Deck003

Question 1

cir·cu·it·ous ​

adjective
BrE /səˈkjuːɪtəs/
NAmE /sərˈkjuːɪtəs/
formal

Answer 1

(of a route or journey) long and not direct
➔ SYNONYM ​roundabout
 He took us on a circuitous route to the hotel.
 The journey was circuitous and slow.

Question 2

de·lin·eate ​

verb
BrE /dɪˈlɪnieɪt/
NAmE /dɪˈlɪnieɪt/

Answer 2

delineate something (formal) to describe, draw or explain something in detail
 Our objectives need to be precisely delineated. 
 The shipʼs route is clearly delineated on the map.

Question 3

con·cede

​verb
BrE /kənˈsiːd/
NAmE /kənˈsiːd/

Answer 3

1 [transitive] to admit that something is true, logical, etc.
 + speech ‘Not bad,ʼ she conceded grudgingly.
 concede (that)… He was forced to concede (that) there might be difficulties.
 concede something I had to concede the logic of this.
 concede something to somebody He reluctantly conceded the point to me.
 concede somebody something He reluctantly conceded me the point.
 it is conceded that… It must be conceded that different judges have different approaches to these cases.
▶︎ Synonyms
▶︎ Express Yourself
2 [transitive] to give something away, especially unwillingly; to allow somebody to have something
 concede something (to somebody) The President was obliged to concede power to the army.
 England conceded a goal immediately after half-time.
 concede somebody something Women were only conceded full voting rights in the 1950s.
3 [intransitive, transitive] concede (defeat) to admit that you have lost a game, an election, etc.
 After losing this decisive battle, the general was forced to concede.
 Injury forced Hicks to concede defeat.
➔ SEE ALSO ​concession

Question 4

char·la·tan ​

noun
BrE /ˈʃɑːlətən/
NAmE /ˈʃɑːrlətən/

Answer 4

a person who claims to have knowledge or skills that they do not really have
 He knows nothing about medicine—heʼs a complete charlatan.

Question 5

cen·sori·ous ​

adjective
BrE /senˈsɔːriəs/
NAmE /senˈsɔːriəs/
formal

Answer 5

tending to criticize people or things a lot
➔ SYNONYM ​critical
 She fixed her daughter with a censorious eye.

Question 6

bel·liger·ent ​

adjective
BrE /bəˈlɪdʒərənt/
NAmE /bəˈlɪdʒərənt/

Answer 6

1 unfriendly and aggressive
➔ SYNONYM ​hostile
 a belligerent attitude
 He is always very belligerent towards me.
2 [only before noun] (formal) (of a country) fighting a war
 the belligerent countries/​states/​nations

Question 7

amity ​

```
noun
BrE /ˈæməti/
NAmE /ˈæməti/
[uncountable]
formal
~~~

Answer 7

a friendly relationship between people or countries

Question 8

am·ic·able ​

adjective
BrE /ˈæmɪkəbl/
NAmE /ˈæmɪkəbl/

Answer 8

done or achieved in a polite or friendly way and without arguing
 an amicable relationship
 An amicable settlement was reached.
 In spite of their disagreement they parted on amicable terms.
 It was an amicable divorce.
 The government and the union managed to reach an amicable settlement of the dispute.

Question 9

dis·par·ity ​

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noun
BrE /dɪˈspærəti/
NAmE /dɪˈspærəti/
[uncountable, countable]
pl. dis·par·ities
(formal)
~~~

Answer 9

a difference, especially one connected with unfair treatment
 the wide disparity between rich and poor
 growing regional disparities in economic prosperity

Question 10

dif·fi·dent ​

adjective
BrE /ˈdɪfɪdənt/
NAmE /ˈdɪfɪdənt/

Answer 10

diffident (about something) not having much confidence in yourself; not wanting to talk about yourself
➔ SYNONYM ​shy
 a diffident manner/​smile
 He was modest and diffident about his own success.
 She felt diffident about speaking in public.
 Greg was the quiet, diffident type.

Question 11

def·er·ence ​

noun
BrE /ˈdefərəns/
NAmE /ˈdefərəns/
[uncountable]

Answer 11

behaviour that shows that you respect somebody/​something
 The women wore veils in deference to the customs of the country.
 The flags were lowered out of deference to the bereaved family.

Question 12

af·fable ​

adjective
BrE /ˈæfəbl/
NAmE /ˈæfəbl/

Answer 12

pleasant, friendly and easy to talk to
➔ SYNONYM ​genial
 He greeted everyone in the same relaxed and affable manner.

Question 13

gran·di·ose ​

adjective
BrE /ˈɡrændiəʊs/
NAmE /ˈɡrændioʊs/
disapproving

Answer 13

seeming very impressive but too large, complicated, expensive, etc. to be practical or possible
 The grandiose scheme for a journey across the desert came to nothing.
 a grandiose opera house
 He could no longer live the grandiose lifestyle to which he had become accustomed.

Question 14

analo·gous ​

adjective
BrE /əˈnæləɡəs/
NAmE /əˈnæləɡəs/

Answer 14

(formal) analogous (to/​with something) similar in some way to another thing or situation and therefore able to be compared with it
 Sleep has often been thought of as being in some way analogous to death.
 The two processes are not analogous.
 The national debt is analogous with private debt.
 The two situations are roughly analogous.

Question 15

amal·gam·ate ​

verb
BrE /əˈmælɡəmeɪt/
NAmE /əˈmælɡəmeɪt/
amalgamate (something) (with/​into something)

Answer 15

1 [intransitive, transitive] if two organizations amalgamate or are amalgamated, they join together to form one large organization
➔ SYNONYM ​merge
 A number of colleges have amalgamated to form the new university.
 amalgamate with/​into something The company has now amalgamated with another local firm.
 amalgamate something They decided to amalgamate the two schools.
 amalgamate something with/​into something The two companies were amalgamated into one.
2 [transitive] amalgamate something (into/​with something) to put two or more things together so that they form one
➔ SYNONYM ​merge
 This information will be amalgamated with information obtained earlier.

Question 16

en·cum·ber ​

```
verb
BrE /ɪnˈkʌmbə(r)/
NAmE /ɪnˈkʌmbər/
[usually passive]
formal
~~~

Answer 16

1 encumber somebody/​something (with something) to make it difficult for somebody to do something or for something to happen
 The police operation was encumbered by crowds of reporters.
 The business is encumbered with debt.
2 encumber somebody/​something (with something) to be large and/​or heavy and make it difficult for somebody to move
 The frogmen were en

Question 17

ex·tra·ne·ous ​

adjective
BrE /ɪkˈstreɪniəs/
NAmE /ɪkˈstreɪniəs/
formal

Answer 17

not directly connected with the particular situation you are in or the subject you are dealing with
➔ SYNONYM ​irrelevant
 We do not want any extraneous information on the page.
 Coughs and extraneous noises can be edited out.
 extraneous to something We shall ignore factors extraneous to the problem.
 factors extraneous to the case

Question 18

hack·neyed ​

adjective
BrE /ˈhæknid/
NAmE /ˈhæknid/

Answer 18

used too often and therefore boring
➔ SYNONYM ​clichéd
 a hackneyed phrase/​subject

Question 19

in·do·lent ​

adjective
BrE /ˈɪndələnt/
NAmE /ˈɪndələnt/
formal

Answer 19

not wanting to work

➔ SYNONYM ​lazy

Question 20

phleg·mat·ic ​

adjective
BrE /fleɡˈmætɪk/
NAmE /fleɡˈmætɪk/

Answer 20

not easily made angry or upset
➔ SYNONYM ​calm
 a phlegmatic temperament

Question 21

in·cho·ate ​

adjective
BrE /ɪnˈkəʊət/ , /ˈɪnkəʊeɪt/
NAmE /ɪnˈkoʊət/
formal

Answer 21

just beginning to form and therefore not clear or developed

 inchoate ideas

Question 22

vir·tu·oso ​

adjective
BrE /ˌvɜːtʃuˈəʊsəʊ/ , /ˌvɜːtʃuˈəʊzəʊ/
NAmE /ˌvɜːrtʃuˈoʊsoʊ/ , /ˌvɜːrtʃuˈoʊzoʊ/

Answer 22

[only before noun] showing extremely great skill
 a virtuoso performance
 a virtuoso pianist

Question 23

trepi·da·tion ​

```
noun
BrE /ˌtrepɪˈdeɪʃn/
NAmE /ˌtrepɪˈdeɪʃn/
[uncountable]
formal
~~~

Answer 23

great worry or fear about something unpleasant that may happen
 He knocked on the door with some trepidation.

Question 24

syco·phant ​

noun
BrE /ˈsɪkəfænt/
NAmE /ˈsɪkəfænt/
formal, disapproving

Answer 24

a person who praises important or powerful people too much and in a way that is not sincere, especially in order to get something from them

Question 25

re·scind ​ verb BrE /rɪˈsɪnd/ NAmE /rɪˈsɪnd/

Answer 25

rescind something (formal) to officially state that a law, contract, decision, etc. is no longer valid ➔ SYNONYM ​revoke  The agreement was rescinded on 20 March 1993.