Vocabulary: Batch 62

Antonym: religious or sacred. "Secularism" = the principle of separation of religion from government.

• not connected with religious or spiritual matters

  The school provides a secular education.

• the principle that religion should be separate from government or public institutions

  Secularism is written into the constitution.

• made less religious or separated from religious control

  The school system became secularized.

British spelling: secularise.

• to make something less religious or separate it from religious control

  The revolution sought to secularize the education system.

• to make something appear less important or serious than it really is

  The company tried to downplay the security breach.

Always intransitive; typically "encroach on/upon".

• to gradually intrude on a person's territory, rights, or time

  The new building encroaches on the park.

• the action of gradually intruding on a person's territory, rights, or time

  Residents protested the encroachment on the wetlands.

American informal; the agent noun is "grifter". Recently popular in political journalism to describe self-enrichment schemes.

• a petty swindle or confidence trick

  His career has been one long grift.

• to obtain money by swindling or cheating

  He grifted his way through three states.

• a person who engages in petty swindles or confidence tricks

  The documentary exposed him as a lifelong grifter.

1. transported by, carried by, or through the air

   The plane is airborne.

2. (of disease) transmitted through the air, typically by droplets

   Tuberculosis is an airborne disease.

• to substantially reduce the population of (a place)

  The plague depopulated entire villages.

• the reduction of a place's population, especially over a long period

  The famine led to widespread depopulation of the countryside.

• to gather together in a crowd or group

  Students congregated in the courtyard.

1. a group of people gathered for religious worship

   The congregation sang the closing hymn.

2. a gathering or crowd

   A congregation of reporters waited outside the courthouse.

1. (uncountable) a place of refuge or safety

   The refugees sought sanctuary in the church.

2. (countable) a nature reserve where animals are protected

   They visited a wildlife sanctuary in Kenya.

3. (countable) a sacred or holy place, especially the most sacred part of a temple or church

   Only priests could enter the inner sanctuary.

Plural: memorandums or memoranda. Often shortened to "memo".

• a written message or note, especially in a business or diplomatic context

  The CEO sent a memorandum to all employees about the new policy.

• a written message, especially in business

  He sent a memo to the staff.

1. to put an end to (typically a rebellion or other disorder), often by force

   Troops were sent in to quell the riot.

2. to suppress (a feeling, especially an unpleasant one)

   She tried to quell her rising anxiety.

• (especially of something offered or discharged) very plentiful; abundant

  She offered profuse apologies for being late.

• an abundance or large quantity of something

  The garden was a profusion of colorful flowers.

American spelling; British: lacklustre.

• lacking in vitality, force, or conviction; uninspired

  The team gave a lackluster performance.

British spelling; American: lackluster.

• lacking in vitality, force, or conviction; uninspired

  The team gave a lacklustre performance.

• to praise or promote something or someone, especially exaggeratedly

  The new drug is being touted as a cure-all.

British. American equivalent: "scalper".

• (British) a person who sells event tickets at inflated prices outside the venue

  Ticket touts were arrested outside the stadium.

From Italian/Latin. Trio = three; quartet = four.

• a pair of people or things, especially two performers or musicians

  The comedy duo has been performing for thirty years.

"The Abominable Snowman" = the Yeti.

• causing moral revulsion; very bad or unpleasant

  His treatment of his employees was abominable.

"Menstrual cramps" = pain during menstruation. "Cramp someone's style" = limit their freedom to act.

• (countable/uncountable) a painful involuntary contraction of a muscle

  She got a cramp in her leg while swimming.

1. uncomfortably small or crowded

   They lived in a cramped apartment.

2. (of handwriting) small and difficult to read

   His cramped handwriting was hard to decipher.

Vulgar slang in human contexts; neutral technical term in dog breeding. "Son of a bitch" is a common insult.

1. a female dog

   The bitch had a litter of six puppies.

2. (vulgar, offensive) a malicious or unpleasant woman

   Don't be such a bitch.

3. (informal) a thing that is difficult or unpleasant

   That exam was a real bitch.

Informal/vulgar.

• to complain in a whining or spiteful way

  Stop bitching about the weather.

1. to restore someone to a former position or status

   After the investigation cleared him, he was reinstated as CEO.

2. to bring back a rule, policy, or practice that has been discontinued

   The state reinstated the death penalty in 1976.

• the action of restoring someone or something to a previous state or position

  The union demanded the reinstatement of the fired workers.

• to take a dispute or claim to a court of law

  They decided to litigate rather than settle.

• the process of taking legal action; lawsuits collectively

  The two companies are in litigation over patent rights.

• unreasonably prone to going to law to settle disputes

  American culture has become increasingly litigious.

• a lawyer who specializes in taking cases to court

  She's a tough corporate litigator.

"Turn over in his grave" = an idiom meaning a dead person would be upset by something happening now.

• a hole dug in the ground to bury a dead body

  They placed flowers on his grave.

Stronger than "serious".

1. giving cause for alarm; serious

   He is in grave danger.

2. solemn or somber in manner

   The doctor's expression was grave.

Also called "tombstone" or "headstone". Typically inscribed with name, dates, and sometimes an epitaph.

• a stone marker placed at a grave

  His name was carved on the gravestone.

Distinct from "cemetery": traditionally a graveyard adjoins a church, while a cemetery is independent. "Graveyard shift": overnight work shift.

• a burial ground, especially one next to a church

  They walked through the old graveyard.

Often confused with "flout" (to openly disregard a rule). "Flaunt" = show off; "flout" = defy.

• to display something ostentatiously in order to provoke envy or admiration

  She flaunted her new diamond ring at the party.

1. to ask for or try to obtain something from someone

   They solicited donations from local businesses.

2. (of a prostitute) to offer sexual services in a public place

   He was arrested for soliciting on the street corner.

In British English, a solicitor is a lawyer who handles legal documents and advises clients (vs. a barrister, who argues in court). In American English, "solicitor" can mean someone who goes door-to-door selling things.

• (British) a member of the legal profession qualified to give legal advice and draw up legal documents

  Consult a solicitor before signing the contract.

Often used of email ("unsolicited commercial email" = spam).

• not asked for; given or done voluntarily

  She received unsolicited advice from her in-laws.

1. the act of asking for or trying to obtain something from someone, especially money or business

   The charity began its annual solicitation of donations.

2. (law) the act of trying to persuade someone to do something illegal, especially prostitution

   He was arrested for solicitation.

Common collocation: "heinous crime".

• (of an act) utterly odious or wicked

  He was convicted of a series of heinous crimes.

"Take an oath" / "under oath" = legal context.

1. a solemn promise, often invoking a divine witness, regarding one's future action or behavior

   He took an oath of office as president.

2. a swear word; a profane utterance

   He muttered an oath under his breath.

• too powerful to be defeated or overcome

  The team seemed invincible until they lost in the final.

• the quality of being too powerful to be defeated or overcome

  The champion's aura of invincibility was shattered by the upset.

Archaic/formal; most commonly used in the construction "What ails you?".

• to trouble or afflict (someone) in mind or body

  What ails the patient is unclear.

1. in poor health; sick

   She visited her ailing mother every weekend.

2. (of an organization or industry) in financial difficulty

   The government bailed out the ailing bank.

• an illness, typically a minor one

  The doctor diagnosed a common stomach ailment.

Usually implies condescension. "Deign to" + verb.

• to do something that one considers to be beneath one's dignity

  He didn't even deign to reply to her letter.

• a court of justice, especially a special one set up to handle a specific kind of case

  The war crimes tribunal began its hearings in The Hague.

1. (of a habit, belief, or attitude) firmly fixed or established; difficult to change

   His prejudices are deeply ingrained.

2. (of dirt or stains) deeply embedded and hard to remove

   There was ingrained dirt in the wood floor.

Usually appears as the past participle/adjective "ingrained".

• to fix a habit, belief, or attitude firmly in someone's character

  Years of military discipline had ingrained a strict routine in him.

• not genuine or true; fake

  He used a bogus passport to enter the country.

• attempting to impress by affecting greater importance or merit than is actually possessed

  His pretentious vocabulary annoyed everyone at the dinner.

1. a claim to a particular quality or importance, especially an unjustified one

   He has no pretensions to being an expert.

2. (uncountable) the quality of being pretentious

   The restaurant's menu was full of unnecessary pretension.

A brigade is typically 3,000-5,000 soldiers, between a regiment and a division.

1. a large military unit consisting of several regiments or battalions

   The infantry brigade was deployed to the front.

2. a group of people united by a common cause or characteristic

   The fire brigade arrived within minutes.

The person doing the heckling is a "heckler".

• to interrupt a public speaker or performer with comments, questions, or abuse

  The comedian was heckled throughout his set.

• a person who heckles a public speaker or performer

  Security escorted the heckler out of the theater.

Originally referred to one of the four medieval humors, associated with blood and cheerfulness. From Latin sanguis ("blood").

1. optimistic or cheerful, especially in difficult circumstances

   She remains sanguine about her prospects.

2. (literary) blood-red

   The sky turned sanguine at sunset.

Derogatory and sexist; from Italian bambino ("baby").

• (derogatory) an attractive but unintelligent young woman

  The tabloid portrayed her as a bimbo.

Also spelled adrenaline (see sibling form). Scientific name: epinephrine. "Adrenaline rush" = a surge of excitement.

• a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands that increases heart rate and prepares the body for action in stressful or exciting situations

  His adrenalin was pumping as he prepared to jump.

Also spelled adrenalin. Scientific name: epinephrine.

• a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands that increases heart rate and prepares the body for action in stressful or exciting situations

  The adrenaline kicked in as the roller coaster began its descent.

Archaic/biblical for fathering children. Modern usage typically figurative. Past tense: begot or begat; past participle: begotten.

1. (archaic) to father (a child)

   Abraham begat Isaac.

2. to cause; to bring about

   Violence begets violence.

1. to avoid (a problem or question) by addressing something else

   The politician sidestepped the question about taxes.

2. to step out of the way of someone or something

   He sidestepped the puddle.

1. to talk rapidly and at length about unimportant matters

   The kids chattered excitedly on the way to the park.

2. (of teeth) to click together repeatedly from cold or fear

   His teeth were chattering in the cold.

• continuous trivial talk

  The room was filled with chatter.

Often affectionate, especially of children.

• a person who talks a great deal, especially about unimportant things

  My little sister is a real chatterbox.

Informal in the lucky-chance sense. Also a triangular flatfish, and a parasitic flatworm - different etymologies.

• an unlikely chance occurrence, especially a stroke of good luck

  Winning the championship on his first try was a complete fluke.

1. to organize and prepare (people or resources), especially for a particular purpose or action

   The country mobilized its army for war.

2. to bring something into use or action

   The campaign mobilized support among young voters.

• the action of organizing and preparing people or resources for a particular purpose

  The mobilization of troops began at dawn.

"Gain traction" = a popular business/political idiom meaning to begin succeeding.

1. the grip of a tire on a road or a wheel on a track

   The car lost traction on the icy road.

2. (figurative) the support or interest that something gains

   The new product is gaining traction in the market.

3. (medical) the application of a sustained pull on a limb or muscle to treat injuries

   He spent weeks in traction after the accident.

Informal, often plural "ructions". British/Irish.

• a disturbance or quarrel

  There were ructions when the bill came.

Informal in the ghost sense; spy sense is American informal.

1. (informal) a ghost

   The kids thought the old house was full of spooks.

2. (American slang) a spy

   He claims to have worked as a spook for the CIA.

• to startle or frighten

  The sudden noise spooked the horse.

• eerie; unsettling

  The old mansion looked spooky in the moonlight.

Formal. Usually used in the singular with "a".

• a scarcity or lack of something

  There is a dearth of qualified candidates for the position.

Common collocations: "wield power/influence/authority", "wield a weapon".

1. to hold and use a weapon or tool

   He wielded a heavy axe.

2. to have and be able to use (power or influence)

   The senator wielded considerable influence in the party.

• more merciful or tolerant than expected; not harsh

  The judge was lenient with the first-time offender.

Often used in legal contexts: "plea for leniency". Adjective form: "lenient". From Latin "lenire" (soothe).

• the quality of being merciful

  The defense begged for leniency.

From the biblical commandment "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife".

• to yearn to possess something belonging to another, often inappropriately

  He coveted his neighbor's new sports car.

• greatly desired by others

  She won the coveted gold medal.

• having or showing a great desire to possess something belonging to someone else

  He gave the watch a covetous glance.

• to move in a circle or spiral, or to dance with rapid rotating movements of the hips

  The dancer gyrated to the rhythm of the music.

• a circular or spiral motion

  The dancer's gyrations drew a crowd.

• a radical reorganization of an organization or system

  The company announced a major management shake-up.

• a short extract from a film, book, or piece of music

  The magazine published an excerpt from her new novel.

The Berlin Airlift (1948-49) supplied West Berlin during the Soviet blockade.

• the transportation of supplies or people by aircraft, especially in an emergency

  The military launched a massive airlift to deliver food to the refugees.

• to transport supplies or people by aircraft

  Injured climbers were airlifted off the mountain.

Famous in poker context.

• to deceive someone by pretending to have strength, knowledge, or intentions that one does not have

  He was bluffing about having a good hand.

1. an attempt to deceive someone by pretending

   His threat to resign was just a bluff.

2. a steep cliff, especially one along a river or coast

   They climbed to the top of the bluff to see the view.

Formal/technical. Common in physics (attenuation of signals) and medicine (attenuated vaccines).

• to reduce the force, effect, or value of something

  The thick walls attenuated the noise from outside.

• reduced in force, effect, or value

  The vaccine uses an attenuated strain of the virus.

Common in physics/engineering: signal attenuation over distance.

• the reduction of the force, effect, or value of something

  The fiber-optic cable was chosen for its low signal attenuation.

Common idioms: "tread carefully", "tread water".

1. to walk in a specified way

   She trod softly so as not to wake the baby.

2. to step on or trample

   Please don't tread on the flowers.

1. (uncountable) the manner or sound of walking

   He recognized her light tread on the stairs.

2. (countable) the horizontal surface of a stair

   The wooden treads were worn smooth by years of use.

3. (countable/uncountable) the pattern of grooves on a tire

   The tire's tread was nearly worn out.

Old sewing machines, pottery wheels, and bicycles used treadles. Largely replaced by electric motors in modern equipment.

• a lever worked by the foot to drive a machine

  She pumped the treadle of the sewing machine.

Originally a torture/labor device in Victorian prisons. Now mostly exercise equipment. "Hedonic treadmill", psychology: chasing happiness through more wealth/goods.

• an exercise machine with a moving belt

  She ran on the treadmill for an hour.

1. to support, justify, or form the basis for something

   Several studies underpin this theory.

2. to support a wall by inserting solid material beneath it

   They had to underpin the foundation to stop subsidence.

1. (of a sound) loud and harsh; grating

   The strident sound of the alarm woke everyone.

2. (of an opinion or position) expressed in forceful, often aggressive terms

   She is a strident critic of the policy.

• the quality of being strident; harshness of tone or expression

  The stridency of his opinions alienated potential allies.

• greatest in extent, degree, or importance

  This matter is of utmost importance.

Phrase: "do one's utmost" = try as hard as one can.

• the most one can do

  She did her utmost to help him.

• variant of utmost; highest or most prominent

  A matter of the upmost importance.

Antonym in finance: "bearish". Bulls thrust upward with horns; bears swipe downward with paws.

1. (finance) characterized by rising prices or optimism about the stock market

   Analysts are bullish on tech stocks.

2. confidently optimistic

   He is bullish about the company's prospects.

1. to produce a deep, full, reverberating sound

   The bell resonated through the valley.

2. (figurative) to have particular significance or emotional impact

   Her speech resonated with the audience.

Used both for sound and for ideas that feel emotionally meaningful.

1. deep, clear, and continuing to sound

   The cello has a warm, resonant tone.

2. having strong emotional or symbolic meaning

   The image was resonant for many viewers.

1. the quality of being deep, full, and reverberating

   The singer's voice had a rich resonance.

2. the power to evoke or suggest emotional or intellectual meaning

   The poem has particular resonance for anyone who has lost a parent.

From French.

• the form, size, and development of a person's body

  The swimmer has an impressive physique.

"On steroids" = an idiomatic way of saying "vastly more powerful/extreme" (e.g. "It's like Excel on steroids").

• any of a large class of organic compounds with a characteristic molecular structure; in common usage, often refers to anabolic steroids used to build muscle, or to corticosteroids used to reduce inflammation

  He was banned from the sport for using steroids.

"Tone it down" = make less extreme. "Tone deaf" = (1) unable to distinguish musical pitch, (2) figuratively insensitive to a situation's mood.

1. a musical or vocal sound with reference to its pitch, quality, and strength

   She spoke in a soothing tone.

2. the general character, attitude, or mood of something

   The tone of the meeting turned tense.

3. a shade or quality of color

   She chose paint in warm earth tones.

4. the firmness of muscles or blood vessels

   Regular exercise improves muscle tone.

Usually "tone up" (firm the muscles) or "tone down" (make less extreme).

1. to make firmer or more toned, especially muscles

   She does yoga to tone her body.

2. ("tone down") to make something less extreme or intense

   He was asked to tone down his language for the family audience.

1. relating to the tone or pitch of sounds, or to color tones

   Chinese is a tonal language.

2. relating to the mood or character of a creative work

   There are tonal shifts throughout the novel.

1. the character of a piece of music as determined by the key in which it is played

   The piece has an unusual tonality.

2. the overall scheme of colors and tones in a painting

   He praised the painting's warm tonality.

Most commonly heard in "muscular dystrophy", a group of genetic diseases that cause progressive muscle weakness.

• a disorder in which an organ or tissue of the body wastes away

  He was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy as a child.

"Eyes glaze over" = look distant or bored.

1. to cover (something) with a smooth, shiny coating, such as a glassy surface on pottery or a sugary coating on food

   She glazed the doughnuts with sugar.

2. to fit with glass

   The windows were glazed with thick double-pane glass.

• a thin, shiny coating applied to pottery, food, or other surfaces

  The pottery has a beautiful blue glaze.

1. covered with a glaze

   He bought a glazed doughnut.

2. (of eyes) showing no interest or feeling

   His glazed eyes told her he wasn't listening.

1. a single thin length of something such as thread, hair, or wire

   A strand of hair fell across her face.

2. an element or aspect of a complex situation or idea

   This strand of the investigation is still ongoing.

Most commonly used in the passive: "be stranded".

• to leave someone in a place from which they cannot easily get away

  They were stranded at the airport overnight.

"The Tube" = London Underground subway system. "Tube top" = a strapless top.

1. a long hollow cylinder used for carrying liquids or gases

   The plumber replaced a copper tube.

2. a flexible container with a screw cap, for holding paste or cream

   He squeezed a tube of toothpaste.

"A slice of life" = a depiction of everyday experience.

1. a thin, flat piece cut from something larger

   He ate a slice of pizza.

2. a portion or share of something

   The company captured a large slice of the market.

• to cut into thin flat pieces

  She sliced the bread for sandwiches.

• cut into slices, especially for sale ready-prepared

  He bought a packet of sliced ham.

1. a solid three-dimensional shape with six equal square sides

   She dropped two ice cubes into the glass.

2. (math) the number you get when you multiply a number by itself twice (n^3)

   The cube of 4 is 64.

1. to cut something into cubes

   Cube the potatoes before roasting.

2. (math) to raise a number to the third power

   Six cubed is 216.

• a light box or container made of cardboard, used for holding liquids or other goods

  He bought a carton of milk.

From Greek: a- ("without") + trophe ("nourishment"). Opposite of hypertrophy (growth from use).

• (uncountable) the gradual decline or wasting away of a body part or skill from disuse

  After weeks in a cast, his leg showed signs of atrophy.

• to gradually decline in effectiveness or vigor

  His language skills atrophied after years away from his home country.

Often written as one word "underway", though traditionally two words.

• having started and in progress

  The investigation is now under way.

"Stump speech" = a standard political campaign speech (from the practice of politicians standing on tree stumps to address crowds).

1. the bottom part of a tree left in the ground after the rest has been cut down

   They sat on a tree stump to rest.

2. the remaining part of something that has been broken or worn down

   All that was left was a stump of pencil.

• to baffle or perplex

  The question stumped even the experts.

Antonym: broadsheet (a serious newspaper). Famous British tabloids: The Sun, Daily Mail.

• a small-format newspaper with many pictures and short, often sensational stories

  The story made the front page of every tabloid.

"Mind in the gutter" = thinking about something crude or sexual.

1. a shallow trough at the edge of a road or roof for carrying off rainwater

   He cleaned out the leaves from the gutter.

2. (figurative) the lowest or most poverty-stricken level of society

   He rose from the gutter to become a millionaire.

"Forty winks" = a short nap.

• to close and open one eye quickly, typically as a signal

  She winked at him conspiratorially.

• an act of winking

  He gave her a quick wink.

Most commonly used figuratively: "on the brink of war/collapse/tears".

1. the edge of a cliff, river, or other steep place

   They stood at the brink of the cliff.

2. the point just before something happens, especially something bad

   The two nations were on the brink of war.

Coined during the Cold War nuclear standoff era.

• the practice of pushing dangerous events to the edge of disaster in order to achieve the most advantageous outcome

  The nuclear standoff was a textbook example of brinkmanship.

Typically "scoff at".

• to speak about or look at someone with mocking disrespect

  Critics scoffed at the idea.

"Hold a grudge" = continue to resent someone over a past wrong.

• a persistent feeling of resentment, especially over a real or imagined wrong

  She still bears a grudge against him.

"Grudge": resentment, the noun root. "Hold a grudge" = stay resentful. "Grudging respect": admiring against one's will.

• given or felt with reluctance

  He gave grudging approval.

Almost always used with a negative: "don't begrudge him his success".

• to feel envious or resentful about someone's possession or enjoyment of something

  I don't begrudge him his success.

Originated in British government practice. In tech, also refers to authoritative reports promoting a product or technology.

1. a government report giving information or proposals on an issue

   The ministry released a White Paper on education reform.

2. (business/tech) an authoritative report or guide on a complex issue

   The startup published a white paper on its new blockchain protocol.

"A moot point" originally meant a debatable question (from medieval moot courts); modern American usage often shifts to "irrelevant".

1. subject to debate; doubtful

   Whether his actions were legal is a moot question.

2. (American) having no practical significance; irrelevant

   Now that we've already decided, the issue is moot.

Formal/academic.

• to make something unclear or difficult to understand, often deliberately

  The report seemed designed to obfuscate the true cost of the program.

• the act of making something unclear or confusing, often deliberately

  Critics accused the spokesperson of obfuscation.

Two pronunciations and parts of speech! The adjective is /ˈɪntəmət/, the verb (meaning "to hint") is /ˈɪntəmeɪt/.

1. closely acquainted; very familiar

   They were intimate friends for years.

2. private and personal

   They shared an intimate dinner.

3. involving very close personal or sexual relationships

   She felt their relationship had become intimate.

• (formal) to imply or hint subtly

  He intimated that he was thinking of leaving.

Often used in relationship contexts, sometimes euphemistically for sexual relations.

• close familiarity or friendship

  They shared a deep intimacy.

• an indication or hint

  The first intimations of trouble.

From Latin, literally "in good faith".

• genuine; real

  He's a bona fide expert on the subject.

• credentials or proof of a person's genuineness or qualifications

  She presented her bona fides to the committee.