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Michael Primary Vocab > Vacab P5 > Flashcards

Vacab P5 Flashcards

1
Q

Decipher

A

Read sth that is untidy or coded which cannot be read directly

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2
Q

Denote

A

To mean, or to be a sign for sth

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3
Q

Disarray

A

Messy, disorganised.

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4
Q

Impartial

A

Not partial, unbiased. Fair.

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5
Q

Underling

A

Someone with a lower rank or position

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6
Q

Undertaker

A

Someone whose job is to arrange funerals

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7
Q

Inflict

A

Make someone suffer something unpleasant

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8
Q

Inhabit

A

To live in a place

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9
Q

Inculcate

A

Teach or encourage someone to believe certain ideas or values, by repeating them often

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10
Q

Instigate

A

To cause sth bad to happen

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11
Q

Invigorate

A

To make someone feel energised and full of life

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12
Q

[noun] allure
[adj] alluring

A

attractive & exciting

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13
Q

forefront

A

at the forefront: at an important and leading position

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14
Q

defect

A

a flaw, something that is wrong or imperfect

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15
Q

hurdle

A

an obstacle, or a problem to be overcome

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16
Q

spur

A

to spur someone is to encourage or motivate him

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17
Q

clamour

A

clamour for sth: shout loudly or demand to get what you want

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18
Q

solicited

A

Sth is solicited, it is asked for.

Unsolicited: sth not needed or never asked for

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19
Q

retract

A

take back sth

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20
Q

instill

A

to make a person to feel or think in certain way

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21
Q

savour

A

enjoy the taste of sth

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22
Q

unsavoury

A

Unsavoury people are unpleasant or immoral

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23
Q

soiled

A

to soil sth is to make it dirty

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24
Q

portable

A

mobile, can be moved away from one place to another

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25
Q

scour

A

to look hard for something

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26
Q

gimmick

A

a trick to make people interested and impressed. e.g. a sales promotion

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27
Q

lethal

A

causing death

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28
Q

to court

A

to engage in socialactivities leading to marriage. “John is courting Mary”

to invite sth bad to happen

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29
Q

life and limb

A

to risk life and limb, is to risk life or being killed/injured to do sth

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30
Q

precarious

A

fraught with danger that can easily get worse: “the precarious life of an undersea diver”

Not secure, no reassurance

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31
Q

foreboding

A

a feeling that sth bad is going to happen

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32
Q

crunch

A

a difficult situation, due to a shortage (as a shortage of time or money or resources)

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33
Q

frontier

A

border btw 2 countries

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34
Q

persecute

A

to treat someone cruelly and unfairly

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35
Q

rupture

A

[verb] cause sth break or separate abruptly

[noun] state of being torn or burst open

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36
Q

feud

A

feuds are bitter quarrels between two parties existed for a long time

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37
Q

brawl

A

a brawl is a noisy fight or quarrel

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38
Q

scuffle

A

a scuffle is a fight that breaks out suddenly

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39
Q

foolhardy

A

reckless. does dangerous things w/o caring about the consequences

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40
Q

labourious

A

physical exhausting effort, that is long, tough and often boring

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41
Q

grinding

A

difficult and seemingly never ending

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42
Q

work off

A

to get rid of sth through physical activities. work off extra weight

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43
Q

poise

A

[noun] if you have poise, you are able to move in an elegant and confident manner

[verb] be balanced or suspended, motionless

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44
Q

sedate

A

[adj] slow, relaxed, unhurried

[verb] be calm or quiet as by administering a sedative to. “The patient must be sedated before the operation”

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45
Q

sprightly

A

[adj] being able to move about easily and quickly, for a very old person

Pronounced /ˈspraɪtli/

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46
Q

rotund

A

plump and quite fat

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47
Q

robust

A

strong and healthy

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48
Q

regime

A

authority, government

a program of exercise or medical treatment = regimen. “having a strict daily regimen/regime of diet or exercise”

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49
Q

enlistment

A

the act of joining army

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50
Q

meteoric

A

achieving success very quickly.

Pronounced: /ˌmiːtiˈɔːrɪk/

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51
Q

dynamic

A

full of energy and always changing & making progress
not static

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52
Q

industrious

A

working hard with perseverance. “She was surrounded by energetic, industrious people.”

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53
Q

matinee

A

an afternoon performance of a play, etc.; an afternoon showing of a film

/ˌmætnˈeɪ/

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54
Q

intermission

A

a short period of time between the parts of a play, film, etc.

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55
Q

intervention

A

an action taken to improve or help a situation

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56
Q

pitch

A

[noun] talk or arguments used by a person trying to sell something. “an aggressive sales pitch”

[verb] to pitch is to persuade someone to buy sth

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57
Q

pan [verb]

A

to pan is to criticize harshly

to pan a camera, the camera moves in a particular direction, to follow an object or to film a wide area

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58
Q

conned

A

to con is to trick. A conman.

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59
Q

endorse

A

support or approve publicly

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60
Q

sleuth

A

a person who investigates crimes
SYNONYM detective

/sluːθ/

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61
Q

walk-up

A

a building with no lift

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62
Q

the ropes

A

the special way things are done at a particular place or in a particular activity. “The veteran cop showed the rookie the ropes.”

to learn the ropes: to learn how to do a particular thing. “It will take a few weeks for new employees to learn the ropes.”

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63
Q

revelation

A

a fact that people are made aware of, especially one that has been secret and is surprising
SYNONYM disclosure

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64
Q

as pleased/proud as punch

A

be happy and proud about sth

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65
Q

in seventh heaven

A

very happy

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66
Q

thrilled to bits

A

very happy

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67
Q

sth is the bits

A

very bad. “having to work every weekend is the bits”

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68
Q

down in the dumps

A

feeling very sad and hopeless

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69
Q

bring someone/sth to the knees

A

to defeat or destroy the person or thing

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70
Q

out of his depth

A

he cannot understand sth because it’s too difficult for him

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71
Q

reopen old wounds

A

make someone remember bad memories from the past

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72
Q

swallow our pride

A

when we have to accept sth embarrassing

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73
Q

take a load off someone’s mind

A

bring relief to someone from his worry or pain

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74
Q

touch a raw nerve

A

upset someone by talking a sensitive topic

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75
Q

be on pins and needles

A

be anxiously waiting for sth

= on tenterhooks

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76
Q

get or have the jitters

A

feel nervous, before sth important happens

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77
Q

beside yourself with joy/excitement or fear/sadness

A

feeling so strong that you cannot control yourself. “Sally was beside herself with grief when her pet rabbit died when she was on holiday.”

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78
Q

scare the (living) daylights out of someone

A

frighten the person greatly

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79
Q

quaking in your boots

A

you are very frightened

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80
Q

change one’s tune

A

change his original opinion

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81
Q

change hands

A

(a business or property) change owner

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82
Q

drop a bombshell

A

make a shocking announcement

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83
Q

put someone on the spot

A

put the person in a difficult position, that it’s hard for him to make an answer or make a decision

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84
Q

a change of scene

A

to have a new experience or situation, like changing a job or moving a house

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85
Q

a bolt from the blue

A

sth happened suddenly and unexpectedly, as a complete surprise

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86
Q

tickled pink

A

be pleased and delighted at sth

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87
Q

crack up

A

= in stitches

to laugh very hard

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88
Q

choking up

A

unable to speak because of being very teary and emotional about sth

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89
Q

to stomach

A

to accept something unpleasant

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90
Q

in a fit of pique

A

angry after pride is being hurt

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91
Q

bear the brunt

A

to take the impact of sth that is unpleasant

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92
Q

allay

A

make it less strong of a feeling, fear, doubt etc.

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93
Q

spark

A

spark the interest

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94
Q

formulate

A

create a plan or proposal to do sth

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95
Q

recline

A

sit or lie down with body leaning backwards

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96
Q

unfold

A

make sth known to others

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97
Q

unwind

A

to relax after a period of hard or stressful work

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98
Q

fervent

A

having or showing very strong and sincere feelings about something
SYNONYM ardent

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99
Q

idle

A

not doing anything

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100
Q

dormant

A

currently inactive, but can be active again

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101
Q

implication

A

a possible effect or result of an action or a decision

something that is suggested or indirectly stated (= something that is implied)

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102
Q

constable

A

a British policeman of a junior rank

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103
Q

deploy

A

to move soldiers or weapons into a position where they are ready for military action

to deploy someone, to use him in an area in which he is needed.

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104
Q

siege

A

lay siege to a place: to surround a place

under siege: being surrounded

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105
Q

debar

A

to officially prevent somebody from doing something, joining something, etc.

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106
Q

raze

A

raze something: to completely destroy a building, town, etc. so that nothing is left
“The village was razed to the ground.”
“The woodland was razed by fire.”

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107
Q

standstill

A

all activity or movement has stopped

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108
Q

sit-in

A

a protest in which a group of workers, students, etc. refuse to leave their factory, college, etc. until people listen to their demands

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109
Q

stipulate

A

to state clearly and definitely that something must be done, or how it must be done
SYNONYM specify

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110
Q

wry

A

showing that you think something is funny but also disappointing or annoying

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111
Q

winsome

A

​(of people or their manner) pleasant and attractive

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112
Q

liberal

A

willing to understand and respect other people’s behaviour, opinions that are different from yours

liberal (with something): generous; given in large amounts
SYNONYM lavish

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113
Q

cynical

A

believing that people only do things to help themselves rather than for good or honest reasons

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114
Q

diplomatic

A

having skill in dealing with people in difficult situations
SYNONYM tactful

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115
Q

insolent

A

extremely rude and showing a lack of respect

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116
Q

deranged

A

unable to behave and think normally, especially because of a mental illness
insane or mad

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117
Q

ire

A

anger. “His behaviour makes me shake with ire”
SYNONYM wrath

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118
Q

barb

A

[noun] a remark that is meant to hurt somebody’s feelings

[adj] barbed: deliberately hurtful.

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119
Q

detach

A

to become separated from something

detached [adj]: showing a lack of feeling
SYNONYM indifferent

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120
Q

obstinate

A

(often disapproving) refusing to change your opinions, way of behaving
SYNONYM stubborn

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121
Q

act up

A

to behave badly. “The kids started acting up.”

to not perform as it should. “How long has your ankle been acting up?”

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122
Q

bank on

A

count on or depend on

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123
Q

drum up

A

to increase interest or support. “He had flown to the north of the country to drum up support for the campaign.”

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124
Q

draw up

A

to write and prepare some official documents. “Make sure the contract is properly drawn up.”

(vehicle) arrives and stops. “The cab drew up outside the house.”

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125
Q

dredge up

A

(usually disapproving) to bring up something that has been forgotten, especially something unpleasant or embarrassing
“The papers keep trying to dredge up details of his past love life.”

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126
Q

belt out

A

to sing a song or play music loudly.
“Nobody can belt out a tune like she can.”
“The band was belting out songs from the 1940s.”

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127
Q

tick off

A

to speak angrily to somebody, especially a child, because they have done something wrong
SYNONYM tell somebody off
I was always being ticked off for messy work.

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128
Q

lay off

A

to stop employing somebody , fire somebody

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129
Q

mill around/about

A

(especially of a large group of people) to move around an area without seeming to be going anywhere in particular
“Fans were milling around outside the hotel.”

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130
Q

mete out

A

to give somebody a punishment; to make somebody suffer
“Severe penalties were meted out by the court.”

131
Q

cast out

A

to get rid of somebody/something, especially by using force
“He claimed to have the power to cast out demons.”

132
Q

wait on

A

to act as a servant by serving food. to work as a waiter or waitress at a restaurant.
“‘Help yourself,’ she said, ‘I’m too tired to wait on you.’”

to wait for something to happen before you decide something
“She is waiting on the result of a blood test.”

133
Q

validate

A

to prove that something is true. OPPOSITE invalidate
“to validate a theory”
“The research findings do not validate the claims made by the manufacturer.”

134
Q

certify

A

to state officially, especially in writing, that something is true
[noun] certificate

135
Q

disprove

A

To prove that sth is not true

136
Q

evict

A

to force somebody to leave a house or property
“A number of tenants have been evicted for not paying the rent.”
/ɪˈvɪkt/

137
Q

refurbish

A

to clean / decorate a room, building, in order to make it more attractive
“The theatre has been extensively refurbished.”

138
Q

clutter

A

to fill a place or area with too many things, so that it is messy & crowded
“our fridge is always cluttered”, “Don’t clutter the page with too many diagrams.”
(figurative) “Try not to clutter your head with trivia (unimportant matters)”

139
Q

suburb

A

an area that is outside the centre of a city
“most people live in the suburbs in New York city.”

140
Q

utter

A

used to emphasize how complete something is
“That’s complete and utter nonsense!”
“That’s utterly false!”

141
Q

pristine

A

fresh and clean, as if new
SYNONYM immaculate /ɪˈmækjələt/ (perfectly clean and tidy)
“The car is in pristine condition.”

not developed or changed in any way; left in its original condition
SYNONYM unspoiled
“The gold coast beaches are pristine. pollution-free”

142
Q

vicinity

A

/vəˈsɪnəti/ the area around a particular place
“Crowds gathered in the vicinity of Marina Bay.” “There is no hospital in the immediate vicinity.”

143
Q

trendy

A

very fashionable

144
Q

lodger

A

a person who pays rent to live in somebody’s house. “Many families take in a lodger because they need the income.”

lodge: a small house/ “a hunting lodge”
lodging: a place to sleep or stay temporarily. “we need to find a lodging for tonight”

145
Q

crude

A

simply made, not showing much skill or attention to detail. “a crude drawing of a face”

simple and not very accurate. “in crude terms”

146
Q

rustic

A

(approving) typical of the countryside or of its people; simple, of natural materials
“an old cottage full of rustic charm”

147
Q

lavish

A

large in amount, or impressive, and usually costing a lot of money
SYNONYM extravagant, luxurious
“They lived a very lavish lifestyle.”

148
Q

exquisite

A

extremely beautiful or carefully made
“exquisite craftsmanship”
“Her wedding dress was absolutely exquisite.”

149
Q

palatial

A

/pəˈleɪʃl/
(of a room or building) very grand and impressive, like a palace
SYNONYM splendid

150
Q

colander /ˈkʌləndə(r)/

A

a metal or plastic bowl with a lot of small holes in it, used for draining water from vegetables, etc. after washing or cooking

151
Q

ladle /ˈleɪdl/

A

a large, deep spoon with a long handle, used especially for serving soup

152
Q

sieve /sɪv/

A

a tool for separating solids from liquids or larger solids from smaller solids, made of a wire or plastic net attached to a ring.
“Wash the rice in a sieve under cold running water.”

153
Q

spatula /ˈspætʃələ/

A

a tool with a broad flat part that is not sharp, used for mixing and spreading things, especially in cooking and painting

154
Q

dice something

A

to cut meat, vegetables, etc. into small square pieces / cubes. “diced carrots”

155
Q

carve

A

to cut a large piece of cooked meat into smaller pieces for eating. “Who’s going to carve the turkey?”

to make objects, patterns, etc. by cutting away material from a piece of wood or stone, or another hard material. “The statue was carved out of a single piece of stone.”

156
Q

broth

A

thick soup made by boiling meat or fish and vegetables in water. “chicken broth”

157
Q

simmer

A

simmer sth: to cook something by keeping it almost at boiling point.

simmer with sth: filled with anger that is difficult to control. SYNONYM seethe
“She was still simmering with resentment.”
“Anger simmered inside him.”
“She was still quietly simmering from her argument with Nathan.”

158
Q

incisive

A

showing clear thought and good understanding of what is important. “He had a clear, incisive mind.” “incisive comments/criticism/analysis”

[noun] incision: a sharp cut made in something, e.g. in a medical operation

159
Q

mellow

A

(of people) relaxed, calm, gentle and wise. “Dad has certainly grown mellower with age.”

(of a taste or flavour, sound) smooth and pleasant. “coffee with a full mellow flavour”

160
Q

steep [verb]

A

steep food in a liquid or leave it to steep: you put it in the liquid and leave it for some time so that it becomes soft and takes in the taste of the liquid
“Black teas need to steep for three minutes.”

161
Q

spruce up

A

to make somebody/something/yourself clean and neat.
“She spruced up for the interview.” “I spruced myself up before I went out.”

162
Q

long-drawn

A

= long-drawn-out, or drawn-out: lasting a very long time, often too long.
“Children don’t like long-drawn lectures from parents”

163
Q

long-haul

A

involving the transport of goods or passengers over long distances. “long-haul flights/routes”
OPPOSITE short-haul

164
Q

clique

A

a small group of people who spend their time together and do not allow others to join them.
“a new comer finds it difficult to make friends if the the classmates are already in cliques”

165
Q

circle

A

a group of people who are connected because they have the same interests, jobs, etc. “a large circle of friends”

166
Q

on the same page

A

having same views or ideas, agree with each other about what they are trying to achieve

167
Q

the bane of sth

A

something that causes trouble and makes people unhappy
“The neighbours’ kids are the bane of my life.”
“The poor train service has been the bane of commuters for years.”

168
Q

foe

A

an enemy. “She was unsure as yet whether he was friend or foe.”

169
Q

patriarch /ˈpeɪtriɑːrk/

A

the male head of a family or community

an old man that people have a lot of respect for

170
Q

see eye to eye

A

share the same views as somebody about something
“The two of them have never seen eye to eye on politics.”

171
Q

rub shoulders = rub elbows

A

to meet and talk with someone who is rich, famous or important
“He’s rubbing elbows with stars all the time.”
“He had been rubbing elbows with celebrities.”

172
Q

build bridges

A

to help build good relationships between two opposing groups, countries, etc.
“ A local charity is working to build bridges between different ethnic groups”

173
Q

unsound

A

(of a building, etc.) not strong, in poor condition; likely to fall down. “The roof is structurally unsound.”

not acceptable; not based on reliable evidence. “The use of disposable products is considered ecologically unsound.”

174
Q

helm

A

a handle or wheel used for controlling the direction in which a boat or ship moves

at the helm: ​in charge of an organization, project, etc. “Sarah is at the helm.”

175
Q

compel

A

to force somebody to do something; to make something necessary.
“I feel compelled to write and tell you how much I enjoyed your book.”
“The court has powers to compel witnesses to attend.”

176
Q

tell on

A

to tell a person in authority about something bad that somebody has done. Snitch
“Matt told on his classmates who had cheated on the math exam.”
“Promise not to tell on me!”

177
Q

tell of

A

to make something known
“the documentary tells of the rise and fall of the organization”

178
Q

truant /ˈtruːənt/

A

(of a child) to stay away from school without permission
“A number of pupils have been truanting regularly.”

179
Q

skive /skaɪv/

A

to avoid work or school by staying away or leaving early
SYNONYM bunk off
“She always skives off early on Fridays.” “He always skived off school when he could.”

180
Q

cram

A

to learn a lot of things in a short time. “He’s been cramming for his exams all week.”

to push or force somebody/something into a small space that is almost full “He crammed eight people into his car.”

[adj] crammed = packed: full of things or people. “The room was crammed full of people.”

181
Q

jabber

A

to talk quickly and in an excited way but difficult to understand what you are saying
“The girl jabbered incomprehensibly” “a roomful of jabbering tourists”

182
Q

heckle

A

to interrupt a speaker at a public meeting by shouting out questions or rude remarks. “He was booed and heckled throughout his speech.”
SYNONYM barrack

183
Q

quip

A

[verb] to make a quick and clever remark. “‘Don’t bank on it!’ he quipped”

[noun] a quick and clever remark

184
Q

broach /brəʊtʃ/

A

to bring up a difficult topic for discussion, because it is embarrassing or because people disagree about it.
“She was dreading having to broach the subject of money to her father.”

185
Q

quibble

A

to argue or complain about a small matter or an unimportant detail
“It isn’t worth quibbling over such a small amount.”

186
Q

tattle on

A

to tell somebody, especially somebody in authority, about something bad that somebody else has done. “don’t tattle on classmates.”
SYNONYM tell on somebody

187
Q

rattle

A

to make a series of short loud sounds

rattle on: to talk continuously about something that is not important or interesting, especially in an annoying way

188
Q

twitter

A

[verb] to talk quickly in a high excited voice, especially about something that is not very important
[noun] a series of short, high sounds that birds make

189
Q

slander

A

[verb] to make a false spoken statement about somebody that is intended to damage his reputation.
“He angrily accused the investigators of slandering both him and his family.”

[noun] “a vicious slander on the company’s good name”

190
Q

rail

A

[verb] to complain about something/somebody in a very angry way. SYNONYM rage
“She railed against the injustice of it all.”

191
Q

sputter

A

SYNONYM splutter
to speak quickly and with difficulty, making soft spitting sounds, because you are angry or shocked.
(engine, a lamp or a fire sputters) making a series of short explosive sounds

192
Q

utter

A

[verb] to make a sound with your voice
“He uttered a great cry of anger.”
“She did not utter a word during lunch”

193
Q

suspense

A

a feeling of worry or excitement that you have when you feel that something is going to happen
“Don’t keep us in suspense. Tell us what happened!”
“I couldn’t bear the suspense a moment longer.”

194
Q

refute /rɪˈfjuːt/

A

to prove that something is wrong. “to refute an argument/a theory, etc.”
SYNONYM rebut

to say that something is not true or fair. “She refutes any suggestion that she behaved unprofessionally.”
SYNONYM deny

195
Q

opportune

A

(of a time) suitable for doing a particular thing, so that it is likely to be successful
SYNONYM favourable
“The boss decided the time was opportune for talking business.”

(of an action or event) done or happening at the right time to be successful
“to publish the book now is quite opportune”

196
Q

windfall

A

an amount of money that somebody/something wins or receives unexpectedly
“She had an unexpected windfall when her aunt died.”

197
Q

someone’s lot (in life)

A

someone’s general situation in life, especially when this is not very good.
“Miss Wilkinson was never satisfied with her lot in life.”

198
Q

forgo

A

to decide not to have or do something
“No one was prepared to forgo their lunch hour to attend the meeting.”

199
Q

notion

A

an idea, a belief or an understanding of something
“She had only a vague notion of what might happen.”
“He has no notion of the difficulty of the problem.”

200
Q

far-flung

A

a long distance away
“expeditions to the far-flung corners of the world”

201
Q

gripping

A

grip [verb] to interest or have a strong effect on somebody; to hold somebody’s attention
gripping [adj] exciting or interesting in a way that keeps your attention
“His books are always so gripping.”

202
Q

ramble

A

rambling [adj] (of a speech or piece of writing) very long and confused. “The letter was long and rambling.”
SYNONYM incoherent

[verb] to talk about somebody/something in a confused way, especially for a long time. “What is she rambling on about now?”
to walk for pleasure, especially in the countryside. “We spent the summer rambling in Ireland.” “You can ramble through some beautiful countryside in the area.”

203
Q

stand on your own (two) feet

A

to behave in an independent way, especially by not asking for financial help from anyone
“He’s old enough to stand on his own two feet.”

204
Q

emissary

A

a person who is sent to deliver an official message, especially from one country to another
SYNONYM envoy

205
Q

adversary

A

an enemy or opponent, someone you are competing with, or arguing or fighting against.
“Elliott crossed the finish line just half a second behind his adversary.”

206
Q

well-heeled

A

having a lot of money
SYNONYM rich, wealthy

207
Q

well-versed in sth

A

having a lot of knowledge about something, or skill at something
She is well versed in wine art.

208
Q

landing

A

the area at the top of a set of stairs. “Go up to the third-floor landing”

(aircraft or a spacecraft) land down to the ground “The pilot was forced to make an emergency landing.”

209
Q

warrant

A

[noun] a official or legal document giving the police authority to do something. “a search warrant”

[verb] to make something necessary or appropriate in a particular situation
SYNONYM justify ““Further investigation is clearly warranted.

210
Q

domestic

A

of or inside a particular country; not foreign or international
“sales on the domestic market.” “domestic flights”

211
Q

itinerary /aɪˈtɪnəreri/

A

a plan of a journey, including the route and the places that you visit
“Visits to four different countries are included in your itinerary.”

212
Q

lapsed

A

[adj] not valid anymore. “a lapsed subscription”

lapse [noun] a period of time between two things that happen. SYNONYM interval
“After a lapse of six months we met up again.”
[verb] no longer valid SYNONYM expire

213
Q

cease

A

to stop happening or existing
“Welfare payments cease as soon as an individual starts a job.”

214
Q

quota

A

a number or amount of people/things that is officially allowed, or a person has to do
“to introduce a strict import quota on grain” “My father set a quota of one 4in1 unit every week”

215
Q

improbable

A

OPPOSITE probable
not likely to be true or to happen. SYNONYM unlikely
“an improbable story” “It all sounded highly improbable.”

216
Q

primitive

A

1 very simple and old-fashioned. “a primitive society” “primitive beliefs”
2 belonging to an early stage in the development of humans or animals. “primitive man”

217
Q

plight /plaɪt/

A

a difficult and sad situation
“the plight of the homeless” “The African elephant is in a desperate plight.”

218
Q

straits

A

1 [plural] a very difficult situation especially because of lack of money
“The factory is in dire straits.” “She found herself in desperate financial straits.”

2 a narrow passage of water. “the straits of Singapore”

219
Q

initiate

A

to make something begin
“The government has initiated a programme of economic reform.”
“They wanted to initiate a discussion on economics.”

220
Q

heart-wrenching

A

SYNONYM heart-rending
causing very sad feelings. “Their stories are heart-wrenching.”

221
Q

vacancy

A
  1. a job that is available for somebody to do. “job vacancies” “Her going on maternity leave will create a temporary vacancy.”
  2. a room that is available in a hotel, etc. “I’m sorry, we have no vacancies.”
222
Q

meticulous

A

paying careful attention to every detail
SYNONYM fastidious, thorough
“Their room had been prepared with meticulous care.” “She planned her trip in meticulous detail.”

223
Q

fastidious /fæˈstɪdiəs/

A

being careful that every detail of something is correct
SYNONYM meticulous
“Everything was planned in fastidious detail.” “He was fastidious in his preparation for the big day.”

224
Q

dateline

A

the date and location of a story, placed at the top of an article.
“the date is wrong in the dateline of your article”
Ref byline (name)

225
Q

arresting

A

attracting a lot of attention; very attractive. “an arresting smile”

226
Q

menial /ˈmiːniəl/

A

(of work) not considered important; not needing special skills and often boring or badly paid
“working in Eunos workshops is a menial job.” “menial tasks like cleaning the floor”

227
Q

shoddy

A

poorly made with bad quality
“shoddy goods” “shoddy workmanship”

228
Q

shortlisted

A

somebody/something is chosen on a shortlist for a job, prize, etc.
“Candidates who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted next week.”

229
Q

partition

A

a wall or screen that separates one part of a room from another
“The cafe was divided up by glass partitions.” “I could hear him snoring through the thin partition walls.”

230
Q

mobilise

A

to organize a group of people to work together
“The unions mobilized thousands of workers in a protest against the cuts.”

231
Q

gauge (US also gage)

A

[noun] an instrument for measuring the amount or level of something
“a fuel/pressure/temperature gauge”

[verb] to measure, or make a judgement about something
“precision instruments that can gauge the diameter to a fraction of a millimetre”
“They interviewed employees to gauge their reaction to the changes.”
“He tried to gauge her mood.”

232
Q

make for

A

to help to make something possible
“Constant arguing doesn’t make for a happy marriage.”

233
Q

opt for

A

to choose something. “we opted for a trip to Malaysia instead of staying in Singapore”

234
Q

controversial

A

causing a lot of angry public discussion and disagreement
“a highly controversial topic” “Immigration is a controversial issue in many countries.” “I tried to avoid controversial topics such as politics and religion.”

235
Q

momentous

A

SYNONYM historic
very important or serious, especially because there may be important results
“momentous events were taking place in Russia.”

236
Q

Deplorable

A

Very bad and unacceptable, that is shocking

Woeful: very sad or very bad
SYNONYM deplorable (bad)
“woeful tales of broken romances” “the woeful state of the economy.”

237
Q

ransack

A

to make a place untidy, causing damage, because you are looking for something
SYNONYM turn upside down
“The house had been ransacked by burglars.” “She ransacked the wardrobe for something to wear.”

238
Q

sift sth

A
  1. to examine something very carefully
    “We will sift every scrap of evidence.” “Computers are being used to sift the information.”
  2. to put flour or some other fine substance through a sieve / sifter
    “Sift the flour into a bowl.”
239
Q

permeate /ˈpɜːrmieɪt/

A
  1. (of liquid, gas) to spread to every part of an object or a place
    “The smell of leather permeated the room.” “rainwater permeates through the ground”
  2. (of an idea, an influence, a feeling, etc.) to affect every part of something
    “Racism continues to permeate our society.” “Bias against women permeates every level of the judicial system.” “A feeling of unease permeates the novel.”
240
Q

enigmatic /enig’matik/
[noun] enigma

A

mysterious and difficult to understand
“an enigmatic smile” “Freud remains today an enigmatic figure.”

241
Q

dexterous = dextrous

A

showing or having skill, especially with your hands
“dexterous use of the needle” “a dextrous pianist.”

242
Q

barbaric = barbarous

A
  1. cruel and violent.
    “The way the whales are killed is nothing short of barbaric.” “a particularly barbaric act of violence”
  2. connected with barbarians:
    (in ancient times) a member of a people who did not belong to one of the great civilizations (Greek, Roman, Christian), who were considered to be violent and without culture
243
Q

rehabilitate /ˌriːəˈbɪlɪteɪt/ /ˌriːhəˈbɪlɪteɪt/

A
  1. to help somebody to return to a normal, healthy life after they have been in prison or very ill.
    “We must do more to rehabilitate young offenders.” “efforts to treat and rehabilitate drug addicts”
  2. to return a building or an area to its previous good condition
    “Billions of ringgits are being spent on rehabilitating the JB inner-city areas.”
244
Q

recuperate /rɪˈkuːpəreɪt/

A
  1. SYNONYM recover. to get back your health, strength or energy after being ill, tired, injured, etc.
    “He’s still recuperating from his operation.” “After an exhausting few weeks I needed some time to recuperate.”
  2. SYNONYM recoup, recover, to get back money that you have spent or lost
    “He hoped to recuperate at least some of his losses.”
245
Q

recoup /rɪˈkuːp/

A

to get back an amount of money that you have spent or lost
SYNONYM recover
“We hope to recoup our initial investment in the first year.”

246
Q

corporal

A
  1. of or relating to the body; bodily. “corporal punishment”
  2. a low rank in the army, air force etc
    “Corporal Smith called out our registration number.”
247
Q

hoist

A

to raise or pull something up to a higher position
“The cargo was hoisted aboard by crane.”
“The crew hurried to hoist the flag.”
“Hoisting my suitcase on to my shoulder, I turned and headed toward my hotel.”

248
Q

bombard

A
  1. to attack it with continuous heavy gunfire or bombs.
    “Madrid was heavily bombarded for several months.”
  2. to attack somebody with a lot of questions, criticisms
    “We have been bombarded with letters of complaint.” “They bombarded him with questions.” “The office was bombarded by telephone calls.”
249
Q

harrowing

A

[adj] making you feel very upset, stressed, disturbed. Synonyms: distressing, disturbing
“a harrowing experience” “You’ve had a harrowing time this past month.” “After a harrowing bus ride through the mountains, we arrived at the destination”

[noun] harrow: a farming machine with sharp metal blades, used to break up the earth before planting crops

250
Q

revamp

A

to make changes, usually to improve its appearance
“The company is attempting to revamp its image.” “Now the new town is being revamped.” “the government has accepted that it is time to revamp the system.”

251
Q

regress /re’gres/

A

to return to an earlier or less advanced form or way of behaving
“Such countries are not ‘developing’ at all, but regressing.”
“The patient had regressed to a state of childish dependency.”
“The tumors regressed and then they appeared to stabilize.”

252
Q

vie

A

to compete strongly with somebody in order to obtain or achieve something
SYNONYM compete
“She was surrounded by men all vying for her attention.”
“All the photographers vied to get the best pictures.”
“Cities vied with each other to build more beautiful towers.”

253
Q

shun

A

to purposely avoid somebody/something
“They were both shunned by their families when they remarried.”
“an actor who shuns publicity”
“The company has long been shunned by ethical investors.”

254
Q

spurn /spɜːrn/

A

to reject or refuse somebody/something, especially in a proud way
“Eve spurned Mark’s invitation.”
“The president spurned the tight security surrounding him and adopted a more intimate style of campaigning.”
“She spurned all offers of help.”

255
Q

saunter

A

[verb] to walk in a slow relaxed way. SYNONYM stroll
“He sauntered by, looking as if he had all the time in the world.” “He sauntered along the river to the mill.” “He came sauntering down the road with his hands in his pockets.”

[noun] a slow relaxed walk. SYNONYM stroll

256
Q

amplify

A

to increase something in strength, especially sound <> allay
“to amplify a guitar/an electric current/a signal”
“The music was amplified with microphones.”
“These stories only amplified her fears.”
“The mist had been replaced by a kind of haze that seemed to amplify the heat.”

257
Q

resounding /rɪˈzaʊndɪŋ/

A
  1. very great. SYNONYM emphatic (given or spoken with force and emphasis).
    “a resounding victory/win/defeat.” “The evening was a resounding success.”
  2. (of a sound) very loud and continuing for a long time. SYNONYM resonant (deep clear sound continuing for a long time)
    “The boulder hit the ground with a resounding thud.”
258
Q

ambitious

A

someone is ambitious: determined and having a strong desire to be successful, rich, or powerful.
“a fiercely ambitious young manager” “He’s a very ambitious student and he wants to go to the best university.”

Sth is ambitious: high standard and difficult to achieve
“setting ambitious target is one way to help us succeed” “The ambitious project was completed in only nine months.”

259
Q

gourmet /ˈɡʊrmeɪ/

A
  1. [noun] A gourmet is someone who enjoys good food, and who knows a lot about food and wine. Synonym: connoisseur /ˌkɑːnəˈsɜːr/
    “They’re real gourmets and buy only the best cuts of meat.”
  2. [adj] (of food, drink, etc.) of high quality and often expensive
    “gourmet food/coffee” “a gourmet chef/deli”
    “The shop only sells gourmet food, at astronomical prices.”
260
Q

jostle /ˈdʒɑːsl/

A

to push roughly against somebody in a crowd
“The visiting president was jostled by angry demonstrators.”
“Fans of BTS jostled for position in front of the TV cameras.”
“the contenders who have been jostling for the top job.”
“There is a wide spread of stories jostling for coverage on today’s front pages”

261
Q

unhinged /ʌnˈhɪndʒd/

A

having a mental illness that makes somebody unable to think or behave normally
“the delusions of an unhinged mind” “He became unhinged when his friend died”

[verb] unhinge: to make somebody seriously mentally ill
“Her mind was unhinged by the death of her child and she never recovered.”
“The terrible experience seemed to have unhinged him slightly.”

262
Q

unseemly <> seemly

A

(of behaviour, etc.) not polite or suitable for a particular situation
There followed an unseemly rush for the exits.
SYNONYM improper
“It was considered unseemly to talk in such a way in front of the children.”
“the rowdy behaviour of the children in the library was quite unseemly”

263
Q

hunch

A

[noun] a feeling that something is true without evidence
“My hunch is that the burglars are still in the area.”
“I had a hunch (that) you’d be back.”

[verb] to bend the top part of your body forward
“ She leaned forward, hunching over the desk.”

264
Q

swanky

A

(approving) fashionable and expensive in a way that is intended to impress people
“eating meals at swanky hotels” “a swanky Manhattan jewelry store”
Refer to plush

265
Q

plush [adj]

A

very comfortable; expensive and of good quality
SYNONYM luxurious
“the plush lobby of a five-star hotel” “a plush, four-storey, house in Mayfair.”
Refer to swanky

266
Q

intellectual

A

[adj] having the ability to understand things and think intelligently
“a job that requires considerable intellectual effort”
“Gifted children typically show great intellectual curiosity and a wide range of interests.”
“High levels of lead could damage the intellectual development of children.”

[noun] An intellectual is someone who spends a lot of time studying and thinking about complicated ideas. “teachers, artists and other intellectuals.”

267
Q

thoroughfare

A

the main road through a place such as a city or village or town
“The motel was off the main thoroughfare.”
“The Visitor’s Center is located on Bay Street, the town’s main thoroughfare.”

268
Q

boulevard

A

a wide city street, often with trees on either side
“It is a city of broad boulevards and spacious parks.”
“A police car sped down the crowded boulevard.”

269
Q

devout

A
  1. (of a person) believing strongly in a particular religion or obeying its laws and practices
    “She was a devout Catholic”
  2. earnest; sincere; heartfelt
    “It is my devout hope that we can work together in peace.”
    “He had a devout allegiance to his country”
270
Q

repentance [noun] repentant [adj]

A

the fact of showing that you are sorry for something wrong that you have done
SYNONYM contrition, remorse
“They were released on parole for showing signs of repentance.”
“Sins are wiped out by sincere repentance.”
“They showed no repentance during their trial.”

271
Q

cushy /ˈkʊʃi/

A
  1. very easy and pleasant; needing little or no effort
    “a cushy job or life is very easy and does not need much effort” “He had a fairly cushy upbringing. “
  2. (of furniture) comfortable
    “The guest lounges are elegantly furnished with cushy sofas and wide armchairs.”
    “The leather seats are soft and cushy.”
272
Q

taxing

A

needing a great amount of physical or mental effort
SYNONYM demanding, tiring
“The job turned out to be more taxing than I’d expected.” “So here she is, in the most taxing role of her life.”

273
Q

bereft /bəˈreft/

A
  1. feeling very sad and lonely because you have lost something
    “Her father’s death left her completely bereft.”
    “The shock of his departure had left her feeling alone and bereft.”
    “She wanted to see him so badly that she felt physically bereft.”
  2. completely without something; having lost something
    “The place seemed to be utterly bereft of human life.”
    “the party was bereft of new ideas altogether.”
274
Q

miffed /mɪft/

A

slightly angry or upset. SYNONYM annoyed
“ She’s a bit miffed that we’re not taking her with us.” “He was understandably miffed about not getting chosen.” “I was a bit miffed about that.”

275
Q

frumpy

A

(a woman or her clothes) dull, not fashionable, unattractive.
“frumpy clothes” “I feel frumpy in this.”
“We will all be 50 and I would like to look cool and trendy rather than old and frumpy.”

[noun] frump: a woman who is frumpy

276
Q

dainty

A
  1. small, pretty, and delicate. SYNONYM delicate
    “a dainty gold chain” “a child with dainty features” “dainty pink flowers. “
  2. moving or done in a careful way, using small movements
    “a dainty walk”, “She took a dainty little bite of the apple.” “She walked daintily down the steps.”
277
Q

stowaway /ˈstəʊəweɪ/

A

A stowaway is a person who hides in a ship, aeroplane, or other vehicle in order to make a journey secretly or without paying.
“The crew discovered the stowaway about two days into their voyage. “
“The captain breaks his own rule and allows stowaways on board.”

278
Q

resort

A

[verb] resort to doing sth: to do something bad, extreme, or difficult because you cannot think of any other way to deal with a problem
“Officials fear that extremists may resort to violence.” “Some schools have resorted to recruiting teachers from overseas.” “the government must ensure that all peaceful options are exhausted before resort to war.” “Many homeless teenagers resort to stealing when their money runs out.”

[noun] a place where a lot of people go on holiday
“They spent a month at a fashionable ski resort in Switzerland.”

279
Q

confer

A

confer with: to discuss something with other people
“He wanted to confer with his colleagues before reaching a decision.”

confer sth on/upon somebody: to give somebody an award, a university degree or a particular honour or right
“An honorary degree was conferred on him by Oxford University in 2019.”

280
Q

reap

A

to get something good, as a result of what you have done
“Those who do take risks often reap the rewards.” “You’ll soon begin to reap the benefits of being fitter.”

  1. reap crops: to cut them down and gather them. SYNONYM harvest
281
Q

subdue [verb] subdued [adj]

A
  1. to bring somebody/something under control, especially by using force. SYNONYM defeat.
    “Troops were called in to subdue the rebels.” “Police managed to subdue the angry crowd.”
  2. to calm or control your feelings. SYNONYM suppress, control
    “Julia had to subdue an urge to stroke his hair.” “she could not subdue her excitement .” “He forced himself to subdue and overcome his fears.”
282
Q

ailing

A
  1. ill and not improving
    “She looked after her ailing father.”
  2. having problems and getting weaker
    “measures to help the ailing economy”
    “A new art gallery will give a boost to this ailing industrial city.”
283
Q

ailment

A

​an illness that is not very serious
“I got all the usual childhood ailments.”
“The pharmacist can assist you with the treatment of common ailments.”

284
Q

sallow

A

(of a person’s skin or face) having a slightly yellow colour that does not look healthy
“He was a small man with a thin sallow face.”
“a woman with dark hair and a sallow complexion (the natural colour of the skin on your face)”

285
Q

haphazard /hæpˈhæzəd/

A

(disapproving) ​with no particular order or plan; not organized well
“The books had been piled on the shelves in a haphazard fashion.”
“I continued my studies in a rather haphazard way.”
“bushes growing haphazardly here and there”
“She looked at the books jammed haphazardly in the shelves. “

286
Q

cursory

A

done quickly and without giving enough attention to details
SYNONYM brief, perfunctory
“a cursory check / examination of the evidence”
“He gave the report a rather cursory look.”
“Even a cursory glance at the figures will tell you that sales are down.”
“I gave the letter a fairly cursory reading.”

287
Q

horde

A

(sometimes disapproving) a large crowd of people
“There are always hordes of tourists here in the summer.”
He could see the infantry advancing in hordes across the open ground.””

288
Q

troupe /truːp/

A

A troupe is a group of actors, singers, or dancers who work together and often travel around together, performing in different places.
“The entire troupe is always on the move, travelling to nearly a dozen cities every year.”
“a circus troupe” “She is the only girl in the acrobatic troupe”

289
Q

hoodwink [verb]

A

to trick or deceive someone. SYN con
“She had been hoodwinked into buying a worthless necklace.”
“Anyone who tried to hoodwink him was on a forlorn (/fərˈlɔːrn/ lonely) and dangerous path.”

290
Q

befuddled

A

confused, muddled, and unable to think normally
“He was befuddled by drink.” “Even in my befuddled state, I could find my key.”

[verb] befuddle: to confuse

291
Q

intuitive

A

(of ideas) obtained based on a feeling rather than on knowledge or facts. SYN instinctive
“The author had an intuitive sense of what the reader wanted.”
“A positive pregnancy test soon confirmed her intuitive feelings.”

(of a person) able to understand situations without being told or having any proof about them
“I don’t think that women are necessarily more intuitive than men.”

292
Q

dollop /ˈdɑːləp/

A
  1. a small amount of soft food, often dropped from a spoon
    “a dollop of whipped cream”
  2. an amount of something
    “A dollop of romance now and then is good for everybody.”
    “You’ll need a big dollop of luck.” ““Taylor deserves a dollop of the blame.
293
Q

glob

A

a small amount of a liquid or soft substance in a round shape
“thick globs of paint on the floor” “a glob of ketchup”

294
Q

lucrative

A

making a large profit, earning a lot of money. SYN profitable
“Had the plan worked it would have proved highly lucrative.”
“ He inherited a lucrative business from his father.”
“Thousands of ex-army officers have found lucrative jobs in private security firms.”

295
Q

impeccable

A

without any faults and impossible to criticize SYN perfect
“Her written English is impeccable.” “He was dressed in a suit and an impeccable white shirt.” “Her academic credentials are impeccable.”

peccable: liable to sin; susceptible to temptation

296
Q

stately

A

impressive in size, appearance or manner; graceful or dignified. SYNONYM majestic
“a stately building”
“She turned and walked back in the same stately manner as before.”
“Instead of moving at his usual stately pace, he was almost running.”

297
Q

fluctuate

A

to change frequently in size, amount, quality, in an irregular way. SYNONYM vary
“My weight fluctuated wildly depending on how much I ate.”
“My mood seems to fluctuate from day to day.”
“The rate of inflation has been fluctuating around 4% for some time.”
“Prices were volatile, fluctuating between $20 and $40.”

298
Q

deteriorate

A

to become worse
“Her health deteriorated rapidly, and she died shortly afterwards.”
“The government had to cope with the deteriorating economy.”
“ deteriorate into something The discussion quickly deteriorated into an angry argument.”

299
Q

cave in

A
  1. to finally stop opposing something, especially because someone has persuaded or threatened you.
    “After a ruinous strike, the union caved in.” “The president is unlikely to cave in to demands for a public inquiry.”
  2. (of a roof, wall, etc.) to fall down and towards the centre
    “The roof of the tunnel caved in on them.” “I had a nervous breakdown, everything just seemed to cave in on top of me.”
300
Q

on a shoestring

A

using very little money, on a very tight budget
“In the early years, the business was run on a shoestring.”
“The program was run on a shoestring.”
“My family was always run on a shoestring when I was small.”

301
Q

bandwagon

A

an activity that more and more people are becoming involved in

climb/jump on the bandwagon: (disapproval) to start doing or saying something that a lot of people are already doing or saying:
“I don’t want to look as if I’m jumping on a green bandwagon.”
“politicians eager to jump on the environmental bandwagon”

302
Q

cameo

A
  1. a small part in a film or play for a famous actor
    “He played a cameo role, that of a young cancer patient in hospital.”
  2. a short piece of writing that gives a good description of somebody/something.
    “a succession of memorable cameos of Scottish history.”
303
Q

chaperone /ˈʃæpərəʊn/

A

A chaperone is someone who accompanies children and young people to go out on a trip in order to make sure that they do not come to any harm.
“Three parents went on the school ski trip as chaperones.”
“The volunteers may go with chaperones anywhere they want within a 25-mile radius of the center.”

304
Q

pantomime /ˈpæntəmaɪm/ short form: panto

A
  1. a type of play for children that is performed in Britain around Christmas, with jokes, music, and songs
    “We took the children to a pantomime.”
  2. the use of movement and the expression of your face to communicate something or to tell a story, not words. SYN mime
    “What she does very well is pantomime. “
    “he made a pantomime of checking his watch and shaking it in disbelief.”
    “She performed a pantomime of having swallowed an insect.”
305
Q

chronic /ˈkrɑːnɪk/

A

(of a disease, problem) lasting for a long time; difficult to cure / solve
“…chronic back pain” “Most of them were chronically ill.”
“There is a chronic shortage of teachers.”
“the country’s chronic unemployment problem”

306
Q

recruit

A

to find candidates to join a company, an organization, the armed forces.
“They recruited more staff to deal with the complaints.”
“We were recruited to help peel the vegetables.”

307
Q

unsung

A

not praised or famous but deserving to be
“the unsung heroes of the war”
“It is little known, unsung and one of the grandest little towns you could ever wish to see.”

308
Q

unrivalled /ʌnˈraɪvld/

A

better or greater than any other of the same kind. SYNONYM unsurpassed
“The hotel enjoys an unrivalled position overlooking the lake.”
“It’s a team unrivalled in stature, expertise and credibility.”
“He has an unrivalled knowledge of dinosaurs”

309
Q

subvert

A
  1. to try to destroy the power and influence of a government or the established system.
    SYNONYM undermine
    “an attempt to subvert the democratic process”
    “Smith was sentenced to 14 years for plotting to subvert the government.”
  2. to destroy someone’s beliefs or loyalty
    “The film subverts notions of male and female identity.”
310
Q

demarcate /ˈdiːmɑːrkeɪt/

A

to mark or establish the limits of an area or something
“A special U.N. commission was formed to demarcate the border.”
“Plots of land have been demarcated by barbed wire.”
“The police demarcated the city into eighteen geographical divisions.”

311
Q

extort

A

to illegally force someone to give you something, especially money, by threatening them
“The gang extorted money from over 30 local businesses.”
“Rebels extorted money from local villagers.”
“Her kidnapper extorted a £175,000 ransom for her release.”
[noun] extortion. “He faces charges of kidnapping and extortion.”

312
Q

foray

A
  1. an attempt to become involved in a different activity or profession
    “the company’s first foray into the computer market”
  2. a short sudden attack made by a group of soldiers
    “Those on the front line make regular forays into occupied territory.”
  3. a short journey to find a particular thing or to visit a new place. SYNONYM expedition
    “We make regular forays to France to buy wine.”
313
Q

exploit [verb] /ɪkˈsplɔɪt/

A
  1. [verb] (disapproving) to treat someone unfairly by asking him to do things with little in return
    “Homeworkers can easily be exploited by employers.” “…the plight of the exploited sugar cane workers.”
  2. [verb] to use something fully and effectively
    “She fully exploits the humour of her role in the play.” “The company has been successful in exploiting new technology to the full.”

[noun] /ˈeksplɔɪt/ a brave, exciting or interesting act
“The papers were full of her latest amorous exploits.” ‘His courage and exploits were legendary.”

314
Q

on paper

A

in theory, judged from written information only, but not proved in practice.
“The idea looks good on paper.”

315
Q

convert [noun] /ˈkɑːnvɜːrt/

A

a person who has changed their religion, beliefs or opinions
“a convert to Islam”

[verb] /kənˈvɜːrt/

316
Q

eminent /ˈemɪnənt/

A
  1. (of people) famous and respected
    “an eminent lawyer” “She’s an eminent psychiatrist at the Harvard Medical School.”
  2. ​(of good qualities) unusual; excellent
    “a man of eminent good sense” “a man of eminent courage”
317
Q

retrench

A
  1. SYN lay off. to force a worker to leave his job.
    “When Covid started, many workers wereretrenched by their companies”
  2. (of a business, government, etc.) to spend less money; to reduce costs
    “Defense companies are retrenching and have scaled back orders.”
    “The company realized the need to retrench in the face of falling demand.”
318
Q

sceptical (UK) = skeptical (US)

A

SYN doubtful
“I’m extremely sceptical about what I read in the press.”
“Other archaeologists are sceptical about his findings”

319
Q

interim

A

intended to last for only a short time until somebody/something more permanent is found.
“An interim government was established.”
“The vice-president took power in the interim period before the election.”
“An interim director was appointed until the end of the year.”

320
Q

heinous /ˈheɪnəs/

A

morally very bad; very shocking and immoral; extremely evil or horrible.
“Her life has been permanently blighted (damaged, spoiled) by his heinous crime. “
“What purpose is served by such senseless and heinous acts?”

321
Q

grisly /ˈɡrɪzli/

A

extremely unpleasant and frightening and involving people being killed or injured
“a series of grisly murders” “a grisly crime”
“Police were called to the scene after workers made the grisly discovery “

322
Q

embezzle /ɪmˈbezl/

A

to steal money from the place where you work
“Two managers were charged with embezzling $400,000.” “He was found guilty of embezzling $150 000 of public funds.” “One former director embezzled $34 million in company funds.”
[noun] embezzlement

323
Q

abscond /əbˈskɑːnd/

A

from sth: to escape from a place that you are not allowed to leave without permission.
“The boy absconded from a children’s home.” “A dozen inmates have absconded from Forest Jail in the past year.”

with sth: to leave secretly and take with you something, especially money, that does not belong to you
“He absconded with the company funds.” “Unfortunately, his partners were crooks and absconded with the funds.”

324
Q

pilfer

A

to steal things of little value or in small quantities, especially from the place where you work.
“She was sacked after being caught pilfering.”
“She regularly pilfered stamps from work.”
“When food stores close, they go to work, pilfering food for resale on the black market.”

Michael Primary Vocab (5 decks)

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