Advanced English Vocabulary Set 2 Flashcards
The poem opens by _________ over the death of a young man.
to express sadness and regret about
lamenting
describes a liquid that is thick and sticky and does not flow easily
viscous
his lean ________ face
looking sad and serious， especially in a threatening way
saturnine
All eyes were ________ on her in horror.
to not be able to stop looking at something because it is so interesting or frightening
riveted
The bone had been _______ to a point.
sharpen
honed
The company was later declared ___________
not having enough money to pay what you owe
insolvent
The book contains a ___________ dedication to his wife.
sounds insincere because it contains too much praise， expressions of thanks
fulsome
The rope was stretched _____.
tight
taut
the quality of the sound made by a particular instrument or voice
timbre
Coppola _______ several Oscar awards for ‘The Godfather’.
to collect something， usually after much work or with difficulty
garnered
Doubts were cast on the ________ of her alibi after three people claimed to have seen her at the scene of the robbery.
the quality of being true， honest or accurate
veracity
The President remains ________ on the question of tax cuts.
extremely determined to act in a particular way and not to change despite argument or persuasion
obdurate
If you believe the fashion _________， we’ll all be wearing pink this year.
someone who is often asked to give their opinion publicly of a situation or subject
pundits
We had to work from material that was both complex and __________.
not known about by many people and difficult to understand
recondite
He ________ the most amazing dish from all sorts of unlikely ingredients.
to make something， usually food， by adding several different parts together， often in a way that is original or not planned
concocted
He’s always ________ on what’s wrong with the world.
to give a detailed explanation of something
expounding
She had the _______ to call me a liar.
a willingness to do or say something that shocks or upsets other people
temerity
He’s a _________ old prig who’s totally incapable of taking a joke.
too serious and full of importance
pompous
Press releases must be short and _______.
intelligent and strongly stated， without wasting any words
pithy
His new novel is not for the ________.
easily shocked or upset， or easily made to feel sick by seeing unpleasant things
squeamish
He denied that the article had been in any way ________.
too interested in the details of another person’s sexual behaviour
prurient
She was _______ to her cousin at an early age.
to cause someone to promise formally to marry someone
betrothed
The report ________ the crew from all responsibility for the collision.
to show or state that someone or something is not guilty of something
exonerated
He agreed to the interview， with the _______ that he could approve the final article.
a warning to consider something before acting further
caveat
a pattern made of a line that curls out in circles that get bigger and bigger
whorl
to make the sound that a sheep or goat makes
bleat
_______ negotiations between Israel and Syria
involving two groups or nations
bilateral
She complained that the solicitor’s work had been _______.
showing lack of care， effort and attention
slipshod
The shop attracted a loyal following among the ________.
rich
well-heeled
You can’t lose your temper with everyone like that and then expect everything to be _____-______.
satisfactory and pleasant
hunky-dory
Her most recent _________ was one of last year’s bestselling paperbacks.
an artistic work， usually of low quality， that has been created quickly just to earn money
potboiler
I was sick of his intellectual _________.
information or ideas that are not true or seem very stupid
flimflam
The houses in the village were __________ with bullet holes.
describes a surface with a lot of holes or low areas in it
pockmarked
He gets his work done quickly， but he’s very ________.
done or made in a hurried and careless way
slapdash
I was just sitting here all by my _________.
alone
lonesome
I think cigarette advertising should be banned ________.
completely or immediately
outright
a white liquid that is a mixture of lime or powdered chalk and water， used for making walls or ceilings white
whitewash
Ruth was ___________ when he presented her with an engagement ring.
very surprised
thunderstruck
(of books， plays， etc.) involving serious and complicated or artistic ideas， or (of people) interested in serious and complicated subjects
highbrow
(of entertainment) not complicated or demanding much intelligence to be understood
lowbrow
describes music， literature， art or film which is of good quality， interesting and often popular， but can be understood quite easily
middlebrow
Unless anything _________ happens we should arrive just before midday.
unexpected and inconvenient or unpleasant
untoward
Seabirds often come _______ to find food.
towards or in the middle of a country， away from the sea
inland
Don’t believe a word of what he says. It’s just a load of _________.
foolish， meaningless talk which should not be believed
claptrap
a small road or path which is not used very much
byway
a scholar exploring the ________ and _________ of Russian music
the important and less important parts
highways and byways
She still has an optimistic ________ for the future.
your general attitude to life and the world
outlook
someone who likes to take a lot of photographs
shutterbug
That was a ____-_____ meal.
very bad， difficult or unpleasant
god-awful
a _________ country， state etc is surrounded by other countries， states etc and has no coast
landlocked
We spent the day _______ through forests and over mountains.
to walk a long distance， usually over land such as hills， mountains or forests
trekking
Half a dozen ducks _________ up the bank.
to walk with short steps， with your body moving from one side to another
waddled
People were ________ off to work.
to move quickly with short steps， especially because you are in a hurry
scurrying
The river was full but we managed to ______ across.
to walk through water with difficulty because of the pressure of the water against your legs
wade
I wish you wouldn’t always _____ ___ with your opinion.
to enter a discussion， argument etc in a forceful and annoying way， often without thinking about the possible results
wade in
The police ________ _____ the crowd swinging sticks.
to move forward and attack someone
waded into
Each day Parkin _______ through lengthy court reports.
to read or deal with a lot of boring papers or written work
wades
The horse ______ up the hill.
to walk along slowly， especially when this is difficult
plodded
For years he had ________ ______ in a series of boring office jobs.
to work slowly or make slow progress， especially in a way that is boring
plodded along
Yvonne turned and _______ ____ of the room in disgust.
to walk in a proud or angry way， with long steps
stalked out
He came _________ down the road with his hands in his pockets.
to walk in a slow relaxed way， especially so that you look confident or proud
sauntering
In military ________ this is known as a fast retreat.
expressed in the words that a particular group of people would use
parlance
Sir Ralph was becoming ________ after his third glass of claret.
talking or behaving in a sad， silly， and emotional way， especially when drunk
maudlin
a song that is tender without being _________
tries too hard to make people feel emotions such as love or sadness and seems silly
maudlin
________ experts found traces of blood in the car.
relating to the scientific methods used for finding out about a crime
Forensic
The _______ of his argument is that full employment is impossible.
the main idea and meaning of what someone has said or written
gist
He told her in _______ ___ _____ that she couldn’t leave the house while he was out.
extremely clear
black and white
There are various _______ ___ ________ about driving in the UK.
the rules
do’s and don’ts
In London you can find the ______ ___ _______ ____ of the population
people who are rich and those who are not
haves and have nots
I don’t know the ______ ___ _____ of the situation， so I can’t really advise you.
the details
ins and outs
The British tabloids are famous for publishing ______ ___ ______ stories.
when someone sells a story of themselves and a famous person
kiss and tell
She made a stew with the _______ ___ _____ she found in the fridge.
small pieces of various items
odds and ends
There are a few _____ ___ ______ that we should consider before buying a new house.
advantages and disadvantages
pros and cons
Using salt is a ________ __ ______ way of getting red wine out of a carpet.
something which has been well tested
tried and tested
The marathon runners finished in _______ __ _______.
not a steady amount of something
dribs and drabs
When it’s all _______ __ _______， the new reception area is going to be a credit to the company.
to have the final word on something
said and done
There are too many young ______ __ _____ in London.
someone who has no money at all who has to live on the street
down and outs
I have to help him if I can - he’s my ______ __ ______.
family
flesh and blood
_______ __ _____， our customers prefer good service to low prices.
generally
By and large
The new company is now ______ ___ ________.
in operation
up and running
I’m making a cake for the school’s ______ ___ ______ next week.
a fair where people try to raise money for a cause by bringing something that other people might want to buy
bring and buy
I’m exhausted - I’ve been going _______ ___ _____ all week!
back and forth
to and fro
The last thing they heard from the pilot was ‘______ __ _____’
something you say to show you have come to the end of your message
over and out
Well， that’s this project ______ ___ _______. We need a holiday now.
properly finished
done and dusted
That idea is now ______ ___ _____ - the Executive Committee decided some time ago to go with another proposal.
something that will not happen
dead and buried
He’s well-known for _______ ___ _____ his business partners.
to entertain someone lavishly
wining and dining
Health and education are the _______ ___ ______ issues facing the UK government
your main source of income， or the most important issue
bread and butter
Her house is _______ ___ ______ at all times.
very tidy and clean
spick and span
They have a very ____-____ relationship.
not constant
on-off
I have a bit of a ______-_____ relationship with my car.
having feelings for someone / something which swing from love to hate
love-hate
I want to leave the place ______-_____ when we go on holiday.
everything in its right place
ship-shape
He lost control of the car and it ___-_____ across the road
to move forward in sharp angles， first to the left and then to the right etc
zig-zagged
They’ve had a bit of a ______-______ and they’re not talking to each other at the moment.
an argument
ding-dong
That bookshelf is all ________-______!
in a mess
higgledy-piggledy
The English pound has ______-______ against the American dollar for the last two weeks
something that goes up and down
see-sawed
I lived in my _____-_____ when I was staying on the beach.
rubber sandals with a thong that goes between your big and second toe
flip-flops
Feel free to ______ ___ ____ as you please!
use somewhere as your base
come and go
He felt so ill that he _____ ___ his bed.
took to
Her business empire brought her wealth beyond the dreams of ________
an extremely strong desire to obtain or keep wealth
avarice
the system of rules and acceptable behaviour used at official ceremonies and occasions
protocol
She became _______ Professor of Linguistics when she retired.
no longer having a position， especially in a college or university， but keeping the title of the position
Emeritus
_________ drinkers， meanwhile， are helping organize Alcoholics anonymous groups on campus.
very sorry for something bad you have done in the past and wish that you had not done it
Repentant
She is referring to the _________ King of England who lived so well off the labor of his peasantry.
fat
corpulent
It’s a good story but I dare say it’s _________.
probably not true although often told and believed by some people to have happened
apocryphal
The treaty was ________ in 1929.
to end a law， agreement or custom formally
abrogated
The Booker Prize is the most ________ British literary award.
to desire something strongly， especially something which belongs to someone else
coveted
She is well-known for her ________ spending habits.
wasteful with money
profligate
Her hand tightened like a _______ around his arm.
a tool with two parts which can be moved together by tightening a screw so that an object can be held firmly between them while it is being worked on
vice
Personally I’ve always considered mime to be a lot of ________.
something that is intended to be strange and amusing but in fact has little real meaning or value
whimsy
Some ______ Texas court wants to make the company pay more than $10 billion in reparations
insignificant
pissant
He’s always boasting about his sexual _________.
great ability or skill
prowess
Why is it that it rains all the time in England? Don’t worry - you’ll soon __________.
to (cause to) change to suit different conditions of life， weather， etc
acclimatize
His _______ manner can be mistaken for rudeness.
(too) honest or direct in behaviour
forthright
And is he really ill or just ________?
to pretend to be ill in order to avoid having to work
malingering
He was ________ by her silence.
to make someone feel slightly uncomfortable， annoyed， or embarrassed
discomfited
A filmmaker， usually a director， who exercises creative control over his or her works and has a strong personal style.
auteur
She doesn’t seem ______ concerned about her exams.
more than is normal or reasonable
unduly
She _______ the chessboard halfway through the game because she was losing.
to push or move something so that the part which usually touches the ground does so no longer
upended
Her ex-husband ________ his claim to the family house.
to say formally or publicly that you no longer own， support， believe in or have a connection with something
renounced
You’re treading ______ into the carpet with your dirty shoes!
dirt or animal excrement
muck
In the past， people thought it was their religious duty to give _____ to the poor.
clothing， food or money that is given to poor people
alms
The national theatre will be the main beneficiary of the millionaire’s _________.
willingness to give money， or money given to poor people by rich people
largesse
the _______ pace of village life
having a calm appearance or characteristics
placid
My stomach was ________ on the day of the exam.
you feel sick because you are nervous or frightened
churning
We watched the ocean ______.
move about violently
churn
She’s been _______ ____ novels for twenty years.
to produce large quantities of something， especially without caring about quality
churning out
The lawn had been _____ __ by the tractor.
damage the surface of the ground， especially by walking on it or driving a vehicle over it
churned up
But it’s a bit ______ ___ _____ at the moment - nobody really knows how to use it.
to do something new by making experiments and occasionally failing
trial and error
They have a lot of ______ ___ ______ in their relationship.
very good times and very bad times
ups and downs
Regardless of the _____ ___ ______ of company policy， you need to give a month’s notice.
all the good points and bad points of a situation
rights and wrongs
Mind your _____ ___ _____ when you visit them!
manners
P’s and Q’s
Someone’s been playing _______ ___ _______ with the TV remote control again!
a children’s game where one child hides and the others try to find him
hide and seek
If you need a new car， try speaking to John. He’s a bit of a ________ ___ _____!
makes deals when buying and selling things
wheeler and dealer
How was the meeting? ____-____ - it was nice to see everyone， but we didn’t get anything decided.
OK
So-so
The new policy is a bit of a ______-_____ of the last two policies we’ve had.
when things are combined together and so appear untidy
mish-mash
Lets send out invitations for the party. We don't want the town's \_\_\_\_\_-\_\_\_\_\_ turning up and eating all the food. quite a 'snobby' expression to describe people you think are lower in class than you
riff-raff
He asked us to stop our _____-____ and get on with our work.
small talk or unimportant conversation
chit-chat
She’s got a lot of _____-_____ - I’m always afraid I’m going to break one
an ornament
knick-knacks
His argument is a bit _______-______ - I don’t get the impression that he really knows what he wants to think.
weak opinion， argument or person
wishy-washy
This program is ______-______ - I understood it in half an hour!
something that children often say to emphasise how easy something is
easy-peasey
Where have you been - I’ve been worried!
Oh， _______ ___ ______， you know.
a vague phrase to avoid saying where you have been exactly
around and about
The guerillas played a _____ __ _____ game with the much better-equipped army.
to pretend to allow someone to do or have what they want， and then to stop them from doing or having it
cat and mouse
the _______ of the 1994 elections
an event or situation that is a complete failure
debacle
She ________ him for his bad manners.
to speak to someone severely because they have behaved badly
chided
She has some rather ___________ views on education.
causing or likely to cause disagreement
contentious
a Marxist _______ of neo-liberal economic policy
a report of something such as a political situation or system or a person’s work or ideas， which examines it and provides an often negative judgment
critique
The company expects to resume production of the vehicle again after a two-month _____.
a short pause in which nothing happens or is said， or a space where something is missing
hiatus
It says on the back cover of the book ‘highly _________’.
to formally praise someone or something
commended
He was shy and __________ and not at all how you expect an actor to be.
quiet and shows no desire for attention or admiration
unassuming
The dancer __________ her critics with a remarkable follow-up album.
to confuse and greatly surprise someone
confounded
Some of these statements are misleading and some downright ___________.
not truthful
mendacious
Politicians are often accused of _________.
the act of not telling the truth
mendacity
Couldn’t you ___________ a meeting between them? I think they’d be ideally suited.
to arrange a situation or event， or arrange for something to happen， using clever planning
contrive
His excuse sounded a bit __________.
clever rather than honest
contrived
The government was accused of _______ military operations against the regime.
hidden or secret
covert
He was held ________ for all that had happened.
deserving to be blamed or considered responsible for something bad
culpable
We _________ this use of company funds for political purposes.
to not approve of something or say that you do not approve of something
deprecate
her _________ appetite for fame
having or showing a strong desire to take things for yourself， usually using unfair methods or force
rapacious
The Vietnam war was an extremely _______ issue in the US.
describes something that causes great and sometimes unfriendly disagreement within a group of people
divisive
The two women claimed they were the ________ victims of a drugs dealer who planted a large quantity of heroin in their luggage.
without knowing or planning
unwitting
Do-it-yourself is the nation’s most popular ________.
an activity which is done for enjoyment; a hobby
pastime
a ________ vehicle is old and in bad condition
rattletrap
a ________ coat
describes material or clothes that have become thin or damaged because they have been used a lot
threadbare
an ________ of funds from abroad
the movement of people， money， goods etc into a place
inflow
a lawyer in Britain who can argue cases in the higher law courts
barrister
Everyone _______ ___ Sally， the only girl in the family.
to love someone very much， and show this by your actions
doted on
His voice had an almost ________ effect.
making you feel ready to sleep
soporific
I added just a _______ of chilli sauce.
a very small amount of something
smidgin
Luckily no one was hurt in the _______.
a situation in which a lot of people rush around in a confused way
melée
You’re turning into a real old _______!
someone who has old-fashioned ideas and does not like change
fogey
You don’t think she’ll take __________ if she isn’t invited to the wedding， do you?
to feel upset or annoyed， usually because you feel that someone has been rude or shown a lack of respect to you
umbrage
With her beauty and charm， she ___________ film audiences everywhere.
to hold the attention of someone by being extremely interesting
captivated
On every street corner there were traders _________ their wares.
to sell goods informally in public places
hawking
I ________ around Chicago as if I were really somebody.
to walk proudly with your head high and your chest pushed forwards， showing that you think you are important
strutted
Investigators have been _________ by uncooperative witnesses.
to prevent someone from doing what they have planned or want to do
stymied
the _______ points of the report
the most important or most noticeable parts
salient
The play is a ________ on Shakespeare’s tragedy ‘Julius Caesar’.
a funny book， play， or film that copies something serious or important and makes it seem silly
spoof
These changes did little to ________ the unions.
to make someone stop feeling angry
placate
The term can be ________ in two different ways.
to understand a remark or action in a particular way
construed
As he thought it over， his anger gradually __________.
to gradually become less or weaker before disappearing completely， or to make something do this
dissipated
an ______ little man
extremely unpleasant; causing and deserving hate
odious
He was punished for his ______.
very great pride and belief in your own importance
hubris
People are put off by his ___________ voice.
loud， unpleasant and rough
strident
My doctor takes a ________ approach to disease.
dealing with or treating the whole of something or someone and not just a part
holistic
As a _________， she said she would buy them all a box of chocolates.
an act which shows that you regret something that you have done， sometimes for religious reasons
penance
He’s been released on ________.
their period in prison is finished， with the agreement that they will behave well
parole
________ hair or plants have not been cut and kept neat
unkempt
She went _________ just because there were peas in her pasta.
to suddenly become very angry
ballistic
The hotel is in the city centre， close to shops and local _______.
something that makes a place comfortable or easy to live in
amenities
to spoil or damage something holy or respected
desecrate
The children were _______ by the story she was telling
to make someone very interested and excited， so that they listen or watch something very carefully
enthralled
If I eat it， my stomach _______ up.
to swell up
bloats
He ________ the blow with his forearm.
turn in a different direction
deflected
________ aluminium rods
to form something by forcing or pushing it out， especially through a small opening
extruded
Tons of internationally donated food was distributed to the starving ____________.
a poor farmer
peasants
Everything in the house seemed old and untouched， like ________ of an ancient time.
an old object or custom that reminds people of the past or that has lived on from a past time
relics
an attempt to _________ the democratic process
to try to destroy the power and influence of a government or the established system
subvert
His leadership kept the team’s _______ ___ _______ intact during difficult periods.
the feelings， such as pride and loyalty， shared by members of a group of people
esprit de corps
the studies are the ___ ___ _____ of romantic rhetoric and grandiloquence.
The highest point， as of excellence or achievement; the ultimate
ne plus ultra
The other children started calling her ‘princess’ because of her ______ ___ _______.
false ways of behaving that are intended to make other people feel that you are important and belong to a high social class
airs and graces
