VO Book 1 Flashcards
groan under the weight of something
(formal) used to say that there is too much of something
ex) Companies like Ford and General Motors groan under the weight of their history, manifested in the legacy costs that are a result of decades of promises to support workers and provide them with health care in their old age.
manifest verb
BrE /ˈmænɪfest/ ; NAmE /ˈmænɪfest/ (formal)
1) manifest something (in something) to show something clearly, especially a feeling, an attitude or a quality
synonym demonstrate
ex) His hidden frustration was clearly manifested in his recent journal.
Social tensions were manifested in the recent political crisis.
legacy costs
The costs involved with a company paying increased healthcare fees and other benefit-related costs for its current employees and retired pensioners. It is believed that escalating legacy costs can be a very large contributing factor towards limiting a company’s competitiveness.
Typically, it is the larger, older and more established companies that have problems with spiraling legacy costs, because they have the most pension and healthcare liabilities. In the face of these costs, many companies are taking measures to lower legacy costs as much as possible. One example of this can be seen by the trend of companies changing their employee retirement plans from defined-benefit plans to defined-contribution plans.
ex) Companies like Ford and General Motors groan under the weight of their history, manifested in the legacy costs that are a result of decades of promises to support workers and provide them with health care in their old age.
balloon verb
BrE /bəˈluːn/ ; NAmE /bəˈluːn/
1) [intransitive] balloon (out/up) to suddenly swell out or get bigger
ex) In 1999, General Motors spent $3.6 billion to provide health benefits to 1.2 million workers, retirees and dependents. By 2005 the cost had ballooned to $5.3 billion for 1.1 million.
parts maker noun
a manufacturer producing components for incorporation in assemblies made by another
ex) GM, Ford and the parts maker Delphi have all offered thousands of buyouts as part of efforts to restructure their inefficient manufacturing businesses, trimming payrolls to become more competitive.
buyout noun
BrE /ˈbaɪaʊt/ ; NAmE /ˈbaɪaʊt/
buy out phrasal verb
3) buy out someone’s contract AMERICAN to pay a person or organization the rest of an amount of money that has been promised in a contract so that someone can leave or be forced to leave their job early
ex) GM, Ford and the parts maker Delphi have all offered thousands of buyouts as part of efforts to restructure their inefficient manufacturing businesses, trimming payrolls to become more competitive.
trim verb
BrE /trɪm/ ; NAmE /trɪm/
1) trim something to make something neater, smaller, better, etc., by cutting parts from it
ex) GM, Ford and the parts maker Delphi have all offered thousands of buyouts as part of efforts to restructure their inefficient manufacturing businesses, trimming payrolls to become more competitive.
payroll noun
BrE /ˈpeɪrəʊl/ ; NAmE /ˈpeɪroʊl/
1) a list of people employed by a company showing the amount of money to be paid to each of them
ex) GM, Ford and the parts maker Delphi have all offered thousands of buyouts as part of efforts to restructure their inefficient manufacturing businesses, trimming payrolls to become more competitive.
We have 500 people on the payroll.
2) [usually singular] the total amount paid in wages by a company
The firm is growing fast with a monthly payroll of $1 million.
army noun
BrE /ˈɑːmi/ ; NAmE /ˈɑːrmi/ (pl. armies)
3) [countable + singular or plural verb] a large number of people or things, especially when they are organized in some way or involved in a particular activity
ex) But that means fewer workers supporting armies of retirees, a demographic challenge not unlike the one facing the Social Security system.
not unlike
similar to; a clumsy, noncommittal way of expressing simple similarity
ex) But that means fewer workers supporting armies of retirees, a demographic challenge not unlike the one facing the Social Security system.
She was led into an office not unlike the one she had just left.
Well, yes, I guess it would be fair to say that Bush’s appropriation of power for the executive is not unlike the administration of Hitler’s Germany, but that misses the point.
He looks not unlike Elijah Wood.
concession noun
BrE /kənˈseʃn/ ; NAmE /kənˈseʃn/
1) [countable, uncountable] something that you allow or do, or allow somebody to have, in order to end an argument or to make a situation less difficult
ex) The United Automobile Workers union has already made concessions on the superior health insurance its members receive.
The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike.
to win a concession from somebody
a major/an important concession
She made no concession to his age; she expected him to work as hard as she did.
slash verb
BrE /slæʃ/ ; NAmE /slæʃ/
2) [often passive] slash something (informal) (often used in newspapers) to reduce something by a large amount
ex) But slashing benefits is a short-term approach, and an insufficient answer when GM lost $10.6 billion in 2005.
insufficient adjective
BrE /ˌɪnsəˈfɪʃnt/ ; NAmE /ˌɪnsəˈfɪʃnt/
insufficient (to do something) | insufficient (for something) (formal) not large, strong or important enough for a particular purpose
synonym inadequate
opposite sufficient
ex) But slashing benefits is a short-term approach, and an insufficient answer when GM lost $10.6 billion in 2005.
insufficient time
His salary is insufficient to meet his needs.
The management paid insufficient attention to working conditions.
There are fears that the existing flood barrier may prove insufficient.
I’m afraid we have insufficient evidence.
lose verb
BrE /luːz/ ; NAmE /luːz/
- red ink noun
** black ink noun
10) [TRANSITIVE] to make less money than you spend or invest
ex) But slashing benefits is a short-term approach, and an insufficient answer when GM lost $10.6 billion in 2005.
The company lost more than £5 million last year.
- a situation in which a company is losing a lot of money
ex) The line between profitability and red ink in a bookstore is so thin that even the little decisions are important.
The parent company has been falling apart for several months, bleeding red ink, and losing clients.
The boom a decade ago has now given way to a sea of red ink.
** profit or break-even; opposite of red ink (loss)
- Medicare
** Medicaid
- In the United States, Medicare is a national social insurance program, administered by the U.S. federal government since 1966, currently using about 30 private insurance companies across the United States. Medicare provides health insurance for Americans aged 65 and older who have worked and paid into the system. It also provides health insurance to younger people with disabilities, end stage renal disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
** Medicaid in the United States is a social health care program for families and individuals with low income and limited resources. The Health Insurance Association of America describes Medicaid as a “government insurance program for persons of all ages whose income and resources are insufficient to pay for health care”. Medicaid is the largest source of funding for medical and health-related services for people with low income in the United States. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the state and federal governments and managed by the states, with each state currently having broad leeway to determine who is eligible for its implementation of the program. States are not required to participate in the program, although all currently do.[when?] Medicaid recipients must be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents, and may include low-income adults, their children, and people with certain disabilities. Poverty alone does not necessarily qualify someone for Medicaid.
hammer out something
1) to discuss a plan, an idea, etc. until everyone agrees or a decision is made
ex) In an ideal world, America would joint the overwhelming majority of developed countries and hammer out some kind of national health care system.
to hammer out a compromise
failing preposition
BrE /ˈfeɪlɪŋ/ ; NAmE /ˈfeɪlɪŋ/
used to introduce a suggestion that could be considered if the one just mentioned is not possible; if that is not possible
ex) Failing such a sudden and unlikely onset of sanity, creative solutions are needed.
Ask a friend to recommend a doctor or, failing that, ask for a list in your local library.
Buy her some flowers, or failing that, just send her a card.
Appointments are available on the 2nd and the 6th of this month but failing either of those, we could fit you in on the 15th.
strike a bargain/deal
to make an agreement with somebody in which both sides have an advantage
ex) Senator Barack Obama has proposed striking a bargain with American automakers to help them with retiree health care costs in exchange for higher fuel efficiency standards.
mileage noun
(also milage)
BrE /ˈmaɪlɪdʒ/ ; NAmE /ˈmaɪlɪdʒ/
2) [uncountable, countable] the number of miles that a vehicle can travel using a particular amount of fuel
synonym fuel efficiency/economy
ex) Senator Barack Obama has proposed striking a bargain with American automakers to help them with retiree health care costs in exchange for higher fuel efficiency standards.
If you drive carefully you can get better mileage from your car.
This car has great mileage.
bully verb
BrE /ˈbʊli/ ; NAmE /ˈbʊli/
to frighten or hurt a weaker person; to use your strength or power to make somebody do something
ex) Cyberbullying is an imprecise label for online activities ranging from barrages of teasing texts to sexually harassing group sites.
imprecise adjective
BrE /ˌɪmprɪˈsaɪs/ ; NAmE /ˌɪmprɪˈsaɪs/
not giving exact details or making something clear
synonym inaccurate
opposite precise
ex) Cyberbullying is an imprecise label for online activities ranging from barrages of teasing texts to sexually harassing group sites.
The witness’s descriptions were too imprecise to be of any real value.
barrage noun
BrE /ˈbærɑːʒ/ ; NAmE /bəˈrɑːʒ/
2) [singular] barrage (of something) a large number of something, such as questions or comments, that are directed at somebody very quickly, one after the other, often in an aggressive way
ex) Cyberbullying is an imprecise label for online activities ranging from barrages of teasing texts to sexually harassing group sites.
a barrage of questions/criticisms/complaints
the media’s barrage of attacks on the President’s wife
harass verb
BrE /ˈhærəs/ ; NAmE /ˈhærəs/ ; BrE /həˈræs/ ; NAmE /həˈræs/
- molest verb
BrE /məˈlest/ ; NAmE /məˈlest/
** assault verb
BrE /əˈsɔːlt/ ; NAmE /əˈsɔːlt/
1) [often passive] harass somebody to annoy or worry somebody by putting pressure on them or saying or doing unpleasant things to them
ex) Cyberbullying is an imprecise label for online activities ranging from barrages of teasing texts to sexually harassing group sites.
He has complained of being harassed by the police.
- 1) molest somebody to attack somebody, especially a child, sexually
synonym abuse
** 1) assault somebody to attack somebody violently, especially when this is a crime
ex) He has been charged with assaulting a police officer.
Four women have been sexually assaulted in the area recently.
He admitted indecently assaulting the child.
Many healthcare workers say they have been physically assaulted by patients.
quantify verb
BrE /ˈkwɒntɪfaɪ/ ; NAmE /ˈkwɑːntɪfaɪ/
quantify something to describe or express something as an amount or a number
ex) The extent of the phenomenon is hard to quantify.
The risks to health are impossible to quantify.
wilful adjective(especially British English)
(usually North American English willful)
BrE /ˈwɪlfl/ ; NAmE /ˈwɪlfl/ (disapproving)
1) [usually before noun] (formal, disapproving or law) (of a bad or harmful action) done deliberately, although the person doing it knows that it is wrong
ex) But one 2010 study by the Cyberbullying Research Center, an organization founded by two criminologists who defined bullying as “willful and repeated harm” inflicted through phones and computers, said one in five middle-school students had been affected.
inflict verb
BrE /ɪnˈflɪkt/ ; NAmE /ɪnˈflɪkt/
to make somebody/something suffer something unpleasant
ex) Even if your intention was good, such behaviors inflict pain and suffering on those who are on the receiving end of them.
They inflicted a humiliating defeat on the home team.
Heavy casualties were inflicted on the enemy.
(humorous) Do you have to inflict that music on us?
They surveyed the damage inflicted by the storm.
The rodent’s sharp teeth can inflict a nasty bite.
When someone deliberately inflicts damage, it is a matter for the police.
morph verb
BrE /mɔːf/ ; NAmE /mɔːrf/
- metamorphosis noun
BrE /ˌmetəˈmɔːfəsɪs/ ; NAmE /ˌmetəˈmɔːrfəsɪs/ (pl. metamorphoses BrE /ˌmetəˈmɔːfəsiːz/ ; NAmE /metəˈmɔːrfəsiːz/ )countable, uncountable
2) [intransitive, transitive] morph (somebody/something) (into somebody/something) to change, or make somebody/something change, into something different
ex) The initial awe he felt at the man morphed into affection and then love.
* a process in which somebody/something changes completely into something different 변형, 변태
synonym transformation
ex) the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly
She had undergone an amazing metamorphosis from awkward schoolgirl to beautiful woman.
amorphous adjective
BrE /əˈmɔːfəs/ ; NAmE /əˈmɔːrfəs/ usually before noun
having no definite shape, form or structure
synonym shapeless
ex) Its amorphous nature and the rapidly changing technological landscape have made it difficult for schools and even the courts to address the cyberbullying.
landscape noun
BrE /ˈlændskeɪp/ ; NAmE /ˈlændskeɪp/
2) [SINGULAR] the main features of a situation or activity
ex) Its amorphous nature and the rapidly changing technological landscape have made it difficult for schools and even the courts to address the cyberbullying.
atheist noun
BrE /ˈeɪθiɪst/ ; NAmE /ˈeɪθiɪst/
- agnostic noun
BrE /æɡˈnɒstɪk/ ; NAmE /æɡˈnɑːstɪk/
a person who believes that God does not exist 무신론자
- a person who believes that it is not possible to know whether God exists or not 불가지론자
attorney general noun
BrE /əˌtɜːni ˈdʒenrəl/ ; NAmE /əˌtɜːrni ˈdʒenrəl/ (pl. attorneys general, attorney generals)
1) the most senior legal officer in some countries or states, for example the UK or Canada, who advises the government or head of state on legal matters 법무상
2) the Attorney General the head of the US Department of Justice and a member of the President’s cabinet (= a group of senior politicians who advise the President) 법무장관 (federal level)
attorney general 검찰총장 (state level)
ex) Juicy Campus, a college gossip site, caused so much grief that some colleges blocked it, and some state attorneys general began consumer-protection investigations.
shut something↔down
to stop a factory, shop/store, etc. from opening for business; to stop a machine from working
ex) The site shut down last year.
The computer system will be shut down over the weekend.
intimate adjective
BrE /ˈɪntɪmət/ ; NAmE /ˈɪntɪmət/
4) formal an intimate relationship is a very close personal relationship, especially a sexual one; relating to sex or to a sexual relationship
ex) In September 2010, a freshman at Rutgers University died in an apparent suicide after his roommate secretly filmed him in an intimate encounter and then streamed the video over the Internet.
intimate contact
stream verb
BrE /striːm/ ; NAmE /striːm/
5) [transitive] stream something (computing) to play video or sound on a computer by receiving it as a continuous stream, from the Internet for example, rather than needing to wait until the whole of the material has been downloaded
ex) In September 2010, a freshman at Rutgers University died in an apparent suicide after his roommate secretly filmed him in an intimate encounter and then streamed the video over the Internet.
You can stream the song for a single listen.
The programme was streamed on the Web 24 hours a day.
invasion of privacy
offensive or unjustifiable access obtained to someone’s personality or personal affairs without his or her permission and/or knowledge
ex) His roommate and another classmate were charged with two counts of invasion of privacy for using “the camera to view and transmit a live image.”
kick off something
to start a discussion, a meeting, an event, etc.
synonym open
ex) The news of the death came on the same day that Rutgers kicked off a two-year, campuswide project to teach the importance of civility, with special attention to the use and abuse of new technology.
peer verb
BrE /pɪə(r)/ ; NAmE /pɪr/
[intransitive] (+ adv./prep.) to look closely or carefully at something, especially when you cannot see it clearly
ex) Now scientists are peering into the brains of alcoholics for clues about the price of excess on thinking, balance, and motor capacity.
deficiency noun
BrE /dɪˈfɪʃnsi/ ; NAmE /dɪˈfɪʃnsi/ (pl. deficiencies)(formal)
1) [uncountable, countable] deficiency (in/of something) the state of not having, or not having enough of, something that is essential
synonym shortage
ex) Two new studies detected deficiencies in the gray and white matter and cerebrospinal fluid of alcoholic subjects.
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a clear, colorless body fluid found in the brain and spine. It is produced in the choroid plexuses of the ventricles of the brain. It acts as a cushion or buffer for the brain’s cortex, providing basic mechanical and immunological protection to the brain inside the skull. 뇌척수액
ex) Two new studies detected deficiencies in the gray and white matter and cerebrospinal fluid of alcoholic subjects.
gray and white matter
- myelin noun
BrE /ˈmaɪəlɪn/ ; NAmE /ˈmaɪəlɪn/ uncountable
Grey matter is where cell bodies of neurons reside in the brain and spinal cord, and white matter is the myelinated axons (유수 축색) that connect it.
- a mixture of proteins and fats that surrounds many nerve cells, increasing the speed at which they send signals
ex) Two new studies detected deficiencies in the gray and white matter and cerebrospinal fluid of alcoholic subjects.
subject noun
BrE /ˈsʌbdʒɪkt/ ; NAmE /ˈsʌbdʒɪkt/ ; BrE /ˈsʌbdʒekt/ ; NAmE /ˈsʌbdʒekt/
4) a person or thing being used to study something, especially in an experiment
ex) Two new studies detected deficiencies in the gray and white matter and cerebrospinal fluid of alcoholic subjects.
detrimental adjective
BrE /ˌdetrɪˈmentl/ ; NAmE /ˌdetrɪˈmentl/
detrimental (to somebody/something) (formal) harmful
synonym damaging
ex) What’s more, according to NIH (National Institute of Health 미국 국립보건원) researcher Daniel Hommer, the detrimental effects of chronic alcohol abuse are causing organic damage at younger ages than once thought.
Excessive alcohol consumption is detrimental to your marriage life.
effect noun
BrE /ɪˈfekt/ ; NAmE /ɪˈfekt/
1) [countable, uncountable] effect (on somebody/something) a change that somebody/something causes in somebody/something else; a result
ex) What’s more, according to NIH (National Institute of Health) researcher Daniel Hommer, the detrimental effects of chronic alcohol abuse are causing organic damage at younger ages than once thought.
as in
It is often used to give more information and clarify, so to make the meaning clear. An extended version of it could be : “by which I mean”
ex) This includes trouble completing simple problem-solving tasks and impulse control, as in saying no to unwanted sexual advances and yes to keeping commitments at work and home.
He is slow, as in he’s not as fast as his brother.
I like tea, as in I drink it every day.
Democracy, as in the running of the country in which everyone has a vote.
A: Do you like chocolate?
B: Like…as in?
A: As in love.
B: Yeah, sure, I love chocolate!
cerebral cortex
대뇌 피질 The cerebral cortex is the most important part of our brain (at least in the field of psychology) because it is what makes us human. The cerebral cortex (sometimes referred to as called “gray matter”, is actually densely packed neurons. We actually are born with more neurons in our cerebral cortex than we have now, but they are young and inexperienced. As you get older the neurons learn to work together forming what we call neural networks. Let’s go back to when you were a kid and your parents taught you how to wipe your own butt. The first time you wiped it was awkward, you probably wiped poo poo everywhere and had to concentrate really hard. The neurons in your cerebral cortex were firing in the pattern of butt wiping for the first time. Every time you wiped your butt afterward, the neurons practice. Pretty soon those bunch of neurons that fire whenever you have to wipe your butt form a butt wiping team called a neural network. Today you probably do not even have to think when you wipe your tushy because your neural network has formed such a cohesive team- congratulations!!!
Now our cerebral cortex is pretty big and full of wrinkles- these wrinkles are call fissures. If you took out your cerebral cortex and ironed out all of the wrinkles it would be as big as a large pizza from Pizzeria Uno (but probably would not taste as good).
Now the cerebral cortex is divided into two hemispheres- the left and right hemispheres. For the most part the hemispheres exhibit what we call Contralateral control: which means the left hemisphere controls the right side of out body and the right hemisphere controls the left side. In general, right handed people (those with a stronger LEFT hemisphere) seem to be better at logical and sequential tasks. Left handed people (those with a stronger RIGHT hemisphere) are better at spatial and creative tasks.
Between the two hemispheres is a band of nerve fibers called the corpus callosum. The job of the corpus callosum is to help the two hemispheres communicate with each other. In some cases of people with severe epilepsy, the corpus callosum is surgically removed and the seizure activity decreases. However, these people lose the ability of there hemispheres to communicate to each other- they are called split brain patients. They actually have two separate brains inside their head, and one brain has no idea what the other is doing. For example, for most people the ability to see comes from the left hemisphere (which controls the right field of vision). So if a split brain patient sees an elephant in their left visual field they will not be able to say what they see, but they can write it with their right hand (but not left hand)- get it? Through the process of plasticity (which you should already know) most split brain patients will compensate and find ways for the hemispheres to communicate.
ex) “It’s the first time that it’s been shown that the part of the brain that does thinking, the cerebral cortex, is more affected in women alcoholics than men,” says Hommer.
inpatient noun
BrE /ˈɪnpeɪʃnt/ ; NAmE /ˈɪnpeɪʃnt/
- outpatient noun
BrE /ˈaʊtpeɪʃnt/ ; NAmE /ˈaʊtpeɪʃnt/
a person who stays in a hospital while receiving treatment
ex) The 36 alcohol dependent women enrolled in the Hommer study were recruited from an inpatient treatment program in Bethesda, MD., and compared after a minimum of three weeks of abstinence with men and other with no history of alcohol or other drug problems.
* a person who goes to a hospital for treatment but does not stay there
abstinence noun
BrE /ˈæbstɪnəns/ ; NAmE /ˈæbstɪnəns/
Add to my wordlist
[uncountable] abstinence (from something) (formal) the practice of not allowing yourself something, especially food, alcoholic drinks or sex, for moral, religious or health reasons
ex) The 36 alcohol dependent women enrolled in the Hommer study were recruited from an inpatient treatment program in Bethesda, MD., and compared after a minimum of three weeks of abstinence with men and other with no history of alcohol or other drug problems.
withdrawal symptoms noun plural
the unpleasant physical and mental effects that result when you stop doing or taking something, especially a drug, that has become a habit
ex) Each were either binge drinkers or consumed the equivalent of 11-12 drinks a day - enough to experience withdrawal symptoms and blackouts.
take account of something, take something into account
to consider particular facts, circumstances, etc. when making a decision about something
ex) Their brain function was measured by MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), which took account of brain shrinkage and tissue damage to gray and white matter.
relative to
1) compared with
ex) Women are thought to be more sensitive to the effects of alcohol because they are smaller in size and have a lower proportion of body water relative to fat than men.
How did the control group students do relative to the whole class?
2) FORMAL concerning, or in relation to
ex) Questions have been raised relative to your testimony.
metabolize verb
(British English also -ise)
BrE /məˈtæbəlaɪz/ ; NAmE /məˈtæbəlaɪz/
metabolize something (biology) to turn food, minerals, etc. in the body into new cells, energy and waste products by means of chemical processes
ex) They also have lower concentrations of a metabolizing enzyme which helps to break alcohol down.
We metabolize alcohol at different rates.
enzyme noun
BrE /ˈenzaɪm/ ; NAmE /ˈenzaɪm/ (biology)
a substance, produced by all living things, which helps a chemical change happen or happen more quickly, without being changed itself
ex) They also have lower concentrations of a metabolizing enzyme which helps to break alcohol down.
Enzymes are essential to the body’s functioning.
inebriated adjective
BrE /ɪˈniːbrieɪtɪd/ ; NAmE /ɪˈniːbrieɪtɪd/ (formal or humorous)
drunk
ex) As a result, they become inebriated more easily.
sobriety noun
BrE /səˈbraɪəti/ ; NAmE /səˈbraɪəti/ uncountable
- sobriety test / breathalyzer test
1) the state of being sober (= not being drunk)
opposite insobriety
ex) Scientists believe that more studies on alcoholic women are needed after short and long periods of sobriety to determine the effects of alcohol on thinking ability, motor skills, and balance - and whether the effects are reversible.
* breathalyzer (breathalyser) a piece of equipment used by the police for checking how much alcohol a driver has drunk. The driver blows into a special bag that measures the amount of alcohol in their breath.
impaired adjective
BrE /ɪmˈpeəd/ ; NAmE /ɪmˈperd/
1) damaged or not functioning normally
ex) “In alcoholic men, even when sober, they still have impaired balance, which has implications for broken hips in older age and other potentially life-threatening health problems such as a decline in mental abilities,” says Edith Sullivan, associate professor of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University and an investigator in an alcohol-related study at Stanford Research Institute.
impaired vision/memory
2) -impaired having the type of physical or mental problem mentioned
ex) hearing-impaired children
Nowadays we say someone is ‘speech-impaired’, not dumb.
the problems faced by people who are visually/hearing impaired
prompt verb
BrE /prɒmpt/ ; NAmE /prɑːmpt/
1) [transitive] to make somebody decide to do something; to cause something to happen
synonym provoke
ex) Hommer thinks his study should prompt researchers to look to other forms of treatment for women who may have alcohol-induced brain damage.
She turned down his offer to drive her home, prompting a burst of tantrums from him.
The discovery of the bomb prompted an increase in security.
His speech prompted an angry outburst from a man in the crowd.
The thought of her daughter’s wedding day prompted her to lose some weight.
look to someone
to hope or expect to get help, advice etc from someone
ex) Hommer thinks his study should prompt researchers to look to other forms of treatment for women who may have alcohol-induced brain damage.
With nowhere else to turn to, the students looked to the notorious English-learning center called WS.
As young children, we looked to our parents for guidance.
They’re looking to me to help improve sales figures.
induce verb
BrE /ɪnˈdjuːs/ ; NAmE /ɪnˈduːs/
2) induce something (formal) to cause something
ex) Hommer thinks his study should prompt researchers to look to other forms of treatment for women who may have alcohol-induced brain damage.
drugs which induce sleep
a drug-induced coma
track record noun
all the past achievements, successes or failures of a person or an organization
ex) “Women alcoholics do not have a good track record of recovery,” he says.
The hermit kingdom has a terrible track record in respecting human rights of its people.
He has a proven track record in marketing.
wreak havoc/destruction
MAINLY JOURNALISM (formal) to cause very great harm or damage
ex) Alcohol can wreak havoc on the brain: everything from self-control to loss of inhibitions.
These policies would wreak havoc on the economy.
Smoking wreaks havoc on your lungs.
inhibition noun
BrE /ˌɪnhɪˈbɪʃn/ ; NAmE /ˌɪnhɪˈbɪʃn/ ; BrE /ˌɪnɪˈbɪʃn/ ; NAmE /ˌɪnɪˈbɪʃn/
1) [countable, uncountable] a shy or nervous feeling that stops you from expressing your real thoughts or feelings
2) [uncountable] (formal) the act of restricting or preventing a process or an action
ex) Alcohol can wreak havoc on the brain: everything from self-control to loss of inhibitions.
ghastly adjective
BrE /ˈɡɑːstli/ ; NAmE /ˈɡæstli/ (ghastlier, ghastliest)
1) (of an event) very frightening and unpleasant, because it involves pain, death, etc.
synonym horrible
3) (informal) (of a person or thing) that you find unpleasant and dislike very much
synonym horrible
ex) It is worth encouraging the signs of economic opening in the world’s ghastliest regime.
not least
especially; particularly
ex) Not least, the callow Kim Jong Un has confounded Pyongyang-watchers who had predicted that he would slavishly follow his late father’s recipe for keeping an iron grip on power.
George is an excellent manager, not least because he is genuinely willing to listen.
Not least among our difficulties is our lack of funding.
The documentary caused a lot of bad feeling, not least among the workers whose lives it described.
seep verb
BrE /siːp/ ; NAmE /siːp/
[intransitive] + adv./prep. (especially of liquids) to flow slowly and in small quantities through something or into something
synonym trickle
ex) Tantalising hints of change have seeped out of North Korea in recent weeks.
Blood was beginning to seep through the bandages.
Water seeped from a crack in the pipe.
(figurative) Gradually the pain seeped away.
callow adjective
BrE /ˈkæləʊ/ ; NAmE /ˈkæloʊ/ (formal, disapproving) [callower-callowest]
young and without experience
synonym inexperienced
ex) Not least, the callow Kim Jong Un has confounded Pyongyang-watchers who had predicted that he would slavishly follow his late father’s recipe for keeping an iron grip on power.
a callow youth
confound verb
BrE /kənˈfaʊnd/ ; NAmE /kənˈfaʊnd/ (formal)
1) confound somebody to confuse and surprise somebody
synonym baffle
ex) Not least, the callow Kim Jong Un has confounded Pyongyang-watchers who had predicted that he would slavishly follow his late father’s recipe for keeping an iron grip on power.
The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists.
watcher noun
BrE /ˈwɒtʃə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈwɑːtʃər/
- observer noun
BrE /əbˈzɜːvə(r)/ ; NAmE /əbˈzɜːrvər/
(often in compounds) a person who watches and studies somebody/something regularly
ex) Not least, the callow Kim Jong Un has confounded Pyongyang-watchers who had predicted that he would slavishly follow his late father’s recipe for keeping an iron grip on power.
an industry/a market watcher
- a person who watches and studies particular events, situations, etc. and is therefore considered to be an expert on them
ex) a royal observer
slavishly adverb
BrE /ˈsleɪvɪʃli/ ; NAmE /ˈsleɪvɪʃli/ (disapproving)
in a way that follows or copies somebody/something exactly without having any original thought at all
ex) Not least, the callow Kim Jong Un has confounded Pyongyang-watchers who had predicted that he would slavishly follow his late father’s recipe for keeping an iron grip on power.
keep a tight grip/rein/hold on something
to control something in a very strict way
ex) Not least, the callow Kim Jong Un has confounded Pyongyang-watchers who had predicted that he would slavishly follow his late father’s recipe for keeping an iron grip on power.
The company needs to keep a tight hold on costs this month.
racket noun
BrE /ˈrækɪt/ ; NAmE /ˈrækɪt/
- racketeering noun
BrE /ˌrækəˈtɪərɪŋ/ ; NAmE /ˌrækəˈtɪrɪŋ/ uncountable
2) [countable] (informal) a dishonest or illegal way of getting money
ex) The late Kim ran the state as a mafia racket, earning hard currency from drugs, counterfeiting and illicit-arms sales while using his nuclear-weapons programme to blackmail the rest of the world for aid.
a protection/extortion/drugs, etc. racket
- the activity of making money through dishonest or illegal activities
ex) He was charged with fraud and racketeering.
hard currency noun
BrE ; NAmE [uncountable, countable]
money that is easy to exchange for money from another country, because it is not likely to lose its value 경화
ex) The late Kim ran the state as a mafia racket, earning hard currency from drugs, counterfeiting and illicit-arms sales while using his nuclear-weapons programme to blackmail the rest of the world for aid.
The hotel insisted that we pay in hard currency.
Trade was halted because of a hard currency shortage on the island.
counterfeit noun
BrE /ˈkaʊntəfɪt/ ; NAmE /ˈkaʊntərfɪt/ (formal)
- fake noun
BrE /feɪk/ ; NAmE /feɪk/
** forge verb
BrE /fɔːdʒ/ ; NAmE /fɔːrdʒ/
an object that is not genuine, but has been made to look as if it is, in order to trick people into thinking that they are getting the real thing
ex) The late Kim ran the state as a mafia racket, earning hard currency from drugs, counterfeiting and illicit-arms sales while using his nuclear-weapons programme to blackmail the rest of the world for aid.
Despite the introduction of a security shield on the new £10 stamp, counterfeits are costing the postal service millions of pounds a year.
compare forgery
- 1) [transitive] fake something to make something false appear to be genuine, especially in order to cheat somebody
She faked her mother’s signature on the document.
He arranged the accident in order to fake his own death.
** 2) [transitive] forge something to make an illegal copy of something in order to cheat people
ex) to forge a passport/banknote/cheque
He’s getting good at forging his mother’s signature.
New digital techniques can spot paintings that have been forged.
blackmail verb
BrE /ˈblækmeɪl/ ; NAmE /ˈblækmeɪl/
to force somebody to give you money or do something for you by threatening them, for example by saying you will tell people a secret about them
ex) The late Kim ran the state as a mafia racket, earning hard currency from drugs, counterfeiting and illicit-arms sales while using his nuclear-weapons programme to blackmail the rest of the world for aid.
She blackmailed him for years by threatening to tell the newspapers about their affair.
The President said he wouldn’t be blackmailed into agreeing to the terrorists’ demands.
divert verb
BrE /daɪˈvɜːt/ ; NAmE /daɪˈvɜːrt/
divert somebody/something (from something) (to something)
2) divert something to use money, materials, etc. for a different purpose from their original purpose
ex) He diverted lavish resources to the army and to a tiny elite, and he ground nearly everyone else under his platform heel, dispatching perceived enemies to his prison camps in their hundreds of thousands.
dispatch verb
(British English also despatch)
BrE /dɪˈspætʃ/ ; NAmE /dɪˈspætʃ/
1) dispatch somebody/something (to…) (formal) to send somebody/something somewhere, especially for a special purpose
ex) He diverted lavish resources to the army and to a tiny elite, and he ground nearly everyone else under his platform heel, dispatching perceived enemies to his prison camps in their hundreds of thousands.
Troops have been dispatched to the area.
A courier was dispatched to collect the documents.
perceive verb
BrE /pəˈsiːv/ ; NAmE /pərˈsːv/ (formal)
Verb
2) to understand or think of somebody/something in a particular way
synonym see
ex) He diverted lavish resources to the army and to a tiny elite, and he ground nearly everyone else under his platform heel, dispatching perceived enemies to his prison camps in their hundreds of thousands.
This discovery was perceived as a major breakthrough.
She did not perceive herself as disabled.
A science degree and artistic interests are often perceived as incompatible.
They were widely perceived to have been unlucky.
prison camp noun
- concentration camp noun
** internment noun
BrE /ɪnˈtɜːnmənt/ ; NAmE /ɪnˈtɜːrnmənt/ [uncountable]
*** Gulag noun
/ˈɡulɑɡ/
a guarded camp where prisoners, especially prisoners of war or political prisoners, are kept
ex) He diverted lavish resources to the army and to a tiny elite, and he ground nearly everyone else under his platform heel, dispatching perceived enemies to his prison camps in their hundreds of thousands.
* a type of prison, often consisting of a number of buildings inside a fence, where political prisoners, etc. are kept in extremely bad conditions
ex) a Nazi concentration camp
** the act of putting somebody in prison during a war or for political reasons, although they have not been charged with a crime
ex) the internment of suspected terrorists
internment camps
*** 1) a system of prison labor camps in the Soviet Union from 1930 to 1955, where many people died
2) gulag any political labor camp
ex) Most obviously the gulag remains; so do the shoot-to-kill orders for North Koreans fleeing to China.
in preposition
BrE /ɪn/ ; NAmE /ɪn/
18) used to show a rate or relative amount
ex) He diverted lavish resources to the army and to a tiny elite, and he ground nearly everyone else under his platform heel, dispatching perceived enemies to his prison camps in their hundreds of thousands.
a gradient of one in five
a tax rate of 22 pence in the pound
paranoid adjective
BrE /ˈpærənɔɪd/ ; NAmE /ˈpærənɔɪd/
(less frequent paranoiac BrE /ˌpærəˈnɔɪɪk/ ; NAmE /ˌpærəˈnɔɪɪk/ ; BrE /ˌpærəˈnɔɪæk/ ; NAmE /ˌpærəˈnɔɪæk/ )
1) afraid or suspicious of other people and believing that they are trying to harm you, in a way that is not reasonable
ex) In tone, the young Mr. Kim has quickly signalled change from his father’s paranoid rule, and with unexpected verve.
She’s getting really paranoid about what other people say about her.
verve noun
BrE /vɜːv/ ; NAmE /vɜːrv/ [uncountable, singular]
energy, excitement or enthusiasm
synonym gusto
ex) In tone, the young Mr. Kim has quickly signalled change from his father’s paranoid rule, and with unexpected verve.
hardliner noun
BrE /ˌhɑːd ˈlaɪnə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˌhɑːrd ˈlaɪnər/
a person who has very fixed beliefs and who is unlikely or unwilling to change them
ex) Last month he fired the army’s senior general, a hardliner while a civilian was hastily promoted.
a Republican hardliner
reading noun
BrE /ˈriːdɪŋ/ ; NAmE /ˈriːdɪŋ/
4) [countable] reading (of something) the particular way in which you understand a book, situation, etc.
synonym interpretation
ex) One reading is that Mr. Kim is retreating from his father’s “military-first” stance.
retreat verb
BrE /rɪˈtriːt/ ; NAmE /rɪˈtriːt/
3) [intransitive] + adv./prep. to change your mind about something because of criticism or because a situation has become too difficult
synonym back off (from something)
ex) One reading is that Mr. Kim is retreating from his father’s “military-first” stance.
The government had retreated from its pledge to reduce class sizes.
He told them not to retreat in the face of opposition from the public.
consort noun
BrE /ˈkɒnsɔːt/ ; NAmE /ˈkɑːnsɔːrt/
1) the husband or wife of a ruler
ex) Where Kim Jong Il’s consorts were kept out of sight, a stylish young woman has recently appeared by the Great Successor’s side.
the Prince Consort (= the queen’s husband)
grace verb
BrE /ɡreɪs/ ; NAmE /ɡreɪs/ (formal)
2) (usually ironic) to bring honour to somebody/something; to be kind enough to attend or take part in something
ex) Last month the couple graced the front row of a debut concert for the all-girl Moranbong Band, whose miniskirts, Disney cameos and foreign tunes (“My Way”) all broke new ground, for North Korea if nowhere else.
She is one of the finest players ever to have graced the game.
The occasion was graced by the presence of Lord and Lady Thomson.
Will you be gracing us with your presence tonight?
tune noun
BrE /tjuːn/ ; NAmE /tuːn/
a song or piece of music
ex) Last month the couple graced the front row of a debut concert for the all-girl Moranbong Band, whose miniskirts, Disney cameos and foreign tunes (“My Way”) all broke new ground, for North Korea if nowhere else.
a Russian folk tune
the station that plays all your favourite tunes
break new ground
to make a new discovery or do something that has not been done before
ex) Last month the couple graced the front row of a debut concert for the all-girl Moranbong Band, whose miniskirts, Disney cameos and foreign tunes (“My Way”) all broke new ground, for North Korea if nowhere else.
if nowhere else
다른 곳에선 아닐 지 몰라도….
ex) Last month the couple graced the front row of a debut concert for the all-girl Moranbong Band, whose miniskirts, Disney cameos and foreign tunes (“My Way”) all broke new ground, for North Korea if nowhere else.
dub verb
BrE /dʌb/ ; NAmE /dʌb/
2) dub something (into something) to replace the original speech in a film/movie or television programme with words in another language
ex) In public speeches (Kim Jong Il’s were dubbed over by emotional commentary), Mr. Kim says the years of belt-tightening are over.
belt-tightening noun
[uncountable]
- belt-tightening adjective
[only before noun]
changes that are made in order to spend less money
ex) In public speeches (Kim Jong Il’s were dubbed over by emotional commentary), Mr. Kim says the years of belt-tightening are over.
* ex) belt-tightening measures
heir apparent noun
BrE ; NAmE (pl. heirs apparent)
heir apparent (to something)
1) an heir whose right to a rank or title cannot be taken away if another heir is born
2) the person who is most likely to follow another person in a job or position
amount to something
1) to have the same effect as something else
ex) Does this amount to much? The question matters because if the young Kim really is his country’s Gorbachev, then the West should seize every opportunity to help him go further.
This refusal to join the Cabinet amounts to treason in the eyes of many.
charade noun
BrE /ʃəˈrɑːd/ ; NAmE /ʃəˈreɪd/
1) [countable] a situation in which people pretend that something is true when it clearly is not
synonym pretence/pretense
ex) If it is merely another charade, then more pressure needed to be applied to the world’s ugliest regime.
Their whole marriage had been a charade—they had never loved each other.
pressure noun
BrE /ˈpreʃə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈpreʃər/
1) [uncountable] the force or weight with which something presses against something else
ex) If it is merely another charade, then more pressure needed to be applied to the world’s ugliest regime.
The nurse applied pressure to his arm to stop the bleeding.
The barriers gave way under the pressure of the crowd.
fit the mould/mold | be from the same mould/mold
to be similar to other people or things or to what is usual
ex) The politics has changed in tone, but it still fits the Kim mould.
He didn’t exactly fit the mould of a typical headteacher.
shoot-to-kill adjective
of or relating to shooting by soldiers or police that is intended to kill rather than disable
ex) Most obviously the gulag remains; so do the shoot-to-kill orders for North Koreans fleeing to China.
a shoot-to-kill policy when a suicide attack is deemed to be imminent
fair noun
BrE /feə(r)/ ; NAmE /fer/
1) (British English also funfair) (North American English also carnival) a type of entertainment in a field or park at which people can ride on large machines and play games to win prizes
ex) And all those smiles and visits to kindergartens and funfairs also fit a pattern - not of the father but the grandfather.
Let’s take the kids to the fair.
all the fun of the fair
depict verb
BrE /dɪˈpɪkt/ ; NAmE /dɪˈpɪkt/ (rather formal)
2) to describe something in words, or give an impression of something in words or with a picture
ex) Kim Il Sung, the dynasty’s brutal founder, had himself depicted in his propaganda as the country’s parent-in-chief, tucking children into bed.
commander-in-chief noun
BrE ; NAmE
(abbreviation C.-in-C.)
(pl. commanders-in-chief)
the officer who commands all the armed forces of a country or all its forces in a particular area 최고 사령관, 총 사령관
ex) Kim Il Sung, the dynasty’s brutal founder, had himself depicted in his propaganda as the country’s parent-in-chief, tucking children into bed.
commander-in-chief of the armed forces
tuck verb
BrE /tʌk/ ; NAmE /tʌk/
3) tuck something + adv./prep. to cover somebody with something so that they are warm and comfortable
ex) Kim Il Sung, the dynasty’s brutal founder, had himself depicted in his propaganda as the country’s parent-in-chief, tucking children into bed.
She tucked a blanket around his legs.
infantilism noun
BrE /ɪnˈfæntɪlɪzəm/ ; NAmE /ɪnˈfæntɪlɪzəm/ [uncountable] (psychology)
the fact of adults continuing to behave like children, in a way that is not normal 유아증
ex) The imagery of state-sponsored infantilism persists: North Koreans are a pure, innocent race historically abused by outside powers - Japan, America and even China.
persist verb
BrE /pəˈsɪst/ ; NAmE /pərˈsɪst/
2) [intransitive] to continue to exist
ex) The imagery of state-sponsored infantilism persists: North Koreans are a pure, innocent race historically abused by outside powers - Japan, America and even China.
The belief that the earth was flat persisted for many centuries.
If the symptoms persist, consult your doctor.
uncannily adverb
BrE /ʌnˈkænɪli/ ; NAmE /ʌnˈkænɪli/
in a way that seems strange and is difficult to explain
synonym weirdly
ex) Kim Jong Un even looks uncannily like his grandfather.
He looked uncannily like someone I knew.
vie verb
BrE /vaɪ/ ; NAmE /vaɪ/ intransitive
present simple I / you / we / they vie BrE /vaɪ/ ; NAmE /vaɪ/
he / she / it vies BrE /vaɪz/ ; NAmE /vaɪz/
past simple vied BrE /vaɪd/ ; NAmE /vaɪd/
past participle vied BrE /vaɪd/ ; NAmE /vaɪd/
-ing form vying BrE /ˈvaɪɪŋ/ ; NAmE /ˈvaɪɪŋ/
to compete strongly with somebody in order to obtain or achieve something
synonym compete
ex) The fact that North Koreans were so much better off in the cold-war days (when China and the Soviet Union vied to provide aid) sadly reinforces the nostalgia: the people in Mr. Kim’s broken country earn less, eat less and use less electricity than they did 25 years ago.
She was surrounded by men all vying for her attention.
The boys would vie with each other to impress her.
They are all vying for a place in the team.
a row of restaurants vying with each other for business
Screaming fans vied to get closer to their idol.
monolithic adjective
BrE /ˌmɒnəˈlɪθɪk/ ; NAmE /ˌmɑːnəˈlɪθɪk/
2) (often disapproving) used to describe single, very large organizations, etc. that are very slow to change and not interested in individual people
ex) The economy appears to be becoming both more open (though not yet to South Korea) and less monolithic.
the monolithic structure of the state
come to nothing/naught/nought, not come to anything
to be unsuccessful; to have no successful result
ex) In the past, economic reform has come to nothing.
Years of efforts to bring North Korea closer to the South have come to naught.
How sad that all his hard work should come to nothing.
Her plans didn’t come to anything.
rationing noun
BrE /ˈræʃənɪŋ/ ; NAmE /ˈræʃənɪŋ/ [uncountable]
- ration verb
BrE /ˈræʃn/ ; NAmE /ˈræʃn/
the policy of limiting the amount of food, fuel, etc. that people are allowed to have when there is not enough for everyone to have as much as they want
ex) A decade ago, after the famine, price controls and rationing were scrapped, mainly because nothing was left to ration.
The government may have to introduce water rationing.
wartime rationing (= introduced during a war)
credit rationing (= limiting the amount of money that people are allowed to borrow)
The government introduced meat rationing in May.
- [often passive] to limit the amount of something that somebody is allowed to have, especially because there is not enough of it available
ex) ration something Eggs were rationed during the war.
These foods had to be strictly rationed.
The villagers are rationed to two litres of water a day.
scrap verb
BrE /skræp/ ; NAmE /skræp/
1) [transitive, often passive] scrap something to cancel or get rid of something that is no longer practical or useful
ex) A decade ago, after the famine, price controls and rationing were scrapped, mainly because nothing was left to ration.
confiscation noun
BrE /ˌkɒnfɪˈskeɪʃn/ ; NAmE /ˌkɑːnfɪˈskeɪʃn/ [uncountable, countable]
the act of officially taking something away from somebody, especially as a punishment
ex) In 2009 a currency “reform” amounted to a confiscation of hard-won savings, rendering north Koreans even more dependent on the state.
If found guilty of this crime they face heavy fines, confiscation of goods and even imprisonment.
render verb
BrE /ˈrendə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈrendər/
1) render somebody/something + adj. (formal) to cause somebody/something to be in a particular state or condition
synonym make
ex) In 2009 a currency “reform” amounted to a confiscation of hard-won savings, rendering north Koreans even more dependent on the state.
The drug renders you completely powerless.
The introduction of Electra, South Korea’s first all-electric vehicle, rendered all other hybrid models obsolete.
obsolete adjective
BrE /ˈɒbsəliːt/ ; NAmE /ˌɑːbsəˈliːt/
no longer used because something new has been invented
synonym out of date
ex) The introduction of Electra, South Korea’s first all-electric vehicle, rendered all other hybrid models obsolete.
obsolete technology
With technological changes many traditional skills have become obsolete.
trump verb
BrE /trʌmp/ ; NAmE /trʌmp/
2) trump something/somebody to beat something that somebody says or does by saying or doing something even better; to win or to succeed, for example in sports or business, because you have an advantage that your opponent does not have
ex) Violent political control has always trumped all.
Money trumps love.
They were trumped by another firm that made a lower bid.
잃을 게 어딨냐?
But by encouraging trade and teaching North Koreans the very basics of a market economy, what is there to lose?
crony noun
BrE /ˈkrəʊni/ ; NAmE /ˈkroʊni/ usually plural(often disapproving)
a person that somebody spends a lot of time with
ex) A few cronies will get richer. But other North Koreans will be a little less impoverished, and that bit better prepared for the day when the vile Kim dynasty goes.
Crony capitalism
He was playing cards with his cronies.
impoverished adjective
BrE /ɪmˈpɒvərɪʃt/ ; NAmE /ɪmˈpɑːvərɪʃt/
- destitute adjective
BrE /ˈdestɪtjuːt/ ; NAmE /ˈdestɪtuːt/
** live (from) hand to mouth
*** scratch a living
1) very poor; without money
ex) A few cronies will get richer. But other North Koreans will be a little less impoverished, and that bit better prepared for the day when the vile Kim dynasty goes.
impoverished peasants
the impoverished areas of the city
- 1) without money, food and the other things necessary for life
ex) When he died, his family was left completely destitute.
** to have just enough money or food to stay alive
*** to manage to earn only just enough money to live
ex) The farmer somehow managed to scratch a living from the arid land.
prenatal adjective
BrE /ˌpriːˈneɪtl/ ; NAmE /ˌpriːˈneɪtl/ (especially North American English)
(British English also antenatal)
- neonatal adjective
BrE /ˌniːəʊˈneɪtl/ ; NAmE /ˌniːoʊˈneɪtl/ (specialist)
relating to the medical care given to pregnant women 태아기의
ex) New prenatal testing will bring anxiety and dilemmas.
* connected with a child that has just been born 신생아의
ex) the hospital’s neonatal unit
neonatal care
assurance noun
BrE /əˈʃʊərəns/ , /əˈʃɔːrəns/ ; NAmE /əˈʃʊrəns/
1) [countable] a statement that something will certainly be true or will certainly happen, particularly when there has been doubt about it
synonym guarantee, promise
ex) If you could peer into your baby’s medical future, what traits would you most want assurance about?
They called for assurances that the government is committed to its education policy.
Unemployment seems to be rising, despite repeated assurances to the contrary.
genome noun
BrE /ˈdʒiːnəʊm/ ; NAmE /ˈdʒiːnoʊm/ (biology)
the complete set of genes in a cell or living thing 게놈, 유전체
ex) In June, a team at the University of Washington in Seattle announced a new technique that enables the construction of a comprehensive genome sequence - a genetic “blueprint,” as they described it - of the developing fetus from as early as the first trimester.
the human genome
trimester noun
BrE /traɪˈmestə(r)/ ; NAmE /traɪˈmestər/
1) (medical) a period of three months during the time when a woman is pregnant
ex) In June, a team at the University of Washington in Seattle announced a new technique that enables the construction of a comprehensive genome sequence - a genetic “blueprint,” as they described it - of the developing fetus from as early as the first trimester.
2) one of the three periods in the year during which classes are held in schools, universities, etc. (=term)
the spring/summer/autumn/fall term
Many students now have paid employment during term.
(British English) It’s nearly the end of term.
(North American English) the end of the term
isolate verb
BrE /ˈaɪsəleɪt/ ; NAmE /ˈaɪsəleɪt/
3) isolate something (from something) (specialist) to separate a single substance, cell, etc. from others so that you can study it
ex) Both techniques rely on the fact that fetal DNA circulates in the mother’s bloodstream and can be isolated and sequenced.
Researchers are still trying to isolate the gene that causes this abnormality.
saliva noun
BrE /səˈlaɪvə/ ; NAmE /səˈlaɪvə/ [uncountable]
the liquid that is produced in your mouth that helps you to swallow food
ex) The Seattle test needs only a sample of saliva or blood from the father and blood from the mother. After determining the parents’ genomes, it is possible to discern which DNA comes from the fetus. The Stanford test requires only maternal blood.
discern verb
BrE /dɪˈsɜːn/ ; NAmE /dɪˈsɜːrn/ (not used in the progressive tenses)(formal)
1) to know, recognize or understand something, especially something that is not obvious
synonym detect
ex) The Seattle test needs only a sample of saliva or blood from the father and blood from the mother. After determining the parents’ genomes, it is possible to discern which DNA comes from the fetus. The Stanford test requires only maternal blood.
maternal adjective
BrE /məˈtɜːnl/ ; NAmE /məˈtɜːrnl/
- paternal adjective
BrE /pəˈtɜːnl/ ; NAmE /pəˈtɜːrnl/
** fraternal adjective
BrE /frəˈtɜːnl/ ; NAmE /frəˈtɜːrnl/ [usually before noun]
2) connected with being a mother
ex) The Seattle test needs only a sample of saliva or blood from the father and blood from the mother. After determining the parents’ genomes, it is possible to discern which DNA comes from the fetus. The Stanford test requires only maternal blood.
Maternal age affects the baby’s survival rate.
the effects of maternal smoking during pregnancy
- 1) connected with being a father; typical of a kind father
ex) paternal love
He gave me a piece of paternal advice.
Her weakness made him feel very paternal towards her.
** 2) connected with the relationship that exists between brothers
ex) fraternal rivalry
invasive adjective
BrE /ɪnˈveɪsɪv/ ; NAmE /ɪnˈveɪsɪv/ (formal)
- non-invasive adjective
BrE ; NAmE
2) (of medical treatment) involving cutting into the body
invasive surgery
- (of medical treatment) not involving cutting into the body
ex) Both tests are noninvasive, thus avoiding the 2 percent risk of miscarriage posed by today’s most common prenatal genetic tests: amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling.
non-invasive procedures such as ultrasound
Chorionic villus sampling
Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is a prenatal test in which a sample of chorionic villi is removed from the placenta for testing. The sample can be taken through the cervix (transcervical) or the abdominal wall (transabdominal). 융모막 채취 (Chorionic villus: 융모막 융모)
ex) Both tests are noninvasive, thus avoiding the 2 percent risk of miscarriage posed by today’s most common prenatal genetic tests: amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling.
amniocentesis noun
BrE /ˌæmniəʊsenˈtiːsɪs/ ; NAmE /ˌæmnioʊsenˈtiːsɪs/ [uncountable, singular]
- amniotic fluid noun
BrE /ˌæmniɒtɪk ˈfluːɪd/ ; NAmE /ˌæmniɑːtɪk ˈfluːɪd/ [uncountable]
a medical test that involves taking some liquid from a pregnant woman’s womb in order to find out if the baby has particular illnesses or health problems 양수천자, 양수진단
ex) Both tests are noninvasive, thus avoiding the 2 percent risk of miscarriage posed by today’s most common prenatal genetic tests: amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling.
Pregnant women over the age of 35 will be offered (an) amniocentesis.
- the liquid that surrounds a baby inside the mother’s womb 양수
amniotic sac noun
the fluid-filled sac that contains and protects a fetus in the womb.
ex) These require a needle to be inserted into the amniotic sac so that the fetal DNA can be tested for Down’s syndrome and other genetic disorders.
chromosomal adjective
BrE /ˌkrəʊməˈsəʊməl/ ; NAmE /ˌkroʊməˈsoʊməl/
(biology) connected with one or more chromosomes 염색체의
ex) The existing prenatal tests can also spot other chromosomal abnormalities, including cystic fibrosis, trisomy 13, and Turner, Klinefelter, and fragile-X syndromes.
cystic fibrosis noun
BrE /ˌsɪstɪk faɪˈbrəʊsɪs/ ; NAmE /ˌsɪstɪk faɪˈbroʊsɪs/ [uncountable]
a serious medical condition that some people are born with, in which glands in the lungs and other organs do not work correctly. It often leads to infections and can result in early death. 낭포성 섬유증
ex) The existing prenatal tests can also spot other chromosomal abnormalities, including cystic fibrosis, trisomy 13, and Turner, Klinefelter, and fragile-X syndromes.
Trisomy 13 [tráisoumi] (Patau syndrome)
Trisomy 13, also called Patau syndrome, is a chromosomal condition associated with severe intellectual disability and physical abnormalities in many parts of the body. Individuals with trisomy 13 often have heart defects, brain or spinal cord abnormalities, very small or poorly developed eyes (microphthalmia), extra fingers or toes, an opening in the lip (a cleft lip) with or without an opening in the roof of the mouth (a cleft palate), and weak muscle tone (hypotonia). Due to the presence of several life-threatening medical problems, many infants with trisomy 13 die within their first days or weeks of life. Only five percent to 10 percent of children with this condition live past their first year. 3염색체성 13, 13번 3염색체증후군, 파타우증후군
ex) The existing prenatal tests can also spot other chromosomal abnormalities, including cystic fibrosis, trisomy 13, and Turner, Klinefelter, and fragile-X syndromes.
Turner syndrome
Turner syndrome is a chromosomal condition that affects development in females. The most common feature of Turner syndrome is short stature, which becomes evident by about age 5. An early loss of ovarian function (ovarian hypofunction or premature ovarian failure) is also very common. The ovaries develop normally at first, but egg cells (oocytes) usually die prematurely and most ovarian tissue degenerates before birth. Many affected girls do not undergo puberty unless they receive hormone therapy, and most are unable to conceive (infertile). A small percentage of females with Turner syndrome retain normal ovarian function through young adulthood.
About 30 percent of females with Turner syndrome have extra folds of skin on the neck (webbed neck), a low hairline at the back of the neck, puffiness or swelling (lymphedema) of the hands and feet, skeletal abnormalities, or kidney problems. One third to one half of individuals with Turner syndrome are born with a heart defect, such as a narrowing of the large artery leaving the heart (coarctation of the aorta) or abnormalities of the valve that connects the aorta with the heart (the aortic valve). Complications associated with these heart defects can be life-threatening.
Most girls and women with Turner syndrome have normal intelligence. Developmental delays, nonverbal learning disabilities, and behavioral problems are possible, although these characteristics vary among affected individuals. 터너 증후군, (여자의) 성선 발육 장애 증후군
ex) The existing prenatal tests can also spot other chromosomal abnormalities, including cystic fibrosis, trisomy 13, and Turner, Klinefelter, and fragile-X syndromes.
Klinefelter syndrome
Klinefelter syndrome is a chromosomal condition that affects male physical and cognitive development. Its signs and symptoms vary among affected individuals.
Affected individuals typically have small testes that do not produce as much testosterone as usual. Testosterone is the hormone that directs male sexual development before birth and during puberty. A shortage of testosterone can lead to delayed or incomplete puberty, breast enlargement (gynecomastia), reduced facial and body hair, and an inability to have biological children (infertility). Some affected individuals also have genital differences including undescended testes (cryptorchidism), the opening of the urethra on the underside of the penis (hypospadias), or an unusually small penis (micropenis).
Older children and adults with Klinefelter syndrome tend to be taller than their peers. Compared with unaffected men, adults with Klinefelter syndrome have an increased risk of developing breast cancer and a chronic inflammatory disease called systemic lupus erythematosus. Their chance of developing these disorders is similar to that of women in the general population.
Children with Klinefelter syndrome may have learning disabilities and delayed speech and language development. They tend to be quiet, sensitive, and unassertive, but personality characteristics vary among affected individuals. 클라인펠터 증후군 (남성의 성염색체 이상으로 인한 선천성 질환)
ex) The existing prenatal tests can also spot other chromosomal abnormalities, including cystic fibrosis, trisomy 13, and Turner, Klinefelter, and fragile-X syndromes.
Fragile X syndrome
Fragile X syndrome is a genetic condition that causes a range of developmental problems including learning disabilities and cognitive impairment. Usually, males are more severely affected by this disorder than females.
Affected individuals usually have delayed development of speech and language by age 2. Most males with fragile X syndrome have mild to moderate intellectual disability, while about one-third of affected females are intellectually disabled. Children with fragile X syndrome may also have anxiety and hyperactive behavior such as fidgeting or impulsive actions. They may have attention deficit disorder (ADD), which includes an impaired ability to maintain attention and difficulty focusing on specific tasks. About one-third of individuals with fragile X syndrome have features of autism spectrum disorders that affect communication and social interaction. Seizures occur in about 15 percent of males and about 5 percent of females with fragile X syndrome.
Most males and about half of females with fragile X syndrome have characteristic physical features that become more apparent with age. These features include a long and narrow face, large ears, a prominent jaw and forehead, unusually flexible fingers, flat feet, and in males, enlarged testicles (macroorchidism) after puberty.
ex) The existing prenatal tests can also spot other chromosomal abnormalities, including cystic fibrosis, trisomy 13, and Turner, Klinefelter, and fragile-X syndromes.
Phenylketonuria (commonly known as PKU) [fènlkì:tounjúəriə]
Phenylketonuria (commonly known as PKU) is an inherited disorder that increases the levels of a substance called phenylalanine in the blood. Phenylalanine is a building block of proteins (an amino acid) that is obtained through the diet. It is found in all proteins and in some artificial sweeteners. If PKU is not treated, phenylalanine can build up to harmful levels in the body, causing intellectual disability and other serious health problems.
The signs and symptoms of PKU vary from mild to severe. The most severe form of this disorder is known as classic PKU. Infants with classic PKU appear normal until they are a few months old. Without treatment, these children develop permanent intellectual disability. Seizures, delayed development, behavioral problems, and psychiatric disorders are also common. Untreated individuals may have a musty or mouse-like odor as a side effect of excess phenylalanine in the body. Children with classic PKU tend to have lighter skin and hair than unaffected family members and are also likely to have skin disorders such as eczema.
Less severe forms of this condition, sometimes called variant PKU and non-PKU hyperphenylalaninemia, have a smaller risk of brain damage. People with very mild cases may not require treatment with a low-phenylalanine diet.
Babies born to mothers with PKU and uncontrolled phenylalanine levels (women who no longer follow a low-phenylalanine diet) have a significant risk of intellectual disability because they are exposed to very high levels of phenylalanine before birth. These infants may also have a low birth weight and grow more slowly than other children. Other characteristic medical problems include heart defects or other heart problems, an abnormally small head size (microcephaly), and behavioral problems. Women with PKU and uncontrolled phenylalanine levels also have an increased risk of pregnancy loss.
ex) The existing prenatal tests can also spot other chromosomal abnormalities, including cystic fibrosis, trisomy 13, and Turner, Klinefelter, and fragile-X syndromes. 페닐케톤뇨증
False positives (“false alarm”) and false negatives
In medical testing, and more generally in binary classification, a false positive is an error in data reporting in which a test result improperly indicates presence of a condition, such as a disease (the result is positive), when in reality it is not, while a false negative is an error in which a test result improperly indicates no presence of a condition (the result is negative), when in reality it is present. These are the two kinds of errors in a binary test (and are contrasted with a correct result, either a true positive or a true negative.) They are also known in medicine as a false positive (respectively negative) diagnosis, and in statistical classification as a false positive (respectively negative) error.
In statistical hypothesis testing the analogous concepts are known as type I and type II errors, where a positive result corresponds to rejecting the null hypothesis, and a negative result corresponds to not rejecting the null hypothesis. The terms are often used interchangeably, but there are differences in detail and interpretation due to the differences between medical testing and statistical hypothesis testing. 위양성 / 위음성
ex) The test will also produce false positives that frighten parents into thinking their child will have a disability when in fact he or she will be healthy.
for that matter
used to add a comment on something that you have just said
ex) The test will also produce false positives that frighten parents into thinking their child will have a disability when in fact he or she will be healthy. For that matter, what is “healthy” anyway?
I didn’t like it much. Nor did the kids, for that matter.
propensity noun
BrE /prəˈpensəti/ ; NAmE /prəˈpensəti/ (pl. propensities)(formal)
a tendency to a particular kind of behaviour
synonym inclination
ex) The price of genetic knowledge can be high because of the anxiety caused by the knowledge of a propensity for a disease that has no known treatment or cure, or that may never appear.
He showed a propensity for violence.
They all knew about his propensity for violence.
She has a propensity to exaggerate.
There is an increased propensity for people to live alone.
past preposition
BrE /pɑːst/ ; NAmE /pæst/
3) above or further than a particular point or stage
ex) If abortion is not an option, perhaps because the fetus is past the maximum gestation period or because of moral beliefs, the information can be useless - or worse than useless, thanks to the needless anxiety.
Unemployment is now past the 3 million mark.
The flowers are past their best.
He’s past his prime.
She’s long past retirement age.
Honestly, I’m past caring what happens (= I can no longer be bothered to care).
gestation noun
BrE /dʒeˈsteɪʃn/ ; NAmE /dʒeˈsteɪʃn/
1) [uncountable, singular] the time that the young of a person or an animal develops inside its mother’s body until it is born; the process of developing inside the mother’s body
ex) If abortion is not an option, perhaps because the fetus is past the maximum gestation period or because of moral beliefs, the information can be useless - or worse than useless, thanks to the needless anxiety.
a baby born at 38 weeks’ gestation
The gestation period of a horse is about eleven months.
dearth noun
BrE /dɜːθ/ ; NAmE /dɜːrθ/
[singular] dearth (of something) a lack of something; the fact of there not being enough of something
synonym scarcity
ex) moreover, the dearth of treatment options for some disorders makes the information medically useless, but potentially risky if insurers use it to hike rates or deny coverage.
There was a dearth of reliable information on the subject.
infantile adjective
BrE /ˈɪnfəntaɪl/ ; NAmE /ˈɪnfəntaɪl/
2) [only before noun] (formal or specialist) connected with babies or very young children
ex) For example, children with the infantile form of Tay-Sachs or Canavan disease go into an immediate, inexorable decline.
Tay-Sachs disease [téisǽks]
Tay-Sachs disease is a rare inherited disorder that progressively destroys nerve cells (neurons) in the brain and spinal cord.
The most common form of Tay-Sachs disease becomes apparent in infancy. Infants with this disorder typically appear normal until the age of 3 to 6 months, when their development slows and muscles used for movement weaken. Affected infants lose motor skills such as turning over, sitting, and crawling. They also develop an exaggerated startle reaction to loud noises. As the disease progresses, children with Tay-Sachs disease experience seizures, vision and hearing loss, intellectual disability, and paralysis. An eye abnormality called a cherry-red spot, which can be identified with an eye examination, is characteristic of this disorder. Children with this severe infantile form of Tay-Sachs disease usually live only into early childhood.
Other forms of Tay-Sachs disease are very rare. Signs and symptoms can appear in childhood, adolescence, or adulthood and are usually milder than those seen with the infantile form. Characteristic features include muscle weakness, loss of muscle coordination (ataxia) and other problems with movement, speech problems, and mental illness. These signs and symptoms vary widely among people with late-onset forms of Tay-Sachs disease. 테이색스병 ((흑내장성(黑內障性) 백치))
ex) For example, children with the infantile form of Tay-Sachs or Canavan disease go into an immediate, inexorable decline.
Canavan disease
Canavan disease is a rare inherited disorder that damages the ability of nerve cells (neurons) in the brain to send and receive messages. This disease is one of a group of genetic disorders called leukodystrophies. Leukodystrophies disrupt the growth or maintenance of the myelin sheath, which is the covering that protects nerves and promotes the efficient transmission of nerve impulses.
Neonatal/infantile Canavan disease is the most common and most severe form of the condition. Affected infants appear normal for the first few months of life, but by age 3 to 5 months, problems with development become noticeable. These infants usually do not develop motor skills such as turning over, controlling head movement, and sitting without support. Other common features of this condition include weak muscle tone (hypotonia), an unusually large head size (macrocephaly), and irritability. Feeding and swallowing difficulties, seizures, and sleep disturbances may also develop.
The mild/juvenile form of Canavan disease is less common. Affected individuals have mildly delayed development of speech and motor skills starting in childhood. These delays may be so mild and nonspecific that they are never recognized as being caused by Canavan disease.
The life expectancy for people with Canavan disease varies. Most people with the neonatal/infantile form live only into childhood, although some survive into adolescence or beyond. People with the mild/juvenile form do not appear to have a shortened lifespan. 카나반병
ex) For example, children with the infantile form of Tay-Sachs or Canavan disease go into an immediate, inexorable decline.
inexorable adjective
BrE /ɪnˈeksərəbl/ ; NAmE /ɪnˈeksərəbl/ (formal)
(of a process) that cannot be stopped or changed
synonym relentless
ex) For example, children with the infantile form of Tay-Sachs or Canavan disease go into an immediate, inexorable decline.
the inexorable rise of crime
This is where the inexorable logic of the theory breaks down.
entail verb
BrE /ɪnˈteɪl/ ; NAmE /ɪnˈteɪl/
to involve something that cannot be avoided
synonym involve
ex) But what of genes that entail a higher risk of Alzheimer’s, typical prostate cancers, or Huntington’s?
The job entails a lot of hard work.
What does the job actually entail?
The girls learn exactly what is entailed in caring for a newborn baby.
It will entail driving a long distance every day.
Huntington disease (Huntington’s disease)
Huntington disease is a progressive brain disorder that causes uncontrolled movements, emotional problems, and loss of thinking ability (cognition).
Adult-onset Huntington disease, the most common form of this disorder, usually appears in a person’s thirties or forties. Early signs and symptoms can include irritability, depression, small involuntary movements, poor coordination, and trouble learning new information or making decisions. Many people with Huntington disease develop involuntary jerking or twitching movements known as chorea. As the disease progresses, these movements become more pronounced. Affected individuals may have trouble walking, speaking, and swallowing. People with this disorder also experience changes in personality and a decline in thinking and reasoning abilities. Individuals with the adult-onset form of Huntington disease usually live about 15 to 20 years after signs and symptoms begin.
A less common form of Huntington disease known as the juvenile form begins in childhood or adolescence. It also involves movement problems and mental and emotional changes. Additional signs of the juvenile form include slow movements, clumsiness, frequent falling, rigidity, slurred speech, and drooling. School performance declines as thinking and reasoning abilities become impaired. Seizures occur in 30 percent to 50 percent of children with this condition. Juvenile Huntington disease tends to progress more quickly than the adult-onset form; affected individuals usually live 10 to 15 years after signs and symptoms appear. 헌팅턴 무도병 (유전성 중추신경 질환)
ex) But what of genes that entail a higher risk of Alzheimer’s, typical prostate cancers, or Huntington’s?
institutionalize verb
(British English also -ise)
BrE /ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃənəlaɪz/ ; NAmE /ˌɪnstɪˈtuːʃənəlaɪz/
1) institutionalize somebody to send somebody who is not capable of living independently to live in a special building (= an institution) especially when it is for a long period of time
ex) Fifty years ago, parents were often advised to institutionalize affected children.
condition noun
BrE /kənˈdɪʃn/ ; NAmE /kənˈdɪʃn/
3) [countable] an illness or a medical problem that you have for a long time because it is not possible to cure it
ex) Today, people with the condition mostly live in mainstream society and have found wide acceptance.
a medical condition
He suffers from a serious heart condition.
compel verb
BrE /kəmˈpel/ ; NAmE /kəmˈpel/ (formal)
1) to force somebody to do something; to make something necessary
ex) Should there be regulations that compel a physician or the parents to alert siblings and other who may be at high risk of harboring the gene?
The law can compel fathers to make regular payments for their children.
I feel compelled to write and tell you how much I enjoyed your book.
The court has powers to compel witnesses to attend.
Last year ill health compelled his retirement.
opt out (of something)
- opt in (to something)
1) to choose not to take part in something
ex) Should doctors have to disclose this, or should parents be able to opt out of being informed?
Employees may opt out of the company’s pension plan.
- to choose to be part of a system or an agreement
away adverb
BrE /əˈweɪ/ ; NAmE /əˈweɪ/
1) to or at a distance from somebody/something in space or time
ex) Whole-genome fetal sequencing is still years away from being used in the real world.
The beach is a mile away.
Christmas is still months away.
The station is a few minutes’ walk away from here.
splash down
(of a spacecraft) to land in the sea or ocean
ex) The first commercial spacecraft to carry cargo to the International Space Station splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Sunday, completing a three-week mission that was mostly successful though far from flawless.
They are due to splash down in the Pacific tomorrow.
atop preposition
BrE /əˈtɒp/ ; NAmE /əˈtɑːp/ (especially North American English)
(old-fashioned or literary in BrE) on top of; at the top of
ex) A small California technology company, Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, launched its cargo-carrying capsule atop its Falcon 9 rocket on Oct. 7 and almost immediately encountered a problem when one of the rocket’s nine engines shut down shortly after liftoff.
a flag high atop a pole
a scoop of ice cream atop a slice of apple pie
The children piled atop one another in the sand.
Fruit and vegetable prices rose 1.3 per cent atop a 2 per cent gain last month.
Coca-Cola is atop the list of best-selling soft drinks in the US.
capsule noun
BrE /ˈkæpsjuːl/ ; NAmE /ˈkæpsl/ , /ˈkæpsuːl/
3) the part of a spacecraft in which people travel and that often separates from the main rocket
ex) A small California technology company, Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, launched its cargo-carrying capsule atop its Falcon 9 rocket on Oct. 7 and almost immediately encountered a problem when one of the rocket’s nine engines shut down shortly after liftoff.
the cramped conditions of a space capsule
orbit noun
BrE /ˈɔːbɪt/ ; NAmE /ˈɔːrbɪt/
1) [countable, uncountable] a curved path followed by a planet or an object as it moves around another planet, star, moon, etc.
ex) That mishap did not prevent the cargo from reaching the station, but it did make it impossible to place a secondary payload, a prototype communications satellite, into the proper orbit.
the earth’s orbit around the sun
a space station in orbit round the moon
A new satellite has been put into orbit around the earth.
payload noun
BrE /ˈpeɪləʊd/ ; NAmE /ˈpeɪloʊd/ (specialist)
4) the equipment carried by a spacecraft or satellite
ex) That mishap did not prevent the cargo from reaching the station, but it did make it impossible to place a secondary payload, a prototype communications satellite, into the proper orbit.
fall out
1) to become loose and drop
ex) The satellite’s owner, Orbcomm, said it had achieved some useful test results before the satellite fell out of orbit and burned up in the atmosphere, so it was not a total failure.
His hair is falling out.
My tooth fell out.
burn up
1) to be destroyed by heat
ex) The satellite’s owner, Orbcomm, said it had achieved some useful test results before the satellite fell out of orbit and burned up in the atmosphere, so it was not a total failure.
The spacecraft burned up as it entered the earth’s atmosphere.
All the date we’ve collected over the years have burned up.
turn something↔over to somebody
to give the control of something to somebody
ex) Now NASA is trying to turn over the routine tasks of carrying cargo - and eventually, astronauts - to the space station while it focuses its human spaceflight program on exploration of the inner solar system.
mundane adjective
BrE /mʌnˈdeɪn/ ; NAmE /mʌnˈdeɪn/ (often disapproving)
not interesting or exciting
synonym dull, ordinary
ex) Although it was not perfect, the outing shows that private companies can carry out relatively mundane tasks like space cargo transport.
a mundane task/job
I lead a pretty mundane existence.
On a more mundane level, can we talk about the timetable for next week?
rover noun
BrE /ˈrəʊvə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈroʊvər/ (literary)
- rove verb
BrE /rəʊv/ ; NAmE /roʊv/
a person who likes to travel a lot rather than live in one place
ex) He was a rover and an adventurer who finally settled down and married in old age.
* 1) [intransitive, transitive] (formal) to travel from one place to another, often with no particular purpose
synonym roam
ex) A quarter of a million refugees roved around the country.
bands of thieves who roved the countryside
band noun
BrE /bænd/ ; NAmE /bænd/
3) [countable + singular or plural verb] a group of people who do something together or who have the same ideas
ex) bands of thieves who roved the countryside
a band of outlaws
He persuaded a small band of volunteers to help.
depraved adjective
BrE /dɪˈpreɪvd/ ; NAmE /dɪˈpreɪvd/ (formal)
morally bad
synonym wicked, evil
ex) In what is being described as a landmark case, a British woman has secured a court order obliging Facebook to reveal the identity of “cyberbullies” who targeted her with an online campaign of “vicious and depraved” abuse.
This is the work of a depraved mind.
robust adjective
BrE /rəʊˈbʌst/ ; NAmE /roʊˈbʌst/
3) (of a system or an organization) strong and not likely to fail or become weak
ex) In a robust example of a victim fighting back, 45-year-old Nicola Brookes intends to use the information to mount a private prosecution against her tormentors.
robust economic growth
mount verb
BrE /maʊnt/ ; NAmE /maʊnt/
1) [transitive] mount something to organize and begin something
synonym arrange
ex) In a robust example of a victim fighting back, 45-year-old Nicola Brookes intends to use the information to mount a private prosecution against her tormentors.
to mount a protest/campaign/an exhibition
We are mounting a campaign to recruit more volunteers.
Government forces have mounted an attack on a rebel base.
tormentor noun
BrE /tɔːˈmentə(r)/ ; NAmE /tɔːrˈmentər/ (formal)
a person who causes somebody to suffer
ex) In a robust example of a victim fighting back, 45-year-old Nicola Brookes intends to use the information to mount a private prosecution against her tormentors.
The dog suddenly turned on its tormentors.
case noun
BrE /keɪs/ ; NAmE /keɪs/
- strong case / weak case
6) [countable, usually singular] case (for/against something) a set of facts or arguments that support one side in a trial, a discussion, etc.
ex) Ms. Brookes appears to have a strong case.
the case for the defence/prosecution
Our lawyer didn’t think we had a case (= had enough good arguments to win in a court of law).
the case for/against private education
The report makes out a strong case (= gives good arguments) for spending more money on hospitals.
You will each be given the chance to state your case.
pedophile noun(North American English) (British English paedo-) BrE /ˈpiːdəʊfaɪl/ ; NAmE /ˈpiːdoʊfaɪl/
- pedophilia noun(North American English)
(British English paedo-)
BrE /ˌpiːdəˈfɪliə/ ; NAmE /ˌpiːdəˈfɪliə/ [uncountable]
a person who is sexually attracted to children 소아(성)애 병자
ex) As part of a months-long online attack, a fake Facebook profile was set up in her name that falsely portrayed her as a pedophile and a drug dealer.
* the condition of being sexually attracted to children; sexual activity with children 소아(성)애
innumerable adjective
BrE /ɪˈnjuːmərəbl/ ; NAmE /ɪˈnuːmərəbl/
too many to be counted; very many
synonym countless
ex) Her experience was one of innumerable cases of online bullying and “trolling” that in some cases has led to the suicide of those targeted.
Innumerable books have been written on the subject.
alongside preposition
BrE /əˌlɒŋˈsaɪd/ ; NAmE /əˌlɔːŋˈsaɪd/ , /əˌlɑːŋˈsaɪd/
2) together with or at the same time as something/somebody
ex) However, free speech advocates have warned against the dangers of an overreaction to a worldwide phenomenon that has grown alongside the expansion of the Internet.
Traditional beliefs still flourish alongside a modern urban lifestyle.
the First Amendment noun [singular]
the statement in the US Constitution that protects freedom of speech and religion and the right to meet in peaceful groups (미국 헌법) 수정 조항 제1조 (언론/종교/집회의 자유를 정한 조항)
ex) In the United States, proposals to control online media have raised First Amendment concerns.
indecent adjective
BrE /ɪnˈdiːsnt/ ; NAmE /ɪnˈdiːsnt/
1) (of behaviour, talk, etc.) thought to be morally offensive, especially because it involves sex or being naked
ex) In Britain, the 1988 Malicious Communications Act makes it an offense to post indecent or grossly offensive material.
malice noun
BrE /ˈmælɪs/ ; NAmE /ˈmælɪs/ [uncountable]
a feeling of hatred for somebody that causes a desire to harm them
ex) He sent the letter out of malice.
She is entirely without malice.
He certainly bears you no malice (= does not want to harm you).
The ghosts are described as if they bear actual malice towards humans.
grossly adverb
BrE /ˈɡrəʊsli/ ; NAmE /ˈɡroʊsli/ (disapproving)
(used to describe unpleasant qualities) extremely
ex) In Britain, the 1988 Malicious Communications Act makes it an offense to post indecent or grossly offensive material.
grossly overweight/unfair/inadequate
Press reports have been grossly exaggerated.
run up against something
to experience a difficulty
ex) However, many of the hundreds of investigations that have been pursued have run up against the problem of identifying the perpetrators.
The government is running up against considerable opposition to its tax reforms.
perpetrator noun
BrE /ˈpɜːpətreɪtə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈpɜːrpətreɪtər/
(also North American English, informal perp)
a person who commits a crime or does something that is wrong or evil
ex) However, many of the hundreds of investigations that have been pursued have run up against the problem of identifying the perpetrators.
the perpetrators of the crime
We will do everything in our power to bring the perpetrators to justice.
contest verb
BrE /kənˈtest/ ; NAmE /kənˈtest/
2) contest something to formally oppose a decision or statement because you think it is wrong
ex) It did not contest her action in the London High Court and said it would hand over material that might help to locate the cyberbullies.
to contest a will (= try to show that it was not correctly made in law)
The divorce was not contested.
press for something
- call for | call on somebody to
to keep asking for something
synonym demand, push for
ex) After a series of high-profile cases, the Cybersmile Foundation charity has been set up to raise awareness of the dangers lurking on the Internet and to press for cyberbullying to be made a clearly defined criminal offense in Britain.
* ex) We are calling on the government to enforce tougher standards.
He called for a law to be set up to punish those perpetrators.
lurker noun
[C] /ˈlɜː.k.ər/ US /ˈlɝː.k.ɚ/
someone who reads the messages in a chat room without taking part
backlash noun
BrE /ˈbæklæʃ/ ; NAmE /ˈbæklæʃ/
[singular] backlash (against something) | backlash (from somebody) a strong negative reaction by a large number of people, for example to something that has recently changed in society
ex) There are concerns, however, that a public backlash against cyberbullying could create its own abuses.
The government is facing an angry backlash from voters over the new tax.
condemn verb
BrE /kənˈdem/ ; NAmE /kənˈdem/
1) to say publicly that you think someone or something is bad or wrong
ex) Joan Smith, a columnist writing in The Independent newspaper in Britain, condemned the abuse as stupid and unfeeling, but also accused the court that sentenced the student of bowing to public opinion.
unfeeling adjective
BrE /ʌnˈfiːlɪŋ/ ; NAmE /ʌnˈfiːlɪŋ/
- callous adjective
BrE /ˈkæləs/ ; NAmE /ˈkæləs/
not showing care or sympathy for other people
ex) Joan Smith, a columnist writing in The Independent newspaper in Britain, condemned the abuse as stupid and unfeeling, but also accused the court that sentenced the student of bowing to public opinion.
an unfeeling attitude
Her eyes were cold and unfeeling.
- not caring about other people’s feelings or suffering
ex) a callous killer/attitude/act
a callous disregard for the feelings of others
bow to something
to agree unwillingly to do something because other people want you to
ex) Joan Smith, a columnist writing in The Independent newspaper in Britain, condemned the abuse as stupid and unfeeling, but also accused the court that sentenced the student of bowing to public opinion.
They finally bowed to pressure from the public.
She bowed to the inevitable (= accepted a situation in which she had no choice) and resigned.
custodial adjective
BrE /kʌˈstəʊdiəl/ ; NAmE /kʌˈstoʊdiəl/ usually before noun
- put him into custody
1) involving sending somebody to prison
ex) “A custodial sentence is wildly excessive and has worrying implications for freedom of expression, which is too important a subject to be brushed aside on grounds of ‘public outrage,’ “ she wrote.
The judge gave him a custodial sentence (= sent him to prison).
brush aside somebody
to ignore somebody/something; to treat somebody/something as unimportant; to refuse to accept that something is important or true
synonym dismiss
ex) “A custodial sentence is wildly excessive and has worrying implications for freedom of expression, which is too important a subject to be brushed aside on grounds of ‘public outrage,’ “ she wrote.
The minister brushed aside accusations that he had lied.
He brushed aside my fears.
ground noun
BrE /ɡraʊnd/ ; NAmE /ɡraʊnd/
8) [countable, usually plural] ground for something/for doing something a good or true reason for saying, doing or believing something
ex) “A custodial sentence is wildly excessive and has worrying implications for freedom of expression, which is too important a subject to be brushed aside on grounds of ‘public outrage,’ “ she wrote.
He was fired on the ground that he intentionally leaked a secret company document to another company.
You have no grounds for complaint.
What were his grounds for wanting a divorce?
The case was dismissed on the grounds that there was not enough evidence.
He retired from the job on health grounds.
Employers cannot discriminate on grounds of age.
ridicule verb
BrE /ˈrɪdɪkjuːl/ ; NAmE /ˈrɪdɪkjuːl/
ridicule somebody/something to make somebody/something look silly by laughing at them or it in an unkind way
synonym make fun of somebody/something
ex) The comedian Isabel Fay and fellow artists just posted a YouTube video featuring a song that ridicules online bullies who have targeted them.
brink noun
BrE /brɪŋk/ ; NAmE /brɪŋk/ [singular]
- brinkmanship noun
BrE /ˈbrɪŋkmənʃɪp/ ; NAmE /ˈbrɪŋkmənʃɪp/
(North American English also brinksmanship BrE /ˈbrɪŋksmənʃɪp/ ; NAmE /ˈbrɪŋksmənʃɪp/ )
[uncountable]
1) the brink (of something) if you are on the brink of something, you are almost in a very new, dangerous or exciting situation
ex) Stepping closer to the nuclear brink
on the brink of collapse/war/death/disaster
Scientists are on the brink of making a major new discovery.
He’s pulled the company back from the brink (= he has saved it from disaster).
teetering/poised/hovering on the brink
animals hovering on the very brink of extinction
2) (literary) the extreme edge of land, for example at the top of a cliff or by a river
the brink of the precipice
- the activity, especially in politics, of getting into a situation that could be very dangerous in order to frighten people and make them do what you want
ex) engaged in a deadly game of political brinkmanship
reclusive adjective
BrE /rɪˈkluːsɪv/ ; NAmE /rɪˈkluːsɪv/
living alone and avoiding other people
opposite sociable, gregarious (1)
ex) Whether or not the reclusive Kim Jong Il shows up in person for his national shindig on February 16th, the fireworks have begun.
a reclusive millionaire
shindig noun
BrE /ˈʃɪndɪɡ/ ; NAmE /ˈʃɪndɪɡ/ (informal)
a big noisy party
ex) Whether or not the reclusive Kim Jong Il shows up in person for his national shindig on February 16th, the fireworks have begun.
shady adjective
BrE /ˈʃeɪdi/ ; NAmE /ˈʃeɪdi/ (shadier, shadiest)
3) [usually before noun] (informal) seeming to be dishonest or illegal
ex) North Korea’s announcement, not just that it has built nuclear weapons (it has said that before), but that it is suspending indefinitely its participation in six-party talks that America, China and others had been hoping would end its shady nuclear dealings, is an attempt to put the blame on the Bush administration for the nuclear impasse.
impasse noun
BrE /ˈæmpɑːs/ ; NAmE /ˈɪmpæs/ [usually singular]
- stand-off noun
BrE ; NAmE
a difficult situation in which no progress can be made because the people involved cannot agree what to do
synonym deadlock/standoff/stalemate
ex) North Korea’s announcement, not just that it has built nuclear weapons (it has said that before), but that it is suspending indefinitely its participation in six-party talks that America, China and others had been hoping would end its shady nuclear dealings, is an attempt to put the blame on the Bush administration for the nuclear impasse.
to break/end the impasse
Negotiations have reached an impasse.
The Governor attempted to resolve Minnesota’s current budget impasse.
The proposal offered both sides a way out of the diplomatic impasse.
- stand-off (between A and B) a situation in which no agreement can be reached
ex) North Korea had yet to respond to an American proposal last June that would offer economic assistance and security guarantees, as North Korea has demanded, but only if Mr. Kim agrees to the verifiable dismantling of both his nuclear programmes: the plutonium programme that had been frozen until two years ago under a 1994 deal with America, and the uranium-enrichment activity that America accuses him of carrying on in secret, and that led to the late
poser noun
BrE /ˈpəʊzə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈpoʊzər/
1) (informal) a difficult question or problem
synonym puzzler
ex) But it is also a poser for China, which had been expecting to cajole, bribe and drag North Korea into more talks within weeks.
cajole verb
BrE /kəˈdʒəʊl/ ; NAmE /kəˈdʒoʊl/ [transitive, intransitive]
to make somebody do something by talking to them and being very nice to them
synonym coax
ex) But it is also a poser for China, which had been expecting to cajole, bribe and drag North Korea into more talks within weeks.
He cajoled me into agreeing to do the work.
I managed to cajole his address out of them.
‘Please say yes,’ she cajoled.
Her voice was soft and cajoling.
pull out (of something)
- pull-out noun
2) to move away from something or stop being involved in it
synonym withdraw
ex) Pulling out of the talks will only deepen North Korea’s isolation, said Condoleezza Rice, America’s secretary of state.
The project became so expensive that we had to pull out.
- an act of taking an army away from a particular place; an act of taking an organization out of a system
ex) The general ordered a pull-out from the area.
have yet to do something
used for saying that something has not happened or been done up to the present time, especially when you think it should have happened or been done
ex) North Korea had yet to respond to an American proposal last June that would offer economic assistance and security guarantees, as North Korea has demanded, but only if Mr. Kim agrees to the verifiable dismantling of both his nuclear programmes: the plutonium programme that had been frozen until two years ago under a 1994 deal with America, and the uranium-enrichment activity that America accuses him of carrying on in secret, and that led to the latest stand-off.
I have yet to get the report done.
The Scottish Office has yet to make a formal announcement.
The film, starring Robert Carlyle, has yet to open in the Far East.
The group has yet to find a replacement for the director who left in September.
verifiable adjective
BrE /ˈverɪfaɪəbl/ ; NAmE /ˈverɪfaɪəbl/ (formal)
that can be checked to show whether it is true or accurate
ex) North Korea had yet to respond to an American proposal last June that would offer economic assistance and security guarantees, as North Korea has demanded, but only if Mr. Kim agrees to the verifiable dismantling of both his nuclear programmes: the plutonium programme that had been frozen until two years ago under a 1994 deal with America, and the uranium-enrichment activity that America accuses him of carrying on in secret, and that led to the latest stand-off.
a verifiable fact/claim
dismantling noun
BrE /dɪsˈmæntlɪŋ/ ; NAmE /dɪsˈmæntlɪŋ/ [uncountable]
2) the process of ending an organization or system gradually in an organized way
ex) North Korea had yet to respond to an American proposal last June that would offer economic assistance and security guarantees, as North Korea has demanded, but only if Mr. Kim agrees to the verifiable dismantling of both his nuclear programmes: the plutonium programme that had been frozen until two years ago under a 1994 deal with America, and the uranium-enrichment activity that America accuses him of carrying on in secret, and that led to the latest stand-off.
The demonstrations were provoked by the dismantling of public services.
huff noun
[C] UK /hʌf/ US /hʌf/ informal
an angry and offended mood
ex) He blames his latest huff on Ms. Rice, who recently lumped North Korea among the “outposts of tyranny.”
dollop noun
BrE /ˈdɒləp/ ; NAmE /ˈdɑːləp/ (informal)
1) a lump of soft food, often dropped from a spoon
ex) a dollop of whipped cream
2) an amount of something
ex) Until now, China, South Korea and Japan have all been happy to prop up Mr. Kim with dollops of aid, so long as he refrained from doing rash things: testing a bomb, for example, or another of his far-flying missiles.
A dollop of romance now and then is good for everybody.
prop something↔up
1) to prevent something from falling by putting something under it to support it
synonym shore up
ex) They had to prop up the tree with long poles under the branches.
2) (often disapproving) to help something that is having difficulties
ex) Until now, China, South Korea and Japan have all been happy to prop up Mr. Kim with dollops of aid, so long as he refrained from doing rash things: testing a bomb, for example, or another of his far-flying missiles.
The government was accused of propping up declining industries.
rash adjective
BrE /ræʃ/ ; NAmE /ræʃ/
(of people or their actions) doing something that may not be sensible without first thinking about the possible results; done in this way
synonym reckless
ex) Until now, China, South Korea and Japan have all been happy to prop up Mr. Kim with dollops of aid, so long as he refrained from doing rash things: testing a bomb, for example, or another of his far-flying missiles.
a rash young man
It would be rash to assume that everyone will agree with you on this.
Think twice before doing anything rash.
This is what happens when you make rash decisions.
forge ahead (with something)
to move forward quickly; to make a lot of progress quickly; to make strong steady progress
ex) South Korea has forged ahead with economic co-operation, including links across the otherwise heavily fortified border.
The company is forging ahead with its plans for expansion.
Quick learners should be allowed to forge ahead.
Export sales continue to forge ahead.
He forged ahead with his plans.
fortify verb
BrE /ˈfɔːtɪfaɪ/ ; NAmE /ˈfɔːrtɪfaɪ/
1) fortify something (against somebody/something) to make a place more able to resist attack, especially by building high walls
ex) South Korea has forged ahead with economic co-operation, including links across the otherwise heavily fortified border.
a fortified town
They fortified the area against attack.
centrifuge noun
BrE /ˈsentrɪfjuːdʒ/ ; NAmE /ˈsentrɪfjuːdʒ/
a machine with a part that spins around to separate substances, for example liquids from solids, by forcing the heavier substance to the outer edge 원심 분리기
ex) Tests by America’s Department of Energy have convinced American officials that North Korea may well have supplied the uranium hexafluoride gas - partly-processed uranium which can be spun in centrifuge machines to make enriched uranium for either civilian or military uses - that Libya turned over to inspectors a year ago when it abandoned its once secret nuclear-weapons programme.
fuel rod noun
BrE ; NAmE (specialist)
a long thin piece of fuel used in a nuclear power station 연료봉
ex) America accepts that North Korea has probably finished extracting the plutonium (enough for half a dozen bombs) from spent fuel-roads previously stored under the 1994 deal near its nuclear reactor at Yongbyon; it will soon be able to unload more rods from the reactor for reprocessing.
bipartisan adjective
BrE /ˌbaɪpɑːtɪˈzæn/ ; NAmE /ˌbaɪˈpɑːrtɪzn/
involving two political parties with different ideas or policies
ex) But the idea that America should set aside its uranium concerns is given a bipartisan rebuttal in the current issue of Foreign Affairs by Robert Gallucci, who negotiated the 1994 plutonium deal with North Korea under the Clinton administration, and Mitchell Reiss, the just departed head of policy planning in the Bush administration’s State Department.
The new bill on cyberbullying is getting bipartisan support.
a bipartisan policy
The Bill before Congress has bipartisan support.
bipartisan support for the bill
rebuttal noun
BrE /rɪˈbʌtl/ ; NAmE /rɪˈbʌtl/ countable, uncountable
- rebut verb
BrE /rɪˈbʌt/ ; NAmE /rɪˈbʌt/
** rebuff verb
BrE /rɪˈbʌf/ ; NAmE /rɪˈbʌf/ rebuff something(formal)
*** refute verb
BrE /rɪˈfjuːt/ ; NAmE /rɪˈfjuːt/ (formal)
the act of saying or proving that a statement or criticism is false
synonym refutation
ex) But the idea that America should set aside its uranium concerns is given a bipartisan rebuttal in the current issue of Foreign Affairs by Robert Gallucci, who negotiated the 1994 plutonium deal with North Korea under the Clinton administration, and Mitchell Reiss, the just departed head of policy planning in the Bush administration’s State Department.
* rebut something (formal) to say or prove that a statement or criticism is false
** to refuse a friendly offer, request or suggestion in an unkind way
*** refute something to prove that something is wrong
departed adjective
BrE /dɪˈpɑːtɪd/ ; NAmE /dɪˈpɑːrtɪd/ only before noun
- late adjective
BrE /leɪt/ ; NAmE /leɪt/ (later, latest)
1) dead. People say ‘departed’ to avoid saying ‘dead’
ex) your dear departed brother
* 4) [only before noun] (formal) (of a person) no longer alive
ex) her late husband
the late Paul Newman
2) the departed noun (pl. the departed) the person who has died
ex) According to the story, the spirit of the departed returns to inhabit his wife.
3) used to refer to something that happened in the past and is finished
ex) But the idea that America should set aside its uranium concerns is given a bipartisan rebuttal in the current issue of Foreign Affairs by Robert Gallucci, who negotiated the 1994 plutonium deal with North Korea under the Clinton administration, and Mitchell Reiss, the just departed head of policy planning in the Bush administration’s State Department.
The old man talked about the departed triumphs of his youth.
covert adjective
BrE /ˈkʌvət/ , /ˈkəʊvɜːt/ ; NAmE /ˈkoʊvɜːrt/
- overt adjective
BrE /əʊˈvɜːt/ ; NAmE /oʊˈvɜːrt/ ; BrE /ˈəʊvɜːt/ ; NAmE /ˈoʊvɜːrt/ usually before noun
(formal) secret or hidden, making it difficult to notice
ex) Turning a blind eye to evidence of North Korea’s enrichment work would, they argue, leave Mr. Kim with a covert supply of fissile material, whether for bomb making or for export, including to terrorist groups.
covert operations/surveillance
He stole a covert glance at her across the table.
Every measure, both overt and covert, is being taken against terrorists.
- done in an open way and not secretly
ex) There was little overt support for the project.
an overt display of affection
in effect
1) used when you are stating what the facts of a situation are
ex) So far, despite its tough line, says Gary Samore, of the London-based IISS, America has in effect acquiesced in North Korea’s becoming a covert nuclear power.
In effect, the two systems are identical.
His wife had, in effect, run the government for the past six months.
By asking for these particular qualifications, you are, in effect, excluding most women from applying.
acquiesce verb
BrE /ˌækwiˈes/ ; NAmE /ˌækwiˈes/
[intransitive] acquiesce (in/to something) (formal) to accept something without arguing, even if you do not really agree with it
ex) So far, despite its tough line, says Gary Samore, of the London-based IISS, America has in effect acquiesced in North Korea’s becoming a covert nuclear power.
Senior government figures must have acquiesced in the cover-up.
She explained her plan and reluctantly he acquiesced.
on land, at sea, and in the air.
ex) But that is only part of the story. Its exports of missiles and imports of illicit nuclear goods are being disrupted on land, at sea and in the air under the American-led proliferation security initiative, which Russia has formally joined and which even China has said a few kind words about.
In this lesson, we will look specifically at the way World War I was waged on land, at sea, and in the air.
narcotic noun
BrE /nɑːˈkɒtɪk/ ; NAmE /nɑːrˈkɑːtɪk/
1) (formal) a powerful illegal drug that affects the mind in a harmful way. Heroin and cocaine are narcotics.
* narcotics [ONLY BEFORE NOUN] relating to illegal drugs
ex) Its narcotics and counterfeiting activities are being squeezed too.
narcotics abuse (=taking illegal drugs)
narcotics trafficking (=selling narcotics)
a narcotics agent (= a police officer investigating the illegal trade in drugs)
`queeze verb
BrE /skwiːz/ ; NAmE /skwiːz/
5) [transitive] squeeze somebody/something to strictly limit or reduce the amount of money that somebody/something has or can use
ex) Its narcotics and counterfeiting activities are being squeezed too.
High interest rates have squeezed the industry hard.
intrigue noun
BrE /ˈɪntriːɡ/ ; NAmE /ˈɪntriːɡ/ ; BrE /ɪnˈtriːɡ/ ; NAmE /ɪnˈtriːɡ/
1) [uncountable] the activity of making secret plans in order to achieve an aim, often by tricking people
ex) Meanwhile, there have been reports of political intrigues and even some limited anti-regime protests.
political intrigue
The young heroine steps into a web of intrigue in the academic world.
quell verb
BrE /kwel/ ; NAmE /kwel/ (formal)
1) quell something/somebody to stop something such as violent behaviour or protests
ex) Mr. Kim may soon pick one of his sons as the next dynast-designate, in part to quell rumours that he is losing his grip.
Extra police were called in to quell the disturbances.
(figurative) She started to giggle, but Bob quelled her with a look.
lash out | lash out at somebody | lash out at something
1) to suddenly try to hit somebody/something
She suddenly lashed out at the boy.
2) to criticize somebody in an angry way
ex) Lashing out under pressure is a Kim trademark. So is demanding hefty bribes, from China and others, for better behaviour. Mr. Kim may yet change his mind again about the nuclear talks. But expect him to take his time about it.
In a bitter article he lashed out at his critics.
hefty adjective
BrE /ˈhefti/ ; NAmE /ˈhefti/ (heftier, heftiest)
2) (informal) (of an amount of money) large; larger than usual or expected
ex) Lashing out under pressure is a Kim trademark. So is demanding hefty bribes, from China and others, for better behaviour. Mr. Kim may yet change his mind again about the nuclear talks. But expect him to take his time about it.
They sold it easily and made a hefty profit.
Interest rates have gone up to a hefty 12%.
She will have to pay a pretty hefty fine if she is caught.
poster child noun
BrE ; NAmE
(also poster boy, poster girl)
(especially North American English)
2) HUMOROUS someone or something that represents a particular quality, idea, or activity
ex) They are the poster species of the country’s tourism marketing - the face of its national pride.
William is a poster child for incompetence.
reignite verb
BrE /ˌriːɪɡˈnaɪt/ ; NAmE /ˌriːɪɡˈnaɪt/ [intransitive, transitive]
to start burning again; to make something start burning again
ex) So no wonder a legal bid to ban visitors from the heart of conservation zones, with its potential impact on income, has reignited the debate over the connections between wildlife tourism and conservation.
The oven burners reignite automatically if blown out.
You may need to reignite the pilot light.
(figurative) Their passion was reignited by a romantic trip to Venice.
far-flung adjective
BrE ; NAmE usually before noun
1) a long distance away
ex) expeditions to the far-flung corners of the world
2) spread over a wide area
ex) The once far-flung realm of our planet’s largest cat species has been squeezed to a few poorly connected areas - mainly public, protected zones.
a newsletter that helps to keep all our far-flung graduates in touch
realm noun
BrE /relm/ ; NAmE /relm/
1) an area of activity, interest, or knowledge
ex) The once far-flung realm of our planet’s largest cat species has been squeezed to a few poorly connected areas - mainly public, protected zones.
in the realm of literature
At the end of the speech he seemed to be moving into the realms of fantasy.
unrelenting adjective
BrE /ˌʌnrɪˈlentɪŋ/ ; NAmE /ˌʌnrɪˈlentɪŋ/ (formal)
1) (of an unpleasant situation) not stopping or becoming less severe
synonym relentless
ex) All are the unrelenting target of poachers controlled by gangs that supply the trade in tiger parts for traditional “medicine” in China and Southeast Asia.
unrelenting pressure
The heat was unrelenting.
2) if a person is unrelenting, they continue with something without considering the feelings of other people
synonym relentless
ex) He was unrelenting in his search for the truth about his father.
poacher noun
BrE /ˈpəʊtʃə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈpoʊtʃər/
1) a person who illegally hunts birds, animals or fish on somebody’s else’s property
ex) All are the unrelenting target of poachers controlled by gangs that supply the trade in tiger parts for traditional “medicine” in China and Southeast Asia.
The measures are designed to protect the fish from poachers.
allow for somebody | allow for something
to consider or include somebody/something when calculating something
ex) As a result, the total Bengal tiger population has recovered slowly during recent decades, even allowing for inaccuracies in counts.
The number of students at the hagwon has plummeted over the past year even allowing for the moribund state of the entire hagwon industry in Korea.
It will take about an hour to get there, allowing for traffic delays.
All these factors must be allowed for.
moribund adjective
BrE /ˈmɒrɪbʌnd/ ; NAmE /ˈmɔːrɪbʌnd/ , /ˈmɑːrɪbʌnd/ (formal)
1) (of an industry, an institution, a custom, etc.) no longer effective and about to come to an end completely
ex) The number of students at the hagwon has plummeted over the past year even allowing for the moribund state of the entire hagwon industry in Korea.
a moribund company/economy
2) in a very bad condition; dying
ex) a moribund patient/tree
plight noun
BrE /plaɪt/ ; NAmE /plaɪt/
[singular] a difficult and sad situation
ex) Increasing awareness of the animal’s plight is one component of conservation efforts, and tiger tourism is part of this.
the plight of the homeless
The African elephant is in a desperate plight.
reserve noun
BrE /rɪˈzɜːv/ ; NAmE /rɪˈzɜːrv/
2) (North American English also preserve) [countable] a piece of land that is a protected area for animals, plants, etc.
ex) Tiger reserves receive tens to hundreds of thousands of visitors a year, which can cause crowds (though this pales in comparison with some wildlife parks in other countries, which get tens of millions of visitors).
a wildlife reserve
pale beside/next to something, pale in/by comparison (with/to something), pale into insignificance
to seem less important when compared with something else
ex) Tiger reserves receive tens to hundreds of thousands of visitors a year, which can cause crowds (though this pales in comparison with some wildlife parks in other countries, which get tens of millions of visitors).
Last year’s riots pale in comparison with this latest outburst of violence.
Our problems pale into insignificance when compared to theirs.
in-migration noun
- in-migrate verb
** in-migrant noun
migration into one community, region, or country from another
- to move into or come to live in a region or community especially as part of a large-scale and continuing movement of population
ex) The animals are adversely affected by direct disturbance, new infrastructure, and human in-migration.
hold/keep somebody/something at bay
to prevent an enemy from coming close or a problem from having a bad effect
synonym ward off
ex) yet crucially, parks agencies and local communities have become dependent on tourism funding, and much of it pays for work that keeps poachers at bay - the key conservation concern for Bengal tigers.
I’m trying to keep my creditors at bay.
Charlotte bit her lip to hold the tears at bay.
lead the way
to be the first to do something, especially to achieve success, and to show others how to do it
ex) In the principal tiger state of Madhya Pradesh, which arguably leads the way in its management of nature reserves, tourism revenue is used to fund programs for local villagers, who act as gatekeepers against poachers.
It is a country that has always led the way in its conservation policies.
not nearly
much less than; not at all; nowhere near
ex) These villagers also have an effect on tigers, but neither they nor the tourists are nearly as severe a threat as poaching.
It’s not nearly as hot as last year.
There isn’t nearly enough time to get there now.
mitigate verb
BrE /ˈmɪtɪɡeɪt/ ; NAmE /ˈmɪtɪɡeɪt/
mitigate something (formal) to make something less harmful, serious, etc.
synonym alleviate
ex) Visitors who come to see tigers bring their own problems, but these can be mitigated.
action to mitigate poverty
Soil erosion was mitigated by the planting of trees.
protocol noun
BrE /ˈprəʊtəkɒl/ ; NAmE /ˈproʊtəkɔːl/ , /ˈproʊtəkɑːl/
1) [U] the system of rules and acceptable behaviour used at official ceremonies and occasions
ex) This leads to breaches of minimal-impact wildlife-watching protocols, which aim to restrict vehicle speeds, animal-approach distances, and crowding.
a breach of Royal protocol
diplomatic protocol
crowd verb
BrE /kraʊd/ ; NAmE /kraʊd/
1) (intransitive) to gather together in large numbers; throng
ex) This leads to breaches of minimal-impact wildlife-watching protocols, which aim to restrict vehicle speeds, animal-approach distances, and crowding.
reliance noun
BrE /rɪˈlaɪəns/ ; NAmE /rɪˈlaɪəns/
- reliant adjective
BrE /rɪˈlaɪənt/ ; NAmE /rɪˈlaɪənt/
[uncountable, singular] reliance (on/upon somebody/something) the state of needing somebody/something in order to survive, be successful, etc.; the fact of being able to rely on somebody/something
synonym dependence
ex) India is a great example of the growing reliance of conservation on tourism, but it is widespread.
Heavy reliance on one client is risky when you are building up a business.
Such learning methods encourage too great a reliance upon the teacher.
The study programme concentrates more on group work and places less reliance on (= depends less on) lectures.
I wouldn’t place too much reliance on (= trust) these figures.
an increasing reliance on overseas aid
- reliant on/upon somebody/something needing somebody/something in order to survive, be successful, etc.
synonym dependent
ex) A recent analysis I and my colleagues have done shows that conservation of many such species has become reliant on revenue from tourism to a previously unsuspected degree.
The hostel is heavily reliant upon charity.
Businesses have become increasingly reliant on complicated computing systems.
The service has become heavily reliant on government support.
unsuspected adjective
BrE /ˌʌnsəˈspektɪd/ ; NAmE /ˌʌnsəˈspektɪd/
not predicted or known; that you were not previously aware of
ex) A recent analysis I and my colleagues have done shows that conservation of many such species has become reliant on revenue from tourism to a previously unsuspected degree.
Scientists are investigating the previously unsuspected side effects of the drug.
dry up
2) if a supply of something dries up, there is gradually less of it until there is none left
ex) On one hand, this brings new opportunities for conservation funding, but on the other, dependence on such an uncertain income creates a new vulnerability, were it to suddenly dry up.
As she got older, offers of modelling work began to dry up.
unrest noun
BrE /ʌnˈrest/ ; NAmE /ʌnˈrest/ [uncountable]
a political situation in which people are angry and likely to protest or fight; disagreements or fighting between different groups of people
ex) In Madagascar, Nepal, and Zimbabwe, where tourism collapsed following unrest, many threatened species suffered greatly increased poaching.
industrial/civil/social/political/popular unrest
There is growing unrest in the south of the country.
feral adjective
BrE /ˈferəl/ ; NAmE /ˈferəl/
(of animals) living wild, especially after escaping from life as a pet or on a farm
ex) It is not just poachers that are a problem: Bushmeat hunters, logging and mining, invasive weeds, feral animals, hydro dams, and power lines are all threats.
feral cats
(figurative) He looked at me with a feral grin (= like a wild animal).
bushmeat noun
BrE /ˈbʊʃmiːt/ ; NAmE /ˈbʊʃmiːt/ [uncountable]
the meat of African wild animals used as food
The term bushmeat, also called wildmeat and game meat, refers to meat from non-domesticated mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds hunted for food in tropical forests. Commercial harvesting and the trade of wildlife is considered a threat to biodiversity.
ex) It is not just poachers that are a problem: Bushmeat hunters, logging and mining, invasive weeds, feral animals, hydro dams, and power lines are all threats.
commercial bushmeat hunting
fickle adjective
BrE /ˈfɪkl/ ; NAmE /ˈfɪkl/ (disapproving)
1) changing often and suddenly
ex) Yes, that’s risky, because tourism is fickle - but take it away and animals are killed by hunters.
The weather here is notoriously fickle.
the fickle world of fashion
The latest downturn in sales shows just what a fickle business this is.
the fickle finger of fate
(of a person) often changing their mind in an unreasonable way so that you cannot rely on them
a fickle friend
another example of his fickle behaviour
doomsday noun
BrE /ˈduːmzdeɪ/ ; NAmE /ˈduːmzdeɪ/ [singular]
1) the last day of the world when Christians believe that everyone will be judged by God; the end of the world
3) (modifier) characterized by predictions of disaster
ex) They brought a case for a ban to the Supreme Court as a doomsday weapon, to force a response.
doomsday scenario
eminently adverb
BrE /ˈemɪnəntli/ ; NAmE /ˈemɪnəntli/ (formal)
(used to emphasize a positive quality) very; extremely
ex) A negotiated approach that allows tourism to continue is eminently sensible.
She seems eminently suitable for the job.
Tony comes from an eminently respectable family.
spy on somebody | spy on something
to watch somebody/something secretly
ex) Nearly seven years after the disclosure of President George W. Bush’s secret program of spying on Americans without a warrant, the Supreme Court is about to hear arguments on whether judges can even consider the constitutionality of doing this kind of dragnet surveillance without adequate rules to protect people’s rights.
Have you been spying on me?
warrant noun
BrE /ˈwɒrənt/ ; NAmE /ˈwɔːrənt/ , /ˈwɑːrənt/
1) [countable] a legal document that is signed by a judge and gives the police authority to do something
ex) Nearly seven years after the disclosure of President George W. Bush’s secret program of spying on Americans without a warrant, the Supreme Court is about to hear arguments on whether judges can even consider the constitutionality of doing this kind of dragnet surveillance without adequate rules to protect people’s rights.
an arrest warrant / a search warrant
They issued a warrant for her arrest.
They had a warrant to search the house.
constitutionality noun
BrE /ˌkɒnstɪˌtjuːʃəˈnæləti/ ; NAmE /ˌkɑːnstəˌtuːʃəˈnæləti/ uncountable
the fact that something is acceptable according to a constitution
ex) Nearly seven years after the disclosure of President George W. Bush’s secret program of spying on Americans without a warrant, the Supreme Court is about to hear arguments on whether judges can even consider the constitutionality of doing this kind of dragnet surveillance without adequate rules to protect people’s rights.
They questioned the constitutionality of the law.
dragnet noun
BrE /ˈdræɡnet/ ; NAmE /ˈdræɡnet/
1) a net which is pulled through water to catch fish, or along the ground to catch animals
2) a thorough search, especially for a criminal
ex) Nearly seven years after the disclosure of President George W. Bush’s secret program of spying on Americans without a warrant, the Supreme Court is about to hear arguments on whether judges can even consider the constitutionality of doing this kind of dragnet surveillance without adequate rules to protect people’s rights.
solicitor general noun
BrE ; NAmE (pl. solicitors general) Sol. Gen. / S.G.
a senior legal officer in Britain or the US, next in rank below the attorney general 법무차관
ex) President Obama’s solicitor general, Donald Verrilli Jr., will be calling on the court to toss out the case based on a particularly cynical Catch-22: Because the wiretaps are secret and no one can say for certain that their calls have been or will be monitored, no one has standing to bring suit over the surveillance.
toss (out)
MAINLY AMERICAN [TRANSITIVE] INFORMAL to get rid of something because you do not want or need it
ex) President Obama’s solicitor general, Donald Verrilli Jr., will be calling on the court to toss out the case based on a particularly cynical Catch-22: Because the wiretaps are secret and no one can say for certain that their calls have been or will be monitored, no one has standing to bring suit over the surveillance.
Catch-22
a comic but serious US novel (1961) about the madness of war. It was written by Joseph Heller (1923-1999), and a film version was made in 1970. The story is about a US Air Force pilot during World War II. He hates the war and tries to avoid having to fly planes. The book was a great success with US students in the 1960s. The expression Catch-22 has now entered the English language, meaning an unpleasant situation from which you cannot escape because you need to do one thing before doing a second, and you cannot do the second thing before doing the first.
ex) President Obama’s solicitor general, Donald Verrilli Jr., will be calling on the court to toss out the case based on a particularly cynical Catch-22: Because the wiretaps are secret and no one can say for certain that their calls have been or will be monitored, no one has standing to bring suit over the surveillance.
We’re in a Catch-22 situation.
“There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one’s own safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind … Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn’t, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn’t have to; but if he didn’t want to he was sane and had to.”
wiretap noun
BrE /ˈwaɪətæp/ ; NAmE /ˈwaɪərtæp/
- eavesdrop verb
BrE /ˈiːvzdrɒp/ ; NAmE /ˈiːvzdrɑːp/
a device that can be attached to somebody’s telephone line in order to listen to their conversations secretly
ex) President Obama’s solicitor general, Donald Verrilli Jr., will be calling on the court to toss out the case based on a particularly cynical Catch-22: Because the wiretaps are secret and no one can say for certain that their calls have been or will be monitored, no one has standing to bring suit over the surveillance.
the use of illegal wiretaps
- [intransitive] eavesdrop (on somebody/something) to listen secretly to what other people are saying
ex) They have taken expensive and burdensome steps to avoid the risk of government eavesdropping, demonstrating tangible injury.
We caught him eavesdropping outside the window.
standing noun
BrE /ˈstændɪŋ/ ; NAmE /ˈstændɪŋ/
1) [uncountable] the position or reputation of somebody/something within a group of people or in an organization
synonym status
ex) President Obama’s solicitor general, Donald Verrilli Jr., will be calling on the court to toss out the case based on a particularly cynical Catch-22: Because the wiretaps are secret and no one can say for certain that their calls have been or will be monitored, no one has standing to bring suit over the surveillance.
the high/low standing of politicians with the public
The contract has no legal standing.
concern verb
BrE /kənˈsɜːn/ ; NAmE /kənˈsɜːrn/
2) concern something (also be concerned with something) to be about something
ex) The lawsuit the Justice Department is trying so hard to block concerns the 2008 statute amending the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
The story concerns the prince’s efforts to rescue Pamina.
The book is primarily concerned with Soviet-American relations during the Cold War.
This chapter concerns itself with the historical background.
One major difference between these computers concerns the way in which they store information.
retrospectively adverb
BrE /ˌretrəˈspektɪvli/ ; NAmE /ˌretrəˈspektɪvli/
2) (less frequent, formal retroactively) from a particular date in the past rather than from the present date
ex) The new law retroactively approved Mr. Bush’s legally dubious warrantless wiretapping and conferred immunity from prosecution on the telephone companies that cooperated in the program.
The new rule will be applied retrospectively.
dubious adjective
BrE /ˈdjuːbiəs/ ; NAmE /ˈduːbiəs/
2) (disapproving) probably not honest
synonym suspicious
ex) The new law retroactively approved Mr. Bush’s legally dubious warrantless wiretapping and conferred immunity from prosecution on the telephone companies that cooperated in the program.
They indulged in some highly dubious business practices to obtain their current position in the market.
confer verb
BrE /kənˈfɜː(r)/ ; NAmE /kənˈfɜːr/ (formal)
2) [transitive] confer something (on/upon somebody) to give somebody an award, a university degree or a particular honour or right
ex) The new law retroactively approved Mr. Bush’s legally dubious warrantless wiretapping and conferred immunity from prosecution on the telephone companies that cooperated in the program.
An honorary degree was conferred on him by Oxford University in 2009.
immunity noun
BrE /ɪˈmjuːnəti/ ; NAmE /ɪˈmjuːnəti/ uncountable, countable
2) immunity (from something) the state of being protected from something
ex) The new law retroactively approved Mr. Bush’s legally dubious warrantless wiretapping and conferred immunity from prosecution on the telephone companies that cooperated in the program.
The spies were all granted immunity from prosecution.
parliamentary/congressional immunity (= protection against particular laws that is given to politicians)
Officials of all member states receive certain privileges and immunities.
basket noun
BrE /ˈbɑːskɪt/ ; NAmE /ˈbæskɪt/
5) (economics) a number of different goods or currencies
ex) In the three months following the collapse of Lehman Brothers, as the world economy crumbled and investors scrambled for shelter, the dollar rose by 5% against a basket of other widely used currencies.
the value of the rupee against a basket of currencies
ascent noun
BrE /əˈsent/ ; NAmE /əˈsent/
3) [uncountable] (formal) the process of moving forward to a better position or of making progress
ex) In the past three months it has jumped by 11%; over the past year, by 22% - its fastest ascent in decades.
uncharted adjective
BrE /ˌʌnˈtʃɑːtɪd/ ; NAmE /ˌʌnˈtʃɑːrtɪd/ [usually before noun]
- uncharted territory/waters
1) that has not been visited or investigated before; not familiar
ex) They set off into the country’s uncharted interior.
* an activity or subject that people do not know anything about or have not experienced before
ex) The dollar is not yet in uncharted waters: one euro was worth one dollar in the early 2000s, for example.
Genetic engineers are entering uncharted territory.
(figurative) The party is sailing in uncharted waters (= a situation it has not been in before).
(figurative) I was moving into uncharted territory (= a completely new experience) with this relationship.
catch somebody out
1) to surprise somebody and put them in a difficult position
ex) But moves of this magnitude usually catch something out, and the likeliest candidates this time are in emerging markets.
Many investors were caught out by the fall in share prices.
greenback noun
BrE /ˈɡriːnbæk/ ; NAmE /ˈɡriːnbæk/ (North American English, informal)
an American dollar note
ex) The principal reasons for the greenback’s rapid strengthening are simple to grasp.
doldrums noun
BrE /ˈdɒldrəmz/ ; NAmE /ˈdoʊldrəmz/ [plural]
(also the doldrums)
1) the state of feeling sad or depressed
ex) He’s been in the doldrums ever since she left him.
2) a lack of activity or improvement
ex) With Europe and Japan stuck in the doldrums, and China and other emerging markets slowing, America’s economy looks relatively strong.
The bond market normally revives after the summer doldrums.
Despite these measures, the economy remains in the doldrums.
denominate verb
BrE /dɪˈnɒmɪneɪt/ ; NAmE /dɪˈnɑːmɪneɪt/
1) denominate something (in something) to express an amount of money using a particular unit
ex) With American monetary policy tightening, and other central banks still loosening, investors can make higher returns from dollar-denominated assets. In capital floods, and up the dollar goes.
The loan was denominated in US dollars.
ex) denominate somebody (as) something (formal) to give something a particular name or description
ex) These payments are denominated as ‘fees’ rather than ‘salary’.
on offer
1) that can be bought, used, etc.
ex) Companies around the world, and especially in emerging markets, have been bingeing on dollar-denominated debt, seduced by the lower interest rates on offer compared with local-currency debt.
We have seven different kinds of fish on offer.
The following is a list of courses currently on offer.
Prizes worth more than £20 000 are on offer.
2) (especially British English) on sale at a lower price than normal for a short period of time
ex) Italian wines are on (special) offer this week.
vault verb
BrE /vɔːlt/ ; NAmE /vɔːlt/
2) [INTRANSITIVE] to suddenly improve or succeed
ex) In China alone, dollar-denominated loans have vaulted from around $200 billion in 2008 to more than $1 trillion now.
Stocks vaulted to record high levels on Wednesday.
service verb
BrE /ˈsɜːvɪs/ ; NAmE /ˈsɜːrvɪs/
3) service something (specialist) to pay interest on money that has been borrowed
ex) As the dollar rises, this debt becomes more expensive to service in local currency.
The company can no longer service its debts.
in tandem (with somebody/something)
a thing that works or happens in tandem with something else works together with it or happens at the same time as it
ex) And as the Fed starts to tighten, the interest rates charged on dollar debts - whether in bond markets or via banks - will rise in tandem.
The two systems are designed to work in tandem.
Stock prices pushed sharply higher this afternoon in tandem with a rise in the dollar.
double whammy noun
[COUNTABLE] MAINLY JOURNALISM a set of two bad events or situations that have an effect at the same time
ex) As a result, borrowers are at risk of a double whammy: a strengthening dollar and a rising cost of borrowing and refinancing.
the double whammy of her divorce from Prince Charles and the loss of her title Her Royal Highness
portend verb
BrE /pɔːˈtend/ ; NAmE /pɔːrˈtend/
portend something (formal) to be a sign or warning of something that is going to happen in the future, especially something bad or unpleasant
synonym foreshadow
ex) That does not necessarily portend a wave of bankruptcies. But it does mean another drag on growth at a time when swathes of the emerging world are already struggling.
drag noun
BrE /dræɡ/ ; NAmE /dræɡ/
2) [singular] a drag on somebody/something (informal) a person or thing that makes progress difficult
ex) That does not necessarily portend a wave of bankruptcies. But it does mean another drag on growth at a time when swathes of the emerging world are already struggling.
He came to be seen as a drag on his own party’s prospects.
swathe noun
BrE /sweɪð/ ; NAmE /sweɪð/
(also swath BrE /swɒθ/ ; NAmE /swɑːθ/ )
(formal)
3) a large number of people, or a large amount of something
ex) That does not necessarily portend a wave of bankruptcies. But it does mean another drag on growth at a time when swathes of the emerging world are already struggling.
The disease killed huge swathes of the population.
mismatch noun
BrE /ˈmɪsmætʃ/ ; NAmE /ˈmɪsmætʃ/
1) mismatch (between A and B) a combination of things or people that do not go together well or are not suitable for each other; a difference or disagreement between two facts or aspects of a situation
ex) First, plenty of corporate borrowers have income as well as liabilities in dollars, meaning that currency mismatches are not a concern. But many of the firms that do have matched debts and revenues are oil or mining firms, which have seen their income in dollars plunge because of falling commodity prices.
a mismatch between people’s real needs and the available facilities
There is always a certain mismatch between theory and reality.
match verb
BrE /mætʃ/ ; NAmE /mætʃ/
5) [transitive] match something to make something the same as or better than something else; to provide something that is equal in amount or level to something else
ex) First, plenty of corporate borrowers have income as well as liabilities in dollars, meaning that currency mismatches are not a concern. But many of the firms that do have matched debts and revenues are oil or mining firms, which have seen their income in dollars plunge because of falling commodity prices.
Groups have to match any grant they receive with their own cash.
The company was unable to match his current salary.
They have reduced all their stock by 10% to match competitors’ prices.
depreciate verb
BrE /dɪˈpriːʃieɪt/ ; NAmE /dɪˈpriːʃieɪt/
1) [INTRANSITIVE] to become less valuable than before; to reduce or decline in value or price
ex) That the yuan has barely depreciated against the dollar, and that China shows little inclination to let it do so, is a comfort.
Although most emerging-market firms that borrow in foreign currency do so in dollars, exporters may trade not with America, but with other countries whose currencies are also depreciating against the dollar.
The bank depreciates PCs over a period of five years.
peg noun
BrE /peɡ/ ; NAmE /peɡ/
4) ECONOMICS an arrangement that keeps a price, amount etc at the same level in relation to something else
ex) But the peg is not guaranteed to hold; if corporate borrowers have not bothered to hedge, they will be hard hit.
Officials have pledged that the currency peg to the US dollar will be maintained.
hedge verb
BrE /hedʒ/ ; NAmE /hedʒ/
4) to buy and sell shares in such a way that the risk of losing money is low; (intransitive) to protect against financial loss through future price (선물 가격) fluctuations, as by investing in futures
ex) But the peg is not guaranteed to hold; if corporate borrowers have not bothered to hedge, they will be hard hit.
firepower noun
BrE /ˈfaɪəpaʊə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈfaɪərpaʊər/ [uncountable]
1) the weapons available to use against an enemy
ex) NATO’s firepower
2) MAINLY JOURNALISM the amount of money or skills available
ex) But countries like South Africa and Turkey have less firepower, and large short-term government debts that will gobble up dollars.
financial/intellectual firepower
The company has enormous financial firepower.
gobble something↔up(informal)
1) to use something very quickly
ex) But countries like South Africa and Turkey have less firepower, and large short-term government debts that will gobble up dollars.
Hotel costs gobbled up most of their holiday budget.
2) if a business company, etc. gobbles up a smaller one, it takes control of it
taper verb
BrE /ˈteɪpə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈteɪpər/
- taper off
** taper something↔off
[intransitive, transitive] to become gradually narrower; to make something become gradually narrower
ex) Emerging markets have been put under pressure by the Fed before - most recently in 2013, when the announcement that it would start tapering the pace of its quantitative-easing programme caused money to stampede for safety.
The tail tapered to a rounded tip.
She had long tapering fingers.
The leaves are long, tapering to a point at each end.
The pots are wide at the base and tapered at the top.
- to become gradually less in number, amount, degree, etc.
ex) The number of applicants for teaching posts has tapered off.
** to make something become gradually less in number, amount, degree, etc.
ex) They are gradually tapering off production of the older models.
stampede verb
BrE /stæmˈpiːd/ ; NAmE /stæmˈpiːd/
2) [transitive, usually passive] stampede somebody (into something/into doing something) to make somebody rush into doing something without giving them time to think about it
ex) Emerging markets have been put under pressure by the Fed before - most recently in 2013, when the announcement that it would start tapering the pace of its quantitative-easing programme caused money to stampede for safety.
I refuse to be stampeded into making any hasty decisions.
weather verb
BrE /ˈweðə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈweðər/
- weather the storm
1) [intransitive, transitive] to change, or make something change, colour or shape because of the effect of the sun, rain or wind
ex) This brick weathers to a warm pinkish-brown colour.
Her face was weathered by the sun.
2) [transitive] weather something to come safely through a difficult period or experience; to manage a difficult experience without being seriously harmed
ex) The company just managed to weather the recession.
* come through a time of great difficulty)
ex) If the system could weather that storm, optimists say, it can survive this.
She refuses to resign, intending to weather the storm (= wait until the situation improves again).
An improvement in the economy is helping us weather the storm.
intercept verb
BrE /ˌɪntəˈsept/ ; NAmE /ˌɪntərˈsept/
to stop, catch, or take control of someone or something before they can get to the place they are going to
ex) The measure gave the government broad and unprecedented power to intercept the communications of Americans without individualized warrants based on probable cause or any administrative finding of a terrorism connection.
We intercepted a message sent from a business firm in Paris to The Hague.
Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave the hotel.
The letter was intercepted.
Townsend intercepted a pass and ran half the length of the pitch to score.
probable cause noun
uncountable good reason to think that a crime has been committed
ex) The measure gave the government broad and unprecedented power to intercept the communications of Americans without individualized warrants based on probable cause or any administrative finding of a terrorism connection.
You must have probable cause to arrest someone.
The police cannot search a suspect without probable cause and a warrant
the burden of proof noun
BrE ; NAmE singular
the task or responsibility of proving that something is true 입증 책임
ex) It lowered the burden of proof for government wiretapping of suspects, weakened judicial supervision, and failed to set adequate limits on retention and dissemination of acquired information.
The burden of proof is on the prosecution.
retention noun
BrE /rɪˈtenʃn/ ; NAmE /rɪˈtenʃn/ uncountable
1) the action of keeping something rather than losing it or stopping it
ex) It lowered the burden of proof for government wiretapping of suspects, weakened judicial supervision, and failed to set adequate limits on retention and dissemination of acquired information.
The company needs to improve its training and retention of staff.
dissemination noun
BrE /dɪˌsemɪˈneɪʃn/ ; NAmE /dɪˌsemɪˈneɪʃn/ uncountable
the act of spreading information or knowledge so that it reaches many people
ex) It lowered the burden of proof for government wiretapping of suspects, weakened judicial supervision, and failed to set adequate limits on retention and dissemination of acquired information.
the Internet’s role in the dissemination of knowledge
discard verb
BrE /dɪsˈkɑːd/ ; NAmE /dɪsˈkɑːrd/
1) [transitive] (formal) to get rid of something that you no longer want or need
ex) The statute discarded traditional constitutional protections for the privacy of innocent people, and chilled the exercise of the core democratic rights of free speech and association.
The room was littered with discarded newspapers.
He had discarded his jacket because of the heat.
(figurative) She could now discard all thought of promotion.
10% of the data was discarded as unreliable.
association noun
BrE /əˌsəʊʃiˈeɪʃn/ ; NAmE /əˌsoʊʃiˈeɪʃn/ ; BrE /əˌsəʊsiˈeɪʃn/ ; NAmE /əˌsoʊsiˈeɪʃn/
2) [countable, uncountable] association (with somebody/something) a connection or relationship between people or organizations
ex) The statute discarded traditional constitutional protections for the privacy of innocent people, and chilled the exercise of the core democratic rights of free speech and association.
his alleged association with terrorist groups
They have maintained a close association with a college in the US.
The book was published in association with (= together with) English Heritage.
She became famous through her association with the group of poets.
stretch noun
BrE /stretʃ/ ; NAmE /stretʃ/
- not by any stretch of the imagination, by no stretch of the imagination
5) an exaggeration
ex) It would not require a legal stretch for the court to find that the plaintiffs had standing to sue.
It would be a stretch to call this restaurant the best in the city.
- used to say strongly that something is not true, even if you try to imagine or believe it
ex) “Think of him as your eldest brother.” “By any stretch of imagination, I can’t think of him as my brother.”
I think it’s a bit of stretch to see him as your brother.
She could not, by any stretch of the imagination, be called beautiful.
By no stretch of the imagination could the trip be described as relaxing.
tangible adjective
BrE /ˈtændʒəbl/ ; NAmE /ˈtændʒəbl/
1) [usually before noun] that can be clearly seen to exist
ex) They have taken expensive and burdensome steps to avoid the risk of government eavesdropping, demonstrating tangible injury.
tangible benefits/improvements/results, etc.
We cannot accept his findings without tangible evidence.
tangible assets (= a company’s buildings, machinery, etc.)
confidence noun
BrE /ˈkɒnfɪdəns/ ; NAmE /ˈkɑːnfɪdəns/
4) [uncountable] a feeling of trust that somebody will keep information private
ex) For lawyers, an ethical obligation to safeguard client confidences requires such protective actions.
Eva told me about their relationship in confidence.
This is in the strictest confidence.
It took a long time to gain her confidence (= make her feel she could trust me).
invoke verb
BrE /ɪnˈvəʊk/ ; NAmE /ɪnˈvoʊk/
1) invoke something (against somebody) to mention or use a law, rule, etc. as a reason for doing something
ex) He invoked Provision 2 of Article 3 of the contract to sue his partner.
It is unlikely that libel laws will be invoked.
2) invoke somebody/something to mention a person, a theory, an example, etc. to support your opinions or ideas, or as a reason for something
ex) As the Supreme Court recognized in an important 1972 case, the invoking of national security to justify warrantless surveillance only heightens the need for searching judicial review.
She invoked several eminent scholars to back up her argument.
narrow adjective
BrE /ˈnærəʊ/ ; NAmE /ˈnæroʊ/ (narrower, narrowest)
3) limited in a way that ignores important issues or the opinions of other people
ex) Technically, the only question before the court is the fairly narrow-sounding issue of standing that it has agreed to hear.
narrow interests
She has a very narrow view of the world.
opposite broad
이 마을 사람들 또한 호랑이들한테 영향을 미칩니다. 하지만 마을 사람들이든 관광객이든 밀렵이 (호랑이들에게) 미치는 위협에 비하면 그 근처에도 못 갑니다.
These villagers also have an effect on tigers, but neither they nor the tourists are nearly as severe a threat as poaching.
cramp verb
BrE /kræmp/ ; NAmE /kræmp/
cramp something to prevent the development or progress of somebody/something
synonym restrict
ex) But should the court acquiesce to the government’s cramped reading of standing, the larger implications should be clear to everyone.
Tighter trade restrictions might cramp economic growth.
foreclose verb
BrE /fɔːˈkləʊz/ ; NAmE /fɔːrˈkloʊz/
2) [transitive] foreclose something (formal) to reject something as a possibility
synonym exclude
ex) As a practical matter, it would foreclose any meaningful judicial review of the warrantless wiretapping statute, perhaps permanently.
The judge’s words effectively foreclosed any possibility of an early release.
checks and balances noun
BrE ; NAmE [plural]
- the legislative / judicial / administrative [executive] branches
1) influences in an organization or political system which help to keep it fair and stop a small group from keeping all the power
2) (in the US) the principle of government by which the President, Congress and the Supreme Court each have some control over the others 견제와 균형, 삼권 분립
ex) The damage to the nation’s system of checks and balances, which relies on independent court scrutiny of laws as a safeguard against legislative and executive branch overreaching that disrespects constitutional rights, would be serious.
overreach verb
BrE /ˌəʊvəˈriːtʃ/ ; NAmE /ˌoʊvərˈriːtʃ/
[transitive, intransitive] overreach (yourself) to fail by trying to achieve more than is possible
ex) The damage to the nation’s system of checks and balances, which relies on independent court scrutiny of laws as a safeguard against legislative and executive branch overreaching that disrespects constitutional rights, would be serious.
In making these promises, the company had clearly overreached itself.
not so fast
SPOKEN used when you are telling someone to wait and not be too quick to do something or believe something
ex) Suicide by Choice? Not So Fast
You may say the country needs to stop mandatory conscripts. But I say ‘not so fast.’
Not so fast. Calm down and stay where you are.
pro-choice adjective
BrE ; NAmE
- anti-choice adjective
BrE ; NAmE (North American English, disapproving)
** pro-life adjective
BrE ; NAmE [usually before noun]
believing that a pregnant woman should be able to choose to have an abortion if she wants
ex) As a good pro-choice liberal, I ought to support the effort. But as a lifelong disabled person, I cannot.
pro-choice activists
a pro-choice stand on abortion
- against giving women the right to have an abortion
** opposed to abortion
ex) the pro-life movement
a pro-life campaigner
coerce somebody (into something/into doing something) | coerce somebody (to do something)
(formal) to force somebody to do something by using threats
ex) No one will be coerced into taking a poison pill, supporters insist.
They were coerced into negotiating a settlement.
She hadn’t coerced him in any way.
the/a slippery slope
a course of action that is difficult to stop once it has begun, and can lead to serious problems or disaster
ex) Doctors will take into account the possibility of depression. There is no slippery slope.
She realized he was on the slippery slope towards a life of crime.
scant adjective
BrE /skænt/ ; NAmE /skænt/ [only before noun]
hardly any; not very much and not as much as there should be
ex) There’s been scant evidence of abuse so far in Oregon, Washington and Montana, the three states where physician-assisted death is already legal, but abuse - whether spousal, child or elder - is notoriously underreported, and evidence is difficult to come by.
The decision was made with scant regard for education of the country’s children.
I paid scant attention to what she was saying.
The firefighters went back into the house with scant regard for their own safety.
There is scant evidence for this view.
notoriously adverb
BrE /nəʊˈtɔːriəsli/ ; NAmE /noʊˈtɔːriəsli/
in a way that is well known for being bad
ex) There’s been scant evidence of abuse so far in Oregon, Washington and Montana, the three states where physician-assisted death is already legal, but abuse - whether spousal, child or elder - is notoriously underreported, and evidence is difficult to come by.
Mountain weather is notoriously difficult to predict.
She is notoriously bad at writing letters.
The local bus service is notoriously unreliable.
underreport verb
-ri-ˈpȯrt\
(transitive) to report (income or crime statistics, for example) to be less than is actually the case
ex) There’s been scant evidence of abuse so far in Oregon, Washington and Montana, the three states where physician-assisted death is already legal, but abuse - whether spousal, child or elder - is notoriously underreported, and evidence is difficult to come by.
come by something
to manage to get something
ex) There’s been scant evidence of abuse so far in Oregon, Washington and Montana, the three states where physician-assisted death is already legal, but abuse - whether spousal, child or elder - is notoriously underreported, and evidence is difficult to come by.
Jobs are hard to come by these days.
porous adjective
BrE /ˈpɔːrəs/ ; NAmE /ˈpɔːrəs/
1) having many small holes that allow water or air to pass through slowly
2) not effective in preventing people from attacking or escaping
ex) My problem, ultimately, is this: I’ve lived so close to death for so long that I know how thin and porous the border between coercion and free choice is, how easy it is for someone to inadvertently influence you to feel devalued and hopeless - to pressure you ever so slightly but decidedly into being “reasonable,” to unburdening others, to “letting go.”
porous material/rocks/surfaces
a porous border/defence
He added sand to the soil to make it more porous.
coercion noun
BrE /kəʊˈɜːʃn/ ; NAmE /koʊˈɜːrʒn/ uncountable
the action of making somebody do something that they do not want to do, using force or threatening to use force
ex) My problem, ultimately, is this: I’ve lived so close to death for so long that I know how thin and porous the border between coercion and free choice is, how easy it is for someone to inadvertently influence you to feel devalued and hopeless - to pressure you ever so slightly but decidedly into being “reasonable,” to unburdening others, to “letting go.”
He claimed he had only acted under coercion.
inadvertently adverb
BrE /ˌɪnədˈvɜːtəntli/ ; NAmE /ˌɪnədˈvɜːrtəntli/
by accident; without intending to
synonym unintentionally
ex) My problem, ultimately, is this: I’ve lived so close to death for so long that I know how thin and porous the border between coercion and free choice is, how easy it is for someone to inadvertently influence you to feel devalued and hopeless - to pressure you ever so slightly but decidedly into being “reasonable,” to unburdening others, to “letting go.”
We had inadvertently left without paying the bill.
yea adverb,noun
BrE /jeɪ/ ; NAmE /jeɪ/ (old use)
- nay adverb
BrE /neɪ/ ; NAmE /neɪ/
** aye exclamation
BrE /aɪ/ ; NAmE /aɪ/ (old use or dialect)
yes; a vote for something, or someone who votes for it
- 2) an old word meaning ‘no’ or ‘not’; FORMAL used for saying ‘no’ when you vote in a group of people. The word for ‘yes’ is yea.
** 1) yes; a word used for saying ‘yes’ by people in some parts of the UK, especially Scotland
ex) yeas and nays | ayes and noes | pros and cons
‘Did you see what happened?’ ‘Oh aye, I was there.’
devalue verb
BrE /ˌdiːˈvæljuː/ ; NAmE /ˌdiːˈvæljuː/
2) [transitive] devalue something to give a lower value to something, making it seem less important than it really is
ex) My problem, ultimately, is this: I’ve lived so close to death for so long that I know how thin and porous the border between coercion and free choice is, how easy it is for someone to inadvertently influence you to feel devalued and hopeless - to pressure you ever so slightly but decidedly into being “reasonable,” to unburdening others, to “letting go.”
Work in the home is often ignored and devalued.
ever so/ever such a
(informal, especially British English) very; really; used before an adjective or adverb to mean ‘very’
ex) My problem, ultimately, is this: I’ve lived so close to death for so long that I know how thin and porous the border between coercion and free choice is, how easy it is for someone to inadvertently influence you to feel devalued and hopeless - to pressure you ever so slightly but decidedly into being “reasonable,” to unburdening others, to “letting go.”
He looks ever so smart.
She’s ever such a nice woman.
It’s ever so easy.
It was ever so kind of you to invite us.
They’re ever such nice people.
She’s ever such a good dancer.
contend verb
BrE /kənˈtend/ ; NAmE /kənˈtend/
- maintain verb
BrE /meɪnˈteɪn/ ; NAmE /meɪnˈteɪn/
1) [transitive] contend that… (formal) to say that something is true, especially in an argument
synonym maintain
ex) Perhaps, as advocates contend, you can’t understand why anyone would push for assisted-suicide legislation until you’ve seen a loved one suffer.
I would contend that the minister’s thinking is flawed on this point.
- 3) to continue to say that something is true, even if other people do not believe you
ex) The men maintained (that) they were out of the country when the crime was committed.
She has always maintained her innocence.
‘But I’m innocent!’ she maintained.
The missile system, Bush maintains, will protect the US against so-called rogue states.
The company still maintains that the drug is safe.
She maintained her innocence throughout the trial.
conceive verb
BrE /kənˈsiːv/ ; NAmE /kənˈsiːv/
1) [transitive] (formal) to form an idea, a plan, etc. in your mind; to imagine something
conceive something He conceived the idea of transforming the old power station into an arts centre.
ex) But you also can’t truly conceive of the many subtle forces - invariably well meaning, kindhearted, even gentle, yet as persuasive as a tsunami - that emerge when your physical autonomy is hopelessly compromised.
God is often conceived of as male.
I cannot conceive (= I do not believe) (that) he would wish to harm us.
I cannot conceive what it must be like.
invariably adverb
BrE /ɪnˈveəriəbli/ ; NAmE /ɪnˈveriəbli/
- invariable adjective
BrE /ɪnˈveəriəbl/ ; NAmE /ɪnˈverəriəbl/
always, or almost always
synonym without fail
ex) But you also can’t truly conceive of the many subtle forces - invariably well meaning, kindhearted, even gentle, yet as persuasive as a tsunami - that emerge when your physical autonomy is hopelessly compromised.
This acute infection of the brain is almost invariably fatal.
This is not invariably the case.
Invariably the reply came back, ‘Not now!’
- always the same; never changing
synonym unchanging
ex) Her routine was invariable.
his invariable courtesy and charm
an invariable principle
This is an invariable law: true at all times and places.
well meaning adjective
intending to do what is right and helpful but often not succeeding
synonym well intentioned
ex) But you also can’t truly conceive of the many subtle forces - invariably well meaning, kindhearted, even gentle, yet as persuasive as a tsunami - that emerge when your physical autonomy is hopelessly compromised.
a well-meaning attempt to be helpful
He’s very well meaning.
autonomy noun
BrE /ɔːˈtɒnəmi/ ; NAmE /ɔːˈtɑːnəmi/ uncountable
2) the ability to act and make decisions without being controlled by anyone else
ex) But you also can’t truly conceive of the many subtle forces - invariably well meaning, kindhearted, even gentle, yet as persuasive as a tsunami - that emerge when your physical autonomy is hopelessly compromised.
giving individuals greater autonomy in their own lives
compromise verb
BrE /ˈkɒmprəmaɪz/ ; NAmE /ˈkɑːmprəmaɪz/
3) [transitive] compromise somebody/something/yourself to bring somebody/something/yourself into danger or under suspicion, especially by acting in a way that is not very sensible
ex) But you also can’t truly conceive of the many subtle forces - invariably well meaning, kindhearted, even gentle, yet as persuasive as a tsunami - that emerge when your physical autonomy is hopelessly compromised.
We can’t compromise our dignity in favor of a few more meaningless months spent on a bed.
Two of our army barracks were compromised.
She had already compromised herself by accepting his invitation.
Defeat at this stage would compromise their chances (= reduce their chances) of reaching the finals of the competition.
