Deck020 Flashcards
com·pli·ment
verb
BrE /ˈkɒmplɪment/
NAmE /ˈkɑːmplɪment/
compliment somebody (on something) to tell somebody that you like or admire something they have done, their appearance, etc.
She complimented him on his excellent German.
▼︎ Which Word?
compliment / complement
These words have similar spellings but completely different meanings. If you compliment someone, you say something very nice to them: She complimented me on my English. If one thing complements another, the two things work or look better because they are together: The different flavours complement each other perfectly.
The adjectives are also often confused. Complimentary: She made some very complimentary remarks about my English. It can also mean ‘freeʼ: There was a complimentary basket of fruit in our room. Complementary: The team members have different but complementary skills.
▼︎ Word Origin
mid 17th cent.: from French compliment (noun), complimenter (verb), from Italian complimento ‘fulfilment of the requirements of courtesyʼ, from Latin complementum ‘completion, fulfilmentʼ (reflected in the earlier English spelling complement, gradually replaced by the French form between 1655 and 1715).
anom·aly
noun
BrE /əˈnɒməli/
NAmE /əˈnɑːməli/
pl. anom·alies
anomaly (in something) a thing, situation, etc. that is different from what is normal or expected
the many anomalies in the tax system
the apparent anomaly that those who produced the wealth, the workers, were the poorest
▼︎ Word Origin
late 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek anōmalia, from anōmalos, from an- ‘notʼ + homalos ‘evenʼ.
cur·tail
verb
BrE /kɜːˈteɪl/
NAmE /kɜːrˈteɪl/
curtail something (formal) to limit something or make it last for a shorter time
Spending on books has been severely curtailed.
The lecture was curtailed by the fire alarm going off.
▼︎ Word Origin
late 15th cent.: from obsolete curtal ‘horse with a docked tailʼ, from French courtault, from court ‘shortʼ, from Latin curtus. The change in the ending was due to association with tail and perhaps also with French tailler ‘to cutʼ.
dis·perse
verb
BrE /dɪˈspɜːs/
NAmE /dɪˈspɜːrs/
1 [intransitive, transitive] to move apart and go away in different directions; to make somebody/something do this
The fog began to disperse.
The crowd dispersed quickly.
disperse somebody/something Police dispersed the protesters with tear gas.
2 [transitive, intransitive] disperse (something) to spread or to make something spread over a wide area
➔ SYNONYM scatter
The seeds are dispersed by the wind.
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English: from Latin dispers- ‘scatteredʼ, from the verb dispergere, from dis- ‘widelyʼ + spargere ‘scatter, strewʼ.
dis·cre·tion
noun
BrE /dɪˈskreʃn/
NAmE /dɪˈskreʃn/
[uncountable]
1 the freedom or power to decide what should be done in a particular situation
Iʼll leave it up to you to use your discretion.
How much to tell terminally ill patients is left to the discretion of the doctor.
2 care in what you say or do, in order to keep something secret or to avoid causing embarrassment to or difficulty for somebody; the quality of being discreet
This is confidential, but I know that I can rely on your discretion.
Jane is the soul of discretion (= you can trust her).
Use the utmost discretion when you talk to her.
➔ COMPARE indiscretion
▶︎ Word Family
▼︎ Word Origin
Middle English (in the sense‘ to show good judgementʼ): via Old French from Latin discretio(n-) ‘separationʼ (in late Latin ‘discernmentʼ), from discernere, from dis- ‘apartʼ + cernere ‘to separateʼ.
▶︎ Extra examples
Idioms
at somebodyʼs diˈscretion
according to what somebody decides or wishes to do
Bail is granted at the discretion of the court.
There is no service charge and tipping is at your discretion.
diˌscretion is the ˌbetter part of ˈvalour
(saying) you should avoid danger and not take unnecessary risks
deni·zen
noun
BrE /ˈdenɪzn/
NAmE /ˈdenɪzn/
formal or humorous
a person, an animal or a plant that lives, grows or is often found in a particular place
➔ SYNONYM inhabitant
polar bears, denizens of the frozen north
the denizens of the local pub
The denizens of the canteen were mainly the accountants and IT staff.
The food was so hard that even the small denizens of the forest had left it untouched.
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English deynseyn, via Anglo-Norman French from Old French deinz ‘withinʼ (from Latin de ‘fromʼ + intus ‘withinʼ) + -ein (from Latin -aneus ‘-aneousʼ). The change in the form of the word was due to association with citizen.
en·thral (British English) (North American English en·thrall) verb BrE /ɪnˈθrɔːl/ NAmE /ɪnˈθrɔːl/
[transitive, intransitive, usually passive] enthral (somebody) if something enthrals you, it is so interesting, beautiful, etc. that you give it all your attention
➔ SYNONYM entrance2
The child watched, enthralled by the bright moving images.
This book will enthral readers of all ages.
The children listened enthralled as the storyteller unfolded her tale.
They were enthralled with the play.
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English (in the sense ‘enslaveʼ; formerly also as inthrall): from en-, in- (as an intensifier) + thrall.
hap·less
```
adjective
BrE /ˈhæpləs/
NAmE /ˈhæpləs/
[only before noun]
formal
~~~
not lucky; unfortunate
the hapless victims of exploitation
Often the hapless victims have no warning that the flood is on its way.
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English: from hap (in the early sense ‘good fortuneʼ) + -less.
hyp·oc·risy
```
noun
BrE /hɪˈpɒkrəsi/
NAmE /hɪˈpɑːkrəsi/
pl. hyp·oc·risies
[uncountable, countable]
(disapproving)
~~~
behaviour in which somebody pretends to have moral standards or opinions that they do not actually have
He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another.
Itʼs hypocrisy for them to pretend that they were shocked at the news.
▼︎ Word Origin
Middle English: from Old French ypocrisie, via ecclesiastical Latin, from Greek hupokrisis ‘acting of a theatrical partʼ, from hupokrinesthai ‘play a part, pretendʼ, from hupo ‘underʼ + krinein ‘decide, judgeʼ.
apos·tate
noun
BrE /əˈpɒsteɪt/
NAmE /əˈpɑːsteɪt/
formal
a person who has rejected their religious or political beliefs
▼︎ Word Origin
Middle English: from ecclesiastical Latin apostata, from Greek apostatēs ‘apostate, runaway slaveʼ.
con·done
verb
BrE /kənˈdəʊn/
NAmE /kənˈdoʊn/
condone something | condone (somebody) doing something to accept behaviour that is morally wrong or to treat it as if it were not serious
Terrorism can never be condoned.
The college cannot condone any behaviour that involves illicit drugs.
▼︎ Word Origin
mid 19th cent.: from Latin condonare ‘refrain from punishingʼ, from con- ‘altogetherʼ + donare ‘giveʼ.
brig·and
noun
BrE /ˈbrɪɡənd/
NAmE /ˈbrɪɡənd/
old-fashioned
a member of a group of criminals that steals from people, especially one that attacks travellers
➔ SYNONYM bandit
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English (also denoting an irregular foot soldier): from Old French, from Italian brigante, literally ‘(person) contendingʼ, from brigare ‘contendʼ, from briga ‘strifeʼ.
blas·phem·ous
adjective
BrE /ˈblæsfəməs/
NAmE /ˈblæsfəməs/
(of behaviour or language) insulting or showing a lack of respect for God or religion
Many people found the film blasphemous.
con·jec·ture
noun
BrE /kənˈdʒektʃə(r)/
NAmE /kənˈdʒektʃər/
formal
1 [countable] an opinion or idea that is not based on definite knowledge and is formed by guessing
➔ SYNONYM guess
The truth of his conjecture was confirmed by the newspaper report.
2 [uncountable] the forming of an opinion or idea that is not based on definite knowledge
What was going through the killerʼs mind is a matter for conjecture.
➔ SEE ALSO guesswork
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English (in the senses ‘to divineʼ and ‘divinationʼ): from Old French, or from Latin conjectura, from conicere ‘put together in thoughtʼ, from con- ‘togetherʼ + jacere ‘throwʼ.
al·le·vi·ate
verb
BrE /əˈliːvieɪt/
NAmE /əˈliːvieɪt/
alleviate something to make something less severe
➔ SYNONYM ease
to alleviate suffering
A number of measures were taken to alleviate the problem.
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English: from late Latin alleviat- ‘lightenedʼ, from the verb alleviare, from Latin allevare, from ad- ‘toʼ + levare ‘raiseʼ, influenced by levis ‘lightʼ.
brag·gart
noun
BrE /ˈbræɡət/
NAmE /ˈbræɡərt/
old-fashioned
a person who brags
▼︎ Word Origin
late 16th cent.: from French bragard, from braguer ‘to bragʼ.
ar·bi·ter
noun
BrE /ˈɑːbɪtə(r)/
NAmE /ˈɑːrbɪtər/
arbiter (of something) (formal) a person with the power or influence to make judgements and decide what will be done or accepted
The law is the final arbiter of what is considered obscene.
an arbiter of taste/style/fashion
This style would be dismissed as too ornate by contemporary arbiters of taste.
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English: from Latin, ‘judge, supreme rulerʼ.
fa·cetious
adjective
BrE /fəˈsiːʃəs/
NAmE /fəˈsiːʃəs/
trying to appear amusing and intelligent at a time when other people do not think it is appropriate, and when it would be better to be serious
➔ SYNONYM flippant
a facetious comment/remark
Stop being facetious; this is serious.
▼︎ Word Origin
late 16th cent. (in the general sense ‘witty, amusingʼ): from French facétieux, from facétie, from Latin facetia ‘jestʼ, from facetus ‘wittyʼ.
af·front
verb
BrE /əˈfrʌnt/
NAmE /əˈfrʌnt/
[usually passive] affront somebody/something (formal) to insult or offend somebody
He hoped they would not feel affronted if they were not invited.
an affronted expression
His attitude really affronted her.
▼︎ Word Origin
Middle English (as a verb): from Old French afronter ‘to slap in the face, insultʼ, based on Latin ad frontem ‘to the faceʼ.
dis·suade
verb
BrE /dɪˈsweɪd/
NAmE /dɪˈsweɪd/
dissuade somebody (from something/from doing something) to persuade somebody not to do something
I tried to dissuade him from giving up his job.
They were going to set off in the fog, but were dissuaded.
▼︎ Word Origin
late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘advise againstʼ): from Latin dissuadere, from dis- (expressing reversal) + suadere ‘advise, persuadeʼ.
alias
noun
BrE /ˈeɪliəs/
NAmE /ˈeɪliəs/
1 a false or different name, especially one that is used by a criminal
He checked into the hotel under an alias.
2 (computing) a name that can be used instead of the actual name for a file, Internet address, etc.
You can also use our easy-to-remember forwarding alias.
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English: from Latin, ‘at another time, otherwiseʼ.
con·gre·ga·tion
noun
BrE /ˌkɒŋɡrɪˈɡeɪʃn/
NAmE /ˌkɑːŋɡrɪˈɡeɪʃn/
[countable + singular or plural verb]
1 a group of people who are gathered together in a church to worship God, not including the priest and choir
The congregation stood to sing the hymn.
▼︎ Collocations
Religion
Being religious
believe in God/Christ/Allah/free will/predestination/heaven and hell/an afterlife/reincarnation
be/become a believer/an atheist/an agnostic/a Christian/Muslim/Hindu/Buddhist, etc.
convert to/practise/ (especially US English) practice a religion/Buddhism/Catholicism/Christianity/Islam/Judaism, etc.
go to church/(North American English) temple (= the synagogue)
go to the local church/mosque/synagogue/gurdwara
belong to a church/a religious community
join/enter the church/a convent/a monastery/a religious sect/the clergy/the priesthood
praise/worship/obey/serve/glorify God
Celebrations and ritual
attend/hold/conduct/lead a service
perform a ceremony/a rite/a ritual/a baptism/the Hajj/a mitzvah
carry out/perform a sacred/burial/funeral/fertility/purification rite
go on/make a pilgrimage
celebrate Christmas/Easter/Eid/Ramadan/Hanukkah/Passover/Diwali
observe/break the Sabbath/a fast/Ramadan
deliver/preach/hear a sermon
lead/address the congregation
say/recite a prayer/blessing
Religious texts and ideas
preach/proclaim/spread the word of God/the Gospel/the message of Islam
study/follow the dharma/the teachings of Buddha
read/study/understand/interpret scripture/the Bible/the Koran/the gospel/the Torah
be based on/derive from divine revelation
commit/consider something heresy/sacrilege
Religious belief and experience
seek/find/gain enlightenment/wisdom
strengthen/lose your faith
keep/practise/practice/abandon the faith
save/purify/lose your soul
obey/follow/keep/break/violate a commandment/Islamic law/Jewish law
be/accept/do Godʼs will
receive/experience divine grace
achieve/attain enlightenment/salvation/nirvana
undergo a conversion/rebirth/reincarnation
hear/answer a prayer
commit/confess/forgive a sin
do/perform penance
2 a group of people who regularly attend a particular place of worship
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English in the more general sense of a gathering: from Latin congregatio(n-), from congregare ‘collect (into a flock)ʼ, from con- ‘togetherʼ + gregare (from grex, greg- ‘a flockʼ).
dis·in·ter·est·ed
adjective
BrE /dɪsˈɪntrəstɪd/ , /dɪsˈɪntrestɪd/
NAmE /dɪsˈɪntrəstɪd/ , /dɪsˈɪntrestɪd/
1 not influenced by personal feelings, or by the chance of getting some advantage for yourself
➔ SYNONYM impartial, objective, unbiased
a disinterested onlooker/spectator
Her advice appeared to be disinterested.
I was merely a disinterested spectator in the whole affair.
▶︎ More Like This
2 (informal) not interested
▼︎ Which Word?
interested / interesting / uninterested / disinterested / uninteresting
The opposite of interested is uninterested or not interested: He is completely uninterested in politics. I am not really interested in politics.
Disinterested means that you can be fair in judging a situation because you do not feel personally involved in it: A solicitor can give you disinterested advice. However, in speech it is sometimes used instead of uninterested, although this is thought to be incorrect.
The opposite of interesting can be uninteresting: The food was dull and uninteresting. It is more common to use a different word such as dull or boring.
▼︎ Word Origin
early 17th cent.: past participle of the rare verb disinterest ‘rid of interest or concernʼ, from dis- (expressing removal) + interest.
en·core
noun
BrE /ˈɒŋkɔː(r)/
NAmE /ˈɑːŋkɔːr/
an extra short performance given at the end of a concert or other performance; a request for this made by an audience calling out
She played a Chopin waltz as an encore.
The group got three encores.
▼︎ Word Origin
early 18th cent.: French, literally ‘still, againʼ.
cosmo·pol·itan
adjective
BrE /ˌkɒzməˈpɒlɪtən/
NAmE /ˌkɑːzməˈpɑːlɪtən/
approving
1 containing people of different types or from different countries, and influenced by their culture
a cosmopolitan city/resort
The club has a cosmopolitan atmosphere.
Jamaica is a very cosmopolitan island.
2 having or showing a wide experience of people and things from many different countries
people with a truly cosmopolitan outlook
cosmopolitan young people
▼︎ Word Origin
mid 17th cent. (as a noun): from cosmopolite ‘ a cosmopolitan personʼ + -an.
