Challenging 4-in-1 Flashcards
philatelist /fɪˈlætəlɪst/
philately /fɪˈlætəli/
philatelist : a person who collects or studies stamps
philately: the hobby of collecting postage stamps for pleasure.
antiquarian /ˌæntɪˈkweriən/
the study, collection or sale of valuable old objects, especially books
“…an antiquarian bookseller. “
“…antiquarian and second-hand books”
ventriloquist /venˈtrɪləkwɪst/
a person who entertains by speaking without moving their lips and making it look as if their voice is coming from a puppet or another person
“When I grew up I became a ventriloquist, well trained by a great master.”
remiss /rɪˈmɪs/ [adj]
not giving something enough care and attention. SYNONYM negligent
“It was remiss of them not to inform us earlier.”
“She had clearly been remiss in her duty.”
“I would be remiss if I did not do something about it.”
elude
- to avoid or escape from somebody/something
“The two men managed to elude the police for six weeks.” “How did the killer elude detection for so long?” - if something eludes you, you are not able to achieve it, or not able to remember or understand it
“He was extremely tired but sleep eluded him.” “success eluded her.”
“Finally he remembered the tiny detail that had eluded him the night before.”
tarnish
- to damage the reputation or good opinion people have of somebody/something
SYNONYM taint
“Reputations can be easily tarnished.” “He hopes to improve the newspaper’s somewhat tarnished public image.” - (metal) no longer looks bright and shiny
“The mirrors had tarnished with age.” “Gold does not tarnish easily.”
drifter
a person who moves from one job or place to another with no real purpose
“A 36-year-old drifter from Cincinnati was charged with the murder.”
“Several hundred drifters spend the night in the park.”
recluse /rɪˈkluːs/ /ˈrekluːs/ [noun]
reclusive /rɪˈkluːsɪv/ [adj]
recluse: a person who lives alone and likes to avoid other people
“after his wife died, he led the life of a recluse” “She became a recluse after her two sons were murdered.”
reclusive: living alone and avoiding other people
“She had been living a reclusive life since her marriage broke up.” “She had become increasingly ill and reclusive.”
vagrant /ˈveɪɡrənt/
someone who has no home or work, especially someone who begs
“The accused was a vagrant who travelled around, sleeping in parks and bus shelters.”
“He lived on the street as a vagrant.”
paraplegic /ˌpærəˈpliːdʒɪk/ [noun]
a person who has paraplegia
paraplegia /ˌpærəˈpliːdʒə/: inability to move your legs and the lower part of your body (paralysis of lower body)
flimsy
badly made and not strong enough for the purpose for which it is used
“a flimsy cotton dress” “a flimsy table” “a flimsy alliance between the two tribal groups” ““The evidence against him is extremely flimsy.
fugitive /ˈfjuːdʒətɪv/ [noun] [adj]
[noun] someone who is running away or hiding, usually in order to avoid being caught by the police.
“he rebel leader was a fugitive from justice.” “Porter escaped in 1995 and remains a fugitive.”
[adj] trying to avoid being caught, or lasting a short time
“a fugitive criminal” “a fugitive visit”
perk
something that you get legally from your work in addition to your wages, such as goods, meals, or a car
“Perks offered by the firm include a car and free health insurance.”
“One of the perks of being a student is cheap travel.”
asset /ˈæset/
a person or thing that is valuable or useful, or a thing of value, especially property
“Being able to speak a foreign language is a major asset.”
“I’m not sure if his forcefulness is an asset or a liability.”
“Her assets include shares in the company and a house in France.”
demise /dɪˈmaɪz/
the end or failure of something, death
“the local newspaper is facing an imminent demise”
“He praised the union’s aims but predicted its early demise.”
“Smoking, rather than genetics, was the cause of his early demise. “
dissolution
Ref: dissolve
the act of officially ending something, or the process in which something gradually disappears
“He stayed on until the dissolution of the firm in 1948. “
“Politicians say it could lead to a dissolution of parliament.”
“the eventual dissolution of class and gender barriers”
abhor sth [verb] (abhorred, abhorring)
to hate something. SYNONYM detest, loathe
“Most decent people abhor corruption in government.” “She abhors any form of cruelty towards animals.”
infertile /ɪnˈfɜːtaɪl/ /ɪnˈfɜːrtl/
- not able to have babies or produce young.
“According to one survey, one woman in eight is infertile.” - not able to produce good crops due to poor soil
““The polluted waste is often dumped, making the surrounding land infertile.
barren
- (of land or soil) not good enough for plants to grow on it
“Thousands of years ago the surface was barren desert.” - (of plants or trees) not producing fruit or seeds. SYNONYM infertile
“He also wants to use the water to irrigate (provide water to) barren desert land.”
detest /dɪˈtest/
to hate somebody/something very much
SYNONYM loathe, abhor
“They absolutely detest each other.”
“I loathe and detest racism in any form.”
condemn
- to say very strongly that you think something is bad, usually for moral reasons
“The government issued a statement condemning the killings.” - [usually passive] force somebody to punishment / somebody to punishment
“He was condemned to death for murder” “He was condemned to a life of hardship.” “She is condemned out of her own mouth (= her own words show that she is guilty).”
initiate
initiation
initiative
initiate [verb] to make something begin.
“The government has initiated a programme of economic reform.”
initiative: new plan or ability to act on something
“a government initiative to combat unemployment”
“She needs to show more initiative if she wants to succeed.”
“She did it on her own initiative (= without anyone telling her to do it).”
inaugurate
inauguration
[verb] to introduce a new public official or leader at a special ceremony
“He will be inaugurated (as) President in January.” “The new President will be inaugurated on January 20.”
[noun] a special ceremony at which a new leader is introduced
“the President’s inauguration” “an inauguration speech”
cruet /ˈkruːɪt/
cauldron
decanter /dɪˈkæntər/
A cruet, also called a caster, is a small flat-bottomed container with a narrow neck.
A cauldron: a large deep pot for boiling liquids or cooking food over a fire
A decanter: a container used for serving alcoholic drinks especially wines
arsenal /ˈɑːrsənl/
- a large collection of weapons and military equipment
“The treaty requires them to reduce their nuclear arsenal by 30%.” - a large number of tools, methods, or resources
“Managers use a full arsenal of motivational techniques to get employees to take risks. “
“He has more punches in his arsenal than other boxers. “
cannery
a factory where food is put into cans
“His mother worked in the local tuna cannery.”
sovereign /ˈsɑːvrɪn/
Sovereignty (noun)
- A sovereign state or country is independent and governs itself
“The U.S. said it could not negotiate on behalf of other sovereign states.” - having the highest power in a country
“Parliament must always remain sovereign.”
realign
to make changes to something in order to adapt it to a new situation
“The company is planning to realign its sales operations.”
SYN reorganize
recuperate
recover, recoup
reincarnate UK /ˌriːɪnkɑːˈneɪt/ US /ˌriːɪnˈkɑːrneɪt/
incarnate /ɪnˈkɑːrnət/
reincarnate [verb] : to be born again in another body after you have died
“They were afraid she would reincarnate as a vampire.” “…their belief that human souls were reincarnated in the bodies of turtles.”
incarnate [adj]: in human form:
“Jesus, the incarnate Son of God” “The media cast him as the devil incarnate (=someone very evil).” “He is cynicism incarnate.”
glamorous
attractive, exciting, and related to wealth and success
“She led an exciting and glamorous life.”
“The south coast is less glamorous but full of clean and attractive hotels.”
make off
to hurry away, especially in order to escape
“They broke free and made off in a stolen car.” “The men made off as the police arrived.”
“the two burglars made off with the cash and jewellery in the nick of time (at the last possible moment)”
complexion
- the natural colour or appearance of the skin on your face
“Drinking water is good for the complexion.” - the general character of something
“Crime has risen under governments of every political complexion.”
snigger (US) = snicker (US)
to laugh quietly in a disrespectful way, for example at something rude or unkind.
“What are you sniggering at? This is a serious poem.”
“Suddenly, three schoolkids sitting near me started sniggering. “
“How can I forget, with people sniggering behind my back?”
antics
behaviour that seems strange, funny, silly, or annoying
“We’re all growing tired of his childish antics.”
“The bank staff got up to all sorts of antics to raise money for charity.”
“Elizabeth tolerated Sarah’s antics.”
drivel /ˈdrɪvl/
[noun, uncountable, disapproving] something that is said or written that is silly or does not mean anything
SYN Nonsense
“Don’t talk such drivel!” “How can you watch that drivel on TV?”
“What absolute drivel!” “She is still writing mindless drivel.”
caper /ˈkeɪpər/
an activity, especially one that is illegal or dangerous
“A call to the police should put an end to their little caper.”
“He’s involved in some sort of organized crime caper.”
“She served six months in prison for the helicopter caper.”
atrocity /əˈtrɒsəti/
atrocious (adj)
a cruel and violent act, especially in a war
“In the war, both sides committed atrocities.”
“Those who committed this atrocity should be tried and punished.”
ovation
enthusiastic clapping by an audience as a sign of their approval
“The soloist got a ten-minute standing ovation”
“Fans gave the rock group a thunderous ovation.”
boisterous
noisy and full of life and energy
“It was a challenge, keeping ten boisterous seven-year-olds amused.”
“The children and the dogs raced out of the house to give me a boisterous welcome.”
superfluous /suːˈpɜːfluəs/
more than is needed or wanted SYN unnecessary
“She gave him a look that made words superfluous.”
“a modern building with no superfluous decoration”
[noun] superfluity
“My presence at the afternoon’s proceedings was superfluous. “
“I rid myself of many superfluous belongings and habits that bothered me.”
pudgy /ˈpʌdʒi/
slightly and fairly fat in an unattractive way.
“the baby’s pudgy little legs” “I hate my stomach - it’s a bit pudgy.” “He’s short, pudgy, and bald.” “He put a pudgy arm around my shoulder.” “Her pudgy face was very pale”
portly
(an older man) rather fat. SYNONYM stout
“The waiter was a portly middle-aged man.” “a portly old gentleman”
“He was a portly man, red-faced and always panting.”
brawny /ˈbrɔːni/
burly
having strong muscles. SYNONYM burly (physically big and strong, with large muscles)
“He was a great brawny brute (a man unkind & cruel) of a man.”
“His brawny arms glistened with sweat.”
“All night he parades up and down the bar like a brawny old cockerel (young male chicken).”
rotund /rəʊˈtʌnd/
having a fat round body (used humorously). SYNONYM plump, stout
“A rotund, smiling, red-faced gentleman appeared.”
“A rotund profile or shapely curved legs is ideal.”
“She was a short, gray-haired, rotund woman”
douse = dowse
to stop a fire by pouring water on it, or to cover something in water/liquid
“The pumps were started and the crew began to douse the fire.”
“More of the reeking (stink) petrol was doused over him.”
“They hurled abuse at their victim as they doused him with petrol”
collateral
money or property which is used as a guarantee that someone will repay a loan.
“Many people use personal assets as collateral for small business loans.”
“Most people here cannot borrow from banks because they lack collateral.”
“We put up our home as collateral in order to raise the money to start our new business”
unkempt
(hair or general appearance) not well cared for; not neat or tidy
“greasy, unkempt hair” “an unkempt beard” “The children were unwashed and unkempt.”
“His hair was unkempt and filthy.” “I walked into a wild and unkempt garden.”
impetuous
acting or done quickly and without thinking carefully about the results
SYNONYM rash, impulsive
“He was high-spirited and impetuous.” “She might live to regret this impetuous decision.”
“He was young and impetuous.” “He tended to react in a heated and impetuous way.”
caveat /ˈkæviæt/
a warning that particular things need to be considered before something can be done.
“She will be offered treatment, with the caveat that it may not work.”
“I’ve given it to them, but with the caveat that it may not work.”
“The company gives a caveat at the end of the advertisement, listing the possible side effects of the drug.”
notion
an idea, a belief or an understanding of something
“She had only a vague notion of what might happen.” “She dismissed the very notion of compromise.” “The traditional notion of marriage goes back thousands of years.”
“We each have a notion of just what kind of person we’d like to be.” “I’d had a few notions about being a journalist.”
“I reject absolutely the notion that privatisation of our industry is now inevitable.”
slink (slunk, slunk)
to move somewhere very quietly and slowly, especially because you are ashamed or do not want to be seen:
“John was trying to slink into the house by the back door.”
“She slunk out of the room, feeling like a criminal.”
“Edward was hoping to slink past unnoticed.”
erratic /ɪˈrætɪk/
not happening at regular times; happening at unexpected times or moves along in an irregular way. SYNONYM unpredictable
“The electricity supply here is quite erratic.” “His breathing was becoming erratic.”
“She had learnt to live with his sudden changes of mood and erratic behaviour.”
“Police stopped him for driving erratically.”
dubious /ˈdjuːbiəs/ (UK) /ˈduːbiəs/ (US)
doubtful, probably not honest, true, right etc, suspicious
“Some universities are dubious about accepting students over the age of 30.”
“This claim seems to us to be rather dubious. “ “Kate looked dubious, but did as she was asked.” “Many critics regard this argument as dubious or, at best, misleading.” “They indulged in some highly dubious business practices”
ambiguous <> unambiguous
ambiguity [noun]
unclear, confusing, or having different meanings
“The language in the Minister’s statement is highly ambiguous.”
“The last part of her letter was deliberately ambiguous.”
“This agreement is very ambiguous and open to various interpretations.”
choreographer
a person whose job involves designing and arranging the steps and movements in dances,
[verb] choreograph
[noun] choreography: the art of arranging how dancers should move
“She choreographed several ballets for the company.”
curator /kjʊəˈreɪtə(r)/
someone who is in charge of the objects or works of art in a museum or art gallery.
“Peter is curator of fossil fishes at the Natural History Museum.” “He’s Curator of Prints at the Metropolitan.”
[verb] curate: to collect, select and present information like pictures, video, music, etc.
“This is a curated collection of articles to help you choose the right technology”
archivist
a person whose job is to develop and manage an archive
[noun] archive: a collection of documents and records or an electronic record of the data
“an archive of the writer’s unpublished work” “Optical media is used for storing archives of critical corporate data”
[verb] to put or store documents or other materials in an archive
anthology
a collection of stories, poems, songs etc.
“an anthology of American literature”
“We have put together an anthology of children’s poetry.”
cortege /kɔːrˈteʒ/
a line of cars or people moving along slowly at a funeral
“He took off his cap as the cortege passed.”
“local political figures were among the many walking in the cortege.”
congregation
a group of people who are gathered in a church, or who regularly attend a particular church
“The congregation stood to sing the hymn (a religious song).”
“The congregation knelt to pray.”
“Most members of the congregation begin arriving a few minutes before services.”
elude
to manage to avoid or escape from,
“The two men managed to elude the police for six weeks.”
“Finally he remembered the tiny detail that had eluded him the night before.”
inundate
be inundated
- overwhelm, swamp; to give or send somebody too many things that they cannot deal with
“We have been inundated with offers of help.” “Her office was inundated with requests for tickets.” - to flood with water
“The tidal wave inundated vast areas of cropland.” “Many sheep were lost in the floods and the city was inundated.”
supersede /ˌsuːpərˈsiːd/
to replace something/somebody that is considered to be old-fashioned or no longer the best available:
“The theory has been superseded by more recent research.”
“Hand tools are relics of the past that have now been superseded by the machine.”
relic: an object surviving from an earlier time
