former
-
having previously filled a particular role or been a particular thing; denoting the first or first mentioned of two people or things
The former president.
fanatic [family]
-
a person with excessive, single-minded enthusiasm for something
A fitness fanatic.
Less common than the derived form fanatical in this use.
-
filled with excessive and single-minded zeal
He defended the cause with fanatic devotion.
-
filled with excessive and single-minded zeal, especially for religion or politics
He was fanatical about his exercise routine.
constant
-
occurring continuously over a period of time
The constant noise kept her awake.
-
a situation, quality, or value that does not change
Her loyalty was the one constant in his life.
-
(mathematics/science) a fixed, unchanging numerical value
The speed of light is a universal constant.
early [family]
-
happening or done before the usual or expected time
We had an early dinner.
-
before the usual, expected, or arranged time
She arrived early for the meeting.
-
superlative of early: happening before all others
The earliest known example.
-
at the soonest possible time (especially in the phrase "at the earliest")
The results will be ready Friday at the earliest.
mitigate
-
make less severe, serious, or painful; lessen the gravity of (an offense or mistake)
He wanted to mitigate misery in the world.
generic
-
characteristic of or relating to a whole class or group; not specific
A generic term for all citrus fruits.
-
(of goods) sold without a brand name
Generic drugs are usually cheaper than brand-name ones.
downpour
-
a heavy fall of rain
A sudden downpour.
bombard [family]
-
to attack continuously with bombs, shells, or other missiles
The city was bombarded for three days.
-
(figurative) to assail persistently, as with questions or criticism
Reporters bombarded her with questions.
-
a sustained attack with bombs, shells, or gunfire
The city endured days of bombardment.
-
an overwhelming, continuous stream of something, especially messages or questions
She faced a bombardment of questions from reporters.
prostitute [family]
-
a person who engages in sexual activity for payment
She was forced to work as a prostitute.
-
(figurative) to misuse one's talents or skills for unworthy purposes, especially for money
He felt he had prostituted his talent by writing cheap ad jingles.
-
the practice or occupation of engaging in sexual activity with someone for payment
Driven into prostitution.
distort [family]
-
to pull or twist out of the natural, original, or normal shape
A grimace distorted her face.
-
to give a misleading or false account or impression of
The article distorted the facts of the case.
-
the action of distorting or the state of being distorted
The distortion of sound.
shepherd
-
a person who tends and herds sheep
The shepherd led his flock across the hills.
-
to guide or direct (people) somewhere, especially carefully or protectively
She shepherded the tourists out the door before closing.
mortuary
In American English, 'morgue' is more common for the hospital storage room; 'mortuary' in the US often specifically means a funeral home.
-
a room or building in which dead bodies are kept, for hygienic storage or for examination, until burial or cremation
The body was taken to the mortuary.
pander
-
gratify or indulge (an immoral or distasteful desire, need, or habit or a person with such a desire, etc.)
Newspapers are pandering to people's baser instincts.
envoy
-
a messenger or representative, especially one on a diplomatic mission
The UN special envoy.
epoch
-
a period of time in history or a person's life, typically one marked by notable events or particular characteristics
The Victorian epoch.
monologue
-
a long speech by one actor in a play or movie, or as part of a theatrical or broadcast program
He was reciting a monologue.
chuckle
-
to laugh quietly or inwardly
He chuckled at the joke.
-
a quiet or suppressed laugh
She gave a little chuckle.
salient
-
most noticeable or important
The salient points of the case.
wasp
Capitalized, 'WASP' is a (sometimes disparaging) American acronym for 'White Anglo-Saxon Protestant', referring to the traditional white Protestant elite.
-
a social winged insect that has a narrow waist and a sting
A wasp sting.
scold
-
remonstrate with or rebuke (someone) angrily
Mom took to scolding her.
celebrity
-
a famous person; the state of being well known
A celebrity chef.
ancient
-
belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence
Ancient Greece.
sober
-
not affected by alcohol; not drunk
He was completely sober by the time he drove home.
-
serious, sensible, and free from exaggeration
A sober view of life.
Usually 'sober up' (recover from drunkenness) or figuratively (to make/become serious).
-
to become or make serious and thoughtful
The news of the accident sobered the whole team.
orgy
-
a wild party involving excessive drinking and promiscuous sexual activity
The frat house was notorious for its orgies.
-
(figurative) excessive indulgence in a specified activity
An orgy of buying swept the stock market.
mangle
-
severely mutilate, disfigure, or damage by cutting, tearing, or crushing
The car was badly mangled in the crash.
snippet
-
a small piece or brief extract
Snippets of information.
prologue
-
a separate introductory section of a literary or musical work
The prologue to the novel.
motif
-
a decorative design or pattern; a distinctive feature or dominant idea in an artistic or literary composition
A recurring motif in her work.
active [family]
-
engaging or ready to engage in physically energetic pursuits; pursuing an occupation or activity at a particular place or in a particular way
I needed to change my lifestyle and become more active.
-
a person who campaigns to bring about political or social change
She is a lifelong environmental activist.
-
campaigning to bring about political or social change
an activist judge who reshaped the law
-
the policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change
Student activism.
expedient / expediency [family]
-
convenient and practical, although possibly improper or unprincipled
Either side could break the agreement if it were expedient to do so.
-
a means of achieving an end, especially one that is convenient but improper
Censorship was used as a political expedient.
Often negative connotation in politics: "political expediency" = doing what's convenient over what's right. "Expedient": related adjective.
-
convenience, often over principle
They sacrificed ethics for political expediency.
exacerbate
-
make (a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling) worse
The exorbitant cost of land in urban areas only exacerbated the problem.
evacuate [family]
-
remove (someone) from a place of danger to a safe place; leave or cause to leave (a place of danger)
Several families were evacuated from their homes.
Famous during WWII when British children were evacuated from cities.
-
a person evacuated from a place of danger to somewhere safer
The school sheltered evacuees from the hurricane.
essay
-
a short piece of writing on a particular subject
He wrote an essay.
error [family]
-
a mistake; the state or condition of being wrong in conduct or judgment
He made an error in judgment.
-
wrong; incorrect
Employers sometimes make erroneous assumptions.
erotic
-
relating to or tending to arouse sexual desire or excitement
Erotic literature.
erode [family]
-
gradually wear away (soil, rock, or land); gradually destroy or be gradually destroyed
The cliffs have been eroded by the sea.
-
the process of eroding or being eroded by wind, water, or other natural agents
The problem of soil erosion.
elite
-
a select group considered superior to the rest
An elite group of artists.
-
belonging to or representative of a select, superior group
She trains with an elite team of athletes.
elapse
-
(of time) pass or go by
Weeks elapsed before anyone was charged.
door [family]
-
a hinged, sliding, or revolving barrier at the entrance to a building, room, or vehicle, or in the framework of a cupboard
She looked for her key and opened the door.
-
a step leading up to the outer door of a house
He stood on the doorstep.
discrepancy
-
a lack of compatibility or similarity between two or more facts
There's a discrepancy between your account and his.
diminish
-
make or become less
A tax whose purpose is to diminish spending.
dilemma
-
a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, especially equally undesirable ones
The people often face the dilemma of feeding themselves or their cattle.
deluge
-
a severe flood; a heavy fall of rain
A deluge of rain flooded the streets.
-
to overwhelm someone with a great quantity of something
The office was deluged with complaints.
congest [family]
-
crowd (a road or place) so as to hinder or prevent freedom of movement
The streets were congested with cars.
-
(of a road or place) so crowded as to hinder free movement
Congested roads.
-
(of the respiratory tract) blocked with mucus, hindering breathing
Her sinuses were congested from the cold.
-
the state of being congested
Traffic congestion.
compile [family]
-
produce (something, especially a list, report, or book) by assembling information collected from other sources
The local authority must compile a list of taxpayers.
-
the action or process of producing something, especially a list, book, or report, by assembling information collected from other sources
A compilation of his poems.
behalf
-
in the interests of a person, group, or principle (used with 'on')
I am writing on behalf of my client.
traffic [family]
-
vehicles moving on a road or public highway
The traffic is heavy today.
Almost always used with 'in': 'traffic in drugs', 'human trafficking' (the noun).
-
to trade in something illegal, especially drugs, weapons, or people
He was arrested for trafficking in stolen goods.
From 'traffic' (in the sense of illegal trade).
-
a person who deals or trades in something illegal, such as drugs or people
Police arrested a major drug trafficker.
control [family]
-
the power to influence or direct people's behavior or events
He lost control of his car.
-
to influence or direct the behavior of (a person, thing, or situation)
She struggled to control her temper.
-
incapable of being controlled or regulated
Uncontrollable rage.
efficacy
-
the ability to produce a desired or intended result
There is little information on the efficacy of this treatment.
maggot
-
a soft-bodied legless larva, especially that of a fly found in decaying matter
The meat was full of maggots.
surge
-
a sudden powerful forward or upward movement
A surge of water swept over the deck.
-
to increase suddenly and powerfully
Stock prices surged after the announcement.
-
to move forward suddenly in a mass
The crowd surged toward the stage.
interview [family]
-
a formal meeting in which one person questions or evaluates another
A job interview.
-
to ask someone questions in a formal meeting, especially to evaluate or gather information
The journalist interviewed the mayor about the new policy.
-
a person who conducts an interview
The interviewer asked some tough questions.
fluoresce [family]
-
shine or glow brightly due to fluorescence
The molecules fluoresce under ultraviolet light.
-
(of a substance) having or showing fluorescence; vividly colorful
A fluorescent green shirt.
spout
-
a tube or lip projecting from a container, through which liquid is poured
A teapot with a chipped spout.
-
to send out liquid forcibly in a stream
Water spouted from the burst pipe.
-
(informal, often disapproving) to speak at length, especially about opinions
He kept spouting nonsense about conspiracy theories.
respire [family]
-
breathe
The patient was beginning to respire normally.
-
relating to or affecting respiration or the organs of respiration
Respiratory disease.
labor [family]
British spelling: labour.
-
work, especially hard physical work
Manual labor.
-
the process of childbirth, especially the muscular contractions
She went into labor at 3am.
-
to work hard, especially at a physical or laborious task
They labored in the fields all day.
-
to struggle to do something, often against difficulty
He labored over the decision for weeks.
-
(especially of a task, process, or journey) requiring considerable effort and time
Years of laborious training.
British spelling; American: labor. "Labour Party": major British political party (left-of-center). "Labour Day": different dates in different countries.
-
(British) work, especially hard physical work
They engaged in manual labour.
British spelling; American: labor.
-
to work hard, especially at a physical or laborious task
They laboured in the fields all day.
British spelling: labourer.
-
a person who does unskilled manual work for wages
The laborer worked on the construction site.
American spelling: laborer.
-
a person who does unskilled manual work for wages
The labourer worked on the construction site.
guerrilla
-
a member of a small independent group taking part in irregular fighting against larger regular forces
The guerrillas ambushed the convoy in the hills.
-
relating to irregular warfare, or (by extension) to any small-scale, unconventional tactic
The rebels waged a guerrilla war against the government.
-
(figurative) unconventional, low-budget, or improvised
They ran a guerrilla marketing campaign.
plummet
-
fall or drop straight down at high speed
A climber was killed when he plummeted 300 feet down an icy gully.
market [family]
-
a regular gathering of people for the purchase and sale of provisions, livestock, and other commodities
A farmers' market.
-
an open space where a market is or was formerly held in a town; the arena of competitive or commercial dealings
The global marketplace.
-
able to be sold; in demand
He has marketable skills in software engineering.
cinnamon
-
an aromatic spice made from the peeled, dried, and rolled bark of a Southeast Asian tree
A stick of cinnamon.
dean
-
the head of a college or university faculty or department
The dean of the law school.
curriculum
-
the subjects comprising a course of study in a school or college
Course components of the school curriculum.
cuisine
-
a style or method of cooking, especially as characteristic of a particular country, region, or establishment
Much Venetian cuisine is based on seafood.
cumbersome
-
large, heavy, or awkward, and therefore difficult to carry or use
Cumbersome diving suits.
-
(of a process or system) slow or overly complicated
The cumbersome approval process delayed the launch for months.
cruel [family]
-
willfully causing pain or suffering to others, or feeling no concern about it
People who are cruel to animals.
"Cruel and unusual punishment": banned by US 8th Amendment. "Cruelty-free": testing or production without harming animals. "Animal cruelty": legal offense.
-
behavior that causes pain or suffering
He was charged with cruelty to animals.
counterfeit
-
made in exact imitation of something valuable, with intent to deceive or defraud
Two men were charged with passing counterfeit $10 bills.
-
a fraudulent imitation of something else
The painting was revealed to be a counterfeit.
-
to make a fraudulent imitation of (money or goods)
The gang was caught counterfeiting designer handbags.
purge
-
to rid oneself of an unwanted feeling, memory, or condition
Writing about the accident helped her purge the guilt.
-
to remove (people considered undesirable) from an organization, often abruptly or violently
Bob had helped purge the party of extremists.
-
a violent or abrupt removal of people from an organization or place
The purge of the 1930s killed millions.
scaffold [family]
-
a temporary structure used to support workers and materials during construction
The workers were erecting a scaffold.
-
(historical) a raised wooden platform used for the public execution of criminals
The condemned man was led to the scaffold.
-
a temporary structure on the outside of a building, made usually of wooden planks and metal poles, used by workers while building, repairing, or cleaning the building
The building was covered in scaffolding.
confer [family]
-
to grant or bestow (a title, degree, benefit, or right)
The minister may have exceeded the powers conferred on him by Parliament.
-
to have discussions; to exchange opinions
The doctors conferred before making a decision.
"Press conference": public Q&A with media. "Conference call": multi-party phone meeting. "In conference": meeting; do not disturb. "Zoom conference": pandemic-era staple.
-
a formal meeting for discussion
She attended an academic conference.
transit [family]
-
the carrying of people, goods, or materials from one place to another
Goods damaged in transit.
"Transitory inflation": economic term used during the post-COVID inflation, controversially suggesting price rises would soon reverse.
-
not permanent; brief
His fame was transitory.
In LGBTQ+ contexts, "to transition" = to change one's gender presentation. "Transition period": UK Brexit term for the post-leave adjustment phase.
-
the process of changing from one state or condition to another
The transition to the new system was difficult.
-
relating to a transition
This is just a transitional phase.
check [family]
-
to examine something to determine its accuracy, quality, or condition
Check your work before handing it in.
-
to stop or restrain (a person, emotion, or process)
He couldn't check his anger.
-
an examination or inspection
The mechanic did a quick check of the brakes.
-
(American English) a written order to a bank to pay money; also, a restaurant bill
Can I get the check, please?
-
a point at which goods are paid for in a store
There was a long line at the checkout.
-
the procedure of leaving a hotel at the end of a stay
Checkout time is 11am.
clerk
-
a person who does administrative or clerical work in an office
She works as a clerk in the records department.
-
(American English) a person who serves customers in a store or hotel
The desk clerk gave us our room keys.
stab
-
to thrust a knife or other pointed weapon into someone or something
He was stabbed in the stomach.
'Take/have a stab at' (informal) = to attempt.
-
a wound made by stabbing
He suffered multiple stab wounds.
-
(informal) an attempt
I'll take a stab at fixing it myself.
clean [family]
-
free from dirt, marks, or stains
A clean room.
-
to make something free from dirt or mess
She cleaned the house before her guests arrived.
-
make (something, especially the skin) thoroughly clean
Cleanse the wound before bandaging it.
"Take someone to the cleaners" (idiom) = to take a lot of money from someone, often unfairly.
-
a person whose job is to clean rooms, offices, or other spaces
The cleaner comes twice a week.
-
a substance used for cleaning
Use a non-abrasive cleaner on the stovetop.
-
("dry cleaner's") a shop that cleans clothes using chemical solvents instead of water
I dropped off my suit at the cleaner's.
chance
-
a possibility of something happening
There is a chance of rain today.
-
an opportunity to do something
This is your chance to prove yourself.
'Chance it' / 'chance upon' are common collocations.
-
to risk doing something despite the possibility of danger or failure
We decided to chance it and set off without a map.
-
happening by accident rather than design
A chance meeting at the airport changed her life.
carnage
-
the killing of a large number of people
The bombing was a scene of horrific carnage.
bunker
-
a reinforced underground shelter, typically for use in wartime
They retreated to a bunker.
jargon
-
special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand
Legal jargon.
mascot
-
a person or thing that is supposed to bring good luck or that is used to symbolize a particular event or organization
The team's mascot.
bug
-
a small insect
There's a bug crawling on the wall.
-
(informal) a minor illness, especially a stomach or respiratory infection
I think I caught a stomach bug.
-
a defect or fault in a computer program or system
The update fixed several bugs.
-
to conceal a miniature microphone in (a room, phone, etc.) to secretly record conversation
The agency had bugged his office.
-
(informal) to annoy or bother (someone)
Stop bugging me about it.
brainwash
-
make (someone) adopt radically different beliefs by using systematic and often forcible pressure
The organization could brainwash young people.
bit
Also the irregular past tense of bite (he bit the apple) - a separate homograph.
-
a small piece, part, or quantity of something; a short time or distance
Give them a bit more time.
-
(computing) the smallest unit of digital information, either 0 or 1
The file is stored as a string of bits.
auxiliary
-
providing supplementary or additional help and support
An auxiliary nurse.
-
a person or group that provides supplementary help or support to a main organization
She volunteers with the fire department's auxiliary.
auditorium
-
the part of a theater, concert hall, or other public building in which the audience sits
The stage was small and the auditorium had only 366 seats.
dandruff
-
small pieces of dead skin in a person's hair
An anti-dandruff shampoo.
affinity
-
a spontaneous or natural liking or sympathy for someone or something; a similarity of characteristics suggesting a relationship
He has a strong affinity for spicy food.
antibody
-
a blood protein produced in response to and counteracting a specific antigen
Your body produces antibodies to fight infection.
anomaly
-
something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected
There are a number of anomalies in the present system.
amortize
-
reduce or extinguish (a debt) by money regularly put aside; gradually write off the initial cost of (an asset)
The initial costs can be amortized over the period of the loan.
seclude [family]
Root of secluded.
-
to keep (a person or place) away from others; to isolate
She secluded herself in the mountains to write her novel.
-
(of a place) not seen or visited by many people; sheltered and private
A secluded garden.
alleviate
-
make (suffering, deficiency, or a problem) less severe
He couldn't prevent her pain, only alleviate it.
aim
-
to point or direct (a weapon or device) at a target
She aimed the gun at him.
-
to have the intention of achieving (something)
We aim to finish the project by June.
-
a purpose or intention; a desired outcome
Her aim was to become a doctor.
agnostic [family]
From Greek a- (without) + gnosis (knowledge). Contrast atheist (asserts no god exists) - an agnostic simply claims the question is unknowable.
-
a person who believes nothing can be known about the existence of God or the divine
He was a lifelong agnostic.
In tech contexts, 'agnostic' has broadened to mean 'not tied to a specific one': platform-agnostic, technology-agnostic.
-
holding the belief that nothing can be known about the existence of God
She describes herself as agnostic rather than atheist.
-
(of a system or approach) not committed to or dependent on any one particular technology or platform
The app was designed to be cloud-agnostic.
-
the view that the existence of God, of the divine or the supernatural is unknown or unknowable
He turned to agnosticism.
aggregate
The verb has a different final vowel: /ˈæɡrɪɡeɪt/, not /ˈæɡrɪɡət/ - a common pattern for -ate words (compare moderate, estimate).
-
a whole formed by combining several separate elements
In aggregate, the small contributions added up to a large sum.
-
formed or calculated by combining many separate units or items
The team's aggregate score was the highest all season.
-
to combine or group (separate items) into a whole
The council was able to aggregate many small contributions.
adequate / adequacy [family]
-
sufficient for a specific need or requirement; acceptable in quality or quantity
This office is perfectly adequate for my needs.
Related adjective: adequate. Often appears in formal evaluations: adequacy of funding, evidence, training.
-
the quality of being enough or satisfactory for a purpose
The report questioned the adequacy of the safety measures.
comet
-
a celestial object consisting of a nucleus of ice and dust and, when near the sun, a 'tail' of gas and dust particles pointing away from the sun
Halley's Comet.
all
-
used before a noun to refer to the whole quantity, number, or extent of something
All the people I met were friendly.
-
everything or everyone; the whole amount or number of something
All of the cake was gone by morning.
-
completely; entirely
She was all alone when the storm hit.
obedience
Antonym: disobey (disobedience).
-
compliance with an order, request, or law; the quality of obeying
The soldiers were trained in strict obedience to their commanders.