P351-400 Vocabulary Flashcards
Recline
to lie or lean back in a relaxed way
recline in/on
A solitary figure was reclining on the grass.
Militant
a militant organization or person is willing to use strong or violent action in order to achieve political or social change:
After the assassination of Martin Luther King, black leaders became more militant.
- Hue
a color or type of color ⇨ tint, shade
a golden hue
- cordial
friendly but quite polite and formal
The talks were conducted in a cordial atmosphere.
▪ friendly ▪ warm ▪ nice ▪ amiable ▪ welcoming
▪ hospitable ▪ approachable
▪ genial
▪ cordial
- Rouse
- formal to wake someone who is sleeping deeply:
A persistent ringing roused Christina from a pleasant dream. - to make someone feel a particular emotion, such as anger or fear ⇨ arouse:
We don’t want to rouse any suspicions.
- Chagrin /ʃəˈɡrɪn/
annoyance and disappointment because something has not happened the way you hoped
to sb’s chagrin
And, much to Walton’s chagrin, competitors popped up all over the world.
- Transcendent
going far beyond ordinary limits
Transcendent power/ beauty / love
Groove
■a long narrow hollow space cut into a surface
*The window slides along a deep metal groove to open and close.
Be in the Groove
■to be operating or performing successfully
*Alex Popov proved he was back in the groove by winning the 100 meters freestyle.
Momentous
a momentous event, change, or decision is very important because it will have a great influence on the future:
Momentous events are taking place in the US.
His colleagues all recognized that this was a momentous occasion.
▪ essential ▪ vital/crucial
▪ key ▪ of great/considerable importance
▪ momentous
Counterfeit
made to look exactly like something else, in order to deceive people
Well, then someone’s just sold me a counterfeit T-shirt.
Upsurge
a sudden increase
The President acknowledged that some parts of the country were dealing with an upsurge in cases and the outbreak was far from over.
spearhead
to lead an attack or organized action:
the troops who spearheaded the rescue mission
Adobe
earth and straw that are made into bricks for building houses
Renovate
to repair a building or old furniture so that it is in good condition again
The hotel has been renovated and redecorated.
Coil
to wind or twist into a series of rings, or to make something do this
The snake coiled around the branches of the tree.
Obituary /əˈbɪtʃuəri $ -tʃueri/
an article in a newspaper about the life of someone who has just died
He’s stealing the identity of corpses, getting their names from the obituary columns.
Pliant
■Pliant people are easily influenced or controlled by other people
*I don’t think it’s a good thing for children to be too pliant.
■being able and willing to accept change or new ideas
Pliant boards are not the only problem.
Obscene
relating to sex in a way that is shocking and offensive ⇨ rude
When given the chance to speak, Lane made an obscene remark to the families of the victims and showed them his middle finger.
Ooze
if a thick liquid oozes from something or if something oozes a thick liquid, that liquid flows from it very slowly
A cut on his cheek was still oozing blood.
Braid
a length of hair that has been separated into three parts and then woven together
in braids
I have my hair in braids because I am shooting “Atlanta” actually.
Platitude
a statement that has been made many times before and is not interesting or clever – used to show disapproval:
His excuse was the platitude ‘boys will be boys.’
Cliche
an idea or phrase that has been used so much that it is not effective or does not have any meaning any longer
My wedding day – and I know it is a cliché – was just the happiest day of my life.
Paucity
less than is needed of something
SYN lack
Boosted by a paucity of campaigning because of covid-19, the 90-minute, ad-free event in Cleveland was watched by an estimate 80 million ,over half the electorate.
Verbose
using or containing too many words:
Legal writing is often unclear and verbose.
Verbiage
speech or writing that has many unnecessary words in it
meaningless verbiage
Endow
■to give a large amount of money to pay for creating a college or hospital, etc. or to provide an income for it
*The state of Michigan has endowed three institutes to do research for industry.
Extol
formal to praise something very much
People who extol free markets often blame such stagnation on excessive regulation.
Acumen
the ability to think quickly and make good judgments
business/political/financial etc acumen
The firm’s success is largely due to Brannon’s commercial acumen.
Desolate /ˈdesələt/
a place that is desolate is empty and looks sad because there are no people there
The house stood in a bleak and desolate landscape.
Culpable
deserving blame
Both parties were held to be to some extent culpable.
Concord
the state of having a friendly relationship, so that you agree on things and live in peace
OPP discord
All my confidence is bestowed on him, all his confidence is devoted to me; we are precisely suited in character – perfect concord is the result.
Decree
an official order or decision, especially one made by the ruler of a country:
The decree drew immediate and widespread condemnation.
Inert
not producing a chemical reaction when combined with other substances
inert gases
Canvass
- [intransitive and transitive] to try to persuade people to support a political party, politician, plan etc by going to see them and talking to them, especially when you want them to vote for you in an election
We can canvass the neighborhood, put up signs, go door to door. - [intransitive and transitive] to ask people about something in order to get their opinion or to get information
Police canvassed the neighborhood but didn’t find any witnesses.
Racket
SPORT
■a net fixed tightly to an oval frame with a long handle, used in various sports for hitting a ball
*a tennis/squash/badminton racket
NOISE
■an unpleasant loud continuous noise
*They were making such a racket outside that I couldn’t get to sleep.
CRIME
■a dishonest or illegal activity that makes money
*They were jailed for running a protection/prostitution racket.
Sheer
sheer luck/happiness/stupidity etc luck, happiness etc with no other feeling or quality mixed with it
SYN pure
I’ll never forget the look of sheer joy on her face.
Forfeit
to lose a right, position, possession etc or have it taken away from you because you have broken a law or rule
If we leave, we forfeit this tournament. If we stay, Dondre can’t play.
Swindle
to get money from someone by deceiving them
SYN cheat / con
Madoff swindled customers and employees out of almost 65 billion dollars through one of the most costly and destructive Ponzi schemes of all time.
Pact
a formal agreement between two groups, countries, or people, especially to help each other or to stop fighting
SYN treaty
We have a pact not to have sex again until the wedding.
Belie
to show that something cannot be true or real:
His cheerful smile belied his words.
Heyday
the time when someone or something was most popular, successful, or powerful
in sb’s heyday
Greta Garbo in her heyday
Tow
■to pull a car, boat, etc. along, using a rope or a chain tied to another vehicle or boat
*The road was closed while the vehicles that had been involved in the accident were towed away
tow sth away
■to lift a vehicle that has been parked illegally onto an official truck and take it to a place from which you have to pay to collect it
*You’re not allowed to park here - your car will be towed away.
The lion’s share
the largest part of something
The lion’s share of his money went to his grandchildren.
Ballroom
a very large room used for dancing on formal occasions
Emcee
someone who introduces the performers on a television or radio programme or at a social event
“Ladies and gentlemen.” The emcee said, “our special guest, Dondre Green.”
Chaperone
someone, usually a parent or teacher, who is responsible for young people on social occasions
Three parents went on the school ski trip as chaperones.
- Ghetto /ˈɡetəʊ $ -toʊ/
a part of a city where people of a particular race or class, especially people who are poor, live separately from the rest of the people in the city. This word is sometimes considered offensive
I was 13 years old, a poor black kid living with my mom and stepfather in a small black ghetto on XXX.
Brew - be brewing
if something unpleasant is brewing, it will happen soon
Having escaped one disaster, I could feel another brewing.
Clannish
a group of people who are clannish are very close to each other, and seem unfriendly towards strangers
The older boys tended to be a bit clannish.
Screech
- shout loudly in an unpleasant high voice because you are angry, afraid, or excited
SYN shriek, scream
‘Look out__’ she screeched. - if a vehicle screeches, its wheels make a high unpleasant noise as it moves along or stops
A loud horn and a screech of brakes somewhere behind the bus startled Frank.
Pry
to force something open, or force it away from something else
pry something open/away/off etc
We finally managed to pry the door open with a screwdriver.
Pry the toe of one shoe into the heel of the other.
Shrewd
good at judging what people or situations are really like
She was shrewd enough to guess who was responsible.
Solemn
very serious and not happy, for example because something bad has happened or because you are at an important occasion
a solemn expression
Tenet
a principle or belief, especially one that is part of a larger system of beliefs
one of the basic tenets of democracy
Ruthless
- so determined to get what you want that you do not care if you have to hurt other people in order to do it:
They have shown a ruthless disregard for basic human rights.
Perpetual
continuing all the time without changing or stopping
SYN continuous
the perpetual noise of the machines
Errand
a short journey in order to do something for someone, for example delivering or collecting something for them
on errand
She was always sending me on errands.
Sanctuary
a peaceful place that is safe and provides protection, especially for people who are in danger
SYN refuge
The sanctuary abandoned over 50 years ago.
Dearth
a situation in which there are very few of something that people want or need
dearth of
That is in large part because of a dearth of money.
Staunch
giving strong loyal support to another person, organization, belief etc
a staunch conservative
Forsake
to stop doing, using, or having something that you enjoy
SYN give up
She will never forsake her vegetarian principles.
Surmise - surmount
to guess that something is true, using the information you know already
When he came in, he didn’t look up, so she surmised that he was in a bad mood.
Ardent
showing strong positive feelings about an activity and determination to succeed at it
an ardent supporter of free trade
– Harvest
the crops that have been gathered, or the amount and quality of the crops gathered
Plum growers are expecting a bumper harvest this year.
Per capita
used to describe the average amount of something in a particular place, calculated according to the number of people who live there
Yearly sugar sales in the U.S. passes 100 pounds per capita for the first time.
Awry - go awry
go awry if something goes awry, it does not happen in the way that was planned
That key function apparently goes awry when we consume too much sugar, and our cells resist the hormone.
Gobble up
- to quickly use a lot of a supply of something such as money or land
Inflation has gobbled up our wage increases. - to eat something very quickly, especially in an impolite or greedy way
We gobbled up all of the cake in one evening.
Isotope
a form of an atom which has a different atomic weight from other forms of the same atom but the same chemical structure
For example, lack of water caused changes in ratios of stable isotope in specific layers of cave formations.
Plod
To walk along slowly, especially when this is difficult
To make some money, I plodded down a quiet street of older homes, selling books door-to-door.
▪ trudge /trʌdʒ/ to walk in a slow tired way because it is difficult to continue walking, or you do not want to go somewhere
▪ plod to walk slowly in a tired way – often used about a horse, donkey etc
▪ shuffle to walk very slowly and noisily without lifting your feet off the ground
Wilt
if a plant wilts, it bends over because it is too dry or old ⇨ droop
Mrs. Link showed me how to plant bulbs, what flowers and weeds to pull up, and where to haul the wilted plants.
Chauffeur
someone whose job is to drive a car for someone else
▪ driver ▪ motorist ▪ chauffeur ▪ trucker
Some weeks I got to be a chauffeur.
Bouquet
/bəʊˈkeɪ/
an arrangement of flowers, especially one that you give to someone
Gracious
behaving in a polite, kind, and generous way, especially to people of a lower rank
On Valentine’s Day, I self-consciously presented Mrs. Link a small bouquet, which she graciously accepted.
Throttle - full throttle
full throttle as fast or as much as possible
You’re running full throttle for 20 seconds.
Reap
■to get the benefit, etc. that is the result of your own actions
But even if you’re already fit, you can still reap measurable benefits from adding HIIT to your training regimen.
Niggle
slight physical pain
While nursing a little injury or niggle.
Bounce back
to feel better quickly after being ill, or to become successful again after failing or having been defeated
SYN recover
Indeed, news are spreading that the world economy is bouncing back, hopefully to pre-crisis level.
On regular basis
every day
New studies on the benefits of HIIT make the news on a regular basis.
– Exact
to demand and get something from someone by using threats, force etc
exact something from somebody
The blackmailers exacted a total of $100000 from their victims.
Cursor
■a marker (= small sign) usually an arrow or a vertical line, on a computer screen which moves to show the point where work is being done
Rhombus
a shape with four equal straight sides, especially one that is not a square
Lackluster
not exciting, impressive etc
SYN dull
The basketball team’s performance has been lackluster this season.
Ear to ear
Mike assured him as he grinned from ear to ear, displaying the bright smile that became his trademark.
Stranded
■unable to leave somewhere because of a problem such as not having any transport or money.
She and her children were stranded on the roadside when Mike came by.
Ribbon
a narrow piece of attractive cloth that you use, for example, to tie your hair or hold things together ⇨ bow
Yellow ribbon project
Stint
a period of time spent doing a particular job or activity
Mark did a two-year stint in the army.
Amputate
to cut off someone’s arm, leg, finger etc during a medical operation
Two of her toes were amputated because of frostbite.
– Bail
to escape from a situation that you do not want to be in any more
What was wrong with me? Why is it so hard to love me and why is it that when it gets hard, everyone bails?
Gruesome
very unpleasant or shocking, and involving someone being killed or badly injured
I will spare you the gruesome details of what followed.
Puke
to bring food back up from your stomach through your mouth
SYN vomit
He puked all over the carpet
Cringe
to move away from someone or something because you are afraid
I cringe every time someone else finds out. I did not want to write this story.
Get home in one piece
I got into my own car, sure to get home in one piece, never knowing what was coming.
Swerve
to change direction, especially suddenly
Suddenly, they swerved into opposite lane, colliding with an oncoming car.
Meek
very quiet and gentle and unwilling to argue with people
A meek and tidy soul, he has a need for order and structure and a passion for detail.
Dogmatic
someone who is dogmatic is completely certain of their beliefs and expects other people to accept them without arguing
Having seen themselves fail, they became more likely to question the dogmatic assumption, prevalent at the time, that the human mind is rational and logical.
Self-reliant
able to do or decide things by yourself, without depending on the help or advice of other people
Our aim is to teach our son to become an independent self-reliant adult.
Cord
an electrical wire or wires with a protective covering, usually for connecting electrical equipment to the supply of electricity
the phone cord
Socket
a place in a wall where you can connect electrical equipment to the supply of electricity
Premonition
a strange feeling that something, especially something bad, is going to happen
When Anne didn’t arrive, Paul had a premonition that she was in danger.
Gown
a woman’s dress, especially a long one worn on formal occasions, or a long loose piece of clothing worn over other clothes for a particular purpose
a graduation gown**
**a hospital gown
Jersey
a shirt made of soft material, worn by players of sports such as football and rugby
– Statistic
a statistic informal if someone is just a statistic, they are just another example of someone who has died because of a particular type of accident or disease
Agony claws my mind. I am a statistic.
Wheedle
to persuade someone to do or give you something, for example by saying nice things to them that you do not mean – used to show disapproval
I was too cool for the bus. I remember how I wheedled the car out of mom.
Chain smoke
to smoke cigarettes one immediately after another
As an offering, Uncle Bob gave up smoking – and you know what a chain smoker he is!
Pedal
to ride a bicycle ⇨ cycle, ride
Because a new study shows that people on a stationary bike pedaled faster when they simultaneously tackled some sort of mental test.
Brain-teaser
■a problem for which it is hard to find the answer, especially one which people enjoy trying to solve as a game
When confronted with tough brain-teasers, their cycling speeds were about the same as when they had nothing in particular to think about.