Chapter 3 Flashcards
Positively stank
Type of word: Verb phrase
Meaning: Expressing an extremely strong or intense negative odor; indicating that something had a very unpleasant and noticeable smell.
Chinese Meaning: 恶臭难闻
Antonym(s): Pleasantly scented
Synonym(s): Reeked, smelled terrible
Sample sentence: The garbage in the alley positively stank, making it difficult to pass by without holding your breath.
Gloom
Type of word: Noun
Meaning: A state of darkness, shadowiness, or dimness; a feeling of melancholy, sadness, or despondency; a lack of light or hope.
Chinese Meaning: 黑暗，忧郁
Antonym(s): Brightness, cheerfulness
Synonym(s): Darkness, sadness, melancholy
Sample sentence: The heavy rain outside added to the gloom of the already somber day.
stink-making
a descriptive phrase used to imply something that creates a bad or unpleasant smell
lap it up like milk
Type of word: Verb phrase
Meaning: To eagerly and enthusiastically accept, enjoy, or absorb something, often in a manner reminiscent of someone drinking or consuming something with great relish.
Chinese Meaning: 犹如喝牛奶一样享受，如饮美酒一般陶醉
Antonym(s): Reject, decline
Synonym(s): Enjoy heartily, relish
Sample sentence: The audience lapped up the comedian’s jokes like milk, laughing uproariously throughout the performance.
crazy for make-believe
Type of word: Phrase
Meaning: Having a strong fondness or enthusiasm for imaginary or fictional scenarios, often involving imaginative play or pretending.
Chinese Meaning: 热衷于虚构的，沉迷于幻想的
Antonym(s): Indifferent to make-believe
Synonym(s): Enthusiastic about pretend play, obsessed with imagination
Sample sentence: As a child, she was crazy for make-believe games, always inventing elaborate stories and characters in her playtime.
eloquent
Type of word: Adjective
Meaning: Fluent and persuasive in speech or writing; characterized by clear, powerful, and expressive language that effectively conveys ideas or emotions.
Chinese Meaning: 雄辩的，口才流利的
Antonym(s): Inarticulate, ineloquent
Synonym(s): Fluent, articulate, expressive
Sample sentence: The speaker delivered an eloquent speech that moved the audience and left a lasting impression.
dispersed
Type of word: Verb (past tense of “disperse”)
Meaning:
- To scatter or spread in various directions; to separate and move away from a concentrated or central point.
- To cause a group of people or things to scatter or go their separate ways.
Chinese Meaning:
- 分散，散布
- 使散开，驱散
Antonym(s): Gathered, assembled
Synonym(s): Scattered, spread out, disassembled
Sample sentence:
- After the event, the crowd dispersed, going their separate ways.
- The police used tear gas to disperse the protesters and restore order.
discontent
Type of word: Noun or Adjective
Meaning:
Noun: A feeling of dissatisfaction, unhappiness, or discontentment; a lack of contentment or satisfaction with one’s current situation.
Adjective: Expressing or characterized by dissatisfaction or unhappiness; not content or satisfied.
Chinese Meaning:
Noun: 不满，不满足
Adjective: 不满的，不满足的
Antonym(s): Contentment, satisfaction
Synonym(s): Dissatisfaction, unhappiness, displeasure
Sample sentence:
Noun: The growing discontent among the employees led to discussions about workplace improvements.
Adjective: Her discontent attitude was evident from the way she constantly complained about everything.
smudgy
Type of word: Adjective
Meaning: Marked or covered with smudges or smears; having blurred or indistinct edges due to the presence of smudges.
Chinese Meaning: 弄脏的，有污迹的
Antonym(s): Clean, clear
Synonym(s): Smudged, smeared, dirty
Sample sentence: The old book had smudgy pages, making some of the text difficult to read.
sugar-and-spice
Type of word: Adjective phrase
Meaning: Referring to a person, especially a young girl, who is characterized as sweet, charming, and well-behaved; often used in a somewhat idealized or stereotypical way.
Chinese Meaning: 甜美可爱的，乖巧的
Antonym(s): Rebellious, mischievous
Synonym(s): Well-behaved, charming, delightful
Sample sentence: She was the epitome of a sugar-and-spice child, always polite and cheerful.
sugar-and-spice tales
Type of word: Noun phrase
Meaning: Stories, usually involving children or young characters, that emphasize sweetness, innocence, charm, and positive qualities; often portraying an idealized or idealistic view of young individuals.
Chinese Meaning: 美好的童话故事，可爱的故事
Antonym(s): Dark tales, grim stories
Synonym(s): Sweet stories, charming tales, innocent narratives
Sample sentence: The book was filled with sugar-and-spice tales that captured the imaginations of young readers with their enchanting characters and delightful adventures.
up-beat sagas
Type of word: Noun phrase
Meaning: Positive and optimistic narratives or stories that convey a sense of enthusiasm, energy, and hope; typically portraying characters overcoming challenges and achieving success.
Chinese Meaning: 积极乐观的传奇故事
Antonym(s): Downbeat narratives, gloomy tales
Synonym(s): Positive stories, optimistic sagas, uplifting narratives
Sample sentence: The collection of up-beat sagas inspired readers with their tales of perseverance, resilience, and triumph in the face of adversity.
gloompuss yarns
Type of word: Noun phrase
Meaning: Stories or narratives that have a gloomy or pessimistic tone, often centered around sad, depressing, or negative themes; tales that evoke a sense of melancholy or sadness.
Chinese Meaning: 忧郁的故事，消沉的叙述
Antonym(s): Upbeat stories, cheerful tales
Synonym(s): Depressing narratives, somber tales
Sample sentence: The author was known for his ability to craft gloompuss yarns that explored the depths of human emotions and struggles.
redoubled
Type of word: Verb (past tense of “redouble”)
Meaning:
- To greatly increase or intensify something, often referring to efforts, actions, or emotions.
- To make something twice as much or twice as strong as before.
Chinese Meaning:
- 大幅增加，大幅加强
- 使加倍，使翻倍
Antonym(s): Decreased, lessened
Synonym(s): Intensified, amplified, heightened
Sample sentence:
- Faced with the challenge, they redoubled their efforts to achieve their goal.
- The storm redoubled in strength, causing even more damage than initially expected.
wretchedness
Type of word: Noun
Meaning: The state or quality of being wretched; extreme misery, unhappiness, or distress; a condition of great suffering or unfortunate circumstances.
Chinese Meaning: 悲惨，困苦
Antonym(s): Happiness, contentment
Synonym(s): Misery, suffering, distress
Sample sentence: The refugees’ wretchedness was evident in their faces, reflecting the hardships they had endured.
slopping over
Type of word: Verb phrase
Meaning: To overflow or spill out of a container, often in a messy or uncontrolled manner; to exceed the capacity of a container and spread beyond its boundaries.
Chinese Meaning: 溢出，泼溅出
Antonym(s): Contained, confined
Synonym(s): Overflowing, spilling over
Sample sentence: The pot of soup was boiling vigorously and started slopping over onto the stove.
concious efforts
Type of word: Noun phrase
Meaning: A deliberate and intentional exertion of mental or physical energy; a purposeful and aware action taken to achieve a specific result or goal.
Chinese Meaning: 有意识的努力
Antonym(s): Unconscious action
Synonym(s): Deliberate effort, intentional endeavor
Sample sentence: She made a conscious effort to improve her time management skills in order to balance her work and personal life better.
malodorous
Type of word: Adjective
Meaning: Having a strong and unpleasant odor; foul-smelling or bad-smelling.
Chinese Meaning: 恶臭的，难闻的
Antonym(s): Fragrant, pleasant-smelling
Synonym(s): Foul-smelling, stinky, noxious
Sample sentence: The alleyway was filled with the malodorous stench of garbage and decay.
gullible
Type of word: Adjective
Meaning: Easily deceived, tricked, or manipulated; prone to believing things without questioning or verifying their accuracy.
Chinese Meaning: 易受骗的，轻信的
Antonym(s): Skeptical, cautious
Synonym(s): Naive, credulous, trusting
Sample sentence: His gullible nature made him susceptible to falling for various scams and hoaxes.
hocusing
Meaning: archaic term that means to deceive, cheat, or trick. However, its usage is limited and may not be widely recognized in contemporary communication.
Example: The con artist was skilled at hocusing unsuspecting individuals out of their money.
Please note that “hocusing” is not part of standard everyday language, and its meaning might not be readily understood by most people.
freak
Type of word: Noun or Verb
Meaning:
Noun: A person or thing that is markedly unusual or different from the norm; someone who possesses an unconventional appearance, behavior, or interest.
Verb: To react strongly with fear, shock, or surprise to something unexpected or unusual.
Chinese Meaning:
Noun: 怪人，古怪的事物
Verb: 反应过度，吃惊
Antonym(s):
Noun: Ordinary person, conformist
Verb: Remain calm, take in stride
Synonym(s):
Noun: Oddity, eccentric, anomaly
Verb: Startle, amaze, astonish
Sample sentence:
Noun: She was known as the office freak because of her eccentric fashion sense.
Verb: The unexpected noise from the door slamming shut freaked out the cat, causing it to dart away.
ornately
Type of word: Adverb
Meaning: In a highly decorated, intricate, or elaborate manner; with detailed and elaborate ornamentation or design.
Chinese Meaning: 华丽地，富丽堂皇地
Antonym(s): Simply, plainly
Synonym(s): Elaborately, intricately, lavishly
Sample sentence: The cathedral was adorned with ornately carved stone statues and intricate stained glass windows.
adjoining
Type of word: Adjective
Meaning: Located next to or adjoining something; sharing a common boundary or touching at a point.
Chinese Meaning: 邻近的，毗邻的
Antonym(s): Distant, separate
Synonym(s): Adjacent, neighboring, contiguous
Sample sentence: The hotel rooms had adjoining doors, allowing guests to easily move between the two rooms.
peculiar
Type of word: Adjective
Meaning: Strange, unusual, or distinctive in a way that is not commonly seen or understood; distinctively individual or particular to a certain person, group, or place.
Chinese Meaning: 奇怪的，特别的
Antonym(s): Ordinary, common
Synonym(s): Unusual, strange, distinct
Sample sentence: The old bookstore had a peculiar smell, a mix of old paper and ink, that reminded him of his childhood.
notion
Type of word: Noun
Meaning:
- A general understanding or belief about something; a vague or undefined concept or idea.
- A small or slight thought or inclination; a sudden idea or impulse.
Chinese Meaning:
- 概念，看法
- 想法，念头
Antonym(s): Fact, reality
Synonym(s): Idea, concept, thought
Sample sentence:
- She had a notion that the project would be challenging, but she was determined to tackle it.
- Out of nowhere, a notion struck him to take a spontaneous road trip.
workload
Type of word: Noun
Meaning: The amount of work that needs to be completed or accomplished, often within a specific timeframe; the tasks, responsibilities, or assignments that someone is expected to manage or complete.
Chinese Meaning: 工作量，任务量
Antonym(s): Leisure, free time
Synonym(s): Work tasks, job responsibilities, workload
Sample sentence: Due to the increased demand, the employees found themselves dealing with a heavy workload, often working late into the night.
pronto
“Pronto” is an adverb commonly used in English, especially in informal contexts. It means “immediately” or “quickly.” It’s often used to indicate that something should be done promptly or without delay.
Example: “We need that report finished, pronto!”
It’s worth noting that “pronto” is borrowed from Spanish, where it means the same thing.
blasted thing
Type of word: Noun phrase
Meaning: A colloquial expression used to show frustration or annoyance towards an object, often when something is not working as expected or causing difficulties.
Chinese Meaning: 讨厌的东西，可恶的东西
Antonym(s): None
Synonym(s): Annoying thing, troublesome object
Sample sentence: I can’t seem to fix this blasted thing no matter what I try!
meddling
Type of word: Verb (present participle of “meddle”)
Meaning: To interfere in the affairs or business of others without being invited or without proper authority; to involve oneself in matters that do not concern them.
Chinese Meaning: 干预，干涉
Antonym(s): Mind one’s own business, stay out of
Synonym(s): Interfering, intruding, meddling
Sample sentence: She couldn’t resist meddling in her friends’ relationship, offering unsolicited advice and opinions.
methodical
Type of word: Adjective
Meaning: Done or characterized by careful, systematic, and organized methods or procedures; following a logical and orderly approach.
Chinese Meaning: 有条理的，有方法的
Antonym(s): Haphazard, disorganized
Synonym(s): Systematic, orderly, structured
Sample sentence: The methodical approach to problem-solving allowed the team to identify and address issues in a thorough and efficient manner.
monologue
Type of word: Noun
Meaning:
- A long speech or presentation by a single person, often in a play, movie, or performance, where they express their thoughts, feelings, or ideas.
- A conversation in which one person dominates the discussion by speaking at length.
Chinese Meaning:
- 独白，独角戏
- 单方面的对话，独白
Antonym(s): Dialogue, conversation
Synonym(s): Soliloquy, speech, discourse
Sample sentence:
- The actor delivered a powerful monologue that revealed the character’s inner struggles.
- Despite attempts to engage in a conversation, he continued with his monologue, barely allowing anyone else to speak.
sported
Type of word: Verb (past tense of “sport”)
Meaning:
- To wear or display something proudly, often referring to clothing, accessories, or items meant for decoration.
- To engage in a particular activity or behavior, especially in a playful or carefree manner.
Chinese Meaning:
- 穿戴，佩戴
- 进行，展示
Antonym(s): Concealed, hid
Synonym(s): Wore, displayed, exhibited
Sample sentence:
- She sported a vibrant red dress to the party, catching everyone’s attention.
- The children sported big smiles as they played games at the park.
whirled
Type of word: Verb (past tense of “whirl”)
Meaning:
- To spin or rotate rapidly in a circular motion.
- To move swiftly or suddenly in a turning or spinning motion.
Chinese Meaning:
- 旋转，打转
- 急速移动，突然旋转
Antonym(s): Still, stationary
Synonym(s): Spun, rotated, revolved
Sample sentence:
- The dancer’s skirt whirled around her as she twirled on stage.
- The leaves whirled in the wind, creating a mesmerizing pattern of motion.
seemed like a most disgruntled fashion
Type of word: Phrase
Meaning: Describing an appearance or manner that strongly suggests a significant level of discontent, dissatisfaction, or unhappiness; often used to convey a negative or dissatisfied demeanor.
Chinese Meaning: 看起来非常不满的样子
Antonym(s): Contented, satisfied manner
Synonym(s): Unhappy appearance, displeased fashion
Sample sentence: Despite his efforts to appear cheerful, his furrowed brows and tense posture seemed like a most disgruntled fashion.
materializing
Type of word: Verb (present participle of “materialize”)
Meaning:
- To become actual or real; to take physical form or substance, often from being previously only a concept or idea.
- To appear suddenly or unexpectedly, often in a visible or tangible form.
Chinese Meaning:
- 具体化，实现
- 出现，显现
Antonym(s): Disappearing, vanishing
Synonym(s): Appearing, manifesting, actualizing
Sample sentence:
- The project was finally materializing after months of planning and preparation.
- The ghostly figure began materializing in the mist, sending a shiver down her spine.
divulge
Type of word: Verb
Meaning: To reveal or disclose information, especially something that was previously kept secret, private, or confidential; to make something known that was previously hidden.
Chinese Meaning: 泄露，透露
Antonym(s): Conceal, withhold
Synonym(s): Reveal, disclose, impart
Sample sentence: She hesitated to divulge her true feelings, unsure of how they would be received by others.
sulked
Type of word: Verb (past tense of “sulk”)
Meaning: To show resentment, displeasure, or bad mood by withdrawing, being silent, or being uncommunicative; to pout or be sulky.
Chinese Meaning: 生气，闷闷不乐
Antonym(s): Cheerful, content
Synonym(s): Brooded, moped, glowered
Sample sentence: After not getting the present he wanted, he sulked in his room for the rest of the evening.
classified
Type of word: Adjective or Verb (past tense of “classify”)
Meaning:
Adjective: Categorized or sorted into specific groups or classes based on shared characteristics or criteria.
Verb: To arrange, organize, or categorize things into specific groups or classes based on their similarities.
Chinese Meaning:
Adjective: 分类的，归类的
Verb: 分类，归类
Antonym(s): Unsorted, uncategorized
Synonym(s): Categorized, grouped, organized
Sample sentence:
Adjective: The documents were labeled with classified markings to indicate their confidentiality.
Verb: She spent hours classifying the books in her library according to genre and author.
eyes-only
“Eyes-only” is a term often used to indicate that certain information or documents are meant to be viewed by only specific individuals, typically those with authorized access. It’s a security designation used to restrict access to sensitive or confidential information.
Example: “This document is marked ‘eyes-only’ for the senior management team.”
The term is derived from the idea that only the designated individuals should be allowed to see the content, using their eyes exclusively.
up the spout
“Up the spout” is an informal idiom that means something is ruined, failed, or not working as expected. It can also refer to something that has gone wrong or is in a state of disarray.
Example: “All our plans for the weekend went up the spout when it started raining heavily.”
It’s worth noting that this phrase is often used in casual conversation and may not be suitable for formal writing or situations.
queries
Type of word: Noun (plural form of “query”)
Meaning: Questions or inquiries seeking information, clarification, or explanation about something; requests for further details or answers.
Chinese Meaning: 查询，疑问
Antonym(s): Answers, solutions
Synonym(s): Questions, inquiries, doubts
Sample sentence: The customer support team responded to the customers’ queries promptly, addressing their concerns and providing assistance.
retorted
Type of word: Verb (past tense of “retort”)
Meaning:
- To respond to a remark, comment, or question in a sharp, witty, or clever manner; to reply with a quick and often cutting or sarcastic comeback.
- To reply or answer something in a direct and forceful way.
Chinese Meaning:
- 反驳，回嘴
- 回答，答复
Antonym(s): Agree, concur
Synonym(s): Responded, answered, replied
Sample sentence:
- When he criticized her work, she retorted with a clever remark that left him speechless.
- “I never said that!” she retorted defensively in response to his accusation.
dubiously
Type of word: Adverb
Meaning: In a doubtful or uncertain manner; with skepticism, suspicion, or hesitation about the truth, reliability, or correctness of something.
Chinese Meaning: 怀疑地，疑惑地
Antonym(s): Confidently, unquestionably
Synonym(s): Skeptically, uncertainly, suspiciously
Sample sentence: She looked at the stranger dubiously, unsure if she should trust his explanation.
