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TOEFL VACOBULARY
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) measures the ability of non-native speakers of English to use and understand North American English as it is spoken, written and heard in college and university settings.
The TOEFL Internet-based test has four sections. It is approximately four hours long. All four sections can be taken on one day. Note-taking is allowed throughout the test to help test takers answer the questions.
Reading
Three to five academic reading passages followed by comprehension questions
Listening
Two conversations that include two or more speakers in each
Four lectures, which include classroom dialogue
Speaking
6 questions, where you have to speak about something you have heard or read.
Writing
Two writing tasks, one involves reading and listening.
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disable /dI"seI.bl=/ verb
1 [T often passive] to cause someone to have an illness, injury or condition that makes it difficult for them to do the things that other people do:
She was disabled in the accident.
imply /Im"plaI/ verb [T]
1 to communicate an idea or feeling without saying it directly.
lift (TAKE HOLD) /lIft/ verb [I or T; usually + adverb or preposition]
to take hold of and raise in order to remove, carry or move to a different position:
She lifted the baby out of her chair.
TOEFL LISTENING –Lift sb to somewhere.
chip /tSIp/ verb [I or T] -pp-
to accidentally break a small piece off something:
I wish my nail polish wouldn't keep chipping.
He's chipped a bone in his wrist.
dwell /dwel/ verb [I usually + adverb or preposition] dwelt or dwelled, dwelt or dwelled FORMAL
to live in a place or in a particular way:
She dwelt in remote parts of Asia for many years.
Hastily:quickly.
widespread /%waId"spred/ adjective
existing or happening in many places and/or among many people:
There are reports of widespread flooding in northern France.
Malnutrition in the region is widespread - affecting up to 78% of children under five years old.
The campaign has received widespread support.
pertain to sth phrasal verb FORMAL
to be connected with a particular subject, event or situation:
We are only interested in the parts of the proposals that pertain to local issues.
Defy: to refuse to obey, or to act or be against, a person, decision, law, situation, etc:
children openly defying their teachers
A few workers have defied the majority decision and gone into work despite the strike.
The fact that aircraft don't fall out of the sky always seems to me to defy (= act against) the law of gravity.
A forest fire raging in the south of France is defying (= is not changed by) all attempts to control it.
distinctive /dI"stINk.tIv/ adjective
Something that is distinctive is easy to recognize because it is different from other things:
conventional /k@n"vent.S@n.@l/ adjective
traditional and ordinary:
conventional behaviour/attitudes/clothes
conventional medicine/farming
a conventional wedding
DISAPPROVING I find his art rather dull and conventional.
NOTE: The opposite is unconventional.
Designate: 2 to state officially that a place or thing has a particular character or purpose:
This area of the park has been specially designated for children.
They officially designated the area (as) unsuitable for human habitation.
impartial /Im"pA:.S@l/ /-"pA:r-/ adjective
not supporting any of the sides involved in an argument:
apprehension /%{p.rI"hen.S@n/ noun [U] FORMAL
Both the army and the police were involved in the apprehension of the terrorists.
fad /f{d/ noun [C]
a style, activity or interest which is very popular for a short period of time:
the latest health fad
There was a fad for wearing ripped jeans a few years ago.
asylum (PROTECTION) /@"saI.l@m/ noun [U]
protection or safety, especially that given by a government to foreigners who have been forced to leave their own countries for political reasons:
to seek/apply for political asylum
thoroughly (COMPLETE) /"TVr.@/ /"T3`:-/ /-oU/ adjective
complete, very great, very much:
It was a thorough waste of time.
advocate (SUPPORT) /"{d.v@.keIt/ verb [T]
to publicly support or suggest an idea, development or way of doing something:
relief (HELP) /rI"li:f/ noun [C or U]
food, money or services which provide help for people in need:
an international relief operation
relief agencies/supplies
Pop stars have raised millions of pounds for famine relief in Africa.
diagnose /"daI.@g.n@Uz/ /%daI.@g"noUz/ verb [T]
to recognize and name the exact character of a disease or a problem, by making an examination:
The specialist diagnosed cancer.
His condition was diagnosed as some sort of blood disorder.
She was diagnosed with/as having diabetes.
The electrician has diagnosed a fault in the wiring.
no-man's-land /"n@U.m{nz.l{nd/ /"noU-/ noun
1 [S or U] an area or strip of land which no one owns or controls such as a strip of land between two countries' borders, especially in a war:
to be lost/stranded/stuck in no-man's-land
They found themselves trapped in the no-man's-land between the two warring factions.
morbid /"mO:.bId/ /"mO:r-/ adjective DISAPPROVING
too interested in unpleasant subjects, especially death:
a morbid fascination with death
congestion /k@n"dZes.tS@n/ noun [U]
The (traffic) congestion in the city gets even worse during the summer.
This spray helps to ease nasal congestio
foreplay /"fO:.pleI/ /"fO:r-/ noun [U]
the sexual activity such as kissing and touching that people do before they have sex
slick (SKILFUL) /slIk/ adjective
1 operating or performing skilfully and effectively, without problems and without seeming to need effort:
Manilow gave the slick, polished performance that we've come to expect.
A slick pass from Eaves to Brinkworth set up the goal.
deter /dI"t3:r/ /-"t3`:/ verb [T] -rr-
to prevent or discourage someone from doing something by making it difficult for them to do it or by threatening bad results if they do it:
extension /Ik"sten.tS@n/ noun [C or U]
Martin Luther King, Jr, campaigned for the extension of civil rights to (= for them to include) black people.
The extension (= increasing) of police powers in the province has been heavily criticized.
His report contained serious criticisms of the finance director, and, by extension (= therefore), of the entire board of management.
The article is an extension of (= takes further) the ideas Professor Fox developed in an earlier book.
We're building an extension (= adding a new room or rooms) to/on our house.
I've applied for an extension to my visa (= asked for it to last longer).
They are hoping to get an extension of their loan (= to be given a longer period of time in which to pay it back).
Commit:to do something illegal or something that is considered wrong:
He was sent to prison for a crime that he didn't commit.
to commit adultery/murder
to commit an offence
offender /@"fen.d@r/ /-d@`/ noun [C] LEGAL
a person who is guilty of a crime:
first-time offenders
sex offenders
young offenders
wealth (MONEY) /welT/ noun [U]
a large amount of money or valuable possessions that someone has:
During a successful business career, she accumulated a great amount of wealth.
famine /"f{m.In/ noun [C or U]
when there is not enough food for a great number of people, causing illness and death, or a particular period when this happens:
Another crop failure could result in widespread famine.
There were reports of refugees dying of famine.
Thousands of people emigrated during the Irish potato famine of 1845-46.
treatment /"tri:t.m@nt/ noun
1 [U] the way you deal with or behave towards someone or something:
Peter gets special treatment because he knows the boss.
attorney /@"t3:.ni/ /-"t3`:-/ noun [C]
US FOR lawyer:
a defense attorney
an attorney for the plaintiff
a civil/criminal attorney
ponder /"pQn.d@r/ /"pA:n.d@`/ verb [I or T] FORMAL
to think carefully about something, especially for a noticeable length of time:
She sat back for a minute to ponder her next move in the game.
[+ question word] Journalists pondered why the leading goal-scorer of the World Cup had not scored all season.
Ponder=Contemplate.
Contemplate:to spend time considering a possible future action, or to consider one particular thing for a long time in a serious and quiet way:
[+ ing form of verb] I'm contemplating going abroad for a year.
You're not contemplating a change of job, are you?
It's too awful/horrific/dangerous to contemplate.
Contemplate:to spend time considering a possible future action, or to consider one particular thing for a long time in a serious and quiet way:
[+ ing form of verb] I'm contemplating going abroad for a year.
You're not contemplating a change of job, are you?
It's too awful/horrific/dangerous to contemplate.
Rape:to force someone to have sex when they are unwilling, using violence or threatening behaviour:
She was pulled from the car and raped.
It's difficult to understand what causes a man to rape
Validate:to make something officially acceptable or approved, especially after examining it:
It is a one-year course validated by London's City University.
The data is validated automatically by the computer after it has been entered.
Refer to: 1 to talk or write about someone or something, especially briefly:
In her autobiography she occasionally refers to her unhappy schooldays.
He always refers to the house as his "refuge".
refer sb to sth (DIRECT) phrasal verb
to direct someone or something to a different place or person for information, help or action, often to a person or group with more knowledge or power:
My doctor referred me to a hospital specialist.
The High Court has referred the case to the Court of Appeal.
Assess:to judge or decide the amount, value, quality or importance of something:
The insurers will need to assess the flood damage.
They assessed the cost of the flood damage at £1500.
Examinations are not the only means of assessing a student's ability.
It's too early to assess the long-term consequences of the collapse of the Soviet Union.
[+ question word] We need to assess whether the project is worth doing.
prose /pr@Uz/ /proUz/ noun [U]
written language in its ordinary form rather than poetry:
I've always preferred reading prose to poetry.
prejudice /"predZ.U.dIs/ noun [C or U]
an unfair and unreasonable opinion or feeling, especially when formed without enough thought or knowledge:
Laws against racial prejudice must be strictly enforced.
[+ that] The campaign aims to dispel the prejudice that AIDS is confined to the homosexual community.
He claims that prejudice against homosexuals would cease overnight if all the gay stars in the country were honest about their sexuality.
gesture (MOVEMENT) /"dZes.tS@r/ /-tS@`/ noun [C]
a movement of the hands, arms or head, etc. to express an idea or feeling:
The prisoner raised his fist in a gesture of defiance as he was led out of the courtroom.
She made a rude gesture at the other driver.
gesture /"dZes.tS@r/ /-tS@`/ verb [I]
to use a gesture to express or emphasize something:
When he asked where the children were, she gestured vaguely in the direction of the beach.
He made no answer but walked on, gesturing for me to follow
obedient /@U"bi:.di.@nt/ /oU-/ adjective
doing, or willing to do, what you have been told to do by someone in authority:
Students are expected to be quiet and obedient in the classroom.
an obedient dog
nomadic /n@U"m{d.Ik/ /noU-/ adjective
nomadic people/herdsmen
a nomadic life/existence
sue /su:/ verb [I or T]
to take legal action against a person or organization, especially by making a legal claim for money because of some harm that they have caused you:
He was so furious about the accusations in the letter that he threatened to sue.
She sued the paper for (= in order to obtain) damages after they wrongly described her as a prostitute.
She is suing her husband for (= in order to obtain a) divorce.
reckless /"rek.l@s/ adjective
doing something dangerous and not caring about the risks and the possible results:
He was found guilty of reckless driving.
emphatically /emp"f{t.I.kli/ /-"f{º-/ adverb
Johnson has emphatically denied the allegations against him.
dusk /dVsk/ noun [U]
the time before night when it is not yet dark:
As dusk fell, bats began to fly between the trees
avert (PREVENT) /@"v3:t/ /-"v3`:t/ verb [T]
to prevent something bad from happening; avoid:
to avert a crisis/conflict/strike/famine
to avert disaster/economic collapse
fertile (LAND) /"f3:.taIl/ /"f3`:.º@l/ adjective
describes land that can produce a large number of good quality crops
Compare barren.
erupt /I"rVpt/ verb [I]
to explode or burst out suddenly:
At the end of a hot summer, violence erupted in the inner cities.
Since the volcano last erupted, many houses have been built in a dangerous position on its slopes.
Two days after he'd been exposed to the substance, a painful rash erupted (= suddenly appeared) on his neck.
Her back erupted in small red spots.
drought /draUt/ noun [C or U]
a long period when there is little or no rain:
This year (a) severe drought has ruined the crops.
invasion /In"veI.Z@n/ noun [C or U]
They were planning to mount an invasion of the north of the country.
an invasion of privacy
gregarious /grI"ge@.ri.@s/ /-"ger.i-/ adjective
(of people) liking to be with other people, or (especially of animals) living in groups:
Emma's a gregarious, outgoing sort of person.
See also sociable at social.
decree /dI"kri:/ noun [C or U] FORMAL
an official statement that something must happen:
The decree stopped short of a full declaration of independence.
More than 200 people were freed by military decree.
allocate /"{l.@.keIt/ verb [T]
to give something to someone as their share of a total amount, for them to use in a particular way:
The government is allocating £10 million for health education.
[+ two objects] As project leader, you will have to allocate people jobs/allocate jobs to people.
It is not the job of the investigating committee to allocate blame for the disaster/to allocate blame to individuals.
intangible /In"t{n.dZI.bl=/ adjective
An intangible feeling or quality exists but you cannot describe it exactly or prove it:
She has that intangible quality which you might call charisma.
elusive /I"lu:.sIv/ adjective
difficult to describe, find, achieve or remember:
The answers to these questions remain as elusive as ever.
Success, however, remained elusive for her.
elusive memories
recklessly:doing things without proper and fear thought.
means (MONEY) /mi:nz/ plural noun
money, for example from an income, that allows you to buy things:
[+ to infinitive] He has the means to buy half the houses in the street if he wanted to.
prolong /pr@"lQN/ /-"lA:N/ verb [T]
to make something last a longer time:
We were having such a good time that we decided to prolong our stay by another week.
She chewed each delicious mouthful as slowly as she could, prolonging the pleasure.
prose /pr@Uz/ /proUz/ noun [U]
written language in its ordinary form rather than poetry:
I've always preferred reading prose to poetry.
Compare verse.
bias /"baI.@s/ verb [T] -ss- or US USUALLY -s-
The judge ruled that the information should be withheld on the grounds that it would bias the jury against (= influence them unfairly against) the accused.
reprimand /"rep.rI.mA:nd/ /-r@.m{nd/ verb [T] FORMAL
to express to someone your strong official disapproval of them:
She was reprimanded by her teacher for biting another girl.
furry /"f3:.ri/ /"f3`:.i/ adjective
1 covered with fur:
small furry animals
welfare (HEALTH AND HAPPINESS) /"wel.fe@r/ /-fer/ noun [U]
physical and mental health and happiness, especially of a person:
The police are very concerned for the welfare of the missing child.
These organizations have fought very hard for the rights and welfare of immigrants.
Scientists have to consider the balance between human health and animal welfare as they push forward the frontiers of research.
enthusiasm /In"Tju:.zi.{z.@m/ /-"Tu:-/ noun
1 [U] a feeling of energetic interest in a particular subject or activity and an eagerness to be involved in it:
One of the good things about teaching young children is their enthusiasm.
After the accident he lost his enthusiasm for the sport.
I just can't work up (= start to feel) any enthusiasm for the whole project.
mitigate /"mIt.I.geIt/ /"mIº-/ verb [T] FORMAL
to make something less harmful, unpleasant or bad:
It is unclear how to mitigate the effects of tourism on the island
irrelevant /I"rel.I.v@nt/ adjective
not related to what is being discussed or considered and therefore of no importance:
These documents are largely irrelevant to the present investigation.
Making a large profit is irrelevant to us - the important thing is to make the book available to the largest possible audience.
incident /"Int.sI.d@nt/ noun [C]
an event which is either unpleasant or unusual:
an isolated/serious/unfortunate incident
A youth was seriously injured in a shooting incident on Saturday night.
laudatory /"lO:.d@.tri/ /"lA:-/ adjective FORMAL
expressing praise
awesome /"O:.s@m/ /"A:-/ adjective
1 causing feelings of great admiration, respect or fear:
An awesome challenge/task lies ahead of them.
awesome scenery
2 US INFORMAL extremely good:
You look totally awesome in that dress
astonishing /@"stQn.I.SIN/ /-"stA:.nI-/ adjective
very surprising:
Her first novel enjoyed an astonishing success.
[+ to infinitive] It's astonishing to think that only a few years ago Communism dominated eastern Europe.
circumvent /%s3:.k@m"vent/ /%s3`:-/ verb [T] FORMAL
to avoid something, especially cleverly or illegally:
Ships were registered abroad to circumvent employment and safety regulations.
outspoken /%aUt"sp@U.k@n/ /-"spoU-/ adjective
expressing strong opinions very directly without worrying if other people are offended:
outspoken comments
Mr Masack is an outspoken critic of the present government.
adjust (CHANGE) /@"dZVst/ verb [T]
1 to change something slightly, especially to make it more correct, effective, or suitable:
If the chair is too high you can adjust it to suit you.
As a teacher you have to adjust your methods to suit the needs of slower children.
inconsistent (NOT AGREEING) /%In.k@n"sIs.t@nt/ adjective
If a reason, idea, opinion, etc. is inconsistent, different parts of it do not agree, or it does not agree with something else:
These findings are inconsistent with those of previous studies.
inhabitant /In"h{b.I.t@nt/ noun [C]
a person or animal that lives in a particular place:
a city of 5 million inhabitants
adornment /@"dO:n.m@nt/ /-"dO:rn-/ noun [C or U] LITERARY
something decorative, or the act of decorating something or someone
prologue /"pr@U.lQg/ /"proU.lA:g/ noun
1 [C] (US ALSO prolog) a part that comes at the beginning of a play, story or long poem, often giving information about events that have happened before the time when the play, story or poem begins
Compare epilogue.
2 [S] LITERARY a series of events related to the main event and which happen before it:
INFORMAL A series of internal struggles was the prologue to full-scale civil war.
dignify /"dIg.nI.faI/ verb [T]
1 to cause something to be valued and respected
2 to cause something to be valued and respected when that is not deserved:
I'm not even going to dignify that stupid question with an answer.
undaunted /Vn"dO:n.tId/ /-"dA:n.ºId/ adjective [after verb]
still determined and enthusiastic, despite problems or lack of success:
Undaunted by the cold and the rain, people danced until 2 am.
The team remain undaunted, despite three defeats in a row.
reveal /rI"vi:l/ verb [T]
1 to make known or show something that is surprising or that was previously secret:
He was jailed for revealing secrets to the Russians.
[+ that] Her biography revealed that she was not as rich as everyone thought.
[+ question word] He would not reveal where he had hidden her chocolate eggs.
Destructive:Threats and Dangers
Spontenously:Not expected and planned.
unmask /Vn"mA:sk/ /-"m{sk/ verb [T]
to show the bad, and previously hidden, truth about someone or something:
The conspirators were unmasked and summarily shot.
appeal (ATTRACT) /@"pi:l/ verb [I not continuous]
to interest or attract someone:
I've haven't been skiing - it's never really appealed.
It's a programme designed to appeal mainly to 16 to 25 year-olds.
I think what appeals to me about his painting is the colours he uses.
advent (START) /"{d.vent/ /-v@nt/ noun [S]
the arrival of an event, invention or person:
Life in Britain was transformed by the advent of the steam engine.
precarious /prI"ke@.ri.@s/ /-"ker.i-/ adjective
1 in a dangerous state because not safe or firmly fixed:
The lorry was lodged in a very precarious way, with its front wheels hanging over the cliff.
2 A precarious situation is likely to get worse:
Many borrowers now find themselves caught in a precarious financial position.
formless /"fO:m.l@s/ /"fO:rm-/ adjective
without clear shape or expression
yield to sth (AGREE) phrasal verb
to agree to do something that you do not want to do or should not do:
It's very easy to yield to temptation and spend too much money.
"We will not yield to pressure, " said the president
articulate:express
loath, loth /l@UT/ /loUT/ verb FORMAL
be loath to do sth to be unwilling to do something:
I'm loath to spend it all at once.
commence /k@"ments/ verb [I or T] FORMAL
to begin something:
We will commence building work in August of next year.
Shall we let the meeting commence, gentlemen?
[+ ing form of verb] Unfortunately, he commenced speaking before all the guests had finished eating.
radiate (SPREAD) /"reI.di.eIt/ verb [I + adverb or preposition]
to spread out in all directions from a central point:
Flows of lava radiated out from the volcano's crater.
Just before the breeding season, these birds radiate outwards to warmer climates.
Obscure:not clear to say something
dismal /"dIz.m@l/ adjective
1 sad and without hope:
a dismal expression
cryptic /"krIp.tIk/ adjective
mysterious and difficult to understand:
I received a cryptic message through the post.
distinguish /dI"stIN.gwIS/ verb [I or T; not continuous]
1 to notice or understand the difference between two things, or to make one person or thing seem different from another:
He's colour-blind and can't distinguish (the difference) between red and green easily.
I sometimes have difficulty distinguishing Spanish from Portuguese.
It's important to distinguish between business and pleasure.
It's not the beauty so much as the range of his voice that distinguishes him from other tenors.
menial /"mi:.ni.@l/ adjective DISAPPROVING
describes work that is boring, tiring and given a low social value:
It's fairly menial work, such as washing dishes and cleaning floors.
a menial job/task
indulge /In"dVldZ/ verb
1 [I or T] to allow yourself or another person to have something enjoyable, especially more than is good for you:
The soccer fans indulged their patriotism, waving flags and singing songs.
[R] I love champagne but I don't often indulge myself.
We took a deliberate decision to indulge in a little nostalgia.
acclimatize, UK USUALLY acclimatise /@"klaI.m@.taIz/ /-ºaIz/ verb [I or T] (US ALSO acclimate)
to (cause to) change to suit different conditions of life, weather, etc:
More time will be needed for the troops and equipment to become acclimatized to desert conditions.
We found it impossible to acclimatize ourselves to the new working conditions.
The defending champion is Grant Turner of England, who has acclimatized to the 90°F sunshine by spending the past month in Florida.
paddle /"p{d.l=/ verb
1 [I or T] to push a pole with a wide end through the water in order to make a boat move
2 [I] to swim by moving your feet and hands up and down
1 [T] US to hit a child on the bottom with a short, wide piece of wood
endٍٍٍٍٍٍeavour UK, US endeavor /en"dev.@r/ /-@`/ verb [I + to infinitive]
to try to do something:
Engineers are endeavouring to locate the source of the problem.
avalanche /"{v.@l.A:ntS/ /-{ntS/ noun [C]
1 a large amount of ice, snow and rock falling quickly down the side of a mountain
2 the sudden arrival of too many things:
We were swamped by an avalanche of letters/phone calls/complaints.
complement /"kQm.plI.ment/ /"kA:m-/ verb [T]
to make something else seem better or more attractive when combining with it:
Strawberries and cream complement each other perfectly.
The music complements her voice perfectly.
NOTE: Do not confuse with compliment.
augment /O:g"ment/ /A:g-/ verb [T] FORMAL
to increase the size or value of something by adding something to it:
He would have to find work to augment his income.
conceal /k@n"si:l/ verb [T]
to prevent something from being seen or known about; to hide something:
The listening device was concealed in a pen.
I tried to conceal my surprise when she told me her age.
It was said that the police concealed vital evidence.
Is there something you're concealing from me?
vital /"vaI.t@l/ /-º@l/ adjective
necessary for the success or continued existence of something; extremely important:
A strong opposition is vital to a healthy democracy.
She had found out some information of vital importance.
The kidney plays a vital role/part in the removal of waste products from the blood.
[+ that] It's absolutely vital that you do exactly as I say.
[+ to infinitive] It is vital to get medical supplies to the area as soon as possible.
unanimous /ju:"n{n.I.m@s/ adjective
If a group of people are unanimous, they all agree about one particular matter or vote the same way, and if a decision or judgment is unanimous, it is formed or supported by everyone in a group:
The jury returned a unanimous verdict of guilty after a short deliberation.
After a lengthy discussion we reached a unanimous decision on the proposal.
expel /Ik"spel/ verb [T] -ll-
to force to leave; to remove:
The new government has expelled all foreign diplomats.
My brother was expelled from school for bad behaviour.
When you breathe out, you expel air from your lungs.
deficiency /dI"fIS.@nt.si/ noun [C or U]
(a) lack of what is needed:
Pregnant women often suffer from iron deficiency.
Deficiencies in the education system have been much in the news.
assert /@"s3:t/ /-"s3`:t/ verb [T]
1 FORMAL to say that something is certainly true:
[+ that] He asserts that she stole money from him.
2 to do something to show that you have power:
Throughout the Cold War, the Allies asserted their right to move freely between the two Berlins.
She very rarely asserts her authority over the children.
womanizer, UK USUALLY womaniser /"wUm.@.naI.z@r/ /-z@`/ noun [C] DISAPPROVING
He was a gambler, a womanizer and a drunk
artificial /%A:.tI"fIS.@l/ /%A:r.ºI-/ adjective
1 made by people, often as a copy of something natural:
clothes made of artificial fibres
an artificial heart
an artificial lake
artificial fur/sweeteners/flowers
2 DISAPPROVING not sincere:
Their cheerfulness seemed rather strained and artificial.
conquer /"kQN.k@r/ /"kA:N.k@`/ verb [T]
1 to take control or possession of foreign land, or a group of people, by force:
The Spanish conquered the New World in the 16th century.
The English were conquered by the Normans in 1066.
2 to deal with or successfully fight against a problem or an unreasonable fear:
He has finally conquered his fear of spiders.
It may be many years before this dreadful disease is conquered.
addictive /@"dIk.tIv/ adjective
1 An addictive drug is one which you cannot stop taking once you have started:
Tobacco is highly addictive.
2 describes an activity or food that you cannot stop doing or eating once you have started:
The problem with video games is that they're addictive
3 addictive personality a set of characteristics which mean that you very quickly become addicted to drugs, food, alcohol, etc:
He's got an addictive personality.
ubiquitous /ju:"bIk.wI.t@s/ /-w@.º@s/ adjective FORMAL OR HUMOROUS
seeming to be in all places:
Leather is very much in fashion this season, as of course is the ubiquitous denim.
The Swedes are not alone in finding their language under pressure from the ubiquitous spread of English.
The radio, that most ubiquitous of consumer-electronic appliances, is about to enter a new age.
dissect /daI"sekt/ verb [T]
1 to cut open something, especially a dead body or a plant, and study its structure:
In biology classes at school we used to dissect rats.
2 to examine or consider something in detail:
He's the sort of person who watches a film and then dissects it for hours.
meander /mi"{n.d@r/ /-d@`/ verb
1 [I] If a river, stream or road meanders, it follows a route which is not straight or direct.
2 [I usually + adverb or preposition] to walk slowly without any clear direction:
We spent the afternoon meandering around the streets of the old town.
3 [I] If a text, process or activity meanders, it has no clear direction:
The film meanders along with no particular story line.
benign /bI"naIn/ adjective
1 pleasant and kind:
a benign old lady
2 describes a growth that is not likely to cause death:
a benign tumour
Compare malignant.
Voraciously:Hungry and Thirsty.---------Interested,excited,enthuhaism.
terse /t3:s/ /t3`:s/ adjective
using few words, sometimes in a way that seems rude or unfriendly:
"Are you feeling any better?" "No, " was the terse reply.
inept /I"nept/ adjective
not skilled or effective:
an inept comment/remark
He was always rather inept at sport.
He was criticized for his inept handling of the situation
insurgency /In"s3:.dZ@nt.si/ /-"s3`:-/ noun [U]
The government is reported to be concerned about the growing insurgency in the South.
Compare counterinsurgency.
grieve /gri:v/ verb
1 [I] to feel or express great sadness, especially when someone dies:
He is still grieving for/over his wife.
2 [T] FORMAL to make you feel sad and angry:
[+ object + to infinitive] It grieves me to see all this food going to waste.
devoid /dI"vOId/ adjective FORMAL
be devoid of sth to lack or be without something that is necessary or usual:
Their apartment is devoid of all comforts.
He seems to be devoid of compassion.
derision /dI"rIZ.@n/ noun [U] FORMAL
when someone or something is laughed at and considered ridiculous or of no value:
They treated his suggestion with derision.
Her speech was met with hoots/howls of derision.
monopoly /m@"nQp.@l.i/ /-"nA:.p@l-/ noun [C or S]
(an organization or group which has) complete control of something, especially an area of business, so that others have no share:
The government is determined to protect its tobacco monopoly.
Is Microsoft a monopoly?
The drafting of a new constitution cannot be a monopoly of the white minority regime (= other people should do it too).
He does not have a/the monopoly on (= He is not the only one who has) good looks.
skirmish /"sk3:.mIS/ /"sk3`:-/ noun [C]
1 a fight between a small number of soldiers which is usually short and not planned, and which happens away from the main area of fighting in a war
2 a short argument:
There was a short skirmish between the political party leaders when the government announced it was to raise taxes.
ornament /"O:.n@.m@nt/ /"O:r-/ noun
1 [C] an object which is beautiful rather than useful:
a glass ornament
garden ornaments such as statues and fountains
2 [U] FORMAL decoration which is added to increase the beauty of something:
The building relies on clever design rather than on ornament for its impressive effect.
beat (TIRED) /bi:t/ adjective [after verb] INFORMAL
extremely tired:
I'm beat - I'm going to bed.
UK You've been working too hard, you look dead beat.
contemporary (EXISTING NOW) /k@n"tem.p@r.@r.i/ /-p@.rer-/ adjective
existing or happening now:
contemporary music/literature/art/fashion
Although it was written hundreds of years ago, it still has a contemporary (= modern) feel to it.
spatial /"speI.S@l/ adjective
relating to the position, area and size of things:
This task is designed to test the child's spatial awareness (= understanding of where things are in relation to other things). gathered by dadkhah