Deck005

Question 1

ef·face ​

verb
BrE /ɪˈfeɪs/
NAmE /ɪˈfeɪs/

Answer 1

efface something (formal) to make something disappear; to remove something
➔ SEE ALSO ​self-effacing

Question 2

dole·ful ​

adjective
BrE /ˈdəʊlfl/
NAmE /ˈdoʊlfl/

Answer 2

very sad
➔ SYNONYM ​mournful
 a doleful expression/​face/​song
 a doleful looking man

Question 3

dis·tend ​

verb
BrE /dɪˈstend/
NAmE /dɪˈstend/

Answer 3

[intransitive, transitive] distend (something) (formal or medical) to swell or make something swell because of pressure from inside
 starving children with huge distended bellies
 He tied a piece of cloth around his upper arm to impede circulation and distend the veins.
 She looked very ill and her belly was horribly distended.

Question 4

dis·si·pate ​

verb
BrE /ˈdɪsɪpeɪt/
NAmE /ˈdɪsɪpeɪt/
formal

Answer 4

1 [intransitive, transitive] to gradually become or make something become weaker until it disappears
 Eventually, his anger dissipated.
 dissipate something Her laughter soon dissipated the tension in the air.
2 [transitive] dissipate something to waste something, such as time or money, especially by not planning the best way of using it
➔ SYNONYM ​squander
 She was determined to achieve results and not to dissipate her energies.

Question 5

dis·sem·ble ​

verb
BrE /dɪˈsembl/
NAmE /dɪˈsembl/

Answer 5

[intransitive, transitive] dissemble (something) (formal) to hide your real feelings or intentions, often by pretending to have different ones
 She was a very honest person who was incapable of dissembling.

Question 6

dis·comfit ​

verb
BrE /dɪsˈkʌmfɪt/
NAmE /dɪsˈkʌmfɪt/

Answer 6

[often passive] discomfit somebody (literary) to make somebody feel confused or embarrassed
 He was not noticeably discomfited by the request.

Question 7

des·pot ​

noun
BrE /ˈdespɒt/
NAmE /ˈdespɑːt/

Answer 7

a ruler with great power, especially one who uses it in a cruel way
 an enlightened despot (= one who tries to use his/​her power in a good way)
 It is the story of a military coup which brings a brutal despot to power.

Question 8

dec·or·ous ​

adjective
BrE /ˈdekərəs/
NAmE /ˈdekərəs/
formal

Answer 8

polite and appropriate in a particular social situation; not shocking
➔ SYNONYM ​proper
 a decorous kiss

Question 9

curt ​

adjective
BrE /kɜːt/
NAmE /kɜːrt/

Answer 9

(of a personʼs manner or behaviour) appearing rude because very few words are used, or because something is done in a very quick way
➔ SYNONYM ​abrupt, brusque
 a curt reply
 a curt nod
 A curt note of rejection arrived from the company director.
 His tone was curt and unfriendly.
 She dismissed him with a curt nod of the head.
 She ignored the curt order.

Question 10

curs·ory ​

adjective
BrE /ˈkɜːsəri/
NAmE /ˈkɜːrsəri/
often disapproving

Answer 10

done quickly and without giving enough attention to details
➔ SYNONYM ​brief, perfunctory
 a cursory glance/​examination/​inspection
 He gave the report a rather cursory look.

Question 11

culp·able ​

adjective
BrE /ˈkʌlpəbl/
NAmE /ˈkʌlpəbl/
formal

Answer 11

responsible and deserving blame for having done something wrong
 The accident was the result of a culpable failure to consider the risks involved.
 She believed him culpable of murder.
 The prime minister is highly culpable in this affair.
 You are equally culpable in this affair

Question 12

cor·rob·or·ate ​

verb	
BrE /kəˈrɒbəreɪt/ 
NAmE /kəˈrɑːbəreɪt/ 
[transitive, intransitive, often passive]
corroborate (something)
(formal)

Answer 12

to provide evidence or information that supports a statement, theory, etc.
➔ SYNONYM ​confirm
 The evidence was corroborated by two independent witnesses.
 corroborating evidence

Question 13

co·pi·ous ​

adjective
BrE /ˈkəʊpiəs/
NAmE /ˈkoʊpiəs/

Answer 13

in large amounts
➔ SYNONYM ​abundant
 copious (= large) amounts of water
 I took copious notes. 
 She supports her theory with copious evidence.

Question 14

con·viv·ial ​

adjective
BrE /kənˈvɪviəl/
NAmE /kənˈvɪviəl/

Answer 14

cheerful and friendly in atmosphere or character
➔ SYNONYM ​sociable
 a convivial evening/​atmosphere
 convivial company
 Alan was convivial, affable and engaging.
 We passed a convivial evening at the McCabesʼ house.

Question 15

con·tra·vene ​

verb
BrE /ˌkɒntrəˈviːn/
NAmE /ˌkɑːntrəˈviːn/

Answer 15

contravene something (formal) to do something that is not allowed by a law or rule
➔ SYNONYM ​infringe
 The company was found guilty of contravening safety regulations.
 actions that blatantly contravene the rules of civilized warfare
 national policies which contravene European law

Question 16

con·tin·ence ​

noun
BrE /ˈkɒntɪnəns/
NAmE /ˈkɑːntɪnəns/
[uncountable]

Answer 16

1 (formal) the control of your feelings, especially your desire to have sex
2 the ability to control the bladder and bowels
➔ OPPOSITE ​incontinence

Question 17

con·sum·mate1 ​

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adjective
BrE /kənˈsʌmət/ , /ˈkɒnsəmət/
NAmE /ˈkɑːnsəmət/
[usually before noun]
formal
~~~

Answer 17

con·sum·mate1 ​adjective	
BrE /kənˈsʌmət/ , /ˈkɒnsəmət/ 
NAmE /ˈkɑːnsəmət/ 
[usually before noun]
(formal)
extremely skilled; perfect
 She was a consummate performer. 
 He played the shot with consummate skill. 
 (disapproving) a consummate liar

Question 18

con·flag·ra·tion ​

noun
BrE /ˌkɒnfləˈɡreɪʃn/
NAmE /ˌkɑːnfləˈɡreɪʃn/
formal

Answer 18

a very large fire that destroys a lot of land or buildings

 The fire services were not adequate to deal with major conflagrations.

Question 19

com·punc·tion ​

noun
BrE /kəmˈpʌŋkʃn/
NAmE /kəmˈpʌŋkʃn/
[uncountable]

Answer 19

(also [C] in NAmE) compunction (about doing something) (formal) a guilty feeling about doing something
 She felt no compunction about leaving her job.
 He had lied to her without compunction.
 (North American English) She has no compunctions about rejecting the plan.

Question 20

com·pli·city ​

noun
BrE /kəmˈplɪsəti/
NAmE /kəmˈplɪsəti/

Answer 20

[uncountable] complicity (in something) (formal) the act of taking part with another person in a crime
➔ SYNONYM ​collusion
 to be guilty of complicity in the murder
 evident complicity between the two brothers

Question 21

com·pli·ant ​

adjective
BrE /kəmˈplaɪənt/
NAmE /kəmˈplaɪənt/

Answer 21

1 (usually disapproving) too willing to agree with other people or to obey rules
 By then, Henry seemed less compliant with his wifeʼs wishes than he had six months before.
 We should not be producing compliant students who do not dare to criticize.
2 in agreement with a set of rules
 This site is HTML compliant.
➔ SEE ALSO ​comply

Question 22

col·lu·sion ​

```
noun
BrE /kəˈluːʒn/
NAmE /kəˈluːʒn/
[uncountable]
formal, disapproving
~~~

Answer 22

secret agreement especially in order to do something dishonest or to trick people
 The police were corrupt and were operating in collusion with the drug dealers.
 There was collusion between the two witnesses (= they gave the same false evidence).

Question 23

col·lo·quial ​

adjective
BrE /kəˈləʊkwiəl/
NAmE /kəˈloʊkwiəl/

Answer 23

(of words and language) used in conversation but not in formal speech or writing
➔ SYNONYM ​informal

Question 24

co·gent ​

adjective
BrE /ˈkəʊdʒənt/
NAmE /ˈkoʊdʒənt/
formal

Answer 24

strongly and clearly expressed in a way that influences what people believe
➔ SYNONYM ​convincing
 She put forward some cogent reasons for abandoning the plan.

Question 25

cir·cum·lo·cu·tion ​

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noun
BrE /ˌsɜːkəmləˈkjuːʃn/
NAmE /ˌsɜːrkəmləˈkjuːʃn/
[uncountable, countable]
formal
~~~

Answer 25

using more words than are necessary, instead of speaking or writing in a clear, direct way