Deck012 Flashcards
ubi·qui·tous
```
adjective
BrE /juːˈbɪkwɪtəs/
NAmE /juːˈbɪkwɪtəs/
[usually before noun]
formal or humorous
~~~
seeming to be everywhere or in several places at the same time; very common
the ubiquitous bicycles of university towns
the ubiquitous movie star, Tom Hanks
▼︎ Word Origin
mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin ubiquitas (from Latin ubique ‘everywhereʼ, from ubi ‘whereʼ) + -ous.
trucu·lent
adjective
BrE /ˈtrʌkjələnt/
NAmE /ˈtrʌkjələnt/
formal, disapproving
tending to argue or be bad-tempered; slightly aggressive
‘What do you want?ʼ he asked, sounding slightly truculent.
▼︎ Word Origin
mid 16th cent.: from Latin truculentus, from trux, truc- ‘fierceʼ.
tren·chant
adjective
BrE /ˈtrentʃənt/
NAmE /ˈtrentʃənt/
formal
(of criticism, remarks, etc.) expressed strongly and effectively, in a clear way
➔ SYNONYM incisive
His trenchant views on the subject are well known.
▼︎ Word Origin
Middle English (referring to a weapon or tool with a sharp edge): from Old French, literally ‘cuttingʼ, present participle of trenchier, based on Latin truncare ‘to maimʼ.
tremu·lous
adjective
BrE /ˈtremjələs/
NAmE /ˈtremjələs/
literary
shaking slightly because you are nervous; causing you to shake slightly
➔ SYNONYM trembling
a tremulous voice
He was in a state of tremulous excitement.
▼︎ Word Origin
early 17th cent.: from Latin tremulus (from tremere ‘trembleʼ) + -ous.
tract·able
adjective
BrE /ˈtræktəbl/
NAmE /ˈtræktəbl/
formal
easy to deal with or control
➔ SYNONYM manageable
This approach helps to make the issues more tractable.
➔ OPPOSITE intractable
▼︎ Word Origin
early 16th cent.: from Latin tractabilis, from tractare ‘to handleʼ, frequentative of trahere ‘drawʼ.
tor·tu·ous
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adjective
BrE /ˈtɔːtʃuəs/
NAmE /ˈtɔːrtʃuəs/
[usually before noun]
formal
~~~
1 (usually disapproving) not simple and direct; long, complicated and difficult to understand
➔ SYNONYM convoluted
tortuous language
the long, tortuous process of negotiating peace
2 (of a road, path, etc.) full of bends
➔ SYNONYM winding
a tortuous mountain track
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English: via Old French from Latin tortuosus, from tortus ‘twisting, a twistʼ, from Latin torquere ‘to twistʼ.
sub·ju·gate
verb
BrE /ˈsʌbdʒuɡeɪt/
NAmE /ˈsʌbdʒuɡeɪt/
[usually passive] subjugate somebody/something (formal) to defeat somebody/something; to gain control over somebody/something
a subjugated race
Her personal ambitions had been subjugated to (= considered less important than) the needs of her family.
The west Siberian Tatars were subjugated or dispersed among the steppe nomads.
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English: from late Latin subjugat- ‘brought under a yokeʼ, from the verb subjugare, based on jugum ‘yokeʼ.
stolid
adjective
BrE /ˈstɒlɪd/
NAmE /ˈstɑːlɪd/
usually disapproving
not showing much emotion or interest; remaining always the same and not reacting or changing
Mark sat stolid and silent.
She looked up at her stolid employer and wished he would unbend just a little.
▼︎ Word Origin
late 16th cent.: from obsolete French stolide or Latin stolidus (perhaps related to stultus ‘foolishʼ).
staid
adjective
BrE /steɪd/
NAmE /steɪd/
staid·er, staid·est
not amusing or interesting; boring and old-fashioned
The museum is trying to get rid of its staid image.
▼︎ Word Origin
mid 16th cent.: archaic past participle of the verbstay.
som·no·lent
adjective
BrE /ˈsɒmnələnt/
NAmE /ˈsɑːmnələnt/
formal
1 almost asleep a somnolent cat (figurative) a somnolent town 2 making you feel tired a somnolent Sunday afternoon ▼︎ Word Origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘causing sleepinessʼ): from Old French sompnolent or Latin somnolentus, from somnus ‘sleepʼ.
sinu·ous
adjective
BrE /ˈsɪnjuəs/
NAmE /ˈsɪnjuəs/
literary
turning while moving, in an elegant way; having many curves
a sinuous movement
the sinuous grace of a cat
the sinuous course of the river
▼︎ Word Origin
late 16th cent.: from French sinueux or Latin sinuosus, from sinus ‘a bendʼ.
scur·ril·ous
adjective
BrE /ˈskʌrələs/
NAmE /ˈskɜːrələs/
formal
very rude and insulting, and intended to damage somebodyʼs reputation
scurrilous rumours
He wrote a scurrilous piece about me in the local press.
▼︎ Word Origin
late 16th cent.: from French scurrile or Latin scurrilus (from scurra ‘buffoonʼ) + -ous.
sanc·ti·mo·ni·ous
adjective
BrE /ˌsæŋktɪˈməʊniəs/
NAmE /ˌsæŋktɪˈmoʊniəs/
disapproving
giving the impression that you feel you are better and more moral than other people
➔ SYNONYM self-righteous
a sanctimonious voice
I wish sheʼd stop being so sanctimonious.
Iʼm fed up with his sanctimonious attitude.
▼︎ Word Origin
early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘holy in characterʼ): from Latin sanctimonia ‘sanctityʼ (from sanctus ‘holyʼ) + -ous.
sa·li·ent
adjective
BrE /ˈseɪliənt/
NAmE /ˈseɪliənt/
[only before noun]
most important or noticeable
She pointed out the salient features of the new design.
He summarized the salient points.
▼︎ Word Origin
mid 16th cent. (as a heraldic term): from Latin salient- ‘leapingʼ, from the verb salire.
ru·min·ate
verb
BrE /ˈruːmɪneɪt/
NAmE /ˈruːmɪneɪt/
[intransitive, transitive] ruminate (on/over/about something) | + speech (formal) to think deeply about something
➔ SYNONYM ponder
▼︎ Word Origin
mid 16th cent.: from Latin ruminat- ‘chewed overʼ, from the verb ruminari.
rife
adjective
BrE /raɪf/
NAmE /raɪf/
[not before noun]
1 if something bad or unpleasant is rife in a place, it is very common there
➔ SYNONYM widespread
It is a country where corruption is rife.
Rumours are rife that he is going to resign.
2 rife (with something) full of something bad or unpleasant
Los Angeles is rife with gossip about the starsʼ private lives.
▼︎ Word Origin
late Old English rȳfe, probably from Old Norse rīfr ‘acceptableʼ.
rib·ald
adjective
BrE /ˈrɪbld/ , /ˈraɪbɔːld/
NAmE /ˈrɪbld/ , /ˈraɪbɔːld/
(of language or behaviour) referring to sex in a
rude but humorous way a ribald sense of humour ribald comments/jokes/laughter ▼︎ Word Origin Middle English (as a noun denoting a lowly servant or a licentious or disrespectful person): from Old French ribauld, from riber ‘indulge in licentious pleasuresʼ, from a Germanic base meaning ‘prostituteʼ.
re·splen·dent
adjective
BrE /rɪˈsplendənt/
NAmE /rɪˈsplendənt/
resplendent (in something) (formal or literary) brightly coloured in an impressive way
He glimpsed Sonia, resplendent in a red dress.
the resplendent tail of the male peacock
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English: from Latin resplendent- ‘shining outʼ, from the verb resplendere, from re- (expressing intensive force) + splendere ‘to glitterʼ.
rep·ro·bate
noun
BrE /ˈreprəbeɪt/
NAmE /ˈreprəbeɪt/
formal or humorous
a person who behaves in a way that society thinks is immoral
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English (as a verb): from Latin reprobat- ‘disapprovedʼ, from the verb reprobare, from re- (expressing reversal) + probare ‘approveʼ.
re·plete
adjective
BrE /rɪˈpliːt/
NAmE /rɪˈpliːt/
1 [not before noun] replete (with something) (formal) filled with something; with a full supply of something
literature replete with drama and excitement
2 (old-fashioned or formal) very full of food
We all felt pleasantly replete.
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English: from Old French replet(e) or Latin repletus ‘filled upʼ, past participle of replere, from re- ‘back, againʼ + plere ‘fillʼ.
re·fract
verb
BrE /rɪˈfrækt/
NAmE /rɪˈfrækt/
refract something (physics) (of water, air, glass, etc.) to make waves, such as those of light, sound or energy, change direction when they go through at an angle Light is refracted when passed through a prism. ▼︎ Word Origin early 17th cent.: from Latin refract- ‘broken upʼ, from the verb refringere, from re- ‘backʼ + frangere ‘to breakʼ.
rec·ti·tude
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noun
BrE /ˈrektɪtjuːd/
NAmE /ˈrektɪtuːd/
[uncountable]
formal
~~~
the quality of thinking or behaving in a correct and honest way
➔ SYNONYM uprightness
She is a model of rectitude.
Most of them led lives of selfless moral rectitude.
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English (denoting straightness): from Old French, from late Latin rectitudo, from Latin rectus ‘right, straightʼ.
re·cap·itu·late
verb
BrE /ˌriːkəˈpɪtʃuleɪt/
NAmE /ˌriːkəˈpɪtʃuleɪt/
(formal) (also recap) [intransitive, transitive] recapitulate (on something) | recapitulate something | recapitulate what, where, etc… to repeat or give a summary of what has already been said, decided, etc.
To recapitulate briefly, the three main points are these…
▼︎ Word Origin
late 16th cent.: from late Latin recapitulat- ‘gone through heading by headingʼ, from re- ‘againʼ + capitulum ‘chapterʼ (diminutive of caput ‘headʼ).
ran·cour
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noun
US English ran·cor
BrE /ˈræŋkə(r)/
NAmE /ˈræŋkər/
[uncountable]
(formal)
~~~
feelings of hatred and a desire to hurt other people, especially because you think that somebody has done something unfair to you
➔ SYNONYM bitterness
There was rancour in his voice.
They divorced with remarkably little rancour.
She learned to accept criticism without rancour.
▼︎ Word Origin
Middle English: via Old French from late Latin rancor ‘ranknessʼ (in the Vulgate ‘bitter grudgeʼ), related to Latin rancidus ‘stinkingʼ.
quix·ot·ic
adjective
BrE /kwɪkˈsɒtɪk/
NAmE /kwɪkˈsɑːtɪk/
formal
having or involving ideas or plans that show imagination but are usually not practical
From the character Don Quixote in the novel by Miguel de Cervantes, whose adventures are a result of him trying to achieve or obtain things that are impossible.
