Deck016

Question 1

con·nive ​

verb
BrE /kəˈnaɪv/
NAmE /kəˈnaɪv/
formal, disapproving

Answer 1

1 [intransitive] connive at/​in something to seem to allow something wrong to happen
 She knew that if she said nothing she would be conniving in an injustice.
2 [intransitive] connive (with somebody) (to do something) to work together with somebody to do something wrong or illegal
➔ SYNONYM ​conspire
 The government was accused of having connived with the security forces to permit murder.
▼︎ Word Origin
early 17th cent.: from French conniver or Latin connivere ‘shut the eyes (to)ʼ, from con- ‘togetherʼ + an unrecorded word related to nictare ‘to winkʼ.

Question 2

beget ​

verb
BrE /bɪˈɡet/
NAmE /bɪˈɡet/
In sense 1 begat BrE /bɪˈɡæt/ ; NAmE /bɪˈɡæt/ ;is used for the past tense, and be·got·ten BrE /bɪˈɡɒtn/ ; NAmE /bɪˈɡɑːtn/ is used for the past participle.

Answer 2

1 (old use, for example in the Bible) beget somebody to become the father of a child
 Isaac begat Jacob.
2 beget something (formal or old-fashioned) to make something happen
 Violence begets violence.
▼︎ Word Origin
Old English begietan ‘get, obtain by effortʼ (see be-, get).

Question 3

for·mid·able ​

adjective
BrE /ˈfɔːmɪdəbl/ , /fəˈmɪdəbl/
NAmE /ˈfɔːrmɪdəbl/ , /fərˈmɪdəbl/

Answer 3

if people, things or situations are formidable, you feel fear and/​or respect for them, because they are impressive or powerful, or because they seem very difficult
 In debate he was a formidable opponent.
 Somehow the small but formidable woman fought her way through the crowd to reach her son.
 She has a formidable list of qualifications.
 The two players together make a formidable combination.
 The task was a formidable one.
 They had to overcome formidable obstacles.
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English: from French, or from Latin formidabilis, from formidare ‘to fearʼ.

Question 4

en·join ​

verb
BrE /ɪnˈdʒɔɪn/
NAmE /ɪnˈdʒɔɪn/

Answer 4

1 [often passive] enjoin somebody to do something | enjoin something (formal) to order or strongly advise somebody to do something; to say that a particular action or quality is necessary
2 enjoin somebody from doing something (law) to legally prevent somebody from doing something, for example with an injunction
▼︎ Word Origin
Middle English (formerly also as injoin): from Old French enjoindre, from Latin injungere ‘join, attach, imposeʼ, from in- ‘in, towardsʼ + jungere ‘to joinʼ.

Question 5

cede ​

verb
BrE /siːd/
NAmE /siːd/

Answer 5

cede something (to somebody) (formal) to give somebody control of something or give them power, a right, etc., especially unwillingly
 Cuba was ceded by Spain to the US in 1898.
➔ SEE ALSO ​cession
▼︎ Word Origin
early 16th cent.: from French céder or Latin cedere ‘to yieldʼ.

Question 6

chol·er·ic ​

adjective
BrE /ˈkɒlərɪk/
NAmE /ˈkɑːlərɪk/
formal

Answer 6

easily made angry
➔ SYNONYM ​bad-tempered
 He was a choleric, self-important little man.
▼︎ Word Origin
Middle English (in the sense ‘biliousʼ): from Old French cholerique, via Latin from Greek kholerikos, from kholera ‘diarrhoeaʼ, which in late Latin acquired the senses ‘bile or angerʼ, from Greek kholē ‘bileʼ.

Question 7

de·plore ​

verb
BrE /dɪˈplɔː(r)/
NAmE /dɪˈplɔːr/

Answer 7

deplore something (formal) to strongly disapprove of something and criticize it, especially publicly
 Like everyone else, I deplore and condemn this killing.
 He deplored the fact that these criminals were treated by many as heroes and martyrs.
 The leadership issued a statement deploring the action of some members.
 We deplore all use of violence and provocation.
▼︎ Word Origin
mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘weep for, regret deeplyʼ): from French déplorer or Italian deplorare, from Latin deplorare, from de- ‘away, thoroughlyʼ + plorare ‘bewailʼ.

Question 8

breach ​

noun
BrE /briːtʃ/
NAmE /briːtʃ/
formal

Answer 8

1 [countable, uncountable] breach of something a failure to do something that must be done by law
 a breach of contract/​copyright/​warranty
 They are in breach of Article 119.
 (British English) (a) breach of the peace (= the crime of behaving in a noisy or violent way in public)
 Selling goods constituted a breach of regulation 10B.
2 [countable, uncountable] breach of something an action that breaks an agreement to behave in a particular way
 a breach of confidence/​trust
 a breach of security (= when something that is normally protected is no longer secure)
3 [countable] a break in a relationship between people or countries
 a breach in Franco-German relations
4 [countable] an opening that is created during a military attack or by strong winds or seas
 They escaped through a breach in the wire fence.
 A breach in the mountain wall permits warm sea air to penetrate inland.
▼︎ Word Origin
Middle English: from Old French breche, ultimately of Germanic origin; related to break.
▶︎ Extra examples
Idioms
step into the ˈbreach
to do somebodyʼs job or work when they are suddenly or unexpectedly unable to do it

Question 9

aud·ible ​

adjective
BrE /ˈɔːdəbl/
NAmE /ˈɔːdəbl/

Answer 9

that can be heard clearly
 Her voice was barely audible above the noise.
➔ OPPOSITE ​inaudible

Question 10

cal·low ​

adjective
BrE /ˈkæləʊ/
NAmE /ˈkæloʊ/
formal, disapproving

Answer 10

young and without experience
➔ SYNONYM ​inexperienced
 a callow youth
▼︎ Word Origin
Old English calu ‘baldʼ, of West Germanic origin, probably from Latin calvus ‘baldʼ. This was extended to mean ‘unfledgedʼ, which led to the present sense ‘immatureʼ.

Question 11

bour·geois ​

adjective
BrE /ˈbʊəʒwɑː/ , /ˌbʊəˈʒwɑː/
NAmE /ˌbʊrˈʒwɑː/ , /ˈbʊrʒwɑː/

Answer 11

1 belonging to the middle class
 a traditional bourgeois family
➔ SEE ALSO ​petit bourgeois
2 (disapproving) interested mainly in possessions and social status and supporting traditional values
 bourgeois attitudes/​tastes
 Theyʼve become very bourgeois since they got married.
3 (politics) supporting the interests of capitalism
 bourgeois ideology
▼︎ Word Origin
mid 16th cent.: from French, from late Latin burgus ‘castleʼ (in medieval Latin ‘fortified townʼ), ultimately of Germanic origin and related to borough.

Question 12

cog·ni·zant ​

```
adjective
British English also -i·sant
BrE /ˈkɒɡnɪzənt/
NAmE /ˈkɑːɡnɪzənt/
[not before noun]
(formal)
~~~

Answer 12

having knowledge or understanding of something

 cognizant of the importance of the case

Question 13

edify ​

verb
BrE /ˈedɪfaɪ/
NAmE /ˈedɪfaɪ/

Answer 13

[intransitive, transitive] edify somebody (formal) to improve peopleʼs minds or characters by teaching them about something
 It is not clear whether the purpose is to edify, or simply to make money.
 No doubt Hamish will edify us on the subject.
▼︎ Word Origin
Middle English: from Old French edifier, from Latin aedificare ‘buildʼ, from aedis ‘dwellingʼ + facere ‘makeʼ (compare with edifice). The word originally meant ‘construct a buildingʼ, also ‘strengthenʼ, hence to “build up” morally.

Question 14

col·lo·quy ​

```
noun
BrE /ˈkɒləkwi/
NAmE /ˈkɑːləkwi/
pl. col·lo·quies
(formal)
~~~

Answer 14

a conversation
 the soulʼs colloquy with God
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English: from Latin colloquium ‘conversationʼ.

Question 15

di·vulge

​verb
BrE /daɪˈvʌldʒ/
NAmE /daɪˈvʌldʒ/

Answer 15

divulge something (to somebody) | divulge what, whether, etc… (formal) to give somebody information that is supposed to be secret
➔ SYNONYM ​reveal
 Police refused to divulge the identity of the suspect.
 She refused to divulge the information.
 The plans must not be divulged to anyone.
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English (in the sense ‘announce publiclyʼ): from Latin divulgare, from di- ‘widelyʼ + vulgare ‘publishʼ (from vulgus ‘common peopleʼ).

Question 16

im·pec·cable

​adjective
BrE /ɪmˈpekəbl/
NAmE /ɪmˈpekəbl/

Answer 16

without mistakes or faults
➔ SYNONYM ​perfect
 impeccable manners/​taste
 Her written English is impeccable.
 He was dressed in a suit and an impeccable white shirt.
▼︎ Word Origin
mid 16th cent. (in the theological sense): from Latin impeccabilis, from in- ‘notʼ + peccare ‘to sinʼ.

Question 17

equivo·cate ​

verb
BrE /ɪˈkwɪvəkeɪt/
NAmE /ɪˈkwɪvəkeɪt/

Answer 17

[intransitive, transitive] (+ speech) (formal) to talk about something in a way that is deliberately not clear in order to avoid or hide the truth
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English (in the sense ‘use a word in more than one senseʼ): from late Latin aequivocat- ‘called by the same nameʼ, from the verb aequivocare, from aequivocus, from Latin aequus ‘equallyʼ + vocare ‘to callʼ.

Question 18

ex·tant ​

adjective
BrE /ekˈstænt/ , /ˈekstənt/
NAmE /ekˈstænt/ , /ˈekstənt/
formal

Answer 18

(of something very old) still in existence
 extant remains of the ancient wall
 A limited number of documents from the period are still extant.
▼︎ Word Origin
mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘able to be publicly seen or reachedʼ): from Latin exstant- ‘being visible existingʼ, from the verb exstare, from ex- ‘outʼ + stare ‘to standʼ.

Question 19

de·face ​

verb
BrE /dɪˈfeɪs/
NAmE /dɪˈfeɪs/

Answer 19

deface something to damage the appearance of something especially by drawing or writing on it
 They were charged with defacing public property.
▼︎ Word Origin
Middle English: from Old French desfacier, from des- (expressing removal) + face ‘faceʼ.

Question 20

defer ​

verb
BrE /dɪˈfɜː(r)/
NAmE /dɪˈfɜːr/

Answer 20

defer (doing) something (formal) to delay something until a later time
➔ SYNONYM ​put off
 The department deferred the decision for six months.
 She had applied for deferred admission to college.
▼︎ Word Origin
verb late Middle English (also in the sense ‘put on one sideʼ): from Old French differer ‘defer or differʼ, from Latin differre, from dis- ‘apartʼ + ferre ‘bring, carryʼ. Compare with differ.
defer to somebody/​​something.
late Middle English: from Old French deferer, from Latin deferre ‘carry away, refer (a matter)ʼ, from de- ‘away fromʼ + ferre ‘bring, carryʼ.

Question 21

im·par·tial ​

adjective
BrE /ɪmˈpɑːʃl/
NAmE /ɪmˈpɑːrʃl/

Answer 21

not supporting one person or group more than another
➔ SYNONYM ​neutral, unbiased
 an impartial inquiry/​observer
 to give impartial advice
 As chairman, I must remain impartial. 
➔ OPPOSITE ​partial

Question 22

er·ro·ne·ous ​

adjective
BrE /ɪˈrəʊniəs/
NAmE /ɪˈroʊniəs/
formal

Answer 22

not correct; based on wrong information
 erroneous conclusions/​assumptions
 He seems to be under the erroneous impression that she is in love with him.
 The theory is based on several erroneous beliefs.
 Their conclusions are quite erroneous.
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English: from Latin erroneus (from erro(n-) ‘vagabondʼ, from errare ‘to stray, errʼ) + -ous.

Question 23

ex·uber·ance ​

noun
BrE /ɪɡˈzjuːbərəns/
NAmE /ɪɡˈzuːbərəns/
[uncountable]

Answer 23

the quality of being full of energy, excitement and happiness
 We can excuse his behaviour as youthful exuberance.
 Nothing will curb her natural exuberance.

Question 24

hin·drance ​

noun
BrE /ˈhɪndrəns/
NAmE /ˈhɪndrəns/

Answer 24

1 [countable, usually singular] a person or thing that makes it more difficult for somebody to do something or for something to happen
 To be honest, she was more of a hindrance than a help.
 hindrance to something/​somebody The high price is a major hindrance to potential buyers.
2 [uncountable] (formal) the act of making it more difficult for somebody to do something or for something to happen
 They were able to complete their journey without further hindrance.
➔ SEE ALSO ​hinder

Question 25

def·am·ation ​

```
noun
BrE /ˌdefəˈmeɪʃn/
NAmE /ˌdefəˈmeɪʃn/
[uncountable, countable]
formal
~~~

Answer 25

the act of damaging somebodyʼs reputation by saying or writing bad or false things about them
 The company sued for defamation.
 He brought a legal action against the magazine for defamation of character.
 Such a defamation might cause injury to the business goodwill of the corporation.