The Lewis Gun Flashcards
alacrity
speed and eagerness:
She accepted the money with alacrity.
envision
to imagine or expect something in the future, especially something good:
Train fare increases of 15 percent are envisioned for the next year.
It’s envisioned that building will start at the end of this year.
When do you envision finishing the project?
It’s hard to envision how it might happen.
meager
very small or not enough:
a meager salary
The prisoners existed on a meager diet.
slender
thin and delicate, often in a way that is attractive:
He put his hands around her slender waist.
The plant’s leaves are long and slender.
in embryo
developing and not yet complete:
The department’s plans for enlargement are still in embryo.
impeccable
perfect, with no problems or bad parts:
impeccable taste/manners/credentials
His English is impeccable.
endear someone to someone
to cause someone to be liked by another person:
His fiery temper did not endear him to his coworkers.
languish
to exist in an unpleasant or unwanted situation, often for a long time:
After languishing in obscurity for many years, her early novels have recently been rediscovered.
He has been languishing in jail for the past 20 years.
The ruling party is languishing in third place in the opinion polls.
procurement
the process of getting supplies:
a substantial budget for the procurement of military supplies
animosity
strong dislike, opposition, or anger:
Of course we’re competitive, but there’s no personal animosity between us.
In spite of his injuries, he bears no animosity towards his attackers.
The European Community helped France and Germany forget the old animosities between them.
animus
a feeling of hate or anger towards someone or something:
He harbours no animus toward his rival.
capitalize on sth
to use a situation to your own advantage:
She capitalized on her knowledge and experience to get a better job.
flimsy
very thin, or easily broken or destroyed:
You won’t be warm enough in that flimsy dress.
We spent the night in a flimsy wooden hut.
a flimsy cardboard box
supersede
to replace something, especially something older or more old-fashioned:
Most of the old road has been superseded by the great interstate highways.
stopgap
something intended for temporary use until something better or more suitable can be found:
Hostels are used as a stopgap until the families can find permanent accommodation.
We might have to employ someone temporarily as a stopgap measure until we can hire someone permanently.
go down/fall like ninepins
to fall, break, or be damaged in large numbers:
Trees were going down like ninepins in the strong wind.
hunker down
to make yourself comfortable in a place or situation, or to prepare to stay in a place or position for a long time, usually in order to achieve something or for protection:
The press have hunkered down for the night outside the palace, waiting for news of the royal birth.
waver
to lose strength, determination, or purpose, especially temporarily:
I’m afraid my concentration began to waver as lunch approached.
He has never wavered in his support for the leader.
If you waver between two possibilities, you cannot decide which of them to choose or you keep choosing one way and then the other:
“What are you going to have?” “Er, I’m wavering between the soup and the mushroom quiche.”
bulk sth out
to make something bigger or thicker by adding something:
I added some potatoes to the stew to bulk it out.
in bulk
in large amounts:
The office buys paper in bulk to keep down costs.
the bulk of sth
most of something:
In fact, the bulk of the book is taken up with criticizing other works.
breakneck
carelessly fast and dangerous:
They were riding along at breakneck speed/at a breakneck pace.
haste
(too much) speed:
Unfortunately the report was prepared in haste and contained several inaccuracies.
In her haste to get up from the table, she knocked over a cup.
His father had just died and he didn’t want to marry with indecent haste.
make haste
hurry up:
Make haste!
tow
to pull a car, boat, etc. along, fastened behind another vehicle or boat:
You shouldn’t drive fast when your car is towing a caravan.
The road was closed while the vehicles that had been involved in the accident were towed away/off.
The damaged boat was towed to safety.
tumble
to fall quickly and without control:
I lost my footing and tumbled down the stairs.
At any moment the whole building could tumble down.
He lost his balance and tumbled over.
tuck
to put something into a safe or convenient place:
Tuck your gloves in your pocket so that you don’t lose them.
She had a doll tucked under her arm.
Eventually I found the certificate tucked under a pile of old bills.
dent
If you dent someone’s confidence or pride, you make them feel less confident or proud:
His confidence was badly dented when he didn’t get the job.
marksman / sharpshooter
someone who can shoot a gun very accurately:
Police marksmen were called to the scene.
vaunt
to speak proudly about or praise something, especially in a way that is more than acceptable or reasonable:
The local people like to vaunt the glories of their faded past.
advocate
to publicly support or suggest an idea, development, or way of doing something:
[ + -ing verb ] She advocates taking a more long-term view.
He advocates the return of capital punishment.
writhe
to make large twisting movements with the body:
The pain was so unbearable that he was writhing in agony.
She was writhing around/about on the ground.
brochure
a type of small magazine that contains pictures and information on a product or a company
rattle
a sound similar to a series of quickly repeated knocks:
From across the town came the rattle of machine-gun fire.
soldier on
to continue doing something although it is difficult:
I admired the way she soldiered on when her business ran into trouble.
lackluster
without energy and effort:
Britain’s number-one tennis player gave a disappointingly lackluster performance.
luster
a very special, attractive quality that people admire:
The dancing of the principal ballerina added luster to an otherwise unimpressive production of “Giselle.”
overhang
to have a negative effect on a situation:
Overhanging the controversy is the question of how much the administration knew about the arms deal.
something that has a negative effect on a situation:
Prices are unlikely to increase while there is an overhang of 40,000 unsold new houses.
Latin America’s current debt overhang
allocation
the process of giving someone their part of a total amount of something to use in a particular way:
the allocation of resources/funds/time
Allocation of the grants was handled by a charity that provides support and advocacy for disabled children.
