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Common words vocab

Terms

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Adjudicator
A person who studies and settles conflicts and disputes
Adulteration
The act of adulterating; Making impure or corrupt by adding extraneous materials
Affiliated
To be in close connection
Aisle
Passageway between seating areas as in an auditorium or passenger vehicle or between areas of shelves of goods as in stores
Alamo
The mission in San Antonio where in 1836 Mexican forces under Santa Anna besieged and massacred American rebels who were fighting to make Texas independent of Mexico
Amenities
Things that make you comfortable and at ease
Amidst
In the middle of
Amnesty
A pardon given to a large group of individual
Anarchic
Without law or control
Anchor
A central cohesive source of support and stability
Anthropology
The social science that studies the origins and social relationships of human beings
Arm's length
A distance sufficient to exclude intimacy
Arrogant
Having or showing feelings of unwarranted importance out of overbearing pride
Awkward
Causing inconvenience
Bait
Something used to lure victims into danger
Bait and switch
A deceptive way of selling that involves advertising a product at a very low price in order to attract customers who are then persuaded to switch to a more expensive product
Ballpark
Near to the scope or range of something
Bash
To hit hard
Beckons
Signal with the hands or nod
Beef up
strenthen
Bellybutton
Scar where the umbilical cord was attached
Biddy
Chick
Bimbo
A young woman indulged by rich and powerful older men
Bisque
A thick cream soup made from shellfish
Blood-curdling
Extremely alarming
Bolster
Support and strengthen
Bourse
An exchange where security trading is conducted by professional stockbrokers
Brag
To exhibit self-importance
Brat
A very troublesome child
Break
Someone who has insufficient assets to cover their debts
Bump into
Collide violently with an obstacle
Canvas
Heavy closely woven fabric (used for clothing or chairs or sails or tents)
Casket
Box in which a corpse is buried or cremated
Chum
pal/sidekick
Cited
To be summoned to appear in court
Clemency
A lesser panalty than the court originally segested
Collateral damage
inadvertent casualties and destruction inflicted on civilians in the course of military operations
Conscience
scruples
Conscious
aware
Convention
A large formal assembly
Convention Center
A convention center, in American English, is an exhibition hall, or conference center, that holds conventions. A large, cavernous public building with enough open space to host public and private business and social events for the surrounding municipal and metropolitan areas.
Cuisine
The practice or manner of preparing food or the food so prepared
Cynic
Someone who is critical of the motives of others
Cynicism
The feeling that things will turn out badly
Dandy
A man who is much concerned with his dress and appearance
Dazzling
Amazingly impressive; suggestive of the flashing of lightning;
Debate
Debate is defined as the process of arguing about claims in situations where the outcome must be decided by an adjudicator. The focus of this introduction is on those elements of argumentation that are most often used in debate.
Delinquent
Past due; not paid at the scheduled time
Demographer
A scientist who studies the growth and density of populations and their vital statistics
Dermatologist
A doctor who specializes in the physiology and pathology of the skin
Dichotomy
a classification into two opposed parts or subclasses
Diligence
Conscientiousness in paying proper attention to a task; giving the degree of care required in a given situation
Dissemination
The act of dispersing or diffusing something
Drool
Saliva spilling from the mouth
Dwelling
Housing that someone is living in
Economy of scale
The saving in cost of production that is due to mass production
Ecosystem
A system formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their physical environment
Embargo
A government order imposing a trade barrier
Empathy
Understanding and entering into another's feelings
Entrepreneurial spirit
Enthusiam for business (esp new idias)
Ethic
The principles of right and wrong that are accepted by an individual or a social group; A system of principles governing morality and acceptable conduct
Eulogy
Formal expression of praise
Feeble
Lacking strength
Fiasco
A sudden and violent collapse??
Fluke
Foreclosure
The legal proceedings initiated by a creditor to repossess the collateral for loan that is in default
Giddyup
Instruction to a horse to go faster
Gonorrhea
A common venereal disease caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae; symptoms are painful urination and pain around the urethra
Grassroot
Of or involving the common people as constituting a fundamental politico-economic group; The common people at a local level (as distinguished from the centers of political activity)
Grotto
A small cave (usually with attractive features)
Hang-up
An unforeseen obstacle
Harbor
A sheltered port where ships can take on or discharge cargo
Hefty
Large in amount or extent or degree
Hoochie mamma
Used to describe very large African American women who wear clothes that are far too small for them
Hookup
Connect or link
Impede
Be a hindrance or obstacle to
Impunity
Exemption from punishment or loss
Incite
To move to action
Indian Giver
One who ask you to return the present he has given you
Indict
To be charged with a crime/Accuse formally of a crime
Indigenous
Originating where it is found
Induce
To influence someone to do sth
Indulgence
A disposition to yield to the wishes of someone
insanity
psychopathy
Liaison
A channel for communication between groups
Lobster
Invertebrate having a soft unsegmented body usually enclosed in a shell
Lucrative
Producing a good profit
Maneuver
Direct the course; determine the direction of travelling
Metronome
Clicking pendulum indicates the exact tempo of a piece of music
Midget
dwarf
Mohel
The Mohel is a person of the Jewish faith who is ordained to do circumcision under the guidelines
Morale
A state of individual psychological well-being based upon a sense of confidence and usefulness and purpose; The spirit of a group that makes the members want the group to succeed
Morals
Motivation based on ideas of right and wrong
Mortgage
A conditional conveyance of property as security for the repayment of a loan
Mull
Reflect deeply on a subject
Mum
Failing to speak or communicate etc when expected to
Oh, Moses, smell the roses
For God's sake, get a clue
Oxymorons
Conjoining contradictory terms
Pamper
Treat with excessive indulgence
Panoramic
A view that can be seen from all sides
Patch
A piece of cloth used as decoration or to mend or cover a hole
Persecute
To cause someone to suffer because of a belief
Persuade
Win approval or support for; Cause somebody to adopt a certain position, belief, or course of action; twist somebody's arm
Philanthropist
Someone who makes charitable donations intended to increase human well-being
Phobia
An anxiety disorder characterized by extreme and irrational fear of simple things or social situations
Pillion
A seat behind the rider of a horse or motorbike etc.
Pimp
Someone who procures customers for whores (in England they call a pimp a ponce)
Platter
A large shallow dish used for serving food
Plucky
Showing courage
Pop
Come Out
Poultry
Flesh of chickens or turkeys or ducks or geese raised for food
Proctologist
A doctor specializing in diseases of the rectum and anus
Protégé
A person who receives support and protection from an influential patron who furthers the protégé's career
Retrench
Tighten one's belt; use resources carefully; Make a reduction, as in one's workforce
Rhetoric
Using language effectively to please or persuade
Rip off
Deprive somebody of something by deceit
Rooster
adult male chicken
Sabotage
To destroy
Sane
Mentally healthy; free from mental disorder
Savor
Taste appreciatively
Scant
Less than the correct or legal or full amount often deliberately so
Seizure
A sudden occurrence (or recurrence) of a disease
Serenity
The absence of mental stress or anxiety
Severe
Intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality
Sigmund Freud
Austrian neurologist who originated psychoanalysis (1856-1939)
Snub
ignore
Soiree
A party of people assembled in the evening (usually at a private house)
Solicit
To ask for sth of value
Spacious
(of buildings and rooms) having ample space; Very large and open
Springboard
A beginning from which an enterprise is launched
Stocky
Heavy and compact in form or stature
Stone's throw
A short distance
Strive
Work toward a goal with great effort.
Stroll
A leisurely(slowly & in a relaxed way) walk (usually in some public place)
Subservient
Compliant and obedient to authority
Tantamount
Being essentially equal to something
Tantrum
A display of bad temper
Telemarketer
Person who use the telephone as an interactive medium for promotion and sales
Terrace
Usually paved outdoor area adjoining a residence
TGIF
Toast
salute
Tweak
Adjust finely
Umpteenth
Last in an indefinitely numerous series
Vengeance
retribution
Vent
Give expression or utterance to
Voucher programs
allow parents to put tax dollars toward a private education - for example - in the form of a subsidy to the chosen school. The dollar value of a voucher is usually equal to, but may be less than, the state average per pupil expenditure, and may cover the partial or full cost of a private school tuition.
Whammy
A serious or devastating setback
Pedophile
An adult who is sexually attracted to children
Drub
Beat thoroughly in a competition or fight
Begrudge
Feel bitter or indignant about
Tab
bill in the restaurant
Culpable
Deserving blame or censure as being wrong or evil or injurious
Incumbent
The official who holds an office
Hispanic
An American whose first language is Spanish; Related to or derived from the people or culture of Spain
Peg
Stabilize (the price of a commodity or an exchange rate) by legislation or market operations
Benedict Arnold
United States general and traitor in the American Revolution; in 1780 his plan to surrender West Point to the British was foiled (1741-1801)
Till
Work land as by ploughing, harrowing, and manuring, in order to make it ready for cultivation
Harrow
Draw a harrow over (land)
Sluggish
Very Slow
Hysteria
State of violent mental agitation
Inescapable
Impossible to avoid or evade
Frenetic
Excessively agitated; transported with rage or other violent emotion
Pyrrhic
Of or relating to or resembling Pyrrhus or his exploits (especially his sustaining staggering losses in order to defeat the Romans)
Adorn
Be beautiful to look at
Ordain
Order by virtue of superior authority;
Disguised
Having its true character concealed with the intent of misleading
Allude
Make a more or less disguised reference to
Prominent
Vanguard
Any creative group active in the innovation and application of new concepts and techniques in a given field (especially in the arts)
Veil
A garment that covers the head and face;
Paramount
Having superior power and influence
Unbecoming
Considered inappropriate for or unattractive on a particular person
Cohabit
Room or live together; usually said of people who are not married and live together as a couple
Inhabit
Be present in; be inside of
Flyspeck (v)
To examine closely or in minute detail; scrutinize
Flyspeck (n)
a tiny dark speck made by the excrement of a fly
Excrement
Waste matter (as urine or sweat but especially feces) discharged from the body
Scorn
Lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
Punitive
Inflicting punishment
Nuances
A subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude
Prudent
Careful and sensible; marked by sound judgment
Rejuvenation
The act of restoring to a more youthful condition/freshness
Amid
In the middle of; amidst
Flurry
A rapid bustling commotion
White-collar
Of or designating salaried professional or clerical work or workers
Blue-collar
Of those who work for wages especially manual or industrial laborers
Pink-collar
Of or relating to a class of jobs once traditionally filled by women
Buyout
Take over ownership of; of corporations and companies
Marsh
Low-lying wet land with grassy vegetation; usually is a transition zone between land and water
River Basin
The entire geographical area drained by a river and its tributaries
Replenish
Fill something that had previously been emptied
Ebb
The outward flow of the tide
Wrangling
An instance of intense argument (as in bargaining)
Stubmle
Miss a step and fall or nearly fall; An unsteady uneven gait
Sloppy
Marked by great carelessness
Embryo
An animal organism in the early stages of growth and differentiation that in higher forms merge into fetal stages but in lower forms terminate in commencement of larval life
Contraception
Birth control by the use of devices (diaphragm or intrauterine device or condom) or drugs or surgery
Lesions
Any break in the skin or an organ caused by violence or surgical incision
Menstruation
The monthly discharge of blood from the uterus of nonpregnant women from puberty to menopause
Yore
The time that has elapsed
Impediments
Something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress
Adolescent
A juvenile between the onset of puberty and maturity
Jeopardy
A source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
Leech
Carnivorous or bloodsucking aquatic or terrestrial worms typically having a sucker at each end; A follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage
Slam
Strike violently; Close violently; critisize severely
Fade
Gradually ceasing to be visible; A golf shot that curves to the right for a right-handed golfer(SLICE)
Abomination
A person who is loathsome or disgusting; An action that is vicious or vile; an action that arouses disgust or abhorrence
Loathe
Find repugnant; To feel great hatred and disgust for
Vile
Thoroughly unpleasant
Abhor
Find repugnant
Repugnant
Offensive to the mind; repulsive; obscene
Execrate
Find repugnant; Curse or declare to be evil or anathema or threaten with divine punishment
Anathema
A formal ecclesiastical curse accompanied by excommunication
Ecclesiastical
Of or associated with a church (especially a Christian Church)
Insubordinate
Not submissive to authority; Disobedient
Exultant
Joyful and proud especially because of triumph or success
Rejoice
Feel happiness or joy
Mushroom
Grow and spread fast
Insolent
Marked by casual disrespect; Unrestrained by convention or propriety
Impudent
Marked by casual disrespect; Improperly forward or bold
Reluctant
Unwillingness to do something contrary to your custom
Acquiescence
Acceptance without protest; Agreement with a statement or proposal to do something
Loth
Unwillingness to do something contrary to your custom; (usually followed by 'to') strongly opposed
Stringent
Demanding strict attention to rules and procedures; rigrous; tight
Agonized
Expressing pain or agony
Agony
Intense feelings of suffering; acute mental or physical pain; suffering
Excruciation
A state of acute pain
Crucifixon
The act of executing by a method widespread in the ancient world; the victim's hands and feet are bound or nailed to a cross
Semantic
Of or relating to the study of meaning and changes of meaning
Conspicuous
Obvious to the eye or mind; Without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious
Strident
Conspicuously and offensively loud; given to vehement outcry; Unpleasantly loud and harsh
Raucous
Unpleasantly loud and harsh
Complacency
The feeling you have when you are satisfied with yourself;self-satisfaction
Poignant
Arousing affect; Keenly distressing to the mind or feelings
Predicament
A situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one
Wacky
Informal or slang term for mentally irregular
Askew
Turned or twisted toward one side; wonky; awry; lopsided; cockeyed
Spank
A slap with the flat of the hand

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