Just some words 10/08 started

Question 1

deliberation

Answer 1

1)the process of carefully considering or discussing something
After ten hours of deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of ‘not guilty’.
The deliberations of the committee are completely confidential.
2)he quality of being slow and careful in what you say or do
She signed her name with great deliberation.

Question 2

saturated

Answer 2

​[not usually before noun] completely wet
SYNONYM soaked
Saturated soil lacks air, without which plant roots die.
The ground is completely saturated: it would be pointless to plant anything.

Question 3

devastate

Answer 3

1)devastate something to completely destroy a place or an area
The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city.
2)devastate somebody to make somebody feel very shocked and sad

Question 4

stumble

Answer 4

1)o hit your foot against something while you are walking or running and almost fall
SYNONYM trip
The child stumbled and fell.
stumble over/on something I stumbled over a rock.
2) adv./prep. to walk or move in an unsteady way
Max stumbled out of bed sleepily.
We were stumbling around in the dark looking for a candle.
3)stumble (over/through something) to make a mistake or mistakes and stop while you are speaking, reading to somebody or playing music
In her nervousness she stumbled over her words.

Question 5

dreadful

Answer 5

1)​very bad or unpleasant
What dreadful weather!
What a dreadful thing to say!
It's dreadful the way they treat their staff.
2)used to emphasize how bad something is
SYNONYM terrible
He’s a dreadful snob.
She's making a dreadful mess of thing
3) causing fear, pain or difficulty
SYNONYM terrible
a dreadful accident

Question 6

strenuous

Answer 6

1)needing great effort and energy
SYNONYM arduous
a strenuous climb
Avoid strenuous exercise immediately after a meal.
How about a stroll in the park? Nothing too strenuous.
2)​determined and showing great energy
The ship went down although strenuous efforts were made to save it.

Question 7

innate

Answer 7

​(of a quality, feeling, etc.) that you have when you are born
SYNONYM inborn
the innate ability to learn
He never lost his innate sense of fun.
Is a tendency towards violence an innate characteristic?

Question 8

douche

Answer 8

to put a liquid, usually water, into the vagina in order to wash it or treat it medically

Question 9

gospel

Answer 9

1)[countable]
(also Gospel)
one of the four books in the Bible about the life and teaching of Jesus
the Gospel according to St John
2)the life and teaching of Jesus as explained in the Bible
preaching/spreading the gospel
3)[countable, usually singular] a set of ideas that somebody believes in and tries to persuade others to accept
He preached a gospel of military strength.
4)(also gospel truth) [uncountable] (informal) the complete truth
Is that gospel?
5)(also gospel music) [uncountable] a style of religious singing developed by African Americans
a gospel choir

Question 10

inflated

Answer 10

​(especially of prices) higher than is acceptable or reasonable
inflated prices/salaries

Question 11

aspire

Answer 11

to have a strong desire to achieve or to become something
aspire (to something) She aspired to a scientific career.
aspire to be/do something He aspired to be their next leader.

Question 12

fluffy

Answer 12

1) covered in very soft fur or feathers
a little fluffy kitten
2)(of food) soft, light and containing air
Beat the butter and sugar until soft and fluffy.
3)looking as if it is soft and light
fluffy white clouds
4)(informal, disapproving) light and not serious; having no substance, depth or power
a fluffy film/movie
a fluffy argument

Question 13

bias

Answer 13

1)a strong feeling in favour of or against one group of people, or one side in an argument, often not based on fair judgement
accusations of political bias in news programmes (= that reports are unfair and show favour to one political party)
2)[countable, usually singular] an interest in one thing more than others; a special ability
The course has a strong practical bias.
3)the fact that the results of research or an experiment are not accurate because a particular factor has not been considered when collecting the information
If a response rate is low, the risk of bias in the findings will be greater.
4)the bias of a piece of cloth is an edge cut diagonally across the threads
The skirt is cut on the bias.

Question 14

detriment

Answer 14

​the act of causing harm or damage; something that causes harm or damage
Wood accounts for 90% of energy production in some countries, with consequent environmental detriment.
Too many tests are a detriment to good education.

Question 15

recap

Answer 15

to repeat or give a summary of what has already been said, decided, etc.
Let me just recap.
recap on something Let me just recap on what we’ve decided so far.
recap what, where, etc… Let me just recap what we’ve decided so far.
recap something Let me just recap the main points.

Question 16

sinister

Answer 16

seeming evil or dangerous; making you think something bad will happen
There was something cold and sinister about him.
There is another, more sinister, possibility.
We needn’t assume that there was a sinister motive for what she did.

Question 17

cruel

Answer 17

having a desire to cause physical or mental pain and make somebody suffer
He was known to be a cruel dictator.
cruel to somebody/something I can’t stand people who are cruel to animals.
Her eyes were cruel and hard.
Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind (= make somebody suffer because it will be good for them later).

Question 18

claim

Answer 18

[transitive] to say that something is true although it has not been proved and other people may not believe it
claim (that)… He claims (that) he was not given a fair hearing.
claim to be/do something I don’t claim to be an expert.
She claimed to hate all art.
claim somebody/something to be/do something She’s not the saint that many have claimed her to be.
After disappointing box office results, newspapers claimed the show to be a failure
claim something Scientists are claiming a major breakthrough in the fight against cancer.
it is claimed that… It was claimed that some doctors were working 80 hours a week.

Question 19

grind

Answer 19

1)ransitive] grind something (down/up) | grind something (to/into something) to break or press something into very small pieces between two hard surfaces or using a special machine
to grind coffee/corn
2) grind something to produce something such as flour by grinding
The flour is ground using traditional methods.
3)[transitive] grind something to cut food, especially meat, into very small pieces using a special machine (called a mincer)
4)] grind something to make something sharp or smooth by rubbing it against a hard surface
a special stone for grinding knives
5)​[transitive] to press or rub something into a surface
grind something into something He ground his cigarette into the ashtray.
grind something in The dirt on her hands was ground in.
6)to rub together, or to make hard objects rub together, often producing an unpleasant noise
grind (together) Parts of the machine were grinding together noisily.
grind something (together) She grinds her teeth when she is asleep.
7)grind something to turn the handle of a machine that grinds something
to grind a pepper mill

Question 20

harness

Answer 20

1) a set of narrow pieces of leather and metal pieces that is put around the head and body of an animal, especially a horse, so that the animal can be controlled and fastened to a carriage, etc.
The sight of horses in harness hauling timber was common a hundred years ago.
2)​a set of straps (= long narrow pieces of a strong material) for fastening something to a person’s body or to keep them from moving off or falling
She fastened the safety harness tightly around her waist before starting the descent.

Question 21

narrow

Answer 21

1)measuring a short distance from one side to the other, especially in relation to length
Stray dogs wander the steep narrow lanes of the old town.
The road soon became narrower and steeper.
a narrow bed/doorway/shelf
Tall narrow windows admit only slivers of light.
narrow shoulders/hips
There was only a narrow gap between the bed and the wall.
2) only just achieved or avoided
a narrow victory
She was elected by a narrow majority.
He had a narrow escape when his car skidded on the ice.
3)limited in variety or numbers
SYNONYM restricted
The shop sells only a narrow range of goods.
She only has a narrow circle of friends.
4)limited in a way that ignores important issues or the opinions of other people
narrow interests
She has a very narrow view of the world.
5)​limited in meaning; exact
I am using the word ‘education’ in the narrower sense.

Question 22

realm

Answer 22

1)an area of activity, interest or knowledge
in the realm of something in the realm of literature
At the end of the speech he seemed to be moving into the realms of fantasy.
2) a country ruled by a king or queen
SYNONYM kingdom
The Crown maintains armed forces for the defence of the realm.

Question 23

scolding

Answer 23

an act of speaking angrily to somebody, especially a child, because they have done something wrong
I got a scolding from my mother.

Question 24

fizzy

Answer 24

​(of a drink) having bubbles of gas in it
SYNONYM sparkling
fizzy drinks
The wine was pink and slightly fizzy.

Question 25

blossom

Answer 25

a flower or a mass of flowers, especially on a fruit tree or bush
cherry/orange/apple blossom
The trees are in blossom.
She loved the spring, when the blossom was out.

Question 26

stoked

Answer 26

excited and pleased about something

I’m really stoked that they chose me for the team.

Question 27

vain

Answer 27

1)that does not produce the result you want
SYNONYM useless
She closed her eyes tightly in a vain attempt to hold back the tears.
I knocked loudly in the vain hope that someone might answer.
The government spent billions in a vain bid to prop up the currency.
2) too proud of your own appearance, abilities or achievements
SYNONYM conceited
She’s too vain to wear glasses.

Question 28

crucial

Answer 28

extremely important, because it will affect other things
SYNONYM critical, essential
The next few weeks are going to be crucial.
Private security cameras can prove crucial in some investigations.
Parents play a crucial role in preparing their child for school.
This step is a crucial part of the process.
a crucial step/point
He wasn’t there at the crucial moment (= when he was needed most).

Question 29

quell

Answer 29

1) quell something/somebody to stop something such as violent behaviour or protests
Extra police were called in to quell the disturbances.
(figurative) She started to giggle, but Bob quelled her with a look.
2)quell something to stop or reduce strong or unpleasant feelings
SYNONYM calm
to quell your fears

Question 30

neuter

Answer 30

1)neuter something to remove part of the sex organs of an animal so that it cannot produce young
Has your cat been neutered?
2)neuter something (disapproving) to prevent something from having the effect that it ought to have