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Essential words for IELTS > Unit 10 > Flashcards

Unit 10 Flashcards

1
Q

back

A 
Noun
1
the rear surface of the human body from the shoulders to the hips.
he lay on his back
Adverb
1
toward the rear; in the opposite direction from the one that one is facing or traveling.
she moved back a pace
Verb
1
give financial, material, or moral support to.
he had a newspaper empire backing him

Adjective
1
of or at the back of something.
the back garden

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2
Q

clamp

A

Noun
1
a brace, band, or clasp used for strengthening or holding things together.

Verb
1
fasten (something) in place with a clamp.
the sander is clamped onto the edge of a workbench

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3
Q

critical

A

Adjective
1
expressing adverse or disapproving comments or judgments.
he was critical of many U.S. welfare programs

2
expressing or involving an analysis of the merits and faults of a work of literature, music, or art.
she never won the critical acclaim she sought

3
(of a situation or problem) having the potential to become disastrous; at a point of crisis.
the flood waters had not receded, and the situation was still critical

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4
Q

current

A

Adjective
1
belonging to the present time; happening or being used or done now.
keep abreast of current events

Noun
1
a body of water or air moving in a definite direction, especially through a surrounding body of water or air in which there is less movement.
ocean currents

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5
Q

derive

A

Verb
1
obtain something from (a specified source).
they derived great comfort from this assurance

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6
Q

device

A

Noun
1
a thing made or adapted for a particular purpose, especially a piece of mechanical or electronic equipment.
a measuring device

2
a plan, method, or trick with a particular aim.
writing a public letter is a traditional device for signaling dissent

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7
Q

entrepreneur

A

Noun
1
a person who organizes and operates a business or businesses, taking on greater than normal financial risks in order to do so.
many entrepreneurs see potential in this market

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8
Q

file

A

Noun
1
a folder or box for holding loose papers that are typically arranged in a particular order for easy reference.
a file of correspondence

2
a line of people or things one behind another.
Plains Cree warriors riding in file down the slopes
Verb
1
place (a document) in a cabinet, box, or folder in a particular order for preservation and easy reference.
the contract, when signed, is filed

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9
Q

infringement

A

Noun
1
the action of breaking the terms of a law, agreement, etc.; violation.
copyright infringement

2
the action of limiting or undermining something.
the infringement of the right to privacy

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10
Q

inspiration

A

Noun
1
the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.
Helen had one of her flashes of inspiration

2
a sudden brilliant, creative, or timely idea.
then I had an inspiration

3
the drawing in of breath; inhalation.
crackling sounds are heard in the stethoscope on inspiration

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11
Q

invalid

A

Noun
1
a person made weak or disabled by illness or injury.
an invalid husband

Verb
1
remove (someone) from active service in the armed forces because of injury or illness.
he was badly wounded and invalided out of the infantry

Adjective
1
(of an official document or procedure) not legally recognized and therefore void because contravening a regulation or law.
the will was declared invalid and the children were entitled to the estate

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12
Q

inventor

A

Noun
1
a person who invented a particular process or device or who invents things as an occupation.

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13
Q

investor

A

Noun
1
a person or organization that puts money into financial plans, property, etc. with the expectation of achieving a profit.
foreign investors in the British commercial property sector

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14
Q

patent

A

Noun
1
a government authority or license conferring a right or title for a set period, especially the sole right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention.
he took out a patent for an improved steam hammer

Adjective
1
easily recognizable; obvious.
she was smiling with patent insincerity

Verb
1
obtain a patent for (an invention).
an invention is not your own until it is patented

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15
Q

ransack

A

Verb
1
go hurriedly through (a place) stealing things and causing damage.
burglars ransacked her home

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16
Q

refinement

A

Noun
1
the process of removing impurities or unwanted elements from a substance.
the refinement of uranium

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17
Q

ruling

A

Noun
1
an authoritative decision or pronouncement, especially one made by a judge.
the ruling was reversed in the appeal court

Adjective
1
currently exercising authority or influence.
the ruling coalition

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18
Q

specifically

A

Adverb
1
in a way that is exact and clear; precisely.
a workman called at the time I specifically stated I would not be in

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19
Q

suitable

A

Adjective
1
right or appropriate for a particular person, purpose, or situation.
these toys are not suitable for children under five

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20
Q

unveil

A

Verb
1
remove a veil or covering from, in particular uncover (a new monument or work of art) as part of a public ceremony.
the mayor unveiled a plaque

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21
Q

aviation

A

1
the flying or operating of aircraft.
two events launched the history of modern aviation

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22
Q

blade

A

Noun
1
the flat cutting edge of a knife, saw, or other tool or weapon.
cut cleanly using a sharp blade
2
the flat, wide section of an implement or device such as an oar or a propeller.
3
a shoulder bone in a cut of meat, or the cut of meat itse

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23
Q

coarse

A 
Adjective
1
rough or loose in texture or grain.
a coarse woolen cloth
2
(of a person or their speech) rude, crude, or vulgar.
a man of coarse speech
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24
Q

confer

A

Verb
1
grant or bestow (a title, degree, benefit, or right).
moves were made to confer an honorary degree on her

2
have discussions; exchange opinions.
the officials were conferring with allies

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25
Q

cruise

A

Verb
1
sail about in an area without a precise destination, especially for pleasure.
they were cruising off the California coast

2
(of a motor vehicle or aircraft) travel smoothly at a moderate or economical speed.
we sit in a jet, cruising at some 30,000 ft

Noun
1
a voyage on a ship or boat taken for pleasure or as a vacation and usually calling in at several places.
a cruise down the Nile

26
Q

curiosity

A

Noun
1
a strong desire to know or learn something.
filled with curiosity, she peered through the window

2
a strange or unusual object or fact.
he showed them some of the curiosities of the house

27
Q

design

A

Noun
1
a plan or drawing produced to show the look and function or workings of a building, garment, or other object before it is built or made.
he has just unveiled his design for the new museum

2
an arrangement of lines or shapes created to form a pattern or decoration.
pottery with a lovely blue and white design

Verb
1
decide upon the look and functioning of (a building, garment, or other object), by making a detailed drawing of it.
a number of architectural students were designing a factory

28
Q

enthusiast

A

Noun
1
a person who is very interested in a particular activity or subject.
a sports car enthusiast

29
Q

handle

A

Verb
1
feel or manipulate with the hands.
heavy paving slabs can be difficult to handle

2
manage (a situation or problem).
a lawyer’s ability to handle a case properly

Noun
1
the part by which a thing is held, carried, or controlled.
the pan features helpful lifting handles

30
Q

inflexibility

A 
Noun
1
unwillingness to change or compromise.
he had a reputation for arrogance and inflexibility
2
inability to be bent; stiffness.
the inflexibility of the metal
31
Q

isolation

A

Noun
1
the process or fact of isolating or being isolated.
the isolation of older people

32
Q

pitch

A

Noun
1
the quality of a sound governed by the rate of vibrations producing it; the degree of highness or lowness of a tone.
a car engine seems to change pitch downward as the vehicle passes you

2
the steepness of a slope, especially of a roof.

3
the level of intensity of something.
he brought the machine to a high pitch of development

33
Q

prolonged

A

Adjective
1
continuing for a long time or longer than usual; lengthy.
the region suffered a prolonged drought

34
Q

propeller

A

Noun
1
a mechanical device for propelling a boat or aircraft, consisting of a revolving shaft with two or more broad, angled blades attached to it.

35
Q

reliably

A

Adverb
1
in a consistently good or accurate way.
few of these paintings can be reliably dated

36
Q

revolutionize

A

Verb
1
change (something) radically or fundamentally.
this fabulous new theory will revolutionize the whole of science

37
Q

rotation

A

Noun
1
the action of rotating around an axis or center.
the moon moves in the same direction as the earth’s rotation

38
Q

sustained

A

Adjective
1
continuing for an extended period or without interruption.
several years of sustained economic growth

39
Q

Turbulence

A

Noun
1
violent or unsteady movement of air or water, or of some other fluid.
the plane shuddered as it entered some turbulence

40
Q

variable

A

Adjective
1
not consistent or having a fixed pattern; liable to change.
the quality of hospital food is highly variable

2
able to be changed or adapted.
the drill has variable speed

Noun
1
an element, feature, or factor that is liable to vary or change.
there are too many variables involved to make any meaningful predictions

41
Q

cable

A

Noun
1
a thick rope of wire or nonmetallic fiber, typically used for construction, mooring ships, and towing vehicles.
steel cables held the convoy together

Verb
1
contact or send a message to (someone) by cablegram.
he cabled her to cancel all arrangements

42
Q

catastrophic

A

Adjective
1
involving or causing sudden great damage or suffering.
a catastrophic earthquake

43
Q

compensate

A

Verb
1
give (someone) something, typically money, in recognition of loss, suffering, or injury incurred; recompense.
payments were made to farmers to compensate them for cuts in subsidies

2
reduce or counteract (something unwelcome or unpleasant) by exerting an opposite force or effect.
the manager is hoping for victory to compensate for the team’s dismal league campaign

44
Q

compensate

A

Verb
1
give (someone) something, typically money, in recognition of loss, suffering, or injury incurred; recompense.
payments were made to farmers to compensate them for cuts in subsidies

2
reduce or counteract (something unwelcome or unpleasant) by exerting an opposite force or effect.
the manager is hoping for victory to compensate for the team’s dismal league campaign

45
Q

disparate

A

Adjective
1
essentially different in kind; not allowing comparison.
they inhabit disparate worlds of thought

46
Q

flaw

A

Noun
1
a mark, fault, or other imperfection that mars a substance or object.
plates with flaws in them were sold at the outlet store

Verb
1
(of an imperfection) mar, weaken, or invalidate (something).
the computer game was flawed by poor programming

47
Q

indispensable

A

Adjective
1
absolutely necessary.
he made himself indispensable to the parish priest

48
Q

inexplicably

A

Adverb
1
in a way that cannot be explained or accounted for.
many crucial documents had inexplicably disappeared

49
Q

inquiry

A

Noun
1
an act of asking for information.
a reporter from New York makes inquiries

50
Q

insulation

A

Noun
1
the action of insulating something.
keep your home warmer through insulation

51
Q

perseverance

A

Noun
1
persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.
his perseverance with the technique illustrates his single-mindedness

52
Q

rally

A

Verb
1
(of troops) come together again in order to continue fighting after a defeat or dispersion.
De Montfort’s troops rallied and drove back the king’s infantry

2
recover or cause to recover in health, spirits, or poise.
she floundered for a moment, then rallied again

Noun
1
a mass meeting of people making a political protest or showing support for a cause.
a rally attended by around 100,000 people

53
Q

requisite

A

Adjective
1
made necessary by particular circumstances or regulations.
the application will not be processed until the requisite fee is paid

Noun
1
a thing that is necessary for the achievement of a specified end.
she believed privacy to be a requisite for a peaceful life

54
Q

set out

A

transitive verb
1a : to arrange and present graphically or systematically
b : to mark out (something, such as a design) : lay out the plan of

: to state, describe, or recite at length
distributed copies of a pamphlet setting out his ideas in full
— S. F. Mason
3 : to begin with a definite purpose : INTEND, UNDERTAKE

55
Q

snap

A

Verb
1
break or cause to break suddenly and completely, typically with a sharp cracking sound.
guitar strings kept snapping

Noun
1
a sudden, sharp cracking sound or movement.
she closed her purse with a snap

Adjective
1
done or taken on the spur of the moment, unexpectedly, or without notice.
a snap judgment

56
Q

tow

A

Verb
1
(of a motor vehicle or boat) pull (another vehicle or boat) along with a rope, chain, or tow bar.
a pickup van towing a trailer

Noun
1
an act of towing a vehicle or boat.
the cruiser got a tow from a warship after its engine failed

57
Q

transmit

A

Verb
1
cause (something) to pass on from one place or person to another.
knowledge is transmitted from teacher to student

58
Q

triumph

A

Noun
1
a great victory or achievement.
a garden built to celebrate Napoleon’s many triumphs

Verb
1
achieve a victory; be successful.
spectacle has once again triumphed over content

59
Q

utterly

A

Adverb
1
completely and without qualification; absolutely.
he looked utterly ridiculous

60
Q

vilified

A

Verb
1
speak or write about in an abusively disparaging manner.
he has been vilified in the press

Essential words for IELTS (10 decks)

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