B/1 Flashcards
BACKFIRE
BACKFIRE
—verb (used without object), back·fired, back·fir·ing.
- (of an internal-combustion engine) to have a loud, premature explosion in the intake manifold.
- to bring a result opposite to that which was planned or expected:
~The plot backfired.
SYNONYM
verb: have an opposite effect
fail flop backlash boomerang disappoint miscarry rebound recoil ricochet bounce back spring back
BARREN
BARREN
—adjective
- not producing or incapable of producing offspring; sterile:
~a barren woman.
2.unproductive; unfruitful:
~barren land.
- without capacity to interest or attract:
~a barren period in American architecture.
4.mentally unproductive; dull; stupid.
- not producing results; fruitless:
~a barren effort. - destitute; bereft; lacking (usually followed by of):
~barren of tender feelings.
SYNONYM
adjective: unable to support growth
arid desolate empty impoverished infertile parched sterile desert dry fallow waste depleted effete fruitless impotent infecund unbearing uncultivable unfertile unfruitful unproductive
BASELINE
BASELINE
-noun: basic standard or level
control criterion guideline measure standard diagnostic touchstone basis example exemplar paradigm precedent threshold
BEAR
BEAR
bear1
— verb (used with object), bore or ( Archaic ) bare; borne or born; bear·ing.
- to hold up; support:
~to bear the weight of the roof. - to hold or remain firm under (a load):
~The roof will not bear the strain of his weight. - to bring forth (young); give birth to:
~to bear a child. - to produce by natural growth:
~a tree that bears fruit. - to hold up under; be capable of:
~His claim doesn’t bear close examination. - to press or push against:
~The crowd was borne back by the police. - to hold or carry (oneself, one’s body, one’s head, etc.):
~to bear oneself erectly. - to conduct (oneself):
~to bear oneself bravely.
SYNONYM
verb: bring
carry deliver take buck convey ferry fetch lug move pack tote transfer transport
BEARABLE
BEARABLE
—adjective
- capable of being endured or tolerated; endurable.
SYNONYM
adjective: endurable
livable manageable passable satisfactory tolerable acceptable admissible allowable sufferable supportable sustainable
BECKON
BECKON
—verb (used with or without object)
- to signal, summon, or direct by a gesture of the head or hand.
- to lure; entice.
—noun
3. a nod, gesture, etc., that signals, directs, summons, indicates agreement, or the like.
SYNONYM
verb: call, signal, or lure
attract entice invite tempt allure ask bid coax command demand draw gesticulate gesture motion nod pull sign summon wave
BEING
BEING
—noun
- the fact of existing; existence (as opposed to nonexistence).
- conscious, mortal existence; life:
Our being is as an instantaneous flash of light in the midst of eternal night. - substance or nature:
of such a being as to arouse fear.
SYNONYM
noun: existence
actuality animation journey life living presence reality subsistence vitality world
BENCHMARK
BENCHMARK
-noun
A benchmark is something whose quality or quantity is known and which can therefore be used as a standard with which other things can be compared. ~The truck industry is a benchmark for the economy.
SYNONYM
noun: reference point
criterion gauge standard yardstick measure touchstone
BENEVOLENT
BENEVOLENT
—adjective
- characterized by or expressing goodwill or kindly feelings:
~a benevolent attitude; her benevolent smile. - desiring to help others; charitable:
~gifts from several benevolent alumni. - intended for benefits rather than profit:
~a benevolent institution.
SYNONYM
adjective: charitable, kind
benign caring compassionate generous humane philanthropic all heart altruistic beneficent big big-hearted bounteous bountiful chivalrous considerate helpful humanitarian kindhearted liberal magnanimous tenderhearted warmhearted well-disposed
BERATE
BERATE
-verb (used with object), be·rat·ed, be·rat·ing.
- to scold; rebuke:
~He berated them in public.
SYNONYM
verb: criticize hatefully
castigate chide rebuke reprimand reproach revile scold upbraid blister censure chew jaw rate reprove scorch vituperate bawl out call down chew out cuss out eat out give one hell give what for jump all over rail at rake over the coals tell off tongue-lash
BESEECH
BESEECH
-verb (used with object), be·sought or be·seeched, be·seech·ing.
- to implore urgently:
~They besought him to go at once. - to beg eagerly for; solicit.
—verb (used without object), be·sought or be·seeched, be·seech·ing.
- to make urgent appeal:
~Earnestly did I beseech, but to no avail.
SYNONYM
verb: beg
implore adjure appeal ask crave entreat importune invoke petition plead pray solicit sue supplicate call upon
BETTERMENT
BETTERMENT
—noun
- the act or process of bettering; improvement.
~an improvement of property other than by mere repairs.
SYNONYM
noun: improvement
advancement amelioration mastery melioration progress prosperity upgrading
BEWILDERED
BEWILDERED
—adjective
- completely puzzled or confused; perplexed.
SYNONYM
adjective: confused
astonished awed baffled befuddled dazed mystified perplexed puzzled rattled shocked startled stunned surprised addled appalled astounded dazzled disconcerted dizzy dumbfounded flabbergasted floored flustered lost misled muddled reeling staggered stumped stupefied thrown agape aghast agog awe-struck bowled over dumbstruck flipped out giddy in a dither punchy shook up speechless taken aback thunderstruck uncertain unglued
BIAS
BIAS
—noun
- a particular tendency, trend, inclination, feeling, or opinion, especially one that is preconceived or unreasoned:
~illegal bias against older job applicants;
~the magazine’s bias toward art rather than photography;
~our strong bias in favor of the idea. - unreasonably hostile feelings or opinions about a social group; prejudice:
~accusations of racial bias.
- Bias is a tendency to prefer one person or thing to another, and to favor that person or thing. …his desire to avoid the appearance of bias in favor of one candidate or another.
SYNONYM
noun: belief in one way; partiality
bigotry favoritism inclination intolerance leaning preference prejudice tendency tilt unfairness bent chauvinism disposition flash illiberality mind-set penchant preconception predilection predisposition prepossession proclivity proneness propensity spin standpoint turn viewpoint head-set mind trip narrowmindedness one-sidedness
BIFURCATE
BIFURCATE
—verb (used with or without object), bi·fur·cat·ed, bi·fur·cat·ing.
to divide or fork into two branches.
—adjective
divided into two branches.
- If something such as a line or path bifurcates or is bifurcated, it divides into two parts which go in different directions. The blood supply bifurcates between eight and thirty times before reaching each particular location in the body. bi|fur|ca|tionbaɪfɜrkeɪʃənbifurcations…the bifurcation between high art and popular culture.Guardian
SYNONYM
verb: divide into two branches
bisect branch diverge divide fork furcate ramify separate split
BIGOT
BIGOT
—noun
- a person who is utterly intolerant of any differing creed, belief, or opinion.
SYNONYM
noun: intolerant, prejudiced person
extremist fanatic maniac racist zealot chauvinist diehard doctrinaire dogmatist enthusiast fiend monomaniac partisan persecutor puritan sectarian segregationist sexist stickler opinionated person superpatriot
BILKING
BILKING
-verb (used with object)
- to defraud; cheat:
~He bilked the government of almost a million dollars.
SYNONYM
verb: cheat
con deceive defraud fleece swindle bamboozle beat circumvent disappoint do foil frustrate gyp overreach rook ruin snow thwart trick flimfla
BINGE
BINGE
—noun
- a period or bout, usually brief, of excessive indulgence, as in eating, drinking alcoholic beverages, etc.; spree.
—verb (used without object), binged, bing·ing or binge·ing.
- to have a binge:
to binge on junk food.
SYNONYM
noun: spree
orgy affair bender blind bout carousal drunk fling jag toot compotation
BIRTHRIGHT
BIRTHRIGHT
—noun
- any right or privilege to which a person is entitled by birth:
~Democracy maintains that freedom is a birthright.
SYNONYM
noun: heritage
bequest claim due inheritance legacy patrimony primogeniture right share
BOUND
BOUND
adjective: obligated; destined
* Bounds are limits which normally restrict what can happen or what people can do. Changes in temperature occur slowly and are constrained within relatively tight bounds. …a forceful personality willing to go beyond the bounds of convention.
SYNONYM
constrained enslaved obligated restrained apprenticed articled bent coerced compelled contracted doomed driven fated firm forced impelled indentured intent made necessitated obliged pledged pressed required urged bounden certain duty-bound having no alternative sure under compulsion under necessity
BOUNDARY
BOUNDARY
noun: outer limit
* The boundaries of something such as a subject or activity are the limits that people think that it has. ~The boundaries between history and storytelling are always being blurred and muddled.
SYNONYM
barrier border borderline bounds confines edge frontier horizon line perimeter ambit beginning borderland brink circumference circumscription compass end environs extent extremity frame fringe hem limits march margin mark mere mete outline outpost pale periphery precinct purlieus radius rim side skirt terminal termination terminus verge abuttals line of demarcation
BRAVADO
BRAVADO
—noun, plural bra·va·does, bra·va·dos.
- a pretentious, swaggering display of courage.
* Bravado is an appearance of courage or confidence that someone shows in order to impress other people. “You won’t get away with this,” he said with unexpected bravado.
SYNONYM
noun: boastfulness
bluster blowing bluff boasting bombast braggadocio bragging bullying crowing gasconade grandiosity guts pomposity pretension railing rant swelling talk fancy talk fanfaronade fuming hot air raging selfglorification storming swaggering tall talk
BREAKTHROUGH
BREAKTHROUGH
- noun: advance, progress
- A breakthrough is an important development or achievement. The company looks poised to make a significant breakthrough in China.
SYNONYM
boost development discovery finding gain hike improvement leap progress find increase invention rise quantum leap step forward
BY-PRODUCT
BY-PRODUCT
—noun
- a secondary or incidental product, as in a process of manufacture.
- the result of another action, often unforeseen or unintended.
SYNONYM
noun: side product
outgrowth consequence offshoot repercussion result after-effect fall-out side effect spinoff
