Lesson Seven Flashcards
Zygote
N: the cell that is formed when a female reproductive cell and a male reproductive cell join
Stillborn
Adj: born dead
Examples:
-a stillborn baby
-The child was stillborn.
Neonatal
Adj: of or for babies that were born recently
Example:Their baby is still in the hospital’s neonatal unit.
Skyrocket
V: (esp. of amounts) to rise extremely quickly
Example:The value of their business skyrocketed last year.
Reimbursement
N: the act of paying back money to someone who has spent it for you or lost it because of you, or the amount that is paid back
Example:
-She has received reimbursement for some of her costs.
-Employees can apply for reimbursement of travel expenses.
Incentive
N: something that encourages a person to do something
Example:
-tax incentive: Tax incentives have been very effective in encouraging people to save and invest more of their income.
-There is little incentive for people to leave their cars at home when public transport remains so expensive.
Quadruple
V: to become four times as big, or to multiply a number or amount by four
Example:
-The number of students at the college has quadrupled in the last ten years.
-We expect to quadruple our profits this year.
Triple
V: to increase three times in size or amount, or to make something do this
Example:
-We have tripled our output over the past two years.
-triple in size: The workforce has tripled in size since the new factory opened.
Premium
N: an amount of money paid to get insurance
Example:
-Car insurance premiums have increased this year.
-The premiums for healthcare plans are high.
Soaring
Adj: rising very quickly to a high level
Example:
-soaring property prices
-The soaring price of natural gas is a serious concern, since many power plants are fuelled by it.
Appalling
Adj: shocking and very bad
Example:
-appalling injuries
-Prisoners were kept in the most appalling conditions.
Multitude
N: a large number of things
Example:
-Two large circles are surrounded by a multitude of small, colorful squares.
-As manager of the restaurant, his job is to feed the multitudes (= large numbers of people).
Mammoth
Adj: extremely large
Example:
-Cleaning up the city-wide mess is going to be a mammoth task.
-It’s a mammoth undertaking - are you sure you have the resources to cope?
Uniformly
Adv: in a way that is the same everywhere or for everyone
Example:Critics were uniformly enthusiastic about the production.
Velocity
N: the speed at which an object is travelling
Example:Light travels at the highest achievable velocity in the universe.
Surge
V: a sudden and great increase
Example:
-An unexpected surge in electrical power caused the computer to crash.
-There has been a surge in house prices recently.
Rule sth out
Phrasal verb: to prevent something from happening
Example:
The warehouse fire has ruled out any chance that we will make a profit this year.
Warehouse
N: a large building for storing things before they are sold, used, or sent out to shops:
Example:The goods have been sitting in a warehouse for months because a strike has prevented distribution.
Erroneous
Adj: wrong or false
Example:an erroneous belief/impression
Interpretation
N: an explanation or opinion of what something means
Example:
-The dispute is based on two widely differing interpretations of the law.
-The rules are vague and open to interpretation.
Vague
Adj: not clearly expressed, known, described, or decided
Example:
-I do have a vague memory of meeting her many years ago.
-The patient had complained of vague pains and backache
Disintegrate
V:
1. to become weaker or be destroyed by breaking into small pieces
Example:The spacecraft disintegrated as it entered the earth’s atmosphere.
- to become much worse
Example:disintegrate into: The situation disintegrated into chaos
Solubility
N: the quality of being able to be dissolved, or the degree to which something can be dissolved
Example:Sugar has a high solubility in water, whereas gold has a low solubility in water.
Deviate
V: to change from the usual way, or to go in a different direction
Example:
-He never deviated from his strict vegetarian diet.
-We need to know when the bus deviates from its scheduled route.
Declination
N: an angle that gives the position of a point in space in relation to earth
Example:The asteroid Toutatis is easiest to see in early September, when it lies at higher declinations.
Take its toll
Idiom: to cause harm or suffering
Example:The constant stress takes its toll on emergency room workers.
Teeny
Adj: very small
Example:Just a teeny slice of cake for me, please.
Amplifier
N: an electrical device that makes sounds louder
Assail
V: to cause someone to experience a lot of unpleasant things
Example:to be assailed by doubts/fears/problems
Adversely
Adv: in a way that has a negative or harmful effect
Example:
adversely affected: A lot of companies have been adversely affected by the recession.
Decent
Adj: socially acceptable or good
Example:
-Everyone should be entitled to a decent wage/standard of living.
-I thought he was a decent person.
-it is decent of: It was very decent (= kind) of you to help.
-It made quite a decent-sized (= large) hole.
Completion
N: the act of finishing something that you are doing or making
Example:
-on completion:You’ll be paid on completion of the project.
-near completion: The road repair work is nearing completion (= almost finished).
Anything but
Idiom: not at all or not in any way
Example:She was anything but friendly the last time I saw her.
Forcewear
V: to make a serious decision to stop doing something
Example:to forswear all violence
Prognosis
N: a doctor’s judgment of the likely or expected development of a disease, or a statement of what the likely future situation is.
Example:After successful surgery his prognosis was good.
Disheartening
Adj: causing you to lose confidence, hope, and energy
Example:This was very disheartening news.
Prevailing
Adj: existing and accepted
Example:The prevailing view is that economic growth is likely to slow down.
Float
V: to stay on the surface of a liquid and not sink
Example:
-An empty bottle will float.
-float in: You can float very easily in the Dead Sea because it’s so salty.
-float on: Lily pads float on the surface of the pond.
Levee
N: a wall made of soil or other materials that is built next to a river to stop the river from overflowing (= coming out of a place because it is too full)
Put something up
Phrasal verb: to raise something, or to fix something in a raised position
Example:
-Why don’t you put up your hood/umbrella?
-I put my hand up to ask the teacher a question.
-I put my hair up (= fastened it into a position on the top of my head) for the wedding.
Floodgate
N: a gate that can be opened or closed to control a flow of water
Soaked
Adj: extremely wet
Example:I’m going to have to take these clothes off - I’m soaked to the skin!
Sow
V: to put seeds in or on the ground so that plants will grow
Example:Sow the seeds in pots
Sow
V: to put seeds in or on the ground so that plants will grow
Example:Sow the seeds in pots
Drain
V: If you drain something, you remove the liquid from it, usually by pouring it away or allowing it to flow away, and if something drains, liquid flows away or out of it
Example:
-Drain the pasta thoroughly.
-We drained the pond and filled it with fresh water.
-drain something off: Drain off any liquid that is left in the rice.
-Don’t bother drying the pans - just leave them to drain.
Aquatic
Adj: living or growing in, happening in, or connected with water
Example:
-aquatic plants
-aquatic sports
Scum
N: a thin layer that forms on the surface of a liquid
Example:
-The tea was nasty-tasting stuff that looked like pond scum.
-I wish you wouldn’t leave soap scum in the bathtub.
Semiconductor
N: a material, such as silicon, that allows electricity to move through it more easily when its temperature increases, or an electronic device made from this material
Example:Semiconductors are used for making integrated circuits and computers.
Circuit
N: a closed system of wires or pipes through which electricity or liquid can flow
Example:A defect was found in the water-cooling/electrical circuit.
Miscarriage
N: an early, unintentional end to a pregnancy
Example:
I had two miscarriages before I gave birth to my daughter.
Phase something out
Phrasal verb: to gradually stop using something
Example:The airlines are phasing out any aircraft that is more than 20 years old.
Spur
V: to encourage an activity or development or make it happen faster
Example:The promise of a reward spurred the student to study harder for the test.
Implicate
V: to show that someone is involved in a crime or partly responsible for something bad that has happened; involved
Example:A lot of people were implicated in the scandal.
Follow suit
Idiom: to do the same thing
Example:When one airline reduces its ticket prices, the rest usually follow suit.
Spontaneous
Adj: happening or done in a natural, often sudden way, without any planning or without being forced
Example:
-His jokes seemed spontaneous, but were in fact carefully prepared beforehand.
-She’s such a spontaneous, lively woman.
