Week Fourteen Flashcards
Aspire
V: to want something very much or hope to achieve something or be successful
Example:
-aspire to sth: Most of his students aspired to a career in business.
-aspire to do sth: We aspire to become full-service providers to our clients.
Fleet
N: a group of ships, or all of the ships in a country’s navy
Example:
-fleet of a fleet of 20 sailing ships
-a fishing fleet
Inveigh against someone/ something
Phrasal verb: to strongly criticize something or someone
Example:
There were politicians who inveighed against immigrants to get votes.
Nettle
V: to make someone annoyed or slightly angry
Example:
She looked up at me sharply, clearly nettled by the interruption.
Overt
Adj: done or shown publicly or in an obvious way and not secret
Example:
-overt criticism
-overt racism
-He shows no overt signs of his unhappiness.
Relegate
V: to put someone or something into a lower or less important rank or position
Example:
-She resigned when she was relegated to a desk job.
-The story was relegated to the middle pages of the paper.
Quip
N: a humorous and clever remark
Example:
It was Oscar Wilde who made the famous quip about life mimicking art.
Parole
N: permission for a prisoner to be released before their period in prison is finished, with the agreement that they will behave well
Example:
-He’s been released on parole.
-She hopes to be eligible for parole in three years.
Eligible
Adj: having the necessary qualities or satisfying the necessary conditions
Example:
-eligible for:Are you eligible for early retirement/maternity leave?
-You might be eligible for a grant.
-eligible to: Only people over 18 are eligible to vote.
Furious
Adj: extremely angry
Example:
-furious with: I was late and he was furious with me.
-furious about: He’s furious about the way he’s been treated.
-furious at:She is furious at how budget cuts have reduced facilities to a minimum.
We had a furious debate about the death penalty.
Hatchet
N: a small axe (= tool with a blade that cuts when you hit things with it)
Spin
V: to (cause to) turn around and around, especially fast
Example:
-The earth spins on its axis.
-spin around/round: The roulette players silently watched the wheel spin around/round.
Supine
Adj: (lying) flat on your back, looking up
Example:
We walked along the beach, past the rows of supine bodies soaking up the sun.
Mammoth
Adj: extremely large
Example:
-Cleaning up the city-wide mess is going to be a mammoth task.
-It’s a mammoth undertaking - are you sure you have the resources to cope?
Repulse
V: to push someone or something back or away, esp. to successfully stop an attack
Example:
The enemy attack was quickly repulsed.
Havoc
N: confusion and lack of order that result in damage or trouble; ruin
Example:
The storm created complete havoc in the park.
Ammunition
N:
1.objects that can be shot from a weapon, such as bullets or bombs
Example:
-a good supply of ammunition
-a shortage of ammunition
2.facts that can be used to support an argument
Example:
His bad behaviour provided plenty of ammunition for his opponents.
Raze
V: to completely destroy a city, building, etc.
Example:
The town was razed to the ground in the bombing raid - not a building was left standing.
Dungeon
N: an underground prison, especially in a castle
Virulent
Adj:
- A virulent disease or poison is dangerous and spreads or affects people very quickly
Example:
-A particularly virulent strain of flu has recently claimed a number of lives in the region.
-The virulent plague caused havoc among the populace.
2.full of hate and violent opposition
Example:
She is a virulent critic of US energy policy.
The populace
N: the ordinary people who live in a particular country or place
Example:
Some studies show that workers in the nuclear industry are more likely than the general populace to get cancer.
Heroism
N: great courage
Example:
an act of heroism
Lethal
Adj: able to cause or causing death; extremely dangerous
Example:
-Three minutes after the fire started, the house was full of lethal fumes.
-In the car the police found guns, knives, and other lethal weapons (= weapons that can kill).
Credit someone with something
Phrasal verb:
1.to consider that someone has a particular quality
Example:
I had credited them with more integrity than they showed.
2to say that someone is responsible for something good
Example:
She is credited with making the business a success.
Dodge
V: to avoid being hit by something by moving quickly to one side
Example:
He dodged to avoid the hurtling bicycle.
Hurtle
V: to move very fast, especially in a way that seems dangerous
Example:
The truck came hurtling towards us.
Scurry
V: to move quickly, with small, short steps
Example:
-The mouse scurried across the floor.
-The noise of the explosion sent everyone scurrying back into their homes.
Incisive
Adj: expressing an idea or opinion clearly and in a persuasive manner
Example:
The guide’s incisive comments give us a new perspective on the painting.
Precipitate
V: to make something happen suddenly or sooner than expected; hasten
Example:
-An invasion would certainly precipitate a political crisis.
-Fear of losing her job precipitated (= suddenly forced) her into action.
Amid
Preposition: in the middle of or surrounded by
Example:
-On the floor, amid mounds of books, were two small envelopes.
-The new perfume was launched amidst a fanfare of publicity.
Stereotype
N: a set idea that people have about what someone or something is like, especially an idea that is wrong
Example:
-racial/sexual stereotypes
-He doesn’t conform to/fit/fill the national stereotype of a Frenchman.
-The characters in the book are just stereotypes.
Unvarying
Adj: never changing in amount or level
Example:
-I would like to thank you for your unvarying kindness to me.
-The engine runs at a constant, unvarying speed.
Castigate
V: to criticize someone or something severely
Example:
Health inspectors castigated the kitchen staff for poor standards of cleanliness.
Fractious
Adj: tending to argue, fight, or complain, and hard to control
Example:
-fractious relationships
-the fractious nature of politics
Reprehensible
Adj: If someone’s behaviour is reprehensible, it is extremely bad or unacceptable
Example:
-reprehensible conduct/actions
Laconic
Adj: using very few words to express what you mean
Example:
She had a laconic wit.
Gild
V: to cover a surface with a thin layer of gold or a substance that looks like gold
Devotion
N: loyalty and love or care for someone or something
Example:
He inspired respect and devotion from his pupils.
Admiral
N: an officer of very high rank in the navy
Example:
Admiral Nelson/Horatio Nelson
Preside
V: to be in charge of or to control a meeting or event
Example:
The vice president will preside at today’s meeting
Stentorian
Adj: using a very loud voice, or (of a voice) very loud; loud
Example:
-a stentorian preacher
-Suddenly a stentorian voice boomed across the room.
Singular
Adj: unusual or strange; not ordinary; extraordinary
Example:
-It was a building of singular grace and beauty.
-He showed a singular lack of skill in painting.
Valor
N: great courage
Example:
He was promoted to the rank of major in recognition of his valor during the battle.
Shatter
V: to end or severely damage something
Example:
-The book shattered all her illusions about the Romans.
-Noisy motorbikes shattered the peace/calm/stillness.
Bias
N: the action of supporting or opposing a particular person or thing in an unfair way, because of allowing personal opinions to influence your judgment; prejudice
Example:
-The senator has accused the media of bias.
-Reporters must be impartial and not show political bias.
Sinecure
N: a paid position that involves little or no work
Example:
I never thought of my job as a sinecure.
Combat
V: a fight, especially during a war
Example:
combat between: There was fierce combat between the two sides.
Oust
V: to force someone to leave a position of power, job, place, or competition
Example:
Police are trying to oust drug dealers from the city .
Customary
Adj: usual
Example:
-She’s not her customary cheerful self today.
-The students sat in their customary classroom seats.
Reprimand
V: to express to someone your strong official disapproval of them
Example:
She was reprimanded by her teacher for biting another girl.
Incompetent
Adj: not having the ability to do something as it should be done
Example:
-an incompetent teacher/doctor
-He has described the government as corrupt and incompetent.
Fistfight
N: a fight between people using their hands but no weapons
Blatant
Adj: very obvious and intentional, when this is a bad thing
Example:
-a blatant lie
-The whole episode was a blatant attempt to gain publicity.
Recruit
V: to persuade someone to become a new member of an organization
Example:
The coach spends a lot of time recruiting the top high school athletes.
