Review 11 Flashcards
Cornucopia
/ˌkɔːr.nəˈkoʊ.pi.ə/
Profusion
a large amount or supply of something:
The table held a veritable cornucopia of every kind of food or drink you could want.
They help deliver a cornucopia of entertainment and information to smartphones and laptops.
Profusion
an extremely large amount of something:
I was remarking on the recent profusion of books and articles on the matter.
She’d never seen flowers so beautiful and in such profusion.
Richness
the quality of looking, sounding, smelling, or tasting strong in a pleasing or attractive way:
richness of flavour
It’s a wonderful painting - I love the richness of the colours.
Wellspring
the place something comes from or starts at, or the cause of something:
the wellspring of the creative spirit
University labs have traditionally been a wellspring of innovations.
Sprawling
/ˈsprɑː.lɪŋ/
(of a city) covered with buildings across a large area, often ones that have been added gradually over a period of time:
sprawling suburbs
Somewhere in this sprawling metropolis, there is a secret military laboratory.
Endeavor
/enˈdev.ɚ/
to try to do something:
Engineers are endeavouring to locate the source of the problem.
an attempt to do something:
In spite of our best endeavours, it has proven impossible to contact her.
Crossing the North Pole on foot was an amazing feat of human endeavour.
artistic endeavour
Dilution
/daɪˈluː.ʃən/
the action of making a liquid weaker by mixing in something else, or a liquid that has been made weaker in this way:
The drug’s effectiveness is decreased by dilution.
Tests are underway to see whether two dilutions of this vaccine are effective.
the action of reducing the strength of a feeling, action, etc:
a dilution of standards
There was certainly a dilution of team spirit.
Usher
to show someone where they should go, or to make someone go where you want them to go:
She ushered us into her office and offered us coffee.
Officials quickly ushered the protesters out of the hall.
Apocalyptic
/əˌpɑː.kəˈlɪp.tɪk/
showing or describing the total destruction and end of the world, or extremely bad future events:
apocalyptic visions of a nuclear confrontation
apocalyptic warnings about our destruction of the environment
Piecemeal
/ˈpiːs.miːl/
not done according to a plan but done at different times in different ways:
Unfortunately, everything is being done piecemeal.
Do we fix it all now, or do we approach it piecemeal over time?
Annotate
to add a short explanation or opinion to a text or drawing:
Annotated editions of Shakespeare’s plays help readers to understand old words.
Premise
/ˈprem.ɪs/
an idea or theory on which a statement or action is based:
[ + that ] They had started with the premise that all men are created equal.
The research project is based on the premise stated earlier.
We don’t accept the premise that cutting taxes will necessarily lead to increased economic productivity.
to base a theory, argument, etc. on an idea, thought, or belief:
He premised his argument on several incorrect assumptions.
Be hell-bent on sth
be hell-bent on sth
informal
to be extremely determined to do something, without considering the risks or possible dangerous results:
He was hell-bent on revenge.
Incessantly
/ɪnˈses.ənt.li/
in a way that never stops, especially when this is annoying or unpleasant:
She talked incessantly about the most trivial things.
He checks his phone incessantly.
(esp. of something unpleasant) never stopping:
The region endured weeks of incessant rain.
incessant rain/noise/complaints
Nod
a vote or nomination (= the act of officially suggesting that someone or something should be given a prize or position) for someone or something:
Neeson received an Oscar nod for his role in Schindler’s List.
At the time, Clinton and Obama were locked in a battle for their party’s nod.
Sentient
/ˈsen.ʃənt/
able to experience feelings:
It is hard for a sentient person to understand how any parents could treat their child so badly.
the quality of being able to experience feelings:
Why are humans not willing to accept the full sentience of other animals?
Research on animal sentience is beginning to inform approaches to animal welfare.
Prim
very formal and correct in behaviour and easily shocked by anything rude:
She’s much too prim and proper to drink pints of beer.
She wore a silk gown and prim white gloves.
Perpetual
/pɚˈpetʃ.u.əl/
continuing for ever in the same way:
They lived in perpetual fear of being discovered.
He has hard, cold eyes and his mouth is set in a perpetual sneer.
She resented his perpetual complaining about her cooking.
a perpetual student
Putter
/ˈpʌt̬.ɚ/
to do things in a relaxed way, without rushing or trying very hard:
He really enjoys puttering around in the garden.
Guise
/ɡaɪz/
the appearance of someone or something, especially when intended to deceive:
The men who arrived in the guise of drug dealers were actually undercover police officers.
The company has been accused of trying to sell their products under the guise of market research.
Spree
a short period of doing a particular, usually enjoyable, activity much more than is usual:
I went on a drinking/shopping/spending spree on Saturday.
20 people were shot dead in the city, making it the worst killing spree since the riots.
Cathartic
/kəˈθɑːr.tɪk/
involving the release of strong emotions through a particular activity or experience:
a cathartic experience
I find it very cathartic to dance.
Invoke
to use a law in order to achieve something, or to mention something in order to explain something or to support your opinion or action:
Police can invoke the law to regulate access to these places.
to request help from someone, especially a god, when you want to improve a situation:
Their sacred dance is performed to invoke ancient gods.
Lash
to hit with a lot of force:
The prisoners were regularly lashed with electric cable.
The sound of the rain lashing against the windows was deafening.
Dissipate
/ˈdɪs.ə.peɪt/
to (cause to) gradually disappear or waste:
The heat gradually dissipates into the atmosphere.
His anger dissipated as the situation became clear.
The storm dissipated around noon.
It took months of effort to dissipate the oil spill in the North Sea.
Ride-hailing
/ˈraɪd.heɪ.lɪŋ/
used for or involved in the activity of asking for a car and driver to come immediately and take you somewhere:
Do you use a ride-hailing app?
The city announced new regulations on internet-based ride-hailing businesses.
Quadruplicate
/kwɒdˈruːplɪkət/ US
in quadruplicate
if a document is prepared or written in quadruplicate, four copies of it are made:
The above documents are to be submitted in quadruplicate together with a valid passport.
Quadruple
/kwɑːˈdruː.pəl/
to become four times as big, or to multiply a number or amount by four:
The number of students at the college has quadrupled in the last ten years.
We expect to quadruple our profits this year.
Precondition
/ˌpriː.kənˈdɪʃ.ən/
something that must happen or be true before it is possible for something else to happen:
A halt to the fighting is a precondition for negotiations.
Sound financial policies are a precondition for economic growth.
Level-headed
/ˌlev.əlˈhed.ɪd/
calm and able to deal easily with difficult situations
Based on a level-headed analysis, I will act decisively so that I won’t miss any chance.
War-torn
War-ravaged
severely damaged by a long war, especially between different groups from the same country:
It is a long-term task to rebuild the infrastructure of a war-torn country such as Angola.
Grandee
/ɡrænˈdiː/
an important person, especially in a particular job or area of public life
Communist Party grandees watched as 15,000 soldiers march across the country.
Pageant
/ˈpædʒ·ənt/
a show, celebration, or parade (= a large number of people walking or marching together), esp. one in which people wear special clothing or act out events from the past:
the Miss Chinatown pageant
Our school held a Pageant of Great Women.
/ˈpædʒ·ən·tri/
Between games, the traditional pageantry includes the Parade of Champions.
Annualized
/ˈæn.ju.ə.laɪzd/
(of an amount or number) calculated over a year:
Exports fell at an annualized rate of 12.3 percent, while imports rose at a 7.5 percent pace.
Clash
to fight or argue:
Students clashed with police after demonstrations at five universities.
The government and the opposition parties have clashed over the cuts in defence spending.
If two opinions, statements, or qualities clash, they are very different from each other:
This latest statement from the White House clashes with important aspects of US foreign policy.
a clash of opinions/loyalties/personalities
the situation when two events happen at the same time in a way that is not convenient:
In the new timetable, there’s a clash between history and physics.
Unfazed
Informal
/ʌnˈfeɪzd/
not surprised or worried:
She seems unfazed by her sudden success and fame.
Arch-
greater or especially worse than others of the same type:
an arch-criminal
his arch-enemy
He’s always been an arch-opponent of the project.
Self-imposed
/ˌself.ɪmˈpoʊzd/
decided by yourself, without being influenced or ordered by other people:
The end of the year was their self-imposed deadline for finishing the work.
After the military coup, the family left for self-imposed exile in America.
Dissident
/ˈdɪs.ə.dənt/
dissenter
a person who publicly disagrees with and criticizes their government:
political dissidents
a dissident group/writer
Dissidence
the act of publicly disagreeing with and criticizing the government or a powerful person or group:
Dissidence has been met with steady opposition.
There is a growing youth dissidence movement.
Espionage
the activity of secretly collecting and reporting information, especially secret political, military, business, or industrial information:
engage in/conduct/commit espionage Three people were also accused of engaging in espionage against a rival firm.
corporate/industrial/economic espionage
Resumption
/rɪˈzʌmp.ʃən/
the start of something again after it has stopped:
The president called for an immediate ceasefire and a resumption of negotiations between the two sides.
He worked for the resumption of economic ties between Vietnam and the US.
a resumption of negotiations/talks/trading
Retaliatory
/rɪˈtæl.i.ə.tɔːr.i/
A retaliatory action is one that is harmful to someone who has done something to harm you:
retaliatory measures
He urged people not to resort to retaliatory violence.
Resort
the fact that you have to do something because there is no other way of achieving something:
He got hold of the money legally, without resort to violence.
first resort
used for talking about the first thing that you think of doing or using in a situation:
Diplomacy ought to be our first resort.
I’m not advocating detention as a first resort.
last resort
used for talking about something that you only think of doing or using if all other methods fail:
As a last resort, savers could always open an ISA with their current bank or building society.
Experts say warning labels are a last resort when a hazard can’t be designed out of a product.
Endear
to cause someone to be liked by another person:
His fiery temper did not endear him to his coworkers.
making someone like you:
She laughs at herself a lot, which is always endearing.
Spate
a larger number of events than usual, especially unpleasant ones, happening at about the same time:
Police are investigating a spate of burglaries in the Kingsland Road area.
in (full) spate UK
If a river is in (full) spate, it has more water in it and is flowing faster than it usually does.
Vantage point
a place, especially a high place, that provides a good, clear view of an area:
From our lofty vantage point, we could see the city spread out below us.
[ C usually singular ] formal
a particular personal way of thinking or set of opinions:
The documentary contains a first-hand description of political life in Havana from the vantage point of a senior bureaucrat.
Jumble
an untidy and confused mixture of things, feelings, or ideas:
He rummaged through the jumble of papers on his desk.
a jumble of thoughts/ideas
Punctuate
formal
to happen or cause something to happen repeatedly while something else is happening; to interrupt something repeatedly:
The president spoke at length in a speech punctuated by applause.
He chatted freely, punctuating his remarks as often as possible with the interviewer’s first name.
Conjuction
conjuncture
the situation in which events or conditions combine or happen together:
An unfortunate conjunction of circumstances led to his downfall.
There is a team of writers working in conjunction (with each other) on the book.
Endow
to give a large amount of money to pay for creating a college, hospital, etc. or to provide an income for it:
The state of Michigan has endowed three institutes to do research for industry.
This hospital was endowed by the citizens of Strasbourg in the 16th century.
Be endowed with
to have a particular quality or feature:
Some lucky people are endowed with both brains and beauty.
Sardinia is generously endowed with prehistoric sites.
Well endowed
having a lot of something, especially money or possessions:
The city is well endowed with modern medical facilities.
[ before noun ] It is a very well-endowed college.
Setback
something that happens that delays or prevents a process from developing:
Sally had been recovering well from her operation, but yesterday she experienced/suffered a setback.
There has been a slight/temporary setback in our plans.
Ever-present
/ˌev.ɚˈprez.ənt/
used to describe something that is always there:
the ever-present danger of a terrorist attack
Precipitate
formal
to make something happen suddenly or sooner than expected:
An invasion would certainly precipitate a political crisis.
Fear of losing her job precipitated (= suddenly forced) her into action.
Alight
burning:
I had to use a bit of petrol to get the fire alight.
The rioters overturned several cars and set them alight.
He was smoking in bed and his blankets caught alight.
The sky was alight with hundreds of fireworks.
literary
showing excitement and happiness:
Her eyes were alight with mischief.
Amputate
/ˈæm.pjə.teɪt/
to cut off a part of the body:
They had to amputate his foot to free him from the wreckage.
In these cases there is no choice but to amputate.
the cutting off of a part of the body:
Amputation of the limb is really a last resort.
Most amputations in this region are the result of accidents with land mines.
Citadel
a strong castle in or near a city, where people can shelter from danger, especially during a war:
The town has a 14th century citadel overlooking the river.
a powerful organization in which finding a job is difficult for someone who does not know people who work there:
At the age of 32, she managed to enter one of the citadels of high fashion.
Vivacity
/vɪˈvæs.ə.t̬i/
the quality of being vivacious (= attrctively energetic and enthusiastic):
This biography captures the charm and vivacity of an unusual woman.
He had a natural cheerfulness and vivacity that made him an exceedingly pleasant companion.
Heinous
very bad and shocking:
a heinous crime
Back
to give support to someone or something with money or words:
The management has refused to back our proposals.
Misrepresent
to describe falsely an idea, opinion, or situation, often in order to get an advantage:
She accused her opponents of deliberately misrepresenting her as an extremist.
I’ve grown used to my views being misrepresented in the press.
He misrepresented facts about his legal experience on his application.
Definitive
not able to be changed or improved:
a definitive judgment/ruling
There are no definitive answers/solutions to this problem.
The police have no definitive proof of her guilt.
considered to be the best of its type:
He’s written the definitive guide to Thailand.
Replicate
to make or do something again in exactly the same way:
Researchers tried many times to replicate the original experiment.
Cascade
a large amount of something that hangs down:
A cascade of golden hair fell down his back.
to fall quickly and in large amounts:
Coins cascaded from/out of the fruit machine.
to pass on information by giving it to just a few people, who then give it to more people; to be passed on in this way:
Guest information is cascaded through employee shift briefings.
Transition
a change from one form or type to another, or the process by which this happens:
The health-care system is in transition at the moment.
There will be an interim government to oversee the transition to democracy.
to start living as a person of a different gender:
Bornstein transitioned from male to female almost 20 years ago.
It wasn’t easy transitioning gender in the military.
Ergonomics
/ˌɝː.ɡəˈnɑː.mɪks/
the scientific study of people and their working conditions, especially done in order to improve effectiveness:
A specialist in ergonomics will work with the team designing the production line in our new factory.
The ergonomics of the new office furniture have reduced eyestrain and back problems among the computer users.
Stressor
/ˈstres.ɚ/
something that causes stress (= great worry or emotional difficulty):
Constant noise can be a stressor.
Toll
suffering, deaths, or damage:
Independent sources say that the death toll from the earthquake runs into thousands.
Hardened
used to describe someone who has had a lot of bad experiences and as a result no longer gets upset or shocked:
hardened detectives/reporters
[ before noun ]
no longer likely to change a bad way of life or feel sorry about it:
a hardened criminal
be/become hardened to sth
to develop a way of dealing with a sad situation so that it no longer upsets you:
You see all sorts of terrible things when you’re a nurse so you become hardened to it.
Adherence
the fact of someone behaving exactly according to rules, beliefs, etc.:
He was noted for his strict adherence to the rules.
He insists upon adherence to every rule, no matter how silly.
adherence to sth
Working with thousands of small farmers makes strict adherence to fair trade rules difficult.
Would-be
wanting or trying to be:
a would-be artist/politician
Gambit
a clever action in a game or other situation that is intended to achieve an advantage and usually involves taking a risk:
Her clever opening gambit gave her an early advantage.
Their promise to lower taxes is clearly an election-year gambit.
Quid pro quo
something that is given or received in return for something else:
Contributors expect a quid pro quo for their donations.
Outlive
/ˌaʊtˈlɪv/
to live or exist longer than someone or something:
He outlived all of his brothers.
outlive your usefulness
to no longer be useful:
This old system has outlived its usefulness.
Swoon
/swuːn/
to feel a lot of pleasure, love, etc. because of something or someone:
The audience swooned with delight.
Sarah swooned when her baby was handed to her.
Implore
/ɪmˈplɔːr/
[ T + to infinitive ]
to ask someone to do or not do something in a very sincere, emotional, and determined way:
She implored her parents not to send her away to school.
She implored him not to leave her.
Salver
a large metal plate used to bring food, drinks, or letters to people, especially in a formal situation:
a silver salver
Viability
/ˌvaɪ.əˈbɪl.ə.t̬i/
ability to work as intended or to succeed:
Rising costs are threatening the viability of many businesses.
the viability of sth
Her role was to assess the viability of investment options overseas.
commercial/economic/financial viability This year will serve as an important test of commercial viability for the new electric vehicles.
future/longterm viability
The longterm viability of the coal-fired power plants is at risk.
ability to continue to exist or develop as a living being:
As the world population of Hawaiian geese has shrunk to very small numbers, the bird’s continuing viability is in doubt.
Viable
able to work as intended or able to succeed:
In order to make the company viable, it will unfortunately be necessary to reduce staffing levels.
I am afraid your plan is not commercially/economically/financially/politically viable.
Bibliophile
/ˈbɪb.li.ə.faɪl/
a person who loves or collects books
