Vocabulary: Batch 19

American spelling; British: costumier (with French "-ier" ending). Important credit on movie/theater productions.

• (US) a person who makes or supplies costumes

  The costumer designed the period outfits.

British/formal. American preference: "costumer". Important in theater, opera, period films.

• a person who makes or supplies costumes

  The costumier prepared the period dresses.

Medical term for bruise. "Contusion": frequent on emergency room records. From Latin "contundere" (bruise).

• a bruise; an injury without breaking the skin

  The patient had multiple contusions.

From Latin "marsupium" (pouch). Mostly Australian: kangaroos, koalas, wombats. Also: opossums (only North American marsupial).

• a mammal that carries its young in a pouch

  Kangaroos and koalas are marsupials.

British spelling. Studies fossils to understand prehistoric life. Famous: Mary Anning (early 1800s, important fossil discoveries despite being a woman in male-dominated field).

• (British) the study of fossils

  He's a leading expert in palaeontology.

American spelling. Same field. Famous paleontologists: Jack Horner (T-rex expert), Stephen Jay Gould (popularizer).

• (American) the study of fossils

  She majored in paleontology.

From Greek "palaios" (ancient). "Paleolithic" (Stone Age), "paleontology" (fossils), "paleography" (ancient writing). "Paleo diet": modern nutrition fad.

• prefix meaning ancient or prehistoric

  Paleolithic art was discovered in caves.

"Tectonic shift": figurative for huge change. Earthquakes and volcanoes happen at plate boundaries. From Greek "tekton" (builder).

• relating to the earth's crust structure

  The earthquake was caused by tectonic activity.

• the study of large-scale earth structure

  He studied tectonics in graduate school.

Theory developed in the 1950s-60s: major scientific breakthrough explaining continental drift, earthquakes, volcanoes.

• the theory that Earth's crust is made of moving plates

  Plate tectonics explains why continents drift.

"Proxy server": internet middleman. "By proxy": through a substitute. "Proxy war", fought through allies (Cold War example: Vietnam).

• a person or thing acting as a substitute

  She voted by proxy.

Always positive. "Unassuming hero": quiet, modest. "Unassuming exterior": looks ordinary but holds something special inside.

• not arrogant; modest

  He was a quiet, unassuming man.

From Latin "exorbitare" (deviate from track). "Exorbitant fee", "exorbitant price": outrage at unfair charges. Stronger than "high" or "expensive".

• unreasonably high in price

  They charged exorbitant fees.

Implies falling behind a group. Common in hiking, military marches, marathon contexts.

• to lag behind a group

  He straggled behind the group of hikers.

"Straggler": common in war movies (last soldiers retreating). Astronomy: "blue stragglers", peculiar bright stars.

• a person who lags behind others

  A few stragglers arrived late.

Almost always in "hum and haw" / "hem and haw": pause and hesitate verbally.

• to hesitate by making 'haw' sounds (in hem and haw)

  He hemmed and hawed before answering.

"Tar and feather": historic punishment. "Tar pit": preserved many Ice Age fossils (La Brea Tar Pits, LA). "Tar", also: nicotine byproduct in cigarettes.

• a thick black sticky liquid

  They paved the road with tar.

From Greek "anthropos" (human) + "morphe" (form). Talking animals in Disney films are anthropomorphic. Theology: anthropomorphic gods (Greek mythology).

• having human form or attributes

  The cartoon featured anthropomorphic animals.

Distinct from "ethnography" (field-research method) and "anthropology" (broader). Ethnology focuses on comparing cultures.

• the comparative study of cultures

  Ethnology examines cultural patterns across societies.

"Hilarity ensued": common sitcom phrase. Slightly stronger than "laughter". From Latin "hilaris" (cheerful): same root as "hilarious".

• great amusement and laughter

  The joke caused much hilarity.

• extremely amusing

  A hilarious comedy.

Past: outran. Past participle: outrun. "You can't outrun your past": common cliché.

• to run faster than

  She can outrun anyone in her class.

"Smoke signals": historical communication. "Signal" (app): encrypted messaging service. "Mixed signals": confusing communication.

• a gesture or sound conveying a message

  He gave the signal to start.

• to indicate or convey via a signal

  She signaled the waiter.

Different from "drown" (similar spelling, different meaning). "Drowsy" (adj.): common adjective. "Drowsy driving": major cause of accidents.

• to be half asleep

  He drowsed in his armchair.

"Drowsy driving": major cause of accidents, similar to drunk driving in danger level. Common warning: "do not operate heavy machinery" when on drowsiness-inducing medication.

• sleepy and lethargic; half asleep

  The medicine made her drowsy.

Types: condoms, pills, IUDs, implants, sterilization. Highly political topic in US: contraceptive access varies by state and insurance.

• a device or drug for preventing pregnancy

  They discussed different types of contraceptives.

From Latin "contra" (against) + conception. Major social changes followed the Pill's introduction (1960s). "Emergency contraception": morning-after pill.

• the practice of preventing pregnancy

  Contraception became widely available in the 1960s.

"Ice-skate" as compound verb. Olympic figure skating: famous skaters Michelle Kwan, Yuzuru Hanyu. Speed skating: different sport.

• to skate on ice

  They ice-skated on the frozen pond.

• the sport of skating on ice

  She took ice-skating lessons.

"Hustle": modern positive slang for entrepreneurial energy ("hustle culture"). Also negative: "hustle" = scam. "Side hustle": secondary income source.

• to work energetically; to push or shove

  You need to hustle to succeed.

1. energetic effort, or a small venture pursued for extra income

   He runs a small side hustle selling handmade jewelry.

2. a fraudulent scheme or scam

   The whole investment offer turned out to be a hustle.

• an aggressively enterprising person; a person who employs fraudulent or unscrupulous methods to obtain money

  He was a hustler, always looking for a deal.

From Latin "harena" (sand, Roman gladiator arenas had sand to absorb blood). Modern: sports arenas. Figurative: "political arena".

• a large enclosed area for sports or performances

  The arena was packed for the concert.

Historic US courthouses often the central building of small towns. "Federal courthouse": higher level. To distinguish from "courtroom" (the inner space).

• a building where law courts meet

  They went to the courthouse for the hearing.

Legal: defendant appears before court to hear charges and enter a plea (guilty/not guilty). "Arraignment": typically first court appearance.

• to call to court to answer a charge

  He was arraigned on murder charges.

• the act of arraigning

  His arraignment is tomorrow.

Southern US term, especially Louisiana: central to Cajun cuisine (crawfish boil). Same animal as crayfish, just regional name.

• (US South) a small freshwater shellfish like a small lobster

  They feasted on crawfish at the festival.

More standard term. Sometimes called "crawdads" (other US regions) or "yabbies" (Australia). Lobster cousins. Plural unchanged: crayfish.

• a small freshwater shellfish resembling a lobster

  They caught crayfish in the stream.

One of the most common English words. Many uses: direction, recipient, infinitive marker ("to run"), comparison. Unstressed often /tə/.

• expressing motion in the direction of

  She went to the store.

Political: "leftward shift", moving toward more liberal/socialist positions. Antonym: rightward.

• toward the left

  The party has moved leftward.

"Throwback Thursday" (#TBT): social media trend of posting old photos. Music/style: "throwback" = retro. Biology: "throwback" = ancestral trait reappearance.

• a person or thing resembling an earlier time

  His mustache is a throwback to the 1970s.

Religious: "intercessory prayer", prayer on behalf of others. Diplomatic: third-party mediation. "Divine intercession": God's intervention.

• the act of intervening on behalf of another

  The treaty was reached through diplomatic intercession.

Revolutionary technology: backbone of modern internet. Light pulses replace electrical signals. American spelling "fiber"; British: "fibre optics".

• the use of thin glass fibers to transmit data as light

  Their internet is delivered through fiber optics.

From Latin "bi-" (two) + "furca" (fork). Rivers, roads, decisions bifurcate. "Bifurcation": mathematical term in chaos theory.

• to divide into two branches

  The road bifurcates here.

"Prince Consort" (e.g., Prince Philip): husband of reigning queen. "Queen Consort": wife of reigning king. Verb: "consort with" = associate with.

• a spouse, especially of a monarch

  She was the king's consort.

• to regularly associate or spend time with someone, especially in a way viewed with disapproval

  He was known to consort with criminals.

Often: "a spate of" + something undesirable (crimes, accidents, lawsuits). British: also a river flood ("river in spate").

• a large number of similar things in a short time

  There was a spate of robberies.

Industry-specific (oil & gas, telecom). "Subsea cables" carry most internet traffic between continents. Vulnerable to sabotage (Baltic Sea incidents 2022-23).

• located or operating beneath the sea

  They installed a subsea pipeline.

More general term than "subsea". "Undersea world" / "undersea exploration". Jules Verne's "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea".

• located beneath the surface of the sea

  He filmed an undersea documentary.

"Deduce": reason from general to specific. "Induce": reason from specific to general. "Sherlock deduced the killer's identity".

• to reach a conclusion by reasoning

  From the evidence she deduced the truth.

Two senses: reasoning, and an amount subtracted.

1. the process of reaching a conclusion through reasoning

   By careful deduction, she found the answer.

2. an amount subtracted from a total, such as from income for tax purposes

   Tax deductions can significantly reduce your bill.

• based on reasoning from general principles to a specific conclusion

  deductive reasoning

Sports: "unassisted goal". Medical/elderly care: "walks unassisted". Implies achievement without help.

• without help

  She walked the marathon unassisted.

Plural: amoebae or amoebas. Studied in introductory biology classes. "Brain-eating amoeba" (Naegleria fowleri): rare but deadly.

• a single-celled organism that constantly changes shape

  Amoebas reproduce by splitting in two.

American term. UK: "rubbish dump" or "tip". Modern preference: "landfill" (more technical). Major environmental concern: methane emissions, leachate.

• a place for dumping waste

  They took the broken furniture to the garbage dump.

"Dark humor": morbid comedy. "Dark money": undisclosed political funding. "Dark web": hidden internet. "Dark Ages": medieval period.

1. with little or no light

   It was getting dark outside.

2. suggesting sadness, evil, or menace; gloomy or sinister in tone

   The film explores some surprisingly dark themes.

From German. Originally referred to Treaty of Versailles (1919): seen by Germans as imposed. Now general: any harsh imposed rule.

• a harsh imposed decree

  The CEO's diktat angered employees.

Internet/gaming slang. Sometimes pejorative ("noob", even more dismissive). Many online communities have "newbie sections" or guides.

• a beginner, especially in computing or gaming

  She was a newbie to programming.

Euphemism for "Jesus": milder. Variants: "Geez", "Sheesh". "Jeez Louise": extended form. Often spelled with capital J.

• used to express mild surprise or annoyance

  Jeez, that was unexpected.

From Persian "nilak" via Arabic and French. Famous for fragrance. Also a pale purple color. State flower of New Hampshire.

1. a shrub with fragrant purple flowers

   The lilacs bloomed in May.

2. a pale purple color

   She painted her bedroom lilac.

"Ground" here = basis. "Groundless accusation", "groundless fear". Antonym: "well-founded".

• without basis in fact

  His fears proved groundless.

Informal. Often used about athletes ("doped up on steroids") or patients ("doped up on painkillers"). Slang for sedated or intoxicated.

• under the influence of drugs

  He was doped up on painkillers.

Many meanings: physical (cover a pot), informational (cover a story), insurance (cover damages), substitution (cover for someone). Music: "cover" a song.

1. to put something over to conceal or protect

   She covered the table with a cloth.

2. to report on (an event or story) for a newspaper, TV, or other media

   A local reporter was sent to cover the trial.

3. to protect against financial loss through insurance

   Her policy covers accidental damage.

4. to temporarily take over someone's job or duties

   Could you cover my shift on Friday?

5. to record or perform one's own version of a song originally done by someone else

   The band covered a classic Beatles song.

"News coverage", "insurance coverage", "cell coverage": major modern uses.

1. the reporting of news or sports events

   There was wide coverage of the election.

2. the extent to which something is covered

   Check the cell phone coverage in your area.

Also 'covering letter' (British).

• a letter sent with, and explaining the contents of, another document or a parcel of goods

  Send your CV and a cover letter.

Chiefly British spelling of 'cover letter'.

• a letter sent with, and explaining the contents of, another document or a parcel of goods

  Send your CV and a covering letter.

• an attempt to hide the truth about something

  The inquiry exposed a cover-up.

British spelling; American: "gynecology" (no "a"). "OB-GYN": combined Obstetrics and Gynecology specialty.

• the branch of medicine for women's health

  She specialized in gynaecology.

Stronger than "injure": implies disability. Land mines maim survivors. "Mutilate" is similar but suggests deliberate. Past: maimed.

• to wound seriously and permanently

  The accident maimed several people.

"Swing club": venue for sex parties. Cultural reference: 1960s-70s sexual revolution. Often less stigmatized but still niche.

• a person who participates in group sexual activity

  The couple were known as swingers.

"Plenary session": all members attending. "Plenary indulgence": Catholic full remission of sin's punishment. From Latin "plenus" (full).

• attended by all members; complete

  The plenary session opened the conference.

Originally an aviation term: spinning loss of control. Now mostly figurative: "go into a tailspin", start failing rapidly. Stock market common usage.

• a rapid decline or loss of control

  After the scandal, his career went into a tailspin.

From Latin "recalcitrare" (kick back, like a mule). Formal word. "Recalcitrant student", "recalcitrant employee". Stronger than "stubborn".

• resisting authority or control

  The recalcitrant employee was fired.

"Unmanned aerial vehicle" (UAV): drone. "Unmanned spacecraft": Voyager, Mars rovers. Some prefer "uncrewed" (gender-neutral).

• operated without people on board

  The mission was unmanned.

Old-fashioned, gender-loaded term. Reinforces narrow ideas of masculinity. Modern critique: ties into discussions of "toxic masculinity".

• regarded as unsuitable for or unbecoming of a man, often implying weakness or cowardice

  He was accused of unmanly behavior.

British spelling; American: "reconnoiter". Military term. Often shortened to "recon": "send a recon team". From French "reconnaître" (recognize).

• to make a military observation

  The scouts reconnoitred the enemy position.

Originally: engine misfire causing loud sound. Figurative usage now dominant: "plans that backfire". Often used in news/political analysis.

• to have the opposite effect from what was intended

  Their strategy backfired badly.

Smaller dogs yip; larger ones bark or howl. Coyotes famously yip. Sports: "the yips", psychological condition affecting golfers, baseball pitchers.

• to make a sharp high-pitched cry, like a dog

  The puppy yipped excitedly.

"P" silent (like in "psychology"). From Greek "pneuma" (breath, air). "Pneumatic drill": jackhammer. "Pneumatic tube": old-time office mail system.

• operated by air or gas pressure

  He used a pneumatic drill.

"Obedient dog": common collocation. Religious value in many traditions. "Yours obediently": old-fashioned letter sign-off.

• willing to obey

  The dog was obedient and well-trained.

"Restaurant write-up": review. "Get a great write-up": positive press. In CTF/security: "write-up" of how a challenge was solved.

• a written description or review

  The new restaurant got a great write-up.

From Latin "palpare" (to feel). "Palpable tension", "palpable excitement": common figurative usages. Medical: "palpable mass", felt during examination.

• able to be felt or noticed clearly

  There was palpable tension in the room.

Includes Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden (sometimes Faroe Islands, Greenland). Distinct from "Scandinavian" (technically only Denmark, Norway, Sweden).

• relating to northern European countries

  They have a Nordic-style design.

From Latin "conus" (cone) + "ferre" (bear). Examples: pine, spruce, fir, cedar, redwood. Most are evergreen with needle leaves. Form boreal forests of the north.

• a tree bearing cones, usually evergreen

  The forest was full of conifers.

"Coniferous forest": major biome. Northern boreal forests (taiga): largest land biome on Earth.

• relating to cone-bearing trees

  The coniferous forests cover much of Canada.

"Subdued lighting" (adj.): dim, soft. "Subdue", often used in police/military contexts: "officers subdued the suspect".

• to overcome or bring under control

  They subdued the rebellion.

• quiet, controlled, or not very bright

  The crowd was subdued after the loss.

Single layer of carbon atoms. Isolated 2004 by Geim and Novoselov (Nobel Prize 2010). Extremely strong, light, conductive: promised many applications, slow to materialize.

• a one-atom-thick form of carbon

  Graphene is incredibly strong for its weight.

Also: killer whale (though they're actually largest dolphin species). Famous: Free Willy (1993), "Blackfish" documentary on SeaWorld orcas (2013).

• a large black and white marine mammal

  A pod of orcas swam past the boat.

British spelling. Element 16 on periodic table. Smells like rotten eggs (often associated with hell in literature). Yellow color.

• (British) a yellow chemical element

  The volcano emitted sulphur fumes.

American spelling (made official by ACS and IUPAC 1990s). Used in gunpowder, vulcanizing rubber, fertilizer, sulfuric acid.

• (American) a yellow chemical element

  The match contains sulfur.

American spelling.

• relating to or resembling sulfur, especially in smell

  a sulfurous stench from the swamp

British spelling of sulfurous.

• relating to or resembling sulphur, especially in smell

  sulphurous volcanic fumes

"Autonomous vehicles": self-driving cars (Tesla, Waymo). Political: "autonomous region", partial independence within a country (Hong Kong, Catalonia).

• acting independently; self-governing

  They want an autonomous region.

• the right or condition of self-government; freedom from external control or influence; independence

  Tatarstan demanded greater autonomy within the Russian Federation.

"Money saver", "life saver", "time saver": common compounds. Personal finance: "savers" vs "spenders", common contrast.

• a person who saves money or something

  He's a careful saver.

"Misspelled" or "misspelt" (UK alt). Common misspellings: "definitely" (not "definately"), "separate" (not "seperate"), "occurred".

• to spell incorrectly

  He misspelled her name on the invitation.

Also spelled "matte" (especially American). Common in painting: "matte finish" vs "glossy finish". Photography: matte vs glossy prints.

• having a dull non-shiny surface

  She painted the wall in matt black.

Common in fantasy: "love potion", "magic potion". Harry Potter: "Potions class" with Professor Snape. Origin: same as "poison" (from Latin "potio" = drink).

• a magical or medicinal drink

  The witch brewed a potion.

American synonym for "cold sore". Caused by HSV-1 virus (mostly). Triggered by stress, fever, sun exposure. Treatable but not curable.

• a small sore on the lips caused by herpes simplex virus

  She had a fever blister on her lip.

Famous: Big Ben (London, technically the bell; tower is Elizabeth Tower). Other iconic: Spasskaya Tower (Kremlin), Astronomical Clock (Prague).

• a tower containing a large clock

  They met at the town's clock tower.

"Rh" is silent (as in "rhyme" and "rhinoceros"). Older term: modern medicine differentiates types such as rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia.

• a disease causing pain in joints or muscles

  His grandmother suffered from rheumatism.

Rheumatic diseases affect joints, muscles, or connective tissue.

• relating to rheumatism or painful joint and muscle conditions

  The patient complained of rheumatic pain in her hands.

Can follow untreated strep throat and damage heart valves.

• an inflammatory disease that can follow a strep infection

  Antibiotics reduced cases of rheumatic fever.

Two main senses: scrub hard, or search thoroughly.

1. to clean by rubbing hard

   She scoured the pan until it shone.

2. to search a place very thoroughly

   Police scoured the woods for clues.

Mostly seen in the informal phrase "hissy fit" = a childish outburst.

• angry, petty, or like a childish tantrum

  He threw a hissy fit when the meeting was rescheduled.

Formal word. Can mean misbehaving or simply straying from the expected path.

• behaving wrongly or straying from the proper course

  An errant pass gave the other team an easy goal.

Historically medicalized in sexist ways; modern use usually means panic or uncontrolled excitement.

• extreme fear, excitement, or loss of emotional control

  Rumors about the bank caused public hysteria.

1. unable to control emotions because of fear or excitement

   She became hysterical when she saw the smoke.

2. extremely funny

   The comedian's story was hysterical.

British spelling: naturalise. Common legal phrase: naturalized citizen.

1. to make someone a legal citizen of a country

   She was naturalized as a US citizen in 2018.

2. to make a plant or animal established in a new place

   The species has naturalized along the coast.

Opposite of nocturnal. In biology, diurnal animals are active during the day.

1. active or happening during the day

   Most humans are naturally diurnal.

2. daily; following a 24-hour cycle

   The data show a diurnal temperature pattern.

The summer and winter solstices mark the longest and shortest days of the year.

• one of the two yearly times when the sun is farthest north or south

  The winter solstice falls in December in the Northern Hemisphere.

Often used with domains: business etiquette, email etiquette, table etiquette.

• the accepted rules for polite social or professional behavior

  Email etiquette varies from company to company.

Formal Latin phrase meaning per year; common in finance and contracts.

• for each year; annually

  The loan charges five percent interest per annum.

• to design the movements for a dance or staged action

  She choreographed the fight scene herself.

Also the past tense and past participle of choreograph.

• planned in detailed movement or sequence

  The opening ceremony was carefully choreographed.

• a person who creates dance or movement sequences

  The choreographer worked with the dancers for weeks.

• relating to choreography or planned movement

  The film's choreographic style is highly athletic.

• the art or design of dance and movement sequences

  The choreography made the musical feel alive.

Loanword from Japanese, literally death from overwork.

• death caused by extreme overwork or work stress

  The documentary examined karoshi in Japanese office culture.

Can describe taste, smell, personality, music, or a pleasant deal: a sweet offer.

1. having the taste of sugar or honey

   The mango was ripe and sweet.

2. kind, pleasant, or charming

   It was sweet of her to call.

Mainly British English for candy; also dessert in phrases like "the sweet course".

• a small piece of candy or a sweet food

  The children bought sweets after school.

• the quality of being sweet in taste, smell, or manner

  A little lemon balances the sweetness of the sauce.

Para- here means beside or resembling; a paramilitary group is not the regular army.

• organized like an army but not part of regular armed forces

  The region was controlled by a paramilitary force.

• a member of a paramilitary organization

  Several paramilitaries were arrested after the raid.

Stronger and more formal than poor; implies lacking basic necessities.

• extremely poor and lacking basic necessities

  The charity helps destitute families find housing.

• extreme poverty with lack of basic needs

  War pushed many civilians into destitution.

The language of ancient Rome; many legal, medical, and scientific terms come from Latin.

• the language of ancient Rome

  Many English words have roots in Latin.

• relating to Latin, ancient Rome, or Latin-derived cultures

  The phrase is a Latin legal expression.

Common in tech: haptic feedback is the vibration or touch sensation from a device.

• relating to touch or the sense of touch

  The controller gives haptic feedback when the car hits a wall.

Past tense: sang; past participle: sung.

• to make musical sounds with the voice

  She loves to sing in the car.

• difficult to carry, manage, or control because of size or complexity

  The old reporting system was slow and unwieldy.

Common in toothpaste and drinking-water policy because it helps prevent tooth decay.

• a fluorine compound used especially to protect teeth

  This toothpaste contains fluoride.