Words P51-100 Flashcards
-Profound
Our country faces a profound economic problem.
showing strong serious feelings
Akin
If manufacturing is akin to science, then services are more like the arts.
Akin to something very similar to something
Bribery
He was found guilty of bribery and corruption.
the act of giving bribes
Drill
Every day, the soldiers drill from 8-3
to train soldiers to march or perform other millitary actions
Commencement
a ceremony at which university, college, or high school students receive their diplomas
SYN graduation
Quest
[n.]
The implication is that they should find themselves first and then go off and find their own quest.
a long search for something that is difficult to find
-Chart
Each team was responsible for making its own decisions and charting its own course.
They taught me that I could chart my own course.
to make a plan of what should be done to achieve a particular result
Tongs
a tool that yyou use to lift up small objects
-School
She was schooled in hiding her emotions. / you should have schooled him better.
to train or teach someone to have a certain skill, type of behaviour, or way of thinking
-Fish
We fish for information.
to search for something in a bag, pocket etc
Impeach
The governor was impeached for using state funds improperly.
if a government official is impeached, they are formally charged with a serious crime in a special government court
Jackpot
a large amount of money that you can win in a game that is decided by chance
Projection
That’s 1 million barrels lower than its previous projection.
CALCULATION
a statement or calculation about what something will be in the future or was in the past, based on information available now
Slate
Before his trip to Canada, the pope canceled a trip to Africa slated for July.
The 7th round of negotiations is slated to run until Wednesday.
if something is slated to happen, it is planned to happen in the future, especially at a particular time
Frail
someone who is frail is weak and thin because they are old or ill
frail body/physique
mentally/physically frail
Palatable
He said it would be irresponsible to throw away palatable and safe food.
palatable food or drink has a pleasant or acceptable taste
OPP unpalatable:
Bowel /ˈbaʊəl/
bowels [plural] the system of tubes inside your body where food is made into solid waste material and through which it passes out of your body ⇨ intestine
move/empty/open your bowels (=get rid of solid waste from your body)
-Air
- OPINION [transitive] to express your opinions publicly
air your views/grievances/complaints etc
Staff will get a chance to ask questions and air their views. - TV/RADIO [intransitive and transitive] to broadcast a programme on television or radio:
So we got 200 episodes airing this summer.
They aired nearly 53000 times.
Vilify
to say or write bad things about someone or something
vilify somebody/something for (doing) something
Johnson was vilified in the press for refusing to resign.
Shred
to cut or tear something into small thin pieces
Nancy even shredded the paper copy at the end of speech.
▪ tear
▪ rip - to tear something quickly or violently
▪ split
▪ snag - to catch a piece of clothing on something rough or sharp so that it tears slightly:** I snagged my shirt on a nail.**
▪ shred - to deliberately destroy letters, documents etc
Board
She knew exactly where to board the train and which stairwells to use at the stations so that she has the best change of getting to work on time.
to get on a bus, plane, train etc in order to travel somewhere
-Fan
to make someone feel an emotion more strongly
SYN fuel
Her resistance only fanned his desire.
fan the flames (of something)
The book will serve to fan the flames of debate.
Rope
very strong thick string, made by twisting together many thinner strings
They tied a rope around my waist and pulled me up.
Railing
a mental fence that is made of a series of upright bars.
-Quotation
■the price that a person says they will charge to do a piece of work
*I asked several builders to give me a quote for the work.
Adorn
to decorate something
Church walls adorned with religious paintings.
Pertinent
SYN relevant:
He asked me a lot of very pertinent questions.
directly relating to something that is being considered
Bode
The opinion polls do not bode well for the Democrats.
bode well/ill (for somebody/something)
to be a good or bad sign for the future
Tout
*As an education minister, she has been touting these ideas for some time
■to advertise, make known or praise something or someone repeatedly, especially as a way of encouraging their sale, popularity or development
Stiffen
XXX through shaking hands, they stiffened, looking around
if you stiffen, your body suddenly becomes firm, straight, or still because you feel angry or anxious
Rehab
Drug: I don’t need to go to rehab.
XX was traveling from Germany where he had been in rehab.
Rehab is the process of helping someone to lead a normal life again after they have been ill, or when they have had a drug or alcohol problem. Rehab is short for rehabilitation
Clot
He developed a blood clot on his brain and died.
a thick almost solid mass formed when blood or milk dries.
Lighthouse
a tower with a powerful light that guides ships away from danger
snag
[n.]PROBLEM
■a problem, difficulty or disadvantage
*We don’t anticipate any snags in/with the negotiations.
*The drug is very effective - the only snag is that it cannot be produced in large quantities.
[v.]PROBLEM
■to cause problems or difficulties for someone or something
*Financial problems have snagged the project for the past six months.
[v.]GET
■to get or catch something by acting quickly
I am glad we snagged it.
Regroup
Darby, a dog, backed off, then regrouped and latched on to the shark’s tail. The shark released its grip.
to stop and think about something, so that you can start to do something again in a better way:
Disclose
Government afraid to disclose the real GDP growth in this country, because they all worried about the promotion.
to make something publicly known, especially after it has been kept secret SYN reveal
Dire
The country is in dire need of food aid.
extremely serious or terrible
Aboriginal
elating to the people or animals that have existed in a place or country from the earliest times
SYN indigenous
Excursion
We went on an excursion to the Pyramids
a short journey arranged so that a group of people can visit a place, especially while they are on holiday
-Retreat
if an area of water, snow, or land retreats, it gradually gets smaller
The flood waters are slowly retreating.
Provocation
He was accused of deliberate provocation.
an action or event that makes someone angry or upset, or is intended to do this ⇨ provoke
-Mingle
She was eager to mingle with the other guests.
if you mingle at a party, you move around the room and talk to lots of different people
Stout
a short, stout man
Fairly fat and heavy or having a thick body
Conceit n.
an attitude that shows you have too high an opinion of your own abilities or importance
As he was, like many squirrels, full of courage and dash and energy and excitement and mischief (not to say conceit) , he no sooner heard it than he was eager to be off.
Abysmal
very bad or of bad quality
SYN terrible
The reunion was an abysmal failure.
Incur
She wondered what she’d done to incur his displeasure this time.
if you incur something unpleasant, it happens to you because of something you have done
-Beaver
He’s been beavering away at his homework for hours.
to work very hard, especially at writing or calculating something
Incessant
continue without stopping
SYN constant
The child’s incessant talking started to irritate her.
Sardonic
*a sardonic smile/look/comment
showing little respect in a humorous but unkind way, often because you think that you are too important to consider or discuss a matter
= mocking, cynical, derisive, ironical, sarcastic
Stretch
a beautiful stretch of countryside
an area of land or water, especially one that is long and narrow
Ratify
to make an agreement official
*Many countries have now ratified the UN convention on the rights of the child.
Ratify
to make an agreement official
*Many countries have now ratified the UN convention on the rights of the child.
Spur
the coach who spurred him on to Olympic success
to encourage someone or make them want to do something
Abate
This drug will abate if you drink alcohol.
to become less strong or decrease
SYN subside
Menstruate
when a woman menstruates, usually every month, blood flows from her body
-Complex[n.]
a group of buildings, or a large building with many parts, used for a particular purpose
The town has one of the best leisure complexes in the country
Magnate
a rich and powerful person in industry or business
SYN tycoon
a powerful media magnate
Figure
a number from 0 to 9, written as a character rather than a word
executives with salaries in six figures. a four/five/six figure number
Verdict
decision made after judging the facts that are given, especially one made at the end of a trial
*The jury reached/returned a unanimous verdict of (not) guilty.
Gamely
Qatar had gamely assuaged those concerns by building a small stadium to demonstrate the air-conditioning system.
If you do something gamely, you do it bravely or with a lot of effort.
Play dirty
to behave dishonestly, especially by cheating in a game
*Dez likes football but he plays dirty.
Detergent
a liquid or powder used for washing clothes, dishes
Resolute
She remained resolute in her belief that the situation would improve.
doing something in a very determined way because you have very strong beliefs, aims etc = determined
Dissipate
- to gradually become less or weaker before disappearing completely, or to make something do this:
As he thought it over, his anger gradually dissipated. - to waste something valuable such as time, money, or energy:
His savings were soon dissipated.
Embellish
-
to make something more beautiful by adding decorations to it
SYN decorate
The dress was embellished with gold threads. -
to make a story or statement more interesting by adding details that are not true
She gave an embellished account of what had happened.
Posit
He posited that each planet moved in a perfect circle.
to suggest that a particular idea should be accepted as a fact
-Develop
Some alcoholics develop liver disease.
DISEASE if you develop a disease or illness, or if it develops, you start to have it:
Roar
the roar of the traffic
a continuous loud noise, especially made by a machine or a strong wind
Booze
alcoholic drink
Forgo
You should forgo booze when you need to undertake the meds.
to not have ot do something enjoyable
Predispose
to make someone more likely to behave in a particular way or to suffer from a particular illness or condition
*Smoking predisposes you to lung cancer.
Acquaintance
RELATIONSHIP a relationship with someone you know, but who is not a close friend
They developed an acquaintance over the Internet.
Plight
the desperate plight of the flood victims
the country’s economic plight
a very bad situation that someone is in
Aspiration
strong desire to have or achieve something
ambition
a high level of political aspiration
Rung
American children raised at the top, and at the bottom, are more likely to climb the same rung of the income ladder as their fathers than their XXX counterparts.
one of the bars that form the steps of a ladder
-Generate
to produce heat, electricity, or another form of energy
Wind turbines generate electricity for the local community.
Auto
automobile - a car
Prolific
*He was probably the most prolific songwriter of his generation.
producing a great number or amount of something
Convention
a large formal meeting for people who belong to the same profession or organization or who have the same interests
a teachers’ convention
Convention
a large formal meeting for people who belong to the same profession or organization or who have the same interests
a teachers’ convention
Conventional
orthodox
-Stake
*The police staked out the hotel where the two terrorists were reported to be staying.
to watch a place continuously in order to catch criminals or to see a famous person
-Extinct
an extinct volcano does not erupt any more
OPP active **extinct volcano **
Dilute
to make a liquid weaker by adding water or another liquid ⇨ water down
diluted fruit juice
Mighty
very strong and powerful, or very big and impressive
**Is It the truth mighty, will it prevail? **
-Associate
I don’t like these flamboyant persons you’re associating with.
associate with somebody to spend time with someone, especially someone that other people disapprove of
Towering
- very tall:
Maybe he is tired of towering upkeep. - much better than other people of the same kind
SYN outstanding
a towering genius of his time
Segment
a part of something that is different from or affected differently from the whole in some way
segments of the population / the salad was decorated with segments of oranges.
Attain
After a year she had attained her ideal weight.
Share prices attained a high of $3.27.
to reach a particular level, age, size etc:
Attain
After a year she had attained her ideal weight.
Share prices attained a high of $3.27.
to reach a particular level, age, size etc:
Affiliate
to cause a group to become part of or form a close relationship with another, usually larger, group or organization
*a college affiliated to the University of London
Stumble
In her hurry, she stumbled and spilled the milk all over the floor.
to hit your foot against something or put your foot down awkwardly while you are walking or running, so that you almost fall
SYN trip
Substantiate
to prove the truth of something that someone has said, claimed etc:
Katzen offered little evidence to substantiate his claims.
Fairly
- Fairly[adv.]:
■*more than average, but less than very *
*She’s fairly tall.
*I’m fairly sure that this is the right address.
■*completely *
*She lays the blame for the recession fairly on the government.
Prompt
■words which are spoken to an actor who has forgotten what he or she is going to say during the performance of a play
TOEFL OG specify the important of the writing question given to be the prompt.
-Flight
STAIRS [countable] a set of stairs between one floor and the next:
a flight of stairs/steps
Conk out
if a machine or car conks out, it suddenly stops working:
Our car conked out on the way home.
Vista
stunning vistas of the Norfolk coast
a view of a large area of beautiful scenery
Complication
Pneumonia is one of the common complications faced by bed-ridden patients.
a medical problem or illness that happens while someone is already ill and makes treatment more difficult
Compatible
Are their two blood groups compatible (= can blood from one person be given to the other person) ?
able to exist, live together, or work successfully with something or someone else
a long shot
Really, let it go. Look, maybe it is a longshot, but sometimes long shots happen.
an attempt or guess that is not likely to be successful but that is worth trying
Roughly
not exactly
SYN about, approximately
Last night, there were roughly 320000 cases.
Laxative
a medicine or something that you eat which makes your bowels empty easily
If I cannot go for three days, only the laxative can help.
-Bridge
to reduce or get rid of the difference between two things
The differences between our two cultures can be bridged if we continue to communicate.
Take issue with
I must take issue with you over what you said yesterday.
to disagree or argue with someone about something:
Overhaul
All the community’s decision-making institutions need to be overhauled.
to change a system or method in order to improve it
Fraternity
FRIENDSHIP
■a feeling of friendship and support
He described sport as a symbol of peace and a means of promoting fraternity between nations.
Hurl
He was accused of hurling abuse at the referee.
hurl abuse/insults/accusations etc (at somebody) to shout at someone in a loud and angry way
This is one pocket of turmoil in the Egyptian capital.
SMALL AREA/AMOUNT
a small area or amount of something that is different from what surrounds it
Pastel
pastel colors are light and pale
▪ pale - a pale color is very light: He has very pale blue eyes.
▪ light - a light color is not dark: His T-shirt was light green. | a light blue sweater
▪ pastel - pastel colors have a lot of white in them: The girls wore pastel pink sundresses.
▪ faded- light in color because of being washed many times or affected by the sun: The curtains were old and faded.
-Compose
BECOME CALM
compose yourself
■to make yourself calm again after being angry or upset
*She finally stopped crying and composed herself.
Vagrant
*The town has shelters and food handouts for vagrants.
a person who is poor and does not have a home or job; a tramp
Obliterate
- to destroy something completely so that nothing remains:
The other is going to be obliterated. - to remove a thought, feeling, or memory from someone’s mind:
Nothing could obliterate the memory of those tragic events.
Exposition
▪ exhibition
▪ show an exhibition.
▪ fair
▪ exposition
Solicit
■to ask someone for money, information or help
*to solicit donations for a charity
Secrete
if a part of an animal or plant secretes a liquid substance, it produces it
Saliva is a liquid secreted by glands in or near the mouth.
Unravel
SUBJECT
■If you unravel a mysterious, unknown or complicated subject, you make it known or understood, and if it unravels, it becomes known or understood
*We’ve got a long way to go before we unravel the secrets of genetics.
DESTROY
■If a process or achievement that was slow and complicated unravels or is unraveled, it is destroyed
***As talks between the leaders broke down, several months of careful diplomacy were unraveled. **
Intrepid
Intrepid explorers
▪ brave ▪ courageous /kəˈreɪdʒəs/ especially written ▪ daring ▪ bold ▪ intrepid written ▪ adventurous used about someone who enjoys going to new places and doing new, possibly dangerous, things ▪ fearless not afraid of anything or anyone ▪ heroic
Feeble
extremely weak OPP strong
His voice sounded feeble and far away. / he was a feeble, helpless old man.
Engulf
to surround and cover something or someone completely
*The flames rapidly engulfed the house
- Sinuous
with many smooth twists and turns
They followed the sinuous trail deep into the mountains.
-Wind
TURN
■to turn or cause something to turn
*She wound the handle but nothing happened.
*Once she’d got into the car, she wound the window down/up (= caused it to open/close by turning a handle).
■If a road, path or river winds, it follows a route which turns repeatedly in different directions
*The river winds through the valley.
Homage
something you do to show respect for someone or something you think is important
It is important for me to pay the homage to the ones that came before me.
Buck the trend
to be noticeably different from the way that a situation is developing generally, especially in connection with financial matters
*This company is the only one to have bucked the trend of a declining industry.
Kitsch
art, decorative objects or design considered by many people to be ugly, without style, or false but enjoyed by other people, often because they are funny
Pervasive
existing everywhere
the pervasive influence of television
Salient
the salient points or features of something are the most important or most noticeable parts of it
this is indeed a singular achievement for president and a salient feature of Tramp’s legacy.
Intricate
containing many small parts or details that all work or fit together
▪ complicated consisting of a lot of different parts or details and therefore difficult to understand
▪ complex
▪ elaborate
▪ involved very long and complicated – use this especially about something that you think should be made simpler: The system for choosing candidates is very involved, and I won’t go into it here.
▪ intricate
Inflammation
Aspirin reduces the pain and inflammation.
Tide over
to help someone through a difficult period, especially by lending them money
Could you lend me £10 to tide me over till next week?
Dilate
become wider or further open
*The pupils of the eyes dilate as darkness increases.
*With no need for eye drops that dilate your pupils for hours.
