3 Flashcards
complacent
complacent [kəmˈplei.s ə nt] disapproving adjective feeling so satisfied with your own abilities or situation that you feel you do not need to try any harder • a complacent smile/attitude • We can’t afford to become complacent about any of our products.
precede
precede [prɪˈsiːd] [priː-] verb transitive [precedes preceding preceded] < > to be or go before something or someone in time or space • Boutros Boutros-Ghali preceded Kofi Annan as the Secretary-General of the UN. • It would be helpful if you were to precede the report with an introduction. Thesaurus+: ↑Preceding and introducing • This evening’s talk will be preceded by a brief introduction from Mr Appleby. • Verbs usually precede objects in English. • The attacks were preceded by a period of unrest in the capital city. • He preceded Dennis Healey as the Chancellor of the Exchequer. • I’m not sure if I fully understand the sentence which precedes this one.
beacon
beacon [ˈbiː.k ə n] noun countable [beacons] a light or fire on the top of a hill that acts as a warning or signal • As part of the centenary celebrations a chain of beacons was lit across the region. • figurative She was a beacon of hope in troubled times.
inferior
inferior [ɪnˈfɪə.ri.ə r ] [-ˈfɪr.i.ɚ] adjective 1. not good, or not as good as someone or something else • These products are inferior to those we bought last year. • She cited cases in which women had received inferior health care. • It was clear the group were regarded as intellectually/morally/socially inferior. Compare superior Thesaurus+: ↑Worse and worst 2. specialized lower, or of lower rank • an inferior officer
superior
BETTER 1. < > better than average or better than other people or things of the same type • This is clearly the work of a superior artist. • She was chosen for the job because she was the superior candidate. • For all babies, breastfeeding is far superior to bottlefeeding. • The government troops were superior in numbers (= There were more of them) . Compare inferior Thesaurus+: ↑Extremely good 2. disapproving describes someone who believes that they are better than other people and acts in such a way • a superior manner/smile • I can’t bear Amanda - she’s so superior. Thesaurus+: ↑Showing arrogance and conceit ↑Confidence and self-assurance ↑Boasting ↑Feeling morally superior • Although badly out-numbered by the enemy, we had vastly superior firepower. • She thinks she’s morally superior to the rest of us. • This cheese is vastly superior to the other. • They only employ a very superior kind of nanny. • They make superior outdoor products. HIGHER 3. higher in rank or social position than others • The soldier was reported to his superior officer for failing in his duties. Thesaurus+: ↑Position and status in groups and organizations ↑Important people and describing important people ↑Famous people ↑Wealthy people noun countable a person or group of people who are higher in rank or social position than others • I will pass your complaint on to my superiors.
scarce
scarce [skeəs] [skers] adjective [scarcer scarcest] < > not easy to find or get • Food and clean water were becoming scarce. • scarce resources Thesaurus+: ↑Scarce, inadequate and not enough ↑Lacking things • With jobs so scarce, many young people have nothing to do. • In wartime, food is often scarce. • Research evidence in this area is scarce. • scarce water resources • Details are still scarce.
repel
repel [rɪˈpel] [-ll-] verb transitive [repelling repelled repels] FORCE AWAY 1. to force something or someone to move away or stop attacking you • This coat has a special surface that repels moisture. • formal The defenders repelled the attack without losing any men. Thesaurus+: ↑Pushing and shoving ↑Responding to an attack 2. specialized to have a magnetic field which pushes away something with a similar magnetic field • Similar poles of magnets repel each other, and opposite poles attract. Thesaurus+: ↑Pushing and shoving CAUSE STRONG DISLIKE 3. People or things that repel you make you feel strongly that you do not want to be near, see or think about them • She was repelled by his ugliness. • Her arrogance repels many people.
stumble
stumble [ˈstʌm.bl ̩] verb [stumbles stumbling stumbled] WALK 1. intransitive to step awkwardly while walking or running and fall or begin to fall • Running along the beach, she stumbled on a log and fell on the sand. • In the final straight Meyers stumbled, and although he didn’t fall it was enough to lose him first place. Thesaurus+: ↑Falling and dropping ↑Moving downwards ↑Moving unsteadily or with difficulty 2. intransitive usually + adverb or preposition to walk in a way which does not seem controlled • We could hear her stumbling about/around the bedroom in the dark. • He pulled on his clothes and stumbled into the kitchen. Thesaurus+: ↑Moving unsteadily or with difficulty PAUSE 3. intransitive to make a mistake, such as repeating something or pausing for too long, while speaking or playing a piece of music • When the poet stumbled over a line in the middle of a poem, someone in the audience corrected him. Thesaurus+: ↑Ways of speaking ↑Making mistakes PhrasalVerb: stumble on somebody
seclusion
seclusion [sɪˈkluː.ʒ ə n] noun uncountable when someone is alone, away from other people • He’s been living in seclusion since he retired from acting. • In some societies women are kept in seclusion, so that they are hardly ever seen in public. • After being with a tour group all week I was glad to return to the seclusion of my own home.
sneaky
sneaky [ˈsniː.ki] adjective [sneakier sneakiest] doing things in a secret and unfair way • a sneaky plan
poke
poke [pəʊk] [poʊk] verb [pokes poking poked] PUSH 1. transitive to push a finger or other pointed object quickly into someone or something • You’ll poke someone in the eye with that umbrella if you’re not careful! • Two kids were poking a stick into the drain. Thesaurus+: ↑Pushing and shoving APPEAR 2. intransitive or transitive usually + adverb or preposition to (cause something to) appear or stretch out from behind or through something else • Cathy poked her head round the door to say hello. • The first green shoots are poking up/through the soil. Thesaurus+: ↑Protruding and sticking out Idiom: poke fun at somebody PhrasalVerb: poke around noun countable when you poke someone or something • She gave me a poke in the stomach. Thesaurus+: ↑Pushing and shoving
reluctant
reluctant [rɪˈlʌk.t ə nt] adjective < > not willing to do something and therefore slow to do it • + to infinitive I was having such a good time I was reluctant to leave. • Many parents feel reluctant to talk openly with their children. • She persuaded her reluctant husband to take a trip to Florida with her. Thesaurus+: ↑Unwilling and reluctant ↑Ready and willing ↑Lacking interest and enthusiasm • The United Nations was reluctant to get its forces embroiled in civil war. • I’m a bit reluctant to get involved. • The government was reluctant to sanction intervention in the crisis. • The government is understandably reluctant to do anything which might spoil the harmonious relations between the country’s ethnic groups. • A mother was coaxing her reluctant child into the water.
outcast
outcast [ˈaʊt.kɑːst] [-kæst] noun countable [outcasts] a person who has no place in their society or in a particular group, because the society or group refuses to accept them • She has spent her life trying to help gypsies, beggars and other social outcasts. • She was a political outcast after the Party expelled her in 1982.
incentive
incentive [ɪnˈsen.tɪv] [-t ̬ɪv] noun countable or uncountable [incentives] < > something which encourages a person to do something • Tax incentives have been very effective in encouraging people to save and invest more of their income. • + to infinitive There is little incentive for people to leave their cars at home when public transport remains so expensive. • Bonus payments provide an incentive to work harder. Thesaurus+: ↑Attracting and tempting ↑Attractive ↑Sexual attraction • Indexation of pay rises to productivity will give people an incentive to work harder. • The incentive to sell more is large - and it plainly works. • The management have introduced a productivity incentive scheme for members of staff. • Tax incentives have been offered to attract industry to the region. • The new law provides incentives for businesses to invest in recycling equipment.
snarl up
To snarl something up means to cause problems which prevent it continuing or making progress.
