luck =D
SEMESTER 1 VOCAB ITEM BANK
· Harass [v] [T]
to continue to annoy or upset someone over a period of time:
Stop harassing me!
Synonyms: annoy, bother, disturb, irritate, pester
· Monolithic [adj] DISAPPROVING
too large, too regular or without interesting differences, and unwilling or unable to be changed:
monolithic state-run organizations
Synonyms: inflexible, regular, rigid
· Arbitrary (CHANCE) [adj]
based on chance rather than being planned or based on reason:
arbitrary decision-making
What guided your choice of destination or was it arbitrary?
Synonyms: chance, random
· Arbitrary (UNFAIR) [adj] DISAPPROVING
using unlimited personal power without considering other people's wishes:
an arbitrary ruler
The company has been the subject of an arbitrary take-over.
Synonyms: autocratic, overbearing, tyrannical, tyrannous
· Fray (CLOTH) [v] [I or T]
to become or to cause the threads in cloth or rope to become slightly separated, forming loose threads at the edge or end:
Denim frays so easily.
I'd frayed the edges of my jeans as that was the fashion in those days.
Synonyms: become ragged, tatter, tear, wear away
· FrayOYED (ANN) [v] [I]
If your temper frays or your nerves fray, you gradually become upset or annoyed:
Tempers frayed as thousands of motorists began the Christmas holiday with long waits in traffic jams.
· The fray (ACTION) noun [S]
an energetic and often not well organized effort, activity, fight or disagreement:
With a third country about to enter (= take part in) the fray, the fighting looks set to continue.
A good holiday should leave you feeling refreshed and ready for the fray (= ready to work) again.
Synonyms: brawl, clash, quarrel, riot, ruckus
· Fray around/at the edges
to start to become less effective or successful:
Without the unifying forces of the army and the monarchy, it seems, the nation would begin to fray at the edges.
· Stymie [v] [T often passive] stymieing INFORMAL
to prevent something from happening or someone from achieving a purpose:
In our search for evidence, we were stymied by the absence of any recent documents.
Synonyms: hinder, impede, obstruct
· Effigy [n] [C]
a model or other object which represents someone, especially one of a hated person which is hung or burnt in a public place:
Crowds marched through the streets carrying burning effigies of the president.
Synonyms: dummy, figure, model, picture, portrait, puppet, representation, statue
· Flout [v] [T]
to intentionally disobey a rule, law, or custom:
Many motorcyclists flout the law by not wearing helmets.
The orchestra decided to flout convention/tradition, and wear their everyday clothes for the concert.
Synonyms: defy, disregard
· Cognizant [adj] FORMAL
Take cognizance of sth to take notice of and consider something, especially when judging:
Unfortunately, we were not cognizant of (= did not know about) the full facts.
Synonyms: aware, conscious, familiar, informed
· Turbulent [adj]
1 involving a lot of sudden changes, arguments or violence:
a turbulent marriage
This has been a turbulent week for the government.
2 Turbulent air or water moves very strongly and suddenly:
The sea was too turbulent for us to be able to take the boat out.
Synonyms: destructive, fierce, restless, violent, wild
· Terminate [v] [I or T] FORMAL
to (cause something to) end or stop:
They terminated my contract in October.
This train will terminate at the next stop - passengers who wish to continue should change trains.
Synonyms: abolish, abort, cancel, end, stop
· Bar (PIECE OF MATERIAL) [n] [C]
1 a straight stick made of metal:
The gorilla rattled the bars of its cage.
2 a substance that has been made into a solid, rectangular shape:
a chocolate bar
3 The bar of an electric heater is a long thin wire in the shape of a spring which is wrapped tightly around a tube. When electricity passes through it, it produces heat and red light.
4 US FOR stripe (MATERIAL)
· Bar (DRINKING PLACE) [n] [C]
a place where especially alcoholic drinks are sold and drunk, or the area in such a place where the person serving the drinks stands:
They noticed him going into the hotel bar.
· Bar (MUSIC) noun [C]
one of the small equal parts into which a piece of music is divided, containing a fixed number of beats:
Waltzes have three beats in/to the bar (= in each bar).
· Bar (PREVENT) [v] [T] -rr-
to prevent something or someone from doing something or going somewhere, or to forbid something:
I tried to push past her but she barred my way/path (= stood in front of me and prevented me from getting past).
Bar [n] [C]
A lack of formal education is no bar to becoming rich (= does not make it impossible to become rich).
· Bar (EXCEPT) preposition SLIGHTLY FORMAL
except:
Everyone is leaving the village, bar the very old and ill.
They're the best songwriters of this century, bar none (= no one else is better).
· the Bar (LAWYERS) group noun [S]
1 UK lawyers who are allowed to argue a case in a higher court
2 US all lawyers thought of as a group
· Exacerbate [v] [T]
to make something which is already bad worse:
This attack will exacerbate the already tense relations between the two communities.
Synonyms: aggravate, increase, intensify, worsen
· Normalcy [n] [U] (US ALSO normality)
the state of being normal:
Now that the civil war is over, relative normality has returned to the south of the country.
Synonyms: normality, routine
· Oust verb [T]
to force someone to leave a position of power, job, place or competition:
The president was ousted (from power) in a military coup in January 1987.
The champions were defeated by Arsenal and ousted from the League Cup.
Synonyms: displace, expel, force out, remove
· Emaciated [adj] FORMAL
very thin and weak, usually because of illness or extreme hunger:
There were pictures of emaciated children on the cover of the magazine.
Synonyms: famished, haggard, skeletal, starved, thin, undernourished
· Surge [n] [C]
1 a sudden and great increase:
An unexpected surge in electrical power caused the computer to crash.
There has been a surge in house prices recently.
2 a sudden and great movement forward:
At the end of the game, there was a surge of fans onto the field.
A tidal surge (= sudden and great rise in the level of the sea) caused severe flooding in coastal areas.
3 a sudden increase of an emotion:
She was overwhelmed by a surge of remorse.
Synonyms: efflux, flood, flow, growth, gush, intensification, rise
· Surge [v] [I]
1 to increase suddenly and greatly:
The company's profits have surged.
2 to move quickly and powerfully:
An angry crowd surged through the gates of the president's palace.
A few metres before the end of the race, Jenkins surged into the lead.
3 (of an emotion) to develop strongly and quickly:
She felt a wave of resentment surging (up) inside her.
Synonyms: arise, flow, grow, gush, heave, mount, pour, ripple, rise, stream, swell, undulate
· Tranquil [adj]
calm and peaceful and without noise, violence, anxiety, etc:
She stared at the tranquil surface of the water.
The hotel is in a tranquil rural setting.
A spasm of pain crossed his normally tranquil features.
Synonyms: at peace, calm, collected, comforting, composed, gentle, peaceful, quiet, serene
· Sanctuary [n]
1 [C usually singular; U] protection or a safe place, especially for someone or something being chased or hunted:
Illegal immigrants found/sought/took sanctuary in a local church.
The chapel became a sanctuary for the refugees.
FIGURATIVE If I want some peace and quiet, I take sanctuary in my study.
Synonyms: cover, hideaway, hideout, protection, refuge, retreat, shelter
2 [C] a place where birds or animals can live and be protected, especially from hunters or dangerous conditions:
a wildlife/bird sanctuary
Synonyms: conservation area, national park, nature preserve, park, refuge, reserve, retreat, shelter
3 [C] the most holy part of a religious building
Synonyms: altar, chancel, church, holy place, shrine, temple
· Ascend (HEIGHT) [v] [I or T] FORMAL
to move up or climb something:
They slowly ascended the steep path up the mountain.
The divers have begun to ascend to the surface of the water.
There's a long flight of steps ascending (= leading up) to the cathedral doors.
Synonyms: arise, climb, escalate, float, fly, mount, move up, rise, scale, soar
· Ascend (IMPORTANCE) [v] [I] FORMAL
to rise to a position of higher rank:
He eventually ascended to the position of chief executive.
· Afflict [v] [T]
If a problem or illness afflicts a person or thing, they suffer from it:
It is an illness which afflicts women more than men.
a country afflicted by civil war
Synonyms: agonize, annoy, distress, grieve, harass, hurt, strike, torment, torture, trouble, wound
· Propaganda [n] [U] MAINLY DISAPPROVING
information, ideas, opinions or images, often only giving one part of an argument, which are broadcast, published or in some other way spread with the intention of influencing people's opinions:
political/wartime propaganda
At school we were fed communist/right-wing propaganda.
One official dismissed the ceasefire as a mere propaganda exercise.
Synonyms: advertising, announcement, information, publication, publicity
· Besiege [v] [T often passive]
1 to surround a place, especially with an army, to prevent people or supplies getting in or out:
The town had been besieged for two months but still resisted the aggressors.
2 When someone is besieged, a lot of people surround them:
When the pop star tried to leave her hotel she was besieged by waiting journalists and fans.
Synonyms: encircle, encompass, surround
3 to make many requests or complaints about something:
After showing the controversial film, the television company was besieged with phone calls and letters from angry viewers.
Synonyms: bother, harass, nag, pester, trouble
· Privation [n] [C or U] FORMAL
a lack of the basic things that are necessary for an acceptable standard of living:
Economic privation is pushing the poor towards crime.
Several villages suffered serious privations during their long isolation during the war.
Synonyms: deprival, distress, hardship, lack, loss
· Menace [n]
1 [C usually singular] something that is likely to cause harm:
Drunk drivers are a menace to everyone.
Dogs running loose are a public menace.
the menace of industrial pollution
2 [U] a dangerous quality that makes you think someone is going to do something bad:
He had a slight air of menace which I found unsettling.
He spoke with a hint of menace.
3 [C] a person, especially a child, who is very annoying
Synonyms: annoyance, caution, hazard, nuisance, pest, threat, trouble, troublemaker
· Menace [v] [T] SLIGHTLY FORMAL
If someone or something menaces a person or thing, they threaten seriously to harm it:
Hurricane Hugo menaced the US coast for a week.
Synonyms: frighten, hazard, intimidate, risk, scare, terrorize, threaten
· Scrutinize, UK USUALLY [v] [T]
to examine something very carefully in order to discover information:
He scrutinized the men's faces carefully/closely, trying to work out who was lying.
Synonyms: analyze, check, examine, explore, inspect, investigate, study, survey, view
· Nefarious [adj] FORMAL
(especially of activities) evil or immoral:
The director of the company seems to have been involved in some nefarious practices/activities.
Synonyms: evil, heinous, horrible, immoral, outrageous, shameful, sinful, treacherous, vicious
· Amicable [adj]
1 relating to behaviour between people that is pleasant and friendly often despite a difficult situation:
His manner was perfectly amicable but I felt uncomfortable.
2 relating to an agreement or decision that is achieved without arguments or unpleasantness:
Few people have amicable divorces.
Eventually we reached an amicable settlement.
Synonyms: accordant, agreeing, courteous, harmonious, peaceful, understanding
· Rabble-rouser [n] [C]
a person who makes speeches that make people excited or angry, especially in a way that causes them to act as the person wants them to:
Johnson was unpopular with the management because he was a well-known rabble-rouser.
Synonyms: agitator, incendiary, instigator, spark, spy, troublemaker
· Malady [n] [C] FORMAL
1 a disease:
All the rose bushes seem to be suffering from the same mysterious malady.
Synonyms: condition, disease, disorder, illness
2 a problem within a system or organization:
Apathy is one of the maladies of modern society.
Synonyms: disorder, disturbance, trouble, worry
· Inclement [adj] FORMAL
describes weather which is unpleasant, especially cold or stormy
Synonyms: cold, stormy, wintry
· Incipient [adj] FORMAL
just beginning:
signs of incipient public frustration
Synonyms: beginning, commencing, developing, initial, originating, starting
· Peruse [v] [T] FORMAL
to read through something, especially in order to find the part you are interested in:
He opened a newspaper and began to peruse the personal ads.
Synonyms: analyze, check, read, scan, scrutinize, skim
· Desist [v] [I] FORMAL
to stop doing something, especially something that someone else does not want you to do:
The soldiers have been ordered to desist from firing their guns.
The high winds are expected to desist tomorrow.
Synonyms: abandon, cease, end, pause, quit, stop, suspend
· Recoil (FEAR/DISGUST) [v] [I]
1 to move back because of fear or disgust:
He leant forward to kiss her and she recoiled in horror.
I recoiled from the smell and the filth.
2 to refuse to accept an idea or principle, feeling strong disgust or disapproval:
She wondered how it would be to touch him and recoiled at the thought.
Synonyms: dodge, duck, flinch, react, shrink, tremble, wince, withdraw
· Recoil (GUN) [n] [U]
the sudden backward movement that a gun makes when it is fired
· Pertinent [adj] FORMAL
relating directly to the subject being considered:
a pertinent question/remark
Chapter One is pertinent to the post-war period.
Synonyms: related, relevant
· Mastiff [n] [C]
a large strong short-haired dog
· Obsess [v] [I or T]
If something or someone obsesses you, or if you obsess about something or someone, you think about them all the time:
The whole relationship obsessed me for years.
She used to obsess about her weight.
Synonyms: bother, harass, irritate, pester, plague, torment
· Doleful [adj]
very sad:
a doleful expression
Synonyms: crestfallen, depressed, grieving, mournful, pitiful, sad, somber, sorrowful
· Wan [adj] wanner, wannest LITERARY
(of a person's face) paler than usual and tired-looking
Synonyms: bloodless, faint, ghastly, pale, weak, white
· Histrionics plural noun DISAPPROVING
very emotional and energetic behaviour that lacks sincerity and real meaning:
I'd had enough of Lydia's histrionics.
Synonyms: feigning, mimicry, pantomime, portraying, pretending, pretense
· Elusive [adj]
difficult to describe, find, achieve or remember:
The answers to these questions remain as elusive as ever.
Success, however, remained elusive for her.
elusive memories
Synonyms: ambiguous, illusory, puzzling, subtle, transient, unspecific
· Frustrate (DISCOURAGE) [v] [T]
to make someone feel annoyed or discouraged because they cannot achieve what they want:
It frustrates me that I'm not able to put any of my ideas into practice.
Synonyms: depress, discourage, dishearten, upset
· Frustrate (PREVENT) [v] [T]
to prevent the plans or efforts of someone or something from being achieved:
The continuing civil war is frustrating the efforts of relief agencies to feed thousands of famine victims.
Synonyms: block, hinder, impede, obstruct, prevent, ruin, thwart
· Symptomatic [adj]
If something bad is symptomatic of something else, it is caused by the other thing and is proof that it exists:
Jealousy within a relationship is usually symptomatic of low self-esteem in one of the partners.
Synonyms: evidence, hint, imply, reveal, show, signal, signify, suggest, symbolize
· Interject [v] [I or T] FORMAL
to say something while another person is speaking; to interrupt:
[+ speech] "That's absolutely ridiculous!" Mary interjected.
Synonyms: interrupt
· Inert (NOT MOVING) [adj]
1 not moving or not able to move:
The inert figure of a man could be seen lying in the front of the car.
Synonyms: immobile, inactive, motionless, still, torpid, unmoving
2 not energetic or interesting:
The narrative is inert and sloppy, as if the author had been writing half-asleep.
Synonyms: dull, unmoving
· Inert (CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTIC) [adj] SPECIALIZED
not reacting chemically with other substances:
inert gases
Synonyms: unreactive
· Salient [adj] FORMAL
The salient facts about something or qualities of something are the most important things about them:
She began to summarize the salient features/points of the proposal.
The article presented the salient facts of the dispute clearly and concisely.
Synonyms: important, outstanding, prominent, remarkable, significant
· Imminent [adj]
coming or likely to happen very soon:
imminent disaster/danger
A strike is imminent.
Synonyms: approaching, coming, expectant, inevitable, unavoidable
· Squeamish [adj]
easily upset or shocked by things which you find unpleasant or which you do not approve of:
She's really squeamish and can't stand the sight of blood.
Many cooks are squeamish about putting live shellfish into boiling water.
Synonyms: annoyed, disgusted, nauseated, queasy, sickly, unsettled, upset
· Engrossed [adj]
giving all your attention to something; absorbed:
She was so engrossed by/in the book that she forgot the cakes in the oven.
They were so engrossed in/with what they were doing that they didn't hear me come in.
Synonyms: absorbed, captivated, engaged, enthralled, fascinated, immersed, intrigued
· Poignant [adj]
causing or having a particularly sharp feeling of sadness:
The photograph awakens poignant memories of happier days.
It is especially poignant that he died on the day before the wedding.
Synonyms: agonizing, distressing, heart-rending, heartbreaking, intense, sad, sorrowful, touching
· Inundate (TOO MUCH) [v] [T]
to give someone so much work or so many things that they cannot deal with them all:
We have been inundated with requests for help.
· Inundate (FLOOD) [v] [T] FORMAL
to flood an area with water:
If the dam breaks it will inundate large parts of the town.
Synonyms: engulf, flood, immerse, submerge
· Fruitless [adj]
If an action or attempt to do something is fruitless, it is unsuccessful or produces nothing of value:
All diplomatic attempts at a peaceful solution to the crisis have been fruitless.
Synonyms: futile, in vain, ineffective, unproductive, unsuccessful, useless
· Garbled [adj]
If words or messages are garbled, they are not clear and are very difficult to understand, often giving a false idea of the facts:
He left a rather garbled message on my answerphone.
Synonyms: illogical, irrational, muddled
· Sanguine [adj] FORMAL
(of someone or their character) positive and hopeful:
They are less sanguine about the prospects for peace.
Synonyms: cheerful, confident, enthusiastic, hopeful, lively, optimistic, self-confident, spirited
· Phlegmatic [adj] FORMAL
describes someone who tends not to get emotional or excited about things:
As a footballer his great asset was his calm, phlegmatic manner.
Synonyms: assured, collected, composed, calm, nonchalant, relaxed, self-controlled
· Corroborate [v] [T] FORMAL
to add proof or certainty to an account, statement, idea, etc. with new information:
Recent research seems to corroborate his theory.
Synonyms: authenticate, certify, confirm, prove, substantiate, support, sustain, validate, verify
· Zealous [adj]
enthusiastic and eager:
a zealous supporter of the government's policies
Synonyms: ardent, avid, eager, enthusiastic, fervent, passionate, spirited
· Coerce [v] [T] FORMAL
to persuade someone forcefully to do something which they are unwilling to do:
The court heard that the six defendants had been coerced into making a confession.
Synonyms: compel, force, impel, intimidate, suppress, terrorize, threaten
· Vigil [n] [C or U]
(an act of) staying awake, especially at night, in order to be with an ill person, or to express especially political disagreement, or to pray:
His parents kept vigil beside his bed for weeks before he died.
Supporters of the peace movement held an all-night candlelit vigil outside the cathedral.
Synonyms: alertness, attention, attentiveness, caution, lookout, observance, surveillance
· Elapse [v] [I] FORMAL
If time elapses, it goes past:
Four years had elapsed since he left college and still he hadn't found a job.
Synonyms: flow, go by, pass, pass by, roll by, slip away, slip by, vanish
· Meticulous [adj] APPROVING
very careful and with great attention to every detail:
Many hours of meticulous preparation have gone into writing the book.
Synonyms: accurate, cautious, detailed, exact, painstaking, particular, precise, strict, thorough
· Domicile [n] [C] FORMAL OR LEGAL
the place where a person lives
Synonyms: abode, accommodation, apartment, habitat, home, house, residence
· Lax [adj]
lacking care, attention or control; not severe or strong enough:
He took a gun through baggage control to highlight the lax security.
The subcommittee contends that the authorities were lax in investigating most of the cases.
Synonyms: careless, easy-going, , lenient, loose, slipshod, sloppy
· sporadic [adj]
happening irregularly; not regular or continuous:
sporadic gunfire
a sporadic electricity supply
Synonyms: infrequent, intermittent, irregular
· Rash (WITHOUT THOUGHT) [adj]
careless or unwise, without thought for what might happen or result:
That was a rash decision - you didn't think about the costs involved.
[+ to infinitive] I think it was a bit rash of them to get married when they'd only known each other for a few weeks.
Synonyms: careless, daring, hasty, hot-headed, irrational, reckless, thoughtless
· Rash (LARGE NUMBER) [n]
a rash of sth a large number of unpleasant events of the same type:
There has been a rash of robberies/accidents/complaints in the last two months.
Synonyms: breakout, eruption, flood, outbreak, series, succession
· Conjecture [n] [C or U]
(the forming of) a guess about something based on how it seems and not on proof:
There's been a lot of conjecture in the papers recently about the royal marriage.
Synonyms: assumption, guess, hypothesis, presumption, speculation
· Conjecture [v] [I] FORMAL
to guess, based on the appearance of a situation and not on proof:
We'll never know exactly how she died; we can only conjecture.
[+ that] He conjectured that the company would soon be in financial difficulties.
Synonyms: assume, estimate, guess, hypothesize, infer, presume
· Obviate [v] [T] FORMAL
to remove a difficulty, especially so that action to deal with it becomes unnecessary:
A peaceful solution would obviate the need to send a UN military force.
Synonyms: avert, block, counter, counteract, deter, hinder, prevent, remove
· Lurid (SHOCKING) [adj] DISAPPROVING
(especially of a description) shocking because involving violence, sex or immoral activity:
You can read all the lurid details of the affair in today's paper.
Synonyms: exaggerated, extreme, horrid, obscene, offensive, startling, terrible, terrifying, violent
· Lurid (COLOUR) [adj] DISAPPROVING
too brightly coloured:
That's a very lurid shade of lipstick she's wearing.
· Quip [n] [C]
an amusing and clever remark:
It was Oscar Wilde who made the famous quip about life mimicking art.
Synonyms: jeer, joke, mockery, remark
· Quip [v] [I] -pp- MAINLY US
[+ speech] When asked earlier why he seemed to be so relaxed, Mr McCarthy quipped: "It's the drugs".
Synonyms: jeer, jest, mock, ridicule, scoff, scorn, sneer, taunt
· Importune [v] [T] FORMAL
1 to make repeated forceful requests for something, usually in a way that is annoying or inconvenient:
As a tourist, you are importuned for money the moment you step outside your hotel.
2 to request sex with someone in return for payment:
He was arrested for importuning a young boy outside the station.
Synonyms: ask, badger, beg, beseech, harass, implore, insist, pester, solicit, urge
· Incontrovertible [adj] FORMAL
impossible to doubt because of being obviously true:
incontrovertible proof/evidence
Her logic is utterly incontrovertible.
Synonyms: accurate, authentic, certain, indisputable, positive, sure, undeniable, unquestionable
· Surreptitious [adj]
done secretly, without anyone seeing or knowing:
She seemed to be listening to what I was saying, but I couldn't help noticing her surreptitious glances at the clock.
Synonyms: hidden, private, secret, sneaky, stealthy
· Haven [n] [C]
a safe or peaceful place:
The garden was a haven from the noise and bustle of the city.
They wanted to provide safe havens for the refugees.
Synonyms: shelter
· Subjugate (DEFEAT) [v] [T] FORMAL
to defeat people or a country and rule them in a way which allows them no freedom
· Subjugate (CONTROL) [v] [T] FORMAL
to treat yourself, your wishes or your beliefs as being less important than other people or their wishes or beliefs:
[R] She subjugated herself to her mother's needs.
Journalists must subjugate personal political convictions to their professional commitment to fairness and balance.
Synonyms: coerce, compel, conquer, defeat, force, overcome, rule, subdue, suppress, tame
· Ultimate [adj] [before noun]
most extreme or important because either the original or final, or the best or worst:
Of course the ultimate responsibility for the present conflict without doubt lies with the aggressor.
The ultimate decision about who to employ lies with Andrew.
Synonyms: decisive, end, eventual, final
· Ultimate [n]
the ultimate in sth the best or most extreme example of something:
It describes the hotel as 'the ultimate in luxury'.
I mean, tackling six men single-handedly - that really is the ultimate in stupidity!
Synonyms: best, extreme, greatest, incomparable, significant, supreme, unsurpassable, utmost
· Eventuate [v]
Come out in the end
Synonyms: befall, follow, happen, occur, result, take place
· Emit [v] [T] -tt-
to send out a beam, noise, smell or gas:
The alarm emits infra-red rays which are used to detect any intruder.
The machine emits a high-pitched sound when you press the button.
Synonyms: discharge, eject, expel, give off, give out, pass, transmit
· Subterranean [adj]
under the ground:
subterranean passages
a subterranean river
Synonyms: underground
· Viable [adj]
1 able to work as intended or able to succeed:
In order to make the company viable, it will unfortunately be necessary to reduce staffing levels.
Solar power is now a viable alternative to oil-fired water heaters.
2 SPECIALIZED able to continue to exist as or develop into a living being:
There is a continuing debate about the age at which a human fetus can be considered viable
Synonyms: feasible, possible
· Premise [n] [C]
an idea or theory on which a statement or action is based:
[+ that] They had started with the premise that all men are created equal.
The research project is based on the premise stated earlier.
Synonyms: assumption, hypothesis, postulation, presumption
· Premise [v] [T] FORMAL
to base a theory, argument, etc. on an idea, thought, or belief:
He premised his argument on several incorrect assumptions.
Synonyms: assume, postulate, predicate, presume, presuppose, state, suppose
· Jeopardize [v] [T]
to put something such as a plan or system in danger of being harmed or damaged:
She knew that by failing her exams she could jeopardize her whole future.
Synonyms: challenge, chance, dare, defy, endanger, game, hazard, play, speculate, stake, venture
· Incredulous [adj]
not wanting or not able to believe something, and usually showing this:
A few incredulous spectators watched as Paterson, ranked 23rd in the world, beat the champion.
Synonyms: doubtful, dubious, skeptical, suspicious, unbelieving, uncertain, unconvinced
· Permeate [v] [I usually + adverb or preposition; T] FORMAL
to spread through something and be present in every part of it:
Dissatisfaction with the government seems to have permeated every section of society.
A foul smell of stale beer permeated the whole building.
The table has a plastic coating which prevents liquids from permeating into the wood beneath.
Synonyms: diffuse, drench, fill, go through, invade, penetrate, saturate, seep, soak, spread
· Propitious [adj] FORMAL
likely to result in or showing signs of success:
With the economy in the worst recession for thirty years, it was scarcely the most propitious time to start up a company.
Synonyms: beneficial, bright, encouraging, favorable, good, promising
· Surmise [v] [T] FORMAL
to guess something, without having much or any proof:
[+ (that)] The police surmise (that) the robbers have fled the country.
Synonyms: assume, conjecture, consider, deduce, guess, hypothesize, presume, regard, speculate
· Surmise [n] [C or U] FORMAL
a guess:
My surmise turned out to be right.
The article is pure surmise and innuendo.
Synonyms: assumption, conjecture, deduction, guess, opinion, presumption, speculation, thought
· Curtail [v] [T]
to stop something before it is finished, or to reduce or limit something:
to curtail your holiday/spending
The last government severely curtailed trade union rights.
Synonyms: cut, cut short, decrease, halt, lessen, reduce, shorten, trim
· Repress [v] [T]
1 to not allow something, especially feelings, to be expressed:
He repressed a sudden desire to cry.
2 to control what people do, especially by using force
Synonyms: collect, compose, control, hold back, overcome, restrain, smother, subjugate, suppress
· Cryptic [adj]
mysterious and difficult to understand:
I received a cryptic message through the post.
Synonyms: ambiguous, incomprehensible, mysterious, mystifying, puzzling, strange, unclear
· Inchoate [adj] LITERARY
only recently or partly formed, or not completely developed or clear:
She had a child's inchoate awareness of language.
Synonyms: embryonic, immature, imperfect, preliminary, shapeless, undeveloped, unfinished
· Aspire to sth phrasal verb
to have a strong desire or hope to do or have something:
Few people who aspire to fame ever achieve it.
[+ to infinitive] As a child, he aspired to be a great writer.
Synonyms: aim, desire, dream, pursue, seek, strive, struggle, try, want, wish, yearn
· Inveigh against sb/sth phrasal verb FORMAL
to strongly criticize something or someone:
There were politicians who inveighed against immigrants to get votes.
Synonyms: admonish, berate, condemn, criticize, reproach, scold
· Nettle (ANNOY) [v] [T often passive] MAINLY UK
to make someone annoyed or slightly angry:
She looked up at me sharply, clearly nettled by the interruption.
Synonyms: annoy, disgust, disturb, exasperate, irritate, provoke
· Overt [adj]
done or shown publicly or in an obvious way; not secret:
overt criticism
He shows no overt signs of his unhappiness.
Synonyms: apparent, clear, open, public, unconcealed
· Relegate [v] [T]
1 to put someone or something into a lower or less important rank or position:
She resigned when she was relegated to a desk job.
The story was relegated to the middle pages of the paper.
2 UK If a football team is relegated, it is moved down to a lower division:
If Southampton lose again they may be relegated from the Premier League to the First Division.
Synonyms: demote, downgrade, remove
· Supine (BODY) [adj] FORMAL
(lying) flat on your back, looking up:
We walked along the beach, past the rows of supine bodies soaking up the sun.
· Supine (CHARACTER) [adj] DISAPPROVING
If you are supine, you are weak and you willingly accept the control of others:
The new director has introduced a series of changes against little opposition from the supine staff.
Synonyms: apathetic, easy, faint, feeble, limp, sluggish, spiritless, weak
· Mammoth [adj]
extremely large:
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?
Synonyms: enormous, gargantuan, giant, gigantic, huge, large, massive, titanic, vast
· Repulse (PUSH AWAY) [v] [T] FORMAL
to push away or refuse something or someone unwanted, especially to successfully stop a physical attack against you:
The enemy attack was quickly repulsed.
Synonyms: defeat, fend off, fight off, overthrow, push, rebuff, rebut, reject, repel, resist
Repulse [n] [S or U] FORMAL OR OLD-FASHIONED
when someone or something is repulsed
Synonyms: defeat, disappointment, failure, rebuff, refusal, rejection
· Repulse (DISLIKE) [v] [T often passive] FORMAL
If something repulses you, it causes you to have a strong feeling of dislike, disapproval or disgust:
The tourists were repulsed by the filthy conditions.
Synonyms: disdain, disgust, revolt, sicken
· Havoc [n] [U]
confusion and lack of order, especially causing damage or trouble:
The storm wreaked (= caused) havoc in the garden, uprooting trees and blowing a fence down.
The delay played (= caused) havoc with their travel arrangements.
Synonyms: calamity, catastrophe, chaos, confusion, destruction, devastation, disorder, disruption, plunder, ravages, ruination, wreck, wreckage
· Raze [v] [T]
to completely destroy a city, building, etc:
The town was razed to the ground in the bombing raid - not a building was left standing.
Synonyms: demolish, destroy, ruin, wreck
· Lethal [adj]
able to cause or causing death; extremely dangerous:
In the car the police found guns, knives and other lethal weapons (= weapons which can kill).
A 59-year-old man was executed by lethal injection (= by having a poisonous substance put into his body) this morning.
INFORMAL That combination of tiredness and alcohol is lethal (= has a very bad effect).
Synonyms: dangerous, deadly, fatal, harmful, poisonous, virulent
· Scurry [v] [I usually + adverb or preposition]
to move quickly, with small short steps:
The mouse scurried across the floor.
The noise of the explosion sent the villagers scurrying back into their homes.
Synonyms: dart, dash, hurry, run, scamper, scuttle, skim, sprint
Scurry [n] [S]
· Incisive [adj]
expressing an idea or opinion in a clear and persuasive way:
incisive questions/comments
Synonyms: acute, bright, clever, concise, keen, penetrating, piercing, profound, sharp
· Precipitate (MAKE HAPPEN) [v] [T] FORMAL
to make something happen suddenly or sooner than expected:
An invasion would certainly precipitate a political crisis.
Fear of losing her job precipitated (= suddenly forced) her into action.
synonyms: accelerate, hasten, hurl, quicken, speed up, throw, trigger
Precipitate [adj] (ALSO precipitous) FORMAL
If an action is precipitate, it is done sooner or faster than expected and without enough thought or preparation:
Don't be precipitate - think it through before you make a decision.
· Precipitate (THROW) [v] [T usually + adverb or preposition] FORMAL
to throw someone or something from a height with great force
· Precipitate (CHEMISTRY) [n] [C or U] SPECIALIZED
a solid substance which is produced from a liquid during a chemical process:
After filtration, the precipitate was dried at 90°C.
Precipitate [v] [I or T] SPECIALIZED
If a liquid precipitates, substances in it become solid and separate from the liquid:
Cooling the beaker helps precipitate the compound.
If any organic salt is formed, it will precipitate (out) immediately.
· Stereotype [n] [C] DISAPPROVING
a fixed idea that people have about what someone or something is like, especially an idea that is wrong:
racial/sexual stereotypes
He doesn't conform to/fit/fill the national stereotype of a Frenchman.
The characters in the book are just stereotypes.
Stereotype [v] [T] DISAPPROVING
to have a fixed idea about what a particular type of person is like, especially an idea that is wrong:
The study claims that British advertising stereotypes women.
We tried not to give the children sexually stereotyped toys.
· Indigenous [adj]
naturally existing in a place or country rather than arriving from another place:
Are there any species of frog indigenous to the area?
The Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand.
Synonyms: aboriginal, natural, native, original, primitive
· Gregarious [adj]
(of people) liking to be with other people, or (especially of animals) living in groups:
Emma's a gregarious, outgoing sort of person.
Synonyms: extroverted, friendly, fun, outgoing, sociable
· Habitat [n] [C or U]
the natural surroundings in which an animal or plant usually lives:
With so many areas of woodland being cut down, a lot of wildlife is losing its natural habitat.
Synonyms: abode, accommodations, dwelling, house, housing, settlement, terrain
· Cursory [adj]
quick and probably not detailed:
a cursory glance/look
a cursory examination
Synonyms: brief, fast, hasty, hurried, quick, random, rapid, shallow, short, sketchy, sloppy
· Interloper [n] [C] DISAPPROVING
someone who becomes involved in an activity or a social group without being asked, or enters a place without permission:
Security did not prevent an interloper from getting onto the stage at the opening ceremony.
Synonyms: intruder, trespasser
· Prolific [adj]
producing a great number or amount of something:
He was probably the most prolific songwriter of his generation.
Rabbits and other rodents are prolific (= have a lot of babies).
Synonyms: abounding, abundant, bountiful, fertile, fruitful, luxuriant, productive, yielding
· Bulwark [n] [C]
something that protects you from dangerous or unpleasant situations:
My savings were to be a bulwark against unemployment.
Synonyms: barrier, defense, guard, protection, safeguard, security
· Frugal [adj]
careful when using money or food, or (of a meal) cheap or small in amount:
a frugal lifestyle
a frugal meal of bread and soup
Synonyms: meager, saving, scrimping, stingy, thrifty
· Antithesis [n] [C] plural antitheses
the exact opposite:
He is the exact antithesis of what I find attractive in men.
Thanks to the collapse of communism the political antithesis between Left and Right is less important.
Synonyms: opposite, reverse
· Altruistic [adj]
Willingness to do things which benefit other people, even if it results in disadvantage for yourself:
I doubt whether her motives for donating the money are altruistic - she's probably looking for publicity.
Synonyms: benevolent, big-hearted, charitable, generous, kind, magnanimous, unselfish
· Embellish [v] [T]
to make something more beautiful or interesting by adding something to it:
The ceiling was embellished with flowers and leaves.
He couldn't resist embellishing the story of his accident a little.
Synonyms: beautify, decorate, doll up, dress up, elaborate, enhance, garnish, ornament
· Cache [n] [C]
a hidden store of things, or the place where they are kept:
an arms cache
a cache of explosives/weapons/drugs
Synonyms: accumulation, assets, fund, reserve, stockpile, store, supplies
· Coterie group noun [C]
a small group of people with shared interests who often do not want other people to join them:
a coterie of writers
Synonyms: assembly, association, cluster, company, gang, horde, party, society
· Cupidity [n] [U] FORMAL
a great desire, especially for money or possessions
Synonyms: craving
