a gnawing mammal of an order that includes rats, mice, squirrels, hamsters, porcupines, and their relatives
Rodent control.
a projecting flat rim, collar, or rib on an object, serving to strengthen or attach or (on a wheel) to maintain position on a rail
The flanges that hold the pipe.
having or showing shrewdness and good judgment, especially in money or business matters
Canny investors.
having existence; existing
The only existent copy of the book.
in a very difficult situation
The board is supporting the beleaguered director.
Irregular: past and past participle are both "bent".
to shape or force (something straight) into a curve or angle
The wire bent easily.
a curve or turn, especially in a road, river, or pipe
There's a sharp bend in the road ahead.
Mostly British. "Bendy bus": articulated bus. "Bendy straw": drinking straw with flexible neck.
easily bent; flexible
She has bendy fingers.
having a thick, sticky consistency between solid and liquid; having a high viscosity
Viscous lava.
the state of being thick, sticky, and resistant to flow
The viscosity of the oil increases in cold weather.
a period of excessive indulgence in an activity, especially eating, drinking, or taking drugs
A binge of eating.
to indulge in an activity, especially eating, drinking, or watching TV, to excess
She binged on ice cream after the breakup.
a smith who shoes horses
He took the horse to the farrier.
to make an effort to achieve or complete (something difficult)
She attempted a comeback.
an effort to achieve or complete a difficult task or action
An attempt to halt the bombings.
(of a bird) to move (its wings) up and down when flying or preparing to fly
A pheasant flapped its wings.
a piece of something thin, such as cloth, paper, or metal, hinged or attached only on one side, that covers an opening or hangs down from something
The flap of the envelope.
(informal, chiefly British) a state of nervous agitation or panic
She's in a flap about tomorrow's exam.
not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings or other aspects of something
The duffel coat looked incongruous with the black silk dress.
rash; ill-judged
A hare-brained scheme.
to cause (something) to become thoroughly soaked with liquid so that no more can be absorbed
The soil is saturated.
holding as much water or moisture as can be absorbed; thoroughly soaked
A saturated towel.
the state or process that occurs when no more of something can be absorbed, combined with, or added
Market saturation.
the intensity or purity of a color
She increased the saturation of the photo to make the colors pop.
a person who dislikes humankind and avoids human society
He was a cynical misanthrope.
a dislike of humankind
His misanthropy.
disliking humankind and avoiding human society
A misanthropic worldview.
sullen and ill-tempered
She was morose and silent.
bad-tempered and sulky
He's always grumpy in the mornings.
to strongly encourage or urge (someone) to do something
I exhorted him to be good.
lacking care or attention to duty; negligent
It would be very remiss of me not to pass on that information.
a lump or bundle of a soft material, used for padding, stuffing, or wiping
A wad of lint.
(informal) a bundle of banknotes
He pulled out a thick wad of cash.
great enthusiasm and energy
They campaigned with zest and intelligence.
the outer, colored peel of a citrus fruit, used to add flavor
Add the zest of one lemon to the batter.
to grate or scrape the peel from (a citrus fruit) for flavoring
Zest the lemon before you juice it.
naturally accompanying or associated
She loved travel, with all its concomitant worries.
soft, loose flesh on a person's body
I need to lose some flab.
(of a part of a person's body) soft, loose, and fleshy
A flabby stomach.
the choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing
Wordsworth campaigned against exaggerated poetic diction.
the degree of clarity and distinctness in a person's pronunciation and enunciation
The singer was praised for her crisp diction.
an intervening period of time
A brief romantic interlude.
a group of individuals or organizations combined to promote some common interest
A crime syndicate.
to sell or provide (a creative work, such as a TV show, column, or comic strip) for publication or broadcast by multiple outlets
The sitcom was syndicated to stations across the country.
(finance) to arrange for (a loan) to be provided jointly by a group of lenders
The loan was syndicated among several major banks.
impossible to control or govern
Ungovernable rage.
a disease or ailment
An incurable malady.
a compound present in blood platelets and serum, which constricts the blood vessels and acts as a neurotransmitter
Serotonin levels in the brain.
a small pointed missile that can be thrown or fired
A tranquilizer dart.
to move or run somewhere suddenly or rapidly
She darted across the street.
a circular board used as a target in the game of darts
He threw the dart at the dartboard.
Also spelled 'hemorrhage' (US).
an escape of blood from a ruptured blood vessel, especially when profuse
A massive haemorrhage.
Also spelled 'hemorrhage' (US).
to lose or expend large amounts of (something valuable) in a seemingly uncontrollable way
The business was haemorrhaging cash.
to cause great fear or nervousness in; frighten
The rapid questions were designed to scare her.
a sudden attack of fright
She had a scare when she couldn't find her child.
to rise and fall irregularly in number or amount
Trade with other countries tends to fluctuate from year to year.
an irregular rise or fall in number, amount, or level
Fluctuations in temperature can damage the equipment.
a solid fuel made by heating coal in the absence of air so that the volatile components are driven off
The production of coke.
(slang) cocaine
He was doing coke at the party.
(informal, especially Southern US) any carbonated soft drink, or specifically Coca-Cola
Can I get you a coke?
a poisonous substance secreted by animals such as snakes, spiders, and scorpions
Snake venom.
(of an animal) capable of injecting venom by means of a bite or sting
A venomous snake.
situated or applied under the skin
Subcutaneous fat.
designed to detect and destroy computer viruses
Anti-virus software.
the action of taking up or making use of something that is available
The uptake of free school meals.
to fill; to pervade
Her work is infused with an anger born of experience.
the introduction of a new element or quality into something
An infusion of cash.
a drink or remedy made by soaking a substance, such as tea leaves or herbs, in hot water; also, the introduction of a fluid into the body, especially into a vein
She drank a chamomile infusion before bed.
the side of a lake
We walked along the lakeside.
designed to resist the penetration of bullets
A bullet-proof vest.
each of several items in a list, preceded by a printed symbol (such as a dot)
Please summarize the text using bullet points.
the whole passage along which food passes through the body from mouth to anus
Food moves through the alimentary canal.
a person regarded as cowardly or effeminate
He was called a sissy.
to point out the resemblance of someone or something to
They likened the new policy to a disaster.
British English typically stresses the first syllable instead: /ˈkɒmpleks/.
consisting of many different and connected parts
A complex network of water channels.
a group of similar buildings or facilities on the same site
A shopping complex.
(psychology) a set of repressed feelings or thoughts that causes abnormal behavior or mental states
He has an inferiority complex.
the availability of liquid assets to a market or company
The bank must maintain sufficient liquidity.
the process of carrying or being carried in the womb between conception and birth
The gestation period of a horse.
a harmless pill, medicine, or procedure prescribed more for the psychological benefit to the patient than for any physiological effect
His anticipation of pain was mitigated by a placebo.
owing gratitude for a service or favor
I am indebted to him for the help.
providing moral or intellectual instruction
Edifying literature.
(of a young child) to walk with short unsteady steps
The baby toddled toward her mother.
a young child who is just beginning to walk
A playgroup for toddlers.
to join; to combine
The two halves were conjoined.
joined together, especially (of twins) born physically joined at some part of the body
Conjoined twins sometimes share vital organs.
(of a medicine or medical care) relieving pain without dealing with the cause of the condition
Palliative care.
something that relieves or reduces symptoms without treating the underlying cause
The tax cut was only a palliative for the economy's deeper problems.
(of a situation or event) too unlikely or undesirable to be considered a possibility
It was unthinkable that she could be dead.
directly opposed or contrasted; mutually incompatible
People whose religious beliefs are antithetical to mine.
a folder or box for holding loose papers that are typically arranged in a particular order for easy reference
A file of correspondence.
a tool with a roughened surface, typically of steel, used for smoothing or shaping a hard material
He used a metal file to smooth the edge.
a line of people or things arranged one behind another
They walked through the forest in single file.
to place (a document) in a cabinet, box, or folder in a particular order for preservation and easy reference
The contract was filed away.
to smooth or shape (something) with a file
She filed her nails before the interview.
a long, loose outer garment
A judge's robe.
a fence or other obstacle that prevents movement or access
The mountain range forms a natural barrier.
a person whose job is to transcribe speech in shorthand
A court stenographer.
fighting between armed forces
Men killed in combat.
take action to reduce or destroy (something undesirable)
An effort to combat crime.
a person or nation engaged in fighting during a war
Enemy combatants.
ready or eager to fight; pugnacious
A combative tone.
literature or art intended to arouse sexual desire
A collection of erotica.
a toy consisting of a tube containing mirrors and pieces of colored glass or paper, whose reflections produce changing patterns when the tube is rotated
Look through the kaleidoscope.
having complex patterns of colors; multifaceted
A kaleidoscopic design.
used to emphasize that a comparison or description is genuinely apt, even if not literally accurate
The early 1970s witnessed a veritable explosion of new bands.
very hot; burning
Scalding tea.
extremely hungry
I'd been out all day and was ravenous.
an owner of shares in a company
A meeting of shareholders.
a certain, usually specified, amount or number of something
A large quantity of money.
an action such as a prolonged speech that obstructs progress in a legislative assembly
A filibuster was staged to delay the vote.
to obstruct or delay legislation by making prolonged speeches
Senators filibustered the bill for hours.
based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system
His mealtimes were entirely arbitrary.
a pitted scar or mark on the skin left by a pustule or pimple
A face covered in pockmarks.
covered in pockmarks or pitted scars
A pockmarked face.
a device used in commercial vehicles to automatically record its speed and distance, together with the driver's activity
A digital tachograph.
a tarpaulin sheet or cover
They covered the load with a tarp.
to pull with a jerk
Her hair was yanked.
a sudden hard pull
She gave the rope a yank.
to regard with disgust and hatred
He abhorred sexism in every form.
a feeling of repulsion; disgusted loathing
The thought of marrying him filled her with abhorrence.
inspiring disgust and loathing; repugnant
Racism was abhorrent to us all.
to make a series of soft explosive sounds, typically when being heated or as a symptom of a fault
The engine sputtered and stopped.
to guess correctly what someone else is going to do; to outwit
He tried to outguess the market.
a favor or advantage granted or expected in return for something
The pardon was a quid pro quo for their help.
proportional; calculated according to a proportionate share
A pro rata increase in salary.
proportionally
Part-time staff are paid pro rata.
a unit used to measure the intensity of a sound
A noise level of 90 decibels.
a sweet, syrupy liquid obtained from animal fats and oils or by the fermentation of glucose (alternative spelling of glycerin)
Soap containing glycerine.
the quality of being hot; high temperature
The heat of the sun.
to raise the temperature of
Heat the oven to 200 degrees.
"Space heater": portable room heater. "Water heater": for hot water supply. Slang: "heater" = gun (US).
a device for warming
She turned on the heater.
a published, broadcast, or recorded work that continues the story or develops the theme of an earlier one
The sequel to the hit movie.
Homophone of phase; often confused in writing ('that doesn't faze me', not 'phase me').
to disturb or disconcert (someone)
She was not fazed by his show of anger.
to choose and take only the most beneficial or profitable items, opportunities, etc., from what is available
They cherry-picked the best players.
a line or course having abrupt alternate right and left turns
The path follows a zigzag.
to move in a zigzag course
The road zigzags up the mountain.
having a zigzag shape
A zigzag pattern of black and white stripes.
information of military or political value (short for intelligence)
Military intel.
a knitted sweater fastening down the front, typically with long sleeves
She wore a red cardigan.
one of several internal beams extending from the eaves to the peak of a roof and constituting its framework
The exposed rafters of the roof.
dignity, seriousness, or solemnity of manner
A post for which he has the expertise and the gravitas.
badly made or done
Shoddy goods.
clothing or dress, especially of a distinctive or special kind
Men in traditional garb.
an object that keeps a door open or in place
She used a book as a doorstop.
(informal) a very long, thick, or tedious book
His new novel is a real doorstop at 900 pages.
a person who refuses to accept any standard short of perfection
He is a perfectionist.
1pasta made in solid strings, between macaroni and vermicelli in thickness
Spaghetti bolognese.
2a movie about the American Old West made cheaply in Europe, typically by an Italian director
He loves spaghetti westerns.
Not to be confused with macaron, a French almond meringue sandwich cookie - despite the near-identical name and shared French etymology, they are different cookies.
a light cookie made with egg white, sugar, and usually ground almonds or coconut
A coconut macaroon.
1a variety of pasta formed in narrow tubes
A bowl of macaroni.
2(UK) macaroni baked in a cheese sauce (US: macaroni and cheese)
I had macaroni cheese for dinner.
to take hold of (something) and quickly remove it from its place
She plucked a blade of grass.
spirited and determined courage
It took a lot of pluck to stand up to him.
to be entitled to a particular benefit or privilege by fulfilling a necessary condition
They qualify for free school meals.
to add reservations or modifications to (a statement)
I should qualify that remark by saying it doesn't apply to everyone.
In British English, "qualifications" often refers to academic credentials. "Without qualification" = without conditions or reservations.
a quality or accomplishment that makes someone suitable for a job
List your qualifications on the form.
a condition or limitation
I agree without qualification.
a person or team that qualifies for a competition
The qualifiers will play in the final round.
a word or phrase that limits or modifies the meaning of another
In "slightly difficult", "slightly" is a qualifier.
officially recognized as being trained to perform a particular job; certified
Newly qualified nurses.
limited or modified in some way; not absolute
The board gave the plan only qualified support.
(of a job, task, or situation) undemanding, easy, or secure
A cushy job.