Day 22 Flashcards
Fuzzy
(of an image) having shapes that do not have clear edges, or (of a sound, especially from a television, radio, etc.) not clear, usually because of other unwanted noises making it difficult to hear:
- Is the picture always fuzzy on your TV?
- You can pick up a lot of stations on the car radio but the sound is usually sort of fuzzy.
Deliberately
intentionally:
- I’m sure he says these things deliberately to annoy me.
slowly and carefully:
- Calmly and deliberately, she cut up his suits one by one.
To obfuscate
to make something less clear and harder to understand, especially intentionally:
- She was criticized for using arguments that obfuscated the main issue.
- Companies deliberately obfuscate figures in complicated annual reports.
- Instead of concealing or obfuscating, the doctors involved admitted their fault and launched an investigation.
Abyss
Courtesy
polite behaviour, or a polite action or remark:
- You might get along better with your parents if you showed them some courtesy.
- [ + to infinitive ] He could at least have had the courtesy to say sorry.
- The president welcomed her visitors with the usual courtesies.
Descender
part of a written or typed letter that reaches lower than the bottom of a letter “x”, for example the lower part of the letters “g”, “p”, or “y”:
- It’s important that the height of ascenders and descenders remains constant, or your font will look a mess.
- The name “Vermeer” has no descenders.
Replenish
to fill something up again:
- Food stocks were replenished by/with imports from abroad.
- Does your glass need replenishing?
At liberty
to be allowed to do something:
- I’m not at liberty to reveal any names.
Muffler
a part of a vehicle that reduces noise from the engine
In brief
If something is said in brief, it is said in a very short form, with very few details:
“So you didn’t enjoy the party much.” “In brief, no.”
- In brief, they were wrong and they have finally admitted it.
- In brief, he was leaving his family and his job with no idea of where he was going or what he was going to do.
- “So will the restaurant remain open?” “Well, in brief, yes, but with some significant modifications.”
- In brief, she is the pre-eminent authority in her field.
Scattered
covering a wide area:
- Toys and books were scattered about/around the room.
- My family is scattered all over the world.
- The forecast is for scattered showers (= separate areas of rain) tomorrow.
Formidable
causing you to have fear or respect for something or someone because that thing or person is large, powerful, or difficult:
- a formidable obstacle/task
- a formidable adversary/enemy/opponent
- a formidable intellect
- disapproving the director and his formidable wife
Empower
to give someone official authority or the freedom to do something:
- [ + to infinitive ] This amendment empowers the president to declare an emergency for a wide range of reasons.
- The first step in empowering the poorest sections of society is making sure they vote.
Utterly
to say something or to make a sound with your voice:
- She sat through the whole meeting without uttering a word.
Notch
a V-shaped cut in a hard surface:
- The stick has two notches, one at each end.
To cast
the actors in a film, play, or show:
- After the final performance the director threw a party for the cast.
- Part of the movie’s success lies in the strength of the supporting cast (= the actors who were not playing the main parts).
Shatter
to (cause something to) break suddenly into very small pieces:
- The glass shattered into a thousand tiny pieces.
- His leg was shattered in the accident.
Sophisticated
having a good understanding of the way people behave and/or a good knowledge of culture and fashion:
She was slim, svelte, and sophisticated.
- I don’t think I have any books that would suit your sophisticated tastes.
- He was older than me and from London and I thought him very sophisticated.
B2
- intelligent or made in a complicated way and therefore able to do complicated tasks:
- I think a more sophisticated approach is needed to solve this problem.
- These are among the most sophisticated weapons in the world.
Mountebank
someone who pretends to be someone or something that they are not, or to be able to do something that they cannot:
- The university was divided into those people who thought he was a genius and those who thought he was a mountebank.
- The potion was dispensed by both physicians and itinerant mountebanks.
Craze
an activity, object, or idea that is extremely popular, usually for a short time:
- Cycling shorts were the latest craze/(all) the craze that year.
- The craze for health foods has become big business.
Ancestor
a person related to you who lived a long time ago:
- There were portraits of his ancestors on the walls of the room.
Flourish
to grow or develop successfully:
- My tomatoes are flourishing this summer - it must be the warm weather.
- Watercolour painting began to flourish in Britain around 1750.
Contemplate
to spend time considering a possible future action, or to consider one particular thing for a long time in a serious and quiet way:
- [ + -ing verb ] I’m contemplating going abroad for a year.
- They were contemplating a move to California.
- It’s too awful/horrific/dangerous to contemplate.
Layman
someone who is part of a religious organization but who is not paid or specially trained
To sulk
to be silent and refuse to smile or be pleasant to people because you are angry about something that they have done:
- He’s sulking in his room because I wouldn’t let him have any more chocolate.
Predicament
an unpleasant situation that is difficult to get out of:
- She is hoping to get a loan from her bank to help her out of her financial predicament.
- I’m in a bit of a predicament because I’ve accidentally accepted two invitations to dinner on the same night.
