Test 2

imposing /ɪmˈpəʊ.zɪŋ/ /-ˈpoʊ-/ adjective

having an appearance which looks important or causes admiration
an imposing mansion
He was an imposing figure on stage.
grandeur /ˈgræn.djə r / /-dʒɚ/ noun [ U ]
the quality of being very large and special or beautiful
the silent grandeur of the desert
the grandeur of Wagner's music
covet /ˈkʌv.ɪt/ verb [ T ] FORMAL
to want to have something very much, especially something which belongs to someone else
She always coveted power but never quite achieved it.
The Booker Prize is the most coveted British literary award
fantastic /fænˈtæs.tɪk/ adjective NOT REAL
2. ( ALSO fantastical ) strange and imaginary, or not reasonable
He drew fantastic animals with two heads and large wings.
fantastical tales (= about imaginary things)
of little/no consequence ( ALSO not of any/much consequence )
not important
The money was of little consequence to Tony.
marvel /ˈmɑː.v ə l/ /ˈmɑːr-/ noun [ C ]
a thing or person that is very surprising or causes a lot of admiration
This miniature TV is the latest technological marvel from Japan.
It 's a marvel (to me) how they've managed to build the tunnel so quickly.
contemplate /ˈkɒn.təm.pleɪt/ /ˈkɑːn.t ̬əm-/ verb [ I or T ]
to spend time considering a possible future action, or to consider one particular thing for a long time
in a serious and quiet way
[ + -ing verb ] I'm contemplating go ing abroad for a year.
You're not contemplating a change of job, are you?
It's too awful/horrific/dangerous to contemplate.
sublime /səˈblaɪm/ adjective
1. extremely good, beautiful or enjoyable
sublime beauty
The book contains sublime descriptive passages.
content /kənˈtent/ adjective [ after verb ]
pleased with your situation and not hoping for change or improvement
He seems fairly content with (his) life.
[ + to infinitive ] They're content to socialize with a very small circle of people.
butt /bʌt/ verb [ I or T ]
to hit something or someone hard with the head or the horns
sagacious /səˈgeɪ.ʃəs/ adjective FORMAL
 having or showing understanding and the ability to make good judgments; wise
a sagacious person/comment/choice
solemn /ˈsɒl.əm/ /ˈsɑː.ləm/ adjective
1. serious and without any humour
a solemn face/voice
solemn music
Everyone looked very solemn.
critical /ˈkrɪt.ɪ.k ə l/ /ˈkrɪt ̬-/ adjective GIVING OPINIONS
3. giving opinions or judgments on books, plays, films, etc.
She has written a major critical appraisal/study of Saul Bellow's novels.
His last film won/received critical acclaim (= was praised by film critics) .
critical /ˈkrɪt.ɪ.k ə l/ /ˈkrɪt ̬-/ adjective NOT PLEASED
1. saying that someone or something is bad or wrong
a critical report
The report is highly critical of safety standards at the factory.
critical /ˈkrɪt.ɪ.k ə l/ /ˈkrɪt ̬-/ adjective IMPORTANT
2. of the greatest importance to the way things might happen
The President's support is critical ( to this project).
a critical decision

objective /əbˈdʒek.tɪv/ adjective

based on real facts and not influenced by personal beliefs or feelings
an objective and impartial report
I can't really be objective when I'm judging my daughter's work.
Opposite subjective
emulate /ˈem.jʊ.leɪt/ verb [ T ] FORMAL
to copy something achieved by someone else and try to do it as well as they have
They hope to emulate the success of other software companies.
Fitzgerald is keen to emulate Martin's record of three successive world titles.
solely /ˈsəʊl.li/ /ˈsoʊl-/ adverb
only and not involving anyone or anything else
I bought it solely for that purpose.
It seems he's not solely to blame for the accident.
The product's success cannot be attributable solely to the ads.
foreboding /fɔːˈbəʊ.dɪŋ/ /fɔːrˈboʊ-/ noun [ C or U ] LITERARY
a feeling that something very bad is going to happen soon
There's a sense of foreboding in the capital, as if fighting might at any minute break out.
Her forebodings about the future were to prove justified.
[ + ( that ) ] He had a strange foreboding (that) something would go wrong.
awe /ɔː/ /ɑː/ noun [ U ]
a feeling of great respect sometimes mixed with fear or surprise
I've always held musicians in awe.
 As children we were rather in awe of our grandfather.
You can't help but stand in awe of (= respect greatly and fear slightly) powerful people.
unravel /ʌnˈræv. ə l/ verb -ll- or US USUALLY -l- SUBJECT
2. [ I or T ] If you unravel a mysterious, unknown or complicated subject, you make it known or
understood, and if it unravels, it becomes known or understood
invigorate /ɪnˈvɪg. ə r.eɪt/ /-ɚ-/ verb [ T ]
to make someone feel fresher, healthier and more energetic
We were invigorated by our walk.
flagging /flæg/ adjective
becoming weaker
flagging energy/enthusiasm
trigger /ˈtrɪg.ə r / /-ɚ/ noun START
2. [ C usually singular ] an event or situation, etc. that causes something bad to start
There are fears that the incident may be a trigger for further violence in the capital.
longevity /lɒnˈdʒev.ə.ti/ /lɑːnˈdʒev.ə.t ̬i/ noun [ U ] FORMAL
living for a long time
To what do you attribute your longevity?
stave sth/sb off phrasal verb [ M ]
to stop something bad from happening, or to keep an unwanted situation or person away, usually
temporarily
We were hoping to stave off these difficult decisions until September.
despot /ˈdes.pɒt/ /-pɑːt/ noun [ C ]
a person, especially a ruler, who has unlimited power over other people, and often uses it unfairly and
cruelly
an evil despot
The king was regarded as having been a enlightened despot.
See also tyrant
prejudice /ˈpredʒ.ʊ.dɪs/ noun [ C or U ]
1. an unfair and unreasonable opinion or feeling, especially when formed without enough thought or
knowledge
Laws against racial prejudice must be strictly enforced.
[ + that ] The campaign aims to dispel the prejudice that AIDS is confined to the homosexual
community.
He claims that prejudice against homosexuals would cease overnight if all the gay stars in the
country were honest about their sexuality.
unanimous /juːˈnæn.ɪ.məs/ adjective
If a group of people are unanimous, they all agree about one particular matter or vote the same way,
and if a decision or judgment is unanimous, it is formed or supported by everyone in a group
The jury returned a unanimous verdict of guilty after a short deliberation.
After a lengthy discussion we reached a unanimous decision on the proposal.
The new format has unanimous support and could be introduced next season.
infallible /ɪnˈfæl.ɪ.bl ̩/ adjective
 never wrong, failing or making a mistake
Even the experts are not infallible.
suffice /səˈfaɪs/ verb [ I ] FORMAL
to be enough
I'm taking four hundred pounds' worth of travellers' cheques - I think that should suffice
trivial /ˈtrɪv.i.əl/ adjective
1. having little value or importance
I don't know why he gets so upset about something that is utterly trivial.
Sexual harassment in the workplace is not a trivial matter .
sarcasm /ˈsɑː.kæz. ə m/ /ˈsɑːr-/ noun [ U ]
the use of remarks which clearly mean the opposite of what they say, and which are made in order to
hurt someone's feelings or to criticize something in a humorous way
"You have been working hard, " he said with heavy sarcasm, as he looked at the empty page.
cynical /ˈsɪn.ɪ.k ə l/ adjective DISAPPROVING
1. believing that people are only interested in themselves and are not sincere
I think she takes a rather cynical view of men.
I've always been deeply cynical about politicians.
indecisive /ˌɪn.dɪˈsaɪ.sɪv/ adjective
1. not good at making decisions
He is widely thought to be an indecisive leader.
partisan , partizan /ˌpɑː.tɪˈzæn/ , /ˈ---/ /ˈpɑːr.t ̬ɪ.zən/ adjective
strongly supporting a person, principle or political party, often without considering or judging the
matter very carefully
The audience was very partisan, and refused to listen to her speech.
partisan politics
adhere /ədˈhɪə r / /-ˈhɪr/ verb [ I ] FORMAL
to stick firmly
A smooth, dry surface helps the tiles adhere to the wall.
futile /ˈfjuː.taɪl/ /-t ̬əl/ adjective
(of actions) having no effect or achieving nothing; unsuccessful
Attempts to get supplies to the region are futile because troops will not allow the aid convoy to enter
the city.
It 's quite futile try ing to reason with him - he just won't listen.
All my attempts to cheer her up proved futile.
self-esteem /ˌself.ɪˈstiːm/ noun [ U ]
belief and confidence in your own ability and value
The compliments she received after the presentation boosted her self-esteem.
She suffers from low self-esteem and it prevents her from pursuing her goals.
endowment /ɪnˈdaʊ.mənt/ noun
1. [ C or U ] money that is given to a college or hospital, etc. in order to provide it with an income, or
the giving of this money
The school has received an endowment of £50 000 to buy new books for the library.
 2. [ C ] something that you have from birth, often a quality
There are tests which can establish a baby's genetic endowment.
commend /kəˈmend/ verb [ T ]
to formally praise someone or something
The judge commended her for/on her bravery.
For a low-budget film, it has much to commend it (= it deserves praise) .
It says on the back cover of the book ' highly commended'
disparity /dɪˈspær.ə.ti/ /-ˈper.ə.t ̬i/ noun [ C or U ] SLIGHTLY FORMAL
a state in which there is no equality and similarity, especially in a way that is not fair; difference
the growing disparity between rich and poor
infrequent /ɪnˈfriː.kwənt/ adjective
not happening very often
His letters became infrequent, then stopped completely.
preferential /ˌpref. ə rˈen. t  ʃ ə l/ /-əˈren-/ adjective [ before noun ]
describes something you are given which is better than what other people receive
Inmates claimed that some prisoners had received preferential treatment .
Single mothers have been given preferential access to council housing.
manoeuvre UK , US maneuver /məˈnuː.və r / /-vɚ/ noun MOVEMENT
1. [ C ] a movement or set of movements needing skill and care
Reversing round a corner is one of the manoeuvres you are required to perform in a driving test.
vulnerable /ˈvʌl.n ə r.ə.bl ̩/ , /ˈvʌn.rə-/ /ˈvʌl.nɚ.ə-/ adjective
able to be easily physically, emotionally, or mentally hurt, influenced or attacked
I felt very vulnerable, standing there without any clothes on.
It is on economic policy that the government is most vulnerable.
Tourists are more vulnerable to attack, because they do not know which areas of the city to avoid.
hierarchy /ˈhaɪə.rɑː.ki/ /ˈhaɪr.ɑːr-/ noun [ C ]
1. a system in which people or things are arranged according to their importance
Some monkeys have a very complex social hierarchy.
He rose quickly through the political hierarchy to become party leader.
forage /ˈfɒr.ɪdʒ/ /ˈfɔːr-/ verb [ I ]
to go from place to place searching, especially for food
The children had been living on the streets, foraging for scraps and sleeping rough.
The pigs foraged in the woods for acorns.
impede /ɪmˈpiːd/ verb [ T ] FORMAL
to slow down or cause problems for the achievement or finishing of something
Although he's shy, it certainly hasn't impeded his career in any way.
altruistic /ˌæl.truˈɪs.tɪk/ adjective
showing a wish to help or bring advantages to other people, even if it results in disadvantage for
yourself
I doubt whether her motives for donating the money are altruistic - she's probably looking for
publicity.
consensus /kənˈsen t  .səs/ noun [ S or U ]
a generally accepted opinion or decision among a group of people
The general consensus in the office is that he's useless at his job.
Could we reach a consensus on this matter? Let's take a vote.