list 7 Flashcards
preservation
the process of working to protect something valuable so that it is not damaged or destroyed
- preservation of: an organization devoted to the preservation of historic buildings
- Preservation of the environment is vital.
the addition of a chemical substance to food or wood in order to prevent it from decaying
- improved methods of food preservation
preserve
to take care of a place or building in order to prevent it from being harmed or destroyed
- The society works to preserve the district’s historic buildings.
- beautifully/perfectly/carefully preserved: a beautifully preserved fresco
to keep an idea, quality, or situation from changing or being lost
- It’s important that these traditions are preserved.
- Our goal is to preserve the dignity and independence of our patients.
- He’s managed to preserve his boyish good looks.
well-preserved
used for saying that someone looks younger than they are
- She’s very well-preserved for her age.
in good condition for its age
- well-preserved Roman ruins
priority
something important that must be done first or needs more attention than anything else
- Health insurance will be our top priority.
- Being fashionable was low on her list of priorities.
the right to go before someone or something else, or to receive something before they do
- take/have priority: Buses take priority over other vehicles on the road.
prioritize
to decide which of a group of things are the most important so that you can deal with them first:
- You must learn to prioritize your work.
regenerate
to grow again:
- Tissue regenerates after skin is scratched.
- A lizard can regenerate its tail.
to improve a place or system so that it is active or producing good results again:
- As president of the college, he regenerated a failing institution.
regeneration
the act of improving a place or system, especially by making it more active or successful:
- The council is committed to a programme of urban regeneration.
the act of something growing or being grown again:
- The treatment promotes regeneration of nerve cells in the spinal cord.
- Natural forest regeneration on deforested land exerts a controlling influence on carbon dioxide emissions.
regenerative
relating to something growing or being grown again:
- Scientists hope to transform the cells into replacement parts for damaged organs, heralding a new age of regenerative medicine.
relating to the improvement of a place or system, especially by making it more active or successful, or to make a person feel happier and more positive:
- These programmes were identified by the government as central to urban regenerative strategies.
- She found soaking in warm salt water very regenerative.
resource
something that you can use to help you to achieve something, especially in your work or study
- The Internet has become a valuable resource in schools.
- resource for: Museums are important resources for teaching history.
the ability to deal with problems effectively
- She has shown considerable resource in creating the new team.
the qualities and skills that someone has and can use for dealing with problems
- He needed all his resources to escape alive.
resourceful
skilled at solving problems and making decisions on your own:
- She’s a very resourceful manager.
able to find and use different ways to help achieve your goals:
- She plays the part of a tough, resourceful newspaper reporter.
threat
a situation or an activity that could cause harm or danger
- threat to: Officials were confident there had been no threat to public health.
- a threat to freedom/democracy
- pose a threat: The dispute poses a direct threat (=is a threat) to peace.
- He saw the other man as a real threat to his marriage.
- They face the threat of terrorism every day.
threaten
to tell someone that you might or you will cause them harm, especially in order to make them do something
- He’s been threatening me for months.
- threaten to do something: The terrorists are threatening to kill the hostages.
- threaten someone with something: One man has been threatened with legal action.
- threaten someone’s life (=say that you will kill them): My life has been threatened on several occasions.
to be likely to harm or destroy something
- the cancer that now threatens his life
- Their actions threaten the stability and security of the region.
- Many workers feel that their jobs are threatened.
- threaten to do something: Nuclear testing threatens to destroy our environment.
threatening
showing or saying that someone is likely to do something that will harm you
- a threatening look
- She’s been receiving threatening phone calls.
inflation
an economic process in which prices increase so that money becomes less valuable
inflate
to make something increase in size by filling it with air:
- He inflated the balloons with helium.
- We watch the hot-air balloon slowly inflate.
to make a number or value higher or greater than it should be, or to make something seem more important than it really is: (exaggerate)
- Company officials misled the public in order to inflate the value of the company’s stock.
- The story was inflated by the media.
inflationary
relating to or causing inflation
interfere
to involve yourself in a situation when your involvement is not wanted or is not helpful:
- It’s their problem and I’m not going to interfere.
- I’d never interfere between (US with) a husband and wife.
- Interfering in other people’s relationships is always a mistake.
- Even a little noise interferes with my concentration.
interference
an occasion when someone tries to interfere in a situation:
- She seems to regard any advice or help from me as interference.
- The government’s interference in the strike has been widely criticized.
noise or other electronic signals that stop you from getting good pictures or sound on a television or radio
interfering
An interfering person gets involved in other people’s lives in an unwanted and annoying way:
- He’s an interfering old busybody - who I go out with is none of his business!
neglect
to not give enough care or attention to people or things that are your responsibility:
- to neglect your appearance/the house
- He neglects that poor dog - he never takes him for walks or gives him any attention.
- She’s been neglecting her studies this semester.
neglectful
not giving enough care and attention to something or someone:
I’m sure my boss thinks I’ve been neglectful of my duties recently.
potential
possible or likely in the future
- a potential disaster
- The disease is a potential killer.
beneficiary
someone who gets an advantage from a situation
- He was the main beneficiary of the deal.
someone who gets money or other things from someone who has died
conservationist
someone who works to protect the environment from damage or destruction
conserve
to prevent land, water, or other natural resources from being damaged or destroyed
- International efforts to conserve forests will help control climate change.
to use very little of something such as electricity or water so that it is not wasted
- In hot weather conserving water is even more important.
- Here are 10 easy steps you can take to conserve energy in your home.
Contentious(controversial)
causing disagreement between people or groups
- Sex education in schools remains a highly contentious issue.
enjoying arguing with other people
Contention
an opinion or statement that something is true, especially one made during a discussion or argument
My main contention is that we should be educating children to be good citizens.
disagreement between people or groups
- The subject remains a source of great contention in the family.
contend
to claim that something is true
- contend that: Critics of the school system contend that not enough emphasis is placed on creativity.
to compete against someone, for example for a victory or for power
- contend for: The two teams contending for the championship are very evenly matched.
debate
a discussion in which people or groups state different opinions about a subject
debate about/on/over: There has been intense debate over political union.
debatable
not clear or certain because different people may have different opinions:
[ + question word ] It’s debatable whether a university degree helps at all.
desolation
the state of a place that is empty or where everything has been destroyed:
- a scene of desolation
the state of feeling sad and alone:
- a feeling of utter desolation
desolated
extremely sad and alone or empty:
She was desolated at the loss of her sister.
desolately
in a way that shows that you are extremely sad and alone or empty:
She looked desolately round the room.
“There is nowhere I can escape to,” he thought desolately.
disturbing
making you feel worried or upset:
- The article described the latest crime figures as “disturbing”.
- The following programme contains scenes that may be disturbing to some viewers.
disturbance
something that interrupts someone or makes someone feel worried:
- Residents are tired of the disturbance caused by the nightclub.
- Phone calls are the biggest disturbance at work.
violence or trouble:
- There was a minor disturbance during the demonstration, but nobody was injured.
disturb
to interrupt what someone is doing:
- Please don’t disturb your sister - she’s trying to do her homework.
- I’m sorry to disturb you so late, but my car’s broken down and I don’t have my phone with me.
disturbingly
in a way that is disturbing (= making you feel worried or upset):
- Pollution has reached disturbingly high levels in some urban areas.
economic
relating to the economy of a particular country or region
- Economic growth is slowing down.
- factors that hinder economic development
elimination
eliminate
the process of getting rid of something that is not wanted or needed
- elimination of: the elimination of all nuclear weapons
to get rid of something that is not wanted or needed
- Many infectious diseases have been virtually eliminated.
- eliminate something from something: He has had to eliminate dairy products from his diet.
extinct
an extinct animal, plant, or language no longer exists
- The Tasmanian tiger was declared extinct in 1936.
an extinct custom, job, type of person etc does not exist any longer because society has changed
- Many jobs have become extinct with the advent of computers.
extinction
the situation when an animal, plant, or language no longer exists
- species that are in danger of extinction
the situation when a custom, job, type of person etc does not exist any longer because society has changed
- plans to save the mining industry from extinction
governmental
relating to a government
a governmental agency
