PD_4/08/20(princeton 1014 --> SE --> Drill 6)

Question 1

Meaning of con in English

con
verb [ T ] informal

Answer 1

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).

Question 2

vigilant

adjective

Answer 2

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.

Question 3

mindful

adjective

Answer 3

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.

Question 4

ambience

noun [ S ] (also ambiance)

Answer 4

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.

Question 5

discourse

noun formal

Answer 5

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

Question 6

gala

noun [ C ]

Answer 6

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.

Question 7

embark on/upon something

— phrasal verb with embark verb [ I ]

Answer 7

to start something big or important:

We’ve embarked on an exciting new project.

Question 8

exigent

adjective formal

Answer 8

needing urgent attention, or demanding too much from other people:
an exigent problem
an exigent manager

Question 9

cadency

Answer 9

the line of descent from a younger member of a family

the regular rise and fall of the voice

Question 10

loquacious

adjective formal

Answer 10

Someone who is loquacious talks a lot.

Question 11

repel
verb [ T ]

repulse

Answer 11

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.

Question 12

capacious

adjective formal

Answer 12

having a lot of space and able to contain a lot:

a capacious pocket/handbag

Question 13

abiding

adjective [ before noun ]

Answer 13

An abiding feeling or memory is one that you have had for a long time:
My abiding memory is of him in the garden.

Question 14

noxious

adjective formal

Answer 14

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

Question 15

vapid
adjective formal

tepid

Answer 15

showing no intelligence or imagination:
a vapid reality TV show
He’s attractive, but vapid.

1. 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
2. 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

Question 16

expedient

adjective formal

Answer 16

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.

Question 17

perspicacious

Answer 17

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

Question 18

rebuke

verb [ T ] formal

Answer 18

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.

Question 19

amass

verb [ T ]

Answer 19

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.

Question 20

relinquish

verb [ T ] formal

Answer 20

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.

Question 21

vilipend

helipad

Answer 21

VERB
to treat or regard with contempt

COUNTABLE NOUN
A helipad is a place where helicopters can land and take off.

Question 22

drivel

noun [ U ] disapproving

Answer 22

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!

Question 23

natty

adjective old-fashioned informal

Answer 23

stylish and tidy in every detail:

He’s always been a natty dresser.

Question 24

platitudinous

adjective formal disapproving

Answer 24

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.

Question 25

flagrant

adjective

Answer 25

(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”

Question 26

repute

Answer 26

2. 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

Question 27

stature
noun

statute

Answer 27

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.

Question 28

unrest

noun [ U ]

Answer 28

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.

Question 29

erupt

verb [ I ]

Answer 29

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.

Question 30

anarchy

Answer 30

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

Question 31

winnow

winsome

Answer 31

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

Question 32

sift

Answer 32

1. 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
2. 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

Question 33

dross

noun [ U ] mainly UK

Answer 33

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.

Question 34

distinction

noun

Answer 34

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

Question 35

extinction

noun [ U ]

Answer 35

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.

Question 36

connoisseur

noun [ C ]

Answer 36

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

Question 37

occult

adjective

Answer 37

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.

Question 38

risible

adjective formal disapproving

Answer 38

so lacking in quality or usefulness that it deserves to be laughed at:
She’s been making risible attempts to learn the trumpet.

Question 39

muddled

Answer 39

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