New Flashcards
Ebb
To get worse ينحسر - يسوء
waiting for the tide to ebb
Their fortunes had already begun to ebb.
Riveting
Thrilling
Agog
: full of interest or excitement because of something.
The news has chemists agog.
Her supporters were agog at the idea.
The town is agog over the plan.
Touchstone
محك
n. An excellent quality or example that is used to test the excellence or genuineness of others: “the qualities of courage and vision that are the touchstones of leadership”
He found in Tycho’s ample legacy of first-class data precisely what enabled him to try, by the touchstone of fact, the successive hypotheses that he imagined; and his untiring patience in comparing and calculating the observations at his disposal was rewarded by a series of unique discoveries.
Read more at http://sentence.yourdictionary.com/touchstone#MQrXPwj9Ff8O6dcQ.99
Pupil behaviour was seen as ‘the touchstone of quality’ of the school system.
Tremulous
مرتجف
She lowered her eyelids, and the deeper breathing of her bosom gave to her voice when she did speak a tremulous tone: –
Trepidation
a feeling of anxiety or fear about something that is going to happen:
While everyone else in the room was scared of spiders, Robin had no sense of trepidation when the eight-legged critter crawled up the wall.
truism
الحقيقة البديهية
a statement that is clearly true, so that there is no need to say it.
His speech was just a collection of clichés and truisms.
It is almost a truism that newspapers as we know them will cease to exist in a generation.
Abashed
embarrassed or ashamed because you have done something wrong or stupid.
Perhaps slightly abashed by his own (entirely justified) boldness, Goldhill occasionally muzzles his own point.
uncouth
behaving and speaking in a way that is rude or socially unacceptable.
فظ
While George comes from a very wealthy family, he often behaves in an uncouth manner and acts as though he has no social skills at all.
Unkempt
unkempt hair or plants have not been cut and kept neat.
unkempt appearance was the least of the homeless man’s worries.
Nobody wanted to spend the night in the unkempt hotel room that looked as though it had not been cleaned in months.
Unnerve
to upset or frighten someone so that they lose their confidence or their ability to think clearly.
يُفقِدهشجاعتهأورباطةجأشه؛يثيرأعصابه.
He was unnerved by the way Sylvia kept staring at him.
Abashed
embarrassed or ashamed because you have done something wrong or stupid.
Perhaps slightly abashed by his own (entirely justified) boldness, Goldhill occasionally muzzles his own point.
unbridled
not controlled and too extreme or violent:
It wasn’t unbridled ambition that put him at the head of the pack—he knew if he didn’t get a jump on the crowd he wouldn’t see the town of Alamosa before sunset.
unconscionable
much more than is reasonable or acceptable:
The war caused an unconscionable amount of suffering.
Unwieldy
An unwieldy object is big, heavy, and difficult to carry or use.
An unwieldy system, argument, or organization is difficult to control or manage because it is too complicated.
unwieldy bureaucracy
Because the office paperwork has become unwieldy, the company is hiring a couple of temporary workers to help sort through the large stacks of paper.
Since Frank is used to flying small jets, he found the commercial airliner a bit unwieldy under his control.
upend
verb table
to turn something over so that it is upside dow
utilitarian
intended to be useful and practical rather than attractive or comfortable.
ugly utilitarian buildings
While the restaurant’s kitchen is not overly attractive, its utilitarian layout allows the cooks to prepare meals quickly and competently.
vapid
lacking intelligence, interest, or imagination.
vapid conversation
Although the actress was nominated for several awards, she was still criticized for her vapid portrayal of the world leader.
venal
willing to use power and influence in a dishonest way in return for money.
venal police officer accepted the money the drug dealers gave him to look away from their illegal deals.
Wry
a wry expression or wry humour shows that you know a situation is bad, but you also think it is slightly amusing:
Every time we discuss politics, you always have to throw in wry remarks, making it impossible to have a serious debate with you.
Verged
to be very close to a harmful or extreme state:
Many of Lewis’s activities verged on the illegal.
Some of his ideas are verging on the dangerous.
His love of James Dean movies verged on fanaticism.
Vivacious
someone, especially a woman, who is vivacious has a lot of energy and a happy attractive manner – used to show approval
wane
if something such as power, influence, or a feeling wanes, it becomes gradually less strong or less important:
My enthusiasm for the project was waning.
The group’s influence had begun to wane by this time.
Ward something off
to do something to try to protect yourself from something bad, such as illness, danger, or attack:
Don’t forget insect repellent to ward off the mosquitoes.
a spell to ward off evil spirits
witticism
a clever amusing remark
abase
يذل to behave in a way that shows you accept that someone has complete power over you
accrue
if advantages accrue to you, you get those advantages over a period of time:
accrue to
benefits that accrue to students
accrue from
advantages accruing from the introduction of new technology
actuary
someone whose job is to advise insurance companies on how much to charge for insurance, after calculating the risks
Acculturation
cultural modification of an individual, group, or people by adapting to or borrowing traits from another culture; also : a merging of cultures as a result of prolonged contact
the process by which a human being acquires the culture of a particular society from infancy
aggrieve
to give pain or trouble to : distress
to inflict injury on
akimbo
with your hands on your hips so that your elbows point away from your body
Albatross
An albatross (around your neck) something that causes problems for you and prevents you from succeeding:
The issue has become a political albatross for the government.
allegory
مجاز
anecdotal
consisting of short stories based on someone’s personal experience:
His findings are based on anecdotal evidence rather than serious research
amity
Friendship between countries
apologia
a statement in which you defend an idea or organization that you believe in:
apologia for
an apologia for the Christian church
someone who tries to explain and defend an idea, person, or political system:
apologist for an apologist for socialism
aquiline
aquiline nose
Imperative
But the fact that racist policies enacted during Wilson’s presidency are still felt in the country today makes it imperative that the university’s board of trustees not be bound by the forces of the status quo.
Attrition
The process of gradually destroying your enemy or making them weak by attacking them continuously:
The steady attrition of black white-collar workers like Davis from the federal work force went far deeper than the customary turnover when one party succeeds the other in government
Strident
Forceful and determined, especially in a way that is offensive or annoying:
strident criticism
Strident sound or voice is loud and unpleasant:
Black Americans were still viewed as nonpersons in the eyes of the state, and even the most strident bigots were held up to public adulation. This is certainly not the case today.
Blithe
seeming not to care or worry about the effects of what you do:
a blithe disregard for the facts
literaryhappy and having no worries
—blithely adv:
He seems blithely unaware of how much anger he’s caused.
Word
blatant
something bad that is blatant is very clear and easy to see, but the person responsible for it does not seem embarrassed or ashamed:
blatant discrimination
averse
to quite enjoy something, especially something that is slightly wrong or bad for you:
I was not averse to fighting with any boy who challenged me.
2formal unwilling to do something or not liking something:
be averse to (doing) something
Jim is averse to using chemicals in the garden.
Some banks are risk averse (=do not like taking a risk).
avant-garde
avant-garde music, literature etc is extremely modern and often seems strange or slightly shocking:
an avant-garde play
Autodidact
: a self-taught person
audit
تدقيقأوفحصللحساباتالتجارية§يدقّق(الحسابات).
an official examination of a company’s financial records in order to check that they are correct:
the annual audit
internal audit
(=an audit carried out by a company’s own staff)
formala detailed examination of something in order to check if it is good enough:
Start with an audit of existing services within the community.
Attest
to show or prove that something is true SYN testify: attest to Luxurious furnishings attested to the wealth of the owner. 2[transitive]
assimilate
to completely understand and begin to use new ideas, information etc
SYN absorb
It will take time to assimilate all these facts.
2[intransitive and transitive] if people assimilate, or are assimilated into a country or group, they become part of that group and are accepted by the people in that group:
assimilate into
Refugees find it difficult to become assimilated into the community.
ascension
1the Ascension
in the Christian religion, when Jesus Christ left the earth and went to heaven
2[uncountable] formalwhen someone moves to a more important or higher position or job:
his ascension to the ranks of senior management
baroque
relating to the very decorated style of art, music, buildings etc, that was common in Europe in the 17th and early 18th centuries:
furnished in a baroque style
bedazzled
f you are bedazzled by something, you find it so impressive that it surprises and confuses you
SYN dazzled
bedlam
a situation where there is a lot of noise and confusion
SYN chaos
When the bomb exploded, there was bedlam.
beseech
to eagerly and anxiously ask someone for something
SYN beg
blandishments
pleasant things that you say in order to persuade or influence someone:
How sensible she had been to resist his blandishments.
blissful
1extremely happy or enjoyable:
blissful sunny days
2blissful ignorance
a situation in which you do not yet know about something unpleasant
—blissfully adv:
Jean seems blissfully happy.
blissfully unaware of the impending danger
Bode
the past tense of bide
2bode well/ ill (for somebody/ something)
to be a good or bad sign for the future
SYN augur
The opinion polls do not bode well for the Democrats.
boisterous
someone, especially a child, who is boisterous makes a lot of noise and has a lot of energy: a class of boisterous five-year-olds
bon mot
a clever remark
boondoggle
an officially organized plan or activity that is very complicated and wastes a lot of time, money, and effort:
a bureaucratic boondoggle
Word origin
Botch
to do something badly, because you have been careless or because you do not have the skill to do it properly:
The builders really botched up our patio.
a botched investigation
breach
]an action that breaks a law, rule, or agreement:
breach of
This was a clear breach of the 1994 Trade Agreement.
They sued the company for breach of contract.
a breach of professional duty
be in breach of something
He was clearly in breach of the law.
appellation
strong inner impulse toward a particular course of action especially when accompanied by conviction of divine influence
2 : the vocation or profession in which one customarily engages
3 : the characteristic cry of a female cat in heat; also : the period of heat
exorbitant
an exorbitant price, amount of money etc is much higher than it should be
SYN astronomical:
exorbitant rent/ prices etc
exorbitant rates of interest
Buoyancy
الطفوية - مرح
1the ability of an object to float
2the power of a liquid to make an object float:
Salt water has more buoyancy than fresh water.
3a feeling of happiness and a belief that you can deal with problems easily
Bustling
bustling place is very busy:
bustling with somebody/ something
The flower market was bustling with shoppers.
canonize
to officially state that a dead person is a saint
—canonization
catharsis
the act or process of removing strong or violent emotions by expressing them through writing, talking, acting.
Music is a means of catharsis for me.
a cathartic experience helps you to deal with difficult emotions and get rid of them — catharsis noun [C,U]
مُطَهِّر (للمشاعِر) - تَطْهير نَفْسِيّ
chide
to tell someone that you do not approve of something that they have done or said
SYN scold
‘Edward, you are naughty,’ Dorothy chided.
chide somebody for (doing) something
She chided him for not responding to her Christmas cards.
He swiftly chided himself for such thoughts.
يُوبِّخ، يُعنِّف، يَزْجُر، يُؤنِّب
chronicle
To describe events in the order in which they happened:
His life is chronicled in a new biography published last week.
The book chronicles the events leading up to the war.
clairvoyant
Someone who says they can see what will happen in the future
—clairvoyance noun[uncountable]:
the gifts of telepathy and clairvoyance
coltish
not subjected to discipline
: frisky, playful : of, relating to, or resembling a colt
off camera the actor is high-spiritedly coltish, but turns serious once the camera starts rolling
melange
a mixture of different things:
melange of The population is a melange of different cultures.
prig
someone who behaves in a morally good way and shows that they disapprove of the way other people behave – used to show disapproval:
Don’t be such a prig! It’s only a bit of harmless fun!
—priggish adjective:
a rather priggish, old-fashioned man
—priggishness noun[u
puckish
showing that you are amused by other people, and like to make jokes about them:
a puckish grin
puritanical
very strict about moral matters, especially sex – used in order to show disapproval:
a puritanical father who wouldn’t let his children watch television
The atmosphere at the school was oppressively puritanical.
compatriot
someone who was born in or is a citizen of the same country as someone else
SYN countryman:
somebody’s compatriot
Schmidt defeated his compatriot Hausmann in the quarter final.
conceit
An attitude that shows that you are too proud of what you can do, how you look etc
الغُرور، الْخُيلاء
SYN conceitedness
The conceit of the woman!
concessionary
specially reduced in price, for example for old people or children.
a concessionary fares scheme for pensioners
congeal
if a liquid such as blood congeals, it becomes thick or solid:
The fat had slowly congealed in the pan.
congruent
fitting together well
congruent triangles are the same size and shape
consanguinity
when people are members of the same family
contention
1 [C] formal an opinion that someone expresses
1 زَعْم، حُجَّة
2 [U] arguments and disagreements between people: bone of contention (=a subject that people argue about): The children’s education soon became a bone of contention between Ralph and his wife.
2 جِدال، نِزاع - مَثار النِّزاع، سَبَب الشِّقاق
Contraband
goods that are brought into a country illegally, especially to avoid tax:
a cargo of contraband
—contraband adjective:
contraband cigarettes
Contravening
to do something that is not allowed by a law or a rule: The sale of alcohol to children under 18 contravenes the licensing laws — contravention /-ˈvenʃən/ noun [C,U]
يُخِلّ بِـ، يُخالِف، يَخْرُق - الإخلال، المُخالَفة، الخَرق
Contrivance
1[countable]something that is artificial or does not seem natural, but that helps something else to happen – usually used to show disapproval:
A ridiculous series of plot contrivances moves the film along.
2[uncountable and countable] a plan or trick to make something happen or get something for yourself, or the practice of doing this:
Harriet’s matchmaking contrivances
3[countable] a machine or piece of equipment that has been made for a special purpose:
a steam-driven contrivance used in 19th century factories
deft
1a deft movement is skilful, and often quick:
He sketched her with quick, deft strokes.
deft footwork
2skilful at doing something
SYN adept
his deft chairmanship of the company
defensible
1a defensible opinion, idea, or action seems reasonable, and you can easily support it
OPP indefensible
a morally defensible prison system
2a defensible building or area is easy to protect against attack
Deem
to think of something in a particular way or as having a particular quality
SYN consider:
deem that
They deemed that he was no longer capable of managing the business.
deem something necessary/ appropriate etc
They were told to take whatever action they deemed necessary.
be deemed to be something
They were deemed to be illegal immigrants.
be deemed to do something
UK plans were deemed to infringe EU law.
debacle
an event or situation that is a complete failure:
the debacle of the 1994 elections
decamp
to leave a place quickly:
decamp to/ from
The wealthier inhabitants decamped to the suburbs.
Word
decipher
1to find the meaning of something that is difficult to read or understand➔ indecipherable:
She studied the envelope, trying to decipher the handwriting.
2to change a message written in a code into ordinary language so that you can read it
SYN decode
—decipher
Couch in
be couched in something formal
to be expressed in a particular way:
The offer was couched in legal jargon.
persnickety
worrying too much about details that are not important – used to show disapproval
provenance
l the place where something originally came from
SYN origin
The provenance of the paintings is unknown.
(of) dubious/ doubtful provenance
(=used to suggest that something may have been stolen)
artworks of doubtful provenience
forsake
to leave someone, especially when you should stay because they need you
SYN abandon
children forsaken by their parents
2to stop doing, using, or having something that you enjoy
SYN give up
She will never forsake her vegetarian principles.
3to leave a place, especially when you do not want to:
He has forsaken his native Finland to live in Britain.
I’m
municipality
a town, city, or other small area, which has its own government to make decisions about local affairs, or the officials in that government:
the municipality of Berkeley
an elected municipality
Covey
mature bird or pair of birds with a brood of young; also : a small flock
Crane
a large machine with a long metal arm used to lift heavy things
1 الرّافِعة (الوِنْش)
Credence
give/lend credence to sth to believe something, or make something seem likely to be true: Recent discoveries give credence to the theory that the illness is caused by stress.
تَصديق - يصدِّق ما يسمعه
Curt
using few words when you speak to someone, in a way that seems rude: He gave a curt reply — curtly adverb — curtness noun [U]
مقتضَب وجافّ - باقتضاب - الاقتضاب
Delinquency
criminal behaviour, especially by young people → see also JUVENILE DELINQUENT — delinquent adjective
جُنوح - جانح
Deplore
to say that you think something is very bad and that you strongly disapprove of it: a statement deploring the use of chemical weapons — deplorable adjective
يَستنكر، يَستهجن - مُستهجَن، مُؤسِف، يُرثى له
Detest
to hate someone or something: I was going out with a boy my mother detested.
يُبغِض، يَمقُت، يَكره بشدَّة
Dicey
used to say that you cannot be sure about something, because there is a risk that something bad or dangerous may happen: Making films with wild animals is always a dicey business.
فيه مخاطَرة، غير مأمون العواقِب، غير مَضمون
Agile
able to move quickly and easily: as agile as a monkey
1 خَفيف الحَركة
2 able to think quickly and intelligently: old people who are still mentally agile — agility /əˈdʒɪlɪ(ə)ti/ noun [U]
2 سَريع التَّفكير والذَّكاء - سُرْعة الحَركة أو التَّفكير
Conscript
someone who has been made to join the army, navy etc
المُجنَّد
Scurrilous
a scurrilous remark, article etc contains damaging and untrue statements about someone
(ملاحظة أو مقال .. إلخ) بَذيء، فاحِش
Reel
1 to walk in an unsteady way, almost falling over, as if you are drunk: A guy came reeling down the hallway.
1 يَترنَّح، يَتَمايَل
2 to feel very shocked or confused: The party is still reeling from its defeat in the election.
2 يَشْعُر بِصَدمة أو ارتباك
Barrage
bar·rage /ˈbærɑːʒ‖bəˈrɑːʒ/ noun
1 [singular] when there are a lot of complaints, questions, sounds etc that happen very quickly after each other: + of Despite a barrage of criticism, the trial went ahead.
1 وابِل من
2 [C usually singular] the continuous shooting of guns
2 طلقات المِدْفعِيَّة المتتالية، سدّ من نيران المِدْفعِيَّة
Sack
2 get the sack/give sb the sack BrE to be told to leave your job or to tell someone to leave
2 يُرفَت من عمله، يَرفت شخصًا من عمله
Poised
1 ready to do something or soon going to do it: The army was poised to attack.
1 مُتأهِّب، جاهِز، على أُهْبة الاستعداد
2 not moving, but ready to move: runners poised at the start of a race
2 في وَضْع الاستعداد، مُتأهِّب للتَّحرُّك
3 behaving in a calm confident way
3 مُتَّزِن، رَصين
Impeccable
perfect and without any mistakes: She has impeccable taste in clothes — impeccably adverb
خالٍ من العَيْب، غايَة في الإتقان - بطريقة خالِيَة من أيّ عيْب
Cajole
to persuade someone to do something by praising them or making promises to them: He tried to cajole her into having something to eat.
يَتَمَلَّق، يُداهِن
Gauntlet
oun
1 run the gauntlet to be criticized or attacked by a lot of people: There was no way to avoid running the gauntlet of media attention.
1 يَتعرَّض لحملة من النَّقْد والهُجوم الشَّديد
2 throw down the gauntlet to invite someone to fight, argue, or compete with you
Gaffe
an embarrassing mistake
زَلَّة، هَفْوَة، سَقْطة لِسان
He realized that he had committed/made an awful/embarrassing gaffe when he mispronounced her name.
Gadfly
someone who annoys people by being very critical.
a loud sports commentator who was a tactless gadfly during post-game interviews with the losing team
happenstance
something that happens by chance.
: a circumstance especially that is due to chance
Hale
hale and hearty humorous healthy and full of energy
مُمتلِئ بالنَّشاط والحيويَّة، في أتمِّ صِحَّة وعافِيَة
Idle
1 lazy
1 كَسول، خامِل
2 not working or being used: machines lying idle in our factories
2 عاطِل، غير عامِل، مُتعطِّل
3 having no useful purpose or reason: This is just idle gossip. — idleness noun [U] — idly adverb
3 غير مُجِدّ، باطِل - الكَسَل، الخُمول - بطريقة خامِلة
