PT3 T1.1 Part 2 Flashcards
plaintive
used to describe something that sounds slightly sad:
the plaintive sound of the bagpipes
“What about me?” came a plaintive voice.
mournful
very sad:
a mournful expression
mournful music
wander
to walk around slowly in a relaxed way or without any clear purpose or direction:
We spent the morning wandering around the old part of the city.
She was found several hours later, wandering the streets, lost.
desperate
very serious or bad:
desperate poverty
a desperate shortage of food/supplies
lamentation
sadness and feeling sorry, or something that expresses these feelings:
For all the lamentations that schools do not teach the game, it is still played in some areas.
crank
a person who has strange or unusual ideas and beliefs
conduit
someone or something that provides a way of passing something such as information or payments from one person to another:
The social media platform has served as a conduit for misinformation.
A captain is the conduit between the coach and the players.
screech
to make an unpleasant, loud, high noise:
She was screeching at him at the top of her voice.
He was screeching with pain/laughter.
utter
to say something or to make a sound with your voice:
She sat through the whole meeting without uttering a word.
in the main
generally or mostly:
Her friends are teachers in the main.
contest
a competition to do better than other people, usually in which prizes are given:
a dance/sports contest
She’s won a lot of beauty contests.
dispatch
to send something, especially goods or a message, somewhere for a particular purpose:
Two loads of cloth were dispatched to the factory on 12 December.
convey
to express a thought, feeling, or idea so that it is understood by other people:
His poetry conveys a great sense of religious devotion.
Please convey our condolences to the family.
pass
If you say a state or feeling will pass, you mean it will disappear:
Don’t worry, his depression is only temporary - it’ll soon pass.
size sth/sb up
to examine something or someone carefully and decide what you think about it, him, or her:
Voters are still sizing up the candidates.
The two cats walked in circles around each other, sizing each other up.
incumbent
officially having the named position:
The incumbent president faces problems which began many years before he took office.
oust
to force someone to leave a position of power, job, place, or competition:
The president was ousted (from power) in a military coup in January 1987.
Police are trying to oust drug dealers from the city .
a stroke of luck, genius, etc.
something that happens or succeeds suddenly because of luck, intelligence, etc.:
By a stroke of luck, someone else was walking along the trail and heard my shouts for help.
hit on/upon something
to think of an idea unexpectedly or unintentionally:
When we first hit on the idea, everyone told us it would never work.
ploy
something that is done or said in order to get an advantage, often dishonestly:
There are various ploys we can use if necessary.
[ + to infinitive ] He only said he had a meeting as a ploy to get her to leave.
inspirational
making you feel full of hope or encouraged:
He gave an inspirational reading of his own poems.
hazardous
dangerous:
a hazardous journey/occupation
impudent
rude and not showing respect, especially towards someone who is older or in a more important position:
an impudent remark/child
charm
to attract someone or persuade someone to do something because of your charm:
We were charmed by his boyish manner.
