PSLE Prelim Flashcards
paranoid
- believing that other people dislike you or want to harm you, when there is no reason or evidence for this
“She’s getting really paranoid about what other people say about her.” - suffering from a mental illness that makes you believe that other people are trying to harm you
“paranoid delusions”
mesmerise
if you are mesmerized by someone or something, you cannot stop watching them or listening to them because they are so attractive or have such a powerful effect
SYN captivate; fascinate
“The first time I saw Diana I was mesmerized by her beauty.”
“There was something about Emerald that mesmerised your mother.”
docile /ˈdəʊsaɪl/ /ˈdɑːsl/
quiet and easy to control
“a docile child/horse/temperament”
“Labradors are gentle, docile dogs.”
exult /ɪɡˈzʌlt/
[verb] to feel and show that you are very excited and happy because of something that has happened
“He leaned back, exulting at the success of his plan.”
“She exulted in her new discovery.”
exalt /ɪɡˈzɔːlt/
- to make somebody rise to a higher rank or position, sometimes to one that they do not deserve
“His son was exalted to a high position in the government through family connections.” - to praise someone very much, especially God
“He was exalted as a pillar of the community.”
exude /ɪɡˈzuːd/
- if you exude a particular quality, it is easy to see that you have a lot of it
“She exudes self-confidence.” “He exuded an air of wealth and power.” - to flow out slowly and steadily, or to make something do this
“The plant exudes a sticky liquid.” “An awful smell exuded from the creature’s body.”
efface
self-effacing
- efface sth: to destroy or remove something. SYN erase
“Nothing can efface the last picture I have of them from my mind.” - efface yourself: to not attract attention to yourself; to make yourself seem unimportant
self-effacing: not wanting to attract attention to yourself or your abilities. SYNONYM modest
“In his art he effaces himself almost completely.”
glib, glibly
using words that are clever, but are not sincere, and do not show much thought
“a glib salesman”
“He had assumed that his glib explanations would convince us.”
appease /əˈpiːz/
to make somebody calmer or less angry by giving them what they want
“The move was widely seen as an attempt to appease critics of the regime.”
“Of a burning hunger that only she could appease.”
“The offer has not appeased separatists.”
tout
- to praise sth/ sb in order to persuade people that they are important or worth a lot
“She’s being touted as the next leader of the party.”
“Their much-touted expansion plans have come to nothing.” - to try to persuade people to buy goods or services
“Unlicensed taxi drivers are still touting for business at airports”
“Minicab drivers are not allowed to tout for business.”
through thick and thin
even when there are problems or difficulties
“In marriage, you have to stick together through thick and thin.”
“As a family, we should stuck together through thick and thin.”
omnipotent
able to do everything SYN all-powerful. “an omnipotent God”
omni-: of all things; in all ways or places, everything or everywhere
“an omnivore” “an omnidirectional microphone”
-potent: very effective and powerful. OPP: impotent
omniscient /ɑːmˈnɪʃənt/
knowing everything
“It brings the latest news, day and night, and seems omniscient.”
“Being pictured as super-humans, they could not be omnipresent or omniscient.”
predominant
- most obvious or easy to notice
“the predominant group in society”
“Yellow is the predominant colour this spring in the fashion world.” - having more power or influence than others. SYNONYM dominant
“a way of thinking that is predominant in modern social life”
Dominant: most important and powerful
frill [noun]
no-frills [adj]
frill : a decoration, or things that are not necessary but are added to make more attractive or interesting. “She was wearing a white blouse with frills at the cuffs.”
no-frills: having only basic features
“Try the smaller, no-frills airlines for cheap late flights.”
“The meeting was held at a no-frills hotel 30 minutes from corporate headquarters.”
sampling
the process of taking a sample
“The statistics were based on a sampling of 400 people.”
breakdown
[noun] 1. an occasion when a vehicle or machine stops working
“Most breakdown services give priority to women travelling alone.”
[noun] 2. a failure of a relationship, discussion or system
“There has obviously been a breakdown in communications between the two sides.”
“The only ground for divorce is the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage.”
disincentive
a thing that makes somebody less willing to do something
“A low starting salary acts as a strong disincentive to getting back to work for the unemployed.”
OPP: incentive
cut corners
to do something in the easiest, cheapest or quickest way, often by ignoring rules or leaving something out
“To be competitive, they paid low wages and cut corners on health and safety.”
make (both) ends meet
to earn just enough money to be able to buy the things you need
“Many families struggled to make ends meet when I was young”
hit the nail on the head
to say something that is exactly right
“My friend, you have hit the nail on the head.”
burn the candle at both ends
to become very tired by trying to do too many things and going to bed late and getting up early
“Back in the twenties, the Millay sisters were known in New York society for burning the candle at both ends.”
“You can’t burn the candle at both ends, pay attention to your health.”
converge [verb]
convergent [adj]
- to come from different directions and meet at the same point to become one thing
OPP diverge. “The two rivers converge into one near Pittsburgh.” - (of people or vehicles) to move towards a place from different directions and meet
“Reporters converged on the scene.” - if different ideas or aims converge, they become the same OPP diverge
“Cultural beliefs about the role of women converge with government policies.”
flamboyant /flæmˈbɔɪənt/
- different, confident and exciting in a way that attracts attention
“He lifted his arms in a flamboyant gesture.”
“He was flamboyant and temperamental on and off the stage.” - brightly coloured and likely to attract attention
“flamboyant clothes”
“She has red hair and a rather flamboyant appearance.”
iridescent /ˌɪrɪˈdesnt/
showing many bright colours that seem to change in different lights
“a bird with iridescent blue feathers”
“A magnificent dragonfly with its iridescent wings settled on her shoulder.”
succinct
expressed clearly and in a few words
SYNONYM concise
“Keep your answers as succinct as possible.”
“his inimitably succinct style.”
verbose /vɜːrˈbəʊs/ [adj]
verbiage [noun]
using or containing more words than are needed
SYNONYM long-winded, wordy OPP succinct
“a verbose speaker”
“For once, his usually verbose wife was content to listen.”
“Much academic language is obscure and verbose.”
“The editors received streams of verbose articles from young hopeful journalists.”
outlandish
(usually disapproving) strange or extremely unusual
SYNONYM bizarre
“outlandish costumes/ideas”
“Her story seemed so outlandish.”
“As the show progressed, it got ever more outlandish.”
sashay /sæˈʃeɪ/
to walk in a very confident but relaxed way, especially in order to be noticed
“I watched her as she sashayed across the room.”
“Models sashayed down the aisle.”
“She sashays just out of my reach.”
prosperous
rich and successful
SYNONYM affluent
“prosperous countries”
“Farmers are more prosperous in the south of the country.”
affluent
having a lot of money and a good standard of living
SYNONYM prosperous, wealthy
“affluent Western countries”
“a very affluent neighbourhood”
destitute
having no money, no food, no home etc
“The floods left many people destitute.”
“When he died, his family was left completely destitute.”
“The war left her completely destitute.”
reign /reɪn/
[noun] the period during which somebody is in charge of an organization, a team, etc.
“The story only came out during the final days of his reign as the CEO.”
[verb] to rule as king, queen, emperor, etc.
[verb] to be the best or most important in a particular situation or area of skill
“Silence reigned while we waited for news.”
adjudicate /əˈdʒuːdɪkeɪt/
- to officially decide who is right in a disagreement and decide what should be done
“Their purpose is to adjudicate disputes between employers and employees.”
“The owner can appeal to the court to adjudicate on the matter.”
“The judge adjudicated that he should be released.” - to be the judge in a competition
“He adjudicated at all the regional music competitions.”
coerce
to force somebody to do something by using threats
“They tried to coerce him to sign away his rights.”
“The rebels coerced the villagers into hiding them from the army.”
beseech /bɪˈsiːtʃ/
to ask somebody for something in an anxious way because you want or need it very much
SYNONYM implore, beg
“Let him go, I beseech you!”
“I was crouching over these poor men, who were looking-up to me, eyes raised, beseeching.”
aggrieved
- feeling that you have been treated unfairly
“The villagers felt deeply aggrieved by the closing of the railway station.”
“‘What am I supposed to do about it?’ he said in an aggrieved tone.” - (law) suffering unfair or illegal treatment and making a complaint
“the aggrieved party (=the person who has suffered)”
proximity
nearness in distance or time, how near something is to another thing.
“the town’s proximity to the mountains”
“We chose the house for its proximity to the school.”
“Here the rich and the poor live in close proximity (=very near to each other).”
“Families are no longer in close proximity to each other.”
take + to, down
take to: 1) to start to like someone or something
“I took to my new boss immediately.”
“He hasn’t taken to his new school.”
take to: 2) to start doing something regularly
“Dee’s taken to getting up at 6 and going jogging.”
take down: “Workmen arrived to take down the scaffolding.” “Reporters took down every word of his speech.”
embroider /ɪmˈbrɔɪdər/
- to decorate cloth with a design of colored stitches
“an embroidered handkerchief” - to make a story more interesting by adding details that are not always true
SYNONYM embellish
“He is inclined to embroider the facts.”
“He embroidered his stories and kept us entertained for hours.”
haggle
to argue with somebody in order to reach an agreement, especially about the price of something
“He is haggling over the price of a shirt.”
“We spent a long time haggling with the authorities over our visas.”
“You can sometimes haggle a good discount.”
“I managed to haggle the price down to something more reasonable.”
deviate /ˈdiːvieɪt/
[verb] to be different from something; to do something in a different way from what is usual or expected
“Try not to deviate too much from the script.”
“The bus had to deviate from its usual route because of a road closure.”
“He never deviated from his original plan.”
alleviate
to make something less painful, severe, or serious
“The doctor has prescribed some drugs to alleviate the pain.”
“A number of measures were taken to alleviate the problem.”
“a new medicine to alleviate the symptoms of flu”
“ measures to alleviate poverty”
impromptu /ɪmˈprɑːmptuː/
[adv] [adj] without preparation or planning
“Roy came up and just started speaking impromptu.”
“The band gave an impromptu concert.”
inadvertent /ˌɪnədˈvɜːrtnt/
done by accident, without being intended
SYNONYM unintentional
“Viruses can be spread inadvertently by email users.”
“I’m afraid I inadvertently took your calculator when I left.”
hospice
a hospital that cares for people who are dying
“Volunteers caring for hospice patients commonly report how their own lives were changed.”
“She founded an AIDS hospice with the help of a local doctor.”
dwell
dwell on: to think or talk a lot about sth, especially sth it would be better to forget
“So you made a mistake, but there’s no need to dwell on it.”
“He tends to dwell on the negative aspects of his performance.”
dwell: to live somewhere. “The gorillas dwell in the high rainforests of Rwanda.”
chew + out, up, on/over
- chew sb out: to tell somebody angrily that you do not approve of their actions
“He got chewed out by the boss for lying.”
“Mom really chewed me out the time I got in a fight.” - chew up:
damage/destroy “the old video recorder tends to chew tapes up.”
bite many times: “The dog’s chewed up my slippers again.” - chew on / over: to think carefully about something for a period of time
“Let me chew it over for a few days.”
“The investors have several economic reports to chew on.”
prolific /prəˈlɪfɪk/
- (of an artist, a writer, etc.) producing many works, etc.
“a prolific author” - (of plants, animals, etc.) producing a lot of fruit, flowers, young, etc.
“The kiwi fruit is known for its prolific yield and good export price.” - able to produce enough food, etc. to keep many animals and plants alive
“prolific rivers” - existing in large numbers
“a pop star with a prolific following of teenage fans”
embellish
- SYNONYM decorate
“The huge carved door was embellished with brass door knockers.” - to make a story more interesting by adding details that are not always true
SYNONYM embroider
“His account of his travels was embellished with details of famous people he met.”
grandeur
the quality of being great and impressive in appearance
SYNONYM splendour
“We admired the grandeur and simplicity of the Roman architecture.”
“The hotel had an air of faded grandeur.”
procession
a line of people or vehicles that move along slowly, especially as part of a ceremony
“a funeral procession”. (Cortège)
“The procession made its way down the hill.”
“Groups of unemployed people from all over the country marched in procession to the capital.”
bend over backwards
bend/lean over backwards (to do something)
to make a great effort, especially in order to be helpful or fair
“I’ve bent over backwards to help him.”
elaborate
[adj] very complicated and detailed; carefully prepared and organized
“elaborate designs” “She had prepared a very elaborate meal.”
[verb] to give more details or information about something
elaborate on: The police refused to elaborate on the circumstances of the arrest.
fabricate
- fabricate something to invent false information in order to trick people
SYNONYM make up
“The evidence was totally fabricated.”
“The prisoner claimed the police had fabricated his confession.” - to make or produce goods, equipment, etc. from various different materials
SYNONYM manufacture
“These specialized chips will be fabricated by Mykrokorp Inc.”
tuberculosis /tjuːˌbɜːkjuˈləʊsɪs/
TB. a serious disease, caused by bacteria, in which swellings appear on the lungs and other parts of the body
segregate /ˈseɡrɪɡeɪt/
- to separate people of different races, religions or sexes and treat them in a different way
“a culture in which women are segregated from men”
“White people and black people were segregated into different parts of town.” - to keep one thing separate from another
“Pedestrians are segregated from the traffic by a metal barrier.”
sheer [adj]
- used to emphasize the size, degree or amount of something
“The area is under threat from the sheer number of tourists using it.”
“We were impressed by the sheer size of the cathedral.” - complete and not mixed with anything else
SYNONYM utter
“The concert was sheer delight.”
“I only agreed out of sheer desperation.”
stud
[verb] stud something: to be in many different parts of a place or area
“a dark sky studded with stars”
[noun] a small piece of jewellery with a part that is pushed through a hole in your ear, nose, etc.
“diamond studs” “He has a small stud.”
speckled
covered with small marks or spots
SYNONYM flecked
“speckled eggs” “orange-speckled fish”
speckle [noun] a small coloured mark or spot on a background of a different colour
brink
the extreme edge of land.
on the brink of something: in a very new, dangerous or exciting situation
“Scientists are on the brink of making a major new discovery.”
“animals hovering on the very brink of extinction”
“He’s pulled the company back from the brink (= he has saved it from disaster).”
realm /relm/
- an area of activity, interest or knowledge
“an idea that belongs in the realm of science fiction”
“At the end of the speech he seemed to be moving into the realms of fantasy.” - a country ruled by a king or queen
SYNONYM kingdom
“The Crown maintains armed forces for the defence of the realm.”
sparse
only present in small amounts or numbers and often spread over a large area
“the sparse population of the islands”
“The information available on the subject is sparse.”
“He combed back his sparse hair.”
copious /ˈkəʊpiəs/
existing or being produced in large quantities
SYNONYM abundant
“copious (= large) amounts of water”
“She listened to me and took copious notes.”
“She supports her theory with copious evidence.”
“He could drink copious amounts of beer without ill effect.”
sporadic
happening only occasionally or at intervals that are not regular
SYNONYM intermittent
“There has been sporadic violence downtown.”
“sporadic outbreaks of the disease”
“He attends school sporadically.”
mill around/about
people moving around a place in different directions without any particular purpose
“Crowds of students were milling around in the street.”
“There were a lot of people milling around the entrance.”
“Fans were milling around outside the hotel.”
aptitude
natural ability or skill at doing something
SYNONYM talent
“He has a natural aptitude for teaching.”
“His aptitude for dealing with children got him the job.”
I had no aptitude for accountancy and began to hate it.
flair
- flair for something: a natural ability to do something well
SYNONYM talent; close to aptitude
“He has a flair for languages.”
“Kevin has a flair for photography, and his wife a flair for near-romantic disasters.” - an attractive, skillful, or interesting way of doing something
“She always dresses with flair.”
“a job for which artistic flair is essential”
“She credits her father for her business flair.”
tenacity /təˈnæsəti/
[noun] the quality of not giving up something easily; the quality of being determined
“They competed with skill and tenacity.”
tenacious [adjective] /təˈneɪʃəs/ very determined and is not willing to give up
“They were saved only by their tenacious solidarity.”
“Lung cancer is one of the more aggressive and tenacious forms of cancer.”
affirm
to state clearly or publicly that something is true or that you support something strongly
SYNONYM confirm
“Both sides affirmed their commitment to the ceasefire.”
“The decision was affirmed by the Court of Appeal.”
“I can affirm that no one will lose their job.”
undertake
to agree / accept that you are responsible for a piece of work, and start to do it
“University professors both teach and undertake research.”
“The company has announced that it will undertake a full investigation into the accident.”
“He undertook to finish the job by Friday.”
consequent
happening as a result of something. SYNONYM resultant
“the lowering of taxes and the consequent increase in spending”
“factory closures and the consequent loss of local jobs”
[noun] consequence
“Remember that actions have consequences.”
“Don’t worry. It’s of no consequence. (not important)”
posthumous /ˈpɒstʃəməs/
happening, done, published, etc. after a person has died
“a posthumous collection of his articles”
“He was posthumously awarded the Military Cross.”
invariable
not variable, unchanging
“This is an invariable law: true at all times and places.”
“His invariable answer was always ‘Wait and see.’”
drop + by/in, off
- drop by/in or drop in on somebody, or drop into something: to pay an informal visit
“Drop by sometime.” “I thought I’d drop in on you while I was passing.”
“Sorry we’re late—we dropped into the pub on the way.” - drop off:
1) to fall into a light sleep. “I dropped off and missed the end of the film.”
2) to become fewer or less: “Traffic in the town has dropped off since the bypass opened.”
meddle
to involve yourself in something that should not really involve you
SYNONYM interfere
“He had no right to meddle in her affairs.” “He’s just a meddling old fool!”
“Somebody had been meddling with her computer.”
prestigious /preˈstiːdʒəs/
respected and admired as very important or of very high quality
“My parents wanted me to go to a more prestigious university.”
“the city’s most prestigious and exclusive hotel”
“an opportunity to work for one of the world’s most prestigious companies”
revolution
- a complete change in ways of thinking, methods of working etc
“In the last ten years there has been a revolution in education.”
“They led the electronics revolution but have been left behind by the IT revolution.” - a time when people change a ruler or political system by using force or violence
“the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789”
“The shooting and killing of thirty people started a revolution.”
“The country appears to be on the brink of revolution.”
revelation
SYNONYM disclosure
“He resigned after revelations about his affair.”
“He was dismissed after revelations that confidential files were missing.”
[verb] reveal
fluctuation
frequent changes in the amount, value, or level of something
“Even a minor fluctuation in the water temperature can affect the fish.”
[verb] fluctuate: to change frequently in size, amount, quality, up & down
SYNONYM vary
[verb] fluctuate
channel
[verb] 1. to direct money, feelings, ideas, etc. towards a particular thing or purpose
“Water is channeled into the lakes from the hillsides.”
“She channeled all her energies into her studies.”
“He channels his aggression into sport.”
“All the company’s sales are channeled through outside distributors.”
onerous /ˈəʊnərəs/, /ˈɑːnərəs/
needing great effort; causing trouble or worry about because it is very difficult to deal with
SYNONYM taxing
“an onerous responsibility/job”
“…parents who have had the onerous task of bringing up a very difficult child.”
onus [noun] the responsibility for something
“The onus is on employers to follow health and safety laws.”
“The onus of proof lies with the prosecution.”
“The report puts the onus of children’s early education firmly on the parents.”
condone
to accept behaviour that is morally wrong or to treat it as if it were not serious
“Terrorism can never be condoned.”
“The college cannot condone any behaviour that involves illicit drugs.”
“I cannot condone the use of violence under any circumstances.”
“I couldn’t condone what she was doing.”
frolic (frolicked, frolicking)
to play and move around in a lively, happy way
“children frolicking on the beach”
“Lambs frolicked in the next field.”
frolic [noun] a fun enjoyable game or activity
“Everyone joined in the Saturday night frolics.”
put + up, in, off, away
put up: 1) to let somebody stay at your home
“We can put you up for the night.”
“No, Ican put up at a hotel for the night.”
2) to show great determination or get out of a difficult situation
“Gina put up a real fight to overcome the disease.”
put in: “Wendy has been putting in more hours at the office recently.” “All the actors put in great performances.”
put off: “I put off going to the doctor but I wish I hadn’t.” “When he calls, put him off as long as you can.”
put away: “We’re putting some money away for retirement. (saving)” “If you are found guilty, the judge is going to put you away for life.”
infuse
- to make somebody/something have a particular quality
“Her novels are infused with sadness.”
“These new designers are infusing fresh interest into the New York fashion scene.” - to have an effect on all parts of something
“Politics infuses all aspects of our lives.”
thrift
spendthrift
thrift [noun] the habit of saving money and spending it carefully so that none is wasted
spendthrift: a person who spends too much money or who wastes money
“I remember him as a charming but irresponsible spendthrift.”
audition
a short performance given by an actor, a singer, etc., so that somebody can decide whether they are suitable to act in a play, sing in a concert, etc.
“Entry to the course, as might be expected, depends largely on auditions.”
“Auditions will be held from 9–12 on Friday.”
“She had an audition for drama school.”
lethargic
lethargy
lethargic [adj] without any energy or enthusiasm for doing things. SYNONYM listless
“The weather made her lethargic.”
lethargy [noun]: SYNONYM listlessness, inertia
“New mothers often complain of lethargy and mild depression.”
collation
the act of collecting information together from different sources in order to examine and compare it
“the collation of information”
concoct
to make something, especially food or drink, by mixing different things
“The soup was concocted from up to a dozen different kinds of fish.”
2. to invent a story, an excuse, etc. SYNONYM cook up, make up
“She concocted some elaborate story to explain her absence.”
[noun] concoction: a strange or unusual mixture of things
alter
to become different, or made different
“She didn’t alter her behaviour in any way.”
“Nothing can alter the fact that we are to blame.”
“The recipe has been altered to suit American tastes.”
“We can have the dress altered to fit you.”
avert
- to prevent something bad or dangerous from happening
“A disaster was narrowly averted.”
“He did his best to avert suspicion.” - to turn your eyes, etc. away from something that you do not want to see
“She averted her eyes from the terrible scene in front of her.”
evoke
to bring a feeling, a memory or an image into your mind
“The music evoked memories of her youth.”
“His case is unlikely to evoke public sympathy.”
inquisitive /ɪnˈkwɪzətɪv/
- curious about what other people are doing
“Don’t be so inquisitive. It’s none of your business! - enquiring, very interested in learning about many different things
“a highly inquisitive mind”
call + on, out
call on: to ask or invite that somebody do something.
“She called on the government to hold a vote.”
call out: “The firemen called out to him.” “The army was called out to help fight fires.”
to criticize publicly “People were calling him out for his negative comments.”
reel
- to move in a very unsteady way SYNONYM stagger
“I punched him on the chin, sending him reeling backwards.”
“She was reeling after several glasses of wine.” - to feel very shocked or upset about something
“I was still reeling from the shock.” - to seem to be turning round and round
“When he opened his eyes, the room was reeling.”
reel + in/out, off
reel in/out: to wind something on/off a reel. “I slowly reeled the fish in.”
reel off: to say or repeat something quickly without having to stop or think about it
“She immediately reeled off several names.”
transient
continuing for only a short time
SYNONYM fleeting, temporary
“the transient nature of speech” “…the transient nature of high fashion. “
“In most cases, pain is transient.”
by a mile
by a show of hands
by the skin of one’s teeth
by the scruff of the neck
by a mile: by a very large amount
“He was the best player on the pitch by a mile.”
by a show of hands: a way of voting
“The vote was passed by a show of hands.”
by the skin of one’s teeth: just manage to do it or very nearly failed
“He escaped defeat by the skin of his teeth.”
“The business survived, only by the skin of its teeth.”
by the scruff of the neck: roughly holding the back of an animal’s or person’s neck
“She grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and threw him out.”
rant
to speak or complain about something in a loud and/or angry way
“She was ranting on about the unfairness of it all.”
“Stop ranting at me!”
“Why don’t you stop ranting and raving for a minute and listen?”
aloft
[adv] high in the air
“She held the glass aloft.”
“He held the trophy proudly aloft.”
“The national flag was flying aloft.”
“Four of the nine starting balloons were still aloft the next day.”
adrift
- a boat that is adrift is not fastened to anything or controlled by anyone
“The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days.”
“Several of the lifeboats were still afloat a month after being cast adrift.” - someone who is adrift is feeling alone and without a direction or an aim in life
“young people adrift in the big city”
“She felt cast adrift in a vulgar, materialistic society.”
(run/go) aground
if a ship runs/goes aground, it touches the ground in shallow water and cannot move 搁浅
“The oil tanker ran/went aground off the Spanish coast.”
“He was unwilling to accept that his corporate strategy had run aground.”
juncture
a particular point or stage in an activity or a series of events
“The battle had reached a crucial juncture.”
“At this juncture, I would like to make an important announcement.”
surreptitious
done secretly or quickly, in the hope that other people will not notice
SYNONYM furtive
“She sneaked a surreptitious glance at her watch.”
“He made a surreptitious entrance to the club through the little door in the brick wall. “
“They had several surreptitious conversations.”
deride
derisive = derisory
derision
deride: to treat somebody/something as silly and not worth considering seriously
SYNONYM mock
“His views were derided as old-fashioned.” “You shouldn’t deride their efforts.”
derisive /dɪˈraɪsɪv/: showing that you think someone or something is stupid or silly
derision: SYNONYM scorn
repatriate /ˌriːˈpeɪtrieɪt/
- to send someone back to the country that is legally their own
“The refugees were forcibly repatriated.”
“Tourists who are injured or fall sick are repatriated.” - to send money or profits back to your own country
“An agreement between the countries enables companies to repatriate their profits freely.”
come + by, over, across
come by: 1) manage to get: “How did you come by these pictures?”
2) make a short visit: “He said he’d come by later.”
come over: 1) visit/come “Do you want to come over tomorrow”
2) feeling: “A wave of sleepiness came over me.”
3) idea: “the points he was making came across/over quite clearly.”
4) = come across “She comes over/across as a very good teacher”
come across: 1) discover “I came across an old diary in her desk.”
2) idea easily understood “Your point really came across at the meeting.”
3) “She sometimes comes across/over as being rather arrogant.”
disparity /dɪˈspærəti/
disparate [adj] /ˈdɪspərət/
disparity: a difference, especially one connected with unfair treatment
“The wide disparity between rich and poor was highlighted.”
“There are growing regional disparities in economic prosperity.”
“a disparity between the rates of pay for men and women’
disparate: consisting of things or people that are very different
“a meeting covering many disparate subjects”
discord /ˈdɪskɔːrd/
disagreement; arguing between people
“marital/family discord”
“A note of discord surfaced during the proceedings.”
“The contrasts between rich and poor nations are a source of discord.”
indigenous
indigenous people lived in a place for a very long time before other people came to live there
“the indigenous peoples of North America”
“She campaigns for indigenous rights.”
“The kangaroo is indigenous to Australia.”
interject
to interrupt what somebody is saying with your opinion or a remark
‘You’re wrong,’ interjected Susan.
‘That’s absolute rubbish!’ he interjected.
“He listened thoughtfully, interjecting only the odd word.”
Make + up for,upto, over
make up for: to do something that corrects a bad situation. SYNONYM compensate
“The good days more than make up for the bad ones.”
make up to: to do something to show that you are sorry
“He was looking for a way to make up to her for what he had done.”
make over: to change or improve the appearance of someone or something
“The old warehouse has been made over into apartments.”
concede /kənˈsiːd/
- to admit that something is true, logical, etc. after first denying it or resisting it
“I conceded that I had made a number of errors.” - to admit that you have lost a game, an election, etc.
“Injury forced the team to concede defeat.” - to give something away, especially unwillingly
“Women were only conceded full voting rights in the 1950s.”
demise
- the end or failure of an institution, an idea, a company, etc.
“the demise of the typewriter in this computer age”
“He praised the union’s aims but predicted its early demise.” - death. SYN decease
“the senator’s untimely demise”
“Smoking, rather than genetics, was the cause of his early demise.”
dreary /ˈdrɪəri/
that makes you feel sad; not bright or interesting
SYNONYM dull
“a dreary winter’s day”
“a long and dreary journey on the train”
wayward
difficult to control
“a wayward child”
“wayward emotions”
compliant /kəmˈplaɪənt/
- willing to obey or to agree to other people’s wishes and demands
“For years I had tried to be a compliant and dutiful wife.” - in agreement with a set of rules
“This site is HTML compliant.”
simultaneously vs instantaneously
simultaneously: at the same time as something else
“The game will be broadcast simultaneously on TV and radio.”
instantaneously: immediately
“The show sold out instantaneously.”
pick + at, up
pick at:
1) to eat food slowly, taking small amounts or bites because you are not hungry
“She sat at the table in silence, picking at her dinner.”
2) to pull or touch something several times
“She was picking at her skirt.” “Sometimes she picks at her
pick up: to get better, stronger; to start again, to continue
“Trade usually picks up in the spring.”
“Let’s pick up where we left off yesterday.”
nomad /ˈnəʊmæd/
nomadic /nəʊˈmædɪk/
nomad: a member of a community that moves with its animals from place to place
nomadic: belonging to a community that moves with its animals from place to place
“nomadic tribes”
sprawling
spreading over a wide area in an untidy or unattractive way
“sprawling handwriting”
“The sprawling city contained some 10m people.”
metropolis
a very large city that is the most important city in a country or area
“The city has become a huge, bustling metropolis.”
teeming
present in large numbers; full of people, animals, etc. that are moving around
“teeming insects”
“the teeming streets of the city”
“Families were attempting to survive on their own on the teeming streets of Manila.”
adamant /ˈædəmənt/
determined not to change your mind or to be persuaded about something
“She begged me to change my mind, but I remained adamant.”
“Eva was adamant that she would not come.”
“The government remained adamant that there was no more money available.”
scanty [adj]
scant [adj]
As adjectives the difference between scant and scanty is that scant is very little, very few while scanty is somewhat less than is needed in amplitude or extent.
scanty 1. too little in amount for what is needed
“His theory is based on rather scanty evidence.”
scanty 2. (of clothes) very small and not covering much of your body. SYN skimpy
“a scanty bikini”
scant: hardly any; not very much and not as much as there should be
“I paid scant attention to what she was saying.”
“The firefighters went back into the house with scant regard for their own safety.”
“The story has received scant attention in the press.”
“They produce goods with scant regard for quality.”
sparse /spɑːrs/
only present in small amounts or numbers and often spread over a large area
“the sparse population of the islands”
“Vegetation becomes sparse higher up the mountains.”
“The information available on the subject is sparse.”
sparing
marked by or practicing careful restraint (as in the use of resources, uses it or gives it only in very small quantities)
“a sparing couple who are trying to save up enough for a house”
“Doctors now advise only sparing use of such creams.”
“He was always sparing with his praise.”
“Her sparing use of make-up only seemed to enhance her classically beautiful features.”
deceased
decease: the death of a person. SYN: demise
“On your decease, the house passes to your wife.”
deceased:
1) dead
“her deceased parents””
2) a person who has died, especially recently
“the family of the deceased”
fall + off, over
fall off: to decrease in quantity or quality
“Attendance at my lectures has fallen off considerably.”
fall over: (of a computer or program) to stop working suddenly
“My spreadsheet keeps falling over.”
fall over yourself to do: to try very hard or want very much to do something
“He was falling over himself to be nice to me.”
tenacity
tenacious
[noun] the quality of not giving up something easily; the quality of being determined
“They competed with skill and tenacity.”
tenacious [adj] not giving up something easily; determined
“She’s a tenacious woman. She never gives up.”
therapeutic /ˌθerəˈpjuːtɪk/
relating to the treatment or cure of an illness → therapy
“the therapeutic benefits of herbs”
making you feel calm and relaxed
“I find swimming very therapeutic.”
“ the therapeutic effect of gardening”
tussle
[noun] a short struggle, fight or argument especially in order to get something
“He was injured during a tussle for the ball.”
“There was a legal tussle over the closure of the hospital.”
“She had a brief tussle with her conscience before telling the whole story.”
[verb] to fight or compete with somebody/something, especially in order to get something
“The children were tussling with one another for the ball.”
pull + off, out, back, down
pull off/through: to succeed in doing something difficult
“We pulled off the deal.” “I never thought you’d pull it off.”
“It’s going to be tough but we’ll pull through it together.”
pull out: withdraw, stop being involved in it
“The project became so expensive that we had to pull out.”
pull back: withdraw, and not to do sth
“Their sponsors pulled back at the last minute.”
pull somebody down: to make someone less successful, happy, or healthy
“Her problems have really pulled her down.”
wrangle
an argument that is complicated and continues over a long period of time
“a legal wrangle between the company and their suppliers”
“He is currently locked in a bitter wrangle with his wife over custody of the children.”
spontaneous
not planned but done because you suddenly want to do it
“a spontaneous offer of help”
“The audience burst into spontaneous applause.”
“Jo’s a cheerful, spontaneous person, always ready for some fun.”
bashful
shy and easily embarrassed
“He was too bashful to talk about sex.”
“She looked bashful when he asked her what she wanted.”
“When being asked if she had a boyfriend, she came over all bashful and wouldn’t say a thing.”
pass + up, over, for/as
pass up: to choose not to make use of a chance, an opportunity, etc.
“I don’t think you should pass up the opportunity to go to university.”
pass over: to decide not to promote somebody in a job, especially he deserves it
“He was passed over in favour of a younger man.”
pass for/as: to be accepted as somebody/something
“With my hair cut short, I could have passed for a boy.”
sustain
to make something continue to exist or happen for a period of time
“She found it difficult to sustain the children’s interest.”
“ I only had a little chocolate to sustain me on my walk..”
“ the policies necessary to sustain economic growth”
pitiable
deserving pity or causing you to feel pity
“The animals were in a pitiable state.”
“Her life was pitiable and sad.”
“the pitiable victims of war”
palatable /ˈpælətəbl/
<> unpalatable
- (of food or drink) having a pleasant or acceptable taste
“a very palatable wine”
“Hospitals must serve palatable and healthy food.” - pleasant or acceptable to somebody
“The truth, as always, is slightly less palatable.”
“Some of the dialogue has been changed to make it more palatable to an American audience.”
“They changed the wording of the advertisement to make it more palatable to women.”
adornment
adorn
adornment: 1. something that you wear to make yourself look more attractive; something used to decorate a place or an object
“A plain necklace was her only adornment.”
adornment 2. the action of making something/somebody look more attractive by decorating it or them with something
“Precious stones have been used for the purposes of adornment for over 7000 years.”
adorn: to decorate something. “church walls adorned with religious paintings”
annulment
the act of stating officially that something, usually a marriage, is not legally recognized
“The king sought an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon.”
annul [verb] to state officially that something is not legally recognized
“Their marriage was annulled after just six months.”
“Amid renewed protests, the regime annulled the elections.”
null [noun] value of zero
