Manhattan 1-396(7)-421(loathe-alg)-522(retrieve-7-done)-576(avalanche-7-ch8)

spectacular

Impressive to look at, remarkable. Every once in a while the clouds give way to a ___ view of Vietnam's highest mountain Fansipan. 1) marked or given by an impressive large-scale display (adj beautiful in a dramatic and eye-catching way

gewgaw

: a small thing that has little value. collectible/childish gewgaws =trinkets.

pamphlet

: a small, thin book with no cover or only a paper cover that has information about a particular subject.

ovipositor

: a specialized organ (as of an insect) for depositing eggs.

platitude

: a statement that expresses an idea that is not new. His speech was filled with familiar platitudes about the value of hard work and dedication. platitudinous remarks.

inveterate

(adj.) firmly established, long-standing; habitual. (adj.) stubbornly established by habit (I'm the first to admit that I'm an inveterate coffee drinker—I drink four cups a day.) : always or often doing something specified - She's an inveterate reader/traveler, an inveterate liar. : always or often happening or existing - her inveterate optimism. inveterately optimistic.

auxiliary

(adj.) giving assistance or support; (n.) a helper, aid offering or providing help; additional or subsidiary; N: helper; assistant n. One who or that which aids or helps, especially when regarded as subsidiary or accessory.

bombast

(adj.) pompous or overblown in language; full of high-sounding words intended to conceal a lack of ideas. : speech or writing that is meant to sound important or impressive but is not sincere or meaningful. the other world leaders at the international conference had little interest in being subjected to the president's bombast. you need less bombast and more substance in this speech on human rights.

drab

(n) not bright or colorful : too plain or dull to be interesting. drab buildings/clothes/offices/rooms. He lives a drab life. dribs and drabs informal: small amounts that come or happen over a period of time. They received donations in dribs and drabs.

sap

(n, v) the inner fluid of a plant or any essential body fluid; energy, vitality; a person taken advantage of (noun); undermine, weaken, tire out (verb) I really thought that if I clicked on that Facebook ad and entered all my information, I would get a free iPad to test and keep! I feel like such a sap. / In order to make maple syrup, you must drain sap from a sugar maple tree—they call this "sapping" the tree, which I can understand, because I feel pretty sapped doing it! Fortunately, it's just a metaphor.

fabulist

(n.) - a teller of fables; a liar one who makes up stories

proclivity

(n.) A natural or habitual inclination or tendency (especially of human character or behavior) a natural inclination or predisposition (n.) a strong inclination toward something (In a sick twist of fate, Harold's childhood proclivity for torturing small animals grew into a desire to become a surgeon.)

coalition

(n.) a combination, union, or merger for some specific purpose partnership; league; union of separate political parties an alliance, especially a temporary one. An alliance between two political parties with the aim of improving their chances of winning an election

bolster

(n.) a long pillow or cushion; : a structural part designed to eliminate friction or provide support or bearing. a supporting post. : to make (something) stronger or better : to give support to (something). She came with me to bolster my confidence. a convincing argument that was bolstered by the speaker's reputation. He received news that bolstered [=lifted] his spirits.

demeanor

(n.) the way a person behaves, overall impression made by comportment, manner, etc.; facial appearance, mien Conduct; outward behavior; manner

fattening

(of a food) Causing an increase in the weight of someone who eats it. ... at about 45 calories in a three-and-a-half-ounce portion, it's no more fattening than other starchy vegetables.

warrant (n, v)

: a document issued by a court that gives the police the power to do something. The police had a warrant for his arrest. : a reason for thinking, deciding, or doing something. There was no warrant for such behavior. : to require or deserve (something). This report warrants careful study. The punishment he received was not warranted. a : to make a legal promise that a statement is true. The seller warrants [=(more commonly) guarantees] that the car has no defects.

forfeit

(v): to lose or give up (something) as a punishment or because of a rule or law. If the money is not claimed within six months, it will be forfeited to the town. They didn't have enough players, so they ended up having to forfeit the game (to the other team). They didn't have enough players, so they ended up having to forfeit. (n): something that is lost or given up as punishment or because of a rule or law. The judge declared the property a forfeit. We won the game by forfeit. [=we won because the other team forfeited the game]. (adj): given up or taken away as a punishment or because of a rule or law. If the money is not claimed within six months, it will be forfeit to the town.

probe

(v.) to examine, investigate thoroughly; (n.) an investigation; a device used to explore or examine (v2) to try to discover information that other people do not want you to know, by asking questions carefully and not directly / 캐묻다, 조사하다 explore, scrutinize; inquiry, detector.

hyoid (bone)

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canard

: a false report or story : a belief or rumor that is not true. The book repeats some of history's oldest canards. the widespread canard that every lawyer is dishonest.

fulcrum

: the support on which a lever (рычаг) moves when it is used to lift something. : one that supplies capability for action. he is ... the reader's eyes and ears and the fulcrum of his judgment.

utter

: (adj) complete and total. It's hard to believe that we were utter strangers just a few days ago. The situation descended into utter chaos. I was utterly convinced that she was wrong. : (v) to make (a particular sound). She uttered a cry of pleasure/pain. : to say (something). He can hardly utter a sentence without swearing. Don't utter a word about this to anyone. express, vent, utter, voice, broach, air mean to make known what one thinks or feels. express suggests an impulse to reveal in words, gestures, actions, or what one creates or produces. ⟨expressed her feelings in music⟩ vent stresses a strong inner compulsion to express especially in words. ⟨a tirade venting his frustration⟩ utter implies the use of the voice not necessarily in articulate speech. ⟨utter a groan⟩ voice does not necessarily imply vocal utterance but does imply expression or formulation in words. ⟨an editorial voicing their concerns⟩ broach adds the implication of disclosing for the first time something long thought over or reserved for a suitable occasion. ⟨broached the subject of a divorce⟩ air implies an exposing or parading of one's views often in order to gain relief or sympathy or attention. ⟨publicly airing their differences⟩.

flagitious

: (of a person or their actions) criminal; villainous. Characterized by extremely brutal or cruel crimes; vicious. Infamous; scandalous. He was guilty of numerous disreputable and flagitious acts. That remorseless government persisted in its flagitious project.

libelous

: (used of statements) harmful and often untrue, Injurious to reputation. : a piece of writing which contains bad and false things about a person [scurrilous]. : constituting or including libel - a libelous magazine article.

maleficent

: When you're maleficent, you're evil or want to do evil things. So it's safe to say that Satan is one maleficent guy. He denied any maleficent intent.

clanger

: a bad and embarrassing mistake : blunder. a verbal clanger. They lost the game after a defensive clanger.

killer whale

: a black-and-white whale that kills and eats other animals (such as seals) — called also orca.

zinc

: a bluish-white metal that is very common and is used especially to make brass (медь) and as a protective coating for things made of iron and steel. Цинк.

appendage

: a body part (such as an arm or a leg) connected to the main part of the body : limb. : something connected or joined to a larger or more important thing. The court system acts as an appendage to the government.

exobiology

: a branch of biology concerned with the search for life outside the earth and with the effects of extraterrestrial environments on living organisms. — called also astrobiology.

poised

: a calm, confident manner. She kept her poise even when under attack. He behaved with poise and dignity. : a graceful way of walking, moving, standing, etc. Strength and flexibility are important for good poise and posture. a dancer of great poise and grace. : to hold (something) in a balanced and steady position (always + object). She poised her pencil above the paper and waited for the signal to begin writing. : ready or prepared for something (not used before a noun). The company is poised for success. The actors were poised on the stage, ready for the curtain to come up. She held the pencil poised over/above the paper. : in a state, place, or situation that is between two different or opposite things (not used before a noun). a city poised between the mountains and the sea. a group of people poised between hope and fear. : having or showing a calm, confident manner. a very poised young woman.

bane

: a cause of trouble, annoyance, or unhappiness. The ugly school uniforms were the bane of the students' lives. She was the bane of my existence.

eminence

: a condition of being well-known and successful. literary/social eminence [=prestige]. Many of his students have achieved eminence [=distinction] in their fields. : a person of high rank or achievements. a literary eminence. : an area of high ground. He built his home on an eminence [=height, hill] overlooking the city.

carbon copy

: a copy of a document, letter, etc., that is made by using carbon paper. I'll need a carbon copy of that receipt. : a person or thing that is very similar to another person or thing. She's a carbon copy of her mother.

menace (n, v)

: a dangerous or possibly harmful person or thing. Those dogs are a menace. : someone who causes trouble or annoyance. That kid is a menace. : a dangerous or threatening quality. There was an atmosphere of menace in the city. : with menaces : with threats : using threatening actions or language. They were accused of demanding money with menaces. : to threaten harm to (someone or something). She was menaced by a man with a knife. He gave her a menacing look. He looked at her menacingly.

epaulet

: a decorative piece on the shoulder of a uniform. A man wearing a dark green uniform, red epaulets, and dark sunglasses emerged.

dichotomy

: a difference between two opposite things : a division into two opposite groups. Her essay discusses the dichotomy between good and evil in the author's novels. : a division into two especially mutually exclusive or contradictory groups or entities. the dichotomy between theory and practice; also : the process or practice of making such a division. dichotomy of the population into two opposed classes. : the phase of the moon or an inferior planet in which half its disk appears illuminated.

malady

: a disease or illness. The patient was suffering from a mysterious malady [=ailment] that the doctors were unable to identify. unemployment and other social maladies.

hypochondriac

: a person who is often or always worried about being ill. My brother is a real hypochondriac. Every time he reads about some new disease, he thinks he has it.

trepidation

: a feeling of fear that causes you to hesitate because you think something bad or unpleasant is going to happen. He had/felt some trepidation about agreeing to their proposal. fear, dread, fright, alarm, panic, terror, trepidation mean painful agitation in the presence or anticipation of danger. fear is the most general term and implies anxiety and usually loss of courage. ⟨fear of the unknown⟩ dread usually adds the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation and suggests aversion as well as anxiety. ⟨faced the meeting with dread⟩ fright implies the shock of sudden, startling fear. ⟨fright at being awakened suddenly⟩ alarm suggests a sudden and intense awareness of immediate danger. ⟨view the situation with alarm⟩ panic implies unreasoning and overmastering fear causing hysterical activity. ⟨the news caused widespread panic⟩ terror implies the most extreme degree of fear. ⟨immobilized with terror⟩ trepidation adds to dread the implications of timidity, trembling, and hesitation. ⟨raised the subject with trepidation⟩

amity

: a feeling of friendship : friendly relations between nations or groups. an era of international amity.

woe

: a feeling of great pain or sadness. She listened to his tale of woe. [=his sad story]. : problems or troubles. She may have found a remedy to her financial woes. The city's traffic woes are well-known. : woe is me — used in a humorous way to say that you are sad or upset about something. Oh, woe is me! : woe to old-fashioned or woe betide — used as a warning that there will be trouble if someone does something specified. Woe betide anyone who enters here! [=anyone who enters here will be harmed]. Woe to any student who is late for her class. sorrow, grief, anguish, woe, regret mean distress of mind. sorrow implies a sense of loss or a sense of guilt and remorse. ⟨a family united in sorrow upon the patriarch's death⟩ grief implies poignant sorrow for an immediate cause. ⟨the inexpressible grief of the bereaved parents⟩ anguish suggests torturing grief or dread. ⟨the anguish felt by the parents of the kidnapped child⟩ woe is deep or inconsolable grief or misery. ⟨cries of woe echoed throughout the bombed city⟩ regret implies pain caused by deep disappointment, fruitless longing, or unavailing remorse. ⟨nagging regret for missed opportunities⟩

compunction

: a feeling of guilt or regret : anxiety arising from awareness of guilt. a brutal murderer who killed without compunction. He feels/has no compunction about his crimes. He has no compunctions about his crimes. penitence, repentance, contrition, compunction, remorse mean regret for sin or wrongdoing. penitence implies sad and humble realization of and regret for one's misdeeds. ⟨absolution is dependent upon sincere penitence⟩ repentance adds the implication of a resolve to change. ⟨repentance accompanied by a complete change of character⟩ contrition stresses the sorrowful regret that constitutes true penitence. ⟨tearful expressions of contrition⟩ compunction implies a painful sting of conscience especially for contemplated wrongdoing. ⟨had no compunctions about taking back what is mine⟩ remorse suggests prolonged and insistent self-reproach and mental anguish for past wrongs and especially for those whose consequences cannot be remedied. ⟨thieves untroubled by feelings of remorse⟩ qualm, scruple, compunction, demur mean a misgiving about what one is doing or going to do. qualm implies an uneasy fear that one is not following one's conscience or better judgment. ⟨no qualms about plagiarizing⟩ scruple implies doubt of the rightness of an act on grounds of principle. ⟨no scruples against buying stolen goods⟩ compunction implies a spontaneous feeling of responsibility or compassion for a potential victim. ⟨had compunctions about lying⟩ demur implies hesitation caused by objection to an outside suggestion or influence. ⟨accepted her decision without demur⟩

strain (n, v)

: a feeling of stress and worry that you have because you are trying to do too much, are dealing with a difficult problem, etc. The work has been a strain on me. The strain of working and going to school full-time was too much for her. Help from other workers took some of the strain [=pressure] off me. He is holding up under the strain. [=he is able to deal with the pressure]. : something that is very difficult to deal with and that causes harm or trouble. There are strains in their relationship. : a force that pulls or stretches something : stress. The cable is designed to withstand strains of more than four tons. The strain on the cables supporting the bridge is enormous. : an injury to a body part or muscle that is caused by too much tension, effort, or use. a leg/muscle strain. Long hours of study can cause eye strain. : a group of closely related plants or animals : variety. a new strain of bacteria. This strain of mice is resistant to the disease. : a kind or sort of something. a new strain of pop music. : a usually bad quality that someone or something has. There is a strain of madness in that family. : a small amount of something. There was a strain [=touch, trace] of sadness in his voice. : strains : the musical sounds of someone or something. We relaxed to the strains of Chopin. : to injure (a body part or muscle) by too much tension, use, or effort. I strained my back trying to lift the couch. : to try very hard to do or get something. He was straining for air. [=he was struggling to breathe]. He strained to open the jar. : to be pulled or stretched in a forceful way. His muscles strained under the heavy weight. : to pull hard on or push hard against something. The dog strained at its leash. The kids were straining at the leash to get going. [=were very eager to get going]. : to cause problems or trouble for (something). The disagreement strained their relationship. : to separate a liquid from solid pieces by using a special device (called a strainer). He strained the pasta. = He strained the water from the pasta. : strain yourself : to injure yourself by making your muscles do too much work. Don't strain yourself trying to move the couch. : to put a lot of physical or mental effort into doing something. Don't strain yourself trying to think of the answer. I can tell you what it is.

disdain

: a feeling of strong dislike or disapproval of someone or something you think does not deserve respect. He glared at the waiter with a look of disdain [=contempt, scorn] on his face. I have a healthy disdain for companies that mistreat their workers. : to strongly dislike or disapprove of (someone or something). They disdained him for being weak. a critic who disdains [=abhors, hates] all modern art. She disdains gambling. : to refuse to do (something) because of feelings of dislike or disapproval. She disdained to answer their questions. Despise, contemn, scorn, disdain mean to regard as unworthy of one's notice or consideration. despise may suggest an emotional response ranging from strong dislike to loathing (dislike with disgust) <despises cowards>. contemn implies a strong condemnation of a person or thing as low, feeble <contemns the image of women promoted by advertisers>. scorn implies a ready or indignant (возмущенный) contempt <scorns the very thought of retirement>. disdain implies an arrogant or supercilious (высокомерный) aversion (антипатия) to what is regarded as unworthy <disdained popular music>.

repulsion

: a feeling of strong dislike or disgust. I read about what happened with a feeling of shock and repulsion. : a force that pushes something away from something else. magnetic repulsion. — opposite attraction. : the act of pushing someone or something away : their successful repulsion of the attack/attackers.

peccadillo

: a small mistake or fault that is not regarded as very bad or serious. a politician's sexual peccadillos. Providing for your pets after you're gone was once considered a peccadillo of the wealthy and the eccentric thanks to the occasional news story about a tabby that has inherited millions, or a Chihuahua who was left the family mansion.

flap (n, v)

: a flat piece of material that is attached to something on one side and that can be easily moved. She opened the tent flap and crawled outside. : the movement or sound of something that is moving up and down or back and forth. the soft flap [=flapping] of the flag in the breeze. (v) : birds flapping their wings. : a state or situation in which many people are excited or upset. He was widely criticized during the recent flap [=uproar] about his controversial new book. : a movable part of an airplane wing that can be raised or lowered and that is used to increase lift.

impetus

: a force that causes something (such as a process or activity) to be done or to become more active. His discoveries have given impetus to further research. : a force that causes an object to begin moving or to continue to move.

patois

: a form of a language that is spoken only in a particular area and that is different from the main form of the same language. the local patois [=dialect].

loom

: a frame or machine that is used to weave threads or yarns to produce cloth. : to appear in a large, strange, or frightening form often in a sudden way A ship loomed (up) out of the fog. Storm clouds loomed on the horizon. The mountains loom above the valley. : to be close to happening : to be about to happen — used especially of unpleasant or frightening things. A workers' strike is looming. A battle is looming in Congress over the proposed budget cuts. a looming battle/conflict/problem/storm The deadline looms closer with each passing day. : loom large - to have great importance or influence. Rising tuition costs loom large in the minds of many parents. She was a critic who loomed large in literary circles.

crescendo

: a gradual increase in the loudness of a sound or section of music. : the highest or loudest point of something that increases gradually. The excitement reaches its crescendo [=climax, peak] when he comes on stage. The noise rose to a crescendo.

hubris (-tic)

: a great or foolish amount of pride or confidence. His failure was brought on by his hubris.

burrow (n, v)

: a hole or tunnel in the ground that an animal (such as a rabbit or fox) makes to live in or for safety. : to make a hole or tunnel in the ground by digging. The rabbit burrowed into the side of the hill. The frogs burrow under the mud. The mole burrowed its way under the ground. : to move or press under, through, or into something. She burrowed [=snuggled] deep under the blankets. I burrowed [=(more commonly) dug] through my purse looking for change. burrowing animals/rodents [=animals/rodents that make holes or tunnels].

lethargy

: a lack of energy or a lack of interest in doing things : a lethargic feeling or state. Symptoms of the disease include loss of appetite and lethargy. I snapped out of my lethargy and began cleaning the house. The stock market's recent lethargy is cause for concern. lethargy, languor, lassitude, stupor, torpor mean physical or mental inertness. lethargy implies such drowsiness or aversion to activity as is induced by disease, injury, or drugs. ⟨months of lethargy followed my accident⟩ languor suggests inertia induced by an enervating climate or illness or love. ⟨languor induced by a tropical vacation⟩ lassitude stresses listlessness or indifference resulting from fatigue or poor health. ⟨a depression marked by lassitude⟩ stupor implies a deadening of the mind and senses by shock, narcotics, or intoxicants. ⟨lapsed into an alcoholic stupor⟩ torpor implies a state of suspended animation as of hibernating animals but may suggest merely extreme sluggishness. ⟨a once alert mind now in a torpor⟩

ennui

: a lack of spirit, enthusiasm, or interest, a feeling of weariness and dissatisfaction. He suffered from a general sense of ennui. [=boredom]. I feel such ennui that I don't look forward to anything, not even my birthday party.

deluge

: a large amount of rain that suddenly falls in an area. The deluge caused severe mudslides. : a situation in which a large area of land becomes completely covered with water : flood. the biblical deluge. : a large amount of things that come at the same time. an advertising deluge. The office receives a deluge of mail every day. : to give or send (someone) a large amount of things at the same time. The family was deluged with calls about the free puppies. : to flood (a place) with water. Heavy rains deluged the region.

avalanche

: a large amount of snow and ice or of dirt and rocks that slides suddenly down the side of a mountain. He was buried/trapped by an avalanche. : a sudden great amount of something. an avalanche of words. an avalanche of praise/publicity.

showboat

: a large boat that has a theater and a group of performers and that gives plays at towns and cities along a river. chiefly US, informal + usually disapproving : a person (such as an athlete) who behaves or performs in a way that is meant to attract the attention of a lot of people. The fans like him, but the other players think he's a showboat. She was showboating for the cameras when she tripped and fell.

conflagration

: a large destructive fire. a massive conflagration. : a war or conflict. The treaty is the latest attempt to resolve the ten-year conflagration. a regional conflagration.

shield

: a large piece of metal, wood, etc., carried by someone (such as a soldier or police officer) for protection. : something that defends or protects someone or something. Exercise and good nutrition are a shield against disease. windshield. : to cover and protect (someone or something). She shielded her eyes. He was shielded from the rain. I think she's shielded her child from the real world for too long. : to prevent (someone or something) from being seen. A line of trees shields the house from view. defend, protect, shield, guard, safeguard mean to keep secure from danger or against attack. defend denotes warding off actual or threatened attack. ⟨defend the country⟩ protect implies the use of something (such as a covering) as a bar to the admission or impact of what may attack or injure. ⟨a hard hat to protect your head⟩ shield suggests protective intervention in imminent danger or actual attack. ⟨shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand⟩ guard implies protecting with vigilance and force against expected danger. ⟨White House entrances are well guarded⟩ safeguard implies taking precautionary protective measures against merely possible danger. ⟨our civil liberties must be safeguarded⟩.

excerpt

: a small part of a longer written work. She read an excerpt from the play. I've read only excerpts of/from Moby-Dick, never the whole book. : to include (part of a longer written work) in something else. This article was excerpted from the New York Times. Portions of her novel were excerpted in a literary magazine.

beam (n, v)

: a line of light coming from a source (such as the sun or a headlight). We saw the beams from their flashlights. a beam of electrons. X-ray beams. : a long and heavy piece of wood or metal that is used as a support in a building or ship. the building's steel support beams. The living room has a beamed ceiling. [=a ceiling that is supported with wood or metal beams] : off beam : incorrect or mistaken. My guess was way off beam. : on the beam : exactly correct. His description of the problem was right on the beam. [=(more commonly) on the mark]. : to smile happily. She beamed as she told us the good news. : to say (something) while smiling happily. "We're getting married!" he beamed. : to send out beams of light or energy. Sunlight was beaming [=shining] through the window. : to send out (information, television signals, etc.) through wires or the air. Pictures of the distant planet were beamed back to the Earth. The space explorers were beamed onto the surface of the planet (in fantastics).

ether

: a liquid that burns easily, that is used to turn solid substances into liquid, and that was used in medicine in the past to prevent patients from feeling pain during operations. : the ether : the air, the sky. The balloon disappeared into the ether. plucked an answer out of the ether [=out of thin air]. broadcasting radio signals into the ether. sent a message over/through the ether.

trench

: a long, narrow hole that is dug in the ground : ditch. : a deep, narrow hole in the ground that is used as protection for soldiers. a brave soldier who fought in the trenches in World War I. trench warfare [=military fighting by soldiers in trenches]. : a long, narrow hole in the ocean floor. the trenches: a place or situation in which people do very difficult work. These people are working every day down in the trenches to improve the lives of refugees.

murmur

: a low sound made when many people are speaking. a murmur of voices. the murmur of the crowd. : a quiet expression of an opinion or feeling. The suggestion brought murmurs of disapproval. They accepted the decision without a murmur (of protest/complaint). : speech or a way of speaking that is quiet and soft. He spoke in a murmur. They spoke to each other in murmurs. : a low, quiet, and continuous sound. a murmur of bees. the murmur of the waves along the shore. medical : an unusual heart sound that may indicate a problem with the heart's function or structure. Her doctor detected a (heart) murmur during a routine physical exam. : to say (something) in a quiet and soft voice. : to make a low, continuous sound. 1 an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment finished the tedious job without a murmur. 2 speech that is not clear enough to be understood could just barely hear the murmurs of the audience Synonyms grunt, grunting, mumble, murmuring, mutter, muttering.

upheaval

: a major change or period of change that causes a lot of conflict, confusion, anger, etc. The civil rights movement marked a period of social upheaval in the U.S. the emotional upheaval of divorce. a period of cultural and social upheavals. : an occurrence in which a part of the Earth's surface moves up forcefully. The island was created by an upheaval of the ocean floor. The lake was formed by geologic upheaval.

misogynist, misogyny

: a man who hates women. a misogynist joke. their misogynist boss. lyrics that promote violence and misogyny.

crochet

: a method of making cloth or clothing by using a needle with a hook at the end to form and weave loops in a thread. She learned basic crochet stitches from her mother.

paradigm

: a model or pattern for something that may be copied. Her recent book provides us with a new paradigm for modern biography. : a theory or a group of ideas about how something should be done, made, or thought about. the Freudian paradigm of psychoanalysis. a paradigmatic example.

medley

: a musical piece made up of parts of other musical works. a medley of show tunes. : a mixture of different people or things. a medley of sights/sounds/aromas. : a race in swimming in which swimmers use a different stroke for each different part of the race. the 400-meter medley.

stump (n, v)

: a part that remains after something has been broken off, removed, worn down, etc. the stump of a pipe/tooth. : the part of a tree that remains in the ground after the tree is cut down. a tree stump. : the part of an arm or leg that remains after most of it has been cut off. : on the stump : traveling around and giving speeches during a campaign for election to a political office. candidates who give the same speech over and over when they're on the stump. : to be too difficult for (someone) to answer. The question completely stumped the contestant. : stump up : to pay (an amount of money) especially when you do not want to. He may be required to stump up for the repairs. If she can't pay, I'll have to stump up [=cough up] the money.

vassal

: a person in the past who received protection and land from a lord in return for loyalty and service — often used figuratively to describe a person, country, etc., that is controlled by someone or something more powerful. The states became vassals of the empire. : a person under the protection of a feudal lord to whom he has vowed homage and fealty : a feudal tenant. : one in a subservient or subordinate position.

paragon

: a person or thing that is perfect or excellent in some way and should be considered a model or example to be copied. He's no moral paragon. The company is a paragon of modern manufacturing techniques. He is a paragon of virtue. [=he is a very virtuous person]. : a model of excellence or perfection. The mythical Helen of Troy was considered a paragon of female beauty.

pedant

: a person who annoys other people by correcting small errors and giving too much attention to minor details. : one who makes a show of knowledge. a dull pedant. a pedantic teacher. a pedantic insistence on following the rules exactly. His instructions were precise to the point of pedantry.

recidivism

: a person who continues to commit crimes even after being caught and punished. We hope the new program will lower recidivism rates. : a tendency to relapse into a previous condition or mode of behavior; especially : relapse into criminal behavior.

a virtuoso

: a person who does something in a very skillful way. He's a real virtuoso in the kitchen. : especially a very skillful musician. She's a piano virtuoso. She gave a virtuoso (adj) performance.

neophyte

: a person who has just started learning or doing something : beginner. a neophyte on computers a political neophyte. a neophyte journalist : a person who has recently joined a religious group.

sage

: a person who is very wise. : very wise (always used before a noun [also more sage; most sage]). sage advice. He sagely suggested that she wait a few days. : an herb that has grayish-green leaves which are used in cooking. : a light grayish-green color. wise, sage, sapient, judicious, prudent, sensible, sane mean having or showing sound judgment. wise suggests great understanding of people and of situations and unusual discernment and judgment in dealing with them. ⟨wise beyond his tender years⟩ sage suggests wide experience, great learning, and wisdom. ⟨the sage advice of my father⟩ sapient suggests great sagacity and discernment. ⟨the sapient musings of an old philosopher⟩ judicious stresses a capacity for reaching wise decisions or just conclusions. ⟨judicious parents using kindness and discipline in equal measure⟩ prudent suggests the exercise of restraint guided by sound practical wisdom and discretion. ⟨a prudent decision to wait out the storm⟩ sensible applies to action guided and restrained by good sense and rationality. ⟨a sensible woman who was not fooled by flattery⟩ sane stresses mental soundness, rationality, and levelheadedness. ⟨remained sane even in times of crises⟩.

smith

: a person who makes things (such as tools or horseshoes) with iron : blacksmith. Ancient smiths developed the techniques needed to make metal tools.

sycophant

: a person who praises powerful people in order to get their approval. Her praise was obvious sycophancy. sycophantic praise/flattery. parasite, sycophant, toady, leech, sponge mean a usually obsequious flatterer or self-seeker. parasite applies to one who clings to a person of wealth, power, or influence or is useless to society. ⟨a jet-setter with an entourage of parasites⟩ sycophant adds to this a strong suggestion of fawning, flattery, or adulation. ⟨a powerful prince surrounded by sycophants⟩ toady emphasizes the servility and snobbery of the self-seeker. ⟨cultivated leaders of society and became their toady⟩ leech stresses persistence in clinging to or bleeding another for one's own advantage. ⟨a leech living off his family and friends⟩ sponge stresses the parasitic laziness, dependence, and opportunism of the cadger. ⟨a shiftless sponge, always looking for a handout⟩

mien

: a person's appearance or facial expression. a kindly mien. He has the mien of an ancient warrior. : air or bearing especially as expressive of attitude or personality : demeanor. of aristocratic mien, the mien of a choirboy. : appearance, aspect dresses of formal mien. bearing, deportment, demeanor, mien, manner, carriage mean the outward manifestation of personality or attitude. bearing is the most general of these words but now usually implies characteristic posture. ⟨a woman of regal bearing⟩ deportment suggests actions or behavior as formed by breeding or training. ⟨your deportment was atrocious⟩ demeanor suggests one's attitude toward others as expressed in outward behavior. ⟨the haughty demeanor of the headwaiter⟩ mien is a literary term referring both to bearing and demeanor. ⟨a mien of supreme self-satisfaction⟩ manner implies characteristic or customary way of moving and gesturing and addressing others. ⟨the imperious manner of a man used to giving orders⟩ carriage applies chiefly to habitual posture in standing or walking. ⟨the kind of carriage learned at boarding school⟩

visage

: a person's face. his smiling visage.

kin (ship)

: a person's relatives. They are her distant kin. He and I are kin. (=we are related to each other) Are you any kin to him? (=are you related to him?) He's no kin to me. (=he is not related to me) : the state of being related to the people in your family. MBC is owned by Waleed al-Ibrahim, a Saudi billionaire with kinship ties to the royal family, and his nephew prince Abdul Aziz bin Fahd. : a feeling of being close or connected to other people. He feels a strong kinship with other survivors of the war. feelings of kinship between the team's players and their fans.

mascot

: a person, animal, or object used as a symbol to represent a group (such as a sports team) and to bring good luck. The team had a mountain lion as their mascot. she wears a mascot made of ebony and silver on a chain around her neck.

garment

: a piece of clothing. expensive silk garments. a socialite who was among the most gorgeously garmented women of her time.

trinket

: a piece of jewelry or an ornament that has little value. the top of his desk was littered with trinkets that were collected as souvenirs from various vacations.

opus

: a piece of music written by a major composer. The concert began with Beethoven's Opus 27. : an important work done by a writer, painter, etc. the author's latest opus.

racket

: a piece of sports equipment that is used to hit a ball or other object in games. a tennis racket. : a loud, unpleasant noise. The kids have been making a terrible racket. What's all the racket? : a business that makes money through illegal activities. He was a member of a criminal racket. : an easy way to make money. Is that all you do for a living? What a racket. : a job or business. Acting has got to be a tough racket to succeed in.

grasshopper

: a plant-eating insect that has long legs used for jumping (кузнечик).

awl

: a pointed tool that is used for marking surfaces or for making small holes in leather, wood, etc. The two began to fight, and Fitz-Gordon stabbed the woman several times in the arm and head with the awl, police said.

pulpit

: a raised platform where a priest or minister stands when leading a worship service. The pastor ascended the pulpit. The war crimes were denounced from the pulpit. [=by priests and church leaders]. People have different opinions about women in the pulpit. [=as priests or church leaders; in the priesthood] : bully pulpits : an important public position that allows a person to express beliefs and opinions to many people. She uses her position as a famous actress as a bully pulpit.

crotchet

: a small hook or hooked instrument. : a highly individual and usually eccentric opinion or preference: often annoyed and angry : grouchy None of the students dared to talk back to the crotchety old teacher. caprice, whim, vagary, crotchet mean an irrational or unpredictable idea or desire. caprice stresses lack of apparent motivation and suggests willfulness. ⟨by sheer caprice she quit her job⟩ whim implies a fantastic, capricious turn of mind or inclination. ⟨an odd antique that was bought on a whim⟩ vagary stresses the erratic, irresponsible character of the notion or desire. ⟨he had been prone to strange vagaries⟩ crotchet implies an eccentric opinion or preference. ⟨a serious scientist equally known for his bizarre crotchets⟩

barrel

: a round usually wooden container with curved sides and flat ends. Oak barrels are used for aging the wine. : the amount of something in a barrel. They drank a whole barrel of beer. : the part of a gun that the bullets go through when the gun is fired. the barrel of a gun. a barrel of laughs informal: someone or something that is very funny - usually used negatively. Several people have lost their jobs recently, so the office isn't exactly a barrel of laughs these days. "Your boss is quite a kidder." "Oh yeah, he's a real barrel of laughs." more fun than a barrel (full) of monkeys: very funny and enjoyable. The ads say the movie will be more fun than a barrel of monkeys. over a barrel: in a bad situation : in a situation where you are forced to do something you do not want to do. My landlord really has me over a barrel. I have to either pay double my rent or move somewhere else. : to move very fast and often in an uncontrolled or dangerous way. The truck went barreling down Main Street. She came running out of her office and went barreling past us down the hall.

hedge

: a row of shrubs or small trees that are planted close to each other in order to form a boundary. : something that provides protection or defense. She invests her money as a hedge against inflation. : to surround (an area) with a hedge. The garden is hedged by flowering shrubs. : to avoid giving a promise or direct answer. She hedged when she was asked to support the campaign. : hedge against : to protect yourself from (something). They hedge against inflation by investing their money. looking for ways to hedge against risk/failure. : hedge around/about : to limit or restrict (something). Their offer is so hedged around with conditions [=so restricted by conditions] that it hardly seems worthwhile. a rule that is hedged about by exceptions. : hedge in : to form a boundary around (something). : to surround or restrict (someone) in a way that prevents free movement or action. a field hedged in [=surrounded] by trees. We have been hedged in by their rules and regulations. : hedge your bets : to do things that will prevent great loss or failure if future events do not happen as you plan or hope. They decided to hedge their bets by putting half their money in stocks and the other half in bonds. : hedge fund : a group of investors who take financial risks together in order to try to earn a lot of money.

swing (n, adj)

: a seat that hangs from ropes or chains and that moves back and forth. We sat on the porch swing and watched the neighbors. : a style of jazz music that has a lively rhythm and that is played mostly for dancing. : go with a swing : to be lively and enjoyable. What a great party! It really went with a swing! : in full swing : at the highest level of activity. Work on the project is in full swing. : in/into the swing of informal : fully involved and comfortable with (a regular activity, process, etc.). After a while, she got into the swing of her job. [=she got used to her job and was able to do it well]. : swings and roundabouts — used to say that two choices or situations are basically the same because they have an equal number of advantages and disadvantages. It is a case of swings and roundabouts. : not certain to vote for a particular candidate or party in an election and therefore often able to decide the result of the election. swing voters/states. : of or relating to the style of jazz music called swing. a swing band.

spur

: a sharp pointed object that is attached to the heel of a horse rider's boot and that is pressed into the horse's side to make the horse go faster. : something that makes you want to do something or that causes something to happen (incentive). The reward was offered as a spur to greater work/achievement. a spur to the imagination. : a mass of sharp rock on the side of a mountain. : a short section of railway track that leads from the main line. on/at the spur of the moment: If something is done on/at the spur of the moment, it is done immediately without planning. We decided on the spur of the moment to go to the beach. win/earn your spurs: to do something which shows that you deserve to be respected or noticed. He earned/won his spurs by doubling the company's profits in the past year. : to encourage (someone) to do or achieve something. The reward spurred them to work harder. His encouragement spurred them on to finish the project. : to cause (something) to happen or to happen more quickly. Lower interest rates should spur economic growth. : to urge (a horse) to go faster by pushing spurs into its sides. He spurred the horse onward. motive, impulse, incentive, inducement, spur, goad mean a stimulus to action. motive implies an emotion or desire operating on the will and causing it to act. ⟨a motive for the crime⟩ impulse suggests a driving power arising from personal temperament or constitution. ⟨buying on impulse⟩ incentive applies to an external influence (such as an expected reward) inciting to action. ⟨a bonus was offered as an incentive⟩ inducement suggests a motive prompted by the deliberate enticements or allurements of another. ⟨offered a watch as an inducement to subscribe⟩ spur applies to a motive that stimulates the faculties or increases energy or ardor. ⟨fear was a spur to action⟩ goad suggests a motive that keeps one going against one's will or desire. ⟨thought insecurity a goad to worker efficiency⟩

epigram

: a short and clever poem or saying. epigrammatic poetry. Benjamin Franklin's famous epigram, "Remember that time is money".

errand

: a short journey that you take to do or get something. He was sent out on an urgent errand. I have to run some errands for my mom this afternoon. She had a bunch of errands to do before dinner. : fool's errand - an errand that does not need to be done or that cannot be done successfully.

gauntlet

: a situation in which someone is attacked, criticized, questioned, etc., by many people — usually used in the phrase run the gauntlet. Soldiers in the past were sometimes punished by being forced to run the gauntlet. [=to run between two rows of men who would hit them with clubs]. He had to run the gauntlet of reporters waiting outside the court. : a metal glove worn with a suit of armor by soldiers in the Middle Ages. : a long, heavy glove worn to protect the hand. pick/take up the gauntlet: to show that you are willing and ready to fight, argue, or compete with someone or to do something that is difficult but necessary: to accept or respond to a challenge. The time has come for Congress to pick up the gauntlet and do something about this problem. throw down the gauntlet: to say or show that you are ready to fight, argue, or compete with someone : to challenge someone. The company threw down the gauntlet and told the union that this offer for a contract was final. a gauntleted hand.

reciprocity

: a situation or relationship in which two people or groups agree to do something similar for each other, to allow each other to have the same rights, etc. : a reciprocal arrangement or relationship. The proposal calls for reciprocity in trade relations. a reciprocal trade agreement between two countries. : inversely related : opposite.

malaise

: a slight or general feeling of not being healthy or happy. The symptoms include headache, malaise, and fatigue. An infected person will feel a general malaise. a spiritual malaise : a problem or condition that harms or weakens a group, society, etc. postwar malaise. The country's current economic problems are symptoms of a deeper malaise.

node

: a small lump or mass of tissue in your body especially : lymph node. : the small round part on the stem of a plant where a leaf grows. : a place where lines in a network cross or meet a network node. nodal tissue. a nodal point.

consternation

: a strong feeling of surprise or sudden disappointment that causes confusion. The candidate caused consternation among his supporters by changing positions on a key issue. Much to her parents' consternation, she had decided to not go to college. They stared at each other in consternation [=dismay], not knowing what to do.

penchant

: a strong liking for something or a strong tendency to behave in a certain way. He has a penchant for asking stupid questions. [=he asks a lot of stupid questions] Her penchant for mathematics helped her to become an engineer. leaning, propensity, proclivity, penchant mean a strong instinct or liking for something. leaning suggests a liking or attraction not strong enough to be decisive or uncontrollable. ⟨a student with artistic leanings⟩ propensity implies a deeply ingrained and usually irresistible inclination. ⟨a propensity to offer advice⟩ proclivity suggests a strong natural proneness usually to something objectionable or evil. ⟨a proclivity for violence⟩ penchant implies a strongly marked taste in the person or an irresistible attraction in the object. ⟨a penchant for taking risks⟩

buttress

: a structure built against a wall in order to support or strengthen it. : to support, strengthen, or defend (something). The treaty will buttress the cause of peace. The theory has been buttressed by the results of the experiment. : flying buttress: a structure that supports a wall or building from the outside.

jerk (n, v)

: a stupid person or a person who is not well-liked or who treats other people badly. That jerk can't do anything right. : a quick pull or twist. He felt the jerk of the line as a fish took the bait. : a sudden sharp movement. The car started with a jerk. : to push, pull, or twist (something) with a quick movement. She jerked the phone out of my hand. : to move (something) with a sharp, quick motion. The car jerked into motion. : to cause (someone) to move suddenly. He was jerked awake by the sound of a baby crying. She was jerked back to reality by the baby's crying. : jerk around : to be unfair or dishonest with (someone) : to lie to or cheat (someone). I felt like that salesman was trying to jerk me around.

pique

: a sudden feeling of annoyance or anger when someone has offended you. After a moment of pique, the senator responded calmly to his accusers. He slammed the door in a fit of pique. : to cause (curiosity or interest). The package piqued [=sparked, aroused] my curiosity. Brightly colored objects pique a baby's interest. : to make (someone) annoyed or angry. I was piqued by his rudeness. offense, resentment, umbrage, pique, dudgeon, huff mean an emotional response to or an emotional state resulting from a slight or indignity. offense implies hurt displeasure. ⟨takes deep offense at racial slurs⟩ resentment suggests lasting indignation or ill will. ⟨harbored a lifelong resentment of his brother⟩ umbrage may suggest hurt pride, resentment, or suspicion of another's motives. ⟨took umbrage at the offer of advice⟩ pique applies to a transient feeling of wounded vanity. ⟨in a pique I foolishly declined the invitation⟩ dudgeon suggests an angry fit of indignation. ⟨stormed out of the meeting in high dudgeon⟩ huff implies a peevish short-lived spell of anger usually at a petty cause. ⟨in a huff he slammed the door⟩ provoke, excite, stimulate, pique, quicken mean to arouse as if by pricking. provoke directs attention to the response called forth. ⟨my stories usually provoke laughter⟩ excite implies a stirring up or moving profoundly. ⟨news that excited anger and frustration⟩ stimulate suggests a rousing out of lethargy, quiescence, or indifference. ⟨stimulating conversation⟩ pique suggests stimulating by mild irritation or challenge. ⟨that remark piqued my interest⟩ quicken implies beneficially stimulating and making active or lively. ⟨the high salary quickened her desire to have the job⟩

epitome

: a summary of a written work. : a brief presentation or statement of something. : a typical or ideal example : embodiment. the British monarchy itself is the epitome of tradition — Richard Joseph. : brief or miniature form —usually used with in.

veneer

: a thin layer of wood or other material that is attached to the surface of something in order to make it look better. a wall with a stone veneer. a dresser with mahogany veneer. : a way of behaving or appearing that gives other people a false idea of your true feelings or situation. She dropped her veneer of sophistication. : to cover (something) with a veneer. The cabinet was veneered in oak.

strand

: a thin piece of thread, wire, hair, etc. The strands were twisted together. The police found a single strand of hair at the crime scene. : something that is long like a string. a strand of pearls. a strand of DNA. : one of the parts of something that is very complicated. All the strands of the story's plot are woven together in the final chapter. The police are slowly putting the strands of evidence together. : the land along the edge of a sea, lake, etc. : a shore or beach. We walked along the strand. : to leave (a person or animal) in a place without a way of leaving the place. She was stranded in a foreign city with no money. His car broke down, and he was stranded in the middle of nowhere. Her flight was canceled, so she was left stranded at the airport. : to cause (something, such as a boat or a sea animal) to become stuck on land. The ship was stranded on the sandbank.

antenna

: a thin sensitive organ on the head of an insect, crab, etc., that is used mainly to feel and touch things — sometimes used figuratively. a Senator with sensitive political antennae [=a Senator who is very aware of political issues and attitudes]. The plural of antenna in this sense is usually antennae. : a device (such as a wire or a metal rod) for sending or receiving radio or television signals a TV antenna [=(chiefly Brit) aerial]. The plural of antenna in this sense is usually antennas.

letup

: a time during which something stops or slows down. It rained three days without letup. We worked without letup.

fledgling

: a young bird that has just become able to fly. a female bird feeding her fledglings. a fledgling robin. : someone or something that is getting started in a new activity. a fledgling company with only four employees. a fledgling novelist.

prodigy

: a young person who is unusually talented in some way. child prodigies. a chess/tennis/math prodigy. : a portentous event : omen. : something extraordinary or inexplicable. : an extraordinary, marvelous, or unusual accomplishment, deed, or event.

credulity

: ability or willingness to believe something. Although most of the book is believable, its ending tests/strains credulity. [=its ending is difficult to believe; its ending does not seem true or possible]. the quack pushing the phony medicine was taking advantage of the credulity of people hoping for miracle cures.

ape (n, v)

: a type of animal (such as a chimpanzee or gorilla) that is closely related to monkeys and humans and that is covered in hair and has no tail or a very short tail. : a large and stupid or rude person. Her boyfriend's some big ape she met at a party. : to copy or imitate (something or someone). She apes the speech and manners of the rich. : go ape : to become very excited. The kids go ape [=go crazy, go wild] whenever they hear that song. : to become very angry. Mom really went ape [=went ballistic, blew her top] when I got home late. copy, imitate, mimic, ape, mock mean to make something so that it resembles an existing thing. copy suggests duplicating an original as nearly as possible. ⟨copied the painting and sold the fake as an original⟩ imitate suggests following a model or a pattern but may allow for some variation. ⟨imitate a poet's style⟩ mimic implies a close copying (as of voice or mannerism) often for fun, ridicule, or lifelike imitation. ⟨pupils mimicking their teacher⟩ ape may suggest presumptuous, slavish, or inept imitating of a superior original. ⟨American fashion designers aped their European colleagues⟩ mock usually implies imitation with derision. ⟨mocking a vain man's pompous manner⟩

poppy

: a type of plant that has bright red or orange flowers and that is the source of opium. (мак) : poppy seeds : the small, black seed of a poppy that is used in baked goods (such as breads and cakes). Sprinkle poppy seeds on the bread before baking. a poppy seed cake.

spruce (n,v, adj)

: a type of tree that has long, thin needles instead of leaves and that stays green throughout the year. : spruce up : to make (someone or something) look cleaner, neater, or more attractive. We spruced up the room with a fresh coat of paint. I need to spruce myself up a bit before we go out to dinner. : neat, clean, or stylish in appearance. He looked very spruce in his new suit.

urchin (sea)

: a usually poor and dirty child who annoys people or causes minor trouble. a street urchin. : a small sea animal that lives on the ocean floor and is covered in sharp spines.

increment

: a usually small amount or degree by which something is made larger or greater. They increased the dosage of the drug in small increments over a period of several weeks. incremental changes. incremental additions The business grew incrementally.

ice cap

: a very large and thick sheet of ice that covers the North Pole, the South Pole, or another region. the polar ice cap.

monolith

: a very large stone that is usually tall and narrow especially : a stone that was put in position by people as a monument or for religious reasons.an ancient monolith. : a very large building or other structure. The new office building is a massive steel and concrete monolith. often disapproving : a very large and powerful organization that acts as a single unit. The media monolith owns a number of networks. a large, monolithic building. a monolithic organization. : consisting of or constituting a single unit. a monolithic floor covering. : exhibiting or characterized by often rigidly fixed uniformity. monolithic party unity.

tome

: a very large, thick book. a long tome on European history. : a volume forming part of a larger work. When she discovered that the books she needed for her paper were in the university's online system, she ended up lugging some truly impressive tomes back from the library—she actually had to stop and rest twice on the way home.

scintilla

: a very small amount of something (spark, trace) — usually used in negative statements. There's not even a scintilla of evidence to support his story. Scintilla comes directly from Latin, where it carries the meaning of "spark" - that is, a bright flash such as you might see from a burning ember. In English, however, our use of "scintilla" is restricted to the figurative sense of "spark" - a hint or trace of something that barely suggests its presence.

trace (n,v, adj)

: a very small amount of something. He could detect a trace [=hint] of cinnamon in the cookies. Trace amounts of the pesticide were found in many foods. : something (such as a mark or an object) which shows that someone or something was in a particular place. The scientists found traces of human activity in the area. : a line drawn by a machine to record how something (such as a heartbeat or an earthquake) changes or happens over time. : to draw the outline of (something). The children traced their hands onto the sidewalk with chalk. especially : to copy (a design or picture) by putting a thin piece of paper that you can see through over it and drawing on top of it. : to draw (something, such as letters or a picture) especially in a careful way. She traced the letters of her name. : to follow the path or line of (something). We will need to trace the electrical wires through the walls. She traced the edge of the book with her finger. [=she moved her finger along the edge of the book]. : to follow (something) back to its cause, beginning, or origin : to find out where something came from. The noise was traced to a loose bolt in the car's engine. He can trace his family history all the way back to the Pilgrims. The word "amiable" traces back to the Latin word for "friend." : to describe or study the way (something) happened over time. Her book traces the development of art through the ages. : to try to find (someone or something) by collecting and studying evidence. The detective is in charge of tracing [=(more commonly) tracking down] missing persons. The word "amiable" is traceable to the Latin word for "friend." This phone call is traceable.

iota

: a very small amount. That doesn't bother me one iota = that doesn't bother me at all. There isn't an iota of truth in what he says. :the 9th letter of the Greek alphabet.

larva

: a very young form of an insect that looks like a worm. The larva of a butterfly is called a caterpillar. the larval stage of an insect. plural larvae, also larvas.

sword

: a weapon with a long metal blade that has a sharp point and edge. beat/turn swords into plowshares literary : to stop fighting wars and begin to live peacefully cross swords : put (someone) to the sword : to kill (someone) with a sword. : sword of Damocles : something bad and frightening that might happen at any time a threat that hangs over us like a/the sword of Damocles.

morpheme

: a word or a part of a word that has a meaning and that contains no smaller part that has a meaning. The word "pins" contains two morphemes: "pin" and the plural suffix "-s." Morphemes are the indivisible basic units of language, much like the atoms which physicists once assumed were the indivisible units of matter.

sentient

: able to feel, see, hear, smell, or taste. sentient beings. sentient of the danger posed by the approaching hurricane.

impetuous

: acting or done quickly and without thought : controlled by emotion rather than thought : impulsive. He's always been an impetuous young man. Men who don't wear hats are generally youthful, vigorous, impetuous, and have a devil-may-care glint in their eyes. precipitate, headlong, abrupt, impetuous, sudden mean showing undue haste or unexpectedness. precipitate stresses lack of due deliberation and implies prematureness of action. ⟨the army's precipitate withdrawal⟩ headlong stresses rashness and lack of forethought. ⟨a headlong flight from arrest⟩ abrupt stresses curtness and a lack of warning or ceremony. ⟨an abrupt refusal⟩ impetuous stresses extreme impatience or impulsiveness. ⟨an impetuous lover proposing marriage⟩ sudden stresses unexpectedness and sharpness or violence of action. ⟨flew into a sudden rage⟩.

erratic

: acting, moving, or changing in ways that are not expected or usual : not consistent or regular. His behavior seemed erratic. erratic [=fluctuating] oil prices. behaving/moving/acting erratically. strange, singular, unique, peculiar, eccentric, erratic, odd, quaint, outlandish mean departing from what is ordinary, usual, or to be expected. strange stresses unfamiliarity and may apply to the foreign, the unnatural, the unaccountable. ⟨a journey filled with strange sights⟩ singular suggests individuality or puzzling strangeness. ⟨a singular feeling of impending disaster⟩ unique implies singularity and the fact of being without a known parallel. ⟨a career unique in the annals of science⟩ peculiar implies a marked distinctiveness. ⟨the peculiar status of America's first lady⟩ eccentric suggests a wide divergence from the usual or normal especially in behavior. ⟨the eccentric eating habits of preschoolers⟩ erratic stresses a capricious and unpredictable wandering or deviating. ⟨a friend's suddenly erratic behavior⟩ odd applies to a departure from the regular or expected. ⟨an odd sense of humor⟩ quaint suggests an old-fashioned but pleasant oddness. ⟨a quaint fishing village⟩ outlandish applies to what is uncouth, bizarre, or barbaric. ⟨outlandish fashions of the time⟩

egalitarian

: aiming for equal wealth, status, etc., for all people egalitarian policies for the redistribution of wealth. He is a committed egalitarian. After moving to a more liberal part of the country, the couple was pleased to have neighbors who shared their views of egalitarian marriage—for instance, men and women could be found in equal proportions downshifting to part-time work to make time for childcare.

sanction (n, v)

: an action that is taken or an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country, etc. The United Nations has decided to impose trade/economic sanctions on the country. Sanctions against the country have been lifted. : official permission or approval. The country acted without the sanction of the other nations. Their policy has/lacks legal sanction. : to officially accept or allow (something). The government has sanctioned the use of force. His actions were not sanctioned by his superiors. approve, endorse, sanction, accredit, certify mean to have or express a favorable opinion of. approve often implies no more than this but may suggest considerable esteem or admiration. ⟨the parents approve of the marriage⟩ endorse suggests an explicit statement of support. ⟨publicly endorsed her for Senator⟩ sanction implies both approval and authorization. ⟨the President sanctioned covert operations⟩ accredit and certify usually imply official endorsement attesting to conformity to set standards. ⟨the board voted to accredit the college⟩ ⟨must be certified to teach⟩

belligerence

: an aggressive or truculent attitude, atmosphere, or disposition. : waging war; specifically : belonging to or recognized as a state at war and protected by and subject to the laws of war. always used before a noun, formal : fighting a war : engaged in a war. belligerent nations/states. : inclined to or exhibiting assertiveness, hostility, or combativeness. : angry and aggressive : feeling or showing readiness to fight a belligerent remark. He was drunk and belligerent. belligerent, bellicose, pugnacious, quarrelsome, contentious mean having an aggressive or fighting attitude. belligerent often implies being actually at war or engaged in hostilities. ⟨belligerent nations⟩ bellicose suggests a disposition to fight. ⟨a drunk in a bellicose mood⟩ pugnacious suggests a disposition that takes pleasure in personal combat. ⟨a pugnacious gangster⟩ quarrelsome stresses an ill-natured readiness to fight without good cause. ⟨the heat made us all quarrelsome⟩ contentious implies perverse and irritating fondness for arguing and quarreling. ⟨wearied by his contentious disposition⟩.

surfeit

: an amount that is too much or more than you need. a surfeit of choices. satiate, sate, surfeit, cloy, pall, glut, gorge mean to fill to repletion. satiate and sate may sometimes imply only complete satisfaction but more often suggest repletion that has destroyed interest or desire. ⟨years of globe-trotting had satiated their interest in travel⟩ ⟨readers were sated with sensationalistic stories⟩ surfeit implies a nauseating repletion. ⟨surfeited themselves with junk food⟩ cloy stresses the disgust or boredom resulting from such surfeiting. ⟨sentimental pictures that cloy after a while⟩ pall emphasizes the loss of ability to stimulate interest or appetite. ⟨a life of leisure eventually begins to pall⟩ glut implies excess in feeding or supplying. ⟨a market glutted with diet books⟩ gorge suggests glutting to the point of bursting or choking. ⟨gorged themselves with chocolate⟩

quarry

: an animal or person that is being hunted or chased. The dogs chased their quarry. The detective followed his quarry into a nightclub. : a place where large amounts of stone are dug out of the ground. a limestone quarry. : to dig or take (stone or other materials) from a quarry. Limestone is quarried in this area. an area where workers are quarrying for limestone. : to make a quarry in (a place). This area has been quarried for limestone.

casuistry

: argumentation that is suspect and sneaky. Politicians, lawyers, and car salesmen who make dubious arguments full of holes are guilty of casuistry. : the use of clever but unsound reasoning, especially in relation to moral questions; sophistry. the casuistry about altruism always being ultimately selfish. the minister is engaging in nothing more or less than casuistry. : the resolving of moral problems by the application of theoretical rules to particular instances.

heteromorphic

: deviating from the usual form. : exhibiting diversity of form or forms. heteromorphic pairs of chromosomes. occurring in two or more different forms, especially at different stages in the life cycle.

duplicity

: dishonest behavior that is meant to trick someone. He exposed the spy's duplicity. duplicitous [=deceptive] tactics. we were lucky not to be taken in by his duplicity.

plot (n) (v)

: an area of land that has been measured and is considered as a unit. The plots are selling for $15,000 per acre. They just bought a 12-acre plot of land. : a usually small piece of land that is used for a particular purpose. a garden plot. He bought a burial plot in the local cemetery (a small area of land where his body will be buried when he dies). : a series of events that form the story in a novel, movie, etc. Her latest book is a brilliantly plotted novel about the war. : a secret plan to do something that is usually illegal or harmful. Police uncovered a plot to assassinate the prime minister. They hatched a plot (made a plan) to steal the famous painting. He feared the other prisoners were plotting against him. : to plan (something). We've been plotting growth strategies for the company. She carefully plotted her career path. : to mark (something, such as a location or path) on a map, graph, chart, etc. Have you plotted the route for your trip yet? : lose the plot : to become confused or crazy. She was so nervous she thought she was going to lose the plot. (=lose it) : the plot thickens. : When the plot thickens in a novel, movie, etc., the story becomes more complicated or interesting. The plot thickens when the audience learns that the missing woman used to work for the FBI. : The phrase is also used in a usually humorous way to talk about things that happen in real life. So you've worked with him before? Ah, the plot thickens. plot, intrigue, machination, conspiracy, cabal mean a plan secretly devised to accomplish an evil or treacherous end. plot implies careful foresight in planning a complex scheme. ⟨an assassination plot⟩ intrigue suggests secret underhanded maneuvering in an atmosphere of duplicity. ⟨backstairs intrigue⟩ machination implies a contriving of annoyances, injuries, or evils by indirect means. ⟨the machinations of a party boss⟩ conspiracy implies a secret agreement among several people usually involving treason or great treachery. ⟨a conspiracy to fix prices⟩ cabal typically applies to political intrigue involving persons of some eminence. ⟨a cabal among powerful senators⟩ synonyms see in addition plan

par

: an equality in value or standing; a level of equality. The gains and the losses are on a par. There are only 175 countries on that list, which puts Russia on a par with Lebanon and Nigeria. His new book is on par with his best sellers. : better or worse than normal or expected. The performance was above par. Our meal was below par. [=subpar] I'm feeling a little below par. : the number of strokes a good golfer is expected to take to finish a golf hole or course. He made/scored par on the ninth hole. : the established value of the monetary unit of one country expressed in terms of the monetary unit of another country using the same metal as the standard of value. : the value of a stock or bond that is printed on the paper of the stock or bond itself or that is decided upon when the stock or bond is issued. That stock is trading (at) 16 percent above/below par. — called also par value. : better than all others a chef par excellence [=an excellent chef].

malefaction

: an evil deed : crime. He favors harsh punishment for chronic malefactors. [=criminals]. he town treasurer has been linked to the kickback scheme and other financial malefactions.

exploit

: an exciting act or action — usually plural. performing heroic exploits [=feats]. He enjoys talking about his youthful exploits. [=adventures] a book about his sexual exploits. : to get value or use from (something). We need to exploit [=take advantage of] this opportunity/situation. exploit natural resources. : to use (someone or something) in a way that helps you unfairly. They were accused of exploiting [=taking advantage of] migrant workers. : deed, act; especially : a notable or heroic act. the fanciful exploits of the giant lumberjack Paul Bunyan. once famed as an actor, John Wilkes Booth is now remembered for a single exploit, his assassination of Lincoln.

ordeal

: an experience that is very unpleasant or difficult. Being trapped in the elevator was a harrowing ordeal for the shoppers. the ordeal of cancer treatment. I need to find a way to make traveling less of an ordeal.

hatch (n, v)

: an opening in the deck of a ship or in the floor, wall, or roof of a building, the covering of such an opening. He squeezed into/through the hatch and crawled below deck. He lifted the hatch. : to come out of an egg (of a bird, insect, fish, etc): to be born by coming out of an egg. We watched the chicks hatch. The eggs will soon hatch. : to create or produce (something, such as an idea or a plan) usually in a secret way. They hatched a plot to overthrow the government.

conjecture

: an opinion or idea formed without proof or sufficient evidence : guess. The biography includes conjectures about the writer's earliest ambitions. Your plan is based on (nothing more than) conjecture. Most of the book is conjecture, not fact. The criminal's motive remains a matter of conjecture. [=people can only guess about the criminal's motive; no one knows the criminal's motive]. Most of the book is conjectural. : to form an opinion or idea without proof or sufficient evidence. Some have conjectured that the distant planet could sustain life.

fraternity

: an organization of male students at a U.S. college vs. sorority (-female). : a group of people who have the same job, interests, etc. the racing fraternity 9=people who are involved or interested in racing ). the legal fraternity. : the feeling of friendship that exists between people in a group. an atmosphere of fraternity and cooperation.

rube

: an uneducated person who is usually from the country - a naive or inexperienced person. They treated us as if we were a bunch of rubes.

incident

: an unexpected and usually unpleasant thing that happens. We just want to put that embarrassing incident behind us. Two people were shot yesterday in two separate incidents. The suspects were arrested without incident. [=without any unexpected trouble]. : an event or disagreement that is likely to cause serious problems in relations between countries. a border incident. The bombing caused/provoked an international incident. occurrence, event, incident, episode, circumstance mean something that happens or takes place. occurrence may apply to a happening without intent, volition, or plan. ⟨an encounter that was a chance occurrence⟩ event usually implies an occurrence of some importance and frequently one having antecedent cause. ⟨the events following the assassination⟩ incident suggests an occurrence of brief duration or secondary importance. ⟨a minor wartime incident⟩ episode stresses the distinctiveness or apartness of an incident. ⟨a brief romantic episode in a life devoted to work⟩ circumstance implies a specific detail attending an action or event as part of its setting or background. ⟨couldn't recall the exact circumstances⟩

idiosyncratic

: an unusual way in which a particular person behaves or thinks. Her habit of using "like" in every sentence was just one of her idiosyncrasies. : an unusual part or feature of something. The current system has a few idiosyncrasies. She has an idiosyncratic [=unusual] singing voice.

rune

: any of the characters in the alphabets that were used in ancient times by people of Northern Europe. a runic inscription.

sphex (wasp)

: any wasp of the genus Sphex.

suave

: behaving in a relaxed, confident, and pleasant way in social situations. a suave and sophisticated businessman. suave, urbane, diplomatic, bland, smooth, politic mean pleasantly tactful and well-mannered. suave suggests a specific ability to deal with others easily and without friction. ⟨a suave public relations coordinator⟩ urbane implies high cultivation and poise coming from wide social experience. ⟨an urbane traveler⟩ diplomatic stresses an ability to deal with ticklish situations tactfully. ⟨a diplomatic negotiator⟩ bland emphasizes mildness of manner and absence of irritating qualities. ⟨a bland master of ceremonies⟩ smooth suggests often a deliberately assumed suavity. ⟨a smooth salesman⟩ politic implies shrewd as well as tactful and suave handling of people. ⟨a cunningly politic manager⟩

errant

: behaving wrongly. an errant [=unfaithful] husband : going outside the proper area. an errant motorboat. : not going in the intended direction : not accurate. an errant throw/pass/shot. : wandering to different places in search of adventure. an errant knight.

fungible

: being something (such as money or a commodity) of such a nature that one part or quantity may be replaced by another equal part or quantity in paying a debt or settling an account. Oil, wheat, and lumber are fungible commodities. fungible goods. : capable of mutual substitution :interchangeable. the court's postulate that male and female jurors must be regarded as fungible. :readily changeable to adapt to new situations : flexible. Managers typically use more than a hundred different lineups over the course of the season. Batting orders are so fungible that few players last long in one spot. This is a man who sees his job as little more than spectacle, his word as negotiable and all numbers as fungible.

cynical

: believing that people are generally selfish and dishonest. Cynical people say there is no such thing as true love. : selfish and dishonest in a way that shows no concern about treating other people fairly. Some people regard the governor's visit to the hospital as a cynical attempt to win votes. The character talks cynically about love. cynical, misanthropic, pessimistic mean deeply distrustful. cynical implies having a sneering disbelief in sincerity or integrity. ⟨cynical about politicians' motives⟩ misanthropic suggests a rooted distrust and dislike of human beings and their society. ⟨a solitary and misanthropic artist⟩ pessimistic implies having a gloomy, distrustful view of life. ⟨pessimistic about the future⟩

superfluous

: beyond what is needed : not necessary. a superfluous word/detail. Further discussion seemed superfluous. Synonyms: excess, extra, redundant, supererogatory, spare, supernumerary, surplus. Related Words: accessory, additional, supplemental, supplementary; de trop, dispensable, extraneous, gratuitous, needless, nonessential, uncalled-for, unessential, unnecessary, unneeded, unwanted; abundant, ample, bountiful, copious, plenteous, plentiful.

tedious

: boring and too slow or long. He made a tedious 45-minute speech.. The work is tedious, but it needs to get done. a tediously long speech.

equanimity

: calm emotions when dealing with problems or pressure. She accepted her misfortunes with equanimity. =she did not become upset; she remained calm. : composure. Even though he had just been fired, Mr. Simms showed great equanimity by neatly packing up his desk and wishing everyone in the office well.

tenable

: capable of being defended against attack or criticism. The theory is no longer tenable. This, admittedly, cannot be a tenable way to govern.

viable

: capable of being done or used : workable. a viable solution to the problem. He could not suggest a viable alternative/option. : capable of succeeding. Is she a viable candidate?a viable method. : capable of living or of developing into a living thing. a viable human fetus. viable seeds/eggs.

malleable

: capable of being stretched or bent into different shapes. a malleable metal. : capable of being easily changed or influenced. a malleable (flexible) plan. malleable young minds. the malleability of the metal. plastic, pliable, pliant, ductile, malleable, adaptable mean susceptible of being modified in form or nature. plastic applies to substances soft enough to be molded yet capable of hardening into the desired fixed form. ⟨plastic materials allow the sculptor greater freedom⟩ pliable suggests something easily bent, folded, twisted, or manipulated. ⟨pliable rubber tubing⟩ pliant may stress flexibility and sometimes connote springiness. ⟨an athletic shoe with a pliant sole⟩ ductile applies to what can be drawn out or extended with ease. ⟨ductile metals such as copper⟩ malleable applies to what may be pressed or beaten into shape. ⟨the malleable properties of gold⟩ adaptable implies the capability of being easily modified to suit other conditions, needs, or uses. ⟨computer hardware that is adaptable⟩

heady

: causing feelings of excitement or dizziness : having a powerful effect on your senses. a heady wine/aroma. The plane soared to heady heights. : very excited and happy. They were heady with their newfound success.

pathetic

: causing feelings of sadness and sympathy. I could hear her pathetic [=pitiful] cries for help. The blind, old dog was a pathetic sight. : very bad, poor, weak, etc. The team was pretty bad last year, but this year they're downright pathetic. The story he told was a pathetic attempt to cover up a lie. a pathetic excuse. His car is a pathetic piece of junk. The child cried pathetically. moving, impressive, poignant, affecting, touching, pathetic mean having the power to produce deep emotion. moving may apply to any strong emotional effect including thrilling, agitating, saddening, or calling forth pity or sympathy. ⟨a moving appeal for contributions⟩ impressive implies compelling attention, admiration, wonder, or conviction. ⟨an impressive list of achievements⟩ poignant applies to what keenly or sharply affects one's sensitivities. ⟨a poignant documentary on the homeless⟩ affecting is close to moving but most often suggests pathos. ⟨an affecting deathbed reunion⟩ touching implies arousing tenderness or compassion. ⟨the touching innocence in a child's eyes⟩ pathetic implies moving to pity or sometimes contempt. ⟨pathetic attempts to justify misconduct⟩

culpability

: deserving blame : guilty of doing something wrong. He's more culpable than the others because he's old enough to know better. Guilty implies responsibility for or consciousness of crime, sin, or misdoing <guilty of a breach of etiquette>. culpable is weaker than guilty and is likely to connote malfeasance or errors of ignorance, or negligence. Culpable normally means simply "guilty". To a lawyer, "culpable negligence" is carelessness so serious that it becomes a crime.

pernicious

: causing great harm or damage often in a way that is not easily seen or noticed - highly injurious or destructive. She thinks television has a pernicious influence on our children. Insidious comes from a Latin word for "ambush" (insidiae), which is fitting, as this word often carries the meanings "deceitful," "stealthy," or "harmful in an imperceptible fashion." The first two meanings may be applied to people or things ("an insidious enemy," "an insidious plot"), while the last is usually applied to things ("insidious problems," "insidious sexism"), in particular to the gradual progress of a disease ("an insidious malignancy"). Sinister comes from a Latin word meaning "on the left side, unlucky, inauspicious." Although it is commonly used today in the sense "evil" ("a sinister cult leader"; "a sinister plot"), it may also suggest an ominous foreshadowing of some unfavorable turn of events ("a sinister omen"). Pernicious has largely stayed true to its etymological root, the Latin noun pernicies "ruin, destruction." Its original meaning in English, "highly injurious or destructive," usually applies to things ("pernicious apathy," "pernicious effects") and medical conditions ("pernicious fever," pernicious anemia). When applied to people, pernicious means "wicked." pernicious, baneful, noxious, deleterious, detrimental mean exceedingly harmful. pernicious implies irreparable harm done through evil or insidious corrupting or undermining. ⟨the claim that pornography has a pernicious effect on society⟩ baneful implies injury through poisoning or destroying. ⟨the baneful notion that discipline destroys creativity⟩ noxious applies to what is both offensive and injurious to the health of a body or mind. ⟨noxious chemical fumes⟩ deleterious applies to what has an often unsuspected harmful effect. ⟨a diet found to have deleterious effects⟩ detrimental implies obvious harmfulness to something specified. ⟨the detrimental effects of excessive drinking⟩

insular

: characteristic of an isolated people; especially : being, having, or reflecting a narrow provincial viewpoints. an insular [=narrow] way of thinking. the insularity of the boarding school world. : of, relating to, or constituting an island. insular residents.

syncretic

: characterized or brought about by syncretism, syncretistic: the combination of different forms of belief or practice. a syncretic religion.

genial

: cheerful and pleasant. a host with a genial manner. He was genial to/toward everyone. the geniality of his manner. We were chatting genially on the phone. : of or relating to marriage or generation, inborn, native. the genial bed. : favorable to growth or comfort : mild. genial sunshine. : displaying or marked by genius genial insights. gracious, cordial, affable, genial, sociable mean markedly pleasant and easy in social intercourse. gracious implies courtesy and kindly consideration. ⟨the gracious award winner thanked her colleagues⟩ cordial stresses warmth and heartiness. ⟨our host was cordial as he greeted us⟩ affable implies easy approachability and readiness to respond pleasantly to conversation or requests or proposals. ⟨though wealthy, she was affable to all⟩ genial stresses cheerfulness and even joviality. ⟨a genial companion with a ready quip⟩ sociable suggests a genuine liking for the companionship of others. ⟨sociable people who enjoy entertaining⟩.

expository

: chiefly US, somewhat formal — of, relating to, or containing exposition, used to describe writing that is done to explain something. expository prose. I'm taking an expository writing class this semester.

attire

: clothing. beach/business/golf attire. Proper attire is required at the restaurant. : to put garments on :dress. proceeded to attire herself for a professional visit..

extraterrestrial

: coming from or existing outside the planet Earth extraterrestrial life. extraterrestrial beings/intelligence. a movie about an extraterrestrial [=an extraterrestrial being].

visceral

: coming from strong emotions and not from logic or reason. visceral hatred. Her visceral reaction was to curse at the other driver. : of or relating to the viscera (the organs (such as the heart, liver, and lungs) inside the main part of the body). visceral tissues. They responded viscerally to the criticism. : felt in or as if in the internal organs of the body : deep. a visceral conviction. : dealing with crude or elemental emotions : earthy. a visceral novel.

intransigent

: completely unwilling to change : very stubborn, characterized by refusal to compromise or to abandon an often extreme position or attitude. He has remained intransigent in his opposition to the proposal. he has remained intransigent, refusing all suggestions for improvement of the process. fighting bureaucratic intransigence.

incendiary

: containing chemicals that explode into flame : producing a fire. The fire was started by an incendiary bomb/device. : causing anger. They use incendiary (=inflammatory) rhetoric to get public attention.

repartee

: conversation in which clever statements and replies are made quickly. The two comedians engaged in witty repartee. : a quick and witty reply. that repartee to the reporter's question drew laughs from the bystanders. But his signature look, witty repartee, and penchant for handing out solid smoking tips have made him a popular frequent guest judge. wit, humor, irony, sarcasm, satire, repartee mean a mode of expression intended to arouse amusement. wit suggests the power to evoke laughter by remarks showing verbal felicity or ingenuity and swift perception especially of the incongruous. ⟨a playful wit⟩ humor implies an ability to perceive the ludicrous, the comical, and the absurd in human life and to express these usually without bitterness. ⟨a sense of humor⟩ irony applies to a manner of expression in which the intended meaning is the opposite of what is seemingly expressed. ⟨the irony of the title⟩ sarcasm applies to expression frequently in the form of irony that is intended to cut or wound. ⟨given to heartless sarcasm⟩ satire applies to writing that exposes or ridicules conduct, doctrines, or institutions either by direct criticism or more often through irony, parody, or caricature. ⟨a satire on the Congress⟩ repartee implies the power of answering quickly, pointedly, or wittily. ⟨a dinner guest noted for repartee⟩.

animadversion

: criticism or a critical remark. She was being critical, but her animadversions were mild. His actions attracted neither surprise nor animadversion.

deleterious

: damaging or harmful. The chemical is deleterious to the environment. The drug has no deleterious effects on patients. pernicious, baneful, noxious, deleterious, detrimental mean exceedingly harmful. pernicious implies irreparable harm done through evil or insidious corrupting or undermining. ⟨the claim that pornography has a pernicious effect on society⟩ baneful implies injury through poisoning or destroying. ⟨the baneful notion that discipline destroys creativity⟩ noxious applies to what is both offensive and injurious to the health of a body or mind. ⟨noxious chemical fumes⟩ deleterious applies to what has an often unsuspected harmful effect. ⟨a diet found to have deleterious effects⟩ detrimental implies obvious harmfulness to something specified. ⟨the detrimental effects of excessive drinking⟩

mundane

: dull and ordinary. mundane chores, like washing dishes. They lead a pretty mundane life. : relating to ordinary life on earth rather than to spiritual things. prayer and meditation helped her put her mundane worries aside. Earthly often implies a contrast with what is heavenly or spiritual <abandoned earthly concerns and entered a convent>. worldly and mundane both imply a relation to the immediate concerns and activities of human beings, worldly suggesting tangible personal gain or gratification <worldly goods> and mundane suggesting reference to the immediate and practical <a mundane discussion of finances>.

truculent

: easily annoyed or angered and likely to argue. a truculent person. — truculence, — truculently. 1 feeling or displaying eagerness to fight. die-hard fans who became truculent and violent after their team's loss. Synonyms - aggressive, agonistic, argumentative, assaultive, contentious, pugnacious, quarrelsome, scrappy, belligerent, warlike. 2 marked by harsh insulting language. a theater critic who was notorious for his titanically truculent reviews. Synonyms - contumelious, invective, opprobrious, scurrile (or scurril), scurrilous, abusive. 3 having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others. truculent warlords who spared not even the children. Synonyms - brutal, heartless, inhuman, inhumane, sadistic, savage, cruel, vicious.

albeit

: even though : although. She appeared on the show, albeit briefly. It was an amazing computer, albeit expensive.

plumbed

: exactly straight down or up : in a perfectly vertical position. He set the board plumb. : to a complete degree : completely. I plumb forgot about the party. We were plumb [=totally] exhausted after the game. : exactly, directly. The island is located plumb [=right] in the middle of the lake. : exactly vertical : standing perfectly straight and not leaning in any way. The carpenter made sure that the wall was plumb. : to examine (something) in a careful and complete way in order to understand it. The book plumbs the complexities of human relationships. : to experience or reach (something). someone who has plumbed the depths of loss/pain. : to install pipes for sinks, toilets, etc., in (a building or room). The plumber is almost finished plumbing the apartment.. vertical, perpendicular, plumb mean being at right angles to a base line. vertical suggests a line or direction rising straight upward toward a zenith. ⟨the side of the cliff is almost vertical⟩ perpendicular may stress the straightness of a line making a right angle with any other line, not necessarily a horizontal one. ⟨the parallel bars are perpendicular to the support posts⟩ plumb stresses an exact verticality determined (as with a plumb line) by earth's gravity. ⟨make sure that the wall is plumb⟩

intramural (volleyball)

: existing or occurring within a particular group or organization (such as a school). intramural sports (=sports in which the students of one school compete against each other instead of competing against other schools).

dogmatic

: expressing personal opinions or beliefs as if they are certainly correct and cannot be doubted. His dogmatic claim that men were better than women at fixing appliances angered everyone. Dictatorial, magisterial, dogmatic, doctrinaire, oracular mean imposing one's will or opinions on others. dictatorial stresses autocratic, high-handed methods and a domineering manner <exercised dictatorial control over the office>. magisterial stresses assumption or use of prerogatives appropriate to a magistrate or schoolmaster in forcing acceptance of one's opinions <the magisterial tone of his pronouncements>. dogmatic implies being unduly and offensively positive in laying down principles and expressing opinions <dogmatic about what is art and what is not>. doctrinaire implies a disposition to follow abstract theories in framing laws or policies affecting people <a doctrinaire approach to improving the economy>. oracular implies the manner of one who delivers opinions in cryptic phrases or with pompous dogmatism <a designer who is the oracular voice of fashion>.

pathological

: extreme in a way that is not normal or that shows an illness or mental problem. He is a pathological liar/gambler. She has a pathological fear of heights. medical : relating to or caused by disease. a pathological condition. pathological changes in the body. technical : of or relating to the study of diseases : relating to pathology. a pathological study. pathological research/findings. — pathologically greedy person.

timid

: feeling or showing a lack of courage or confidence - easily frightened. She's very timid and shy when meeting strangers. He gave her a timid smile. Synonyms fainthearted, fearful, fearsome, mousy (or mousey), scary, skittish, shy, timorous, tremulous.

compassionate

: feeling or showing concern for someone who is sick, hurt, poor, etc. : having or showing compassion. a compassionate act, person.

peevish

: feeling or showing irritation - fretful. peevish patients in the doctor's waiting room. "I didn't do anything wrong," he answered peevishly.

penitent

: feeling or showing sorrow and regret because you have done something wrong. a penitent gesture. : a person who is sorry for doing something wrong and asks for forgiveness : a penitent person. penitents seeking God's forgiveness.

infight

: fighting or disagreement among the members of a group or organization. political infighting.

condign

: fitting or appropriate and deserved; used especially of punishment. condign punishment was rare when the criminal was a man of high social standing.

sagacious

: having or showing an ability to understand difficult ideas and situations and to make good decisions : wise. a sagacious old man. sagacious advice/counsel. The old man was respected for his sagacity. shrewd, sagacious, perspicacious, astute mean acute in perception and sound in judgment. shrewd stresses practical, hardheaded cleverness and judgment. ⟨a shrewd judge of character⟩ sagacious suggests wisdom, penetration, and farsightedness. ⟨sagacious investors got in on the ground floor⟩ perspicacious implies unusual power to see through and understand what is puzzling or hidden. ⟨a perspicacious counselor saw through the child's facade⟩ astute suggests shrewdness, perspicacity, and diplomatic skill. ⟨an astute player of party politics⟩

doggerel

: poetry that is poorly written and that often is not meant to be taken seriously. a few lines of doggerel. Perhaps no children's form is more ancient than the book of verse, those compilations of light doggerel meant to entertain and instruct. : loosely styled and irregular in measure especially for burlesque or comic effect; also : marked by triviality or inferiority.

cunning

: getting what is wanted in a clever and often deceptive way. The general devised a cunning plan to surprise the enemy. : cleverness or skill especially at tricking people in order to get something. clever, adroit, cunning, ingenious mean having or showing practical wit or skill in contriving. clever stresses physical or mental quickness, deftness, or great aptitude. ⟨a person clever with horses⟩ adroit often implies a skillful use of expedients to achieve one's purpose in spite of difficulties. ⟨an adroit negotiator⟩ cunning implies great skill in constructing or creating. ⟨a filmmaker cunning in his use of special effects⟩ ingenious suggests the power of inventing or discovering a new way of accomplishing something. ⟨an ingenious software engineer⟩ sly, cunning, crafty, wily, tricky, foxy, artful, slick mean attaining or seeking to attain one's ends by guileful or devious means. sly implies furtiveness, lack of candor, and skill in concealing one's aims and methods. ⟨a sly corporate raider⟩ cunning suggests the inventive use of sometimes limited intelligence in overreaching or circumventing. ⟨the cunning fox avoided the trap⟩ crafty implies cleverness and subtlety of method. ⟨a crafty lefthander⟩ wily implies skill and deception in maneuvering. ⟨the wily fugitive escaped the posse⟩ tricky is more likely to suggest shiftiness and unreliability than skill in deception and maneuvering. ⟨a tricky political operative⟩ foxy implies a shrewd and wary craftiness usually involving devious dealing. ⟨a foxy publicity man planting stories⟩ artful implies indirectness in dealing and often connotes sophistication or cleverness. ⟨elicited the information by artful questioning⟩ slick emphasizes smoothness and guile. ⟨slick operators selling time-sharing⟩.

plutocracy

: government by the wealthy. a trend toward plutocracy. : a country that is ruled by the wealthy. If only the wealthy can afford to run for public office, are we more a plutocracy than a democracy? : a group of very rich people who have a lot of power. corporate greed and America's growing plutocracy.

jubilation

: great happiness or joy. The team's victory was the cause of great jubilation. [=rejoicing] the jubilation of the crowd. : an act of rejoicing : the state of being jubilant. The news was greeted with jubilation. : an expression of great joy. The jubilations of the garrison were short-lived — C. R. Low.

imminent

: happening very soon. We are awaiting their imminent arrival. The species is in imminent danger of extinction. [=the species is very close to becoming extinct]. the imminence of danger.

subtle

: hard to notice or see : not obvious. a subtle difference in meaning between the words. : clever and indirect : not showing your real purpose. When it comes to giving criticism, sometimes it's best to take a subtle approach. He didn't seem to understand my subtle hints. It was her subtle way of telling me to mind my own business. : having or showing skill at recognizing and understanding things that are not obvious : perceptive. She has a subtle mind. a subtle analysis. subtly different shades of red. The pianist performed with subtlety and passion. The movie lacks subtlety. : a small detail that is usually important but not obvious. the subtleties of social interaction.

affluent

: having a large amount of money and owning many expensive things : rich, wealthy. an affluent country. They rose from poverty to affluence. rich, wealthy, affluent, opulent mean having goods, property, and money in abundance. rich implies having more than enough to gratify normal needs or desires. ⟨became rich through shrewd investing⟩ wealthy stresses the possession of property and intrinsically valuable things. ⟨wealthy landowners⟩ affluent suggests prosperity and an increasing wealth. ⟨an affluent society⟩ opulent suggests lavish expenditure and display of great wealth, more often applying to things than people. ⟨an opulent mansion⟩

Commodious

: having a lot of space. a commodious apartment/room/house. spacious, commodious, capacious, ample mean larger in extent or capacity than the average. spacious implies great length and breadth. ⟨a spacious front lawn⟩ commodious stresses roominess and comfortableness. ⟨a commodious and airy penthouse apartment⟩ capacious stresses the ability to hold, contain, or retain more than the average. ⟨a capacious suitcase⟩ ample implies having a greater size, expanse, or amount than that deemed adequate. ⟨ample closet space⟩

euphonious

: having a pleasant sound. a euphonious name. euphonious harmonies. an opera singer with an appropriately euphonious name.

toothsome

: having a pleasing taste. toothsome [=(more commonly) tasty, delicious] pies. : agreeable, attractive. :sexually attractive. a toothsome blonde. One meaning of tooth is "a fondness or taste for something specified." Toothsome comes from this definition of tooth plus the suffix -some, meaning "characterized by." Although toothsome was at first used to describe general attractiveness, it quickly developed a second sense that was specific to the sense of taste (perhaps because from as far back as Chaucer's time, tooth could also refer specifically to eating and the sense of taste). palatable, appetizing, savory, tasty, toothsome mean agreeable or pleasant especially to the sense of taste. palatable often applies to something that is found to be merely agreeable. ⟨butterflies that birds find palatable⟩ appetizing suggests a whetting of the appetite and applies to aroma and appearance as well as taste. ⟨appetizing hors d'oeuvres⟩ savory applies to both taste and aroma and suggests piquancy and often spiciness. ⟨dumplings with savory fillings⟩ tasty implies a pronounced taste. ⟨a tart and tasty pie⟩ toothsome stresses the notion of agreeableness and sometimes implies tenderness or daintiness. ⟨an enticing array of toothsome desserts⟩

antisense

: having a sequence complementary to a segment of genetic material; specifically : of, being, relating to, or possessing a sequence of DNA or RNA that is complementary to and pairs with a specific messenger RNA blocking it from being translated into protein and serving to inhibit gene function. antisense drug therapy. antisense RNA.

droll

: having an odd and amusing quality. a droll little man with a peculiar sense of humor. a book of droll stories. : having a humorous, whimsical, or odd quality. his dignified presence decorated our droll little quarters — Gwendolyn Brooks. : an amusing person : jester, comedian. the drolls of late-night TV had a field day with that senator's sexual shenanigans. : to make fun : jest, sport. causing or intended to cause laughter, made a droll comment about the commencement speaker's penchant for clichés.

degenerate (adj, n)

: having low moral standards : not honest, proper, or good. He criticizes what he believes is a degenerate society. moral degeneracy. : a person whose behavior is not morally right or socially acceptable. a couple of degenerates on a crime spree.

judicious

: having or showing good judgment : wise. judicious use of our resources. Judicious planning now can prevent problems later. judiciously chosen examples. wise, sage, sapient, judicious, prudent, sensible, sane mean having or showing sound judgment. wise suggests great understanding of people and of situations and unusual discernment and judgment in dealing with them. ⟨wise beyond his tender years⟩ sage suggests wide experience, great learning, and wisdom. ⟨the sage advice of my father⟩ sapient suggests great sagacity and discernment. ⟨the sapient musings of an old philosopher⟩ judicious stresses a capacity for reaching wise decisions or just conclusions. ⟨judicious parents using kindness and discipline in equal measure⟩ prudent suggests the exercise of restraint guided by sound practical wisdom and discretion. ⟨a prudent decision to wait out the storm⟩ sensible applies to action guided and restrained by good sense and rationality. ⟨a sensible woman who was not fooled by flattery⟩ sane stresses mental soundness, rationality, and levelheadedness. ⟨remained sane even in times of crises⟩

profound

: having or showing great knowledge or understanding. a profound thinker. His knowledge of history is profound. Her books offer profound insights into the true nature of courage. Her books are a mixture of playfulness and profundity. : difficult to understand : requiring deep thought or wisdom. the profound mysteries of outer space. profound questions. : very strongly felt. profound sorrow. a profound sense of loss. the depth and profundity of her feelings. : very great. Computer technology has made profound [=major, significant] changes in our lives. His paintings have had a profound effect/impact/influence on her own work. : absolute or complete. a profound silence/sleep/deafness. She was influenced profoundly by his art. The discovery is profoundly important. Their beliefs are profoundly different. profoundly deaf people.

ingenuous

: having or showing the innocence, trust, and honesty that young people often have. an appealingly ingenuous young woman/man. an ingenuous smile/response. smiling ingenuously. natural, ingenuous, naive, unsophisticated, artless mean free from pretension or calculation. natural implies lacking artificiality and self-consciousness and having a spontaneousness suggesting the natural rather than the man-made world. ⟨her unaffected, natural manner⟩ ingenuous implies inability to disguise or conceal one's feelings or intentions. ⟨the ingenuous enthusiasm of children⟩ naive suggests lack of worldly wisdom often connoting credulousness and unchecked innocence. ⟨politically naive⟩ unsophisticated implies a lack of experience and training necessary for social ease and adroitness. ⟨unsophisticated adolescents⟩ artless suggests a naturalness resulting from unawareness of the effect one is producing on others. ⟨artless charm⟩

malfeasance

: illegal or dishonest activity especially by a public official or a corporation. The investigation has uncovered evidence of corporate malfeasance. misfeasance: the performance of a lawful action in an illegal or improper manner or with an improper or corrupt motive. nonfeasance: the failure or omission to do something that should be done or especially something that one is under a duty or obligation to do.

ethereal

: in heaven. ethereal heights. : resembling heaven : seeming to belong to another world. The windows give the church an ethereal glow. : very delicate. an ethereal ballet dancer. His writing is filled with ethereal [=airy] abstractions. an ethereally beautiful image.

erstwhile

: in the past : former. erstwhile friends.

comprehensive

: including many, most, or all things. covering completely or broadly : inclusive. comprehensive insurance [=insurance that covers all kinds of risks]. Each patient was comprehensively [=completely, thoroughly] evaluated. : having or exhibiting wide mental grasp. comprehensive knowledge. British : of or relating to a comprehensive school, comprehensive education.

eclectic

: including things taken from many different sources. The collection includes an eclectic mix of historical artifacts. a person with eclectic tastes [=a person who likes many different kinds of things]. an eclectically decorated room. the eclecticism of her tastes.

punitive

: intended to punish someone or something. : extremely or unfairly severe or high. Lobbyists complain that the bill would impose punitive taxes on the industry.

ulterior

: kept hidden in order to get a particular result - going beyond what is openly said or shown and especially what is proper. I think she has an ulterior motive for helping us. : further, future. : more distant. : situated on the farther side.

propinquity

: kinship, proximity. Being a young creator of any kind is all about cheap rent and propinquity.

diffidence

: lacking confidence : not feeling comfortable around people. He becomes diffident [=shy, timid] around girls. : very careful about acting or speaking. She has a diffident [=reserved] manner. She was diffident about stating her opinion. He asked diffidently about her family. shy, bashful, diffident, modest, coy mean not inclined to be forward. shy implies a timid reserve and a shrinking from familiarity or contact with others. ⟨shy with strangers⟩ bashful implies a frightened or hesitant shyness characteristic of childhood and adolescence. ⟨a bashful boy out on his first date⟩ diffident stresses a distrust of one's own ability or opinion that causes hesitation in acting or speaking. ⟨felt diffident about raising an objection⟩ modest suggests absence of undue confidence or conceit. ⟨modest about her success⟩ coy implies a pretended shyness. ⟨put off by her coy manner⟩.

surd

: lacking sense : irrational. surd conceits of scripture's sense. : voiceless —used of speech sounds. Surd can mean "lacking sense or irrational," much like absurd. While the grandparents might scratch their heads at the Star Wars references, the actors and perhaps some younger parents likely delighted in manic, jumbled and surd structure of the play. : an irrational root (such as √3).

incorrigible

: not able to be corrected or changed. an incorrigible gambler/optimist. an incorrigible habit of playing practical jokes. He is always the class clown and his teachers say he is incorrigible. incorrigibly romantic.

provenance

: the origin or source of something. Has anyone traced the provenances of these paintings? The saying has its provenance in [=comes from] Greek myth. The artifact is of unknown provenance.

larynx

: the part of your throat that contains the vocal cords — called also voice box. larynx bone.

inept

: lacking skill or ability. an inept mechanic. He was completely inept at sports. a socially inept teenager. : showing a lack of skill or ability : not done well. inept planning. He made an inept attempt to apologize. It was ineptly done. the ineptness of the coaching staff. awkward, clumsy, maladroit, inept, gauche mean not marked by ease (as of performance, movement, or social conduct). awkward is widely applicable and may suggest unhandiness, inconvenience, lack of muscular control, embarrassment, or lack of tact. ⟨periods of awkward silence⟩ clumsy implies stiffness and heaviness and so may connote inflexibility, unwieldiness, or lack of ordinary skill. ⟨a clumsy mechanic⟩ maladroit suggests a tendency to create awkward situations. ⟨a maladroit politician⟩ inept often implies complete failure or inadequacy. ⟨a hopelessly inept defense attorney⟩ gauche implies the effects of shyness, inexperience, or ill breeding. ⟨felt gauche and unsophisticated at formal parties⟩. inapt - : not appropriate or suitable : not apt. His description of the experience as "weird" isn't altogether inapt. [=it is somewhat accurate]

evanescent

: lasting a very short time - tending to vanish like vapor. evanescent fame. beauty that is as evanescent as a rainbow. transient, transitory, ephemeral, momentary, fugitive, fleeting, evanescent mean lasting or staying only a short time. transient applies to what is actually short in its duration or stay. ⟨a hotel catering primarily to transient guests⟩ transitory applies to what is by its nature or essence bound to change, pass, or come to an end. ⟨fame in the movies is transitory⟩ ephemeral implies striking brevity of life or duration. ⟨many slang words are ephemeral⟩ momentary suggests coming and going quickly and therefore being merely a brief interruption of a more enduring state. ⟨my feelings of guilt were only momentary⟩ fugitive and fleeting imply passing so quickly as to make apprehending difficult. ⟨let a fugitive smile flit across his face⟩ ⟨fleeting moments of joy⟩ evanescent suggests a quick vanishing and an airy or fragile quality. ⟨the story has an evanescent touch of whimsy that is lost in translation⟩

woebegone

: looking or feeling very sad. His face had a woebegone expression. a woebegone town.

haggard

: looking very thin and tired especially from great hunger, worry, or pain. She looked tired and haggard. We were shocked by his haggard appearance.

lowly

: low in rank, position, or importance : humble. He was working as a lowly clerk. He resented his lowly status.

supine

: lying on your back with your face upward a supine position. He was lying supine on the couch. disapproving : willing to be controlled by others : weak or passive. a supine attitude. a supine legislature that is afraid to take action.

alluvial

: made up of or found in the materials that are left by the water of rivers, floods, etc. an alluvial plain/deposit.

covetousness

: marked by inordinate desire for wealth or possessions or for another's possession. The expensive car drew many covetous looks. They were covetous of his success. [=they envied his success]. covetous, greedy, acquisitive, grasping, avaricious mean having or showing a strong desire for especially material possessions. covetous implies inordinate desire often for another's possessions. ⟨covetous of his brother's country estate⟩ greedy stresses lack of restraint and often of discrimination in desire. ⟨greedy for status symbols⟩ acquisitive implies both eagerness to possess and ability to acquire and keep. ⟨an eagerly acquisitive mind⟩ grasping adds to covetous and greedy an implication of selfishness and often suggests unfair or ruthless means. ⟨a hard grasping trader who cheated the natives⟩ avaricious implies obsessive acquisitiveness especially of money and strongly suggests stinginess. ⟨an avaricious miser⟩.

jocund

: marked by or suggestive of high spirits and lively mirthfulness - cheerful and lighthearted, full of or showing high-spirited merriment. a poet could not but be gay, in such a jocund company. merry. Santa Claus is always vivacious and jocund. merry, blithe, jocund, jovial, jolly mean showing high spirits or lightheartedness. merry suggests cheerful, joyous, uninhibited enjoyment of frolic or festivity. ⟨a merry group of revelers⟩ blithe suggests carefree, innocent, or even heedless gaiety. ⟨arrived late in his usual blithe way⟩ jocund stresses elation and exhilaration of spirits. ⟨singing, dancing, and jocund feasting⟩ jovial suggests the stimulation of conviviality and good fellowship. ⟨dinner put them in a jovial mood⟩ jolly suggests high spirits expressed in laughing, bantering, and jesting. ⟨our jolly host enlivened the party⟩

fortitude

: mental strength and courage that allows someone to face danger, pain, etc. She has endured disappointments with fortitude and patience. : The phrase intestinal fortitude is used informally in U.S. English as a humorous replacement for "guts," which means "courage." They accused him of lacking intestinal fortitude. [=of being a coward]. fortify - to strengthen.

alms

: money, clothes, food, and other things given to poor people. What in Europe had been a discreet offering with alms boxes kept at the back of the church (alms for the poor) became a central ritual activity in America.

wobbly (adj, n)

: moving from side to side in an unsteady way. The railing is wobbly. wobbly [=shaky] legs. : not strong or steady. He replied in a wobbly [=shaky] voice. : throw a wobbly : to become very angry or upset. He threw a wobbly [=threw a fit] when he found out his flight was delayed.

percussion

: musical instruments (such as drums, cymbals, or xylophones) that you play by hitting or shaking. He plays percussion for the band.

defunct

: no longer living, existing, functioning or being used. a defunct steel company. She wrote for the now-defunct newspaper. a defunct railroad.

rigid

: not able to be bent easily : stiff. a rigid steel beam The patient's legs were rigid. : not easily changed. The periodical has rigid [=strict, inflexible] guidelines for submissions. a rigid [=strict, unwavering] adherence to the rules. : not willing to change opinions or behavior. He is a rigid disciplinarian. the rigidity of the guidelines. The law was rigidly enforced. rigid, rigorous, strict, stringent mean extremely severe or stern. rigid implies uncompromising inflexibility. ⟨rigid rules of conduct⟩ rigorous implies the imposition of hardship and difficulty. ⟨the rigorous training of recruits⟩ strict emphasizes undeviating conformity to rules, standards, or requirements. ⟨strict enforcement of the law⟩ stringent suggests severe, tight restriction or limitation. ⟨stringent standards of admission⟩ synonyms see in addition stiff

intact

: not broken or damaged : having every part. The house survived the war intact. After 25 years, their friendship remained intact. perfect, whole, entire, intact mean not lacking or faulty in any particular. perfect implies the soundness and the excellence of every part, element, or quality of a thing frequently as an unattainable or theoretical state. ⟨a perfect set of teeth⟩ whole suggests a completeness or perfection that can be sought, gained, or regained. ⟨felt like a whole person again after vacation⟩ entire implies perfection deriving from integrity, soundness, or completeness of a thing. ⟨the entire Beethoven corpus⟩ intact implies retention of perfection of a thing in its natural or original state. ⟨the boat survived the storm intact⟩

lax

: not careful enough : not strict enough. lax regulations/policies. Security has been lax. He wrote an essay condemning the moral laxity in society. laws laxly enforced. their laxness [=laxity] in enforcing these rules. negligent, neglectful, lax, slack, remiss mean culpably careless or indicative of such carelessness. negligent implies inattention to one's duty or business. ⟨negligent about writing a note of thanks⟩ neglectful adds a more disapproving implication of laziness or deliberate inattention. ⟨a society callously neglectful of the poor⟩ lax implies a blameworthy lack of strictness, severity, or precision. ⟨a reporter lax about accurate quotation⟩ slack implies want of due or necessary diligence or care. ⟨slack workmanship⟩ remiss implies blameworthy carelessness shown in slackness, forgetfulness, or neglect. ⟨had been remiss in their familial duties⟩

tenuous

: not certain, definite, or strong : flimsy, weak, or uncertain. He has a tenuous grasp/grip/hold on reality. The local theater has had a tenuous existence in recent years. The connection between his absence and the robbery is tenuous [=shaky] at best. : very thin. the silkworm's tenuous threads. He was tenuously linked to the crime. thin, slender, slim, slight, tenuous mean not thick, broad, abundant, or dense. thin implies comparatively little extension between surfaces or in diameter, or it may imply lack of substance, richness, or abundance. ⟨thin wire⟩ ⟨a thin soup⟩ slender implies leanness or spareness often with grace and good proportion. ⟨the slender legs of a Sheraton chair⟩ slim applies to slenderness that suggests fragility or scantiness. ⟨a slim volume of poetry⟩ ⟨a slim chance⟩ slight implies smallness as well as thinness. ⟨a slight build⟩ tenuous implies extreme thinness, sheerness, or lack of substance and firmness. ⟨a tenuous thread⟩

unflagging

: not decreasing or becoming weaker. : remaining strong. tireless; undiminishing; unremitting. her unflagging energy/enthusiasm, being rewarded for the unflagging zeal with which she led the fund-raising campaign.

insipid

: not interesting or exciting : dull or boring. an insipid movie/novel. : lacking strong flavor : bland. The soup was rather insipid. Insipid means "weak," and it can refer to people ("insipid hangers-on"), things ("what an insipid idea," "painted the room an insipid blue," "he gave his boss an insipid smile"), and specifically flavors or foods ("an insipid soup," "the cocktail was insipid and watery"). Incipient means "beginning to come into being or become apparent." It has general use ("an incipient idea," "incipient racial tensions"), but also has extensive specialized use in medicine ("an incipient disease") and other scientific fields ("an incipient star in a distant galaxy"). insipid, vapid, flat, jejune, banal, inane mean devoid of qualities that make for spirit and character. insipid implies a lack of sufficient taste or savor to please or interest. ⟨an insipid romance with platitudes on every page⟩ vapid suggests a lack of liveliness, force, or spirit. ⟨an exciting story given a vapid treatment⟩ flat applies to things that have lost their sparkle or zest. ⟨although well-regarded in its day, the novel now seems flat⟩ jejune suggests a lack of rewarding or satisfying substance. ⟨a jejune and gassy speech⟩ banal stresses the complete absence of freshness, novelty, or immediacy. ⟨a banal tale of unrequited love⟩ inane implies a lack of any significant or convincing quality. ⟨an inane interpretation of the play⟩

pedestrian

: not interesting or unusual. : relating to or designed for people who are walking. Ordinary, dull, commonplace. He lived a pedestrian life, working at the paper mill and living in his trailer. pedestrian concerns like paying the bills and getting the kids to school on time. This area has a lot of pedestrian traffic. [=there are a lot of pedestrians in this area]. a pedestrian mall.

transient

: not lasting long. transient joys : staying somewhere only a short time. a transient population. the transience of fame/joy. : a person who does not have a permanent home and who stays in a place for only a short time before going somewhere else. transient, transitory, ephemeral, momentary, fugitive, fleeting, evanescent mean lasting or staying only a short time. transient applies to what is actually short in its duration or stay. ⟨a hotel catering primarily to transient guests⟩ transitory applies to what is by its nature or essence bound to change, pass, or come to an end. ⟨fame in the movies is transitory⟩ ephemeral implies striking brevity of life or duration. ⟨many slang words are ephemeral⟩ momentary suggests coming and going quickly and therefore being merely a brief interruption of a more enduring state. ⟨my feelings of guilt were only momentary⟩ fugitive and fleeting imply passing so quickly as to make apprehending difficult. ⟨let a fugitive smile flit across his face⟩ ⟨fleeting moments of joy⟩ evanescent suggests a quick vanishing and an airy or fragile quality. ⟨the story has an evanescent touch of whimsy that is lost in translation⟩

opaque

: not letting light through : not transparent. opaque glass. the opaque water of the muddy river. : difficult to understand or explain. opaque writing/theories.

unwarranted

: not necessary or appropriate : not warranted. Your anger is unwarranted. an unwarranted assumption.

humble (adj)

: not proud : not thinking of yourself as better than other people. Despite all his achievements, he has remained humble. She is too humble to let praise go to her head. : given or said in a way that shows you do not think you are better than other people. a humble request. Please accept my humble apologies. In my humble opinion [=in my opinion], he is the most talented actor on the stage today. Her humble suggestion is that we review the data more carefully. : not high in rank or status. He comes from a humble background. : not special, fancy, or expensive. a meal made of humble ingredients.

euphony

: pleasing or sweet sound; especially : the acoustic effect produced by words so formed or combined as to please the ear. : a harmonious succession of words having a pleasing sound.

precarious

: not safe, strong, or steady. He earned a precarious livelihood/living by gambling. She was in a state of precarious [=delicate] health. The vase was placed precariously close to the edge of the table. : depending on the will or pleasure of another, dependent on chance circumstances, unknown conditions, or uncertain developments, characterized by a lack of security or stability that threatens with danger. dangerous, hazardous, precarious, perilous, risky mean bringing or involving the chance of loss or injury. dangerous applies to something that may cause harm or loss unless dealt with carefully. ⟨soldiers on a dangerous mission⟩ hazardous implies great and continuous risk of harm or failure. ⟨claims that smoking is hazardous to your health⟩ precarious suggests both insecurity and uncertainty. ⟨earned a precarious living by gambling⟩ perilous strongly implies the immediacy of danger. ⟨perilous mountain roads⟩ risky often applies to a known and accepted danger. ⟨shied away from risky investments⟩

disingenuous

: not truly honest or sincere : giving the false appearance of being honest or sincere. Her recent expressions of concern are self-serving and disingenuous. a disingenuous response. He claims disingenuously to have supported the plan from the beginning.

nugatory

: of little or no consequence. comments too nugatory to merit attention. : having no force : inoperative. The law was unenforced and thus rendered nugatory. vain, nugatory, otiose, idle, empty, hollow mean being without worth or significance. vain implies either absolute or relative absence of value. ⟨vain promises⟩ nugatory suggests triviality or insignificance. ⟨a monarch with nugatory powers⟩ otiose suggests that something serves no purpose and is either an encumbrance or a superfluity. ⟨a film without a single otiose scene⟩ idle suggests being incapable of worthwhile use or effect. ⟨idle speculations⟩ empty and hollow suggest a deceiving lack of real substance or soundness or genuineness. ⟨an empty attempt at reconciliation⟩ ⟨a hollow victory⟩

sartorial

: of or relating to clothes. They accused him of having poor sartorial taste. The wedding party arrived in sartorial splendor. my sartorially conservative friend.

bucolic

: of or relating to the country or country life : pastoral. a charming bucolic farmhouse. the bucolic English countryside.

arboreal

: of or relating to trees. the forest's arboreal beauty. : living in or often found in trees. an arboreal monkey.

mercurial

: of, relating to, containing, or caused by mercury. : changing moods quickly and often. a mercurial movie star. She had a mercurial personality/disposition. : changing often : very changeable. mercurial weather. : very lively and quick. mercurial wit. inconstant, fickle, capricious, mercurial, unstable mean lacking firmness or steadiness (as in purpose or devotion). inconstant implies an incapacity for steadiness and an inherent tendency to change. ⟨an inconstant friend⟩ fickle suggests unreliability because of perverse changeability and incapacity for steadfastness. ⟨performers discover how fickle fans can be⟩ capricious suggests motivation by sudden whim or fancy and stresses unpredictability. ⟨an utterly capricious critic⟩ mercurial implies a rapid changeability in mood. ⟨made anxious by her boss's mercurial temperament⟩ unstable implies an incapacity for remaining in a fixed position or steady course and applies especially to a lack of emotional balance. ⟨too unstable to hold a job⟩

diachronic

: of, relating to, or dealing with phenomena (as of language or culture) as they occur or change over a period of time. concerned with the way in which something, especially language, has developed and evolved through time.

sidereal

: of, relating to, or expressed in relation to stars or constellations : astral. With this definition, a sidereal year is something like 365.256363 solar days. One tweet, in particular, has birthed a fair number of inky astronauts floating across a sidereal arm.

axial

: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of an axis. : situated around, in the direction of, on, or along an axis. Seasons are all about axial tilt, whether the planet in orbit is tilted towards or away from the sun.

rustic

: of, relating to, or suitable for the country or people who live in the country, rural. The inn has a rustic atmosphere. a rustic village. : made of rough wood. simple, rustic furniture. the rusticity of the inn. : a person who lives in the country.

archaic

: old and no longer used : outdated. archaic customs. The company needs to update its archaic computer systems. : of or relating to ancient times. archaic art. old, ancient, venerable, antique, antiquated, archaic, obsolete mean having come into existence or use in the more or less distant past. old may apply to either actual or merely relative length of existence. ⟨old houses⟩ ⟨an old sweater of mine⟩ ancient applies to occurrence, existence, or use in or survival from the distant past. ⟨ancient accounts of dragons⟩ venerable stresses the impressiveness and dignity of great age. ⟨the family's venerable patriarch⟩ antique applies to what has come down from a former or ancient time. ⟨collected antique Chippendale furniture⟩ antiquated implies being discredited or outmoded or otherwise inappropriate to the present time. ⟨antiquated teaching methods⟩ archaic implies having the character or characteristics of a much earlier time. ⟨the play used archaic language to convey a sense of period⟩ obsolete may apply to something regarded as no longer acceptable or useful even though it is still in existence. ⟨a computer that makes earlier models obsolete⟩

incarnation

: one of a series of lives that a person is believed to have had in the past in some religions. He claims that he was a Greek soldier in a previous incarnation. [=in a previous life; when he lived in the past as a different person]. : a person who represents a quality or idea. She is the incarnation [=embodiment] of goodness. [=she is a very good person].

permutation

: one of the many different ways or forms in which something exists or can be arranged. Computer technology, in all of its permutations, is here to stay. Early permutations of the design look nothing like the final result. I have heard various permutations of this theory.

stratum (plural - strata)

: one of usually many layers of a substance (such as rock). a rock stratum. : a level of society made up of people of the same rank or position. Drug abuse is a problem in every stratum of society. : to form, deposit, or arrange in strata. stratified societies.

cordiality

: politely pleasant and friendly. The two nations have maintained cordial relations. They greeted the ambassador with cordiality. gracious, cordial, affable, genial, sociable mean markedly pleasant and easy in social intercourse. gracious implies courtesy and kindly consideration. ⟨the gracious award winner thanked her colleagues⟩ cordial stresses warmth and heartiness. ⟨our host was cordial as he greeted us⟩ affable implies easy approachability and readiness to respond pleasantly to conversation or requests or proposals. ⟨though wealthy, she was affable to all⟩ genial stresses cheerfulness and even joviality. ⟨a genial companion with a ready quip⟩ sociable suggests a genuine liking for the companionship of others. ⟨sociable people who enjoy entertaining⟩

explicable

: possible to explain : explainable. phenomena explicable by the laws of physics.

plausible

: possibly true : believable or realistic. a plausible [=possible] conclusion. She plausibly [=believably] argued that she was innocent.

savvy (n, adj)

: practical understanding or knowledge of something. He is admired for his business savvy. (=shrewdness) : having practical understanding or knowledge of something. She's a very savvy investor. He is savvy about computers.

sparse

: present only in small amounts : less than necessary or normal. Reliable data is sparse. : thinly covering an area : not thick or full. a sparse beard. a sparsely populated area. meager, scanty, scant, skimpy, spare, sparse mean falling short of what is normal, necessary, or desirable. meager implies the absence of elements, qualities, or numbers necessary to a thing's richness, substance, or potency. ⟨a meager portion of meat⟩ scanty stresses insufficiency in amount, quantity, or extent. ⟨supplies too scanty to last the winter⟩ scant suggests a falling short of what is desired or desirable rather than of what is essential. ⟨in January the daylight hours are scant⟩ skimpy usually suggests niggardliness or penury as the cause of the deficiency. ⟨tacky housing developments on skimpy lots⟩ spare may suggest a slight falling short of adequacy or merely an absence of superfluity. ⟨a spare, concise style of writing⟩ sparse implies a thin scattering of units. ⟨a sparse population⟩

lucrative

: producing money or wealth : profitable. a lucrative job/investment. a lucrative career/contract. The business has proved to be highly lucrative. — lucratively employed.

effulgent

: radiant splendor : brilliance. The golden palace was effulgent.

risque

: referring to sex in a rude and slightly shocking way. a risqué joke/topic. a song with risqué lyrics. There will be no fine for Stephen Colbert's risque joke about President Donald Trump.

terrestrial

: relating to or occurring on the earth terrestrial life forms. : living or growing on land instead of in water or air. The toad has terrestrial habits, spending most of its time on shore. terrestrial birds. : sending a broadcast signal from the Earth terrestrial wireless networks. a terrestrial radio station.

nonchalance

: relaxed and calm in a way that shows that you do not care or are not worried about anything. He was surprisingly nonchalant about winning the award. She faced the crowd with the nonchalant ease of an experienced speaker. The team may have been somewhat nonchalant at the beginning of the season, but they now know that they need to work hard. — nonchalance . She faced the crowd with the nonchalance of an experienced speaker. — nonchalantly.

homage

: respect or honor. People bowed in homage to the king as he passed by. Her paintings pay homage to [=honor] women artists of the past. : something that is done to honor someone or something. Her book is a/an homage to her favorite city. honor, homage, reverence, deference mean respect and esteem shown to another. honor may apply to the recognition of one's right to great respect or to any expression of such recognition. ⟨the nomination is an honor⟩ homage adds the implication of accompanying praise. ⟨paying homage to Shakespeare⟩ reverence implies profound respect mingled with love, devotion, or awe. ⟨great reverence for my father⟩ deference implies a yielding or submitting to another's judgment or preference out of respect or reverence. ⟨showed no deference to their elders⟩.

retrograde

: returning to an earlier and usually worse state or condition. a retrograde policy that would leave more people poorer than they are now. : moving backward. retrograde motion.

insolence

: rude or impolite : having or showing a lack of respect for other people. an insolent [=impudent, disrespectful] child Insolent behavior will not be tolerated. — The boy was punished for his insolence. — insolently.

emphatic

: said or done in a forceful or definite way. Her answer was an emphatic [=resounding] "Yes!". a man with emphatic [=strong, definite] opinions. an emphatic victory. : speaking or acting in a forceful way. They were emphatic about their political differences. He declared emphatically [=forcefully] that he did not believe them. This is emphatically [=definitely] not the right thing to do.

glib

: said or done too easily or carelessly : showing little preparation or thought. Politicians need to do more than provide glib answers to difficult questions. glib generalizations. the actor's glib portrayal of a drug addict. : speaking in a smooth, easy way that is not sincere. glib politicians. He talks glibly of returning to school, but I know he doesn't have the discipline.

ostensible

: seeming or said to be true or real but very possibly not true or real. The ostensible reason for his visit was to see an old friend. (=he said the reason was to see an old friend, but the real reason may have been something different). The ostensible (=apparent) purpose of the article is to encourage young adults to vote. The story is ostensibly fiction, but some of the events are based on real life. Ostensibly, the reason for his visit was to see an old friend. : intended for display : open to view. the ostensible reason for the meeting turned out to be a trick to get him to the surprise party. The ostensible reason for the call was to chat, but then he asked for money. Like its synonyms "apparent" and "seeming," "ostensible" implies a discrepancy between what appears to be and what actually is. "Apparent" suggests appearance to unaided senses that may not be borne out by more rigorous examination ("the apparent cause of the accident"). "Seeming" implies a character in the thing being observed that gives it the appearance of something else ("the seeming simplicity of the story"). "Ostensible," which descends from the Latin word ostendere ("to show"), suggests a discrepancy between a declared or implied aim or reason and the true one. apparent, illusory, seeming, ostensible mean not actually being what appearance indicates. apparent suggests appearance to unaided senses that may or may not be borne out by more rigorous examination or greater knowledge. ⟨the apparent cause of the accident⟩ illusory implies a false impression based on deceptive resemblance or faulty observation, or influenced by emotions that prevent a clear view. ⟨an illusory sense of security⟩ seeming implies a character in the thing observed that gives it the appearance, sometimes through intent, of something else. ⟨the seeming simplicity of the story⟩ ostensible suggests a discrepancy between an openly declared or naturally implied aim or reason and the true one. ⟨the ostensible reason for their visit⟩

discrete

: separate and different from each other. The process can be broken down into a number of discrete [=separate, individual] steps. : taking on or having a finite or countably infinite number of values. discrete probabilities. a discrete random variable. distinct, separate, discrete mean not being each and every one the same. distinct indicates that something is distinguished by the mind or eye as being apart or different from others. ⟨two distinct versions⟩ separate often stresses lack of connection or a difference in identity between two things. ⟨separate rooms⟩ discrete strongly emphasizes individuality and lack of connection. ⟨broke the job down into discrete stages⟩.

insanity

: severe mental illness : the condition of being insane. She was found not guilty by reason of insanity. : something that is very foolish or unreasonable His friends thought his decision to quit his job was pure insanity. Please, no more violence. It's time to stop this insanity.the insanities of modern life.

iridescent

: shining with many different colors when seen from different angles. an iridescent gemstone.

magisterial

: showing impressive knowledge about a subject. His book is a magisterial [=authoritative] study of the artist. : having the confident quality of someone who expects to be obeyed by other people. He spoke with a magisterial tone. : of or relating to a magistrate (a local official who has some of the powers of a judge). magisterial duties. : of, relating to, or required for a master's degree. dictatorial, magisterial, dogmatic, doctrinaire, oracular mean imposing one's will or opinions on others. dictatorial stresses autocratic, high-handed methods and a domineering manner. ⟨exercised dictatorial control over the office⟩ magisterial stresses assumption or use of prerogatives appropriate to a magistrate or schoolmaster in forcing acceptance of one's opinions. ⟨the magisterial tone of his pronouncements⟩ dogmatic implies being unduly and offensively positive in laying down principles and expressing opinions. ⟨dogmatic about what is art and what is not⟩ doctrinaire implies a disposition to follow abstract theories in framing laws or policies affecting people. ⟨a doctrinaire approach to improving the economy⟩ oracular implies the manner of one who delivers opinions in cryptic phrases or with pompous dogmatism. ⟨a designer who is the oracular voice of fashion⟩

auspicious

: showing or suggesting that future success is likely. It was an auspicious time to open a new business. His acclaimed first novel was an auspicious debut. favorable, auspicious, propitious mean pointing toward a happy outcome. favorable implies that the persons involved are approving or helpful or that the circumstances are advantageous. ⟨favorable weather conditions⟩ auspicious applies to something taken as a sign or omen promising success before or at the start of an event. ⟨an auspicious beginning⟩ propitious may also apply to beginnings but often implies a continuing favorable condition. ⟨a propitious time for starting a business⟩

sardonic

: showing that you disapprove of or do not like someone or something : showing disrespect or scorn for someone or something - disdainfully or skeptically humorous. The movie is a sardonic look at modern life. She smiled sardonically when she heard what had happened. sarcastic, satiric, ironic, sardonic mean marked by bitterness and a power or will to cut or sting. sarcastic implies an intentional inflicting of pain by deriding, taunting, or ridiculing. ⟨a critic known for his sarcastic remarks⟩ satiric implies that the intent of the ridiculing is censure and reprobation. ⟨a satiric look at contemporary society⟩ ironic implies an attempt to be amusing or provocative by saying usually the opposite of what is meant. ⟨made the ironic observation that the government could always be trusted⟩ sardonic implies scorn, mockery, or derision that is manifested by either verbal or facial expression. ⟨surveyed the scene with a sardonic smile⟩

waggish

: silly and playful. waggish humor. a waggish writer.

ingenuity

: skill or cleverness that allows someone to solve problems, invent things, etc. She showed amazing ingenuity in finding ways to cut costs. It will take considerable/much/some ingenuity to fix these problems. clever, adroit, cunning, ingenious mean having or showing practical wit or skill in contriving. clever stresses physical or mental quickness, deftness, or great aptitude. ⟨a person clever with horses⟩ adroit often implies a skillful use of expedients to achieve one's purpose in spite of difficulties. ⟨an adroit negotiator⟩ cunning implies great skill in constructing or creating. ⟨a filmmaker cunning in his use of special effects⟩ ingenious suggests the power of inventing or discovering a new way of accomplishing something. ⟨an ingenious software engineer⟩.

mendicant

: someone (such as a member of a religious group) who lives by asking people for money or food. wandering mendicants. a mendicant monk.

enigmat

: someone or something that is difficult to understand or explain. To his friends, he was always something of an enigma. one of the great enigmas of our time. : full of mystery and difficult to understand. an enigmatic smile. mystery, problem, enigma, riddle, puzzle mean something which baffles or perplexes. mystery applies to what cannot be fully understood by reason or less strictly to whatever resists or defies explanation. ⟨the mystery of the stone monoliths⟩ problem applies to a question or difficulty calling for a solution or causing concern. ⟨problems created by high technology⟩ enigma applies to utterance or behavior that is very difficult to interpret. ⟨his suicide remains an enigma⟩ riddle suggests an enigma or problem involving paradox or apparent contradiction. ⟨the riddle of the reclusive pop star⟩ puzzle applies to an enigma or problem that challenges ingenuity for its solution. ⟨the thief's motives were a puzzle for the police⟩ obscure, dark, vague, enigmatic, cryptic, ambiguous, equivocal mean not clearly understandable. obscure implies a hiding or veiling of meaning through some inadequacy of expression or withholding of full knowledge. ⟨obscure poems⟩ dark implies an imperfect or clouded revelation often with ominous or sinister suggestion. ⟨muttered dark hints of revenge⟩ vague implies a lack of clear formulation due to inadequate conception or consideration. ⟨a vague sense of obligation⟩ enigmatic stresses a puzzling, mystifying quality. ⟨enigmatic occult writings⟩ cryptic implies a purposely concealed meaning. ⟨cryptic hints of hidden treasure⟩ ambiguous applies to language capable of more than one interpretation. ⟨an ambiguous directive⟩ equivocal applies to language left open to differing interpretations with the intention of deceiving or evading. ⟨moral precepts with equivocal phrasing⟩

raconteur

: someone who is good at telling stories, a person who excels in telling anecdotes. Jimmy then was thin, handsome, an irrepressible raconteur and hustler.

aberration

: something (such as a problem or a type of behavior) that is unusual or unexpected, the fact of deviating or being aberrant especially from a moral standard or normal state. For her, such a low grade on an exam was an aberration. aberrations of character. : something or someone regarded as atypical and therefore able be ignored or discounted. Harkins was to be regarded as an aberration among American military leaders. : failure of a mirror, refracting surface, or lens to produce exact point-to-point correspondence between an object and its image. Chromatic aberration. : unsoundness or disorder of the mind, a serious mental disorder that prevents one from living a safe and normal life. insanity. Joan of Arc was certain the voices she had been hearing were not a manifestation of some sort of aberration.

utterance

: something that a person says. a politician's carefully crafted public utterances She hung on his every utterance. [=she paid careful attention to everything he said]. : the act of saying something. give utterance to an idea. the ideas conveyed in the utterance of a simple sentence. : the act of being said. a word that by its very utterance tends to elicit strong emotion.

bugbear

: something that causes problems or annoys people. The biggest bugbear of the skiing business is a winter without snow. : an imaginary goblin or specter used to excite fear. : an object or source of dread, a continuing source of irritation.

precursor

: something that comes before something else and that often leads to or influences its development — often + of or to (ударение). Rhythm and blues was a precursor of rock music. Small tremors may be precursors to big earthquakes. : a substance, cell, or cellular component from which another substance, cell, or cellular component is formed. forerunner, precursor, harbinger, herald mean one that goes before or announces the coming of another. forerunner is applicable to anything that serves as a sign or presage. ⟨the blockade was the forerunner of war⟩ precursor applies to a person or thing paving the way for the success or accomplishment of another. ⟨18th century poets like Burns were precursors of the Romantics⟩ harbinger and herald both apply, chiefly figuratively, to one that proclaims or announces the coming or arrival of a notable event. ⟨their early victory was the harbinger of a winning season⟩ ⟨the herald of a new age in medicine⟩

addendum

: something that is added: a section of a book that is added to the main or original text. The letters are included as an addendum to the biography.

ramification

: something that is the result of an action, decision, etc. They discussed the possible ramifications [=consequences] of the new treaty. The government's actions in this case could have major political ramifications. : the act or process of branching; specifically : the mode of arrangement of branches. : a branch or offshoot from a main stock or channel. the ramification of an artery.; also : the resulting branched structure. make visible the whole ramification of the dendrite.

bugaboo

: something that makes people very worried or upset. politicians complaining about that old bugaboo, high oil prices. : an imaginary object of fear (bugbear).

detriment

: something that will cause damage or injury to something or someone. He saw the new regulations as a detriment to progress. : the act of causing damage or injury to something or someone. He puts all his time into his career, to the detriment of his personal life. She was able to work long hours without detriment to her health.

damp (adj, n, v)

: somewhat or slightly wet. Wipe up the mess with a damp cloth. : slight wetness in the air. The books from her basement still smelled of damp. [=dampness] : to make (something) somewhat or slightly wet : dampen. His hands were damped with sweat. : to make (something) less strong or active. Nothing could damp [=(more commonly) dampen, depress] his spirits. wet, damp, dank, moist, humid mean covered or more or less soaked with liquid. wet usually implies saturation but may suggest a covering of a surface with water or something (such as paint) not yet dry. ⟨slipped on the wet pavement⟩ damp implies a slight or moderate absorption and often connotes an unpleasant degree of moisture. ⟨clothes will mildew if stored in a damp place⟩ dank implies a more distinctly disagreeable or unwholesome dampness. ⟨a prisoner in a cold, dank cell⟩ moist applies to what is slightly damp or not felt as dry. ⟨treat the injury with moist heat⟩ humid applies to the presence of much water vapor in the air. ⟨a hot, humid climate⟩

haste

: speed of motion or action : quickness or eagerness that can result in mistakes. The application had been approved with undue haste. She sent the letter in haste and later regretted it. In their haste to leave for the airport, they forgot their passports. haste makes waste — used to say that doing something too quickly causes mistakes that result in time, effort, materials, etc., being wasted make haste old-fashioned. : to move, act, or go quickly : hurry "You will be too late, if you do not make haste." haste, hurry, speed, expedition, dispatch mean quickness in movement or action. haste applies to personal action and implies urgency and precipitancy and often rashness. ⟨marry in haste⟩ hurry often has a strong suggestion of agitated bustle or confusion. ⟨in the hurry of departure she forgot her toothbrush⟩ speed suggests swift efficiency in movement or action. ⟨exercises to increase your reading speed⟩ expedition and dispatch both imply speed and efficiency in handling affairs but expedition stresses ease or efficiency of performance and dispatch stresses promptness in concluding matters. ⟨the case came to trial with expedition⟩ ⟨paid bills with dispatch⟩

incongruous

: strange because of not agreeing with what is usual or expected. His outburst seemed incongruous to those who know him well. The modern sculpture seems incongruous [=out of place] among all the antiques.

robust

: strong and healthy. He is in robust health. : strongly formed or built. robust furniture. : successful or impressive and not likely to fail or weaken. She offered a robust [=forceful] argument against the plan. : having a rich, strong flavor. The sauce has a robust flavor. The food was robustly seasoned. healthy, sound, wholesome, robust, hale, well mean enjoying or indicative of good health. healthy implies full strength and vigor as well as freedom from signs of disease. ⟨a healthy family⟩ sound emphasizes the absence of disease, weakness, or malfunction. ⟨a sound heart⟩ wholesome implies appearance and behavior indicating soundness and balance. ⟨a face with a wholesome glow⟩ robust implies the opposite of all that is delicate or sickly. ⟨a lively, robust little boy⟩ hale applies particularly to robustness in old age. ⟨still hale at the age of eighty⟩ well implies merely freedom from disease or illness. ⟨she has never been a well person⟩

mulishness

: stubborn or inflexible. : refusing to do what other people want or to change your opinion or the way you do something. She approached the job with mulish determination. a mulish insistence on doing things his own way. obstinate, dogged, stubborn, pertinacious, mulish mean fixed and unyielding in course or purpose. obstinate implies usually an unreasonable persistence. ⟨an obstinate proponent of conspiracy theories⟩ dogged suggests an admirable often tenacious and unwavering persistence. ⟨pursued the story with dogged perseverance⟩ stubborn implies sturdiness in resisting change which may or may not be admirable. ⟨a person too stubborn to admit error⟩ pertinacious suggests an annoying or irksome persistence. ⟨a pertinacious salesclerk refusing to take no for an answer⟩ mulish implies a thoroughly unreasonable obstinacy. ⟨a mulish determination to have his own way⟩

recalcitrant

: stubbornly refusing to obey rules or orders. a recalcitrant prisoner. : difficult to manage or operate. this subject is recalcitrant both to observation and to experiment. : not responsive to treatment. severe recalcitrant psoriasis. unruly, ungovernable, intractable, refractory, recalcitrant, willful, headstrong mean not submissive to government or control. unruly implies lack of discipline or incapacity for discipline and often connotes waywardness or turbulence of behavior. ⟨unruly children⟩ ungovernable implies either an escape from control or guidance or a state of being unsubdued and incapable of controlling oneself or being controlled by others. ⟨ungovernable rage⟩ intractable suggests stubborn resistance to guidance or control. ⟨intractable opponents of the hazardous-waste dump⟩ refractory stresses resistance to attempts to manage or to mold. ⟨special schools for refractory children⟩ recalcitrant suggests determined resistance to or defiance of authority. ⟨acts of sabotage by a recalcitrant populace⟩ willful implies an obstinate determination to have one's own way. ⟨a willful disregard for the rights of others⟩ headstrong suggests self-will impatient of restraint, advice, or suggestion. ⟨a headstrong young cavalry officer⟩

eminent

: successful, well-known and respected. an eminent physician. famous, renowned, celebrated, noted, notorious, distinguished, eminent, illustrious mean known far and wide. famous implies little more than the fact of being, sometimes briefly, widely and popularly known. ⟨a famous actress⟩ renowned implies more glory and acclamation. ⟨one of the most renowned figures in sports history⟩ celebrated implies notice and attention especially in print. ⟨the most celebrated beauty of her day⟩ noted suggests well-deserved public attention. ⟨the noted mystery writer⟩ notorious frequently adds to famous an implication of questionableness or evil. ⟨a notorious gangster⟩ distinguished implies acknowledged excellence or superiority. ⟨a distinguished scientist who won the Nobel Prize⟩ eminent implies even greater prominence for outstanding quality or character. ⟨the country's most eminent writers⟩ illustrious stresses enduring honor and glory attached to a deed or person. ⟨illustrious war heroes⟩

gear

: supplies, tools, or clothes needed for a special purpose. fishing gear. : a toothed wheel in a machine. : a part that connects the engine of a vehicle or the pedals of a bicycle to the wheels and controls the speed at which the wheels turn. a car with four forward gears. Halfway up the hill, my bike slipped out of gear. He put the car in/into gear [=he moved the lever that controls the car's gears into the position that allows the car to begin moving] and drove away. (US) She shifted into low/high gear. = (Brit) She changed into bottom/top gear. [=she changed to a gear that allows for a slower/faster rate of speed] : change/shift/switch gears (US) or British change gear: to move from one level or area of activity to another. He once again changed gears in his career. She's decided to shift gears, quit her job, and go back to school. get in gear informal or get (something) in gear : to start working or doing something in a more energetic and effective way. We need to get in gear [=get going] if we want to finish this project on time. She finally got her career in gear. [=finally started to be successful in her career]. (US, informal + impolite) He angrily told him to get his ass in gear. [=to get going, to start moving or doing something much more quickly]. : to make (something) suitable for a particular use or type of person. The book is geared toward children. [=the book is intended to be used by children] : gear up : to get ready or to cause (someone) to get ready for something or to do something. The team is gearing up for a comeback. The team is geared up for a win. : the parts that transfer motion from one part of a machine to another : gearing : the parts that transfer motion from one part of a machine to another. a gearing mechanism.

eccentric

: tending to act in strange or unusual ways. He was a kind but eccentric man. : strange or unusual. eccentric behavior/ideas. strange, singular, unique, peculiar, eccentric, erratic, odd, quaint, outlandish mean departing from what is ordinary, usual, or to be expected. strange stresses unfamiliarity and may apply to the foreign, the unnatural, the unaccountable. ⟨a journey filled with strange sights⟩ singular suggests individuality or puzzling strangeness. ⟨a singular feeling of impending disaster⟩ unique implies singularity and the fact of being without a known parallel. ⟨a career unique in the annals of science⟩ peculiar implies a marked distinctiveness. ⟨the peculiar status of America's first lady⟩ eccentric suggests a wide divergence from the usual or normal especially in behavior. ⟨the eccentric eating habits of preschoolers⟩ erratic stresses a capricious and unpredictable wandering or deviating. ⟨a friend's suddenly erratic behavior⟩ odd applies to a departure from the regular or expected. ⟨an odd sense of humor⟩ quaint suggests an old-fashioned but pleasant oddness. ⟨a quaint fishing village⟩ outlandish applies to what is uncouth, bizarre, or barbaric. ⟨outlandish fashions of the time⟩

rebound (n, v)

: the act of bouncing back after hitting something. The fielder caught the ball on the rebound off the wall. (n) : a ball, puck, etc., that bounces back after hitting something. He caught/grabbed the rebound. : an increase or improvement after a decrease or decline. There has been a recent rebound in stock prices. (n) : on the rebound : sad and confused because a romantic relationship has recently ended. She refused to date him while he was still on the rebound. : getting better. His health is on the rebound.

surveillance

: the act of carefully watching someone or something especially in order to prevent or detect a crime. government surveillance of suspected terrorists. The bank robbery was recorded by surveillance video cameras. electronic surveillance [=the act of using electronic devices to watch people or things]. The police kept her under surveillance. [=watched her closely]

exposition

: the act of explaining something : clear explanation. The subject requires some exposition. a clear exposition of his ideas. : a public show or exhibition. the great Paris Exposition of 1889 have/hold/mount an international exposition.

suspension

: the act of forcing someone to leave a job, position, or place for a usually short period of time as a form of punishment. He was angry about his suspension from the team. : the act of stopping or delaying something for a usually short period of time. : the act of making something invalid or ineffective for a usually short period of time. a 30-day license suspension. : a substance (usually a liquid) that has very small pieces of a solid material mixed throughout it. : the parts of a vehicle that connect the body to the tires and allow the vehicle to move more smoothly over uneven surfaces. the car's front/rear suspension.

largesse

: the act of giving away money or the quality of a person who gives away money. He relied on the largesse of friends after he lost his job. a philanthropist known for his largesse. also : money that is given away. projects depending on a flow of federal largesse.

catharsis

: the act or process of releasing a strong emotion (such as pity or fear) especially by expressing it in an art form. Acting is a means of catharsis for her. Painting/music/writing is a catharsis for me. a cathartic experience.

countenance

: the appearance of a person's face : a person's expression. The photograph showed his somber countenance. : to accept, support, or approve of (something). The city would not countenance [=permit] a rock concert in the park. The leader did not officially countenance [=encourage] negotiations with the rebels.

diocese

: the area that is controlled by a bishop in a Christian church. a Catholic diocese. diocesan priests. The tax credit program has the support of Catholic dioceses all over the state.

hedonism

: the belief that pleasure or happiness is the most important goal in life. — a hedonistic lifestyle. — hedonistically. : a way of life based on or suggesting the principles of hedonism. She was a perfect specimen of selfish hedonism — Donald Armstrong.

precedence

: the condition of being more important than something or someone else and therefore coming or being dealt with first. The guests were introduced in order of precedence. [=the most important guests were introduced first]. The safety of the children has/takes precedence over everything else. Many small businesses complain that the government's policies give precedence to large corporations.

breadth

: the distance from one side to the other side of something : width. We measured the height, breadth, and depth of each piece of furniture. : the quality of including many things : the wide scope or range of something. I admire his breadth of knowledge/experience/achievement. = I admire the breadth of his knowledge/experience/achievement. : hair's breadth : a very small distance or amount. He came within a hair's breadth of winning the race. a hairbreadth escape [=a very narrow escape].

denouement

: the final part of something (such as a book, a play, or a series of events). In the play's denouement, the two lovers kill themselves. the competition's exciting denouement.

induction

: the formal act or process of placing someone into a new job, position, government office, etc. Many people attended the bishop's induction. : the formal act of making someone a member of the military. the registration and induction of draftees. : a kind of reasoning that uses particular examples in order to reach a general conclusion about something. : the process by which an electric current, an electric charge, or magnetism is produced in objects by being close to an electric or magnetic field.

vanguard

: the group of people who are the leaders of an action or movement in society, politics, art, etc. a member of the feminist vanguard. They are at the vanguard of a revolution in medical research. [=they are leading a revolution in medical research] She was in the vanguard of the feminist movement in the early seventies. : the soldiers, ships, etc., that are at the front of a fighting force that is moving forward.

crust (in pizza)

: the hard outer surface of bread. Her children prefer to eat their sandwiches with the crusts cut off (= with the crust cut off). : the outside part of a pie : piecrust. Bake the pie until the crust [=top] is golden brown. a pie with flaky crust. : the bread that is used to make a pizza. He likes pizza with thin/thick crust. She ate three slices of pizza, but left the crusts [=the thick, outer pieces of the crust] on her plate. : a hard layer on the surface of something. Our feet broke through the thin crust of ice and into the snow below. the Earth's crust. : earn a/your crust : to earn the money that you need to live : to earn a living. I'm really a poet, but I've got to earn my crust as an accountant.

apogee

: the highest point of something. The style reached its apogee [=(more commonly) apex, high point] in the mid-1960s. : the point in outer space where an object traveling around the Earth (such as a satellite or the moon) is farthest away from the Earth. Apogee is often used in its figurative sense, signifying the high point of a career, endeavor, or state ("she was at the apogee of her profession"). Synonymous with apogee Climax ("the most interesting and exciting part of something"). And, very much like apogee, culmination ("the final result of something").

pitch

: the highness or lowness of a sound. instruments with different pitches. Her voice has a high pitch. You were a little off pitch [=too high or too low] on that last note. His singing was perfectly on pitch. : things that are said by someone (such as a salesman) in order to make someone want to buy, do, or accept something. The salesman started making/delivering his pitch as soon as he saw us looking at the car. an advertising pitch. : a state of intense feeling. Tensions between the two groups have risen to a high/feverish pitch. [=have become very intense]. They brought the audience to such a pitch of excitement that you could no longer hear the music. : the amount or degree of slope on a roof or other surface. All the houses have roofs with steep pitches to prevent the buildup of snow. : up and down movement of a ship or airplane. The water was choppy that day, and the continual pitch of the boat made everyone seasick. : an area that is used for playing sports : playing field. Fans ran onto the pitch at the end of the match. : an outdoor area where someone performs or sells things. : to throw or toss (something). Passersby on the street pitched coins into her open guitar case as she played. : to make or design (something) for people at a particular level. They pitched the test at a fifth-grade reading level. The lesson was originally pitched to younger students. : to cause (something) to be at a particular level. Try not to pitch your hopes/ambitions too high. : to slope downward. The road pitches steeply down the side of the mountain. : to fall or move suddenly in a particular direction. He lost his balance and pitched forward onto the ground. The boat was pitching up and down in the rough waters. The nose of the airplane suddenly pitched downward. : to set up (a tent or camp). We decided to pitch our tents there for the night. We pitched camp by the river. : to become very upset and angry in a loud and uncontrolled way. He pitched [=threw] a fit when she said she was going to be late again. : pitch in : to do something or give something (such as money) to help a person, group, or cause. Everyone has to pitch in [=chip in, contribute] if we're going to finish this project on time. : pitch into : to attack or criticize (someone) forcefully. He said his mother would pitch into him when he got home. pitch up : to appear or arrive at a place. Several hundred fans pitched up [=showed up] at the hotel to welcome the team. throw, cast, toss, fling, hurl, pitch, sling mean to cause to move swiftly through space by a propulsive movement or a propelling force. throw is general and interchangeable with the other terms but may specifically imply a distinctive motion with bent arm. ⟨can throw a fastball and a curve⟩ cast usually implies lightness in the thing thrown and sometimes a scattering. ⟨cast it to the winds⟩ toss suggests a light or careless or aimless throwing and may imply an upward motion. ⟨tossed the coat on the bed⟩ fling stresses a violent throwing. ⟨flung the ring back in his face⟩ hurl implies power as in throwing a massive weight. ⟨hurled himself at the intruder⟩ pitch suggests throwing carefully at a target. ⟨pitch horseshoes⟩ sling stresses either the use of whirling momentum in throwing or directness of aim. ⟨slung the bag over his shoulder⟩

vestige

: the last small part that remains of something that existed before. a vestige of an ancient tradition. They hadn't officially broken up, but she felt their relationship was running on fumes—that only vestiges of their former affection remained. : the smallest possible amount of something — + of — usually used in negative statements.There's not a vestige of doubt that what she says is true. trace, vestige, track mean a perceptible sign made by something that has passed. trace may suggest any line, mark, or discernible effect <the killer left no traces>. vestige applies to a tangible reminder such as a fragment or remnant of what is past and gone <boulders that are vestiges of the last ice age>. track implies a continuous line that can be followed <the fossilized tracks of dinosaurs>.

protagonist

: the main character in a novel, play, movie, etc. : an important person who is involved in a competition, conflict, or cause. She was a leading protagonist in the civil rights movement.

derivation

: the origin of a word. It is a word for which several derivations [=etymologies] have been suggested. : the act of forming a word from another word. Many English words are derived from French. : the source or origin of something. foods of Indian derivation. : an act or process by which one thing is formed or created from another. Petroleum is derived from coal tar and used to make gasoline.

ascendant

: the point of the ecliptic or degree of the zodiac that rises above the eastern horizon at any moment. : a state or position of dominant power or importance. : becoming more powerful : gaining more power. The President's party is no longer in the ascendant. : a lineal or collateral relative in the ascending line. : ancestor. : moving upward : rising. : directed upward an ascendant stem. : becoming more popular or successful. the actress' ascendant [=rising] career. : more powerful or important than any other. the ascendant [=dominant] beliefs at that time.

peril

: the possibility that you will be hurt or killed or that something unpleasant or bad will happen : danger. People are unaware of the peril these miners face each day. They put their lives in peril. [=in jeopardy] : something that is likely to cause injury, pain, harm, or loss : danger. She described global warming as "a growing peril." They faced many perils in their journey through the region. : at your (own) peril — at your own risk. No lifeguard is on duty: swim at your own peril. Restaurants that ignore the smoking ban do so at their peril.

desiccation

: the process by which something becomes completely dry. desiccation of soil.

taxonomy

: the process or system of describing the way in which different living things are related by putting them in groups. plant taxonomy. the taxonomies of various plant groups. taxonomic relationships. taxonomically related species. taxonomists.

temerity

: the quality of being confident and unafraid of danger or punishment especially in a way that seems rude or foolish. No one has the temerity [=audacity] to disagree with her. He was punished for his temerity. temerity, audacity, hardihood, effrontery, nerve, cheek, gall, chutzpah mean conspicuous or flagrant boldness. temerity suggests boldness arising from rashness and contempt of danger. ⟨had the temerity to refuse⟩ audacity implies a disregard of restraints commonly imposed by convention or prudence. ⟨an entrepreneur with audacity and vision⟩ hardihood suggests firmness in daring and defiance. ⟨admired for her hardihood⟩ effrontery implies shameless, insolent disregard of propriety or courtesy. ⟨outraged at his effrontery⟩ nerve, cheek, gall, and chutzpah are informal equivalents for effrontery. ⟨the nerve of that guy⟩ ⟨has the cheek to call herself a singer⟩ ⟨had the gall to demand proof⟩ ⟨the chutzpah needed for a career in show business⟩

iniquity

: the quality of being unfair or evil. a system plagued by corruption and iniquity [=injustice]. a notorious den of iniquity [=a place where immoral things are done]. : something that is unfair or evil. the iniquities of slavery. he use of illegal narcotics is not only a destroyer of personal health but also an iniquity that undermines our society. a nation still struggling with the aftereffects of the iniquity of slavery. Do not confuse iniquity with inequity.

humility

: the quality or state of not thinking you are better than other people : the quality or state of being humble He accepted the honor with humility. The ordeal taught her humility.

backbone

: the row of connected bones that go down the middle of the back and protect the spinal cord — called also spinal column, spine. : the most important or strongest part of something. She is the backbone of the family. : strength and courage. He showed some backbone by refusing to compromise his values.

proximity

: the state of being near. People are attracted to the area by the proximity of several beaches. I like the proximity of the bus stop to my home. The bus stop is located in close proximity to my home.

assurance

: the state of being sure or certain about something. They lent us the money with the assurance that they would be repaid soon. He has the assurance of continued support from his boss. : a strong feeling of confidence about yourself or about being right. He spoke with quiet assurance about his future plans. : a strong and definite statement that something will happen or that something is true. She gave him every assurance that she would be there when he returned. They sought assurances from the school that their children were safe. confidence, assurance, self-possession, aplomb mean a state of mind or a manner marked by easy coolness and freedom from uncertainty, diffidence, or embarrassment. confidence stresses faith in oneself and one's powers without any suggestion of conceit or arrogance. ⟨the confidence that comes from long experience⟩ assurance carries a stronger implication of certainty and may suggest arrogance or lack of objectivity in assessing one's own powers. ⟨handled the cross-examination with complete assurance⟩ self-possession implies an ease or coolness under stress that reflects perfect self-control and command of one's powers. ⟨answered the insolent question with complete self-possession⟩ aplomb implies a manifest self-possession in trying or challenging situations. ⟨handled the reporters with great aplomb⟩

penury

: the state of being very poor : extreme poverty. struggling with penury. living in penury. poverty, indigence, penury, want, destitution mean the state of one with insufficient resources. poverty may cover a range from extreme want of necessities to an absence of material comforts. ⟨the extreme poverty of the slum dwellers⟩ indigence implies seriously straitened circumstances. ⟨the indigence of her years as a graduate student⟩ penury suggests a cramping or oppressive lack of money. ⟨a catastrophic illness that condemned them to years of penury⟩ want and destitution imply extreme poverty that threatens life itself through starvation or exposure. ⟨lived in a perpetual state of want⟩ ⟨the widespread destitution in countries beset by famine⟩

autonomy

: the state of existing or acting separately from others : independence. a teacher who encourages individual autonomy. : the power or right of a country, group, etc., to govern itself. The territory has been granted autonomy. The autonomy of children is almost always limited by their parents. The Catalans take the matter of their language very seriously; it is an outward indication of their autonomy, of their distinction from the rest of Spain.

dearth

: the state or condition of not having enough of something. The dearth of jobs in the city forced many families to leave the area.

polygamy

: the state or practice of being married to more than one person at the same time. Some cultures practice polygamy. — compare monogamy. He/She is a polygamist. a polygamous marriage.

bathos

: the sudden appearance of a silly idea or event in a book, movie discussion, etc., that is serious in tone. The serious message of the film is ruined by the bathos of its ridiculous ending.

inception

: the time at which something begins : beginning, start. The project has been shrouded in controversy from/since its inception. We'll assist you at every stage from inception to completion. origin, source, inception, root mean the point at which something begins its course or existence. origin applies to the things or persons from which something is ultimately derived and often to the causes operating before the thing itself comes into being. ⟨an investigation into the origin of baseball⟩ source applies more often to the point where something springs into being. ⟨the source of the Nile⟩ ⟨the source of recurrent trouble⟩ inception stresses the beginning of something without implying causes. ⟨the business has been a success since its inception⟩ root suggests a first, ultimate, or fundamental source often not easily discerned. ⟨the real root of the violence⟩

pretension

: the unpleasant quality of people who think of themselves as more impressive, successful, or important than they really are : a desire to do something or a claim to be something that is impressive or important He spoke about his achievements without pretension. I admire his honesty and lack of pretension. The restaurant offers excellent food without pretension. ambition, aspiration, pretension mean strong desire for advancement. ambition applies to the desire for personal advancement or preferment and may suggest equally a praiseworthy or an inordinate desire <driven by ambition>. aspiration implies a striving after something higher than oneself <an aspiration to become president someday>. pretension suggests ardent desire for recognition of accomplishment often without actual possession of the necessary ability and therefore may imply presumption. has literary pretensions.

turf (n, v)

: the upper layer of ground that is made up of grass and plant roots. a piece of turf. : a material that looks like grass and that is used especially to cover athletic fields. Synthetic turf was installed in the playing field instead of grass. : an area or a place that you control or that feels like your home. gangs defending/protecting their turfs. the turf : the sport or business of horse racing — often used as turf before another noun. turf writers/races. :turf out /off : to force (someone) to leave a place or position. She turfed him out of the house. He got turfed off the bus.

circumlocution

: the use of an unnecessarily large number of words to express an idea. He was criticized for his use of circumlocution. I'm trying to avoid circumlocutions in my writing.

brook

: to allow (something) to exist or happen. Their coach brooks [=tolerates] no disagreement. a government that brooks no criticism. : a small stream. a babbling brook.

affix (v, n)

: to attach (something) to something else. Please affix a stamp to [=put a stamp on] this letter. She affixed her signature to the document. [=she signed the document]. : a letter or group of letters added to the beginning or end of a word to change its meaning : a prefix or suffix. fasten, fix, attach, affix mean to make something stay firmly in place. fasten implies an action such as tying, buttoning, nailing, locking, or otherwise securing. ⟨fasten the reins to a post⟩ fix usually implies a driving in, implanting, or embedding. ⟨fixed the stake in the ground⟩ attach suggests a connecting or uniting by a bond, link, or tie in order to keep things together. ⟨attach the W-2 form here⟩ affix implies an imposing of one thing on another by gluing, impressing, or nailing. ⟨affix your address label here⟩

beset

: to attack violently. The traveler was beset by wild beasts. : surround. a moon beset with clouds. : to cause problems or difficulties for (someone or something). A lack of money is the greatest problem besetting the city today. He was beset by/with injuries this season. a city beset by/with economic problems. besetting sins: a main or constant problem or fault. My besetting sin is a fondness for sweets.

circumvent

: to avoid being stopped by (something, such as a law or rule). : to get around (something) in a clever and sometimes dishonest way. We circumvented the problem by using a different program. He found a way to circumvent the law. The circumvention of tax laws is illegal.

keep smth at arm's length

: to avoid being very close to or friendly with someone or something. Since going to college, he has kept his old friends at arm's length. They no longer trust her and are keeping her at arm's length.

elude

: to avoid or escape (someone or something) adroitly. The killer was able to elude the police. The killer has eluded capture. : to fail to be understood or remembered by (someone). The cause of the disease continues to elude researchers. The name of the author eludes me for the moment. [=I don't remember the name of the author]. : to fail to be achieved by (someone). Victory has eluded us. The cause of the disease has eluded detection/discovery. escape, avoid, evade, elude, shun, eschew mean to get away or keep away from something. escape stresses the fact of getting away or being passed by not necessarily through effort or by conscious intent. ⟨nothing escapes her sharp eyes⟩ avoid stresses forethought and caution in keeping clear of danger or difficulty. ⟨try to avoid past errors⟩ evade implies adroitness, ingenuity, or lack of scruple in escaping or avoiding. ⟨evaded the question by changing the subject⟩ elude implies a slippery or baffling quality in the person or thing that escapes. ⟨what she sees in him eludes me⟩ shun often implies an avoiding as a matter of habitual practice or policy and may imply repugnance or abhorrence. ⟨you have shunned your responsibilities⟩ eschew implies an avoiding or abstaining from as unwise or distasteful. ⟨a playwright who eschews melodrama⟩.

prevaricator

: to avoid telling the truth by not directly answering a question. Government officials prevaricated about the real costs of the project. Please answer clearly, without prevarication. You've answered with nothing but half-truths and prevarications. lie, prevaricate, equivocate, palter, fib mean to tell an untruth. lie is the blunt term, imputing dishonesty. ⟨lied about where he had been⟩ prevaricate softens the bluntness of lie by implying quibbling or confusing the issue. ⟨during the hearings the witness did his best to prevaricate⟩ equivocate implies using words having more than one sense so as to seem to say one thing but intend another. ⟨equivocated endlessly in an attempt to mislead her inquisitors⟩ palter implies making unreliable statements of fact or intention or insincere promises. ⟨a swindler paltering with his investors⟩ fib applies to a telling of a trivial untruth. ⟨fibbed about the price of the new suit⟩.

propagate

: to make (something, such as an idea or belief) known to many people (extend). The group propagates [=promotes] its antigovernment doctrine on the Web. : to produce (a new plant). We are discovering new ways to propagate plants without seeds. the propagation of plants/ideas. plant propagators.

herald

: to be a sign of (something that is beginning to happen or will happen soon). Rain heralds the arrival of spring. The early flowers are heralds of spring. : to greet (someone or something) with enthusiasm. This achievement will be heralded all over the world. Someone or something that is much-heralded receives a large amount of praise or admiration. a much-heralded film. Our goalie is one of the unheralded players on our team. : happening without any warning. an unheralded [=unexpected] visit. : an officer with the status of ambassador acting as official messenger between leaders especially in war. forerunner, precursor, harbinger, herald mean one that goes before or announces the coming of another. forerunner is applicable to anything that serves as a sign or presage. ⟨the blockade was the forerunner of war⟩ precursor applies to a person or thing paving the way for the success or accomplishment of another. ⟨18th century poets like Burns were precursors of the Romantics⟩ harbinger and herald both apply, chiefly figuratively, to one that proclaims or announces the coming or arrival of a notable event. ⟨their early victory was the harbinger of a winning season⟩ ⟨the herald of a new age in medicine⟩

twist (n, v)

: to bend or turn (something) in order to change its shape. The toy can be twisted into different shapes. She twisted balloons into the shapes of different animals. The antenna was twisted out of shape. The car was a heap of twisted metal after the accident. : to turn (something) in a circular motion with your hand. twist the dials on the radiol. The bottle cap twists off. : to pull off or break (something) by turning it. He twisted a small branch off the tree. : to turn a part of your body around : to change your position. Everyone in the audience twisted in their seats to see what made the noise. : to hurt (your ankle, knee, wrist, etc.) by turning it too far. I twisted my ankle playing softball. : to combine several threads or wires by wrapping them around one another. Rope is made by twisting many threads together. : to wrap or wind (something) around something. I like the way she twists [=coils, wraps] that scarf around her neck. Ivy twisted [=wound] around the columns of the porch. : to change the meaning of (something, such as a word) unfairly. He was accused of twisting [=distorting] the facts. He twisted my words [=he repeated what I said in a way that had a different meaning] and made it seem like I was angry. : to curve or change direction suddenly. Be careful, the road twists up ahead. a twisting path. : to curve or change direction often. The road along the coast twists and turns. : to move with twisting motions : to be restless and to change position often. A little boy was twisting and turning [=moving a lot] in the seat behind me. : twist someone's arm : to grab someone's arm and bend it in order to cause pain. to try to force someone to do something. He twisted my arm behind my back and forced me into the car. My wife really had to twist my arm to get me to apologize to my boss.

countermand

: to cancel (an order) especially by giving a new order. Orders to blow up the bridge were countermanded.

galvanize

: to cause (people) to become so excited or concerned about an issue, idea, etc., that they want to do something about it. an issue that galvanized the public (to take action). : to cause (a force that is capable of causing change) to become active. The group is hoping to galvanize public opinion against the proposed law. The Web site has galvanized support for the project. : to cover (steel or iron) with a layer of zinc to prevent it from rusting. a factory where steel is galvanized. galvanized steel.

render

: to cause (someone or something) to be in a specified condition. Depression can render a person helpless. Both passengers were rendered unconscious in the accident. The sight of her rendered him speechless. : to give (something) to someone. He witnessed a car accident and stopped to render aid/assistance. : to officially report or declare (a legal judgment, such as a verdict). The jury rendered a verdict of not guilty. : to present or perform (something). The novel renders a portrait of life in ancient Rome. perfectly rendered songs. : translate. render Latin into English : to melt (fat) especially as a way of removing it from meat. It's important to render the fat from the duck. : to change (something) into a different substance by some process. trees rendered into wood pulp.

induce

: to cause (someone or something) to do something. The advertisement is meant to induce people to eat more fruit. : to cause (something) to happen or exist. Her illness was induced by overwork. He uses the herb as a sleep inducer. : to give (a pregnant woman) special medicine in order to make her give birth. The mother was induced.

rankle

: to cause (someone) to feel angry or irritated especially for a long time. The joke about her family rankled her. The fact that he never repaid the money still rankles (with her) years later.

jolt (v, n)

: to cause (something or someone) to move in a quick and sudden way. The explosion jolted the ship. The loud bang jolted me awake. : to move with a quick and sudden motion. The car jolted [=jerked] forward when he let the clutch out too quickly. : to surprise or shock (someone). She jolted the medical world with her announcement. a jolting ride. a jolting experience. : a sudden, rough movement. : a sudden shock or surprise. : a small but powerful amount of something. She needed a jolt of caffeine to start her day. The unexpected praise he received gave him a jolt of confidence.

overshadow

: to cause (something or someone) to seem less important or impressive when compared to something or someone else. The pitcher's outstanding performance should not overshadow the achievements of the rest of the team. : to make (something) less enjoyable because of sadness, fear, or worry. Their lives are overshadowed by the constant threat of earthquakes. Recent peace efforts have been overshadowed by violence. : to cast a shadow over (something). house overshadowed by tall trees [=a house with tall trees next to it].

disrupt

: to cause (something) to be unable to continue in the normal way : to interrupt the normal progress or activity of (something). Protesters disrupted the conference. The barking dogs disrupted my sleep. The weather disrupted our travel plans. The chemical causes a disruption of cell function. She has a disruptive influence on the other students.

negate

: to cause (something) to not be effective. Alcohol negates the effects of the medicine. The fact that she lied about her work experience negated the contract. : to make (a word or phrase) negative. a verb that is negated by "not". The jury's verdict was a negation of justice (the jury's verdict was unjust). actions done in negation of the rules. negation - отрицание (минус перед числом).

agglutinate

: to cause to adhere : fasten : to unite or combine into a group or mass : attach to a base as an affix. agglutination: a mass or group formed by the union of separate elements. : to form words by agglutination: the formation of derivational or inflectional words by putting together constituents of which each expresses a single definite meaning. : to cause to undergo agglutination: a reaction in which particles (such as red blood cells or bacteria) suspended in a liquid collect into clumps and which occurs especially as a serologic response to a specific antibody. ex: Some of these agglutinations have a satisfying outlandishness about them: That smooching pair, for example, are wearing huge masks from the Bamana people of West Africa on their heads.

veer

: to change direction or course quickly or suddenly. The ship veered away to the north. The car nearly veered off the road. The story veers toward the ridiculous at times. She veered into politics soon after college.the economy veered sharply downward. swerve, veer, deviate, depart, digress, diverge mean to turn aside from a straight course. swerve may suggest a physical, mental, or moral turning away from a given course, often with abruptness. ⟨swerved to avoid hitting the dog⟩ veer implies a major change in direction. ⟨at that point the path veers to the right⟩ deviate implies a turning from a customary or prescribed course. ⟨never deviated from her daily routine⟩ depart suggests a deviation from a traditional or conventional course or type. ⟨occasionally departs from his own guidelines⟩ digress applies to a departing from the subject of one's discourse. ⟨a professor prone to digress⟩ diverge may equal depart but usually suggests a branching of a main path into two or more leading in different directions. ⟨after school their paths diverged⟩.

amend

: to change some of the words and often the meaning of (a law, document, etc.). The country's constitution was amended to allow women to vote. : to change and improve (something, such as a mistake or bad situation). He tried to amend the situation by apologizing to me.

inflect

: to change the form of a word when using it in a particular way. Most nouns in English are inflected for plural use by adding "-s" or "-es." Most adjectives in English do not inflect for gender or number. Some languages are more (highly) inflected than others. [=the words in some languages change their forms for different uses more than the words in other languages]. "Gone" and "went" are inflected forms of the verb "go." : to turn from a direct line or course : curve. : to affect or alter noticeably : influence. an approach inflected by feminism.

disguise

: to change the usual appearance, sound, taste, etc., of (someone or something) so that people will not recognize that person or thing. He tried to disguise his voice on the phone but I could tell it was him. She disguised herself in a wig and glasses. The journalist traveled the city disguised as a beggar. She disguised herself as a musician to get into the concert hall early. : to hide (something) so that it will not be seen or noticed. I could not disguise my surprise. They disguised their true feelings. We disguised the fact that we were disappointed. disguise, cloak, mask mean to alter the dress or appearance of so as to conceal the identity or true nature. disguise implies a change in appearance or behavior that misleads by presenting a different apparent identity. ⟨disguised herself as a peasant⟩ cloak suggests a means of hiding a movement or an intention. ⟨cloaked their maneuvers in secrecy⟩ mask suggests some often obvious means of hiding or disguising something. ⟨smiling to mask his discontent⟩

degenerate (v)

: to change to a worse state or condition : to become worse, weaker, less useful, etc. As the disease progresses, the patient's health will degenerate [=deteriorate] rapidly. — often + into. Experts fear that the country is degenerating into chaos. The meeting degenerated into a shouting match. Experts fear the degeneration of the country into chaos.

circumambulate

: to circle on foot especially ritualistically.

clash

: to come into conflict (fight or disagree) with someone. Police and protesters clashed yesterday. The brothers often clash [=argue] over politics. Protesters clashed with the police yesterday. : to not go together well. Some colors clash. This shirt clashes with these pants. Their personalities clashed. So many of his ideas clash with mine. : to make or cause (something) to make the loud sound of a metal object hitting another metal. Their swords clashed. She ended the song by clashing the cymbals. : to happen at the same time so that you cannot do or see both. The time of the picnic clashes [=(more commonly) conflicts] with another picnic I'm invited to. : a short fight between groups of people. Hundreds were killed in ethnic clashes in the region last month. Clashes broke out between the police and protesters. : a clash of opinions/cultures. We have a personality clash. : a loud sound made by hitting a metal object against another metal object. the clash of swords/cymbals. : The date of the debate had to be changed because of scheduling clashes. [=(more commonly) conflicts].

narrativize

: to communicate (events or experiences) in narrative form, in order to better understand them. documentaries that attempt to narrativize the Holocaust. Some listeners attempt to narrativize music in order to make sense of it.

dissuade

: to convince (someone) not to do something. Our warnings did not dissuade them. He tried to dissuade them from going.

emend

: to correct errors in (something written). emend a text. correct, rectify, emend, remedy, redress, amend, reform, revise mean to make right what is wrong. correct implies taking action to remove errors, faults, deviations, defects. ⟨correct your spelling⟩ rectify implies a more essential changing to make something right, just, or properly controlled or directed. ⟨rectify a misguided policy⟩ emend specifically implies correction of a text or manuscript. ⟨emend a text⟩ remedy implies removing or making harmless a cause of trouble, harm, or evil. ⟨set out to remedy the evils of the world⟩ redress implies making compensation or reparation for an unfairness, injustice, or imbalance. ⟨redress past social injustices⟩ amend, reform, revise imply an improving by making corrective changes, amend usually suggesting slight changes ⟨amend a law⟩ , reform implying drastic change ⟨plans to reform the court system⟩ , and revise suggesting a careful examination of something and the making of necessary changes. ⟨revise the schedule⟩

clangor

: to make or cause (something) to make the loud, ringing sound of metal hitting against something. His fork clanged against the plate. The bells clanged. the clanging of pots and pans in the kitchen. the clangor of hammers.

pave

: to cover (something) with a material (such as stone, tar, or concrete) that forms a hard, level surface for walking, driving, etc. The crew was paving the road. Some of the roads were paved over. The driveway is paved with concrete. : pave over : to cover (an area) with roads, parking lots, buildings, etc. All this beautiful farmland will be paved over. : pave the way for (something or someone) : to make it easier for something to happen or for someone to do something. The discovery paves the way for the development of effective new treatments.

blindfold (v, n)

: to cover the eyes of (a person) with a piece of cloth. The kidnappers tied him up and blindfolded him. : a piece of cloth that covers the eyes.

impugn

: to criticize (a person's character, intentions, etc.) by suggesting that someone is not honest and should not be trusted. He impugned his rival's character. Her motives have been scrutinized and impugned.

grind (v,n)

: to crush or break (something) into very small pieces by rubbing it against a rough surface or using a special machine. Grind (up) the coffee beans into a fine powder. : to cut (meat) into small pieces by putting it through a special machine. Grind (up) the turkey meat. a recipe made with ground turkey. a pound of ground beef. : to make (something) sharp or smooth by rubbing it against a hard surface. grind an ax. : to cause (things) to rub against each other in a forceful way that produces a harsh noise. She kept grinding the car's gears. He grinds his teeth in his sleep. : to rub or press (something) against a hard surface. She ground (out) her cigarette on the pavement. Dirt was ground into the carpet. : grind along : to continue in a slow and steady way. The traffic ground along through the city streets. The economy continues to grind along. : grind away : to work or study in a steady, determined way. She was grinding away at her studies. : grind away : to remove (a part of something) by rubbing something rough against it. He uses a special tool to grind away the stone. : grind down : to make (something hard) smaller and smoother by gradually rubbing off tiny bits. The old dog's teeth had been ground down by use. : grind down : to weaken or destroy (someone or something) gradually. Poverty ground her spirit down. : grind on : to continue for a long time — used to describe something unpleasant. The war ground on for many more months. : grind out : to produce (something, especially something of low quality) quickly as part of a continuous process. He grinds out [=churns out] a new novel every year. : grind to a halt or come to a grinding halt : to stop working or moving forward. The machinery slowly ground to a halt. Without more money, work on the project will soon grind to a halt. [=stop]. The project came to a grinding halt. : boring or difficult work. I need a break from the daily grind. : a person who works or studies too much. In college he had a reputation as a grind [=(Brit) swot] who never went to parties. : the act of rotating the hips in a sexual way. dancers doing the bump and grind. work, labor, travail, toil, drudgery, grind mean activity involving effort or exertion. work may imply activity of body, of mind, of a machine, or of a natural force. ⟨too tired to do any work⟩ labor applies to physical or intellectual work involving great and often strenuous exertion. ⟨farmers demanding fair compensation for their labor⟩ travail is bookish for labor involving pain or suffering. ⟨years of travail were lost when the house burned⟩ toil implies prolonged and fatiguing labor. ⟨his lot would be years of back-breaking toil⟩ drudgery suggests dull and irksome labor. ⟨an editorial job with a good deal of drudgery⟩ grind implies labor exhausting to mind or body. ⟨the grind of the assembly line⟩

hack

: to cut (something or someone) many times and usually in a rough and violent way.He hacked (off) [=chopped] the tree down with an ax. The victim had been hacked to death. He hacked (away) at the tree with an ax. : to make (a path) by cutting plants. They used a machete to hack a path through the jungle. They hacked their way through the jungle. : to manage or deal with (something) successfully — usually used in negative statements.He just couldn't hack the new job.After two weeks at the new job, he decided that he just couldn't hack it. : to cough loudly. I could hear him hacking (away) all night long. The patient has a hacking cough. [=a loud, dry cough]. : to secretly get access to the files on a computer or network in order to get information, cause damage, etc. She was trying to hack into the network. The Web site had been hacked. : hack (someone) off also hack off (someone) informal : to make (someone) angry and annoyed. It really hacks me off to see people treated so unfairly. : the act of hitting something roughly with an ax, knife, etc. He took a hack at the branch. : baseball, informal : swing. He took a hack at a high fastball and popped it up. : a loud, dry cough. a smoker's hack. — compare 3hack : a writer who produces a large amount of work mainly to make money. a hack writer. : someone who does work that is not important or original. a political hack. : taxi or the driver of a taxi : cabdriver. : a horse that can be hired for use or an old, worn-out horse.

surmount

: to deal with (a problem or a difficult situation) successfully. Women often have to surmount [=overcome] social barriers to advance their careers. surmounting obstacles. : to be placed at the top of (something) . a chain-link fence that is surmounted [=topped] by barbed wire. These setbacks are surmountable.

embellish

: to decorate (something) by adding special details and features : to make (something) more appealing or attractive. a book embellished with colorful illustrations. He embellished his speech with a few quotations. I didn't lie, I just embellished the story a little bit. a story that doesn't require embellishment. adorn, decorate, ornament, embellish, beautify, deck, garnish mean to enhance the appearance of something by adding something unessential. adorn implies an enhancing by something beautiful in itself. ⟨a diamond necklace adorned her neck⟩ decorate suggests relieving plainness or monotony by adding beauty of color or design. ⟨decorate a birthday cake⟩ ornament and embellish imply the adding of something extraneous, ornament stressing the heightening or setting off of the original ⟨a white house ornamented with green shutters⟩ , embellish often stressing the adding of superfluous or adventitious ornament. ⟨embellish a page with floral borders⟩ beautify adds to embellish a suggestion of counterbalancing plainness or ugliness. ⟨will beautify the grounds with flower beds⟩ deck implies the addition of something that contributes to gaiety, splendor, or showiness. ⟨a house all decked out for Christmas⟩ garnish suggests decorating with a small final touch and is used especially in referring to the serving of food. ⟨an entrée garnished with parsley⟩

demolish

: to destroy (a building, bridge, etc.) : to forcefully tear down or take apart (a structure). The town hopes to restore the old theater rather than have it demolished. : to damage (something) so that it cannot be repaired. The car was demolished in the accident. His professional reputation was demolished [=ruined] by the scandal. : to eat all of (something) quickly. We demolished [=devoured] the pie in only a few minutes. : to defeat (a person or team) easily or completely. They demolished the other team 51-7.

stray

: to go in a direction that is away from a group or from the place where you should be. Two cows strayed [=wandered] into the woods. The airplane strayed off course. She strayed from the group and got lost. Her eyes strayed from her computer to the window. She never strayed [=deviated] from the path her parents envisioned for her. The menu at their house rarely strays (too) far from meat and potatoes. : an animal (such as a cat or dog) that is lost or has no home. Both of her cats were strays that she found wandering in the neighborhood. a stray cat/dog. : a person or thing that is separated from a group. I matched up the socks in the laundry but I was left with one stray. a stray sock. : not in or going in the proper or intended place. a few stray hairs.

devastate

: to destroy much or most of (something) : to cause great damage or harm to (something). The flood devastated the town. : to cause (someone) to feel extreme emotional pain — usually used as (be) devastated. She was devastated by the breakup of her marriage. ravage, devastate, waste, sack, pillage, despoil mean to lay waste by plundering or destroying. ravage implies violent often cumulative depredation and destruction. ⟨a hurricane ravaged the coast⟩ devastate implies the complete ruin and desolation of a wide area. ⟨an earthquake devastated the city⟩ waste may imply producing the same result by a slow process rather than sudden and violent action. ⟨years of drought had wasted the area⟩ sack implies carrying off all valuable possessions from a place. ⟨barbarians sacked ancient Rome⟩ pillage implies ruthless plundering at will but without the completeness suggested by sack . ⟨settlements pillaged by Vikings⟩ despoil applies to looting or robbing without suggesting accompanying destruction. ⟨the Nazis despoiled the art museums⟩ю

evince

: to display (something) clearly, to constitute outward evidence of. She evinced an interest in art at an early age. show, manifest, evidence, evince, demonstrate mean to reveal outwardly or make apparent. show is the general term but sometimes implies that what is revealed must be gained by inference from acts, looks, or words. ⟨careful not to show his true feelings⟩ manifest implies a plainer, more immediate revelation. ⟨manifested musical ability at an early age⟩ evidence suggests serving as proof of the actuality or existence of something. ⟨a commitment evidenced by years of loyal service⟩ evince implies a showing by outward marks or signs. ⟨evinced not the slightest fear⟩ demonstrate implies showing by action or by display of feeling. ⟨demonstrated their approval by loud applause⟩.

apportion

: to divide (something) among or between people. Apportion the expenses between the parties involved. : to give (a part of something) to a number of people The agency apportions water from the lake to residents. Any attempt to apportion blame so many years after the incident is pointless.

sprinkle (v, n)

: to drop or spread small pieces or amounts of something over something. He sprinkled water on the plants. The essay is sprinkled with quotations. [=there are quotations in different parts of the essay] : to put small drops of liquid on (someone or something). She sprinkled the clothes before ironing them. : to rain lightly. "Is it raining?" "It's just sprinkling a little." : a light rain. a sprinkle of rain. : a small amount that is sprinkled on something. She topped the pasta with a sprinkle of parsley. We've received a sprinkle of complaints. : sprinkles : tiny candies that are put on top of a sweet food (such as ice cream). chocolate sprinkles.

rescind

: to end (a law, contract, agreement, etc.) officially : to say officially that (something) is no longer valid. The navy rescinded its ban on women sailors. The company later rescinded its offer/decision.

opine

: to express an opinion about something. Many people opine that the content of Web pages should be better regulated. You can opine about/on any subject you like.

espouse

: to express support for (a cause, belief, etc.). The new theory has been espoused by many leading physicists. Those espousing unpopular views were often excluded. an espouser of liberal causes. : become attached to. : marry. adopt, embrace, espouse mean to take an opinion, policy, or practice as one's own. adopt implies accepting something created by another or foreign to one's nature. ⟨forced to adopt new policies⟩ embrace implies a ready or happy acceptance. ⟨embraced the customs of their new homeland⟩ espouse adds an implication of close attachment to a cause and a sharing of its fortunes. ⟨espoused the cause of women's rights⟩.

malfunction

: to fail to function or work properly. A software problem is causing the system to malfunction. The problem is causing malfunction of the system.

dread

: to fear something that will or might happen. He can't swim and dreads going in the water. The dreaded moment had arrived. She has a dread of failure. They live in constant dread of another attack. : (adj) a dread [=dreaded] disease. fear, dread, fright, alarm, panic, terror, trepidation mean painful agitation in the presence or anticipation of danger. fear is the most general term and implies anxiety and usually loss of courage. ⟨fear of the unknown⟩ dread usually adds the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation and suggests aversion as well as anxiety. ⟨faced the meeting with dread⟩ fright implies the shock of sudden, startling fear. ⟨fright at being awakened suddenly⟩ alarm suggests a sudden and intense awareness of immediate danger. ⟨view the situation with alarm⟩ panic implies unreasoning and overmastering fear causing hysterical activity. ⟨the news caused widespread panic⟩ terror implies the most extreme degree of fear. ⟨immobilized with terror⟩ trepidation adds to dread the implications of timidity, trembling, and hesitation. ⟨raised the subject with trepidation⟩

sate = satiate synonym

: to fill (someone) with food so that no more is wanted — usually used as (be) sated. He ate until he was completely sated. [=full] feel sated. : to end (something, such as hunger or curiosity) by providing everything that is required or wanted : satisfy. The meal was more than enough to sate his hunger/appetite. The information sated their curiosity. satiate, sate, surfeit, cloy, pall, glut, gorge mean to fill to repletion. satiate and sate may sometimes imply only complete satisfaction but more often suggest repletion that has destroyed interest or desire. ⟨years of globe-trotting had satiated their interest in travel⟩ ⟨readers were sated with sensationalistic stories⟩ surfeit implies a nauseating repletion. ⟨surfeited themselves with junk food⟩ cloy stresses the disgust or boredom resulting from such surfeiting. ⟨sentimental pictures that cloy after a while⟩ pall emphasizes the loss of ability to stimulate interest or appetite. ⟨a life of leisure eventually begins to pall⟩ glut implies excess in feeding or supplying. ⟨a market glutted with diet books⟩ gorge suggests glutting to the point of bursting or choking (взорваться, захлебнуться). ⟨gorged themselves with chocolate⟩.

replenish

: to fill or build up (something) again. An efficient staff of workers replenished the trays of appetizers almost as quickly as guests emptied them. Drink this—you need to replenish your fluids after your hike. The replenishment of soil nutrients.

palliate

: to make the effects of (something, such as an illness) less painful, harmful, or harsh. treatments that can palliate the painful symptoms of the disease. palliation of pain. don't try to palliate your constant lying by claiming that everybody lies.

eject

: to force (someone) to leave. They ejected him from the game for hitting another player. ◊ When someone is ejected from a place, it often means that physical force was used to make that person leave. Several drunks had to be physically ejected from the bar. : to push (something) out. The machine automatically ejected the CD. automatic ejection of the CD. : to use a special device that throws you out and away from an airplane in an emergency : to use an ejection seat. The pilot ejected when his plane caught fire. eject, expel, oust, evict mean to drive or force out. eject carries an especially strong implication of throwing or thrusting out from within as a physical action. ⟨ejected an obnoxious patron from the bar⟩ expel stresses a thrusting out or driving away especially permanently which need not be physical. ⟨a student expelled from college⟩ oust implies removal or dispossession by power of the law or by force or compulsion. ⟨police ousted the squatters⟩ evict chiefly applies to turning out of house and home. ⟨evicted for nonpayment of rent⟩

condone

: to forgive or approve (something that is considered wrong) : to allow (something that is considered wrong) to continue. a government that has been accused of condoning racism. We cannot condone [=excuse] that kind of behavior. excuse, condone, pardon, forgive mean to exact neither punishment nor redress. excuse may refer to specific acts especially in social or conventional situations or the person responsible for these. ⟨excuse an interruption⟩ ⟨excused them for interrupting⟩ Often the term implies extenuating circumstances. ⟨injustice excuses strong responses⟩ condone implies that one overlooks without censure behavior (such as dishonesty or violence) that involves a serious breach of a moral, ethical, or legal code, and the term may refer to the behavior or to the agent responsible for it. ⟨a society that condones alcohol but not narcotics⟩ pardon implies that one remits a penalty due for an admitted or established offense. ⟨pardon a criminal⟩ forgive implies that one gives up all claim to requital and to resentment or vengeful feelings. ⟨could not forgive their rudeness⟩

forge

: to form something by heating and shaping metal. forging hooks out of pieces of iron = forging pieces of iron into hooks. : to form or create (something, such as an agreement or relationship) through great effort. The two countries have forged a strong alliance. : to make or copy (something, such as a document or signature) falsely in order to deceive someone. forge a signature. a forged passport. a professional art forger. : to move forward slowly and steadily. The hikers forged through the snow. The ship forged ahead through heavy seas. : to move with a sudden increase of speed and power. On the last lap, he forged into the lead. The company has forged ahead of its competitors. : a place where objects are made by heating and shaping metal.

retrieve

: to get and bring (something) back from a place. Many archaeological relics were retrieved from the site. Police retrieved his stolen car. : to find and get (information) from a computer or disk. You can quickly retrieve data/information. The files were retrieved from the computer. : to find and bring birds or animals that have been shot back to a hunter. The dog is learning how to retrieve. : to keep (something) from failing or becoming worse. They were able to retrieve [=save] the situation. Can their relationship be retrieved? [=salvaged]. The data should be retrievable.

subdue

: to get control of (a violent or dangerous person or group) by using force, punishment, etc. The troops were finally able to subdue the rebel forces after many days of fighting. He was injured while trying to subdue a violent drunk. : to get control of (something, such as a strong emotion). She struggled to subdue her fears. conquer, vanquish, defeat, subdue, reduce, overcome, overthrow mean to get the better of by force or strategy. conquer implies gaining mastery of. ⟨Caesar conquered Gaul⟩ vanquish implies a complete overpowering. ⟨vanquished the enemy and ended the war⟩ defeat does not imply the finality or completeness of vanquish which it otherwise equals. ⟨the Confederates defeated the Union forces at Manassas⟩ subdue implies a defeating and suppression. ⟨subdued the native tribes after years of fighting⟩ reduce implies a forcing to capitulate or surrender. ⟨the city was reduced after a month-long siege⟩ overcome suggests getting the better of with difficulty or after hard struggle. ⟨overcame a host of bureaucratic roadblocks⟩ overthrow stresses the bringing down or destruction of existing power. ⟨violently overthrew the old regime⟩

dub

: to give (someone or something) a name or title. The actress was dubbed "America's sweetheart." Critics dubbed him the new king of rock 'n' roll. : to give (someone) the title of a knight. The queen dubbed him Sir Philip. : to replace the original recorded speech in a movie or television show with speech recorded in another language. He was hired to dub the dialogue for a foreign film. The film was dubbed in/into French and Spanish. : to add (speech or other sounds) to a movie or television show. They dubbed in the music. = They dubbed the music in. : to make a copy of (a movie, piece of music, etc.) that has already been recorded. dub a CD.

belie

: to give a false idea of (something). Her manner and appearance belie her age. [=she looks and acts like a much younger person than she really is]. a tree whose delicate beauty belies its real toughness. : to show (something) to be false or wrong. Their actions belie their claim to be innocent.

cede

: to give control of (something) to another person, group, government, etc. Russia ceded Alaska to the U.S. in 1867. The state had to cede [=relinquish] part of their territory. The country had no choice but to cede [=surrender] control of the canal. They ceded their authority.

forsake

: to give up or leave (someone or something) entirely. All my friends have forsaken [=abandoned] me. She forsook [=left] acting for a teaching career. abandon, desert, forsake mean to leave without intending to return. abandon suggests that the thing or person left may be helpless without protection. ⟨abandoned children⟩ desert implies that the object left may be weakened but not destroyed by one's absence. ⟨a deserted town⟩ forsake suggests an action more likely to bring impoverishment or bereavement to that which is forsaken than its exposure to physical dangers. ⟨a forsaken lover⟩.

avert

: to turn (your eyes, gaze, etc.) away or aside. She had to avert her eyes [=to look away] at the sight of the accident. with averted eyes/gaze/glances. : to prevent (something bad) from happening. He sped up and averted an accident. The diplomatic talks narrowly averted a war. an attempt to avert a strike at the plant.

trespass

: to go on someone's land without permission. He told me I was trespassing. The sign said "No Trespassing.". The hunters trespassed on the farmer's land. : to do something that hurts or offends someone. We must try to forgive those who trespass against us. : to treat someone unfairly especially by asking for or expecting more than is fair or reasonable. I hope I am not trespassing on/upon your time [=I hope I am not using too much of your time]. : the crime of going on someone's land without permission. He was arrested for trespass. They committed a trespass. : a sin or other wrong or improper act. Forgive us our trespasses. trespass, encroach, infringe, invade mean to make inroads upon the property, territory, or rights of another. trespass implies an unwarranted or unlawful intrusion. ⟨hunters trespassing on farmland⟩ encroach suggests gradual or stealthy entrance upon another's territory or usurpation of another's rights or possessions. ⟨the encroaching settlers displacing the native peoples⟩ infringe implies an encroachment clearly violating a right or prerogative. ⟨infringing a copyright⟩ invade implies a hostile and injurious entry into the territory or sphere of another. ⟨accused of invading their privacy⟩.

reconnoiter

: to go to (a place or area) in order to find out information about a military enemy : to do a reconnaissance of (a place). An expedition reconnoitered the coast to find out the exact location of enemy forces. They were sent ahead to reconnoiter.

convalesce

: to gradually become healthy and strong again after illness, weakness, or injury. She spent two months convalescing [=recuperating, recovering] at home after her surgery. He is convalescing from his leg injuries.

burgeon

: to grow or develop quickly. The market for collectibles has burgeoned in recent years. a burgeoning industry/field/population.

loathe

: to hate (someone or something) very much. She loathed him. They were rivals who truly/bitterly loathed each other. I loathe having to do this. It was a habit his wife loathed. hate, detest, abhor, abominate, loathe mean to feel strong aversion or intense dislike for. hate implies an emotional aversion often coupled with enmity or malice. ⟨hated the enemy with a passion⟩ detest suggests violent antipathy. ⟨detests cowards⟩ abhor implies a deep often shuddering repugnance. ⟨a crime abhorred by all⟩ abominate suggests strong detestation and often moral condemnation. ⟨abominates all forms of violence⟩ loathe implies utter disgust and intolerance. ⟨loathed the mere sight of them⟩

induct

: to have (someone) officially begin a new job, position, or government office — usually used as (be) inducted. The new president was inducted into office last year. : to officially make (someone) a member of a group or organization. The club will induct six new members this year. : to enroll (someone) for military training or service. He was inducted into the army.

abet

: to help, encourage, or support someone in a criminal act. She is charged with aiding and abetting [=helping and encouraging] the thief in his getaway.

conceal

: to hide (something or someone) from sight vs reveal. The sunglasses conceal her eyes. The defendant is accused of attempting to conceal : to keep (something) secret. The editorial accused the government of concealing the truth. She could barely conceal her anger. He was carrying a concealed [=hidden] weapon. concealment of evidence. hide, conceal, screen, secrete, bury mean to withhold or withdraw from sight. hide may or may not suggest intent. ⟨hide in the closet⟩ ⟨a house hidden in the woods⟩ conceal usually does imply intent and often specifically implies a refusal to divulge. ⟨concealed the weapon⟩ screen implies an interposing of something that prevents discovery. ⟨a house screened by trees⟩ secrete suggests a depositing in a place unknown to others. ⟨secreted the amulet inside his shirt⟩ bury implies covering up so as to hide completely. ⟨buried the treasure⟩

bop

: to hit (someone or something) especially in a playful way. She bopped (gave him a playful bop) him on the head. : a kind of jazz that uses complex melodies and harmonies and that often has a very quick tempo — called also bebop. : dance. Are you up for a bop? : to go for only a short time. She'll be back in a few minutes. She just bopped [=popped] over to the store. : to walk or move like a person who is dancing to lively music. He was bopping down the street. I think we're going to go bopping tonight. Would you like to join us?

wield

: to hold (something, such as a tool or weapon) in your hands so that you are ready to use it. The man was wielding a gun/knife. : to have and use (power, influence, etc.). He wields a great deal of influence over his students. wielders of power.

embrace (v, n)

: to hold someone in your arms as a way of expressing love or friendship. two old friends (warmly) embracing [=hugging] each other. Although embrace and hug each describe holding another person in your arms, embrace usually suggests deeper or stronger feelings than hug does. : to accept (something or someone) readily or gladly. a politician who has been embraced by conservatives. : to use (an opportunity) eagerly. She gladly/eagerly embraced [=welcomed] the opportunity/chance to study abroad. : to contain or include (something) as a part of something larger. Charity embraces all acts of generous giving. It's a subject that embraces many areas of learning. : to enclose (something) on all sides. a town embraced [=surrounded] by low hills. an embracer of new technology. : the act of holding someone in your arms : the act of embracing someone. He held her in a warm/loving/tender embrace. adopt, embrace, espouse mean to take an opinion, policy, or practice as one's own. adopt implies accepting something created by another or foreign to one's nature. ⟨forced to adopt new policies⟩ embrace implies a ready or happy acceptance. ⟨embraced the customs of their new homeland⟩ espouse adds an implication of close attachment to a cause and a sharing of its fortunes. ⟨espoused the cause of women's rights⟩ include, comprehend, embrace, involve mean to contain within as part of the whole. include suggests the containment of something as a constituent, component, or subordinate part of a larger whole. ⟨the price of dinner includes dessert⟩ comprehend implies that something comes within the scope of a statement or definition. ⟨his system comprehends all history⟩ embrace implies a gathering of separate items within a whole. ⟨her faith embraces both Christian and non-Christian beliefs⟩ involve suggests inclusion by virtue of the nature of the whole, whether by being its natural or inevitable consequence. ⟨the new job involves a lot of detail⟩

gaze

: to look at someone or something in a steady way and usually for a long time. She gazed intently/longingly into his eyes. He dropped/lifted his gaze. [=he looked down/up]. She calmly met his gaze. He has his gaze firmly fixed on the future. gaze, gape, stare, and glare mean to look at something or someone for a long time. gaze suggests looking steadily at something with feelings of interest, wonder, or admiration. She was gazing at the moon. gape suggests looking in wonder or surprise with your mouth open. tourists gaping at celebrities. stare suggests looking with your eyes open wide, often in a rude way. Don't stare at him, it's not polite. glare suggests looking in an angry way. The speaker glared at the people in the audience who were talking.

taint (v,n)

: to hurt or damage the good condition of (something). The reputation of the university has been tainted [=blemished, marred] by athletic scandals. : to make (something) dangerous or dirty especially by adding something harmful or undesirable to it. The water had been tainted by pesticides. : something that causes a person or thing to be thought of as bad, dishonest, etc. a political career damaged by the taint of scandal. contaminate, taint, pollute, defile mean to make impure or unclean. contaminate implies intrusion of or contact with dirt or foulness from an outside source. ⟨water contaminated by industrial wastes⟩ taint stresses the loss of purity or cleanliness that follows contamination. ⟨tainted meat⟩ ⟨a politician's tainted reputation⟩ pollute, sometimes interchangeable with contaminate, distinctively may imply that the process which begins with contamination is complete and that what was pure or clean has been made foul, poisoned, or filthy. ⟨the polluted waters of the river⟩ defile implies befouling of what could or should have been kept clean and pure or held sacred and commonly suggests violation or desecration. ⟨defile a hero's memory with slanderous innuendo⟩

proliferate

: to increase in number or amount quickly. New problems have proliferated in recent months. (=many new problems have occurred in recent months). cancer cell proliferation.

augment

: to increase the size or amount of (something). The money augmented his fortune. Heavy rains augmented the water supply. — often used as (be) augmented. The impact of the report was augmented by its timing. The army was augmented by additional troops. US : to add something to (something) in order to improve or complete it. Job training will augment [=supplement] the class work. — augmentation.

amplify

: to increase the strength of (an electric signal). amplify a weak radio signal. : to make (something, such as a musical instrument) louder by increasing the strength of electric signals. amplify an electric guitar. : to give more information about (something, such as a statement) : to speak or write about (something) in a more complete way. I'd like to amplify [=expand on] my earlier remarks by providing some illustrations. : to make (something) stronger. using spices to amplify the flavors of the food. He started the meeting with an amplification of the new rules. expand, amplify, swell, distend, inflate, dilate mean to increase in size or volume. expand may apply regardless of the manner of increase (such as growth, unfolding, addition of parts). ⟨a business that expands every year⟩ amplify implies the extension or enlargement of something inadequate. ⟨amplify the statement with details⟩ swell implies gradual expansion beyond a thing's original or normal limits. ⟨the bureaucracy swelled to unmanageable proportions⟩ distend implies outward extension caused by pressure from within. ⟨a distended abdomen⟩ inflate implies expanding by introduction of air or something insubstantial and suggests a vulnerability to sudden collapse. ⟨an inflated ego⟩ dilate applies especially to expansion of circumference. ⟨dilated pupils⟩

omit

: to leave out (someone or something) : to not include (someone or something). Please don't omit any details. He has been omitted from the pool of candidates. : to fail to do (something). I omitted [=(more commonly) neglected] to mention that it was my fault. They omitted to tell us the directions.

tilt (v, n)

: to lift or move (something) so that one side is higher than another side. Tilt the glass as you pour in the beer. The picture on the wall was tilted. (+noun - the state of being tilt) : to move (your head, chin, etc.) up, down, or to one side. Tilt your chin up. She tilted her head and looked questioningly at him. : to influence (something) or to change so that a particular result or occurrence is more likely, a particular group is favored, etc. Rising inflation could tilt the economy into/toward a recession. His election tilted the city council to the left/right. [=made the city council more liberal/conservative] The law tilts the balance of power towards corporations. : tilt at (someone or something) : to attack (someone or something) in writing or speech (+noun - an attack). critics tilting at the established system. : tilt at windmills : to use time and energy to attack an enemy or problem that is not real or important. : the state of favoring one person, belief, etc., over another. She criticized the media's tilt [=bias] toward one of the candidates. : a change of the actions or opinions of a person or group in a particular direction. If he were elected, there would be a tilt [=shift] in the political balance of the city council. [=the city council would become more liberal or conservative]. : a game or competition between two people, teams, etc. The teams were tied in the standings heading into last night's tilt. : an attempt to win something. The team wants a tilt at the championship. : (at) full tilt : as fast as possible : at high speed. The heater has been going full tilt all morning.

heave (past: heaved)

: to lift or pull (something) with effort. We heaved the box (up) onto the table. I tried to heave myself (up) out of the chair. She heaved the door shut. The sailors started heaving on the rope. : to throw (something) with effort. heave a rock. : to breathe in and breathe out (a sigh) in a slow or loud way. She sat down and heaved a sigh of relief. : to move up and down repeatedly. He stopped running and stood there with his chest heaving. The boat heaved up and down with the waves. : to be pushed up. The roads have begun to heave with frost. : vomit. The smell made me want to heave. If your stomach is heaving, you feel like vomiting. : heave into view or heave in/into sight. (past: hove) : to slowly move closer and become visible A ship hove into view on the horizon. : heave to : of a boat or ship (past: hove) : to stop moving. The ship hove to. : an act of lifting or pulling something with effort. We lifted the box onto the table with a heave. He gave the rope a mighty heave. : a forceful throw. The quarterback uncorked a mighty heave. lift, raise, rear, elevate, hoist, heave, boost mean to move from a lower to a higher place or position. lift usually implies exerting effort to overcome resistance of weight. ⟨lift the chair while I vacuum⟩ raise carries a stronger implication of bringing up to the vertical or to a high position. ⟨scouts raising a flagpole⟩ rear may add an element of suddenness to raise. ⟨suddenly reared itself up on its hind legs⟩ elevate may replace lift or raise especially when exalting or enhancing is implied. ⟨elevated the taste of the public⟩ hoist implies lifting something heavy especially by mechanical means. ⟨hoisted the cargo on board⟩ heave implies lifting and throwing with great effort or strain. ⟨heaved the heavy crate inside⟩ boost suggests assisting to climb or advance by a push. ⟨boosted his brother over the fence⟩

dwell

: to live in a particular place. a cave where bats dwell. : dwell on/upon (something) : to think or talk about (something) for a long time. There is no need to dwell on the past. Don't dwell upon your mistakes. a city dweller, cave dwellers.

debase

: to lower the value or reputation of (someone or something) : to make (someone or something) less respected. The governor debased himself by lying to the public. a debased coin/currency. the debasement of women. a debasing comment. debase, vitiate, deprave, corrupt, debauch, pervert mean to cause deterioration or lowering in quality or character. debase implies a loss of position, worth, value, or dignity. ⟨commercialism has debased the holiday⟩ vitiate implies a destruction of purity, validity, or effectiveness by allowing entrance of a fault or defect. ⟨a foreign policy vitiated by partisanship⟩ deprave implies moral deterioration by evil thoughts or influences. ⟨the claim that society is depraved by pornography⟩ corrupt implies loss of soundness, purity, or integrity. ⟨the belief that bureaucratese corrupts the language⟩ debauch implies a debasing through sensual indulgence. ⟨the long stay on a tropical isle had debauched the ship's crew⟩ pervert implies a twisting or distorting from what is natural or normal. ⟨perverted the original goals of the institute⟩

hunker

: to lower your body to the ground by bending your legs. The hikers hunkered (down) under a cliff until the storm passed. : hunker down: to stay in a place for a period of time. The leaders hunkered down at a country estate for difficult peace negotiations. hunker down for a good long wait.

enervate

: to make (someone or something) very weak or tired. The government was enervated by corruption. The heat was enervating. unnerve, enervate, unman, emasculate mean to deprive of strength or vigor and the capacity for effective action. unnerve implies marked often temporary loss of courage, self-control, or power to act. ⟨unnerved by the near collision⟩ enervate suggests a gradual physical or moral weakening (as through luxury or indolence) until one is too feeble to make an effort. ⟨a nation's youth enervated by affluence and leisure⟩ unman implies a loss of manly vigor, fortitude, or spirit. ⟨a soldier unmanned by the terrors of battle⟩ emasculate stresses a depriving of characteristic force by removing something essential. ⟨an amendment that emasculates existing safeguards⟩

undermine

: to make (someone or something) weaker or less effective usually in a secret or gradual way. She tried to undermine my authority by complaining about me to my boss. The events of the past year have undermined people's confidence in the government. weaken, enfeeble, debilitate, undermine, sap, cripple, disable mean to lose or cause to lose strength or vigor. weaken may imply loss of physical strength, health, soundness, or stability or of quality, intensity, or effective power. ⟨a disease that weakens the body's defenses⟩ enfeeble implies a condition of marked weakness and helplessness. ⟨enfeebled by starvation⟩ debilitate suggests a less marked or more temporary impairment of strength or vitality. ⟨the debilitating effects of surgery⟩ undermine and sap suggest a weakening by something working surreptitiously and insidiously. ⟨a poor diet undermines your health⟩ ⟨drugs had sapped his ability to think⟩ cripple implies causing a serious loss of functioning power through damaging or removing an essential part or element. ⟨crippled by arthritis⟩ disable suggests bringing about impairment or limitation in a physical or mental ability. ⟨disabled by an injury sustained at work⟩

daunt

: to make (someone) afraid or less confident. The project doesn't seem to daunt [=intimidate] them. [=they seem to be undaunted by the project]. She was not daunted by the difficult task. : nothing daunted : used to say that someone is not afraid at all. It was a difficult situation, but nothing daunted, she refused to quit.

intimidate

: to make (someone) afraid. He tries to intimidate his opponents. Many people are intimidated by new technology. I feel less intimidated now than I did when I started the job. He is one of the most intimidating men I have ever met. Speaking in front of a large audience can be very intimidating. The system is intimidatingly complex. enforcing agreement by intimidation or violence.

humble (v)

: to make (someone) feel less important or proud : to make (someone) humble. The experience humbled him. Her success has humbled her critics. : to easily defeat (someone or something) in a way that is surprising or not expected. Last year's champion was humbled by an unknown newcomer. humble yourself: to do or say something which shows that you know you have been wrong, have behaved with too much pride, etc. He needs to humble himself and ask for their forgiveness. eat crow (US) informal or eat humble pie : to admit that you were wrong or accept that you have been defeated. They had to eat humble pie when the rumors they were spreading were proved false.

proscribe

: to make (something) illegal : to not allow (something). The principal proscribed the use of cell phones in school. acts that are proscribed by law.

nullify

: to make (something) legally null. The law has been nullified by the U.S. Supreme Court. : to cause (something) to lose its value or to have no effect. The penalty nullified the goal. Drinking coffee does not nullify [=negate] the effects of alcohol. nullify, negate, annul, abrogate, invalidate mean to deprive of effective or continued existence. nullify implies counteracting completely the force, effectiveness, or value of something. ⟨a penalty nullified the touchdown⟩ negate implies the destruction or canceling out of each of two things by the other. ⟨the arguments negate each other⟩ annul suggests making ineffective or nonexistent often by legal or official action. ⟨the treaty annuls all previous agreements⟩ abrogate is like annul but more definitely implies a legal or official act. ⟨a law to abrogate trading privileges⟩ invalidate implies making something powerless or unacceptable by declaration of its logical or moral or legal unsoundness. ⟨the court invalidated the statute⟩.

allay

: to make (something) less severe or strong. Managers tried to allay [=calm, ease] fears that some workers would lose their jobs. The new advertising campaign is an attempt to allay the public's concerns/worries about the safety of the company's products. relieve, alleviate, lighten, assuage, mitigate, allay mean to make something less grievous. relieve implies a lifting of enough of a burden to make it tolerable. ⟨took an aspirin to relieve the pain⟩ alleviate implies temporary or partial lessening of pain or distress. ⟨the lotion alleviated the itching⟩ lighten implies reducing a burdensome or depressing weight. ⟨good news would lighten our worries⟩ assuage implies softening or sweetening what is harsh or disagreeable. ⟨ocean breezes assuaged the intense heat⟩ mitigate suggests a moderating or countering of the effect of something violent or painful. ⟨the need to mitigate barbaric laws⟩ allay implies an effective calming or soothing of fears or alarms. ⟨allayed their fears⟩

swing (v, n, adj)

: to move backward and forward or from side to side while hanging from something. The clock's pendulum stopped swinging. : to move with a smooth, curving motion (+n - an act of swinging). The monkeys were swinging from branch to branch high up in the trees. The door swung open/shut. : to move (your arm, a tool, etc.) with a quick, curving motion especially to try to hit something. Be careful how you swing that ax. : to move back and forth on a special type of seat (called a swing). a playground where kids go to swing. : to turn or move quickly in a particular direction. He swung around to look at the clock. : to change suddenly from one state or condition to another (+ n - a change). Sales swung up sharply at the end of the year. : to change or influence (something) in an important way. His strong performance in the second half swung the game in our favor. They may still swing their votes to the other candidate. : to do or manage (something) successfully. She isn't able to swing [=afford] a new car on her income. : to be lively or exciting. The bar really swings on weekends. : to die by hanging. He swung for his crimes. : swing both ways : to be bisexual. : swing by/over : to make a brief visit. I'll swing by [=stop by] after work to drop off the paperwork. : swing the balance : to change a situation so that one person, group, etc., is more able or likely to succeed than another. Both candidates are qualified, but her experience could swing the balance in her favor.

backpedal

: to move backward with quick steps. The outfielder backpedaled a few steps to catch the fly ball. When threatened with a revolt of its own supporters, the government backpedaled [=retreated, backtracked] from its previous position.

sidle

: to move close to someone in a quiet or secret way. He sidled up to me and slipped me a note. She sidled over and whispered, "Do you see that guy?" : to go or move with one side forward The crab sidled away. She sidled through the narrow opening.

glide

: to move in a smooth way. The swans glided over the surface of the lake. We watched the skiers glide down the slope. The plane went into a glide.

oscillate

: to move in one direction and then back again many times. The fan was oscillating. [=was turning to the right, then to the left, then to the right, etc.] Stock prices have continued to oscillate. [=to go up and down]. an oscillating fan. The mood of voters has oscillated between optimism and pessimism. oscillating radio waves. swing, sway, oscillate, vibrate, fluctuate, waver, undulate mean to move from one direction to its opposite. swing implies a movement of something attached at one end or one side. ⟨the door suddenly swung open⟩ sway implies a slow swinging or teetering movement. ⟨trees swaying in the breeze⟩ oscillate stresses a usually regular alternation of direction. ⟨an oscillating fan⟩ vibrate suggests the rapid oscillation of an elastic body under stress or impact. ⟨the vibrating strings of a piano⟩ fluctuate suggests constant irregular changes of level, intensity, or value. ⟨fluctuating interest rates⟩ waver stresses irregular motion suggestive of reeling or tottering. ⟨the exhausted runner wavered before collapsing⟩ undulate suggests a gentle wavelike motion. ⟨an undulating sea of grass⟩

undulate

: to move or be shaped like waves. undulating hills. an undulating surface. swing, sway, oscillate, vibrate, fluctuate, waver, undulate mean to move from one direction to its opposite. swing implies a movement of something attached at one end or one side. ⟨the door suddenly swung open⟩ sway implies a slow swinging or teetering movement. ⟨trees swaying in the breeze⟩ oscillate stresses a usually regular alternation of direction. ⟨an oscillating fan⟩ vibrate suggests the rapid oscillation of an elastic body under stress or impact. ⟨the vibrating strings of a piano⟩ fluctuate suggests constant irregular changes of level, intensity, or value. ⟨fluctuating interest rates⟩ waver stresses irregular motion suggestive of reeling or tottering. ⟨the exhausted runner wavered before collapsing⟩ undulate suggests a gentle wavelike motion. ⟨an undulating sea of grass⟩

stagger (v, n, adj)

: to move or cause (someone) to move unsteadily from side to side. The drunk staggered away/off. A hard slap on the back staggered him. : to shock or surprise (someone) very much. Their indifference staggers me. (adj): I'm just staggered at/by her attitude. : to arrange (things) in a series of different positions or times. stagger work shifts. : an unsteady movement while walking or standing. He walked with a slight stagger. (adj): staggered conference dates. : very large, shocking, or surprising. The storm caused a staggering amount of damage. The bills are staggeringly large.

scramble (v,n)

: to move or climb over something quickly especially while also using your hands. We scrambled over the boulders and kept climbing up the mountain. : to move or act quickly to do, find, or get something often before someone else does. reporters scrambling to finish stories by deadline. Both players scrambled for the ball. : to prepare (eggs) by mixing the white and yellow parts together and then stirring the mixture in a hot pan. I'll scramble some eggs for breakfast. : to put (parts of something) in the wrong order. The letters of the words are scrambled. [=mixed up] : to change (a radio or electronic signal) so that whoever receives it will not be able to understand it. We will have to scramble our radio communications. : an act of scrambling.

wag

: to move something from side to side repeatedly. The dog wagged its tail. She wagged her finger at the children as she scolded them. He wagged his head back and forth. The dog's tail began to wag excitedly. a wagging movement. He answered with a wag of his head/finger. the wag of a dog's tail. : a clever person who makes lots of jokes : joker. He was known as quite a wag.

surge

: to move very quickly and suddenly in a particular direction. We all surged toward the door. Thoughts of what could happen were surging through his mind. : to suddenly increase to an unusually high level. Housing prices have surged in recent months. surging oil costs. the country's surging population. : a sudden, large increase. (= upsurge). The sport is enjoying a surge in popularity. : a sudden movement of many people. There was a sudden surge toward the door. : a large wave of water. an ocean surge. : a sudden increase in the amount of electricity that is flowing through an electrical circuit. an electrical/power surge.

jot

: to write down (something) quickly. He paused to jot a few notes on a slip of paper. He jotted down her name and phone number. : the smallest amount — usually used in negative statements. She has not changed a/one jot [=has not changed at all] since we last saw her. It doesn't make a jot of difference.

bid (noun or verb - same meanings)

: to offer to pay (a particular amount of money) for something that is being sold : to make a bid at an auction. He plans to stop bidding if the bids go over $500. : to offer to do work for a particular price. Several local companies are bidding for the same job. : to say how many points you are trying to win in a card game. He bid two. He bid and I passed. : to order or command (someone) to do something. We did as we were bid/bidden. : to express (greetings or good wishes) to (someone) : to say (something, such as "good morning," "good evening," etc.) to (someone). They bade me farewell. = They bade farewell to me. : to seem likely. a movie that bids FAIR to become a big hit [=a movie that will probably be very successful]

abolitionism

: to officially end or stop (something, such as a law) : to completely do away with (something). abolish slavery/apartheid. He is in favor of abolishing the death penalty.

permeate

: to pass or spread through (something). The water permeated the sand. The smell of baking bread permeated the kitchen. A feeling of anxiety permeated the office as we rushed to meet the deadline. The rain permeated through/into the soil.

inveigle

: to persuade (someone) to do something in a clever or deceptive way. She inveigled him to write the letter. They tried to inveigle her into taking the job. : to get (something) in a clever or deceptive way. We inveigled the information from him. He inveigled his way into a position of authority. [=he gained a position of authority by using trickery]. : to win over by wiles (уловками): entice. : to acquire by ingenuity or flattery. wangle inveigled her way into a promotion. : to lure by false representations or other deceit whoever unlawfully...inveigles, decoys, kidnaps, abducts, or carries away and holds for ransom or reward or otherwise any person...shall be punished by imprisonment — U.S. Code. lure, entice, inveigle, decoy, tempt, seduce mean to lead astray from one's true course. lure implies a drawing into danger, evil, or difficulty through attracting and deceiving. ⟨lured naive investors with get-rich-quick schemes⟩ entice suggests drawing by artful or adroit means. ⟨advertising designed to entice new customers⟩ inveigle implies enticing by cajoling or flattering. ⟨fund-raisers inveigling wealthy alumni⟩ decoy implies a luring into entrapment by artifice. ⟨attempting to decoy the enemy into an ambush⟩ tempt implies the presenting of an attraction so strong that it overcomes the restraints of conscience or better judgment. ⟨tempted by the offer of money⟩ seduce implies a leading astray by persuasion or false promises. ⟨seduced by assurances of assistance⟩.

wheedle

: to persuade someone to do something or to give you something by saying nice things. He wheedled quite a bit of money from her. We managed to wheedle [=coax] the juicy details out of him. She tried to wheedle us into spending more money than we wanted. He wheedled his way into his current job. She pleaded and wheedled, but I wouldn't be swayed. cajole, coax, soft-soap, blandish, wheedle mean to influence or persuade by pleasing words or actions. cajole suggests the deliberate use of flattery to persuade in the face of reluctance or reasonable objections. ⟨cajoled him into cheating on the final exam⟩ coax implies gentle and persistent words or actions employed to produce a desired effect. ⟨coaxed the cat out of the tree⟩ soft-soap refers to using smooth and somewhat insincere talk usually for personal gain. ⟨politicians soft-soaping eligible voters⟩ blandish implies a more open desire to win a person over by effusive praise and affectionate actions. ⟨legislators blandished with promises of support⟩ wheedle suggests more strongly than cajole the use of seductive appeal or artful words in persuading. ⟨hucksters wheedling her life's savings out of her⟩.

laud

: to praise (someone or something). Many people lauded her efforts to help the poor. = Many people lauded her for her efforts to help the poor. He was much lauded as a successful businessman. an office of solemn praise to God forming with matins (the night office forming with lauds, morning prayer) the first of the canonical hours (a time of day canonically appointed for an office of devotion).

knead

: to prepare (dough) by pressing a mixture of flour, water, etc., with your hands. Knead the dough until it is smooth. : to press and squeeze (a person's muscles) with your hands. He kneaded [=massaged] the muscles in my neck.

malingerer

: to pretend to be sick or injured in order to avoid doing work. His boss suspected him of malingering because of his frequent absences from work.

sustain

: to provide what is needed for (something or someone) to exist, continue, etc. There is not enough oxygen to sustain [=support] life at very high altitudes. Hope sustained us during that difficult time. The movie sustained our interest [=kept us interested] from beginning to end. The roof, unable to sustain the weight of all the snow, collapsed. : to deal with or experience (something bad or unpleasant) : suffer. The army sustained heavy losses. : to decide or state that (something) is proper, legal, or fair. The judge sustained the motion. The lawyer's objection was sustained. : to show that (something) is true or correct : to confirm or prove (something). The report sustains their story/claims.

retract

: to pull (something) back into something larger that usually covers it. A cat can retract its claws. The plane's landing gear failed to retract. : to say that something you said or wrote is not true or correct. The newspaper retracted [=withdrew] the story. : to take back (something, such as an offer or promise). Their college grants were retracted. They retracted the job offer. the plane's retractable landing gear. The stadium's roof is retractable. abjure, renounce, forswear, recant, retract mean to withdraw one's word or professed belief. abjure implies a firm and final rejecting or abandoning often made under oath. ⟨abjured the errors of his former faith⟩ renounce may carry the meaning of disclaim or disown. ⟨renounced abstract art and turned to portrait painting⟩ forswear may add an implication of perjury or betrayal. ⟨I cannot forswear my principles⟩ recant stresses the withdrawing or denying of something professed or taught. ⟨if they recant they will be spared⟩ retract applies to the withdrawing of a promise, an offer, or an accusation. ⟨the newspaper had to retract the story⟩ recede, retreat, retract, back mean to move backward. recede implies a gradual withdrawing from a forward or high fixed point in time or space. ⟨the flood waters gradually receded⟩ retreat implies withdrawal from a point or position reached. ⟨retreating soldiers⟩ retract implies drawing back from an extended position. ⟨a cat retracting its claws⟩ back is used with up, down, out, or off to refer to any retrograde motion. ⟨backed off on the throttle⟩

trail(v, n)

: to pull (something) behind you especially on the ground. The little girl went to her room, trailing her teddy bear behind her. The little girl's teddy bear trailed behind her. : to walk or move slowly as you follow behind (someone or something). She marched down the street with her children trailing (along) behind/after (her). : to be behind in a race or competition. The President is trailing in the polls as the election approaches. : to follow and watch or try to catch (someone or something). The dogs were trailing a fox. Police trailed the suspect for six blocks. : to move, flow, or extend slowly in a thin line. Smoke trailed (away) from the chimney. A tear trailed down her cheek. : to hang down to the ground. The curtains trailed onto the floor. : trail away/off — used to say that someone's voice becomes softer and softer and then stops. She started asking him a question, but then her voice trailed off. "Do you think you could..." she said before trailing off. : a path through a forest, field, etc. Stay on the trail if we get separated. a bike/ski trail. : the marks, signs, smells, etc., that are left behind by someone or something and that can often be followed. He left (behind) a trail of blood. As he gained more political power, he left a trail of bitterness behind him. : a route that someone follows to go somewhere or achieve something. following the trail to success. : hit the trail : to begin a journey. We should be ready to hit the trail by 8:00. chase, pursue, follow, trail mean to go after or on the track of something or someone. chase implies going swiftly after and trying to overtake something fleeing or running. ⟨a dog chasing a cat⟩ pursue suggests a continuing effort to overtake, reach, or attain. ⟨pursued the criminal through narrow streets⟩ follow puts less emphasis upon speed or intent to overtake. ⟨friends followed me home in their car⟩ trail may stress a following of tracks or traces rather than a visible object. ⟨trail deer⟩ ⟨trailed a suspect across the country⟩

imperil

: to put (something or someone) in a dangerous situation : endanger. The toxic fumes imperiled the lives of the trapped miners. The financial health of the company was imperiled by a string of bad investments.

exalt

: to raise (someone or something) to a higher level. His behavior has exalted the power and prestige of his office. : to praise (someone or something) highly. The essay exalts the simple beauty of the country. Michael Jordan is the figure in basketball we exalt the most. b : to present (something) in a way that is very favorable or too favorable. His new film exalts [=glorifies] military power. She rose to an exalted [=very high] position in the company. an exalted feeling [=a very happy feeling]. He had an exalted [=very high] opinion of his own work.

alleviate

: to reduce the pain or trouble of (something) : to make (something) less painful, difficult, or severe. The doctor tried to alleviate [=relieve] her symptoms/suffering. finding ways to alleviate stress. The new tunnel should alleviate [=lessen, reduce] traffic on the bridge. the alleviation of suffering/poverty. relieve, alleviate, lighten, assuage, mitigate, allay mean to make something less grievous. relieve implies a lifting of enough of a burden to make it tolerable. ⟨took an aspirin to relieve the pain⟩ alleviate implies temporary or partial lessening of pain or distress. ⟨the lotion alleviated the itching⟩ lighten implies reducing a burdensome or depressing weight. ⟨good news would lighten our worries⟩ assuage implies softening or sweetening what is harsh or disagreeable. ⟨ocean breezes assuaged the intense heat⟩ mitigate suggests a moderating or countering of the effect of something violent or painful. ⟨the need to mitigate barbaric laws⟩ allay implies an effective calming or soothing of fears or alarms. ⟨allayed their fears⟩

pertain

: to relate to someone or something : to have a connection to a person or thing. The law pertains [=applies] only to people who were born in this country. The questions pertained to [=the questions were about] the role of religion in society. books pertaining to the country's history.

replicate

: to repeat or copy (something) exactly. Scientists have failed to replicate [=duplicate] the results of his experiment. They are working on computer-generated speech that replicates the human voice. DNA replicates itself in the cell nucleus. DNA replicates in the cell nucleus.

reiterate

: to repeat something you have already said in order to emphasize it. reiterate a claim/view/point. She avoided answering our questions directly, instead reiterating that the answers could be found in her book. The report was nothing more than a reiteration of statements by officials.

mar

: to ruin the beauty or perfection of (something) : to hurt or damage the good condition of (something). A large scar marred his face. Her acting mars an otherwise great movie. The report is marred by numerous errors. injure, harm, hurt, damage, impair, mar mean to affect injuriously. injure implies the inflicting of anything detrimental to one's looks, comfort, health, or success. ⟨badly injured in an accident⟩ harm often stresses the inflicting of pain, suffering, or loss. ⟨careful not to harm the animals⟩ hurt implies inflicting a wound to the body or to the feelings. ⟨hurt by their callous remarks⟩ damage suggests injury that lowers value or impairs usefulness. ⟨a table damaged in shipping⟩ impair suggests a making less complete or efficient by deterioration or diminution. ⟨years of smoking had impaired his health⟩ mar applies to injury that spoils perfection (as of a surface) or causes disfigurement. ⟨the text is marred by many typos⟩.

chant

: to say (a word or phrase) many times in a rhythmic way usually loudly and with other people. The crowd began chanting her name. They chanted "Sara, Sara" until she came back on stage. Protesters were chanting outside the governor's home. : to sing words and especially religious prayers by using a small number of musical notes that are repeated many times. They were chanting in Arabic/Latin/Hebrew/Sanskrit.Priests chanted the Catholic Mass in Latin. : a word or phrase that is repeated in a rhythmic way usually loudly and by a group of people. Our chant was "Peace now, peace now!" : a kind of singing using a small number of musical notes that are repeated many times. a religious chant Chant is often used as a form of meditation and prayer.

sling

: to throw (something) with a forceful sweeping motion. She slung the bag over her shoulder. The protesters started slinging [=flinging] stones at the police. They slung [=hurled] insults at each other. He was slung [=thrown] into jail for the night. : to hang (something) loosely. He slung a hammock between two trees. : sling your hook : to go away : leave. She angrily told him to sling his hook. : something that is used to lift, carry, or support something: such as a piece of cloth that hangs around your neck and is used to support an injured arm or hand. He has to keep his arm in a sling. : slings and arrows : the problems and criticisms that are experienced in someone's life. Politicians must be willing to endure/suffer the slings and arrows of public life.

hurl

: to throw (something) with force. Someone hurled a rock through the window. It looked like she was going to hurl herself down the stairs. : to say or shout (something, such as an insult) in a loud and forceful way. The protesters hurled insults at us. a baseball team with several talented hurlers [=pitchers].

renounce

: to say especially in a formal or official way that you will no longer have or accept (something) : to formally give up (something). The king renounced [=abdicated] the throne. : to say in a formal or definite way that you refuse to follow, obey, or support (someone or something) any longer. Many of his former supporters have renounced him. He renounced his old way of life. abdicate, renounce, resign mean to give up a position with no possibility of resuming it. abdicate implies a giving up of sovereign power or sometimes an evading of responsibility such as that of a parent. ⟨abdicated the throne⟩ renounce may replace it but often implies additionally a sacrifice for a greater end. ⟨renounced her inheritance by marrying a commoner⟩ resign applies to the giving up of an unexpired office or trust. ⟨resigned from the board⟩ abjure, renounce, forswear, recant, retract mean to withdraw one's word or professed belief. abjure implies a firm and final rejecting or abandoning often made under oath. ⟨abjured the errors of his former faith⟩ renounce may carry the meaning of disclaim or disown. ⟨renounced abstract art and turned to portrait painting⟩ forswear may add an implication of perjury or betrayal. ⟨I cannot forswear my principles⟩ recant stresses the withdrawing or denying of something professed or taught. ⟨if they recant they will be spared⟩ retract applies to the withdrawing of a promise, an offer, or an accusation. ⟨the newspaper had to retract the story⟩

proclaim

: to say or state (something) in a public, official, or definite way : to declare or announce (something). She proclaimed that she will run for governor. : to show (something) clearly. His behavior proclaimed his good upbringing. declare, announce, proclaim, promulgate mean to make known publicly. declare implies explicitness and usually formality in making known. ⟨the referee declared the contest a draw⟩ announce implies the declaration of something for the first time. ⟨announced their engagement at a party⟩ proclaim implies declaring clearly, forcefully, and authoritatively. ⟨the president proclaimed a national day of mourning⟩ promulgate implies the proclaiming of a dogma, doctrine, or law. ⟨promulgated an edict of religious toleration⟩

concede

: to say that you accept or do not deny the truth or existence of (something) : to admit (something) usually in an unwilling way. I concede that the work has been slow so far, but it should speed up soon. It is generally conceded [=acknowledged, agreed] that they are the superior team. : to admit that you have been defeated and stop trying to win. He's not ready to concede the election. They were forced to concede defeat. : to give away (something) usually in an unwilling way. The former ruler was forced to concede power to a new government. The company says that workers are not conceding enough in negotiations. : to allow an opponent to score (a point, goal, etc.). The team has not conceded [=allowed] a goal this half. grant, concede, vouchsafe, accord, award mean to give as a favor or a right. grant implies giving to a claimant or petitioner something that could be withheld. ⟨granted them a new hearing⟩ concede implies yielding something reluctantly in response to a rightful or compelling claim. ⟨even her critics concede she can be charming⟩ vouchsafe implies granting something as a courtesy or an act of gracious condescension. ⟨vouchsafed the secret to only a few chosen disciples⟩ accord implies giving to another what is due or proper. ⟨accorded all the honors befitting a head of state⟩ award implies giving what is deserved or merited usually after a careful weighing of pertinent factors. ⟨awarded the company a huge defense contract⟩

denigrate

: to say very critical and often unfair things about (someone), to attack the reputation of. Various groups denigrated both candidates throughout the presidential campaign. Her story denigrates him as a person and as a teacher. : to deny the importance or validity of : belittle. Such behavior denigrates the value of honesty in the workplace. No one is trying to denigrate the importance of a good education. denigrating the talents and achievements of women.

delve

: to search for information about something. He tried to delve inside his memory for clues about what had happened. Before the trip, I delved into the history of the city. Now is not the time to delve into the past. He delved in the drawer for a torch. She delved into her handbag in search of a pen.

cull

: to select or choose (someone or something) from a group. Damaged fruits are culled (out) before the produce is shipped. They've culled some of the best poems from her collected works. She culled the information from newspaper articles. : to control the size of (a group of animals) by killing some animals. He culls his herd annually. The town issued hunting licenses in order to cull the deer population. (noun) the annual cull of the herd. : something rejected especially as being inferior or worthless... how to separate good-looking pecans from culls.

divest

: to sell (smthvaluable, such as property or stocks). The company is divesting 8 of its 20 stores. We may have to divest assets to raise capital/money. :divest (smn or smth) of (smth) - to cause (smn or smth) to lose or give up (smth). The document does not divest her of her right to use the property. He was divested of his title/power/dignity. divest (yourself) of (smth). She divested herself of most of her possessions. : to remove (clothing, equipment, etc.) from your body. He divested himself of his coat. asset divestments. the divestment of assets.

droop

: to sink, bend, or hang down. The flowers were drooping in the hot sun. Her eyelids drooped as she grew tired. The tree's branches drooped under the weight of the snow. : to become sad or weak. His spirits drooped when he didn't get the job. the sad droop of the dog's tail. a droopy mustache.

cast

: to throw or move (something) in a forceful way cast [=throw, toss] a stone. : to send or direct (something) in the direction of someone or something. He cast a glance toward the door. The witch cast [=put] a spell on him. The tree cast a long shadow on the lawn. The incident casts doubt on her honesty. : to make (a vote) formally. How many votes were cast? : to assign roles for (a play, movie, etc.) to actors. cast a play. : to shape (a substance) by pouring it into a mold and letting it harden. The metal was cast into candlesticks. He cast the story in the form of a diary. : to talk about or think of (someone or something) in a particular way. The war was cast as a battle against terrorism. : cast about/around for : to look in many places for (something). They cast about for new ways to make money on the farm. : cast (a boat) adrift : to cause (a boat) to float on the water without being tied to anything or controlled by anyone. a small lifeboat cast adrift in the open sea. They were cast adrift in a small, leaky boat. I was cast adrift in a sea of confusion. : cast aside : to stop thinking about (something). She tried to cast aside her worries and enjoy the party. : cast away : to leave (someone) alone somewhere (such as on an island) as a result of a storm, shipwreck, etc. The crew was cast away on a desert island. : гипс.

sneer

: to smile or laugh at someone or something with an expression on your face that shows dislike and a lack of respect. She sneered at me in disgust. She looked at me with a sneer of disgust. "They're paranoid," he said with a sneer. : to express dislike and a lack of respect for someone or something in a very open way. an academic who sneers at anyone who doesn't have a PhD. Critics sneered at his first novel. "You obviously don't know what you're talking about," she sneered. the sneering villain of the comic book. sneering contempt. Critics sneeringly referred to the novel as "juvenile." : a statement, criticism, etc., that shows dislike and a lack of respect. The novel elicited sneers from the critics. scoff, jeer, gibe, fleer, sneer, flout mean to show one's contempt in derision or mockery. scoff stresses insolence, disrespect, or incredulity as motivating the derision. ⟨scoffed at their concerns⟩ jeer suggests a coarser more undiscriminating derision. ⟨the crowd jeered at the prisoners⟩ gibe implies taunting either good-naturedly or in sarcastic derision. ⟨hooted and gibed at the umpire⟩ fleer suggests grinning or grimacing derisively (надсмехаться). ⟨the saucy jackanapes fleered at my credulity⟩ sneer stresses insulting by contemptuous facial expression, phrasing, or tone of voice. ⟨sneered at anything romantic⟩ flout stresses contempt shown by refusal to heed. ⟨flouted the conventions of polite society⟩.

allude

: to speak of or mention (something or someone) in an indirect way. I'm interested in hearing more about the technology you alluded to a minute ago. She alluded to her first marriage/husband.

embezzler

: to steal money that you have been trusted with.He was caught embezzling money/funds from his clients.. He was convicted of embezzling. the embezzlement of funds. a convicted embezzler.

pilfer

: to steal things that are not very valuable or to steal a small amount of something. He was caught pilfering. She pilfered stamps and paper from work. steal, pilfer, filch, purloin mean to take from another without right or without detection. steal may apply to any surreptitious taking of something and differs from the other terms by commonly applying to intangibles as well as material things. ⟨steal jewels⟩ ⟨stole a look at the gifts⟩ pilfer implies stealing repeatedly in small amounts. ⟨pilfered from his employer⟩ filch adds a suggestion of snatching quickly and surreptitiously. ⟨filched an apple from the tray⟩ purloin stresses removing or carrying off for one's own use or purposes. ⟨printed a purloined document⟩

posit

: to suggest (something, such as an idea or theory) especially in order to start a discussion. Some astronomers have posited [=proposed, postulated] that the universe is made up of mysterious dark matter. : to dispose or set firmly : fix.

convey

: to take or carry (someone or something) from one place to another : transport. The singer was conveyed from her hotel to the airport by limousine. The pipes convey water to the fields. : to make (something) known to someone. Mere words could not convey his joy. [=he could not express his joy in words]. The painting conveys [=expresses] a sense/feeling of motion. : to change the ownership of (property) from one person to another. He conveyed the estate to his son.

rant

: to talk loudly and in a way that shows anger : to complain in a way that is unreasonable. "You can rant and rave all you want," she said, "but it's not going to change things." — often + about He always rants about the evils of the film industry. — often + on She ranted on for hours about the smoking ban. [+ object]. He ranted that they were out to get him. — rant noun, plural rants [count] After complaining about the hotel's lousy service, the woman went off on another rant about the condition of her room. : to talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner. : to scold vehemently. : a bombastic extravagant speech. : bombastic extravagant language.

deride

: to talk or write about (someone or something) in a very critical or insulting way : to say that (someone or something) is ridiculous or has no value. politicians attempting to win votes by deriding [=belittling] their opponents. One critic derides the book as dull and predictable. For years women were derided as the weaker sex. ridicule, deride, mock, taunt mean to make an object of laughter of. ridicule implies a deliberate often malicious belittling. ⟨consistently ridiculed everything she said⟩ deride suggests contemptuous and often bitter ridicule. ⟨derided their efforts to start their own business⟩ mock implies scorn often ironically expressed as by mimicry or sham deference. ⟨youngsters began to mock the helpless wino⟩ taunt suggests jeeringly provoking insult or challenge. ⟨hometown fans taunted the visiting team⟩.

edify

: to teach (someone) in a way that improves the mind or character. These books will both entertain and edify readers. books that provide both entertainment and edification. an edifying sermon/experience.

speculate

: to think about something and make guesses about it. : to form ideas or theories about something usually when there are many things not known about it. He speculated as to whether she would come. : to meditate on or ponder a subject : reflect. : to review something idly or casually and often inconclusively.

conceive

: to think of or create (something) in the mind. conceive an idea. a writer who has conceived [=imagined] an entire world of amazing creatures. They conceived of [=thought of, regarded] her as a genius. I can't conceive of [=imagine] a reason for not supporting this policy. : to become pregnant. a woman who has been unable to conceive. think, conceive, imagine, fancy, realize, envisage, envision mean to form an idea of. think implies the entrance of an idea into one's mind with or without deliberate consideration or reflection. ⟨I just thought of a good joke⟩ conceive suggests the forming and bringing forth and usually developing of an idea, plan, or design. ⟨conceived of a new marketing approach⟩ imagine stresses a visualization. ⟨imagine you're at the beach⟩ fancy suggests an imagining often unrestrained by reality but spurred by desires. ⟨fancied himself a super athlete⟩ realize stresses a grasping of the significance of what is conceived or imagined. ⟨realized the enormity of the task ahead⟩ envisage and envision imply a conceiving or imagining that is especially clear or detailed. ⟨envisaged a totally computerized operation⟩ ⟨envisioned a cure for the disease⟩

lionize

: to treat (someone) as a very important and famous person. She was lionized everywhere after her novel won the Pulitzer Prize. Still, some right-wing websites had already lionized the memo's author, and firing him could be seen as confirming some of the claims in the memo itself - that the company's culture makes no room for dissenting political opinions.

spin (v, n)

: to turn or cause someone or something to turn around repeatedly. The car hit a patch of ice and spun into the wall. (n) : to seem to be moving around in a way that makes you feel dizzy or sick. After the night of drinking, my head was spinning. [=I was dizzy]. : to draw out and twist fibers of cotton, wool, silk, etc., into yarn or thread. She spun the silk into thread. of insects : to form (something) by producing a fluid that quickly hardens into a thread. a spider spinning its web. : to tell (a story, especially a story that you create by using your imagination). He was spinning yarns about his adventures in the navy. She spun a tale about her car breaking down to explain why she was late. : to move very quickly on wheels or in a vehicle The motorcycles spun [=sped] along the country road. : to describe (something, such as an event) in a certain way in order to influence what people think about it. Both parties tried to spin the debate as a victory for their candidate. He accused the companies of spinning the results of their studies to their own benefit. (n) : to play recorded music at a party or nightclub. We hired my favorite DJ to spin records/tunes/discs at the party. : spin off : to create something new (such as a new television show or company) by basing it on or taking it from something that already exists. The cartoon has spun off dolls and other merchandise. : spin out : to slide and turn around quickly in an uncontrolled way. The truck spun out on a patch of ice. : to make (something) last for a very long time. They're deliberately trying to spin out the debate. : spin out of control : to move in a way that is not controlled. The rocket spun out of control and crashed. : to keep getting worse in a way that is hard to stop or fix. Her drinking problem is spinning out of control. : spin your wheels : to stay in the same condition or position without making progress. I need to look for a new job. I feel like I'm just spinning my wheels here. : a short trip in a vehicle. He took me for a spin in his new car. : a condition in which an airplane is falling rapidly while turning around and around. The plane went into a spin. [=tailspin]. The news of her death sent him into a spin. [=caused him to become very unhappy, to lose control of his life, etc.] : a state of being mentally confused or anxious. Her head was all in a spin. [=her head was spinning; she was very confused]

construe

: to understand (an action, event, remark, etc.) in a particular way. He construed my actions as hostile. Her frustration was construed [=perceived, interpreted] as anger. : to understand the meaning of (a word, phrase, or sentence). The way the court construes various words has changed over time.

tangle (v, n)

: to unite or knit together in intricate confusion. This fishing line tangles easily. He got tangled up in legal problems. : tangle with : to fight or argue with (someone or something). He's not someone I would want to tangle with. : a twisted knot of hair, thread, etc. She brushed the tangles out of her hair. : a state of disorder or confusion. They got caught in a legal/financial tangle. : a fight or disagreement. He got into a tangle with police.

deduce

: to use logic or reason to form (a conclusion or opinion about something) : to decide (something) after thinking about the known facts. Scientists use several methods to deduce [=determine] the age of ancient objects. They deduced [=concluded] that he was present at the scene of the crime. A word's meaning can often be deduced from its context.

deplete

: to use most or all of (something important) : to greatly reduce the amount of (something). Activities such as logging and mining deplete our natural resources. We completely depleted our life savings when we bought our new house. The soil has been depleted by years of drought. a depletion of the water supply. the depletion of the ozone layer = ozone depletion. deplete, drain, exhaust, impoverish, bankrupt mean to deprive of something essential to existence or potency. deplete implies a reduction in number or quantity so as to endanger the ability to function. ⟨depleting our natural resources⟩ drain implies a gradual withdrawal and ultimate deprivation of what is necessary to an existence. ⟨personal tragedy had drained him of all spirit⟩ exhaust stresses a complete emptying. ⟨her lecture exhausted the subject⟩ impoverish suggests a deprivation of something essential to richness or productiveness. ⟨impoverished soil⟩ bankrupt suggests impoverishment to the point of imminent collapse. ⟨war had bankrupted the nation of resources⟩.

cerebration

: to use the mind : think. Mathematics problems sometimes require much cerebration.

equivocate

: to use unclear language especially to deceive or mislead someone. The applicant seemed to be equivocating when we asked him about his last job. When asked about her tax plan, the candidate didn't equivocate. The candidate spoke without equivocation about her tax plan. His answers were filled with evasions and equivocations. lie, prevaricate, equivocate, palter, fib mean to tell an untruth. lie is the blunt term, imputing dishonesty. ⟨lied about where he had been⟩ prevaricate softens the bluntness of lie by implying quibbling or confusing the issue. ⟨during the hearings the witness did his best to prevaricate⟩ equivocate implies using words having more than one sense so as to seem to say one thing but intend another. ⟨equivocated endlessly in an attempt to mislead her inquisitors⟩ palter implies making unreliable statements of fact or intention or insincere promises. ⟨a swindler paltering with his investors⟩ fib applies to a telling of a trivial untruth. ⟨fibbed about the price of the new suit⟩

traipse

: to walk or go somewhere. I traipsed all over town looking for the right dress. I'm too old to go traipsing around Europe. wander, roam, ramble, rove, traipse, meander mean to go about from place to place usually without a plan or definite purpose. wander implies an absence of or an indifference to a fixed course. ⟨fond of wandering about the square just watching the people⟩ roam suggests wandering about freely and often far afield. ⟨liked to roam through the woods⟩ ramble stresses carelessness and indifference to one's course or objective. ⟨the speaker rambled on without ever coming to the point⟩ rove suggests vigorous and sometimes purposeful roaming. ⟨armed brigands roved over the countryside⟩ traipse implies a course that is erratic but may sometimes be purposeful. ⟨traipsed all over town looking for the right dress⟩ meander implies a winding or intricate course suggestive of aimless or listless wandering. ⟨the river meanders for miles through rich farmland⟩

plod

: to walk slowly and usually heavily : trudge. We plodded through mud that came up past our ankles. I could hear my roommate plodding up the steps to our apartment. : to progress or develop slowly. He plodded through his work. The day was plodding along. The pace had slowed to a plod. a steady plodder. the movie's plodding pace. The book was written in plodding prose. ploddingly dull prose.

ponder

: to weigh in the mind : appraise, pondered their chances of success. to think about : reflect on, pondered the events of the day. He pondered the question before he answered. The team pondered their chances of success. We pondered whether we could afford the trip. She paused to ponder on the situation. We pondered over/about what to do. ponderous: : unwieldy or clumsy because of weight and size. - the elephant's ponderous movements. : oppressively or unpleasantly dull : lifeless - students struggling to stay awake during a ponderous lecture.

glut

: too much of something : a supply of something that is much more than is needed or wanted. a glut of oil on the market. : to fill (something) with more of something than is needed or wanted. The market is glutted with oil. satiate, sate, surfeit, cloy, pall, glut, gorge mean to fill to repletion. satiate and sate may sometimes imply only complete satisfaction but more often suggest repletion that has destroyed interest or desire. ⟨years of globe-trotting had satiated their interest in travel⟩ ⟨readers were sated with sensationalistic stories⟩ surfeit implies a nauseating repletion. ⟨surfeited themselves with junk food⟩ cloy stresses the disgust or boredom resulting from such surfeiting. ⟨sentimental pictures that cloy after a while⟩ pall emphasizes the loss of ability to stimulate interest or appetite. ⟨a life of leisure eventually begins to pall⟩ glut implies excess in feeding or supplying. ⟨a market glutted with diet books⟩ gorge suggests glutting to the point of bursting or choking. ⟨gorged themselves with chocolate⟩

timber

: trees that are grown in order to produce wood. They shouted "Timber!" as the tree began to fall. : a large piece of wood that is used to form a part of a building. the roof's oak timbers. : wood that is used to make something. a chair made of sturdy timber [=(US) lumber]. The house has a timber frame.

impuissant

: unable to take effective action, lack of power or effectiveness, weak, lacking physical strength or vigor. The failsafe option of fake news Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the impuissant opposition, settled down in a comfortable chair, and readied himself for his regular, televised roasting.

trivia

: unimportant facts or details. She doesn't pay attention to such trivia. trivial facts. : facts about people, events, etc., that are not well-known. He is an expert on baseball trivia. trivia questions.

dubious

: unsure or uncertain : feeling doubt about something. I was dubious [=doubtful] about our chances for success. : causing doubt, uncertainty, or suspicion : likely to be bad or wrong. Her conclusions are pretty dubious, if you ask me. [=her conclusions are probably wrong] He made the highly dubious claim that Elvis is still alive and living in Hawaii. She was a dubious choice for the job. — used ironically in phrases like dubious honor and dubious distinction to describe something bad or undesirable as if it were an honor or achievement. He is the lawyer with the dubious honor of having lost the most cases in the firm. We had the dubious distinction of losing 12 games in a row. He looked at me dubiously when I explained why I was late. doubtful, dubious, problematic, questionable mean not affording assurance of the worth, soundness, or certainty of something. doubtful implies little more than a lack of conviction or certainty. ⟨doubtful about whether I said the right thing⟩ dubious stresses suspicion, mistrust, or hesitation. ⟨dubious about the practicality of the scheme⟩ problematic applies especially to things whose existence, meaning, fulfillment, or realization is highly uncertain. ⟨whether the project will ever be finished is problematic⟩ questionable may imply no more than the existence of doubt but usually suggests that the suspicions are well-grounded. ⟨a man of questionable honesty⟩

fretful

: upset and worried. a fretful child. : not relaxing or restful. He fell into a fretful sleep. He was sleeping fretfully. the child's fretfulness. : disposed to fret : irritable, restless.

peremptory

: used to describe an order, command, etc., that you must obey without any questions or excuses. a peremptory order/instruction from the court. : having or showing the insulting attitude of people who think that they should be obeyed without question : arrogant. Her peremptory tone/attitude angered me. masterful, domineering, imperious, peremptory, imperative mean tending to impose one's will on others. masterful implies a strong personality and ability to act authoritatively. ⟨her masterful personality soon dominated the movement⟩ domineering suggests an overbearing or arbitrary manner and an obstinate determination to enforce one's will. ⟨children controlled by domineering parents⟩ imperious implies a commanding nature or manner and often suggests arrogant assurance. ⟨an imperious executive used to getting his own way⟩ peremptory implies an abrupt dictatorial manner coupled with an unwillingness to brook disobedience or dissent. ⟨given a peremptory dismissal⟩ imperative implies peremptoriness arising more from the urgency of the situation than from an inherent will to dominate. ⟨an imperative appeal for assistance⟩

latent

: used to describe something (such as a disease) that exists but is not active or cannot be seen. a latent infection. The house they bought had latent defects. the latency period of a disease. latent, dormant, quiescent, potential mean not now showing signs of activity or existence. latent applies to a power or quality that has not yet come forth but may emerge and develop. ⟨a latent desire for success⟩ dormant suggests the inactivity of something (such as a feeling or power) as though sleeping. ⟨their passion had lain dormant⟩ quiescent suggests a usually temporary cessation of activity. ⟨the disease was quiescent⟩ potential applies to what does not yet have existence or effect but is likely soon to have. ⟨a potential disaster⟩

sordid

: very bad or dishonest: marked by baseness or grossness :vile. sordid motives. He shared the sordid details of his past. sordid business deals. a sordid scandal/affair. : very dirty : filthy. sordid living conditions. mean, ignoble, abject, sordid mean being below the normal standards of human decency and dignity. mean suggests small-mindedness, ill temper, or cupidity. ⟨mean and petty satire⟩ ignoble suggests a loss or lack of some essential high quality of mind or spirit. ⟨an ignoble scramble after material possessions⟩ abject may imply degradation, debasement, or servility. ⟨abject poverty⟩ sordid is stronger than all of these in stressing physical or spiritual degradation and abjectness. ⟨a sordid story of murder and revenge⟩

lucid

: very clear and easy to understand. a lucid explanation. : able to think clearly. The patient has remained lucid [=clearheaded] throughout his illness. He is able to recognize his wife in his lucid moments. the lucidity of the explanation. clear, perspicuous, lucid mean quickly and easily understood. clear implies freedom from obscurity, ambiguity, or undue complexity. ⟨clear instructions⟩ perspicuous applies to a style that is simple and elegant as well as clear. ⟨a perspicuous style⟩ lucid suggests a clear logical coherence and evident order of arrangement. ⟨a lucid explanation⟩

adroit

: very clever or skillful. an adroit negotiator. She is adroit at handling problems. She managed the situation adroitly. : having or showing skill, cleverness, or resourcefulness in handling situations. an adroit leader. adroit maneuvers. Family medicine ... is constructed around the unquantifiable idea that a doctor who treats your grandmother, your father, your niece, and your daughter will be more adroit in treating you. clever, adroit, cunning, ingenious mean having or showing practical wit or skill in contriving. clever stresses physical or mental quickness, deftness, or great aptitude. ⟨a person clever with horses⟩ adroit often implies a skillful use of expedients to achieve one's purpose in spite of difficulties. ⟨an adroit negotiator⟩ cunning implies great skill in constructing or creating. ⟨a filmmaker cunning in his use of special effects⟩ ingenious suggests the power of inventing or discovering a new way of accomplishing something. ⟨an ingenious software engineer⟩ dexterous, adroit, deft mean ready and skilled in physical movement. dexterous implies expertness with consequent facility and quickness in manipulation. ⟨unrolled the sleeping bag with a dexterous toss⟩ adroit implies dexterity but usually also stresses resourcefulness or artfulness or inventiveness. ⟨the magician's adroit response to the failure of her prop won applause⟩ deft emphasizes lightness, neatness, and sureness of touch or handling. ⟨a surgeon's deft manipulation of the scalpel⟩

opulence

: very comfortable and expensive : luxurious. opulent new homes. opulent furnishings. the opulent [=affluent] lifestyle of wealthy people. : very wealthy. an opulent widow.

audacious

: very confident and daring : very bold and surprising or shocking. They have audacious plans for the new school. This is her most audacious film so far. She made an audacious decision to quit her job. the audaciousness [=(more commonly) audacity] of their plans.

resolute

: very determined : having or showing a lot of determination. He has remained resolute in his opposition to the bill. a leader with a stern and resolute manner. a resolute gaze. The senator is resolutely opposed to the bill. faithful, loyal, constant, staunch, steadfast, resolute mean firm in adherence to whatever one owes allegiance. faithful implies unswerving adherence to a person or thing or to the oath or promise by which a tie was contracted. ⟨faithful to her promise⟩ loyal implies a firm resistance to any temptation to desert or betray. ⟨remained loyal to the czar⟩ constant stresses continuing firmness of emotional attachment without necessarily implying strict obedience to promises or vows. ⟨constant friends⟩ staunch suggests fortitude and resolution in adherence and imperviousness to influences that would weaken it. ⟨a staunch defender of free speech⟩ steadfast implies a steady and unwavering course in love, allegiance, or conviction. ⟨steadfast in their support⟩ resolute implies firm determination to adhere to a cause or purpose. ⟨a resolute ally⟩.

conspicuous

: very easy to see or notice. There were a number of conspicuous changes to the building. : attracting attention by being great or impressive. The business was a conspicuous success. He was conspicuously [=noticeably] absent from the meeting. noticeable, remarkable, prominent, outstanding, conspicuous, salient, striking mean attracting notice or attention. noticeable applies to something unlikely to escape observation. ⟨a piano recital with no noticeable errors⟩ remarkable applies to something so extraordinary or exceptional as to invite comment. ⟨a film of remarkable intelligence and wit⟩ prominent applies to something commanding notice by standing out from its surroundings or background. ⟨a doctor who occupies a prominent position in the town⟩ outstanding applies to something that rises above and excels others of the same kind. ⟨honored for her outstanding contributions to science⟩ conspicuous applies to something that is obvious and unavoidable to the sight or mind. ⟨conspicuous bureaucratic waste⟩ salient applies to something of significance that merits the attention given it. ⟨the salient points of the speech⟩ striking applies to something that impresses itself powerfully and deeply upon the observer's mind or vision. ⟨the region's striking poverty⟩

potent

: very effective or strong. potent medicine The tea was potent. : having a very powerful effect or influence on someone, chemically or medicinally effective. He had potent arguments for going to war. Her story serves as a potent reminder of the dangers of drug use. : able to have sex — opposite impotent. a potently meaningful speech.

sumptuous

: very expensive, rich, or impressive. a sumptuous banquet/dinner/feast. sumptuous [=luxurious] hotels. the sumptuousness of the dessert.

halcyon

: very happy and successful — used to refer to a happy and successful time in the past that is remembered as being better than today. She looks back fondly recalling the halcyon days/years of her career, when she was just out of college.

natty

: very neat and clean. a soldier in his natty blue uniform. He's quite a natty dresser.

antediluvian

: very old or old-fashioned. an antediluvian automobile. He has antediluvian notions/ideas about the role of women in the workplace.

atavistic

: very primitive — used to describe feelings or qualities that human beings have had from the earliest times. She thinks men have an atavistic desire to dominate any group. atavistic urges/instincts.

inane

: very silly or stupid. I quickly tired of their inane comments/questions/chatter. The film's plot is inane and full of clichés. She just sat there grinning inanely at the TV. the inanity of their questions. the tiresome inanities [=inane comments or actions] of the political world. insipid, vapid, flat, jejune, banal, inane mean devoid of qualities that make for spirit and character. insipid implies a lack of sufficient taste or savor to please or interest. ⟨an insipid romance with platitudes on every page⟩ vapid suggests a lack of liveliness, force, or spirit. ⟨an exciting story given a vapid treatment⟩ flat applies to things that have lost their sparkle or zest. ⟨although well-regarded in its day, the novel now seems flat⟩ jejune suggests a lack of rewarding or satisfying substance. ⟨a jejune and gassy speech⟩ banal stresses the complete absence of freshness, novelty, or immediacy. ⟨a banal tale of unrequited love⟩ inane implies a lack of any significant or convincing quality. ⟨an inane interpretation of the play⟩

stringent

: very strict or severe. stringent training. stringent budgetary constraints. — used to describe a command, rule, etc., that must be obeyed. stringent rules/requirements/restrictions/standards. stringency. The rule is stringently applied/enforced. rigid, rigorous, strict, stringent mean extremely severe or stern. rigid implies uncompromising inflexibility. ⟨rigid rules of conduct⟩ rigorous implies the imposition of hardship and difficulty. ⟨the rigorous training of recruits⟩ strict emphasizes undeviating conformity to rules, standards, or requirements. ⟨strict enforcement of the law⟩ stringent suggests severe, tight restriction or limitation. ⟨stringent standards of admission⟩

iniquitous

: very unfair or evil. an iniquitous deed/war. the iniquities of slavery. vicious, villainous, iniquitous, nefarious, corrupt, degenerate mean highly reprehensible or offensive in character, nature, or conduct. vicious may directly oppose virtuous in implying moral depravity, or may connote malignancy, cruelty, or destructive violence. ⟨a vicious gangster⟩ villainous applies to any evil, depraved, or vile conduct or characteristic. ⟨a villainous assault⟩ iniquitous implies absence of all signs of justice or fairness. ⟨an iniquitous system of taxation⟩ nefarious suggests flagrant breaching of time-honored laws and traditions of conduct. ⟨the nefarious rackets of organized crime⟩ corrupt stresses a loss of moral integrity or probity causing betrayal of principle or sworn obligations. ⟨city hall was rife with corrupt politicians⟩ degenerate suggests having sunk to an especially vicious or enervated condition. ⟨a degenerate regime propped up by foreign powers⟩

noisome

: very unpleasant or disgusting. a noisome odor. malodorous, stinking, fetid, noisome, putrid, rank, fusty, musty mean bad-smelling. malodorous may range from the unpleasant to the strongly offensive. ⟨malodorous fertilizers⟩ stinking and fetid suggest the foul or disgusting. ⟨prisoners were held in stinking cells⟩ ⟨the fetid odor of skunk cabbage⟩ noisome adds a suggestion of being harmful or unwholesome as well as offensive. ⟨a stagnant, noisome sewer⟩ putrid implies particularly the sickening odor of decaying organic matter. ⟨the putrid smell of rotting fish⟩ rank suggests a strong unpleasant smell. ⟨rank cigar smoke⟩ fusty and musty suggest lack of fresh air and sunlight, fusty also implying prolonged uncleanliness, musty stressing the effects of dampness, mildew, or age. ⟨a fusty attic⟩ ⟨the musty odor of a damp cellar⟩

feebleness

: very weak. a feeble old man. She's still feeble from her long illness. We heard a feeble cry for help. Business is suffering because of the feeble economy. : not good enough : not successful or effective. a feeble joke. He made a feeble attempt/effort to explain his behavior. He offered a feeble excuse for his behavior. "Dislike" is too feeble a word for how she feels about him. — the feebleness of his excuse. — She smiled feebly. He feebly attempted to explain his behavior.

havoc

: wide and general destruction or great confusion and disorder. the havoc of war. The disease can play havoc with the body's immune system. Several small children can create/cause havoc in a house. the blackout caused havoc in the city.

downtrodden

: without hope because of being treated badly by powerful people, governments, etc. downtrodden people. They were poor and downtrodden. He showed compassion for the downtrodden. (only adj. глаголов нет таких)

inscription

: words that are written on or cut into a surface. The painting had an inscription that read, "To my loving wife." the inscription on a stone monument.

ecumenical

: worldwide or general in extent, influence, or application. : involving people from different kinds of Christian churches. an ecumenical council/service. : promoting or tending toward worldwide Christian unity or cooperation.

constructivism

:a nonobjective art movement originating in Russia and concerned with formal organization of planes and expression of volume in terms of modern industrial materials (such as glass and plastic). : Constructivism is first of all a theory of learning based on the idea that knowledge is constructed by the knower based on mental activity. Learners are considered to be active organisms seeking meaning. Constructivism is founded on the premise that, by reflecting on our experiences, we construct our own understanding of the world consciously we live in. Each of us generates our own "rules" and "mental models," which we use to make sense of our experiences. Learning, therefore, is simply the process of adjusting our mental models to accommodate new experiences. Constructions of meaning may initially bear little relationship to reality (as in the naive theories of children), but will become increasing more complex, differentiated and realistic as time goes on.

cognoscente

:a person who has expert knowledge and understanding of a particular subject, especially one of the arts (connoisseur). a computer cognoscente. a cognoscente of the art world. Not being one of the cognoscenti, I failed to understand the ballet's subtler points.

georgic

:a poem dealing with agriculture. Дидактическая поэма Вергилия в четырёх книгах, в которой речь идёт о земледелии, плодоводстве, виноградарстве, скотоводстве и пчеловодстве. Скорее всего опубликована в 29 году до н. э.

lackluster

:not shiny, lacking in sheen, brilliance, or vitality, dull, mediocre. The actor gave a lackluster performance. : lacking excitement or interest. a lackluster [=dull, mediocre] performance His writing can be lackluster [=uninspired] at times.

occlude

:to close up or block off. a thrombus occluding a coronary artery. cosmetics that occlude pores. His teeth do not occlude properly.

protract

:to prolong in time or space : continue longer than necessary or expected. They reached an agreement after protracted [=lengthy] negotiations. a protracted battle/conflict/war. the highway project was protracted by years of litigation. :to extend forward or outward — vs. retract. A cat can retract its claws. extend, lengthen, prolong, protract mean to draw out or add to so as to increase in length. extend and lengthen imply a drawing out in space or time but extend may also imply increase in width, scope, area, or range. ⟨extend a vacation⟩ ⟨extend welfare services⟩ ⟨lengthen a skirt⟩ ⟨lengthen the workweek⟩ prolong suggests chiefly increase in duration especially beyond usual limits. ⟨prolonged illness⟩ protract adds to prolong implications of needlessness, vexation, or indefiniteness. ⟨protracted litigation⟩

frisson

A brief moment of intense excitement. a sudden strong feeling of excitement or fear; a thrill those two are still caught up in the giddy frisson of a new romance

shrub

A low woody plant usually with several stems (n) a large plant, smaller than a tree, that has several main stems / 관목 bush

transcendent

A philosophy, which incorporated the ideas that mind goes beyond matter, intuition is valuable, that each soul is part of the Great Spirit, and each person is part of a reality where only the invisible is truly real. Promoted individualism, self-reliance, and freedom from social constraints, and emphasized emotions. : of, relating to, or being part of a reality beyond the observable physical universe, going beyond the limits of ordinary experience. a firm belief in angels, demons, and other transcendent beings. transcendent truths. : being so extraordinary or abnormal as to suggest powers which violate the laws of nature, far better or greater than what is usual : extraordinary. transcendent beauty. the star player's transcendent performance helped the team to a surprise victory.

ledger

A specialized accounting book or computer program for keeping financial records.

coup d'etat

A sudden overthrow of the government by a small group military revolt Forcible overthrow of a government French phrase that denotes a sudden and illegal seizure of power A seizure of power or an overthrow of a government, that was carried out by Napoleon when he overthrew the Directory of France and established a military dictatorship, even if he called himself an emperor

allies

An alliance of nations joining together to fight a common enemy Composed of France, Britain, and Russia, and later Japan and Italy, the Allies fought the Central Powers in World War I. The United States joined the Allies in 1917, and after major economic and military blows, World War I ended with the Treaty of Versailles.

ubiquitous

Being everywhere at the same time Present everywhere existing everywhere at the same time; constantly encountered; widespread (adj.) existing everywhere, widespread (It seems that everyone in the United States has a television. The technology is ubiquitous here.)

verdant

Green, such as with vegetation, plants, grass, etc.; young and inexperienced Having grown up in Ethiopia, Dabir loved the lushness of the verdant forests in rainy Oregon. / The first-year associate was a little too verdant to be assigned to the big case.

mettlesome

Mettlesome. : strength of spirit : ability to continue despite difficulties. He proved/showed his mettle as a fighter tonight. The competition will test her mettle. gentlemen of brave mettle. : making an effort to do as well as possible. She'll have to be on her mettle [=at her best] to win this competition. courage, mettle, spirit, resolution, tenacity mean mental or moral strength to resist opposition, danger, or hardship. courage implies firmness of mind and will in the face of danger or extreme difficulty. ⟨the courage to support unpopular causes⟩ mettle suggests an ingrained capacity for meeting strain or difficulty with fortitude and resilience. ⟨a challenge that will test your mettle⟩ spirit also suggests a quality of temperament enabling one to hold one's own or keep up one's morale when opposed or threatened. ⟨her spirit was unbroken by failure⟩ resolution stresses firm determination to achieve one's ends. ⟨the resolution of pioneer women⟩ tenacity adds to resolution implications of stubborn persistence and unwillingness to admit defeat. ⟨held to their beliefs with great tenacity⟩.

tenure

Period during which something is held n. holding or possession of an office or property; guaranteed permanent emplyment, esp. as a teacher the term during which some position is held the right to hold an office once a person is confirmed Status in which an experienced teacher is protected from being fired Requirement of Senate consent before a president can dismiss a cabinet member

obviate

Prevent, eliminate, or make unnecessary, to get around. : to make (something) no longer necessary. The new medical treatment obviates the need for surgery. : to prevent or avoid (something). The new treatment obviates many of the risks associated with surgery.

needle

The needle on the scale points to 9 grams. : to sew or pierce with or as if with a needle. Teasing or provoking. His classmates needled him about his new haircut.

dilute

To make a liquid less concentrated to lessen the concentration, force, or purity of by adding something

revolt

[no object] : to fight in a violent way against the rule of a leader or government. The group threatened to revolt. — often + against. They revolted against the government. [no object] : to act in a way that shows that you do not accept the control or influence of someone or something — often + against. Teenagers tend to revolt [=rebel] against their parents. [+ object] : to cause (someone) to feel disgust or shock All the violence revolted me. — often used as (be) revolted. He was revolted by the smell. : violent action against a ruler or government : rebellion. the revolt of/by the slaves. The peasants' revolt was crushed by the king. They staged a revolt, but it was quickly put down. [=they started a revolt, but it was quickly defeated] — often + against The people rose (up) in revolt (against the king). [=the people fought against the king] : something which shows that you will not accept something or will not agree to be controlled or influenced by someone or something. a revolt by consumers over high prices. — often + against His book is a revolt against conservative thinking. Consumers are in revolt against high prices. - noncount.

periphery

a boundary line; perimeter; an outside surface the outside edge of something Countries that usually have low levels of economic productivity, low per capita incomes, and generally low standards of living. The world economic periphery includes Africa (except for South Africa), parts of South America, and Asia.

cricket

a game played with a ball and bat by two teams of 11 players. : any of a family (Gryllidae) of leaping orthopteran insects noted for the chirping notes produced by the male by rubbing together specially modified parts of the forewings. : a low wooden footstool.

malefactor

a person who does the wrong thing; an evil person (n.) a person who violates the law; (n.) reprobate

fascistic

a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition. : very harsh control or authority. - corporate fascism,a fascistic organization.

invective

abusive language, an emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language. My mother's irrational invective against the way I dress only made me decide to dye my hair green. abuse, vituperation, invective, obloquy, billingsgate mean vehemently expressed condemnation or disapproval. abuse, the most general term, usually implies the anger of the speaker and stresses the harshness of the language. ⟨scathing verbal abuse⟩ vituperation implies fluent and sustained abuse. ⟨a torrent of vituperation⟩ invective implies a comparable vehemence but suggests greater verbal and rhetorical skill and may apply to a public denunciation. ⟨blistering political invective⟩ obloquy suggests defamation and consequent shame and disgrace. ⟨subjected to obloquy and derision⟩ billingsgate implies practiced fluency and variety of profane or obscene abuse. ⟨directed a stream of billingsgate at the cabdriver⟩.

precipitate

acting or done with excessive or careless speed, the army's precipitate withdrawal from the field of battle. to fall as water in a continuous stream of drops from the clouds. the air mass was dry, as much of the moisture had precipitated out on the other side of the mountains. : to cause (something) to happen quickly or suddenly.Her death precipitated a family crisis. The budget problem was precipitated by many unexpected costs. : to cause (something solid) to become or to become separated from a liquid especially by a chemical process. precipitate minerals from seawater. precipitate, headlong, abrupt, impetuous, sudden mean showing undue haste or unexpectedness. precipitate stresses lack of due deliberation and implies prematureness of action. ⟨the army's precipitate withdrawal⟩ headlong stresses rashness and lack of forethought. ⟨a headlong flight from arrest⟩ abrupt stresses curtness and a lack of warning or ceremony. ⟨an abrupt refusal⟩ impetuous stresses extreme impatience or impulsiveness. ⟨an impetuous lover proposing marriage⟩ sudden stresses unexpectedness and sharpness or violence of action. ⟨flew into a sudden rage⟩

pith

brief and full of meaning and substance; concise (adj.) concisely meaningful (My father's long-winded explanation was a stark contrast to his usually pithy statements.)

habiliment

clothes and accessories Outfits, clothing Style of dress characteristic of an occupation or occasion; clothes Clothes, usually used in plural clothes associated with a specific occasion or purpose (n.) Clothing, especially for professional, ceremonial, or other special purposes

devastation

complete destruction holocaust

panegyric

elaborate praise; elaborate eulogy, laudatory words. : something (such as a speech or a piece of writing) that praises someone or something. The film is a panegyric to old-fashioned virtues. encomium, eulogy, panegyric, tribute, citation mean a formal expression of praise. encomium implies enthusiasm and warmth in praising a person or a thing. ⟨received encomiums from literary critics⟩ eulogy applies to a prepared speech or writing extolling the virtues and services of a person. ⟨delivered the eulogy at the funeral service⟩ panegyric suggests an elaborate often poetic compliment. ⟨her lyrical memoir was a panegyric to her mentor⟩ tribute implies deeply felt praise conveyed either through words or through a significant act. ⟨the concert was a musical tribute to the early jazz masters⟩ citation applies to the formal praise of a person offered in a military dispatch or in awarding an honorary degree. ⟨earned a citation for bravery⟩.

overween

excessively arrogant; overbearing. : too confident or proud. speeches by overweening politicians. : too great : excessive and unpleasant. overweening ambition/pride.

freewheel

live unhurriedly or freely (v) To move, live, or play freely or irresponsibly to act without concern for rules or consequences (a) (only before noun - informal) not concerned about rules or the possible results of what you d a. cheerfully irresponsible a wind generator that is NOT connected to a Load is freewheeling, and in danger of self-destruction from overspeeding.

congruent

mathematics : having the same size and shape congruent triangles. formal : matching or in agreement with something Their goals are not congruent with the goals of the team. congruous.

curfew

n. a regulation requiring people to be inside at a certain time regulation requiring all people to leave the streets at stated times; signal (as a bell) announcing the hour of a curfew Time to put out fires

pasttime

noun - an activity that you enjoy doing when you are not working.

fealty

old-fashioned + literary: loyalty to a person, group, etc. He swore/pledged fealty to the king. fidelity, allegiance, fealty, loyalty, devotion, piety mean faithfulness to something to which one is bound by pledge or duty. fidelity implies strict and continuing faithfulness to an obligation, trust, or duty. ⟨marital fidelity⟩ allegiance suggests an adherence like that of citizens to their country. ⟨pledging allegiance⟩ fealty implies a fidelity acknowledged by the individual and as compelling as a sworn vow. ⟨fealty to the truth⟩ loyalty implies a faithfulness that is steadfast in the face of any temptation to renounce, desert, or betray. ⟨valued the loyalty of his friends⟩ devotion stresses zeal and service amounting to self-dedication. ⟨a painter's devotion to her art⟩ piety stresses fidelity to obligations regarded as natural and fundamental. ⟨filial piety⟩.

partisan

one-sided, committed to a party, biased or prejudiced. : a weapon of the 16th and 17th centuries with long shaft and broad blade. so if you're accused of being too partisan, or of practicing partisan politics, it means you're mainly interested in boosting your own party and attacking the other one.

banishment

some members of the tribe of Native Americans believe they are still owed compensation for their banishment from their homeland. : to force (someone) to leave a country as punishment : exile. He was banished for life. The dictator banished anyone who opposed him. : to send (someone or something) away — often + from or to. He was banished from court. They want to banish her from the sport. She banished the dogs to the basement during the party. The reporters were banished to another room. : to cause (something) to go away : to get rid of (something) She tried to banish all thoughts of him from her mind. [=she tried not to think about him] They banished [=eliminated] red meat from their diet.

swing (synonyms)

swing, wave, flourish, brandish, thrash mean to wield or cause to move to and fro or up and down. swing implies regular or uniform movement. ⟨swing the rope back and forth⟩ wave usually implies smooth or continuous motion. ⟨waving the flag⟩ flourish suggests vigorous, ostentatious, graceful movement. ⟨flourished the winning lottery ticket⟩ brandish implies threatening or menacing motion. ⟨brandishing a knife⟩ thrash suggests vigorous, abrupt, violent movement. ⟨an infant thrashing his arms about⟩ swing, sway, oscillate, vibrate, fluctuate, waver, undulate mean to move from one direction to its opposite. swing implies a movement of something attached at one end or one side. ⟨the door suddenly swung open⟩ sway implies a slow swinging or teetering movement. ⟨trees swaying in the breeze⟩ oscillate stresses a usually regular alternation of direction. ⟨an oscillating fan⟩ vibrate suggests the rapid oscillation of an elastic body under stress or impact. ⟨the vibrating strings of a piano⟩ fluctuate suggests constant irregular changes of level, intensity, or value. ⟨fluctuating interest rates⟩ waver stresses irregular motion suggestive of reeling or tottering. ⟨the exhausted runner wavered before collapsing⟩ undulate suggests a gentle wavelike motion. ⟨an undulating sea of grass⟩

recrimination

the act of accusing in return; mutual accusation, counteraccusation. : an angry statement in which you accuse or criticize a person who has accused or criticized you. [count]The discussion turned into a heated debate with recriminations flying back and forth. [noncount]The meeting ended with bitterness and recrimination.words of recrimination.

disportment

the act of diverting or amusing oneself entertainment, pasttime hobby, to divert or amuse (oneself) disported themselves with silly games while they waited in the airport a full-service resort where vacationers may disport at a variety of indoor and outdoor activities

drift

to be carried along by currents of air or water move aimlessly any material carried and deposited by a glacier to move in a slow, smooth, gentle, and unforced way, usually without any direction or purpose Plan or purpose Intention 1. A pile of sand or snow created by moving air or water

abdicate

to give up a position, right, or power (v.) to resign, formally give up an office or a duty; to disown, discard (v.) to give up a position, usually one of leadership (When he realized that the revolutionaries would surely win, the king abdicated his throne.) Give up a high office

outclass

to surpass in excellence or quality, be far superior to, To be much better than sb or sth. She outclassed everyone else in the dance competition. — often used as (be) outclassed. She was outclassed in the tennis tournament. =other people played better than she did.

hyphen

дефис. : a punctuation mark - that is used to connect. words or parts of words.

fir

ель.

juxtapose

соседство, соприкосновение. : to place (different things) together in order to create an interesting effect or to show how they are the same or different. a display that juxtaposes modern art with classical art. an interesting juxtaposition of colors.