Economics Flashcards
Meagre
Mi.gar
(Of amounts or numbers) very small or not enough
Amply
In a way that is more than enough
Accrue
to increase in number or amount over a period of time
Misery
great unhappiness
Ex. Ten years of marriage to him have made her life a misery.
Aggravate
to make a bad situation worse
plight
/plaɪt/
an unpleasant condition, especially a serious, sad, or difficult one:
- the plight of the poor/homeless
- Few of us can be unmoved by the plight of the refugees.
dismal
/ˈdɪz.məl/
sad and without hope:
- a dismal expression
very bad:
- The acting was dismal, wasn’t it?
- What dismal weather!
sprawling
/ˈsprɔː.lɪŋ/
(of a city) covered with buildings across a large area, often ones that have been added gradually over a period of time:
- sprawling suburbs
- Somewhere in this sprawling metropolis, there is a secret military laboratory.
indigenous
/ɪnˈdɪdʒ.ɪ.nəs/
not foreign or from outside an area:
- The rise of indigenous Chinese enterprises has posed a threat to Hong Kong companies.
- They are doing this by the import of arms from Western sources and by the development of indigenous industries.
incur
/ɪnˈkɜːr/
to experience something, usually something unpleasant, as a result of actions you have taken:
- to incur debts/fines/bills
- The play has incurred the wrath/anger of both audiences and critics.
- Please detail any costs/expenses incurred by you in attending the interview.
rampant
/ˈræm.pənt/
(of something bad) getting worse quickly and in an uncontrolled way:
- rampant corruption
- Rampant inflation means that our wage increases soon become worth nothing.
- He said that he had encountered rampant prejudice in his attempts to get a job.
- Disease is rampant in the overcrowded city.
commensurate
/kəˈmen.sjər.ət/
in a correct and suitable amount compared to something else:
- a salary that is commensurate with skills and experience
foster
/ˈfɒs.tər/
to encourage the development or growth of ideas or feelings:
- I’m trying to foster an interest in classical music in my children.
- They were discussing the best way to foster democracy and prosperity in the former communist countries.
dispensation
/ˌdɪs.penˈseɪ.ʃən/
special permission, especially from the Church, to do something that is not usually allowed:
- The couple have requested (a) special dispensation from the Church to allow them to marry.
pursuance
/pəˈsjuː.əns/
the act of trying to achieve something:
- She has devoted herself to the pursuance of justice for her son.
- In pursuance of his aims, he has decided to stand for parliament.
resentment
/rɪˈzent.mənt/
a feeling of anger because you have been forced to accept something that you do not like:
- He harbours a deep resentment against his parents for his miserable childhood.
- This decision has caused resentment among some teachers.
agitation
/ˌædʒ.ɪˈteɪ.ʃən/
worry and anxiety:
- He arrived home in a state of agitation.
prolong
/prəˈlɒŋ/
to make something last a longer time:
- We were having such a good time that we decided to prolong our stay by another week.
- She chewed each delicious mouthful as slowly as she could, prolonging the pleasure.
pioneer
/ˌpaɪəˈnɪər/
- a person who is one of the first people to do something:
- one of the pioneers of modern science
a pioneer heart surgeon - a person who goes to an area and builds a house, begins a farm, etc.:
- The pioneers went west across North America, cutting down forests and planting new crops.
peculiar
/pɪˈkjuː.li.ər/
unusual and strange, sometimes in an unpleasant way:
- She has the most peculiar ideas.
- What a peculiar smell!
- It’s peculiar that they didn’t tell us they were going away.
- UK The video on road accidents made me feel rather peculiar (= ill).
usher
/ˈʌʃ.ər/
to show someone where they should go, or to make someone go where you want them to go:
- She ushered us into her office and offered us coffee.
- Officials quickly ushered the protesters out of the hall.
Synonym: show
scarce
/skeəs/
not easy to find or get:
- Food and clean water were becoming scarce.
scarce resources
commendable
/kəˈmen.də.bəl/
deserving praise:
- commendable efforts/behaviour/bravery
solemn
/ˈsɒl.əm/
serious and without any humour:
- a solemn face/voice
- solemn music
- Everyone looked very solemn.
enact
/ɪˈnækt/
to put something into action, especially to make something law:
- A package of economic sanctions is to be enacted against the country.
elegant
/ˈel.ɪ.ɡənt/
graceful and attractive in appearance or behaviour:
- an elegant woman
- a very elegant suit
- an elegant dining room
elegantly
/ˈel.ə.ɡənt.li/
- in a way that is graceful and attractive in appearance or behaviour:
- elegantly dressed
- The cottage was simply and elegantly furnished. - in a way that is clever but simple, and therefore attractive:
- Stan’s idea is elegantly simple.
- It is an elegantly written and deeply researched study.
hamper
/ˈhæm.pər/
to prevent someone doing something easily:
- Fierce storms have been hampering rescue efforts and there is now little chance of finding more survivors.
fortnight
/ˈfɔːt.naɪt/
a period of two weeks:
- a fortnight’s holiday
- once a fortnight
- a fortnight ago
profligate
/ˈprɒf.lɪ.ɡət/
spending money or using something in a way that wastes it and is not wise:
- She is well-known for her profligate spending habits.
- The profligate use of antibiotics has led to the evolution of resistant bacteria.
evasion
/ɪˈveɪ.ʒən/
the act of avoiding something or someone:
- Her speech was full of excuses and evasions and never properly addressed the issue.
- tax evasion (= illegally not paying tax)
levy
/ˈlev.i/
an amount of money, such as a tax, that you have to pay to a government or organization:
- They imposed a five percent levy on alcohol.
compliance
/kəmˈplaɪ.əns/
the act of obeying an order, rule, or request:
- It is the job of the inspectors to enforce compliance with the regulations.
- The company said that it had always acted in compliance with environmental laws.
shedding
(often used in newspapers) the act or process of getting rid of something you do not need or want:
- Another round of job shedding is expected.
- The most she had hoped for was a shedding of the burden of guilt she carried.
impetus
/ˈɪm.pɪ.təs/
something that encourages a particular activity or makes that activity more energetic or effective:
- The recent publicity surrounding homelessness has given (a) fresh impetus to the cause.
transcend
/trænˈsend/
- to go further, rise above, or be more important or better than something, especially a limit:
- The best films are those which transcend national or cultural barriers.
- The underlying message of the film is that love transcends everything else. - to go beyond or rise above a limit, or be greater than something ordinary:
- The group makes music that transcends traditional pop categories.
improvise
/ˈɪm.prə.vaɪz/
- to invent or make something, such as a speech or a device, at the time when it is needed without already having planned it:
- I hadn’t prepared a speech so I suddenly had to improvise.
- We improvised a mattress from a pile of blankets. - When actors or musicians improvise, they perform without prepared speech or music, making up the play, music, etc. as they perform it:
- During certain scenes of the play there isn’t any script and the actors just improvise (the dialogue).
evocative
/ɪˈvɒk.ə.tɪv/
making you remember or imagine something pleasant:
- evocative music
- a sound evocative of the sea
excursion
/ɪkˈskɜː.ʃən/
a short journey usually made for pleasure, often by a group of people:
- This year’s annual excursion will be to Lincoln.
- Next week we’re going on an excursion.
perpetuate
/pəˈpetʃ.u.eɪt/
to cause something to continue:
- Increasing the supply of weapons will only perpetuate the violence and anarchy.
- The aim of the association is to perpetuate the skills of traditional furniture design.
alleviate
/əˈliː.vi.eɪt/
to make something bad such as pain or problems less severe:
- The drugs did nothing to alleviate her pain/suffering.
exacerbate
/ɪɡˈzæs.ə.beɪt/
to make something that is already bad even worse:
- This attack will exacerbate the already tense relations between the two communities.
- The Green Revolution exacerbated the
disparities regionally and between
large and small farmers
destitute
/ˈdes.tɪ.tʃuːt/
without money, food, a home, or possessions:
- The floods left thousands of people destitute.
vicious
/ˈvɪʃ.əs/
Vicious people or actions show an intention or wish to hurt someone or something very badly:
- a vicious thug
- a vicious dog
- The police said that this was one of the most vicious attacks they’d ever seen.
- He gave her a vicious look.
spurious
/ˈspjʊə.ri.əs/
false and not what it appears to be, or (of reasons and judgments) based on something that has not been correctly understood and therefore false:
- Some of the arguments in favour of shutting the factory are questionable and others downright spurious.
exorbitant
/ɪɡˈzɔːbɪtənt/
an exorbitant price, demand, etc., is much too large:
- The interest charged on most credit cards is exorbitant.
- an exorbitant price/fee/rate
devoid
/dɪˈvɔɪd/
to lack or be without something that is necessary or usual:
- Their apartment is devoid of all comforts.
- He seems to be devoid of compassion.
consonance
/ˈkɒn.sə.nəns/
- a combination of sounds or musical notes that are pleasant when heard together
- a situation in which people are peaceful and agree with each other, or when things seem right or suitable together:
- Martin Luther King’s vision of consonance still seems radical.
- The Western concept of the beach is not in consonance with our cultural traditions.
obsolete
/ˌɒb.səlˈiːt/
not in use any more, having been replaced by something newer and better or more fashionable:
- Gas lamps became obsolete when electric lighting was invented.
empirical
/ɪmˈpɪr.ɪ.kəl/
based on what is experienced or seen rather than on theory:
- This theory needs to be backed up with solid empirical data/evidence.
- Empirical studies show that some forms of alternative medicine are extremely effective.
nebulous
/ˈneb.jə.ləs/
(especially of ideas) not clear and having no form:
- She has a few nebulous ideas about what she might want to do in the future, but nothing definite.
purview
/ˈpɜː.vjuː/
the limit of someone’s responsibility, interest, or activity:
- This case falls outside the purview of this particular court.
- Some of the bank’s lending operations come under/within the purview of the deputy manager, and some are handled directly by the manager.
abject
/ˈæb.dʒekt/
the state of being extremely unhappy, poor, unsuccessful, etc.:
- They live in abject poverty.
- This policy has turned out to be an abject failure.
dissemination
/dɪˌsem.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/
the act of spreading news, information, ideas, etc. to a lot of people:
- the dissemination of information
- Anything that stands in the way of the dissemination of knowledge is a real problem.
disseminate
/dɪˈsem.ɪ.neɪt/
to spread or give out something, especially news, information, ideas, etc., to a lot of people:
- One of the organization’s aims is to disseminate information about the disease.
volatile
/ˈvɒl.ə.taɪl/
likely to change suddenly and unexpectedly, especially by getting worse:
- Food and fuel prices are very volatile in a war situation.
- The situation was made more volatile by the fact that people had been drinking a lot of alcohol.
impede
/ɪmˈpiːd/
to make it more difficult for something to happen or more difficult for someone to do something:
- Although he’s shy, it certainly hasn’t impeded his career in any way.
infusion
/ɪnˈfjuː.ʒən/
the act of adding one thing to another to make it stronger or better:
- An infusion of $100,000 into the company is required.
harbinger
/ˈhɑː.bɪn.dʒər/
a person or thing that shows that something is going to happen soon, especially something bad:
- a harbinger of doom
