Context & meaning Flashcards
Nocturnal
Adjective
Done, occurring, or active at night; Nightly- Overnight,- Vespertine: The remarkable success of Simon Weber’s book on owls, bats, foxes and other nocturnal creatures, A Call in the Dark, is probably not surprising in view of the popularity of his recent television series, ‘Night Prowlers’
Cite
Verb
Quote (a passage, book, or author) as evidence for or justification of an argument or statement, especially in a scholarly work; Refer to- Make reference to- Reproduce: In addition to describing his own findings, he cites the research carried out by others, including Wright and Lawson in the 1990s, and discusses where they might have gone wrong with some of their
assumptions.
Feat
Noun
An achievement that requires great courage, skill, or strength; Masterpiece- Achievement- Stunt: This is a remarkable feat, considering the complexity of the subject and the science that is
often involved.
Arduous
Adjective
Involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring; Tough- Formidable: The journey across the hills was long and arduous, much of it having to be done on foot in temperatures of over 40°C.
Forage
Verb
(of a person or animal) search widely for food or provisions. To search in a wide area for something, especially food; Feed: Foxes are a common sight in our towns and cities, where they forage in dustbins, in gardens and on waste ground.
Elusive
Adjective
Difficult or impossible to find, catch, or achieve; Evasive- Difficult to catch/Find/Track down: The cuckoo is a rare and elusive bird which is often heard but rarely seen.
Exhaustive
Adjective
Examining, including, or considering all elements or aspects, fully comprehensive, thorough and complete; Perfect- Complete: The research they carried out was exhaustive, so by the time the project was complete, they knew everything they had to know about their subject.
Mediocre
Adjective
Of only moderate quality, not very good, average or below average; Ordinary- Medium: The hotel we stayed in was a mediocre place, with small rooms, rather dull food and an uninspiring
view of a car park.
Resilient
Adjective
(of a person or animal) able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions. Able to quickly become healthy, happy or strong again; Quick to bounce back:
Research suggests that children are more resilient than adults when it comes to getting over an illness.
Stacks
Noun
A pile of objects, typically one that is neatly arranged. Piles of things placed one on top of another; Heap:
The room was extremely untidy, with stacks of books and piles of paper all over the floor, and unwashed coffee cups on the tables.
Prolific
Adjective
Present in large numbers or quantities. Producing a lot of things, ideas, etc; Abundant- Plentiful: He was an extremely prolific author, writing three or four novels a year as well as many short stories.
Imperative
Adjective
Of vital importance. Extremely important and urgent; Crucial: Water is essential for human life, so it is imperative we make sure that in the future there is
enough for everyone.
Implement
Verb
Make something such as in idea, plan, system, etc., start to work. Put (a decision, plan, agreement, etc.) into effect/action: Attempts to implement change met with strong resistance at first, but gradually people realized that this change was needed.
Burden
Noun
A load, typically a heavy one. A serious or difficult responsibility that you have to deal with; Responsibility- Liability- Accountability: Many men say that they are willing to share the burden of domestic duties like washing and cooking, but I doubt that they mean it.
Sway
Verb
Move or cause to move slowly or rhythmically backward and forward or from side to side. Move or swing slightly from side to side; Swing- Shake: The building is designed to sway slightly in strong winds, but it’s still a rather frightening sensation when you are on the upper floors.
Prohibitive
Adjective
(of a price or charge) excessively high; difficult or impossible to pay. So expensive that nobody can afford it. (of a law or rule) forbidding or restricting something; Expensive- Costly- Sumptuous- Preventative- Suppressive
Many people would like to own a house in the city center, but prohibitive property prices mean
that very few of them would ever be able to buy such a place.
Fringe
Noun
The border or outer edges of an area or group or something; Margin- Border- Verge- Brink: The city center has some beautiful old buildings, but there are some extremely ugly industrial estates on the fringe.
Initiative
Noun
The ability to assess and initiate things independently. The ability to decide what to do in an independent way; Inventiveness- Resourcefulness: Employees are encouraged to use their initiative when they are faced with a problem and there is nobody more senior there to help them.
Hinder
Verb
To stop someone or something from making progress or developing. Create difficulties for (someone or something), resulting in delay or obstruction; Prevent- Be a hindrance to- Retard: I’m worried that a lack of suitable qualifications will hinder my search for a job.
Jeopardize
Verb
Risk damaging or destroying something important. Put (someone or something) into a situation in which there is a danger of loss, harm, or failure; Threaten- Endanger- Imperil: Research was going well, but there was a risk that cuts in funding would jeopardize the entire project
Address
Verb
Speak publicly to a group of people; Give a talk to- Make a speech to: When you address a meeting, it is important to speak clearly, confidently and at a good pace.
Flimsy
Adjective
Badly built or made, and so likely to break easily.
Comparatively light and insubstantial; easily damaged; Flabby- Flappy- Fragile- Breakable: The villas were basically flimsy wooden huts that shook every time there was a bit of wind.
Optimal
Adjective
The best or most suitable within a range of possibilities.
Best or most favorable; Optimum: Although several species of turtle can be found in relatively cool seas, warm water provides the optimal conditions for breeding.
Integrate
Verb
Become a full member of a group or society.
Combine (one thing) with another so that they become a whole; Amalgamate- Merge- Unite: It can be very difficult for immigrants to integrate into local society, especially if there are marked cultural differences.
Outset
Noun
The start or beginning of something; Starting point: From the outset of the expedition they knew they were going to have problems, so it was no surprise when only two days later things started to go very wrong.
