longreads Flashcards
sounds of merriment coming from the party
glee
the scourge of war
плеть, бич, plague
thorny issues and questions
difficult, problematic, противоречивые
eventually, his anger dissipated; dissipate money
gradually disappear, peter out; misuse, deplete
Trump is their man, however inarticulate they are when explaining why
incoherent, unable to express ideas clearly
carnivorous mammals
плотоядный
a quaint seaside village
attractive in an unusual or old-fashioned way
He was indicted for extortion
blackmail, вымогательство
tentative but insufficient step; tentative arrangement to meet on Friday
uncertain, hesitant
This bespeaks a kindly heart
indicate, show
for some unfathomable reason
difficult to understand, incomprehensible
The town survives the onslaught of tourists every summer
a violent attack, assault
levers of economic power
рычаги
He knocked on the door with some trepidation
anxiety, worry, apprehension
She explained her plan and reluctantly he acquiesced (to)
accept something without arguing, concur
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
severe pain, mental suffering, unhappiness, grief, sorrow
callous disregard, indifference for the feelings of others
indifferent, careless, cruel, insensitive
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
It is replete with opportunities
full, brimming
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
Flames devoured the house, His eyes devoured her beauty
engulf, destroy, ravage; consume, swallow
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, pretence, appearance, guise
They rebuffed her request for help
refuse a friendly offer in an unkind way, deny, dismiss, reject
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, abhor
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, semblance, cover, appearance, guise
I would strongly advise against going out on your own
dissuadem 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
poorest urban slums
трущобы
The jury deliberated for five days before finding him guilty
ponder, contemplate, muse
Their much vaunted reforms did not materialize
boast
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
I was miffed that they didn’t invite me to the party
vexed, offended, irritated, disgruntled, chagrined
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
shy away, wince, cower, eschew, elude
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
The film is spoilt by unrealistic contrivances of plot
a contrivance to get her to sign the document
gimmick, twist, plot
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
No choice recurs
recurring illness/problem
repeat, reiterate, return, revert
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
She chided herself for being so impatient
admonish, berate, blame, scold, rebuke, criticize
message was a mixture of idealism and hubris
arrogance, vanity, disdain
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
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
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
confirm, verify (kəˈrɑːbəreɪt)
The results of the tests substantiated his claims
corroborate, prove, confirm, verify
a plot to topple the President, the regime
The pile of books toppled over
overthrow, depose, supplant; fall down
The concessions did little to placate the protesters
assuage, quell, appease, pacify
A group of kids were loafing around outside
бездельничать
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)
