the steps.
Mourn
Grieve; feel or show sorrow for; gloomy.
a. Sandra did not cease to mourn for John Lennon.
b. The entire city mourned for the people lost in the calamity.
c. We need not to mourn over trifles/trivial matters.
Subside
Sink to a lower level; grow less.
a. After the excessive rains stopped, the flood waters subsided.
b. The waves subsided when the winds ceased to blow.
c. Danny’s anger subsided when the culprit apologized.
Maim
Cripple & debilitate; disable; To make someone ill & weak.
a. Auto accidents maim many persons each year.
b. though he went through an awesome experience in the crash, Fred was not seriously injured.
c. Car manufacturers insist that seat belts can prevent the maiming of passengers in the event of a crash.
Comprehend
Understand.
a. If you can use a word correctly, there is a good chance that you comprehend it.
b. You need to be a pauper to comprehend fully what hunger is.
c. My parents say that they cannot comprehend today’s music.
Commend
Praise; hand over for safekeeping.
a. Everyone commended the mayor’s thrifty suggestion.
b. Florence commended the baby to her aunt’s care.
c. The truth is that we all like to be commended for good work.
Final
Coming last; deciding.
a. The final week of the term is rapidly approaching.
b. Jose was commended for his improvement in the final test.
c. The final censor of our actions is our own conscience.
Exempt
Make free from; freed from. Exempt sb from sth: let sb off sth
a. Our school exempts bright pupils from final exams.
b. School property exempts from most taxes.
c. Juvenile offenders are not exempt from punishment.
Vain
Having too much pride in one’s ability, looks, etc.; of no use.
Also check: An empty vain boast, vain glorious.
Blunder: Cock-up, stupid mistake.
a. Josephine is quite vain about her beauty.
b. To be perfectly frank, I do not see what she has to be vain about.
c. Brian made numerous vain attempts to reach the doctor by telephone.
Repetition
Act of doing or saying again.
a. The repetition of new words in this book will help you to learn them.
b. Any repetition of such unruly behaviour will be punished.
c. After a repetition of his costly mistake, Jerry was fired from his job.
