Vocab Flashcards
appalled
/əˈpɔːld/
greatly dismayed or horrified.
“Alison looked at me, appalled”
inflamed
1.
(of strong feelings) provoked or intensified.
“inflamed passions overrode reasoning”
2.
(of a part of the body) red or swollen as a result of inflammation.
“inflamed eyes and lips”
apathetic
/apəˈθɛtɪk/
showing or feeling no interest, enthusiasm, or concern.
“an apathetic electorate”
callous
\ ˈka-ləs \
feeling no emotion
being hardened and thickened (callous hands)
extant
/ɪkˈstant,ɛkˈstant,ˈɛkst(ə)nt/
still in existence; surviving.
“an extant letter”
drizzly
If the weather is drizzly, it is raining in small light drops
“It’s drizzly out there”
drench
/drɛn(t)ʃ/
wet thoroughly; soak.
“I got drenched in the rain”
squabble
/ˈskwɒb(ə)l/
a noisy quarrel about something trivial.
“family squabbles”
quarrel noisily over a trivial matter.
“the boys were squabbling over a ball”
quarrel
/ˈkwɒr(ə)l/
a heated argument or disagreement, typically about a trivial issue and between people who are usually on good term.
“she made the mistake of picking a quarrel with John”
have a heated argument or disagreement.
“stop quarrelling with your sister”
trivial
/ˈtrɪvɪəl/
of little value or importance.
“huge fines were imposed for trivial offences”
plummet
/ˈplʌmɪt/
fall or drop straight down at high speed.
“a climber was killed when he plummeted 300 feet down an icy gully”
1. a steep and rapid fall or drop. "the bird has a circular display flight followed by an earthward plummet" 2. a plumb or plumb line.
squash
/skwɒʃ/
verb
1.
crush or squeeze (something) with force so that it becomes flat, soft, or out of shape.
“wash and squash the cans before depositing them”
2.
suppress or subdue (a feeling or action).
“the mournful sound did nothing to squash her high spirits”
noun
1.
a state of being squeezed or forced into a small or restricted space.
“it was a bit of a squash but he didn’t seem to mind”
2.
BRITISH
a sweet concentrated liquid made from or flavoured with fruit juice, which is diluted to make a drink.
“orange squash”
amplify
1.
increase the volume of (sound), especially using an amplifier.
“the accompanying chords have been amplified in our arrangement”
2.
enlarge upon or add detail to (a story or statement).
“the notes amplify information contained in the statement”
dilate
/dʌɪˈleɪt,dɪˈleɪt/
make or become wider, larger, or more open.
“her eyes dilated with horror”
augment
/ɔːɡˈmɛnt/
make (something) greater by adding to it; increase.
“he augmented his summer income by painting houses”
abate
/əˈbeɪt/
(of something unpleasant or severe) become less intense or widespread.
“the storm suddenly abated”
make (something) less intense.
“nothing abated his crusading zeal”
LAW
reduce or remove (a nuisance).
“this action would not have been sufficient to abate the odour nuisance”
reside
/rɪˈzʌɪd/
1.
have one’s permanent home in a particular place.
“people who work in the city actually reside in neighbouring towns”
Similar:
live in
occupy
inhabit
Opposite:
visit
2.
(of power or a right) belong to a person or body.
“legislative powers reside with the Federal Assembly”
mythologize
/mɪˈθɒlədʒʌɪz/
convert into myth or mythology; make the subject of a myth.
“there is a grave danger of mythologizing the past”
create or promote an exaggerated or idealized image of.
“much of his life was devoted to mythologizing his own career”
debunk
/diːˈbʌŋk/
expose the falseness or hollowness of (an idea or belief).
“she debunks all the usual rubbish about acting”
reduce the inflated reputation of (someone).
“comedy takes delight in debunking heroes”
A debunker is a person or organization that exposes or discredits claims believed to be false, exaggerated, or pretentious
exile
/ˈɛksʌɪl,ˈɛɡzʌɪl/
the state of being barred from one's native country, typically for political or punitive reasons. "he knew now that he would die in exile" Similar: banishment Opposite: return, welcome
expel and bar (someone) from their native country, typically for political or punitive reasons.
“a corrupt dictator who had been exiled from his country”
reconcile
/ˈrɛk(ə)nsʌɪl/
1.
restore friendly relations between.
“the king and the archbishop were publicly reconciled”
2.
make (one account) consistent with another, especially by allowing for transactions begun but not yet completed.
“it is not necessary to reconcile the cost accounts to the financial accounts”
appease
/əˈpiːz/
1.
pacify or placate (someone) by acceding to their demands.
“amendments have been added to appease local pressure groups”
Similar:
conciliate
placate
pacify
Opposite:
provoke
inflame
2.
assuage or satisfy (a demand or a feeling).
“we give to charity because it appeases our guilt”
arbitrate
/ˈɑːbɪtreɪt/
(of an independent person or body) reach an authoritative judgement or settlement. "the board has the power to arbitrate in disputes" Similar: adjudicate judge adjudge referee umpire
condense
/kənˈdɛns/
Learn to pronounce
verb
1.
make (something) denser or more concentrated.
“the morning play on Saturday was condensed into a half-hour package”
2.
change or cause to change from a gas or vapour to a liquid.
“the moisture vapour in the air condenses into droplets of water”
siege
/siːdʒ/
a military operation in which enemy forces surround a town or building, cutting off essential supplies, with the aim of compelling those inside to surrender.
“Verdun had withstood a siege of ten weeks”
boulder
/ˈbəʊldə/
a large rock, typically one that has been worn smooth by erosion.
Erosion
/ɪˈroʊ.ʒən/
the fact of soil, stone, etc. being gradually damaged and removed by the waves, rain, or wind
Rapids
Rapids are sections of a river where the river bed has a relatively steep gradient, causing an increase in water velocity and turbulence
turbulence
/ˈtəːbjʊl(ə)ns/
violent or unsteady movement of air or water, or of some other fluid.
“the plane shuddered as it entered some turbulence”
Similar:
rough air currents
irregular atmospheric motion
uneven air movement
a state of conflict or confusion.
“political turbulence”
velocity
/vɪˈlɒsɪti/
the speed of something in a given direction.
“the velocities of the emitted particles”
(in general use) speed.
“the tank shot backwards at an incredible velocity”
shudder
/ˈʃʌdə/
verb
to shake suddenly with very small movements because of a very unpleasant thought or feeling:
The sight of so much blood made him shudder.
She shuddered at the thought of kissing him.
Similar:
shake
shiver
tremble
(especially of a vehicle, machine, or building) shake or vibrate violently.
“the train shuddered and edged forward”
proliferate
/prəˈlɪfəreɪt/
increase rapidly in number; multiply.
“the science fiction magazines which proliferated in the 1920s”
(of a cell, structure, or organism) reproduce rapidly.
“cultured cells often proliferate indefinitely”
cause (cells, tissue, structures, etc.) to reproduce rapidly.
“electromagnetic radiation can only proliferate cancers already present”
propagate
/ˈprɒpəɡeɪt/
1.
breed specimens of (a plant or animal) by natural processes from the parent stock.
“try propagating your own houseplants from cuttings”
2.
spread and promote (an idea, theory, etc.) widely.
“the French propagated the idea that the English were drunkards”
deteriorate
/dɪˈtɪərɪəreɪt/
become progressively worse.
“relations between the countries had deteriorated sharply”
precipitate
/prɪˈsɪpɪteɪt/
cause (an event or situation, typically one that is undesirable) to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or prematurely.
“the incident precipitated a political crisis”
2.
CHEMISTRY
cause (a substance) to be deposited in solid form from a solution.
“cell proteins were then precipitated and washed in 10% trichloroacetic acid”
irk
/əːk/
verb
past tense: irked; past participle: irked
irritate; annoy, vex, furious
“it irks her to think of the runaround she received”
runaround
/ˈrʌnəraʊnd/
1. deceitful or evasive treatment. "they are being given the runaround by the Defence Ministry" 2. a runabout.
captivate
/ˈkaptɪveɪt/
verb
past tense: captivated; past participle: captivated
attract and hold the interest and attention of; charm.
“he was captivated by her beauty”
intrigue
1.
arouse the curiosity or interest of; fascinate.
“I was intrigued by your question”
2.
make secret plans to do something illicit or detrimental to someone.
“Henry and Louis intrigued with the local nobles”
subsidize
/ˈsʌbsɪdʌɪz/
support (an organization or activity) financially.
“the mining industry continues to be subsidized”
Similar:
give money to
pay a subsidy to
give a grant to
pay part of the cost of producing (something) to keep the selling price low.
“the government subsidizes basic goods including sugar, petroleum, and wheat”
treason
/ˈtriːz(ə)n/
the crime of betraying one's country, especially by attempting to kill or overthrow the sovereign or government. "they were convicted of treason" Similar: treachery disloyalty betrayal
Opposite:
allegiance
loyalty
the action of betraying someone or something.
plural noun: treasons
“doubt is the ultimate treason against faith”
dissolution
/dɪsəˈluːʃ(ə)n/
1. the action of formally ending or dismissing an assembly, partnership, or official body. "the dissolution of their marriage" Similar: cessation conclusion end ending finish termination
indulgence
inˈdəljəns
an occasion when you allow someone or yourself to have something enjoyable, especially more than is good for you:
Chocolate is my only indulgence.
All the pleasures and indulgences of the weekend are over, and I must get down to some serious hard work.
His health suffered from over-indulgence in (= too much) rich food and drink.
arithmetic
/əˈrɪθmətɪk/
Arithmetic is a branch of mathematics that consists of the study of numbers, especially the properties of the traditional operations on them—addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, exponentiation and extraction of roots
(exponentiation /ˌɛkspənɛnʃɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n
the operation of raising one quantity to the power of another)
Patter
to make the sound of a lot of things gently and repeatedly hitting a surface:
I heard the rain patter against/on the window.
fast, continuous talk, esp. that of an entertainer or someone trying to sell things:
Phinizy’s clever patter kept his audience in a good mood.
the sound of quick, light hits or steps:
Now that she’s older, we have the patter of little feet in our hallways.
Parade
/pəˈreɪd/
a large number of people walking or in vehicles, all going in the same direction, usually as part of a public celebration of something:
a victory parade
Stride
an important positive development:
The group has made strides to expand internationally.
a long step when walking or running
He strode across/into/out of the room.
meager
(of amounts or numbers) very small or not enough:
a meager salary
The prisoners existed on a meager diet.
diminutive
/dɪˈmɪnjʊtɪv/
very small:
He’s a diminutive figure, less than five feet tall.
Minute
used in spoken English to mean a very short time:
Hang on/Wait a minute - I just have to get my bag.
Just a minute - I’ll be with you when I’ve finished this.
I won’t be a minute (= I will be ready soon).
When you’ve got a minute, I’d like a brief word with you.
deliberation
/dɪˌlɪbəˈreɪʃ(ə)n
1.
long and careful consideration or discussion.
“after much deliberation we arrived at a compromise”
2.
slow and careful movement or thought.
“he replaced the glass on the table with deliberation”
rumination
/ruːmɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/
1.
a deep or considered thought about something.
“philosophical ruminations about life and humanity”
2.
the action of chewing the cud.
“cows slow down their rumination”
contemplation
/ˌkɒntɛmˈpleɪʃ(ə)n/
the action of looking thoughtfully at something for a long time.
“the road is too busy for leisurely contemplation of the scenery”
deep reflective thought.
“he would retire to his room for study or contemplation”
the state of being considered or planned.
“substantial fitting work is in contemplation”
resolution
/rɛzəˈluːʃ(ə)n/
a firm decision to do or not to do something.
“she kept her resolution not to see Anne any more”
2.
the quality of being determined or resolute.
“he handled the last British actions of the war with resolution”
Verge
noun
1.
an edge or border.
“they came down to the verge of the lake”
2.
an extreme limit beyond which something specified will happen.
“I was on the verge of tears”
verb
be very close or similar to.
“despair verging on the suicidal”
extreme
1.
reaching a high or the highest degree; very great.
“extreme cold”
2.
furthest from the centre or a given point.
“the extreme north-west of Scotland”
roam
/rəʊm/
1.
move about or travel aimlessly or unsystematically, especially over a wide area.
“tigers once roamed over most of Asia”
2.
use a mobile phone on another operator’s network, typically while abroad.
“Orange now allows Pay As You Go mobile phone customers to roam in the US”
noun
an aimless walk.
“did you get to explore the city or have a roam around Bath?”
hover
/ˈhɒvə/
verb
remain in one place in the air.
“Army helicopters hovered overhead”
noun
an act of remaining in the air in one place.
“keep the model in a stable hover”
glide
1.
move with a smooth, quiet continuous motion.
“a few gondolas glided past”
2.
make an unpowered flight, either in a glider or in an aircraft with engine failure.
“students learning to glide”
noun
1.
a gliding movement.
“the cuckoo makes its approach in a hawk-like glide”
soar
to rise very quickly to a high level:
All night long fireworks soared into the sky.
(of a bird or aircraft) to rise high in the air while flying without moving the wings or using power:
She watched the gliders soaring effortlessly above her.
indisputable
/ɪndɪˈspjuːtəb(ə)l,ɪnˈdɪspjʊtəb(ə)l/
adjective
unable to be challenged or denied.
“a far from indisputable fact”
definite
/ˈdɛfɪnət/
clearly stated or decided; not vague or doubtful.
“we had no definite plans”
clearly true or real; unambiguous.
“no definite proof has emerged”
(of a person) certain or sure about something.
“you’re very definite about that!”
vivid
producing powerful feelings or strong, clear images in the mind.
“memories of that evening were still vivid”
2.
(of a colour) intensely deep or bright.
“the rhododendron bush provides a vivid splash of mauve”
equivocal
/ɪˈkwɪvək(ə)l/
open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous.
“the equivocal nature of her remarks”
(of a person) using ambiguous or evasive language.
“he has always been equivocal about the meaning of his lyrics”
uncertain or questionable in nature.
“the results of the investigation were equivocal”
expedite
/ˈɛkspɪdʌɪt/
make (an action or process) happen sooner or be accomplished more quickly.
“he promised to expedite economic reforms”
urge
/ˈəːdʒ/
verb try earnestly or persistently to persuade (someone) to do something. "he urged her to come and stay with us" noun a strong desire or impulse. "he felt the urge to giggle"
instalment
/ɪnˈstɔːlm(ə)nt
1.
a sum of money due as one of several equal payments for something, spread over an agreed period of time.
“the first instalment of a grant for housing”
2.
any of several parts of something which are published, broadcast, or made public in sequence at intervals.
“filming the final instalment in his Vietnam trilogy”
stanza
a group of lines of poetry forming a unit
a verse
