Review 12 Flashcards
Lurk
to wait or move in a secret way so that you cannot be seen, especially because you are about to attack someone or do something wrong:
Someone was lurking in the shadows.
Why are you lurking around in the hallway?
[ I usually + adv/prep ]
(of an unpleasant feeling or quality) to exist although it is not always noticeable:
Danger lurks around every corner.
It seems that old prejudices are still lurking beneath the surface.
Implicate
to show that someone is involved in a crime or partly responsible for something bad that has happened:
Have they any evidence to implicate him in the robbery?
Doleful
very sad:
a doleful expression/look
Perch
to sit on or near the edge of something:
We perched on bar stools and had a beer.
A blackbird was perching on the gate.
Disparage
/dɪˈspær·ɪdʒ/
belittle
to criticize someone or something in a way that shows a lack of respect:
He disparages his business competitors, saying they are all a bunch of amateurs compared to him.
Belittle
to make a person or an action seem as if he, she or it is not important:
Though she had spent hours fixing the computer, he belittled her efforts.
Stop belittling yourself - your work is highly valued.
Earnest
serious and determined, especially too serious and unable to find your own actions funny:
He was a very earnest young man.
to be speaking honestly:
I thought he was joking - I didn’t realize he was in earnest.
Backlash
a strong, negative reaction to something, esp. to change:
The mayor foresaw no political backlash against his proposal.
Bombard
/bɑːmˈbɑːrd/
to attack a place with continuous shooting or bombs:
The troops bombarded the city, killing and injuring hundreds.
fig. I was bombarded with phone calls and faxes.
Cue
a signal for someone to do something:
[ + to infinitive ] They started washing up, so that was our cue to leave the party.
on cue
If something happens on cue, it happens just after someone has said or thought it would happen:
I was just wondering where Sarah was, when, right on cue, she came in.
take your cue from sb
to take notice of someone’s words or behaviour so that you know what you should do:
She watched his lips carefully and took her cue from him.
Apparition
/ˌæp·əˈrɪʃ·ən/
something you believe, imagine, or dream you see, esp. the form of a person; ghost
Gingerly
in a way that is careful or cautious:
Holding her painful back, she sat down gingerly on the bench.
Parlance
/ˈpɑːr.ləns/
a group of words or style of speaking used by a particular group of people:
Oral contraceptives are referred to as “the pill” in common parlance.
business/legal parlance
Polarization
/ˌpoʊ.lɚ.əˈzeɪ.ʃən/
the act of dividing something, especially something that contains different people or opinions, into two completely separate groups:
The polarization of society into rich and poor can clearly be seen in urban areas.
Our goal is lively discussion, not polarization.
Ostracized
to avoid someone intentionally, or to prevent someone from taking part in the activities of a group:
His colleagues ostracized him after he criticized the company in public.
She was ostracized by fellow officers after bringing charges against her partner.
