Vocabulary: Batch 79

• a dark shape made when light is blocked

  The tree cast a long shadow.

• to follow closely in order to observe

  The trainee shadowed a senior nurse.

• tower above and cast a shadow over; appear much more prominent or important than

  His impressive performances overshadowed the rest of the team.

Also figurative: "shadowy figure", mysterious/suspicious person. "Shadowy organization": secretive group.

• full of shadows; mysterious

  He saw a shadowy figure in the alley.

Common literary device: hints at future plot. Often used in retrospective analysis: "The opening scene foreshadowed the tragic ending."

• to be a warning or sign of something in the future

  The opening scene foreshadowed the tragedy.

• an official ban on trade with a particular country

  An embargo on grain sales.

• to impose an official ban on trade with

  The UN voted to embargo the regime.

Use with care: applied to people, "oriental" is now considered outdated or offensive in American English; "Asian" is preferred. Still acceptable for objects (oriental rug, oriental cuisine).

• of or relating to East Asia

  They collect oriental rugs.

From Greek diabolos ("devil").

1. characteristic of the devil; extremely evil

   The villain's diabolical plan threatened the city.

2. (informal, British) extremely bad

   The traffic was diabolical this morning.

Less common variant of diabolical.

• characteristic of the devil; devilish

  He had a diabolic grin on his face.

Contagious: seeing or hearing yawning often triggers your own. Cause not fully understood, but linked to tiredness, boredom, brain cooling. "Yawn": also slang for something boring.

• to open the mouth wide due to tiredness or boredom

  She yawned during the lecture.

Also "off in the distance": a more informal, evocative variant using "off" to suggest something far away and somewhat indistinct.

• far away but still visible or audible

  You can see the hills off in the distance.

"Happen to" + infinitive = to do something by chance, not on purpose: "I happen to have a day off on Monday" = it just turns out that way. "As it happens" = coincidentally.

1. to occur or take place

   The accident happened right in front of the store.

2. (followed by "to" + infinitive) to do or be something by chance

   I happen to have a day off on Monday, so I can come.

Usually plural "high beams" when referring to the lights actually in use. Opposite: low beam (the dimmer, downward-angled setting for normal driving).

• the more intense, far-reaching headlight setting used on dark roads with no oncoming traffic

  She flashed her high beams to warn the other driver.

British term. Also an adjective: "a roundabout way" = indirect. UK "magic roundabout": complex multi-roundabout intersection.

• (UK) a circular road junction; a children's merry-go-round

  Take the second exit at the roundabout.

American term for the same thing. "Rotary": New England variant. Larger and faster than UK "mini-roundabout".

• (US) a circular road junction

  The new traffic circle reduced accidents.

In sports, "rotation" = the regular sequence of starting pitchers in baseball.

1. to move or cause to move in a circle around a central axis

   The Earth rotates once every 24 hours.

2. to alternate or take turns at a task

   The team members rotate the night shift.

• the action of rotating; a regular cycle

  The teaching staff works on a rotation.

From Latin 'rotare' (to rotate). 'Rotary phone' had a dial. 'Rotary Club' is a service organization.

• turning around a central point like a wheel

  an old rotary dial telephone

American term.

• (American) a traffic circle; a roundabout

  Take the second exit at the rotary.

'Cringeworthy' means causing embarrassment.

1. to bend or shrink back in fear or servility

   The dog cringed at the raised hand.

2. to feel or show embarrassment or disgust

   She cringed at the awful pun.

• shrinking back in fear; excessively servile or embarrassing

  a cringing apology

Internet slang.

• (informal) embarrassing or awkward, especially in a way that provokes secondhand embarrassment

  That video is so cringe.

• strange in a way that seems mysterious or unnatural

  She has an uncanny ability to predict trends.

Plural same as singular (chassis). Silent "s" at end. From French.

• the base frame of a vehicle or piece of machinery

  The chassis of the car was reinforced.

1. a piece of wood, metal, or other material with one thick end and a thin edge, used for splitting, lifting, or securing

   He used a wedge to prop the door open.

2. a wedge-shaped piece (often of food)

   She squeezed a wedge of lemon into her tea.

3. (figurative) something that creates division or separation between two parties

   The disagreement drove a wedge between the partners.

• to fix in position using a wedge, or to force something into a tight space

  She wedged the door open with a book.

Also figurative: 'demolish an argument' = refute it completely.

1. to pull or knock down (a building)

   They demolished the old factory.

2. (figurative) to destroy or refute completely

   Her closing argument demolished the defense's case.

• the action of demolishing something, especially a building

  The demolition of the stadium took just seconds.

"Nervous breakdown": informal term for a sudden mental health crisis (not a clinical diagnosis).

1. a mechanical failure

   They had a breakdown on the highway.

2. a complete failure of a relationship or system

   There was a breakdown in communication.

3. a detailed analysis

   He gave a breakdown of the costs.

Several senses: stop functioning (a car breaks down), fail emotionally (he broke down in tears), or separate into parts (break down the costs).

1. to stop working because of a mechanical or electrical fault

   The old truck broke down on the highway.

2. to lose emotional control

   She broke down in tears at the news.

3. to separate something into simpler parts for analysis

   Let's break down the costs by category.

'Bounce back' = recover. A 'bounced' check is one the bank refuses to pay. "Bounce around" = be jolted repeatedly, e.g. a car on a rough road.

• to spring back after hitting a surface; to move up and down

  The ball bounced off the wall.

• an act of bouncing; springiness

  The old ball had lost its bounce.

• a person employed to stop unwanted people from entering a bar or club

  The bouncer checked our IDs at the door.

• (of a surface or object) able to bounce or cause things to bounce; confident and lively

  A bouncy castle.

Literal sense: take a direct or diagonal route through/over something rather than following the usual path. Figurative sense: apply to or affect several distinct groups or categories at once, ignoring the usual boundaries between them.

1. to go across or through something by a direct or diagonal route, rather than the usual path

   The trail cuts across the field instead of following the road.

2. (figurative) to apply to or be relevant across normally separate groups or categories

   The issue cuts across party lines.

Often describes population, vegetation, or hair: "sparse population", "sparse forest", "sparse hair". Opposite: dense.

• thinly scattered or distributed; not dense

  The region has a sparse population spread over a huge area.

Common collocation: "sparsely populated", "sparsely furnished".

• in a thinly scattered or distributed way

  The house was sparsely furnished.

Informal, chiefly Irish/British spatial usage. Describes a property or path reached via a short lane or side access rather than fronting directly onto the road.

• situated just off to the side of or set back from a road, rather than directly facing it

  The cottage is off the back of the road, down a short lane.

"Get wind of" = hear about. "In the wind" = about to happen.

• (countable/uncountable) the natural movement of air, especially in the form of a current

  A cold wind was blowing from the north.

Different pronunciation from the noun! Past tense: wound /waʊnd/.

1. to twist or turn something around something else

   She wound the bandage around his arm.

2. (of a road, river, etc.) to follow a curving or twisting course

   The path winds through the forest.

3. to turn a key or handle to operate a clock, toy, etc.

   He wound the old grandfather clock.

• having a lot of wind

  It's too windy for sailing today.

Antonym: tailwind. Often used figuratively in business/economics: "economic headwinds".

• a wind blowing against the direction of travel

  The plane was delayed by strong headwinds.

• a wind blowing in the direction of travel, helping things move faster

  With a strong tailwind, the flight arrived early.

Past tense: unwound. Pronunciation matches the verb "wind" /waɪnd/, not the noun.

1. to undo something that has been wound or coiled

   She unwound the bandage from her wrist.

2. to relax after a period of stress

   He likes to unwind with a glass of wine after work.

• relaxed after a period of work or tension

  He felt completely unwound.

• a building with sails or vanes that turn in the wind and generate power to grind grain into flour

  A traditional Dutch windmill.

• very nervous, tense, or angry

  He was too wound up to sleep.

• to wind a tape or film back to the beginning

  He rewound the tape to the start.

• a mechanism for rewinding

  Press the rewind button.

Common types: bark, straw, compost, gravel. Retains soil moisture and suppresses weeds.

• a layer of material spread on soil to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and enrich the ground

  She spread mulch around the rose bushes.

• to cover soil with mulch, or to shred plant material into mulch

  He mulched the flower beds before winter.

Often a lawn mower attachment or standalone garden machine that shreds leaves, branches, or clippings.

• a machine that shreds leaves, branches, or garden waste into mulch

  The lawn mower doubles as a mulcher, chopping grass clippings into fine mulch.

Small dogs yap. Informal figurative sense: to talk incessantly, especially about trivial matters ("yapping away about parking").

1. to bark shrilly and repeatedly

   The little terrier yapped at every passing car.

2. (informal) to talk continuously, especially about unimportant things

   He was still yapping away about parking when the meeting started.

Used as intensifier, typically before negative adjectives: "downright rude", "downright dangerous".

• thoroughly; completely

  That's downright wrong.

"Stretch the truth": exaggerate. "Final stretch": last segment of a race or project. "By any stretch of the imagination": even with broad interpretation.

• to extend or make longer

  She stretched after the long flight.

• a continuous period of time or area

  It was a difficult stretch.

1. a container, especially a small one, in which something is packed or sold

   He bought a pack of cigarettes.

2. a group of animals, especially wolves or dogs, that hunt together; (figurative) any group

   A pack of wolves circled the deer.

3. a complete set of playing cards

   He shuffled the pack and dealt the cards.

1. to put things into a container, especially for storage or transport

   She packed her suitcase the night before the trip.

2. to fill a space tightly with people or things

   Fans packed the stadium for the championship game.

1. an object or group of objects wrapped or boxed together, especially for posting or transport

   The mail carrier left a package at the door.

2. a set of related items, services, or proposals offered or sold together

   The hotel offers a honeymoon package with dinner and spa treatments included.

• to put something into a container or wrapper for sale or transport

  The cookies are packaged in small foil bags.

1. completely full of people or things; crowded

   The concert hall was packed.

2. ("packed with") containing a lot of

   This book is packed with useful tips.

In British usage, often a small bag of crisps, sugar, etc. In American usage often "pack" instead.

1. a small package or container, especially of food or merchandise

   He opened a packet of biscuits.

2. (computing/networking) a small unit of data sent across a network

   The internet breaks files into small packets for transmission.

The material (boxes, wrap, containers) used to package a product, distinct from the countable "a package".

• material used to wrap or protect goods before selling or shipping them

  The company switched to biodegradable packaging.

• the branch of medicine concerned with the lungs and respiratory system

  He was referred to pulmonology after his chronic cough persisted.

• relating to the lungs

  A pulmonary embolism is a blockage in an artery in the lungs.

• a doctor who specializes in lung and respiratory conditions

  The pulmonologist diagnosed her with asthma.

British spelling: orthopaedics.

• the branch of medicine dealing with bones, joints, and muscles

  He specializes in orthopedics after years of treating sports injuries.

• relating to the correction or treatment of bone and muscle problems

  She wears orthopedic shoes to support her arches.

• a doctor who specializes in bones, joints, and muscles

  The orthopedist recommended surgery for his torn ligament.

"AI slop": 2020s internet slang for low-effort, mass-produced AI-generated text, images, or video flooding online platforms. Older sense: "slop bucket", "hog slop".

1. unappetizing liquid or semi-liquid food, especially waste fed to animals

   The farmer poured slop into the pig trough.

2. (informal) low-quality, often mass-produced content, especially AI-generated material

   Critics complain that AI slop is drowning out genuine human creativity online.

More formal than "get worse". Common collocations: health, weather, relationship, situation.

• to become progressively worse

  His health deteriorated rapidly.

• the process of becoming progressively worse

  Doctors noted a rapid deterioration in his condition.

1. to follow or copy something or someone as a model

   Children often imitate their parents.

2. to mimic, often for comic effect

   He's good at imitating celebrity voices.

"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."

1. (uncountable) the action of imitating

   He learned by imitation.

2. (countable) a copy of something, especially one made to look real

   This is an imitation of an antique chair.

• following or copying a model or example

  The early symphonies were imitative of Beethoven.

• a person who copies the behavior or actions of someone else

  Many imitators tried to copy his style.

"Hazard lights": flashing emergency lights on a car. "Occupational hazard": risk associated with one's job. Famous: "The Dukes of Hazzard" (TV show).

• a danger or risk

  Smoking is a major health hazard.

• risky; dangerous

  hazardous waste; a hazardous journey

• make minor changes in (a text) in order to make it fairer, more accurate, or more up-to-date

  The rule was amended to apply only to non-members.

"First Amendment" (US): freedom of speech, religion, press. "Fifth Amendment": right against self-incrimination. "Second Amendment": gun rights.

• a change to a law or document

  They passed an amendment to the bill.

In statistics, "confounding variable" = one that distorts the apparent relationship between cause and effect.

1. to confuse or perplex

   The results of the experiment confounded the scientists.

2. to prove a theory or expectation wrong

   She confounded the critics with her brilliant performance.

Frequently confused with "eminent" (famous, distinguished) and "immanent" (inherent, indwelling, a philosophical term). All three are pronounced almost identically.

• about to happen very soon, usually used for something bad or undesirable

  The forecaster warned of imminent thunderstorms.

• the quality of being about to happen very soon

  The imminence of the deadline put everyone on edge.

"In tandem" = together or in cooperation. Also used attributively for anything arranged one behind the other, e.g. "tandem bike" (this noun sense) and "tandem trailer" (a trailer with axles/units in a row).

• a bicycle with two or more seats one behind the other

  They rode a tandem along the beach path.

• alongside each other; together

  The two teams worked in tandem on the project.

Can modify singular or plural nouns ("the other book", "the other books"), unlike "another" (singular only). "The other" also works as a pronoun.

• used to refer to a person or thing that is different or distinct from one already mentioned

  I'll take the other seat.

From "an" + "other". Singular only - use "other" (not "anothers") for plural. "One another" = reciprocal pronoun, like "each other".

• one more; an additional or different one

  Would you like another cup of coffee?

Also pronounced /ˈaɪðɚr/ - both are standard American English, free variation (not an AmE/BrE split). Also functions as pronoun, conjunction ("either...or"), and adverb ("I don't like it either").

• one or the other of two; each of two

  You can park on either side of the street.

Also pronounced /ˈnaɪðɚr/, same free variation as "either". Takes a singular verb: "Neither answer is correct." Also functions as pronoun, conjunction ("neither...nor"), and adverb ("She didn't go, and neither did I").

• not the one or the other of two; not either

  Neither of the two plans worked.

To renovate or give new form to.

• to give new and improved form, structure, or appearance to

  They revamped the company's website.

• an act of revamping; a renovation

  The menu got a complete revamp.

• a piece of broken ceramic, metal, glass, or rock, typically having sharp edges

  Shards of glass flew in all directions.

Often treated as singular or plural. Military origin.

• the detailed coordination of a complex operation, especially moving supplies, people, or equipment

  The logistics of the tour are a nightmare.

• relating to logistics

  a logistic challenge

• relating to logistics

  logistical support

Several meanings: pledge, perpetrate (a crime), or place in custody. "Commit to memory" = memorize. Git: "commit changes" to a repository.

1. to pledge to a course of action

   They committed to the project.

2. to perform a crime or wrongdoing

   He committed murder.

"A camel is a horse designed by a committee": joke about decision-making by group. "Committee": formal noun for a working group.

• a group appointed to consider a matter

  The committee will report next week.

"Fear of commitment": relationship issue (commonly attributed, often unfairly, to men). "Commitment ceremony": same-sex equivalent of marriage before legalization.

• the state of being dedicated to a cause or activity

  They have a strong commitment to quality.

From Latin ad- ("to") + haerere ("stick"). Same root as cohere, inherent.

1. to stick fast to (a surface or substance)

   The label won't adhere to wet glass.

2. to believe in and follow the practices of

   She strictly adheres to her diet.

• attachment or commitment to a person, cause, or belief

  His adherence to the rules was strict.

• a supporter of a particular party, person, or set of ideas

  He's an adherent of free-market economics.

• the action or process of adhering to a surface or object

  The glue's adhesion failed in the heat.

• a substance used for sticking objects or materials together; glue

  He used a strong adhesive to repair the broken vase.

More clinical/biological register than 'woman'. Common in forms, medical, and scientific contexts ('female patient', 'female lion').

1. of or denoting the sex that produces eggs or bears offspring

   The clinic recorded the patient's sex as female.

2. (as a noun) a female person or animal

   The female was noticeably smaller than the male.

More clinical/biological register than 'man'. Common in forms, medical, and scientific contexts ('male patient', 'male lion').

1. of or denoting the sex that produces sperm

   The clinic recorded the patient's sex as male.

2. (as a noun) a male person or animal

   Only one male was present in the group.

• an adult female human being

  A woman at the front desk helped me.

Plural of woman. Note the vowel change: woman /ˈwʊmən/, women /ˈwɪmən/.

• more than one adult female human being

  Three women joined the research team.

Plural: men. Increasingly avoided as a generic term for "human" in favor of "person", "humanity", etc.

1. an adult male human being

   There were five men and three women in the meeting.

2. (generic, dated) a human being of either sex; humankind

   Man has explored every continent on Earth.

3. (informal) used as a form of address, often with emphasis

   Hey man, how's it going?

• to operate or staff (a piece of equipment or a position), traditionally implying male staff but now used regardless of gender

  Volunteers manned the phones during the fundraiser.

Plural of man.

• more than one adult male human being

  Two men were waiting outside.

• a worker skilled in a particular craft; a person engaged in trading or a trade

  He hired a local tradesman to fix the roof.

• the number of people working or available for work or service

  A shortage of manpower.

Increasingly considered dated/loaded with gender stereotypes. "Manly" used in marketing of beer, razors, trucks. Critique: "toxic masculinity".

• having qualities traditionally associated with men

  He had a deep manly voice.

• a state of deep unconsciousness that lasts for a prolonged or indefinite period, caused especially by severe injury or illness

  A crash that left him in a coma.

1. a length of time

   The store was closed for a short period.

2. the punctuation mark .

   Put a period at the end of the sentence.

3. a monthly discharge of blood from the uterus (menstruation)

   She was cramping because her period had just started.

• a magazine or newspaper published at regular intervals

  Academic periodicals.

• occurring or recurring at regular intervals

  She scheduled periodic checkups with her doctor.

Opposite: "plaintiff" (civil) or "prosecution" (criminal). "Co-defendants": multiple defendants in same case. Right to counsel guaranteed in serious criminal cases.

• a person against whom a legal case is brought

  The defendant pleaded not guilty.

• a person who brings a case against another in a court of law

  The plaintiff commenced an action for damages.

"Exceed the speed limit" = drive faster than legally allowed.

• the maximum speed legally allowed on a particular stretch of road

  The speed limit on this highway is 65 miles per hour.

Often abbreviated OD (as both noun and verb). The opioid epidemic in the US has dramatically increased overdose deaths.

• an excessive and dangerous dose of a drug

  She died from an accidental overdose.

Common cause of dry meat or mushy vegetables. Compare undercook.

• to cook (food) for too long, spoiling its texture or flavor

  The chicken was overcooked and dry.

Two distinct senses. "Overlook" can mean fail to notice (a mistake) or deliberately ignore.

1. to fail to notice

   He overlooked an important detail.

2. to have a view from above

   The hotel overlooks the bay.

• a tall plant with a stiff upright stem; marijuana

  They grow cannabis for medicinal purposes.

Named after Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams. Derived from opium poppy. Powerful pain reliever, highly addictive.

• a strong painkilling drug obtained from opium

  He was given morphine for the pain.

"Opiate": natural compounds from opium poppy (morphine, codeine). "Religion is the opiate of the masses": Marx (often misquoted).

• a drug derived from opium

  Morphine is an opiate.

"Opioid", broader term: includes synthetic (fentanyl, oxycodone). "Opioid epidemic": major US public health crisis since the 2010s.

• any drug acting like an opiate, natural or synthetic

  Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid.

• an additional game or match played to decide the outcome of a tied contest, or a series of games played to determine a championship

  They lost in the play-offs.

Many meanings: sports field, sound frequency, business presentation, tar substance. "Sales pitch", "elevator pitch": short persuasive presentations.

1. (British) a playing field

   The football pitch was muddy.

2. the degree of highness or lowness of a sound

   She has perfect pitch.

3. a persuasive speech, especially a sales talk

   He gave a winning sales pitch.

1. to throw or hurl

   He pitched the ball to the catcher.

2. to present (an idea or product)

   She pitched her startup to investors.

In baseball, the pitcher throws the ball to the batter. In British English: pitcher = jug (less common in modern speech).

1. (baseball) the player who throws the ball

   He's the team's best pitcher.

2. a large container for liquids

   She brought out a pitcher of lemonade.

"Torches and pitchforks": cliché image of an angry mob, especially in old horror films.

• a farming tool with two or three long prongs

  The farmer lifted hay with a pitchfork.

"Pitched battle": intense fight. "Pitched roof": sloped roof (vs. flat).

• set at a particular slope or intensity

  They had a pitched argument.

Also written 'pitch dark' or 'pitch-black'. From 'pitch' the black tar substance.

• completely dark; without any light

  The basement was pitch-dark.