New words that I learned Flashcards
assemble
verb. to come together in a single place or bring parts together in a single group
Syn. build, construct, put something up, erect, put together.
n. assembler
When the fire alarm rings, everyone is supposed to leave the building and assemble in the schoolyard.
Workers were earning $20 an hour assembling cars.
dresser
n. a piece of bedroom furniture with drawers, sometimes with a mirror on top, used especially for keeping clothes in
Going to the dresser, he pulled out some clothing.
The dresser contained neatly folded boxers and T-shirts but nothing else.
effort
n. physical or mental activity needed to achieve something
Syn. elbow grease, exertion, expenditure, labor.
You can’t expect to have any friends if you don’t make the effort with people.
The new system has been introduced in an effort to improve customer care.
set up
verb. to start a new business
Syn. begin, constitute, establish, found, inaugurate, initiate, innovate
borrow
verb. to get or receive something from someone with the intention of giving it back after a period of time.
Syn. adopt, embrace.
She used to borrow money and not bother to pay it back.
He borrowed a novel from the library.
deny
verb. to say that something is not true.
Syn. contradict, disaffirm, disallow, disavow, disclaim, disconfirm, disown, gainsay, negate, negative, refute, reject, repudiate
The president has consistently denied the rumours.
She has always stridently denied the accusations against her.
haggle
Verb. to attempt to decide on a price or conditions that are acceptable to the person selling the goods and the person buying them, usually by arguing:
Syn. bargain, chaffer, deal, dicker, horse-trade, negotiate, palter
It’s traditional that you haggle over/about the price of things in the market.
quit
verb. to stop doing something or leave a job or a place:
I’m going to quit smoking.
Despite opposition from his family, he quit school and became an actor.
claim
verb. to say that something is true or is a fact, although you cannot prove it and other people might not believe it:
intrigue
V. to interest someone a lot, especially by being strange, unusual, or mysterious:
Throughout history, people have been intrigued by the question of whether there is intelligent life elsewhere in the universe.
I was intrigued by his slow, deliberate way of talking and the serious look in his eyes.
charming
adj. pleasant and attractive:
We had dinner with our director and his charming wife.
He’s very charming but I wouldn’t trust him.
restless
adj. unwilling or unable to stay still or to be quiet and calm, because you are worried or bored:
con artist
n. a person who deceives other people by making them believe something false or making them give money away
wealthy
adj. rich:
n. wealthy
For such a famous, wealthy man, his personal life was surprisingly simple and ordinary.
trick
n. an action that is intended to deceive, either as a way of cheating someone, or as a joke or form of entertainment:
It’s trick photography - she’s supposed to look like she’s walking on water.
suddenly
adv. quickly and unexpectedly:
“Do you remember much about the accident?” “No, it all happened so suddenly.”
realize
verb. to understand a situation, sometimes suddenly:
As he watched the TV show, he suddenly realized (that) he’d seen it before.
I realized that it was too late to stop them from finding out.
target
n. an object shot at during shooting practice, often a circle with a pattern of rings, or any object or place at which bullets, bombs, etc. are aimed:
Syn. aim, ambition, aspiration, dream, goal, hope, intent, objective
I had four shots but I didn’t even hit the target.
Any major airport or station is potentially a terrorist target.
stem
v. to stop something unwanted from spreading or increasing:
These measures are designed to stem the rise of violent crime.
We must take action to stem the tide of resignations.
mankind
n. the whole of the human race, including both men and women:
Syn. humanity, humankind, man
It really is true that there is almost nothing as ever-present in the history of mankind as war.
boredom
n. the state of being bored:
Syn. ennui, tedium
They started quarrelling out of sheer boredom.
She varies her workouts to avoid boredom.
the outset
n. the beginning:
At the outset of the 1990s, there was remarkable consensus within the business community as to what kind of political economy it wanted.
I told him at/from the outset I wasn’t interested.
quite
adv. completely:
The two situations are quite different.
The colours almost match but not quite.
unmistakable
adj. not likely to be confused with something else:
There was an unmistakable smell of incense in the air.
There was an unmistakable smell of chocolate.
shudder
v. to shake suddenly with very small movements because of a very unpleasant thought or feeling:
n. shudder
The sight of so much blood made him shudder.
She shuddered at the thought of kissing him.
thrive
v. to grow, develop, or be successful:
syn. burgeon, prosper
His business thrived in the years before the war.
She seems to thrive on stress.
shelter
v. to protect yourself, or another person or thing, from bad weather, danger, or attack:
noun. shelter
We were caught in a thunderstorm, without anywhere to shelter.
A group of us were sheltering from the rain under the trees.
demeanor
n. a way of looking and behaving:
Syn. behavior, conduct
There was nothing in his demeanor that suggested he was anxious.
She has the demeanor of a woman who is contented with her life.
allure
n. the quality of being attractive, interesting, or exciting:
adj. alluring.
syn. affinity, attraction, charisma, charm,
the allure of working in television
sexual allure
tongue
n. the large, soft piece of flesh in the mouth that you can move, and is used for tasting, speaking, etc.:
I burned my tongue on some soup last night.
The horse rasped my hand with his tongue as I fed him the apple.
lip
n. one of the two soft parts that form the upper and lower edges of the mouth:
She kissed me on the lips.
He licked his lips.
Belongingness
n.is the human emotional need to be an accepted member of a group. Whether it is family, friends, co-workers, a religion, or something else, people tend to have an ‘inherent’ desire to belong and be an important part of something greater than themselves. This implies a relationship that is greater than simple acquaintance or familiarity. The need to belong is the need to give and receive attention to and from others.
furthermore
adv. in addition; more importantly:
accrues
v. to increase in number or amount over a period of time:
Interest will accrue on the account at a rate of seven percent.
Little benefit will accrue to the city (= it will receive little benefit) from the new transport links.
enhance
v. to improve the quality, amount, or strength of something:
It’s things like this that enhance the quality of life.
The latest revelation certainly won’t enhance her image.
ubiquitous
adj. seeming to be everywhere:
Syn. omnipresent
Leather is very much in fashion this season, as is the ubiquitous denim.
The mobile phone, that most ubiquitous of consumer-electronic appliances, is about to enter a new age.
feat
n. something difficult needing a lot of skill, strength, courage, etc. to achieve it:
The Eiffel Tower is a remarkable feat of engineering.
She performed remarkable feats of organization for the company.
fellow
adj. used to refer to someone who has the same job or interests as you, or is in the same situation as you:
She introduced me to some of her fellow students.
Our fellow travellers were mostly Spanish-speaking tourists.
hang out
v. to spend a lot of time in a place or with someone:
You still hang out at the pool hall?
I’ve been hanging out backstage with the band.
I hang out with Adriana because we worked together.
notwithstanding
preposition, adverb. despite the fact or thing mentioned:
Notwithstanding some members’ objections, I think we must go ahead with the plan.
Injuries notwithstanding, the team won the semifinal.
uncover
v. to discover something secret or hidden or remove something covering something else:
The investigation uncovered evidence of a large-scale illegal trade in wild birds.
The biography is an attempt to uncover the inner man.
pivotal
adj. central and important:
a pivotal figure/role/idea
I was a pivotal student to get our certification.
glance
n. a quick short look:
She took/cast a glance at her watch.
The driver gave a glance back as he moved into the passing lane.
hence
adverb. for this reason; therefore:
A better working environment improves people’s performance, and hence productivity.
The project should be completed by next March, six months hence.
tough
adj. strong; not easily broken or made weaker:
Sin. durable, hard
These toys are made from tough plastic.
Children’s shoes need to be tough.
walk on eggshells
phrase. be extremely cautious about one’s words or actions.
“his air of tetchy perfectionism encouraged those around him to walk on eggshells”
rainbow
n. an arch (= curved shape) of different colours seen in the sky when rain is falling and the sun is shining:
- The sun came out and we saw a rainbow.
- The tropical butterfly’s wings were shimmering with all the colours of the rainbow.
depict
v. to represent or show something in a picture or story:
- Her paintings depict the lives of ordinary people in the last century.
- In the book, he depicts his father as a tyrant.
provide
v. to give someone something that they need:
- This booklet provides useful information about local services.
- All meals are provided at no additional cost.
- The author provides no documentary references to support her assertions.
set
n. a group of similar things that belong together in some way:
v. set
- I always keep a tool set in the back of my car.
- The doctor said that he hadn’t seen this particular set of symptoms before.
- We need to establish a new set of priorities.
upon
preposition. on:
- That depends upon the circumstances.
- She insisted upon knowing the truth.
hence
Adverb. that is the reason or explanation for:
- A better working environment improves people’s performance, and hence productivity.
- His mother was Italian, hence his name - Luca.
and so on
phrase. in addition to other things of the same kind:
- Economic growth makes us all richer, provides jobs, and so on.
- I realize they’re not doing a good job and so forth, but I don’t really like having to fire anyone.
gross
adj,adv. (in) total:
- A person’s gross income is the money they earn before tax is deducted from it.
- Once wrapped, the gross weight of the package is 2.1 kg.
- She earns £30,000 a year gross.
retail
n. the activity of selling goods to the public, usually in shops:
- The job is open to applicants with over two years’ experience in retail.
- The clothing company has six retail outlets (= shops) in Perth.
- $13 off the manufacturer’s recommended retail price
fitness
n. the condition of being physically strong and healthy:
- I’m trying to improve my fitness by cycling to work.
- the fitness industry/sector
fit
to be the right size or shape for someone or something:
- Our new sofa doesn’t fit through the door.
- I don’t think another desk will fit into this classroom.
- My car’s too big to fit in this space.
due
adj. expected to happen, arrive, etc. at a particular time:
What time is the next bus due?
The next meeting is due to be held in three months’ time.
Their first baby is due in January.
date
n. a numbered day in a month, often given with a combination of the name of the day, the month, and the year:
- What is your date of birth?
- The closing date for applications is the end of this month.
- We agreed to meet again at a later date.
- I’d like to fix a date for our next meeting.
grade
n. a level of quality, size, importance, etc.:
v. grade
- There’s some really high-grade (= high quality) musicianship on this recording.
- Bill has been on the same grade (= his job has been of the same level of importance, or he has had the same level of pay) for several years now.
midterm
adjective. being at the end of the first half of a term (= fixed period of time):
n. midterm
- midterm elections
- Midterm exams start next week.
rise to something
phrasal verb. to react to a difficult situation by working hard to succeed:
- There were some other very good competitors, but Megan rose to the challenge and sang beautifully.
- Rise to your challenge.
Index
n. an alphabetical list, such as one printed at the back of a book showing which page a subject, name, etc. is on:
- Try looking up “heart disease” in the index.
- The index only contains one reference to his work.
budget
n. a plan to show how much money a person or organization will earn and how much they will need or be able to spend:
The firm has drawn up a budget for the coming financial year.
Libraries are finding it increasingly difficult to remain within (their) budget.
assignment
n. a piece of work given to someone, typically as part of their studies or job:
- a freelance/photo assignment
- I have a lot of reading assignments to complete before the end of term.
Advocate
n. a lawyer who defends someone in a law court
v. Advocate
pace
n. the speed at which someone or something moves, or with which something happens or changes:
- For many years this company has set the pace (= has been the most successful company) in the communications industry.
- These changes seem to me to be happening at too fast a pace.
- I don’t like the pace of modern life.
spur
v. to encourage an activity or development or make it happen faster:
push for sth
Phrasal verb. to demand something repeatedly, or to take strong action to try to make it happen:
- Local residents are pushing for the road to be made safer.
undergo
v. to experience something that is unpleasant or something that involves a change:
- She underwent an operation on a tumour in her left lung last year.
- Playing board games is undergoing a revival in popularity.
charge
v. to ask an amount of money for something, especially a service or activity:
- The local museum doesn’t charge for admission.
- The bank charged commission to change my traveller’s cheques.
quite
Adv. completely:
- The two situations are quite different.
- The colours almost match but not quite.
inaccurate
Adj. not completely correct or exact, or not able to do something correctly or exactly:
- Their estimate of the cost of the project was wildly (= extremely) inaccurate.
- an inaccurate device/weapon
purchase
n. something that you buy:
v. purchase
- How do you wish to pay for your purchases?
- a major purchase
fuel
n. a substance that is burned to give heat or power.
- Coal is a fuel that supplies a lot of our country’s energy needs.
- We’ll have to stop for fuel on the way to the airport.
clue
n. something that helps you to solve a problem or answer a question
- Police are searching for clues to the murder.
scarcity
n. a situation in which there is not enough of something
- a scarcity of food
- water scarcities
profit
noun. money that you get from selling something for more than it cost you to buy or produce
- a profit of $4.5 million
- It’s very hard for a new business to make a profit in its first year.
