Vocabulary Flashcards
It was a completely senseless act of violence.
“We’re like senseless children who shrink from suffering but love its causes.”
sense·less adjective NAmE /ˈsensləs/ unconscious He was beaten senseless. She drank herself senseless. 3 not using good judgement The police blamed senseless drivers who went too fast.
Communities on the island depended on whaling for their livelihood.
live·li·hood noun
NAmE /ˈlaɪvlihʊd/
a means of earning money in order to live
➔ SYNONYM living
Communities on the island depended on whaling for their livelihood.
total abstinence from strong drink
ab·stin·ence noun NAmE /ˈæbstɪnəns/ abstinence (from something) (formal) the practice of not allowing yourself something, especially food, alcoholic drinks or sex, for moral, religious or health reasons total abstinence from strong drink ➔ SEE ALSO abstain
moral precepts
pre·cept noun NAmE /ˈpriːsept/ (formal) a rule about how to behave or what to think ➔ SYNONYM principle moral precepts
We spent a most agreeable day together.
He seemed extremely agreeable.
agree·able adjective NAmE /əˈɡriːəbl/ (formal) 1 pleasant and easy to like We spent a most agreeable day together. He seemed extremely agreeable.
At that point Franco was desirous of prolonging the war.
de·sir·ous adjective
NAmE /dɪˈzaɪərəs/
wanting something very much
desirous of
He became restless and desirous of change
Man is a sentient being.
There was no sign of any sentient life or activity.
sen·tient adjective
NAmE /ˈsentiənt/ , /ˈsenʃnt/
(formal)
able to see or feel things through the senses
Man is a sentient being.
There was no sign of any sentient life or activity.
lovingkindness
Misericordia
Helena left the company of her own volition.
volition noun
NAmE /vəˈlɪʃn/ , also /voʊˈlɪʃn/
1 of your own volition. formal. if you do something of your own volition, you do it because you want to, not because you are forced to
Viruses can be spread inadvertently by email users.
Robinson’s name was inadvertently omitted from the list.
in·ad·vert·ent·ly adverb
NAmE /ˌɪnədˈvɜːrtəntli/
without realizing what you are doing
SYN accidentally
OPP deliberately
An eagle was gliding high overhead.
The plane managed to glide down to the runway.
glide verb NAmE /ɡlaɪd/ 1 to move smoothly and quietly, especially as though it takes no effort Swans went gliding past. The skaters were gliding over the ice.
breaking the fetters of convention
They were at last freed from the fetters of ignorance.
fetter noun
NAmE /ˈfetər/
the things that prevent someone from being free
SYN constraints
He has had to surmount immense physical disabilities.
surmount verb
NAmE /sərˈmaʊnt/
(Formal)
1 surmount something. to deal successfully with a difficulty
➔ SYNONYM overcome
She was well aware of the difficulties that had to be surmounted.
He was becoming disenchanted with his job as a lawyer.
Many in the party had become disenchanted with the reforms.
disenchanted adjective
NAmE /ˌdɪsɪnˈtʃæntɪd/
disenchanted (with somebody/something) no longer feeling enthusiasm for somebody/something; not believing something is good or worth doing
➔ SYNONYM disillusioned
He was becoming disenchanted with his job as a lawyer.
Many in the party had become disenchanted with the reforms.
fleeting
fleet·ing adjective NAmE /ˈfliːtɪŋ/ lasting only a short time (FUGAZ) ➔ SYNONYM brief a fleeting glimpse/smile a fleeting moment of happiness We paid a fleeting visit to Paris.
re•plen•ish verb
NAmE /rɪˈplenɪʃ /
re•plen•ish verb
NAmE /rɪˈplenɪʃ /
(formal) to make sth full again by replacing what has been used
SYN top up
👽to replenish food and water supplies
👽Allow me to replenish your glass.
dor•mant adj.
NAmE /ˈdɔːrmənt /
dor•mant adj.
NAmE /ˈdɔːrmənt /
not active or growing now but able to become active or to grow in the future
SYN inactive
OPP active
👽a dormant volcano
👽During the winter the seeds lie dormant in the soil.
cease•less adj.
NAmE /ˈsiːsləs /
cease•less adj.
NAmE /ˈsiːsləs /
(formal)
not stopping; seeming to have no end
SYN constant, interminable
👽the ceaseless rain
👽His ceaseless questions began to annoy me.
cease•less•ly /BrE ˈsiːsləsli NAmE ˈsiːsləsli / adv.
de•plete verb
NAmE /dɪˈpliːt
de•plete verb
NAmE /dɪˈpliːt
(formal) to reduce sth by a large amount so that there is not enough left
👽Food supplies were severely depleted.
de•ple•tion /NAmE dɪˈpliːʃn / noun [U]
👽ozone depletion
ensue verb
NAmE /ɪnˈsuː /
ensue verb
NAmE /ɪnˈsuː /
(formal)
to happen after or as a result of another event
SYN follow
👽An argument ensued.
en•su•ing /NAmE ɪnˈsuːɪŋ / adj.
👽He had become separated from his parents in the ensuing panic.
👽They lost track of each other in the ensuing years.
tab•loid noun
NAmE /ˈtæblɔɪd /
tab•loid noun
NAmE /ˈtæblɔɪd /
a newspaper that has small pages, a lot of photographs, and stories mainly about sex, famous people etc rather than serious news → broadsheet
THESAURUS NEWSPAPER
in•flux noun
NAmE /ˈɪnflʌks /
in•flux noun
NAmE /ˈɪnflʌks /
the fact of a lot of people, money or things arriving somewhere
👽a massive/sudden influx of visitors
em•an•ate verb
NAmE /ˈeməneɪt /
em•an•ate verb
NAmE /ˈeməneɪt /
(formal) to produce or show sth
👽He emanates power and confidence.
grim•ace noun
NAmE /ɡrɪˈmeɪs /
NAmE /ˈɡrɪməs /
grim•ace noun
NAmE /ɡrɪˈmeɪs /
NAmE /ˈɡrɪməs /
an ugly expression made by twisting your face, used to show pain, disgust, etc. or to make sb laugh
👽to make/give a grimace of pain
👽 ‘What’s that?’ she asked with a grimace.
