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English Vocabulary > Unit 1 > Flashcards

Unit 1 Flashcards

1
Q

willing to try new or difficult things

A

adventurous

I’m trying to be more adventurous with my cooking.

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2
Q

A … man is polite, honest, fair, and kind towards women

A

chivalrous
/ˈʃɪv.əl.rəs/

He was polite and chivalrous and never cursed in front of her.

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3
Q

brave and taking risks

A

daring

This is a daring new film (= one willing to risk criticism) by one of our most original modern directors.

She was wearing a fairly daring (= short) skirt that barely covered her bottom.

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4
Q

extremely brave and showing no fear of dangerous situations

A

intrepid
/ɪnˈtrep.ɪd/

The missing areas can always be filled in by an intrepid researcher, even one not very familiar with some of the fields.

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5
Q

having or showing courage

A

courageous
/kəˈreɪ.dʒəs/

It was a courageous decision to resign in protest at the company’s pollution record.

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6
Q

showing a willingness to take risks or offend people

A

audacious
/ɔːˈdeɪ.ʃəs/

He described the plan as ambitious and audacious.

an audacious remark/suggestion

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7
Q

(of a man) polite and kind towards women, especially when in public

A

gallant
/ˈɡæl.ənt/

That wasn’t very gallant of you, Paul, pushing a young lady out of the way like that!

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8
Q

very brave or bravely determined, especially when things are difficult or the situation gives no cause for hope

A

valiant
/ˈvæl.i.ənt/

The company has made a valiant effort/attempt in the last two years to make itself more efficient.

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9
Q

(of people) liking to be with other people

A

gregarious
/ɡrɪˈɡeə.ri.əs/

Emma’s a gregarious, outgoing sort of person.

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10
Q

1) to empty something of its contents, especially the bowels
2) to move people from a dangerous place to somewhere safe

A

to evacuate
/ɪˈvæk.ju.eɪt/

Forces would be evacuated to the island where they would hold out until relieved by naval reinforcements.

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11
Q

something that blocks you so that movement, going forward, or action is prevented or made more difficult

A

obstacle

The biggest obstacle in our way was a tree trunk in the road.

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12
Q

to enjoy food or an experience slowly, in order to enjoy it as much as possible

A

to savour
/ˈseɪ.vər/

It was the first chocolate he’d tasted for over a year, so he savoured every mouthful.

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13
Q

to hate someone or something

A

to loathe
/ləʊð/

From an early age the brothers have loathed each other.

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14
Q
  1. a situation in which you have to hurry or move somewhere quickly
  2. the act of suddenly moving somewhere quickly
  3. a time when a lot of things are happening or a lot of people are trying to do or get something
A

rush

  1. Everyone seemed to be in a rush.
  2. There was a rush of air as she opened the door.
  3. There’s been a rush for (= sudden popular demand for) tickets.
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15
Q

(a situation causing) difficulty or trouble

A

hassle

My boss has been giving me a lot of hassle this week.
It’s one of the few bars that women can go to and not get any hassle from men.

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16
Q

something that makes it more difficult for you to do something or for something to develop

A

hindrance

I’ve never considered my disability a hindrance, but other people have.

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17
Q

an illness, injury, or condition that makes it difficult for someone to do some things that other people do, and that is usually permanent or lasts for a long time. This word is now considered offensive by many people, who prefer the word disability.

something that makes it difficult for you to do something

A

handicap

I found that not having a car was quite a handicap while on holiday.

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18
Q

to live, have your home, or stay in a place

A

reside
/rɪˈzaɪd/

The family now resides in southern France.

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19
Q

to make something last a longer time

A

to prolong

We were having such a good time that we decided to prolong our stay by another week.

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20
Q

to like or enjoy something

A

relish

I always relish a challenge.

I don’t relish telling her that her son has been arrested.

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21
Q

(something that causes) difficult or unpleasant conditions of life, or an example of this

A

hardship

The 1930s were a time of high unemployment and economic hardship.

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22
Q

unfriendly and not liking something

A

hostile (attitude)
/ˈhɒs.taɪl/

a hostile crowd

The president had a hostile reception in Ohio this morning.

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23
Q

famous, well respected, and admired

A

illustrious (writer)
/ɪˈlʌs.tri.əs/

She comes from an illustrious political family that includes two former Cabinet ministers.

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24
Q

if something happens

A

in the event of

In the event of a strike, the army will take over responsibility for firefighting.

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25
Q

a short argument;
to argue for a short time

A

(to) skirmish
/ˈskɜː.mɪʃ/

There was a short skirmish between the two of them over who would pay for the meal.

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26
Q

very interesting because of being unusual or mysterious

A

intriguing
/ɪnˈtriː.ɡɪŋ/

She has a really intriguing personality.

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27
Q

to refuse to obey a person, decision, law, situation, etc.

A

defy
/dɪˈfaɪ/

It is rare to see children openly defying their teachers.

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28
Q

not tight; loose; showing little activity; not busy or happening in a positive way

A

slack (discipline)

Business is always slack at this time of year.

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29
Q

famous, respected, or important

A

eminent

an eminent historian

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30
Q

to push away or refuse something or someone unwanted, especially to successfully stop a physical attack against you

A

repulse
/rɪˈpʌls/

The enemy attack was quickly repulsed.

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31
Q

friendly, but formal and polite

A

cordial
/ˈkɔː.di.əl/

a cordial smile/greeting/welcome/reception

Relations between the two leaders are said to be cordial.

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32
Q

morally offensive, especially in a sexual way

A

indecent

She accused him of making indecent suggestions to her.

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33
Q

not known to many people;
to prevent something from being seen or heard

A

(to) obscure

an obscure 12th-century mystic

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34
Q

strongly believing in religion, and living in a way that shows this belief

A

pious
/ˈpaɪ.əs/

She is a pious follower of the faith, never missing her prayers.

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35
Q

able to change easily from one activity to another or able to be used for many different purposes

A

versatile
/ˈvɜː.sə.taɪl/

He’s a very versatile young actor who’s as happy in highbrow dramas as he is in TV comedies.

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36
Q

proudly refusing to obey authority; not willing to accept criticism or disapproval

A

defiant

a defiant attitude/gesture

The protesters blocking the entrance to the offices remained defiant this morning.

The CEO was in a defiant mood as she entered the boardroom.

37
Q

suffering from a disease

A

diseased

The bush looked badly diseased, with black marks on all the leaves.

38
Q

dead

A

deceased

the recently deceased Member of Parliament

39
Q

to put or establish something in a particular place

A

to locate

The company decided to locate its headquarters in Denver.

40
Q

to limit something to a particular area;
to find the position of something

A

to localize

Electricians worked through the night to localize the faulty switches.

41
Q

very comfortable and expensive

A

luxurious
/lʌɡˈʒʊə.ri.əs/

We spent a luxurious weekend at a country hotel.

42
Q

growing thickly, strongly, and well; pleasantly thick or full

A

luxuriant
/lʌɡˈʒʊə.ri.ənt/

We’ve bought a wonderfully luxuriant carpet for our bedroom.

43
Q

coming or likely to happen very soon

A

imminent

imminent disaster/danger

A strike is imminent.

44
Q

(of a person) very intelligent and skilful, or (of a thing) skilfully made or planned and involving new ideas and methods

A

ingenious
/ɪnˈdʒiː.ni.əs/

an ingenious idea/method/solution

Johnny is so ingenious - he can make the most remarkable sculptures from the most ordinary materials.

45
Q

honest, sincere, and trusting, sometimes in a way that seems silly

A

ingenuous
/ɪnˈdʒen.ju.əs/

It has to be said it was rather ingenuous of him to ask a complete stranger to take care of his luggage.

46
Q

1) to take someone as a prisoner, or to take something into your possession, especially by force
2) If something … your imagination or attention, you feel very interested and excited by it

A

to capture

Rebel forces captured the city after a week-long battle.

47
Q

to hold the attention of someone by being extremely interesting, exciting, pleasant, or attractive

A

to captivate

With her beauty and charm, she captivated film audiences everywhere.

48
Q

1) to be the king or queen of a country
2) to be the main feeling or quality in a situation or person

A

to reign

The bomb attacks produced a panic which reigned over the city.

49
Q

to control something and stop it increasing

A

to rein sth in/back

Consumers tend to rein in their spending in a recession.

50
Q

to express an opinion

A

to comment

The lawyer won’t comment publicly on the case.

51
Q

to formally praise someone or something

A

to commend
/kəˈmend/

The judge commended her for her bravery.
It says on the back cover of the book “highly commended”.

52
Q

not trusted or respected; thought to have a bad character

A

disreputable
/dɪsˈrep.jə.tə.bəl/

Some of the more disreputable newspapers made false claims about her private life.

53
Q

famous for something

A

renowned
/rɪˈnaʊnd/

The region is renowned for its outstanding natural beauty.

54
Q

1) famous and with a good reputation
2) said to be the true situation although this is not known to be certain and may not be likely

A

reputed
/rɪˈpjuː.tɪd/

These comments were provided by reputed experts on the subject.

She is reputed to be 25 years younger than her husband.

55
Q

1) in a stete of depression, melancholy
2) covered with clouds

A

overcast

The sky/weather was overcast.

56
Q

angry and unwilling to smile or be pleasant to people

A

sullen
/ˈsʌl.ən/

= morose /məˈrəʊs/

His daughters stared back at him with an expression of sullen resentment.

literary: She looked up at the sullen (= dark and unpleasant) sky and shuddered.

57
Q

refusing to smile or be pleasant to people, usually because you are angry about something

A

sulky

She brought along a couple of sulky kids who didn’t say a word the whole time.

58
Q

1) unhappy and without hope
2) not expecting or believing anything good in a situation

A

gloomy

The cemetery is a gloomy place.

The vet is rather gloomy about my cat’s chances of recovery.

59
Q

friendly and easy to talk to

A

affable

He struck me as an affable sort of a man.

60
Q

disappointed or unhappy, and quiet

A

glum

He’s very glum about the company’s prospects.

61
Q

polite and showing respect

A

courteous
/ˈkɜː.ti.əs/

Although she often disagreed with me, she was always courteous.

62
Q

a question, often expressing doubt about something or looking for an answer from an authority;

to ask questions, especially in order to check if something is true or correct

A

(to) query
/ˈkwɪə.ri/

If you have any queries about your treatment, the doctor will answer them.

63
Q

feeling so satisfied with your own abilities or situation that you feel you do not need to try any harder

A

complacent
/kəmˈpleɪ.sənt/

= self-satisfied

We can’t afford to become complacent about any of our products.

64
Q

able to do something well

A

Competent

I wouldn’t say he was brilliant but he is competent at his job.

65
Q

feeling or showing sympathy and sadness for the suffering or bad luck of others, and wanting to help them

A

compassionate

He was a wonderful listener and a deeply compassionate man.

66
Q

1) a difference between two similar things
2) the quality of being special or different

A

distinction

She has the distinction of being one of the few people to have an honorary degree conferred on her by the university this year.

67
Q

to make an unpleasantly loud noise; a loud noise

A

(to) blare

The loudspeakers blared across the square.

68
Q

a brief description of something, often intended to make it seem attractive when offered for sale

A

blurb

The blurb on the back of the book says that “it will touch your heart.”

69
Q

1) a group of people who have a lot of contact with each other but limited contact with people outside the group, for example as a way to avoid spreading disease

2) a temporary period of very successful economic performance in a particular country or sector, often followed by sudden failure

a situation in which you only experience things that you expect or find easy to deal with, for example opinions you agree with, or people who are similar to you

A

bubble

Japan’s economic bubble.

The candidate liked to talk to ordinary people to get a fix on what was happening outside his bubble.

70
Q

1) to hit something gently, and often repeatedly, especially making short, sharp noises
2)to get or make use of something
3) to use a small device attached to a phone in order to listen secretly to what people are saying

A

tap

There is a rich vein of literary talent here just waiting to be tapped by publishers.

He suspected that his phone had been tapped.

71
Q

1) to express an unnecessary amount of sympathy, worry, or approval towards someone
2) to express disapproval or other emotion by making a short, sharp sound with your tongue
3) to make the low, interrupted noise that a chicken make

A

cluck

The attendants clucked and fussed over passengers.

She shakes her head, smiles, and clucks her tongue.

72
Q

1) to push something or someone with your finger or with a pointed object
2) to encourage someone to take action, especially when they are being slow or unwilling

A

prod

She prodded the cake with her fork to see if it was cooked.

He gets things done, but only after I’ve prodded him into doing them.

73
Q

1) a piece of a solid substance, usually with no particular shape
2) a heavy, awkward, stupid person (inf.)

A

lump

a lump of coal
a sugar lump

Come on, you great lump - get up from that sofa and do some work!

74
Q

a roughly cut piece

A

chunk

a chunk of cheese/meat
pineapple/tuna chunks

75
Q

to move further away into the distance, or to become less clear

A

to recede

The painful memories gradually receded in her mind.

76
Q

to be greater than a number or amount, or to go past an allowed limit

A

to exceed

The final cost should not exceed $5,000.

77
Q

1) to not allow something, especially feelings, to be expressed
2) to control what people do, especially by using force

A

to repress

He repressed a sudden desire to cry.

78
Q

(of actions) having no effect or achieving nothing

A

futile
/ˈfjuː.taɪl/

It’s completely futile trying to reason with him - he just won’t listen.

79
Q

to frighten or threaten someone, usually in order to persuade them to do something that you want them to do

A

to intimidate
/ɪnˈtɪm.ɪ.deɪt/

They were intimidated into accepting a pay cut by the threat of losing their jobs.

80
Q

deserving praise

A

commendable

commendable efforts/behaviour/bravery

It is commendable that the author draws on qualitative and quantitative measures throughout these chapters.

81
Q

unhappy, annoyed, and unwilling to speak or smile

A

morose
/məˈrəʊs/

Why are you so morose these days?

82
Q

1) friendly and easy to talk to
2) if a place is …, you can reach it or get near to it

A

approachable

Graham’s always very approachable - why don’t you talk the problem over with him?

83
Q

an occasion when something is used in an unsuitable way or in a way that was not intended

A

(to) misuse

This new computer system is completely unnecessary and a misuse of taxpayers’ money.

84
Q

a subject or question that must be dealt with or answered quickly

A

burning issue/question

In today’s show, four guests share their opinions on some of the burning issues facing the nation.

85
Q

1) the quality of being based on truth or reason, or of being able to be accepted
2) the fact of having legal force, or being legally acceptable

A

validity

This research seems to give/lend some validity to the theory that the drug might cause cancer.

86
Q

(especially of older people) fat and solid-looking, especially around the waist

A

stout
/staʊt/

Mrs Blower was the stout lady with the glasses.

87
Q

(especially of people and their behaviour) very energetic

A

exuberant
/ɪɡˈzjuː.bər.ənt/

Young and exuberant, he symbolizes Italy’s new vitality.

88
Q

courage or confidence of a kind that other people find shocking or rude

A

audacity
/ɔːˈdæs.ə.ti/

It took a lot of audacity to stand up and criticize the chairman.

English Vocabulary (6 decks)

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