PD_4/08/20(princeton 1014 --> SE --> Drill 6) Flashcards
Meaning of con in English
con
verb [ T ] informal
a trick to get someone’s money or make someone do what you want:
It’s a con - you get half the food for twice the price!
a con trick
to make someone believe something false, usually so that that person will give you
their money or possessions:
She felt she had been conned into buying the car.
Thieves conned him out of his life savings.
He managed to con £20 out of them (= get that amount from them by deceiving them).
vigilant
adjective
always being careful to notice things, especially possible danger:
Following the bomb scare at the airport, the staff have been warned to be extra vigilant.
mindful
adjective
careful not to forget about something:
Mindful of the poor road conditions, she reduced her speed to 30 mph.
Politicians are increasingly mindful that young voters are turning away from traditional parties.
deliberately aware of your body, mind, and feelings in the present moment, in order to create a feeling of calm:
I’m trying to be more mindful and I think it helps me with stress.
ambience
noun [ S ] (also ambiance)
the character of a place or the quality it seems to have:
Despite being a busy city, Dublin has the ambience of a country town.
discourse
noun formal
communication in speech or writing
[ C ]
a speech or piece of writing about a particular, usually serious, subject:
a discourse on/upon the nature of life after death
gala
noun [ C ]
a special public occasion at which there is a lot of entertainment, usually in the form of different types of performances:
There will be many stars performing in the Royal Ballet’s Gala Night, held in aid of children’s charities.
embark on/upon something
— phrasal verb with embark verb [ I ]
to start something big or important:
We’ve embarked on an exciting new project.
exigent
adjective formal
needing urgent attention, or demanding too much from other people:
an exigent problem
an exigent manager
cadency
the line of descent from a younger member of a family
the regular rise and fall of the voice
loquacious
adjective formal
Someone who is loquacious talks a lot.
repel
verb [ T ]
repulse
a substance used to repel (to force someone or something to stop moving towards you or attacking you:
)something:
insect/mosquito repellent
If something repulses you, it causes you to have a strong feeling of dislike, disapproval, or disgust:
The tourists were repulsed by the filthy conditions.
to push away or refuse something or someone unwanted, especially to successfully stop a physical attack against you:
The enemy attack was quickly repulsed.
capacious
adjective formal
having a lot of space and able to contain a lot:
a capacious pocket/handbag
abiding
adjective [ before noun ]
An abiding feeling or memory is one that you have had for a long time:
My abiding memory is of him in the garden.
noxious
adjective formal
Something, especially a gas or other substance, that is noxious is poisonous or very harmful:
They died from inhaling noxious fumes.
harmful and unpleasant:
a noxious smell/influence
vapid
adjective formal
tepid
showing no intelligence or imagination:
a vapid reality TV show
He’s attractive, but vapid.
- ADJECTIVE
Water or another liquid that is tepid is slightly warm.
She bent her mouth to the tap and drank the tepid water.
Synonyms: lukewarm, warmish, slightly warm More Synonyms of tepid - ADJECTIVE
If you describe something such as a feeling or reaction as tepid, you mean that it lacks enthusiasm.
His nomination, while strongly backed by the President, has received tepid support in the Senate.
Synonyms: unenthusiastic, half-hearted, indifferent, cool
expedient
adjective formal
helpful or useful in a particular situation, but sometimes not morally acceptable:
It might be expedient not to pay him until the work is finished.
The management has taken a series of expedient measures to improve the company’s financial situation.
perspicacious
ADJECTIVE
Someone who is perspicacious notices, realizes, and understands things quickly.
[formal]
…one of the most perspicacious and perceptive historians of that period.
Synonyms: perceptive, aware, sharp, keen
rebuke
verb [ T ] formal
to speak angrily to someone because you disapprove of what they have said or done:
I was rebuked by my manager for being late.
The Justice Department publicly rebuked him over a leaked memorandum.
amass
verb [ T ]
to get a large amount of something, especially money or information, by collecting it over a long period:
She has amassed a huge fortune from her novels.
Some of his colleagues envy the enormous wealth that he has amassed.
relinquish
verb [ T ] formal
to give up something such as a responsibility or claim:
He has relinquished his claim to the throne.
She relinquished control of the family investments to her son.
to unwillingly stop holding or keeping something:
She relinquished her hold/grip on the steering wheel.
vilipend
helipad
VERB
to treat or regard with contempt
COUNTABLE NOUN
A helipad is a place where helicopters can land and take off.
drivel
noun [ U ] disapproving
nonsense or boring and unnecessary information:
You don’t believe the drivel you read on the internet, do you?
You’re talking drivel as usual!
natty
adjective old-fashioned informal
stylish and tidy in every detail:
He’s always been a natty dresser.
platitudinous
adjective formal disapproving
boring and having no meaning because of being said so many times before:
The speech was long and rather platitudinous.
After a few moments more of this platitudinous chat we bowed and went on our way.
flagrant
adjective
(of a bad action, situation, person, etc.) shocking because of being so obvious:
a flagrant misuse of funds/privilege
a flagrant breach of trust
a flagrant disregard for the law
(of an action considered wrong or immoral) conspicuously or obviously offensive.
“a flagrant violation of the law”
repute
- UNCOUNTABLE NOUN
A person’s or organization’s repute is their reputation, especially when this is good.
[formal]
Under his stewardship, the U.N.’s repute has risen immeasurably.
Synonyms: reputation, standing, fame, celebrity
stature
noun
statute
the good reputation a person or organization has, based on their behaviour and ability:
an artist of great stature
His stature as an art critic was tremendous.
If the school continues to gain in stature, it will attract the necessary financial support.
noun
a written law passed by a legislative body.
“the Act consolidated statutes dealing with non-fatal offences”
a rule of an organization or institution.
“the appointment will be subject to the statutes of the university”
ARCHAIC
(in biblical use) a law or decree made by a sovereign, or by God.
unrest
noun [ U ]
disagreements or fighting between different groups of people:
It is feared that the civil unrest we are now witnessing in this country could lead to full-scale civil war.
erupt
verb [ I ]
When a volcano erupts, it explodes and flames and rocks come out of it:
Since the volcano last erupted, many houses have been built in a dangerous position on its slopes.
anarchy
UNCOUNTABLE NOUN
If you describe a situation as anarchy, you mean that nobody seems to be paying any attention to rules or laws.
[disapproval]
Civil war and famine sent the nation plunging into anarchy.
It was a time of political anarchy.
Synonyms: lawlessness, revolution, riot, disorder
winnow
winsome
VERB
If you winnow a group of things or people, you reduce its size by separating the ones that are useful or relevant from the ones that are not.
[literary]
Administration officials have winnowed the list of candidates to three. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: separate, fan, divide, sift
ADJECTIVE
If you describe a person or their actions or behaviour as winsome, you mean that they are attractive and charming.
…a winsome young screen star.
She gave him her best winsome smile.
Synonyms: charming, taking, winning, pleasing
sift
- VERB
If you sift a powder such as flour or sand, you put it through a sieve in order to remove large pieces or lumps.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a medium-sized mixing bowl. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: sieve, filter, strain, separate More Synonyms of sift - VERB
If you sift through something such as evidence, you examine it thoroughly.
Police officers have continued to sift through the wreckage following yesterday’s bomb attack. [VERB + through]
Brook has sifted the evidence and summarises it clearly. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: examine, investigate, go through, research
dross
noun [ U ] mainly UK
something that has no use or no value:
So much of what’s on TV is pure dross.
We read all the manuscripts but 95 percent are dross.
distinction
noun
a difference between two similar things:
There’s a clear distinction between the dialects spoken in the two regions.
This company makes no distinction between the sexes.
the quality of being excellent:
a writer/scientist/wine of distinction
extinction
noun [ U ]
a situation in which something no longer exists:
The extinction of the dinosaurs occurred millions of years ago.
Many species of plants and animals are in danger of/threatened with extinction (= being destroyed so that they no longer exist).
Some people predict the extinction of family life as we know it today.
connoisseur
noun [ C ]
a person who knows a lot about and enjoys one of the arts, or food, drink, etc. and can judge quality and skill in that subject:
a wine/art connoisseur
a connoisseur of ballet/cigars
occult
adjective
relating to magical powers and activities, such as those of witchcraft and astrology:
She claims to have occult powers, given to her by some mysterious spirit.
risible
adjective formal disapproving
so lacking in quality or usefulness that it deserves to be laughed at:
She’s been making risible attempts to learn the trumpet.
muddled
ADJECTIVE
If someone is muddled, they are confused about something.
I’m afraid I’m a little muddled. I’m not exactly sure where to begin.
…the muddled thinking of the Government’s transport policy in recent years.
Synonyms: bewildered, confused, at sea, dazed
