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Flashcards: 300 TOEFL words (en-en)
distill
extract the essential elements
haggle
argue about prices (in an attempt to bargain)
intrepid
fearless
proportionately
in an amount appropriate to each of several recipients
shuttle
travel back and forth between two points
advocate
speak, plead, or argue in favour of
bitterly
indicating something hard to accept
contest
to challenge or dispute
inaugurate
to begin officially; to induct formally into office
allegedly
relating to something that is not yet proven
convict
find or declare guilty
advent
the arrival, appearance of something
ambiguous
having more than one possible meaning
decipher
to figure out the meaning
denote
to mean something clearly and directly
ingenious
very clever
inscription
something written into rock or metal
amateurish
not good enough to be professional
skit
a short, informal play
capricious
constantly changing minds
cumbersome
big and heavy
inhibit
to discourage or slow down
vanity
an excessive concern for one's appearance
vulnerable
exposed to possible harm
conflict
to fit so poorly together that the differences cause a problem
delinquency
serious misbehavior
fringe
edge (near the boundary)
hedonistic
excessively interested in seeking pleasure
hypocritically
in a way that accuses other people of weaknesses that the speaker also possesses
manipulation
influencing people in order to get what you want
rebel
to go against established systems
status quo
current status
depict
to portray; to show in pictures
dimension
an aspect
esthetically
in a way that relates to beauty or appearance
intrinsic
being part of the basic nature of something
perspective
point of view
portrayal
a description or drawing of something; depiction
despondent
extremely sad and without hope
devotion
dedication
engender
to bring into being
proliferation
the spread of something
reciprocity
doing as much for another as he or she has done for you
vanish
to disappear suddenly
arrogantly
in a way that shows high opinion of self and low opinion of others
berate
to say insulting and disrespectful things
contemptuous
having no respect
despise
hate very much
humiliation
shame; loss of respect
obnoxious
doing small things that others don't like
stigmatize
to mark with a visible feature that makes other people think wrongly of one
vitriolic
showing extreme, hateful anger
cohesion
ability to stay together
descendant
a direct relative in a later generation
inheritance
things passed down to you from your ancestors
kin
relatives
associate
spend time with
clique
a small group of friends who are unfriendly to people outside the group
confide
to tell very personal things
solidarity
standing together despite pressure to move apart
willing
ready to do something
abduction
kidnapping
coerce
to force someone to do something
detain
imprison
deviant
in a style that is not normal
distort
to twist or misrepresent
intentionally
on purpose
predicament
a difficult situation that is hard to get out of
smuggle
to illegally bring things into a country
villainy
evilness
addictive
making someone want something so much that the person feels ill without it
concentrated
large amount in a small space
interdict
to keep something from reaching a certain place
juxtapose
to place things next to each other to compare
misconception
a mistaken belief
modify
change
potent
powerful
residual
left behind after most of a thing has gone
subtly
in a quiet, hard-to-notice kind of way
analyze
to examine something carefully
assail
attack or criticize
contrary
opposite
impair
to make something less effective
inference
a conclusion drawn from evidence
objectively
not biased
suspicious
suspecting that something is wrong
tolerate
to avoid getting upset
versus
against
bribery
giving money to a government official, expecting a favor in return
cynically
disrespectfully, emphasizing weaknesses of other things
erode
to wear away
evade
to get away from something that tries to catch you
grotesque
very unpleasant to look at
integrity
honesty and good character
prevalent
common
accuse
to say that someone did something wrong
allegedly
according to what people say
convict
decide that someone is guilty of a crime
guilty
responsible for a crime
suspect
someone who might have committed a crime
verdict
court decision
apprehend
capture
ascertain
to make sure of
condemn
speak out against something in strong terms
implicate
suggest that someone was involved in a crime
inquiry
an investigation
intrusively
in a way that forcibly brings an unwanted thing into a person's life
surveillance
watching something or someone for a long time, esp because the person is accused of a crime
acquire
to get
assess
to estimate the value
asset
a possession w/ positive value
hazardous
dangerous
jointly
together w/ one or more other parties
proprietor
owner of a business or building
safeguard
to protect
sole
only
compensate
pay
enterprising
creative in thinking of ways to make money
exploit
to take advantage of
incentive
motivation
industrious
hard working
merit
value; success based upon hard work, not luck
resign
to quit a job
consequence
a result
core
object at the center
deny
say something is not true
diminish
make something smaller, weaker
longitude
imaginary lines running north to south
milieu
general environment or surroundings
Orwellian
frightening, controlled by gov't
reconciliation
making peace after being enemies
allocate
to give out certain amts for diff. purposes
commodity
a thing that can be bought & sold
decline
to decrease in power or amount
equity
the value in an investment
inflation
rising prices
net
what results after costs are deducted
per capita
for each person
regulate
control according to a set of rules
subsidy
money given by a government
tangible
able to be seen, touched
allegiance
loyalty
artillery
large guns
battle
to fight against
cease
to stop
hierarchy
a system of levels based on importance
in the trenches
in the middle of the hardest fighting or work
mobilize
to put members of a group into motion
rank
to put into order by importance
ratio
the relationship of one number or amount to another
strategic
related to long-term plans for achieving a goal
annex
to make something (usually land) part of another unit
apex
the highest point
collapse
to fall down, usually due to weakness
conquest
a takeover by force or continued effort
devise
to find an original way to make an object or a plan
invasive
aggressively entering into someone else's territory
prevailing
strongest or most common
resist
to refuse to give in to a strong force or desire
severely
harshly or extremely
violation
an action that breaks a law or agreement
amend
to change for the better
biased
leaning unfairly in one direction
burden
something that is carried; a source of stress or worry
counter
to act in opposition to; to offer in response
de facto
truly doing a job, even if unofficially
discriminate
to choose carefully among options
notion
a belief
oppress
to keep down by force
paradigm
a pattern or model; a set of assumptions
prejudiced
causing to judge prematurely & unfairly
curriculum
the courses designed by an educational institution
distinctly
clearly
erudite
highly educated
fortify
to strengthen
implicitly
without being stated
parochial
restrict in outlook
rigor
strictness
roster
a list, especially of names
secular
worldly rather than spiritual
suspend
to cause to stop for a period; to hang
astrological
related to the stars
divination
telling the future by finding patterns in physical objects
haunt
to continually appear (as a ghost) in the same place
horror
strong fear mixed w/ disgust
intermediary
a go-between
invoke
to call on for support
meditate
to think quietly & deeply
phantom
a dimly visible form; often the spirit of a dead person
psychic
relating to the mind's ability to sense things that can't be observed
self-perpetuating
having the power to renew oneself forever
assimilate
to become similar
cremation
the act of burning the dead
domesticate
to make something suitable for being in a home
folklore
traditional myths of a people transmitted orally
fossilize
to become rigid or stuck in old ways
relic
something left from a long-ago culture, time period, or person
rite
a ceremony for a certain purpose
ritually
as part of a traditional ceremony or habit
saga
a long story about important events long ago
vestige
a visible trace that something once existed
aggravate
to make worse
decrepit
weakened b/c of age, illness, or excessive use
disease
one cause of ill health
fatally
causing death or disaster
forensics
the use of science & technology to investigate facts in criminal cases
persist
to continue to exist; to hold to a purpose despite obstacles
prognosis
an educated guess of how something will develop, esp. disease
vein
tubes that form a branching system (esp. those carrying blood)
wound
to inflict an injury on
augment
to make bigger or better by adding to
certifiably
in a way that's officially recognized
complication
a factor that makes something more difficult or complex
implant
to set in firmly; to insert in the body surgically
inject
to insert a liquid by means of a syringe
obese
excessively overweight
procedure
a specific way of performing or doing something
scar
a lasting sign of damage (physical or mental)
acquisition
taking possession of something
consciously
with awareness of one's actions
degrade
to reduce in value or strength
indisputable
beyond doubt
intervene
to come between
intuitively
by means of a natural sense
recede
to move back or away from
retrieve
to bring or get back
animism
the belief that natural objects have souls
be inclined to
to favor an opinion or a course of action
contemplate
to consider thoughtfully
deify
to worship as a god
ecclesiastical
relating to a church
exalt
to praise or honor
pious
having or exhibiting religious reverence
sacrifice
giving up something now for something better later
circulate
to move throughout a group or area
corrode
to be slowly weakened by chemical reactions
derive
to come from
detection
discovering something that can't easily be found
expeditiously
quickly & efficiently
implement
to carry out
innovative
ahead of the times
installation
setting something into position for use
maintenance
keeping something in good condition
simulation
an imitation or representation
combustion
the process of burning
component
one part of a system or whole
convey
to transport from one place to another
discretely
separately
nucleus
a core
permeate
to spread or flow throughout
rotate
to turn around; to take turns in sequence
solar
relating to the sun
source
the point of origin or creation
trigger
to set off or initiate
adjust
to change; to get used to something
arbitrary
chosen by whim or chance
denominator
the number under the line in a fraction
exponentially
at a very fast rate
infinitesimal
immeasurably small
maximize
to make as great as possible
parallel
being an equal distance apart everywhere
proportion
a part in relation to the whole
rate
cost per unit of a good or service
sequence
to organize in succession
accuracy
exactness
adjacent
next to
compress
to press together
feasibly
practically
gut
to empty or hollow out
integrally
in a whole or complete manner
overlap
to have elements in common
retain
to keep or hold
seep
to pass slowly for a long time
structure
something constructed
adapt
to adjust to circumstances
diverse
various
evolve
to develop
feature
part, characteristic
generation
people born at the same time
inherent
always found within something
migration
movement from one place to another
physical
related to the body or tangible materials
process
a series of steps leading to a result
survive
to continue living despite danger or illness
constraint
something that restricts thought or action
contamination
being made unclean
deplete
to greatly decrease the supply of something
dispose of
to throw away
elementally
basically
emission
something that is sent out
extinction
complete disappearance
reservoir
a place where liquid is collected & stored
shrink
to become reduced in size, amount, or value
stable
showing little change
abandon
to give up
adversely
negatively
aggregate
amounting to a whole
cultivation
preparing land to grow
fertilize
nourish plants
intensify
to increase in power
irrigation
adding water to dry land
obtain
to get
photosynthesis
how green plants make their own food
precipitation
water that falls to Earth's surface
anticipate
to expect; to sense
catastrophic
extremely harmful
collide
to come together violently
eruption
a sudden, often violent outburst
famine
drastic food shortage
flood
an excessive amount (esp. of water)
impact
a strong influence
persevere
to continue regardless of obstacles
plunge
to go down suddenly
unleash
to release a thing or an emotion