Chapter 1 Flashcards
Coinage
“2500 Invention of coinage - a universal money”
/ˈkɔɪnɪdʒ/
n
[noncount]
- the act of creating a new word or phrase that other people begin to use
- money in the form if coins
- the art of process of creating money
Coinage
/ˈkɔɪnɪdʒ/
n
[count]
- a word that sb has created
Transcend
“The Present Humans transcend the boundaries of planet Earth.”
/trænˈsend/
v
[+obj] formal
- to rise above or go beyond the normal limits of (sth)
Fellow
/ˈfeləʊ/
n
[count]
<informal + somewhat old-fashioned>
- a male person: a boy or man
- a male companion of a girl or woman: boyfriend
<old-fashioned> (usually plural)
- a member of a group of people who have shared interests, activities, etc.
(Fellow)
- a member of a literary, artistic, or scientific organisation
- a senior member of some British colleges and universities
(chiefly US)
- an advanced student at a university who is given money to pay for food, housing, etc.
</old-fashioned>
Fellow
“This book tells the story of how these three revolutions have affected humans and their fellow organism.”
/ˈfeləʊ/
adj
(always used before a noun)
- used to describe people who belong to the same group or class or who share a situation, experience, etc.
Hike
/haɪk/
v
[+obj] [no obj]
- to walk a long distance esp for pleasure or exercise: to go on a hike
[+obj]
- to suddenly increase the cost, amount or level of (sth)
- to pull of lift (sth, such as yourself or a part of your clothing) with a quick movement (up sth)
- (American football) to pass the ball back to the quarterback at the start of a play
n [count] hiker
n [noncount] hiking
adj hiking
Hike
“On a hike in East African 2 million years ago, you might well have…”
/haɪk/
n
[count]
- a usually long walk esp for pleasure or exercise
- a usually sudden increase in the cost, level or amount of sth
(US, informal, impolite) take a hike
- used in speech as an angry way of telling somebody ti leave
Chafe
“… temperamental youths chafing against the dictates of society…”
/tʃeɪf/
v
[no obj]
- to become irritated or annoyed: to feel impatient (against/ at/ under sth)
- to become sore or damaged from rubbing
[+obj] [no obj]
- to cause the soreness or damage by rubbing against sth (such as your skin)
Weary
“… and weary elders who just wanted to be left in peace…”
/ˈwɪəri/
adj
- lacking strength, energy, or freshness because if a need for rest or sleep: tired
- bored or annoyed by sth because you have seen it, heard it, done it, etc. many times or for a long time (of sth | used in combination)
<literary>
- causing you to feel tired
adv wearily
n [noncount] weariness
</literary>
Weary
/ˈwɪəri/
v
[+obj] (somewhat formal)
- to make (someone) very tired
phr v
weary of (sth)
- to become bored by (sth)
- to stop being interested in (sth)
Matriarch
“… and wise old matriarchs who had already seen it all.”
/ˈmeɪtriɑːk/
n
[count]
- a woman who controls a family, group or government
>< patriarch
adj matriarchal
n [non count] matriarchy
Fathom
/ˈfæðəm/
n
[count]
- a unit if length equal to six feet (1.8 meters) used esp for measuring the depth of water
Fathom
“…that their descendants would one day walk on the moon, split the atom, fathom the genetic code and write.”
/ˈfæðəm/
v
[+obj]
- to understand the reason for (sth) (Brit: out sth)
Banal
“This banal fact used to be one of history’s most closely guarded secrets.”
/bəˈnɑːl/
adj
- boring or ordinary: not interesting
Bereft
“… an orphan bereft of family, lacking siblings or cousins…”
/bɪˈreft/
adj
- sad because a family member or friend has died
(of sth)
- not having (sth that is needed, wanted or expected)
Orangutan
“Our closest living relatives include chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans.”
/əˈræŋətæn/
n
[count]
- a large ape that has very long arms and reddish-brown hair
Archair
“About 2 million years ago, some of these archaic men and women left their homeland…”
/ɑːˈkeɪɪk/
adj
- old and no longer used = old
- old and no longer useful: outdated
- of or relating to ancient times
Cradle
“The cradle of humanity continued to nurture numerous new species…”
/ˈkreɪdl/
n
[count]
- a bed for a baby that us usually designed to rock back and forth while pushing gently (sometimes used figuratively: out of the cradle)
- the place where sth begin (sing, of sth)
- sth that is used to hold or support sth else
- a platform designed to move up and down the sides of a building so that workers can paint, clean, etc.
From (the) cradle to (the grave)
idm
- from the beginning until the end of life
Rob the cradle
idm
(US, informal)
- to date or marry someone who is much younger than you
Cradle
/ˈkreɪdl/
v
[+obj]
- to hold (sth or someone) gently in your arms and hands
Fallacy
“It’s a common fallacy to envision these species as arranged in a straight line of descent…”
/ˈfæləsi/
n
[count]
- a wrong belief: a false or mistaken idea
[noncount]
- the quality of being false or wrong
Envision
“… to envision these species as arranged in a straight line of descent…”
/ɪnˈvɪʒn/
v
[+obj] (chiefly US)
- to think of (sth that you believe might exist or happen in the future): to picture (sth) in your mind
Beget
“…with Ergaster begetting Erectus, Erectus begetting the Neanderthals, and…”
/bɪˈɡet/
v
begat /bɪˈɡæt/ begotten /bɪˈɡɒtn/
<formal>
- to cause (sth) to happen or exist
<old-fashioned, literary>
- to become the father of (someone)
n [count] beggeter
</formal>
Exclusivity
“It’s our current exclusivity, not that multi-species past, that is peculiar - and perhaps incriminating.”
/ˌekskluːˈsɪvəti/
also exclusiveness /ɪkˈskluːsɪvnəs/
n
[noncount]
- the quality or state of being exclusive: the quality of being limited to people of wealth or high social class
Incriminate
“It’s our current exclusivity, not that multi-species past, that is peculiar - and perhaps incriminating.”
/ɪnˈkrɪmɪneɪt/
v
[+obj]
- to cause (someone) to appear guilty of or responsible for something (such as a crime)
adj incriminating
Sport
/spɔːt/
n
[count]
- a contest or game in which people do certain physical activities according to a specific set of rules and compete against each other
- to say if someone has behaved politely or not after losing a game or contest (used with: good, bad, etc.)
- <informal + old-fashioned> someone who is kind and generous
- <informal + old-fashioned> used as a friendly way to address someone (esp a man)
[count] [noncount]
- <plural> sports in general (Brit: sing)
- a physical activity (such as hunting, fishing, running, swimming, etc.) that is done for enjoyment (for sport)</plural>
In sport
<somewhat formal + old-fashioned> in a joking way: in a way that is not serious
Make sport of
<somewhat formal + old-fashioned> to laugh at and make jokes about (someone or something) in an unkind way = make fun of
Sport
/spɔːt/
adj
[always used before a noun]
- done for enjoyment rather than as a job or for food for survival
- (chiefly US) participating in an activity (such as hunting or fishing) for enjoyment rather than as a job or for food for survival
Sport
“Modern Sapiens sport a brain averaging 1,200-1,400 cubic centimeters.”
/spɔːt/
v
[+obj]
- to wear (something) in a way that attracts attention
[no obj]
- <literary> to play in a happy and lively way</literary>
Enamoured
“We are so enamoured of our high intelligence that we assume that when it comes to cerebral power, more must be better.”
/ɪˈnæməd/
adj
- in a state in which you love, admire, or are very interested in something or someone (usually + of/with)
Cerebral
“…when it comes to cerebral power, more must be better.”
/ˈserəbrəl/
adj
- <always> (medical) of or relating to the brain
- related to the mind rather than to feelings: intellectual and not emotional</always>
Atrophy
/ˈætrəfi/
n
[noncount]
- (medical) gradual loss of muscle or flesh usually because of disease or lack of use (often used figuratively: emotional/intellectual atrophy)
Atrophy
“Secondly, their muscles atrophied.”
/ˈætrəfi/
v
[no obj]
- if a part of the body atrophies, it becomes weak because it is not used or because it does not have enough blood
Biceps
“Like a government diverting money from defence to education, humans diverted energy from biceps to neurons.”
/ˈbaɪseps/
n
[count] <plural>
- a large muscle at the front of the upper arm</plural>
Wrestling
“…and shoot them from a safe distance instead of wrestling.”
/ˈreslɪŋ/
n
[noncount]
- a sport in which two people try to throw, force, or pin each other to the ground
Flint
“…but apart from some flint knives and pointed stocks, humans had precious little to show for…”
/flɪnt/
n
[noncount]
- a hard type of rock that produces a small piece of burning material (called a spark) when it is hit by steel
[count]
- a piece of flint
- a piece of metal used for producing a spark
Scaffolding
“Adjusting to an upright position was quite a challenge, especially when the scaffolding had to support an extra-large cranium.”
/ˈskæfəldɪŋ/
n
[noncount]
- the metal poles and wooden boards that are used to build or support a scaffold (a cradle)
Cranium
“…had to support an extra-large cranium.”
/ˈkreɪniəm/
n
[count] (plural: crania /ˈkreɪniə/)
- (technical) skull
Lofty
“Humankind paid for its lofty vision and industrious hands with backaches and stiff necks.”
/ˈlɒfti/
adj
- <literary> (of buildings, mountains, etc.) rising to a great height: very tall and impressive = high
- (of a thought, an aim, etc.) very high and good: deserving to be admired
- showing the insulting attitude of people who think that they are better, smarter, or more important than other people = haughty = arrogant</literary>
adv loftily
n [noncount] loftiness
Industrious
“…and industrious hands with backaches and stiff necks.”
/ɪnˈdʌstriəs/
adj
- working very hard: not lazy
adv industriously
n [noncount] industriousness
Stiff
“…and stiff necks.”
/stɪf/
adj
- difficult to bend or move (as stiff as a board = very stiff)
- painful to move or use
- showing pain in movement or use
- thick and difficult to stir or pour
- difficult, strict, or severe (a stiff fine/task/competition)
- not graceful, relaxed, or friendly (a stiff manner, stiff writing/dialogue = too formal)
- very expensive
- strong and forceful (stiff resistance, a stiff wind)
- containing a lot of alcohol
adv stiffly
n [noncount] stiffness
Stiff upper lip
- a calm and determined attitude in a difficult situation (keep a stiff upper lip)
Stiff
/stɪf/
adv
- <informal> very much: to an extreme degree (scared/bored stiff)</informal>
Stiff
/stɪf/
n
[count] <informal>
- the body of a dead person
- (US) a person who you think is lucky, unlucky, etc.
- (US) an ordinary or dull person (working stiff)</informal>
Stiff
/stɪf/
v
- (US) <informal> to not give as much money as you should give to (someone) (stiff someone on something = stiff the waiter on the tip)</informal>
Frozen stiff
- completely stiff because of being wet and frozen
- <informal> extremely cold
</informal>
Gait
“An upright gait required narrower hips, constricting the birth canal - and this just when babies’ heads were getting bigger and bigger.”
/ɡeɪt/
n
[count]
- a particular way of walking
Colt
/kəʊlt/
n
[count]
- a young male horse (%filly, stallion)
- (Brit) a member of a sports team for young people
Trot (v)
“A horse can trot shortly after birth…”
/trɒt/
v
[no obj]
- (of a horse) to move at a speed faster than walking by stepping with each front leg at the same time with the opposite back leg
- (always followed by an adv/prop) to run at a slow, steady pace
- (always followed by an adv/prep) to move quickly: hurry (trot off to help, trot along after his mother)
Hot to trot (idm)
(informal)
- to be very enthusiastic to start an activity
- to be excited in a sexual way
Trot out (phr v)
phr v: trot (something) out/trot out (something)
(informal)
- (disapproving) to say (something that has been said before) as an excuse
- to bring (something) out to be displayed
Trot (n)
/trɒt/
n
[singular]
- a horse’s way of moving that is faster than a walk but slower than a gallop (canter, gallop)
- a person’s way of running slowly
[plural]
- (informal) diarrhea
On the trot (idm)
(Brit, informal)
- following one after another = in a row
- busy all the time = on the go
Tow (v)
/təʊ/
v
[+ obj]
- to pull (a vehicle) behind another vehicle with a rope or chain
Tow (n)
/təʊ/
n
[count]
- the act of pulling a vehicle behind another vehicle with a rope or chain (usually singular)
In tow (idm)
“Lone mothers could hardly forage enough food for their offspring and themselves with needy children in tow.”
(or under tow or Brit on tow)
- used to describe a situation in which one vehicle, boat, etc. is being pulled by another
- if a ship or boat is “taken in tow”, it is tied to and pulled by another boat or ship (often used figuratively: the tourists were taken in tow by a friendly guide)
(informal)
- used to describe a situation in which someone is going to somewhere with another person or group
Glaze (v)
“Most mammals emerge from the womb like glazed earthenware emerging from a kiln…”
/ɡleɪz/
v
[+obj]
- to give a smooth and shinny coating to (something)
[no obj]
- to become dull and lifeless (usually + over) (his eyes glazed over)
Earthenware (n)
“…like glazed earthenware emerging from a kiln - any attempt at remoulding will scratch or break them.”
/ˈɜːθnweə/
n
[noncount]
- a heavy substance that is made by making clay and that is usually covered with another substance (called a glaze) before it is baked so that it will not absorb water
Kiln (n)
“…emerging from a kiln - any attempt at remoulding will scratch or break them.”
/kɪln/
n
[count]
- an oven or furnace that is used for hardening, burning, or drying something (such as pottery)
Subsist (v)
“…dwelt in constant fear of predators, rarely hunted large game, and subsisted.”
/səbˈsɪst/
v
[no obj] (formal)
- to exist or continue to exist
Subsist on (phr v)
phr v: subsist on (something)
- to used (something) as a way alive: to live on (something)
Niche (n)
“Some researchers believe this was our original niche.”
/nɪtʃ/
n
[count]
- a job, activity, etc. that is very suitable for someone
- the situation in which a business’s products or services can succeed by being sold to a particular kind or group if people (usually singular: fill a niche in the market) (often used before another noun: niche market/product/publication)
- (technical) an environment that had all the things that a particular plant or animal needs in order to live (fill an environmental/ecological niche)
- a curved space in a wall that is designed to hold a statue, vase, etc.
Woodpecker (n)
“Just as woodpeckers specialise in extracting insects from the trunks if trees, the first humans specialised in extracting marrow from bone.”
/ˈwʊdpekə/
n
[count]
- a bird that has a very hard beak which it uses to make holes in trees to get insects for food
Hyena (n)
“But it’s still not your turn because first the hyenas and jackals - and you don’t dare interfere…”
/haɪˈiːnə/
n
[count]
- a large animal of Asia and Africa that eats the flesh of dead animals
Laugh like a hyena (idm)
- laugh in a loud or foolish way
Jackal (n)
“But it’s still not your turn because first the hyenas and jackals - and you don’t dare interfere…”
/ˈdʒækl/
n
[count]
- a wild dog found in Africa and Asia
Scavenge (v)
“…and you don’t dare interfere with them scavenge the leftovers” (for the food)
/ˈskævɪndʒ/
v
[no obj] [+obj]
- (of an animal) to search (somewhere) for food to eat (no obj: often + for) (scavenge for food in the woods = scavenge the woods for food)
- to search through (somewhere/thing: waste, junk, etc.) for something that can be saved or used (no obj: often + for) (scavenge for antiques at the flea market = scavenge flea market for antiques)
n [count] scavenger
Carcass (n)
“…your band dare approach the carcass, look cautiously left and right - and dig into the edible tissue that remained.”
/ˈkɑːkəs/
n
[count]
- the body of a dead animal
- (informal, humorous) a person’s body
- the remaining parts if an old vehicle, structure, etc.
Rhinoceros (n)
“… and rhinoceros to be more bad-tempered.”
/raɪˈnɒsərəs/
n
[count]
- a large, heavy animal of Africa and Asia that has thick skin and either one or two large horns on its nose
Gazelle (n)
“…so gazelles evolved to run faster…”
/ɡəˈzel/
n
[count]
- a small animal that is a mind of antelope and that is very graceful and fast
Banana republic (n)
“Sapiens by contrast is more like a banana republic dictator.”
/bəˌnɑːnə rɪˈpʌblɪk/
n
[count] (disapproving, sometimes offensive)
- a small, weak country usually in a tropical area
Dictator (n)
“…like a banana republic dictator.”
/dɪkˈteɪtə/
n
[count]
- a person who rules a country with total authority and often in a cruel or brutal way
Underdog (n)
“Having so recently been one of the underdogs, we are full of fear and anxieties over our position, which makes us doubly cruel and dangerous.”
/ˈʌndədɒɡ/
n
[count]
- a person, team, etc. that is expected to lose a contest or battle
- a less powerful person or thing that struggles against a more powerful person or thing (such as a corporation)
Torch (n)
/tɔːtʃ/
n
[count]
- a long stick with material at one end that burns brightly: the Olympic torch, (often used figuratively: the torch of truth/hope)
- blowtorch
- (Brit) flashlight
Carry a torch
/tɔːtʃ/
- to continue to have romantic feelings for someone who does not love you (usually + for: carry a torch for him after all this time)
Carry the torch
/tɔːtʃ/
- to support or promote a cause in an enthusiastic way = crusade: continues to carry the torch for justice
Pass the torch
/tɔːtʃ/
- (chiefly US) if you pass the torch (on) or pass on the torch, you give your job, duties, etc. to another person: He’s retiring and passing the torch on to his successor
Torch (v)
“Not long afterwards, humans may even have started deliberately to torch their neighbourhoods.”
/tɔːtʃ/
v
[+obj]
- to set fire to (something, such as a building) deliberately: to cause something to burn
Thicket (n)
“A carefully managed fire could turn impassable barren thickets into prime grasslands teeming with games.”
/ˈθɪkɪt/
n
[count]
- a group of bushes or small trees that grow close together: a dense thicket of rosebushes (figuratively: a thicket of reporters, a tangled thicket of laws)
Teem with (phrasal v)
“… prime grasslands teeming with games.”
/tiːm/
phrasal v: teem with something
- to be full of (life and activity): to have many (people or animals) moving around inside
• usually used as (be teeming with)
• sometimes used figuratively
adj teeming = bustling
Tuber (n)
“…could walk through the smoking remains and harvest charcoaled animals, nuts and tubers.”
/ˈtjuːbə/
[count]
- a short, thick, round stem that is a part of certain plants (potato), that grows underground, and that can produce a new plant
adj tuberous
Suffice (v)
“…a single hour suffices for people eating cooked food.”
/səˈfaɪs/
v
[no obj]
- to be or provide as much as is needed: to be sufficient: Her example alone could suffice to show…
Suffice (it) to say
/səˈfaɪs/
- used to say that you could give more information about something but that the statement that follows is enough: Suffice it to say, she has a lot on her hands with four children
Inadvertent (adj)
“…cooking inadvertently opened the way to the jumbo brains of Neanderthals and Sapiens.”
/ˌɪnədˈvɜːtnt/
adj
- not intended or planned: accidental, unintentional: an inadvertent error/omission
n [noncount] inadvertence
adv inadvertently
Breadth (n)
“The power of almost all animals depends on their bodies: the strength of their muscles, the size of their teeth, the breadth of their wings.”
/bredθ/
n
[noncount]
- the distance from one side to the other side of something: width
- the quality of including many things: the wide scope or range of something: I admire his breadth of knowledge/experience/achievement
Constrained (adj)
/kənˈstreɪnd/
adj
- (formal) not done or happening naturally: constrained smile/behaviour
Constrain (v)
“…and are always constrained by their physical design.”
/kənˈstreɪn/
v
[+obj]
(formal, usually passive)
- to force (someone) to do something or behave in a particular way
- to limit (someone, something)
Obedient (adj)
“When humans domesticated fire, they gained control of an obedient and potentially limitless force.”
/əˈbiːdiənt/
adj
- willing to do what someone tells you to do or to follow a law, rule, etc.: willing to obey
n [noncount] obedience: blind/unquestioning obedience, to act in obedience to the rules, obedience classes/school/training
adv obediently
Morgue (n)
“If one of them turned up in a modern morgue, the local pathologist would notice nothing peculiar.”
/mɔːɡ/
n
[count]
- a place where the bodies of dead people are kept until they are buried or cremated (figuratively: like a morgue = a place which is very quiet and sad)
- (US) a place in the editorial offices of a newspaper, magazines, etc. where old articles and other documents are kept
Overrun (v)
“Scientists also agree that about 70,000 years ago, Sapiens from East Africa spread into the Arabian peninsula, and from there they quickly overran the entire Eurasia.”
/ˌəʊvəˈrʌn/
v: -ran /ˌəʊvəˈræn/ -run /ˌəʊvəˈrʌn/
[+obj]
- to enter and be present in (a place) in large numbers: be overrun with/by (something): rats overran the ship, the city is overrun by tourists
- to run or go beyond or past (something): overrun the time allowed
- the spread over or throughout (something): weeds overran the garden
Mingle (v)
“The ‘Interbreeding Theory’ tells a story of attraction, sex and mingling.”
/ˈmɪŋɡl/
v
[no obj] [+obj]
- to combine of bring together two or more things: the story mingles fact and/with fiction - several flavours mingle in the stew
[no obj]
- to move around during a party, meeting, etc. and talk informally with different people (often + with)
Infirm (adj)
“They used tools and fire, were good hunters, and apparently took care of their sick and infirm.”
/ɪnˈfɜːm/
adj
- having a condition of weakness or illness that usually lasts for a long time and is caused especially by old age: mentally and physically infirm
Handicap (n)
“…lived for many years with severe physical handicaps, evidence that they were cared for by their…”
/ˈhændikæp/
n
[count]
- (sometimes offensive) a physical or mental condition that may limit what a person can do: a physical or mental disability
- a problem, situation, or event that makes progress or success difficult
- (golf) a number that shows a golfer’s level of skill and that is used to allow golfers of different abilities to compete with each other
- a horse race in which some horses are required to carry more weight so that all the horses in the race will have an equal chance of winning
Caricature (n)
“Neanderthals ate often depicted in caricatures as the archetypical brutish and stupid ‘cave men’, but recent evidence has changed their image.”
/ˈkærɪkətʃʊə/
n
[count]
- a drawing that makes someone look funny or foolish because some part of the person’s appearance is exaggerated
- someone or something that is very exaggerated in a funny or foolish way
n [count] caricaturist
Revulsion (n)
“The opposing view, called the ‘Replacement Theory’ tells a very different story - one of incompatibility, revulsion, and perhaps genocide.”
/rɪˈvʌlʃn/
n
[noncount]
- (somewhat formal) a very strong feeling of dislike or disgust and horror = disgust = repugnance: a growing revulsion to war
Unbridgeable (adj)
“…the genetic gulf separating the two populations was already unbridgeable.”
/ʌnˈbrɪdʒəbl/
adj
- used to say that two people, groups, or things are too widely separated or different from each other to ever be brought together, made to agree, etc.: unbridgeable gulf/gap between the rich and the poor
Hinge (n)
/hɪndʒ/
n
[count]
- bản lề
v hinge (to attach something with a hinge)
Hinge on (phrasal v)
“A lot hinges on this debate.”
/hɪndʒ/
phrasal v: hinge on/upon something
- (of an action, a result, etc.) to depend on something completely: his success hinges on how well he does at the interview
