Words of To Kill A Mockingbird

Words of To Kill A Mockingbird⌗

hostess⌗

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Noun ˈhəʊstəs həʊˈstɛs

• a woman who receives or entertains guests

  Synonyms: party-giver/entertainer/hostess

  Examples:

  • the perfect dinner-party hostess

incurable⌗

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Adjective ɪnˈkjʊərəb(ə)l

• (of a sick person or a disease) not able to be cured

  Synonyms: untreatable/inoperable/irremediable/beyond cure

  Examples:

  • even when the sick are incurable they are never untreatable
  • incurable diseases

Noun ɪnˈkjʊərəb(ə)l

• a person who cannot be cured.

squat⌗

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Verb skwɒt

• crouch or sit with one’s knees bent and one’s heels close to or touching one’s buttocks or the back of one’s thighs

  Synonyms: crouch/crouch down/hunker/hunker down/sit on one’s haunches/sit on one’s heels/sit/bend down/bob down/duck down/hunch/cower/cringe

  Examples:

  • I squatted down in front of him

• unlawfully occupy an uninhabited building or settle on a piece of land

  Examples:

  • eight families are squatting in the house

Adjective skwɒt

• short and thickset; disproportionately broad or wide

  Synonyms: stocky/dumpy/stubby/stumpy/short/thickset/heavily built/sturdy/sturdily built/heavyset/chunky/solid/low/stumpy/short/small/stocky/stunted

  Examples:

  • he was muscular and squat
  • a squat grey house

Noun skwɒt

• a squatting position.

• a building occupied by people living in it without the legal right to do so

  Examples:

  • a basement room in a North London squat

• Examples:

  • I didn’t know squat about writing plays

gossip⌗

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Noun ˈɡɒsɪp

• casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true

  Synonyms: chat/talk/conversation/chatter/heart-to-heart/tête-à-tête/blether/blather

  Examples:

  • he became the subject of much local gossip

Verb ˈɡɒsɪp

• engage in gossip

  Synonyms: spread rumours/spread gossip/circulate rumours/spread stories/tittle-tattle/tattle/talk/whisper/tell tales/muckrake/chat/talk/converse/speak to each other/discuss things/have a talk/have a chat/have a tête-à-tête/have a conversation/engage in conversation

  Examples:

  • they would start gossiping about her as soon as she left

choir⌗

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Noun ˈkwʌɪə

• an organized group of singers, especially one that takes part in church services or performs in public

  Synonyms: singers/chorus/chorale

  Examples:

  • a church choir
  • the choir of the University of Ulster

royal⌗

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Adjective ˈrɔɪəl

• having the status of a king or queen or a member of their family

  Synonyms: royal/regal/monarchal/monarchial/monarchical/sovereign/kingly/queenly/princely/majestic

  Examples:

  • contributors included members of the royal family

Noun ˈrɔɪəl

• a member of the royal family

  Synonyms: monarch/sovereign/king/queen/emperor/empress/tsar/tsarina/prince/princess/potentate/head of state/leader/chief/ruler/lord/overlord

  Examples:

  • the royals are coming under the TV microscope

• a paper size, 636 × 480 mm.

• a system of change-ringing using ten bells.

assured⌗

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Adjective əˈʃɔːd əˈʃʊəd

• confident

  Synonyms: self-confident/confident/self-assured/sure of oneself/positive/assertive/self-possessed/self-reliant/poised/filled with aplomb/phlegmatic/level-headed/cool-headed

  Examples:

  • an extremely assured performance

• protected against discontinuance or change

  Synonyms: guaranteed/certain/sure/secure/reliable/dependable/solid/sound/established

  Examples:

  • an assured tenancy

territorial⌗

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Adjective ˌtɛrɪˈtɔːrɪəl

• relating to the ownership of an area of land or sea

  Synonyms: geographical/topographical/zonal/territorial/topical

  Examples:

  • territorial disputes

• relating to a particular territory, district, or locality

  Synonyms: local/localized/devolved

  Examples:

  • a bizarre territorial rite

Noun ˌtɛrɪˈtɔːrɪəl

• (in the UK) a member of the Territorial Army.

prerogative⌗

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Noun prɪˈrɒɡətɪv

• a right or privilege exclusive to a particular individual or class

  Synonyms: entitlement/right/privilege/advantage/due/birthright

  Examples:

  • in some countries, higher education is predominantly the prerogative of the rich

Adjective prɪˈrɒɡətɪv

• arising from the prerogative of the Crown (usually delegated to the government or the judiciary) and based in common law rather than statutory law

  Examples:

  • the monarch retained the formal prerogative power to appoint the Prime Minister

amused⌗

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Adjective əˈmjuːzd

• finding something funny or entertaining

  Examples:

  • people looked on with amused curiosity

heredity⌗

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Noun hɪˈrɛdɪti

• the passing on of physical or mental characteristics genetically from one generation to another

  Synonyms: congenital characteristics/congenital traits/genetics/genetic make-up/genes

  Examples:

  • the relative influence of heredity and environment

• the inheritance of a title, office, or right

  Examples:

  • a second chamber whose membership is largely based on heredity

myopic⌗

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Adjective mʌɪˈɒpɪk

• short-sighted

  Synonyms: short-sighted

  Examples:

  • most myopic children can be fitted with glasses to correct their vision

streak⌗

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Noun striːk

• a long, thin line or mark of a different substance or colour from its surroundings

  Synonyms: band/line/strip/stripe/vein/slash/bar/mark/smear/smudge/stain/blotch

  Examples:

  • a streak of oil
  • she could see white streaks in his beard

• an element of a specified kind in someone’s character

  Synonyms: element/vein/trace/touch/dash/strain

  Examples:

  • there’s a streak of insanity in the family
  • Lucy had a ruthless streak

• an act of running naked in a public place so as to shock or amuse others

  Examples:

  • a streak for charity

Verb striːk

• cover (a surface) with streaks

  Synonyms: stripe/band/bar/fleck/mark/daub/smear/smudge/stain

  Examples:

  • tears streaking her face, Cynthia looked up
  • his beard was streaked with grey

• move very fast in a specified direction

  Synonyms: race/dash/rush/run/sprint/bolt/dart/gallop/career/charge/shoot/hurtle/hare/bound/fly/speed/zoom/go hell for leather/plunge/dive/whisk/scurry/scuttle/scamper/scramble

  Examples:

  • the cat streaked across the street

• run naked in a public place so as to shock or amuse others

  Examples:

  • the singer admitted to streaking in his home town in the seventies

incestuous⌗

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Adjective ɪnˈsɛstjʊəs

• involving or guilty of incest

  Examples:

  • the child of an incestuous relationship

• (of human relations) excessively close and resistant to outside influence

  Examples:

  • the incestuous nature of literary journalism

utterly⌗

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Adverb ˈʌtəli

• completely and without qualification; absolutely

  Examples:

  • he looked utterly ridiculous

kin⌗

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Noun kɪn

• one’s family and relations

  Synonyms: relatives/relations/family/family members/kindred/connections/clan/tribe/kith and kin/one’s own flesh and blood/nearest and dearest

  Examples:

  • many elderly people have no kin to turn to for assistance

Adjective kɪn

• (of a person) related

  Synonyms: related/akin/allied/close/connected with/cognate with

  Examples:

  • he was kin to the brothers

preoccupation⌗

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Noun prɪˌɒkjʊˈpeɪʃn

• the state or condition of being preoccupied or engrossed with something

  Synonyms: pensiveness/concentration/engrossment/absorption/self-absorption/musing/thinking/thinking of other things/deep thought/brown study/brooding

  Examples:

  • he began to overcome his preoccupation with germs

moral⌗

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Adjective ˈmɒrəl

• concerned with the principles of right and wrong behaviour

  Synonyms: virtuous/good/righteous/upright/upstanding/high-minded/right-minded/principled/proper/honourable/honest/just/noble/incorruptible/scrupulous/respectable/decent/irreproachable/truthful/law-abiding/clean-living/chaste/pure/blameless/sinless

  Examples:

  • the moral dimensions of medical intervention
  • a moral judgement

• holding or manifesting high principles for proper conduct

  Synonyms: virtuous/good/righteous/upright/upstanding/high-minded/right-minded/principled/proper/honourable/honest/just/noble/incorruptible/scrupulous/respectable/decent/irreproachable/truthful/law-abiding/clean-living/chaste/pure/blameless/sinless

  Examples:

  • he prides himself on being a highly moral and ethical person
  • he is a caring, moral man

Noun ˈmɒrəl

• a lesson that can be derived from a story or experience

  Synonyms: lesson/message/meaning/significance/signification/import/point/precept/teaching

  Examples:

  • the moral of this story was that one must see the beauty in what one has

• standards of behaviour; principles of right and wrong

  Synonyms: moral code/code of ethics/moral standards/moral values/principles/principles of right and wrong/rules of conduct/principles of behaviour/standards of behaviour/standards/morality/sense of morality/scruples/ideals

  Examples:

  • the corruption of public morals
  • they believe addicts have no morals and cannot be trusted

oblique⌗

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Adjective ə(ʊ)ˈbliːk

• neither parallel nor at right angles to a specified or implied line; slanting

  Synonyms: slanting/slanted/sloping/at an angle/angled/diagonal/aslant/slant/slantwise/sloped/inclined/inclining/tilted/tilting/atilt/skew/on the skew/askew

  Examples:

  • we sat on the settee oblique to the fireplace

• not expressed or done in a direct way

  Synonyms: indirect/inexplicit/roundabout/circuitous/circumlocutory/implicit/implied/elliptical/evasive/backhanded

  Examples:

  • he issued an oblique attack on the President

• denoting any case other than the nominative or vocative.

Noun ə(ʊ)ˈbliːk

• Synonyms: slash/forward slash/solidus/oblique stroke/backslash/diagonal/virgule/slant

• an oblique muscle

  Examples:

  • it is the obliques and abdominals which create the well-trained look

glove⌗

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Noun ɡlʌv

• a covering for the hand worn for protection against cold or dirt and typically having separate parts for each finger and the thumb

  Synonyms: mitten/mitt/gauntlet

  Examples:

  • rubber gloves
  • a pair of black leather gloves

Verb ɡlʌv

• (of a wicketkeeper, baseball catcher, etc.) catch, deflect, or touch (the ball) with a gloved hand

  Examples:

  • Vaughan gloved it and got to his knees to throw

revive⌗

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Verb rɪˈvʌɪv

• restore to life or consciousness

  Synonyms: resuscitate/bring round/bring to life/bring back/bring someone to their senses/bring someone back to their senses/bring back to consciousness/bring back from the edge of death/regain consciousness/recover consciousness/come round/come to life/come to one’s senses/recover/awake/wake up

  Examples:

  • both men collapsed, but were revived

soberly⌗

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Adverb ˈsəʊbəli

• in a serious, sensible, and solemn manner

  Examples:

  • we must soberly assess their actions
  • you spoke very soberly and seriously in your statement

• with moderation or self-restraint; temperately

  Examples:

  • the citizens lived soberly and simply

persevere⌗

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Verb ˌpəːsɪˈvɪə

• continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no indication of success

  Synonyms: persist/continue/carry on/go on/keep on/keep going/not give up/struggle on/hammer away/be persistent/be determined/follow something through/see something through/keep at it/show determination/press ahead/press on/stay with something/not take no for an answer/be tenacious/be pertinacious/be patient/stand one’s ground/stand fast/stand firm/hold on/hold out/go the distance/stay the course/plod on/plough on/grind away/stop at nothing/leave no stone unturned

  Examples:

  • his family persevered with his treatment

tale⌗

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Noun teɪl

• a fictitious or true narrative or story, especially one that is imaginatively recounted

  Synonyms: story/short story/narrative/anecdote/report/account/record/history/rumour/gossip/hearsay/slander/talk/allegation/tittle-tattle/libel/story

  Examples:

  • a delightful children’s tale
  • tales of witches and warlocks
  • she enjoyed hearing others tell their tales

• a number or total

  Examples:

  • an exact tale of the dead bodies

grin⌗

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Verb ɡrɪn

• smile broadly

  Synonyms: smile/smile broadly/beam/grin from ear to ear/smile from ear to ear/grin like a Cheshire cat/smirk

  Examples:

  • Dennis appeared, grinning cheerfully

Noun ɡrɪn

• a broad smile

  Synonyms: smile/broad smile/smirk

  Examples:

  • a silly grin

gallop⌗

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Noun ˈɡaləp

• the fastest pace of a horse or other quadruped, with all the feet off the ground together in each stride

  Examples:

  • the horse broke into a furious gallop
  • a mounted police charge at full gallop

Verb ˈɡaləp

• (of a horse) go at the pace of a gallop

  Examples:

  • we galloped along the sand

• proceed at great speed

  Examples:

  • don’t gallop through your speech

throaty⌗

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Adjective ˈθrəʊti

• (of a voice or other sound) deep and husky

  Synonyms: gravelly/husky/rough/guttural/deep/thick/gruff/growly/growling/hoarse/croaky/croaking

  Examples:

  • rich, throaty laughter

stun⌗

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Verb stʌn

• knock unconscious or into a dazed or semi-conscious state

  Synonyms: daze/stupefy/knock senseless/knock unconscious/knock out/lay out

  Examples:

  • the man was stunned by a blow to the head

• astonish or shock (someone) so that they are temporarily unable to react

  Synonyms: astound/amaze/astonish/startle/take someone’s breath away/dumbfound/stupefy/overwhelm/stagger/shock/confound/take aback/shake up

  Examples:

  • the community was stunned by the tragedy

fidget⌗

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Verb ˈfɪdʒɪt

• make small movements, especially of the hands and feet, through nervousness or impatience

  Synonyms: move restlessly/wriggle/squirm/twitch/jiggle/writhe/twist/shuffle/be jittery/be anxious/be agitated

  Examples:

  • the audience began to fidget and whisper

Noun ˈfɪdʒɪt

• a person who fidgets.

  Synonyms: restless person/bundle of nerves

curt⌗

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Adjective kəːt

• rudely brief

  Synonyms: terse/brusque/abrupt/clipped/blunt/short/monosyllabic/summary/snappy/snappish/sharp/crisp/tart

  Examples:

  • his reply was curt

sip⌗

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Verb sɪp

• drink (something) by taking small mouthfuls

  Synonyms: drink slowly/drink/taste/sample

  Examples:

  • I sat sipping coffee
  • she sipped at her tea

Noun sɪp

• a small mouthful of liquid

  Synonyms: mouthful/swallow/drink/drop/dram/nip

  Examples:

  • she took a sip of the red wine

disgust⌗

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Noun dɪsˈɡʌst

• a feeling of revulsion or strong disapproval aroused by something unpleasant or offensive

  Synonyms: revulsion/repugnance/aversion/distaste/abhorrence/loathing/detestation/odium/execration/horror

  Examples:

  • the sight filled her with disgust
  • some of the audience walked out in disgust

Verb dɪsˈɡʌst

• cause (someone) to feel revulsion or strong disapproval

  Synonyms: revolt/repel/repulse/sicken/nauseate/cause to feel nauseous/make shudder/turn someone’s stomach/make someone’s gorge rise/outrage/shock/horrify/appal/scandalize/offend/affront/dismay/displease/dissatisfy

  Examples:

  • they were disgusted by the violence

sting⌗

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Noun stɪŋ

• a small sharp-pointed organ at the end of the abdomen of bees, wasps, ants, and scorpions, capable of inflicting a painful or dangerous wound by injecting poison.

• a carefully planned operation, typically one involving deception

  Synonyms: swindle/fraud/piece of deception/trickery/cheat/bit of sharp practice

  Examples:

  • five blackmailers were jailed last week after they were snared in a police sting

Verb stɪŋ

• wound or pierce with a sting

  Synonyms: prick/wound/injure/hurt

  Examples:

  • he was stung by a jellyfish
  • a nettle stings if you brush it lightly

• swindle or exorbitantly overcharge (someone)

  Synonyms: swindle/defraud/cheat/fleece/gull

  Examples:

  • I had to buy some boxer shorts at the last minute and got stung for £42.50!

convey⌗

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Verb kənˈveɪ

• transport or carry to a place

  Synonyms: transport/carry/bring/take/fetch/bear/move/ferry/shuttle/shift/transfer

  Examples:

  • pipes were laid to convey water to the house

• transfer the title to (property)

  Synonyms: transfer/give the right of/give the title of/grant/cede/devolve/lease

  Examples:

  • no application for registration is required when the property is conveyed following a court order

comb⌗

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Noun kəʊm

• a strip of plastic, metal, or wood with a row of narrow teeth, used for untangling or arranging the hair.

• a device for separating and dressing textile fibres.

• the red fleshy crest on the head of a domestic fowl, especially a cock

  Examples:

  • a grey-speckled hen with a red comb and wattles

Verb kəʊm

• untangle or arrange (the hair) by drawing a comb through it

  Synonyms: groom/untangle/disentangle/smooth out/straighten/arrange/neaten/tidy/dress/rake

  Examples:

  • she combed her hair and put some lipstick on

• prepare (wool, flax, or cotton) for manufacture with a comb

  Synonyms: separate/dress/card/tease/hackle/heckle/hatchel

  Examples:

  • the wool had been cleaned and combed

• search carefully and systematically

  Synonyms: search/scour/look around in/explore/sweep/probe/hunt through/look through/scrabble about in/scrabble around in/root about in/root around in/ferret in/ferret about in/ferret in/ferret around in/rummage about in/rummage round in/rummage around in/rummage in/rummage through/forage through/fish about in/fish around in/poke about in/poke around in/dig in/grub about in/grub around in/delve in/go through/sift through/rake/rifle through/ransack/turn over/go through with a fine-tooth comb

  Examples:

  • police combed the area for the murder weapon
  • his mother combed through the cardboard boxes

firm⌗

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Adjective fəːm

• having a solid, almost unyielding surface or structure

  Synonyms: hard/solid/unyielding/resistant

  Examples:

  • the bed should be reasonably firm, but not too hard

• strongly felt and unlikely to change

  Examples:

  • he retains a firm belief in the efficacy of prayer

Verb fəːm

• make more solid or resilient

  Examples:

  • how can I firm up a sagging bustline?

Adverb fəːm

• in a resolute and determined manner

  Examples:

  • the Chancellor has held firm to tough economic policies
  • she will stand firm against the proposal

Noun fəːm

• a business concern, especially one involving a partnership of two or more people

  Synonyms: company/business/concern/enterprise/venture/undertaking/house/establishment/organization/corporation/conglomerate/franchise/cooperative/office/bureau/service/agency/practice/partnership/consortium/syndicate

  Examples:

  • state support for small firms
  • a law firm

inflection⌗

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Noun ɪnˈflɛkʃn

• a change in the form of a word (typically the ending) to express a grammatical function or attribute such as tense, mood, person, number, case, and gender

  Synonyms: conjugation/declension

  Examples:

  • a set of word forms differing only in respect of inflections

• the modulation of intonation or pitch in the voice

  Synonyms: stress/cadence/rhythm/accentuation/intonation/emphasis/modulation/metre/measure/rise and fall/swing/lilt/beat/change of pitch/change of tone/change of timbre

  Examples:

  • she spoke slowly and without inflection
  • the variety of his vocal inflections

• a change of curvature from convex to concave at a particular point on a curve

  Synonyms: curving/curvature/bending/turning

  Examples:

  • the point of inflection of the bell-shaped curve

elusive⌗

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Adjective ɪˈl(j)uːsɪv

• difficult to find, catch, or achieve

  Synonyms: difficult to catch/difficult to find/difficult to track down

  Examples:

  • success will become ever more elusive

isolation⌗

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Noun ʌɪsəˈleɪʃən

• the process or fact of isolating or being isolated

  Synonyms: separation/segregation/setting apart/keeping apart/solitariness/loneliness/friendlessness/lack of contact/exile/sense of exile/aloneness/remoteness/seclusion/loneliness/inaccessibility

  Examples:

  • isolation from family and friends may also contribute to anxiety

neglect⌗

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Verb nɪˈɡlɛkt

• fail to care for properly

  Synonyms: uncared for/mistreated/abandoned/forsaken/run down/derelict/dilapidated/tumbledown/ramshackle/untended/unmaintained/fail to look after/fail to care for/fail to provide for/leave alone/abandon

  Examples:

  • the old churchyard has been sadly neglected

Noun nɪˈɡlɛkt

• the state of being uncared for

  Synonyms: disrepair/dilapidation/deterioration/shabbiness/disuse/abandonment

  Examples:

  • the place had a hopeless air of neglect

breeding⌗

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Noun ˈbriːdɪŋ

• the mating and production of offspring by animals

  Synonyms: reproduction/reproducing/procreation/multiplying/propagation/rearing/raising/nurturing

  Examples:

  • the flooding of the rivers is a trigger for breeding to start

• the good manners regarded as characteristic of the aristocracy and conferred by heredity

  Synonyms: upbringing/rearing/manners/good manners/gentility/refinement/cultivation/culture/polish/civility/urbanity

  Examples:

  • that’s the kind of modesty you get from good breeding

slam⌗

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Verb slam

• shut (a door, window, or lid) forcefully and loudly

  Synonyms: bang/close with a bang/shut with a bang/close noisily/shut noisily/close with a crash/shut with a crash/close with force/shut with force/fling shut

  Examples:

  • he slams the door behind him as he leaves

• criticize severely

  Synonyms: criticize/find fault with/censure/denounce/condemn/arraign/attack/lambast/pillory/disapprove of/carp at/cavil at/rail against/inveigh against/cast aspersions on/pour scorn on/disparage/denigrate/deprecate/malign/vilify/besmirch/run down/give a bad press to

  Examples:

  • the new TV soap was slammed as being cynical and irresponsible

• (of a telephone company) take over the account of (a telephone customer) without their permission

  Examples:

  • they will provide compensation in cases where it can be shown that the customer had been slammed

Noun slam

• a loud bang caused by the forceful shutting of something such as a door

  Examples:

  • the door closed with a slam

• prison

  Examples:

  • if he challenged the judge, he was definitely going to the slam

• a poetry contest in which competitors recite their entries and are judged by members of the audience, the winner being elected after several elimination rounds

  Examples:

  • a poetry slam
  • slams will be spreading out to suburban poetry clubs

• a grand slam (all thirteen tricks) or small slam (twelve tricks), for which bonus points are scored if bid and made.

venue⌗

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Noun ˈvɛnjuː

• the place where something happens, especially an organized event such as a concert, conference, or sports competition

  Synonyms: place/site/spot/area

  Examples:

  • the club is the city’s main venue for live music

impress⌗

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Verb ɪmˈprɛs

• make (someone) feel admiration and respect

  Synonyms: make an impression on/have an impact on/influence/affect/leave a mark on/move/stir/rouse/excite/inspire/galvanize

  Examples:

  • they immediately impressed the judges
  • I was always impressed by the quality of the students
  • he has to put on an act to impress

• make a mark or design on (an object) using a stamp or seal

  Examples:

  • the company should impress the cards with a stamp

• fix an idea in the mind of (someone)

  Synonyms: emphasize to/stress to/bring home to/establish in someone’s mind/fix deeply in someone’s mind/instil in/inculcate in/drum into/knock into/drive into/din into/ingrain in/leave in no doubt

  Examples:

  • nobody impressed on me the need to save

• apply (an electric current or potential) from an external source.

Noun ˈɪmprɛs

• an act of making an impression or mark

  Examples:

  • bluish marks made by the impress of his fingers

Verb ɪmˈprɛs

• force (someone) to serve in an army or navy

  Examples:

  • a number of Poles, impressed into the German army

venerable⌗

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Adjective ˈvɛn(ə)rəbl

• accorded a great deal of respect, especially because of age, wisdom, or character

  Synonyms: respected/venerated/revered/reverenced/worshipped/honoured/esteemed/hallowed/august/distinguished/acclaimed/celebrated/lionized

  Examples:

  • a venerable statesman

inaudible⌗

Back⌗

Adjective ɪnˈɔːdɪb(ə)l

• unable to be heard

  Synonyms: unheard/not heard/out of earshot

  Examples:

  • inaudible pulses of high-frequency sound

cord⌗

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Noun kɔːd

• thin, flexible string or rope made from several twisted strands

  Synonyms: string/thread/thong/lace/ribbon/strap/tape/tie/line/rope/cable/wire/ligature

  Examples:

  • hang the picture from a rail on a length of cord
  • my hands were tied with cord

• ribbed fabric, especially corduroy

  Examples:

  • the cloth for their suits was cord
  • cord jackets

• a measure of cut wood (usually 128 cu. ft, 3.62 cubic metres).

Verb kɔːd

• attach a cord to

  Examples:

  • you will need to cord the blind
  • a corded curtain track

facade⌗

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Noun fəˈsɑːd

• the principal front of a building, that faces on to a street or open space

  Synonyms: front/frontage/face/aspect/elevation/exterior/outside

  Examples:

  • the house has a half-timbered facade

• a deceptive outward appearance

  Synonyms: show/front/appearance/false display/pretence/simulation/affectation/semblance/illusion/posture/pose/sham/fake/act/masquerade/charade/guise/mask/cloak/veil/veneer

  Examples:

  • her flawless public facade masked private despair

disgrace⌗

Back⌗

Noun dɪsˈɡreɪs

• loss of reputation or respect as the result of a dishonourable action

  Synonyms: dishonour/shame/ignominy/discredit/degradation/disrepute/ill-repute/infamy/scandal/stigma/odium/opprobrium/obloquy/condemnation/vilification/contempt/disrespect/disapproval/disfavour/disapprobation/in disgrace/unpopular/in bad odour

  Examples:

  • he left the army in disgrace
  • if he’d gone back it would have brought disgrace on the family

Verb dɪsˈɡreɪs

• bring shame or discredit on

  Synonyms: bring shame on/shame/dishonour/discredit/bring into disrepute/degrade/debase/defame/stigmatize/taint/sully/tarnish/besmirch/stain/blacken/drag through the mire/drag through the mud/give a bad name to/put in a bad light/reflect badly on

  Examples:

  • you have disgraced the family name
  • John stiffened his jaw so he wouldn’t disgrace himself by crying

bulb⌗

Back⌗

Noun bʌlb

• a rounded underground storage organ present in some plants, notably those of the lily family, consisting of a short stem surrounded by fleshy scale leaves or leaf bases, lying dormant over winter.

  Synonyms: tuber/corm/rhizome

• a light bulb.

• an expanded part of a glass tube such as that forming the reservoir of a thermometer.

oblivious⌗

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Adjective əˈblɪvɪəs

• not aware of or concerned about what is happening around one

  Synonyms: unaware/unconscious/heedless/unmindful/insensible/unheeding/ignorant/blind/deaf/unsuspecting/unobservant/disregardful/unconcerned/impervious/unaffected/insensitive/indifferent/detached/removed

  Examples:

  • she became absorbed, oblivious to the passage of time

reveal⌗

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Verb rɪˈviːl

• make (previously unknown or secret information) known to others

  Synonyms: divulge/disclose/tell/let out/let slip/let drop/let fall/give away/give the game away/give the show away/blurt/blurt out/babble/give out/release/leak/betray/open up/unveil/bring out into the open

  Examples:

  • Brenda was forced to reveal Robbie’s whereabouts
  • he revealed that he had received death threats

Noun rɪˈviːl

• (in a film or television programme) a final revelation of information that has previously been kept from the characters or viewers

  Examples:

  • the big reveal at the end of the movie answers all questions

Noun rɪˈviːl

• either side surface of an aperture in a wall for a door or window

  Examples:

  • the gate can be easily fitted to the face or reveal of a window or door aperture
  • the deep reveals of small square windows

mysterious⌗

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Adjective mɪˈstɪərɪəs

• difficult or impossible to understand, explain, or identify

  Synonyms: puzzling/strange/peculiar/curious/funny/queer/odd/weird/bizarre/mystifying/inexplicable/baffling/perplexing/bewildering/confusing/uncanny/dark/impenetrable/incomprehensible/unexplainable/unfathomable/Delphic/sibylline/unaccountable/insoluble/obscure

  Examples:

  • his colleague had vanished in mysterious circumstances
  • a mysterious benefactor provided the money

obedience⌗

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Noun ə(ʊ)ˈbiːdɪəns

• compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another’s authority

  Synonyms: compliance/acquiescence/tractability/tractableness/amenability

  Examples:

  • children were taught to show their parents obedience
  • obedience to moral standards

sickening⌗

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Adjective ˈsɪk(ə)nɪŋ

• causing or liable to cause a feeling of nausea or disgust

  Synonyms: nauseating/stomach-turning/stomach-churning/repulsive/revolting/disgusting/repellent/repugnant/appalling/abominable/hideous/horrible/awful/dreadful/terrible/obnoxious/nauseous/vile/nasty/foul/loathsome/offensive/objectionable/off-putting/distasteful/disagreeable/uninviting

  Examples:

  • a sickening stench of blood
  • she hit the ground with a sickening thud

definite⌗

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Adjective ˈdɛf(ɪ)nɪt

• clearly stated or decided; not vague or doubtful

  Synonyms: explicit/specific/express/precise/exact/defined/well defined/clear-cut/unmistakable/irrefutable/unequivocal/unambiguous/certain/undisputed/decided/marked/distinct/unquestioned/not in question/not in doubt

  Examples:

  • we had no definite plans

comic⌗

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Adjective ˈkɒmɪk

• causing or meant to cause laughter

  Synonyms: humorous/funny/droll/amusing/entertaining/diverting/absurd/ridiculous/comical/chucklesome/farcical/silly/slapstick/hilarious/uproarious/hysterical/hysterically funny/zany

  Examples:

  • a comic monologue

Noun ˈkɒmɪk

• a comedian

  Synonyms: comedian/comedienne/funny man/funny woman/comedy actor/comedy actress/humorist/wit/wag/quipster

  Examples:

  • he is training as a stand-up comic

• a periodical containing comic strips, intended chiefly for children

  Synonyms: cartoon paper/comic paper/funny magazine/comic book/graphic novel

  Examples:

  • the shop sold newspapers and children’s comics

incapable⌗

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Adjective ɪnˈkeɪpəbl

• unable to do or achieve (something)

  Synonyms: unable to/not capable of/lacking the ability to/not equipped to/lacking the experience to

  Examples:

  • Wilson blushed and was incapable of speech

• unable to behave rationally or manage one’s affairs

  Synonyms: incapacitated/helpless/powerless/impotent

  Examples:

  • the pilot may become incapable from the lack of oxygen

stale⌗

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Adjective steɪl

• (of food) no longer fresh and pleasant to eat; hard, musty, or dry

  Synonyms: dry/dried out/hard/hardened/old/past its best/past its sell-by date

  Examples:

  • stale bread

Verb steɪl

• make or become stale

  Examples:

  • she would cut up yesterday’s leftover bread, staling now

Verb steɪl

• (of an animal, especially a horse) urinate

  Examples:

  • the horse staled while he was riding

pasture⌗

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Noun ˈpɑːstʃə

• land covered with grass and other low plants suitable for grazing animals, especially cattle or sheep

  Synonyms: grazing land/grazing/grassland/grass/pastureland/pasturage/range/ley/paddock/croft

  Examples:

  • areas of rich meadow pasture
  • many a horse was put out to pasture there
  • grassy pastures
  • a range of pasture grasses

• used to refer to a person’s situation in life

  Examples:

  • she left the office for pastures new

Verb ˈpɑːstʃə

• put (animals) to graze in a pasture

  Examples:

  • they pastured their cows in the water meadow

antagonize⌗

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Verb anˈtaɡənʌɪz

• cause (someone) to become hostile or angry

  Synonyms: arouse hostility in/alienate/set someone against someone else/estrange/disaffect

  Examples:

  • he antagonized fellow architects by criticizing traditional values
  • she seemed reckless in the way she deliberately tried to antagonize her interviewers

• (of a substance) act as an antagonist of (a substance or its action)

  Examples:

  • two other drugs antagonized the antidepressant-like effect

pigsty⌗

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Noun ˈpɪɡstʌɪ

• a pen or enclosure for a pig or pigs.

  Synonyms: complete mess/pigsty

pigpen⌗

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Noun ˈpɪɡpɛn

• a pigsty.

  Synonyms: complete mess/pigsty

triumphant⌗

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Adjective trʌɪˈʌmf(ə)nt

• having won a battle or contest; victorious

  Synonyms: victorious/successful/winning/prize-winning/conquering

  Examples:

  • two of their triumphant Cup team
  • a comic fairy tale about innocence triumphant

sleeve⌗

Back⌗

Noun sliːv

• the part of a garment that wholly or partly covers a person’s arm

  Synonyms: sleeve

  Examples:

  • a shirt with the sleeves rolled up

• a protective paper or cardboard cover for a record, CD, or DVD

  Synonyms: wrapping/wrapper/wrap/sleeve/sheath/sheathing/envelope/cover/covering

  Examples:

  • an album sleeve

• a windsock.

toe⌗

Back⌗

Noun təʊ

• any of the five digits at the end of the human foot

  Synonyms: bottom/base/toe/edge/end/lowest part/lowest point/lower limits

  Examples:

  • he cut his big toe on a sharp stone

• the lower end, tip, or point of something.

Verb təʊ

• push, touch, or kick with one’s toe

  Examples:

  • he toed off his shoes and flexed his feet

• walk with the toes pointed in (or out)

  Examples:

  • he toes out when he walks

crease⌗

Back⌗

Noun kriːs

• a line or ridge produced on paper or cloth by folding, pressing, or crushing

  Synonyms: fold/groove/ridge/furrow/line/ruck/pleat/tuck/corrugation

  Examples:

  • khaki trousers with knife-edge creases

• any of a number of lines marked on the pitch at specified places, especially one defining the position of a batter.

• an area around the goal in ice hockey or lacrosse which the players may not enter unless the puck or the ball has already done so

  Examples:

  • he was caught in the crease without the puck

Verb kriːs

• make a crease in (cloth or paper)

  Synonyms: crumple/wrinkle/crinkle/scrunch up/rumple/line/pucker/crimp/ruck up/gather/furrow/press/iron/put a crease in/fold

  Examples:

  • he sank into the chair, careful not to crease his dinner jacket

• burst out or cause to burst out laughing

  Synonyms: entertain/make laugh/delight/divert/gladden/cheer/cheer up/please/charm/tickle/convulse/beguile/enliven/regale

  Examples:

  • Jo could imitate anybody and always made him crease up

• hit or punch (someone) hard

  Examples:

  • clap or I’ll crease you

• (of a bullet) graze (someone or something)

  Examples:

  • a bullet creased his thigh

kerchief⌗

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Noun ˈkəːtʃɪf ˈkəːtʃiːf

• a piece of fabric used to cover the head.

appoint⌗

Back⌗

Verb əˈpɔɪnt

• assign a job or role to (someone)

  Synonyms: nominate/name/designate/install as/commission/engage/adopt/co-opt

  Examples:

  • she has been appointed to the board
  • they appointed her as personnel manager

• determine or decide on (a time or a place)

  Synonyms: specify/determine/assign/designate/allot/set/fix/arrange/choose/decide on/establish/settle/authorize/ordain/prescribe/decree

  Examples:

  • they appointed a day in May for the meeting

• decide the disposition of (property of which one is not the owner) under powers granted by the owner

  Examples:

  • trustees appoint the capital to the beneficiaries

tremble⌗

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Verb ˈtrɛmbl

• (of a person or part of the body) shake involuntarily, typically as a result of anxiety, excitement, or frailty

  Synonyms: shake/shake like a leaf/quiver/twitch/palpitate

  Examples:

  • Isobel was trembling with excitement

Noun ˈtrɛmbl

• a trembling feeling, movement, or sound

  Synonyms: tremor/shake/shakiness/trembling/quiver/twitch/twitchiness

  Examples:

  • there was a slight tremble in his voice

• a physical or emotional condition marked by trembling.

violently⌗

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Adverb ˈvʌɪələntli

• using physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something

  Examples:

  • I was once violently assaulted on a bus

• in a very strong or vigorous manner

  Examples:

  • he coughed violently
  • the aircraft began violently shaking

fuss⌗

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Noun fʌs

• a display of unnecessary or excessive excitement, activity, or interest

  Synonyms: ado/excitement/agitation/uproar/to-do/stir/commotion/confusion/disturbance/tumult/hubbub/rigmarole/folderol/brouhaha/furore/much ado about nothing

  Examples:

  • I don’t know what all the fuss is about

Verb fʌs

• show unnecessary or excessive concern about something

  Synonyms: worry/fret/be agitated/be worried/take pains/make a big thing out of

  Examples:

  • she’s always fussing about her food

accustom⌗

Back⌗

Verb əˈkʌstəm

• make someone or something accept (something) as normal or usual

  Synonyms: adapt/adjust/acclimatize/attune/habituate/accommodate/assimilate/acculturate/inure/harden/condition/reconcile/become resigned/resign

  Examples:

  • I accustomed my eyes to the lenses
  • sixth-form education is supposed to accustom pupils to think for themselves

attitude⌗

Back⌗

Noun ˈatɪtjuːd

• a settled way of thinking or feeling about something

  Synonyms: point of view/view/viewpoint/vantage point/frame of mind/way of thinking/way of looking at things/school of thought/outlook/angle/slant/perspective/reaction/stance/standpoint/position/inclination/orientation/approach

  Examples:

  • he was questioned on his attitude to South Africa
  • being competitive is an attitude of mind

• truculent or uncooperative behaviour

  Examples:

  • I asked the waiter for a clean fork and all I got was attitude

• the orientation of an aircraft or spacecraft, relative to the direction of travel.

shin⌗

Back⌗

Noun ʃɪn

• the front of the leg below the knee.

Verb ʃɪn

• climb quickly up or down by gripping with one’s arms and legs

  Synonyms: climb/climb down/climb up/clamber down/clamber up/scramble down/scramble up/scrabble down/scrabble up/swarm down/swarm up/shoot down/shoot up/go down/go up

  Examples:

  • he shinned up a tree

morbid⌗

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Adjective ˈmɔːbɪd

• characterized by an unusual interest in disturbing and unpleasant subjects, especially death and disease

  Synonyms: ghoulish/macabre/unhealthy/gruesome/grisly/grotesque/ghastly/horrible/unwholesome/death-obsessed

  Examples:

  • he had a morbid fascination with the horrors of contemporary warfare
  • I used to enjoy murder trials—not for any morbid curiosity, but for the drama unfolding

• of the nature of or indicative of disease

  Synonyms: diseased/pathological

  Examples:

  • the treatment of morbid obesity

irritation⌗

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Noun ˌɪrɪˈteɪʃn

• the state of feeling annoyed, impatient, or slightly angry

  Synonyms: annoyance/infuriation/exasperation/vexation/indignation/impatience/crossness/displeasure/resentment/gall/chagrin/pique

  Examples:

  • much to my irritation, Chris fell asleep

• inflammation or other discomfort in a body part caused by reaction to an irritant substance

  Examples:

  • some chemicals cause a direct irritation to the skin leading to dermatitis

irritable⌗

Back⌗

Adjective ˈɪrɪtəbl

• having or showing a tendency to be easily annoyed

  Synonyms: bad-tempered/irascible/tetchy/testy/touchy/scratchy/grumpy/grouchy/moody/crotchety/in a mood/in a bad mood/cantankerous/curmudgeonly/ill-tempered/ill-natured/ill-humoured/peevish/having got out of bed on the wrong side/cross/fractious/disagreeable/pettish/crabbed/crabby/waspish/prickly/peppery/crusty/splenetic/shrewish/short-tempered/hot-tempered/quick-tempered/dyspeptic/choleric/bilious/liverish/cross-grained

  Examples:

  • she was tired and irritable

• (of a body part) abnormally sensitive.

entail⌗

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Verb ɪnˈteɪl ɛnˈteɪl

• involve (something) as a necessary or inevitable part or consequence

  Synonyms: necessitate/make necessary/require/need/demand/call for

  Examples:

  • a situation which entails considerable risks

• limit the inheritance of (property) over a number of generations so that ownership remains within a particular family or group

  Examples:

  • her father’s estate was entailed on a cousin

Noun ɪnˈteɪl ɛnˈteɪl

• a limitation of the inheritance of property to certain heirs over a number of generations

  Examples:

  • the damage being done in England by entails
  • landed property was governed by primogeniture and entail

subpoena⌗

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Noun səˈpiːnə

• a writ ordering a person to attend a court

  Synonyms: order/command/directive/direction/decree/edict/injunction/mandate/dictate/commandment/diktat/demand/bidding/requirement/stipulation/charge/ruling/mandate/pronouncement

  Examples:

  • a subpoena may be issued to compel their attendance
  • they were all under subpoena to appear

Verb səˈpiːnə

• summon (someone) with a subpoena

  Synonyms: summon/summons/serve with a summons/subpoena/serve with a writ/call

  Examples:

  • the Queen is above the law and cannot be subpoenaed

jury⌗

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Noun ˈdʒʊəri

• a body of people (typically twelve in number) sworn to give a verdict in a legal case on the basis of evidence submitted to them in court

  Examples:

  • the jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts

Verb ˈdʒʊəri

• judge (an art or craft exhibition or exhibit)

  Examples:

  • the exhibition was juried by a nationally acclaimed artist
  • he had a painting in the juried exhibition

Adjective ˈdʒʊəri

• (of a mast or other fitting) improvised or temporary

  Synonyms: temporary/provisional/interim/pro tem/short-term/working/makeshift/improvised/emergency/impromptu/rough and ready

  Examples:

  • we need to get that jury rudder fixed

strap⌗

Back⌗

Noun strap

• a strip of leather, cloth, or other flexible material, used to fasten, secure, or carry something or to hold on to something

  Synonyms: thong/tie/cord/band/belt/tape

  Examples:

  • her bra strap
  • the strap of his shoulder bag

Verb strap

• fasten or secure in a specified place or position with a strap

  Synonyms: fasten/secure/tie/bind/make fast/lash

  Examples:

  • I had to strap the bag to my bicycle
  • the children were strapped into their car seats

• beat (someone) with a strip of leather

  Synonyms: beat/flog/whip/leather/belt/thrash/lash/horsewhip/birch/cane/strike/hit/clout

  Examples:

  • I expected when my dad walked in that he’d strap him

elucidate⌗

Back⌗

Verb ɪˈl(j)uːsɪdeɪt

• make (something) clear; explain

  Synonyms: explain/make clear/make plain/illuminate/shed light on/throw light on/clarify

  Examples:

  • work such as theirs will help to elucidate this matter
  • in what follows I shall try to elucidate what I believe the problems to be

circuit⌗

Back⌗

Noun ˈsəːkɪt

• a roughly circular line, route, or movement that starts and finishes at the same place

  Synonyms: lap/turn/tour/round/circle/orbit/revolution/loop

  Examples:

  • I ran a circuit of the village

• an established itinerary of events or venues used for a particular activity, typically involving sport or public performance

  Examples:

  • the alternative cabaret circuit

• a complete and closed path around which a circulating electric current can flow

  Examples:

  • the maximum number of light fittings on a circuit is twelve

Verb ˈsəːkɪt

• move all the way around (a place or thing)

  Examples:

  • the trains will follow the Northern line, circuiting the capital

mule⌗

Back⌗

Noun mjuːl

• the offspring of a donkey and a horse (strictly, a male donkey and a female horse), typically sterile and used as a beast of burden.

  Synonyms: ass

• a hybrid plant or animal, especially a sterile one.

• a kind of spinning machine producing yarn on spindles, invented by Samuel Crompton in 1779.

• a small tractor or locomotive, typically one that is electrically powered.

• a coin with the obverse and reverse of designs not originally intended to be used together.

Noun mjuːl

• a woman’s slipper or light shoe without a back.

  Synonyms: mule/moccasin/house shoe/pump/mule

witness⌗

Back⌗

Noun ˈwɪtnɪs

• a person who sees an event, typically a crime or accident, take place

  Synonyms: observer/onlooker/looker-on/eyewitness/spectator/viewer/watcher

  Examples:

  • police are appealing for witnesses to the accident
  • I was witness to one of the most amazing comebacks in sprinting history

• evidence; proof

  Synonyms: evidence/indication/proof/testimony

  Examples:

  • the memorial service was witness to the wide circle of his interests

• a line or remnant of an original surface on a workpiece to show how much material has been removed or the shape of the original outline.

Verb ˈwɪtnɪs

• see (an event, typically a crime or accident) happen

  Synonyms: see/observe/watch/look on at/be a witness to/view/note/notice/spot

  Examples:

  • staff who witnessed the murder

• have knowledge of (a development) from observation or experience

Examples:

• what we are witnessing is the birth of a new political entity

• openly profess one’s religious faith

Examples:

• one of the purposes of his coming was to nerve the disciples to witness to Jesus

impassive⌗

Back⌗

Adjective ɪmˈpasɪv

• not feeling or showing emotion

  Synonyms: expressionless/unexpressive/inexpressive/inscrutable/blank/deadpan/poker-faced/straight-faced/dispassionate

  Examples:

  • his cold, impassive face

casual⌗

Back⌗

Adjective ˈkaʒʊ(ə)l

• relaxed and unconcerned

  Synonyms: relaxed/friendly/natural/informal/unceremonious/unpretentious/easy-going/free and easy/uninhibited/open

  Examples:

  • a casual attitude to life

• not regular or permanent.

  Synonyms: temporary/part-time/impermanent/freelance- happening by chance; accidental

  Synonyms: chance/accidental/random/unintentional/unplanned/unintended/inadvertent/unexpected/unforeseen/unanticipated/unlooked-for/occurring by accident/occurring by chance/fortuitous/coincidental/fluky/serendipitous/adventitious/aleatory

  Examples:

  • he pretended it was a casual meeting

• without formality of style or manner, in particular (of clothing) suitable for everyday wear rather than formal occasions

  Synonyms: informal/not formal/relaxed/comfortable/sloppy/leisure/sportif/everyday

  Examples:

  • a casual short-sleeved shirt
  • an ideal coat for casual occasions

Noun ˈkaʒʊ(ə)l

• a person who does something irregularly

Examples:

• a number of casuals became regular customers

• clothes or shoes suitable for everyday wear rather than formal occasions

Examples:

• she designs women’s casuals

• a youth belonging to a subculture characterized by the wearing of expensive casual clothing and frequently associated with football hooliganism.

sack⌗

Back⌗

Noun sak

• a large bag made of a strong material such as hessian, thick paper, or plastic, used for storing and carrying goods.

  Synonyms: bag/pack/pouch/pocket- a woman’s short loose unwaisted dress, typically narrowing at the hem, popular especially in the 1950s.

• dismissal from employment

  Synonyms: dismissal/discharge/redundancy/termination of employment/one’s marching orders

  Examples:

  • he got the sack for swearing
  • they were given the sack

• bed, especially as regarded as a place for sex.

  Synonyms: bed- a base.

• an act of tackling of a quarterback behind the line of scrimmage.

Verb sak

• dismiss from employment

  Synonyms: dismiss/give someone their notice/throw out/get rid of/lay off/let go/discharge/cashier

  Examples:

  • any official found to be involved would be sacked on the spot

• tackle (a quarterback) behind the line of scrimmage before they can throw a pass

Examples:

• Oregon intercepted five of his passes and sacked him five times

• put into a sack or sacks

Examples:

• a small part of his wheat had been sacked

Verb sak

• (chiefly in historical contexts) plunder and destroy (a captured town or building)

  Synonyms: ravage/lay waste/devastate/ransack/strip/fleece/plunder/pillage/loot/rob/raid

  Examples:

  • the fort was rebuilt in AD 158 and was sacked again in AD 197

Noun sak

• the pillaging of a town or city

  Synonyms: laying waste/ransacking/plunder/plundering/sacking/looting/ravaging/pillage/pillaging/devastation/depredation/stripping/robbery/robbing/raiding

  Examples:

  • the sack of Rome

Noun sak

• a dry white wine formerly imported into Britain from Spain and the Canaries

Examples:

• the Poet Laureate traditionally gets a ‘butt of sack’, equivalent to roughly 600 bottles of sherry

standstill⌗

Back⌗

Noun ˈstan(d)stɪl

• a situation or condition in which there is no movement or activity at all

  Synonyms: halt/stop/dead stop/stand

  Examples:

  • the traffic came to a standstill

skew⌗

Back⌗

Adjective skjuː

• neither parallel nor at right angles to a specified or implied line; askew; crooked

  Synonyms: crooked/awry/askew/lopsided/uneven/asymmetrical/to one side/off-centre/skewed/skew/misaligned

  Examples:

  • his hat looked slightly skew
  • a skew angle

• (of a pair of lines) neither parallel nor intersecting.

• (of a statistical distribution) not symmetrical.

Noun skjuː

• an oblique angle; a slant.

  Synonyms: slope/incline/tilt/ramp/gradient/pitch/angle/rake/cant/camber/skew/leaning/inclination/shelving/listing- a bias towards one particular group or subject

  Synonyms: misrepresentation/perversion/twisting/falsification/misreporting/misstatement/manipulation

  Examples:

  • the paper had a working-class skew

• the state of not being symmetrical.

Verb skjuː

• suddenly change direction or position

  Synonyms: distort/misrepresent/change/alter/pervert/falsify/warp/skew/put the wrong slant on/misinterpret/misconstrue/misstate/misquote/quote out of context/take out of context/misreport

  Examples:

  • the car had skewed across the track

• make biased or distorted in a way that is regarded as inaccurate, unfair, or misleading

  Synonyms: biased/prejudiced/partisan/one-sided/slanted/skewed/coloured/interested/parti pris/discriminatory/preferential/jaundiced

  Examples:

  • the curriculum is skewed towards the practical subjects

• cause (a distribution) to be asymmetrical

  Synonyms: asymmetrical/unsymmetrical/uneven/unevenly balanced/unbalanced/off-balance/off-centre/unequal/askew/skew/skewed/squint/tilted/tilting/crooked/sloping/slanted/aslant/one-sided/out of true/out of line/to one side/awry

  Examples:

  • the distributions were skewed to the right

oath⌗

Back⌗

Noun əʊθ

• a solemn promise, often invoking a divine witness, regarding one’s future action or behaviour

  Synonyms: vow/sworn statement/promise/pledge/avowal/affirmation/attestation/word of honour/word/bond/guarantee/guaranty

  Examples:

  • they took an oath of allegiance to the king

• a coarse or blasphemous word or phrase used to express anger or other strong emotion

  Synonyms: swear word/profanity/expletive/four-letter word/dirty word/obscenity/imprecation/curse/malediction/blasphemy

  Examples:

  • he exploded with a mouthful of oaths
  • he was muttering foul oaths

academic⌗

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Adjective ˌakəˈdɛmɪk

• relating to education and scholarship

  Synonyms: educational/scholastic/instructional/pedagogical/scholarly/studious/literary/well read/intellectual/clever/erudite/learned/educated/cultured/bookish/highbrow/pedantic/donnish/cerebral/serious

  Examples:

  • academic achievement
  • he had no academic qualifications

• not of practical relevance; of only theoretical interest

  Synonyms: theoretical/conceptual/notional/philosophical/unpragmatic/hypothetical/speculative/conjectural/conjectured/suppositional/putative

  Examples:

  • the debate has been largely academic

Noun ˌakəˈdɛmɪk

• a teacher or scholar in a university or other institute of higher education

  Synonyms: scholar/lecturer/don/teacher/educator/instructor/trainer/tutor/professor/fellow/man of letters/woman of letters/highbrow/thinker/bluestocking

  Examples:

  • the EU offers grants to academics for research on approved projects

dramatic⌗

Back⌗

Adjective drəˈmatɪk

• relating to drama or the performance or study of drama

Examples:

• the dramatic arts
• a dramatic society

• (of an event or circumstance) sudden and striking

  Synonyms: considerable/substantial/sizeable/goodly/fair/reasonable/tidy/marked/pronounced

  Examples:

  • a dramatic increase in recorded crime

trauma⌗

Back⌗

Noun ˈtrɔːmə ˈtraʊmə

• a deeply distressing or disturbing experience

  Synonyms: torment/agony/suffering/pain

  Examples:

  • a personal trauma like the death of a child
  • many experience the trauma of divorce

• physical injury

  Synonyms: injury/damage/hurt/wound/wounding/sore/bruise/cut/laceration/lesion/abrasion/contusion

  Examples:

  • rupture of the diaphragm caused by blunt trauma

character⌗

Back⌗

Noun ˈkarɪktə

• the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual

  Synonyms: personality/nature/disposition/temperament/temper/mentality/turn of mind/psychology/psyche/constitution/make-up/make/stamp/mould/cast

  Examples:

  • running away was not in keeping with her character

• a person in a novel, play, or film

  Synonyms: persona/person/role/part

  Examples:

  • the author’s compassionate identification with his characters

• a printed or written letter or symbol.

• a characteristic, especially one that assists in the identification of a species.

  Synonyms: sort/variety/kind/style/type/category/order/breed/species/class/designation/specification/genre/genus/brand/make/character/ilk/kidney/grain/stamp/mould=Verb= ˈkarɪktə

• inscribe or write (something).

debate⌗

Back⌗

Noun dɪˈbeɪt

• a formal discussion on a particular matter in a public meeting or legislative assembly, in which opposing arguments are put forward and which usually ends with a vote

  Synonyms: discussion/exchange of views/discourse/parley

  Examples:

  • last night’s debate on the Education Bill

Verb dɪˈbeɪt

• argue about (a subject), especially in a formal manner

  Synonyms: discuss/confer about/talk over/talk through/talk about/exchange views on/exchange views about/thrash out/argue/argue about/argue the pros and cons of/dispute/wrangle over/bandy words concerning/contend over/contest/controvert/moot

  Examples:

  • MPs debated the issue in the Commons
  • members of the society debated for five nights

connivance⌗

Back⌗

Noun kəˈnʌɪvns

• willingness to allow or be secretly involved in an immoral or illegal act

  Synonyms: collusion/complicity/collaboration/involvement/assistance/abetting

  Examples:

  • this infringement of the law had taken place with the connivance of officials

injury⌗

Back⌗

Noun ˈɪn(d)ʒ(ə)ri

• an instance of being injured

  Synonyms: wound/bruise/cut/gash/tear/rent/slash/gouge/scratch/graze/laceration/abrasion/contusion/lesion/sore

  Examples:

  • she suffered an injury to her back
  • an ankle injury
  • head injuries

• damage to a person’s feelings

  Synonyms: offence/abuse

  Examples:

  • compensation for injury to feelings

acrimonious⌗

Back⌗

Adjective ˌakrɪˈməʊnɪəs

• (typically of speech or discussion) angry and bitter

  Synonyms: bitter/rancorous/caustic/acerbic/scathing/sarcastic/acid/harsh/sharp/razor-edged/cutting/astringent/trenchant/mordant/virulent

  Examples:

  • an acrimonious dispute about wages

indulge⌗

Back⌗

Verb ɪnˈdʌldʒ

• allow oneself to enjoy the pleasure of

  Synonyms: wallow in/give oneself up to/give way to/yield to/abandon oneself to/give rein to/give free rein to

  Examples:

  • we indulged in a cream tea

• allow (someone) to enjoy something desired

  Synonyms: pamper/spoil/overindulge/coddle/mollycoddle/cosset/nanny/nursemaid/mother/baby/pet/spoon-feed/overparent

  Examples:

  • a luxury service used to indulge the chief executive

gullet⌗

Back⌗

Noun ˈɡʌlɪt

• the passage by which food passes from the mouth to the stomach; the oesophagus.

  Synonyms: oesophagus/throat/pharynx

stir⌗

Back⌗

Verb stəː

• move a spoon or other implement round in (a liquid or other substance) in order to mix it thoroughly

  Synonyms: mix/blend/agitate

  Examples:

  • Desmond stirred his tea and ate a biscuit
  • pour in the cream and stir well

• move or cause to move slightly

  Synonyms: move slightly/change one’s position/twitch/quiver/tremble/disturb/rustle/shake/move/flutter/agitate/swish

  Examples:

  • nothing stirred except the wind
  • a gentle breeze stirred the leaves

• arouse strong feeling in (someone); move or excite

  Synonyms: arouse/rouse/kindle/inspire/stimulate/excite/awaken/waken/quicken/animate/activate/galvanize/fire/electrify/whet

  Examples:

  • they will be stirred to action by what is written

Noun stəː

• a slight physical movement

Examples:

• I stood, straining eyes and ears for the faintest stir

• a commotion

  Synonyms: commotion/disturbance/fuss/ado/excitement/flurry/uproar/ferment/brouhaha/furore/turmoil/sensation

  Examples:

  • the event caused quite a stir

• an act of stirring food or drink

Examples:

• he gives his Ovaltine a stir

Noun stəː

• prison

Examples:

• I’ve spent twenty-eight years in stir

throat⌗

Back⌗

Noun θrəʊt

• the passage which leads from the back of the mouth of a person or animal

  Synonyms: gullet/oesophagus

  Examples:

  • her throat was parched with thirst
  • he’s pouring beer down his throat

swivel⌗

Back⌗

Noun ˈswɪvl

• a coupling between two parts enabling one to revolve without turning the other.

  Synonyms: pivot/axle/spindle/hinge/axis/fulcrum/pin/hub/kingpin/gudgeon/trunnion=Verb= ˈswɪvl

• turn around a point or axis or on a swivel

  Synonyms: turn/spin/swing/rotate/revolve/pivot/twirl/whirl/wheel/gyrate/pirouette

  Examples:

  • he swivelled in the chair
  • she swivelled her eyes round

ordinary⌗

Back⌗

Adjective ˈɔːdɪn(ə)ri

• with no special or distinctive features; normal

  Synonyms: usual/normal/standard/typical/stock/common/customary/habitual/accustomed/expected/wonted/everyday/regular/routine/day-to-day/daily/established/settled/set/fixed/traditional/quotidian/prevailing

  Examples:

  • he sets out to depict ordinary people
  • it was just an ordinary evening

• (especially of a judge or bishop) exercising authority by virtue of office and not by deputation.

Noun ˈɔːdɪn(ə)ri

• what is commonplace or standard

Examples:

• their clichés were vested with enough emotion to elevate them above the ordinary

• a judge who exercises authority by virtue of office and not by deputation.

• a member of the clergy, such as an archbishop in a province or a bishop in a diocese, with immediate jurisdiction.

• those parts of a Roman Catholic service, especially the Mass, which do not vary from day to day.

• any of the simplest principal charges used in coats of arms (especially chief, pale, bend, fess, bar, chevron, cross, saltire).

• a meal provided at a fixed time and price at an inn.

• a penny-farthing bicycle.

dispute⌗

Back⌗

Noun dɪˈspjuːt ˈdɪspjuːt

• a disagreement or argument

  Synonyms: debate/discussion/discourse/disputation/argument/controversy/contention/disagreement/altercation/falling-out/quarrelling/variance/dissension/conflict/friction/strife/discord/antagonism/quarrel/argument/altercation/squabble/falling-out/shouting match/disagreement/difference of opinion/clash/wrangle/feud/fight/fracas/brawl

  Examples:

  • a territorial dispute between the two countries
  • the Commission is in dispute with the government

Verb dɪˈspjuːt

• argue about (something)

  Synonyms: debate/discuss/exchange views

  Examples:

  • the point has been much disputed
  • he taught and disputed with local poets

• compete for; strive to win

Examples:

• the two drivers crashed while disputing the lead

solicitor⌗

Back⌗

Noun səˈlɪsɪtə

• a member of the legal profession qualified to deal with conveyancing, the drawing up of wills, and other legal matters. A solicitor may also instruct barristers and represent clients in some courts.

  Synonyms: lawyer/legal representative/legal practitioner/legal executive/notary/notary public/advocate/attorney- a person who tries to obtain business orders, advertising, etc.; a canvasser

Examples:

• she had been a telephone solicitor for a Chicago newspaper

audibly⌗

Back⌗

Adverb ˈɔːdɪbli

• in a way that can be heard

Examples:

• the view of the snow-capped Alps caused everyone in the carriage to gasp audibly

spectator⌗

Back⌗

Noun spɛkˈteɪtə

• a person who watches at a show, game, or other event

  Synonyms: onlooker/watcher/looker-on/fly on the wall/viewer/observer/witness/eyewitness/bystander/non-participant/sightseer

  Examples:

  • around fifteen thousand spectators came to watch the thrills and spills

concentrate⌗

Back⌗

Verb ˈkɒnsntreɪt ˈkɒnsɛntreɪt

• focus all one’s attention on a particular object or activity

  Synonyms: focus/direct/centre/centralize/bring to bear/focus one’s attention on/focus on/pay attention to/keep one’s mind on/apply oneself to/address oneself to/devote oneself to/get down to/put one’s mind to

  Examples:

  • she couldn’t concentrate on the film
  • a threatened tax rise concentrates the mind wonderfully

• gather (people or things) together in a common location

Examples:

• the nation’s wealth was concentrated in the hands of the governing elite

• increase the strength or proportion of (a substance or solution) by removing or reducing the other diluting agent or by selective accumulation of atoms or molecules

  Synonyms: condense/boil down/reduce/distil/thicken/compress

  Examples:

  • plants and microorganisms can concentrate metals from the environment

Noun ˈkɒnsntreɪt ˈkɒnsɛntreɪt

• a substance made by removing or reducing the diluting agent; a concentrated form of something

  Synonyms: distillation/essence/extract

  Examples:

  • apple juice concentrate

twisted⌗

Back⌗

Adjective ˈtwɪstɪd

• forced out of its natural or proper shape; crumpled

  Synonyms: perverted/warped/deviant/depraved/corrupt/abnormal/unhealthy/aberrant/distorted/corrupted/debauched/debased/degenerate/sadistic/evil/wicked

  Examples:

  • the crash left a trail of twisted metal across the carriageway

• (of a personality or a way of thinking) unpleasantly or unhealthily abnormal; warped

  Synonyms: unwholesome/undesirable/morbid/macabre/ghoulish/twisted/warped/depraved/abnormal/unnatural

  Examples:

  • a man with a twisted mind

trademark⌗

Back⌗

Noun ˈtreɪdmɑːk

• a symbol, word, or words legally registered or established by use as representing a company or product.

  Synonyms: logo/emblem/sign/stamp/symbol/device/badge/crest/insignia/seal/coat of arms/shield/motif/hallmark/mark/figure/monogram/logotype/colophon

  Examples:

Verb ˈtreɪdmɑːk

• mark with or register as a trademark

  Synonyms:

  Examples:

  • she filed a request with the government to trademark her company’s name

hog⌗

Back⌗

Noun hɒɡ

• a domesticated pig, especially a castrated male reared for slaughter.

  Synonyms: pig/sow/swine/porker/piglet/boar

  Examples:

• a large motorcycle, in particular a Harley Davidson.

  Examples:

• a young sheep before the first shearing.

Verb hɒɡ

• take or use most or all of (something) in an unfair or selfish way

  Synonyms: monopolize/keep to oneself/dominate/take over/corner/control

  Examples:

  • he never hogged the limelight

• cause (a ship or its keel) to curve up in the centre and sag at the ends as a result of strain.

trial⌗

Back⌗

Noun ˈtrʌɪəl

• a formal examination of evidence by a judge, typically before a jury, in order to decide guilt in a case of criminal or civil proceedings Synonyms: court case/case/lawsuit/suit/hearing/inquiry/tribunal/litigation/judicial proceedings/legal proceedings/proceedings/legal action Examples:
  • the newspaper accounts of the trial
  • the editor was summoned to stand trial for libel
• a test of the performance, qualities, or suitability of someone or something Synonyms: test/try-out/experiment/pilot study Examples:
  • clinical trials must establish whether the new hip replacements are working
• a person, experience, or situation that tests a person’s endurance or forbearance Synonyms: nuisance/pest/bother/irritant/source of annoyance/source of irritation/worry/problem/inconvenience/vexation/plague/source of aggravation/thorn in one’s flesh/the bane of one’s life/one’s cross to bear/trouble/worry/anxiety/burden/affliction/ordeal/tribulation/adversity/hardship/tragedy/trauma/reverse/setback/difficulty/problem/misfortune/bad luck/stroke of bad luck/ill fortune/mishap/misadventure Examples:
  • this winter has been a trial for me, physically and emotionally

Verb ˈtrʌɪəl

• test (something, especially a new product) to assess its suitability or performance Synonyms: test/try out/carry out trials on/put to the test/put through its paces/experiment with Examples:
  • teachers all over the UK are trialling the materials
• (of a horse, dog, or other animal) compete in trials Synonyms: Examples:
  • the pup trialled on Saturday

nephew⌗

Back⌗

Noun ˈnɛvjuːˈnɛfjuː

• a son of one’s brother or sister, or of one’s brother-in-law or sister-in-law

  Synonyms: relative/relation/blood relation/blood relative/family member/one’s own flesh and blood/next of kin

  Examples:

  • he held up his little nephew in his arms

stick⌗

Back⌗

Noun stɪk

• a thin piece of wood that has fallen or been cut off a tree. Synonyms: piece of wood/twig/small branch/cane/pole/beanpole/post/stake/upright/rod Examples:

• a long, thin piece of something

  Examples:

  • a stick of dynamite
  • cinnamon sticks

• a threat of punishment or unwelcome measures (often contrasted with the offer of reward as a means of persuasion)

  Examples:

  • training that relies more on the carrot than on the stick

• severe criticism or treatment

  Synonyms: criticism/flak/censure/reproach/reproof/condemnation/castigation/chastisement/blame/abuse

  Examples:

  • I took a lot of stick from the press

• rural areas far from cities or civilization

  Synonyms: the country/the countryside/the provinces/rural districts/the backwoods/the back of beyond/the wilds/the hinterland/a backwater

  Examples:

  • he felt hard done by living out in the sticks

• a person of a specified kind

  Examples:

  • Janet’s not such a bad old stick sometimes

• a large quantity of unsold stock, especially the proportion of shares which must be taken up by underwriters after an unsuccessful issue.

Verb stɪk

• push a sharp or pointed object into or through (something)

  Synonyms: thrust/push/insert/jab/dig/plunge/ram/force

  Examples:

  • he stuck his fork into the sausage
  • she stuck her finger in his eye

• insert, thrust, or push

  Examples:

  • a youth with a cigarette stuck behind one ear
  • she stuck out her tongue at him

• adhere or cling to something

  Synonyms: adhere/cling/be fixed/be glued/remain/stay/linger/dwell/persist/continue/last/endure

  Examples:

  • the plastic seats stuck to my skin
  • if you heat the noodles in the microwave, they tend to stick together

• be fixed in a particular position or unable to move or be moved

  Examples:

  • Sara tried to open the window but it was stuck
  • we got stuck in a traffic jam
  • the cat’s stuck up a tree

• accept or tolerate (an unpleasant or unwelcome person or situation)

  Synonyms: tolerate/put up with/take/stand/stand for/accept/stomach/swallow/endure/bear/support/brook/submit to/take something lying down

  Examples:

  • I can’t stick Geoffrey—he’s a real old misery

handful⌗

Back⌗

Noun ˈhan(d)fʊl

• a quantity that fills the hand

  Synonyms: a small number/a small amount/a small quantity/a sprinkling/a smattering/a scattering/a trickle

  Examples:

  • a small handful of fresh coriander

• a person or group that is very difficult to deal with or control

  Synonyms: nuisance/problem/bother/irritant/source of annoyance/thorn in someone’s flesh/thorn in someone’s side/bugbear

  Examples:

  • the kids could be such a handful

speculation⌗

Back⌗

Noun ˌspɛkjʊˈleɪʃn

• the forming of a theory or conjecture without firm evidence

  Synonyms: conjecture/theorizing/hypothesizing/supposition/guesswork/gamble/venture/risk

  Examples:

  • there has been widespread speculation that he plans to quit
  • this is pure speculation on my part
  • these are only speculations

• investment in stocks, property, etc. in the hope of gain but with the risk of loss

  Examples:

  • the company’s move into property speculation
  • he was a millionaire from speculations on the stock market

advantage⌗

Back⌗

Noun ədˈvɑːntɪdʒ

• a condition or circumstance that puts one in a favourable or superior position

  Synonyms: upper hand/edge/lead/head/whip hand/trump card

  Examples:

  • companies with a computerized database are at an advantage
  • she had an advantage over her mother’s generation

Verb ədˈvɑːntɪdʒ

• put in a favourable or superior position.

delighted⌗

Back⌗

Adjective dɪˈlʌɪtɪd

• feeling or showing great pleasure Synonyms: very pleased/glad/happy/joyful/thrilled/overjoyed/ecstatic/euphoric/elated/blissful/enraptured/on cloud nine/on cloud seven/walking on air/in seventh heaven/in transports of delight/jumping for joy/beside oneself with happiness/excited Examples:
  • a delighted smile
  • we were delighted to see her

delight⌗

Back⌗

Verb dɪˈlʌɪt

• please (someone) greatly Synonyms: please greatly/charm/enchant/captivate/entrance/bewitch/thrill/excite/take someone’s breath away Examples:
  • an experience guaranteed to delight both young and old

Noun dɪˈlʌɪt

• great pleasure Synonyms: pleasure/happiness/joy/joyfulness/glee/gladness/gratification/relish/excitement/amusement Examples:
  • the little girls squealed with delight
  • we broke into an impromptu dance, to the delight of the crowd
  • she took great delight in telling your story

bust⌗

Back⌗

Noun bʌst

• a sculpture of a person’s head, shoulders, and chest Synonyms: sculpture/carving/effigy/three-dimensional representation Examples:
  • Epstein concentrated increasingly on bronze portrait busts
  • he keeps a bust of Norris on his desk
• a woman’s chest as measured around her breasts Synonyms: chest/bosom/breasts Examples:
  • a 36-inch bust

Verb bʌst

• break, split, or burst Synonyms: break/crack/snap/fracture/shatter/smash/smash to smithereens/fragment/splinter Examples:
  • they bust the tunnel wide open
  • the film bust every box office record
  • the colour control had bust
• (of the police) raid or search (premises where illegal activity is suspected) Synonyms: raid/search/make a search of/swoop on/make a raid on Examples:
  • my flat got busted

Noun bʌst

• a period of economic difficulty or depression Synonyms: Examples:
  • the boom was followed by the present bust
• a raid or arrest by the police Synonyms: Examples:
  • a drug bust
• a worthless thing Synonyms: Examples:
  • cynics remain convinced the political process is a bust
• a violent blow Synonyms: Examples:
  • a bust on the snout

Adjective bʌst

• damaged or broken Synonyms: Examples:
  • the vacuum cleaner’s bust
• bankrupt Synonyms: fail/collapse/crash/fold/fold up/go under/founder/be ruined/cave in Examples:
  • six of their sponsors have gone bust

reckon⌗

Back⌗

Verb ˈrɛk(ə)n

• establish by calculation Synonyms: calculate/compute/work out/put a figure on/figure/number/quantify Examples:
  • his debts were reckoned at £300,000
  • the Byzantine year was reckoned from 1 September
• consider or regard in a specified way Synonyms: regard as/consider/judge/hold to be/view/think of as/look on as Examples:
  • the event was reckoned a failure
  • these prisoners are reckoned to be the most dangerous
• be of the opinion Synonyms: believe/think/be of the opinion/be of the view/be convinced/suspect/dare say/have an idea/have a feeling/imagine/fancy/guess/suppose/assume/surmise/conjecture/consider Examples:
  • he reckons that the army should pull out entirely
  • I reckon I can manage that

despise⌗

Back⌗

Verb dɪˈspʌɪz

• feel contempt or a deep repugnance for

  Synonyms: detest/hate/loathe/abhor/abominate/execrate/regard with contempt/feel contempt for/shrink from/be repelled by/not be able to bear/not be able to stand/not be able to stomach/find intolerable/deplore/dislike

  Examples:

  • he despised himself for being selfish

cellar⌗

Back⌗

Noun ˈsɛlə

• a room below ground level in a house, often used for storing wine or coal Synonyms: basement/vault/crypt/undercroft/underground room/catacomb Examples:
  • the servants led us down into a cellar
  • a wine cellar

Verb ˈsɛlə

• store (wine) in a cellar Synonyms: Examples:
  • it is drinkable now but can be cellared for at least five years

clown⌗

Back⌗

Noun klaʊn

• a comic entertainer, especially one in a circus, wearing a traditional costume and exaggerated make-up Synonyms: comic entertainer/Pierrot/comedian Examples:
  • a circus clown
• an unsophisticated country person; a rustic. Synonyms: countryman/countrywoman/peasant/daughter of the soil/son of the soil/country bumpkin/bumpkin/yokel/country cousin Examples:

Verb klaʊn

• behave in a comical or playful way Synonyms: fool around/fool about/play the fool/act foolishly/act the clown/act the fool/act the goat/play about/play around/monkey about/monkey around/play tricks/indulge in horseplay/engage in high jinks Examples:
  • Harvey clowned around pretending to be a dog

spat⌗

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Noun spat

• a short cloth gaiter covering the instep and ankle

  Examples:

  • he would stand outside in his bowler hat and spats
  • an old fellow dressed in spats and dinner suit

• a cover for the upper part of an aircraft wheel

  Examples:

  • new wheel spats were constructed and the large tyres were replaced by much smaller units

Noun spat

• a quarrel about an unimportant matter

  Synonyms: disturbance/quarrel/scuffle/brawl/affray/tussle/melee/free-for-all/fight/clash/skirmish/brouhaha/riot/uproar/commotion

  Examples:

  • when we had our little spats, he had only to smile to get back on the right side of me

Verb spat

• quarrel about an unimportant matter

  Synonyms: quarrel/disagree/row/squabble/bicker/fight/wrangle/dispute/feud/have a row/bandy words/have words/cross swords/lock horns/be at each other’s throats

  Examples:

  • people expected him and his wife to spat continually

Noun spat

• the spawn or larvae of shellfish, especially oysters

  Examples:

  • oyster larvae attach themselves as spat to old shells

furtive⌗

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Adjective ˈfəːtɪv

• attempting to avoid notice or attention, typically because of guilt or a belief that discovery would lead to trouble; secretive

  Synonyms: secretive/secret/surreptitious

  Examples:

  • they spent a furtive day together
  • he stole a furtive glance at her

hound⌗

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Noun haʊnd

• a dog of a breed used for hunting, especially one able to track by scent Synonyms: dog/hunting dog/canine/mongrel/cur Examples:
  • a hound came running through the trees, nose to the ground
• used in names of dogfishes, e.g. nurse hound, smooth hound. Synonyms: Examples:

Verb haʊnd

• harass, persecute, or pursue relentlessly Synonyms: harass/persecute/harry/pester/bother/trouble/annoy/badger/torment/bedevil/keep after/force/drive/pressure/pressurize/propel/push/urge/coerce/impel/dragoon/strong-arm/pursue/chase/follow/shadow/give chase to/follow on the heels of/be hot on someone’s heels Examples:
  • she was hounded by the Italian press
  • his opponents used the allegations to hound him out of office

chew⌗

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Verb tʃuː

• bite and work (food) in the mouth with the teeth, especially to make it easier to swallow Synonyms: masticate/munch/champ/chomp/crunch/bite/nibble/gnaw/grind Examples:
  • he was chewing a mouthful of toast
  • he chewed for a moment, then swallowed

Noun tʃuː

• a repeated biting or gnawing of something Synonyms: nip/snap/chew/munch/nibble/gnaw Examples:
  • the dog was enjoying a quiet chew of his bone

arrange⌗

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Verb əˈreɪn(d)ʒ

• put (things) in a neat, attractive, or required order

  Synonyms: put in order/order/set out/lay out/spread out/array/present/put out/display/exhibit/group/sort/organize/tidy/position/dispose

  Examples:

  • she had just finished arranging the flowers
  • the columns are arranged in 12 rows

• organize or make plans for (a future event)

  Synonyms: organize/fix/plan/schedule/pencil in/devise/contrive

  Examples:

  • they hoped to arrange a meeting
  • my aunt arranged for the furniture to be stored

• adapt (a musical composition) for performance with instruments or voices other than those originally specified

  Synonyms: adapt/set/score/orchestrate/instrument/harmonize

  Examples:

  • songs arranged for viola and piano

• settle (a dispute or claim)

  Synonyms: put in order/sort out/straighten out/tidy up/order/arrange/organize/adjust/clear up/set to rights/regulate/systematize

  Examples:

  • the quarrel, partly by the interference of the Crown Prince, was arranged

pageant⌗

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Noun ˈpadʒ(ə)nt

• a public entertainment consisting of a procession of people in elaborate, colourful costumes, or an outdoor performance of a historical scene

  Synonyms: parade/procession/cavalcade/scene/play/representation/tableau/tableau vivant

  Examples:

  • they brought the history books to life at the town’s pageant
  • the pageant of public life

• a beauty contest.

conduct⌗

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Noun ˈkɒndʌkt

• the manner in which a person behaves, especially in a particular place or situation Synonyms: behaviour/way of behaving/performance/comportment/demeanour/bearing/deportment Examples:
  • they were arrested for disorderly conduct
  • a code of conduct for directors of listed companies
• the manner in which an organization or activity is managed or directed Synonyms: management/managing/running/direction/control/controlling/overseeing/supervision/regulation/leadership/masterminding/administration/organization/coordination/orchestration/handling/guidance/carrying out/carrying on Examples:
  • the conduct of the elections

Verb kənˈdʌkt

• organize and carry out Synonyms: manage/direct/run/be in control of/control/oversee/supervise/be in charge of/preside over/regulate/mastermind/administer/organize/coordinate/orchestrate/handle/guide/govern/lead/carry out/carry on Examples:
  • in the second trial he conducted his own defence
  • surveys conducted among students
• lead or guide (someone) to or around a particular place Synonyms: escort/guide/lead/usher/pilot/accompany/show/show someone the way Examples:
  • he conducted us through his personal gallery of the Civil War
• transmit (a form of energy such as heat or electricity) by conduction Synonyms: transmit/convey/carry/transfer/pass on/hand on/communicate/impart/channel/bear/relay/dispatch/mediate Examples:
  • heat is conducted to the surface
• direct the performance of (a piece of music or an orchestra, choir, etc.) Synonyms: Examples:
  • the concert is to be conducted by Sir Simon Rattle
• behave in a specified way Synonyms: behave/perform/act/acquit oneself/bear oneself/carry oneself Examples:
  • he conducted himself with the utmost propriety

confident⌗

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Adjective ˈkɒnfɪd(ə)nt

• feeling or showing confidence in oneself or one’s abilities or qualities

  Synonyms: self-assured/assured/sure of oneself/self-confident/positive

  Examples:

  • we require outgoing, confident people able to approach large groups
  • people who are confident in their identity

• feeling or showing certainty about something

  Synonyms: optimistic/hopeful/sanguine

  Examples:

  • this time they’re confident of a happy ending
  • I am not very confident about tonight’s game

Noun ˈkɒnfɪd(ə)nt

• a confidant.

evidence⌗

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Noun ˈɛvɪd(ə)ns

• the available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid Synonyms: proof/confirmation/verification/substantiation/corroboration/affirmation/authentication/attestation/documentation Examples:
  • the study finds little evidence of overt discrimination

Verb ˈɛvɪd(ə)ns

• be or show evidence of Synonyms: indicate/show/reveal/be evidence of/display/exhibit/manifest/denote/evince/signify Examples:
  • the quality of the bracelet, as evidenced by the workmanship, is exceptional

algebra⌗

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Noun ˈaldʒɪbrə

• the part of mathematics in which letters and other general symbols are used to represent numbers and quantities in formulae and equations

  Examples:

  • courses in algebra, geometry, and Newtonian physics