400 Must Have Words For The Toefl (Cram) Flashcards
To leave; to give up
- abandon v. To save their lives, the sailors had to abandon the sinking ship. Parts of speech: abandonment n
In a harmful way; negatively
- adversely adv. Excessive rainfall early in the spring can adversely affect the plant– ing of crops. Usage tips: Adversely is often followed by affect. Parts of speech: adversity n, adverse adj
Gathered into or amounting to a whole
- aggregate adj. It is impossible to judge last year’s performance without knowing the aggregate sales numbers. Usage tips Aggregate is often followed by a term like sum, total, or numbers. Parts of speech: aggregate v, aggregate n
Preparing the land to grow crops; improvement for agricultural purposes
- cultivation n. With the development of land cultivation, hunters and gatherers were able to settle in one place. Parts of speech: cultivate vFarmers use various methods of land __________.
To supply with nourishment for plants by adding helpful substances to the soil
- fertilize v. This farm fertilizes tomatoes more than any other crop. Parts of speech: fertilizer n, fertilization nInexperienced gardeners may not realize how important it is that they __________ their plants.
To increase in power; to act with increased strength
- intensify v. Jacob’s long absence intensified his certainty that he should marry Rose. Parts of speech: intensification n, intense adj
The supplying of water to dry land
- irrigation n. In dry areas of the country, you can see ditches all over the farm– land for irrigation. Parts of speech: irrigate v
To gain possession of; to get
- obtain v. After a series of difficult interviews, he finally was able to obtain the job.
The process by which green plants make their own food by combining water, salts, and carbon dioxide in the pres– ence of light.
- photosynthesis n. Oxygen is a by–product of the process of photosynthesis. Parts of speech: photosynthesize v
Water that falls to the Earth’s surface
- precipitation n. In the Pacific Northwest, the high level of precipitation ensures rich, green plant life.
To expect; to sense something before it happens
- anticipate v. By placing sensors in earthquake–prone areas, scientists can antici– pate some tremors in time to warn the public. Parts of speech: anticipation n, anticipatory adj
Extremely harmful; causing financial or physical ruin
- catastrophic adj. The architect died in a catastrophic elevator accident. Parts of speech: catastrophe n, catastrophically adv
To come together with great or violent force
- collide v. As usual, their holiday was ruined when their in–laws’ views on poli– tics collided with their own. Parts of speech: collision n
A sudden, often violent, outburst
- eruption n. The eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980 caused 57 deaths and immeasurable change to the face of the mountain. Usage tips: Eruption is often followed by an of phrase. Parts of speech: erupt v
Severe hunger; a drastic food shortage
- famine n. The potato famine in Ireland in the mid–nineteenth century caused large numbers of Irish people to emigrate to America.
An overflowing of water; an excessive amount
- flood n. The constant rain and poor drainage system caused a flood in town. The political party sent out a flood of letters criticizing their opponents. Parts of speech: flood v
A strong influence
- impact n. The speech about the importance of education made an impact on me. Usage tips: Impact is usually followed by on or of. Parts of speech: impact v
To keep going, despite obstacles or discouragement; to maintain a purpose
- persevere v. The hikers persevered despite the bad weather and the icy trail. Parts of speech: persist v, persistent adj
To go down suddenly; to decrease by a great amount in a short time
- plunge v. He jumped off the diving board and plunged into the pool. The value of the company’s stock plunged after its chief executive was arrested. Usage tips: Plunge is often followed by an into phrase. Parts of speech: plunge n
To release a thing or an emotion
- unleash v. When they saw the strange man on their property, they unleashed their dogs. He is from such an unemotional family, he will never learn to un–leash his feelings.
To adjust to the circumstances; to make suitable
- adapt v. to make suitable Dinosaurs could not adapt to the warmer temperatures. The teacher adapted the exercises for his more advanced students. Usage tips: Adapt is often followed by to. Parts of speech: adaptation n, adapter n, adaptable adj
Various; showing a lot of differences within a group
- diverse n. India is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world. Usage tips: An –ly adverb (e.g., linguistically) often comes before diverse. Parts of speech: diversify v, diversity n, diversification n
To develop; to come forth
- evolve v. 2Modern–day sharks evolved from their ancestor Eryops, which lived more than 200 million years ago. Usage tips: Evolve is often followed by into or from. Parts of speech: evolution n, evolutionist n
Part, characteristic
- feature n. The best feature of this car is its heated seats. Usage tips: Feature is often followed by of. Parts of speech feature v
A group of people born at about the same time
- generation n. As older managers retired, a new generation of leaders took control of the company. Usage tips: Before generation, an adjective like new, next, earlier, or older is common. Generation is often followed by of. Parts of speech generational adj
Naturally characteristic; always found within something, because it’s a basic part of that thing
- inherent adj. No job can be interesting all the time. Boredom is inherent in any kind of work. Usage tips: Inherent is often followed by in. Parts of speech: inherently adv
Movement from one place to another by a group of peo– ple or animals
- migration n. The migration of farm workers from one state to the next depends primarily on the harvest. Usage tips: Migration is often followed by to or from. Parts of speech: migrate v, migrant n, migratory adj
Related to the body; related to materials that can be seen or felt
- physical adj. Because of the shape of its throat, an ape does not have the physical ability to speak. The mountains form a physical barrier between the west and the east. Usage tips: Physical usually comes before the noun it describes. Parts of speech: physically adv
A series of steps leading to a result
- process n. To get a good job, most people go through a long process of letter– writing and interviews. Usage tips: Process is often followed by of plus the –ing form of a verb. Parts of speech: proceed v, process v
To continue living (despite some danger or illness)
- survive v. After getting lost in the mountains, Gordon survived by eating wild plants and catching fish. Usage tips: Survive is often followed by a phrase with by. Parts of speech: survivor n, survival n
Something that restricts thought or action
- constraint n. The constraints of military life kept Eileen from seeing Private Mor– ris more than once a month. constrain v
4Being made less clean by a germ or hazardous substance
- contamination n. The contamination in the river came from the factory located just upstream. contaminate v, contaminant n
To greatly decrease the supply of a resource or material
- deplete v. The prolonged war depleted the country’s national treasury. depletion n
To throw away; to get rid of; to kill
- dispose of v. She disposed of her unwanted possessions before moving. The tyrant cruelly disposed of all his enemies. Usage tips Dispose of should be learned as a unit. In this meaning, dispose does not occur without of. disposal n, disposable adj
In terms of elements; basically
- elementally adv. Elementally, coal and diamonds are the same. element n, elemental adj
Sending out from a small space into the general environment; a substance discharged into the air
- emission n. The Environmental Protection Agency regulates the emission of pollutants into the air. Usage tips Emission is usually followed by an of phrase. emit v
Complete disappearance; the end of existence
- extinction n. Human beings have caused the extinction of many other species. Usage tips Extinction implies an absolute end; an extinct thing cannot be brought back into existence. extinct adj
A place where a liquid is collected and stored
- reservoir n. Cult members threatened to poison the town’s water reservoir. reserve v
To become reduced in size, amount, or value
- shrink v. If you dry your clothing on the “high heat” setting, they may shrink. shrinkage n, shrinkable adj
Firm and dependable; showing little change
- stable adj. He fell because the ladder wasn’t stable. stability n, stably adv
To change; to get accustomed to something
- adjust v. Travelers are advised to adjust their watches before arriving in the new time zone. adjustment n, adjustable adj
Chosen simply by whim or chance, not for any specific reason
- arbitrary adj The decision to build a school in Blackberry Township was arbitrary, without any thought to future housing patterns. arbitrate v, arbitrator n, arbitrarily adv
The number written below the line in a fraction In the fraction 1⁄2, the number 2 is the denominator.
- denominator n. Usage tips The phrase lowest common denominator means “the most basic and unsophisticated things that most people share.” denominate v, denomination n, denominational adj
At a very fast rate
- exponentially adv. In Turkey, the value of the lira has decreased exponentially in the last several decades. Usage tips Exponentially is taken from mathematics, where an exponent is a number indicating how many times something is multiplied by itself. For example, 43 contains the exponent “3,” indicating 4 × 4 × 4. exponent n, exponential adj
Immeasurably small
- infinitesimal adj. The number of contaminants in the water was infinitesimal, so the water was safe to drink. Parts of speech infinitesimally adv
To increase or make as great as possible
- maximize v. A coach helps each athlete maximize his or her potential. maximum n, maximum adj
Being an equal distance apart everywhere
- parallel adj. The street where I live runs parallel to the main road through town. Usage tips Parallel is often followed by to. parallel n, parallel adv
A part in relation to the whole
- proportion n. The average employee spends a large proportion of each workday answering e–mails. Usage tips Proportion is often followed by of. proportionate adj, proportionally adv
The cost per unit of a good or service; the motion or change that happens in a certain time.
- rate n. Postal rates in Japan are among the highest in the world. Some grasses grow at the rate of one inch per day. rate v, rating n
To organize or arrange in succession
- sequence v. Volunteers have been asked to sequence the files and organize the boxes. sequence n, sequentially adv
Precision; exactness
- accuracy n. The research department checks all our articles for accuracy of facts before we print them. Usage tips Accuracy is often followed by of. Parts of speech accurate adj, accurately adv
Next to
- adjacent adj Even though the villages are adjacent to each other, their residents speak different languages. Usage tips Adjacent is often followed by to. Parts of speech adjacency n
To press together
- compress v. To make the foundation stronger, they compressed the soil before pouring the concrete. compression n, compressed adj
Practically; in a way that can work
- feasibly adv. Scientists can’t feasibly bring energy from deep ocean currents to where it is needed—on land. feasibility n, feasible adj
To empty or hollow out
- gut v. In order to remodel the house, we must first gut it and throw away all the old fixtures. Usage tips Gut also means “the stomach of an animal”; this verb makes an image, that the inside of a building is like the inside of an animal. gut n, gutted adj
In a whole or complete manner
- integrally adv. Writing and spelling are taught integrally as part of the reading program. integrate v, integrity n, integral n, integral adj
To lie over part of something; to have elements in common
- overlap v. One of the two assistants will likely get fired, since most of their du– ties in the office overlap. overlap n
To keep or hold
- retain v. The rain fell so heavily that the banks of the river could not retain all the water. retainer n, retention n
To pass slowly for a long time, as a liquid or gas might
- seep v. As the containers rusted, the toxic waste seeped into the ground. Usage tips Seep is often followed by into or through.
Something constructed, such as a building
- structure n. Most companies have a social structure that can’t be understood by outsiders. structure v, structural adj, structurally adv
To move throughout an area or group; to move along a somewhat circular route
- circulate v. somewhat circular route The gossip circulated quickly through the small town. Blood circulates more quickly during physical exercise. Usage tips Circulate is often followed by through. Parts of speech circulation n
To be slowly weakened by chemical reactions
- corrode v. Sitting in salt water, the old coins corroded and became very easy to break. Usage tips A familiar kind of corrosion produces rust, the reddish coating on iron or steel that has been exposed to air and water. Parts of speech corrosion n
To come from, usually through a long, slow process
- derive v. The Cyrillic alphabet was derived from the Greek alphabet. Usage tips Derive is often followed by from. Parts of speech derivation n, derivative adj
Discovering something that cannot easily be found
- detection n. With new medical technology, the detection of cancer is much easier nowadays. Usage tips Detection is often followed by an of phrase. Parts of speech detect v, detectable adj
Quickly and efficiently
- expeditiously adv Using carrier pigeons, the military commanders exchanged mes– sages expeditiously. Parts of speech expedite v, expedition n, expeditious adj
To make use of; to carry out
- implement v. Not until after the new software was installed could we implement the new filing system. Parts of speech implement n, implementation n
Setting something into position for use
- installation n. Installation of the new software takes only four minutes. Parts of speech install v
The act of keeping something in good condition
- maintenance n. The only problem with living in such a big house is that it requires a lot of maintenance. Parts of speech maintain v
An imitation or representation
- simulation n. To test car safety, automobile makers study crash simulations. Parts of speech simulate v, simulator n
Ahead of the times; novel
- innovative adj. The innovative use of props and lighting drew many favorable comments. Parts of speech innovation n nov=new
The process of burning
- combustion n. When air quality is poor, combustion of materials in a fireplace is prohibited. Usage tips Combustion is often followed by of. Parts of speech combust v, combustible adj
One part of a system or whole
- component n. Their home theater system has a number of separate components. Usage tips Component is often followed or preceded by of.
To transport from one place to another; to transmit or make known
- convey v. A messenger conveyed the prince’s letter to the commander of the army. The worst part about being a doctor was when she had to convey bad news to a family. conveyance n, conveyor n
Separately; distinctly
- discretely adv. In order to understand how the engine worked, each component needed to be studied discretely. discrete adj
A central or essential part around which other parts are gathered; a core
- nucleus n. The nucleus of many European cities is the town square. Usage tips Nucleus is often followed by of. Parts of speech nuclear adj
To spread or flow through out ; to pass through or penetrate
6.permeate v The smell of cooking permeated the entire apartment building. permeation n
To turn around; to take turns in sequence
- rotate v. The planet rotates on its axis once every 14 Earth days. The children rotate classroom responsibilities on a weekly basis. rotation n
Of, or relating to, the sun
- solar adj. The ancient society kept time with a solar calendar.
The point of origin or creation
- source n. The reporter was unable to identify the source of the information for his story. source v
To set off or initiate
- trigger v. I was certain any mention of politics would trigger a big argument. trigger n
The act of taking possession of something
- acquisition n. Our recent acquisition of over 2,000 books makes ours the biggest library in the region.
Something unusual
- anomaly n. White tigers get their beautiful coloring from a genetic anomaly.
With awareness of one’s actions
- consciously adv. He may have hurt her feelings, but he never would have done so consciously.
To reduce in value or strength
- degrade v. The roads in cold or wet areas of the United States degrade faster than those in warm, sunny regions.
Opening; a big difference in amount or quality
- gap n. The small gap between the walls in the old house caused cold drafts to come in.
Beyond doubt; unquestionable
- indisputable adj. The members of the jury found her guilty because they found the facts of the case indisputable.
To come between
- intervene v. A good mediator intervenes only as much as necessary to settle a dispute between other parties.
By means of a natural sense about things that are hard to observe
- intuitively adv. Many mothers know intuitively when something is wrong with their children.
To move back or away from
- recede v. After the age of 30, his hairline began to recede further back from his forehead.
To bring or get back
- retrieve v. Most dogs can be trained to retrieve objects that their owners have thrown.
Believing that humans cannot know whether there is a god
- agnostic His devoutly Christian parents had problems with his agnostic beliefs.
The belief that natural objects, such as trees, have souls
- animism n. Desert cultures that practice animism often believe that winds con– tain spirits.
One who does not believe in the existence of a supreme being
- atheist n. He argued that his scientific training made it impossible for him to be anything but an atheist.
To favor an opinion or a course of action
- be inclined to v. He couldn’t say which candidate he favored, but he had always been inclined to vote Republican.
To consider thoughtfully
- contemplate v. If you contemplate each step for so long, we will never complete this project on time.
To worship as a god
- deify v. When people deify the leader of their country, the leader is able to abuse power more easily.
Relating to a church
- ecclesiastical adj. He was looking specifically for a university where he could study ecclesiastical history.
To praise or honor
- exalt v. To praise or honor He would often exalt the virtues of his new wife.
Having or exhibiting religious reverence
- pious adj. Sometimes she was so pious that the rest of us felt like heathens.
Anything offered to a deity as a religious thanksgiving; giving up something in order to have something more valuable later on
- sacrifice v. Every harvest time, the Fadeloni people sacrificed vegetables to their gods as a show of thanks. In order to succeed in his career, he had to sacrifice his private life and his leisure time.
To make worse; to anger or intensify
- aggravate v. Running will aggravate your sore knees.
Weakened or worn out because of age, illness, or exces– sive use
- decrepit adj. The once–beautiful building was now dirty, decrepit, and roofless.
An unhealthful condition caused by an infection or a long– term physical problem
- disease n. Thanks to developments in medicine, many once–fatal diseases can now be cured.
Causing death or disaster
- fatally adv. The soldier was fatally wounded in the battle.
The use of science and technology to investigate facts in criminal cases
- forensics n. Advances in the study of forensics have made it much easier to identify criminals from very small traces of evidence.
To continue to exist; to hold to a purpose, despite any obstacle
- persist v. If your symptoms persist, you should go see a doctor. Lola persisted in her efforts to become a lawyer.
An educated guess of how something will develop, es– pecially a disease
- prognosis n. The room fell silent when the doctor gave Senator Grebe a grim prognosis of months of treatment.
Located at an end; approaching death
- terminal adj. The cancer ward at the hospital held both terminal and recovering patients.
Any of the tubes that form a branching system, especially those that carry blood to the heart
- vein n. She became fascinated with human anatomy, especially when she learned how veins transport oxygen.
To inflict an injury on
- wound v. Sometimes he didn’t realize his sharp humor could wound as well as entertain.
Techniques for reducing sensation and feeling, especially to control pain
- anesthesia n. The Civil War was the first American war when anesthesia was widely used in surgery on soldiers.
To make bigger or better by adding to
- augment v. In some types of popular cosmetic surgery people augment parts of their bodies. The college augmented its course offerings because students com– plained that there were too few choices.
In a manner that is officially recognized
- certifiably adv. He couldn’t be institutionalized until he was declared certifiably insane.
A factor that makes something more difficult or complex
- complication n. The surgeons could not easily stop the bleeding because of complications related to the patient’s diabetes.
To restore to health
- cure v. They say laughter can help cure many illnesses.
To set in firmly; to insert in the body surgically
- implant v. The actress had cheek implants to make her face look fuller.
To insert a liquid by means of a syringe
- inject v. The doctor used a needle to inject the medicine slowly into her arm.
Excessively overweight
- obese adj. More Americans are obese now because U.S. culture encourages overeating and discourages exercise.
A specific way of performing or doing something
- procedure n. The flight attendant explained the emergency evacuation procedure.
A mark on the skin left after a wound has healed; a lasting sign of damage, either mental or physical
- scar n. The surgery was successful, but it left a large scar across her abdomen.
Related to the study of the position of stars, the sun, and the planets in the belief that they influence earthly events
- astrological adj. Every day, Mona read her astrological forecast in the newspaper, and she was careful if the horoscope predicted trouble.
Foretelling the future by finding patterns in physical objects
- divination n. In Turkey, women offer divinations by reading the dregs from a cof– fee cup.
To continually appear (in the form of a ghost) in the same place or to the same person
- haunt v. *Some say the ghost of Princess Hilda haunts this castle, appearing as a headless form while she plays the piano. *The pictures of children dying in war have haunted me for a long time.
Strong fear mixed with disgust
- horror n. On Halloween night, all the horror movies were rented out. horrify v, horrific adj
Acting as an agent between people or things
- intermediary n. The plaintiff’s lawyer suggested that they hire an intermediary to help them discuss their case.
To call on for support
- invoke v. In many religions, believers invoke their god by holding out their hands. invocation n
To reflect; to think quietly and deeply for a long time
- meditate v. Every morning, the monks meditated for three hours in complete silence.
A dimly visible form, usually thought to be the spirit of a dead person, a sunken ship, etc.
- phantom n. Many visitors reported seeing a phantom who appeared around the lake.
Relating to the supposed ability of the human mind to sense things that cannot be observed
- psychic adj. The governor’s assistant claimed to have unique psychic abilities enabling him to read people’s minds.
Having the power to renew oneself for an in– definite period of time
- self–perpetuating adj. It is difficult to escape from a lie, as they are often self–perpetuating.
To consume and incorporate; to become similar
- assimilate v. (fit into) Not all of the overseas students could assimilate into the rigidly controlled school.
The act of burning the dead
- cremation n. Cremation is particularly common in Japan, where land for burial is very limited.
To make something suitable for being in a home(usually a plant or animal)
- domesticate v. The Barnes family hoped to domesticate the tiger, but their neighbors were skeptical. =tame
Traditional myths of a people( beliefs, customs, and stories of a community) transmitted orally
- folklore n.Through folklore, archaeologists have learned about the migration of Native Americans in North America. *folkloric adj
Tobecomepreservedinclayorstoneorashafterdeath,so that a natural record is left of the original organism; to become rigid and stuck in old ways
5.fossilize v. The dinosaur eggs had fossilized over thousands of years.
Something left from a long–ago culture, time period, or person
- relic n. Relics of the war can still be found in the sand dunes along this shore.
A ceremony meant to achieve a certain purpose
- rite n. Many cultures have fertility rites that supposedly make it more likely for women to bear children.
As part of a traditional ceremony or habit
- ritually adv. The children ritually kissed their parents on the cheek before bed.
A long story about important events long ago; a long story of heroic achievement
- saga n. Many American families tell sagas about their ancestors’ arrival in the United States.
A visible trace that something once existed
- vestige n. The wilted flowers were the only vestige of their romantic weekend.
To change for the better
- amend v. The residents voted to amend their neighborhood policy on fences. amendment n
Leaning unfairly in one direction
- biased adj. Her newspaper article was criticized for being heavily biased toward the mayor’s proposal.
Something that is carried; a source of stress or worry
- burden n. The donkey walked slowly under the burden of its heavy load. The failing company faced the burden of bad debts and a poor reputation.
To act in opposition to; to offer in response
- counter v. The hockey player countered the punch with a smashing blow from his hockey stick. Jane countered every accusation with a specific example of her achievements.
Truly doing a job, even if not officially
- de facto adj. Popular support established the Citizens Party as the de facto government.
To choose carefully among options; make an unjust or prejudicial distinction in the treatment of different categories of people or things, esp. on the grounds of race, sex, or age
- discriminate The governor wisely discriminated between urgent issues and those that could wait.
A belief; a fanciful impulse, a conception of or belief about something; an impulse or desire, esp. one of a whimsical kind
- notion n. The notion that older office equipment is unreliable is inaccurate. One morning, she suddenly took the notion to paint her kitchen red. Usage tips Notion can be followed by a that clause or a to phrase.
To keep down by force; to weigh heavily on, by the unjust exercise of authority:
- oppress v. Factory management oppressed workers through intimidation.
A pattern or model; a set of assumptions
- paradigm n. The usual paradigm for economic growth in developed countries does not apply to some poor nations.
Causing to judge prematurely and unfairly
- prejudiced adj. Many consumers are prejudiced against commercial goods made in third–world countries. prejudice v, prejudice n
The courses of study offered by an educational institution
- curriculum n. The teachers met to design a new curriculum for the Intensive English Program.
in a way that is readily distinguishable by the senses; clearly:
- distinctly adv. I distinctly remember saying that we would meet at noon.
Highly educated; having or showing great knowledge or learning.
- erudite adj. Even though Stella was only a freshman, she was considered erudite by both her classmates and her professors.
To strengthen; protect against attack
- fortify v. To The high–priced drink had extra vitamins and minerals to fortify the body. fortification n
Without being stated; unquestioningly; in a way that is not directly expressed;
- implicitly adv. By joining the competition, she agreed implicitly to the rules.
Restricted in outlook; relating to the local parish; small–minded, provincial, narrow, small–town
- parochial adj. Marla moved from her rural community to get away from its parochial thinking. Sending your children to a parochial school can cost as much as sending them to college.
Strictness; difficult situations that come from following rules strictly
- rigor n. The wrestler followed his diet with rigor. The rigors of military life toughened the young men quickly. rigorous adj
A list, especially of names
- roster n. Two of the names on the roster were misspelled.
Worldly rather than spiritual; not related to religion
- secular adj. Few private schools in the United States are secular.
To cause to stop for a period; to hang as to allow free movement
- suspend v. The trial was suspended when the judge learned that one of the jury members knew the defense lawyer. The circus acrobat was suspended in midair.