Brainscape Bot Deck Flashcards
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vindictive
adjective
having or showing a wish to harm someone because you think that they harmed you; unwilling to forgive:
In the movie “Cape Fear”, a lawyer’s family is threatened by a __________ former prisoner.
She was immature, spiteful, even __________ at times.
doleful
adjective
very sad:
a _______ expression
a _______ expression/look
feeble
adjective
weak and without energy, strength, or power:
He was a ______, helpless old man.
The little lamp gave only a ______ light.
Opposition to the plan was rather ______.
a ______ joke/excuse
a ______ joke
He’s pretty ______, and has to use a cane to get around.
weak: She was too tired and weak to finish the race.
______: Many of the pensioners were so ______ they had to be stretchered onto the ship.
puny: He was puny as a child.
weedy: UK I was just this weedy guy who always had his head in a book.
frail: A frail, grey-haired lady walked slowly down the street.
vigorous
adjective
very forceful or energetic:
a ________ debate
There has been ________ opposition to the proposals for a new road.
He takes plenty of ________ exercise.
Cutting the bush back in the autumn will help promote ________ growth in the spring.
recollect
verb
to remember something:
[ I ] There were five young men in the car, as near as I can _________.
[ + -ing verb ] He does not _________ seeing her at the party.
[ + question word ] Do you _________ where she went?
Can you _________ his name?
As far as I can _________, his name is Edward.
[ + (that) ] She suddenly _________ed (that) she had left her jacket in the restaurant.
recall: I don’t recall arranging a time to meet.
_________: I didn’t _________ having seen him.
remind: Every time we meet he reminds me about the money he lent me.
come back to: I forgot his name but it’s just come back to me.
reminisce: We were just reminiscing about our school days.
remember: Do you remember when her birthday is?
peruse
verb
to read through something, especially in order to find the part you are interested in:
He opened a newspaper and began to ______ the personal ads.
He opened the newspaper and ______d the sports pages.
stagnate
verb
to stay the same and not grow or develop:
The electronics industry is showing signs of _______ing after 15 years of growth.
My music career had ________d.
For now, the strong currents mean water is relatively clean but when the levels subside the water will ________.
Valleys where air tends to ________ often have high levels of pollutants.
The local economy ________d when the factories closed.
The housing market ________d as rising interest rates squeezed many buyers out of the market.
While the volume of traffic soared during the past two decades, transportation funding ________d.
Michigan is struggling with high unemployment and a _______ing economy.
High costs have caused _______ion in the building industries.
heave
verb
to move something ____y using a lot of effort:
With a great _____, they rolled the boulder out of the way.
He _____d the bag onto his shoulder.
He cleared a space, ____ing boxes out of the way.
She picked up a ____y book and _____d it at him.
As the wind increased, the deck of the ship began to _____ beneath his feet.
The smell of the fish made me/my stomach _____.
They gave a great _____ and rolled the boulder out of the way.
[ T always + adv/prep ] He leaned his weight against the door and _____d it open.
[ I ] After the race she was covered in sweat, her chest ____ing.
endeavour
verb
to try to do something:
Engineers are _________ing to locate the source of the problem.
In spite of our best _________s, it has proven impossible to contact her.
Crossing the North Pole on foot was an amazing feat of human _________.
artistic _________
try: I’ll try to call her again.
attempt: I have never attempted to run a marathon.
_________: UK Engineers are _________ing to locate the source of the problem.
seek: They sought to reassure the public.
battle: He was battling to fix the roof in the rain.
strive: With limited resources, they are striving to make the school a better one.
hallowed
adjective
very respected and praised because of great importance or great age:
________ traditions
Can atheists be buried in ________ ground?
________ icons such as Marilyn Monroe and James Dean
adjourn
verb
to have a pause or rest during a formal meeting or trial:
The meeting was _______ed until Tuesday.
Shall we _______ for lunch?
[ T ] They _______ed the meeting until after lunch.
[ C ] There was a two-day _______ment in the trial.
_______ for sth The meeting _______ed for lunch.
_______ a case/hearing/trial/inquest/meeting The district judge _______ed the case for 16 weeks to allow time for experts to give evidence.
extrapolate
verb
to guess or think about what might happen using information that is already known:
You can’t really ___________ a trend from such a small sample.
Speaking about global warming, she said that time periods of 15 and even 30 years are too brief to ___________ changes in climate patterns.
___________ (sth) from sth We as economists tend to just predict the future by __________ing from the past.
___________ trends/patterns/risks
___________ figures/data/numbers
perceive
verb
to come to an opinion about something, or have a belief about something:
Women’s magazines are often ________d to be superficial.
Bill ________d a tiny figure in the distance.
I ________d a note of unhappiness in her voice.
Perceiving that he wasn’t happy with the arrangements, I tried to book a different hotel.
The way people ________ the real world is strongly influenced by the language they speak.
In those days, crime wasn’t even ________d as a problem.
I ________d something moving in the shadows.
How do the French ________ the British?
spot: We managed to spot a leopard.
catch sight of: We looked for the bird and caught sight of it just as it flew off.
see: I can see for miles from up here.
notice: I noticed a crack in the ceiling.
________: Bill ________d a tiny figure in the distance.
observe: A teacher observed her climbing over the gate.
gruel
noun
a cheap simple food made, especially in the past, by boiling oats with water or milk
wayward
adjective
doing only what you want and often changing your behaviour in a way that is difficult to control
A _______ ball bounced into the yard.
He was a _______ kid.
usurp
verb
to take control of a position of power, especially without having the right to:
Local control is being _____ed by central government.
Some senators fear the organization will _____ congressional power.
virtual
adjective
almost a particular thing or quality:
Ten years of incompetent government had brought about the _______ collapse of the country’s economy.
In the game players simulate real life in a _______ world.
The service gives employees a personalized _______ desktop accessible from any web browser.
_______ shopping
Before a _______ meeting, all participants should test the technology and make sure they are comfortable with the major features.
Visit our website for a _______ tour of the museum.
She was a _______ unknown before this movie.
Snow brought Minneapolis to a _______ standstill yesterday.
Unemployment in this part of the country is _______ly nonexistent.
Falling orders led to the _______ ruin of her company.
The country’s first _______ business school is up and running.
Click here to take a _______ tour of homes we have for sale.
It is important to ensure that mergers of these companies do not result in a _______ monopoly in the industry.
impalpable
adjective
difficult to feel or understand:
an __________ beauty/quality
damsel
noun
a young woman who is not married
The heroine in this movie isn’t like some ______ in distress (= woman needing a man’s help) waiting to be saved.
resolve
verb
to solve or end a problem or difficulty:
to weaken/strengthen/test someone’s _______
The couple _______d their differences.
[ + that clause ] They _______d that they would never argue over money.
[ + to infinitive ] I _______d to run a mile a day.
The experience increased her _______ to change careers.
_______ a dispute/problem/conflict Lawyers could not _______ the dispute.
_______ differences Legislators are meeting this week to _______ differences in versions of the budget.
_______ to do sth They _______d to build a business for themselves.
_______ that He _______d that total expenditure will rise 3.3% in real terms in the next year.
weaken/strengthen sb’s _______ Successful people use setbacks as an opportunity to strengthen their _______.
test sb’s _______ The last three years have tested our _______.
[ + to infinitive ] The company _______d to take no further action against the thieves.
[ + adv/prep ] After hours of argument, they _______d against taking legal action.
The couple _______d their differences and made an effort to get along.
[ + that ] She _______d that she would never speak to him again.
Have you _______d the problem of transport yet?
decide: I’ve decided to move to Sweden.
set: Have you set a date for the wedding?
finalize: We’ve chosen a venue for the wedding, but we haven’t finalized the details yet.
settle: OK then, we’re going to Spain. That’s settled.
settle on/upon: Have you settled on a place to live yet?
promise: I promise that I’ll be home before dark.
guarantee: I can’t guarantee that the operation will be successful.
give (someone) your word: He gave me his word that the job would be finished on time.
assure: “Don’t worry, your car will be ready tomorrow”, the mechanic assured him.
swear: I didn’t know what happened, I swear.
pledge: We are asking people to pledge their support for our campaign.
fix: UK The price has been fixed at £10.
contort
verb
to (cause something to) twist or bend violently and unnaturally into a different shape or form:
His face _______ed with bitterness and rage.
sombre
adjective
serious, sad, and without humour or entertainment:
a ______ atmosphere/voice/face
The funeral was a ______ occasion.
I left them in a ______ mood.
He wore a ______ black suit.
serious: She had a serious look on her face.
earnest: At that time he was an earnest young environmental activist.
sober: The mood of the gathering was sober and reflective.
______: UK Since their colleague died there has been a very ______ atmosphere in the office.
solemn: The two men fell silent, their faces solemn.
minute
noun
one of the 60 parts that an hour is divided into, consisting of 60 seconds:
I won’t be a ______ (= I will be ready soon).
When you’ve got a ______, I’d like a brief word with you.
Could you take/do (= write) the ______s, Daniel?
The ______s of the last meeting were approved unanimously (= everyone agreed that they were correct).
I’ve just received a ______ from Clark authorizing the purchase of six more computers.
The chairman is ______d as having said that profits had fallen to an all-time low.
a ______ amount/quantity
I’ve never seen a man with such tiny hands - they’re ______!
The documentary showed an eye operation in ______ detail (= showing every small detail).
It takes me 20 ______s to get to work.
Just a ______ – I’m almost ready.
Just a ______ - I’ll be with you when I’ve finished this.
When you’ve got a ______, I’d like to talk to you.
She examined the contract in ______ detail (= looking at all the details of it).
The company publishes the ______s of all its meetings online.
agree/approve the ______s
It is part of her job to set the agenda for board meetings and take the ______s.
We’ve received a ______ authorizing the purchase of six more computers.
There did not appear to be any proper board ______ approving the sale.
The secretary hadn’t bothered to ______ half the meetings on the subject.
be fully/carefully/properly ______d Talks with lobbyists were fully ______d.
______ amounts/quantities
Hang on/Wait a ______ - I just have to get my bag.
It takes me 20 ______s to get to work.
The train leaves at three ______s to eight, so we’d better get there a few ______s before then.
a 20-______ bus ride
small: I live in a small town.
little: She’s a good little girl.
a little: I just want a little ice cream.
a little (bit): I was a little bit upset that she ate the last piece of cake.
tiny: His body was covered in tiny red spots.
peculiar
adjective
unusual and strange, sometimes in an unpleasant way:
She has the most ________ ideas.
What a ________ smell!
It’s ________ that they didn’t tell us they were going away.
UK The video on road accidents made me feel rather ________ (= ill).
He gets on with things in his own ________ way/manner/fashion.
They noted that special manner of walking that was ________ to her alone.
This type of building is ________ to the south of the country.
The copy editor will check type size and technical details to see if anything looks ________.
Katherine Hepburn’s way of talking was ________ to her.
strange: She’s a strange girl.
odd: I always thought there was something a bit odd about her.
bizarre: I had a really bizarre dream last night.
weird: His films are so weird that I can barely get through them.
funny: This lemonade tastes funny.
________: The chicken had a ________ smell.
lucrative
adjective
(especially of a business, job, or activity) producing a lot of money:
The merger proved to be very _________ for both companies.
The owner and general manager offered the player a _________ lifetime contract.
He gave up a _________ career as a lawyer to look after his kids.
The contest for this potentially _________ market has been intense.
extremely/highly/very _________ This business is highly _________.
a _________ business/contract/deal
She juggles motherhood with a _________ly successful career.
prosperous
adjective
successful, usually by earning a lot of money:
In a __________ country like this, no one should go hungry.
The area is becoming more and more __________.
a __________ businessman
a __________ country/economy/future
We have a world-class management team that will lead the company successfully and __________ly into the next century.
flush: He’s flush with cash.
loaded: They don’t have any money worries - they’re loaded.
well off: After years of working hard, we are now quite well off.
wealthy: Oliver’s parents are very wealthy.
rich: She’s one of the richest women in the country.
wary
adjective
not completely trusting or certain about something or someone:
I’m a little ____ of/about giving people my address when I don’t know them very well.
Teachers are often ____ of standardized tests.
delectable
adjective
looking or tasting extremely good, and giving great pleasure:
a __________ cheesecake
a __________ cake
visage
noun
the face
scrumptious
adjective
tasting extremely good:
___________ cakes
a ___________ breakfast
tantalize
verb
to make someone feel excited or attracted by an offer or a suggestion of something that is, in fact, unlikely to happen
Her paintings _________ the eye.
scrawny
adjective
unpleasantly thin, often with bones showing:
He came home after three months at college looking terribly _______.
The store had only a few _______ chickens left.
thin: She’s on a diet but I think she’s already too thin.
skinny: You should eat more. You’re much too skinny.
_______: He hated his _______ legs.
slim: He was tall, very slim, with pale, deep-set eyes.
slender: He put his arms around her slender waist.
nifty
adjective
good, pleasing, or effective:
a _____ piece of work/footwork
a _____ little gadget
What a _____ little gadget – you can use it for all kinds of things.
sopping
adjective
extremely wet:
You’re _______ wet - go and get changed.
The bottle had leaked in my bag and everything was _______.
You’re _______ wet – go put some dry clothes on.
accord
noun
(a formal) agreement:
On 31 May the two leaders signed a peace ______.
UK Before 1987, the ______ between the Labour government and the unions was a simple affair.
The project is completely in ______ with government policy.
She came of her own ______. No one asked her to come.
With one ______, the delegates walked out of the conference.
[ + two objects ] The massed crowds of supporters ______ed him a hero’s welcome.
Certainly in our society teachers don’t enjoy the respect that is ______ed to doctors and lawyers.
[ C ] Both parties signed an ______ last week in Geneva that may finally bring an end to the conflict.
[ U ] The officer acted in ______ with Florida law.
Reporters asked why the United States did not ______ full recognition to the new government.
agreement: Do we have an agreement?
gentleman’s agreement: He and his builder have a gentleman’s agreement that if there are spare materials left after working on the flat, the builder can take them home.
deal: Do we have a deal?
contract: The basketball player was signed to a multimillion-dollar contract with a new team this week.
______: The leaders of the four countries signed a peace ______.
understanding: We had an understanding that the businesses would merge, but never got that in writing.
impede
verb
to make it more difficult for something to happen or more difficult for someone to do something:
Although he’s shy, it certainly hasn’t ______d his career in any way.
Shortages of medicine were _____ing the effort to control diseases.
preposterous
adjective
very silly or stupid:
The very idea is ____________!
a ____________ suggestion
It was a ____________ idea, and no one took it seriously.
alluring
adjective
attractive or exciting:
I didn’t find the prospect of a house with no electricity very ________.
She was wearing a most ________ dress at Sam’s dinner party.
attractive: He’s an attractive, intelligent man.
appealing: She has an appealing sense of humour.
engaging: He is a very engaging conversationalist.
lovely: He’s such a lovely lad.
sweet: Your kids are so sweet.
adorable: She has an adorable little sister.
petrified
adjective
extremely frightened:
I stood _________ as the most enormous dog I’ve ever seen came bounding up to me.
She’s _________ of being on her own in the house at night.
a _________ tree/shell
As soon as they got on the stage they were _________ with fright.
afraid: She was afraid of the dark.
frightened: Don’t be frightened, my dog is quite friendly.
scared: Are you scared of spiders?
_________: He got to the top of the tree and was absolutely _________ he’d fall.
panic-stricken: She was panic-stricken when her little boy disappeared.
terrified: I’m terrified of flying.
acquisition
noun
the process of getting something:
The ___________ of huge amounts of data has helped our research enormously.
Language ___________ (= learning a language without being taught) starts at a very young age.
The museum’s latest ___________ is a four-million-dollar sculpture.
I like your earrings - are they a recent ___________? (= Did you get them recently?)
[ C ] The museum has made several recent ___________s.
[ U ] The ___________ of a new language requires a commitment of time and effort.
complete/make an ___________ Management intend to use the cash to make ___________s.
finance/fund an ___________ The company will fund the ___________ from its existing cash resources.
big/large/major ___________s If the company doesn’t make any big ___________s this year, it will hand back cash to shareholders.
a potential/proposed/recent ___________
Investment banks were changing rapidly into financial supermarkets whose business increasingly revolved around mergers and ___________s.
___________ of sth There were many additional costs related to the company’s ___________ of Walker Software.
land ___________
A spokesman confirmed that the company was in ___________ talks.
___________ of sth System changes will lead to the modification of the project and the ___________ of new resources and skills.
Hong Kong manufacturers are meeting the challenge through effective procurement and technology ___________.
purchase: I’m not in a position to make a major purchase like a car.
goods: There’s a sale on home goods this week.
shopping: Can you bring the shopping in for me?
groceries: US Thank you for bagging my groceries for me.
___________: That rare book is his latest ___________.
merchandise: The shop’s merchandise was heavily discounted.
alter
verb
to change something, usually slightly, or to cause the characteristics of something to change:
We’ve had to _____ some of our plans.
Although the cost of making phone calls is going up, the charge for connecting to the internet will not _____.
Giving up our car has radically _____ed our lifestyle.
I took the coat back to the shop to have it _____ed.
[ T ] The coat was too long, so I took it back to the store to have it _____ed.
Some things in life are not _____able.
[ C ] I had to make some _____ations in my research paper.
Just last week, the company agreed to _____ some of its business practices.
If they want to continue to have enough workers to fill their contracts, the company will have to _____ the way it does business.
Discovering new oil deposits could substantially _____ the balance between supply and demand.
It was back in 2002 that the shape of the business began to _____.
transform: The riverside area has been transformed into a shopping and sports complex.
turn into: There are plans to turn his latest book into a film.
change: She’ll always be like that - you can’t change her.
_____: We’ve had to _____ our plans.
vary: Try to vary the children’s diet a little.
convert: We’re going to convert the spare bedroom into an office.
impose
verb
to officially force a rule, tax, punishment, etc. to be obeyed or received:
I don’t want them to ______ their religious beliefs on my children.
We must ______ some kind of order on the way this office is run.
Are you sure it’s all right for me to come tonight? I don’t want to ______.
She’s always _____ing on people - asking favours and getting everyone to do things for her.
Settlers often ______d their culture on the peoples of the countries they conquered.
She’s always _____ing on people for favors.
I hope I’m not _____ing by staying another night.
______ a ban/restriction/penalty on sb/sth They are calling for the regulatory body to ______ a ban on television ads aimed at the under-12s.
to ______ a fine/tariff/tax
The council has ______d a ban on alcohol in the city parks.
Judges are _____ing increasingly heavy fines for minor driving offences.
Very high taxes have recently been ______d on cigarettes.
reprove
verb
to tell someone that you disapprove of their bad or silly behaviour:
The teacher gently _______d the boys for not paying attention.
lament
verb
to express sadness and feeling sorry about something:
The poem opens by ______ing (over) the death of a young man.
My grandmother, as usual, ______ed the decline in moral standards in today’s society.
The whole play can be interpreted as a ______ for lost youth.
He ______ed his students’ lack of interest in the classics.
Baker’s ______ was that his schedule kept him away from his family too often.
The late ______ed (= dead and remembered with love) Frank Giotto used to live here.
acquainted
adjective
knowing or being familiar with a person:
“Do you know Daphne?” “No, I’m afraid we’re not __________.”
I am not personally __________ with the gentleman in question.
Police said the thieves were obviously well __________ with the alarm system at the department store.
“Do you know Megan?” “No, we’re not __________.”
We got __________ when they gave us a ride home last night.
victuals
noun
food and drink:
“I can’t bear to see good ________ wasted,” said Martha.
feign
verb
to pretend to have a particular feeling, problem, etc. :
She responded to his remarks with _____ed amusement.
You know how everyone _____s surprise when you tell them how old you are.
The prosecution claimed that the defendant had _____ed the injury.
He _____ed sickness so he wouldn’t have to go to school.
intractable
adjective
very difficult or impossible to control, manage, or solve:
an ___________ child
___________ problems
We are facing an ___________ problem.
vociferous
adjective
Vociferous people express their opinions and complaints loudly and repeatedly in speech, and __________ demands, etc. are made repeatedly and loudly:
He protested __________ly, but to no avail.
Local activist groups have become increasingly __________ as the volume of traffic passing through the village has increased.
A __________ opponent of gay rights, he is well-known for his right-wing views.
a __________ critic of foreign policy
__________ objections
bliss
noun
perfect happiness:
Lying on a sunny beach is my idea of sheer _____.
wedded/domestic _____
Two weeks lying on a beach is my idea of absolute _____.
propitiate
verb
to please and make calm a god or person who is annoyed with you:
The radicals in the party were clearly sacked to __________ the conservative core.
In those days people might sacrifice a goat or sheep to __________ an angry god.
comply
verb
to act according to an order, set of rules, or request:
He’s been ordered to have the dog destroyed because it’s dangerous, but he refuses to ______.
There are serious penalties for failure to ______ with the regulations.
Comosa says he will ______ with the judge’s ruling.
The company said that it had always acted in _____iance with environmental laws.
______ with sth The state’s mining law requires mine operators to ______ with local land use regulations.
abide by: Players must abide by the referee’s decision.
obey: Children must obey their parents.
follow: All religions guide youths to follow the teachings of elders and parents.
______: There are serious penalties for failure to ______ with the regulations.
observe: People must observe the law.
adhere to: They failed to adhere to the terms of the agreement.
perish
verb
to die, especially in an accident or by being killed, or to be destroyed:
Without this assistance, thousands of refugees would ______ from hunger and neglect.
Sunlight has caused the rubber to ______.
He believes that Europe must create closer ties or it will ______.
Three hundred people ______ed in the earthquake.
die: My dog died last week.
die a natural/violent death: She dies a natural death at home, surrounded by loved ones.
pass away: He passed away peacefully in hospital.
pass on: I’m sorry to hear that your grandfather has passed on.
pass: US My father passed last year.
avarice
noun
an extremely strong wish to get or keep money or possessions:
Her business empire brought her wealth beyond the dreams of _______ (= an extremely large amount of money).
______ious land speculators
superfluous
adjective
more than is needed or wanted:
The report was marred by a mass of ___________ detail.
Our new mayor plans to eliminate ___________ programs.
Much of the school day is wasted on ___________ activities.
pamper
verb
to give someone special treatment, making that person as comfortable as possible and giving them whatever they want:
She ______s her dog with the finest steak and salmon.
Our children are ______ed by their grandparents.
Why not ______ yourself after a hard day with a hot bath scented with oils?
indulge
verb
to allow yourself or another person to have something enjoyable, especially more than is good for you:
The soccer fans _______d their patriotism, waving flags and singing songs.
I love champagne but I don’t often _______ myself.
We took a deliberate decision to _______ in a little nostalgia.
My aunt _______s the children dreadfully.
[ I ] When I get my first paycheck I’m going to _______ in a shopping spree.
[ T ] He _______d his passion for skiing whenever he could.
He was _______nt to his grandchildren.
thwart
verb
to stop something from happening or someone from doing something:
Our holiday plans were ______ed by the airline pilots’ strike
The city council ______ed his reform efforts.
prevent: Vaccination will prevent the spread of the disease.
avoid: Label the boxes to avoid confusion.
stop: This should stop any further trouble.
avert: We had to act quickly to avert disaster.
prohibit: Behavioural problems in the classroom prohibit learning.
check: Children are being vaccinated in an attempt to check the spread of the disease.
hearken
verb
to listen
convulsion
noun
a sudden movement of the muscles in your body that you cannot control, caused by illness or drugs:
She went into __________s and had to be rushed to hospital.
The syndrome brought on __________s.
vex
verb
to cause difficulty to someone, or to cause someone to feel angry, annoyed, or upset:
This issue looks likely to continue to ___ the government.
The question that ___es Ben the most is, “Why me?”
Rising gas prices are a ___ing problem.
portend
verb
to be a sign that something bad is likely to happen in the future:
It was a major scandal whose full exposure _______ed the end of a popular presidential reign.
It was a deeply superstitious country, where earthquakes were commonly believed to _______ the end of dynasties.
remark
verb
to give a spoken statement of an opinion or thought:
[ + (that) ] Dr Johnson once ______ed (that) “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.”
[ + that ] He ______ed that she was looking thin.
Her ______s on the employment question led to a heated discussion.
The children made rude ______s about the old man.
[ + (that) clause ] She ______ed (that) she’d be home late.
[ I ] All his friends ______ed on the change in him.
I think if you read his ______s, you’ll find them very fair.
say: When I say your name, raise your hand.
utter: She barely uttered a word all morning.
they say: They say the house is haunted.
it is said: It is said that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.
state: Union members stated that they were unhappy with the proposal.
comment: The MP could not be reached for comment.
______: His controversial ______s about race were widely reported.
statement: In a statement released earlier today, the team denied allegations of cheating.
declaration: The sovereign made a formal declaration of war.
observation: She makes some interesting observations about human nature in her book.
commentary: I love that sports announcer’s commentary - it’s always so funny!
______: He ______ed that she was looking thin.
ailing
adjective
experiencing difficulty and problems:
the country’s ______ economy
Ted asked me if I could help him fix his ______ car.
He’s visiting his ______ father.
The plan was supposed to give a boost to our ______ economy.
______ company/economy/industry The ______ company shut down two of its smaller plants in an attempt to trim costs.
weak: She was too tired and weak to finish the race.
feeble: Many of the pensioners were so feeble they had to be stretchered onto the ship.
puny: He was puny as a child.
weedy: UK I was just this weedy guy who always had his head in a book.
frail: A frail, grey-haired lady walked slowly down the street.
rigid
adjective
stiff or fixed; not able to be bent or moved:
a _____ steel and concrete structure
I was _____ with (= stiff and unable to move because of) fear.
disapproving We were disappointed that they insisted on such a _____ interpretation of the rules.
_____ rules of behavior
I keep to a _____ schedule.
_____ plastic
hard: If you hit your head on a hard surface, see a doctor.
stiff: Post the picture in a stiff cardboard envelope so it doesn’t get crumpled.
_____: The sculpture was a _____ steel and concrete structure.
solid: Dry the clay until it’s solid.
firm: I prefer a firm mattress.
slight
adjective
small in amount or degree:
He was a young man of ______ build with sensitive eyes and expressive hands.
He ______ed his wife by neglecting to introduce her.
a ______ incline
She had a ______ headache.
I don’t have the ______est idea what he’s talking about.
“Does it worry you?” “Not in the ______est.”
Like most long-distance runners she is very ______.
It’s a ______ but enjoyable tale.
His terrific performance lifts this otherwise ______ film.
I felt ______ed when my boss thanked everyone but me for their hard work.
I regarded her failure to acknowledge my greeting as a ______.
He speaks with a ______ French accent.
She had a ______ cold, but wasn’t feeling too bad.
a ______ improvement
a little: I just want a little ice cream.
a little (bit): I was a little bit upset that she ate the last piece of cake.
tiny: His body was covered in tiny red spots.
ignore: The buzzing is irritating, but try to ignore it.
disregard: He disregarded the advice of his doctor and went back to work.
turn a blind eye to: Until now, the mayor has turned a blind eye to the city’s homelessness problem.
close your eyes to: The administration closed its eyes to human-rights abuses by its soldiers.
little: She’s a good little girl.
small: I live in a small town.
interloper
noun
someone who becomes involved in an activity or a social group without being asked, or enters a place without permission:
Security did not prevent an __________ from getting onto the stage at the opening ceremony.
We felt like __________s when we tried to join the game.
insensible
adjective
unconscious:
We found her lying on the floor, drunk and __________.
I think he’s largely __________ to other people’s distress.
imprecation
noun
an offensive word:
The old woman walked along the street muttering ___________s.
compelled
adjective
having to do something, because you are forced to or feel it is necessary:
[ + to infinitive ] He felt _________ to report the incident.
heed
verb
to pay attention to something, especially advice or a warning:
The airline has been criticized for failing to ____ advice/warnings about lack of safety routines.
Perhaps they should have ____ed their own advice.
The airline failed to ____ warnings about security.
Voters are dissatisfied, and Congress should take ____ (= consider this).
heedless
adjective
not giving attention to a risk or possible difficulty:
Heedless destruction of the rainforests is contributing to global warming.
Journalists had insisted on getting to the front line of the battle, ________ of the risks.
Heedless of the hurricane warnings, they took the small boat out into open water.
expostulate
verb
to express disagreement or complaint:
Walter ___________d with the waiter about the size of the bill.
saunter
verb
to walk in a slow and relaxed way, often in no particular direction:
He _______ed by, looking very pleased with himself.
I took a little _______ through the town.
It was just an idle _______ in a lovely English lane.
My cousin stood up, yawning, and _______ed away toward the door.
grieve
verb
to feel or express great sadness, especially when someone dies:
He is still _____ing for/over his wife.
[ + obj + to infinitive ] It ______s me to see all this food going to waste.
[ I ] The entire community is _____ing for the loss of the four children.
hurt: I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you.
hurt someone’s feelings: Don’t say anything - you’ll hurt her feelings.
upset: I’m sorry the news upset you.
wound: He had wounded her pride more than she would ever have admitted.
pain: It pains me to admit it, but there’s nothing I can do to change the situation.
______: It ______d him that he had been the cause of all the bitterness.
pliable
adjective
A _______ substance bends easily without breaking or cracking:
Some kinds of plastic become _______ if they’re heated.
He wanted a sweet, _______, obedient wife.
soft, _______ materials
A more pliant leader would compromise.
recommence
verb
to start again, or to start something again:
Courses have stopped for the summer, but will __________ in September.
They plan to __________ trading in the next few days.
commence
verb
to begin something:
Shall we let the meeting ________?
[ + -ing verb ] Unfortunately, he ________d speaking before all the guests had finished eating.
[ T ] He ________d speaking before all the guests had arrived.
We will ________ building work in August of next year.
protracted
adjective
lasting for a long time or made to last longer than necessary:
__________ negotiations
a __________ argument/discussion
Their __________ legal battle may soon be resolved.
long: He’s been gone a long time.
prolonged: She returned to work after a prolonged illness.
lengthy: Airline passengers may face lengthy delays during holiday travel.
sustained: We continue to see sustained economic growth.
extended: Standing for extended periods of time can be bad for your back.
expansive
adjective
very happy to talk to people in a friendly way:
He was in an _________ mood on the night of the party.
There was an _________ view from the window.
“All this is mine,” she said with an _________ arm gesture (= using big movements).
The seals form small groups on the _________ beaches where they breed.
sparse
adjective
small in numbers or amount, often spread over a large area:
This area is very \_\_\_\_\_\_ly settled because there isn’t much water. \_\_\_\_\_\_ attendance a \_\_\_\_\_\_ population/audience \_\_\_\_\_\_ vegetation/woodland a \_\_\_\_\_\_ beard Information coming out of the disaster area is \_\_\_\_\_\_. plants with \_\_\_\_\_\_ foliage a \_\_\_\_\_\_ vocabulary
meticulous
adjective
very careful and with great attention to every detail:
__________ly planned
Many hours of __________ preparation have gone into writing the book.
a __________ housekeeper
__________ research
She __________ly planned every decorating detail.
__________ about sth She was __________ about keeping her expense receipts properly filed.
A combination of innovation and __________ attention to detail have contributed to the luxury brand’s success.
She was used to keeping __________ records, so the documents, plus dates and times of visits and phone calls, were at hand.
__________ planning/preparation/research
methodical: I appreciated his methodical approach to the work.
__________: This book is the result of years of __________ research.
thorough: He seems like he’s not paying attention, but don’t be fooled - he’s very thorough.
careful: After careful consideration, we are unable to accept your proposal.
fastidious
adjective
giving too much attention to small details and wanting everything to be correct and perfect:
He is very __________ about how a suitcase should be packed.
They were too __________ to eat in a fast-food restaurant.
The restaurant offers elaborate food and __________ service at high prices.
attentive
adjective
listening carefully:
an _________ audience
He was very _________ to her when she was ill.
A good teacher is always _________ to their students’ needs.
an _________ audience
The children listened _________ly to the story.
immaculate
adjective
perfectly clean or tidy:
dressed in an \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ white suit an \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ garden He gave an \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ performance as the aging hero. She was \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ly dressed. My aunt’s kitchen was always \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.
ideal: The book is ideal for children aged between four and six.
clean: Are these clothes clean?
__________: The whole house was __________.
spotless: He was wearing a spotless white shirt.
spick and span: Their house is always spick and span.
pure: I love the pure mountain air.
perfect: We had the perfect summer beach holiday.
faultless: They gave a faultless performance.
flawless: She has a flawless complexion.
__________: He writes in __________ prose.
impeccable: His English is impeccable.
astute
adjective
able to understand a situation quickly and see how to take advantage of it:
He was politically ______, and was soon appointed to a number of powerful committees in Congress.
an ______ observer of human behaviour
his ______ handling of the situation
an ______ investor/businesswoman
intelligent: He seems like a very intelligent young man.
clever: I’m the cleverest kid in the class.
smart: She’s incredibly smart and a great writer.
bright: Jacob was a very bright boy.
sharp: How can we stay mentally sharp as we age?
vibrant
adjective
energetic, exciting, and full of enthusiasm:
a _______ young performer
a _______ personality
a _______ city
The hope is that this area will develop into a _______ commercial centre.
He always uses _______ colours in his paintings.
The city is youthful, _______ – an exciting place.
a _______ democracy/economy/market Ireland went from a _______ economy to virtual collapse in the space of a decade.
Any credible financial centre has to have a big futures market, so a _______ futures exchange is an absolute necessity.
Flowers of _______ colors were on each table.
exciting: Riding roller coasters is so exciting!
gripping: The book was gripping - I couldn’t put it down.
riveting: I found the movie absolutely riveting.
thrilling: It was a thrilling game in which both teams played well.
exhilarating: I find skiing absolutely exhilarating.
action-packed: We had an action-packed holiday.
vivid
adjective
Vivid descriptions, memories, etc. produce very clear, powerful, and detailed images in the mind:
He gave a very _____ and often shocking account/description of his time in prison.
He’s one of those people with a very _____ imagination - every time he hears a noise he’s convinced it’s someone breaking in.
She was wearing a _____ pink shirt.
_____ colors
_____ memories
The author _____ly describes his early life on the farm.
scrupulous
adjective
extremely honest :
The nurse told him to be __________ (= extremely careful) about keeping the wound clean.
She managed to get a copy of the report through a friend who wasn’t so __________ about sharing information.
Her report is __________ in its detail.
A __________ politician would not lie about her business interests.
driven
adjective
Someone who is ______ is so determined to achieve something or be successful that all of their behaviour is directed towards this aim:
Like most of the lawyers that I know, Rachel is ______.
The new ships, propelled by gas turbines, require less maintenance than older, steam-______ ones.
The fact remains that there are some public services that cannot be entirely market-______ (= controlled by economic forces).
He arrived every morning by chauffeur-______ car.
He is a ______ man - capable of anything.
The company’s policies are essentially cost-______.
consumer-______/market-______/product-______
The decline accelerated in late afternoon as computer-______ selling kicked in.
diesel-______/gas-______/electrically-______ vehicle
dazed
adjective
very confused and unable to think clearly:
You’re looking rather _____ - is something wrong?
a _____ expression
The driver in the accident appeared _____ but not badly hurt.
She was so happy she was in a ____.
baffled
verb
past simple and past participle of ______
She was completely _______ by his strange behaviour.
I found what he was saying completely _____ing.
mystify
verb
to confuse someone by being or doing something very strange or impossible to explain:
I was ______ied by her decision.
Most Americans are totally ______ied by the English game of cricket.
Doctors were ______ied by her high fever and headaches.
fraudulent
adjective
dishonest and illegal:
For a charge of __________ trading to succeed, dishonesty would first have to be proved.
A worrying trend for insurers has been a rise in __________ claims.
They claim that the fall in unemployment is based on a __________ manipulation of statistics.
__________ advertising
There’s been a rise in __________ insurance claims.
They thought I might try to collect insurance on a __________ claim.
deceitful: She’s deeply deceitful and not to be trusted.
devious: It was a devious plan - but would it work?
untrustworthy: He made the mistake of basing his news story on an untrustworthy source.
dishonest: The press called out the campaign’s dishonest tactics.
unnerving
adjective
making someone feel less confident and slightly frightened:
Meeting a twin brother I didn’t know I had was an _________ experience.
He has an _________ habit of repeatedly glancing over my shoulder and out of the window.
vital
adjective
necessary for the success or continued existence of something; extremely important:
A strong opposition is _____ to a healthy democracy.
She had found out some information of _____ importance.
The kidney plays a _____ role/part in the removal of waste products from the blood.
[ + that ] It’s absolutely _____ that you do exactly as I say.
[ + to infinitive ] It is _____ to get medical supplies to the area as soon as possible.
He had never felt so _____ and full of life.
The existence of a strong opposition is _____ to a healthy democracy.
The kidneys play a _____ role/part in removing waste from the blood.
[ + that clause ] It’s _____ that you respond at once.
It’s _____ly important that we get there by tomorrow.
crucial
adjective
extremely important or necessary:
a _______ decision/question
Her work has been _______ to the project’s success.
[ + that ] It is _______ that the problem is tackled immediately.
The behavior of the oceans is a _______ aspect of global warming.
The band wants to win over fans and, more _______ly, radio programmers.
cut-throat
adjective
competing in a strong and unfair way, without considering any harm caused to others:
a __________ business/market/world
Scrapping of price fixing legislation led to a __________ battle for supermarket customers.
Many firms have fallen victim to __________ competition.
frail
adjective
weak or unhealthy, or easily damaged, broken, or harmed:
a _____ old lady
I last saw him just last week and thought how old and _____ he looked.
the country’s _____ economy
He’s always in _____ health.
The shirt is old and _____, and the threads look ready to part.
weak: She was too tired and weak to finish the race.
feeble: Many of the pensioners were so feeble they had to be stretchered onto the ship.
puny: He was puny as a child.
weedy: UK I was just this weedy guy who always had his head in a book.
_____: A _____, grey-haired lady walked slowly down the street.
proficient
adjective
skilled and experienced:
It takes a couple of years of regular driving before you become __________ at it.
a __________ swimmer
He studied Chinese and became __________ in the language.
Morgan has great _________cy as a jazz saxophonist.
__________ at sth/doing sth Consumers have become more __________ at shopping online.
__________ in sth The government will help small businesses become __________ in the technologies they need to compete in the digital marketplace.
She’s __________ in two languages.
a __________ swimmer
skilful: She’s a skilful driver.
skilled: He’s a skilled mechanic.
good at: She’s very good at dealing with people.
able: She’s a very able student.
gifted: She’s a gifted musician.
talented: He’s a very talented actor.
dazzling
adjective
A ________ light is so bright that you cannot see for a short time after looking at it:
a \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ white light \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ good looks a \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ smile a \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ performance/display A \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ smile flashed across his face.
blazing: We stepped out of the plane into blazing sunshine.
bright: A bright light was shining through the gloom.
shining: The animal’s eyes shone in the darkness.
brilliant: The moon shed a brilliant light over the ocean.
intense: The intense light reflecting off snow at high altitudes can damage your eyes.
stupefied
adjective
unable to think clearly, usually because someone is extremely tired or bored, or has taken drugs:
Stupefied by tiredness, she just sat in front of the fire.
As they slept in a _________ state, someone stole all their belongings.
We were so _________ by the news that we all sat in silence for a long time.
She was _________ to learn that he didn’t know how to make his bed.
vapid
adjective
showing no intelligence or imagination:
He’s attractive, but _____.
a _____ reality TV show
dilapidated
adjective
old and in poor condition:
The hotel we stayed in was really ___________.
a ___________ old car/shed
We still use the ___________ barn for storing tools.
inhibit
verb
to prevent someone from doing something by making them feel nervous or embarrassed :
Some workers were _______ed (from speaking) by the presence of their managers.
This drug _______s the growth of tumours.
The merger of the two corporations was not allowed because it would _______ open competition.
Some states have a rule that _______s lawyers from talking about their cases outside the courtroom.
_______ competition/growth/innovation Authorities fear that fewer, bigger airlines will _______ competition.
initiate
verb
to cause something to begin:
________ proceedings/an action against sb/sth The bank ________d legal proceedings against a former employee for fraud.
The automaker ________d a programme to improve the recyclability of its automobiles at the end of their useful life.
Each culture had a special ritual to ________ boys into manhood.
Who ________d the violence?
At the age of eleven, Harry was ________d into the art of golf by his father.
The peace talks were ________d by a special envoy.
congregation
noun
a group of people who have come together in a religious building for worship and prayer:
The priest asked the ____________ to kneel.
a ____________ of 300 members
audience: The audience went wild after every song she sang.
viewer: The show attracts millions of viewers every week.
listener: Listeners tune in regularly for his cheery banter.
crowd: Those New Yorkers can be a tough crowd to please.
house: It’s a full house tonight.
spectator: The spectators cheered when the balloon went up.
flounder
verb
to experience great difficulties or be completely unable to decide what to do or say next:
He lost the next page of his speech and ________ed around/about for a few seconds.
Although his business was a success, his marriage was ________ing.
Richardson resigned as chairman, leaving the company ________ing.
She ________ed around in the water.
His business was flourishing, but his marriage was ________ing.
Stock markets all over the world are ________ing due to the current recession.
In spite of a slight increase in exports, the economy continues to ________.
a ________ing stock market/economy/business
He lost the next page of his speech and ________ed for a few seconds.
mind-numbing
adjective
extremely boring:
a ____________ task
transgression
noun
the act or process of breaking a law or moral rule, or an example of this:
Who is supposed to have committed these _____________s?
Adolescence is a period marked by fascination with the _____________ of rules.
[ C ] It is hard to keep the _____________s of famous people out of the news.
He __________ed the military code of honor and paid a heavy penalty.
profligate
adjective
spending money or using something in a way that wastes it and is not wise:
He is a drunkard and a __________.
__________ spending
Corporate bodies are more corrupt and __________ than individuals because they have more power to do mischief.
She continues to put up with her husband’s __________ behaviour.
She is well-known for her __________ spending habits.
The __________ use of antibiotics has led to the evolution of resistant bacteria.
tabloid
adjective
(of or relating to) a type of popular newspaper with small pages that has many pictures and short, simple reports:
the _______ press
a _______ newspaper
The _______s often attract readers with sensational headlines.
fume
verb
to be very angry, sometimes without expressing it:
I saw her a week after they’d had the argument and she was still fuming.
The whole episode left me fuming at the injustice of it all.
Days after the argument, he was still fuming.
angry: It does no good to get angry at him - it won’t change the situation at all.
mad: Are you mad at me?
sore: US He’s still sore about the way things turned out.
annoyed: He was annoyed with her for being late.
irritated: I was irritated that he didn’t thank me.
livid
adjective
extremely angry:
He was _____ when he found out.
He had a long, _____ scar across his cheek.
The rude letter from his mother-in-law made him _____.
There was a _____ bruise on her upper arm where she had fallen.
angry: It does no good to get angry at him - it won’t change the situation at all.
mad: Are you mad at me?
sore: US He’s still sore about the way things turned out.
annoyed: He was annoyed with her for being late.
irritated: I was irritated that he didn’t thank me.
astounded
adjective
very surprised or shocked:
[ + to infinitive ] I was _________ to hear that Tina had left.
exquisite
adjective
very beautiful and delicate:
an \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ piece of china Look at this \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ painting. She has \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ taste. a vase of \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ workmanship \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ joy The pain was quite \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_. A good comedian needs to have an \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ sense of timing. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Chinese embroideries the most \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ French cuisine Their house is \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ly furnished.
beautiful: I’ve never seen a more beautiful view in my life.
attractive: Her husband is really attractive.
good-looking: I think they’re very good-looking.
handsome: He’s so handsome.
pretty: Your daughter is very pretty.
gorgeous: You look gorgeous in that dress!
radiant
adjective
obviously very happy, or very beautiful:
He gave a _______ smile when he heard her news.
a _______ heater
the _______ heat of the sun
The bride looked _______ on her wedding day.
Plants absorb _______ energy from sunlight.
sermon
noun
a part of a Christian church ceremony in which a priest gives a talk on a religious or moral subject, often based on something written in the Bible:
The Reverend William Cronshaw delivered/preached the ______.
Today’s ______ was on the importance of compassion.
I really don’t think it’s a politician’s job to go delivering ______s on public morality.
palatial
adjective
A ________ house is very large and beautiful.
They lived in a ________ apartment.
flimsy
adjective
very thin, or easily broken or destroyed:
You won’t be warm enough in that ______ dress.
We spent the night in a ______ wooden hut.
a ______ cardboard box
When I asked him why he was late, he gave me some ______ excuse about having car trouble.
a ______ dress
a ______ building
They convicted the defendant on very ______ evidence.
weak: If trees do not get enough water they become weak.
strong: Steel is a very strong material.
______: There was only a ______ inflatable raft between him and the raging river
rickety: We climbed up the rickety wooden stairs.
fragile: Some objects are too fragile to be moved between the museums.
delicate: She carefully wrapped up the delicate glass ornaments.
grimy
adjective
dirty:
The child’s face was _____ and streaked with tears.
dirty: This shirt is dirty.
filthy: Wash your hands before dinner - they’re filthy!
scruffy: He’s the typical scruffy student.
messy: Ben’s bedroom is always really messy.
_____: Don’t wipe your _____ hands on that clean towel!
candid
adjective
honest and telling the truth, especially about something difficult or painful:
The two presidents have had ______ talks about the current crisis.
To be ______ with you, I think you’re making a dreadful mistake.
We had a ______ discussion about her poor job performance.
honest: The new MP was refreshingly honest with her constituents.
straight: Just be straight with her and tell her how you feel.
sincere: He’s so sincere that you know exactly where you stand with him.
truthful: Are you being truthful with me?
frank
adjective
honest, sincere, and telling the truth, even when this might be awkward or make other people uncomfortable:
To be perfectly _____, I don’t think you are as well qualified as some of the other candidates.
We appreciate your _____ness.
Senators can also send _____ed mail.
You can only acquire _____ing machines on a rental basis.
To be perfectly _____ with you, I don’t think she’s the person for the job.
The magazine, which gives _____ advice about sex and romance, is aimed at the teenage market.
There followed a _____ exchange of views.
a full and _____ discussion
honest: The new MP was refreshingly honest with her constituents.
straight: Just be straight with her and tell her how you feel.
sincere: He’s so sincere that you know exactly where you stand with him.
truthful: Are you being truthful with me?
scolding
noun
the act of speaking angrily to someone because you disapprove of their behaviour:
He gave his son a ________ for coming home so late.
She received a ________ letter.
blistering
adjective
extremely hot:
We went out in the __________ heat.
The runners set off at a __________ pace.
The vice president launched a __________ attack on Senate Republicans.
__________ remarks/sarcasm
hot: It’s so hot outside!
scorching: We’re due for another scorching summer day.
__________: We’ve had __________ heat this week.
sweltering: She won the race despite the sweltering heat.
scorching
adjective
very hot:
a _________ summer day
It was _________ hot inside the greenhouse.
I don’t want to be outside in this _________ heat.
It was _________ hot at the beach.
blistering: We’ve had blistering heat this week.
sweltering: She won the race despite the sweltering heat.
hot: It’s so hot outside!
_________: We’re due for another _________ summer day.
ravenous
adjective
extremely hungry:
a \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ appetite for cash a stage star who was \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ for attention We were \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ after hiking all day. Growing boys have \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ appetites. I'm \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ - where's supper?
remarkable
adjective
unusual or special and therefore surprising and worth mentioning:
Nelson Mandela was a truly __________ man.
Meeting you here in Rome is a __________ coincidence.
The 20th century was __________ for its inventions.
He’s a __________ young man.
They were _________y calm after the crash.
hefty
adjective
large in amount, size, force, etc.:
a _____ bill/fine
Her salary will go up by a _____ 13 percent.
a _____ book containing a lot of information
a _____ fine/bonus
a _____ steak dinner
a _____, pink-faced baby
a _____ 15.9%/30%/54%, etc. One of the market’s star performers announced a _____ $10bn share buyback programme.
_____ returns/dividends They promised investors _____ returns.
a _____ fee/fine/premium Avoid a _____ fine by posting your completed tax return by the end of this month.
_____ increases/losses/rises
a _____ debt/profit/discount
_____ bonuses/commissions/penalties
big: They live in a big house in the country.
large: A large number of people were crowded into the room.
great: The party was a great success.
enormous: They bought an enormous house in the suburbs.
riveting
adjective
extremely interesting:
It was a ________ story.
a ________ TV show
exciting: Riding roller coasters is so exciting!
gripping: The book was gripping - I couldn’t put it down.
thrilling: It was a thrilling game in which both teams played well.
exhilarating: I find skiing absolutely exhilarating.
action-packed: We had an action-packed holiday.
interesting: She’s such an interesting person.
absorbing: It was a very absorbing film.
gripping: I found the book absolutely gripping - I couldn’t put it down.
________: The performance was ________.
compelling: It was a compelling story.
fascinating: The history of the place was absolutely fascinating.
________: I found the movie absolutely ________.
blaring
verb
present participle of blare
The loudspeakers blared across the square.
The radio was _______ (out) martial music.
the blare of trumpets
fortunate
adjective
lucky:
[ + to infinitive ] You’re very _________ to have found such a nice house.
He was _________ in his choice of assistant.
[ + that ] It was _________ that they had set out early because the traffic was terrible.
a _________ choice
[ + to infinitive ] You’re _________ to have found such a pleasant house.
[ + that clause ] It was _________ that you left in time.
Fortunately we were already home when it started to snow.
lucky: Two lucky winners will be treated to an all-expenses paid trip to the Bahamas!
_________: It was _________ that he wasn’t injured in the accident.
it’s a good thing: It’s a good thing we bought travel insurance for our trip since it was cancelled.
it’s a good job: UK It’s a good job they didn’t go camping this weekend - the weather’s been awful.
luck out: US The Giants really lucked out in last night’s game.
the cutting edge
noun
the most modern stage of development in a particular type of work or activity:
a company at ________________ of mobile communications technology
cutting-edge design/technology
His research is at ________________ of new therapies for cancer.
Employees need to develop the necessary skills to maintain a cutting edge in technological advance.
We want to be at ________________ of this technology.
Video games companies are always on ________________ in terms of the graphics.
cutting-edge companies/designs/products
modern: The building was made using modern construction techniques.
up to date: The hospital has some of the most up-to-date equipment in the country.
latest: She always wears the latest fashions.
cutting-edge: Computers have brought cutting-edge technology into the classroom.
high-tech: Divers with high-tech equipment discovered the wreck of the ship.
decrepit
adjective
in very bad condition because of being old, or not having been cared for, or having been used a lot:
The town had two ________ fire trucks that were constantly breaking down.
Most of the buildings were old and ________.
A ________ old man sat on a park bench.
excruciating
adjective
extremely painful:
an ____________ headache
His confession, when it came, was ____________.
____________ boredom
an ____________ pain in the lower back
painful: Her ankle was still painful if she put weight on it.
sore: My feet are sore from walking around all day.
tender: The glands in my neck feel really tender.
sensitive: My face was bright red and sensitive to the touch.
____________: His injury caused ____________ headaches.
impoverished
adjective
very poor:
an ____________ young actor
He warned that the breakdown of the family unit would lead to an ____________ society.
an ____________ family
poor: Her family was poor and didn’t own a computer.
penniless: At the time, I was a penniless student.
____________: Benefits should be targeted at the most ____________ families.
deprived: Deprived areas will be hardest hit by the cuts.
disadvantaged: The scheme was set up to help disadvantaged children.
upbeat
adjective
full of hope, happiness, and good feelings:
Live music and a parade set an ______ mood for the official opening.
The mood is ______ at Shaw’s campaign headquarters tonight.
High wheat prices have created an ______ atmosphere in farming communities throughout the region.
The company was ______ at its annual meeting, saying turnover and profit are higher than at this time last year.
______ about sth She was feeling ______ about her new job.
vivacious
adjective
A _________ person, especially a woman or girl, is attractively energetic and enthusiastic:
He brought along his wife, a _________ blonde, some 20 years his junior.
Judy Garland was bright and _________, with a vibrant singing voice.
arduous
adjective
difficult, needing a lot of effort and energy:
an _______ climb/task/journey
In those days, a trip to the West was an _______ journey.
weighty
adjective
heavy:
They discussed _______ topics like arms control, the Middle East, and the federal budget deficit.
_______ matters/issues
I don’t want to carry this bag around all afternoon - it’s pretty _______.
superb
adjective
of excellent quality; very great:
He is a ______ dancer.
Taylor scored a ______ goal at the end of the first half.
______ seafood
The cast is ______, especially Philip Bosco.
a ______ly illustrated book
squalid
adjective
(of places) extremely dirty and unpleasant, often because of lack of money:
Many prisons, even today, are overcrowded and _______ places.
It’s the usual _______ rock star tale of drugs, sex, and overdoses.
The _______ apartment was her first home in the city.
He lived in dreadful _____or despite having a small fortune in the bank.
grimy: Don’t wipe your grimy hands on that clean towel!
messy: Ben’s bedroom is always really messy.
scruffy: He’s the typical scruffy student.
filthy: Wash your hands before dinner - they’re filthy!
dirty: This shirt is dirty.
arid
adjective
very dry and without enough rain for plants:
The desert is so ____ that nothing can grow there.
After several ____ years, the company has started to become successful.
I found his writing extremely ____.
an ____ region
parched
adjective
(especially of earth or crops) dried out because of too much heat and not enough rain:
_______ earth/fields/corn
It was the height of summer and the land was _______ and brown.
I must get a drink - I’m absolutely _______!
My lips were _______.
enlightening
adjective
giving you more information and understanding of something:
That was a very ____________ programme.
The instruction manual that came with my new computer wasn’t very ____________ about how to operate it.
mortified
adjective
very embarrassed:
[ + to infinitive ] She was absolutely _________ to hear her son swearing at the teacher.
embarrassed: I was too embarrassed to admit I was wrong.
abashed: She looked at the floor, abashed.
shamefaced: He stood shamefaced at the door, looking at the vase he had just knocked to the ground.
sheepish: She startled, then gave him a sheepish smile as she picked up her dropped papers.
ashamed: He was ashamed that he had been caught stealing.
zealous
adjective
enthusiastic and eager:
a _______ supporter of the government’s policies
He thought the reporters were too _______ in their attempts to get into the event.
keen
adjective
very interested, eager, or wanting (to do) something very much:
They were very ____ to start work as soon as possible.
Joan wanted to go to a movie but I wasn’t ____ (= I didn’t want to go).
She’s a ____ tennis player.
She’s ____ on (playing) tennis.
UK My son’s mad ____ on cycling.
He’s rather ____ on a girl in his school (= he is very attracted to her).
Many people are taking a ____ interest (= a very great interest) in the result of the vote.
a ____ north wind
a ____ knife/blade
a ____ interest in painting
a ____ eye for detail
a ____ sense of smell
Theresa isn’t too ____ on pets.
Some firms are diversifying their businesses in response to ____ competition.
Superstores may offer ____ prices that small-town shops cannot match.
A ____ member of two local investment clubs, he runs portfolios of shares for both himself and his wife.
a ____ interest in sth Among the foundation’s donors are corporations with a ____ interest in issues before the legislature.
____ on sth Like every banker these days, he is ____ on managing other people’s wealth.
____ to do sth The company is ____ to expand beyond the UK.
a ____ sense of smell
elated
adjective
extremely happy and excited, often because something has happened or been achieved:
The prince was reported to be ______ at/by the birth of his daughter.
He was ______ by the news that he had won a full scholarship.
glad: I was so glad to see her.
pleased: He was pleased that she had come back.
happy: I’m much happier in my new job.
cheerful: She’s always very cheerful.
in a good mood: You’re in a good mood this morning!
eager
adjective
wanting very much to do or have something, especially something interesting or enjoyable:
the children’s _____ faces
[ + to infinitive ] She sounded very _____ to meet you.
They crowded around the spokesperson, _____ for any news.
Lots of _____ volunteers responded to the appeal for help.
_____: She was _____ to help.
excited: The children were very excited to go to the zoo.
avid: He took an avid interest in the project.
enthusiastic: He was very enthusiastic about the idea of moving to Spain.
be dying for/to do: I’m dying for a glass of water
raring to: I’ve bought all the paint and I’m raring to get started on the decorating.
exorbitant
adjective
Exorbitant prices, demands, etc. are much too large:
an __________ price/fee/rate
The bill for dinner was __________.
The hotel charges were __________.
The interest charged on most credit cards is __________.
pricey: The restaurants in town are a bit pricey.
exclusive: They have an apartment in an exclusive part of town.
costly: They made several costly mistakes, including spending $60 million on shoddy machinery.
dear: UK I find the veg too dear in that supermarket.
expensive: He thinks he’s special with his expensive suits and fancy shoes.
just
adverb
now, very soon, or very recently:
It’s ____ amazing how powerful the new computers are.
I ____ wanted to ask you if you’re free this afternoon.
We arrived at the airport ____ in time to catch the plane.
This dress (only) ____ fits.
“Can you see the stage?” “Yes, only ____/____ about.”
I’ve ____ about finished painting the living room.
It’s ____ possible that we might be going away that weekend.
It’s ____ dreadful what happened to her.
The judge’s sentence was perfectly ____ in the circumstances.
I don’t really think he had ____ cause to complain.
He ____ left – if you run, you can catch him.
It was ____ past (= very soon after) midnight.
a ____ verdict
We got the children off to school ____ as the bus was about to leave.
The doctor will see you in ____ a minute/moment/second (= very soon).
Beth looks ____ like her mother.
[ + question word ] It was ____ what I expected.
I’ll ____ check my e-mail, then we can go for coffee.
I ____ called to wish you a happy birthday.
We’ll ____ have to wait and see what happens.
He ____ won’t listen to me.
We arrived at the airport ____ in time to catch the plane.
Matthew weighed ____ (= slightly) over seven pounds at birth.
“Are you finished yet?” “Just about.”
You look ____ wonderful!
We’re ____ about to begin (= We will begin very soon).
Can I ____ borrow the scissors for a second?
It’s ____ too expensive.
He ____ won’t do as he’s told.
Just because you’re older than me doesn’t mean you can tell me what to do.
“Where are you, Jim?” “I’m ____ coming.”
I’ll ____ finish this, then we can go.
He’d ____ got into the bath when the phone rang.
The children arrived at school ____ as (= at the same moment as) the bell was ringing.
The doctor will be with you in ____ a minute/moment/second (= very soon).
It’s ____ after/past (UK also gone) ten o’clock.
Who was that at the door ____ now?
John’s in the bath ____ now - can he call you back?
This carpet would be ____ right for the dining room.
The twins look ____ like each other.
You’ve got ____ as many toys as your brother.
Thank you, it’s ____ what I’ve always wanted.
I can’t help you ____ now/yet.
Just then, the lights went out.
I can ____ imagine Sophie as a police officer.
informal approving That dress is ____ you (= suits you very well).
“Would you like another drink?” “OK, ____ one more.”
It was ____ a joke.
His daughter’s ____ a baby/____ a few weeks old.
We’ll ____ have to (= the only thing we can do is) wait and see what happens.
She lives ____ down the road (= very near).
Things turned out ____ as I expected.
distant
adjective
far away:
a _______ relative/cousin
At some point in the _______ future I would like to have my own house.
They plan to have children in the not-too-_______ future.
She seemed cold and _______.
She dreamed of traveling to _______ lands.
We could hear the sound of _______ thunder.
She could hear the _______ sound of fireworks exploding.
a _______ country
unfriendly: The crowd was unfriendly and dangerous.
cool: She was very cool towards his new wife.
cold: She’s a cold, heartless woman.
icy: He gave me an icy stare.
glacial: Her reception of him was glacial.
swift
adjective
happening or moving quickly or within a short time, especially in a smooth and easy way:
The police took _____ action against the rioters.
The gazelle is one of the _____est and most graceful of animals.
A _____ current carried him downstream.
Public reaction has been _____ and negative.
The sky was _____ly becoming dark.
Thank you for your _____ reply.
fast: I tried to catch him, but he was too fast for me.
quick: I tried to catch him, but he was too quick for me.
prompt: A prompt reply would be very much appreciated.
speedy: Everyone is hoping for a speedy resolution to the conflict.
_____: The teacher’s _____ action saved his life.
vexing
adjective
annoying, worrying, or causing problems :
The shortage of qualified teachers remains a ______ problem.
hysterical
adjective
unable to control your feelings or behaviour because you are extremely frightened, angry, excited, etc.:
Calm down, you’re getting __________.
The police were accused of __________ over-reaction.
__________ laughter (= uncontrolled laughter)
His last film was __________.
Calm down, you’re getting __________.
She broke into __________ laughter (= laughter that is uncontrollable).
infml That joke was __________ (= extremely amusing).
Gillian was laughing/crying __________ly.
funny: She told me a funny story about Max.
amusing: I gave her an article that I thought she would find amusing.
humorous: She wrote a humorous account of her teenage years.
hilarious: It’s the most hilarious comedy on television.
__________: I’ve just read his autobiography - it’s absolutely __________.
hilarious
adjective
extremely funny and causing a lot of laughter:
He didn’t like the film at all - I thought it was _________.
Her jokes are absolutely _________.
funny: She told me a funny story about Max.
amusing: I gave her an article that I thought she would find amusing.
humorous: She wrote a humorous account of her teenage years.
_________: It’s the most _________ comedy on television.
hysterical: I’ve just read his autobiography - it’s absolutely hysterical.
electrifying
adjective
very exciting:
an ____________ performance
obviate
verb
to remove a difficulty, especially so that action to deal with it becomes unnecessary:
A peaceful solution would _______ the need to send a UN military force.
divest
verb
to sell something, especially a business or a part of a business:
The company is ______ing its less profitable business operations.
She has ______ed herself of (= sold) some of her share-holdings.
He had encouraged the state to ______ such holdings.
The company has ______ed itself of some of its money-losing operations.
The company will be ______ing some assets that no longer fit its profile.
We have made a decision to ______ from the hotel and casinos business to focus more on drinks sales.
sell: Are you selling your car?
retail: The company makes and retails moderately priced sportswear.
deal in: They mainly deal in rare books.
______: US The investors ______ed themselves of the company’s stock.
sell off: The company is selling off the less profitable parts of its business.
aver
verb
to say that something is certainly true:
[ + that ] She ____red that he was guilty.
[ + speech ] “He’s guilty, I tell you,” she ____red.
The lawyer ____red her client’s innocence.
strident
adjective
A ________ sound is loud, unpleasant, and rough:
People are put off by his ________ voice.
a ________ newspaper article
They are becoming increasingly ________ in their criticism of government economic policy.
________ criticism
a ________ voice
rustle
verb
If things such as paper or leaves ______, or if you ______ them, they move about and make a soft, dry sound:
We heard the ______ of her dress.
[ U ] the _____ing of papers on the desk
[ T ] A sudden breeze ______d the leaves.
He ______d his papers (= noisily moved them about) to hide his embarrassment.
The leaves ______d in the breeze.
assertion
noun
a statement that you strongly believe is true:
I certainly don’t agree with his _________ that men are better drivers than women.
hauteur
noun
a formal and unfriendly way of behaving that suggests that the person thinks they are better than other people
undergo
verb
to experience something that is unpleasant or something that involves a change:
She _____went an operation on a tumour in her left lung last year.
Playing board games is _______ing a revival in popularity.
He recently _____went heart bypass surgery.
punctilious
adjective
very careful to behave correctly or to give attention to details:
He was always ___________ in his manners.
juxtapose
verb
to put things that are not similar next to each other:
The exhibition _________s Picasso’s early drawings with some of his later works.
The exhibition _________s architectural drawings with photographs of the buildings as constructed.
[ C ] The ________ition of the original painting with the fake clearly showed up the differences.
dissension
noun
arguments and disagreement, especially in an organization, group, political party, etc.:
There are signs of __________ within the ruling political party.
There was a good deal of __________ within women’s rights organizations about setting political goals.
indigenous
adjective
naturally existing in a place or country rather than arriving from another place:
Are there any species of frog __________ to the area?
So who are the __________ people of this land?
The Navajos are among the __________ people of North America.
__________ firms
The most profitable __________ business is cocoa growing.
__________ tourism
Are there any species of frog __________ to the area?
blare
verb
to make an unpleasantly loud noise:
The loudspeakers _____d across the square.
The radio was ____ing (out) martial music.
the _____ of trumpets
Music _____d from a radio.
The siren’s _____ was deafening.
exult
verb
to express great pleasure or happiness, especially at someone else’s defeat or failure:
They _____ed at/over their victory.
She seems to _____ in her power.
He _____ed in the publicity he received.
He was _____ant at the news of his team’s victory.
vestige
noun
a small part or amount of something larger, stronger, or more important that still exists from something that existed in the past:
These old buildings are the last _______s of a colonial past.
There is now no _______ of hope that the missing children will be found alive.
Vestiges of ancient settlements can be seen in the caves.
laudable
adjective
(of actions and behaviour) deserving praise, even if there is little or no success:
a ________ goal/ambition
The recycling programme is ________, but does it save much money?
transpire
verb
If it _________s that something has happened, this previously secret or unknown fact becomes known:
[ + that ] It may yet _________ that ministers knew more than they are admitting at the moment.
As it later _________d, she had known him at school.
No one is willing to predict what may _________ at the peace conference.
A lot has _________d since we last spoke.
meretricious
adjective
seeming attractive but really false or of little value:
He claims that a lot of journalism is ____________ and superficial.
tangible
adjective
real and not imaginary; able to be shown, touched, or experienced:
We need ________ evidence if we’re going to take legal action.
Other ________ benefits include an increase in salary and shorter working hours.
Drivers will see ________ improvements on major roadways.
________ evidence/proof/signs We can now see ________ evidence of economic renewal and growth.
a ________ achievement/benefit/effect Rewards can include financial payments, promotions, and other ________ benefits.
________ improvement/progress/results They hope the meeting will achieve ________ results.
A key difference between ________ cash and almost any other form of money lies in traceability.
________ goods/products The company buys and sells services as well as ________ goods.
The summit will bring the area some useful publicity and, more _______y, a huge building boom.
Quality standards for ________s like food are easier to assess than for in________s such as service or waiting times.
The price of precious metals and other ________s should appreciate over the following years.
receptacle
noun
a container used for storing or putting objects in:
Residents are given four separate __________s for their rubbish.
a trash __________
commotion
noun
a sudden, short period of noise, confusion, or excited movement:
His arrival caused quite a _________.
He looked up to see what all the _________ was about.
[ C ] There was a _________ outside the embassy.
jovial
adjective
(of a person) friendly and in a good mood, or (of a situation) enjoyable because of being friendly and pleasant:
He seemed a very ______ guy.
a ______ time/evening/chat
a ______ smile
friendly: I like his sister - she’s so friendly.
nice: Her boyfriend is really nice.
amiable: She was perfectly amiable.
genial: Our genial host led us to our room.
congenial: He’s very congenial and so quite likeable.
corpulent
adjective
fat:
a _________ gentleman
a _________ man
fat: He’s got fatter as he’s got older.
overweight: She used to be overweight.
obese: More and more children are becoming obese.
plump: He’s got rather plump since I last saw him.
chubby: Look at the baby’s chubby little legs.
discontent
noun
a feeling of wanting better treatment or an improved situation:
Discontent among junior ranks was rapidly spreading.
There was widespread __________ at/about/over/with the plan.
Mexican-American leaders expressed __________ with the administration.
Discontented with her job, Cassandra often talked of leaving.
buoyancy
noun
the quality of being able to float:
We tested the boat for ________.
He swam with an inflatable ________ device.
The ________ of the oil market is likely to encourage price growth.
He was a man of remarkable ________.
We tested different materials for ________.
Costs have been pushed up by the ________ of the public sector.
The news failed to give ________ to the company’s shares.
There is continued ________ in the property market.
fractious
adjective
easily upset or annoyed, and often complaining:
a _________ child
_________ relationships
the _________ nature of politics
wistful
adjective
sad and thinking about something that is impossible or in the past:
She spoke _______ly of their early years together.
a _______ smile
I thought about those days in Spain and grew _______.
She cast a _______ glance at the bridal gowns in the window.
savor
verb
to enjoy food or an experience slowly, in order to enjoy it as much as possible:
He wanted to _____ his time with Henrietta and their grown children.
It was the first chocolate he’d tasted for over a year, so he _____ed every mouthful.
enjoy yourself: He’s enjoying himself at his job.
like: I like hiking a lot.
love: After working in the garden, I love a good soak in the tub.
relish: Jonathan always relishes a challenge.
lap up: He lapped up all the attention they gave him.
enjoy: Enjoy your meal!
confer
verb
to exchange ideas on a particular subject, often in order to reach a decision on what action to take:
I need some time to ______ with my lawyer.
An honorary doctorate was ______red on him by Columbia University.
I need to ______ with my lawyer.
The US Constitution ______s certain powers on the president.
______ about sth They were in constant contact, ______ring about every aspect of the construction project.
______ with sb We asked for some time to ______ with our advisers.
talk: A group of men were talking in the street.
say: I couldn’t hear what they were saying.
chat: We were just chatting about the party.
have a chat: We had a little chat over the garden wall.
chatter: They spent the morning chattering away.
give: Give me that dirty plate.
offer: Your doctor should be able to offer advice.
provide: This booklet provides useful information about local services.
supply: The lake supplies the whole town with water.
donate: Four hundred dollars has been donated to the school book fund.
speak: Could I speak to you privately?
elation
noun
a state of extreme happiness or excitement:
There’s a sense of _______ at having completed a race of such length.
florid
adjective
with too much decoration or detail:
a \_\_\_\_\_\_ architectural style \_\_\_\_\_\_ prose/rhetoric a \_\_\_\_\_\_ complexion a \_\_\_\_\_\_ complexion a \_\_\_\_\_\_ architectural style \_\_\_\_\_\_ prose/speech
prey
verb
to hurt or deceive a group of people, especially people who are weak or can easily be hurt or deceived:
It’s particularly contemptible that these sort of people ____ on the elderly.
He would attack at night, ____ing on lone women in their twenties or thirties.
privy
adjective
to be told information that is not told to many people:
Only top management was _____ to (= knew about) the proposed merger.
I was never _____ to conversations between top management.
scamper
verb
When small children and animals _______, they run with small quick steps:
The children _______ed off into the garden.
The kitten _______ed around the kitchen, chasing a ball.
run: She saw him running down the street.
sprint: I had to sprint to catch the bus.
jog: “What do you do to keep fit?” “I jog and go swimming.”
race: He raced up the stairs to answer the phone.
rush: Everyone rushed to the door when the alarm went off.
dash: He dashed out the door after the dog.
gaudy
adjective
unpleasantly bright in colour or decoration:
_____ plastic flowers
He was wearing a _____ Hawaiian shirt.
erroneous
adjective
wrong or false:
an _________ belief/impression
an _________ assumption
wrong: That’s the wrong answer. Read the question again.
incorrect: The information on the website is incorrect.
_________: No one could explain how the _________ information had got into the report.
inaccurate: Their estimation of the cost was wildly (=extremely) inaccurate.
rowdy
adjective
noisy and possibly violent:
a _____ party
_____ behaviour
The theater was full of _____ teenagers throwing popcorn and yelling.
vacuous
adjective
not expressing or showing intelligent thought or purpose:
a _______ remark/question/expression/smile
To seem real to your readers, your characters must not be _______, but complex human beings with ordinary difficulties and goals.
tortuous
adjective
with many turns and changes of direction; not direct or simple:
He took a ________ route through back streets.
The path to peace seems at last to be clear, although it may be a long and ________ one.
His so-called shortcut turned out to be ________ and slow.
levity
noun
humour or lack of seriousness, especially during a serious occasion:
a moment of ______
a brief moment of ______ amid the solemn proceedings
unobtrusive
adjective
not noticeable; seeming to fit in well with the things around:
Make-up this season is ___________ and natural-looking.
A good waiter is efficient and ___________.
jaunty
adjective
showing that you are happy and confident:
He scampered _____ily down the stairs.
a ______ grin/step
When he came back his hat was at a ______ angle and he was smiling.
distraught
adjective
extremely worried, nervous, or upset:
We were all __________ over the loss of our homes in the flood.
The missing child’s __________ parents made an emotional appeal for information on TV.
sad: She’s been sad ever since her cat died.
unhappy: She’d had a very unhappy childhood.
miserable: I just woke up feeling miserable.
upset: They’d had an argument and he was still upset about it.
broken-hearted: She was broken-hearted when her partner left.
revel
verb
to dance, drink, sing, etc. at a party or in public, especially in a noisy way
enmity
noun
a feeling of hate:
She denied any personal ______ towards him.
Bitter historical _____ies underlie the present violence.
idolatry
noun
very great admiration or respect for someone, often too great:
Newton was revered to the point of ________.
Father Brown considers the notes and flowers left near the statue to be close to ________.
The youngster makes no attempt to conceal his ________ of his team-mate.
apt
adjective
suitable or right for a particular situation:
She’s in her eighties now and ___ to be a little forgetful.
We have some particularly ___ students in the class this year.
Chris’s ___ comments summed up our opinions.
This old roof is ___ to leak when it rains.
He was very tall and was ___ly called “Stretch.”
The kitchen roof is ___ to (= likely to) leak when it rains.
an ___ comment/description
suitable: This film contains language that is not suitable for children.
appropriate: Is this film appropriate for young children?
___: “Unusual”, yes, that’s a very ___ description.
fitting: The promotion was a fitting reward for all his hard work.
gruesome
adjective
extremely unpleasant and shocking, and usually dealing with death or injury:
The newspaper article included a ________ description of the murder.
The movie was pretty ________.
scurry
verb
to move quickly, with small, short steps:
The mouse _____ied across the floor.
We paused between showers to listen for the flap of wings or the ______ of creatures.
The next few weeks were the usual ______ of activity.
That remark went unnoticed in the ______ of the radio studio.
Mice _____ied around the attic.
The noise of the explosion sent everyone ______ing back into their homes.
run: She saw him running down the street.
sprint: I had to sprint to catch the bus.
jog: “What do you do to keep fit?” “I jog and go swimming.”
race: He raced up the stairs to answer the phone.
rush: Everyone rushed to the door when the alarm went off.
dash: He dashed out the door after the dog.
redolent
adjective
smelling strongly of something or having qualities (especially smells) that make you think of something else:
The album is a heartfelt cry, ________ of a time before radio and television.
The mountain air was ________ with the scent of pine needles.
rash
noun
a lot of small red spots on the skin:
I’ve got an itchy ____ all over my chest.
If you stay in the sun too long you’ll get (a) heat ____.
UK He came out/up in a ____ after he fell in a patch of nettles.
There has been a ____ of robberies/accidents/complaints in the last two months.
That was a ____ decision - you didn’t think about the costs involved.
[ + to infinitive ] I think it was a bit ____ of them to get married when they’d only known each other for a few weeks.
It was ____ of them to get married so quickly.
an itchy ____
There’s been a ____ of robberies in the valley.
a ____ statement
careless: That was careless of you.
sloppy: Spelling mistakes always look sloppy in a formal letter.
slapdash: His work is always hurried and slapdash.
____: That was a ____ decision - you didn’t think about the costs involved.
thoughtless: The Prime Minister made a thoughtless remark about the environment.
portentous
adjective
too serious and trying to be very important:
The problem with the book is that it sometimes descends into __________ philosophizing.
The report contains numerous __________ references to a future environmental calamity.
emanate
verb
to express a quality or feeling through the way that you look and behave:
Her face _______d sadness.
[ I always + adv/prep ] Angry voices _______d from the next room.
angst
noun
strong worry and unhappiness, especially about personal problems:
All my children went through a period of late-adolescent _____.
The boy’s mysterious disappearance has caused _____ and guilt for the family.
culminate
verb
If an event or series of events _________s in something, it ends with it, having developed until it reaches this point:
My arguments with the boss got worse and worse, and finally _________d in my resignation.
Their many years of research have finally _________d in a cure for the disease.
[ I ] Secret negotiations _________d in the historic peace accord.
[ T ] The discovery _________d many years of research.
promiscuous
adjective
(of a person) having a lot of different sexual partners or sexual relationships, or (of sexual habits) involving a lot of different partners:
I suppose I was quite ___________ in my youth.
It’s a fallacy that gay men are more ___________ than heterosexuals.
consort
verb
to spend a lot of time in the company of a particular group of people, especially people whose character is not approved of:
They claimed he had been _______ing with drug dealers.
She warned him against _______ing with suspicious characters.
stringent
adjective
having a very severe effect, or being extremely limiting:
Drugs are the most _________ly regulated of all consumer goods.
_________ cost-cutting/cuts Prices are now falling slightly after _________ budget-deficit cuts.
Stringent cost management is counterproductive when it interferes with a firm’s ability to grow.
The most _________ laws in the world are useless unless there is the will to enforce them.
We need to introduce more _________ security measures such as identity cards.
Stringent safety regulations were introduced after the accident.
Already low living standards have been worsened by _________ economic reforms.
Members of the organization have to be willing to abide by the _________ rules.
The city has _________ fire-safety standards.
Stringent security measures have been introduced at all airports.
Regulators are forcing issuers to adopt more _________ criteria.
_________ rules/regulations/laws
_________ conditions/requirements
_________ checks/controls/tests
firm: I was always very firm with my children.
take a hard line on: The school takes a hard line on bullying.
authoritarian: The country was under the rule of an authoritarian leader.
_________: Stringent safety regulations were introduced after the accident.
strict: Her parents were very strict.
concomitant
noun
something that happens with something else and is connected with it:
Loss of memory is a natural ___________ of old age.
Any increase in students means a ___________ increase in money for the university.
hereditary
adjective
(of characteristics or diseases) passed from the genes of a parent to a child, or (of titles and positions in society) passed from parent to a child as a right:
a __________ disease
Depression is often __________.
It is a __________ title, so Mark Howard will become Sir Mark Howard on his father’s death.
envision
verb
to imagine or expect that something is a likely or desirable possibility in the future:
The company ________s adding at least five stores next year.
He ________ed a partnership between business and government.
pallid
adjective
very pale, in a way that looks unhealthy and not attractive:
Next to his tanned face, hers seemed ______ and unhealthy.
This is a ______ production of what should be a great ballet.
He looked ______ and bloated a few years ago.
indelible
adjective
An _________ mark or substance is impossible to remove by washing or in any other way:
fig. His performance of Hamlet left an _________ impression on all who saw it.
an _________ mark
In his 20 years working for the company, Joe Pearson made an _________ impression on it.
_________ ink
The blood had left an _________ mark on her shirt.
I have an _________ memory of that meeting with Anastasia.
frolic
verb
to play and behave in a happy way:
A group of suntanned children were ______king on the beach.
a harmless ______
It was all fun and ______s until it began to pour down with rain.
A group of children were ______king on the beach.
Some people think of skiing as a wintertime ______.
romp
verb
to play in a rough, excited, and noisy way:
The children ____ed happily around/about in the garden.
The puppy and children ____ed together in the yard.
The unbeaten Charlottesville Crackers ____ed past the Beantown Beanies 68-26.
The film is a comic ____.
Nothing could stop his ____ to the nomination.
The newspaper headline was “Bishop Caught In Sex Romp!”
bootlegger
noun
someone who makes, copies, or sells something illegally:
His father was a __________ who bought liquor cheap in Nebraska and sold it at twice the price to Indians in South Dakota.
The band has spoken out against merchandise __________s currently operating outside their gigs.
euphemism
noun
a word or phrase used to avoid saying an unpleasant or offensive word:
“Senior citizen” is a _________ for “old person”.
The article made so much use of _________ that often its meaning was unclear.
[ C ] The phrase “left to pursue other interests” is a _________ for “fired.”
________tic words for “dead”
stroll
verb
to walk in a slow relaxed way, especially for pleasure:
We could ______ along the beach after dinner.
An elderly couple ______ed hand in hand in the park.
After dinner, we went for a ______ along the beach.
We could ______ into town if you like.
Sometimes he would take a ______ before dinner.
The whole family was enjoying a leisurely ______ in the sunshine.
walk: The baby has just learned to walk.
stride: She strode purposefully up to the desk and demanded to speak to the manager.
march: He marched right in to the office and demanded to see the governor.
______: We ______ed along the beach.
wander: She wandered from room to room, not sure of what she was looking for.
amble: She ambled down the street, looking in shop windows.
crawl: There’d been a bad accident on the motorway and traffic was crawling.
trundle: Lorries trundle through the narrow lanes.
creep: He crept downstairs, hardly making any noise.
trudge: They trudged wearily through the snow.
______: We spent the afternoon ______ing around Budapest.
amble: He ambled over to the window.
senile
adjective
showing poor mental ability because of old age, especially being unable to think clearly and make decisions:
He spent many years caring for his ______ mother.
I’m always losing my keys these days. I think I must be going ______.
Her children couldn’t cope with her because she’s somewhat ______.
Miller suffers from _____ity.
antecedent
noun
someone or something existing or happening before, especially as the cause or origin of something existing or happening later:
Charles Babbage’s mechanical calculating engines were the __________s of the modern computer.
Many people feel a great curiosity to find out about their __________s.
In the sentence “He picked a book off the shelf and handed it to Sally”, “book” is the __________ of “it”.
When the college was established in 1546, it inherited a hall from each of three __________ institutions.
The book dealt with the historical __________s of the Civil War.
In the sentence, “Joe threw the ball to Wendy, and Wendy threw it back,” “the ball” is the __________ of “it.”
vigil
noun
an act of staying awake, especially at night, in order to be with a person who is very ill or dying, or to make a protest, or to pray:
Supporters of the peace movement held an all-night candlelit _____ outside the cathedral.
The boy’s parents kept a long _____ in his hospital room.
A candlelight _____ on the steps of the courthouse was held to protest the verdict in this trial.
His parents kept _____ beside his bed for weeks before he died.
expend
verb
to use or spend time, effort, or money:
Managers had to ______ a lot of time dealing with the consequences of the incident.
______ money/resources/funds
______ energy/effort/time Why do firms ______ effort investing abroad, rather than staying home and producing for export?
They ______ all their energy fixing up their house.
You ______ so much effort for so little return.
Governments ______ a lot of resources on war.
contingency
noun
something that might possibly happen in the future, usually causing problems or making further arrangements necessary:
You must be able to deal with all possible __________ies.
Have you made any ___________ plans?
We must prepare for all possible __________ies.
“While it is impossible to account for every ___________, the industry historically has met demand and fully expects to do so this winter,” said the American Petroleum Institute.
The report advises a minimum fund of three months’ net income to provide a ___________ against uncertainties in the future.
In personal injury cases many attorneys work on a ___________ basis, so you will not have to pay them a fee up front.
ramification
noun
the possible results of an action:
Have you considered all the ____________s of your suggestion?
Have you considered all the ____________s of changing careers at this stage of your life?
go
verb
to begin to do something or deal with something:
What’s the best way of __ing about this?
[ + -ing verb ] How can we __ about solving this problem?
ridden
suffix
past participle of ride
It is a superstition-______ community.
She was guilt-______ when she discovered that the business had failed because of her.
harrowing
adjective
extremely upsetting because connected with suffering:
a _________ story
For many women, the _________ prospect of giving evidence in a rape case can be too much to bear.
His book tells the _________ story of how they climbed Mt. Everest.
adventitious
adjective
not expected or planned:
an ____________ event/situation
vestibule
noun
a small room just inside the outer door of a public building where you can leave your coat, etc.:
I’ll wait for you in the _________.
the nasal _________
In the school’s _________ is a sign reading, “Enter here and find a friend.”
You can hang your coat in the _________.
tangy
adjective
A _____ flavour is pleasantly strong and sharp:
a deliciously _____ lemon tart
dawn
noun
the period in the day when light from the sun begins to appear in the sky:
We woke at ____.
We left as ____ was breaking (= starting).
We left at the break of ____.
The fall of the Berlin Wall marked the ____ of a new era in European history.
We worked from ____ to dusk, seven days a week.
He left the house just as the day was ____ing.
In the late 1970s, the personal computer era was ____ing.
Gradually the truth about him ____ed.
[ + that ] It eventually ____ed that he wouldn’t be coming back.
the ____ing of the digital age
[ U ] fig. Computers mark the ____ of a new age.
Winston left his house as the day was ____ing.
leisurely
adjective
used to describe an action that is done in a relaxed way, without hurrying:
We enjoyed a _________ picnic lunch on the lawn.
slow: You’re so slow - hurry up!
_________: We took a _________ drive along the quiet coast road.
unhurried: I like the unhurried pace of life in the countryside.
gentle: Start off with a gentle jog, then gradually increase your speed.
barge
verb
to hurry somewhere or through a place in a rude and forceful way:
They _____d through the crowds.
When the doors opened she _____d her way to the front of the queue.
The man _____d (= pushed) into her and ran on without stopping.
The state operates passenger ferries and cargo _____s to the island.
The fuel was transported by _____.
We cycled along the Grand Union Canal and watched the _____s go through locks.
Her London home is a canal _____ moored at Camden Lock.
You ought to knock instead of just ____ing into my office.
bring
verb
to introduce something so that it can be seen or discussed:
The police brought forward some new evidence in the case.
The elections were brought forward by three months.
Don’t forget to _____ forward last month’s income and expenses.
_____ forward a suggestion/proposal At the meeting several excellent suggestions were brought forward by the more junior members of staff.
I’d like to _____ the meeting forward to next week.
The elections were brought forward by three months.
forlorn
adjective
alone and unhappy; left alone and not cared for:
This _______ industrial town has very high unemployment.
Their only hope now is that the outside world will intervene but it is an increasingly _______ hope.
She appeared on daytime TV in a _______ attempt to persuade the public of her innocence.
As I left little Bobby on his first day of school, he gave me such a _______ look.
She looked a _______ figure standing at the bus stop.
lonely: I’ve been lonely since my friends moved away.
lonesome: US I’m feeling lonesome.
isolated: I wouldn’t like living out in the country - I’d feel isolated from the rest of the world.
_______: The characters, a flighty heiress and her _______ suitor, are a delight.
lorn: He’s a lone, lorn creature.
desolate: After the market crash, desolate financiers left the field.
shun
verb
to avoid something:
She has ____ned publicity since she retired from acting.
After the trial he was ____ned by friends and family alike.
She ____ned publicity after she retired from the stage.
close your eyes to: The administration closed its eyes to human-rights abuses by its soldiers.
turn a blind eye to: Until now, the mayor has turned a blind eye to the city’s homelessness problem.
disregard: He disregarded the advice of his doctor and went back to work.
avoid: Have you been trying to avoid me?
steer clear of: I suggest steering clear of yellow snow.
keep/stay clear of: Keep clear of her - she’s got flu.
stay away from: The experience was so bad that she stayed away from men for two years.
____: The best companies are run by people who ____ the limelight.
____: You’ll be ____ned and totally isolated if you don’t join in.
avoid: Have you been trying to avoid me?
steer clear of: I suggest steering clear of yellow snow.
keep/stay clear of: Keep clear of her - she’s got flu.
stay away from: The experience was so bad that she stayed away from men for two years.
____: The best companies are run by people who ____ the limelight.
____: You’ll be ____ned and totally isolated if you don’t join in.
ignore: The buzzing is irritating, but try to ignore it.
execrate
verb
to have or show feelings of hate towards someone or something:
I ________ any policy that interferes with the rights and freedoms of others.
sanguine
adjective
(of someone or someone’s character) positive and hoping for good things:
They are less ________ about the prospects for peace.
The sun lit up her hair, bringing out tremendous ________ red and amber highlights.
Some people expect the economy to continue to improve, but others are less ________.
denominate
verb
to express an amount of money in a particular currency (= units of money):
Oil sales were __________d in US dollars.
__________ sth in dollars/euros, etc. Foreign sales are __________d in US dollars.
fugitive
noun
a person who is running away or hiding from the police or a dangerous situation:
Thousands of ________s are fleeing from the war-torn area.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were ________s from justice (= they ran away to avoid being tried in court).
a ________ impression
Fugitive families who have fled the fighting in the cities are now trying to survive in the mountains.
Three men escaped from the prison and were being sought as ________s.
incessant
adjective
never stopping, especially in an annoying or unpleasant way:
_________ rain/noise/complaints
The region endured weeks of _________ rain.
Bob talks _________ly about their new baby.
vocation
noun
a type of work that you feel you are suited to doing and to which you should give all your time and energy, or the feeling that a type of work suits you in this way:
I feel I’ve found/missed my true ________.
Most teachers regard their profession as a ________, not just a job.
It wasn’t until “The North American Review” published his story that he embraced writing as a ________.
find/miss your ________ I feel I’ve found my true ________.
To work in medicine, you should have a ________ for it.
To work in medicine, you should have a ________ for it.
presumptiondispositionmaladytarry
noun
the act of believing that something is true without having any proof:
___________ that The decision was based on the ___________ that the information that they had been given was correct.
The ___________ of innocence is central to American law.
There is no scientific evidence to support such ___________s.
[ + that ] The decision is based on the ___________ that all information must be freely available.
There is no scientific evidence to support such ___________s.
What ___________, to assume that I’d pay for everyone!
Every defendant is entitled to the ___________ of innocence unless they are proven guilty.
noun
the particular type of character that a person naturally has:
We have no control over the ___________ of the funds in that account.
Not more than 30% of a Fund’s gross income can be derived from gains from the sale or other ___________ of securities held for less than three months.
This describes the principal issues raised in the review and states the Regulation Board’s ___________ of the proceeding.
Payment of expenses incurred in advance of the final ___________ of this lawsuit shall be conditional upon receipt of a detailed itemization.
a cheerful ___________
a ___________ to deceive
She is of a nervous/cheerful/sunny ___________.
noun
a disease:
All the rose bushes seem to be suffering from the same mysterious ______.
Apathy is one of the _____ies of modern society.
She’s suffering from a variety of _____ies, including dizziness, weakness, and headaches.
verb
to stay somewhere for longer than expected and delay leaving
The boy ____ied awhile.
ruerecurrentresignationcalamitycredulous
verb
to feel sorry about an event and wish it had not happened
She gave him a ___ful smile.
adjective
happening again many times:
The patient has a two-month history of _________ episodes of pancreatitis.
The ‘what ifs’ of history is a _________ theme in her writing.
noun
the act of telling your employer that you are leaving your job:
There have been calls for his ___________.
They received the news with ___________.
[ U ] a letter of ___________
[ C ] Protesters took to the streets in massive numbers to demand the president’s ___________.
She received the disappointing news with ___________.
give in/hand in/offer your ___________ I resolved to hand in my ___________ on Tuesday.
accept sb’s ___________ If you say you’re leaving, I won’t accept your ___________.
The cuts triggered a wave of ___________s.
a ___________ letter/letter of ___________
An experienced investor would accept these minor disappointments with ___________.
I handed in/gave in/sent in my ___________ this morning.
recognition: There was no recognition of having done anything wrong.
___________: She sighed in weary ___________.
acceptance: The idea was slow to find general acceptance.
acknowledgment: We still await an acknowledgment of the fact that our case was handled improperly.
noun
a serious accident or bad event causing damage or suffering:
A series of _______ies ruined them - floods, a failed harvest, and the death of a son.
The factory closings were a ________ for the whole city.
adjective
too willing to believe what you are told and so easily deceived
judiciousrepine
adjective
having or showing reason and good judgment in making decisions:
We should make _________ use of the resources available to us.
The law allows for the _________ use of force in some situations.
Spend your money a little more _________ly.
verb
to feel sad or complain about something, especially a bad situation:
She was alone and unloved, but she did not ______.
disposition
noun
the particular type of character that a person naturally has:
We have no control over the ___________ of the funds in that account.
Not more than 30% of a Fund’s gross income can be derived from gains from the sale or other ___________ of securities held for less than three months.
This describes the principal issues raised in the review and states the Regulation Board’s ___________ of the proceeding.
Payment of expenses incurred in advance of the final ___________ of this lawsuit shall be conditional upon receipt of a detailed itemization.
a cheerful ___________
a ___________ to deceive
She is of a nervous/cheerful/sunny ___________.
malady
noun
a disease:
All the rose bushes seem to be suffering from the same mysterious ______.
Apathy is one of the _____ies of modern society.
She’s suffering from a variety of _____ies, including dizziness, weakness, and headaches.
tarry
verb
to stay somewhere for longer than expected and delay leaving
The boy ____ied awhile.
rue
verb
to feel sorry about an event and wish it had not happened
She gave him a ___ful smile.
recurrent
adjective
happening again many times:
The patient has a two-month history of _________ episodes of pancreatitis.
The ‘what ifs’ of history is a _________ theme in her writing.
resignation
noun
the act of telling your employer that you are leaving your job:
There have been calls for his ___________.
They received the news with ___________.
[ U ] a letter of ___________
[ C ] Protesters took to the streets in massive numbers to demand the president’s ___________.
She received the disappointing news with ___________.
give in/hand in/offer your ___________ I resolved to hand in my ___________ on Tuesday.
accept sb’s ___________ If you say you’re leaving, I won’t accept your ___________.
The cuts triggered a wave of ___________s.
a ___________ letter/letter of ___________
An experienced investor would accept these minor disappointments with ___________.
I handed in/gave in/sent in my ___________ this morning.
recognition: There was no recognition of having done anything wrong.
___________: She sighed in weary ___________.
acceptance: The idea was slow to find general acceptance.
acknowledgment: We still await an acknowledgment of the fact that our case was handled improperly.
calamity
noun
a serious accident or bad event causing damage or suffering:
A series of _______ies ruined them - floods, a failed harvest, and the death of a son.
The factory closings were a ________ for the whole city.
credulous
adjective
too willing to believe what you are told and so easily deceived
judicious
adjective
having or showing reason and good judgment in making decisions:
We should make _________ use of the resources available to us.
The law allows for the _________ use of force in some situations.
Spend your money a little more _________ly.
repine
verb
to feel sad or complain about something, especially a bad situation:
She was alone and unloved, but she did not ______.
dilatory
adjective
slow and likely to cause delay:
British institutions have been ________ in cutting credit card charges.
________ behaviour/tactics
bleak
adjective
If a place is _____, it is empty, and not welcoming or attractive:
The house stands on a _____, windswept hilltop.
The economic outlook is _____.
It was a _____, unpleasant day in December.
With no job, the future looked _____.
Their long-term prospects appear _____.
In a _____ assessment of the coming months, they said market conditions were almost certain to remain challenging.
defy
verb
to refuse to obey a person, decision, law, situation, etc.:
It is rare to see children openly ____ing their teachers.
A few workers have defied the majority decision and gone into work despite the strike.
The fact that aircraft don’t fall out of the sky always seems to me to ____ (= act against) the law of gravity.
A forest fire raging in southern California is ____ing (= is not changed by) all attempts to control it.
The chaos at the airport defies description.
I ____ you to prove your accusations.
They defied an evacuation order and stayed in town during the hurricane.
He defied the odds (= did what no one expected) and won the race for mayor.
She is defiant, angry, and tough.
When I said she might fail, she replied defiantly, “No, I won’t!”
I ____ you to tell where I’ve painted over the scratch on my car.
oppose: Villagers opposed plans to widen the carriageway.
object: No one objected to the decision.
____: A few workers defied the decision to strike and went in to work.
speak out against: More and more people are speaking out against this unpopular law.
stand out against: More people are standing out against the corruption of the local government.
declare against: UK She declared against the new airport.
precede
verb
to be or go before something or someone in time or space:
Kofi Annan _______d Ban Ki-moon as the Secretary-General of the UN.
It would be helpful if you were to _______ the report with an introduction.
John Adams _______d Thomas Jefferson as president.
Nouns are often _______d by adjectives
The table on the ______ing page shows the test results.
aberration
noun
a temporary change from the typical or usual way of behaving:
In a moment of __________, she agreed to go with him.
I’m sorry I’m late - I had a mental __________ and forgot we had a meeting today.
The drop in our school’s test scores was dismissed as an __________.
erudition
noun
the state of having or containing a lot of knowledge that is known by few people:
a work of great _________
She was known for her wit and _________.
derision
noun
the situation in which someone or something is laughed at and considered stupid or of no value:
They treated his suggestion with ________.
Her speech was met with hoots/howls of ________.
Talk of tougher laws was met with ________.
______ve laughter
conscientious
adjective
putting a lot of effort into your work:
a _____________ student
She was a _____________ worker, and I’ll miss her.
Greg Smith is a _____________ and dedicated worker who will be an asset to your company.
The study examines the relationship between _____________ness and flexibility, and their effect on performance.
Employees are expected to carry out their duties _____________ly.
mar
verb
to spoil something, making it less good or less enjoyable:
Sadly, the text is ___red by careless errors.
It was a really nice day, ___red only by a little argument in the car on the way home.
I hope the fact that Louise isn’t coming won’t ___ your enjoyment of the evening.
Water will ___ the finish of polished wood.
affable
adjective
friendly and easy to talk to:
He struck me as an _______ sort of a man.
She was quite _______ at the meeting.
It’s hard not to like such an _______ fellow.
friendly: I like his sister - she’s so friendly.
nice: Her boyfriend is really nice.
amiable: She was perfectly amiable.
genial: Our genial host led us to our room.
congenial: He’s very congenial and so quite likeable.
unperturbed
adjective
not worried about something, especially when this is slightly surprising:
He seemed completely ___________ at the idea of having to sing in a room full of strangers.
apparition
noun
the spirit of a dead person appearing in a form that can be seen
erratic
adjective
moving or behaving in a way that is not regular, certain, or expected:
Stocks closed up slightly after an _______ day of trading.
The stock market has been behaving _______ally.
The _______ behaviour of the stock market is making investors nervous.
an _______ schedule
She can be very _______; one day she is friendly and the next she’ll hardly speak to you.
He drove in an _______ course down the road.
instigate
verb
to cause an event or situation to happen by making a set of actions or a formal process begin:
The government will _________ new measures to combat terrorism.
The revolt in the north is believed to have been _________d by a high-ranking general.
Changes in the orientation program were _________d by the new director.
constellation
noun
any of the groups of stars in the sky that seem from earth to form a pattern and have been given names
At our annual ceremony we had a whole _____________ of movie stars and directors.
inveterate
adjective
someone who does something very often and cannot stop doing it:
I never trust anything he says - the man’s an __________ liar.
an __________ liar
vigilant
adjective
always being careful to notice things, especially possible danger:
Following the bomb scare at the airport, the staff have been warned to be extra ________.
Security personnel need to be more ________ in checking bags and packages.
The _______ce of a mother fox protects her young from danger.
sprawling
adjective
(of a city) covered with buildings across a large area, often ones that have been added gradually over a period of time:
the _________ city of Los Angeles
Somewhere in this _________ metropolis, there is a secret military laboratory.
_________ suburbs
relinquish
verb
to give up something such as a responsibility or claim:
She __________ed her hold/grip on the steering wheel.
He refused to __________ control of his company.
She __________ed control of the family investments to her son.
He has __________ed his claim to the throne.
formidable
adjective
causing you to have fear or respect for something or someone because that thing or person is large, powerful, or difficult:
a __________ obstacle/task
a __________ adversary/enemy/opponent
a __________ intellect
disapproving the director and his __________ wife
There were __________ obstacles to reaching an early settlement of the dispute.
deride
verb
to laugh at someone or something in a way that shows you think they are stupid or of no value:
He ______d my singing as pathetic.
This building, once ______d by critics, is now a major tourist attraction.
His blustery style is ______d by many political pros.
relent
verb
to act in a less severe way towards someone and allow something that you had refused to allow before:
Her parents eventually ______ed and let her go to the party.
The security guard ______ed and let them through.
For days we begged him to see a doctor about his cough, and finally he ______ed.
solace
noun
help and comfort when you are feeling sad or worried:
When his wife left him, he found ______ in the bottle (= drank alcohol).
Music was a great ______ to me.
She found ______ in her memories of her grandmother.
incorporeal
adjective
not having a physical body but a spiritual form:
In the film, the house was visited by a strange ___________ being.
affliction
noun
something that makes you suffer:
Malnutrition is one of the common __________s of the poor.
mirth
noun
laughter, humour, or happiness:
Her impersonations of our teachers were a source of considerable _____.
Chen could not contain his _____.
relish
verb
to like or enjoy something:
She ate her cake slowly and with ______.
I have no ______ for hunting and killing animals.
I enjoyed our vacation, but didn’t ______ the twenty-hour trip back home.
[ U ] We have ______ for the hamburgers and hot dogs.
Would you like ______ on your burger?
tomato and onion ______
[ + -ing verb ] I don’t ______ telling her that her son has been arrested.
She’s ______ing the prospect of studying in Bologna for six months.
I always ______ a challenge.
enjoy: Enjoy your meal!
enjoy yourself: He’s enjoying himself at his job.
like: I like hiking a lot.
love: After working in the garden, I love a good soak in the tub.
______: Jonathan always ______es a challenge.
lap up: He lapped up all the attention they gave him.
equanimity
noun
a calm mental state, especially after a shock or disappointment or in a difficult situation:
He received the news of his mother’s death with remarkable __________.
Three years after the tragedy she has only just begun to regain her __________.
In spite of her financial troubles, she faced the future with __________.
glee
noun
happiness, excitement, or pleasure:
She opened her presents with ____.
Malone pumped his fist with ____ after scoring the game-winner.
She talks ____fully about her adventures.
____ful children
cogitation
noun
the act of thinking very carefully about a subject, or the thoughts themselves:
After some __________, she decided to say nothing.
He was fully occupied with his own __________s for the remainder of the ride.
defer
verb
to delay something until a later time:
My bank has agreed to _____ the repayments on my loan.
[ + -ing verb ] Can we _____ making a decision until next week?
You can order the furniture now and _____ payment until September.
_____ action/a decision The committee decided to _____ a decision on the takeover bid until a later date.
_____ tax/payment
_____ doing sth The scheme enables investors to _____ paying taxes on the gain.
Cheaper graduate loans are available without the _____ment option.
expedient
adjective
helpful or useful in a particular situation, but sometimes not morally acceptable:
It might be _________ not to pay him until the work is finished.
The management has taken a series of _________ measures to improve the company’s financial situation.
a political _________
We thought it _________ not to pay the builder until he finished the work.
political ________cy
it is _________ to do sth It might be _________ not to pay him until some time after the work is finished.
It would not be politically _________ to propose new fees.
The management has taken a series of _________ measures to improve the company’s financial situation.
We need to find the means to take decisions both _________ly and with due public consultation.
The company can save money by the simple _________ of cutting investment and hiring.
deity
noun
a god or goddess:
Ares and Aphrodite were the ancient Greek ____ies of war and love.
Zeus was an ancient Greek _____.
shrivel
verb
to become dry, smaller, and covered with lines as if by crushing or folding, or to make something do this:
The lack of rain has _______led the crops.
You ought to pick that lettuce before it _______s (up) and dies.
Profits are _______ling as the recession gets worse.
[ T ] The hot sun _______ed the flowers I put in the window.
repose
verb
to rest or lie:
She ______d on the sofa.
Your face is so beautiful in ______.
sumptuous
adjective
impressive in a way that seems expensive:
The celebrity guests turned up dressed in _________ evening gowns.
I had never seen such a _________ apartment.
trepidation
noun
fear or worry about what is going to happen:
We view future developments with some ___________.
With some ___________, I set out to find my first job.
evince
verb
to make something obvious or show something clearly:
They have never ______d any readiness or ability to negotiate.
In all the years I knew her, she never ______d any desire to do such a thing.
Elysium
noun
a state of great happiness:
Everything was perfect. She was in _______.
odious
adjective
extremely unpleasant and causing or deserving hate:
an ______ crime
an ______ little man
an ______ person/task
entice
verb
to persuade someone to do something by offering them something pleasant:
The adverts ______ the customer into buying things they don’t really want.
People are being ______d away from the profession by higher salaries elsewhere.
[ + to infinitive ] A smell of coffee in the doorway ______d people to enter the shop.
People are ______d away from government jobs by higher salaries.
attract: We were attracted to the high street, with its variety of shops and cafés.
draw: The game drew a crowd of 30,000.
______: The smell of coffee ______d people to enter the shop.
lure: I was lured into the store by the smell of fresh bread.
tempt: I was tempted by the offer of a free phone.
seduce: I wouldn’t normally have bought this but I was seduced by the low price.
prevail
verb
to get control or influence:
I am sure that common sense will _______ in the end.
And did reason _______ over (= become a more powerful influence than) emotion?
This attitude still _______s among the middle classes.
Let’s hope that common sense _______s.
In spite of injuries, our team _______ed and went on to win.
_______ over sth They complained that corporate interests often _______ed over the needs of the individual.
_______ in sth If they _______ in the court case, they could receive up to $10,000 each.
This attitude still _______s in parts of Europe.
_______ among sb Secrecy _______s among the banking lobbies.
rebuke
verb
to speak angrily to someone because you disapprove of what they have said or done:
I was ______d by my manager for being late.
The Justice Department publicly ______d him over a leaked memorandum.
He received a stern ______ from the manager.
Her statement drew a sharp ______ from the Senator.
Rebuke is the appropriate punishment in this case.
He was publicly ______d for his involvement in the scandal.
[ C ] a sharp ______
diabolical
adjective
extremely bad or shocking:
Conditions in the prison were __________.
His driving is __________!
a __________ genius
avail
noun
use, purpose, advantage, or profit:
We tried to persuade her not to resign, but to no _____ (= did not succeed).
My attempts to improve the situation were of little/no _____.
Our efforts _____ed us nothing (= did not help).
Over a thousand learners have already _____ed the opportunity to study at our college.
To _____ this offer, please click here.
perspicacity
noun
the ability to understand things quickly and make accurate judgments:
a woman of exceptional ____________
alacrity
noun
speed and eagerness:
She accepted the money with ________.
He invited us all to visit, and we agreed with ________.
contrite
adjective
feeling very sorry and guilty for something bad that you have done:
a ________ apology/expression
She seemed genuinely ________ when she apologized.
Some of the worst offenders expressed _______ion.
puny
adjective
small; weak; not effective:
a ____ little man
My car only has a ____ little engine.
The party’s share of the vote rose from a ____ 13 percent in the last election to 21 percent this time.
Don’t tell me you’re afraid of that ____ little kid.
In 1981, computers were ____ compared with today’s machines.
frail: A frail, grey-haired lady walked slowly down the street.
weedy: UK I was just this weedy guy who always had his head in a book.
____: He was ____ as a child.
weak: She was too tired and weak to finish the race.
feeble: Many of the pensioners were so feeble they had to be stretchered onto the ship.
encompass
verb
to include different types of things:
The festival is to _________ everything from music, theatre, and ballet to literature, cinema, and the visual arts.
The plan _________es repaving the street and planting 40 new trees.
pervade
verb
When qualities, characteristics, or smells _______ a place or thing, they spread through it and are present in every part of it:
The film movie is a reflection of the violence that _______s our culture.
The influence of the early jazz musicians _______s American music.
opulent
adjective
expensive and luxurious:
an _______ lifestyle
an _______ hotel
He lived an _______ lifestyle that included sports cars and enormous homes.
vitality
noun
energy and strength:
According to the packet, these vitamin pills will restore lost ________.
youthful ________
The new factory should improve the economic ________ of the region.
renowned
adjective
famous for something:
The region is ________ for its outstanding natural beauty.
Marco Polo is a ________ explorer/is ________ as an explorer.
famous: She went from poor and anonymous to rich and famous.
well known: She’s a well-known artist.
________: The area is ________ for its beauty.
world-famous: They stayed in a world-famous hotel.
celebrated: He’s a celebrated writer of children’s stories.
legendary: He once met the legendary singer, Eartha Kitt.
proclivity
noun
the fact that someone likes something or likes to do something, especially something considered morally wrong:
the sexual _________ies of celebrities
his __________ for shapely blondes
covetous
adjective
wanting to have something too much, especially something that belongs to someone else:
I can’t help casting ________ looks at my neighbour’s new Porsche.
avaricious: Her uncle was a mean, avaricious man who hoarded every last penny and shared none of it with his family in need.
________: She’s ________ of his gorgeous house.
green with envy: You’ll be green with envy when you meet her new boyfriend.
jealous: I’m so jealous that she’s going to that concert!
envious: She was very envious of her brother’s success.
possessive: She has a wildly possessive boyfriend who doesn’t like her even looking at other men.
incredulous
adjective
not wanting or not able to believe something, and usually showing this:
“Why am I here?” the witness responded in an ___________ tone.
A few ___________ spectators watched on as Paterson, ranked 23rd in the world, beat the champion.
merit
noun
the quality of being good and deserving praise:
an entertaining film with little artistic _____
Her ideas have _____.
Brierley’s book has the _____ of being both informative and readable.
We discussed the _____s of herbal tea.
The committee will consider/judge each applicant on his or her own _____s.
This plan _____s careful attention.
[ U ] Judged on artistic _____, it was a success.
[ C ] Being able to work at home has its _____s.
These recommendations _____ careful attention.
Proposals will be judged strictly on _____ by an external committee.
I fail to see the _____ of organizing the work in that way.
The average _____ pay increase over the past five years has been in the range of 3 to 4%.
The lawsuit was found to be completely without _____.
_____ attention/discussion/investigation If complaints _____ investigation, they should go the complaints committee.
The accident _____ed only a small paragraph in the local paper.
usher
verb
to show someone where they should go, or to make someone go where you want them to go:
She _____ed us into her office and offered us coffee.
Officials quickly _____ed the protesters out of the hall.
[ T ] The guard _____ed the jury members into the courtroom.
The _____ showed us to front-row seats.
copious
adjective
in large amounts, or more than enough:
He took _______ notes during the lecture.
She took _______ notes, filling page after page.
They drank _______ amounts of wine.
reckon
verb
to think or believe:
I ______ it’s going to rain.
[ + (that) ] How much do you ______ (that) it’s going to cost?
“Can you fix my car today?” “I ______ not/so (= probably not/probably).”
I don’t ______ much to (US of) their chances of winning (= I do not think they will win).
She was widely ______ed (to be) the best actress of her generation.
Angela quickly ______ed the amount on her fingers.
The inflation rate is now ______ed to be 10 percent.
Do you ______ this watch has a little value?
[ + that clause ] Brusca ______s that the value of all goods and services produced declined last quarter.
She ______ed they were both equally responsible.
She was widely ______ed to be the best actress of her generation.
I ______ I better get goin’ now.
By my ______ing, we should get there in another hour or so.
Fees are ______ed in Euros but can be paid in any currency.
The authors ______ that public sector debt is over 65% of GDP.
sth is ______ed to be sth The market value is ______ed to be 10 million dollars.
The deal is ______ed to be worth $14.4 billion.
exhilarated
adjective
very excited and happy:
At the end of the race I was ___________.
excited: The kids are really excited about going on holiday.
thrilled: We were thrilled to hear our first grandchild had been born.
pumped: US The players were pumped that they were going to finals.
jazzed: US She’s totally jazzed that she gets to go on the cruise.
___________: I’ve never seen fans so ___________ by a win.
overexcited: The kids were overexcited and starting to play up.
contemporaneously
adverb
in a way that happens, is done, or exists at the same time:
Records should be updated at most within 24 hours of the consultation, if not _________________.
The investigation into the cause of the fire went on _________________ with the efforts to fight it.
sow
verb
to put seeds in or on the ground so that plants will grow:
We’ll ___ this field with barley.
Now that you’ve ___n doubts in my mind, I’ll never be sure I can trust him.
[ T ] Settlers ___ed the seeds they had brought with them.
Sow the seeds in pots.
prerogative
noun
something that certain people are able or allowed to do or have, but is not possible or allowed for everyone:
Alex makes all the big decisions - that’s his ___________ as company director.
Skiing used to be the ___________ of the rich, but now a far wider range of people do it.
the Royal Prerogative (= the special rights of the ruling king or queen)
It’s the president’s ___________ to nominate judges who share his political philosophy.
eloquent
adjective
giving a clear, strong message:
She made an ________ appeal for action.
When required, he could be an ________ speaker, but preferred talking to small groups.
The pictures of destruction served as an ________ reminder of the hurricane’s power.
I was impressed by her _______ce.
The pictures were an ________ reminder of the power of the volcano.
illustrious
adjective
famous, well respected, and admired:
She comes from an ___________ political family that includes two former Cabinet ministers.
an ___________ career
ponder
verb
to think carefully about something, especially for a noticeable length of time:
She sat back for a minute to ______ her next move in the game.
[ T ] She ______s the reaction she’ll receive.
[ I ] The back porch is a quiet place where I can ______.
reflect: I spent a lot of time reflecting on what he’d said.
consider: Don’t make any decisions before you’ve considered the matter.
contemplate: He lay in a hospital bed contemplating his future.
______: She sat back for a minute to ______ her next move in the game.
mull over: I need a few days to mull things over before I decide.
agonize: She agonized for days before agreeing to take the job.
implicit
adjective
suggested but not communicated directly:
________ trust
All her life she had ________ faith in socialism.
We interpreted his silence as ________ agreement.
Some reporters thought there was an ________ threat in the president’s speech.
________ faith
Implicit in the poem’s closing lines are the poet’s own religious doubts.
He interpreted her comments as an ________ criticism of the government.
resolute
adjective
determined in character, action, or ideas:
Their ________ opposition to new working methods was difficult to overcome.
She’s utterly ________ in her refusal to apologize.
I admired her ________ optimism in those difficult times.
She ________ly refuses to lower her standards.
reproach
verb
to criticize someone, especially for not being successful or not doing what is expected:
His mother ________ed him for not eating all his dinner.
You have nothing to ________ yourself for/with.
The look of ________ on his face made her feel guilty.
He’s still ________ing himself for the accident.
Your ________es are useless - what’s done is done.
ascertain
verb
to discover something:
The police have so far been unable to _________ the cause of the explosion.
[ + question word ] Have you _________ed whether she’s coming or not?
[ + that ] I _________ed that no one could overhear us before I told Otto the news.
The fire department has been unable to _________ the cause of the fire.
indignation
noun
anger about a situation that you think is wrong or not fair
dismay
noun
a feeling of unhappiness and disappointment:
Aid workers were said to have been filled with ______ by the appalling conditions that the refugees were living in.
The fans watched in/with ______ as their team lost 42–11.
She discovered, to her ______, that her exam was a whole month earlier than she’d expected.
The prospect of more road-building ______s environmentalists.
She discovered, to her ______, that she had locked her keys inside her car.
They enjoyed the meal but were ______ed by how much it cost.
agitate
verb
to make someone feel worried or angry:
I didn’t want to _______ her by telling her.
The unions continue to _______ for higher pay.
As a young man, he had _______d against the Vietnam war.
Telephone companies began to _______ for permission to compete in long distance services.
Any mention of his son _______d him.
He arrived home in a state of ______ion.
They blamed the protest on political ______ors.
Pour the powder into the solution and _______ it until the powder has dissolved.
vanity
noun
the fact that you are too interested in your appearance or achievements:
______ publishing
He wants the job purely for reasons of ______ and ambition.
The new bridge was quickly condemned as a “pointless ______ project”, intended to enhance the reputation of the mayor.
intrepid
adjective
extremely brave and showing no fear of dangerous situations:
a team of ________ explorers
an ________ explorer
brave: The King was a brave warrior.
courageous: She was a courageous woman who never complained about her illness.
daring: He made a daring escape from his kidnappers.
bold: I wasn’t bold enough to leave my job.
adventurous: She’s a very adventurous person and enjoys mountain climbing.
dubious
adjective
thought not to be completely true or not able to be trusted:
The team had the _______ distinction of ranking 31st in the league.
a _______ character
I’m _______ about his promises to change his ways.
Ruth Ellis has the _______ (= bad) distinction of being the last woman to be hanged in Britain.
These claims are _______ and not scientifically proven.
He has been associated with some _______ characters.
countenance
noun
the appearance or expression of someone’s face:
He was of noble ___________.
We will not give/lend ___________ to any kind of terrorism.
The school will not ___________ bad behaviour.
[ C ] Her ___________ masked her feelings.
This school will not ___________ lateness.
brooding
adjective
making you feel uncomfortable or worried, as if something bad is going to happen:
He stood there in the corner of the room, a dark, ________ presence.
Her films have a ________ atmosphere.
pester
verb
to behave in an annoying manner towards someone by doing or asking for something repeatedly:
At the frontier, there were people ______ing tourists for cigarettes, food, or alcohol.
[ + to infinitive ] John has been ______ing her to go out with him all month.
The kids keep ______ing me to buy them a new video game.
frivolous
adjective
behaving in a silly way and not taking anything seriously:
I think he sees her as a _________ young woman.
I feel like doing something completely _________ today.
I’m very _________ – I just like to have fun.
With our justice system there are a lot of _________ cases that go to court.
We don’t have a monthly budget, but we don’t spend _________ly either.
ardent
adjective
showing strong feelings:
an ______ supporter of Manchester United
an ______ feminist
They were ______ pacifists.
deep-seated: He has a deep-seated loathing of snobbery.
deep: He suffered from a deep feeling of inadequacy.
fierce: The people have a fierce pride in their country.
intense: She learned that even intense emotional pain passes.
strong: I felt a strong urge to hug him.
powerful: Anger is one of the most powerful human emotions.
dissipate
verb
to (cause to) gradually disappear or waste:
The heat gradually _________s into the atmosphere.
His anger _________d as the situation became clear.
[ T ] It took months of effort to _________ the oil spill in the North Sea.
voluptuous
adjective
A __________ woman has a soft, curved, sexually attractive body:
a __________ body/mouth/figure
such __________ pleasure
I sank into the bed’s __________ warmth.
convolution
noun
a twist:
an intricate pattern of endless ___________s
The movie’s plot twists and ___________s demand a lot of concentration from the audience.
captivate
verb
to hold the attention of someone by being extremely interesting, exciting, pleasant, or attractive:
With her beauty and charm, she _________d film audiences everywhere.
Her singing _________d audiences everywhere.
insuperable
adjective
(especially of a problem) so great or severe that it cannot be defeated or dealt with successfully
abject
adjective
the state of being extremely unhappy, poor, unsuccessful, etc.:
They live in ______ poverty.
an ______ apology
He is almost ______ in his respect for his boss.
They live in ______ poverty.
My experiment was an ______ failure.
This policy has turned out to be an ______ failure.
assiduously
adverb
in a way that involves great care and attention to detail:
I ___________ avoid buying imported products.
She cultivated her friends ___________ into her old age.
elude
verb
If something that you want _____s you, you do not succeed in achieving it:
elusive memories
It was simply her misfortune that an Olympic medal _____d her in 1988.
The gold medal continues to _____ her.
They had minor breakthroughs but real success _____d them.
They _____d the police by fleeing.
I know who you mean but her name _____s me.
The bear that had _____d capture for so long was caught at last.
morbid
adjective
too interested in unpleasant subjects, especially death:
Pathological anatomy (or ______ anatomy) is the study of diseased organs.
He has a ______ sense of humor.
She had to have gastric bypass surgery to avoid dying from ______ obesity.
a ______ fascination with death
solemn
adjective
serious and without any humour:
a ______ face/voice
______ music
Everyone looked very ______.
He looked stern and ______, and rarely spoke.
The memorial was a very ______ occasion.
There was an air of ______ity in the room.
Borden ______ly promised that he would take care of it.
serious: She had a serious look on her face.
earnest: At that time he was an earnest young environmental activist.
sober: The mood of the gathering was sober and reflective.
______: The two men fell silent, their faces ______.
sombre: UK Since their colleague died there has been a very sombre atmosphere in the office.
insipid
adjective
not having a strong taste or character, or having no interest or energy:
a pale \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ wine He's an \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ old bore. Why anyone buys music with such \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ lyrics is a mystery. an \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ flavor \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ TV sitcoms
bland: The soup is very bland, it could use more herbs and spices.
tasteless: The boiled chicken is practically tasteless.
flavourless: UK These tomatoes from the grocer’s are flavourless.
_______: He was drinking an _______ light beer.
watered-down: The bar served bad food and watered-down cocktails.
precipice
noun
a very steep side of a cliff or a mountain:
The film opens with a shot of a climber dangling from a _________.
This latest tax increase may push many small companies over the financial _________.
We stood at the edge of the _________ and looked down at the sea.
beseech
verb
to ask for something in a way that shows you need it very much:
Stay a little longer, I _______ you!
beg: He begged her to stay, but she wouldn’t listen.
implore: I implore you to change your mind.
plead with: He pleaded with the guards to be allowed to see his daughter.
appeal to: I appeal to the public to remain calm.
entreat: The banners entreated the government to release the prisoners.
adjure: The gospel adjures us to love one another.
frantic
adjective
almost out of control because of extreme emotion, such as worry:
Share prices have soared to a new all-time high in a day of _______ trading on the stock market.
Rescuers were engaged in a _______ all-night effort to reach the survivors before their supply of air ran out.
Rescuers made _______ efforts to dig out people buried by the mudslide.
When his wife arrived at the hospital she was _______ with worry.
There have been _______ attempts by central banks to restore order on the exchanges.
More than 240 million shares changed hands in _______ trading.
_______ talks/negotiations
Where on earth have you been? We’ve been _______ with worry.
worried: I’m worried that he’s not going to graduate.
concerned: Aren’t you concerned that she might tell someone?
perturbed: He didn’t seem unduly perturbed by the news.
fretful: She got a fretful night’s sleep after the dreadful news.
anxious: All this waiting is making me anxious.
apprehensive: He’s a bit apprehensive about leaving home.
sustenance
noun
food:
During this freezing weather, the food put out by householders is the only form of __________ that the birds have.
A stick of celery does not provide much __________.
When her husband died, she drew __________ from/she found __________ in her religious beliefs.
The ranch animals get a lot of their __________ from grazing.
sublime
adjective
extremely good, beautiful, or enjoyable:
_______ beauty
The book has _______ descriptive passages.
He possesses _______ self-confidence.
A great deal of literature is only the obvious transformed into the _______.
_______ food/scenery
yearn
verb
to wish very strongly, especially for something that you cannot have or something that is very difficult to have:
Despite his great commercial success he still _____s for critical approval.
[ + to infinitive ] Sometimes I just _____ to be alone.
[ + to infinitive ] Joy _____s to earn enough money from her job as a doctor’s assistant for her to become independent.
inarticulate
adjective
unable to express feelings or ideas clearly, or expressed in a way that is difficult to understand:
When it comes to expressing their emotions, some people are hopelessly ____________.
His speech was ____________ and it was obvious he had been drinking.
He refers to them as ____________ mountain people.
____________ cries of rage
dreary
adjective
boring and making you feel unhappy:
a ______ little town
She had spent another ______ day in the office.
It was a gray, ______ day, with periods of rain.
dejection
noun
the feeling of being unhappy, disappointed, or without hope:
He wandered around in a state of utter _________.
She made no effort to hide her _________.
courteous
adjective
polite and showing respect:
Although she often disagreed with me, she was always _________.
The ticket clerk was _________ and helpful.
polite: He was always such a polite child.
_________: Although she often disagreed with me, she was always _________.
respectful: He was respectful towards his elders.
well mannered: They were quiet, well mannered children.
chivalrous: He held open the door in that chivalrous way of his.
confine
verb
to limit an activity, person, or problem in some way:
He was tired of the constant _______ment of his office.
You can’t keep kids in a _______d space for long.
Cancer is not _______d to old people.
Harris does not _______ her stage work to Broadway.
Let’s _______ our discussion to the matter in question, please!
Please _______ your use of the phone to business calls.
By closing the infected farms we’re hoping to _______ the disease to the north of the region (= stop it from spreading to other areas).
The hostages had been _______d for so long that they couldn’t cope with the outside world.
We know that the illness is not _______d to any one group in society.
This attitude seems to be _______d to the very wealthy.
The animals were _______d in a large pen.
famished
adjective
extremely hungry:
Have some dinner with us - you must be ________!
I’m ________! When do we eat?
perspiration
noun
polite word for sweat (= a clear liquid passed through the skin):
During the break between games, she had a drink of water and wiped the ____________ off her face and arms with a towel.
Beads (= drops) of ____________ glistened on his brow.
obscure
adjective
not known to many people:
Official policy has changed for reasons that remain _______.
Managers deliberately _______d the real situation from federal investigators.
an _______ island in the Pacific
an _______ 12th-century mystic
Official policy has changed, for reasons that remain _______.
His answers were _______ and confusing.
Two new skyscrapers had sprung up, ______ing the view from her window.
The sun was _______d by clouds.
an _______ 18th-century painter
squander
verb
to waste money or supplies, or to waste opportunities by not using them to your advantage:
Ireland ________ed several chances, including a penalty that cost them the game.
Government should not ________ the taxpayers’ money.
Don’t ________ your opportunities when you are young.
Fifty-five percent of likely voters are convinced that much of the state’s tax money is being ________ed.
________ sth on sth Politicians are accused of ________ing more than $1 billion on misguided and futile programs aimed at stimulating the economy.
According to one member of the board of directors: “We have ________ed the opportunity to become a major player in the industry”.
They’ll quite happily ________ a whole year’s savings on two weeks in the sun.
morose
adjective
unhappy, annoyed, and unwilling to speak or smile:
a ______ expression
Why are you so ______ these days?
Michael became ______ and withdrawn after he lost his job.
taciturn
adjective
tending not to speak much:
He’s a reserved, ________ person.
He was always quiet, reserved, and ________.
quiet: She’s a quiet little thing.
abrupt: He is criticised for being too abrupt with his clients.
curt: She was very curt with him.
terse: I don’t appreciate how terse she is in meetings.
________: Her father was a shy, ________ man.
timorous
adjective
nervous and without much confidence
composure
noun
the feeling of being calm, confident, and in control:
I didn’t want to lose my _________ in front of her.
You may feel nervous but don’t lose your _________ in front of the camera.
postulate
verb
to suggest a theory, idea, etc. as a basic principle from which a further idea is formed or developed:
[ + that ] It was the Greek astronomer, Ptolemy, who _________d that the earth was at the centre of the universe.
[ + that clause ] Astronomers _________ that the comet will reappear in 4000 years.
He suggested an original and interesting _________.
anticipate
verb
to imagine or expect that something will happen:
We don’t __________ any trouble.
We had one or two difficulties along the way that we didn’t __________.
Are you _________ing a lot of people at the party tonight?
[ + -ing verb ] They __________ having several applicants for the job.
[ + that ] They __________ that they will have several applicants for the job
[ + question word ] At this stage we can’t really __________ what will happen.
The __________d inflation figure is lower than last month’s.
It’s always best to __________ a problem before it arises.
The army __________d (= took action in preparation for) the explosion by evacuating the town.
No job cuts are __________d under the new ownership.
We __________ criticism but plan to go ahead anyway.
[ + question word ] At this stage we can’t __________ what will happen.
__________ problems/difficulties It’s always best to __________ problems before they arise.
The __________d inflation figure is lower than last month’s.
__________ that They __________ that their lawyers will appeal the decision, though that process could take at least nine months.
[ + (that) clause ] I don’t __________ (that) we’ll solve all our problems with one meeting.
poignant
adjective
causing or having a very sharp feeling of sadness:
The photograph awakens ________ memories of happier days.
It is especially ________ that he died on the day before the wedding.
The monument is a ________ reminder of those who died in the war.
stout
adjective
(especially of older people) fat and solid-looking, especially around the waist:
Mrs Blower was the _____ lady with the glasses.
I bought myself a pair of good _____ hiking boots.
He needed a _____ heart and nerves of steel.
He was seen as a pleasant man – short, a bit _____ and balding, with a radiant smile.
There is much to be said for having a _____ fence to protect your flower beds.
He was the brains and the _____ heart behind the best of these stories.
snarl
verb
(especially of dogs) to make a deep, rough sound while showing the teeth, usually in anger or (of people) to speak or say something angrily and forcefully:
That old brush will _____ your hair.
The dog gave a low _____ so I quickly drew my hand back.
“Take your hands off me!” she said with a _____.
She tried to comb the _____s out of her daughter’s long hair.
a _____ of blankets on the bed
[ I ] “What do you want?” he _____ed.
[ T ] The collision _____ed traffic for 10 miles on the Interstate.
The dog’s _____ frightened me.
The yarn _____ed as she unwound it.
[ + speech ] “Go to hell!”, he _____ed.
The dogs started to _____ at each other so I had to separate them.
reluctant
adjective
not willing to do something and therefore slow to do it:
[ + to infinitive ] I was having such a good time I was _________ to leave.
Many parents feel _________ to talk openly with their children.
She persuaded her _________ husband to take a trip to Florida with her.
[ + to infinitive ] She had trouble sleeping but was _________ to take sleeping pills.
The poll also showed a ________ce to accept higher taxes, particularly at the local level.
He _________ly resigned.
unwilling: She was unwilling to hand over the money.
loath: I was loath to spend all the money at once.
balk: The MP balked at a proposal to raise council tax.
_________: I was _________ to leave because I was having such a good time.
disinclined: I am disinclined to take on the extra work without more pay.
quarrel
noun
an angry disagreement between two or more people or groups:
They had a bitter _______ about/over some money three years ago and they haven’t spoken to each other since.
We have no _______ with the people of your country (= we have no reason to disagree with or dislike them).
They seem to have patched up their _______ (= finished their disagreement and started to be friendly).
What did you _______ about/over?
She _______led with everyone in the village.
A big family _______ left Judith and me in tears.
We heard our neighbors _______ing about/over money.
argument: I don’t want to get into an argument with you about this.
disagreement: There was a disagreement over who should pay the bill.
_______: There were bitter _______s between the two neighbours.
row: UK My parents had a row about money.
squabble: I’m always dealing with squabbles between the children.
tiff: She had a tiff with her boyfriend last night.
argue: The kids are always arguing about something.
have an argument: I had an argument with my sister.
fight: The two sides continue to fight over control of the assembly.
_______: Stop _______ling, you two!
row: UK My parents were always rowing about money.
squabble: They are still squabbling over who will get the big office.
impunity
noun
freedom from punishment or from the unpleasant results of something that has been done:
Criminal gangs are terrorizing the city with apparent ________.
She thought that her money and power gave her the right to ignore the law with ________.
discretion
noun
the ability to behave without causing embarrassment or attracting too much attention, especially by keeping information secret:
at sb’s __________/at the __________ of sb Payment in lieu of notice to redundant workers is at the company’s __________.
exercise/use (your) __________ Economic and institutional constraints can make it difficult for senior managers to exercise __________ in their decisions.
leave it (up) to sb’s __________/leave it (up) to the __________ of sb Top-up insurance cover is left to the __________ of individuals and firms.
Bankruptcy managers have __________ to decide disputes.
broad/complete/considerable __________
Sales staff were given __________ to offer customers a 10% discount.
Whether or not to hold the meeting is at the __________ of the president (= a decision to be made by the president).
Troopers have __________ in deciding whom to stop for speeding.
I leave the decision to your __________ (= for you to decide).
Students can be expelled at the __________ of the principal (= if the principal decides it).
“Can you trust him with this?” “Yes, he’s the soul of __________ (= he will not tell other people).”
denote
verb
to represent something:
The colour red is used to ______ passion or danger.
His angry tone ______d extreme displeasure.
hurriedly
adverb
in a way that is _______ (= done very quickly or too quickly):
The party was a rather _________ arranged affair.
Families _________ prepared for the storm, boarding up windows and finding shelter.
repulsion
noun
strong dislike or disapproval:
to feel _________
A look of _________ flashed across her face.
magnetic _________
perilous
adjective
extremely dangerous:
The country roads are quite ________.
dangerous: It’s dangerous to walk alone in the woods at night.
unsafe: Don’t play in the street - it’s unsafe.
hazardous: Heavy rain is causing hazardous driving conditions.
treacherous: Ice had made the roads treacherous.
________: A ________ journey through the mountains was their only escape route.
putrid
adjective
decayed and having an unpleasant smell:
the ______ body of a dead fox
What’s that ______ smell?
a dress in a ______ shade of yellow
a ______ garbage dump
startle
verb
to do something unexpected that surprises and sometimes worries a person or animal:
She was concentrating on her book and his voice _______d her.
The noise of the car _______d the birds and the whole flock flew up into the air.
Her article on diet _______d many people into changing their eating habits.
She _______d him when she said hello.
We’ve made some ______ing discoveries.
secluded
adjective
quiet, private, and not near people, roads, or buildings:
a ________ beach
a ________ house in the forest
a ________ area/beach
She spent her days in the _____sion of her room.
intercept
verb
to stop and catch something or someone before that thing or person is able to reach a particular place:
Law enforcement agents _________ed a shipment of drugs from Central America.
Barry _________ed Naylor’s pass and scored the third goal.
to _________ a letter
The ball was _________ed by Grady.
Police _________ed a boat carrying over a million packs of cigarettes into the country illegally.
to _________ calls/communications/emails
catch: Catch the ball!
pounce: The veteran striker pounced and lashed home a goal.
snag: US He snagged the line drive for the last out in the inning.
_________: She _________ed the pass and scored a goal.
glove: It’s a pop fly to left field, and the outfielder gloves it easily.
vexation
noun
worry or anger:
After several unsuccessful attempts to start his car, he swore in ________.
fidelity
noun
honest or lasting support, or loyalty, especially to a sexual partner:
Somerset Maugham’s comedy of marital ________, “The Constant Wife”
How important do you think sexual ________ is in a marriage?
The best ink-jet printers can reproduce photographs with amazing ________.
The ________ of the tape recording was so poor that you could not understand much of what was said.
Customer trust and ________ are not acquired once and for all.
They recently began testing a ________ card scheme in Scotland prior to a national launch.
inconspicuous
adjective
not easily or quickly noticed or seen, or not attracting attention:
This type of bird is very _____________ because of its dull feathers.
At parties, he always stands in a corner and tries to look _____________.
Agents placed the camera on a wall in an _____________ place.
disconcerted
adjective
worried by something and uncertain:
I was a little ____________ by his reply.
contrive
verb
to arrange a situation or event, or arrange for something to happen, using clever planning:
Couldn’t you ________ a meeting between them? I think they’d really like each other.
[ + to infinitive ] Somehow she ________d to get tickets for the concert.
Do you think you could ________ something for hanging my clothes on until I can get a wardrobe?
[ I ] He somehow ________d to get tickets for the concert.
[ T ] The two of them are _______ing a plan.
remorse
noun
a feeling of sadness and being sorry for something you have done:
I’m still _______ful for having broken it.
a _______less tyrant
He felt no _______ for the murders he had committed.
After the argument, she was filled with _______.
Judges took account of the prisoner’s _______.
serene
adjective
peaceful and calm; worried by nothing:
She has a lovely ______ face.
He approached the job with the ______ confidence that he could succeed where others had failed.
He wrote of the beauty and _____ity of the great river.
digress
verb
to move away from the main subject you are writing or talking about and to write or talk about something else:
But I _______. To get back to what I was saying, this poem reflects the poet’s love of nature and his religious beliefs.
The lecturer temporarily _______ed from her subject to deal with a related theory.
He _______ed from his subject in order to criticize the accuracy of a newspaper story.
His speech was full of _______ions about his time in the army.
condemn
verb
to criticize something or someone strongly, usually for moral reasons:
The terrorist action has been _______ed as an act of barbarism and cowardice.
The film was _______ed for its sexism.
The movie was _______ed for glorifying violence.
Those who remember the past are not _______ed to repeat it.
Illness _______ed her to spend her remaining days in a home.
The statement brought swift _______ation from world leaders.
come under fire: The government programme has come under fire for mismanaging funds.
criticize: He criticized the government’s handling of the crisis.
attack: She wrote an article attacking the judge and the way the trial had been conducted.
_______: She was _______ed for her comments about the candidate.
denounce: The government’s economic policy has been denounced on all sides.
ostentatious
adjective
too obviously showing your money, possessions, or power, in an attempt to make other people notice and admire you:
____________ gestures
She waved her hand about, ____________ly displaying her large diamond ring.
____________ jewelry
an ____________ gesture/manner
They criticized the ____________ lifestyle of their leaders.
boastful: He was confident, not boastful.
bumptious: His critics have depicted him as a bumptious, privately-educated son of privilege.
____________: She is not impressed by his ____________ displays of wealth.
full of yourself: Carolyn liked confident guys, but thought Oscar a bit too brash and full of himself.
overweening: His overweening arrogance is matched only by his incompetence.
veracity
noun
the quality of being true, honest, or accurate:
Doubts were cast on the ________ of her alibi.
proliferate
verb
to increase a lot and suddenly in number:
Small businesses have ___________d in the last ten years.
Amusement and theme parks are __________ing across the country.
The __________ion of cell phones has changed how we communicate.
decorous
adjective
behaving politely and in a controlled way:
His manner, as ever, was ________.
covert
adjective
hidden or secret:
The government was accused of ______ military operations against the regime.
______ military operations
______ actions
secret: The spies had a secret meeting.
______: The government was accused of ______ military operations.
clandestine: He arranged a clandestine meeting between his client and the candidate.
confidential: All the information you give us will be treated as strictly confidential.
classified: These documents contain classified information.
eclectic
adjective
Methods, beliefs, ideas, etc. that are ________ combine whatever seem the best or most useful things from many different areas or systems, rather than following a single system:
an ________ style/approach
an ________ taste in literature
It was an ________ mix of our ethnic foods and traditional Thanksgiving food.
Pilard, who takes an ________ approach to identifying cheap stocks, invests in small and midsize companies, as well as large ones.
rudimentary
adjective
basic:
Her knowledge is still only ___________.
Some unusual fish have ___________ legs.
She has only a ___________ grasp of the language.
basic: I just need some basic information.
elementary: I started an elementary-level art history course.
fundamental: One of the most fundamental principles of the rule of law is that one person cannot be punished for the actions of another.
___________: They have only the most ___________ grasp of the language.
underlying: The underlying idea is that having freedom is valuable.
essential: We have been able to determine the essential nature of a healthy diet.
terse
adjective
using few words, sometimes in a way that seems rude or unfriendly:
“Storm coming,” he said _____ly.
“Are you feeling any better?” “No!” was the _____ reply.
He was shouting _____ orders for vehicles to pull over.
taciturn: Her father was a shy, taciturn man.
abrupt: He is criticised for being too abrupt with his clients.
curt: She was very curt with him.
_____: I don’t appreciate how _____ she is in meetings.
quiet: She’s a quiet little thing.
debauchery
noun
bad sexual behaviour, drinking too much alcohol, taking drugs, etc.:
a life of __________
visceral
adjective
based on deep feeling and emotional reactions rather than on reason or thought:
________ hatred/excitement
His approach to acting is ________ rather than intellectual.
He has a ________ feel for our problems.
furtive
adjective
(of people) behaving secretly and often dishonestly, or (of actions) done secretly and often dishonestly:
I saw him cast a _______ glance at the woman at the table to his right.
He made one or two _______ phone calls.
They exchanged _______ gestures and words of encouragement.
She glanced _______ly at the papers on his desk.
There was something _______ about his behaviour and I immediately felt suspicious.
secret: The spies had a secret meeting.
covert: The government was accused of covert military operations.
clandestine: He arranged a clandestine meeting between his client and the candidate.
confidential: All the information you give us will be treated as strictly confidential.
classified: These documents contain classified information.
circumvent
verb
to avoid something, especially cleverly or illegally:
Ships were registered abroad to __________ employment and safety regulations.
Young people still want to __________ their parents’ control.
toil
noun
hard work, especially work that makes you feel physically tired:
Lindi has achieved her comfortable life only after years of hard ____.
humorous Well, after a day’s ____ in the office I like to relax a little.
Farm workers have been ____ing in the 100-degree heat over the past week.
After ____ing away at work all week, it’s good to relax.
I was ____ing up the hill with four heavy bags when he took pity on me.
In this section, the company’s TOIL policy is described.
He rested from the backbreaking ____ of putting in fences.
Walter ____ed in obscurity while his boss took the credit.
penance
noun
an act that shows that you feel sorry about something that you have done, sometimes for religious reasons:
As a _______, she said she would buy them all a box of chocolates.
They are doing _______ for their sins.
[ U ] They are doing _______ for their sins.
waver
verb
to lose strength, determination, or purpose, especially temporarily:
I’m afraid my concentration began to _____ as lunch approached.
He has never _____ed in his support for the leader.
“What are you going to have?” “Er, I’m _____ing between the soup and the mushroom quiche.”
He never _____ed as the leading voice of African-Americans’ call for freedom and equality.
She _____ed between believing him and thinking that he was lying.
ambivalence
noun
the state of having two opposing feelings at the same time, or being uncertain about how you feel:
her ___________ towards men
Real social relationships are marked by ambiguity and ___________.
scarcely
adverb
almost not:
I was ________ able to move my arm after the accident.
I could ________ believe it when she said she wanted to marry me.
I had ________ sat down/Scarcely had I sat down to eat when the phone rang.
I’d ________ have done it if I didn’t think it was absolutely necessary!
He’s only two - you can ________ blame him for behaving badly.
I could ________ move my arm after the accident.
He would ________ have broken it on purpose.
fortitude
noun
courage over a long period:
I thought she showed remarkable _________ during that period.
Throughout his illness, he showed great _________.
amenable
adjective
willing to accept or be influenced by a suggestion:
She might be more ________ to the idea if you explained how much money it would save.
Do you think the new manager will prove more ________ to our proposals?
He was ________ to suggestion, and really worked hard to improve himself.
expiate
verb
to show that you are sorry for bad behaviour by doing something or accepting punishment:
to _______ a crime/sin
gloating
adjective
feeling or expressing great pleasure or satisfaction because of your own success or good luck, or someone else’s failure or bad luck:
The ________ expression in his eyes had been replaced by curiosity.
He glanced at it, then at Michael, with a ________ expression.
Let’s be gracious in victory - no ________, no jeering.
edifice
noun
a large building, especially an impressive one:
The town hall is the only _______ surviving from the 15th century.
It looks as if the whole political _______ of the country is about to collapse.
The state capitol is an imposing _______ topped by a large dome.
profane
adjective
showing no respect for a god or a religion, often through language:
_______ language
Funny, _______, and fearless, she has become one of America’s biggest television celebrities.
sacred and _______ art
_______ language
His letter is too _______ to print, but it is very funny, too.
devoted
adjective
extremely loving and loyal:
a _______ fan/husband
Lucy is _______ to her cats.
a _______ fan/husband/mother
devout
adjective
believing strongly in a religion and obeying all its rules or principles:
a ______ Buddhist/Christian/churchgoer
a ______ Christian/Jew/Muslim
a ______ly religious family
supercilious
adjective
behaving as if you are better than other people, and that their opinions, beliefs, or ideas are not important:
He spoke in a haughty, ____________ voice.
superior: Her superior and smug manner made conversation unbearable.
arrogant: I can’t stand how arrogant he is!
proud: Don’t be too proud to admit you’re wrong.
pompous: What a pompous jerk!
self-important: The room was filled with self-important politicians.
amiable
adjective
pleasant and friendly:
He was _______ and charming, and he possessed an ability to make people feel comfortable in his presence.
So _______ was the mood of the meeting that a decision was soon reached.
He seemed an _______ young man.
_______: She was perfectly _______.
genial: Our genial host led us to our room.
congenial: He’s very congenial and so quite likeable.
nice: Her boyfriend is really nice.
friendly: I like his sister - she’s so friendly.
novelty
noun
the quality of being new and unusual:
The shop sells gifts and other ______ies.
A Christmas cracker usually contains a paper hat, a joke, and a _______.
a _______ item
[ U ] The _______ of the toys soon wore off.
Sales of the new game are very high, but they will start to drop as the _______ wears off.
Flexible schedules, once a _______, are now more commonplace.
We sell toys, glassware, handicrafts, table decorations, and ______ies at moderate prices.
Tourists are still a _______ on this remote island.
In Britain in the 1950s, television still had _______ value.
The _______ of these toys soon wore off and the children became bored with them.
repugnant
adjective
If behaviour or beliefs, etc. are _________, they are very unpleasant, causing a feeling of disgust:
a _________ smell
I find your attitude towards these women quite _________.
The idea of cheating in an exam is morally _________ to me.
The trade in wild animals was _________ to most people.
woe
noun
big problems or troubles:
The country has been beset by economic ___s for the past decade.
Unusually poor harvests have added to the country’s ___s.
Her face was lined and full of ___.
He told me a real tale of ___ about how he had lost both his job and his house in the same week.
[ U ] She poured out her tale of ___.
[ C ] The country has been beset by economic ___s for the past few years.
jeer
verb
to laugh or shout insults at someone to show you have no respect for them:
The people at the back of the hall ____ed the speaker.
Critics ____ed at his moral stance.
“Angry because you don’t like the truth?” he ____ed.
The news that the performance was being cancelled was greeted by boos and ____s from the audience.
[ I ] Striking workers ____ed at those who crossed the picket line.
We were surprised to hear ____s from our own fans.
surreptitious
adjective
done secretly, without anyone seeing or knowing:
She seemed to be listening to what I was saying, but I couldn’t help noticing her _____________ glances at the clock.
a _____________ glance
secret: The spies had a secret meeting.
covert: The government was accused of covert military operations.
clandestine: He arranged a clandestine meeting between his client and the candidate.
confidential: All the information you give us will be treated as strictly confidential.
classified: These documents contain classified information.
extemporaneous
adjective
done or said without any preparation or thought:
an ______________ speech
He made some ______________ remarks before the award ceremony.
piety
noun
strong belief in a religion that is shown in the way someone lives
callous
adjective
unkind, cruel, and without sympathy or feeling for other people:
It might sound _______, but I don’t care if he’s homeless. He’s not living with me!
As _______ as it may sound, trying to help some students is a waste of time.
cruel: Teasing them for being overweight is cruel.
_______: He had a _______ disregard for the feelings of others.
cold-blooded: The budget is based on a cold-blooded analysis of the markets.
ruthless: He was a ruthless dictator.
heartless: He has been described as a heartless boss by several employees.
cordial
adjective
friendly, but formal and polite:
a _______ smile/greeting/welcome/reception
Relations between the two leaders are said to be _______.
The two statesmen are known to have a _______ dislike for each other.
lime _______
a _______ greeting/smile
_______ relations
friendly: The pub has such a friendly atmosphere.
congenial: There are many congenial places to stop on your way through the Lake District.
convivial: These seaside inns have a convivial atmosphere.
warm: The hostess gave us a warm welcome.
predicament
noun
an unpleasant situation that is difficult to get out of:
She is hoping to get a loan from her bank to help her out of her financial ___________.
I’m in a bit of a ___________ because I’ve accidentally accepted two invitations to dinner on the same night.
With no money and no job, he found himself in a real ___________.
evident
adjective
easily seen or understood:
The full extent of the damage only became _______ the following morning.
From the smell it was _______ that the drains had been blocked for several days.
Harry’s courage during his illness was _______ to everyone.
Her love for him was _______ in all that she did.
It quickly became _______ that someone had broken in.
Twain’s interest in Adam is _______ in all his work.
I thought she’d want to see me. Evidently, she doesn’t.
manifest: His manifest lack of interest has provoked severe criticism.
_______: The company president was impressed by her _______ ambition.
plain: His disappointment was plain to see.
apparent: Her joy was apparent to everyone.
clear: It was clear that he was unhappy.
obvious: It’s obvious that she’s upset.
prudent
adjective
careful and avoiding risks:
[ + to infinitive ] It’s always _______ to read a contract carefully before signing it.
His decision was _______ and timely.
A little ______ce would be appropriate.
They insisted that the deal is fiscally _______ and would not put the city budget at risk.
_______ to do sth It would be _______ to delay interest rate cuts until early next year.
_______ financial planning
Normal _______ accounting principles require that prepayments should be written down where it can be seen that they will not be fully recoverable.
Failure on the part of banks to act _______ly has resulted in a global recession.
elaborate
adjective
containing a lot of careful detail or many detailed parts:
You want a plain blouse to go with that skirt - nothing too _________.
They’re making the most _________ preparations for the wedding.
He came out with such an _________ excuse that I didn’t quite believe him.
The congresswoman said she was resigning, but refused to _________ on her reasons for doing so.
an _________ ceremony
an _________ fireworks display
They had created _________ computer programs to run the system.
an _________ly decorated dining room
He refused to _________ on why he had resigned.
exempt
verb
to excuse someone or something from a duty, payment, etc.:
Tax-______ organizations must stay true to the reasons they were granted ______ status.
______ sb from sth Some degree courses ______ you from certain professional exams.
______ sb from doing sth Local drivers are ______ed from paying the tolls.
be ______ from doing sth Lawyers would be ______ from reporting information learned through confidential communication with clients.
be ______ from sth Who is ______ from overtime?
The governor plans to ______ small businesses from the tax increase.
Nonprofit organizations are ______ from taxes.
Small businesses have been ______ed from the tax increase.
Goods ______ from this tax include books and children’s clothes.
Pregnant women are ______ from dental charges under the current health system.
reprimand
verb
to express to someone your strong official disapproval of them:
She was _________ed by her teacher for biting another girl.
His boss gave him a severe _________ for being late.
I received one written _________ in three years.
The committee _________ed and censured him for his uncooperative attitude.
His boss gave him a severe _________ for being late again.
_________ sb for (doing) sth The head of department was severely _________ed for failing to report computer thefts.
She was given a written _________.
They will all receive letters of _________.
tempest
noun
a violent storm
foreboding
noun
a feeling that something very bad is going to happen soon:
There’s a sense of __________ in the capital, as if fighting might at any minute break out.
[ + (that) ] He had a strange __________ (that) something would go wrong.
The gloomy weather gave me a sense of __________.
Her __________s about the future were to prove justified.
notwithstanding
preposition
despite the fact or thing mentioned:
Notwithstanding some members’ objections, I think we must go ahead with the plan.
Injuries _______________, the team won the semifinal.
Injuries _______________, this season has been a disappointment to me.
litigation
noun
the process of taking a case to a court of law so that a judgment can be made:
The company has consistently denied responsibility, but it agreed to the settlement to avoid the expense of lengthy __________.
Both sides agreed to the settlement to avoid the expense of __________.
The company has consistently denied responsibility, but it agreed to the settlement to avoid the expense of lengthy __________.
You were told there might be grounds for __________ but the cost would be prohibitive considering the small amount involved.
in __________ The company was in __________ for almost a year.
deign
verb
to do something unwillingly and in a way that shows that you think you are too important to do it:
If she _____s to reply to my letter, I’ll be extremely surprised.
Mr. Clinton did not _____ to reply.
incongruous
adjective
unusual or different from what is around or from what is generally happening:
Such a modern office building looks ___________ in the quaint little town.
It seems ___________ to have a woman as the editor of a men’s magazine.
The new computer looked ___________ in the dark book-filled library.
malignant
adjective
A _________ disease or growth is cancer or is related to cancer, and is likely to be harmful:
The process by which _________ cancer cells multiply isn’t fully understood.
Is the tumour _________ or benign?
He developed a _________ hatred for the land of his birth.
The pathologist’s report said the tumor was _________.
liable
adjective
having (legal) responsibility for something or someone:
The law holds parents ______ if a child does not attend school.
If we lose the case we may be ______ for (= have to pay) the costs of the whole trial.
The areas of town near the river are ______ to flooding (= are often flooded).
[ + to infinitive ] He’s ______ to make a fuss if you wake him.
If you don’t take care of yourself, you’re ______ to get sick.
He is still ______ for repaying his student loan.
______ for sth The sellers were ______ for all the damage.
This is a serious crime and they can be held ______.
If you are self-employed, you are still ______ to pay National Insurance Contributions.
______ to sth You will be ______ to tax on the interest.
______ to sth He is guilty of an offence and ______ to 14 years’ imprisonment.
______ to do sth They’re ______ to give you problems over your business proposal.
He’s ______ to say anything that comes into his head.
insurmountable
adjective
(especially of a problem or a difficulty) so great that it cannot be dealt with successfully:
______________ difficulties
This small country is faced with an ______________ debt.
As the election returns came in, it was clear that his opponent had an ______________ lead.
scorn
noun
a very strong feeling of no respect for someone or something that you think is stupid or has no value:
These countries deserve our respect, not the _____ of a politician.
a _____ful laugh/look
He was _____ed by his classmates for his bad behavior.
She _____ed all my offers of help.
You _____ed all my suggestions.
Why do you always pour/heap _____ on (= criticize severely and unfairly) my suggestions?
So does he respect the press and media, or does he secretly _____ them?
She has nothing but _____ for the new generation of politicians.
constituent
noun
one of the parts that a substance or combination is made of:
What are the basic ___________s of the mixture?
The MP worked hard, always talking to his ___________s and listening to their problems.
Let’s look at the ___________ parts of this sentence.
The process of breaking down food into its ___________ elements begins.
The bill is an attempt to resolve a major source of ___________ complaints.
He thought it was very important to answer ___________ mail.
The senator mails a newsletter to his ___________s every two months.
Oxygen is a ___________ of air.
consolation
noun
something that makes someone who is sad or disappointed feel better:
If it’s (of) any ___________ (to you), you’re not the only one he was nasty to.
[ C ] The main ___________ for me was that I wouldn’t have to leave Boston.
I didn’t know what to say - I just offered a few words of ___________.
deplorably
adverb
in a way that is very bad and deserves strong disapproval:
He behaved __________.
the __________ low standards of today’s journalists
mingle
verb
to mix or combine, or be mixed or combined:
You’ve been talking to Roger all evening - you really ought to be _____ing with the other guests.
[ T ] Her excitement at starting the new job was ______d with fear.
He seems to be _____ing with the other guests.
The two flavours ______ well.
The excitement of starting a new job is always ______d with a certain apprehension.
precarious
adjective
in a dangerous state because of not being safe or not being held in place firmly:
The lorry was lodged in a very __________ way, with its front wheels hanging over the cliff.
Many borrowers now find themselves caught in a __________ financial position.
I climbed onto a __________ platform to get a better view.
The vase was __________ly perched on a narrow shelf next to the door.
insinuate
verb
to suggest, without being direct, that something unpleasant is true:
[ + (that) ] Are you ________ing (that) I’m losing my nerve?
What are you ________ing, Daniel?
What exactly are you ________ing?
[ + (that) clause ] She _________d (that) I’m getting fat.
[ C ] Contrary to your ________ion, we are not being unreasonable.
martyr
noun
a person who suffers very much or is killed because of their religious or political beliefs, and is often admired because of it:
a Christian/Islamic/religious ______
She fought against racism all her life and died a ______ to the cause.
She offers to do extra work, then plays the ______!
rapture
noun
extreme pleasure and happiness or excitement:
He listened to the music with an expression of pure _______ on his face.
The prime minister’s supporters greeted her speech with _______.
She went into _______s at the news of her success.
She was in _______s about/over her first visit to Paris.
[ U ] Life was _______ for a little while.
fervent
adjective
used to describe beliefs that are strongly and sincerely felt or people who have strong and sincere beliefs:
a _______ supporter of the communist party
It is his _______ hope that a peaceful solution will soon be found.
She was a _______ supporter of art and culture.
I _______ly hope he’s right.
indolence
noun
the state of showing no real interest or effort:
After a sudden burst of activity, the team lapsed back into _________.
The people feel trapped between the _________ and apathy of the authorities and fear of the criminals.
apprehend
verb
to catch and arrest someone who has not obeyed the law:
The police have finally _________ed the killer.
Last night police _________ed the suspect.
catch: They were caught trying to smuggle cigarettes across the border.
arrest: He was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage to property.
place/put under arrest: The suspect was placed under arrest and charged with armed assault.
capture: The soldiers were captured by enemy forces.
_________: The police have _________ed two individuals in connection with the crime.
nab: The cops nabbed him as he tried to get away.
decree
noun
an official statement that something must happen:
The ______ stopped short of a full declaration of independence.
More than 200 people were freed by military ______.
They ______d an end to discrimination on grounds of age.
[ + that ] After the earthquake, the government ______d that all new buildings must be built according to the new standards.
He refused to carry out the board’s ______.
[ + that clause ] The Olympic charter ______s that the Games be opened by a head of state.
In December a court ______ ended the strike.
The Dutch government issued a ______ laying down strict rules on the age of veal calves and how they should be housed.
rule/legislate by ______
The U.S. Supreme Court ruling ______d that apparel manufacturers - not the retailers themselves - could control the minimum sale price of products.
Several countries have lured back untaxed assets held abroad by ______ing an amnesty for tax evasion.
exert
verb
to use something such as authority, power, influence, etc. in order to make something happen:
If you were to _____ your influence they might change their decision.
Some managers _____ considerable pressure on their staff to work extra hours without being paid.
I was too tired to _____ myself.
To cut costs, health-insurance plans are _____ing tighter control over paying for medical care.
She will have to _____ herself a lot more if she wants to succeed in this business.
[ U ] Physical _____ion isn’t always a good thing in a hot climate.
subdue
verb
to reduce the force of something, or to prevent something from existing or developing:
The fire burned for eight hours before the fire crews could ______ it.
He criticized the school for trying to ______ individual expression.
She’d be hard to ______ if she got mad.
sullen
adjective
angry and unwilling to smile or be pleasant to people:
His daughters stared back at him with an expression of ______ resentment.
literary She looked up at the ______ (= dark and unpleasant) sky and shuddered.
They stared at him with an expression of ______ dislike.
fig. The skies looked very ______ (= dark and unpleasant).
pensive
adjective
thinking in a quiet way, often with a serious expression on your face:
He gazed _______ly out the window.
James was more _______ than usual.
She became withdrawn and _______, hardly speaking to anyone.
entreaty
noun
an attempt to persuade someone to do something:
She refused to become involved with him despite his passionate _______ies.
confide
verb
to tell something secret or personal to someone who you trust not to tell anyone else:
[ + that ] He _______d (to her) that his hair was not his own.
[ + speech ] “My husband doesn’t know yet, but I’m going to leave him,” she _______d.
[ I ] As sisters, they have always _______d in each other.
[ + that clause ] She _______d that most of her clients were actors.
insolent
adjective
rude and not showing respect:
an ________ child/young man
an ________ gesture/remark
Students were often inattentive, sometimes even ________, and showed relatively little interest in their work.
rude: He made a rude remark about the staff.
impolite: She asks direct questions without being in any way impolite.
disrespectful: The class was very disrespectful towards the new teacher.
impertinent: It was clear that they found his questions impertinent.
________: What an ungrateful, ________ child!
cheeky: UK You asked your teacher how old she was? That was a bit cheeky!
impudence
noun
the quality of being rude and not showing respect, especially towards someone who is older or in a more important position:
With a hint of _________ she told him not to talk.
The memoir describes his life with honesty and _________.
accentuate
verb
to emphasize a particular feature of something or to make something more noticeable:
Her dress was tightly belted, _________ing the slimness of her waist.
The new policy only serves to __________ the inadequacy of help for the homeless.
The short black dress __________d her slenderness.
impervious
adjective
not allowing liquid to go through:
How does glue bond with __________ substances like glass and metal?
He is __________ to criticism and rational argument.
He seems to be __________ to pain.
Granite is almost __________ to acid-rain damage.
impertinence
noun
behaviour that is rude and does not show respect, especially someone older or in a higher position than you:
She even had the \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ to lecture Loretta on the importance of hygiene. He threw me out of his class for \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.
retribution
noun
deserved and severe punishment:
Many saw her death as divine ___________ (= punishment by God) for her crimes.
He was seeking ___________ for the crime committed against him.
She was asked whether a civilian government should seek ___________ against military officers involved in human rights abuses.
They fled because they feared ___________ for the genocide.
condole
verb
to show sympathy and sadness for the family or friends of a person who has recently died:
We _______ with the families of the deceased.
appalling
adjective
very bad:
_________ injuries
Prisoners were kept in the most _________ conditions.
The drive home was _________.
_________ weather
bad: If the weather is bad, we’ll have to find something else to do.
poor: She’s 87 and in poor health.
dire: The predictions for the economy are dire.
grim: She was quickly brought back to the grim reality of her life.
awful: The smell from the bins was awful.
fancy
verb
to want to have or do something:
Do you _____ a drink this evening?
[ + -ing verb ] I didn’t _____ swimming in that water.
He could tell she ____ied him.
That Dave really ____ies himself, doesn’t he?
He ____ies himself as a bit of a singer.
[ + to infinitive ] Who do you _____ to win the Cup this year?
[ + (that) ] literary I ____ied (that) I saw something moving in the corner.
old-fashioned This isn’t the first time this has happened, I _____.
Fancy seeing you here!
“They have eight children.” “Fancy that (= how surprising)!”
I wanted a simple black dress, nothing _____.
The decorations were a little too _____ for my tastes.
_____ cakes
We stayed in a _____ hotel near the Champs-Élysées.
a _____ restaurant
But for me, parachuting was no passing _____.
Laura’s taken a _____ to Japanese food.
I looked in a lot of clothes shops but nothing really tickled my _____.
She has enough money to buy anything that strikes her _____.
I wanted a simple black dress, nothing _____.
a _____ hotel
What’s your _____?
When she was young she ____ied herself a rebel.
There are two things he ____ies – fast cars and thunderous music.
expensive: He thinks he’s special with his expensive suits and _____ shoes.
dear: UK I find the veg too dear in that supermarket.
costly: They made several costly mistakes, including spending $60 million on shoddy machinery.
pricey: The restaurants in town are a bit pricey.
exclusive: They have an apartment in an exclusive part of town.
downcast
adjective
sad and without hope:
I thought you were looking a little ________ this morning.
deranged
adjective
completely unable to think clearly or behave in a controlled way, especially because of mental illness:
a ________ criminal/mind/personality
to be mentally ________
a ________ patient
covet
verb
to want to have something very much, especially something that belongs to someone else:
She always _____ed power but never quite achieved it.
The Booker Prize is the most _____ed British literary award.
errand
noun
a short journey either to take a message or to take or collect something:
I’ve got to run a few ______s (= do ______s) and then stop by my mother’s.
I’ll meet you at six, I’ve got some ______s to do/run first.
He would clean, do ______s, and babysit for their 7-year-old daughter.
incisive
adjective
expressing an idea or opinion in a clear and direct way that shows good understanding of what is important:
The guide’s ________ comments give us a new perspective on the painting.
________ questions/comments
comprehensive
adjective
complete and including everything that is necessary:
We offer you a _____________ training in all aspects of the business.
Is this list _____________ or are there some names missing?
He has written a fully _____________ guide to Rome.
It is a common misconception that car hire insurance is _____________.
The trend is towards less _____________ health insurance.
Is the school selective or _____________?
a _____________ education
They went to the local _____________.
They put forward _____________ legislation to revise the rules for financing political campaigns.
folly
noun
the fact of being stupid, or a stupid action, idea, etc.:
She said that the idea was _____.
[ + to infinitive ] It would be _____ for the country to become involved in the war.
[ + to infinitive ] It would be _____ to attempt a trip in this snowstorm.
a Gothic garden _____
reminisce
verb
to talk or write about past experiences that you remember with pleasure:
My grandfather used to _________ about his years in the navy.
Grandpa likes to _________ about his years in the navy.
[ C ] She published _________nces of her life in China.
That tune is _________nt of a song my mother used to sing.
recall: I don’t recall arranging a time to meet.
recollect: I didn’t recollect having seen him.
remind: Every time we meet he reminds me about the money he lent me.
come back to: I forgot his name but it’s just come back to me.
_________: We were just ________ing about our school days.
remember: Do you remember when her birthday is?
squeamish
adjective
easily upset or shocked by things that you find unpleasant or that you do not approve of:
She’s really _________ and can’t stand the sight of blood.
Many cooks are _________ about putting live shellfish into boiling water.
Dad was _________ about killing roaches.
wince
verb
to show pain or embarrassment suddenly and for a short time in the face, often moving the head back at the same time:
Did I hurt you? I thought I saw you _____.
It makes me _____ even thinking about eye operations.
She gave a _____ as the nurse put the needle in.
It’s impossible not to feel a _____ of empathy for someone who gets a kick in the face.
She cut her finger, but didn’t even _____.
He sat down with a _____, rubbing his injured left knee.
paragon
noun
a person or thing that is perfect or has an extremely large amount of a particular good characteristic:
In the novel, Constanza is a _______ of virtue.
a _______ of virtue
dignified
adjective
controlled, serious, and calm, and therefore deserving respect:
a tall, _________ woman
He has maintained a _________ silence about the rumours.
The defeated candidate gave a _________ speech in which he congratulated his rival.
a quiet, _________ person
prohibit
verb
to officially refuse to allow something:
Motor vehicles are ________ed from driving in the town centre.
The government introduced a law ________ing tobacco advertisements on TV.
Parking is strictly ________ed between these gates.
The loudness of the music ________s serious conversation in most nightclubs.
The law ________s smoking in restaurants.
Loud music ________ed serious conversation.
The government introduced a law ________ing tobacco advertisements on TV.
________ sb from doing sth Committee rules ________ members from buying shares.
Smoking in restaurants is now ________ed by law.
forbid: He grew up in a strict household where dating was forbidden.
disallow: Upon review, the goal was disallowed.
ban: The government has banned the sale of lead-based paint.
________: Vehicles are ________ed from parking on the grass.
prevent: Vaccination will prevent the spread of the disease.
avoid: Label the boxes to avoid confusion.
stop: This should stop any further trouble.
avert: We had to act quickly to avert disaster.
________: Behavioural problems in the classroom ________ learning.
check: Children are being vaccinated in an attempt to check the spread of the disease.
presentiment
noun
a feeling that something, especially something unpleasant, is going to happen:
She had had a ____________ of what might lie ahead.
revile
verb
to criticize someone strongly, or say unpleasant things to or about someone:
The judge was ______d in the newspapers for his opinions on rape.
Works of art are often ______d when they are first produced.
elope
verb
to leave home secretly in order to get married without the permission of your parents:
She _____d with an Army officer.
diffidence
noun
the quality of being shy and not confident of your abilities:
The biggest difficulty is overcoming natural British __________
There was a __________ in her soft voice.
vehement
adjective
expressing strong feelings, or shown by strong feelings or great energy or force:
They are killing some of the birds, to the ________ protests of animal-rights groups.
The defense counsel ________ly objected.
They launched a ________ attack on the government’s handling of environmental issues.
Both men were ________ in their denial of the charges against them.
Despite ________ opposition from his family, he quit school and became an actor.
convalescent
noun
someone who is getting better after a serious illness or injury:
Most ____________s prefer to be cared for at home rather than in a hospital.
a ____________ home/hospital
____________ patients
hasten
verb
to make something happen sooner or more quickly:
[ + to infinitive ] They didn’t get what they were after – thanks to you, I ______ to add.
[ T ] To ______ softening, place the cream cheese in the oven for a few minutes.
“People around here dress so badly - except you, Justin,” she ______ed to add.
It was an unfortunate decision and I ______ to say it had nothing to do with me.
These recent poor results have ______ed the manager’s departure.
There is little doubt that poor medical treatment ______ed her death.
The president ______ed to reassure his people that he was in perfect health.
prance
verb
to walk in an energetic way and with more movement than necessary:
It’s pathetic to see 50-year-old rock stars _____ing around on stage as if they were still teenagers.
She ______d into the office and demanded to speak to the manager.
In the square dance, each couple took turns _____ing together under the linked arms of the other couples.
verdict
noun
an opinion or decision made after judging the facts that are given, especially one made at the end of a trial:
The jury reached/returned a unanimous _______ of (not) guilty.
Voters gave their _______ on the government’s economic record last night by voting overwhelmingly for the opposition.
The jury reached/returned a _______ of not guilty after six hours of deliberation.
City planners think it’s a good idea to ban traffic from downtown streets, but the public’s _______ is that it’s a stupid idea.
We disagree with this jury’s _______.
a _______ of guilty/not guilty
reach/record/return a _______ The jury reached a _______ of not guilty.
a majority/unanimous _______
deliver/give/issue your _______ on sth Shares in the oil giant plummeted as investors gave their _______ on the environmental disaster.
The voters delivered their _______ on the administration’s policies, with a resounding defeat of the party.
a _______ against/for sb Today’s _______ for the defense reflects recognition by the jury that the company acted responsibly.
profound
adjective
felt or experienced very strongly or in an extreme way:
The speech had a ________ influence on her.
His mother’s death when he was aged six had a very ________ effect on him.
The invention of the contraceptive pill brought about ________ changes in the lives of women.
Those two lines of poetry express perfectly the ________ sadness of loss.
My grandfather has a ________ mistrust of anything new or foreign.
There was a note of ________ irritation in his voice.
________ truths/wisdom
The review that I read said that it was “a thoughtful and ________ film”.
“Dying is easy - it’s living that’s the problem.” “That was very ________ of you, Steven.”
You’re touching on a very ________ question.
intense: She learned that even intense emotional pain passes.
fierce: The people have a fierce pride in their country.
deep: He suffered from a deep feeling of inadequacy.
deep-seated: He has a deep-seated loathing of snobbery.
powerful: Anger is one of the most powerful human emotions.
strong: I felt a strong urge to hug him.
vanquish
verb
to defeat an enemy or opponent, especially in war:
Napoleon was ________ed at the battle of Waterloo in 1815.
The ________ed army surrendered their weapons.
Smallpox, a once deadly disease, has now been ________ed.
beat: United beat City 3 - 2.
defeat: Can Ireland defeat New Zealand in this high-stakes match?
conquer: The Greeks had fought and conquered the army of Mardonius.
________: The superhero always ________es his foes and saves the world.
annihilate: Modern superpowers succeed not by annihilating their enemies but by buying them off.
hammer: The Colts got hammered by the Patriots.
despondent
adjective
unhappy and with no hope or enthusiasm:
He became/grew increasingly __________ when she failed to return his phone calls.
She started to feel __________ about ever finding a job.
He grew increasingly __________ when his paintings failed to sell.
rascal
noun
a person, especially a child or a man, who does things that you disapprove of, but who you still like:
I caught those little/young ______s dressing up in my clothes.
What’s that old ______ been up to?
The group includes thieves, politicians, and ______s of every sort.
brandish
verb
to wave something in the air in a threatening or excited way:
She ________ed a saucepan at me so I ran out of the kitchen.
He looked silly ________ing one of those Star Wars lightsabers.
tenant
noun
a person who pays rent for the use of land or a building
For years, they were ______s on my father’s property.
We are hoping to lease the four-story building to a single ______ when it’s completed this fall.
Both parties, landlord and ______, will be bound by any express terms in the contract.
clamor
verb
to make a loud complaint or demand:
The ______ of their voices rose.
The ______ for freedom in recent years has been strong.
The audience ______ed for an encore.
the ______ of the city
a ______ of voices
The children were all ______ing for attention.
[ + to infinitive ] She ______s to go home as soon as she gets to school.
After the bombing, there was a public ______ for vengeance.
disdain
noun
the feeling of not liking someone or something and thinking that they do not deserve your interest or respect:
He regards the political process with _______.
The older musicians _______ the new, rock-influenced music.
The mayor’s _______ for his opponents was well known.
He _______s the flashy trappings of many Dixieland bands, the striped shirts and straw hats and such.
detain
verb
to force someone officially to stay in a place:
A suspect has been ______ed by the police for questioning.
Several of the injured were ______ed overnight in hospital.
I’m sorry I’m late - I was unavoidably ______ed.
A suspect is being ______ed by the police for further questioning.
We were ______ed in traffic and arrived at the theater a little late.
propound
verb
to suggest a theory, belief, or opinion for other people to consider:
It was Ptolemy who ________ed the theory that the earth was at the centre of the universe.
endearing
adjective
making someone like you:
She laughs at herself a lot, which is always _________.
Pickwick is _________, as so many fools are.
attractive: He’s an attractive, intelligent man.
appealing: She has an appealing sense of humour.
engaging: He is a very engaging conversationalist.
adorable: She has an adorable little sister.
lovely: He’s such a lovely lad.
sweet: Your kids are so sweet.
tender
adjective
gentle, loving, or kind:
a ______ look/smile
What you need is some ______ loving care.
My arm was very ______ after the injection.
My steak was beautifully ______.
He was sent off to boarding school at the ______ age of seven.
Five companies have ______ed for the hospital contract.
You will have no option but to ______ your resignation.
He ______ed a delivery note for signature.
She ______ed a plea of no contest.
______ sth as sth A check was ______ed as payment.
______ into sth They gave security holders an additional opportunity to ______ into the offer.
______ sth to sb/sth The company ______ed its shares to BP for 500p cash.
About 7 million of their shares had been ______ed under the offer.
Unit holders are under no obligation to ______ their shares.
Please ______ the exact fare.
The health minister has ______ed her resignation (= has offered to leave her job).
The council has invited ______s for the building contract.
Education departments in all the prisons are being put out to ______.
The SS Nomadic was a ______ to the ill-fated liner, Titanic.
chicken ______s
He gave her a ______ kiss.
My arm was very ______ after the injection.
My steak was juicy and ______.
At the ______ age of 17, he joined the army.
The Secretary wants to leave but has not yet ______ed his resignation.
This is the richest contract ever ______ed to a baseball player.
receive a ______ Competitive ______s must be received by 1 p.m.
invite ______s (to do/for sth) Morocco is inviting ______s to build two wind farms.
submit a ______ (to do/for sth) The company said it will submit ______s to develop three oil fields in the area.
win a ______ (for/to do sth) The company won a ______ to start an analogue cellular network.
put sth out to ______ The drilling rights have been put out to ______.
All ______s above the strike price will be accepted.
Shares in the insurance group will be sold through ______s.
They made a cash ______ of $15.50 per share.
The share ______ was over-subscribed.
If you buy shares in the retail ______ offer, they will be free of transfer charges for up to 42 days after allocation.
It will be better still if competitors in poor countries can ______ successfully.
______ to do sth The company is ______ing to clean the Millennium Dome.
______ for sth Next month companies will be invited to ______ for a new international telecommunications system.
affectionate: She was an affectionate child.
loving: He grew up in a loving family.
caring: You’re a very caring person.
warm: He had a warm smile.
painful: Her ankle was still painful if she put weight on it.
sore: My feet are sore from walking around all day.
______: The glands in my neck feel really ______.
sensitive: My face was bright red and sensitive to the touch.
weak: If trees do not get enough water they become weak.
strong: Steel is a very strong material.
flimsy: There was only a flimsy inflatable raft between him and the raging river
rickety: We climbed up the rickety wooden stairs.
fragile: Some objects are too fragile to be moved between the museums.
delicate: She carefully wrapped up the delicate glass ornaments.
excruciating: His injury caused excruciating headaches.
repent
verb
to be very sorry for something bad you have done in the past and wish that you had not done it:
He \_\_\_\_\_\_ed (of his sins) just hours before he died. [ I ] Jenkins returned, to \_\_\_\_\_\_ and face justice.
libelous
adjective
A piece of writing that is ________ contains bad and false statements about a person:
________ accusations
The court ruled that the article was false and ________.
hideous
adjective
extremely ugly or bad:
They’ve just built some _______ new apartment blocks on the seafront.
She wears the most _______ colour combinations you could ever imagine.
The bathroom was pink and green and silver – it was absolutely _______.
aversion
noun
(a person or thing that causes) a feeling of strong dislike or of not wishing to do something:
I felt an instant ________ to his parents.
She has a deep ________ to getting up early.
Greed is my pet ________ (= the thing I dislike most of all).
She has a deep ________ to getting up in the morning.
I felt an instant ________ to his parents.
swindle
verb
to get money dishonestly from someone by deceiving or cheating them:
They _______d local businesses out of thousands of dollars.
The wealthy banker was ultimately convicted of ______ing investors.
Fraud squad officers are investigating a £5.6 million _______.
He masterminded a massive _______ involving $750 million in loans.
_______ sb out of sth A Web-based company _______d customers out of $15 million.
Victims of the _______r are seeking up to £80 million in damages.
He masterminded a hi-tech _______ that emptied customers’ bank accounts.
deceive: The cigarette companies deceived the public about the health risks of cigarettes.
deceive yourself: You’d be deceiving yourself if you believed that.
trick: She felt they had tricked her into saying more than she intended.
take in: They claimed to be destitute, but we weren’t taken in.
pull the wool over someone’s eyes: I’m not stupid. You can’t pull the wool over my eyes like that.
fool: You don’t fool me with your innocent act.
misanthropy
noun
the fact or quality of not liking other people:
In much of his work there is a sour, disappointed ___________.
The only way I can express my ___________ is through humour.
sulk
verb
to be silent and refuse to smile or be pleasant to people because you are angry about something that they have done:
He’s ____ing in his room because I wouldn’t let him have any more chocolate.
If she doesn’t get what she wants she goes into a ____ just like a child.
He spent the whole day in a ____.
She brought along a couple of ____y kids who didn’t say a word the whole time.
She pouts and ____s, and she almost never smiles or laughs.
wade
verb
to walk through water or other liquid with some effort, because it is deep enough to come quite high up your legs, or thick :
They come to the creek and ____d in to drink.
We ____d across the stream.
We rolled up our trousers and ____d at the edge of the lake.
They had to ____ through a swamp.
The river was full but we managed to ____ across.
We ____d a shallow river.
behold
verb
to see or look at someone or something:
The new bridge is an incredible sight to ______.
He looked up and beheld the stranger sitting across the table, smiling a secret smile.
poise
noun
calm confidence in a person’s way of behaving, or a quality of grace (= moving in an attractive way) and balance in the way a person holds or moves their body:
He looked embarrassed for a moment, then quickly regained his _____.
Her confidence and _____ show that she is a top model.
“I think it was a credit to our team that we kept our _____,” the coach said, “even when we were down by 21 points.”
devoid
adjective
to lack or be without something that is necessary or usual:
Their apartment is ______ of all comforts.
He seems to be ______ of compassion.
He seems to be ______ of any feeling for his parents.
deem
verb
to consider or judge something in a particular way:
[ + obj + noun/adj ] The area has now been ____ed safe.
[ + noun/adj ] We will provide help whenever you ____ it appropriate.
[ + obj + to infinitive ] Anyone not paying the registration fee by 31 March will be ____ed to have withdrawn from the offer.
The president asked Congress for authority to take whatever steps he ____ed necessary, including the use of force.
genuine
adjective
If something is _______, it is real and exactly what it appears to be:
If it is a _______ Michelangelo drawing, it will sell for millions.
He’s a very _______ person.
Machiko looked at me with _______ surprise - “Are you really going?” she said.
_______ leather
a _______ masterpiece
She showed _______ (= sincere) sorrow at the news.
No one doubts the _______ness of your concern.
_______ leather
real: That’s not his real hair, is it? I thought it was a bad wig!
_______: The painting is a _______ Picasso.
authentic: The clerk certified that the documents were authentic.
honest-to-goodness: My father is an honest-to-goodness door-to-door salesman.
flurry
noun
a sudden light fall of snow, blown in different directions by the wind:
We might see a snow ______ or two tonight.
The prince’s words on marriage have prompted a ______ of speculation in the press this week.
a ______ of activity
Heavy snow will be tapering off to _____ies in the morning.
There was a ______ of excitement as the president walked in.
activity: There were several police vans and a lot of activity in the area.
bustle: I miss the bustle of the big city.
hustle and bustle: She got used to the hustle and bustle of daily life.
______ of activity: What was the reason behind this sudden ______ of activity?
burst of activity: It’s usually quiet in the shop, but occasionally we have a sudden burst of activity.
hubbub: I couldn’t find her with all the hubbub going on.
presiding
adjective
in charge of a formal meeting, ceremony, or trial:
The _________ officer immediately called a recess.
the _________ judge
The role of the _________ officer is to manage meetings.
conceited
adjective
too proud of yourself and your actions and abilities:
Without wishing to sound _________, I am the best salesperson in the company.
proud: Don’t be too proud to admit you’re wrong.
pompous: What a pompous jerk!
self-important: The room was filled with self-important politicians.
superior: Her superior and smug manner made conversation unbearable.
arrogant: I can’t stand how arrogant he is!
corroborate
verb
to add proof to an account, statement, idea, etc. with new information:
Recent research seems to ___________ his theory.
Recent research seems to ___________ the theory.
She accused him without __________ion of any kind.
surmise
verb
to guess something, without having much or any proof:
[ + (that) ] The police _______ (that) the robbers have fled the country.
My _______ turned out to be right.
The article is pure _______ and innuendo.
[ + (that) clause ] I quickly _______d (that) my dinner companion was something of a bore.
guess: Guess who called yesterday?
estimate: They estimate that the work will take at least ten weeks.
divine: Mum had divined my state of mind rather shrewdly.
_______: From the expression on his face, she _______d that something bad had happened.
conjecture: It would be reasonable to conjecture that lack of exercise contributed to his obesity.
speculate: A spokesperson declined to speculate on the cause of the plane crash.
dismal
adjective
sad and without hope:
a ______ expression
The acting was ______, wasn’t it?
What ______ weather!
The trip was a ______ failure.
In January, after a ______ holiday sales season, the retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
______ picture/news/outlook Another damper on investment is the ______ picture for corporate profits.
Investors may be deterred by the ______ performance of telecoms shares in recent weeks.
miscreant
noun
someone who behaves badly or does not obey rules:
We need to discourage _________s.
tremble
verb
to shake slightly in a way that you cannot control, for example because you are frightened, angry, or excited, or because of illness:
I was ______ing with fear, panicking that I had not made the right decision.
At her side Michael _______d uncontrollably. He was so distraught he could not speak.
I could see them coming for me. I was already ______ing in anticipation when they grabbed me.
Her bottom lip _______d, and tears welled up in her eyes.
His voice started to _______, and I thought he was going to cry.
The pair remained calm as the earth _______d beneath their feet.
I could tell the wind was rising - the leaves were ______ing on the trees.
There was a slight _______ in her voice as she recalled her husband.
The first symptom of the illness was a _______ in his right hand.
I was on the other side of the building when the mortar hit and I actually felt the _______ of the ground.
Grant was ______ing with excitement.
Her hand _______d as she lifted her cup.
There was a slight _______ in her voice as she recalled her husband.
virulent
adjective
A ________ disease or poison is dangerous and spreads or affects people very quickly:
Several newspapers mounted ________ attacks.
________ speech
a ________ strain of flu
A particularly ________ strain of flu has recently claimed a number of lives in the region.
She is a ________ critic of US energy policy.
disparity
noun
a lack of equality or similarity, especially in a way that is not fair:
[ C ] He will oppose a gross _________ in salary increases between teachers and other state employees.
economic/income/pay _________ Manhattan had the greatest income _________ between rich and poor residents outside Puerto Rico.
growing/huge/increasing _________
One of her priorities will be to eliminate pay _________ between men and women for equal work.
The state has been criticized nationally for large ________ies in spending among school districts.
the growing _________ between rich and poor
difference: What’s the difference between the two cars?
distinction: There’s a clear distinction between the two countries’ cultures.
contrast: I like the contrast of those red shoes with your black suit.
discrepancy: There is some discrepancy between the two accounts.
chasm: There is a widening chasm between public health officials and popular opinion.
gulf: Peace talks attempted to bridge the gulf between the two warring nations.
exuberant
adjective
(especially of people and their behaviour) very energetic:
Young and _________, he symbolizes Italy’s new vitality.
He is an _________ dancer.
His ________ce is contagious.
subside
verb
If a condition _______s, it becomes less strong or extreme:
As the pain in my foot _______d, I was able to walk the short distance to the car.
There is a danger that many homes will _______ because of the drought.
Eventually the flood waters began to _______.
When her pain didn’t _______, Matt drove her to the hospital.
Friction between the groups _______d gradually.
Forecasters predict the high tides will _______ today.
The police are hoping that the violence will soon _______.
canine
adjective
of or relating to dogs:
This vet specializes in ______ pets.
The city’s ______ population (= the number of dogs in the city) has grown dramatically over recent years.
desolate
adjective
A ________ place is empty and not attractive, with no people or nothing pleasant in it:
The house stood in a bleak and ________ landscape.
She felt ________ when her best friend moved away.
a ________ landscape
When her son left for a year abroad, she felt ________.
lonely: I’ve been lonely since my friends moved away.
lonesome: US I’m feeling lonesome.
isolated: I wouldn’t like living out in the country - I’d feel isolated from the rest of the world.
forlorn: The characters, a flighty heiress and her forlorn suitor, are a delight.
lorn: He’s a lone, lorn creature.
________: After the market crash, ________ financiers left the field.
barren
adjective
unable to produce plants or fruit:
We drove through a ______, rocky landscape.
She became very depressed during the ______ years when she was unable to paint.
The landscape was ______, with not a tree or shrub in sight.
persevere
verb
to try to do or continue doing something in a determined way, despite having problems:
It looks as if the policy will be a success, providing that the government _________s and does not give in to its critics.
The education director is ________ing in his attempt to obtain additional funding for the school.
Despite receiving little support, the women are ________ing with their crusade to fight crime.
If I had _________d, I probably would have gotten the job.
Perseverance accounts for much of their success.
solicit
verb
to ask someone for money, information, or help:
to _______ donations for a charity
It is illegal for public officials to _______ gifts or money in exchange for favours.
He’s _______ing funds to keep the library open.
Grace has run an online campaign to _______ employee suggestions.
[ C ] I get a lot of phone _______ations from banks.
He created a company website to _______ donations for victims of the disaster.
_______ sth from sb The group had plans to _______ money from professionals such as doctors and lawyers.
The building company will circulate details of proposed developments and _______ feedback.
It generated about 40% of its new customers through telemarketers hired to call and _______ potential customers.
Insurance agents cannot _______ business at your home without an appointment.
hale and hearty
adjective
(especially of old people) healthy and strong:
Her grandfather was _______________, walking five miles each day before breakfast.
sinewy
adjective
with strong muscles and little fat:
The fighter had a strong, ______ body.
peevish
adjective
easily annoyed:
a _______, bad-tempered person
tacit
adjective
understood without being expressed directly:
He gave _____ approval to the plan.
_____ agreement/approval/support
conjecture
noun
a guess about something based on how it seems and not on proof:
[ + that clause ] Some employees __________ that it was a money-saving move.
[ U ] What lay behind the decision is open to __________.
[ + that ] He __________d that the company would soon be in financial trouble.
There’s been a lot of __________ in the media recently about the marriage.
We’ll never know exactly how she died; we can only __________.
estimate: They estimate that the work will take at least ten weeks.
divine: Mum had divined my state of mind rather shrewdly.
surmise: From the expression on his face, she surmised that something bad had happened.
__________: It would be reasonable to __________ that lack of exercise contributed to his obesity.
speculate: A spokesperson declined to speculate on the cause of the plane crash.
guess: Guess who called yesterday?
surly
adjective
often in a bad mood, unfriendly, and not polite:
He gave me a _____ look.
The clerks in this post office are sullen, _____, and inefficient.
We were served by a very _____ waiter.
bad-tempered: He’s so bad-tempered! He never should have become a teacher.
irritable: Be careful what you say; he’s very irritable today.
grumpy: I’m just a little tired and grumpy today.
cranky: US She’s very cranky because she has a toothache.
impatient: I’m too impatient for fishing.
pre-eminent
adjective
more important or better than others:
She is the ___________ authority in her subject.
eminent
adjective
famous, respected, or important:
an _______ historian
The commission consisted of fifteen _______ political figures.
This shows _______ good sense.
famous: She went from poor and anonymous to rich and famous.
well known: She’s a well-known artist.
world-famous: They stayed in a world-famous hotel.
celebrated: He’s a celebrated writer of children’s stories.
legendary: He once met the legendary singer, Eartha Kitt.
important: It was one of the most important legal cases of the century.
big: This is a big match tonight - if we lose, we won’t be in the playoffs.
major: This is a major decision so we’d better get it right.
significant: Did he make any significant changes to my suggestions?
renowned: The area is renowned for its beauty.
intersperse
verb
to mix one thing in with another in a way that is not regular:
The documentary ___________s graphical animations with film clips of the actual event.
Her handwritten notes were ___________d throughout the text.
Framed pictures of her children were ___________d among the books in the bookcase.
pride
verb
to value a skill or good quality that you have:
He _____s himself on his loyalty to his friends.
bestow
verb
to give something as an honour or present:
The George Cross is a decoration that is ______ed upon/on British civilians for acts of great bravery.
The country’s highest medal was ______ed upon him for heroism.
give: Give me that dirty plate.
offer: Your doctor should be able to offer advice.
provide: This booklet provides useful information about local services.
supply: The lake supplies the whole town with water.
donate: Four hundred dollars has been donated to the school book fund.
mere
adjective
used to emphasize that something is not large or important:
The plane crashed ____ minutes after take-off.
It cost a ____ 20 dollars.
The ____ thought of it (= just thinking about it) makes me feel sick.
People became excited at the ____ mention of his name.
the ____ idea/possibility/prospect of something
The ____ fact that Greene plays for the Yankees gives him a lot of visibility.
The city receives a ____ 20% of the parking revenues.
tumult
noun
a loud noise, especially that produced by an excited crowd, or a state of confusion, change, or uncertainty:
You couldn’t hear her speak over the ______ from the screaming fans.
From every direction, people were running and shouting and falling over each other in a ______ of confusion.
The financial markets are in ______.
[ U ] mental ______
[ C usually sing ] a ______ of emotion
[ U ] The garden sits amid the ______ of downtown Vancouver.
The honoree received ______uous applause.
depreciate
verb
to (cause something to) lose value, especially over time:
Our car __________d (by) $1,500 in the first year we owned it.
In the last year our house has __________d in value.
Malawi’s currency was rapidly _________ing.
The dollar’s _________ion will lead to higher inflation and interest rates, hurting the economy.
Machine tools are typically __________d over seven years.
In the short term the euro is expected to __________ against the dollar.
The value of a real antique increases over the years, but a reproduction immediately __________s in value.
The government allowed the currency to __________ by 4% to 5% a year to boost Indonesia’s export competitiveness.
despotic
adjective
having unlimited power over other people, and often using it unfairly and cruelly:
A handful of corrupt and ________ leaders make the decisions.
a ________ government/regime
fawn
noun
a young deer
Big movie stars are ____ed over by the waiters at the restaurant.
proclaim
verb
to announce something publicly or officially, especially something positive:
All the countries have ________ed their loyalty to the alliance.
Republican party members were confidently ________ing victory even as the first few votes came in.
[ + that ] It was the famous speech in which he ________ed that socialism was dead.
[ + two objects ] She was ________ed Queen at the age of 13 after the sudden death of her father.
Wearing scarves and hats which ________ed their allegiance, the football fans flooded into the bar.
She confidently ________ed victory even as the first few votes came in.
discern
verb
to see, recognize, or understand something that is not clear:
I could just _______ a figure in the darkness.
It is difficult to _______ any pattern in these figures.
He could _______ the note of urgency in their voices.
The exhibit is arranged in no important order that the viewer can _______.
destitution
noun
the state of being without money, food, a home, or possessions:
Destitution has become a major problem in the capital.
They both died in poverty and ___________.
bland
adjective
not having a strong taste or character or not showing any interest or energy:
I find chicken a little _____.
Pop music these days is so _____.
This sauce has a sharp taste and isn’t _____ at all.
_____: The soup is very _____, it could use more herbs and spices.
tasteless: The boiled chicken is practically tasteless.
flavourless: UK These tomatoes from the grocer’s are flavourless.
insipid: He was drinking an insipid light beer.
watered-down: The bar served bad food and watered-down cocktails.
esteem
noun
respect for or a good opinion of someone:
There has been a drop in public ______ for teachers.
Because of their achievements they were held in (= given) (high) ______.
Her work is highly ______ed by all her colleagues.
[ + obj + noun/adj ] old-fashioned I would ______ (= consider) it a favour if you would accompany me.
We held them in high/low ______ (= We respected them a lot/very little).
She has long been held in high ______ by the bankers who know her.
Her work is highly ______ed by all her colleagues.
look up to: She was my older sister and I looked up to her.
hold someone in high regard: He contributed much to the life of York, and was held in high regard there.
admire: I’ve always admired her for her generous spirit.
respect: I respect her for what she has achieved, but I would have approached it very differently.
think highly of: Everyone thinks highly of him.
hold someone in high ______: Her colleagues in Washington hold her in very high ______.
tirade
noun
a long, angry speech expressing strong disapproval:
My father’s ______s against politicians were famous.
In a furious ______ of abuse, the opposition spokesperson demanded the minister’s resignation.
She launched into an angry/furious ______ about how she had been unfairly treated.
obstinate
adjective
unreasonably determined, especially to act in a particular way and not to change at all, despite what anyone else says:
He can be very \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ at times. her \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ refusal to compromise \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ weeds Invading troops met with \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ resistance by guerrilla forces. an \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ two-year-old the \_\_\_\_\_\_\_cy of the human spirit The engine \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ly refused to start.
intricate
adjective
having a lot of small parts that are arranged in a complicated or delicate way:
The watch mechanism is extremely _________ and very difficult to repair.
The tiled floor is installed in an _________ pattern.
Police officers uncovered an _________ web of deceit.
The novel’s _________ plot will not be easy to translate into a movie.
The antique silver teapot is _________ly engraved.
venerable
adjective
deserving respect because of age, high position, or religious or historical importance:
a _________ tradition/company/family
She has worked at such _________ institutions as Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts and the Metropolitan Art Museum in New York.
The _________ American jeweler, Tiffany & Company, appointed a new president.
inquisitive
adjective
wanting to discover as much as you can about things, sometimes in a way that annoys people:
an \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ child an \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ mind She could see \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ faces looking out from the windows next door. an \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ mind Our neighbors are too \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.
crestfallen
adjective
disappointed and sad because of having failed unexpectedly:
He looked ___________ at their decision.
gloomy
adjective
unhappy and without hope:
UK The vet is rather ______ about my cat’s chances of recovery.
What ______ weather we’re having!
We waited in a ______ waiting room.
Despite ______ predictions, the stock market remains strong.
It was another gray, ______ day.
He watched _____ily as the bus drove off.
The day began _____ily when the power went out.
The stock market is sinking on the back of ______ economic news.
Despite the ______ outlook for personal computer sales in the United States, sales in Japan are strong.
a ______ economic forecast
The cemetery is a ______ place.
a ______ person/expression
delirious
adjective
unable to think or speak clearly because of fever or mental confusion:
She had a high temperature and was _________.
The team arrived home to a _________ reception from its fans.
He grew feverish and then _________.
_________ with joy
disreputable
adjective
not trusted or respected; thought to have a bad character:
Some of the more ____________ newspapers made false claims about her private life.
a ____________ young man
The information came from ____________ sources.
cease
verb
to stop something:
Whether the protests will _____ remains to be seen.
The company has decided to _____ all UK operations after this year.
[ + to infinitive ] Workplace nurseries will _____ to be liable for tax.
[ T ] Clapp had to _____ publication because of lack of money.
[ + to infinitive ] It was hard to accept that one day he would simply _____ to exist.
obsequious
adjective
too eager to praise or obey someone:
She is embarrassingly __________ to anyone in authority.
She is embarrassingly __________ to anyone in authority.
imperious
adjective
unpleasantly proud and expecting to be obeyed:
an _________ manner/voice
She was a very _________, arrogant woman.
She sent them away with an _________ wave of the hand.
arrogant: I can’t stand how arrogant he is!
proud: Don’t be too proud to admit you’re wrong.
pompous: What a pompous jerk!
self-important: The room was filled with self-important politicians.
superior: Her superior and smug manner made conversation unbearable.
magnanimous
adjective
very kind and generous towards an enemy or someone you have defeated:
The Yankees’ manager was ___________ in defeat, praising Seattle for its fine play.
The team’s manager was ___________ in victory, and praised the losing team.
efface
verb
to remove something intentionally:
The whole country had tried to ______ the memory of the old dictatorship.
perplexed
adjective
confused, because something is difficult to understand or solve:
Police were _________ by the killing because there didn’t seem to be any motive.
The students looked _________, so the teacher tried to explain once again.
epiphany
noun
a moment when you suddenly feel that you understand, or suddenly become conscious of, something that is very important to you
abjure
verb
to say formally or publicly that you no longer agree with a belief or way of behaving:
He ______d his religion/his life of dissipation.
petty
adjective
not important and not worth giving attention to:
Prisoners complain that they are subjected to too many _____ rules and restrictions.
Don’t be so _____!
a _____ thief
I don’t have time for _____ matters like that.
The women in the story are _____ and hateful.
decisive
adjective
able to make ______ons quickly and confidently, or showing this quality:
We had to act quickly and ________ly to put out the fire.
DNA test results were ________ in proving his innocence.
In an emergency, ________ action is called for.
a ________ victory
a ________ role
You need to be more ________.
a ________ reply
These results could prove ________ in establishing the criminal’s identity.
procure
verb
to get something, especially after an effort:
She’s managed somehow to _______ his phone number.
[ + two objects ] He’d _______d us seats in the front row.
We _______d maps and directions from the tourist office.
the city’s _______ment process
_______ capital/funds/financing Low interest rates support bonds by making it cheaper for investors to _______ funds and invest in fixed-income securities.
A small car manufacturer may produce its own engines, but it may also _______ them from a larger firm.
qualm
noun
an uncomfortable feeling when you doubt if you are doing the right thing:
She had no _____s about lying to the police.
Unfortunately, he said, there are people who have no _____s about bringing in replacement workers for strikers.
lofty
adjective
high:
a \_\_\_\_\_ ceiling/mountain/wall \_\_\_\_\_ sentiments/ideals a \_\_\_\_\_ attitude/air/tone \_\_\_\_\_ sentiments \_\_\_\_\_ mountains
high: The garden is surrounded by a high wall.
tall: Mount Everest is the world’s tallest mountain.
_____: The path winds along the _____ peaks of the Andes.
soaring: Soaring mountains and lush valleys are every nature enthusiast’s dream.
importunate
adjective
repeatedly asking for something, in a forceful and annoying way:
an ___________ beggar/crowd
___________ demands
implore
verb
to ask someone to do or not do something in a very sincere, emotional, and determined way:
She _______d her parents not to send her away to school.
She clasped her hands, and glancing upward, seemed to _______ divine assistance.
She _______d him not to leave her.
beg: He begged her to stay, but she wouldn’t listen.
_______: I _______ you to change your mind.
plead with: He pleaded with the guards to be allowed to see his daughter.
appeal to: I appeal to the public to remain calm.
entreat: The banners entreated the government to release the prisoners.
adjure: The gospel adjures us to love one another.
strenuous
adjective
needing or using a lot of physical or mental effort or energy:
He rarely does anything more _________ than changing the channels on the television.
His doctor advised him not to do any _________ exercise.
Strenuous efforts were made throughout the war to disguise the scale of civilian casualties.
I think football is much more _________ than baseball.
He _________ly denies that he is guilty.
detest
verb
to hate someone or something very much:
I ______ any kind of cruelty.
[ + -ing verb ] I ______ having to get up when it’s dark outside.
her ______ed older brother
She ______ed traveling in hot weather.
hate: I hate camping.
______: I ______ any kind of cruelty.
loathe: “Do you like cabbage?” “No, I loathe it.”
despise: She despised him for the way he treated her.
uncultivated
adjective
Uncultivated land is not used to grow crops:
The agency has preserved wetland habitat and encouraged farmers to leave some fields ____________.
We must always remember that he was not an ignorant or ____________ soldier.
emphatic
adjective
done or said in a strong way and without any doubt:
Poland reached the final of the championship yesterday with an ________ 5–0 victory over Italy.
The minister has issued an ________ rejection of the accusation.
Godard is ________ about his preference.
He ________ally denied the rumors.
ingenuity
noun
someone’s ability to think of clever new ways of doing something:
I was impressed by the _________ and energy of the contestants.
It took some time and a little _________, but we were able to rescue the animals.
With a little _________, meals can be tasty as well as inexpensive.
originality: Her photographic portraits can hardly be accused of lacking originality.
_________: This housewife’s _________ led to the creation of a number of great new household products.
vision: He was a man of great vision.
inventiveness: His domestic designs display an unending inventiveness and account for his best work.
imagination: You’ve always had a very vivid imagination.
creativity: The aim of the award is to encourage creativity and innovation.
indispensable
adjective
Something or someone that is _____________ is so good or important that you could not manage without it, him, or her:
This book is an _____________ resource for researchers.
His long experience at the United Nations makes him _____________ to the talks.
None of our players is _____________.
necessary: Do you have the necessary skills for the job?
need: Does she have the skills needed for work of that sort?
require: Will you require a wake-up call in the morning?
must: The meat must be cooked thoroughly.
essential: Clean water is essential for a society’s health.
fundamental: Some understanding of grammar is fundamental to learning a language.
pant
verb
to breathe quickly and loudly through your mouth, usually because you have been doing something very energetic:
Matteo arrived at the top of the hill, ____ing and covered in sweat.
[ + speech ] “Hurry! They’re almost here,” she ____ed.
Blake was ____ing hard after running up the hill.
ignominy
noun
public embarrassment:
The incumbent party experienced the ________ of total defeat in the last election.
vain
adjective
unsuccessful; of no value:
The doctors gave him more powerful drugs in the ____ hope that he might recover.
formal It was ____ to pretend to himself that he was not disappointed.
I tried in ____ to start a conversation.
All the police’s efforts to find him were in ____.
He was very ____ about his hair and his clothes.
a ____ attempt to avoid responsibility
Employers clearly hoped that the workers would stay longer, but their efforts were largely in ____ (= unsuccessful).
ubiquitous
adjective
seeming to be everywhere:
The eel grass limpet used to be __________ on the New England coast.
The mobile phone, that most __________ of consumer-electronic appliances, is about to enter a new age.
The Swedes are not alone in finding their language under pressure from the __________ spread of English.
Leather is very much in fashion this season, as is the __________ denim.
cumulative
adjective
increasing by one addition after another:
The __________ effect of using so many chemicals on the land could be disastrous.
No single development is causing the company’s financial trouble – it’s the __________ effect of years of weak leadership.
The __________ effect of using so many chemicals on the land could be disastrous.
The company estimated the net __________ loss would be $26 million.
I’ve long believed that the __________ wisdom of investors can tell us volumes about the future economic environment.
The states have budget shortfalls __________ly totalling $300 billion.
sincere
adjective
(of a person, feelings, or behaviour) not pretending or lying; honest:
a _______ apology
He seems so _______.
_______ modesty/belief/statement
More than _______ words of support, we need action.
She spoke with such ______ity, you had to believe her.
honest: The new MP was refreshingly honest with her constituents.
straight: Just be straight with her and tell her how you feel.
_______: He’s so _______ that you know exactly where you stand with him.
truthful: Are you being truthful with me?
appropriate
adjective
suitable or right for a particular situation or occasion:
He lost his job after he ___________d some of the company’s money.
The state ___________d funds for more clinics.
I wonder about the ___________ness of borrowing money from my brother.
___________ footwear for the country
Is this film ___________ for small children?
I didn’t think his comments were very ___________ at the time.
Is this an ___________ occasion to discuss finance?
Please complete the ___________ parts of this form (= the parts that are right or necessary for your particular situation) and return it as soon as possible.
He lost his job when he was found to have ___________d some of the company’s money.
As the empire expanded, they eagerly ___________d the artistic styles of neigbouring provinces.
The government have ___________d millions of pounds for the project.
Punishment should be ___________ to the crime.
I don’t have any ___________ clothes.
Those kids aren’t ___________ly dressed for the cold.
___________: Is this film ___________ for young children?
apt: “Unusual”, yes, that’s a very apt description.
fitting: The promotion was a fitting reward for all his hard work.
suitable: This film contains language that is not suitable for children.
reticence
noun
an unwillingness to do something or talk about something, for example because you are nervous or being careful:
His _________ about his past made them very suspicious.
I think my dad had a certain _________ about showing love as he was afraid that people would leave if he did.
spur
verb
to encourage an activity or development or make it happen faster:
Rising consumer sales have the effect of ____ring the economy to faster growth.
Spurred (on) by her early success, she went on to write four more novels in rapid succession.
He ____red his horse on and shouted “Faster! Faster!”
The manager said that the team’s win on Saturday would be a ____ to even greater effort this season.
The huge new factory ____red economic growth in the entire region.
The team’s win on Saturday will be a ____ to even greater effort this season.
dispute
noun
an argument or disagreement, especially an official one between, for example, workers and employers or two countries with a common border:
He was in _______ with his last company, which had terminated his contract.
Workers at the car plant are to stage a fresh strike in a _______ over pay.
_______ between/with sb/sth (and sb/sth) The _______ between Brazil and the United States over immigration checks continued.
a bitter/long-running _______
Sensitive documents related to personnel that ought to be protected for privacy reasons are the only documents that are in _______.
The facts in this matter are in _______.
Health insurers _______ the doctors’ statement that they don’t pay enough to make up for the cost of the vaccine.
Many in the television industry _______ research findings suggesting negative long-term effects of television violence.
An official involved in the _______ said that the attorney has indicated he is likely to agree to the revised terms.
Staff have been in a long-running pay _______ with the company.
The judge urged the feuding partners to settle their legal _______ .
[ + that clause ] I don’t _______ that his films are entertaining, but they don’t have much depth.
a bitter/long-running _______
a pay/legal/trade _______
They have been unable to settle/resolve the _______ over working conditions.
The unions are in _______ with management over pay.
He is beyond all _______ the finest actor in Hollywood today.
I don’t think her ability is in _______ - what I question is her attitude.
He says it’s the best musical equipment you can buy, but I think that’s open to _______.
Few would _______ his status as the finest artist of the period.
The circumstances of her death have been hotly _______d.
[ + (that) ] I don’t _______ (that) his movies are entertaining, but they don’t have much depth.
[ C ] Management and the union are trying to resolve the _______ over working conditions.
Her skill is not in _______ (= there is no disagreement about her skill), but she doesn’t produce enough work.
a border _______
argument: I don’t want to get into an argument with you about this.
disagreement: There was a disagreement over who should pay the bill.
quarrel: There were bitter quarrels between the two neighbours.
row: UK My parents had a row about money.
tiff: She had a tiff with her boyfriend last night.
argue: The kids are always arguing about something.
have an argument: I had an argument with my sister.
fight: The two sides continue to fight over control of the assembly.
quarrel: Stop quarrelling, you two!
row: UK My parents were always rowing about money.
squabble: They are still squabbling over who will get the big office.
squabble: I’m always dealing with squabbles between the children.
ulterior
adjective
a secret purpose or reason for doing something:
He claims he just wants to help Lisa but I suspect he has an ________ motive.
She had no ________ motive for helping them out – she just wanted to do it.
rebuttal
noun
a statement that says that something is not true:
She says she is preparing a point-by-point ________ that will address these issues.
She issued a point-by-point ________ of the company’s accusations.
She issued a ________ of the charges.
obdurate
adjective
extremely determined to act in a particular way and not to change despite what anyone else says:
The president remains ________ on immigration.
Union leaders remain ________ that working conditions and pay improve.
Several ________ facts/differences remain, preventing a compromise solution.
blurt
verb
to say something suddenly, and without thinking of the results:
At one point, Goetz _____ed out, “The subways down there are terrible.”
abash
verb
to embarrass someone or make them feel uncomfortable:
Her elder cousins _____ed her by commenting on her shyness.
They tried not to be _____ed by the unfamiliar luxury.
stern
adjective
severe, or showing disapproval:
a _____ look/warning/voice
She is her own _____est critic.
Journalists received a _____ warning not to go anywhere near the battleship.
The country’s president is facing the _____est test of his authority since he came to power five years ago.
The Red Ensign, the flag of the British Merchant Navy, is rarely seen these days except on the _____s of a few cruise liners and cross-Channel ferries.
Sterner punishment may produce better behavior, but I doubt it.
He _____ly reminded his son to drive carefully.
A rope over the _____ towed the little boat.
retort
verb
to answer someone quickly in an angry or funny way:
[ + speech ] “That doesn’t concern you!” she ______ed.
“I’m going to tell him,” said Max. “Just you try!” came the ______.
When the telephone operator called him boy, he ______ed, “That’s Mr. Boy to you!”
answer: “Thank you”, she answered.
reply: The man replied that something was missing.
respond: We aim to respond to all enquiries within five working days.
react: He reacted positively to the proposal.
get back to: I’ll look into it and get back to you.
explain: “What happened?” she asked. - “There’s no time to explain!” he said.
answer: We’re still waiting for an answer.
reply: “How far?” asked Nigel. “Not far,” was the mumbled reply.
answer: 105 is the correct answer.
response: Thank you for your swift response.
reaction: What was her reaction when she was asked for her resignation?
______: Alan snapped back with a witty ______.
elicit
verb
to get or produce something, especially information or a reaction:
Have you managed to ______ a response from them yet?
The questionnaire was intended to ______ information on eating habits.
They were able to ______ the support of the public.
The teacher ______s definitions from the students.
In this teaching practice, teachers ______ and build on their students’ mathematical insights.
The program has also ______ed both positive and negative responses.
preclude
verb
to prevent something or make it impossible, or prevent someone from doing something:
His contract ________s him from discussing his work with anyone outside the company.
The fact that your application was not successful this time does not ________ the possibility of you applying again next time.
Although your application was not accepted, it doesn’t ________ the possibility of your applying again later.
amend
verb
to change the words of a text, especially a law or a legal document:
MPs were urged to _____ the law to prevent another oil tanker disaster.
In line 20, “men” should be _____ed (= changed) to “people”.
Until the constitution is _____ed, the power to appoint ministers will remain with the president.
The terms of the contract were _____ed in later years.
They were too hasty to _____ or drop initiatives that did not work immediately.
_____ sth to sth In line 20, ‘men’ should be _____ed to ‘people’.
_____ a bill/law He will try to _____ the bill to shift more of the money to conservation.
The proposals would _____ the Insolvency Act of 1986 to prevent potentially viable small businesses from being forced into receivership.
Until the constitution is _____ed, the power to appoint ministers will remain with the president.
surliness
noun
the quality of being often in a bad mood, unfriendly, and not polite:
teenage _________
interpose
verb
to put yourself or something between two things, people, or groups, especially in order to stop them doing something:
[ + speech ] “I can’t agree with you, Mr Heath,” he _________d.
The teacher _________d herself between the two snarling boys.
glisten
verb
to shine by reflecting light from a wet or smooth surface:
The grass _______ed in the early-morning dew.
His eyes _______ed with tears.
His eyes _______ed with tears.
rave
verb
to speak in an uncontrolled way, usually because you are upset or angry, or because you are ill:
He’s always raving (on) about the government.
She was ranting and raving about some imagined insult.
She ____d about/over the clothes she had seen at the Paris fashion shows.
The show has received ____ reviews/notices in all the papers.
an all-night/open-air ____
____ music
The show has received ____ reviews.
Her speech drew ____s from everyone.
She was wild and raving, tearing up her books.
Everyone is raving about that new Vietnamese restaurant.
praise: Lawmakers praised the bipartisan deal.
congratulate: I congratulated him on passing his driving test.
commend: The judge commended her for her b____ry.
pay tribute to: He paid tribute to the firefighters who had saved his daughter’s life.
flatter: I knew he was only flattering me because he wanted to borrow some money.
compliment: I was just complimenting Robert on the wonderful meal he has cooked.
confound
verb
to confuse and very much surprise someone, so that they are unable to explain or deal with a situation:
An elderly man from Hull has ________ed doctors by recovering after he was officially declared dead.
The singer ________ed her critics with a remarkable follow-up album.
She likes to ________ others’ expectations about her.
wretched
adjective
unpleasant or of low quality:
a ________ childhood
The people live in ________ conditions, with no running water.
My ________ car’s broken down again.
He looked so ill and ________ as he spoke that he made me feel ________ myself.
Workers lived in ________, overcrowded shacks.
I think I must be coming down with flu - I’ve been feeling ________ all day.
exhibit
verb
to show something publicly:
He frequently _______s at the art gallery.
In the summer the academy will _______ several prints that are rarely seen.
He _______ed great self-control considering her rudeness.
The museum has a fascinating collection of _______s ranging from Iron Age pottery to Inuit clothing.
Let’s go see the new dinosaur _______.
Is _______ C the weapon that you say was used?
[ T ] The gallery is _______ing his paintings and watercolors.
He _______ed poor judgment.
The museum’s _______s range from Iron Age pottery to Eskimo clothing.
She has _______ed her art all over the world.
_______ at/in sth The £20,000 prize helped him to _______ at the Paris Fashion Show.
Did he _______ any leadership talents?
art _______s
trifle
noun
a sweet cold dish consisting of a layer of fruit and cake, a layer of custard (= thick, sweet, yellow sauce) and a top layer of cream:
a sherry ______
I brought a few ______s back from India - pieces of jewellery and fabric mainly.
I’m a ______ confused about the arrangements for tonight.
He admits to being a ______ nervous before every show.
It was such a _____ing sum of money to argue about.
impel
verb
to make someone feel that they must do something:
[ + to infinitive ] She was in such a mess I felt _____led to (= felt I had to) offer your services.
I wonder what it is that _____s him to exercise all the time.
[ + to infinitive ] When I see them eating, I feel _____led to eat, too.
unprecedented
adjective
never having happened or existed in the past:
This century has witnessed environmental destruction on an _____________ scale.
We’ve entered an age of _____________ prosperity.
lavish
adjective
large in quantity and expensive or impressive:
______ gifts/promises/praise
______ spending
______ banquets
The evening was a ______ affair with glorious food and an endless supply of champagne.
The ______ production makes this musical truly memorable.
The critics were ______ in their praise for the paintings.
The team has the most ______ training facility in the league.
They live in a ______ly furnished apartment overlooking Central Park.
prominent
adjective
very well known and important:
_________ly displayed pictures
Despite his ________ce, he was never able to make a living.
She has a _________ chin/nose.
a _________ Democrat
a _________ member of the Saudi royal family
The government should be playing a more _________ role in promoting human rights.
She has a _________ chin/nose.
New books are displayed in a _________ position on tables at the front of the store.
She plays a _________ role in the organization.
well known: She’s a well-known artist.
renowned: The area is renowned for its beauty.
world-famous: They stayed in a world-famous hotel.
celebrated: He’s a celebrated writer of children’s stories.
legendary: He once met the legendary singer, Eartha Kitt.
important: It was one of the most important legal cases of the century.
big: This is a big match tonight - if we lose, we won’t be in the playoffs.
major: This is a major decision so we’d better get it right.
significant: Did he make any significant changes to my suggestions?
famous: She went from poor and anonymous to rich and famous.
raving
adjective
complete or extreme, or completely or extremely:
He must be a ______ idiot/lunatic.
Her last book was a ______ best-seller/success.
She’s no ______ beauty.
He was ______ mad near the end of his life.
I think you’re (stark) ______ mad to agree to do all that extra work without being paid for it.
austere
adjective
very simple, with only the things that are absolutely necessary, especially because of severe limits on money or goods:
an _______ childhood during the war
The courtroom was a large, dark chamber, an _______ place.
He was a tall, _______, forbidding figure.
She depicts the _______ beauty of the desert.
Despite their wealth, they lead an _______ life.
sneer
verb
to talk about or look at someone or something in an unkind way that shows you do not respect or approve of him, her, or it:
You may _____, but a lot of people like this kind of music.
She’ll probably _____ at my new shoes because they’re not expensive.
[ + speech ] “Is that the best you can do?” he _____ed.
“How much did you say you earned last year?” she said with a _____.
[ I ] You may _____ (at it), but a lot of people like this kind of music.
“Is that the best you can do?” he asked with a _____.
rummage
verb
to search for something by moving things around carelessly and looking into, under, and behind them:
She _______d in/through all the drawers, looking for a pen.
I had a _______ around/about (the house), but I couldn’t find my certificate anywhere.
Her mother was away, and he was bored, so he had a nosy _______ in her desk.
She _______d through the drawer, looking for a pen.
search: I’ve searched everywhere and can’t find my passport.
look: She was looking in her handbag for a pen.
hunt: I’ve hunted all over the place but I can’t find that book.
_______: He _______d through his pockets, looking for his keys.
ferret out: The inspector general has broad powers to ferret out fraud on the state and local level.
comb: Police combed the area for evidence.
intrude
verb
to go into a place or situation in which you are not wanted or not expected to be:
I didn’t realize your husband was here, Dr Jones - I hope I’m not ______ing.
Newspaper editors are being urged not to _______ on/into the grief of the families of missing servicemen.
Sorry to _______, but I wanted to insure that this got to your attention.
Students who live in a dorm regard any curfew as ______ing on their rights.
exasperated
adjective
annoyed, especially because you can do nothing to solve a problem:
He’s becoming increasingly ___________ with the situation.
flinch
verb
to make a sudden, small movement because of pain or fear:
He didn’t even ______ when the nurse cleaned the wound.
Now I’m going to move the eyepiece right up against your eye for a second – try not to ______.
assent
noun
official agreement to or approval of an idea, plan, or request:
Once the directors have given their ______ to the proposal we can begin.
She nodded her ______ to the proposal.
UK Before an Act of Parliament can become law, it needs to receive Royal Assent (= an official signature) from the monarch.
Have they ______ed to the terms of the contract?
He gave a nod of ______, and we knew we had a deal at last.
At long last, the general ______ed to a halt in the bombing.
with the ______ of sb The government, with the ______ of the two smaller opposition parties, pushed through the bill this week.
give your ______ to sth Once the directors have given their ______ to the proposal, work can start almost immediately.
The transfer of a property to the beneficiary after someone has died is done by means of an ______.
______ to sth Have they ______ed to the terms of the contract?
acquiesce: The police acquiesced to the rebels’ demands.
______: By signing, you ______ to the terms of the contract.
consent: I consent to a search of my vehicle.
accept: I have no choice but to accept the ruling of the court.
agree: I suggested they seek legal counsel and they agreed.
sanction: She gave official state sanction to the drilling company for their proposed pipeline.
consent: I give my consent to the marriage.
agreement: There’s widespread agreement that something must be done.
acceptance: His views never gained acceptance among the broader community.
concordance: The study shows strong concordance between patient health and patient happiness.
______: The bill received royal ______.
peremptory
adjective
expecting to be obeyed immediately and without any questions:
He started issuing __________ instructions.
She was highly critical of the insensitive and __________ way in which the cases had been handled.
In his usual __________ manner, he ordered us all into the conference room.
penitent
adjective
showing that you are sorry for something you have done because you feel it was wrong:
“I’m sorry,” she said with a ________ smile.
It was hard to be angry with him when he looked so ________.
embellish
verb
to make something more beautiful by adding something to it:
The ceiling was _________ed with flowers and leaves.
He couldn’t resist _________ing the story of his accident a little.
I don’t blame him for _________ing.
Many early building entrances were richly _________ed.
He couldn’t resist _________ing his account of the African safari.
