Vocabulary: Batch 21

• to refuse to follow a rule or order

  The driver disobeyed the signal.

• not obeying rules or orders

  The dog was disobedient.

'Civil disobedience' = the deliberate, public, and nonviolent breaking of a law to protest it (associated with Thoreau, Gandhi, and MLK). Antonym: obedience.

• failure or refusal to obey rules or someone in authority

  The soldier was punished for disobedience.

• a loud angry or excited reaction

  The announcement caused an uproar.

• very noisy or extremely funny

  The room erupted in uproarious laughter.

• a state of public dissatisfaction and disturbance

  Economic problems led to unrest.

• a particular point in time, especially an important one

  At this juncture, we need a decision.

1. to express disapproval of something

   The teacher deprecated careless work.

2. to discourage use of a feature because it is outdated

   The API method was deprecated.

• the act of discouraging or phasing out the use of something, especially outdated software

  The deprecation notice recommended switching to the new API.

• prepared and available for use or action

  Dinner is ready.

• the state of being prepared or willing

  The troops maintained readiness.

• to look at and understand written or printed words

  She read the letter twice before replying.

• easy or possible to read

  The report is clear and readable.

1. over the side of a boat into the water

   The sailor fell overboard.

2. to an excessive degree

   Do not go overboard with the decorations.

• to move power or control away from a central authority

  The reform decentralized school management.

• to feed a baby with milk from the breast

  She chose to breast-feed her baby.

• to treat someone with excessive care or comfort

  The resort pampers its guests.

• relating to or involving two racial groups

  She grew up in a biracial family.

• a sitting room or a shop offering a particular service

  They met in the hotel parlor.

• a room in a public building for receiving guests; a shop or business providing specified goods or services

  An ice-cream parlour.

• clearly true and impossible to deny

  Her talent is undeniable.

• to stop feeling angry at someone for an offense

  She forgave him for the mistake.

• able to be forgiven

  The error was embarrassing but forgivable.

• the act of forgiving someone

  He asked for forgiveness.

• too bad to be forgiven

  Leaving the patient untreated was unforgivable.

• ready and willing to forgive

  A forgiving God.

"Dot com" comes from the dot in internet addresses. "Connect the dots" means infer the hidden pattern.

• a small round mark or point

  Put a dot above the lowercase letter i.

• to mark or cover with small spots

  Small villages dotted the coastline.

Everyday word. It can mean paid work, a task, or a responsibility: "That's not my job."

1. paid work; a particular task or duty

   She got a job at a software company.

2. a specific piece of work that needs to be done

   Painting the fence was a bigger job than expected.

"Discredit a witness" is common legal phrasing: make the witness seem unreliable.

• to harm the reputation or credibility of someone or something

  The forged documents discredited the entire report.

• loss of respect or credibility

  The scandal brought discredit on the organization.

Formal and negative. It describes behavior that brings shame or loss of respect.

• bringing shame or damage to someone's reputation

  The board condemned his discreditable conduct.

Workplace/training jargon. Contrast with "reskill", which means train for a different kind of work.

• to teach or learn additional work skills

  The company offered courses to upskill its staff.

• to perceive sound with the ears

  I could hear music coming from next door.

Legal: a hearing is usually shorter and narrower than a full trial.

• a court or official meeting where evidence or arguments are heard

  The judge scheduled a hearing for next Monday.

• the ability to hear sounds

  Years of loud concerts damaged his hearing.

Adjective/noun stress is first syllable; verb stress is second syllable: /kəmˈpaʊnd/.

• made up of two or more parts

  "Toothbrush" is a compound word.

• to make a problem or effect stronger by adding to it

  The delay compounded our scheduling problems.

• made worse or more complex by additional factors

  The error was compounded by poor communication.

Medical term. Also called an open fracture because the skin is broken.

• a bone fracture in which the broken bone pierces the skin

  The cyclist suffered a compound fracture of the leg.

Interest on interest. This is why savings and debts can grow faster over time.

• interest calculated on both principal and accumulated interest

  Compound interest helped her retirement savings grow.

Finance/accounting word. Related noun: depreciation.

1. to decrease in value over time

   A new car depreciates quickly in the first few years.

2. to reduce an asset's recorded value in accounts

   The company depreciates its equipment over five years.

• a decrease in the value of something over time

  The car's depreciation was steeper than expected.

Informal. Can mean a left-handed person or, in politics, a person on the left.

• a left-handed person; sometimes a left-wing person

  As a lefty, she prefers scissors designed for the left hand.

Informal counterpart of "lefty". Political use is less common than "right-winger".

• a right-handed person; sometimes a right-wing person

  Most desks in the classroom were designed for righties.

A collective word: it refers to leaves, plants, and vegetation as a mass, not one plant.

• green leaves or plants, especially used for decoration

  They added greenery to make the office feel less sterile.

More formal than "start". Common collocations: initiate a process, initiate proceedings, initiate contact.

1. to cause something to begin

   The company initiated a review of its security policy.

2. to admit someone into a group through a ceremony or process

   New members are initiated at the annual meeting.

• the act of starting something or being admitted into a group

  The initiation of the project took longer than expected.

Often military or political: a naval blockade, economic blockade, or blockade of a road.

• an act of blocking access to a place, port, or route

  The navy imposed a blockade on the harbor.

• to prevent people or goods from entering or leaving a place

  Protesters blockaded the entrance to the factory.

Antonym: peacetime. "Wartime measures" often allow expanded government powers. "Wartime leader": Churchill, FDR famous examples.

• a period when a country is fighting a war

  Many policies were enacted during wartime.

Formal/legal. Often introduces clarifying clauses in contracts and academic writing. Synonym: by which.

• by which; through which

  They have a system whereby clients can pay online.

Almost exclusively used as imperative: "Unhand me, sir!". Archaic/melodramatic feel: common in period drama parodies.

• to release from one's grasp (archaic)

  "Unhand me at once!" she cried.

• to drain someone of energy or vitality

  The stifling heat enervated the whole team.

Often confused with "energized": opposite meaning! From Latin "enervare" (remove sinews). Implies physical or mental drainage.

• feeling drained of energy

  He was enervated after the long flight.

• causing one to feel drained of energy

  The heat was enervating.

Three senses: power outage, military light-discipline, temporary memory loss (often alcohol-related). "Blackout curtains": block all light.

• a sudden loss of power, light, or consciousness

  The storm caused a city-wide blackout.

In 3/4, the 3 is the numerator. Antonym: denominator (bottom). Mnemonic: numerator is Up ("N" looks up); denominator is Down.

• the top number in a fraction

  In 3/4, the numerator is 3.

American English: also = electrical outlet/socket. UK uses "socket" or "power point". General sense: any container.

• a container, especially one for waste

  Please place trash in the receptacle.

Subtle distinction: "inhuman" = lacking human qualities (cold, monstrous); "inhumane" = cruel treatment. Both used in human rights contexts.

• lacking human qualities; not appropriate to humans

  They worked in inhuman conditions.

"Inhumane treatment": common in human rights complaints. Stronger emphasis on cruelty than "inhuman".

• cruel and lacking compassion

  The prisoners faced inhumane treatment.

"Man's inhumanity to man": famous phrase from Robert Burns. Common in war crime / atrocity contexts.

• cruel or barbarous behavior

  The trial revealed shocking inhumanity.

Medical/biology term. "Perfusion": circulation of blood through tissue. "Reperfusion injury": damage when blood flow returns after a period of cutoff.

• to permeate or spread through (especially with fluid)

  The organ was perfused with preservation solution.

• the passage of fluid, especially blood, through the vessels of an organ or tissue

  The surgeon monitored blood perfusion to the kidney.

"Unrelenting heat", "unrelenting pressure": common collocations. Implies harsh persistence. Stronger than "relentless" in feel, similar in meaning.

• not stopping or becoming less intense

  The unrelenting rain ruined the picnic.

"Non-lethal weapons": tasers, rubber bullets, tear gas. Controversial: "less-lethal" sometimes preferred (since deaths still occur).

• not deadly

  Police used nonlethal force to disperse the crowd.

Common in financial/economic news: "prices skyrocketed". From the noun (a firework that shoots high into the sky).

• to rise very quickly

  Housing prices have skyrocketed.

• the small part of a plant from which a new plant can grow

  She planted the seeds in early spring.

• to plant seeds in an area of ground

  They seeded the lawn in autumn.

Tennis: top seeds (#1, #2, etc.) get bracket-spread placement. "Seeded bread", different sense: containing seeds.

• ranked in a tournament; containing seeds

  She was the top seeded player.

"Unseeded" players sometimes upset top seeds: major sports story. Also: produce "unseeded" = with seeds removed (like watermelon).

• not ranked in a tournament

  The unseeded player beat the favorite.

Olympic 100m, 200m, 400m: classic sprints. Software development: "sprint" = 1-4 week focused work cycle (Scrum methodology).

• to run very fast for a short distance

  He sprinted to catch the bus.

Famous: Usain Bolt (Jamaica), 100m world record (9.58s, 2009). "Sprint Cup": NASCAR. "Sprinter van": Mercedes commercial vehicle.

• an athlete who specializes in short fast races

  She's the fastest sprinter on the team.

From Greek (originally "a thing devoted to evil"). "Anathema to": common construction. Strong word: implies moral or ideological abomination.

• something detested or strongly disapproved of

  Censorship is anathema to journalists.

American military term: opposite of "reserve" or "discharged". "Active-duty personnel": currently serving full-time.

• full-time military service

  He returned from active duty in Afghanistan.

More British than American. Roughly the same as active duty but implies frontline combat involvement.

• military service involving combat

  He saw active service in two wars.

Business jargon: "topline" = revenue; "bottom line" = profit. Also used as noun: "topline summary", main headline figure.

• most important; relating to revenue

  Here are the topline results.

Original: a strip of cut grass left by a scythe. "Swathes": common with "cut" ("cut a swathe through X"). Variant spelling: swath /swɑːθ/.

• a long broad strip or area

  Fire destroyed huge swathes of forest.

Originally referred to legendary unbreakable stone (similar to diamond). "Adamantium": Wolverine's bones in Marvel. "Adamant about": common construction.

• refusing to be persuaded

  She was adamant about her decision.

• a single article or object, especially one included in a list

  She crossed each item off her shopping list.

"Itemized bill": broken down by item. US taxes: "itemize deductions" vs "standard deduction". British spelling: itemise.

• to present in the form of a list

  Please itemize your expenses.

Made by injecting small amounts of venom into horses/sheep, then harvesting their antibodies. Often very expensive. Also: antivenin.

• a medicine that counteracts snake or spider venom

  They rushed to administer the antivenom.

One of the Seven Deadly Sins (Christian). "Lust for power/glory/money": figurative extensions. "Wanderlust": desire to travel.

• intense sexual desire

  He felt a sudden lust for her.

• having or showing strong sexual desire

  Lustful glances.

British spelling; American: luster. "Add lustre to", figurative: enhance distinction. Mineral property: metallic vs vitreous lustre.

• a gentle sheen or glow

  The pearls had a soft lustre.

Often describes hair, pearls, metal, or fabric.

• shiny and smooth in an attractive way

  She had long, lustrous black hair.

"Antarctica": the continent. "Anti-" + "Arctic" = opposite of the Arctic. "Antarctic Treaty": preserves the continent for science.

• relating to the south polar region

  They sailed to the Antarctic continent.

From Greek "arktos" (bear): referring to the Big Bear constellation in the north. Not a continent: mostly ocean (Arctic Ocean) and tundra around it.

• relating to the north polar region

  The expedition reached the Arctic Circle.

American informal/childish. Used by parents, in children's books. Slightly old-fashioned. Like "booty", "behind".

• (informal) buttocks

  He landed on his heinie.

"Rump steak": cut of beef from the back. "Rump parliament": historical (English Civil War). Mildly humorous for human buttocks.

• the back end of an animal; (informal) buttocks

  She ordered the rump steak.

"Creaky floorboards": common in old houses, ghost story trope. "Loose floorboard": classic hiding spot in fiction.

• a long wooden board in a floor

  The old floorboards creaked underfoot.

"Jiggle the handle": common with old toilet flush mechanisms. "Jiggle a key" in a stuck lock. Smaller motions than "shake".

• to move quickly up and down or side to side with small motions

  She jiggled the doorknob to unstick it.

Homophone of "check". "Czech Republic" / "Czechia" (since 2016 short name). Famous: Prague (capital), Czech beer, Karel Čapek (coined "robot").

• relating to the Czech Republic or its people

  Czech beer is famous worldwide.

• a person from the Czech Republic

  Her grandmother was a Czech who emigrated in 1968.

• the West Slavic language spoken in the Czech Republic

  He is learning Czech.

"Transatlantic alliance": typically US-UK or US-Europe relationship. "Transatlantic flight": typically 6-8 hours.

• crossing the Atlantic Ocean

  She booked a transatlantic flight to London.

"Enhanced interrogation": Bush-era euphemism for techniques widely considered torture. Police interrogation common in crime dramas.

• to question intensively

  The police interrogated the suspect for hours.

• the act of questioning intensively

  The interrogation lasted all night.

• a person who questions someone intensively

  The interrogator pressed him for details.

From Latin "orare" (to speak). Famous orators: Cicero (Roman), Demosthenes (Greek), Lincoln, Churchill, MLK.

• a skilled public speaker

  Cicero was a great orator.

• relating to the art of public speaking

  He has impressive oratorical skills.

• the art of formal public speaking

  His skill in oratory won him many admirers.

Several senses: accept responsibility (take on a task), oppose (take on a rival), recruit (take on staff), develop (take on a new meaning).

• to accept a responsibility; to confront

  She took on the new project.

"Pound sterling" (£): UK currency. "Sterling silver": 92.5% pure silver. "Sterling reputation", "sterling performance": figurative for excellent.

• of excellent quality; (of silver) of certified purity

  He gave a sterling performance.

"Innocent bystander": collateral victim. "Bystander effect", social psychology: people less likely to help when others are present. Genovese case (1964) is famous.

• a person who is present but not involved

  Several bystanders witnessed the accident.

Greek mythology: had a bull's head, man's body. Lived in a labyrinth on Crete; killed by Theseus. Often used metaphorically for monstrous obstacle.

• a Greek mythological creature, half-man and half-bull

  The Minotaur lurked in the labyrinth.

Religious: morally right. Slang (1960s-70s): excellent ("righteous waves, dude!"). "Self-righteous", pejorative: pretentiously moral.

• morally right; justified

  They were filled with righteous anger.

Often passive: "afflicted with". Diseases, droughts, addictions, conflicts "afflict" people. Formal, somewhat literary register.

• to cause suffering to

  He was afflicted with arthritis.

• a cause of suffering

  Loneliness was his greatest affliction.

Less common than "evict" or "displace". Some advocates prefer "unhoused" over "homeless": emphasizes the systemic nature of homelessness.

• to deprive of a home; to displace

  The flood unhoused thousands.

From Italian "ciarlatano" (chatterer). Stronger than "fraud": implies someone pretending to have special knowledge or skill (often medical or mystical).

• a person falsely claiming to have a special skill

  He was exposed as a medical charlatan.

Multiple senses: car jack (lifting tool), playing card (between 10 and queen), audio jack (3.5mm plug). "Jack of all trades, master of none": proverb.

• a device for lifting heavy objects; a card or audio plug

  He used a jack to change the tire.

British informal, now common in US too. "Drive someone bonkers": make crazy. "Go bonkers": react with extreme excitement or anger.

• (informal) crazy

  That's a bonkers idea.

American informal. More polite alternatives: "vomit" (medical), "throw up" (neutral), "puke" (also informal). Programming: "barf" sometimes used for errors.

• (informal) to vomit

  He barfed after eating bad shrimp.

"Top-notch": informal but widely used. Synonyms: first-rate, top-tier, top-shelf. Origin: "notch" = mark of rank.

• of the highest quality

  The restaurant offers top-notch service.

Implies moral corruption: usually used about influences on character. Now mostly used in passive: "depraved by power".

• to morally corrupt

  They claimed the books would deprave young readers.

Strong negative word: implies moral sickness. "Depraved indifference": legal standard for some crimes.

• morally corrupt

  His behavior was utterly depraved.

• moral corruption

  The novel exposed the depravity of the elite.

"Hive mind": collective consciousness (also internet slang for group think). "Hive of activity": bustling place. "Hives", also: skin reaction.

• a structure in which bees live

  The beekeeper opened the hive.

Two senses: be likely to ("tends to oversleep"), or care for ("tend the garden"). "Tend bar" = work as a bartender.

1. to be likely to do or be something

   She tends to overthink things.

2. to take care of someone or something

   He spent the afternoon tending the garden.

"Have a tendency to" + verb: common pattern.

• an inclination toward a particular kind of behavior

  He has a tendency to talk too much.

Mild euphemism for "damn". "Darn it!": common expression of frustration. Also a verb: "darn socks" = mend with stitches.

• used as a mild expression of annoyance

  Darn, I forgot my keys.

• to mend a hole in fabric with a series of interwoven stitches

  Her grandmother taught her how to darn socks.

"Run a temperature" = have a fever. "Take someone's temperature", also figurative: gauge their mood/opinion.

• a measure of warmth or coldness

  The temperature dropped suddenly.

"Puny mortals!": supervillain cliché. "Puny earnings": disappointingly small. From Old French "puis né" (born later, hence weaker/younger).

• small and weak

  His arms were puny.

Often local laws (city ordinance, county ordinance). Not to be confused with "ordnance" (military weapons): same pronunciation, different word.

• a piece of legislation, often by a city or local authority

  The city passed an ordinance against fireworks.

Grammar: "the" (definite), "a/an" (indefinite) are articles. Journalism: "news article". Legal: "Articles of Incorporation". "Article of clothing": formal phrase.

• a piece of writing in a publication

  She wrote an article on climate change.

From "fathom" (depth unit, also: to understand). "Unfathomable depths": both literal (ocean) and figurative.

• impossible to understand

  His decision was unfathomable.

Common feature in early-2000s blogosphere; mostly faded with rise of RSS readers and social media. Some niche communities still maintain them.

• a list of blogs recommended by a blog's author

  Her blogroll featured tech and design blogs.

Short for "promenade". "Promposal": elaborate invitation to prom. Iconic US high school rite (heavily depicted in movies). "Prom king/queen": voted by classmates.

• a formal dance for US high school students

  He asked her to the prom.

"Stare into the abyss": Nietzsche-inspired phrase. "On the brink of the abyss": figurative for catastrophic decline.

• a deep or seemingly bottomless chasm

  They peered into the abyss.

From "abyss" - originally meaning bottomless; now usually "extremely bad".

• extremely bad; appalling

  His grades were abysmal that semester.

"Improbable" weaker than "impossible". "Improbable hero": narrative trope. Synonym: unlikely.

• not likely to be true or to happen

  It's improbable that he'll come.

Multiple senses: organization, nightclub, weapon, golf club, playing-card suit. "Welcome to the club": sympathetic phrase.

1. an organization for shared interests

   She joined the chess club.

2. a heavy stick used as a weapon

   He hit the snake with a club.

• an entertainment venue that is open from the evening until early morning, having facilities such as a bar and disco or other entertainment

  They went to a nightclub.

• (of an institution or its members) cliquish and exclusive

  The clubby world of British banking.

• to hit someone or something with a heavy stick or similar object

  The attacker clubbed him over the head.

From Latin "soror" (sister). US college tradition; Greek letter names. Male counterpart: fraternity. Common in college movies (Animal House, Legally Blonde).

• a social organization for female students

  She joined a sorority her freshman year.

From Latin "confluere" (flow together). Geographic: where rivers meet. Figurative: "a confluence of factors", common in business/news.

• the meeting of two rivers; a coming together

  The city is at the confluence of two rivers.