Vocabulary: Batch 24

Olympic weightlifting has two lifts: snatch and clean & jerk. Distinct from powerlifting (squat, bench, deadlift) and bodybuilding (aesthetics).

• a person who lifts heavy weights

  The weightlifter set a new record.

• the sport of lifting weights

  Weightlifting builds strength.

Plural: consortia or consortiums. From Latin "consors" (sharer). Often used for international cooperation: research consortia, banking consortia.

• an association of several companies or institutions

  A consortium of banks financed the project.

"Served on a silver platter" = given without effort. "Cheese platter", "meat platter": restaurant menu items. Larger than a plate.

• a large flat dish for serving food

  She arranged the cheese on a platter.

Famous in Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea" (1952). Game fish: popular target for sport fishing. "Black marlin": fastest of all bony fish.

• a large fish with a long pointed upper jaw

  He caught a 500-pound marlin.

From French. "Hit a plateau": stop improving (common in fitness, learning). Famous: Tibetan Plateau ("Roof of the World").

• a flat area of high ground; a period of no change

  They hiked across the high plateau.

Slightly dated. Often used about clever gadgets, small tools, or solutions. "Nifty trick": common collocation.

• attractive or cleverly made (informal)

  That's a nifty little gadget.

Common in finance: "accrued interest". Legal/business: "accrue benefits". Implies gradual buildup.

• to accumulate or build up over time

  Interest accrues on the loan daily.

Accounting term. Antonym in accounting: cash basis. The verb is "accrue".

• the accumulation or increase of something over time, especially payments or benefits

  Interest accrual on the savings account is calculated daily.

• a person employed to handle correspondence and administrative tasks; a government minister

  The secretary scheduled the meeting.

"Permanent Under-Secretary": top UK civil service rank in a ministry. In US: ranks below "Secretary" (cabinet-level head).

• a senior official below a Secretary

  The Under-Secretary briefed the press.

American spelling; British: spectre. Often figurative: "the specter of war", "the specter of inflation", looming threat.

• a ghost; a haunting fear of something

  The specter of recession loomed.

"Stopgap measure" / "stopgap solution": common collocations, especially in government and business. Implies short-term, not ideal.

• a temporary substitute or solution

  This is just a stopgap until we find a real fix.

Treated as plural even in singular form ("the police are here"). "Police state": authoritarian regime. "Defund the police": modern political slogan.

• the official law enforcement organization

  The police arrived at the scene.

• to control or monitor an area or activity to enforce rules

  Volunteers police the neighborhood at night.

"Homeless shelter", "animal shelter", "bomb shelter". "Take shelter": find safety. "Tax shelter": financial arrangement reducing taxes.

• a place giving protection from danger or weather

  They sought shelter from the storm.

• to protect someone or something from harm or weather

  The awning sheltered them from the rain.

"Swirl" wine to release aroma. "Swirling rumors": circulating widely. "Swirly": playground bullying (head dunked in toilet).

• to move in a twisting circular pattern

  Leaves swirled in the wind.

• a twisting, circular pattern or movement

  The dessert had a swirl of caramel on top.

"Loan servicer": manages student loans (US student loan crisis context). Distinct from the original lender: collects payments, handles paperwork.

• a company that manages loan payments and accounts

  My student loan servicer sends monthly statements.

Symptoms include hallucinations, delusions. Can be from schizophrenia, severe depression, drug-induced. Different from neurosis (less severe).

• a severe mental disorder with loss of contact with reality

  He suffered from postpartum psychosis.

From Latin "post" (after) + "partus" (birth). "Postpartum depression" (PPD): affects ~10-15% of new mothers. Increasingly recognized and treated.

• following childbirth

  She experienced postpartum depression.

Buddhist religious structure. Derived from Indian stupas. Famous: Shwedagon Pagoda (Yangon), Yakushiji (Nara), Pagoda of Fogong Temple (China).

• a tiered tower used in some Asian religions

  The ancient pagoda stood on the hill.

Note silent "-gh". From Dutch "verlof" (leave). "Government shutdowns": federal workers get furloughed. UK: "furlough scheme" was major COVID-19 economic policy.

• a temporary leave from work

  Hundreds of workers were placed on furlough.

• to require an employee to take temporary unpaid leave

  The government furloughed thousands of workers during the shutdown.

Artificial sweeteners: aspartame, sucralose, stevia. Also figurative: "sweetener" in business deals = added incentive. Often: "sweetener for the deal".

• a substance added to make food sweeter; an incentive

  She uses an artificial sweetener in her coffee.

"Hobbled by injury": common sports phrase. Also figurative: "hobbled by regulations". "Hobble": Stephen King's novel Misery features a famous "hobbling" scene.

• to walk awkwardly because of injury

  He hobbled to the door on crutches.

From "brass". "Brazen lie", "brazen attempt": shameless. "Brazen it out": face accusations boldly. Strong word: pejorative.

• bold and shameless

  It was a brazen act of theft.

• to face a difficult situation with bold confidence, especially undeservedly ("brazen it out")

  He tried to brazen it out despite the evidence against him.

Often political: "hardline conservatives", "hardline Islamists". Implies unwillingness to compromise. Also written "hard-line".

• unwilling to compromise; strict

  He took a hardline stance.

"Republican hardliners", "Communist Party hardliners". Suggests ideological rigidity within a group.

• a person who takes a hardline position

  The hardliners refused to negotiate.

Less common than "hardline": typically used to contrast a moderate/conciliatory position.

• a moderate or accommodating position

  The president took a soft line on immigration.

Childish/British. Like "weewee" in tone. Also a name (Willy = diminutive of William). "Free Willy": 1993 film about an orca.

• (British informal) a penis (child's word)

  The toddler announced he needed to wash his willy.

Theological concept (Calvinism: God's predestination of souls). Often used loosely: "predestined to greatness". Implies inevitability.

• determined by fate in advance

  He felt predestined to become a doctor.

Major Christian theological debate, especially in Calvinism. Tension with concepts of free will. Important in Islamic theology too (qadar).

• the religious belief that events are determined in advance

  Calvinist theology emphasizes predestination.

Past: left. Many idioms: "leave alone", "leave behind", "leave out". "Take it or leave it": accept or decline. "Leave well enough alone": don't disrupt success.

• to go away from

  She left the room quietly.

• time off from work or military duty

  He took two weeks of leave.

"Tainted evidence": legal term for evidence compromised by improper handling. "Tainted love": Soft Cell song. Suggests subtle but real contamination.

• to contaminate or affect with something bad

  The scandal tainted his reputation.

• a trace of a bad, contaminating, or undesirable quality

  The scandal left a taint on his reputation.

From geometry (a tangent line touches a curve at one point). "Go off on a tangent" = drift off topic. "Tangential relationship" = barely related.

• only slightly relevant

  His comments were tangential to the discussion.

Math: trigonometric function (tan). Also: "go off on a tangent", diverge from main topic, common in conversation.

• a line touching a curve at one point; an irrelevant aside

  She went off on a tangent about her vacation.

"Mind games", "mind reader", "keep in mind", "change one's mind". "Out of one's mind" = crazy. "Mind your own business".

• the part of a person that thinks and feels

  His mind was clear and focused.

• to be careful about; to object to

  Mind the gap.

"Mindfulness": popular meditation practice rooted in Buddhism. Popularized in West by Jon Kabat-Zinn (1979).

• conscious or aware of something

  Be mindful of others.

Popular meditation practice rooted in Buddhism; the quality of present-moment awareness.

• a mental state of focused, nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment

  She practices mindfulness to manage her stress.

1. done without thought or reason; senseless

   The film is full of mindless violence.

2. requiring no thought; dull and mechanical

   Sorting envelopes all day is mindless work.

"Stop and frisk": controversial NYC policing policy. Different from "pat down" (similar but less thorough). "Frisky" (adjective) = playful, lively.

• to search someone by passing hands over their body

  The officer frisked the suspect.

Often of animals or playfully of people.

• playful and full of energy

  The puppy was frisky after its nap.

Pierce Brosnan: actor (James Bond). "Pierce the veil": legal/figurative phrase. "Piercing eyes": penetratingly intense gaze.

• to make a hole through with a sharp object

  The arrow pierced the target.

Body modification with long cross-cultural history. Modern mainstream: ear piercings; more contested: lip, eyebrow, nose, septum, navel.

• a small hole in the body for jewelry

  She got a new ear piercing.

• extremely sharp or intense

  He let out a piercing scream.

US health insurance jargon. Common in critiques of expensive US healthcare. Other countries (UK NHS, Canada) typically have no copays for basic care.

• the fixed amount a patient pays for a medical service

  My copay is $20 per visit.

Formal version of "copay". Used in insurance documents and policy discussions.

• the formal term for a copay

  The copayment for prescriptions varies.

• to rest with one's body supported on the buttocks

  She sat down on the bench to rest.

"Sitting president": currently in office. "Sitting duck": easy target. "In one sitting": without break (e.g., read a book in one sitting).

• a period of being seated; a session

  He finished the book in one sitting.

Rare word: most dictionaries don't include it. "Deleterious" is much more common: implies harmful, damaging.

• tending to delete or destroy

  The deletory effects of time on memory are well documented.

Materials: granite, quartz, marble, butcher block, laminate. Major kitchen renovation expense in US homes.

• the flat top surface of a kitchen counter

  She wiped down the granite countertop.

• to attach something from above; to be suspended

  Hang your coat by the door.

Common in casual psychology: "body image hang-ups", "hang-ups about money". Origin uncertain - possibly from hanging up the telephone in frustration.

• an emotional problem or inhibition

  He has hang-ups about his appearance.

• to end a phone call; to hang something on a hook

  She hung up before I could answer.

"Hanger" (clothes hanger) vs. "hangar" (aircraft building): homophones with different spellings. "Hangry" = hungry + angry (modern slang).

• a shaped piece for hanging clothes on

  She put the shirt on a hanger.

Wire coat hangers from dry cleaners: once associated with illegal abortions. Plastic and wooden hangers more common today.

• a shaped piece for hanging coats

  He took a fresh coat hanger from the closet.

Coffee percolators: old-style brewing method. Often figurative: "ideas percolating", slowly developing in the mind. "Information percolates up": gradually reaches higher levels.

• (of liquid) to pass slowly through a porous substance

  The water percolates through the rocks.

• a machine for making coffee, consisting of a pot in which boiling water is circulated through a small chamber that holds the ground beans

  She made coffee in the percolator.

American term; UK preference: "bedside table". "One-night stand", completely different meaning: brief romantic/sexual encounter.

• a small table next to a bed

  She put the lamp on the night stand.

Originally a literal scene with someone hanging from a cliff.

• a suspenseful ending that leaves the result unresolved

  The season ended on a cliffhanger.

Opposite of outbound.

• traveling or coming in toward a place

  Inbound flights were delayed by fog.

• the number 1

  The recipe needs one egg.

• a person or thing already mentioned

  This cup is cracked; pass me another one.

More neutral than too; often placed before the main verb.

• in addition; too

  She teaches biology and also writes textbooks.

• the two people or things together

  Both answers are correct.

• the two of them

  I invited both to dinner.

Often means perfectly clean, but can also mean morally pure.

• perfectly clean, neat, or without mistakes

  The hotel room was immaculate.

• an area separating two places or groups

  Peacekeepers monitored the buffer zone.

1. a place where minerals are dug from the earth

   The old copper mine closed in the 1980s.

2. an explosive hidden in the ground or water

   The soldiers cleared mines from the road.

• to dig minerals out of the earth

  The company mines lithium in the desert.

• the one that belongs to me

  Your phone is black, but mine is blue.

• a person who works in a mine

  The miners returned after a long shift.

• the season between summer and winter

  The leaves turn red and gold in autumn.

The n in autumn is silent, but autumnal pronounces it.

• relating to autumn

  The trees had a warm autumnal color.

Contrasts with urban and suburban.

• relating to the countryside

  Rural schools often serve students spread over large areas.

Often used in no-go area and no-go decision.

• not allowed, impossible, or unsafe

  That shortcut is a no-go after dark.

• a decision not to proceed

  The launch team gave a no-go because of wind.

A short, clever saying; often witty or satirical.

• a short witty saying or poem

  The essay opens with a sharp epigram about power.

• a hidden supply of something

  She kept a stash of chocolate in her desk.

• to hide or store something secretly

  He stashed the spare key under a flowerpot.

• a right someone has because of birth or ancestry

  He saw citizenship as his birthright.

Stronger and more literary than betrayal.

• betrayal of trust; dangerous disloyalty

  The king punished the nobles for treachery.

• likely to betray trust or cause danger

  The mountain road was treacherous after the storm.

Also spelled wildcard in computing and sports contexts.

1. a person or thing that is hard to predict

   Weather is the wild card in tomorrow's launch.

2. a symbol that can stand for other characters

   Use a wild card to search for all file names ending in .txt.

1. honesty and strong moral principles

   She is respected for her integrity.

2. the state of being whole and undamaged

   Engineers checked the bridge's structural integrity.

Insulting and old-fashioned; avoid using it about real people.

• a very foolish person

  The villain called his assistant an imbecile.

• to join the military or get help from someone

  He enlisted in the army at nineteen.

• serving in the military below officer rank

  The base houses enlisted personnel.

• the act or period of joining military service

  Her enlistment ended after four years.

• a building where plays and performances are staged

  They saw a new play at the theater downtown.

British spelling of theater.

• (British) a building where plays and performances are staged

  They booked tickets to the West End theatre.

1. relating to theater or dramatic performance

   The play used bold theatrical lighting.

2. too dramatic or exaggerated

   He made a theatrical sigh.

Theater origin: upstage is farther from the audience.

• to draw attention away from someone

  The child upstaged the speaker with a funny comment.

• toward the back of a stage

  The actor moved to the upstage corner.

Formal or literary word for intense anger.

• great anger, especially as punishment

  The policy drew the wrath of voters.

1. the top edge of a cup, bowl, or container

   Fill the glass to the brim.

2. the projecting edge of a hat

   Rain dripped from the brim of his hat.

• to be full of something

  Her eyes brimmed with tears.

British-flavored word; American English more often says rowdy.

• noisy, energetic, and hard to control

  The rumbustious crowd spilled into the street.

• to stop something from happening

  The vaccine helps prevent severe illness.

• intended to stop something before it happens

  Preventive care can catch problems early.

• able to be stopped from happening

  Many infections are preventable.

Preventive is often preferred in formal medical writing.

• intended to prevent something

  The city took preventative measures before the storm.

• the action of stopping something from happening

  Fire prevention is a top priority for the department.

• to stop developing, moving, or improving

  Wages stagnated for several years.

• not moving, growing, or changing

  Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water.

• the state of not developing, moving, or improving

  Economic stagnation worried policymakers.

• to bring a fact, event, or person back into one's mind

  She couldn't remember where she left her keys.

More formal than memory; common in memorial ceremonies.

• the act of remembering and honoring someone

  The town held a day of remembrance.

• a sudden strong expression of feeling

  There was an outpouring of grief after the accident.

Often used in politics and business leadership.

• to force someone out of a position or place

  Shareholders tried to oust the CEO.

Also spelled liveable, especially in British English.

• suitable or pleasant enough to live in

  The apartment is small but livable.

• not suitable or safe to live in

  The fire left the house unlivable.

• one level in a series of levels

  The company offers three pricing tiers.

• toward the sky

  The rocket climbed skyward.

• directed toward the sky

  The statue's skyward gaze looked hopeful.

• a sudden protest in which people leave a place

  Teachers staged a walkout over pay.

1. a direct confrontation

   The candidates had a tense face-off on TV.

2. the start of play in hockey

   The center won the face-off.

• the part of a view or picture nearest the viewer

  A tree fills the foreground of the photo.

• to make something prominent

  The article foregrounds the workers' stories.

Forego can mean go before; forgo means do without. They are often confused.

• to go before or precede

  A warning may forego the formal notice.

• just mentioned or preceding

  The foregoing examples show the pattern.

Common phrase: a foregone conclusion.

• decided or known in advance

  The result was a foregone conclusion.

Rare technical word meaning to extend forward.

• to stretch or extend forward

  The insect's mouthparts protend from the head.

• small printed details, especially legal conditions

  Read the fine print before you sign.

British equivalent of fine print.

• small printed details in a contract or ad

  The small print includes extra fees.

From Latin asinus, meaning donkey; insulting.

• extremely foolish or stupid

  It was an asinine rule.

1. the outer boundary of an area

   Police secured the perimeter.

2. the total length around a shape

   Find the perimeter of the rectangle.

• to withdraw from a case or decision because of a conflict of interest

  The judge recused herself from the trial.

Legal term: stepping aside because of a conflict of interest.

• the act of withdrawing from a case or decision

  The judge's recusal delayed the trial.