Advanced Words 5 Flashcards
- morally very bad
Abhorrent(adj):
Formal
Ex: an abhorrent crime
- extremely unpleasant and causing or meriting hate
Odious(adj):
Formal
Ex: an odious crime
- (of feelings) not expressed or released
Pent-up(adj):
Ex: his pent-up anger and frustration burst forth
- making you feel serious or think about serious matters
Sobering (adj):
Ex: Jail has had a sobering effect on Hicks
- objects such as bullets and bombs that can be shot from a weapon
- information used to attack someone or to support an argument
Ammunition(n):
Ex: The president’s endorsement of the crime bill has deprived his opponents of ammunition to paint him as soft on crime.
- quick
Expeditious (adj):
Ex: The bank was expeditious in replying to my letter.
- expressed with strong emotion
Impassioned(adj):
Ex: she went on tv to make an impassioned plea for the release of her child
- the act of returning to an older and worse state
Retrogression(n):
Formal = regression
Ex: incompetent management has led the economy to retrogression
- to be enough
Suffice (adj):
Formal
Ex: the problems were of global importance, and only an international effort would suffice to deal with them
- Too interested in unpleasant subjects, esp. death
- relating to or caused by disease
Morbid (adj):
Ex: a morbid fascination with death
Pathological/morbid anatomy is the study of diseased organs
- impossible to remove by washing, impossible to forget or have a permanent influence or effect
Indelible(adj):
Ex: indelible ink
I have an indelible memory of what was between us
- eager enjoyment experienced when doing sth
Gusto(n):
Ex: we ate and drank with gusto
- next to or touching another thing
Contiguous(adj):
Formal =neighboring
Ex: the two states are contiguous with/to each other but the laws are quite different
- the same as, or in agreement with, other facts or principles
Congruous(adj):
Formal
Ex: his conclusion is congruous with one previously drawn by Mayer
- a state of not being able to decide what to do
Quandary(n):
= dilemma
Ex: I’ve had two job offers, and I’m in a real quandary about/over which one to accept
- to force sb’s hand
Put/tighten the screws on sb:
Ex: the govt needs to put the screws on businesses that have been trying to evade the tax
- to persuade sb to believe sth that is not true
Put sth over on sb:
Ex: my dad’s really smart-you can never put anything over on him
- to extirpate completely
Wipe off the map = wipe sth off the face of the earth/globe:
Ex: there are bombs so powerful that whole nations could be wiped off the map
- a reasonably good chance
Sporting chance(n):
Ex: she definitely has a sporting chance of winning the race
- a place where former inmates can stay after they leave prison or hospital and before they start to live their own
- sth that combines particular features of two things
Halfway house(n):
Ex: i like both teaching and researching so the position of a professor in college is like a halfway house between the two for me
- to be a hidden cause of or strong influence on sth
Underlie(v):
Ex: psychological problems very often underlie apparently physical disorders
- for the present time but likely to change
Provisional(adj):
Ex: a provisional government
These dates are only provisional
- to take priority over sth
Take precedence over sth:
Ex: I’m afraid their project takes precendence over yours
- to free sb from guilt, blame, or responsibility for sth
Absolve(v):
Formal
Ex: the report absolved her from/of all blame for the accident
- to put sb into an ascendancy with ceremony
Inaugurate(v):
Ex: American presidents are always inaugurated on 20 january
- a person or group of people with less power, money, etc. than the rest of the society
- the weaker of two competitors
The underdog (n):
Ex: as a politician, her sympathy was always for the underdog in society
- an official ceremony in which sb starting a new official job formally promises to be loyal and honest and to perform their duty well
Swearing-in(n):
Ex: she had a good seat at the president’s swearing-in ceremony
- without any doubt or possibility of being changed; certain
Categorical(adj):
Ex: the president issued a categorical denial/assurance/assertion
We want categorical proof
If you give someone their marching orders, you ask that person to leave a place or a job because they have done something wrong
Marching orders/walking papers:
Ex: She was called into the boss’s office and given her marching orders.
- to offer or give sth to sb
Extend(v):
Formal
Ex: I would like to extend my thanks to you for your kindness.
The bank has agreed to extend us money/extend money to us (= lend us money) to buy our house.
- blame result on precursor
Ascribe sth to sth:
Formal
Ex: the report ascribes the rise in childhood asthma to the increase in pollution.
- a way of behaving that is intended to deceive people
Pretence(n):
Ex: They kept up (= continued) a pretence of normality as long as they could.
- easily dealt with, controlled, or persuaded
Tractable(adj):
Formal
Ex: The problem turned out to be less tractable than I had expected.
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- to be able only to see things one way and unwilling or unable to consider other possibilities
Be wearing blinkers/blinders:
- a short trip, taken for pleasure or entertainment
- an occasion when it is made public that a famous person is gay when he or she wanted to keep this information private
Outing(n):
Ex: a family outing
There have been several outings of well-known movie stars recently.
- to avoid something such as criticism, blame, or a question being directed at you
- to (cause to) change direction
Deflect(v):
Ex: I just tried to deflect questions the best way I could.
- to give up or do without
Forgo(v):
Ex: I shall have to forgo the pleasure of seeing you this week.
- (esp. of wet surfaces) to shine brightly
Glisten(v):
Ex: His eyes glistened with tears.
- not controlled, limited, or prevented by anyone
Unfettered(adj):
Formal
Ex: Poets are unfettered by the normal rules of sentence structure.
- to arrange for sth to happen
- to invent in a clever, unusual way
Contrive(v):
Ex: Couldn’t you contrive a meeting between them? I think they’d really like each other.
The two of them are contriving a plan.
- the ability to entertain people
Showmanship(n):
Ex: His televised speeches demonstrate his showmanship.
- full of energy and enthusiasm; impossible to stop
Irrepresible (adj):
Ex: Even the rain failed to dampen his irrepressible spirits.
- (of a person) strong, brave, and impossible to defeat or make frightened
Indomitable (adj):
Ex: an indomitable spirit/will
- a succinct description that gives the main facts or ideas about something
- something that represents a complete account or impression of what someone or something is like
Summation(n):
Ex: He offered his own concise summation of the problem.
The scene where the two characters dance is the perfect summation of the love and desire between them.
- ephemeral, transient, transitory
Evanescent(adj):
Formal
- a person who is running away or hiding from the police or a dangerous situation
- evanescent
Fugitive(n):
Formal
Ex: Thousands of fugitives are fleeing from the war-torn area.
People or things that repel you make you feel strongly that you do not want to be near, see, or think about them
Repel(v):
Ex: She was repelled by his ugliness.
Her arrogance repels many people.
- a time when the price of shares is falling and a lot of people are selling them
Bear market(n):
- to change your opinion or to make sb change their opinion
- if sth will not budge or you cannot budge it, it will not move
Budge(v):
Ex: i tried to move the desk but it wouldn’t budge/I couldn’t budge it
I tried to persuade her but she won’t budge
—> budge up: said to sb in order to ask them to move so that there is room for you
- sth that fails completely or goes extremely badly
Train wreck(n):
Ex: the movie was a train wreck
If something goes against the grain, you would not usually do it because it would be unusual
Go against the grain:
Ex: These days it goes against the grain to show too much respect for authority.
If a plan or activity gets off the ground or you get it off the ground, it starts or succeeds
Get off the ground:
Ex: A lot more money will be required to get this project off the ground.
- of cheap quality or in bad style
Tacky(adj):
Informal
Ex: the shop old tacky souvenirs and ornaments
- unpleasant and unacceptable
- tasting unpleasant
Distasteful(adj):
Ex: he found the subject of their conversation very distateful
- making fixed judgment and decisions
Unbending(adj):
Ex: He has earned a reputation as a stern and unbending politician.
- not serious about a serious subject, in an attempt to be funny or to appear clever
Flippant(adj):
Ex: a flippant remark/attitude
- actively opposing or showing unfriendliness towards something or someone
Antagonistic(adj):
= hostile
Ex: He’s extremely antagonistic towards all critics.
- officious
Overbearing(adj):
Ex: Milligan had a pompous, overbearing father.
- to claim something, sometimes falsely
Profess(v):
Ex: he decided to profess ignorance of the broken window since he didn’t want to be rusticated.
- to fulfill an existing agreement or promise
Honor (v):
Ex: The governor honored her pledge to cut taxes.
- to officially end a law, agreement, or custom
- to shirk
Abrogate (v):
Formal = repeal = annul
Ex: The opposition party pledged to abrogate the law if they won the election.
Companies are really abrogating responsibility for safety.
Out on a limb:
- having an opinion that is different from most people’s and is popular
Ex: she’s going out on a limb in criticizing her own party leadership
Over the odds:
- more than the usual or expected price
Do sth once too often:
- to repeat a dangerous, stupid act.
Leave sb high and dry:
- to cause sb to be in a difficult situation
Rough-and-ready:
- not carefully made or finished, but good enough
- friendly enough but without deference
Prim and proper:
- very formal and correct in behaviour
Rough and tumble:
- a situation without rules or organization
Ex: the rough and tumble of political life
Cock-and-bull story:
- a story that is obviously not true, esp. given as an excuse
For all that:
In spite of that
Kill sth stone-dead:
- to completely destroy sth or prevent it from being successful
- providing money or sth else that is useful
Gainful(adj):
Formal
Ex: many graduates tell of months spent in search of gainful employment
- the improper use of public office or conduct of public business for private gain
Jobbery(n):
Ex: according to a recent investigation, jobbery is on the increase in our country
Know-nothing(n):
Know-it-all(n)
- to show or suggest that sth will happen in the future
Prefigure(v):
Formal
Ex: this meeting may prefigure an improvement in relations between two countries
- contrive
Configure(v):
Ex: the marines used specially configured submarines
- relating to practical matters or physical things rather than spiritual ones
Temporal(adj):
- opprobrium
Castigation(n):
= censure
- showing or having a lot of unpleasant details or features
- brave and determined
Gritty(adj):
= dogged
Ex: a gritty documentary
Gritty determination
- to announce sth publicly, esp. a new law
Promulgate(v):
Formal
Ex: the new law was finally promulgated in the autumn of last year
- a principle that is an accepted belief of a particular group
Tenet(n):
/tenit/
Ex: a major tenet of the women’s movement has been that society needs their talents
- able to know and act on the difference between good and bad
Discriminating(adj):
Formal
Ex: they’re discriminating shoppers
- the power to see the future or to see things that other people cannot see
Clairvoyance(n):
Ex: she can’t be blamed for a lack of clairvoyance
—> clairvoyant(n): a person who
- the careful watching of a person, or place because a crime that has happened or is expected
Surveillance(n):
Ex: more banks are now installing surveillance cameras
Get into gear:
- to start working or doing sth in a more energetic and effective way
- to remove sth or set sth free with difficulty
Extricate(v):
Formal
Ex: I tried to extricate myself from the situation
Take sb up on sth:
- to accept an offer that sb has made
Ex: could i take you up on that offer of a lift, John?
Have a bone to pick up with:
- to want to talk to sb about sth annoying they have done
Ex: I’ve got a bone to pick up with you-you’ve been using my shaver again
Bleeding heart(n):
- sb who shows too much sympathy for everyone
Ex: I’m sick of bleeding-heart liberal politicians
Screw (sth) up:
- to make a mistake, to defile sth
Ex: i totally screwed up the chemistry exam
- ugly and unpleasant or frightening
- connected with death and unpleasant things
Ghoulish(adj):
Ex: ghoulish faces
He takes a ghoulish delight in reading about horrific murders
- having strong, unreasonable beliefs and disliking other people who have different beliefs or a different way of life
Bigoted (adj):
Ex: she’s so bigoted that she refuses to accept anyone who doesn’t think like her
- to plan secretly and dishonestly for sth to happen that will be to your advantage
- to allow sth bad to happen though you know about it
Connive(v):
Ex: they connived to break the school rules at every opportunity
She had murdered or connived at the murder of one of her loved ones
Pecking order(n):
- an informal social system in which some people or groups know they are more or less important than others
Ex: there’s a clear established pecking order in this office
- making you feel extremely embarrassed and ashamed for sb else
Toe-curling(adj):
Informal
Ex: i saw the worst comedy act I’ve ever seen last night-it was absolutely toe-curling
- a situation in which sb takes an amount of money that has been made available (rút tiền)
Drawdown(n):
Ex: the income drawdown plan allows you to keep your fund invested after retirement while you draw an annual income from it
- the responsibility of doing sth
The onus(n):
Formal
Ex: the onus is on the landlord to ensure that the property is habitable
- to say that you have done, earned, sold, etc. less than you really have
Underreport(v):
Ex: they underreport the revenues to secure public money for new stadiums
Cling(v):
- to stick onto or hold sth or sb tightly
Ex: we got so wet that our clothes clung to us
- a worry about the future, or fear that sth unpleasant is impending
Apprehension(n):
= misgiving
Ex: one or two people have expressed apprehension about the changes
Mount up:
- to gradually increase in number of amount
Ex: it is not a good idea to let bills mount up
Get/find your bearings:
- to discover your exact point
- to find your feet
- sharp and profound
Piercing(adj):
Ex: her piercing analysis
- a long strip(dải) or large area esp. of land
- a large part of sth that includes several different things
Swathe/swath(n):
Ex: huge swathes of rainforest are being cleared for farming and mining
These people represent a broad/wide swathe of public opinion
- a feeling that sth is true or likely to happen
Inkling (n):
= presentiment
Ex: she saw the look on nick’s face but had no inkling of what it meant
- to touch or make changes to sth that you should not
Tamper(v):
Ex: i could see that the lock had been tampered with
- to ask sb to act or speak for you
Depute(v):
Formal
Ex: I’ve deputed her to speak for me at the conference
- to go through a substance (like mud) or an area of sth with difficulty
Plough through:
Ex: we ploughed through the mud
- happening without any changes, interruption or difficulty
Seamless(adj):
Ex: the intention is to achieve a seamless transition with a continuity of management
- to give sb/sth the power to do sth
Vest(v):
Formal
Ex: political power is now vested in an elected parliament
- smelling strongly of sth or having qualities that make you think of sth else
Redolent(adj):
= evocative
= reminiscent
Ex: the mountain air was redolent with the scent of pine needles
- the right and authority to do anything you consider necessary
Free hand(n):
Ex: the company’s given me a free hand to negotiate a deal
Fallow(adj):
- Fallow land is not planted with crops, in order to improve the quality of the soil
- A fallow period of time is one in which very little happens
Ex: Farmers are eligible for government support if they let a certain amount of land lie fallow
After a long fallow period, the author has brought out a new book.
- the act of continuing to commit crimes even after having been punished
Recidivism(n):
Ex: this program is aimed at reducing recidivism
Disposable income(n):
- money that sb has left to spend after paying taxes
= expendable income
Ex: she had a large disposable income which she mostly spent on travel
- a factory where substances in their natural state, such as oil or sugar, are made pure
Refinery(n):
Ex: my dad used to work for a sugar refinery in 1996
- a system of limiting the amount of sth that each person is allowed to have
Rationing(n):
/ˈræʃ…/
Ex: a fuel rationing
Pan out:
- to develop or be successful
Ex: not all his ideas have panned out as he would have liked
- to represent sth falsely or to hide sth
Belie(v):
Formal
Ex: his gruff manner belied a gentle personality
Gruff(adj): unfriendly, (of voice) low and slightly damaged
Bragging rights(n):
- the opportunity to vaunt because you have done sth impressive
- ốc đảo
- a calm, pleasant place in the middle of swh busy and unpleasant
Oasis(n):
Ex: he is my oasis of peace and warmth amid the fast-paced life stream
- to establish sth firmly so that it cannot be changed
Entrench(v):
Ex: the govt’s main task was to prevent inflation from entrenching itself
The breadline(n):
- the level of income people have when they are extremely poor
Ex: most students are on/close to/below the breadline.
- to start spending less money, or reducing costs
- to remove a worker from his or her job as a way of reducing costs
Retrench(v):
Formal
Ex: the govt began to retrench on its nuclear programmes
The govt is to retrench 30,000 public servants in the next 3 years
- despondent
Dejected(adj):
- to reduce sth in size or amount
Deplete(v):
Ex: the illness depletes the body of important vitamins
- a person who is not trained or have an intimate knowledge of a particular subject
Layman(n):
Ex: the book is supposed to be the layman’s guide to home repair
- to begin to use good judgment
Come to your senses:
Paradigm shift(n):
- a situation in which the usual and accepted way of doing or thinking about sth changes completely
Ex: the widespread use of social media represents a paradigm shift in the way we communicate
- complete control that prevents sth from developing
Stranglehold(n):
Ex: the 2 major companies have been tightening their stranglehold on the beer market
Fall flat:
- if a joke, idea, or suggestion falls flat, it does not have the intended effects
- unusual, not often experienced or shown
Unwonted (adj):
Formal
Ex: he sprang to the phone with unwonted gusto
Well and truly:
- completely
No flies on sb:
- if you say there are no flies on sb, you mean that they cannot easily be bamboozled
- to begin to understand sth
Cotton on:
Ex: I’d just cottoned on to the fact that they were having a relationship
- to experience and show a strong feeling of anger, especially suddenly
Throw a fit/tantrum:
Ex: My mother threw a fit when she saw what a mess we’d made of her kitchen.
- skilled
Accomplished (adj):
Ex: She is an accomplished violinist.
- to make sb feel that they must do sth
Impel(v):
Ex: she was in such a mess I felt impelled to offer your services
- to say that you know nothing about sth, or that you have no responsibility or no connection with sth
Disavow(v):
Formal
Ex: they were quick to disavow the rumour
- to concede or say sth publicly
Avow(v):
Formal
Ex: he avowed that he regretted what he had done
Keep it down to a dull roar:
- to be quiet or stop making a lot of noise; to maintain a low level of noise
Ex: kids, when you work together, please keep it down to a dull roar
- to leave forever or to stop doing sth completely
Forsake(v):
Formal
Ex: please don’t forsake me
He decided to forsake politics for journalism
- to argue about the price of sth
Haggle(v):
Ex: he hated to haggle over prices
- to eat or drink sth quickly
Down(v):
Ex: he downed a quick cup of coffee before the meeting
Pepper sth with sth:
- to hit sth repeatedly with small objects
Ex: the city’s walls were peppered with bullets
Home in on sth/sb:
- to aim for
Ex: the missile homed in on the ship
- to spend time considering a possible future action
Contemplate(v):
Ex: I’m contemplating going abroad for a year
- any type of repeated work that is mundane and fatigues you
Treadmill(n):
Ex: she began to contemplate a return to the treadmill of proofreading and copy-editing
- to read, find and correct mistakes in a piece of written work
Proofread(v):
Ex: tommy proofreads books for a small publishing company
Snap sb up:
- to immediately offer sb a job or position because you want them very much
Look upon sb:
- to gaze or peer at sb or sth
Ex: we climbed to the top of the mountain and looked upon land down below
- done or sent in the hope of getting a job with a company although no job has been advertised
Speculative(adj):
Ex: send a speculative CV to Human Resources
Fall foul of sb/sth:
- to have a disagreement with sb
- to break a rule or law, esp. without intending to
Ex: things were going well for her till she fell foul of the director
Manufacturers may fall foul of the new govt guidelines
- intended to avoid causing offence or disagreement
Anodyne(adj):
Formal
Ex: this is daytime television at its most anodyne
- slow, continuous and not exciting
Plodding(adj):
Ex: the novel is heavy and plodding, with little excitement in it
- a line at the top or bottom of a newspaper or magazine article giving the writer’s name
Byline/By-line(n):
Ex: the article appeared in The Economist under hee byline
- a stamp
Postage stamp(n):
Formal
Gang up:
- to unite as a group against sb
Ex: they all ganged up against/on her because she was the teacher’s pet
- to move very fast
Hurtle(v):
Ex: the truck hurtled along at breakneck speed
- carelessly fast and dangerous
Breakneck(adj):
Ex: they were riding along at breakneck speed/at a breakneck pace
- to copy sth achieved by sb else and try to do it as well as they have
Emulate(v):
Formal
Ex: they hope to emulate the success of other software companies
- the parent or direct ancestor of a person, animal, or plant
Progenitor (n):
Formal
Ex: a child has a male progenitor and a female progenitor
—> progeny = offspring
- to get rid of feeling stress
De-stress(v):
Informal (STRESS)
Ex: yesterday, some students fiddled with their pens to de-stress before taking the exam
Maladjusted(adj):
(ADJUST)
- A maladjusted person, usually a child, has been raised in a way that does not prepare them well for the demands of life, which often leads to problems with behaviour in the future
Ex: a residential school for disturbed and maladjusted children
- a confused mixture
Mishmash(n):
Informal (MASH)
Ex: The new housing development is a mishmash of different architectural styles.
- used to emphasize that someone or something is extremely attractive
Drop-dead(adj):
Informal (DIE)
Ex: He’s drop-dead gorgeous!
Time-honored(adj):
(HONOR)
- considered important because of having existed for many years
Ex: Family Thanksgiving dinners are a time-honored tradition.
Cisgender(adj):
(GENDER)
- used to describe someone who feels that they are the same gender (= sex) as the physical body they were born with
Ex: a cisgender woman
- bringing or inducing sleep, as drugs or influence
Somniferous(adj):
(INSOMNIA)
Ex: the murderer mixed her drink with somniferous chemicals to make her sleep
Over-egg the pudding:
(EGG)
- to spoil something by trying too hard to improve it
Ex: this group demands people to be honest and please don’t over-egg the pudding
- physical weakness
Debility (n):
—> debilitate (v)
—> stalwart (adj): physically strong
Mellifluous (adj):
(FLUENT)
- having a pleasant and flowing sound
Ex: Lisa sure had a pretty mellifluous voice, I can listen to her singing all day
Time-wasting (n):
(TIME)
- in football, the offense of intentionally taking too long to take a goal kick, throw-in, etc.
Ex: time-wasting is sometimes considered an unsportsmanlike act
Extrapolate (v):
(POLE)
Ex: You can’t really extrapolate a trend from such a small sample.
Congenial/genial(adj):
(GENIUS)
Ex: i have yet to met such a congenial person like him before
Constellation(n):
(STAR)
- a group of famous or admired people all together in one place
Ex: a constellation of child prodigies entered the competition and performed as if they had been professionals
Insectivorous(adj):
(INSECT)
- eating only insects
Ex: insectivorous animals
Elephantine(adj):
(ELEPHANT)
Formal
- huge
Ex: the sumos have elephantine bodies right?
Pigheaded(adj):
(PIG)
- unyielding
Hawk-eyed(adj):
HAWK
- watching or noticing everything that happens
Sheepish(adj):
SHEEP
- embarrassed because you know that you have done sth wrong
Ex: they were a bit sheepish about the misunderstanding
Bandwidth(n):
WIDE
- the amount of information that can be sent over a network connection
- the amount of time, information, or influence that someone has
Ex: you have to buy phone with higher bandwidth to store many images
He has more bandwidth (= more influence) than any presidential adviser has ever had in history.
Tenderfoot(n):
FOOT
- greenhorn, novice, newcomer
Scattergun/scattershot(adj):
GUN/SHOT
- involving doing something to a lot of things or people without any organized plan, rather than doing it to particular things or people
Ex: Don’t have a scattergun approach - calling everyone you know to see if there is a job going - but work out what you want from different people.
Shotgun approach(n):
- a market strategy where markets try to appeal to a wide market of potential customers by using various advertising strategies
Behindhand(adj):
HAND
- late in doing something or slower doing something than expected
Ex: I worked late last night because I was behindhand with my accounts.
Shorthand:
HAND
- stenography
Assisitive(adj):
ASSIST
- assistive equipment is designed for people who have physical difficulties and need help with using things like computers
Ex: assistive devices
Hard of hearing/hearing-impaired(adj):
HEAR
- unable to hear well
Ex: My father is quite old now and he’s increasingly hard of hearing.
Nosedive(n):
DIVE
- a fast, sudden fall in prices, etc.
Freewheeling(adj):
WHEEL
Informal
- not limited by rules or accepted ways of doing things
Ex: a freewheeling lifestyle/society
Disapprobation (n):
PROBATION
- strong feelings of not approving of something or someone
Ex: She feared her father’s disapprobation.
- to answer someone quickly in an angry or funny way
Retort(v):
Ex: “it doesn’t concern you”- she retorted
Proscribe(v):
—>proscription(n)
SCRIPT
Kaleidoscopic(adj):
SCOPE
- quickly changing from one thing to another
Jettison(v):
JET
- to get rid of sb/sth unsolicited
Ex: jettison the regulations
Awash(adj):
WASH
- covered with a large amount of sth
Ex: the computer market is awash with software for every kind of computer
Role-play(v):
ROLE
- to pretend to be someone else, especially as part of learning a new skill
Ex: the team role-played our modern city life in Minecraft and made a masterpiece
- supposition
Presupposition (n):
Immaterial (adj):
MATERIAL
- inconsequential
Ex: it is immaterial to me whether he stays or goes
