- Rigorous (adj.) careful to look at or consider every part of something to make certain it is correct or safe
Ex. The doctor gave his patient a rigorous examination.
2. Intriguing (adj.) very interesting because of being unusual or mysterious
Ex. Judy thought the story was intriguing, and she wished it would have a sequel.
3. Rampant (adj.) happening a lot or becoming worse, usually in a way that is out of control
Ex. Cockroaches run rampant in the sewers, breeding and spreading throughout the city.
4. Refuse (v.) to say that you will not accept (something, such as a gift or offer)
(n.) unwanted waste material, especially the main city of a country or a region
Ex. I’ll have to refuse their invitation for my schedule has been too tight.
Ex. Factories can get into trouble if they dump refuse into lakes or rivers.
5. Innate (adj.) referring to a quality which you are born with, or which is present naturally
Ex. Tina’s innate talent for playing the piano astounded all of her teachers.
6. Holistic (adj.) dealing with or treating the whole of something or someone and not just a part
Ex. Holistic medicine attempts to treat both the mind and the body.
7. Foster (v.) to encourage the development or growth of ideas or feelings
Ex. One of the lessons teachers wish to foster in their students is good study habits.
8. Malign (v.) to say things about someone or something that are harmful and usually not ture
Ex. Some celebrities were maligned by the newspapers.
9. Take the rap (idiom) to be blamed or punished unfairly for something you have not done
Ex. John is such a nice guy that he always takes the rap for the mistakes his coworkers make.
10. Staunch (adj.) strongly loyal to a person, organization or set of beliefs or opinions
Ex. The leader of of the wildlife protection protest has always been a staunch supporter of animal rights.
11. Vigilant (adj.) being very careful to notice things, especially signs of danger
Ex. You have to stay vigilant when you spend time online, so your computer doesn’t become infected with a virous.
12. Gambit (n.) something that you do or say that is intended to achieve an advantage and usually involves taking a risk
Ex. For the opening gambit at his magic show, Chad called up a volunteer from the audience.
13. Disparate (adj.) different in every way
Ex. Their disparate skill set made them the perfect people to finish the job.
14. Acclaim (n.) enthusiastic approval and praise
Ex. The wonderful acclaim that the movie received meant more people wanted to go and see it.
15. Localized (adj.) happening in or limited to a particular area
Ex. Authorities kept the bomb’s explosion localized so no one got hurt.
16. Fumble (v.) to feel around awkwardly, especially with your hands
Ex. I fumbled for the light switch in the dark room.
17. In lieu of (idiom) instead of
Ex. Amanda will lead the tour tonight in lieu of me.
18. Automated (adj.) operated by machines or computers, in order to reduce the amount of work done by humans and the time taken to do the work.
Ex. Since the highway toll system is going to be fully automated, there will not be people working in toll booths anymore.
19. Nuisance (n.) something or someone that annoys you or causes trouble for you
Ex. When my computer stopped working and I couldn’t do any work, it was a nuisance.
20. Bolster (v.) to support something, or make something stronger
Ex. In an effort to bolster the number of viewers, the TV company put on a special event for the community.
21. Unleash (v.) to let happen or begin something powerful that, once begun, cannot be controlled
Ex. Exercising unleashes frustration and stress in a healthy way.
22. Cerebral (adj.) demanding or involving careful thinking and mental effort rather than feelings
Ex. The lecture at the university was too cerebral for Angel to understand everything.
23. Endorse (v.) to make a public statement of your approval or support for something or someone
Ex. The hair designer endorses this brand of shampoo, so she must think it’s a very good one to use.
24. Ethnicity (n.) a large group of people who have the same national, racial or cultural origins, or the state of belonging to such a group
Ex. Sociologists study different ethnicities to try to solve social problems in a variety of cultures.
25. Glean (v.) to collect information in small amounts and often with difficulty
Ex. I try to glean as much useful information as I can, in order to make my final report perfect.
26. Perennial (adj.) lasting a very long time, or happening repeatedly or all the time
Ex. Most kind of flowers are not perennial.
27. Ubiquitous (adj.) found or existing everywhere
Ex. With smartphones becoming ubiquitous, more establishments are providing free Internet services.
28. Bestow (v.) to give (something) as a gift or honor
Ex. The queen bestowed a royal title on the famous explorer.
29. Comprehensive (adj.) including many, most, or all things
Ex. The country offers comprehensive healthcare to all of its citizens.
30. Custody (n.) the legal right to take care of a child (such as a child whose parents are divorced)
Ex. The police have three suspects in custody.
31. Detention (n.) the act of keeping someone in a prison or similar place
Ex. The woman’s lawyers argued that her detention was illegal, and she should be released.
32. Grassroots (adj.) not adapted from or added to an existing facility or operation : totally new <a grassroots refinery>
Ex. Grassroots support propelled the politician to victory in the election.
33. Inauguration (n.) an act of inaugurating; especially : a ceremonial induction into office
Ex. The president took the oath of office during the inauguration ceremony.
34. Mandatory (adj.) required by a law or rule
Ex. The commercial pilot had a mandatory health check twice a year.
35. Ousted (adj.) to cause or force (someone or something) to leave a position of power, a competition, etc.
Ex. The rebels ousted the dictator from power.
36. Parliament (n.) the group of people who are responsible for making the laws in some kinds of government
Ex. The opposition party won an unprecedented number of seats in the parliament.
37. Propaganda (n.) ideas or statements that are often false or exaggerated and that are spread in order to help a cause, a political leader, a government, etc.
Ex. Political propaganda can be seen everywhere during election campaigns.
38. Prosperity (n.) the state of being successful usually by making a lot of money
Ex. The agreement between the countries brought prosperity.
39. Provocation (n.) an action or occurrence that causes someone to become angry or to begin to do something
Ex. After several acts of cross-border provocation, the country attacked its neighbor.
40. Regime (n.) a form of government : a particular government
Ex. The brutal regime was criticized by human rights groups.
41. Restriction (n.) a law or rule that limits or controls something
Ex. The government abolished restrictions on the import of beef.
42. Speculation (n.) ideas or guesses about something that is not known
Ex. News of the candidate’s affair launched much speculation that he would drop out of the election.
43. Stronghold (n.) an area where most people have the same beliefs, values, etc. : an area dominated by a particular group
Ex. The small band of guerrilla fighters retreated to their stronghold in the mountains.
44. Summit (n.) the highest level
Ex. A summit meeting of OPEC leaders was called to find a solution to the oil supply issue.
45. Testimony (n.) something that someone says especially in a court of law while formally promising to tell the truth
Ex. The defendant’s testimony sounded convincing, so the jury found him not guilty.
46. Unparalleled (adj.) not found elsewhere : never seen or experienced before/ having no equal : better or greater than anyone or anything else
Ex. The company’s latest product is an unparalleled success.
47. Adaptation (n.) something that is adapted; especially : a movie, book, play, etc., that is changed so that it can be presented in another form
Ex. Large corporations often owe their success to rapid adaptation, as they react to the demands of the marketplace.
48. Allege (v.) to state without definite proof that someone has done something wrong or illegal
Ex. The businessman was alleged to have stolen funds from his company.
49. Alternative (n.) offering or expressing a choice
Ex. Online shopping is now a serious alternative to conventional shopping.
50. Anticipated (adj.) to expect or look ahead to (something) with pleasure : to look forward to (something)
Ex. The singer’s album is one of the most highly anticipated records to come out this year.
51. Asset (n.) all items of value owned by a person or company
Ex. The accountant noticed a gradual decline in the company’s assets.
52. Bailout (n.) the act of saving or rescuing something (such as a business) from money problems
Ex. It is difficult to measure the eventual cost of the government’s financial bailout.
53. Bewilder (v.) to confuse (someone) very much
Ex. The toy’s complicated instructions bewildered the girl.
54. Bullish (adj.) hopeful or confident that something or someone will be successful : optimistic about the future of something or someone
Ex. Alice is bullish on precious metals during the economic crisis.
55. Campaign (n.) a series of activities designed to produce a particular result
Ex. The company hopes the advertising campaign will jump-start sales.
56. Collaborate (v.) to work with another person or group in order to achieve or do something
Ex. Allen collaborated with several engineers on the project.
57. Compensate (v.) to provide something good as a balance against something bad or undesirable : to make up for some defect or weakness
Ex. The company compensated customers who received faulty products.
58. Consensus (n.) a general agreement about something : an idea or opinion that is shared by all the people in a group
Ex. I’m glad we’ve reached a consensus.
59. Corruption (n.) dishonest or illegal behavior especially by powerful people (such as government officials or police officers)
Ex. The country is implementing several reforms to fight corruption.
60. Counterpart (n.) someone or something that has the same job or purpose as another
Ex. Canada’s dollar reached a four-month high versus its U.S. counterpart as prices of commodities rose.
61. Down-to-earth (adj.) practical and sensible
Ex. Everyone likes Tracy because she is down-to-earth and easy to get along with.
62. Downturn (n.) a situation in which something (such as business or economic activity) decreases or becomes worse
Ex. The White House hopes tax cuts will help reverse the economic downturn.
63. Endorsement (n.) a public or official statement of support or approval
Ex. Jim backed up his endorsement of the product by investing in the manufacturer.
64. Entrepreneur (n.) a person who starts a business and is willing to risk loss in order to make money
Ex. A lot of planning and effort is needed to be a successful entrepreneur.
65. Facility (n.) something (such as a building or large piece of equipment) that is built for a specific purpose
Ex. The town is building a new health-care facility.
66. Foreclose (v.) to take back property because the money owed for the property has not been paid
Ex. The bank foreclosed on her home.
67. Franchise (n.) the right to sell a company's goods or services in a particular area; also : a business that is given such a right
Ex. She was granted an exclusive franchise in the city's west end.
68. Household (adj.) the people in a family or other group that are living together in one house
Ex. Many sports stars become household names.
69. Incentive (n.) something that encourages a person to do something or to work harder
Ex. Many companies receive tax incentives for developing green technology.
70. Indicator (n.) a pointer or light that shows the state or condition of something
Ex. The decrease in home sales is an indicator of economic recession.
71. Inflation (n.) a continual increase in the price of goods and services
Ex. The government raised interest rates to contain inflation.
72. Infrastructure (n.) the basic equipment and structures (such as roads and bridges) that are needed for a country, region, or organization to function properly
Ex. The city’s new infrastructure is in need of heavy investment.
73. Innovation (n.) the act or process of introducing new ideas, devices, or methods
Ex. The tech company’s name has become synonyms with innovation.
74. Insolvent (adj.) not having enough money to pay debts
Ex. The company was later declared insolvent.
75. Inventory (n.) a supply of goods that are stored in a place
Ex. Our service to retail stores is designing advanced, easy-to-use inventory-tracking system.
76. Jargon (n.) the language used for a particular activity or by a particular group of people
Ex. Be informal, but don’t use slang or too much jargon.
77. Legislative (adj.) relating to the making of laws
Ex. New legislative requirements will result in greener cars by 2015.
78. Leverage (n.) influence or power used to achieve a desired result
Ex. Through leverage and heavy borrowing, the business quickly amassed a fortune.
79. Liquidity (n.) capable of flowing freely like water : not a solid or a gas
Ex. ATL’s expansion plans were halted by a lack of liquidity and rising interest rates.
80. Lucrative (adj.) producing money or wealth
Ex. The baseball star was offered a lucrative new contract.
81. Malfunctioning (adj.) to fail to function or work properly
Ex. Vicky took the malfunctioning part to a repair shop.
82. Merger (n.) the act or process of combining two or more businesses into one business
Ex. The proposed merger of the companies raised concerns from several competitors.
83. Monetary (adj.) of or relating to money/ of or relating to the money in a country's economy
Ex. The country reformed its monetary policy and was rewarded with several years of economic growth.
84. Mortgage (n.) a legal agreement in which a person borrows money to buy property (such as a house) and pays back the money over a period of years
Ex. The housing market slumped after the mortgage crisis.
85. Optimize (v.) to make (something) as good or as effective as possible
Ex. Jack optimized his phone to store media files.
86. Painstaking (adj.) showing or done with great care and effort
Ex. Alex spend the weekend going through the painstaking process of preparing his taxes.
87. Patent (n.) an official document that gives a person or company the right to be the only one that makes or sells a product for a certain period of time
Ex. Their patent will expire in 2012 and we can begin manufacturing the product.
88. Pervasive (adj.) existing in every part of something : spreading to all parts of something
Ex. Crime is a pervasive problem in the city.
89. Predecessor (n.) a person who had a job or position before someone else/ something that comes before something else
Ex. The gothic novel is the predecessor to modern horror fiction.
90. Preliminary (adj.) coming before the main part of something
Ex. The staff held a preliminary meeting before launching the project.
91. Privatization (n.) to remove (something) from government control and place it in private control or ownership
Ex. The union was against the privatization of the company.
92. Prolific (adj.) producing a large amount of something
Ex. Sandy is a prolific science fiction writer.
93. Prosecute (v.) to work as a lawyer to try to prove a case against someone accused of a crime/ to continue to do (something) : to proceed with (something)
Ex. The government prosecutes all suspected cases of tax fraud.
94. Recession (n.) a period of reduced economic activity
Ex. During a recession, thousands of people lose their jobs.
95. Revelation (n.) a usually secret or surprising fact that is made known
Ex. The revelation that an executive was stealing from the company proved to be just the tip of the iceberg.
96. Sanction (n.)an action that is taken or an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country, etc.
Ex. The UN passed a resolution imposing trade sanctions against Libya.
97. Stagnant (adj.) not flowing/ not active, changing, or progressing
Ex. The stagnant economy resulted in layoffs at the company.
98. Surge (v.) to move very quickly and suddenly in a particular direction/ to suddenly increase to an unusually high level
Ex. The price of oil surged in the summer, as expected.
99. Threshold (n.) the point or level at which something begins or changes
Ex. The price tag of 19.89 dollars kept the product just under the twenty-dollar threshold.
100. Unorthodox (adj.) different from what is usually done or accepted
Ex. The traditional healer came up with an unorthodox treatment for cancer.
101. Conservationist (n.) someone who works to protect animals, plants, and natural resources or to prevent the loss or waste of natural resources : a person who is involved in conservation
Ex. Leading conservationists warned that the habit of the orangutan could be completely gone by 2020.
102. Dissect (v.) to cut (a plant or dead animal) into separate parts in order to study it
Ex. The biology students dissected a frog.
103. Encounter (v.) to have or experience (problems, difficulties, etc.)
Ex. If you encounter a snake on the path, don’t go near it.
104. Evolution (n.) biology : a theory that the differences between modern plants and animals are because of changes that happened by a natural process over a very long time
Ex. The newly discovered species is the missing link in the evolution of land animals.
105. Exploit (v.) to get value or use from (something)
Ex. The country exploited its natural gas deposits to limit the amount of oil it imports.
106. Hydroelectric (adj.) of or relating to the production of electricity by using machines that are powered by moving water
Ex. The Three Gorges Dam has the largest hydroelectric power station in the world.
107. Inanimate (adj.) not living : not capable of life
Ex. Young children have to be taught that puppies and kittens are living creatures and not inanimate objects.
108. Instrumental (adj.) very important in helping or causing something to happen or be done
Ex. Several celebrations were instrumental in raising awareness about famine relief.
109. Peninsula (n.) a piece of land that is almost entirely surrounded by water and is attached to a larger land area
Ex. The Korean Peninsula is hit by several typhoons each season.
110. Specimen (n.) something (such as an animal or plant) collected as an example of a particular kind of thing
Ex. The specimen was preserved in alcohol.
111. Accommodate (v.) to have room for (someone or something)
Ex. The room could accommodate several guests.
112. Amenity (n.) something that makes life easier or more pleasant
Ex. The hotel is expensive, but it offers the best amenities in town.
113. Antiseptic (adj.) a substance that prevents infection in a wound by killing bacteria
Ex. Put some antiseptic cream on that wound or it will get infected.
114. Botanical (adj.) of or relating to plants or the study of plants
Ex. Several rare species of orchid grew in the botanical garden.
115. Contradiction (n.) the act of saying something that is opposite or very different in meaning to something else
Ex. South Africa is a land of contradiction, with modern cities alongside tribal herdsmen.
116. Culinary (adj.) used in or relating to cooking
Ex. After culinary school. Jack got a job as a chef in a French restaurant.
117. Devastate (v.) to destroy much or most of (something) : to cause great damage or harm to (something)
Ex. The fire devastated hundreds of acres of pristine forest.
118. Dispatch (v.) to send (someone or something) quickly to a particular place for a particular purpose
Ex. The newspaper dispatched a reporter to the disaster zone.
119. Dynamic (adj.) having or showing a lot of energy
Ex. The company offers a dynamic work environment.
120. Layover (n.) a period of time when you are not traveling in the middle of a journey
Ex. I took advantage of the two-hour layover to check my e-mail using the airport’s Wi-Fi hotspot.
121. Loophole (n.) an error in the way a law, rule, or contract is written that makes it possible for some people to legally avoid obeying it
Ex. Grace tried to exploit a loophole in the tax law.
122. Pat-down (n.) 搜身
Ex. The security officer gave me a quick pat-down after I went through hthe security gate.
123. Penetrate (v.) to go through or into something
Ex. The hacker penetrated the system’s defense.
124. Proactive (adj.) controlling a situation by making things happen or by preparing for possible future problems
Ex. Ben has been proactive in improving his health.
125. Quarantine (v.) the period of time during which a person or animal that has a disease or that might have a disease is kept away from others to prevent the disease from spreading
Ex. The government quarantine anyone who came in contact with an infected individual.
126. Astoundingly (adv.) causing a feeling of great surprise or wonder
Ex. The view from the top of the mountain was astoundingly beautiful.
127. Stamina (n.) great physical or mental strength that allows you to continue doing something for a long time
Ex. After Henry started distance running, he trained hard to improve his stamina.
128. the wee hours (idiom) the hours starting at 1 o'clock in the morning
Ex. Judy worked until the wee hours of the morning to get all her research finished before the morning.
129. Dead (adj.) not able to feel or move
Ex. The arrow struck the target dead center.
130. Grope (v.) to search for something by reaching or touching usually with your fingers in an awkward way/ to move forward carefully by putting your hands in front of you so that you can feel anything that blocks you
Ex. Susan groped around in the darkness until she finally found the light switch.
131. Intrigue (v.) the activity of making secret plans/ a secret plan
Ex. The strange skeleton discovery intrigued the archaeologists and led to further research.
132. Venture (n.) a new activity, project, business, etc., that typically involves risk
Ex. Even though it was a risk, the company decided to fund Jason’s new venture.
133. Profound (adj.) very strongly felt
Ex. Betty was touched by the profound movie, and recommended it to all her friends.
134. Intuitive (adj.) having the ability to know or understand things without any proof or evidence : having or characterized by intuition
Ex. Most women more intuitive than men.
135. Visualization (n.) the procees of forming a picture of someone or something in oyur mind, in order to imagine or remember them
Ex. Visualization is important when it comes to creating new products.
136. Sensualization (n.) the process of converting something in to a form where it can be felt or experienced
Ex. The museum staff has worked on the sensualization of the exhibits, hoping children will find new excitement in history.
137. Aptly (adv.) in a correct or competent manner
Ex. The mother aptly described her son as troublesome.
138. Dispel (v.) to remove fears, doubts or false ideas, usually by proving them wrong or unnecessary
Ex. Nothing could dispel the torpidity of the indifferent audience.
139. Arduous (adj.) difficult and tiring, or needing a great deal of effort
Ex. The magnificent view from the top of the mountain made the arduous climb worth the effort.
140. Dogged (adj.) determined to do something, even if it is very difficult
Ex. Thanks to her dogged persistence, Jenny finally found a job.
141. Adhere to sth. (phr. v.) to obey or closely follow a rule, a standard, an agreement, etc.
Ex. It is necessity for students to adhere to the school’s rules.
142. Wilt (v.) to become weaker, tired or less confident
Ex. Helen’s flowers wilted quickly because she often forget to water them.
143. Mold (v.) to try to change or influence someone
Ex. The artist tried to mold Henry into an apprentice who could help with his work, but Henry’s style was too different.
144. Aloof (adj.) not friendly or willing to take part in things
Ex. Stood apart with aloof dignity.
145. Mind-bender (n.) something that is complicated or extremely hard to understand
Ex. The engineering professor uses mind-benders that sharpen his students' analytical process.
146. Prudent (adj.)showing good judgement ine avoiding risks and uncertainties；careful
Ex. Ezra is prudent when it comes to taking risks at the office.
147. Contingency (n.) something that might possibly happen in the future, usually causing problems or making further arrangements necessary
Ex. In making our business plans, we tried to prepare for any contingency that might hurt sales.
148. Imperative (adj.) very important
Ex. The doctor told Greg it was imperative that he take all the dosages of medicine so he recovers fully.
149. Looming (adj.) (of somthing unwanted or unpleasant) happening soon and causing worry.
Ex. The looming test day made Alice more nervous the closer it came.
150. take/ have/ make a stab at sth. (idiom) to attempt to do something although you are not likely to be very sucessful
Ex. Fred decided to take a stb at baking a cake, even though he'd never tried it before.
151. Reticence (n.) unwillingness to speak about one's thoughts or feelings
Ex. Jim's reticence about his past is understandable. His chilhood was hard and he doesn't like to talk about it.
152. Supplant (v.) to take the place of (someone or something that is old or no longer used or accepted)
Ex. Jerry plans to supplant the sunflower seeds in the staff room with pumpkin seeds.
153. Mania (n.) mental illness in which a person becomes very emotional or excited
Ex. She would typically experience a period of mania and then suddenly become deeply depressed.
154. Fickleness (n.) changing often
Ex. He blames poor sales on fickle consumers.
155. Pristine (adj.) in perfect condition : completely clean, fresh, neat, etc.
Ex. The grind is covered in a pristine layer of snow.
156. Ameliorate (v.) to make (something, such as a problem) better, less painful, etc.
Ex. This medicine should help ameliorate the pain.
157. Blistering (adj.) very harsh or powerful
Ex. Mandy maintained her blistering pace during the sprint and beat her old record!
158. Myriad (adj.) very many
Ex. The old system's problems were myriad.
159. Impair (v.) to make (something) weaker or worse
Ex. Smoking can impair your health.
160. Mar (v.) to ruin the beauty or perfection of (something) : to hurt or damage the good condition of (something)
Ex. A large scar marred his face.
161. Clog (v.) to slowly form a block in (something, such as a pipe or street) so that things cannot move through quickly or easily
Ex. The sink was clogged by dirt and grease.
162. Refrain (v.) to stop yourself from doing something that you want to do
Ex. I was going to make a joke but I refrained.
163. Discretionary (adj.) available to be used when and how you decide/ done or used when necessary
Ex. The coffee John buys from the convience store every day is a discretionary item.
164. Frugal (adj.) careful about spending money or using things when you do not need to : using money or supplies in a very careful way
Ex. His meals are the frugal fare of the poor: tea, bread, yogurt, a bit of cheese, vegetables. —Johanna McGeary,Time , 25 Oct. 2004
165. Jargon (n.) the language used for a particular activity or by a particular group of people
Ex. Terry couldn't understand the technician's jargon and needed him to to explain the problem with her computer to her again.
166. Cusp (n.) a pointed end or part where two curves meet
Ex. The night before Jessie moved to New York City she felt like she was on the cusp of something important.
167. Insurgent (n.) a person who fights against an established government or authority
Ex. Insurgents are trying to gain control of the country's transportation system.
168. Encapsulate (v.) to show or express the main idea or quality of (something) in a brief way
Ex. The contaminated material should be encapsulated and removed.
169. Gargantuan (adj.) very large in size or amount
Ex. The gargantuan buildings next to it.
170. Emulate (v.) to try to be like (someone or something you admire)
Ex. She grew up emulating her sports heroes.
171. Dilute (v.) to make (a liquid) thinner or less strong by adding water or another liquid
Ex. You can dilute the medicine with water.
172. Flog (sth.) to death (idiom) to use, do or say something so often that is no longer interesting
Ex. The teacher flogged the book's theme to death. Some of the students even fell asleep in class!
173. Indispensable (adj.) extremely important and necessary
Ex. Cody's secretary was indispensable to him, especially after he became the new CEO.
174. Shun (v.) to avoid (someone or something)
Ex. After his divorce he found himself being shunned by many of his former friends.
175. Pressing (adj.) very important and needing immediate attention
Ex. John often has pressing matters to attend to, and rarely chats with his coworkers.
176. Cognizant (adj.) aware of something
Ex. He is cognizant of his duties as a father.
177. Seedy (adj.) dirty or in bad condition/ not respectable or decent/ having bad morals
Ex. He was wearing a seedy suit.
178. Freelance (adj.) earning money by being hired to work on different jobs for short periods of time rather than by having a permanent job with one employer; also : done or produced by a freelance worker
Ex. I wrote a freelance article for a nature magazine.
179. Predicament (n.) a difficult or unpleasant situation
Ex. The governor has gotten himself into quite a predicament.
180. Culprit (n.) a person who has committed a crime or done something wrong
Ex. The police eventually located the culprits.
181. Reminisce (v.) to talk, think, or write about things that happened in the past
Ex. He reminisced with old buddies at his high school reunion.
182. Premise (n.) a statement or idea that is accepted as being true and that is used as the basis of an argument
Ex. He disagreed with her premise.
183. Onslaught (n.) a violent attack
Ex. Katy was overwhelmed by the relentless onslaught of questions during her job interview.
184. Dwindle (v.) to gradually become smaller
Ex. Our energy dwindled as the meeting dragged on.
185. Veteran (n.) someone who was in the armed forces, especially during a war
Ex. My grandfather is a veteran of the Second World War.
186. Abnormal (adj.) not usual or typical, especially in a way that is worrying
ex. Is the child abnormal in any way?
187. Unjustly (adj.) an unjust decision, judgment, or action is not fair or reasonable.
Ex. The newspapers had unjustly labelled him as a coward.
188. Hostile (adj.) a way of speaking or behaving that shows you do not think something is very serious
Ex. Your levity is unseemly at this time.
189. Quiver (n.) to shake with short quick movements
Ex. Can you feel a quiver of her hands?
190. Decency (n.) behavior that is moral, good, or reasonable
Ex. He is a man of decency.
191. Parcel (n.) a section of a piece of land
Ex. I will let the waiter bind up the parcel for you.
192. Marsh (n.) an area of soft wet land
Ex. The air, too, smelt more freshly than down beside the marsh.
193. Riotous (adj.) very lively and noisy
Ex. I wanted no more riotous excursions.
194. Exempt (adj.) allowed to ignore something such as a rule, obligation, or payment
Ex. She is exempt from sex discrimination laws.
195. Scorn (n.) a feeling that someone is not good enough to deserve your respect
Ex. He looked at me with scorn.
196. Rural (adj.) relating to the countryside, or in the countryside
Ex. The girl lives in a rural area.
197. Prominent (adj.) important and well known
Ex. He quickly became prominent in the music industry.
198. Fetch (v.) to go and get something
Ex. If you throw the ball the dog will fetch it.
199. Sentimentalize (v.) to think about something in a way that is emotional and not based on reason
Ex. The movie sentimentalizes the past.
200. Agrarian (adj.) relating to or involving farming or farmers
Ex. A town founded in 1811 as an agrarian community.
201. Ghastly (adj.) shocking in a way that frightens or upsets you
Ex. You're making a ghastly mistake.
202. Celibate (n.) never having sex, often because of religious beliefs
203. Slant (v.) to be or move at an angle that is not 90 degrees, or to make something do this
Ex. The sunlight slanted down through the leaves and branches of the trees.
204. Capricious (adj.) suddenly and unexpectedly changing your opinion or behaviour without any good reason
Ex. The court ruled that the punishment was arbitrary and capricious.
205. Enigmatic (adj.) mysterious and difficult to understand
Ex. The discovery of the abandoned ship in mid ocean remains one of the most enigmatic episodes in seafaring history.
206. Tavern (n.) an old word meaning 'pub'
Ex. A colonial-era tavern that has been serving weary travelers for two and a half centuries.
207. Sawdust (n.) very small pieces of wood like dust that are produced when you cut wood
Ex. Wood cuttings and sawdust can be compressed into boards.
208. Infantry (n.) soldiers who fight on foot, not on horses or in tanks or other vehicles
Ex. He signed on for nine years in the infantry.
209. rivalry (n.) a situation in which people, teams, businesses, etc. compete with one another.
ex. The quarrel originated in rivalry between the two families.
210. comply (v.) to be ceremoniously courteous
ex. I asked the waitress to refill my coffee cup and she happily complied.
211. agony (n.) intense pain of mind or body : anguish, torture
ex. She was in terrible agony after breaking her leg.
212. yolk (n.) the middle part of an egg that is yellow
ex. Only the yolk contains cholesterol.
213. bastard (n.) an insulting word for an unpleasant or annoying man
ex. He was never concerned about being born a bastard.
214. ferocious (adj.) violent and able to cause serious damage or injury
ex. The ferocious winds seemed about to tear the ship to pieces.
215. denizen (n.) someone or something that lives in a particular place or goes there often
ex. In this country children of denizen go to school free.
216. ammonia (n.) a poisonous gas with a strong unpleasant smell, or the gas dissolved in water.
ex. Ammonia is used as a restorative when a person has fainted.
217. damp (n.) something that is damp is slightly wet, often in an unpleasant way or when it should be dry.
ex. It was an unusual day for summer, damp and chilly.
218. hasty (adj.) done in a hurry because you do not have much time.
ex. I query very much whether it is wise to act so hastily.
219. liable (adj.) legally responsible for causing damage or injury, so that you have to pay something.
ex. We are all liable to make mistakes when we're tired.
220. hilarity (n.) a situation in which people laugh a lot.
ex. The announcement was greeted with much hilarity and mirth.
221. contralto (n.) the lowest female singing voice, or a woman with this singing voice.
ex. Out in the yard a woman's hoarse contralto intoned a hymn.
222. vacuous (adj.) completely lacking in intelligence or serious thought.
ex. Male models are not always so vacuous as they are made out to be.
223. rowdy (adj.) noisy and causing trouble.
ex. A rowdy group of boys ran through the streets.
224. imperial (adj.) relating to an empire
ex:The Forbidden City is a reminder of China's imperial past.
225. distress (n.) a feeling that you have when you are very unhappy, worried, upset
ex:I can tell from Gina's face that she is in distress and badly in need of help.
226. muscular (adj.) very strong and attractive, with muscles that have been developed through exercise
ex:Maria likes men who are tall and muscular. That's why she married Hank.
227. calf (n.) a young cow, its meat is called veal
ex:My calf is sore from climbing the mountain.
228. falter (v.) to stop being effective or making progress
ex:We shall not falter in the face of adversity.
229. feeble (adj.) physically weak, especially because you are old or ill
ex:Bob was too feeble to talk right after the operation.
230. kindle (v.) to start a fire by lighting small pieces of wood or paper that will burn easily
ex:At the campground, we kindled a fire and sat in a circle, chatting about nothing in particular.
231. marginal (adj.) very small
ex:The manager was worried because there was only a marginal increase in sales last month.
232. verbal (using words, or relating to words
ex:Local authorities have given the construction company vebal approval to begin the project.
233. whisk (v.) a kitchen tool that consists of several long closed curves of wire joined to a handle that you quickly move through a soft food to put air into it
ex:Whisk the egg whites in a bowl until they are very stiff.
234. declaration (n.) an official announcement that something is true or happening
ex:The US Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776.
235. frontier (n.) a border between two countries, especially one with official points where people or vehicles cross
ex:The government set up a checkpoint on the frontier.
236. handrail (n.) a long bar that you can hold on to for support, for example at the side of stairs
ex:Please hold onto the handrail when you are going downstairs.
237. specimen (n.) a small amount of blood, urine, or another liquid taken from your body so that it can be examined
ex:Rodney has a collection of rare insect specimens.
238. erect (v.) to build something such as a statue or bridge
ex:We erected a monument to honor the martyrs.
239. contend (v.) to claim that something is true
ex:The two countries are contending for sovereignty over the small island.
240. plead (v.) to ask for something in an urgent or emotional way
ex:The little boy pleaded with his mother not to leave him behind.
241. ragged (adj.) torn and dirty
ex:The hobo dressed in a ragged coat was asking people for some spare change outside the supermarket.
242. fuss (v.) a lot of unnecessary worry or excitement about something
ex:My mother always fusses over trivial problems.
243. server (n.) a computer that controls or performs a particular job for all the computers in a network
ex:There was a virus in the server, so we had to shut it down.
244. institution (n.) a large organization such as a bank, hospital, uviversity, or prison
ex:Universities are institutions of knowledge and learning.
245. daffodil/ˈdæfədɪl/:a tall yellow flower with a center shaped like a cup that grows in the spring
ex:Daffodils are among the first flowers to bloom in spring.
留言列表
