being dependent on a drug (such as alcohol)
Some people have a gambling addiction, which can result in a complete loss of finances.
aesthetic
related to something's attractiveness or sense of beauty
Asian culture strongly promotes the aesthetic way of living life, which is to see the beauty of duty and life in all things.
Alzheimer's
a disease affecting memory (common amongst older people)
There is no treatment for alzheimer's disease.
anorexia
a mental illness leading to a severe loss of appetite anorexia is more common in teenage girls and women.
autism
a developmental condition making it hard to form relationships, develop language skills, etc.
Megan has autism, so she has trouble showing her feelings.
certified
approved; licensed
I received a certified check for $10,000 for winning the competition.
empathetic
showing empathy or ready comprehension of others' states empathetic distress occurs when people realize that their actions have caused harm or pain to another person.
evolve
change over time
A small argument evolved into a big war between the two families.
facilitate
make possible
The telephone is a way to facilitate communication between people who are apart.
in essence
basically in essence, we've managed to save our business from bankruptcy.
insight
understanding; perception
Other students may have different insights that they can bring to the class discussion.
inspiration
source of motivation or creativity
His inspiration for his book came from his long walks along the beach.
medium
art form or material (such as clay, metal, etc.)
Concrete is one of the artist's favorite mediums.
millennium
period of one thousand years
Stonehenge is believed to have been built about 5 millenniums ago.
obtain
get
I obtained this information from him.
prerequisite
something you must have or do before starting a task
Such experiments require at least two prerequisites.
psychotherapy
medical practice involving the treatment of mental problems
The patient received psychotherapy after being diagnosed with a mental disorder.
self-esteem
sense of personal worth and value
Having a good sense of self-esteem is important for everyone.
springboard
starting point or event leading to future opportunities
An economic plan may be the springboard for recovery.
tangible
physical; able to be seen or touched
The police had no tangible evidence against the suspect; it was only a suspicion.
therapeutic
If something is therapeutic, it helps to cure a disease or makes you healthier.
After a stressful day of working, Phoebe would take a therapeutic bath.
trauma
emotionally or physically painful experience
The event is relieved with all accompanying trauma.
acclimatize
get used to; adjust
It's unknown whether people will acclimatize to increasingly warm weather.
anthropologist
person who studies past or present human cultures
The anthropologist found traces of an ancient tribal civilization in Africa.
befriend
make friends with
Mr. Lockwood wanted to befriend Cathy and take her to London.
bridge
bring together; resolve differences
The gap should also be bridged between heads of departments and principals.
broaden (one's) horizons
expand one's range of interests and experiences
If I broaden my horizons and meet interesting and amusing people, then so much the better.
compound
multiply; amplify
Mixing two or many elements together will eventually create a new compound.
conflict
disagreement; argument
The two countries were at conflict with one another.
dialogue
conversation
I had a dialogue with my teacher because of my scholarship.
diversity
including people from many races and cultures
America is a country with cutural diversity.
element
component; aspect
A musical is a form of drama that includes elements of singing and dancing.
inevitably
being destined to happen; unavoidably
Don't try to avoid it. It is inevitably going to happen.
integrate
make a part of
Traditional television is integrated as it contains images, sound and text.
introverted
very shy
John has an introverted personality, so he’s a bit quiet.
paramount
When something is paramount, it is more important than anything else.
The safety of passengers must be paramount when designing a car.
perspective
point of view
Most guidebook history is written from the editor’s perspective.
sari
a type of long dress commonly worn by women in India sari has been traditionally worn by women from South Asia.
stereotype
fixed idea/image of a race or group of people
Many Americans have the stereotype that all Asians are good in math.
sympathetic
compassionate
Mother Theresa was sympathetic towards the poor and helpless.
vice-versa
the other way around
Healthy lives lead to healthy habits and vice versa.
accomplish
achieve
Shelly has accomplished most of her goals in life.
appropriate
suitable
Sandals are appropriate foot-wear for the beach.
choreograph
involving a precise sequence of movements
The ballet was choreographed by Diaghilev.
conditioned
formed out of habit or training
He was six feet two of perfectly conditioned muscle and bone.
conscious
aware; awake
She had become conscious two days after her burial.
crawl
move around on one's hands and legs
The baby crawled all the way to the bathroom!
criticism
negative or contrary opinion
She had a lot of criticism about their new plan.
interrupt
interject; bother a person who is busy doing something
I knew that if I interrupted the girls, they would stare at me.
neural
related to the nervous system
By this method, the path of a neural tract can be traced from its origin to its termination.
phenomenon
movement; trend; happening
The wrapping of Christmas presents is a fairly recent phenomenon in American life.
precision
accuracy
The UFO-looking aircraft can fly and land with precision.
proficient
skilled; able
Secretaries are proficient at typing quickly.
pulse
blood flow detected by feeling a person's neck, wrist, etc.
The idea was enough to set my pulse racing.
resolve
settle; fix
John resolved the misunderstanding with his friend.
rhythm
fluid pattern (ex: of movement, music, etc.)
I like the rhythm of that song.
slump
period of below-average performance
The soccer player has been in a slump recently.
stutter
repeat a sound over and over, while having trouble speaking naturally
Children who stutter can often be helped by a speech therapist.
subconsciously
done without a person's awareness
This feeling or action exists in or is influenced by your subconscious.
tense up
become stiff and nervous
When I get nervous, my muscles tense up.
to a large degree
for the most part
Frankly, I think most people would accept to a large degree we did.
trigger
initiate; cause
The Stock Market Crash triggered the Great Depression.
utmost
the greatest
The situation required utmost sensitivity.
catastrophe
disaster
A lot of people sent aid to that country after it was struck by the huge catastrophe and needed help.
collide
bump or crash into
The car collided into other car coming in the opposite direction on the highway.
conjure up
cause to appear; make someone think of something
They hoped to conjure up the spirit of their dead friend.
deterrent
something that discourages an action or behavior
Cameras are a major deterrent to crime.
dispatch
send forth
Troops have been dispatched to the area.
ear-piercing
loud and shrill
Then Stefan let out a loud ear-piercing scream.
hijack
illegally take possession (of a car, boat, etc.)
To hijack an airplane or a ship is an act of terrorism.
incident
event; occasion
There was a strange incident in the supermarket today.
kidnap
hold a person against his or her will
Gangsters sometimes kidnap rich people to get their money.
lethal
deadly
Guns are lethal weapons.
maritime
related to the ocean
Amalfi and Venice were important maritime powers.
merchant
seller; trader
Amelia’s father was a rich merchant who bought and sold things.
motive
reason; purpose
His motive for studying so hard is to get into a good college.
pact
agreement
The country negotiated a trade pact with the US.
port
harbor
Busan is one of the main ports in Korea.
provoke
incite; attempt to get someone to react in a certain way
Deconstructionism is one of the words that provokes a strong reaction from both sides.
ransom
something demanded (usually money) in exchange for something or someone's return
The kidnappers demanded a ransom of $100,000 from his family.
resolution
strong decision or conclusion
My resolution is to stop drinking coffee.
spectacular
incredible
There will be spectacular fireworks tonight.
stakes
that which is at risk
The stake he placed in the game was someone else’s horse.
supertanker
very large ship used to transport oil
A supertanker is an extremely large ship that is used for transporting oil.
territorial
belonging to a place, country, etc.
The territorial border begins up there.
the lion's share
largest percentage; great majority
Unfortunately, the United States must share the lion's share of the burden for now.
vulnerable
at risk; weak
The fortress was vulnerable to attack from the air.
ward off
chase away; prevent an attack or other negative occurrence
The veil was also believed to magically have the power to ward off surrounding evils that wish to harm the bride
activate
turn on; make active
The state has activated its emergency operation center.
animal magnetism
the physical attraction that draws two people together
He had an animal magnetism that women found irresistible.
beholder
person who sees something
The building and landscape can elicit imaginative responses from the beholder.
correlate with
line up with; correspond to
These two figures do not correlate with each other.
courtship
dating; trying to win someone's affection
He married his wife after a whirlwind courtship.
elated
very happy
She was elated at having pocketed some ￡400,000.
elevated
raised; higher
The house is in an elevated position, overlooking the whole town.
fascinating
very interesting
Let’s learn some fascinating facts about them!
figure of speech
saying; expression
Poetry is language that makes abundant use of figures of speech and language that aims to be powerfully persuasive
fixate
focus on
He's just fixated on the outside appearances of people.
have chemistry
people who “have chemistry" are well matched for each other
I think we have very good chemistry between us.
hormone
chemical in the body which is related to behaviors, reactions, etc.
Growth hormone causes a young person's body to grow rapidly.
indicate
demonstrate; show
Our survey indicates that people worry about the economy the most.
instantly
immediately
He went to bed and instantly fell asleep.
nurture
the acting of encouraging, nourishing and caring for someone or something
He has a wife to console and children to nurture.
palm
the underside of a person's hand
The puppy sat in the palm of her hand.
passion
enthusiasm; strong interest
He must have some passions.
potion
liquid (often magical) that leads to special results when drunk
The witch pulled out a potion from her bag.
prominence
importance
She came to prominence as an artist in the 1960s.
rekindle
relight; raise interest once again
He rekindled the fire in the stove and set pans and pots to boiling.
substance
material
There is a sticky substance on this desk.
take heart
feel confident; don't worry
Mary took heart from the encouragement handed out.
abandoned
left behind; deserted
The mother bear abandoned her cub because it was too weak to survive.
battered
beaten
A man battered his wife, and she called the police.
bulldoze
completely knock down and flatten using heavy machinery
Around the Twin Cities, developers like to bulldoze all the trees, dig a hole, build monster look alikehouses around it and call it a pond.
confined to
restricted to
Mr. Lockwood was ill and confined to his bed.
domestic
taking place in the home domestic phonecalls are cheaper than international phonecalls.
drift
wander
The whale drifted away into the sea, and the sailors could no longer see it.
ensure
make possible; guarantee
Dog owners must by law ensure their pet wears a collar and tag with their name and address on it.
eviction
forcing someone to leave a home
The eviction quickly turned violent when the residents claimed they had a right to live in the building and began throwing rocks at the police.
feasible
achievable; practical
Do you think this project is not feasible?
flimsy
poorly made; weak
The house was made with flimsy materials.
gravity
a natural force pulling objects to the ground
Without gravity, we would all be floating in the air.
grim
terrible; having an unpleasant quality
They live in a grim house block on the edge of the city.
infrastructure
basic facilities such as electricity and running water
Facility executives also should identify what network infrastructures exist in the facility.
latter
the second in a string of two things (ex: two choices, two people, etc.)
We watch a lot of horror and mystery movies, but we preferred the latter.
noble
pure; having good intentions
Their love was very noble and pure.
occupant
person who stays in a place
Who is occupant of this house.
sanitation
series of pipes carrying waste from homes to treatment plants
This is because over 4,000 African children die every day from water and sanitation-related diseases.
shanty town
very poor area made up of shacks
His early life was spent living in a shanty town, sleeping on cardboard boxes.
shelter
protection from the rain, cold, and other outside elements
This signal let the slaves know it was safe to seek shelter there.
skyrocket
greatly increase at a fast rate
Our family's income skyrocketed when my mom got a great new job.
slum
extremely poor neighborhood in very bad condition
Many people who lose their homes move to slums.
substance abuse
overusing alcohol, drugs, etc.
Eleven of these patients also were diagnosed with alcohol or substance abuse.
tackle
take on; deal with
Such social problems need to be tackled right away.
tenure
period of time a person stays or works somewhere
But without exception, these big operations use leased land, with tenures typically of two to five years.
whatsoever
at all
I have no doubt whatsoever.
appreciate
rise in value
The famous singer appreciates all her adoring fans.
astounding
amazing
It was astounding that the electrician could identify the problem with the wiring and correct it so quickly.
chorus of voices
group of people with a common viewpoint
Meanwhile, the chorus of voices against the British and American policy in Iraq is growing and growing some more.
commodity
item; product
Money, gold, silver, wheat, corn are all important commodities.
consensus
agreement
The consensus of the community members was that the city should build a new park.
crippling
very damaging
The mad cow scare could have a crippling impact on the U.S. economy.
denominated in
based on a certain currency
The borrowings were denominated in US dollars.
expose
reveal
He exposed my secret plan to the press.
first and foremost
most importantly
Gina, first and foremost, has shown excellent management skills that have saved this company money.
fluctuation
upward or downward change
There are often fluctuations in the oil price due to the war in the Middle East.
greenback
US dollar
The Australian dollar rose against the greenback for the 13th straight week.
mastermind
direct; oversee
Now we should introduce you to the man alleged to have masterminded the scheme.
monetary policy
rules directing a currency's interest rates, supply, etc.
A strong monetary policy is important for a country to be successful.
Nobel laureate
Nobel prize winner
The professor is a Nobel laureate in chemistry.
overhaul
to examine something thoroughly, in order to evaluate its condition and to repair if necessary
The ship's engine had to be completely overhauled.
proposal
suggestion; offer
I have given consideration to current proposals for reform in the laws of adoption.
road block
obstacle
Mining villages are ringed with officers, police roadblocks established, non-police movements restricted.
rough patch
difficult period
There have been many rough patches in the global economy in recent years.
shudder
shake; have a bad feeling about something
He shuddered when he heard Carnehan’s story.
sovereignty
self-government by a nation
His life and his death taught all those that knew him of God's wisdom, grace, sovereignty and power.
speculator
investor looking for a quick rise in value
Further research revealed that he was not a farmer, but a major land speculator, merchant, ormanufacturer.
stabilize
make steady again
Her long reign helped to stabilize England, and England became very powerful.
transition
change; shift
The weather gets colder during the transition from summer to autumn.
underscore
highlight; emphasize
The teacher underscored all the important material
wipe the slate clean
forget what happened and have a fresh start
You've got to wipe the slate clean and start all over again.
attribute
characteristic
He isn’t very clever, but he does have some other positive attributes.
bio-terrorist
terrorist who uses biological weapons
What if a hijacked plane hit a nuclear power plant, what if bioterrorists infected burger bars, what if we were flooded with smallpox?
civilization
a society and all its traditions and accomplishments
Chinese civilization began thousands of years ago.
diverge
split; go in different directions
The politicians opinions diverged on the topic of a national health care plan.
dwindle
gradually decrease in size or quantity
Once again, they discussed the company’s expenses and dwindling revenue.
implication
consequence; effect
Are you interested in the political implications of weblogs and social software?
institution
organization
Banks are vital institutions that businesses and people use every day.
interface
visual system (including images, icons, etc.) used by a person to interact with a machine (such as a bank machine)
The interaction between the computer interface and the user is far from perfect even for people who are computer literate.
lingering
lasting; staying around
The lingering ghost scared the guests.
marvel
wonder; sensation
We marveled at her excellent piano playing.
radical
extreme, often with a very non-standard quality
We need a radical change in the tax system.
renowned
famous
Many renowned Korean socialites and celebrities have Cyworld accounts.
reprogenetics
combination of the words “reproduction" and “genetics" reprogenetics is the use of reproductive and genetic technologies to select and genetically modify embryos withgerminal choice technology for the purpose of human enhancement.
salient
reasonable and relevant; worthy of attention
The most salient feature of individual moral agents is the fact that they bring multiple perspectives.
scenario
situation; set of circumstances
Reality shows place regular people in different scenarios so that audiences can watch how they behave.
stockpile
supply; store
America would provide a safer form of atomic energy to prevent the production of a growing stockpile of nuclear weapons material.
undoing
downfall; ruin
Her mother's undoing was prompted by her discovery that Alessandro, her much younger husband, had fallen in love with a family friend.
unleash
release; let loose
Five Dock police arrived shortly after and cordoned off the area before unleashing a sniffer dog.
ample
plenty; more than enough
The room was so big that there was ample space for all of the furniture and more.
brainstorm
come up with new ideas
Whatever happened, I had a brainstorm, because I thought I had always understood the way it worked
dedication
commitment
The teacher had great dedication to her students.
encounter
come across; find
I encountered my ex-girlfriend at the mall yesterday.
envision
think up; imagine
Martin Luther King Jr. envisioned a less prejudice and less racial America
equipped with
supplied with; having
The school is equipped with four computers.
hard science
real-world science such as physics, chemistry, etc.
We study hard science to get good scores.
holography
using lasers to create and show 3D images
Engineers used laser holography to take an image of vibrations created by the minivan's body.
hostile
fierce; unfriendly
We were happy to move away from our hostile neighbor.
inject
insert into the body by using a needle
The army doctor injected the man with morphine.
ion
an atom with an electrical charge
All of these drinks fall under the category of sports drink, more commonly called ion drink in Korea.
microscopic
extremely small
The tardigrade is a microscopic animal that looks like a tiny bear.
nanotechnology
the science of manufacturing extremely small things nanotechnology is the study of the controlling of matter on an atomic scale.
neuron
nerve cell
It is made up from millions of nerve cells called neurons that control your body's functions,senses, and thoughts.
nexus
connection; point of intersection
Maybe some nexus was formed between us.
outsmart
defeat by using one's intelligence
The young count outsmarted the old doctor.
plague
terrible disease, pest, or series of problems
Genesis accounts the telling of the deadly plagues that brought disaster to Egypt.
precedent
previous occurrence or example
There are no precedents of achieving a soft landing with so much excess.
profoundly
deeply
We are all profoundly grateful for all of your help.
propulsion
the force which provides forward movement
The propulsion and power systems are controlled from the Machinery Control Room.
replicate
make an exact copy
A full copy snapshot replicates the data set in its entirety.
sophisticated
highly advanced
A sophisticated design is needed to sell the product.
take shape
happen; become reality
A powerful hurricane was taking shape in the Caribbean Sea.
teleportation
instant transport from one place to another
In the movie, a scientist worked on teleportation.
thermal
related to heat
Approximately 35% of the energy from a nuclear explosion is an intense burst of thermal radiation.
tumor
unnatural cell growth (often caused by cancer) in one's body
Sadly, George died at just 38 from a brain tumor.
bar
prevent; ban
Journalists had been barred from covering the elections.
child rearing
raising children (and all the tasks that involves)
Somebody said parents can find all the answers to their child rearing questions in the books.
compel
persuade; convince; force
Traffic signs compel drivers to drive safely.
concerted
focused; intensive
She has begun to make a concerted effort to find a job.
consideration
factor; reason
Remember that you owe your friends all the consideration.
core
at the heart of something
The core of the couple's problem is that they do not communicate effectively.
counseling
advice; therapy
She received counseling from a doctor of psychology.
directed at
targeted at; meant for
This book is directed at the young reader.
drawback
disadvantage; weakness
The president's new plan has few drawbacks.
expatriate
citizen of one country who lives in another
We expatriated the prisoners of war immediately after the end of the war.
fortune
large amount of money
She is jealous of her friend's fortune.
GDP
gross domestic product (the value of goods and services produced by a nation)
The current rules allow an EU country to run a deficit of as much as 3 percent of its gdp.
immune to
unaffected by
In this way, the vaccinations allow you to become immune to an infection without having the illness first.
initially
at first; in the beginning
I initially bought this bag for myself, but I decided to give it to my sister.
integration
linking together; interconnecting
Diverse practices came together in one society due to integration.
labor flight
situation in which many workers leave a place
Every region have contries which, because of high uneployment rates, experience labor flights.
linguistic
related to language
The linguistic shovel paves the way for a cultural road.
per capita
average per person (often financially related)
While consumption of beer and spirits has stayed basically steady in France, the per capita consumption of alcohol from wine fell from 20 liters in 1962 to about 8 in 2001.
remittance
money sent back to one's home country
He was a nineteenth-century male immigrant to Austrailia who was supported by regular remittance of funds from his wealthy or aristocratic family back home.
sputter
stumble; stop and start in an unsteady manner
The engine sputtered and stopped.
take advantage of
cheat; treat unfairly
Don't lend them the car. They're taking advantage of you!
toil
work very hard
At a distance, the construction workers toiled hard and dug deep.
underlying
basic; fundamental
Her underlying fear of flying reduced her traveling options.
unscrupulous
dishonest
Mrs Strong said that unscrupulous landlords in the area were attracting unruly tenants.
appliance
electrical device (ex: refrigerator)
Most apartments in the United States are supplied with appliances.
campaign
movement; focused effort
He participated a campaign against smoking for years.
coincide with
happen at the same time as something else
The publication is timed to coincide with a major exhibition.
collectively
all together
The students collectively designed the logo for the designer's clothing line.
constructive
productive; positive and supportive
The meeting was frank and constructive.
contribution
assistance; support
His contributions to the arts was significant; he had created five art museums.
coordinate
organize; arrange
She coordinated her schedule to fit that of her husband.
endangered
at risk of becoming extinct
We all need to help in protecting endangered species.
flyer
information sheet
Cindy grabbed one of the flyers that had been stacked on the table below the sign.
from the outset
since the beginning
As I said from the outset, I think this whole conception is fundamentally in error.
glacier
a very large, slow-moving mass of ice
Many glaciers are starting to melt.
harvest
gathering of the crops
The harvest is usually collected in the fall.
highlight
bring attention to; provide a good example of
This year’s school concert will highlight a famous singer.
in the face of
up against; challenged by
I need to show courage in the face of unspeakable danger.
legislation
law
The president vetoed the legislation, forcing the law makers to compromise in order to pass the bill.
politician
lawmaker; member of the government
Elections are important because it is the time when people choose the politicians who will become their leaders.
preserve
maintain; protect
Environment must be preserved for future generation.
raise awareness
to attempt to make others know or understand something
People are trying to raise awareness about pollution.
reach out
contact; make a connection
The church needs to find new ways of reaching out to young people.
spearhead
lead; direct
The founder of the bill spearheaded the vote in Congress.
take root
become strongly and deeply established (ex: a tradition)
The idea had taken root in my mind.
tip
idea; suggestion
The professor gave the students a few useful tips regarding exam preparation.
urbanization
growth of cities and city life urbanization can be very good for people.
vital
very important
The sun is also vital to the weather.
avatar
2D or 3D image that represents someone avatar is a Hollywood science fiction film written and directed by James Cameron.
coincidence
the happening of two or more events at the same time by chance
It was no coincidence that you did well on your exam; it was through your hard work and determination that you were able to receive such a good grade.
conduct
hold (ex: a meeting)
Please remember to conduct yourself with dignity.
currency
money
Korean currency is called the Won.
enhance
improve
Improving democracy is about enhancing the oppotunities for local communities to make their own decisions
envelop
completely cover or encircle
The mother enveloped her children in her skirt and escaped from the flames.
extension
addition; expansion
Due to the flooding, students were given a two month extension on their history papers.
facet
aspect; element
That is only one facet of many other situations.
fickle
prone to frequently changing one's mind
Now the impression is of a fickle politician who has lots of ideas but no staying power to see them through.
flexible
changeable; able to adapt
Because she was self-employed, her schedule was very flexible.
hands-on
practical; active
In all, participants get hands-on training in eight skill areas of hunting and taking game.
illustrate
show; demonstrate
The executive illustrated the decreasing profits of the company.
keynote speech
an important speech at a conference
Who's going to give the keynote speech?
out of favor
no longer popular or supported
He is out of favor in the eyes of the boss.
principle
a fundamental truth
The survival principle simply states you either live or you die.
restraint
limitation; restriction
Decisions are made within the financial restraints of the budget.
sheer
actual; utter (used for emphasis)
I was impressed by her sheer dedication to jogging.
socialize
meet and talk with people
Wolfgang and his wife socialized with some of the richest people in Vienna.
stake (one's) claim
assert one's right to something
Jane has the chance to stake her claim for damaged product.
surroundings
environment; setting
It is difficult to keep up with a two year old who is keen to explore every new surrounding.
transient
temporary; not staying in one place
A man's life is as transient as the morning dew.
tricky
difficult; not easy to do
He has the tricky task of deciding where the side will pay in the future.
unmistakable
clear; obvious
It was the unmistakable sound of Musak drifting around the terminus.
venue
location
The hockey arena will serve as the venue for tonight's rock concert.
adultescent
combination of the words “adult" and “adolescent"
A new name has enven been combined for people who don't act their age; adultescents.
bluntly
directly; pointedly
A colleague bluntly told him that he had no business asking for the status factor.
cash in on
earn money from
He had cashed in on the opportunity.
coin
invent a new word
Visionary and inventor Buckminster Fuller coined the phrase "Think global, act local."
consumerism
the habit of buying things
The growth of consumerism has led to many organizations improving their service to the costomer.
devote
commit
She devotes two hours a day to playing the piano.
disposable income
money available for leisure goods and other interests
The disposable income for the private sector would clearly be reduced, creating an income effect.
enjoy life to the brim
have as good a time as possible
He was a guy who had enjoyed life to the brim.
ignore
pay no attention to
I ignore spam mails and just delete them.
indulge
give in to (often something that one enjoys but doesn't always get)
He was on a strict diet, but one day he indulged in a small bowl of ice cream.
intellectual
related to the mind (ex: interests, ideas, thought processes)
Children affected with cerebral palsy generally have basic intellectual ability.
mature
behaving like an adult
The little girl was very mature for her age and used very good manners.
mindset
way of thinking; mental state
She did not have a positive mindset when it came to thinking about her future.
obligation
responsibility
Family members carry out the obligations of their roles.
opt
To opt is to make a choice, especially when deciding in favor of something.
My brother likes chocolate ice cream, but I always opt for vanilla.
pros and cons
advantages and disadvantages
The essay in this issue explore the pros and cons, the advantages and dangers of taking human rights seriously.
pursuit
interest; goal
The pursuit of knowledge should be combined with wisdom.
put off
delay
You shouldn't put off doing your homework until tonight.
ramification
consequence
There were no negative ramifications from her charitable donation.
rejuvenile
an adult who acts like a child (literally: to become a juvenile again)
Noxon said being a rejuvenile is a way of being relevant in this world.
remarkable
amazing
Cleopatra was known for her remarkable beauty and charismatic personality.
stay put
remain in the same place
Because of these costs, most homeowners would choose to stay put rather than move.
steady
calm; stable
There has been a steady wind blowing all day.
take advantage of
make the most of
Foreign investors want to take advantage of all the benefits above.
take heart
feel good/reassured
The government can take heart from the latest opinion polls.
whim
something done without much thought or consideration
You must learn to control your whims to buy things you don't need.
agribusiness
firm involved in an agricultural industry
He teaches courses in principles of agribusiness management and human resource managemnet in small business.
allergen
something that causes an allergic reaction in people
Future exposure to the same allergens will cause the reaction to happen again.
allergic
having a negative reaction (such as a rash) to something (such as a type of food)
Some people are allergic to dogs or cats.
biotech
the use of technology to create or enhance biological products biotech is the use of living parts such as cells or bacteria in industry and technology.
boost
increase; assist
An event, such as the World Cup or the Olympics, can be a big boost to the local economy.
devastating
extremely harmful
The devastating news caused her mother to have a heart attack.
devoted to
committed to
Most dogs make good pets because they are devoted to their master.
drought
long period without rainfall
Farmers were having a hard time because of the drought.
ease
lessen
Warming may ease extreme environmental conditions, expanding the production frontier.
genetics
the study of DNA and genes genetics is teaching us so much about our bodies and how we can detect some defects.
genome
an organism's complete set of genes
Understanding the human genome may help cure many diseases.
harsh
difficult; severe
Don't be so harsh on the little boy, he is crying.
herbicide
poison designed to kill weeds and other harmful plants
Farmer sprayed a protected wildflower meadow with herbicide.
justification
reasoning behind an action
There were no grounds, no justification.
legitimate
valid; reasonable
These are legitimate concerns that many people share.
manipulate
to control or influence something in a clever or unfair way
Further, story editors manipulate speech and video to create the illusion of reality.
monopoly
the control of an entire market by only one person, business, or organization
Most governments have laws to prevent companies from becoming a monopoly.
natural selection
the evolution of animals through the prospering of stronger, well-adapted members of the species
The theory of evolution by natural selection is the unifying theory of biology.
non-arable
unable to be used as farmland (since crops will not grow there)
So we would really like to see that covering a much larger percentage of arable land as well as non-arable land.
organism
a living being
Humans are living organisms.
patent
legal copyright protection for an invention
He quickly established a patent for his brilliant invention
pesticide
chemical which kills harmful insects
We wash our fruits and vegetables to remove the harmful pesticides applied to them by farmers.
unforeseen
not predicted or anticipated
The medication had some unforeseen side-effects.
unprecedented
never before seen or done
The 20th century witnessed unprecedented new discoveries in technology.
WHO
World Health Organization
He joined the World Health Organization(who).
boast
to praise oneself
The little boy boasted about how many toys he had.
clientele
customer base
Pierson is unapologetic that Winter Harvest tends to serve a more upscale clientele.
connoisseur
an expert
Meanwhile the project seems to have provoked some bemused commentary among art connoisseurs.
discipline
self-control
One of the teacher’s jobs is to teach her students discipline.
elite
top; leading
Town life also presented new challenges of economic and social organization to urban elites.
endorsement
support; backing
The issue of full independence received overwhelming endorsement.
entrepreneur
person who starts a company or backs other business opportunities
Juliet was a young entrepreneur with big ideas.
extreme sports
a thrilling class of sports including snowboarding, bike racing, etc.
Some teens enjoy extreme sports, while others fear them.
fleeting
lasting a short period of time
Any fleeting thoughts are overcome by more powerful self-justifying thoughts.
flourish
thrive; succeed
Few businesses are flourishing in the present economic climate.
get into the act
participate
She always wants to get into the act.
infant
very young baby
The infant cried all night.
instinct
natural sense of what to do
An animal’s natural instinct is to live.
juggernaut
very powerful person, business, etc.
The Internet juggernaut, Facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg in February 2004.
leverage
influence or power used to achieve a desired result
The company wants to leverage its brands more effectively.
lucrative
profitable
It is a very lucrative business in this industry.
possess
have
How much money does he possess?
put on
direct; produce
The drama club wants to put on the greatest show for their last performance.
savvy
clever and knowledgeable
Bob is a savvy veteran who knows all the tricks.
signature brand
a brand named after a person
Levis isn't budgeting money to advertise the signature brand.
surpass
go beyond
The runner hoped to surpass his competitor's record speed.
to name a few
among others
The ingredients used are drawn from nature - avocado, lemongrass, and camomile to name a few.
transform
completely change
In the movie I watched last weekend, cars transformed into robots!
unparalleled
unmatched; unequaled
The web gives them the opportunity of unparalleled access to information.
walk of life
group, class, or profession
In this job, you get to know people from many walks of life and professions.
woo
win over
He wooed her with quotes from Shakespeare.
adequate
enough; sufficient
Without adequate notice of the road block, they will have to turn around.
arise
to occur
A revolt will arise if the government does not find ways to feed its people.
asteroid belt
region of space between Mars and Jupiter that contains many asteroids
This area is known as the asteroid belt.
backing
support
The foreign secretary won the backing of opposition parties.
bombard
attack; assault
The audience bombarded the candidate with many comments about healthcare.
chamber
room
We are in his torture chamber.
considerably
significantly; very much
He makes considerably less money than his wife.
criss-cross
go back and forth across something (often many times)
the green hill was criss-crossed with a network of sheep tracks.
daunting
challenging; formidable
Due to the schedule change, she faced the daunting task of studying for five exams in a single night.
embark
begin a journey; board a ship
He embarked on a trip around the world in order to learn about and study many different cultures.
fitting
appropriate
For the owner of the fishery, the government offered him a fitting position in a firm.
initiative
undertaking; program set up to accomplish a specific goal
I don't know enough about the initiative.
invisible
unable to be seen
The monster was invisible, nonetheless, the little girl was still terrified of it.
menacing
threatening; fierce
Disease, enemies and starvation are always menacing primitive man.
orbit
revolve around a star, planet, etc.
Smooth sailing after the storm, the aircar arrived at the orbit of the Island of Paradise.
oxygen
type of gas (the most common component of breathable air)
Most living things need oxygen to live.
peer
To peer at something is to watch it carefully.
She peered at people through the window.
pioneer
person who is one of the very first in an area or field
Florence Nightingale was a pioneer in hospital reform.
radiation
the process in which energy is emitted as particles or waves.
The radiation leak from the nuclear power plant almost killed the local residents.
retrieve
to go get and bring back
After her computer crashed, there was no way to retrieve the information from the hard drive.
revive
bring back to life; raise interest again (ex: in an art form)
Unless new plays are given a chance today, there will be nothing to revive in the future.
rover
vehicle (usually designed to explore uneven, rough land)
The Mars Exploration Rovers will act as robot geologists while they are on the surface of Mars.
speculation
guess; uninformed opinion
There has been widespread speculation that he plans to quit.
stepping stone
something that lets you move on to a farther point
The original path was a series of stepping stones laid in the lawn, which I was able to reuse.
tantalizing
creating a lot of interest; very attractive
She has the tantalizing fragrance of fried bacon.
전화문의 070-4042-1075
