VO Book 2-1 Flashcards
smurfing noun
/ˈsmɜːfɪŋ/
2) the activity of laundering money by conducting a large number of small transactions through banks and bureaux de change
ex) The growth of the cigarette-resale racket, known to police as “smurfing,” appears tied to a growing government appetite for cash.
zip verb
BrE /zɪp/ ; NAmE /zɪp/
3) [intransitive, transitive] zip (something) + adv./prep. (informal) to move very quickly or to make something move very quickly in the direction mentioned
ex) The busy interstate highway that zips through Richmond, Virginia, and up to the crowded cities of the north-east has long been a conduit for handguns bought wholesale in Virginia and sold to drug-dealers in New York.
A sports car zipped past us.
conduit noun
BrE /ˈkɒndjuɪt/ ; NAmE /ˈkɑːnduɪt/
1) (specialist) a pipe, channel or tube which liquid, gas or electrical wire can pass through
2) (formal) a person, an organization or a country that is used to pass things or information to other people or places
ex) The busy interstate highway that zips through Richmond, Virginia, and up to the crowded cities of the north-east has long been a conduit for handguns bought wholesale in Virginia and sold to drug-dealers in New York.
The organization had acted as a conduit for money from the arms industry.
handgun noun
BrE /ˈhændɡʌn/ ; NAmE /ˈhændɡʌn/
- shotgun noun
BrE /ˈʃɒtɡʌn/ ; NAmE /ˈʃɑːtɡʌn/
** rifle noun
BrE /ˈraɪfl/ ; NAmE /ˈraɪfl/
a small gun that you can hold and fire with one hand 권총
synonym pistol/revolver (회전식 연발 권총)
ex) The busy interstate highway that zips through Richmond, Virginia, and up to the crowded cities of the north-east has long been a conduit for handguns bought wholesale in Virginia and sold to drug-dealers in New York.
A man carrying a handgun ordered bank employees to fill a large plastic bag with cash.
- a long gun that fires a lot of small metal bullets (called shot ) and is used especially for shooting birds or animals 산탄총, 엽총
** a gun with a long barrel which you hold to your shoulder to fire 소총 (ex: M16, K2)
ex) a hunting rifle
an assault rifle
wholesale adverb
BrE /ˈhəʊlseɪl/ ; NAmE /ˈhoʊlseɪl/
- in bulk
1) in large quantities, especially so they can be sold again to make a profit
ex) We buy the building materials wholesale.
2) in very large numbers
ex) The busy interstate highway that zips through Richmond, Virginia, and up to the crowded cities of the north-east has long been a conduit for handguns bought wholesale in Virginia and sold to drug-dealers in New York.
These young people die wholesale from heroin overdoses.
- bought or sold in large quantities
ex) Because Virginia’s tobacco tax is the second-lowest in America, gangsters buy cigarettes there in bulk and sell them at enormous profit in New York and other high-tax states.
large companies that buy and sell in bulk
at a profit
so that you make a profit
ex) Because Virginia’s tobacco tax is the second-lowest in America, gangsters buy cigarettes there in bulk and sell them at enormous profit in New York and other high-tax states.
They were buying securities and reselling them at a profit.
pocket verb
BrE /ˈpɒkɪt/ ; NAmE /ˈpɑːkɪt/
2) pocket something to take or keep something, especially an amount of money, that does not belong to you
ex) At a minimum, they pocket a big chunk of the difference between what Virginia adds in tax - 30 cents a packet - and the higher rates imposed elsewhere.
He regularly charges passengers more than the normal fare and pockets the difference.
3) pocket something to earn or win an amount of money
ex) Last year, she pocketed over $1 million in advertising contracts.
She pocketed £500 for coming second.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
BrE ; NAmE
(abbreviation ATF)
the division of the US Department of Justice that is responsible for laws relating to alcohol, tobacco, guns and explosives. The Bureau was established in 1972 as part of the Department of the Treasury and was moved to the Department of Justice in 2003 주류·담배·화기 및 폭발물 단속국
ex) The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives estimates that sales of illegal cigarettes cost government - local, state and federal - nearly $10 billion a year.
siphon verb
(also syphon)
BrE /ˈsaɪfn/ ; NAmE /ˈsaɪfn/
2) siphon something (+ adv./prep.) (informal) to remove money from one place and move it to another, especially dishonestly or illegally
synonym divert
ex) Now I-95 is siphoning northwards another form of contraband: black-market cigarettes.
She has been accused of siphoning off thousands of pounds from the company into her own bank account.
contraband noun
BrE /ˈkɒntrəbænd/ ; NAmE /ˈkɑːntrəbænd/ [uncountable]
goods that are illegally taken into or out of a country
ex) Now I-95 is siphoning northwards another form of contraband: black-market cigarettes.
contraband goods
to smuggle contraband
racket noun
BrE /ˈrækɪt/ ; NAmE /ˈrækɪt/
2) [countable] (informal) a dishonest or illegal way of getting money
ex) The growth of the cigarette-resale racket, known to police as “smurfing,” appears tied to a growing government appetite for cash.
a protection/extortion/drugs, etc. racket
spur verb
BrE /spɜː(r)/ ; NAmE /spɜːr/
1) to encourage somebody to do something or to encourage them to try harder to achieve something
ex) This spurs the smugglers on.
Her difficult childhood spurred her on to succeed.
My trainer spurred me to keep up a pace of four miles an hour.
I was spurred into action by the letter.
The band has been spurred on by the success of their last single.
seizure noun
BrE /ˈsiːʒə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈsiːʒər/
- confiscation noun
BrE /ˌkɒnfɪˈskeɪʃn/ ; NAmE /ˌkɑːnfɪˈskeɪʃn/ [uncountable, countable]
** commandeer verb
BrE /ˌkɒmənˈdɪə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˌkɑːmənˈdɪr/
*** conscript verb
BrE /kənˈskrɪpt/ ; NAmE /kənˈskrɪpt/ (especially British English) (usually North American English draft)
1) [uncountable, countable] seizure (of something) the use of legal authority to take something from somebody; an amount of something that is taken in this way
ex) In New Jersey, where a packet of cigarettes carries a tax of $2.70, about 40% of all cigarettes are smuggled in from other states, according to the New Jersey Treasury Department. Maryland, Virginia’s neighbour to the north, reported a fourfold increase in seizures of illegal cigarettes between 2010 and 2012, though one official described the haul as the tip of the iceberg.
The court ordered the seizure of his assets.
the largest ever seizure of cocaine at a British port
- the act of officially taking something away from somebody, especially as a punishment
ex) If found guilty of this crime they face heavy fines, confiscation of goods and even imprisonment.
** commandeer something to take control of a building, a vehicle, etc. for military purposes during a war, or by force for your own use
synonym requisition
ex) A group of young men had commandeered a truck, and were driving around the town in it.
The soldiers had commandeered the farm and the villa five months ago.
*** [usually passive] conscript somebody (into something) to make somebody join the armed forces
synonym call up
ex) He was conscripted into the army in 1939.
to be conscripted for military service
-fold suffix
(in adjectives and adverbs) multiplied by; having the number of parts mentioned
ex) Maryland, Virginia’s neighbour to the north, reported a fourfold increase in seizures of illegal cigarettes between 2010 and 2012, though one official described the haul as the tip of the iceberg.
to increase tenfold
haul noun
BrE /hɔːl/ ; NAmE /hɔːl/
1) a large amount of something that has been stolen or that is illegal
ex) Maryland, Virginia’s neighbour to the north, reported a fourfold increase in seizures of illegal cigarettes between 2010 and 2012, though one official described the haul as the tip of the iceberg.
a haul of weapons
a drugs haul
the tip of the iceberg
only a small part of a much larger problem
ex) Maryland, Virginia’s neighbour to the north, reported a fourfold increase in seizures of illegal cigarettes between 2010 and 2012, though one official described the haul as the tip of the iceberg.
This figure represents only the tip of the iceberg, since as many as 90% of cases go unreported.
intent noun
BrE /ɪnˈtent/ ; NAmE /ɪnˈtent/
1) [SINGULAR/UNCOUNTABLE] intent (to do something) (formal or law) what you intend to do
synonym intention
ex) The government has declared its intent to put the railways into private ownership.
a letter/statement of intent
His intent is clearly not to placate his critics.
2) [UNCOUNTABLE] LEGAL the intention to commit a crime or an offence
ex) Virginia, a big tobacco state since colonial times, has recently declared it illegal to buy and possess, with intent to sell elsewhere, more than 5,000 cigarettes.
She denies possessing the drug with intent to supply.
He was charged with wounding with intent.
He’s been charged with possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.
nifty adjective
BrE /ˈnɪfti/ ; NAmE /ˈnɪfti/ (informal)
- niftily adverb
1) skilful and accurate
ex) There’s some nifty guitar work on his latest CD.
2) practical; working well
synonym handy
ex) a nifty little gadget for slicing cucumbers
* ex) Smugglers can niftily get 600 cartons (that is, ten packs of 20 cigarettes) into a car, and 12,000 into a large van.
gunrunning noun
BrE /ˈɡʌnrʌnɪŋ/ ; NAmE /ˈɡʌnrʌnɪŋ/ [uncountable]
the activity of bringing guns into a country secretly and illegally
ex) When gunrunning was at its peak, I-95 was known as the “iron highway.” Now it is the new Tobacco Road.
practice noun
BrE /ˈpræktɪs/ ; NAmE /ˈpræktɪs/
- practise verb
(especially US English practice)
BrE /ˈpræktɪs/ ; NAmE /ˈpræktɪs/
** teaching hospital noun
5) [uncountable, countable] the work or the business of some professional people such as doctors, dentists and lawyers; the place where they work
ex) I recently learned that a doctor friend has seriously considered quitting her job at her medical school to go into private practice.
the practice of medicine
Students should have prior experience of veterinary practice.
My solicitor is no longer in practice.
a successful medical/dental/law practice
- 3) [intransitive, transitive] to work as a doctor, lawyer, etc.
ex) She practices medicine.
There are over 50 000 solicitors practising in England and Wales.
She practised as a barrister for many years.
He was banned from practising medicine.
** a hospital where medical students are taught. Many of Britain’s largest and best-known hospitals are teaching hospitals. As well as having medical students, they also have some of the best doctors and equipment in the country. Teaching hospitals in the US are often part of medical schools or associated with them. 의과 대학 부속 병원, 수련 병원
recount1 verb
BrE /rɪˈkaʊnt/ ; NAmE /rɪˈkaʊnt/ (formal)
to tell somebody about something, especially something that you have experienced
ex) She recounted how, much more than her male colleagues, she would get assigned to work during major holidays, cover for others’ absences and sit on administrative committees that took time away from the research required to advance her career.
She was asked to recount the details of the conversation to the court.
They recounted what had happened during those years.
‘It was before the war,’ he recounted.
sit on
1) to be a member of (a committee, etc)
ex) She recounted how, much more than her male colleagues, she would get assigned to work during major holidays, cover for others’ absences and sit on administrative committees that took time away from the research required to advance her career.
discrepancy noun
BrE /dɪsˈkrepənsi/ ; NAmE /dɪsˈkrepənsi/ (pl. discrepancies)[countable, uncountable]
- disparity noun
BrE /dɪˈspærəti/ ; NAmE /dɪˈspærəti/ uncountable, countable(formal)
a difference between two or more things that should be the same
ex) When she spoke to her chairman about the discrepancies, he listened - but never responded to her repeated requests for a raise or more support.
wide discrepancies in prices quoted for the work
What are the reasons for the discrepancy between girls’ and boys’ performance in school?
- a difference, especially one connected with unfair treatment
ex) More than half of the women professors surveyed reported being discriminated against or sexually harassed, even as most of thier male colleagues believed that such disparities in their institutions did not exist.
the wide disparity between rich and poor
growing regional disparities in economic prosperity
relay verb
BrE /ˈriːleɪ/ ; NAmE /ˈriːleɪ/ ; BrE /rɪˈleɪ/ ; NAmE /rɪˈleɪ/
1) relay something (to somebody) to receive and send on information, news, etc. to somebody
ex) When she described her situation to some male colleagues, they listened attentively, then began relaying their own frustration with how little support they got from superiors.
He relayed the message to his boss.
Instructions were relayed to him by phone.
anywhere
pronoun/adverb
BrE /ˈeniweə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈeniwer/
North American English also anyplace
3) used for saying that a number or amount is within a particular range, when you cannot give a single exact figure
ex) While historically most doctors were men, medical schools began broadening their admissions policies a little over a generation ago, so that women soon made up anywhere from a third to half of all students and trainees and an increasing percentage of the professors.
A headteacher can earn anywhere between £25,000 and £80,000 a year, depending on the size of the school.
The journey can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour.
discriminate verb
BrE /dɪˈskrɪmɪneɪt/ ; NAmE /dɪˈskrɪmɪneɪt/
2) [intransitive] to treat one person or group worse/better than another in an unfair way
ex) More than half of the women professors surveyed reported being discriminated against or sexually harassed, even as most of thier male colleagues believed that such disparities in their institutions did not exist.
practices that discriminate against women and in favour of men
It is illegal to discriminate on grounds of race, sex or religion.
fare verb
BrE /feə(r)/ ; NAmE /fer/
[intransitive] fare well, badly, better, etc. to be successful/unsuccessful in a particular situation
synonym get on
ex) Other studies found that women faculty members continued to make less money than their male peers, were promoted more slowly and even fared worse in academia’s most revered expression of meritocracy, the peer-review process.
Girls tend to fare better than boys in college.
Introverts tend to fare worse in the military than their merrier friends.
The party fared very badly in the last election.
The North, by and large, has fared better than most regions in avoiding high unemployment figures.
academia noun
BrE /ˌækəˈdiːmiə/ ; NAmE /ˌækəˈdiːmiə/
(formal or humorous academe BrE /ˈækədiːm/ ; NAmE /ˈækədiːm/ 학자 생활, 학구적 생활, 학구, 학자연하는 사람, 학원, 대학)
[uncountable]
the world of learning, teaching, research, etc. at universities, and the people involved in it
leading figures from academia and industry 학계
ex) Other studies found that women faculty members continued to make less money than their male peers, were promoted more slowly and even fared worse in academia’s most revered expression of meritocracy, the peer-review process.
revere verb
BrE /rɪˈvɪə(r)/ ; NAmE /rɪˈvɪr/
[usually passive] revere somebody (as something) (formal) to feel great respect or admiration for somebody/something
synonym idolize
ex) Other studies found that women faculty members continued to make less money than their male peers, were promoted more slowly and even fared worse in academia’s most revered expression of meritocracy, the peer-review process.
Her name is revered in Spain.
He is now revered as a national hero.
meritocracy noun
BrE /ˌmerɪˈtɒkrəsi/ ; NAmE /ˌmerɪˈtɑːkrəsi/ (pl. meritocracies)
1) [countable, uncountable] a country or social system where people get power or money on the basis of their ability 능력[실력] 주의
ex) Other studies found that women faculty members continued to make less money than their male peers, were promoted more slowly and even fared worse in academia’s most revered expression of meritocracy, the peer-review process.
merit-based payment scheme 성과급제 | seniority-based payment scheme 연공서열제 (호봉제)
postulate verb
BrE /ˈpɒstjuleɪt/ ; NAmE /ˈpɑːstʃəleɪt/
postulate something | postulate that… (formal) to suggest or accept that something is true so that it can be used as the basis for a theory, etc.
synonym posit
ex) Other experts postulated that women were more sensitive to unfair treatment because they tended to be more relationship-oriented than their male colleagues.
They postulated a 500-year lifespan for a plastic container.
attribute verb
BrE /əˈtrɪbjuːt/ ; NAmE /əˈtrɪbjuːt/
1) attribute something to something to say or believe that something is the result of a particular thing
ex) Some researchers attributed the persistent issue to a “pipeline problem,” insufficient numbers of senior level women in medicine, particularly in certain specialties like surgery.
She attributes her success to hard work and a little luck.
2) to say or believe that somebody is responsible for doing something, especially for saying, writing or painting something
ex) The committee refused to attribute blame without further information.
This play is usually attributed to Shakespeare.
offer up
2) to provide something that is intended to impress, please, or satisfy someone
ex) Still others offered up what amounted to a tautological zinger: by choosing not to leave academic medicine, women simply had more opportunities to experience harassment.
The friendly staff offer up a real taste of Southwest America.
tautological adjective
BrE /ˌtɔːtəˈlɒdʒɪkl/ ; NAmE /ˌtɔːtəˈlɑːdʒɪkl/
(of a statement, etc.) saying the same thing twice in different words, when this is unnecessary, for example ‘They spoke in turn, one after the other.’
synonym tautologous
ex) Still others offered up what amounted to a tautological zinger: by choosing not to leave academic medicine, women simply had more opportunities to experience harassment.
quip noun
BrE /kwɪp/ ; NAmE /kwɪp/
a quick and clever remark
ex) to make a quip
The senator made several quips during the interview, which got the audience laughing.
part noun
BrE /pɑːt/ ; NAmE /pɑːrt/
as part of
1) [COUNTABLE] one of the pieces, sections, aspects etc that something consists of
ex) The latest study, conducted as part of the National Initiative on Gender, Culture and Leadership in Medicine and published in The Journal of General Internal Medicine, offers another reason for women’s discontent in academic medical centers: the organizational culture, or the norms of behavior and implicit values of these institutions. And it’s not just women who are feeling demoralized.
discontent noun
BrE /ˌdɪskənˈtent/ ; NAmE /ˌdɪskənˈtent/
(also discontentment BrE /ˌdɪskənˈtentmənt/ ; NAmE /ˌdɪskənˈtentmənt/ )
[uncountable, countable] discontent (at/over/with something) a feeling of being unhappy because you are not satisfied with a particular situation; something that makes you have this feeling
synonym dissatisfaction
ex) The latest study, conducted as part of the National Initiative on Gender, Culture and Leadership in Medicine and published in The Journal of General Internal Medicine, offers another reason for women’s discontent in academic medical centers: the organizational culture, or the norms of behavior and implicit values of these institutions. And it’s not just women who are feeling demoralized.
There is widespread discontent among the staff at the proposed changes to pay and conditions.
(formal) There are a wide variety of popular discontents which need discussing.
norm noun
BrE /nɔːm/ ; NAmE /nɔːrm/
2) norms [plural] standards of behaviour that are typical of or accepted within a particular group or society
ex) The latest study, conducted as part of the National Initiative on Gender, Culture and Leadership in Medicine and published in The Journal of General Internal Medicine, offers another reason for women’s discontent in academic medical centers: the organizational culture, or the norms of behavior and implicit values of these institutions. And it’s not just women who are feeling demoralized.
social/cultural norms
She considered people to be products of the values and norms of the society they lived in.
implicit adjective
BrE /ɪmˈplɪsɪt/ ; NAmE /ɪmˈplɪsɪt/
1) implicit (in something) suggested without being directly expressed
ex) The latest study, conducted as part of the National Initiative on Gender, Culture and Leadership in Medicine and published in The Journal of General Internal Medicine, offers another reason for women’s discontent in academic medical centers: the organizational culture, or the norms of behavior and implicit values of these institutions. And it’s not just women who are feeling demoralized.
Implicit in his speech was the assumption that they were guilty.
implicit criticism
These assumptions are implicit in his writing.
3) complete and not doubted
synonym absolute
ex) She had the implicit trust of her staff.
demoralize verb
(British English also -ise)
BrE /dɪˈmɒrəlaɪz/ ; NAmE /dɪˈmɔːrəlaɪz/
[usually passive] demoralize somebody to make somebody lose confidence or hope
synonym dishearten
ex) The latest study, conducted as part of the National Initiative on Gender, Culture and Leadership in Medicine and published in The Journal of General Internal Medicine, offers another reason for women’s discontent in academic medical centers: the organizational culture, or the norms of behavior and implicit values of these institutions. And it’s not just women who are feeling demoralized.
Constant criticism is enough to demoralize anybody.
The world depression further demoralized the labour movement.
Many members were demoralized by the leadership’s failure to implement reforms.
administer verb
BrE /ədˈmɪnɪstə(r)/ ; NAmE /ədˈmɪnɪstər/
3) administer something (to somebody) (formal) to give or to provide something, especially in a formal way
ex) The researchers administered a 20-minute questionnaire to over 2,000 faculty members at more than 25 academic medical centers and asked if their work energized them, if they felt ignored or invisible, if they felt pressure to be more aggressive or compromise their values and if their institution promoted altruistic and public service values.
The teacher has the authority to administer punishment.
A taxi driver administered first aid to the victims.
The priest was called to administer the last rites.
altruistic adjective
BrE /ˌæltruˈɪstɪk/ ; NAmE /ˌæltruˈɪstɪk/ (formal)
- altruism noun
BrE /ˈæltruɪzəm/ ; NAmE /ˈæltruɪzəm/ uncountable
caring about the needs and happiness of other people more than your own
ex) The researchers administered a 20-minute questionnaire to over 2,000 faculty members at more than 25 academic medical centers and asked if their work energized them, if they felt ignored or invisible, if they felt pressure to be more aggressive or compromise their values and if their institution promoted altruistic and public service values.
altruistic behaviour
- the fact of caring about the needs and happiness of other people more than your own
ex) Politicians are not necessarily motivated by pure altruism.
marginalize verb
(British English also -ise)
BrE /ˈmɑːdʒɪnəlaɪz/ ; NAmE /ˈmɑːrdʒɪnəlaɪz/
marginalize somebody to make somebody feel as if they are not important and cannot influence decisions or events; to put somebody in a position in which they have no power
ex) As in earlier studies, more women than men felt marginalized and discriminated against, despite being as ambitious and engaged in work as their male colleagues.
distress noun
BrE /dɪˈstres/ ; NAmE /dɪˈstres/ [uncountable]
1) a feeling of great worry or unhappiness; great suffering
ex) And the men were just as likely as the women to feel what experts have termed “moral distress,” a sense of being trapped and forced to compromise on what one believes is right or just.
The newspaper article caused the actor considerable distress.
She was obviously in distress after the attack.
deep emotional distress
just adjective
BrE /dʒʌst/ ; NAmE /dʒʌst/ [usually before noun]
1) that most people consider to be morally fair and reasonable
synonym fair
ex) And the men were just as likely as the women to feel what experts have termed “moral distress,” a sense of being trapped and forced to compromise on what one believes is right or just.
a just decision/law/society
dehumanize verb
(British English also -ise)
BrE /ˌdiːˈhjuːmənaɪz/ ; NAmE /ˌdiːˈhjuːmənaɪz/
dehumanize somebody to make somebody lose their human qualities such as kindness, pity, etc.
ex) We have this dehumanizing organizational culture in academic medicine that doesn’t allow people to realize their potential or be as vital and productive as they can be.
the dehumanizing effects of poverty and squalor
it remains to be seen
it is not yet certain
ex) While it remains to be seen whether these changes will endure, it has become clearer that men, as well as women, stand to benefit from any improvement.
It remains to be seen who will win.
for better or (for) worse
used to say that something cannot be changed, whether the result is good or bad
ex) She added: “That culture is like the air we breathe or the water that fish swim in. It has the potential, for better or worse, to affect everybody in the same way.”
우리가 숨 쉬고 마시는 공기나 물 같은 것…
Love is like the air we breathe and the water we drink. You can never live without it.
iron rice bowl
“Iron rice bowl” (simplified Chinese: 铁饭碗; traditional Chinese: 鐵飯碗; pinyin: tiě fàn wǎn) is a Chinese term used to refer to an occupation with guaranteed job security, as well as steady income and benefits.
ex) It is also thanks to health, pension and (sometimes) housing benefits, which are seen as generous and permanent in a society with an underfunded safety net - a modern version of the unbreakable Maoist “iron rice-bowl” of state employment.
as it is known
experts/people who know about these things believe that…
ex) “Diving into the sea” of commerce, or xia hai as it is known, became accepted as the way to make money and get ahead, and interest in government jobs declined.
Wangdda, as it is known in Korea, is in fact a global problem.
reversal noun
BrE /rɪˈvɜːsl/ ; NAmE /rɪˈvɜːrsl/
- about-turn noun
BrE /əˌbaʊt ˈtɜːn/ ; NAmE /əˌbaʊt ˈtɜːrn/ (British English)
(also about-face North American English, British English)
[singular]
1) [countable, uncountable] reversal (of something) a change of something so that it is the opposite of what it was
ex) Over the past decade, though, in an extraordinary reversal, young jobseekers have been applying in droves for government posts, even as the economy has quadrupled in size.
a complete/dramatic/sudden reversal of policy
the reversal of a decision
The government suffered a total reversal of fortune(s) last week.
- in ~~
- a complete change of opinion, plan or behaviour
ex) In an about-face from his previous position, she said she was leaving the company to take care of her babies.
The government did an about-turn over nuclear energy.
drove noun
BrE /drəʊv/ ; NAmE /droʊv/ [usually plural]
a large number of people or animals, often moving or doing something as a group
ex) Over the past decade, though, in an extraordinary reversal, young jobseekers have been applying in droves for government posts, even as the economy has quadrupled in size.
droves of tourists
People were leaving the countryside in droves to look for work in the cities.
The gallery had its busiest day ever, as droves of people poured into its new premises by the docks.
Tourists started arriving in their droves.
sit verb
BrE /sɪt/ ; NAmE /sɪt/
6) [transitive, intransitive] (rather formal) to do an exam (British English)
ex) On November 25th the national civil-service examinations will take place, and about 1.4m people will sit them, 20 times more than a decade ago.
Candidates will sit the examinations in June.
Most of the students sit at least 5 GCSEs.
He was about to sit for his entrance exam.
long odds
if you say that it’s long odds that something will happen, you mean that it is not very likely
ex) Of that number, only 20,800 will be hired by government (millions more sit the equivalent provincial exams with similarly long odds of being hired).
Maoist adjective
BrE /ˈmaʊɪst/ ; NAmE /ˈmaʊɪst/
following the ideas of the 20th century Chinese communist (1) leader Mao Zedong 모택동(마오쩌둥) 주의의
ex) It is also thanks to health, pension and (sometimes) housing benefits, which are seen as generous and permanent in a society with an underfunded safety net - a modern version of the unbreakable Maoist “iron rice-bowl” of state employment.
resurgent adjective
BrE /rɪˈsɜːdʒənt/ ; NAmE /rɪˈsɜːrdʒənt/ usually before noun
becoming stronger or more popular again
ex) This helps account for the resurgent appeal of the party as a conveyor of status, connections and spoils.
a resurgent economy
resurgent nationalism
conveyor noun
BrE /kənˈveɪə(r)/ ; NAmE /kənˈveɪər/
2) (also conveyer) (formal) a person or thing that carries something or makes something known
ex) This helps account for the resurgent appeal of the party as a conveyor of status, connections and spoils.
spoil noun
BrE /spɔɪl/ ; NAmE /spɔɪl/
1) the spoils [plural] (formal or literary) goods taken from a place by thieves or by an army that has won a battle or war
ex) the spoils of war
The robbers divided up the spoils.
2) spoils [plural] the profits or advantages that somebody gets from being successful
ex) This helps account for the resurgent appeal of the party as a conveyor of status, connections and spoils.
the spoils of high office
The two teams shared the spoils with a 1–1 result.
plum adjective
BrE /plʌm/ ; NAmE /plʌm/
[only before noun] (of a job, etc.) considered very good and worth having
ex) Other routes exist into plum state jobs - having a well-placed friend or relative in government always helps - but, in a faint echo of China’s ancient imperial exam system, civil-service tests, introduced on a national level in 1994, offer a relatively merit-based way to get in.
She’s landed a plum job at the BBC.
well-placed adjective
(well placed when postpositive) having an advantageous position
ex) Other routes exist into plum state jobs - having a well-placed friend or relative in government always helps - but, in a faint echo of China’s ancient imperial exam system, civil-service tests, introduced on a national level in 1994, offer a relatively merit-based way to get in.
aspirant noun
BrE /əˈspaɪərənt/ ; NAmE /əˈspaɪərənt/ ; BrE /ˈæspərənt/ ; NAmE /ˈæspərənt/
aspirant (to/for something) (formal) a person with a strong desire to achieve a position of importance or to win a competition
ex) Successful applicants may be disappointed once they show up for work, but the perception persists, among both aspirants and detractors, that being an official is the road to security and wealth (and if you’re lucky, Ferraris and mistresses).
aspirants to the title of world champion
They were asked to select the party candidate from 20 aspirants.
There are a handful of other leading aspirants to the title.
detractor noun
BrE /dɪˈtræktə(r)/ ; NAmE /dɪˈtræktər/ usually plural
a person who tries to make somebody/something seem less good or valuable by criticizing it
ex) Successful applicants may be disappointed once they show up for work, but the perception persists, among both aspirants and detractors, that being an official is the road to security and wealth (and if you’re lucky, Ferraris and mistresses).
Almost all of Mr. Han’s detractors are now gone from the hagwon industry.
Detractors claim the building will be ugly and impractical.
sobering adjective
BrE /ˈsəʊbərɪŋ/ ; NAmE /ˈsoʊbərɪŋ/
making you feel serious and think carefully
ex) In fact, he is a sobering example of just what is awaiting many of those hopeful applicants.
a sobering effect/experience/thought, etc.
It is sobering to realize that this is not a new problem.
bespectacled adjective
BrE /bɪˈspektəkld/ ; NAmE /bɪˈspektəkld/ (formal)
wearing spectacles
ex) Mr. Zhang (not his real name) is bespectacled, with chubby cheeks, his sleeves rolled up as he eats dinner and chain-smokes.
low-end adjective
BrE ; NAmE [usually before noun]
at the cheaper end of a range of similar products
ex) The cigarettes are an unglamorous provincial brand and his mobile phone is a low-end Nokia.
climb noun
BrE /klaɪm/ ; NAmE /klaɪm/
4) [usually singular] progress to a higher status, standard or position
ex) Mr. Zhang, who is 27, is beginning his climb up the bureaucracy in the capital of a province, Shanxi, south-west of Beijing, which is reputed to be among the most corrupt and least competently governed.
a rapid climb to stardom
the long slow climb out of the recession
reputed adjective
BrE /rɪˈpjuːtɪd/ ; NAmE /rɪˈpjuːtɪd/ [not usually before noun]
generally thought to be something or to have done something, although this is not certain
synonym rumoured
ex) Mr. Zhang, who is 27, is beginning his climb up the bureaucracy in the capital of a province, Shanxi, south-west of Beijing, which is reputed to be among the most corrupt and least competently governed.
He is reputed to be the best heart surgeon in the country.
The house is wrongly reputed to have been the poet’s birthplace.
She sold her share of the company for a reputed £7 million.
cushy adjective
BrE /ˈkʊʃi/ ; NAmE /ˈkʊʃi/ (cushier, cushiest)(informal, often disapproving)
very easy and pleasant; needing little or no effort
ex) The jobs are hard to get, says Mr. Zhang, but they are not the cushy sinecures that many assume.
a cushy job
sinecure noun
BrE /ˈsɪnɪkjʊə(r)/ , /ˈsaɪnɪkjʊər/ ; NAmE /ˈsaɪnɪkjʊr/ (formal)
a job that you are paid for even though it involves little or no work
ex) The jobs are hard to get, says Mr. Zhang, but they are not the cushy sinecures that many assume.
compile verb
BrE /kəmˈpaɪl/ ; NAmE /kəmˈpaɪl/
1) compile something to produce a book, list, report, etc. by bringing together different items, articles, songs, etc.
ex) He works from 8am until midnight on most days, he says, compiling dry reports on topics like coal production and sales for higher-level officials.
We are trying to compile a list of suitable people for the job.
The album was compiled from live recordings from last year’s tour.
command verb
BrE /kəˈmɑːnd/ ; NAmE /kəˈmænd/
3) [transitive, no passive] (not used in the progressive tenses) command something to deserve and get something because of the special qualities you have
ex) He commands a modest salary by urban standards - about 2,800 yuan ($450) a month, in a city where a decent flat near his office rents for two-thirds that much.
to command sympathy/support
She was able to command the respect of the class.
The headlines commanded her attention.
As a top lawyer, he can expect to command a six-figure salary.
stand/be in contrast to
to be very different from something else
ex) This picture of dedication and loneliness stands in sharp contrast to the popular image.
Her views stand in stark contrast to those of her colleagues.
장씨는 대중들이 관계의 부패에 대해 느끼는 혐오감 만큼이나 자기도 똑같이 느낀다고 말합니다.
Mr. Zhang says he is as disgusted as the general public is with official corruption.
counter verb
BrE /ˈkaʊntə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈkaʊntər/
1) [transitive, intransitive] to reply to somebody by trying to prove that what they said is not true
ex) Mr. Zhang counters that he took the exam precisely so that he would not end up like the noodle-vendor.
Such arguments are not easily countered.
I tried to argue but he countered that the plans were not yet finished.
‘But I was standing right here!’ he countered.
Butler has countered with a lawsuit against the firm.
cadre noun
BrE /ˈkɑːdə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈkædri/ (formal)
1) [countable + singular or plural verb] a small group of people who are specially chosen and trained for a particular purpose
ex) The chance is small, but Chinese culture is deeply influenced by official cadre culture.
a cadre of scientific experts
rung noun
BrE /rʌŋ/ ; NAmE /rʌŋ/
one of the bars that forms a step in a ladder
ex) Of China’s 6.9m civil servants, about 900,000 are, like Mr. Zhang, at the lowest official rung of government above entry-level.
He put his foot on the bottom rung to keep the ladder steady.
She climbed the last few rungs of the ladder.
(figurative) to get a foot on the bottom rung of the career ladder
She was a few rungs above him on the social ladder.
entry-level adjective
BrE ; NAmE [usually before noun]
2) (of a job) at the lowest level in a company
ex) Of China’s 6.9m civil servants, about 900,000 are, like Mr. Zhang, at the lowest official rung of government above entry-level.
pad verb
BrE /pæd/ ; NAmE /pæd/
3) [TRANSITIVE] to put false amounts or information on a document so that you get more money than you should
ex) Even when they compete for promotions on merit, some officials will pad their CVs with fake graduate degrees.
He was charged with padding expense claims and telephone bills.
roiling adjective
BrE /ˈrɔɪlɪŋ/ ; NAmE /ˈrɔɪlɪŋ/ (literary)
(of the sea or clouds) moving around violently
synonym turbulent (2)
ex) If college graduates knew what careers awaited them after the civil-service exam, they might reconsider the roiling seas of commerce.
the roiling sea
rescind verb
BrE /rɪˈsɪnd/ ; NAmE /rɪˈsɪnd/
rescind something (formal) to officially state that a law, contract, decision, etc. is no longer valid
synonym revoke
ex) The Danish government rescinds its unwieldy fat tax.
The agreement was rescinded on 20 March 1993.
unwieldy adjective
BrE /ʌnˈwiːldi/ ; NAmE /ʌnˈwiːldi/
2) (of a system or group of people) difficult to control or organize because it is very large or complicated
ex) The Danish government rescinds its unwieldy fat tax.
whoop verb
BrE /wuːp/ ; NAmE /wuːp/ ; BrE /huːp/ ; NAmE /huːp/
[intransitive] to shout loudly because you are happy or excited
ex) Farmers, retailers and shoppers whooped with joy this week when the government announced the abolition of one of its most hated taxes: a tariff on saturated fats, imposed just over a year ago.
He whooped for joy as the ball hit the back of the net.
The kids were opening their presents and whooping with delight.
undoubtedly adverb
BrE /ʌnˈdaʊtɪdli/ ; NAmE /ʌnˈdaʊtɪdli/
used to emphasize that something exists or is definitely true
synonym indubitably
ex) The tax was undoubtedly well intentioned.
There is undoubtedly a great deal of truth in what he says.
strain noun
BrE /streɪn/ ; NAmE /streɪn/
1) [uncountable, countable] pressure on somebody/something because they have too much to do or manage, or something very difficult to deal with; the problems, worry or anxiety that this produces
ex) Higher prices for unhealthy foods would reduce consumption and improve public health; obesity levels and cardiovascular disease would fall; strains on health-care budgets would be eased.
Their marriage is under great strain at the moment.
These repayments are putting a strain on our finances.
Relax, and let us take the strain (= do things for you).
The transport service cannot cope with the strain of so many additional passengers.
You will learn to cope with the stresses and strains of public life.
I found it a strain having to concentrate for so long.
There are strains in the relationship between the two countries.
cumbersome adjective
BrE /ˈkʌmbəsəm/ ; NAmE /ˈkʌmbərsəm/
2) slow and complicated
ex) Yet in practice, the world’s first fat tax proved to be a cumbersome chore with undesirable side effects.
cumbersome legal procedures
fare noun
BrE /feə(r)/ ; NAmE /fer/
3) [uncountable] (old-fashioned or formal) food that is offered as a meal
ex) The tax’s advocates wanted to hit things like potato crisps and hot dogs, but it was applied also to high-end fare like specialty cheeses.
The restaurant provides good traditional fare.
(figurative) His student drawings were not standard art school fare.
the nanny state
a disapproving way of talking about the fact that government seems to get too much involved in people’s lives and to protect them too much, in a way that limits their freedom
ex) Critics saw the tax as the worst excesses of the nanny state.
jaunt noun
BrE /dʒɔːnt/ ; NAmE /dʒɔːnt/ (old-fashioned or humorous)
a short journey that you make for pleasure
synonym excursion
ex) Family jaunts to Germany or Sweden to stock up on beer, fizzy drinks, butter and sugary delights became a national
stock up | stock up on something | stock up with something
to buy a lot of something so that you can use it later
ex) Family jaunts to Germany or Sweden to stock up on beer, fizzy drinks, butter and sugary delights became a national
We ought to stock up on film before our trip.
Dane noun
BrE /deɪn/ ; NAmE /deɪn/
- Swede noun
BrE /swiːd/ ; NAmE /swiːd/
** Finn noun
BrE /fɪn/ ; NAmE /fɪn/
*** Norwegian noun,adjective
BrE /nɔːˈwiːdʒən/ ; NAmE /nɔːrˈwiːdʒən/
** Pole noun
BrE /pəʊl/ ; NAmE /poʊl/
***** Czech noun,adjective
BrE /tʃek/ ; NAmE /tʃek/
**** Belgian noun,adjective
BrE /ˈbeldʒən/ ; NAmE /ˈbeldʒən/
*** Dutchman noun
BrE /ˈdʌtʃmən/ ; NAmE /ˈdʌtʃmən/
Dutchwoman noun
BrE /ˈdʌtʃwʊmən/ ; NAmE /ˈdʌtʃwʊmən/
Hollander noun
(ˈhɒləndə )
a person from Denmark
ex) One study found 48% of Danes doing some cross-border shopping.
* a person from Sweden
** a person from Finland
*** (a person) from Norway
** a person from Poland
***** (a person) from the Czech Republic
**** (a person) from Belgium
*** a man from the Netherlands | a woman from the Netherlands | another name for a Dutchman
on preposition
BrE /ɒn/ ; NAmE /ɑːn/ , /ɔːn/
16) compared with somebody/something
ex) A report by the tax ministry put the 2012 value of these trips at DKK [Danish Krone] 10.5 billion ($1.8 billion)
Sales in the second quarter rose 20% year on year.
Sales are up on last year.
bugbear noun
BrE /ˈbʌɡbeə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈbʌɡber/ (especially British English)
a thing that annoys people and that they worry about
ex) Another bugbear was how the tax was applied to meat.
Inflation is the government’s main bugbear.
carcass noun
(also British English, less frequent carcase)
BrE /ˈkɑːkəs/ ; NAmE /ˈkɑːrkəs/
the dead body of an animal, especially of a large one or of one that is ready for cutting up as meat
ex) It was imposed per carcass not per cut, which meant higher prices for lean sirloin steak as well as for fatty burgers.
vultures scavenging for carcasses on the road
She boiled up the chicken carcass (= the bones of a cooked chicken) to make soup.
sirloin noun
BrE /ˈsɜːlɔɪn/ ; NAmE /ˈsɜːrlɔɪn/
(also sirloin steak)
[uncountable, countable]
- tenderloin noun
BrE /ˈtendəlɔɪn/ ; NAmE /ˈtendərlɔɪn/ [uncountable]
good quality beef that is cut from a cow’s back 등심
ex) It was imposed per carcass not per cut, which meant higher prices for lean sirloin steak as well as for fatty burgers.
* good quality meat from the back or side of a cow or pig 안심
go verb
BrE /ɡəʊ/ ; NAmE /ɡoʊ/
27) [intransitive] somebody/something must/has to/can go used to talk about wanting to get rid of somebody/something
ex) Not everybody is happy to see the fat tax go.
The old sofa will have to go.
He’s useless—he’ll have to go.
put something before/above something
to treat something as more important than something else
ex) The Danish medical association accused politicians of putting the economy before public health.
hoard verb
BrE /hɔːd/ ; NAmE /hɔːrd/
[intransitive, transitive] hoard (something) to collect and keep large amounts of food, money, etc., especially secretly
ex) But these data, said sceptics said, were skewed by hoarding in the run-up to the legislation as well as by cross-border shopping in its wake.
sceptic noun(British English)
(North American English skeptic)
BrE /ˈskeptɪk/ ; NAmE /ˈskeptɪk/
a person who usually doubts that claims or statements are true, especially those that other people believe in
ex) But these data, said sceptics said, were skewed by hoarding in the run-up to the legislation as well as by cross-border shopping in its wake.
I am a born sceptic.
He was unable to convince the sceptics in the audience.
run-up noun
BrE ; NAmE (British English)
- lead up to something
** build-up noun
1) (less frequent run-in) run-up (to something) a period of time leading up to an important event; the preparation for this
ex) But these data, said sceptics said, were skewed by hoarding in the run-up to the legislation as well as by cross-border shopping in its wake.
an increase in spending in the run-up to Christmas
during the run-up to the election
The shops are fully stocked for the Christmas run-up.
- to be an introduction to or the cause of something
ex) In the months leading up to the presidential election, a lot of violations have been spotted.
the weeks leading up to the exam
the events leading up to the strike
** [countable, usually singular] build-up (to something) the time before an important event, when people are preparing for it
ex) the build-up to the President’s visit
the build-up to her wedding
in the wake of somebody/something
coming after or following somebody/something
ex) But these data, said sceptics said, were skewed by hoarding in the run-up to the legislation as well as by cross-border shopping in its wake.
There have been demonstrations on the streets in the wake of the recent bomb attack.
A group of reporters followed in her wake.
The storm left a trail of destruction in its wake.
radio segment
- promo noun
BrE /ˈprəʊməʊ/ ; NAmE /ˈproʊmoʊ/ (pl. promos)(informal)
A radio segment is a part of a radio show. The ideal segment is about 10 minutes. This leaves 5 mins for promo and 15 mins for commercials. Segments can include interviews, different topics, music etc. Radio segment is always something the listeners want to hear and the DJ is interested in talking about.
In the U.S., there are tons of radio shows on in the morning that flit from one subject to another for several hours. For example, first the DJ might interview a celebrity for 20 minutes, then s/he has contest and asks listeners to call in, then an intern has to go out to the street and interview passerbys on some random topic…
We call these different topics “segments”.
ex) The other day, I joined NPR for segment about high-tech holiday gifts.
* something such as a video that is used to advertise (= promote) somebody/something, especially a pop record
ex) to make pop promos
brush something↔up | brush up on something
to quickly improve a skill, especially when you have not used it for a time; to practise and improve your skills or knowledge of something
ex) I’d brushed up on cameras, phones, laptops, music players and game consoles.
I must brush up on my Spanish before I go to Seville.
I took a class to brush up my German before the trip.
the opportunity to brush up on various techniques
screen time
noun [U] (also screentime, screen-time)
2) time spent using a device such as a computer, television, or games console
ex) I was prepared to talk about limiting screen time, digital addiction, cyberbullying.
Educationalists advise limited screen time for under-5s.
Ask teachers how much screen time kids get each day.
Limit your children’s recreational screen time to fewer than two hours a day.
People do not want to hear that the American Academy of Pediatrics says that children under two should not have any screen time.
venerable adjective
BrE /ˈvenərəbl/ ; NAmE /ˈvenərəbl/
1) (formal) venerable people or things deserve respect because they are old, important, wise, etc.
ex) There’s the venerable iPad, of course.
a venerable old man
a venerable institution
stylus noun
BrE /ˈstaɪləs/ ; NAmE /ˈstaɪləs/ (pl. styluses, styli BrE /ˈstaɪlaɪ/ ; NAmE /ˈstaɪlaɪ/ )
2) (computing) a special pen used to write text or draw an image on a special computer screen
ex) There are Samsung’s Note tablets in a variety of sizes, with styluses.
crop noun
BrE /krɒp/ ; NAmE /krɑːp/
- cream noun
BrE /kriːm/ ; NAmE /kriːm/
3) [singular] a crop of something a group of people who do something at the same time; a number of things that happen at the same time
ex) There’s a new crop of black-and-white e-book readers.
the current crop of trainees
a crop of disasters/injuries
She is really the cream of the crop (= the best in her group).
5) the cream of something the best people or things in a particular group
ex) the cream of New York society
the cream of the crop of this season’s movies
keep (close) tabs on somebody/something
(informal) to watch somebody/something carefully in order to know what is happening so that you can control a particular situation
ex) So how are you, the confused consumer, supposed to keep tabs on all these tablets?
It’s not always possible to keep tabs on everyone’s movements.
dirt cheap adjective,adverb
BrE ; NAmE (informal)
very cheap
ex) Dirt cheap knockoffs
It was dirt cheap.
I got it dirt cheap.
knockoff noun
/ˈnɒkɒf/
[COUNTABLE] INFORMAL a bad or cheap copy of something
ex) Dirt cheap knockoffs
no-name adjective
1) not famous
ex) a no-name comedian
2) not having a brand name (= a name given to a product)
ex) You can find no-name tablets for $100 or even less.
cheap, no-name soda
lesser adjective
BrE /ˈlesə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈlesər/ [only before noun]
1) not as great in size, amount or importance as something/somebody else
ex) Don’t bother with the lesser brands; if you’re going to get locked into one company’s proprietary, copy-protected book format, you’ll reduce your chances of library obsolescence if you stick with Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
Who do you think I am? Do not dare put my name next to those lesser beings.
people of lesser importance
They were all involved to a greater or lesser degree (= some were more involved than others).
The law was designed to protect wives, and, to a lesser extent, children.
He was encouraged to plead guilty to the lesser offence.
(humorous) He doesn’t even acknowledge us lesser mortals(= people who are not as important or powerful).
A lesser woman would have given up.
lock into
lock someone/something into something to involve someone or something in a system, plan etc in such a way that they cannot easily escape from it
ex) Don’t bother with the lesser brands; if you’re going to get locked into one company’s proprietary, copy-protected book format, you’ll reduce your chances of library obsolescence if you stick with Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
The currency is now locked into the European Monetary System.
Their strategy is to lock subscribers into long-term contracts.
proprietary adjective
BrE /prəˈpraɪətri/ ; NAmE /prəˈpraɪəteri/ [usually before noun]
1) (of goods) made and sold by a particular company and protected by a registered trademark
ex) Don’t bother with the lesser brands; if you’re going to get locked into one company’s proprietary, copy-protected book format, you’ll reduce your chances of library obsolescence if you stick with Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
a proprietary medicine
proprietary brands
a proprietary name
obsolescence noun
BrE /ˌɒbsəˈlesns/ ; NAmE /ˌɑːbsəˈlesns/ uncountable
- obsolete adjective
BrE /ˈɒbsəliːt/ ; NAmE /ˌɑːbsəˈliːt/
the state of becoming old-fashioned and no longer useful
ex) Don’t bother with the lesser brands; if you’re going to get locked into one company’s proprietary, copy-protected book format, you’ll reduce your chances of library obsolescence if you stick with Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
products with built-in/planned obsolescence (= designed not to last long so that people will have to buy new ones)
- no longer used because something new has been invented
synonym out of date
ex) obsolete technology
With technological changes many traditional skills have become obsolete.
ilk noun
BrE /ɪlk/ ; NAmE /ɪlk/ usually singular
type; kind
ex) There’re nowhere near as capable as full-blown, computerlike tablets of the iPad/Nexus ilk, mainly because there are so few apps, accessories and add-ons.
the world of media people and their ilk
I can’t stand him, or any others of that ilk.
not anywhere near/nowhere near
far from; not at all
ex) There’re nowhere near as capable as full-blown, computerlike tablets of the iPad/Nexus ilk, mainly because there are so few apps, accessories and add-ons.
He is nowhere near as competent as she is on this particular job.
The job doesn’t pay anywhere near enough for me.
add-on noun
a thing that is added to something else
ex) There’re nowhere near as capable as full-blown, computerlike tablets of the iPad/Nexus ilk, mainly because there are so few apps, accessories and add-ons.
The company offers scuba-diving as an add-on to the basic holiday price.
add-on software (= added to a computer)
charger noun
BrE /ˈtʃɑːdʒə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈtʃɑːrdʒər/
1) a piece of equipment for loading a battery with electricity
ex) And the $200 price includes a wall charger (the Fire doesn’t) and no ads (the Fire does).
a phone charger
classy adjective
BrE /ˈklɑːsi/ ; NAmE /ˈklæsi/ (classier, classiest)(informal)
of high quality; expensive and/or fashionable
ex) Or get the classy Google Nexus 7, also $200.
a classy player
a classy hotel/restaurant
jumbo adjective
BrE /ˈdʒʌmbəʊ/ ; NAmE /ˈdʒʌmboʊ/
[only before noun] (informal) very large; larger than usual
ex) This year, both Amazon and B.&N. have introduced jumbo-screen (9-inch) versions of their HD tablets.
a jumbo pack of cornflakes
be no slouch
- slouch noun
BrE /slaʊtʃ/ ; NAmE /slaʊtʃ/
(informal) to be very good at something or quick to do something
ex) Amazon’s 9-incher is no slouch, either, although it costs $30 more (or $50 more to get rid of the ads).
She’s no slouch on the guitar.
- [usually singular] a way of standing or sitting in which your shoulders are not straight, so that you look tired or lazy
front-facing camera
A camera on the front of the phone, facing the user. This enables two-way video calls (such as Google Hangouts, Apple FaceTime, or Skype), and is also useful for capturing self-portraits (“selfies”). The resolution and quality of the front-facing camera is often inferior to the rear, main camera.
ex) It has twice the storage but no card slot, and it has a front-facing camera for Skype video; Nook HD models have no cameras.
loaded adjective
BrE /ˈləʊdɪd/ ; NAmE /ˈloʊdɪd/
1) carrying a load; full and heavy
synonym laden
ex) The company now sells two tablets, the Nexus 7 (7-inch screen) and the fast, loaded Nexus 10 (10-inch screen), manufactured under Google’s supervision by Asus and Samsung.
a fully loaded truck
loaded (with something) a truck loaded with supplies
She came into the room carrying a loaded tray.
7) (informal, especially North American English) very drunk
화소수가 더 높다
Technically, it packs in even more dots per inch than the iPad’s Retina display, although you can’t really see the difference.
fling yourself into something
to start to do something with a lot of energy and enthusiasm
ex) Samsung is also flinging Android tablets into the ring.
They flung themselves into the preparations for the party.
rejig verb
BrE /ˌriːˈdʒɪɡ/ ; NAmE /ˌriːˈdʒɪɡ/
(British English) (US English rejigger BrE /ˌriːˈdʒɪɡə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˌriːˈdʒɪɡər/
rejig something (informal) to make changes to something; to arrange something in a different way
ex) The apps that exist are often hastily rejiggered versions of Android phone apps, rather than apps thoughtfully designed for the bigger screen.
scale something↔up
to increase the size or number of something; to make something larger in size, amount etc than it used to be
ex) For example, the Android apps for Twitter, Yelp, Pandora, Vimeo, eBay, Spotify, Rdio, Dropbox, LinkedIn, and TripAdvisor are scaled-up Android phone apps - basically, they’re just lists.
An order this size means scaling up our production capacity.
slick adjective
BrE /slɪk/ ; NAmE /slɪk/ (slicker, slickest)
- sleek adjective
BrE /sliːk/ ; NAmE /sliːk/ (sleeker, sleekest)
1) (sometimes disapproving) done or made in a way that is clever and efficient but often does not seem to be sincere or lacks important ideas
ex) It’s slick hardware but it requires all new apps - and there aren’t many yet.
a slick advertising campaign
a slick performance
You had to admire the slick presentation of last night’s awards ceremony.
- 1) (approving) smooth and shiny
synonym glossy
ex) sleek black hair
the sleek dark head of a seal
2) (approving) having an elegant smooth shape
ex) a sleek yacht
the sleek lines of the new car
adage noun
BrE /ˈædɪdʒ/ ; NAmE /ˈædɪdʒ/
a well-known phrase expressing a general truth about people or the world
synonym saying
ex) You know the old photographer’s adage, “The best camera is the one you have with you?” You could say the same thing about your tablet (=the same could be said about~)
According to the old adage, a picture is worth a thousand words.
turkey noun
BrE /ˈtɜːki/ ; NAmE /ˈtɜːrki/ (pl. turkeys)
3) [countable] (North American English, informal) a failure
ex) There aren’t any certified turkeys among the name-brand tablets.
His latest movie is a real turkey.
name brand noun/adjective
1) A brand name that is widely known and usually has a good reputation.
2) A product, service, or organization having a name brand.
ex) There aren’t any certified turkeys among the name-brand tablets.
wind up
wind2 verb
BrE /waɪnd/ ; NAmE /waɪnd/
present simple I / you / we / they wind BrE /waɪnd/ ; NAmE /waɪnd/
he / she / it winds BrE /waɪndz/ ; NAmE /waɪndz/
past simple wound BrE /waʊnd/ ; NAmE /waʊnd/
past participle wound BrE /waʊnd/ ; NAmE /waʊnd/
-ing form winding BrE /ˈwaɪndɪŋ/ ; NAmE /ˈwaɪndɪŋ/
2) (informal) (of a person) to find yourself in a particular place or situation; [INTRANSITIVE] to be in a particular place or situation not because you choose to, but because of other things that have happened
ex) You’ll know that, at least in this moment of marketing time, you or your loved one wound up with the best that money can buy, in the most desired gift category in the land.
People are winding up in debt.
I always said he would wind up in prison.
We eventually wound up staying in a little hotel a few miles from town.
If you take risks like that you’ll wind up dead.
duopoly noun
BrE /djuːˈɒpəli/ ; NAmE /duːˈɑːpəli/ (pl. duopolies)(business)
a situation in which two companies, people, or groups control something such as a business activity or industry
ex) A dull Hite-OB duopoly crushes microbrewers
bland adjective
BrE /blænd/ ; NAmE /blænd/ (blander, blandest)
2) not having a strong or interesting taste
ex) South Korean diners would not tolerate bland kimchi (cabbage pickled in garlic and chili) or sannakji (fresh chopped octopus, still wriggling on the plate).
a rather bland diet of soup, fish and bread
swill verb
BrE /swɪl/ ; NAmE /swɪl/
2) [transitive] swill something (down) (informal) to drink something quickly and/or in large quantities
ex) So why do they swill boring beer?
go down
4) if food or drink will/will not go down, it is easy/difficult to swallow
ex) Local brews such as Cass and Hite go down easily enough (which is not always true of those writhing tentacles with their little suction cups).
A glass of wine would go down very nicely (= I would very much like one).
writhe verb
BrE /raɪð/ ; NAmE /raɪð/
present simple I / you / we / they writhe BrE /raɪð/ ; NAmE /raɪð/
he / she / it writhes BrE /raɪðz/ ; NAmE /raɪðz/
past simple writhed BrE /raɪðd/ ; NAmE /raɪðd/
past participle writhed BrE /raɪðd/ ; NAmE /raɪðd/
-ing form writhing BrE /ˈraɪðɪŋ/ ; NAmE /ˈraɪðɪŋ/
- wriggle verb
BrE /ˈrɪɡl/ ; NAmE /ˈrɪɡl/
present simple I / you / we / they wriggle BrE /ˈrɪɡl/ ; NAmE /ˈrɪɡl/
he / she / it wriggles BrE /ˈrɪɡlz/ ; NAmE /ˈrɪɡlz/
past simple wriggled BrE /ˈrɪɡld/ ; NAmE /ˈrɪɡld/
past participle wriggled BrE /ˈrɪɡld/ ; NAmE /ˈrɪɡld/
-ing form wriggling BrE /ˈrɪɡlɪŋ/ ; NAmE /ˈrɪɡlɪŋ/
[intransitive] writhe (about/around) (in/with something) to twist or move your body without stopping, often because you are in great pain
ex) Local brews such as Cass and Hite go down easily enough (which is not always true of those writhing tentacles with their little suction cups).
She was writhing around on the floor in agony.
The snake writhed and hissed.
(figurative) He was writhing (= suffering a lot) with embarrassment.
* 1) [intransitive, transitive] to twist and turn your body or part of it with quick short movements
synonym wiggle
ex) South Korean diners would not tolerate bland kimchi (cabbage pickled in garlic and chili) or sannakji (fresh chopped octopus, still wriggling on the plate).
The baby was wriggling around on my lap.
She wriggled her toes.
tentacle noun
BrE /ˈtentəkl/ ; NAmE /ˈtentəkl/
1) [countable] a long thin part of the body of some creatures, such as squid, used for feeling or holding things, for moving or for getting food (figurative) 촉수
ex) Local brews such as Cass and Hite go down easily enough (which is not always true of those writhing tentacles with their little suction cups).
Tentacles of fear closed around her body.
suction cup
A suction cup, also known as a sucker, is an object that uses the negative fluid pressure of air or water to adhere to nonporous surfaces, creating a partial vacuum.
Suction cups are anatomical traits of some animals such as octopuses and squids, and have been reproduced artificially for numerous purposes. 빨판, 흡착기
ex) Local brews such as Cass and Hite go down easily enough (which is not always true of those writhing tentacles with their little suction cups).
palate noun
BrE /ˈpælət/ ; NAmE /ˈpælət/
- palatable adjective
BrE /ˈpælətəbl/ ; NAmE /ˈpælətəbl/
1) the top part of the inside of the mouth 구개 (입천장)
ex) the hard/soft palate (= the hard/soft part at the front/back of the palate)
2) [usually singular] the ability to recognize and/or enjoy good food and drink
ex) Yet they leave little impression on the palate.
a menu to tempt even the most jaded palate
- 2) palatable (to somebody) pleasant or acceptable to somebody
ex) His idea of learning English is not always palatable to those fast-paced Korean people.
Some of the dialogue has been changed to make it more palatable to an American audience.
skimp verb
BrE /skɪmp/ ; NAmE /skɪmp/
[intransitive] skimp (on something) to try to spend less time, money, etc. on something than is really needed
ex) Some South Korean beers skimp on barley malt, using the likes of rice in its place.
Older people should not skimp on food or heating.
malt noun
BrE /mɔːlt/ , also /mɒlt/ ; NAmE /mɔːlt/
1) [uncountable] grain, usually barley, that has been left in water for a period of time and then dried, used for making beer, whisky, etc. 맥아, 엿기름
ex) Some South Korean beers skimp on barley malt, using the likes of rice in its place.
boozer noun
BrE /ˈbuːzə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈbuːzər/ (informal)
1) (British English) a pub
2) a person who drinks a lot of alcohol
ex) The problem for South Korean boozers is that their national market is a cramped duopoly.
cramped adjective
BrE /kræmpt/ ; NAmE /kræmpt/
1) a cramped room, etc. does not have enough space for the people in it
ex) The problem for South Korean boozers is that their national market is a cramped duopoly.
working in cramped conditions
He lived for six months in a cold, cramped attic room.
tell someone/something apart
to recognize the difference between two people or things that are very similar
ex) Their beers are hard to tell apart; their prices, even harder.
The two women are so similar that only their husbands can tell them apart.
mass noun
BrE /mæs/ ; NAmE /mæs/
5) the masses [plural] the ordinary people in society who are not leaders or who are considered to be not very well educated
ex) This in effect kept all but Hite and OB from bringing foamy goodness to the masses.
government attempts to suppress dissatisfaction among the masses
a TV programme that brings science to the masses
loose adjective
BrE /luːs/ ; NAmE /luːs/ (looser, loosest)
7) not exact; not very careful
ex) One brewer says the loose wording of the law means some have bought gigantic but shoddy old vats to make up the difference, and simply left them unused.
a loose translation
loose thinking
shoddy adjective
BrE /ˈʃɒdi/ ; NAmE /ˈʃɑːdi/ (shoddier, shoddiest)
1) (of goods, work, etc.) made or done badly and with not enough care
synonym second-rate
ex) One brewer says the loose wording of the law means some have bought gigantic but shoddy old vats to make up the difference, and simply left them unused.
shoddy goods
shoddy workmanship
vat noun
BrE /væt/ ; NAmE /væt/
a large container for holding liquids, especially in industrial processes
ex) One brewer says the loose wording of the law means some have bought gigantic but shoddy old vats to make up the difference, and simply left them unused.
distilling vats
a vat of whisky
The grape juice is then transferred to a fermentation vat.
rise to the challenge/occasion
to deal successfully with a problem or situation that is especially difficult
ex) However, only a handful of small brewers have risen to the challenge.
It’s not an easy task, but I’m sure John will rise to the challenge.
Pils noun
BrE /pɪlz/ ; NAmE /pɪlz/ ; BrE /pɪls/ ; NAmE /pɪls/
(also Pilsner BrE /ˈpɪlznə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈpɪlznər/ ; BrE /ˈpɪlsnə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈpɪlsnər/ )
[uncountable]
- stout noun
BrE /staʊt/ ; NAmE /staʊt/
** ale noun
BrE /eɪl/ ; NAmE /eɪl/
*** lager noun
BrE /ˈlɑːɡə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈlɑːɡər/
a type of strong light-coloured beer originally made in what is now the Czech Republic
Pilsner (also pilsener, pilsen or simply pils) is a type of pale lager. It takes its name from the city of Plzeň, Bohemia, Czech Republic, where it was first produced in 1842. The world’s first-ever blond lager was the Pilsner Urquell, making it the inspiration for more than two-thirds of the beer produced in the world today (which are still called pils, pilsner and pilsener). The original Pilsner Urquell beer is still produced there today.
- Stout is a dark beer made using roasted malt or roasted barley, hops, water and yeast. Stouts were traditionally the generic term for the strongest or stoutest porters, typically 7% or 8%, produced by a brewery. There are a number of variations including Baltic porter, milk stout, and imperial stout; the most common variation is dry stout, exemplified by Guinness Draught, the world’s best selling stout.
** Ale is a type of beer brewed using a warm fermentation method, resulting in a sweet, full-bodied and fruity taste. Historically, the term referred to a drink brewed without hops.
As with most beers, ale typically has a bittering agent to balance the sweetness of the malt and act as a preservative. Ale was originally bittered with gruit, a mixture of herbs or spices boiled in the wort before fermentation. Later, hops replaced gruit as the bittering agent.
ex) brown/pale ale
*** Lager (German: storeroom or warehouse) is a type of beer that is conditioned at low temperatures, normally in cold storage at the brewery, before being delivered to the consumer. It may be pale, golden, amber, or dark.
Although the defining feature of lager beer is its maturation in cold storage, it is also distinguished by the use of bottom-fermenting lager yeast. While it is possible to use lager yeast in a warm fermentation process such as with American steam beer, the lack of a cold storage maturation phase precludes such beer from being classified as lager beer. On the other hand, German Altbier and Kölsch, which use top-fermenting yeast and temperatures, but with a cold storage finishing stage, are classified as obergäriges Lagerbier (top-fermented lager beer).
Until the 19th century, the German word Lagerbier (de) referred to all types of bottom-fermented, cool-conditioned beer, in normal strengths. In Germany today however, the term is mainly reserved for the prevalent lager beer styles of southern Germany.[4] In common parlance, these beers are distinguished by their colors, and referred to as a (Bavarian) “Helles” (pale), or a “Dunkel” (dark), though both words may be used as adjectives to describe other types of beer. The popular Pilsner style, which is more heavily hopped, although it is also a pale lager, is most often known as simply “Pilsner” (or “Pils”) and generally is called neither a “Lagerbier” nor a “Helles”. Numerous other types of lager-beer styles are produced, such as Bock, Märzen, and Schwarzbier.
In the United Kingdom, the term lager commonly refers specifically to pale lagers, many of which are derived from the Pilsner style. Worldwide, pale lager is the most widely consumed and commercially available style of beer. It is often known primarily by its brand name, and labeled simply as “beer”. Well-known brands include Budweiser, Stella Artois, Beck’s, Brahma, Corona, Snow, Tsingtao, Heineken, Carling, Foster’s, and Carlsberg.
ex) But sceveral hurdles still make it hard for him to sell his pilsners, stouts, and pale ales more widely, he says.
pasteurize verb
(British English also -ise)
BrE /ˈpɑːstʃəraɪz/ ; NAmE /ˈpæstʃəraɪz/
pasteurize something to heat a liquid, especially milk, to a particular temperature and then cool it, in order to kill harmful bacteria 저온살균하다
ex) Craftworks’ unpasteurised brews must be kept chilled from the vat to the tap, which creates a problem.
pasteurized milk
niche noun
BrE /niːʃ/ ; NAmE /niːʃ/ ; BrE /nɪtʃ/ ; NAmE /nɪtʃ/
1) a comfortable or suitable role, job, way of life, etc.
ex) Cold distribution is a tiny, pricey niche.
He eventually found his niche in sports journalism.
punitive adjective
BrE /ˈpjuːnətɪv/ ; NAmE /ˈpjuːnətɪv/ usually before noun
1) intended as punishment
ex) There are calls for more punitive measures against people who drink and drive.
(North American English) He was awarded punitive damages (= in a court of law).
Punitive action will be taken against the hooligans.
punitive damages
2) very severe and that people find very difficult to pay
ex) Punitive tariffs prevent brewing experimentation.
punitive taxes
They could impose punitive tariffs of up to 100% on imports.
hop noun
BrE /hɒp/ ; NAmE /hɑːp/
5) hops [plural] the green female flowers of the hop plant that have been dried, used for making beer 홉
ex) The Korean taxman treats malt, hops and yeast as beer ingredients, which are subject to low import duties.
stoppage noun
BrE /ˈstɒpɪdʒ/ ; NAmE /ˈstɑːpɪdʒ/
3) [countable] a situation in which something does not move forward or is blocked; [COUNTABLE/UNCOUNTABLE] the act of stopping something
ex) These can become contaminated, causing costly stoppages.
The stoppage of exports shouldn’t last long.
a stoppage of blood to the heart
fall through
to not be completed, or not happen
ex) US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood took a test ride on Japan’s super-fast magnetic train that day, but President Obama’s high-speed rail plans have largely fallen through since then.
Our plans fell through because of lack of money.
levitation noun
BrE /ˌlevɪˈteɪʃn/ ; NAmE /ˌlevɪˈteɪʃn/ [uncountable]
the act of rising and floating in the air with no physical support, especially by means of magic or by using special mental powers; the act of making something rise in this way
ex) A Japanese railway company this month unveiled a prototype for a commercial passenger train that it says can reach speeds of 310 miles per hour via magnetic levitation.
grail noun
BrE /ɡreɪl/ ; NAmE /ɡreɪl/
(also the Holy Grail)
1) [singular] the cup or bowl believed to have been used by Jesus Christ before he died, that became a holy thing that people wanted to find
2) [countable] a thing that you try very hard to find or achieve, but never will
ex) Maglev trains have long been the holy grail of ground transportation.
upwards adverb
BrE /ˈʌpwədz/ ; NAmE /ˈʌpwərdz/ (especially British English)
(also upward especially in North American English)
3) upwards of something more than the amount or number mentioned
ex) Counting an additional planned Tokyo-to-Osaka leg, the project is expected to cost upwards of $100 billion.
You should expect to pay upwards of £50 for a hotel room.
prohibitive adjective
BrE /prəˈhɪbətɪv/ ; NAmE /prəˈhɪbətɪv/ , also /proʊˈhɪbətɪv/
1) (of a price or a cost) so high that it prevents people from buying something or doing something
synonym exorbitant
ex) But if that sounds prohibitive, consider that the United States spends significantly more than that on highways in a single year.
prohibitive costs
a prohibitive tax on imported cars
The price of property in the city is prohibitive.
theoretically adverb
BrE /ˌθɪəˈretɪkli/ ; NAmE /ˌθiːəˈretɪkli/
- theologically adverb
BrE /ˌθiːəˈlɒdʒɪkli/ ; NAmE /ˌθiːəˈlɑːdʒɪkli/
in a way that is concerned with the ideas and principles on which a particular subject is based, rather than with practice and experiment
opposite experimentally (1), practically (2)
ex) And while a highway might get you from Los Angeles to San Francisco in six hours if you’re lucky, a Maglev train like the one Japan’s building could theoretically do it in an hour and 15 minutes.
theoretically sound conclusions
These views were challenged both theoretically and empirically.
- in a way that is connected with the study of religion and beliefs
ex) As a church, it is both politically and theologically conservative.
fight tooth and nail
to fight in a very determined way for what you want
ex) In fact, California has been trying to build a Los Angeles-to-San Francisco high-speed rail line for some 30 years, but the fight for funding has been tooth and nail.
He fought tooth and nail against the lion to save the boy.
The residents are fighting tooth and nail to stop the new development.
maglev
noun (also Maglev) UK US /ˈmæɡlev/
[C or U] TRANSPORT short for magnetic levitation: an advanced type of transport system in which a train travels on a magnetic track, often at very high speeds 자기 부상 (철도)
ex) And while a highway might get you from Los Angeles to San Francisco in six hours if you’re lucky, a Maglev train like the one Japan’s building could theoretically do it in an hour and 15 minutes.
More than a dozen cities are considering building maglevs.
a maglev line/train High-speed maglev trains can travel at 430 kilometres per hour.
slate verb
BrE /sleɪt/ ; NAmE /sleɪt/
2) [usually passive] to plan that something will happen at a particular time in the future
ex) The state is now slated to have a 220-mph train up and running by 2028 - but that’s just a conventional bullet train, the kind Japan has had for decades.
The meeting is slated to be held from Dec. 6th to 17th in Seoul.
The meeting is slated for tomorrow.
The next conference is slated for July.
The houses were first slated for demolition five years ago.
The new store is slated to open in spring.
up and running
working fully and correctly; starting to work correctly
ex) The state is now slated to have a 220-mph train up and running by 2028 - but that’s just a conventional bullet train, the kind Japan has had for decades.
The first ever nursing home in 백령도 is now up and running.
It will be a lot easier when we have the database up and running.
It took two years to get the project up and running.
torpedo verb
BrE /tɔːˈpiːdəʊ/ ; NAmE /tɔːrˈpiːdoʊ/
torpedo noun (어뢰)
- catapult verb
BrE /ˈkætəpʌlt/ ; NAmE /ˈkætəpʌlt/
catapult noun (=slingshot) (새총, 투석기)
2) torpedo something to completely destroy the possibility that something could succeed
ex) The real obstacle today is a lack of political will to plan for the future, especially from the Republicans who torpedoed President Obama’s high-speed rail plans in his first term.
Her comments had torpedoed the deal.
- [transitive, intransitive] to throw somebody/something or be thrown suddenly and violently through the air
ex) She was catapulted out of the car as it hit the wall.
(figurative) The movie catapulted him to international stardom.
The film ‘I’m the Murderer’ catapulted him into stardom.
come preposition
BrE /kʌm/ ; NAmE /kʌm/
(old-fashioned, informal) when the time mentioned comes
ex) Come 2040, the United States is still going to be putting around on mid-20th-century infrastructure while countries like Japan, China and Germany marvel at our backwardness.
They would have been married forty years come this June.
Come next week she’ll have changed her mind.
putt verb
BrE /pʌt/ ; NAmE /pʌt/
present simple I / you / we / they putt BrE /pʌt/ ; NAmE /pʌt/
he / she / it putts BrE /pʌts/ ; NAmE /pʌts/
past simple putted BrE /ˈpʌtɪd/ ; NAmE /ˈpʌtɪd/
past participle putted BrE /ˈpʌtɪd/ ; NAmE /ˈpʌtɪd/
-ing form putting BrE /ˈpʌtɪŋ/ ; NAmE /ˈpʌtɪŋ/
[intransitive, transitive] putt (something) (in golf) to hit the ball gently when it is on the short grass near the hole, so that it rolls across the ground a short distance into or towards the hole
ex) Come 2040, the United States is still going to be putting around on mid-20th-century infrastructure while countries like Japan, China and Germany marvel at our backwardness.
backwardness noun
BrE /ˈbækwədnəs/ ; NAmE /ˈbækwərdnəs/ [uncountable]
the state of having made less progress than normal
ex) Come 2040, the United States is still going to be putting around on mid-20th-century infrastructure while countries like Japan, China and Germany marvel at our backwardness.
the backwardness of rural areas
infertile adjective
BrE /ɪnˈfɜːtaɪl/ ; NAmE /ɪnˈfɜːrtl/
1) (of people, animals and plants) not able to have babies or produce young
ex) Should I tell my infertile Asian wife that I want all-white babies?
an infertile couple
prudence noun
BrE /ˈpruːdns/ ; NAmE /ˈpruːdns/ uncountable
a sensible and careful attitude when you make judgements and decisions; behaviour that avoids unnecessary risks
ex) Maybe you’ll exercise a little more financial prudence next time.
decide against someone/something
to not choose someone or something
ex) We decided against adoption because we would have no biological connection to our children.
In the end we decided against the house because it was too small.
assisted reproduction
- IVF (in vitro fertilization) 체외수정
in vivo fertilization 체내수정 (거의 안 씀)
Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is the technology used to achieve pregnancy in procedures such as fertility medication, artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization and surrogacy. It is reproductive technology used primarily for infertility treatments, and is also known as fertility treatment.
ex) In the case of sperm or egg donation, the parents may choose to keep private that they used assisted reproduction, which is possible by selecting a donor who resembles the infertile parent.
homogeneous adjective
BrE /ˌhɒməˈdʒiːniəs/ ; NAmE /ˌhoʊməˈdʒiːniəs/
(also homogenous BrE /həˈmɒdʒənəs/ ; NAmE /həˈmɑːdʒənəs/ )
(formal)
- homogeneity noun
BrE /ˌhɒmədʒəˈniːəti/ ; NAmE /ˌhɑːmədʒəˈniːəti/ uncountable
consisting of things or people that are all the same or all of the same type
ex) We live in a fairly homogeneously white area and at the end of the day I want my kids to look like me, their cousins, and the kids they’ll go to school with.
a homogeneous group/mixture/population
a culturally homogeneous society
Old people are not a homogeneous group, as some people seem to think.
- the quality of being homogeneous
ex) Cultural homogeneity is created by education and the media.
at the end of the day
(informal) used to introduce the most important fact after everything has been considered
ex) We live in a fairly homogeneously white area and at the end of the day I want my kids to look like me, their cousins, and the kids they’ll go to school with.
At the end of the day, he’ll still have to make his own decision.
At the end of the day, I’m the one who is going to be held responsible.
그리고 전 제가 이 일에 대해서 좀 제 편한대로 생각하는 것 같다고 생각했어요.
Then I think I maybe I’m just convincing myself about this.
broach verb
BrE /brəʊtʃ/ ; NAmE /broʊtʃ/
broach something (to/with somebody) to begin talking about a subject that is difficult to discuss, especially because it is embarrassing or because people disagree about it
ex) I really could use a second opinion before I broach the subject with her.
She was dreading having to broach the subject of money to her father.
The report fails to broach some important questions.
그이한테 이 얘기를 꺼내기 전에 전 정말로 다른 의견이 필요해요.
ex) I really could use a second opinion before I broach the subject with her.
Maybe I could use some help.
turnout noun
BrE /ˈtɜːnaʊt/ ; NAmE /ˈtɜːrnaʊt/ [countable, usually singular, uncountable]
2) the number of people who vote in a particular election
ex) I can see how increasing the white population might be a good strategy for raising GOP turnout on election day.
a high/low/poor turnout
a 60% turnout of voters
run something by somebody | run something past somebody
(informal) to show somebody something or tell somebody about an idea in order to see their reaction to it; to tell someone your ideas so that they can give you their opinion
ex) However, if you’re not the chairman of the Republican National Committee, and you only want to increase the white population because you don’t want your kids to resemble your Asian wife, then it’s good you ran this by me before proposing it to her.
Can I run a few ideas by you?
grotesque adjective
BrE /ɡrəʊˈtesk/ ; NAmE /ɡroʊˈtesk/
1) strange in a way that is unpleasant or offensive; unreasonable, or offensive
ex) And how grotesque that now that her eggs are out of the picture, you’ve decided this is a great opportunity to keep your kids from being mixed race.
a grotesque distortion of the truth
The story was too grotesque to believe.
It’s grotesque to expect a person of her experience to work for so little money.
He called the original broadcast a grotesque distortion.
in/out of the picture
(informal) involved/not involved in a situation
ex) And how grotesque that now that her eggs are out of the picture, you’ve decided this is a great opportunity to keep your kids from being mixed race.
Morris is likely to win, with Jones out of the picture now.
보수시민의회 대변인처럼 들리지 않고서 당신이 여기에 전한 생각들을 아내한테 표현할 방법은 그냥 아예 없어요.
There’s just no way to express to your wife the thoughts you’ve conveyed here without sounding as if you’re a spokesperson for the Council of Conservative Citizens.
She’s spent several of her childhood years in the States. There’s just no way I could beat her in the competition.
There’s just no way to break up with her without coming clean about your secret lover.
decide on something | decide upon something
to choose something from a number of possibilities
ex) Now that you and your wife have decided on egg donation, you first need to just listen to what she’s thinking about the criteria for your donor.
We’re still trying to decide on a venue.
I can’t decide on who to invite.
We decided on Spain for our holiday this year.
Brown v Board of Education noun
a law case in 1954 which led to a decision of the US Supreme Court that made separate education for black and white children illegal
ex) But your desire for your future kids to look only like you because you have a pre-Brown v. Board of Education view about their social lives means that before you have children, you need to do a serious reassessment of your assumptions about the world they are going to live in.
perspective noun
BrE /pəˈspektɪv/ ; NAmE /pərˈspektɪv/
2) [uncountable] the ability to think about problems and decisions in a reasonable way without exaggerating their importance; a sensible way of judging how good, bad, important etc something is in comparison with other things
ex) After two years of almost relentless attacks on law schools, a bit of perspective would be nice.
He has lost all perspective in the rush to get what he wants.
It’s important to keep things in perspective and not dwell on one incident.
You’ve got the problem completely out of perspective.
This kind of tragedy puts a mere football match into perspective.
Writing as a foreigner gives her a great sense of perspective.
She was aware that she was losing all sense of perspective.
Try to keep these issues in perspective.
Talking to others can often help to put your own problems into perspective.
It is important not to let things get out of perspective.
sensationalist adjective
BrE /senˈseɪʃənəlɪst/ ; NAmE /senˈseɪʃənəlɪst/ (disapproving)
- sensationalism noun
BrE /senˈseɪʃənəlɪzəm/ ; NAmE /senˈseɪʃənəlɪzəm/ uncountable
getting people’s interest by using shocking words or by presenting facts and events as worse or more shocking than they really are
ex) For at least two years, the popular press, bloggers and a few sensationalist law professors have turned American law schools into the new investment banks.
sensationalist headlines
- a way of getting people’s interest by using shocking words or by presenting facts and events as worse or more shocking than they really are
ex) the sensationalism of the popular press
entice verb
BrE /ɪnˈtaɪs/ ; NAmE /ɪnˈtaɪs/
to persuade somebody/something to go somewhere or to do something, usually by offering them something
synonym persuade
ex) We entice bright young students into our academic clutches.
The bargain prices are expected to entice customers away from other stores.
a plan to entice mothers back to work
The animal refused to be enticed from its hole.
He was not enticed into parting with his cash.
Try and entice the child to eat by offering small portions of their favourite food.
clutch noun
BrE /klʌtʃ/ ; NAmE /klʌtʃ/
4) clutches [plural] (informal) power or control
He managed to escape from their clutches.
ex) We entice bright young students into our academic clutches.
He managed to escape from their clutches.
Now that she had him in her clutches, she wasn’t going to let go.
succubus noun
BrE /ˈsʌkjʊbəs/ ; NAmE /ˈsʌkjʊbəs/ (pl. succubi BrE /ˈsʌkjʊbaɪ/ ; NAmE /ˈsʌkjʊbaɪ/ )(literary)
- incubus noun
BrE /ˈɪŋkjʊbəs/ ; NAmE /ˈɪŋkjʊbəs/ (pl. incubuses, incubi BrE /ˈɪŋkjʊbaɪ/ ; NAmE /ˈɪŋkjʊbaɪ/ )
a female evil spirit, supposed to have sex with a sleeping man
ex) Succubus-like, when we’ve taken what we want from them, we return them to the mean and barren streets to fend for themselves.
* 2) a male evil spirit, supposed in the past to have sex with a sleeping woman
fend for yourself
to take care of yourself without help from anyone else
ex) Succubus-like, when we’ve taken what we want from them, we return them to the mean and barren streets to fend for themselves.
His parents agreed to pay the rent for his apartment but otherwise left him to fend for himself.
The fox was released into the wild when it was old enough to fend for itself.
The children were left to fend for themselves.
We can let our guests fend for themselves.
mask verb
BrE /mɑːsk/ ; NAmE /mæsk/
- unmask verb
BrE /ˌʌnˈmɑːsk/ ; NAmE /ˌʌnˈmæsk/
mask something to hide a feeling, smell, fact, etc. so that it cannot be easily seen or noticed
synonym disguise, veil
ex) The hysteria has masked some important realities and created an environment in which some of the brightest potential lawyers are, largely irrationally, forgoing the possibility of a rich, rewarding and, yes, profitable, career.
She masked her anger with a smile.
- unmask somebody/something to show the true character of somebody, or a hidden truth about something
synonym expose
ex) The strategy can unmask behavioral problems of these kids.
to unmask a spy
misplaced adjective
BrE /ˌmɪsˈpleɪst/ ; NAmE /ˌmɪsˈpleɪst/
1) not appropriate or correct in the situation
misplaced confidence/optimism/fear
ex) Even so, the focus on first jobs is misplaced.
He made a misplaced attempt at reconciliation.
His optimism proved sadly misplaced.
2) (of love, trust, etc.) given to a person who does not deserve or return those feelings
ex) Your trust on him is terribly misplaced.
misplaced loyalty
span verb
BrE /spæn/ ; NAmE /spæn/
1) span something to last all through a period of time or to cover the whole of it
ex) We educate students for a career likely to span 40 to 50 years.
His acting career spanned 55 years.
Family photos spanning five generations were stolen.
mean adjective
BrE /miːn/ ; NAmE /miːn/ (meaner, meanest)
5) [only before noun] (specialist) average; between the highest and the lowest, etc.
ex) Looking purely at the economics, in 2011, the median starting salary for practicing lawyers was $61,500; the mean salary for all practicing lawyers was $130,490, compared with $176,550 for corporate chief executives, $189,210 for internists and $79,300 for architects.
the mean temperature
project verb
BrE /prəˈdʒekt/ ; NAmE /prəˈdʒekt/
2) [transitive, usually passive] to estimate what the size, cost or amount of something will be in the future based on what is happening now; [TRANSITIVE] [USUALLY PASSIVE] to calculate how big something will become in the future using information that is available now
synonym forecast
ex) And the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reports projected growth in lawyers’ jobs from 2010 to 2020 at 10 percent, “about as fast as the average for all occupations.”
A growth rate of 4% is projected for next year.
The unemployment rate has been projected to fall.
The actual cost of the improvements is far greater than the original projected figure.
It is projected that the population will rise by one million by 2008.
Total expenditure was projected to increase by 4.7%.
as with (as is the case with)
As with any industry in transition, changes in the delivery of legal services create opportunities as well as challenges.
As is the case with couples, singles want to go to the movies.
capitalize on something | capitalize upon something
- cash in on
to gain a further advantage for yourself from a situation
synonym take advantage
ex) Creative, innovative and entrepreneurial lawyers will find ways to capitalize on this.
The team failed to capitalize on their early lead.
- [INTRANSITIVE] to use an opportunity to make a profit or gain an advantage
ex) They accused her of trying to cash in on her daughter’s fame.
overwrought adjective
BrE /ˌəʊvəˈrɔːt/ ; NAmE /ˌoʊvərˈrɔːt/
very worried and upset; excited in a nervous way
synonym distraught
ex) The overwrought atmosphere has created irrationalities that prevent talented students from realizing their ambitions.
She was still a little overwrought.
The child is usually too emotionally overwrought to listen to reason.
- listen to reason (see reason): to listen to good advice and be influenced by it
ex) Friends tried to persuade them to change their minds, but neither man would listen to reason.
short-sighted adjective
BrE /ˌʃɔːt ˈsaɪtɪd/ ; NAmE /ˌʃɔːrt ˈsaɪtɪd/
- myopic adjective
BrE /maɪˈɒpɪk/ ; NAmE /maɪˈɑːpɪk/
** myopia noun
BrE /maɪˈəʊpiə/ ; NAmE /maɪˈoʊpiə/ [uncountable]
*** far-sighted adjective
(North American English farsighted)
BrE ; NAmE
1) (especially British English) (usually North American English nearsighted) able to see things clearly only if they are very close to you
opposite long-sighted
ex) She wears glasses because she’s very short-sighted.
2) not thinking carefully about the possible effects of something or what might happen in the future
ex) I think that was extremely shortsighted, but this prevailing attitude discourages bright students from attending law school.
a short-sighted policy
an attitude which is likely to prove short-sighted
- 1) (specialist) unable to see things clearly when they are far away
ex) a myopic child/eye
2) (formal, disapproving) unable to see what the results of a particular action or decision will be; unable to think about anything outside your own situation
ex) a myopic strategy
myopic voters
** 1) (specialist) the inability to see things clearly when they are far away
synonym short sight, short-sightedness
2) (formal, disapproving) the inability to see what the results of a particular action or decision will be; the inability to think about anything outside your own situation
ex) The cancellation of the popular show was a result of managerial myopia.
cultural myopia
*** 1) having or showing an understanding of the effects in the future of actions that you take now, and being able to plan for them
ex) the most far-sighted of politicians
a far-sighted decision
2) (especially North American English)
= long-sighted
not able to see things that are close to you clearly
ex) She’s long-sighted and needs glasses to read.
ophthalmologist noun
BrE /ˌɒfθælˈmɒlədʒɪst/ ; NAmE /ˌɑːfθælˈmɑːlədʒɪst/
- optometrist noun
BrE /ɒpˈtɒmətrɪst/ ; NAmE /ɑːpˈtɑːmətrɪst/
(British English also optician, ophthalmic optician)
a doctor who studies and treats the diseases of the eye 안과 의사, 안과 전문의
- a person whose job is to examine people’s eyes and to recommend and sell glasses 검안사
ex) I went to visit my optometrist.
prevailing adjective
BrE /prɪˈveɪlɪŋ/ ; NAmE /prɪˈveɪlɪŋ/ [only before noun]
1) existing or most common at a particular time
synonym current, predominant
ex) I think that was extremely shortsighted, but this prevailing attitude discourages bright students from attending law school.
the prevailing economic conditions
the attitude towards science prevailing at the time
The prevailing view seems to be that they will find her guilty.
look to something
(formal) to consider something and think about how to make it better
ex) We could do things better, and every law school with which I’m familiar is looking to address its problems.
I’m looking to start a business.
We need to look to ways of improving our marketing.
inflict verb
BrE /ɪnˈflɪkt/ ; NAmE /ɪnˈflɪkt/
to make somebody/something suffer something unpleasant
ex) In the meantime, the one-sided analysis is inflicting significant damage, not only on law schools but also on a society that may well soon find itself bereft of its best and brightest lawyers.
The skewed view of the market is inflicting huge damage on the future careers of prospective professional interpreters.
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.
bereft adjective
BrE /bɪˈreft/ ; NAmE /bɪˈreft/ not before noun
1) bereft of something completely lacking something; having lost something
ex) In the meantime, the one-sided analysis is inflicting significant damage, not only on law schools but also on a society that may well soon find itself bereft of its best and brightest lawyers.
bereft of ideas/hope
sprawling adjective
BrE /ˈsprɔːlɪŋ/ ; NAmE /ˈsprɔːlɪŋ/ [only before noun]
spreading in an untidy way
ex) Sprawling suburbs make mass transit really difficult.
a modern sprawling town
sprawling handwriting
McMansion noun
a large house, especially one whose size and style do not fit in with the surrounding area
ex) But it’s been clear for years that our McMansion-and-SUV version of the American Dream isn’t sustainable in the long term.
The McMansion has almost become embarrassing to some people.
hysteria noun
BrE /hɪˈstɪəriə/ ; NAmE /hɪˈstɪriə/ [uncountable]
2) (disapproving) an extremely excited and exaggerated way of behaving or reacting to an event
ex) The hysteria has masked some important realities and created an environment in which some of the brightest potential lawyers are, largely irrationally, forgoing the possibility of a rich, rewarding and, yes, profitable, career.
the usual media hysteria that surrounds royal visits
public hysteria about AIDS
forgo verb
(also forego)
BrE /fɔːˈɡəʊ/ ; NAmE /fɔːrˈɡoʊ/
forgo something (formal) to decide not to have or do something that you would like to have or do
ex) The hysteria has masked some important realities and created an environment in which some of the brightest potential lawyers are, largely irrationally, forgoing the possibility of a rich, rewarding and, yes, profitable, career.
No one was prepared to forgo their lunch hour to attend the meeting.
She would willingly forgo a birthday treat if only her warring parents would declare a truce.
Time to prepare was a luxury he would have to forgo.
generic adjective
BrE /dʒəˈnerɪk/ ; NAmE /dʒəˈnerɪk/
2) (of a product, especially a drug) not using the name of the company that made it; a generic drug or other product does not have a trademark and is sold without a company’s name on it 복제 약품, 상표명 없는 약품
ex) Brand-name drug makers have feared it for years. And now the makers of generic drugs fear it, too.
The doctor offered me a choice of a branded or a generic drug.
permit verb
BrE /pəˈmɪt/ ; NAmE /pərˈmɪt/ (formal)
1) [transitive] to allow somebody to do something or to allow something to happen
ex) This year, more than 40 brand-name drugs - valued at $35 billion in annual sales - lost their patent protection, meaning that generic companies were permitted to make their own lower-priced versions of well-known drugs like Plavix, Lexapro and Seroquel - and share in the profits that had exclusively belonged to the brands.
Radios are not permitted in the library.
There are fines for exceeding permitted levels of noise pollution.
We were not permitted any contact with each other.
Jim permitted himself a wry smile.
Visitors are not permitted to take photographs.
She would not permit herself to look at them.
(formal) Permit me to offer you some advice.
share noun
BrE /ʃeə(r)/ ; NAmE /ʃer/
4) [countable] share (in something) any of the units of equal value into which a company is divided and sold to raise money. People who own shares receive part of the company’s profits.
ex) This year, more than 40 brand-name drugs - valued at $35 billion in annual sales - lost their patent protection, meaning that generic companies were permitted to make their own lower-priced versions of well-known drugs like Plavix, Lexapro and Seroquel - and share in the profits that had exclusively belonged to the brands.
shares in British Telecom
a fall in share prices
share capital
a share certificate
vault verb
BrE /vɔːlt/ ; NAmE /vɔːlt/
1) [intransitive, transitive] to jump over an object in a single movement, using your hands or a pole to push you
vault over something She vaulted over the gate and ran up the path.
ex) The large generics company Watson acquired a European competitor, Actavis, in October, vaulting it from the fifth- to the third-largest generic drug maker worldwide.
vault something to vault a fence
There’s no way he could have vaulted the fence with that injury.
2) [TRANSITIVE] MAINLY JOURNALISM to suddenly put someone in a successful or important position
ex) These two years have vaulted him to stardom.
file verb
BrE /faɪl/ ; NAmE /faɪl/
2) [intransitive, transitive] (law) to present something so that it can be officially recorded and dealt with
ex) During those periods, companies that are the first to file an application with the Food and Drug Administration, successfully challenge a patent and show they can make the drug win the right to sell their version exclusively or with limited competition.
file for something to file for divorce
file something to file a claim/complaint/petition/lawsuit
file to do something He filed to divorce his wife.
window noun
BrE /ˈwɪndəʊ/ ; NAmE /ˈwɪndoʊ/
6) a time when there is an opportunity to do something, although it may not last long
ex) The exclusivity windows can give a quick jolt to companies.
We now have a small window of opportunity in which to make our views known.
jolt noun
BrE /dʒəʊlt/ ; NAmE /dʒoʊlt/ [usually singular]
2) a sudden strong feeling, especially of shock or surprise
ex) The exclusivity windows can give a quick jolt to companies.
a jolt of dismay
Credit Suisse
Credit Suisse Group is a Switzerland-based multinational financial services holding company, headquartered in Zürich, that operates the Credit Suisse Bank and other financial services investments. The company is organized as a stock corporation with four divisions: Investment Banking, Private Banking, Asset Management, and a Shared Services Group that provides marketing and support to the other three divisions.
ex) During the first nine months of 2012, sales of generic drugs increased by 19 percent over the same period on 2011, to $39.1 billion from $32.8 billion, according to Michael Faerm, an analyst for Credit Suisse.
antidepressant adjective
BrE /ˌæntidɪˈpresnt/ ; NAmE /ˌæntidɪˈpresnt/ [only before noun]
1) (of a drug) used to treat depression (1)
ex) In 2013, for example, the antidepressant Cymbalta, sold by Eli Lilly, is scheduled to be available in generic form.
antidepressant drugs
GlaxoSmithKline
BrE , ; NAmE
(also Glaxo)
(abbreviation GSK)
- Pfizer
** Eli Lilly and Company 일라이 릴리
*** Merck
a large British-based global company producing many different types of drugs and medicines. The company was formed in 2001 from the merger of two other large drug companies, GlaxoWellcome and SmithKline Beecham, which were themselves formed from companies established in the nineteenth century.
- Pfizer Inc. /ˈfaɪzər/ is an American global pharmaceutical corporation headquartered in New York City, with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut. It is among the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. Pfizer is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, and its shares have been a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average since 2004.
** Eli Lilly and Company is an American global pharmaceutical company with headquarters located in Indianapolis, Indiana, in the United States. The company also has offices in Puerto Rico and 17 other countries. Their products are sold in approximately 125 countries. The company was founded in 1876 by Col. Eli Lilly, a pharmaceutical chemist and veteran of the American Civil War, after whom the company was named.
*** The Merck Group, branded and commonly known as Merck, is a German multinational chemical, pharmaceutical and life sciences company headquartered in Darmstadt, with around 50,000 employees in around 70 countries. Merck was founded in 1668 and is the world’s oldest operating chemical and pharmaceutical company, as well as one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world.
Merck operates in Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. It has major research and development centres in Darmstadt, Boston, Tokyo and Beijing. Merck pioneered the commercial manufacture of morphine in the 19th century and for a time held a virtual monopoly on cocaine.
제가 어딜 가든지 특허 절벽에 대해 계속 물어봐요. 특허 절벽, 특허 절벽….
I can’t go anywhere without being asked about the patent cliff, the patent cliff, the patent cliff…
multilayered adjective
/ˈməltiˈlāərd,ˈməltī-/
- multifaceted adjective
BrE /ˌmʌltiˈfæsɪtɪd/ ; NAmE /ˌmʌltiˈfæsɪtɪd/ (formal)
having or involving several or many layers
ex) The patent cliff is one aspect of a complex, multilayered landscape, and I think each company is going to face it differently.
* having many different aspects to be considered; containing many different aspects, features, or qualities
ex) a complex and multifaceted problem
fill a prescription
make up a prescription
dispense a prescription
prepare a prescription
- write (out) a prescription
give a prescription
prescribe
to prepare medicine and give it to people, as a job
ex) It sells 1,400 products, and one in six generic prescriptions in the United States is filled with a Teva product.
* (of a doctor) to tell somebody to take a particular medicine or have a particular treatment; to write a prescription for a particular medicine, etc.
competitive edge
gain/maintain/retain a competitive edge
the fact that a company has an advantage over its competitors
ex) Mr. Levin and Ms. Bresch each said that generic companies could gain an edge by expanding into global markets.
The low overheads of the company gave it a competitive edge over other retailers.
The business needs to innovate in order to maintain a competitive edge.
enter into something(formal)
BrE /skləˈrəʊsɪs/ ; NAmE /skləˈroʊsɪs/
1) to begin to discuss or deal with something
ex) Mylan made a big international push in 2007, when it bought the generics business of the German pharmaceutical company Merck KGaA, and this summer it entered into a deal with Pfizer to market and distribute generic drugs in Japan.
Let’s not enter into details at this stage.
multiple sclerosis noun
BrE ; NAmE [uncountable]
(abbreviation MS)
a disease of the nervous system that gets worse over a period of time with loss of feeling and loss of control of movement and speech 다발성 경화증
ex) Teva is perhaps the best example, since it sells the blockbuster multiple sclerosis drug Copaxone.
lift noun
BrE /lɪft/ ; NAmE /lɪft/
3) [singular] a feeling of being happier or more confident than before
synonym boost
ex) But Mylan’s revenue has gotten a lift in recent years from sales of the antiallergy product EpiPen, and Watson sells branded contraceptives and other women’s health products.
Passing the exam gave him a real lift.
contraceptive noun
BrE /ˌkɒntrəˈseptɪv/ ; NAmE /ˌkɑːntrəˈseptɪv/
- birth control pills
** morning-after pill noun
a drug, device or practice used to prevent a woman from becoming pregnant
ex) But Mylan’s revenue has gotten a lift in recent years from sales of the antiallergy product EpiPen, and Watson sells branded contraceptives and other women’s health products.
oral contraceptives
- Birth control pills (also called oral contraceptive pills and the “Pill”) are a type of female hormonal birth control method and are very effective at preventing pregnancy. The Pills are small tablets that you swallow each day.
** a drug that a woman can take some hours after having sex in order to avoid becoming pregnant
controlled delivery | controlled release | delayed release | extended release | immediate release | long-acting | modified release | sustained action | sustained release | timed release | extended release
Time release technology (also known as sustained-release [SR], extended-release [ER, XR, XL], controlled-release [CR], and other synonyms) is a mechanism used in pill tablets or capsules to dissolve a drug over time in order to be released slower and steadier into the bloodstream while having the advantage of being taken at less frequent intervals than immediate-release (IR) formulations of the same drug. For example, extended-release morphine allows for people with chronic pain to only need one or two tablets per day.
ex) Many drug makers are also going after difficult-to-make products like extended-release tablets, patches and creams in the hope that, with less competition, prices will not erode as quickly.
erode verb
BrE /ɪˈrəʊd/ ; NAmE /ɪˈroʊd/ [often passive]
2) [transitive, intransitive] erode (something) to gradually destroy something or make it weaker over a period of time; to be destroyed or made weaker in this way; to gradually reduce the strength or importance of something, or to be gradually reduced in this way
ex) Many drug makers are also going after difficult-to-make products like extended-release tablets, patches and creams in the hope that, with less competition, prices will not erode as quickly.
Her confidence has been slowly eroded by repeated failures.
Mortgage payments have been eroded (= decreased in value) by inflation.
It is feared that international institutions may erode national sovereignty.
Western support for Yeltsin was slowly eroding.
durable adjective
BrE /ˈdjʊərəbl/ ; NAmE /ˈdʊrəbl/
- durable goods noun
BrE ; NAmE (North American English)
(British English consumer durables)
[plural]
likely to last for a long time without breaking or getting weaker
ex) They have a bit better pricing power and are a little bit more durable.
durable plastics
negotiations for a durable peace
Painted steel is likely to be less durable than other kinds.
highly durable carpets for hotel use
- (business) goods which are expected to last for a long time after they have been bought, such as cars, televisions, etc. 내구재, 내구소모재
translate verb
BrE /trænsˈleɪt/ ; NAmE /trænsˈleɪt/ ; BrE /trænzˈleɪt/ ; NAmE /trænzˈleɪt/
3) [transitive, intransitive] to change something, or to be changed, into a different form; [INTRANSITIVE] to cause a particular situation or result
ex) But that doesn’t translate into profit.
Recent economic problems are beginning to translate into a demand for reforms.
It’s time to translate words into action.
I hope all the hard work will translate into profits.
excel verb
BrE /ɪkˈsel/ ; NAmE /ɪkˈsel/
1) [intransitive] to be very good at doing something
ex) Analysts said Watson excelled at this tactic.
She has always excelled in foreign languages.
As a child he excelled at music and art.
The team excels at turning defence into attack.
biologics
Biologics are genetically-engineered proteins derived from human genes. They are designed to inhibit specific components of the immune system that play pivotal roles in fueling inflammation, which is a central feature of rheumatoid arthritis. 생물제제, 생물의약품
ex) Perhaps the hardest drugs to copy are a newer category of products known as biologics, which are proteins made in living cells and are commonly used as treatments for cancer, like Avastic, and rheumatoid arthritis, like Humira.
rheumatoid arthritis noun
BrE /ˌruːmətɔɪd ɑːˈθraɪtɪs/ ; NAmE /ˌruːmətɔɪd ɑːrˈθraɪtɪs/ uncountable
- degenerative arthritis
degenerative adjective
BrE /dɪˈdʒenərətɪv/ ; NAmE /dɪˈdʒenərətɪv/ (specialist)
a disease that gets worse over a period of time and causes painful swelling and permanent damage in the joints of the body, especially the fingers, wrists, feet and ankles
ex) Perhaps the hardest drugs to copy are a newer category of products known as biologics, which are proteins made in living cells and are commonly used as treatments for cancer, like Avastic, and rheumatoid arthritis, like Humira.
* (of an illness) getting or likely to get worse as time passes
ex) degenerative diseases such as arthritis
next big thing
the new rage; the latest fad or trend, esp. in a particular field
ex) A lot of people look at biosimilars and say that’s going to be the next thing.
Flat-panel televisions are the next big thing.
biosimilar noun
/ˌbīōˈsim(ə)lər/
plural noun: biosimilars
a biopharmaceutical drug designed to have active properties similar to one that has previously been licensed
ex) Her report said six of the top 20 best-selling drugs in 2013 were expected to be biologics, but the F.D.A. wa snot expected to issue guidelines for approving biosimilars anytime soon.
Copycat drug makers use an innovator’s research data to make biosimilars.
play something↔out
when an event is played out, it happens
synonym enact
ex) No one really knows how that’s going to play out.
Their love affair was played out against the backdrop of war.
burp verb
BrE /bɜːp/ ; NAmE /bɜːrp/ (informal)
1) [intransitive] to let out air from the stomach through the mouth, making a noise
synonym belch
ex) We can burp up our food, scream at the top of our voices, throw the cutlery on the floor, spend the day gazing blankly out of the window, relieve ourselves in the flower pot - and still know that someone will come and stroke our hair, change our clothes and sing us songs.
He swigged down his beer and burped loudly.
2) [transitive] burp somebody to make a baby bring up air from the stomach, especially by rubbing or patting its back
at the top of your voice (=at the top of your lungs)
as loudly as possible
ex) We can burp up our food, scream at the top of our voices, throw the cutlery on the floor, spend the day gazing blankly out of the window, relieve ourselves in the flower pot - and still know that someone will come and stroke our hair, change our clothes and sing us songs.
She was screaming at the top of her voice.
cutlery noun
BrE /ˈkʌtləri/ ; NAmE /ˈkʌtləri/ [uncountable]
1) (especially British English) (usually North American English flatware, silverware) knives, forks and spoons, used for eating and serving food
ex) We can burp up our food, scream at the top of our voices, throw the cutlery on the floor, spend the day gazing blankly out of the window, relieve ourselves in the flower pot - and still know that someone will come and stroke our hair, change our clothes and sing us songs.
Put the cutlery in the drawer.
a stainless steel cutlery set
They had a canteen of cutlery as a wedding present.
a 24-piece cutlery set
relieve yourself
to use the toilet; a polite way of referring to going to the toilet
ex) We can burp up our food, scream at the top of our voices, throw the cutlery on the floor, spend the day gazing blankly out of the window, relieve ourselves in the flower pot - and still know that someone will come and stroke our hair, change our clothes and sing us songs.
I had to relieve myself behind a bush.
indulgently adverb
BrE /ɪnˈdʌldʒəntli/ ; NAmE /ɪnˈdʌldʒəntli/
1) (usually disapproving) in a way that allows somebody to have or do whatever they want
ex) Even those who are not our own mothers, be they men or women, behave as indulgently: they smile when they see us on a family shopping trip, they comment on the pretty patterns of our clothes and, on a lucky day, bring us a furry animal, a few rails of wooden track or a signal box as a reward for just being ourselves.
to laugh indulgently
idyllic adjective
BrE /ɪˈdɪlɪk/ ; NAmE /aɪˈdɪlɪk/
peaceful and beautiful; perfect, without problems
ex) But this idyllic state is fated not to endure.
a house set in idyllic surroundings
to lead an idyllic existence
The cottage sounds idyllic.
fated adjective
BrE /ˈfeɪtɪd/ ; NAmE /ˈfeɪtɪd/
1) fated (to do something) unable to escape a particular fate; certain to happen because everything is controlled by fate
synonym destined
ex) But this idyllic state is fated not to endure.
We were fated never to meet again.
He believes that everything in life is fated.
snob noun
BrE /snɒb/ ; NAmE /snɑːb/ (disapproving)
1) a person who admires people in the higher social classes too much and has no respect for people in the lower social classes
ex) By the time we have finished our education, we are forced to take our place in a world dominated by a new kind of person, as different from a mother as it is possible to be and whose behavior lies at the heart of our status anxieties: the snob.
She’s such a snob!
2) a person who thinks they are much better than other people because they are intelligent or like things that many people do not like
ex) an intellectual snob
a food/wine, etc. snob
There is a snob value in driving the latest model.
snobbery noun
BrE /ˈsnɒbəri/ ; NAmE /ˈsnɑːbəri/ uncountable
the attitudes and behaviour of people who are snobs
ex) Though certain friends and lovers will remain immune from snobbery, will promise not to disown us even if we are bankrupted and disgraced (on a good day, we may even believe them), in general, we are forced to subsist on a diet of the highly conditional attentions of snobs.
intellectual snobbery
disown verb
BrE /dɪsˈəʊn/ ; NAmE /dɪsˈoʊn/
disown somebody/something to decide that you no longer want to be connected with or responsible for somebody/something
ex) Though certain friends and lovers will remain immune from snobbery, will promise not to disown us even if we are bankrupted and disgraced (on a good day, we may even believe them), in general, we are forced to subsist on a diet of the highly conditional attentions of snobs.
Her family disowned her for marrying a foreigner.
Later he publicly disowned the rebellion.
They have never disowned their humble roots.
disgrace verb
BrE /dɪsˈɡreɪs/ ; NAmE /dɪsˈɡreɪs/
2) be disgraced to lose the respect of people, usually so that you lose a position of power
ex) Though certain friends and lovers will remain immune from snobbery, will promise not to disown us even if we are bankrupted and disgraced (on a good day, we may even believe them), in general, we are forced to subsist on a diet of the highly conditional attentions of snobs.
He was publicly disgraced and sent into exile.
a disgraced politician/leader
subsist verb
BrE /səbˈsɪst/ ; NAmE /səbˈsɪst/
1) [intransitive] subsist (on something) to manage to stay alive, especially with limited food or money
ex) Though certain friends and lovers will remain immune from snobbery, will promise not to disown us even if we are bankrupted and disgraced (on a good day, we may even believe them), in general, we are forced to subsist on a diet of the highly conditional attentions of snobs.
Old people often subsist on very small incomes.
come into/go out of, etc. use
to start/stop being used
ex) The word “snobbery” came into use for the first time in England during the 1820s.
Computers first came into use in the early 1950s.
When did this word come into common use?
These pesticides are gradually going out of use.
aristocratic adjective
BrE /ˌærɪstəˈkrætɪk/ ; NAmE /əˌrɪstəˈkrætɪk/
- aristocracy noun
BrE /ˌærɪˈstɒkrəsi/ ; NAmE /ˌærɪˈstɑːkrəsi/ countable + singular or plural verb
** aristocrat noun
BrE /ˈærɪstəkræt/ ; NAmE /əˈrɪstəkræt/
belonging to or typical of the aristocracy
synonym noble
ex) It was said to have derived from the habit of many Oxford and Cambridge colleges of writing sinenobilitate (without nobility), or “s.nob,” next to the names of ordinary students on examination lists in order to distinguish them from their aristocratic peers.
* (in some countries) people born in the highest social class, who have special titles
synonym nobility
ex) Though traditionally they may have been associated with an interest in the aristocracy (for they were first pinned down in language at a time and place when aristocrats stood at the social apex), the identification of snobbery with an enthusiasm for old-world manners, blazers, hunting and gentlemen’s clubs hardly captures the diversity of the phenomenon.
members of the aristocracy
the shift of power from the aristocracy to the bourgeoisie
** a member of the aristocracy
assume verb
BrE /əˈsjuːm/ ; NAmE /əˈsuːm/
3) assume something (formal) to begin to have a particular quality or appearance
synonym take something↔on
ex) In the word’s earliest days a snob was taken to mean someone without high status, but it quickly assumed its modern and almost diametrically opposed meaning: someone offended by a lack of high status in others, a person who believes in a flawless equation between social rank and human worth.
This matter has assumed considerable importance.
In the story the god assumes the form of an eagle.
diametrically adverb
BrE /ˌdaɪəˈmetrɪkli/ ; NAmE /ˌdaɪəˈmetrɪkli/
diametrically opposed/opposite
completely different
ex) In the word’s earliest days a snob was taken to mean someone without high status, but it quickly assumed its modern and almost diametrically opposed meaning: someone offended by a lack of high status in others, a person who believes in a flawless equation between social rank and human worth.
We hold diametrically opposed views.
equation noun
BrE /ɪˈkweɪʒn/ ; NAmE /ɪˈkweɪʒn/
2) [uncountable, singular] the act of making something equal or considering something as equal (= of equating them)
ex) In the word’s earliest days a snob was taken to mean someone without high status, but it quickly assumed its modern and almost diametrically opposed meaning: someone offended by a lack of high status in others, a person who believes in a flawless equation between social rank and human worth.
The equation of wealth with happiness can be dangerous.
그들은 (속물) 이제 대영제국 내에 널리 알려져 있고 딱 보면 알 수 있습니다.
They are now known and recognized throughout an Empire on which the sun never sets.
pin something↔down
1) to explain or understand something exactly; to understand or describe something exactly
ex) Though traditionally they may have been associated with an interest in the aristocracy (for they were first pinned down in language at a time and place when aristocrats stood at the social apex), the identification of snobbery with an enthusiasm for old-world manners, blazers, hunting and gentlemen’s clubs hardly captures the diversity of the phenomenon.
Officials are trying to pin down the cause of widespread power cuts.
The cause of the disease is difficult to pin down precisely.
apex noun
BrE /ˈeɪpeks/ ; NAmE /ˈeɪpeks/ usually singular
- pinnacle noun
BrE /ˈpɪnəkl/ ; NAmE /ˈpɪnəkl/
the top or highest part of something
ex) Though traditionally they may have been associated with an interest in the aristocracy (for they were first pinned down in language at a time and place when aristocrats stood at the social apex), the identification of snobbery with an enthusiasm for old-world manners, blazers, hunting and gentlemen’s clubs hardly captures the diversity of the phenomenon.
the apex of the roof/triangle
(figurative) At 37, she’d reached the apex of her career.
* 1) [usually singular] pinnacle of something the most important or successful part of something
ex) the pinnacle of her career
He spent more than twenty years at the pinnacle of his profession.
Formula One is the pinnacle of motor racing.
She is at the pinnacle of her profession.
blazer noun
BrE /ˈbleɪzə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈbleɪzər/
a jacket, not worn with matching trousers/pants, often showing the colours or badge of a club, school, team, etc.
ex) Though traditionally they may have been associated with an interest in the aristocracy (for they were first pinned down in language at a time and place when aristocrats stood at the social apex), the identification of snobbery with an enthusiasm for old-world manners, blazers, hunting and gentlemen’s clubs hardly captures the diversity of the phenomenon.
He was smartly dressed in a blazer and slacks.
a school blazer
get (somebody) off the hook, let somebody off the hook
to free yourself or somebody else from a difficult situation or a punishment
ex) It lets too many off the hook.
ingratiating adjective
BrE /ɪnˈɡreɪʃieɪtɪŋ/ ; NAmE /ɪnˈɡreɪʃieɪtɪŋ/ (disapproving)
trying too hard to please somebody
ex) Snobs can be found through history ingratiating themselves with a range of prominent groups - from soldiers (Sparta, 400 B.C.), bishops (Rome, 1500), and poets (Weimar, 1815), to farmers (China, 1967), and film stars (Hollywood, 2004) - for the primary interest of snob is power, and as the distribution of power changes, so, naturally and immediately, will the objects of their admiration.
an ingratiating smile
He wasn’t just helpful, he was positively ingratiating.
parish noun
BrE /ˈpærɪʃ/ ; NAmE /ˈpærɪʃ/
- parishioner noun
BrE /pəˈrɪʃənə(r)/ ; NAmE /pəˈrɪʃənər/
(the parish)
** bishop noun
BrE /ˈbɪʃəp/ ; NAmE /ˈbɪʃəp/
*** suffragan noun
BrE /ˈsʌfrəɡən/ ; NAmE /ˈsʌfrəɡən/
(also suffragan bishop)
** archbishop noun
BrE /ˌɑːtʃˈbɪʃəp/ ; NAmE /ˌɑːrtʃˈbɪʃəp/
***** diocese noun
BrE /ˈdaɪəsɪs/ ; NAmE /ˈdaɪəsɪs/ (pl. dioceses BrE /ˈdaɪəsiːz/ ; NAmE /ˈdaɪəsiːz/ )
**** cardinal noun
BrE /ˈkɑːdɪnl/ ; NAmE /ˈkɑːrdɪnl/
1) [countable] an area that has its own church and that a priest is responsible for 교구
ex) a parish church/priest
He is vicar of a large rural parish.
- a person living in a parish, especially one who goes to church regularly 교구 주민
** 1) a senior priest in charge of the work of the Church in a city or district 주교
ex) the Bishop of Oxford
Bishop Pritchard
He was appointed Bishop of Ely.
He’s the diocesan bishop and he has three suffragan bishops to help him.
*** a bishop who is an assistant to a bishop of a particular diocese 부주교
** a bishop of the highest rank, responsible for all the churches in a large area 대주교
ex) the Archbishop of Canterbury (= the head of the Church of England)
He was enthroned as archbishop in Canterbury Cathedral in 1980.
He was made Archbishop of Milan.
***** (in the Christian Church) a district for which a bishop is responsible 교구
**** 1) a priest of the highest rank in the Roman Catholic Church. Cardinals elect and advise the Pope. 추기경
ex) Cardinal Newman
early on
at an early stage of a situation, relationship, period of time, etc.
ex) Early on in an encounter, the subject of what we “do” will arise and depending on how we answer, we will either be the recipients of bountiful attention or the catalysts of urgent disgust.
I knew quite early on that I wanted to marry her.
bountiful adjective
BrE /ˈbaʊntɪfl/ ; NAmE /ˈbaʊntɪfl/ (formal or literary)
1) in large quantities; large
ex) Early on in an encounter, the subject of what we “do” will arise and depending on how we answer, we will either be the recipients of bountiful attention or the catalysts of urgent disgust.
a bountiful supply of food
catalyst noun
BrE /ˈkætəlɪst/ ; NAmE /ˈkætəlɪst/
2) catalyst (for something) a person or thing that causes a change
ex) Early on in an encounter, the subject of what we “do” will arise and depending on how we answer, we will either be the recipients of bountiful attention or the catalysts of urgent disgust.
I see my role as being a catalyst for change.
The riots were later seen as the catalyst for the new political developments.
be endowed with something
(formal) to naturally have a particular feature, quality, etc.
ex) We may be endowed with the wisdom of Solomon and have the resourcefulness and intelligence of Odysseus, but if we are unable to wield socially recognized badges of our qualities, our existence will remain a matter of raw indifference to them.
She was endowed with intelligence and wit.
The stones are believed to be endowed with magical powers.
badge noun
BrE /bædʒ/ ; NAmE /bædʒ/
4) (formal) something that shows that a particular quality is present
ex) We may be endowed with the wisdom of Solomon and have the resourcefulness and intelligence of Odysseus, but if we are unable to wield socially recognized badges of our qualities, our existence will remain a matter of raw indifference to them.
His gun was a badge of power for him.
company noun
BrE /ˈkʌmpəni/ ; NAmE /ˈkʌmpəni/ (pl. companies)
3) [uncountable] the fact of being with somebody else and not alone
ex) The company of the snobbish has the power to enrage and unnerve because we sense how little of who we are deep down - that is, how little of who we are outside of our status - will be able to govern their behavior towards us.
I enjoy Jo’s company (= I enjoy being with her).
She enjoys her own company (= being by herself) when she is travelling.
The children are very good company (= pleasant to be with) at this age.
a pleasant evening in the company of friends
He’s coming with me for company.
enrage verb
BrE /ɪnˈreɪdʒ/ ; NAmE /ɪnˈreɪdʒ/
[usually passive] enrage somebody to make somebody very angry
synonym infuriate
ex) The company of the snobbish has the power to enrage and unnerve because we sense how little of who we are deep down - that is, how little of who we are outside of our status - will be able to govern their behavior towards us.
She was enraged at his stupidity.
The newspaper article enraged him.
unnerve verb
BrE /ˌʌnˈnɜːv/ ; NAmE /ˌʌnˈnɜːrv/
unnerve somebody to make somebody feel nervous or frightened or lose confidence
ex) The company of the snobbish has the power to enrage and unnerve because we sense how little of who we are deep down - that is, how little of who we are outside of our status - will be able to govern their behavior towards us.
His silence unnerved us.
She appeared strained and a little unnerved.
I was completely unnerved by the way she kept staring at me.
pain verb
BrE /peɪn/ ; NAmE /peɪn/
(not used in the progressive tenses) (formal) to cause somebody pain or make them unhappy
synonym hurt
ex) This conditional attention pains us because our earliest memory of love is of being cared for in a naked, impoverished condition.
She was deeply pained by the accusation.
(old use) The wound still pained him occasionally.
It pains me to see you like this.
It pained him that she would not acknowledge him.
by definition
as a part of the basic nature of something
ex) Babies cannot, by definition, repay their caretakers with worldly rewards.
A dictatorship means, by definition, one centre of power.
worldly adjective
BrE /ˈwɜːldli/ ; NAmE /ˈwɜːrldli/ (literary)
2) having a lot of experience of life and therefore not easily shocked
opposite unworldly
ex) Babies cannot, by definition, repay their caretakers with worldly rewards.
At 15, he was more worldly than his older cousins who lived in the country.
caretaker noun
BrE /ˈkeəteɪkə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈkerteɪkər/
2) (especially North American English) a person who takes care of a house or land while the owner is away
3) (especially North American English) a person such as a teacher, parent, nurse, etc., who takes care of other people
ex) Babies cannot, by definition, repay their caretakers with worldly rewards.
in so/as far as
to the degree that
ex) In so far as they are loved and looked after, it is therefore for who they are, identity understood in its barest, most stripped-down state.
That’s the truth, in so far as I know it.
stripped-down adjective
BrE ; NAmE [usually before noun]
1) keeping only the most basic or essential features, with everything else removed
ex) In so far as they are loved and looked after, it is therefore for who they are, identity understood in its barest, most stripped-down state.
a stripped-down version of the song
howling adjective
BrE /ˈhaʊlɪŋ/ ; NAmE /ˈhaʊlɪŋ/ [only before noun]
making a continuous low loud noise
ex) They are loved for, or in spite of, their uncontrolled, howling and stubborn characters.
dazzle verb
BrE /ˈdæzl/ ; NAmE /ˈdæzl/ [often passive]
2) [transitive] dazzle somebody to impress somebody a lot with your beauty, skill, etc.
ex) Such efforts may attract the interest of others, but the underlying emotional craving is not so much to dazzle because of our deeds as to recapture the tenor of the bountiful, indiscriminate petting we received in return for arranging wooden bricks on the kitchen floor, for having a soft plump body and wide trusting eyes.
He was dazzled by the warmth of her smile.
She knows a lot of famous people and tried to dazzle me with their names.
tenor noun
BrE /ˈtenə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈtenər/
3) [singular] the tenor of something (formal) the general character or meaning of something; [SINGULAR] the feeling, mood, or main message that you get from a book, person, situation etc
ex) Such efforts may attract the interest of others, but the underlying emotional craving is not so much to dazzle because of our deeds as to recapture the tenor of the bountiful, indiscriminate petting we received in return for arranging wooden bricks on the kitchen floor, for having a soft plump body and wide trusting eyes.
I think the tenor of the discussions has been pretty positive.
I was encouraged by the general tenor of his remarks.
indiscriminate adjective
BrE /ˌɪndɪˈskrɪmɪnət/ ; NAmE /ˌɪndɪˈskrɪmɪnət/
2) acting without careful judgement; done without choosing or judging carefully
ex) Such efforts may attract the interest of others, but the underlying emotional craving is not so much to dazzle because of our deeds as to recapture the tenor of the bountiful, indiscriminate petting we received in return for arranging wooden bricks on the kitchen floor, for having a soft plump body and wide trusting eyes.
She’s always been indiscriminate in her choice of friends.
petting noun
BrE /ˈpetɪŋ/ ; NAmE /ˈpetɪŋ/ [uncountable]
- pet verb
BrE /pet/ ; NAmE /pet/
the activity of kissing and touching somebody, especially in a sexual way
ex) heavy petting (= sexual activity which avoids penetration)
- 1) [transitive] pet somebody/something (especially North American English) to touch or move your hand gently over an animal or a child in a kind and loving way
He petted the dog and ruffled its fur.
ex) Such efforts may attract the interest of others, but the underlying emotional craving is not so much to dazzle because of our deeds as to recapture the tenor of the bountiful, indiscriminate petting we received in return for arranging wooden bricks on the kitchen floor, for having a soft plump body and wide trusting eyes.
plump adjectiveplump adjective
BrE /plʌmp/ ; NAmE /plʌmp/ (plumper, plumpest)
Add to my wordlist
BrE /plʌmp/ ; NAmE /plʌmp/ (plumper, plumpest)
Add to my wordlist
1) having a soft, round body; slightly fat
ex) Such efforts may attract the interest of others, but the underlying emotional craving is not so much to dazzle because of our deeds as to recapture the tenor of the bountiful, indiscriminate petting we received in return for arranging wooden bricks on the kitchen floor, for having a soft plump body and wide trusting eyes.
a short, plump woman
a plump face
inept adjective
BrE /ɪˈnept/ ; NAmE /ɪˈnept/
acting or done with no skill
ex) It is evidence of this craving that only the most inept flatterer would admit to a wish to base a friendship around an attraction to power or fame.
She was left feeling inept and inadequate.
an inept remark
It would be politically inept to cut these training programmes now.
He made some particularly inept remarks.
