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.
