Oxford Words Flashcards

Question

Vanguard

Answer 1

vanguard /ˈvanɡɑːd / ▸ noun 1 a group of people leading the way in new developments or ideas: the experimental spirit of the modernist vanguard. ▪ a position at the forefront of new developments or ideas: the prototype was in the vanguard of technical development. 2 the foremost part of an advancing army or naval force. – DERIVATIVES vanguardism noun vanguardist noun – ORIGIN late Middle English (denoting the foremost part of an army): shortening of Old French avan(t)garde, from avant ‘before’ + garde ‘guard’.

Answer 2

austerity /ɒˈstɛrɪti , ɔːˈstɛrɪti / ▸ noun (plural austerities) [mass noun] 1 sternness or severity of manner or attitude: he was noted for his austerity and his authoritarianism. ▪ plainness and simplicity in appearance: the room was decorated with a restraint bordering on austerity. ▪ [count noun] (usually austerities) a feature of an austere way of life: his uncle's austerities had undermined his health. 2 difficult economic conditions created by government measures to reduce public expenditure: the country was subjected to acute economic austerity [count noun] (austerities) the austerities of post-war London. – ORIGIN late Middle English : from French austérité, from Latin austeritas, from austerus ‘severe’ (see austere).

Answer 3

risk-averse ▸ adjective disinclined or reluctant to take risks: risk-averse investors.

Answer 4

indistinguishable /ɪndɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃəb(ə)l / ▸ adjective not able to be identified as different or distinct: the counterfeit bills were virtually indistinguishable from the real thing. – DERIVATIVES indistinguishability noun indistinguishableness noun indistinguishably /ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃəbli / adverb

Answer 5

``` ambiguous /amˈbɪɡjʊəs / ▸ adjective open to more than one interpretation; not having one obvious meaning: ambiguous phrases. ▪ not clear or decided: the election result was ambiguous. – DERIVATIVES ambiguousness /amˈbɪɡjʊəsnəs / noun – ORIGIN early 16th century (in the sense ‘indistinct, obscure’): from Latin ambiguus ‘doubtful’ (from ambigere ‘waver, go around’, from ambi- ‘both ways’ + agere ‘to drive’) + -ous. ```

Answer 6

petulant /ˈpɛtjʊl(ə)nt / ▸ adjective (of a person or their manner) childishly sulky or bad-tempered: he was moody and petulant a petulant shake of the head. – DERIVATIVES petulantly /ˈpɛtjʊl(ə)ntli / adverb – ORIGIN late 16th century (in the sense ‘immodest’): from French pétulant, from Latin petulant- ‘impudent’ (related to petere ‘aim at, seek’). The current sense (mid 18th century) is influenced by pettish.

Answer 7

zoonosis /ˌzuːəˈnəʊsɪs , ˌzəʊəˈnəʊsɪs/ ▸ noun (plural zoonoses /ˌzuːəˈnəʊsiːz, ˌzəʊəˈnəʊsiːz/) a disease which can be transmitted to humans from animals. – DERIVATIVES zoonotic adjective – ORIGIN late 19th century : from zoo- ‘of animals’ + Greek nosos ‘disease’.

Answer 8

vociferous /və(ʊ)ˈsɪf(ə)rəs / ▸ adjective expressing or characterized by vehement opinions; loud and forceful: he was a vociferous opponent of the takeover. – DERIVATIVES vociferousness /və(ʊ)ˈsɪf(ə)rəsnəs / noun

Answer 9

ethos /ˈiːθɒs / ▸ noun the characteristic spirit of a culture, era, or community as manifested in its attitudes and aspirations: a challenge to the ethos of the 1960s. – ORIGIN mid 19th century : from modern Latin, from Greek ēthos ‘nature, disposition’, (plural) ‘customs’.

Answer 10

effusive /ɪˈfjuːsɪv / ▸ adjective 1 showing or expressing gratitude, pleasure, or approval in an unrestrained or heartfelt manner: an effusive welcome. 2 Geology (of igneous rock) poured out when molten and later solidified. ▪ relating to the eruption of large volumes of molten rock: effusive volcanism. – DERIVATIVES effusively /ɪˈfjuːsɪvli / adverb effusiveness /ɪˈfjuːsɪvnəs / noun

Answer 11

patriarch /ˈpeɪtrɪɑːk / ▸ noun 1 the male head of a family or tribe. ▪ an older man who is powerful within an organization: Hollywood's reigning patriarch rose to speak. ▪ the male founder of something: he's the patriarch of all spin doctors. 2 any of those biblical figures regarded as fathers of the human race, especially Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their forefathers, or the sons of Jacob. 3 a bishop of one of the most ancient Christian sees (Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople, Jerusalem, and formerly Rome). ▪ the head of an autocephalous or independent Orthodox Church: Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. ▪ a Roman Catholic bishop ranking above primates and metropolitans and immediately below the Pope, often the head of a Uniate community: Patriarch of Venice. – ORIGIN Middle English : from Old French patriarche, via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek patriarkhēs, from patria ‘family’ + arkhēs ‘ruling’.

Answer 12

pedagogy /ˈpɛdəɡɒdʒi , ˈpɛdəɡɒɡi/ ▸ noun (plural pedagogies) [mass noun] the method and practice of teaching, especially as an academic subject or theoretical concept: the relationship between applied linguistics and language pedagogy [count noun] subject-based pedagogies. – ORIGIN late 16th century : from French pédagogie, from Greek paidagōgia ‘office of a pedagogue’, from paidagōgos (see pedagogue).

Answer 13

immaterial /ɪməˈtɪərɪəl / ▸ adjective 1 unimportant under the circumstances; irrelevant: the difference in our ages is immaterial. 2 Philosophy spiritual, rather than physical: we have immaterial souls. – DERIVATIVES immateriality /ɪmətɪərɪˈalɪti / noun immaterially adverb – ORIGIN late Middle English (in immaterial (SENSE 2)): from late Latin immaterialis, from in- ‘not’ + materialis ‘relating to matter’.

Answer 14

``` fibrous fibrous /ˈfʌɪbrəs / ▸ adjective consisting of or characterized by fibres: a good fibrous root system. – DERIVATIVES fibrously adverb fibrousness /ˈfʌɪbrəsnəs / noun ```

Answer 15

amenable /əˈmiːnəb(ə)l / ▸ adjective open and responsive to suggestion; easily persuaded or controlled: parents who have amenable children. ▪ (amenable to) capable of being acted upon in a particular way; susceptible: cardiac failure not amenable to medical treatment. – DERIVATIVES amenability /əmiːnəˈbɪlɪti / noun amenably adverb amenableness noun – ORIGIN late 16th century (in the sense ‘liable to answer to a law or tribunal’): an Anglo-Norman French legal term, from Old French amener ‘bring to’ from a- (from Latin ad) ‘to’ + mener ‘bring’ (from late Latin minare ‘drive animals’, from Latin minari ‘threaten’).

Answer 16

``` egregious /ɪˈɡriːdʒəs / ▸ adjective 1 outstandingly bad; shocking: egregious abuses of copyright. 2 archaic remarkably good. – DERIVATIVES egregiousness noun – ORIGIN mid 16th century (in egregious (SENSE 2)): from Latin egregius ‘illustrious’, literally ‘standing out from the flock’, from ex- ‘out’ + grex, greg- ‘flock’. Sense 1 (late 16th century) probably arose as an ironic use. ```

Answer 17

verbatim /vəːˈbeɪtɪm / ▸ adverb in exactly the same words as were used originally: subjects were instructed to recall the passage verbatim. ▸ adjective copied, quoted, or translated in exactly the same words as were used originally: a verbatim account your quotations must be verbatim. – ORIGIN late 15th century : medieval Latin, from Latin verbum ‘word’. Compare with literatim.

Answer 18

nascent /ˈnas(ə)nt , ˈneɪs(ə)nt/ ▸ adjective (especially of a process or organization) just coming into existence and beginning to display signs of future potential: the nascent space industry. ▪ Chemistry (chiefly of hydrogen) freshly generated in a reactive form. – DERIVATIVES nascence noun nascency /ˈnas(ə)nsi, ˈneɪs(ə)nsi/ noun – ORIGIN early 17th century : from Latin nascent- ‘being born’, from the verb nasci.

Answer 19

irrefutable /ɪˈrɛfjʊtəb(ə)l , ˌɪrɪˈfjuːtəb(ə)l/ ▸ adjective impossible to deny or disprove: irrefutable evidence. – DERIVATIVES irrefutability /ɪrɛfjʊtəˈbɪlɪti , ɪrɪˌfjʊtəˈbɪlɪti / noun irrefutably /ɪˈrɛfjətəbli , ɪrɪˈfjuːtəbli / adverb – ORIGIN early 17th century : from late Latin irrefutabilis, from in- ‘not’ + refutabilis (from refutare ‘repel, rebut’).

Answer 20

coincidental /kəʊɪnsɪˈdɛnt(ə)l / ▸ adjective 1 resulting from a coincidence; happening by chance: any resemblance between their reports is purely coincidental. 2 happening or existing at the same time: it's convenient that his plan is coincidental with the group's closure.

Answer 21

``` nonsensical /nɒnˈsɛnsɪk(ə)l / ▸ adjective 1 having no meaning; making no sense: a nonsensical argument he dismissed the claim as nonsensical. 2 ridiculously impractical or ill-advised: a tax that everyone recognizes was nonsensical. – DERIVATIVES nonsensicality /nɒnˌsɛnsɪˈkalɪti/ noun nonsensically /nɒnˈsɛnsɪk(ə)li / adverb ```

Answer 22

reprehensible /ˌrɛprɪˈhɛnsɪb(ə)l / ▸ adjective deserving censure or condemnation: his complacency and reprehensible laxity. – DERIVATIVES reprehensibility /ˌrɛprɪhɛnsɪˈbɪlɪti/ noun reprehensibly /rɛprɪˈhɛnsɪbli / adverb – ORIGIN late Middle English : from late Latin reprehensibilis, from reprehens- ‘rebuked’, from the verb reprehendere (see reprehend).

Answer 23

reconcile /ˈrɛk(ə)nsʌɪl / ▸ verb [with object] 1 restore friendly relations between: the king and the archbishop were publicly reconciled she wanted to be reconciled with her father. ▪ settle (a quarrel): advice on how to reconcile the conflict. ▪ make or show to be compatible: the agreement had to be reconciled with the city's new international relations policy. ▪ (reconcile someone to) make someone accept (a disagreeable or unwelcome thing): he was reconciled to leaving. 2 make (one account) consistent with another, especially by allowing for transactions begun but not yet completed: it is not necessary to reconcile the cost accounts to the financial accounts. – DERIVATIVES reconcilement /ˌrɛk(ə)nˈsʌɪlm(ə)nt / noun reconciler noun – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French reconcilier or Latin reconciliare, from Latin re- ‘back’ (also expressing intensive force) + conciliare ‘bring together’.

Answer 24

elegant /ˈɛlɪɡ(ə)nt / ▸ adjective 1 graceful and stylish in appearance or manner: she will look elegant in black an elegant, comfortable house. 2 (of a scientific theory or solution to a problem) pleasingly ingenious and simple: the grand unified theory is compact and elegant in mathematical terms. – ORIGIN late 15th century : from French, or from Latin elegans, elegant-, related to eligere ‘choose, select’ (see elect).

Answer 25

masochist /ˈmasəkɪst / ▸ noun a person who derives sexual gratification from their own pain or humiliation: the roles of masochist and mistress. ▪ (in general use) a person who enjoys an activity that appears to be painful or tedious: what kind of masochist would take part in such an experiment?

Answer 26

facile /ˈfasʌɪl , ˈfasɪl/ ▸ adjective 1 ignoring the true complexities of an issue; superficial: facile generalizations. ▪ (of a person) having a superficial or simplistic knowledge or approach: a man of facile and shallow intellect. 2 (especially of success in sport) easily achieved; effortless: a facile seven-lengths victory. – DERIVATIVES facilely adverb facileness noun – ORIGIN late 15th century (in the sense ‘easily accomplished’): from French, or from Latin facilis ‘easy’, from facere ‘do, make’.

Answer 27

capricious /kəˈprɪʃəs / ▸ adjective given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behaviour: a capricious and often brutal administration. ▪ changing according to no discernible rules; unpredictable: a capricious climate. – DERIVATIVES capriciously /kəˈprɪʃəsli / adverb capriciousness /kəˈprɪʃəsnəs / noun – ORIGIN early 17th century : from French capricieux, from Italian (see capriccioso).

Answer 28

inflection /ɪnˈflɛkʃ(ə)n / (mainly British also inflexion) ▸ noun 1 Grammar a change in the form of a word (typically the ending) to express a grammatical function or attribute such as tense, mood, person, number, case, and gender: a set of word forms differing only in respect of inflections. ▪ [mass noun] the process or practice of inflecting words. 2 [mass noun] the modulation of intonation or pitch in the voice: she spoke slowly and without inflection [count noun] the variety of his vocal inflections. ▪ the variation of the pitch of a musical note. 3 mainly Mathematics a change of curvature from convex to concave at a particular point on a curve: the point of inflection of the bell-shaped curve. – DERIVATIVES inflectionless adjective (mainly British also inflexionless) – ORIGIN late Middle English (in the sense ‘the action of bending inwards’): from Latin inflexio(n-), from the verb inflectere ‘bend in, curve’ (see inflect).

Answer 29

ontological /ɒntəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l / ▸ adjective 1 relating to the branch of metaphysics dealing with the nature of being: ontological arguments. 2 showing the relations between the concepts and categories in a subject area or domain: an ontological database an ontological framework for integrating and conceptualizing diverse forms of information. – DERIVATIVES ontologically /-təˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)li/ adverb

Answer 30

poignant /ˈpɔɪnjənt / ▸ adjective evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret: a poignant reminder of the passing of time. ▪ archaic sharp or pungent in taste or smell: the poignant scent of her powder. – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French, literally ‘pricking’, present participle of poindre, from Latin pungere ‘to prick’.

Answer 31

clemency /ˈklɛmənsi / ▸ noun [mass noun] mercy; lenience: an appeal for clemency. – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Latin clementia, from clemens, clement- ‘clement’.

Answer 32

secular /ˈsɛkjʊlə / ▸ adjective 1 not connected with religious or spiritual matters: secular buildings secular attitudes to death. Contrasted with sacred. 2 Christian Church (of clergy) not subject to or bound by religious rule; not belonging to or living in a monastic or other order. Contrasted with regular. 3 Astronomy of or denoting slow changes in the motion of the sun or planets. 4 Economics (of a fluctuation or trend) occurring or persisting over an indefinitely long period: there is evidence that the slump is not cyclical but secular. 5 occurring once every century or similarly long period (used especially in reference to celebratory games in ancient Rome). ▸ noun a secular priest. – DERIVATIVES secularity /sɛkjʊˈlarɪti / noun secularly /ˈsɛkjʊləli / adverb – ORIGIN Middle English : secular (SENSE 1 OF THE adjective, SENSE 2 OF THE adjective) from Old French seculer, from Latin saecularis, from saeculum ‘generation, age’, used in Christian Latin to mean ‘the world’ (as opposed to the Church); secular (SENSE 3 OF THE adjective, SENSE 4 OF THE adjective, SENSE 5 OF THE adjective) (early 19th century) from Latin saecularis ‘relating to an age or period’.

Answer 33

banal /bəˈnɑːl , bəˈnal/ ▸ adjective so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring: songs with banal, repeated words. – DERIVATIVES banally adverb – ORIGIN mid 18th century (originally relating to feudal service in the sense ‘compulsory’, hence ‘common to all’): from French, from ban ‘a proclamation or call to arms’; ultimately of Germanic origin and related to ban1.

Answer 34

whitewash /ˈwʌɪtwɒʃ / ▸ noun 1 [mass noun] a solution of lime and water or of whiting, size, and water, used for painting walls white. 2 [in singular] a deliberate attempt to conceal unpleasant or incriminating facts about a person or organization in order to protect their reputation: the opposition called the report ‘a whitewash’. 3 informal a victory by the same side in every game of a series: the Lions went downhill to a 4–0 whitewash. ▸ verb [with object] 1 paint (a wall, building, or room) with whitewash: the brick walls have been whitewashed. 2 deliberately attempt to conceal unpleasant or incriminating facts about (someone or something): most sources prefer to ignore or whitewash the most disturbing aspect of such reports there have been efforts to whitewash the minister's grim record. 3 informal defeat (an opponent) in every game of a series: Ireland were whitewashed 5-0. – DERIVATIVES whitewasher /ˈwʌɪtwɒʃə / noun

Answer 35

infarction /ɪnˈfɑːkʃ(ə)n / ▸ noun [mass noun] obstruction of the blood supply to an organ or region of tissue, typically by a thrombus or embolus, causing local death of the tissue.

Answer 36

implicit /ɪmˈplɪsɪt / ▸ adjective 1 suggested though not directly expressed: comments seen as implicit criticism of the policies. 2 (implicit in) always to be found in; essentially connected with: the values implicit in the school ethos. 3 with no qualification or question; absolute: an implicit faith in God. 4 Mathematics (of a function) not expressed directly in terms of independent variables. – DERIVATIVES implicitness noun – ORIGIN late 16th century : from French implicite or Latin implicitus, later form of implicatus ‘entwined’, past participle of implicare (see imply).

Answer 37

polytheistic /pɒlɪˌθiːˈɪstɪk / ▸ adjective relating to or characterized by belief in or worship of more than one god: most anthropologists consider the religion to be polytheistic because it has many deities.

Answer 38

orator /ˈɒrətə / ▸ noun a public speaker, especially one who is eloquent or skilled: a theatrically effective orator. ▪ (also public orator) an official speaking for a university on ceremonial occasions. – DERIVATIVES oratorial /ɒrəˈtɔːrɪəl/ adjective – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Anglo-Norman French oratour, from Latin orator ‘speaker, pleader’.

Answer 39

collocation /kɒləˈkeɪʃ(ə)n / ▸ noun [mass noun] 1 Linguistics the habitual juxtaposition of a particular word with another word or words with a frequency greater than chance: the words have a similar range of collocation. ▪ [count noun] a pair or group of words that are habitually juxtaposed: ‘strong tea’ and ‘heavy drinker’ are typical English collocations. 2 the action of placing things side by side or in position: the collocation of the two pieces. – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Latin collocatio(n-), from collocare ‘place together’ (see collocate).

Answer 40

``` juxtaposition /ˌdʒʌkstəpəˈzɪʃ(ə)n / ▸ noun the fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect: the juxtaposition of these two images. – DERIVATIVES juxtapositional adjective ```

Answer 41

proposition /prɒpəˈzɪʃ(ə)n / ▸ noun 1 a statement or assertion that expresses a judgement or opinion: the proposition that high taxation is undesirable. ▪ Logic a statement that expresses a concept that can be true or false. ▪ Mathematics a formal statement of a theorem or problem, typically including the demonstration. 2 a suggested scheme or plan of action, especially in a business context: a detailed investment proposition. ▪ US a constitutional proposal; a bill: Californian voters rejected by a two-to-one majority proposition 128. ▪ informal an offer of sex made to a person with whom one is not involved, especially one that is made in an unsubtle way: needless to say, she refused his frank sexual proposition. 3 [with adjective] a project, task, idea, etc. considered in terms of its likely success or difficulty: setting up your own business can seem an attractive proposition. ▸ verb [with object] informal make a suggestion of sex to (someone), especially in an unsubtle way: she had been propositioned at the party by a subeditor with bad breath. ▪ make an offer or suggestion to: I was propositioned by the editor about becoming film critic of the paper. – PHRASES not a proposition unlikely to succeed; not a viable option. – ORIGIN Middle English : from Old French, from Latin propositio(n-), from the verb proponere (see propound).

Answer 42

receptacle /rɪˈsɛptək(ə)l / ▸ noun 1 a hollow object used to contain something: fast-food receptacles. 2 North American an electrical socket. 3 mainly Zoology an organ or structure which receives a secretion, eggs, sperm, etc. 4 Botany an enlarged area at the apex of a stem on which the parts of a flower or the florets of a flower head are inserted. ▪ a structure supporting the sexual organs in some algae, mosses, and liverworts. – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Latin receptaculum, from receptare ‘receive back’, frequentative of recipere (see receive).

Answer 43

trepidation /ˌtrɛpɪˈdeɪʃ(ə)n / ▸ noun [mass noun] 1 a feeling of fear or anxiety about something that may happen: the men set off in fear and trepidation. 2 archaic trembling movements or motion. – ORIGIN late 15th century : from Latin trepidatio(n-), from trepidare ‘be agitated, tremble’, from trepidus ‘alarmed’.

Answer 44

misandrist /mɪˈsandrɪst / ▸ noun a person who dislikes, despises, or is strongly prejudiced against men: the counterpart to a misogynist is a misandrist. ▸ adjective relating to or characteristic of a misandrist: the university is teaching misandrist lies.

Answer 45

mendacious /mɛnˈdeɪʃəs / ▸ adjective not telling the truth; lying: mendacious propaganda. – DERIVATIVES mendaciously adverb mendaciousness noun – ORIGIN early 17th century : from Latin mendax, mendac- ‘lying’ (related to mendum ‘fault’) + -ious.

Answer 46

mendacity /mɛnˈdasəti / ▸ noun [mass noun] untruthfulness: people publicly castigated for past mendacity. – ORIGIN mid 17th century : from ecclesiastical Latin mendacitas, from mendax, mendac- ‘lying’ (see mendacious).

Answer 47

salacious /səˈleɪʃəs / ▸ adjective having or conveying undue or inappropriate interest in sexual matters: salacious stories. – DERIVATIVES salaciously /səˈleɪʃəsli / adverb salaciousness /səˈleɪʃəsnəs / noun – ORIGIN mid 17th century : from Latin salax, salac- (from salire ‘to leap’) + -ious.

Answer 48

soviet /ˈsəʊvɪət , ˈsɒvɪət/ ▸ noun 1 an elected local, district, or national council in the former Soviet Union. ▪ a revolutionary council of workers or peasants in Russia before 1917. 2 (Soviet) a citizen of the former Soviet Union. ▸ adjective (Soviet) of or concerning the former Soviet Union: the Soviet leader. – DERIVATIVES Sovietism noun – ORIGIN early 20th century : from Russian sovet ‘council’.

Answer 49

conciliate /kənˈsɪlɪeɪt / ▸ verb [with object] 1 stop (someone) being angry or discontented; placate: concessions were made to conciliate the peasantry. ▪ [no object] act as a mediator: he sought to conciliate in the dispute. ▪ formal reconcile; make compatible: all complaints about charges will be conciliated if possible. 2 archaic gain (esteem or goodwill): the arts which conciliate popularity. – DERIVATIVES conciliative /kənˈsɪlɪətɪv / adjective – ORIGIN mid 16th century (in conciliate (SENSE 2)): from Latin conciliat- ‘combined, gained’, from the verb conciliare, from concilium (see council).

Answer 50

nociception /ˌnəʊsɪˈsɛpʃ(ə)n / ▸ noun [mass noun] Physiology the perception or sensation of pain: muscle nociception is mainly characterized by local tenderness and referred pain. – ORIGIN 1920s : from Latin nocere ‘to harm’ + reception, after nociceptive.

Answer 51

partisan /ˈpɑːtɪzan , ˌpɑːtɪˈzan / ▸ noun 1 a strong supporter of a party, cause, or person: partisans of the exiled Stuarts. 2 a member of an armed group formed to fight secretly against an occupying force, in particular one operating in German-occupied Yugoslavia, Italy, and parts of eastern Europe in the Second World War: the partisans opened fire from the woods [as modifier] it is not in the nature of partisan warfare to produce victory in the field. ▸ adjective prejudiced in favour of a particular cause: newspapers have become increasingly partisan. – ORIGIN mid 16th century : from French, via Italian dialect from Italian partigiano, from parte ‘part’ (from Latin pars, part-).

Answer 52

empirical /ɛmˈpɪrɪk(ə)l , ɪmˈpɪrɪk(ə)l/ ▸ adjective based on, concerned with, or verifiable by observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic: they provided considerable empirical evidence to support their argument.

Answer 53

conceptual /kənˈsɛptʃʊəl / ▸ adjective relating to or based on mental concepts: philosophy deals with conceptual difficulties. – ORIGIN mid 17th century : from medieval Latin conceptualis, from Latin concept- ‘conceived’, from the verb concipere (see concept).

Answer 54

construct ▸ verb /kənˈstrʌkt / [with object] build or make (something, typically a building, road, or machine): a company that constructs oil rigs. ▪ form (an idea or theory) by bringing together various conceptual elements: poetics should construct a theory of literary discourse. ▪ Grammar form (a sentence) according to grammatical rules: these rules tell us how to construct a grammatical sentence in a given language. ▪ Geometry draw or delineate (a geometrical figure) accurately to given conditions: construct a square equal in area to a given circle. ▸ noun /ˈkɒnstrʌkt / an idea or theory containing various conceptual elements, typically one considered to be subjective and not based on empirical evidence: history is largely an ideological construct. ▪ Linguistics a group of words forming a phrase: the appropriateness of the grammatical construct is illustrated. ▪ a physical thing which is deliberately built or formed: a transgenic construct. – DERIVATIVES constructible adjective – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Latin construct- ‘heaped together, built’, from the verb construere, from con- ‘together’ + struere ‘pile, build’.

Answer 55

incredulity /ɪnkrəˈdjuːləti / ▸ noun [mass noun] the state of being unwilling or unable to believe something: he stared down the street in incredulity.

Answer 56

agnostic /aɡˈnɒstɪk / ▸ noun a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God. ▸ adjective relating to agnostics or agnosticism. ▪ (in a non-religious context) having a doubtful or non-committal attitude towards something: until now I've been fairly agnostic about electoral reform. ▪ [usually in combination] Computing denoting or relating to hardware or software that is compatible with many types of platform or operating system: many common file formats (JPEG, MP3, etc.) are platform-agnostic our industry is moving towards a device-agnostic model. – DERIVATIVES agnosticism /aɡˈnɒstɪsɪz(ə)m / noun – ORIGIN mid 19th century : from a-1 ‘not’ + gnostic.

Answer 57

matriarch /ˈmeɪtrɪɑːk / ▸ noun a woman who is the head of a family or tribe: in some cultures the mother proceeds to the status of a matriarch. ▪ an older woman who is powerful within a family or organization: a domineering matriarch. – ORIGIN early 17th century : from Latin mater ‘mother’, on the false analogy of patriarch.

Answer 58

patriarchy /ˈpeɪtrɪɑːki / ▸ noun (plural patriarchies) [mass noun] a system of society or government in which the father or eldest male is head of the family and descent is reckoned through the male line: the thematic relationships of the ballad are worked out according to the conventional archetypes of the patriarchy. ▪ a system of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it: the dominant ideology of patriarchy. ▪ [count noun] a society or community organized on patriarchal lines: we live in a patriarchy. – DERIVATIVES patriarchism noun – ORIGIN mid 17th century : via medieval Latin from Greek patriarkhia, from patriarkhēs ‘ruling father’ (see patriarch).

Answer 59

sapiosexual /ˌseɪpɪəʊˈsɛkʃʊəl / ▸ adjective (of a person) finding intelligence sexually attractive or arousing: I met a PhD student from Germany who told me that he was sapiosexual. ▸ noun a person who finds intelligence sexually attractive or arousing: I'm a sapiosexual and I like to talk. – ORIGIN early 21st century : from Latin sapiens ‘wise’ + sexual, on the model of heterosexual and homosexual.

Answer 60

psy-ops /ˈsʌɪɒps / ▸ plural noun tactics intended to manipulate one's opponents or enemies, such as the dissemination of propaganda or the use of psychological warfare. – ORIGIN 1960s : contraction of psychological operations.

Answer 61

psychographics /sʌɪkə(ʊ)ˈɡrafɪks / ▸ plural noun [treated as singular] the study and classification of people according to their attitudes, aspirations, and other psychological criteria, especially in market research. – DERIVATIVES psychographic adjective

Answer 62

cantankerous /kanˈtaŋk(ə)rəs / ▸ adjective bad-tempered, argumentative, and uncooperative: he can be a cantankerous old fossil at times. – DERIVATIVES cantankerously /kanˈtaŋk(ə)rəsli / adverb cantankerousness /kanˈtaŋk(ə)rəsnəs / noun – ORIGIN mid 18th century : of unknown origin; perhaps a blend of Anglo-Irish cant ‘auction’ and rancorous (see rancour).

Answer 63

assiduous /əˈsɪdjʊəs / ▸ adjective showing great care and perseverance: she was assiduous in pointing out every feature. – DERIVATIVES assiduousness /əˈsɪdjʊəsnəs / noun – ORIGIN mid 16th century : from Latin assiduus, from assidere ‘be engaged in doing’ (see assess), + -ous.

Answer 64

prehension /prɪˈhɛnʃ(ə)n / ▸ noun [mass noun] 1 Zoology & Psychology the action of grasping or seizing. 2 Philosophy an interaction of a subject with an event or entity which involves perception but not necessarily cognition. – ORIGIN early 19th century : from Latin prehensio(n-), from prehendere ‘to grasp’.

Answer 65

bioavailability ▸ noun [mass noun] Physiology the proportion of a drug or other substance which enters the circulation when introduced into the body and so is able to have an active effect.

Answer 66

metabolite /mɪˈtabəlʌɪt / | ▸ noun Biochemistry a substance formed in or necessary for metabolism.

Answer 67

albeit /ɔːlˈbiːɪt / ▸ conjunction though: he was making progress, albeit rather slowly. – ORIGIN late Middle English : from the phrase all be it ‘although it be (that’).

Answer 68

attenuate ▸ verb /əˈtɛnjʊeɪt / [with object] 1 reduce the force, effect, or value of: her intolerance was attenuated by an unexpected liberalism. ▪ reduce the amplitude of (a signal, electric current, or other oscillation): the filter must severely attenuate frequencies above 10 Hz. ▪ reduce the virulence of (a pathogenic organism), especially when preparing a vaccine: the first live vaccine was insufficiently attenuated and produced a significant disease. 2 reduce in thickness; make thin. ▸ adjective /əˈtɛnjʊət / rare reduced in force, effect, or physical thickness: the doctrines of Christianity became very attenuate and distorted. – ORIGIN mid 16th century : from Latin attenuat- ‘made slender’, from the verb attenuare, from ad- ‘to’ + tenuare ‘make thin’ (from tenuis ‘thin’).

Answer 69

sequelae sequela /sɪˈkwiːlə / ▸ noun (plural sequelae /sɪˈkwiːliː/) (usually sequelae) Medicine a condition which is the consequence of a previous disease or injury: the long-term sequelae of infection. – ORIGIN late 18th century : from Latin, from sequi ‘follow’.

Answer 70

conceptualize /kənˈsɛptjʊəlʌɪz / (British also conceptualise) ▸ verb [with object] form a concept or idea of (something): sex was conceptualized as an overpowering force in the individual. – DERIVATIVES conceptualizer (British also conceptualiser) noun

Answer 71

contextualize /kənˈtɛkstʃʊəlʌɪz / (British also contextualise) ▸ verb [with object] place or study in context: the excellent introduction summarizes and contextualizes Bowen's career. – DERIVATIVES contextualization /kəntɛkstjʊəlʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n/ (British also contextualisation) noun

Answer 72

premise ▸ noun /ˈprɛmɪs / (British also premiss) Logic a previous statement or proposition from which another is inferred or follows as a conclusion: if the premise is true, then the conclusion must be true. ▪ an assertion or proposition which forms the basis for a work or theory: the fundamental premise of the report. ▸ verb /prɪˈmʌɪz / [with object] (premise something on/upon) base an argument, theory, or undertaking on: the reforms were premised on our findings. ▪ state or presuppose (something) as a premise: [with clause] one school of thought premised that the cosmos is indestructible. ▪ archaic state by way of introduction: I will premise generally that I hate lecturing. – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French premisse, from medieval Latin praemissa (propositio) ‘(proposition) set in front’, from Latin praemittere, from prae ‘before’ + mittere ‘send’.

Answer 73

falsity /ˈfɔːlsɪti , ˈfɒlsɪti/ ▸ noun [mass noun] the fact of being untrue, incorrect, or insincere: he exposed the falsity of the claim.

Answer 74

reductio ad absurdum /rɪˌdʌktɪəʊ ad abˈsəːdəm / ▸ noun Philosophy a method of proving the falsity of a premise by showing that its logical consequence is absurd or contradictory: the argument is a reductio ad absurdum of utilitarianism. – ORIGIN Latin, literally ‘reduction to the absurd’.

Answer 75

austerity /ɒˈstɛrɪti , ɔːˈstɛrɪti / ▸ noun (plural austerities) [mass noun] 1 sternness or severity of manner or attitude: he was noted for his austerity and his authoritarianism. ▪ plainness and simplicity in appearance: the room was decorated with a restraint bordering on austerity. ▪ [count noun] (usually austerities) a feature of an austere way of life: his uncle's austerities had undermined his health. 2 difficult economic conditions created by government measures to reduce public expenditure: the country was subjected to acute economic austerity [count noun] (austerities) the austerities of post-war London. – ORIGIN late Middle English : from French austérité, from Latin austeritas, from austerus ‘severe’ (see austere).

Answer 76

semantic /sɪˈmantɪk / ▸ adjective relating to meaning in language or logic. – DERIVATIVES semantically /sɪˈmantɪk(ə)li / adverb – ORIGIN mid 17th century : from French sémantique, from Greek sēmantikos ‘significant’, from sēmainein ‘signify’, from sēma ‘sign’.

Answer 77

subvert /səbˈvəːt / ▸ verb [with object] undermine the power and authority of (an established system or institution): an attempt to subvert democratic government. – DERIVATIVES subverter /səbˈvəːtə / noun – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French subvertir or Latin subvertere, from sub- ‘from below’ + vertere ‘to turn’.

Answer 78

umlaut /ˈʊmlaʊt / Linguistics ▸ noun a mark (¨) used over a vowel, especially in German, to indicate a different vowel quality. ▪ [mass noun] the process in Germanic languages by which the quality of a vowel was altered in certain phonetic contexts, resulting for example in the differences between modern German Mann and Männer. ▸ verb [with object] modify (a form or sound) by using an umlaut: the colour of prothetic vowels, unless umlauted by the next syllable, was that of the laryngeal which was vocalized. – ORIGIN mid 19th century : from German Umlaut, from um ‘about’ + Laut ‘sound’.

Answer 79

inexplicable /ˌɪnɪkˈsplɪkəb(ə)l , ˌɪnɛkˈsplɪkəb(ə)l, ɪnˈɛksplɪkəb(ə)l/ ▸ adjective unable to be explained or accounted for: for some inexplicable reason her mind went completely blank. – DERIVATIVES inexplicability /ˌɪnɪkˌsplɪkəˈbɪləti / noun – ORIGIN late Middle English : from French, or from Latin inexplicabilis ‘that cannot be unfolded’, from in- ‘not’ + explicabilis (see explicable).

Answer 80

imperative /ɪmˈpɛrətɪv / ▸ adjective 1 of vital importance; crucial: immediate action was imperative [with clause] it is imperative that standards are maintained. 2 giving an authoritative command; peremptory: the bell pealed again, a final imperative call. ▪ Grammar denoting the mood of a verb that expresses a command or exhortation, as in come here! ▸ noun 1 an essential or urgent thing: free movement of labour was an economic imperative. ▪ a factor or influence making something necessary: the biological imperatives which guide male and female behaviour. 2 Grammar a verb or phrase in the imperative mood. ▪ (the imperative) the imperative mood. – DERIVATIVES imperatival /ɪmˌpɛrəˈtʌɪv(ə)l / adjective imperatively /ɪmˈpɛrətɪvli / adverb imperativeness noun – ORIGIN late Middle English (as a grammatical term): from late Latin imperativus (literally ‘specially ordered’, translating Greek prostatikē enklisis ‘imperative mood’), from imperare ‘to command’, from in- ‘towards’ + parare ‘make ready’.

Answer 81

``` feudalism /ˈfjuːdəlɪz(ə)m / ▸ noun [mass noun] the dominant social system in medieval Europe, in which the nobility held lands from the Crown in exchange for military service, and vassals were in turn tenants of the nobles, while the peasants (villeins or serfs) were obliged to live on their lord's land and give him homage, labour, and a share of the produce, notionally in exchange for military protection. – DERIVATIVES feudalist /ˈfjuːd(ə)lɪst / noun feudalistic /fjuːdəˈlɪstɪk / adjective ```

Answer 82

implement ▸ noun /ˈɪmplɪm(ə)nt / 1 a tool, utensil, or other piece of equipment that is used for a particular purpose: garden implements. 2 [mass noun] Scots Law performance of an obligation. ▸ verb /ˈɪmplɪmɛnt / [with object] put (a decision, plan, agreement, etc.) into effect: the scheme to implement student loans. – ORIGIN late Middle English (in the sense ‘article of furniture, equipment, or dress’): partly from medieval Latin implementa (plural), partly from late Latin implementum ‘filling up, fulfilment’, both from Latin implere ‘fill up’ (later ‘employ’), from in- ‘in’ + Latin plere ‘fill’. The verb dates from the early 18th century.

Answer 83

cascade /kasˈkeɪd / ▸ noun 1 a small waterfall, typically one of several that fall in stages down a steep rocky slope: the waterfall raced down in a series of cascades. ▪ a mass of something that falls or hangs in copious quantities: a cascade of pink bougainvillea. ▪ a large number or amount of something occurring at the same time: a cascade of anti-war literature. 2 a process whereby something, typically information or knowledge, is successively passed on: [as modifier] the greater the number of people who are well briefed, the wider the cascade effect. ▪ a succession of devices or stages in a process, each of which triggers or initiates the next. ▸ verb 1 [no object, with adverbial of direction] (of water) pour downwards rapidly and in large quantities: water was cascading down the stairs. ▪ fall or hang in copious quantities: blonde hair cascaded down her back. 2 [with object] pass (something) on to a succession of others: teachers who are able to cascade their experience effectively. 3 [with object] arrange (a number of devices or objects) in a series or sequence. – ORIGIN mid 17th century : from French, from Italian cascata, from cascare ‘to fall’, based on Latin casus (see case1).

Answer 84

periodically /pɪərɪˈɒdɪkli / ▸ adverb from time to time; occasionally: I will periodically check on your progress the students received help from a friend only periodically. ▪ at regularly occurring intervals: the newsletter is sent out periodically to update members the lamps were periodically switched on and off at 30 minute intervals.

Answer 85

phlegmatic /flɛɡˈmatɪk / ▸ adjective (of a person) having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition: the phlegmatic British character. – DERIVATIVES phlegmatically /flɛɡˈmatɪk(ə)li / adverb – ORIGIN Middle English (in the sense ‘relating to the humour phlegm’): from Old French fleumatique, via Latin from Greek phlegmatikos, from phlegma ‘inflammation’ (see phlegm).

Answer 86

ubiquitous /juːˈbɪkwɪtəs / ▸ adjective present, appearing, or found everywhere: his ubiquitous influence was felt by all the family cowboy hats are ubiquitous among the male singers. – DERIVATIVES ubiquitously adverb ubiquitousness /juːˈbɪkwɪtəsnəs / noun – ORIGIN mid 19th century : from modern Latin ubiquitas (from Latin ubique ‘everywhere’, from ubi ‘where’) + -ous.

Answer 87

obscure /əbˈskjʊə / ▸ adjective (obscurer, obscurest) 1 not discovered or known about; uncertain: his origins and parentage are obscure. ▪ not important or well known: a relatively obscure actor. 2 not clearly expressed or easily understood: obscure references to Proust. ▪ hard to define; vague: I feel an obscure resentment. ▪ dark or dim: the obscure light of dawn. ▸ verb [with object] keep from being seen; conceal: grey clouds obscure the sun. ▪ make unclear and difficult to understand: the debate has become obscured by conflicting ideological perspectives. ▪ keep from being known: none of this should obscure the skill and perseverance of the workers. – DERIVATIVES obscurely /əbˈskjʊəli / adverb – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French obscur, from Latin obscurus ‘dark’, from an Indo-European root meaning ‘cover’.

Answer 88

bespoke /bɪˈspəʊk / ▸ adjective mainly British made for a particular customer or user: a bespoke suit bespoke kitchens bespoke software systems group tours and bespoke itineraries. ▪ making or selling bespoke goods, especially clothing: the bespoke tailors of Savile Row. – ORIGIN mid 18th century : past participle of bespeak.

Answer 89

``` illustrious /ɪˈlʌstrɪəs / ▸ adjective well known, respected, and admired for past achievements: his illustrious predecessor an illustrious career. – DERIVATIVES illustriously /ɪˈlʌstrɪəsli / adverb illustriousness noun – ORIGIN mid 16th century : from Latin illustris ‘clear, bright’ + -ous. ```

Answer 90

conjugal /ˈkɒndʒʊɡ(ə)l / ▸ adjective relating to marriage or the relationship between a married couple: conjugal loyalty. – DERIVATIVES conjugality /kɒndʒʊˈɡalɪti / noun conjugally adverb – ORIGIN early 16th century : from Latin conjugalis, from conjux, conjug- ‘spouse’, from con- ‘together’ + jugum ‘a yoke’.

Answer 91

antecedent /ˌantɪˈsiːd(ə)nt / ▸ noun 1 a thing that existed before or logically precedes another: some antecedents to the African novel might exist in Africa's oral traditions. 2 (antecedents) a person's ancestors or family and social background: her early life and antecedents have been traced. 3 Grammar an earlier word, phrase, or clause to which another word (especially a following relative pronoun) refers back. 4 Logic the statement contained in the ‘if’ clause of a conditional proposition. ▸ adjective 1 preceding in time or order; previous or pre-existing: antecedent events. 2 Grammar denoting or counting as an antecedent. – DERIVATIVES antecedence /ˌantɪˈsiːdəns / noun antecedently adverb – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French or from Latin antecedent- ‘going before’, from antecedere, from ante ‘before’ + cedere ‘go’.

Answer 92

proponent /prəˈpəʊnənt / ▸ noun a person who advocates a theory, proposal, or course of action: a strong proponent of the free market and liberal trade policies. – ORIGIN late 16th century : from Latin proponent- ‘putting forth’, from the verb proponere (see propound).

Answer 93

amenable /əˈmiːnəb(ə)l / ▸ adjective open and responsive to suggestion; easily persuaded or controlled: parents who have amenable children. ▪ (amenable to) capable of being acted upon in a particular way; susceptible: cardiac failure not amenable to medical treatment. – DERIVATIVES amenability /əmiːnəˈbɪlɪti / noun amenably adverb amenableness noun – ORIGIN late 16th century (in the sense ‘liable to answer to a law or tribunal’): an Anglo-Norman French legal term, from Old French amener ‘bring to’ from a- (from Latin ad) ‘to’ + mener ‘bring’ (from late Latin minare ‘drive animals’, from Latin minari ‘threaten’).

Answer 94

refractory /rɪˈfrakt(ə)ri / ▸ adjective formal 1 stubborn or unmanageable: his refractory pony. 2 resistant to a process or stimulus: some granules are refractory to secretory stimuli it will treat ores considered refractory to normal flotation methods. ▪ Medicine (of a person, illness, or diseased tissue) not yielding to treatment: healing of previously refractory ulcers. ▪ Medicine, rare (of a person or animal) resistant to infection: turkeys can be infected when young but are refractory as adults. ▪ technical (of a substance) resistant to heat; hard to melt or fuse: refractory materials found in lunar samples. ▸ noun (plural refractories) technical a substance that is resistant to heat. – DERIVATIVES refractoriness /rɪˈfrakt(ə)rɪnəs / noun – ORIGIN early 17th century : alteration of obsolete refractary, from Latin refractarius ‘stubborn’ (see also refract).

Answer 95

invalidate /ɪnˈvalɪdeɪt / ▸ verb [with object] 1 make or prove (an argument, statement, or theory) unsound or erroneous. 2 deprive (an official document or procedure) of legal validity because it contravenes a regulation or law: a technical flaw in her papers invalidated her nomination. – DERIVATIVES invalidation /ɪnvalɪˈdeɪʃ(ə)n / noun invalidator noun – ORIGIN mid 17th century : from medieval Latin invalidat- ‘annulled’, from the verb invalidare (based on Latin validus ‘strong’).

Answer 96

disingenuous /ˌdɪsɪnˈdʒɛnjʊəs / ▸ adjective not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does: this journalist was being somewhat disingenuous as well as cynical. – DERIVATIVES disingenuity noun disingenuously /dɪsɪnˈdʒɛnjʊəsli / adverb disingenuousness /ˌdɪsɪnˈdʒɛnjʊəsnəs / noun

Answer 97

duly /ˈdjuːli / ▸ adverb in accordance with what is required or appropriate; following proper procedure or arrangement: a document duly signed and authorized by the inspector the ceremony duly began at midnight. ▪ as might be expected or predicted: I used the tent and was duly impressed.

Answer 98

``` parochial /pəˈrəʊkɪəl / ▸ adjective 1 relating to a Church parish: the parochial church council. 2 having a limited or narrow outlook or scope: parochial attitudes their interests are too parochial. – DERIVATIVES parochiality /pərəʊkɪˈalɪti/ noun parochially adverb – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French, from ecclesiastical Latin parochialis ‘relating to an ecclesiastical district’, from parochia (see parish). ```

Answer 99

suffice /səˈfʌɪs / ▸ verb [no object] be enough or adequate: a quick look should suffice [with infinitive] two examples should suffice to prove the contention. ▪ [with object] meet the needs of: simple mediocrity cannot suffice them. – PHRASES suffice to say (also suffice it to say) used to indicate that one is saying enough to make one's meaning clear while withholding something for reasons of discretion or brevity: suffice to say, he doesn't scare easily suffice it to say that they were not considered suitable for this project. – ORIGIN Middle English : from Old French suffis-, stem of suffire, from Latin sufficere ‘put under, meet the need of’, from sub- ‘under’ + facere ‘make’.

Answer 100

decorum /dɪˈkɔːrəm / ▸ noun [mass noun] behaviour in keeping with good taste and propriety: he had acted with the utmost decorum. ▪ etiquette: he had no idea of funeral decorum. ▪ (decorums) archaic particular requirements of good taste and propriety. ▪ archaic suitability to the requirements of a person, rank, or occasion. – ORIGIN mid 16th century (as a literary term, denoting suitability of style): from Latin, neuter of the adjective decorus ‘seemly’.

Answer 101

dichotomy /dʌɪˈkɒtəmi , dɪˈkɒtəmi/ ▸ noun (plural dichotomies) [usually in singular] 1 a division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different: a rigid dichotomy between science and mysticism. 2 [mass noun] Botany repeated branching into two equal parts. – DERIVATIVES dichotomic /-kəˈtɒmɪk/ adjective – ORIGIN late 16th century : via modern Latin from Greek dikhotomia, from dikho- ‘in two, apart’ + -tomia (see -tomy).

Answer 102

construct ▸ verb /kənˈstrʌkt / [with object] build or make (something, typically a building, road, or machine): a company that constructs oil rigs. ▪ form (an idea or theory) by bringing together various conceptual elements: poetics should construct a theory of literary discourse. ▪ Grammar form (a sentence) according to grammatical rules: these rules tell us how to construct a grammatical sentence in a given language. ▪ Geometry draw or delineate (a geometrical figure) accurately to given conditions: construct a square equal in area to a given circle. ▸ noun /ˈkɒnstrʌkt / an idea or theory containing various conceptual elements, typically one considered to be subjective and not based on empirical evidence: history is largely an ideological construct. ▪ Linguistics a group of words forming a phrase: the appropriateness of the grammatical construct is illustrated. ▪ a physical thing which is deliberately built or formed: a transgenic construct. – DERIVATIVES constructible adjective – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Latin construct- ‘heaped together, built’, from the verb construere, from con- ‘together’ + struere ‘pile, build’.

Answer 103

egalitarian /ɪˌɡalɪˈtɛːrɪən / ▸ adjective believing in or based on the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities: a fairer, more egalitarian society. ▸ noun a person who advocates or supports the principle of equality for all people: he was a social and political egalitarian. – ORIGIN late 19th century : from French égalitaire, from égal ‘equal’, from Latin aequalis (see equal).

Answer 104

inoculate /ɪˈnɒkjʊleɪt / ▸ verb [with object] treat with a vaccine to produce immunity against a disease; vaccinate: he inoculated his tenants against smallpox. ▪ introduce (an infective agent) into an organism: the microorganism can be inoculated into laboratory animals. ▪ introduce (cells or organisms) into a culture medium: 0.5 ml of the specimen was inoculated into each tissue culture flask. – DERIVATIVES inoculable /ɪˈnɒkjʊləb(ə)l / adjective inoculative /ɪˈnɒkjʊlətɪv / adjective inoculator /ɪˌnɒkjʊˈleɪtə / noun – ORIGIN late Middle English (in the sense ‘graft a bud or shoot into a different plant’): from Latin inoculat- ‘engrafted’, from the verb inoculare, from in- ‘into’ + oculus ‘eye, bud’. The sense ‘vaccinate’ dates from the early 18th century.

Answer 105

persecution /pəːsɪˈkjuːʃn / ▸ noun [mass noun] hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of race or political or religious beliefs; oppression: her family fled religious persecution. ▪ persistent annoyance or harassment: his persecution at the hands of other students.

Answer 106

prejudice /ˈprɛdʒʊdɪs / ▸ noun [mass noun] 1 preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience: English prejudice against foreigners [count noun] deep-rooted class prejudices. ▪ dislike, hostility, or unjust behaviour deriving from preconceived and unfounded opinions: accusations of racial prejudice. 2 mainly Law harm or injury that results or may result from some action or judgement: prejudice resulting from delay in the institution of the proceedings. ▸ verb [with object] 1 give rise to prejudice in (someone); make biased: the statement might prejudice the jury. 2 mainly Law cause harm to (a state of affairs): delay is likely to prejudice the child's welfare. – PHRASES with prejudice Law extinguishing any right to pursue a claim in another suit: the suit was dismissed with prejudice. without prejudice Law without detriment to any existing right or claim: the payment was made without any prejudice to her rights. – ORIGIN Middle English (in prejudice (SENSE 2 OF THE noun)): from Old French, from Latin praejudicium, from prae ‘in advance’ + judicium ‘judgement’.

Answer 107

bigot /ˈbɪɡət / ▸ noun a person who is obstinately or unreasonably attached to a belief, opinion, or faction, especially one who is prejudiced against or antagonistic towards a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular group: don't let a few small-minded bigots destroy the good image of the city a racist bigot. – ORIGIN late 16th century (denoting a superstitious religious hypocrite): from French, of unknown origin.

Answer 108

obstinate /ˈɒbstɪnət / ▸ adjective stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so: her obstinate determination to pursue a career in radio. ▪ (of an unwelcome situation) very difficult to change or overcome: the obstinate problem of unemployment. – DERIVATIVES obstinately /ˈɒbstənətli / adverb – ORIGIN Middle English : from Latin obstinatus, past participle of obstinare ‘persist’.

Answer 109

tyranny /ˈtɪr(ə)ni / ▸ noun (plural tyrannies) [mass noun] cruel and oppressive government or rule: refugees fleeing tyranny and oppression. ▪ [count noun] a state under cruel and oppressive government. ▪ cruel, unreasonable, or arbitrary use of power or control: the tyranny of her stepmother figurative the tyranny of the nine-to-five day. ▪ (especially in ancient Greece) rule by one who has absolute power without legal right. – PHRASES the tyranny of distance Australian New Zealand the influence of distance on the course and outcomes of Australian and New Zealand historical events: we need tankers to overcome the tyranny of distance. [popularized from the title of the book The Tyranny of Distance (1966) by Geoffrey Blainey.] – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French tyrannie, from late Latin tyrannia, from Latin turannus (see tyrant).

Answer 110

phenotype /ˈfiːnə(ʊ)tʌɪp / ▸ noun Biology the set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment. – ORIGIN early 20th century : from German Phaenotypus (see pheno-, type).

Answer 111

genotype /ˈdʒɛnətʌɪp , ˈdʒiːnətʌɪp/ Biology ▸ noun the genetic constitution of an individual organism. Often contrasted with phenotype. ▸ verb [with object] investigate the genetic constitution of (an individual organism): the person appointed will be responsible for maintaining and genotyping many different lines of zebra fish. – DERIVATIVES genotypic /dʒɛnəˈtɪpɪk , dʒiːnəˈtɪpɪk / adjective – ORIGIN early 20th century : from German Genotypus, from Greek genos ‘race, offspring’ + -tupos ‘type’.

Answer 112

acuity /əˈkjuːɪti / ▸ noun [mass noun] sharpness or keenness of thought, vision, or hearing: intellectual acuity visual acuity. – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French acuite or medieval Latin acuitas, from Latin acuere ‘sharpen’ (see acute).

Answer 113

aggregate ▸ noun /ˈaɡrɪɡət / 1 a whole formed by combining several separate elements: the council was an aggregate of three regional assemblies. ▪ the total score of a player or team in a fixture comprising more than one game or round: he set the pace with a one-over-par aggregate of 151 [mass noun] the result put the sides level on aggregate. 2 a material or structure formed from a mass of fragments or particles loosely compacted together: the specimen is an aggregate of rock and mineral fragments. ▪ [mass noun] pieces of broken or crushed stone or gravel used to make concrete and in building: use aggregate for the first layer when filling the trench. ▸ adjective /ˈaɡrɪɡət / [attributive] formed or calculated by the combination of several separate elements; total: the aggregate amount of grants made. ▪ Botany (of a group of species) comprising several very similar species formerly regarded as a single species. ▪ Economics denoting the total supply or demand for goods and services in an economy at a particular time. ▸ verb /ˈaɡrɪɡeɪt / form or group into a class or cluster: [with object] socio-occupational groups aggregate men sharing similar kinds of occupation [no object] the butterflies aggregate in dense groups. ▪ Computing collect (related items of content) so as to display or link to them: tools that aggregate data from all of the security devices are a good first step. – PHRASES in aggregate (also in the aggregate) in total; as a whole: 10,000 tonnes in aggregate. – DERIVATIVES aggregative /ˈaɡrɪɡətɪv , ˈaɡrɪɡeɪtɪv / adjective – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Latin aggregat- ‘herded together’, from the verb aggregare, from ad- ‘towards’ + grex, greg- ‘a flock’.

Answer 114

androgynous /anˈdrɒdʒɪnəs / ▸ adjective partly male and partly female in appearance; of indeterminate sex: a stunningly androgynous dancer he used surgery and cosmetics to make his face look pasty and bizarrely androgynous. ▪ dated having the physical characteristics of both sexes; hermaphrodite. – DERIVATIVES androgynously adverb androgyny /anˈdrɒdʒɪni / noun – ORIGIN early 17th century : from Latin androgynus (see androgyne) + -ous.

Answer 115

nefarious /nɪˈfɛːrɪəs / ▸ adjective (typically of an action or activity) wicked or criminal: the nefarious activities of the organized-crime syndicates. – DERIVATIVES nefariously /nɪˈfɛːrɪəsli / adverb nefariousness /nɪˈfɛːrɪəsnəs / noun – ORIGIN early 17th century : from Latin nefarius, from nefas, nefar- ‘wrong’ (from ne- ‘not’ + fas ‘divine law’) + -ous.

Answer 116

archetype /ˈɑːkɪtʌɪp / ▸ noun 1 a very typical example of a certain person or thing: he was the archetype of the old-style football club chairman. ▪ an original which has been imitated; a prototype: an instrument which was the archetype of the early flute. 2 Psychoanalysis (in Jungian theory) a primitive mental image inherited from the earliest human ancestors, and supposed to be present in the collective unconscious. 3 a recurrent symbol or motif in literature, art, or mythology: mythological archetypes of good and evil. – DERIVATIVES archetypical /ɑːkɪˈtɪpɪk(ə)l / adjective archetypically adverb – ORIGIN mid 16th century : via Latin from Greek arkhetupon ‘something moulded first as a model’, from arkhe- ‘primitive’ + tupos ‘a model’.

Answer 117

capricious /kəˈprɪʃəs / ▸ adjective given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behaviour: a capricious and often brutal administration. ▪ changing according to no discernible rules; unpredictable: a capricious climate. – DERIVATIVES capriciously /kəˈprɪʃəsli / adverb capriciousness /kəˈprɪʃəsnəs / noun – ORIGIN early 17th century : from French capricieux, from Italian (see capriccioso).

Answer 118

suffice /səˈfʌɪs / ▸ verb [no object] be enough or adequate: a quick look should suffice [with infinitive] two examples should suffice to prove the contention. ▪ [with object] meet the needs of: simple mediocrity cannot suffice them. – PHRASES suffice to say (also suffice it to say) used to indicate that one is saying enough to make one's meaning clear while withholding something for reasons of discretion or brevity: suffice to say, he doesn't scare easily suffice it to say that they were not considered suitable for this project. – ORIGIN Middle English : from Old French suffis-, stem of suffire, from Latin sufficere ‘put under, meet the need of’, from sub- ‘under’ + facere ‘make’.

Answer 119

disrepute /ˌdɪsrɪˈpjuːt / ▸ noun [mass noun] the state of being held in low esteem by the public: one of the top clubs in the country is bringing the game into disrepute.

Answer 120

impunity /ɪmˈpjuːnɪti / ▸ noun [mass noun] exemption from punishment or freedom from the injurious consequences of an action: the impunity enjoyed by military officers implicated in civilian killings protestors burned flags on the streets with impunity. – ORIGIN mid 16th century : from Latin impunitas, from impunis ‘unpunished’, from in- ‘not’ + poena ‘penalty’ or punire ‘punish’.

Answer 121

validation /valɪˈdeɪʃ(ə)n/ ▸ noun [mass noun] the action of checking or proving the validity or accuracy of something: the technique requires validation in controlled trials [count noun] we did independent validations for studies of therapy. ▪ the action of making or declaring something legally or officially acceptable: new courses, subject to validation, include an MSc in Urban Forestry. ▪ recognition or affirmation that a person or their feelings or opinions are valid or worthwhile: they have exaggerated needs for acceptance and validation.

Answer 122

glib /ɡlɪb / ▸ adjective (glibber, glibbest) (of words or a speaker) fluent but insincere and shallow: the glib phrases soon roll off the tongue. – DERIVATIVES glibly /ˈɡlɪbli / adverb glibness /ˈɡlɪbnəs / noun – ORIGIN late 16th century (also in the sense ‘smooth, unimpeded’): ultimately of Germanic origin; related to Dutch ‘slippery’ and German glibberig ‘slimy’.

Answer 123

idiom /ˈɪdɪəm / ▸ noun 1 a group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words (e.g. over the moon, see the light). ▪ [mass noun] a form of expression natural to a language, person, or group of people: he had a feeling for phrase and idiom. ▪ the dialect of a people or part of a country. 2 a characteristic mode of expression in music or art: they were both working in a neo-impressionist idiom. – ORIGIN late 16th century : from French idiome, or via late Latin from Greek idiōma ‘private property, peculiar phraseology’, from idiousthai ‘make one's own’, from idios ‘own, private’.

Answer 124

garb1 /ɡɑːb / ▸ noun [mass noun] clothing, especially of a distinctive or special kind: kids in combat garb. ▸ verb [with object] dress in distinctive clothes: she was garbed in Indian shawls. – ORIGIN late 16th century : via French from Italian garbo ‘elegance’, of Germanic origin; related to gear.

Answer 125

logistics /ləˈdʒɪstɪks / ▸ plural noun [treated as singular or plural] the detailed organization and implementation of a complex operation: the logistics of a large-scale rock show demand certain necessities. ▪ the activity of organizing the movement, equipment, and accommodation of troops. ▪ the commercial activity of transporting goods to customers: [as modifier] our fleet vehicle management system enables logistics firms to track deliveries using satellite technology. – ORIGIN late 19th century : from French logistique, from loger ‘to lodge’.

Answer 126

iteration /ɪtəˈreɪʃ(ə)n / ▸ noun [mass noun] the repetition of a process or utterance. ▪ repetition of a mathematical or computational procedure applied to the result of a previous application, typically as a means of obtaining successively closer approximations to the solution of a problem. ▪ [count noun] a new version of a piece of computer hardware or software. – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Latin iteratio(n-), from the verb iterare (see iterate).

Answer 127

deconstruct /ˌdiːk(ə)nˈstrʌkt / ▸ verb [with object] analyse (a text or linguistic or conceptual system) by deconstruction: she likes to deconstruct the texts, to uncover what they are not saying. ▪ reduce (something) to its constituent parts in order to reinterpret it: I want to deconstruct this myth that poverty breeds crime. – DERIVATIVES deconstructive adjective – ORIGIN late 19th century : back-formation from deconstruction.

Answer 128

predicate ▸ noun /ˈprɛdɪkət / 1 Grammar the part of a sentence or clause containing a verb and stating something about the subject (e.g. went home in John went home). 2 Logic something which is affirmed or denied concerning an argument of a proposition. ▸ verb /ˈprɛdɪkeɪt / [with object] 1 Grammar & Logic state, affirm, or assert (something) about the subject of a sentence or an argument of a proposition: a word which predicates something about its subject aggression is predicated of those who act aggressively. ▪ declare or affirm (something) as true or existing; postulate or assert: the Pleistocene colonization of Tasmania has long been predicated. 2 (predicate something on/upon) found or base something on: the theory of structure on which later chemistry was predicated. – DERIVATIVES predication /ˌprɛdɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n / noun – ORIGIN late Middle English (as a noun): from Latin praedicatum ‘something declared’, neuter of praedicatus ‘declared, proclaimed’, past participle of the verb praedicare, from prae ‘beforehand’ + dicare ‘make known’.

Answer 129

facetious /fəˈsiːʃəs / ▸ adjective treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humour; flippant: a facetious remark. – DERIVATIVES facetiously /fəˈsiːʃəsli / adverb facetiousness /fəˈsiːʃəsnəs / noun – ORIGIN late 16th century (in the general sense ‘witty, amusing’): from French facétieux, from facétie, from Latin facetia ‘jest’, from facetus ‘witty’.

Answer 130

caveat /ˈkavɪat / ▸ noun a warning or proviso of specific stipulations, conditions, or limitations: there are a number of caveats which concern the validity of the assessment results. ▪ Law a notice, especially in a probate, that certain actions may not be taken without informing the person who gave the notice. – ORIGIN mid 16th century : from Latin, literally ‘let a person beware’.

Answer 131

anecdotal /ˌanɪkˈdəʊtl / ▸ adjective (of an account) not necessarily true or reliable, because based on personal accounts rather than facts or research: while there was much anecdotal evidence there was little hard fact. ▪ characterized by or fond of telling anecdotes: her book is anecdotal and chatty. ▪ (of a painting) depicting small narrative incidents: nineteenth century French anecdotal paintings. – DERIVATIVES anecdotalist noun

Answer 132

cognizant /ˈkɒ(ɡ)nɪz(ə)nt / (British also cognisant) ▸ adjective formal having knowledge or awareness: statesmen must be cognizant of the political boundaries within which they work. – ORIGIN early 19th century : probably directly from cognizance.

Answer 133

gregarious /ɡrɪˈɡɛːrɪəs / ▸ adjective (of a person) fond of company; sociable: he was a popular and gregarious man. ▪ (of animals) living in flocks or loosely organized communities: gregarious species forage in flocks from colonies or roosts. ▪ (of plants) growing in open clusters or in pure associations: in the wild, trees are usually gregarious plants. – DERIVATIVES gregariously /ɡrɪˈɡɛːrɪəsli / adverb gregariousness /ɡrɪˈɡɛːrɪəsnəs / noun – ORIGIN mid 17th century : from Latin gregarius (from grex, greg- ‘a flock’) + -ous.

Answer 134

egalitarian /ɪˌɡalɪˈtɛːrɪən / ▸ adjective believing in or based on the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities: a fairer, more egalitarian society. ▸ noun a person who advocates or supports the principle of equality for all people: he was a social and political egalitarian. – ORIGIN late 19th century : from French égalitaire, from égal ‘equal’, from Latin aequalis (see equal).

Answer 135

``` egregious /ɪˈɡriːdʒəs / ▸ adjective 1 outstandingly bad; shocking: egregious abuses of copyright. 2 archaic remarkably good. – DERIVATIVES egregiousness noun – ORIGIN mid 16th century (in egregious (SENSE 2)): from Latin egregius ‘illustrious’, literally ‘standing out from the flock’, from ex- ‘out’ + grex, greg- ‘flock’. Sense 1 (late 16th century) probably arose as an ironic use. ```

Answer 136

opulence /ˈɒpjʊl(ə)ns , ˈɒpjʊləns/ ▸ noun [mass noun] great wealth or luxuriousness: rooms of spectacular opulence.

Answer 137

epistemology /ɪˌpɪstɪˈmɒlədʒi , ɛˌpɪstɪˈmɒlədʒi/ ▸ noun [mass noun] Philosophy the theory of knowledge, especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope, and the distinction between justified belief and opinion. – DERIVATIVES epistemologist noun – ORIGIN mid 19th century : from Greek epistēmē ‘knowledge’, from epistasthai ‘know, know how to do’.

Answer 138

substrate /ˈsʌbstreɪt / ▸ noun an underlying substance or layer. ▪ the surface or material on or from which an organism lives, grows, or obtains its nourishment: brachiopods attached to the substrate by a stalk. ▪ the substance on which an enzyme acts. ▪ a material which provides the surface on which something is deposited or inscribed, for example the silicon wafer used to manufacture integrated circuits: optical disk substrates. – ORIGIN early 19th century : anglicized form of substratum.

Answer 139

``` omni- /ˈɒmni/ ▸ combining form all; of all things: omniscient omnifarious. ▪ in all ways or places: omnicompetent omnipresent. – ORIGIN from Latin omnis ‘all’. ```

Answer 140

apathy /ˈapəθi / ▸ noun [mass noun] lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern: widespread apathy among students. – ORIGIN early 17th century : from French apathie, via Latin from Greek apatheia, from apathēs ‘without feeling’, from a- ‘without’ + pathos ‘suffering’.

Answer 141

plethora /ˈplɛθ(ə)rə / ▸ noun 1 a large or excessive amount of something: a plethora of committees and subcommittees Allen won a plethora of medals during his illustrious career. 2 Medicine an excess of a bodily fluid, particularly blood. – ORIGIN mid 16th century (in the medical sense): via late Latin from Greek plēthōrē, from plēthein ‘be full’. Strictly, a plethora is not just an abundance of something, it is an excessive amount. However, the new, looser sense is now so dominant that it must be regarded as part of standard English.

Answer 142

``` intractable /ɪnˈtraktəb(ə)l / ▸ adjective hard to control or deal with: intractable economic problems. ▪ (of a person) difficult or stubborn. – DERIVATIVES intractability /ɪntraktəˈbɪləti / noun intractableness /ɪnˈtraktəblnəs / noun intractably /ɪnˈtraktəbli / adverb – ORIGIN late 15th century : from Latin intractabilis, from in- ‘not’ + tractabilis (see tractable). ```

Answer 143

meta-analysis /ˈmɛtə(r)əˌnalɪsɪs / ▸ noun [mass noun] Statistics examination of data from a number of independent studies of the same subject, in order to determine overall trends: an important component of meta-analysis is the investigation of the consistency of treatment effects across studies the advantage of meta-analysis is that large trials with over 1,000 subjects are almost never done [count noun] a meta-analysis was performed by extracting available data from scientific papers.

Answer 144

biosphere /ˈbʌɪə(ʊ)sfɪə / ▸ noun 1 the regions of the surface and atmosphere of the earth or another planet occupied by living organisms. 2 an artificial structure enclosing a self-contained ecosystem or ecosystems: the elliptical domed biosphere is the largest single-span glasshouse in the world. – DERIVATIVES biospheric adjective – ORIGIN late 19th century : coined in German from Greek bios ‘life’ + sphaira (see sphere).

Answer 145

transcend /tranˈsɛnd , trɑːnˈsɛnd / ▸ verb [with object] be or go beyond the range or limits of (a field of activity or conceptual sphere): this was an issue transcending party politics. ▪ surpass (a person or achievement): he doubts that he will ever transcend Shakespeare. – ORIGIN Middle English : from Old French transcendre or Latin transcendere, from trans- ‘across’ + scandere ‘climb’.

Answer 146

epistemic /ˌɛpɪˈstiːmɪk , ˌɛpɪˈstɛmɪk/ ▸ adjective Philosophy relating to knowledge or to the degree of its validation. – DERIVATIVES epistemically adverb – ORIGIN early 19th century : from Greek epistēmē ‘knowledge’ (see epistemology) + -ic.

Answer 147

existential /ˌɛɡzɪˈstɛnʃ(ə)l / ▸ adjective relating to existence. ▪ Philosophy concerned with existentialism. ▪ Logic (of a proposition) affirming or implying the existence of a thing. – DERIVATIVES existentially adverb – ORIGIN late 17th century : from late Latin existentialis, from existentia (see existence).

Answer 148

deranged /dɪˈreɪn(d)ʒd / ▸ adjective mad; insane: a deranged gunman.

Answer 149

eponymous /ɪˈpɒnɪməs / ▸ adjective (of a person) giving their name to something: the eponymous hero of the novel. ▪ (of a thing) named after a particular person or group: their eponymous debut LP. – DERIVATIVES eponymously adverb

Answer 150

trope /trəʊp / ▸ noun a figurative or metaphorical use of a word or expression: both clothes and illness became tropes for new attitudes toward the self my sense that philosophy has become barren is a recurrent trope of modern philosophy perhaps it is a mistake to use tropes and parallels in this eminently unpoetic age. ▪ a significant or recurrent theme; a motif: she uses the Eucharist as a pictorial trope. – ORIGIN mid 16th century : via Latin from Greek tropos ‘turn, way, trope’, from trepein ‘to turn’.

Answer 151

truism /ˈtruːɪz(ə)m / ▸ noun a statement that is obviously true and says nothing new or interesting: the truism that you get what you pay for. ▪ Logic a proposition that states nothing beyond what is implied by any of its terms. – DERIVATIVES truistic /truːˈɪstɪk/ adjective

Answer 152

pontificate ▸ verb /pɒnˈtɪfɪkeɪt / [no object] 1 express one's opinions in a pompous and dogmatic way: he was pontificating about art and history. 2 (in the Roman Catholic Church) officiate as bishop, especially at Mass: he pontificated at three Christmas Masses. ▸ noun /pɒnˈtɪfɪkət / (in the Roman Catholic Church) the office or period of office of a pope or bishop: Pope Gregory VIII enjoyed only a ten-week pontificate. – DERIVATIVES pontification /ˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/ noun pontificator noun – ORIGIN late Middle English (as a noun): from Latin pontificatus, from pontifex (see pontifex). The verb dates from the early 19th century.

Answer 153

insidious /ɪnˈsɪdɪəs / ▸ adjective proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with very harmful effects: sexual harassment is a serious and insidious problem. – DERIVATIVES insidiousness /ɪnˈsɪdɪəsnəs / noun – ORIGIN mid 16th century : from Latin insidiosus ‘cunning’, from insidiae ‘an ambush or trick’, from insidere ‘lie in wait for’, from in- ‘on’ + sedere ‘sit’.

Answer 154

spectre /ˈspɛktə / (US specter) ▸ noun a ghost: a dread of spectres and witches affected every aspect of daily life. ▪ something widely feared as a possible unpleasant or dangerous occurrence: the spectre of nuclear holocaust. – ORIGIN early 17th century : from French spectre or Latin spectrum (see spectrum).

Answer 155

implore /ɪmˈplɔː / ▸ verb [reporting verb] beg someone earnestly or desperately to do something: [with object and infinitive] he implored her to change her mind [with direct speech] ‘Please don't talk that way,’ Ellen implored. ▪ [with object] archaic beg earnestly for: I implore mercy. – ORIGIN early 16th century : from French implorer or Latin implorare ‘invoke with tears’.

Answer 156

ubiquitous /juːˈbɪkwɪtəs / ▸ adjective present, appearing, or found everywhere: his ubiquitous influence was felt by all the family cowboy hats are ubiquitous among the male singers. – DERIVATIVES ubiquitously adverb ubiquitousness /juːˈbɪkwɪtəsnəs / noun – ORIGIN mid 19th century : from modern Latin ubiquitas (from Latin ubique ‘everywhere’, from ubi ‘where’) + -ous.

Answer 157

onerous /ˈəʊn(ə)rəs , ˈɒn(ə)rəs/ ▸ adjective (of a task or responsibility) involving a great deal of effort, trouble, or difficulty: he found his duties increasingly onerous. ▪ Law involving heavy obligations: an onerous lease. – DERIVATIVES onerously /ˈəʊn(ə)rəsli , ˈɒn(ə)rəsli / adverb onerousness /ˈəʊn(ə)rəsnəs , ˈɒn(ə)rəsnəs / noun – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French onereus, from Latin onerosus, from onus, oner- ‘burden’.

Answer 158

citation /sʌɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n / ▸ noun 1 a quotation from or reference to a book, paper, or author, especially in a scholarly work: the majority of the citations are to work published during the past twenty years. ▪ Law a reference to a previous case, used as guidance in the trying of comparable cases or in support of an argument: this journal contains citations from all jurisdictions. 2 a mention of a praiseworthy act in an official report, especially that of a member of the armed forces in wartime: the citation described him as an officer of extreme gallantry. ▪ a note accompanying an award, describing the reasons for it: a Nobel citation. 3 North American a summons to appear in court: a traffic citation. – ORIGIN Middle English (in citation (SENSE 2)): from Old French, from Latin citatio(n-), from citare ‘cite’.

Answer 159

civility /sɪˈvɪlɪti / ▸ noun (plural civilities) [mass noun] formal politeness and courtesy in behaviour or speech: I hope we can treat each other with civility and respect. ▪ (civilities) polite remarks used in formal conversation: she was exchanging civilities with his mother. – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French civilite, from Latin civilitas, from civilis ‘relating to citizens’ (see civil). In early use the term denoted the state of being a citizen and hence good citizenship or orderly behaviour. The sense ‘politeness’ arose in the mid 16th century.

Answer 160

fulsome /ˈfʊls(ə)m / ▸ adjective 1 complimentary or flattering to an excessive degree: the press are embarrassingly fulsome in their appreciation. 2 of large size or quantity; generous or abundant: the fulsome details of the later legend. – DERIVATIVES fulsomely /ˈfʊls(ə)mli / adverb fulsomeness /ˈfʊls(ə)mnəs / noun – ORIGIN Middle English (in the sense ‘abundant’): from full1 + -some1. Although the earliest use of fulsome (first recorded in the 13th century) was ‘generous or abundant’, this meaning is now regarded by some people as wrong. The correct meaning today is held to be ‘excessively complimentary or flattering’. However, the word is still often used in its original sense of ‘abundant’, especially in sentences such as she was fulsome in her praise for the people who organized it, and this use can give rise to ambiguity: for one speaker, fulsome praise may be a genuine compliment, whereas for others it will be interpreted as an insult.

Answer 161

consequential /kɒnsɪˈkwɛnʃ(ə)l / ▸ adjective 1 following as a result or effect: a loss of confidence and a consequential withdrawal of funds. ▪ Law resulting from an act, but not immediately and directly: consequential damages. 2 important; significant: the new congress lacked consequential leaders. – DERIVATIVES consequentiality /kɒnsɪkwɛnʃɪˈalɪti / noun consequentially /kɒnsɪˈkwɛnʃəli / adverb – ORIGIN early 17th century : from Latin consequentia (see consequence) + -al.

Answer 162

oligarchy /ˈɒlɪɡɑːki / ▸ noun (plural oligarchies) a small group of people having control of a country or organization: the ruling oligarchy of military men around the president. ▪ a country governed by an oligarchy: he believed that Britain was an oligarchy. ▪ [mass noun] government by an oligarchy. – DERIVATIVES oligarchic /ɒlɪˈɡɑːkɪk / adjective oligarchical /ɒlɪˈɡɑːkɪk(ə)l/ adjective oligarchically /ɒlɪˈɡɑːkɪk(ə)li/ adverb – ORIGIN late 15th century : from Greek oligarkhia, from oligoi ‘few’ and arkhein ‘to rule’.

Answer 163

Orwellian /ɔːˈwɛlɪən / ▸ adjective characteristic of the writings of George Orwell, especially with reference to his dystopian account of a future totalitarian state in Nineteen Eighty-Four: a frightening view of an Orwellian future.

Answer 164

totalitarian /ˌtəʊtalɪˈtɛːrɪən , təˌtalɪˈtɛːrɪən/ ▸ adjective relating to a system of government that is centralized and dictatorial and requires complete subservience to the state: a totalitarian regime. ▸ noun a person advocating a totalitarian system of government: most totalitarians seem afraid of the spirit of science.

Answer 165

dissemination /dɪˌsɛmɪˈneɪʃn / ▸ noun [mass noun] the action or fact of spreading something, especially information, widely: the dissemination of public information.

Answer 166

vehemently /ˈviːəməntli / ▸ adverb in a forceful, passionate, or intense manner; with great feeling: he vehemently denied any suggestion of improper conduct the entire community protested vehemently against the cuts.

Answer 167

explicit /ɪkˈsplɪsɪt , ɛkˈsplɪsɪt/ ▸ adjective stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubt: the arrangement had not been made explicit. ▪ (of a person) stating something in an explicit manner: let me be explicit. ▪ describing or representing sexual activity in a graphic fashion: a sexually explicit blockbuster. ▸ noun the closing words of a manuscript, early printed book, or chanted liturgical text. Compare with incipit. [Middle English: late Latin , ‘here ends’, or abbreviation of explicitus est liber ‘the scroll is unrolled’.] – DERIVATIVES explicitness /ɪkˈsplɪsɪtnəs , ɛkˈsplɪsɪtnəs / noun – ORIGIN early 17th century (as an adjective): from French explicite or Latin explicitus, past participle of explicare ‘unfold’ (see explicate).

Answer 168

inept /ɪˈnɛpt / ▸ adjective having or showing no skill; clumsy: the referee's inept handling of the match. – DERIVATIVES ineptly /ɪˈnɛptli / adverb ineptness /ɪˈnɛptnəs / noun – ORIGIN mid 16th century (in the sense ‘not apt, unsuitable’): from Latin ineptus, from in- ‘not’ + aptus (see apt).

Answer 169

``` tenuous /ˈtɛnjʊəs / ▸ adjective very weak or slight: the tenuous link between interest rates and investment. ▪ very slender or fine; insubstantial: a tenuous cloud. – DERIVATIVES tenuously /ˈtɛnjʊəsli / adverb tenuousness /ˈtɛnjʊəsnəs / noun – ORIGIN late 16th century : formed irregularly from Latin tenuis ‘thin’ + -ous. ```

Answer 170

remiss /rɪˈmɪs / ▸ adjective [predicative] lacking care or attention to duty; negligent: it would be very remiss of me not to pass on that information. – DERIVATIVES remissly adverb remissness /rɪˈmɪsnəs / noun – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Latin remissus ‘slackened’, past participle of remittere. The early senses were ‘weakened in colour or consistency’ and (in describing sound) ‘faint, soft’.

Answer 171

endemic /ɛnˈdɛmɪk / ▸ adjective 1 (of a disease or condition) regularly found among particular people or in a certain area: complacency is endemic in industry today. ▪ [attributive] (of an area) in which a particular disease is regularly found: the persistence of infection on pastures in endemic areas. 2 (of a plant or animal) native and restricted to a certain place: a marsupial endemic to north-eastern Australia. ▸ noun an endemic plant or animal: there are three types of island endemics. – DERIVATIVES endemically /ɛnˈdɛmɪk(ə)li / adverb endemicity /ˌɛndɪˈmɪsɪti / noun – ORIGIN mid 17th century (as a noun): from French endémique or modern Latin endemicus, from Greek endēmios ‘native’ (based on dēmos ‘people’).

Answer 172

gregarious /ɡrɪˈɡɛːrɪəs / ▸ adjective (of a person) fond of company; sociable: he was a popular and gregarious man. ▪ (of animals) living in flocks or loosely organized communities: gregarious species forage in flocks from colonies or roosts. ▪ (of plants) growing in open clusters or in pure associations: in the wild, trees are usually gregarious plants. – DERIVATIVES gregariously /ɡrɪˈɡɛːrɪəsli / adverb gregariousness /ɡrɪˈɡɛːrɪəsnəs / noun – ORIGIN mid 17th century : from Latin gregarius (from grex, greg- ‘a flock’) + -ous.

Answer 173

condescend /kɒndɪˈsɛnd / ▸ verb [no object] show that one feels superior; be patronizing: take care not to condescend to your reader. ▪ [with infinitive] do something in such a way as to emphasize that one clearly regards it as below one's dignity or level of importance: he condescended to see me at my hotel. – ORIGIN Middle English (in the sense ‘give way, defer’): from Old French condescendre, from ecclesiastical Latin condescendere, from con- ‘together’ + descendere ‘descend’.

Answer 174

patronize /ˈpatrənʌɪz / (British also patronise) ▸ verb [with object] 1 treat in a way that is apparently kind or helpful but that betrays a feeling of superiority: she was determined not to be put down or patronized. 2 frequent (a shop, restaurant, or other establishment) as a customer: restaurants and bars regularly patronized by the stars were often crowded with paparazzi. ▪ give financial or other support to (a person, organization, or cause): she patronizes worthy causes. – DERIVATIVES patronization /patrənʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n/ (British also patronisation) noun patronizer /ˈpatrənʌɪzə / (British also patronisation) noun

Answer 175

supremacist /suːˈprɛməsɪst , sjuːˈprɛməsɪst/ ▸ noun a person who believes that a particular group, especially one determined by race, religion, or sex, is superior and should therefore dominate society: racial supremacists. ▸ adjective supporting the belief that a particular group, especially one determined by race, religion, or sex, is superior and should therefore dominate society: supremacist ideologies. – DERIVATIVES supremacism noun

Answer 176

white fragility ▸ noun [mass noun] discomfort and defensiveness on the part of a white person when confronted by information about racial inequality and injustice: her indignant reaction comes off as the quintessential combination of white fragility and white privilege. – ORIGIN early 21st century : coined in a 2011 journal article by the US academic and educator Robin DiAngelo.

Answer 177

quintessential /ˌkwɪntɪˈsɛnʃ(ə)l / ▸ adjective representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class: he was the quintessential tough guy—strong, silent, and self-contained.

Answer 178

indignant /ɪnˈdɪɡnənt / ▸ adjective feeling or showing anger or annoyance at what is perceived as unfair treatment: he was indignant at being the object of suspicion. – ORIGIN late 16th century : from Latin indignant- ‘regarding as unworthy’, from the verb indignari, from in- ‘not’ + dignus ‘worthy’.

Answer 179

white privilege ▸ noun [mass noun] inherent advantages possessed by a white person on the basis of their race in a society characterized by racial inequality and injustice: I'll be the first to acknowledge that I do benefit from white privilege.

Answer 180

acolyte /ˈakəlʌɪt / ▸ noun a person assisting a priest in a religious service or procession. ▪ an assistant or follower: she runs the department through a small group of acolytes. – ORIGIN Middle English : from Old French acolyt or ecclesiastical Latin acolytus, from Greek akolouthos ‘follower’.

Answer 181

itinerant /ɪˈtɪn(ə)r(ə)nt , ʌɪˈtɪn(ə)r(ə)nt/ ▸ adjective travelling from place to place: itinerant traders. ▸ noun a person who travels from place to place. – DERIVATIVES itineracy noun itinerancy /ɪˈtɪn(ə)r(ə)nsi , ʌɪˈtɪn(ə)r(ə)nsi / noun itinerantly adverb – ORIGIN late 16th century (used to describe a judge travelling on a circuit): from late Latin itinerant- ‘travelling’, from the verb itinerari, from Latin iter, itiner- ‘journey, road’.

Answer 182

``` cathartic /kəˈθɑːtɪk / ▸ adjective 1 providing psychological relief through the open expression of strong emotions; causing catharsis: crying is a cathartic release. 2 Medicine purgative. ▸ noun Medicine a purgative drug. – DERIVATIVES cathartically adverb – ORIGIN early 17th century (in medical use): via late Latin from Greek kathartikos, from katharsis ‘cleansing’ (see catharsis). ```

Answer 183

idiom /ˈɪdɪəm / ▸ noun 1 a group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words (e.g. over the moon, see the light). ▪ [mass noun] a form of expression natural to a language, person, or group of people: he had a feeling for phrase and idiom. ▪ the dialect of a people or part of a country. 2 a characteristic mode of expression in music or art: they were both working in a neo-impressionist idiom. – ORIGIN late 16th century : from French idiome, or via late Latin from Greek idiōma ‘private property, peculiar phraseology’, from idiousthai ‘make one's own’, from idios ‘own, private’.

Answer 184

Social proof is a psychological and social phenomenon wherein people copy the actions of others in an attempt to undertake behavior in a given situation, also known as informational social influence. Social proof is considered prominent in ambiguous social situations where people are unable to determine the appropriate mode of behavior, and is driven by the assumption that the surrounding people possess more knowledge about the current situation.

Answer 185

colonialism /kəˈləʊnɪəlɪz(ə)m / ▸ noun [mass noun] the policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically: the state apparatus that was dominant under colonialism.

Answer 186

``` obnoxious /əbˈnɒkʃəs / ▸ adjective extremely unpleasant: obnoxious odours he found her son somewhat obnoxious. – DERIVATIVES obnoxiously /əbˈnɒkʃəsli / adverb obnoxiousness /əbˈnɒkʃəsnəs / noun – ORIGIN late 16th century (in the sense ‘vulnerable to harm’): from Latin obnoxiosus, from obnoxius ‘exposed to harm’, from ob- ‘towards’ + noxa ‘harm’. The current sense, influenced by noxious, dates from the late 17th century. ```

Answer 187

moot /muːt / ▸ adjective 1 subject to debate, dispute, or uncertainty: whether they had been successful or not was a moot point it is a moot point whether such a controversial scheme would have succeeded. 2 having little or no practical relevance, typically because the subject is too uncertain to allow a decision: the whole matter is becoming increasingly moot. ▸ verb [with object] raise (a question or topic) for discussion; suggest (an idea or possibility): the scheme was first mooted last October. ▸ noun 1 historical an assembly held for debate, especially in Anglo-Saxon and medieval times. ▪ a regular gathering of people having a common interest. 2 Law a mock judicial proceeding set up to examine a hypothetical case as an academic exercise: the object of a moot is to provide practice in developing an argument. – ORIGIN Old English mōt ‘assembly or meeting’ and mōtian ‘to converse’, of Germanic origin; related to meet1. The adjective (originally an attributive noun use: see moot court) dates from the mid 16th century; the current verb sense dates from the mid 17th century. Note that a question subject to debate or dispute is a moot point, not a mute point. As moot is a relatively uncommon word people sometimes interpret it as the more familiar word mute.

Answer 188

binary /ˈbʌɪnəri / ▸ adjective 1 relating to, composed of, or involving two things. 2 relating to, using, or denoting a system of numerical notation that has 2 rather than 10 as a base. ▸ noun (plural binaries) 1 [mass noun] the binary system of notation: the device is counting in binary. 2 something having two parts. ▪ a binary star. – ORIGIN late Middle English (in the sense ‘duality, a pair’): from late Latin binarius, from bini ‘two together’.

Answer 189

incomprehensible /ˌɪnkɒmprɪˈhɛnsɪb(ə)l / ▸ adjective not able to be understood; not intelligible: a language which is incomprehensible to anyone outside the office. – DERIVATIVES incomprehensibility /ˌɪnkɒmprɪhɛnsɪˈbɪlɪti / noun incomprehensibleness /ɪnˌkɒmprɪˈhɛnsɪblnəs / noun incomprehensibly /ɪnˌkɒmprɪˈhɛnsɪbli / adverb – ORIGIN late Middle English (earlier than comprehensible): from Latin incomprehensibilis, from in- ‘not’ + comprehensibilis (see comprehensible).

Answer 190

convivial /kənˈvɪvɪəl / ▸ adjective (of an atmosphere or event) friendly, lively, and enjoyable: a convivial cocktail party. ▪ (of a person) cheerful and friendly; jovial: she was relaxed and convivial. – DERIVATIVES convivially adverb – ORIGIN mid 17th century (in the sense ‘fit for a feast, festive’): from Latin convivialis, from convivium ‘a feast’, from con- ‘with’ + vivere ‘live’.

Answer 191

cohort /ˈkəʊhɔːt / ▸ noun 1 [treated as singular or plural] a group of people with a shared characteristic: a cohort of civil servants patiently drafting legislation. ▪ a group of people with a common statistical characteristic: the 1940–4 birth cohort of women. 2 often derogatory a supporter or companion: young Jack arrived with three of his cohorts a long-time cohort of the band. 3 [treated as singular or plural] an ancient Roman military unit, comprising six centuries, equal to one tenth of a legion. – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French cohorte, or from Latin cohors, cohort- ‘yard, retinue’. Compare with court. The earliest sense of cohort is ‘a unit of men within the Roman army’. In the mid 20th century a new sense developed in the US, meaning ‘a companion or colleague’, as in young Jack arrived with three of his cohorts. Although this use is well established (it accounts for the majority of the citations for this word in the Oxford English Corpus), some people object to it on the grounds that cohort should only be used for groups of people, never for individuals.

Answer 192

mendacity /mɛnˈdasəti / ▸ noun [mass noun] untruthfulness: people publicly castigated for past mendacity. – ORIGIN mid 17th century : from ecclesiastical Latin mendacitas, from mendax, mendac- ‘lying’ (see mendacious).

Answer 193

mendacious /mɛnˈdeɪʃəs / ▸ adjective not telling the truth; lying: mendacious propaganda. – DERIVATIVES mendaciously adverb mendaciousness noun – ORIGIN early 17th century : from Latin mendax, mendac- ‘lying’ (related to mendum ‘fault’) + -ious.

Answer 194

dissemination /dɪˌsɛmɪˈneɪʃn / ▸ noun [mass noun] the action or fact of spreading something, especially information, widely: the dissemination of public information.

Answer 195

despicable /dɪˈspɪkəb(ə)l , ˈdɛspɪkəb(ə)l/ ▸ adjective deserving hatred and contempt: a despicable crime. – DERIVATIVES despicably /dɪˈspɪkəbli , ˈdɛspɪkəbli / adverb – ORIGIN mid 16th century : from late Latin despicabilis, from despicari ‘look down on’.

Answer 196

presumptuous /prɪˈzʌm(p)tʃʊəs / ▸ adjective (of a person or their behaviour) failing to observe the limits of what is permitted or appropriate: I hope I won't be considered presumptuous if I offer some advice. – DERIVATIVES presumptuously /prɪˈzʌm(p)tʃʊəsli / adverb presumptuousness /prɪˈzʌm(p)tʃʊəsnəs / noun – ORIGIN Middle English : from Old French presumptueux, from late Latin praesumptuosus, variant of praesumptiosus ‘full of boldness’, from praesumptio (see presumption).

Answer 197

imperialism /ɪmˈpɪərɪəlɪz(ə)m / ▸ noun [mass noun] a policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization, use of military force, or other means: the struggle against imperialism figurative French ministers protested at US cultural imperialism. ▪ mainly historical rule by an emperor: in Russia, imperialism had developed alongside a semi-feudal agrarian structure.

Answer 198

agrarian /əˈɡrɛːrɪən / ▸ adjective relating to cultivated land or the cultivation of land: Brazil is rapidly diversifying its agrarian economy. ▪ relating to landed property: the agrarian reforms. ▸ noun a person who advocates a redistribution of landed property. – DERIVATIVES agrarianism noun – ORIGIN early 17th century (originally denoting a Roman law for the division of conquered lands): from Latin agrarius, from ager, agr- ‘field’.

Answer 199

``` feudalism /ˈfjuːdəlɪz(ə)m / ▸ noun [mass noun] the dominant social system in medieval Europe, in which the nobility held lands from the Crown in exchange for military service, and vassals were in turn tenants of the nobles, while the peasants (villeins or serfs) were obliged to live on their lord's land and give him homage, labour, and a share of the produce, notionally in exchange for military protection. – DERIVATIVES feudalist /ˈfjuːd(ə)lɪst / noun feudalistic /fjuːdəˈlɪstɪk / adjective ```

Answer 200

copacetic /ˌkəʊpəˈsɛtɪk , ˌkəʊpəˈsiːtɪk/ (also copasetic) ▸ adjective North American informal in excellent order: he said to tell you everything is copacetic. – ORIGIN early 20th century : of unknown origin.

Answer 201

precarious /prɪˈkɛːrɪəs / ▸ adjective not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapse: a precarious ladder. ▪ dependent on chance; uncertain: he made a precarious living as a painter. – ORIGIN mid 17th century : from Latin precarius ‘obtained by entreaty’ (from prex, prec- ‘prayer’) + -ous.

Answer 202

transient /ˈtranzɪənt / ▸ adjective lasting only for a short time; impermanent: a transient cold spell. ▪ staying or working in a place for a short time only: the transient nature of the labour force in catering. ▸ noun 1 a person who is staying or working in a place for a short time only. 2 a momentary variation in current, voltage, or frequency. – DERIVATIVES transiently /ˈtranzɪəntli / adverb – ORIGIN late 16th century : from Latin transient- ‘going across’, from the verb transire, from trans- ‘across’ + ire ‘go’.

Answer 203

oxymoron /ˌɒksɪˈmɔːrɒn / ▸ noun a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction (e.g. faith unfaithful kept him falsely true). – DERIVATIVES oxymoronic adjective – ORIGIN mid 17th century : from Greek oxumōron, neuter (used as a noun) of oxumōros ‘pointedly foolish’, from oxus ‘sharp’ + mōros ‘foolish’.

Answer 204

pathology /pəˈθɒlədʒi / ▸ noun [mass noun] the science of the causes and effects of diseases, especially the branch of medicine that deals with the laboratory examination of samples of body tissue for diagnostic or forensic purposes: research people skilled in experimental pathology. ▪ Medicine pathological features considered collectively; the typical behaviour of a disease: the pathology of Huntington's disease. ▪ Medicine a pathological condition: the dominant pathology is multiple sclerosis. ▪ [usually with modifier] mental, social, or linguistic abnormality or malfunction: the city's inability to cope with the pathology of a burgeoning underclass. – ORIGIN early 17th century : from modern or medieval Latin pathologia (see patho-, -logy).

Answer 205

burgeon /ˈbəːdʒ(ə)n / ▸ verb [no object] begin to grow or increase rapidly; flourish: the city's suburbs have burgeoned, sprawling out from the centre. ▪ archaic or literary put forth young shoots; bud. ▸ noun archaic or literary a bud or young shoot. – ORIGIN Middle English : from Old French bourgeonner ‘put out buds’, from borjon ‘bud’, based on late Latin burra ‘wool’.

Answer 206

poignant /ˈpɔɪnjənt / ▸ adjective evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret: a poignant reminder of the passing of time. ▪ archaic sharp or pungent in taste or smell: the poignant scent of her powder. – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French, literally ‘pricking’, present participle of poindre, from Latin pungere ‘to prick’.

Answer 207

vanguard /ˈvanɡɑːd / ▸ noun 1 a group of people leading the way in new developments or ideas: the experimental spirit of the modernist vanguard. ▪ a position at the forefront of new developments or ideas: the prototype was in the vanguard of technical development. 2 the foremost part of an advancing army or naval force. – DERIVATIVES vanguardism noun vanguardist noun – ORIGIN late Middle English (denoting the foremost part of an army): shortening of Old French avan(t)garde, from avant ‘before’ + garde ‘guard’.

Answer 208

genealogy /dʒiːnɪˈalədʒi , dʒɛnɪˈalədʒi/ ▸ noun (plural genealogies) a line of descent traced continuously from an ancestor: the genealogies of the kings of Mercia. ▪ [mass noun] the study and tracing of lines of descent. ▪ a plant's or animal's line of evolutionary development from earlier forms. – ORIGIN Middle English : via Old French and late Latin from Greek genealogia, from genea ‘race, generation’ + -logia (see -logy).

Answer 209

ideology /ˌʌɪdɪˈɒlədʒi / ▸ noun (plural ideologies) 1 a system of ideas and ideals, especially one which forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy: the ideology of republicanism. ▪ the set of beliefs characteristic of a social group or individual: a critique of bourgeois ideology. 2 [mass noun] archaic the science of ideas; the study of their origin and nature. ▪ archaic visionary speculation, especially of an unrealistic or idealistic nature. – DERIVATIVES ideologist /ˌʌɪdɪˈɒlədʒɪst , ɪdɪˈɒlədʒɪst / noun – ORIGIN late 18th century (in ideology (SENSE 2)): from French idéologie, from Greek idea ‘form, pattern’ + -logos (denoting discourse or compilation).

Answer 210

simile /ˈsɪmɪli / ▸ noun a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid (e.g. as brave as a lion). ▪ [mass noun] the use of similes as a method of comparison: his audacious deployment of simile and metaphor. – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Latin, neuter of similis ‘like’.

Answer 211

metaphor /ˈmɛtəfə , ˈmɛtəfɔː/ ▸ noun a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable: when we speak of gene maps and gene mapping, we use a cartographic metaphor [mass noun] her poetry depends on suggestion and metaphor. ▪ a thing regarded as representative or symbolic of something else: the amounts of money being lost by the company were enough to make it a metaphor for an industry that was teetering. – ORIGIN late 15th century : from French métaphore, via Latin from Greek metaphora, from metapherein ‘to transfer’.

Answer 212

pundit /ˈpʌndɪt / ▸ noun 1 an expert in a particular subject or field who is frequently called upon to give their opinions to the public: political pundits were tipping him for promotion. 2 variant form of pandit. – ORIGIN mid 17th century (in pundit (SENSE 2)): from Sanskrit paṇḍita ‘learned man’, use as noun of paṇḍita ‘learned, skilled’. pundit (SENSE 1) is first recorded in the early 19th century.

Answer 213

cognitive dissonance ▸ noun [mass noun] Psychology the state of having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes, especially as relating to behavioural decisions and attitude change.

Answer 214

prudent /ˈpruːd(ə)nt / ▸ adjective acting with or showing care and thought for the future: no prudent money manager would authorize a loan without first knowing its purpose. – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French, or from Latin prudent-, contraction of provident- ‘foreseeing, attending to’ (see provident).

Answer 215

vitriol /ˈvɪtrɪəl / ▸ noun [mass noun] 1 bitter criticism or malice: her mother's sudden gush of fury and vitriol. 2 archaic or literary sulphuric acid: it was as if his words were spraying vitriol on her face. ▪ in names of metallic sulphates, e.g. blue vitriol (copper sulphate) and green vitriol (ferrous sulphate). – ORIGIN late Middle English (denoting the sulphate of various metals): from Old French, or from medieval Latin vitriolum, from Latin vitrum ‘glass’.

Answer 216

``` cacophony /kəˈkɒf(ə)ni / ▸ noun (plural cacophonies) a harsh discordant mixture of sounds: a cacophony of deafening alarm bells. – ORIGIN mid 17th century : from French cacophonie, from Greek kakophōnia, from kakophōnos ‘ill-sounding’, from kakos ‘bad’ + phōnē ‘sound’. ```

Answer 217

discordant /dɪˈskɔːd(ə)nt / ▸ adjective 1 disagreeing or incongruous: the operative principle of democracy is a balance of discordant qualities. ▪ characterized by conflict: a study of children in discordant homes. 2 (of sounds) harsh and jarring because of a lack of harmony: the singers continued their discordant chanting. 3 Biology (of a matched pair of subjects, especially twins) not having the same trait or disease: studies with data from discordant twins will be useful to confirm our findings. – PHRASES strike a discordant note appear strange and out of place: the chair's modernity struck a discordant note in a room full of eighteenth-century furniture. – DERIVATIVES discordantly /dɪˈskɔːd(ə)ntli / adverb – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French descordant, present participle of descorder (see discord).

Answer 218

procure /prəˈkjʊə / ▸ verb [with object] 1 obtain (something), especially with care or effort: food procured for the rebels [with two objects] he persuaded a friend to procure him a ticket. ▪ obtain (someone) as a prostitute for another person: he haunted railway stations to procure young girls for immoral purposes. 2 [with object and infinitive] Law persuade or cause (someone) to do something: he procured his wife to sign the mandate for the joint account. ▪ archaic or Law cause (something) to happen: he was charged with procuring the death of the Earl of Lancaster. – DERIVATIVES procurable /prəˈkjʊərəb(ə)l / adjective – ORIGIN Middle English : from Old French procurer, from Latin procurare ‘take care of, manage’, from pro- ‘on behalf of’ + curare ‘see to’.

Answer 219

debauchery /dɪˈbɔːtʃ(ə)ri / | ▸ noun [mass noun] excessive indulgence in sex, alcohol, or drugs.

Answer 220

seminal /ˈsɛmɪn(ə)l / ▸ adjective 1 strongly influencing later developments: his seminal work on chaos theory. 2 relating to or denoting semen: the spermatozoa are washed to separate them from the seminal plasma. ▪ Botany relating to or derived from the seed of a plant: the seminal root system. – DERIVATIVES seminally adverb – ORIGIN late Middle English (in seminal (SENSE 2)): from Old French seminal or Latin seminalis, from semen ‘seed’. seminal (SENSE 1) dates from the mid 17th century.

Answer 221

depravity /dɪˈpravɪti / ▸ noun (plural depravities) [mass noun] moral corruption; wickedness: a tale of depravity hard to credit [count noun] I wondered what depravities had occurred in that place. ▪ Christian Theology the innate corruption of human nature, due to original sin. – ORIGIN mid 17th century : alteration (influenced by deprave) of obsolete pravity, from Latin pravitas, from pravus ‘crooked, perverse’.

Answer 222

purview /ˈpəːvjuː / ▸ noun [in singular] formal the scope of the influence or concerns of something: such a case might be within the purview of the legislation. ▪ range of experience or thought: social taboos meant that little information was likely to come within the purview of women generally. – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Anglo-Norman French purveu ‘foreseen’, past participle of purveier (see purvey). Early use was as a legal term specifying the body of a statute following the words ‘be it enacted …’.

Answer 223

nexus /ˈnɛksəs / ▸ noun (plural same or nexuses) 1 a connection or series of connections linking two or more things: the nexus between industry and political power. ▪ a connected group or series: a nexus of ideas. 2 a central or focal point: the nexus of any government in this country is No. 10. – ORIGIN mid 17th century : from Latin, ‘a binding together’, from nex- ‘bound’, from the verb nectere.

Answer 224

salient /ˈseɪlɪənt / ▸ adjective 1 most noticeable or important: it succinctly covered all the salient points of the case. ▪ prominent; conspicuous: the salient object in my view. 2 (of an angle) pointing outwards. The opposite of re-entrant. 3 [postpositive] Heraldry (of an animal) standing on its hind legs with the forepaws raised, as if leaping. ▸ noun a piece of land or section of fortification that juts out to form an angle. ▪ an outward bulge in a line of military attack or defence: this decisive battle broke the Germans' ability to attack any further into the Kursk salient. – DERIVATIVES saliency noun saliently adverb – ORIGIN mid 16th century (as a heraldic term): from Latin salient- ‘leaping’, from the verb salire. The noun dates from the early 19th century.

Answer 225

discourse ▸ noun /ˈdɪskɔːs / written or spoken communication or debate: [mass noun] the language of political discourse [count noun] an imagined discourse between two people. ▪ [count noun] a formal discussion of a topic in speech or writing: a discourse on critical theory. ▪ Linguistics a connected series of utterances; a text or conversation. ▸ verb /dɪsˈkɔːs / [no object] speak or write authoritatively about a topic: she could discourse at great length on the history of Europe. ▪ engage in conversation: he spent an hour discoursing with his supporters. – ORIGIN late Middle English (denoting the process of reasoning): from Old French discours, from Latin discursus ‘running to and fro’ (in medieval Latin ‘argument’), from the verb discurrere, from dis- ‘away’ + currere ‘to run’; the verb influenced by French discourir.

Answer 226

perturb /pəˈtəːb / ▸ verb [with object] 1 make (someone) anxious or unsettled: they were perturbed by her capricious behaviour [with object and clause] he was perturbed that his bleeper wouldn't work. 2 technical subject (a system, moving object, or process) to an influence tending to alter its normal or regular state or path: nuclear weapons could be used to perturb the orbit of an asteroid. – DERIVATIVES perturbable adjective – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French pertourber, from Latin perturbare, from per- ‘completely’ + turbare ‘disturb’.

Answer 227

context /ˈkɒntɛkst / ▸ noun the circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and in terms of which it can be fully understood: the proposals need to be considered in the context of new European directives. ▪ the parts of something written or spoken that immediately precede and follow a word or passage and clarify its meaning: skilled readers use context to construct meaning from words as they are read. – PHRASES in context considered together with the surrounding words or circumstances: the complex meaning of irony is only graspable in context. out of context without the surrounding words or circumstances and so not fully understandable: the article portrayed her as domineering by dropping quotes from her out of context. – DERIVATIVES contextless adjective – ORIGIN late Middle English (denoting the construction of a text): from Latin contextus, from con- ‘together’ + texere ‘to weave’.

Answer 228

aberration /ˌabəˈreɪʃ(ə)n / ▸ noun a departure from what is normal, usual, or expected, typically an unwelcome one: they described the outbreak of violence in the area as an aberration I see these activities as some kind of mental aberration. ▪ Biology a characteristic that deviates from the normal type: colour aberrations. ▪ Optics the failure of rays to converge at one focus because of a defect in a lens or mirror. ▪ Astronomy the apparent displacement of a celestial object from its true position, caused by the relative motion of the observer and the object. – DERIVATIVES aberrational adjective – ORIGIN late 16th century : from Latin aberratio(n-), from aberrare ‘to stray’ (see aberrant).

Answer 229

dogma /ˈdɒɡmə / ▸ noun a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true: the dogmas of faith [mass noun] the rejection of political dogma. – ORIGIN mid 16th century : via late Latin from Greek dogma ‘opinion’, from dokein ‘seem good, think’.

Answer 230

trivial /ˈtrɪvɪəl / ▸ adjective 1 of little value or importance: huge fines were imposed for trivial offences trivial details. ▪ (of a person) concerned only with petty things. 2 Mathematics denoting a subgroup that either contains only the identity element or is identical with the given group. – DERIVATIVES trivially /ˈtrɪvɪəli / adverb trivialness noun – ORIGIN late Middle English (in the sense ‘belonging to the trivium’): from medieval Latin trivialis, from Latin trivium (see trivium).

Answer 231

sycophant /ˈsɪkəfant / ▸ noun a person who acts obsequiously towards someone important in order to gain advantage. – ORIGIN mid 16th century (denoting an informer): from French sycophante, or via Latin from Greek sukophantēs ‘informer’, from sukon ‘fig’ + phainein ‘to show’, perhaps with reference to making the insulting gesture of the ‘fig’ (sticking the thumb between two fingers) to informers.

Answer 232

contempt /kənˈtɛm(p)t / ▸ noun [mass noun] the feeling that a person or a thing is worthless or beneath consideration: Pam stared at the girl with total contempt it is no wonder journalists are held in such contempt. ▪ disregard for something that should be considered: this action displays an arrogant contempt for the wishes of the majority. ▪ (also contempt of court) the offence of being disobedient to or disrespectful of a court of law and its officers: [count noun] when he was found to have lied to the House this was a contempt. – PHRASES beneath contempt utterly worthless or despicable: tawdry trash that is beneath contempt. hold in contempt judge (someone) to have committed the offence of contempt of court: the advocate was held in contempt for subpoenaing the judge. ▪ consider (someone or something) to be unworthy of respect or attention: the speed limit is held in contempt by many drivers. – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Latin contemptus, from contemnere (see contemn).

Answer 233

vivacious /vɪˈveɪʃəs , vʌɪˈveɪʃəs/ ▸ adjective attractively lively and animated (typically used of a woman): her vivacious and elegant mother she was dark-haired and vivacious. – DERIVATIVES vivaciously /vɪˈveɪʃəsli , vʌɪˈveɪʃəsli / adverb vivaciousness /vɪˈveɪʃəsnəs , vʌɪˈveɪʃəsnəs / noun – ORIGIN mid 17th century : from Latin vivax, vivac- ‘lively, vigorous’ (from vivere ‘to live’) + -ious.

Answer 234

renounce /rɪˈnaʊns / ▸ verb [with object] formally declare one's abandonment of (a claim, right, or possession): Isabella offered to renounce her son's claim to the French Crown. ▪ [no object] Law refuse or resign a right or position, especially one as an heir or trustee: there will be forms enabling the allottee to renounce. ▪ refuse to continue to recognize or abide by: these agreements were renounced after the fall of the Tsarist regime. ▪ reject or abandon (a cause, bad habit, or way of life): they renounced the armed struggle he renounced alcohol completely. – PHRASES renounce the world completely withdraw from society in order to lead a more spiritually fulfilling life: she renounced the world and went to work in a leper colony. – DERIVATIVES renounceable adjective renouncement /rɪˈnaʊnsm(ə)nt / noun renouncer /rɪˈnaʊnsə / noun – ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French renoncer, from Latin renuntiare ‘protest against’, from re- (expressing reversal) + nuntiare ‘announce’.

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veracity /vəˈrasɪti / ▸ noun [mass noun] conformity to facts; accuracy: officials expressed doubts concerning the veracity of the story. ▪ habitual truthfulness: voters should be concerned about his veracity and character. – ORIGIN early 17th century : from French véracité or medieval Latin veracitas, from verax ‘speaking truly’ (see veracious).

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curio /ˈkjʊərɪəʊ / ▸ noun (plural curios) a rare, unusual, or intriguing object: they had such fun over the wonderful box of curios that Jack had sent from India. – ORIGIN mid 19th century : abbreviation of curiosity.

Answer 237

plausible /ˈplɔːzɪb(ə)l / ▸ adjective (of an argument or statement) seeming reasonable or probable: a plausible explanation it seems plausible that one of two things may happen. ▪ (of a person) skilled at producing persuasive arguments, especially ones intended to deceive: a plausible liar. – ORIGIN mid 16th century (also in the sense ‘deserving applause or approval’): from Latin plausibilis, from plaus- ‘applauded’, from the verb plaudere.