WORE POWER

DICTIONARY
Abandon

Verb

to give up, leave or forsake a thing or person.

The storm will soon abate

Verb
He will abandon the plan.
The thieves abandoned the car in a field.
He is abandoning his wife.

holding your breath in fear or excitement;

anxiously
We watched with bated breath as the killer in the
movie crept up behind the unsuspecting heroine
Abbreviate

Noun

to shorten a word title, speech. etc

freedom from inhibitions, restraint

We abbreviate Mister to Mr.

They danced in wild abandon.

She abandoned herself to despair.

This is an abbreviated version of that long article

An abbreviation of kilogram is 'kg'

Abase

ABC

to make humble

all the letters of the alphabet from A to Z

Verb

Noun

Courtiers abase themselves before the emperor

My little girl is learning her ABC

Abashed

the basic facts about a subject

Verb

The book covers the ABC of sewing.

to be ashamed or embarrassed

Abdicate

Verb

to give up a position of authority

He was abashed when she scolded him

Verb

Abate

Parents cannot abdicate their responsibilities

to become less strong

to give up a throne

King Edward VIII decided to abdicate the king's

abdication shocked his subjects

Torture is abhorrent behaviour

Abduct

Abide

to take away a person unlawfully, kidnap

to be faithful to; to keep to

Verb

Verb

Kidnappers abduct people and hold them to

ransom

We must abide by the committees decision

Noun

to put up with, endure (usually used in negative

sentences)

The abduction occurred at night

The abductor of the child was a woman who had
lost her own baby

I cannot abide hooliganism

Aberrant

Adjective

differing from what is normal or accepted or

considered to be right

A life of abiding happiness lies ahead

long lasting

Adjective
Drugs are the cause of his recent aberrant
behavior

Abject
wretched; contemptible

sudden forgetfulness
Adjective
Noun
They lived in abject poverty
She burnt the toast in a moment of aberration
humble, deferential
Abhor
to detest, dislike strongly

She made an abject apology for forgetting the

dinner date

Verb

Abjure

We abhor cruelty to animals

a formal word meaning to promise, usually in

public, to give up a belief, opinion, etc.

Noun
Verb
A feeling of abhorrence is engendered by the
idea of nuclear war

In some countries people were forced to abjure

their belief in god

Adverb

Able

The patient is breathing abnormally

having the strength, skill, time, etc, to do

something; capable

a deformity
Noun

Adjective
He is able to walk all day without getting tired
My friend is able to baby sit tonight
We have an able lawyer on the case
Noun

A cleft palate is an abnormality that can often be

repaired by surgery
Abolish
to do away with or put an end to something
completely

A good speaker has the ability to captivate an

audience

Verb

Adverb

My son thinks we should abolish homework

He has performed his duties most ably

Noun

strong and healthy

The abolition of slavery was a landmark

Adjective

Abominate

He is an able-bodied man who is capable of hard

physical work

to abhor, detest, dislike intensely

Verb

an ordinary seaman, especially in the merchant

navy
The title able seaman is sometimes abbreviated
to AB

Civilized people abominable acts of violence

causing great dislike
Adjective
Rape is an abominable crime

Abnormal

Adverb

different in a wrong way; unusual

He behaved abominably

Adjective

Noun

Working on a public holiday is abnormal

This ugly building is an utter abomination

Noun
Abort

An abridgment/abridgement of his book was

very popular

to cancel or stop before completion

Abrupt

Verb

short and impolite, brusque, curt

Technical problems forced us to abort the

mission

Adjective
He gave an abrupt reply

unsuccessful
Adjective
unexpectedly
Terrorists made an abortive attempt to seize
power

Adverb

the termination of life of a fetus

She stopped abruptly

Noun

very steep

Abortion is a contentious social issue

Adjective

Abound

The slope was so abrupt we nearly fell

to be plentiful

Abscond

Verb

to go away secretly because of having done

something wrong

Birds abound in those trees

The beach abounds with shells

Verb

Abridge

The thief is going to abscond with the money

to shorten by using fewer words

Absolute

Verb

complete; undoubted

Publishers abridge his novels

Adjective

Adjective

I have absolute trust in her

He behaved like an absolute fool

This is an abridged edition

Adverb

He is absolutely impossible

An abstract idea may lead to a concrete plan

Sadness is an abstract Noun

free from any restraint or control

not depicting things in a realistic way
Adjective
Adjective
An absolute monarch has complete authority
Abstract art represents the artists ideas
Absolve
theoretical; abstruse
a formal word meaning to declare free from guilt
Adjective
Verb
They should absolve her from all blame
a formal declaration by a priest that a person's
sins have been forgiven

Your proposals are abstract rather than practical

In the abstract, the plan sounds feasible
a summary
Noun

Noun
Here is an abstract of his sermon
He was granted absolution from his sin
to take out, separate
Abstain
Verb
to refrain from doing something, especially from
taking alcoholic drinks, or from voting

We can abstract the gold from the ore

Verb

lost in thought; preoccupied

I prefer to abstain from smoking and drinking

She abstained from voting at the last election

Adjective
He was so abstracted that he didn't see us

Noun
Noun
We have two votes against the proposal, seven in
favour, and one abstention
A teetotaler practices abstinence from alcohol

In a moment of abstraction I let the bacon burn

Abstruse

Abstract
Difficult to understand; obscure
existing only in the mind; not referring to
specific examples

Adjective

Adjective

The lecture was too abstruse for my pupils

Absurd

The abuse of animals is illegal

The child abuser received a stiff sentence

foolish; unreasonable

harsh, insulting language

Adjective

Noun
He shouted abuse at us

It was an absurd plan that could never succeed

Noun

Adjective
He used abusive language

The play was spoilt by the absurdity of its plot

Abysmal

Abundance

Very great; extremely bad

A plentiful supply, large amount; fullness; wealth

Adjective
He showed abysmal ignorance of the subject

Noun
Abyss
your garden has an abundance of colour
there was food in abundance at the party

A very deep hole; a vast chasm

Adjective
there has been abundant rainfall

Noun
The climber slipped into the abyss

very

something that seems

immeasurably deep

Adverb
He made his anger abundantly clear
Abuse
to put to bad or wrong use
Verb
Do not abuse your position of power by acting
dishonestly
Noun
It is an abuse of his confidence to repeat what he
said

to

be

endless

Noun
He has been in an abyss of despair since losing
his job
Accede
a formal word meaning to agree
Verb
I accede to your request
to take up an office or position
Verb
he will accede to the position of director

ill-treatment
Noun

or

Noun
we celebrated the king's accession to the throne

Accelerate
to increase speed or happen more quickly
Verb
you must accelerate to overtake another car
the fertilizer accelerated the tree's growth

strongly contrasting detail

Noun
Her red belt provided a bright accent on the plain
white dress
Accept
to take or receive what is offered

Noun
cheetahs have remarkable acceleration
he pressed the accelerator and felt the car surge
forward

Verb
I will accept delivery of the goods
She accepted his apology
to take responsibility etc, upon yourself

Accent
A way of proNouncing words
Noun
he has an American accent
the emphasis, stress or pitch of a spoken word or
syllable; any of various marks used to indicate
this
Noun
the word 'tomorrow' has its accent on the second
syllable
Verb
We accent the word 'bullock' on the first syllable

Verb
he accepts that the accident was his fault
an affirmative reply
Noun
our acceptance of your invitation is in the post
to be admitted, especially to a group or place
Verb
she is accepted in the best social circles
viewed with approval; satisfactory; adequate
Adjective
this is not acceptable behaviour

Noun
In this book the accent or stress is indicated by
underlining

to regard as true; to be willing to grant

emphasis or stress generally

Verb
I accept your views
you must accept that you were wrong

Noun
In my course the accent is on practical
experience

Acclaim
to approve or praise especially publicly

Verb
Bright colours accentuate the pattern of this
material

Verb
the critics acclaim the new play

to help or oblige
shouts of approval, loud praise
Noun

Verb
Can you accommodate me with a loan?

the winner was welcomed with acclaim

the acclamations of the crowd were deafening

Adjective
She is an accommodating person

Acclimatize/acclimatise

to adapt or adjust

to get used to new conditions or surroundings

Verb
you must accommodate yourself to the situation

Verb
your
body
will
take
a
while
to
acclimatize/acclimatise to the high altitude in
Mexico City
Noun
acclimatization/acclimatisation
university can be difficult

to

life

at

Accolade
an award or honour
Noun
the noble prize for literature is the highest
accolade a writer can receive
much praise and approval

Accompany
to go or occur with; to escort
Verb
You may accompany a friend on holiday
She accompanied him on his journeys
The heavy rain was accompanied by gale-force
winds
Noun
he finished the race to the accompaniment of
cheering
to supplement, add to
Verb
Captions accompany the illustrations

Noun
his acting received an accolade from the theatre
critic

Adjective
You must study the accompanying documents

Accommodate

to play a musical accompaniment to a solo voice,

instrument, etc

to supply something needed, especially living

space
Verb
we have room to accommodate the family
Noun
the hotel has accommodation for 100 guests

Verb
Mr. Jones, at the piano, will accompany the
violinist
Noun
he is the singer's accompanist
Accomplice

someone who helps another in crime

Noun
he was an accomplice in the burglary
Accomplish

Air pollution is the accumulative effect of fumes

from all the factories

to achieve; to complete successfully

to blame; to charge that a person is guilty

Verb
he was able to accomplish what he set out to do

Verb
They accuse us of dishonesty

Noun
developing the steam engine was quite an
accomplishment

Noun
she said that a false accusation had been made
against her
The accused was/were found guilty of the charge

Adjective
her marriage is an accomplished fact so there's
no point arguing about it
skilled, clever or talented
Adjective
the pianist gave an accomplished performance
Noun
cake icing is one of her many accomplishments
well educated in the social skills, art, music, etc
Adjective
She's an accomplished young woman whose
witty conversation makes her an asset to any
gathering
Accumulate
to gather together; to amass; to increase in
number, mass, size, etc
Verb
He plans to accumulate more money

Accuse

Adverb
She looked at me accusingly as if the problem
were my fault
the grammatical term for a word when it is the
object of a Verb or certain prepositions
Adjective
In the sentence 'the boy kicked the ball', 'ball' is
in the accusative case
Acerbic
a formal word for sour or bitter
Adjective
Acid drops are acerbic
bitterness of speech, manner or temper
Noun
The acerbity of his remarks hurt her feelings
Achieve

Noun
There is an accumulation of work
Adjective

to accomplish something successfully

Verb
I hope you achieve success in your studies

I am well acquainted with the shop

Noun
Winning that match was an achievement

somebody one knows, but not a close friend

Adjective
To raise $500 for charity by holding a cake sale
is an achievable goal

Noun
she is just an acquaintance who catches the same
train

Acknowledge

to meet or get to know someone for the first time

I made his acquaintance at the office party

to admit, recognize as true or confess

Acquire
Verb
he will not acknowledge that you were beaten
unfairly
She is acknowledged as one of our best authors

to get, gain or collect

Verb
They may acquire great wealth

to show recognition, thanks or gratitude

Noun
you
will
receive
full
acknowledgment/acknowledgement for all your
hard work
Verb
acknowledging his presence at the meeting
would be polite
to confirm that something has been received
Verb
we acknowledge the receipt of your letter
Acme
the highest point of achievement
Noun
Appearing on Broadway was the acme of his
career
Acquaint

Adjective
your newly acquired bicycle is much admired
Noun
the acquisition of computer knowledge is
important
eager to obtain things, especially material
possessions, or facts, etc
Adjective
he is an acquisitive person who collects all kinds
of things
She has an acquisitive mind
getting to like something that at first seems
unpleasant
Some people find that caviar is an acquired taste
Acquit
to declare not guilty; to release

to inform; t have knowledge of; to become

familiar with
Verb
You should first acquaint yourself with the facts

Verb
the magistrate should acquit the defendant

10

Noun
the defense asked for the prisoner's acquittal

Adverb
I am acutely aware of the danger of being
mugged

to act or behave in a certain way

severe
Verb
you must acquit yourself with dignity
She acquitted herself well in the final round

Adjective
there is an acute shortage of spare part
she suffered acute pain

Acrid
an angle smaller than a right angle
bitter or sharp, especially to smell or taste
An acute angle is one of less than 90%
Adjective
The acrid smell of burnt rubber was unpleasant

Adamant

Acrimony

firm in opinion; unyielding, inflexible

bitterness of language or manner; ill feeling

Adjective
I am adamant about your being home by
midnight

Noun
He replied with acrimony showing annoyance

Adapt
Adjective
The rival candidates
argument

had an acrimonious

to alter something to fit suit different condition;

to adjust

Actuate

Verb

a formal word meaning to put into action, incite

to action; motivate

We can adapt the part for use in your car

Verb
If we actuate the motor, the wheel will turn
Ambition will actuate his every move

Noun
they did an adaptation of the stage play
Adjective

Acute

adaptable people cope better with change

sharp and keen

Noun

Adjective
eagles have acute eyesight

the adaptability of this tool makes it useful

a connector especially electrical

Noun
bats are known for the acuity of their hearing

Noun
Fit the correct adapter/adaptor for that plug

11

Addict

Noun
contact adhesive is known for its strong adhesion

a person who has become dependent on a

harmful substance, especially drugs

Adjective
use adhesive tape

Noun
A heroin addict needs more and more of the drug
to get high

to abide by, heed or keep to

Verb
he is addicted to alcohol

you must adhere to all the rules

Verb

Noun
Noun
nicotine addiction is harmful
Adjective
smoking is addictive
someone very interested in or fond of something
Noun
She is a jazz addict
Verb
My aunt is addicted to chocolate
Adept
very skilled expert
Adjective
She is adept at floral arrangements
Noun
that swindler is an adept in the art of cheating
Adhere
to stick firmly

adherence to the plan is vital

a follower or supporter
Noun
he is an adherent of the religious sect
Adjacent
near or next to, especially having a common
boundary
Adjective
The sports ground is adjacent to the school
Adjourn
to put off till another time, postpone; to close for
a certain period
Verb
we will adjourn the meeting till next week
Noun
the chairman suggested a week's adjournment
to move to another place

Verb
tiles adhere to the wall
glue or other substance used for sticking objects
together

Verb
let us adjourn to the lounge for coffee
Adjudicate

12

to judge

the company will adjust the claim before paying

out

Verb
my teacher is going to adjudicate the speech
competition

Administer

his child was adjudged the winner of the race

Verb

Noun

the council must administer the province

the final adjudication of the literary award takes

place next week

Noun
the administration of justice is not easy

they should appoint him as adjudicator of the

commission of inquiry

Adjective
executives must have administrative abilities

Adjust

Noun
he was appointed administrator the fund

to govern, control, direct or manage

to alter, adapt or regulate, especially to achieve

accuracy

short for administration

Verb
please adjust the colour of the TV picture

Noun
take these forms to admin

have your eyes adjusted to the dark yet?

a formal word meaning to give; to put into action

Noun
A marriage has to undergo a considerable
adjustment when the first child is born

Verb
she will administer first aid to the victim at the
scene of the accident

Adjective
The height of the table is adjustable

to supervise the taking of an oath

to arrange or put in order

Verb
a judge will administer the oath of office to the
president

Verb
Admire
after playing with the children, she adjusted her
untidy hair and rumpled dress
in insurance, to decide how much is to be paid on
a claim

to think highly of, regard with pleasure respect,

etc
Verb
I admire her courage

Verb
Adjective

13

he acted with admirable dignity

Noun
we have a great admiration for her
she is an admirer of his paintings

Adjective
john is an adopted child
Noun
our adoption of the baby has been approved

Adjective
he gave her an admiring glance
a man who is attracted to a woman
Noun
she has many admirers
Admonish
a formal word meaning to reprove, warn or
advise
Verb
the teacher will admonish them for slacking
Noun
he gave them a final admonition to behave well
at the party
Adjective
she wagged an admonitory finger at the naughty
child

Adjective
we are the child's adoptive parents
to take as your own; to assume
Verb
we prefer to adopt western dress
they adopted an attitude of unconcern
to accept
Verb
the resolution was adopted unanimously
Adore
to love deeply; to worship
Verb
I adore my wife
Adjective
he gave her an adoring look

Ado
bustling activity; fuss; difficulty

Noun
a nun's life is devoted to the adoration of god

Noun
all this ado is unnecessary
please get started without further/more ado
all the fuss was much ado about nothing

to idolize

Adopt

Adverb
she gazed adoringly at the picture of her
favourite pop star

to become the legal parent of someone else's

child, who is brought up as your own
Verb
childless couples often adopt children

Verb
he adores that film star

Noun
the singer enjoyed the adoration of the crowd

14

Adorn
to give beauty to; to decorate with ornaments
Verb
we will adorn the church with flowers
Noun
women wear jewellery for adornment

Noun
that leader of the religious sect does not deserve
the adulation he receives
Adulterate
to spoil the quality by adding an inferior
ingredient

Adrift

Verb
they adulterate the milk by adding water

driven this way and that by wind and tide;

without guidance or control

Noun
we complained about the adulteration of the beer

Adjective

Advance

the raft was adrift on the open sea

to move forward; to progress

unfastened

Verb
advance three paces

Adjective
your brooch has come adrift
aimless, having no purpose
Adjective
the unemployed youths were adrift in the big city
see drift

Noun
we must halt the advance of the enemy
The discovery of antibiotics was a major medical
advance
to bring to an earlier date
Verb
the date was advanced from 8 to 3 May

Adroit

promotion

quick and skilful

Noun
advancement of a good worker will be rapid

Adjective
he is adroit at card tricks
Noun
the politician was known for his adroitness in
fielding awkward question
Adulation
excessive praise; flattery

to put forward, suggest

Verb
you have advanced an interesting theory
to increase in price
Verb

15

property values are going to advance in the near

future

Adjective

to pay before due date

she is advanced in years

Verb

Advantage

advance half his wages now and pay the rest at

the end of the week

a benefit or gain; a favourable position

Noun
Noun
she has asked for a salary advance
we made an advance payment on the stove

being able to speak French is an advantage in

Europe

beforehand
Adjective
Adjective
he made an advance booking for the play
we were told about the test in advance

you should accept that advantageous offer to buy

your old car
Noun

a group sent ahead of the main body

an advance guard of soldiers cleared a path
through the minefield

he is always striving to fain an advantage over

others
to make good use of

approaches made to gain favors, friendship or

love
Noun

he used his speed to advantage in the game

we will take advantage of your kind offer to look
after our car

stop making advances to all the girls

to gain in a selfish way, exploit

having made good progress; showing much

improvement

a thief may take advantage of your open window

you seem to recognize me but I don't know you

Adjective
We hold classes for advances pupils

I'm afraid you have the advantage of me, have

we met before?

modern, ahead of the times

Adverse
Adjective
he has advanced ideas

Unfavorable, hostile or contrary

far on in life; very old

Adjective

16

an opinion or guidance offered

the flight was delayed by adverse weather
there has been some criticism of her novel

Noun
she gave us good advice

difficulties; hardship; misfortune

Verb
I advise you not to buy his second-hand car
He is a legal adviser/advisor

Noun
he achieved success despite adversity
an opponent or enemy

Adjective
she serves on an advisory committee

Noun
he faced his adversary bravely

information

Advertise

Noun
we received advice that he had arrived

to make known publicly; to draw attention to,

especially to increase the sales of a product or
service; to anNounce in the media

Verb
they will advise us of their decision
sensible; recommended; best

Verb
I am going to advertise my car for sale
Don't advertise the fact that you have been in
prison

Adjective
it is advisable to take an anorak on the hike

Noun
An advertiser calls attention to the merits of his
product
Have you seen that magazine advertisement for
pet food? The word advertisement is often
shortened to ad or advert

Adjective
a well-advised plan of action is sure to work
his ill-advised attempts to construct a pool were
not successful

Verb
They are advertising
newspaper

Adverb
we delayed our departure advisedly
Aesthetic

the concert

in the

Adjective
he is a copywriter for advertising agency
Noun
I would like to make a career in advertising
Advice

well or badly thought out

after careful thought, deliberately

appealing or relating to a sense of beauty; artistic

Adjective
the carving has aesthetic appeal
Adverb
the design of the building is aesthetically
pleasing but not practical

17

Noun
aesthetics is the branch of philosophy concerned
with art and beauty
Affable

Noun
his affairs were in order
a private matter or personal concern
if I go barefoot, that is my own affair and nobody
else's business

friendly, amiable, polite

matters of public interest
Adjective
She has an affable nature
Adverb
He spoke affably to the reporters

She read the newspapers to keep abreast of

current affairs
Parliament deals with affairs of state
Affect

Noun
to influence
The shop assistant showed great affability and
patience with the difficult customer

Verb
failing eyesight will affect his work

Affair
to disturb emotionally
something to be done or attended to
Noun
bringing up children is not an easy affair
an event or happening
Noun
the party was a gala affair
something specified
Noun
her dress was a strange affair of bows, buttons
and frills
a sexual relationship outside marriage
Noun
her husband is having an affair with his secretary

Verb
we were deeply affected by the news of his death
Adjective
he made an affecting speech at the wedding
to assume or pretend
Verb
we should affect ignorance of the whole affair
he affects an American accent although he has
never been to the states
not natural; pretentious
Adjective
she has an affected way of speaking
Noun
his strange hairstyle is just an affectation

personal or business matters

Affiliate

18

To enter into an association, especially with a

larger group or organization; to be accepted as a
subsidiary member we should affiliate our local
club with/to the national association I am an
affiliate member of the national body the two
groups have a close affiliation
Affirm
To assert positively; to confirm that something is
true
Verb
We affirm our loyalty
Noun
His speech was an affirmation of the truth of the
report
*meaning 'yes'
Adjective
If you agree, give an affirmative answer
The reply was in the affirmative
Steps taken to ensure that disadvantaged groups
are not
Discriminated against, especially as a regards
employment
Because of our company's policy of affirmative
action towards
Women, we have several in managerial positions
Affix
To fasten, stick, fix on to or attach
Verb
Affix the placard to the tree
To add; to put at the end
Please affix your signature to the document
Afflict
To cause suffering, grief or distress

Verb
Hunger and disease still afflict the human race
Don't afflict her with your problems
Verb
He has been afflicted with weak eyesight since
childhood
Noun
His father's death was a great affliction an illness
or disease
She suffered from a kidney affliction
Afflict- synm
Verb- plague, trouble, distress, burden, toment,
beset.
She was afflicted with a bad cold.
Affluent
Rich, prosperous, having abundant money,
Goods, etc
Adjective
In an affluent society. Most people have a high
standard of living
Noun
My rich friend lives in great affluence
Adjective
The silver tray is a gift from an affluent uncle
Affluent- synm
Adjective- wealthy, rich, prosperous, privileged.
She lives in an affluent neighborhood.
Affluent- ant.
Poor, impoverished, underprivileged.
Afford
To be able to do something, especially without
the risk of adverse consequences
Verb
Now I've got my rise, I can afford an new camera
We cannot afford to risk everything on this deal

19

A formal word meaning to supply, give

Verb
The trees afford welcome shade
Afford- synm
Verb- pay for, bear, manage, support.
I cant afford to take a vacation this summer,
provide, supply, furnish, offer, give.
This vista affords a panoramic view of the Grand
Canyon.
*Affront
To insult or offend deliberately and openly
Verb
Don't affront my grandmother by using bad
language
Noun
Being ignored was an affront to his dignity
My assistant's insolent attitude was a personal
affront
Afraid
Frightened or apprehensive
Adjective
She is afraid of snakes
We were afraid that you would be angry

Afraid- synm
Adjective- fearful, frightened, terrified, scared,
anxious, nervous, alarmed. \
Hes afraid of heights, sorry, remorseful,
unhappy, hesitant, reluctant.
Im afraid I wont be able to lend you the money
for a new car.
Afraid- ant.
Bold, courageous, fearless, happy, pleased.
Aggrandizement/aggrandisement
A formal word for an increase in importance.
Wealth or rank
Whatever he did was only for his own
Noun
aggrandizement/aggrandisement
Aggravate
To make worse
Verb
The drought will aggravate our food problems
irritating, annoying
Adjective
Those barking dogs are very aggravating
Noun
Your bossy attitude is an aggravation

Reluctant to do something
Adjective
He is not afraid of hard work
regretful
Adjective
I'm afraid we can't come
Are there any seats left?' I' m afraid not'

Aggregate
The sum total
Noun
The aggregate of all his marks was 216
rock made of a mixture of minerals
Noun
Granite is an aggregate

to be very timid
a compound of different materials
She's so nervous she's afraid of her own shadow
Noun

20

The builders used an aggregate of sand and rock

fragments

Agile
Nimble; quick-moving

taken as a whole; collectively

On aggregate/in the aggregate we have done well
this year

Adjective
The child is as agile as a monkey
mentally quick or acute

Aggression
An attack or harmful action. Especially an
unprovoked one between countries
Noun
The victim of the aggression is in hospital
Which country was the aggressor in the war?

Noun
Her mind showed an astonishing agility in
solving mathematical problems
Agitate
To cause nervousness and worry; to make
anxious

Ready to attack or quarrel; threatening

Adjective
Dogs can become aggressive if teased

Verb
This news will agitate mother
I became more and more agitated about passing
the exams

assertive; ignoring opposition

Adjective
We have an aggressive sales policy

Noun
Is the job worth all the agitation it causes you?
To stir up public opinion; to incite

Aggression- synm
Noun- hostility, belligerence, combativeness,
assault, attack.
A naval blockade is considered an act of
aggression.
Aggression- ant.
Friendliness, peacefulness, peace.

Verb
The staff may agitate for higher pay
Noun
Agitators were active among the workers
to move. Stir or shake vigorously

Aggrieved
Hurt or offended, especially by unjust treatment
Adjective
she was aggrieved that she wasn't asked to her
daughter's wedding
Aghast
Horrified; amazed
Adjective
I was aghast at the damage to the car

Verb
Agitate the liquid in the bowl
The strong wind was agitating the sea
Agnostic
Someone who believes that it is impossible to
know whether or not god exists
Noun
An agnostic believes that
phenomena can be known

only

21

material

What is troubling you?' what ails you?

Agony
Severe physical or mental pain; anguish
Noun
He cried out in agony
Adjective
We heard an agonized/agonise scream
She suffered from agonizing/agonise headaches
Noun
He was in an agony of despair
to worry; to struggle
Verb
Someone may agonize/agonizing for weeks over
a difficult decision
the struggle that immediately precedes death
He was in his last agony
a newspaper or magazine feature in which a
columnist replies to readers' letters about their
personal problems

Aim
To direct or prepare to direct something at a
person or object
Verb
Aim the dart at the bull's-eye
Noun
Her aim was good and she hit the target
Pick up the gun, take aim, then fire
Verb
He aimed his criticism at her
to strive for a purpose or objective
Verb
We should aim at success what is your aim in
life?
Noun
Our aim is t retire next year
Verb
I am aiming for an early start tomorrow

Have you seen that extraordinary letter in the

agony column?
The agony aunt advised the writer to leave her
boyfriend

without purpose

Ailing
Not in good health; weak; unsound

Alacrity
Eager quickness

Adjective
She has been ailing for some weeks
Our ailing economy is starting to recover

Noun
It was a good offer and I accepted it with alacrity

an illness, especially a slight but persistent one

Noun
Backache is a tiresome ailment
an old-fashioned phrase meaning

Adjective
kicking a tin around is an aimless activity

Alarm
A sound that gives warning or notice of
something; an alert
Noun
If a prisoner escapes. We sound an alarm to warn
the guards

22

We have installed a burglar alarm in our house

Set the alarm clock/alarm for six o' clock as I
must get up early tomorrow

Noun
The potent alchemy of his charm blurred my
judgment

Verb
If a stranger approaches, the barking of the dogs
will alarm the farmer

Alibi
Evidence that the accused was elsewhere at the
time of the crime

to advise the people concerned of an emergency

situation

Noun
The suspect had an alibi so he was released

Verb
If you smell burning, raise the alarm immediately

an excuse

a warning of a danger that does not happen

There's no need to panic, it was a false alarm
to cause anxiety, worry or fear; to startle
Verb
They were alarmed at/by the report of a
hurricane
Adjective
That is alarming news
When I heard someone at my window, I jumped
up in alarm
a person who alarms others needlessly
Noun
Rumors of riots are being spread by an alarmist
Alchemy
Medieval chemistry, especially the attempts to
change base metals into gold and discover a
universal cure
Noun
This apparatus was used in alchemy
The efforts of the alchemist came to nothing

Noun
She's always got an alibi for being late!
Alibi- synm
Noun- excuse, story, explanation, plea, defense.
The defendant could find no one to confirm his
alibi.
Alimony
Money paid by court order by one spouse to the
other following a separation, either before or
after divorce
Noun
She depends on the monthly alimony to support
her children
Allege
To state; to declare without proof; to presume
Verb
I allege that he accepted a bribe
Noun
You must prove your allegation
Adjective
The alleged thief turned out to be innocent
Adverb
He allegedly cheated

any seemingly magical power

Alleviate

23

To lessen or ease
Verb
The presence of her children should alleviate her
sorrow
Alleviate- synm
Verb- relieve, ease, diminish, lessen, reduce,
soften.
To alleviate symptoms, drink plenty of fluids and
stay in bed.
Alleviate- ant.
Worsen, aggravate, intensify.
Allocate
To apportion; to set aside for a purpose; to allot
or give
Verb
The teacher will allocate 10 marks for that
question
Noun
We received an allocation of medical supplies

Verb
They allow dogs in the park
Smoking is not allowed in this office
We are allowed three weeks' leave a year
She will not allow me to go out in my old,
comfortable clothes
to make provision for
Verb
Allow an hour to get to the airport
When planning the party we must allow for bad
weather
a fixed and regular amount of money or food
provided for someone
Noun
She receives a monthly allowance for clothes
a discount or amount of money deducted
Noun
We got an allowance for our old car
to take into account

Allot
To give a share to; to allocate
Verb
We must allot duties to each worker
Equipment was allotted to each soldier
Noun
All employees in the firm were given an
allotment of shares
Allot- synm
Verb- assign, allocate, distribute, allow, share,
divide.
The president allotted each person fifteen
minutes for an interview.
Allot- ant.
Withhold, deny, refuse.

You must make allowances for his age

Allow- synm
Verb- permit, let, authorize, grant, approve,
sanction.
Smoking is not allowed at school, allot, allocate,
give, assign, provide. Allow youself enough time
to get your homework done.
Allow- ant.
Forbid, prohibit, refuse, withhold, deny.
Allude
To refer to indirectly, without being specific; to
mention briefly, in passing
Verb
Although she may allude to her past, she never
gives any details

Allow
To permit

24

Noun
In his speech on conservation he made a brief
allusion to Greenpeace
Allude- synm
Verb mention, suggest, hint, refer, imply, speak
of. Hes sensitive about his size, so lets not
allude to it.
Allure
To charm, attract or tempt
Verb
She used all her charm to allure him
The allure of the island was in its isolation
Adjective
A holiday abroad is an alluring prospect
Allure synm
Verb- fascinate, attract, captivate, enchant, draw,
charm.
She was allured by his intelligence. Nounattraction,
lure,
fascination,
temptation,
enticement, charm.
Dragons cant resist the allure of gold.
Allure- ant.
Repel, alienate, estrange.
Altar
A raised platform used for religious rites
Noun
In Christian churches, the altar is the communion
table
an old-fashioned or humorous phrase meaning to
marry someone
Is he going to lead you to the altar?

I saw his expression alter from anger to

compassion
Noun
We'll have to move while the alterations to the
house are in progress
Alter- synm
Verb- change, modify, very, transform, revise,
remake.
His new beard completely alters his apearace.
Alter- ant.
Maintain, continue, keep.
Altercation
A formal word for a noisy argument
Noun
An altercation between our neighbours kept us
awake last night
Alternate
To do or occur by turns or one after the other
Verb
My husband and I alternate I washing up at night
Adverb
She laughed and cried alternately
An electric alternating current /ac periodically
reverses its direction
a machine for producing alternating electric
current
Noun
The indicator showed that the car's alternator was
not charging the battery
every second one

Alter
To change, make different
Verb
The dressmaker will alter the skirt to fit you

Adjective
He works on alternate Saturdays
Every alternate fence post was painted red,
giving a striped effect

25

the freedom of choice, especially between two

things or possibilities

You may need to carry oxygen when climbing at

high altitudes in case of altitude sickness

Noun
You have the alternative of paying the fine now
or receiving a summons to appear in court
Thee is no alternative to traveling by that route

an instrument used to show the height above sea

level, especially in aircraft

Adjective
We can provide an alternative solution
Adverb
I could continue in my present job or
alternatively resign and go overseas
medical treatment that differs from mainstream
medicine

Noun
The pilot checked his altimeter to make sure that
the plane was higher than the mountains
Altogether
Wholly, completely
Adverb
This schedule is altogether out of date
on the whole

Acupuncture and aromatherapy are part of

alternative medicine

Adverb
Altogether I'm sorry to be leaving

People who choose not to live according to

conventional standards or traditional values, etc

all included

They have some very strange ideas and are

definitely members of the alternative society

Adverb
There were 200 guests altogether

Alternate- synm
Verb- switch, interchange, rotate, intersperse,
change.
Blue stripes alternate with yellow stripes on is
shirt.
Adj- alternating, reciprocal, successive.
The American flag has alternate red and white
stripes. Substitute, another, different, additional.
Since she missed her plane, she had to take an
alternate flight.
Noun- substiitue, replacement, second, backup.
Since our elected delegate could not go to the
meeting, we had to send an alternate.

Altruism
Unselfishness; public-spiritedness

Altitude
The height above the ground or above sea level
Noun
The aircraft flew at an altitude of 10 000 feet

Noun
With typical altruism he donated his prize to
charity
Adjective
She was praised for her altruistic gesture
Amalgamate
To unite, combine, merge
Verb
Small businesses amalgamate to form a large
company
The two schools have amalgamated into one
institution
a mixture

26

The population is an amalgamation of many

races

Verb
Your success will amaze your teachers
I am amazed at your impudence

a soft mixture or combination of metals

Noun
The dentist filled the cavity in tooth with
amalgam
Amateur
A person who takes part or does things for
pleasure and not to make money
Noun
Only an amateur may take part in the Olympic
Games
The repertory players are amateur's
Adjective
Was the play a professional or an amateur
production?
Someone inexperienced or lacking skill
Noun
He is an amateur at public speaking and has a lot
to learn
Adjective
Her amateurish attempt at baking resulted in
bread that didn't rise
Amateur- synym
Noun- nonprofessional, novice, beginner,
apprentice, hobbyist.
The pro tennis player didnt want to compete
against
amateurs.
Adjamateurish,
nonprofessional, inexperienced, unskilled.
She joined an amateur theater group.
Amateur- ant.
Professional, expert, professional, experienced.
Amaze
To surprise or astonish; to fill with wonder

Noun
We heard your news with amazement
Adjective
I saw an amazing demonstration of flying
Adverb
That child is amazingly agile
Amaze- synm
Verb- astonish, surprise, astound, bewilder, stun,
impress.
Her command of the English language never
ceases to amaze me.
Amaze- ant.
Bore, tire, anticipate, expect.
Amalgamate
To unite, combine, merge small businesses
amalgamate to form a large company the two
schools have amalgamated into one institution a
mixture the population is an amalgamation of
many races a soft mixture or combination of
metals the dentist filled the cavity in my tooth
with amalgam
Amateur
A person who takes part or does things for
pleasure and not to make money
Noun
Only an amateur may take part in the Olympic
games
The repertory players are amateurs
Adjective
Was the play a professional or an amateur
production?
someone inexperienced or lacking skill

27

Noun
He is an amateur at public speaking and has a lot
to learn
Adjective
Her amateurish attempt at baking resulted in
bread that didn't rise
Amaze
To surprise or astonish; to fill with wonder
Verb
Your success will amaze your teachers
I am amazed at your impudence
Noun
We heard your news with amazement
Adjective
I saw an amazing demonstration of flying
Adverb
That child is amazingly agile
Amaze- synm
Verb- astonish, surprise, astound, bewilder, stun,
impress.
Her command of the English language never
ceases to amaze me.
Amaze- ant.
Bore, tire, anticipate, expect.
Ambidextrous
Able to use either hand equally well
Adjective
That ambidextrous tennis player can serve
as powerfully with his left hand as he does with
his right
Ambiguity
Uncertain of meaning; obscure
Noun
The ambiguity of the instructions puzzled us

able to be understood in more than one way;

having a double meaning
Adjective
His ambiguous statement was taken the wrong
way
Noun
Some humour relies on ambiguity
Ambit
Extent, range or limit of power or authority
Noun
fraud does not fall within the ambit of traffic
officers
Ambition
A strong desire for success; the ultimate
objective or goal one hopes and strives to
achieve
Noun
Her ambition in life is to become a lawyer
Adjective
You have to be ambitious to succeed
needing much skill, effort, etc
Adjective
Building your own garage is an ambitious project
Ambition- synm
Noun- desire, will, determination, drive, energy,
resolve.
To succeed as a writer, you must have lots of
ambition. Goal, end, aspiration, objective,
purpose, dream.
Her ambition is to become a doctor.
Ambition- ant.
Indifference, apathy, laziness.
Ambivalent
Having contradictory or opposing feelings or
opinions about a particular thing or person

28

Adjective
she feels ambivalent about having children

A formal word meaning to make better, cause a

situation to improve

Noun
Some pupils feel an ambivalence/ambivalent
towards teachers

Verb
We must ameliorate the suffering of the wounded

Ambivalent - synm
Adjective- mixed, contradictory, wavering,
indecisive, of two minds, on the fence.
I often have ambivalent feelings during elections
and dont know who to vote for.
Ambivalent- ant.
Decisive, single-minded, certain.
Amble
To walk at an unhurried pace
Verb
It is nice to amble through the park
We were just ambling along
a slow pace of a horse where both left legs and
both right legs are moved alternately
Noun
The amble or triple is an easy pace for horse and
rider

Noun
The amelioration of the living conditions of the
prisoners was first concern

*Amenable
Responsive to; easily persuaded he is amenable
to suggestions
Amend
To alter, change or correct
Verb
The committee will amend the club's rules
He made an amendment to his speech
to make up for harm done; to compensate
You could make amends for your rudeness by
sending a note of apology and some flowers

Noun
We set up an ambush concealing our men behind
rocks

Amend- synm
Verb- improve, better, correct, perfect, reform,
revise, change, alter, modify.
To make that proposal legal, the constitution will
have to be amended.
Amend- ant.
Worsen, weaken, keep.

Verb
We hope to ambush the enemy patrol

Amiable
Good-natured; affable; friendly

Ambush- synm
Verb- attack, assault, jump, take by surprise,
bushwack.
We were ambushed by the enemy and taken
completely by surprise.

Adjective
An amiable old man patted my dog

Ameliorate

Amiable- synm

Ambush
A surprise attack from a hidden position

Adverb
She waved aside my apologies amiably

29

Adjectivefriendly,
agreeable,
pleasant,
congenial, gracious, sociable, cordial.
Small towns typically have an amiable
atmosphere.
Amiable- ant.
Unfriendly, disagreeable, unpleasant.
Amicable
Done in a friendly way

Adjective
An amorphous figure could be seen through the
mist

Adverb
They live together amicably
Amicable- synm
Adjectivepeaceful,
peaceable,
friendly,
cooperative, harmonious, civil.
The mediator hoped to find an amicable
settlement to the international dispute.
Amicable- ant.
Hostile, belligerent, unfriendly.
*Amity
Friendship and harmony
lives

Adjective
He directed amorous glances at his wife
This film is about the amatory adventures of the
hero
*Amorphous
Without any definite form, shape or character

Adjective
We reached an amicable agreement

Noun
The community
neighbours

*Amorous
Showing love, especially sexual; loving

*Ample
Enough or more than enough; spacious; Large;
abundant
Adjective
There is ample room for everyone in the hall
This spending money should be ample
She gave me an ample helping of pie
Adverb
We were amply supplied with warm clothing
It is amply clear that the accident was his fault

in

amity

with

its
a polite way of saying someone is rather fat
Adjective
The opera singer was a man of ample girth

*Amoral
Having no understanding of right and wrong
Adjective
Very young children are amoral

Amplify
To increase, intensify or enlarge

not accepting any moral standards

Verb
We must amplify our efforts by working at night

Adjective
His amoral outlook on life sometimes offended
people

Noun
Rock musicians use an amplifier to increase the
volume of sound

30

to add further details, enlarge upon or clarify

Noun
To my amusement uncle bill was on the roof

Noun
I would like to amplify that point by giving some
examples
His report needs further amplification

Adjective
Charades is an amusing game

of a method of transmitting signals by radio

waves

Noun
Crossword puzzles are my favourite amusement
The resort offers various amusements including
golf and swimming

My radio can receive amplitude modulation/AM

and frequency modulation signals
Amplify synm
Verb- expand, enlarge, increase, extend,
intensify, strengthen.
The cheerleaders used hand-held megaphones to
amplify their voices.
Amplify- ant.
Reduce, decrease, diminish, lower.
*Amputate
To cut off all or part of a limb. Especially by
surgery
Verb
The surgeon had to amputate her arm because
gangrene had set in
Noun
The amputation of his foot ended his soccer
career
The amputee has been fitted with an artificial leg

Amuse
To provide mirth or laughter; to entertain; to be
pleasantly occupied
Verb
This joke should amuse you
The children can amuse themselves with these
toys
I was not amused by the antics of the clowns

an open-air public entertainment area

We had fun at the amusement park by riding on
the roller coaster
Amuse- synm
Verb entertain, please, occupy, interest, divert,
charm.
The kittens antics amused us all.
Amuse ant.
Bore, weary, tire.
*Anachronism
The placing of something in the wrong historical
period; anything out of its proper time
Noun
Caesar went by plane' is an anachronism
Old-fashioned, belonging to the past
Noun
a fountain pen seems an anachronism these days

*Anarchy
Lawlessness, disorder. Especially from an
absence or lack of government; complete
absence of control
Noun
The revolt led to anarchy in the country
The bomb was thrown by an anarchist

31

Adjective
It was an anarchic state of affairs after the coup
Noun
Anarchism is the theory that all forms of
government should be abolished

Anecdote
A short, interesting or amusing story, especially
about a real person or event
Noun
He told an anecdote about his friend
Anecdote- synm
Noun- story, narrative, tale, yarn, account,
reminiscence.
I love Grandmothers amusing anecdotes about
her childhood.
Anguish
Severe bodily or mental pain; suffering
Noun
The parents waited in anguish for news of their
missing child
Adjective
Anguished cries for help came from the injured
man
Anguish- synm
Noun- distress, agony, torment, misery, anxiety,
despair, pain, suffering.
He was in anguish after breaking up with his
girlfriend.
Anguish- ant.
Comfort, solace, pleasure.
*Animate
To make lively, spirited; to be moved to action
Verb

Her vivacious presence will animate the party

everyone joined in an animated discussion he
speaks in a monotone and shows little animation
to inspire or motivate she is animated by the best
of intentions having life; made to seem alive it is
improbable that animate beings exist on mars this
animated doll can walk and say 'mama ' a film
make by photographing a series of drawings to
give an illusion of movement the children
enjoyed the animated cartoon about Donald duck
the technique of animation makes the cartoon
characters move and speak as if they were real

*Animosity
Strong dislike; hatred; hostility
Noun
The animosity between the teams resulted in a
fist fight in the middle of the game

Annex
To add, attach, especially to incorporate new
territory into an existing state. Often by conquest
Verb
The dictator will annex that little state
We learnt about the annexation of await by lraq
in 1990
Something added, especially to a document; an
appendix
Noun
Please refer to the annexe for instructions on
completing the questionnaire
a smaller building close to or added to larger
building
Noun
The hotel uses the cottage as an annexe for extra
space

32

Annex- synm
Verb- add, attach, append, acquire, appropriate,
connect, join.
The imperialist country annexed some of its
neighbors territory.
Noun- addition, extension, supplement, wing,
branch.
A new annex for the library is under
construction.
Annex ant.
Detach, separate, disconnect.
Annihilate
To destroy utterly

Adjective
He has an annoying habit of biting his nails
Annoy- synm
Verb- irk, irritate, bother, vex, pester, disturb,
harass, distract.
Dont annoy your brother while hes using the
computer.
Annoy-ant.
Comfort, soothe, please.
*Annul
To cancel or make invalid an agreement, law,
marriage, etc

Verb
Nuclear warfare could annihilate the human race

Verb
The council will annul the unpopular bylaw
The court annulled the marriage

Noun
The annihilation of all wildlife in that area would
be a disaster

Noun
The annulment of the contract was a blow to the
company

to defeat completely

Antagonist
An opponent or adversary

Verb
My argument annihilated him in the debate
Annihilate- synm
Verb- demolish, destroy, exterminate, kill,
eradicate, obliterate.
The armys offensive annihilated all opposition.
Annoy
To irritate, cause mild anger
Verb
The flies annoy me

Noun
Goliath felt that David was an unworthy
antagonist
openly shown hostility; opposition
Noun
There is often antagonism between political
parties
Adjective
He is antagonistic towards authority
to irritate, annoy

Adjective
She is annoyed with him because he is late
Noun
He expressed his annoyance at the confusion

Verb
It is unwise to antagonize/antagonist your
employer
Antagonist synm

33

Noun- opponent, adversary, rival, competitor,

foe, enemy.
He bravely faced his antagonist in the boxing
ring.
Antagonist ant.
Friend, ally, partner.

Anticipate- synm
Verb- expect, foresee, foretell, predict, forecast.
She anticipates a good turnout for her lecture.

*Antecedent
An event or circumstance occurring earlier than
another

Noun
After all the glowing publicity, the show was an
anticlimax

Noun
The discovery of oil in California was the
antecedent of a massive population increase

a sudden change from a serious subject to one

that is trivial or ludicrous

your ancestors, ancestry or past life

*Anticlimax
An unexpected letdown or disappointment

Noun
The feeble joke he told at the end of his moving
speech came as a complete anticlimax

Noun
My antecedents were Scottish
in grammar, the word or words to which a
following proNoun refers

*Antidote
A remedy especially against a poison

Noun
In the sentence 'Paul found his dog', 'Paul' is the
antecedent of 'his'

Noun
Milk is an antidote against some chemicals
Golf is my antidote to stress

Anticipate
To expect, forecast or predict that something will
happen

Antipathy
A feeling of strong dislike or hostility; an
aversion

Verb
We anticipate that the summer will be dry

Noun
He has an antipathy towards foreigners
There is antipathy between the neighbours

to foresee and prepare for something

Verb
She anticipated the fall in the share price and
sold early
Noun
In anticipation of the punch, he moved out of
reach

Antipathy- synm
Noun- aversion, hatred, dislike,
repugnance.
I feel antipathy toward criminals.
Antipathy- ant.
Liking, appeal, affection.
*Antisocial

34

loathing,

Not considerate towards other people in general;

opposed to the social order
Adjective
Littering the park is antisocial behaviour
withdrawn; not mixing with other people
Adjective
He lacks friends as he is so antisocial

Apathy
Listlessness; indifference;
showing no emotion

*Aphorism
A brief, wise saying, maxim
Noun
'a man is known by the company he keeps' is an
aphorism
Apology
An expression of regret for something done or
not done
Noun
We expect an apology for your rude behaviour

lack

of interest;

Noun
His apathy towards his work makes him a poor
employee
Adjective
He is apathetic about his marriage
Apathy- synm
Noun- indifference, unconcern, disinterest,
passiveness, lethargy, coldness.
If people had less apathy, wed be able to solve
more of our problems.
Apathy- ant.
Enthusiasm, fervor, interest, concern.
Apex
The highest point, summit

Verb
Please apologize/apology is to her for your
insulting remarks
Adjective
He is apologetic about his poor results
I wrote an apologetic note explaining why I had
not turned up
Noun
She made her apologies and left the party
a person who defends another's actions or a cause
by argument
Noun
He is a skilful apologist who argued his case in a
most forceful and logical way
an inferior substitute

Noun
The apex of his career was when he became
chairman
Apex- synm
Noun- highest point, peak, zenith, top, pinnacle,
summit, climax.
Winning an Oscar was the apex of her acting
career.
Apex ant.
Lowest point, bottom, nadir.

Noun
this is a poor apology for a breakfast
Apology- synm
Noun- explanation, excuse, acknowledgment,
confession, regret.
He offered an apology for his lateness.
Apparent
Obvious; evident

35

Adjective
It was apparent that the teacher disliked her
For no apparent reason he suddenly went outside
visible
Adjective
The meteor is apparent only at night
according to what people say
Adverb
He is apparently an honest man

Verb
The accused decided to appeal against the judge's
decision
Noun
The judge dismissed the appeal
The high court judge rejected the request of the
appellant
Adjective
A decision will be made by the appellate court
a campaign to raise funds. Usually for charity

seeming, not real

Noun
She launched an appeal to raise money for street
children

Adjective
His apparent interest in the scheme did not last
long

to appear attractive or interesting

Apparent- synm
Adjective- plain, obvious, evident, clear,
manifest, unmistakable.
Her love of teaching is apparent to her students.
Apparent- ant.
Doubtful, uncertain, obscure.
*Appeal
To make an earnest or formal request
Verb
We appeal to you to stop teasing the boy
I appeal for mercy
the act of asking someone in authority to make or
change a decision
Noun
The team made an appeal to the referee to
declare a penalty
to take to a higher court in order to try to change
the decision of a lower court

Verb
Camping doesn't appeal to me
Adjective
The puppy has a most appealing expression
The idea of an overseas trip is appealing
*Appear
To become visible, arrive or develop
Verb
Ships appear on the horizon
Noun
We were surprised by her sudden appearance at
the party
Verb
Faults may appear after a time
to appear in person. Especially briefly
He managed to put in an appearance at the
meeting
the way someone or something looks

36

Noun
a different hairstyle can change your appearance
completely
Appearances count at an interview

Noun
This section is a later appendage
Applause
Approval shown by clapping, cheering

to seem to be
Verb
The boxes appear to be empty
It appears from what you say that he is a liar
to resemble, look like
This has the appearance of powdered chalk

Noun
Wild applause greeted his arrival
Verb
She was loudly applauded for her performance
to praise; to approve of
Verb
We applaud his actions

Appease
To soothe or pacify; to make concessions to calm
someone
Verb
We shouldn't appease the enemy with promises
Noun
A policy of appeasement may lead to further
demands

*Apportion
To divide, allot
Verb
On the facts available, I can only apportion the
blame equally between them
*Appraise
To determine the value or worth of something or
somebody

to relieve or satisfy
Verb
Here is water to appease their thirst

Verb
The manager will appraise the suitability of each
applicant for the job

Appease synm
Verb- placate, pacify, calm, soothe, ease, allay,
quench.
The sandwich appeased her hunger.
Appease- ant.
Irritate, aggravate, provoke.

Noun
Get an appraisal of the value of the house from
an official appraiser

*Append
A formal word meaning to add or attach

Verb
I appreciate your difficulty

Verb
We will append footnotes to his essay

to be thankful for; to value

Appreciate
To understand or realize

an attachment

37

Verb
We appreciate your help
Adjective
He is appreciative of your kindness

an old-fashioned term meaning to understand or

recognize
Verb
I apprehend your meaning

Noun
Please accept this gift in appreciation of your
hard work

dread, fear or uneasiness

to understand and enjoy

Noun
She is filled with apprehension at the idea
of being alone in the house

Verb
We appreciate good music
Noun
He shows an appreciation of Shakespeare
to increase in value or quantity
Verb
Your investment will appreciate in time

Adjective
He is apprehensive about his exam results
Apprehend- synm
Verb- catch, capture, arrest, seize, take into
custody, (slang) collar.
The police anNounced that they had
apprehended a suspect in the robbery.
Apprehend- ant.
Release, free.

significant; noticeable
Adjective
There has been an appreciable rise in costs
Appreciate- synm
Verbrealize,
understand,
comprehend,
recognize, perceive.
He doesnt appreciate how much trouble hes
caused.
Verb- value, esteem, prize, admire, honor,
cherish.
Its difficult to work for someone who doesnt
appreciate your efforts.
Appreciate- ant.
Misunderstand, misjudge. Dislike, scorn.
Apprehend
A formal word meaning to arrest, take into
custody

*Apprise/apprize
A formal word meaning to make aware; to
inform
Verb
Please apprise/apprize us of your anticipated date
of departure
*Approach
To move forward or towards
Verb
We can approach the house from the side road
Noun
We watched his approach with suspicion
to come near to

Verb
The police may apprehend the thief

38

Verb
You must slow down as you approach the traffic
light
The time is approaching when we must replace
the car
Few composers approach Beethoven's skill

Noun
His efforts to overcome the housing shortage
deserve the approbation of the whole community

the way to reach

Adjective
Formal dress is appropriate for an official
banquet

Noun
This bridge is the only approach to the island
a method uses, means
Noun
By using this new approach we should solve the
problem
an advance, overture from one person to another,
often to ask a favour
Verb
She will approach him about borrowing his
bicycle
Noun
His persistent approaches succeeded when she
agreed to go out with him
accessible; receptive; friendly
Adjective
The manger is approachable at all times
the course followed by an aircraft preparing to
land
Noun
We are commencing our approach to the airport

*Approbation
A formal word for praise, official approval

Appropriate
Suitable

to take over for your own use, often without

permission
Verb
Do not try t appropriate my ideas
Noun
We were shocked when we heard of his
appropriation of company funds
to set money aside for a special purpose
Verb
The council must appropriate sufficient funds for
additional housing
Noun
An appropriation from state funds for a new
hospital was requested
Appropriate- synm
Adjective- suitable, proper, fitting, applicable,
correct.
The invitation stated that appropriate attire was
required.
Verb- confiscate, seize, commander, steal, take.
The ruthless dictator appropriated the private
holdings of his enemies. Allocate, assign, allot,
disburse, authorize.
The town council appropriated funds for
construction of a new library.
Appropriate- ant.
Inappropriate, unfitting, unsuitable. Return,
relinquish, surrender. Withhold, misappropriate.

39

*Apt
Suitable, appropriate
Adjective
An apt reply is called for

Noun
In the fashion world, he is regarded as the arbiter
of elegance and good taste
without careful consideration, based on personal
whim rather than reason; dictatorial; random

skilled; clever
Adjective
She proved an apt pupil

Adjective
The chairman made an arbitrary decision without
consulting his committee

having a natural talent; learning easily

Noun
He shows an aptitude for the violin
having a tendency to

Arduous
Needing and using up much energy, strenuous
Adjective
Clearing the land involved weeks of arduous
labour

He is apt to lose his temper quickly

harsh, full of hardship
a test to measure someone's ability to develop
various skills and acquire knowledge
He took an aptitude test to help him decide on a
career

*Arbitrate
To settle or decide a dispute between parties by
appointing someone to find a solution both can
accept
Verb
They need someone impartial to arbitrate the
land dispute
Noun
He was appointed arbitrator of the international
dispute
The disagreement between the union and the
company was settled by arbitration

Adjective
Conditions in the desert were arduous
Arduous- synm
Adjective- difficult, trying, exhausting, fatiguing,
rigorous.
Her proposed climb of Mt. Everest will be an
arduous undertaking.
Arduous- ant.
Easy, effortless, simple.
*Arena
An open area, usually surrounded by seats, where
sporting event sand entertaining spectacles are
held
Noun
The show jumping will take place in the arena
Please clear the arena for the parade
In ancient Rome, gladiators fought in an arena
any sphere or field of interest or activity

someone with the authority to make influential

judgments

Noun
He was active in the political arena

40

*Arid
Dry, parched

Racehorses
animals

are

elegant,

aristocratic-looking

Adjective
The Sahara is an arid area

Adjective
Her aristocratic bearing and witty conversation
drew everyone's attention

uninteresting, dull
Adjective
His learned but arid speech did not hold the
audience's attention

Aroma
A pleasant smell, fragrance
Noun
An aroma of fresh coffee wafted from the kitchen

*Arise
To come into existence
Verb
In times of turmoil, new leaders often arise
Some problems have arisen
resulting from
Verb
We discussed the matters arising from the
minutes of the meeting
to ascend, move upwards

Adjective
Lavender is a plant with aromatic leaves
a therapy of body massage using various scented
oils
Noun
He took a course in aromatherapy
Aroma- synm
Noun- fragrance, scent, smell, odor.
The aroma of a pie baking in the oven made my
mouth water.
Aroma- ant.
Stink, stench, reek

Verb
A shout arose when a goal was scored
Arouse
To awaken or cause to appear
*Aristocrat
A nobleman; a member of a hereditary ruling
class
Noun
Lord Castlereagh was an aristocrat during the
French revolution many of the aristocracy were
guillotined

Verb
The woman is sleeping soundly but her baby's
cry will arouse her
The man's furtive manner aroused our suspicion
Noun
There has been an arousal of interest in the
victorian novelists

characteristic of an aristocrat; stylish, elegant

to excite or stimulate, cause to become active
Adjective
An aristocratic manner can be patronizing

Verb

41

They aroused the mob t action by chanting

slogans
You must arouse yourself from/out of this
gloomy state of mind
Arouse- synm
Noun- awaken, waken, rouse, stir, excite,
stimulate.
Her strange story aroused my curiosity.
Arouse- ant.
Settle, stifle, repress.
Arraign
To bring someone before a court to answer for a
crime; to accuse

agreement; understanding
Noun
We came to an amicable arrangement about the
date of the meeting
Under the new arrangement I will be paid
monthly
to give a piece of music or a literary work a new
form
Verb
He will arrange this music for the violin
Noun
She is working on an arrangement of the play for
radio

Verb
They will arraign him on a charge of murder

something made up of various, ordered pars

Noun
His arraignment will take place at the next court
sitting

Noun
There was a beautiful flower arrangement in the
hall

Arraign- synm
Verb- accuse, charge, indict, blame, incriminate,
(slang) point the finger at.
The suspect was arraigned in court today.
Arraign- ant.
Acquit, exonerate, excse.

*Array
An organized display

*Arrange
To organize or prepare, make plans in advance

to arrange troops in order for battle

Verb
We will arrange a picnic for our guests
Noun
Leave the arrangement of the meeting to her
Arrangements were made to meet the train
to put into order; to classify

Noun
There was an impressive array of vintage cars at
the motor show

Verb
The general will array his soldiers at dawn

*Arrest
To take into police custody; to seize
Verb
The police will arrest the suspect

Verb
Arrange the names in alphabetical order
Noun

42

The detective made an arrest

The thief is under arrest
a stopping or slowing down
Noun
Pressure should ensure the arrest of the bleeding
The patient suffered a cardiac arrest
Verb
Malnutrition has arrested the child's growth

to occur eventually
The day arrived when we could no longer keep
the marriage a secret
to achieve recognition or fame
Verb
after this successful exhibition of his paintings.
He has definitely arrived

to attract and hold

Verb
Clever advertisements arrest your attention
Adjective
The 'moan Lisa ' is an arresting work of art

Arrogance
Self-importance, haughtiness or excessive pride
Noun
Her arrogance makes her unpopular
Adjective
He has an arrogant attitude

Arrive
To reach any place; to appear on the scene
Verb
Our guests will arrive in Hong Kong tomorrow
Noun
We are awaiting the arrival of the train
No late arrivals will be admitted after the show
has started
Verb
Your letter has just arrived

Arrogance- synm
Noun- haughtiness, presumptuousness, conceit,
pride, ego, braggadocio, imperiousness.
The swaggering fighter displayed an annoying
arrogance.
Arrogance- ant.
Modest, humbleness, humility.
Articulate
To proNounce words distinctly
Verb
It is important to articulate each word carefully

of a baby, to be born
Verb
The baby arrived at 3 am

Noun
Pay attention to the articulation of each syllable
clear, fluent and well-expressed

Noun
They are expecting a new arrival and are hoping
for a boy
to reach; to agree upon
We finally arrived at a decision

Adjective
He is an articulate speaker
to be jointed or form a joint

43

Adjective
An articulated truck can turn quite sharply

Put these numbers in ascending order form the

lowest to the highest

Articulate- synm
Adjective- eloquent, well-spoken, expressive,
smooth-talking, facile, fluent.
Politicians give endless speeches and therefore
must be articulate.
Articulate- ant.
Real, genuine, authentic.

Noun
The ascent of the rocket was spectacular

Artificial
Invented or produces by people; not natural

Noun
He gained the ascendancy/ascendent over his
rivals

Adjective
This artificial fabric is hard-wearing

That clever young politician's star is in the

ascendant/ascendent

to become monarch

an imitation of the natural

Verb
The princess will ascend the throne

Adjective
Artificial flowers are pretty, but they have no
scent
affected; insincere
Adjective
The film star flashed an artificial smile at the
crowd
Noun
We became aware of the artificiality of his
friendship
any of various methods of restoring
maintaining someone's ability to breather

to increase in influence, power, etc

or

Ascend- synm
Verb- climb, mount, scale, rise, advance.
A priest ascended the steps to the altar.
Ascend- ant.
Descend, fall, drop.
*Ascertain
A formal word meaning to find out; to make
certain
Verb
It was difficult to ascertain the true facts
We ascertained that his first names were
Christopher Ian

she revived the child with artificial respiration

Adjective
Are the details easily ascertainable

Ascend
A formal word meaning to go up, rise

Ashamed
Embarrassed; feeling shame, guilt or remorse

Verb
The climbers will ascend the cliff put

Adjective
I am ashamed that you should see me in these
gardening clothes
He was ashamed of his poor results

Adjective

44

You should be ashamed of yourself for pinching

your little sister
I'm ashamed to be seen with him

*Assassin
A murderer, especially one who kills a wellknown political figure by a surprise attack

Ashamed- synm
Adjective- embarrassed, humiliated, chagrined,
mortified, uneasy.
Your should be ashamed to wear such sloppy
attire to work.
Ashamed- ant.
Unashamed, proud, honored.

Noun
He was a hired assassin

Asperity
Sharpness of manner or voice; ill temper
Noun
She replied impatiently with asperity
severity, harshness
Noun
The asperities of the Alaskan climate would not
suit me
Assail
A formal word meaning to attack violently,
assault
Verb
The mugger lurks in the dark street ready to
assail his victims

Verb
They tried to assassinate the president
Noun
The assassination of the prime minister caused an
uprising
Assault
A violent attack, either physical or Verbal
Noun
His playing of loud music all night provoked an
assault by his angry neighbour
Verb
Hooligans are assaulting passers-by
In law, an attempt or threat to injure another
physically; rape
Noun
He will be charged with assault
a military attack on a fortified place

Noun
My friend managed to beat off his assailant

Noun
We will launch an assault on the fort

able to be attacked, mastered

an obstacle course that has to be negotiated by

soldiers in training

Adjective
The enemy foolishly put themselves in an
assailable position
to trouble, disturb
Verb
she was assailed by doubts

We were muddy and exhausted by the time we

finished the assault course
Assault- synm
Noun- attack, onslaught, offensive, rush,
storming.
The goblin army was routed when the elves
made their assault.

45

Verb- attack, rush, storm, raid, strike, charge.

An army of dwarves assaulted the goblins last
stronghold.
Assault- ant.
Retreat, withdrawal. Retreat, retire, withdraw.

A deliberative or legislative body

Assay
To test, evaluate

*Assent
A formal word meaning t agree or approve

Verb
Geologists will assay the ore to determine its
quality

Verb
We assent to the proposal

Noun
The constitutional assembly drew up the new
constitution

someone qualified to analyse a substance,

especially a precious metal or drug

Noun
She nodded in assent
He gave his assent to the scheme

Noun
give the miner's ore samples to an assayer

Be common assent, the staff agreed to work

overtime

Assemble
To come or bring together; to collect or meet

Assert
T state forcefully, insist upon or declare

Verb
The pupils assemble in the hall

Verb
You must assert your rights

Noun
An assembly of scientists discussed the latest
research
The headmistress anNounced the results to the
school at assembly
The gallery organized an assemblage of antiques

Noun
He made an assertion that could not be proved
confident and forceful
Adjective
She should cultivate a more assertive attitude

to fit or join together the parts of something

Verb
Is it easy to assemble this model ship?
Noun
The assembly of TV sets is done at the factory
A line of workers and machines along which a
product moves as it is put together in stages
An assembly line speeds up the manufacture of
cars

Verb
Try to assert yourself more and be less timid
Assess
To estimate the value or quantity of something
Verb
The garage will assess the damage to the car
it's not easy to assess your chances of success
Noun
The estate agent made an assessment of the value
of his property

46

a value
Noun
The insurance company's assessor will visit you
to assess the flood damage
Assess- synm
Verb- evaluate, appraise, weigh, measure, judge,
check, determine, value.
After the storm, a survey crew was brought in to
assess the damage.
Asset
Something or somebody useful or of value
Noun
Her skills make her an asset to the company
the property owned by a person which cha be
used to settle debts. Legacies, etc; any property
owned by a person or business
Noun
His assets should amount to several thousand
dollars
The assets of the company included valuable
property
Assiduity
A formal word for diligence, perseverance and
care
Noun
We commend him for his assiduity
Adjective
He is assiduous in his duties

Verb
I assign these duties to you
a job or responsibility that has been given
Noun
you must complete your assignment Friday
assign- synm
Verb- distribute, dispense, give, allocate, allot.
Her students think she assigns too much
homework.
Verb- appoint, designate, name, nominate,
delegate.
He was assigned to serve on the personnel
committee.
*Assignation
A secret arrangement for a meeting, especially
between lovers
Noun
She arranged a midnight assignation with her
boyfriend
Assimilate
To be absorbed into the body or mind
Verb
The body can assimilate some foods easily
We assimilated a lot of new information at
today's lecture
to integrate adjust to a new environment
Verb
Some immigrants assimilate quickly

Adverb
She worked assiduously on the project

Noun
We must encourage the assimilation of the
newcomers

Assign
To allot, determine, appoint

Assimilate- synm
Verb- adapt, adjust, acclimatize, fit in, integrate,
blend in.

47

It took me more than a year to assimilate in Italy.

*Assist
A formal word meaning to give help or support
Verb
A nurse will assist the doctor
Noun
Could i be of assistance in organizing to the
concert?
He is an assistant to the professor
ranking next below a senior person
Adverb
She was promoted to the position of assistant
manager

Noun
These plans were drawn up by jams smith and
his associate
She is a business associate of mine
closely connected; affiliated
Adjective
He in an associate member of our club, not a full
member
Assorted
A mixture of various examples of the same type
of thing
Adjective
This box of assorted chocolates contains 10
different flavours

*Associate
To connect, link or join together

Noun
The shop has a wide assortment of gifts

Verb
We associate Switzerland with watches and snow

Adjective
Her guests wee so ill-assorted that they had little
in common

Adjective
Rainfall is associated with humidity
to be connected with
Noun
He has never associated himself with any
-political party
A parents' association has been formed at my
son's school

Assorted- synm
Adjective- various, varied, mixed, miscellaneous,
diverse.
This sofa is available in assorted color
combinations.
Assorted- ant.
Identical, uniform, similar.
Assume
To take for granted, presume

relationship; friendship
Noun
My association with my neighbours has been
amicable
His association with bill goes back to their
schooldays

Verb
They assume that they will win the match
Noun
Your argument is based on an assumption and
not on fact

a partner or colleague

48

to take over or seize

Verb
They assumed control of the business

Adverb
He will assuredly be arriving soon
to guarantee; to state positively

Noun
The dictator's assumption of power was sudden
to take on
Verb
The problem began to assume frightening
proportions
to feign, affect
Verb
The culprit assumed an air of innocence
supposing; if

Verb
One more goal will assure our victory
His promotion is assured
confident of one's own worth
Adjective
Some patients are impressed and others irritated
by the young
Doctor's self-assured manner
to take out insurance, as against death
Verb
A family man should assure his life

Assuming you don't get a rise, will you resign?

False; not real
Adjective
she used an assumed name
Assume- synm
Verb- presume, suppose, postulate, suspect, infer.
His boss assumed hed be at work on time.
Verb- adopt, embrace, acquire, take, undertake.
She assumed his responsibilities after he was
fired.
Assume- ant.
Know, prove, reNounce, abandon, relinquish.
Assure
To cause to feel certain or sure; to convince
Verb
We must assure them that there is nothing to fear
Noun
The garage gave an assurance that they would
finish the repairs by tomorrow

Noun
The assured is providing for the welfare of his
family
Adjective
An assurance company will insure against loss of
life
Assure- synm
Verb- reassure, promise, pledge, affirm,
guarantee.
The mechanic assured us that our car would be
ready by noon.
Assure- ant.
Deny, refute, question.
Astonish
To surprise, amaze
Verb
Your decision will astonish the prime minister
Adjective
It was an astonishing result

49

Verb
We were astonished at the news of their
engagement
Noun
She gasped in astonishment at the trick
Astonish- synm
Verb- amaze, surprise, astound, startle, stun,
dazzle.
She was astonished to learn she had just won the
lottery.
Astound
To astonish greatly; to fill with wonder
Verb
Your invention will astound the world
Astound- synm
Verb- astonish, amaze, surprise, startle, stun.
The Wright brothers astounded the whole world
with their first airplane flight.
Astray
In the wrong direction or way
Adverb
The parcel went astray in the post
off the right path into wrongdoing

Adverb
She sat astride the horse with legs wide apart he
stood astride
*Astringent
A substance that causes the skin or body tissue t
contract
Noun
The nurse will apply an astringent to the cut to
stop the bleeding
harsh, severe or bitter
Adjective
His astringent criticism upset her
Astute
Shrewd; having keen insight
Adjective
He is an astute businessman who has made lots
of
Astute- synm
Adjective- sharp, shrewd, keen, cleve, canny.
She got her wealth by making some very astute
investments.
Astute- ant.
Dumb, nave, stupid, unintelligent.

Adverb
The boy was led astray by his friends
Astray- synm
Adjective- lost, adrift, off the mark, far afield, off
course.
Fifty miles form home, the dog had run seriously
astray.
Astray- ant.
On course, correct, in the right direction.
*Astride
With a leg on either side

Asylum
A place of refuge or protection

Noun
The refugees sought asylum in a church
An institution for the mentally ill used to be
called an asylum

50

Asylum- synm
Noun- refuge, sanctuary, haven, shelter,
protection, retreat.
They gave the fugitive asylum in their
underground security facility.
*Atone
A formal word meaning to make amends or
compensate for a sin or crime we must atone for
our sins he promised to make atonement for
stealing the money
Atrocious
Extremely bad
Adjective
The audience was disgusted wit the atrocious
performance of the Shakespeare play
a horrible, heinous or cruel act
Noun
The terrorists committed one atrocity after
another
Many atrocities occurred in the labour camps
Atrocious- synm
Adjective- horrible, terrible, dreadful, evil, cruel,
brutal.
The Nazis were guilty of committing atrociaous
crimes.
Atrocious- ant.
Good, kind, benevolent.
Attach
To fasten, tie or connect

to join; t be associated with

Verb
She attached to the group
I will be attached to the marketing department
for a year or so
to consider to have; to attribute
Verb
We attach great importance to it
No blame can be attached to her
to seize; to take by law
Verb
The lawyer will attach their property
full of affection for
Adjective
She is attached to her grandmother
Noun
The child's attachment to her doll means we have
to take it everywhere
Attack
To begin a military offensive; to begin a physical
assault, with or without weapons
Verb
We will attack the enemy position at dawn
Noun
He saved the woman from an armed attacker
The boxer made an all-out attack in the last
round
to take the initiative, act decisively or forcefully

Verb
Attach a label to the parcel
Noun
Use this attachment for the electric food mixer

Adjective
Good tennis players have an attacking attitude
towards the opponent

51

Verb
The pianist attacked the sonata with verve

Lose, forfeit, miss.

to criticize severely

Attempt
To try; to endeavour to do

Verb
The mayor's statement was attacked in the press

Verb
He will attempt to break the record

Noun
She made a vicious attack on my reputation

Noun
I must make an attempt at baking cakes

to affect badly

to try to climb

Verb
Rust will attack the metal

Verb
They will attempt the north face

a sudden bout of illness, etc

an attack assault

Noun
She suffered an attack of nausea they had an
attack of the giggles

Noun
They made an attempt on his life

Attain
A formal word meaning t achieve; to gain
Verb
He should attain good results
to reach, arrive at
Verb
When you attain old age you will appreciate the
importance of good health
Noun
Your ambition is an attainable goal
The attainment of power does not necessarily
bring happiness
Attain- synm
Verb- achieve, reach, acquire, gain, win,
accomplish.
Van Gogh did not attain great fame as an artist
until after his death.
Attain- ant.

Attend
To go to or be present at
Verb
She is going to attend a new school next term
More than a thousand people attended the ball
Noun
Attendance at symphony concerts has improved
to accompany
Verb
Children must be attended by an adult
The president had six bodyguards in attendance
That family has had to cope with poverty and all
its
Adjective
Attendant problems
someone who assists, guides, or provides a
service for others

52

Her boyfriend was very attentive

Noun
The chief and his attendant visited the city
She got a job as a cloakroom attendant
to take care of apply yourself to or deal with
Verb
The nurses will attend to the patient
My husband attends to the garden
Please attend to this matter urgently
This letter is for the attention of the manager

kind thoughtful acts

Noun
He paid many little attentions to his sick wife
calling people to listen to an announcement
Attention all staff!
An order to soldiers, etc to stand erect, with feet
together and arms at sides

care, repair, etc

Noun
Our leaking roof needs attention
to listen Concentrate on think about
Verb
Please attend to what she is saying
Adjective
They played to an attentive audience

Attenuate
A formal word meaning to weaken, dilute or
reduced in size or intensity
Verb
High altitudes attenuate the oxygen content the
air
Noun
We noticed the attenuation of the radio signal to
draw out make thin

Noun
You must give your full, undivided attention to
the problem

Verb
Watch the glass-blower attenuate the glass into a
long thread

to point something out to somebody

Please draw his attention to the second page of
the report
notice
Noun
Nobody paid any attention to the warning sign
Your plan has come to my attention
We tried to attract the waiter's attention

Adjective
The skinny boy had attenuated limbs
*Attire
An old-fashioned word for clothing
Noun
I did not recognize you in that attire
To dress up she was attired in all her finery

courteous devoted
*Attitude
Adjective

53

The position of the body, especially as indicating

a mood, etc
Noun
The man adopted a threatening attitude with his
arm raised to strike
a way of regarding life and events
Noun
She has a negative attitude to any suggestions

*Attribute
To give credit for; to consider t be a direct result
of
Verb
They attribute their success to physical fitness
many
Adjective
Road accidents are attributable to speeding

the orientation of an aircraft or spacecraft in

flight

to regard as having been produced by

Noun
The small aero plane's attitude was conducive to
a stall

Verb
That saying is usually attributed to George
Bernard shaw
special qualities

*Attract
To draw to yourself especially by conspicuous
behaviour
Verb
I tried to attract her attention by waving my scarf
His strange clothes attracted some curious looks
to exert a force that draws something
Verb
A magnet will attract pins
Light attracts moths

Noun
She has all the necessary attributes for the job
*Attrition
A wearing away or weakening
Noun
Rocks are worn down by the attrition of waves
The guerrillas waged a war of attrition on the
occupying army
of an unforced reduction in staff due to
retirement, resignation, etc

something that appeals and delights

Noun
Toys have an attraction for children
The grand canyon is a an attractive idea

Adjective
The attrition rate has increased because of poor
wages

alluring; having sexual appeal

*Attune
To put in tune or harmony with

Adjective
She is an attractive girl he is attracted to older
women

Verb
Attune with nature, he felt at peace
to adjust or adapt to

54

To increase; supplement
Verb
Our ears are becoming attuned to the traffic noise
and we scarcely notice it
Audacity
Daring, boldness

Verb
the extra work will augment his income
Augur
To be a sign of what will happen

Noun
The audacity of the prison escape made headlines

Verb
Your diligence and honesty augur well for your
future

Adjective
It was audacious rescue

the custom in ancient Rome of foretelling the

future by omens

impudence, insolence, cheek

Noun
The roman general depended on augury to show
if the time was right to attack

Noun
The audacity of his remarks offended me
Audacity- synm
Noun- courage, bravery, guts, fearlessness,
nerve, daring.
Climbing the icy cliff took a stunning amount of
audacity.
Arrogance,
cheekiness,
rudeness,
nerve,
shamelessness, gall, brass.
How they had the audacity to cut in line ahead of
us, III never know.
Audacity- ant.
Cowardice, fear, timidity, courtesy, politeness,
deference.

Augment- synm
Verb- increase, enlarge, extend, raise, expand,
swell.
She augmented her income by taking on an
additional job.
Augment- ant.
Decrease, lessen, diminish.
*August
Imposing, stately, majestic or venerable
Adjective
A groups of august statement were engrossed in
serious conversation

*Audible
Loud enough to be heard

the eighth month of the year

Adjective
The sound of the distant traffic was audible

Noun
August has 31 days

Adverb
she sighed audibly to attract his attention
connected with hearing and the ears
Adjective
He has auditor problems after his ear infection

Aura
A distinctive air or quality that distinguishes a
person or thing

Augment

Noun
He walks around with an aura of importance

55

a supposed emanation surrounding a person, said

to be visible to those with psychic powers

serious; stern
Adjective
He was an austere man who rarely smiled

Noun
Some believe that the halo in old religious
paintings represents the person's aura
sensation preceding the
disorders, such as epilepsy

onset

of

certain

Noun
The flashes of light were the aura that warned
him of an imminent epileptic attack
Aura- synm
Noun- air, ambiance, emanation, (slang) vibe,
atmosphere, mood.
We sensed the woman had an aura of great inner
peace.

plainly, simply
Adverb
The school dormitory was furnished austerely
Austere- synm
Adjective- severe, rigid, strict, stern, harsh, stiff,
formal.
Her austere look means were introuble.
Austere-ant.
Cheerful, friendly, lenient.
Authentic
Genuine; known to be true

*Auspices
Patronage, support and favour

Adjective
The chair is an authentic antique

Noun
The concert was held under the auspices of the
president

Noun
They confirmed the authenticity of the signature
on the cheque

favourable, promising

reliable

Adjective
The fine day was an auspicious start to our
expedition

Adjective
The records in the archives are an authentic
source of information
to make legal or prove to be true or genuine

Austere
Severe, harsh
Adjective
The islanders live under austere condition
self-discipline, without worldly pleasures
Noun
The monk lived a life of austerity

Verb
The lawyer will authenticate the will
Authentic- synm
Adjective- genuine, real, true, actual, legitimate,
pure.
An authentic first edition of any dickens novel is
incredibly valuable.
Authentic- ant.

56

Fake, imitation, unreal, false.

independent
Authority
To have the power and right to control, judge or
prohibit the actions of others; to be in charge
Noun
He has authority over the whole camp
Who is in authority here?
The authorities have banned the use of fireworks

Adjective
The nation consists of a few autonomous states
Avail
To make use of; to take advantage of

favouring absolute obedience to authority;

dictatorial

Verb
You must avail yourself of this opportunity to go
overseas

Noun
The colonel is a strict authoritarian

Our pleas for mercy we of no avail/to little avail

and the bandits killed one of the passengers

permission

that can of the passengers that can be gained,

obtained, used, etc; that can be seen, talked to

Noun
He has authority to speak on their behalf
On whose authority was this done?
Verb
The committee will authorize/authority her to
buy it
Noun
Authorization/authorisation for the purchase was
given

Adjective
This offer is available till Monday
Our manager is not available at the moment
Noun
We can repair your car, subject to the availability
of the necessary spare parts
Avenge
To take revenge, retaliate for an injury, harm or
insult

an expert
Noun
she is an authority on butterflies
Adjective
He is an authoritative writer on bird life
Autonomy
Self-rule; independence
Noun
After the second world war, Britain granted
many of its colonies autonomy

Verb
He will avenge his brother's murder
Noun
He sees himself as an avenger
*Average
An arithmetic mean; the result obtained by
adding several amounts, then dividing the total
by the number of amounts; any amount, standard,
etc, that is considered typical or representative
Noun

57

The average of 4,5 and 9 is 6

Verb
To pass, you must average 50% throughout the
year
Noun
What is the baseball player's batting average?
They averaged out the meal at $50 a head
Adjective
We've had above/below average rainfall this
month
ordinary; normal
Adjective
To day was an average working day
He was a pupil of average ability
On average, it takes us about an hour to get to
work
*Averse
Opposed, reluctant or disinclined

Avert- synm
Verb prevent, thwart, stop, turn away, halt,
shunt, deter.
They hoped to avert a disaster by draining some
of the flood waters.
Avert- ant.
Cause, invite, bring about.
Avid
Eager, enthusiastic
Adjective
He is an avid reader of thrillers
Adverb
We follow the TV serials avidly
greedy for
Adjective
She is avid for success
Noun
He is known for his avidity for praise

a strong dislike

Avid- synm
Adjective- eager, passionate, enthusiastic,
fervent, zealous, ardent, fanatical.
He was an avid postage stamp collector.
Avid- ant.
Unenthusiastic, apathetic, indifferent.

Noun
he has an aversion to loud music

*Avoid
To keep away from

Avert
To turn away, turn aside

Verb
We try to avoid our argumentative neighbours
I leave work late in order to avoid the rush hour

Adjective
He is averse to having his hair cut
She is not averse to trying out the new system

Verb
she tried to avert her eyes from the victim's body
to ward off, prevent or avoid
Verb
Avert suspicion by acting normally
Her quick reactions averted an accident

to refrain from doing something; to prevent

something from happening
Verb
You must avoid eating chocolates
Noun

58

He is known for his avoidance of responsibility

to make or become aware of
Adjective
We must cut out all avoidable expenditure

*Avow
A formal word meaning to declare openly; to
admit or confess

Verb
We must awaken him to his responsibilities
The song awakened old memories
mentally alert, watchful
Adjective
Be awake to all possible dangers

Verb
I avow my loyalty to my country
Noun
His avowal of guilt closed the case
acknowledged, open
Adjective
He was an avowed supporter of free speech
*Await
To wait for or expect

*Award
Something given, especially a reward for merit
or a prize
Noun
She received the award for the most outstanding
student
Verb
They will award the prize to the first correct
entry opened
to declare to be

Verb
We await further instruction
to be in store for
Verb
A pleasant surprise awaited us see wait
*Awake
Not asleep
Adjective
The children are awake
to emerge or rouse from sleep
Verb
He awoke to find his clothing stolen

Verb
Entitled to he was awarded custody of the
children
Aware
Informed or conscious of
Adjective
You should be made aware of the dangers of
smoking
She was suddenly aware of being watched
Noun
It is important to have awareness of the
difficulties of the project
Aware- synm

59

Adjective- mindful, conscious, informed,

apprised, knowing.
Are you aware of the dangers of drug addiction?
Aware- ant.
Unaware, unfamiliar, uninformed.
*Awe
Respect mixed with fear; reverence and wonder
Noun
When I was a child, I was very much in awe of
my grandfather
Verb
We awed by the power of the waterfall
Adjective
Seeing the Himalayas was an awe-inspiring
experience
The tidal wave was an awesome sight
He stood awe-struck/awe-stricken in the presence
of his hero
Awful
Shocking
Adjective
He was guilty of an awful crime
unpleasant or bad
Verb
What awful we are having
ugly
Adjective
I wouldn't buy that awful vase
very great; exceptionally; very much
Adjective
She is an awful nuisance
Adverb
They were awfully kind he has an awful lot of
work to do

Awful- synm
Adjective- dreadful, terrible, horrible, appalling,
bad, poor.
That was an awful thing to say to your friend.
Awful- ant.
Delightful, wonderful, pleasant.
Awkward
Ungraceful, clumsy
Adjective
The runner has an awkward style
badly designed; causing difficulty in use
Adjective
This jug has such an awkward spout that it spills
when it pours
difficult and inconvenient; embarrassing
Adjective
She always calls at an awkward time
Noun
We were all aware of the awkwardness of the
situation
Adverb
She smiled awkwardly at his silly joke
adolescence
He's at the awkward age, no longer a child but
not quite an adult
Awkward- synm
Adjectiveclumsy,
inept,
ungraceful,
uncoordinated, bungling, ungainly.
He made an awkward attempt to catch the ball.
Embarrassing, disconcerting, difficult, ticklish,
delicate.
We both felt uncomfortable during the awkward
pause in our conversation.
Unwieldy,
unmanageable,
cumbersome,
unhandy.

60

The heavy hammer felt awkward to the small

boy.
Awkward- ant.
Graceful, coordinated, pleasant, comfortable,
easy.

Be careful not to babble about this meeting's

agenda

*Awry
Crookedly, askew

Backbite
To speak spitefully or badly about someone

Adverb
The picture was hanging awry

Verb
They have nothing better to do than to backbite
their neighbours

Noun
A babbler cannot be trusted with a confidence

amiss, wrong
Adverb
Our plans went awry

Backbone
The spinal column
Noun
He injured his backbone in a climbing accident

B
the main support or strength
Babble
A meaningless confusion of words or sounds
Noun
He could not hear the above the babble of the
crowd
low murmuring or bubbling noise
Noun
The babble of the brook has a soothing sound
to speak very quickly or incoherently
Verb
My son tends to babble when he is very excited
or upset
foolish, incessant or irrelevant talk; chatter
Noun
Trivial babble irritates me
to disclose secrets carelessly

Noun
Oil is the backbone of the Saudi Arabian
economy
strength of character
Noun
Do you have the backbone to overcome this
setback?
Backfire
Of an internal-combustion engine, to make an
explosive sound like a gunshot
Verb
A car may backfire due to a small explosion of
prematurely ignited fuel or un burnt exhaust
gases
to produce the opposite result to that wanted or
expected; to go wrong
Verb
His blackmailing attempt backfired and he ended
up in prison

Verb

61

a controlled fire started to halt an oncoming fire

by creating a barren

Adjective
His banal lecture bored us

Noun
Area the firefighters started a backfire downwind
to try to halt the raging forest fire

Noun
I was irritated by the banality of her comments
Barbarian
An uncultured, brutish person; a lout

Backlash
A sudden, strong, adverse reaction, especially to
a political or social development
Noun
If they intend to legalize abortion they must
expect a backlash from people who believe it is
wrong
a sudden recoil in ill-fitting machinery
Noun
Backlash can be caused by worn or badly fitting
parts in a mechanism
Baffle
To confuse, puzzle, perplex or frustrate
Verb
The complete absence of clues continues to
baffle the police
We were baffled by his sudden change of plan
Adjective
I had difficulty in understanding the baffling
instructions that came with the video recorder
Bamboozle
To cheat, mislead; to confuse or mystify
Verb
A con man tried t bamboozle me out of $50
I was totally bamboozled by that card trick
Banal
Not original or interesting; dull; trite

Noun
Some barbarian has defaced priceless art works
at the gallery
primitive or uncivilized
Adjective
The ancient civilization was destroyed by
barbarian invaders
very cruel, brutal, inhuman or violent
Adjective
Flogging is a barbaric punishment
Your drunken behaviour last night was barbarous
Noun
I was shocked by the barbarism of their acts
Bargain
An agreement or contract between parties
Noun
We made a bargain that he would do the work
and I would supply the materials
I've kept my side of the bargain
to negotiate or haggle
Verb
If you bargain with him, he might drop the price
something bought or sold at a lower price than
usual
Noun

62

This jersey is a bargain at that low price

A sale attracts people who are looking for
bargains
to be forceful or relentless in striving for a
profitable transaction or bargain

To cry or shout loudly

Verb
Children bawl when they hurt themselves
The sergeant bawled at the recruits
a scolding

I wouldn't do business with him, he drives a hard

bargain to

The mother gave her disobedient child a good

bawling out

expect or anticipate
when I took on the job, I didn't bargain for/on
working overtime every evening
My grandfather got more that he bargained for
when he agreed to look after those badly behaved
children
to rely on
I am bargaining on your support during this
difficult time

Beatitude
Supreme blessedness, serenity or happiness
Noun
The expression of the Madonna in the painting
suggests a state of beatitude
Adjective
The bridegroom's beatific smile showed how
happy he was
Beau
From French, meaning beautiful; a boyfriend

in addition; besides; also

She is an efficient manager and a nice person
into the bargain
to do your best under difficult conditions; to
accept an unfavorable situation
We didn't expect the hotel to be so old and
shabby, but we'll
just have to make the best of a bad bargain and
not let it spoil our holiday
Bawdy
Raunchy, lewd, especially amusingly
Adjective
He laughed at the bawdy scene in the play which
annoyed his prudish wife

Noun
She has a new beau every month
Which one of Helen's beaus/beaux do you think
she'll marry?
A man who is excessively interested in
appearance; a dandy
Noun
Beau was the nickname of the British dandy
George
Broomball who was a leader of fashion in the
regency period
Beauty
The quality that gives delight to the senses
Noun
Thousands of tourists visit Bali each year
because of its scenic beauty

Bawl

63

Adjective
That woman is more than pretty, she is beautiful
He has written some beautiful
Adverb
She sings beautifully

She may be pretty, but her beauty is only skin

deep because
she is spiteful and bad-tempered
the sleep before midnight, supposed to be the
most refreshing

an outstanding example
Noun
This mango is a real beauty

Why have you got dark rings under your eyes,

didn't you get your beauty sleep last nigh?

an attractive aspect
Noun
The beauty of the job is its short working hours
to make beautiful adorn
Verb
Flowering shrubs along the road verges have
helped to beautify the city

Beckon
To attract someone's attention and summon them
with a movement of the hand or head
Verb
I saw my grandmother beckon to me from the
other side of the road, so I went over to see what
she wanted
The teacher beckoned the pupil to go the to the
front of the class

a place of beauty
to entice or invite
The lake district is a well-known beauty spot
a small, real or artificial mark, such as a mole or
freckle, which is thought to enhance your beauty

Verb
The sunny day seemed to beckon us outdoors
ready to carry out someone's every wish

She accentuates that beauty spot on her cheek

with make-up as

He still expects me to be at his beck and call

even though he is no longer ill

It shows off her creamy skin

Someone who has won a beauty contest
Venezuela's beauty queen went on to win the
miss world contest
a person who works in a beauty salon or parlour

Bedecked
To be covered with decorations, adorned
Verb
The church will be bedecked with flowers for the
wedding

Noun
I am going to the beautician today for a facial
and manicure

Befuddle
To confuse or muddle

appearance does not show the real person

Verb

64

Your explanations merely befuddle me instead of

helping me to understand

to act in the correct manner

Verb
Drinking too much wine has befuddled him

Verb
The children behaved themselves while you were
away
My computer is behaving itself again, so we
don't need the technician just yet

Beguile
To charm, amuse or fascinate

Noun
We are proud of your behaviour

Verb
Be careful he doesn't beguile you with his
irresistible smile

to be as well behaved as possible

to stupefy or make drunk

lulled or distracted; causing time to pass

pleasantly

We expect you t be on your best behaviour in

church
Beholden
A formal word for under an obligation

Adjective
Beguiled by the warm, somnolent day, I drowsed
under the trees

Adjective
We are beholden to them fro their help

to cheat, mislead or deceive

an old-fashioned word meaning to look at

Verb
They beguiled people into giving money to a
fictitious charity

Verb
Behold the rising sun!

Behave
To act in a certain way
Verb
Why do you behave so badly?
He behaves as if he were the manager

Belated
Late
Adjective
I am sending a belated birthday card as I've been
in hospital
too late

It is a pleasure having such a well-behaved child

to stay
ill-behaved; badly behaved
Noun
A prisoner's sentence may be reduced for good
behaviour
We are studying the behaviour of lions in their
natural habitat

Adverb
He realized; rather belatedly that he had made a
big mistake
Beleaguer
To harass or pester
Verb
If you continue to beleaguer me with questions, I
shall never get dinner on the table

65

fantasy
besieged, surrounded by troops
Adjective
The beleaguered town is running out of food

Noun
Superman lives in the land of make-believe
it is surprising but true

Believe
To accept something as true or real
Verb
We believe the prisoner is innocent
Noun
There is a belief that the economy is on an
upswing

Believe it or not/would you believe it, that lazy

boy got a first-class pass
I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that my
uncle had grown a red beard
incredibly
Inflation has soared beyond belief

Adjective
He gave a believable excuse for his absence
Verb
You can't believe a word she says
My daughter believes in fairies
religious faith

as far as I know
To the best of my belief she has already moved to
another town
Belittle
To make a person or thing appear insignificant or
not very good

Noun
Severe hardship has tested his belief in god
She is a devout believer who attends church
regularly

Verb
Don't belittle his piano playing, he needs
encouragement

to trust or have confidence in a person, remedy

etc

Bellicose
Eager to fight; aggressive

Verb
I believe in her ability to do the job well

Adjective
His bellicose manner led to a brawl

Noun
He is a great believer in natural medicine

Belligerent
Ready to fight or argue

to think or suppose

Adjective
You have a belligerent attitude and always want
to pick a fight

Verb
I believe it's going to rain
Is Sam married? I believe so

Noun
Your belligerence will get you into trouble

66

a person or country engaging in warfare or

fighting
Noun
Switzerland was not a belligerent in the Second
World War
Bemoan
To express regret or sorrow over a loss, etc; to
complain

Verb
I refuse to bend to the will of such a tyrant
with all your energy or attention directed to;
absorbed or engrossed in
He was so bent on his work that he didn't hear
her come in
determined on doing, having something

Verb
Don't continue to bemoan the loss of your job,
rather start looking for another one
Bemused
Confused, bewildered or puzzled; lost in thought
Adjective
The scientific jargon in the article left him
somewhat bemused

If your are bent on leaving, I won't try to stop

you
a leaning towards; a natural skill or talent
Noun
She has a bent for drawing and wants to become
an illustrator
dishonest

Bend
To curve or force something into a curve; to
make something upright lean forward
Verb
The saplings bend before the wind

Adjective
He is a bent policeman who takes bribes
a drinking bout

Adjective
He used a bent pin as a hook

Noun
He went on a bender last night and is feeling
terrible today

Noun
Be careful of the sharp bend in the road

a painful physical condition caused by too rapid

decompression

Adjective
I practically had to go down on my bended knees
when asking for the favour

Deep-sea divers suffer from the bends if they rise

to the surface too quickly
to change the rules a little to suit yourself

to stoop or incline
Verb
Bending down hurts my sore back the man was
bent with age

We will need to be flexible and bend the rules

according to the circumstances
slang for crazy, dotty

to submit or agree to

67

Her incessant whining is driving me round the

bend/twist

payments made by an institution or government

to someone who is ill, unemployed, etc

Benediction
A spoken blessing

Noun
He will be eligible for unemployment benefits

Noun
The bishop proNounced the benediction

describing an entertainment or event to raise

money for charity

Benefit
An advantage;
wellbeing

Adjective
The first night of the play was a benefit
performance in aid of charity

something

that

promotes

Noun
Our children need the benefit of a good
education
I will start again for the benefit of those who
came late
Verb
Your health will benefit if you stop smoking
He has clearly benefited from the extra lessons
Adjective
Exercise is beneficial to your health
to presume innocence because there is no proof
of guilt; to accept what someone says although
doubt exists
He maintains that he did not take the money and
we must give him the benefit of the doubt, since
there is no proof that he did
a person who gives financial or other help
Noun
His fees are being paid by an anonymous
benefactor or benefactress he doesn't even know
if the generous persons is a man or a woman
a person, organization, etc, that receives financial
or other help
Noun
The old-age home is a beneficiary in her will

the process of adding value, especially by

enhancing a raw material
Noun
Examples of beneficiation are turning iron are
into steel, and coating hardboard with a laminate
Benevolent
Kind or helpful; generous, charitable
Adjective
He is a benevolent man who helps many needy
people
Noun
Charities depend on the public's benevolence
Benign
Kindly or genial; gentle
Adjective
The old man patted the child's head and gave her
a benign smile
favourable, beneficial
Adjective
My horoscope says that the stars will exercise a
benign influence on my life this month
not malignant, not threatening to life or health

68

Adjective
We were relieved when the tumour was found to
be benign
Bequeath
A formal word meaning to leave personal
property to someone in a will
Verb
I intend to bequeath half my assets to charity
Noun
She left a bequest of valuable books to her
nephew
to hand down or pass on to subsequent
generation
Verb
Michelangelo bequeathed a wealth of art works
to mankind
Berate
A formal word meaning to scold harshly or
reprimand

Berserk
Destructively violent; wild; frenzied
Adjective
He went berserk and started smashing everything
in sight
Beseech
A formal word meaning to entreat, implore or
beg; to ask for earnestly
Verb
She was so annoyed that he had to beseech her
for forgiveness
She besought/beseeched me to help her with her
work
Besiege
To bring about the surrender of a fortified area of
city by surrounding is with an army, lay siege to
Verb
The Greeks set out to besiege Tory
To be crowded or hemmed in

Verb
Your teacher will berate you if you are late again

Verb
The candidate was besiege by jubilant voters

Bereaved
Describing those who have suffered the loss of a
friend or relative through death

to be overwhelmed or harassed with requests,

queries, etc

Adjective
We expressed our condolences to the bereaved
wife after the funeral
Noun
There has been a bereavement in his family
The bereaved are/is still mourning
deprived to something valued generally
Adjective
The looters behaved as if bereft of their senses

Verb
We were besieged with requests for tickets to the
rock concert
Besotted
Infatuated
Adjective
That young man is besotted with the new
secretary
drunk; stupefied
Adjective

69

After there brandies, he became quite besotted

and fell asleep
Bestial
Cruel; savage; brutal
Adjective
The bestial treatment of the prisoners caused a
public outcry

Noun
I don't have a phone, so you can imagine my
bewilderment
when I received a telephone account
Bewitch
To cast a spell over
Verb
He is afraid the sangoma will bewitch him

sexual depravity
enchanting, charming or captivating
Noun
The bestiality of the attack on the woman was
honorary degrees
Bestow
To present as a gift or honour; to confer
Verb
Tomorrow the rector of the university will
bestow honorary degrees
Betray
To act as a traitor to your country, friend etc,
Especially by treacherously revealing secrets,
confidences, etc
Verb
He intends to betray his country by selling
military secrets to the enemy
The journalist refused to betray the source of her
scoop it was a betrayal of my trust when she
blurted out that we were bankrupt

Adjective
I find her beauty and vivacity utterly bewitching
Bigot
A person who is intolerant of ideas other than his
own, especially on matters of religion, politics or
race
Noun
One cannot reason with a bigot
Adjective
He is reasonable in most things but is extremely
bigoted when if comes to politics
Noun
We don't tolerate bigotry and prejudice in this
company
Blame
To hold a person or thing responsible for
something bad

to reveal involuntarily
Verb
His shaking hands betrayed his fear

Verb
She is sure to blame me for leaving the stove on

Bewilder
To confuse utterly; to puzzle

Noun
We thought he had taken the money, but he
proved to be blameless

Verb
You will bewilder him with such complex orders

I am not prepared to take the blame if something

goes wrong

70

Don't try to put/lay the blame on me

Poor visibility was to blame for the pile-up on
the freeway

Blemish
A disfigurement, flaw or defect
Noun
She covers the blemish on her face with make-up

You have only yourself to blame if you fail

I don't blame you for being so angry
Blasphemy
Impious or disrespectful speech about god or
sacred things
Noun
Christians regard the irreverent use of god's name
as blasphemy
Adjective
He found the film offensive because it was full of
blasphemous language

Verb
Be careful not to blemish your otherwise
faultless record
Blister
A small liquid-or air-filled bubble under the skin
or other surface, caused by rubbing burning, etc
Noun
My new shoes have given me a painful blister
Verb
Heat will blister the paint
severe or extreme

Blatant
Glaringly obvious or obtrusive; unashamed
Adjective
My girlfriend flirted with mark in a blatant
attempt to make me jealous
Bleak
Unsheltered, windswept; bare or desolate
Adjective
The island is bleak with no trees and little
vegetation
of weather, cold, grey or harsh
Adjective
I don't feel like going for a walk on such a bleak
winter's day
not promising or hopeful; gloomy
Adjective
The prospects of getting a job are bleak at he
moment

Adjective
We can't work in this blistering heat
His blistering criticism was uncalled for
a type of packaging with a plastic-bubble
covering
The tablets were hygienically sealed in a blister
pack
Blizzard
A severe snowstorm with strong winds
Noun
We were completely isolated for days because of
the blizzard
Blunder
A stupid mistake; a foolish, tactless remark
Noun
I became aware of my terrible blunder in the
ensuing embarrassed silence

71

to move clumsily, as if blind; to stumble

it's hard to wear a hat in this blustery weather

Verb
We blundered along the uneven track in the dark

Boggle
To hesitate or reluctant

Blunt
Of knives, tools, pencils, etc, not sharp or
pointed

Verb
I boggle at having to tell her she's failed
to be amazed; to find something hard to imagine

Adjective
This pair of scissors is too blunt to cut the
material
to make less alert

That lazy slob running a marathon, the mind

boggles
The new theories about the universe are mindboggling

Verb
Too little sleep can blunt a driver's reactions

Boisterous
Noisy and lively; rough and unrestrained

in an outspoken manner; directly; frankly

Adjective
The children are very boisterous today so I told
them to go outside and play

Adverb
She told him bluntly that he had not got the job
Blur
Something that is unclear or indistinct
Noun
The page is a blur to me when I don't wear my
glasses

Bolster
A long, cylinder-shaped, hard cushion
Noun
A bolster helps to make this bed look like a
couch
to support or strengthen

Verb
Her eyes blurred the tears
Education blurs class differences
Bluster
To make noisy, often ineffectual, threats, boasts
or protests
Verb
He tried to bluster his way out of the encounter
Noun
Beneath all that bluster he is scared
of wind, blowing in loud, violent gusts

Verb
His cutting comments did nothing to bolster my
confidence
Boomerang
A curved, flat, wooden missile that returns to the
thrower when thrown correctly
Noun
The Australian aborigine killed a bird with his
boomerang
to recoil or backfire causing harm to its
originator

Adjective

72

Verb
His dishonesty will boomerang on him, because
he is bound to be found out
Bother
To disturb, annoy, pester or irritate
Verb
Don't bother me now as I'm busy
Sorry to bother you, but what time is it?
I'm tired, go away and stop bothering me
to worry or fret; to be troubled or concerned
Verb
He's so late that it's starting to bother me
Is your headache still bothering you?
Adjective
The leaking roof is a bothersome problem

Briefness or shortness of time; conciseness of

language
Noun
My mother was upset at the brevity of your visit
see brief
Brim
The upper edge or rim of a vessel
Noun
Don't fill the cup to the brim otherwise it will
spill over
completely full
Adjective
The glass was brimful/brim full of water
Verb
Her eyes were brimming with tears

to make an effort; to concern or stir yourself

Verb
Please don't even bother to look up as I can see
myself out
He didnt bother to look up as I came in
I'll wash up later I can't be bothered now
a slang interjection used to express mild irritation
Oh bother I can't find my car keys
Brandish
To wave or flourish something in a flamboyant,
threatening or excited manner
Verb
If you brandish that flag so violently, you'll put
someone's eye out the
Robbers brandished their guns in front of the
terrified crowd
I wish she'd stop brandishing her engagement
ring about
Brevity

to overflow
The froth of the beer brimmed over my tankard
a projecting rim, especially on a hat
Noun
The brim will shade your eyes from the sun a
Stetson is a wide-brimmed hat
Brisk
quick, lively, energetic or vigorous
Adjective
A brisk walk before breakfast will give you an
appetite
The hikers set off at a brisk pace
Verb
The bidding at the auction started briskly
Brittle
hard but fragile
Adjective

73

Glass is brittle and needs careful handling

That dog is vicious brute and should be muzzled

The brutality of the terrorists shocked the world

of a sound, having a harsh quality

Adjective
We found her brittle laugh irritating

Adjective
He behaved in a brutish manner towards her
to become insensitive to cruelty

touchy, easily upset

Adjective
Working to a tight deadline make her rather
brittle

Verb
War may brutalize/brutal is some soldiers
bluntly, ruthlessly or insensitively

Broom
A long-handled sweeping brush, originally made
from the twigs of the broom shrub

Adverb
He was brutally honest and said he no longer
loved her

Noun
We often have to brush the leaves off the porch
with the broom
Witches are supposed to flu around on
broomsticks

physical strength

any of various shrubs with yellow flowers of

European origin
Noun
The stems of our broom are completely covered
with sweet-scented flowers

Only brute force enabled the men to shift the

boulder
Bully
A person who uses strength or power to
intimidate, hurt or persuade
Noun
Stop hitting him, you bully you're twice his size

a person new to a position of authority who

makes changes that are often resented

Verb
He was punished for bullying his brother
My wife bullied me into buying a new couch

It was a case of a new broom when the new

manager arrived and changed all our procedures

a slang term' sometimes ironic, meaning 'well

done'

Brutal
Cruel, violent, savage

well, bully for you , top of the class again!

Adjective
He died as a result of a brutal
Adverb
He was brutally beaten

Bustle
Busy, excited activity or commotion
Noun
I forgot my passport in the bustle of leaving
Adjective

Noun

74

Just before my passport in the bustle of leaving

just before a public holiday, the supermarkets are
bustling with shoppers

The new manager uses so many buzz words we

can hardly understand what he is saying
slang for go away,

Verb
He bustled about the kitchen banging pots
We bustled her out of the room before she saw
the mess
Buzz
A continuous low humming sound like that of a
bumblebee
Noun
I could hear the buzz of an electric saw

Buzz off, you're getting on my nerves!

to telephone someone
I'll give you a buzz later to see if you're feeling
any better
Noun
Slang for a feeling of pleasure, thrill I get a buzz
flying

Verb
A fly was buzzing against a window trying to get
out
C
Noun
The buzz of conversation died down when he got
up to speak
The buzzer of the alarm clock woke me with a
jolt

Cacophony
Harsh, unpleasant, discordant sounds
Noun
The cacophony of car horns filled the air

to summon someone with a buzzer

Verb
The manager buzzed for his secretary
full of excited talk, etc
The office was buzzing with excitement at the
news
a rumour
Noun
There's a buzz going around that she's engaged
fashionable words or phrases, especially
specialist or technical jargon, often used to
impress

Cajole
To persuade someone to do what you want by
charm and flattery
Verb
She tried to cajole the child into eating his
vegetables by saying that they would make
him tall and strong
Calamity
A disaster; a serious misfortune causing
havoc
Noun
The earthquake was a calamity which
claimed many lives
Adjective
To declare war was a calamitous decision

75

Callous
hard-hearted, insensitive, unfeeling
Adjective
The callous remark hurt her feelings
tissue that has roughened and thickened,
usually from rubbing
Noun
A corn is a type of callus
Adjective
The laboure has calloused hands from
digging
Camaraderie
Mutual friendship, comradeship
Noun
There was hap camaraderie among the crew
Camouflage
the use of artificial materials or natural cover
to hide from view
Noun
The tanks' camouflage of brown and green
paint prevented enemy planes from spotting
them
Verb
You must camouflage yourself with branches
so that they don't see you
to use the protective colouring or shape that
conceals an animal from its predators

Noun
His show of anger is just camouflage to
conceal the truth
Campaign
A series of activities to achieve a specific
result
Noun
Our campaign to raise funds includes a cake
sale
Verb
We campaigned for better working conditions
Noun
She was a campaigner for women's rights
a number of military operations aimed at
achieving an objective
Noun
Numerous battles were fought during the
Italian campaign
Candid
Frank; outspoken; unbiased
Adjective
I rely on my teacher to give me a candid
opinion on my chances of passing the exam
Noun
Candour is a necessary quality in a referee
Adverb
Candidly if think you're being silly
unposed, informal

Verb
The chameleon camouflages itself by
changing colour to match its surroundings

Adjective
The photographer took candid pictures of the
wedding guests

any means of concealing or deceiving

Cantankerous
Ill-natured, crotchety, quarrelsome

76

Adjective
That cantankerous old man always has
something to grumble about
Capitulate
To surrender, especially under specified
conditions, to give in
Verb
The blockaded forces will have t capitulate
Noun
The capitulation of the rebels was achieved
through negotiation

Carnage
A massacre, great slaughter, as in battle
Noun
There was terrible carnage in the First World
War
Carnal
Relating to the desires of the body, sensual;
not spiritual
Adjective
The monk tried to banish carnal thoughts
from his mind
Carnival
A festival, celebration or fair; public revelry

Cardinal
A high-ranking catholic priest
Noun
A cardinal is one of the college who elect the
pope

Noun
We danced in the street during the spring
carnival
Adjective
There was a carnival atmosphere in the city
at New Year

most important, principal

Adjective
Relieving poverty is a cardinal issue that
needs our urgent attention

Cascade
A stream of falling water

The cardinal virtues are justice, prudence,

temperance and fortitude

Noun
A cascade of water fumbled down the rocks

a deep vivid red, scarlet

to fall like a shower of water

She wore a velvet dress of cardinal red

Verb
Thousands of little stars cascade from the
fireworks

a mathematical term for any whole number

used t indicate quantity but not order
st

nd

rd

1,2,3,etc, are cardinal numbers but 1 , 2 , 3 ,

etc, are ordinal numbers
one of the four main points of the compass

Casual
happening by chance, unplanned
Adjective
Our casual meeting at the shop led to a great
friendship

North is a cardinal point

unconcerned; superficial

77

Adjective
The manager doesn't like your casual attitude
to your work

Noun
The earthquake was a catastrophe
Adjective
it was a catastrophic mistake

informally
Adverb
I dressed casually as it wasn't a formal party
We wear casual clothes on holiday
not regular or permanent

Cease
To stop or end
Verb
They cease working at five o'clock
Adjective
The mine is a hive of ceaseless activity

We employ casual labour when harvesting

Adjective
it was just a casual affair

Noun
The attackers agreed to a cease-fire
The temporary cessation of the war was brief

Casualty
A person hurt or killed in an accident or
battle

Celebrate
To mark a special day or an event with
festivities or ceremonies

Noun
He was the only casualty in that accident

Verb
We celebrate john's 40th birthday next week t

someone who suffers loss as a result of

circumstances

Noun
The wedding celebration lasted all weekend

Noun
The poor are casualties of the recession

to perform a religious ceremony

Cataclysm
A great disaster or violent change; a
devastating flood
Noun
The flood was a cataclysm
Adjective
The first use of the atomic bomb was a
cataclysmic event
Catastrophe
A sudden and great disaster or misfortune

Verb
The priest celebrated mass
a famous person, public figure
Noun
Since that interview, she has become a
celebrity
Adjective
Henry Moore was a celebrated artist
Celibacy
Abstinence from sexual relations and
marriage, especially because of religious
vows

78

Noun
Monks live a life of celibacy

The charismatic movement is a Christian

movement based on a belief in divinely
inspired healing, prophecy, etc

Adjective
After his unhappy marriage ended in divorce,
he prefers to live a celibate life

Charlatan
Someone who falsely claims to possess
knowledge, especially of medicine; a fraud

Centrifugal
Moving or pulling away form the centre

Noun
He is not a real doctor but a charlatan who
has never even been to university

Adjective
Centrifugal force stops the water in the
swinging bucket from spilling out
Chaos
Utter
confusion,
pandemonium

disorder;

upheaval;

Chasm
A gorge, ravine, abyss or crevasse
Noun
The mountain climber fell into a chasm
a wide difference of opinions, interests, etc

Noun
The meeting ended in chaos
demonstrators invaded the stage

when

Noun
There is an unbridgeable chasm between
their ideas and mine

Adjective
After the accident, a chaotic state of affairs
developed as more and more cars jammed the
freeway

Chaste
Abstaining from sexual intercourse outside
marriage, or form all sexual intercourse

Charisma
The ability to attract and influence others;
great charm

Adjective
The religious group lived a quiet and chaste
life

Noun
Mother Teresa's charisma inspired others to
work among the poor

pure; decent

Adjective
That politician's charismatic personality wins
him many votes
of a divinely inspired power or gift
Adjective
The preacher is a charismatic healer

Adjective
She was chaste in her speech and behaviour
Noun
Nuns must take vows of chastity
simple, unadorned
Adjective
The house was furnished in a caste style with
plain wooden chairs and tables
Chauvinist

79

A fanatical patriot; someone with an

irrational belief in the superiority of his or
her own group
Noun
a chauvinist is intolerant of people of other
nationalities
Men who regard themselves as superior to
women may be accused of male chauvinism
Chequered
Marked in squares of different colours,
checked
Adjective
At the end of his last lap a racing driver will
be shown a black and -white chequered flag
draughts, checkers
Noun
The children played chequers
varied in fortune or character

the system and customs of knighthood

Noun
Chivalry flourished in the Middle Ages
courteous, generous or brave behaviour,
especially to women
Noun
We were impressed by his chivalry to wards
the old ladies
Adjective
With his chivalrous nature, he is always
ready to help the weak
Choke
To obstruct the breathing, strangle; to have
difficulty in breathing
Verb
If you eat and talk at the same time. You may
choke on the food
The Boston strangler choked his victims
We were choking from the smoke

Adjective
Te had a chequered career of success and
failure

a collar, scarf or necklace that fits closely

around the throat

Cherish
To hold dear, value, treasure

Noun
She wore a pearl choker around her neck

Verb
We must cherish his memory

to cause an obstruction; to prevent growth,

development

Adjective
The pocketknife was his most cherished
possession

Verb
The river is choked with sand
Weeds are choking my grass

to cling fondly to a hope or idea

To suppress your feelings

She was very upset but managed to choke
back/down her tears

Verb
You should cherish your ambition to become
a lawyer

to be overcome with emotion

Chivalry

80

That song makes me choke up with sad

memories

Noun
He is practicing his karate chop

a knob that operates the valve that controls

the air flow to a carburetor

to reduce or discontinue

Noun
You may have to pull out the choke before
starting the car

Verb
Train services at weekends have been
chopped
to be dismissed from a job

Chop
To strike something with an axe or other
cutting tool; to cut into pieces
Verb
He took his axe and started to chop the
branch into logs
Noun
One more chop and the tree will topple
Adjective
You could sprinkle chopped parsley on top of
the soup

We will all get the chop if we don't start to

show a profit
to be killed
By the end of the film, all the baddies had got
the chop
abruptly moving in short, irregular waves;
variable
I become seasick when the sea is choppy
to make sudden changes of direction

Noun
The butcher's chopper must be very sharp
She took out the chopping board to chop up
an onion

he continues to chop and change jobs he will

get nowhere
a pair of sticks made of ivory, wood, etc, used
as eating utensils

They are going to chop down the tree

Should we chop off the branch that
overhangs the road?
a chopped-off slice
containing a bone

of

meat,

usually

Noun
Chopsticks are held in one hand and moved
rather like pincers
Try using chopsticks when we eat the
Chinese restaurant
a traditional fast waltz tune played on a piano
as a duet

Noun
He feels like having a lamb chop for supper
a short downward blow, especially with the
side of the hand

Noun
The children learnt to play chopsticks using
two fingers
Chronic

81

lasting a long time; persistent, especially of a

diseased of a disease or habit
Adjective
He has had a chronic smoker's cough for
years
Verb
This is a home for the chronically ill
Churlish
Ungracious; surly; boorish
Adjective
We're embarrassed by his churlish behaviour
Circumscribe
A formal word meaning to restrict, narrow
down
Verb
His recent heart bypass operation will
circumscribe his activities
keeping within set limits
Noun
There a are rules to ensure the
circumscription of their duties and rights

Verb
The pilot changed direction to circumvent the
electrical storm
to outwit
Verb
He is thinking of a plan to circumvent the
strict new rules
Noun
The law is clearly worded to prevent any
circumvention
Clairvoyance
An alleged power to perceive things not
apparent to the normal senses
Noun
He is said to have powers of clairvoyance
Verb
Which enable him to foretell the future
Noun
They consulted a clairvoyant for help in
finding the child
Clamour
an outcry, uproar; any loud, prolonged noise

an inscription around the edge of a coin, etc

Noun
It's difficult to read the circumscription on
this old coin

Noun
When the show was cancelled, a clamour
arose from the angry audience
The clamour of the traffic was deafening

to outline or encircle

to demand vigorously

Verb
He is going to circumscribe in red the main
towns on the map

Verb
Residents clamour for a better bus service

Circumvent
a formal word meaning to find a way around;
to avoid

Clandestine
Secret; furtive
Adjective

82

The traitor had a clandestine meeting with a

spy
Clasp
a fastening device
Noun
The clasp of the necklace is broken
to grasp firmly or embrace
Verb
The trapeze artistes clasp the swing
He clasped her in his arms
to interlace your fingers

The drain is clogged again

a thick-soled wooden shoe
Noun
The clog is part of the traditional dress of the
Netherlands
Clout
a blow, especially with the open hand
Noun
Dad gave me a clout for being cheeky
Verb
I'll clout you if you don't keep quiet!

She clasped her hands in excitement

Influence and power, pull
Cling
To keep a tight hold, to grasp tightly
Verb
A small child will cling to its mother for
safety
The shipwrecked passengers clung to the
wreckage to stay afloat
to adhere or stick to
Verb
We clothes cling to the body
The smell of tobacco clung to my clothes
after the party die-hards cling to their oldfashioned beliefs

He may be only a junior minister but he

wields immense
Noun
Political because of his family connection
Clown
A professional comic entertainer, usually
wearing an outlandish costume and garish
make-up
Noun
The antics of
children laugh

the circus clown made the

to behave in a silly way, play the fool

emotionally dependent
Adjective
Their clinging children lack self-confidence
Clog
to block up or obstruct
Verb
Dead leaves clog the gutters in autumn

Stop clowning around/about and get down to

some serious work
Clumsy
awkward, ungainly,
coordination

lacking

physical

Adjective

83

The new waitress is rather clumsy and keeps

dropping things

To pamper, cosset or spoil; to treat as an

invalid

Adverb
He mounted the horse clumsily and nearly
fell off

Verb
They coddle him because he is a sickly child
to cook in water just below boiling point

Noun
We call her 'butterfingers' because of her
clumsiness

Verb
Coddle the eggs until they are just set see
mollycoddle

unwieldy or badly made

Adjective
That bulky desk is a rather clumsy piece of
furniture

Cogent
of reasons, etc, a formal word for convincing,
compelling or powerful

tactless or inept

Adjective
His cogent argument convinced us

Adjective
His clumsy attempt at an apology did not
soothe her feelings

Cognizance/cognisance
A formal word for awareness, understanding
or knowledge

Cluster
A group of people or things bunched close
together; a clump

Noun
Cognizance/cognisance of all the facts is
necessary before a judgment can be made

Noun
Her brooch was in the form of a cluster of
pearls

Adjective
The lawyer was not cognizant/cognizant of
any similar case
The psychology students studied children's
cognitive development

Verb
The pupils clustered around their teacher
Coax
To encourage gently, entice, persuade or
cajole
Verb
I tried to coax my sick mother into taking
some soup
He coaxed a smile form the baby by pulling
faces

to pay attention to; to be aware of; to

recognize officially
The
developers
must
cognizance/cognisance of the
objections to this project

take
previous

Cohabit
a formal word meaning to live together as
husband and wife, especially without being
married

Coddle
Verb

84

Some couples cohabit before marrying

Cohere
To stick together, remain united
Verb
Flour and water cohere to make dough
Noun
That soccer team lacks cohesion as the
players don't work together as a team
Adjective
We must present a cohesive front to the
opposition
clear, intelligible; rational, logical
Adjective
Despite her injuries, the victim was able to
give a coherent account of the assault
Adverb
Drunken people have difficulty in talking
coherently
Coincide
to happen at the same time or in the same
place
Adverb
As it the same place as it happens, your
wedding anniversary and
My birthday coincide my arrival was
coincidental with his departure

Noun
My meeting your mother in Italy was sheer
coincidence
What a strange coincidence
Collateral
Something of value offered as security
against a loan; a pledge
Noun
My shares were accepted by the band as
collateral
descended from a common ancestor but in a
different line
Adjective
He comes from a collateral branch of the
family
parallel, side by side
Adjctive
The canal and the road are collateral for
several kilometers
Collide
to crash together violently
Verb
Cars often collide on that blind corner
Noun
There was a nasty collision at the junction today
conflicting, opposing

to agree, concur or correspond

Verb
The witness's statement coincides with that of
the accused
a remarkable occurrence of similar events or
circumstances

Adjective
Communism and capitalism have colliding
ideologies
actions or ideas that are heading towards a clash
or conflict
The radar screen shows two planes on a collision
course

85

Collude
To conspire or collaborate for a devious or
fraudulent purpose
Verb
Teachers who collude with students on the
content of the exam papers will face disciplinary
action
Noun
There was obvious collusion between the suspect
and a witness in the court case
Combat
A fight, struggle or skirmish, especially in the
military sense; a contest or conflict
Noun
Many soldiers saw combat during the war
The sergeant was awarded a medal for bravery in
combat
Army chaplains are not expected to become
combatants during a war
eager or ready to fight or argue
Adjective
Anger put him in a combative mood
to fight against,
vigorously oppose

contend with, resist or

Verb
Gardeners spray plants to combat insect pests

Adjective
Relax in that comfortable armchair
Adverb
It was too hot last night to sleep comfortably
relaxed and at ease
Adverb
She did not feel comfortable with strangers
Come in and make yourself comfortable
to console, soothe or offer solace
Verb
Friend tried to comfort her after the funeral
Noun
Being a widow, her children are a great comfort
to her
by a wide margin; easy
Adjective
The horse romped home to a comfortable win
The party was returned to power with a
comfortable majority
free from pain, etc, in a stable condition
Adverb
The patient is resting comfortably
well provided for financially

Comfort
A state of ease, relaxation and physical wellbeing; something that produces this state
Noun
Most people would like to live in comfort when
they retire
After backpacking for three weeks, we really
appreciated the comforts of home

The old couple were comfortably off with their

combined pensions and savings
Commemorate
to honour or preserve the memory of someone or
something
Verb

86

Nations tend to commemorate their war dead

with monuments
This concert commemorates the anniversary of
Mozart's birth
Adjective
Jewish people light a commemorative candle on
the anniversary of a loved one's death
A tree was planted in commemoration of the
town's centenary
Commence
A formal word for to begin or start

In the right proportion; suitable, appropriate

Adjective
The salary offered is commensurate with
experience and ability
Commit
to entrust or consign for safekeeping or official
custody
Verb
On the death of both her parents, it was decided
to commit the baby into the care of her aunt

Verb
The meeting will commence with prayers

Noun
Since his mental condition was so unstable, he
had to be committed to an institution

Noun
All books must be put away before the
commencement of the examinations

Verb
The magistrate
ordered
committal to a reformatory

Commend
A formal word meaning to praise, recommend

to perform an act, especially something negative

Verb
I must commend you on your excellent results on
the basis of his references, I can commend him
for the job

the

delinquent's

Verb
If you steal fruit form that shop you will be
committing a crime
Distressed people sometimes commit suicide
to promise or pledge

a formal word meaning to entrust

Verb
I commend this orphan into your care
praiseworthy, admirable

Verb
He wouldn't commit himself to helping, as he
didn't know if he would be available
The council has committed itself to providing
shelter for the homeless

Adjective
Raising all that money for charity was a most
commendable
an award

Noun
I made a commitment and I'm sticking by it

Noun
He received a commendation for bravery

Noun
She's taken on too many commitments
Is your salary enough to meet your financial
commitments

Commensurate

a thing you have promised or undertaken to do

87

to be obliged to
Verb
She felt committed to attending the Christmas
lunch, much as she hated such functions

Adjective
The living room was so commodious that we
decided to divide it into a dining room and a
lounge
Commotion
A noisy disturbance, uproar, fuss or hullabaloo

to say what you think or feel; to make a decision

The doctor refused to commit himself on the
patient's condition
Adjective
Until the results of the test were known, the
doctor remained noncommittal

Noun
What's that commotion outside in the street?
Communal
Shared by a community

to be dedicated to

Adjective
The camp site has communal toilets in a central
block

Verb
She is totally to her job as a teacher

a group of individuals or families, often sharing

accommodation and responsibilities

He is a committed Christian

The members of the commune take turns to look

after the children

to consign or dispose of
to feel in close touch or communication with
Verb
She committed all her old love letters to the
flames
the burial or other disposal of a dead body
Noun
As the deceased had been a naval officer, the
committal was conducted at sea
Verb
His body was committed to the deep

Verb
I like to sit by the sea and commune with nature
the medium at the sance appeared to have
communion with the spirits of the dead
part of a Christian religious service, the Eucharist
Noun
We took communion last Sunday
The communion service commemorates the last
supper by the consecration of bread and wine

to learn by heart, memorize

For homework, you must commit to memory this
poem by Keats
Commodious
A formal word for roomy or spacious

Communicate
To transmit information; to impart or exchange
views, ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc, by spoken,
written or body language
Verb

88

The cellular telephone makes it easier for people

to communicate with each other

The master bedroom and bathroom are linked by

a communicating door

Noun
The fax is an
communication

Commute
To travel the same route regularly, especially a
long distance between home and work

instant

form

of

written

Verb
The deaf can communicate by sing language
The deer communicated her fear to the rest of the
herd
Noun
Storms have severed all communications with
the town

Verb
Many people commute by train every day
Noun
He is a daily commuter between an outlying
suburb and the city

to exchange information regularly with someone

Adjective
Commuter trains are overcrowded during the
rush hour

Have you been in communication with head

office?
Communications satellites make it easy to relay
TV signals all over the world

Noun
Commuting by car can be tiresome
in law, to reduce a sentence to one less severe

an official communication or announcement

Noun
A communiqu from the battlefront reports many
casualties
talkative, outgoing, friendly or willing to give
information
Adjective
If you had been more communicable we could
have helped you with your problems
able to be passed from one person to another,
especially a disease
Adjective
Measles
and
communicable

chickenpox

joining, connecting, interpleading

Adjective

are

highly

Adverb
Prison sentences are sometimes commuted to
fines
a formal word meaning to substitute, transform,
convert or change
Verb
Can I commute pension into a lump-sum
payment?
Medieval alchemists tried to commute base
metals into gold
Compassion
A feeling of sympathy or pity; the showing of
humanity or mercy
Noun
He was filled with compassion for the refugees
Adjective
The compassionate magistrate showed leniency
towards the accused, as it was a first offence

89

Noun
We took compassion on the lost cat and took it
home with us
leave granted on humanitarian grounds or for
personal reasons
He was given compassionate leave on the death
of his father
compatible
able to coexist in harmony, suited
Adjective
Their marriage could never have worked, as they
are not compatible
A compatible have similar interests compatibility
between business partners is essential for a good
working relationship
consistent
adjective
His actions were not compatible with his
promises
of equipment, machinery, etc, able to be used
together
Adjective
This printer is not compatible with my computer

I had no compelling reason for leaving, so I

stayed for dinner
arousing strong interest or fascination
Adjective
We listened to the old sailor's compelling tales of
adventure
See compulsion
See impel
Compendium
a book containing a collection of items of useful
information a formal word for a summary
Noun
They have published a compendium of cooker
tips, recipes and conversion chart
compensate
to make amends; to recompense for loss, injury
or damage, especially financially
Verb
The airline had to compensate the passenger for
luggage lost in transit
Noun
He received a large sum from the insurance
company in compensation for his injury
to offset or counterbalance, make up for

Compel
To make someone do something; to bring about
by force; to require
Verb
I cannot compel you to stop smoking, but you
should bad health compelled him to retire
prematurely
I felt compelled to speak out against the injustice

Verb
Her skill at playing by ear compensates for her
inability to read music
Compete
to strive against others for a prize, position, etc

convincing or forceful

Verb
The teams will compete for the silver trophy
Are you competing in the scrabble

Adjective

Noun

90

Competition
There is much competition for that job she has
ended up on the short list, in competition with
two other candidates
Noun
All competitors must register first
aggressive; ambitious, eager to win or succeed
Adjective
He's very competitive in his field
Noun
Competitiveness is an asset in the business world
Adjective
Professional tennis is a very competitive sport

Adjective
The pianist a competent if not inspired,
performance
Complacent
Overconfident; smug, self-satisfied
Adjective
Nobody can afford to be complacent about
personal security these days
You are more likely to make mistakes if you
become complacent
Noun
There is no room for complacency just because
the team won the last game; we must play even
better
Complement
The required number or amount

opponents, business rivals collectively

Noun
Our company has few competitors

Noun
A ship's complement includes the officers as well
as the crew

We ought to get the tender, as our quote was

lower than that of the competition

Thanks to the extra hiring, we have a full

complement of staff

able to do better than others

to add to; to make complete

Adjective
That shop's prices are most competitive being
lower than most

Verb
You need practical experience to complement
your academic training

Competent
Proficient, properly qualified;
efficient

to go well with
capable and

Adjective
Is he sufficiently competent to coach the team?
Noun
She displays great competence as a teacher
adequate or quite good

Verb
Mint sauce complements roast lamb
Adjective
They got on well because their personalities are
complementary

91

Complete
Whole, entire, having all its parts
Adjective
Here is a complete list of staff, including parttime workers
I have a complete set of dickens's novels
Verb
We need one more player to complete the team

Adverb
After all that shopping, I am completely
exhausted
Adjective
She is a complete stranger
Complex
complicated, intricate or involved
Adjective
This knitting pattern is very complex

to finish off, end

Verb
The builders have not yet completed the garage
Adjective
Once your homework is complete you may
watch TV
Noun
I will pay only on completion of the work
thorough
Adjective
The insurance company needs a complete report
of the accident
supplied or equipped
Adjective
The computer comes complete with software and
a user's manual

Noun
The complexity of the workings of a computer
baffles many people
a unit made up of many parts; a composite
structure
Noun
The new recreational complex includes a gym,
swimming pool and tennis courts
A complex sentence is a grammatical term for a
sentence containing a main clause and at least
and at least one subordinate clause
an abnormal mental attitude; a phobia
Noun
She has a complex about her weight and pecks at
her food
People with low self-esteem are often said to
have an inferiority complex

to fill in

Verb
if you want to open an account, you must
complete this form

Complicate
To make complex, involved, difficult or
confusing
Verb
Don't complicate things by issuing conflicting
instructions

totally, wholly, utterly

Noun

92

The puncture was an added complication to out

trouble-filled journey
Adjective
The pupils struggled over the complicated
algebra equation
a new illness or condition that aggravates a
previous disorder
Noun
Pneumonia can be a serious complication of flu
After the operation complications set in and the
patient nearly died
Complicity
Involvement as an accomplice or collaborator,
especially in
Noun
Wrongdoing his fingerprints are proof of his
complicity in the theft
Compliment
To express admiration, praise or congratulations
Verb
I must compliment you on your outfit
He complimented me on my achievement

Noun
Please hand this note to the manager with my
compliments
A firm's compliment slip is often included with
an enclosure when no covering letter is necessary
free of charge; of a gift
Adjective
I have two complimentary tickets for the rugby
match the first glass of wine is on the house, with
the compliments of the manager
an ambiguous compliment that is possibly ironic;
a sarcastic or insulting remark disguised as a
compliment
Adjective
A left-handed/backhanded compliment sounds
flattering but has a hidden uncomplimentary
meaning
Comply
To abide by or conform to; t act in accordance
with

Adjective
I thanked him for the complimentary remark

Verb
Competitors must comply with the rules or they
well be disqualified
All public buildings must comply with the
council's fire and safety regulations

Does he often pay a compliment like that?

submissive, obliging, yielding

Noun
Please convey my compliments to the chef for
the magnificent meal
The delicious cake was a compliment to her
baking skills

Adjective
New employees often adopt a too compliant
attitude, which wears off in time

'You' re looking very smart today, 'I can return

the compliment ' for so are you!
Greetings appropriate to the circumstances

Noun
I was amazed at her meek compliance as she is
usually so difficult
Compress
To press or squeeze together

93

Verb
You can compress coal duct with a binder to
make briquettes for use as solid fuel
to reduce or condense
Verb
Time-lapse photography compresses many hours
into a few seconds
Adjective
Compressed air is used to operate pneumatic
brakes
Noun
An aerosol works by the compression of a gas
propellant
A bicycle pump is a type of air compressor

A compromise was reached in the dispute, with

management paying more and workers accepting
less
Verb
I wanted to go camping, but my wife wanted to
stay at a hotel, so we compromised on a selfcatering chalet
to make concessions damaging to your principles
or beliefs
Verb
She would not compromise herself by eating
bacon, which was against her religious dietary
laws
to be placed in a vulnerable or embarrassing
position, especially owing to an indiscretion

Verb
Try to compress your lengthy speech into five
minutes

Verb
The diplomat was compromised when he was
secretly photographed in conversation with a spy

a thick pad of material pressed to the skin

Compulsion
An irresistible impulse

Noun
A cold compress applied to an injury can
alleviate pain and reduce inflammation and
swelling
Comprise
To consist of or be composed of
Verb
Women comprise more than half the country's
population
The complete set of reference books comprises
six volumes
Compromise
An agreement in which both or all sides make
concessions
Noun

Noun
Annoying though he is, you must curb the
compulsion to hit him
Adjective
My brother is a compulsive gambler who loses
all his money at the races
the act of compelling or forcing
Noun
You are under no compulsion to take on this job,
but we would like you to do so
obligatory, required by law or regulation
Adjective
The wearing of shoes is compulsory see compel

94

Conceal
To hide or keep secret
Verb
You must conceal the presents until Christmas
day
Noun
The concealment of vital facts in a legal case an
be a crime
Adjective
Concealed video cameras are used in banks to
record robberies
Concede
To admit, often unwillingly; to yield, grant or
allow
Verb
I must concede that you are right
The outging prime minister conceded defeat in
the election
The soccer team conceded a goal to their
opponents through weak defense
Noun
The company was obliged to make some
concessions to its workers to avoid a strike
a franchise
Noun
The mining company was given the concession
to extract kaolin in the area
reduced in price for certain groups
Adjective
Half-price concessionary tickets are available to
pensioners
Conceit
Vanity, an exaggerated opinion of yourself or
your accomplishments

Noun
His conceit is evident in his loud voice and
overbearing manner
Verb
Conceited people think that they are better than
everybody else
Conceive
To become pregnant
Verb
Fertility clinics help women who find it difficult
to conceive
Noun
Approximately nine months elapse between
conception and birth in humans
to form a plan, idea, etc
Verb
The politician conceived a way to win votes
Noun
The whole conceptions
commercial is brilliant

to

that

TB

car

able to create, originate or visualize

Adjective
Graphic designers must have good conceptual
abilities
to think or imagine
Verb
We cannot conceive why he ran away
Adjective
I've tried every conceivable method, but I still
cannot get this stain out
an abstract principle; a general notion
Noun

95

The concept of evolution is not acceptable to all

His conciliatory/conciliate tone cooled tempers

and allowed negotiations to resume see reconcile

to be unaware of have no idea of

She has no conception of the amount of work
involved in the job
Concert
A musical entertainment by more than one
performer

Concoct
To make up by combining different ingredients
Verb
I prefer to concoct my own recipes instead of
using a cookery book

Noun
She sang in the end-of-term concert

Noun
This particular
concoction

to perform live

to make up or invent

That rock group is in concert at the club tonight

Verb
He concocted an excuse to explain his absence

a person who often goes to concerts, especially

of classical music
Noun
She's a regular concert-gore who attends the
symphony concerts every week

medicine

is a vile-tasting

Concord
Harmony, agreement
Noun
We try to live in concord with neighbouring
states

cooperating or acting together

a treaty or pact
Our school is organizing a fair in concert with
other schools
Adjective
We must all make a concerted effort to finish the
job on time
Conciliate
To win over; to placate or soothe
Verb
The store manager tried to conciliate the angry
customer by giving him a discount on his
purchase
Adjective
Conciliation procedures are designed to avoid
conflict between management and staff

Noun
The countries signed a peace concord
a grammatical term for agreement in number,
gender or case
Noun
'They has gone' is an error in concord since the
subject 'they' is plural, but the Verb 'has' is
singular
Concrete
A mixture of sand, small stones, cement, etc,
used for building
Noun
Our garage is made of concrete

96

Adjective
Many structures have concrete foundations

We wanted to watch two concurrent TV

programmers, so we taped one

to cover in concrete

Adverb
He is serving two prison sentences which run
concurrently

Verb
We are going to concrete the driveway
a modern city typified by a mass of skyscrapers
Some people thrive in the ruthlessness of the
concrete jungle
definite, positive
Adjective
We have concrete proof of his guilt

Concussion
An injury to the brain, usually causing temporary
loss of consciousness
Noun
He suffered from concussion following a blow to
the head
Verb
The boxer delivered a punch hard enough to
concuss his opponent

material, real or physical

any violent shaking; shock waves
Adjective
A chair is a concrete object, whereas an idea is an
abstract concept
Concubine
An unmarried woman who acts as a secondary or
additional wife in countries where this is legal
Noun
A concubine usually has a lower status than an
officially married wife
Concur
A formal word meaning to agree, be of the same
opinion
Verb
I concur with your excellent suggestion
He concurs with my decision to accept their offer
The three magistrates concurred in their findings
occurring at the same time
Adjective

Noun
The concussion from the bomb blast blew out the
windows
Condemn
To express strong disapproval
Verb
Most people condemn cruelty to animals
Noun
The act of terrorism brought condemnation upon
the perpetrators
Adjective
The government issued a condemnatory
statement about the ongoing political violence
to impose a sentence; to doom
Verb
He was condemned to death by the judge
Poverty condemns them to become vagrants
prison cell of a person who has been sentenced to
death

97

Our snobbish neighbours are very condescending

The inmate of the condemned cell had committed
three murders

Condole
A formal word meaning t express sympathy

to show guilt
We condole with you on your tragic loss
Verb
Her furtive behaviour condemned her
to declare unfit for use
Verb
The old shed was condemned and had to be
demolished
Condense
To compress or reduce in volume
Verb
Try to condense your report into a single
paragraph
Adjective
Add a can of water to condensed soup
Noun
The magazine serialized a condensation of the
best-selling novel
the conversion of a vapour to a liquid
Noun
The mistiness of a windscreen on a cold day is
caused by condensation
Distilled water can be made in a condenser
Condescend
To do something tat you think is beneath your
dignity
Verb
Perhaps your haughty brother would condescend
to help you clean the car!
Patronizing; gracious, but making others feel
inferior

Noun
I must write a letter of condolence to my recently
widowed friend
Please accept our condolences on your
bereavement
Condone
A overlook or forgive
Verb
How could she be expected to condone her
husband's unfaithfulness?
Child abuse can never be condoned
She has a forgiving nature and condones his
occasional drinking bouts
Conducive
Contributing or helpful towards, favourable
Adjective
A sensible diet is conducive to good health
Hot and humid weather is not conducive to
energetic activity
Conduit
A channel or pipe for carrying liquids
Noun
Water for irrigation
underground conduit

flows

through

the

a rigid tube carrying electric cables

Noun
The electric wires are protected inside the
conduit in the wall
a means of communication

98

our PRO acts as a conduit between the company,

its customers and the media

the practice of holding a meeting especially by

linking up several people by telephone

Confederacy
An alliance of parties or states for mutual
benefit; a league or partnership

Noun
Conferencing by telephone speeds up business
dealings
Three people were linked up in the conference
call

Noun
The southern states formed a confederacy which
fought the northern sates in the American civil
war
In a confederation each member retains some
autonomy
a collaborator or accomplice, especially in a plot
or misdeed
Noun
The gang leader's confederate hid the loot from
the police

Confess
To own up or admit to a fault or crime
Verb
Hoping to get a lighter sentence, she decided to
confess to the theft
Noun
The accused made a complete confession to the
police
a declaration of sins

Confer
To bestow or grant
Verb
The chancellor is to confer degrees on the
successful graduates
He thinks being my oldest friend confers on him
the right to criticize everything I do

Noun
I always go to confession at St Mary's church on
Fridays
a declaration of religious belief
Noun
His prayer was a confession of his faith in god

to consult; to discuss and compare views

to acknowledge something, especially reluctantly
Verb
I must confer with my lawyer before I can
release details
The committee conferred for hours

Verb
She finally confessed that she was terrified of
birds

a discussion, especially a formal meeting

to be honest
I must confess, I don't like him at all

Noun
My doctor attended a medical conference in Rio
The manager is in conference and cannot be
disturbed

Confide
To talk about something secret or private with
someone you trust
Verb

99

You can confide your plans to her as she isn't a

telltale

Noun
He has the confidence to succeed

Noun
Friends often exchange confidences
He/she is the old lady's confidant/confidante

Adjective
The company is confident that business will
improve

Don't confide in him, he's a gossip

Adverb
She drives confidently despite having passed her
driving test only recently

I'll take you into my confidence but don't breathe

a word t anyone
He gave me the information in the strictest
confidence
private, secret, not for common knowledge
Adjective
You shouldn't read that confidential report
The envelope was marked 'strictly confidential'

a swindle in which someone is defrauded after

his or her confidence has been won
Noun
He believed he was going to make his fortune,
but the scheme was a confidence trick/con and he
lost all his money
Verb
She was conned into giving money to a charity
that didn't exist

Adverb
I was told confidentially that she had had a
nervous breakdown

The confidence trickster /con man knew bow to

inspire trust in his victims

Noun
Confidentiality is vital in a doctor patient
relationship

Configuration
The arrangement of the parts of something; shape

between you and me

Adverb
Confidentially I hear she's pregnant again

Noun
The configuration of our computer system is
designed so that the printer is in a separate office
The configuration of the aircraft allows
supersonic flight at high altitudes

trust in someone or something

Noun
You must have confidence in your doctor
Adjective
He has a confiding nature and believes every
beggar's hard-luck story

Confine
To shut up, especially in a small place
Verb
I think it is cruel to confine birds in cages
Adjective
Claustrophobics are terrified of confined spaces

self-assurance or certainty
imprisonment

100

Noun
The prisoner was kept in solitary confinement in
a tiny cell
to restrict or limit
Verb
Please confine your comments to the subject
under discussion
After the accident, he was confined to a
wheelchair
Noun
Patients must remain within the confines of the
hospital grounds
Adjective
This job is too confining for me, I like to use my
own initiative

Noun
The report was confirmation of the plane crash
Confiscate
To take or seize by authority, sometimes as a
punishment
Verb
The police will confiscate any unlicensed
firearms found in your house
Noun
The confiscation of the schoolgirl's knife made
her angry
Verb
Any comics found in the classroom will be
confiscated

the period of childbirth

Conflagration
A formal word for a large, destructive fire; an
inferno

Noun
Her lengthy, difficult confinement necessitated a
longer stay than usual in the maternity home

Noun
The conflagration following the gas explosion
reduced the factory to charred rubble

Confirm
To prove the truth of

Conflict
A prolonged battle or fight

Verb
Can anyone confirm your alibi?
Blood tests confirmed the doctor's diagnosis

Noun
Many planes were shot down in the conflict
a serious disagreement, clash

firmly established in a habit, way of life, etc

Adjective
My brother is a confirmed bachelor and will
never marry
to make definite; to re-affirm
Verb
Your Verbal hotel reservation must be confirmed
in writing

Noun
Angry words were exchanged in the conflict over
wage increases
Children often have a conflict of loyalties when
their parents divorce
There is a conflict of interests between the owner
and the staff
Verb
Although our political views conflict we can still
be friends

101

Your opinion conflicts with mine

Adjective
Conflicting evidence came from the witnesses
Confluence/conflux
A flowing together, especially of rivers
Noun
A dam was built at the confluence/conflux of the
rivers
a formal word meaning a crowd of people, an
assembly or gathering
Noun
The pope blessed the confluence/conflux in St
Peter's square
Conform
To comply with rules, standards, etc
Verb
The proposed additions to your house must
conform to building regulations
He is regarded as eccentric because of his refusal
to conform
Noun
She is such a conformist that she would never
behave unconventionally

In conformity/conformance with custom, jackets

must be worn by men in the club dining room
Confound
An old-fashioned word meaning to confuse,
perplex or bewilder
Verb
This magician is guaranteed to confound you
with his act
The police were confounded by a lack of clues
to defeat or thwart
Verb
We mean to confound our enemies
an expression of annoyance
Confound it! I've missed the train
Adjective
He is a confounded nuisance with all his
questions
Confront
To present somebody with something in an
accusing way
Verb
He may confess if you confront him with the
evidence

to agree with to be the same as

to come face to face in opposition
Verb
We could never become close friends as his
interests do not conform with mine

Noun
There is too much conformity and not enough
individualism in these designs
in accordance with

Verb
The boxers confronted each other in the ring
Noun
An angry confrontation between management
and workers was defused
to deal with squarely; to Face up to
Verb

102

You must confront your problems, not avoid

them
Confuse
To muddle or mix up
Verb
Those files are in alphabetical order so don't
confuse them
I always confuse alternate' with alternative'
Noun
There has been some confusion in the seating
arrangements
His mental confusion could be due to the
sedative
difficult to understand; bewildering, perplexing
Adjective
Some people find the game of cricket confusing
Verb
All those facts and figures confused me
Don't confuse the issue with unimportant details
to upset or disturb; to make uncertain
Verb
Her unexpected departure confused our plans
Looters ran riot in the confusion after the
earthquake
We were thrown into confusion by his unfounded
accusations
Congenial
Pleasant, agreeable, friendly
Adjective
Our club is a congenial place to spend an evening
compatibility;
having
dispositions, etc

similar

Noun
There is no congeniality in that relationship as
they are as different as chalk and cheese
Congenital
Existing at birth, but not hereditary, especially a
disease, defect, etc
Adjective
A club foot is a congenital deformity that can
usually be corrected
complete, meaning as if from birth
Adjective
Don't believe him as he is a congenital liar
Congested
Overcrowded, blocked or clogged
Adjective
Beaches become very congested over the
Christmas and New Year holidays
Noun
The traffic congestion in our cities is getting
worse
Adjective
My nose is congested as i have a cold
Conglomerate
Composed of smaller elements
Adjective
Conglomerate rock is made up of small stones
held together in a solid mass
a large business which comprises a number of
different companies
Noun
That conglomerate grew by acquiring small firms
over time

interests,
Congregate
To collect in a crowd; to flock together

103

Verb
Students tent to congregate near the tuck shop at
lunchtimes
a gathering of worshippers or those who
regularly attend church
Noun
The congregation stood up to sing the closing
hymn
The pastor often visits members of his
congregation in their homes

She can conjure up a delicious meal from a few

basic ingredients
to cause to appear by magic
Verb
Aladdin conjured the genie when he polished the
magic lamp
to cause to appear in the mind
To some, the name Tahiti conjures up the image
of an island paradise

Conjecture
A guess or assumption

Connive
To disregard or allow a wrongdoing

Noun
Your opinion is based on mere conjecture and the
facts may prove you wrong

Verb
Not to protest is to connive at the pollution of our
beaches

Conjugate
To give the various forms of a Verb as it changes
according to number, person, tense, etc

Noun
The theft could only have been possible with the
connivance of the security guard

Verb
Please conjugate 'to be' in the past tense

To plot or conspire

Noun
The conjugation of the Verb 'to have ' in the
present tense singular is 'I have; you have; he,
she, it has'
Conjure
To perform magic tricks, especially by slick
movements of the hands; to produce as if by
magic
Verb
The magician can conjure a rabbit out of a hat
Noun
The conjurer/conjuror baffled the children with
his conjuring tricks

Verb
The terrorists connived with the copilor to hijack
the plan
Sly; treacherous
Adjective
Dont trust him as he is a conniving rouge
Connoisseur
An expert, especially in the arts
Noun
He is a connoisseur art and possesses many
valuable paintings
Connotation

104

An implication of a word beyond its literal

meaning; an association of ideas

Military service, because it is against their

principles

Noun
The word 'steed' has a more romantic
connotation than 'horse' , since it suggests a
swift, powerful animal
The word primitive often has derogatory
connotations

In some countries, conscientious objectors must

produce religious or moral reasons for not
serving in the army

Conquer
To gain possession of by force; to defeat

Verb
The archbishop will consecrate the new church
next week

Verb
Hitler tried to conquer most of Europe in the
Second World War
Noun
William the conqueror invaded England in 1066
The conquest of per in the soccer match boosted
the, Chilean team
Verb
He has been able to conquer his stammer
something,
conquering

especially

land,

acquired

by

Noun
Brazil was a Portuguese conquest before it
gained independence
to gain someone's love or admiration
That charming girl has made many conquests
Conscientious
Having a sense of obligation; dutiful, diligent

Consecrate
To declare or make sacred

Noun
All local dignitaries have been invited to the
consecration
to dedicate yourself t a specific purpose
Verb
My aunt consecrated her life to church work
Consecutive
Following successively without interruption;
sequential
Adjective
We had flooding after it rained for five
consecutive
Adverb
The pages of a book are numbered consecutively
Consensus
General agreement, majority opinion

Adjective
You can depend on her as she is a conscientious
worker

Noun
After much discussion between the opposing
parties, consensus was reached
The consensus of opinion was that we go ahead
with the proposed scheme

people who refuse to conform t a requirement,

especially

Consent
To agree; to give permission

105

Verb
I will consent to your marrying my daughter,
provided you get a job
Noun
you must get your parents' consent before you
can go on this trip

to accept the unpleasant results

Criminals must take/suffer/bear the consequences
of their actions
importance, significance

unanimously, by everyone
She was chosen as our representative by common
consent
an adult who agrees t something, especially a
sexual act
He believes that homosexuality
consenting adults is not wrong

Noun
Members of the jet set think they are persons of
consequence
This trivial matter is of no consequence
Conservative
Having a dislike of rapid change; traditional

between

Consequence
A result or outcome

Adjective
Country folk tend to be more conservative in
outlook than city dwellers
conventional; avoiding extremes

Noun
My alarm clock didn't go off and, as a
consequence I overslept
The consequence of his hard work was a
promotion

Adjective
He is very conservative and always wears a suit
to work
moderate; fairly low

Adjective
The lack of rain and consequent drought killed
many animals

Adjective
A conservative estimate of the cost is $1 000, but
it might be more

The temperature dropped t freezing point and

Adverb
Consequently the water pipes burst
She was away from work so often that she lost
her job in consequence
a formal word meaning following as a result,
especially indirectly
Adjective
He was ill and suffered a consequential loss of
earnings

a political stance in favour of private enterprise

and the capitalist system; politically to the right
of centre
The brutish conservative party held its annual
conference in Brighton in Britain, in Britain, the
conservatives are also known as Tories
Conserve
To save; to keep from harm, damage, loss, etc
especially in the environment
Verb

106

To conserve water, the use of garden sprinklers is

forbidden

He's very selfish and never considers the needs

of others

Nation
National parks ensure the conservation of
wildlife

made allowance for

someone who supports or practices the protection

of the natural environment and the conservation
of natural resources
Noun
He's a well-known conservationist who has
written many books on the management of
natural resources and wildlife
an official custodian, someone who has charge of
something

The judge took her youth into consideration

when passing sentence
thoughtful and kind
Adjective
It was very considerate of you to send me a getwell card
Noun
Young people should have some consideration
for the elderly
to judge; to be of the opinion

Noun
The conservator of an art gallery ensures that the
paintings are looked after
Consider
To think about carefully, contemplate
Verb
We must consider all the options before we make
our choice
Noun
The matter is still under consideration
Adjective
It is my considered opinion that she deserves
promotion

Verb
The doctor considered him fit for work
Consider yourself lucky that you survived the
accident
in view of ; taking everything into account
Her performance was very good, considering that
it was her first appearance on stage
Adverb
She's coping very well, considering
All things considered you've made a miraculous
recovery
well thought of
She's highly considered in her field

Noun
She stood considering the ring for some time

because of , on account of

to have regard for; to pay attention to

Out of consideration for the bereaved family's

feelings, the press did not publish the story

Verb

a payment, reward; a tip or bribe

107

To be made up of; to have as a main element

Noun
He'll do anything for a small consideration
Considerable
Large in amount, extent or degree

Verb
Orchards consist of fruit trees
Her job consisted of working the switchboard
steady; always having the same standard

Cairo is a considerable distance from fez

much, a lot

Adjective
She is a reliable, consistent worker

Adjective
He is a man of considerable wealth she is
considerably older than her sister

Adverb
He's not a brilliant tennis player, but at least he
plays consistently

Consign
To entrust or hand over

Adjective
Our profits have shown consistent growth

Verb
The children's court decided to consign the little
boy into his grandmother's care

In agreement, compatible

To send goods for delivery

Verb
That merchandise was consigned to our depot
Noun
This consignment of grain is bound for china
for payment by the receiver after resale
Please send this shipment on consignment
to get rid of, especially with contempt and
finality

Adjective
Your evidence is consistent with the statement of
the accused
the degree of thickness, firmness or stickiness;
the texture
Noun
When mixed correctly, this paste should have the
consistency/consistence of porridge
Console
To comfort or give solace in someone's grief or
disappointment
Verb
You can often console a crying child with the
promise of a treat

Verb
You can consign that useless memo to the
wastepaper basket
The rotten food was consigned to the dustbin

Noun
It was some consolation to have her children
with her when her husband died
Adverb

Consist

108

He put his arm around her consolingly when the

doctor broke the sad news

The prince consort always walks a few paces

behind the queen

a lesser prize for one who loses

Conspicuous
Noticeable, attracting attention

I didn't win, but at least I got a consolation prize

for my effort see inconsolable
Console
A control panel or cabinet
Noun
All the trains on this section of the line are
monitored from the central console
Consolidate
To combine or merge into one
Verb
We should consolidate our two businesses into
one company

Adjective
Those towers are conspicuous landmarks
noticeably absent when you were expected to be
present
My husband loves to barbecue, but becomes
conspicuous by his absence when it comes to
cleaning up
Conspire
To plot together secretly, especially for criminal
purposes

to strengthen or reinforce

Verb
Gang members often conspire against members
of rival gangs

Verb
The favourable election results consolidated his
position as leader

Noun
The conspirators were arrested in time to prevent
an assassination

Consort
A formal word meaning to associate with

the gunpowder plot was a famous conspiracy

of or like conspirators

Verb
Your father would not approve if you were to
consort with those objectionable people
an association of companies, countries, etc for a
common purpose
Noun
A consortium of banks provided the money for
the huge project
a marriage partner, especially of a reigning
monarch

Adjective
He gave me a conspiratorial wink behind his
back
to seem to act together to your disadvantage
Verb
I'm sorry we're late, but the heavy traffic and
terrible weather conspired against us
Constant
Steadfast or unchanging

Noun
Adjective

109

He has been her constant companion for years

You must keep these chemicals at a constant
temperature

That member of parliament used to represent this

constituency
the system of laws or principles on which a state
or organization is based

faithfulness
Noun
Do you ever doubt your husband's constancy?
Continual, over and over again

Noun
A constitution formally states people's rights and
duties
Adjective
Freedom of speech is your constitutional right

Adjective
Her constant nagging drove him to despair

physical fitness, bodily health

Adverb
I can't get on with any work because I am
constantly being interrupted

Noun
He survived major surgery because of his strong
constitution

Consternation
A feeling of surprise, alarm, dismay or confusion

to amount to

Noun
To her consternation she found herself locked out
of the house
Constitute
To form; to be part of
Verb
Seven days constitute a week
She is so constituted that she can handle any
emergency calmly
Noun
Flour is a major constituent of dough
to set up, establish
Verb
a commission has been constituted to investigate
the crash
a body of voters or the area in which they live
Noun

Verb
The defeat constitutes a setback for the army
Constrain
To force or compel
Verb
Bankruptcy may constrain her to ask for a loan
Noun
I acted under constraint when I was made to sing
the document
forced; uneasy
Adjective
The patient gave a constrained smile
After his tactless remark, there was a constrained
silence
limits, bounds or restrictions
Noun
Marriage puts constraints on your freedom

110

Constrict
To make tight, smaller or narrower
Verb
A small collar will constrict your dog's neck
Noun
Leg cramps are caused by constriction of the
muscles
Verb
Road repairs are constricting the traffic flow
Construct
To build; to assemble parts to form a whole; to
create
Verb
Bricklayers construct walls
Shipyards constructed many tankers during the
oil boom
Noun
The construction of a new dam will conserve our
water supplies
That new high-rise construction is one of the
most modem buildings in town
Adjective
You'll find the architect on the construction site
Verb
The thriller was cleverly constructed
the arrangement of the words in a sentence; the
syntax
Noun
He used the wrong grammatical construction
when he wrote 'the cat on the mat sat'
a formal word for a meaning or interpretation
Noun
His firm put a sympathetic construction on his
request for leave after his wife had died

useful, positive
Adjective
Constructive criticism is intended to help rather
than discourage
Adverb
She should use her talents constructively
Construe
To deduce or infer; to analyse the structure of
words or interpret their meaning
Verb
You could construe an ambiguous remark in
ether of two ways
The Noun 'fish' could be construed as either
singular or plural, depending on the context
Consult
To seek information or ask for advice, especially
from an expert
Verb
You can consult a dictionary for the meanings of
a word
Noun
I keep the encyclopedia near me for frequent
consultation
Verb
She consulted her doctor about her persistent
headaches
Verb
a public-relations consultant can help you to
improve the image of your organization
Adjective
He is a consulting engineer specializing in airconditioning systems
I looked up the facts in this consultative
document

111

a place where a doctor or other medical

practitioner sees patients
I had to go to the specialist's consulting rooms
for a medical examination

Verb
Some cars consume more petrol than others
Much time was consumed in finding a flattering
hat

to discuss matters with; to confer

the amount of something that is used up

Verb
The judge consulted an accountant in the
complex fraud case

Noun
Water consumption has been particularly high
this summer

Noun
Top-level consultations took place regarding the
return of the refugees

purchasers, customers
Noun
Consumers are entitled to value for money

engaged in a formal discussion or meeting

The attorney is in consultation and cannot be
disturbed consume
Consume
To eat or drink, especially in large quantities
Verb
Italians consume lots of pasta
Noun
That rotten meat was condemned as being unfit
for human consumption
overwhelming; dominating
Adjective
Her consuming passion is to become a vet
Verb
She was consumed with jealousy over his affair

Consumer goods such as food, clothing and

household appliances satisfy personal needs
Consummate
Perfect; highly skilled, accomplished
Adjective
The pianist gave a consummate performance that
couldn't be faulted
completion or fulfillment
Noun
Getting the award was the consummation of his
life's work
Verb
A marriage is consummated by the act of sexual
intercourse
used for emphasis, meaning absolute, complete
or thorough

to destroy
Verb
Forest fires consume valuable timber every year

Adjective
She passed the exam with consummate ease
Don't trust him, he's a consummate liar

to use up or expend

112

Contact
The state of touching or coming together
Noun
When we shake hands, your hand comes into
contact with mine
Plasters stick to the skin on contact
Adjective
Scrums and tackles make rugby a contact sport
A contact adhesive joins two surfaces instantly
on touching
A contact lens is placed directly onto the surface
of the eye to improve your vision
Noun
Students should be brought into contact with
fresh ideas
to complete or interrupt an electric current
when you switch on/off a light, you make/break
contact
between two wires and complete/interrupt the
circuit

Adjective
You must submit a CV and three contactable
references
helpful people you may know who could perform
favours
Noun
I have a few useful contacts in new yolk
Contagious
Capable of spreading by contact, especially a
disease; infectious
Adjective
Chickenpox is a contagious disease
spreading easily from one person to another
Adjective
Laughter and yawning are contagious
Noun
Anger spread through the hall like a contagion
Contaminate
To pollute, make impure

to succeed in reaching
He was able to make contact with her once he
found out her new address
to communicate with ; to get in touch with
Verb
You can contact me at this telephone number

Verb
Dirty popes can contaminate milk from a dairy
Noun
The contamination of the drinking water caused
many people to fall ill
to expose to harmful radiation

Are you still in contact with any of your old

classmates?

Verb
The physicist's clothes had to be burnt after being
contaminated by gamma rays

Noun
We lost contact wit our neighbours when they
moved

to corrupt
Verb

113

These
pornographic
magazines
contaminated the children's minds

have

Contemplate
To consider as a possibility; to plan
Verb
Is it wise to contemplate such a risky scheme?
I am contemplating writing a book
meditative, thoughtful
Adjective
He was in a contemplative mood after the lecture
on philosophy

I feel nothing but contempt for traitors

She treated his rude behaviour with the contempt
it deserved
Adjective
He is contemptuous
inefficiency

of

his

colleagues'

disrespect for a court of law

conduct that disturbs proceedings in a courtroom
is punishable as contempt of court, usually by a
fine
disregard

Noun
She didn't hear us come in as she was in such
deep contemplation

Noun
His absurd lies show a great contempt for the
truth

to look at something thoughtfully

utterly despicable

Verb
The artist contemplated the subject for some time
before beginning to paint

Child abusers are beneath contempt

Contemporary
Belonging, occurring or existing during the same
period
Adjective
This version, written I 1864, is a contemporary
account of the civil war
Grandfather was a contemporary of general de
Gaulle
very modern, up-to-date
Adjective
My daughter doesn't like contemporary furniture,
she prefers antiques

Contend
To contest or struggle
Verb
Many soccer teams contend for the world cup
championship
Noun
The two contenders entered the boxing ring
Verb
He had many setbacks to contend with before he
recovered
an argument or controversy
Noun
Abortion is an issue that causes great contention

Contempt
Disrespect or scorn
Adjective
Noun

114

The contentious clause of the contract was

debated for hours

The content of the lecture was illustrated by

slides

to assert, insist or maintain

the amount

Verb
The attorney contended that his client was
completely innocent

Noun
You should reduce the fat content in your diet

Noun
Her contention was that children should have
free education
Content
Satisfied or happy
Adjective
He grumbles about his salary, but she is quite
content with hers
The couple live a contented life in the village
Adverb
The baby gurgled contentedly
Noun
The cat purred with contentment in front of the
fire

Contest
A competition or struggle for superiority
Noun
A tug of war is a contest of strength between two
teams
Many women don't agree with the holding of
beauty contests
Three contestants took part in the quiz show
to challenge or oppose
Verb
Four candidates will contest the seat at the
election
She contested the legality of her father's will
Contiguous
A formal word meaning touching, sharing a
common boundary

to make do
Verb
As there was no tea, we contented ourselves with
coffee

Adjective
Thailand is contiguous to Malaysia
Contingency
A possibility or eventuality

that which is contained in something

Noun
When she found her handbag, it had been
emptied of its contents
Look at the list of contents and see if that topic is
covered
the subject matter
Noun
Noun

Noun
We can cope with any contingency as we have a
backup system
Adjective
We must make contingency plans for the party in
case of rain
a formal word meaning dependent on something
else

115

Adjective
The proposed road is contingent on the approval
of the town surveyor
occurring by chance, incidental
Adjective
A contingent effect of her diet was her healthy
skin

Verb
We'll continue our game after tea
Noun
You can see the continuation of this TV serial
next week
Verb
'As I was saying.' He continued after the
interruption

a group, especially of soldiers

occurring again and again
Noun
A contingent of troops was deployed along the
river
The contingent of mayors from India arrived for
the conference
Continue
To go on happening or moving
Verb
The rain may continue for a few days
Adjective
Your continued refusal to take your medicine
prevents you from getting better
Verb
She continued along the freeway until she found
the turn-off
to stay on; to remain
Verb
He will continue in his position until he retires
a formal word for remaining staying, etc
Noun
The weather bureau predicted a continuance of
the stormy weather
to start again after stopping, resume

Adjective
Her continual questions became irritating
Adverb
He telephones her at work continually
joined together, unbroken
Adjective
Do not drive across a continuous white line on
the road
Noun
If I take a long break, it interferes with the
continuity of my work
an assistant who ensures consistency of detail
between sessions of filming for cinema or TV
Our continuity person checks that clothes,
furniture, and so on, are the same whenever parts
of the same scene are shot
Contort
To twist or bend out of shape
Verb
People in pain often contort their faces in agony
Adjective
The crashed car was a contorted mass of metal

116

Noun
She is an expert in the contortions of yoga
someone who contorts his or her body to
entertain others
Noun
We marveled at the supple body of the
contortionist in the circus
Contour
The outline, shape or surface of something

Contradict
To express the opposite of what has been said or
written
Verb
I said tat she couldn't go out, so why did you
contradict me and say she could?
Noun
This chapter is in total contradiction to the
previous one
to say that something is wrong or untrue; to deny

Noun
Road builders follow the contour of the land
wherever possible
Verb
Chairs are contoured to fit the human body
lines on a map joining points of equal height or
depth
Noun
You can see by the contour lines that this is a
hilly area
Contraband
Forbidden to be imported or exported; smuggled
Adjective
The contraband merchandise was confiscated by
customs officers

Verb
'No,' he said, contradicting me, 'she is in London,
not Paris'
Both witnesses have contradicted the accused's
story
inconsistent; conflicting
Adjective
To love animals and yet wear real fur is
considered contradictory behaviour by some
a phrase containing words that contradict each
other in meaning
'He was a generous miser' is a contradiction in
terms
Contrary
To opposite, something completely different

Contraception
The intentional prevention of pregnancy or
conception

Noun
The contrary of 'hot' is 'cold'

Noun
A birth-control clinic can advise you on safe
methods of contraception

Adjective
Their tastes in music are quite contrary as he
likes classics and she likes country and western

Adjective
You must remember to take your contraceptive
pill every night if you don't want another child

in the opposite direction; to the opposite effect

Adverb

117

English is written from left to right, whereas

Hebrew is written contrariwise
We'll be at home on Saturday, unless you her a to
the contrary
just the opposite

By contrast, your new house is much bigger than

your old one
In contrast with their predecessors, the new
government ministers are much more relaxed in
their manner of dress
a striking difference, something that is clearly
different

No it wasn't hot, on the contrary, it was quite

chilly
adverse, unfavourable
Adjective
Contrary winds delayed the departure of the light
aircraft

Noun
The contrast between her black hair and the vivid
red dress is most effective
This dreary book is quite a contrast to the
author's previous bestsellers
the difference between light and dark areas on a
photograph, TV, etc

against, in opposition
Adjective
Contrary to her parents, advice, she dropped out
of school

Noun
How do you adjust the contrast on this TV set?
Contravene
To infringe or break rules or laws

obstinate, perverse
Adjective
it is difficult to work with
contrary

her, as she is so

Adverb
He's got his own shampoo, but contrariwise he
persists in using mine
Contrast
To compare things to show the difference
Verb
for homework, contrast the styles of these writers
in a short essay
Noun
We could detect a sharp contrast between the real
signature and the forgery

Verb
Motorists who contravene the new speed
restrictions will be prosecuted
Noun
Possessing an unlicensed
contravention of the law

weapon

is

to contradict or dispute
verb
The accused statements contravene those of the
defense witnesses
Contribute
To give or supply money, aid, ideas, etc, for a
common cause
Verb
I usually contribute to a charity each year

118

Noun
Thank you for your generous contribution of toys
for the orphans
Verb
She never contributes anything worthwhile to a
discussion
to help bring about; to be partly responsible for
Verb
Alcohol contributed to his downfall
Adjective
Fatigue was a contributory factor in the accident

the film's contrived plot was not very convincing

Control
To have command of; to exercise power or
authority
Verb
Generals control armies the dictator controlled
the state for many years
Noun
Our political party gained control in the election
The driver lost control of his car and it crashed
She lost control of herself and flew into a temper
This matter is beyond our control
Who is in control here?

an article or feature submitted for publication

Noun
My contribution will be published in next
month's issue
She is a regular contributor of articles on cooking
Contrite
Remorseful, filled with regret
Adjective
The contrite manner prompted the teacher to be
more lenient than usual
Noun
After his outburst; he demonstrated his
contrition/contriteness by sending her flowers
Contrive
To manage something in a skilful or ingenious
way despite difficulty
Verb
We must contrive to make our money go further
to devise an underhand scheme; to plot
They contrived a way t avoid paying tax

A control tower is a building at an airport from

which aircraft movements are monitored and
directed
Adjective
An air-traffic controller monitors aircraft from a
radar screen
a business executive or government official,
especially one responsible for financial planning
Noun
The controller/comptroller submitted the draft
annual report for approval by the board
a number of shares in a company sufficient to
direct its course
My uncle gained a controlling interest in the
organization when he inherited his father's stock
to restrain or check
Verb
Police struggled to control the angry crowd
You must learn to control your intake of beer

unnatural, forced, artificial

Noun
Adjective

119

There is a control on the sum you can take

overseas
We went through passport control before
boarding the plane
Adjective
Small children are more controllable than
teenagers
to regulate or cause to work
Verb
This switch controls the lights
Controlling a spacecraft must
complicated

A puzzling question with no obvious answer

Noun
The mysterious
conundrum

UFO

sighting

is

still

Convalesce
To regain your health after an illness, surgery, etc
Verb
She went home to convalesce after her operation
He is convalescing at home

be

very

describing a standard of comparison for checking

the results of an experiment or survey
Adjective
The control group were given a placebo drug
a mechanism for operating an aircraft, car or
machinery
Noun
The pilot is at the controls in the cockpit
Adjective
You'll find the technician in the control room

Adjective
May we visit the convalescent patient? It's vital
to eat well during convalescence
Convection
The transmission of heat through a liquid or gas
Noun
Convection occurs when air is warmed and then
rises
A convector heater/convector circulates warm air
in a room
A convection oven has a fan to circulate the hot
air
Convene
To assemble or bring people together for a
meeting, etc

to subdue, overcome
The fire has now been brought under control
manageable/unmanageable

Verb
The fundraising group will convene on Monday
A special meeting of the book club has been
convened to discuss the increase in membership
fees

is the situation under control/out of control?

Conundrum
A riddle to which the answer is often a pun
Noun
Have you been able to solve the conundrum in
today's newspaper?

Noun
The convener/convenor of the committee chaired
the discussion
Each branch sends delegates to the convention
see conventional
Convenient
Suitable, favourable to your needs

120

Adjective
A motorbike is more convenient than a car in
heavy traffic
Will it be convenient for you to come to lunch
tomorrow?
Noun
I keep a dictionary near me for convenience
a useful device, especially a labour-saving one
Noun
Those holiday cottages have every modern
convenience

Adjective
It was such a conventional film, with a 'boy
meets girl-boy loses girl- boy marries girl' theme
Adverb
The bride was conventionally dressed in a white
gown
We exchanged conventional remarks about the
weather
He defied convention and wore shorts to the
formal dinner
routines; customary practices

I will meet you at your convenience, tell me

when and where

Noun
There are strict convention governing the buying
and selling of shares
Convention dictates how cutlery should be laid
on a table

accessible, handy

not nuclear, especially of weapons

Adjective
The supermarket is close to our house, which
makes it very convenient for us

Adjective
The guerrillas used conventional weapons such
as rifles see convene

Corner shops are also known as convenience

stores

Converge
To come to or meet at the same point

Adverb
A taxi rank is situated conveniently next to the
station

Verb
All the main roads in the town converge on the
central square

Convenience food is precooked and needs very

little preparation

Noun
The convergence of thousands of rugby fans on
the stadium will cause a traffic jam

at a time and place that suits you

to take advantage of
He isn't a sincere friend, he just makes a
convenience of your hospitality

Adjective
The intersection of the convergent lines indicates
the vanishing point in a perspective drawing
to tend to become similar

Conventional
Following established or generally accepted
customs of society

Verb

121

The views of the political parties are beginning

to converge

Use this conversion chart to get the temperature

in degrees Celsius from degrees Fahrenheit
This pram is convertible into a pushchair

Conversant
Familiar with experienced in

a car with a removable or folding roof

Adjective
All players should be conversant with recent
changes in the rules

Noun
The film star drives around in a flashy, gold
convertible

Converse
To talk, communicate by speaking

to adopt a different religion or belief; or belief; to

change your opinion

Verb
They converse for hours on the phone

Verb
She converted to the Jewish faith

Noun
We had a long conversation about art

Noun
From being a junk food addict, he's become a
convert to healthy eating

Adjective
Conversational skills are important
Converse2
The reverse or opposite
Noun
She claims to be poor, but the converse is true,
because she's really very wealthy
Adverb
When pouring tea, you can add the tea to the
milk or, conversely the milk to the tea
Convert
To change from one form, use, etc, to another
Verb
We often have to convert inches into centimeters
A refinery converts crude oil into petroleum
Noun
The conversion of a caterpillar into a butterfly is
a miracle of nature

to complement a rugby try/football touchdown

by kicking the ball over the goal-post crossbar
Verb
The fly half converted the try each conversion is
worth two extra points
Convey
To carry, transport or conduct
Verb
Supertankers convey crude oil across the oceans
of the world
Noun
Some big firms use buses for the conveyance of
their employees
Verb
Wires convey electric current
a continuously moving belt or band of rubber,
metal, etc, used to transport objects

Adjective

122

Verb
Has our luggage come off the conveyor
belt/conveyor yet?

The salesman was so convincing that I bought it

on the spot
firm, confident in belief

To impart, transmit or communicate

Verb
Words cannot convey how happy I am

Adjective
He's convinced he can win, but 'I m not so sure
She's a convinced Christian

used formally to extend greetings, etc

decisively, by a large margin

Verb
Please convey my good wishes to your parents

Adverb
She won the match convincingly

Convict
To find someone guilty of an offence

Convivial
Cheerful, sociable or pleasurable

Verb
On the evidence, the judge is sure to convict him
He has been convicted of fraud before

Adverb
The dinner was a convivial meal enjoyed by all

Noun
The convict managed to escape from prison
She has a string of convictions for shoplifting
strong beliefs or opinions
Noun
His religious convictions will not allow him to
eat pork

Convoluted
Twisted or coiled
Adjective
The convoluted whorls of this seashell make a
fascinating pattern
difficult to follow; involved

to be convincing

Noun
I couldn't follow all the convolutions of the
complex plot

His apology, offered in hesitant tones, did not

carry conviction

Convoy
A group of ships with an escort of warships

Convince
To make somebody feel certain about or realize
something

Noun
The whole convoy came under attack from
enemy submarines

Verb
How can I convince you that it was someone else
you saw?
Nothing will convince me that it was an accident

escorted by a protective force

The cash was moved under convoy of security
guards

Adjective

123

Verb
Members of the lift club convoy the children to
and from school
any group of vehicles traveling together
Noun
At long last, the convoy of trucks pulled over,
allowing us to overtake them

Adjective
She is very cooperative/co-operative and always
does what she is asked to do
Noun
We have been asked for our cooperation/cooperation in improving productivity

The expedition crossed the desert in convoy

Coordinate/co-ordinate
To cause to work together harmoniously or
efficiently

Convulsions
Violent, uncontrollable muscular contractions or
spasms

Verb
You have to coordinate/co-ordinate
movements when doing gymnastics

Noun
Children sometimes have convulsions when they
have a high temperature

Noun
The interior decorator's colour coordination/coordination won much praise
The project needs an efficient coordinator/coordinate
Tennis requires good hand-eye coordination/coordination

Adverb
She shivered convulsively with fear
Verb
He was convulsed with laughter at the joke
to cause extreme disturbance; to shake

your

working together with

Verb
Outbreaks of violence convulsed the city

The pamphlet on road safety was produced by

the government
In coordination/co-ordination with the traffic
departments

Cooperate/co-operate
To liaise, to work together or with others

either of two numbers or letters used to fix the

position of a point on a graph or map

Verb
All departments must cooperate/co-operate for
maximum efficiency
Volunteers cooperated/co-operated with the staff
in cleaning the oil-soaked penguins

Noun
Coordinates/co-ordinates
of
latitude
and
longitude can be used to find the position of a
ship at sea
matched items of clothing

Noun
A cooperative/co-operative also called a coop/coop is a farm or society run jointly its members,
with profits shared among them
willing, helpful

Noun
Sets of mix-and-match coordinates/co-ordinates
form the basis of a good wardrobe
Cope
To manage, deal ably with a situation

124

Verb
Can you cope with this extra work?
She is coping well, despite all her problems
Cordial
Warm, friendly or sincere
Adjective
We received a cordial welcome at the door
Adverb
They greeted us cordially
Noun
Her cordiality was genuine and came from the
heart

Corporate
Of a group of people considered as one unit
Adjective
The company needs a new corporate identity to
project its image
The firm accepted corporate responsibility for
the accident a large company or organization
Noun
It is a multinational corporation
Corpse
A dead body, especially human, a cadaver

heartfelt dislike

Noun
The corpse was kept in the mortuary until it
could be identified

Adjective
I have a cordial dislike of formal parties

theatrical slang, to forget your lines or begin to

laugh

a concentrated syrup, usually fruit-based, which

is diluted to make a cool drink; squash

Verb
The female lead corpse when the actor playing
the villain accidentally slipped on some grease
on stage

Noun
You can add soda water to lime-juice cordial to
make a thirst-quenching drink
Cordon
A line or ring of police, soldiers, barriers, etc,
that protects entry to and exits from area
Noun
Ecstatic fans tried to break through the cordon

Correspond
To exchange written communications, especially
letters
Verb
Do you correspond with your sister overseas?

The police have cordoned off the area following

the explosion

Noun
Much business correspondence now goes out by
fax
My pen pal in Japan is a regular correspondent

Corporal2
Referring to the human body

a media representative who supplies news from

his area

Adjective
Corporal punishment such as caning has been
abolished in most schools

Noun
the CNN correspondent in south Korea scooped
his rivals with the riot story

125

an educational institution that offers tuition by

post

Cosmopolitan
Comprising different nationalities and cultures

She has enrolled with a correspondence college

for a correspondence course in marketing

Adjective
Canada has a cosmopolitan population

to agree with

someone who is familiar with the world; a broad

- minded, unprejudiced person

Verb
His report of the incident and yours correspond
to be similar or equivalent to
Congress in America corresponds to our
parliament
Adjective
crime in the last three months has decreased
compared to the corresponding period last year
Corroborate
To support or confirm, especially by evidence
Verb
This doctor's certificate will corroborate that his
absence was due to illness
Noun
Corroboration of the accused's statement was
provided by a witness
Corrode
To eat into, especially by chemical action

Noun
As a cosmopolitan he has travelled widely
Adjective
She has a cosmopolitan outlook on life
Cosmos
The universe, especially when regarded as
ordered system
Noun
The full extent of the cosmos is indeterminable
Adjective
Cosmic rays penetrate the earth's atmosphere
Russian astronauts are called cosmonauts
Noun
Cosmology studies the universe and its origin
very great

Verb
Acids can corrode metals

Adjective
The earthquake was a disaster of cosmic
proportions

Adjective
The salty air at the coast is highly corrosive

Cosy
Comfortable, snug and warm

Noun
The ship's hull was weakened by corrosion

Adjective
The room looked cosy in the firelight

to destroy gradually

Adverb
She snuggled cosily under the blankets

Verb
Jealousy had corroded their relationship

a soft covering for keeping something warm

126

put back the tea cosy to keep the tea hot in the
teapot
intimate, friendly

Noun
she gave us wise counsel when she
recommended a trial separation rather than a
divorce

Adjective
Since we are both studying, we seldom spend a
cosy evening together

Verb
He counselled us against taking the matter to
court

a slang term meaning to reassure, especially with

lies

Noun
After the bombing, the survivors needed
counseling by a psychiatrist
School-leavers often seek the help of a career
counsellor

Her friends were trying to cosy her along with

false optimism
a slang term meaning to ingratiate yourself

one or more advocates, barristers or legal

advisers involved in a case

It is ridiculous the way he cosily up to the boss

Coterie
A small, select group of people with similar
interests; a clique

Noun
Counsel for the defense asked the court for
mitigating circumstances to be taken into account
to keep your plans, opinions, etc, secret

Noun
That coterie of chamber-music lovers looks down
on those who enjoy light music

He decided not to confide in the others, but to

keep his own

Council
A group of people elected to manage affairs, give
advice, make rules, etc

Countenance
A formal word for a facial expression, or the face
itself

Noun
The town council decided to install parking
meters
He attended a meeting of the church council

Noun
My grandfather has a stern countenance
She has a pleasant countenance
to approve, permit or allow

Adjective
Council meetings should be open to the public
Noun
He is the new councillor for our ward
Counsel
Advice or guidance, often at a professional level

Verb
Strict teachers do not countenance any insolence
to remain composed, show no emotion, emotion,
especially amusement
Although I wanted to laugh, I managed to keep
my countenance

127

Counter1
A long, flat surface or fitment

pretended; false

Noun
Customers place their purchases on the checkout
counter at the supermarket
A glass display cabinet is often used as a shop
counter
Bartenders serve drinks from behind a counter
of medicines, without a prescription

Adjective
His counterfeit affection had her fooled for a
while

These pills are obtainable over the counter

Verb
For a junior to countermand the instruction of his
boss is to invite trouble

the illegal selling of goods

It's obtainable under the counter if you know the
right people and have the money
a small disc for board games
Noun
Move your counter to the next square see count
Counter2
To oppose, contradict or respond by retaliating
Verb
He is so stubborn that he will counter any
proposal you make
The boxer countered the blow with a left to his
opponent's chin
in the opposite direction; contrary to
The current is running counter to the wind see
count
Counterfeit
An imitation made or done in order to deceive,
forgery
Noun
That jewel could be a counterfeit
Verb
It is illegal to counterfeit banknotes

Countermand
To cancel or revoke a command, instruction or
order

Counterpart
A thing or person with an equivalent function to
another; one part that is a natural complement to
another
Noun
The Paris metro is the counterpart of
The London underground my counterpart in
Calcutta will meet you at the airport
Courtesy
Politeness, good manners
Noun
He always shows courtesy towards older people
Verb
Write a courteous letter of thanks to your aunt for
her gift
with the consent of, by permission of; paid for by
This collection of antiques is on public display
by courtesy of the owner
Covert
Secret or hidden
Adjective
He was involved in covert operations near the
border

128

Adverb
She watched him covertly from behind the
curtains

Noun
We heard the crack of a rifle shot
Verb
The circus ringmaster cracked his whip

an area of thick bush, etc, where hunted animals

hide

to hit hard

Noun
The dog flushed the birds from the covert

Verb
I cracked my head as I climbed into the car

Covet
To long for something, especially something
belonging to someone else

to change vocal tone or register, break; to falter

Verb
I really covet his new sports car

Verb
Boys' voices crack during puberty
In a voice cracking with emotion, she told us that
her father had just died

Adjective
The champion received the coveted trophy
She has a covetous nature, always wanting other
people's possessions

a biting comment or joke

Crack
A split or fissure; a narrow opening or chink

He cracked a joke about his mother-in-law

Noun
He made a nasty crack about my weight

to cease to resist; to give way

Noun
That hairline crack in the wall could be painted
over

Verb
He cracked under questioning and blurted out the
password

to fracture, break
to decipher or solve
Verb
The fall from her horse had cracked a bone in her
leg
Be careful or you'll crack the eggs

Verb
They managed to crack the secret code
We've cracked today's crossword

a fault, defect

expert; excellent. First-rate

Noun
The cracks in the defense policy are beginning to
show

Adjective
The army sent a crack unit to rescue the hostages
a form of cocaine

a sharp explosive sound

Noun

129

His drug abuse started when he was offered crack

at school
very early in the morning
We're getting up at the crack of dawn to go on
safari
to take severe action
The traffic police will crack down on drunken
drivers
Noun
There will be a crackdown on lateness in schools
a slang term meaning reputed to be
That film is not as good as it's cracked up to be
to have a physical or mental breakdown
Since I lost my job, I feel as if I'm cracking up

Verb
We cracked a bottle of champagne to celebrate
our anniversary
She cracked a walnut with the nutcrackers
The crook managed to crack the safe
fast or vigorous
Adjective
The horses set off at a cracking pace
slang meaning get moving, hurry up
Get cracking, or we'll be late again
Crackle
A series of rapid, sharp sounds
Noun
We heard the crackle of machine guns in the
distance
Verb
The dry twigs crackled in the fire

Noun
His doctor recommended a holiday after his
crackup

the crisp, outer rind of roast pork

an eccentric person or crank

Noun
You need good, strong teeth to tackle the
crackling

Noun
The car was built by a crackpot and will never
run
slang meaning crazy, mad
Adjective
You must be cracked if you think your plan will
work
slang meaning to make a valiant attempt, try
if you can't manage, I'll have a crack at it
to open

Cradle
An infant's cot, especially on rockers
Noun
The baby is asleep in the cradle
a framework resembling this; a supporting
platform or trolley
Noun
The telephone receiver rests on the cradle when
it isn't in use
A window-cleaner's cradle is moved u[p and
down by ropes and pulleys

130

to hold and rock gently and lovingly

Verb
She cradled the baby in her arms
a place of origin
Noun
The middle east is supposedly the cradle of
civilization
throughout life, from birth till death
The family's wealth meant that he was looked
after from the cradle to the grave
a person whose partner is much younger than
himself
He's a real cradle snatcher, his wife is young
enough to be his daughter
She robbed the cradle by marrying someone so
young
Cram
To stuff or press closely together
Verb
Can you cram all those books into your bag?
Cramming your mouth full of food is bad
manners
I left the party when it became crammed with
people

I have to cram for the exam, as I've neglected my

revision
Noun
This cram college prepares pupils for their final
examinations
Crash
A sudden loud noise
Noun
We heard a loud crash when she dropped the tea
tray
Verb
The elephant crashed through the undergrowth
a violent accident or collision
Noun
There was a crash on the freeway between two
trucks
Motorcyclists must wear crash helmets to protect
their heads
a safety fence, rail, et to deflect vehicles or
restrain crowds
The council erected a crash barrier along the
middle of the dual carriageway
Crash barriers we put up to control the crowd of
fans

to be very full or tightly packed

to collapse or fail

Verb
The seaside resort is crammed with holidaymakers

Verb
When the stock market crashed some people lost
all their investments
His business crashed in spite of his hard work
I can't do any work because the computer has
crashed again

to swat, study intensely

Verb

to land an aircraft in an emergence, usually with

resulting damage

131

Verb
Engine failure forced the pilot to crash-land

Noun
She has a sudden craving for peanuts

done rapidly, urgently

Verb
Puppies crave affection

Adjective
As she has been transferred to Spain, she is
taking a crash course in Spanish
My overweight aunt is on a crash diet
a slang word used for emphasis, meaning
extreme, overwhelming
Adjective
She may be pretty but she's a crashing bore
short for gate-crash, meaning to go to a party or
gathering uninvited

Crazy
Mad, insane
Adjective
He went a bit crazy after being locked up for so
long
There was a crazed look in her eyes as she
picked up the knife
Adverb
He laughed crazily
strange, zany

Verb
They want to go and crash the party next door
slang meaning to pass out or fall asleep

Adjective
We enjoyed Monty python's crazy sense of
humour

He was drunk and crashed out on the carpet

silly, foolish

Verb
I'm exhausted, do you mind if I crash on your
spare bed?

Adverb
She must be crazy to give up her job
a usually brief fashion or interest, fad

Crass
Insensitive, stupid, coarse
Adjective
How typical of that oaf to display such crass
behaviour
complete, utter
Adjective
That mistake was a result of crass incompetence
Craving
An intense desire for something, longing

Noun
For my son, skateboarding was a short-lived
craze
slang for very angry or excited
Adjective
He goes crazy if you interrupt him
The fans went crazy when the superstar appeared
on stage
very fond of; enthusiastic
They're bound to marry, as they're crazy about
each other

132

Some viewers are crazy about that new television

series

After the recent scandals, the government has

lost all credibility with the voters

a slang term used for emphasis

Credulous
Gullible, too ready to believe

You will have to run like crazy if you want to

catch your train
Credence
Belief, trust, reliance
Noun
The witness's statement lent credence to what the
defendant had said
I place no credence on his story
Credentials
Qualities, achievements, qualifications

Adjective
Credulous people will believe any rumor
Noun
Her credulity was stretched to the limit by his
feeble excuses
Creep
To move cautiously, stealthily or slowly, often
with the body close to the ground

Noun
Does he have the credentials to do the job?

Verb
Cats creep after birds
She crept in on tiptoe so as not to wake the baby
The flood waters are creeping closer to the town

Letters of introduction; written evidence of

qualifications

The police crept up on the culprit and took him

by surprise

Noun
The new ambassador presented his credentials to
the president

to come on gradually

Credible
Believable, convincing

Adjective
Creeping inflation hit the economy

Adjective
It is hardly credible that he didn't see the tornado

a plant growing along the ground, up a wall, etc

Noun
We must check the credibility of his story, as it
sounds far-fetched

A funny feeling crept over me before I fainted

Noun
Ivy is a creeper
slang for an unpleasant or revulsion person

Adverb
I have been credibly informed that he lied

Noun
She's married to a real creep

trustworthiness, acceptability or integrity

slang for a feeling of unease or revulsion

Noun

Adjective

133

She doesn't like ghost stories, they give her a

creepy sensation

Adjective
He's under crippling pressure at work

The way he looks at me gives me the creeps

Crisscross
With lines crossing each other

Crescent
A narrow, curved shape that tapers to a point at
each end
Noun
The new moon has the shape of a crescent

Adjective
She's chosen material with a crisscross pattern
Verb
Railway lines crisscross each other outside the
main station

The crescent is the symbol of Islam or turkey

a street curved like a crescent
Noun
We live in a quiet crescent off the main road
a crescent-shaped roll made from light, flaky
pastry
Noun
She's ordered a croissant and coffee for breakfast
Cripple
An old-fashioned word for a lame person
Noun
He became a cripple after he had polio as a child

Critic
A person who forms and expresses opinions or
judgment on art, literature, sport, etc
Noun
The theatre critic will review the new play in
tomorrow's newspaper
Adjective
The film has received critical acclaim
Noun
his criticism of my golf game was very helpful
Constructive criticism is meant to encourage, not
demoralize
A critique is a critical essay or analysis
to find fault with, express disapproval

someone who is disabled or deficient in some

way

parents often criticize/critic is their children's

behaviour

Noun
Since her husband left her, she has been an
emotional cripple

Adjective
Why is she so critical of her husband?

to damage seriously; to weaken

Dangerously, seriously

Verb
Badly fitting shoes can cripple a child
Granny is crippled with rheumatism
Lack of money crippled his business

Adverb
He is critically ill in the intensive-care ward

extreme

Adjective

crucial, decisive; very important

134

the experiment is at a critical

Crude
In a natural or raw state, unrefined
Adjective
Crude oil leaking from a tanker polluted the
beaches

Adjective
The castle is a crumbling ruin
Verb
Her resolve to diet crumbled as soon as she saw
the cake
Crumple
To crease, wrinkle or crush

rough, unfinished or badly finished

Adjective
He knocked together a crude table from off cuts
Adverb
That is expensive for such a crudely made article
vulgar or coarse; lacking taste or tact
Adjective
We get tired of his endless crude jokes
Noun
His crudeness has become boring
The comedian's crudity upset some of the
audience
Crumble
To break into crumbs or small fragments
Verb
Stale cakes crumble easily
Adverb
These crumbly pastries fall to pieces as soon as
you bite into them
a dessert with a crumbly topping of sugar, butter
and flour
Noun
His favourite sweet is apple crumble with cream

Verb
Don't buy this material as it will crumple easily
Adjective
His suit was crumpled from sitting in the plane
She crumpled up the latter and threw it away
without a word
to collapse
Verb
Opposition to the idea soon crumpled after its
advantages became obvious
the parts of a motor vehicle designed to crumple
on impact
The crumple zones at the front and of a car
absorb some of the impact of a collision
Crunch
A brittle or crisp sound made by crushing
Noun
I heard the crunch of footsteps on the gravel
outside
Verb
Don't crunch your chips so loudly
Adjective
We all enjoy that crunchy breakfast cereal

to decay or fall apart

if or when the decisive or critical moment comes
The bridge crumbled as flood waters rushed past

135

The manager may have to take time off for an

operation so,
if/when it comes to the crunch, will you be able
to cope?
Crux
The most vital or decisive point of an issue

Verb
If a species is too numerous, the surplus may be
culled
Noun
The culling of seals took place annually
to select or gather

Noun
Stop waffling and get to the crux of the problem
Cryptic
Hiding its meaning in a puzzling way, obscure
Adjective
He received a cryptic message in secret code
Some crosswords have cryptic clues instead of
straightforward ones
Cuddle
To hug or embrace
Verb
Let me cuddle the baby
Noun
We had a cuddle on the sofa

Verb
The information was culled from several sources
Cultivate
To till and prepare land for crop growing; to
grow, tend and harvest plants
Verb
Farmers cultivate their soil prior to planting
Noun
The land is under cultivation for wheat
He is cultivating vegetables on a small plot
improved or developed
Noun
A new cultivated variety or cultivar of dahlia has
been developed

to move close to, nestle, snuggle

The puppies like to cuddle up to their mother
soft and pleasant to hold
Adjective
She was given a cuddly/cuddlesome toy for her
birthday
Cull
The act of killing off some, often the weaker,
animals in a herd, colony, etc, to reduce their
number
Noun
500 elephants were killed in the cull

Verb
She cultivated her mind by reading many of the
classics
You should cultivate friendships with more
reliable people
well-educated and refined
Adjective
She is a charming and cultivated young woman
Cumulative
Awkward, unwieldy or heavy
Adjective
It was a cumbersome package to carry

136

slow and inefficient

An old-fashioned word for a young, unmarried

woman

Adjective
This process is very cumbersome can't we speed
it up?
Cumulative
Growing in quantity, strength, etc by one
addition after another
Adjective
The cumulative effect of several illnesses has
made him very weak
Cursory
Hasty and not thorough

Noun
A pretty damsel lives in that castle
a humorous phrase for a woman who needs help
I stopped to help a damsel in distress whose car
had broken down
Dangle
To hang or sway loosely
Verb
Drop earrings dangle from her ears
We dangled our legs over the dam wall

Adjective
He gave the work a cursory glance and
overlooked several errors

to offer something temptingly temptingly to

someone

Cynic
A person who believes the worst about other
people or the outcome of events; a sceptic

Verb
The chance of promotion was dangled before
him

Noun
A cynic has little faith in human goodness or
sincerity

Dawdle
To walk slowly and idly; to waste time

Adjective
It's cynical to suggest that he did
money,

it for the

Noun
Don't dawdle on your way to school, you'll be
late
She dawdles away the hours just lying on her bed

He was genuinely trying to help

Noun
Her sarcastic remarks reveal her cynicism

Dazzle
To blind temporarily with intense light
Verb
Undipped headlights dazzle oncoming drivers
glittering; brilliant

Adjective
She wore a dazzling array of diamonds
The actor's performance was dazzling

Damsel

137

Noun
We love the dazzle of the circus

Verb
Too much emphasis placed on sex tends to
debauch the youth in our society

to be impressed
overindulgence
Verb
He was dazzled by her radiance and wit

Noun
He lived a life of drunken debauchery

Dearth
A shortage or scarcity

Debility
Feebleness or weakness

Noun
There is a dearth of doctors in the country areas
Debate
A formal discussion in
arguments are put forward

which

opposing

Noun
I am the proposer of the motion in today's debate
Adjective
We belong to the college's debating society
Verb
Parliament will debate the bill in the next session
to deliberate, consider or discuss
We are debating whether to go out or stay at
home
Verb
There has been heated public debate about the
new tax laws
open to question
Adjective
It is a debatable point whether or not we are
happier than people were a century ago
Debauch
To corrupt morally

Noun
He is confined to bed because of his debility
Verb
Such hot, humid weather will debilitate even a
strong person
Adjective
Her anemia had a debilitating effect on her
Debonair/debonnaire
Usually of men, carefree, cheerful, self-assured,
suave
Adjective
His debonair/debonnaire manner makes him very
attractive to women
Debunk
To show up a claim, idea, reputation, etc as false
or exaggerated
Verb
He found it easy to debunk the sincerity of the
politician by making fun of him
Debut
A first public appearance
Noun
The soprano made her debut in the opera
'Madame butterfly'

138

a young woman making her first appearance in

fashionable society

The roman empire fell into decay

Noun
She was the prettiest debutante/deb at the ball

Deceive
To cause someone to believe something that is
not true, mislead deliberately

Decadence
A deterioration of standards, especially moral

Verb
His cunning could deceive gullible people

Noun
A period of decadence led to the fall of the
Roman Empire

Noun
He got his job through deceit using false
references

Adjective
That sleazy area is getting more decadent by the
day

Adjective
Never trust a deceitful person

self-indulgent
Adjective
She felt quite decadent eating a whole box of
chocolates

Noun
You were taken in by her clever deception
Adjective
His appearance is deceptive he really is honest
to be sexually unfaithful

Decapitate
To cut the head off, behead
Verb
The French revolutionaries used to decapitate
people with the guillotine in the 18th century
Decay
To rot away; to decompose
Verb
The timber supports have started to decay
Vegetation decays to form compost
Noun
Regular brushing with toothpaste should prevent
tooth decay
to deteriorate, decline or become less efficient
Verb
The mill had decayed badly over the years

Verb
She has been deceiving her husband for months
Decimate
To destroy a large part of (in the ancient roman
army, to kill every tenth man of a section as a
punishment)
Verb
Wars decimate the population
Decipher
To make out the meaning of something illegible,
etc; to decode
Verb
I can't decipher this terrible handwriting
People who decipher enemy codes are called
cryptographers
Decompose
To rot or decay

139

Verb
The corpse had started to decompose by the time
it was discovered
Noun
Compost in the result of the decomposition of
organic household and garden waste

I shall deduct the cost of replacing the broken

window from your pocket money
Noun
Certain deductions are made from your wages for
medical aid, tax etc
that may be deducted from your taxable earnings

to separate into its parts, elements, etc

Verb
Salt decomposes into sodium and chlorine
Decorous
Dignified and sociably acceptable
Adjective
Decorous behaviour is a mark of good breeding
Noun
You must act with decorum when in church
Deduce
To work out logically; to conclude from
reasoning
Verb
From your comments, I deduce that you are
looking for a job
drawing a particular conclusion from a general
principle
Noun
Manx cats have no tails, but it is an incorrect
deduction to assume that every tailless cat is a
Manx
Adjective
Deductive reasoning applies a general rule to
specific examples

Adjective
Some business expenses are deductible see
induct
De facto
From Latin, meaning in fact or in reality, whether
rightly or wrongly
Adjective
Even though he was not elected, he is
acknowledged as the de facto head of the country
Defame
To attack the good name or reputation of; to
slander or libel
Verb
Newspapers sometimes
people

defame

well-known

Noun
If we publish that we could be sued for
defamation of character
Adjective
He made a defamatory statement in his speech
Default
A failure to carry out a duty, especially a legal or
financial obligation

to subtract, take away

Noun
The luxury car was repossessed owing to the
purchaser's default on the monthly instalments

Verb

because or in case someone or something is

absent

140

He won the match by default because his

opponent didn't arrive
The meeting could not be held in default of a
chairman
someone, especially a soldier, who has been
guilty of a breach of discipline such as absence
from duty
Noun
The military police arrested the army defaulter at
his parents' home
of a preset parameter in a computer program
which will be followed unless an alternative is
specified by the user
Adjective
If you want to use a different paper size, you
must override the default settings

Adjective
She is a person deficient in compassion
a shortfall, especially of revenue
Noun
The audit reveals a deficit in the accounts
Deflate
To collapse by releasing gas
Verb
You must deflate your bicycle tyre before you
can mend the puncture
Noun
Deflation caused the balloon to descend
to take away conceit
Verb
That demotion is sure to deflate his ego

Defecate
A formal word meaning to empty the bowels

to feel let down

Verb
The owners of dogs that defecate on the
pavements can be prosecuted

Verb
We felt quite deflated when the party was
cancelled

Defer
To delay, postpone or put off

a fall in prices due to a decrease in economic

activity and consumer spending

Verb
Owing to personal problems, he had to defer his
departure to a later date
The meeting will be deferred until tomorrow

Noun
The deflation was brought about by reducing the
amount of money in circulation

Deficiency
A lack; a shortage
Noun
A deficiency of vitamins may cause disease
He can't hide his deficiencies as a teacher

Adjective
Some economists favour deflationary policies to
keep prices steady
Deflect
To cause to turn from a straight course
Verb
Nothing can deflect her from her determination
to become a singer

141

The ball hit a tree and was deflected into a

bunker

Adjective
A delicate operation was performed on her eye
not intense or strong

Degenerate
To deteriorate; to decline to a lower mental,
moral or physical level
Verb
If we are not careful, these weekly meetings will
degenerate into noisy squabbles

Adjective
Her dress was a delicate shade of pink
This fish's delicate flayour will be smothered by
a sauce
soft; tender

Noun
There has been a rapid degeneration in her health

Adjective
A baby's delicate skin has to be treated gently

Adjective
He suffers from a degenerative heart disease

tact; sensitivity

Noun
A degenerate behaves in a shocking or disgusting
manner
Deleterious
A formal word for harmful or injurious
Adjective
Constant dieting is deleterious to your health
Delicate
Very carefully made; fine

Noun
Sex education must be handled with some
delicacy
Adverb
The advertising of personal toiletries should be
handled delicately
squeamish
Adjective
This gory film is not for delicate viewers
a luxury or choice food

Adjective
A watch has a delicate mechanism
Noun
We admired the delicacy of the woodcarving
fragile; easily damaged
Adjective
This one china is too delicate for everyday use
She could not travel owing to her delicate state of
health
needing careful treatment or skill

Noun
Caviar is a delicacy
I'm not keen on delicacies i prefer plain food
Delicious
Very pleasing, especially to the taste
Adjective
These pastries are delicious
A boy's gurgle is a delicious sound
Delight
Great pleasure, joy
Noun

142

She expressed delight at the unexpected gift

Verb
He delights in playing tricks
She takes great delight in pointing out my
mistakes
Noun
Your dancing is a delight
Verb
I'm delighted to meet you
beautiful; charming
Adjective
There's a delightful view from our balcony
Delinquent
An offender guilty of a minor crime or misdeed,
especially a young person
Noun
The delinquent was placed in the care of a
probation officer juvenile delinquency is a real
problem negligent or remiss he is delinquent in
his duties
Delirious
Mentally confuses, especially due to illness
Adjective
She was delirious with fever
Noun
He babbled strange words in his delirium
A severe psychotic condition caused by extreme
alcoholism
Tremors and hallucinations are some of the
symptoms of delirium tremens/DT's
Wildly excited, especially with joy or enthusiasm

Adjective
The children were delirious with happiness when
they saw the Christmas tree
Deliver
To convey or distribute goods, letters, letters, etc,
to the places or people to whom they are
addressed
Verb
He asked the florist to deliver the flowers to her
office
Noun
There is no delivery of post over the weekend
Adjective
The delivery van calls twice a week in your area
A formal word meaning to give birth to a child
Verb
She was delivered of a healthy girl
To help a mother give birth
Verb
Her baby was delivered by a midwife
To give a speech, sermon, etc
Verb
She delivered a talk on her recent trip to Japan
The magistrate delivered a stern warning to the
offender
A formal term meaning to give up, surrender or
hand over something
When arrested the thief delivered up the stolen
wallet
The car was delivered over to its
new owner
An old- fashioned term meaning to save or
rescue

143

Verb
Deliver us from evil
We were grateful for our deliverance from
danger

Noun
A demagogue wins support by appealing to
people's emotions rather than by rational
argument

To throw, launch or aim

Demand
To ask as if giving an order; to insist

Verb
In cricket, the bowler delivers the ball overarm
The champion delivered a series of blows to the
head of his opponent

Verb
I demand an apology, you had no reason to
accuse me of lying
The union is demanding a 10% wage increase

To receive something

Noun
We will try to satisfy all your demands

When can you take delivery of the goods?

A legal claim
Delude
To deceive; to mislead
Verb
Why did you delude her with empty promises?
A mistaken belief, especially as a form of mental
disorder
Noun
He suffers from the delusion that
people are
trying to poison him
She seems to be under the delusion that she's
overweight

Noun
We've received a demand for the overdue rates
A need or requirement
Noun
There is a demand for engineers
Verb
This problem demands an immediate solution
Much wanted; popular
Good nurses are always in demand
He is in great demand as an actor

A false belief in your own importance

Requiring much effort and energy
Someone suffering from delusions of grandeur
may believe that he or she is a member of the
royal family

Adjective
Teaching is a demanding job

My wife has such delusions of grandeur, she

expects me to take her to fancy restaurants we
can't afford!

You are making too many demands on my time

Demagogue
A political leader who becomes popular by
rousing the passions and prejudices of the mob

You can now get cash on demand

automatic teller machine

Whenever asked for

144

at an

Demarcate

We regret to inform you of the

Demise of your uncle

To mark or fix the boundaries or limits

An end; a failure
Verb
White lines demarcate the parking bays
Separation or distinction

Noun
The demise of that newspaper was a blow to
liberalism

Noun
In this book the line of demarcation/demarkation
between fact and fiction is blurred
Demarcation/demarkation is also the trade-union
practice of strictly assigning specific jobs to
different unions

Demobilize/demobilise
To release from military service

Demean
To humble yourself, lose the respect of others

Noun
Demobilization/demobilisation means a return to
civilian life

Noun
Do not demean yourself by begging for his help

Verb
They celebrated when they were demobbed

Adjective
He found it demeaning to return to his former
firm as a junior employee

Demolish
To knock down or destroy

Demeanour

Verb
The army will demobilize/demobilize these
recruits after 18 months

Verb
They are going to demolish that old building

The way someone behaves towards others

Noun
His aggressive demeanour intimidates people
Demerit
A fault or flaw
Noun
It is a demerit of the system that it needs
expensive equipment

Noun
The demolition caused disruption to traffic
Adjective
Dynamite is often used as a demolition agent
Verb
The prosecution lawyer completely demolished
the argument for the defense
A slang term meaning to eat greedily

Demise
A formal word for the death of a person

Verb
He demolished two hamburgers and a hot dog at
one go!

Noun

145

Demonstrate
To show clearly; to prove

Most French people are very demonstrative they

hug and kiss each other whenever they meet

Verb
Our science teacher will demonist at that water
evaporates into steam when heated

In grammar, a proNoun that indicates the person

or thing referred to

Noun
Large-scale emigration is a demonstration of lack
of confidence in a country

In the sentence 'throw away that apple', the word

'that' is a demonstrative proNoun
Demote

Adjective
That is a demonstrable lie

To reduce in rank or level

To show and explain how something works; to

show by example

Verb
The army is to demote the corporal to a private

Verb
The saleswoman demonstrated of all the
attachments for the food processor

Noun
The demotion meant her salary was cut
Demur

Noun
We attended a flower-arranging demonstration
Verb
The fireman demonstrated courage
the woman

in rescuing

To protest against/show support for something

publicly
Thousands demonstrated against/in favour
the new laws at a rally
Noun
The demonstrators marched peacefully

Showing your feelings readily

Verb
I suggested that we put it to a vote, but knowing
him, he will demur
Noun
They demurred at working on Sundays
She accepted my advice without

demur

Demystify
To make something clearer, less mysterious
Verb
Can you demystify these instructions?

Short for demonstration

Noun
He took part in a demo and was

of

A formal word meaning to object or take

exception to

arrested

Denigrate
To defame, belittle unfairly
Verb
Don't denigrate you self, you have

great talent

Adjective

146

Denizen
A formal or humorous term meaning an
inhabitant; a person or animal resident in a place

Verb
Flashing lights usually denote some kind of
warning

Noun
The penguin is a denizen of the Antarctic
Denounce
Denomination
A religious group that is part of a larger religious
organization
Adjective
He is a protestant of the Methodist
denomination
Anglicans, Presbyterians, Baptists and other
groups attended an interdenominational
service
Names of classifications
Noun
Reptiles and mammals are two denominations of
living creatures
A unit of measurement of money
Noun
The American coin of the lowest denomination is
the cent
The name for the number below the line in a
vulgar fraction, divisor
Noun
In the fraction 2 is the denominator

To speak violently or openly against

Verb
The UN will denounce the attack
Noun
The president's fierce denunciation
was applauded by all

on Kuwait
of violence

To give information against

Verb
An information deNounced him to
as a spy

the

police

To terminate formally
Verb
the country denounced the treaty
former ally

with

its

Dense
Containing many things or people close together;
thick
Adjective
The dense undergrowth made
difficult

hiking

A common feature of a group

Noun
The Americans and British have a common
denominator in the English language
Denote
To stand for; to show

Noun
The density of the fog made driving impossible
Stupid, dull
Verb
He is too dense to understand that

joke

147

To leave, go away
Denude
Verb
The train will depart now from

To strip of coveting, make bare

Verb
Goats will denude the mountainside of grass
In winter, deciduous trees are denuded of leaves

platform 25

Noun
The departure of the plane has been delayed
To behave differently from what is expected

Deny
To declare as untrue

Young people tend to depart from

conventional ideas

Verb
I strongly deny your accusation
She denied shoplifting

A new course of action

Noun
Her denial was accepted by the

old

Noun
This is a departure from our normal procedure
court

A formal term meaning to die

She departed this at the age of 90
Let us give thanks for the life/lives of the
departed
Past, bygone

To disown; to reject
Verb
Peter denied Christ
To refuse or disallow

Adjective
He remembered the departed days of his youth

Verb
He was denied access to the money

Depend

Noun
The denial of her rights angered

To be controlled or determined by
her

To restrict your intake of food, pleasures, etc

Adjective
Whether we go or not will depend on the weather

I must deny myself some more of

that
chocolate cake
They live in style and deny themselves nothing
You must agree that

Rely, on need

There is no denying that he is a poor public

speaker

Adjective
The blind man is dependent on his
when walking in the street

Depart

Noun

Verb
The disabled woman depends on her wheelchair
guide

148

dog

A dependant is someone who relies on anther,

especially for financial support
She has an unfortunate dependence / dependency
on drugs

Verb
The drought will deplete our water

A country governed or controlled by another

Noun
The depletion of the ozone layer
much concern

Noun
A dependency is a territory governed by a state
that is separated from it geographically

Verb
Buying a car has depleted our funds

To feel certain about; to trust confidently

Deplore

Verb
You can depend on her, she won't
down

let

Adjective
That firm is very dependable and
good job

should do a

supplies
causes

To condemn or be offended by something

you
Verb
We deplore dishonesty his unrepentant attitude is
deplorable
To feel regret or sorrow about

You may be sure

Verb
Her untimely death is deplored

Depend on it, our side will win

An expressions of uncertainty or qualification

Deploy

Are you going? Well, it depends/it

depends/that depends

To adopt battle formation

all

Verb
The soldiers began to deploy ready to attack
Depict
Effective use
To portray or describe visually or Verbally
Verb
The portraits depict various celebrities
Noun
The biography depicted him as a
man

generous

Noun
The deployment of all our
required

resources may be

Depopulate
To reduce the number of people living in an area

Deplete
To reduce greatly in numbers, quantity, etc, to
use up, exhaust

Verb
Famine can depopulate a country

149

The flow of youth to the cities has

depopulation of the rural areas

led to the

Adjective
Her depraved actions shocked her

family

Noun
He was a man of loose morals who lived a life of
depravity

Deport
To force someone to leave a country, banish
Verb
Our government will deport the
criminal

Deprecate
a formal word meaning to express disapproval
of; to protest against
foreign
Verb
We deprecate the closure of the

Noun
If you do not have official
permission to be in
a country you risk deportation

hospital

embarrassed, displeased or apologetic

Adjective
She received the unwanted compliment with a
deprecating smile
He waved away our offer of help
in
a
deprecating way

Depose
To remove from office or power
Verb
Rebels tried to depose the dictator
Noun
The deposition of the king caused

Depreciate
to fall in value or price
a civil war

A statement on oath

Verb
The value of a car will depreciate

Noun
The court was supplied with a deposition from
the witness

Noun
Depreciation of currencies causes fluctuations in
exchange rates

Verb
She is prepared to depose to having
accused enter the
shop

to belittle, disparage
seen

with age

the
Verb
With snide remarks she
efforts to help

depreciates

my

Deprave
to corrupt, make bad
Verb
The company of criminals may
impressionable
youngster

deprave an

Depredation
plundering; damage or devastation
Noun
During the riots, the town suffered
at the hands of the mob

depredation

150

The depredations of the flood left

homeless

many

an area of low atmospheric pressure

Noun
The storm is caused by a
in from the sea

Depress
to make sad or gloomy

depression moving

Verb
Don't depress me with more bad news

Deprive
to prevent from using or enjoying; to dispossess

Adjective
I am depressed by the loss of my job
You have a depressing tendency to stress
negative aspects

Verb
The club can deprive you of your membership if
you infringe its rules
Prisoners are deprived of freedom
A crisis at work is going to deprive me of my
holiday

the

a mental disorder or excessive melancholy

Noun
She is being treated for severe
by a psychiatrist
He has taken antidepressants since
died

lacking adequate food, shelter, care, etc

depression
his

wife

Adjective
Street children have a deprived childhood
Noun
Refugees suffer much deprivation

to press down or lower

Verb
Depress the lever to stop the machine

Depth
Deepness; a measure of this

a hollow
Noun
Rainwater collects in a depression
puddle

forming

Noun
What is the depth of the lake?
The depth of the drawer is about
30 cm
The depth of his concern was obvious

a severe decline in business activities; a slump

In the deepest or severest part of something

Noun
In a depression many businesses
insolvent

It is cold in the depth of winter

He was in the depths of despair

become

Profundity, deep thought

The depression occurred in the
1930s,
when there was mass unemployment
an area where there is much poverty
There is widespread unemployment in that
depressed
area

Noun
That superficial novel lacks depth
Thoroughly; extensively

151

When you write a thesis, you study your

subject in depth

A formal term meaning the willful neglect of

responsibilities

In water too deep to stand in

She was out of her depth so she
swim

had

to

He deliberately omitted several

safety
checks and was sacked for dereliction of duty

Involved in something that is beyond your ability

or understanding

Deride
To mock or ridicule

When they start talking about

is out of her depth

Verb
Children often deride classmates
who look
different
She derided his attempt at a French accent

finance, she

An explosive device that detonates under water

The frigate dropped a depth charge
of the submarine

in the area

Derail
To cause a train to go off the rails

Ridiculously inadequate; not to be considered

seriously

Verb
Concrete blocks were placed on the line in an
effort to derail the train
Noun
The derailment was caused by sabotage

to

sleeping

the

house,

A formal word meaning to get something from

something

be

Noun
The old ship is now in a state of dereliction
A social outcast, vagrant
Noun
Don't trip over the derelict
pavement

Adjective
They offered a derisory sum for
which was rejected
Derive

Derelict
Deserted, forsaken; left to fall into ruins
Adjective
The derelict barn is too dilapidated
repaired

Noun
The critic's derision of that amateurish
production is understandable
his poor performance was greeted with derisive
laughter

on

Verb
You will derive no benefit from
food
She derives great pleasure from
grandchildren

this

junk

her

To have as a source or origin, especially of the

development of words
the

Noun
Many English words are derived
from Latin
The word 'narcissus' has a Greek derivation

152

Verb
The word 'house' derives from the
English ' hus'

To visit unexpectedly and usually unwelcomely

OLD
Our in-laws descended on us last weekend

Noun
The word 'grounding' is a
derivative
of
'ground'
Refined petrol is a derivative of
crude oil

Ancestry, origins
Noun
He is of French descent

Not original (usually used disparagingly )

He claims to be descended from

Adjective
Her paintings have a derivative style based on
other artists

Noun
She is one of the descendants of queen Victoria l

royalty

To be passed on by inheritance
Descend

Verb
The house descended from her
her

To move down
Verb
Hold onto the banister as you descend the stairs
The parachutists descended gradually

father

to

Desecrate
To treat something sacred, irreverently

Noun
The pilot anNounced that our
begun

descent had

Verb
Vandals desecrate the gravestones
weekend

every

To slope
Verb
The land descended to the beach

Noun
We were horrified by the
church

desecration of the

To fall; to sink
Verb
Rain descended heavily
Night descends rapidly in the tropics
To do something that is unworthy of you
How could he descend to fraud?
To attack suddenly

Deserve
To be entitled to or worthy of reward or
punishment
Verb
The rescuers deserve praise
Adjective
It was a richly deserved honour

a swarm of bees descended on us

153

Adverb
She deservedly was made head

prefect

Adjective
Collections are often held for deserving causes
We took a well-deserved holiday
Verb
That brutal rapist deserves to go to

prison

Trendy or fashionable
Adjective
The film star had designer stubble

on his chin

General form or arrangement

Noun
The awkward design of the implement made it
difficult to use
The furniture is of a modern design

Desiccated
Dried out or dehydrated
Adjective
Sprinkle desiccated coconut on the

Adjective
She always wears designer jeans

Lines or shapes forming a decoration

cake
Noun
Some modern painters use bold geometric
designs

Design
A sketch or plan from which something can be
made; the art of making such drawings
Noun
The architect showed us his design for our new
house
Verb
An artist designed a poster to attract tourists
Adverb
She is studying textile design

To be planned or made for a specific purpose

Verb
This fund is designed to provide
for worthy students
These clothes were designed for
hot climates
Noun
He failed in his design to break up
friendship

bursaries
extremely

their

On purpose
To think and plan, devise
Did you do that by design or by
Verb
We need to design a new system
customers
Someone whose job it is to design

for

billing

Noun
The fashion designer works in Paris
Top-class, with the label of a well-known
designer

accident?

Crafty; scheming
Adjective
Beware of designing people who are after your
money
To plan to get possession of or harm

154

He has designs on her property

Adjective
The warning had the desired effect
Designate
A formal term for wanting something
To mark; to point out clearly
we are desirous of peace
Verb
We must designate the area to be
reservoir

used for a

Noun
We should examine the
flextime

To be given a particular name, title, etc

Verb
My bother was designated head
Noun
My official designation is

The advisability; the usefulness

prefect

desirability

of

Pleasing, especially sexually; agreeable

Adjective
She was seen as a desirable woman
We must move to a more desirable suburb

administrator

Appointed or elected, but not yet in office

To be very unsatisfactory
Adjective
The chairman designate will be
next week

installed

His work leaves much to be desired/leaves a lot

to be desired

Desire

Desist

A longing, especially physical; a craving

A formal word meaning to cease or stop

Noun
His desire for her was great

Verb
Please desist from making such a

Verb
Pregnant women often desire exotic foods
Noun
She had a sudden desire for strawberries
cream

Desolate
Barren, bleak or uninhabited
and

To want, wish for

Verb
Most people desire a life free from
stress

noise

Adjective
The desolate coastline is littered

with wrecks

Devastation, destruction

worry

and

Noun
The desolation caused by the first
was horrific

atom bomb

155

In desperation he finally broke the

window

To be overwhelmed with grief

An old-fashioned word for a reckless outlaw
Verb
She was desolated by the death of

her husband

Noun
The desperado held up the

stagecoach

Miserable and lonely

In great need of
Adjective
He felt desolate when his marriage

ended

Adjective
The homeless are desperate for
the winter

shelter

in

Despair
Done with little hope of success
To lose hope
Verb
I began to despair of ever finding

a desperate remedy was tried to cure the patient

when all else had failed
a job
Dangerously, seriously

Noun
Despair eventually drove her to
Don't give up in despair

suicide

Adjective
The despairing families waited for
trapped miners

news of the

Adverb
The crash victim is desperately ill
The company's finances are in a desperate state
There is a desperate shortage of
water
Despise

Somebody or something that causes hopelessness

or frustration

To regard with contempt or disdain

My son is the despair of his teachers as he will

not do his
homework

Verb
I despise a coward

Vile, contemptible
Desperate

Adjective
Murder is a despicable thing

Reckless or violent through urgency or despair

Adjective
In a desperate attempt to reach the hospital, he
drove too fast

Despondent
In low spirits; dejected or disheartened

The desperate criminal fired on the police

Adjective
Noun

156

He felt despondent about his poor

results

exam

Noun
She was overcome by despondency after losing
her job
Despot
A tyrant; a person with unrestricted power,
especially one who acts in an oppressive way

To be on the way to
Verb
The orient express was destined for Istanbul
To have a preplanned future
Verb
Coming from a legal family, i was
a career as a lawyer

destined for

Destiny
Noun
At whim the despot would
prison

sentence people to

Adjective
The despotic headmaster was hated by staff and
pupils alike

Fate, the power thought to control events

Noun
It seems destiny that we should

meet

Destiny
Dessert

Poor, impoverished, without the necessities of

life

The sweet, usually last course of a meal; a

pudding
Noun
Ice cream and chocolate sauce is
favourite dessert

my

A spoon sized between a teaspoon and

tablespoon
Adjective
Add a dessertspoon of milk to the

Adjective
His family was left destitute after

his death

Noun
The destitution in the slums is

pitiful

Destroy
To reduce to a useless form; to ruin or spoil

beaten eggs
Verb
Destroy those documents in the
shredder
The fire destroyed of crops the house

Destination
The place where a person or thing is going
Noun
The hitchhiker's destination was
We were tired by the time
destination

we

Noun
Locusts are notorious destroyers of crops
Vienna
reached our

Verb
His inflammatory speech
chances of peace

destroyed

157

all

Adjective
The hurricane caused much destruction
Texas

in

A helicopter was detached to search

climbers

for

the

A task force; a unit from the main body

Adjective
The destructive storm demolished
puppies can be very destructive

buildings

Noun
A detachment of soldiers was sent
the riot

to

control

Making no positive suggestions for improvement

Of a house, not joined to another
Destructive criticism can be damaging
person's self- esteem

to

a
Adjective
We live in a large, detached house

To kill a sick or an unwanted animal

Of the mind or opinions, unemotional, aloof or
unbiased

Verb
The injured cat had to be destroyed

Adjective
Judges must be detached from the
hear

A small, speedy warship

Noun
A destroyer is heavily armed and
manoeuvrable

highly

cases

Noun
She had an air of detachment whereas we were
all upset

Desultory
Aimless; not systematic

Detail

Adjective
They carried on a desultory conversation
jumping from one
subject to another

An individual or particular item

Noun
Every detail of the evidence was re-examined
I cannot be bothered with minor
details right
now

Detach
To release or remove from something else

Small, particular aspects of something

Verb
Please detach the trailer from the
The coupon is invalid if detached
leaflet

car
from

the

Noun
Look at the detail in the carvings
To list something fully

Adjective
This helmet has a detachable visor
To dispatch on a mission

they

Verb
We detailed our plans to him

Verb

158

Adjective
Give the police a detailed
stolen items

description of the

To study, discuss, etc, all aspects of something

I can't go into detail now because
take too long
Explain your scheme in detail

it

would

Verb
They couldn't detect any evidence of fraud
Do I detect a note of sarcasm in
your voice?
Traces of blood were detected on his clothes
Noun
The convicts escaped detection by
the woods

hiding

in

A person whose job it is to investigate crimes

To select personnel for an assignment, usually
military
Verb
Detail some men for guard duty

Noun
The detective searched for clues
rubble

among the

A story mainly dealing with solving a crime

Noun
Recruits are put on kitchen detail
week

once

a
She loves detective stories/novels, especially
those where the
identity of the murderer is
revealed only on the last page

Detain
To hold back or delay

Deter
Verb
You may go, as I have no wish to
further
The bad weather detained us for
hours

detain you

To discourage or prevent

several

Verb
The threat of punishment will deter most
children from misbehaving
The thought of further study deterred her from
going to university

suspects for

Noun
Traffic fines act as a deterrent to
speeding
A nuclear weapon can be a deterrent to wouldbe attackers

To confine or hold in custody

Verb
The police have detained several
questioning

Noun
This detainee is an illegal immigrant
He was given an hour's detention as a
punishment, so he had to stay after school
Detect
To discover or notice

Deteriorate
To become worse
Verb
The patient's condition started to
after the operation

deteriorate

159

Noun
A deterioration in the weather has
forecast

been

Determine
To decide or settle conclusively

Determinism is the belief that we

have
no
real freedom of choice
because all events,
including
human behaviour, are decided by
things over which we have no
control
Detest
To dislike very much, loathe

Verb
The courts will determine the outcome of the
dispute
She determined that they should emigrate to
Australia
He determined on selling his car
The results of the test will
determine
what
treatment you must be given
A formal word for something that decides or
influences
Noun
The main determine his motives

Verb
I detest snakes
Adjective
Biting your nails is a detestable habit
Dethrone
To remove a ruler from power
Verb
The leaders of the antimonarchist
plotted to dethrone the king

party

for refusing
To remove anyone from a position of authority

To work ; out; to calculate

Verb
Determine the freezing point of the liquid

Verb
An ambitious young executive
dethrone the ageing manager

managed to

Firmness of purpose
Noun
He tackled the work with
Adjective
I am determined to give up

Detonate
To cause to explode loudly
determination
Verb
Light the fuse to detonate the explosive
smoking

In grammar, a word such as 'the', 'every', or 'my'

coming before a Noun to show how the Noun is
being used

Noun
The detonation of the dynamite
heard far away

could

be

A device or substance that causes an explosion

Noun
In 'those tall buildings', 'those' is a
A philosophical doctrine
Noun

determiner
Noun
Remove the detonator to make the
harmless

bomb

160

Adjective
Her actions were detrimental to our cause
Detour
A deviation from an intended course
Noun
Because of road works, we had to
detour

Devalue/devaluate
To lower the worth of something especially
money
make

a
Verb
There is talk that they might devalue/devaluate
the currency

Detoxify
To remove poison or harmful substances from
Verb
We must stabilize and detoxify this snakebite
victim
Adjective
Drug addicts need treatment in a detoxification
centre
Slang for detoxification

Noun
There has been a further
dollar

Devastate
To lay waste, ravage or destroy
Verb
Floods will devastate this lowNoun
The hurricane left a trail of

Noun
We've heard she's going into detox

nest week

devaluation of the

lying area

devastation

Adjective
A devastating hailstorm flattened

the crops

Detract

To be overwhelmed with shock or grief

To lessen a desirable quality, diminish

Verb
She was devastated by the death of

Verb
Her bad moods detract

from her charm

People who criticize or disparage unfairly

Noun
Even the worthiest people have their detractors

her child

Slang for striking, attractive, etc

Adjective
She looked devastating in her new

dress

Develop

Detriment
Disadvantage; harm; damage

To grow, change, increase, etc, gradually

Noun
He eats junk food, to the detriment of his health

Verb
Buds develop into flowers
Muscles can be developed by weightlifting

161

The author develops the plot with

great skill

A piece of land where houses, shops, etc, have

been built

Noun
The development of tourism will
jobs

crate many

Noun
Many people live in the new housing
development
I know the property developer
well

Verb
The new mall is developing rapidly

To treat a photographic film so as to make a

picture visible

Having a highly organized economy

Adjective
That is one of the most developed

countries

Verb
Please take this spool to the chemist
developed

to

be

To work out in detail

An event or a happening
Verb
They've developed the project
original idea

from

your

Noun
The latest development in the
in today's paper

scandal

is

To begin to show or suffer from; to acquire

Verb
The car developed a rattle
The boy has developed measles
I have developed a taste for prawns

Deviate

To work out in detail

Verb
Do not deviate from the original

Verb
They've developed the project
original idea

To turn aside from a course of action, standard,

etc

from

your

To begin to show or suffer from; to acquire

Verb
The car developed a rattle
The boy has developed measles
I have developed a taste for prawns

ahead
her usual

Someone who does not follow acceptable

standards of behaviour, especially in sexual
matters
Noun
He's a sexual deviant who assaults

To ensure or follow
Verb
An argument developed after his

Noun
The road sing warns of a deviation
that outburst was a deviation from
behaviour

plan

remarks

children

Device

162

A thing that is made or used for a special purpose

Noun
A bleeper is a device that emits a
pitched sound to attract attention

high-

That growing boy can devour a

minutes
Locust swarms devoured every
leaf

meal

in

stalk

and

tracts

of

To destroy
.A trick or scheme
Noun
Her illness is a device to avoid
work
The writer used stylistic devices to
effect on the reader

going

to

produce an

To allow someone to do as he or she pleases

After a guided tour, the tourists
were left to
their own devices for the weekend
Devoid

Verb
Grass fires have devoured large
grazing

To take in avidly with the mind or senses

Verb
The insomniac devoured the entire
night's reading
She was devoured by curiosity

novel in a

Devout
Deeply religious, pious

Completely lacking in, without

Adjective
Some people are utterly devoid of

Adjective
He is a devout follower of his

religion

humour
Sincere

Devolve
To be passed to or transferred

Adjective
It is my devout hope that my son will matriculate
this year

Verb
Responsibility will devolve on my
my absence

Adverb
It is devoutly to be wished that
diminish

deputy

in

Noun
There has been a devolution of power form
central government to regional authorities
Devour

crime

Dexterity
Skill, especially in using the hands
Noun
The nimble fingers of the concert
showed her dexterity

pianist

To eat greedily, consume

Verb

Adjective

163

will

He did some dexterous/dextrous juggling with

five balls
Clever
Adjective
His dexterous/dextrous negotiating resolved the
strike

Verb
The victors of war are in a position to dictate
the terms of surrender
I will not be dictated to by a mere
junior
A guiding principle
Noun
In this personal matter, you should
dictates of your
conscience

Diabolic
Wicked and clever; or like a devil

follow

the

A tyrant, autocratic ruler

Adjective
With diabolic cunning, they plotted to kidnap
the child
A slang term meaning excruciatingly bad
Adjective
I walked out of that diabolical film

Noun
Adolf Hitler was the most
notorious
th
of the 20
century
No democratic elections were held in
dictatorship

dictator
that

Adjective
When the boss speaks in a dictatorial manner,
we know he means business

Dichotomy
Diffident
A formal word for a division into two parts or
kinds that are opposed or entirely different
Noun
The clearest dichotomy is between
and the losers

the winners

Lacking self-confidence; shy

Adjective
she's a diffident girl with a

reserved manner

Dictate

Noun
His diffidence about his ability
prevents
him from reaching the
top in his career

To say or read something aloud so that someone

can write or type it no interruptions please,

Diffuse

Verb
I want to dictate a report shorthand enables
secretaries to keep up with normal
Noun
Dictation
To issue orders with authority, command

To spread all around; to send out in all directions

Verb
Air fresheners diffuse a fragrance throughout the
room
The scent of the roses was diffused by the
breeze
Noun
Libraries help the diffusion of knowledge

164

dilettantes/dilettanti
Not concentrated
Adjective
Diffused lighting is excellent for
illumination

Diligent
background
Hard-working; conscientious

Wordy; not concise

Adjective
He writes well but has a somewhat
style

Adjective
Diligent students are rewarded by
symbols or marks

high

diffuse
Noun
Diligence gained her rapid

promotion

Dilapidated
Dilute
Falling to pieces; in a state of disrepair
To weaken or thin by adding a liquid
Adjective
The dilapidated farmhouse has no

roof

Verb
Add water to dilute the orange

squash

Dilemma

To make something weaker in force, effect, etc

A situation in which a person must choose

between two equally undesirable alternatives

Verb
He diluted the account of his accident so as not
to alarm his mother

Noun
Her dilemma was whether to confess
and get a scolding or keep
quiet and have a
guilty conscience

Diminutive
Very small, tiny

The doctor was on the horns of a

dilemma as
to whether or not to tell his depressed patient
that she
had terminal cancer

Adjective
The pygmies of equatorial Africa are diminutive
people
His diminutive bachelor flat was
too small
for a proper stove, so he bought a microwave

Dilettante

Grammatically, a word implying smallness

A person who dabbles in a subject, especially the

fine arts

Noun
'Kitchenette' is the diminutive of

'kitchen'

An affectionate from of a name

Noun
He flits from gallery to gallery
pretending
to be an expert but he is only a dilettante

'Freddie' is the diminutive of 'Frederick'

165

Disabuse him of thoughts of making the team as

he's not good enough

Dimple
A small hollow in the surface of the skin,
especially on the cheeks or chin
Noun
He has an attractive dimple in his chin
Verb
Her cheek dimples when she smiles

Disaster
An event that causes great damage or harm
Noun
The air crash was a terrible disaster
Earthquakes are natural disasters
The flooded town was declared a
area

To make a slight hollow on a surface

Verb
The sand was dimpled with tiny holes

disaster

A fiasco, failure
Noun
The play was a total disaster

Dingy
Adjective
the new system was a disastrous flop

Dirty-looking; dull; drab

Adjective
Those dingy curtains need to be washed

Discard
To throw away or out

Noun
The dinginess of the house was depressing

Verb
Discard any bruised apples in this

batch

Dire
Desperate; urgent; dreadful

Adjective
Give these old, discarded clothes

the poor

Adjective
The refugees are in dire need of food
We have a dire crisis on our hands

Noun
I'm keeping these, the others are

discards

To give up an unwanted playing card

In a very difficult situation
The company is in dire straits
the recession

because of

Verb
He discarded a three, and picked up a queen
Disclaim

Disabuse
To free a person from mistaken ideas
Verb

To reNounce; to disown
Verb

166

The prince may disclaim all rights

throne

to

the
Discrepancy

To deny
Verb
He disclaimed all knowledge of

A difference; a failure to agree

the theft

A statement denying responsibility for something

Noun
We had to sign a disclaimer that absolved the
army of all responsibility for us while we were in
the war zone

Cautious and prudent; able to keep a secret;

tactful
Adjective
You can confide in him as he is very discreet
Noun
You can trust in her discretion
Not too obvious, unobtrusive
perfume

To have freedom to act according to your own

judgment
I have told my secretary to use her
discretion in this matter
Adjective
The new rules give the managers
discretionary powers

Discriminate
To understand the difference between
Verb
Children must be taught to discriminate
between right and
wrong

Discreet

Adjective
I prefer a discreet scent to a heady

Noun
We have a discrepancy between the cash in the
till and the book entry
There are several discrepancies between your
version and his

To treat differently, especially unfairly on the

basis of race, sex, etc
Verb
When it comes to promotion, the
discriminates against women

firm

Noun
There is blatant discrimination
immigrants in some countries

against

still

Showing good judgment and perception

Adjective
He is very discriminating in the restaurants he
patronizes

own
Noun
She shows great discrimination in
of clothes

her choice

more
Discursive

There is no point in taking unnecessary risks

Discretion is the better part of valour, so I
wouldn't disturb the dog while he's eating

Rambling not keeping to the main subject

Adjective

167

The botany professor's discursive

lectures
tend to wander onto unrelated topics such as
philosophy

Disgrace
Shame, dishonour; lack of respect
Noun
Your action have brought disgrace to my family

Disdain
Scorn; contempt; dislike
Noun
He treats other people's ideas with

disdain

Adjective
They are disdainful of their junior

colleagues

Verb
Don't disgrace your school by hitchhiking in
school uniform
there is no disgrace in
being poor
Very bad; shameful

To refuse or reject something because it is not

good enough for you

Adjective
The disgraceful behaviour of the football
spectators caused the match to be abandoned
Your work is disgraceful

Verb
She disdained the invitation because it meant
sitting in the cheap seats

Out of favour
The puppy is in disgrace as it chewed
slipper

dad's

Disenchanted
To disillusion
Disgruntled
Verb
Her vanity and selfishness have disenchanted
many of her former friends
Disentangle
To unravel, make free of knots
Verb
Try to disentangle the wool that the cat's been
playing with
To release or become free from something'; to
extricate yourself from an involvement
Verb
She disentangled her shirt from the fence
You must disentangle yourself from this unhappy
relationship

Discontented; sulky
Adjective
The workers are disgruntled with
their new
union leadership
Why is there such a disgruntled expression on
your face?
Disguise
To change your appearance in order to become
unrecognizable
Verb
People who attend masked balls
disguise
themselves
Noun
I recognized him despite his disguise of beard
and dark glasses

168

the spy was in disguise as a priest

To conceal
Verb
She disguised her anger by carrying on as
usual
There's no disguising the fact that
he cheats
Disgust
To sicken; to cause a feeling of loathing, great
dislike or indignation
Verb
Your crude habits disgust me me were disgusted
with his behaviour
Adjective
They had disgusting table manners
Noun
She looked with disgust at the mess in the
kitchen
He left the drunken party in disgust
Dismantle
To take apart or to pieces
Verb
We must dismantle the exhibition stand
immediately the show closes
He is busy dismantling the engine to try and
find the fault

Verb
I was dismayed at the damage caused by the
storm
Disown
To refuse to acknowledge; to deny any
connecting with
Verb
If they hear of his skirmishes with
parents will disown him

the law, his

Disparage
To belittle, suggest that something is of little
value; to speak of in a slighting way
Verb
We should encourage rather than disparage a
beginner's attempts
Adjective
his self-confidence has been shattered
teacher's disparaging remarks

by

the

Disparate
A formal word fro completely different; unable
to be compared
Adjective
The six experiments gave quite disparate results
Inequality, difference

Dismay
A strong feeling of worry, shock or despair

Noun
The wide disparity in their ages soon led to a
divorce

Noun
Noun
We were filled with dismay at the news of our
colleague's arrest

Dispassionate
Not influences by emotion; calm; impartial

169

Adjective
A judge must deal with court cases in a
dispassionate manner

I can dispense with his services in

future

Adjective
Luxuries are dispensable items

Dispel
A political or religious system
To drive away, cause to vanish
Verb
The warmth of the sun will soon
mist
The doctor's reassuring manner
her fears

Noun
We have a democratically fair dispensation
dispel

the
Disperse

dispelled
To scatter, distribute widely or spread out
Verb
The rioters will disperse once the police arrive
After the concert, the audience dispersed home

Dispense
To hand out, distribute
Verb
These charities dispense food and
the needy
To administer the law

Noun
The dispersal of wind-borne seeds is one method
of plant reproduction
The dispersal of the crowd was
achieved
peacefully

Verb
The courts dispense justice

Disseminate

clothes

To make up medicines for distributing

administering
Verb
The pharmacist will dispense the
prescription

to

or

doctor's

Noun
Please put me through to the dispensary I need a
repeat of my pills
The dispenser gave me some tablets

To spread ideas, etc, widely

Verb
A political party will use the press
disseminate its views

to

Dissipate
To scatter or break up
Verb
The heat of the sun will dissipate the fog

A device that deals out a quantity of something

To waste time, money, etc; to squander

Noun
There is a queue at the coffee dispenser
To manage without

Verb
The no-good dissipated his

inheritance

Exhausted by overindulgence; debauched

170

Adjective
He wasn't old, but looked haggard
dissipated

and

Noun
His life of dissipation has ruined his health

Water flowed into the irrigation

the well

ditch from

A term meaning to make an emergency landing

on water

Distress

Verb
The pilot had to ditch the plane in
the engine failed

Suffering caused by sorrow, grief, exhaustion,

lack of food, etc

A slang term meaning to leave in the lurch; to

abandon

Noun
Their distress at the loss of their child was
heartbreaking

Verb
I heard she ditched her boyfriend

the sea after

Diverge
Adjective
She is still recovering from the distressing news
Noun
Towards the end of the marathon, he showed
signs of distress
The famine caused widespread distress

To separate and go in different directions

Verb
When the paths diverge you must take the one to
the right
A variance or difference, especially of opinions

To worry
Verb
Don't distress yourself, the doctors
be fine

say he will

Noun
We obviously have a divergence
the matter

of views on

Adjective
The chairman is trying to reconcile our divergent
opinions

In dire need of help

There's an SOS signal from a ship in distress
Deliberately treated to simulate wear and tear

Diverse

Adjective
Teenagers buy distressed jeans
and ragged hems

Of different kinds; varied

with holes

Ditch
A long trench or furrow dug in the ground

Adjective
Australia's people come from diverse cultures
Noun
There is a great diversity of tile designs available

Noun

171

To vary a range of products, investments, etc

Divulge

Verb
A wise businessman will diversify his
investments to reduce the risk of bankruptcy
Our wholesale food business has
diversified
into clothing

To make known, reveal or disclose

Verb
Don't divulge this secret
anyone

information

to

Dizzy
Divert
Light-headed, giddy or unsteady
To turn a thing from its course
Verb
We must divert the stream to irrigate the rest of
the crops
Noun
There is a traffic diversion around
works

Adjective
If you get up too quickly, you sometimes feel
dizzy
Noun
His dizziness was caused by an ear

the

infection

road
Doctrinaire

A distraction; something designed to draw the

attention
Noun
One of the boys created a
diversion
by
bumping into me. While the other stole my
wallet
Adjective
The troops used diversionary tactics to confuse
the enemy

Having an inflexible commitment to a theory

without regard to its practical implications
Adjective
a person with such doctrinaire views should not
be on a committee
Dodder
To totter or shake, as with age or weakness

A recreation or pastime
Noun
Solving the crossword puzzle is an
diversion

interesting

Entertaining, amusing
Adjective
What a diverting conversation, I haven't laughed
so much in years!

Verb
He is well into his nineties but he still manages
to dodder about the house
Adjective
I was rather doddery after the operation
Dodge
To make a quick, evasive movement

172

Verb
The thief tried to dodge past the policeman
I dodged out of the way

Adjective
He is so dogmatic that he won't accept anyone
else's point of view

Electrically propelled cars in an enclosure at a

funfair

Doldrums

Noun
The drivers of the dodgems try to

The ocean regions near the equator where there

is little or no wind

bump their

Verb
Vehicles into other cars while dodging those that
try to bump them

Noun
The sailing boat was becalmed in the doldrums
A period of inactivity

A clever or cunning way of avoiding something

The stock market is in the doldrums
Noun
Pretending to be asleep was a dodge to fool the
children
The new regulations are an attempt to stop the
fare dodgers on the trains

Depressed; in low spirits

She was in the doldrums after she
her engagement

broke

off

Slang for difficult or dangerous

Doleful
Adjective
It's too dodgy to climb the
weather

mountain in this

Sad, melancholy or mournful

Slang for dishonest

Adjective
A funeral is generally a doleful occasion

Adjective
That scheme sounds a bit dodgy to me

Dominate
To have strong control or influence

Dogma
A doctrine or set of beliefs put forward by an
authority, especially the church

Verb
His strong personality tends to dominate others

Noun
His teachings are not according to
of our religion

Noun
They dreamed of their country's domination in
sport

the dogma

Of someone who asserts opinions arrogantly

To be the most important or obvious thing or

person in something
Verb

173

The large sculpture dominated the

room

Adjective
Garlic was the dominant flavour in

the sauce

To overlook
Verb
The mountain dominates the flat plains
Domineer

Noun
You can talk till doomsday/domesday but he will
still argue
Dormant
Temporarily inactive
Adjective
Some plants lie dormant throughout the winter
The volcano is dormant but could erupt at any
time

To behave in a controlling or oVerbearing way

Dowdy
Verb
The bossy man tries to domineer his colleagues
Adjective
Her domineering ways made her unpopular

Shabbily dressed; unfashionable; drab

Adjective
Just because you're a housewife,
have to look dowdy

you

don't

Doom
Drift
A judgment; a terrible fate
To be carried along by a current of air, water, etc
Noun
The condemned prisoner awaited his doom with
composure
To be destined; to be condemned
Verb
Many refugees are doomed to a life of poverty
Some old buildings are doomed
because
they can't be restored

Verb
Leaves drift down the stream
Adjective
The drifting sand makes unusual patterns
Noun
When paragliding, allow for drift caused by a
crosswind
He picked up some driftwood on the beach

The end of the world; the day of the last

judgment

A tendency or gradual movement

Noun
The preacher said that we will all have to account
forour sins on doomsday/domesday

Noun
The country experienced a drift into economic
depression

For a long time; for ever

To move casually or aimlessly

174

Verb
Some people just drift through life without
achieving success
Noun
He was a drifter with no ambition
The general meaning or gist
Noun
I couldn't follow the drift of his argument at all

I am collecting for our dumb friends, the animals

Made temporarily speechless through shock,
astonishment, amazement, etc
Adjective
She was dumbstruck by his outrageous remark
and didn't reply
Verb
The child sat wide-eyed and open-mouthed,
dumbfounded /dumfounded by the magician's
tricks

A type of large fishing net that drifts with the tide

Slang for stupid
Sometimes dolphins get caught in

drift nets

Adjective
He's too dumb to understand

Dubious
Dummy
Not certain; suspicious
Adjective
She has become so friendly lately that I am
dubious of her motives
Uncertain; in doubt
Adjective
It is dubious whether he will pass
Questionable;
dishonest

of

doubtful

this year

value;

possibly

Adjective
A dubious compliment can be a disguised insult
His reputation is somewhat dubious
Dumb
Unable to speak
Adjective
She has been deaf and dumb since birth and
communicates in sign language

A model of the human figure used for displaying

clothes, etc
Noun
The window-dresser fitted the jacket on the
dummy in the shop window
Anything that seems to be real but is only an
imitation
Noun
The children were enchanted by the talking
dummy
Adjective
The table has a real drawer, plus a dummy
drawer on the other side
Noun
These books are dummies that
safe behind the shelf

conceal

A blank round of ammunition

Noun

175

The recruits used dummies for

practice

A trial attempt, rehearsal

Some faults came to light in the
of the space mission

Earnest
Serious; not light-hearted or half-hearted

dummy run

A rubber teat, not attached to a bottle, for a baby

to suck
Noun
The baby stopped crying when a dummy was
placed in his mouth

Adjective
He's so earnest I've never seen him
smile

laugh

or

Adverb
Are you earnestly thinking about becoming an
astronaut?
She's in earnest about leaving her
husband
With energy and determination

A slang term for a stupid person

Building has at last begun in earnest
Noun
Who's the dummy who left the milk out of the
fridge?

Most sincerely
You will succeed, I believe this in all earnestness

Duplicity
Ebullient
Deceit, deception
Noun
His duplicity was revealed when his fiance
found out that he was already married

Duress
Threats or force used to compel someone to do
something; compulsion, especially if illegal
Noun
He revealed the information only under duress
after they threatened to kill his family

Overflowing with high spirits, excitement or

enthusiasm
Adjective
The pupils are usually ebullient on
of term

Noun
She was bubbling over with ebullience as she
told us of her travel plans
Eccentric
Odd; whimsical
Adjective
He's not mad, he's just somewhat
and talks to himself

the last day

eccentric

Noun

176

She's quite an eccentric with her collection of

cats
The professor is known for his eccentricity he
always wears a battered top hat

Verb
The child worships his eldest brother and echoes
everything he says
Events echoing those of the forties are disturbing
reminders of the second world war

Ecclesiastical
Of the Christian church

Eclectic

Adjective
A bishop is responsible for all ecclesiastical
matters in his district

A formal word meaning selecting from various

sources, wide-ranging
Adjective
She has an eclectic taste in art, ranging from
optically to Picasso

Echelon
From French meaning 'rung of a ladder' a
sleeplike formation of troops, planes, etc
Noun
The planes were flying in echelon with
one to the right of the one in front of it

Eclipse
A temporary blotting out of the light of the sun or
the moon

each

A particular level in the order of management of

an organization

Noun
When the moon passes between the sun and the
earth, we have a solar eclipse
To overshadow; to outshine

Noun
Such a major decision needs to be brought before
the upper echelons of the company
Echo
The repetition of a sound as it is sent back off a
solid surface
Noun
We yelled 'are you there? Into the cave,.... there'
came back the echo

Verb
She is a brilliant student who is bound to eclipse
all the others in the exams
Ecstasy
An intense feeling of happiness or joy
Noun
Her face glowed with ecstasy when she heard she
had won a scholarship to university
They were in ecstasies at the birth of their baby
Rapturous; enthusiastic

Verb
The house echoed with the sound of our
footsteps

Adjective
The actors received ecstatic applause for their
brilliant performance

To imitate or copy

177

A slang name for a powerful stimulant drug

Effete
Weak or worn out; decadent

Noun
The young raver had hallucinations after taking
ecstasy
Ecumenical
Relating to the Christian church throughout the
world, especially with promoting its unity
Noun
The world council of churches is active in the
ecumenical movement
Efface
To rub or wipe out a mark, memory, etc
Verb
Wind and rain will eventually efface the
inscription
Nothing can efface my happy memories

Adjective
After years of luxurious living he
effete

had become

Efficacious
A formal word meaning producing the desired
result, effective
Adjective
Aspirins are an efficacious cure for a headache
Noun
She is a firm believer in the efficacy of positive
thinking
Efficient
Capable, competent

Effeminate
F a man or boy, like a woman
Adjective
He has quite an effeminate voice for someone so
large and burly
Effervescence
Fuzziness or sparkle
Noun
The bottle of soda water has lost
effervescence from standing open too long

Adjective
She is an efficient secretary who
work exceptionally well

does

her

Noun
The efficiency of the service in that restaurant is
excellent
Producing a satisfactory result without time or
energy

its

Adjective
This new filing system is much more efficient
than the previous one

Of people, lively, happy, etc

Adjective
She is an effervescent person bubbling
enthusiasm for life

Effigy
with
A likeness or figure of a person, especially in
memory of someone

178

Noun
In the 12th century an effigy would have been
carved on the stone or marble lid of a coffin
An effigy can also be the head or impression on a
coin

Noun
There was an effusion of blood from the wound
Egalitarian
Relating to the belief that all people should be
equal

A crude model of someone

Noun
The mob burned an effigy of the dictator as a
sing of their hatred of him
They hanged the unpopular politician in effigy
Effluent
Something that flows out, especially liquid waste
or sewage
Noun
Effluent from factories has polluted the river

Adjective
We need a more egalitarian
Egregious
A formal word
outrageous; blatant

for

educational system
outstandingly

bad;

Adjective
Introducing the speaker by the wrong name was
an egregious mistake!
Ejaculation
A discharge of semen from the penis in orgasm

Effrontery
Shameless boldness, cheek

Noun
I have made an appointment to see my doctor
about my problem with premature ejaculation

Noun
He had the effrontery to use my name as a
reference without asking me
Effusive
Over demonstrative, gushing, too emotional
Adjective
I was embarrassed by their effusive thanks for
my small gift
Noun
His letter was full of effusions of

love

A formal word for a pouring out of liquid

To say something suddenly; to blurt out or

exclaim
Verb
It's not fair! She ejaculated
Eject
To push or force a thing or person out of a place
Verb
Which button do i press to eject the cassette
tape?
The heckler was ejected from the
meeting
To cause yourself to be thrown out of an aircraft
or spacecraft f

179

Verb
As the plane hurtled to the ground, the pilot had
to eject and descend by parachute

The height of a place, especially above sea level

Noun
The town is at an elevation of 1

Eke out

Improving the mind, uplifting

To make a supply last longer by using it

sparingly

Adjective
I found the book informative and

Noun
They had to eke out what little food was left
since they had no more money

Elated, cheerful; slightly drunk

To earn just enough to live on

500 meters
I
elevating

Adjective
We were all in an elevated mood celebrating
having passed our finals

He ekes out a living by washing cars

A hoisting machine, usually consisting of

containers attached to a conveyor

Elegant

Noun
The coal was off- loaded from the
means of an elevator

Tasteful; refined; dignified

Adjective
You look extremely elegant in that
Noun
The stately mansion was furnished
elegance

ship

by

An American word for a lift

dress
with

great

Noun
An elevator transports people or goods from one
floor to another in a building
A place for lifting and storing grain

Simple, clear and clever

Noun
The tall grain elevators dominated the landscape

Adjective
His style of writing has an elegant simplicity

The movable parts of a tail plane of an aircraft,

used to make it go up or down
Elevate
A formal word meaning to raise to a higher place
or position; to lift up
Verb
A fork-lift truck has a special device
elevate heavy objects

Noun
The elevators in the tail of an aircraft,
whether it climbs
or dives

control

A scale-drawing showing one side of a structure

that

can
Noun
The architect showed us the front
our proposed new
house

elevation of

180

Elixir
Eliminate
to remove something that is not wanted or
needed; to get rid of
Verb
You must try to eliminate all spelling mistakes
slang meaning to kill ruthlessly, murder
Verb
The gang leader was eliminated by

to run away secretly with a lover, especially to

get married
Verb
She planned to elope with her boyfriend because
her parents refused to let them marry
Noun
Their elopement shocked the small

community

his rival
Eloquent

exclusion from a further stage of a contest, etc,

usually by defeat
Noun
The elimination of our team in the first round of
the competition was a disappointment

of speech, writing, etc, fluent and persuasive

Adjective
The defense lawyer made an eloquent plea for
her client's
acquittal
Noun
The politician's eloquence swayed the crowd

Elite/elite
visibly or vividly expressive
a select group or class considered to be superior
because of its wealth, power, intelligence, etc
Noun
As an aristocrat he was part of the
elite/elite of the 18th century

Adjective
His eloquent yawns indicated that it was time for
us to leave

ruling
Elucidate

the belief that an elite group should govern or be

favored
Noun
A truly democratic society doesn't
elitism

practice

a formal word meaning to make clear; to explain

Verb
The author has inserted footnotes to elucidate
difficult or obscure parts of the text
Noun
That issue deserves more thorough elucidation

having a sense of belonging to an elite group

Adjective
He is rather elitist and snobbish in
of friends

his

choice

Elude
to avoid being caught, often through cunning
Verb

181

The bank robbers managed to elude the police by

using several stolen getaway cars
Adjective
He can be very elusive when he knows there are
chores to be done

Adjective
Modern emancipated women demand
opportunities in the workplace

equal

Emasculate
to be unable to remember or understand
something
I

To take away the masculinity or strength of

Verb
Can picture what she looks like, but her name
eludes me

Verb
I don't want to emasculate him by
overbearing

Adjective
I can't think of that elusive it's on the tip of my
tongue

Castrated; having had the male sexual organs

removed

being

too

Emaciated

Adjective
A gelding is an emasculated horse

made very thin and weak

To be deprived of force, effectiveness, etc

Adjective
A long serious illness has left her emaciated but
she is starting to put on weight now

Verb
That law has been emasculated by alterations that
make it difficult to enforce

Emanate

Embankment

To originate or come from a source

A ridge of earth or stone built to hold back water

or to carry a road or railway

Verb
These ideas are said to emanate from biblical
times
The aroma of coffee emanated
from
the
kitchen

Noun
An embankment on either side of the river keeps
it from spreading into the fields
Embargo

Emancipation
The act of freeing or state of being freed,
especially from social or legal restraint, slavery,
etc
Noun
In our history class we are learning about the
emancipation of slaves

An official or government order that forbids

trade, movement of ships, etc; a ban
Noun
An embargo on arms shipments was imposed
Is oil still under embargo in that country?

182

To seize for use by the state

He has been out of work for some time now and

so is somewhat financially embarrassed

Verb
Goods can be embargoed especially in times of
war

Embattled
Prepared for battle

Embark
To put or go on board a ship or aircraft, at the
start of a journey

Adjective
The embattled troops were drawn up and ready
to attack

Verb
Passengers must embark at least an hour before
the ship sails

Fortified against attack

Noun
The port of embarkation is
your cruise begins

mambas,

attempted

to

capture

the

where
Having a lot of problems, etc

To set out on a new venture

Why shouldn't I embark on/upon a
at my age?

Adjective
Enemy soldiers
embattled city

new career

Adjective
The embattled shelter for the homeless
might
have to close down because of a lack of funds

Embarrass

Embed

To make someone feel awkward, self-conscious

or ashamed

To fix or be fixed firmly and deeply in a

surrounding mass

Verb
Too much praise will embarrass her

Verb
You will need to embed the poles of the swing in
concreted for it to be safe and sturdy
The axe's head was so embedded in the chopping
block that we had to struggle to pull it out

Noun
It is embarrassing when you make a fool of
yourself
Imagine my embarrassment when I discovered in
had put on mismatched shoes!
You're an embarrassment when you tell those
awful jokes
To be involved in difficulties,
connected with money matters

To fix an idea, memory, etc, in the mind

Verb
That terrifying experience is deeply
in my memory

embedded

especially
Embellish

Verb
To beautify; to adorn

183

Verb
You could embellish your hat with a ribbon
Noun
I think that modern statue above
the old church is an unnecessary
embellishment

Verb
Racing drivers emblazon their cars with
the
trademarks of their sponsors
The knight's shield was emblazoned with
dragons

that door of
Embrace

To add interesting but probably untrue details to

a story

The act of holding a person closely and

affectionately in your arms; a hug

Verb
He tends to embellish his anecdotes to make than
funnier

Noun
He greeted her with a warm embrace
To accept eagerly or willingly

Embezzle
To use money, etc, entrusted to you in a wrong
way in order to benefit yourself
Verb
The accountant was in a position to embezzle
large sums of the firm's money
Noun
The treasurer was guilty of the embezzlement of
several thousand dollars of the club's funds

Verb
I would embrace an opportunity to
further

study

Noun
He embraced his new faith wholeheartedly
To include or comprise
Verb
This course embraces the basic principles of
business management
Embroil

Embitter
To involve someone in an argument or conflict
To make a person bitter, resentful or hostile
Verb
Being fired unfairly from your job
embitter you

can

Adjective
A divorce has left him extremely embittered
Emblazon
To ornament with heraldic or other bright,
conspicuous decorations

Verb
Don't allow her to embroil you in
one of her
quarrels
I don't want to become embroiled in an argument
Emigrate
To leave your own country to live in another
Verb

184

He intends to emigrate from India to the united

states

A formal word meaning to try to do as well as or

better than someone, especially by imitation

Noun
There has been a mass emigration of refugees
She is a Turkish emigrant living in Britain

Verb
He admired his elder brother tremendously and
tried to emulate his every action

An emigrant, especially someone who is forced

to leave his or her country for political reasons

Emulsion

Noun
The Russian migr settled in Paris

A fine dispersion of one liquid in another,

especially as paint, medicine, etc

Empathy

Verb
some medicines are made up in
the from of
an emulsion to disguise unpleasant tastes

The ability to imagine bow another person is

feeling and so understand his or her emotions
Noun
His empathy comes from having had a similar
painful experience
There is an empathy between the child and the
old man, who seem to understand each other so
well
To identify yourself with an object, work or art,
etc
Verb
The artist empathizes/empathises with
subjects and this shows in
his paintings

Enable
To make possible by giving power, opportunity
or authority
Noun
To motorized wheelchairs enable paraplegics to
get around
A telescope enables you to see the
craters

moon's

his
Enamoured

Empirical
Based on practical experience or observation, not
on theory

A formal word for fond of or delighted by

something

Adjective
Our experiment will provide empirical evidence
to prove this theory

Adjective
He is so enamoured of the island
that
he
wants to retire there
I'm not very enamoured with the idea of
spending an entire weekend with them

Emulate

Encapsulate/incapsulate

185

A formal word meaning to enclose something as

if in a capsule; to capture the essence of

Careless driving will endanger the lives of your

passengers

Verb
I've tried to encapsulate/incapsulate
childhood memories in a story I've written

Of animals, plants, etc likely to become extinct

my
Adjective
The giant panda is an endangered species

To express in a concise way, summarize

Verb
This two-page report encapsulates/incapsulate
the full 30-page version

Endear
To inspire affection
Verb
She managed to endear herself to
her kindness

Enchant

us all

by

To delight or captivate utterly

Verb
The little girl's smiles enchant all who meet her
Adjective
We had an enchanting evening at

Adjective
She has some quaint, endearing

habits

Noun
'Darling' is often used as a term of endearment
the ballet

Noun
The circus has never lost its enchantment for me

Endeavour
To try earnestly

Placed under a magic spell, bewitched

Adjective
A wizard lived in the enchanted forest
A person who enchants, especially by supposed
use of magic

Verb
We must endeavour to help all we can
Noun
Please make every endeavour to arrive on time

Noun
The enchanter cast a magic spell on the princess
She's an enchantress who is very attractive to
men

Endemic

Endanger

Adjective
Malaria is endemic in that region
This plant is endemic to this area and nowhere
else

To place in danger, put at risk

Regularly or only found among a particular

people or in a certain region

Verb

186

Endow

Theirs was an enduring friendship

To give money, property, etc, to provide a regular

income, bequeath

Enervate

Verb
Past pupils often endow the college
wills

To cause someone to lose strength or vitality

in

their

To provide with natural talents, abilities, etc

Verb
She is endowed with musical as well as artistic
abilities
A type of insurance policy where a fixed sum is
paid on a specified date to the insured person, or
to his dependants if he dies before that date

Verb
Tramping through an equatorial rainforest can
enervate those who are not used to the heat and
humidity
Adjective
She has suffered a long, enervating illness
Engage
To employ or hire

My parents took out an endowment policy as

soon as I was born to pay for my university fees

Verb
We need to engage the services of

Endure

To take part in

To suffer patiently or undergo pain, hardship or

difficulties without giving in

Verb
He engages in many sports

Verb
I had to endure the tooth-ache until I could get to
a dentist

Appointments

Noun
You need endurance to run a marathon

a lawyer

Noun
What engagements does the director have
tomorrow?
To occupy, be in use

The new soldiers underwent an endurance test of

surviving in the bush without rations
To bear or tolerate
Verb
My parents can't endure loud pop music

Verb
She engaged me in conversation for several
minutes

Lasting for a long time

Adjective
Her numbers engaged I'll phone again later
Is the toilet still engaged?
I can't make it tonight as I'm otherwise engaged

Adjective

Verb

187

He was engaged in writing a letter

Nothing engages a toddler's attention for long

for

the

To agree to get married

Noun
The renovations are necessary
enhancement of the restaurant

Verb
They became engaged yesterday when he gave
her a diamond engagement ring

Adjective
You can see the details more clearly
computer enhanced photograph

in

this

To begin fighting with

Enigma
Verb
The platoon engaged the enemy in battle
To cause to lock or fit together, especially parts
of a machine
Verb
Engage first gear before releasing the handbrake

A puzzling person or thing, mystery

Noun
I've known her since childhood, but she remains
something of an enigma to me

Charming, attractive, appealing

Adjective
We did not know what to make of
enigmatic smile

Adjective
Her engaging smile captivates all who meet her

Enliven

his

To make more lively or cheerful

Engrossed
To be completely absorbed in something
Verb
I was so engrossed in reading my book that I
didn't realize you had come in
The film was so engrossing that he forgot to eat
his popcorn
Enhance
To make something or someone look better; to
improve
Verb
These new curtains will enhance

Verb
The music helped to enliven the party
En masse
From French, meaning 'in a mass' all together, en
bloc
Verb
The delegation walked out en
masse after
their proposal was
turned down flat
Enmeshed

the room
To become entangled as in a net

Those dull clothes do nothing to

appearance

enhance her
Verb

188

The fly became enmeshed in the spider web

He was enmeshed in a tangle of deceit and lies

Verb
Clowns entertain the children at a

Ennobled
A formal word meaning to make noble or
distinguished, dignify
Noun
Her calm, dignified manner made
her seem in
a strange way ennobled by her imprisonment

Adjective
He spent an entertaining afternoon
the old sailor's
adventures

circus
listening to

Noun
There isn't much entertainment for teenagers in
this small town
A professional performer or artiste

Ennui
From French, a feeling of boredom or weariness
Noun
The ennui of a long cruise is relieved
shipboard activities

Noun
He is a well-known television entertainer
To receive guests; to show hospitality to

by
Verb
They entertain a great deal and especially like to
give informal dinner parties

Entangle
A formal word meaning to consider favourably
To be caught in something that is difficult to
escape from
Verb
Be careful you don't entangle your
those overhead branches
The kitten became entangled in a

hair

in

ball of wool

To get involved in something complicated

Verb
He got himself entangled in illegal
dealings
Noun
I'm sick and
entanglements

tired

of

messy

Verb
He refused to entertain our suggestion

financial

emotional

Enthral
To capture someone's interest and attention
completely
Verb
This new animated cartoon will enthral the
children
He was enthralled by the story of
her
adventure
Entitle

Entertain
To amuse or interest someone

To give someone the right to have or do

something

189

Verb
This job will entitle you to an annual bonus
I've worked hard-I'm entitled to a break
You are not entitled to use the executive parking
area
To give a name or title to
Verb
She read a story entitled 'the eagle'
Entity
Something having distinct or real existence
Noun
The primary school is on the same piece of land
as the high school,
but is really a separate
entity
Entrepreneur
A person who undertakes a commercial
enterprise or business, with the chance of profit
or loss

Enunciate
To say or pronounce words clearly and distinctly
Verb
In elocution lessons, we are taught to enunciate
each syllable of the word carefully
Noun
Your enunciation must be slow and clear when
teaching English as a foreign language
Envisage
To have a mental picture of something not yet
existing imagine
Verb
It's difficult to envisage the city in 200 years'
time
I don't envisage any problems with this
Ephemeral

Noun
He is a brilliant entrepreneur who built his
business up from small beginnings

Short-lived, fleeting

Adjective
She has valuable entrepreneurial skills

Adjective
Many pop songs are ephemeral and soon
forgotten

Enumerate

Epidemic

A formal word meaning to name one by one, list;

to count

A large number of cases of people or animals

suffering from the same disease at the same time

Verb
Write down on a shopping list the items I
enumerate tea, milk, bread..
My father enumerated my faults; one, laziness;
two, conceit; three, untidiness, and so on

Noun
A measles epidemic has forced the
close

school

Widespread, extensive

190

to

Adjective
Crime has reached epidemic proportions in the
cities

Use this spray to eradicate the weeds in your

garden
Noun
The eradication of crime is a huge task

Equanimity
Erase
Calmness of mind or temper
To remove all traces of, out
Noun
Throughout the unpleasant row he
his equanimity

did not lose

Equivocal
Having a
ambiguous

double

or

doubtful

meaning,
Noun
A rubber is also called an eraser

Adjective
She gave an equivocal answer
avoided the issue

which
Erect

Questionable, suspect
Adjective
I don't trust such equivocal

Verb
Erase the pencil lines once the ink is dry
A video recording made on a used tape
automatically erases the previous recording
She couldn't erase the terrible
incident
from her memory

Upright, vertical
behaviour

To use ambiguity to hide the truth, mislead

people or avoid committing yourself
Verb
Don't equivocate with me-I want a
answer, yes or no!

definite

Noun
Equivocation is a way of avoiding a controversial
topic

Adjective
Hold the banner erect so that everyone can read
it
To build, set up
Verb
The developer is to erect a
site

skyscraper on the

Noun
The erection of the monument took several
,months
The stiffening and swelling of tissues or
organs, especially the penis in sexual excitement

Eradicate
To destroy completely, get rid of

Noun
A man gets an erection

Verb

Adjective

191

when the erectile tissues of the penis become

filled with blood

Erratic
Irregular, or uneven; unreliable

Erode
To wear away gradually; to eat into

Adjective
He is a talented cricketer but his play is erratic

Verb
Pounding waves erode the rocks

That clock is very erratic and is sometimes fast

and sometimes slow

Noun
Acids cause erosion of metals

Erudite

Verb
His confidence was eroded by constant criticism

Having or showing
knowledge; learned

deep

and

extensive

Of sexual desire, sexual pleasure

Adjective
She gave an erudite lecture on
German
literature, which she has
studied for many
year

Adjective
An erotic book tends to arouse
feelings

Noun
The professor's erudition/eruditeness in that field
has made him world-famous

Erotic

sensual

Noun
The film has a crude eroticism/erotism
some find distasteful

that

Erupt
To shoot forth

Errand
A short trip, often done on someone else's behalf,
to collect goods, take messages, etc

Verb
We watched the molten lava erupt
volcano

from

the

To break out suddenly and violently

Noun
I need you to go on an errand to the shop -we've
run out of milk

Verb
The peaceful demonstration suddenly
into turmoil

erupted

Can you run some errands for me?

An errand of mercy is a journey to
to someone

bring

help

Noun
There has been an eruption of
the village

cholera

192

in

Verb
When he saw the damage to his
erupted with rage

car

he

Most people find his poetry rather esoteric and

mysterious

The formation of spots or patches on the skin

Espouse

Noun
All that rich food has caused an eruption on my
face

A formal word meaning to support a belief,

doctrine, etc
Verb
I cannot espouse a cause that uses violence to
achieve its ends

Escalate
To increased in intensity, extent, etc
Verb
Sometimes violence can escalate
war
Noun
The drought has led to an
cost of vegetables

into

civil

Noun
She is at the centre of a heated debate because of
her recent espousal of communism
Esteem

escalation in the
A formal word for regard, respect

A moving staircase
Noun
It will be quicker to take the escalator
first floor than to
wait for the lift

Noun
Your integrity and hard work are
highest esteem
to

held in the

the
Noun
She's gone down in my esteem because of her
bad behaviour

Eschew

Worthy of respect

An old-fashioned word meaning to avoid or

abstain from

Adjective
His actions are estimable and deserve
rewarded

Verb
You need to eschew fattening
want to lose weight

foods if you

Esoteric
Likely to be understood by only those with a
special knowledge or interest; obscure

to

be

To prize, value greatly

Verb
Oysters are much esteemed by some as a
delicacy
A formal word meaning to consider or think
Verb

Adjective

193

I would esteem it an honour to be best man at

your wedding

Extremely delicate, especially in appearance;

having a spiritual quality

Estimate

Adjective
The painter had managed to capture her ethereal
beauty in the portrait

To form an approximate idea of or calculate

roughly the cost, size, value, etc, of something
Verb
I estimate it will take a month to
the job

complete

Light and airy

Adjective
The ballerina danced with ethereal

grace

An old-fashioned term for the upper air

Noun
Ask the builder for an estimate of
the alterations

the cost of

A considered opinion or judgment

Noun
The balloon sailed up into the ether
A colorless, highly flammable liquid which
evaporates rapidly

Noun
In my estimation he's the best teacher we've ever
had

Noun
Ether used as a solvent and was formerly used as
an anesthetic

To be regarded more/less highly by somebody

She has gone up/down in my estimation
she wrote that controversial article

since

Estrange
To lose the affection of someone
Verb
His blatant disregard for the feelings of others
could estrange him from his family and friends
To no longer live with your spouse because of ill
feeling
Verb
He's estranged from his wife

Ethnic/ethnical
Connected with or characteristic of a racial,
cultural, etc, group or groups
Adjective
Come along to the German beer
festival for
a taste of
ethnic/ethnical food and music
A contrys constitution needs to protect the rights
of ethic/ethical minorities
The branch of anthropology dealing with people,
their origins, characteristics, etc
Noun
In ethnology we are studying the factors
influencing the growth and change of cultural
groups
Ethos

Ethereal

194

The distinctive character, spirit and attitudes of a

culture, people, movement, era, etc

To 'go to bed' with somebody is a euphemistic

term for 'having sexual intercourse'

Noun
Many years of civil war have resulted
revolutionary ethos in that country

Euphoria
in

Etiquette
The rules of correct behaviour in social life or
among the members of a profession
Noun
Etiquette demands that you put your hand in
front of your mouth when you cough
Medical etiquette forbids a doctor to scold a
colleague in front of patients

A feeling of great happiness, especially when

exaggerated
Noun
He became hooked on the drug because of the
sense of euphoria it gave him
Adjective
She was euphoric upon hearing that she had won
the scholarship
Evacuate
To move away from a place of danger, usually
temporarily

Eulogy
A speech or piece of writing praising a person or
thing, especially someone who has recently died
Noun
Her achievements were honored in a moving
eulogy at her funeral
Verb
The critics eulogized/eulogized over his latest
book
Euphemism

Verb
Pupils and teachers had t evacuate
buildings during the fire drill
The villagers had to be evacuated
river flooded

the
when

school
the

Noun
The manager ordered the
evacuation
of
everyone from the
bank because of a bomb
scare
To empty, the contents of the bowels, etc
Verb
Before certain medical procedures,
have to be evacuated

the bowels

A mild inoffensive word or phrase used instead

of one thought to be harsh or embarrassing
Evade
pass away' is a euphemism for 'die'

To escape from or avoid something especially by

using cunning or deception
Verb

Adjective

195

The thief managed to evade the police by hiding

in an alley

Adjective
I'm sick and tired of their everlasting grumbling

Noun
The penalties for tax evasion are

Evince
heavy

Not direct or straightforward

To make evident; to show an emotion, quality

etc, clearly

Adjective
Her evasive replies made me wonder what she
was trying to conceal

Verb
Children who evince great intelligence
deserve encouragement to study further

To do something to avoid danger, etc

Exaggerate
The pilot took evasive action by changing the
course of the plane and so missed colliding with
the other aircraft
To elude, be difficult to attain
Verb
Winning Wimbledon had evaded the tennis
player throughout his long career

To make something seem better, greater, worse,

etc, than it actually is; to overstate
Verb
Don't exaggerate I was only a few
late!
That black dress exaggerates her
weight
Adjective
Her exaggerated politeness made
she did not like me

Evanescent

minutes
loss

me

of

realize

Fading away; vanishing from memory; transitory

Adjective
The ground as dry as ever
The singer's fame was evanescent
remember his name

Noun
Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration?
and

few
Exalted
A formal word for very important; high

Everlasting
Never coming to an end

Adjective
Someone in his exalted position should carry
himself with more dignity

Adjective
Some religions believe in the everlasting life of
the soul

Filled with joy or delight; elated

Lasting for so long or happening so often as to

become annoying

Adjective
Listening to my favorite music left me feeling
exalted

196

This is the cost of dinner excluding drinks

Exasperate

Adjective
The price quoted for the painting is exclusive of
the art dealer's commission
Noun
His exclusion from the team was
due to his
poor form

To irritate greatly; to infuriate

Verb
These constant interruptions exasperate me
Adjective
I find her mulish stub born ness exasperating
Noun
He left the room in exasperation
when, after
a long wait, he heard the doctor had been called
out to an emergency

She spends her spare time

exclusion of all else

To cry out suddenly and loudly from anger,

surprise, delight, pain, etc
slamming

studying,

to

the

To reject; to disregard
Verb
The doctor excluded food
cause of the illness

Exclaim

Verb
I heard her exclaim 'liar!' before
down the phone

So as to exclude

poisoning as the

Not shared with others, sole

Adjective
That publisher has the exclusive publishing
rights to several well- known authors
A story carried in a only one publication

Noun
When we heard his exclamation of horror
rushed to see what had
happened

we

The punctuation mark (!) used after exclamations

and forceful commands
An exclamation mark follows 'look our!'
'stop!'

and

Noun
Today's late final newspaper carries an exclusive
on the arrested serial killer
Select; high-class; catering only for the wealthy
Adjective
He goes to an exclusive private school which
only the very rich can afford

Exclude
Excommunicate
To keep or leave out; to not include
Verb
It would be regarded as sexist to exclude women
from membership of the club

To exclude someone officially from the rites,

privileges or fellowship of the Christian church
as a punishment
Verb

197

The church has the power to excommunicate

those who
express unorthodox views
Noun
The pope's excommunication of Luther was a
factor in the formation of the protestant
churches

she is exempt from sport because

illness
Verb
His health exempted him from
service

of a recent

military

Noun
would a fundraising organization be allowed tax
exemption

Excruciating
Intensely painful; agonizing
Adjective
Her backache is so excruciating she can hardly
move

Exert
To bring a quality, etc, into use

Very bad, terrible; irritating

Verb
Parents often exert a significant
on their children's
beliefs

Adjective
I find him an excruciating

influence

To make an effort, especially strenuously

Exculpate
A formal word meaning to free from blame or
guilt
Verb
I'm sure the investigation will exculpate him
from blame

Noun
You will need to exert yourself more if you want
to keep your job we are exhausted because we
are
not used to such physical
Exhaust
To tire out; to fatigue

Excursion
A short journey or outing, especially in a group
for pleasure

Verb
Strenuous exercises exhaust me
She is exhausted from her long journey

Noun
Our class is going on an excursion

Adjective
I find teaching young children

to the zoo

Exempt
Free from having to do or pay something;
excused

exhausting

Noun
The dog panted with exhaustion
To use up ; to consume
Verb

Adjective

198

They exhaust my patience and

make me
very angry the campers had to return when their
supply of food was exhausted

The main exhibit was a poker which the

prosecution claimed was the murder weapon
To show a quality, etc

To say all there is to say about something

Verb
They've been talking about it for
hours-you'd
think they'd have
exhausted the subject by
now
Very thorough or comprehensive
Adjective
That study is the result of years of
research

exhaustive

The pipe, particularly at the back of a vehicle,

through which waste gases are expelled from an
engine
There are smoky fumes coming
car's exhaust/exhaust pipe

from

you

Verb
The only sign of humor I've seen
sarcasm

exhibit was

Noun
The competition gave her an opportunity for the
exhibition of her skill
Extravagant behavior
attention to yourself

aimed

at

attracting

Noun
Her outrageous clothes are sheer exhibitionism
An exhibitionist streaked naked
across the
field during the match
To behave foolishly or badly in public
He tends to make an exhibition of
when he gets drunk

himself

Exhibit
To present or display something, especially
publicly
Verb
Several artists well exhibit
festival

Exhilarated
To be filled with high spirits; to be invigorated
excited, etc

paintings

at

Noun
His work will be on exhibition at
the
gallery until the end of this month
Have you seen the shellfish exhibit
at
museum?
She is a regular exhibitor at the
flower
show

the
Verb
I felt exhilarated after my swim in
art

Adjective
She finds hang-gliding

the

sea

exhilarating

the
Noun
After winning the game, the team
exhilaration

was full of

An object or a document produced in court to be

used as evidence

Exhort

Noun

A formal word meaning to urge strongly

199

Verb
At the height of the fierce battle,
the general
had to exhort his
troops to stand fast

To free someone from blame, obligation, etc

Verb
This new evidence will exonerate

the accused

Earnest requests or advice

Noun
Now that I've failed, if wish I hadn't ignored my
parents' exhortations to work harder at school

Noun
The investigation led to his exoneration from
any negligence that might have led to the
accident

Exhume

Exorbitant

To dig up something buried, especially a dead

body

Unreasonably high or great; excessive

Verb
The police were ordered to exhume the corpse
so that it could be examined for traces for poison

Adjective
I cannot afford these exorbitant prices
Exotic

Exigency/exigency

Introduced from a foreign country

A formal word for an urgent demand or

emergency

Adjective
In England, mangoes are exotic fruit

Noun
A nurse should be able to cope with any
exigency/exigency that arises without panicking
The
police
must
accept
the
harsh
exigencies/exigencies

Striking or attractive because unusual or strange

Adjective
That parrot's exotic plumage has a startling
beauty of its own
Expatiate

Exodus
A mass departure of people
Noun
The civil war caused an exodus to other countries
The book of exodus in the bible describes the
departure of the Israelites from Egypt under
Moses

A formal word meaning to enlarge on a subject,

usually at length
Verb
My grandfather tends to expatiate on his war
experiences for hours
Expatriate

Exonerate

200

a person living outside his or her own country

The cost of something; money, etc, spent

Verb
She is an expatriate from Hungary
in America

Noun
Can we afford the expense of staying at that
hotel?
She claims back all her traveling
expenses
from the company
At the moment my expenditure is
exceeding
my income

now living

Expedient
useful or appropriate for a particular purpose,
though not necessarily fair or correct
Adjective
His action was expedient rather than morally
acceptable

We could refurnish this room at

expense

little/great

I don't want to go the expense of

buying
whole new outfit for the
wedding

Noun
The change of policy just before the election was
case of expediency/expedience

Costing a great deal of money

a way of achieving something

Adjective
These jackets are expensive I'm looking for
something much cheaper

Noun
Offers of sweets and other expedients all failed to
get the child to take the medicine

A list of an employee's expenses payable by an

employer or allowable against income tax

Expend
to spend time, care, money etc

Your expense account will take

traveling and entertainment costs

Verb
You expend a fair amount of energy
walking

care of your

To the cost of someone or something

when

Noun
You don't realize the enormous expenditure of
time such a project involves
to use up
Verb
The rebels were forced to surrender as all their
ammunition had been expended
not essential or worth saving
Adjective
Lives must be saved but the equipment
is
expendable

Our business lunch is at the company's expense

My boss sent me on a business trip, all expenses
paid
Your parents have been put to the
expense of
sending you to university so you ought to work
hard
He is an extremely successful businessman but it
has been at the expense of his health
With no regard to cost
The luxurious mansion was built
expenses spared

with

That can cause loss, shame, etc, to someone

201

no

you are always making me look silly with jokes

at my expense

Verb
My dad will explode when he
I've dented the car

Expiate
A formal word meaning to make amends for
wrongdoing
Verb
He believed he would expiate his
fasting

To react suddenly with strong emotion

sins

finds

out

Adjective
It was an explosive situation with the rival gangs
confronting each other

by
A sudden increase

Noun
A sum of money was paid to the family in
expiation of the wrong done to them

Noun
More people are living longer causing a
population explosion

Explicit

To show to be false

Clearly expressed; fully stated

Verb
That theory was explode years ago

Adjective
I found the place easily thanks to your explicit
directions
She was quite explicit about her reasons for
resigning
Leaving nothing to the imagination; not hiding
anything
Adjective
The sex scenes in that movie were extremely
explicit hence the age restriction
Explode

Exploit
To use, work or develop fully
Verb
We should exploit solar energy more as a source
of power
To take advantage of something or someone for
your own benefit
Verb
They exploited his generosity by
borrowing
money they never intended to pay back

To burst violently with a loud noise; to blow up

Verb
The bomb was set to explode during rush hour

Noun
Such a low wage is unfair

exploitation

Brave or daring acts

Noun
The explosion rattled our windows care should
be taken when handling an explosive gas like
hydrogen

Noun
The book is about the exploits of famous
mountaineers
Explore

202

To travel into or investigate the unfamiliar or

unknown in order to learn about it
Verb
He decided to explore the pacific
canoe

islands

Noun
A clear and concise exposition was given
on
the various theories as to why dinosaurs became
extinct

by

A large public exhibition or show, especially of

industrial or artistic products

Noun
Livingstone was a famous
explorer
let's
explore the
new shopping mall
You will need to do a detailed exploration of all
the possibilities before making a decision

Noun
I saw some sleek models at the motor
expositions/expos that I visited overseas

Examining an organ or part for diagnostic

purposes

To explain or describe in detail

Adjective
My doctor is sending me for exploratory tests to
find out what the problem is

Expound

Verb
He loves to expound his views on pacifism at
great length
Expunge

Exponent
A performer, usually skilful, of a particular
activity
Noun
Charlie Chaplin was a great exponent
comedy acting

A formal word meaning to delete or remove,

especially from a book or list
Verb
Why did you expunge his name from the list?

of

A person who supports a cause, belief, idea, etc

Noun
She is an active exponent of women's rights
Describing a rapidly increasing rate of growth

Expurgate
To remove sections thought to be offensive from
a book, play, etc
Verb
The local censors are bound to
expurgate
explicit sex scenes from
the film

Adjective
Computer technology is experiencing a period of
exponential growth

Exquisite

Exposition

Adjective
Your little girl has an exquisite face

A formal word for an explanatory statement or

detailed account

Extremely beautiful, delicate or elegant

Skillfully

203

Adverb
This bracelet has been made exquisitely

What can I use to exterminate cockroaches?

Adjective
That antique chair shows exquisite craftsmanship

Noun
We'll have to call in an exterminator to deal with
the rat problem

Extempore

The destruction of human life, mass murder

Without planning or preparation; performed

impromptu, from the Latin for instantaneously

Noun
The extermination of millions of Jews during the
second world war is known as the holocaust

Adjective
When the guest speaker failed to
arrive, the
museum's director had to make an extempore
speech
Adverb
When you lecture extempore you do so without
notes
Part of the drama student's exam
was
to
deliver an unseen passage
from Shakespeare
extemporaneously/extemporarily

Extinct
Of an animal or plant species, no longer existing,
having died out
Adjective
The dodo became extinct long ago
Noun
Plants or animals in danger of extinction are
called endangered
species

To perform, speak, etc, without preparation; to

improvise

A formal word for the act of extinguishing

Verb
I had to extemporize/extempore when
unexpectedly called upon to make a speech

Noun
The extinction of the hotel fire was finally
achieved

Extenuating

Of a volcano, no longer active

A formal word for representing something as less

wrong or criminal than it seems

Adjective
An extinct volcano does not or is very unlikely to
erupt

Adjective
He was not fined for speeding because his need
to get to the hospital was an extenuating
circumstance
Exterminate
To get rid of, eliminate
Verb

Extinguish
To put out a fire, light, etc
Verb
The air steward asked everyone to
their cigarettes before landing

extinguish

Noun
I keep an extinguisher in my car in case of fire

204

To destroy, put an end to hope, love, etc

Noun
The extraction of the splinter wasn't easy

Verb
Poor eyesight extinguished his ambition to be a
pilot

Obtained by crushing, pressing, etc

Extol

A concentrated substance

To praise highly and enthusiastically

Noun
This savory spread is an extract of yeast

Verb
Advertisements extol the merits of products
His latest film has been extolled by the critics
who predict it will be a blockbuster

Adjective
`Freshly extracted orange juice is delicious

A fan used to get rid of stale air or fumes

Switch on the extractor/extractor fan to get rid of
the smoke in this room

Extort
To get by force, threats, persistent demands, etc
Verb
The thugs tried to extort money from the
shopkeeper by threatening him with a knife
Noun
The police managed to get a confession
from
him by extortion

A part selected from a book, film, piece of music,

etc, excerpt
Noun
She read us a hilarious extract from his letter
Family origin or descent
Noun
He's an American of German extraction

Excessive, exorbitant
Extradite
Adjective
The prices in this store are
and shop elsewhere

extortionate let's go

Extract
To take or get something out with force or
difficulty
Verb
The dentist had to extract the badly decayed
tooth
I managed to extract an allowance from
my
father

To hand over a suspect or convicted person to the

country where the crime was committed
Verb
Austria has agreed to extradite a man wanted for
murder in Germany

Noun
Canada requested the extradition of the
kidnapper who escaped across the border to the
united states
Extraneous

205

Extrovert/extravert
Unrelated; irrelevant
Adjective
Your comments are extraneous to
this
discussion, let's get back to the subject under
debate
Coming from outside
Adjective
The president will not tolerate extraneous
interference by a foreign state in the domestic
policies of his county

An outgoing or sociable person; someone

concerned more with the outside world than
inner things
Noun
My sister is an extrovert/extravert who
meeting people and going to parties
Adjective
Extroverted/extraverted people are
brood about their inner feelings

loves

not likely to

Extrude
Extravagance
A formal word meaning to squeeze or push out
An extreme expense; something costly and selfindulgent
Noun
A brand-new sports car is an extravagance
cannot afford

you

Excessive, unreasonable or absurd

Verb
Pierce the tube so that you can extrude the glue
Noun
These rocks were formed from lava extrusions
when there were volcanoes in the area millions
of years ago

Adjective
This advertisement makes extravagant and
misleading claims

Exuberant

Any elaborate, spectacular, light entertainment

Adjective
The news that they had passed their exams was
met with exuberant cries of delight

Noun
The costumes worn in the
extravaganza
Las Vegas were
lavish and colorful

Of people, full of high spirits' very lively

at

Extricate
To set free or release from an entanglement or a
difficult situation
Verb
We had to extricate the sheep from the fence
I managed to extricate myself from her incessant
chatter

Noun
The exuberance of the children at the party was
delightful to watch
Of plants, growing luxuriantly or vigorously
Adjective
The wall was covered
bougainvillea

by an exuberant

Exude

206

A formal word meaning to ooze out or give off

Verb
The stems of those plants exude a sticky milky
fluid when cut
She is a pleasure to work with as
the exudes
enthusiasm
Exult
To rejoice greatly, especially because of triumph
or success

Noun
Aesop's fable about the hare and the hare and the
tortoise is well known
Made famous in fable, legendary
Adjective
Have you seen the film about the fabled
adventures of Robin Hood?
A griffin is a fabulous creature with the head and
wings of an eagle and a lion's body
An untrue, imaginary or improbable account

Verb
You deserve to exult in your success,
worked extremely hard

you

Adjective
Our team was exultant over winning the match
Noun
He would never forget the exultation he felt on
reaching the top of the mountain

Noun
We could not decide whether it was fact or fable
Almost unbelievable; incredibly great
Adjective
The fabulous wealth of the sultan was evident in
his luxurious lifestyle
Slang for wonderful or marvelous

Eyewash
Adjective
We had a fabulous time on the beach
It was a fab party

A lotion for the eyes

Noun
Apply the eyewash to your eyes

thrice a day

Fabricate

Rubbish, nonsense

To invent or concoct a false story

Noun
She says she's an executive, but it's eyewash
she's only a clerk

Verb
I don't want to attend the meeting tonight so I
will fabricate some excuse or other
Noun
His version of the tale was pure fabrication

Facilitate

Fable

To make easier

A short story with a moral, often with animals as

characters

Verb
Postal codes facilitate the handling of bulk mail

207

Ease in doing something

Noun
He shows great facility in learning

I haven't the faintest idea what he

languages

means

Fallible

The equipment or resources for doing something

Capable of making mistakes

Noun
Are there cooking facilities at the camp?

Adjective
Even the best pilots are fallible

Faint

Noun
Human fallibility is the causes of many accidents

Indistinct, weak, slight

Falter
Adjective
We heard a faint cry in the distance
There is still a faint hope that more survivors will
be found
Feeble, half-hearted
Adjective
He only put up a faint show of resistance before
agreeing

To move or speak unsteadily or hesitantly

Verb
The exhausted marathon runner began to falter in
the last kilometer
She managed to falter out a few words of thanks
although she was obviously embarrassed
To waver

Feeling dizzy or weak, as if about to lose

consciousness

Verb
His courage faltered and he gave up

Adjective
I feel faint I'd better sit down

Fanatic

To lose consciousness
Verb
She fainted from the shock and fell on the floor
He fell to the ground in a faint
Lacking spirit or courage, timid
Adjective
Faint-hearted seldom make it to the top of the
business world
Slang for to have no idea whatsoever, not know
at all

A person whose enthusiasm for something is

extreme or abnormal
Noun
A sports fanatic talks of little else
She's a health-food fanatic
Adjective
He has a fanatic interest in trains
She's fanatical about keeping things tidy
Noun
The fanaticism of the religious cult followers
led to their sacrificing
themselves in a
mass suicide

208

Fantasy/phantasy

A comic play full of unlikely situations and

ridiculous characters

An imaginary story, film, etc, especially when

completely unrelated to reality
Noun
I enjoy reading fantasy/phantasy
wizard of oz'

such as 'the

Noun
I prefer farce to tragedy
Any absurd situation in real life; a mockery

Wild or unrealistic notions, daydreams

Noun
The meeting was a farce nobody
to talk about

Noun
She had fantasies/phantasies about becoming
rich and famous
He told me about some of his Sexual
fantasies/phantasies

Adjective
It's farcical to think of trying to get into
university with so few qualifications

knew what

Fascinate
Verb
She liked to fantasize/fantasies that she had been
chosen for the Olympic team
Wild, strange, unbelievable
Adjective
The science fiction movie was full of
fantastic/fantastical creatures from outer space

To attract and capture the interest of, hold

spellbound
Verb
This model engine will fascinate
hours

the kids for

Adjective
Children find magicians' tricks fascinating

Impractical, unrealistic
Adjective
He comes up with these fantastic/fantastical
schemes tat are out of the question
Slang for excellent, marvelous
Adjective
Last night's party was fantastic
He's a fantastic cook
Slang for very large or great
Adjective
She paid a fantastic amount of money for her
wedding dress
Farce

Noun
Old books hold a

fascination

for her

To temporarily paralyse with fear, etc

Verb
The hare sat motionless, fascinated by the glare
of the car's headlights
Fastidious
Very fussy about cleanliness, tidiness, details,
etc; hard to please
Adjective
He's a fastidious dresser who always looks neat
and elegant

209

She is so fastidious about her food

will not eat in a restaurant

that

she

Fate
A force or power thought to control events and
impossible to resist

He suffered fatal injuries and died

reaching the hospital

before

Adjective
Two people were fatally wounded in the
out

shoot-

Death caused by accident or in war, etc

Noun
It was fate that brought them together after 30
years
Who knows what fate has in store for us?

Noun
He was the only fatality in the skirmish
There were many fatalities in the train crash

A person's destiny or future

Causing trouble or disaster

Noun
Is it my fate to remain in the same
rest of m y life?
The court met t decide his fate

Adjective
I lost the chess game because I made a fatal
mistake in the opening moves

job for the

Having far-reaching, usually

consequences; important, decisive

Verb
Romeo and Juliet were fated to die
The three goddesses in Greek mythology who
control the destinies of people

unpleasant,

Adjective
He agonized over the fateful decision
A very unpleasant experience (used humorously)

The fates were called atropos, clotho and

Lachesis
The belief that all events are predetermined and
therefore inevitable
Noun
Do you think we should just accept
happens with complete fatalism?
A fatalist says, 'what will be, will be'

Sitting through the dull lecture was a fate worse

than death
Fathom
A measure of depth of water, equal to 1,8 meters

what
Noun
The channel's shallowest pint is one fathom deep
Soundings revealed the wreck was at 20 fathoms

Adjective
You'll never achieve anything if you have such a
fatalistic attitude to life

Too deep to measure, very deep

Causing or ending in death or destruction

Adjective
Strange fish live in the unfathomable/fathomless
depths of the ocean

Adjective
It was a fatal accident with no survivors

To get to the bottom of, understand

210

Verb
I cannot fathom why she left home

An investigation to determine whether a

particular project, system, etc, is desirable,
practicable, etc

Can you fathom it out?

Fatigue

We should do a feasibility study

before
making the changes to our system

Great tiredness

Feckless

Noun
We suffered from fatigue after the

Lacking purpose or vitality, feeble; irresponsible

long hike
Adjective
That feckless youth hangs around the video
arcade

Adjective
Mining is fatiguing work
A weakness in metals, etc, caused by stress,
especially vibrations

Fecund
a formal word for fertile, productive

Noun
The air crash was caused by metal
wing section

fatigue in a

Nonmilitary duties in the army, such as cleaning,

especially as punishment
Noun
The soldier was put on fatigues for

being late

Adjective
Crops grow well in this fecund valley
Noun
the pig farmer was pleased with the fecundity of
his sows
She has a fecund imagination and always has
new ideas

Fatuous

Feeble

Silly, foolish or stupid, especially in a smugly

self-satisfied way

Weak, faint

Adjective
We're sick and tired of her fatuous remarks
I'd like to wipe that fatuous smile off his face

Adjective
The patient is too feeble to walk yet

Feasible

Adverb
The trapped kitten mewed feebly from the
treetop

Able to be done, possible

Unconvincing, lacking force, not effective

Adjective
That's a good idea, but is it really feasible?

Adjective
No-one believed his feeble excuse
The feeble joke hardly raised a laugh
Felicity

211

A formal word meaning great happiness

Noun
You can imagine with what felicity I greeted the
arrival of my long-lost son
Adjective
Champagne is drunk at weddings and other
felicitous occasions

Ferocious
Fierce, savage, cruel
Adjective
That dog was involved in a ferocious fight in
which another dog was killed
Adverb
Lions attacked the farmer's cattle
ferociously
Noun
The ferocity of the insult was quite

uncalled for

A formal word meaning congratulations

Fertile
Noun
Allow me to offer my felicitations on your good
fortune

Of land or soil, capable of bearing abundant

plants

A formal word meaning a pleasing manner or

style

Adjective
Plentiful crops grow in that fertile valley

Noun
The elderly diplomat expressed himself with
great felicity

Noun
the fertility of this soil makes anything grow

Ferment
To cause or undergo a chemical change, activated
by organic sub-stances
Verb
Grapes ferment to make wine
Milk is fermented to produce cheese
The wine in those vats is fermenting
Noun
Yeast is used in the fermentation of beer
A state of agitation, turbulence, turmoil or unrest
Noun
That country is in political ferment
Those troublemakers are fermenting a riot
Noun
Her mind was in ferment as she struggled with
her emotions

Any substance added to soil to make it more

productive
Verb
Farmers often fertilize/fertilise the soil with
manure or chemicals
Noun
Phosphate is a fertilizer/fertiliser
Full of ideas; inventive
Adjective
successful fiction writers must have fertile minds
The ghost was a creation of his fertile
imagination
To provide a plant, female animal, etc, with
pollen or sperm so that it produces seed or young
Verb
Flowers may be fertilized/fertilised by bees

212

Sperm from a male is needed to fertilize/fertilise

the female
Noun
Roosters
are
necessary
for
fertilization/fertilisation of hen's eggs

the

Of animals, plants, etc, capable of reproducing

Adjective
That mare is old, but still fertile

A disastrous failure;
humiliating flop

an

embarrassing

Noun
The fundraising affair was an utter
hardly anyone attended it

fiasco

or

as

Fickle

A medication taken by women who have

difficulty in conceiving
She gave birth to triplets after
with a fertility drug

Fiasco

treatment

Not constant; changeable; unpredictable

Adjective
A fickle person changes partners frequently
Noun
I don't know whether to wear winter or summer
clothes because of the fickleness of the weather

Fester
To become infected and filled with pus

Fiddle
Verb
The wound will fester unless you have it treated

A violin

Adjective
The beggar had a festering sore on

Noun
He plays the fiddle in the symphony orchestra

his arm

Of feelings, thoughts, to cause continued

annoyance; to grow more bitter and angry

To fidget; to play aimlessly or carelessly

Don't fiddle with your glasses, you'll break them

Verb
A feeling of resentment festered in

her mind

Festoon
To decorate with chains of flowers, leaves, etc,
hung in curves

Trivial; petty; unimportant

Adjective
I cna't be bothered with all that fiddling
paperwork
Awkward; intricate

Verb
Let's festoon the Christmas tree with tinsel

Adjective
Threading a needle is a fiddly business

Noun
Festoons of streamers hung from the ceiling of
the reception hall

A slang word for a dishonest action or scheme; a

swindle

213

Noun
The company was found guilty of
He's a dishonest man who is always
fiddle

a tax fiddle
on

the

Something not real but imagined

Noun
The sound you thought you heard must have
been a figment of your imagination

Noun
That fiddler has cheated on his expense account

Finesse

To take a subordinate role or part

Elegant skill

He'll never be the manager so he'll

second fiddle

always play

In excellent health
There's nothing wrong with me,
a fiddle

Adjective
She plays the piano with finessed
Subtlety and tact in dealing with difficult
situations

I'm as fit as

An expression of annoyance, impatience or

disagreement; nonsense

Noun
Teachers handle angry parents with the finesse of
a diplomat
Finicky/finicking

Told that is was possible to re-create dinosaurs,

the professor shouted, 'fiddlesticks
Noun
That's all a lot of fiddle-fiddle not true at all

Fussy; very particular

Adjective
She's finicky/finicking about what

she eats

Fidelity
Requiring much attention to detail
Faithfulness, loyalty, devotion
Noun
Dogs are noted for their fidelity to
their masters
Accuracy; authenticity, exactness
Noun
Will the author be satisfied with the fidelity of
this translation
Quality or precision in sound reproduction

Adjective
This finicky/finicking job will take hours
Fission
The act of splitting, especially the nucleus of an
atom
Noun
Nuclear fission releases tremendous energy
Fissure

Used with the right equipment, CDs give

incredible high fidelity

A long narrow crack or cleft, especially in rock

Figment

Noun

214

The climber hammered a spike into a fissure in

the rock face

Flabbergasted
To be astonished, amazed or astounded

Fist
Verb
We were flabbergasted by his sudden resignation

A tightly closed hand

Noun
The knuckles showed white on his clenched fist

Flabby
Lacking firmness; loose or yielding

The demonstrators punched the air with their

fists
A handful
Noun
Proudly, he waved a fistful of money at the
waiter
An old-fashioned or humorous term for fighting
with the fists

Adjective
Her muscles have become flabby from lack of
exercise
Unsightly excess body fat
Noun
You must go jogging and eat less to get rid of all
that flab
Weak; ineffective

Noun
Now, boys, no fisticuffs if you please!

Adjective
That was a flabby speech he made

Fizz
Flagrant
To effervesce, produce bubbles of gas
Outrageous, blatant
Verb
Champagne will fizz when the bottle is opened
Adjective
Fizzy carbonated drinks are known as soft drinks

Adjective
Flagrant violations of traffic laws
will
dealt with more severely
in future

be

Flamboyant
To hiss or splutter
Extravagant, colourful or showy
Verb
The damp match fizzled but wouldn't
properly

ignite

Adjective
She loves to wear flamboyant
particularly bold reds and purples

colours,

To fail or end, especially after a promising start

The venture fizzled out owing to a
capital

lack

of

Noun
The actor was renowned for his flamboyance
especially his sweeping theatrical gestures

215

Flare
To burn suddenly with a bright flame or more
fiercely

He used rum essence to flavour the chocolate

cake
I'll have a malt-flavoured milk shake

Verb
We threw sticks on the fire and watched them
flare up
The match flared and then burnt
steadily

Noun
This juice contains no artificial flavourings

Devices that produce a bright light or flame, used

to signal, illuminate, etc

Adjective
Tap water is usually flavourless

Noun
The lifeboats are equipped with flares that can be
fired into the air in an emergency

A special, indefinable quality or atmosphere

Having no flavour

Of an ailment, to recur

Noun
The film managed to capture the unique flavour
of France

My bad knee has flared up again

The current fashion; a passing fashion or whim

To become angry suddenly; to reach a more

violent state

You'll see, it's just the flavour of

and won't last long

A quarrel flared up between them

Flicker

Noun
There has been another flare-up of violence

To shine or burn unsteadily or fitfully

To become wider towards the bottom, especially

trousers and skirts
Adjective
She wore a flared skirt

Verb
Look at how the candles flicker in

the

month

the draught

Noun
Was that a flicker of lightning in the distance?
To occur briefly

Flavour
The distinctive taste and smell of food or drink

Verb
A smile flickered across her face

Noun
Herbs and spices improve the flavour of stews
There are 20 different flavours of
ice cream
to choose from

Noun
While there remains a flicker of hope, we will
continue to search for them

Verb

Moving lightly an quickly

216

Adjective
His flickering eyelids showed he
alive

was

still

To die away after a final flicker

The light flickered out, plunging
into darkness

Verb
Who were you flirting with at the
the

away from

party?

room
Adjective
Her flirtatious glances have no
him

Flimsy
Light and thin
Adjective
Your dress is too flimsy for such a
evening

Noun
He's an outrageous flirt who shies
emotional commitment

effect

on

Noun
That love affair will be just another one of his
short-lived flirtations
chilly
To think about something but not very seriously

Not strong or substantial

Adjective
This cardboard box is too flimsy to use
carrying books

for

Verb
We flirted with the idea of putting in a swimming
pool until we found out how much kit would
cost
To treat lightly something dangerous or serious

Weak, feeble
Adjective
Does he really expect us to believe such a flimsy
excuse?

Verb
Some racing drivers flirt with death
Flog

Flippant

To beat severely with a stick, whip, etc

Treating serious things lightly or disrespectfully

Verb
My father was a harsh, strict man who used to
flog us regularly with his belt

Adjective
Her flippant answer was
inappropriate

completely

Noun
His flippancy makes it difficult to have a serious
conversation with him

Slang for to sell

Verb
You'll find it difficult to flog such an old machine

Flirt

Wasting your efforts on something long

abandoned or long realized to be impossible

A person who behaves in a light-hearted,

sexually inviting manner

Trying to get my teenage son to tidy his messy

room is like flogging a dead horse

217

To talk about or advertise something so often that

people lose interest

Chivalry flourished in the middle

Our business is flourishing

He's told that story so often it's been flogged to

death

To wave something about to attract attention

Flounce
To move with exaggerated motions, usually in
anger or impatience
Verb
She's likely to flounce out of the room in a huff if
you tease her

ages

Verb
She rushed into my office, excitedly flourishing
al letter
A showy gesture
Noun
He ushered me in with a flourish
A flowing, ornamental curve in writing

Ornamental strips of material gathered and sewn

by their upper edge to a skirt, etc
Noun
Fashions were elaborate when we were youngour dresses were covered in flounces and frills
Flounder
To move helplessly or with difficulty, as through
thick a mud

Noun
She signs her name with a
flourish

flamboyant

A loud, grandiose piece of music, fanfare

Noun
A flourish of trumpets anNounced
arrival

the queen's

Flout
Verb
When the child began to flounder
in the deep
end of the pool, the lifeguard immediately hauled
him out
To hesitate, make mistakes, etc
Verb
An awkward question made me flounder
hopelessly for a while but eventually I regained
my composure
Flourish

To defy or show contempt for the law, rules, etc

Verb
They flout society's conventions by dressing
outrageously
Fluctuate
To change constantly, vary irregularly
Verb
The cost of living continues t fluctuate from one
week to the next

To grow vigorously, thrive

Verb
These plants flourish in a well-drained, sunny
spot

Noun
Premenstrual tension can cause wide fluctuations
of mood

218

Flummox

To make or become nervous, confused or

agitated

To bewilder, baffle or disconcert

Verb
The teacher tried to flummox us with a tricky
maths problem
I was completely flummoxed by some of the
questions asked in the examination
Fluorescent

Verb
Booing can fluster an inexperienced speaker
Adjective
Don't get flustered we still have
time
She's all in a fluster
preparations

Shining with a particular kind of hard, white,

artificial light
Adjective
The flickering of a faulty tube in the fluorescent
lighting at the office has given me a headache
Very bright or glowing
Adjective
Where did you get those
socks?

fluorescent orange

Flurry

over her

plenty

of

wedding

Flutter
To move up an down or from side to side quickly
and lightly
Verb
I saw the baby bird flutter its wings as it tried to
fly
The flags were fluttering in the wind
She fluttered her eyelashes at him and blew a
kiss
To move, especially downwards, with an
irregular motion

A sudden, short gust of wind, rain, snow, etc

The dead leaves fluttered to the
Noun
A flurry of
windowpanes

rain

spattered

against

the

A sudden burst of bustl-ing activity, excitement,

confusion, etc
Noun
The arrival of the police caused a flurry of
speculation among the workers
Adjective
In their flurried departure they left a suitcase
behind
Fluster

ground

A state of nervous excitement

Noun
She was in great flutter about leaving home for
the first time
A stir, sensation
Noun
The star's arrival caused a flutter among the
waiting crowd
Slang fro a small bet or gamble
Noun
We had a flutter on a horse at the races

219

To predict, estimate or calculate what is likely to

happen

Flux
Continuous change; an unsettled state

Verb
They forecast fine weather for tomorrow

Noun
I can't tell you anything more definite because
our holiday plans are still in a state of flux
A flow or discharge
Noun
This unusual phenomenon is caused
magnetic flux

Noun
The sales forecast for next year shows an upward
trend
A weather forecaster makes predictions
Forfeit

by

a
A fine or penalty

A substance mixed with metal to facilitate

melting
Noun
Use flux when soldering

Noun
There is a small forfeit to pay if you are late in
returning your library book
If you commit a fault in this game, you must pay
a forfeit by singing a song

Foment

To lose in consequence of a mistake, etc

To arouse or stir up trouble or discontent

Verb
She forfeited her place in the team due to
lateness

Noun
He only wants to foment ill feeling

in the office
The confiscation

Forbear
A rather formal word meaning to stop yourself
from doing something
Verb
You should forbear from constant criticism
which does more harm than good
She forbore from mentioning that if had been her
idea in the first place
Tolerance, patience or self-control
Noun
Show forbearance in dealing with
small
children when they make
mistakes
Forecast

Noun
He suffered the forfeiture of his medal when he
was discovered cheating
Forlorn
Forsaken; pitiful, unhappy
Adjective
The orphaned refugee was a forlorn child
Adverb
After the funeral, the widow returned forlornly
to the empty house
Something with a small chance of success

220

There was only a forlorn hope of

trapped miners

saving

the

Don't forsake your old friends for

rich acquaintances

your

new

Formidable

Deserted; desolate

Causing fear or dread

Adjective
The house stood forsaken its windows broken

Adjective
The hydrogen bomb is a formidable weapon
The principal was a formidable woman who
terrified both staff and pupils

Fortuitous
A formal word for happening by chance

Inspiring overwhelming admiration or deep

respect

Adjective
Their meeting was fortuitous not prearranged

Adjective
The climbers were awed by their
first sight
of the formidable mountain that towered above
them

Adverb
Fortuitously he just happened be passing by
when I needed him
Foster

Adverb
Michelangelo was formidably talented as a
sculptor, painter, architect and poet

To cherish or help to develop

Difficult to defeat or deal with

Verb
The best teachers try to foster a love of learning
in their pupils

Adjective
The champion needed skill to defeat his
formidable opponent producing a set of
encyclopedias must be a formidable task

To bring up or look after, especially a child that

is not your own by birth or adoption

Fornication

Verb
She fostered the abandoned baby until it was
well enough to go into an orphanage

A formal word for voluntary sexual intercourse

outside marriage
Noun
Adultery is the more usual term for fornication

Adjective
A foster home had to be found for the young
children while their mother was in hospital
Fractious

Forsake
Cross, irritable or peevish
A formal word meaning to abandon or give up
Verb
The preacher urged the congregation to forsake
their evil ways

Adjective
After a late night, my son was in a fractious
mood

221

Fragile
Fragrance
Easily broken or delicate
A pleasant, sweet smell or perfume
Adjective
Those fine glasses are fragile so pack them
carefully

Noun
She sniffed appreciatively at the fragrance of
baking bread

Noun
Although strong and healthy, she gave an
impression of fragility because she was small for
her age

Adjective
A vase of fragrant roses filled the whole room
with their scent

Weak, not well

Frantic

Adjective
I'm feeling a bit fragile after last night's party

In an extreme state of emotion, especially fear or

anxiety

Fragment

Adjective
The mother was frantic with worry when her
child failed to come home from school

A small part broken off; an incomplete or

separate piece of something
Noun
Use safety glasses when welding in case a
fragment of metal should get into one of your
eyes
He found a fragment of blue and white china

Adverb
He shouted frantically for help as he clung to the
mountain ledge
Frenziedly; extremely

Adjective
I have heard only a fragmentary account of the
event, so I cannot comment until I have full
report

Adverb
The nurses were frantically busy at the hospital,
coping with the injured from the train disaster
Adjective
There was a frantic search in the office for the
missing file

Noun
We only heard fragments of their conversation as
we were too far away to hear it properly

Frazzled
To be exhausted or weary

To break up into small pieces; to split up

Verb
Some big businesses are being fragmented into
smaller companies these days
Adjective
A fragmentation bomb is designed to explode
into many small pieces

Verb
He was completely frazzled after
flight

his

Completely, entirely

222

long

After coping with her child's long

nerves are worn to a frazzle
She forgot the bread under the
was burnt to a frazzle

illness, her
grill, so it

Adjective
It's not easy to keep up with the frenetic pace of
modern life
Adverb
The political parties were frenetically preparing
for the election

Freak
Abnormal or very strange

Frenzy
Noun
In times past, an abnormally tall person might
have been exhibited as a freak

Wild excitement or agitation

Noun
The pop star's fans were in a state

The calf with six legs is a freak of

of frenzy

nature

Adjective
A freak storm in the desert caused a flood
Teenage hairstyles are often deliberately freakish

Adjective
We heard the frenzied cries of people trapped
underneath the ruble
Fritter

A fanatical enthusiast
A piece of deep-fried food in batter
Noun
He is such a health freak that he eats nothing but
organically grown raw vegetables
To act abnormally, usually under the influence of
drugs; to have an extreme reaction
LSD can make a person freak out
hallucinations
My mother freaked out when she
had dyed my hair green

and

suffer

saw that I

Noun
Sprinkle some brown sugar on the banana fritter
To waste time, money, etc, on trivial things
Don't fritter your time away when
be studying
Why does she fritter away her
such junk?

you should
money

on

Frivolous
Slang meaning to experience extreme pleasure or
unease

Not serious or sensible, light-hearted, silly

Listening to Mozart's music always freaks

out
When I hear people making
fun of
disabled, it freaks me out

Adjective
He irritated me with his frivolous
comments
In a serious world, it's sometimes a good thing to
be frivolous

Frenetic
Frantic, frenzied

me
the

Noun
Don't be displeased with his behaviour-it is just
youthful frivolity

223

She has no time for such frivolities as parties

because she has to work too hard

Feelings
of
irritation,
discouragement,
dissatisfaction, etc, because things are not
happening as you want them to

Frolic
To play in a happy, lively way
Verb
My daughter loves to frolic in the river
Noun
The dogs enjoyed a frolic in the park
Noun
We watched the children frolicking in the water
Adjective
The frolicsome kitten sprang on the ball of wool

Noun
He kicked the car in frustration when it wouldn't
start
Adjective
Small children find it frustrating to wait for
some treat
Her husband's lack of interest in sex left her
feeing sexually frustrated
Fugitive
A person escaping from arrest, war, etc

Economical or thrifty

Noun
He jumped bail and is now a fugitive
justice
The refugee is a fugitive from the war

Adjective
A frugal person spends money carefully

A formal word that means lasting only a short

time, brief, fleeting

Adverb
Monks and nuns live frugally

Adjective
She had the fugitive impression that he was
pleased to see her

Frugal

Noun
Her frugality makes her a good housewife

Fulcrum

Costing little; meager

The point of support on which a lever rests

Adjective
We ate a frugal meal of bread and jam

Noun
A seesaw has its fulcrum at its midpoint

Frustrate

Fulminate
To protest loudly and bitterly

To prevent a person from doing what he or she

wants; to foil, thwart
Verb
It seemed that bad weather would frustrate his
attempt to set a new world record

from

Verb
People fulminate against government ministers
increasing their own large salaries
Noun

224

So much fulmination against cruelty to animals

has made fur coats unfashionable

Master the fundamentals of

you try diving

Fulsome

In Christianity, the belief that the bible is

divinely inspired and is therefore literally true

Excessive and
distasteful way

insincere,

especially

in

before

Adjective
His fulsome praise of the dead man whom he had
hated jarred on us

Noun
A supporter of fundamentalism believes
evolution conflicts with the biblical account of
creation
A follower of a movement favoring strict
observance of the teachings of the Koran and
Islamic law

Fumble
To grope about awkwardly; to handle clum-sily
or nervously
Verb
I had to fumble about for the light
the dark

swimming

switch

in

Noun
He is a fundamentalist who follows
the
teachings of the follows the teachings of the
Koran strictly
Furious

Noun
His fumble allowed the opposing
the ball

team to get

Verb
He fumbled the catch and dropped the ball
She fumbled in her handbag looking for her
keys
The shy young man fumbled for words to
express his love
Fundamental
Essential, basic
Adjective
Honesty is of fundamental importance in
personal relationships
Adverb
His ideas are fundamentally sound even if he
sometimes says outrageous things

Extremely angry
Adjective
He was furious with his son for denting the car
he broke down the door in a fury
Violent, intense, unrestrained
Adjective
There was a furious struggle before the intruder
managed to break free
Noun
Hundreds of trees were destroyed
of the storm

by the fury

The thief drove like fury to escape the police

The there snake-haired goddesses of vengeance
from Greek mythology

The basic rules or principles

Noun
He ran as if the furies were after him

Noun

Furnish

225

His furtiveness aroused suspicion

To equip with tables, chairs, beds, etc
Fuss
Verb
We had to furnish the empty flat from scratch
Adjective
We rented a fully furnished

holiday cottage

The movable articles needed to quip a room

house, etc
Noun
Furniture includes chairs, tables and beds
That Victorian desk in your office is a nice piece
of furniture furnishings include the furniture
carpets, curtains and fittings
The furnishings in the historic house are all
antique
To provide or supply
Verb
Furnish us with all the information requested on
the form

Unnecessary commotion or anxiety, often over

small things
Noun
She made such a fuss over a speck
her shoes!
Stop fussing we won't be late

of dirt on

Paying too much attention to small details,

finicky
Adjective
She is very fussy about her food-it
just right

has to be

Adverb
The over attentive waitress fussily
napkins

opened our

Noun
His fussiness makes him a difficult guest
She is a fusspot always complaining and never
happy

A person or thing taken for granted

With too much detail or decoration
They squabble in front of me as if I we part of
the furniture
Furtive

Adjective
A dress with frills an bows is too fussy for an
older woman

Secretive or sly, as though you are trying to hide

something because you feel guilty

To show great or excessive concern, affection,

pride, etc

Adjective
I knew by his furtive movements
up to no good

They all fussed over her when she fainted

We want to make a fuss of/over granny on her
ninetieth birthday
Don't make a fuss of/over him just because
he's scraped his knee

that he was

Adverb
As he droned on, she glanced furtively at her
watch
Noun

An angry scene
Noun

226

There will be a real fuss if they find out you

bunked school

Something, especially a piece of cloth, placed in

or over the mouth to silence someone

To complain vigorously

Noun
The thieves tied a gag around her mouth to
prevent her screaming for help

She kicked up a fuss and demanded to see the

manager

Verb
He was gagged so tightly with a scarf that he
could hardly breathe

To not care very much

I am not fussed about which film
you can choose

we see, so
To restrict freedom of speech

Fusty

Verb
The dictator tried to gag the news

medial

Smelling old, stale or mouldy

To choke or retch
Adjective
The spare room was fusty and needed airing

Verb
She gagged on a tough piece of meat

Old-fashioned in attitude ideas, etc

A joke or funny story
Adjective
To teenagers, many nineteenth -century writers
seem fusty and out of date
Futile

Noun
The boss must be in a good mood,
gags
We put a plastic spider on her desk

Certain to be unsuccessful, pointless, useless

Gainsay

Adjective
She made a futile attempt to run after the train
It is futile trying to bring back the past

To contradict or deny something

Noun
Farmers know the futility of planting
during a drought

he's full of
for a gag

Verb
I can't gainsay the fact that he is dishonest
There's no gainsaying her suitability for the job

crops
Galore
In abundance, in plenty

G
Gag

Adjective
There was food galore at the party, more than
enough for everyone
Galvanize/galvanise

227

To stimulate or shock someone into doing

something
Verb
The alarm bell would galvanize/galvanise
firemen into action

the

Buying an old car can be a bit of a gamble

Film stunt men often take a gamble with their
lives
Gamut
The full range or scale

Metal coated with zinc

A galvanized/galvanised iron roof
rust

should not

Noun
His career spanned the entire gamut of acting,
from slapstick to
drama

Gambit

To experience the complete range of something

A first move, especially in chess, to secure an

advantage

She ran the gamut of her emotions, from joy to

despair

Noun
A usual opening gambit in chess is to sacrifice a
pawn to gain a favourable position later
Tears are her usual gambit to attract attention or
get sympathy

Garrulous
Talkative, loquacious, wordy
Adjective
My garrulous aunt chatters away incessantly

Gamble
Genesis
To play a game of chance for money; to bet with
money; to speculate

A beginning, creation or origin

Verb
He likes to gamble at the casino
Do you ever gamble on the horses?

Noun
The novel had its genesis in the author's
childhood

Noun
He's a compulsive gambler

The first book of the Bible

Verb
Some people like gambling on the stock
exchange
An old-fashioned word for gambling
Adjective
He spent all day at the gaming tables
A risky action or venture
Noun

Noun
The book of genesis describes the
the world

creation of

Genuine
Real, authentic; not fake
Adjective
This chair is a genuine antique and not a
reproduction
There's a sale of genuine leather jackets

228

Sincere, honest, true

Adjective
He's lucky to have so many genuine friends

A large, portable radio/cassette tape combination

with built-in speakers
Noun
There were many complaints from residents
about ghettoblasters disturbing the peace

Adverb
She seems to be genuinely fond of you

Gibber

Ghastly

To make meaningless sounds or words

Horrible, terrifying

Verb
Monkeys at the zoo gibber excitedly when
visitors walk past

Adjective
Being trapped underground was a ghastly ordeal
Last night ,I had a ghastly nightmare
Very bad, unpleasant
Adjective
The meal was ghastly tough meat and watery
vegetables

Unintelligible
or
nonsense, drivel

incomprehensible

talk;

Noun
The lecture on astrophysics seemed like
gibberish to him
A tape of speech played backwards sounds like
gibberish that man must be crazy, he's ranting on
like a gibbering idiot

Deathlike and pale

Giddy
Adjective
Since her illness she looks quite ghastly
Ghetto
A densely populated and separated poor area of a
town, especially one inhabited by a particular
group of people
Noun
A ghetto was originally the name
given to the
quarter where Jews were forced to live in
some European cities
To put someone or something into a particular,
limited category; to separate from others
Verb
It's demeaning to ghettoize/ghettoise women just
as wives and mothers

Dizzy, light-headed, unsteady

Adjective
I felt giddy after the funfair ride
Noun
The giddiness will go away when you lie down
Causing unsteadiness

Adjective
She was giddy with excitement when she got the
job
We looked down from the giddy
heights of
the CN tower
Confused

229

A faint or brief flash of light

Adjective
All those facts and figures make me feel giddy
Giggle
To make quick, spasmodic laughing sounds,
especially in a silly manner or as a nervous
reaction
Verb
The children giggle nervously as the clown pulls
funny faces at them
Adjective
She's at the giggly age

Noun
I saw a gleam of light at the end of the dark
tunnel
To glow or shine softly
Verb
The polished brass gleamed in the
firelight

flickering

Adjective
Toothpaste advertisements tell us we will have
gleaming white teeth if we use their product
A brief show of some quality or emotion

To do this uncontrollably
That joke was so funny that I got the giggles and
only stopped when the boss walked into the
office

Noun
As long as there is a gleam of hope, we must
search for possible survivors
Verb
The competitors' eyes gleamed with excitement

As a prank or joke
Glean
They put a plastic spider n his desk for a giggles
Gimmick
A trick or device to catch people's attention,
usually to get them to buy something

To gather information, news, etc bit by bit and

with effort
Verb
From what various people said, I managed t
glean that he was forced to resign

Noun
A talking, moving cow was the sales gimmick
used to promote a
range of dairy products

The useful remains of a crop, gathered after

harvesting

Adjective
The features of this alarm clock are gimmicky
and unnecessary

Noun
The gleanings from the grain harvest were left
fro the poor to
collect

Noun
Here's an example of clever advertising
gimmickry

Glee

Gleam

Noun

Great joy, delight or mirth, often mischievous

230

The children laughed with glee as they splashed

in the water
Adjective
The contestant was gleeful when her rival was
disqualified

Noun
I saw a glimmering of anger cross his face
Glimpse
A quick, incomplete look

Glib
Fluent, smooth and persuasive but insincere and
shallow
Adjective
Glib salesmen exploit unsophisticated
Noun
The glibness of her excuse did not

people

Noun
We caught a glimpse of a small deer before it
disappeared in the long grass
Verb
I glimpsed sue in the crowd, but she didn't see
me
Gloom

deceive me
Near darkness, often dismal or frightening

Glide
To move smoothly and easily without noise

Noun
It was hard to see anything
gathering gloom

Verb
Look at how those skaters glide gracefully across
the ice
The eagle glided effortlessly through the air

Adjective
It was a gloomy overcast day

A light aircraft that flies without engine power

Noun
The dark paint emphasized the gloominess of the
room

Noun
A glider uses air currents to soar in

the sky

distinctly

in

A feeling of sadness, depression, etc

Glimmer

Noun
Pessimists always forecast gloom

and doom

To shine faintly or unsteadily

Adjective
What's wrong? Why so gloomy?

Verb
Glow-worms glimmer in the dark
Noun
I thought is saw a glimmer of light
thick mist
There was still a glimmer of hope
trapped miners
A faint sign of something

Adverb
He spoke gloomily of the declining economy
through the
Glory
for

the

the
Magnificence or great beauty
Noun

231

Autumn is the best time of year to

forest in all its glory

see

the

Verb
They gloried in their unexpected

freedom

Adjective
What a glorious view of the pyramids!

Noun
She was in her glory showing off her new home

Noun
Wild flowers are one of the

The flag of the united states

glories of spring

Wonderful or enjoyable

Americans call their flag the stars

or old glory

Adjective
we had a glorious time! Our holiday was superb

An old-fashioned exclamation of surprise or

delight

Dreadful

Glory be! We won!

Adjective
When we returned to the house, it
glorious muddle

and stripes

Gloss
was

in

a
A surface shine; a smooth finish

Fame and honour for a great achievement

Noun
Having won the championship our team
returned home covered in
glory
Adjective
It was a glorious victory

Noun
The table top has been polished to

a high gloss

Adjective
This new shampoo makes my hair bouncy and
glossy
Do you want matt or glossy prints?
This glossy magazine has
beautiful
photographs

High praise, worship or thanksgiving

Noun
Glory be t god in the highest let us glorify the
name of the lord
To make something appear better than it really is
Verb
That film glorifies the horrors of war
Adjective
They cal me the delivery manager,
a glorified messenger

but I'm just

To conceal or evade by mentioning briefly or

misleadingly
I said that his mother had enjoyed the champagne
and glossed over the fact that she had been quite
drunk
An alphabetical list of specialist or unusual
words, with explanations
Noun
At the back of the book there is a
cooking terms

glossary of

Glow
To take pleasure and pride in

232

To give out light and/or heat without flames

Our dogs love to gnaw on bones

Verb
Look at how the fire's dying embers glow in the
darkness

Rats gnawed away at the

food

box

to get at the

Causing someone continual distress or worry

Noun
The glow of the sky during sunset
dusk deepened

faded

as

Warm or red, especially from cold or exercise

Adjective
His cheeks were glowing from the

Adjective
Hunger gave him a gnawing
pain in his
stomach
I had gnawing doubts about his honesty all along
Gobble

cold wind
To eat quickly and greedily

To experience a strong emotion

Verb
Her face glowed with pride as she
child

Verb
Eat slowly and don't gobble your food so noisily!
gazed at her
To use something up quickly

Full of praise
Adjective
He gave a glowing account of his
achievements

Such a high rent would gobble up

salary
son's

Gnash
To grind your teeth as a sign of great emotion,
etc
Verb
People may gnash their teeth in pain
To be very angry

half

my

The loud, rapid, gurgling sound made by male

turkeys
Noun
We could hear the agitated gobble of turkeys in
the distance
Slang for difficult or pompous jargon; rubbish or
nonsense
Noun
The report is full of gobbledegook/gobbledygook
which no one understands

Verb
He gnashed his teeth in rage

Goggle

Gnaw

To stare wide -eyed in amazement, disbelief, etc

To bite constantly at something hard so as to

wear it away little by little

Verb
Don't goggle at me as though I'm a

Verb

Adjective

Martian

233

Coming from a small town, we were goggle-eyed

at the city sights

I hardly noticed we were moving upwards

because of the gradual incline

Protective spectacles with flaps at the sides

Grand

Noun
Always wear protective goggles when welding

A prefix indicating a family relationship one

generation removed from the relative specified

Gorgeous

Grand father; grandmother; grandparents;

grandson;
granddaughter; grandchildren

Richly coloured; magnificent

Grandiloquent
Adjective
The walls were hung with gorgeous silk
tapestries

A pompous style of speaking or writing

Slang for very pleasant or beautiful

Adjective
His grandiloquent speech contained too many
long, pretentious words

Adjective
We are having gorgeous weather thank you for
the gorgeous present!
What a gorgeous sunset!
Gradient

Gratify
A formal word meaning to satisfy or please

The degree of slope as compared with the

horizontal

Verb
Do gratify our curiosity and tell us what
happened
He was gratified that his guess was correct

Noun
The car laboured up the steep gradient of the hill

Adjective
It was gratifying to see such a large turnout

Gradual

Noun
He finds gratification in computer games

Happening slowly over a long period; not sudden

Gratuitous
Adjective
We've noticed a gradual decline in
over the years

his

Adverb
Things gradually revived after the war

health

A formal word for given or done free of charge

Adjective
It was a gratuitous offer of

assistance

Unnecessary; unjustified
Gentle; not steep
Adjective

Adjective
There is too much gratuitous violence on TV

234

Gregarious
To expose yourself to great heat
Enjoying the company of others
Adjective
A gregarious person loves being in

a crowd

Verb
It's too hot to sit outside, you'll be
the sun

grilled

by

Describing animals and birds that live in groups

and plants that grow in clusters

To subject to relentless questioning; to crossexamine

Adjective
A colony of gregarious seals may number in the
hundreds

Verb
The witness was grilled by the police about what
he had seen

Grievous

Grizzled

Causing grief or suffering

Of hair, streaked with or partly grey

Adjective
We suffered grievous losses in the fighting

Adjective
Ask that old man with the grizzled beard

Severely

A large, fierce, browny-grey bear

Adverb
He had been grievously wounded

Noun
We spotted a grizzly bear/grizzly near the river

Serious injury inflicted intentionally

To fret or whine, especially of a child

The attacker was charged with causing grievous

bodily harm

Verb
If she eats something maybe she'll stop grizzling

Grill

Groan

To cook food over or under great heat

A deep, sad sound expressing distress, pain,

disapproval, etc

Verb
Grill the fish, don't fry it in oil
Adjective
We had grilled lamb chops for dinner
Noun
Put some cheese on the toast and put it under the
grill to brown
A grillroom is a restaurant where grilled steaks
and other meat dishes are served

Noun
'She's left me' he said with a groan
Verb
The soldier groaned with the pain from his
wounds
We groaned at the comedian's weak pun
To complain or grumble

235

Verb
The shop workers groaned about having to work
on Sundays
To be heavily laden
Verb
The banqueting table groaned with

food

A deep-seated resentment; an old grievance

Noun
He still bears a bear grudge against me after all
these years
Adjective
This will be a grudge fight, those boxers hate
each other

Loud, creaking sounds

Offered unwillingly, without enthusiasm
Noun
I heard the groans of the tree's branches in the
storm
Groom

Adjective
He gave grudging praise to the winning team
Verb
He grudges every cent he spends, he's very stingy

A person who looks after horses, stablehand

Gruelling

Noun
The groom saddled up the horses

Exhausting, demanding, punishing

To clean the fur of an animal

Verb
We watched two baboons grooming each other

Adjective
A marathon is a gruelling race
Gruesome
Frightful, horrific, grisly

Neat and tidy in appearance

Adjective
She is always perfectly groomed

Adjective
Gruesome scenes of the crash were shownon TV
Gruff

To train a person for a particular job

Rough or surly in speech or manner
Verb
His son is being groomed to take over the
company one day
An abbreviation for bridegroom
Noun
The old bachelor is stuck in a groove and needs
to find some new interests

Adjective
His gruff manner hides a very kind

heart

Adverb
He spoke gruffly to his staff
Grumble
To complain or protest, grouse

Grudge

236

Verb
Some students continue t grumble
food

about

the

Noun
He's a terrible grumbler

H
Haggard

To rumble
Verb
You're hungry, I can hear your tummy grumbling

To argue or bargain over price or terms

Verb
Haggle with the seller to try to get the price
reduced

Grumpy
Bad-tempered or sulky
Adjective
He's always grumpy until he's had a cup of coffee

Noun
Haggling is part of the fun of shopping in the
east

Grunt

Halt

To utter a low, rough sound

To stop

Verb
Pigs snuffle and grunt over their food
The boss was in a bad mood and just grunted
when I greeted him

Verb
The car had to halt as the light was

Noun
He gave a grunt of approval
Gullible
Easily deceived; too trusting
Adjective
She's so gullible that she will believe
she's told

red

The strikers brought all work at the Factory to a

halt
The political leaders came together to call a halt
to the violence that was sweeping the country
A military command to stop

anything

Verb
The sentry called: 'halt who goes there?
Slow and hesitant

Gurgle
A low bubbling sound
Noun
The baby gave a gurgle of delight

Adjective
The parents were thrilled when their baby took
its first halting steps
Adverb
With an obvious effort the victim spoke haltingly
of her ordeal

Verb
The bath water gurgled down the drain

237

An old- fashioned word for lame, crippled

Noun
The bible tells show Jesus cured the halt

In golf, the number of strokes by which a player's

averaged score exceeds par for the course

Hamper
A large basket with a lid containing food
Noun
We packed a hamper with food for

In horse racing, faster runners are handicapped

by weight in order to give the slower ones an
equal chance

our picnic

Hamper

Noun
The golf club's best player has a handicap
Handle
The part of any object made to be held in the
hand

To impede; to hinder
Verb
Rain will hamper the runners and slow them
down
Handcuff

To touch or to hold
Verb
Handle these delicate glasses with care

To put a pair of metal rings joined by a chain

round the wrists of prisoners
Verb
The police had to handcuff the
when he tried to get away

Noun
Turn the handle and open the door

suspect

Noun
The prisoner was in handcuffs

Noun
The explosives need careful handling
To manage or control; to deal with
Verb
Bankers handle money
A good teacher knows how to handle her pupils
The thief was roughly handled by the mob

Handicap
To respond in a specified way
A disadvantage or disability
Noun
Illiteracy is a major handicap in the modern
world

Verb
The test pilot reported that the plane handled
very smoothly
A person in charge of an animal

Adjective
The handicapped child is deaf
To impose a disadvantage on

Noun
The police dog and its handler helped to control
the crowd

Verb

238

On a bike, etc a bar at the front with a handle at

each end, used for steering
Noun
Keep both hands on the handlebars when
are riding a bicycle

you

At random
Adverb
I stuffed the clothes haphazardly into bags
Hapless

To become wildly angry

An old-fashioned word for unlucky or wretched
Please don't tell her I failed, she'll
handle

fly off the

Adjective
The car ran over the hapless vagrant lying in the
road

Hanger
A curved piece of wood, plastic or wire with a
hook

Harass
To make repeated attacks on; to torment

Noun
Put your jacket on the coat/clothes
hang it in your wardrobe

hanger and

Hanker
To have a strong desire for something
Verb
Neglected children hanker for affection
Noun
Dieters often have a hankering for chocolate

Verb
Guerrilla forces still harass our troops
Noun
Opposition politicians complained of police
harassment
Fired from persistent pressure
Adjective
The harassed secretary started making mistakes
Harbinger

Hanky-panky
Underhand dealing or improper sexual behaviour

A formal word for something that indicates a

coming event or the arrival of a person

Noun
For that plain girl to win the beauty
contest
there must have been some hanky-panky with the
judges

Noun
A dark cloud is a harbinger of rain

Haphazard

An old-fashioned word for a prostitute

Careless; slipshod

Noun
In biblical times a harlot could be stoned to death

Adjective
His haphazard methods led to confusion

Harlot

Harmony

239

Peaceful agreement and cooperation

Verb
He harnessed the oxen to the wagon

Noun
Let's try to live in harmony with our neighbours
Adjective
A harmonious relationship is the basis of a happy
marriage
A pleasant combination of musical notes,
colours, proportions, etc

Similar straps put round a person's body for

various purposes
Noun
The window cleaner used a safety harness while
cleaning the 10th-floor windows
The skydiver put on his parachute harness
To control and use a natural force

Noun
Members of an orchestra must play in harmony
Verb
Those cottages harmonize/harmonise well with
the landscape

Verb
We must harness the sun's energy to provide us
with heat and poser
Hassle
Slang for a great deal of trouble, struggle

Adjective
Colours in nature always seem harmonious

Noun
Shopping with small children can be a real hassle

Following a pattern of chords and notes

determined by the keys of a musical composition
Adjective
He composed a series of harmonic variations on
a theme
A small musical wind instrument, mouth organ
Noun
You play a harmonica by moving it across
your lips while blowing
and sucking
through it

air

Harness
A set of leather straps with which a horse,
donkey, etc, is fastened to a cart, and controlled
Noun
Put the harness on the horse

Slang meaning to annoy or harass

Verb
Stop hassling me and leave me

alone

Haughty
Thinking that you are better than other people,
arrogant, scornful
Adjective
The aristocracy treated the common people with
haughty disdain
Adverb
The actress haughtily refused to talk to us
Noun
The surgeon showed his haughtiness by treating
the nurses as fools

240

Haunt

His sudden illness played/wreaked

our plans

havoc with

To visit in the form of a ghost

Hawk
Verb
The ghost of a murdered woman is said to haunt
the castle

A large, swift bird of prey with a short, curved

beak, sharp claws and very good eyesight

Adjective
People were afraid to live in the haunted house

Noun
A hawk eats small mammals and birds

A place frequently visited

Having very
observant

Noun
That pub is the favourite haunt of journalists

good

eyesight;

watchful

or

To linger in the mind of

Adjective
Nothing escaped the keen glance of the hawkeyed detective

Verb
The memory of her ordeal continued to haunt her

To watch someone very carefully so that you will

know if they of something wrong

Adjective
The music brings back haunting memories

After our prank, the teacher watched us like a

hawk all week

To cause difficulties over a period of time

Those who support an aggressive or warlike

policy

Verb
Russia is still haunted by the brutal excesses of
stalin

Noun
The hawks demand war but the doves want to
negotiate

Deeply moving because of great beauty, sadness,

etc

To offer for sale in the streets

Adverb
The desert is hauntingly lovely at night

Verb
The old women hawk flowers near the square

Havoc

Noun
The hawker sold vegetables from door to door

Widespread destruction; great disorder

To cough up phlegm from the throat
Noun
The hurricane created havoc over a wide area

Verb
He began was tied t the jetty by a hawser

To damage or upset
Hazard

241

A risk or potential danger

Noun
The risk of infection is an occupational hazard
for surgeons

There was a hectic rush to get to the airport in

time
Hefty
Vigorous, strong, big or heavy

Noun
You are hazarding your life by climbing without
proper equipment
Adjective
Cape horn is notoriously hazardous to shipping

Adjective
One hefty blow with the axe should bring down
the tree
A heavyweight wrestler is a hefty man
There's a hefty fine for drunken driving

Flashing warning lights on a motor vehicle

Helter-skelter

Switch on the hazard lights if your car breaks

down

In a hasty and disorderly way

An obstacle on a golf course

Adverb
At the sudden downpour of rain, we all ran
helter-skelter to the house

Noun
Hitting his ball into the water hazard lost him the
golf game

Herculean

To suggest tentatively Room his clothes, I would

hazard a guess that he's a miner
Heckle
To interrupt and harass a public speaker with
rude remarks, aggressive questions, etc

Needing great effort, strength, etc (in Greek

myth, Hercules was noted for his strength and
courage)
Adjective
Renovating this old house is a herculean
Hermit

Verb
The noisy, hostile crowd began to heckle the
speaker
Verb
The persistent heckler disrupted the meeting and
was thrown out the heckling forced the speaker
to end his speech

A person who lives in solitude, especially for

religious reasons

Hectic

Noun
The monks lived and worked at a hermitage

Noun
The early Christian lived as a hermit in a cave
A secluded place; a retreat

Very busy, rushed

A soft-bodied crab
Adjective

242

The hermit crab lives in cast-off mollusc shells

for protection

India's heterogeneous population gives her a

variety of cultures and languages

Hesitate

Heyday

To be slow in doing something, often because of

doubt or uncertainty

The period of greatest success, prosperity,

strength, etc

Verb
If you hesitate too long, you won't get that job
She hesitated before entering the crowded room

Noun
That actress was famous in her heyday but is
almost forgotten now
The heyday of canals ended with the emergence
of railways

Noun
Without the slightest hesitation he dived into the
icy water

Hiatus

To be reluctant

A break in continuity or an interruption

Verb
Don't hesitate to ask for further information

Noun
There was an awkward hiatus when the actor
forgot his lines

Noun
He showed hesitancy about signing the contract

Hibernate

Adjective
I'm hesitant about investing in a new company

Of some animals, to pass the winter in a dormant

condition like deep sleep

To pause in speaking

Verb
Some species of tortoise hibernate

Verb
She hesitated be froe replying
Adjective
The shy girl has a hesitant way of speaking
Stammering
Noun
The hesitation in his speech is obvious when he's
nervous
Heterogeneous

Noun
Brown bears go into hibernation in winter
Hiccup
A gulplike sound produced by an involuntary
spasm of the diaphragm
Noun
The sobbing girl gave a loud hiccup
The word hiccup is sometimes spelt hiccough
Try a pinch of salt as a cure for an attack of
hiccups

Composed of different types

Verb
Adjective

243

The baby hiccuped/hiccupped from drinking his

bottle too quickly

To fasten with a loop, coupling, etc hitch the

mule to the cart

A slight, usually temporary, temporary, problem

or delay

A type of knot

Noun
There was a slight hiccup when the bridal car
wouldn't start
Hideous

Noun
Use a clove hitch to tie the boat up to the jetty
A tug or jerk; a slight movement
Noun
As he sat down, he gave his trousers a hitch

Extremely ugly; horrifying

Adjective
The child had a nightmare about a hideous
monster
Hilarious
Extremely funny
Adjective
The audience roared with laughter at the
hilarious comedy
Noisy merriment, laughter
Noun
His amusing antics caused great hilarity at the
party

Verb
She hitched up her skirt so it wouldn't get wet
a temporary difficulty or delay
Noun
A technical hitch led to a hold-up in production
The wedding went off smoothly without any
hitches
To travel by signalling for lifts to passing traffic
Verb
When his car broke down, he tried to hitch a ride
to the garage
My friends hitchhiked through Spain
Noun
The hitchhiker thumbed a lift to Milan

Hinder
A slang term meaning to get married
To get in the way; to prevent progress
Verb
Constant phone calls hinder me in my work
Noun
The inexperienced new employee was more of a
hindrance than a help
Hitch

After a long engagement, they decided it was

time to get hitched
Hoax
A practical joke or trick, often spiteful
Noun
Watch out for a hoax on April fool's day
The massage that he had lost his job was a cruel
hoax

244

Verb
We were hoaxed into buying land in a swamp
Noun
The hoaxer fooled us with a get-rich-quick
scheme
Holocaust
The large-scale destruction of life and property,
especially by fire
Noun
We all fear the holocaust of a nuclear war
The systematic mass murder of Jews another
groups by Nazis before and during the second
world war
Six million jaws died in the holocaust
Hoodlum
A hooligan, thug or gangster
Noun
The young hoodlum vandalized the empty
house
The hoodlums who terrorized
Chicago under AI Capone were known as hoods

Some hooligan is terrorizing the old people in the

village
Drunken, brawling British soccer fans have a
nasty reputation for hooliganism
Horror
A feeling of intense terror, loathing, shock or
dismay
Noun
Many people have a horror of snakes
No film or book can bring out the full horror of
the Nazi concentration camps
Adjective
Who committed that horrible murder?
Adverb
The dead body was horribly mutilated
Verb
This film about drugs will horrify the audience
We were horrified by the war's carnage
Adjective
The news broadcast showed horrific/horrendous
scenes of violence
Designed to entertain by arousing pleasurable
feelings of horror, shock, etc

Hoodwink
To deceive, trick or mislead

Adjective
I was a keen reader of horror comics as a child,
especially those with imaginary monsters

Verb
The truants tried to hoodwink their parents into
believing they were at school

Unpleasant, disagreeable, nasty or unkind

Hooligan
A young person who behaves in a noisy, violent
and lawless way in public places, thug, ruffian
Noun

Adjective
The child said the beer tasted horrible/horrid
We had horrible/horrid weather during our
holiday, with rain every day
Adjective
I have a horrible/horrid feeling we've forgotten
something

245

I'm sorry-that was a

horrible/horrid thing to say

Animals have adapted to survive in the hostile

environment of the Sahara desert

A naughty child
Of an enemy, warlike
Noun
That spoilt brat is a real horror

Adjective
The hostile aircraft was shot down

Excessive
Acts of war, fighting
Adjective
I was appalled at the horrific/horrendous prices
at the hotel
Slang for a fit of anxiety or depression
Having to address an audience gives me the
horrors
Drug addicts and alcoholics often suffer the
horrors of withdrawal symptoms
An expression of dismay, often said jokingly
Oh horrors we've been invited to
school concert

Noun
Negotiations have led to an end to hostilities
An unwelcome attempt by a company to take
over another through the purchase of shares
The directors appealed to shareholders to resist a
hostile bid/takeover by a rival company which
would shout down the firm
A witness who gives evidence considered
untrustworthy

another

Hostile

When the witness refused to confirm in court

what she had told the police, the prosecutor
asked the judge to declare her a hostile witness

Showing hatred or aggression, unfriendly

Hubbub

Adjective
We were threatened by a hostile mob

A loud, confused noise, tumult, uproar

Noun
People showed their hostility to the convicted
terrorists by screaming abuse at them
Opposed or resistant to something

Noun
Without a microphone, the speaker could not
make himself heard above the hubbub of
conversation
Huddle
To crowd or nestle closely together

Adjective
The more conservative workers are hostile to any
change

Street children huddle together to keep warm

Harsh, barren or inhospitable

Noun
There was a small huddle of workmen round the
fire

Adjective
Adjective

246

The kittens slept huddled together next to their

purring mother
Noun
His clothes lay in a huddle on the
he dropped them

floor where

Verb
His elated team-mates rushed to hug the goalscorer
The child hugged her new doll mother gave him
an affectionate hug before she left
To keep close to

To coil up or hunch the body

Thoroughly chilled, she huddled up in her
sleeping bag and tried to get some sleep

Verb
Small boats hug the shore and don't venture out
to sea

To hold a private or secret conference

Fitting tightly

The players went into a huddle to discuss

strategy

The singer wore a sexy, figure-hugging dress

To cling to or cherish opinions prejudices, etc

Huff
A fit of annoyance, bad temper or offended
dignity
Adjective
She went off in a huff because no-one was
paying any attention to her
Adjective
He is in a huffish/huffy mood today so try not to
upset him

Verb
Older people hug their beliefs and find it difficult
to change
To congratulate yourself or be very pleased with
yourself
Verb
She gleefully hugged herself at the thought that
she alone knew the secret
Huge

To blow or breathe heavily

Extremely large, gigantic, enormous
Verb
The wolf huffed and puffed ad blew the house
down
We were huffing and puffing by the time we
reached the top of the tower

Adjective
A huge rock blocked the road
Many African countries are crippled with huge
debts

Loud objections that are mainly bluster

There was much huffing and puffing
students about the difficult exam

Adverb
The hugely popular novel was a runaway
bestseller

from

Hug

Hum

To embrace fondly, put your arms around to

show affection, etc

A low, continuous murmuring or buzzing sound

247

Noun
There was silence except for the hum of traffic in
the distance
Listen to the humming of the bees in the hive

Verb
With no medical qualifications, he humbugged
the hospital into appointing him as a consultant
An impostor

A very small, tropical bird

Noun
The brightly coloured hummingbird

Noun
The humbug pretended to be an important
official

Adjective
Makes a humming sound by vibrating its wings

A kind of hard-boiled sweet, usually with a

striped pattern

To sing wordlessly with closed lips

Noun
The child was sucking a mint humbug

Verb
I didn't know the words, so I just hummed the
tune

Humdrum
Dull, monotonous, boring

To be busy or in a state of feverish activity

Verb
The factory was humming working flat out to
complete the order in time
The energetic manager soon made things hum in
the company
Slang meaning to have an unpleasant smell
Verb
The rotting fish began to hum
To hesitate or make inarticulate noises because of
uncertainty
He won't make up his mind so he hums and
haws/ha's when we try to get a decision out of
him
Humbug

Adjective
Every job has its tedious humdrum aspects
Hustle
To push or move roughly and hurriedly, jostle
Verb
The police has to hustle the prisoner away from
the angry crowd
Noun
There is always hustle and bustle at the crowded
airport
To make a person act quickly and without time to
consider this, pressurize
Verb
The council was hustled into making
decision

hasty

Talk or behaviour intended to deceive, nonsense

Slang for a prostitute or pimp
Noun
Don't all his tall stories-they're all humbug

Noun
She works as a hustler in the red-light district

248

Hybrid
An animal or plant produced by crossbreeding
Noun
A mule is a hybrid of a male donkey and a
female horse
Verb
Scientists hybridize/hybridise plants to combine
desirable characteristics from both stocks
Noun
Hybridization/hybridisation has improved grains,
fruits and farm animals

The belief in or pursuit of ideals, sometimes

unrealistically
Noun
Youth is full of idealism
She ends to be an idealist rather than a realist
Adjective
The idealistic young man was shocked by the
cynical reality of politics
In an ideal world there would be no war or
suffering ideally everyone should have equal
education
To consider someone or something as perfect or
ideal; to glorify

Referring to something of mixed origin

Adjective
'Grandmother' is a hybrid word because' grand '
is French and 'mother' is old English or AngloSaxon

Verb
Children idealize/idealise their heroes
Noun
It is difficult to understand the idealization/
idealisation of Hitler and stalin
Identical

I
The very same; alike in every respect
Ideal
A standard of perfection
Noun
The venus de Milo is one ideal of feminine
beauty
In all she does, she tries to live up to her ideals

Adjective
These are the identical seats we had last time
Adjverb
The two little girls were identically dressed
Twins born of a single egg
Identical twins are of the same sex, and look
alike

Adjective
I can't believe they got divorced-they seemed an
ideal couple
Verb
The happy couple are ideally suited to each other

Identify
To show or prove who you are or what
something is ; to name or classify something
Verb

249

You must identify yourself before you can enter

employees wear an identity card/identity disc/ID

card

Can you identify this butterfly?

Noun
We don't know the identity of the thief
A case of mistaken identity led to the innocent
man's arrest
Please give us [roof of identity when you pay by
cheque
Shops demand some from of identification when
you pay by cheque
To recognize

The suspect was picked

identification/identity parade

out

in

an

A method of combining pictures of facial

features, from which the face of a wanted person
can be formed
Noun
The police issued an identikit of the suspect
based on witnesses descriptions

Verb
Can you identify your attacker?
He identified the stolen watch as his

Idiosyncracy

To consider the same as

A manner of thought or behaviour peculiar to an

individual; a quirk or eccentricity

Verb
People tend to identify America with capitalism
Noun
The allies shared an identity of interest

Noun
Refusing to wear a tie on any occasion
idiosyncratic

is

my

Adjective
Talking to plants could be seen as idiosyncratic
behaviour

To support' to be associated with

Verb
He refuses to identify himself with
political party

A group of people in a police line-up for

witnesses to view

any

Idiot
A foolish person

To imagine yourself in the place of

Verb
She identifies herself with the heroine in the
book

Noun
Which idiot forgot to lock the door?
Foolish, stupid, senseless

An official document bearing the holder's name,

photograph, etc
You need an identity document in order to open a
bank account identity document is usually
shortened to ID for security purposes, all

Adjective
Burning school books is idiotic behaviour
Noun

250

To resign from a job without having another is

idiocy
Adverb
People take you for a fool when you behave so
idiotically
So simple that even a fool can use it, understand
it. Etc

Adjective
Napoleon beat an ignominious retreat from
Moscow
Adverb
He was ignominiously fired from his job
Illegitimate
not legitimate, unlawful; unfair

Adjective
This idiotproof/idiot camera is for

beginners

Adjective
He only won by using illegitimate tactics

Slang for a television set

born of parents not married to each other
There are no good programmes on the idiot box
tonight

Adjective
The illegitimate child bore his mother's surname

Ignite
To set on fire or cause to burn
Verb
A spark from the fire could ignite the hay
The electrical system that fires an internalcombustion engine

Noun
Illegitimacy is no longer a social stigma
.illogical
Adjective
That is an illegitimate conclusion to draw from
the facts

Noun
He switched on the ignition to start the car turn
the ignition key to start the motor

Illicit

Ignoble

Adjective
Governments are trying to end the illicit drug
trade

dishonourable, shameful or contemptible

Adjective
It is an ignoble act for a man to strike a woman

not allowed by law or the rules of society; illegal

Illogical
not logical, based on false reasoning; senseless

Ignominy
shame, disgrace, humiliation or degradation
Noun
Our team suffered the ignominy of defeat

Adjective
It is illogical to change something that works
well
An illogical answer is one not based on sound
principles

251

Adverb
You cannot win if you argue your case so
illogically

Adjective
An illusory/illusive effect could be achieved by
painting the ceiling to resemble the sky

Illuminate
A false idea, fallacy or mistaken belief
To light up
Verb
Street lights illuminate the town after dark
The village is Poorly illuminate at night
Noun
The illumination for the cellar is provided by a
paraffin lamp

Noun
We have no illusions about the job, and know
what it entails
He seems to be under the illusion
cares for him

that

A stage magician or conjurer

Decorative lights used on festive occasions,

usually outdoors

Noun
The illusionist pulled a rabbit out of the hat

Noun
The Christmas illuminations were switched on
by the mayor

Illustrious

To simplify something; to clarify

Adjective
Einstein was an illustrious scientist

Verb
I will try to illuminate this difficult passage by
putting it in simpler words
Adjective
The lecture was very illuminating
A text with decorative designs or lettering, often
in bright or metallic colours
Gold leaf was often applied to large, initial
capital letters in old illuminated manuscripts
Illusion
A deceptive appearance; a misleading visual
impression
Noun
Wall mirrors give an illusion of space
A mirage is an optical illusion often experienced
in the desert

she

Famous, distinguished, renowned

Splendid or glorious
Adjective
He deserves a medal for his illustrious deeds
during the battle
Imbalance
A lack or balance or proportion
Noun
There is often an imbalance between a country's
imports and exports
Imbecile
A stupid or silly person; someone of low
intelligence
Noun

252

Only an imbecile would do something so stupid

Impersonators must have imitative skills

Adjective
That fool makes imbecile/imbecilic remarks

Noun
That comedian is a good imitator of film stars

Imbibe

To follow as an example

A formal word meaning to drink' especially

alcohol

Verb
Don't imitate others, think for yourself

Verb
People tend to imbibe too much at parties

Something produced as a copy of the real thing

Mentally to drink in or absorb

Verb
It is easy to imbibe the spirit of ancient Egypt
when you visit the pyramids

Noun
It was a clever imitation of a famous painting
Adjective
Her jewellery is imitation not real
Immaculate

Imbroglio
Spotless, extremely clean and tidy
A formal word for a complex or confused
situation
Noun
The brothers are involved in an imbroglio over a
disputed will

Adjective
The ship's officers look immaculate in their white
uniforms
Adverb
She is always immaculately dressed

Imbue
Faultless, flawless or perfect
To inspire or instil
Verb
He tried to imbue his students with a love of
poetry
We are imbued with a spirit of optimism
Imitate
To copy, ape or mimic by actions or voice
Verb
She was able to imitate her brother's mannerisms
He could imitate the sound of a steam engine
Adjective

Adjective
The broadcaster's immaculate English is a joy to
hear
Pure; without sin
Adjective
The mother superior leads an immaculate life
The roman catholic doctrine that god preserved
the virgin Mary from sin from the moment she
was conceived
The immaculate conception became an article
of faith of the roman catholic church in 1854

253

Immaterial
Unimportant, inconsequential

Adjective
The interpreter gave an immediate translation of
the speech

Adjective
It is immaterial whether you go now or later

Adverb
Please take action on this memo

Having no material body; spiritual

Immediately

Adjective
A ghost is immaterial

Urgency; importance

Immature

Adjective
The immediacy/immediateness of the problem
requires action now

Not mature, not fully developed or fully grown

Direct
Adjective
A lion cub is too immature to hunt and kill prey
Lacking wisdom, experience and insight
Adjective
Children are too immature to join an adult
debating society
Childishness, silliness
Noun
Those giggling girls show their immaturity

Adjective
The immediate result of his action was that he
was fired
Next to nearest, close in time or place
Adjective
We share a garden wall with our mediate
neighbour
Although the immediate future looks gloomy, we
are optimistic in the long term
The thief was caught in the immediate vicinity of
the burgled house

Immeasurable
Immense
That cannot be measured, especially because of
largeness of size or extent; incalculable

Enormous, huge

Adjective
Scandal did his career immeasurable harm

Adjective
The Pacific Ocean is an immense body of water

Adverb
In the film, they travel to the far reaches of the
universe over immeasurably great distances

Noun
The immensity of our task only became evident
after we had started

Immediate

Very great, considerable

Instant; happening or done without delay

Adjective

254

My parents derive immense satisfaction from my

success

Immodest
Indecent or improper

Adverb
We enjoyed the film immensely

Adjective
Clothing that was once thought immodest is
acceptable today

Immerse
Conceited
Verb
To submerge or cover with a liquid immerse
the fabric in the dye some religious groups
baptize by total immersion of the person

Adjective
It is immodest to boast about your achievements
Immortal

To be deeply involved or absorbed

Living for ever, everlasting or enduring
Verb
I was so immersed in my newspaper that I didn't
hear you come in
An electrical appliance that heats water by the
submersion of the element
An immersion heater is usually fixed inside the
hot-water tank
Imminent
About to happen
approaching

soon;

impending

Adjective
Religious people believe that while the body is
mortal, the soul is immortal
Shakespeare's immortal works have endured for
centuries
Noun
The ancient Greeks regarded their gods as
immortals
Mythical geek heroes achieved immortality on
mount Olympus

or

Adjective
The imminent departure of the train cut short our
farewells
By the look of the clouds, a thunderstorm is
imminent
Noun
The imminence of the danger caused us to flee
Immoderate
Lacking in moderation; excessive or extreme

Verb
The sculptor immortalized/immortalized
new president in bronze
Immutable

A formal word for unalterable, unchanging over

time
Adjective
No-one can stop the immutable ebb and flow of
the tides
Impalpable

Adjective
They drank an immoderate amount of beer at the
party

the

Not perceptible to the touch, intangible

Adjective

255

Shadows have an impalpable quality

That polite child always behaves impeccably

Not easily understood or grasped in the mind

Impecunious

Adjective
I was kept awake by an impalpable feeling of
doom

A formal word for having little or no money

Impasse
A situation where no progress can be made;
deadlock or stalemate
Noun
Employers and employees reached
over wage negotiations

Adjective
The family is always lending money
impecunious uncle

to

my

Impede
To hinder, obstruct or delay

an impasse

Impatient
Unable to wait or cope calmly; easily irritated
Adjective
The impatient driver overtook on a double white
line
She is too impatient of delay

Verb
Strikes will impede the construction of the
building
Noun
Illiteracy is an impediment to progress
A physical defect or handicap, especially in
speech

Noun
Try not to show impatience in a traffic jam

Noun
A stammer is an example of a speech
impediment

Restlessly eager

Impel

Adjective
The teenager is impatient to start earning money

To urge on or force; to motivate

Adverb
The children waited impatiently for the class to
end
Impeccable

Verb
Fear and hatred impel people to acts of violence
Impelled by curiosity, Pandora opened the
forbidden box
Impending
About to happen; imminent

Faultless, flawless; beyond reproach

Adjective
We were impressed by his impeccable dress
The teacher's English is impeccable
Adverb

Adjective
The bride-to-be planned her impending marriage
Impenetrable
Unable to be pierced or penetrated; solid

256

Adjective
An impenetrable wall of rock blocked the
mountain pass

Sit' and ' pass the bread' are examples of the

imperative mood
Imperceptible

Difficult or impossible to see through

Barely perceptible or noticeable

Adjective
We tried to see through the

Adjective
The growth of a tree is imperceptible over one
season
The difference between the original and the
Photostat copy is imperceptible

impenetrable

Incomprehensible, unable to be understood

Adjective
The motive for the attack was an impenetrable
mystery

Adverb
Almost imperceptibly public opinion began to
change

Impenitent
Imperil
Showing no remorse; unrepentant
To put in danger or jeopardy
Adjective
The accused's impenitent attitude shocked the
court
Noun
The boy's impenitence for his dishonesty worried
his parents
Imperative
Vital, very important, essential
Adjective
It's imperative that we get you to a doctor straight
away
Commanding, authoritative
Adjective
Her imperative tone showed that she expected to
be obeyed
A grammatical term for a command or request

Verb
A general strike can imperil the economy
Fishermen's lives are imperilled by storms at sea
Impersonate
To pretend to be someone or something else, for
entertainment, fraud, etc
Verb
He can impersonate Elvis Presley perfectly
Someone who impersonates another
Noun
Person is called an impersonator
His impersonation of a policeman landed him in
jail
Impertinent
Cheeky, impudent, insolent, etc
Adjective
Don't ask such impertinent questions

Adjective
Noun

257

The pupil was punished for impertinence to a

teacher

The impetus of his leap carried him over the

ditch

Imperturbable

Stimulus or motivation

Calm, unruffled or composed

Noun
Her need for a job gave fresh impetus
studies

Adjective
That imperturbable man never seems to get upset
or annoyed
Impervious

to

her

Impiety
A fro mal word for irreverence or lack of respect
for sacred things

Not allowing light, water, etc, through

Adjective
A photographic darkroom must be
to light

impervious

Noun
Stabling horses in a place of worship is an act of
impiety
Adjective
Desecrating a grave would be an impious act

Not influenced by; not receptive to

Adjective
He is impervious to her charms
She is impervious to criticism

Impinge

Impetuous

Verb
The riots scarcely impinge on the affluent
suburbs

A formal word meaning to have an effect on

Rash, impulsive, acting without thought

Adjective
You never know what that impetuous child will
do next

Implacable

Noun
His impetuosity often lands him in trouble

Adjective
An implacable enemy seeks revenge

Adverb
She impetuously
disagreement

resigned

Impetus

after

minor

Not able to be appeased, reconciled or changed

Adjverb
The manager was implacably opposed
scheme

to

the

Implant
To instil; to establish firmly

A moving force o momentum

Noun

Verb
Parents should implant a sense of honesty in their
children

258

To insert a substance or device into the body

Implore

Verb
A miniature radio transmitter was implanted in
the leopard's neck to track its movements

To make an earnest appeal; to beg, beseech or

entreat

Noun
An artificial pacemaker is an implant to control
the heartbeat

Verb
I implore you to show leniency towards the
defendant

Implausible

Noun
The hungry child gave me an imploring look

Not plausible, unlikely or improbable

Imponderable

Adjective
We did not believe his implausible excuse

Unable to be calculated or assessed accurately

Implement

Adjective
Public reaction to
imponderable factor

the

scheme

is

the

A tool, instrument or utensil

Unknown factors
Noun
A rake is a garden implement for gathering up
loose leaves

Noun
There are too many imponderables to be able
to predict the outcome of this match

To carry out; to put into effect

Impose
Verb
We must implement these orders immediately
Noun
The successful implementation of the plan
depends on the cooperation of the staff
Implode
To burst or cause to burst inwards; to demolish
in this way
Verb
Implode the factory so it will not damage
buildings nearby
Noun
Within seconds, the implosion reduced the
building to rubble

To place upon or enforce

Verb
Most governments impose a heavy tax on
cigarettes
He tried to impose his will on his younger
brother
Noun
The imposition of the new tax was

unpopular

To take unfair advantage of someone

Don't impose on your aunt's kindness
arriving at dinner time
Noun

259

by

It's an imposition to expect a stranger

you food

to

give

Impoverish
To make poorer or worse in quality

Impressive, striking or commanding

Adjective
The Eiffel tower is an imposing structure
Impostor/imposter
A person who deceives by pretending to be
someone or something he or she is not
Noun
The impostor/imposter dressed as a security
guard, robbed the bank

Verb
Overpopulation
underprivileged

tends

to

impoverish

Adjective
Food was sent to the impoverished
Noun
Lack of crop rotation
impoverishment of the soil

the

refugees

leads

to

the

Impregnable

Impotent

Able to resist attack or entry by force

Powerless, weak, helpless or ineffectual

Adjective
The impregnable fortress could not be taken

Adjective
Lack of vehicles made the police force impotent
to of a man unable to achieve or maintain a
sexual erection
Adjective
Some drugs can make a man impotent
Noun
His impotence caused him much worry and
frustration

Unshakable
Adjective
The new manager is full of
confidence

impregnable

self-

Impregnate
To make pregnant; to fertilize

Impound

Verb
Nowadays artificial insemination is used to
impregante cows

To confiscate; to take possession of

To saturate, permeate or soak

Verb
Customs officials impound illegal imports

Verb
These old rags are impregante with petrol

To confine as within a pound or compound

Impromptu

Verb
Dogs roaming the streets will be impounded

Without preparation or rehearsal; improvised

Adjective

260

I made an impromptu after-dinner

speech

A musical composition that is or appears to be

improvised
Noun
She played an impromptu by Chopin
Improvident
A formal word for not providing for the future
wasteful

Impudent
Impertinent, rude, disrespectful
Adjective
Those impudent boys should be disciplined
Noun
Impudence will not be tolerated in this school
Impulse
A sudden urge to act without thinking k

Adjective
Improvident spending soon left him destitute
Noun
Improvidence in youth can lead to poverty in old
age

Noun
He felt an overpowering impulse to tear up the
anonymous letter
On impulse, she phoned her brother who was in
America

Improvise
To make use of whatever is readily available

Adjective
The impulsive young man proposed to the girl on
their first date

Verb
When the fan belt broke, we had to improvise
by using a stocking

Noun
Think first and curb your impulsiveness

Noun
Poor people are often masters of improvisation

Buying something
buying

To invent, compose or recite without preparation

Impunity

Verb
The actor improvised when he forgot his lines

Freedom from punishment and immunity from

unpleasant consequences

Imprudent

Noun
Those crooks seem to break the law with
complete impunity

A formal word for not prudent; unwise, rash or

indiscreet
Adjective
It is imprudent to confide in junior staff

on a whim is impulse

Impure
Not pure; combined with something else

Noun
I lost my money through my own imprudence

Adjective
Polluted air is impure air

261

Noun
An impurity embedded in an oyster may yield a
pearl
Adjective
Impurities are added to methylated spirits to
make it undrinkable

Adjective
The police were unable to identify the thief from
the inaccurate description
Noun
An inaccuracy in the calculations gave us the
wrong result
Inadequate

An old-fashioned word for immoral, especially

sexually
Adjective
He had impure thoughts about naked women 0

Not adequate; insufficient

Adjective
Such a small supply of food is inadequate for the
refugees

Impute
A formal word meaning to attribute or ascribe a
fault, dishonesty, etc

Not satisfactory for the purpose; not sufficiently

able or confident

Verb
We can impute the poor exam results to the lack
of teachers

Adjective
If you feel inadequate to the task, try something
easier

Noun
An imputation of fraud was levelled at the
director

Noun
He pointed out the inadequacy of the system
Inadvertent

Inaccessible
Unintentional, accidental; not deliberate
Not accessible; difficult or impossible to reach or
obtain
Adjective
No climber can scale that inaccessible peak
Noun
The inaccessibility of Tibet deters

visitors

Adjective
My father made an inadvertent slip of the tongue
when he called me by my mother's name
Adverb
Her name was inadvertently omitted from the
list

Adjective
Confidential files are inaccessible to the general
public

Inadvisable

Inaccurate

Adjective
It would be inadvisable to drive nonstop for 12
hours

Not accurate; incorrect, incorrect, mistaken or

false; having errors

Not advisable or recommended; unwise

262

Noun
He warned of the inadvisability of hiking
without warm clothing

Not spoken or expressed in words

Inane

Adjective
He sat in silence, bowed down with inarticulate
grief

Absurd, senseless, foolish or unimaginative

Inattentive

Adjective
His inane remark showed his stupidity

Not paying attention

Adverb
Instead of answering, she grinned inanely at us
Noun
Scientists scoffed at the inanity of

his theory

Adjective
The lecture was so boring that the audience
became inattentive
Noun
Inattentiveness/inattention in class is usually
caused by lack of interest

Inanimate
Inaudible
Without the quality of life; dead
Not loud enough to be heard her
Adjective
A chair is an inanimate object
Not animated or energetic; lacking vitality

Adjective
Soft voice was inaudible to those at the back of
the hall

Adjective
She lay in the hammock, a listless, inanimate
figure

Inaugurate

Inappropriate

Verb
The judge is t inaugurate the new president

To admit formally to high public office

Not appropriate; unsuitable or incongruous

Adjective
Jeans are inappropriate for a formal function
Inarticulate
Not articulate; unable to speak or express
yourself clearly
Adjective
The shy young man spoke in an inarticulate
mumble

Noun
Many heads of state attended the president's
inauguration
A ceremonial opening or dedication of a public
building or activity
Noun
We attended the inauguration of the new hospital
Verb
The convenor inaugurated the conference

263

To introduce, start etc

The ritual chanting of magic words to cast a spell

Verb
The airline inaugurated a new service to South
America

Noun
The wizard's incantation turned the prince into a
frog

Adjective
The chairman's inaugural speech heralded an era
of change

Incapable

Inauspicious

Adjective
His lack of schooling makes him incapable of
reading or writing
She is such a gentle person that she is incapable
of violence

Unpromising, unfavourable or unlucky

Noun
He made an inauspicious start by arriving late on
his first day at work
Some people think that Friday the 13th is an
inauspicious day
Incalculable
Unable or too
indeterminate

great

to

be

calculated;

Not able or willing to do something

Incompetent, powerless or helpless

Adjective
The manager was dismissed because
quite incapable

he

was

Incapacitate
To make someone incapable or unfit; to disable

Adjective
The number of galaxies in the universe is
incalculable
His foolish actions did incalculabel harm to his
career

Verb
Her injury will incapacitate her for months
The athlete was incapacitated by a slipped disc

Incandescent

Noun
I worry about police incapacity to stop crime

Inability; lack of power or capability

Of a glow caused by heat; red-hot or white-hot

Incarnate
Adjective
There was an incandescent glow from the red-hot
coals
Noun
The heating of a wire filament in an electric light
bulb causes incandescence

Embodied in a human form

Adjective
That evil man is the devil incarnate
Noun
Christians believe that Jesus was the incarnation
of god

Incantation
Someone or something displaying and typifying
some quality or idea

264

Noun
She's the incarnation of goodness

Adjective
What an incestuous crowd, knowing each other's
secrets

Incense
Inchoate
To cause anger; to annoy or enrage
Verb
A good way t incense him is to smoke in his
office
The staff were incensed at having to work
overtime

A formal word for just begun, therefore

undeveloped
Adjective
He had a vague, inchoate idea of what he wanted
to do

Inception

Incinerate

The beginning, start or origin of something

To destroy or reduce to ashes by burning

Noun
The pan has been a success from its inception

Verb
Some local councils incinerate rubbish, but
others use a landfill

Incessant
Unceasing; continual

Noun
The smoke was caused by the incineration of
garden refuse

Adjective
I can't work because of incessant telephone calls
This incessant rain will soon cause flooding

A furnace or other device for burning rubbish, etc

Adverb
He complains incessantly

Noun
Documents can be burnt in an incinerator

Incest

Incipient

Sexual relations between tow people who are too

closely related to be legally married

A formal word for in the early stages

Noun
The uncle was accused of incest with his eldest
niece
Adjective
He was born out of an incestuous relationship
Excessively intimate, especially of a small,
closely knit group

Adjective
There are signs of incipient tooth decay
Incisive
Keen, clear, penetrating, etc
Adjective
The brilliant lawyer had an incisive mind

265

To cut into the surface with a sharp tool

Verb
Incise the names of the dead on the marble
plaque
Noun
The surgeon made an incision in the patient's leg
A sharp-edged cutting tooth at the front of the
mouth
Noun
Humans have four incisors in each of the two
jaws

Adjective
He was incoherent with rage
The drunkard was so incoherent that he couldn't
give the taxi driver his address
Adverb
Babbling incoherently she told us that she had
been mugged
Incommensurate
A formal word for not in proportion to,
inadequate

Incite

Adjective
His small donation is incommensurate with his
wealth

To urge to action; to provoke or agitate f

Incommode

Verb
Militant leaders often incite workers to strike

A formal word meaning trouble or inconvenience

someone

Noun
The fiery speech was an incitement to violence

Verb
I hope that the builders will not incommode you

Incivility

Inconvenient, uncomfortable or cramped

A formal word for impoliteness, rudeness

Adjective
Our small flat is rather incommodious

Noun
Incivility to customers is not allowed
store

in

this

In comparable
Without equal, beyond comparison

Incognito
Under an assumed name or appearance
Adverb
The prince travelled incognito
recognition

toavoid

Adjective
Look at the incomparable beauty of the sunset
Adverb
He is incomparably our best forward
Incompatible

Incoherent
Unable to live or work together happily
Not coherent; unintelligible; unable to express
yourself clearly

Adjective
We argue because we are so incompatible

266

Noun
Their incompatibility led to divorce

Not comprehensible; unintelligible; incapable of

being understood

of drugs, etc, not suitable for taking at the same

time

Adjective
I find computers in comprehendible
Noun
The class received my explanation with stares of
blank

Adjective
Alcohol and antibiotics are incompatible
Inconsistent or different in character
Adjective
After a crash, drivers often give incompatible
statements
Incompetent
Not competent;
inefficient

Adverb
Incomprehension incomprehensibly our star
athlete did not even qualify for the finals
Inconceivable
Unbelievable; incapable of being imagined or
considered

lacking

necessary

Noun
An incompetent machine operator
safety hazard
She was fired for incompetence

skills;
Adjective
It is inconceivable that the earth is flat

may pose a

Adverb
He is inconceivably stubborn in refusing to make
a will

Not qualified, especially legally

Inconclusive

Adjective
With no legal training, he is incompetent to be a
judge

Not leading to a definite conclusion or result

Adjective
The inconclusive discussions led nowhere

Incomplete
Unfinished

Incongruous
Out of place or character; inappropriate

Adjective
A test is incomplete if you leave out questions

Adjective
A lion would be incongruous in the arctic

Not having all its parts

Noun
I can see the incongruity/incongruousness of
wearing sunglasses on a dull, rainy day

Adjective
Our set of encyclopedias is incomplete as we are
still buying one volume per month
Incomprehensible

Inconsequential
Unimportant, insignificant or trivial

267

Not consistent; at variance; contradictory

Adjective
The staff are too busy
inconsequential complaints

to

deal

with

Adverb
The two women chatted inconsequentially at the
bus stop
Out of sequence, not in a logical order,
haphazard

Adjective
His angry retort was inconsistent with his usual
calmness
Noun
There is some inconsistency with your previous
evidence
Inconsolable
Not consolable; unable to be comforted

The numbers six, four and nine are

Adjective
inconsequential/inconsequent
Inconsiderable
Usually used with 'not' to mean considerable, a
lot

Adjective
Her husband's death left her inconsolable
Adverb
The child sobbed inconsolably when his dog died
Inconspicuous
Not easily noticed; not prominent

Adjective
The philanthropist donated a not inconsiderable
sum to charity

Adjective
The shy girl tried to make herself inconspicuous
in a corner

Inconsiderate
Not considerate; thoughtless or without regard
for others
Adjective
Our inconsiderate neighbours keep us awake
with their noisy parties
It was inconsiderate of her to go off with my car
keys

Adverb
The low weeds are inconspicuous among the tall
grass
Inconstant
A formal or literary word meaning subject to
change
Adjective
Note the phases of the inconstant moon

Inconsistent
Unfaithful, fickle
Not consistent; changeable, erratic
Adjective
Her inconsistent attitude makes is difficult to
predict her next move

Adjective
He was an inconstant husband, who had many
affairs
Incontestable

268

That cannot be disputed or disagreed with

Adjective
The accused was convicted on incontestable
evidence

Verb
The committee will incorporate your evidence in
its report
All the latest safety features are incorporated in
this product

Incontinent

To form a legal corporation

Unable to control the bladder or bowels

Verb
That company is incorporated in America

Adjective
Very of people often become incontinent

The abbreviation for incorporated

Unrestrained, especially sexually

He works for tools and designs, inc

Adjective
The incontinent man is a compulsive womanizer

Incorrect
Not correct; wrong, faulty

Incontrovertible
Unquestionable, Indisputable; cannot be denied

Adjective
Your facts are incorrect and must be rechecked

Adjective
The letter is incontrovertible evidence

Adverb
You have answered the question incorrectly

Inconvenient

Inappropriately or improperly

Not convenient; causing difficulty or discomfort

Adverb
You are incorrectly dressed for this formal
occasion

Adjective
She arrived at an inconvenient time as we were
leaving
Noun
The traffic jam caused great inconvenience
Adjective
It is most inconvenient to have to work over the
weekend
Verb
We were inconvenienced by strikes

Incorrigible
Incapable of
alteration

correction,

improvement

or

Adjective
Don't believe that incorrigible liar
Adverb
He is incorrigibly lazy
Incorruptible

Incorporate
Not to be corrupted, as with bribes, etc; honest
To include; to form a united whole

269

Adjective
They tried to bribe him, but he was incorruptible
Incredible
To or impossible to believe

If you confess, you incriminate yourself

Adjective
Incriminating evidence proved her guilt
Noun
He escaped incrimination in the scandal

Adjective
No-one believed his incredible story

Inculcate

Marvelous, fantastic, amazing, etc

To fix firmly in the mind

Verb
We had an incredible holiday in Thailand

Verb
Parents should inculcate in their children a
respect for truth

Extremely, greatly, etc

Incumbent
Adverb
The exam was incredibly difficult
Incredulous
Disbelieving, doubting or sceptical

A formal word meaning required as a duty

Adjective
It is incumbent upon a ship's captain to ensure
the safety of the passengers

Adjective
The judge was incredulous on hearing the bizarre
story
He gave an incredulous look when he heard my
feeble excuse

The person at present occupying a post

Noun
His story was received with incredulity

Incur

Increment
An increase, especially of a wage or salary
Noun
He receives an annual increment of 10% of his
salary
Incriminate

Noun
The present incumbent has held the job for
twelve years

To suffer or become liable for; to bring upon

yourself
Verb
You must not incur extra debts by buying on
credit
The children incurred their mother's wrath when
they hid her handbag
Noun
Running a car means incurring extra expenses

To show or make someone appear guilty of a

crime or error

Incurable

Verb

Not able to be cured; having no remedy

270

Adjective
At present, aids is an incurable disease
My sister is an incurable romantic
Adverb
I am incurably optimistic about the future

What an indecent film, nothing but

and bad language

explicit sex

Noun
The streaker was arrested for public indecency
An indecent assault is any sexual assault except
rape

Incurious
A formal word for not curious or inquisitive
Adjective
He gave the old woman an incurious glance
Incursion

Indecent exposure is the offence of showing your

sexual organs sin public
Improper or unseemly
Adjective
He was in an indecent haste to marry again on
the day his divorce was granted

A sudden attack or invasion

Indecipherable
Noun
The army repelled the incursion of enemy troops
Indebted
Under an obligation; owing gratitude or money
Adjective
We are indebted to the chamber of commerce for
their donation

Not able to be deciphered, read or understood

Adjective
The enemy's code is still indecipherable
This handwriting is so bad it is almost
indecipherable
Indecisive
Not decisive; inconclusive

Noun
Words cannot express my indebtedness to my
parents for their advice and encouragement

Adjective
Both sides claimed victory in the indecisive
battle

Noun
The indebtedness of the bankrupt trader amounts
to several thousand dollars

Hesitating; unable to make decisions

Indecent
Offending against accepted standards of decency
or morality; obscene

Adjective
She's so indecisive that she can't make up her
mind
Noun
Too
many
choices
indecision/indecisiveness

can

lead

Adjective
Indecorous

271

to

A formal word for lacking in lacking in good

taste, manners, etc

Indelible
Unable to be erased or removed

Adjective
A low-cut dress is indecorous at a funeral
Noun
A few rowdy guests spoilt the occasion by their
indecorum

Adjective
Ballpoint ink leaves an indelible mark on clothes
Unforgettable, permanent
Adjective
We all have indelible memories of our childhood

Indefatigable
A formal word for tireless or unflagging

Adverb
The awful accident will remain indelibly
imprinted on my mind

Adjective
She is an indefatigable worker

Indelicate

Indefinable

Crude, tasteless or embarrassing

That cannot be exactly described, identified or

analysed

Adjective
She was shocked by the team's indelicate

Adjective
She has an indefinable air of mystery

Indemnity
Insurance against or compensation for damage,
loss or injury

Indefinite
Not definite; uncertain or unspecified

Noun
Some airlines offer indemnity for lost luggage

Adjective
Our plans are still indefinite
Without exact limits
Adjective
If you invite someone to stay for an indefinite
time, they may never leave!
Adverb
When the project ran out of money, it was shut
down indefinitely
A grammatical term for a word referring to an
unspecified person of thing
The words 'a' , 'am' and 'some' are
articles

indefinite

Noun
Insurance policies indemnify farmers
crop losses

against

Exemption from prosecution

Noun
The guerrillas were granted indemnity by the
government
Indescribable
Too dreadful or wonderful to be described

272

Adjective
His room is in an indescribable mess
Adverb
The sunset was indescribably beautiful
Indestructible

Noun
The many hold-ups are an indictment of such lax
policing
Indigenous
Belonging naturally or originally to an area;
native

Not able to be destroyed; unbreakable

Adjective
Toys for toddlers should be indestructible

Noun
The maoris are indigenous to new zealand
Indignant

Noun
The way people recover from disaster shows the
indestructibility of the human spirit
Indeterminate

Angry at something considered to be unjest or

wrong
Adjective
She was indignant when accused of shoplifting

Not fixed or exact

Adjective
A dog of indeterminate breed is usually called a
mongrel

Noun
The scandal aroused public indignation
An injury to your dignity or self-respect

Adjective
The acting supervisor will serve for an
indeterminate period
The age of that famous actress is quite
indeterminable

Noun
The leader suffered the indignity of being booed
The poor suffer many indignities

Indict

Indiscernible

To charge someone formally with a crime

Not discernible; hardly noticeable

Verb
The police are about to indict him for murder

Adjective
The differences between identical
almost indiscernible

Adjective
Theft is an indictable offence
Noun
They are bringing an indictment against her
A condemnation or criticism

twins

are

Indiscreet
Lacking discretion; incautious or tactless
Noun
It was indiscreet to mention his ex-wife to him

273

Adjective
Talking about our plan was an indiscretion
It was not a serious offence, just a youthful
indiscretion

Verb
We were indoctrinated by propaganda

Indiscriminate

Adjective
In totalitarian states, the indoctrination of the
young is often done by teachers

Lacking discrimination or judgment; not choosy

Indomitable

Adjective
He is too indiscriminate in his tastes

A formal word for unyielding; that cannot be

defeated or subdued

Random, haphazard
Adjective
The indiscriminate collection of furniture looked
messy

Adjective
The soldier received a medal for his indomitable
courage
Although ill with cancer, she shows
an
indomitable spirit

Indispensable

Indubitable

Unable to be dispensed with; essential, vital

A formal word for beyond doubt or question;

certain

Adjective
Water are oxygen are indispensable
forms of life

to

most

Adjective
It is indubitable that this is the right thing to do

Indisputable
Not disputable; unquestionable, undeniable
Adjective
It is an indisputable fact that the moon influences
the tides
Adverb
My initials on the cover prove indisputably that
this is my book
Indoctrinate
To teach people to accept ideas, ideas, beliefs,
etc, uncritically

Adverb
We will indubitably be paid tomorrow
Ineffable
A formal word meaning too great or sacred to be
expressed in words
Adjective
Words could not describe the ineffable beauty of
the sunrise
Hymns praise his ineffable name
Inept
Clumsy, unskilled or incompetent

Verb
Cult leaders may indoctrinate their

followers

Adjective

274

The manager's inept handling of the sensitive

situation led to a strike
Noun
We cannot continue to employ him
his ineptitude

It is impossible to stop the inexorable ebb and

flow of the tides
She was inexorable in her determination to seek
revenge

because of
Verb
With inflation the cost of living rises inexorably

Inescapable
Inexpedient
That cannot be avoided; inevitable or certain
A formal word for unwise or inadvisable
Adjective
After checking the facts, we came to the
inescapable conclusion that we had been wrong

Adjective
It is inexpedient to make promises that you
cannot keep

Inestimable
Inexplicable
To great, precious, etc, to be estimated;
immeasurable
Adjective
The trial did his reputation inestimable harm
Leonardo da Vinci's moan Lisa' is of inestimable
value

Unable to be explained
incomprehensible

or

understood;

Adjective
His disappearance was inexplicable

Inevitable

Adverb
She inexplicably changed her plans

Unavoidable, certain or sure to happen

Inextricable
Incapable of being disentangled or separated

Adjective
At the reception the best man made the inevitable
jokes about the bridegroom
Noun
We must accept the inevitability of death
Adverb
The holiday traffic will inevitably be heavy

Adjective
This wet string is tied so tightly that the knot is
inextricable
He died suddenly, leaving his affairs in an
inextricable mess
Adverb
Both buck died when their horns became
inextricably locked in a fight

Inexorable
Unstoppable, unceasing, relentless

Heredity and upbringing are inextricably linked

in a child's development

Adjective
That cannot be escaped

275

Adjective
From falling form that crook got her into
inextricable difficulties

Infest
Of pests, insects, etc, to inhabit or overrun in
large numbers

Infallible
Not fallible; not liable to error

Verb
Rats sometimes infest warehouses
The kitchen was infested with cockroaches

Adjective
That fine artist has an infallible eye for colour
No doctor is infallible

To invade and live on a plant or animal which

provides nourishment

Adverb
Atomic clocks are infallibly accurate

Verb
Plant lice infest rose bushes

Noun
The catholic doctrine of papal infallibility states
that the pope cannot err in matters of religion of
religion and faith

Noun
We are struggling to rid the garden of an
infestation of weeds
Infiltrate

Infatuation
To filter through something; to permeate
An intense but usually foolish love, often shortlived
Noun
The boy's infatuation with his teacher soon
passed

Verb
Strange creatures live at the bottom of the sea
where light cannot infiltrate
The stealthy entry into enemy-held territory, an
organization, etc

Adjective
The actress became infatuate with the leading
man

Noun
Strict security prevented enemy infiltration
The bomb was the work of an enemy infiltrator

Infer

Inflate

To deduce from evidence; to come to a logical

conclusion

To swell with gas or air; to blow up or expand

Verb
I infer from your scowl that you don't like him

Verb
If you inflate balloons with
rise into the air

Noun
What inference do you draw when an accused
man won't give evidence under oath at his trial?

Adjective
Emergency equipment on passenger aircraft must
include inflatable life rafts

helium, they will

276

Noun
The artist's copyright driving without a valid
licence is an infringement of the law

To increase excessively
Verb
The promotion inflated his already swollen ego

To interfere with or restrict; to encroach on

A rise in prices caused by an increase in money

supply or demand

Verb
Censorship infringes on our liberty

Noun
The government could not control inflation

Infuriate

Adjective
An inflationary spiral occurs when prices and
waged rise in turn
When demand exceeds supply, traders charge
inflated prices

To make furious, enrage or annoy

refuse to pay attention

pupils who

Adjective
Infuriate their teachers
The disruption of the train service caused an
infuriating delay

Influx
Infuse
The arrival of a large number of people or things
To inspire or instil
Noun
The seaside town has a great influx of
holidaymakers in summer

Verb
She is sure to infuse the delegates with her
boundless enthusiasm

Infrequent
Verb
The company needs an infusion of new talent

Not frequent; rare of occasional

To soak in liquid to extract flavour, etc

Adjective
Having moved to the country, we
infrequent visits to the city

make

Adverb
That dated play is performed infrequently

Verb
Tea leaves should be infuse in boiling water
Ingenious
Clever, inventive or resourceful

Infringe
Adjective
He is so ingenious in solving practical problems

To break a rule or law

Verb
If you reproduce that
permission, you infringe

painting

without

Noun
The ingenuity of inventors is seldom rewarded
Cleverly thought out; original

277

Being an essential and inseparable part

Adjective
The ingenious device opened the locked car door
An ingenious suggestion broke the deadlock in
the negotiations
Inglorious
Not glorious; shameful or dishonourable
Adjective
The general's inglorious surrender ended his
military career

Adjective
Self-preservation is an inherent characteristic of
humankind
Freedom of religion is inherent in any bill of
rights
Adverb
He is inherently lazy
Inhospitable
Not hospitable; unfriendly or unwelcoming to
guests

Ingredient
A component, quality, etc that forms part of
something, especially in cooking
Noun
Flour is a basic ingredient of bread and cakes
Hard work is an ingredient of success

Adjective
It was most inhospitable of her not even to offer
us a cup of tea
Of an unfavourable or hostile environment

Inhale

Adjective
The desert is a barren and inhospitable place

To breathe in

Inimical

Verb
You should inhale through your nose and exhale
through your mouth

A formal word for harmful or hostile

Don't inhale the fumes from the exhaust pipe

Inimitable

Noun
Inhalation of cigarette smoke can cause lung
cancer

Unable to be imitated; matchless, unique

A portable medical device that gives out vapours

t aid breathing
Noun
Asthma sufferers may need to use

Adjective
Corruption is inimical to a country's interests

Adjective
He has an inimitable sense of humour
Adverb
His portrayal of hamlet made the role inimitably
his own

an inhaler
Iniquity

Inherent

278

A formal word for wickedness or injustice

Noun
The iniquity of the brutal dictator was shocking
Adjective
It is iniquitous to make false accusations

New staff are to be initiated into the workings of

our computer system
He is one of the initiated, with access to topsecret information
Initiative
The ability and enterprise to do what needs to be
done

Excessive or unfair
Adjective
This price increase is iniquitous

Noun
He lacks the initiative to start his own business
She showed great initiative in helping the
accident victims
Don't ask me what to do, use your own initiative

Initiate
A formal word meaning to begin or launch

The first action or step

Verb
The charity is going t initiate its fundraising
drive with a gala fete
Noun
She was the initiator of a scheme to increase
productivity

Noun
We are launching a new peace initiative
Take the initiative and call a meeting to discuss
the problem
The power or right to take action

To admit to membership of a group, especially

with secret ceremonies or rites
Verb
He was initiated into the club and
secret password

given

the

Noun
Each initiate must make a speech
At the initiation each first-year student had to
sing a song
Adjective
Demeaning initiation ceremonies have been
banned at our college
To give basic instruction or secret knowledge

If we delay engaging the enemy, we will lose the

initiative
Injudicious
A formal word for lacking good judgment;
unwise or tactless
Adjective
His injudicious remark upset her
Adverb
The head injudiciously criticized the teacher in
front of her pupils
Injunction
A court order prohibiting some action; a
command or instruction

Verb
Noun

279

The magistrate issued an injunction prohibiting

the estranged husband from contacting his wife

Innocuous
Harmless

Injure
Adjective
This grass snake is quite innocuous

To cause harm damage or hurt

Verb
Don't injure yourself with that sharp knife
The scandal injured the minister's reputation
Adjective
At his abrupt reply, she gave him
look

an

Adjective
Surly she wasn't upset by that innocuous remark
I made?

injured
Innovate

The injured were taken to hospital

To start something new; to invent, modernize or

change

Noun
She suffered a serious back injury in the accident
He was lucky t escape with minor injuries
Adjective
Smoking is injurious to health
You'll do yourself an injury
furniture

Not meant to offend

Verb
We must innovate and try out new ideas
Adjective
What an innovative/innovatory
production

method

of

moving that heavy

Lack of justice; an unjust or unfair act; a wrong

Noun
The innovation of the fax machine has improved
communications
The innovator of the new system received a
productivity bonus

Noun
We protest at the injustice of such a light
sentence for murder

Innuendo
An indirect remark or hint, usually critical or
disapproving

You do her an injustice by

honesty

Noun
The remark that I was the last to leave the office
was an innuendo that I forgot to lock it

Injustice

doubting

her

Innate
Innumerable
Inborn, inherent or instinctive
Too many to be numbered, countless
Adjective
People have an innate desire for company
Mozart had an innate genius for music

Adjective
There are innumerable stars in the sky

280

Innumerate
Having no knowledge of mathematics, unable to
count, etc

Adjective
Mind your own business and don't be so
inquisitive
Eager to learn, inquiring

Adjective
He is innumerate and can't do simple sums
Inoperative

Adjective
An inquisitive child asks many questions and
shouldn't be discouraged

Not working or functioning; ineffective

Insalubrious

Adjective
That old tractor has been inoperative for years
This outdated law is inoperative

A formal word for unwholesome or unhealthy

Inordinate
A formal word for exceeding reasonable limits,
excessive

Adjective
Nobody lives in that insalubrious marshy,
mosquito-infested valley
Insane
Not sane; mentally deranged, mad

Adjective
An inordinate amount of time was spent on
minor details, while the major issues were
ignored
Inquisition
A severe or harsh interrogation, especially one
looking into details
Noun
These personal questions are an inquisition into
my private life
A historical organization appointed by the roman
catholic church to suppress heresy

Adjective
The doctors declared that the murderer
insane and not fit to stand trial

was

Noun
In his insanity van Gogh cut off one of his ears
Very foolish, rash or irresponsible
Adjective
You must be insane to go climbing
and sandals

in a skirt

Adverb
Her boyfriend is insanely jealous
Insanitary

The Spanish inquisition sentenced many heretics

to death by burning at the stake
Inquisitive
Unduly curious and prying

Not sanitary; dirty or germ-carrying

Adjective
People in that refugee camp live under insanitary
conditions

281

Insatiable

Unaware of

Incapable of being satisfied; very greedy

Adjective
Babies are insensible to danger

Adjective
That fat girl has an insatiable appetite
He has an insatiable desire for knowledge

Indifferent or unresponsive
Adjective
Her selfish husband is insensible to her needs

Inscrutable
Difficult to understand, mysterious, enigmatic
Adjective
The inscrutable smile on his face did not reveal
his inner feelings

Noun
Building that monstrosity
insensibility to beauty

shows

gross

Insensitive

Inseminate

Unfeeling and inconsiderate of other

To put sperm into a female, especially a female

animal

Adjective
It was insensitive to laugh during the funeral

Verb
He will inseminate his cows by artificial
insemination using the sperm of a prize bull

Not able to feel something

Adjective
The paralysed leg is insensitive to pinprick

Insensible
Insert
A formal word for lacking sensation or feeling,
numb
Adjective
Anasesthetized patients are

insensible to pain

Noun
The old fisherman's gnarled hands
developed an insensibility to cold

have

Unconscious
Adjective
The climber was knocked insensible by a falling
rock
Noun
He was drugged into a state of insensibility

To put one thing into another

Verb
Insert the key into the lock
The proofreader inserted a comma into the text
Please insert this advertisement in tomorrow's
paper
Noun
Check the insertion when it

appears

A loose advertisement, etc, in a newspaper or

magazine
Noun
I opened the magazine and an insert fell out
Inset

282

He was pleasant, but I sensed his insincerity

To insert, set in or add
Insinuate
Verb
In the class photograph, the headmaster's portrait
is inset in the top right corner
Noun
An inset showed a map of the area
Insidious

To drop hints; to suggest indirectly

Verb
How dare you insinuate that I am a liar
Noun
I object to your insinuation

Subtle, cunning, treacherous

Adjective
Those insidious rumours are ruining his career

Verb
The report insinuated that he was the thief
To work your way into someone's favour, a job,
etc

Apparently harmless, but deadly

Adjective
The insidious disease start as a simple rash
Passive smoking can have an insidious effect on
nonsmokers

Verb
She cleverly insinuated herself into a group of
jetsetters
Insipid

Insignificant
Tasteless, lacking flavour
Not significant; of little importance; trivial
Adjective
Don't bother me with insignificant

details

The master spy looked an insignificant little man,

with no distinguishing features

Adjective
A boiled egg tastes insipid without a dash of
salt
Bland or dull
Adjective
That faded water colour painting looks rather
insipid

Noun
After hearing about her tragedy, my problems
paled into insignificance

Insist

Insincere

Verb
I insist on silence in class
He insisted don paying the bill
She insists that she heard someone

Not sincere; hypocritical, false

Adjective
She gushes over me in an insincere way
Noun

To demand, emphasize or assert persistently

downstairs

Noun
Our PRO has joined this meeting at my
insistence

283

On inspection he found that the shirt was dirty

Determined, resolute
Adjective
She is insistent in her demand for an apology

An official examination or investigation

Noun
The court ordered an inspection of the insolvent
firm's books

Obtrusive, persistent, noisy

To review a formal or ceremonious parade
Adjective
I hate the insistent whine of many pop songs
Insolent
Rude, impertinent or disrespectful
Adjective
I could have hit that insolent shop assistant
Noun
Insolence will not be tolerated in this school
She showed dumb insolence in her scornful smile
as she deliberately ignored the teacher's order
Insolvent

Verb
The visiting head of state inspected the guard of
honour
A person responsible for examining, checking or
supervising
Noun
The quality-control inspector examines
product before packing and despatch
The science inspector visited the school

each

Inspire
To stimulate, especially creative activity; to uplift
or invigorate

Unable to pay your debts and liabilities; bankrupt

Adjective
The businessman became insolvent after losing
his assets in a failed transaction
Noun
The insolvency of the firm will cause great
distress to the employees
Inspect
To scrutinize carefully; to examine closely,
especially for flaws
Verb
The detective will inspect the scene of the crime
for fingerprints
All lifts must be inspected regularly

Verb
Reading Keats can inspire many a budding poet
The American civil rights movement was
inspired by martin Luther king
Adjective
He played like a man inspired to beat the
champion
The coach's inspiring words motivated the team
to grater efforts
Noun
music is a source of inspiration to many creative
people
Noun
She does so much good and is an inspiration to
us all

Noun

284

To fill with feelings, thoughts etc

The installation of air conditioning cost more that

expected

Verb
The new secretary's inefficiency doesn't inspire
much confidence in us

To settle in a place

Filled with interest and enthusiasm

Verb
She installed herself in my favourite armchair
My daughter is comfortably installed in a flat

Adjective
I don't find the life cycle of a flea a very
inspiring

A place housing military or other equipment

Noun
That enemy installation is vulnerable to attack

Instinctive but accurate

Adjective
I didn't know for sure -it was an inspired guess

Verb
The mayoress was duly installed in last night's
ceremony

A sudden good idea

Noun
I had an inspiration and solved the problem!

Noun
The installation was conducted with much
dignity

Instability
A lack of
unsteadiness

stability,

To place someone in office; to induct

mental

or

physical;

Noun
The instability of the economy hinders
growth
Her instability makes her unreliable
unpredictable

One of several successive payments of a debt

Noun
The next instalment on the car is due today
Creditworthy customers can buy
goods
the instalment plan

on

An episode of a serialized work on radio, TV, etc

and

Install/instal

Noun
Watch the next exciting instalment on this
channel next week

To place something in position for use

Instant

Verb
An electrician is to install/instal new wiring in
the old house
Computers have been installed in the office

A moment in time; a very brief time

Noun

Noun
At that instant all the lights went out
She thought for an instant and then gave the
answer
The fire brigade came not an instant too soon

285

The sacked workers tried to instigate a strike

Immediate, without delay, prompt; happening in
a moment
Adjective
No new administration can bring about instant
changes
The film was an instant success

Noun
At the manager's instigation he changed the
figures to show a more favourable result
The instigator of the riot was identified on a
police video
Instil

Adverb
The boss wants this done instantly
Noun
Come here, this instant
Adjective
The amazing goal was repeated as an instant
replay on TV
They are in instant need of financial help
A cup of instant soup is made by adding boiling
water t a powder
International
conferences
must
offer
instantaneous translations via earphones

To implant gradually into the mind

Verb
He tries to instil a sense of responsibility
in
his children
She instilled a love of music in her pupils by
gradually introducing them to the works of great
composers
Instinct
An inborn, usually fixed pattern of behaviour,
especially in animals

Adverb
After all those years apart, we recognized each
other instantaneously

Noun
Birds migrate by instinct
Our primary instinct is for self-preservation

Instead

A similar tendency in humans to act without

conscious intention

In the place of; as an alternative or substitute

Adverb
He couldn't attend the meeting, so I went instead
Rather than

Noun
I should have trusted my instincts and left before
the trouble started
Adjective
I took an instinctive dislike to him at first sight

I'm going tomorrow instead of today

Instigate
To bring about by incitement or pressure; to
provoke, especially to wrongdoing
Verb

Adverb
He instinctively turned on hearing

a noise

A natural gift; intuition

Noun
Some people have an instinct for saying the right
thing

286

Not sufficient not enough

Insubordinate
Not subordinate to authority; disobedient, defiant
or rebellious
Adjective
That insubordinate soldier is in for

trouble

Noun
Insubordination will not be tolerated in this
school
Refusal to obey a superior's order is gross
insubordination

Adjective
There was insufficient food for all the refugees
Noun
The case was
insufficiency

dismissed

because

of

an

Insular
Of an island
Adjective
Mauritius and sir lanka are insular countries

Insubstantial
Isolation, remoteness
Not substantial; flimsy, weak
Adjective
The shack was an insubstantial structure that was
easily blown over in the gale

Noun
The insularity of Iceland has kept it out of wars
for centuries
Narrow-minded

Unreal or imaginary
Adjective
She suffers from insubstantial fears

Adjective
He has an insular outlook because he has never
travelled

Insufferable

Insulate

Intolerable, unendurable

To protect something with a material that

prevents electricity, heat or sound from passing
through

Adjective
He is an insufferable nuisance with his endless
complaints
Adverb
She is insufferably vain
Unbearably arrogant or conceited
Adjective
We found those snobs insufferable
Insufficient

Verb
When you join electrical wiring, you must
insulate each join
Insulating tape prevents a lethal shock from a
bare joint in electric wired
Noun
Expanded polystyrene is a good thermal and
noise insulator
Rubber and plastics are used as electrical
insulation

287

To isolate, protect or detach

I had an intangible feeling of fear for no obvious

reason

Verb
A college is insulated from the outside world

Integral

Insurgent

Essential to, necessary as a part of

A revolutionary activist; someone who takes part

in a rebellion, uprising, etc

Adjective
A carburetor is an integral component of an
internalcombustion engine
Compatibility is integral to a good marriage

Noun
An insurgent was shot while planting a bomb

Integrate
Adjective
The insurgent forces overran the isolated outpost

To combine into a whole; to incorporate, unify or

amalgamate

Insurmountable
Verb
Immigrants should be encouraged to integrate
into the society of their adopted country

Incapable of being overcome; insuperable

Adjective
The project was abandoned
insurmountable difficulties

because

of

Insurrection

Noun
The integration of the firms will cut costs
Verb
Our black and white pupils are well integrated

An open revolt against authority; a rebellion

Noun
The student insurrection closed the
for a week

university

An integrated circuit is one is which many

electronic components are incorporated on one
semiconductor
Integrity

Intangible
Strict adherence to moral principles; honesty
Not tangible; incapable of being touched or
precisely measured
Adjective
Your reflection in a stream is intangible
Good will is an intangible but important asset of
a company
Vague, indefinite, elusive

Noun
A person of integrity won't betray a confidence
Soundness, wholeness or coherence
Noun
They must preserve the integrity of their political
party and not allow it to disintegrate into splinter
groups

Adjective
Intellect

288

The reasoning power of the mind; the ability t

think rationally

An intelligence test cannot

of intelligence

measure all kinds

Confidential, inside information; advance news

Noun
Our intellect distinguishes us from other animals
Adjective
He has virtually no intellectual interests
Adverb
That clever girl is intellectually superior to her
brother

Noun
Spies gather intelligence especially about enemy
plans
Well-educated, intellectual and cultured people
regarded as a group
This book on art will appeal to the intelligentsia
but is unlikely t become a bestseller

Someone who enjoys mental activity

Intelligible
Noun
Chess is a game for intellectuals

Capable of being understood

Someone who has a highly developed knowledge

of art, literature etc
Noun
The group of intellectuals included an art
historian, a theatre critic and several writers
Intelligence
The capacity and ability to think, learn reason
and apply knowledge
Noun
Do examinations test intelligence?
Adjective
An intelligent child should do well
She takes an intelligent interest in
affairs

Adjective
Your treatise on Descartes is intelligible only to
a student of philosophy
Adverb
Doctors should try t talk intelligibly without
using medical jargon
Intemperate
A formal word for lack of self-control especially
in drinking alcohol
Adjective
His intemperate drinking habits led to his
dismissal

at school
current

Noun
He lacks the intelligence to do this kind of work

Noun
He is overweight because of his intemperance
Adjective
her intemperate rage and bitter comments caused
offence

A test to assess a person's mental development

and ability

Intend

Adjective

To propose or plan; to have in mind; to mean

289

Verb
I intend to go to town today
The chairman intends you to his successor

A formal word for purpose

Noun
It is my intention to do some shopping
I have no intention of selling my house just yet
Verb
That gift was intended for my secretary
What did you intend by that sarcastic comment?
This water is not intended for drinking
Adjective
It was a well-intentioned remark,
but
misunderstood and became angry

he

Meaning to help, do good, etc, often with the

opposite result

Noun
She acted with criminal intent
He broke into the house with intent to steal
Intense
Extreme in degree, extent, force, etc
Adjective
The intense heat prevented us from entering the
burning building
Adverb
The school bully was intensely disliked
Deeply emotional

He acted with the best of intentions in offering

the child a lift, but she ran away in fright

Adjective
He's an intense young man who takes life very
seriously

Deliberate, calculated

Thorough, exhaustive, in-depth

Adjective
That mistake was not intention

Adjective
The police carried out an intensive investigation
into the fraud
An intensive search revealed useful clues

Adverb
I didn't intentionally step on your foot

Concentrated
To be determined
Adjective
She is intent on becoming an accountant

Adjective
The intensive bombardment reduced the town
to rubble
Intensive farming increased food production

Concentrated, attentive, engrossed

Using a lot of
Adjective
The children listened to the story with intent
expressions

The hotel industry is very labour-intensive

To increase, strengthen or concentrate

Adjective
He was working so intently that he didn't hear
me

Verb
We must intensify our efforts to raise more funds

290

Noun
The intensity of the car's headlights was
blinding

To plead or act on someone else's behalf; to

mediate or arbitrate

A word that accentuates the meaning of another

word

Verb
He tried to intercede with the manager on behalf
of his dismissed colleague

Noun
'Very' is the intensifier of 'good' in
'very good'

Noun
The intercession by the neutral country secured
peace between sides

A substance that increases

contrast of an image

the phrase,

the density or

Noun
A chemical intensifier can be used to strengthen
a weak photographic negative
Verb
Intensify the negative to create a sharper image
a specialized hospital ward offering constant
attention
He was transferred to the intensive
unit/ICU

care

Interact
To act on each other
Vern
It 's interesting to see how children from different
backgrounds interact with each other

Intercept
To seize, catch or stop something or someone in
transit
Verb
The police were asked to intercept suspicious
looking parcels addressed to ministers
Verb
The suspect was intercepted as he tried to flee
The fullback intercepted the pass
Anything that intercepts, especially a fast, highly
manoeuvrable fighter aircraft designed for
defensive tactics
Noun
The
interceptor/intercepter
ordered
the
unidentified aircraft to land under escort
Interim
Temporary or provisional

Noun
The interaction between the two chemicals
caused a small explosion

Adjective
An interim government was set up pending a
general election

Having direct two-way communication

An intervening period of time; in the meantime
Adjective
Interactive computer games involve a continuous
transfer of information between computer and
user

As the meeting is delayed, I can have a snack in

the interim
Interject

Intercede

291

To interrupt abruptly while someone else is

speaking

To hold someone captive especially during

wartime and without trial

Verb
At intervals during the speech a heckler would
interject 'what about the pensioners?
Noun
The speaker ignored the rude interjections

Verb
During a war, nations often intern people of
enemy nationality in internment camps
Noun
My uncle was an internee during the last war

An exclamation of surprise, annoyance, etc

Noun
'Good grief! And 'shout up!' are examples of
interjections
Interminable
Seemingly without end; tediously drawn out;
endless
Adjective
I yawned during his interminable speech
Adverb
We waited interminably for a bus t arrive
Intermission

A medical graduate undergoing hospital training,

especially in America; a houseman
Noun
My cousin is an intern at mount Sinai in new
York
Interregnum
The period between two reigns, governments,
etc; a gap in continuity
Noun
The interregnum is the time following the death
of a king before a successor is named
Our accountant acted as manager for the
interregnum until a new manager was appointed

An interval, interlude or pause

Interrogate
Noun
Halfway through the play there was an
intermission
The noise went on all night without intermission
Intermittent
Occurring at irregular or regular intervals;
periodic or occasional
Adjective
Sunny weather interrupted by intermittent light
showers was forecast

To question thoroughly and searchingly,

sometimes harshly and with intimidation; to
cross-examine
Verb
The captain is to interrogate the prisoners
Noun
Police interrogation of the
terrorists revealed
the plot f
The interrogator used torture t get the accused
to confess

Intern
A formal word world for questioning, inquiring

292

Adjective
He gave me an interrogative look when I burst
out laughing

The collision occurred at night at an unlit

intersection
Intersperse

Of a word , etc, forming a question

Adjective
In the sentence, 'who is there?,' 'who' is an
interrogative proNoun

To scatter among at random; to place here and

there
Verb
We want to intersperse shrubs between the trees

Interrupt
His speech was interspersed with witty sayings
To break temporarily the continuity of an action
Intestate
Verb
Don't interrupt me when I am speaking

Not having made a will

Noun
The storm caused an interruption to the
electricity supply

Adjective
There are problems with inheritances when
people die intestate

Verb
The programme was interrupted by a newsflash

Intimidate

To block or obstruct
Verb
That tall building will interrupt my
sea

view of the

Intersect
To cross each other; to divide by cutting across
Verb
There are usually lights where main roads
intersect
The fields were intersected by streams
Noun
The letter x is formed by an intersection of two
diagonal lines

To make timid or overawe; to discourage or

inhibit
Verb
Don't let a computer intimidate you
Some people are easily intimidated by hi-tech
gadgetry
Adjective
I haven't the nerve to go rafting over those
intimidating rapids
To frighten or scare into submission by threats,
blackmail, violence, etc
Verb
Bullies intimidate smaller children into giving up
their sweets

A crossroads, road junction

Noun
The shopkeepers face intimidation from thugs
demanding protection money

Noun

Verb

293

He intimidated the wines into silence by

threatening to kill his wife

The rival political groups constantly intrigue

against each other

Adjective
The gangsters used intimidatory tactics

Noun
This exciting spy novel is full of mystery and
intrigue

Intoxicate
To puzzle, mystify or fascinate
To make drunk; to be under the influence of toxic
substances, especially alcohol
Verb
Strong drink will intoxicate you
Noun
Beer, wines and spirits are all intoxicants
Too much alcohol leads to intoxication

Verb
Magicians' tricks never fail to intrigue the
children
I am intrigued by that gadget in your kitchen
Adjective
Marco polo's journeys make intriguing tales
An illicit love affair

To be highly elate or excited

Verb
He was intoxicated his sudden fame

Noun
The intrigue between the minister and the call
girl caused a political scandal

Intricate

Intrinsic

Involved, complicated or complex; difficult to

understand

Inherent, essential, basic or fundamental

Adjective
Can you solve this intricate Chinese puzzle?
A computer is an intricate piece of equipment
Noun
The intricacy of a spider's web is amazing
I couldn't follow the intricacies of the plot

Adjective
The necklace has little intrinsic worth since it is
made of glass,
not diamonds
Adverb
She is not intrinsically dishonest, just poor and
desperate
Introspection

Intrigue
A scheme, plot or conspiracy
Noun
There is so much intrigue in the office that you
can't trust anyone
Verb

The examination of your own actions, feelings,

etc
Noun
Introspection can lead to self- improvement
Adjective
Why are you so quiet and introspective?

294

Introvert
To overwhelm or swamp
Someone who is more interested in his or her
own thoughts and feelings than with the people
and things around him or her
Noun
An introvert is usually shy, inhibited or
withdrawn

Verb
Since her arrival, she has been inundated with
invitations
At Christmas, the post office is inundated with
mail
Invalid

Adjective
It is difficult to make conversation with an
introverted person

A sick or disabled person

Intrude

Noun
My aged aunt is an invalid confined to a
wheelchair

To put yourself into a situation, place, etc, where

you are unwelcome
Verb
Don't intrude upon our discussion

Adjective
She is looking after her invalid father
To remove from active service because of ill
health, etc

Noun
We object to your intrusion into our affairs
Verb
I don't want to intrude on your grief

Verb
The badly wounded soldier was invalided out of
the army

Someone who is on another's property illegally

Invalid

Noun
The intruder was caught while leaving the house

Without validity, unsound, not logical

Adjective
Your argument is invalid because it is based on
fault logic

Unwelcome; disturbing
Adjective
The intrusive noise of aircraft kept us awake

Verb
Incorrect data will invalidate the survey results

Inundate
Not legal or usable
To flood or engulf, especially with water
Verb
Heavy rains often inundate the low-lying areas
Noun
The inundation of the fields ruined

Adjective
This document is invalid without a signature
Invidious

the crops

295

Causing resentment or ill will, especially by real

or seeming injustice
Adjective
Laying off staff is an invidious task
You put me in an invidious position by asking me
to take sides in your argument
Invigilate
To supervise
examination

students

during

written

Not visible, unseen

Adjective
Atoms are invisible to the naked eye
Invisible gamma rays can be dangerous
Concealed or hidden
Adjective
The lizard's camouflage makes it invisible to its
enemies
Inconspicuously, so that it is not noticeable

Verb
Please invigilate at tomorrow's exam
Noun
Strict invigilation prevents cheating
The invigilator handed out the exam papers

Adverb
That hole in your dress can be invisibly mended
Of services, rather than goods

Invigorate

Adjective
Tourism is an invisible export/import

To give vigour and vitality; to refresh or

stimulate

Colourless ink that cannot be seen until specially

treated

Verb
An early morning swim will invigorate you
Adjective
Invigorating walks give you an appetite

To read the secret message written in invisible

ink, hold the page near heat and writing will
appear
Invulnerable

Invincible
Not vulnerable; that cannot be hurt or damaged
Too strong to be defeated; unconquerable
Adjective
Our team has been invincible this season
Adverb
The enemy forces advanced invincibly
Noun
The crushing defeat destroyed the myth of their
invincibility

Adjective
The warriors believed that their magic would
make them invulnerable to bullets
Noun
Teenagers take risks because they have a sense of
invulnerability
Irrational
Not rational; illogical; not capable of reasoning

Invisible
Adjective

296

Irrational people are not prepared to discuss a

problem sensibly
Noun
Psychiatrists probe the irrationality of people's
phobias
Adverb
He behaved irrationally because he was in a state
of shock

Adjective
We have cut our household budget to an
irreducible minimum
That cannot be made simpler
Adverb
It's an irreducibly complicated problem
Irrefutable

Irreconcilable
Not able to be reconciled;
implacably opposed

incompatible,

Adjective
We have reached a deadlock as our differences
seem irreconcilable

Not able to
incontrovertible

be

disproved

or

denied,

Adjective
The irrefutable evidence cleared the accused of
the crime
Irrelevant

Irrecoverable
Not relevant; unrelated to and unconnected with
Not able to be recovered or remedied
Adjective
They suffered irrecoverable losses when their
business went bankrupt

Adjective
Your comments about the canteen are irrelevant
to our discussion on the parking area

Irredeemable

Noun
That's an irrelevance/irrelevancy let's get back to
the main issue

Not redeemable; that cannot be bought back,

paid off or exchanged

Irreligious
Adjective
That discount coupon is irredeemable after one
year
Incapable of being saved, reformed or remedied
Adverb
A habitual criminal is irredeemably condemned
to a life in and out of prison

Not religious; showing lack of respect for

religion
Adjective
The minister worries about the irreligious
attitude of many people today
Irresistible

Irreducible

Not able to be resisted; overpowering

That cannot be made smaller or reduced

Adjective

297

I felt an irresistible urge to sneeze

The temptation to hit the fellow was almost
irresistible

The overseas assets of the bankrupt company are

irretrievable
Adverb
Our marriage had irretrievably broken down

Alluring, enticing, highly desirable

Adjective
He finds home-made chocolates quite irresistible

Irreverent
Disrespectful; flippant

Adverb
She is an irresistibly attractive woman
Irresolute
Indecisive, hesitant, showing uncertainty
Adjective
An irresolute person cannot make decisions

Adjective
Young people are often irreverent
parents' taste in music

about their

Adverb
The bright star Betelgeuse is often
called beetle juice

irreverently

Irrespective

Noun
Satirists treat public with irreverence

Regardless of, without taking account of

Irreversible
Not reversible; irrevocable

Adjective
All children are entitled to an equal
irrespective of sex, race or creed

education,

Irresponsible
Not showing or not capable of responsibility;
unreliable, reckless

Adjective
We cannot stop the irreversible march of time
Adjverb
Democratic elections have irreversibly changed
the face of south Africa
Irrevocable

Adjective
Her children were taken into care as the proved
to be an irresponsible mother
Noun
Driving so fast shows irresponsibility

A formal word for unable to be revoked or

changed; fixed, final
Adjective
The company's decision to close down the branch
is irrevocable

Irretrievable
Beyond recovery or remedy

Adverb
My mind is irrevocably made up

Adjective

Isolate

298

To separate and keep apart

A political policy of avoiding participation in

international affairs

Verb
Hermits isolate themselves from society
Noun
The remote villagers lived in virtual
until the pass was built

Noun
An isolationist believes we should not interfere
or get involved in another country's affairs
isolation

To put an infectious or contagious person in

quarantine
Verb
These patients must be isolated from the others
to stop the spread of infection
Now he's better, he's been moved
isolation ward

from

J
Jealous
Envious or resentful of someone or their possessions

the
Adjective
She's jealous of her sister's success

To identify something and separate it for

attention

Protective of your possessions or situation

Verb
Once we have isolated the problem, we can
revise our procedures
Researchers can isolate and identify many
viruses

Adjective
The mother hen kept a jealous eye on her chicks

Infrequent, single or unique

Suspicion of rivalry in love or friendship

Adjective
The robbery was an isolated incident in the
normally safe area
There has been one isolated outbreak of polio

Noun
Her husband's jealousy put a strain on their
marriage

Adverb
She jealously guards her position in the company

Jeopardy
Solitary, separate, on its own
Danger or peril
Adjective
Don't you get lonely living in this
place?

isolated

When considered in isolation, these sales figures

are not
encouraging, but the report as a
whole gives a hopeful picture

Noun
Her health was in jeopardy after
smoking

years

To put at risk, endanger

Verb

299

of

You jeopardize/jeopardize your chances of

passing if you do not study

Jumble

Jettison

A confused mixture, muddle or disordered state

To throw things overboard to lighten the load

Noun
There was a jumble of books and clothes on his
bed

Verb
The sailors had to jettison cargo to save the
sinking boat
To abandon, discard
Verb
We jettisoned our plan as it was not working

Verb
Jumble the letter blocks so we can play a game
of scrabble
The old man's memory is a bit jumbled now

Jingoism

A sale of various second-hand articles, rummage

sale
The jumble sale raised money for charity

Boastful and aggressive patriotism

Juxtapose

Noun
His patriotic speech was full of jingoism

To place side by side or close together, often for

contrasting effect

An old-fashioned exclamation of surprise

Verb
Let's juxtapose the pros and cons to get a
balanced view
Noun
The juxtaposition of the black and red fabrics
was dramatic

By jingo what have we here?

Jitters
Slang for extreme anxiety or nervousness
Noun
I developed the jitters just before

my speech

Adjective
Most pupils feel jittery before exams

K
Kaleidoscope

A highly nervous person

Noun
She is such a jitterbug she jumps at every noise
A fast dance performed to jazz or swing music
Noun
The jitterbug was popular in the 1940s

A toy made of a tube with mirrors and coloured

glass fragments forming patterns as the tube is
revolved
Noun
Turn the viewer of the kaleidoscope to see many
bright designs

300

Any scene, etc, that changes constantly and

quickly
Noun
The open-air market was a kaleidoscope of sights
and sounds
Kleptomania
An uncontrollable urge to steal, especially
without reason
Noun
He's no thief, he suffers from kleptomania
That shoplifter must be a kleptomaniac as she
could afford to buy out the entire store
Knave
an old-fashioned term for a dishonest rascal,
rogue
Noun
The knave tried t outwit the king's men

Knell
The mournful sound of a bell rung t anNounce a
death or a funeral
Noun
The knell of the church bells meant bad news
A sign that something has ended
Noun
The scandal sounded the knell of his hopes for
political office
Kowtow
A former Chinese custom, to show respect by
touching the forehead to the ground
Verb
In the past, the Chinese would kowtow to
important people
To behave in a servile and obsequious manner

Adjective
it was a mean and knavish trick
another name for a jack in a pack of playing
cards

Verb
She still kowtows to her tyrannical father
Kudos

Noun
My ace beats your knave any time
Kneel

Praise; honour; glory

Noun
He took the kudos for the group's success

to fall or rest on the knees or one knee

Verb
Courtiers used to kneel before their king
My sister is over there, kneeling as she weeds the
flower bed
The congregation knelt to pray
Noun
A kneeler is a hassock or cushion to kneel on,
especially in church

L
Labyrinth
A mazelike network of paths, chambers, etc,
either natural or manmade
Noun

301

The mine is a labyrinth of

underground
tunnels labyrinthine caves honeycomb those
hills

Verb
I always lag behind when we go on a hike
He lagged far behind the other runners and came
in last

A complex or intricate system

Noun
I had to go through a labyrinth of regulations to
get a permit
Lackadaisical
Without enthusiasm or determination; lazy
Adjective
He has a lackadaisical attitude to his work and
will never reach top management

Noun
That laggard can't keep up with the rest of the
class
The interval of time between two events,
especially between an action and its effect; a
delay
There is usually a time-lag of several
between lightning
and thunder

seconds

Noun
Jet lag is often felt after a long flight on a plane

Laconic
Slang for a convict or former convict
Using few words; terse
Adjective
He dismissed their request with a laconic 'no!'
'tough luck', she replied laconically

Noun
I see that the old lag is back in prison again
Insulating material used to wrap around boilers,
pipes, etc

Laden
Loaded, weighed down

Noun
Lagging is used to prevent loss of

Adjective
The heavily laden donkey toiled up the steep
path

Lambaste/lambast

The citrus trees are laden with fruit

Verb
Don't lambaste/lambast her like that

heat

To thrash or reprimand

To be burdened or troubled
Lament
The accomplice, laden with guilt, admitted his
part in the crime
Lag
To fail to keep pace; to go too slow

To express regret or grief, mourn

Verb
Many people lament the passing of old values
She lamented the untimely death of her husband

302

Noun
Gray's elegy written in a country churchyard' is
a famous lament first published in 1751
Mourned for

Noun
That tower is a tall landmark on the skyline
An event, incident, etc, marking an important
stage or turning point

The town commemorated the late lamented

mayor with a plaque
Regrettable; deplorable
Adjective
There was a lamentable loss of life
of the earthquake

Noun
The fall of the Berlin wall was a momentous
landmark in the history of Germany
Languish

as a result
To lack or lose vitality

Adverb
The school system is lamentably inadequate

Verb
We soon began t languish in the heat

Laminate

Adjective
You can easily feel languid on a hot, humid
summer day

Material made up of compressed layers

Noun
Plywood is a cross-grained laminate of there or
more thin layers of wood

Noun
A heavy meal can induce a feeling of languor
To pine of

To be covered with a thin layer of plastic, etc

Verb
The child languished for her missing puppy

Noun
All my posters have been laminated

To live wretchedly
Lampoon
A piece of writhing that attacks and ridicules
something or someone

Verb
He languished in poverty for years
Larceny

Noun
A biting lampoon tore the
apart

pretentious

Verb
The magazine lampooned the politician

book

A formal word for theft

Noun
The accuse d was charged with larceny
Lascivious

Landmark
Lustful, lecherous or lewd
A prominent, natural or artificial structure

303

Adjective
His lascivious grin made me feel self-conscious
in my bikini

You should continue to work hard

on your laurels

and not rest

Lavish
Latent
Plentiful, generous, extravagant
Existing but not yet active, developed or visible;
hidden, unrealized
Adjective
The bridge collapsed because of a latent defect in
the supports
Her latent talent for writing was only discovered
when she won a short story competition

Adjective
That five-course meal was as lavish as a banquet
That gift is too lavish for a mere acquaintance
Verb
The critics lavished praise on her performance
Lean

Laurel
To be in a sloping position; to bend
Any of several shrubs or trees with evergreen
aromatic leaves, especially the sweet bay tree
Noun
The leaves of a laurel can be dried and used for
flavouring in cooking

Verb
You can touch the tree if you lean out of the
window
She leant/leaned forward to pick up her bag
The leaning tower of Pisa has a distinctive tilt

A crown made from the leaves and twigs of such

a shrub

To put against or rest on

The ancient Greeks an d Romans used t wear a

laurel wreath on the head as a mark of honour

He was leaning against the lamppost waiting for

the bus

People who are honoured for outstanding

achievement

The spade was leaning against against the wall

Noun
In 1993 the Nobel peace laureates
Mandela and FW de klerk

The old man leant/leaned upon his

support

stick

for

were nelson

To guard against losing your position of

superiority to a rival

To depend or rely on for help, etc

You can lean on him for advice at

any time

To be inclined towards; to have a tendency for

She should look to her laurels because this new
girl could beat her
To be satisfied with your achievements and not
seek further success

Some schools lean towards sports rather than

academic pursuits
Noun

304

She plays jazz, but has a leaning towards

classical music
A slang term meaning to make somebody do
something by the eats
If they don't pay, we'll have to get
lean on them

rough

A chance to live longer or with more vigour

Since recovering from her operation, she's had a
new lease of life you've given that axe a new
lease of life by sharpening the blade

and

A shed, etc, with a single-pitch roof, attached t a

larger building
Noun
He keeps tools in a lean-to at the side of the
house
Lease
A contract granting the use of property for a
specified period, usually for rent

Lecherous
Lustful; having strong or excessive sexual desire
Adjective
That lecherous man tries to make love to every
woman he meets
Noun
The old lecher was imprisoned for rape
Lechery is the obsessive interest in sexual
pleasure
Lee

Noun
The lease on the shop expires at the end of this
month
Can we renew the lease for another year?
A tenant is known as the leaseholder or the lessee

The side of a structure sheltered from the wind

Noun
It's wisest to build a barbecue area in the lee of a
house
Towards which the wind blows

Adjective
Leasehold flats are becoming scarce in this city

Adjective
The boat passed the ship on its leeward side

Noun
A property owner or landlord/landladyis known
as the lessor

Room to manoevre; freedom

To rent property or equipment

Verb
Can we lease some office space for a year?
Adjective
Some firms prefer to have a leasing agreement
with a motor dealer rather than buy their own
company cars

Noun
The parking bay didn't give us much leeway
The management gave the unions sufficient
leeway negotiate without losing face
To make up for lost time
She's been off sick, so she has to make up a lot of
leeway
Lethal

305

Lustful
Capable of causing death, fatal
Adjective
Some condemned murderers in America are
executed by a lethal injection

Adjective
The woman ignored the lewd glances directed at
her
Liberate

Damaging, harmful
To set free or release
Adjective
The closure of the polluted beach dealt a lethal
blow to the town's tourist trade

Verb
The terrorists have promised to liberate the
hostages once their demands have been met

Strong
Noun
The prisoners-of-war cheered their iberators at
the end of hostilities

Adjective
This liqueur's pretty lethal stuff!
Lethargy

Showing freedom from traditional ideas, social

prejudices, etc

An extreme lack of energy and/or interest,

feeling, etc
Noun
Since his illness, he suffers from bouts of
depression and lethargy
Adjective
It's easy to feel lethargic in the summer

Adjective
Women today are more liberated
An abbreviation for a person who is a fervent
member or follower of any liberation movement;
the movement itself

Leviathan

Noun
There's a protest march of gay libbers going on
outside
She's very active in women's lib

Any huge or powerful thing

Libido

Noun
The supertanker is the leviathan of

Emotional energy or urge, especially sexual

the oceans

Lewd

Adjective
Some prescription drugs tend to reduce the libido

Indecent, obscene
Having excessive sexual desires
Adjective
I think that lewd pornographic videos should be
banned

Adjective
Avoid him as he's a libidinous character

306

Lilliputian
A metal rod that keeps a wheel on an axle
Very small or tiny, especially of people
Adjective
From the top of the building the people on the
ground looked Lilliputian

Noun
My car had to be towed after the linchpin
snapped
A crucial part of a group or plan

Lilt
A rising and falling sound
Noun
I like the lilt in welsh and Irish accents
Adjective
It was easy to sing along to the lilting tune

Noun
He is the linchpin of the team as he can attack
and defend
Linger
To delay or prolong departure

Limbo

Verb
Some guests linger around long after a party ends

A state or place of uncertainty

Long; protracted

Noun
The committee is in limbo until a new
chairperson is elected

Adjective
As she left, she gave us a last lingering look
To saunter

A west Indian dance

Noun
In the limbo the dancer passes, while leaning
backwards under a bar that is gradually lowered
Limelight

Verb
We lingered until we were told to get a move on
To continue to exist, although becoming weaker
Verb
The sick man lingered on for weeks in pain

Originally an intense white light

Liquidate
Noun
A limelight was formerly used in theatres to light
the stage

To pay or settle a debt

The full glare of publicity

Verb
I must liquidate all my outstanding accounts

He's been in the limelight since he won an

Olympic medal

To close down a business and divide its assets

between its creditors

Linchpin

Verb

307

A court will liquidate a business if it is bankrupt

I am loath/loth to go out on such a cold windy

night

To go bankrupt
willing and eager
Their company has gone into liquidation
To get rid of; especially by killing
Verb
The dictator liquidated the opposition leader

Nothing loath/loth he offered to escort the

visiting beauty queen
Loathe
to feel strong dislike, hatred or disgust

Listless
Without energy or enthusiasm
Adjective
For weeks after her illness she was listless
Adverb
The tired workers listlessly picked up their tools
Litigate
to engage in a lawsuit; to contest in law
Verb
He is going to litigate for unfair dismissal
Noun
The litigant won his court case
Try to settle out of court as litigation is costly

Verb
I loathe fighting through crowded supermarkets
Noun
She was filled with loathing for his brutality
Most people have an absolute loathing of
cockroaches
Adjective
In biblical times, lepers were called
unclean
because leprosy was considered a loathsome
disease
Lopsided
Having one side lower, smaller, etc, than the
other
Adjective
That little boy has a cute lopsided grin

Adjective
Lying about someone can be a litigious matter

Lout

too eager to go to law

A crude or ill-mannered youth, boor

Adjective
The litigious businessman has already sued four
people

Noun
Any lout who misbehaves in the club will be told
to leave
The drunken louts ripped the seats of the train
carriage

Loath/loth
a formal word meaning unwilling, reluctant
Adjective

Adjective
Such loutish behaviour will not be tolerated

308

Lucid
A formal word for mournful, doleful
Clearly expressed; easy to understand
Adjective
Despite his injuries, he was able to give a lucid
account of the accident
The lecturer gave a lucid explanation of the
phenomenon

Adjective
His lugubrious face showed his unhappiness
Lukewarm
Mildly warm, tepid

Adverb
He explained it all very lucidly

Adjective
Baby's milk should be lukewarm

Clear thinking; sanity

Indifferent; lacking in enthusiasm

Noun
Although she's mentally confused, she does have
periods of lucidity/lucidness

Adjective
The fading pop star got a lukewarm reception at
the airport

Lucrative

Lullaby

Producing much money; profitable

A quiet song to lull babies to sleep

Adjective
Hiring videos can be a lucrative business

Noun
A soft lullaby will often send a baby to sleep

Money, used humorously or derogatively

Lunacy

Noun
Look at all this lovely lucre we've won

Extreme foolishness, formerly madness, insanity

He can keep his filthy lucre as I know that he

made it dishonestly
Ludicrous

Noun
It's sheer lunacy driving so fast on such wet roads
Adjective
He's quite bright but he does come up with some
loony/looney ideas

Ridiculous; absurd to the point of provoking

laughter
A foolish or insane person
Adjective
His idea of driving nonstop from London to
Moscow is quite ludicrous
Adverb
She's had her hair cropped ludicrously short

Noun
What crazy idea has that loony/looney come up
with now?
Lunatic is the old-fashioned word for a mentally
ill person

Lugubrious

309

A slang term for a mental hospital

She spent some time in the loony bin, but is now
recovered

Adjective
There was a bowl of luscious peaches
table, each one juicy and sweet

on

the

Voluptuously attractive
A small section of a society, etc who are extreme
in their opinions
The activities of a lunatic fringe usually attract
more attention than their small numbers deserve

Adjective
All eyes turned as he walked in with a luscious
blonde
Lush

Lurch
Growing thickly and strongly
A sudden lean or roll to one side
Noun
The small boat gave a lurch as it was hit by a
giant wave
Verb
The train rounded the bend too quickly causing
the standing passengers to lurch

Adjective
The vegetation in that valley is lush
Luxurious
Adjective
The lounge has a lush edge-to-edge carpet
A slang term for a person who is often drunk

To stagger
Verb
The drunken man lurched down the road

Noun
A lush is seldom sober

Lurid
Having bright glaring colours
Adjective
That fluorescent tie is far too lurid

M
Machinations
for me
Plots, intrigue, etc

Violent and shocking; sensational

Adjective
Viewers were spare the lurid details when the
TV cameras were turned away from what must
have been a ghastly sight

Noun
Hitler's machinations brought him to power
Magnanimity
Greatness of soul or generosity

Luscious
Richly pleasing in taste or smell

Noun
He showed magnanimity by forgiving his
enemies

310

Adjective
The charity thanked her for her magnanimous
donation

Magnitude

Magnificence

Noun
The new government was overwhelmed by the
magnitude of its task
A celestial body of the first magnitude is the
brightest in the heavens
The black death, which killed millions of people,
was a disaster of the first magnitude

Splendour or excellence
Noun
The magnificence of the palace was awesome
Adjective
To win an Olympic gold medal is a magnificent
achievement
From the hilltop there was a magnificent view
of the valley
Magnify

Greatness of size or relative importance

Magnum opus
Latin for 'great work' meaning a masterpiece

To enlarge or make bigger

Noun
The 'last supper' is considered to beLeonardo da
Vinci's magnum opus

Verb
A telescope will magnify distant objects

Maim
To cripple, disable or harm

Noun
The magnification of the photograph showed up
more detail
Verb
The microscope magnifies bacteria invisible to
the naked eye
Use a magnifying glass to read the fine print
To exaggerate

Verb
A kick from a horse can main or even kill a man
Malady
A formal word for a sickness, disease; anything
requiring a remedy
Noun
She's suffering from a strange malady that the
doctors can't diagnose
Crime is one of the maladies of our society

Verb
That overprotective mother magnifies every
possible danger to her child

Malaise

An old-fashioned word for to glorify or praise

Noun
A vague malaise made her feel disinclined for
work

Verb
My soul doth magnify the lord

A feeling of discomfort, uneasiness or depression

311

Malediction

The maliciousness of the gossip drove her away

from home

An old- fashioned word for a curse

Noun
The witch called down a malediction on him
Malevolence

A legal term for the intention to do wrong,

commit a crime, etc
It was with malice aforethought that he bought a
gun and lay n wait for the manager who had
sacked him

A desire to harm others, malice

Malign
Noun
Her malevolence led her to plane her revenge
Adjective
Lago is a malevolent man who sets out to destroy
Othello

To slander, defame or speak evil of

Verb
These vicious rumours malign a good man
Harmful, evil

Malevolence
A desire to harm others, malice
Noun
Her malevolence led her to plan her revenge

Adjective
Gangsters have a malign influence on youngsters
in many crime-ridden suburbs
Noun
We must root out the malignity of drug abuse
Full of hate and ill will

Adjective
Lago is a malevolent man who sets out to destroy
Othello

Adjective
The prisoner gave his accuser a malignant look

Malice

Likely to cause death

Spite vindictiveness; the desire to hurt others

Adjective
The lump was malignant so her breast had to be
removed

Noun
He was motivated by malice when he set out to
harass his ex-wife
That saintly man bears his tormentors no malice

Noun
The spread of the malignancy was halted by
chemotherapy
Malleable

Adjective
The malicious woman falsely accused him of
child abuse

Able to be hammered or pressed into shape

especially metal

Noun

Adjective

312

Gold is malleable and can be beaten out to a thin

fill
Easily influenced or changed
Adjective
The young are more malleable than their elders

Sufferers from kleptomania cannot control

their impulse to steal
A pyromaniac has an uncontrollable desire to set
fire to things
A manic-depressive has mood swings from
manic and excited to suicidally gloomy
Excessive enthusiasm

Mammoth
A huge, extinct, prehistoric elephant with a hairy
coat

Noun
She has a mania for collecting old postcards
Manifest

Noun
A perfectly preserved frozen carcass of a woolly
mammoth was discovered in Siberia

Adjective
He was found out when he told a manifest

Very large, huge, immense

Adjective
It was a mammoth task to rebuild the nation after
the war
Maniac
A mad person
Noun
The homicidal maniac was detained in
institution for the criminally insane
Adjective
His maniacal/maniac laugh was terrifying

A formal word for clear, evident, obvious

an

lie

To show make something clear or visible

Verb
We were shocked that the crowd should manifest
such violence
She exercises such self-control that she does not
manifest much emotion
Noun
A smile is the manifestation of pleasure
Verb
The ghost of hamlet's father manifested itself to
him

A wild, uncontrolled person

A list of the cargo of a ship or aeroplane
Noun
He's menace on the road because he drives like a
maniac

Noun
The manifest showed that the boat's cargo was
wheat

Abnormal behaviour
Manipulate
Noun
Mania is a mental disorder characterized by
overactivity, elation or irritability

To control or handle, especially manually and

skilfully
Verb
The monkey was able to manipulate tools

313

The doctor had to manipulate the dislocated

shoulder back into position
Adjective
We admire the manipulative skills or the
physiotherapist
Noun
The crane is worked by the manipulation of
levers
To control, influence or exploit others, especially
unscrupulously
Verb
The dictator knew how to manipulate people's
emotions
Noun
She is a manipulator who plays off one boyfriend
against another
To falsify or change the character of
Verb
Manipulating the figures can make
look more profitable
Noun
The party came to
manipulation of votes

a company

Noun
Joining the golf club was a clever manoeuvre to
meet influential people
Verb
The spy manoeuvred her way into the president's
confidence
To guide, manage or direct skilfully, usually
deviously
Verb
He used his influence to manoeuvre his children
into good jobs
She always manoeuvres the conversation round
to herself
Easily moved, directed or turned
Adjective
Power steering makes this a very manoeuvrable
car
Noun
The advantage of a small car is its
manoeuvrability
A planned and controlled military movement or
exercise

power

through

the

Manoeuvre

Noun
With a flanking manoeuvre the enemy captured
the town
The army is on manoeuvres

To move or perform an action skilfully

Verb
She had to manoeuver the car into a small
parking space

Verb
The combined fleets were manoeuvring in the
Atlantic
Marauder

Noun
The test pilot performed one rapid manoeuvre
after another
A contrived plan intended to deceive and gain an
objective

A raider, plunderer, attacker

Noun
The Viking was a marauder who plundered rich
monasteries

314

Adjective
The cattle were stolen by marauding guerrillas

Of a stray animal without a brand of ownership

Martinet

Adjective
The farmer adopted the maverick calf

A strict disciplinarian

A person with unusual independent ideas

Noun
The new teacher who punishes a lot is a martinet

Noun
Her unorthodox views make her a
maverick

bit

of

Masquerade
Mawkish
To pretend to be someone else; to disguise
yourself
Verb
Undercover detectives masquerade

as criminals

A false show
Noun
His laughter was a masquerade to hide his grief
A party where masks are worn
Noun
She dressed as a queen for the masquerade
Massacre
The cruel killing of large numbers, especially
people
Noun
The bloody
shocking

Sickly sentimental
Adjective
When my mother becomes mawkish about her
childhood days, I wish the ground would
swallow me up
Meagre
Lacking in quantity or quality; small or thin
Adjective
Domestic workers often earn a meagre salary
He only gave a meagre contribution to the relief
fund
Pleading eyes stared at us from meagre faces of
the starving children
Mean
To define as

massacre of the hostages was

Verb
Whole villages were massacred during the war

Verb
Look up what the words mean in the dictionary
Noun
That word ahs three different meanings

To be overwhelmingly defeated
To have as meaning
Verb
Our football team was massacred

Verb
The name Philip means 'lover of horses'

Maverick

315

To have as its equivalent in another language

to be of importance or significance

Verb
'Enfant' in French means 'child' in

Verb
Your friendship means a lot to me

English

To signify

Adjective
The couple gave each other a meaningful look

Verb
The sound of the alarm clock means it's time to
get up
A lot of money can mean $100tosome and $10
000 to others
Noun
What is the meaning of this outrageous
behaviour?

futile; empty of meaning

Adjective
His promises are meaningless without action
a term used to clarify or correct
What a terrible week- I mean it rained every day
We went there on Monday I mean Tuesday

The full implications

Mean
Noun
He has been lucky and doesn't know the meaning
of sadness
to result in
Verb
Careful saving now will mean you
to buy a car later

can

afford

to intend or be intended for

Verb
I did not mean to upset you, I was only joking
I mean to finish my novel tonight the flowers are
meant for her
As a child he believed he was meant to become a
pilot

selfish or stingy
Adjective
He's too mean to buy presents for other people
an ungenerous person
Noun
He's such a meanie/meany he won't give me a
sweet
unkind or nasty
Adjective
That was a mean trick
vicious

To be serious or sincere in your intentions

I mean it when I say keep quiet!
Our new manager really means business with her
new plans
His parents-in-law are interfering although they
mean well

Adjective
A killer shark is a mean creature
ashamed
Adjective
I felt mean about not helping her

more

316

poor or inferior

He is a man of means after

money

Adjective
Their mean house has no electricity or plumbing
Even pupils of the meanest ability can read this
excellent
He's no mean soccer player and should make the
team
Adjective
She bakes a mean chocolate cake

inheriting so much

a check into someone's wealth

You have to have a means test to qualify for a
state pension
The action method, etc by which something is
brought about
Noun
She tried all possible means of finding a job
What means of transport do you have?
The telephone is a means of communication

difficult
It was no mean feat to climb that rock face

with the help of

Meander
He climbed the tree by menas of
ladder

of rivers, etc, to wind, flowing slowly

Verb
The rivers meander over the plains
reach the sea

the

rope

not at all
until

they
I'm by no menas/not by any manner of means
sure that this is the right road

to walk, etc, slowly or aimlessly

certainly
Verb
We meandered along, looking at

the flowers

rembling

By all means you can have some more tea

to do something only because it enables you to
achieve what you wanted

Adjective
The boring lecture was long and meandering

His ambition was to be rich, so marrying the

wealthy widow was a means to an end

Means
Meddle
money or wealth
To interfere; to be intrusive
Noun
She has the means to buy her own

house

Verb
My nosy sister likes to meddle in my affairs

considerable wealth
Noun

Adjective
Teenagers complain about meddlesome parents

317

Noun
The meddler soon irritated his neighbours

Ripe or mature in taste

To handle something that you ought not to or

about which you are ignorant

Adjective
The peaches were mellow and juicy

Do not meddle with equipment you know little

about

Verb
Red wine mellows after a few years

Meek

To become gentler and more tolerant

Humble and submissive

Verb
My mother used to be hard-hearted and cold, but
she has mellowed with age

Adjective
That quiet girl is very meek and mild

Genial, as through the effects of alcohol

Adverb
He agreed meekly to do what he was told
Melancholy

Adjective
After a glass of wine she was mellow
relaxed

Deep sadness or depression

Menace
A source of danger

Noun
She sank into melancholy after her

mother died

Noun
These gangsters are a menace to peace in the area

Adjective
Funerals put people in a melancholy/melancholic
mood

Verb
Your bulldog is menacing my kitten

Mellifluous/mellifluent

The intention to do violence

A formal word for sweet-sounding; smooth

Noun
The hijacker's speech was filled with menace

Adjective
We heard the mellifluous/mellifluent singing of
the choir
Mellow
Rich and soft, free from harshness
Adjective
I like the mellow golden colours of autumn
leaves
The saxophone has a mellow sound

and

To threaten
Verb
The bully menaced the younger children
Adverb
The intruder moved menacingly towards us
A nuisance
Noun

318

These mosquitoes are a menace

To join; to become one
Mendacity
A formal word for untruthfulness or lying
Noun
The mendacity of the gossip was shocking
Adjective
The mendacious boy was punished for his
dishonesty
Mendicant
A member of a religious order living off charity;
a formal word for a beggar
Adjective
The mendicant believed that begging taught him
humility
Menial
Unskilled; muitable for servants
Adjective
A hired hand does all the menial work on the
farm
My sister hates menial tasks like ironing
A formal, of tern derogatory term for a servant or
unskilled worker
Noun
He works as a menial on a building site

Verb
Does this stream merge with the river at all?
Noun
The merger of the firms made one powerful
business
To blend
Verb
Twilight merges into darkness
Mesmerize/mesmerise
To hold someone's attention completely
Verb
His voice seemed to mesmerize/mesmerise us
An old-fashioned word meaning to hypnotize
Verb
The psychiatrist mesmerized/mesmerised his
patient in an attempt to get to the root of her
problem
Adjective
The spinning mobile had a mesmeric effect
Noun
The mesmerist made him lie down on stage
Metamorphosis

Meretricious
A change of form, character, etc
A formal word for apparently attractive but really
worthless or meaningless
Adjecive
Those trinkets are only meretricious jewellery
The salesman's persuasive speech was
meretricious
Merge

Noun
We were fascinated by the metamorphosis of a
tadpole into a frog
Noun
There's been a metamorphosis in his personality,
he used to be very shy, but now he is much more
outgoing

319

We laughed when she mimicked the politician

Meticulous
Very careful about details
Adjective
He is slow but meticulous in his work
Adverb
Police examined the scene of the crime
meticulously

Noun
Mimicry can be amusing or mocking
The resemblance of animals, birds, insects, etc,
to their surroundings or to other creatures for
protection from enemies
Noun
A stick insect uses protective mimicry to hide
from predators

Miffed
Mince
A slang term meaning annoyed or offended
To cut, grind or chop finely
Adjective
She was a bit miffed when he didn't recognize
her

Verb
Mince the lamb for the frikkadels should carrots
be minced or grated for the salad?

Milieu
A machine that does this
Social surroundings or environment
Noun
City dwellers sometimes find the milieu of a
country village strange
Militate
A formal word meaning to have an influence in
preventing something

Noun
The blade of the mincer needs sharpening
Finely chopped meat
Noun
Minced meat/mince is used in sauces and
hamburgers
A mixture of chopped, dried fruit and spices

Verb
The company's poor profits militate against good
bonuses this year

Noun
Mincemeat is used in biscuits and

tarts

Mimic
A person or animal that copies another's
mannerisms and habits

Small pastries filled with mincemeat

Noun
A parrot is a natural mimic

To walk or speak in an unnaturally delicate way

Verb

Mince pies are usually eaten at Christmas

Verb
She minced along in her high-heeled shoes

320

Adjective
The part the actor played required him to utter
his words in a mincing style

Noun
That was very harsh punishment for such a trivial
misdemeanour

To speak harshly and forcefully

Misery

He does not mince words when he

is angry

To destroy something completely or defeat

somebody
The lawyer made mincemeat of the witness's
statements
The boxer made mincemeat of his opponent

Great unhappiness or suffering

Noun
The destitute refugees lived I great misery
No-one except the sufferer knows the misery of
arthritis
Adjective
She has a miserable life with her rude husband

Mingle
Someone who
discontented, etc

To mix with another thing or other people

Verb
The rain will mingle with the soil to
mud
Security guards mingled with the crowd

form

is

constantly

depressed,

Noun
She's such a misery she is always complaining
Causing discomfort, unpleasant `

Mirth
Merriment, gaiety, laughter

Adjective
What a miserable little meal to give a hungry
man

Noun
The clown caused much mirth among the
children

Mean, despicable, contemptible

Adjective
The celebrating students had a mirthful evening
Lack of merriment; showing that you are not
really amused
Adjective
The victim of the cruel practical joke gave a
mirthless

Adjective
That miserable old man treats his wife like an
unpaid servant
Very disappointing or humiliating
Adjective
The grand money-making
miserable failure

scheme

was a

To end the suffering of an animal by killing it

Misdemeanor
A minor offence or wrongdoing

The mouse was badly mangled so

out of its misery

we put it

321

To end someone's anxiety or suspense

Mishap

Put me out o my misery-did I pass

A minor accident

or not?

Misfit

Noun
We were relieved to arrive home without mishap

A person into well suited to his or her

environment
Noun
As an artist I was a misfit in that sports-mad
school

Mishmash
A confused mixture
Noun
Our furniture is a real mishmash of styles

An item of clothing that is the wrong size or

shape

Misinform

Noun
The overlarge jacket was a complete misfit

A formal word meaning to give incorrect or

inadequate facts to

Misfortune
Bad luck; an unfortunate event

Verb
Unscrupulous travel agents often misinform
people about the hidden costs of a tour

Noun
He had the misfortune to break an arm
Misgiving

Noun
Political propaganda contains misinformation
designed to deceive people

A feeling of doubt, worry, distrust, etc

Misinterpret

Noun
It was with a good deal of misgiving that I
appointed him to the job-but he was the only
candidate
I was full of misgivings before my first flight

To draw the wrong conclusion through lack o

knowledge, understanding, etc

Misgovern

Noun
The revised draft is clearer and therefore less
open to misinterpretation

To rule or administer badly or unjustly

Verb
Military dictators usually misgovern a country

Verb
Some drivers misinterpret traffic signals

Misjudge
To estimate time, quantity, etc incorrectly

Noun
Years of misgovernment had ruined
country's economy

the

Verb
It's easy to misjudge how long the journey will
take at rush hour

322

Their marriage was a mismatch and soon ended

in divorce

To form a wrong pinion of

Verb
I'm sorry I misjudged your motives but I didn't
know whether I could trust you at first
Noun
His misjudgment/misjudgement of the situation
had disastrous results

Verb
The two players were badly mismatched which
led to a one- sided game
Misnomer
A wrong or unsuitable name, word or description

Mislead
Noun
Fluffy is a misnomer for that mangy old dog

To cause someone to think or act wrongly

Verb
To cover up his crime, he tried to mislead the
police
We were misled by the guide and ended up in
completely the wrong par to town
The child was misled bad companions
He misled me into thinking he was wealthy

Misplace
A formal word meaning to put I a wrong or
unsuitable place or position
Verb
Unless you file your correspondence, you will
Misplace important documents and lose them

Confusing, deceptive
Noun
The misplacement of the letters 'b'
writing may be a sing of dyslexia

Adjective
The ad was inaccurate and misleading
Mismanage

and 'd' in

To place your trust, affection, etc, in someone

unwisely

To organize or deal with badly or incompetently

Verb
Businesses fail when the owners
their affairs

mismanage

Verb
Your confidence in that man is misplaced
because he's not to be trusted
To use words or actions in an unsuitable situation

Noun
The business
mismanagement

is

insolvent

because

of

Adjective
If you think blindness is funny, you've got a very
misplaced sense of humour

Mismatch
Misrepresent
Putting together unsuitable partners or unequal
contestants, etc

To give an untrue or misleading account or

interpretation of someone's words or actions

Noun
Verb

323

To misreport a speech may be a genuine mistake

but to misrepresent it is a deliberate distortion
Noun
That's a gross misrepresentation of
actually said

what

was

Verb
A lawyer must not misuse clients' money on
himself

Mistrust

Adjective
'Disinterested' is a commonly misused word
because it means 'impartial' or 'unbiased', not
'uninterested'

To be suspicious of, have no confidence in

distrust

Noun
Secretarial work is a misuse of her talents

Verb
I mistrust easy solutions to complex problems

Mitigate

Noun
Mutual mistrust meant that the negotiations were
bound to fail
Adjective
A nervous man is mistrustful of his judgment

Adjective
Consider the mitigating circumstances before
you condemn his actions

Misunderstand
To fail to understand properly
Verb
Don't misunderstand me, i can pay you
He misunderstood the instructions so failed to do
the work properly
Noun
There must be some misunderstanding I didn't
order these
A minor quarrel or disagreement
Noun
We're
friends
misunderstanding

again

after

our

To lessen the pain, seriousness, etc, moderate

Noun
This drug will help to mitigate the pain and make
you feel better

silly

Noun
The judge heard evidence of the wife being
repeatedly battered in mitigation of her killing
her husband
Moan
A low sound of suffering
Noun
Each time she tried to move her broken leg she
let out a moan
Verb
We heard the wounded men moan with pain
A mournful sound

Misuse
To use for the wrong purpose or in the wrong
way

Noun
Just listen to the moaning of the wind in the trees
To grumble or complain

324

Verb
She moans and groans about how poor she is but
spends a fortune on clothes

Someone who checks exam papers, marking, etc,

to maintain standards

Moderate

Noun
The moderator simplified some of the exam
questions

Average, medium, not extreme or excessive

Modest

Adjective
The country has a moderate climate without
extremes of heat or cold
Noun
He considers himself a moderate in politics,
condemning the excesses of right and left
Adjective
How can someone of moderate means live so
luxuriously?
Noun
His motto was moderation in all things win taken
in moderation is a far cry from alcoholism

With a humble opinion of yourself, your

achievements, etc

To make or become less excessive, violent, etc

Adjective
Despite her modest salary, she's always well
dressed

Verb
The protesters would get ore sympathy if they
were to moderate their demands
Kindly moderate your language and stop
swearing
The wind has moderated so now we can play

Adjective
She got the best results in the exam but is too
modest to tell anyone
Noun
After all that boasting, such modesty is a
welcome change
Moderate in size, amount, etc

Not flashily or showily

Adverb
Although rich, they live modestly in an ordinary
house

Fairly, not very, quite

Adverb
Although this is a moderately good result, you
could have done better
The much hyped-up film was only moderately
successful
A person who arbitrates in a dispute, mediator
Noun
If we had brought in an impartial moderator to
chair the meeting, it might not have been so
bitter and futile

Decent, not sexually provocative, especially in

women
Adjective
A modest neckline is more appropriate to the
office than a plunging one
The modest young girl felt uncomfortable
wearing a sexy red dress
The first bikini was considered very immodest
Modicum
A small amount of something

325

Noun
Anyone with event a modicum of intelligence
could have worked out that simple problem

Moist
Damp, slightly wet

Modify
Adjective
The soil is still moist after yesterday's rain
That was a delicious, moist fruitcake

To change, lessen, simplify, etc

Verb
We had to modify our holiday plans when we
realized how much a hotel would cost Unless
you modify your demands, they'll be rejected
outright
He modified the part to fit the car the car needed
modification before use
In grammar, to limit or describe the meaning of
another word
Verb
In 'the playful puppy' the Adjective
modifies the Noun 'puppy'

'playful'

Wipe the moisture off the windscreen

Verb
Moisten the cotton wool by dipping it in water
To make the skin less dry by using certain
cosmetics
Verb
Bath oils moisturize/moisturise the skin leaving
it soft and silky
Noun
Daily use of a moisturizer/moisturizer will help
to keep wrinkles away

Noun
Adjectives and Adverbs are modifiers

Molest

Modulate

To disturb, annoy, torment, etc

To vary the pitch, volume or frequency of

Verb
Do not bother or molest the animals in the park

Verb
Good speakers can modulate their

voices

Adjective
The actor's well modulated tones were suited to
radio drama
Verb
By modulating a very high frequency, sound is
transmitted to your radio set

To attack or accost sexually

Verb
He was found guilty of molesting a young girl
Noun
He is facing charges of child molestation
The angry parents attacked the child molester
Mollify

A change from one musical key to another

To soothe the feelings of, calm down appease
Noun
Listen for the modulation from c major to a
minor

Verb

326

We tried to mollify him after he'd been insulted

She was mollified by the apology and felt better

The police monitor all suspicious calls to the

president

Momentum

Noun
From his listening post, a radio monitor can get a
good idea of the true conditions inside an enemy
country

The ability tat an object has to continue moving

as a result of the speed it already has
Noun
The ball gained momentum as it rolled down the
hill
The ability
developing

that

something

has

to

keep

Noun
The movement for women's rights is gathering
momentum

A pupil with special duties in a school

Noun
The monitor collected the exercise books for the
teacher
Any of various large lizards living in warm
regions of Africa, Asia or Australia
Noun
The monitor looked fearsome and prehistoric but
was really quite harmless

Monitor
Monopoly
An apparatus used to observe, record or test
something

The sole right, control, possession, etc

Noun
The nurse in the intensive care unit kept an eye
on the heart monitor
Turn this knob to make the image on your
computer monitor lighter or darker

Noun
For many years the east India company had the
monopoly of the spice trade
You can't have a complete monopoly of the car-I
need to use it as well

Verb
He had to monitor the experiment at regular
intervals to check its progress
Workers at the nuclear power station plant are
monitored for signs of radioactivity

Verb
The
domineering
woman
monopolized/monopolised the conversation
Don't monopolize/monopolised our guest-we
would also like to talk to her

A television screen in a studio used to check or

select the broadcast picture

A trade name for a board game for two to six

players

Noun
The producer watches the TV monitor and
chooses the picture to be broadcast

Noun
The winner in monopoly is the player who
through luck and skill
controls most of
the properties on
the board

To listen to and report on

Verb

A mocking comparison of worthless currency to

toy money

327

With inflation and an unfavourable exchange

rate, the currency is no better than monopoly
money

Adjective
A tumour is a morbid growth
Mordant

Monster
A formal word for very sarcastic, biting
A large, ugly, frightening creature, usually
imaginary
Noun
It is doubtful whether the loch ness monster
exists
A cruel or evil person
Noun
How could you consider a monster such as Stalin
a hero?
Shocking, ridiculous, unjust
Adjective
The monstrous cruelty of the Nazis was appalling
He told a monstrous lie when he said the nun had
robbed him
Of unusually great size, strange shape or ugliness

Adjective
I wouldn't like to be on the receiving end of his
mordant criticism
Her mordant wit cuts right through to my
innermost being
Moron
An insulting term for a very foolish person
Noun
You were an moron to sign away your rights
Adjective
It was moronic to trust him with your secret
An adult with below-average intelligence
Noun
A moron has the mind of an average child of 812 years

Adjective
A monster wave capsized the ship that ugly
building is an absolute monstrosity

Morose

Morbid

Adjective
He has been very morose since his wife left him

Having or showing an unusual interest in death

or unpleasant events, gruesome
Adjective
He has a morbid interest in brutal murders
Noun
Is it morbidity/morbidness that leads people to go
in crowds to the scene of a major accident?

Bad-temped and unhappy; sullen

Noun
Her moroseness made her unpleasant company
Mortal
Not living for ever, subject to death
Adjective
All people are mortal

A medical term meaning diseased

328

Noun
Her uncle's death reminded her of her own
mortality

Noun
He wouldn't condescend to talk to a mere mortal
like me!

Living for ever, not subject to death

Mortgage
Adjective
Only god is immortal
Causing or ending in death; fatal
Adjective
Are her injuries mortal or will she live?
Adverb
He was mortally wounded in the gunfight
Deadly; irreconcilable
Adjective
They never forgave each other and remained
mortal enemies
The number of deaths in relation to the
population
The infant mortality rate of that country is very
high
Unrepentant of grave sins
Some churches believe that you are damned for
ever if you die in a state of mortal sin

A loan from a bank, etc to buy property; a bond

Noun
We have a huge mortgage to pay off
To offer buildings, etc, as security for money
borrowed
Verb
He wants to mortgage his house to pay his
business debts
Mortify
To cause someone to feel shame, embarrassment
of humiliation
Verb
You will mortify me if you tell anyone my secret
She was mortified by his rebuff
Noun
To my mortification my child had a temper
tantrum in the supermarket
In some religions, to subdue or control physical
desires, etc, by self-denial or discipline

Extreme or intense
Adjective
The kidnap victim was in mortal terror

Verb
Some monks used to mortify their flesh by
whipping themselves

Conceivable; imaginable

Mosaic

Adjective
The car is of no mortal use to me if I can't find
the keys!

A design made up of small pieces of coloured

glass, stone, etc

A human being, often used jokingly

Noun
There is a beautiful mosaic in the old church

329

They laid a mosaic floor in the shower

A piece of ornamental plaster, wood etc

A pattern made up of various items or colour

Noun
The picture was framed with a gilt moulding

Noun
Our garden is a mosaic lf colour in

spring

Noun
The old house has mouldings on the walls

Motley
Mourn
Of various types, often used insultingly
Adjective
A motley collection of goods was on sale
A multicoloured suit formerly worn by a court
jester
To put on/wear the motley means to play the fool
Mould
A shape into which a substance in liquid form is
poured
Noun
Pour the molten gold into the mould
Jelly will take on the form of the mould when it
cools and sets
To make something into a particular shape

To feel or show sadness for a person who has

died
Verb
The family mourn for their dead brother
Noun
Many mourners attended the funeral
Wearing black clothes, etc, and/or behaving in a
special way because someone has died
His black armband showed that he was in
mourning
She is in mourning and does not attend social
functions
Sad or sorrowful

Verb
Children mould plasticine into animals
At the factory. Steel is mould of into rods

Adjective
Can't you play something more cheerful, that
music is awfully mournful?
Adverb
He spoke mournfully of his late father

To influence or direct

To regret

Verb
Public attitudes are moulded by television and
radio

Verb
We all mourn the destruction of that beautiful
statue

To fit tightly or cling to

Muddle

Verb
Surfers' wetsuits mould to their bodies k

To mix up; to put into disorder

Verb

330

Please don't muddle these balls of wool

Noun
His desk is in an untidy muddle

Verb
He put his hand over her mouth to muffle her
screams

Confusing

Indistinct, difficult to hear

Adjective
I find the work very muddling can you do it?
I'm quite muddled about how this machine works

Adjective
We could hear muffled voices from the next
room

He muddled up the directions and got lost

Multifarious
Of many different types
Adjective
Multifarious plant forms are found in the
botanical gardens

Adjective
He's good artist, but quite muddleheaded about
practical things

Mumble

To progress in a haphazard way

To speak indistinctly

They muddle along taking hours to do even a

simple task

Verb
Don't mumble I can't understand you!

To succeed by perseverance rather than skill or

effciency

Noun
The mumble of voices from the next room was
barely audible

They had no experience but they muddled

through

Mumbo jumbo

To fail to distinguish between two people or

things

Language or action intended to mystify or

confuse

I think you are muddling me up with my twin

sister

Noun
The politician spoke a lot of mumbo jumbo but
didn't answer the question

Muffle
To wrap up for warmth
Verb
Muffle yourself in a coat

the initiation ritual was just a lot of mumbo

jumbo
Mundane
Ordinary, unexciting

She was well muffled up before she went outside

To deaden sound

Adjective
She has a mundane dull office job

331

Without complaining
Munificent
He obeyed without a murmur
A formal word for very generous
Muster
Adjective
The jewellery was a munificent gift

An assembly or gathering of people, things, etc

Noun
Thanks to his munificence a bursary fund was
established

Noun
The muster of the troops for inspection will be
at 8 am

Murky/mirky
Dark, gloomy

Verb
We hadn't enough players to muster a full team

Adjective
He couldn't see in the murky/mirky light

To summon or gather

Cloudiness
Noun
The murkiness/mirkiness of the water put her off
swimming

I couldn't muster yup the courage to argue with

him
To be accepted as satisfactory
Your essay will pass muster, although it's not
particularly good

A suspiciously obscure background

Mute
He has a murky/mirky past with criminal
connections
Murmur

Silent; making no sound

A low, continuous, indistinct sound

Adjective
He stared in mute fear at the gunman
The 'b' in comb is mute

Noun
Can you hear the murmur of the sea?

An old-fashioned term for a person who cannot

speak

To whisper

Noun
He cannot answer as he is a mute

Verb
They murmured so as not to wake the baby
To grumble or complain quietly, not openly
Verb
They are murmuring about the waiter's rudeness

Softened or subdued colours, speech, etc

Adjective
The muted blues of the painting are very
soothing
The judges consulted each other in muted tones

332

An object which softens the sounds of a musical

instrument

Noun
The human body has myriad tiny cells

Noun
The trumpeter used a mute when he practised at
home

A large indefinite number

Noun
There are myriads of grains of sand on the beach

Mutielat
Mystic
To deprive of a limb, etc; to maim
Verb
In the thriller the kidnapper threatened to
mutilate his victim by cutting off an ear
Adjective
After the bomb blast, mutilated bodies lay
everywhere
Severe damage
Noun
Mutilation of library books should be punishable
by a fine

A person who seeks a knowledge of god and real

truth by developing his or her spirituality
Noun
A mystic may spend a lot of time praying and
meditating
Adjective
She believes she had a mystic/mystical
experience when she saw a vision
Noun
Mysticism is an experience of or belief in a
reality that surpasses normal
human
understanding

Mutter
Myth
To speak indistinctly
Verb
I can't hear you if you mutter

A traditional sing ideas or beliefs about ancient

times or about natural events

To grumble quietly

Noun
That culture has its own myth about the origins
of life

Verb
The audience muttered when the actor forgot his
words

The study or science of these

Noun
There have been mutterings about the increased
taxes

Noun
The mythology of ancient Greece has tales about
their gods and goddesses
Imaginary

Myriad
Innumerable

Adjective
A dragon is a mythical creature

333

Something that is untrue

Adjective
That pop star has a nonchalant attitude to fame

Noun
Theories of racial or gender superiority are now
regarded as myths
His story of inheriting money is a myth

Adverb
The officer waved nonchalantly at the crowd
Noun
Beneath his apparent nonchalance he is as
nervous and excited as the rest of us

N
Nihilism
The rejection of all religious and moral
principles; a belief that nothing has a real
existence
Noun
We learned about nihilism today

Nonconformist
Not following accepted social rules, behaviour,
etc
Adjective
The hippies led an nonconformist life
Noun
The persecution of nonconformists
widespread in those days
Nonconformity is expected from teens

Nincompoop

was

A stupid or foolish person, idiot

Noun
How did you lose the key, you nincompoop?
Ninny

Referring to any of the protestant churches that

dissent from an established church, usually the
church of England
Adjective
The Baptist church is nonconformist

A foolish person
None
Noun
Don't be such a ninny that dog won't bite you

Not one, not any any of the passengers was/were

hurt

Nitty-gritty
Neither of her two sons and none of her three
daughters can drive
Who finished the milk? There's
none left

The important facts

Noun
Let's stop chatting and get down to
gritty

the

nitty-

Nonchalant
Casually unconcerned or indifferent; uninvolved;
calm

No-one, nobody
The team played extremely well, and none more
so than your boy
In no way, not at all

334

He is none the wiser about our secret

He is notorious for always being late

She was none the worse for her ordeal

Noun
Her crimes earned her considerable notoriety

Not very
Notwithstanding
He was none too pleased to see me
No other person than

A formal word meaning in spite of, despite

Notwithstanding an economic recession, the
business has had a very successful year

None other than the mayor will be the guest

speaker
Despite that, nevertheless, however

Nourish
To provide with food for growth and health

Adverb
This medicine tastes horrible, but you must drink
it nonetheless

Verb
The birds nourish their young with seeds or
worms

Nonpareil
Without an equal or rival
Adjective
Her cooking is nonpareil unsurpassed even in the
best restaurants in town

Adjective
Fruit and vegetables are very nourishing
That skeletal child is badly undernourished
Verb
Milk is the best nourishment for babies

Nostalgia
A sentimental longing for past circumstances,
events, etc
Noun
These early photographs give me a feeling of
nostalgia for my childhood
Adjective
She knew some or the old songs they were
playing, nostalgic reminders of her youth
Adverb
We sat talking nostalgically of the good old days

To encourage or foster feelings, beliefs, hopes,

etc
Verb
She had nourished dreams of escape
Nouveaux riches
From French, meaning 'new rich'; people who
have recently become wealthy, especially when
displaying it or lacking social graces

Notorious

Noun
His vulgarly flashy car suggests he's one of the
nouveaux riches

Well-something bad

Novice

Adjective

335

A person who is new or inexperienced at

something, beginner
Noun
She's still a novice as far as film acting is
concerned
Adjective
He's a novice salesman, he only started last week
A monk or nun who has not yet taken the final
vows
Noun
A novice has a lot of training before making the
final commitment
the state of being a novice; the period for which
this lasts
Noun
A nun serves a long novitiate/noviciate

Verb
As I drove out, I just nudged the gatepost
A slang expression used to hint at something
sexual or improper
Nudge-nudge, wink-wink, know what I mean?
Nuisance
Something or someone that is annoying
Noun
That nagging child is a nuisance
Depending on others for transport is a nuisance
The usefulness of an ability to annoy or cause
difficulties
They kept their small baking dog for its nuisance
value to warn them of the presence of strangers
Numb

Noxious
Unable feel or move
Harmful or poisonous
Adjective
Firefighters wear masks to protect them from
noxious fumes and gases

Adjective
My fingers are numb from touching the ice
Verb
The dentist numbed her mouth with an injection

Nudge
To push or poke someone gently, especially with
the elbow, to draw his or her attention
Verb
Nudge her to get her attention
Noun
She gave him a nudge when the boss walked in

Noun
The numbness should wear off after a few hours
Adverb
The winter was numbingly cold
To make someone emotionally incapable of
thinking or acting

Verb
The dog nudged me with his nose

Verb
She was completely numbed by the shock of her
son's death

To push slowly or lightly

Adjective

336

She came numb with terror when she saw the

gun

Slang for a young girl who is sexually precocious

and desirable

Nurture
To encourage the growth and development of

Noun
That pretty girl is a real nymphet!

Verb
You must nurture these plants as they are delicate

Excessive and uncontrollable sexual desire in a

woman

That child has been well nurtured by his parents

Noun
Nymphomania can be treated by a psychologist

Noun
The nurture of a new talent has to be sensitively
done
Verb
He nurtured a desire for revenge

A woman experiencing such desire

Noun
She had a reputation as a nymphomaniac
She's a real nympho the way she carries on
A young insect that resembles the adult

Nozzle
To push gently with the nose

Noun
A young dragonfly is called a nymph because it
develops without a pupal stage

Verb
Horses sometimes nuzzle people to get titbits
from them

To nestle or lie close to

Oasis

Verb
The kittens nuzzled up against each other

A fertile spot in a desert where water is found

Nymph

Noun
The camel caravan sheltered under the palm trees
at the oasis

A minor goddess in Greek and roman mythology

Any place of tranquil-lity; a refuge or haven
Noun
A nymph was a spirit of nature who lived in
rivers, trees, hills and other natural habits

Noun
The library was an oasis of calm away from the
city bustle

A poetic term for a beautiful young woman

Obdurate
Noun
The poet wrote about the woman of his dreams
as a nymph

Hardhearted, stubborn, unyielding

337

Adjective
The obdurate old man refused his impoverished
son's request for financial help

The engraving on the plaque was obliterated by a

thick growth of ivy
To destroy completely

Noun
No amount of persuasion could change her
obduracy/obdurateness

Verb
The village was obliterated in the war

Obese
Abnormally fat, grossly overweight

Oblivious
Unaware, unmindful; lacking memory

Adjective
He is so obese tat he can no longer
the steering wheel of his car

Adjective
She stared dreamily ahead,
people around her

get behind

Noun
Obesity/obeseness is recognized as a health
hazard
Obfuscate
To make something confusing or difficult to
understand, sometimes deliberately
Verb
By using medical jargon, a doctor can obfuscate
the diagnosis of a particular illness

oblivious

of

the

Adjective
The climbers were oblivious to the `danger of
avalanches
`
He seemed oblivious of his previous misdeeds
when questioned by the police
The state of being forgotten or ignored
Noun
The once-famous film star has sunk into oblivion
so we don't know whether she's dead or alive
Unconsciousness, mental blankness

To cloud or darken
Verb
The fog obfuscated the shore

Noun
After his wife's death, he drank himself into
oblivion

Obliterate

Obnoxious

To remove all signs of; blot out

Very unpleasant, offensive, repugnant

Verb
The murderer tried to obliterate all traces of the
crime
She managed to obliterate the memory of her
jilted boyfriend

Adjective
That obnoxious man is drunk again
Her obnoxious behaviour often lands her in
trouble
Obsequious

To obscure
Verb

A formal word meaning cringing, fawning or

servile

338

Adjective
He is obsequious to the boss in the hope that he
will receive special treatment

Manual typewriters are becoming obsolescent

owing to the greater use of word processors
and computers
Obstinate

Obsession
A persistent idea, etc, that dominates a person's
thoughts, behaviour, etc

Stubborn, self-willed; refusing to change an

opinion or course of action

Noun
She has an obsession about dieting and has now
become anorexic

Adjective
The old man has an obstinate streak
never change his mind

Verb
He is obsessed with the fear of growing old

Noun
She knows it's unsafe to leave the door unlocked,
but she continues to do so out of sheer obstinacy

Adverb
The neurotic is obsessively concerned about
cleanliness and is always washing his hands
To be preoccupied with/by
Verb
Mary is obsessed by a much older man

and

will

Persistent, not easily overcome or cured

Adjective
This obstinate headache refuses to clear up
Obtrude
A formal word meaning to force yourself on
others, especially when not wanted or invited

Adjective
She's obsessive about punctuality
Obsolete

Verb
I'm sorry to obtrude on your private
conversation, but something urgent has just come
up

No longer in use; out of date, dated

Adjective
Feet and inches are obsolete as units of
measurement in Europe
The state of becoming outdated or useless
Noun
Products with built-in obsolescence
are
deliberately designed not to last long, so that
consumers are encouraged to buy again

Noun
Gate- crashers are an obtrusion at a private party
Undesirably noticeable; prominent
Adjective
wear a less obtrusive tie for your interview
The loud music I tat bar is too obtrusive for a
quiet chat
Ocult

Adjective

339

Supernatural, mystical, paranormal

A long, adventurous journey, from homer's epic

poem of Odysseus' homeward journey from troy

Adjective
Witchcraft is one of the ocult arts
The manifestation of a ghost would be an occult
phenomenon
A spiritualist dabbles in the occult

Noun
Her travels around the country on a donkey were
quite an odyssey
He is on a spiritual odyssey studying all the
great religions

Secret or obscure

Offshoot

Adjective
Occult practices are used by some
societies and sects

A shoot growing from a main stem

secret
Noun
I pruned the pant by removing an offshoot

Odour
A formal word for a smell, either pleasant or
unpleasant
Noun
The fragrant odour of her perfume wafted across
the room
Sometimes there's a rather nasty odour from the
abattoir

Anything of lesser importance growing out of or

starting from something else
Noun
The factory opened a retail offshoot in order to
sell its surplus goods direct t the public
Omnibus
A former word for a bus

Without a smell
Adjective
Oxygen is an odourless and colourless gas

Noun
My grandmother remembers her first trip on an
omnibus

A quality that pervades something or someone,

an air

Relating to a book of several works by one

author or on one subject

Noun
He's charming, but he has an odour of dishonesty
about him

Adjective
An omnibus edition is usually very large
Dealing with a number of items

To be well/badly thought of
He's in good/bad odour with the

boss

Adjective
Five departments joined to form a new, omnibus
department

Odyssey
Omnipotence
Unlimited or very great power

340

I enjoy eating oozy cream doughnuts

Noun
Christians believe in the omnipotence of god
Adjective
Nobody dared oppose the omnipotent dictator
Omniscience

Verb
The salesman oozes charm
Liquid mud, slime
Noun
Their feet sank into the ooze on the riverbed

The state of knowing everything

Open secret
Noun
Most religions believe in the omniscience of a
god
Adjective
Not even the wisest person is omniscient

Something that is supposed to be a secret but is

widely known
His retirement has not been
an open secret

announced but it's

Opprobrium
Onerous
A formal word for public shame or disgrace
Troublesome; requiring effort
Adjective
Painting the house is an onerous task

Noun
His dishonesty brought opprobrium to his family
A formal word expressing scorn or reproach

Noun
The onerous ness of the job put her off doing it
Ooze

Adjective
The teacher rebuked the pupil in opprobrious
language

To flow or leak slowly

Opulence

Verb
Blood will ooze from that cut
Toothpaste oozes out of the tube if you press it
Her confidence oozed away after she lost three
games in succession

Luxurious or showy wealth

To emit or overflow with something

Verb
The scone oozes with butter and jam
Adjective

Noun
Sightseers gawked at the opulence of the palace
Adjective
The room was furnished in opulent style with
brocade curtains and Persian carpets
More than enough, abundant
Adjective
There is opulent vegetation in the jungle

341

Oscillate
To move or swing between two points regularly
Verb
The pendulum will oscillate if the clock is wound

Children often ostracize/ostracise those who tell

tales by ignoring them
Noun
The scandal led to his ostracism by the
community
Outbreak

Noun
The oscillation of the swing was too fast for the
small child
To change your mood, ideas, etc

A sudden occurrence of something bad

Verb
She tends to oscillate between being hopeful and
depressed

Noun
The doctors dealt with an outbreak of typhoid
At the outbreak of war, refugees poured into our
country

Ostensible

Outburst

Claimed or pretended, especially in a false way

An explosion or eruption

Adjective
The ostensible purpose of the excursion was to
go sightseeing, but really they were looking for a
spy

Noun
There was an outburst of steam from the engine

Adverb
Ostensibly he's working late, but in fact he's gone
out for a drink

Noun
In an outburst of fury, the crowd attacked the
police station

Ostentation

Outcast

The gaudy or vulgar display of wealth, etc

A person rejected by a group of people

Noun
Buying a luxury car was sheer ostentation

Noun
Since the scandal, he has been treated as an
outcast

A sudden violent expression of strong emotion

Adjective
Her ostentatious dress caught my attention

Outclass

Ostracize/ostracise

To be or do very much better than

A formal word meaning to exclude someone

from a group

Verb
He is bound to outclass the other competitors
The novice was quite outclassed by the champion

Verb

342

Outcome

Outpouring

A result or effect

A passionate or uncontrolled expression of

feelings

Noun
What was the outcome of the meeting?
Outcry
Widespread or strong public protest
Noun
There was an outcry over the sharp increase in
taxes

Noun
There was an outpouring of grief on the sudden
death of the president
The long incoherent letters were the outpourings
of a madman
Outshine
To have a brighter light than

Outdated

Verb
The sun and moon outshine the stars

Old-fashioned, outmoded

To be much better than

Adjective
All the outdated machines should be scrapped

Verb
The child prodigy outshone the other competitors

His ideas on education are rather out of date now

Outstanding

Adjective
This is rather an out-of -date concept

Excellent, exceptionally good

Outdo

Adjective
Congratulations on your outstanding results

To perform better than, surpass

Noticeable, conspicuous, striking

Verb
The hard-working girl will outdo the boys
He was determined not to be outdone by his
sister
The athlete outdid himself when he won a gold
medal

Adjective
St Paul's cathedral is the outstanding landmark or
London

Outlandish
Strange, freakish, bizarre
Adjective
Older people often think teenage tastes in music
are outlandish

Not yet done, paid or resolved

Adjective
As the deadline approaches we see how much
work is still outstanding
His account has been outstanding for months so
he must pay u[p at once
Outweigh
To be heavier than

343

Verb
The local boxer will outweigh his opponent by 5
kg

To catch up with and overtake

Verb
The cyclist was unable to overhaul

the car

To be more important than

Overlap
Verb
In divorce cases, the welfare of the children
should outweigh all other considerations
Outwit
To get the better of by being cleverer or more
cunning than, outfox, outsmart
Verb
The prisoner managed to outwit his guard
escape

and

To extend beyond the edge of something and

partly cover it
Verb
The tiles of the roof overlay to keep out the rain
Noun
The overlap of the roofing sheets prevents
leaking
to coincide partially

Overestimate
To think that something is better, bigger, higher,
etc than it really is

Verb
Because the courses overlapped students could
not do both but has to chose one

Verb
Doting parents often overestimate their children's
ability

Noun
There will be a period of overlay between the
new secretary arriving and the old one going

Noun
Because of an overestimate of the crowds
expected, the huge venue was half-empty

Oversimplify
To state or ex[plain something so simply that the
truth is distorted

Overhaul
To examine thoroughly and make any necessary
repairs or changes
Verb
It will cost a lot to overhaul this old engine

Noun
This analysis is an oversimplification of a very
complex situation

Noun
The mechanic gave my car a complete overhaul
Verb
The school syllabus has to be overhauled
equip pupils for the 21 st century

Verb
If you oversimplify the problem, people expect
an instant solution

to

Overweening
Showing too much self- confidence or conceit,
excessive

344

Adjective
Macbeth's weakness was his overweening
ambition her overweening vanity and pride were
her downfall
Overwhelm
To overpower or overcome
Verb
The invasion is likely to overwhelm our troops
Adjective
He won the election by an overwhelming
majority
Giving in to her overwhelming grief, the widow
sobbed uncontrollably
Verb
The victorious team were overwhelmed by the
enthusiastic welcome

A formal word meaning peaceful, peace-loving

or free from conflict
Adjective
People living in countries torn by civil war look
enviously at their more pacific neighbours
The pacific ocean was given that name by
Magellan because it was relatively free from
storms during his circumnavigation of the world
The belief that war is morally wrong and that
disputes should be settled by peaceful means
Noun
Gandhi advocated pacifism in his resistance
campaign The pacifist fight to fight in the war
and instead served in the medical crops s a
noncombatant
Palpable

To be covered or submerged suddenly

Able to be seen or felt; obvious

Verb
The low-lying coastal areas were overwhelmed
by the flood

Adjective
There was a palpable swelling where she had
bumped her knee
That flimsy excuse was a palpable lie
Paltry

P
Very small, trivial, unimportant, worthless
Pacify
To soothe, calm down or restore peace
Verb
She tried to pacify the crying baby by putting a
dummy in his mouth
He forgot his wife's birthday, so he had to buy
her an expensive present to pacify her
Noun
In America, baby's dummy is called a pacifier
The pacification of the rebellious colony was
achieved after years of fighting

Adjective
It's not worth making a fuss about such a paltry
sum of money
He should be ashamed of making such a paltry
excuse for not coming to her party
Pamper
To treat with affectionate and usually excessive
indulgence, coddle
Verb
The do thing parents pamper that spoilt brat

345

Staff at a luxury hotel pamper the guests in order

to make their stay enjoyable
Panacea

People panicked when the earthquake started

Adjective
The horse is inclined to be panicky in traffic
Panic-stricken people ran into the streets

A cure for all diseases or problems

Noun
In Victorian times quacks would advertise a
bottle of medicine as being a panacea for all
ailments
Theres no single panacea for the countrys
economic
Pandemonium

The rumours of shortages led to panic buying

which emptied the supermarket shelves
When she heard strange noises she pressed the
panic button to summon armed guards
A state of panic or alarm
After the bomb threat, it was panic
the store

stations

in

Wild confusion or disorder, chaos, uproar

Panorama
Adjective
The fire caused pandemonium in the crowded
cinema

An extensive unbroken view in all directions

Pander

Noun
We stood on the top of the mountain admiring
the vast panorama of mountains and ocean

To gratify or indulge weaknesses or desires

Verb
By giving such gory details, newspapers pander
to people's interest in crime and violence
Noun
A pander is a pimp who procures sexual partners
for another person
Panic
A sudden, overwhelming feeling of terror or
anxiety, especially when it affects many people

Adjective
From the plane we had a panoramic view of
Niagara falls
A view of a constantly changing scene or series
of events
Noun
The book presents a panorama of African history
since the early hominids
Paradigm
A pattern, model or example

Noun
The explosion caused panic in the crowd
There was panic on the stock exchange as share
prices tumbled
Verb
Please stay calm and don't panic

Noun
This report is a paradigm for others to copy
A grammatical term for a set of all the different
forms of a word, especially when used as a

346

model for other words of the same type

Parlance
Noun
The paradigm of the 'write' is
'write,
writes' wrote, writing, written ' paradigms in a
highly inflected language like Latin serve as
models for word forms as in declensions
or
conjugations
Paramount
Supreme, of the highest importance or rank
Adjective
In a divorce, the children's welfare is of
paramount importance
Minor chiefs accepted the
authority of the
paramount chief

A formal word meaning a particular manner of

speaking or use of words
Noun
When talking to their patients, doctors have t
translate medical jargon into common parlance
Parole
The early release of a prisoner on condition that
he behaves well
Noun
The prisoner was sentenced to fifteen uears but
was given parole after five

Paranoia
A mental disorder characterized by delusions,
especially of grandeur or persecution

Adjective
The parole board will decide whether to parole
him

Noun
In his paranoia the dictator covered his country
with huge monuments to himself
He was a dangerous paranoid convinced that he
was surrounded by secret enemies

Verb
She was released on parole and had to report to a
police station regularly

Referring to an abnormal tendency to suspect and

mistrust other people, especially when
unfounded

Having a preference or something or someone

Adjective
you're getting paranoid/paranoiac/paranoic about
what other people think of you
Paraphernalia
An assortment of articles or equipment
Noun
Babies need so much paraphernalia for even a
short visit
The girls gathered together their hockey sticks,
school bags and other paraphernalia

Partial

Adjective
She's very partial to icecream
Showing too much favour to one side, person,
etc; biased
Adjective
The judges were accused of being partial towards
certain contestants
Noun
He refereed the match without partiality
To a limited degree

347

Adverb
He is partially blind, but can distinguish
between light and darkness
Participate

The form of a Verb used when the action of the

Verb is done to the subject, not by the subject
In the sentence 'the food was eaten' the Verb is in
the
passive/the passive voice

To take part in an activity or event

Pathetic
Verb
You should participate in some type of sport
Noun
His participation in the match is doubtful
Every participant passed the test
Passive
Not acting or participating in

Causing feelings of pity or sorrow

Adjective
The starving animals were a pathetic sight
Adverb
She cried pathetically at the funeral
The quality, especially in literature or speech,
that arouses these feelings

Adjective
Take part in sport instead of being a passive
spectator

Noun
The pathos of the story affected her deeply

The acceptance of power; submission

Inadequate or hopeless

Noun
She reacted with passiveness/passivity instead of
doing something about the situation

Adjective
His excuse for being drunk was pathetic!
You're pathetic can't you do anything by
yourself?

Showing little interest

Peculiar
Adjective
The passive audience didn't respond well to the
fiery speech
Nonviolent resistance to a government, laws, etc
Refusing to fight in the army is a forma of
passive resistance
A nonsmoker who breathes the fumes of others'
cigarettes
The heal the of a passive smoker can be affected
by the unintentional breathing in of tobacco
smoke

Unusual, strange or odd

Adjective
Older people often think that teenagers
have
very peculiar tastes in clothes and music
That peculiar man gives me the creeps
I'm feeling most peculiar I think I'll go and lie
down
Noun
The peculiarity of the symptoms puzzled the
doctors
Adverb

348

He behaved so peculiarly that we became

suspicious
Special, particular
Adjective
This programme is of peculiar interest to parents
We each have our own peculiar way of doing
things
Pecuniary
A formal word meaning of or relating to money
Adjective
The miserable amount on this cheque is
inadequate pecuniary reward for the work I did
He asked for a loan to help him over his
pecuniary difficulties
Pedagogue
An old-fashioned or formal word for a teacher or
educator; a pedantic or strict teacher
Noun
The students thought their teacher was a boring
old pedagogue

He is pedantic about leaving work

on

time

Noun
What students consider pedantry a teacher
regards as setting standards of accuracy and
precision
Someone who loves to display his or her
knowledge
Noun
That pedant loves to find some minor error to
correct
Peep
To look hurriedly or furtively, peek
Verb
Do not peep under the blindfold while playing
blind man's buff
Noun
Out of curiosity I tried to take a peep at what she
was writing to her boyfriend
Look through the peephole of the front door and
see who's there
To begin to appear; to be only partly visible

The study of the principles, practice or

profession of teaching
Adjective
We studied pedagogy at the college of education

Verb
After the rains, green shoots began to peep up
through the ground
The first rays of the sun peeped over the horizon

Pedant

The first light of day, dawn

A person who attaches too much importance to

small details or traditional rules, especially in
connection with academic subjects

We got up at peep of day to get every thing ready

in time

Noun
I overheard some pedant at the exhibition
muttering something about 'only canvas would
be used by real artists'
Adjective

A man who furtively watches women undressing,

voyeur
Noun
We caught a peeping tom lurking at our bedroom
windows

349

A small exhibition of pictures, etc, viewed

through a lens or hole set into a box, etc
Noun
A modern-day peepshow typically consists of a
booth from which a viewer can see a live nude
model for a fee
Peep
To make a short, weak, high sound
Verb
The fledglings began to peep calling for food
Noun
Listen to the peep of baby chickens
An imitation of the sound of a car's horn or
hooter

A person who is equal to another in merit, rank,

age, etc; a colleague
Noun
When she retires, will we ever find her peer?
He is highly respected by his peers
Children learn to mix their peers at school
Teenagers are strongly influenced by their peer
group
It can be hare for teens to resist peer pressure to
use drugs
Without equal superior to all others
Adjective
Greek sculpture has a peerless beauty
The Egyptian queen nefertiti's beauty is still
without peer
A nobleman or member of the aristocracy

My child is playing with her toy cars, judging

form the peep 'peep' coming from the next
room

Noun
A British peer is a baron, viscount,
marquis or duke

earl,

A sound
Peeve
Noun
We haven't heard a peep from the neighbours so
we think they're away
We expected loud protests about tax increases,
but not a peep
Peer
To look carefully; to stare intently
Verb
She had to peer hard at him before she
recognized him
He peered into the gloom trying to make out
the indistinct shapes
Peer

Something that irritates or annoys; a grievance

Noun
My pet peeve is loud music in cinemas and shops
Verb
It peeves me that she didn't thank me for her
present
He was peeved that he hadn't been invited to
the party
Irritable, fretful, easily upset
Adjective
Mother was at her wits' end trying to humour the
peevish child

350

Noun
The old woman's peevishness made her a
difficult guest

The scientific study of crime, its punishment and

prison management

Pejorative
Insulting or unpleasant

Noun
Modern penology stresses the rehabilitation of
prisoners and not merely punishment

Adjective
'Bitch' is a pejorative word when applied to a
woman

Very severe

Pell-mell

Adjective
By this penal taxation the state sill take 70% of
our earnings

Headlong, in a great hurry

To handicap or put at a disadvantage
Adverb
As school broke up, the pupils ran pell-mell
down the corridor

Verb
For
too
long
women
have
been
penalized/penalised by being denied promotion

In a disorderly or confused manner

Adverb
The untidy boy threw his clothes pell-mell into
the cupboard
Penal
Relating to punishment for breaking a law or rule
Adjective
Armed robbery is a penal offence for which
offenders are imprisoned
Australia was formerly used as a penal colony
The discriminatory law is no longer part of our
penal code
Noun
Most civilized countries have abolished the death
penalty and no longer execute criminals
he paid the penalty for his laziness when he
failed his exams
Verb
It's unfair to penalize/penalise the whole class
because one pupil misbehaves

Noun
The penalty of fame is that you no longer lead a
normal life
A disadvantage imposed on a player or team for a
breach of the rules
Because the rugby player was offside, the referee
allowed the other team a penalty/penalty kick
The only goal scored in the match was
the
penalty/penalty goal scored by a penalty kick
Verb
When the footballer was penalized/penalised for
a foul, a free kick was awarded to the opposing
side
The rectangular area or box in soccer in front of
the goal
If a foul is committed by a defending player in
the penalty area/penalty box, a free kick may be
awarded against his team

351

In many contracts there is a penalty clause

should the work not be completed in the agreed
time
Under threat of
You are warned under/on penalty of death not to
smuggle drugs
Penance
Voluntary self-punishment to show you are sorry
for doing wrong
Noun
As an act of penance he gave himself up to the
police and admitted he had stolen the money
In the roman catholic and orthodox churches, a
sacrament that includes confession, absolution
and an act of penitence, usually prayer, fasting,
etc, imposed by the priest
Noun
The priest made her do penance for her sins
Pendant

To force a way into or through, enter q

Verb
If a rusty nail should penetrate the skin, go and
have a tetanus injection
The intruder managed to penetrate into the
president's office sound cannot penetrate these
thick walls
The terrorist organization was soon penetrated
by intelligence agents
Noun
The penetration of the defences meant that
resistance soon collapsed
Our successful penetration of the Asian market
has boosted export earnings
Adjective
The thinly guarded frontier was easily penetrable
by illegal immigrants
Noun
The penetrability of the defence is the team's big
weakness the dense jungle was impenetrable
without an axe
Adjective
A penetrating icy wind chilled us to the bone

A hanging ornament or jewel

Piercing, loud and carrying
Noun
A diamond pendant hung on a chain round her
neck

Adjective
A penetrating shriek shattered the silence

A light fitting or ornament hanging from the

ceiling

The insertion of the penis into the vagina during

sexual intercourse

Noun
I replaced the broken pendants on the chandelier

Noun
Normally, penetration must occur for a woman to
become pregnant

Hanging dangling overhanging

To see through
Adjective
Pendent stalactites grew from the cave roof
Penetrate

Verb
Her eyes could not penetrate the fog to see the
car ahead

352

He was confident that no-one would penetrate his

disguise
To see into; to understand or grasp fully
Verb
No-one can fully penetrate another's mind
They were in such a state of shock that the news
just didn't penetrate
Even the broadest hints don't penetrate that thick
skull
Able to think and understand quickly and deeply;
having insight
Adjective
That brilliant scholar has a penetrating mind
The guilty child squirmed under his mother's
long penetrating look

Adjective
They became increasingly pensive as the time of
parting drew near
Noun
The pensiveness of his expression showed that
his thoughts were far away
Penury
A formal word meaning absolute poverty
Noun
The destitute refugees live in penury
Adjective
The poor leas a life o penurious misery

Penitent
Feeling sorry or remorseful of or doing wrong,
repentant

Noun
The penuriousness of a vagrant's life often leads
to early death

Adjective
The penitent sinner made a full confession

Mean with money, stingy

Noun
He showed penitence for his wrongdoing
A penitent person, especially someone who is
doing penance
Noun
The penitent was praying and fasting as an act of
penance
A prison, especially in the USA
Noun
The rapist was sent to the state penitentiary
penitentiary is often shortened to pen
Pensive
Deeply or sadly thoughtful

Adjective
That penurious miser won't spend on any
comforts
Perceive
To become aware of something by using your
senses, notice, observe
Verb
Did you perceive any change in her condition?
Noun
You're so unobservant that you must improve
your powers of perception
To come to understand, grasp
Verb
He was quick to perceive how he could benefit
from the war

353

Noun
With her insight, she shows a keen perception of
the matter
To interpret something in a certain way, view
Verb
I perceived her comment as a threat
Adjective
His behaviour was perceivable as deliberately
insulting
Quick to observe and understand
Adjective
Without being told, the perceptive child realized
that her parents were unhappy
Only a perceptive mind like his could grasp the
subtle irony
Noun
The perceptiveness of his comments helped to
clarify the position

Adjective
Aloes are perennial plants
Noun
These hardy perennials can tolerate the frost
Perfidious
A formal word for disloyal, treacherous or
deceitful
Adjective
The castle was captured when perfidious guards
were bribed to open the gates to the enemy
Noun
The president was betrayed by the
perfidy/perfidiousness of a traitorous friend
Perforate
To make a small hole or series of small holes in
or through
Verb
A peptic ulcer can perforate the stomach wall

Great enough to be noticed or observed

Adjective
There has been a perceptible improvement in his
work
The movement of the sun is imperceptible

Adjective
A perforated eardrum is usually caused by an
infection of the middle ear
Noun
Separate the stamps by tearing along the
perforation

Adverb
After rain, the land is perceptibly greener

Peril

Perennial

Great danger, hazard

Lasting for a long time; constant

Noun
The lone yachtsman was in great peril drifting
with a broken mast in heavy seas
Explores face unknown perils

Adjective
Taxes are a perennial source of complaint
Teenage rebelliousness is a perennial problem for
parents
Of plants, living for more than two years

Adjective
Many climbers have died on the perilous ascent
to the summit of the mountain

354

Adverb
They were standing perilously close to the edge
of the cliff
Noun
The perilousness of motor racing does not stop
drivers from risking their lives
Verb
Lighting a barbecue fire in such a strong wind
will imperil us all

Adjective
She's a perishing nuisance keeping us waiting
like this
May it never happen
The neighbour's son wants to learn
drums, perish the thought!

You go parachuting at your own peril

We were in peril of our lives when
out on the plane

Old-fashioned slang used to express annoyance;

damned

a fire broke

to play the

Perjure

Perish

To lie or make a statement under oath in a court

of law

To be destroyed or die, especially in an untimely

way

Verb
The witness was bribed to perjure himself

Verb
If the lambs are not brought into shelter, they'll
perish in this freezing cold
Thousands of people perished in the earthquake

Noun
He tried to persuade me to commit perjury in
court perjury is a criminal offence and the
perjurer is liable to a prison sentence

To decay; to lose its natural qualities

Permeate

Verb
Exposed canvas will eventually perish and rot
away
The machine leaks because the rubber seal has
perished

To pass through and spread to every part

Adjective
A cream cake is made is made of perishable
ingredients
Noun
Meat and other perishables are stored in a
refrigerator
Slang for bitterly cold
Adjective
It's perishing outside in that icy wind

Verb
The rain began to permeate the tent and made
everything wet
The smell of burnt toast permeated the house
A mood of defeat permeated the whole army
Adjective
Coarse gravel is more permeable than clay
The hiking boots were supposed to
impermeable but they leaked

be

Noun
The permeability of cheap canvas makes it
unsuitable for tents
Noun

355

Stalagmites and stalactites are formed by the

permeation of water through porous limestone

The grateful nation gave the palace in perpetuity

to the victorious general and his descendants

Pernicious

To continue

A formal word meaning harmful, injurious or

destructive

Verb
He wanted a son to perpetuat his name

Adjective
Addicts refuse to admit that smoking is a
pernicious habit
Drug dealers have a pernicious influence on
society

Noun
The history taught in school is often the
perpetuation of the my he and prejudices of the
past

Perpetrate
To commit a crime or be responsible for a foolish
or outrageous action
Verb
The gang planned to perpetrate a daring robbery
Verb
No-one knew who the perpetration of the silly
prank was
Which architect is responsible for the
perpetration of this hideous huilding?

The movement of an imagined machine going

nonstop with you an outside source of power or
energy
Perpetual motion is impossible in practice
because of friction
Very frequent, continual
Adjective
People living near the main road hear the
perpetual noise of traffic
Adjevtive
His wife's perpetual nagging was
he could bear

more

than

Perpetual
Permanent, unceasing or everlasting

Adverb
Despite reprimands he is perpetually late for
work

Adjective
There is perpetual snow on the top of mount
Everest

Perplex
To bewilder, puzzle or confuse

Adverb
In the right conditions, an African violet will
flower perpetually throughout the year
A perpetual calendar can be adjusted to show
any combination of day, month and year

Verb
The absence of clues will perplex the police
Adjective
From his perplexed look it was clear that he
didn't understand

For ever, permanently

356

Verb
We are perplexed by her strange behaviour
Adjective
Parents often find teenage attitudes and
behaviour very perplexing
Noun
At first the changes in the rules caused treat
perplexity
A state of being complicate or difficult
Noun
We were given a problem of such perplexity that
it was impossible to solve
Persecute
To ill-treat or oppress, especially because of
religious or political beliefs
Verb
The government in poser at the time began to
persecute religious minorities
The Jews were mercilessly persecute in tsarist
Russia and Nazi Germany
Noun
The Huguenots fled from religious persecution
in catholic France
Saul was a persecutor of the early Christians
until he was converted, taking the name of Paul

As his paranoia got worse, his suspicions of his

family and colleagues developed into a
persecution complex
Persevere
To continue to make a determined effort despite
difficulties; to persist
Verb
If you persevere you will eventually succeed
Noun
Her perseverance was rewarded with success
Adjective
A few persevering climbers finally reached the
summit
Persist
Why will children persist in doing what they've
been forbidden to do?
Verb
Men still persist in the belief that they are
superior to women
Despite opposition, the government persisted
with its reforms
Noun
Her persistence paid off when she eventually got
what she wanted

to harass, worry or annoy persistently

Verb
Many children are persecuted school bullies

Adjective
The persistent salesman wouldn't stop talking
To continue to exist

Adjective
The small shopkeeper feels persecuted with all
these taxes, rules and regulations
a psychiatric condition with an irrational fear of
plots against you

Verb
English pronunciations which have died out in
Britain persist in the USA
Adjective
She has a persistent cold which she can't shake
off

357

Noun
The persistence of the drought threatens this
year's harvest

Persuade
To try to influence another's thoughts or actions;
to urge or coax

Repeated, very frequent

Adjective
Through persistent nagging she eventually got
her own way
Adverb
He persistently denies involvement in the affair
Perspicacious
A formal word for having clear or sharp
understanding or judgment
Adjective
You can't fool our perspicacious teacher

Verb
Can't you persuade your sister to change her
mind and come to the party?
He persuaded his father to lend him money
Noun
After much persuasion he signed the lease
Children don't much persuasion to go to the
beach
Capable of being persuaded
Adjective
She is not easily persuadable/persuadible
To he ability to persuade or convince

Noun
Perspicacity/perspicaciousness is a necessary
attribute for a psychiatrist
A formal, word for the act of clearly expressing
your thoughts

Noun
Her persuasiveness won me over to her way of
thinking

Noun
That writer's perspicuousness/perspicuity enabled
me to grasp his meaning

Adjective
The salesman put forward a very persuasive case
so we bought the TV despite its high price
Adverb
He argued very persuasively

Perspire

To cause to believe that something is true

To secrete moisture through the pores of the skin,

to sweat

Verb
The magistrate was not persuaded that the
accused was sincerely remorseful

Verb
Jogging makes you perspire the players were
perspiring profusely as they played tennis in the
sun
Noun
He kept mopping his brow as the persiration ran
down his forehead

A set of beliefs, especially religious or political

Noun
He is of the Jewish persuasion
The school is open to pupils of all persuasions
Pertinacious

358

A formal word for holding strongly to an idea or

course of action; stubbornly determined

A formal word meaning to read in a leisurely

way, browse

Adjective
Despite pressure from his colleagues, the boss
remained pertinacious in his decision to sack the
troublemaker

Verb
While waiting for the doctor, she perused a
magazine
Pervade

Noun
His pertinacity does not allow him to change his
views or move with the times
Perturb
To cause worry; to disturb greatly
Verb
Don't bother her now as the problem will only
perturb her
Some people are easily perturbed change
Adjective
There are perturbing rumours about job cuts
Anxiety
Noun
His perturbation at hearing the news was evident
Peruse
A formal word meaning to read or examine with
care; to study

To spread throughout, permeate

Verb
Baking smells from the kitchen pervade the rest
of the house and make us all feel hungry
Adjective
Pervasive weeds have taken over the garden
Noun
The pervasiveness of her pessimistic mood
gradually made all the staff feel unhappy
Perverse
Deliberately doing what is wrong, unacceptable
or unreasonable
Adjective
He is so perverse that just to spite us he will
arrive late even though we particularly asked him
to be punctual
She gets a perverse sense of pleasure out of
shocking me
Wrongfully self-willed or stubborn

Verb
People would be well advised to peruse any
document thoroughly before signing it
The students eagerly perused the notice board for
mention of their names
Noun
A perusal of the ancient documents revealed
many details which a careless reader might not
notice

Adjective
That perverse of man takes advice from no-one
The changing of something so that it is no longer
what it should be; a distortion
Noun
The witness's statement proved to be a perversion
of the truth
Verb

359

By lying, he was accused of perverting the

course of justice

The children were petrified with fear and didn't

move

To cause to turn away from what is right or

natural; to corrupt

To be scared, very frightened

Verb
They feel that pornography can pervert the mind

Verb
The kids are petrified of the new headmaster
Pettifogging

An abnormal method of obtaining sexual

satisfaction
Noun
If a human has sex with an animal, it is regarded
as perversion
A person whose behaviour, especially sexual, is
regarded as abnormal or unacceptable
Noun
The murderer of the prostitute was thought to be
a sexual pervert
Don't have anything to do with that pervhe's
weird!
Slang meaning to look at someone with sexual
interest

Paying too much attention to unimportant

matters
Adjective
This pettifogging clerk irritates people who have
to consult him
Petty
Trivial, unimportant
Adjective
I can't be bothered with all these petty details
Noun
The pettiness of some rules is quite unnecessary
Small-minded and tending towards meanness

Verb
He likes to perv at the girls, but he's too shy to
speak to one

Adjective
It was very petty of her to tell the boss that you
were late for work

Petrify
A small cash fund in an office, etc
To turn to a stonelike substance; to fossilize
Verb
Living matter can petrify over millions of years
so that it retains its original shape

If you need stationery, ask the secretary for some

petty cash
In our club the treasurer looks after the petty cash
A rank of a naval officer

Adjective
Arizona's famous petrified forest has petrified
coniferous trees about 170 million years old
To be paralysed with terror, shock, etc

Petty officer in the navy is the equivalent of a

sergeant in the army
Petulant

Verb

360

irritatingly bad-tempered, peevish

Adjective
The petulant demands of a spoilt child can be
tiresome

The phoney/phony doctor turned out to be an

orderly
Noun
The so-called expert has been caught out as a
phoney/phony

Noun
She stamped her foot in a fit of petulance

Pinnacle

Phenomenal

The peak or a mountain

So great or good that it is very unusual;

extraordinary

Noun
The pinnacle of the mountain was snowcapped

Adjective
The speed of that new spacecraft is phenomenal
The producers were amazed at the phenomenal
success of their low-budget film

A small spire built on to a roof, etc

Adverb
Our population is increasing phenomenally
Phenomenon
Something that is observed to happen or exist,
especially something unusual

Noun
There were pinnacles on the tower of the
cathedral
The highest point, culmination
Noun
Being promoted to a manager was the pinnacle
of her career
Pioneer

Noun
The phenomenon of an erupting volcano is an
awesome spectacle
A comet orbiting close to earth is a rare
phenomenon
An amazing person
Noun
Someone who can bend spoons merely by
looking at or stroking them
is
indeed
a
phenomenon
Phoney/phony
A slang word meaning false, fake, not real
Adjective
Those aren't real jewels, they're phoney/phony

A person who is one of the first to enter or settle

a new region
Noun
As a pioneer he travelled to unknown territory
and was one of the earliest colonists there
Adjective
A pioneer wagon is on display in the museum
An innovator or explorer in a field of knowledge
Noun
Einstein was a pioneer in modern physics
Adjective
That laboratory is known for its pioneering
research

361

Verb
They pioneered the use of the new machinery

The pirate radio station was closed down by the

police

Piquant

Pitfall

Having a pleasantly sharp taste

A trap in the form of a concealed pit

Adjective
Garlic gave the stew a piquant flavour

Noun
A pitfall is designed t catch men or

Noun
The piquancy of mustard adds spice to cold meat

Unsuspected danger or difficulties

Pleasantly stimulating yet mentally disturbing

wild beasts

Noun
There will be many pitfalls if we adopt that plan

Adjective
The film had a piquant appeal, it was challenging
but fun

Pivot

Pirate

Noun
The compass needle swivels on its pivot

Formerly a sailor who attacked and robbed other

ships
Noun
A pirate boarded the sailing ship and stole the
cargo piracy use to be a big threat to sailors
Adjective
Pirate ships used to carry a black flag called the
jolly roger
Adverb
They boarded the ship piratically

A pin or shaft on which something turns

To turn on or as if on a pivot
Verb
She pivoted on her heels and turned around
The most important or crucial person or thing
Noun
Now that she is widowed, her job is the pivot of
her life
Of crucial importance

To unlawfully copy; to infringe someone's

copyright
Verb
It is illegal to pirate computer software
Adjective
Those music cassettes were confiscated as they
were of a piratic/pitratical nature

Adjective
Advertising is pivotal if we want to sell our
product
To depend on
Verb
Good results pivot on regular study

Illegally broadcasting, without a licence

Placate

Adjective

To make less angry; to pacify

362

Verb
Politicians often try to placate voters with
promises

Adjective
The boy and girl had a purely platonic/platonic
friendship free from physical desire
Plausible

Adjective
Flowers are a placatory gesture after our row

Seeming likely to be true or reasonable,

believable

Plagiarize/plagiarise
To use someone else's ideas or writing as your
own
Verb
If
university
or
college
studentsplagiarize/plagiarise in their essays they
can be expelled
Someone who does this and the act of doing this
Noun
The author sued the plagiarist for plagiarism of
his novel

Adjective
Her excuse was quite plausible as there was a lot
of flu around
Adverb
The far-fetched film did not end plausibly
Noun
The plausibility/plausibleness of his argument
was questionable
Persuasive but dishonest
Adjective
He ahs a reputation as a plausible liar

Platitude
Plenitude
A trite, dull remark, often made as if it were
important

An abundance; a plentifulness

Noun
A very common platitude is 'I' m pleased to see
you

Noun
The plenitude of trout in the stream provides
good fishing

Adjective
His platitudinous comments were meaningless

Plethora

Platonic
Of or to do with the Greek philosopher Plato and
his teachings

A formal word for an excess; more than is

needed
Noun
The report contained a plethora of detail, most of
it unnecessary

Adjective
The philosophy students studies platonic ideas

Pliable

Referring to close but unromantic friendship

Flexible; easily bent

363

Adjective
A garden hose is usually pliable most creepers
have pliant stems

This polyglot edition of the bible is very heavy

Noun
The pliability of wire makes it easy to roll up

To think over or consider carefully

Easily influenced
Adjective
Her pliant parents can usually be persuaded to
agree

Ponder

Verb
Take time to ponder on/over the problem before
answering
I pondered whether I could have passed the exam
What are you pondering about?
Awkward and slow-moving in style, movement,
etc

Poignant
Causing painful or sad feelings

Adjective
The minister's speech was ponderous and boring

Adjective
She has poignant memories of her dead father
Noun
The poignance/poignancy of his farewell speech
was moving

Adverb
The moose moved ponderously into the bush
Portable
Easily carried

Polemic
A controversy or argument

Adjective
A laptop computer is portable

Noun
His speech was a polemic against the new policy

Noun
We bought the little TV set for its portability

Adjective
That lawyer's polemical skills helped him win the
case

The act of carrying something overland

Polyglot

Noun
The canoe trip involved portage around a
waterfall

A person with a command of many languages

The price of carrying something

Noun
She is a polyglot because she speaks
languages

Noun
Portage will be charged on the goods

five

A person whose job is to carry things, etc

Written in or containing many languages
Noun
Adjective

364

A railway porter wheeled our suitcases on a

trolley
A doorman
Noun
The hotel porter found us a taxi
A dark brown beer
Noun
Porter has a bitterish taste
Posterity
The generations of people still to be born
Noun
Unless we stop the degradation of our
environment, we will leave a barren desert for
posterity
Postulate
A formal word meaning to put forward as a fact
or to accept as true

The position of the body or the way it is held

Noun
Bad posture can lead to backache
An attitude
Noun
The manager's hard-line posture on strikes
antagonized the union
To be made to assume or to assume a physical
pose or mental attitude of effect
Verb
Photographers posture the models to get the best
pose
To attract attention
Verb
She spends hours posturing in front the mirror
His concern for the poor is just posturing as he
never gives a cent to charity
Potable

Verb
Scientists postulate that a cure will be found for
all killer diseases
A formal word for something on which an
argument is based
Noun
Based on the postulate that he was inadequately
supervised, he may well have cheated
A person applying for admission to a religious
order

Suitable or fit for drinking

Adjective
In some countries tap water is not potable so you
have to drink bottled water
A formal or humorous word for the act of
drinking or an alcoholic drink
Noun
We went to the pub for a potation
Potent

Noun
The abbot of the monastery interviewed the
young postulant
Posture

Having a strong or powerful effect

Adjective
Bourbon is a potent alcoholic drink

365

Arsenic is a potent poison which can cause death

Noun
She didn't realize the potency of the innocent
tasting fruit punch
Adjective
She believes the trinket to be a potent charm
Playing on lour hidden fears is a potent
advertising technique

Relating to or concerned with matters of fact, not

ideals
Adjective
A pragmatic way of dealing with something is
based on practical considerations, rather than
theoretical ones
Adverb
We must tackle the situation pragmatically

A person who possesses power; a ruler

Noun
The potentate lived in wealth and luxury
Of a male, capable of sexual intercourse

Noun
Being a pragmatist he treats things from a
practical point of view and makes an excellent
businessman
Realists favour pragmatism over idealism

Adjective
The dominant male in many animal species is
the most potent

Precarious

Noun
Some men measure their potency by the number
of their children

Adjective
He swopped his reliable job for the precarious
one of acting

Pounce

Adverb
The acrobat was balanced precariously

Risky or insecure; depending on chance

An attacking spring or swoop

Noun
The cat made a sudden pounce on the bird
Verb
The eagle pounced on the rabbit
To take by surprise
Verb
Traffic officers pounce on speeding motorists
To spot something quickly
Verb
Teachers pounce upon their pupils' mistakes

Noun
The precariousness of the economy made
investors lose confidence
Precaution
An action done to prevent problems or danger; a
safeguard
Noun
Take the precaution of checking the tyres before
a long trip
Adjective
I kept a copy as a precautionary measure

Pragmatic

366

Slang for the use of contraceptives

Teach by example rather than precept

Noun
The family planning clinic advises people on
how to take precaution against unwanted
pregnancies

Precinct

Precede

Noun
The cathedral precinct includes the old graveyard

An area enclosed by a boundary, especially

surrounding a cathedral, college, etc

To come before in time, order, rank. Etc

Verb
Curtain-raisers precede the main soccer match
Adjective
Turn back to the preceding chapter

to find out

An area reserved for a specific use, of ten closed

to vehicles
Noun
The centre of town has become a shopping
precinct

The right to come before in time order, rank, etc

The area surrounding a particular place environs

Noun
An ambulance racing along with its siren wailing
takes precedence over other traffic

Noun
The speed limit is strictly enforced
and its precincts

An event or decision that influences or justifies

later events

In the USA, a district of a city, county, etc for

police, administrative or electoral purposes

Noun
Allowing the child to have his own way
because he had a tantrum will set a precedent for
the future
The judge's sentence set a precedent for
subsequent cases

Noun
The theft was investigated by detectives from the
21 st precinct

in the city

Preclude
To prevent something or make it impossible

Adjective
The case was not precedented in legal history
Precept
A rule of conduct; a guide to behaviour
My father always followed the precept 'love your
neighbour as yourself'

Verb
Signing this contract will preclude
working for anyone else

you

from

Noun
The council voted for the preclusion of further
building on the mountain
Precocious

Moral instruction or teaching

Ahead in development or maturity
Noun

367

Adjective
He was a precocious child who could read by the
age of three
Too advanced or forward for your age
Adjective
That precocious child is an irritating brat!

To found or base an argument on something

Verb
Her theory was predicated on solid

evidence

Predominate
To be superior in numbers, power, influence, etc

Noun
The child's precociousness/precocity lost her
many friends

A difficult, unpleasant or embarrassing situation

Verb
A small radical group has begun to predominate
over the moderates in policy-making
Adjective
Blue is the predominant colour in the room

Noun
She is in a predicament about what to wear
His refusal put me in an awkward predicament

Adverb
The population of the island is predominantly
English-speaking

Predicate

Noun
The predominance of tall people in basketball is
very obvious

Predicament

A grammatical term for the part of a sentence

that says something about the subject

Prelude
Noun
In the sentence 'Linda has joined our club',
'Linda' is the subject and 'has joined the club' is
the predicate
Adjective
In the sentence 'the boy is tall', the word 'tall' is a
predicative Adjective
Adverb
Some Adjectives can only be used predicatively
such as 'asleep' in 'the children are asleep',
whereas others are only used attributively such
as 'undue' in 'undue pressure'
A formal term meaning to declare or asset
Verb
Economists predicate that the market collapse
was caused by the weakness of the dollar

An action or event that precedes another and

leads up to it
Noun
Thunder is often a prelude to a storm
The build-up of troops seemed to be a prelude to
war
The introductory part of a poem, piece of music,
etc
Noun
A prelude precedes a fugue or forms the first part
of a suit e
A prelude can also be a self-contained piece of
music, especially for the piano
Preponderance

368

A formal word meaning something that is greater

in number, size. Amount, etc

Adjective
The prevalent mood was one of hope

Noun
There is a preponderance of women in the
nursing profession

To overcome or gin control

Adjective
Green is the preponderant colour in nature
Verb
Muslims preponderate in the population of Egypt
Preposterous

Verb
The rebels prevailed over the army in battle
I hope that common sense will prevail and that
he comes home
A formal term meaning to persuade
I will try to prevail on/upon her to serve on the
committee

Absurd or ridiculous; contrary to nature or

common sense

Prevaricate

Adjective
Your silly idea is preposterous

A formal word meaning to avoid giving a direct,

truthful answer or a firm decision

Adverb
These imported liqueur
preposterously expensive

Verb
Tell me what happened and don't prevaricate
Unwilling to tell the patient she had inoperable
cancer, the doctor prevaricated

chocolates

are

Prerogative
A right r privilege held only by one person or
group
Noun
It is the manager's prerogative to hire new
employees

Noun
His tale is full of lies and prevarication
He has a bad reputation as a prevaricator
Prig
A derogatory word for a smugly self-righteous
person

Prevail
To be usual, common or widespread
Verb
Traditional practices still prevail in rural areas
Adjective
The prevailing wind her is from the south
Noun
The prevalence of bribery is disturbing

Noun
The little prig thinks he's superior
else

to everyone

Adjective
Her priggish behaviour is irritating
Prim
Demure; prudish
Adjective

369

My prim aunt is easily shocked by anything

improper
You can't tell him that joke, he is
and proper

Noun
There is little probability of a comet hitting the
earth

far too prim

In all probability she's reached home by now

Stiffly formal in appearance or manner

Almost certainly

Adjective
She wore a prim little grey suit with black
trimmings

Adverb
It will probably be sunny tomorrow
Almost certainly

Adverb
She sat down primly pulling her skirt over her
knees
Primordial

Adverb
It will probably be sunny

tomorrow

Someone or something mist likely to win, be

chosen, etc

Existing at the beginning of time

Adjective
The sun, earth and planets were created from
primordial matter many millions of years ago

Noun
That up-and-coming candidate is a probable
for parliament
That novel is a probable for the prize

Pristine

Seemingly true

Fresh and clean; pure

Adjective
Her reason for being late sounds probable

Adjective
You could drink the pristine water from the
mountain stream but not from the polluted river
lower down

Probation
A trial period for testing whether a person's
abilities, etc, are suitable

In its original state; unspoilt

It might be a second-hand book, but it's in
pristine condition
Probable
More likely to happen than not, possible
Adjective
According to the weather forecast, rain is
probable today

Noun
There's a two-month period of probation for new
employees
Adjective
She did well during her probational/probationary
period and was then appointed to the permanent
staff
The system of allowing criminals to remain free,
instead of being imprisoned, on a promise to
behave well in future

370

Proclivity
It was his first offence so he was placed on
probation for six months under the supervision of
a probation officer
Noun
One object of probation
overcrowding in prisons

is

to

reduce

A formal word for a tendency or inclination

Noun
That boastful fellow has a proclivity towards
exaggeration
Procrastinate

Probe
A long, thin, metal instrument used for
examining wounds, etc
Noun
Dentists use a probe to check for cavities
To search, explore or examine thoroughly
Verb
Investigative journalists probed the suspect
company's affairs for traces of a financial scandal
Verb
The psychiatrist probed the patient's mind to find
the reasons for he fears
Adjective
Inquisitive children ask many probing questions

A formal word meaning to delay or put off to a

late time
Verb
People who procrastinate invariably postpone
making a decision
Noun
Procrastination may cost you that job if you don't
apply for it quickly
An expression meaning
postponement can waste time

that

delay

Stop dithering and make up your mind-remember

that procrastination is the thief of time
Prodigal
Recklessly wasteful or extravagant

Noun
A police probe into his files revealed a drugs
racket
An unmanned spacecraft which obtains
information about space
The space probe sent back TV pictures of
Jupiter's moons

or

Adjective
Taxpayers object to the prodigal use of public
funds
A spendthrift or waster

Probity

Noun
The prodigal used up all his inheritance on
gambling and drifted into poverty

Honesty, integrity, trustworthiness

A wanderer returned

Noun
The probity of judges should be beyond question

Noun
The prodigal son/prodigal came home filled with
remorse for his riotous living

371

The drunkard was swearing and using profane

Generosity
Proficient
Noun
The prodigality of the sea provides

us with fish

Skilled and competent, especially after training

or experience

Prodigious
So vast as to cause amazement or admiration;
enormous

Noun
Proficiency in carpentry is necessary for cabinetmaking

Adjective
That fat man has a prodigious appetite
Adverb
She is a prodigiously talented dancer

Profile
The side view, especially of a human head and
face

Prodigy
Someone who
especially child

Adjective
My secretary is proficient in English and French

is

extraordinarily

gifted,

Noun
Mozart was a musical prodigy by the age of four
An outstanding example of something

Noun
A profile of the head of state appears on one side
of the coin
Seen from the side
Photographs of the prisoner were taken full face
and in profile

Noun
That woman is a prodigy of learning with five
degrees

An outline or silhouette

Profane

Noun
You could see the profile of mount
against the sunset

Showing irreverent disrespect for something

sacred; blasphemous
Adjective
Violating graves is profane behaviour
Noun
His profanity shocked us
Vulgar, coarse
Adjective

Everest

A short biographical sketch

Noun
When you apply for a job, you often have to
submit a profile of you academic and
employment history
To writ this
Verb
Some authors are able to profile a character in
just a few words

372

A cross section
Noun
A profile of soil or rock shows the different
layers
A graph, etc, representing information, etc
Noun
The market profile showed that more women
than men bought the product
A prominent and public image
That new minister has certainly achieved a high
profile as he has been on TV every night for a
week
Attracting a lot of attention
Adjective
The police conducted a high- profile
investigation into the sportsman's alleged drug
taking
To avoid doing thing s that will make people
notice you

Adjective
The professor has pa profound knowledge of art
Depth of knowledge, etc
Noun
We were in awe of Einstein because of his
profundity
Requiring much study or thought
Adjective
That is a profound book, not many people will
understand it
Deep, intense
Adjective
The exhausted girl fell into a profound sleep
The new government has had a profound effect
on the nation
Adverb
The principal was profoundly disturbed to learn
that drug taking in the school was rife
Heartfelt, sincere

Since being suspected of fraud he has been

keeping a low profile

Adjective
Please convey our profound condolences to the
widow at the funeral

Profligate

Profuse

A formal word meaning wildly extravagant or

shamelessly immoral
Adjective
He was a profligate spender and went bankrupt

Lavish; generous in the giving of

Noun
The profligate dealt in child pornography

Adjective
She was profuse in her praise of her rescuers

Profound

Adverb
He apologized profusely for leaving me off the
list

Very thorough and penetrating

Abundance; a plentiful supply

373

Noun
Plants grow in great profusion/profuseness in
the rainforests
A profusion/profuseness of wild flowers covered
the hillside

Adjective
Agatha Christie was a prolific writer of mystery
novels
Producing many offspring, much fruit, etc

Excessively
Adverb
He came back from jogging, sweating profusely

Adverb
Mice breed prolifically
Prologue

Prognosis
An introduction to a play, poem, book, etc
A forecast or prediction, especially of the
probable course and outcome of a disease
Noun
It was kidney failure-even with treatment the
prognosis was poor
The prognosis for a good harvest is favourable
A formal word for to foretell future events

Noun
The prologue of 'the Canterbury tales' 'introduces
the reader to the characters in the lengthy open
by Chaucer
The first of a series of events
Noun
The wildcat strike was merely the prologue to
months of labour unrest in the motor industry

Verb
Those dark clouds prognosticate a storm

Promiscuous
Noun
His gloomy prognostications of a disaster
fortunately proved to be wrong

Indiscriminate, especially in the choice and

number of casual sexual relationships

Adjective
Astrologers write prognostic columns
newspapers

Adjective
Her promiscuous behaviour could get her into
trouble

for

the

Proliferate
To increase or reproduce in large quantities
Verb
Germs can proliferate in unhygienic conditions

Noun
Youngsters are warned against promiscuity as it
can lead to aids
Prompt

Adjective
There is a proliferation of snails in the garden
Prolific
Producing many works

Quick, immediate, done without delay

Adjective
It was only the prompt action of the fireman that
saved her life

374

We received a prompt fax in reply to our inquiry

Promulgate

Noun
The promptness of the response was appreciated

A formal word meaning to declare or make

known openly, proclaim publicly

Punctually, exactly on time

Verb
Will the government promulgate new legislation
to curb drugs?

Adverb
The match starts promptly at three o'clock
Adjective
You must be prompt for your interview

Noun
The promulgation of the new tax tables is
expected soon

To persuade, encourage or cause to do something

A formal word meaning to make widely known

Verb
What prompted him to steal the money?
They were prompted to take out insurance after
the fire
She was very hesitant, but with a little prompting
agreed to play the piano for us
A person who follows the text of a play and
reminds an actor of his ones, etc
Noun
In early rehearsals, actors need a prompt every
now and then
The prompter said the line quietly to jog the
memory of the performer
Verb
The understudy needed to be prompted
frequently

Verb
The party's policies were promulgated through
the press
Prone
Lying flat, especially face downwards
Adjective
The murdered man lay prone on the floor
The prone position is adopted in some fitness
exercises
Liable or inclined to
Adjective
He is prone to stumble so take his arm going
down these steps

To help with words

Verb
'What do you say when you ask for something?
Prompted the child's mother

The dock area is rather prone to fog in the winter

She seems to be rather accident-prone these days
Propagate

A question or statement on a computer screen

To reproduce or parent stock

Noun
The prompt invites the operator to proceed or
choose from a set of options

Verb
Trees propagate themselves by producing and
dropping seeds
You can propagate plants by grafting

375

Noun
Giant pandas have a low rate of propagation in
captivity

Noun
The plane's propeller was damaged
The propeller shaft/prop shaft is a shaft that
transmits power from an engine to a propeller or
the wheels of a motor vehicle

To spread news, knowledge, etc more widely

Propensity
Verb
Some newspapers propagate the policies of a
particular party

A natural tendency or inclination

Noun
Cats have a propensity to wander off
Children have a propensity for getting into
mischief

Propel
To drive, push or move forward
Verb
He used a catapult to propel the stone
The rowing boat is propelled by oars
His addiction to drugs is propelling him into a
life of crime
A fuel or compressed gas that provides thrust or
force
Noun
Space rockets use either a liquid or solid
propellant/propellent
Adjective
The propellant/propellent agent in an aerosol can
should be ozone-friendly
Noun
A modern aircraft is driven by jet propulsion
Adjective
The propulsive energy of a rocket lifts the
capsule into space

Prophecy
The supernatural power to foretell the future
Noun
The psychic was said to have the gift of prophecy
A prediction; a forecast
Noun
Did the fortune-teller's prophecy come true?
Verb
We heard him prophesy the end of the world
Everyone prophesied and
earthquake
in
California
Adjective
Julius Caesar ignored the soothsayer's prophetic
warnings about the ides of march
Adverb
She spoke prophetically when she said it would
rain today

A pencil with a replaceable lead

A female who predicts the future
Turning the outer case of a propelling
can expose or retract the lead

pencil

A revolving, bladed part attached to the engine of

an aircraft, boat, etc

Noun
Cassandra was a prophetess whose warnings of
disaster were never believed
A divinely inspired person

376

Noun
The prophet john the Baptist foretold
coming of Jesus

the

Noun
they offered sacrifices for the propitiation of their
gds

Mohammed

Intending to placate

The prophet was the founder of Islam

Adjective
I gave the angry man a propitiatory smile

A spokesman for or advocate of

Propitious
Noun
The union leader was a prophet of workers' rights
Suggestive
Adjective
Her childhood talent was prophetic of her later
achievements

Favourable, offering a good chance of success

Adjective
I waited for a propitious time to ask for a raise
Proponent
A supporter of a proposal, suggestion, theory, etc

Someone who is very pessimistic

He's a prophet of doom, always foreseeing
catastrophe

Noun
Emmeline pankhurst was a
for women

Propinquity

Propound

A formal word for nearness in place or time, or

blood relationship

A formal word meaning to put forward an idea or

suggestion

Noun
An advantage of the house is its propinquity to
schools and shops
Her friendship with her cousin was due to
propinquity rather than common interests

proponent of votes

Verb
Science-fiction writers were the first to propound
the idea of space travel
Prostrate
Lying face down, especially in exhaustion,
submission, etc

Propitiate
A formal word for to win favour or forgiveness;
to appease

Adjective
The runner collapsed prostrate after the race
The patient was found prostrate on the floor

Verb
After a quarrel with his wife, he dent flowers to
propitiate her

Noun
Prostration before a king was common in ancient
times

377

Helpless, defeated, overcome

Verb
Boulders protrude from the otherwise flat land

Adjective
She was prostrate with grief
The country lay prostrate under the conqueror

Adjective
She wears braces to correct protruding teeth

Verb
We were prostrated by the heat

Noun
We sheltered under a protrusion on the rock

To flatten

Providence

Verb
The flowers were prostrated by the wind

The protective care of fate or god

Protagonist

Noun
Don't rely on providence to save you from your
folly

The main character in a play or story

Noun
For many people shylock is the protagonist in
'the merchant of Venice'

Providence prevented us from going on that illfated flight

Adjective
It was providential that the rains came in time

A positive supporter of a cause or idea

Noun
He is an enthusiastic protagonist of women's
rights
Protocol
Customs and rules relating to ceremonies and
other official occasions
Noun
It is a breach of protocol not to seat diplomats at
a state banquet according to their rank
A draft treaty or an amendment to a treaty
Noun
Both nations signed the protocol on nuclear
disarmament

Showing good sense in providing for future

needs; thrifty
Adjective
The provident farmer prepares for drought and
hard times
Provoke
To anger or infuriate, often deliberately
Verb
Do not provoke the dog by teasing it, it might
bite you
Our teacher isn't easily provoked but she lost her
temper today
Irritation, annoyance, etc

Protrude

Noun
She takes offence at the slightest provocation

To stick out or project

Adjective

378

He has the provoking habit of not listening

Practical and careful for your future

Inciting or stimulating sexual desire, anger, etc

Adjective
It is prudent to invest wisely for you retirement

Adjective
The provocative dress emphasized her curves
His provocative remarks led to a punch-up

Prurient

To cause or arouse

A formal and sometimes derogatory word

meaning to show an unhealthy interest in sexual
matters

Verb
Such folly will provoke nothing but ridicule

Adjective
He takes a prurient interest in girlie magazines

Prowess
Exceptional ability or skill

Noun
Newspapers specializing in scandal and gossip
cater to their readers' prurience

Noun
His prowess on the sports field made him a
celebrity

Puerile
childish, silly

Bravery
Noun
The soldier showed great prowess in battle
Proximity
Nearness in place, time, etc
Noun
What I like is its proximity to the shops

Adjective
We don't expect such puerile behaviour from an
adult
Noun
The puerility of his comments showed his
immaturity
Pugnacious
fond of fighting, aggressive

Nearby; within a limited area

Civilians aren't allowed in the proximity of the
military base
Prudence

Adjective
The drunk was in a pugnacious mood and
spoiling for a fight
Noun
Pit bull terriers are renowned for their pugnacity

Discretion; good judgment

Pulverize/Pulverise
Noun
We expect a bank to show prudence in its loans
that was a prudential move to invest

To crush or grind to a fine powder

Verb

379

Machines pulverize/pulverise the rock so that

minerals can be extracted

A person or group that appears independent but

is controlled or directed by someone else

To destroy or defeat completely

Noun
The manager is really a puppet of the board of
directors

Verb
That team will pulverize/pulverize
inexperienced players

our

Pungent

Purge
To make spiritually or physically clean by getting
rid of everything bad or not wanted

Having a strong or sharp taste or smell

Adjective
Mustard has a pungent taste

Verb
Priests urge us to purge our minds of impure
thoughts

Noun
He grimaced at the pungency of his medicine

Adjective
She took purgative action to get rid of mice

Sarcastic or biting
Adjective
The reviewer made pungent remarks about the
bad acting
Puppet

To get rid of unwanted members of a political

party
Verb
The leader purged his cabinet of disloyal
members

A toylike figure made to move by another person

Noun
Political purges took place after the revolution

Noun
The child's glove puppet fitted over her fingers

A laxative

Adjective
I remember going to watch the puppet show
'punch and Judy' as a child
Noun
The puppeteer moves the puppets by pulling
wires attached to their jointed limbs

Noun
He took a purgative to cure his constipation
In roman Catholicism, a place of punishment and
suffering where the souls of the dead are purified
before being admitted to heaven

The art of making and handling puppets

Noun
She believes that the worse your sins, the longer
you stay in purgatory

Noun
She was skilled at puppetry

Any experience
humorously

of

suffering,

often

380

used

Noun
Sitting through that long, boring speech was
sheet purgatory!

Meat will putrefy quickly in this heat

Noun
A stench of putrefaction hung over the battlefield

Pursue
To follow in order to catch, overtake or obtain
something

Adjective
The putrid smell of rotten eggs made me feel ill
Slang for very bad, unpleasant

Verb
Wolves will pursue their prey till it is exhausted
The first horse t round the bend is starlight,
closely pursued by phantom
Noun
We managed to avoid our pursuers by ducking
into an alley
His pursuit of his goal to be a pianist involved
practising every day
We met groups of migrant workers travelling in
pursuit of work the police set off in hot pursuit of
the suspect

Adjective
That exam was putrid I'm sure I failed

Q
Quagmire
An area of soft wet ground, bog, marsh

To go on with, continue

Noun
Rains turned the dirt road into a quagmire

Verb
At that time she was pursuing full-time studies

Quake
To shake

I decided not to pursue the matter any further and

let it drop

Verb
We felt the earth quake as the volcano erupted

A pastime

Slang for an earthquake

Noun
The film star said his favourite pursuit was
surfing

Noun
The town was almost completely destroyed in a
bad quake

A formal expression meaning in the course of

To shake with fear, tremble

A soldier was wounded in the pursuance of his

duties

Verb
The guilty man was quaking with

Putrefy

Qualm

To rot or decompose, usually with a bad smell

A sudden feeling of sickness or faintness

Noun

fear

Verb

381

As she stepped onto the heaving boat, she felt the

first qualm of nausea

He's a queer fish who doesn't fit in with the rest

of the department

Feelings of doubt or uneasiness, scruples

Noun
He had no qualms about betraying his friends to
save his own skin

Crazy
Adjective
After all she's suffered, she's gone a bit queer in
the head

Quantum
Suspect, dubious
A formal word meaning a require or allowed
amount, share
Noun
Every member has his quantum of skills to add to
the team effort

Adjective
The disappearance of the accountant is a very
queer business
Ill, nauseous

The minimum amount of energy associated with

radiation emission

Adjective
After eating that shellfish she felt queer

Noun
To move from one orbit to the next highest
energy level, the electron circling a nucleus
requires a quantum of energy

Slang for a male homosexual, sometimes used in

an insulting manner
Noun
A homosexual may call himself gay or a queer

A major breakthrough or sudden advance

Unprovoked assaults on male homosexuals
The discovery of penicillin was a quantum leap
forward in the treatment of disease
The theory that in radiation the energy of
electrons exists in units that cannot be divided
Quantum mechanics or quantum theory is a
theory t describe how electrons protons and
neutrons make up atomic molecules

Noun
The police will not tolerate queer-bashing
To cause something to go wrong, spoil
He tried to queer my pitch by spreading lies
about me
In financial difficulties

Queer
Strange, odd
Adjective
The drink had a queer taste
The whole family is eccentric but he's the
queerest of the lot

If you keep spending so much, you'll soon be in

queer street
Quell
To put an end to
Verb

382

The police will quell the riot

He tried to quell her fears by constant
reassurance

It was an excellent production-I have only minor

quibbles over some of the details
Verb
They are quibbling about who last

Quench
To put out, extinguish

washed up

Introducing a trivial irrelevancy in order to evade

the argument

Verb
Quench the fire with water he tried to quench his
passion for his best friend's wife

Noun
She raised the issue as a quibble to delay the
decision

To satisfy your thirst, slake

Quintessence
Verb
The hikers quenched their thirst with cool water

A formal word meaning the essential part,

embodiment

To cool rapidly with eater

Verb
If you quench red-hot metal in water, it tempers
and hardens it

Noun
Vast forests are the quintessence of Alaska
A formal word meaning the perfect example

Querulous
Complaining, peevish, irritable
Adjective
Don't use that querulous tone of voice with me!

Adjective
She wore her clothes with that quintessential
French chic

Adverb
Being overtired, she answered querulously
Noun
As the old man became
querulousness increased
Quibble

Noun
The old gentleman is the quintessence of
courtesy

Quiver
weaker,

his
To shake slightly, tremble

To argue about a petty matter

Verb
Athletes quiver with tension before a race
Quivering with rage, she slammed the door

Verb
Do not quibble about an extra mark

Noun
She felt a quiver of anxiety

Noun

A container in which arrows are carried

383

Noun
The archer took an arrow from his quiver

Adjective
All eyes were on the radiant bride

Quixotic

Adjective
The radiance/radiancy of her face showed her joy
in her baby

A formal word meaning noble and unselfish to an

extravagant or impractical extent, named after
the hero of Cervantes' don Quixote'
Adjective
His quixotic gesture was generous but too
impractical to accept

Radiate
To send out light, heat, etc, in the form of rays

Quotient

Verb
The sun, moon and stars radiate light
Heat radiated from the stove

The number obtained by dividing one number by

another

Noun
The oil-filled radiator fills the room with warmth

Noun
If 12 is divided by 3 the quotient is 4

To give lout a feeling

Verb
Peace and confidence radiate from his eyes

To spread out like rays from a centre point

Raconteur

Verb
Spokes radiate from the hub of the wheel

Someone good at telling stories or anecdotes

The part of the car which cools the engine

Noun
A good raconteur is always a popular speaker

Noun
The motorist filled his radiator with water

Radiant

A from of energy that can damage all living cells

Sparkling. Brilliant, bright

Noun
If the correct strength of radiation is aimed
properly. It can destroy cancer cells without
seriously damaging nearby normal cells

Adjective
The rising sun brought radiant sunlight
Noun
He was dazzled by the radiance/radiancy of the
arc lights

Treatment using radioactive substances

Radiation therapy is used in the treatment of
cancer

Beaming with joy and happiness

384

An illness caused by high exposure to radiation,

especially from a decaying atomic nucleus

Periodically there is a surge of radicalism in

political circles

Atomic bomb victims suffered from radiation

sickness, which includes nausea and uncontrolled
bleeding and can lead to cancer see radioactivity
and radius

To make people hold these views

Radical
Of or arising from the root, etc, of the stem of a
plant
Adjective
Radical leaves were forming at the
stalk

base of the

Verb
The unpopular Vietnam war helped to
radicalize/radicalise American students in the
1960s
A slang term of approval
Adjective
The teenager ecstatically described the pop
concert as rad
Rag

Fundamental; basic
A scrap of cloth, often torn or frayed
Adjective
The radical flaw in his argument makes it
unconvincing
Thorough; complete
Adjective
The law requires radical reform to ensure justice
for all
We need radical plans for providing cheap mass
housing
Adverb
Nurses' salaries have to improve radically
Extreme, wanting complete political, social and
economic change
Adjective
The radical party advocates the overthrow of
capitalism

Noun
He wiped his oily hands on a rag
Adjective
A rag doll is made from and stuffed with rags
Of clothes, old, torn
Adjective
The old coat had ragged cuffs
Noun
The raggedness of his clothes showed his poverty
after scrambling through the bushes her jersey
was in rags
Someone, usually a child, dressed in torn, dirty
clothes
Noun
A ragamuffin begged me for some food

A person holding these views

With an uneven outline, etc, jagged
Noun
He is such a radical that he regards any
compromise of his principles as a betrayal

Adjective

385

The ragged mountains were a formidable

obstacle

Ragtime is essentially piano music

Imperfect; faulty

Adjective
Scott Joplin's piano rags are typical of ragtime
music

Adjective
The orchestra's ragged/raggedy performance
ruined the show

Slang for the clothing industry

The rag trade includes the design, manufacture
and sale of clothes

Lacking unison, etc

Adjective
The tired men gave a ragged cheer
rescuers arrived

Slang for a newspaper that is not well thought of

when

the
Noun
That rag prints nothing but scandal and gossip

To be utterly exhausted
The riffraff; disreputable people
That poor woman is run ragged by those naughty
children

I won't mix with the ragtag and bobtail at the

beach

A bag for storing scraps of fabric

From poverty to wealth
Noun
I keep bits of fabric in my ragbag

Cinderella is a classic story of someone going

from rags to riches

A jumble or confused mixture

Noun
We couldn't understand his speech, it was a
ragbag of jargon
Slang for a sloppily dressed woman
Noun
She has no taste and looks an absolute ragbag
A technique of applying paint with a roughly
folded cloth
Noun
Rag-rolling gives a marbled effect on walls

Rage
A fit of violent anger, fury
Noun
In a rage he smashed the plate against the wall
He flew into a rage when he saw that his car had
been dented
Noun
She went red with rage at the insult
The children are terrified of her unpredictable
rages
To show or feel intense anger

A form of syncopated music developed by black

American musicians; a piece of this music

Verb
He began to rage at the careless workman
He's always raging against high taxes

Noun

To continue violently

386

Verb
The fierce battle raged for weeks
a violent movement, etc, of a natural force
Noun
The rage of the storm blew off the roof

A long-handled gardening tool with prongs at the

end for levelling earth, gathering grass, etc
Noun
Use a rake to pile all the leaves together
Verb
He raked the gravel path to make it smooth rake
up all the cut grass

to spread rapidly, especially of diseases

A similar implement used in a casino
Verb
Cholera is raging out of control in the informal
settlement

Noun
The croupier uses a rake to move the chips on the
gaming table

intense, extreme
He raked in the gambling chips
Adjective
The long hike has given me a raging thirst
severe, very painful
Adjective
He had a raging headache

To make a great deal of money

As he's got the monopoly, he is raking in the
money
Her shop is proving so popular that she must be
raking it in
To remove by collecting and gathering together

A temporary enthusiasm, craze or fad

Noun
Many youngsters want whatever is the latest rage

Rake out the ashes from the grate

To look for or search thoroughly

Long hair was all the rage during the hippie

movement

Show raked about/around in her desk for the

missing bill

Raison D'etre
To collect with difficulty
A French phrase meaning 'the reason for
existence'
Noun
He is so obsessed with sport that it seems to be
his raison d'etre
Rake

We don't know how we can rake together enough

money to pay for a holiday
If we can rake up one more person, we'll have
enough for a team
To revive unpleasant memories
Why did you rake up that old quarrel?
Your divorce happened three years ago,
keep raking over old ashes

387

don't

A commission or share, often illegal or a bribe

Slang for boisterous, noisily cheerful

Noun
The official responsible for awarding contracts
expects a rake off from the successful bidder

Adjective
The rambunctious teenagers splashed around in
the pool

To look closely along the length of an area

Ramifications

Verb
The ship's lookout raked the horizon for sight of
land

Parts of a complex network or structure

Verb
The plane was raked with gunfire

Noun
How many people understand the ramifications
of the international money market?
Adjective
The ramified system of railways branches out in
all directions

Ramble

The consequences or complications

To stroll or walk for enjoyment

Noun
We all suffer from the economic ramifications of
a recession

To direct gunfire along the length of a target

Verb
We like to ramble through the woods in spring

Rampage
Noun
He went fro a ramble along the riverbank
Adjective
The rambler enjoyed his leisurely walk

To rush around wildly or violently

Verb
The undisciplined marchers were able to
rampage through the town centre

Trailing, straggling or sprawling

Behaving violently or destructively
Adjective
Rambler/rambling roses grew over the back
walls
You can easily get lost in the rambling old house

The mob went on the rampage looting and

smashing windows
Rampant

Disconnected, wandering off the topic

Widespread and difficult to control
Adjective
What was the point of that long rambling story?
The old woman tends to ramble on about her
youth

Adjective
Rampant weeds flourished in the neglected
garden
Corruption is rampant in some countries

Rambunctious

388

Rampart

A random sample of listeners gave their views on

the new programme

A defensive wall
Noun
Soldiers fired from behind the rampart

The winning numbers were picked

from a hat

at

random

Randy
A protection
Slang for sexually excited, lustful
Noun
A flu shot is a rampart against infection
Ramshackle
Falling to pieces, shaky

Adjective
The randy teenager couldn't stop thinking about
sex
Noun
The goat has a reputation for randiness

Adjective
The ramshackle cottage needs major repairs
The first world war finally brought down the
ramshackle Austrian empire
Rancid

Ransack
To plunder; to rob systematically
Verb
Thieves ransack houses

Smelling or tasting bad because of staleness

Adjective
In this heat, butter goes rancid if not kept cool

To search thoroughly

Rancour

Verb
We ransacked the desk to find the letter

A bitter hatred

Ransom

Noun
She was full of rancour against her
for deserting her

The price demanded or paid t secure the release

of a captive

ex-husband

Spiteful
Adjective
The resentful loser made rancorous remarks
about her opponent
Random
Haphazard, without plan or forethought
Adjective

Noun
The kidnappers demanded a ransom
release

for

his

Adjective
A ransom note was sent to the mother,
demanding immediate payment in return for her
daughter's freedom
Verb
The parents were ready to pay anything to
ransom their child

389

To obtain a release of someone by payment of

money

To feel strong enthusiasm. Etc

Verb
The hostage was ransomed after a month

He was in raptures about his new sports car

She went into raptures over the young man she
had just met

To keep captive and demand ransom for him/her

Rascal

The bandits held their captive to ransom

A dishonest person

To obtain concessions through threats

Noun
That rascal stole some apples from the shop

Militant unions held the country to ransom by

threatening a general strike
An enormous sum of money

A mischievous person, usually a child

Noun
The little rascal has hidden my keys

He must have paid a king's ransom for that huge

estate

Rash

Rapacious

An outbreak of red spots on the body

Greedy, grasping
Adjective
Rapacious landlords charge exorbitant rents

Noun
When she had measles, she came out in a rash

Noun
There are laws to curb the rapacity/rapaciousness
of monopolies
Plundering and robbing others
Adjective
Rapacious soldiers looted the captured city

Any sudden outbreak, especially of something

undesirable
Noun
The police are alarmed by the recent rash of
burglaries
Rash
Hasty without caution or forethought

Rapture
Great delight, joy, ecstasy
Noun
The fans shrieked with rapture at the sight of the
pop group
Adjective
The crowd gave the team a rapturous welcome

Adjective
Think first and don't do anything rash
He make a rash promise to guarantee his
irresponsible nephew's loan
Noun
In a moment of rashness I invited them stay and
now I can't get rid of them
Raucous

390

Harshly or hoarsely loud

Adjective
There were sounds of raucous laughter from the
pub

Keep the threads separate or they will get

ravelled
To disentangle; to probe and solve
The auditors are trying to ravel you the complex
fraud

Noun
The crows raucousness was deafening

Ravenous

Raunchy

Very hungry

Slang for coarse, sexually provocative or explicit

Noun
The boys were ravenous after the hike

Adjective
This raunchy film is not for the prudish
The fans swayed and danced t the raunchy rock
music

Very greedy

Ravage

Adjective
Young fledglings have a ravenous appetite
The aspirant politician was ravenous for power

To destroy; to cause extensive damage

Of animals, hungrily looking for prey or food

Verb
A hurricane is threatening to ravage the islands
Illness had ravaged her good looks

Adjective
He lit fires to keep the ravening wolves at bay
Systematically robbing and plundering

The damaging effects

Noun
The ravages of civil war could clearly be seen

Verb
Bands of deserters are ravening about the country
Ravishing

To plunder
Lovely or enchanting
Verb
The country was ravaged by invading armies
Ravel

Adjective
The bride looked ravishing he was ravished by
her beauty

To entangle or form into knots

An old-fashioned or formal word for to rape

Verb
Don't let the kitten ravel up the knitting wool

Verb
The brutal knight tried to ravish his beautiful
captive

Adjective
Razzle-dazzle/razzmatazz/razzamatazz

391

A reprimand, scolding
Glamorous entertainment; noisy or showy fuss,
etc
Noun
There's
much
razzle
dazzle/razzmatazz/razzamatazz at the Oscar
awards ceremony

Noun
The teacher's stern rebuke upset the child
Verb
My manager rebuked me for arriving late
Recalcitrant

Rebound
A formal word for stubbornly disobedient
To spring or bounce back after hitting a surface
Verb
If you throw the ball like this, it will rebound off
the wall into the pond
To harm the person responsible for an action,
misfire
Verb
Her attempt to spread false rumours rebounded
when she got into trouble for lying
In a state of recovering from rejection
She met him on the rebound from a broken
engagement
Rebuff
An abrupt or unkind refusal or rejection
Noun
His harsh rebuff of her sympathy hurt her
Verb
Why do you rebuff every offer of help?
Any check to action or progress
Noun
The invasion was met with a firm rebuff by the
army

Adjective
The boss disliked her recalcitrant attitude
Noun
The pupil was punished for his recalcitrance
Recant
A formal word meaning to withdraw or reject a
belief or statement as being wrong, especially
formally in public
Verb
The witness has decided to recant her testimony,
as she was lying
Noun
The church accepted his recantation of his former
heresies
Recap
A shortened, less formal from of recapitulate, to
go over the main pints again
Verb
The teacher offered to recap at the end of the
lesson
I then recapped on what we had agreed up to that
point
Has everyone understood the new policy or
should the chairperson recapitulate?

Rebuke
Noun

392

We will finish off with a brief

recap/recapitulation at the end of the meeting

Noun
Many people lost their jobs in the recession

Recapture

Reciprocal

To capture again

Given and received in return, mutual

Verb
The police tried to recapture the escaped convict

Adjective
Is the attraction reciprocal or do you like her
more than she likes you?

Noun
What led to the prisoner's recapture?
To experience something again; to renew

Verb
We reciprocated their hospitality by inviting
them to lunch

Verb
My father is hoping to recapture his lost youth by
going back to college

Noun
There is reciprocity in trade between the two
countries

Recede

Reckless

To move back from a previous position

Giving no thought to danger or consequences,

heedless, rash

Verb
When the tide began to recede we could play on
the sand
To become or appear to be more distant
Verb
As we drove away, the town receded
distance

Adjective
He was fiend for reckless driving
Adverb
He overtook the truck recklessly on a blind rise

into the

Noun
Her recklessness with money landed her in debt

To move or slope backwards

Reckon

Verb
His hair started to recede when he reached
middle age

To calculate; to guess

Adjective
Apes have receding foreheads
Recession

Verb
I reckon the trip will take four hours
Hire charges are reckoned from the date of
delivery
The waiter reckoned up the bill at the end of the
meal

A slump in business or economic activities

Noun

393

This is the total, by my reckoning

Rectify
To consider or regard
To put right or correct
Verb
We reckon her among our best writers
He is reckoned to be the cleverest student they
have ever had

Verb
Check your work and rectify any errors

To think or suppose

Adjective
It is a mistake that is easily rectifiable

Verb
I reckon we should phone them
The change of plans won't worry them, I reckon

Noun
The rectification of this omission will be a costly
business

To depend or rely

Rectitude

Verb
You can reckon on his loyalty

A formal word meaning moral correctness or

uprightness

To take into account or fail to take into account

Noun
She was a person of high moral rectitude

Verb
They had many problems to reckon with
We wanted a quiet weekend, but we had
reckoned without the grandchildren
To be of considerable importance or influence
She is a person to be reckoned with
Recriminate
A formal word meaning to accuse someone who
ahs accuse you
Verb
If you recriminate against him, it will only cause
an argument

Recuperate
To get better from illness, injury, etc, recover
Verb
She has gone on holiday to recuperate from her
illness
Noun
It's a peaceful resort, ideal for rest and
recuperation
Adjective
The water in these hot springs is supposed to
have recuperative powers
To get back money lost or spent

Noun
After the accident the drivers hurled
recrimination ate each other
Adjective
Her recriminatory remarks made me angry

Verb
You can recuperate your costs from the company
Recur

394

To happen repeatedly or again

To make up for a fault or something wrong

Verb
In his weakened state, his illness is likely to recur
The image of a snake recurs throughout
the
poem

Verb
My lazy brother tried to redeem himself by
washing up

Adjective
She suffers from recurring headaches
I don't know how to handle this recurrent
problem
Noun
The recurrence of the thefts worried the police
A formal phrase meaning to comeback to the
mind
The events often recur to me
Of a number that is repeated infinitely at the end
of a decimal fraction
Adjective
A third of 10 is 3,3 recurring
Redeem

Adjective
The only redeeming feature of the job is the good
salary
So bad or poor that it is beyond hope, often used
humorously
He is so wicked that he is beyond redemption
A formal word meaning to fulfil a promise
Verb
I resigned after I had redeemed my commitments
to the group
Redistribute
To share ort something in a different way
Verb
She plans to redistribute the desks to the various
offices

To buy back or recover something

Verb
She went to redeem her watch from the pawn
shop

Noun
The poor will benefit from the redistribution of
land
Redolent

To pay off a loan

A formal word meaning smelling strongly of
Verb
He hopes to redeem his housing bond soon
To convert shares, coupons, etc into cash or
goods
Verb
This voucher can be redeemed at any of our
stores

Adjective
The kitchen was redolent of freshly baked bread
A formal word meaning strongly suggestive or
reminiscent of
Adjective
His paintings are redolent of rural life in the18th
century

395

Redoubtable
Respected or feared, formidable, used formally
or humorously
Adjective
The tough boxer is a redoubtable opponent
Redundant
Not needed, superfluous
Adjective
In the sentence 'he reversed the car backwards'
the word 'backwards' is redundant

A complementary healing technique that works

on the principle that the entire body is mapped in
the feet and that massage of the appropriate areas
brings relief to corresponding organs and systems
Noun
I tried reflexology to relieve migraines
The reflexology applied pressure to different
parts of the feet, to judge the severity of the
severity of the ailment by the degree of
tenderness
Refurbish
To redecorate or brighten up

No longer needed at work and so dismissed

Adjective
He was made redundant when the company cut
back
Noun
There is increasing redundancy among factory
workers

Verb
He plans to refurbish the cottage for guests
Regale
To entertain and delight, used formally or
humorously

Reflex

Verb
Her uncle would regale her with stories of his
youth

An automatic, involuntary action or movement

To feast, used formally or humorously

Noun
Her sneeze was a reflex caused by dust in her
nose
Racing drivers need good reflexes to cope with
emergencies

Adjective
We regaled ourselves on cheeses and French
wine

Noun
Jerking your leg when your
reflex action

To give new life or energy

Regenerate

kneecap is hit is a
Verb
Rain will regenerate drought- stricken areas

An angle larger than 180%

Adjective
This is a reflex angle, not an acute angle

Adjective
He will benefit from the regenerative powers of
the sea air

396

To reform or improve

To help someone live a normal life again

Verb
The party soon regenerated under her leadership

Verb
The physiotherapy helped to rehabilitate
injured man

Noun
The new leader worked hard for the regeneration
of the committee

the

Noun
The drug addict's rehabilitation was a slow and
painful process

Regress
To restore a person's rank or reputation
To return to an earlier or less advanced state
Verb
Her health began to regress as the disease
worsened

Verb
They agreed to rehabilitate the disgraced former
leader
Reiterate

Noun
Social worker soften argue that prisoners
experience a social regression in jail
Adjective
Several rivers have shown a regressive
tendency to revert to their earlier polluted states

A formal word meaning to say or do something

again or repeatedly
Verb
In conclusion, I want to reiterate the main point
of my argument
Rejig

Regurgitate
Tore-equip
To bring swallowed food up again to the mouth
Verb
Parent birds regurgitate food for their young

Adjective
We pan to rejig the factory with modern
machinery

A formal word meaning to repeat something

unthinkingly

Slang for to rearrange something, sometimes in

an unethical way

Verb
Rather use your own words in the test than
regurgitate the teacher's notes

Verb
We had to rejig the kitchen to make room for the
new stove
He rejigged the records of his business to get out
of paying income tax

Noun
Mere regurgitation of the textbook will not be
enough for the exams

Rejuvenate

Rehabilitate

397

To make someone look or feel young again

Reluctant
Verb
A week's holiday will rejuvenate you
We were rejuvenated after a relaxing weekend
spent in the country
Adjective
She tried rejuvenating creams to get rid of her
wrinkles
Noun
He seems to have undergone a total rejuvenation
since taking up cycling

Unwilling; not eager

Adjective
He was reluctant to lend her his car
Adverb
She reluctantly agreed to pay the extra amount
Noun
He washed the dishes with obvious reluctance
Remedy

Relegate
To demote; to be move down to a lower rank or
position

A cure; anything which heals, removes or

relieves pain, fault, etc
Noun
Have they found a remedy for the common cold
yet?

Verb
Rather than fire him, they decide to relegate
him
Noun
The team's relegation to the second division is
certain after this season's dismal performance

Chemists' shops are full of remedies for a variety

of ailments
We must find a remedy for the crime problem

To be put in a less important place

Curative, corrective

Verb
The old furniture was relegated to the attic
Relinquish

Adjective
She underwent remedial therapy for backache
Retarded children receive special care in
remedial schools

To let go; release

To correct or repair something

Verb
He couldn't hold on any longer and was forced to
relinquish his grip on the rope

Verb
Can the garage remedy the fault in the car?
Cannot be out right

To give up, yield or renounce

Verb
The divorced husband was persuaded
relinquish his claim to the children

That printing mistake is beyond remedy/is past

remedy as the newspaper has gone to press
to
Remission

398

A reduction of a prison sentence

Noun
Most prisoners are allowed remission for good
behaviour

If you are late again, the manager is sure to

remonstrate with you
Adjective
The teacher remonstrated against rudeness
Remorse

Freeing from a debt, etc

Noun
Because his income comes from abroad, he
gained remission from tax payments here
Forgiveness, pardon from god
Noun
Sinners pray for the remission of their sins

A feeling of regret, sorrow or guilt for having

done something wrong
Noun
The accused showed genuine remorse so the
court imposed a more lenient sentence
Adjective
Don't look so remorseful it wasn't your fault
Without pity or mercy

Remittent
Becoming less severe at intervals
Adjective
She is having remittent bouts of fever
Remnant

Adjective
Some POWs received remorseless treatment at
the hands of their enemies
Relentlessly
Adverb
The gale blew remorselessly for two days

A remaining part or quantity

Rendezvous
Adjective
She made a matching cushion cover from a
remnant
Surviving graces
Noun
The remnants of the army trudged back to camp
The remnants of the British empire are dotted
over the globe
You can see the remnants of the wrecked ship on
the beach

From the French meaning a meeting at an agreed

time and place; a meeting place
Noun
I made a rendezvous with her at the pub at five o'
clock
The park was the lovers' usual rendezvous
Verb
All detachments of the platoon will rendezvous
at the bridge at midnight

Remonstrate

Renegade

To make a protest, objection or complaint

A person who deserts a cause or faith; a traitor or

rebel

Verb

399

Noun
The renegade and his team of mercenaries
deposed their leader

It's an old, dilapidated house but we could

renovate it
The school was renovated during the holidays

Adjective
The renegade catholic priest left his church to get
married

Noun
The public library is under renovation and will
be closed for three months
Renovations can be very expensive

Any outlaw
A person who does this
Noun
Bands of renegades live in the mountains

Noun
We've asked a renovator for a quote

Renounce
Reparation
To give up ownership or possession, especially
by a formal announcement
Verb
The heir said that he would renounce his claim to
his father's estate in favour of his younger
brother
Noun
The king's renunciation of the throne came as a
shock to the people of the country
To give up willingly
Verb
She has renounced cigarettes and alcohol
The jailbird renounced crime and became a
model citizen

The act of making amends

Noun
We make reparation for our sins by asking
forgiveness of god
Payment as compensation for loss, especially war
damage
Noun
Defeated enemies who start wars usually have to
pay reparations to the victorious nations
Repatriate
To return a person t his/her own country

To reject or stop following

Verb
His hob was to repatriate refugees after the war

Verb
She has renounced the church and has joined a
strange sect

Noun
The red cross helped with the repatriation of the
prisoners of war

Renovate

Such a person

To restore old buildings etc, to good condition or

improve upon the original

Noun
The repatriate was happy to be in his homeland

Verb

Repercussions

400

Indirect results or consequences,

unpleasant, from an event, etc

often

Noun
Fraud has serious repercussions for a firm

To make a copy; to reproduce

Verb
A chameleon's skin can replicate the colour and
pattern of its background

A thing thrown back

To be folded or bent back on itself
Noun
A repercussion can be an echo

Adjective
Some plants have replicate leaves

Replenish
Reprehensible
To get a further supply of
A formal word for very bad or morally wrong
Verb
The campers had to replenish their
supplies

food

Noun
The ship out into harbour for the replenishment
of provisions

Adjective
It is reprehensible to lie and cheat
Adverb
She behaved reprehensibly by slapping her
secretary

To fill again
A formal word for to blame or find fault with
Verb
Let me replenish your glass with some more
wine

Adverb
Mother will reprehend you for not studying when
she sees your bad report

Replete
Reprieve
Well filled or supplied
Adjective
The diners sat back, replete with good food and
drink
The kitchen is replete with every modern
appliance
Replica
An exact copy or model, especially on a smaller
scale
Noun
She bought a replica of the Eiffel tower in Paris

A postponement,
punishment; a stay

cancellation,

etc,

of

Noun
The prisoner on death row got a last-minute
reprieve
To give temporary relief from danger, trouble, etc
Verb
The old house was reprieved from demolition
while the developers argued with the council
about the site

401

Verb
The small garrison managed to repulse the attack

Reprimand
A sever rebuke, especially made formally or
officially
Noun
The court martial decided to let the offending
sergeant off with a reprimand instead of being
discharged

Noun
The repulse of the enemy earned the commander
a medal
The repulsion of grease to water is the principle
of lithographic printing
To reject

Verb
He was reprimanded for sleeping on duty

Verb
She repulsed his amorous gestures

Repudiate

Noun
Our offer to help was met with a repulse

To refuse to have anything more to do with

somebody; to disown

Disgusting; loathsome

Verb
The father threatened to repudiate his son if he
did not give up drugs

Adjective
Horror films are repulsive to many people
His eating habits are quite repulsive

To refuse to accept something; to reject

Verb
She will repudiate the accusation if challenged in
court

Noun
The cruelty of the bullfight left us with a feeling
of repulsion
Requisite

Noun
The repudiation of an earlier agreement
much resentment between the parties
Repugnant

caused

A formal word for necessary, required

Adjective
Do you have the requisite form to apply for a
passport?

Offensive; disgusting or distasteful

A formal word for articles needed for a purpose
Adjective
Some people find stage nudity repugnant
Noun
She has a repugnance to eating raw fish

Noun
Toilet requisites are available at the pharmacy
That shop sells every conceivable requisite for
camping

Repulse

A formal or official demand or order

To drive back or away, repel

Noun

402

Please submit a requisition for spares to the

storeman

Identical twins always resemble each other she

resembles her mother
We have a door-knocker resembling a lion's head

The official from for this

Noun
Orders will only be fulfilled on receipt of the
proper requisition

Noun
He bears a marked resemblance to his father The
TV serial bore no resemblance to the novel
Reshuffle

To take over or demand for use, especially by the

military
Small boats were requisitioned for the
withdrawal of troops from Dunkirk during the
second world war

To mix the cards I a pack so as to change their

order
Verb
The poker player insisted that the dealer reshuffle
the cards to avoid the suspicion of cheating

Requite
A formal word for to give in return, revenge

A rearrangement of people or their duties, in

politics or in an organization

Verb
The gang vowed to requite the murder of their
leader

Noun
The president carried out a cabinet reshuffle after
the resignation of two of his ministers

A formal word for repayment

Residue
Something which remains or is left over

Noun
Full requital of this account is demanded
Rescind
To cancel or repeal, annul
Verb
The government has decided to rescind several
controversial laws
Verb
The contract was rescinded owing to the inability
of one of the parties to fulfil their obligations
Resemble

Noun
It's a dirty job cleaning the residue from an
engine
Adjective
The eroding winds have exposed some residual
lime deposits in the quarry
Residual prejudices from the past must be
overcome
Referring to what is left of a deceased's estate
after all settlements have been made
Adjective
It was agreed that the residual monies be divided
equally among the heirs

To be or appear like or similar to

Resilient
Verb

403

Springing back to its original form after being

stretched, etc
Adjective
Elastic is resilient
The ability to recover from unpleasant or
damaging events
Noun
Her amazing resilience/resiliency helped her
survive the serious illness

Adjective
He received a resounding slap on his cheek
Resplendent
Splendid or very bright in appearance
Adjective
She looked resplendent in her ball gown

Resonance

Noun
The resplendence of the table at the state banquet
impressed the visiting head of state

The prolonging, re-echoing or vibrating of sound

Restitution

Noun
The resonance of the organ notes makes them
reverberate around the cavernous church

A formal word for a return or restoration of

something to its proper owner or original state

Adjective
The town square was resonant with the peals of
church bells
Verb
A loudspeaker cone resonates cone resonates and
amplifies the sound

Noun
Many American indians demand the restitution
of their land
Compensation, especially in the forma of money

Resound

Noun
The company had to make restitution for the
damage done by its faulty product

To echo; to fill a place with sound

Restore

Verb
In Rome, the streets resound with church bells
The hall resounded with laughter

To put old works of art, buildings, etc back into

original condition

Adjective
Resounding cheers greeted the victorious team
Very great or successful, sensational
Adjective
The product launch was a resounding success as
the sales graph shows

Verb
The museum employed an expert to restore that
valuable 16th-century oil painting
Noun
Funds were raised for the restoration of the
historical cottage
Noun
The furniture restorer repaired the antique table

Strong; firm

404

To give, put or bring back to the original owner,

condition, etc

Members of the audience are requested

resume their seats for the final act

Verb
He offered to restore the stolen money to the
company
The family rejoiced when the sick child was
restored to health

Resurgent
Reviving, rising again
Adjective
A resurgent economy should create more jobs

Noun
The top priority is the restoration of order after
the riots

Noun
The resurgence of unrest les to violence

A tonic, etc

Resurrect

Noun
You need a restorative after that bout of flu

To revive

Adjective
For many people, a cup of tea is a restorative
drink

to

Verb
Some designers would like to resurrect the
practice of wearing hats on formal occasions
Why does the theatre want to resurrect that dated
old play?

To reinstate
Verb
When the coup failed, the deposed president was
restored to power

Noun
There was a resurrection of hope for the trapped
miners when a tapped massage was heard
The rising of Jesus from the grave

Noun
The workers demanded the restoration of their
bonuses

Christian celebrate the resurrection on Easter

Sunday

Resume

The rising of the dead on the day of judgment

To start or continue again after an interval

Christians believe in the resurrection, when

Christ will return and pass final judgment on
them

Verb
She will resume piano lessons after the holidays

Resuscitate
Noun
There was a resumption of fighting after the
cease-fire ended
To take again or return to
Verb

To bring back to life or consciousness

Verb
The doctor managed to resuscitate the patient
who had suffered a heart attack
Noun

405

Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation is the best way to

force air into someone's lungs

To secure someone's services with a first

payment

Retain
To keep in your possession
Verb
Retain receipts in case you want to return the
goods
We are retaining the original wooden floor when
we redecorate the room
To continue to have or to keep
Verb
The American edition retained the brutish
spelling
The queen retained the affection of her people
To keep I place; to hold or contain
Verb
Sponges retain water
The police managed to retain control of the
crowds
A wall to hold back earth or water
This retaining wall will hold back the flood
waters
To remember, keep in your memory
Verb
The way he retains facts makes him a walking
encyclopedia
A humorous or old-fashioned word for a longserving servant
Noun
She is a family retainer who worked for us for
years

Noun
I retained a lawyer by paying him
fee/retainer

a retaining

Retaliate
To repay an injury with another injury; to get
your own back
Verb
If you hit him, he will retaliate with a punch
Adjective
The air raid was a retaliatory/retaliative attack for
the bomb outrage
Noun
Because he had blocked her driveway she dented
his car in retaliation
Retard
To delay or slow down
Verb
If the clock is too fast, retard the mechanism
To keep back growth or development
Verb
Too little sun will retard a plant's growth
His long illness has retarded his academic
progress
Adjective
The mentally retarded child goes to a special
school
Noun
Mental retardation/retardment may be caused by
genetic factors

406

Retention

He retorted that it was all her fault

A formal word for the action of holding

something in position

Re-trace
To trace again

Noun
The retaining wall was inadequate for the
retention of the flood waters
A formal word for the possession or use of
something

Verb
Re-trace the map neatly
Retract
To draw in or back

Noun
Although she is 95 , she has full retention of her
memory
A formal word for the action of remembering
things
Noun
His retention of facts is amazing
Adjective
She has a very retentive mind
Reticent
Reserved or not communicative; keeping your
thoughts and feelings t yourself
Adjective
He is so reticent about his job that we don't ever
know where he works
Noun
Her reticence about her past aroused our
curiosity

Verb
Tortoises can retract their heads into their shells
Able to be drawn in or back
Noun
The retraction of the aircraft's wheels after
takeoff enables it to move more easily
Capable to being drawn in
Adjective
A cat has retractile claws
The craft has retractable /retractible wheels
A formal word for to withdraw a statement, offer,
etc
Verb
On second thoughts, I wish to retract my earlier
statement
Noun
The retraction of his offer is a major setback as
we were relying on it

Retort
Retread
An abrupt, witty or angry reply
To remould the tread or pattern cut on a tyre
Noun
The speaker's sharp retort silenced the heckler

Verb
What do they charge to retread a tyre?

Verb

407

Noun
A retread can be dangerous at high speeds
Retreat

Retrench
To reduce a firm's expenses usually by cutting
down on staff

To move back or withdraw a military force

Verb
Napoleon had to retreat from Moscow
The soldiers beat a hasty retreat
Noun
The orderly retreat soon become panic-stricken
flight

Verb
The company has decided to retrench
dismissing a third of the workforce

by

Noun
Retrenchment saved the firm from going
bankrupt
Retribution

A military signal to do this

Deserved punishment or vengeance

The general ordered the drummer to sound the

retreat

Noun
Losing his job was just retribution for his
laziness

The bugle call at sunset to signal the time fro

retirement
When the retreat is sounded the flag is lowered

Adjective
The farmers took retributive action against the
cattle thieves

A place suitable for privacy or seclusion

Retrieve
Noun
We spent the weekend at a country retreat
To move back or away from
Verb
The frightened child began to retreat out of the
room
We retreated from the beach when the rowdy
day-trippers appeared
Faced with a public outcry, the government
retreated from its plan to introduce the hated tax
A period of retirement for prayer and meditation
Noun
For Christians, a retreat is a time of spiritual
renewal

To get back; to regain or recover

Verb
I had to retrieve the ball from the neighbour's
garden
Noun
The police are concentrating on the retrieval of
the stolen plans
To return successfully
Verb
The tennis player managed to retrieve a difficult
shot
To find again or extract

408

Verb
Do you know how to retrieve date from a
computer disk?
Noun
A compute operator has to be trained in
information retrieval

Adjective
Inbreeding is retrogressive and leads
recurrence of genetic abnormalities

the

Noun
We are worried about the retrogression of her
health
Retrospective

Able to be found and extracted

Having effect from a past date
Adjective
Data stored on a disk is readily retrievable
To set right; to restore or revive
Verb
Gamblers often think they can retrieve their
losses by placing one more bet
Noun
He had the task of bringing about the retrieval of
the family's fortunes
Not able to be put right

Adjective
The law was made retrospective to January last
year
The retrospective pay rise comes into operation
as from last month
A survey of the past, especially an exhibition

The company's hopeless financial situation was

beyond retrieve

Noun
A retrospective of an artist's work shows his/her
development
Retrospection makes the past seem better than it
was

A breed of dog

When subsequently considered

Noun
A retriever can be trained to retrieve game for
the hunter

In retrospect we realize we were wrong

Retrograde

To improve or reconstruct

Moving backwards, especially to an earlier or

less developed condition

Verb
I want to revamp my old kitchen
The TV show has been revamped as a film

Adjective
The new tax is a retrograde step that discourages
investment

Revamp

Reveal
To make known, disclose

Verb
Since stopping treatment the patient has started t
retrogress

Verb
Don't reveal the secret

409

In court he revealed that he had known of the

bribes

Verb
The partygoers will revel till dawn

Adjective
This book is a revealing account of the crisis

Verb
The Brazilian carnival revels go on for days

Noun
The revelation of the murderer's identity is on the
last page

Noun
University students join in the revelry of rag day
The drunken reveller sang at the top of his voice

A dramatic or surprising disclosure

To enjoy very much

Noun
It was a revelation to me that this quiet man was
a war hero

Tourists from Europe revel in the Caribbean

sunshine
Revenge

To show, allow to be seen

To retaliate for an injury or wrong received
Verb
The door opened to reveal the sink piled high
with dirty dishes
She revealed a talent for maths
Showing more of the body than is usual
Adjective
He couldn't take his eyes off her very revealing
dress
A religion based not on reason but on what is
disclosed by divine authority
Atheists don't believe in god so they reject
revealed religion based on god's word

Verb
The clan wanted to revenge the murder of their
chief
Deliberate punishment, etc, inflicted in return for
what you have suffered
Noun
The jilted woman is thirsting fro revenge on her
former lover
Adjective
In this revengeful mood he is dangerous
Someone who desires revenge

Reveille
A morning wake-up call for soldiers or sailors
Noun
The bugler sounded reveille at five o'clock
Revel
An old-fashioned or humorous word meaning to
make merry

Noun
As the revenger of his dead father, hamlet has to
kill the murderer
The desire for revenge
Noun
Such revengefulness leads to more deaths
As a punishment for

410

He was killed in revenge for betraying their

leader

Newspapers are full of the reverberations of the

police probe

In order to return an injury, etc

Revere

The traitor was killed out of revenge

To show deep respect and awe for

To return an injury, etc

Verb
Children nowadays revere pop start and athletes
People still revere/reverence his memory
He was revered for his great learning

In a vendetta two sides try to get/have/take their

revenge
To hurt someone who has hurt you
She wanted to revenge herself on her unfaithful
husband
She was revenged on her unfaithful husband
A return match giving a defeated opponent, etc, a
chance to win
Noun
The new champion will give him his revenge
tomorrow
Reverberate
To echo or sound again and again
Verb
Footsteps reverberate through the empty hall
Noun
Our ears rang with the reverberation of the
explosion

Noun
Before entering a mosque remove your shoes as
a sign of reverence
Respectful
Adjective
You should be more reverent in church
The royal visitor was given a reverential bow
A title of respect for a clergyman
Adjective
Refer to a clergyman as reverend
Mr. brown or reverend tom brown not as
reverend brown
The preferred written abbreviation of reverend is
revd rather than rev
The correct title of an archbishop is most
reverend the correct title of a bishop is right
reverend
The title of a mother superior of a convent

To have long-lasting and deep effects

Verb
The shock of the bank collapse reverberated in
financial circles

The reverend mother called a meeting

nuns

of

the

The title of a roman catholic priest

Repercussions

The reverend father will hear your

Noun

Revert

confession

411

To return to a former topic condition, habit, etc

Verb
When he's under stress he tends to revert to
drinking
His conversation kept reverting to his problems
Noun
The reversion of the abandoned settlement to
wilderness covered all trace of human habitation
Once a misfit in society, she has reverted to type
and is now as conventional as her parents
To return property, rights, etc, to a former owner,
heir or the state
Verb
If the prince of monaco dies without an
monaco will revert to France as a self
governing French protectorate

The revitalization/revitalisation of the economy

depends on a strong work ethic
Revive
To come or bring back to life, consciousness,
activity, etc
Verb
When the baby stopped breathing, the doctor had
to revive her with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
The flowers soon revived in water
Noun
He made a quick revival after the operation
We are all hoping for an economic revival
To make you feel better

heir,

Noun
The reversion of the estate to a distant cousin
occurred when the owner died without a male
heir

Verb
You need a nice cup of tea to revive you
To come or bring back to use, into fashion, etc
Verb
Designers would like to revive the wearing of
hats

Revile
A formal word meaning, to criticize in abusive
language

Noun
There has been a revival of interest in handicrafts
To perform an old play after many years

Verb
He continued to revile the company for
dismissing him
Revitalize/revitalise
To put new life and vitality into
Verb
The new coach should revitalize/revitalise the
demoralized team

Verb
Why bother to revive the 1920s farce?
Noun
The dramatic society is planning a noel coward
revival
A campaign to re-awaken religious feeling
Noun
A well-known preacher conducted the revival

Noun
Adjective

412

The revivalist preacher whipped up religious

fervor
Noun
Revivalism is an awakening of people's passion
for god
Revoke
To cancel or withdraw
Verb
The minister wished to revoke the trade
agreement
Noun
The Huguenots left France after the revocation of
the edict of Nantes which had protected their
religion

Verb
Rewind the tape to where you started recording
If rewound the wool and started knitting again
Rhetoric
The art of persuasive pr effective speech or
writing
Noun
Winston Churchill was a master of rhetoric
whose wartime speeches boosted British morale
Adjective
He's a boring speaker with no rhetorical skills
Showy, insincere, exaggerated language
Noun
Too many politicians' speeches are just empty
rhetoric

To fail to follow suit at cards

A question asked for effect and not for an answer
Verb
It's a breach of the rules to revoke if you can
follow suit

How do you do? Is a rhetorical question

Rhythm

Revulsion
A feeling of disgust or loathing
Noun
Such cruelty filed us with revulsion
She drew back from the cockroach in revulsion
A formal word for a sudden change or reversal of
emotion, opinion, etc
Noun
There was a revulsion of feeling among the
spectators in favour of the weaker side

A regular repeated pattern of sounds, stresses or

beats in music, etc
Noun
She tapped he feet to the rhythm of the music
The rhythm of spoken Italian is totally different
from that of spoken English
Adjective
Soldiers marched to the rhythmical/rhythmic beat
of the drums
Adverb
The singers swayed rhythmically to the beat

Rewind
To wind back or again

The ability to sing, dance, etc, in time to a fixed

beat

413

Noun
Some people have a natural sense of rhythm

Those drunken riffraff spoilt the party with their

bad behaviour

Any regular or recurrent pattern

Rifle

Noun
In a medical examination, the doctor listens to
the rhythm of your heart
The moon influences the rhythm of the tides
The noisy crowd put the tennis player off his
rhythm

A firearm with a long, spirally grooved barrel

Noun
I loaded the rifle aimed and fired at the target
He was a rifleman in the army
Recruits practise shooting at the rifle range

A type of popular music developed in the 1930s

and 1940s; the abbreviation

The distance that a rifle bullet will travel

Adjective
Rhythm and blues/R&B is an urban development
of
traditional
blues
with
a
strong
rhythmical/rhythmic beat

The soldiers retreated until they were safely out

of rifle range

A natural method of birth control

Verb
Gunsmiths rifle the barrel for barrel
accurate shooting

Couples using the rhythm method have no sexual

intercourse during the fertile period of the
woman's menstrual cycle

To make spiral grooves inside the barrel of a gun

for

more

Rigour
Strictness and severity

Musical instruments in a band or group that

supply the best
A rhythm section usually consists of drums paino
and bass
A from of dance like gymastics performed with a
material object

Noun
Such a gruesome murder deserves to be met
with the utmost rigour of the law
Adjective
He hated the rigorous discipline of the army
Something unpleasant and harsh to bear

In rhythmic gymnastics the gymnasts perform

incredible acts of precision and control with a
ribbon ball or hoop

Noun
She survived the rigours of travelling in the
desert

Riffraff
Strictly thorough and accurate
Badly behaved, undesirable people, rabble
Noun

Adjective
That accountant is known for his rigorous
attention to detail

414

Rinse

To look or move like a ripple

To wash dirt, soap, etc, out of or off something

with water

Verb
Her long hair rippled in the breeze

Verb
He tried to rinse the spilt wine out of his tie

Noun
The film star's arrival caused a ripple of interest
in the crowd

Noun
Give the clothes a thorough rinse before drying
them

A gentle rising-and-falling sound

Verb
After washing the car, rinse it off using the
hosepipe

Noun
A ripple of laughter spread across the room
There was a ripple of amused applause from the
journalists

To wash lightly with water, especially without

using soap

The process where something has an effect far

from its origin

Verb
She went to rinse her hands before she ate
A temporary dye for hair

A bank failure creates a ripple effect through the

financial world

Noun
She uses a colour rinse to disguise the grey in her
hair
Slang, meaning to have a drink after eating
something

Risible
A formal word meaning laughable, ridiculous
Adjective
The politician called his opponent's ideas risible
and absurd
Rival

Verb
For lunch I had pasta and a glass of wine to rinse
it down

A person or thing that competes with another

Ripple

Noun
She is the champion's rival in the tennis
championship

A very small wave or series of waves

Noun
A ripple in the pond betrayed the presence of a
frog
He watched the ripples spread across the lake
Verb
A gentle breeze rippled the surface of the pond

Adjective
The contract was awarded to rival firm
Noun
I think dickens is without rival among novelists
Intense rivalry between certain personalities has
paralysed the committee

415

To equal or be as good as
Verb
Our car rival any other for speed

Verb
The newspapers roasted the corrupt politician
I got a real roasting for the careless errors I had
made

Roam
Robust
To travel or wander about with no fixed
destination
Verb
Tourists roam around the city looking at the
sights
Noun
My basset hound is a bit of a roamer

Healthy, strong and sturdy

Adjective
The robust boy played tennis and soccer
She had a robust appetite after climbing the
mountain
This is a robust full-bodied wine
Straightforward, not delicate

To talk about various things

Verb
She has a tendency to roam over many subjects
instead of sticking to the point
Roast
To cook or dry food, especially in an oven
Verb
Roast the chicken for two hours
Coffee beans are roasted before being ground
Noun
We usually have a roast and vegetables for
Sunday lunch

Adjective
He has rather a robust earthy sense of humour
Roly-poly
A short, plump person
Noun
That baby is a real roly-poly
Adjective
He has become quite roly-poly
Rotund
A formal word meaning plump or rounded

Adjective
Anyone for anyone for another slice of roast
beef?

Adjective
That large man has a rotund build

To expose yourself to extreme heat

A round building or room

Verb
When I'm on holiday, all if want to do is lie in the
sun and roast
We were roasting in the corrugated iron shack

Noun
A rotunda usually has a domed roof

Slang, meaning to criticize severely

Noisy and rough

Rowdy

416

Adjective
It was a rowdy party

To disturb the calmness or serenity of someone

Adverb
The fans behaved rowdily at the match
This kind of behaviour
Noun
Such rowdiness/rowdyism will not
in class

Verb
The politician was ruffled by some personal
questions
An expression meaning to annoy or irritate
somebody

be tolerated

Rudimentary
A formal word for not more than basic or not
fully developed
Adjective
He had a rudimentary education because he left
school at the age of 12
Millions of years ago, some fish developed
rudimentary lungs and became amphibians
Elementary principles
Noun
You must learn the rudiments of the game before
you can play it
Ruffian
An old-fashioned word for a violent or lawless
person

She's in a vile temper this morning, who's ruffled

her feathers?
A pleated frill of material used for ornament on a
garment
Noun
Her dress has a ruffle around each cuff
Rugged
Uneven, rocky, rough
Adjective
The rugged mountain scenery of Peru is aweinspiring
Having craggy, lined features
Adjective
The fisherman had a rugged weather-beaten
face
tough, sturdy, robust

Noun
A ruffian was responsible for looting the shop

Adjective
This pickup truck is a rugged and reliable vehicle

Ruffle
Rumble
To disturb the smoothness of something
A deep, dull, rolling sound
Verb
Don't ruffle my hair, I've just combed it
A breeze ruffled the flat surface of the lake
The owl ruffled its feathers

Noun
We could hear the rumble of distant thunder

417

Verb
My stomach's rumbling from hunger

To search by moving things around in a

disorderly way

To move with such a sound

Adjective
Army tanks rumbled through the dusty stets

Verb
Please don't rummage through my desk, you
always leave it in a mess
She rummaged in her drawer for a scarf

Slang for to find out about; to uncover

A sale of unwanted goods, jumble sale

Verb
The police rumbled their plans

The ladies raised money for charity at their

rummage sale

Rumbustious

Rumour

A formal or humorous word meaning boisterous

or unruly

Gossip; a story or report in circulation which is

not necessarily true

Adjective
It was a noisy rumbustious part

Noun
I heard the rumour about their getting married
There are many rumours of an impending
takeover

Ruminant
An animal that re-chews partially digested food
Noun
The cow is a ruminant and chews the cud
Ruminants have several stomach compartments
Verb
Goats ruminate by regurgitating their food

Verb
It is rumoured that the boss is resigning rumour
has it that he was fired
Reported as a rumour
Adjective
Her house was sold at a rumoured price of one
million dollars

To ponder or meditate
Rupture
Verb
Some philosophers ruminate over the destiny of
mankind
Contemplative, pensive
Adjective
She gazed out the door in a ruminative mood
Rummage

A sudden burst, break or tear

Noun
The workmen had t repair a rupture in the pipe
A tearing of the wall of the stomach, etc
Noun
He was operated on for an abdominal rupture
Adjective

418

A ruptured appendix can be very serious

The ruthless dictator had all his opponents killed

Verb
You can rupture yourself by straining and lifting
heavy weights

Unremitting, unrelenting
Adjective
He works 10 hours a day to a ruthless schedule

To break off a relationship or friendship

Verb
The cordial relations between the two countries
were ruptured by a quarrel over fishing rights

Rustic

Sabotage

Of the countryside, rural

Deliberate damage to machines, property, etc,

especially for industrial or political reasons
Noun
The explosion in the factory was caused by
sabotage

Adjective
The cottage had a rustic charm
John constable, the British landscape artist, was a
fine painter of rustic scenes
A simple person, especially from the country

Verb
Guerrillas tried to sabotage the water supply
A person who does this

Noun
The naive rustic was overwhelmed by the bustle
of the city
A formal word for to settle in the country
Verb
People often decide to rusticate in their
retirement

Noun
A saboteur blew up the power station
To obstruct or hinder deliberately, especially by
secret means
Verb
Unwilling civil servants tried to sabotage the
government's economic policies

Rough; crude
Sack
Adjective
The peasant had rustic manners
The rustic bridge was very wobbly
Ruthless
Showing no pity, compassion or mercy; very
cruel

A large bag of coarse cloth or its contents

Noun
Fill the sack with wheat
The sack/sackful of rice was divided among the
refugees
Coarse material used for making sacks

Adjective

419

Noun
Sacking/sackcloth is woven from jute, flax or
hemp
Slang for to dismiss from a job

Concerning something sacred used in Christian

ceremony
Adjective
The priest blessed the sacramental wine

Verb
The manager threatened to sack the striking
workers

Sacred
Holy, religious, dedicated to god or a deity

Noun
The lazy man was given the sack

Adjective
The bible is the sacred book of the Christians

Verb
Sacking the whole workforce is impossible
A way to show or express deep repentance or
grief
The Israelites wore sackcloth and ashes as
penance for their sins all right so I failed the
exam, what do you want me to do- go around
in sackcloth and ashes?

Noun
They defiled the sacredness of the mosque by not
removing their shoes
Adjective
For Hindus the cow is a sacred animal
Something that is so highly regarded it is above
criticism
Golf has become a sacred cow for

A race in which each competitor stands in and

holds up a sack
The little boys all hopped furiously in the sack
race

my husband

Solemn, serious
Adjective
He made a sacred promise to his dying mother to
look after his little sister

To go to bed
Sacrilege
I'm so tired that all I want to do is hit the
sack/hay

Deliberate disrespect or damage to something

sacred or worthy of great respect; desecration

Sacrament
A Christian ceremony

Noun
It is a sacrilege to steal from a church

Noun
Baptism is a sacrament for all Christians

Adjective
Slashing that painting was a sacrilegious act

The consecrated bread used in holy communion

Sacrosanct

Noun
Her received the holy sacrament at

Very sacred or holy

communion

420

Adjective
The tribe's burial ground is sacrosanct
Too important to be changed or discussed, often
used ironically
Adjective
You can't cut the salaries of
sacrosanct!

The branches loaded with fruit sag under the

weight
The bed sagged in the middle
Noun
Pull the rope taut so that it doesn't have a sag in
the middle

politicians-that's
Adjective
Don't sit in that saggy old chair

Sadism
To hang unevenly or loosely
The enjoyment of inflicting or watching pain or
cruelty; getting sexual pleasure from this
Noun
The sadism of Nazi perverts was shown in the
horrors of the concentration camps
The sadist smiled as he tortured the prisoner

Verb
The hem is sagging where the stitches have
loosened
As she got older she noticed that her skin was
beginning to sag
To fall in value

Adjective
The sadistic bully enjoyed humiliating his wife
Obtaining pleasure by inflicting pain on others or
yourself

Verb
The dollar sagged against the mark but
against sterling

rallied

To weaken
Noun
Sadomasochism is a sexual

practice

Adjective
In which one partner adopts a sadistic role and
the other a masochistic one
Noun
A sadomasochist is sexually aroused by causing
pain or by being abused
Adjective
Much pornography is sadomasochistic and S&M
Sag

Verb
Morale is sagging as the company faces
bankruptcy
Saga
A long story about heroic events, especially a
medieval Icelandic or Norwegian prose narrative
Noun
The saga of Eric the red tells the story of how the
vikings discovered Greenland
A series of novels about several generations of a
family

To bend, sink or curve downwards

Noun
Verb

421

John Galsworthy's novels about the forsyte

family are known collectively as 'the forsyte saga
A long, involved story f
Noun
Have you heard the latest in our saga of the
builders?
Sagacious
A formal word for shrewd, with practical wisdom
and good judgment

Because of former friendship or association

My ex-wife and I had a drink together
times, sake

for

old

An exclamation of impatience, annoyance, etc

For god's/goodness'/heaven's/pity's sake, will you
hurry up!
Salacious
Indecent, obscene, arousing sexual desire

Adjective
The judge's sagacious decision solved a difficult
problem

Adjective
Pornographic pictures are salacious

Noun
He planned the ad campaign with great sagacity

Noun
The novel's salaciousness shocked

Of an animal, exceptionally intelligent, seeming

to reason or deliberate

Salient
Most noticeable or important

Adjective
The cat is a sagacious animal often showing
great intelligence

Adjective
Make a summary of the salient points in his
speech

Sake

A bulge into enemy territory of a line of battle

The personal benefit or welfare

Noun
Troops in the salient were exposed to attack in
the rear

Noun
He did it for his own sake not for yours
For your mother's sake we'll help you one last
time
In the interest of in order to
We gave in for the sake of peace and quiet
You argue for the sake of arguing
As a basis for discussion
If, for the sake of argument, unemployment gets
worse, how will it affect the economy?

readers

Salubrious
A formal word meaning health-giving, especially
of the climate
Adjective
The doctor advised her to convalesce in the
salubrious mountain air
Noun
The salubriousness of Arizona is good for people
with respiratory ailments

422

A formal word meaning unhealthy, diseaseridden

Salvation
Saving from is, harm or loss

Adjective
Thousands of people died in the insalubrious
conditions of the slums
Salutary
Having a good effect
Adjective
Prison was a salutary lesson to the mugger

Noun
Pray for the salvation of your soul
Alcoholics anonymous has been the salvation of
many compulsive drinkers
A Christian missionary organization run on
quasi-military lines
The salvation army does admirable social work
among the poor

Salvage
Sanatorium
To save from loss or damage
Verb
We could salvage only a few things from the fire
She tried to salvage her dignity by leaving the
room
Adjective
The shop sold all that was salvageable/salvable
from the flood

A nursing home for patients requiring lengthy

treatment
Noun
He is convalescing in a sanatorium
Sanctify
To make sacred or holy

To save a damaged or wrecked ship or its cargo

Verb
The tugs helped to salvage the ship on the rocks
Adjective
The salvage company arranged to tow in the
abandoned tanker
Noun
The salvage from the sunken ship is worth
millions
The re-use of waste paper, scrap metal, etc, after
being processed

Verb
We want a priest to sanctify our marriage
Noun
There was an atmosphere of sanctity in the
temple
Something important, worth respecting and
protecting
Noun
Hardened killers have no respect for the sanctity
of human life
To approve of or justify

Noun
In wartime, metal and paper were collected for
salvage

Verb
In some cultures child marriages are sanctified
by custom

423

Sanctimonious
Making a show of righteousness or piety,
especially hypocritically
Adjective
For all his sanctimonious moralizing, he's
nothing but a thief
Noun
His sanctimoniousness is for show

The engineering sandwich course at the college

consisted of one or two years' study and one
year's practical work
Sanguine
Optimistic, hopeful, confident
Adjective
We are sanguine that the peace talks will succeed
Having a red complexion

Sandwich
Tow slices of buttered bread with a filling
between them
Noun
Do you want your cheese and tomato sandwich
plain or toasted?
He takes a packet of sandwiches to work every
day
An open sandwich has a topping on one slice of
bread
A layered cake with jam or cream filling
Noun
The sponge sandwich had a chocolate cream
filling
To fit tightly between two other things
Verb
He was sandwiched between two large men in
the back seat of the car
A pair of connected boards hung over someone's
shoulders, used for advertising
The sandwich boards advertising the coming sale
were carried round town by the sandwich man
A course of alternate periods of study and
practical work

Adjective
A heavy drinker is likely to develop a sanguine
complexion
A formal word for bloody, with much bloodshed
Adjective
The world was horrified by the sanguinary
slaughter of the inhabitants
A formal word for bloodthirsty
Adjective
Stalin was a sanguinary dictator responsible for
the deaths of millions
Sarcasm
The use of words or expressions to mean the
opposite of what they say, usually to criticize
other people or make them look foolish
Noun
It's sarcasm when you congratulate a latecomer
on being early
Adjective
His sarcastic remark made the girl cry
Adverb
'Well, Mr. know-it-all, what's the answer this
time? 'he asked sarcastically

424

Slang for sarcastic

Let's go for a saunter round the shops to kill

some time

Adjective
Don't use that sarky tone with me!

Savant

Sardonic

A formal word for a person of great learning

Cynically scornful, mocking, sneering

Noun
The savant is the world authority on this topic

Adjective
The teacher's sardonic smile showed he didn't
believe their fanciful excuses

Savour
A taste, smell or flavour

Satan
The devil
Noun
Satan is the enemy of god
Worship of the devil
Noun
The rebellious teenager became interested in
Satanism and the ocult
He claimed to be a Satanist with supernatural
powers
Adjective
Satanic rituals are said to involve the sacrifice of
babies and animals
Devilishly cruel, fiendish
Adjective
His satanic revenge included the cold-blooded
murder of his enemy's entire family

Noun
If spices have lost their savour throw them away
The slight savour of garlic enhances the taste of
lamb
Adjective
We love the savoury smell of baking bread
Unpleasant in taste or smell
Adjective
The meal was an unsavoury mixture of greasy
lamb and overcooked cabbage
Salty or spicy, not sweet
Adjective
He enjoyed a savoury dish of devilled kidneys
Noun
Instead of a dessert, she served a savoury of
tomato ice
We sampled an assortment of cocktail savouries

Saunter
To stroll or walk in a leisurely way
Verb
Tourists saunter through the park
Noun

To appreciate and enjoy, especially by eating or

drinking slowly
Verb
Connoisseurs savour superb food and wines
The retired man savoured his freedom from
stress

425

To suggest the presence or quality of

Barely, hardly, only just

Verb
Students resent anything that savours
favouritism and unfairness

Adverb
She took scarcely any notice of that smooth
talker
She sulked and said scarcely a word all night
Scarcely had he gone when we discovered he'd
left his passport behind

Morally good or respectable

Adjective
He may be rich and respectable now, but his past
was not very savoury

Surely not

Scant

Adverb
You can scarcely expect me to believe that the
dog ate your homework

Very little, not enough or hardly

To leave quickly or keep out of the way
Adjective
We usually pay scant attention to advice we don't
like
That liar has scant regard for the truth

The children made themselves scarce when the

angry neighbour came to complain about them
Scare

A small sandwich is a scanty meal

Noun
The animals were painfully thin because of the
scantiness of grazing in the drought
Adverb
She appeared scantily dressed in a tiny bikini
Scarce
In short supply, insufficient, hard to get
Adjective
In a recession, jobs are scarce
Noun
The drought has caused a scarcity of fresh
vegetables
Rare, not often found
Adjective
Wolves used to be plentiful but now they are
becoming scarce

To frighten or alarm; to be nervous, anxious or

worried
Verb
My sons try to scare me by suddenly jumping ort
at me
Noun
We had evacuate the building because of a bomb
scare
Adjective
The scare story caused panic
We saw such a scary film about ghosts
The scared child clung to her mother
Verb
Many children are scared of the dark
Don't be so scared of what the neighbours will
say
He was scared stiff at the thought of making a
speech

426

The explosion cared me to death/scared me out

of my wits
To make someone leave or stay away
The hunter lit a fire to scare away/of any
predators
The government will scare away/off investors if
they impose such high taxes
To make someone do something by frightening
him or her

Noun
Some African peoples practise scarification of
the skin as part of initiation
Adjective
Scarified patterns on faces and bodies are
considered attractive in some cultures
To break up the surface
Verb
Scarify the soil with a rake
Scathing

The child was scared into silence by the bully's

threats
To make someone not do something by
frightening him or her
She was scared out of smoking by a fear of
cancer
A human figure dressed in old clothes, made to
keep birds away from crops
Noun
A scarecrow in a field helps to frighten off birds
A badly dressed, grotesque-looking or very thin
person
Noun
The starving refugee was a walking scarecrow
A person who frightens people by spreading
alarming rumours, etc

Unkind, harsh and hurtful

Adjective
His scathing remarks about her work made her
cry
Highly critical
Adjective
She was scathing
incompetence

about

the

airline's

Scatter
To throw or put here and there
Verb
Farmers used to scatter seed on the ground
Scatter the lawn with fertilizer
Babies scatter their toys all over the floor
The hostess scattered cushions around the room
Dispersed, wide apart

Noun
That scaremonger is full of stories about crime
Scarify

Adjective
Scattered rain fell overnight the desert supports
a thinly scattered population of nomads

To make small cuts or scars in the sin, bark, etc

A small amount

Verb
Doctors scarify the skin to inoculate the patient

Noun
There was a scatter of hailstones on the
corrugated roof

427

His speech was greeted with a scattering of

applause

I managed to scavenge some useful odds and

ends from what the neighbours threw out when
they moved house

To disperse quickly in all directions

Schism
Verb
The antelope scatter when they scent the tiger
As the police charged, the crowd scattered to
safety

A split in a group because of strong differences,

especially to do with religion

A forgetful person who lacks concentration

Noun
The issue of female priests has caused a schism
in the church

Noun
That scatterbrain always forgets his keys
Adjective
He's so scatterbrained/scatty that he'll forget what
you asked him to do

Adjective
His schismatic ideas worry the established
church
A person who takes part in this

Noun
Such scattiness may be forgivable in a child, but
is irresponsible in an adult

Noun
The schismatic and his followers have formed a
new sect

Mad, crazy

Scintillate

Adjective
All this drilling and hammering is driving me
scatty

To sparkle
Verb
The crystal glasses scintillate in the candlelight

Scavenge
Brilliant; witty
To search fro decaying flesh as food
Verb
Crows scavenge for carrion
Noun
The raccoon is a scavenger that will eat anything

Adjective
Her scintillating conversation amused us all
evening
Not the slightest amount of
There's not a scintilla of truth in his statement

To search for food or usable objects in rubbish or

discarded things
Verb
Street children scavenge for food in the dustbins

Scold
To criticize or reprimand angrily
Verb

428

His mother will scold him fro being late

Noun
The teacher gave the noisy children a scolding
An old-fashioned word for a person who
repeatedly criticizes or nags

Slang for a news item published by one

newspaper, etc, before its rivals
Noun
The story of the film star's arrest was a scoop for
the journalist

Noun
She was such an old scold that nobody liked her

Verb
This radio station scooped the others by reporting
the hijacking first

Scoop

A round, low neckline on a garment

A utensil with a shovel or spoonlike holder at one

end

Would a scoop neck or a v neck look better on

this jersey?

Noun
She measured out the flour using a scoop

Scorn
Strong contempt or disdain

An amount held by a scoop

Noun
Would you like one or two scoops/scoopfuls of
ice cream?

Noun
She rejected his suggestion with scorn
Showing this

To take something out with a scooplike utensil

Adjective
She had a scornful look on her face

Verb
She scooped out the ice cream with a spoon

Verb
The teacher scorned the pupil's poor work

To gather as if with a scoop

A formal word for a person or thing that is

despised

He scooped the marbles up in his hands

A large or quick profit
Noun
They made a scoop by selling those shares at a
profit
An expression meaning to win or obtain
everything
He scooped the pool at the gambling table

Noun
He was the scorn of his colleagues
To refuse to accept something
Verb
She scorned all offers of financial help, saying
that she didn't want charity
To speak of somebody or something with
contempt

429

She poured scorn on the idea that he had another

girlfriend
To mock or ridicule
When my friend saw my cake, she laughed my
efforts to scorn
Scoundrel
A villain or rogue
Noun
The scoundrel didn't return the car he borrowed

Noun
She scored an extra 50 points in scrabble for
using all seven letters in one turn
Scramble
To move or climb quickly using your arms and
legs, clamber
Verb
She slipped trying to scramble over the rocks
Noun
The hike will include a scramble up the hill

Scourge
To struggle with others to get something
A whip, lash
Noun
He used a scourge on the prisoners the slaves
were scourged for petty offences
Something or someone tat causes suffering
Noun
Drought has been a scourge in many parts of
Africa
Verb
The staff were scourged by their unreasonable
manager
She is scourged by guilt

Verb
The dogs scrambled for the bone
Noun
There was a scramble as the shoppers raced for
the bargains
To mix up or jumble
Verb
She scrambled the clothes into her suitcase
untidily
To send a jumbled signal which can only be
understood by a special receiver

Scrabble
To scrape or grope about with hands or claws
Verb
We had to scrabble to pick up the dropped coins
Noun
The scrabble at the door was the dog wanting to
come in
A board game in which words are built using
blocks with a letter on each

Verb
You scramble conversation in order to confuse
enemies who may be listening in to your call
The machine that makes speech unintelligible
Noun
Transmit this secret message over the scrambler
A kind of motorcycle race over rough ground;
motocross

430

Noun
The scramble took place on the mountain

Verb
The car screamed along the highway at 140 km
per hour

A motorcycle used for rough terrain

To be too conspicuous
Noun
My brother rides a scrambler cross-country

Verb
His bright purple shirt screams

Eggs beaten with milk and cooked slowly

Scribble
We had scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast
Meaningless or illegible marks
Scream
Noun
His writing is such a scribble that
it

To cry or shout in a loud shrill voice

Verb
The child started to scream for its mother
The fans screamed with delight when the singer
appeared
'Go away!' he screamed
Noun
She gave a scream of joy

To make these
Verb
The young child scribbled on the wall
To write quickly or carelessly
Verb
He scribble down my address on the back of an
envelope

To make a loud piercing noise

Verb
The gale screamed outside

A humorous or insulting term for a writer

To laugh wildly
The audience screamed with laughter
antics of the clowns

I can't read

at

the

Noun
He is not a serious writer, but a scribbler
magazine articles
A pad of cheap paper

Adverb
We roared with laughter at the screamingly funny
cartoon

Noun
Make rough notes in a scribbler

A very funny person

Scrooge

Noun
She's an absolute scream always cracking jokes

A mean and stingy person, after the character in

'a Christmas carol' by Charles dickens

To move very fast

Noun

431

He is such a scrooge that he won't even give

money to charity
Scrub
To clean by rubbing hard with a brush, water,
soap, etc

The press printed scurrilous rumours about him

Noun
The scurrility of his jokes was in bad taste
Scuttle
To run with light, quick steps

Verb
Scrub the wood with a scrubbing brush
If you scrub away at the stain it should come out
Noun
She gave the bath a good scrub

Verb
Cockroaches scuttle away when a person
approaches

To wash the hands and arms thoroughly

Noun
When the teacher returned to the classroom,
there was a scuttle as the pupils raced to their
desks

Surgeons scrub up before they operate

A fireside container for coal

Slang meaning to cancel or abandon

Noun
He keeps a scuttle of coal near the grate
A part of a car body

Noun
We'll scrub the hike if it rains
Scuffle

Noun
The scuttle is between the bonnet and the
windscreen

A rough fight
Noun
Feet and fists went flying in the scuffle
Noun
Demonstrators scuffled with the police
To shuffle
Verb
She scuffled around in her big furry slippers

A small hatch with a cover on a ship's deck or

side, roof, etc
Noun
He opened the scuttle to let the rain-water drain
away
To make a hole in a sea-going vessel in order to
sink it

Scurrilous

Verb
She scuttled her boat in order to claim full
insurance

Offensively crude and insulting

To give up plans or hopes

Adjective

Verb

432

Don't scuttle your holiday plans yet' maybe you

can still go

To give someone a drug, etc, that calms or

relaxes them

Secrete
Of a cell or organ, to produce and emit a
substance

Verb
The doctor prescribed a tranquillizer to sedate
her

Verb
Snails secrete a sticky trail as they move

Noun
The sedative made him feel drowsy

Noun
Perspiration is a secretion produced by the sweat
glands

Adjective
A warm milky drink at night has a sedative effect

Secular
Concerned with worldly not spiritual or religious
matters

Noun
The patient is under heavy sedation and asleep
Sedentary
Involving long periods of sitting down

Adjective
He went from a church school to a secular school
Verb
Western society is more secularized/secularised
now than I previous centuries

Adjective
He gets no exercise in his sedentary office job
Sediment
Matter that settles at the bottom of a liquid

Of a priest, living among the ordinary people

Adjective
The parish priest was not a monk but one of the
secular clergy

Noun
This cheap red wine has a gritty sediment
Sand, mud, etc, deposited by wind, water or ice

The belief that religion should not influence civil

or ethical matters

Noun
Rivers deposit sediment where they enter the sea

Noun
He believes in secularism so he is against
religion being taught at school

Formed from layers of this

Sedate

Adjective
The geologists looked for fossils in the
sedimentary rock

Calm and dignified

Sedition

Adjective
He prefers a sedate restaurant to a noisy bar

Words or actions encouraging people to rebel

against the state

433

Noun
The protest leader was accused of sedition

Adjective
He sedulous work earned her an award

Adjective
He handed out seditious pamphlets

Seep
To flow slowly or leak through something

Seduce
To tempt or induce someone to have sexual
intercourse
Verb
He is trying to seduce her with flattery and gifts
Adjective
The candles and soft music were part of the
seduction plan
Noun
He intended seduction not marriage

Verb
Rain will seep through this badly made wall into
the house
Noun
The mechanic fixed the seepage of oil from the
engine
To spread gradually
Verb
The rumour of their marriage seeped out
Seethe

To persuade someone to do something wrong

To churn as if boiling
Verb
By bribery he seduced the security guard into
unlocking the safe

Verb
Waves seethe around the rocks
To be in a state of agitation

To attract or lure
Verb
That company seduced our workers by offers of
higher pay

Verb
She seethed with anger about his rude remarks
The troops seethed with rebellion
Segment

Adjective
The perfume had a seductive fragrance

A section or part of something

Noun
We have given into the seductions of country life
and bought a farm

Noun
A segment of a circle is the part cut off by a line
He divided the orange into is segments

Sedulous

Verb
Segment the room into different areas

A formal word meaning diligent, careful and

conscientious

Division into segments

434

Noun
I studied the segmentation of the worm

The seizure of the stolen goods led to the arrest

of the culprits
To capture of take a place by force

Segregate
To separate people or groups from each other

Verb
The army has seized control of the rebel hideout
To take advantage of

Verb
The nurse had to segregate the patients with
infectious diseases
Noun
In some religions there is segregation of men and
women during services
Seismic
Of earthquakes
Adjective
The seismic tremor caused the ground to shake
An instrument which measures the force of
earthquakes

Verb
She seized the opportunity to learn a new
language
To be possessed by
Verb
The crowd was seized by panic
To become jammed or stuck because of
overheating
The engine seized up because the radiator was
leaking
A sudden attack of illness; a fit

Noun
The seismograph registered a mild earthquake

Noun
She had an
consciousness

Seize

Seldom

To take hold of something quickly and firmly; to

grasp

Rarely; not often

Verb
The thief tried to seize my wallet
His mind seized upon the idea and he set to work

epileptic

seizure

and

lost

Adverb
It seldom rains in the desert
Semblance

To confiscate stolen or illegal goods

An outward appearance or resemblance

Verb
Police seized the illegal drugs

Noun
After the riots, the town returned to a semblance
of normality

Noun
Sensible

435

Showing good judgment and wisdom; being

reasonable and practical

Adjective
He was sensible of her many kindnesses to him

Adjective
It is sensible to eave early to avoid the rush hour
That sensible women knew how to cope with the
crisis

A formal word for feelings that can be offended

or hurt

Adverb
Behave sensibly and don't be so unreasonable

Noun
TV viewers are warned if their sensibilities might
be upset by certain scenes
Sensual

Practical and serviceable rather than fashionable

Suggesting, enjoying or giving physical pleasure,
especially sexual
Adjective
Wear sensible shoes for walking dress sensibly
for the summer heat
A formal word for obvious, noticeable, etc
Adjective
There was a sensible difference between winter
and summer

Adjective
Lovers give themselves up to sensual pleasures
Men admire the sensual curves of a woman's
body
Noun
A womanizer is a pleasure-seeking sensualist
Adoring female fans led the pop star into a life of
sensuality

Unaware
Sensuous
Adjective
A young child is insensible of danger
An awareness of or an ability to create works of
art; sensitivity
Noun
A poet possesses high sensibility and insight
A formal word for the ability to perceive or feel
deeply
Noun
Someone of great sensibility responds to all who
suffer
Jane Austen contrasted sense with sensibility
which she considered sentimentality
A hardened criminal lacks all sensibility to
kindness

Pleasing to the senses

Adjective
She likes the sensuous feel of silk next to her
skin
Noun
She relaxed in the sensuousness of a warm,
scented, bubble bath
Note the sensuousness of the imagery in Keats's
poetry
Sentient
A formal word for able to feel and perceive
Adjective
A living person is a sentient being

436

Sentinel

Noun
We look forward to the serenity of the weekend

An old-fashioned word for a sentry

Servitude

Noun
A sentinel stood on guard

A slavelike condition or state under someone's

control

Something that guards or protects

Noun
Illiterate farm labourers are in a state of servitude

Noun
In a democracy, the press is a sentinel of free
speech
Sequel
Anything that continues a previous story, film,
etc

A legal term meaning the right to use another

person's property
Noun
He has the right of servitude to drive his cattle
across his neighbour's farm
Severe

Noun
This new novel is a sequel to an earlier book

Harsh, strict

Something that results from a previous action or

event

Adjective
Dont be too server on her as it wasn't her fault

Noun
The loss of his job was the sequel to his
embezzlement

There should be severe punishment for rape and

murder

Serendipity

Adverb
If you punish him severe he won't do it again
Actors fear him because he's one of the severest
critics

The ability to make happy discoveries by chance

Noun
It was sheer serendipity that I met you today

Noun
The severity of the punishment was excessive for
a minor offence

Serene

Serious, extreme

Calm, placid, peaceful, etc f

Adjective
We had t suffer severe shortages during the war
The company is in severe financial difficulties
and may be forced to close

Adjective
He remains serene whatever the difficulty
Her serene smile showed her unruffled calm
The sun shone from a serene sky

Adverb

437

The severely injured man was rushed to hospital

Noun
Don't underestimate the severity of the situation
Of weather, very cold, stormy, etc
Adjective
Russia suffers severe winters
Restrained; plain and unadorned
Adjective
At work she wears a severe dark suit
Adverb
She had her hair severely pulled back into a tight
bun

Adjective
Who's that shabby little man at the door?
The hippies live in a shabby commune
The slum property becomes shabbier every year
The shabbiness of the formerly smart district
depressed me
Mean, unfair, unworthy
Adjective
Telling her that I was ill was a shabby trick to
play on her
Adverb
She was shabbily treated when she was passed
over for promotion
Shackle

Noun
The severity of a man's business suit can be
relieved by his tie
Very hard to do or accomplish
Adjective
The gruelling rally was a severe test of both
driver and car

To bind, chain or fetter in order to restrain and

restrict movement
Verb
The police had to shackle the violent prisoner
The convicts were shackled together at the ankle
in a chain gang

Shabby

Noun
Shackles are metal rings fastened on a prisoner's
wrists or ankles

Of clothes, etc, worn and threadbare

To have limited freedom to do or say something

Adjective
The beggar wore a shabby old suit
He wore his shabbiest clothes to paint the house

Verb
The media were shackled by strict censorship

Adverb
Street children are shabbily dressed

Noun
He rebelled against the shackles of convention
Shaggy

Noun
I'm tired of the shabbiness of this old couch

Having long, coarse, unkempt hair, wool, etc

Having an appearance of poverty, neglect, etc;

squalid and dirty

Adjective

438

A collie is a shaggy dog

Noun
The rug's shagginess makes it difficult to clean
A long-winded, often pointless, joke with a weak
ending
I can't see anything funny in that boring shaggy
dog story
Shallow
Not deep
Verb
The water is shallow enough for the children to
paddle in
Adjective
Swimming pools usually have a deep end and a
shallow end
Noun
The shallowness of the river makes it unsuitable
for navigation
Noun
The boat ran aground in the shallows at low tide

I lay still and shammed death until the shooting

ended
I know you're not asleep and that you're only
shamming
Something that or someone who is not genuine
Noun
The attack was a sham to mislead the enemy
She wanted a divorce because her marriage was a
sham
The so-called expert was exposed as a sham
Adjective
That sham jewellery looks cheap beside the real
thing
Shamble
To walk awkwardly or unsteadily, shuffle
Verb
Old beggars shamble along the street
Adjective
Bears have a shambling gait
Shambles
A mess, disorder, confusion

Lacking intellectual depth

Adjective
The shallow discussion was about personalities
husband

Noun
The thieves left the room in a shambles
A scene of bloodshed

Noun
You'll soon tire of the shallowness of a life of
pleasure seeking

Noun
We were appalled by the shambles of the
battlefield

Sham

Slang for chaotic or disorganized

To pretend, simulate or feign

Adjective
The business collapsed because its methods were
shambolic

Verb
Some pupils sham illness during exams

439

Shatter
Shiver
To break suddenly and violently into many
pieces
Verb
The delicate glass will shatter if you drop it
Adjective
The bomb went of with a shattering explosion
To damage severely or destroy
Verb
The fall shattered his hopes of winning the race
Her nerves were shattered by the ordeal of being
taken hostage

To tremble, shake or quiver

Verb
We shiver involuntarily when we're cold or
frightened
Noun
She felt a shiver of fear walking down the dark
road alone
His words of love sent shivers up her spine
Adjective
He woke up aching and shivery with flu

To be emotionally shocked or disturbed

A fit of trembling, etc

Verb
We were shattered by the news of his murder

You should go to bed with a hot drink if you've

got the shivers
The tension of opening night gives all actors the
shivers
This spooky house gives me the shivers

Adjective
It was a shattering experience to be held up at
gunpoint

Shoddy
To be exhausted
Inferior or trashy; cheap and nasty
Verb
She was completely shattered by the long flight
with her baby

Adjective
I'm not prepared to accept such shoddy work
from my pupils

Designed not to break into small pieces

Adjective
Windscreens are made of shatterproof glass
Shillyshally
To remain undecided
Verb
She continues to shillyshally about what to wear
Noun
Make up your mind instead of shillyshalling

Adverb
We're complaining about the shoddily built house
Noun
He'll lose all his customers because of the
shoddiness of his workmanship
Shrewd
Having keen powers of judgment; clever or
astute

440

Adjective
The shrewd
investments

businessman

made

profitable

I shudder to think what could

have
happened if you hadn't come to save me

Adverb
She guessed shrewdly that he would make some
plausible excuse and cancel the appointment

Noun
Alone in the strange house, she felt a shudder of
far

Noun
The commentator's shrewdness enabled him to
forecast political developments

The shivers

Shriek

To vibrate of shake violently

A high-pitched cry or scream she uttered a shriek

of terror

Verb
The battered old bus shuddered to a halt

Verb
Children shriek with laughter at the clown's
antics
She shrieked out a warning

Shuffle

Shrill
High-pitched, piercing
Adjective
The shrill blast of the whistle signalled a penalty
Noun
The shrillness of her voice gets on my nerves
Loud, persistent, unrestrained
Adjective
The protesters were shrill in defence of their
right to own guns
Shudder
To tremble or shiver, especially with cold, fear,
etc
Verb
As his frozen limbs started to thaw out, he began
to shudder violently
We shudder with horror at the sight of blood

That awful man gives me the shudders

To move the feet without lifting them properly

Verb
Walk [properly and don't shuffle
The old man shuffled along in loose slippers
Noun
The heavily chained prisoners could only walk in
a shuffle
To fidget; to keep shifting position
Verb
During the long speeches the bored
began to shuffle

children

To mix up and rearrange a pack of cards

Verb
Shuffle the cards after every game
Noun
Give the cards a good shuffle
To rearrange and confuse
Verb

441

You've shuffled my notes so I don't know where

anything is
To hide her awkwardness, she shuffled the papers
on her desk

To move to and fro regularly

Verb
The manager has to shuttle between head office
and the branches

A rearrangement or change of positions

Noun
The resignation of three senior ministers led to a
cabinet shuffle
To behave in a sly, evasive way
Verb
Stop shuffling and give us an answer

Noun
The space shuttle is a spacecraft designed to
travel from
Earth to space and back again several times

That lazy woman tries to shuffle off her work on

to us
He's very quick to shuffle off/shuffle out of any
responsibility when things go wrong
Shun
To avoid; to keep away from

Noun
There is a regular shuttle service/shuttle from the
car park to the conference centre
Adjective
The hotel has a shuttle bus to pick up guests at
the airport
Negotiations requiring a mediator t travel to and
fro between governments or groups

Verb
Reclusive people shun human company

He was involved in high-level shuttle diplomacy

jetting from the use to Europe

Adjective
The former convict was shunned by the
neighbours
An abbreviation for the command 'attention'

A round piece of cork or plastic with a crown of

feathers hit in badminton
Noun
He hit the shuttlecock/shuttle over the net

Verb
The command of 'shun'! made the squad stand to
attention

Siege
The surrounding of a fortified place by a military
force determined to capture it

Shuttle
A piece of equipment I weaving
Noun
The shuttle carries the thread backwards
forwards across the other threads

A vehicle travelling to and fro continually or

regularly, usually over a short distance

Noun
The siege of the town lasted two months before
the inhabitants surrendered
and
To surround, especially with troops, etc

442

The police laid siege to the gang's headquarters

Significant
Important or noteworthy
Adjective
The discovery of penicillin has led to a
significant improvement in medicine

The time of year when newspapers carry mainly

trivial stories
It must be the silly season again, here's a story
about a flying cat
Simulate
To reproduce something for training, study, etc

Adverb
Her marks improved significantly when she
changed teachers
Formal for to mean
Verb
The ringing bells signify tat the church service
will start soon

Verb
Engineers simulate car accidents to test the
durability of their designs
Noun
The court saw a simulation of the attack
To pretend

Noun
What is the significance of this comment?
Having hidden meaning
Adjective
He gave her a significant look
Silly

Verb
She simulated illness so that she could leave the
party early
Imitation
Adjective
He wore a jacket of simulated leather

Foolish; lacking good sense

Simultaneous
Adjective
It was very silly to lock your keys in your car
Noun
He was embarrassed by the silliness of his error

Happening at the same time

Adjective
When their sports hero appeared there was a
simultaneous cheer from the crowd

Slang for a foolish person

Noun
You silly/silly-billy how could you be so stupid?
Foolish or ridiculous in appearance
Noun
She looked silly in her fancy-dress costume

Adverb
Most employees left work simultaneously at five
o'clock
A programme broadcast at the same time on
radio and television
Noun

443

A translation to the TV a film is on simulcast

Noun
The fisherman put a lead sinker onto his line

Sinecure
To appear to descend
A paid job requiring very little work or
responsibility
Noun
That post is a sinecure for retired politicians
Sine die
From the Latin, meaning without any day being
fixed; indefinitely
Adverb
The peace talks have been adjourned sine die

Verb
The sun sank below the horizon
To slope downwards
Verb
The mountains sink down into a valley
To fall; to become lower
Verb
She fainted and sank to the floor
The wall sank half a meter after the flood

Sinister
To put something into the ground by digging
Suggesting or threatening evil
Adjective
The pirate had a sinister cruel face
Those sinister rumblings of thunder mean it
might rain
In heraldry, on the left-hand side of a badge or
shield, as seen by the wearer, not the viewer

Verb
We plan to sink a borehole in our garden
To put a ball into a hole in our garden
Verb
The golfer sank the ball with a putt
Hollow

Adjective
The sinister side of the crest showed the figure
of a knight

Adjective
The starving people had sunken cheeks

Sink

To decrease in value, strength, etc; to decline

To go or cause to go below the surface or to the

bottom of a liquid

Verb
The share price sank to an all-time low
The patient is sinking he might not last the night

Verb
The yacht might sink if it hits a rock
The ship was sunk by an enemy submarine
The sugar sank to the bottom of the coffee

To go into a less active or happy state

The patient sank into a coma
She sank into a depression after her mother died

A weight
To seep into; to penetrate

444

She says the cream will sink into the skin and
keep it young
He smiled as the news sank in that he had won

It's sink or swim in that high- pressure job

To bite

If you go for a swim after a big meal, you will

sink like a stone

To sink immediately

The lion sank its teeth into its prey

Sizzle
To invest
To make a hissing sound, as in frying
She sank all her savings into starting her own
business
To lose money in an investment
Verb
His savings sank when the company went
bankrupt
To ruin or defeat
Verb
A knee injury could sink his dream of winning
the marathon

Verb
The sausages sizzle on the barbecue
Noun
Listen t the sizzle of the fat in the pan
Very hot
Adjective
It's such a sizzling day, let's go for a swim
To be very angry or excited
Verb
She was sizzling with rage at his rude comments

Slang meaning to drink lots of alcohol

Verb
He can sink a bottle of whisky alone

Skulduggery
Trickery, underhand dealings

An expression meaning
disappointed or uneasy

that

you

feel

Her heart sank as she realised her name was not

on the pass list
I got that sinking feeling when I saw the broken
window
To agree to forget about what you are
quarrelling, etc, about
The former rivals agreed to sink their differences
and cooperate
A phrase meaning that you will either fail totally
or succeed

Noun
He won the vote by skulduggery
Slander
A false spoken statement made to damage a
person's reputation
Noun
He sued the TV reporter for slander for
suggesting he had stolen funds
Verb
He slandered her behind her back

445

Adjective
That slanderous attack damaged his reputation

Noun
Separate the words with a comma or a slash

Slash
Slang for the act of urinating
To cut or lash with violent, sweeping movements
Verb
The vandal tried to slash the tyres with a knife

Noun
He went behind a tree for a quick slash
Sleek

Noun
He gave the horse a vicious slash with his whip
The attacker was known as the slasher because
he cut his victims
To make an ornamental slit in a garment,
especially to show underlying fabric
Verb
The sleeves of the garment had been slashed to
expose the red lining

Smooth and shiny

Adjective
Your dog has a lovely sleek coat
Verb
He sleeked his hair down with water
Well fed and cared for
Adjective
A sleek Siamese cat lay by the fire

To clear bushes, etc, by cutting

Verb
The explorers slashed their way through the
jungle
Relating to an agricultural procedure where
vegetation is cut, left to dry, then burnt

elegant and well dressed, sometimes suggesting

slick in manner
Adjective
I saw her at lunch with a sleek young man in a
smart suit
Well styled

Adjective
The farmers used the slash-and-burn method

Adjective
I like the sleek lines of this new car

To reduce drastically
Slender
Verb
Prices has been slashed in the clearance sale
To criticize harshly

Gracefully slim or narrow

Verb
Her new film was slashed by the critics

Adjective
She looks slender and elegant in that dress
The table has slender tapering legs overeating
has turned her slenderness to fat

An oblique stroke

Slight or insufficient

446

Adjective
Your chances of promotion are slender
He can't afford a car on his slender income
Smack
A slap with the flat of your hand
Noun
She threatened to give me a smack if I didn't
behave
Verb
The teachers are not allowed to smack the
children
To strike forcibly
Verb
She smacked the tennis ball into the net
The loud sound of a smack or slap
Noun
He put the envelope down with a smack
I could hear the smack to the waves against the
side of the ship

To have a slight but distinctive flavour or

suggestion of
Verb
The article smacks of sexism
Noun
The salad has a smack of garlic
Slang for heroin
Noun
He was addicted t smack
Slang fro a dollar, pound or other note
Noun
Can you believe that it cost me 60 smackers?
A small fishing vessel
Noun
They went fishing I a smack
To attempt or try to do something
He had a smack at baking a cake

Directly, squarely; sharply, unexpectedly

A snub or setback

Adverb
The dart hit the board smack in the middle
The ball hit me smack in the eye

Not being invited was a smack in the eye/face

A quick, loud kiss

To shatter or break into pieces noisily and

violently

Noun
She gave him a smack/smacker on the cheek
To open and close the lips loudly, especially to
show eager enjoyment or anticipation of
He smacked his lips at the sight of the feast
This new scandal will make them smack their
lips!

Smash

Verb
In some Greek restaurants, it is a tradition to
smash plates after the meal
Noun
The glass fell to the floor with a smash
To hit or crash with force

447

Verb
He smashed the ball into the net

His conscience smote him

I met Ellen last week, and I'm rather smitten with
her

Noun
The smash/smash-up happened when he lost
control of his car

Smooch

To crush or destroy

Verb
I'll bet they'll sit in the back row and smooch all
evening

Verb
The police vowed to smash organized crime Our
team was smashed when they lost the game by 5
goals to 0

Slang meaning to kiss and cuddle

Noun
They were having a smooch while dancing
slowly

Slang for drunk

Smother
Adjective
He was so smashed that he fell over
Slang for wonderful or excellent
That was a smashing meal, thank you
Of a robbery, where a shop window is broken to
steal the goods on display

To suffocate; to deprive of air

Verb
The intruder tried to smother her with a pillow
They smothered the flames by putting sand on
the fire
To overwhelm or envelop

Adjective
TVs were stolen in a smash-and-grab raid

Verb
They smothered their child with love
Don't smother your food with gravy

A film, song, etc, that is a great success

To hide or suppress

Noun
The play was a smash-hit and had glowing
reviews

Verb
He tried to smother his yawns
Smoulder

Smite
To burn slowly without flame
An old-fashioned word meaning to strike hard
Verb
He will smite his enemy with the sword

Verb
The ruins continued to smoulder after the fire
To exist in a suppressed or concealed state

To affect deeply, sometimes used humorously

Verb

Verb
Her resentment of the sister smouldered for years

448

His eyes smouldered with anger

A tangle or confusion

Smudge

Noun
The kitten left the ball of wool in a snarl
There was a snarl-up of cars on the freeway

A dirty or blurred mark

Noun
He had a smudge of grease on his forehead

Snazzy
Slang for stylish or fashionable, especially in a
flashy way

Verb
Let the kink dry or you will smudge it

Adjective
His snazzy shoes were the envy of his friends

Adjective
Teachers won't accept such smudgy work

Sneak
Smug
To move quietly or furtively
Too pleased or satisfied with yourself
Adjective
She had a smug smile on her face because she
was right

Verb
Let's sneak up on her and give her a fright
The thief sneaked out of the house
Adjective
The enemy's sneak attack caught us unawares

Noun
His smugness irritated his colleagues

To take secretly; to steal

Snarl
Verb
He sneaked some money from her purse

To growl viciously, baring the teeth

Verb
When I heard the dog snarl I froze,
id would attack me

Cowardly, deceptive, underhand

afraid

that
Adjective
Blaming her for the mistake was very sneaky

Noun
As the hyenas appeared, the jackal gave a snarl
and backed away from the carcass

To tell tales

To speak in a vicious or angry way

Verb
She sneaked to the teacher that we had cheated

Verb
'Get out!' he snarled

Noun
What sneak told our parents about our plan?

Noun
She answered with a bad-tempered

Secret and unexpressed; slight but nagging

snarl
Verb

449

She had a sneaking suspicion that the was

planning something nasty
A chance to see something before others to
Film critics were given a sneak preview before
opening night

Noun
He became a snob when he
woman

married a wealthy

Noun
Her rejection of her working-class friends was
shameful snobbery

Informal canvas shoes with soft rubber soles

Noun
He wore sneakers and shorts to the beach

Adjective
We were taught not to be snobbish but to respect
everyone

Sneeze

That expensive car has a lot of snob appeal/value

A sudden, uncontrollable outburst of air through

the nose and mouth, caused by irritation of the
nasal membranes
Noun
Her sneeze was caused by the dust

Someone who thinks his or her tastes, intellect,

etc are superior

Verb
He coughed and sneezed because of his cold

Snub

Worth accepting; not to be dismissed or despised

Her offer is not to be sneezed at
Snicker
To giggle or laugh quietly and unpleasantly,
snigger

Noun
He is a terrible intellectual snob

To insult,
deliberately

ignore

or

humiliate

someone

Verb
There's no need to snub the neighbours and upset
them
She felt snubbed when she wasn't invited to the
party

Verb
I heard them snicker when I tripped on the step

Noun
Pointedly ignoring his outstretched hand was a
deliberate snub

A whinny or neigh

Of a nose, short and turned up at the end

Noun
The horse gave a snicker of recognition
Snob
Someone who overvalues social position or
wealth and despises people whom he or she
considers inferior

Adjective
She wished she had a straight instead of a little
snub nose
A bulldog is a snub-nosed animal
Of a pistol, with a very short barrel
Adjective

450

She carries a snub-nosed revolver in her handbag

To nestle or draw close for warmth, affection, etc
Snuffle
To breathe or sniff noisily through a blocked
nose
Verb
Children snuffle when they have a

Verb
Let's snuggled up to keep warm
The child snuggled up to his mother
Soak

cold

Noun
She must have a cold because she talks with a
snuffle
To search or examine by sniffing
Verb
The dog snuffled about in the undergrowth

To leave in liquid t become thoroughly wet; to

immerse
Verb
I soak dried beans overnight before cooking them
She likes to soak in a hot bath
She soaked out the stains in bleach
Noun
Give those dirty trousers a good soak/soaking

Snug
To be wet through or saturated
Warm, comfortable and cosy
Adjective
She was warm and snug in bed
Adverb
The puppies were curled up snugly together

Verb
He was soaked to the skin in that heavy rain
Hang your jacket out to dry because it's soaked
through

She's snug as a bug in a rug under her duvet

Adjective
Farmers need good, soaking rains to save the
crops

Small, homely, comfortable, etc

To absorb moisture or liquid

Adjective
The snug cottage is just big enough fro the two
of us

Verb
Don't let that beer soak into the carpet
Use your bread to soak up the gravy

Fitting closely

To absorb something abstract

Adjective
The jacket is a snug fit, so I can't wear a sweater
under it

Verb
After the harsh winter, we soaked up the
sunshine
In Athens, we soaked in Greek culture

Adverb
She packed the books so snugly that we couldn't
get them out

To tax or charge excessively

451

Verb
Socialists want to redistribute wealth by soaking
the rich

Noun
With a sob she fled from the room in obvious
distress

To drink excessively

A hard luck tale meant to arouse sympathy

Verb
An alcoholic and really soak it up

He tells the same sob story every time he wants

money

Noun
That old soak is in the bar again

Sentimental writing, etc, to arouse pity

Soar

That old movie dragged out the sob stuff in the

death scene

To fly or rise upwards into the air

Sober

Verb
The jet will soar into the air soon after takeoff

Not drunk

To hover of glide in the air

Adjective
Drivers must remain sober and not drink

Verb
The eagle soared effortlessly high in the sky

Verb
Is it true that black coffee will sober up a drunk?

Very high or tall

Adjective
New York is full of soaring skyscrapers
Steeply rising or increasing
Adjective
Soaring prices and wages cause spiralling
inflation
Sob
To cry fitfully in gasps; to weep noisily
Verb
The child began to sob when he couldn't find his
mother
She started sobbing when she heard the sad news
She sobbed out her dad story
The widow sobbed her heart out

Adjective
The accident had a sobering effect on the
drunken driver
Noun
A teetotaller always keeps his sobriety
Serious, thoughtful, rational, etc
Adjective
He gave a sober analysis of the crime statistics
That sober/sober-minded young man has no time
fro fun and games
Adverb
The judge spoke soberly to the young offenders
Verb
The pupils sobered down when they saw the
teacher
Adjective

452

The threat of redundancy had a sobering effect

on the workers
Of colours, plain, dull, subdued
Adjective
Grey is a sober colour
People usually dress soberly at a funeral

Noun
A solicitor in London drew up the legal
document
A formal word for concerned, anxious about,
showing consideration, etc

Noun
That garish tie doesn't go with the sobriety of his
suit
Sojourn

Adjective
She was very solicitous about her son's welfare
He made solicitous enquiries about me while I
was in hospital
Noun
Her husband's solicitude/solicitousness
comforted the sick woman

A formal word fro a temporary stay

Solitary
Single, one; on its own without others

Noun
Her sojourn in Paris lasted only a week
Verb
She sojourned with us until her house was ready

Adjective
There was not a solitary person left in the
deserted village

Solicit

Done or performed alone

A formal word meaning to ask for something; to

try to obtain

Adjective
Creative writing is a solitary occupation

Verb
The politician came round t solicit our votes
The unemployed man solicited his family for
help

Used to or enjoying being on your own

To accost someone with an offer of sex for

money
Verb
In this sleazy area prostitutes solicit
passers-by
Noun
The policeman arrested the
soliciting

prostitute

male

for

Adjective
That solitary child prefers reading to playing
with others
Living alone, not with others; only
Adjective
The lighthouse keeper lived a solitary life
Unlike the social bee, the wasp is a solitary
insect
Noun
Staying in a busy hotel, she longed for the
solitude of her own house

A lawyer or attorney, especially in Britain

453

Solitary confinement is the punishment of

keeping a prisoner in isolation
Isolated, remote; seldom visited
Adjective
Few people visit the remote village in the solitary
valley
A single gem, especially a diamond set in a ring

The cooling lotion soothed my sunburn

Adjective
Listening to soothing music helps me to relax
Sophisticated
Cultured, refined, fashionable, etc, sometimes to
excess; with much experience of the world
Adjective
Living in Paris made me more sophisticated

Noun
She wore a striking diamond solitaire
A card game played by one [person

Noun
That elegant sophisticate is out of place in this
labourer's tavern

Noun
Solitaire is another name for patience
Sonorous
Producing sound, especially a full deep sound
Adjective
The sonorous church bells tolled during the
funeral
Noun
We love the sonority/sonorousness of deep bass
voices in the choir
Of language, words, etc, sounding impressive

Noun
His cultured tastes reveal his sophistication
Have we yet reached the sophistication of ancient
Egypt?
Capable of understanding complicated matters
Adjective
A sophisticated electorate votes on issues not
personalities
Lacking experience, worldly wisdom, etc
Adjective
Townspeople often mock unsophisticated
country bumpkins

Adjective
Actors learn to declaim sonorous Shakespearean
verse

Advanced, complex, highly technical, etc

Soothe

Adjective
Computers are becoming smaller and more
sophisticated

To calm, comfort or ease

Verb
The doctor tried to soothe her fears about the
operation

Noun
Pilots are highly trained to cope with the
sophistication of today's planes
Sophistry

454

A formal word for clever but false arguments

Noun
She wasn't clever enough to see through the
sophistry of his arguments
A good debater often has to be a sophist to
convince the audience
Sordid

Adjective
She feels rather sore about being left out of the
celebrations
Something causing irritation, annoyance, etc
Noun
Don't reopen old sores by mentioning that quarrel
The fact that he didn't get an increase is a sore
point with him

Dirty, filthy, squalid etc

Very greatly
Adjective
The poor liven in sordid slums
Noun
How could you let the flat get to such a
disgusting state of sordidness?

Adverb
Farmers are sorely in need of rain
She will be sorely missed when she retires
SOS

Of behaviour, despicable, degraded, selfish, etc

A distress signal used especially at sea; an urgent

appeal for help

Adjective
Why must newspapers publish the sordid details
of a divorce?

Noun
The radio operator sent out out an sos before the
ship sank

Noun
The sordidness of her private life was revealed in
the tabloids

An emergency broadcast
untraceable person

Sore

message

Sozzled

Noun
She has a painful sore on the lip
The soreness may be eased by rubbing in
ointment

an

Adjective
While touring in Africa, he heard an sos message
on the radio asking him to contact his sister

Painful, aching, sensitive

Adjective
A sore throat in often a symptom of a cold
My hands are sore from chopping wood

to

Slang for drunk

Adjective
He drank so much that he was sozzled
Spark
A small, fiery particle; a flash of fire

Hurt and angry; resentful, aggrieved

Noun

455

The wind fanned a spark from the barbecue into

a blazing forest fire

That bright spark thinks he can just sail through

without working

Noun
The fire will spark when you put a log on it

To cause anger, an argument, etc

A flash of light caused by electricity

Noun
Sparks were coming from the faulty light switch

Appointing such an unpopular person will make

the sparks fly
Sparkle
To glitter or glisten

Verb
The hair dryer was sparking dangerously
A very small amount
Noun
While there is a spark of life left, there is still
hope
That thug doesn't have a spark of decency in him

Verb
The waves sparkle in the sunlight
Her eyes sparkled with excitement
Noun
In the candlelight, we glimpsed the sparkle of
diamonds round her neck
Adjective
Look at all those sparkly stars in the sky

To be the immediate cause of

A small firework giving off harmless sparks
Even a minor incident in a rally can spark off a
serious riot
What sparked off your interest in astronomy?
The nickname of any ship's radio operator or any
electrician
Noun
Ask sparks to send a message
Tell the sparks we have a fuse back-stage

Noun
The child watched the sparks fly off the sparkler
Slang for a gem, especially a diamond
Noun
That sparkler in her ring must be at least five
carats
To bubble or effervesce

A device to fire the explosive gases in the

cylinder of a car engine

Verb
The champagne bubbles sparkle in the glass

The engine was misfiring because of a faulty

spark plug

Adjective
Do you prefer a still or sparkling wine?

Someone who appears clever or witty, usually

used ironically

To show brilliant wit or liveliness

Verb

456

The conversation sparkled with humour

Adjective
Oscar wiled was noted for his sparkling wit
The piano duo gave a sparkling performance
Noun
That dull match lacked sparkle
Spartan
Austere, simple and without frills; disciplined

A mass if wet coal might ignite through

spontaneous combustion
Sporadic
Happening irregularly; occasional, intermittent
Adjective
The day was fine but with sporadic showers
Adverb
She writes sporadically if at all

Adjective
Monks lead a Spartan life of prayer and hard
work

Scattered; in a few places

Spontaneous
Done of your own free will without external
prompting

Adjective
There have been sporadic outbreaks of rioting in
the city

Adjective
We received spontaneous offers of help from
strangers
There was spontaneous applause at the end of the
tenor's aria

Spree

Noun
The spontaneity/spontaneousness of the crowd's
welcome was touching

A fun, lively outing, involving much spending of

money
Noun
She went on a shopping spree when she was
given a raise
Sprinkle

Natural, unforced
To scatter in small drops or bits
Adjective
Children's spontaneous behaviour is delightful to
watch
Noun
Don't curb the spontaneity/spontaneousness of
Adjective
Children's art by too much emphasis on what is
'correct'
Catching fire through heat from within produced
by rapid oxidation and not by flame, etc, from an
external source

Verb
Sprinkle the cake with chopped nuts
The priest sprinkled a few drops of water on the
baby's head to baptize it
Noun
A sprinkle of raindrops fell on the windscreen
There was a thin sprinkling of snow on the hill
Water the lawn with a sprinkler
A sprinkler system is a system of indoor fireextinguishers that operate automatically when the
temperature rises suddenly

457

Spur
A spike or spiked wheel on the heel of a rider's
boot, used to urge a horse forwards
Noun
The rider dug his spur into the horse's flank to
make it go faster

Verb
A cut artery will spurt/spirt blood
Noun
There was a spurt/spirt of oil from the pipe
To have a sudden increase of energy, speed, etc

Verb
The jockey spurred the horse on to victory

Verb
The athlete spurted/spirted past the other runners

A sharp spike on the back of the legs of some

birds

Noun
With a final spurt/spirt of effort he reached the
finish line

Noun
A cock uses its spur as a weapon

Squabble

A thing that encourages or urges; an incentive

A noisy, petty quarrel or argument

Noun
They promised their son a new bicycle as a spur
for him to work harder

Noun
They had a squabble when he didn't replace the
cap of the toothpaste

The cheers of the crowd spurred them on the win

the game

Verb
Will you children stop squabbling!

A ridge branching out from mountains or hills

Squalid

Noun
They climbed the spur to get to the main
mountain range

Filthy through neglect or poverty; sordid

Adjective
He was shocked by the squalid slum

Without previous planning; on impulse

We called on the spur of the moment, but they
weren't home
To gain distinction; to prove your ability

Noun
The vagrant lived in squalor
Adjective
This film is a squalid tale of dishonesty and
corruption

He won his spurs when he was chosen for the

soccer team

Squander

Spurt/spirt

To use money, time, etc, wastefully

To gush out in a jet

Verb

458

Don't squander all your pay, put some in the bank

She squandered her affection on someone who
didn't love her

Adjective
His squeaky-clean image was spoilt when the
scandal broke

Squeak

Squeeze

A short, high-pitched sound

To press firmly from two sides

Noun
She worries about every squeak and rattle in the
car

Verb
Squeeze the toothpaste out of the tube
The potter squeezed the clay into a ball

Adjective
The child's squeaky toy got on my nerves

Noun
The child gave his toy a squeeze to make it
squeak

Verb
The mice squeaked in their cage

To show affection in this way

Verb
She squeezed him tightly as she hugged him

A word or slight sound

Noun
He gave her hand a gentle squeeze

Noun
Sit still and don't make a squeak

To press into a confined space

To pass or win narrowly
Verb
She squeaked through the test with

Verb
10 people squeezed into the lift
51%

Slang for to confess or inform on

Verb
He squeaked to the police
A near thing; a lucky escape
We had a narrow squeak/a near squeak when our
car skidded on the wet road
So clean that it squeaks

Noun
It was a tight squeeze to fit everything into the
bag
If we all squeeze up he might fit in too
To force your way through, etc, a narrow gap or
restricted space
The children squeezed through the hole in the
hedge
The chairs were so close together I could barely
squeeze past/by

Adjective
Her hair was squeaky-clean after washing

To extract juice by crushing or pressing

Above criticism or reproach

Verb

459

Squeeze some lemon juice over the bananas

The blow on his head caused him to stagger

A device to extract juice by crushing or pressing

Noun
He set off at a stagger weighed down by his
heavy load

Noun
Use the squeezer to get fresh orange juice

A disease of animals, especially horses

A small amount of liquid obtained by crushing

To fit into a tight schedule

Noun
The vet was called in as the horse was suffering
from the staggers
The staggers causes unsteadiness
To astonish or shock

Verb
He's almost fully booked but he might squeeze
you in at 10 am

Verb
The news of her win will stagger them
I was staggered by his rudeness

To extort money; to blackmail

To cause to hesitate or falter

Verb
He tried to put the squeeze on/squeeze her by
threatening to expose her affair

Verb
Her determination staggered when she saw the
price

Under financial pressure because of

To arrange objects or times in an alternating or

overlapping pattern

Noun
Would you like a squeeze of lemon on your fish?

The company, squeezed by rising costs and

reduced sales, nearly went bankrupt
Restrictions on borrowing, etc, during a financial
crisis
The government has imposed a credit squeeze
until the economy improves
Difficulty or hardship due to lack of money, time,
etc
They're feeling the squeeze now that he's been
retrenched

Verb
Stagger the seats so that everyone can see the
screen
Employees' lunch breaks are staggered so that
someone is always on duty
Stagnant
Or water, not flowing or moving
Adjective
The stagnant pool was green and smelly
Inactive, not developing

Stagger
To walk or move unsteadily

Adjective
After a short boom, business became stagnant
again

Verb

460

Noun
There has been stagnation in heavy industry

Verb
The cows are stalled in this large shed

To become inactive

To keep and feed an animal in a stall to fatten it

Verb
I try to keep busy so my mind will not stagnate

Verb
The calves
slaughtered

were

stall-fed

before

being

Stake
Any small compartment
To place money or something valuable on a bet
Verb
I will stake $100 on that horse for a win
Noun
He plays poker for high stakes only
The prize money in a horse race, especially made
up by contributions from owners

Noun
She showered in a stall at the gym
A small, sometimes temporary, stand, table, etc,
from which goods are sold
Noun
The charity has a stall for crafts at the shopping
centre
A person who sells goods here

Noun
The champion horse was entered in a race with
high stakes

Noun
He is a stallholder at the market

An investment or interest in something

An open-fronted shop

Noun
We all have a stake in seeing the country's
economy improve

She bought a paperback at the bookstall on the

station

I'm absolutely certain

It's going to rain today, I'd stake my life on it

The ground-floor theater or cinema seats closest

to the stage

At risk

Noun
She prefers to sit in the stalls rather than at the
back

This air pollution is putting our health at stake

Stall

Stall

Of an engine, to stop suddenly

A compartment for one animal in a barn or stable

Verb
The car will stall if you let out the clutch too
quickly

Noun
The horse was put into its stall for the night

461

Of aircraft, to go out of control and so lose height

Verb
We thought we would crash when the plane
stalled
Noun
Don't try aerobatics with a light plane as you'll
go into a stall

When he is nervous he tends to stammer

'I d-d-don't know,' he stammered
Noun
She speaks with a stammer
Someone who does this
Noun
Be patient when she speaks as she is a stammerer

To delay or evade
Verb
The child stalled saying good night as she
wanted to stay up
He stalled his creditors until he had money to pay
them
Stalwart

Stampede
A sudden, uncontrolled rush by animals or
people
Noun
Gunshots cause a stampede of frightened deer
Verb
When the sale began, shoppers stampeded in

Strong and sturdy

Adjective
Lots of football players have a stalwart build
Dependable, supportive of a cause or group
Adjective
She is one of the charity's most stalwart members

To cause somebody into a rash, etc, decision or

action
Verb
Don't let the estate agent stampede you into
buying that house if you are uncertain whether
you like it
Stance

Noun
He is regarded as the stalwart of the team
Stamina

The way in which a person or animal stands

Noun
The tennis player had an alert stance at the net

Strength and staying power

A point of view; an attitude
Noun
A long-distance runner needs stamina
Stammer
To speak with pauses or rapid repetition of
letters; to stutter

Noun
He takes an aggressive stance towards opponents
of reform
Stare
To look with a fixed, wide-eyed gaze

Verb

462

Verb
Don't stare it's rude
The child stared in wonder at the new bicycle
Stop staring into space and get to with your work

Starve
To suffer or die from extreme hunger

Noun
Her strange hairstyle received a few curious
stares

Verb
If the drought goes on, the cattle will starve to
death

To achieve an effect by such a look

Noun
The refugees were suffering from starvation
Verb
He was starved and tortures until he confessed

The teacher stared the cheeky child into

submission
He stared her down/stared her out until
she
looked away
To be right in front of you
The missing document was staring her in the face
all the time

To be deprived of or want something

Verb
Many schools are starved of good teachers
She's starving for companionship now that she
lives alone
So low as not to be able to buy enough food

To be obvious or certain
The troops saw defeat staring them in the face

Adjective
The starvation wage she earned wasn't enough to
live on

Startle
Slang for 'I' m very hungry'
To surprise or frighten, especially so as to make
something or somebody jump, move, etc,
suddenly

I'd love some lunch, thanks, I'm starving

Static

Verb
Don't startle the horse, it might rear up in panic
The sound to gunshots startled the crowd
Adjective
The startled child flinched in alarm

Of pressure, etc acting by weight, not motion

Adjective
The lead weights exerted a static force
Stationary; not changing or moving

Astonishing; remarkable
Adjective
We were amazed by the startling news
Adverb
She was startlingly beautiful

Adjective
The price rose last year, but has been static since
then
With little or no action

463

Adjective
The film had a static dull plot

A figure of a person, animal, etc, carved or

moulded in metal, wood, etc

Poor radio or television reception caused by

electricity in the air, atmospherics

Noun
We saw a marble statue of a woman in the
museum

Noun
The broadcast was distorted by static

A small statue

Electricity that collects on a surface

Noun
He has a statuette of an athlete on his desk
A number of statues

Static electricity made her skirt cling to her

pantihose

Noun
The gallery exhibits statuary by local sculptors

Stationary

Graceful and dignified

Not moving, standing still

Adjective
She had a tall, statuesque figure

Adjective
He crashed into the back of a stationary car at the
stop street

Stature
Height of body

Not movable, fixed

Adjective
There are both stationary and mobile cranes at
the building site
The patient's condition is stationary

Noun
Most basketball players are people of tall stature
Reputation or importance

Stationery

Noun
She is a writer of great international stature

Writing materials

Status

Noun
The pupils need stationery such as pencils, rulers
and exercise books

The social or professional position or standing of

a group, person, etc, especially in relation to
others

A dealer in these
Noun
Buy a red pen at the local stationer

Noun
The status of women is changing for the better
He left his job for one that offered more status
and wealth

Statue

The legal position of a group, person, etc

464

Noun
What is the status of political prisoners
with
regard to the vote?
If she marries an American, will her status as a
Chinese citizen be affected?

He was charged with statutory rape for having

sex with a 15- year-old girl
Staunch

The existing state of affairs

Loyal, trustworthy

Don't upset the status quo by changing the rules

Adjective
She's a staunch member of the church
His staunch friend stood by him throughout the
trial
To control or stop the flow of a liquid

A possession which is supposed to give you high

social standing
He bought an imported sports car as a status
symbol

Verb
Use cotton wool to staunch/stanch the blood

Statute
Steadfast/stedfast
A law passed by parliament and formally written
down
Noun
The statute ensures freedom of the press
Noun
The statutory penalty for this offence
imprisonment

is

Firm; unchanging
Adjective
He was a stedfast/stedfast and reliable member of
the team
She soon told the truth when the judge fixed her
with his steadfast/stedfast gaze
Steady

The register of the laws passed by parliament

Not likely to wobble, fall over, etc
Some countries have laws against corruption on
their statute book

Adjective
A surgeon has to have a steady hand

The rules of an institution

Noun
The college has statutes against cheating in tests

Noun
I can vouch for the steadiness of this old chair
To keep steady

A law prescribing the amount of time you have to

start legal proceedings
The statute of limitations gives you three years
to sue someone for damages
Sexual intercourse with someone below the age
of consent

Verb
She steadied herself by holding on to the handrail
Regular or constant
Adjective

465

The athlete ran at a steady pace until the final

sprint
Adverb
The price has increased steadily by 10% a year
There was steady rain for five days he has a
steady faith

Adjective
$100 is too steep for this
He wants you to work overtime without pay,
that's a bit steep
Slang for exaggerated; far-fetched

Dependable

Adjective
Her claim to have seen a ghost sounds rather
steep to me

Adjective
We need someone of steady character for this
position
Slang for a regular boyfriend or girlfriend

Stem
To stop the flow of something

Noun
He's been her steady for a few years
She's going steady with the boy next door

Verb
Stem the flow of blood be for the victim bleeds
to death
Verb
The sandbags stemmed the floodwaters

A term meaning keep calm, control yourself

To stop or check
Steady on now, don't get so angry
Steep
Of a slope, etc, rising or falling sharply, almost
perpendicular
Adjective
The hiders climbed slowly up the steep hill
That flight of stairs is very steep
To become steep
Verb
The trail steepens towards the top of the
mountain

Verb
The government tried to stem the people's rising
anger
Stern
Severe; strict; uncompromising
Adjective
The speeding motorist was given a stern warning
Those thugs deserved sterner punishment
Serious, grim, authoritarian, etc
Adjective
The stern judge gave the maximum sentence

Quickly or suddenly
Adverb
The price of shares rose steeply today

Noun
The sternness of his expression showed his anger
Stifle

Slang for unreasonably high; excessive

To make breathing difficult or impossible

466

Verb
We will stifle in this hot, stuffy train
Calcutta can be stifling in summer

To make more active, alert, etc; to cause growth,

development, etc

Verb
The murderer stifled his victim with a pillow

Verb
Exercise will stimulate the blood circulation
Advertisers try to stimulate demand for their
products
Rain stimulated the seeds into germinating

To suppress

The smell of food stimulates the flow of saliva

Verb
They stifled the flames with a heavy blanket
She stifled a yawn
Don't stifle a child's creativity
For centuries women were stifled by social
conventions

Adjective
I find coffee has a stimulating effect

To suffocate

Stigma
A mark of disgrace; a sign of shame
Noun
Nowadays, there is no stigma attached to being
made redundant
Marks resembling the wounds of the crucified
Christ
Noun
St Francis of Assisi is said to have had stigmata
on his body
To describe or consider as something bad
Verb
Don't stigmatize/stigmatise teenagers as lazy

Noun
The caffeine in coffee is a stimulant to keep you
awake
Lower interest rates act as a stimulant growth
The hope of a reward is a stimulus to work
The smell and sight of food are powerful stimuli
to the appetite
To arouse the interest, excitement, etc, of
Verb
The boring teacher could not stimulate her pupils
Adjective
The stimulating discussion went on till late in the
night
Noun
Housework provides little stimulation for the
brain
The enthusiastic manager provide the stimulus to
motivate the workers
Stint

To end of the style in a flower

To restrict or limit to a small amount
Noun
Bees deposit pollen on the stigma which
fertilizes the flower
Stimulate

Verb
Don't stint on the spices when making a hot curry
The poor woman stinted herself to feed her
children

467

A person's fixed amount of work or duty

Noun
I've done my stint of the washing-up, so now it's
you turn
After leaving school, she did a stint as a waitress
Without limit
Adjective
He generously gave the promising youngster
unstinting help
The doting parents praised their son without stint

Verb
You will have to stoop to get through
door
She stooped to pick up a pin

the

low

Noun
In old age many people develop a stoop
To lower or lessen your dignity, moral standards,
etc
Verb
In she stoops to conquer' the heroine pretends
to be a barmaid in order to win the shy hero
Verb
How could anyone stoop to asking for a bribe?

Stipulate
Strangle
To specify precisely, usually with conditions
Verb
A contract must stipulate a completion date
The letter of appointment stipulated a month's
notice
Noun
You may go with the stipulation that you're home
by midnight
Stir
Slang for a prison
Noun
The judge sentenced him to a long stretch in stir
Slang for mentally disturbed through long
imprisonment

To kill by squeezing the throat; to throttle or

choke
Adjective
He squeezed her neck, trying to strangle her
Verb
I could strangle that child for pulling up all my
plants!
He strangled his victims by twisting a cord
around their necks
Adjective
He felt strangled by the tight collar
Noun
The strangler was a serial killer
Death was caused by strangling/strangulation
To prevent or restrict growth or development

Adjective
Long-term prisoners can become stir-crazy

Verb
High tariffs are strangling trade

Stoop
To suppress, choke back or stifle a sound
To bend the body
Verb

468

The cry was immediately strangled in her throat

A long-term plan

Adjective
We heard a strangled scream

Noun
His strategy was to slow down the game and
wear us out
Governments adopt various economic strategies

A wrestling hold with the arms against an

opponent's windpipe

Right for a particular purpose

Noun
The wrestler had a stranglehold on his opponent
Complete power or control
Noun
The powerful union had a stranglehold on the
economy

Adjective
He uses his strategic position on the board to
influence policy
Adverb
She had a strategically placed flower in her
plunging neckline

Stratagem

Stratum

A plan or trick, especially to deceive the enemy

A level, layer or band of rock

Noun
The Greeks use the stratagem of the wooden
hose to capture troy

Noun
The geologist pointed out the stratum
of
sedimentary rock
The various strata/stratums show up distinctly in
the rock face of a canyon
Verb
The different types of rock stratify into roughly
horizontal layers

The art of war, especially manoeuvring armies,

etc, into a favourable position
Noun
A classic military strategy is to attempt to
surround the enemy
The decision to retreat was taken for
strategic/strategical reasons
Adjective
Troops on high ground have a strategic
advantage
Strategic weapons, such as nuclear missiles, are
used against enemy territory rather than in battle
Adverb
The strategically important bridge was closely
guarded
Noun
A great military commander is a good strategist

A level or class in society

Noun
The untouchables in India are considered the
lowest social stratum
All social strata/stratums join in celebrating the
national team's victory
Adjective
There are rigid class distinctions in a highly
stratified society
Noun
Social stratification is based on birth, education
and money
A layer of air in the upper atmosphere

469

His hair was streaked with grey

Noun
The stratosphere is about 10 to 60 kilometers
above the earth

Adjective
Streaky bacon has alternate bands of lean and fat

Stray

A sudden flash

To wander from the right place; to get lost

Noun
A streak of lightning lit up the sky

Verb
Don't let the children stray from the group
Some sheep broke through a fence and strayed
onto the road

A short stretch or run of failures or successes

Adjective
A stray curl had escaped from her ponytail

Noun
The team has had a streak of bad luck lately
If you're on a winning/losing streak everything
goes well/badly

To deviate; to digress; to lose concentration

An element or trace

Verb
Keep to the point-don't stray from the topic
My thoughts were straying during his speech

Noun
The prison guard had a streak of cruelty
He has a selfish streak in him

Of a domestic animal or child, lost or homeless

To move quickly in a straight line

Adjective
The stray dog was taken to an animal welfare
society

Verb
The favourite streaked ahead to win by a length
To run naked in public

Noun
The stray grew into a beautiful cat
Random, haphazard, etc

Verb
People who streak like to shock or amuse the
crowd

Adjective
The bystander was hit by a stray bullet

Noun
The streaker was charged with indecent exposure

Streak

Strenuous

A long thin line strip or band of contrasting

colour

Needing great physical effort

Noun
She had a streak of white hair

Adjective
We were exhausted after that strenuous
miners have a strenuous

Verb

Vigorous; urgent

470

climb

Adjective
He made strenuous efforts to save the firm from
bankruptcy
Adverb
The accused strenuously denied all charges
Strict
Relating to a rule, etc, that must be obeyed
absolutely
Adjective
She gave strict orders that no-one was to be
allowed in
Relating to someone who will not tolerate
impolite or disobedient behaviour f

Adverb
Neither version of the argument is strictly
accurate
What is the strict meaning of the word?
An expression use when you want to correct a
statement or be more precise she's related to mestrictly speaking she's my wife's cousin
Strictly speaking a freelance is not a company
employee
Only
Adverb
The meeting was strictly for members of the club
Stride

Adjective
Pupils respect a strict teacher who sets high
standards
Parents were stricter with their children in the
past

To walk with long firm steps

Noun
That disciplinarian is known for his strictness

A single long step

Relating to someone who never does things

against their beliefs
Adjective
A strict vegetarian will not eat any animal
product

Verb
We saw the hikers stride out over the hills
In his rage, he strode past me without speaking

Noun
With his long legs, he can cross that stream with
one stride
To settle into a steady rate of progress
After these initial difficulties, she should soon
get into her stride

Complete, absolute
To make rapid progress
Adjective
She lives in strict seclusion and won't see any
visitors
The attack was planned in the strictest secrecy

Now that she's really working, she's made great

strides/made rapid strides in her studies
To disrupt your progress

Adverb
Smoking is strictly forbidden here

These constant interruptions put me off my

stride/throw me out of my stride

Exactly

471

To clear an obstacle without changing gait

A hurdler has to run very precisely in order to
take each hurdle in his stride

The stringency of prison rules is part of the

punishment
Adverb
Our bank controls credit stringently

Of problems, etc, to cope with effortlessly

Strive
He's so calm that he can take anything in his
stride
Strident
Of a sound, loud, harsh, shrill
Adjective
In a strident voice, the sergeant major bellowed
commands
Unpleasantly assertive and insistent
Adjective
Her strident protests could be heard above the
noise

To try hard; to make a serious effort

Verb
We can end the violence if we all strive for peace
The conscientious student has striven to do her
best
The union strove to improve wages for its
members
Noun
A true artist is a striver for perfection
To struggle; to be in conflict with

Noun
The occasional stridency of student demands
alienates many people

Verb
Farmers have to strive against harsh climatic
conditions
He was striving with his brother to get his
father's approval

Strife

Stroll

Angry fighting or disagreement

To walk in a slow, leisurely way

Noun
That region is being torn apart by political strife
Industrial strife threatens the country's economy

Verb
Tourists stroll along the beach

Stringent
Strict, severe

Noun
Let's take a stroll through the park
Verb
We were strolling along, window-shopping

Adjective
The Muslim religion imposes a stringent ban on
alcohol

Noun
She's a stroller not a brisk walker

Noun

Stubborn

472

Very obstinate; refusing to agree, give in, etc

To walk unsteadily and frequently tripping

Adjective
The stubborn boy won't listen to advice

Verb
He stumbles about in the dark
The drunk was stumbling all over the place

Noun
His stubbornness stopped him from apologizing
Hard to cure, remove, etc
Adjective
That stubborn cold is not responding to treatment
Even stubborn stains come out with this
detergent
Stultify
A formal word meaning to negate or neutralize;
to make ineffective

To utter hesitatingly or haltingly; to falter

Verb
Even a good newsreader might stumble over that
name
To make mistakes; to blunder
Verb
The beginner stumbled through her piano piece
He stumbled badly in his choice of a business
partner
To meet or discover by chance

Verb
Too much criticism can stultify a pupil's
enthusiasm
Lack of funds stultified the attempt to start a
self-help scheme

She stumbled across/on/upon the secret

agreement while she was looking fro something
else
An obstacle; something preventing progress

Noun
Drugs lead to the stultification of the mind

Lack of education is a stumbling block to

progress

A formal word for dull, boring

Stupefy
Adjective
We endured an evening of stultifying boredom
Stumble
To strike your foot on something and lose your
balance; to trip
Verb
It is easy to stumble over a loose rock
Noun
A hurdler cannot afford on stumble if he wants to
win the race

To dull the mind or sense

Verb
All these drugs will stupefy and may even kill
you
He was stupefied with drink
Adjective
There's nothing worse than the stupefying
boredom of having nothing to do
To confuse; to be overcome with astonishment
Verb

473

Animals are often stupefied by car

headlights

Noun
The assassination of the president caused
stupefaction throughout his country
Stupendous
Surprisingly great, amazing wonderful
Adjective
Congratulations on your stupendous success

The frightened child could barely stutter out his

name
Noun
When nervous he speaks with a stutter
Verb
'd-d-d-did you want s-s-something? 'she stuttered
stuttering is a speech disorder which may be
physical or psychological in origin
Sub judice

Sturdy
Robust, strongly made
Adjective
You need sturdy boots for rock climbing
Noun
A good test of a toy's sturdiness is if it survives a
child's rough treatment

A legal phrase from Latin, meaning under

consideration by a court of law
Adjective
The newspaper may not express an opinion while
the matter is sub judice
Subjugate
To conquer and control

Fit, healthy, strong

Adjective
That sickly child is so different from his sturdy
little sister
Even the sturdiest constitution can be ruined by
drink and drugs
Determined, resolute, vigorous

Verb
The invaders tried to subjugate the

people

Noun
The brutal subjugation of central and
South American Indians by Spanish conquerors
destroyed the Inca and Aztec civilizations

Adjective
The youngster's put up a sturdy resistance to the
champion

Sublime

Stutter

Adjective
The audience was enthralled by the sublime
music

To stammer; to repeat involuntarily the first

consonants of a word
Verb
Many small children stutter when they are
excited

Most noble, grand, awe-inspiring

Adverb
The world's greatest tenor sings sublimely
Slang for extremely good

474

Adjective
We had a wonderful time at that sublime resort

A
bully
demands
everyone's
subservience/subserviency to his wishes

Extreme, unruffled

That batted woman is subservient to her thug of a

husband

Adjective
She has sublime cheek to invite my husband but
not me

Less important than; subordinate to

Under a dictatorship, the wishes to the people are
subservient to the requirements of the state

Adverb
She was sublimely unaware that everyone was
starring at her

Subsidiary
Subordinate; of lesser importance

In chemistry, the conversion from solid to vapour

by heating
Noun
A chemist demonstrates sublimation by heating
iodine crystals so that they vaporize
To direct primitive energies, desires, etc, into a
higher or more socially acceptable channel
Verb
Boys sublimate their aggression is sport
Noun
The sublimation of her frustrated maternal
instincts was achieved through fostering children

Adjective
A subsidiary power station supplements the
output of the main generator
The explorers couldn't tell whether they had
found a subsidiary tribute or the main source of
the Nile
The exact wording of the declaration is
subsidiary t its content
A company controlled by another
Noun
The textile company was a subsidiary
company/subsidiary of the giant international
chemical company

From the great, admirable, etc, to the trivial and

absurd

Subsist

Using lines from Shakespeare to sell dog food is

going from the sublime to the ridiculous

A formal word for to manage to live, exist or

keep alive

Subservient

Verb
We don't know how the homeless manage to
subsist

Fawning, cringing, too submissive and obedient

Adjective
His subservient manner sickened us
Noun

Noun
Subsistence is almost impossible in a desert
Adjective
A subsistence crop feeds the farmer and his
family

475

A standard of living or wage that is only just

enough to support yourself
Pensioners living at subsistence level cannot
afford luxuries

Adjective
The substitute goalkeeper was better that the
regular goalie

The company offers nothing better than a pitiful

subsistence wage

Noun
The substitution of a fake gem for the real thing
was not noticed
How many substitutions are allowed in a soccer
match?

A formal term for to be I or consist of

Subsume

The difference between the successful and

dedication

A formal word meaning to include within

something larger

Substantiate

Verb
You can subsume apes and monkeys under the
heading of primates

To produce proof
Verb
You'll be sued for libel if you can't substantiate
your accusations
Noun
He claims that these archaeological discoveries
are a substantiation of his theories

Subterfuge
An underhand method used to conceal, avoid
difficulties, etc
Noun
The spy's pretence of being a detective
subterfuge to gain information

was

Substantive
Subtle
Genuine; real
Delicate, fine, hardly noticeable
Adjective
We are pleased to report that there has been
substantive progress in the negotiations
Substitute

Adjective
The perfume has a subtle fragrance
Adverb
Advertising slogans can be subtly persuasive

To put a thing or a person in the place of another

Verb
In this dish you may substitute yoghurt for cream
Noun
He was called on as a substitute for the injured
player

Noun
The subtlety of his humour is was teed on most
people
Difficult to define or explain
Adjective

476

There is a subtle difference between beauty and

grace

Adjective
Summarize the speech in a succinct paragraph

Acute, penetrating

Adverb
She summed up her argument succinctly

Adjective
Shakespeare had a subtle understanding of a
woman's mind

Noun
Writing a postcard requires succinctness

Ingenious, cunning

Succour

Adjective
They were no match for the subtle and
unscrupulous lawyer

A formal word for help, relief, assistance

Noun
Volunteers gave succour to the survivors

Adverb
The ambitious young man subtly undermined his
superior

Verb
Charities succour those in need

Subvert

Succulent

To destroy the authority of; to overturn

Juicy and delicious

Verb
Fundamentalists try to ban any literature that
might subvert their religion
Noun
He is aiming at the subversion of the state

Adjective
What a succulent pear!

Adjective
The dissident was seen as a subversive element

A plant with thick, fleshy leaves, stems, etc

Noun
He was considered a subversive for criticizing
the government

Noun
The lamb roast retained all its succulence

Noun
A succulent like the cactus stores water in its
fleshy tissues
Succumb

To pervert or corrupt
Verb
Socrates was accused of trying to subvert the
youth of Athens

A formal word meaning to give in or yield; to be

overcome

Succinct

Verb
Be strong and do not succumb to temptation
In her weakened state, she succumbed to flu

Briefly and clearly expressed, concise

To die

477

Verb
The injured man succumbed to his wounds

Strongly sensual and their eyes fixed on the

sultry brunette

Suffocate
To die through lack of air

Adjective
They danced to the sultry music of the tango

Verb
You put a plastic bag over your head

Sumptuous
Magnificent, extravagant, splendid

Noun
In a fire, more people die from suffocation than
from burns

Adjective
No expense was spared for the sumptuous
banquet

Adjective
He couldn't breather in the suffocating fumes of
the burning chemicals

Sundry

To feel discomfort from lack of air

Adjective
We've sundry matters to discuss, so it will be a
long meeting,

Verb
It's suffocating in this hot stuffy room

Various

Items too small or numerous t mention separately

Suffuse
To spread over, especially colour or moisture

Noun
Don't itemize every small expense, just include
them under sundries

Verb
We saw a blush suffuse her cheeks
His eyes were suffused with tears

Everyone

Noun
Sunrise and sunset bring a suffusion of colours to
the sky
Sultry

The beach is not exclusive but open to all and

sundry
Supercilious
Showing contemptuous scorn, arrogance or
indifference

Oppressively hot, close and humid

Adjective
The summer is usually hot and sultry in
Singapore

Adjective
Raised eyebrows and a scornfully curled lip
show a supercilious attitude
Superficial

Noun
The sultriness of the weather in the tropics makes
physical effort exhausting

Of on or near the surface only

478

Adjective
The superficial injury was just a scratch
Adverb
Fortunately, the car was only superficially
damaged

Noun
He felt sick after a surfeit of party food
There is a surfeit of soap operas on television
Verb
We are surfeited with rich food
She surfeited herself with chocolates

Superfluous
More than is necessary or wanted
Adjective
If you carry a backpack, there's no room for
superfluous items
I knew what to do, so her advice was superfluous

Surge
A sudden and strong movement like a wave
Noun
He was trampled in the surge of the rushing
crowd

Supersede

Verb
The water surged through the dam gates

To take the place of; to set aside; to stop using

A sudden, intense feeling

Verb
In sunny countries, solar power may supersede
some other forms of power
Will books be superseded by computers?

Noun
She felt a surge of anger

Supplicate

Noun
There is a surge in toy sales before Christmas
The surge of electricity fused the lights

A formal word meaning to ask humbly, beseech,

beg

A sudden increase

Surly
Verb
Supplicate god on bended knees to save us from
destruction
Noun
The supplicant/suppliant prayed for the recovery
of the injured child
Adjective
She knelt in a suppliant attitude, pleading for
mercy

Bad-tempered and grumpy

Adjective
That surly man never smiles
Customers don't like her surly manner
Noun
Such surliness is very rude
Surmount

Surfeit
To overcome or cope with a problem
Too much of something especially food and
drink

Verb

479

She had to surmount many obstacles to become

an actress
Adjective
The crisis is surmountable if we act now
To be above or on top of
Verb
The wall is surmounted by a look-out tower
Surreptitious
Secretive, stealthy

Susceptible
Easily affected by something
Adjective
Starving children are susceptible to disease
Easily moved by emotions or feelings
Adjective
Susceptible teenagers fall in love often
Noun
He took advantage of her susceptibility

Adjective
His surreptitious glance made me suspicious

Feelings

Adverb
She sneaked out surreptitiously to a party

Noun
Her susceptibilities are easily upset

Surrogate

Allowing; admitting

A person or thing that acts as a substitute for

another

Adjective
Is this theory of aliens visiting earth susceptible
of proof?

Noun
He was unable to attend the function, so he sent a
surrogate in his place
A woman who has a baby for one who cannot
She agreed to be a surrogate mother for her
infertile sister
Noun
Some people believe that surrogacy does not give
a woman any maternal rights

Suspect
To think without sure proof that someone is
guilty
Verb
The police suspect him of carrying out the
robbery
Noun
She was arrested as a suspect in the burglary
The police regard him with suspicion

Surveillance
A close watch, usually of a suspect
Noun
The police kept the suspect's house under
surveillance

Adjective
We were suspicious of his sudden wealth
Her suspicious behaviour attracted the attention
of the police
Adverb

480

He was arrested for behaving suspiciously

Sustain
Can the police arrest someone merely on
suspicion?
He is under suspicion of taking bribes
To think that something is likely or true
Verb
I suspect that it will rain tomorrow
Noun
I have a suspicion that this money is counterfeit
To doubt or mistrust something
Verb
She suspected his motives in asking her out
Adjective
This meat looks and smells a bit suspect

To support or bear a weight

Verb
The branch was too thin to sustain my weight
To supply with nourishment or necessities
Verb
She had an apple to sustain her until lunch
Adjective
He ate a large sustaining breakfast this
unbalanced diet has no sustenance
To give encouragement or strength to
Verb
The hope of rescue sustained the trapped driver
To keep something going

Noun
I had my suspicions about the so-called antique
Adjective
With his suspicious nature, he always looks for
an ulterior motive
Too good or respected to be suspected of crime,
etc
To win the public's trust, politicians should be
above suspicion
A small amount or taste
Noun
There is just a suspicion of pepper in the stew
He detected a suspicion of tears in her eyes
Not known to exist
Adjective
We discovered that she had an unsuspected talent
for mimicry

Verb
She battled to sustain a conversation with the shy
man
Adjective
The high growth rate of the population is not
sustainable
Sustained applause stopped the show after the
tenor's aria
To endure or suffer
Verb
She sustained a serious injury in the accident
The team sustained a severe defeat
In law, to uphold a claim, etc
Verb
'Objection sustained said the judge
The court sustained her claim for maintenance
from her ex-husband

481

Swagger

To influence

To walk or behave boastfully or arrogantly

Verb
The politician tried to sway the voters with
promises

Verb
There's no need to swagger just because you won
Noun
He walked past the girls with a confident
swagger

Noun
That naive youngster is under the sway of the
older boys

Swarm

To have great influence or dominance

A large group of insects moving together

Whatever my mother says holds sway in our

house

Noun
The swarm of bees followed the queen bee
Verb
The locusts swarmed over the land, eating the
crops
A large crowd of people or animals
Noun
The swarms of people all wanted to see the film
star
Verb
The crime scene was swarming with police
The place is swarming with mice

Swear
To use rude or blasphemous words; to curse
She tends to get angry and sear at those who
annoy her
Verb
He swore when he hit his finger with the hammer
Noun
Some people think' damn' is a terrible swearword
To use such words often

To climb using hands and feet

That foul-mouthed man swears like a trooper

Verb
Monkeys swarm up the free

To say or promise very seriously or under oath

Sway
To lean or swing slowly from side to side
Verb
The branches sway in the breeze
She swayed her hips as she walked
He felt the ship swaying beneath his feet

Verb
Do you swear you won't tell anyone my secret?
I swear by almighty god to tell the truth, the
whole truth and nothing but the truth
Naturalized citizens swear allegiance to their
new century
I could have sworn Id met him before
Adjective

482

The witness made a sworn statement to the

police
Verb
He swore by/on his mother's grave that he was
telling the truth

Verb
She swelled with pride when the coach
congratulated her
He's had a swelled/swollen head since he won
first prize
The heaving of the sea

She swore blind/swore black and blue that she

hadn't lied
We swore him to secrecy about our escape plans

Noun
The swell of the sea made the boat rock

To believe in something firmly

Slang for excellent or stylish

They swear by herbal remedies rather than

conventional medicine

Adjective
What a swell idea!

To promise solemnly to fulfil the duties

Swerve

The government minister was sworn in at a

special ceremony

To change direction suddenly

To promise or pledge to give up

She's sworn off smoking while she's pregnant
Swell

Verb
The driver had to serve to avoid the dog in the
road
Noun
The driver's dangerous swerve caused a collision

To increase in size, number, volume, etc

Verb
Dried beans swell when soaked in cold water
Her hand swelled up from the bee sting
The crowd soon swelled to thousands
The music swelled to a crescendo
The river was swollen to twice its normal size
Adjective
Mumps give you swollen glands the painful
swelling was caused by an insect bite
To bulge
Verb
The sails swelled out in the wind

Verb
She won't swerve from the path of duty
Swift
Quick, fast or rapid
Adjective
A swift glance showed that no-one had seen him
take the book
He is swift to anger and slow to forgive
The boat was swept away by the swift-flowing
current
Adverb
The cheetah ran swiftly towards its prey

To be filled with an emotion

Noun

483

The swiftness of our advance took them by

surprise
A type of small, insect-eating bird

To happen or operate at the same time

Verb
Dancers must synchronize/synchronise their
movements

Noun
The swift has long, narrow wings
Swindle

We synchronized/sunchronise our watches so

that they all gave the same time

To cheat or defraud
Verb
He tried to swindle her out of her inheritance
She swindled millions out of gullible investors

Noun
Poor synchronization/synchronization of speech
and action spoilt the film
An informal word for synchronization

Noun
As a tax swindle he claimed several nonexistent
children as dependants
The swindler was jailed for fraud

Noun
In the old film, the words were not in sync/synch
with the lip movements
The under-rehearsed dancers were out of synch

Something that is not what it is claimed to be

Noun
This auction is a swindle because the TVs are all
faulty
Sycophant

A sport in which swimmers move in time to

music
In the synchronized/synchronise swimming
display the swimmers lay on their backs I a star
formation

A person who flatters other sin order to gain

something
Noun
She's no sycophant and tells the boss the truth
Adjective
Their sycophantic smiles hide their fear and
loathing of the ruthless dictator

T
Tacit
Understood or assumed without being actually
stated

Noun
Men in power often prefer sycophancy to
unpleasant truths

Adjective
His silence was taken as tacit agreement

Synchronize/synchronise

Invariably silent and uncommunicative

Adjective

484

It's difficult to talk to such a taciturn man

Capable of being touched; real, actual, etc

Tactic

Adjective
A company's tangible assets include buildings
and machinery

A skilful device as part of a plan t achieve

something

Not capable of being touched or felt

Noun
If one tactic doesn't work, a conman tries another
His delaying tactics frustrated the scheme

Adjective
A company's reputation is an intangible asset
Definite, clear, certain, etc

Adjective
The first one to serve in a tennis match has a
tactical advantage
To art and science of controlling an army, etc, in
battle
Noun
Tactics is/are used in battle to try and outwit the
enemy
The military commander was a good tactician

Adjective
The court must have tangible proof before
convicting an accused person
Tangle
To become twisted together or entangled
Verb
If the cat plays with your ball of wool, she will
tangle it up

Taint
A trace of some bad quality, contamination,
pollution, etc
Noun
There's a taint of dishonesty in that family
Verb
The milk was tainted by the onion near it
His reputation was tainted by the scandal
Talisman
Something thought t bring good luck
Noun
The motorist regarded his Christopher medal as a
talisman
Tangible

Verb
Dolphins sometimes get tangled up in fishing
nets
Noun
Can you unravel this tangle of wires?
Her knitting was in a tangle
She had to brush out the tangles in her hair
A confused condition
Noun
The incompetent accountant has
company's finances into a tangle

got

the

To become involved in conflict

Verb
He tangled with the school bully and got a black
eye

485

Tantalize/tantalise
To tease or torment by the sight, smell, promise,
etc, to something desirable but unobtainable
Verb
The frying meat will tantalize/tantalise the dog
Macbeth was tantalized/tantalise by the thought
of becoming king

Verb
Silverware tends to tarnish quickly
Noun
Polish the cutlery to remove the tarnish
Adjective
Silver is tarnishable gold is not
To stain, blemish or taint

Adjective
A tantalizing/tantalising smell of fresh bread
came from the bakery

Verb
His reputation was tarnished by the scandal

Tantamount

Not discoloured, stained, blemished, etc

Equal to; as good as

Adjective
The Spanish gold coins were untarnished

Adjective
A request from the boss is tantamount to an order

Tatters

Tantrum

Torn scraps of material

An outburst of childish rage

Noun
The beggar was dressed in rags and tatters

Noun
She threw a tantrum when she couldn't get her
way

Adjective
The street children wore tattered clothing

Tardy

After the brawl, his shirt was in tatters

A formal word for slow inaction, progress, etc;

occurring later than expected

Destroyed, ruined
Because of the scandal, his career lay in tatters

Adjective
The tardy return of library books will lead t a
fine
Noun
He is notorious for his tardiness in paying debts

Tattle
To gossip or chatter; to tell tales
Verb
They like to tattle or tittle-tattle about the
neighbours

Tarnish
To become dull or discoloured, especially from
exposure to air

Verb
Who have been tattling about my affairs?
Noun

486

You mustn't believe all tat tattle/tittle-tattle about

pop stars
If you want to keep a secret, don't' tell that
tattler/tittle-tattler
That tattletale is always spreading rumours
Tatty
Shabby, worn, etc
Adjective
He wears tatty old clothes because he's poor
Noun
That junk shop is full of awful old tat
Taunt
To mock or jeer; to tease in a cruel way
Verb
The other children taunt him because of his
stutter
She taunted him about having a father in prison
Noun
I ignored the taunts of the school bully
To provoke by mockery or scorn

Adjective
Her face was taut with worry as she waited for
news of her missing child
Verb
His jaw tautened as he glared angrily at her
Noun
Learn to relax the tautness of your muscles
Tawdry
Cheap, gaudy, showy
Adjective
The prostitute was dressed in tawdry

clothes

Noun
Daylight revealed the tawdriness of the stage sets
Tease
To make fun of playfully or spitefully; to
provoke
Verb
Don't tease her about her freckles
The dog bit him when he teased it
Stop teasing your sister by hiding her doll

Verb
She was taunted with being a goody-goody
because she wouldn't take drugs

Noun
He's a tease/teaser who loves practical jokes

Taut

To entice sexually without satisfying

Tightly stretched

Verb
Her plunging neckline is meant to tease the men

Adjective
The elastic band was pulled so taut that it
snapped
Verb
Tauten the rope if it's too slack
Showing nervous strain; tense

Noun
That little flirt is a real tease
A difficult problem or puzzle
Noun
That advanced math question is quite a teaser

487

The national park is teeming with wildlife

An advertising campaign designed to attract
attention
Noun
A teaser arouses curiosity by not revealing the
product offered
To backcomb the hair
Verb
In the late 1960s and early 1970s women teased
their hair into a beehive shape

Adjective
How will we cope with the world's teeming
population?
To rain heavily; to pour
Verb
In a tropical monsoon the rains teem down
It was teeming with rain
Teenager

To raise the nap of fabric

A person between the ages of 13 and 19 years

Verb
Woolen material is teased with hooks to give it
bulk or pile

Noun
The teenager rebelled against school discipline

To loosen or pull apart

In the past, cotton was teased out by hand to
remove the seeds
To search ort
Students are trained t tease out the meaning of a
poem

Adjective
Pimples are a teenage problem
Should teenaged criminals be treated as children
or adults?
Noun
Her boyfriend is over 21, but she's still in her
teens
A young teenager, especially a girl

Tedious
Boring monotonous, lasting a long time

Noun
A teenybopper closely follows the latest

Adjective
The tedious speeches nearly put me t sleep .

Adjective
Teen fashions in clothes and pop music

Noun
Some soldiers hate the tedium/tediousness of
guard duty

Teeny

Teem

Adjective
I'm so full I can manage only a teeny slice of
cake

To be full of, abound with

Verb
Some rivers in Alaska teem with salmon

Tiny or extremely small

Teeter

488

To totter, sway or wobble

He had the temerity to boast of lying to his

mother

Verb
Little girls teeter along in their mothers' shoes

Temper

To hesitate or be indecisive

A particular mood or state of mind

Verb
The government teeters between giving in to
union demands and calling for economic
discipline

Noun
The placid child has a very even temper

To be in imminent danger
The region is teetering on the brink/edge of war

The sunny-tempered baby is always smiling

happily

Teetotal

Noun
Don't upset him because he's got a foul temper
when roused

Not allowed or able to drink alcohol

Anger or irritation

Adjective
The Koran forbids alcohol, so Muslim homes are
strictly teetotal

Noun
He slammed the door in a fit of temper
She gets into a temper at the least little thing

Noun
The reformed alcoholic is now a teetotaller

Adjective
The child had a temper tantrum and screamed
with rage

Telepathy
The transference of thoughts directly from one
mind to another; short for mental telepathy

He's in a bad temper/out of temper so this in not

the time to ask for more pay
To keep your composure and self-control

Noun
It must be telepathy that you rang me just as I
was about to ring you
Adjective
Through telepathic communication he knew that
his absent twin was in trouble

If you keep your temper in negotiations you have

a better chance of succeeding
To lose your composure and self-control
If you keep your temper in negotiations you have
a better chance of succeeding

Temerity
To lose your composure and self-control
A formal word for rashness, audacity, effrontery
Noun

She tends to lose her temper when she cant' get

her own way

489

Happy; in an agreeable mood

I'm in a good temper because everything's going
right today
To harden metal by special treatment
Verb
Temper steel by heating it red hot then plunging
it into cold water
A formal word meaning to soften; to make less
severe
Verb
The wise judge tempered justice with mercy
where it was deserved

Moderation in indulging your appetities and

desires
Noun
You'll stay healthy if you practise temperance in
what you eat and drink
Total avoidance of all alcohol
Noun
The only cure for an alcoholic is lifelong
temperance
Adjective
A temperance society tries to persuade people to
give up strong drink
Temperate

Temperament
Having a mild climate
A person's emotional nature and how it affects
behaviour, etc
Noun
She is not easily angered and has a calm
temperament
Moody, excitable
Adjective
You never know what a temperamental person
will do next
Adverb
That highly strung man is temperamentally
unsuited for this work

Adjective
That region is a temperate zone without extremes
of heat or freezing cold
Self-restrained or moderate
Adjective
Be less violent and more temperate in your
language
Tempest
A formal word for a violent storm
Noun
The ship was badly battered by the

tempest

Unpredictable, unreliable
Violent, stormy
Adjective
This old car is rather temperamental so it might
not start
Temperance

Adjective
A hurricane will cause tempestuous weather
The 20th century was a tempestuous period in
history
Temporal

490

Worldly not spiritual

Adjective
A lot of people are so busy attending to temporal
matters that they neglect their religion
Relating to time, not eternity
Adjective
With our temporal concept of things that have a
beginning and an end, we can't understand
infinity

The desire for easy money tempted him into a

life of crime
Something or someone that tempts
Noun
The snake was the tempter in the garden of Eden
The temptress asked him to buy her a drink
Money lying around is a temptation to theft
To want to do something even though it may be
wrong or silly
Verb
After another bad day at work, he felt tempted to
resign

Temporize/temporise
To delay making a decision, etc, in order o to
gain time
Verb
When faced with difficult requests, parents often
temporize/temporize by saying. 'we'll see'
Adjective
Appointing a commission is often a
temporizing/temporising move by the
government
To adapt to circumstances as by temporary or
apparent agreement
Verb
Even if personally opposed to the new laws,
government employees temporize/temporise to
keep their jobs

Noun
She's on a diet but the temptation of chocolates is
too strong
To entice
Verb
She tried to tempt the child to eat his spinach by
promising him an ice cream afterwards
Adjective
It was such a tempting offer that I couldn't refuse
To risk provoking disappointment, disaster, etc
Don't tempt fate/providence by organizing a
celebration before you've got the job
Tenable
Able to be defended against attack or criticism

Tempt
To persuade or try to persuade someone to do
something, usually wrong or unwise
Verb
Pushers tempt young people to try drugs by
offering samples

Adjective
The position was not tenable so troops withdrew
The belief that malaria is caused by bad air is just
not tenable
Of a position, office, able to be held or
maintained

491

The position of mayor is usually tenable for a

year
The office of president of the club is tenable by
the member who gets the most votes

Who tends the store while you're on holiday?

Order your drinks from the bartender
A formal word meaning to pay attention to

Tenacious
Sticking or holding on firmly and persistently
Adjective
The cheetah seized its prey in a tenacious grip
Adverb
She clings t her children so tenaciously that they
can't become independent

Verb
You should tend to your own affairs
meddle with mine
A small boat attending a bigger boat

and

not

Noun
Passengers were taken from the ship to the dock
by tender
Tentative

Determined, unyielding, persistent

Provisional, not definite or final
Adjective
She is a tenacious opponent who is very hard to
defeat
Noun
Against the odds, he succeeded because of his
tenaciousness/tenacity

Adjective
We've made a tentative agreement, subject to
confirmation
Adverb
We've decided tentatively to go to the beach
tomorrow depending on the weather

Of memory, retentive
Hesitancy or uncertainty
Adjective
It is said that because of its tenacious memory, an
elephant never forgets

Noun
The player's tentativeness showed in her stance

Tend

Tenterhooks

A formal word meaning to take care of, look

after

In a state of anxious suspense

Verb
Shepherds tend their flocks
The nurses were tending the wounded soldiers

Noun
Pupils are on tenterhooks waiting for the exam
results
Tenuous

To be in charge of

Delicate, flimsy

Verb

Adjective
The spider spins a tenuous thread

492

Slight, weak

Adverb
How can she afford such a terrifically expensive
dress?

Adjective
The killer's tenuous hold on reality meant that he
was unfit to stand trial

Terrify
To frighten or cause great fear

Noun
The tenuousness/tenuity of their friendship could
not withstand parental pressure
Terminate
A formal word meaning to end

Verb
Don't terrify small children with ghost stories
Adjective
The timid child found the big school a terrifying
place

Verb
Because he didn't like the job, he wanted to
terminate his contract
The war terminated in victory for the rebels
His employment was terminated when he was
sacked

Verb
Animals are terrified of fireworks
I was terrified at the thought of leaving home for
the first time

Noun
At the termination of the partnership, the
business was sold

Brief, abrupt, curt

Verb
Doctors advised terminating the pregnancy to
save the mother's life

Terse

Adjective
She gave a terse reply consisting of one word
Noun
The terseness of his comments showed that he
didn't waste words

Terrific
Tertiary
Very great or powerful
Third in order, rank or degree
Adjective
The boxer knocked out the challenger with a
terrific blow

Adjective
Tertiary education at university, college or
technical college follows secondary school

Slang for excellent, very good

Tetchy
Adjective
That was a terrific meal provided by a superb
cook
Slang for extremely or very

Irritable, peevish
Adjective
What's upset you to make you so tetchy?

493

Noun
Her tetchiness with children makes her unsuited
to teaching

To become friendlier
Verb
The reserved man thawed after a couple of drinks

Tte--tte
Thrash
From French, meaning 'head to head'; a private
conversation, usually between tow people

To hit with repeated blows; beat

Noun
The two presidents met fro a confidential tte-tte without their ministers

Verb
Teachers use to thrash pupils as punishment
The crocodile thrashed the water with its tail

Together in private

To move wildly or violently in panic, anger, etc

Adverb
He dined tte--tte with his girlfriend

Verb
The drowning man was thrashing about in the
rough sea

Tether
To defeat severely
To tie an animal to a particular spot with a rope,
chain, etc
Verb
Tether the horse to the tree

Noun
The soccer team managed to thrash their
opponents 5-0
The tennis player was given a thrashing by the
champion

Noun
Use a rope as a tether fro the calf

To discuss thoroughly and solve

Thaw

A meeting was called to thrash out

Of ice, etc to melt, become liquid or unfrozen

A slang term for a wild party

Verb
The snow will thaw in the sun

Noun
She invited her friends to a celebratory thrash

To become warmer; to go from frozen to normal

temperature

Threshold

Verb
When frozen meat has thawed don't put it back in
the freezer
He stopped shivering as he began to thaw out in
front of the fire

the problem

A strip of stone, wood, etc, at the bottom of a

doorway; the doorway itself
Noun
It is traditional for a bridegroom to carry his
bride over the threshold of their new home
A beginning or starting-point

494

Extremely pleased
Noun
She is on the threshold of a new career
The point at which a stimulus is perceived or
produces a response
Noun
He has a low pain threshold
She was on the threshold of consciousness
A point on a scale at which something happens
Noun
If your salary is below the tax threshold then you
don't pay tax

She was thrilled to bits by the flowers

To cause to quiver of throb
Verb
His hand thrilled as he accepted the trophy
A play, film or novel with an exciting plot
Noun
Thrillers are usually about crimeand are full of
mystery and suspense
The excitement of dangerous activities
The enjoys the thrills and spills of motor-car
racing

Thrift
Thrive
Economical or careful use of money and other
resources
Noun
Through thrift she saved a fair amount of her pay
Adjective
He is thrifty but she is extravagant

To grow or develop well; to prosper

Verb
These plants thrive with lots of sun and water
The baby thrived/throve on it healthy diet

Thrill

Adjective
He runs a thriving business if
software

A sudden feeling of excitement or pleasure

Throes

Noun
It gave him a thrill to dive off the high diving
board

A condition of violent pangs, pain, etc

Verb
We were thrilled by your news

computer

Noun
Deep breathing and relaxing helped her cope
with the throes of childbirth
In the process of

Adjective
It was thrilling to see a whale so close to shore
Noun
It was a real thrill to meet the pop star

The pupils are in the throes of examinations

In violent struggle with
That country is in the throes of civil war

495

Throttle
To choke a person b squeezing the throat; to
strangle
Verb
The attacker tried to throttle her

This new task was thrust on/upon him by the

manager
To dismiss
She thrust aside our advice and did what she
wanted to
Hostile remarks

To suppress
Verb
The teacher's harsh criticism has throttled the
pupils' creativity

Noun
The politician's talk was full of thrusts at the
opposition
The main or essential point

A valve in an engine controlling the flow of fuel

and air
Noun
The driver opened the throttle to increase speed

Noun
The thrust of his argument is that the country
needs hospitals
Thwart

Thrust
To prevent something being done successfully
To push with force; to stab
Verb
He thrust the knife into his victim's chest
Noun
She dug the spade into the earth with a thrust
Noun
The fencers thrust at each other with their swords
To force
Verb
She thrust her way through the crowd
Noun
The passengers felt the thrust as the pilot opened
the throttles
Verb
He tries to thrust his ideas on anyone who will
listen

Verb
This rain will thwart our plan to go hiking
Adjective
When he retired he fulfilled his thwarted
childhood ambition to be an artist
The seat in a rowing boat
Noun
The oarsman sat on the thwart
Tickle
To irritate the skin lightly, often causing laughter,
wriggling, etc
Verb
If you tickle her she giggles
Noun

496

The tickle of the feather under his nose woke him

up

Noun
He's in a tiff about the broken window

Sensitive to being tickled

Tilt

Adjective
He is do ticklish that he squirms if you touch him

To lean or cause to lean or slope

Difficult or sensitive

Verb
The dentist asked her to tilt her head backwards
so he could see into her mouth

Adjective
Telling her that her work is not good enough is a
very ticklish matter

Noun
This table isn't straight, it's at a tilt

An itch or tingle

To run at or attack, especially in jousting

Noun
I've got a tickle in my throat, maybe I'm getting
a cold

Verb
He tilted at his opponent with his lance
An attack in writing or speech

Slang meaning to delight or amuse

Verb
She was very tickled by the present
He was tickled pink/tickled to death when he
passed the exam
The amusing story really tickled my
fancy/tickled my ribs
Slang for a puzzle or problem that is difficult to
solve
Noun
She battled for ages with that tickler of a puzzle
Tiff
A petty or slight quarrel
Noun
They had a silly tiff over who would wash the
dishes

Noun
The journalist had a tilt at the politician in
newspaper article
To fight imaginary enemies
He's wasting his time tilting at windmills by
arguing with his colleagues when the manager is
to blame
Timid
Easily frightened or shy
Adjective
He is too timid to give a speech in public
Noun
Her timidity/timidness caused her to allow other
people to take advantage of her
Adjective
The child's timorous shouts at the fierce dog had
no effect

An irritated feeling; a bad mood

Tinge

497

A slight touch of colour or feeling

Noun
There is a tinge of red in her brown hair
Verb
His farewell speech was tinged with sadness
Tingle
To feel a mild stinging or prickling feeling
Verb
The icy wind made my ears tingle
Noun
She felt a tingle as the doctor scratched her feet
to test her reflexes
To have such a feeling caused by strong emotion
Verb
We were tingling with excitement waiting for the
result

He's just a tinker he lacks the skill to be really

good
An expression meaning you don't care
I don't give a tinker's damn/cuss what you do,
suit yourself!
Tinkle
A series of light , ringing sounds
Noun
We heard the tinkle of her bicycle bell
Verb
The glass tinkled as it fell
Slang for a telephone call
Noun
I'll give you a tinkle and let you know
Slang for urination
Noun
The hiker went behind a bush for a

quick tinkle

Tinker
Tinsel
A travelling mender of pots and pans, especially
formerly

Decorative metallic strips or threads

Noun
The gypsy earned a living as a tinker

Noun
We draped the Christmas tree with silver tinsel

To fiddle or experiment with

Gaudy

Verb
Don't tinker with the broken radio, let's take it to
a professional

Adjective
The pink and green curtains were made of cheap,
tinselly material

Verb
He tinkers with car engines in his spare time

A term for Hollywood, the centre of the

American film industry

A clumsy worker

Noun
The glamour of tinseltown amazed the tourists

Noun

498

Tint
A shade of a colour, especially a pale one
Noun
There is a tint of pink in the sky at sunrise
To colour
Verb
She tinted her hair a shade of blond

Adjective
She's a tireless worker for charity
She's untiring in her efforts to help the less
fortunate
To exhaust the patience or interest of
Verb
I'm tired of waiting for an answer
We get tired of eating the same food every day
Annoying, irritating, etc

A small amount or hint

Noun
There was a tint of impatience in his voice

Adjective
Those tiresome children are a nuisance
Dusting is a tiresome job

Tintinnabulation

Overused; too well known

The tinkling or ringing of bells

Adjective
The new play has the same tired old theme with
the same tired old actors

Noun
The tintinnabulation of the church bells woke us
on Sunday morning

Titillate

Tire

To arouse or excite, especially sexually

To exhaust; to make or become weary

Verb
Striptease dancers titillate their audiences

Verb
I tire easily after my operation
Adverb
We felt tired after the day's shopping
Adjective
It's been a tiring day
Hyperactive children tire out their parents
We were tired out by a long flight

Noun
He gets his titillation from pin-up pictures
Titivate/tittivate
To make yourself smart, attractive, etc
Verb
People like to titivate/tittivate before going out
She's busy titivatin/tittivating herself in front of
the mirror

Noun
Tiredness overcame her and she fell fast asleep

Toddle

Never stopping through weariness or exhaustion

To walk with short, unsteady steps

499

Verb
She began to toddle when she was just 11 months
old

Opening the floodgates released a torrent of

water
Monsoon rains fall in torrents

A young child aged between about one and three

years old

Adjective
We were soaked to the skin by torrential rain
A fast-flowing flood of words, etc

Noun
The toddler soon got tire of walking and had to
be carried

Noun
She let fly with a torrent of abuse

Topnotch

Torrid

Excellent; superb

Very hot, sultry and dry

Adjective
The topnotch footballer plays for his country

Adjective
We longed for a cool wind during that spell or
torrid weather

Torment
Passionate, sexy, erotic
To inflict or cause physical or mental pain,
anguish, etc
Verb
Bullies like to torment weaker pupils
He was tormented by jealousy

Adjective
The steamy film contained torrid love scenes
Tortuous
Winding or twisting with many bends

Noun
She was in torment when her child was injured
He was suffering torment /torments from earache

Adjective
It's a tortuous road through the hills

To tease, annoy, etc

Devious; intricate; cunning

Verb
That boy torments his sister by hiding her dolls

Adjective
The minister's tortuous arguments did nothing to
convince us

Noun
The dog finally bit its tormentor
Torrent

Torture
To inflict pain deliberately, especially to extract
information, etc

A fast-flowing stream of water, lava, etc

Noun

Verb
Some regimes torture suspects to make them
confess

500

The prisoner was tortured to death

Noun
The thumbscrew is an old-fashioned instrument
of torture
The freedom fighter died under torture rather
than betray his comrades
Medieval castles often contained torture
chambers
Noun
The torturer applied electric shocks to his victims
Physical pain or mental anguish
Noun
A bad earache is sheer torture

These intractable children cause discipline

problems in class
Trail
To draw or drag along behind
Verb
Long skirts trail in the mud
She trailed her hand in the water
Noun
The jet left a vapour trail in the sky
To walk or move wearily; to lag or straggle

Verb
The killer was tortured by guilt

Verb
The exhausted hikers began to trail back to camp
He was trailing along behind everyone else

Twisted, deformed, etc

To lag or fall behind in competition

Adjective
Old olive trees can grow into grotesque, tortured
shapes

Verb
Developing countries are trailing behind the west
in computers

Tour de force

To be losing in a game or match

A brilliant performance, achievement, etc

Verb
The tennis player was trailing one set down

Noun
The ballet solo was a real tour de force that
received a standing ovation

To become fainter and fade away

Faced with his coldness, her voice trailed
off/away into silence

Tractable
To pursue
Easily controlled; docile
Adjective
A tractable child is very obedient
Difficult to deal with

Verb
The police trailed the suspect to his hide-out
Noun
The police are hot on the trail of the escaped
prisoner

Adjective

501

A track, mark or smell left by an animal, person

or thing

Trample

Noun
Look at the snail's trail on the window
The hunters followed the trail of the wounded
bear
The hurricane left a trail of destruction in its path
A path across rough country
Noun
We went on a week's hiking trail through the
mountains

To stamp on; to crush or tread underfoot

A trail bike is a light motorcycle uses on rough

terrain

To treat roughly, scornfully or unfeelingly

Verb
An angry elephant will trample its victim
Tourists were trampling over the farmer's fields I
was nearly trampled to death by the crowd
The flowers were trampled underfoot by the
large dogs

To extend along

Verb
He didn't care if he trampled on people's feelings

Verb
Creepers trail over the whole fence

The poor woman is trampled underfoot by her

bullying husband

Noun
This rambling rose is a trailer
In north America a caravan is called a trailer

Tranquil

A series of short extracts shown to advertise a

forthcoming film

Adjective
You need a quiet tranquil holiday to unwind

Noun
Judging by the trailer, the film might be worth
seeing

Noun
The tranquillity of the countryside was shattered
by loud pop music

Someone who marks a new track through wild

country

To make calm or
administering a drug

Noun
The intrepid explorer was a trailblazer

Verb
The game warden tranquillized/tranquillised the
elephant with a drugged dart

Calm, peaceful

sleepy,

especially

by

A leader or pioneer
Noun
Andy Warhol was the trailblazer in the field of
pop art

Noun
The doctor gave the hysterical woman a
tranquillizer/tranquilliser
Transcend

Adjective
The trailblazing film was followed by others

502

To go beyond the range or limit of human

experience, belief, etc
Verb
Great writers transcend existing literature
Music transcends national differences
Adjective
The prophet had a transcendental vision of the
future

A formal word meaning to go beyond or overstep

the bounds or limits of what is morally or legally
acceptable
Verb
Some people think that these tiny g-strings
transgress the bounds of decency
Noun
Any transgression of the law will be punished

Superior , excellent, supreme

Transient
Adjective
The transcendent genius of Albert Einstein
revolutionized scientific thinking

Lasting only for a short time; transitory

Adjective
His transient anger was soon gone

To surpass or exceed; to rise above

Verb
Marie curie's achievements in winning noble
prizes for physics and chemistry transcend those
of any other scientist
People who give their lives to religion try to
transcend their selfish desires
Any of several philosophic beliefs that reason,
intuition, intuition, etc are the keys to
understanding; any vague philosophy
Noun
One kind of transcendentalism says that you
cannot learn ultimate reality through the senses
alone
A system of meditation, based on hind traditions,
designed to promote spiritual wellbeing and a
relaxed state of consciousness through silent
repetition of a mantra

Noun
The transience/transiency of fame is shown by
how quickly we forget yesterday's pop stars
Passing through or staying only a short while
Adjective
This town has permanent residents and transient
visitors
Transmigration
The passing of a person's soul into another body
at death
Noun
Because they believe in the transmigration of the
soul, Buddhists treat all forms of life as sacred
The act of moving from on place to settle
elsewhere

Transcendental meditation/tm by teaching deep

relaxation, helps many people to cope with the
pressures of life

Noun
The mass transmigration of people has changed
the racial mixture of many countries

Transgress

Transmogrify

503

To change completely in character, appearance,

etc, as if y magic

We had a traumatic holiday when we lost our

luggage
Traverse

Verb
Through his experiments, the respectable
Dr
Jekyll learnt to transmogrify himself into the
brutal Mr. Hyde
Transmute

To cross; to pass through or over

Verb
The explorers had to traverse the desert
Searchlights traversed the night sky looking for
enemy planes

To change from on e form or state to another

Verb
Alchemists in former times constantly tried to
transmute ordinary metal into gold
Trauma
A medial term fro any severe bodily injury or
wound
Noun
An accident is a common cause of acute trauma
An emotional shock or terrible experience that
may have long lasting effects
Noun
She is going for psychological counselling to get
over the trauma of seeing her family massacred
Adjective
War is a traumatic experience
Verb
Children have been traumatized/traumatised by
the violence they have witnessed

To move horizontally across the face of a

mountain
Verb
Unable to ascend the rock face, the climbers
prepared to traverse it
Noun
The traverse across that sheer rock face is a test
of skilled mountaineering
Travesty
A mockery or absurd imitation
Noun
A show trial and execution is a travesty of
justices
Verb
Satirists travesty the speeches of pompous
politicians
Treachery
An act of betrayal or one of treason

Any unpleasant or distressing experience

Noun
She is going through the traumas of divorce
Adjective

Noun
One man's treachery enabled the enemy to learn
our secrets
Adjective
The man we had trusted turned out to be a
treacherous informer

504

I tremble to think what he'll do when he hears

about the loss

Deceptive and dangerous

Adjective
Inexperienced climbers don't realize
treacherous the mountains can be

To quiver of shake slightly

how
Verb
The leaves trembled in the light breeze
To shudder or sway

Treason
The betrayal of you country; treachery

Verb
The earth tremor made the buildings tremble

Noun
The traitor who sells military secrets
enemy is guilty of treason
Adjective
Helping the enemy in wartime is a
treasonable/treasonous offence

to

the
Tremendous
Very great, huge

Tremble
To shake uncontrollably
weakness, excitement, etc

from

fear, cold,

Adjective
Racing cars travel at tremendous speeds
There was a tremendous explosion when the
comb went off
Excellent, remarkable, outstanding

Verb
She started to tremble when she saw his anger
Noun
He felt a slight tremble in her hand as he held it
Verb
She was trembling so much that she fell down
Adjective
With trembling hands he smiled at her
To sound unsteady
Verb
Her voice trembled as she broke the bad news

Adjective
He got a standing ovation for his tremendous
performance
Thank you for you tremendous help with every
thin
You've finished the job-that's tremendous
Very, extremely
Adverb
He's tremendously handsome
Tremor
A slight earthquake

Adjective
The frightened man spoke in a trembling
/tremulous voice

Noun
The vibration was caused by an earth tremor

To be in a state of anxiety

A slight trembling or quivering

Verb

Noun

505

There was a tremor in her voice when she told

us the bad news

A formal word for suffering or great distress

A thrill of anxiety, excitement, etc

Noun
She felt a tremor of fear at the thought of her first
flight

Noun
Her son's addiction to drugs was a source of great
tribulation to her
Trickle

Trenchant
To flow in drops or a thin stream
Strongly and effectively expressed, sharp, cutting
Adjective
The satirist's trenchant
government to ridicule

Verb
Tears started to trickle down her cheeks
wit

exposed

the
Noun
There was a trickle of blood from the small cut

Trepidation
To come or go slowly or gradually
A state of anxiety, nervousness, alarm
Noun
I went for my driving test with a feeling of
trepidation
Trespass
To enter another person's property without
permission

Verb
The ball trickled into the hole
Information about secret operations is beginning
to trickle out
Noun
As war intensified, the trickle of refugees
became a flood
A mains-operated electric charger for batteries

Verb
Campers regularly trespass on my farm
Noun
Can you arrest people for trespass if they do no
harm?
Trespassers will be prosecuted
The warning notice read: no trespassing
To intrude or make unreasonable demands or
claims

Leave the flat battery on the trickle charger

overnight
Trifle
A dessert of cake, custard, cream, fruit, etc
Noun
Sherry trifle is a popular dessert
Something of little value or importance

Verb
We've trespassed long enough on your hospitality
Tribulation

Noun
Why are you arguing over trifles don't worry, it's
a trifling mistake

506

A small amount

Trim

Noun
At the closing-down sale, goods were sold for a
mere trifle
Slightly, somewhat

To neaten; to set in good order, especially by

cutting or pruning

The shoes are a trifle tight but they'll stretch in

wear
She was a trifle annoyed that she'd not been more
warmly thanked
To treat casually, frivolously or heartlessly
Verb
The premier is not a person to be trifled
Noun
Does this man really love you? He seems to be
trifling with your affections
Trigger
A small metal lever to release a spring or catch
on a mechanism, especially of a firearm
Noun
Take aim and squeeze the trigger of the gun
Her trigger finger was steady on the trigger of the
gun pointed at him
To give rise t or set off

Verb
After mowing the lawn, you should
edges

trim

the

Noun
Your beard needs a trim
Adjective
That rim garden is a reward for hours of backbreaking work
Noun
The barber used a trimmer to neaten
his
moustache
Use pastry trimmings to cut out decorative shape
Sew the sleeves in the bodice and trim off/away
the surplus fabric
To decorate or adorn
Verb
The blouse is trimmed with lace
Noun
The ribbon trim on the dress is very smart
Add flowers to the hat as trimming

Verb
A higher petrol price will trigger off increases in
food prices
My migraine was triggered by too many late
nights

The usual accompaniments

Ready and willing to shoot or act violently

To make a ship or aircraft evenly balanced by

arranging the position of its cargo, passengers or
ballast

Adjective
A trigger-happy hunter might shoot us
That trigger-happy dictator is a threat to world
peace

Noun
On Christmas day we eat turkey with all the
trimmings

Verb

507

Trim the boat so that the cargo is evenly

distributed
To arrange or adjust sails to suit the wind
Verb
Trim the sails of the yacht
To adjust your views in order to advance your
career
Verb
Politicians often trim their views according to
popular opinion
That opportunist trims his sails to please his
superiors
Slim, shapely

A great achievement
Noun
Organ transplants are one of the triumphs of
modern medicine
To win or overcome
Verb
Our army triumphed and were hailed as heroes
He triumphed over his illness
Truce
A temporary agreement to stop fighting or
arguing
Noun
The two sides declared a truce during peace talks

Adjective
Even after three children, she has kept her trim
figure

Truculent

To get ready or fit

Adjective
She became truculent when I scolded her

After her long lay-off she has to get into trim for
the race

Aggressive and defiant

Noun
His surly truculence made him unpleasant

Triumph
Trudge
A victory or success
To walk heavily or with difficulty, plod
Noun
He scored a great triumph by defeating the
champion

Verb
They had to trudge through the mud

Adjective
The triumphant team did a lap of honour

Noun
It was a long trudge up the steep hill

Joy or exultation

Truncated

Noun
There was an expression of triumph on her face
as she received the prize

Shortened by cutting
Adjective

508

The report appeared in the magazine in truncated

form

To collapse
The explosion caused the walls to tumble down

Tumble
Dilapidated; ruined
A sudden or awkward fall
Noun
He took a tumble off his bicycle

Adjective
The tumbledown old house needs repair

Verb
She tripped and tumbles down the stairs

A machine that dries wet laundry by turning it in

hot air

To fall suddenly in value

When it's raining she puts she washing in there

tumble dryer

Verb
The price of gold tumbled today on the stock
exchange
To roll
Verb
The puppies tumbled about playful
To perform somersaults, etc
Verb
The gymnast tumbled as part of his floor routine
Noun
The tumbler at the circus did amazing acrobatics
To move or cause to move, etc, in a disorderly
manner
Verb
We all tumbled through the door and ran to greet
her
His case burst and everything came tumbling out
The wind tumbled her hair
An untidy heap
Noun
His clothes lay in a tumble on the wardrobe floor

Slang meaning to realize or understand

She tumbled to his plan when she heard him
make a phone call
A flat-bottomed drinking glass
Noun
A tumbler has straight sides
He drank a tumbler/tumblerful of water
A pivoted piece in a door or gun
Noun
The tumbler holds the bolt or mainspring
the key lifts it or the trigger is pressed
Tumult
The disturbance or noise of a large crowd
Noun
The tumult was caused by angry protesters
Adjective
Fans gave the stat a tumultuous welcome
Any confused or agitated state
Noun

509

until

Her mind was in a tumult after he left her

Turbulent

She twiddled her thumbs while she waited for the

bus

Of water or air, moving violently

Twig

Adjective
The boat capsized in the turbulent seas

A thin branch or shoot

Noun
The plane shook as we hit some turbulence
Violently disturbed
Adjective
The turbulent country was in a state of unrest

Noun
He snapped the dead twig off the bush
Adjective
The shrub needs pruning as it is very twiggy
Slang meaning to understand or realize

Turgid

Verb
Everyone twigged the joke, except me

Swollen; bloated

Twitter

Adjective
The wound was red and turgid

The chirping noise of birds

Overly pompous in style or language

Noun
There was a twitter from the birdcage

Adjective
His turgid book was difficult to read

Verb
The starlings twittered in the trees

Turmoil

To talk rapidly from excitement or nervousness

A state of confusion or disturbance

Verb
The children twittered happily as we drove to the
beach

Noun
Our house was in turmoil when we first moved in

Nervous or nervously excited

Twiddle
To twist or turn something round and round,
especially idly
Verb
Don't twiddle with the knobs on the radio, it's
irritating
To waste time doing nothing

Adjective
He was a twittery tense person
The bride's mother was all of a twitter at the
wedding

510

Unanimous

Someone who does not believe, especially in

religious matters

In complete agreement by all concerned

Adjective
The decision was unanimous with no dissent

Noun
An atheist is an unbeliever
He doesn't go to church because of his unbelief

Noun
If we can't reach unanimity we'll take a vote

Unceremonious
Without proper formality, ceremony, etc

Unassuming

Adjective
Their wedding in working clothes at a registry
office was somewhat unceremonious

Quiet in manner; modest; unpretentious

Adjective
He's so unassuming that you'd never guess how
brilliant he is
Unbeatable
Unable to be beaten or outclassed
Adjective
That great champion seems unbeatable
This factory shop offers unbeatable value
Her record time remains unbeaten to this day
Unbelievable

Lacking courtesy or politeness; rude

Adjective
Our host made an unceremonious departure from
the party
Adverb
She was unceremoniously evicted
Unconscious
Not conscious; insensible
Adjective
The boxer was knocked unconscious to the floor

Extremely good, great, surprising, etc

Not aware of; unintentional
Adjective
We had unbelievable luck in getting tickets
Her jewels are just unbelievable
Adverb
The sunset was unbelievably beautiful
Incredible; difficult to believe
Adjective
Teachers hear many unbelievable excuses for
work not done
An unbelieving audience heard her story of being
abducted to another planet

Adjective
He was quite unconscious of having said the
wrong thing
An unconscious prejudice can be seen in the
words you use
Adverb
Unconsciously he called her by my name
The deepest part of the mind of which we are not
fully aware

511

The secrets of the unconscious are

psychoanalysis

revealed by

Hitler was the undisputed leader of the Nazi

party

Undaunted

Unearth

Formal for not discouraged or intimidated

To dig up or uncover from the ground

Adjective
Undaunted by the setback, he continued his
voyage

Verb
Archaeologists unearth relics from the past
To find by searching; to discover and reveal

Undesirable

Verb
The investigator has unearthed more about the
fraud

Unwanted; unpleasant
Adjective
The drug had undesirable side effects
Of a person or behav-iour, objectionable and
unwanted

Mysterious or supernatural; frightening

Adjective
An unearthly groan came from under our feet
Unreasonable; outrageous

Adjective
Drug dealers are among the undesirable elements
in society

Adjective
Who's phoning us at the unearthly hour of three
a.m.?

Noun
A private club can exclude undesirables

Unequivocal

Undeterred

A formal word fro clear, without ambiguity, etc

Not deterred or discouraged

Adjective
His answer was an unequivocal no

Adjective
He is so confident that he is undeterred by failure
Ignoring all warnings, she set off undeterred

Unflinching
Not showing fear; not shrinking from difficulties

Undisputed
Not to be doubted or questioned
Adjective
It is an undisputed fact that we breather air

Adjective
He fought back with unflinching courage
Unpalatable
A formal word for not pleasant to taste

Unchallenged; acknowledged
Adjective

Adjective
The salty fish was most unpalatable

512

Unacceptable or distasteful

Not decreasing in intensity; continuous

Adjective
His views on that subject are unpalatable to
many people

Adjective
The unrelenting pressure of work caused him to
have a nervous breakdown

Unparalleled

Adverb
They
campaigned
unrelentingly
experiments on animals

against

Not equalled; the best

Unrestrained
Adjective
I think that Mozart's music is unparalleled
Unprecedented

Not held back; uncontrolled

Adjective
She hit out in unrestrained anger

Never having happened, etc, before

Unrivalled
Adjective
Our high profits this year are unprecedented in
the history to the company

Not equalled; matchless

Unpretentious

Adjective
For years she remained unrivalled as an athlete
He has an unrivalled knowledge of archaeology

Not showy; modest

Unruffled
Adjective
Although they are rich, they live in an
unpretentious flat
Unreasonable
Not reasonable or sensible

Still; calm
Adjective
The calm lake was as unruffled as a mirror
Despite the noisy crowds the speaker remained
unruffled

Adjective
Rebellious people can be very unreasonable and
often spurn good advice

Unsavoury

Unfair or excessive

Adjective
The smell of raw meat was quite unsavoury
He is involved in an unsavoury scandal with a
younger woman

Adjective
The talks broke down when one side made
unreasonable demands

Distasteful or offensive

Unscathed
Unrelenting

513

Not harmed
Adjective
She came out of the accident unscathed because
she was wearing her seatbelt

It is unthinkable t expect him to do all that work

alone
Her request that we double her salary is
unthinkable

Unscrupulous

A journey the moon was unthought of a few

generations ago

Without moral principles; dishonest

Careless, thoughtless

Adjective
She was unscrupulous about getting what she
wanted

Adjective
His unthinking comments were hurtful
Untidy

Adverb
He behaved unscrupulously

Not neat; messy and disordered, slovenly

Unseasonable

Adjective
Her work is so untidy no-one can read it

Inappropriate for the season

Adjective
We had an unseasonable cold spell

last summer

Noun
After all your promises to tidy up, the room is
still in a state of untidiness

Unsparing

Untoward

Not holding anything back; generous

Formal for inconvenient, unfortunate

Adjective
She was unsparing I her efforts to help the poor

Adjective
The untoward incident made us late for work

Adverb
He gave unsparingly of his time to the team

Unusual
Not usual

Merciless; severe
Adjective
She was unsparing in demanding the best from
her students
Unthinkable

Adjective
It is unusual for the weather to be so hot in
winter
She wore an interesting, unusual hat
Adverb
He got up unusually early to see the dawn

So unlikely or undesirable that it cannot be

considered

Unwary

Adjective

Not cautious or aware of danger

514

Adjective
You cannot afford to be unwary on this
dangerous stretch of road

Adverb
His speech was uproariously funny
Uproot

People who are easily deceived

To pull up a plant together with its roots
The unwary are easily ticked into giving away
money
Upheaval

Verb
You should uproot the weeds instead
breaking off the tops

A sudden, violent, upward movement

To force someone to leave their surroundings

Noun
An upheaval occurs when a volcano erupts

Verb
The war uprooted them from their homes

A sudden change or disturbance

To remove or eradicate completely

Noun
Changing jobs caused a great upheaval in his life

Verb
That organization is trying to uproot pornography
from society

of

just

Uprising
Upsurge
A revolt or rebellion
A sudden increase or rise
Noun
The uprising was suppressed by the army
Uproar
A noisy disturbance or confusion
Noun
There was uproar in the bank when the armed
robber walked in
The new censorship laws caused uproar
countrywide
Very noisy or high-spirited
Adjective
The audience burst into uproarious laughter

Noun
Every Christmas there is an upsurge
sales
There has been an upsurge of interest
environmental issues

for

toy
in

Usher
Someone who shows people to their seats
Noun
He was an usher at the wedding
She works as an usherette at a cinema
Verb
The waiter ushered the guests politely to their
table

Hilariously

515

An official doorkeeper in a cot of law

Lacking in intelligence or awareness

Noun
The usher allowed the defendant and the lawyer
to enter

Adjective
He was too stupid t realize what a vacuous
remark he'd made

To mark the start of something; to herald

Verb
The new government ushered in a time of
democracy

Noun
I can't put up with the vacuity/vacuousness of her
silly chatter

Usurp

Vagabond

A formal word meaning to take someone's

position, etc, wrongfully

A tramp, wanderer or vagrant

Verb
The prince's brother planned to usury the throne
She tried to usurp the manager's authority while
he was away

Noun
That lazy vagabond should work for a living
Adjective
He is nothing but a thieving rogue who leads a
vagabond life
Vagary

V
Vacillate
To keep changing your opinions; to be unable to
keep to one decision
Verb
She tends to vacillate between being too strict
and too indulgent

Any odd or unpredictable change of behaviour,

mind, etc
Noun
Snow in July is just another vagary of the
weather
There's no accounting for the whims and
vagaries of human nature
Vague

Noun
Vacillation in a leader is a sign of weakness
Vacuous
Blank, without expression, empty
Adjective
He stared at us drunkenly with a vacuous look on
his face

Not clear, imprecise

Adjective
We saw a vague shape in the mist
He gave such vague directions that we got lost
Don't trust vague promises of reform
Most people have only vague memories of their
early childhood
Adverb

516

Have we met be froe because you look vaguely

familiar?

Adjective
He made a valiant attempt to rescue the survivors

Adjective
I haven't vaguest idea what you're talking about

Valour
A formal word for bravery or courage

Noun
The vagueness of your answers shows that you
haven't studied for the exam

Noun
The soldier was awarded a medal for valour

Undecided, uncertain

Adjective
The general commended him for his valorous
action in battle

Adjective
Many school leavers are vague about their future
plans

Vanish
To disappear or go out of sight

Slightly confused or muddled; absent-minded

Adjective
Wondering if she knew him, she gave him a
vague smile
Adverb
He looked round vaguely for his wife

Verb
The planes vanish behind the clouds
We searched everywhere but the thief had
vanished into thin air
Our courage had almost reached vanishing point

Approximately, roughly

The point at which parallel lines seen in

perspective appear to meet

Adverb
India is shaped vaguely like a triangle

A road receding into the distance illustrates what

is meant by vanishing point

Valediction

Vanity

A formal word for farewell or goodbye

Self-admiration, conceit, excessive pride

Noun
He raised his hat in valediction

Noun
Since she won a beauty contest, her vanity knows
no bounds

Adjective
The students attended the valedictory function
Valiant

Adjective
That vain girl is always admiring herself in the
mirror

Brave and determined

Uselessness or futility; a lack of real value

517

Noun
The bible warns of the vanity of material
possessions
Adjective
He made a vain attempt to save the drowning
child but the current was too strong
Adverb
Deluded people search in vain/vainly for Atlantis
An old-fashioned or formal
ostentatious, boastful, vain

word

for

He made a vehement protest about the unfair law

Adverb
They were arguing vehemently oblivious to all
around them
Noun
The vehemence of his denials convinced us that
he was innocent
Vendetta
A long-standing, hereditary or bitter feud

Adjective
The star's vainglorious performance was meant
to outshine her co-star

Noun
Killing the godfather led to a vendetta between
the mafia families
He is waging a vendetta against his neighbours

A small container for toiletry articles

Venerate

The film star never travels without her vanity

case of cosmetics

A formal word meaning to respect and honour

highly

Vanquish

Verb
Students of literature venerate ten name of
Shakespeare

A formal word meaning to conquer, defeat or

overcome
Verb
They were determined to vanquish the enemy in
battle
Vapid
Dull, insipid, uninteresting
Adjective
Their conversation was s vapid I kept yawning
Vehement
Showing or caused by strong feelings, usually
negative; forceful

Noun
The holy relic was held in veneration by the
faithful
A formal word for worthy of respect because of
wisdom, age, etc
Adjective
The venerable scholar was a world expert
Venial
Of a fault, excusable , forgivable; of a sin, not
mortal
Adjective
A minor typing mistake is a venial error

Adjective

518

Venom
A poisonous fluid secreted by some snakes,
spiders, etc
Noun
Is there an antidote for the venom of this snake?

Noun
That business venture didn't last long
Adjective
Venture capital is money advanced to finance a
new enterprise
To dare to do something risky or unpleasant

Adjective
Although this grass snake is venomous its poison
is seldom fatal
Hatred, spite, etc
Noun
She speaks of her ex-husband with venom in her
voice
Adjective
He gave his rival a venomous look
Vent

Verb
Explorers venture forth on hazardous journeys
The timid cat won't venture far from the house
You won't succeed without taking risks; nothing
venture nothing gain
No-one ventured to argue with the boss
We didn't feel like venturing out into the cold,
dark night
To say something hesitantly or cautiously
Verb
I venture that he is not the man for the job
She ventured a guess

A small opening or outlet for fumes, gases, etc

A formal word for daring or risky
Noun
A vent allows steam from the boiler to escape

Adjective
That venturesome child could hurt himself

A slit in the back or side of a jacket, coat, etc

Veracity
Noun
The jacket has side vents
To provide an outlet for you feelings
Verb
He vented his anger on the by kicking it

A formal word for truthfulness, rendezvous, etc

Noun
Don't publish it until you're sure of

its veracity

Adjective
He was veracious and trustworthy

She gave vent to her frustrations by slamming

the door

Verge

Venture

An edge, rim, etc, especially a grass border

A project or undertaking with some risk of

failure

Noun

519

The road has a pavement on one side and a grass

verge on the other
The verges need mowing

He is a veteran of the second world war

In north America an ex-soldier is often called a
vet

The extreme limit beyond which something

happens

Adjective
This tournament is for veteran golfers

Noun
He was on the verge of resigning when he was
offered a promotion
The dispute brought the world to the verger of
war

Viable
Workable, feasible, etc; capable of succeeding

To be near to

Noun
Consider the viability of a business before
investing in it

Verb
Your silly argument is verging on the ridiculous

Adjective
Living in space is not yet a viable proposition

Capable of developing an surviving

Versatile
Capable of or adapted for different uses, skills,
etc
Adjective
That versatile woman can turn her hand to
anything
This versatile drill can easily be converted into a
sander
Noun
Michelangelo's versatility made him equally
good as a sculptor, painter and architect
Verve
Vitality; vigour; enthusiasm
Noun
The dull performance lacked verve

Adjective
A fetus is not usually viable if born sooner than
24 weeks after conception
Vibrate
To move rapidly back and forth; to shake or
quiver
Verb
The earth tremor made a the house vibrate
Noun
I feel no vibration when driving a luxury car
A vibrator is used in massage or as a sexual aid
Adjective
A vibratory massage tones yup skin and muscles
To make a throbbing or tingling sound that
continues

Veteran
Someone with long experience or service,
especially in the military

Verb
The guitar string vibrated when she plucked it
Adjective

Noun

520

We were spellbound listening to the vibrant notes

of the cello
Noun
An instrument played with vibrato gives a
pulsing sound

A formal word for the locality or neighbourbood

`
Noun
It's convenient having so many shops in the
vicimity
Near or close to

Vigorous; thrilling, exciting

Adjective
Many people find new York a vibrant city that
never sleeps
With her vibrant personality she is the life of any
party
Of colours, bright and striking
Adjective
This dark room needs some vibrant yellow to
give it life
An atmosphere that can be sensed or felt
Noun
The site of the massacre gave off bad
vibrations/vibes

There are in the vicimity of half a million words

in the English language
Vicious
Cruel, evil, spiteful
Adjective
He carried out a vicious attack on an innocent
child
She was spreading vicious rumours about the
new schoolgirl
Noun
We were shocked by the viciousness of the
punishment
Dangerous, savage

A musical instrument like a xylophone

Noun
He plays vibraphone/vibes in a jazz quartet
Vicarious
Experience through imagining the feelings, etc,
of another person
Adjective
Armchair travellers get a vicarious thrill out of
others' adventures

Adjective
A vicious dog attacked the children
Noun
Pit bull terriers have a reputation for viciousness
Violent or severe
Adjective
The flu epidemic was particularly vicious
Vigil

Adverb
Parents suffer vicariously with their children

Keeping awake at night, especially to watch over

or to pray

Vicinity

Noun
She kept vigil over her sick child
People prayed for peace at the candlelight vigil

521

Watchful; alert; observant

Adjective
Soldiers on guard duty must be vigilant
His vigilance was rewarded when he caught the
thief red-handed
A member of an unofficial group, self-appointed
to protect the public
Noun
The vigilante beat up the suspected thief
Vigour
Physically strong; energetic; vital
Noun
Healthy people are full of vigour

When falsely accused, he did not find it easy to

vindicate himself
Noun
To the manager's relief, the report was a
vindication of his company
To prove the truth of something under dispute; to
justify
Verb
Finding the stolen goods in his room vindicated
our suspicions
Noun
The decline I crime is a vindication of vigorous
policing
Vindictive
Spiteful, vengeful, malicious

Adjective
Frail people avoid exercise that is too vigorous
Of a plant, growing strongly
Adverb
Bamboo grows vigorously in tropical Asia
Forcefulness of language, style, etc

Adjective
The vindictive bully planned revenge on the boy
who had outwitted him
The vindictive remark was meant to hurt
Noun
Out of sheer vindictiveness he let the air out of
his rival's tyres

Noun
The government was surprised by the vigour of
the protests

Virtuoso

Adjective
We stepped out in time to the vigorous march
tune

Noun
Franz Liszt was a great virtuoso on the piano

Vindicate

A master of a musical technique or other skill

Adjective
Her virtuoso performance earned her a standing
ovation

A formal word meaning to clear of blame or

suspicion

Vitiate

Verb

A formal word meaning to weaken, spoil or harm

522

Verb
Any contamination will vitiate the effectiveness
of the medicine
No evidence has vitiated the theory of evolution

You must have a vivid imagination!

Noun
The vividness of his description brought the
scene to life

Vituperate
Of a person, lively, vigorous, etc
A formal word meaning to make harsh criticism;
to be abusive
Verb
We should all vituperate against government
extravagance
She was devastated by the
vituperative review
of her work
Noun
His novel received such vituperation that he
never wrote another book

Adjective
Her vivid personality made a strong impression
on him
Vivisection
The performance of surgical experiments on
living animals

Vivacious

Noun
Researchers
vivisection

Lively, high-spirited, animated, etc

Vociferous

Adjective
That vivacious woman is the life and soul of the
party

Noisy; making a loud outcry

Noun
Her vivacity/vivaciousness
stimulating companion

makes

her

use

laboratory

animals

for

Adjective
There were vociferous protests about the closure
of the factory

a
Void

Vivid

A formal word for empty or vacant

Of light or colour, strong, intense

Adjective
The office fell void when the firm vacated its
premises

Adjective
The male bird's vivid plumage contrasts with the
drab female's
The thunder clap was followed by a vivid flash
of lightning
Forming a clear picture in the mind
Adjective
She has vivid memories of her childhood

Noun
What is in the void beyond earth?
His death left an aching void in her heart
Verb
He voided his bladder and bowels
Lacking; free from; devoid

523

Adjective
Her face was a mask void of expression

A conscious decision, choice, etc

Not legally binding

Noun
Free will menas having volition

Adjective
A contract with a minor is null and void

She was not pressurized to leave but went of her

own volition

Verb
The judge voided the dubious contract

Volley

Useless

The simultaneous discharge of a number of

weapons

Adjective
The mediator's efforts were rendered void by a
wildcat strike

Noun
The soldiers fired a volley of shots
He was hit by a volley of stones

Verb
Peaces efforts were voided by the resumption of
fighting

An outburst of insults, protests, etc

Noun
He let out a volley of abuse at the reckless driver

Volatile
Quick to evaporate; likely to explode

In tennis, football, etc, striking a ball before it

bounces

Adjective
Petrol is highly volatile with a low flash point

Noun
The tennis player smashed the ball with an
overhead volley

Of people, changeable, unpredictable, fickle, etc

Verb
She volleyed the ball into the net

Adjective
She's calm and sensible, unlike her volatile sister

A game of hitting a large ball by hand over a

high net

Changeable; unstable; short-lived

Adjective
The political situation remain very volatile after
the coup

Noun
They divide into teams to play volleyball
The ball used in volleyball

Noun
The volatility of the stock market scares off the
wary investor

Noun
If you let the volleyball touch the ground, you
lose a point

Volition

Voluptuous

524

Giving delight t the senses or body

Adjective
I enjoy the voluptuous luxury of a hot bath

The young child was at a vulnerable age

Noun
Psychiatrists must not take advantage of their
patients' vulnerability

Of a woman's figure, full and shapely

Exposed to danger, criticism, etc

Adjective
Rubes is noted for his paintings of voluptuous
nudes

Adjective
In the valley we were vulnerable to attack from
the mountain

Voracious
Eating or craving a great quantity of food

Adjective
A youthful indiscretion left him vulnerable to
blackmail

Adjective
That active boy has a voracious appetite
Gannets are voracious eaters

Noun
The leader's vulnerability encouraged attempts to
topple him from power

Very eager in some activity

Adjective
She's a voracious reader, always with her nose in
a book

W
Wail

Vortex
A long, high-pitched, mournful cry
A mass of whirling fluid, gases, etc, such as a
whirlpool or tornado
Noun
The diver was sucked down into a vortex
Any activity viewed as irresistibly swallowing up
or engulfing
Noun
Everyone gets sucked into the vortex of a civil
war

Noun
The child let out a wail when she tripped and fell
Noun
I've lost my handbag,' she wailed
Any similar sound
Noun
The wail of an ambulance siren warns cars to get
our of the way
Listen to the wailing of the wind

Vulnerable
Capable of being physically or emotionally hurt
Adjective
Cyclists are very vulnerable on the road

A formal word meaning to express sorrow for,

mourn
Verb

525

The sobbing widow began to bewail the loss of

her husband

Weary
Very tired or exhausted

Waive
A formal word meaning not to enforce, etc
Verb
If I get an apology, I'll waive my demand for
damages
A document recording this
Noun
In return for a cash settlement, he signed a
waiver giving up his claim to the estate

Adjective
The weary mother longed for rest
Adverb
The climber wearily pulled off his boots
Noun
Can you imagine a doctor's weariness after a 20hour shift?
Adjective
The rescued man managed a weary smile
Tiring, exhausting, tedious, etc

Wanton
Done deliberately without motive, provocation,
etc

Adjective
The long, weary journey seemed endless
To make somebody annoyed, impatient, etc

Adjective
Vandals do wanton damage telephone boxes
Once a dog attacks sheep, it goes in for wanton
killing
Noun
The wantonness of behaviour is due to our
tendency to be irrational

Verb
The children wearied us with their constant
demands
Politicians are wearying the electorate with their
petty arguments
People became weary of listening to her
complaints

Unrestrained or wild
Weird
Adjective
In an act of wanton extravagance, she gave each
guest an expensive gift
The garden was overgrown with a wanton
profusion of weeds

Frightening because of strangeness

Adjective
The three witches in 'Macbeth' are called the
weird sisters

Sexually promiscuous or immoral, usually of a

woman

Strange, peculiar, etc

Adjective
That wanton woman has had a string of lovers

Adjective
Granny thinks that I have weird tastes in music

526

Noun
We laugh at the weirdness of the clothes our
parents used to wear

Noun
Since winning a million on the jackpot, my
head's in a whirl

Welter
A state of intense social activity
A confused mass
Noun
I was bewildered by the welter of facts and
figures

Noun
They plunged into the social whirl of dances and
parties

Whim

To move, drive, etc, rapidly

A passing fancy or sudden impulse especially if

unusual or unreasonable

Verb
The taxi whirled us straight to the airport
The raft whirled down the fast-flowing river
My hat was whirled away by the wind

Noun
On a whim she left the party to go for a swim
Those do thing parents indulge their child's every
whim
Playful, fanciful, full of fantasy
Adjective
'Alice through the looking glass' is a whimsical
story

To attempt
I'm not sure that I can fix this but I'll give it a
whirl
A powerful, rotating current of water
Noun
The swimmer was sucked into the whirlpool

Whirl
A powerful, rotating current of air
To spin, rotate or revolve quickly
Verb
The blades of a fan whirl round
The dancers whirled round in a graceful waltz f

Noun
A whirlwind takes a funnel shape as it travels
over land or sea
Very rapid

Noun
The helicopter took off in a whirl of dust

Adjective
They married after a whirlwind romance

To turn around of away rapidly

Whisk
Verb
She whirled round so suddenly that I bumped
into her
A state of excitement, confusion, etc

To brush with a sweeping movement

Verb
Horses whisk their tails to get rid of the flies

527

She whisked the crumbs off her dress

Noun
With a whisk of its tail, the cow dislodged the
flies

He was within a whisker of defeating the

champion
Whisper
To speak very softly

To move, carry, etc, rapidly

Verb
She whisked the plate away before I had finished
eating
The taxi whisked us to the station
The lift whisked us up t the top floor
The celebrity was whisked off to meet the
president

Verb
Whisper the answer in my ear
They were whispering so I couldn't hear them
Noun
She spoke in a low whisper
To speak privately or furtively when spreading
rumours, plotting, etc

To whip or beat cream, eggs, etc

Verb
Whisk the cream until thick
Noun
A rotary whisk is a utensil to beat or whip eggs
or cream
Whisker
Any of the stiff hairs on the face of a cat, mouse,
etc
Noun
A whisker is a sensory hair that alerts the animal
to the presence of something

Verb
It is whispered that he'll be our new boss
Noun
I heard a whisper that the firm is in financial
trouble
A whispering campaign is a deliberate attempt to
discredit a person or group by malicious
gossip
Whoop
A loud cry of excitement joy, etc
Noun
He gave a whoop of delight

A man's facial hair, especially a beard

Noun
Why doesn't he shave off his whiskers?

Verb
The children whooped with joy as school ended
for the year

Adjective
My whiskered/whiskery uncle tickles my face
when he kisses me

Whoopee! We've won!

By a very narrow margin or very small distance

The competition was so close that she won by a
whisker

Now we've all passed our exams, let's whoop it

up tonight

To have a good, noisy and enjoyable time

528

The fans of the winning team were making

whoopee

To separate chaff from grain by means of a

current of air or wind

To have sex
At the party, the couple were discovered making
whoopee

Verb
Farmers used to toss grain in the air to winnow
the husks from the corn

A joke cushion

To examine closely to sift the good from the bad

If you sit on a whoopee cushion, it makes a rude

noise

Verb
The judge winnowed the truth from all the
contradictory evidence

Coughing with a crowing sound

Winsome
Adjective
Whooping cough is an infectious disease
Noun
The characteristic whoop is caused when the
breath is drawn in rapidly

Attractive or charming
Adjective
She had a winsome smile
Wistful

Whore
An offensive word for a promiscuous woman or
prostitute
Noun
She earned her living as a whore
A whorehouse is a brothel

Thoughtful and rather sad, often from longing for

something with little hope
Adjective
He gets a wistful expression when he looks at the
photograph of those happy years
Adverb
The dog stared wistfully at the biscuits

Wield
Wither
To handle and use an instrument, tool, etc
To wilt, shrivel or dry up
Verb
She learnt wield an axe when she lived on the
farm
To exert or maintain power and control
Verb
The leaders of the gang wield firm authority over
members
Winnow

Verb
These plants will wither unless you water them
Adjective
She replaced the withered flowers with fresh
ones
To become weaker, often until it no longer exists
Verb

529

As the weeks turned into months, our hopes

withered away
Scornful, contemptuous

Shrivelled, wrinkled, dried up

Adjective
A wizened old woman gave us a toothless grin

Adjective
She gave him a withering look

The wizened apples were long past their best

Withhold

Wobble

To keep back or refuse to give

To move from side to side unsteadily

Verb
The council decided to withhold permission for
the building
She withheld information from me
I couldn't withhold a smile at the child's antics

Verb
Please hold the ladder for me, so that it won't
wobble
She looked absurd wobbling along the pavement
in high-heeled shoes

Withstand

Noun
The table has a wobble because on leg is shorter
than the rest

To endure or stand up to successfully

Verb
The soldiers were determined to withstand the
enemy attack
His hiking boots withstood years of hard wear

Adjective
The child's loose tooth felt wobbly

Wizard

Verb
His voice wobbled with emotion

To shake or waver

A male witch who practises witchcraft or magic,

sorcerer

Insecure, shaky

Noun
The wizard in the fair story changed the young
boy into a frog
He used his wizardry to mix a magic potion

Adjective
The stock market was wobbly after a major
company collapsed
Her long illness left her feeling weak and wobbly

A person who is
something, genius

Wrangle

exceptionally

good

at

An angry or noisy argument or quarrel

Noun
She's a wizard at languages
Putting together the annual budged requires
financial wizardry

Noun
Our claim led to a long wrangle with the
insurance company

Wizened

Verb

530

Children wrangle about whose turn it is to do a

chore
They were wrangling over which TV programme
to watch
Wreak
A formal word meaning to inflict or to cause
harm, damage, etc
Verb
He planned to wreak vengeance on his hated
rival
She wreaked her revenge on her unfaithful
husband
The hurricane wreaked havoc throughout the
island

A greatly damaged or disabled person or thing

Noun
Her ordeal left her a physical and mental wreck
He was a nervous wreck waiting for his wife to
give birth
The car was a complete wreck but the driver was
unhurt
The remains of something that has been wrecked
Noun
Rescuers searched the wreckage for survivors
After the stock market crash, investors faced the
wreckage of their fortunes
A person or thing that destroys

Wreck
A ship that has sunk or been badly damaged at
sea
Noun
The ship that hit the rocks is now a wreck lying
at the bottom of the ocean
Verb
Many ships have been wrecked along our shores
Passengers and crew were rescued from the
shipwreck
The stranded hulk of a badly damaged ship
Noun
The rusting wreck on the rocks is gradually
breaking up

Noun
A wrecker demolishes buildings or breaks up old
cars
Wrench
To pull or twist violently or suddenly
Verb
The housebreakers tried to wrench the window
from its frame
She wrenched her hand away from his grasp
He gave the plastic wrapping a wrench to try it
tear it open
To pull sprain or injure a limb by twisting it
Verb
She tripped and wrenched her ankle

To ruin, damage or spoil

Verb
Vandals have wrecked the classrooms
Strikes are wrecking the economy

Noun
He gave his knee a painful wrench in a football
tackle
An adjustable tool like a spanner

Noun
Embezzlement led to the wreck of his career

Noun

531

Use a wrench to loosen or tighten nuts

An instance of painful or reluctant parting
change, etc
Noun
Leaving home to settle overseas is a big wrench

Verb
It's hard work to wash and wring towels by hand
After falling overboard, we had to wring the
water out of our clothes
When you've wrung the washing, hand it up to
dry

Verb
Seeing his wife's look, he wrenched his gaze
away from the beautiful blonde

A device that does this

Wriggle

Noun
A wringer or mangle has rollers to squeeze the
water out of wet washing

To move or progress by twisting or turning the

body
Verb
Do you think you can wriggle under that fence?
A snake was wriggling along the path
He wriggled his way through the crowd

To force out by persistent pressure

Verb
The teacher tried to wring the truth out of the
pupils suspected of cheating
By threatening a strike, the union
wrung concessions from the company

A quick, short , twisting, etc movement

To interrogate closely
Noun
The baby gave a wriggle and nearly fell out of
my arms
Adjective
The gardener picked up a handful
of wriggling/wriggly worms
Noun
Sit still and stop wriggling
A small child is often a fidget and a wriggler
To manoeuvre yourself out of or into a situation
by sly or devious means
He always tries to wriggle out of his
commitments
She has managed to wriggle her way into the
family

The police put the suspected bomber through the

wringer
To cause pain and distress to us
Charities wring our hearts by showing
of human and animal suffering

pictures

To grip and shake enthusiastically

Verb
He congratulated her warmly and wrung her
hand
To clasp, twist or squeeze your own hands
together
She was crying hysterically and wringing her
hands

Wring
To twist forcibly I order to kill
To squeeze and twist to force out liquid

532

Verb
He was too squeamish to wring the chicken's
neck

Suburban dwellings have yielded to factories in

this area

Slang meaning to strangle

To reluctantly give up control of

I'd like to wring his neck for all the trouble he's
caused

The hijackers are considering yielding the

hostages to the authorities
Verb
She will never yield custody of her children to
her husband

To beat or break under pressure

Yearn
To log for; to want very much, especially
something you can't have

Verb
A professional burglar can make any lock yield
To comply or stop resisting

Verb
A busy housewife may yearn for peace and quiet
The child yearns for affection
Noun
The exiles have a yearning to return
homeland

to

their

Yield

The company has yielded to the strikers'

demands
Relating to something that allows other traffic
the right of way
Adjective
At this yield sign you must give way to cars
coming from your right

To produce or give of the

Flexible, pliant, submissive
Verb
Weather conditions during sowing, growing
harvesting will dictate how much a farmer's
crops will yield
That tree is dead and is no longer yielding apples
The firm yielded record profits this year
The talks were a waste of time as they yielded no
results

Adjective
Rubber is a yielding material
Verb
Soft putty yields to the touch

An amount produced

Noun
Immersing citrus fruit in boiling water before
squeezing increases the juice yield

Zeal
Great enthusiasm or eagerness

To be replaced or taken over by

533

Noun
Some women have shown intense zeal for
feminist movements

Despite being in his late seventies, my grandpa

still has a zest for living
Zigzag

Adjective
He is a zealous student, with a thirst for
knowledge
Adverb
She applied herself zealously to the work and
was rewarded with an honours degree
An extremist, fanatic, etc
Noun
A non-catholic zealot tried to assassinate the
pope

Referring to any line, etc, which turns sharply

right and left, and looks like a series of 'w's' or
'z's'
Adjective
The jersey was knitted in a zigzag pattern
Noun
Forks of lightning are usually illustrated as
zigzags
Verb
We zigzagged up the steep hill in our jeep

Zenith
Zoom
The spot in the sky directly above the head of an
observer; the highest point, acme or peak

To move very quickly with a loud buzzing or

humming sound

Noun
The astronomer told us that the planet will be
positioned at the zenith around midnight
He was an early achiever and had reached the
zenith of his career by the age of 40

Verb
Jet fighters often zoom over our house from the
nearby airfield
He zoomed past on his new motorbike

Zest

To rise rapidly

The outer peel of some citrus fruits used for

flavouring

The war scare caused the gold price to zoom up

overnight

Noun
Instead of adding vanilla to the cheesecake, use
some grated lemon zest

To cause an object being photographed to appear

bigger or smaller

Added interest or charm

Noun
Music always adds zest to a party
Great enjoyment; gusto

The TV cameraman zoomed in on one of the

faces in the crowd so the viewers could identify
it
A zoom lens is use on a camera to increase or
decrease the size of the image without altering
the sharpness of it

Noun

534

535