verbiage /v.bi.

d/ /v-/ noun [ U ] FORMAL DISAPPROVING

language which is very complicated and which contains a lot of unnecessary words
His explanation was wrapped up in so much technical verbiage that I simply couldn't
understand it.
strapped /strpt/ adjective INFORMAL
not having enough money
I'd love to come to Malaysia with you, but I'm afraid I'm a bit strapped (for cash) at the
moment
bolster /bl.st r / /bol.st/ verb [ T ]
to support or improve something or make it stronger
More money is needed to bolster the industry.
She tried to bolster my confidence/morale (=
imperative /mper..tv/ /-t v/ adjective URGENT
1. extremely important or urgent; needing to be done or given attention immediately
[ + that ] The president said it was imperative that the release of all hostages be secured.
[ + to infinitive ] It's imperative to act now before the problem gets really serious.
euphemism /ju.f.m.z m/ noun [ C or U ]
a word or phrase used to avoid saying an unpleasant or offensive word
'Senior citizen' is a euphemism for 'old person'.
fait accompli /fet..kmpli/ /fe.t.km-/ noun [ C ] plural faits accomplis
an action which has already been done and which cannot be changed
The policy change was presented to us as a fait accompli, without consultation or
discussion.
vociferous /vsf. r.s/ /--/ adjective
Vociferous people express their opinions and complaints loudly and repeatedly in speech,
and vociferous demands, etc. are made repeatedly and loudly
Local activist groups have become increasingly vociferous as the volume of traffic
passing through the village has grown.
contentious /knten t .s/ adjective
causing or likely to cause disagreement
a contentious decision/policy/issue/subject
She has some rather contentious views on education.

vindicate /vn.d.ket/ verb [ T ]

1. to prove that what someone said or did was right or true, after other people thought it
was wrong
The decision to include Morris in the team was completely vindicated when he scored
three goals.
The investigation vindicated her complaint about the newspaper.
promulgate /prm. l.get/ /pr.ml-/ verb [ T ] FORMAL ANNOUNCE
2. to announce something publicly, especially a new law
The new law was finally promulgated in the autumn of last year.
defer /df r / /-f/ verb [ T ] -rrto delay something until a later time; to postpone
My bank has agreed to defer the repayments on my loan while I'm still a student
.
infatuation /nft.jue. n/ noun [ C or U ]
strong but not usually lasting feelings of love or attraction
It's just an infatuation. She'll get over it.
No one expected their infatuation with each other to last.

fortitude /f.t.tjud/ /fr.t .tud/ noun [ U ] FORMAL

bravery over a long period
I thought she showed remarkable fortitude during that period.
quaint /kwent/ adjective
1. attractive because of being unusual and especially old-fashioned
a quaint old cottage
2. Quaint can also be used to show that you do not approve of something, especially an
opinion, belief or way of behaving, because it is strange or old-fashioned
"What a quaint idea!" she said, laughing at him.
oblivious /blv.i.s/ adjective
not conscious of something, especially what is happening around you
Absorbed in her work, she was totally oblivious of her surroundings.
The government seems oblivious to the likely effects of the new legislation.
largesse , largess /les/ /lr-/ noun [ U ] FORMAL
willingness to give money, or money given to poor people by rich people
The national theatre will be the main beneficiary of the millionaire's largesse.
scuffle /skf.l / noun [ C ]
a short and sudden fight, especially one involving a small number of people

Two police officers were injured in scuffles with fans at Sunday's National Football
League contest.
alibi /l..ba/ noun [ C ]
1. proof that someone who is thought to have committed a crime could not have done it,
especially the fact or statement that they were in another place at the time it happened
He has a cast-iron (= very strong) alibi - he was in hospital the week of the murder.
bereft /breft/ adjective [ after verb ] FORMAL
not having something or feeling great loss
Alone now and almost penniless, he was bereft of hope.
After the last of their children had left home the couple felt utterly bereft.
pragmatic /prgmt.k/ /-mt -/ adjective MAINLY APPROVING
solving problems in a realistic way which suits the present conditions rather than obeying
fixed theories, ideas or rules
In business, the pragmatic approach to problems is often more successful than an
idealistic one.
overdue /.vdju/ /o.vdu/ adjective
not done or happening when expected or when needed; late
My library books are a week overdue.
The baby is two weeks overdue (= The baby was expected to be born two weeks ago) .
Changes to the tax system are long overdue.
She feels she's overdue for promot
derogatory /drg..t r.i/ , /-tri/ /-r.g.tr-/ adjective
showing strong disapproval and not showing respect
He made some derogatory comment/remark about her appearance.
redolent /red. l. nt/ adjective [ after verb ] LITERARY
smelling strongly of something or having qualities (especially smells) that make you
think of something else
The album is a heartfelt cry, redolent of a time before radio and television.
The mountain air was redolent with the scent of pine needles.
infidel /n.f.d l/ /-f.del/ noun [ C or U ] OLD USE DISAPPROVING
(used especially between Christians and Muslims) someone who does not have the same
religious beliefs as the person speaking
He lived among infidels/ the infidel.
infidel armies
exigency /ek.s.d n t .si/ noun [ C or U ] FORMAL
the difficulties of a situation, especially one which causes urgent demands

the exigencies of war

Economic exigency obliged the government to act.
toil /tl/ verb [ I ] WORK HARD
1. to work hard
England's cricketers have been toiling in the 100-degree heat over the past week.
I was relaxing in the bath, having toiled away in the garden all afternoon.
hiatus /hae.ts/ /-t s/ noun [ C usually singular ] FORMAL
a short pause in which nothing happens or is said, or a space where something is missing
The company expects to resume production of the vehicle again after a two-month hiatus
repugnant /rpg.nnt/ adjective FORMAL
If behaviour or beliefs, etc. are repugnant, they are very unpleasant, causing a feeling of
disgust
a repugnant smell
I find your attitude towards these women quite repugnant.
The idea of cheating in an exam is morally repugnant to me.
moot /mut/ verb [ T ] FORMAL
to suggest something for discussion
The idea was first mooted as long ago as the 1840s.
His name was mooted as a possible successor.
abominable /bm..n.bl / /-b.m-/ adjective
very bad or unpleasant
The prisoners are forced to live in abominable conditions.
The weather's been abominable all week.
umbrage /m.brd/ noun [ U ] SLIGHTLY FORMAL
take umbrage
to feel upset or annoyed, usually because you feel that someone has been rude or shown
no respect to you
You don't think she'll take umbrage if she isn't invited to the wedding, do you?

vilify /vl..fa/ verb [ T ] FORMAL

to say or write unpleasant things about someone or something, in order to cause
other people to have a bad opinion of them
He was vilified by the press as a monster of perversity.
brook /brk/ verb FORMAL

brook no sth /not brook sth

to not allow or accept something, especially difference of opinion or intention
She won't brook any criticism of her work.

devolve /dvlv/ /-vlv/ verb [ T ]

to (cause power or responsibility to) be given to other people
To be a good manager, you must know how to devolve responsibility downwards.
FORMAL Those duties will necessarily devolve on/upon me.
brute /brut/ noun [ C ]
1. DISAPPROVING a rough and sometimes violent man
[ as form of address ] Take your hands off me, you brute!
2. an animal, especially a large one
Your dog's an ugly brute, isn't it?
The oldest elephant was lame, poor brute.
penchant /p n . n / /pen.t nt/ noun [ C usually singular ]
a liking for, an enjoyment of, or a habit of doing something, especially something that
other people might not like
a penchant for melodrama/skiing/exotic clothes
Her penchant for disappear ing for days at a time worries her family.
cusp /ksp/ noun [ S ]
the dividing line between two very different things
on the cusp of adulthood
linchpin , lynchpin /ln t .pn/ noun
the linchpin of
the most important member of a group or part of a system, that holds together the other
members or parts or makes it possible for them to operate as intended
Woodford is the linchpin of the British athletics team.
paramount /pr..mant/ /per-/ adjective FORMAL
more important than anything else
There are many priorities, but reducing the budget deficit is paramount/is of paramount
importance .

heckle /hek.l / verb [ I or T ]

to interrupt a public speech or performance with loud unfriendly statements or questions
A few angry locals started heckling (the speaker).
schlep -pp- , schlepp /lep/ verb [ I or T + adv/prep ] MAINLY US INFORMAL
to move yourself or an object with effort and difficulty
Do I really have to schlep all that junk down to the cellar?
schmooze /muz/ verb [ I ] INFORMAL
to talk informally with someone, especially in a way that is not sincere or to win some
advantage for yourself
He spent the entire evening schmoozing with the senator.
visage /vz.d/ noun [ C ] LITERARY
the face
fecund /fek.nd/ adjective FORMAL
1. able to produce a lot of crops, fruit, babies, young animals, etc
fecund soil
2. active and productive
a fecund imagination

apace /pes/ adverb LITERARY OR OLD USE

quickly
The project is coming on apace (= advancing quickly) .
depredation /dep.rde. n/ noun [ C usually plural U ] FORMAL
(an act causing) damage or destruction
The entire area has suffered the depredations of war.
Depredation of (= Damage done to) the environment is destroying hundreds of species
each year.