Review 7 Flashcards
Meander
to walk slowly without any clear direction:
We spent the afternoon meandering around the streets of the old town.
If a text, process, or activity meanders, it has no clear purpose or direction:
The film meanders along with no particular story line.
a journey that has no particular direction:
The TV series continues its haphazard meander around the globe - this week in Portugal.
Pronounce on sth
/prəˈnaʊns/ verb [ T ]
to give a judgment or opinion about something:
I’d rather not go pronouncing on a subject that I know so little about.
Top brass
the most important people in an organization:
The top brass also received benefits not given to the average employee.
It has been sent to top brass and Ministers for their eyes only.
Statesman
an experienced politician, especially one who is respected for making good judgments
a statesmanlike speech
Infantry
/ˈɪn.fən.tri/ the part of an army that fights on foot: The infantry was/were sent into battle. It's a light/heavy infantry unit.
Calvary
/ˈkæv·əl·ri/
an army group which fights from armored vehicles, helicopters (= type of aircraft), or, esp. in the past, while riding horses
a soldier in an army who fights in a tank, or (especially in the past) on a horse:
Former cavalrymen gather at West Point for a yearly memorial.
Genghis Khan’s nomadic cavalrymen once wreaked devastation across Asia.
Amnesty
/ˈæm.nə.sti/
[ C or U ] a decision by a government that allows political prisoners to go free:
Most political prisoners were freed under the terms of the amnesty.
[ C usually singular ] a fixed period of time during which people are not punished for committing a particular crime:
People who hand in illegal weapons will not be prosecuted during the amnesty.
The government refused to declare an amnesty for people who had not paid the disputed tax.
Downplay
/ˌdaʊnˈpleɪ/
understate
to make something seem less important or less bad than it really is:
The government has been trying to downplay the crisis.
She believes the research understates the amount of discrimination women suffer.
Play down sth
The doctor tried to play down the seriousness of my father’s illness, but we weren’t fooled.
Foreground
/ˈfɔːr.ɡraʊnd/
to give the most importance to a particular subject, etc.:
His speech foregrounded the history of the decision.
Epitomize
/ɪˈpɪt̬.ə.maɪz/
encapsulate Typify
to be a perfect example of a quality or type of thing:
With little equipment and unsuitable footwear, she epitomizes the inexperienced and unprepared mountain walker.
Encapsulate
/ɪnˈkæp.sjə.leɪt/
epitomize typify
to express or show the most important facts about something:
It was very difficult to encapsulate the story of the revolution in a single one-hour documentary.
She encapsulates the stereotyped image that the British have of Americans.
Typify
/ˈtɪp·əˌfɑɪ/
to be an example of a particular thing or kind of thing:
This trial typifies the problems juries face all the time.
With his blond, blue-eyed athletic looks, he typifies the all-American boy next door.
Dichotomy
/daɪˈkɑː.t̬ə.mi/ formal
a difference between two completely opposite ideas or things:
There is often a dichotomy between what politicians say and what they do.
I try to examine the dichotomy between what people think they are and what they do.
Duality
/duːˈæl.ə.t̬i/ formal
the state of combining two different things:
His poems reveal the duality of his nature, the joy and hope, the fear and despair.
Belligerent
/bəˈlɪdʒ.ɚ.ənt/ disapproving wishing to fight or argue: a belligerent person a belligerent gesture Watch out! Lee's in a belligerent mood. She was so belligerent that I gave up trying to explain.
formal fighting a war:
The belligerent countries are having difficulties funding the war.
Eschew
/ɪsˈtʃuː/ formal
shun
to avoid something intentionally, or to give something up:
We won’t have discussions with this group unless they eschew violence.
Chagrin
/ˈʃæɡ.rɪn/ formal
disappointment or anger, especially when caused by a failure or mistake:
My children have never shown an interest in music, much to my chagrin.
She was chagrined to discover her mistake.
De facto
/ˌdeɪ ˈfæk.təʊ/ US /ˌdeɪ ˈfæk.toʊ/ formal
existing in fact, although perhaps not intended, legal, or accepted:
The city is rapidly becoming the de facto centre of the financial world.
He’s her de facto husband though they’re not actually married.
English is de facto the common language of much of the world today.
If it is on British soil then it is de facto British.
De jure
/ˌdeɪ ˈdʒʊr.i/ formal
having a right or existence as stated by law:
The country has de facto independence now, and it will soon be recognized de jure by the world’s governments.
The president aims to create a de jure one-party state.
Vintner
/ˈvɪnt.nɚ/
a person whose job it is to buy and sell wine
Monumental
/ˌmɑːn.jəˈmen.t̬əl/ very big: a monumental task a monumental waste of time
Rebuilding the bridge proved to be a monumental job.
Dissipate
/ˈdɪs.ə.peɪt/ formal
to (cause to) gradually disappear or waste:
The heat gradually dissipates into the atmosphere.
His anger dissipated as the situation became clear.
Unprecedented
/ʌnˈpres.ə.den.t̬ɪd/
C2 never having happened or existed in the past:
This century has witnessed environmental destruction on an unprecedented scale.
We’ve entered an age of unprecedented prosperity.
Delineate
/dɪˈlɪn.i.eɪt/ formal
to describe or mark the edge of something:
The main characters are clearly delineated in the first chapter.
The boundary of the car park is delineated by a low brick wall.
to describe something completely, including details:
The constitution carefully delineates the duties of the treasurer’s office.
Galvanize
/ˈɡæl.və.naɪz/
to cause someone to suddenly take action, especially by shocking or exciting them in some way:
Western charities were galvanized by TV pictures of starving people.
The prospect of his mother coming to stay galvanized him into action and he started cleaning the house.
Undermine
/ˌʌn.dɚˈmaɪn/
C2 to make someone less confident, less powerful, or less likely to succeed, or to make something weaker, often gradually:
The president has accused two cabinet members of working secretly to undermine his position/him.
Criticism just undermines their confidence.
Embark
/ɪmˈbɑːk/
[ I ] to go onto a ship, aircraft, or train:
The flight crew embarked and the plane took off.
[ T ] to put goods or passengers onto a ship, aircraft, or train:
The ship had an electrical hoist which allowed cars to be embarked and disembarked in all tidal conditions.
embarkation
noun [ C or U ]
The records show each passenger’s name, place of origin, and port of embarkation.
Trajectory
/trəˈdʒek.tɚ.i/ specialized
the curved path that an object follows after it has been thrown or shot into the air:
the trajectory of a bullet/missile
The missile came in on a very low trajectory.
Remnant
/ˈrem.nənt/
leftover
a small piece or amount of something that is left from a larger original piece or amount:
the remnants of last night’s meal
remnants of the city’s former glory
a carpet remnant
Jettison
/ˈdʒet̬.ə.sən/
to get rid of something or someone that is not wanted or needed:
The station has jettisoned educational broadcasts.
to decide not to use an idea or plan:
We’ve had to jettison our trip because of David’s accident.
to throw goods, fuel, or equipment from a ship or aircraft to make it lighter:
The captain was forced to jettison the cargo and make an emergency landing.
Felony
/ˈfel.ə.ni/ mainly us (an example of) serious crime that can be punished by one or more years in prison: a felony charge He was convicted of a felony. Robbery is a felony.
Grant
/ɡrænt/
B1 an amount of money given especially by the government to a person or organization for a special purpose:
a student/research grant
a local authority/government grant
[ + to infinitive ] They gave/awarded her a grant to study abroad for one year.
to give or allow someone something, usually in an official way:
[ + two objects ] They granted her an entry visa.
He was granted asylum.
formal She granted their request/wish.
to accept that something is true, often before expressing an opposite opinion:
I grant that it must have been upsetting but even so I think she overreacted.
I grant you (= it is true that), it’s a difficult situation but I feel sure he could have handled it more sensitively.
Asylum
/əˈsɑɪ·ləm/
protection or safety, especially that given by a government to people who have been forced to leave their own countries for their safety or because of war:
to seek/apply for political asylum
The refugees have asked for political asylum.
Clique
/klɪk/ disapproving
Coterie
a small group of people who spend their time together and do not welcome other people into that group:
Our golf club is run by a very unfriendly clique (of people).
There’s a clique at work that never talks/who never talk to anyone else.
Coterie
/ˈkoʊ.t̬ɚ.i/
a small group of people with shared interests, often one that does not want other people to join them:
a coterie of writers
Scrutiny
/ˈskruː.t̬ən.i/
C2 the careful and detailed examination of something in order to get information about it:
The government’s record will be subjected to/come under (close) scrutiny in the weeks before the election.
Leapfrog
/ˈliːp.frɑːɡ/ -gg-
to improve your position by going past other people quickly or by missing out some stages:
They’ve leapfrogged from third to first place.
She leapfrogged several older colleagues to get the manager’s job.
We’re going to leapfrog the rest of the market in technology.
Labor-intensive
/ˌleɪ.bɚ.ɪnˈten.sɪv/
Industries and methods that are labour-intensive need a lot of workers:
A lot of farming techniques have been abandoned because they were too labour-intensive.
The service sector is more labour-intensive and less productive than manufacturing.
Converting shale oil to usable material takes a labor-intensive process that’s very environmentally damaging.
Capital-intensive
used to describe an industry, business, or process that needs a lot of investment in materials, equipment, etc. in order to operate:
The oil industry is capital-intensive, and the company’s capital spending budget last year was $19.9 billion.
As agriculture became more capital intensive, many farm labourers moved to the towns and cities to look for work.
Brainchild
/ˈbreɪn.tʃaɪld/
an original idea, plan, or invention:
The project was the brainchild of one of the students.
The encyclopedia was the brainchild of historian John C. McCormick.
Layman
/ˈleɪ·wʊm·ən/
a person who is not trained in or does not have a detailed knowledge of a particular subject:
The book is supposed to be the layman’s guide to home repair.
Botch
/bɑːtʃ/ uk also bodge
to spoil something by doing it badly:
We botched (up) our first attempt at wallpapering the bathroom.
uk also botch-up, bodge, bodge-up
something that is spoiled by being done badly:
The company made a series of botches before it went bankrupt.
uk The concert was very badly organized. In fact, the whole thing was a real botch-up.
Tussle
to have difficult disagreements or strong arguments:
During his twelve years in Congress he has tussled with the chemical, drug and power companies on behalf of the ordinary person.
The residents are still tussling over the ever-scarcer street parking.
to fight with another person using your arms and body:
The boys started to tussle in the playground.
a difficult disagreement or violent argument:
a boardroom/bureaucratic/legal tussle
There followed a long tussle for custody of the children.
a fight with another person using your arms and body:
You could see he had been in a tussle.
Fraternal
/frəˈtɝː.nəl/ relating to brothers: fraternal rivalry friendly, like brothers: The president's official visit marks the start of a more fraternal relationship between the two countries.
Fraternally in a friendly way, like a brother: He kissed her fraternally on the cheek. They were welcomed fraternally and entertained in one of the great halls.
Crowdsource
/ˈkraʊd.sɔːrs/
to give tasks to a large group of people or to the general public, for example, by asking for help on the internet, rather than having tasks done within a company by employees:
The company plans to crowdsource the translation of its new web app.
Crowdsourcing
/ˈkraʊdˌsɔːr.sɪŋ/
the activity of giving tasks to a large group of people or to the general public, for example, by asking for help on the internet:
Crowdsourcing has profoundly influenced the way companies do business.
Advertising agencies believe crowdsourcing can be a valid way for a company to discover marketing ideas.
Attest
/əˈtest/ formal
to show something or to say or prove that something is true:
Thousands of people came out onto the streets to attest their support for the democratic opposition party.
The number of old German cars still on the road attests (to) the excellence of their manufacture.
As his career attests, he is a world-class tennis player.
specialized The will needs to be attested (= officially marked to show that the signature of the person who made the will is correct) by three witnesses.
Her wealth was attested to by her fur coat and designer shoes.
Complecent
/kəmˈpleɪ.sənt/ disapproving
self-satisfied
feeling so satisfied with your own abilities or situation that you feel you do not need to try any harder:
a complacent smile/attitude
We can’t afford to become complacent about any of our products.
People are more complacent about protection.
Complacency
/kəmˈpleɪ.sən.si/ also complacence, UK/kəmˈpleɪ.səns/ US/kəmˈpleɪ.səns/ disapproving
a feeling of calm satisfaction with your own abilities or situation that prevents you from trying harder:
What annoys me about these girls is their complacency - they seem to have no desire to expand their horizons.
There’s no room for complacency if we want to stay in this competition!
We’re finally making a profit, but there is no reason for complacency.
Mastectonomy
/mæsˈtek.tə.mi/
a medical operation to remove a woman’s breast:
a partial mastectomy (= when part of the breast is removed)
a double mastectomy (= when both breasts are removed)
Oncologist
/ɑːnˈkɑː.lə.dʒɪst/
a doctor who studies and treats tumours (= masses of cells, as in cancer) in the body:
His oncologist suggested that he join the clinical trial.
The surgeon fixed an appointment with a leading oncologist.
Circadian
/sɝːˈkeɪ.di.ən/ specialized
used to describe the processes in animals and plants that happen naturally during a 24-hour period:
Our circadian clock makes it difficult to sleep during the day.
They suggested that the light may be suppressing production of melatonin, thereby disruption circadian rhythm and eating pattern.
Thereby
+ noun phrase
/ˌðerˈbaɪ/ formal or old-fashioned
C1 as a result of this action:
Diets that are high in saturated fat clog up our arteries, thereby reducing the blood flow to our hearts and brains.
They had failed to agree to a settlement, thereby throwing 250 people out of work.
Socioeconomic
/ˌsoʊ.si.oʊˌiː.kəˈnɑː.mɪk/ related to the differences between groups of people caused mainly by their financial situation: socioeconomic groups/groupings socioeconomic factors
College Board officials said the difficulties arise more from socioeconomic than from ethnic differences.
People in lower socioeconomic brackets tend to consume the most ultra-processed foods.
Ghrelin
US/ˈɡrel.ɪn/ specialized
a hormone (= a chemical made in the body) that makes you hungry:
When ghrelin levels are up, people feel hungry.
In experiments, sleep-deprived adults produced more ghrelin.
Cut back
to spend less, do less, or use less of something:
The government has announced plans to cut back on defence spending by 10 percent next year.
If exercise is causing you pain, you should cut back.
We are trying to cut back on travel costs.
The firm has cut back hours at its factory.
Enthusiast
/ɪnˈθuː.zi.æst/ a person who is very interested in and involved with a particular subject or activity: a keep-fit enthusiast a model-aircraft enthusiast
Arthroscopy
/ɑːrˈθrɑːs.kə.pi/ specialized
a type of surgery in which a very small hole is made in a person’s body in order to look at a joint using a special instrument and sometimes to repair the joint at the same time:
He is having an arthroscopy to remove debris in his knee.
Unveil
/ʌnˈveɪl/ US
to show or introduce something new or make it known publicly for the first time:
The company unveiled a 2.7% rise in underlying profits to $544m.
unveil a plan/policy/proposal
The airline company unveiled a plan for compensating customers hit with flight delays or cancellations.
Today they will unveil new products at lower prices.
Render
formal to cause someone or something to be in a particular state:
[ + adj ] His rudeness rendered me speechless.
New technology has rendered my old computer obsolete.
formal to change words into a different language or form:
She is rendering the book into English from French.
formal to give something such as a service, a personal opinion or expression, or a performance of a song or poem, etc. to people:
The singers rendered the song with enthusiasm.
We see that freight railroads make good profits while rendering excellent service.
Cautionary
/ˈkɑː.ʃən.er.i/ formal
giving a warning
It doesn’t mean that the leafy vegetable can be consumed without cautionary notes.
Take sth with a grain of salt
take sth with a pinch of salt uk
to not completely believe something that you are told, because you think it is unlikely to be true:
You have to take everything she says with a pinch of salt, because she tends to exaggerate.
to understand that something is likely to be untrue or incorrect:
I’ve seen the article, which I take with a grain of salt.
When there is no study on humans, people should take it with a grain of salt.
Palpitation
/ˌpæl.pəˈteɪ.ʃən/
the feeling that your heart is beating too quickly or not regularly:
He ended up in hospital with heart palpitations.
have palpitations humorous
to be very shocked:
My mother will have palpitations when she sees my new boyfriend.
Palpitate
/ˈpæl.pə.teɪt/
(of the heart) to beat very fast and in a way that is not regular:
My heart was palpitating with fear.
Repertoire
/ˈrep.ɚ.twɑːr/
all the music or plays, etc. that you can do or perform or that you know:
The Royal Shakespeare Company also have many modern plays in their repertoire.
There is an extensive repertoire of music written for the flute.
Americans don’t know the American repertoire, aside from Gershwin.
Ascent
the act of climbing or moving upwards:
She made her first successful ascent of Everest last year.
As the plane made its ascent, we saw thick smoke coming from one engine.
formal the fact of starting to become successful:
His ascent to power was rapid and unexpected.
Amass
/əˈmæs/
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.
Unapologetic
/-pɑː.ləˈdʒet̬.ɪk/
not sorry about having caused someone problems or unhappiness, even though people might expect you to be sorry:
They were very rude and completely unapologetic about it.
Posy
Nosegay
uk and us a small bunch of cut flowers: a posy of violets us a flower: a delicate yellow posy
Get at sth.
to reach or obtain something, especially something that is difficult to get:
I’ve put the cake on a high shelf where he can’t get at it.
C1 informal When someone is getting at something, they mean it or are trying to express it:
I’m not sure what you’re getting at - don’t you think I should come tonight?
What do you think the poet is getting at in these lines?
Get at sb
to criticize a person repeatedly:
He keeps getting at me and I really don’t know what I’ve done wrong.
to influence a person illegally, usually by offering them money or threatening them:
The accused claimed that the witness had been got at.
Ration
Fixed allowance
/ˈræʃ.ən/
a limited amount of something that one person is allowed to have, especially when there is not much of it available:
During the war, no one was allowed more than their ration of food, clothing and fuel.
an amount of something that you would expect to have:
We’ve had more than our ration of problems recently.
to limit the amount of a particular thing that someone is allowed to have:
Do you remember when petrol was rationed to five gallons a week?
My children would watch television all day long, but I ration it.
Misfire
/mɪsˈfɑɪər/
(of a gun or other weapon) to fail to fire, or to fail to fire as intended:
Conchas’s gun misfired after three shots.
If a plan misfires, it does not have the result that was intended:
The boy’s death was the result of a practical joke that misfired.
Near
to get close to something in distance, time, or state:
Approach
I’m pleased to say the project is nearing completion.
As the wedding day neared, I started to have second thoughts about getting married.
The captain switched on the seat belt sign as we neared the airport.
Leeway
/ˈliˌweɪ/
freedom to act within certain limits:
[ + to infinitive ] The law gives companies more leeway to decide whether to accept or reject an offer.
Leeway is also additional time or money:
Homeowners need some leeway to buy a new house after they sell the old one.
There is a lot of leeway to make up after the holiday period.
Room for manoeuvre
room for/to manoeuvre also freedom of manoeuvre
leeway
the opportunity to change your plans or choose between different ways of doing something:
The law in this area is very strict and doesn’t allow us much room for manoeuvre.
Manoeuvre
/məˈnuːvər/ US us maneuver
to try to control or influence a person or situation in a particular way:
He has manoeuvred astutely to avoid industrial action among staff.
to turn an object and make it go where you want:
easy/difficult to manoeuvre The machine is compact and easy to manoeuvre and store.
a movement or set of movements needing skill and care:
Reversing round a corner is one of the manoeuvres you are required to perform in a driving test.
Municipality
/mjuːˌnɪs.əˈpæl.ə.t̬i/
a city or town with its own local government, or the local government itself:
The municipality provides services such as water and rubbish collection.
/mjuːˈnɪs.ə.pəl/ C1 of or belonging to a town or city: municipal authorities municipal tennis courts municipal elections
Malodorous
/ˌmælˈəʊ.dər.əs/
having an unpleasant smell:
The town is built on a malodorous swamp.
But at times, the malodorousness returns to wreak havoc on people in the community.
Helm
/helm/
the handle or wheel which controls the direction in which a ship or boat travels:
Who was at the helm when the collision occurred?
at the helm
officially controlling an organization or company:
With Steve Lewis at the helm, we are certain of success.
After 20 years at the helm, she intends to retire in September.
take the helm
to take control of a company or organization:
In January, a new president will take the helm.
Joyous
/ˈdʒɔɪ.əs/ literary Joyful full of joy; very happy: a joyous hymn/event/voice
At the airport, they hugged joyously.
Gusto
/ˈɡʌs.toʊ/
Relish
great energy, enthusiasm, and enjoyment that is experienced by someone taking part in an activity, especially a performance:
Everyone joined in the singing with great gusto.
eager enjoyment experienced when doing something:
We ate and drank with gusto.
Relish
/ˈrel.ɪʃ/ formal
C2 to like or enjoy something:
I always relish a challenge.
[ + -ing verb ] I don’t relish telling her that her son has been arrested.
If you relish the idea or thought of something, you feel pleasure that it is going to happen:
She’s relishing the prospect of studying in Bologna for six months.
a type of sauce that is eaten with food to add flavour to it:
tomato and onion relish
Would you like relish on your burger?
formal the enjoyment you get from doing something:
She ate her cake slowly and with relish.
I have no relish for hunting and killing animals.
Veritable
/ˈver.ə.t̬ə.bəl/
used to describe something as another, more exciting, interesting, or unusual thing, as a way of emphasizing its character:
My garden had become a veritable jungle by the time I came back from holiday.
The normally sober menswear department is set to become a veritable kaleidoscope of colour this season.
If current projections hold, Montgomery County will experience a veritable explosion in its school-age population (= it will have many more students).
Sparse
/spɑːrs/
small in numbers or amount, often spread over a large area:
a sparse population/audience
sparse vegetation/woodland
a sparse beard
Information coming out of the disaster area is sparse.
This area is very sparsely settled because there isn’t much water.
