Deck 1

Question 1

chauffeur
/ˈʃoʊfər/ , /ʃoʊˈfər/

Answer 1

1. to drive someone in a car, usually as your job
2. a person whose job is to drive a car, especially for someone rich or important

Question 2

rugged
/ˈrʌɡəd/

Answer 2

adjective/
1. (of the landscape) not level or smooth and having rocks rather than plants or trees
2. [usually before noun] (approving) (of a man’s face) having strong, attractive features
3.[usually before noun] (of a person) determined to succeed in a difficult situation, even if this means using force or upsetting other people
4. (of equipment, clothing, etc.) strong and designed to be used in difficult conditions

Question 3

ancillary
/ˈænsəˌlɛri/

Answer 3

adjective/
1. providing necessary support to the main work or activities of an organization
-synonym auxiliary
2. in addition to something else but not as important

• ancillary staff/services/equipment
• ancillary workers in the hospital, such as cooks and cleaning staff
• ancillary rights

Question 4

auxiliary
/ɔɡˈzɪlyəri/ , /ɔɡˈzɪləri/

Answer 4

adjective/
1.(of workers) giving help or support to the main group of workers
-synonym ancillary
2. (technology) (of a piece of equipment) used if there is a problem with the main piece of equipment

noun/
1. (alsoauxiliary verb)(grammar)a verb such asbe,do, andhaveused with main verbs to show tense, etc. and to form questions, and negatives
2. an individual worker or a group of workers who gives help or support to the main group of workers

Question 5

premises
/ˈprɛməsəz/

Answer 5

noun/
the building and land near to it that a business owns or uses

-business/commercial/industrial premises
-The company is looking for larger premises.
-No alcohol may be consumed on the premises.
-Police were called to escort her off the premises.
- These premises are regularly checked by security guards.

Question 6

premise
/ˈprɛməs/

Answer 6

noun/
a statement or an idea that forms the basis for a reasonable line of argument

• the basic premise of her argument
• a false premise
• His reasoning is based on the premise that all people are equally capable of good and evil.

Question 7

indispensable
/ˌɪndɪˈspɛnsəbl/

Answer 7

too important to be without
opposite dispensable

• Cars have become an indispensable part of our lives
• She made herself indispensable to the department.
• A good dictionary is indispensable for learning a foreign language.

Question 8

prod
/prɑd/

Answer 8

verb/
1. to push someone or something with your finger or with a pointed object
2. to try to make someone do something, especially when they are unwilling

noun/
the act of pushing someone with your finger or with a pointed object

-She prodded him in the ribs to wake him up.
-She finally prodded him into action.
-She gave him a sharp prod with her umbrella.

Question 9

prodigal
/ˈprɑdɪɡl/

Answer 9

(formal) (disapproving)
too willing to spend money or waste time, energy, or materials
synonym extravagant
- a prodigal administration

Question 10

bail
/beɪl/

Answer 10

noun/
money that someone agrees to pay if a person accused of a crime does not appear at their trial. When bail has been arranged, the accused person is allowed to go free until the trial

verb/
1. to release someone on bail
2. (informal) to leave a place, especially quickly

-She was released on $2,000 bail.
-His son called home to get bailed out of jail.
-Sorry, I really have to bail.

Question 11

entrance
/ɪnˈtræns/

Answer 11

​to make somebody admire and like somebody/something very much, so they give them/it all their attention
>SYNONYM enthral

-I was entranced by the bird’s beauty.
-He listened to her, entranced.

Question 12

duvet
/duˈveɪ/

Answer 12

a large cloth bag that is filled with feathers or other soft material and that you have on top of you in bed to keep yourself warm
- a duvet cover (= a cover that you can wash, that you put over a duvet)

Question 13

petrified
/ˈpɛtrəˌfaɪd/

Answer 13

1. extremely frightened
   (synonym terrified)
   - a petrified expression
   - I’m petrified of snakes.
   - They were petrified with fear (= so frightened that they were unable to move or think).
   - She was petrified that the police would burst in at any moment.
2. [only before noun] have died and been changed into stone over a very long period of time
   - a petrified forest

Question 14

prowl
/praʊl/

Answer 14

1. to move quietly and carefully around an area, especially when hunting
   - The tiger prowled through the undergrowth.
2. to move quietly and carefully around an area, especially with the intention of committing a crime
   - A man was seen prowling around outside the factory just before the fire started.
3. to walk around a room, an area, etc., especially because you are bored, anxious, etc., and cannot relax
   - He prowled the empty rooms of the house at night.

Question 15

out cold

Answer 15

[not before noun] (informal) unconscious
- He was knocked out cold in the second round.

Question 16

lukewarm
/ˌlukˈwɔrm/

Answer 16

(often disapproving)
1. slightly warm
(synonym tepid)
- Our food was only lukewarm.
- Heat the milk until it is just lukewarm.

2. not interested or enthusiastic
   - a lukewarm response
   - She was lukewarm about the plan.

Question 17

single-handed
/ˌsɪŋɡl ˈhændɪd/

Answer 17

done on your own with nobody helping you
:a single-handed voyage
:The striker led a single-handed assault on the visiting team’s defence.

Question 18

longingly
/ˈlɔːŋɪŋli/

Answer 18

in a way that shows you want something very much
:We looked longingly towards the hills.

Question 19

hush
/hʌʃ/

Answer 19

1. (used especially in orders)
   to be quiet; to stop talking or crying
   :Hush now and try to sleep.
2. to make somebody/something become quieter; to make somebody stop talking, crying, etc.
   :She tenderly hushed the baby in her arms.

(phrasal verb)
* hush up; hush something up
to hide information about a situation because you do not want people to know about it
:He claimed that the whole affair had been hushed up by the council.

Question 20

stifling
/ˈstaɪflɪŋ/

Answer 20

1. making you feel unable to breathe, because it is too hot and/or there is no fresh air
   - a stifling room
   - It’s stifling in here—can we open a window?
2. making you feel trapped and unable to do or say what you want
   - At 25, she found family life stifling.

Question 21

equitable

/ˈekwɪtəbl/

Answer 21

fair and reasonable; treating everyone in an equal way
SYNONYM fair
- an equitable distribution of resources
- We need to construct an equitable and efficient method of local taxation.

Question 22

thick and fast

Answer 22

quickly and in large quantities
-Questions were coming at them thick and fast.

Question 23

sweltering
/ˈsweltərɪŋ/

Answer 23

very hot in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable
SYNONYM stifling
- sweltering heat

Question 24

snuff
/snʌf/

Answer 24

(verb)
1. snuff something (out) to stop a small flame from burning, especially by pressing it between your fingers or covering it with something
SYNONYM extinguish
2. snuff (something) (of an animal) to smell something by breathing in noisily through the nose
- The dogs were snuffing gently at my feet.

(noun)
​tobacco in the form of a powder that people take by breathing it into their noses

Question 25

snuff out

Answer 25

to stop or destroy something completely
- An innocent child’s life has been snuffed out by this senseless shooting.

Question 26

squint

/skwɪnt/

Answer 26

1. to look at something with your eyes partly shut in order to keep out bright light or to see better
   - to squint into the sun
   - She was squinting through the keyhole.
   - He squinted at the letter in his hand.
   - The driver had to squint against the sun to see where he was going.
   - When he squinted his eyes, he could just make out a house in the distance.
2. (British English) (of an eye) to look in a different direction from the other eye
   - His left eye squints a little.
   - A squinting eye can be corrected by surgery.
3. to have eyes that look in different directions

Question 27

wring

/rɪŋ/

Answer 27

1. to twist and squeeze wet clothes, etc. in order to get the water out of them
2. if you wring a bird’s neck, you twist it in order to kill the bird

wring somebody’s hand
​to press somebody’s hand very hard when you shake hands
wring your hands
​to hold your hands together, and twist and press them together in a way that shows you are anxious or upset, especially when you cannot change the situation

Question 28

wrench

/rentʃ/

Answer 28

(verb)
1. to pull or twist something/somebody/yourself suddenly and violently
SYNONYM jerk
- The bag was wrenched from her grasp.
- He grabbed Ben, wrenching him away from his mother.
- (figurative) Guy wrenched his mind back to the present.
- They wrenched the door open.
- She managed to wrench herself free.
2. to twist and injure a part of your body, especially your ankle or shoulder
SYNONYM twist
- She wrenched her knee when she fell.
- I slipped and wrenched my ankle quite badly.
3. to make somebody feel great pain or unhappiness, especially so that they make a sound or cry
- His words wrenched a sob from her.
- a wrenching experience
- Her words wrenched at my heart.

(noun)
1. a metal tool with a special shape at the end for holding and turning things, including one that can be changed to fit objects of different sizes, also called a monkey wrench or an adjustable spanner (especially North American English)
(British English usually spanner)
2. pain or unhappiness that you feel when you have to leave a person or place that you love
- Leaving home was a terrible wrench for me.
3. a sudden and violent twist or pull
- She stumbled and gave her ankle a painful wrench.

Question 29

versatile
/ˈvərsət̮l/

Answer 29

(approving)

1. (of a person) able to do many different things
   - He’s a versatile actor who has played a wide variety of parts.
2. (of food, a building, etc.) having many different uses
   - Eggs are easy to cook and are an extremely versatile food.

Question 30

quirky

/ˈkwɜːrki/

Answer 30

(of an aspect of somebody’s personality or behaviour) a little strange
SYNONYM peculiar (1)
- a quirky sense of humour

Question 31

adamant

/ˈædəmənt/

Answer 31

​determined not to change your mind or to be persuaded about something
- Eva was adamant that she would not come.
- The government remained adamant that there was no more money available.

Question 32

wizened
/ˈwɪznd/

Answer 32

looking smaller and having many folds and lines in the skin, because of being old
>synonym shriveled
- a wizened little man
- wizened apples
- her old, wizened face

Question 33

simper

/ˈsɪmpər/

Answer 33

to smile in a silly and annoying way
- a silly simpering girl
- He just simpered at me.
- (+ speech) ‘You’re such a darling,’ she simpered.

Question 34

rapturously

/ˈræptʃərəsli/

Answer 34

in a way that expresses extreme pleasure or enthusiasm for somebody/something
SYNONYM ecstatically
- The speech was rapturously received by the audience.

Question 35

drench

/drentʃ/

Answer 35

[often passive]
to make somebody/something completely wet
SYNONYM soak
- (be/get drenched) We were caught in the storm and got drenched to the skin.
- (be drenched in/with something) His face was drenched with sweat.
- (drench somebody/something/yourself in/with something (figurative)) She drenched herself in perfume.

Question 36

livid

/ˈlɪvɪd/

Answer 36

1. extremely angry
   SYNONYM furious
   - Dad will be livid when he finds out.
2. dark blue-grey in colour
   - a livid bruise

Question 37

jeer

/dʒɪr/

Answer 37

to laugh at somebody or shout rude remarks at them to show that you do not respect them
SYNONYM taunt
- a jeering crowd
- The audience jeered loudly when he came on stage.
- (jeer at somebody) The police were jeered at by the waiting crowd.
- (jeer somebody) The players were jeered by disappointed fans.
- Gabrielle ignored the jeering and continued walking down the school steps.

Question 38

loll

/lɑːl/

Answer 38

1. to lie, sit or stand in a lazy, relaxed way
   - He lolled back in his chair by the fire.
2. to move or hang in a relaxed way
   - My head lolled against his shoulder.

Question 39

prune

/pruːn/

Answer 39

1. to cut off some of the branches from a tree, bush, etc. so that it will grow better and stronger
   - When should you prune apple trees?
   - He pruned the longer branches off the tree.
   - (prune something back) The hedge needs pruning back.
2. to make something smaller by removing parts; to cut out parts of something
   - Staff numbers have been pruned back to 175.
   - The railway companies have pruned their timetables (= there are fewer trains).
   - Prune out any unnecessary details.
   - Their budgets have been drastically pruned.

Question 40

savagely

/ˈsævɪdʒli/

Answer 40

1. in a violent and aggressive way that causes great harm
   SYNONYM brutally (1)
   - The man had been savagely beaten.
2. in a way that involves very strong and aggressive criticism
   - savagely attacked/criticized
3. in an angry and aggressive way that shows strong feelings
   SYNONYM fiercely (1)
   - ‘No!’ he snarled savagely.

Question 41

manure

/məˈnʊr/

Answer 41

the waste matter from animals that is spread over or mixed with the soil to help plants and crops grow
SYNONYM dung
- Dig plenty of well-rotted manure into the soil.
- the best time to spread manure on the fields

Question 42

bode well/ill

/bəʊd/

Answer 42

(formal) to be a good/bad sign for somebody/something
SYNONYM augur
- These figures do not bode well for the company’s future.
- The look on her face boded ill for anyone who crossed her path that day.

Question 43

falter

/ˈfɔːltər/

Answer 43

1. to become weaker or less effective
   SYNONYM waver
   - The economy shows no signs of faltering.
   - Her courage never faltered.
   - The economy is beginning to falter.
   - The team’s performance faltered badly after the break.
2. to speak in a way that shows that you are not confident
   - His voice faltered as he began his speech.
3. to walk or behave in a way that shows that you are not confident
   - She walked up to the platform without faltering.
   - He never faltered in his commitment to the party.

Question 44

reverent

/ˈrevərənt/

Answer 44

showing deep respect
SYNONYM respectful
- His voice was hushed, almost reverent.

Question 45

severance

/ˈsevərəns/

Answer 45

1. the act of ending a connection or relationship
   - the severance of diplomatic relations
2. the act of ending somebody’s work contract
   - employees given notice of severance
   - severance pay/terms

Question 46

thud

/θʌd/

Answer 46

1. to fall or hit something with a low, heavy sound
   - His arrow thudded into the target.
   - We heard him thudding up the stairs.
   - The waves thudded against the side of the ship.
2. (especially of the heart) to beat strongly
   - She felt her heart thud wildly with fear.

Question 47

fling

/flɪŋ/

Answer 47

1. to throw or push somebody/something with force, especially because you are angry, or in a careless way
   SYNONYM hurl
   - Someone had flung a brick through the window.
   - He flung her to the ground.
   - I was flung forward by the impact.
   - I flung a few clothes into a bag.
   - He had his enemies flung into prison.
   - The door was suddenly flung open.
2. to move yourself or part of your body suddenly and with a lot of force
   - She flung herself onto the bed.
   - He flung out an arm to stop her from falling.
3. to say something to somebody in an aggressive way
   SYNONYM hurl
   - They were flinging insults at each other.

Question 48

wad

/wɑd/

Answer 48

(noun)
1. a thick pile of pieces of paper, paper money, etc. folded or rolled together
- He pulled a thick wad of $20 bills out of his pocket.
- She came in with tears streaming down her face, clutching a wad of tissues.
2. a mass of soft material, used for blocking something or keeping something in place
- The nurse used a wad of gauze to stop the bleeding.

(verb)
1. to fold or press something into a tight wad
2. to fill something with soft material for warmth or protection

Question 49

gloss

/ɡlɔs/ , /ɡlɑs/

Answer 49

1. a shine on a smooth surface
   - paper with a high gloss on one side
   - The gel gives your hair a gloss.
   - You can have the photos with either a gloss or a matte finish.
   - Use over your favorite lipstick to add extra gloss.
2. a substance designed to make something shiny
   - lip gloss
3. an attractive appearance that is only on the surface and hides what is not so attractive
   - Beneath the gloss of success was a tragic private life.
   - This scandal took the gloss off the occasion.
4. a way of explaining something to make it seem more attractive or acceptable
   - The director puts a Hollywood gloss on the civil war.
5. a note or comment added to a piece of writing to explain a difficult word or phrase

(v.) to add a note or comment to a piece of writing to explain a difficult word or idea

gloss over (phrasal verb)
to avoid talking about something unpleasant or embarrassing by not dealing with it in detail
- to gloss over a problem
- He glossed over any splits in the party.

Question 50

shoo

/ʃu/

Answer 50

shoo somebody/something (+ adv./prep.) to make someone or something go away or to another place, especially by saying‘shoo’and waving your arms and hands
- He shooed the dog out of the kitchen.

Question 51

flay

/fleɪ/

Answer 51

1. to remove the skin from an animal or person, usually when they are dead
2. to hit or whip someone very hard so that some of their skin comes off
3. (formal) to criticize someone/yourself severely
   - He flayed himself for his lack of tact.
   - Her dark eyes flayed him.

Question 52

tact

/tækt/

Answer 52

the ability to deal with difficult or embarrassing situations carefully and without doing or saying anything that will annoy or upset other people
synonym sensitivity
- Settling the dispute required great tact and diplomacy.
- She is not exactly known for her tact.

Question 53

gibber

/ˈdʒɪbər/

Answer 53

to speak quickly in a way that is difficult to understand, often because of fear
- He cowered in the corner, gibbering with terror.
- By this time I was a gibbering wreck.

Question 54

rev

/rɛv/

Answer 54

when you rev an engine or it revs, it runs quickly
- The taxi driver revved up his engine.
- I could hear the car revving outside.

Question 55

lousy

/ˈlaʊzi/

Answer 55

(informal)
1. very bad
synonym awful, terrible
- What lousy weather!
- I’ve had a lousy day.
- She felt lousy (= sick).
2. used to show that you feel annoyed or insulted because you do not think that something is worth very much
- All she bought me was this lousy T-shirt.
- He offered me a lousy $100 for it.
3. having too much of something or too many people
- This place is lousy with tourists in August.

Question 56

squirt

/skwərt/

Answer 56

1. to force liquid, gas, etc. in a thin fast stream through a narrow opening; to be forced out of a narrow opening in this way
   synonym spurt
   - The snake can squirt poison from a distance of a yard.
   - I desperately squirted water on the flames.
   - When I cut the lemon, juice squirted in my eye.
2. to hit someone or something with a stream of water, gas, etc.
   synonym spray
   - The children were squirting each other with water from the hose.
   - He squirted a water pistol at me (= made the water come out of it).

(n.)
1. a thin fast stream of liquid that comes out of a small opening
synonym spray
- a squirt of perfume
- a squirt of ketchup on the French fries
2. (informal) (disapproving) a word used to refer to a short, young, or unimportant person that you do not like or that you find annoying

Question 57

plump

/plʌmp/

Answer 57

1. having a soft round body; slightly fat
   - a short plump woman
   - a plump face
2. looking soft, full, and attractive to use or eat
   - plump cushions
   - plump tomatoes

Question 58

gloat

/ɡloʊt/

Answer 58

to show that you are happy about your own success or someone else’s failure, in an unpleasant way
synonym crow
- She was still gloating over her rival’s disappointment.
- Having lost a large percentage of the vote, they were in no position to gloat.
- I hope you haven’t just come here to gloat.

Question 59

crow

/kroʊ/

Answer 59

1. a large bird, completely or mostly black, with a rough unpleasant cry
2. a sound like that of a rooster
   - She gave a little crow of triumph.

(verb)
1. to make repeated loud high sounds, especially early in the morning
- A cock began to crow.
2. (disapproving) to talk too proudly about something you have achieved, especially when someone else has been unsuccessful
synonym boast / gloat
- He won’t stop crowing about his victory.
- “I’ve won, I’ve won!” she crowed.
- He crowed that they had sold out in one day.

Question 60

quell

/kwɛl/

Answer 60

1. to stop something such as violent behavior or protests
   - Extra police were called in to quell the disturbances.
   - (figurative) She started to giggle, but Bob quelled her with a look.
2. to stop or reduce strong or unpleasant feelings
   synonym calm
   - to quell your fears

Question 61

prudent

/ˈprudnt/

Answer 61

sensible and careful when you make judgments and decisions; avoiding unnecessary risks
- a prudent businessman
- a prudent decision/investment
- It might be more prudent to get a second opinion before going ahead.

Question 62

abashed

/əˈbæʃt/

Answer 62

[not before noun]embarrassed and ashamed because of something that you have done
opposite unabashed
- He glanced at Juliet accusingly and she looked suitably abashed.

Question 63

smirk

/smərk/

Answer 63

to smile in a silly or unpleasant way that shows that you are pleased with yourself, know something that other people do not know, etc.
- It was hard not to smirk.
- He smirked unpleasantly when we told him the bad news.

(noun)
- She had a self-satisfied smirk on her face.

Question 64

jumpy

/ˈdʒʌmpi/

Answer 64

nervous and anxious, especially because you think that something bad is going to happen
- What’s the matter? You’re so jumpy this evening.
- Feeling jumpy, Harry set off, trying to hold his glasses on straight and hoping against hope he’d be able to find a way out of here.

hope against hope (that…)
to continue to hope for something although it is very unlikely to happen
- She was hoping against hope that there’d been some mistake.

Question 65

leer

/lɪr/

Answer 65

(verb)
to look or smile at someone in an unpleasant way that shows an evil or sexual interest in them
- She leered at him, showing mossy teeth.

(noun)
an unpleasant look or smile that shows someone is interested in a person in an evil or sexual way
- He looked at her with an evil leer.

Question 66

croak

/kroʊk/

Answer 66

(verb)
1. to make a rough low sound, like the sound a frog makes
- A frog croaked by the water.
2. to speak or say something with a rough low voice
- I had a sore throat and could only croak.
- He managed to croak a greeting.
- “I’m fine,” she croaked.
3. (slang) to die
- She married a millionaire just about to croak.

(noun)
a rough low sound made in the throat, like the sound made by a frog

Question 67

apprehensive

/ˌæprɪˈhɛnsɪv/

Answer 67

worried or frightened that something unpleasant may happen
- an apprehensive face/glance/look
- I was a little apprehensive about the effects of what I had said.
- You have no reason to be apprehensive of the future.
- She was deeply apprehensive that something might go wrong.

Question 68

subdued

/səbˈdud/

Answer 68

1. (of a person) unusually quiet, and possibly unhappy
   - He seemed a bit subdued to me.
   - She was in a subdued mood.
   - The reception was a subdued affair.
2. (of light or colors) not very bright
   - subdued lighting
   - the subdued greens and browns of the landscape
3. (of sounds) not very loud
   - a subdued conversation
   - the sound of subdued laughter
4. (of business activity) not very busy; with not much activity
   - a period of subdued trading

Question 69

subdue

/səbˈdu/

Answer 69

(rather formal)
1. to bring someone or something under control, especially by using force
synonym defeat
- Troops were called in to subdue the rebels.
2. to calm or control your feelings
synonym suppress
- Julia had to subdue an urge to stroke his hair.

Question 70

stray

/streɪ/

Answer 70

1. to move away from the place where you should be, without intending to
   - He strayed into the path of an oncoming car.
   - Her eyes kept straying over to the clock on the wall.
   - His hand strayed to the telephone.
   - He can’t have strayed far.
   - I strayed a few blocks in the wrong direction and became hopelessly lost.
2. to begin to think about or discuss a different subject from the one you should be thinking about or discussing
   - My mind kept straying back to our last talk together.
   - We seem to be straying from the main theme of the debate.
   - The conversation had begun to stray into dangerous territory.
3. (of a person who is married or in a relationship) to have a sexual relationship with someone who is not your usual partner
   - It had never occurred to her that her husband might stray while he was away on business.

(noun)
1. an animal that has gotten lost or separated from its owner or that has no owner
- the waifs and strays of our society (= people with no home)
2. a person or thing that is not in the right place or is separated from others of the same kind

(adjective)
1. (of animals normally kept as pets) away from home and lost; having no home
- stray dogs
2. separated from other things or people of the same kind
- A civilian was killed by a stray bullet.
- a few stray hairs

waif /weɪf/
a small thin person, usually a child, who looks as if they do not have enough to eat

Question 71

awning

/ˈɔnɪŋ/

Answer 71

a sheet of strong cloth that stretches out from above a door or window to keep off the sun or rain
- We sat under the blue-and-white-striped awning of the café.

Question 72

huddle

/ˈhʌdl/

Answer 72

1. (of people or animals) to gather closely together, usually because of cold or fear
   - We huddled together for warmth.
   - They all huddled around the fire.
   - People huddled up close to one another.
2. to hold your arms and legs close to your body, usually because you are cold or frightened
   - I huddled under a blanket on the floor.
3. to gather around to hear the plan for the next part of the game

(n.)
1. a small group of people, objects, or buildings that are close together, especially when they are not in any particular order
2. (in football) a time when the players gather around to hear the plan for the next part of the game

Question 73

crust

/krʌst/

Answer 73

1. the hard outer surface of bread
   - sandwiches with the crusts cut off
2. a layer of pastry, especially on top of a pie
   - Bake until the crust is golden.
3. a hard layer or surface, especially above or around something soft or liquid
   - a thin crust of ice
   - Earth’s crust

Question 74

leash

/liʃ/

Answer 74

a long piece of leather, chain, or rope used for holding and controlling a dog
- All dogs must be kept on a leash in public places.

(v.) to control an animal, especially a dog, with a leash

strain at the leash (informal)
to want to do something very much
- Like all youngsters, he’s straining at the leash to leave home.

Question 75

insinuate

/ɪnˈsɪnyuˌeɪt/

Answer 75

1. to suggest indirectly that something unpleasant is true
   synonym imply
   - The article insinuated that he was having an affair with his friend’s wife.
   - What are you trying to insinuate?
   - an insinuating smile
2. insinuate yourself into something (formal) (disapproving) to succeed in gaining someone’s respect, affection, etc. so that you can use the situation to your own advantage
   - In the first act, the villain insinuates himself into the household of the man he intends to kill.
3. insinuate yourself/something + adv./prep. (formal) to slowly move yourself or a part of your body into a particular position or place
   - She insinuated her right hand under his arm.

Question 76

rebut

/rɪˈbʌt/

Answer 76

to say or prove that a statement or criticism is false
synonym refute
- an attempt to publicly rebut rumors of a divorce

rebuttal (noun) /rɪˈbʌt̮l/
- He issued a firm rebuttal to the accusations.

Question 77

cajole

/kəˈdʒoʊl/

Answer 77

to make someone do something by talking to them and being very nice to them
synonym coax
- He cajoled me into agreeing to do the work.
- I managed to cajole his address out of them.
- “Please say yes,” she cajoled.
- Her voice was soft and cajoling.

Question 78

lunge

/lʌndʒ/

Answer 78

to make a sudden, powerful, forward movement, especially in order to attack someone or take hold of something
- He took out a knife and lunged at her.
- She lunged forward and snatched the letter from me.

(n.)
1. a sudden, powerful, forward movement of the body and arm that a person makes toward another person or thing, especially when attacking or trying to take hold of them
- He made a lunge for the phone.
2. (in the sport of fencing) a thrust made by putting one foot forward and making the back leg straight

Question 79

splinter

/ˈsplɪntər/

Answer 79

a small, thin, sharp piece of wood, metal, glass, etc. that has broken off a larger piece
synonym shard
- splinters of glass
- to remove a splinter from your finger

Question 80

sack

/sæk/

Answer 80

1. a large bag with no handles, made of strong rough material, or strong paper, or plastic, used for storing and carrying, for example flour, coal, etc.
2. a strong, paper bag for carrying things you have bought from a store
3. the contents of a sack
   - They used up a sack of potatoes.
   - two sacks of groceries
4. (informal) being told by your employer that you can no longer continue working for a company, etc., usually because of something that you have done wrong
   - He got the sack for swearing.
   - Her work was so poor that she was given the sack.
   - Four hundred workers face the sack.
5. the sack (informal) a bed (often referring to sexual activity)
   - He caught them in the sack together.
6. the sack (formal) the act of stealing or destroying property in a captured town
   - the sack of Rome

(v.)
1. (informal) to dismiss someone from a job
synonym fire
- She was sacked for refusing to work on Sundays.
2. to destroy things and steal property in a town or building
- Rome was sacked by the Goths in 410.
3. (in football) to knock down the quarterback
- The quarterback was sacked on the 45 yard line, and it was first down for the other team.

Question 81

mystify

/ˈmɪstəˌfaɪ/

Answer 81

to make someone confused because they do not understand something
synonym baffle
- They were totally mystified by the girl’s disappearance.

mystification
/ˌmɪstəfəˈkeɪʃn/ noun [uncountable]
- He looked at her in mystification.

Question 82

baffle

/ˈbæfl/

Answer 82

to confuse someone completely; to be too difficult or strange for someone to understand or explain
- His behavior baffles me.
- I’m baffled as to why she hasn’t called.
- I’m baffled why she hasn’t called.

Question 83

flinch

/flɪntʃ/

Answer 83

to make a sudden movement with your face or body as a result of pain, fear, surprise, etc.
- He met my gaze without flinching.
- He didn’t even flinch (= wasn’t surprised) when I told him the price.
- He flinched at the sight of the blood.
- She flinched away from the dog.
see unflinching

Question 84

ominous

/ˈɑmənəs/

Answer 84

suggesting that something bad is going to happen in the future
synonym foreboding
- There were ominous dark clouds gathering overhead.
- She picked up the phone but there was an ominous silence at the other end.

Question 85

flout

/flaʊt/

Answer 85

to show that you have no respect for a law, etc. by openly not obeying it
synonym defy
- Motorists regularly flout the law.
- to flout authority/convention

Question 86

defy

/dɪˈfaɪ/

Answer 86

1. to refuse to obey or show respect for someone in authority, a law, a rule, etc.
   - I wouldn’t have dared to defy my teachers.
   - Hundreds of people today defied the ban on political gatherings.
2. to be impossible or almost impossible to believe, explain, describe, etc.
   - a political move that defies explanation
   - The beauty of the scene defies description.
3. to successfully resist something to a very unusual degree
   - The baby boy defied all the odds and survived (= stayed alive when it seemed certain that he would die).

I defy you/anyone to do something
used to say that someone should try to do something, as a way of emphasizing that you think it is impossible to do it
- I defy anyone not to cry at the end of the movie.
- I defy you to leave without buying something.

Question 87

slump

/slʌmp/

Answer 87

(verb)
1. to fall in price, value, number, etc., suddenly and by a large amount
synonym drop
- Sales have slumped this year.
- Profits slumped by over 50%.
- The paper’s circulation has slumped to 90,000.
2. to sit or fall down heavily
- The old man slumped down in his chair.
- She slumped to her knees.

(noun)
1. a sudden fall in sales, prices, the value of something, etc.
synonym decline
- a slump in profits
- This is the worst slump in property prices since the 1990s.
2. a period when a country’s economy or a business is doing very badly
- the slump of the 1930s
- Housing sales are finally coming out of a three-month slump.
- The toy industry is in a slump.
compare boom

Question 88

crop up

phrasal verb

Answer 88

to appear or happen, especially when it is not expected
synonym come up
- His name just cropped up in conversation.
- I’ll be late—something’s cropped up at home.

Question 89

immaculate

/ɪˈmækyələt/

Answer 89

1. extremely clean and neat
   synonym spotless
   - She always looks immaculate.
   - an immaculate uniform/room
   - The property is in immaculate condition.
2. containing no mistakes
   synonym perfect
   - an immaculate performance
   - The incident ruined an otherwise immaculate safety record.
   - His sense of timing was immaculate.

Question 90

nonplussed
(also nonplused)

/ˌnɑnˈplʌst/

Answer 90

so surprised and confused that you do not know what to do or say
synonym dumbfounded

Question 91

squirm

/skwərm/

Answer 91

1. to move around a lot making small twisting movements, because you are nervous, uncomfortable, etc.
   synonym wriggle
   - The children were squirming restlessly in their seats.
   - Someone grabbed him but he managed to squirm free.
2. to feel great embarrassment or shame
   - It made him squirm to think how badly he’d messed up the interview.

Question 92

scuttle

/ˈskʌt̮l/

Answer 92

1. to run with quick, short steps
   synonym scurry
   - She scuttled off when she heard the sound of his voice.
   - He held his breath as a rat scuttled past.
   - The rain sent everyone scuttling for cover.
2. to deliberately cause something to fail
   synonym foil
   - Shareholders successfully scuttled the deal.
3. to sink a ship deliberately by making holes in the side or bottom of it

Question 93

tentative

/ˈtɛntət̮ɪv/

Answer 93

1. not definite or certain because you may want to change it later
   - We made a tentative arrangement to meet on Friday.
   - tentative conclusions
2. not behaving or done with confidence
   synonym hesitant
   - a tentative greeting
   - Her English is correct but tentative.
   - I’m taking the first tentative steps toward fitness.

Question 94

implore

/ɪmˈplɔr/

Answer 94

(formal or literary)
to ask someone to do something in an anxious way because you want or need it very much
synonym beg, beseech
- She implored him to stay.
- “Help me,” he implored.
- Tell me it’s true. I implore you.

Question 95

scathing

/ˈskeɪðɪŋ/

Answer 95

criticizing someone or something very severely
synonym withering
- a scathing attack on the new management
- Her father gave her a scathing look.
- He was scathing about the government’s performance.

Question 96

yank

/yæŋk/

Answer 96

(informal)
to pull something or someone hard, quickly and suddenly
- He yanked her to her feet.
- I yanked the door open.
- Liz yanked at my arm.

(n.)
- She gave the rope a yank.

Question 97

rifle

/ˈraɪfl/

Answer 97

(verb)
1. to search quickly through something in order to find or steal something
- She rifled through her clothes for something suitable to wear.
2. if you rifle something, you steal something from it
- His wallet had been rifled.
3. to hit, throw, or kick a ball very hard and straight

(n.) a gun with a long barrel that you hold to your shoulder to fire

Question 98

rapt

/ræpt/

Answer 98

so interested in one particular thing that you are not aware of anything else
- a rapt audience
- She listened to the speaker with rapt attention.
- He watched her with a rapt expression.
- Jill stared at them blankly, rapt in thought.

Question 99

nip

/nɪp/

Answer 99

1. to give someone or something a quick painful bite or pinch (= squeezing their skin between your finger and thumb)
   - He winced as the dog nipped his ankle.
   - She nipped at my arm.
2. (of cold, wind, etc.) to harm or damage something
   - The icy wind nipped at our faces.
   - growing shoots nipped by frost

(n.)
1. the act of giving someone a small bite or pinch (= squeezing their skin between your finger and thumb)
- The dog gave her a painful nip on the leg.
2. (informal) a feeling of cold
- There was a real nip in the air.

Question 100

squarely

/ˈskwɛrli/

Answer 100

1. directly; not at an angle or to one side
   - She looked at me squarely in the eye.
   - He stood squarely in front of them, blocking the entrance.
   - (figurative) We must meet the challenge squarely (= not try to avoid it).
2. directly or exactly; without confusion
   - The responsibility for the crisis rests squarely on the government.
   - This case falls squarely into the category of abuse.
   - The party puts its support squarely behind the policy.