basic 5 Flashcards
leery
suspicious - waryمحتاط و شکاک
I was very leery of him after I found out he had lied to Jennifer.
wary
someone who is wary is careful because they think something might be dangerous or harmful
We must teach children to be wary of strangers.
Keep a wary eye on the weather before you set sail.
She had a wary expression on her face.
tact
noun
To talk carefully without hurting anyone’s feelings
With great tact, Clive persuaded her to apologize.
Politicians have tact, which makes them good at speaking about sensitive matters without making fools of themselves.
credulity
زودباوری - ساده لوحی
tendency to believe readily
Advertisers were accused of exploiting consumers’ credulity.
strain/stretch credulity (=seem very difficult to believe)
It strains credulity to think they could beat San Francisco and Dallas on the road.
• It strains credulity, I know, but there were nights in those years when no man was bad-looking.
perturb
disturb
مختل کردن
He didn’t seem perturbed by the noises outside.
he no longer lets the little trivialities perturb him.
discord
1 disagreement opp accord(agreement)
Money is the single biggest cause of discord in marriage.
The verdict(حکم) has increased racial discord in the country.
foment(برنگیختن - تحریک کردن) revolution/trouble/discord SYN stir up
2 lack of harmony
the music faded in discord
obstinate
beyond stubborn
an obstinate refusal to obey
You know I’m right really. You’re just being obstinate.
candidness
the quality of being straightforward and honest
In its candidness and detail the book undermines its own argument.
savvy
practical knowledge and ability SYN know-how
Her marketing savvy is exactly what this job requires.
the student savvies the meaning of astrophysics with little effort.
retract
if you retract something that you said or agreed, you say that you did not mean it SYN renounce or abjure از حرف یا کارت برگشتن
He confessed to the murder but later retracted his statement.
she retracted her hand as if she’d been burnt
connive
To connive is to plan or plot to do something illegal or wrong. Conniving is considered dishonest and cowardly. دسیسه چیدن almost like contrive
You think they’re just sitting around out there, but these crooks are always conniving.”
connive (with somebody) to do something دست ب یکی کردن
to work secretly with someone to achieve something, especially something wrong SYN conspire
They connived with their mother to deceive me.
impregnable
غیر قابل رسوخ like impervious
1 a building that is impregnable is so strong that it cannot be entered by force
an impregnable fortress
2 strong and impossible to change or influence
her impregnable obstinacy
tarnish
کدر کردن یا شدن
1 if an event or fact tarnishes someone’s reputation, record, image etc, it makes it worse
His regime was tarnished by human rights abuses.
2 if metals such as silver tarnish, or if something tarnishes them, they become dull and lose their colour
Gold does not tarnish easily.
tarnished silver spoons
devolve
if you devolve responsibility, power etc to a person or group at a lower level, it is given to them. SYN delegate
The federal government has devolved responsibility for welfare to the states.
Half of the cost of the study will devolve upon the firm.
2 if land, money etc devolves to someone, it becomes their property when someone else dies SYN pass
delegate
to give part of your power or work to someone in a lower position than you.
Minor tasks should be delegated to your assistant.
collusion
a secret agreement that two or more people make in order to do something dishonest تبانی - ساخت و پاخت
many have argued that Lee, JKF’s assassin, was in collusion with other criminals.
derogative
Disparaging
Showing strong disapproval and not respect
never before have we seen a debate between two political candidates that was so derogative and filthy.
destitute
1 having no money, no food, no home etc هیچی ندار
The floods left many people destitute.
2 be destitute of something
literary to be completely without something
a man who is destitute of mercy
peevish
easily irritated and annoyed. Like petulant OPP placid - phlegmatic - unflappable
our office manager is peevish, so the rest of us tip-toe around him.
(don’t mistake with pet peeve)
exemplify
مثال زدن
Mozart exemplified the poor starving artist who dies young.
maxim
a well-known phrase or saying, especially one that gives a rule for sensible behaviour → saying
But the Freudian maxim holds true: Laughter is just an expression of fear.
like “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”
apothegm, epigram, bromide, maxim
placid
not easily irritated OPP peevish
Doug is normally placid, so we were all shocked to see him yelling at the TV when the Mets lost the game.
ploy
ترفند
a clever and dishonest way of tricking someone so that you can get an advantage
His usual ploy is to pretend he’s ill.
a smart ploy to win votes
reservation
1 doubtfulness
I had serious reservations about his appointment as captain.
We condemn their actions without reservation (=completely).
2 an arrangement
embellish
1 make more attractive by adding ornament, color ..
The dress was embellished with gold threads
2 to make a story or statement more interesting by adding details that are not true SYN embroider
She gave an embellished account of what had happened.
شاخ و برگ دادن
travail
hard mental exertion or physical labor
Let us be clear about the causes of our present economic travail and where the blame lies. سختی
the travails of old age
Dont confuse it with travesty( an absurd representation)
