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Culture Documents
1 [USUALLY PASSIVE] decimate something to kill large numbers of animals, plants or people in a particular area. The rabbit population was decimated by the disease. 2 decimate something (INFORMAL) to severely damage something or make something weaker. Cheap imports decimated the British cycle industry. decimation
Dominated
Synonym: RE
Synonym: R!ISE
a type of literature that describes imaginary people and events, not real ones. a wor! of popular fiction historical&romantic fiction 'iction
pposite:
%#%&"I'TI#%
"I'TI#%
2 [COUNTABLE, UNCOUNTABLE] a thing that is invented or imagined and is not true. 'or years he managed to !eep up the fiction that he was not married.
UMOROUS)
(onniving
behaving in a way that secretly hurts others or deliberately fails to prevent others from being hurt making people feel very frightened a fearsome dinosaur He has a fearsome reputation as a fighter. 1 irritate somebody to annoy somebody, especially by something you continuously do or by something that continuously happens. The way she puts on that accent really irritates me. 2 irritate something to make your skin or a part of your body sore or painful. Some drugs can irritate the lining of the I found her e#tremely irritating. an irritating habit. an irritating cough&rash irritatingl* 1 [USUALLY SIN!ULAR] cult (o" something) a way of life, an attitude, an idea, etc. that has become very popular. the cult of physical fitness. An e#traordinary personality cult had been created around the leader. 2 a small group of people who have e#treme religious beliefs and who are not part of any established religion. Their son ran away from home and )oined a cult. 3 (FORMAL) a system of religious beliefs and practices. the Chinese cult of ancestor worship if people, things or situations are +ormida,le, you feel fear and or respect for them, because they are impressive or powerful, or because they seem very difficult. In debate he was a formidable opponent. Somehow the small but formidable woman fought her way through the crowd to reach her son. She has a formidable list of *ualifications. The two players together ma!e a formidable combination. The tas! was a formidable one. They had to overcome formidable obstacles. +ormida,l*
'earsome
)rritating
(ult
'ormidable
He now has the chance to prove himself in a formidably difficult role. She's formidably intelligent. 1 (o+ten the norm) [SIN!ULAR] a situation or a pattern of behaviour that is usual or e#pected .
Synonym: R(LE. a departure from the norm. +lder parents seem to be the
norm rather than the e#ception nowadays. *orm 2 norms [PLURAL] standards of behaviour that are typical of or accepted within a particular group or society. social/cultural norms. She considered people to be products of the values and norms of the society they lived in. 3 [COUNTABLE] a re+uired or agreed standard, amount, etc. detailed education norms for children of particular ages. The government claims that bac!ground radioactivity is well below international norms. 1. a snowstorm with very strong winds bli""ard conditions. The bli""ard struc! the north,east yesterday causing serious damage. a raging/howling blizzard 2. a large +uantity of things that may seem to be attacking you. a bli""ard of documents. 1 that you cannot avoid or prevent
,lizzard
Synonym: (%!
#ID!BLE . It was an inevitable conse*uence of the decision. It was inevitable that there would be )ob losses. A rise in the interest rates seems inevitable.
)nevitability
2 [ONLY BEFORE NOUN] (OFTEN UMOROUS) so fre+uent that you always e#pect it. the -nglish and their inevitable cups of tea 3 the ine-ita,le NOUN [SIN!ULAR] something that is certain to happen. .ou have to accept the inevitable.The inevitable happened/I forgot my passport. ine-ita,ilit* the inevitability of death. There was an inevitability about their defeat.
'erocity
violence! aggressive behaviour The police were shoc!ed by the ferocity of the attac!.
milder, mildest
1 not severe or strong. a mild form of the disease a mild punishment/criticism. It's safe to ta!e a mild sedative.0se a soap that is mild on the s!in. 2 (OF "EAT ER) not very cold, and therefore pleasant. the mildest winter since records begana mild climate #ompare H!RD 3 (OF FEELIN!S) not great or e#treme -ildness
pposite
H#Tmildness
prototype ("or/o" something) the first design of something from which other
.rototype forms are copied or developed. the prototype of the modern bicycle. Scientists have developed a wor!ing prototype for a voice translation machine. 0rotot*pical 1 [USUALLY BEFORE NOUN] involving doing something together or working together with others towards a shared aim. Cooperative activity is essential to effective community wor!. (ooperative 2 helpful by doing what you are asked to do. -mployees will generally be more cooperative if their views are ta!en seriously.
pposite:
(%'##0ER!TI E
3 [USUALLY BEFORE NOUN] (BUSINESS) owned and run by the people involved, with the profits shared by them. a cooperative farm. The cooperative movement started in Britain in the 12th century. 'ooperati-el* $easoned (OF AN AR!UMENT$ OPINION$ ETC.) presented in a logical way that shows careful thought. His claims were supported with proofs and reasoned argument. She argued her point in a reasoned and intelligent manner. done deliberately
I%TE%DED. I'm sorry I left you off the list/it wasn't intentional. an intentional act of cruelty
Synonym: DELIBER!TE,
)ntentional
pposite:
(%I%TE%TI#%!L
intentionall* : She would never intentionally hurt anyone. I !ept my statement intentionally vague. a person/s particular way of behaving, thinking, etc, especially when it is unusual! an unusual feature )diosyncrasy
(ulmination
0otality
$emoir
2 [COUNTABLE] (FORMAL) a written account of somebody/s life, a place, or an event, written by somebody who knows it well 1 [UNCOUNTABLE] a state of peaceful e#istence and agreement. the need to be in harmony with our environment. to live together in perfect harmony. social/racial harmony #ompare DIS'#RD 2 [UNCOUNTABLE, COUNTABLE] (MUSIC) the way in which different notes that are played or sung together combine to make a pleasing sound. to sing in harmony. to study four,part harmony. passionate lyrics and stunning vocal harmonies #ompare DIS'#RD 3 [COUNTABLE, UNCOUNTABLE] a pleasing combination of related things. the harmony of colour in nature. The designer's aim is to produce a harmony of shape and te#ture. to state firmly or publicly that something is true or that you support something strongly. %ffirm
2armony
a""irm
$econciled
2 [USUALLY PASSIVE] to make people become friends again after an argument or a disagreement . reconcile somebody The pair were reconciled after 5ac!son made a public apology. reconcile somebody with somebody He has recently been reconciled with his wife. 3 reconcile somebody/yoursel" (to something) to make somebody yourself accept an unpleasant situation because it is not possible to change it
Synonym: RESI)%
(onfined
1#(RSEL" T#
of losing her. reconcila,le (OF A SPACE OR AN AREA) small and surrounded by walls or sides. It is cruel to !eep animals in confined spaces. (before an ad4ective) too! very 3verly
Synonym: E3'ESSI
overly optimistic.
EL1
Synonym: TH#R#()H. a rigorous analysis. 'ew people have gone into the
$igorous
topic in such rigorous detail. The second team adopted a much more rigorous approach to the problem. 2 demanding that particular rules, processes, etc. are strictly followed
-edieval
connected with the -iddle %ges (about %D 5666 to %D 5786) medieval architecture&castles&manuscripts. the literature of the late medieval period
1 to say in a will that you want somebody to have your property, money, etc. after you die
Synonym: LE!
Be54eathing
E. be$ueath something (to somebody) . He be*ueathed his entire estate (& all his money and property) to his daughter.
be$ueath somebody something He be*ueathed his daughter his entire estate. 2 be$ueath something (to somebody)9 be$ueath somebody something to
leave the results of your work, knowledge, etc. for other people to use or deal with, especially after you have died. The previous government had be*ueathed a legacy of problems.
Be54ests
money or property that you ask to be given to a particular person when you die He left a be*uest to each of his grandchildren.
1 the freedom or power to decide what should be done in a particular situation. I'll leave it up to you to use your discretion. How much to tell terminally ill patients is left to the discretion of the doctor. 2 care in what you say or do, in order to keep something secret or to avoid causing embarrassment to or difficulty for somebody! the +uality of being discreet. This is confidential but I !now that I can rely on your discretion. 5ane is the soul of discretion (& you can trust her). 0se the utmost discretion when you tal! to her. #ompare I%DIS'RETI#%
Discretion
Idioms
at some,od*7s discretion
according to what somebody decides or wishes to do Bail is granted at the discretion of the court.There is no service charge and tipping is at your discretion.
cop*right on a piece of writing, music, etc, they are the only people who have the legal right to publish, broadcast, perform it, etc, and other people must ask their permission to use it or any part of it. 3ho owns the copyright on this song(. Copyright e#pires seventy years after the death of the author. They were sued for breach/infringement of copyright.
!nticipated
Synonym: "#REST!LL 3hen Scott reached the South :ole he found that
Amundsen had anticipated him. anticipator* to commit a crime or do something wrong or evil perpetrate something to perpetrate a crime/fraud/massacre. security breaches perpetrated by people wor!ing for the company. perpetrate something against/upon/on somebody violence perpetrated against women and children. perpetration related to or based on ideas. a conceptual framewor! within which children's needs are assessed. a conceptual model. 'oncept4all* conceptually similar&distinct
0erpetrated
(onceptual
(onvenience
1 [UNCOUNTABLE] the +uality of being useful, easy or suitable for somebody. 3e have provided seats for the convenience of our customers. For (the sake of) convenience the two groups have been treated as one in this report. The position of the house combines *uietness and convenience. In this resort
you can en)oy all the comfort and convenience of modern tourism. #ompare I%'#% E%IE%'E see also "L!) #" '#% E%IE%'E, $!RRI!)E #" '#% E%IE%'E 2 [COUNTABLE] something that is useful and can make things easier or +uicker to do, or more comfortable. It was a great convenience to have the school so near.The house had all the modern conveniences (& central heating, etc.) that were unusual at that time. see also 0(BLI' '#% E%IE%'E Idioms
at some,od*7s con-enience
(FORMAL) at a time or a place which is suitable for somebody. Can you telephone me at your convenience to arrange a meeting(
)ntertwined
discovery was perceived as a ma)or brea!through. She did not perceive herself as disabled. A science degree and artistic interests are often perceived as incompatible. perceive somebody/something to be/have something . They were widely perceived to have been unluc!y. Idios*ncraticall*
1. A structural or behavioral characteristic peculiar to an individual or group. 2. A physiological or temperamental peculiarity. 3. An unusual individual reaction to food or a drug.
the refusal to obey orders or show respect for somebody who has a higher rank
)nsubordinate
Synonym: DIS#BEDIE%'E
Two officers were reported for insubordination. ins4,ordinate before this time.
Hereto+ore
)nstituted
2ierarchy
1trata
2 (FORMAL) a class in a societ*. people from all social strata 1 reconcile something (with something) to find an acceptable way of dealing with two or more ideas, needs, etc. that seem to be opposed to each other. an attempt to reconcile the need for industrial development with concern for the environment. It was hard to reconcile his career ambitions with the needs of his children. $econcile 2 [USUALLY PASSIVE] to make people become friends again after an argument or a disagreementreconcile somebody The pair were reconciled after 5ac!son made a public apology.reconcile somebody with somebody He has recently been reconciled with his wife. 3 reconcile somebody/yoursel" (to something) to make somebody yourself accept an unpleasant situation because it is not possible to change it
Synonym: RESI)%
1#(RSEL" T# .
of losing her. reconcila,le 6ind9 genero4s and +orgi-ing, especially towards an enemy or a rival. -agnanimity a magnanimous gesture. He was magnanimous in defeat and praised his opponent's s!ill. magnanimit* She accepted the criticism with magnanimity. magnanimo4sl* 1 . small and 4nimportant
Synonym: $I%#R. petty s*uabbles petty crime/theft (& that is not very
.ettiness
serious)a petty criminal/thief! a petty bureaucrat/official (& who does not have much power or authority, although they might pretend to) 2 . caring too much about small and unimportant matters, especially when this is unkind to other people
Usage note:
1 [UNCOUNTABLE] (FORMAL) behaviour or attitudes that show high moral standards. He led a life of virtue. She was certainly no paragon of virtue? 2 [COUNTABLE] a particular good +uality or habit. :atience is not one of her virtues I'm afraid. As a politician he always emphasi"ed the virtues of compromise and conciliation. 3 [COUNTABLE,
UNCOUNTABLE ]
Synonym: !D
!%T!)E. The plan has the virtue of simplicity. He was e#tolling the virtues of the Internet. They could see no virtue in discussing it further.
Idioms irt4e
Synonym: RE'#
$etrieve
ER. retrieve something "rom somebody/something She bent to retrieve her comb from the floor.The dog retrieved the ball from the water.retrieve something The police have managed to retrieve some of the stolen money. 2 (COMPUTIN!) to find and get back data or information that has been stored in the memory of a computer. retrieve something "rom somebody/something to retrieve information from the database retrieve something . The program allows you to retrieve items *uic!ly by searching under a !eyword. 3 retrieve something to make a bad situation better! to get back something that was lost. .ou can only retrieve the situation by apologi"ing. -mployers are an#ious to retrieve the investment they have made in training their employees. retrie-a,le
1carcer
Idioms
0roli+ic
2 (OF PLANTS$ ANIMALS$ ETC.) producing a lot of fruit, flowers, young, etc. prolific plant growth 3 able to produce enough food, etc. to keep many animals and plants alive. prolific rivers 4 e#isting in large numbers. a pop star with a prolific following of teenage fans . proli+icall* . to write prolifically. animals that breed prolifically to involve in something that cannot be avoided
#L E . entail something The )ob entails a lot of hard wor!. be entailed in something The girls learn e#actly what is entailed in caring for a newborn baby.entail (somebody) doing something It will entail driving a long
Synonym: I%
Entail
distance every day. 1 to suggest that something is true or that you feel or think something, without saying so directly. imply (that) Are you implying <that= I am wrong(imply something I disli!ed the implied criticism in his voice. His silence seemed to imply agreement. it is implied that It was implied that we were at fault. 2 to make it seem likely that something is true or e#ists )mplies
Synonym: S())EST. imply (that) The survey implies <that= more people are
moving house than was thought.it is implied that It was implied in the survey that@imply something The fact that she was here implies a degree of interest. 3 imply something (OF AN I'EA$ ACTION$ ETC.) to make something necessary in order to be successful
Synonym: $E!% The pro)ect implies an enormous investment in training. Sustainable development implies a long,term perspective. see also I$0LI'!TI#%
to repeat something that you have already said, especially to emphasize it
Reiterates
reiterate something to reiterate an argument&a demand&an offer reiterate that Aet me reiterate that we are fully committed to this policy.+ speech $I
said BmoneyC % he reiterated. reiteration a reiteration of her previous statement
Belies
1 belie something to give a false impression of somebody something. Her energy and youthful good loo!s belie her DE years. 2 belie something to show that something cannot be true or correct. Fovernment claims that there is no poverty are belied by the number of homeless people on the streets. 1 [INTRANSITIVE] to become calmer or +uieter. She waited nervously for his anger to subside. 3hen the rain had subsided we continued our wal!. I too! an aspirin and the pain gradually subsided. He waited until the laughter had subsided before continuing his story. 2 [INTRANSITIVE] (OF "ATER) to go back to a normal level. The flood waters gradually subsided. 3 [INTRANSITIVE] (OF LAN' OR A BUIL'IN!) to sink to a lower level! to sink lower into the ground. 3ea! foundations caused the house to subside. 1 a piece of cloth with a special coloured design on it that may be the symbol of a particular country or organization, or may have a particular meaning. % flag can be attached to a pole or held in the handthe Italian flagthe flag of ItalyThe hotel flies the -uropean 0nion flag.The American flag was flying.All the flags were at half mast (& in honour of a famous person who has died).The blac! and white flag went down and the race began. see also BL(E "L!)2 used to refer to a particular country or organization and its beliefs and valuesto swear allegiance to the flagHe was wor!ing under the flag of the 0nited Gations. 3 a piece of cloth that is attached to a pole and used as a signal or marker in various sports4 a flower that is a type of iris and that grows near water. yellow flags 1 that cannot be trusted! intending to harm you
1ubsides
'lags
0reacherous
Rem4nerati-e
1tationary
pposite:
$#BILE
1edentary
=ucrative Innoc4o4s
Synonym: %!I
trying to harm or upset somebody, or showing that you want to, because you think that they have harmed you. indicti-e
Dispassionate
dispassionate observer. The case needs to be e#amined dispassionately at a public in*uiry. a person who is able to suffer pain or trouble without complaining or showing what they are feeling.
1toic
stoic (also stoical ) her stoic endurance. his stoical acceptance of death . stoicall* They reacted stoically to the news. 'rom the Stoics, a group of ancient >reek
philosophers, who believed that wise people should not allow themselves to be affected by painful or pleasant e#periences.
pposite:
I%'#$$E%S(R!TE
commens4ratel*
Synonym: RESTRI'T The power of the monarchy was circumscribed by the new
law. 2 circumscribe something (TEC circ4mscription
NICAL)
1egregated
1 segregate somebody ("rom somebody) to separate people of different races, religions or se#es and treat them in a different way. a culture in which women are segregated from men. 3hites and blac!s were segregated into different parts of town. a racially segregated community. a segregated school (& one for students of one race or religion only)
pposite:
I%TE)R!TE
2 segregate something ("rom something) to keep one thing separate from another. In all our restaurants smo!ing and non,smo!ing areas are segregated from each other. 1 (BIOLO!Y) the relationship between two different living creatures that live close together and depend on each other in particular ways, each getting particular benefits from the other. The birds live in symbiosis with the cattle pic!ing insects from their s!in to eat. 2 a relationship between people, companies, etc. that is to the advantage of both. She imagined us living in a perfect mother and daughter symbiosis. s*m,iotic a symbiotic relationship to confuse somebody completely! to be too difficult or strange for somebody to understand or e#plain. ba""le somebody His behaviour baffles me. be ba""led (as to) why, how, where, etc I'm baffled as to why she hasn't called. I'm baffled why she hasn't called. ,a++lement His reaction was one of bafflement. ,a++ling Some of the country's customs are baffling to outsiders. 1 showing sudden changes in attitude or behaviour
S*m,iotic
,affling
E3ER'ISE & 2 $enewed happening again with increased interest or strength Henewed fighting has been reported on the border. with renewed enthusiasm
antedate something + 0RED!TE. The crypt antedates the rest of the building by
several centuries. %ntedated
To assign to a date earlier than that of the actual occurrence. To date as of a time before that of actual execution: antedate a contract; antedate a check. A date given to an event or a document that is earlier than the actual date.
to praise somebody something very much e'tol somebody/something . 4octors often extol the virtues of eating less fat. e'tol somebody/something as something& She was e#tolled as a genius.
E:tol 0ransmute
Synonym:
TR!%S"#R$
gold. transm4tation
1 a competition in which people try to win something, a singing contest. a talent contest. to enter/win/lose a contest see also BE!(T1 '#%TEST
(ontest
2 contest ("or something) a struggle to gain control or power. a contest for the leadership of the party
Idioms
,e no contest
used to say that one side in a competition is so much stronger or better than the other that it is sure to win easily "nigma *aivete a person, thing or situation that is mysterious and difficult to understand.
Synonym: $1STER1,
0(<<LE
Synonym:
3bstinacy
ST(BB#R%. He can be very obstinate when he wants to be?. her obstinate refusal to comply with their re*uest
Synonym:
ST(BB#R%.
stain. o,stinac*
NOUN [UNCOUNTABLE]an act of sheer obstinacy o,stinatel*
Decisive:
Decisiveness 1 very important for the final result of a particular situation. a decisive factor/victory/battle. Climate was a decisive factor in establishing where the tournament should be held. She has played a decisive role in the peace negotiations. a decisive step (& an important action that will change a situation) towards a cleaner environment 2 able to decide something +uickly and with confidence. decisive management. The government must ta!e decisive action on gun control.
ingenious
)ngeniousness
1 (OF AN OB.ECT$ A PLAN$ AN I'EA$ ETC.) very suitable for a particular purpose and resulting from clever new ideas. an ingenious device. ingenious ways of saving energy. His plots are always very ingenious. 2 (OF A PERSON) having a lot of clever new ideas and good at inventing things. an ingenious coo!. She's very ingenious when it comes to finding e#cuses. Ingenio4sl*. ingeniously designed very ordinary and containing nothing that is interesting or important.
,anal
a banal conversation about the weather. 1 (OFTEN 'ISAPPROVIN!) not studying or looking at something thoroughly! seeing only what is obvious. a superficial analysis. The boo! shows only a superficial understanding of the historical conte#t. 2 appearing to be true, real or important until you look at it more carefully. superficial differences&similarities. 3hen you first meet her she gives a superficial impression of warmth and friendliness. 1uperficial 3 (OF A "OUN' OR 'AMA!E) only affecting the surface and therefore not serious. superficial in)ury. superficial burns 4 ('ISAPPROVIN!) not concerned with anything serious or important and lacking any depth of understanding or feeling a
Synonym:
/ (TEC NICAL) of or on the surface of something. superficial veins. a superficial deposit of acidic soils 1 a thing that is added to something else to improve or complete it. vitamin/dietary supplements (& vitamins and other foods eaten in addition to what you usually eat)supplement to something& Industrial sponsorship is a supplement to government funding. 2 an e#tra separate section, often in the form of a magazine, that is sold with a newspaper. the Sunday colour supplements 1upplemented 3 supplement (to something) a book or a section at the end of a book that gives e#tra information or deals with a special sub4ect. the supplement to the +#ford -nglish 4ictionary. a supplement to the main report 4 (BRITIS EN!LIS ) an amount of money that you pay for an e#tra service or item, especially in addition to the basic cost of a holiday vacation
Synonym:
S(R'H!R)E There is a J18 supplement for a single room. Safety deposit bo#es are available at a supplement.
?ndermine
1 undermine something to make something, especially somebody/s confidence or authority, gradually weaker or less effective. +ur confidence in the team has been seriously undermined by their recent defeats. This crisis has undermined his position. Hecent changes have undermined teachers' morale. 2 undermine something to make something weaker at the base, for e#ample by digging under it.
somebody something change direction. Gorthbound traffic will have to be diverted onto minor roads. The course of the stream has now been diverted. 2 divert something to use money, materials, etc. for a different purpose from their original purpose Diverted 3 divert something to take somebody/s thoughts or attention away from something
Synonym:
4 1
DISTR!'T
economic situation.
divert somebody (FORMAL) to entertain people. Children are easily diverted. redeem somebody/something to make somebody something seem less bad
'#$0E%S!TE "#R.
Redeemed
Synonym:
wea! plot. The only redeeming feature of the )ob (& good thing about it) is the salary. She seems to have no redeeming *ualities (& good aspects of her character) at all. 2 redeem yoursel" to do something to improve the opinion that people have of you, especially after you have done something bad. He has a chance to redeem himself after last wee!'s mista!es. 3 redeem somebody (in (hristianity) to save somebody from the power of evil. 5esus Christ came to redeem us from sin. 4 redeem something to pay the full sum of money that you owe somebody! to pay a debt. to redeem a loan/mortgage / redeem something to e#change something such as shares or vouchers for money or goods. This voucher can be redeemed at any of our branches. > redeem something to get back a valuable ob4ect from somebody by paying them back the money you borrowed from them in e#change for the ob4ect. He was able to redeem his watch from the pawnshop. ? redeem a pledge/promise (FORMAL) to do what you have promised that you will do !melioration
pposite: HI)H&S0IRITED
.lacid 2 calm and peaceful, with very little movement
Synonym:
TR!%.(IL. the placid waters of the la!e +f course % said Helen placidly. The river spar!led placidly in the sun.
1 ('ISAPPROVIN!) lacking e#perience of life, knowledge or good 4udgement and willing to believe that people always tell you the truth. to be politically naKve. I can't believe you were so naive as to trust him?. a naive *uestion 2 (APPROVIN!) (OF PEOPLE AN' T
EIR BE AVIOUR)
Synonym:
*a@ve
!RTLESS.
S#0HISTI'!TED
3 (TEC NICAL) (OF ART) in a style which is deliberately very simple, often uses bright colours and is similar to that produced by a child . nai-el* (also na@-el*) . I naively assumed that I would be paid for the wor!. nai-et* (also na@-et*) They laughed at the naivety of his suggestion. She has lost none of her naivety. His wor! is a curious blend of sophistication and naivety.
Stim4lation
1 stimulate something to make something develop or become more active! to encourage something. The e#hibition has stimulated interest in her wor!.The article can be used to stimulate discussion among students. a government pac!age designed to stimulate economic growth. 2 to make somebody interested and e#cited about something stimulate somebody . :arents should give children boo!s that stimulate them. Both men and women are stimulated by erotic photos (& se#ually).stimulate somebody to do something .The conference stimulated him to study the sub)ect in more depth. 3 stimulate something (TEC NICAL) to make a part of the body function. The women were given fertility drugs to stimulate the ovaries. stim4lation
sensory&intellectual&se#ual&visual&physical stimulation 1 done +uickly and with a lot of activity, but in a way that is not very well organized.
Synonym:
"rantic
HE'TI'. a frantic dash/search/struggle. They made frantic attempts to revive him. Things are frantic in the office right now. They wor!ed with frantic haste.
2 unable to control your emotions because you are e#tremely frightened or worried about something
Synonym:
BESIDE 1#(RSEL". frantic with worry. Aet's go bac!. .our parents must be getting frantic by now. The children are driving me frantic (& making me very annoyed). +ranticall*
They wor!ed frantically to finish on time. 1 [INTRANSITIVE, TRANSITIVE] to continue to do something despite difficulties or opposition, in a way that can seem unreasonable. persist (in doing something) 3hy do you persist in blaming yourself for what happened( persist (in something) She persisted in her search for the truth. persist (with something) He persisted with his *uestioning.+ speech $So did you agree or not(% he persisted. 2 to continue to e#ist. The belief that the earth was flat persisted for many centuries. If the symptoms persist consult your doctor. not varying! the same in all parts and at all times. uniform rates of pay. The walls were a uniform grey. Frowth has not been uniform across the country. uniform lines of terraced houses (& they all looked the same)4ni+ormit* ?niformity They tried to ensure uniformity across the different departments. the drab uniformity of the houses 4ni+orml* The principles were applied uniformly across all the departments. The *uality is uniformly high. :ressure must be uniformly distributed over the whole surface. 1 the e#act match in size and shape between two halves, parts or sides of something. the perfect symmetry of the garden design 2 the +uality of being very similar or e+ual. the increasing symmetry between men's and women's )obs
.ersist
1ymmetry
Denegerate 1 [UNCOUNTABLE, COUNTABLE, USUALLY PLURAL] (BRITIS EN!LIS ) the situation when somebody has to leave their 4ob because there is no more work available for them. Thousands of factory wor!ers are facing redundancy. to accept&ta!e voluntary redundancy (& to offer to leave your 4ob). the threat of compulsory redundancies. redundancy payments. L88 wor!ers have been issued with redundancy notices. see also L!1&#"" 2 [UNCOUNTABLE] (FORMAL or TEC NICAL) the state o+ not ,eing necessar* needed or 4se+4l. Gatural language is characteri"ed by redundancy (& words are used that are not really necessary for somebody to understand the meaning). 1 (BRITIS EN!LIS ALSO sil-er +oil) [UNCOUNTABLE] metal made into very thin sheets that is used for covering or wrapping things, especially food< ( BRITIS EN!LIS ) aluminium foil (NORT AMERICAN EN!LIS ) aluminum foilCover the fish loosely with foil and ba!e for 78 minutes. see also TI%"#IL 2 [UNCOUNTABLE] paper that is covered in very thin sheets of metal. The chocolates are individually wrapped in gold foil.
$edundancy
'oil
3 [COUNTABLE] "oil ("or somebody/something) a person or thing that contrasts with, and therefore emphasizes, the +ualities of another person or thing. The pale walls provide a perfect foil for the furniture. His mellow guitar techni*ue is the ideal foil for her soaring voice. 4 [COUNTABLE] a long thin light sword used in the sport of fencing 1
Synonym:
Repress
'#%TR#L. to repress a smile. He burst in ma!ing no effort to repress his fury. 'or years he had successfully repressed the painful memories of childhood.
2 [OFTEN PASSIVE] repress somebody/something to use political and or military force to control a group of people and restrict their freedom
Synonym:
or a film movie5ane Austen's $-mma% was dramati"ed on television recently. 2 [TRANSITIVE, INTRANSITIVE] dramatize (something) to make something seem more e#citing or important than it really is. 4on't worry too much about what she said/she tends to dramati"e things. a television dramati"ation of the trial. She has a tendency to dramati"ation 1 condemn somebody/something ("or/as something) to e#press very strong disapproval of somebody something, usually for moral reasons. The government issued a statement condemning the !illings.The editor of the newspaper was condemned as lac!ing integrity.
Synonym:
SE%TE%'E. condemn somebody (to something) He was condemned to death for murder and later hanged.condemn somebody to do something She was condemned to hang for !illing her husband.
!"#$!%& T! %)++)CU,T
(ondemn
)TUAT)!(
3 [USUALLY PASSIVE] condemn somebody to something to force somebody to accept a difficult or unpleasant situation
Synonym:
D##$. He was condemned to a life of hardship.They were condemned to spend every holiday on a rainy campsite.
!"#T*)(- %A(-#.!U
4 [USUALLY PASSIVE] condemn something (as something) to say officially that something is not safe enough to be used a condemned buildingThe meat was condemned as unfit to eat.
*!/ -U),T
/
somethingShe is condemned out of her own mouth (& her own words show that she is guilty). 1 distort something to change the shape, appearance or sound of something so that it is strange or not clear. a fairground mirror that distorts your shape. The loudspea!er seemed to distort his voice. 2 distort something to twist or change facts, ideas, etc. so that they are no longer correct or true. Gewspapers are often guilty of distorting the truth. The article gave a distorted picture of his childhood. modern alloys that are resistant to wear and distortion. a distortion of the facts
Distort
Synonym:
RE E!L
")0
1 [TRANSITIVE] to move a li+uid or substance around, using a spoon or something similar, in order to mi# it thoroughly stir something She stirred her tea.Stir the paint before you use it.stir something into something The vegetables are stirred into the rice while it is hot. stir something in Stir in the mil! until the sauce thic!ens.
"!1#
2 [INTRANSITIVE, TRANSITIVE] to move, or to make something move, slightly. She heard the baby stir in the ne#t room.stir something/somebody A slight bree"e was stirring the branches.A noise stirred me from sleep. 3 [INTRANSITIVE, TRANSITIVE] to move, or to make somebody move, in order to do something .ou haven't stirred from that chair all evening?stir yoursel"/somebody Come on stir yourself. .ou're late?Their complaints have finally stirred him into action.
1tir
+##,)(4 [TRANSITIVE] stir somebody (to something) to make somebody e#cited or make them feel something strongly. a boo! that really stirs the imagination. She was stirred by his sad story. / [INTRANSITIVE] (OF A FEELIN! OR A MOO') to begin to be feltA feeling of guilt began to stir in her.Gew optimism was stirring throughout the country.
CAU # T.!U$,#
> [TRANSITIVE, INTRANSITIVE] stir (it) (BRITIS EN!LIS , INFORMAL, cause trouble. .ou're )ust stirring it? see also STIRRER
'ISAPPROVIN!)
to try to
(ellular
1 connected with or consisting of the cells of plants or animals cellular structure/processes 2 connected with a telephone system that works by radio instead of wires. a cellular networ!. cellular radio 3 (BRITIS EN!LIS ) (OF CLOT ) loosely woven for e#tra warmth. cellular blan!ets not suitable or appropriate in a particular situation inappropriate behaviour/languageinappropriate ("or somebody/something) (to do something) It would be inappropriate for me to comment. inappropriate to/"or something clothes inappropriate to the occasion. 1 [COUNTABLE, USUALLY PLURAL] sanction (against somebody) an official order that limits trade, contact, etc. with a particular country, in order to make it do something, such as obeying international law. Trade sanctions were imposed against any country that refused to sign the agreement. The economic sanctions have been lifted.
)nappropriate
1anctioned
Synonym:
!(TH#RI<!TI#% . These changes will re*uire the sanction of the court. Their ideas received official sanction at the meeting.
3 [COUNTABLE] sanction (against something) a course of action that can be used, if necessary, to make people obey a law or behave in a particular way
Synonym:
0E%!LT1. The ultimate sanction will be the closure of the restaurant. 3e now have an effective sanction against the !illing of whales.
1 [NOT USUALLY BEFORE NOUN] dubious (about something)/(about doing something) (OF A PERSON) not certain and slightly suspicious about something! not knowing whether something is good or bad
Synonym:
Dubious
D#(BT"(L.
Synonym:
S(S0I'I#(S. They indulged in some highly dubious business practices to obtain their current position in the mar!et.
3 that you cannot be sure about! that is probably not good. They consider the plan to be of dubious benefit to most families. (IRONIC) She had the dubious honour of being the last woman to be hanged in -ngland (& it was not an honour at all).d4,io4sl* a state of complete confusion and lack of order economic&political&domestic chaos. Heavy snow has caused total chaos on the roads. The house was in chaos after the party. The country was thrown/plunged into chaos by the :resident's death. difficult to control or manage ?nruly
(haos
%ppease
2 appease somebody/something to give a country what it wants in order to avoid war. appeasement. a policy of appeasement. "#tolled to praise somebody something very much e'tol somebody/something . 4octors often extol the virtues of eating less fat. e'tol somebody/something as something . She was e#tolled as a genius. 1 [INTRANSITIVE, TRANSITIVE] to change from a gas into a li+uid! to make a gas change into a li+uid. condense (into something) Steam condenses into water when it cools. condense something (into something) The steam was condensed rapidly by in)ecting cold water into the cylinder. 2 [INTRANSITIVE, TRANSITIVE] condense (something) if a li+uid condenses or you condense it, it becomes thicker and stronger because it has lost some of its water
(ondensed
Synonym:
RED('E.
3 [TRANSITIVE] condense something (into something) to put something such as a piece of writing into fewer words! to put a lot of information into a small space. The article was condensed into )ust two pages.The author has condensed a great deal of material into )ust 188 pages. >lorified making somebody something seem more important or better than they are. The restaurant was no more than a glorified fast,food cafe. to increase in degree or strength! to make something increase in degree or strength )ntensified
Synonym:
BELITTLE
Synonym:
(acophony
!D #'!TE
a mi#ture of loud unpleasant sounds 'acophono4s 1 arranged or organized in a neat, careful and logical way
Synonym:
3rderly
TID1. a calm and orderly life. vegetables planted in orderly rows. a woman with an orderly mind.
2 behaving well! peaceful. an orderly demonstration. The elections were conducted in a peaceful and orderly fashion.
enough of something. a paucity of information 1 a person who e#presses opinions about the good and bad +ualities of books, music, etc . a music/theatre/literary! etc. critic. The critics loved the movie. 2 a person who e#presses disapproval of somebody something and talks about their bad +ualities, especially publicly. She is one of the ruling party's most outspo!en critics. a critic of private health care containing a libel about somebody a libellous statement Li,elo4s
(ritics
libel
the act of printing a statement about somebody that is not true and that gives people a bad opinion of them. He sued the newspaper for libel. a libel action (& a case in a court of law) #ompare SL!%DER
!,erration
: Her wor! draws eclectically on psychoanalysis and mythology. eclecticism : Critics praised the originality and eclecticism of her wor!.
eclecticall* 1 the food and drink that people, animals and plants need to live and stay healthy. There's not much sustenance in a bowl of soup. (FI!URATIVE) Arguing would only give further sustenance to his allegations. 2 sustenance (o" something) the process of making something continue to e#ist. -lections are essential for the sustenance of parliamentary democracy. the moral ideas and attit4des that ,elong to a partic4lar gro4p or societ*. an ethos of public service. the carefree Californian ethos. 1 the ,elie+ that a per+ect li+e9 sit4ation9 etc. can ,e achie-ed9 e-en 8hen this is not -er* li6el*. $e was full of youthful idealism. Idealism has no place in modern politics. 2 (P ILOSOP Y) the belief that our ideas are the only things that are real and that we can know about #ompare $!TERI!LIS$, RE!LIS$. idealist He's too much of an idealist for this government. 1 [COUNTABLE] a person, thing or situation that has two opposite features and therefore seems strange. He was a parado#/a loner who loved to chat to strangers. It is a curious parado# that professional comedians often have unhappy personal lives.
1ustenance
Ethos
)dealism
.arado#es
2 [COUNTABLE, UNCOUNTABLE] a statement containing two opposite ideas that make it seem impossible or unlikely, although it is probably true! the use of this in writing$Iore haste less speed% is a well,!nown parado#. It's a wor! full of parado# and ambiguity.parado:ical It is parado#ical that some of the poorest people live in some of the richest areas of the country. parado:icall* :arado#ically the less she ate the fatter she got.
1 [UNCOUNTABLE] essence (o" something) the most important +uality or feature of something, that makes it what it is. His paintings capture the essence of 'rance. In essence (& when you consider the most important points) your situation isn't so different from mine. 2 [UNCOUNTABLE, COUNTABLE] a li+uid taken from a plant, etc. that contains its smell and taste in a very strong form. essence of rosewood (BRITIS EN!LIS ) coffee/vanilla/almond essence see also E3TR!'T
"ssence
Idioms
o+ the essence
necessary and very important In this situation time is of the essence (& we must do things as +uickly as possible). happening or done at the same time as something else There were several simultaneous attac!s by the rebels. Any ceasefire would be simultaneous with the withdrawal of 0S forces. simultaneous translation/interpreting likely to be understood or en4oyed by only a few people with a special knowledge or interest. a programme of music for everyone even those with the most esoteric taste. Specialist dictionaries may be re*uired to understand some of the more esoteric te#ts. the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another transition ("rom something) (to something) the transition from school to full, time wor!. He will remain head of state during the period of transition to democracy.transition (between ) and *) 3e need to ensure a smooth transition between the old system and the new one.This course is useful for students who are in transition (& in the process of changing) from one training programme to another. a transitional period. a transitional government 1 very great! felt or e#perienced very strongly. profound changes in the earth's climate. Iy father's death had a profound effect on us all. The news came as a profound shoc!. The report has profound implications for schools. Her sense of disappointment was profound. 2 showing great knowledge or understanding. profound insights. a profound boo! 3 needing a lot of study or thought. profound *uestions about life and death 4 (ME'ICAL) very serious! complete. profound disability.
1imultaneous
Esoteric
Transitional
0ro+o4nd
>enerality
1 [COUNTABLE, USUALLY PLURAL] a statement that discusses general principles or issues rather than details or particular e#amples. to spea! in broad generalities. As usual he confined his comments to generalities. 2 the generalit* [SIN!ULAR / SIN!ULAR OR PLURAL VERB] (FORMAL) most of a group of people or things. This view is held by the generality of leading scholars. 3 [UNCOUNTABLE] (FORMAL) the +uality of being general rather than detailed or e#act. An account of such generality is of little value. 1 [UNCOUNTABLE, SIN!ULAR] the process or result of 4oining two or more things together to form one. the fusion of copper and "inc to produce brass. The movie displayed a perfect fusion of image and sound. 2 (also n4clear +4sion) [UNCOUNTABLE] (P YSICS) the act or process of combining the nuclei (& central parts) of atoms to form a heavier nucleus, with energy being released #ompare "ISSI#% 3 [UNCOUNTABLE] music that is a mi#ture of different styles, especially 4azz and rock 4 [UNCOUNTABLE] cooking that is a mi#ture of different styles. 'renchMThai fusion 1 [COUNTABLE] (LITERARY) a deep crack or opening in the ground
'usion
'hasm
2 [SIN!ULAR] chasm (between ) and *) (FORMAL) a very big difference between two people or groups, for e#ample because they have different attitudes .
Synonym:
Dichotom* Reciprocit* (ommonality
)(L"
dichotomy (between ) and *) (FORMAL) the separation that e#ists between two
groups or things that are completely opposite to and different from each other a situation in which two people, countries, etc. provide the same help or advantages to each other
%vert
1 avert something to prevent something bad or dangerous from happening. A disaster was narrowly averted. He did his best to avert suspicion. Tal!s are ta!ing place in an attempt to avert a stri!e. 2 avert your eyes/gaze/"ace ("rom something) to turn your eyes, etc. away from something that you do not want to see. She averted her eyes from the terrible scene in front of her.
Synonym:
Disgraced
SH!$E. Her behaviour has brought disgrace on her family.The swimmer was sent home from the +lympics in disgrace. There is no disgrace in being poor. Sam was in disgrace with his parents.
2 [SIN!ULAR] a disgrace (to somebody/something) a person or thing that is so bad that people connected with them or it feel or should feel ashamed. .our homewor! is an absolute disgrace.That sort of behaviour is a disgrace to the legal profession.The state of our roads is a national disgrace. It%s a disgrace that (& it is very wrong that) they are paid so little. 0antalized
that they cannot have or do. tantalizing, &ising The tantali"ing aroma of fresh coffee wafted towards them. a tantalizing glimpse of the future tantalizingl*, &isingl*
Synonym:
'ortify
1 "orti"y something (against somebody/something) to make a place more able to resist attack, especially by building high walls a fortified townThey fortified the area against attac!. 2 "orti"y somebody/yoursel" (against somebody/something) to make somebody yourself feel stronger, braver, etcHe fortified himself against the cold with a hot drin!.Although fortified by its election success the government remains cautious in its policies. 3 to make a feeling or an attitude strongerThe news merely fortified their determination. 4 "orti"y something (with something) to increase the strength or +uality of food or drink by adding something to itSherry is fortified wine (& wine with e#tra alcohol added).cereal fortified with e#tra vitamins 1 a small simple building, usually built of wood or metal, used for keeping things ina bicycle shed (BRITIS EN!LIS ) a garden shed2 (BRITIS EN!LIS ) a large industrial building, used for working in or keeping e+uipment an engine shed3 (AUSTRALIAN EN!LIS , NE" 0EALAN' EN!LIS ) a building with open sides where the wool is cut off sheep (& they are sheared ) or where cows are milked see also '#=SHED, 0#TTI%) SHED, =##DSHED
1hedding
1. To cause to pour forth: shed tears. 2. To diffuse or radiate; send forth or impart: shed light. 3. To repel 2ithout allo2ing penetration: A duck's feathers shed water. 4. a. To lose by natural process: a snake shedding its skin. b. To rid oneself of 3something not 2anted or needed4: I shed 25 pounds as a result of my new diet. 1. To lose a natural gro2th or covering by natural process. 2. To pour forth5 fall off5 or drop out: All the leaves have shed.. 1. omething that sheds5 especially an elevation in the earth6s surface from 2hich 2ater flo2s in t2o directions; a 2atershed. 2. omething that has been shed.
1 [TRANSITIVE, INTRANSITIVE] to buy insurance so that you will receive money if your property, car, etc. gets damaged or stolen, or if you get ill sick or dieinsure something/yoursel" ("or something) The painting is insured for N1 million.insure something/yoursel" (against something) The car is insured against fire and theft.Auc!ily he had insured himself against long,term illness. (FI!URATIVE) Having a lot of children is a way of insuring themselves against loneliness in old age.insure against something 3e strongly recommend insuring against sic!ness or in)ury. 2 [TRANSITIVE] insure somebody/something to sell insurance to somebody for
)nsuring
somethingThe company can refuse to insure a property that does not have window loc!s. 3 (ESPECIALLY NORT AMERICAN EN!LIS ) + E%S(RE 1 rein"orce something to make a feeling, an idea, etc. stronger. The e#perience reinforced my sense of loss.Such )o!es tend to reinforce racial stereotypes.The climate of political confusion has only reinforced the country's economic decline.Success in the tal!s will reinforce his reputation as an international statesman. 2 rein"orce something to make a structure or material stronger, especially by adding another material to it. All buildings are now reinforced to withstand earth*ua!es. reinforced steel 3 rein"orce something to send more people or e+uipment in order to make an army, etc. stronger. The 0G has underta!en to reinforce its military presence along the borders. 1 developing, growing, etc. gradually and in an even and regular way
$einforcing
Synonym:
RE)(L!R. His breathing was steady.a steady "ob/incomeShe drove at a steady E8 mph.They set off at a steady pace.a steady boyfriend/girlfriend (& with whom you have a serious relationship or one that has lasted a long time)to have a steady relationship.
1teadily
3 firmly fi#ed, supported or balanced! not shaking or likely to fall down He held the boat steady as she got in.I met his steady ga"e.Such fine wor! re*uires a good eye and a steady hand.She's not very steady on her feet these days.
pposite: (%STE!D1
4 (OF A PERSON) sensible! who can be relied on. steadil*
A'VERBThe company's e#ports have been increasing steadily.The situation got
steadily worse.He loo!ed at her steadily.The rain fell steadily. steadiness Idioms
)mperceptibly
pposite: 0ER'E0TIBLE . imperceptible changes in temperature. The differences were imperceptible to all but the most trained eye.There was an almost imperceptible pause as she gathered her breath to spea!.
impercepti,l* A'VERBThe daylight faded almost imperceptibly into night.
.recarious
1 (OF A SITUATION) not safe or certain! dangerous. He earned a precarious living as an artist.The museum is in a financially precarious position.The world is a precarious and unstable place. 2 likely to fall or cause somebody to fall. That ladder loo!s very precarious.The path down to the beach is very precarious in wet weather. precario4sl* A'VERBThe economy is precariously close to recession.He balanced the glass
precariously on the arm of his chair. precario4sness happening only occasionally or at intervals that are not regular
that cannot be trusted or depended on The trains are notoriously unreliable.He's totally unreliable as a source of information. ?nreliable
pposite: RELI!BLE
4nrelia,ilit* the unreliability of some statistics secret and mysterious and therefore difficult to understand. the arcane rules of cric!et behaving in a proud, unpleasant way, showing little thought for other people arrogantl* 1 in or connected with the first stages of a course of study. an elementary -nglish course. a boo! for elementary students. at an elementary level #ompare 0RI$!R1, SE'#%D!R1 2 of the most basic kindthe elementary laws of economics. an elementary mista!e 3 very simple and easy. elementary *uestions 1 (OF I'EAS) obtained by using your feelings rather than by considering the factsHe had an intuitive sense of what the reader wanted.
%rcane %rrogant
"lementary
)ntuitive
2 (OF PEOPLE) able to understand something by using feelings rather than by considering the facts 3 (OF COMPUTER SOFT"ARE$ ETC.) easy to understand and to useint4iti-el* Intuitively she !new that he was lying. to estimate something or form an opinion about something, using the facts that you have now and that are valid for one situation and supposing that they will be valid for the new one
e:trapolation Their age can be determined by e#trapolation from their growth rate. 0ranscribe 1 to record thoughts, speech or data in a written form, or in a different written form from the originaltranscribe something Cler!s transcribe everything that is said in court.The interview was recorded and then transcribed. transcribe
)nsight
Synonym:
3bstinacy
ST(BB#R%. He can be very obstinate when he wants to be?. her obstinate refusal to comply with their re*uest2 [USUALLY BEFORE NOUN] difficult to get rid of or deal with
)ntrospection
the careful e#amination of your own thoughts, feelings and reasons for behaving in a particular way These situations are best resolved with the minimum of introspection or self, analysis. the ability or willingness to believe that something is real or true. The plot of the novel stretches credulity to the limit (& it is almost impossible to believe). 1 (OF A STATEMENT OR PIECE OF "RITIN!) clear and easy to understandHe gave me very e#plicit directions on how to get there. 2 (OF A PERSON) saying something clearly, e#actly and openly
(redulity
Synonym:
"#plicit
"R!%2
3 said, done or shown in an open or direct way, so that you have no doubt about what is happening. The reasons for the decision should be made e#plicit. She made some very e#plicit references to my personal life. a se#ually e#plicit film #ompare I$0LI'IT. e:plicitl*
: The report states e#plicitly that the system was to blame. #ompare
e:plicitness
I$0LI'ITL1.
He didn't li!e the degree of se#ual e#plicitness in the film. )nfer 1 to reach an opinion or decide that something is true on the basis of
Synonym:
DED('E. in"er something ("rom something) Iuch of the meaning must be inferred from the conte#t. Headers are left to infer the !iller's motives. in"er that It is reasonable to infer that the government !new about these deals.
2 in"er (that)9 in"er something (NON1STAN'AR') to suggest indirectly that something is true. Are you inferring <that= I'm not capable of doing the )ob(
Usage note: i%&er 2 impl3In+er and impl* have opposite meanings. 0he
two words can describe the same event, but from different points of view. )f a speaker or writer implies something, they suggest it without saying it directly< The article implied that the pilot was responsible for the accident. )f you in+er something from what a speaker or writer says, you come to the conclusion that this is what he or she means< I inferred from the article that the pilot was responsible for the accident.In+er is now often used with the same meaning as impl*. 2owever, many people consider that a sentence such as Are you inferring that I%m a liar( is incorrect, although it is fairly common in speech. 1 to know, recognize or understand something, especially something that is not obvious
Synonym:
Discerned
DETE'T. discern something It is possible to discern a number of different techni*ues in her wor!.He discerned a certain coldness in their welcome.discern how, whether, etc It is often difficult to discern how widespread public support is.discern that I *uic!ly discerned that something was wrong.
Synonym: Synonym:
discerni,le
0ER'E0TIBLEThere is often no discernible difference between rival brands.His face was barely discernible in the gloom
reluctant (to do something) She was reluctant to admit she was wrong.He
$eluctant finally gave a reluctant smile. a reluctant hero (& a person who does not want to be called a hero)rel4ctance
Definitive
1 final! not able to be changed. A definitiveagreement/answer/statement. The definitive version of the te#t is ready to be published.
2 [USUALLY BEFORE NOUN] considered to be the best of its kind and almost impossible to improvethe definitive biography of -instein. the definitive guide to the golf courses of -urope . de+initi-el* Derivative a word or thing that has been developed or produced from another word or thing . $Happiness% is a derivative of $happy%. Crac! is a highly potent and addictive derivative of cocaine. 1 from the earliest period of the history of the world, very ancient. primeval forests. primeval soup (& the mi#ture of gases and substances that is thought to have e#isted when the earth was formed and from which life started). 2 (FORMAL) (OF A FEELIN!$ OR A 'ESIRE) very strong and not based on reason, as if from the earliest period of human life. primeval urges 1 [COUNTABLE] a god or goddessFree!&Homan&Hindu deities 2 the Deit* [SIN!ULAR] (FORMAL) >od. plural deities 1 [USUALLY BEFORE NOUN] done alone! without other peopleShe en)oys long solitary wal!s.He led a solitary life. 2 (OF A PERSON OR AN ANIMAL) en4oying being alone! fre+uently spending time aloneHe was a solitary child.Tigers are solitary animals. 1olitary 3 (OF A PERSON$ T
IN! OR PLACE)
.rimeval
Deities
Synonym: Synonym:
SI%)LE. a solitary farm. A solitary light burned dimly in the hall. 4 [USUALLY BEFORE NOUN] (especially in negative sentences and +uestions) only one SI%)LE.
soft and weak! not firm and hard. flaccid breasts the system of muscles in the body or part of the body
(onse+uent
=inger
1 [INTRANSITIVE] to continue to e#ist for longer than e#pected. The faint smell of her perfume lingered in the room.linger on The civil war lingered on well into the 1278s. 2 [INTRANSITIVE] (+ adverb/preposition) to stay somewhere for longer because you do not want to leave! to spend a long time doing something. She lingered for a few minutes to tal! to Gic!. 3e lingered over brea!fast on the terrace. 3 [INTRANSITIVE] linger (on somebody/something) to continue to look at somebody something or think about something for longer than usual. His eyes lingered on the diamond ring on her finger. 4 [INTRANSITIVE] linger (on) to stay alive but become weaker. He lingered on for several months after the heart attac!. 1 [COUNTABLE, USUALLY PLURAL] implication (o" something) ("or something) a possible effect or result of an action or a decision They failed to consider the wider implications of their actions.The development of the site will have implications for the surrounding countryside. 2 [COUNTABLE,
UNCOUNTABLE]
)mplication
something that is implied). The implication in his article is that being a housewife is greatly inferior to every other occupation.He critici"ed the 4irector and by implication the whole of the organi"ation. 3 [UNCOUNTABLE] implication (o" somebody) (in something) the fact of being involved, or of involving somebody, in something, especially a crime
Synonym:
I% #L E$E%T.
1 the Renaissance the period in "urope during the 57th, 58th and 5Ath centuries when people became interested in the ideas and culture of ancient >reece and $ome and used these influences in their own art, literature, etc. Henaissance art $enaissance 2 a situation when there is new interest in a particular sub4ect, form of art, etc. after a period when it was not very popular
Synonym:
RE I !LThe British film industry is currently en)oying something of a renaissance. to e#perience a renaissance
0ranscendental
going beyond the limits of human knowledge, e#perience or reason, especially in a religious or spiritual way. a transcendental e#perience 1 to say that something that somebody else has said is wrong, and that the opposite is true. contradict something All evening her husband contradicted everything she said. contradict somebody/yoursel" .ou've )ust contradicted yourself (& said the opposite of what you said before).contradict (somebody) + speech $Go it's not % she contradicted <him=. 2 contradict something9 contradict each other (OF STATEMENTS OR PIECES OF EVI'ENCE) to be so different from each other that one of them must be wrong. The two stories contradict each other.This version of events was contradicted by eye,witness reports.
(ontradict
advertising influences what children buy. It is clear from numerous studies that T; advertising influences what children buy.Hecent research demonstrates that T; advertising influences children's spending habits.Iany parents thin! that T; advertising influences their children. This view is supported by the findings of a recent study which show a clear lin! between television advertisements and children's spending habits.The findings also reveal that most children are unaware of the persuasive purpose of advertising.&here is little evidence that children understand the persuasive intent of advertising.The results contradict claims that advertising is unrelated to children's spending habits.Ianufacturers argue that it is difficult to prove that advertising alone influences what children buy. =anguage ,anks at !R)(E, E.)., ILL(STR!TE one of the large number of complicated and une#pected results that follow an action or a decision
$amifications
Deteriorate
(ontrary
(ontingent
.rudery
;ice
pposite: !LL#=,
'orbid
0ER$IT
Help 1ome people find this use offensive. 1 [OFTEN PASSIVE] to stop something from being done or used especially by law
Synonym:
"#RBID.
.rohibit
prohibit something a law prohibiting the sale of alcohol prohibit somebody "rom doing something Soviet citi"ens were prohibited from travelling abroad.prohibit (somebody) doing something The policy
prohibits smo!ing on school grounds. 2 prohibit something impossible to do
Synonym:
0RE E%T. The high cost of e*uipment prohibits many people from ta!ing up this sport.
Demise
1 the end or failure of an institution, an idea, a company, etc. 2 (FORMAL or UMOROUS) deathhis imminent/sudden/sad demise 1 (FORMAL, OFTEN 'ISAPPROVIN!) speech or writing that is intended to influence people, but that is not completely honest or sincere. the rhetoric of political slogans. empty rhetoric. His speech was dismissed as mere rhetoric by the opposition. 2 (FORMAL) the skill of using language in speech or writing in a special way that influences or entertains people
$hetoric
Synonym:
EL#.(E%'E, #R!T#R1
Synonym:
'#%'ISE%ESS. The report is a masterpiece of brevity. Charles 4ic!ens was not !nown for his brevity. 'or the sa!e of brevity I'd li!e to ma!e )ust two points.
2 the fact of lasting a short time. the brevity of human life . see also BRIE"
Synonym:
fans.
BLI)HT, R(I%.
marring, marred
somebody something strongly in public. an angry denunciation of the government's policies. All parties )oined in bitter denunciation of the terrorists.
accusation o" something accusations of corruption&cruelty&racism accusation against somebody Go one believed her wild accusations against her
husband.
accusation that He denied the accusation that he had ignored the problems.
to prevent something from happening or somebody from doing something! to make something impossible preclude something Aac! of time precludes any further discussion. .our failure to become a member this year does not preclude the possibility of your applying ne#t year. preclude somebody "rom doing something Iy lac! of interest in the sub)ect precluded me from gaining much en)oyment out of it. preclude (somebody) doing something His religious beliefs precluded him&his serving in the army. 1 [COUNTABLE, UNCOUNTABLE] (FORMAL) a long and serious treatment or discussion of a sub4ect in speech or writing. a discourse on issues of gender and se#uality. He was hoping for some lively political discourse at the meeting. 2 [UNCOUNTABLE] (LIN!UISTICS) the use of language in speech and writing in order to produce meaning! language that is studied, usually in order to see how the different parts of a te#t are connectedspoken/written discourse. discourse analysis 1 [TRANSITIVE] contend in an argument
.reclude
Discourse
Synonym:
this point. (ontend
$!I%T!I%.
2 [INTRANSITIVE] contend ("or something) to compete against somebody in order to gain something. Three armed groups were contending for power.
0hrasal -er,s
Synonym:
%!I E
%cademe (onvention
the world of learning, teaching, research, etc. at universities, and the people involved in it. leading figures from academia and industry 1 [COUNTABLE, UNCOUNTABLE] the way in which something is done that most people in a society e#pect and consider to be polite or the right way to do it. social conventions. )y convention the deputy leader was always a woman.She is a young woman who en)oys flouting conventions.Convention demands that a club member
should resign in such a situation. 2 [COUNTABLE] a large meeting of the members of a profession, a political party, etc.
Synonym:
'#%"ERE%'E. to hold a convention. the 4emocratic :arty Convention (& to elect a candidate for president)
3 [COUNTABLE] an official agreement between countries or leaders the Feneva conventionthe 0nited Gations convention on the rights of the child 4 [COUNTABLE, UNCOUNTABLE] a traditional method or style in literature, art or the theatrethe conventions of Free! tragedy of various different sorts. The meat is served with salad or assorted vegetables. The )umper comes in assorted colours. The children arrived bac! from the game with their assorted friends.a bo# of assorted chocolates.
%ssort
1. To separate into groups according to kind; classify. 2. To supply 2ith 3an appropriate variety or assortment5 as of goods4.
.lussed 1 (OF A C the s!in (austic
EMICAL SUBSTANCE)
Synonym:
'#RR#SI E.
Synonym:
S'!THI%)
caustic comments/wit* Her speech was a caustic attac! on government officials. ca4sticall* $.ou are no help at all % she said caustically. lasting longer than e#pected or longer than usual .rotracted
)nfirm
(ant
Synonym:
H10#'RIS1.
"mbroidered
1 [TRANSITIVE, INTRANSITIVE] to decorate cloth with a pattern of stitches usually using coloured thread.
embroider ) on * She embroidered flowers on the cushion covers. embroider * with ) She embroidered the cushion cover with flowers.The
sleeves were embroidered in gold.
embroidering. 2 [TRANSITIVE] embroider something to make a story more interesting by adding details that are not always true
Synonym:
.arable %cerbic
E$BELLISH.
a short story that teaches a moral or spiritual lesson, especially one of those told by :esus as recorded in the ,ible . critical in a direct and rather cruel way. The letter was written in her usual acerbic style. acer,it* that you can rely on to always be there and always be the same
?nfailingly
unfailing support. She fought the disease with unfailing good humour. 4n+ailingl* : unfailingly loyal&polite. His )ob was to coo! the meals which he did unfailingly every day. %lthough. He finally agreed albeit reluctantly to help us. 1 (OF AN ARRAN!EMENT$ A!REEMENT$ ETC.) not definite or certain because you may want to change it later3e made a tentative arrangement to meet on 'riday.tentative conclusions
%lbeit
0entative
Synonym:
HESIT!%T. a tentative greeting. Her -nglish is correct but tentative. I'm ta!ing the first tentative steps towards fitness.
tentati-el* < They have tentatively agreed to our proposal. She smiled tentatively. tentati-eness a small yellow bird with a beautiful song, often kept in a cage as a pet. (anary
!dioms see li#e the cat that got/ate/swallowed the canary at '!T plural canaries
not controlled or restricted. an unfettered free mar!et. unfettered by regulations 1 easily broken or damagedfragile china&glass&bones. Be careful not to drop itO it's very fragile. 2 weak and uncertain! easily destroyed or spoilt a fragile alliance/ceasefire/relationshipThe economy remains e#tremely fragile.In her )ob she was used to dealing with actors' fragile egos.
?nfettered
'ragile
3 delicate and often beautiful. fragile beauty. The woman's fragile face bro!e into a smile. 4 not strong and likely to become ill sick Her father is now 6D and in fragile health. (BRITIS EN!LIS , INFORMAL) I'm feeling a bit fragile after last night (& not well, perhaps because of drinking too much alcohol) . +ragilit* < the fragility of the human body. There was an air of fragility about him. the state of not having any energy or enthusiasm for doing things
I%ERTI!. The report critici"es the lethargy shown by employers when it comes to )ob creation.
=ethargic
Synonym: LISTLESS%ESS,
lethargic < The weather made her lethargic. e#pecting people to obey you and treating them as if they are not as important as you )mperious The professor was as imperious as ever. She put out an imperious hand to stop him. an imperious gesture/voice/command. imperio4sl* $eaffirmation
Synonym:
TR!'E.
2 usually used in negative sentences, to say that not even a small amount of something e#ists. There's not a vestige of truth in the rumour. His report offered not a vestige of comfort.
.recursors
precursor (o"/to something) (FORMAL) a person or thing that comes before somebody something similar and that leads to or influences its development
"#RER(%%ER. a stringed instrument that was the precursor of the guitar. events that were precursors to revolution
Synonym:
not leading to a definite decision or result )nconclusive inconclusive evidence&results&tests. inconclusive discussions. A coalition government was formed following an inconclusive general election.
pposite: '#%'L(SI
)mpair
inconcl4si-el*
Usage note:
have a bad effect on somebody something. damage to cause physical harm to something, making it less attractive, useful or valuable! to have a bad effect on somebody something/s life, health, happiness or chances of success< The fire badly damaged the town hall. emotionally damaged childrenh4rt (rather informal) to have a bad effect on somebody something/s life, health, happiness or chances of success< Hard wor! never hurt anyone.harm to have a bad effect on somebody something/s life, health, happiness or chances of success< :ollution can harm marine life.damage9 h4rt or harmDH4rt is slightly less formal than damage or harm, especially when it is used in negative statements< It won't hurt him to have to wait a bit. It won't damage&harm him to have to wait a bit. Harm is also often used to talk about ways in which things in the natural world such as wildlife and the environment are affected by human activity.impair (rather formal) to damage somebody/s health, abilities or chances< -ven one drin! can impair driving performance. to damage hurt harm impair somebody/s chancesto damage hurt harm somebody/s interests;rep4tationto damage harm impair somebody/s
Synonym:
3bscure
(%2%#=%. an obscure Ferman poet. 3e went to see one of Sha!espeare's more obscure plays. He was born around 1DE8 but his origins remain obscure.
2 difficult to understand. I found her lecture very obscure. For some obscure reason he failed to turn up. The meaning of his comment was obscure to everyone but himself. o,sc4rel* < They were ma!ing her feel obscurely worried (& for reasons that were difficult to understand). 1 (BIOLO!Y) the gradual development of plants, animals, etc. over many years as they adapt to changes in their environment. the evolution of the human species. 4arwin's theory of evolution 2 the gradual development of something. In politics Britain has preferred evolution to revolution (& gradual development to sudden violent change). 1 [UNCOUNTABLE, SIN!ULAR] susceptibility (to something) the state of being very likely to be influenced, harmed or affected by something. susceptibility to disease.
"volution
1usceptibility
. Synonym:
SE%SIBILITIES . It was all carried out without any consideration for the susceptibilities of the bereaved family.
1ynthesis
1 [UNCOUNTABLE, COUNTABLE] synthesis (o" something) the act of combining separate ideas, beliefs, styles, etc! a mi#ture or combination of ideas, beliefs, styles, etc. the synthesis of art with everyday life. a synthesis of traditional and modern values 2 [UNCOUNTABLE] (TEC NICAL) the natural chemical production of a substance in animals and plants. protein synthesis. the synthesis of nucleic acids 3 [UNCOUNTABLE] (TEC NICAL) the artificial production of a substance that is present naturally in animals and plants. the synthesis of penicillin 4 [UNCOUNTABLE] (TEC NICAL) the production of sounds, music or speech by electronic means. speech synthesis
%esthetics
1. (used with a sing. ver ! a. The branch of philosophy that deals 2ith the nature and expression of beauty5 as in the fine arts. b. )n 7antian philosophy5 the branch of metaphysics concerned 2ith the la2s of perception. 2. (used with a sing. ver ! The study of the psychological responses to beauty and artistic experiences. 3. (used with a sing. or pl. ver ! A conception of 2hat is artistically valid or beautiful: minimalist aesthetics. 4. (used with a sing. or pl. ver ! An artistically beautiful or pleasing appearance: "#hey're looking for $uality construction% not aesthetics" (&on 'chram!.
to make it difficult for somebody to do something or for something to happen
2indered
Synonym: H!$0ER
Synonym:
"!R&RE!'HI%). the need for radical changes in education. demands for radical reform of the law. radical differences between the se#es
$adicalism
2 new, different and likely to have a great effect radical ideas. a radical solution to the problem. radical proposals 3 in favour of thorough and complete political or social change. the radical wing of the party. radical politicians&students&writers 4 (OL'1FAS
IONE',
SLAN!)
very goodradicall*
belief in radical ideas and principles 1 [INTRANSITIVE] hasten to do something to say or do something without delay. She saw his frown and hastened to e#plain. He has been described as a $charmless bore%/not by me I hasten to add. 2astened 2 [TRANSITIVE] hasten something (FORMAL) to make something happen sooner or more +uickly. The treatment she received may in fact have hastened her death. Gews of the scandal certainly hastened his departure from office. 3 [INTRANSITIVE] +uickly
Synonym:
H(RR1
(onservatism
1 the tendency to resist great or sudden change. the innate conservatism of older people. 2 (also 'onser-atism) the political belief that society should change as little as possible. an e#amination of the political theories of conservatism and liberalism. 3 (4s4all* 'onser-atism) the principles of the (onservative .arty in ,ritish politics 1 (OF A COUNTRY OR STATE) placed under the rule of another country. mandated territories 2 re+uired by law. a mandated curriculum 3 having a mandate to do something. a mandated government +andate* 1 the authority to do something, given to a government or other organization by the people who vote for it in an election mandate (to do something) The election victory gave the party a clear mandate to continue its programme of reform.mandate ("or something) a mandate for an end to the civil war 2 the period of time for which a government is given power. The presidential mandate is limited to two terms of four years each. 3 mandate (to do something) (FORMAL) an official order given to somebody to perform a particular task. The ban! had no mandate to honour the che*ue. 4 the power given to a country to govern another country or region, especially in the past. The Coo! Islands mandate was given to Gew Pealand.
-andated
1 relegate somebody/something (to something) to give somebody a lower or less important position, rank, etc. than before. She was then relegated to the role of assistant. He relegated the incident to the bac! of his mind. $elegated 2 [USUALLY PASSIVE] relegate something (ESPECIALLY BRITIS EN!LIS ) to move a sports team, especially a football ( soccer ) team, to a lower position within an official league
.rimacy
%ssert
Synonym:
$#DER%.
Synonym:
I%'ISI E
trenchantl*
;eritable
Synonym:
0#SITI E.
"+uivocal
1 (OF "OR'S OR STATEMENTS) not having one clear or definite meaning or intention!
Synonym:
!$BI)(#(S. She gave an e*uivocal answer typical of a politician.3omen were less e*uivocal than men on the sub)ect of fidelity in marriage.
2 (OF ACTIONS OR BE AVIOUR) difficult to understand or e#plain clearly or easily. The e#periments produced e*uivocal results. see also (%E.(I #'!L
,eholder
1. a. To perceive by the visual faculty; see: eheld a tiny figure in the distance. b. To perceive through use of the mental faculty; comprehend: "(ehold the man of the future" ()erry Adler!. 2. To look upon; ga8e at: *e eheld a eautiful vista efore us. !dioms see beauty is in the eye o" the beholder at BE!(T1
1 (OF I'EAS$ T OU! TS$ AR!UMENTS$ ETC.) logical and well organized! easy to understand and cleara coherent narrative/account/explanation. a coherent policy for the transport system
(oherent
2 (OF A PERSON) able to talk and e#press yourself clearly. She only became coherent again two hours after the attac!.
pposite:I%'#HERE%T.
coherentl*
.odium
1 a small platform that a person stands on when giving a speech or conducting an orchestra, etc.
Synonym:
R#STR($
2 (NORT AMERICAN EN!LIS ) + LE'TER% an event or a situation that is a complete failure and causes embarrassment Debacle
1. A sudden5 disastrous collapse5 do2nfall5 or defeat; a rout. 2. A total5 often ludicrous failure. 3. The breaking up of ice in a river. 4. A violent flood.
dearth (o" something) a lack of something! the fact of there not being enough
Dearth of something
Synonym:
S'!R'IT1
showing no interest or enthusiasm %pathetic The illness made her apathetic and unwilling to meet people. apatheticall* Cealous
: He loo!ed at me apathetically.
showing great energy and enthusiasm for something, especially because you feel strongly about it a "ealous reformer. zealo4sl*
concur
(oncurred
conc4rring, conc4rred
[INTRANSITIVE, TRANSITIVE] concur (with somebody) (in something)9 concur (with something)9 concur (that)9 (+ speech) (FORMAL) to agree. Historians have concurred with each other in this view.The coroner concurred with this assessment. a group of people who travel with an important person the :resident and members of his immediate entourage. adoring fans. an entourage of
"ntourage
'lamboyant
1 (OF PEOPLE OR T EIR BE AVIOUR) different, confident and e#citing in a way that attracts attentiona flamboyant gesture/style/personality. He was flamboyant and temperamental on and off the stage. 2 brightly coloured and noticeable. flamboyant clothes/designs. +lam,o*ance < He lac!ed the flamboyance of other members of the band. "lam,o*antl*. to e#ist or to apply in a particular situation or at a particular time. Aiving conditions are vastly different from those pertaining in their country of origin.Those laws no longer pertain.
.ertained
0hrasal -er,s
pertain to something;some,od*
(FORMAL) to be connected with something somebodythe laws pertaining to adoption 1 an animal that kills and eats other animals. Some animals have no natural predators. the relationship between predator and prey 2 ('ISAPPROVIN!) a person or an organization that uses weaker people for their own advantage. to protect domestic industry from foreign predators 1 instrumental (in something/in doing something) important in making something happen. He was instrumental in bringing about an end to the conflict. 2 made by or for musical instruments. instrumental music. instr4mentall*
.redator
)nstrumental
repelling, repelled
1 [TRANSITIVE] repel somebody/something (FORMAL) to successfully fight somebody who is attacking you, your country, etc. and drive them away to repel an attack/invasion/invader. Troops repelled an attempt to infiltrate the south of the island. (FI!URATIVE) . The reptile's pric!ly s!in repels nearly all of its predators. $epel 2 [TRANSITIVE] repel something to drive, push or keep something awaya cream that repels insectsThe fabric has been treated to repel water. 3 [TRANSITIVE] repel somebody (not used in the progressive tenses) to make somebody feel horror or disgust
Synonym
DIS)(ST, RE0(LSEI
4 [TRANSITIVE,
INTRANSITIVE]
NICAL)
another, or if two things repel each other, an electrical or magnetic force pushes them apart. Ai!e poles repel each other.
pposite
!TTR!'T
RE0(LSI E
Synonym:
E%TI'E.
.oung people are lured to the city by the prospect of a )ob and money.
>allantry
Synonym:
.oignant
$# I%)
a poignant image/moment/memory! etc. Her face was a poignant reminder of the passing of time. poignanc* the poignancy of parting and separation. +f particular poignancy was the photograph of their son with his sisters ta!en the day before he died. poignantl* sounding sad, especially in a weak complaining way
.laintive
(raven
ra-enl*
imaginative but lac!s precision. Historians can't estimate the date with any (degree of) precision. He chose his words with precision. precision instruments/tools
Diversify
diversi"y (something) (into something) (ESPECIALLY OF A to develop a wider range of products, interests, skills, etc. in order to be more successful or reduce risk
1 [INTRANSITIVE,
TRANSITIVE] BUSINESS OR COMPANY)
Synonym:
BR!%'H #(T. 'armers are being encouraged to diversify into new crops. 2 [INTRANSITIVE, TRANSITIVE] to change or to make something change so that there is greater variety. :atterns of family life are diversifying. diversi"y something The culture has been diversified with the arrival of immigrants. di-ersi+ication
1 [INTRANSITIVE, TRANSITIVE] to suppose that something is true, although you do not have actual proof
Synonym:
%presume
!SS($E.
$I presume so.
(that) I presumed <that= he understood the rules. it is presumed that Aittle is !nown of the youngest sonO it is presumed that
he died young. her husband. 2 [TRANSITIVE] to accept that something is true until it is shown not to be true, especially in courtpresume somebody/something + ad%ective Twelve passengers are missing presumed dead.In -nglish law a person is presumed innocent until proved guilty.presume something 3e must presume innocence until we have proof of guilt. presume somebody/something to be/have something 3e must presume them to be innocent until we have proof of guilt.
.resumed
3 [TRANSITIVE] presume something (FORMAL) to accept something as true or e#isting and to act on that basisThe course seems to presume some previous !nowledge of the sub)ect.
4 [INTRANSITIVE] presume to do something (FORMAL) to behave in a way that shows a lack of respect by doing something that you have no right to do I wouldn't presume to tell you how to run your own business.
0hrasal -er,s
and cynical foul. c*nicall* 1 [COUNTABLE, UNCOUNTABLE] conviction ("or something) the act of finding somebody guilty of a crime in court! the fact of having been found guilty. She has si# previous convictions for theft. He plans to appeal against his conviction. an offence which carries on conviction a sentence of not more than five years' imprisonment
pposite: !'.(ITT!L
(onviction 2 [COUNTABLE, UNCOUNTABLE] conviction (that) a strong opinion or belief. strong political/moral convictions. She was motivated by deep religious conviction. a conviction that all would be well in the end 3 [UNCOUNTABLE] the feeling or appearance of believing something strongly and of being sure about it. $Got true?% she said with conviction. He said he agreed but his voice lac!ed conviction.The leader's speech in defence of the policy didn't carry much conviction.
1 the ability to make sensible decisions and give good advice because of the e#perience and knowledge that you have. a woman of great wisdom. words of wisdom
2 wisdom o" something/o" doing something how sensible something is I ,uestion the wisdom of giving a child so much money.
Disdom
3 the knowledge that a society or culture has gained over a long period of timethe collective wisdom of the Gative American people
Idioms
con-entional;recei-ed 8isdom
the view or belief that most people hold. Conventional wisdom has it that riots only ever happen in cities.
used when you are saying that you do not understand why somebody has done something The government in its wisdom has decided to support the ban.
Synonym:
SH1. a diffident manner/smile. He was modest and diffident about his own success.di++idence
She overcame her natural diffidence and spo!e with great fran!ness. di++identl* $eticence unwilling to tell people about things
Synonym:
reticent about something He was e#tremely reticent about his personal life.
reticence : That night she had overcome her natural reticence and tal!ed about their married life. 2arbingers
harbinger (o" something) (FORMAL or LITERARY) a sign that shows that something
is going to happen soon, often something bad. 1 correctly stating or showing what will happen in the future. Iany of his warnings proved prophetic. 2 like or connected with a prophet or prophets. the prophetic boo!s of the +ld Testament. propheticall* suggesting that something bad is going to happen in the future
.rophetic
3minous
%uspicious
0R#$ISI%). an auspicious start to the new school year. It was an auspicious date for a wedding. Their first meeting was hardly auspicious.
Synonym:
pposite: I%!(S0I'I#(S
1 based on your own ideas or opinions rather than facts and therefore sometimes unfair. a highly sub)ective point of view. -veryone's opinion is bound to be sub)ective. 2 e#isting in somebody/s mind rather than in the real world 1ub4ective 3 the s4,Fecti-e case is the one which is used for the sub4ect of a sentence
pposite: #BGE'TI
s4,Fecti-el* : :eople who are less sub)ectively involved are better )udges. sub)ectively perceived changes s4,Fecti-it* "nraptured
Synonym: E%'H!%TED
elated (at/by something) very happy and e#cited because of something good
"lated that has happened, or will happen. They were elated at the result. I was elated by the prospect of the new )ob ahead 1 implicit (in something) suggested without being directly e#pressed. Implicit in his speech was the assumption that they were guilty. implicit criticism. 2 implicit (in something) forming part of something (although perhaps not directly e#pressed)The ability to listen is implicit in the teacher's role. 3 complete and not doubted.
)mplicit
Synonym:
!BS#L(TE.
implicitl* : It reinforces implicitly or e#plicitly the idea that money is all, important. I trust 5ohn implicitly. 1yntactic connected with synta#
to be syntactically correct
1 based on general ideas and not on any particular real person, thing or situation. abstract knowledge/principles. The research shows that pre, school children are capable of thin!ing in abstract terms. #ompare '#%'RETE
adjective ,(%bstract 2 e#isting in thought or as an idea but not having a physical reality. 3e may tal! of beautiful things but beauty itself is abstract. 3 (OF ART) not representing people or things in a realistic way, but e#pressing the artist/s ideas about them. the wor! of American abstract e#pressionists li!e Iar! Hoth!o #ompare "I)(R!TI E ,(-, RE0RESE%T!TI#%!La,stractl* 1 including all, or almost all, the items, details, facts, information, etc, that may be concerned (omprehensive
Synonym:
'#$0LETE, "(LL. a comprehensive list of addresses. a comprehensive study. comprehensive insurance (& covering all risks)
E3ER'ISE & 4 1alvage .rocurement ,ask Despair >loat 1hrug %stonishment ;e#ation %llusion *otion 3verwhelming ;ariance .ropound (onform ;ague %ssertive ;icious
%pparently )ntricate (onvoluted %morphous )llusory 0echnocrats (ounterproductive 'oreseen %scertained "#acerbated -andated (ompliance )ntend =iteral 1crupled 'iegned ,ucolic 1erenity *ostalgia 1hackle Devoid Dary )mpervious ;ulnerable ?phold )mpaired )mplicit "mbrace .ersuasion 0otalitarianism $epudiated (oercion
Deliberated 'eat %esthetes (ollaborative 2ieroglyph )mitation $eviled $evered Distinctive ;indicate %ssimilation )diosyncratic "#tenuate "nthrallment .eculiar $ationalize %ntecedents *uanced "pitomized 1crutiny .ronounce -ystified ;ividly -omentous (riti+ue 1ymbolic (ursorily Ein (ompatriots (ognizance 1olely )nhabitants )nterplay
$eciprocity "pitome ,izarre ;ulgarity (ivility (oarseness ?rbanity )mprudence (onsensus %utonomy ?nanticipated 1pectacular )nstrumental 0acit (apitulate $ecapitulate "legance *ovelty >entility