PD_29/07/20(RC : 85- 107; 5lb) Flashcards
inlay
noun [ C or U ]
a decorative pattern put into the surface of an object:
The walls of the palace are marble with silver inlay.
anarchism
UNCOUNTABLE NOUN
Anarchism is the belief that the laws and power of governments should be replaced by people working together freely.
He advocated anarchism as the answer to social problems.
tenet
noun [ C ] formal
one of the principles on which a belief or theory is based:
It is a tenet of contemporary psychology that an individual’s mental health is supported by having good social networks.
deem
verb [ T not continuous ] formal
to consider or judge something in a particular way:
[ + obj + noun/adj ] The area has now been deemed safe.
[ + noun/adj ] We will provide help whenever you deem it appropriate.
[ + obj + to infinitive ] Anyone not paying the registration fee by 31 March will be deemed to have withdrawn from the offer.
propaganda
noun [ U ]
information, ideas, opinions, or images, often only giving one part of an argument, that are broadcast, published, or in some other way spread with the intention of influencing people’s opinions:
political/wartime propaganda
At school we were fed communist/right-wing propaganda.
One official dismissed the ceasefire as a mere propaganda exercise.
garner
verb [ T ] formal
to collect something, usually after much work or with difficulty:
Coppola garnered several Oscar awards for “The Godfather”.
overrule
verb [ T ] formal
(of a person who has official authority) to decide against a decision that has already been made:
In tennis, the umpire can overrule the line judge.
canonical
adjective
related to a rule, principle, or law, especially in the Christian Church:
a canonical rule
The Pope indicated that he would not consider any applications for canonical pardon.
considered to be good and important, and worth studying:
the canonical writers of American literature
This work is the canonical text on film criticism.
The space will allow canonical works by these artists to be always on view.
tautology
VARIABLE NOUN
Tautology is the use of different words to say the same thing twice in the same statement. ‘The money should be adequate enough’ is an example of tautology.
Synonyms: repetition, redundancy, verbiage, iteration
encompass
verb [ T ] formal
to include different types of things:
The festival is to encompass everything from music, theatre, and ballet to literature, cinema, and the visual arts.
catharsis
noun [ C or U ]
the process of releasing strong emotions through a particular activity or experience, such as writing or theatre, in a way that helps you to understand those emotions
tableau
noun [ C ]
an arrangement of people who do not move or speak, especially on a stage, who represent a view of life, an event, etc.
skit
a short, funny play that makes a joke of something:
I thought the skit on politicians was really funny.
coerce
verb [ T ] formal
coarse
to persuade someone forcefully to do something that they are unwilling to do:
The court heard that the six defendants had been coerced into making a confession.
- ADJECTIVE
Coarse things have a rough texture because they consist of thick threads or large pieces.
…a jacket made of very coarse cloth.
…a beach of coarse sand.
coarsely ADVERB
…coarsely-ground black pepper. - ADJECTIVE
If you describe someone as coarse, you mean that he or she talks and behaves in a rude and offensive way.
[disapproval]
The soldiers did not bother to moderate their coarse humour in her presence.
coarsely ADVERB [ADVERB with verb]
The women laughed coarsely at some vulgar joke.
coarseness UNCOUNTABLE NOUN
The coarseness of her cursing amazed the workmen.
Synonyms: vulgarity, smut, roughness, poor taste More Synonyms of coarse
Synonyms: roughness, unevenness
obstruct
verb [ T ]
to block a road, passage, entrance, etc. so that nothing can go along it, or to prevent something from happening correctly by putting difficulties in its way:
After the earthquake many roads were obstructed by collapsed buildings.
Her view of the stage was obstructed by a pillar.
An accident is obstructing traffic on the M11.
to try to stop something from happening or developing:
to obstruct a police investigation
UK He got five years in prison for withholding evidence and obstructing the course of justice.
US He was charged with obstructing justice.
debris
noun [ U ]
broken or torn pieces of something larger:
Debris from the aircraft was scattered over a large area.
inhibit
verb [ T ]
to prevent someone from doing something by making them feel nervous or embarrassed :
Some workers were inhibited (from speaking) by the presence of their managers.
to slow down a process or the growth of something:
This drug inhibits the growth of tumours.
façade
noun
the front of a building, especially a large or attractive building:
the gallery’s elegant 18th-century façade
reminiscent
adjective formal
making you remember a particular person, event, or thing:
That song is so reminiscent of my adolescence.
utilitarian
- ADJECTIVE
Utilitarian means based on the idea that the morally correct course of action is the one that produces benefit for the greatest number of people.
[technical]
It was James Mill who was the best publicist for utilitarian ideas on government.
A utilitarian is someone with utilitarian views.
One of the greatest utilitarians was Claude Helvetius. - ADJECTIVE
Utilitarian objects and buildings are designed to be useful rather than attractive.
Bruce’s office is a corner one, utilitarian and unglamorous.
Synonyms: functional, useful, practical, plain
clique
noun [ C, + sing/pl verb ]
a small group of people who spend their time together and do not welcome other people into that group:
Our golf club is run by a very unfriendly clique (of people).
There’s a clique at work that never talks/who never talk to anyone else.
plasticity
noun [ U ]
the quality of being soft enough to be changed into a new shape
auditory
adjective BIOLOGY specialized
of or about hearing:
It’s an artificial device that stimulates the auditory areas of the brain.
corporeal
ADJECTIVE [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
Corporeal means involving or relating to the physical world rather than the spiritual world.
[formal]
…man’s corporeal existence.
Synonyms: physical, human, material, substantial [formal]
content
adjective [ after verb ]
pleased with your situation and not hoping for change or improvement:
He seems fairly content with (his) life.
[ + to infinitive ] They’re content to socialize with a very small circle of people.
the articles or parts contained in a magazine or book, with the number of the page they begin on:
the table of (= list of) contents
the contents page
orchestrate
- VERB
If you say that someone orchestrates an event or situation, you mean that they carefully organize it in a way that will produce the result that they want.
The colonel was able to orchestrate a rebellion from inside an army jail. [VERB noun]
…a carefully orchestrated campaign. [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: organize, plan, run, set up - VERB
When someone orchestrates a piece of music, they write the individual parts to be played by the different instruments of an orchestra.
He was orchestrating the second act of his opera. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: score, set, arrange, adapt
fend for yourself
— phrasal verb with fend verb
exile
to take care of and provide for yourself without depending on anyone else:
Now that the children are old enough to fend for themselves, we can go away on holiday by ourselves.
the condition of someone being sent or kept away from their own country, village, etc., especially for political reasons:
The king went into exile because of the political situation in his country.
The deposed leaders are currently in exile in the neighbouring country.
confluence
- SINGULAR NOUN
The confluence of two rivers is the place where they join and become one larger river.
The 160-metre falls mark the dramatic confluence of the rivers Nera and Velino. [+ of]
Synonyms: convergence, junction, concurrence, conflux More Synonyms of confluence - COUNTABLE NOUN [oft NOUN of noun]
If there is a confluence of two things, they join, combine, or come together.
[formal]
Like most cases of extreme weather, its severity was due to an unusual confluence of events.
…the confluence of African and Portuguese cultures in Brazil.
intent
ADJECTIVE
If you are intent on doing something, you are eager and determined to do it.
The rebels are obviously intent on keeping up the pressure. [+ on/upon]
weary
ADJECTIVE If you are weary, you are very tired. Rachel looked pale and weary. ...a weary traveller. He managed a weary smile.
wary
ADJECTIVE [usually verb-link ADJECTIVE]
If you are wary of something or someone, you are cautious because you do not know much about them and you believe they may be dangerous or cause problems.
People did not teach their children to be wary of strangers. [+ of]
They were very wary about giving him a contract. [+ about]
warily (weərɪli ) ADVERB [usually ADVERB with verb]
She studied me warily, as if I might turn violent.
Synonyms: cautiously, carefully, discreetly, with care More Synonyms of wary
Synonyms: suspiciously, uneasily, guardedly, sceptically More Synonyms of wary
acquisition
- VARIABLE NOUN
If a company or business person makes an acquisition, they buy another company or part of a company.
[business]
…the acquisition of a profitable paper recycling company. [+ of]
…the number of mergers and acquisitions made by Europe’s 1,000 leading firms. - COUNTABLE NOUN
If you make an acquisition, you buy or obtain something, often to add to things that you already have.
How did you go about making this marvellous acquisition then?
…the President’s recent acquisition of a helicopter. [+ of]
Synonyms: acquiring, gaining, achievement, procurement More Synonyms of acquisition - COUNTABLE NOUN
You can use acquisition to refer to an object that you buy or obtain, often to add to things that you already have.
From her wardrobe Laura took her latest acquisition, a bright red dress.
Synonyms: purchase, buy, investment, property More Synonyms of acquisition - UNCOUNTABLE NOUN [noun NOUN]
The acquisition of a skill or a particular type of knowledge is the process of learning it or developing it.
…language acquisition.
toll
noun
suffering, deaths, or damage:
Independent sources say that the death toll from the earthquake runs into thousands.
a small amount of money that you have to pay to use a road, cross a bridge, etc.:
Tolls are now collected electronically on most motorways.
cripple
noun [ C ]
someone who finds it difficult to have or express feelings
a person who cannot use their arms or legs in a normal way
. COUNTABLE NOUN
A person with a physical disability or a serious permanent injury is sometimes referred to as a cripple.
[offensive]
She has gone from being a healthy, fit, and sporty young woman to being a cripple.
2. VERB
If someone is crippled by an injury, it is so serious that they can never move their body properly again.
Mr Easton was seriously crippled in an accident and had to leave his job. [be VERB-ed]
He had been warned that another bad fall could cripple him for life. [VERB noun]
He heaved his crippled leg into an easier position. [VERB-ed]
3. COUNTABLE NOUN
If you describe someone as an emotional cripple, you mean that they have a particular psychological or emotional problem which prevents them from living a normal life.
[offensive]
4. VERB
If something cripples a person, it causes them severe psychological or emotional problems.
Howard wanted to be a popular singer, but stage fright crippled him. [VERB noun]
I’m not perfect but I’m also not emotionally crippled or lonely. [VERB-ed]
5. VERB
To cripple a machine, organization, or system means to damage it severely or prevent it from working properly.
Let’s try to cripple their communications. [VERB noun]
A total cut-off of supplies would cripple the country’s economy. [VERB noun]
The pilot was able to maneuver the crippled aircraft out of the hostile area. [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: damage, destroy, ruin, bring to a standstill
undergo
VERB
If you undergo something necessary or unpleasant, it happens to you.
New recruits have been undergoing training in recent weeks. [VERB noun]
He underwent an agonising 48-hour wait for the results of tests. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: experience, go through, be subjected to, stand
excise
- VARIABLE NOUN [usually NOUN noun]
Excise is a tax that the government of a country puts on particular goods, such as cigarettes and alcoholic drinks, which are produced for sale in its own country.
…this year’s rise in excise duties.
New car buyers will be hit by increases in taxes and excise.
Synonyms: tax, duty, customs, toll More Synonyms of excise - VERB
If someone excises something, they remove it deliberately and completely.
[formal]
…a personal crusade to excise racist and sexist references in newspapers. [VERB noun]
…the question of permanently excising madness from the world. [VERB noun + from]
During a three-hour operation six tumours were excised from the wall of the patient’s stomach.
The official censors have excised the controversial sections of the report.
Synonyms: delete, cut, remove, erase
pledge
- COUNTABLE NOUN [usually NOUN to-infinitive]
When someone makes a pledge, they make a serious promise that they will do something.
The meeting ended with a pledge to step up cooperation between the six states of the region.
…a £1.1m pledge of support from the Spanish ministry of culture. [+ of]
Synonyms: promise, vow, assurance, word
deduce
verb [ T ]
to reach an answer or a decision by thinking carefully about the known facts:
We cannot deduce very much from these figures.
[ + that ] The police have deduced that he must have left his apartment yesterday evening.
counterintuitive
- (of an idea, proposal, etc) seemingly contrary to common sense
provoke
verb [ T ]
to cause a reaction, especially a negative one:
The prospect of increased prices has already provoked an outcry.
Test results provoked worries that the reactor could overheat.
evoke
verb [ T ]
to make someone remember something or feel an emotion:
That smell always evokes memories of my old school.
a detergent designed to evoke the fresh smell of summer meadows
causality
noun [ U ] formal
the principle that there is a cause for everything that happens
Causality is the relationship of cause and effect.
[formal]
…the chain of causality that produces an earthquake.
Solitary
A solitary person or thing is the only person or thing in a place:
On the hill, a solitary figure was busy chopping down trees.
In the distance was a solitary building.
He was a solitary child (= he enjoyed being alone).
Canard
a false report or piece of information that is intended to deceive people
deportations
- the act of expelling an alien from a country; expulsion
2. the act of transporting someone from his or her country; banishment
