Canon:
Meaning: a Christian priest with special
duties in a cathedral
Sentence:
He was first appointed as a residentiary
canon and only became Chancellor after several years with us.
Cannon:
Meaning: a large, mounted piece of artillery; sometimes, specif., a large gun with a relatively short barrel, as a howitzer
Sentence:
Instead of eight machine guns, it now had
twelve, or four 20mm cannon.
Barbarism:
Meaning: extremely cruel and unpleasant behavior
Sentence:
He witnessed
some appalling acts of barbarism
during the war.
Barbarity:
Meaning: behavior that is very cruel, or a very cruel act
Sentence:
This barbarity must cease!
Artist:
Meaning:
someone who paints,
draws or makes sculptures
Sentence:
Monet is one of my favorite
artists.
Artisan:
Meaning: a person who does skilled work with his or her hands
Sentence:
They were concerned about the skilled
artisan, not the factory masses.
Antic:
Meaning:
funny, silly or strange
behavior
Sentence: But the rock-star whose stage antics
used to include smashing guitars
is older and wiser now.
Antique:
Meaning:
something made in an earlier period and
collected and valued because it is beautiful, rare, old or of high quality
Sentence:
My mother
collects antiques.
Illusion:
Meaning:
an idea or belief which is not true
Sentence:
He had no illusions
about his talents
as a singer.
Allusion:
Meaning:
something
that is said or written
that is intended to make you think of a particular thing or
person
Sentence:
Her novels
are packed with literary allusions.
Aspire:
Meaning: to have a strong
want or hope to do or have something
Sentence:
Few people
who aspire to fame ever achieve it.
Expire:
Meaning: If something
which lasts for a fixed length
of time expires, it comes to
an end or stops being in use
Sentence:
Our television license expires next month.
Collision:
Meaning: an accident
that happens when two vehicles
hit each other with force
Sentence: There has been a
collision on the southbound stretch of the motorway.
Collusion:
Meaning:
agreement between people to act together
secretly or illegally in order to deceive or cheat someone
Sentence: It is thought that they worked
in collusion with the terrorist
network.
Counsel:
Meaning: to give advice, especially on social or personal problems
Sentence:
The police have provided experts to counsel
local people affected by the tragedy.
Council:
Meaning: a group of people
elected or chosen
to make decisions
or give advice on a particular subject
Sentence:
This
play is supported by a grant
from the local arts council.
Expedient:
Meaning: helpful or useful in a particular situation, but sometimes not morally acceptable
Sentence:
It might
be expedient not to pay him until the work is finished.
Expeditious:
Meaning:
quick
Sentence:
The bank was expeditious in replying to my
letter.Meaning: a ceding or giving
up (of rights, property, territory, etc.) to
another
Sentence: The Sino-Japanese War (1894-95)
led to further cessions of territory by China.
English (Précis and Composition) 1981
Canvas:
Meaning: a piece of
cloth used by artists for painting on, usually with oil paints,
or the painting itself
Sentence:
These two canvases by Hockney would sell for £500 000.
Canvass:
Meaning: to try to get
political support or votes,
especially by visiting
all the houses in an area
Sentence: I've been out canvassing for the Labor Party every evening this week.
Cast:
Meaning: to choose
actors to play particular parts in a play, film or show
Sentence:
He was often cast as the villain.
Caste:
Meaning: a system
of dividing Hindu
society into classes, or any of these classes
Sentence: The Indian
government banned caste discrimination at independence from Britain in 1947.
Appraise:
Meaning:
to examine someone or something in order to
judge their qualities, success or needs
Sentence: At the end of each teaching
practice, trainee teachers
are asked to appraise their own
performance.
Apprise:
Meaning:
to tell someone about something
Sentence:
The President
has been apprised
of the situation.
Ingenious:
Meaning: very clever and skilful
Sentence:
She was ingenious at finding ways to work more quickly.
Ingenuous:
Meaning: honest, sincere
and trusting/ showing
innocent or childlike
simplicity and candidness
Sentence:
It has to be said it was rather
ingenuous of him to ask a complete stranger
to look after his luggage. (Pair Repeated: 3)
Continual:
Meaning: happening repeatedly, usually in an annoying or not convenient way
Sentence:
I've had continual problems
with this car ever since I bought
it.
Continuous:
Meaning:
without a pause or interruption
Sentence:
My computer
makes a continuous low buzzing noise.
Berth:
Meaning: a bed in a boat, train, etc., or a place for
a ship or boat to stay in
a port
Sentence:
She booked
a berth on the train from
London to Aberdeen.
Birth:
Meaning:
Child’s birth
Sentence:
He weighed
eight pounds at birth.
Apposite:
Meaning: suitable
and right for the occasion
Sentence: It is, however, apposite
to note that this process
will continue in the year ahead.
Opposite:
Meaning:
completely different
Sentence: You'd never know they're sisters - they're
completely opposite to each other in every way. (Pair Repeated: 1)
Artist:
Meaning:
someone
who paints, draws or makes sculptures
Sentence:
Monet is one of my favorite
artists.
Artiste:
Meaning: a skilled
performer, especially a dancer,
singer or actor
Sentence: Denise has been a solo artiste
for over 20 years working
all over the world.
Adapt:
Meaning: to change something to suit different conditions or uses
Sentence: Many software
companies have adapted
popular programs to the new operating system.
Adopt:
Meaning:
to
choose or take as your own
English (Précis
and Composition) 1982
Mitigate:
Meaning: to make something less harmful, unpleasant or bad
Sentence:
It is unclear how to mitigate
the effects of tourism on the island.
Alleviate:
Meaning: to make something bad such as pain or problems less severe
Sentence:
The drugs did nothing
to alleviate her pain/suffering.
Persecute:
Meaning: to treat someone unfairly
or cruelly over a long period of time because
of their race, religion, or
political beliefs or to annoy someone by refusing to leave them alone Sentence:
Religious minorities were persecuted and massacred during the ten- year regime.
Prosecute:
Meaning:
to officially accuse someone of committing
a crime in a court of law, or (of a lawyer) to try to prove that a person accused of committing a crime is guilty
of that crime Sentence: He was
prosecuted for fraud.
Popular:
Meaning:
liked, enjoyed or supported by many people
Sentence:
She's the most popular
teacher in school.
Populace:
Meaning: the ordinary
people who live in a particular country
or place
Sentence: Some studies
show that workers
in the nuclear industry are more
likely than the general
populace to get cancer.
Compliment:
Meaning: remark that expresses approval, admiration or respect
Sentence:
I take it as a compliment when people say I look like my mother.
Complement:
Sentence:
The music complements her voice perfectly. (Pair Repeated: 1)
Excite:
Meaning: to make someone have strong feelings
of happiness and enthusiasm
Sentence:
Nothing about my life excites me at present.
Incite:
Meaning: to encourage
someone to do or feel something unpleasant or violent
Sentence: She was expelled for inciting her classmates to rebel against
their teachers.
Voracity:
Meaning:
excessive desire
to eat
Sentence: On reaching
the ship they were offered
some bread, which they devoured with a voracious appetite.
Veracity:
Meaning: the quality
of being true, honest or accurate
Sentence: The veracity
of the second claim can be tested against
the findings of archeology.
Virtuous:
Meaning: having good moral qualities
and behavior
Sentence:
He described them as a virtuous and hard-working people.
Virtual:
Meaning: describes something that can be done or seen using a
computer and therefore without
going anywhere or talking to anyone
Sentence: In tests, we have found the virtual machine
runs at a reasonable speed. (Pair Repeated: 1)
Exceptional:
Meaning:
much greater than usual, especially in
skill, intelligence, quality, etc Sentence:
The Company has shown exceptional growth over the past two years.
Exceptionable:
Meaning:
offensive or upsetting
Sentence:
This action
is normally only taken in exceptionable circumstances.
English (Précis and Composition) 1983
Illusion:
Meaning:
an idea or belief which is not true
Sentence:
He had no illusions about his talents
as a singer.
Allusion:
Meaning:
something
that is said or written
that is intended to make you think of a particular thing or
person
Sentence:
Her novels
are packed with literary allusions. (Pair Repeated: 1)
Ardor:
Meaning:
great enthusiasm or love
Sentence: Similarly, the Japanese seem to have less ardor for luxury
goods than in the
boom years of the
late 90s.
Order:
Meaning: the way in which people or things are arranged
Sentence:
The children lined up in order of age/height.
Conquer:
Meaning: to take control
or possession of foreign land,
or a group of people,
by force
Sentence:
The Spanish
conquered the New World in the 16th century.
Concur:
Meaning: to agree with someone or have the same opinion as someone else
Sentence:
The new report concurs
with previous findings.
Cite:
Meaning:
to mention something
as proof for a theory
or as a reason why something has happened
Sentence:
She cited three reasons
why people get into debt.
Site:
Meaning: a place where something is, was, or will be built, or where something happened, is happening, or will happen
Sentence:
The council
hasn’t yet chosen
the site for the new hospital.
Addict:
Meaning: a person
who cannot stop doing or using something, especially something
Sentence:
There are a reported
two million male cocaine addicts
in the US.
Edict:
Meaning: an official
order, especially one which is given in a forceful
and unfair way Sentence: Most shops are ignoring the
government's edict against Sunday trading.
Proceed:
Meaning:
to
continue as planned
Sentence:
His lawyers
have decided not to proceed
with the case.
Precede:
Meaning: to be or go before something
or someone in time or space
Sentence: It would be helpful
if you were to precede the report with an introduction.
Right:
Meaning:
correct
Sentence:
You got three answers
right and two wrong.
Rite:
Meaning:
a set of fixed
words and actions
Sentence:
You have to go through an initiation rite
before you become a full member.
Weather:
Meaning: the conditions in the air above the Earth such as wind, rain or temperature, especially at a particular time over a particular area
Sentence:
The weather in the hills can change very
quickly, so take suitable clothing.
Whether:
Meaning: if, or not
Sentence:
I wasn't sure whether
you'd like it.
English (Précis
and Composition) 1985
Meaning:
famous, respected or important
Sentence:
An eminent
historian
Imminent:
Meaning: coming or likely to happen very soon
Sentence:
A strike
is imminent.
Deference:
Meaning: respect and politeness
Sentence:
He treats her with such deference.
Difference:
Meaning:
the way in which two or more things which
you are comparing are not the same
Sentence:
What's the difference between
an ape and a monkey?
Eligible:
Meaning: having the necessary qualities
or satisfying the necessary conditions
Sentence:
Only people
over 18 are eligible to vote.
Illegible:
Meaning:
impossible
or almost impossible to read because
of being very untidy or not clear
Sentence:
His writing
is almost illegible.
Judicial:
Meaning: involving
a court of law
Sentence:
The defense
team will seek a judicial review of the sentence.
Judicious:
Meaning: having or showing reason and good judgment in making decisions
Sentence: We should make judicious use of the
resources available to us. (Pair Repeated: 1)
President:
Meaning: the person
who has the highest
political position in a country
which is a republic and who, in some of these countries, is the leader of the government Sentence:
The President of France.
Precedent:
Meaning: an action,
situation or decision
which has already
happened
Sentence:
There are several precedents for promoting people
who don't have
Superficial:
Meaning: never thinking
about things that are serious
or important
Sentence:
He's fun to be with, but he's very superficial.
Superfluous:
Meaning:
more than is needed or wanted
Sentence:
The report was marred by a mass of superfluous detail.
Immigrant:
Meaning: a person who has come to a different country in order to live there permanently
Sentence: Illegal immigrants are sent back across the border if they are caught.
Emigrant:
Meaning:
a person who emigrates
Sentence:
There was only a small
number of emigrants on board.
Rightful:
Meaning: A rightful
position or claim is one which is morally or legally correct
Sentence:
Don't forget that I am the rightful owner of
this house.
Righteous:
Meaning:
morally correct
Sentence:
He was regarded as a righteous and holy man.
Contemptible:
Meaning:
deserving contempt
Sentence: Her behavior was contemptible.
Contemptuous:
Meaning:
expressing contempt
Sentence: He was very
contemptuous of 'popular' writers, whom he described
as having no talent.
Ingenious:
Meaning: very clever and skillful
Sentence:
She was ingenious at finding ways to work more quickly.
Ingenuous:
Meaning: honest, sincere
and trusting/ showing
innocent or childlike
simplicity and candidness
English
(Précis and Composition) 1986
Compliment:
Meaning: remark that expresses approval, admiration or respect
Sentence:
I take it as a compliment when people say I look like my mother.
Complement:
Meaning: to make something else seem better
or more attractive when combining
with it
Sentence:
The music complements her voice perfectly. (Pair Repeated: 2)
Outbreak:
Meaning: a time when something
suddenly begins, especially a disease or something
else dangerous or unpleasant
Sentence:
Last weekend
saw further thundery
outbreaks.
Breakout:
Meaning: a violent
escape, especially by a
group, from prison
Sentence: There has been a mass breakout
from one of Germany's top security jails.
Facilitate:
Meaning:
to make possible or easier
Sentence:
The current
structure does not facilitate efficient work flow.
Felicitate:
Meaning:
to wish happiness to; congratulate
Sentence:
Asian medal winners to be felicitated next Sunday.
Proceed:
Meaning:
to
continue as planned
Sentence:
His lawyers
have decided not to proceed
with the case.
Precede:
Sentence:
It would be helpful
if you were to precede the report with an introduction. (Pair Repeated: 2)
Layout:
Meaning:
the way that something is arranged
Sentence:
I like the layout of the house.
Outlay:
Meaning: an amount
of money spent for a particular purpose,
especially as a first
investment in something
Sentence: For an initial outlay
of £2000 to buy the equipment, you should be earning up to £500 a month if the product sells well.
Cease:
Meaning:
to
stop something
Sentence:
The Company
has decided to cease all UK operations after this year.
Seize:
Meaning: to take something quickly and keep or
hold it
Sentence:
I seized
his arm and made him turn
to look at me.
Career:
Meaning: a profession or occupation which
one trains for and pursues
as a lifework
Sentence:
Graduates may pursue careers
in the public or private sector.
Carrier:
Meaning: a person
or thing that carries something
Sentence: The parcels
carriers used by most online
retailers tend to be less flexible.
Acculturate:
Meaning: to undergo,
or alter by acculturation
Sentence: Today the Iroquois are highly acculturated, holding jobs in communities surrounding the reservations.
Acclimatize:
Meaning: to (cause
to) change to suit
different conditions of life,
weather, etc
Sentence: We found it impossible to acclimatize ourselves to the new working conditions.
English (Précis and Composition) 1987
Disclosure:
Meaning: the act of making
something known or the fact that is made known
Sentence: Any public
disclosure of this information would
be very damaging to the company.
Exposure:
Meaning:
when something bad that someone
has done is made public
Sentence:
The exposure
of the minister's love affair
forced him to resign.
Rigorous:
Meaning: very strict or harsh
Sentence:
We shall now proceed by making the
discussion more rigorous.
Vigorous:
Meaning: very forceful or energetic
Sentence:
There has been vigorous
opposition to the proposals for a new road.
Custom:
Meaning: a way of behaving or a belief which has been established for a long time Sentence: An
ancient custom was for the oldest son to have a
double portion of the inheritance.
Habit:
Meaning: something which you do often and regularly, sometimes without knowing that you are doing it
Sentence:
I always
buy the same brand of toothpaste just out of habit.
Peculiar:
Meaning: unusual and strange, sometimes
in an unpleasant way
Sentence:
She has the most peculiar ideas.
Particular:
Meaning: special,
or this and not any other
Sentence:
She wanted a particular type of cactus.
Prescribe:
Meaning: to say what medical
treatment someone should have
Sentence:
The drug is often
prescribed for ulcers.
Proscribe:
Meaning:
to not allow something
Sentence:
The Athletics Federation has banned the
runner from future races for using proscribed drugs.
Accident:
Meaning: something bad which happens
that is not expected or intended, and which often
damages something or injures
someone
Sentence:
Josh had an accident
and spilled water all over his work.
Incident:
Meaning: something that happens; happening; occurrence
Sentence: We also investigate incidents which affect, or could affect,
drinking water quality.
Choice:
Meaning: an act or
the possibility of choosing
Sentence: If the product
doesn't work, you are given the choice of a refund or a replacement.
Preference:
Meaning:
when you like something or someone more than another
person or thing
Sentence:
Her preference is for comfortable rather than stylish
clothes.
Ascent:
Meaning: when someone
or something climbs
or moves upwards
Sentence: As the plane made its ascent,
we saw thick smoke coming from one engine.
Assent:
Meaning: official agreement
to or approval of an idea, plan or request
Sentence: Once the directors have given their assent to the proposal
we can begin.
Immigrant:
Meaning: a person who has come to a different country in order to live there permanently
Sentence: Illegal immigrants are sent back across the border if they are caught.
Emigrant:
Meaning:
a person who emigrates
Sentence:
There was only a small
number of emigrants on board. (Pair
Repeated: 2)
Continual:
Meaning: happening repeatedly, usually in an annoying or not convenient way
Sentence:
I've had continual problems
with this car ever since I bought
it.
Continuous:
Meaning:
without a pause or interruption
Sentence: My computer makes a continuous low buzzing
noise. (Pair Repeated: 1)
English
(Précis and Composition) 1988
Custom:
Meaning: a way of behaving or a belief which has been established for a long time Sentence: An
ancient custom was for the oldest son to have a
double portion of the inheritance.
Habit:
Meaning: something which you do often and regularly, sometimes without knowing that you are doing it
Sentence: I always buy the same brand of toothpaste
just out of habit. (Pair Repeated: 1)
Deface:
Meaning: to damage
and spoil the appearance of something by writing or drawing on it
Sentence:
He was fined for defacing library
books.
Efface:
Meaning:
to remove
something intentionally
Sentence: The whole country had tried to efface the memory of the old dictatorship.
Differ:
Meaning: to be not like something or someone else, either physically or in another
way
Sentence:
The twins look alike,
but they differ in temperament.
Defer:
Meaning: to delay something until a later
time; to postpone
Sentence: My bank has agreed
to defer the repayments on my loan while I'm still a student.
Conduct:
Meaning:
to behave in a particular way, especially
in a public or a formal situation, or to organize the way
in which you live in a particular way
Sentence: How should
I conduct myself
at these dinners?
I know nothing about etiquette.
Character:
Meaning:
the particular combination of qualities in
a person or place that makes them different from others
Sentence:
Politeness is traditionally part of the British character.
Considerable:
Meaning:
large or of noticeable importance
Sentence:
The fire caused considerable damage to the church.
Considerate:
Meaning: kind and helpful
Sentence: She promises to be quieter and more
considerate in future. (Pair Repeated: 1)
Compliment:
Meaning: remark that expresses approval, admiration or respect
Sentence:
I take it as a compliment when people say I look like my mother.
Complement:
Meaning: to make something else seem better
or more attractive when combining
with it
Sentence:
The music complements her voice perfectly. (Pair Repeated: 3)
Feet:
Meaning:
plural of foot
Sentence:
Your feet look horrible.
Feat:
Meaning:
something
difficult needing a lot of skill, strength,
bravery, etc. to achieve it
Sentence:
The Eiffel
Tower is a remarkable feat of engineering.
Fair:
Meaning: just and honest;
impartial
Fare:
Meaning: the money that you pay for a journey
on a vehicle such as a bus
or train
Sentence:
Train fares
are going up again.
Enviable:
Meaning: good enough to be envied
or desired
Sentence: She's in the enviable
position of being able to choose who she works for.
Envious:
Meaning:
wishing you had what another
person has
Sentence:
I'm very envious of your new coat - it's lovely.
English (Précis
and Composition) 1989
Collision:
Meaning: an accident
that happens when two vehicles
hit each other with force
Sentence: There has been a
collision on the southbound stretch of the motorway.
Collusion:
Meaning:
agreement between people to act together
secretly or illegally in order to deceive or cheat someone
Sentence:
It is thought that they worked in collusion
with the terrorist
network. (Pair Repeated: 1)
Verbal:
Meaning:
spoken rather
than written
Sentence: Airport officials
received a stream
of verbal abuse from angry passengers whose flights had been delayed.
Verbose:
Meaning: using or containing more words than are necessary
Sentence:
He was a notoriously verbose after-dinner speaker.
Facilitate:
Sentence:
The current
structure does not facilitate efficient work flow.
Felicitate:
Meaning:
to wish happiness to; congratulate
Sentence: Asian medal winners to be felicitated next
Sunday. (Pair Repeated: 1)
Consciousness:
Meaning: the state of understanding and realizing something.
Sentence:
Her consciousness that she's different makes her feel uneasy.
Conscientiousness:
Meaning: putting a lot
of effort into your work/ controlled by or done according to conscience
Sentence: She has always been a very conscientious
worker. (Pair Repeated: 1)
Wave:
Meaning: to raise your hand and move it from side to side as a way of greeting someone
Sentence:
I waved
to him from the window but he didn't
see me.
Waive:
Meaning: to give up or forgo (a right, claim,
privilege, etc.)
Sentence: The bank manager waived the charge as we were old and valued
customers.
Wreck:
Meaning: to destroy
or badly damage
something
Sentence:
Our greenhouse was wrecked in last night's
storm.
Wreak:
Meaning: to cause something to happen in a violent
and often uncontrolled way
Sentence:
The recent
storms have wreaked
havoc on crops.
Virtuous:
Meaning: having good moral qualities
and behavior
Sentence:
He described them as a virtuous and hard-working people.
Virtual:
Meaning: describes something that can be done or seen using a
computer and therefore without
going anywhere or talking to anyone
Flatter:
Meaning: to praise
someone in order to make them feel attractive or important, sometimes in a way that is not sincere
Sentence:
I knew he was only flattering me because he
wanted to borrow some money.
Flutter:
Meaning: to make a series
of quick delicate
movements up and down or from side to side,
or to cause something to do this
Sentence:
Brightly coloured
flags were fluttering in the breeze.
Deference:
Meaning: respect
and politeness
Sentence:
He treats her with such deference.
Difference:
Meaning: the way in which two or more things
which you are comparing are not the same
Sentence: What's the difference between an ape and a
monkey? (Pair Repeated: 1)
Humiliation:
Meaning: to make someone feel ashamed or lose their respect for themselves
Sentence: How could you humiliate me by questioning my judgment in front of everyone like that?
Humility:
Meaning: the quality
of not being proud because
you are conscious of your bad qualities
Sentence: He doesn't have the humility to admit when
he's wrong. (Pair Repeated: 1)
English (Précis
and Composition) 1990
Adept:
Sentence:
She's very adept at dealing with the media.
Adapt:
Meaning: to change something to suit different conditions or uses
Sentence: Many software
companies have adapted
popular programs to the new operating system.
Adopt:
Meaning:
to
choose or take as your own
Sentence: Dr Kennedy
has been adopted
as the party's candidate for South Cambridge.
Alleged:
Meaning:
said or thought
by some people to be the stated
bad or illegal thing
Sentence: It took 15 years for the alleged criminals to prove their innocence.
Accused:
Meaning: the person
who is on trial in a court or the people on trial in a
court
Sentence:
The accused
protested her innocence.
Suspected:
Meaning: to think or believe something to be true or
probable
Sentence:
So far, the police
do not suspect foul play.
Bear:
Meaning: to accept,
tolerate or endure especially something unpleasant
Sentence: It's your decision - you must bear the responsibility if things
go wrong.
Borne:
Meaning:
past participle of bear
Sentence:
The weight
was more than could be borne by a lone man
Born:
Meaning:
brought into life by birth
Sentence:
She was born in 1950.
Raise:
Meaning: to lift something to a higher position
Sentence:
Would all those in favor please raise their hands?
Rise:
Meaning:
to move upwards
Raze:
Meaning: to completely destroy
a city, building, etc
Sentence:
The town was razed to the ground in the
bombing raid - not a building was left standing.
Smell:
Meaning: to have a
particular quality that others can notice with their noses
Sentence:
That cake smells good.
Stink:
Meaning:
to
smell very unpleasant
Sentence:
The woman next to me sprayed on some
perfume and stank up the whole shop
Scent:
Meaning:
a pleasant
natural smell
Sentence:
The scent
of roses
Least:
Meaning:
less than anything
or anyone else;
the smallest amount
or number
Sentence:
This group
is the least likely of the
four to win.
Less:
Meaning: a smaller
amount (of); not so much, or to a smaller
degree
Sentence:
We must try to spend
less money.
Lest:
Meaning:
in order to prevent any possibility that something will happen
Sentence:
They were afraid to complain about the
noise lest they annoyed the neighbors.
Quiet:
Meaning:
making very little noise
Sentence:
It's so quiet without
the kids here.
Quite:
Meaning: a little
or a lot but not completely
Sentence:
I'm quite tired but I can certainly walk a little
further.
Their:
Meaning:
of or belonging to them
There:
Meaning:
that place
Sentence:
Put the chair there.
They’re:
Meaning: they are
Sentence:
They're so annoying.
English (Précis and Composition) 1991
Access:
Meaning: the method
or possibility of getting
near to a place or
person, or the right to use or
look at something
Sentence:
The only access
to the village is by boat.
Excess:
Meaning: an amount
which is more than acceptable, expected or reasonable
Sentence:
An excess of
enthusiasm is not always a good thing.
Ascent:
Meaning: when someone
or something climbs
or moves upwards
Sentence: As the plane made its ascent,
we saw thick smoke coming from one engine.
Accent:
Meaning: the way in which people in a particular area, country or social group
pronounce words
Sentence:
He's got a strong Scottish accent.
Resources:
Meaning: a useful or valuable
possession or quality
of a country, organization or person
Sentence:
The country's greatest resource is the dedication of its workers.
Recourse:
Meaning: using something
or someone as a way of getting help, especially in a
difficult or dangerous situation
Weather:
Meaning: the conditions in the air above the Earth such as wind, rain or temperature, especially at a particular time over a particular area
Sentence:
The weather in the hills can change very
quickly, so take suitable clothing.
Whether:
Meaning: if, or not
Sentence:
I wasn't
sure whether you'd
like it. (Pair Repeated: 1)
Premier:
Meaning:
best or most important
Sentence:
He's one of the nation's premier
scientists.
Premiere:
Meaning:
the first public performance of a play or
any other type of entertainment Sentence: The world premiere of the
opera will be at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.
Ingenious:
Meaning: very clever and skillful
Sentence:
She was ingenious at finding ways to work more quickly.
Ingenuous:
Meaning: honest, sincere
and trusting/ showing
innocent or childlike
simplicity and candidness
Sentence:
It has to be said it was rather
ingenuous of him to ask a complete stranger
to look after his luggage. (Pair Repeated: 5)
Facilitate:
Meaning:
to make possible or easier
Sentence:
The current
structure does not facilitate efficient work flow.
Felicitate:
Meaning:
to wish happiness to; congratulate
Sentence: Asian medal winners to be felicitated next
Sunday. (Pair Repeated: 2)
Conscious:
Meaning: to notice
that a particular thing or person
exists or is present
Conscientious:
Meaning: putting a lot
of effort into your work/ controlled by or done according to conscience
Sentence:
She has always been a very conscientious worker.
Disease:
Meaning: illness of people, animals,
plants, etc.
Sentence:
Starvation and diseases have killed thousands
of refugees.
Decease:
Meaning:
a person's
death
Sentence: The house will not be yours till after your
mother's decease. (Pair Repeated: 1)
English (Précis
and Composition) 1992
Ascent:
Meaning: when someone
or something climbs
or moves upwards
Sentence: As the plane made its ascent,
we saw thick smoke coming from one engine.
Assent:
Meaning: official agreement
to or approval of an idea, plan or request
Sentence:
Once the directors have given their assent to the proposal
we can begin. (Pair Repeated:
1)
Ballot:
Meaning: a system or occasion
of secret voting
Sentence:
They decided
to hold a ballot.
Ballet:
Meaning:
a type of dancing where carefully organized
movements tell a story or express an idea
Sentence:
By the age of fifteen he had already
composed his first ballet.
Corps:
Meaning: a military
unit trained to perform
particular duties
Sentence:
The EU could set up the "external
action service,” a kind of EU diplomatic corps.
Corpse:
Meaning:
a dead body, usually
of a person
Sentence:
In the morning they found his corpse
on the ground.
Due:
Meaning: expected to happen, arrive,
etc. at a particular time
Sentence:
The next meeting is due to be held in three
months' time.
Dew:
Meaning: drops of water
that form on the ground and other surfaces
outside during the night
Sentence:
There was moderate dew on the grass.
Diary:
Meaning: a book with a separate space
or page for each day, in which you write down your future arrangements, meetings, etc., or one used to record
your thoughts and feelings or what has happened on that
day
Sentence:
Don't forget
to write the date of the meeting
in your diary.
Dairy:
Meaning: A commercial establishment for processing or selling milk and milk products.
Sentence:
Dairy farm may be supplied by water from a
nearby spring.
Momentary:
Meaning:
lasting for a very short
time
Sentence:
Be careful not to make even momentary short
circuits with metal tools.
Momentous:
Meaning:
very important because
of effects on future events
Sentence:
Whether or not to move overseas
was a momentous decision
for the family. (Pair Repeated: 1)
Route:
Meaning: a particular way or direction between
places
Sentence:
The route we had planned took us right across Greece.
Rout:
Sentence:
The Russian
chess team has routed all the rest.
Veil:
Meaning: a piece of thin material worn by women
to cover the face or head
Sentence:
The women wore black veils which
covered all but their eyes.
Vale:
Meaning:
used in the name of some valleys
Sentence:
The Vale of Evesham
English (Précis and Composition)
1993
Queue:
Meaning: a line of people,
usually standing or in cars,
waiting for something
Sentence:
There was a long queue of traffic stretching down the road.
Cue:
Meaning: a signal
for someone to do something
Sentence:
They started
washing up, so that was our cue to leave the party.
Differ:
Meaning: to be not like something or someone else, either physically or in another
way
Sentence:
The twins look alike,
but they differ in temperament.
Defer:
Meaning: to delay
something until a later
time; to postpone
Sentence:
My bank has agreed
to defer the repayments on my loan while I'm still a student. (Pair Repeated: 1)
Conscious:
Meaning: to notice
that a particular thing or person
exists or is present
Sentence: I think
she's very conscious of being the only person
in the office who didn't
have a university education.
Conscience:
Meaning: the part of you that judges
how moral your own actions
are and makes you feel guilty about bad
things that you have done
Sentence:
You didn't
do anything wrong - you should have a clear conscience.
Confidant:
Meaning: a person you trust and share your feelings
and secrets with
Sentence:
Within
a few short years he was a
trusted confidant.
Confidante:
Meaning:
a woman or
girl confidant
Sentence:
Within
a few short years he was a
trusted confidant.
Atheist:
Meaning: someone who believes that God or gods do not exist
Sentence:
I know an atheist
who says ' Oh
god!
Agnostic:
Meaning: someone who does not know, or believes that it is impossible to know, whether
a god exists
Sentence: Although he was raised a
Catholic, he was an agnostic
for most of his adult life.
Loose:
Meaning:
not firmly
fixed in place
Sentence:
There were some loose wires hanging
out of the wall.
Lose:
Meaning: to no longer have something because
you do not know where it
is, or because it has been
taken away from you
Sentence:
I've lost my ticket.
Briefing:
Meaning:
information that is given to someone just
before they do something or a meeting where this happens
Sentence:
They received
thorough briefing before they left the country.
Debriefing:
Meaning: to question
someone in detail
about work they have done for you
Sentence:
The pilots
were thoroughly debriefed after every mission.
Dual:
Meaning: with two parts, or combining two things
Sentence: This room has a dual purpose, serving
as both a study
and a dining room.
Duel:
Meaning: a formal
fight in the past, using
guns or swords,
arranged between two
Sentence:
The composer
Strauss was once challenged to a duel.
Compliment:
Meaning: remark that expresses approval, admiration or respect
Sentence:
I take it as a compliment when people say I look like my mother.
Complement:
Meaning: to make something else seem better
or more attractive when combining
with it
Sentence:
The music complements her voice perfectly. (Pair Repeated: 4)
English
(Précis and Composition) 1994
All:
Meaning: every one (of), or the complete
amount or number
(of), or the whole
(of)
Sentence:
All animals
have to eat in order
to live.
Awl:
Meaning:
a small, pointed
tool for making
holes in wood, leather, etc. Sentence: That awl
causes loud noise.
Boy:
Meaning:
a male child
Sentence:
As a young boy, my father used to walk
three miles to school.
Buoy:
Meaning: a floating
object on the top of the sea, which is used for directing ships and warning
them of possible danger
Sentence: The zones for swimming
and the zones for water sports are clearly marked
by buoys.
Fallow:
Meaning: describes land that is not planted
with crops, in order to improve the quality of the
soil
Sentence:
Farmers are eligible for government support
if they let a certain amount of land lie fallow.
Fellow:
Meaning: describes someone
who has the same job or interests
as you, or is in the same situation as you
Sentence:
She introduced me to some of her fellow students.
Jewry:
Meaning:
all the Jews
Sentence:
Dr. Lisa is an expert of Latin American
Jewry.
Jury:
Meaning: a group
of people who have been chosen to listen to all
the facts in a trial
in a law court and to decide whether a person is guilty or not guilty
Sentence:
Police officers
aren't usually allowed
to be on a jury.
Functional:
Meaning: designed to be practical and useful rather than attractive
Sentence: Project work is used to integrate
material and make knowledge functional.
Dysfunctional:
Meaning:
not behaving
or working normally
Sentence: The craftsman is likely to seem dysfunctional in a culture
of innovation and change.
Yew:
Meaning: an evergreen tree with flat leaves
like needles and small red cones, or the wood from this tree
Sentence: There is little sound except for the breeze stirring in the churchyard yew trees.
Eue:
Meaning:
Unable to find this word in
dictionaries
Sentence:
An eue passed
in his life which made him dull for an year.
Allusive:
Meaning: containing
a lot of allusions
Sentence:
Her music is allusive.
Elusive:
Meaning: difficult to describe, find, achieve or remember
Sentence:
The answers
to these questions remain as elusive
as ever.
Ladylike:
Meaning:
graceful, controlled and behaving in a way
that is socially acceptable for a woman
Sentence:
Laura is very ladylike
and elegant.
Ladyship:
Meaning: a respectful way of referring
to or talking to a woman or girl
who has the rank of a peer or knight without using her
title
Sentence:
We are honored to welcome
your ladyship here tonight.
English
(Précis and Composition) 1996
Altogether:
Meaning: completely
or in total
Sentence:
The government ought to abolish
the tax altogether.
All together:
Meaning:
all at the
same time
Sentence:
The last time we were all together was in 1999.
Ambiguous:
Meaning: having or expressing more than one possible meaning,
sometimes intentionally
Sentence:
His reply to my question was somewhat ambiguous.
Ambivalent:
Meaning: having two opposing feelings
at the same time, or being uncertain about how you feel
Sentence:
I felt very ambivalent about leaving home.
Appraise:
Meaning: to examine
someone or something
in order to judge their
qualities, success or needs
Sentence: At the end of each teaching
practice, trainee teachers
are asked to appraise their own
performance.
Apprise:
Meaning:
to tell someone about something
Bad:
Meaning: unpleasant; causing
difficulties or harm
Sentence:
Our holiday
was spoiled by bad weather.
Badly:
Meaning: in a
severe and harmful way
Sentence:
She was badly affected
by the events in her childhood.
Compare:
Meaning: to examine
or look for the difference between two or more things
Sentence: If you compare
house prices in the two areas, it's quite amazing
how different they are.
Contrast:
Meaning: an obvious
difference between two or more things
Sentence:
The antique furnishing provides an unusual
contrast to the modernity of the building.
Deduce:
Meaning: to reach an answer or a decision
by thinking carefully about the known
facts
Sentence:
We cannot
deduce very much from
these figures.
Imply:
Meaning: to communicate an idea or feeling without
saying it directly
Sentence:
I detected
an implied criticism of the way he was treated.
Differ from:
Meaning: to be not like something or someone else, either physically or in another
way
Sentence:
His views differ considerably from those of his parents.
Differ with:
Meaning:
to disagree
Sentence:
I beg to differ
with you on that point.
Farther:
Meaning:
to a greater distance
Sentence:
The fog's so
thick, I can't see farther
than about ten meters.
Further:
Meaning: to a greater distance
or degree; at a more advanced level
Sentence:
We discussed
the problem but we didn't
get much further in actually
English (Précis
and Composition) 1998
Occlude:
Meaning:
to
close, shut, or block
Sentence: I try to set the end distance (at which the fog totally
occludes everything) no lower than 4000.
Occult:
Meaning:
relating
to magical powers
and activities, such as those of witchcraft and astrology
Sentence:
She claims to have occult powers, given to
her by some mysterious spirit.
Practical:
Meaning: relating to experience, real situations or actions rather than ideas or imagination
Sentence: Qualifications are important but practical experience is always an advantage.
Practicable:
Meaning:
able to be done or put into action
Sentence:
The troops
will be brought
home as soon as practicable.
Raze:
Meaning: to completely destroy
a city, building, etc
Sentence:
The town was razed to the ground in the
bombing raid - not a building was left standing.
Raise:
Meaning: to lift something to a higher position
Sentence:
Would all those in favor please
raise their hands? (Pair Repeated: 1)
Canon:
Meaning: a Christian priest with special
duties in a cathedral
Sentence: He was first appointed as a residentiary canon and only became Chancellor after several years with us.
Cannon:
Meaning: a large, mounted piece of artillery; sometimes, specif., a large gun with a relatively short barrel, as a howitzer
Sentence:
Instead of eight machine
guns, it now had twelve,
or four 20mm cannon.
(Pair
Repeated: 1)
Avenge:
Meaning: to do harm to or punish
the person responsible for something bad done to you
Sentence: He swore he would avenge his brother's
death.
Revenge:
Meaning: harm done to someone
as a punishment for harm that they have done to someone
else
Sentence: He is believed to have been shot by a rival gang in revenge for the shootings last week.
Caret:
Meaning:
a mark (‸)
used in writing or in correcting proof, to show where something is to be inserted
Sentence: Some screen
readers use the system caret to determine
which area of the
screen to read or magnify.
Carat:
Meaning: a unit for measuring
the weight of jewels
Sentence:
24-carat
gold is the purest.
Revel:
Meaning:
to separate
the parts, esp. threads
Sentence:
The road raveled rapidly
and became merely
a pile of loose stones.
Reveal:
Meaning:
to make known or show something that is
surprising or that was previously secret
Sentence:
He was jailed for revealing secrets
to the Russians.
Aviary:
Meaning: a large
cage or closed
space in which
birds are kept as pets
Sentence:
I have an aviary
with 17 birds.
Apiary:
Meaning: a place where people
keep bees, especially a collection of hives kept to
Sentence: I once visited an apiary where
there were numerous
cardboard boxes scattered around.
Demesne:
Meaning: possession of real
property in one's own right.
Sentence: The manor of Melbourne was part of the ancient
demesne of the crown.
Demean:
Meaning: to cause someone
to become less respected
Sentence:
The entire
family was demeaned
by his behavior.
English (Précis
and Composition) 2001
Brooch:
Meaning: a small
piece of jewelry
with a pin at the back that is fastened
to a woman's clothes
Sentence:
She wore a small silver brooch.
Broad:
Meaning:
very wide
Sentence:
We walked down a broad avenue
lined with trees.
Collision:
Meaning: an accident
that happens when two vehicles
hit each other with force
Sentence: There has been a
collision on the southbound stretch of the motorway.
Collusion:
Meaning: agreement between
people to act together secretly
or illegally in order to deceive or cheat someone
Sentence:
It is thought that they worked in collusion
with the terrorist
network. (Pair Repeated: 2)
Fain:
Meaning: glad; ready
Sentence:
He is fain to do all things himself.
Feign:
Meaning: to pretend
to feel something, usually an emotion
Sentence: You know how everyone
feigns surprise when you tell them how old you are.
Hoard:
Meaning: to collect large amounts of something and keep it in a safe, often secret, place
Sentence:
During the siege people began hoarding
food and supplies.
Horde:
Meaning:
a large group of people
Sentence:
Hordes of students on bikes made crossing the road difficult.
Illusion:
Meaning:
an idea or belief which is not true
Sentence:
He had no illusions about his talents
as a singer.
Delusion:
Meaning: when someone
believes something that is not true
Sentence:
He's under the delusion
that he will be promoted
this year.
Persecute:
Meaning:
to treat someone unfairly or cruelly over a
long period of time because of their race,
religion, or political beliefs or to annoy someone by refusing to leave them
alone Sentence: Religious minorities were persecuted and massacred during
the ten- year regime.
Prosecute:
Meaning:
to officially accuse someone of committing
a crime in a court of law, or (of a lawyer) to try to prove that a person accused of committing a crime is guilty
of that crime Sentence: He
was prosecuted for fraud.
(Pair Repeated: 1)
Prescribe:
Meaning: to say what medical
treatment someone should
have
Sentence:
The drug is often
prescribed for ulcers.
Proscribe:
Meaning:
to not allow something
Sentence:
The Athletics
Federation has banned
the runner from future races for using proscribed drugs. (Pair Repeated: 1)
Respectfully:
Meaning:
in a
way that shows you want to
be polite or honor someone
Sentence: As the body was carried
through the crowd, people drew back respectfully.
Respectively:
Meaning:
relating or belonging to each of the
separate people or things you have just mentioned
Sentence: In the 200 meters,
Lizzy and Sarah came first and third respectively.
Complacent:
Meaning:
Satisfied
Sentence:
We can't afford to become complacent about any of our
products.
Complaisant:
Meaning:
willing to please;
affably agreeable; obliging
Sentence:
Can we really sit back and watch the suffering of a whole nation and be so complaisant?
(Pair
Repeated: 2)
English (Précis
and Composition) 2004
Auger:
Meaning: a tool consisting of a twisted
rod of metal fixed to a handle,
used for making
large holes in wood or in
the ground
Sentence: In order
to measure the pH directly;
the kit includes a plastic
auger to perforate the ground.
Augur:
Meaning: to be a sign of especially good or bad things in the future
Sentence: Do you think that this recent ministerial announcement augurs a shift
in government policy?
Fain:
Meaning: glad; ready
Sentence:
He is fain to do all things himself.
Feign:
Meaning: to pretend
to feel something, usually an emotion
Emigrate:
Meaning: to leave
a country permanently and go to live in another one
Sentence:
Millions of Germans emigrated from Europe
to America in the nineteenth century.
Immigrate:
Meaning: to come to live in a different country
Sentence:
He immigrated with his parents
in 1895, and grew up in London.
Envy:
Meaning: to wish that you had something that another person
has
Sentence:
I envy her ability
to talk to people she's never met before.
Jealousy:
Meaning: a feeling
of unhappiness and anger because
someone has something
that you want
Sentence:
The team has performed very badly this
season due to petty jealousies among the players.
Invade:
Meaning: to enter an area of
activity in a forceful and noticeable way
Sentence: Concentrations of troops near the border look set to invade within the next few days.
Attack:
Meaning: to try to
hurt or defeat using violence
Sentence:
He was attacked and seriously injured
by a gang of youths.
Trifling:
Meaning: A trifling
matter or amount
of money is small or not important
Sentence:
It was such a trifling sum of money to argue about!
Trivial:
Meaning:
having little
value or importance
Sentence: I don't know why he gets so upset about something
that is utterly trivial.
Simulation:
Meaning: a model of a set of problems or events that can be used to teach someone
how to do something
Dissimulation:
Meaning: To conceal
one's true feelings
or intentions.
Sentence:
As an actress she had been trained to
dissimulate, so she had no trouble hiding
her true feelings offstage as well.
Venal:
Meaning: A venal
person is willing to behave in a way that is not honest
or moral in exchange for money
Sentence:
A venal ruler
Venial:
Meaning:
describes a wrong action that is not
serious and therefore easy to forgive Sentence:
Aristocracy is not an institution: aristocracy is a sin;
generally a very venial
one.
English (Précis
and Composition) 2005
Counsel:
Meaning: to give advice,
especially on social
or personal problems
Sentence: The police have provided
experts to counsel
local people affected
by the tragedy.
Council:
Meaning: a group of people
elected or chosen
to make decisions
or give advice on a particular
subject, to represent a particular group of people, or to run a particular organization
Sentence: This play is supported by a grant from the
local arts council. (Pair Repeated: 1)
Distinct:
Meaning:
clearly
noticeable; that certainly
exists
Sentence:
There's a distinct smell of cigarettes in here.
Distinctive:
Meaning: Something that is distinctive is easy to recognize because
it is different from
Sentence:
She's got a very distinctive voice.
Apposite:
Meaning: suitable
and right for the occasion
Sentence: It is, however, apposite
to note that this process
will continue in the year ahead.
Opposite:
Meaning:
completely different
Sentence: You'd never know they're sisters - they're
completely opposite to each other in every way. (Pair Repeated: 2)
Deprecate
Meaning:
to not approve of something
Sentence:
We deprecate this use of company funds for political purposes.
Depreciate:
Meaning: to (cause something
to) lose value,
especially over time
Sentence:
Our car depreciated by $1500 in the first year we owned it.
Punctual:
Meaning: arriving, doing something or happening at the expected,
correct time
Sentence:
He's fairly
punctual.
Punctilious:
Meaning:
very careful to behave correctly or to give attention
to details
Sentence: He was always
punctilious in his manners.
Judicial:
Meaning: involving
a court of law
Sentence:
The defense
team will seek a judicial review of the sentence.
Judicious:
Meaning: having or showing reason and good judgment in making decisions
Sentence: We should make judicious use of the
resources available to us. (Pair Repeated: 2)
Salutary:
Meaning: causing improvement of behavior or character
Sentence: It is however salutary
to remember the genuine need for originality in the creation
of a copyright protectable database.
Salubrious:
Meaning: describes a place
that is pleasant, clean, and healthy to live in
Sentence:
He doesn't
live in a very salubrious part of town.
Canvas:
Meaning: a piece of
cloth used by artists for painting on, usually with oil paints,
or the painting itself
Sentence:
These two canvases by Hockney would sell for £500 000.
Canvass:
Meaning: to try to get
political support or votes,
especially by visiting
all the houses in an area
Sentence:
I've been out canvassing for the Labor Party every evening this week.
(Pair
Repeated: 1)
English (Précis
and Composition) 2006
Voracity:
Meaning:
excessive desire
to eat
Sentence:
On reaching the ship they were offered some
bread, which they devoured with a voracious appetite.
Veracity:
Meaning: the quality
of being true, honest or accurate
Sentence:
The veracity
of the second claim can be tested against
the findings of archeology.
(Pair
Repeated: 1)
Persecute:
Meaning: to treat someone unfairly
or cruelly over a long period of time because
of their race, religion, or
political beliefs or to annoy someone by refusing to leave them alone Sentence:
Religious minorities were persecuted and massacred during the ten- year regime.
Prosecute:
Meaning:
to officially accuse someone of committing
a crime in a court of law, or (of a lawyer) to try to prove that a person accused of committing a crime is guilty
of that crime Sentence: He was prosecuted for fraud. (Pair
Repeated: 2)
Moat:
Meaning: a long wide hole which is dug
all the way around a place such as a castle,
and usually filled with water, to make it more difficult to attack
Sentence: The site of the manor house is surrounded by a narrow moat which is fed by water
from the New River.
Mote:
Meaning:
something,
especially a bit of dust, that is so small
it is almost impossible to see
Sentence:
Dust motes swam alongside the gloomy corridor.
Loath:
Meaning:
to be unwilling to do something
Sentence:
I'm
loath to spend it all at once.
Loathe:
Meaning:
to hate someone or something
Sentence:
From an early age the brothers
have loathed each other.
Ingenious:
Meaning: very clever and skillful
Sentence:
She was ingenious at finding ways to work more quickly.
Ingenuous:
Meaning: honest, sincere
and trusting/ showing
innocent or childlike
simplicity and candidness
Sentence:
It has to be said it was rather
ingenuous of him to ask a complete stranger
to look after his luggage. (Pair Repeated: 6)
Fain:
Meaning: glad; ready
Sentence:
He is fain to do all things himself.
Feign:
Meaning: to pretend
to feel something, usually an emotion
Sentence:
You know how everyone
feigns surprise when you tell them how old you are. (Pair Repeated:
2)
Immigrant:
Meaning: a person who has come to a different country in order to live there permanently
Sentence: Illegal immigrants are sent back across the border if they are caught.
Emigrant:
Meaning:
a person who emigrates
Sentence: There was only a small number of emigrants
on board. (Pair Repeated: 2)
Wreck:
Meaning: to destroy
or badly damage
something
Sentence:
Our greenhouse was wrecked in last night's
storm.
Wreak:
Meaning: to cause
something to happen
in a violent and often uncontrolled way
Sentence:
The recent
storms have wreaked
havoc on crops. (Pair Repeated: 1)
English (Précis
and Composition) 2007
Affluence:
Meaning: having a lot of money or owning
a lot of things
Sentence: What we are seeing increasingly is a
society of private affluence and public
squalor.
Effluence:
Meaning:
a thing that flows out or forth
Sentence:
How can Reef Entertainment justify
releasing this effluence on the general public?
Wretch:
Meaning: a person
who experiences something unpleasant
Sentence: A gentleman said that a week ago he was the wretch in
the county, but now saved.
Retch:
Meaning: to react in a way as if you are vomiting
Sentence:
The sight of blood makes him retch.
Euphemistic:
Meaning: a word or phrase used to avoid saying an unpleasant or offensive word
Sentence:
'Senior citizen'
is a euphemism for 'old person'.
Euphuistic:
Meaning:
Affected elegance
of language.
Sentence:
Euphuistic style has been used in many of his writings.
Amoral:
Meaning: without moral principles
Sentence: The spies are younger,
less jaded but equally cynical
and still operating in a wholly amoral world.
Immoral:
Meaning:
morally wrong
Sentence:
It's an immoral tax, because the poor will pay relatively more.
Imperial:
Meaning: belonging or relating to an empire or the person or country that rules
it Sentence: Delhi is a city of two centers, comprising imperial
Lutyens architecture and numerous monuments to the Moghul Empire.
Imperious:
Meaning: unpleasantly proud
and expecting obedience
Sentence:
He sent them away with an imperious wave of
the hand.
Degrade:
Meaning:
to
lower in rank or status
Sentence:
He likes
to degrade people
by calling them embarrassing names.
Denigrate:
Meaning: to say that someone
or something is not good or important
Sentence: You shouldn't denigrate people just because they have different beliefs from you.
Temporal:
Meaning:
relating to practical matters or physical
things, rather than spiritual ones Sentence:
Her starting point:
'The future is the only temporal area over which
people have power’.
Temporary:
Meaning:
not lasting
or needed for very
long
Sentence: The ceasefire will only provide a temporary
solution to the crisis. (Pair Repeated: 1)
Precipitate:
Meaning: to make something happen suddenly or sooner than expected
Precipitous:
Meaning: sheer
Sentence:
Precipitous slopes
of Reid's Ridge are visible on the right.
English (Précis
and Composition) 2008
Mitigate:
Meaning: to make something less harmful, unpleasant or bad
Sentence:
It is unclear how to mitigate
the effects of tourism on the island.
Alleviate:
Meaning: to make something bad such as pain or problems less severe
Sentence: The drugs did nothing to alleviate her
pain/suffering. (Pair Repeated: 1)
Persecute:
Meaning:
to treat someone unfairly or cruelly over a
long period of time because of their race,
religion, or political beliefs or to annoy someone by refusing to leave them
alone Sentence: Religious minorities were persecuted and massacred during
the ten- year regime.
Prosecute:
Meaning:
to officially accuse someone of committing
a crime in a court of law, or (of a lawyer) to try to prove that a person accused of committing a crime is guilty
of that crime Sentence: He
was prosecuted for fraud.
(Pair Repeated: 3)
Popular:
Meaning:
liked, enjoyed or supported by many people
Sentence:
She's the most popular
teacher in school.
Populace:
Meaning: the ordinary
people who live in a particular country
or place
Sentence:
Some studies
show that workers
in the nuclear industry are more
likely than the general
populace to get cancer. (Pair
Repeated: 1)
Compliment:
Meaning: remark that expresses approval, admiration or respect
Sentence:
I take it as a compliment when people say I look like my mother.
Complement:
Meaning: to make something else seem better
or more attractive when combining
with it
Sentence:
The music complements her voice perfectly. (Pair Repeated: 5)
Excite:
Meaning: to make someone have strong feelings
of happiness and enthusiasm
Sentence:
Nothing about my life excites
me at present.
Incite:
Meaning: to encourage
someone to do or feel something unpleasant or violent
Sentence:
She was expelled for inciting her classmates to rebel against
their teachers. (Pair
Repeated: 1)
Voracity:
Meaning:
excessive desire
to eat
Sentence: On reaching
the ship they were offered
some bread, which they devoured with a voracious appetite.
Veracity:
Meaning: the quality
of being true, honest or accurate
Sentence: The veracity of the second claim can be
tested against the findings of archeology.
(Pair
Repeated: 2)
Virtuous:
Meaning: having good moral qualities
and behavior
Sentence:
He described them as a virtuous and hard-working people.
Virtual:
Meaning:
describes something that can be done or
seen using a computer and therefore without going anywhere or talking to anyone
Sentence:
In
tests, we have found the virtual machine
runs at a reasonable speed. (Pair Repeated: 3)
Exceptional:
Meaning:
much greater than usual, especially in
skill, intelligence, quality, etc Sentence:
The Company has shown exceptional growth over the past two years.
Exceptionable:
Sentence: This action is normally only taken in
exceptionable circumstances. (Pair Repeated: 1)
English (Précis
and Composition) 2009
Persecute:
Meaning: to treat someone unfairly
or cruelly over a long period of time because
of their race, religion, or
political beliefs or to annoy someone by refusing to leave them alone Sentence:
Religious minorities were persecuted and massacred during the ten- year regime.
Prosecute:
Meaning:
to officially accuse someone of committing
a crime in a court of law, or (of a lawyer) to try to prove that a person accused of committing a crime is guilty
of that crime Sentence: He was prosecuted for fraud. (Pair
Repeated: 4)
Luxuriant:
Meaning:
growing thickly,
strongly and well
Sentence:
This stretch of land was once covered with
luxuriant forest, but is now bare.
Luxurious:
Meaning:
very comfortable and expensive
Sentence:
They have a very luxurious house.
Mean:
Meaning: to express
or represent something
such as an idea, thought,
or fact Sentence: These
figures mean that almost 7% of
the working population is unemployed.
Mien:
Meaning: a person's
appearance, especially the typical expression on their face
Sentence:
His aristocratic mien and smart clothes singled him out.
Observation:
Meaning: when you observe something
or someone
Sentence:
The police
are keeping the suspect
under observation.
Observance:
Meaning:
when someone obeys a
law or follows a religious custom
Sentence: The State must enforce
the observance of human rights
in its domestic legal
order.
Naughty:
Meaning: not behaving
properly; mischievous or disobedient
Sentence:
Now that's
naughty - you mustn't
throw food on the floor!
Knotty:
Meaning: complicated and difficult to solve
Sentence:
That's rather
a knotty question.
Ghostly:
Meaning:
pale and transparent
Sentence: The image is fading
which gives the figure a rather ghostly
appearance.
Ghastly:
Meaning:
unpleasant and shocking
Sentence:
Today's newspaper gives all the ghastly
details of the murder.
Hew:
Meaning: to cut a large piece out of rock, stone or another
hard material in a rough way
Sentence:
The monument
was hewn out of
the side of a mountain.
Hue:
Meaning: a particular shade or tint of a given color
Sentence:
In the Caribbean waters
there are fish of every hue.
English
(Précis and Composition) 2010
Adverse:
Meaning: having a negative or harmful effect
on something
Sentence:
The match has been canceled due to adverse
weather conditions.
Averse:
Sentence:
Few MPs are averse
to the attention of the media.
Maize:
Meaning: a tall plant grown in many parts of the world for its yellow seeds
which are eaten
as food, made into
flour or fed to animals
Sentence: Some of our foods may contain ingredients produced from genetically modified maize.
Maze:
Meaning: An intricate, usually confusing network
of interconnecting pathways
Sentence:
The old part of the town was a maze of narrow passages.
Medal:
Meaning:
a small, flat piece of metal with a design
or inscription stamped or inscribed on
it, made to commemorate some event, or awarded for some distinguished action Sentence:
She won three Olympic gold medals.
Meddle:
Meaning: to concern
oneself with or take part in other people's
affairs without being asked or needed
Sentence:
People shouldn't
meddle with things they don't understand.
Imperial:
Meaning: belonging or relating to an empire or the person or country that rules
it Sentence: Delhi is a city of two centers, comprising imperial
Lutyens architecture and numerous monuments to the Moghul Empire.
Imperious:
Meaning: unpleasantly proud
and expecting obedience
Sentence: He sent them away with an imperious wave of
the hand. (Pair repeated: 1)
Voracity:
Meaning:
excessive desire
to eat
Sentence: On reaching
the ship they were offered
some bread, which they devoured with a voracious appetite.
Veracity:
Meaning: the quality
of being true, honest or accurate
Sentence:
The veracity
of the second claim can be tested against
the findings of archeology.
(Pair
Repeated: 3)
Illusion:
Meaning:
an idea or belief which is not true
Sentence:
He had no illusions
about his talents
as a singer.
Allusion:
Meaning:
something
that is said or written
that is intended to make you think of a particular thing or
person
Sentence:
Her novels
are packed with literary allusions. (Pair repeated: 2)
Ordinance:
Meaning: a law or rule made by a
government or authority
Sentence:
City Ordinance 126 forbids car parking in this area.
Ordnance:
Meaning: all military
weapons together with ammunition, combat
vehicles, etc. and the equipment and supplies used in servicing these
Sentence: Do not touch any military ordnance
that may be found lying around this area.
Willing:
Meaning: to be happy to do something if it is needed
Sentence:
You said you needed a volunteer - well, I'm willing.
Willful:
Meaning:
said or done deliberately or intentionally
Sentence:
Willful killing
is a grave breach.
English
(Précis and Composition) 2011
Capital:
Meaning: a city which is the centre
of government of a country
or smaller political area
Sentence:
Australia's capital
city is Canberra.
Capitol:
Meaning: the building
in which a state legislature meets
Sentence:
A state legislature will meet in a capitol
building.
Assay:
Sentence:
A positive
result has been obtained in a mouse
lymphoma assay.
Essay:
Meaning: attempt/ a short piece of writing
on a particular subject
Sentence:
The Diploma
is assessed by three
essays of 3,000 words each.
Envelop:
Meaning: to cover or surround
something completely
Sentence:
The graveyard
looked ghostly, enveloped
in mist.
Envelope:
Meaning: a flat,
usually square or rectangular, paper container for a letter
Sentence:
A stamped,
addressed envelope should
be enclosed for reply.
Decree:
Meaning: an official
statement that something must happen
Sentence:
More than 200 people
were freed by military decree.
Degree:
Meaning:
amount or level of something
Sentence:
This job demands a high degree of skill.
Desolate:
Meaning: describes a place
that is empty and not attractive
Sentence:
The house stood in a bleak and desolate
landscape.
Dissolute:
Meaning: immoral
Sentence: He led a dissolute life.
Species:
Meaning: a set of animals
or plants in which the members have similar characteristics to each other
Sentence:
Over a hundred species
of insect are found in this area.
Specie:
Meaning:
Coined money
Sentence:
The next insinuation is that the Bank has refused specie
payments.
Tortuous:
Meaning:
not direct
or simple
Sentence:
He took a tortuous
route through back streets.
Torturous:
Meaning:
causing torture
Sentence: It was torturous to think that he could have stopped
the boy from running into the
road.
Wet:
Meaning:
covered in water or another liquid
Sentence:
My bike got wet in the rain.
Whet:
Meaning: to increase
someone's interest in and wish for something
Sentence: I've read an excerpt
of the book on the Web and it's whetted
my appetite.
English (Précis
and Composition) 2013
Adjoin:
Meaning:
be next to and joined with
Sentence:
The kitchen
adjoins the dining
room.
Adjourn:
Meaning: break off (a meeting,
legal case, or game) with the intention of resuming it later
Sentence:
The meeting
was adjourned until December 4th.
Allay:
Meaning: diminish or put at rest (fear,
suspicion, or worry)
Sentence:
The report
attempted to educate
the public and allay fears.
Ally:
Meaning: a person
or organization that cooperates with or helps another in a particular activity
Sentence:
He was forced to dismiss his closest political ally.
Bases:
Meaning:
plural form of
basis
Sentence:
Basis:
Meaning: the underlying support or foundation for an idea, argument, or process; status
Sentence: Trust is the only
basis for a good working relationship. She needed coaching on a regular basis.
Click:
Meaning:
a short, sharp sound as of a switch being
operated or of two hard objects coming quickly
into contact
Sentence:
She heard
the click of the door.
Clique:
Meaning: a small group of people, with shared interests, who spend time together and do not readily allow others to join them; Circle
Sentence:
Almost no one from her clique showed up at the reunion.
Distract:
Meaning: prevent (someone)
from giving full attention to something
Sentence:
Don't allow
noise to distract
you from your work.
Detract:
Meaning: reduce or take away the value of
Sentence:
These quibbles
in no way detract from her achievement.
Liable:
Meaning: responsible by law
Sentence: The supplier
of goods can become liable
for breach of contract in a variety
of ways.
Libel:
Meaning: a published false statement that is damaging
to a person's reputation
Sentence:
She sued two newspapers for libel.
English
(Précis and Composition) 2014
Pairs were skipped
by Examiner
English (Précis and Composition) 2015
Plaintive
sounding
sad Plaintiff
A plaintiff is a person
who lodges a formal complaint against somebody in court of law
Valet
A man's personal
male attendant
Varlet
A king's personal male attendant
Monitor Observer
Mentor Adviser
Complacent
Showing smug or uncritical satisfaction
with oneself or one's achievements. "you can't afford to be complacent about security"
Complaisant
willing to please
others or to accept what they do or say without protest.
Penitence
The action of feeling or showing sorrow and regret for having done wrong
Penance
Punishment
inflicted on oneself
as an outward expression of repentance for wrongdoing.
Crevice
A narrow opening
or fissure, especially in a
rock or wall
Crevasse
A deep open crack, especially one in a glacier
Beneficent
(of a person)
generous or doing good. "A
beneficent landowner"
Beneficial
Resulting
in good; favourable or advantageous. "The
beneficial effect on the economy"
English
(Précis and Composition) 2016
Meaning: having a negative or harmful effect
on something
Sentence:
The match has
been canceled due to adverse
weather conditions.
Averse:
Meaning: strongly
disliking or opposed
to
Sentence:
Few MPs are averse
to the attention of the media.
Altogether:
Meaning:
Completely, Entirely
Sentence:
When he first saw the examination
questions, he was altogether baffled.
All together:
Meaning:
In a group
Sentence:
The wedding
guests were gathered
all together in the garden.
Allude:
Meaning:
To make indirect reference
Sentence:
He alluded
to the problem but did not
mention it.
Elude:
Meaning:
To evade or escape
from.
Sentence:
The thief eluded the police.
Braise:
Meaning:
Fry (food) lightly
and then stew it slowly
in a closed container.
Sentence:He braised the beef in a wine sauce.
IBraze:
Meaning:
Form, fix, or join by soldering with an alloy
of copper and zinc at high temperature.
Sentence:
Each joint is turned
up tightly and well pinned or brazed.
Kerb:
Meaning: The edge of a raised path nearest the road
Sentence:
She tripped
over the kerb.
Curb:
Meaning:
To control
or to limit.
Sentence:
We must curb our spending next month.
Faze:
Meaning: To disturb,
bother, or embarrass, To disrupt the composure of
Sentence:
Fireworks did not faze the sleeping
baby.
Phase:
Meaning: Any distinct
time period in a sequence
of events
Sentence: The reaction occurs
in the liquid phase of the system.
Maybe:
Meaning: An adverb
meaning "perhaps" or "possibly.
Sentence:
Maybe I will go out tonight.
May be:
Meaning: A verb phrase meaning "might be"
or "could be."
Sentence:
I may be going out tonight.
Moat:
Meaning:
Ditch dug as a fortification and usually filled with water
Sentence:
The moat was found around the castle.
Mote:
Meaning:
A tiny piece of anything
Sentence:
There are millions of tiny dust motes in the air.
