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.
Innovative
Adjective
(of a product, idea, etc.) featuring new methods; advanced and original. Inventing or using new ideas; Unprecedented: He was a talented young film director whose unique and innovative style inspired generations of film students.
Taper
Verb
Diminish or reduce in thickness toward one end.
Gradually becomes narrower towards one end; Conical: The building is 200 metres tall and tapers gently to a point, giving it the appearance of a thin, glass pyramid.
Patent
Noun
An official document that, among other things, prevents someone from coping someone else’s invention. a government authority or license conferring a right or title for a set period, especially the sole right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention; Copyright- License: Although the inventor had a patent for his new product, other companies rapidly began copying and selling it, and he was forced to take legal action against them.
Prey
Noun
An animal that is caught and eaten by another animal; predation: Spiders usually trap their prey in webs, but others actively hunt for it.
Warrante
Verb
Justify or necessitate (a certain course of action). To be reasonable or necessary: Some illnesses are serious enough to require medical treatment, but for minor health problems, a visit to the doctor is usually not warranted.
Radical
Adjective
New and very different from the usual way; Thoroughgoing- Thorough: We need to come up with a radical solution to the problem of crime in our towns and cities, since everything else seems to have failed.
Peripheral
Adjective
Relating to or situated on the edge or periphery of something. Connected with something, but not a necessary or important part of it; Circumferential- Fringe: During the meeting, we made progress on peripheral issues, but unfortunately we failed to deal
with the issues that had been causing us the most problems.
Induce
Verb
Succeed in persuading or influencing (someone) to do something. To make or persuade somebody to do something; Convince- Compel- Impel: I hate flying, and nothing could induce me to get on an Aeroplan.
Refine
Verb
Remove impurities or unwanted elements from (a substance), typically as part of an industrial process. Had changes made in order to improve it; Purify- Cleanse- Filter: There were several small problems with the original device, and it needed to be refined slightly before it could go on sale.
Healthcare
Noun
The organized provision of medical care to individuals or a community: The town lacks basic healthcare facilities, so people have to travel many miles to see a
doctor.
Deforestation
Noun
The action of clearing a wide area of trees: Deforestation has resulted in the destruction of thousands of acres of tropical forest.
Facial
Cleanser
Moisturizer
Noun
Of or affecting the face.
A substance that cleanses something, especially a cosmetic product for cleansing the skin.
A lotion or cream used to prevent dryness in the skin:
The company started off producing a range of facial cleansers and moisturizers which had not been tested on animals.
Infancy
Noun
The time when you are a baby or very young child. The state or period of early childhood or babyhood: The country is very poor, and one in seven children dies in infancy.
Personnel
Noun
The people who work foe a company or organization. people employed in an organization or engaged in an organized undertaking such as military service.; Staff- Employees- Workforce: All the employees are asked to produce a written evaluation of their performance and hand it to
the personnel manager.
Prolong
Verb
Extend the duration of. To make something last longer; Lengthen- Stretch out- Draw out (The final question drew the meeting out for another hour): The new drug does not cure the illness, but can prolong the patient’s life by up to five years.
Windswept
Adjective
(of a place) exposed to strong winds. Having a lot of wind, and not many buildings or trees to protect it; Bleak- Bare- Exposed- Unprotected: The farm was on top of a windswept hill, miles from the nearest town.
Scholar
Noun
A specialist in a particular branch of study, especially the humanities; a distinguished academic. People who study a particular subject and know a lot about it, especially if the subject is not scientific; Researchist-
The historical document has been examined by several distinguished scholars, but none of them can tell if it is genuine or fake.
Recipient
Noun
A person or thing that receives or is awarded something; Receptor- Donee- Beneficiary: When you deliver the package, make sure that the recipient signs for it
Centerpiece
Noun
A decorative piece or display placed in the middle of a dining or serving table. The most important object or decoration in a particular place: The centerpiece of the new museum is a Henry Moore sculpture that was bought from a private collector.
Multitude
Noun
a large number of things or people; Plenty- Horde: The city offers a multitude of interesting and exciting activities for people of all ages.
Numeracy
Noun
The ability to understand and work with numbers.. Basic skills in mathematics: Government statistics on the numeracy skills of ten-year-olds suggests that more emphasis needs to be placed on the teaching of mathematics in school.
Lifespan
Noun
The length of time for which a person or animal lives or a thing functions: The average lifespan of an elephant is 60 – 70 years.
Monetary
Adjective
Consisting of money, or able to be measured in money.
relating to money or currency; Financial- Fiscal- Pecuniary: Several interesting objects were found during the archaeological dig, but none of them were of
any great monetary value.
Grandeur
Noun
splendor and impressiveness, especially of appearance or style. And impressive quality that a place, object or occasion has; Splendor- Magnificence- Greatness- Glory: From the top of the tower, we looked out over a city of incredible grandeur.
Standpoint
Noun
An attitude to or outlook on issues, typically arising from one’s circumstances or beliefs. A way of considering something from someone’s point of view; Point of view- Attitude- Vantage point: From a traveler’s standpoint, the competition between airlines to win customers is a good thing.
Epicenter
Noun
The point on the earth’s surface vertically above the focus of an earthquake: The city was over 60 miles from the epicenter of the earthquake, but still suffered substantial damage.
Outpatient
Noun
People who receive medical treatment at a hospital, but do not stay there for the night (without being admitted to a hospital): In some cases, hospital outpatients have to wait over three hours to see a doctor.
Validate
Verb
To officially check or prove that something is true or correct; Accredit: To many, the evidence he provided did not validate his claim that the Earth moved around the Sun.
Widespread
Adjective
Happening or existing in many places, or affecting many people. Found or distributed over a large area or number of people; Extensive- Universal- Common- Global- Worldwide: Many medical professionals are concerned about the widespread use of antibiotics to treat minor medical conditions.
Seafarer
Noun
A person who regularly travels by sea; a sailor.
people who work or travel regularly on the sea, especially sailors: Modern seafarers rely on modern technology to help them navigate the oceans.
Spatial
Adjective
Relating to or occupying space. Relating to the size, shape and position of things (the ‘root’ word is space):
After the accident, he temporarily lost spatial awareness, and could only pick up objects when he
closed one eye.
Monorail
Noun
A railway system in which trains travel on a single metal track: A monorail connects the airport with the city, taking visitors into the heart of the city in less than
20 minutes.
Auditory
Adjective
Relating to the sense of hearing. Relating to hearing; Auditory- Otic: A new device which stimulates the auditory areas of the brain offers hope to those who have serious hearing problems.
Industrious
Adjective
Always working very hard; Diligent- Hard-working; Studious- Trying- Sedulous: I don’t consider myself to be particularly industrious, but when I’m given a job, I make sure it gets done.
Drawback
Noun
A feature of something that makes it less useful than it could be. A feature that renders something less acceptable; Disadvantage- Problem- Bug- Difficulty- Impediment- Worriment: The new airliner is more environmentally-friendly than other aircraft, its only drawback being its limited flying range.
Showcase
Verb
Exhibit- Display: The Museum of Contemporary Art showcases all that is best about modern art.
Noun
A glass case used for displaying articles in a store or museum. Shows someone or something in a way that attracts attention and emphasizes their good qualities:
Wilderness
Noun
An uncultivated, uninhabited, and inhospitable region; Desert- Wild land: The Alaskan wilderness is not a place you want to be when winter comes.
Illiterate
Adjective
Unable to read or write; Unlettered- An alphabetic: In this remote, poverty-stricken area, only a few children go to school, and consequently about a quarter of the country’s population is illiterate.
