TOEFL 2

Ace your homework & exams now with Quizwiz!

flourish

Flourish can also mean "growth": "With the right teacher, a child will flourish." To understand how the two meanings of flourish connect, remember that the word "flower" (spelled flour-) is hiding inside it. Flowers are used for decoration and ornamentation, but they also grow. Get it? Good for you! Imagine a cheerleader shouting out your name, flourishing her pom-poms. grow vigorously synonyms:boom, expand, thrive رشد کردن شکفتن

calamity

Use the word calamity to describe an event that causes great harm and misery, or a general state of distress or misery: the calamity of war فاجعه بدبختی

pseudonym

A pseudonym is a name that someone, often a writer, uses instead of their real name. The real name of Dr. Seuss was Theodore Seuss Geisel. Mark Twain was a pseudonym for the writer Samuel Clemens. A near synonym of pseudonym is pen name. Similarly, an allonym is the name of an important person in history that is taken by a writer as a pseudonym. Some of Shakespeare's plays might have been written by other writers using an allonym. If an actor uses a fake name, it is usually called a stage name. And there's no fancy work for nickname — it's just what your family and friends call you. a fictitious name used when the person performs a particular social role synonyms:anonym, nom de guerre Joseph Butler, a pseudonym, was typical of the young men attracted to the Klan Youth Corps. That is why he chose a pseudonym for me: Gul Makai, which means "cornflower" and is the name of a heroine in a Pashtun folk story. To overcome this stigma, Froelick used her married name, Anne Taylor, as a pseudonym. He exacerbated his trouble by creating a pseudonym, "Mary Rosh," to defend his theory in online debates. نام مستعار تخلص

apt

An aptitude is something you're good at. A rock star might have an aptitude for energizing an audience, or for trashing his hotel room. خیلی مناسب

impetus

An impetus is the force behind something, whether it's a boulder rolling down a hill or a person making a decision. Very little would get done if there were no such thing as an impetus: an impetus is some kind of force that gets something or somebody moving. If you push a car that's out of gas, you're the impetus that's getting it moving. An impetus doesn't have to be physical. Advertisers hope their commercials will be an impetus to buy the product. a force that moves something along synonyms: drift, impulsion It is the impetus of that shattering phalanx of iron—spread across the battlefront, inescapable, pulverizing, louder than drums, beating the earth. And despair was the initial impetus for this book. "But what about if they don't track? What's the impetus for them to begin tracking regularly in the first place?" Because, some historians declare, they lacked the aptitude or impetus for mechanical invention. انگیزه نیروی جنبش

brisk

Brisk is one of those delightful words that sounds like what it means: quick, lively, bracing, and refreshing. There's nothing like a brisk walk in the morning to get the blood flowing and the spirit ready for the day. سرزنده و سریع

diffuse

Diffuse means to spread out. Candlelight can diffuse a soft glow throughout a room. A diffuse idea is one that spreads from person to person, and a diffuse speech is scattered and unclear. منتشر کردن

drowsy

Drowsy means sleepy and having low energy. When you're sitting in the warm sunlight after a big lunch, and you're so drowsy you can't keep your eyes open, it's not the right time to try organizing your desk. خواب آلود

elude

Elude means "evade or escape," like the way you might elude the other kids during a game of hide-and-seek. This word can also mean "to be hard to understand." No matter how hard you try, the finer points of quantum physics might elude you. فرار کردن

esteem

Esteem is all about respect and admiration. If you have high self-esteem, it means you like yourself. When you say, "My esteemed colleagues," you are saying you have nothing but the highest respect for them. عزت اعتبار

plausible

If something is plausible, it's reasonable or believable. Things that are plausible could easily happen. A woman becoming President is very plausible. A giraffe becoming President is not. محتمل پذیرفتنی

tame

If something is tame, it cannot surprise or injure you. It's predictable. Tame can be used as an adjective or verb. A circus lion is tame (adjective) because it's been tamed (verb). A "lion-tamer" beat the wildness out of it. اهلی رام

plague

In the Middle Ages, the plague was a horribly contagious illness that spread like wildfire through Europe, killing millions of people. Thanks to the introduction of better hygiene and antibiotics, plague doesn't describe a killer disease as often these days. Instead, it commonly overstates an annoyance, like an apartment dweller claiming his building is plagued by cockroaches. طاعون ازار رساندن

conspicuous

Keep your eye on the adjective conspicuous for something that stands out so much you notice it right away — like that zit in the center of your friend's forehead. مشهود آشکار

agile

On water skis she was agile and made sharp turns and long arcs cutting through the water, but she was a lot less agile on the snowboard, landing on her face and hands as she clunked down the slopes. moving quickly and lightly چابک فرز

fragrant

Something that is fragrant has a nice smell. What makes a smell nice is subjective, of course. You might find a bowl of dried lavender to be fragrant, but your dog might prefer a pile of horse poop. معطر

stall

Stall means to stop or delay. If your car stalls, it comes to a stop. When you want a horse to stop, you put him in a stall, or small enclosure inside a barn. از حرکت بازداشتن به تاخیر انداختن

subsume

Subsume means to absorb or include. A successful company might subsume a failing competitor through a merger, or love may subsume you in the early stages of a romance شامل کردن

intrinsic

The intrinsic qualities of something have to do with its nature. An intrinsic quality of dogs is that they're loyal. ذاتی

convene

The verb convene is a somewhat formal way of saying "to bring together for the purpose of a meeting." meet formally "The council convened last week" دور هم جمع شدن رسمی

thrive

To thrive is to do well or flourish. If your new cookie delivery business thrives, you'll be rolling in dough — not literally, of course. شکوفا شدن رونق یافتن موفق شدن

forgo

The verb forgo means to give up or lose the right to something. The word forgo can be traced back to the Old English word forgān, which meant to pass away or to die, which is sometimes referred to as "giving up the ghost." Perhaps it was this idea of relinquishing something that led to our modern-day use of the word forgo to mean to give up, waive, or forfeit something. For example, someone charged with a crime might decide to forgo the right to remain silent and instead confess. do without or cease to hold or adhere to synonyms:dispense with, forego, foreswear, relinquish, waive "Yes. Very good. So, Kvothe, do you still wish to forgo an anesthetic?" "You don't mind if I forgo your help, do you?" she said dryly. At noon I would forgo my lunch hour and run errands for the white men who were employed in the shop. Or forgo the northern route altogether and fly the imaginary plane east from the Beni, toward the mouth of the Amazon. خودداری کردن از

refute

The verb refute is to prove that something is wrong. When the kids you're babysitting swear they brushed their teeth, you can refute their claim by presenting the dry toothbrushes. رد کردن تکذیب کردن

infinitesimal

When it's incalculably small, when teensy seems large compared to it, then it is infinitesimal. "The equipment was so sensitive that even the infinitesimal dust molecules that swept in with the open door altered the readings." Infinitesimal is such an extreme description of a microscopic something that the word is used as an exaggeration more often than to describe something actually quite small. "The chances of Roxy going out on a date with Norbert were infinitesimal. She barely even knew he existed." Infinitesimal is derived from the root infinite, which usually conjures up thoughts of immeasurably large quantities or sizes. But in this case, infinite connotes something immeasurably small. infinitely or immeasurably small synonyms: minute Because that is what it means to be alive on this infinitesimally spinning planet. A proton is an infinitesimal part of an atom, which is itself of course an insubstantial thing. That in itself is a stunningly infinitesimal proportion. In the infinitesimal glow of the stars, the trees and flowers were strewing their cool odors. بینهایت کوچک

comprise

When something comprises other things, it is made up of them or formed from them. The periodic table comprises 118 elements, because the whole comprises the parts. تشکیل دادن

desist

You can use the verb desist as a way to say "stop" or "cease." Instead of yelling "Cut it out!" the new neighbor asked the tween girls to desist from playing any more loud, screeching music from that long-haired boy-band. دست کشیدن

craze

a fashion, game, music etc that becomes very popular for a short time syn: fad چیزی که برای یک مدت کوتاه خیلی مد میشه

shred

a thin strip; a tiny piece or amount تکه

intervene

come between so as to prevent or alter a result or course of events From the Latin "intervenire," meaning "to come between," the verb intervene means just that: to get involved, to jump in the middle of something, to interfere. دخالت در میان امدن

faint

difficult to see, hear or smell ضعیف از هوش رفتن

accrete

grow by accumulation or coalescence Origin late 18th century: from Latin accret- 'grown,' from the verb accrescere, from ad- 'to' + crescere 'grow.' to grow or become attached by accretion accumulate,amass,build up,collect,concentrate,conglomerate,gather,mass,pile (up),stack (up) بهم افزودن یا چسبانیدن

inept

A clumsy, incompetent person — or an ineffective action — is inept. When you're inept, you don't know what you're doing or just can't get it done. Someone inept is bumbling, clueless, and ineffective. Inept people are dumb or clueless; they don't understand things. More than that, inept people are bad at what they do. An inept lawyer always loses cases. An inept figure skater wipes out on the ice. An inept postal worker loses mail and puts it in the wrong box. An inept person is downright bad at something. The opposite of inept is competent. generally incompetent and ineffectual "inept handling of the account" synonyms: feckless Burnham became an avid player of bridge, though he was known widely for being utterly inept at the game. Or was it peculiar to his peculiar biological identity, a freak generated by his inept sensory apparatus? In the past, only a dramatically inept or difficult student was held back a grade. We lunged about in the garage like two swashbucklers in an especially inept historical film for several moments, fork and cutlass clicking against each other madly. بی عرضه ناتوان در انجام یک کار

secluded

A secluded place is isolated, away from other people. It's quiet, and there's not a lot going on. مخفی از مردم خلوت و مخفی

swivel

A swivel is a device that allows something to turn freely. Desk chairs are often designed so the seat can swivel atop the base. In the hospital, the TV is usually mounted on a swivel so that patients can adjust it. Swivel comes from a middle English word, swive, meaning to sweep. It's often used to describe gun mountings, like on a tank or a boat where a gun is fastened down but can still be swung around in any direction. But people can also swivel. If you were in the middle of robbing a bank and you heard a noise behind you, you'd probably swivel around quickly to see what it was. turn on a pivot synonyms:pivot She reached for her door handle, then paused and swiveled round to look at Fang. Once again he turned toward the jurors, swiveling the sheriffs report in their direction as if to suggest they read along with him despite their distance across the courtroom. There was a brass plaque with the name next to the main door and a security camera swiveling slowly over the pavement. After a while I swiveled around so I was facing her. چرخان

thwart

A villain's worst nightmare is the superhero who always seems to thwart his efforts, preventing him from carrying out his plans to take over the world. Thwart is a word you'll hear in a lot of action movies, and usually it's the hero who is trying to thwart the evil plan of some super-villain. Yet even mere mortals can be thwarted in their efforts; the word simply means to prevent someone from carrying out his or her plans. An aggressive driver can thwart your attempt to snag a parking space at a crowded mall by pulling into the space before you. An aggressive shopper at that same mall can thwart your efforts to buy the last Dancing Snoopy doll by grabbing it off the shelf first. hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of synonyms:baffle, bilk, cross, foil, frustrate, queer, scotch, scuttle, spoil A prying charm will be met with a stronger charm, subtle devices will fail, devious inquiries will be deviously thwarted, and force will be turned ruinously back upon itself. It took her years to learn better ways to thwart the Sorrow Eater. They then called on all responsible and law-abiding blacks to help the government thwart attempts to turn South Africa —a Christian, civilized, peace-loving multinational democracy—into a Russian satellite. The large meatpacking firms used company spies, blacklists, and African-American strikebreakers to thwart organizing efforts. خنثی کردن جلوی کار یک نفر رو گرفتن

hamper

Anything that hampers slows progress or makes it difficult to do something. You might think that the presence of your parents hampers your ability to look cool. The verb hamper is for those times when normal progress is slow but not shut down completely. Hamper often describes travel during bad weather, like icy conditions that could hamper holiday travel. Hamper means "slow going." You may have heard of noun form of hamper, a container for holding dirty laundry: If your hamper is full, the need to do laundry could hamper your plans of going out and having fun. prevent the progress or free movement of "He was hampered in his efforts by the bad weather" synonyms:cramp, halter, strangle As Mary Alice and I scrambled aboard, Grandma heaved up a picnic hamper for us. With the machete, his climbing was hampered, but he was horrifyingly fast, even so. It is never easy to prepare a case from prison, and in this instance we were hampered by the customary apartheid barriers. Angela, too frightened to notice that Sydelle ran through the apartment with her crutch in the air, found her partner in the bathroom frantically tossing soiled towels from the hamper. مانع شدن

hue

Green, orange, yellow, and blue — each of these is a hue, a color or a shade that's true. A rainbow shows the melting of one hue into another, from red to violet, and all shades in between. shade, tint رنگ

irrefutable

Have you ever had to prove a point? If so, you probably needed to find evidence that could not be denied — that was absolutely true. That evidence would be considered irrefutable, impossible to disprove. The adjective irrefutable comes from the Latin verb refutāre, "repel or beat," with the added negative prefix in-. Some things are simply irrefutable. These are things based in logic (if a=b and b=c, then a=c), or in fact (George Washington was the first president of the United States). But some things that are irrefutable, while maybe not logical, are simply not arguable, as when someone responds to "Why not?" with "Because I don't want to"! impossible to deny or disprove "an irrefutable argument" synonyms:incontrovertible, positive Now that he knew what to look for, he saw irrefutable signs of this plot everywhere. The first part is irrefutable, but even to me, the second part sounds weak. The message was irrefutable, for Ben was fluent in the rituals of disaster. The black mass of Ross's wrongdoing emerged slowly and irrefutably. غیر قابل انکار

forge

Have you ever seen a blacksmith make a horseshoe? Well, no, probably not, but they use a special furnace which is called a forge, and "to forge something" is also the act of bashing that hot object into shape. Forge has also taken on the more general sense of creating something. A new philosophy or art form might have been forged, as might an alibi or an excuse. To forge something also has the meaning of faking something, such as a painting or a signature with the intent to deceive. It can also mean to move ahead in a steady manner, either physically or metaphorically, much like those solid, regular blows of the blacksmith's hammer. If I was going to forge a pass, I couldn't be disturbed. One thing you sure couldn't miss was how many strange alliances were forged in a war. I spotted Charles Beckendorf from the Hephaestus cabin stoking the forge outside the camp armory. Aloof and bristling, he lurked around the edges of Torrance, his only friendships forged loosely with rough boys who followed his lead. ساختن جعل

pivotal

High school graduation is a pivotal moment in most people's lives — an important point that signifies a shift in direction. اساسی

ensue

If something happens after something else, it will ensue, meaning it will follow after or be the result. When a sneeze comes out, and he hears the "Achoo!," a "Bless you" or "Gesundheit" soon will ensue. منتج شدن بعد آمدن

celebrated

If something is celebrated, it's famous. Your town's celebrated restaurant — the one everybody knows and talks about — might be a modest barbecue joint. A celebrated writer is an important, well-known one, like Ernest Hemingway or Maya Angelou. In your family, a celebrated figure might be the cousin who visits every summer and tells the best stories. As long as someone is talked about and revered by a group of people, they're celebrated. This adjective comes from the verb celebrate and its Latin root celebrare, "to sing praises of." widely known and esteemed "a celebrated musician" synonyms:famed, famous, far-famed, illustrious, notable, noted, renowned This meant that the end of term feast took place amid decorations of scarlet and gold, and that the Gryffindor table was the noisiest of the lot, as everybody celebrated. As we grew older, we organized matches against boys from neighboring villages, and those who distinguished themselves in these fraternal battles were gready admired, as generals who achieve great victories in war are justly celebrated. In the 1930s, Sylvanus G. Morley of Harvard, probably the most celebrated Mayanist of his day, espoused what is still the best-known theory: The Maya collapsed because they overshot the carrying capacity of their environment. When Craig and I got our report cards at school, our parents celebrated by ordering in a pizza from Italian Fiesta, our favorite place. مشهور

vicarious

If something is vicarious, it delivers a feeling or experience from someone else. If your child becomes a big star, you might have a vicarious experience of celebrity. نیابتی تجربه یک نفر دیگه رو با واسطه به دست آوردن

ominous

If something looks or sounds ominous, be careful: a threat or an unpleasant event is at hand. If you see an ominous frown on your boss's face, you're in trouble! بدشگون نامیمون

perpetuate

Some things should last forever and others should not be perpetuated at all. Things that should NOT be perpetuated? Ugly rumors, arms races, and your Aunt Martha's annual fruit cake. دائمي کردن(معمولا برای چیزای بد)

abstain

If you abstain from something, you restrain yourself from consuming it. People usually abstain from things that are considered vices — like eating French fries every day for lunch. خودداری کردن پرهیز کردن

despondent

If you are despondent, you are discouraged, very sad, and without hope. If you are depressed, you might describe your mood as despondent. This adjective is often followed by over or about: "He was despondent over the loss of his job." If you want a noun, use the words despondency or despondence. The adjective despondent is from Latin despondere, "to lose courage, give up," from the prefix de- ("from") plus spondere ("to promise"). The Latin words originally referred to promising a woman in marriage. without or almost without hope "despondent about his failure" synonyms:heartsick The chaplain was despondent with an acceptance of his own ineptitude. Some people were tired, despondent, others panicked and full of terror. There, Oppenheimer, who struggled with depression his entire life, grew despondent. After she hung up, my mother looked despondent. ناامید پکر

flee

If you bolt, scram, skedaddle, or get the heck of out Dodge, you flee. You run away fast. Don't confuse flee with "flea." They sound alike, but the second kind is an insect whose bites make you itch. فرار کردن

liable

If you drive into someone's fence, you'll probably be held liable — legally responsible — for fixing it. Liable can also mean "likely," usually with something unpleasant: "If you don't brush your teeth, they're liable to fall out." مسئول ممکن

confer

If you gab, chat, and talk it up with someone, you have conversation, but if you're looking for input from each other as you talk, you confer, or consult, together. They had a family meeting to confer about a schedule for sharing the new laptop. مشورت کردن

procure

If you procure something, you get it or bring it about by special effort. In prison movies, there's always a character who is able to procure all sorts of contraband from the inside — magazines, playing cards, special soap. تهیه کردن

oblong

If you take a rectangle or a circle and stretch it out, you end up with an elongated shape called an oblong. If you stretch a circle until it becomes an oval, you've made it oblong. کشیده از یک جهت بلندتر مستطیل

fastidious

If you want to describe a person who insists on perfection or pays much attention to food, clothing and cleanliness, the right word is fastidious. giving careful attention to detail; hard to please; excessively concerned with cleanliness Synonyms: choosey, choosy مشکل پسند ریزبین

predominant

If you're talking about the most popular or common thing, call it predominant. If the predominant feeling in a neighborhood is that pizza is the best food, the result might be pizzerias being the predominant type of restaurant there. عمده رایج ترین

lavish

Lavish means "generous and extravagant" as an adjective and "to give generously" as a verb. If you don't like it when people lavish you with attention, you might appreciate a lavish spread of excellent food instead. Lavish comes from the Old French lavache meaning "deluge, torrent," referring to rain. When you see it, think of a shower of good things coming down on you as you never use lavish with something bad. Didn't your parents lavish you with praise and love when you were small? With lavish as an adjective, you can rephrase that question like this: Didn't your parents offer you lavish praise and love when you were little? very generous "distributed gifts with a lavish hand" "the critics were lavish in their praise" synonyms:munificent, overgenerous, too-generous, unsparing, unstinted, unstinting From all sides, there is lavish praise and encouragement. While the men lavished the Bird with lamentations on how they'd miss him, the Bird ate heartily. The table was set for four, with a lavish display of candles and damask and heavy silver. By the time Mr. Golden finished lavishing him with praise, even the "nerds" were bullying Petey. فاخر افراط کردن

marked

Marked is an adjective meaning "clear" or "noticeable." Filling your living room with pictures of pandas will show your marked appreciation for all things panda. The adjective marked can have several senses. In addition to meaning "very noticeable," it can be used in relation to the noun mark, as in "to show a mark." You may have also heard the expression a "marked man." Marked in this sense means to have been chosen for punishment or a bad ending. Trip your opponent in this year's field day sack race, and you will likely find yourself a marked man at the next contest. strongly marked; easily noticeable "walked with a marked limp" synonyms:pronounced noticeable It's marked on Hugo's calendar as well as his mind. The Hub is marked by an American flag fluttering fifty feet up in the air, and large black plastic letters above the door: MOBIUS. We pass an indoor garden, a marble bathing onsen, and a series of offices, until we stop before a white door marked with a white rose snaking through a four-pointed crown. That event marked the beginnings of King's commitment to nonviolent direct action. بسیار قابل توجه

overt

Overt means open and done in plain sight. An overt demand for an increase in your allowance probably won't work; instead, try praising your parents' generosity and dropping hints about how high prices are these days. If you speak French, remember that overt is the same as the French ouvert "open." If you don't speak French, give up all hope of ever learning this word. Just kidding — forgive the overt attempt at humor. English speakers, here's your trick for remembering the difference between overt and covert: overt = "open"; covert = "covered." open and observable; not secret or hidden "an overt lie" "overt hostility" "overt intelligence gathering" synonyms:open Egged on by scheming courtiers and generals, relations between Atawallpa and Washkar spent several years swinging through the emotional valence from concealed suspicion to overt hostility. Here the merging of religious cult and personal glory is even more overt. The Oppenheimer case left Lawrence with a horror of overt dabbling in the security politics of the time. First, let's consider the absence of overt racial hostility among politicians who support harsh drug laws and the law enforcement officials charged with enforcing them. آشکار عمومی

profuse

Profuse is a word for a lot of something or even way too much — a profuse rainfall is a serious amount of rain. This word has to do with extravagance or abundance. If you're bleeding profusely, you're bleeding a lot. If you lavish profuse gifts on your pet, you might have too much money on your hands. When you give someone profuse praise, you're probably laying it on a little thick. If you're a farmer and your crops are profuse, that's great because you have a lot of crops. Anything profuse is happening in great amounts. produced or growing in extreme abundance synonyms:exuberant, lush, luxuriant, riotous abundant He cut short my profuse apologies with a magnanimous wave of his hand, and went back over to his and Mme. Daryl Freedman, a mezzo-soprano, performed with profuse charisma and admirable precision, earning a loud, long ovation. Beg transforms the image with colors ranging from natural to artificial; they coalesce in a tree whose profuse leaves speak more of life's exuberance than its trials. Ancient statuary and sarcophagi are strewn between benches and profuse flowers that encircle a trilling fountain. فراوان تولید یا رشد بسیار زیاد

rural

Rural means "relating to or characteristic of the country or the people who live there." If you move to a rural area, you won't see a lot of skyscrapers or taxis — but you'll probably see a lot of trees. روستایی

ruthless

Ruthless means showing no mercy or compassion. If you really want to cut down on the clutter in your apartment, you can't be sentimental about keepsakes. You have to be ruthless and throw out everything that's not absolutely essential. If you're ruthless, you're the polar opposite of Mother Theresa. You get called heartless and cold-blooded. That's one of the reasons the word crops up so often to describe dictators and tyrants, though it can also apply to other personality types — like corporate raiders and colleagues so success-driven that they'll gladly steamroll anyone to get ahead. It finds its way into milder contexts, too: Just be ruthless and rip off the Band-Aid already! without mercy or pity "an act of ruthless ferocity" synonyms:pitiless, remorseless, unpitying merciless, unmerciful It was between two strange and ruthless men, Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Charles Marsh. The ruthless engine of cotton required its fuel of African bodies. Mary was braver and more ruthless than most. The Day that killed my brother is a cruel, ruthless criminal. بی رحم

seasoned

Seasoned describes a person who has been around forever, doing what they do, and doing it well — throughout the seasons. They have lots of experience, and they can handle just about anything that comes their way. To become seasoned takes a long time, because it means you are an old pro — someone who has dedicated years to a specific skill or activity. A seasoned hiker can tell you the fastest path up any mountain, and a seasoned bowler spends hours practicing in order to bowl strikes every time. Seasoned can also describe food that is full of herbs and spices, like the heavily seasoned French fries that seasoned bowlers eat at a bowling alley. aged or processed "seasoned wood" Synonyms:cured To be sure, there were seasoned men in the City Watch, the core of two thousand who'd gotten their gold cloaks from Robert, not Cersei. Little Buddy Rankin was a seasoned waterman with two children of his own. It was hard to become an old, seasoned trouper when you painted poison on yourself every third day and ended up raving mad by the time you were twenty-five. The stranger was a big rabbit, heavy but alert, with a rugged, seasoned appearance and the look of a fighter. کارکشته

lull

See lull, think "calm." It could be the noun form (like "the lull before the storm") or the verb: one can lull someone by calming them (as in lulling a baby to sleep with a lullaby). The noun lull is often used in relation to a storm, but the term has a broader meaning as well. Lull can be used to describe any temporary period of calm or diminished activity, like the quiet time before the lunch rush in a restaurant or the brief period of tranquility before the doors open for a pre-Christmas sale. The word's verb form means "to soothe or to make someone feel relaxed." When used as a verb lull can turn deceptive, and it is often used to convey a false sense of security. make calm or still synonyms:calm, calm down, quiet, quieten, still, tranquilize, tranquillise, tranquillize Over time, through such innocuous routines, Seacrest accomplished the first part of his mission: lulling KGB surveillance teams into dropping their guard. Then the song ended and we stumbled back to our seats, and in the lull that followed I felt the mood change. What that March on Washington did do was lull Negroes for a while. He was a pleasant fellow, and during a lull in the singing, he offered his unsolicited opinion on our future. ارام کردن ارامش

blatant

Something blatant is very obvious and offensive. Don't get caught in a blatant lie, because you won't be able to weasel your way out of it. آشکار(برای چیزای منفی)مثل دروغ

brittle

Something brittle is easily broken. Do you have brittle bones? Then no football or rugby for you. Besides meaning easily fractured and emotionally cold, brittle is also a type of candy made of cooled sugar. To make peanut brittle, bake the ingredients on a cookie sheet then let the brittle cool into sheets which you break into pieces (and then eat — wreaking havoc with your braces). It's ok to use the adjective brittle freely to describe lots of things that will break easily — such as a heart, a theory, or a poorly equipped army. having little elasticity; hence easily cracked or fractured or snapped "brittle bones" "glass is brittle" synonyms:brickle, brickly Such a small, brittle girl — I did not expect it." Havermeyer grinned at the colonel's intervention and shoved another piece of peanut brittle inside his face. It was also notoriously brittle, necessitating the almost continual repair of the school's fleet of shells. Her nerves were especially brittle with the rise in the humidity. ترد شکننده

jagged

Something is jagged when it has an uneven edge or quality to it. Teeth can be jagged, saw blades can be jagged, and the edges of leaves can be jagged. ناهموار دندانه دار

prevalent

Something prevalent is common in a particular place at a particular time. Prevalent things are hard to avoid. When you see the word prevalent, think "It's everywhere!" رایج شایع متداول

anomalous

Something that deviates from the norm is anomalous. Something anomalous can be good, such as an exciting new direction in music or art. But that anomalously low score on your math test? Not so good. غیر عادی

trivial

Something that is trivial is not important or significant, such as the trivial details you shared with me about your trip to the post office this morning. Trivial can also describe something that isn't deep or meaningful, like a trivial movie that you'll forget about after the credits roll. It comes from the Latin word trivium: tri means "three" and via is "road." So a trivium is a "place where three roads meet," meaning a crossroads — just something ordinary. So something that is trivial is not worth remembering; it just isn't important. (informal) small and of little importance synonyms:fiddling, footling, lilliputian, little, niggling, petty, picayune, piddling, piffling unimportant "It will be very largely distributed throughout foreign countries, and is one of those trivial things by which these people will judge the artistic standard of the Fair." While I was entertaining these trivial thoughts, a momentous and terrible event was unfolding close by. Every happening in the neighborhood, no matter how trivial, became my business. After all, if the differences between human cultures are trivial, why should we pay historians and anthropologists to study them? جزیی ناچیز

elective

Something that's elective is optional — you can choose to do it, or not. An elective course in school is one you take because you want to rather than to fill a particular requirement, although you still get credit for it. You can take elective classes in high school or college. In fact, the word elective is sometimes used as a noun, to mean "optional class." Also, if someone has elective surgery, that means he's getting an optional operation, like a nose job or a face-lift. In either case, nothing is required or compulsory — it's a free choice. The word comes from the Latin electivus, by way of eligere, "pick out or select," which is also the root of election. not compulsory "elective surgery" "an elective course of study" Synonyms: optional New York members established the New York Central Woman Suffrage Association, and the Connecticut Woman Suffrage Association declared its independence from the National, resolving to work "only for the elective franchise." Volpe used the occasion of the MTI award to thank the school board for its support, but also to hold them to their commitment to offering arts electives. The other class, Global Perspectives, was an elective. In the high school, electives of all kinds were eliminated, and some seniors who were on course to meet graduation requirements were encouraged to just leave school at midday after taking their core courses. اختیاری انتخابی

strife

Strife is the act or state of fighting or arguing violently. The years leading up to the U.S. Civil War were characterized by great strife between northern and southern states over slavery and the role of a federal government. This word applies to major issues and events, such as war and religious conflict: a period of civil strife. Like its Old French source, the original meaning of the English noun strife and the English verb strive had to do with an argument or quarrel. But the verb strive has lost that earlier sense, and now means to try hard to do or achieve something. bitter conflict; heated often violent dissension From the moment of the Nationalists' election, we knew that our land would henceforth be a place of tension and strife. Holmes even wanted Ned to buy life insurance, for surely once his marital strife subsided, he would want to protect Julia and Pearl from destitution in the event of his death. Under the boughs of Mirkwood there was deadly strife of Elves and Men and fell beasts. These reverberations of gangland strife at Rikers, plus the huge size of the galleries, the constant turnover of inmates and, especially, officers, ensured there was no chance of cozy community developing. نزاع ستیزه

hinder

The verb hinder means to block or put something in the way of, so if you're in a high-speed car chase with the police, they might put up a blockade to hinder your progress. The word hinder came from the Old English hindrian, which means to "injure or damage." That's a little more extreme than what it means today, because, now it just means to get in the way of something or someone. People might not like you too much if you make it a practice to hinder their progress or get in the way of things they want, even if it's a small hindrance like blocking someone from getting to the cookie jar. be a hindrance or obstacle to synonyms:impede hinder or prevent the progress or accomplishment of synonyms:block, blockade, embarrass, obstruct, stymie, stymy "Hamlet does not want a wife, for I only hinder his revenge." All day the labour went forward, while the men of Minas Tirith looked on, unable to hinder it. She still wore the heavy iron shackles around her ankles—a sign that she was not yet wholly trusted—but they did not hinder her sure strides down the steps. 'Hinder me? Thou fool. No living man may hinder me!' مانع شدن

wane

Things that wane simply grow smaller. "My initial enthusiasm for helping waned when I saw the massive pile of envelopes that needed sealing." Things that wax and wane, like the moon, grow larger and smaller. Wax is the opposite of wane. A fad, or a fashion, or even a disease, that is on its way out the door is "on the wane." If your influence over your little brother wanes, he'll probably stop copying you. Anything that wanes, like the moon, influence, or a feeling, has started to go away. a gradual decline (in size or strength or power or number) synonyms :ebb, ebbing The night was old, and westward the waning moon was setting, gleaming fitfully through the breaking clouds. 'I shall not stay there long. My way lies now eastward. Look for me in Edoras, ere the waning of the moon!' The confidence Diego exuded when he'd burst into my class appeared to be waning, and he fidgeted, shoving his hands into his pockets, then crossing his arms, then putting his hands back into his pockets. His smile waned slightly as he placed his hand on the railing. رو بکاهش گذاشتن

baffle

To baffle is to confuse. If you are completely puzzled as to what baffle means, you might say that this word baffles you. Baffle means "confuse," but it can also mean "amaze." A magician might baffle you with an impressive magic trick. Additionally, this verb can mean "to spoil, thwart, or defeat by means of confusion." In a debate, you might baffle the opposition by introducing new information that your opponents are not familiar with. Baffle can also be used like stump. If you are stumped by a question on a test, then you've been baffled by that question. be a mystery or bewildering to synonyms:amaze, beat, bewilder, dumbfound, flummox, get, gravel, mystify, nonplus, perplex, pose, puzzle, stick, stupefy, vex My slow southern ears were baffled by their clouded, thick accents. Though baffled, I was not a bit disconcerted. Billy expected the Tralfamadorians to be baffled and alarmed by all the wars and other forms of murder on Earth. Which left only the middle line, and that one utterly baffled them. گیج یا گمراه کردن

beckon

To beckon is to use a physical gesture to call someone over to you. Universally recognized gestures used to beckon include crooking the finger or nodding the head to invite someone over. We get the word beckon from the Old English gebecnian, meaning "to make a mute sign," which comes from bēacen, meaning "a sign or beacon." (Remember that "beacon" is a noun while beckon is a verb). When you beckon to someone, you give them a physical sign to "come here." Figuratively, an ice cream sundae might beckon you, calling you away from your diet. summon with a wave, nod, or some other gesture appear inviting "The shop window decorations beckoned" The blackness of the bull's-eye beckoned, and as she exhaled, she sent the dagger flying. When Christina catches my eye, she beckons to me, smiling, so my mother and I cross the Pit floor. "Nice to meet you," Rafi says, and he beckons for us to follow him. Lying beside his sleeping brother, he'd listen to the broad, low sound: faint, then rising, faint again, then a high, beckoning whistle, then gone. با اشاره صدا زدن جذب کردن

dwell

To dwell in a home is to live in it. To dwell on something — usually something bad, like a failed romance or terrible service in a restaurant — is to think or speak about it at great length. Dwell has been part of the English language for over 1,000 years. The definition of the word has evolved considerably since its first recorded use in the 9th century when Old English dwellan meant "lead astray" or "hinder." If you constantly dwell on the bad things in life, it could hinder you from seeing the good or lead you astray to the negative. If you keep complaining, your friends might tell you to stop dwelling on it or, if they're really annoyed, they'll say, "Get over it!" inhabit or live in; be an inhabitant of "this kind of fish dwells near the bottom of the ocean" synonyms:inhabit, live, populate And yet, she reminded herself, Agatha Swanburne would not waste a moment worrying about things that couldn't be helped, or events that hadn't happened yet, or subjects that were otherwise useless to dwell upon. The vale was rich and many folk dwelt there. "It was ten years ago, when Jonas was just a toddler. I will not dwell on the experience because it causes us all terrible discomfort." In the letters I write to Dutchy I try not to dwell on my sickness, the constant queasy feeling that the doctor tells me means the baby is thriving inside me. اقامت گزیدن

invoke

To invoke is to call up something such as a law, a higher power, or even a ghost. In court, you might invoke the Fifth Amendment (the right not to say something that will make you look bad) if you don't want to talk. استناد کردن

morph

To morph is to change from one shape to another. A cute bunny, for example, might morph into a killer dragon in a fairy tale or an animated film. Morph comes from the word metamorphosis, which is a Greek word meaning "a transforming." As a verb, it has only been around since the 1980s, when computers allowed animators to make things change shape in an apparently seamlessly way. With the right skills, you can morph a toaster into a highly intelligent robot that helps fight crime, offers dating advice to the protagonist of the film, and still makes an excellent piece of toast. cause to change shape in a computer animation "The computer programmer morphed the image" By the end of the month, Monday morphed back into herself but still dodged any questions about him. A moment later the projection of the earth morphed into a reality TV show called Bunker, and a hammy announcer's voice boomed at me from everywhere at once. For a moment, he just looks confused, but his confusion quickly morphs into rage. When he spots me, his expression morphs into a frown. چیزی که تغییر شکل پذیره تغییر شکل

overshadow

To overshadow is to appear more important or larger than something else. Your sister's tendency to interrupt and speak loudly sometimes overshadows what a caring person she is. You can use this verb in a very literal way, to mean "cast a shadow over something smaller," like the enormous oak tree in your yard that overshadows your small house. It's also possible to figuratively overshadow, like when your worry about next week's math test overshadows the happiness you feel waking up to a snow day. One person can overshadow another too, when they appear more interesting, successful, or attractive. cast a shadow upon "The tall tree overshadowed the house" be greater in significance than "the tragedy overshadowed the couple's happiness" Eventually, this second meeting would so far overshadow the first in its influence and scope that it would be called simply the Asilomar Conference—or just Asilomar. These conflicts lie in the past now—as Tessie paints her toenails— overshadowed by a much bigger conflict. The psychologist Jonathan W. Schooler, who pioneered research on this effect, calls it verbal overshadowing. There was a new pain, a scalding pain in my hand that was overshadowing everything else. تحت الشعاع قرار دادن باعث کوچک شدن دیگران شدن

rebound

To rebound is to come back from a slump. You might rebound from an illness, or your country might rebound from an economic recession. Like many words that start with the prefix re, rebound involves something happening again. In this case, to rebound is to bounce back to a previous state or condition. If you gain 20 pounds and then lose it, you rebound. If the stock market crashes and then returns to a healthy level, it rebounds. spring back; spring away from an impact synonyms:bounce, bound, recoil, resile, reverberate, ricochet, spring, take a hop see more return to a former condition synonyms:rally You'd find the freelance thugs pushing off for rebounds, and the A students, quietly showing off silky jump shots and then running back downcourt eyes down, trying not to look too pleased with themselves. It would rebound from the ugliness of the initial trials and learn the moral lessons implicit in the "cautionary tale of scientific overreach." The dealer's fingers spurned the pearl so that it bounced and rebounded softly from the side of the velvet tray. Country Day was so used to not getting rebounds that as soon as one of them shot the rest of them started going downcourt. دوباره بجای اول برگشتن بهبود ریباند

undermine

To undermine literally means to dig a hole underneath something, making it likely to collapse. But we more often use the word to describe sabotage or the act of weakening someone else's efforts. تضعیف کردن

upheaval

Upheaval means a violent or sudden change. You might talk about an upheaval in government following an election where many incumbents are replaced. تغییر فاحش تحول

urbane

Urbane people are sophisticated, polished, cultured, refined. Spend enough time in an urban setting--going to concerts and museums, spending time in crowds--and you'll be urbane too. Both urbane and urban derive from the Latin urbanus, "city," but while urban has connotations of gritty living and crime, urbane assumes that everyone sees the city from the roof deck of their penthouse apartment, drinking champagne and exchanging bon mots with friends. Add a Cole Porter soundtrack and the image is complete. showing a high degree of refinement and the assurance that comes from wide social experience "maintained an urbane tone in his letters" synonyms:polished, refined, svelte He was a silk-haired senior, with his cope and crosier, alb and ring —urbane, ecclesiastical, knowing the spiritual power. He paused, surveying us with the kind of wide- eyed surmise Mr. Carhart always used at this point, and then added in Mr. Carhart's urbane murmur, "Let us pray." He felt deeply drawn to him, and not solely because he was intrigued by the contrast between O'Brien's urbane manner and his prizefighter's physique. Then an urbane voice says, "Hello, Mister Town." مودب

indigenous

Use indigenous to describe a plant, animal or person that is native or original to an area. Though Switzerland is known for its chocolates, chocolate, which comes from the cocoa plant, is indigenous to South America. Indigenous, aboriginal, and native all mean the same thing. Aboriginal, however, is commonly used in connection with Australia, and native with North America. The most neutral of the three terms, indigenous comes from the Latin word, indigena meaning "a native." An indigenous ceremony or religion is one traditionally used by a certain group of people. originating where it is found "the Ainu are indigenous to the northernmost islands of Japan" synonyms:autochthonal, autochthonic, autochthonous, endemic The lack of domestic mammals indigenous to sub-Saharan Africa is especially astonishing, since a main reason why tourists visit Africa today is to see its abundant and diverse wild mammals. Before her, in overly luxuriant rows, was a host, so to speak, of golden pharmaceuticals, plus a few technically less indigenous whatnots. When Dutch colonists landed at the southern tip of Africa over three hundred years ago, they encountered an indigenous people known as the Khoisan. A teacher crippled by a country that offered little promise or future for its indigenous and colored inhabitants. بومی

nuance

Use nuance to refer to a very small difference in color, meaning, or feeling. What makes singers brilliant is not how loud they can sing a note, but how many nuances they can evoke through their approach. Pronounced "NOO-ahns," this noun was borrowed from French in the 18th century and derives ultimately from Latin nūbēs "a cloud." Think of clouds--subtle gradations in color to understand this word. When you say a work of art was nuanced, it means there was a lot to it, but incorporated subtly. a subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude "without understanding the finer nuances you can't enjoy the humor" synonyms:nicety, refinement, shade, subtlety It was true that idioms and nuances and dialects often eluded him in Igbo, but the directorate was always too prompt in sending interpreters. He taught ideas of nuance and complexity in his classes and yet he was asking her for a single reason, the cause. "It's so refreshing to see a politician who gets nuance," Paula said. "He knew every nuance, every problem that needed to be solved." فرق جزئي

arduous

Use the adjective arduous to describe an activity that takes a lot of effort. Writing all those college essays and filling out the applications is an arduous process! پر زحمت دشوار

exacting

Use the adjective exacting to describe something or someone very precise or strict in its requirements. If your teacher has exacting standards about spelling and punctuation, you better carefully check your final paper. An exacting person expects things to be, well, exact. For this reason, demanding is a good synonym. Friends who are exacting might let you have it if you show up a minute or two late. Some exacting people are extremely selective about what they eat, rejecting anything that doesn't meet their complicated standards of nutrition and taste. severe and unremitting in making demands "an exacting instructor" synonyms:stern, strict demanding requiring precise accuracy "an exacting job" synonyms:exigent That afternoon I was predisposed to exacting the same justice on myself. The image of Donovan working the joystick, exacting Tin Man's revenge, would forever be burned onto the inside of my eyelids. It thus remained dependent on the power of the State, exacting a double allegiance from the faithful and sharing the vicissitudes of political power. It was harder, more exacting work than she thought. دقیق سخت گیر

obsolete

Use the adjective obsolete for something that is out of date. As the Rolling Stones song "Out of Time" goes, "You're obsolete, my baby, my poor old-fashioned baby." منسوخ شده

rife

Use the adjective rife to mean "full of" or "widespread," especially when you're talking about something negative. If the lifeguard says the water is rife with jellyfish, you're not going to want to swim in it. مملو(برای بدی ها استفاده میشه)

apathy

Use the noun apathy when someone isn't interested in the important things that are happening. You might feel apathy for the political process after watching candidates bicker tediously with one another. بی علاقگی

erode

When soil or land erodes, it wears away or is removed. Many beaches seem to get smaller and smaller, as the endless wash of the waves begins to erode the fine sand. While erode is most commonly used when describing land loss, you can also use it in less literal ways. Numerous hospital bills can cause your savings to erode. Each time you catch your friend in a lie, your trust in her erodes a little more. Consumer confidence is eroding away as the media reports more and more bad economic news. What's key here is both the sense of loss, as well as the idea that it is a gradual process. remove soil or rock "Rain eroded the terraces" synonyms:eat away, fret Large areas of the former Fertile Crescent are now desert, semidesert, steppe, or heavily eroded or salinized terrain unsuited for agriculture. The idea was to restore power to traditional and mainly conservative ethnic leaders in order to perpetuate ethnic differences that were beginning to erode. Where South Africa's white countryside was lush and irrigated and green, the black lands were overpopulated and overgrazed, the soil depleted and eroding. Every year Earth's rivers carried massive volumes of eroded material-500 million tons of calcium, for instance-to the seas. فرسایش

dreary

When something is dreary it's depressing or lifeless in a rainy-day way. I finished my work, there was nothing on TV, and the rain just wouldn't stop: what a dreary day! مایه افسردگی

proliferate

When something proliferates, it's growing, spreading or multiplying really quickly. Bunny rabbits have a habit of proliferating, as do dandelions in untended gardens and funny YouTube videos on the internet. تکثیر بسط وتوسعه یافتن

evade

When you evade something, you escape it. You could evade a police chase by slipping into a secret alley, or you could evade your mother's questions about the missing cookies by slipping into another topic. فرار کردن طفره رفتن

fasten

When you fasten something, you close or attach it. You might fasten your coat, closing each snap, when the sun goes down and the air gets chilly. بستن چفت کردن

offset

When you offset something—say, the price of gas—you find a way to make up for it. My new car's ability to get fifty miles per gallon offset the rise in the price of gas. Offset functions as both a noun and a verb. Okay, let's talk turkey. The Duke's lack of height was offset by his enormous wig. Even without shoes, he towered above most people, because his wig alone was five feet tall. The cost of the wig—close to $10,000—was easily offset by its quality: it was worth every cent. The inconvenience of the blizzard was offset by the joy of not having to go to school or work—or even get out of bed. The joy was what you might call an offset. a compensating equivalent synonyms: counterbalance Seeing Mr. Smith at school was a mild comfort, a bridge between Whitney Young and my neighborhood, but it did little to offset my anxiety. He saw that they must be offset by some type of neutralizing particles, which he called neutrons. Whatever pain securing the permit exacted, it was more than offset by the victories lying in wait. This raises the possibility that the immense improvement in material conditions over the last two centuries was offset by the collapse of the family and the community. متعادل کردن مقدار ثابت اما ارزش کمتر

so-called

When you say someone is a so-called pacifist, you are suggesting that they are a pacifist in name only. While they are busy making everyone talk about how peaceful they are, chances are they're also bombing villages to dust. Using the word so-called is a great way to point out systemic hypocrisy and is a much-beloved tool of street preachers and conspiracy cranks the world over. They might talk about our so-called democracy being in fact a sham, and our so-called democratic elections being rigged by forces beyond our control. doubtful or suspect "these so-called experts are no help" synonyms: alleged, supposed A nice way of visualizing the wave/particle duality is the so-called sum over histories introduced by the American scientist Richard Feynman. I burned myself some toast and scanned the so-called news sites for bits about Nicole. I did talk to the so-called normal girls, of course. In addition to some understanding of algebra, geometry, and analytic geometry, high school students should be exposed to some of the most important ideas of so-called finite mathematics. باصطلاح

medium

the material or method used, especially for communication and art

yield

to produce a result or answer to produce crops محصول

oversee

to supervise to lead and be sure something is done correctly نظارت کردن

sheer

used to emphasize that something is very heavy large or etc


Related study sets

ECON 222 Midterm 1 Questions Lindahl

View Set

macro cumulative test spring 2016

View Set

Essentials of Nursing Leadership & Management

View Set