UNITS 17&18 • TOPIC Flashcards
acknowledge
uk |əkˈnɒl.ɪdʒ| us |əkˈnɑː.lɪdʒ|
verb
1. to accept, admit, or recognize something, or the truth or existence of something
* “[acknowledge someone as something] Historians generally acknowledge her as a genius in her field.”
* ”[+ -ing verb] She acknowledged having been at fault.”
* ”[+ that] She acknowledged that she had been at fault.”
* “You must acknowledge the truth of her argument.”
* ”[+ obj + to infinitive] She is usually acknowledged to be one of our best artists.”
* “They refused to acknowledge (= to recognize officially) the new government.”
* “The government won’t even acknowledge the existence of the problem.”
2. to tell someone, usually in a letter or email, that you have received something they sent you
* “They didn’t acknowledge my letter.”
* “[acknowledge receipt of] Please acknowledge receipt of this letter.”
agonize
uk |ˈæɡ.ə.naɪz| us |ˈæɡ.ə.naɪz|
verb
1. to spend a lot of time trying to make a decision
* “He agonized for several days before agreeing to move to Oklahoma.”
apathy
uk |ˈæp.ə.θi| us |ˈæp.ə.θi|
noun
1. behaviour that shows no interest or energy and shows that someone is unwilling to take action, especially over something important
* “widespread apathy among students”
* “voter apathy”
avoid
uk |əˈvɔɪd| us |əˈvɔɪd|
verb
1. to stay away from someone or something
* “I try to avoid supermarkets on Saturdays - they’re always so busy.”
* “I’m anxious to avoid the motorway at rush hour.”
* “Do you think Lukas is avoiding me? I haven’t seen him all day.”
2. to prevent something from happening or to not allow yourself to do something
* ”[+ -ing verb] I try to avoid going shopping on Saturdays.”
* “The report studiously avoided any mention of the controversial plan.”
* “The plane narrowly avoided disaster when one of the engines cut out on take-off.”
* “I left the pub to avoid a fight (= prevent a fight from happening).”
* “Unnecessary paperwork should be avoided (= prevented) at all costs.”
behaviour
uk |bɪˈheɪ.vjər| us |bɪˈheɪ.vjɚ|
noun
1. the way that someone behaves [U]
* “Her behaviour is often appalling.”
* “He was notorious for his violent and threatening behaviour.”
2. the way that a person, an animal, a substance, etc. behaves in a particular situation or under particular conditions [C/U biology, chemistry, physics, psychology specialized]
* “His research involved the study of instinctive behaviour in birds.”
* “These behaviours can be observed among many children who have lost a parent or other loved one.”
chuckle
uk |ˈtʃʌk.əl| us |ˈtʃʌk.əl|
verb
1. to laugh quietly
* “She was chuckling as she read the letter.”
chuckle
uk |ˈtʃʌk.əl| us |ˈtʃʌk.əl|
noun
1. a quiet laugh
* “He gave a chuckle in response to her question.”
* "”What is it?” she asked with a nervous chuckle.”
comfort
uk |ˈkʌm.fət| us |ˈkʌm.fɚt|
noun
1. a pleasant feeling of being relaxed and free from pain [U]
* “[for comfort] She evidently dresses for comfort.”
* “It’s a little too hot for comfort.”
* “[in the comfort of] Now you can watch the latest films in the comfort of your own room.”
2. the state of feeling better after feeling sad or worried, or something that makes you feel better in this way [C/U]
* “The letters that people wrote after his death gave me a lot of comfort.”
* “It’s some comfort to his wife (= it makes her feel less sad) to know that he died instantly and didn’t suffer.”
* “[if it’s any comfort] I’ve got to take an exam too, if it’s any comfort (= if it makes you feel better to know that we share the same problem or bad luck).”
* “[draw comfort from] I know she goes out a lot at night, but I draw comfort from the fact that she’s always with friends.”
* “[take comfort from] She did not win the competition, but she can take comfort from the number of books she has sold.”
* “[comfort to] He’s a great comfort to his mother.”
3. the state of having a pleasant life with enough money for everything that you need [U]
* “[in comfort] He could retire now and live in comfort for the rest of his life.”
4. something that makes your life easy and pleasant [C usually plural]
* “After the trip, it was nice getting back to a few home comforts.”
* “[creature comforts] She’s always liked her creature comforts (= the type of pleasure found in the house, for example warmth, food, etc.).”
comfort
uk |ˈkʌm.fət| us |ˈkʌm.fɚt|
verb
1. to make someone feel better when they are sad or worried
* “The girl’s mother was at home today, being comforted by relatives.”
conduct
uk |kənˈdʌkt| us |kənˈdʌkt|
verb
1. to organize and perform a particular activity [T]
* “We are conducting a survey to find out what our customers think of their local bus service.”
* “The experiments were conducted by scientists in New York.”
* “How you choose to conduct your private life is your own business!”
conduct
uk |ˈkɒn.dʌkt| us |ˈkɑːn.dʌkt|
noun
1. behaviour
* “bad/excellent/disgraceful conduct”
* “The club has a strict code (= set of rules) of conduct.”
2. the way in which an activity is organized and performed [formal]
* “He was criticized for his conduct of the inquiry.”
consequence
uk |ˈkɒn.sɪ.kwəns| us |ˈkɑːn.sə.kwəns|
noun
1. a result of a particular action or situation, often one that is bad or not convenient
* “[serious consequences] Not making a will can have serious consequences for your children and other family members.”
* “[dire consequences] Eating too much processed food can have dire health consequences.”
* “[as a consequence of] Scientists think it is unlikely that any species will actually become extinct as a consequence of the oil spill.”
* “[unintended consequence] The discovery came about as an unintended consequence of a search for something else.”
* “Well, if you insist on eating so much, you’ll have to suffer (= accept and deal with) the consequences!”
* “He will have to face the consequences of his actions.”
* “If someone commits a crime, they have to take the consequences.”
contentment
uk |kənˈtent.mənt| us |kənˈtent.mənt|
noun
1. happiness and satisfaction, often because you have everything you need
* “His face wore a look of pure contentment.”
* “More people were finding that material things do not bring contentment .”
cross
uk |krɒs| us |krɑːs|
verb
1. to go across from one side of something to the other [I/T]
* “It’s not a good place to cross the road.”
* “[cross over] Look both ways before you cross over the road.”
* “[UK] Look both ways before you cross over.”
* “Cross the bridge and turn right.”
* “[cross from something into something] They crossed from Albania into Greece.”
cross
uk |krɒs| us |krɑːs|
noun
1. a written mark (x or +) formed by two lines going across each other. The mark x is usually used to show where something is, or that something has not been written correctly. [UK]
2. an object made of one long upright piece of wood, with a smaller piece across it near the top. In the past, people were tied or fastened with nails to crosses as a punishment and left hanging on them until they died.
3. an object in the shape of a cross that people were killed on, used as a symbol of Christianity
* “Christ died on the Cross.”
* “She wears a gold cross around her neck.”
* “The priest made the sign of the cross (= the shape of a cross made by moving his hand between four points on his chest) over the dead bodies.”
4. a medal in the shape of a cross
* “In Britain, the Victoria Cross is awarded for acts of great bravery during wartime.”
5. a mixture of two or more different things that have been combined to produce something new
* “[cross between] Police dogs are often a cross between a retriever and a German Shepherd.”
* “A hybrid plant is a cross between two plants that are genetically different.”
* “He looks like a cross between Lord Byron, Mick Jagger, and Kate Moss.”
cross
uk |krɒs| us |krɑːs|
adjective
1. annoyed or angry [mainly UK]
* “[cross with] Don’t be cross with me — it’s not my fault.”
* “[get cross] My Dad gets cross with me if I leave the kitchen in a mess.”
* “After waiting for almost an hour I started to get a bit cross.”
dignity
uk |ˈdɪɡ.nə.ti| us |ˈdɪɡ.ə.t̬i|
noun
1. calm, serious, and controlled behaviour that makes people respect you
* “He is a man of dignity and calm determination.”
* “She has a quiet dignity about her.”
* “I think everyone should be able to die with dignity.”
2. the importance and value that a person has, that makes other people respect them or makes them respect themselves
* “How could you wear something so indecent? Have you no dignity?”
* “In hospital, she felt stripped of all her dignity.”
* “He longs for a society in which the dignity of all people is recognized.”
disgust
uk |dɪsˈɡʌst| us |dɪsˈɡʌst|
noun
1. a strong feeling of disapproval and dislike at a situation, person’s behaviour, etc.
* “[in disgust] She walked out in disgust.”
* “[disgust at] We are demonstrating to show our anger and disgust at the treatment of refugees.”
* “[in disgust at] He resigned from the committee in disgust at the corruption.”
* “[much to someone’s disgust] Beresford, much to his disgust, was fined for illegal parking.”
disgust
uk |dɪsˈɡʌst| us |dɪsˈɡʌst|
verb
1. to make you feel extreme dislike or disapproval
* “Doesn’t all this violence on TV disgust you?”
disillusioned
uk |ˌdɪs.ɪˈluː.ʒənd| us |ˌdɪs.ɪˈluː.ʒənd|
adjective
1. disappointed and unhappy because of discovering the truth about something or someone that you liked or respected
* “He’s become a disillusioned man.”
* “[disillusioned with] All the other teachers are thoroughly disillusioned with their colleague.”
fed up
uk |ˌfed ˈʌp| us |ˌfed ˈʌp|
adjective
1. bored, annoyed, or disappointed, especially by something that you have experienced for too long
* “[fed up with] I’m fed up with my job.”
* “[get fed up] He got fed up with all the travelling he had to do.”
giggle
uk |ˈɡɪɡ.əl| us |ˈɡɪɡ.əl|
verb
1. to laugh repeatedly in a quiet but uncontrolled way, often at something silly or rude or when you are nervous
* “Stop that giggling in the back row!”
giggle
uk |ˈɡɪɡ.əl| us |ˈɡɪɡ.əl|
noun
1. a nervous or silly laugh [C]
* “[nervous giggle] There were a few nervous giggles from people in the audience.”
* “I tried to stifle a giggle.”
glance
uk |ɡlɑːns| us |ɡlæns|
verb
1. to give a quick short look [I usually + adv/prep]
* “[glance around] She glanced round the room to see who was there.”
* “[glance round] Kate glanced round the court hoping that nobody would recognize her.”
* “[glance up] He glanced up from his book as I passed.”
* “[glance over] Could you glance over this letter and see if it’s alright?”
* “[glance through] I only had to time to glance through the newspaper headlines.”
2. to shine, reflect light, or sparkle [I + adv/prep literary]
* “[glance on] The sunlight glanced on the lake.”
3. In cricket, if a batter glances the ball, they hit it quickly and lightly at an angle so that it goes behind them with only a small change of direction [T sports specialized]
* “He glanced the delivery for four.”
* “She glanced a short-pitched delivery down to fine leg for a single.”
glance
uk |ɡlɑːns| us |ɡlæns|
noun
1. a quick short look
* “[take a glance at] I just took a quick glance at the company’s website.”
* “[cast a glance at] She cast a glance at the kitchen clock.”
glimpse
uk |ɡlɪmps| us |ɡlɪmps|
verb
1. to see something or someone for a very short time or only partly
* “We glimpsed the ruined abbey from the windows of the train.”
glimpse
uk |ɡlɪmps| us |ɡlɪmps|
noun
1. an occasion when you see something or someone for a very short time
* “[catch a fleeting glimpse of] I only caught (= had) a fleeting glimpse of the driver of the getaway car, but I know I would recognize her if I saw her again.”
2. a quick idea or understanding of what something is like
* “[glimpse of] This biography offers a few glimpses of his life before he became famous.”
gloat
uk |ɡləʊt| us |ɡloʊt|
verb
1. to feel or express great pleasure or satisfaction because of your own success or good luck, or someone else’s failure or bad luck
* “[gloat over/about] She’s continually gloating over/about her new job.”
* “I know I shouldn’t gloat, but it really serves him right.”
* “[gloat at] His enemies were quick to gloat at his humiliation.”
* ”[+ speech] “This is our fourth victory in a row,” he gloated.”
gloat
uk |ɡləʊt| us |ɡloʊt|
noun
1. an occasion when you gloat about something
* “to have a gloat at/over/about something”
glum
uk |ɡlʌm| us |ɡlʌm|
adjective
1. disappointed or unhappy, and quiet
* “You look glum. What’s up?”
* “[glum about] He’s very glum about the company’s prospects.”
grimace
uk |ˈɡrɪm.əs| us |ˈɡrɪm.əs|
verb
1. to make an expression of pain, strong dislike, etc. in which the face twists in an ugly way
* “[grimace with] He tried to stand and grimaced with pain.”
grimace
uk |ˈɡrɪm.əs| us |ˈɡrɪm.əs|
noun
1. an expression of pain, strong dislike, etc. in which the face twists in an ugly way
* “[grimace of] Helen made a grimace of disgust when she saw the raw meat.”
grin
uk |ɡrɪn| us |ɡrɪn|
noun
1. a wide smile
* “I assumed things had gone well for him because he had a big grin on his face.”
* “a broad/sheepish grin”
grin
uk |ɡrɪn| us |ɡrɪn|
verb
1. to smile a wide smile
* “[grin at] He grinned at me from the doorway.”
* “What are you grinning about?”
handle
uk |ˈhæn.dəl| us |ˈhæn.dəl|
noun
1. a part of an object designed for holding, moving, or carrying the object easily
* “a door handle”
* “the handle on a suitcase”
* “I can’t pick the kettle up - the handle’s too hot.”
* “[turn a handle] She turned the handle and slowly opened the door.”
2. a name of a person or place, especially a strange one [informal]
* “That’s some handle to go through life with!”
3. a name that someone is known by on the social media website Twitter™ [internet & telecoms specialized, informal]
* “Twitter handles start with an @ sign.”
* “You can follow the team on Twitter under the handle @ManUtd.”
handle
uk |ˈhæn.dəl| us |ˈhæn.dəl|
verb
1. to deal with, have responsibility for, or be in charge of [T]
* “I thought he handled the situation very well.”
* “Some people are brilliant with computers, but have no idea how to handle (= behave with) other people.”
* “If you can’t handle the job I’ll get someone else to do it.”
* “Who handles the marketing in your company?”
2. to pick something up and touch, hold, or move it with your hands [T]
* “Always wash your hands before handling food.”
* “Please don’t handle the vases - they’re very fragile.”
3. to operate or control something that could be difficult or dangerous [T]
* “Have you ever handled a gun before?”
4. If a car handles well, it is easy and pleasant to drive. [I usually + adv/prep]
5. to buy and sell goods [T]
* “We only handle cosmetics that have not been tested on animals.”
* “[mainly UK] He’s been arrested for handling stolen goods.”
impatient
uk |ɪmˈpeɪ.ʃənt| us |ɪmˈpeɪ.ʃənt|
adjective
1. easily annoyed by someone’s mistakes or because you have to wait
* “[impatient with] He’s a good teacher, but inclined to be a bit impatient with slow learners.”
* “You’d be hopeless taking care of children - you’re far too impatient!”
2. wanting something to happen as soon as possible
* “[impatient to] He’s got a lot of exciting ideas and he’s impatient to get started.”
* “[impatient for] People are increasingly impatient for change in this country.”
inertia
uk |ɪˈnɜː.ʃə| us |ˌɪnˈɝː.ʃə|
noun
1. lack of activity or interest, or unwillingness to make an effort to do anything
* “The organization is stifled by bureaucratic inertia.”
2. the physical force that keeps something in the same position or moving in the same direction [physics specialized]
manners
phrase
1. polite ways of treating other people and behaving in public
* “He needs to be taught some manners.”
* “It’s bad manners to eat with your mouth open.”
* “It’s considered good manners in some societies to leave a little food on your plate.”
manoeuvre
uk |məˈnuː.vər| us |məˈnuː.vɚ|
noun
1. a movement or set of movements needing skill and care [C]
* “Reversing round a corner is one of the manoeuvres you are required to perform in a driving test.”
2. a planned and controlled movement or operation by the armed forces for training purposes and in war [C usually plural]
* “military/naval manoeuvres”
* “We saw the army on manoeuvres in the mountains.”
3. a cleverly planned action that is intended to get an advantage [C]
* “A series of impressive manoeuvres by the chairman had secured a lucrative contract for the company.”
manoeuvre
uk |məˈnuː.vər| us |məˈnuː.vɚ|
verb
1. to turn and direct an object [I/T]
* “Loaded supermarket trolleys are often difficult to manoeuvre.”
* “This car manoeuvres well at high speed.”
2. to try to make someone act in a particular way [T]
* “The other directors are trying to manoeuvre her into resigning.”
moan
uk |məʊn| us |moʊn|
verb
1. to make a long, low sound of pain, suffering, or another strong emotion
* “He moaned with pain before losing consciousness.”
* "”Let me die,” he moaned.”
2. to make a complaint in an unhappy voice, usually about something that does not seem important to other people [informal disapproving]
* “Thelma’s always moaning (about something), and forgets how lucky she actually is.”
* ”[+ speech] “I don’t like potatoes,” he moaned.”
* ”[+ (that)] First she moans (that) she’s too hot, and then that she’s too cold.”
* “After a lot of moaning and groaning, they eventually started work.”
moan
uk |məʊn| us |moʊn|
noun
1. a long, low sound of pain, suffering, or another strong emotion
* “We could hear the moans of someone trapped under the rubble.”
* “moans of ecstasy/agony”
2. the act of complaining about something, or a complaint [mainly UK informal disapproving]
* “Apart from a slight moan about the waiter, he seemed to enjoy the meal.”
* “She was having a moan about her husband.”
mock
uk |mɒk| us |mɑːk|
verb
1. to laugh at someone, often by copying them in a funny but unkind way [formal]
* “They were mocking him because he kept falling off his bike.”
* “She made fun of him by mocking his limp.”
2. to make something appear stupid or not effective
* “The wind mocked their attempts to reach the shore by pushing the boat further and further out to sea.”
mock
uk |mɒk| us |mɑːk|
adjective
1. not real but appearing or pretending to be exactly like something
* “mock cream”
* “mock leather”
* “mock surprise”
mock
uk |mɒk| us |mɑːk|
noun
1. an exam taken at school for practice before a real exam
* “You will have your mocks during the first two weeks of March.”
neglect
uk |nɪˈɡlekt| us |nɪˈɡlekt|
verb
1. to not give enough care or attention to people or things that are your responsibility
* “to neglect your appearance/the house”
* “He neglects that poor dog - he never takes him for walks or gives him any attention.”
* “She’s been neglecting her studies this semester.”
neglect
uk |nɪˈɡlekt| us |nɪˈɡlekt|
noun
1. a situation in which you do not give enough care or attention to someone or something, or the state of not receiving enough care or attention
* “Both parents were found guilty of neglect and their child was taken away from them.”
* “Over the years the church has fallen into a state of neglect.”
peep
uk |piːp| us |piːp|
verb
1. to secretly look at something for a short time, usually through a hole [I usually + adv/prep]
* “I saw her peeping through the curtains/into the room.”
2. to appear slowly and not be completely seen [I usually + adv/prep]
* “A few early flowers had peeped up through the snow.”
* “The cat’s tail was peeping out from under the bed.”
3. to make a weak high noise [I]
peep
uk |piːp| us |piːp|
noun
1. a statement, answer, or complaint [S informal]
* “No one has raised a peep about this dreadful behaviour.”
* “One more peep out of you and there’ll be no television tomorrow.”
* “There hasn’t been a peep out of (= any form of communication from) my sister for a couple of weeks.”
peer
uk |pɪər| us |pɪr|
verb
1. to look carefully or with difficulty
* “[peer through] When no one answered the door, she peered through the window to see if anyone was there.”
* “The driver was peering into the distance trying to read the road sign.”
peer
uk |pɪər| us |pɪr|
noun
1. a person who is the same age or has the same social position or the same abilities as other people in a group
* “Do you think it’s true that teenage girls are less self-confident than their male peers?”
* “He wasn’t a great scholar, but as a teacher he had few peers (= not as many people had the same ability as him).”
2. in the UK, a person who has a high social position and any of a range of titles, including baron, earl, and duke, or a life peer
* “a hereditary peer”
* “a Conservative peer”
prevent
uk |prɪˈvent| us |prɪˈvent|
verb
1. to stop something from happening or someone from doing something
* “Label your suitcases to prevent confusion.”
* ”[+ -ing verb] His disability prevents him (from) driving.”
rejoice
uk |rɪˈdʒɔɪs| us |rɪˈdʒɔɪs|
verb
1. to feel or show great happiness about something
* “Everyone rejoiced at the news of his safe return.”
* “She rejoiced in her good fortune.”
* ”[+ to infinitive] I rejoiced to see that she had made such a quick recovery.”
resent
uk |rɪˈzent| us |rɪˈzent|
verb
1. to feel angry because you have been forced to accept someone or something that you do not like
* “She bitterly resented her father’s new wife.”
* ”[+ -ing verb] He resents having to explain his work to other people.”
resolute
uk |ˈrez.ə.luːt| us |ˈrez.ə.luːt|
adjective
1. determined in character, action, or ideas
* “Their resolute opposition to new working methods was difficult to overcome.”
* “She’s utterly resolute in her refusal to apologize.”
smirk
uk |smɜːk| us |smɝːk|
noun
1. a smile that expresses satisfaction or pleasure about having done something or knowing something that is not known by someone else
* "”Maybe your husband does things that you don’t know about,” he said with a smirk.”
* "”I told you it would end in disaster,” said Polly with a self-satisfied smirk on her face.”
smirk
uk |smɜːk| us |smɝːk|
verb
1. to smile in a way that expresses satisfaction or pleasure about having done something, or knowing something that is not known by someone else
* “I don’t like the way he winks and smirks at me whenever he sees me.”
* “He smirked his way through the interview.”
snap
uk |snæp| us |snæp|
verb
1. to cause something that is thin to break suddenly and quickly with a cracking sound [I/T]
* “You’ll snap that ruler if you bend it too far.”
* “[snap something off] Some vandal’s snapped off my car aerial again.”
2. to suddenly become unable to control a strong feeling, especially anger [I]
* “When she asked me to postpone my trip to help her move to her new house, I just snapped (= got angry).”
3. to move into a position quickly, producing a short noise as if breaking [I/T, usually + adv/prep]
* “[snap back] Tendons store elastic energy by stretching and then snapping back into shape like rubber bands.”
* “Simply snap the pieces into place.”
4. to quickly return to a previous place or condition [I + adv/prep]
* “[snap back] After substantial losses last year, the company has snapped back to profitability (= started making profits again).”
snap
uk |snæp| us |snæp|
noun
1. a sudden loud sound like something breaking or closing [C usually singular]
* “She broke the stick over her knee with a loud snap.”
2. a small piece of metal or plastic used to fasten clothes, with two usually round parts, one of which is pushed into the other [C US (UK press stud, snap fastener)]
3. an informal photograph that is not very skilful or artistic [C UK informal]
* “[holiday snap] Here are some tips for creating a photo book from your holiday snaps.”
* “[take a snap] Did you take many snaps while you were away?”
4. a card game in which the players compete to call out the word “snap” when they see two cards that have the same value [U]
* “a game of snap”
5. something that can be done without any difficulty [S US informal]
* “[a snap] “Will you finish on time?” “Sure thing. It’s a snap.””
* “[snap for] Talking to girls is a snap for him.”
6. in American football, the act of passing the ball backward to start play [C]
snap
uk |snæp| us |snæp|
adjective
1. done suddenly without allowing time for careful thought or preparation
* “[snap decision] He always makes snap decisions and never thinks about their consequences.”
tactic
uk |ˈtæk.tɪk| us |ˈtæk.tɪk|
noun
1. a planned way of doing something [C usually plural]
* “These bomb attacks represent a change of tactics by the terrorists.”
terror
uk |ˈter.ər| us |ˈter.ɚ|
noun
1. extreme fear [C/U]
* “They fled from the city in terror.”
* “There was sheer/abject terror in her eyes when he came back into the room.”
* “What he said struck terror in my heart (= made me very frightened).”
* “Heights have/hold no terrors for me (= do not frighten me).”
2. violent action or threats designed to cause fear among ordinary people, in order to achieve political aims [U]
* “The separatists started a campaign of terror to get independence.”
* “We need to form global partnerships to fight terror.”
* “a terror suspect/attack/plot”
administer
uk |ədˈmɪn.ɪ.stər| us |ədˈmɪn.ə.stɚ|
verb
1. to control the operation or arrangement of something [T often passive (also administrate, uk/ədˈmɪn.ɪ.streɪt/ us/ədˈmɪn.ə.streɪt/)]
* “The economy has been badly administered by the present government.”
* “The local council employed five people to administer the programme.”
* “The firm appointed to administrate the failed bank asked us to continue paying our mortgage.”
2. to govern a country, region, etc. [T often passive]
* “This government will not content itself with administering and governing the people.”
* “India has 28 states and seven federally administered territories.”
3. to cause someone to receive something [T formal]
* “[be administered to] Tests will be administered to schoolchildren at seven and twelve years.”
* “[administer something to someone] Doctors must use care when administering the vaccine to elderly patients.”
* “to administer medicine/punishment/relief”
* “[figurative] The latest opinion polls have administered a severe blow to the party.”
admit
uk |ədˈmɪt| us |ədˈmɪt|
verb
1. to agree that something is true, especially unwillingly [T/I]
* “He admitted his guilt/mistake.”
* ”[+ (that)] She admitted (that) she had made a mistake.”
* ”[+ -ing verb] She admitted making a mistake.”
* “At first he denied stealing the money but he later admitted (to) it.”
* “I wasn’t entirely honest with him, I admit.”
* ”[+ to infinitive] The new law was generally admitted to be difficult to enforce.”
agony
uk |ˈæɡ.ə.ni| us |ˈæɡ.ə.ni|
noun
1. extreme physical or mental pain or suffering
* “She lay there screaming in agony.”
* “I was in an agony of suspense.”
* “We’ve both suffered agonies of guilt over what happened.”
* “It must be agony for them to say goodbye.”
antidote
uk |ˈæn.ti.dəʊt| us |ˈæn.t̬i.doʊt|
noun
1. a chemical, especially a drug, that limits the effects of a poison
* “Sales of nerve gas antidotes increased dramatically before the war.”
2. a way of preventing or acting against something bad
* “Regular exercise is the best antidote to tiredness and depression.”
consultant
uk |kənˈsʌl.tənt| us |kənˈsʌl.tənt|
noun
1. someone who advises people on a particular subject
* “a management/financial/computer consultant”
* “a firm of public relations consultants”
2. a hospital doctor at the highest level with special training in and knowledge of a particular area of medicine [UK]
* “She is an ear, nose, and throat consultant at a large teaching hospital.”
* “He was on a waiting list to see a consultant about his back.”
* “a consultant psychiatrist/paediatrician/obstetrician”
* “a consultant dermatologist/gynaecologist/cardiologist”
diagnosis
uk |ˌdaɪ.əɡˈnəʊ.sɪs| us |ˌdaɪ.əɡˈnoʊ.sɪs|
noun
1. a judgment about what a particular illness or problem is, made after examining it
* "”What was the diagnosis?” “Arthritis in both joints.””
* “[make a diagnosis] The doctor has made an initial diagnosis.”
* “[diagnosis of] Diagnosis of the disease is difficult in the early stages.”
inoculate
uk |ɪˈnɒk.jə.leɪt| us |ɪˈnɑː.kjə.leɪt|
verb
1. to give a weak form of a disease to a person or animal, usually by injection, as a protection against that disease [T]
* “[be inoculated against] My children have been inoculated against polio.”
* “[inoculate someone with something] Louis Pasteur inoculated an 8-year-old boy with cowpox and then exposed him to smallpox to test his theory.”
* “There may be a shortage of flu vaccine to inoculate the elderly and other vulnerable groups.”
irritation
uk |ˌɪr.ɪˈteɪ.ʃən| us |ˌɪr.əˈteɪ.ʃən|
noun
1. the feeling of being angry or annoyed, or something that makes you feel like this
* “That kind of behaviour is sure to cause irritation.”
* “Traffic noise is just one of several minor irritations (= small problems).”
2. a painful or sore feeling in a part of the body
* “It is an antiseptic cream suitable for minor skin irritations.”
* “The strap had rubbed against his skin and caused irritation.”
numb
uk |nʌm| us |nʌm|
adjective
1. If a part of your body is numb, you are unable to feel it, usually for a short time
* “I was lying in a weird position and my leg went numb.”
* “My fingers were numb with cold.”
2. not able to feel any emotions or to think clearly, because you are so shocked or frightened, etc.
* “When she first heard the news, she was numb with disbelief.”
* “Ever since his girlfriend left him he has felt numb.”
numb
uk |nʌm| us |nʌm|
verb
1. to make something or someone feel numb
* “The extreme cold numbed her face and hands.”
* “The children are still numbed by their father’s death.”
nursing home
uk |ˈnɜː.sɪŋ ˌhəʊm| us |ˈnɝː.sɪŋ ˌhoʊm|
noun
1. a place where very old people who are ill live and receive medical treatment and care
paralysis
uk |pəˈræl.ə.sɪs| us |pəˈræl.ə.sɪs|
noun
1. a condition in which you are unable to move all or part of your body because of illness or injury
* “Some nervous disorders can produce paralysis.”
2. a situation in which you are unable to take action
* “political paralysis”
plaster
uk |ˈplɑː.stər| us |ˈplæs.tɚ|
noun
1. a substance that becomes hard as it dries and is used especially for spreading on walls and ceilings in order to give a smooth surface [U]
* “The plaster on the walls was cracked and flaking.”
plaster
uk |ˈplɑː.stər| us |ˈplæs.tɚ|
verb
1. to spread plaster on a surface [T]
2. to make something stick in a flat smooth layer [T + adv/prep]
* “The torrential rain had plastered her hair to her head.”
3. to cover a surface or an object with something completely or thickly [T usually + adv/prep informal]
* “She had plastered her bedroom walls with photos of pop stars.”
* “The car was plastered with mud.”
* “The story was plastered all over (= printed so that it completely covered) the front page of the newspaper.”
prescribe
uk |prɪˈskraɪb| us |prɪˈskraɪb|
verb
1. (of a doctor) to say what medical treatment someone should have [T often passive]
* “The drug is often prescribed for ulcers.”
* ”[+ two objects] I’ve been prescribed painkillers.”
2. to tell someone what they must have or do, or to make a rule of something [T formal]
* “Penalties for not paying taxes are prescribed by law.”
* ”[+ that] The law prescribes that all children must go to school.”
* ”[+ question word] Grammatical rules prescribe how words may be used together.”
preventative
uk |prɪˈven.tə.tɪv| us |prɪˈven.t̬ə.t̬ɪv|
adjective
1. another word for preventive
preventive
uk |prɪˈven.tɪv| us |prɪˈven.t̬ɪv|
adjective
1. intended to stop something before it happens
* “In the past ten years, preventive measures have radically reduced levels of tooth decay in children.”
* “preventative medicine”
prognosis
uk |prɒɡˈnəʊ.sɪs| us |prɑːɡˈnoʊ.sɪs|
noun
1. a doctor’s judgment of the likely or expected development of a disease or of the chances of getting better [medical (also prognostication)]
* “The prognosis after the operation was for a full recovery.”
2. a statement of what is judged likely to happen in the future, especially in connection with a particular situation
* “I was reading a gloomy economic prognosis in the paper this morning.”
sick leave
uk |ˈsɪk ˌliːv| us |ˈsɪk ˌliːv|
noun
1. time away from work because of illness
* “Mark is not in the office today. He broke his leg yesterday, so he’s on/he’s taken sick leave.”
side effect
uk |ˈsaɪd ɪˌfekt| us |ˈsaɪd ɪˌfekt|
noun
1. an unpleasant effect of a drug, medical treatment, or vaccine (= a substance put into a person’s body to stop them getting a disease) that happens in addition to the main intended effect
* “Does this drug have any side effects?”
* “Chemotherapy can have some very unpleasant side-effects.”
2. an unexpected result of a situation
* “A side effect of the new law is that fewer people will take out insurance.”
* “Thousands of passengers along the route constantly suffer the side-effects of the upgrade work.”
syringe
uk |sɪˈrɪndʒ| us |səˈrɪndʒ|
noun
1. a hollow, cylinder-shaped piece of equipment used for sucking liquid out of something or pushing liquid into something, especially one with a needle that can be put under the skin and used to inject drugs, remove small amounts of blood, etc.
syringe
uk |sɪˈrɪndʒ| us |səˈrɪndʒ|
verb
1. to clean the inside of the ears by pushing water into them and then sucking it out of them using a syringe
vaccine
uk |ˈvæk.siːn| us |vækˈsiːn|
noun
1. a substance that is put into the body of a person or animal to protect them from a disease by causing them to produce antibodies (=proteins that fight diseases)
* “This vaccine protects against some kinds of the bacteria.”
* “The measles vaccine is one of the immunizations that is recommended for all children.”
ward
uk |wɔːd| us |wɔːrd|
noun
1. one of the parts or large rooms into which a hospital is divided, usually with beds for patients
* “a geriatric/maternity/psychiatric ward”
2. one of the parts into which a prison is divided [US]
3. (in many countries) one of the areas into which a city or town is divided, having its own elected political representative or its own organizations for managing services
4. a person, especially a child, who is legally put under the protection of a law court or a guardian [law specialized]
* “The girl was made a ward of court to stop her father taking her out of the country.”
