PD_3/10/20 --> kaplan --> SE Flashcards
acquiesce
verb [ I ] formal
to accept or agree to something, often unwillingly:
Reluctantly, he acquiesced to/in the plans.
grudgingly
adverb
unwillingly:
She grudgingly admitted that she had been wrong to criticize him.
He grudgingly accepted that he would retire after the general election.
cavalier
adjective disapproving
not considering other people’s feelings or safety:
That’s a rather cavalier attitude.
gubernatorial
adjective US
relating to a governor of a US state:
a gubernatorial election
inequitable
ADJECTIVE
If you say that something is inequitable, you are criticizing it because it is unfair or unjust.
[formal, disapproval]
The welfare system is grossly inequitable and inefficient.
Synonyms: unfair, prejudiced, biased, one-sided
disconcerting
ADJECTIVE
If you say that something is disconcerting, you mean that it makes you feel anxious, confused, or embarrassed.
The reception desk is not at street level, which is a little disconcerting.
Synonyms: disturbing, upsetting, alarming, confusing
ignominious
adjective literary
(especially of events or behaviour) embarrassing because of being a complete failure:
an ignominious defeat/failure/retreat
revelry
noun [ C usually plural, U ] literary
a situation in which people are drinking, dancing, singing, etc. at a party or in public, especially in a noisy way:
Sounds of revelry came from next door.
The revelries next door kept me awake all night.
scourge
noun [ C usually singular ]
something or someone that causes great suffering or a lot of trouble:
the scourge of war/poverty/drugs
Pop-up ads have been described as the scourge of the Internet.
backlash
SINGULAR NOUN
A backlash against a tendency or recent development in society or politics, is a sudden, strong reaction against it.
…the male backlash against feminism.
…a right-wing backlash.
Synonyms: reaction, response, resistance, resentment
epidemic
noun
the appearance of a particular disease in a large number of people at the same time:
a flu epidemic
columnist
noun [ C ] MEDIA
someone who writes a regular article for a newspaper or magazine:
a gossip/sports columnist
She’s a columnist for USA Today.
homage
noun [ U ]
deep respect and often praise shown for a person or god:
On this occasion we pay homage to him for his achievements.
paean
noun [ C ] literary
a song, film, or piece of writing that praises someone or something very enthusiastically:
The song is a paean to solitude and independence.
banter
noun [ U ]
conversation that is funny and not serious:
He considered himself a master of witty banter.
denunciation
noun [ C or U ]
public criticism of something or someone
rebuff
verb [ T ] formal
to refuse to accept a helpful suggestion or offer from someone, often by answering in an unfriendly way:
She rebuffed all suggestions that she should resign.
spurn
verb [ T ] formal
to refuse to accept something or someone because you feel that thing or person is not worth having:
She spurned my offers of help.
Ellis plays the part of the young lover spurned by his mistress.
disregard
noun [ U ]
the fact of showing no care or respect for something:
What amazes me is her complete disregard for anyone else’s opinion.
entourage
noun [ C usually singular, + sing/pl verb ]
the group of people who travel with and work for an important or famous person:
The star arrived in London with her usual entourage of dancers and backing singers.
arcane
adjective formal
mysterious and known only by a few people:
He was the only person who understood all the arcane details of the agreement.
This argument may seem arcane to those not closely involved in the world of finance.
livid
adjective
extremely angry:
He was livid when he found out.
pensive
adjective
withdrawn
thinking in a quiet way, often with a serious expression on your face:
She became withdrawn and pensive, hardly speaking to anyone.
- ADJECTIVE [verb-link ADJECTIVE]
Someone who is withdrawn is very quiet, and does not want to talk to other people.
He had become withdrawn and moody.
Synonyms: uncommunicative, reserved, retiring, quiet
pusillanimous
adjective formal
weak and cowardly (= not brave); frightened of taking risks:
He’s too pusillanimous to stand up to his opponents.
slipshod
adjective disapproving
(especially of a piece of work) showing little care, effort, or attention:
She complained that the carpenter’s work had been slipshod.
forthright
adjective
(too) honest or direct in behaviour:
His forthright manner can be mistaken for rudeness.
I admire her forthright way of dealing with people.
monetize
verb [ T ] FINANCE & ECONOMICS, BUSINESS specialized (UK usually monetise)
to change something into money, or to express something in terms of money or a currency:
Japan is monetizing several trillion dollars of government debt.
to make money from something:
The problem was how to monetize this kind of social networking site.
appreciate
verb
to recognize how good someone or something is and to value him, her, or it:
There’s no point buying him expensive wines - he doesn’t appreciate them.
C2 [ T ]
to understand a situation and realize that it is important:
We appreciate the need for immediate action.
[ + that ] I appreciate that it’s a difficult decision for you to make.
[ + question word ] I don’t think you appreciate how much time I spent preparing this meal.
to increase in value:
The value of our house has appreciated by 50 percent in the last two years.
Our house has appreciated (in value) by 50 percent in the last two years.
Opposite
amble
VERB
When you amble, you walk slowly and in a relaxed manner.
Slowly they ambled back to the car. [VERB adverb/preposition]
We ambled along in front of the houses. [VERB adverb/preposition]
Synonyms: stroll, walk, wander, ramble
grovel
- VERB
If you say that someone grovels, you think they are behaving too respectfully towards another person, for example because they are frightened or because they want something.
[disapproval]
I don’t grovel to anybody. [V + to/before]
Speakers have been shouted down, classes disrupted, teachers made to grovel. [VERB]
…a letter of grovelling apology. [VERB-ing]
Synonyms: humble yourself, creep, crawl, flatter More Synonyms of grovel - VERB
If you grovel, you crawl on the ground, for example in order to find something.
We grovelled around the club on our knees. [VERB preposition/adverb]
[Also VERB]
Synonyms: crawl, crouch, go on hands and knees, go on all fours
dawdle
- VERB
If you dawdle, you spend more time than is necessary going somewhere.
Eleanor will be back any moment, if she doesn’t dawdle. [VERB]
They dawdled arm in arm past the shopfronts. [VERB]
Synonyms: waste time, potter, trail, lag
evacuate
- VERB
To evacuate someone means to send them to a place of safety, away from a dangerous building, town, or area.
They were planning to evacuate the seventy American officials still in the country. [VERB noun]
Since 1951, 18,000 people have been evacuated from the area. [be VERB-ed + from]
Synonyms: remove, clear, withdraw, expel
emblazon
verb [ T usually passive ]
to print or decorate something in a very noticeable way:
Her name was emblazoned across the front of the theatre.
cars emblazoned with the company logo
ignite
verb
to (cause to) start burning or explode:
The fuel spontaneously ignites because of the high temperature and pressure.
mediate
verb [ I or T ]
to talk to two separate people or groups involved in a disagreement to try to help them to agree or find a solution to their problems:
Negotiators were called in to mediate between the two sides.
The two envoys have succeeded in mediating an end to the war.
allay
verb [ T ] formal
If you allay a strong emotion felt by someone, such as fear or worry, you cause them to feel it less or to feel calm again:
The government is trying to allay public fears/concern about the spread of the disease.
vacate
verb [ T ] formal
to leave a room, building, chair, etc. so that it is available for other people:
Hotel guests are requested to vacate their rooms by noon.
Denis vacates his job at the end of the week.
to leave a job so that someone else must be found to do it:
be vacated by sb No candidates have been named to fill the position vacated by the Chairman.
vacate a job/post/seat
evade
verb [ T ]
to avoid or escape from someone or something:
The police have assured the public that the escaped prisoners will not evade recapture for long.
She leaned forward to kiss him but he evaded her by pretending to sneeze.
An Olympic gold medal is the only thing that has evaded her in her remarkable career.
[ + -ing verb ] He can’t evade doing military service forever.
skirt
verb [ T, I + prep ]
to go around the edge of something:
Take the road which skirts (round) the town, not the one which goes through it.
to avoid discussing a subject or problem, usually because there are difficulties that you do not want to deal with:
The government has been accused of skirting round the issue of torture.
abase
verb formal
abase yourself
to make yourself seem to be less important or to not deserve respect
mirthful
adjective literary
full of laughter, humour, or happiness:
The ending of the film is melancholy rather than mirthful.
tantrum
noun [ C ]
a sudden period of uncontrolled anger like a young child’s:
Charlie had/threw a tantrum in the shop because I wouldn’t buy him any sweets.
If she doesn’t get her own way she has temper tantrums.
captious
adjective formal
often expressing criticisms about matters that are not important
olfactory
adjective [ before noun ] BIOLOGY, MEDICAL specialized
connected with the ability to smell:
the olfactory nerve
retreat
verb
to go away from a place or person in order to escape from fighting or danger:
Attacks by enemy aircraft forced the tanks to retreat (from the city).
When she came towards me shouting, I retreated (behind my desk).
when davai comes toward me shouting, I retreat closing my eyes pretending I am asleep
to decide not to do something, or to stop believing something, because it causes
too many problems:
The government is retreating from its promises.
If a price retreats, it goes down after it has gone up:
Wheat prices retreated after a two-day increase.
cloying
adjective
too sweet and therefore unpleasant:
This is a wonderful wine - honeyed and rich without being remotely cloying.
fetid adjective formal (UK foetid)
smelling extremely bad and stale:
fetid air/breath
saccharine
adjective disapproving
ADJECTIVE [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
You describe something as saccharine when you find it unpleasantly sweet and sentimental.
[disapproval]
…a saccharine sequel to the Peter Pan story.
She smiled with saccharine sweetness.
Synonyms: sickly, honeyed [poetic], sentimental, sugary
dejected
ADJECTIVE
If you are dejected, you feel miserable or unhappy, especially because you have just been disappointed by something.
Everyone has days when they feel dejected or down.
Synonyms: downhearted, down, low, blue
contradistinction
noun [ U ] formal
the difference between two or more things that is made clear by comparing them:
I use the term “child” in contradistinction to “parent” - it does not necessarily refer to a juvenile.
pack animal
an animal, such as a horse, that is used to transport things on its back
aloof
- ADJECTIVE [usually verb-link ADJECTIVE]
Someone who is aloof is not very friendly and does not like to spend time with other people.
[disapproval]
He seemed aloof and detached.
Synonyms: distant, cold, reserved, cool
compendious
containing or stating the essentials of a subject in a concise form; succinct
succinct
ADJECTIVE
Something that is succinct expresses facts or ideas clearly and in few words.
[approval]
The book gives an admirably succinct account of the technology and its history.
If you have something to say make sure that it is accurate, succinct and to the point.
Synonyms: brief, to the point, concise, compact
apposite
adjective formal
suitable and right for the occasion:
an apposite phrase/quotation/remark
The film starts in a graveyard, an apposite image for the decaying society which is the theme of the film.
scuffle
noun [ C ]
a short and sudden fight, especially one involving a small number of people:
Two police officers were injured in scuffles with demonstrators at Sunday’s protest.
commiserate
VERB
If you commiserate with someone, you show them pity or sympathy when something unpleasant has happened to them.
When I lost, he commiserated with me. [VERB + with]
Synonyms: sympathize, pity, feel for, console
unctuous
adjective formal disapproving
Unctuous people or behaviour expresses too much praise, interest, friendliness, etc., in a way that is false and unpleasant:
his unctuous manner/voice/smile
effusive
adjective formal
expressing welcome, approval, or pleasure in a way that shows very strong feeling:
effulgent
adjective literary
shining brightly: an effulgent canopy of stars looking very beautiful or full of goodness: her effulgent beauty an effulgent smile
fulsome
adjective formal
expressing a lot of admiration or praise for someone, often too much, in a way that does not sound sincere:
Her new book has received fulsome praise from the critics.
Our guests were fulsome in their compliments about the food.
elated
adjective
extremely happy and excited, often because something has happened or been achieved:
The prince was reported to be elated at/by the birth of his daughter.
retention
UNCOUNTABLE NOUN [noun NOUN]
The retention of something is the keeping of it.
[formal]
They supported the retention of a strong central government. [+ of]
the continued use, existence, or possession of something or someone:
Two influential senators have argued for the retention of the unpopular tax.
The retention of old technology has slowed the company’s growth.
water/heat retention
acquisition
noun
[ U ]
the process of getting something:
The acquisition of huge amounts of data has helped our research enormously.
Language acquisition (= learning a language without being taught) starts at a very young age.
[ C ]
something that someone buys, often to add to a collection of things:
The museum’s latest acquisition is a four-million-dollar sculpture.
I like your earrings - are they a recent acquisition? (= Did you get them recently?)
inveigh
VERB
If you inveigh against something, you criticize it strongly.
[formal]
A lot of his writings inveigh against luxury and riches
accede
- VERB
If you accede to someone’s request, you do what they ask.
[formal]
Britain would not accede to France’s request. [VERB + to]
I never understood why he didn’t just accede to our demands at the outset. [VERB to noun] - VERB
When a member of a royal family accedes to the throne, they become king or queen.
[formal]
…when Henry VIII acceded to the throne.
spry
adjective
(especially of older people) active and able to move quickly and energetically:
He was amazingly spry for a man of almost 80.
septuagenarian
COUNTABLE NOUN [oft NOUN noun]
A septuagenarian is a person between 70 and 79 years old.
[formal]
Many septuagenarians are still very active.
dexterous
adjective (also dextrous)
having the ability to perform a difficult action quickly and skilfully with the hands:
a dexterous movement
East Asians are generally dexterous, in part because they grow up eating with chopsticks.
having the ability to think quickly and effectively or to do something difficult extremely well:
She was lively and dexterous intellectually.
He is a dexterous debater who deals swiftly with interrogators.
profess
- VERB
If you profess to do or have something, you claim that you do it or have it, often when you do not.
[formal]
She professed to hate her nickname. [VERB to-infinitive]
Why do organisations profess that they care? [VERB that]
‘I don’t know,’ Pollard replied, professing innocence. [VERB noun]
…the Republicans’ professed support for traditional family values. [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: claim, allege, pretend, fake More Synonyms of profess - VERB
If you profess a feeling, opinion, or belief, you express it.
[formal]
He professed to be content with the arrangement. [VERB to-infinitive]
Bacher professed himself pleased with the Indian tour. [V pron-refl adj]
…a right to profess their faith in Islam. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: state, admit, announce, maintain
to state something, sometimes in a way that is not sincere:
[ + to infinitive ] She professes not to be interested in money.
I don’t profess to know all the details about the case.
She professes ignorance of the whole affair, though I’m not sure I believe her.
self-indulgent
adjective
allowing yourself to have or do anything that you enjoy:
I know it’s self-indulgent of me, but I’ll have another chocolate.
jejunely
- ADJECTIVE
If you describe something or someone as jejune, you are criticizing them for being very simple and unsophisticated.
[formal, disapproval]
They were of great service in correcting my jejune generalizations.
Synonyms: simple, silly, juvenile, naive More Synonyms of jejune - ADJECTIVE
If you describe something or someone as jejune, you mean they are dull and boring.
[old-fashioned]
We knew we were in for a pretty long, jejune evening.
Synonyms: dull, dry, banal, prosaic
prescient
ADJECTIVE
If you say that someone or something was prescient, you mean that they were able to know or predict what was going to happen in the future.
[formal]
…‘Bob Roberts’, an eerily prescient comedy about a populist multimillionaire political candidate.
Synonyms: foresighted, psychic, prophetic, divining More Synonyms of prescient
prescience UNCOUNTABLE NOUN
Over the years he’s demonstrated a certain prescience in foreign affairs.
Synonyms: foresight, clairvoyance, precognition, second sight
provident
ADJECTIVE
- providing for future needs
- exercising foresight in the management of one’s affairs or resources
- characterized by or proceeding from foresight
streamline
VERB
To streamline an organization or process means to make it more efficient by removing unnecessary parts of it.
They’re making efforts to streamline their normally cumbersome bureaucracy. [VERB noun]
They say things should be better now that they have streamlined application procedures. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: rationalize, restructure, reorganize, modernize
incumbent
- COUNTABLE NOUN
An incumbent is someone who holds an official post at a particular time.
[formal]
In general, incumbents have a 94 per cent chance of being re-elected.
Incumbent is also an adjective.
…the only candidate who defeated an incumbent senator. - ADJECTIVE
If it is incumbent upon you to do something, it is your duty or responsibility to do it.
[formal]
It is incumbent upon all of us to make an extra effort.
Synonyms: obligatory, required, necessary, essential
patent
- COUNTABLE NOUN
A patent is an official right to be the only person or company allowed to make or sell a new product for a certain period of time.
P&G applied for a patent on its cookies. [+ on]
He held a number of patents for his many innovations. [+ for]
It sued Centrocorp for patent infringement.
Synonyms: copyright, licence, franchise, registered trademark More Synonyms of patent - VERB
If you patent something, you obtain a patent for it.
He patented the idea that the atom could be split. [VERB noun]
The invention has been patented by the university. [VERB noun]
…a patented process for disinfecting liquids. [VERB-ed] - ADJECTIVE
You use patent to describe something, especially something bad, in order to indicate in an emphatic way that you think its nature or existence is clear and obvious.
[emphasis]
This was patent nonsense.
…a patent lie.
Synonyms: obvious, apparent, evident, blatant
counterintuitive
ADJECTIVE
- (of an idea, proposal, etc) seemingly contrary to common sense
- intelligence collected about enemy espionage
Vandalism
Vandalism is the deliberate damaging of things, especially public property.
pilgrimage
. COUNTABLE NOUN
If you make a pilgrimage to a holy place, you go there for a religious reason.
…the pilgrimage to Mecca. [+ to]
2. COUNTABLE NOUN
A pilgrimage is a journey that someone makes to a place that is very important to them.
…a private pilgrimage to family graves. [+ to]
His father took him on a sentimental pilgrimage to Ireland.
fawning
nauseates
- COLOUR
Fawn is a pale yellowish-brown colour.
…a light fawn coat. - COUNTABLE NOUN
A fawn is a very young deer.
The fawn ran to the top of the ridge. - VERB
If you say that someone fawns over a powerful or rich person, you disapprove of them because they flatter that person and like to be with him or her.
[disapproval]
People fawn over you when you’re famous. [V + over/on/around]
Nauseatingly fawning journalism that’s all it is. [VERB-ing]
Synonyms: ingratiate yourself, court, flatter, pander to
VERB
If something nauseates you, it makes you feel as if you are going to vomit.
The smell of frying nauseated her. [VERB noun]
She could not eat anything without feeling nauseated. [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: sicken, make sick, turn your stomach, cause to feel sick More Synonyms of nauseate
surly
ADJECTIVE
Someone who is surly behaves in a rude bad-tempered way.
[written]
He became surly and rude towards me.
Synonyms: ill-tempered, cross, churlish, crabbed
ribald
A ribald remark or sense of humour is rather rude and refers to sex in a humorous way.
…her ribald comments about a fellow guest’s body language.
Synonyms: coarse, rude, indecent, racy
pervasive
ADJECTIVE
Something, especially something bad, that is pervasive is present or felt throughout a place or thing.
[formal]
…the pervasive influence of the army in national life.
She lives with a pervasive sense of guilt.
Synonyms: widespread, general, common, extensive
lascivious
ADJECTIVE
If you describe someone as lascivious, you disapprove of them because they show a very strong interest in sex.
[disapproval]
The man was lascivious, sexually perverted and insatiable.
…their lewd and lascivious talk.
Synonyms: lustful, sensual, immoral, randy [informal, mainly British]
esoteric
ADJECTIVE
If you describe something as esoteric, you mean it is known, understood, or appreciated by only a small number of people.
[formal]
…esoteric knowledge.
His esoteric interests set him apart from his contemporaries.
Synonyms: obscure, private, secret, hidden
morose
ADJECTIVE
Someone who is morose is miserable, bad-tempered, and not willing to talk very much to other people.
She was morose, pale, and reticent.
Synonyms: sullen, miserable, moody, gloomy
dissolute
Dissolution
Desolate
ADJECTIVE
Someone who is dissolute does not care at all about morals and lives in a way that is considered to be wicked and immoral.
[disapproval]
Synonyms: corrupt, wild, abandoned, loose
- VARIABLE NOUN [oft a NOUN]
Dissolution is the act of breaking up officially an organization or institution, or of formally ending a parliament.
[formal]
He stayed on until the dissolution of the firm in 1948.
Politicians say it could lead to a dissolution of parliament.
Synonyms: ending, end, finish, conclusion More Synonyms of dissolution - VARIABLE NOUN [oft a NOUN]
Dissolution is the act of officially ending a formal agreement, for example a marriage or a business arrangement.
[formal]
…the statutory requirement for granting dissolution of a marriage. [+ of]
Synonyms: breaking up, parting, divorce, separation More Synonyms of dissolution - UNCOUNTABLE NOUN [also a N, oft NOUN of noun]
Dissolution is a process in which something becomes weaker and then disappears.
[formal]
…the dissolution of traditional family life.
Synonyms: disintegration, fall, decline, degradation
A desolate place is empty and not attractive, with no people or nothing pleasant in it:
The house stood in a bleak and desolate landscape.
irascible
ADJECTIVE
If you describe someone as irascible, you mean that they become angry very easily.
[written]
He had an irascible temper.
Synonyms: bad-tempered, cross, irritable, crabbed
smug
ADJECTIVE
If you say that someone is smug, you are criticizing the fact they seem very pleased with how good, clever, or lucky they are.
[disapproval]
Thomas and his wife looked at each other in smug satisfaction.
Synonyms: self-satisfied, superior, complacent, conceited
nettlesome
ADJECTIVE
causing or susceptible to irritation
malodorous
ADJECTIVE [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
Something that is malodorous has an unpleasant smell.
[literary]
…tons of malodorous garbage bags.
…living in a malodorous London street.
Synonyms: smelly, stinking, reeking, nauseating
loquacious
ADJECTIVE
If you describe someone as loquacious, you mean that they talk a lot.
[formal]
The normally loquacious Mr O’Reilly has said little.
Synonyms: talkative, chattering, babbling, chatty
schadenfreude
NOUN
delight in another’s misfortune
proliferation
NOUN
1. rapid growth or reproduction of new parts, cells, etc
2. rapid growth or increase in numbers
3. a great number
done up in a proliferation of fancy frills
hoary
ADJECTIVE [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
If you describe a problem or subject as hoary, you mean that it is old and familiar.
…the hoary old myth that increased competition will drive up standards.
Synonyms: old, aged, ancient, antique
Punctiliously
DJECTIVE
Someone who is punctilious is very careful to behave correctly.
[formal]
He was punctilious about being ready and waiting in the entrance hall exactly on time.
He was a punctilious young man.
Synonyms: particular, careful, strict, exact
