not based on any particular plan, or not done for any particular reason, used about actions that are considered to be unfair
perspire
to sweat
benchmark
a standard to judge how good or bad sth is
habeas corpus
a judge’s order to bring a prisoner into court so that the court can decide whether the prisoner should stay in prison or not
insolence
rude, impolite
slighted
insulted, abused
sanction
punishment by law for breaking a rule
rodent
small animals, like mice, rats etc (the big family)
decry
to say publicly that you do not approve of someone or something
militaristic
(of country/people) needs strong armed forces, believes it is necessary to have a strong army, defense, offence and weapons,
tarnish
to make or (especially of metal) become less bright or a different colour
idyllic
extremely beautiful and peaceful, not having problems
replenish
to make full
confederate
someone who works with you to achieve something, often something secret or illegal
manoeuvre
an action or movement that you need care or skill to do
knock out
to make someone unconscious
impaired
if your body’s ability to do something is impaired, you are not fully able to do it
extort
illegaly get money or info using force or threats, blackmailing
confluence
a situation in which two things join or come together
crack down
to start dealing with someone or something much more strictly
soporific
for things that are very boring
resilient
able to be happy, successful, etc. again after something difficult or bad has happened
splendour
the beautiful and impressive features of something
bow out
to give up a job or position, especially when you have had it for a long time
remedial
intended to improve or correct sth
voraciously
eating a large amount of food
rub off
if a quality that someone has rubs off, it starts to affect another person so that they start to have that quality too
referral
the act of sending somebody who needs professional help to a person or place that can provide it
blot out
to forget something unpleasant, or to make someone forget an unpleasant memory or feeling
anomaly
unusual, unexpected
profuse
produced or given in large amounts
readily
easily, quickly
rift between
a disagreement between two people or groups
sojourn
to stay for a short time in a place away from your home
immaculate
pure white, spotless, completely clean
transcend
To pass or extend beyond or above
to be afflicted with
to suffer from (usu. an illness)
recoup
to get back money that you have invested or lost
brushstroke
a mark left on a surface by the movement of a brush
turnabout
an important change in something
divulge
to give information about something, especially something that should be kept secret
conjecture
theory based on information that is not complete
ornate
decorated in a complicated way
fritter away
to waste time or money on things that are not necessary or important
remuneration
payment or other rewards for your work
extrapolate
to say what is likely to happen or be true by using information that you already have
sound out
to try to find out someone’s opinions, ideas, feelings etc by talking to them
violation
an action that is an opposition to law
spasmodic
happening suddenly for short periods of time; not regular or continuous
dilapidated
in very bad condition
hegemony
to be the strongest
levity
humour or lack of seriousness, especially during a serious occasion
mayhem
chaos, great lack of order, usually in a terrible event
hammer out
to reach a decision or agreement after discussing it or arguing about it for a long time
invigorate
to give sth/sb energy
flout
deliberately refuse to obey a rule or custom
appease
do sth so sb feels less angry
boil down to
to be the main reason for something or the most basic part of something
hypoxia
a condition in which not enough oxygen reaches the body’s tissues
lustrous
shiny and soft
scrape by
to have enough money to pay for the things that you really need in order to live, but no more
propitious
likely to produce a successful result
glia
cells that connect the nervous system
squint
to partly close your eyes in order to see more clearly
solitary
solo, individual, alone
semblance
a situation in which something only appears in a small amount
truncate
To shorten or diminish by cutting off a part
interdependence
about things that rely on each other in order to function/exist
spore
from mushrooms, like pollen, one cell
hunter-gatherer
about ancient people who lived by hunting or gathering food from nature
drum up
to try to make people support you or buy something from you
assessment
evaluation, judgement
temporal
relating to time
spurious
not real or sincere
effigy
monument, sculpture
oblivious
not noticing something, or not knowing about it
pledge
promise sth seriously and officially
spin out
to make something last for a long time, usually longer than is good or necessary
mandatory
ordered by law or rule, obligation
congregate
interact as a group
indulge
to allow yourself or another person to have something enjoyable, especially more than is good for you
stint
a period of time spent doing something
breech
(of births) the baby comes out with feeth first
plight
sad, serious or difficult situation
exploitative
treating people unfairly in order to get some benefit for yourself
infringe
to break a law, rule, or agreement
acquittal
an official decision in court that a person is not guilty of a crime
dole out
to give something, such as food or money, to a particular group of people or to every person in a group
delectable
pleasurable
recount
say what happened
archaeology
the study of ancient society by looking at their objects etc
erroneous
wrong or false
counterfeit
(about objects) illegal copies made to trick people
ease up
to become less severe towards someone
ride out
to get to the end of a difficult or dangerous period or situation without any serious problems
saw off
to remove something by cutting through it with a saw or a knife
besiege
surround something in order to control it and dominate it, military strategy
distend
to swell or make sth swell
draw out
to make something continue longer than usual
demolition
destroy sth a building
lash out
to criticize someone or something angrily
venerate
to respect or worship someone or something
clemency
decision not to punish sb, mercy (made by sb with authority)
pander
say something just to please, but without believing it
irate
very angry
debacle
an event or a situation that is a complete failure and causes people to feel ashamed or embarrassed
stringent
(about rules) are strict and make you achieve high standards
inscribe
record an achievement by writing it (ex stone)
antagonistic
showing or feeling opposition
impediment
obstacle, makes it difficult to do sth
lucrative
bringing a lot of money
prowess
great skill or ability
muster
to enhance a feeling, like determination
rake in
earn a lot of money
refute
prove that a statement is untrue
flagrant
doing sth in an obvious way that shows you do not care you break the rules
stutter
speech problem, repeat sounds in uncontrolled way
diverge
develop in a different way after it was the same, start to go in different directions
to become dwarfed
to become smaller
kickback
money paid illegally to someone in exchange for something that they have done for you
brush over
ignore
affinity
natural understanding of sth
threshold
a limit at which an arrangement or situation changes (ex. safety lines)
nail up
to use nails to fasten a door or window firmly shut
mark up
to increase the price of something, especially something that you bought for a lower price/ to correct or write notes or instructions on a piece of writing, esp
respire
breathe
swindle
to cheat someone in order to get their money
biosphere
the parts of the Earth’s surface and atmosphere where plant and animal life can exist
clamber
climb sth with difficulty, with your hands and feet
frail
weak, helpless physically
succumb
to lose your ability to fight against someone or something, and to allow them to control or persuade you
fastidious
giving too much attention to small details and wanting everything to be correct and perfect
debar
to stop someone doing something
exposition
detailed clear description of an idea, or the action of explaining sth
simper
smile in a way that is not sincere
pertinent
relevant, to the point
be in a quandary
uncertain, indecision, to not know what to do next
warfare
the activity of fighting a war, everything related to it
pull through
to succeed in a very difficult situation, or to help someone to do this
troposphere
the lowest part of the Earth’s atmosphere, between the surface and a height of 10 km
contentious
causing disagreement between people or groups
bottle up
to stop yourself from showing negative emotions like anger and disappointment, especially over a long period, so that these feelings develop in a harmful way
prolific
(person) a big quantity of their profession
polarize
to separate and divide
intrepid
not afraid to do dangerous things
grapple with
to try hard to understand a difficult idea or to solve a difficult problem
erratic
not following any plan or regular pattern
asperity
sounding annoyed and impatient when saying sth
plethora
a greater amount than what you need or want
condone
approve of behavior that most people think is wrong
courtroom
a room where legal cases are judged
repatriate
to send money that you earn in a foreign country back to your own country
calamity
natural disaster
prone to
likely to do something (ex. catch a flu)
acrid
(smell/taste) very strong, bitter and unpleasant
tarnish
an opinion/reputation, becomes worse, gets "dirty"
pass up
to not take advantage of an opportunity
decry
to criticize something as bad, without value, or unnecessary
shoddy
very low quality
confiscate
take something away because it does not fit with the rules
volition
intention, will, ability to decide to do sth
impetus
something that encourages a particular activity or makes that activity more energetic or effective
top off
to finish something with a final activity or detail
coerce
make sb do sth by force using threats
perish
to die, usually because of an illness or something that happens suddenly
choke off
choke. prevent from developing
protruding
sticking out
equation
5x-3=27 mathematical statement
salient
most important or easy to notice
smear
to spread a liquid or a thick substance over a surface
dormant
something that is not active, but that may become active
ravenous
starving, extremely hungry
juncture
a stage of a process or activity
shrouded
covered, hidden
skim off
if someone skims money, they take small amounts from somewhere so that people do not notice it is gone
contracture
shrinking
poignant
causing or having a very sharp feeling of sadness
duplicity
dishonest behaviour that is intended to trick sb
contingency
sth that might happen in the future, that is bad
petition
a document signed by many people that asks someone in authority to do something
gnaw at
if something gnaws at you, you keep worrying about it or feeling upset about it
relent
accepting and agreeing reluctantly
crack down
start dealing with someone or something much more strictly
amass
to collect a lot of something such as money or information over a period of time
illiteracy
inability to read
patronize
condescending, To assume an air of superiority
play down
to try to make a problem or difficult situation seem less important than it is
defamation
the act of damaging somebody’s reputation by saying or writing bad or false things about them
reprimand
to tell someone officially and in a serious way that something they have done is wrong
thrash out
to discuss something until you find a solution or reach an agreement
abate
gradually become less serious or extreme
demarcate
decide the limits of sth, about space
attest
to give proof or be evidence that something is true
ceaselessly
continuing without stopping
parry
to defend yourself against someone who is attacking you
blunder
careless and embarrassing mistake
dispel
get rid of any unpleasant feeling or false beliefs
scrupulous
careful about paying attention to every detail
excavation
to dig a large hole in the ground (to find ancient objects)
per capita
per person, each person
siphon off
to move money from one bank account to another, especially illegally or dishonestly
fret
to be worried, not be able to relax
belie
to make sb or sth different from how they are
disillusioned
disappointed because you have discovered that someone or something is not as good as you had believed
imposition
to introduce sth new, like a new law or system
slur
speech problem, sounds are not made clearly (ex drunk, tired)
iniquity
situation that is immoral or unfair
scratch out
to remove a word from a sentence or something from a list by drawing a line through it
dingy
dark in an unpleasant way, looks dirty
chew over
to think about something carefully or discuss it carefully with other people before making a decision about it
camaraderie
friendship
salubrious
(place) pleasant and comfortable to live in
trajectory
course of movement
quench
quench your thirst to drink so that you no longer feel thirsty
hinder
stop from making progress
irascible
easily becoming angry
innate
an innate quality or ability is one that you have always had
vent
express feelings of anger very strongly
chalk up
to score points, or to achieve success in a game
perennial
always existing, or never seeming to change
lap up
to enjoy something and be keen to get more of it
wholly
entirely
vindication
to prove that someone who was accused of a crime or dishonest act is not guilty
cryptic
mysterious, difficult to understand
inherent
basic, essential
intimation
the action of making clear what you think or want without saying it directly, or something that makes something clear in this way
burn up
destroy, exhaust, use fuel for sth to work
prerequisite
sth that must exist or happen before sth else is possible
insinuate
to say sth bad in an indirect way
bolster
to support or improve something or make it stronger
refutation
say that a statement is false but without evidence
explicit
very clear, leaving no doubt; reletaed to violence or intimacy
avian
related to birds, family of birds
alleviate
make something less severe, serious
complicity
the act of taking part with another person in a crime
clientele
customers
pin down
to understand or describe something exactly
deviation
a difference from the usual or expected way of doing sth
bogus
fake, not real, although pretending to be real
mark down
to intend or plan that a particular thing should happen to someone or something
denote
to show
relent
change your mind to allow sth or sb to do sth
astrocyte
type glial cell in the brain
bank on
to depend on something happening or on someone doing something
copious
in large amounts
vortex
(nature)air or water that spins in a powerful way, (feelings) not in control, very intense
shun
to deliberately avoid a person, place, or activity
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