Verbs Flashcards
Inhibit
- inhibit something (formal) to prevent something from happening or make it happen more slowly or less frequently than normal
•A lack of oxygen may inhibit brain development in the unborn child.
•Financial considerations are inhibiting access to higher education.
•Alcohol significantly inhibits the action of the drug.
Relish
- to get great pleasure from something; to want very much to do or have something
- SYNONYM enjoy
•relish something
•to relish a challenge
•to relish the chance/opportunity to do something
Haul
-to pull something/somebody with a lot of effort
haul something/somebody
-The wagons were hauled by horses.
haul something/somebody + adv./prep.
-He reached down and hauled Liz up onto the wall.
Perplex
- perplex somebody
- it perplexes somebody that
-if something perplexes you, it makes you confused or worried because you do not understand it
-SYNONYM puzzle
•They were perplexed by her response.
Perceive
- to understand or think of somebody/something in a particular way
-SYNONYM see
-perceive somebody/something/yourself (as something)
•This discovery was perceived as a major breakthrough.
•I do not perceive myself as an expert.
-perceive somebody/something to be/have something
•They were widely perceived to have been unlucky.
Compile
-compile something to produce a book, list, report, etc. by bringing together different items, articles, songs
-to collect information in order to produce a book, list, etc.
•We are trying to compile a list of suitable people for the job.
•The album was compiled from live recordings from last year’s tour.
Intersperse
-be interspersed with/in something to put something in something else or among or between other things
•Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations.
•Interspersed in the narrative are the personal stories of several important women architects.
Enclose
-to build a wall, fence, etc. around something
-be enclosed (with something)
•The yard had been enclosed with iron railings.
-be enclosed in something
•All translated words should be enclosed in brackets.
Enhance
-enhance something
-to increase or further improve the good quality, value or status of somebody/something
•This is an opportunity to enhance the reputation of the company.
Recollect
-to remember something, especially by making an effort to remember it
-SYNONYM recall
recollect (something)
•She could no longer recollect the details of the letter.
recollect what, how…
•I don’t recollect what he said.
recollect that…
•I recollect that we were all gathered in the kitchen.
recollect (somebody/something) doing something
•I recollect him/his saying that it was dangerous.
Revamp
-revamp something = to make changes to the form of something, usually to improve its appearance
•The company is attempting to revamp its image.
Omit (omitting)
-to not include something/somebody, either deliberately or because you have forgotten it/them
-SYNONYM leave somebody/something out
•If you are a student, you can omit questions 16–18.
Conceptualize
-to form an idea of something in your mind
conceptualize something as something
•These people do not conceptualize hunting as a violent act.
conceptualize (something)
•The ability to conceptualize is one of the most likely indicators of who will be a successful manager.
Impair
-impair something to damage something or make something worse
•His age impaired his chances of finding a new job.
Concede
-to admit that something is true, logical, etc. after first denying it or resisting it
-concede (that)
•He was forced to concede (that) these might be difficulties.
-concede something
•I had to concede the logic of this.
-concede something to somebody
•He reluctantly conceded the point to me.
-concede somebody something
•He reluctantly conceded me the point.
-it is conceded that
•It must be conceded that different judges have different approaches to these cases.
Uproot
-uproot something to pull a tree, plant, etc. out of the ground
•The storms uprooted a number of large trees.
Uphold
-uphold something to support something that you think is right and make sure that it continues to exist
•We have a duty to uphold the law.
Overthrow
-overthrow somebody/something to remove a leader or a government from a position of power by force
•The president was overthrown in a military coup.
Overrule
-overrule somebody/something to change a decision or reject an idea from a position of greater power
-SYNONYM override
-to overrule a decision/an objection
•The verdict was overruled by the Supreme Cour
Downplay
-downplay something to try to make something seem less important than it really is
-SYNONYM play down
•The coach is downplaying the team’s poor performance.
Downsize
-to reduce the number of people who work in a company, business, etc. in order to reduce costs
-downsize something
•The larger companies are all planning to downsize their US operations.
-downsize (from something) (to something)
•The worsening situation forced the company to downsize from 39 employees to 7.
Undergo
-undergo something to experience something, especially a change or something unpleasant
-to undergo tests/trials/repairs
•My mother underwent major surgery last year.
Undertake
-undertake something to make yourself responsible for something and start doing it
•to undertake a task/project
•University professors both teach and undertake research.
Convey
-to make ideas, feelings, etc. known to somebody
-SYNONYM communicate
-convey something
•Colours like red convey a sense of energy and strength.
-convey something to somebody (formal)
•Please convey my apologies to your wife.
-convey how, what, etc…
•He tried desperately to convey how urgent the situation was.
-convey that
•She did not wish to convey that they were all at fault.
Attain
-attain something to succeed in getting something, usually after a lot of effort
•Most of our students attained five ‘A’ grades in their exams.
•We only consider applicants who have attained a high level of academic achievement.
Squelch
-to make a quiet sound by pressing something soft and wet
•The mud squelched as I walked through it.
•Her wet shoes squelched at every step.
Contemplate
-to think about whether you should do something, or how you should do something
-SYNONYM consider, think about/of
-contemplate something
•You’re too young to be contemplating retirement.
-contemplate doing something
•I have never contemplated living abroad.
Consolidate
-consolidate (something) to make a position of power or success stronger so that it is more likely to continue
•With this new movie he has consolidated his position as the country’s leading director.
Blare
-to make a loud unpleasant noise
•police cars with lights flashing and sirens blaring
-blare out
•Music blared out from the open window.
-blare something (out)
•The radio was blaring (out) rock music.
Haste
-speed in doing something, especially because you do not have enough time
-SYNONYM hurry
•In her haste to complete the work on time, she made a number of mistakes.
- in haste
•The letter had clearly been written in haste.
Ascertain
-to find out the true or correct information about something
-ascertain something
•It can be difficult to ascertain the facts.
-ascertain that
•I ascertained that the driver was not badly hurt.
-it is ascertained that
•It should be ascertained that the plans comply with the law.
-it is ascertained what, whether…
•It must be ascertained if the land is still owned by the government.
Assess
-to make a judgement about the nature or quality of somebody/something
-assess somebody/something •Accurately assessing environmental impacts is very complex.
•to assess a patient’s needs
Quench
-quench your thirst to drink so that you no longer feel thirsty
-SYNONYM slake
Evict
-evict somebody (from something)
-to force somebody to leave a house or land, especially when you have the legal right to do so
•A number of tenants have been evicted for not paying the rent.
•The council has tried to get them evicted.
•Police had to evict demonstrators from the building.
Withdraw
-to take money out of a bank account
withdraw something
•With this account, you can withdraw up to £300 a day.
Debrief
-debrief somebody (on something)
-to ask somebody questions officially, in order to get information about the task that they have just completed
•He was taken to a US airbase to be debriefed on the mission.
Hallucinate
-to see or hear things that are not really there because of illness or drugs
•She began hallucinating and having fits.
Evaluate
-to form an opinion of the amount, value or quality of something after thinking about it carefully
-SYNONYM assess
•The trial will evaluate the effectiveness of the different drugs.
Validate
-validate something to prove that something is true
•to validate a theory
Sharpen
-sharpen (something) to make something sharper; to become sharper
Ensure/insure
-to make sure that something happens or is definite
•We are working to ensure the safety of people in the city.
•The book ensured his success.
Abdicate
-to give up the position of being king, queen or emperor
•He abdicated in favour of his son.
abdicate something
•She was forced to abdicate the throne of Spain.
Brief
-to give somebody information about something so that they are prepared to deal with it
-brief somebody
•I expect to be kept fully briefed at all times.
-brief somebody on/about something •The officer briefed her on what to expect.
Etch
-to cut lines into a piece of glass, metal, etc. in order to make words or a picture
-A (is) etched in/into/on B
•a glass tankard with his initials etched on it
-B (is) etched with A
•a glass tankard etched with his initials
Propel
-propel something (+ adv./prep.)
-to move, drive or push something forward or in a particular direction
•mechanically propelled vehicles
•a boat propelled only by oars
Seethe
- to be extremely angry about something but to try not to show other people how angry you are
- SYNONYM fume
•She seethed silently in the corner.
-seethe with something
•He marched off, seething with frustration.
-seethe at something
•Inwardly he was seething at this challenge to his authority.
Chime
-ring; to show the time by making a ringing sound
•I heard the clock chime.
Visualize
-to form a picture of somebody/something in your mind
Distress
-a feeling of great worry or unhappiness; great mental pain
•The newspaper article caused the actor considerable distress.
Boast
-to talkin a way that shows you are too proud of something that you have or can do
• I don’t want to boast, but I can actually speak six languages.
• boast about something She is always boasting about how wonderful her children are.
• boast of something He openly boasted of his skill as a burglar.
• boast that… Sam boasted that she could beat anyone at poker.
Laze
-to relax and do very little
•We lazed by the pool all day.
**laze about/around **
•I’ve spent the afternoon just lazing around.
Profess
-to claim that something is true or correct, especially when it is not
profess something
•She still professes her innocence.
profess to be/have something
•I don’t profess to be an expert in this subject.
Ridicule
ridicule somebody/something
-to make somebody/something look silly by laughing at them or it in an unkind way
Feign
feign something
-feign to do something to pretend that you have a particular feeling or that you are ill, tired, etc.
• He survived the massacre by feigning death.
