longreads Flashcards
sounds of merriment coming from the party
glee
the scourge of war
плеть, бич, plague (skɜːrdʒ)
thorny issues and questions
difficult, problematic, противоречивые (ˈθɔːrni)
eventually, his anger dissipated; dissipate money
gradually disappear, peter out; misuse, deplete, squander
Trump is their man, however inarticulate they are when explaining why
incoherent, unable to express ideas clearly
carnivorous mammals
плотоядный (kɑːrˈnɪvərəs)
a quaint seaside village
attractive in an unusual or old-fashioned way (kweɪnt)
He was indicted for extortion
blackmail, вымогательство (ɪkˈstɔːrʃn)
tentative but insufficient step; tentative arrangement to meet on Friday
uncertain, hesitant
This bespeaks a kindly heart
indicate, show (bɪˈspiːk)
for some unfathomable reason
difficult to understand, incomprehensible (ʌnˈfæðəməbl)
The town survives the onslaught of tourists every summer
a violent attack, assault (ˈɔːnslɔːt)
levers of economic power
рычаги (ˈlevər)
He knocked on the door with some trepidation
anxiety (æŋˈzaɪəti), worry, apprehension
She explained her plan and reluctantly he acquiesced (to)
relent, concur (kənˈkɜːr) accept something w/o arguing (ˌækwiˈes)
All our efforts were in vain
futile, fruitless, abortive, idle, to no avail, unavailing
Several letters went astray
to become lost; to be stolen
Tears of anguish filled her eyes
distress, suffering, severe pain, mental suffering, unhappiness, grief, sorrow (ˈæŋɡwɪʃ)
callous disregard, indifference for the feelings of others
indifferent, careless, cruel, insensitive (ˈkæləs)
he was maligned by the established news media
порочить, клеветать, slander, defame, denigrate, disparage, smear
He’s suing them for slander
defame, denigrate, disparage, smear, maling (ˈslændər)
It is replete with opportunities
full, brimming (rɪˈpliːt)
two wine glasses, filled to the brim
до краев
I didn’t intend to denigrate her achievements
unfairly criticize, defame, disparage, smear, maling, slander
religious/racial bigot
fanatic, extremist (ˈbɪɡət)
Flames devoured the house, His eyes devoured her beauty
engulf, destroy, ravage; consume, swallow (dɪˈvaʊər)
His conduct was thoroughly reprehensible
deserving of reproof, rebuke, criticism; blameworthy.
Please advise us of any changes, I regret to advise you that
to officially tell somebody something, inform, notify
The African elephant is in a desperate plight
situation, condition, predicament, hardship
The ceasefire brought about a semblance of peace
veneer (vəˈnɪr), pretence (ˈpriːtens), appearance, guise (ɡaɪz) (ˈsembləns)
They rebuffed her request for help
refuse a friendly offer in an unkind way, deny, dismiss, reject (rɪˈbʌf)
museum’s custodians
keeper, caretaker, maintenance person, warden
the nadir of his career; losses reached their nadir in 2009
ˈneɪdɪə(r)’, the worst moment
I don’t hold/have any grudges against you;
I grudge having to pay so much tax
hatred, animus, malevolence; hate, despise, loath (loʊθ), abhor (ɡrʌdʒ)
club’s financial predicament
difficult situation, plight, hardship, posture,
friendliness was only pretence, she abandoned all pretence of being interested, keep up the pretence that she love him
veneer (vəˈnɪr), semblance (ˈsembləns), cover, appearance, guise (ɡaɪz) (ˈpriːtens)
I would strongly advise against going out on your own
dissuade, discourage
students veer off successful path
deviate, diverge
he had malevolent intentions
malicious, wicked, malignant, vicious
critics are solicited for their opinions
Volunteers are solicited to assist
They want to solicit funds from him
plead for, ask for, seek (səˈlɪsɪt)
poorest urban slums
трущобы
The jury deliberated for five days before finding him guilty
ponder about/on/over (ˈpɑːndər), contemplate, muse, ruminate on/over (ˈruːmɪneɪt)
Their much vaunted reforms did not materialize
praised, boast, brag (ˈvɔːntɪd)
Several countries cavil at the cost of the project
he cavilled each item of a proposed agenda
quibble, придираться, trivial and annoying objection
I was miffed that they didn’t invite me to the party
vexed, offended, irritated, disgruntled, chagrined
She grudgingly admitted that I was right
reluctantly, unwillingly, hesitantly
Iran succumbed because of the depredations of the Pahlavi dynasty
devastation, destruction; plundering, robbery, ravage
It isn’t worth quibbling about/over such a small amount.
cavil, to argue or complain about an unimportant detail
He never flinched from facing up to trouble
He flinched at the sight of the blood
react to pain by wincing (wɪns), shying away, cower (ˈkaʊər), cringe (krɪndʒ), recoil (rɪˈkɔɪl) eschew (ɪsˈtʃuː), flee (flɪntʃ)
sublime beauty
the sublime confidence of youth
magnificent, gorgeous, splendorous; blinding, dazzling
Let’s start by debunking a few myths
disprove, refute
I cringed with embarrassment at the memory
I cringe when I think about it
a child cringing in terror
feel very embarrassed; cower, quiver
He retained/lost his sangfroid
nonchalance, coolness of mind; calmness; composure, (сонгфуа)
countervailing factors
redress, offset, compensate for
a fact hitherto unknown
until now
It seemed a perfectly innocuous
harmless, insipid (ɪˈnɑːkjuəs)
The film is spoilt by unrealistic contrivances of plot
a contrivance to get her to sign the document
ruse (ruːz), subterfuge (ˈsʌbtərfjuːdʒ), stratagem (ˈstrætədʒəm), gimmick (ˈɡɪmɪk), ploy (plɔɪ), scheme (skiːm), trick (kənˈtraɪvəns)
don’t want to drive a wedge between the two of you
a wedge in price levels
клин
He would never forsake her
She forsook the glamour of the city
abandon, leave, forgo, turn one’s back on, renounce
The atmosphere remained fraught
There was a fraught silence
tense, anxious, uneasy (frɔːt)
No choice recurs
recurring illness/problem
repeat, reiterate, return, revert (rɪˈkɜːr)
He sifted the relevant data from the rest
We will sift every scrap of evidence
analyse, delve into, filter, scrutinise
Interest rates have gone up to a hefty 12%
rules levy hefty fines
large, tremendous
He has formally renounced his claim to the throne
Many were executed for refusing to renounce their religion
abandon, relinquish, forsake, repudiate
a situation fraught with danger/difficulty/problems
full of, brimming, replete, abounding
Why is everybody fawning over him as if he were a national hero
flatter, cajole, please somebody by praising them (fɔːn)
She chided herself for being so impatient
admonish, berate, blame, scold, rebuke, criticize
message was a mixture of idealism and hubris
arrogance, vanity, disdain (ˈhjuːbrɪs)
The tunnel is a brilliant feat of engineering
to perform/achieve astonishing feats
achievement, accomplishment, triumph, подвиг
They lacked the wherewithal to pay for the repairs
funds, necessary means, resources, money
When his duplicity was discovered he was deprived of his office
двуличность, hypocrisy, deception, deceit
The firm had accrued debts of over $6m
Interest will accrue if you keep your money in a savings account
amass, accumulate, swell, grow
The town had been pillaged and burned
plunder, pilfer, ravage, loot (ˈpɪlɪdʒ)
The economy/competition is beginning to rev up
to accelerate sharply the speed of an engine, spur, expedite, impel, precipitate
The reforms were implemented piecemeal
The companies were broken up and sold off piecemeal
bit by bit, gradually, по частям
pending business, questions
awaiting decision, unfinished; imminent, looming
The sound of his voice made her heart flutter
She fluttered her eyelashes
трепетать, beat very quickly, throb, wave rapidly (ˈflʌtər)
Oil prices took a nosedive in the crisis
Stock markets have crashed in the biggest nosedive this century
policies have sent the industry into an abrupt nosedive.
plummet, plunge, fall, (ноуздайв)
Their policies would wreak havoc on the economy
He swore to wreak vengeance on them
inflict, unleash, wreck, do great damage or harm (riːk)
I was sorely tempted to complain
Their patience was sorely tested
earnestly, acutely, seriously, severely, (sɔːli)
She looked at me squarely in the eye
We must meet the challenge squarely
directly, exactly (skweəli)
famous adage
aphorism, saying, proverb (ˈædɪdʒ)
corroborating evidence, results
The evidence was corroborated by two independent witnesses
substantiate (səbˈstænʃieɪt), confirm, affirm, verify, attest (kəˈrɑːbəreɪt)
The results of the tests substantiated his claims
corroborate (kəˈrɑːbəreɪt), confirm, affirm, verify, attest (səbˈstænʃieɪt)
a plot to topple the President, the regime
The pile of books toppled over
overthrow, depose, supplant; fall down (ˈtɑːpl)
The concessions did little to placate the protesters
assuage, quell, appease, pacify (ˈpleɪkeɪt)
A group of kids were loafing around outside
loiter (ˈlɔɪtər), hang around (in negative way, illegal), wiggle around, shuffled around (ləʊf)
forebear
ancestor (ˈfɔːbeə(r))
They had a hunch that he is still around
to follow your hunches
intuition, apprehension, feeling
She managed to procure a ticket for the concert
They procured us a copy of the report
obtain, gain, acquire (with difficulty)
canteen
столовая
felons
criminal, convict, delinquent
evidence from an unimpeachable source
impeccable, unblemished (ˌʌnɪmˈpiːtʃəbl)
machine learning engines are inscrutable
hidden, mysterious, impenetrable, incomprehensible, unfathomable
sexism pervades her workplace
The entire house was pervaded by a sour smell
permeate
We had inadvertently left without paying the bill
unintentionally, accidentally, unwittingly (ˌɪnədˈvɜːrtəntli)
he was aghast
He stood aghast at the sight of so much blood
horrified, stunned, amazed (əˈɡæst)
He emanates power and confidence
emit, exude, излучать (ˈeməneɪt)
Hundreds of people are killed or maimed in car accidents
mutilate, incapacitate, disable, калечить
this precluded most forms of communication
lack of interest precluded me from gaining enjoyment
prevent, impede, hinder, hamper, deter
it’s worth a lot of money, I reckon
I reckon that I’m going to get that job
assume, suppose, believe
as I alluded to above
The problem was alluded to earlier
mention, bring up
failure to stem the violence in Syria
The reforms failed to stem social discontent
curb, hinder, contain, restrain
This will likely entrench poverty
Sexism is deeply entrenched in our society
establish, embed
banks teetered on the cliff of financial disaster
The country is teetering on the brink of civil war
be on the edge, verge of (ˈtiːtər)
He had to liaise directly with the police
Her job is to liaise between students and teachers
communicate, connect; to act as a link (liˈeɪz)
He is very fastidious about personal hygiene
Everything was planned in fastidious detail
very careful, meticulous, брезгливый, разборчивый (fæˈstɪdiəs)
My father was meticulous about his appearance
She planned her trip in meticulous detail
fastidious, thorough, accurate, painstaking, precise (məˈtɪkjələs)
token opposition to Putin
We charge only a token fee
nominal, symbolic, formal (ˈtoʊkən)
An apologetic letter to his creditors
They were very apologetic about the trouble caused
expressing remorse, regret; penitent
but any hope was jettisoned
He was jettisoned as team coach after the defeat
abandon, discard, abdicate, throw overboard (ˈdʒetɪsn)
His gaze roamed over her
The sheep roam freely on the land
wander about
he had squandered his early life
He squandered all his money on gambling
dissipate, waste, scatter, (ˈskwɑːndər)
My sisters were squabbling over what to watch on TV
haggle over/about (ˈhæɡl), bicker about/over, quibble about/over, wrangle over (ˈræŋɡl), argue (ˈskwɑːbl)
She was filled with longing to hear his voice
a longing for home/him
yearning for, lust for
dystopian vision of A.I
gloomy, despondent, murky
Starting a new job can be a daunting prospect
She has a daunting task of
intimidating, dismaying, frightening
Many tout the UBI as a solution
She’s being touted as the next leader of the party
praise, proclaim , promote
buffeted by financial crises
The nation had been buffeted by a wave of strikes
hit repeatedly, debilitated
the vagaries of weather
the vagaries of debt markets
unexpected changes, caprice, fluctuation
Do smth apace
quickly, swiftly
Nourish hope, talents
children were well nourished
feed, foster, sustain (ˈnɜːrɪʃ)
Angst over price shift
apprehension, anxiety (æŋst)
sight of her rekindled his passion/feelings/hope
renew, revive
Borrow and spend with equal abandon
He signed cheques with careless abandon
recklessness
Most ineptly governed country
poorly, abominably, haphazardly
The drug brought a brief respite from the pain
передышка, relief, truce
The signature was attested by two witnesses
corroborate (kəˈrɑːbəreɪt), validate, affirm, substantiate (səbˈstænʃieɪt)
He checked into the hotel under an alias
псевдоним (ˈeɪliəs)
Bedeviled German bank
The expedition was bedevilled by bad weather
beset, plague, inundate, pester, torment (bɪˈdevl)
he is haggling over the price with the vendor
bargain, quibble, squabble over (ˈskwɑːbl), wrangle over (ˈræŋɡl), bicker about/over (ˈhæɡl)
She still professes her innocence
I don’t profess to be an expert
assert, declare, proclaim, purport (pərˈpɔːrt)
The country was in the throes of revolutionary change
agony, turmoil, anguish (θroʊz)
ECB shows no rush to taper its policy, stimulus
dwindle, wane, abate, rescind
On the left are those who inveigh against vaccines
fulminate against, denounce, decry, scold, rebuke (ɪnˈveɪ)
political stasis
balance, equilibrium (ˈsteɪsɪs)
illnesses requiring referral to hospitals
направление (к врачу)
His remark jolted her into action
jolting the economy out of recession
push suddenly, startle, shake up
Merkel had lambasted the protectionism of America
scold, denounce, berate (læmˈbeɪst)
strengthen their beleaguered country
harassed, plagued inundated pestered with difficulties, beset, bedevil (bɪˈliːɡərd)
he did not believe they would connive to murder him
conspire, collude (kəˈnaɪvɪŋ)
people reviled him for his callous behavior
chide, lambaste, admonish, vilify, berate, scold (rɪˈvaɪl)
prevent this malady from developing
disease, ailment, infirmity (ˈmælədi)
commodity prices have sagged recently
tent began to sag under the weight of the rain
decline, drop, dwindle, wane
a surfeit of savings in China
surfeit of rules
glut, excess, overkill, surplus (ˈsɜːrfɪt)
he aspires to lofty goals/ambitions/ideals/principles
her lofty disdain for other people
high moral quality, superb, noble;
haughty, pretentious, arrogant, aloof
These claims are absolutely preposterous
outrageous, ludicrous, ridiculous (prɪˈpɑːstərəs)
the pertinent question is
Please keep your comments pertinent to the topic
relevant, (ˈpɜːtɪnənt)
this decision will be fully vindicated
evidence vindicate the defendant
corroborate (kəˈrɑːbəreɪt), justify, substantiate (səbˈstænʃieɪt); absolve, acquit, exonerate
He replied with haughty disdain
pretentious, arrogant, aloof, lofty (ˈhɔːti)
Trading in a foreign country can be fraught with pitfalls
trap, difficulty, peril, подводный камень
From the looks on their faces I surmised that they had an argument
guess, infer, presume, deduce (sərˈmaɪz)
foodmakers are barred from using certain ingredients
prevent, hinder, ban, preclude
that was the most obvious intimation
hint, clue, inkling, намек (ˌɪntɪˈmeɪʃn)
his penchant for playing video games
inclination, predilection, propensity, proneness (pentʃənt)
seep into every part of our lives
Blood was beginning to seep through the bandages
permeate, soak, percolate
blissfully impervious to the crisis
impervious to criticism/pain
immune, invulnerable, imp’enetrable (ɪmˈpɜːrviəs)
Volatility index vacillated
The country’s leaders are still vacillating between confrontation and compromise
oscillate, fluctuate; hesitate, falter (ˈfɔːltər), wobble on (ˈwɑːbl), waver on/about/between (ˈweɪvər), demur at (dɪˈmɜːr), dither over (ˈdɪðər), scruple about (ˈskruːpl) (ˈvæsəleɪt)
He took them presents to salve his conscience, fear
(sælv) assuage (əˈsweɪdʒ), alleviate, calm
He ruefully admitted that he envied her
‘So this is goodbye,’ she said ruefully
sad, sorowful, sombre (ˈruːfəli/)
Lucid acknowledgement of defeat
She writes in a very lucid style
clear, sober (ˈluːsɪd)
His erstwhile friends turned against him.
former (ˈɜːrstwaɪl)
Paul was in a sombre mood
The year ended on a sombre note
sad, forlorn (ˈsɑːmbər)
He always fulminates against government intervention
criticise harshly, berate, denounce, inveigh against (ˈfʌlmɪneɪt)
Notwithstanding some major financial problems, the company had a successful year.
despite (nɑːtwɪθˈstændɪŋ)
It was a laudable attempt
praiseworthy, deserving to be praised, even if not really successful (ˈlɔːdəbl)
settle for less
I couldn’t afford the house, so I had to settle for second best
accept, agree to not smth you want but the best that is available
staunch friend, ally
loyal, trustworthy, stalwart (stɔːntʃ)
Putin deftly flattered Trump
aptly, neatly, adroitly, gracefully, ловкоб искусно
coax the details out of him
She coaxed the horse into coming a little closer
(koʊks) persuade, induce, entice, cajole (kəˈdʒoʊl), beguile (bɪˈɡaɪl), flatter
He had no inkling of what was going on
I had the inkling that something was wrong
hunch, intimation, намек
dangers lurking in the bond bubble
I saw a man lurking in the shadows
hide, sneak (lɜːrk)
this chimes with the views of managers
coincide, accord (əˈkɔːrd), correspond, concur (kənˈkɜːr) (tʃaɪm)
These results accord closely with our predictions
coincide, chime (tʃaɪm), concur (kənˈkɜːr) (əˈkɔːrd)
Stock markets are buoyant
buoyant demand/economy
(ˈbɔɪənt) resilient (rɪˈzɪliənt), tending to increase or stay at a high level
inoculate teenagers against peer pressure
protect, insulate from/against (ˈɪnsəleɪt), (ɪˈnɑːkjuleɪt)
inchoate ideas
nascent (ˈnæsnt), incipient, fledgling (ɪnˈkoʊət)
their deeds belie their words
Government claims are belied by statistics
contradict, disprove, repudiate, mislead (bɪˈlaɪ)
suffice it to say that it was a complete disaster
to be sufficient (səˈfaɪs)
Cases of asthma increase in lockstep with air pollution
together, simultaneously
the most stringent test of a company’s liquidity
law, regulation
rigorous, rigid, painstaking, thorough (ˈstrɪndʒənt)
The pain in my back was excruciating
acute, searing, scorching, exquisite (ˈekskwɪzɪt) (ɪkˈskruːʃieɪtɪŋ)
Sirius ensconced himself in library
he ensconced himself in my bedroom
устраиваться, make yourself comfortable (ɪnˈskɑːns)
he bragged to his friends about (of) the crime
I’m not bragging but I think I did well
boast about (of) (bræɡ)
ostentatious gold jewellery
He gave an ostentatious yawn
classy, showy, flamboyant; conspicuous, apparent (ˌɑːstenˈteɪʃəs)
This puts investors in a quandary (quandaries)
George was in a quandary
dilemma, plight, predicament, bewilderment, impasse (ˈɪmpæs), deadlock, gridlock (ˈkwɑːndəri)
Grueling task/journey
I’ve had a gruelling day
arduous (ˈɑːrdʒuəs), excruciating (ɪkˈskruːʃieɪtɪŋ), chastening, onerous (ˈoʊnərəs) (ˈɡruːəlɪŋ)
The proposal is very nebulous
vague (veɪɡ), ambiguous, murky (ˈmɜːrki), obscure (ˈnebjələs)
James attended to her
I have some business to attend to
take care of, support; deal with
She feels like a horrid mother
horrible, atrocious, hideous, abhorrent, foul, detestable(ˈhɔːrɪd)
I wouldn’t demean myself by asking for charity
Behaviour like this demeans politics
degrade, disparage, derogate (dɪˈmiːn), унижать, терять достоинство
investors are chary of emerging markets
wary of (ˈweri), leery of (ˈlɪri), circumspect (ˈtʃeri)
but his efforts ran aground
to become stranded, fail, be in vain, come to naught (əˈɡraʊnd)
people agitating for (against) social change
her remark agitated him
campaign; disconcert (ˌdɪskənˈsɜːrt), disturb, unsettle, bewilder (ˈædʒɪteɪt)
unabridged version
complete (ˌʌnəˈbrɪdʒd)
arid landscape
arid discussion
barren, dry; insipid, tedious, dull, humdrum, mundane (ˈærɪd)
She listened to the speaker with rapt attention
a rapt audience
enthralled, fascinated, enraptured (ræpt), восхищенный, сосредоточенный
he blatantly contravenes the rules
national policies that contravene European law
go against, defy, violate, conflict, infringe smth, run afoul of smth (əˈfaʊl), encroach (ˌkɑːntrəˈviːn)
flamboyant clothes, gesture
ostentatious (ˌɑːstenˈteɪʃəs), extravagant, colourful, dazzling, classy, showy, (flæmˈbɔɪənt)
Negotiations have reached an impasse
to break/end/resolve the impasse
a way out of the diplomatic impasse
quandary (ˈkwɑːndəri), plight, deadlock, predicament, bewilderment, gridlock, (ˈɪmpæs)
It’s gridlock between 6.30 and 9.00
Congress is in gridlock
bottleneck, congestion (kənˈdʒestʃən), traffic jam; impasse(ˈɪmpæs), quandary (ˈkwɑːndəri), plight, deadlock, predicament (prɪˈdɪkəmənt), bewilderment (bɪˈwɪldərmənt)
I tend to ruminate on (over/about) the existential problems
ponder on/over/about (ˈpɑːndər), deliberated, contemplate, muse, weigh up (ˈruːmɪneɪt)
His manners are abysmal
abhorrent (əbˈhɔːrənt), appalling, atrocious, gruesome, horrid, foul (əˈbɪzməl)
Government is wading into CBR
She waded into him as soon as he got home
vilify, assail (əˈseɪl), berate, decry, denounce, revile (rɪˈvaɪl) (weɪd) - informal
free market economy can be brittle
‘Not at all,’ she said in a brittle voice
fragile (ˈfrædʒl); hard and sharp (ˈbrɪtl)
FED is forging ahead with rate increase
advance, progress (fɔːrdʒ)
Would it be presumptuous of me to ask to borrow your car?
it is presumptuous of you to decide what he needs
arrogant, pretentious, self-confident (prɪˈzʌmptʃuəs)
Motorists regularly flout the law
flout authority/convention
defy, disregard, repudiate, scorn, mock (skɔːrn), (flaʊt)
the vicissitudes of family life
travail, hardship (vɪˈsɪsɪtuːd)
It is nearly impossible to conciliate these two parties
pacify, placate (ˈpleɪkeɪt), appease (əˈpiːz), assuage (əˈsweɪdʒ), mollify (ˈmɑːlɪfaɪ), quell (kənˈsɪlieɪt)
I do not weep over his death
I wept to see him looking so sick
cry, grieve, sob, mourn (mɔːrn) (wiːp)
His explanation failed to mollify her
conciliate (kənˈsɪlieɪt), pacify, placate (ˈpleɪkeɪt), appease (əˈpiːz), assuage (əˈsweɪdʒ), quell (ˈmɑːlɪfaɪ)
a hoarse scream
Sorry about my voice, but I’m a little hoarse
хриплый (hɔːrs)
She’s agitated about getting there on time
She started to grow agitated
Calm down! Don’t get so agitated
nervous about/of, anxious about, jittery, fidgety (ˈædʒɪteɪtɪd)
Factors do not bode well for the economy
The look on her face boded ill for anyone who crossed her path
augur (ˈɔːɡər), presage, foretell, portend, herald (boʊd)
He was working hard so he had no qualms about taking a few days off
She left her husband and children without a qualm
misgiving, apprehension, hesitation, reluctance, disquiet, agitation (kwɔːm)
the brothers did not look even slightly abashed
ashamed, embarrassed (əˈbæʃt)
pure unadulterated anger
the holiday was sheer unadulterated pleasure
pure, clean, undiluted, pristine (ˌʌnəˈdʌltəreɪtɪd)
Details of the crime were expunged from the file
What happened before the accident was expunged from his memory
erase, abolish, obliterate (ɪkˈspʌndʒ)
economists get a pulpit
podium, platform, scaffold (ˈskæfoʊld) (ˈpʊlpɪt)
‘That’s fine,’ he replied amiably
nicely, kindly, gracefuly (ˈeɪmiəbli)
He had a chance to confess and expiate his guilt
atone for (əˈtoʊn), make amends for (əˈmendz), make up for smth (ˈekspieɪt) искупить
I make no claim to be a paragon
образец (ˈpærəɡɑːn)
the use of computers to perform humdrum tasks
a humdrum existence/job/life
tedious, dull, tedium, arid, mundane (ˈhʌmdrʌm)
Cars and buses were set ablaze during the riot
The whole building was soon ablaze
He turned to her, his eyes ablaze with anger
afire, burning quickly and strongly; full of strong emotion or excitement, passionate (əˈbleɪz)
Simmering tensions
She was still simmering with resentmen
Leave the soup to simmer
seethe with (at) smth, boil (ˈsɪmər)
he has a reputation for venality and corruption
corruptness, dishonesty (viːˈnæləti), продажность
his obstinacy will subvert everything the country had done
The film subverts notions of male and female identity
destroy, undermine, supplant, topple (ˈtɑːpl); challenge, (səbˈvɜːrt)
His criticism was unsparing
He won his mother’s unsparing approval
ruthless, inexorable (ɪnˈeksərəbl), relentless, unscrupulous (ʌnˈskruːpjələs); generous, lavish (ʌnˈsperɪŋ)
expulsion of chinese immigrants
eviction, exclusion (ɪkˈspʌlʃn)
The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists
She confounded her critics and proved she could do the job
confuse, puzzle, befuddled, bewilder (kənˈfaʊnd)
A year ago, she sparked a conflagration on social media
a very large fire (ˌkɑːnfləˈɡreɪʃn)
George W. Bush’s administration scoured for ideas
He was scouring the papers looking for a job
I had to scour out the pans
search thoroughly, comb; scrub out, purge (ˈskaʊər)
She decided to go despite her misgivings
I had grave misgivings about making the trip
doubt, anxiety, qualms (kwɔːm), apprehension, hesitation, reluctance, disquiet, agitation
There is considerable public disquiet about (over) the safety of the new trains
anxiety , angst, unease, qualms (kwɔːm), apprehension, misgiving, agitation
She has always craved excitement to crave (for) alcohol/drugs/sweet food I must crave your pardon
yearn for (jɜːrn), long for, lust after, covet smth (ˈkʌvət); ask seriously (kreɪv)
She tried to make amends for what she had said
The team is desperate to make amends for two successive defeats
atone for (əˈtoʊn), expiate smth (ˈekspieɪt), make up for smth (əˈmendz)
to atone for a crime
make amends for (əˈmendz), make up for smth, expiate smth (ˈekspieɪt), (əˈtoʊn)
to be sent to the scaffold
stage, platform, pulpit (ˈskæfoʊld), виселица
They combed through the files for evidence of fraud
The police combed the area for clues
rummage (ˈrʌmɪdʒ), scour smth for (ˈskaʊər), sift through, rifle through, ransack (ˈrænsæk) (koʊm)
the police were investigating the phony attack
she spoke with a phoney Russian accent
bogus, fake, counterfeit (ˈkaʊntərfɪt), forged; hypocrite, pretender (ˈfoʊni)
they were compelled to wear the uniform
the law compels fathers to pay for their children
I feel compelled to write you
force to act, oblige, coerce (koʊˈɜːrs) (kəmˈpel)
american businesses clamoured for relief
they are clamouring to know what happened
they clamored the mayor into building a new park
demand loudly, cry out; compelled (ˈklæmər)
The theory has been superseded by more recent research
replace, supplant, subvert, oust, cause to be set aside, make obsolete (ˌsuːpərˈsiːd)
Our burgeoning Netflix-and-chill habit
I am here to learn about burgeoning wine industry
grow, bloom, blossom, prosper, send out buds (ˈbɜːrdʒən)
Supporters crammed the streets
He crammed eight people into his car
I crammed myself with food
I haven’t studied at all yet — I’ll have to stay up tonight and cram
stuff, overcrowd, stow into/with; to eat greedily; study intensely (kræm)
the West cleaves to the values it claims are universal
the child constantly cleaved to his mother’s side
She cleaved his skull (in two) with an axe
adhere to, cling to (klɪŋ), stick to; divide, split, rive, tear (kliːv)
defunct bank Bear Stearns
many of the now-defunct search engines
nonexistent, obsolete, bygone, deceased (dɪˈfʌŋkt)
he abjured any thought of self-abnegation
everybody is supposed to abjure violence
reject, renounce, repudiate, abstain from (əbˈdʒʊr)
It was a diabolical performance
terrible, vicious, vile, fiendish (ˈfiːndɪʃ), extremely evil or cruel
The phrase conjured powerful forces
Central bankers became hostages of the aura they helped to conjure
summon into action or bring into existence, charm (ˈkɑːndʒər)
flagging growth
Her confidence had never flagged
Children were beginning to flag.
become tired; ebb, abate, sag (sæɡ), taper off, languish (ˈlæŋɡwɪʃ), fade, wane, peter out, dwindle (flæɡ)
two men remained impassive throughout the trial
emotionless, aloof (əˈluːf), callous (ˈkæləs) (ɪmˈpæsɪv) “taking a pass” in the conversation of life
press dubbed him The King of Wall Street
nickname, name, call (dʌb)
He dabbles in trading
to take part in a sport, an activity, etc. but not very seriously (ˈdæbl)
he has abandoned his principles for the sake of political expediency
practicality, advantageousness (ɪkˈspiːdiənsi)
Expediency gets you what you want
Life in a village was hardly riveting
she gave a riveting performance
engrossing (ɪnˈɡrəʊs), fascinating, gripping, captivating, enthralling (ˈrɪvɪtɪŋ)
Being unwilling to relent is a good qualification for a sales
to give in (to smb/smth), acquiesce (ˌækwiˈes), soften, subside, concur (kənˈkɜːr), wane (rɪˈlent)
humans were mangled in the highway
recycling bin is full of mangled soda cans
Mangled debris were scattered on the site of plane crash
maim (meɪm), mutilate, deform, damage, ruin (ˈmæŋɡld)
badly damaged, especially as a result of being torn or twisted
Historians concur with each other in this view
Scientists concur that climate change is a reality
to agree, be in accord (əˈkɔːrd), acquiesce (ˌækwiˈes); coincide (kənˈkɜːr)
if you infringe on my rights, I’ll sue you
bill that infringes on freedom of expression and other fundamental rights
contravene (ˌkɑːntrəˈviːn), run afoul of (əˈfaʊl), violate, defy, flout smth (flaʊt), actively break the terms of (a law, agreement, etc.); act so as to limit or undermine (something): encroach on (ɪnˈkrəʊtʃ), interfere with, impinge on, barge in on (ɪnˈfrɪndʒ)
Would it be impertinent to ask why you’re leaving?
mentioned several impertinent facts before finally coming to the point
impudent (ˈɪmpjədənt), disrespectful, cheeky (ˈtʃiːki), irreverent (ɪˈrevərənt), brazen (ˈbreɪzn), presumptuous (prɪˈzʌmptʃuəs), insolent (ˈɪnsələnt), sassy; irrelevant (ɪmˈpɜːrtnənt)
Central banks, nimbler than parliaments
as nimble as a deer
flexible, lithe (laɪð), limber (limber), supple(ˈsʌpl), willowy (ˈwɪləʊi), pliable (ˈplaɪəbl), malleable (ˈmæliəbl) (ˈnɪmbl)
Navalny had been doused in zelyonka
They doused the piles in oil
pour (pɔːr) a liquid over, drench, soak (daʊs)
Flames were doused
extinguish (a fire or light), smother (daʊs)
he remained serene in the midst of turbulence.
a lake, still and serene in the sunlight
calm, peaceful, tranquil
Opposite: anxious, agitated
(səˈriːn)
amounts that the Lord Ruler doled out
and doled food onto his plate.
allocate, distribute in small portions (dəʊl)
They just lived off the government dole
unemployment benefit, allowance (dəʊl)
there’d been a spate of motorcycle gang violence
sudden spate of colds
succession, flurry (ˈflɜːri), deluge (deluge), torrent (ˈtɔːrənt) (speɪt)
He gave a hearty guffaw
She let out a loud guffaw
a loud and hearty (ˈhɑːrti) laugh (ɡəˈfɔː)
I had a fitful night’s sleep: I woke up several times throughout the night.
a fitful burst of energy
full of fits, irregular, sporadic (spəˈrædɪk), intermittent (ˌɪntərˈmɪtənt), desultory (ˈdesəltɔːri), haphazard, erratic
прерывистый, судорожный
Opposite: constant
(ˈfɪtfl)
Sporadic attempts
sporadic gunfire
occasional, irregular, fitful, intermittent (ˌɪntərˈmɪtənt), desultory (ˈdesəltɔːri), haphazard, erratic
Opposite, frequent, regular
(spəˈrædɪk)
Bob’s voice was garbled
He gave a garbled account of what had happened.
There was a garbled message from her on my voicemail.
mix up, confuse, slur, distort
ˈɡɑːrbld
